Dramatic Analysis of Plays and Movies
Playwrights Cafe founder Steve Lyons had us analyze a play or movie of our choice by applying traditional dramatic theory. While not all great plays and movies fall into this classical dramatic format, most of them do.

• What does a character (probably the main character) want?
• What is the obstacle that stands in the way of the character achieving his/her goal?
• How does this goal/obstacle create conflict?
• Does the character's desire, and the obstacle to the character achieving that desire, intensify as the story progresses? How?
• Does the character achieve his/her goal? How?
• Does the character evolve as a result of the conflict? How?
• Does the evolution of the character make sense in light of the central conflict? In-other-words, does the character's evolution feel forced or natural?

Are you drawing a blank? How about Scrooge in A Christmas Carol? Maria in Sound of Music? Lassie?