Table of Story Elements

Based on a theory and materials developed by Melanie Anne Phillips & Chris Huntley

DRAMATICA
Situation
Past

What is this chart?

This chart illustrates the core Dramatica structure found in all complete stories. Its four major areasSituation, Activity, Manipulation, and Fixed Attitudesrepresent areas of conflict essential to every fully explored story. Nested within each of these four areas on this chart are various story components which are used to create dramatic story points such as the Story Goal and Problem. The components have been arranged according to their relevance to genre, plot, theme, and character.

Why should you use this chart?

As a writer, youll want to explore your story as completely as possible. This chart serves as a reference guide to help you understand the fundamental relationships that exist between the story components essential to developing a fully explored story.

Activity
Understanding
Instinct
Knowledge Ability

How Things Are Changing

Prediction Fact
Proven Accurate

Doing
Wisdom
Proven Theory

Fate
Knowledge Order

Security
Effect Result

Senses
Actuality Aware

Skill
Effect Trust

Actuality

Inertia

Chaos

Thought

Change

Perception

NonUn-proven accurate

Process

Cause

Desire

Thought

Self-Aware Perception

Hunch

Un-proven

Test

Cause

Interdiction
Ability Equity

Destiny
Aware Projection

Threat
Theory Expectation

Fantasy
Trust Ending

Interpretation
Order Equity

Conditioning
Inertia Projection

Experience
Accurate Expectation

Enlightenment
Result Ending

Inequity

Desire

Speculation Self-Aware

Determination

Hunch

Unending

Test

Inequity

Chaos

Speculation Change

Determination

Nonaccurate

Unending

Process

Future
Openness
Consideration Faith

Present
Delay Work
Certainty Deduction

Obtaining
Approach
Consideration Logic

Gathering Information
Prerequisites
Certainty Probability

Attract
Proaction Acceptance

Self Interest
Pursuit Control

Strategy
Proaction Inaction

Pursuit

Support

Disbelief Reconsider

Oppose

Avoid

Induction Potentiality

NonReaction acceptance

Feeling

Reconsider

Uncontrolled

Avoid

Possibility Potentiality

Protection Reaction

Choice
Logic Conscience

Preconception
Control Help

Repel
Probability Reduction

Attempt
Inaction Evaluation

Morality
Faith Conscience

Attitude
Support Help

Analysis
Deduction Reduction

Preconditions
Acceptance Evaluation

Temptation

Feeling

Hinder

Uncontrolled

Production Possibility

ReProtection evaluation

Temptation Disbelief

Hinder

Oppose

Production Induction

ReNonevaluation acceptance

Manipulation
Developing A Plan
State of Being
Knowledge Inertia

Fixed Attitude
Memories
Truth
Knowledge Actuality

Playing A Role
Knowledge
Proven Result

Impulsive Responses
Value
Proven Effect

Situation
Actuality Order

Ability
Effect Accurate

Evidence
Ability Aware

Confidence
Theory Trust

Change

Thought

Chaos

Perception

Process

Un-proven

Nonaccurate

Cause

Perception

Thought

Self-Aware

Desire

Cause

Un-proven

Test

Hunch

Circumstances
Aware Equity

Sense of Self
Ability Projection

Desire
Trust Expectation

Thought
Theory Ending

Suspicion
Order Inertia

Falsehood
Equity Projection

Worry
Accurate Result

Worth
Expectation Ending

Inequity

Self-Aware

Speculation

Desire

Determination

Test

Unending

Hunch

Change

Chaos

Speculation Inequity

Process

Nonaccurate

Unending

Determination

Changing One's Nature

Rationalization
Consideration Support

Conceiving An Idea
Permission
Certainty Acceptance

Innermost Desires
Closure
Consideration Pursuit

Contemplations
Investigation
Certainty Proaction

Commitment
Pursuit Faith

Need
Proaction Deduction

Hope
Logic Control

Appraisal
Probability Inaction

Oppose Reconsider

Disbelief

Avoid

NonPotentiality acceptance

Induction

Reaction

Avoid

Reconsider

Uncontrolled

Feeling

Reaction Potentiality

Protection Possibility

Responsibility
Control Conscience

Obligation
Logic Help

Expediency
Inaction Reduction

Deficiency
Probability Evaluation

Dream
Faith Support

Denial
Conscience Help

Re-appraisal
Deduction Acceptance

Doubt
Reduction Evaluation

Temptation

Uncontrolled

Hinder

Feeling

Production Protection

RePossibility evaluation

Oppose

Disbelief

Hinder

Temptation

NonInduction acceptance

ReProduction evaluation

LEGEND: Color Coding of the Chart

Throughline Activity
(For Example)

Understanding the Table Structure

The Dramatica table of story elements is comprised of many Quads (groupings of four squares or items). These quads range in size from the largestthe throughline-sized quadto the smallestthe element-sized quad. Each quad is nested within a larger quad; the only exception being the throughline quad which is the largest. Items positioned diagonally across from one another in a quad are referred to as Dynamic Pairs. There are two dynamic pairs per quad. 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 of Attitude and Approach is more likely to create conflict than either the pairing of Attitude and Morality or Attitude and Self Interest. Use dynamic pairs to heighten conflict in your story.

The largest items on the chart illustrate where genre is best represented. They represent the broadest contexts in which a story's conflicts are explored.

Morality
(For Example)

Issue
Within each concern are for thematic Issues. This is where theme is best represented. The Issue and its diagonal opposite, the thematic counterpoint, form the foundations of a thematic conflict.

Approach

Self Interest

Concern
Obtaining
(For Example)

Within each throughline are four Concerns. This level is where plot is best represented. Concerns indicate the topic of concen in each act.

Temptation
(For Example)

Problem
The smallest items on the chart is where character is best represented. They represent the building blocks used for constructing characters and the problems that drive them.

Morality

Attitude

Example of one Quad with two Dynamic Pairs

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

tion itua
U niv e r se

1C

la s

ivity Act
s

1C

sic s Phy
g D o in U nd er d ing st a n g rnin Le a O bt g a inin

la s

Pr Pa s t

ss o g re

4T

ype

4T

ype

P re re F utu

t se n

Se c Fa c t Fa t e ic Pr e d t io n at T hr e t iny De s Int e r io n d ic t O e ss p e nn De la y

ur it y a sy Fa nt

16

Va

Sk ill

16
ht e n Enlig e nt m S

ria

tio

om W isd

Va

ct At t r a W or k l epe At t e

ns

ct Inst in

se s Se n nd it io C o n ing oach

ria

e r iEx p nc e e

tio

gy tr ate

ns

mp t

pr eInt e r t io n ta Ap p r

R Pr e -p t io n e c o nc
lt Re su te c c ura ct Eff e e ss Proc T rust se C au

Se lfr e st Int e ty o r a li At t it

Pr e -isit e s u Re q ud e ly sis Ana

Pr e -it io ns d C on

ic e C ho

64
g Endin T es t c ti on Proa

T rust

en Prov a lity Ac tu ia Inert Perc n e pt io

Know

e le dg

er O rd

Non-rat e Ac c u

n rov e Un-P

E le

ct Eff e

os C ha

g ht T hou

ng e C ha

Awa y Equit

re

c t io n Proje Self-A

T heo

ry

c ta Ex peti on

wa re

armin De te ti on C ert

h Hunc

g ndin Un-E

p tAc c e c e an

me nts
io n lua Ev a ti on Re - a ti on lu Ev a ec t Prot io n

ry T heo Prov a lity Ac tu Know e le dg ty Abili g ht T hou Awa re n e pt io h Hunc A en n rov e Un-P

se C au T es t lt Re su g ndin Un-E g Endin

64
Proc e ss c ti on Proa Prot

E le
t io n Inac

wa Self-A

re

Perc

ty Abili uit y Ineq

re De si

c ula Spe ti on

ainty

uc De d

t io n

ct Re a Non- p tAc c e c e an t io n Inac

re De si O rd er

ia Inert y Equit os C ha

c t io n Proje

te c c ura

c ta Ex peti on

me
io n

uit Purs Fa it h Re - era s id C on ti on

Supp

ort Av o

c t io n Indu id

y nt ia lit Pot e

c ula Spe ti on

ng e C ha

armin De te ti on C ert

Non-rat e Ac c u ainty Prob

nts
on lua ti c c ep Non-A nc e -t a

y ab ilit

n ec t io

ct Re a

t rol C on Av o Un-rolle d t C on ort Supp

ra s id e C on ti on

o se Op p t rol C on

ab Prob He lp

ilit y

n uc t io Re d Pos si

uit y Ineq ra s id e C on ti on

uit Purs Lo gic onRe c rat io n si de Fa it h

Pos si id He lp

bili ty

y nt ia lit Pot e

bili ty

n uc t io De d Prod

n uc t io Re d

p tAc c e c e an

Ev a

elie Disb

Prod er Hind Un-rolle d t C on

n uc ti o

Lo gic

C on nc e sc ie pt aT emti on g Fe elin

g Fe elin

n uc ti o

c t io n Indu

Re - a ti on lu Ev a

C on nc e sc ie pt aT emti on elie Disb f

er Hind

o se Op p

Man

ation ipul
Psy lo g y c ho
g B e in

1C

la s

ixed F

itude Att
M ind
o us nsc i

1C

la s

4T

ype

4T

s
o ry Mem

ce p C on

ing ua liz C on g o min Be c c e iv ing

o P re c

ype

us sc io C on s c io u o ns c S ub

f te o St aBe ing

Sit ua

t io n

Kno

e le d g

Ab ilit

y ug ht

16
T ho

Va

ria

umC irtc nc e s sa

f se o Se n Se lf

ir e De s n issio Pe r m Ex p e

tio

e Va lu

nf iC oe nc e d W or ry W or st iInv e t io n ga th

16

Va

d Ne e De f

ns

h T r ut

e Ev id

nc e ood lse h H ope

ria

tio

na lRa t io t io n iza

mit C o me nt m

cy ic ie n

ic io Susp

Fa

l r a isa Ap p

ns

cy d ie n

bt Do u Rer a isa l Ap p

ip o ns Re s b ilit y
lt Re su en Prov a lity Ac tu Know le dg e ia Inert g ht T hou O rd er Perc e pt io n e ss Proc

n g a t io O b li
rat e Ac c u

ur e C lo s Dr e a m

ia l De n

ct Eff e

se C au Non-rat e Ac c u T heo ry g ndin Un-E g Endin

64
h Hunc c ti on Proa

T rust

n rov e Un-P

E le
t io n

ry T heo

os C ha

T rust c t io n Proje re De si

c ta Ex peti on

ng e C ha Awa

Abili y Equit

ty

armin De te ti on C ert Fa it h

T es t

uc De d

me nts
io n a ti on v a lu bili ty Pos si Re - a ti on lu Ev a E

ct Eff e en Prov re Awa Abili Know le dg e a lity Ac tu g ht T hou ty wa re Self-A re De si c t io n Proje se C au n rov e Un-P lt Re su

h Hunc T es t c ta Ex peti on g Endin

64
armin De te ti on y ab ilit Prob ia lity Prot

E le

rat e Ac c u Proc

re uit y Ineq wa Self-A

re

c ula Spe ti on

ainty

p tAc c e c e an

uit Purs Supp ort Re - era s id C on ti on t rol C on elie Disb f

Av o

id

c c ep Non-A nc e -t a

nt Pot e

ia lity

c t io n Indu

ct Re a

n e pt io Perc O rd

y Equit ia Inert

e ss C ert

Non-rat e Ac c u ainty

g ndin Un-E

me
bili ty

t io n Inac Pos si

nts
on lua ti Prod n uc ti o

er os C ha ng e C ha ra s id e C on ti on Av o

ra s id e C on ti on

t io n Inac He lp Prod

n uc t io Re d

ab Prob

ilit y

c ula Spe ti on

uit y Ineq

c ti on Proa

n ec t io

t rol C on Lo gic

o se Op p

Lo gic er Hind

n uc ti o

n ec t io Prot

uit Purs Re - era s id C on ti on C

g Fe elin Un- lle d ont ro C on nc e sc ie f er Hind

ct Re a

io n

nt Pot e

uc De d He lp pt aT emti on

t io n

p tAc c e c e an

n uc t io Re d

Ev a

c t io n Indu Non- p tAc c e c e an

Re - a ti on lu Ev a

C on nc e sc ie Un-rolle d t C on

g Fe elin

id

ort Supp Fa it h o se Op p

pt aT emti on

elie Disb