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Day 5 Assignment
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Edward Gadrix – ASSIGNMENT MY VILLIAN HAS A PLAN
To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:
What is the end goal?
The end goal for my Villain is to create and build an army within the Army. The goal is to identify current U.S. Army personnel who are sympathetic to “right-wing” political thought and who are willing to take the next step to participate in a military coup and take over of the government when the right political leader gives the word.
How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
He has organized a “Hollywood Canteen” type of venue to entertain military personnel off bases in order to identify the right subjects for this “sub rosa” Arma.
How can they cover it up?
They give the appearance of being in the best interest of supporting our military soldiers through free dances and entertainment events. These events include the sex trafficking of Asian sex slaves.
Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
A. A member of the dance band who was a part of the mission of the Villain is brutally murdered creating the need for a replacement musician who has demonstrated “right-wing” political tendencies. My Hero fits the description.
B. Take advantage of the divorced relationship (with my protagonist/Hero wanting to get back with his ex-wife. The protagonist Is lured into a sexual encounter with a sex slave.
C. Entangle the ex-wife and children into the scheme so that my Hero has much ot hide if he is to keep the love of his life.
D. My Hero wanders deeper into the plot he initially thinks is sex trafficking only to learn it has to do with the military overthrow of the U.S. Government.
E. During the revelation of the scheme, my Hero is intrigued with the sex slave with whom he’s been engaged, and it establishes a conflict with my Hero as to his goal of returning to his marriage vs his new relationship.
F. All of the “good people” on my Hero’s side eventually encounter the showdown with the Villain and the devious plan. Some live; some die.
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</div><div>Mike O’Keefe — Villain has a great plan
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DAY FIVE ASSIGNMENT
I. To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:
[1] What is the end goal? The villain (Jim) end goal is to use his step-son, Dino, to force his biological father who is in prison, to divulge where he has hidden the engraving plates he used as a forger. They were never found or recovered.
[2] How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way? Jim, a US Marshal, has the expertise and resources to plant evidence and frame Dino for the woman’s murder. A murder that Jim committed.
[3] How can they cover it up? Jim does not leave any physical evidence that points back to him. Everything he has planted and left as clues points to Dino. He also covers by befriending the Police Chief and taking on the concerned parent role when it looks like Dino committed the murder.
[4] Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible. (1) Jim’s dislike for Dino is shown (show don’t tell) early on when he makes a pretend gun out of his hand and shoots Dino from his bedroom window as the boy rides his motorcycle down the driveway headed to school; (2) We see Jim (don’t know it’s him because he’s wearing a mask) watching a young woman (the murder victim) at her home. He plants one of Dino’s protein bar wrappers under a tree at the edge of her property then he stabs the tree repeatedly with the murder weapon; (3) He also leaves tennis shoe imprints in the dirt and returns the shoes to Dino’s closet the next morning after he’s gone to school; (4) Jim has taken photos of Dino with the woman, he has them delivered to Leah, the new detective on the force; (5) Jim takes one of Dino’s trademark black tee-shirts from his drawer. We find out later, Jim put some of the dead woman’s blood on the tee-shirt along with Dino’s hair fibers as mails it to Rodney, one of the detectives working the case.
II. Then answer the question “What I learned?”
I’ve learned that thrillers require a lot more behind the scenes planning and that without plotting the MIS, you will miss opportunities. The bread crumbs, easter eggs and bits of character insight have to be thought through long before you write a single word.
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Rachelle’s Villain has a great plan!
What is the end goal?
Xander is a con-artist trying to pull off the greatest con of his life, being in love. When Cynthia and Julia Bardot’s mother becomes ill, opportunity is hot. Xander can exploit this situation to his advantage. He will take either sister to cash in on whatever inheritance they are granted after their mother’s death.
How can the villain accomplish that in a devious way?
Prey on Cyn and Jules’ broken relationship, courting them both at once to ensure maximum payout.
How can Xander cover it up?
Through charm and manipulation, lying and pitting the sisters against each other. Make it look like whatever happens was their idea or choice. Also may have the help of his mother (still deciding on this as “B” story).
Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
Xander has history with the Bardot family and keeps his ear near to find out what’s going on with them.
Finds out Cyn and Jules’ mother is ill and cozies up to Jules (who still lives locally) to encourage a big fat inheritance that he can take advantage of.
Mother dies and Cyn is the executor of will. She has to come home to sort things out. Xander takes this opportunity to re-establish his relationship with her, just in case she turns out to be the cash cow.
Cyn and Xander dated in high school, though she knew him as “Alex” back then. She’s still in love with him. They share a love for drugs and alcohol which makes their reunion particularly simple.
Various life and death, love triangle fun and games.
Push Cyn just enough to get her to give up her inheritance to Jules, because she “wants nothing to do with this family.” Jules is easier to manipulate.
Get Cyn fucked up and leave her passed out, for dead.
“B” story involves Xander’s mother Carly who is a psychologist, married to Gene Bardot – Cyn and Jules’ father. Carly has groomed Xander from birth, has already tried her hand at an inheritance (with Gene, but turns out he has no money) and will further manipulate Cyn as she tries to repair her familial relationships. The secret weapon is that nobody knows that Xander is Carly’s son.
What I learned is there are millions of ways to tell the same story. This idea has gone through several transformations since the seed first implanted itself into my consciousness. It used to stress me out, figuring out what works best and letting go of what I thought it should be, now I go with the flow. The whole process has become quite exciting!
One question I have (for other ideas brewing) is what if your villain is part of the hero’s psyche? Or something else that isn’t quite tangible, like cancer. Must the villain be represented in some physical form?
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Perhaps, the villain could be represented by the hero looking at old photos, letters, imagining old events, others reminding the hero of what happened. Going with the flow is a great state to be in. I am still using a rubber hose until the script tells me what I want to know.
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Leo’s Villain Has a Great Plan
What I learned is that I was writing a thriller and didn’t realize it. This paragraph from the assignment is exactly what I was writing:
“The villain starts the movie many steps ahead of the Hero. Their plan is in effect from the very beginning without the Hero or audience knowing. They have spent much effort crafting this plan.”
1. What is the end goal?
Hank wants to take revenge on Luke, the Hero’s father. Hank and Luke were both Special Ops soldiers. Luke beat and crippled Hank decades ago when, open returning from deployment, Luke caught Hank messing with his wife.
2. How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
Hank has been stalking Luke’s son, movie star Matt (our hero) for years, trying to locate Luke. Now that Matt has set out on a quest to locate his father, Hank volunteers to help him.
3. How can they cover it up?
Hank is a military consultant on the film Matt is currently acting in. He made friends with Matt’s stand-in, Bill. Bill introduces Matt to Hank. Hank feigns reluctance to get involved, but creates incidents that make Matt want to have him on his search team.
4. Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
— Pretend to not know anything about Matt’s background.
— Lie about his background and his injuries.
— Create an incident that “makes him change his mind” and agree to help Matt.
— Convince Matt not to involve the police in trying to find his dad.
— Recruit people to infiltrate Luke’s survivalist group.
— Kill the recruit and make it look like Luke did it.
— Try to get rid of Bill, so Matt is totally dependent on him.
— Train Matt to overcome the obstacles Luke has set up to protect his hermit camp.
— Arrange the final meeting so he can first kill Matt in front of Luke, then kill Luke.
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David’s Villain Has a Great Plan!
“What I learned is…?” My Thriller may not be. I compare it to BI and SOTL and it doesn’t seem as thrilling, intriguing or mysterious. Maybe a sub-genre? Dramatic thriller?
To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:
What is the end goal?
To find the treasure. To serve the Inquisition Religion. To reestablish the Order of the Inquisition.
How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
Find the map. Force information from people who know the map. Follow the people who have the map. Isolate the Hero.
How can they cover it up?
Remain hidden. Kill witnesses. Plant misleading information. Use disguises.
Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
ORIGIN OF TREASURE – HISTORY.
INQUISITOR’S GOLD ROOM – TAMPICO – 1790
Inquisitors beating Indians making gold bullion, polishing jewels, loading gold.
View of galleon The Santa Elena through window.
Conquistadores hate and fear Inquisition.
DECK SANTA ELENA – STORM
An Inquisitor washed overboard rather than release gold.
Inquisitor steps over trapped conquistador rather than free him.
CULT TEMPLE – PRESENT DAY
New Grand Inquisitor sworn in. Barbaric rituals. Must get treasure and restore the Inquisition to its ancient glory. Kill all of Cajun treasure map owning family.
PAUL’S SCHOOL – NIGHT
Paul leaving school. Suddenly, power off. Walks downstairs. Spooky noises, flitting shapes. Skeleton on door of Biology Lab. Reaches bottom – relieved. Door slams open. Beaten by Cult member. Threatened with knife.
SCHOOL LIBRARY
Paul’s research on treasure spied on.
SCHOOL CAFETERIA
A student-Cult member starts fight with Paul over Sandy, his girlfriend. Claims she belongs to a family associated with the Cult. Paul suspended from school.
CULT TEMPLE
The Cult may be trying to plant one of theirs into Paul’s treasure-hunting group.
DOCK
Sandy is threatened with assault.
DOCK
Paul’s Uncle Jack the chief of the treasure-hunting family is kidnapped.
CULT’S BAYOU HOUSE
Dark, spooky house on bayou. Jack is tortured. Rescued by Paul and friends. Then they are all captured.
SCHOOL
Paul is framed for a crime and expelled.
DOCK
A tracker device is put on Paul’s boat. Their ammo is removed.
PAUL’S HOUSE
Paul’s mother is kidnapped.
FAR INTO THE GULF
Piracy and boat-to-boat and hand-to-hand fighting.
Treasure recovered.
Betrayal.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by David Mailman.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by
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Glede’s villain has a great plan
What I learned is:
A new, exciting way to plot my thriller. I usually know the beginning and the end of the story but I tend to be a linear writer. Reverse engineering is a game changer for me.
VILLAIN’S PLAN
Mia Lansing – Get revenge on Shelby for “stealing” Jason and the life that should have been hers.
1. End goal: Destroy Shelby and marry Jason.
2. How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way- By straddling dual identities. With the use of prosthetics, the villain disguise herself as a blonde, white woman named Mia Lansing, when in fact she is Shelby’s best friend Vivian March who is black. Gather information on the investigation in her role as a trusted member of the Cooper family (Shelby’s best friend, Vivian). Drop “helpful” clues that gives the family hope. Secretly leak manufactured evidence to the police pointing to Shelby’s guilt.
3. How can they cover it up? – Through use of her dual identities. Enlisting the help of Shelby’s former colleague, Mehmet Koczak, to front the revenge scheme. Seeing a prominent psychiatrist to treat her mental disorder (as Mia Lansing) so if she’s ever caught, she can mount an insanity defense. Rent a secret apartment as her command central where she can plot and scheme and keep tabs on the investigation.
MIA/VIVIAN’S PLAN- sequenced in 8 steps
1. Kill Shelby’s ex-lover, Alessandro Rossi, and place the body in Shelby’s car to frame her.
2. Appear to be as shocked and devastated as the rest of the family when Shelby is arrested. Make herself available for moral support, and visit Shelby in jail.
3. Feign surprise when Jason confides in her that Shelby confessed the affair with Alessandro Rossi.
4. Implore Jason to fight for his marriage; convince him not to give up on Shelby in spite of her affair.
5. When a break in the case points to her henchman, Mehmet Koczak, as the killer, claims Koczak threatened to kill Jason and the kids if she didn’t cooperate with his revenge scheme against Shelby.
6. Kill anyone who gets in her way including her psychiatrist and Koczak.
7. Leak altered audio and video to the police that cements Shelby’s guilt and propels the case to a criminal trial where the chances of an acquittal are slim to none.
8. Begins planning her wedding to Jason because she believes Shelby is finished and Jason is hers, at last.
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Noree’s Villain Has a Great Plan!
What I learned from doing this assignment is how important it is for backstory to be withheld until it has emotional impact on my hero’s journey. Since my script is already written and I’m working on rewrites with a producer, all these assignments are helping me to navigate some of the notes I’ve received – what I’ve revealed too quickly, what I need to reveal quicker, what they mean when referring to being more covert with some of my reveals and clues.
What is the end goal?
•To “steal”
the immunity gene sequences of an oppressed population and take credit
for saving mankind with it.How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
•Use the
immune populations from genetic testing against their will.How can they cover it up?
•Separate
the immune population from the rest of the population.•Keep
the neighborhood of The Immune from escaping.•Have
Raven’s parents killed and make her believe she did it to insure her future
silence.•Keep
the reputation of Hermetix Corp in stellar standing with the government
and community.
•Use
employees with everything to lose to carry out testing and torture.•Get the
buy-in of the new interim surgeon general for Hermetix’ new treatment
protocol.
•Generate
fear mongering about the rising threat of the toxins in the water supply.•Manipulate
scarcity into the supply chain of food and drug treatments via a connect
within the FDA.•Attempt
to have Raven killed.Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
a. Separate
the immune population from the rest of the population.b. Keep the neighborhood of The Immune from escaping
c. Keep the reputation of Hermetix Corp in stellar standing with the government and community
d. Use employees with everything to lose to carry out testing and torture.
e. Have Raven’s parents killed and make her believe she did it to insure her future silence.
f. Generate fear mongering about the rising threat of the toxins in the water supply
g. Manipulate scarcity into the supply chain of food and drug treatments via a connect within the FDA
h. Get the buy-in of the new interim surgeon general for Hermetix’ new treatment protocol.
i. Attempt to have Raven killed.
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Congratulations on the production.
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Thank you, David!
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Hi Cheryl. Can I post a copy of a funny article on Hannibal Lector from the New Yorker with attribution?
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Sophia banks –
What I learned is this is the place to start that will help create a sequence to follow and will start you on your way to writing a screen play- I also learnt this is the most challenging but yet important part of the thriller writing process.
To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:
What is the end goal?
To stop his underground trafficking ring getting found out and to be able to experience all the dark twisted things he wants to without being caught.
How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
He can try and kill Ryan.
He can set Ryan up by killing his room mate.
He can get the police to investigate him.
He can hire professional assassins to kill him.
He can actually throw any resources at killing him as he is a billionare.
He can get his mob bosses to kill him.
He can use his social media platform to witch hunt him.
He can use fake news to trap him.
Use his flaw of not being able to log on against him.
How can they cover it up?
By using others to commit the crimes.
By pretending to assist him.
By having a paid police officer send him on the wrong path.
Offering to pay him off for his sisters death.
Kill his flatmate who got close to finding out on line.
Have another front for dark web- mob poss.
Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.
Ryan discovers his sister death.
Offer to pay him off for his sister death from weird creepy guy.
Send a paid police officer to his house once he reports it , the police officer send him to wrong mob boss.
He can send him to wrong person first mob boss, who threatens him.
His flat mate who discovers it then gets killed, Ryan thinks its mob boss, but actual Villian but its set up to make Ryan look like he is killer.
So he goes on run.
Then hire assassins to go after him and start trying to kill him.
Then use social web against him and fake news framing him as number one killer and have everyone hunting him down send him into deep hiding.
Then blame it on mob boss.
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Villain has a great plan
Day 5 – Gordon’s Villain’s Plan
What I learned is ….
1. The importance of the antagonist to the story. Her/his existence drives it.
2. The concept, paraphrased, “the villain’s story starts long before the story” caused me to recognize the truth of the matter.
3. That it’s okay to begin at the end, then “reverse engineer” the villain’s course.
What is the (Villain’s) end goal?
Jeb must find whoever spied into his most private computer files, containing the darkest secrets of his past. Then he must quickly eliminate them and all who may have seen them. He must assume that whoever bumped into the material has it, knows what it is, knows what it means (or will), and would likely furnish it to authorities. Consequently, Jeb must do whatever is necessary, and quickly, to ensure the materials remain forever private. At stake should he fail? A tumble from what wealth brings and a most certain lengthy prison term.
How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?
Silence the individual. Quickly.
How can he cover it up?
With a contract killer. The world’s best. He would not be suspected of Gwen’s demise if a true “pro” took care of the problem.
Sequence it for intrigue
Jeb’s plan is to identify, then locate, then kill whoever hacked into his digital world and who saw his most private, revealing and sensitive info that, at best, is criminal, and at worst, is gruesomely sick. The sequence (for now):
1. Jeb discovers that someone entered his private world, electronically. He runs through the emotions when discovering the breach.
2. Jeb hires Mara, one of the world’s most formidable contract killers, to identify, locate and then kill whoever it is who peeked into his private, criminal world.
3. Work in progress (WIP)
4. Work in progress (WIP)
5. Jeb on his own identifies the person as Gwen. (Sorry, can’t reveal more). But he learns that Mara likewise discovered her identity and is close to catching the person. He doubles her usual fee to get it done ASAP.
6. When Jeb discovers Mara had the opportunity to eliminate Gwen but didn’t do so, he’s baffled. In response he hires a “back up” killer to take out not just Gwen but the pro killer Mara as well.
Best, G
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Linda’s Villain Has a Great Plan!
What I learned doing this assignment is it’s easier to think through the villain’s plan this way. Subtext becomes easy when you use a covert plan.
End Goal:
· To takeover the family and build back to prominence with the hero as his consigliere.
Devious Way:
· Set up mob boss to get killed for threatening the hero who commits a crime to protect his family.
Cover it Up – Sequenced:
· Get all the backing he needs from Italy.
· Use digital communication to threaten the hero with revealing identity.
· Leave breadcrumbs to lead the hero to suspect villain’s rival.
· Be the confidant to the hero so he can sway him in the direction he wants him to go.
· Convince hero he needs to skirt the law to save his children.
· Tip the police off that rival is armed and dangerous and going to shoot to kill.
· Set up next in line to suspect hero is to blame.
· Convinces hero the only way to keep his family safe is to take out new rival and take over the family.
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(Sorry for late submission)
Ramsey Anderson – ASSIGNMENT MY VILLAIN HAS A PLAN
WHAT I LEARNED:
I learned, as long as the villain is moving forward with their plan then we grow concern for the hero, regardless of what the hero is doing.
In my story the hero is driving a semi for a large part of the story. A way to escalate the tension is to show the villain instigating his plan around our hero. Plus adding a 3rd element (FBI) who want to arrest our Hero and also have a plan.
WHAT IS THE VILLAIN’S END GOAL?
The villain’s end goal is to be rich and not be caught by the FBI/ authorities.
The villain is producing live-streamed fight-to-the-death matches in the back of a semi truck
and has enough resources to not be concerned about being busted by local highway patrol.
On the cyber-crime side, the FBI can only get access to the website because of an informant at this early stage in the investigation.
HOW CAN THE VILLAIN ACCOMPLISH THAT IN A DEVIOUS WAY?
The villain is devious because he’s making loads of money by kidnapping men that he hates and having them thrown into the trailer to fight. The villain will kill anyone that gets in his way, including the drivers or his wife.
HOW CAN THE VILLAIN COVER IT UP?
The villain can cover up the crime by not having the fight-to-the death happen at his warehouse.
Plus the villain makes sure that investigators can’t access the files and videos by storing that encrypted information overseas.
SEQUENCE IT TO MAKE IT AS INTRIGUING AS POSSIBLE
1.
Seth produces a fight-to-the-death match in a moving semi trailer. The next day, the driver comes up missing.
2.
Seth hires Drew (Hero) to drive the trailer.
Seth’s wife, Jules, jumps in Drew’s cab rather than the follow vehicle.
Seth’s fine with it because he doesn’t care about her and is only concerned about the trailer.
The follow vehicle has a back up driver in case Seth wants to kill Drew for misbehavior or to help if there’s a problem.
3.
Drew learns about the fights but defends Seth because of greed, until he learns the men are kidnapped.
4.
Seth has Drew thrown in the trailer once he learns Drew helped the FBI.
Seth wants to make a lot of money on the fight and doesn’t think the FBI can access the illegal website.
5.
Seth plans to kill Jules and run off with the money and client info after Drew’s fight.
Seth wants to build up the fighting-to-the-death empire and only needs the client info and money to grow the potentially global operation.
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