ALL about screenwriting goals

So you’re starting your next screenplay and unsure if your protagonist has a clear goal? What really is a goal and how do you ensure your character has one? In this article, we are talking all about goals in script writing and how you can approach crafting a strong and clear one for your protagonist. Let’s dive right in!

WHAT IS A GOAL?

When we watch a film or television tv show, what we are really watching is a protagonist trying to achieve a goal or solve a problem. This is what creates stakes, obstacles and builds tension. If a protagonist didn’t have a goal, we’d literally have nothing to watch but mundane actions. When crafting your protagonist, it is pertinent that they have a clear, actionable goal. What are we actually watching and seeing the protagonist actively try to achieve?

Below are three easy tips to consider when creating goals for your protagonist.

1. First 15 pages. We need to learn of the protagonist's goal within the first 15 pages. This will keep your reader interested and invested in the character’s journey. While the character’s goal may change as the screenplay progresses, setting up what the character wants is imperative to keeping your reader engaged.
2. Goals create obstacles. When thinking about whether a goal is strong or not, consider what obstacles are created from the goal. What is stopping the protagonist from getting what they want? If the goal is too easy or generates obstacles that are simply surpassed, this affects the tension and the audience's investment in the character’s journey. ​
3. Trial and error. Going back to how we defined a goal as a protagonist “trying to achieve a goal or solve a problem,” simply put, trial and error is the “trying” part. When coming up with a goal for your protagonist, think about the reasonable next steps for them to achieve that goal. It’s the trying, failing, and strategizing that keeps a reader wanting to finish the story to the end.

Want to dive in deeper on how to craft goals? Then check out our #Goals Workbook for Features, Pilots, and Specs. 

BOOK A STORY JAM

While there is no goal that is too small, goals have to be strong and clear in order to tell a compelling story. Remember, if we are not actively watching a character’s pursuit of a goal, then the screenplay will lack direction and follow-through. Want to see if your character's goals are clear? Then book a Story Jam with a trained Story Expert to ensure that your story elements are meeting the mark. ​

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author

Khadija Roane is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from the illustrious Howard University where she received her BFA in Theatre Arts. Khadija then graduated from UCLA's MFA Producers program where she interned in film and television development at MACRO, Vertigo Films, Gamechanger Films, and Pamplona Productions before working as a Scripted TV Assistant at WME. She has placed in the Pittsburgh Shorts Screenwriting Competition and the Atlanta Film Festival, and received the Barbara Boyle Promising Producer Award. Khadija lives in Los Angeles where she is an independent filmmaker and a Story Expert at The Professional Pen.