5/9/26, 7:10 PM Google Apps for UCLA Mail - Coverage 101 Continued - Long Email
Violeta Sanchez Moreno <violetasanchez@[Link]>
Coverage 101 Continued - Long Email
1 message
Shazia M <shaziasinbox@[Link]> Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 12:26 AM
To: Shazia Mian <[Link]@[Link]>
Bcc: violetasanchez@[Link]
Hey everyone,
Great to see you all in discussion. Please see more information on how to do coverage successfully below.
As a reminder, these are the requirements for the midterm from the syllabus.
1. Screenplay Coverage Report is due Sunday of Week 6 by 11:59PM PST. Read a screenplay
of your choice from a film that was released by a major studio (not an independent distributor)
within the last three years. Write a two to three-page, single spaced coverage report on that
screenplay, including one to two pages of synopsis and one page of comments--emulating
professional examples. Include title, location, period, genre, your name in a grid at top of page,
as well as a logline. Please note that this is NOT a book report or critical essay. Consider the
following categories when evaluating the screenplay:
1. Quality of Writing: Is it well written and structured?
2. Premise: What is it about? Is the story fresh and new?
3. Appeal: Who will want to see it? What are the key demographics?
4. Conflict: What's the hero’s central conflict? When is it introduced?
5. Characters: Does the main character have an arc? Are the roles well defined?
6. Dialogue: Does it evoke emotion? Does each character speak in a unique voice?
100 points total
Based on the syllabus, your report needs to be three pages: two pages for synopsis and one for comments. The top
sheet can be separate from the three required pages, so you have more room for your synopsis. Please see the template
attached.
For crafting a good logline, here are some basic rules to follow:
Think of it like a who, what, when, where and why in a sentence.
I found this tool and this tool that break down loglines, so take a look.
Some loglines, like the ones on IMDB, don't always follow this formula because they're written to build intrigue and
draw people to the film. For our purposes, the logline needs to convey the main idea of the story.
Readers should be able to tell the genre from the logline alone.
I was told long ago that 22 words was the sweet spot for loglines, but I think whatever works concisely, works well.
Try not to exceed 1 sentence. If you exceed two sentences, it's no longer a logline, but a premise.
For a synopsis, try to follow the three-act structure and hero's journey. Not all films fall into this structure, but the
major Hollywood films usually do. I've broken down Harry Potter more precisely so you can see the major story beats
you need to capture. If you think your script doesn't follow this structure, that's fine, but still try to identify the major
turning points for your main character. Identify their goal and track whether they achieve it or not.
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Act One (Setup)
Beginning: Harry's miserable life with the Dursleys on Privet Drive. We see who he is and what his ordinary
world looks like. He's unhappy and knows he doesn't quite belong, but he's not sure why.
Inciting Incident: The Hogwarts letters start arriving, and Hagrid shows up to tell Harry he's a wizard.
Second Thoughts: Harry is thrust into a world he knows nothing about. There's a sense of "can this really
be true?" as he navigates Diagon Alley and learns about Voldemort killing his parents. (Harry doesn't really
have second thoughts; he feels more wonder and disbelief in entering this new world.)
Climax of Act One (point of no return): Harry boards the Hogwarts Express, arrives at the castle, and is
sorted into Gryffindor. He's committed to this new world.
Act Two (Confrontation)
Ascending Action / Obstacles: Harry adjusts to school life: learning magic, clashing with Snape and
Malfoy, making the Quidditch team, and discovering the mystery of the three-headed dog guarding
something on the third-floor corridor.
Midpoint (a big twist): Harry, Ron, and Hermione learn that the dog is guarding the Philosopher's Stone
and that someone inside Hogwarts appears to be trying to steal it. They become convinced it's Snape.
More Obstacles: The trio investigates: the library, Hagrid accidentally revealing information about Fluffy
and Nicolas Flamel, the dragon subplot, and getting caught out of bounds (leading to detention in the
Forbidden Forest).
Disaster: During detention, Harry encounters Voldemort in the forest feeding on unicorn blood, and realizes
the threat is real and immediate.
Crisis: Dumbledore leaves Hogwarts, and the children realize no adult will stop the theft of the stone in
time. They decide they have to go through the trapdoor themselves.
Climax of Act Two: Harry, Ron, and Hermione fight past each obstacle: Fluffy, the Devil's Snare, the flying
keys, the chess game (where Ron sacrifices himself), and the potions logic puzzle (where Hermione stays
behind). Harry goes on alone.
Act Three (Resolution)
Climax of Act Three: Harry discovers it's Quirrell, not Snape, and that Voldemort has been living on the
back of Quirrell's head. Harry fights for the Stone and discovers his touch destroys Quirrell, but he
collapses.
Descending Action / Wrap-up: Harry wakes in the hospital wing, Dumbledore explains what happened (his
mother's love, the Stone being destroyed), and the school year wraps up with Gryffindor winning the House
Cup.
End: Harry returns to the Dursleys, but he's fundamentally changed. He now knows who he is and where he
belongs.
For the comments section, consider the questions Dr. Mann posed in the syllabus. Please feel free to follow the formula I
gave you in class, also listed below. Do your best to fit everything onto one page. Think about prioritizing your feedback
and what would be most pertinent for a studio executive to know about the material.
TLDR - what worked, what didn't.
Story/Plot/Structure -- Was the writing well done? Did it have good pacing? Did the hero complete their journey?
Characters -- Were there standout roles? Was the protagonist a standout? Do all the characters sound the same?
Did any actors come to mind when reading the script?
Comps - Comparable films that remind you of the script you're reading. "Comps" can be similar in narrative, tone,
style, or budget. But you must explain WHY you think a certain title is a comp. Refer to the examples.
Market value - where do you think this movie belongs? On a streaming platform? Straight to theatrical? If so,
which major distributor? Are there any standout visuals that would make for standout marketing? Are there any
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integrated brand associations worth mentioning (Barbie, Minecraft, Fast and Furious)? Target demos?
For those still deciding what script to select, I've added some resources below. Based on the requirements of the midterm,
I strongly recommend choosing something shorter (from any genre). Horror and comedies tend to come in around 100
pages. Of course, you're free to choose whatever you like and at any length, as long as the requirements of the midterm
per the syllabus are met.
101 Best Scripts of the 21st Century
Screenplays with pdf downloads
Oscar winning scripts
Last thought: On the coverage examples I'm sending you -- The Valhalla coverages tend to focus most on
story/development, so you won't see the five-point formula in the comments. XYZ coverages are more focused on market
positioning and brand association. The Esmail Corp coverage comments section is closest to what I write nowadays, but
the synopsis section is extra long because I summarized a novel. -- In case you were wondering why they all look
different. And that just goes to show coverage varies on who you're writing for!
Actually, this is the last thought -- We didn't cover certain details like writing in the present tense, or putting character
names in all caps when first introduced in the synopsis (e.g. On a rainy morning at UCLA, SHAZIA MIAN (30s) rushes
across campus to get to her discussion in time. Shazia flies up the stairs and slips into the classroom right before the door
closes.) Keep an eye out for these technical details when reviewing the coverage examples. Bolded text usually indicates
a big reveal or clue you want the reader to remember (important for longer, complex stories). For flashbacks, I italicize the
text to help differentiate between timelines. The all caps for new names is most important here; don't worry about bold and
italics.
If there are any questions after this extremely comprehensive email, please let me know. :)
Warmly,
Shazia
5 attachments
84A_CoverageTemplate .docx
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THE FINNISH LINE- Coverage - [Link] (1).pdf
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Wedding, The - Coverage - [Link] (1).pdf
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03.10.2026 CVG Kim Hooper - MOTHER IS A VERB [Link] (1).pdf
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Shazia Mian Coverage Sample - DETOX by Kevin Armento + Jaki [Link] (2).pdf
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