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Day 3 Assignment
Reply to post your assignment.
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33 Replies
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“Merry X-mass”
World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is that I’ve got a lot of work to do.
CONCEPT:
Big Mystery: Would villains actually detonate an A-bomb to achieve their goal?
Big Intrigue: Who is actually pulling the strings of the insurrectionists’ threat to explode an A-bomb?
Big Suspense: The Bad Players will stop at nothing to keep their plot hidden.
the Intriguing World of conspiracy-driven, misplaced patriotism of local Militias.
TOP 3 CHARACTERS:
HERO: JAMES GLENN
A. Mystery: Is he going to repeat his history of screwing up big time?
B. Intrigue: Doesn’t realize the risk to his life of infiltrating dangerous organizations.
C. Suspense: Will he get hurt or killed for getting too close.
VILLAIN: “THAT LADY”
A. Mystery: Exactly who is she and who does she represent?
B. Suspense: What is her goal? What does she hope to achieve?
C. Intrigue: What happens if the militias realize they are pawns in her game?
RED HERRING: MILITIA LEADER
A. Mystery: Why is he so bent on blackmailing the government?
B. Suspense: Is he committed enough to detonate an A-bomb?
C. Intrigue: Does he realize he is a pawn in a larger scheme?
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RAMSEY ANDERSON’S WORLD & CHARACTERS!
(Feedback is appreciated)
LOGLINE:
When a long-haul truck driver learns he’s driving a series of Fight-To-The-Death, live-streamed matches, in his trailer, he must decide if he will ignore the brutality or risk his life to stop it.
BIG MYSTERY:
Will Drew stop Seth’s crime ring?
BIG INTRIGUE:
Will the FBI stop Seth/ Jail Drew for driving the trailer?
BIG SUSPENSE:
If Drew ends up in the trailer or fighting Seth, will he survive?
2. INTRIGUING WORLD
A traveling BLOOD SPORT in a semi-trailer, live-streams deadly fights with THUNDERDOME weapons for the entertainment of elite gamblers.
3.
HERO: Drew, truck driver
M: Can Drew keep his head down and ignore the brutality for a big pay day?
I: He wants redemption but, in his mind, needs money to clean it up.
S: Will Drew stop his boss or die trying?
VILLAIN: Seth, trucking company owner
M: How does he avoid being captured by the FBI?
I: He has elite streaming the deadly fights, which bring in loads of money.
S: Are there repercussions for his violence?
WIFE OF VILLAIN/ LOVE INTEREST OF HERO: Jules
M: Why is she so involved in Drew’s run?
I: She is a mole for the FBI? Does she help or hurt Drew?
S: Can the FBI or Drew save her from Seth?
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Ramsey Anderson.
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What is the advantage of having the fight in a truck rather than a studio? Both would be equally undetectable.
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Thnx for asking David. The advantage of being remote is it gives the bad guys a better way of hiding the enterprise. Does that answer it? Can explain more or happy to chat it out 😉
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That was my guess, but I wondered about mandatory weight checkpoints, breakdowns, all the equipment needed for transmitting etc.
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Hear ya! One of my best friends is a long-haul trucker and I do live-streaming/ IT for a living.. Happy to share the script when it’s done. Thnx David for the curiosity.. #TakesA_Village LOL
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by
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Rachelle’s World and Characters…
CONCEPT AND BIG M.I.S. = A woman who wanted nothing more than to forget her past and start over is called home when her mother dies –
Forcing her to face (photographic) memories and the pain/danger she’s running from.
A man she was once (and is still) in love with is continuously fucking with her family. Every minute she recalls the past or figures out Xander’s plan everyone she loves is in danger.
THE INTRIGUING WORLD = Winter in Vermont. Isolation. No escape from real life. People fighting to find comfort while another tries their best to create dissention. Juxtaposition between environment and human nature.
TOP 2 OR 3 CHARACTERS:
Cyn: The MYSTERY of Cyn is that she found a way out and she went back. She returned to invest in her family, even though she had felt it necessary to put so much distance between them.
She has a photographic memory, but can remember nothing from that time.
She doesn’t say all that she’s feeling.
The SUSPENSE of Cyn is that we know she is capable of more than she presents.
The INTRIGUE of the character is that she returns to the lion’s den and we are not sure how she will fare.
Xander: The MYSTERY of Xander is that he is charming as fuck, nobody knows who he really is; he fools them all. He has a dark past shared with Cyn (which she refuses to confront). He pretends more than he feels.
The SUSPENSE of this character is that we as the audience know he has killed for his own benefit and will kill again. He gets away with murder.
The INTRIGUE of this character is that we as the audience continuously hope to find him in a moment of conscious, to see him as a human being like us, but he does not feel.
What I learned doing this assignment is – it is personal.
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Edward Gadrix
My Hero’s world is an odd group of veterans who have a band to entertain troops off base. This group consists of former American Legionnaires who now have no connection to that organization. Why?
Hero: The mystery of my Hero is he has split with his former wife, but would like to get back with her. He has flaws that if revealed make it difficult for that reunion to take place.
The suspense of my Hero is that he is a snoop and gets in the way of his own best interest.
The intrigue of my Hero is he’s forceful and feels he can put his life back together.
The mystery of my Villain is that he is a high-ranking member of the U.S. Intelligence community who is involved with lowly band members. Why?
The Suspense of my Villain is that he seems to be involved with my Hero’s involvement with the group
The Intrigue of my Villain is he has a past he continues to try and hide.
I have learned that I am far from being clear on my thriller/story and the depth of my characters. But that lack of knowledge forms the foundation for me to continue to develop the story of both.
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Not an assignment – did any who saw Basic Instinct think Beth was the murderer and not Catherine?
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The interesting thing about the movie.. is that it could have been Beth and Catherine, when we see her at the end, could have just wanted to try it but she hesitated because she’s not actually a murderer. However, that seems to go against all the obvious threats Catherine exhibits through the movie.. Haha
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Still, with the right script changes, that could have been an alternative explanation.
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Why did Beth continue to walk toward “shooter” with her hand in a pocket? Death by cop suicide?
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David’s World and Characters!
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” It is difficult to separate and isolate mystery, intrigue and suspense from each other, and to anticipate how they will finally occur and play out in from unfinished script.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT:
A bullied 18-year-old must face his personal fears to solve the mystery of a treasure map or his family will be murdered by a Cult of psychopaths descended from the Spanish Inquisition.
Big Mystery: What can Paul do to locate the treasure and then retrieve it while protecting friends and family? Are there connections between the past and present?
Big Intrigue: A Cult of religious fanatics wants the treasure and will stop at nothing to get it. Paul’s family and the Cult have been enemies for 200-years.
Big Suspense: Can Paul get over his fear of action and find the treasure while protecting his friends?
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
The secretive world of an old, isolated town on the Louisiana coast. Everything seems normal, on the surface.
The action is based in a large town on the Louisiana coast. The Gulf and bayous are close by. The two-main ethnic groups are the Cajuns and Islanders. The Cajuns are of French origin and the Islanders are from the Canary Islands of Spain. The groups have been part of the town for two-hundred years. There is hostility between them because of ethnic and religious rivalry.
There is also a more ominous rivalry. Some of the Islanders descended from Spanish Inquisitors sent to find a treasure ship, the Santa Elena, that sank in a storm two-hundred years ago. Some of the Cajuns descended from French soldiers who found the Inquisitor navigator, who had survived the sinking, and killed him to get the map to where the ship went down. Some members of each family are known to the other, but others not. They have been fighting each other, overtly and covertly, for the two-hundred years they have been there.
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
PAUL. The protagonist. A timid 18-year-old. Smart and reads.
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Can he use his mind to solve the mystery of the treasure map? Will Paul rise to the occasion?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will he overcome the Cult and find the treasure?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Can he figure out who is a friend and foil plots?
GRAND INQUISITOR. Head of the Cult. A psychopathic religious fanatic.
A. What is the mystery of this character?
How can he force the secret of the treasure? Can he be found out?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
How evil can he be? How may he attack?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
How can he use the Cult? How does he connect with the past?
UNCLE JACK. Head of Paul’s family and keeper of the map. Lives in the past.
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Can he change his mind about his and Paul’s life?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will he survive the Cult? Will he break away from the past?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
How much of the map’s secrets does he know?
LENNY. An engineer who has the technical expertise to pinpoint the treasure. A rough character.
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Why did he join the treasure hunt? How can we trust him?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Can he provide the expertise to complete the treasure hunt?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
What can he teach Paul about life?
SANDY. Paul likes her, but she has some suspicious background. Smart, assertive and pretty.
A. What is the mystery of this character?
What about her background makes a connection with Paul difficult?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will she get together with Paul? Will she become a target for the Cult?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Is she a member of the Cult?
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Michael O’Keefe
World and Characters
*Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
The supporting characters must have their own MIS and it should tie
into the protagonist’s MIS in some manner. I was lacking this in my
script.I. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
[1] Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? Who killed Dino’s Spanish teacher, Cindy and why.
[2] Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? Jim, Dino’s stepfather, has a reason for planting clues, for manipulation the police. He is forcing Dino’s father, Luke, a brilliant counterfeiter who is in prison, to give him the engraving plates so he can make millions of dollars. If Luke doesn’t, his son, Dino, will go to prison for a murder he did not commit.
[3] Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? The threat of arrest and incarceration as the accumulation of circumstantial evidence framing Dino keeps “materializing.”
II. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
Life of a high school Senior: Is there some part of this experience that is even more MIS? The dangerous world lived by Dino, an abused eighteen-year-old doing anything he can to run from the pain of his past, his current situation, and possible future incarceration.
III. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play, then answer these three questions:
Leah – Homicide Detective
A. What is the mystery of this character? Why does she suspect Dino? Despite the clues given her, she realizes Dino did not kill the teacher.
B. What is the intrigue of this character? Leah’s past, the unsolved murder of her father, drives her to pursue evil no matter what the personal cost.
C. What is the suspense of this character? She continues to go after the truth, despite the police chief who just wants to close the case.
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Jim – Dino’s Step dad – Villian
A. What is the mystery of this character? Why does he hate Dino?
B. What is the intrigue of this character? He is a US Marshall; he easily tricks and sets up Dino. He is always ten steps ahead of the boy and his friends.
C. What is the suspense of this character? He tells the audience in the first ten minutes that he has a surprise for Dino then points his hand, fashioned into a gun, at the boy as he drives off to school.
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“Fool Me Twice”
World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment:
It’s not enough to know the big picture M.I.S. of the story. The same care must be taken with the main characters.
The world in which the story takes place is just as important as the story itself and it shouldn’t be an afterthought.
CONCEPT:
Big Mystery: Who is framing Shelby for murder and why?
Big Intrigue: Shelby has been keeping secrets from her family. Does it have anything to do with why she’s being framed?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Big Suspense: Will the real killer be exposed before it’s too late?
WORLD: The affluent suburban world of a successful scientist and her seemingly perfect family, that’s riddled with deception, secrecy, and betrayals.
TOP 3 CHARACTERS
HERO: Shelby Cooper
What is the mystery of this character? – Is her past connected to the reason she’s being framed for murder? <div>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the suspense of this character? – Can she expose the real killer before she’s wrongly convicted?
What is the intrigue of this character? She’s a loving wife and mother, and a brilliant scientist but there’s deception in her; lies she’s told, secrets she’s been keeping.
VILLAIN: Mia Lansing
What is the mystery of this character? – Why does she hate Shelby Cooper so much, enough to frame her for murder? </div><div>
What is the suspense of this character? – She’s always one step ahead of investigators. Will she succeed in destroying Shelby and her family?
What is the intrigue of this character? Mia Lansing isn’t her real name. She assumes an alternate identity in order to carry out her murderous vendetta and evade authorities.
COOL SUPPORTING CHARACTER: Jason Cooper (Shelby’s husband)
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the mystery of this character? – Can he keep the family from falling apart and will he succeed in finding evidence that exonerates his wife?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the suspense of this character? – Jason is CFO of a multi-billion dollar tech company and on track to become its next CEO. He’s currently in charge of taking the company public. Can he help prove Shelby’s innocence before her murder charge ruins the IPO of a lifetime?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the intrigue of this character? Jason has enemies within his company who want to take him down. Can he stop his own secrets from being exposed before he’s forced to leave the company in disgrace?
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Leo’s World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that the character’s Mystery is a question, Intrigue involves backstory, and Suspense drives the action. < – – – Is that correct? Bueller, Bueller, anybody?
CONCEPT
Movie star Matt needs a kidney transplant to survive. His only potential donor is his father who has become a recluse, in a cabin on a mountain protected by traps, explosive devices, and his father’s hatred of all things living. Can Matt break through and save them both?
The Big M.I.S.
Big Mystery: What is Hank’s motivation to help Matt and why do things keep going wrong?
Big Intrigue: What is Hank’s secret and why does he know things about Matt that he shouldn’t?
Big Suspense: Will Matt succumb to his disease, be unintentionally killed by his recluse father, or be murdered as an act of revenge by Hank.
WORLD: The behind-the-scenes world of movie making and a hidden anarchist/mercenary camp in the California mountains.
HERO: Matt Strong
Mystery: Movie hero is far from heroic in his personal life. What happened to make him this way?
Intrigue: He tries to reconnect with his father, but for extremely selfish reasons.
Suspense: Will he make it though to his father, while avoiding being killed or accidentally killing his father?
RED HERRING: Luke
Mystery: Why has Matt’s father, a recluse, hiding in the mountains, rejected the world?
Intrigue: Luke has honed his guerilla and boobytrap skills for an unknown reason.
Suspense: Will he kill the man coming up the mountain whom he doesn’t realize is his son?
VILLAIN: Hank
Mystery: What is his reason for helping Matt try to find Luke?
Intrigue: He knows things about Matt and Luke that a stranger should not know.
Suspense: Will he get his revenge on Luke, maybe killing Matt along the way?
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ASSIGNMENT SOPHIA BANKS
I learnt more about my villains and found this structure helps me come up with good ideas.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is trying to Kill Ryan, what are they trying to protect, who owns the dark side of Kin feed and what is there motive.
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
That the owner form Kinfeed is actually responsible and running this whole scheme. He does this as he is afraid of doing anything and thus prays on the victims who need money for his own amusement. A group of elite billionaires are his customers and thus the reason he does it.
Th red herring the Mob boss, who is just doing trades but not really involved in the whole scheme.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
The closer he gets to discovering his sister death, he comes across the dark scheme and thus starts to get hunter but he doesnt know who is trying to kill him. His room mate is killed and he has to go on the run.
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
The year is 2045 set in London….KIN FEED has revolutionized the world.
It’s a new platform like Instagram, which requires the participant to have a chip implanted in their head. This opens the door to super sensory perceptions. Once implanted, you are plugged in …and from this, once you touch on anyone’s post, you can feel everything the “capturer” felt in that moment.
You can FEEL them if they are drunk at a party.. TOUCHING that hot girl’s leg…dancing and feeling admired….you can FEEL what it’s like to perform on stage… to NAIL that song and have millions of adoring fans… to JUMP out of a plane over Berlin, to swim in a cage with great whites… … ALL the GOOD and ALL the BAD… In order to upload your experiences, YOU PERSONALLY have to film them via a chip in your head which means you personally have had to of done them.
It has now become one of the most popular platforms in the world, almost 4 billion online. The streets of London are empty most of the time….who needs to go anywhere when everything you need is on line!!
People stay in all day to watch other people’s videos. Videos include all sorts of parties, travelling experiences, celebrations, jobs etc.. However, there is a dark side…. there are those, the dark and sinister, who want to know what it is like to take drugs, to rob a bank, steal a car, or even darker – rape, murder, commit suicide and all other things we don’t even want to imagine.
Of course this is all banned on the surface, but what wasn’t revealed, is that at the “sign-up” there was a BLACK FEED. BLACK FEED is the new crime-world. You pay people or force them to record these experiences and then these are sold on to a dark public who are willing to pay a high price. This is the NEW SLAVERY the NEW HUMAN TRAFFICKING and its super fucked up!!
People now commit these crimes for money and sell their memories to others to be uploaded. How dark do you want to go. Well how dark is a twisted person’s mind? Is it DOUBLE MURDER, TORTURE or SHOOTING up a School or a Shopping Mall…. YEP its fucking dark and that’s where these criminal go and where they want to spend their time. But whatever or wherever it is, its the NEW CRIMINAL WORLD … and its fucked up as you can get.
Two new tribes in society have emerged… those willing to sell their experience or do ANYTHING for the right amount of cash .. “the desperate” and those with the twisted minds who have all the cash in the world “the spineless ones”.. who are ever fearful of any harm that could possibly happen to themselves, but who feed their insatiable fix for warped adrenaline off the desperation of “the desperate”.
A WORLD OF THE ONES WHO BUY AND THE ONES WHO ARE SLAVES.3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
A. What is the mystery of this character?
RYAN, was in BUS accident when he was 8 with his parents and younger sister. Only he and his sister survived but a large metal rod went through part of his skull, it was removed leaving a small fragment of metal but it meant Ryan would never be able to log on to the network or get a chip without risking the metal in his brain to create an electronic surge and kill him instantly. Therefore he can’t not participate in KIN FEED..
RYAN now 24, when his 18 year old sister goes missing after volunteering for “Happening” a KIN FEED experience where people are paid to participate. He starts to investigate, unable to log on, he has to use analogue means and it isn’t long before he the one being chased by the people he is chasing… caught up in something way over his head, and able to LOG ON to find the answers. RYAN has to use the old ways to fight Gangsters in a new world.
VILLIAN Mark – owns kin feed – why does he let the dark feed go on.
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Hero – is he going to be killed.
Villian is he going to get away with it and why is he doing it.
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Hero- he can not go on the platform as he does not have a chip.
Villain- he is actually a wimpy guy who is afraid of doing anything and thus lives locked away and makes others act out and experiences there experience for his own and a group of elite killers.
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A clever and plausible story. Connected with the present.
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Noree’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is that if there isn’t a strong MIS for each main character, that character might just be a cool supporting character, or a red herring.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Big Mystery: What is
the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the
story? Who set Raven’s parents up to die?
Big Intrigue: What is
the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface
for most of the movie? A medical research corporation holds its employees
and a hidden neighborhood in a deadly grasp.
Big Suspense: What
is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout
the script? Will Raven die trying to help free the people of Neighborhood H
from Hermetix Corp?2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
A hidden neighborhood of people from the same descendant who are immune to everything.
With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
Raven:
A. What is the mystery of this character? Who has set her up
and why?B. What is the suspense of this character? The threat to her
life when she uncovers the truth about Neighborhood H.C. What is the intrigue of this character? She is hiding that
she accidentally killed her parents. (or so she thinks)Marcus:
A. What is the mystery of this character? Is he helping Raven
or trying to destroy her?B. What is the suspense of this character? Underneath his academic
brilliance and charm, he’s a traitor to Raven that had a hand in her
parents’ deaths.
C. What is the intrigue of this character? He has a direct hand
in the torture and murder of the residents of Neighborhood H.Dr. Morado:
A. What is the mystery of this character? Will he be able to keep
his research practices a secret while he rolls out a gene therapy cure for
people exposed to deadly water?B. What is the suspense of this character? Who is he willing
to dispose of?C. What is the intrigue of this character? A narcissist with
a god complex, willing to kill part of humanity for the “greater good” of
humanity.-
I wonder how necessary having the family descended from Henrietta Lacks is, or is it a conceit. HL was, probably, very susceptible; she died within the year. Also, her family is very well known now. A very good story and current.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by David Mailman.
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I am an actual descendant of Henrietta Lacks, David. I have the blessings of my family to tell this story. Thank you.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by
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Cool! I didn’t realize it was an allegory.
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The allegory has been optioned with a network exercising first-look on it. I’m here to elevate the rewrites.
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Linda’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is looking at the M.I.S. at the character level really helps to create layers for your hero, villain, red herrings and supporting characters.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Genovese-Napolitano, A Crime Thriller
Concept: The most feared prosecutor in Philadelphia is terrorized by a mafia don who will stop at nothing to bring his family back to prominence, but who is really behind this plan and will he be able to stop them?
<div>
Big Mystery: Who has the guts to
terrorize the city’s top prosecutor and what do they want with him?
</div><div>Big Intrigue: The mob wants him as their
consigliere so they can build back the Philadelphia and US mafia to what
it once was. With his knowledge of the prosecutors office, brilliance as
an attorney and status in the community, they have some legitimacy they
can work under if he leaves the prosecutor’s office to represent the
family.Big Suspense: Are they going to kill him
or his family?</div><div>
</div>
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
· Present day mafia
· Philadelphia where street crime is rampant and rising
· Italian-American alliance with the Camorra in Italy and a plot to bring the mafia back to prominence in the US, starting in Philadelphia
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
Hero – Leo Barone
A. What is
the mystery of this character?Who is threatening him and why?
B. What is
the suspense of this character?Leo is being stalked and his and his family’s life threatened if he doesn’t quit his job. He fights it, bringing on more danger and a hit put out on his life.
C. What is
the intrigue of this character?Leo left Italy and his Camorra family for an honest and legal career and does everything he can to keep the mafia ties hidden. But he isn’t perfect and has skeletons in his closet.
Villain (appears as the Red Herring) – Vittorio Genovese
A. What is
the mystery of this character?What is this big move he’s making in his life and career that he won’t reveal to Leo?
B. What is
the suspense of this character?Does he cross a line and get killed? We suspect he’s up to something illegal and is going to get caught or get them both in trouble.
C. What is
the intrigue of this character?He is a friend to Leo, who appears to know nothing about the threats, but offers up advice that supports what the person making the threats wants.
As the story progresses, he is the character we just aren’t sure about, something is unsettling about him. He speaks in “riddles,” half thoughts.
Perceived Villain – Antonio Di Salvo
A. What is
the mystery of this character?Why does he think this plan will work? Where is the power / confidence coming from when the Philadelphia mafia is on its knees.
B. What is
the suspense of this character?Will Vittorio beat him at his game and kill him?
C. What is
the intrigue of this character?He lurks in the shadows, cyberstalking Vittorio for a time, before revealing his identity. What are all the secret meetings about?
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Jane’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is that the characters are essential to understanding the plot but that it will be critical for me to really understand them. I have a lot of mental work to do to actually devise each of their MIS situations as right now, they are all very flat characters in my mind. I’m looking forward to building them into real people!
1. Two unwitting protagonists, Carol and Theo, come to an exotic location to rekindle their fading marriage. They meet Bruce and Helen, two archeologists taking a break from the grind of their work. Their meeting launches a dangerous cat and mouse game as priceless artifacts are stolen, as are identities. Who is the villain? Who is using who? How will one couple survive their friendship with the other in this high stakes heist where anyone can be winner or the loser?
Big Mystery: Who are Bruce and Helen? What did they do? Where have they gone?
Big Intrigue: The psychological manipulation of one couple that allows the other couple to get away with murder and art theft.
Big Suspense: Will Carol and Theo kill Bruce and Helen before they can kill them?
2. The intriguing world is the high stakes world of the art and artifact black market.
3. Characters and Descriptions.
Carol – Unsure of whether she wants to be married or not, she’s willing to be on holiday with Max to get away from her high pressure job.
A. What is the mystery of this character? Why is Carol so unwilling to get back together with Theo?
B. What is the suspense of this character? Will Carol be killed?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? Carol is not who she seems to be – why is she really on the island?
Theo – Pursuing “normal,” Theo wants Carol back in order to continue presenting the perfect couple to those he wants to impress, mainly his boss and the board members who hold his future in their hands.
A. What is the mystery of this character? What is so important to him that he will live a false life?
B. What is the suspense of this character? Is Theo a victim or a killer?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? His ability to hide many natures.
Helen – dedicated anthropologist who has a very different idea of success.
A. What is the mystery of this character? Why is Helen really at this dig?
B. What is the suspense of this character? Is Helen a killer?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? She is intensely dedicated, but to what?
Bruce – Psychologist turned archeologist, Helen’s doting husband and chief fundraiser for an important dig on the island. His idea of success may be even more warped than Helen’s.
A. What is the mystery of this character? Who is this guy?
B. What is the suspense of this character? Is Bruce a killer?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? Can he manipulate Carol, Theo and Helen to steal for him?
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Thriller Class – Day 3 – Assignment Response
What I learned: some building blocks to evaluate and define the MIS of my story.
My story’s CONCEPT: 72 Hours – She extorts one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. He retaliates, hiring the world’s most formidable killer. But none know of the binding connection between them all that in 72 hours could eliminate any one or all of them.
Big Mystery: What is the true connection between Gwen, Mara and Jeb that pulls them dangerously toward one another?
Big Intrigue:
Mara’s true identity.
How did Gwen become so highly skilled to stealthily hack-without-a-trace?
How did Gwen discover Jeb’s crimes?
How does Gwen survive the ultimate FBI investigative interview?
Will Jeb keep his money? Will his crimes remain undiscovered? Will he find and kill Gwen?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Big Suspense:
Would Gwen survive Jeb’s assassins?
Does Jeb see jail? Or, death?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>The Intriguing World of my story
The underworld of computer hacking and the dark web
The underworld of professional assassins.
A peek into the resourcefulness of the business-savvy, ultra rich.
With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
GWEN –
Her mystery: What drives her to take-down Jeb?
Her suspense: Will she be found out by Jeb? If so, can she survive his assassins?
Her intrigue: Her resourcefulness in the dark world of computer hacking
JEB –
His mystery: Seemingly without family or “old money,” where does this guy come from?
His suspense: Can he stop Gwen in time from publishing his criminal dirty laundry?
His intrigue: How he turned out to be so wealthy and so evil?
MARA –
Her mystery: Who is she? Her combat skills. Her methods. Her incredible weaponry cache.
Her suspense: Gwen. Surviving Jeb’s wrath when she must turn on Jeb.
Her intrigue: A deadly assassin but with a soft heart for certain causes.
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Subject Line: Robert’s World and Characters!
4 – What I learned doing this assignment is: the importance of the thriller world and the significance of the big M.I.S.
1 – Reminder of Concept and Big M.I.S. of story:
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Ben is broke and his life is in great danger as a result of his invention attracting the wrong attention.
Dangerous Villain: Gavin, the head of the east coast oil cartel, activates his leaders to track down and destroy Ben’s invention and Ben himself.
High Stakes: Ben’s life, Lucy’s life, Ryan’s life, father’s life, his invention.
Life and death situations: Multiple attempts on Ben’s life; threat to his girlfriend, Lucy; the mistaken killing of Ryan, Ben’s brother; killing of Ben’s father; car chase; filling station explosion.
This story is thrilling because: We are constantly worried about Ben’s survival and the fate of the other people in his life.
Big Mystery: Who from the fuel supply industry is trying to kill Ben and why?
Big Intrigue: Why is a battered car so valuable to make a fuel cartel want to steal it and kill it’s driver?
Big Suspense: Will Ben be caught and killed?
2 – Intriguing World chosen for this story: The chair of the east coast fuel cartel who is resisting the switch from fossil fuels to clean energy, wanting to delay the inevitable changeover for as long as possible and is prepared to kill anyone who is a threat to his world.
3 – Top Characters:
Hero is Ben.
Mystery: Why does the cartel view him as a dangerous threat?
Suspense: Will his old battered car be an asset or a hindrance and will he get caught and killed?
Intrigue: Why was he written-out of his father’s will?
Villain is Gavin.
Mystery: Why is he obsessed with tracking down Ben?
Suspense: Will he succeed and hold onto his power base?
Intrigue: Why does he have such an influential hold on the local community and fuel supply chain.
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Meg [Tzu-yun Chiu] Stout’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is that I need to hide who is the actual bad guy until later in the feature.
Log Line: Two young fathers become involved in historical secrets that threaten to destroy their church and everything they have been taught to hold dear. Based on actual events.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? Who set the bombs and will they evade detection?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? What is the truth the Mormon Church is trying so hard to hide?
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Will Steve and Mark lose the faith which means so much to their families? Will Steve or Mark be among those we know at the outset have been targeted by the bomber?
Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story. Mormonism is a relatively new religion (founded in the 19th century). As the action begins, professional historians have only recently begun serious research regarding early Church history. The Church is attempting to limit the new faith-destroying narratives. Steve is covertly tasked to help the Church get ahead of the damning findings. Meanwhile, Mark is involved in locating previously unknown historical documents.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”>Hero: Steve Christiansen
A. Mystery: Could Steve be the bomber?
B. Suspense: Will Steve lose faith in Mormonism, which is so important to Steve’s father and the bedrock of his own marriage?
C. Intrigue: In order to defend the Church, Steve must become enmeshed in the very narrative that is tearing so many from their faith.
Red Herring: Apostle Packer
A. Mystery: Could Packer have ordered (or committed) the bombings?
B. Suspense: We see Packer suppressing research and making threats. How far will he go to protect the faith?
C. Intrigue: Packer claims to believe in the faithful narrative of the Church’s origins, but he won’t allow historians to publish their findings or even access the Church archives.
Villain: Mark Hofmann
A. Mystery: Could Mark be the bomber?
B. Suspense: We see Mark become ever more aggressive at ensuring publication of the documents he is uncovering. What is Mark willing to lose to thwart the Church’s attempts to suppress his finds?
C. Intrigue: Mark and his family seem so faithful to the Church, yet Mark’s finds have been damning.
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Heidi’s World & Characters
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” I pieced together the M.I.S. of my characters for my thriller.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is the woman with amnesia and why the international crime syndicate wants the information that she has.
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
Who are the international crime syndicate & why do they want the information that the woman has?
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Will the international crime syndicate kill him before he can piece together the woman’s past?
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story. The world of art, non-fungible tokens, and organized crime.
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
A. What is the mystery of this character?
The Hero: A doctor living on the Isle of Skye who has experienced a tremendous amount of trauma is his life. He is afraid to trust anyone and he’s very guarded about his past.
The Mysterious Woman: A wealthy woman who is from an extremely wealthy, powerful family who has gone again her family’s wishes her whole life.
The International Crime Syndicate: They are a $100 billion dollar organization that deals in stolen art, drugs, and cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens.
B. What is the suspense of this character?
The Hero: Will the hero be able to overcome his trust issues, put his traumatic past behind, and piece together the woman’s past?
The Mysterious Woman: Who is she? What is her connection to the international crime syndicate? How did she get the non-fungible token that the crime syndicate wants?
The International Crime Syndicate: What lengths will they go to get the non-fungible token the mysterious woman has?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
The Hero: He aggressively tries to put together the pieces of the woman’s past. Putting him in more danger.
The Mysterious Woman: She helps the doctor as he tries to put together the pieces of her past which put her in danger.
The International Crime Syndicate: They will do whatever it takes to get the non-fungible token that the woman has.
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ASSIGNMENT
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Logline: A traumatized teenage runaway becomes the surrogate mother for a billionaire’s couple, but when she finds out this highly respected couple is connected to a child trafficker, who runs a pedophile network, she must run for her life and that of her unborn child.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
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Why is the gynecologist so interested in the girl? And what is he doing at their mansion so often?
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Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
A pedophile network of rich and powerful men who ‘share’ extremely young girls, who threaten to kill them if they open their mouths.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
Will they kill her after she has given birth to the baby now that she knows too much?
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
The world of ultra-rich and powerful sexual deviants.
1. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
HERO
A. What is the mystery of this character? </div><div>
She doesn’t know she’s pregnant. What are the real intentions of the people who have taken her in and why is the gynecologist so interested in her? When she loses the baby she must keep it a secret, because she no longer is of any use to the villains.
B. What is the suspense of this character?
She’s determined to flee the island which puts her and the baby’s life in danger.
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? Once she finds out she is pregnant she won’t tell who the father is: her stepfather.
VILLAIN
A. What is the mystery of this character? He and his wife trade the baby with the gynecologist for new supplies of young girls.</div><div>
B. What is the suspense of this character? The girl who wants to blow the whistle on them.
· C. What is the intrigue of this character?
They lure the young girls with money and perspective for the future. They blind them with their wealth and powerful friends. They know the gynecologist has bad intentions with the baby, but go along because he sends them girls. Their real plan is to get rid of the gynecologist and keep the baby.
Red Herring
A. What is the mystery of this character? The stepfather seems to be the girl’s biggest threat but ultimately, he is the one who gets killed instead of the girl.</div><div>
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will he find out where she is and will he find out she’s pregnant with his child?
· C. What is the intrigue of this character?
He is the mayor and a very respectable man. He is taking extremely good care of his mentally ill wife and has been taking care of his stepdaughter like she was his own. But he is sexually molesting her, and nobody will ever suspect him of this crime.
4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
5. Post your assignment in the forums.
Subject line: (Your name’s) World and Characters! (place in first line)
Deadline: 48 hours
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1. Keep your cards to your chest and use the information for mystery and intrigue.
2. A good red herring is worth a lot.
3. Character intrigue for the villain is important also use it for the hero.
4 Suspense doesn’t necessarily have to come from the main story. For example, the elevator opens on the wrong floor several times.
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Assigment 2
Use transitions from one scene to other location/characters by mirroring.
Example Hannibal say: Maybe Buffalo Bill is looking for his new ‘ very special lady’. CUT TO: very special lady next victim. Introduction BB.
Writer uses suspense 2 x FBI exercise: presents it as reality but it is an exercise FBI.
Later in the last suspense sequence, the shoot out, he uses the cutting between two locations. We think it is the killers location. He milks it big time and it’s suspense until the end. Simple device, a lot of mileage.
He cleverly intertwines the coping of Clarice’s childhood trauma’s with the investigation.
Chilton intervenes with her investigation. He is both her nbemisis and Hannibal’s. Introduction of another villain besides BB and Hannibal.
Writer uses the investigation to reveal character.
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· ASSIGNMENT
· 1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Logline: A traumatized teenage runaway becomes the surrogate mother for a billionaire couple, but when she finds out this highly respected couple is connected to a child trafficker, who runs a pedophile network, she must run for her life and that of her unborn child.
· Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
· Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
– Why is the gynecologist so interested in the girl? And what is he doing at their mansion so often?·
– A pedophile network of rich and powerful men who ‘share’ extremely young girls, who threaten to kill them if they open their mouths.
· Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
· Will they kill her after she has given birth to the baby now that she knows too much?
· 2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
· The world of ultra-rich and powerful sexual deviants.
· 1. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
· HERO
· A. What is the mystery of this character?
· At first she doesn’t know she’s pregnant, because she thinks the gynecologist has performed an abortion on her. What are the real intentions of the people who have taken her in and why is the gynecologist so interested in her? When she loses the baby she must keep it a secret, because she no longer is of any use to the villains.
· B. What is the suspense of this character?
· She’s determined to flee the island which puts her and the baby’s life in danger.
· C.
· What is the intrigue of this character? Once she finds out she is pregnant she won’t tell who the father is: her stepfather.
· VILLAIN
· A. What is the mystery of this character? He and his wife trade the baby with the gynecologist for new supplies of young girls.
· B. What is the suspense of this character? The girl who wants to blow the whistle on them.
· · C. What is the intrigue of this character?
· They lure young girls with money and perspective for the future. They blind them with their wealth and powerful friends. They know the gynecologist has bad intentions with the baby, but go along because he sends them girls. Their real plan is to get rid of the gynecologist and keep the baby.
· Red Herring – an undercover female detective / the stepfather
· A. What is the mystery of this character? The stepfather seems to be the girl’s biggest threat but ultimately, he is the one who gets killed instead of the girl.
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· B. What is the suspense of this character?
· Will the stepfather find out where she is and will he find out she’s pregnant with his child?
· C. What is the intrigue of this character?
· He is the mayor and a very respectable man. He is taking extremely good care of his mentally ill wife and has been taking care of his stepdaughter like she was his own. But he is sexually molesting her, and nobody will ever suspect him of this crime.
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