Script Analysis 101: How to Score a Script

January 24, 2025 | Rachel Frawley

If the phrase “scoring a script” has you suppressing an eye roll, you’re not alone. The further we get in our acting careers, the more we tend to let the basics fall by the wayside.

For those who skipped the classwork and jumped right into the practical portion of the career, it may even seem intimidating or pedantic. However, scoring is an invaluable script analysis tool in the actor’s toolkit. These aspects of script analysis help decode the text, finesse the arc of storytelling, and fine-tune your character work from the very beginning.

Whether dusting off old lessons or starting from the top, here are some pointers to help organize your approach to script analysis and bring your characters to life.


Insights: What You Need to Know About Script Analysis

  • Read the script fully once for an overall understanding before breaking it down.
  • Dissect scenes into beats and units to shape your character’s journey and interactions.
  • Clearly define your character’s objectives, tactics, and obstacles using specific, vivid language.

Set the Scene

Before you dive into scoring the script, allow yourself the time to read the entire thing through without the pressure of an analytical eye. Just read and get a sense of the big picture. If you like, jot down emotional reactions, or any imagery or creative stimuli that might jump out at you, but don’t start breaking things down just yet.

Know Your Vocabulary

One of the potentially confusing things about scoring scripts is that the finer points of vocabulary are apt to change depending on your director or instructor. Everyone has their buzzwords. Remember, scoring a script is a tool to help you. Don’t be afraid to adapt your methods where they make the most sense. That being said, it’s good to start mentally noting each of your collaborators’ shorthands, in the interest of speedy communication.

Get to the Point

Like most things in life, honing the skills of script analysis takes time. For this article, we’re going to use “action” to describe what happens in the scene. What is your character doing? Isolate the action from the emotional objective, and write it down at the top of the scene. When intentions get muddy, bring yourself back to the action.

The Building Blocks of Script Analysis

Some of the more tried and true vocabulary terms include the “beats” and “units” of a scene. Think of these as a roadmap. They break down the structure of the scene to give it shape and build. Units are large chunks, made up of smaller beats. A good rule of thumb is knowing that units change when something big happens, such as the arrival of a new character or new information. Beats often change when a character’s tactics change.

As with most script analysis techniques, breaking a scene down into beats and units will give you valuable character insight and help keep you working in concert with the overall arc of the story. Consider your character arc, character backstory, character analysis and relationships to other characters in the scene.

Remember, the more time you spend on your rehearsal process, the better prepared you’ll be for the stage. When things come full circle you’ll have established an emotional connection with the audience and a captivating performance to boot.

Objectives, Tactics and Obstacles

Now for the fun stuff. “Objectives,” “tactics” and “obstacles” are the guts of scene-by-scene character work to help bring your scripts to life. These specify your character’s purpose in a scene. Let’s break it down:

Objectives: This is what your character wants/needs in a scene. Remember that your character’s objectives in a scene might be different from your super objective, which is what your character wants or needs most in life.

In my script analysis technique, I frame this by saying “I need ______, by/through _______.” A super-objective often breaks down to humanity’s core needs — love, safety, power, etc. — while a scene objective is much more immediate, and tied to the action of the scene.

Tactics: Tactics are how you try to accomplish your objective. Use active, emotionally charged language when noting your tactics and objectives (e.g., Don’t just flirt; enchant, ensnare, enthrall).

For example, instead of convincing them with evidence, a character may try to manipulate other characters to meet their objective. Think about the character relationships in the scene, as well as your character traits.

Obstacles: Obstacles are the things that get in the way of achieving your objectives. Remember that your obstacles can come from the external world or from within your character’s psyche. Pay careful attention to fatal character flaws and the pattern of obstacles they create.

This is one of many approaches to script analysis. As you move forward in your journey and become a more experienced actor, you’ll discover more methods of script analysis, acting techniques, character development and other ways to bring your character to life.

The beautiful thing about the basics of acting is that they grow with you. As you gain experience as an actor, your language will become stronger and more specific. Your script analysis techniques will improve. You’ll notice beat changes faster. Your objectives and super objectives will become clearer and stronger.

The more you come back and sharpen these tools, the better they will serve you and the stronger your technique will become.

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