Copyright © 1995, 1999 Screenplay Systems Incorporated • All Rights Reserved • Dramatica is a registered trademark of Screenplay Systems Incorporated • Patent #5,734,916

DRAMATICATable of Story Elements

What is this chart?This chart illustrates the core Dramatica structure found in all completestories. Its four major areas––Situation, Activity, Manipulation, and FixedAttitudes––represent areas of conflict essential to every fully explored story.Nested within each of these four areas on this chart are various storycomponents which are used to create dramatic story points such as the “StoryGoal” and “Problem.” The components have been arranged according totheir relevance to genre, plot, theme, and character.

Why should you use this chart?As a writer, you’ll want to explore your story as completely as possible.This chart serves as a reference guide to help you understand the fundamentalrelationships that exist between the story components essential to developinga fully explored story.

Based on a theory andmaterials developed by

Melanie Anne Phillips & Chris Huntley

®

Developing A Plan Playing A Role

Changing One's Nature Conceiving An Idea

State of Being Situation

Circumstances Sense of Self

Knowledge Ability

Desire Thought

Rationalization Commitment

Responsibility Obligation

Permission Need

Expediency Deficiency

Knowledge Inertia

Change Thought

Actuality Order

Chaos Perception

Aware Equity

Inequity Self-Aware

Ability Projection

Speculation Desire

Proven Result

Process Un-proven

Effect Accurate

Non-accurate

Cause

Trust Expectation

Determin-ation

Test

Theory Ending

Unending Hunch

Consider-ation

Support

Oppose Reconsider

Pursuit Faith

Disbelief Avoid

Control Conscience

Temptation Un-controlled

Logic Help

Hinder Feeling

Certainty Acceptance

Non-acceptance

Potentiality

Proaction Deduction

Induction Reaction

Inaction Reduction

Production Protection

Probability Evaluation

Re-evaluation

Possibility

Manipulation Fixed AttitudeMemories Impulsive Responses

Innermost Desires Contemplations

Truth Evidence

Suspicion Falsehood

Value Confidence

Worry Worth

Closure Hope

Dream Denial

Investigation Appraisal

Re-appraisal Doubt

Knowledge Actuality

Perception Thought

Ability Aware

Self-Aware Desire

Order Inertia

Change Chaos

Equity Projection

Speculation Inequity

Proven Effect

Cause Un-proven

Theory Trust

Test Hunch

Accurate Result

Process Non-accurate

Expectation Ending

Unending Determin-ation

Consider-ation

Pursuit

Avoid Reconsider

Logic Control

Un-controlled

Feeling

Faith Support

Oppose Disbelief

Conscience Help

Hinder Temptation

Certainty Proaction

Reaction Potentiality

Probability Inaction

Protection Possibility

Deduction Acceptance

Non-acceptance

Induction

Reduction Evaluation

Re-evaluation

Production

ActivityUnderstanding Doing

Obtaining Gathering Information

Instinct Senses

Interpretation Conditioning

Wisdom Skill

Experience Enlightenment

Approach Self Interest

Morality Attitude

Prerequisites Strategy

Analysis Preconditions

Knowledge Ability

Desire Thought

Actuality Aware

Self-Aware Perception

Order Equity

Inequity Chaos

Inertia Projection

Speculation Change

Proven Theory

Hunch Un-proven

Effect Trust

Test Cause

Accurate Expectation

Determin-ation

Non-accurate

Result Ending

Unending Process

Consider-ation

Logic

Feeling Reconsider

Pursuit Control

Un-controlled

Avoid

Faith Conscience

Temptation Disbelief

Support Help

Hinder Oppose

Certainty Probability

Possibility Potentiality

Proaction Inaction

Protection Reaction

Deduction Reduction

Production Induction

Acceptance Evaluation

Re-evaluation

Non-acceptance

SituationPast How Things Are Changing

Future Present

Fate Prediction

Interdiction Destiny

Fact Security

Threat Fantasy

Openness Delay

Choice Preconception

Work Attract

Repel Attempt

Knowledge Order

Chaos Thought

Actuality Inertia

Change Perception

Ability Equity

Inequity Desire

Aware Projection

Speculation Self-Aware

Proven Accurate

Non-accurate

Un-proven

Effect Result

Process Cause

Theory Expectation

Deter-mination

Hunch

Trust Ending

Unending Test

Consider-ation

Faith

Disbelief Reconsider

Pursuit Support

Oppose Avoid

Logic Conscience

Temptation Feeling

Control Help

HinderUn-

controlled

Certainty Deduction

Induction Potentiality

Proaction Acceptance

Non-acceptance

Reaction

Probability Reduction

Production Possibility

Inaction Evaluation

Re-evaluation

Protection

ThroughlineThe largest items on the chart illustratewhere genre is best represented.They represent the broadest contextsin which a story's conflicts areexplored.

ConcernWithin each throughline are fourConcerns. This level is where plot isbest represented. Concerns indicatethe topic of concen in each act.

IssueWithin each concern are for “thematic”Issues. This is where theme is bestrepresented. The Issue and itsdiagonal opposite, the “thematiccounterpoint,” form the foundations ofa thematic conflict.

ProblemThe smallest items on the chart iswhere character is best represented.They represent the building blocksused for constructing characters andthe problems that drive them.

Obtaining(For Example)

Activity(For Example)

Morality(For Example)

Temptation(For Example)

LEGEND: Color Coding of the ChartThe Dramatica table of story elements is comprised of many Quads(groupings of four squares or items). These quads range in sizefrom the largest––the throughline-sized quad––to the smallest––theelement-sized quad. Each quad is nested within a larger quad; theonly exception being the throughline quad which is the largest.

Items positioned diagonally across from one another in a quad arereferred to as Dynamic Pairs . There are two dynamic pairs perquad. When considering the relationship of the items in a quad,dynamic pairs are the most likely to generate conflict.

In the illustration to the right, notice the two dynamic pairs:Approach/Attitude and Self Interest/Morality. The dynamic pair ofAttitude and Approach is more likely to create conflict than eitherthe pairing of Attitude and Morality or Attitude and Self Interest.Use dynamic pairs to heighten conflict in your story.

Understanding the Table Structure

Example of one Quad withtwo Dynamic Pairs

Approach

Morality Attitude

Self Interest

1 Class

4 Types

16 Variations

64 Elements

Mind

TruthEvidence

Value

SuspicionFalsehood

Re-Appraisal

Worth

ClosureHope

Dream

Appraisal

Denial

Confi-dence

Investi-gation

Doubt

Worry

KnowledgeActua lity

AbilityAware

Prov enEffect

TheoryTrust

Percept ionThought Self-Aware

DesireCause

Un-Prov enTest

Hunch

OrderInert ia

EquityProject ion

AccurateResult

Expecta -tion

Ending

ChangeChaos

Specula -tion

Inequit yProcess

Non-Accurate

Un-Ending Determina-

tion

Considera-

tion

PursuitLogic

Cont rolCertainty

Proaction Probab ilit yInact ion

Avo id

Re-

Considera-

tion

Un-Cont rolled

FeelingReact ion

Potent ia lityProtect ion Possibility

Fa ithSupport

Con-science

HelpDeduct ion

Accept-ance

Reduct ion Eva lua tion

OpposeDisbelie f

HinderTempta-

tion

Non-Accept-

ance

Induct ionRe-

Eva lua tionProduction

MemoryPreconscious

Conscious

Subconscious

1 Class

4 Types

16 Variations

64 Elements

Physics

Expecta-tion

KnowledgeAbility

Actua lityAware

Prov enTheory

EffectTrust

DesireThought Self-Aware Percept ion

HunchUn-Prov en

TestCause

OrderEquity

Inert iaProject ion

Accurate

ResultEnding

Inequit yChaos

Specula -tion

ChangeDetermina-

tion

Non-Accurate

Un-EndingProcess

Considera-

tion

LogicPursuit

Cont rolCertainty

Probab ilit yProaction

Inact ion

FeelingRecon-

siderat ion

Un-Cont rolled

Avo idPossibility

Potent ia lityProtect ion

React ion

Fa ithCon-science

SupportHe lp

Deduct ion Reduct ionAccept-

ance

Eva lua tion

Tempta-tion

Disbelie fHinder

OpposeProduction

Induct ionRe-

Eva lua tionNon-Accep

-tance

UnderstandingDoing

ObtainingLearning

InstinctSenses

WisdomSkill

Interpre-

tation

Condition-ing

Experi-ence

Enlighten-

ment

ApproachSelf Interest

Pre-

RequisitesStrategy

MoralityAttitude

AnalysisPre-

Conditions

1 Class

4 Types

16 Variations

64 Elements

Psychology

State of

Being

Situation

ConceptualizingBeing

Conceiving

Becoming

Knowledge

Circum-

stancesSense of

Self

DesireThought

Rational-

ization

Commit-ment

Responsi-

bility

Ability

Obligation

Need

Permission

Deficiency

Expediency

KnowledgeInert ia

Actua lityOrder

Prov enResult

EffectAccurate

ChangeThought

ChaosPercept ion

ProcessUn-Prov en

Non-Accurate

Cause

AwareEquity

AbilityProject ion

TrustExpecta-

tion

TheoryEnding

Inequit ySelf-Aware

Specula -tion

DesireDetermina-

tion

TestUn-Ending

Hunch

Considera-

tion

SupportPursuit

Fa ithCertainty

Accept-ance

ProactionDeduct ion

Oppose

Re-

Considera-

tion

Disbelie fAvo id

Non-Accep

-tancePotent ia lity

Induct ionReact ion

Cont rolCon-science

LogicHe lp

Inact ionReduct ion Probab ilit y

Eva lua tion

Tempta-tion

Un-Cont rolled

HinderFeeling

Production Protect ionRe-

Eva lua tionPossibility

1 Class

4 Types

16 Variations

64 Elements

Universe

FatePrediction

Fact

Inter-diction

DestinyThreat

Fantasy

OpennessDelay

Choice

Security

Pre-

conception

Attract

Work

Attempt

Repel

KnowledgeOrder

Actua lityInert ia

Prov enAccurate

EffectResult

ChaosThought

ChangePercept ion

Non-Accurate

Un-Prov enProcess

Cause

AbilityEquity

AwareProject ion

TheoryExpecta -

tion

TrustEnding

Inequit yDesire

Specula -tion

Self-AwareDetermina-

tion

HunchUn-Ending

Test

Considera-

tion

Fa ithPursuit

SupportCertainty

Deduct ionProaction

Accept-ance

Disbelie f

Re-

Considera-

tion

OpposeAvo id

Induct ionPotent ia lity

Non-Accept-

ance

React ion

LogicCon-science

Cont rolHe lp

Probab ilit yReduct ion

Inact ionEva lua tion

Tempta-tion

FeelingHinder

Un-Cont rolled

Production PossibilityRe-

Eva lua tionProtect ion

Past

Progress

Present

Future

SituationActivity

Manipulation

Fixed Attitude