Script Scoring
Beats, Objectives, Tactics, and Obstacles
Introduction
All plays can be reduced to a few basic ideas:
- a character wants something
- something hinders the character from achieving what they want
- the character tries different tactics to get what he or she wants.
Essentially
There may be all manners of variations on this formula, but all drama stems from conflict arising from characters pursuing what they want despite obstacles.
As we read and reread the script
we will identify the following:
- Objective
- Super Objective
- Obstacle
4. Tactics/Actions5. Beat Changes
Objective
What the character needs or wants within the given moment. It helps to frame the objective in statements beginning with "I need" or "I want".
All characters should have objectives - not just the protagonist!
Super Objective
The broad, overall objective the character has throughout the play rather than in specific scenes.
Obstacle
Defined:
The person, event, or thing that gets in the way of a character achieving their objective. Sometimes characters have two completely different objectives and that creates the obstacle. obstacles create conflict within the story.
Remember:
Once a character overcomes an obstacle to achieve an objective, a character has a new objective, otherwise the play is over.
Tactics/Actions
An action a character makes in an attempt to achieve their objective. tactics can be actual actions a character makes or they can be spoken.
You can find a list of action based tactics here.
For example, if a character's objective is to make another character leave the room, tactics can be anything between asking them politely or using physical force to get them out. Check out the video.
Beat Change
The moment a character decides to change actions or switch objectives is a beat change. They can be subtle movements or incredibly dramatic, depending on the scene. Either way, it is important to make these beat changes clear. What causes the character to change tactics? What causes the character to change objectives? You can watch the video about beats in your script for further guidance.
Script Scoring
ALISSIA CORTEZ
Created on November 2, 2020
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Transcript
Script Scoring
Beats, Objectives, Tactics, and Obstacles
Introduction
All plays can be reduced to a few basic ideas:
Essentially
There may be all manners of variations on this formula, but all drama stems from conflict arising from characters pursuing what they want despite obstacles.
As we read and reread the script
we will identify the following:
4. Tactics/Actions5. Beat Changes
Objective
What the character needs or wants within the given moment. It helps to frame the objective in statements beginning with "I need" or "I want".
All characters should have objectives - not just the protagonist!
Super Objective
The broad, overall objective the character has throughout the play rather than in specific scenes.
Obstacle
Defined:
The person, event, or thing that gets in the way of a character achieving their objective. Sometimes characters have two completely different objectives and that creates the obstacle. obstacles create conflict within the story.
Remember:
Once a character overcomes an obstacle to achieve an objective, a character has a new objective, otherwise the play is over.
Tactics/Actions
An action a character makes in an attempt to achieve their objective. tactics can be actual actions a character makes or they can be spoken. You can find a list of action based tactics here.
For example, if a character's objective is to make another character leave the room, tactics can be anything between asking them politely or using physical force to get them out. Check out the video.
Beat Change
The moment a character decides to change actions or switch objectives is a beat change. They can be subtle movements or incredibly dramatic, depending on the scene. Either way, it is important to make these beat changes clear. What causes the character to change tactics? What causes the character to change objectives? You can watch the video about beats in your script for further guidance.