The Quilty Score
A 0-100 weighted composite that predicts a screenplay's potential for commercial success, critical acclaim, cultural impact, and production viability.
The only scoring system that understands why the same script scores differently across eras—because markets and culture change, even when story quality doesn't.
What Does the Score Mean?
The Quilty Score translates complex multi-dimensional analysis into actionable investment guidance.
Blockbuster potential, awards contender, cultural touchstone
Major commercial success likely, strong critical reception
Solid commercial potential, positive critical response
Decent commercial potential, mixed-to-positive reviews
Limited commercial appeal, niche audience
High risk, limited market viability
The Four Dimensions
Each dimension captures a different aspect of screenplay potential. Some are timeless, others shift with the cultural moment.
Story & Craft
Script-intrinsic quality: structure, character development, dialogue, originality
Good structure in 1980 is good structure in 2025. Universal storytelling principles don't change.
Market Viability
Commercial potential: genre heat, market trends, audience demand
Westerns peaked in 1955, niche in 2025. Superhero films peaked in 2010s, declining now.
Culture & Resonance
Zeitgeist alignment: thematic relevance, cultural anxieties, social resonance
Cold War anxiety scripts scored high in 1984, low today. Climate anxiety scores high now.
Feasibility
Production practicality: budget efficiency, technical complexity, production risk
VFX-heavy scripts scored lower pre-CGI (expensive practicals), higher today (affordable digital).
Why Scores Change Over Time
The Quilty Score is time-aware. A screenplay scored in 2025 may have a different score if assessed in 1984 or 2040. Here's why:
The Red Dawn Effect
Depreciating IP: Some scripts are tied to their era. Cold War thrillers scored high in 1984 but collapse after 1991.
Red Dawn (1984): Market 79 → 45 (2025)
Same script, different era = different score
The Get Out Effect
Cultural Moment: Scripts that tap into social zeitgeist can surge in relevance when the cultural conversation aligns.
Get Out (2017): Cultural 65 → 89 (post-2017)
Social themes amplified by real-world discourse
The WarGames Effect
Resilient IP: Universal themes transcend era. Technology vs. humanity, unintended consequences—these themes become MORE relevant.
WarGames (1983): Cultural 48 → 55 (2025)
AI/cyber themes more relevant today than ever
Quilty Score Over Time (1986–2025)
How would the same screenplay score if evaluated in different eras? This chart shows 5 top-rated films (one per genre) scored across 40 years.
Note: Story & Craft scores remain constant (good structure is always good structure). Variations come from Market Viability, Cultural Resonance, and Feasibility dimensions which respond to genre cycles, cultural themes, and technology eras.
The Shining (1980)
Budget: $19M
Box Office: $44M
ROI: 2.3x
Critical: 84% RT
The Dark Knight (2008)
Budget: $185M
Box Office: $1B
ROI: 5.4x
Critical: 94% RT
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Budget: $25M
Box Office: $58M
ROI: 2.3x
Critical: 91% RT
Se7en (1995)
Budget: $33M
Box Office: $327M
ROI: 9.9x
Critical: 82% RT
Groundhog Day (1993)
Budget: $14M
Box Office: $105M
ROI: 7.5x
Critical: 94% RT
Temporal Scoring Case Studies
Deep dives into how specific films score across eras, and what that reveals about IP valuation.
Get Out (2017)
Released 2017
Real-World Performance
$4.5M
$255M
56x
98% RT
Awards: Best Original Screenplay (Oscar)
Cultural Impact: Launched Jordan Peele's career, sparked national conversations on race
Analysis
Story & Craft (89.2) validated by Oscar win. Market Viability (82.5) validated by 56x ROI. Cultural score was under-estimated due to semantic matching limitations—the film's perfect 2017 zeitgeist alignment should have been 80+.
Red Dawn (1984)
Released 1984
Real-World Performance
$17M
$38M
2.2x
52% RT
Cultural Impact: Cold War zeitgeist capture, but themes aged poorly post-1991
Analysis
The "Red Dawn Effect" in action: High market viability in 1984 (Cold War tensions) collapsed after the Soviet Union fell. Same script, different era = different score. A depreciating IP asset.
WarGames (1983)
Released 1983
Real-World Performance
$12M
$79M
6.6x
93% RT
Cultural Impact: Influenced real cybersecurity policy, themes more relevant today
Analysis
The "WarGames Effect": Universal themes (technology vs. humanity, unintended consequences) transcend era. Score actually increased over time as AI/cyber themes became more relevant. A resilient IP asset.
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