The Dramatic Question

What is the Dramatic Question?

The Dramatic Question is the central, plot-based question posed early in your screenplay and answered by the end. It defines the stakes and drives the story forward, acting as the engine of your narrative. It’s basically the last sentence you read on the back of a DVD case (for those who remember DVDs or – gulp– VHS).

Examples of Dramatic Questions:

• Will Chief Brody stop the shark? (Jaws)

• Will the lovers end up together? (When Harry Met Sally)

• Will Rose and Jack survive? (Titanic)

• Will Frodo destroy the One Ring? (The Lord of the Rings)

• Will John McClane save his wife and stop Hans Gruber? (Die Hard)

This dramatic question is simple and usually answered with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no,’ providing the audience with a clear goal to root for or against.

• Will Chief Brody stop the shark? Yes.

• Will the lovers end up together? Yes.

• Will Rose and Jack survive? No.

• Will Frodo destroy the One Ring? I mean, it takes three movies, but… YES!

• Will John McClane save his wife? Yes—and he’ll also throw a German terrorist off a skyscraper in his bare feet. Yippee-ki-yay.

Now, if you’ve outlined your screenplay correctly, you should know the answer before you start it. However, the way you answer this question throughout your story—with twists, obstacles, and resolutions—keeps it compelling. So, how do we keep things interesting?

Simple. Add these two amplifiers to the question: How and Why.

YES → HOW and NO → WHY

When the answer to the dramatic question is YES, the next question needs to be HOW, if the answer is NO, then the next question must be WHY.

Use this YES → HOW, NO → WHY framework to refine every beat of your story. This will hone every action and conflict aligns directly with your protagonist’s goal.

Jaws

• Will Chief Brody stop the shark? Yes. How?

  • Teaming up with Quint and Matt

  • Tagging it with a beacon

  • Blowing it to pieces by shooting an oxygen tank appetizer.

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

• Will Evelyn save the multiverse? Yes. How?

  • By learning to embrace her imperfections, fight with empathy, and reconcile with her daughter, Joy.

Mad Max: Fury Road

• Will Furiosa and Max escape Immortan Joe? Yes. How?

  • By forming an uneasy alliance, using the war rig as a weapon, and confronting Joe in the Citadel’s final showdown.

Inside Out

• Will Riley adapt to her new life? Yes. How?

  • By letting Joy and Sadness work together, she can form more complex emotions and finally open up to her parents.

Titanic

• Will Rose and Jack survive? No. Why?

  • Jack sacrifices his spot on the floating armoire to ensure Rose's safety (even though you and I both know there was plenty of room for Jack. Why didn’t you scootch over Rose? WHY??)

The Opposite Approach: Start with Obstacles

A great way to explore your Dramatic Question is to imagine the opposite answer. This approach forces you to create obstacles that test your protagonist and advance the narrative. Every obstacle should escalate the stakes and make the eventual resolution (whether it’s a “yes” or “no”) feel earned.

Steps to Apply the Opposite Approach:

1. Pose your Dramatic Question.

2. Answer 'No' and ask 'Why?' to uncover obstacles that add stakes to your story.

3. Resolve the obstacle and pose the question again, ensuring each resolution adds new stakes.

Jaws

• Will Chief Brody stop the shark? NO! Why?

  • The town’s mayor refuses to close the beaches, prioritizing tourism over safety.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Brody secretly collaborates with Hooper to investigate the shark attacks.

• Ask Again: Will Chief Brody stop the shark now? NO! Why?

  • The shark evades Brody’s traps and attacks a fishing boat, killing one of the crew.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Brody joins forces with Quint, an experienced shark hunter, to take the fight to the open water.

• Ask Again: Will Chief Brody stop the shark now?

Die Hard

• Will John McClane save his wife and stop Hans Gruber? NO. Why?

  • Because Hans’s men ambush McClane before he can reach Holly.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: McClane rigs explosives in the elevator shaft to thin out the terrorists.

• Ask Again: Will McClane stop Hans now? NO! Why?

  • Hans takes Holly hostage as a bargaining chip.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: McClane shoots Hans, causing him to fall to his death with the world’s most satisfying wristwatch-related kill.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

• Will Evelyn save the multiverse? NO. Why?

  • Evelyn can’t master her new multiverse powers, and Joy (as Jobu Tupaki) is too powerful.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Evelyn learns to fight with empathy rather than violence, tapping into Joy’s feelings of emptiness.

• Ask Again: Will Evelyn save the multiverse now? NO. Why?

  • Her husband, Waymond, doubts she can stay grounded long enough to keep their family together.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Evelyn reconciles with her husband and embraces their chaotic life together.

Mad Max: Fury Road

• Will Furiosa and Max escape Immortan Joe? NO. Why?

  • Furiosa’s plan to cross the desert fails when they find The Green Place is gone.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Furiosa confronts Joe directly, reclaiming the Citadel instead of running away.

• Ask Again: Will Furiosa and Max escape Joe now? NO. Why?

  • Joe’s army overwhelms them during the final battle.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Furiosa kills Joe, freeing the Wives and the Citadel’s people.

Blade Runner

• Will Deckard catch the replicants? NO. Why?

  • The replicants are stronger and more intelligent, and they elude him at every turn.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Deckard uses his experience and determination to outlast them, hunting them individually.

• Ask Again: Will Deckard catch the replicants now? NO. Why?

  • Roy Batty proves to be more complex and human than Deckard expected, forcing Deckard to question his own morality.

  • Resolve the Obstacle: Deckard ultimately survives, but Batty’s final act of mercy leaves him with doubts about his role as a blade runner.

Using this simple technique forces you to develop inventive roadblocks and creative solutions.

Another technique to answering the Dramatic Question is to add "But Unfortunately..." which ensures each victory introduces new challenges or consequences, keeping the audience invested.

The Lord of the Rings

• Will Frodo destroy the One Ring?

  • YES, But Unfortunately... The journey to Mount Doom exposes Frodo to the Ring’s corrupting power, straining his resolve.

  • YES, But Unfortunately... Gollum’s betrayal and Sam’s momentary doubt create divisions within the fellowship, jeopardizing the mission.

Finding Nemo

• Will Marlin find Nemo?

  • YES, But Unfortunately... He has to face his fear of the ocean and let Nemo learn to fend for himself.

  • YES, But Unfortunately... Their reunion comes only after Marlin nearly loses him again in a fishing net.

This approach ensures the journey remains unpredictable and emotionally charged. Think of this as taking two steps forward and one step back.

Crafting compelling stories isn’t just about what happens—it’s about why it matters and why your audience hasn’t bailed to watch Instagram Reels instead.

The Dramatic Question is the engine that powers your story, creating tension and giving viewers a reason to care. It’s the narrative equivalent of dangling someone off a cliff and asking, “Will they make it?” (Spoiler: only if you’ve written a good story).

By using frameworks like YES → HOW and NO → WHY, you’ll ensure that every beat of your story keeps your audience glued to their seats, even if their phones are whispering sweet distractions.

So ask the right Dramatic Questions, give your characters stakes they’ll break a sweat over, and, most importantly, don’t write something so boring that even your mom starts checking her watch. Without this core question, your screenplay’s about as exciting as an unseasoned chicken breast—but with it? You’ve got the makings of a story people will actually remember, argue about on Reddit, and meme into oblivion.

👉 Want to master Dramatic Questions and make your audience care as much as Frodo cares about that ring? Join me in the Fast Draft Method course today!

Adding Complexity with "But Unfortunately..."