COVERAGE GUIDE

CONTENTS

COVERAGE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 1

COVERAGE TEMPLATE ............................................................................................................................ 3
THE GRID................................................................................................................................................. 4
THE LOGLINE ........................................................................................................................................... 5
THE SYNOPSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 6
EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY ................................................................................................................... 7
PREMISE ..................................................................................................................................... 7
ORIGINALITY............................................................................................................................... 7
STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................ 7
PACING ....................................................................................................................................... 9
CONFLICT .................................................................................................................................... 9
CHARACTERS ............................................................................................................................ 10
DIALOGUE ................................................................................................................................ 10
WRITING ABILITY ...................................................................................................................... 11
THE COMMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 10
OVERALL ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................................... 10
SAMPLE COVERAGE .............................................................................................................................. 14
GENRE CHART ....................................................................................................................... APPENDIX A
SETTINGS CHART................................................................................................................... APPENDIX A
 COVERAGE OVERVIEW

Each year, over  40,000  screenplays  are  registered  with  the  Writer’s  Guild  of  America and submitted to
agencies, production companies and studios. Needless to say, agents and executives do not have the
time to read all of this material. They hire readers (or interns like you guys) to vet the massive amounts
of material submitted to them. Readers review the material and write a 2-3 page synopsis and analysis
called coverage.

Here at Verve, there are two types of coverage you will be assigned by either Robert Luna or Parker
Davis: Blacklist Coverage and Standard Coverage.

Blacklist Coverage

The Blacklist is a company that monitors unrepresented writers with unsolicited materials. Generally,
the material is not strong enough to be considered for representation but, sometimes, there is an
excellent screenplay or writer waiting to be discovered. More often than not, these submissions are a
pass. If so, you will probably know within the first 30 or 40 pages. If you are assigned Blacklist coverage,
you will receive an email from Parker Davis requesting a 5-8 sentence evaluation of the screenplay and
your rating. The email will be similar to the sample below:

GREAT DAMES
Nick Baker
A petite push-over of a widow with an empty nest, a depressingly dysfunctional family, and serious self-esteem
issues suddenly adopts an enormous Great Dane, inciting wild happenings in her small New England town and
drastic transformations in herself.

Please write 5-8  sentences  of  notes  and  your  rating… More is great if you really like it.

If  it’s  bad,  and  you  feel  it  is  a  PASS,  no  need  to read the whole thing. Stop whenever you are sure.

**REMEMBER: You are evaluating the writing. If you feel the piece is well-written, pass it up the
chain**

Please have this completed no later than Friday morning. The sooner the better!!!

Remember  our  goal….48hr  maximum  turn-around per script

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 COVERAGE OVERVIEW

Standard Coverage

Unlike Blacklist coverage, standard coverage is a more in-depth and thorough synopsis and analysis of a
script. It is used throughout the industry to give agents and executives an assessment of the value of a
script.

Standard coverage consists of 5 distinct parts:

1. The Grid - a chart of information about the material
2. Logline - a one line summary of the plot
3. Synopsis - a summary of the major plot points
4. Comments - an opinion of the worthiness of the material
5. Overall Assessment - a rating of the material and the writer

Whichever  coverage  you’re  assigned,  be  sure  to proofread your coverage before turning it in to Robert
or Parker. All coverage has a 48-hour turnaround time. If you cannot make this turnaround, notify
Robert or Parker. We understand that life can get in the way of completing a task but we need to be
aware of the situation.

The following pages explain how to write standard coverage.  Let’s  begin  with  the  coverage template.

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 COVERAGE TEMPLATE

TITLE: GENRE:
WRITER(S): LOCALE:
WRITER(S) A CLIENT?: SETTING:
COVERAGE FOR: PERIOD:
ASSIGNED BY: BUDGET:
SUBMITTED FROM: FORM:
STUDIO: PAGES:
PRODUCER: DRAFT DATE:
ELEMENTS ATTACHED: COVERAGE DATE:
PURPOSE: PREPARED BY:

LOGLINE:

SYNOPSIS:

COMMENTS:

OVERALL ASSESSMENT:

SCRIPT -
WRITER -

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 THE GRID

TITLE: Title of the Material.

WRITER(S): Writer or Writers of the Material.

WRITER A CLIENT?: Is the writer(s) a Verve client? Yes or No. If unknown, leave blank.

COVERAGE FOR: Person the coverage is being written for.

ASSIGNED BY: Person who assigned you the coverage.

SUBMITTED FROM: Person or company who sent the material to the agency. If unknown, leave blank.

STUDIO: Studio developing the material. If none, leave blank.

PRODUCER: Producer developing the material. If none, leave blank.

ELEMENTS ATTACHED: Name of any attached elements (talent, director). If none, leave blank.

PURPOSE: Reason the coverage is being written. Representation (writer is seeking representation),
Available Material (material written by a client), OWA (Open Writing Assignment), ODA (Open Directing
Assignment), Packaging (considering material as a potential agency package meaning we can attach at
least two agency clients to the project). If unknown, leave blank.

GENRE: The broad category the story belongs to. Please refer to the Genre Chart in Appendix A for
samples.

LOCALE: Geographic location(s) where the story takes place. If there are four or more, list the three
most dominant to the story. If the story takes place all over the world, list Worldwide.

SETTING: As opposed to the geographic location, this is the physical setting (or scenery) of the story.
Please refer to the Settings Chart in Appendix A for samples.

PERIOD: When the story takes place. (Ex: 2013, 1700s, 1955/1985, etc.)

BUDGET: General estimation of the budget for the script. List as Low, Medium, or High.

FORM: The type of material  you’re  covering.  Script,  Manuscript,  Stage  Play,  Treatment,  Article.  

PAGES: Total page count.

DRAFT DATE: Date of the draft of the script (check the cover of the script). If unknown, leave blank.

COVERAGE DATE: Date you completed the coverage.

PREPARED BY: Your name goes here.

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 THE LOGLINE

A logline is a one sentence summary of the story. It paints the plot in one broad stroke. It should state
the basic premise of the story in a way that is clear and intriguing.

When writing a logline, do not:

Use character names (unless  it’s  non-fiction or historical).
Mention non-critical sub-plots.
Mention the genre.
Be  vague.  e.g.  “…until  something  from  her  past  forces  her  to  reconsider,”
Give  opinions.  e.g.  “told  from  the  funny,  touching  perspective  of…”

Sample Loglines:

After accidentally traveling back in time, a teenage boy enlists the help of a mad scientist to make sure
his high-school-age parents fall in love in order to save his own existence. [Back to the Future]

A jaded nightclub owner in World War II Casablanca has his loyalties put to the test when his old flame
reappears seeking his help escaping the Nazis. [Casablanca]

A silent film star sees his career fall with the advent of talking pictures as a young dancer he discovered
becomes a rising star. [The Artist]

A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant takes a cross-
country trip in their VW bus. [Little Miss Sunshine]

In a post-apocalyptic America, a teen girl from a poor district must enter a televised kill-or-be-killed
competition to save her family. [The Hunger Games]

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 THE SYNOPSIS

A synopsis is a concise summary of the plot. It describes the main action of the story and only includes
the subplots that have a direct bearing on the main story. The synopsis should not include every single
event in the script. Remember, you only have one page to recap the story.

One method for writing a synopsis is to write as much as you can from memory first. This technique will
naturally have you focus on the essential elements of the story and leave out extraneous details.

Stylistically, you want to maintain the mood or tone of the script in your coverage (i.e. if the script is an
action/adventure you might make your coverage fast-paced and exciting by using quick sentences and
action verbs). You want to express the unique aspects of the story as well as paint it in its best light.
Even if a script is boring, your synopsis should not be.

Character names should appear in ALL CAPS the first time you introduce them (subsequently, they
should be in regular case) followed by a brief description of who the character is. When introducing
secondary characters, be sure to relate them to the protagonist.

Always use the omniscient third person and present tense.

Your synopsis should be no longer than one page.

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 EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY

The most important part of coverage is the comments section. Before you can write comprehensive
comments, you first have to know how to evaluate a script. Screenplays are evaluated on the following
criteria: Premise, Originality, Structure, Pacing, Conflict, Characters, Dialogue and Writing Ability.

Premise:

The premise is the core concept of a story. It should be interesting and relatable on a primal level to the
greatest number of people regardless of time period or culture.

Consider the following:

How compelling is the core concept of the story?
Is the core concept universal?
Is the core concept immediately apparent?
Can the core concept be quickly discerned and concisely summarized in an engaging logline?
Do the subplots work to either reinforce or counterpoint the premise or theme of the story?
Does the script stray from the core concept with too many themes?
Does the script explore the premise to its full potential?

Originality

A screenplay need not be completely original but there should be something original about the story. It
shouldn’t  feel  as  though  you’ve  seen  it  before.

Consider the following:

Does the script present the audience with a brand new idea, perspective, or experience?
Does the core concept have a unique hook—something we have not seen before?
Does the script provide  the  audience  with  an  experience  they  can’t  get  from  real  life  or  never  imagined  
they could get from real life?
If the script follows established conventions, does it add something new to the genre?
Are the story and characters formulaic? Are they predictable?
Is the script riddled with clichés?

Structure

This section refers to the three-act structure as outlined by Christopher Vogler, Syd Field, Blake Snyder,
Robert McKee and Joseph Campbell. The three-act structure basically states that every story can be
broken down into three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end. If you are not familiar with the
conventional three-act structure, please go to library and acquire The  Writer’s  Journey by Christopher
Vogler.

The following are the major plot points that occur within the three-act structure. These are only the
major plot points. In addition to these, all scripts should contain other high and low points.

ACT ONE

o PRE-EXISTING LIFE: This lets us view the situation the Protagonist is in before a major and
unexpected change.

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 EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY

o INCITING INCIDENT: The inciting incident—which usually occurs within the first 10-18 pages—
forces the Protagonist out of his or her everyday world. It creates a situation the Protagonist
must overcome.

o QUESTION RAISED: The beginning of the script should raise a question that is answered in the
final  scenes  (e.g.,  “Who  is  the  killer?”  or  “Will  the  lovers  get  together?”).  Getting  the  answer  to  
this question is what pulls the audience through the story.

o ACT ONE DECISION/GOAL: The Protagonist gradually acclimates to his or her new situation,
defines a goal for himself and formulates a plan for accomplishing this goal.

ACT TWO

o DECISIVE ACTION: As Act Two begins, the Protagonist decides to take decisive action in response
to the inciting incident and sets off to accomplish his or her goal. This step involves a sequence
or several sequences of positive progress for the Protagonist.

o FIRST REVERSAL: As the story unfolds for the Protagonist, the stakes of the goal are consistently
raised and seem more difficult to achieve. Risk has also accumulated with appropriate amounts
of tension and release.

o MID-POINT: Usually the point in the script where a major event or set back happens (e.g., the
introduction of a new Antagonist or Antagonistic Force). An event occurs that forces the
Protagonist to fully commit to his or her goal.

o OPPOSITION: The Second Act should have the Protagonist repeatedly face opposition to his or
her goal while trying to achieve it using his/her current way of thinking.

o SECOND REVERSAL: The Protagonist reacts to the events of the mid-point and usually comes out
worse for the wear.

ACT THREE

o FALSE CLIMAX: Act Three begins with the false climax. This is the point in the script where the
Protagonist’s  goal  seems  to  have  been  realized.

o ACT THREE DECISION: Different from the first act decision, this is the point where the audience
sees how the Protagonist has changed emotionally over the course of the script. What will they
do now to reach their goal?

o CLIMAX:  In  the  climax,  the  Protagonist’s  emotional  change  allows  him  or  her  to  use  a  lesson  
learned in Act Two to solve the problem established in Act One (the inciting incident) in an
expected way. The Protagonist must face his or her biggest obstacle at the climax.

Keep in mind that every screenplay does not have to conform to the conventional three-act structure to
be merit-worthy although most good screenplays do.

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 EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY

Structure (cont.)

Consider the following:

How well does the screenplay fit into the three-act structure?
If it does not fit into the three-act structure, does it still have a well-defined structure of its own?
Is the core concept defined within the first quarter of the script?
Is the inciting incident discernible and does it make sense?
Are there plot points that are missing, ineffective or lacking appropriate drama?
Does each scene have a purpose?
Does each scene need to be in the script? In other words, if you pull a scene out, will it be missed?
Does every scene or event occur in the right place in the story?
Do events in the script seem to occur randomly without any planning as a whole?
Are there plot holes?
Do the subplots form an interesting enough story on their own with a beginning, middle, and end?
Do the subplots have obstacles and reversals?
How do the subplots relate to the main goal?

Pacing

Just as a piece of music has a tempo, a good story has a tempo—or pace—that keeps the story moving
forward. A well-paced screenplay times the major events of the story so that there is a balance between
tension and release.

Consider the following:

Are the major events staggered so that just enough time passes between them for tension to build, but
not so much time that the story drags waiting for the next major event to occur?
Are major events too close together or too far apart?
Does the story make you want to know what happens next?
Are the characters on screen for just the right amount of time, appearing with just the right amount of
frequency and for just the right duration?
Do the most important events in the lives of the characters appear on screen?
Do characters disappear and reappear at seemingly random intervals without justification or purpose?
Does the script drag in places?

Conflict

The conflict in the screenplay should be a universal conflict that permeates the entire story and should
serve as the engine that drives the story.

Consider the following:

Can the central conflict be related to by all viewers on a primal level, independent of time period or
culture?
Does the obstacle the Protagonist must overcome provide him or her with sufficient challenge?
Does the conflict cause the reader to experience tension, anticipation, and suspense?

Does the script have multiple levels of conflict?

Does the script have both internal and external conflict?

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 EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY

Is the main conflict experienced directly by the Protagonist?

Does the conflict experienced by the minor characters overshadow the conflict experienced by the
Protagonist?
Does the conflict feel contrived, cliché, or tacked on?

Characters

Characters are the lifeblood of a story. Good characters have arcs which means they go through a
change or realization and are different by the end of the script. Even minor characters can and should
have arcs. Effective characters always have more than one dimension to them, and shouldn't fall victim
to direct categorization. They must seem as real as possible, even if we only see a glimpse of their lives.

Consider the following:

Are the characters developed in the following three dimensions: physically, mentally, and socially?
Physically: Are the characters’ appearance, physical attributes and demeanor apparent?
Mentally: Do the characters have personality, drive, dreams, desires?
Socially: Do the characters interact with the world, with their home life or friends, with their job
or co-workers?
Does the Protagonist change by the end of the screenplay or are they the same at the end as they were
in the beginning?
Do the characters all have their own purpose in the story?
Are the characters compelling enough to spend a whole movie with?
Does the screenplay establish a connection between the Protagonist and the audience during his or her
initial introduction into the story?
Does the Protagonist drive the plot?
Does the Protagonist make choices or just react to things that happen to him or her?
Are the supporting characters developed and not simply plot devices?
Do the supporting characters seem as real as the Protagonist and have their own goals and purposes, no
matter how small?
Are the characters believable throughout?
Does the Protagonist’s  goal  make  sense?
Do the supporting characters overshadow the Protagonist?
Does the plot continue without the Protagonist for long stretches of time?
Do the actions of the characters seem implausible at times?

Dialogue

While the domain of movies involves visual action, dialogue plays an important role for the audience.

Consider the following:

How well does the dialogue enhance the plot?
Do characters sound realistic and have different dialects, slang, and personalities?
Does the dialogue play off the visuals?
If you were to take a line of dialogue and cover up the speaker's name, would you be able to discern the
speaker’s  identity?

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 EVALUATING A SCREENPLAY

Does the story avoid expository dialogue (characters explaining what has happened or is about to
happen) or at least keep it to a minimum?
Is the dialogue believable?
Does the dialogue reflect the time period and subculture in which the story takes place?
Is the dialogue memorable? Would the audience recall specific lines and tell their friends about them?
Does the action and dialogue balance each other out into a smooth, coherent read without stalling the
screenplay?
Is dialogue often used when a visual image could easily be substituted with equal or greater effect?
Does the dialogue drag in scenes, making the scenes longer than need be?
Is the dialogue cliché or completely superfluous?
Is the dialogue painful to read?

Writing Ability

For a story to be well-told, it must be well-written showing a mastery of the English language. It must
also be properly formatted.

Consider the following:

Is the script formatted according to industry standard conventions?
Does the script fall into a 90-130 page length without feeling crammed or drawn-out?
Does word choice and sentence structure create vivid pictures of the world of the story?
Is the screenplay easy to follow or does it require multiple reads to understand?
Do scenes have to be re-read because important tidbits of information are unclear or missing?
Is there unnecessary detail?
Is the script riddled with typos and grammatical errors?
If there are errors, are the errors minor and easy to fix?

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 THE COMMENTS

As stated earlier, the most important part of writing coverage is the comments section. This is the
section where you state your opinion of the material. Your comments could get a writer signed and,
potentially, a script sold or be the end of the road for a script.

Thoughtfully evaluate the material you read, keeping in mind the various criteria listed above. Then
write your comments—your opinion of the material—based on the criteria. State specific story points
which support your analysis. If you like the script, explain why. If the story is not engaging or believable,
illustrate how and why. If a strong premise falls apart, point out where.

If you  don’t  like  a  script,  give  concrete  reasons  why.  In  all  likelihood,  someone  may  pass  on  the  material  
having only read your coverage. Give them a lot of ammunition. Why is the material bad?

Be confident with your opinions but  don’t  be  rude.  If  a  script  sucks,  don’t  say  it  sucks.  Explain  why  it  
doesn’t  work.

Each paragraph of your comments should contain a topic sentence, support and conclusion.

In your final paragraph, draw your conclusions and summarize your comments.

Do not write in the first person.  No  “I  think,”  “I  feel.”

Be professional. Proofread, spell-check, use full sentences, avoid slang, avoid contractions, only use third
person present tense.

It is important that your overall ranking of the script and the writer (recommend, consider, pass) be
consistent with your comments.

Comments should be no more than one page.

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 OVERALL ASSESSMENT

The overall assessment is where you rate the script and the writer.

Script: Your overall rating of the story. Rate with: Recommend, Consider, or Pass
Writer: Your overall rating of the writing. Rate with: Recommend, Consider, or Pass

PASS:  If  you  are  ambivalent  about  the  script,  it’s  a  pass.  
CONSIDER: If you like something, but it has a few flaws, it should be a consider.
RECOMMEND: If the script is nearly perfect, or if you love it so much that you would put up your own
money to get it made, it should be a recommend.

The rating for the script and the writer do not have to be the same. A script can be well-written but the
execution of the story may be weak, or vice versa, the story and plot may be riveting but the writing is
pedestrian.

Don’t  consider  or  recommend  anything  you  can’t  defend  to  the  assigning  agent,  but  don’t  be  afraid  to  
make a strong judgment.

With this in mind, always recommend writers who are clients. It is acceptable to pass on the script itself
in these instances.

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 SAMPLE COVERAGE

TITLE: Passengers GENRE: Science Fiction/Romance

WRITER(S): Jon Spaihts LOCALE: Outer Space
WRITER(S) A CLIENT?: SETTING: Starship
COVERAGE FOR: Tanya Cohen PERIOD: Future
ASSIGNED BY: Robert Luna BUDGET: Medium
SUBMITTED FROM: FORM: Screenplay
STUDIO: PAGES: 120
PRODUCER: DRAFT DATE: 8/7/2009
ELEMENTS ATTACHED: COVERAGE DATE: 4/29/2013
PURPOSE: PREPARED BY: Bianca Asibu

LOGLINE:

A man finds himself alone on a spaceship after waking up 30 years into an 120 year voyage and decides
to wake up another passenger to be his companion.

SYNOPSIS:

An interstellar spacecraft drifts in space. Inside, thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds lie in
hibernation  pods.  One  of  them,  JAMES  “JIM”  PRESTON,  38,  an  inquisitive,  salt-of-the-earth man, wakes
up  and  wanders  the  ship.  He’s  greeted  by  robots  and  holograms  eager  to  serve  him.  It’s  as  if  he’s  
traveling on a cruise ship in outer space.  Jim  arrives  at  the  reception  room  but  he’s  the  only  person  
there.  He  travels  the  length  of  the  ship  and  realizes  he’s  the  only  person  on  the  ship.  Everyone  else is
still asleep. Seeking answers, Jim arrives at the Infomat station, a hologram that gives information. Jim
discovers the ship is only 30 years into its journey to a distant planet called Homestead II and has
another 80 years to travel. Jim woke up too soon.

Jim  sends  a  message  to  Earth  but  the  Infomat  informs  him  the  message  won’t  be  received  for  19  years  
and  a  reply  won’t  arrive  for  57  years.  Jim  is  trapped  on  the  ship.  He  goes  to  the  bar  to  have  a  drink  and  
makes the acquaintance of ARTHUR, an android bartender. Putting his mechanic know-how to work, Jim
goes to the hibernation bay and tinkers with his hibernation pod in hopes of returning to sleep but his
plan fails. With nothing else to do, Jim decides to enjoy the amenities of the ship. He moves into a fancy
suite, plays sports, learns Russian and frequents the bar. But after a year, the loneliness of his situation
takes its toll. Jim is depressed and alcoholic.

In a lonely stupor, Jim wanders the chambers of the hibernation bay looking at the other passengers
who  are  still  asleep  when  he  sees  AURORA  DUNN,  late  20s,  and  falls  in  love.  She’s  the  most  beautiful  
woman  he’s  ever  seen.  Instantly,  Jim  wants  to  wake  her  up.  He  debates  with  himself  whether  or  not  it’s  
fair to condemn someone to a life of loneliness just to cure his own loneliness. Overwhelmed by
solitude,  Jim  tinkers  with  Aurora’s  pod  and  wakes  her  up.  Aurora  wanders  the  ship  and  meets  Jim.  He  
tells her they are the only passengers awake on the ship. Aurora convinces him to send a message to
other intersstellar spacecrafts. Unfortunately, the soonest another ship will receive their message is in
80  years.  They  try  to  build  a  hibernation  pod  but  they  don’t  have  the  resources  onboard  the  ship  to  do  
it. They try to turn the ship around and head back  to  earth  but  they  can’t  get  into  the  control  center.  
They  search  the  infirmary  for  sleeping  pills  but  don’t  find  any.  They’re  stuck.

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 SAMPLE COVERAGE

Alone aboard the ship, Jim and Aurora spend their days together exploring the ship and fall in love. On
Aurora’s  birthday, they have dinner together. Arthur, the android bartender, lets it slip that Jim
intentionally  woke  her  up.  Aurora  storms  out  furious.  Time  passes  but  Aurora’s  anger  does  not  ebb.  She  
sneaks  into  his  room  in  the  middle  of  the  night  and  viciously  attacks  him.  She’s  utterly  disgusted with
him. Jim continually tries to apologize to her but she wants nothing to do with him.

Depressed and looking for a project to take his mind off his situation, Jim uses builds a garden in the
middle of the ship. Soon after he finishes, another passenger wakes up. GUS MANCUSO, 55, the deck
chief of the ship. Gus has been an interstellar space traveler for almost 600 years but all the traveling
has taken a toll on his body. He goes to the infirmary and finds out he only has a few hours to live. He
returns to his room, puts on his old Navy uniform and, with Jim and Aurora watching, steps into the
vacuum shoot and exits into outer space dying among the stars he loved so much.

Strange things begin to happen on the ship. The robots act erratically, the gravity generator temporarily
fails. The ship is slowly breaking down. With  Gus’s  crewman’s  pass,  Jim  enters  the  control  room  and  
investigates. The fusion reactor is unstable. Jim and Aurora find a replacement fusion reactor in the
mechanical room and install it. But ship continues to fall apart. A schematic  shows  there’s  a  door  
blocking  the  reactor’s  tube.  Despite  Aurora’s  vehement  objections,  Jim  puts  on  a  spacesuit  and  steps  out  
onto  the  exterior  of  the  ship  to  close  the  door  that’s  blocking  the  tube.  He  succeeds in closing the door
but his tether rope snaps and he slowly drifts away into space.

Distraught at the idea of losing Jim and spending the rest of her life alone on the ship, Aurora rushes to
put on a spacesuit. She exits the ship as far as her tether rope will allow and with all her might reaches
out  and  grabs  the  end  of  Jim’s  rope.  She  pulls  him  back  into  the  ship  and  drags  him  to  the  infirmary  
where the automated medical machines resuscitate him. Relieved that he made it, Aurora gives him a
hearty kiss.

Months later, the ship is fixed and Jim and Aurora snuggle in the pool, in love and at peace with their
fate aboard the ship.

88 years later, the ship buzzes with activity. Everyone is awake and eager to arrive at their new planet. A
young ENSIGN runs into the CAPTAIN’S  quarters  and  tells  him  there’s  something  he  needs  to  see.  They  
find a garden in the middle of ship along with two graves and a book titled, In the Blink of an Eye: Our
Lives Between the Stars, by Aurora.

COMMENTS:

From page one, PASSENGERS paints a picture of interstellar space that enthralls and  mesmerizes.  Jim’s  
predicament—being  the  only  passenger  on  a  spaceship  that  won’t  arrive  at  its destination until long
after he dies—is established quickly and smoothly and raises questions that keep you turning the page
until the end. The writer establishes the setting and context of the story quickly and with ease.

Jim is a character who is relatable and empathetic. It is easy to understand why he would wake up
another passenger and to feel the loneliness and deprivation that leads him to such action. The script
does not shy away from the moral quandary of his action. Rather, it uses it to its strength
counterbalancing  Jim’s  despair  with  Aurora’s  anger  at  having  been  awakened.

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 SAMPLE COVERAGE

Aurora is the type of character that rarely appears in films. A smart, charismatic, three-dimensional
WOMAN with strengths as well as flaws. This is the sort of role that actresses spend their entire careers
hoping to find.

The dialogue is realistic and smooth-flowing. Scientific and futuristic words are used without seeming
out of place or forced. A particularly beautiful passage occurs in the second act as Jim and Aurora
discuss why they chose to leave Earth and travel to a new planet. The dialogue pulls off the feat of being
both specific to the characters yet universal to everyone.

The ultimate strength of PASSENGERS is the writing. The mastery of language, precise turns-of-phrase,
and expert word choice makes for a story that you can see, hear and feel. The deft use of language
creates precise, crisp images yet the images are malleable enough that a director with vision has room
to put his or her own visual stamp on the film.

An initial concern regarding PASSENGERS is whether or not a story with essentially two characters can
sustain interest for two hours. The predicament the characters find themselves in, the compelling
personalities of the main characters and the highly-visual setting create enough intrigue, drama, action,
suspense and romance to overcome this potential stumbling block.

With expert storytelling, lyrical dialogue, imaginative visuals and nearly flawless pacing that expertly
oscillates between calm character moments and riveting action sequences, PASSENGERS is a
Recommend for both story and writer.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT:

SCRIPT - Recommend
WRITER - Recommend

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 APPENDIX A

GENRE CHART

Action Fantasy Satire

Adventure Film Noir Science Fiction
Animation Historical Sports
Biographical Horror Teen/High School
Comedy Musical Thriller
Coming of Age Mystery Urban
Drama Non-fiction War
Dramedy Romance Western
Family Romantic Comedy

SETTINGS CHART

Airplane Gymnasium Room

Alternate Reality Heaven Rural
Apartment Hell Seaside
Bar High School Small Town
Beach Highway Snow
Boat/Ship Industrial Stadium
Building Interior Suburban
Car Island Theater
Casino Jungle Train
Castle Laboratory Underground
Church Mansion Urban
City Military Base Wilderness
College Mountain
Courtroom Movie Set
Desert Office
Farm Outer Space
Forest Prison

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