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Rivac AI Labs
Research, Academic & Narrative Insight

Narratologist

A script, brand story, or campaign narrative can have good ideas and still not land, because the underlying structure (whose story it is, where the turns fall, what the throughline actually is) isn't doing its job. This service applies established narrative theory (three-act and Hero's Journey structures, focalization, narrative distance, character-arc mechanics) as a diagnostic tool against your specific script, brand story, or content series, not as an academic exercise. You'd bring us in when a story isn't landing with test audiences, when a brand narrative feels flat despite strong individual scenes, or when you're building character-driven content and need the arcs to actually pay off. The output is a structural diagnosis, where the story loses momentum, whose point of view it should be told from, where an arc needs a real turn, plus a revised structure your writers can execute against. It's a second pair of expert eyes on the architecture, not a rewrite of your voice.

This is a capability we deliver for you as a service, not a role we’re hiring for.

How We’d Approach This

A clear, staged plan, not a black box

These are the service-specific steps inside our six-step process.

  1. 1

    Diagnose the specific script, story, or content series and pinpoint exactly where the structure, not the writing, is causing it to underperform.

  2. 2

    Pilot a structural pass on one act, episode, or campaign piece using established frameworks to test the fix before applying it everywhere.

  3. 3

    Review the diagnosis and proposed restructuring with your writers in plain terms, not academic jargon.

  4. 4

    Deliver a full structural map and scene-level notes your writing team can revise directly from.

What You Get

Deliverables from this engagement

  • A structural diagnosis of the script, brand story, or content series
  • A revised story or arc map (beat sheet, act structure, or character-arc chart) ready for writers to execute
  • Scene- or chapter-level notes flagging exactly where and why the structure is breaking down
  • A framework reference brief so your team can self-check future drafts

Six Ways We Could Architect This

Different engagement, different build, pick the shape that fits

There’s more than one way to deliver on this service. Browse a few of the ways we’d structure the work, depending on your speed, budget, and integration needs.

Read all 6 architectures as text

Lean Fast-Start Architecture

Intake

  • Script or Story Draft Submitted
  • Scoping Call
  • Underperforming Section Identified

Diagnosis

  • Three Act Structure Mapping
  • Focalization and POV Check
  • Arc Turn Analysis

Revision

  • Structural Diagnosis Notes
  • Revised Beat Sheet Draft

Delivery

  • Writer Review Call
  • Final Structural Map
  • Scene Level Notes Delivered
  • Framework Reference Brief

Cloud-Native / Managed Services Architecture

Managed Source Layer

  • Script Management Platform
  • Cloud Story Bible Workspace
  • Version Controlled Draft Repository

Analysis Operations

  • Structural Annotation Tool
  • Character Arc Tracking Database
  • Beat Sheet Builder

Synthesis

  • Framework Reference Library
  • Structural Diagnosis Report Generator

Delivery Layer

  • Client Facing Story Portal
  • Commenting and Feedback Layer
  • Export to Writers Room Tools
  • Revision History Dashboard

Event-Driven & Automation-First Architecture

Triggers

  • New Draft Uploaded
  • Automated Structure Scan
  • Test Audience Feedback Submitted
  • Auto Sentiment Tagging

Automation Layer

  • Act Break Detection Webhook
  • Auto Flagged Pacing Issues
  • Arc Consistency Checker

Review Gate

  • Structural Confidence High
  • Flag for Narratologist Review
  • Auto Compiled Diagnosis Report

Delivery

  • Notification to Writers Room
  • Scheduled Revision Digest
  • Published Revised Structure Map

Enterprise-Grade & Compliance-Ready Architecture

Governance Layer

  • Editorial Standards Policy
  • IP and Rights Log
  • Access Control for Draft Materials

Secure Repository

  • Access Controlled Script Repository
  • Role Based Writer Access
  • Versioned Structural Notes Store

Auditable Analysis

  • Structural Diagnosis
  • Editorial Review Checkpoint
  • Change Log of Revisions

Compliance Delivery

  • Redundant Draft Archive
  • Audit Trail Export
  • Signed Off Structural Map
  • Retention Schedule for Drafts

AI-Augmented, Human-in-the-Loop Architecture

Data Ingestion

  • Full Script or Story Draft
  • Established Narrative Frameworks

AI Analysis Layer

  • AI Structural Pattern Engine
  • Draft Structural Diagnosis
  • Draft Beat Sheet Revisions

Human in the Loop

  • Narratologist Review Session
  • Structure Actually Serves the Story
  • Flag Corrections to Model
  • Human Approved Story Map

Delivery

  • Scene Level Notes
  • Client Facing Structural Map
  • Handoff to Writers Room

Integration-Heavy / Ecosystem-Connected Architecture

Client Systems

  • Writers Room Script Software
  • Brand Content Calendar
  • Campaign Management Platform

Narrative Core

  • Narrative Structure Analysis Engine
  • Structural Diagnosis Model
  • Revised Arc Map

Two Way Sync Layer

  • Script Software Sync
  • Content Calendar Sync
  • Production Pipeline Tools
  • Marketing Campaign Tools

Shared Governance

  • Joint Review with Creative Directors
  • Published Structural Revision

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Ready to get started?

Tell us what you’re trying to get done and we’ll help you find the highest-leverage place to start, scoped small enough to prove itself before you commit to anything bigger.

Talk to us about Narratologist

Most engagements like this start as a $500–$2,500 pilot, see full pricing.

Questions? Book a free call