Coverage System

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The Coverage System is Conduct's professional screenplay analysis module, implementing the complete 16-point industry rubric used by studios, production companies, and literary agencies to evaluate scripts. It provides comprehensive assessments of premise strength, structural integrity, character development, marketability, and production feasibility.

Unlike traditional script notes that focus on subjective reactions, the Coverage System employs a systematic evaluation methodology that combines qualitative analysis with quantitative scoring to produce actionable recommendations backed by concrete evidence from the screenplay.

Overview

The Coverage System addresses the fundamental challenge in screenplay evaluation: how to systematically assess artistic merit while predicting commercial viability. Traditional coverage is often inconsistent, heavily subjective, and lacks the depth needed for confident greenlight decisions.

Conduct's coverage implementation solves this through three core innovations:

• Structured Analysis — Every screenplay is evaluated against the same 16 rubric items, ensuring consistency and comprehensive coverage
• Evidence-Based Assessment — Claims are supported with specific page references, dialogue examples, and scene citations
• Weighted Scoring — Numerical scores reflect the relative importance of different elements (characters and structure weighted more heavily than formatting)

Key Features

The 16-Point Rubric

The rubric divides screenplay evaluation into 16 discrete assessment areas, each targeting a specific aspect of the script's quality and viability. These items are not arbitrary—they represent the questions decision-makers actually ask when evaluating material for acquisition or production.

Analysis Methodology

Coverage analysis follows a systematic four-phase process designed to extract maximum insight while maintaining objectivity:

Phase 1: Structural Decomposition

The screenplay is parsed into its component elements:

• Scene headings, action lines, character names, dialogue, parentheticals, and transitions
• Page counts per act, scene lengths, character appearances
• Beat positions mapped to standard structural paradigms (Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, Three-Act)

Phase 2: Pattern Recognition

Automated analysis identifies structural patterns:

• Inciting incident placement (typically pages 10-15)
• Act breaks and midpoint (page 55-60 for 110-page script)
• Character introduction distribution (too many too late?)
• Dialogue-to-action ratio per scene and overall
• Pacing indicators (scene lengths, act lengths)

Phase 3: Qualitative Assessment

Human-level analysis evaluates subjective elements:

• Premise strength and commercial hook potential
• Character depth, arc completeness, voice differentiation
• Thematic coherence and organic development
• Dialogue authenticity and rhythm
• Emotional resonance and stakes escalation

Phase 4: Synthesis & Scoring

Results are compiled into a unified recommendation:

• Category scores weighted by importance
• Strengths and weaknesses clearly delineated
• Evidence-based rationale for final tier recommendation
• Actionable next steps with timeline estimates

Scoring System

Each rubric item receives a numerical score from 0-100, which is then weighted according to its importance in determining overall script quality. The weighted scores combine to produce a final composite score.

Category Weights

Score Calculation

The final score is computed as a weighted average:

// Weighted Score Formula
FinalScore = (Premise × 0.20) +
             (Characters × 0.20) +
             (Structure × 0.20) +
             (Dialogue × 0.15) +
             (Originality × 0.10) +
             (Commercial × 0.15)

Grade Equivalents

Recommendation Tiers

Every coverage report concludes with one of three tier recommendations. These tiers guide decision-makers on how to proceed with the material.

RECOMMEND Recommend

The script is ready for production consideration and should be fast-tracked to decision-makers. This tier is reserved for material that excels across multiple rubric categories and has clear commercial potential.

Criteria for Recommendation:

• Score of 80+ (B or higher)
• No critical weaknesses in structure, character, or premise
• Clear target audience and market positioning
• Realistic budget range with revenue potential
• No major legal red flags or unproduceable elements

Typical Actions:

• Circulate to principals (producers, financiers, department heads)
• Initiate option/acquisition negotiations
• Request meeting with writer
• Begin preliminary talent packaging discussions

CONSIDER Consider

The script shows promise but has identifiable weaknesses that may require addressing. Material may be viable with the right attachments or after revision.

Criteria for Consider:

• Score of 70-79 (C or high D)
• Strong premise but execution issues
• Fixable structural or character problems
• Commercial potential contingent on specific elements (cast, director, budget)

Typical Actions:

• Request rewrite or polish
• Conditional interest based on attachments
• Second opinion from senior coverage reader
• Track writer for future projects

PASS Pass

The script does not meet quality or commercial standards for pursuit. May have fundamental issues that cannot be easily remedied.

Criteria for Pass:

• Score below 70 (D or F)
• Fundamental premise or structural flaws
• Weak characterization or dialogue
• Unclear target audience or commercial viability
• Unproduceable at any realistic budget

Typical Actions:

• Decline material with standard rejection
• Optionally track writer if craft shows promise
• No further consideration of this specific project

Output Formats

The Coverage System supports three output formats, each optimized for different use cases:

HTML (Default)

Rich, styled HTML reports designed for web viewing and sharing. Includes:

• Table of contents with anchor links
• Collapsible sections for long analyses
• Syntax-highlighted code blocks for dialogue examples
• Embedded charts for scoring breakdowns
• Print-optimized CSS for PDF conversion

conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --output-format html --output report.html

PDF

Print-ready PDF documents suitable for archival and distribution. Preserves all formatting and charts from HTML output.

conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --output-format pdf --output report.pdf

JSON

Machine-readable structured data for integration with tracking systems, databases, or custom applications. Includes all analysis data, scores, and metadata.

conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --output-format json --output report.json

JSON Schema Example:

{
  "title": "Screenplay Title",
  "author": "Writer Name",
  "date": "2025-12-16",
  "recommendation": "CONSIDER",
  "overall_score": 76.5,
  "grade": "C+",
  "rubric_items": {
    "logline": {
      "score": 85,
      "analysis": "Strong hook with clear protagonist..."
    },
    // ... 15 more items
  }
}

Usage Examples

Full 16-Point Coverage

# Complete coverage with HTML output
conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --output-format html --output coverage.html

# Include beat sheet in analysis
conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --beatsheet save-the-cat -o coverage.html

# Generate JSON for database import
conduct coverage full screenplay.fdx --output-format json -o coverage.json

Individual Rubric Items

# Analyze logline strength
conduct coverage logline screenplay.fdx

# Structure analysis with beat identification
conduct coverage structure screenplay.fdx --identify-beats

# Character arc analysis
conduct coverage characters screenplay.fdx --analyze-arcs

# Market assessment with comparables
conduct coverage market screenplay.fdx --find-comps

Beat Sheet Generation

# Save the Cat 15-beat structure
conduct coverage beatsheet screenplay.fdx --format save-the-cat

# Hero's Journey (Campbell's monomyth)
conduct coverage beatsheet screenplay.fdx --format hero-journey

# Traditional three-act structure
conduct coverage beatsheet screenplay.fdx --format three-act

Performance Benchmarking

# Benchmark coverage performance
conduct coverage benchmark screenplay.fdx --iterations 10

# Include memory profiling
conduct coverage benchmark screenplay.fdx --iterations 5 --memory

# Warmup runs for JIT stabilization
conduct coverage benchmark screenplay.fdx --iterations 10 --warmup 2

See Also

• Coverage Workflow Guide — End-to-end process documentation
• Complete Rubric Reference — Detailed explanation of all 16 items
• coverage Command Reference — Full CLI documentation
• Professional Coverage Guide — Industry best practices
• experiment Command — Multi-screenplay batch analysis