Synopsis Questions
Logline Questions | Synopsis Questions | Script Questions
When creating a survey on Maveny, the survey is automatically populated with a set of pre-selected questions that are commonly used for evaluating stories, whether it is for self-evaluation or getting feedback from others. On this page we keep an up-to-date overview of these questions, but the best way to see the questions in action is to take a sample survey yourself.
Clarity & Engagement
The synopsis feels well developed & complete (1-10 Rating Scale)
What do you think the story is really about?
In which genre would you place this story? (Select Genres)
Why did you choose these genres?
The story has a clear arena or story world (1-10 Rating Scale)
Where and when does this story take place?
Character & Plot
The protagonist is interesting and easy to connect with (1-10 Rating Scale)
What makes you care about the main character(s)?
The protagonist has a difficult, but important goal to achieve (1-10 Rating Scale)
What do you think the real conflict of the story is?
The protagonist grows and changes in a meaningful way (1-10 Rating Scale)
How would you describe the protagonist’s character arc?
Emotion & Meaning
The synopsis elicits emotion from beginning to end (1-10 Rating Scale)
Which parts, style and substance, evoke the strongest feelings?
The climax of the story is intense and meaningful(1-10 Rating Scale)
What makes the story satisfying for you?
The story has a strong theme that is not too obvious(1-10 Rating Scale)
What is the moral message of the story?
Marketability
The story & characters are original and have a wide appeal(1-10 Rating Scale)
What is missing to make this story into a succesful production?
It is easy to pitch this story to others
How would you pitch this story?
Why should you have a great synopsis?
A synopsis is notoriously difficult to write. This one page document should ideally convey the most important selling points of your screenplay: tone, genre, pacing and of course a riveting story. But it can’t be seen as a document on it’s own – it’s far too limiting for that. It’s something that you can send after a pitch meeting, when a producer asks for more. They can even ask you for another script you’ve written and if you have a neat package of every script, with a logline plus synopsis, you will be ahead of your competition.
See it as a teaser for your second meeting or script reading. If your synopsis can produce enough emotional impact on just one page, the producers will have better faith in your ability to write a blockbusting screenplay. It also gives them a way to easily see if your story matches what they want and can produce.
Lastly, a synopsis is your guiding light when writing your screenplay. After you’ve gotten a good synopsis, proceed with a stepsheet or treatment. A stepsheet is a document where every sentence contains one scene. It’s a way of writing down your story, without actually writing the script. A treatment is a prose like document with bits of dialogue and a few key scenes, giving a better look & feel of your movie, rather than just describing the action.
Feedback
Any feedback on these questions is appreciated! Contact us at hello@maveny.com