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Day 8 Assignments
Reply to post your assignment.
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7 Replies
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Eric Humble’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is: how you can take even the character with the shortest amount of screen time on a journey and allow the audience to experience that journey for maximum impact. In past horror scripts, I’ve treated all but the lead character as “disposable” with only a few core traits and a subtext trait as their character profile, mostly as a way to make their dialogue distinct. This model of abbreviated character profile got me thinking about a broader aspect of their characters and the questions for the character journey allowed me to set each of them up to really pull the audience in so that we would “feel” something when they are killed. I think it’s making the outline much stronger and will make the screenplay a richer experience. I’ve added a few elements from the traditional character profile that we learned in MSC and ProSeries to my main leads so that their characters will stand out a bit (and hopefully attract bankable actors) but even the least among them is now an interesting character with an interesting journey.
Name: Rachel
Role in the Story: Innocent – Introvert / Loner
Age range and Description: 22
Traits:
Observant
Unflappable
Overcautious
Raging
Fears: Becoming a raging drunk like her abusive father
Wants: To escape the building
Needs: To avoid becoming an alcoholic
Likability / Rooting factors: She’s clever, unflappable in the face of mutilated bodies
How they react under stress: She focuses on the task at hand, rallies others to do the same
Relationship with other characters:
Friends with Mackenzie, although she stows annoyance and Mac’s jibes regarding her sobriety; after the first horror, she’s pissed at Mackenzie, but withholds about this because it won’t help their immediate situation/
Gravitates toward Bill, who, like her, is focused on action.
Doesn’t like Roach, a regular drug-user, at first, but once the horror starts, finds herself connecting more with him because they’re both med students unruffled by gore.
Doesn’t trust Bremmer, actively avoids him.
Likes Noah, but is too afraid of her own demons to act on it.
Is closest with Veronica, and feels personally responsible for dragging her into this.
Subtext: Withholding
What’s special about this character? Keenly observant, notices the things others don’t
Wound: Her father was an abusive alcoholic – and her closed-off ultraconservative religious community is rife with similar stories of substance abuse. It’s in the genes.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Comes home in scrubs, showers. Mac texts her: can’t find my necklace anywhere” Rachel immediately spots it. Mac is calling her phone incessantly throughout, telling her to come out with them and to bring her necklace. Rachel writes a letter, places a stamp on it. It’s addressed “Mom.” Stops to pray… but Mac’s text interrupts her: “What else do you have to do tonight, pray?” Rachel leaves, not particularly happy about it.
Denial: She doesn’t want to get close to the body – just accepts it as a drunken accident that everyone else had the good sense to clear out after, tells everyone to leave – and has a pointed comment to Mackenzie for getting them into this.
Their reaction at first horror: Examines the body, identifies that the spine has been ripped out and there are teeth marks on it… and fragments of glass from a bottle.
Relation to group after first horror: Loner, keeps her ideas to herself… but Bill makes her his de facto second-in-command; acts as the group’s “doctor”
How they fight back: Searches for/identifies clues, runs away except when she has learned an advantage – passes Mac the aerosol can, baits it with the rat and the heroin
End Point: Rachel makes it to the populated subway station – but must swipe a bottle and stay drunk, even in safety, just to be sure.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The only way to survive The Wino is to become an addict for the rest of your life.
Name: Mackenzie
Role in the Story: The Carrier – Rebel / Rule Breaker
Age range and Description: 22
Traits:
Daring/Pushes limits
Fun
Bullying
Loyal
Fears: Stagnation, standing still in life and in survival
Wants: To get everyone out safe
Needs: To choose the easy way rather than the risky way
Likability / Rooting factors: Loyal to her friends, owns up to pushing people too far (though only after her shenanigans have blown up in people’s faces), brings fun to everything
How they react under stress: Defers to Bill, makes jokes, owns up to her role in this
Relationship with other characters:
Tense friendship with Rachel – because she’s always pushing Rachel to party more and because she suspects Bill has a thing for Rachel
Is repulsed by Roach
Is taken in by Bremmer – believes him throughout because he appeals to her sense of danger
Pushes Noah toward Rachel, otherwise doesn’t think much of him
Looks down on Veronica as being too whiny and complacent in life
Flaw: Always takes the risky way, never the easy way
Subtext: Passive-aggression – she pushes people out of their comfort zones to humiliate them or to exact revenge for perceived sleights
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Texting Rachel. Once in the bar, she comes over with a shirley temple to chide Rachel – but she’s spiked it with vodka. Claims she just wants her to loosen up – especially for the night they have planned… then introduces Bremmer.
Denial: Charges ahead to follow the music and find the party out of jealousy after Bill seconds Rachel’s decision to leave – and does a shot from Bremmer, pushes them all to do the same.
Their reaction at first horror: Freezes up upon seeing the body – then owns up to being responsible when Rachel calls her out on it.
Relation to group after first horror: Follower, but always takes the risky path, sometimes before the orders are given. Testy relationships with Rachel and Bill as her jealousy comes out and her guilt over them all being there kicks in.
How they fight back: She’s a fighter. Sets it on fire with the aerosol can and lighter. Charges at it with a hammer she finds.
End Point: Rushes ahead into the tunnel without deliberating – and is killed by The Wino, who is ahead of them and drinking the medicine out of her stomach.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You can’t assume you’ve escaped it… ever. You have to always be vigilant – and always be drunk or high.
Name: Bremmer
Role in the Story: Red Herring
Age range and Description: 33
Traits:
Charming
Ambitious
Grounded
Shifty
Fears: That he can’t control the evil he’s dealing with
Wants: To gain the Wino’s power
Needs: To save himself
Likability / Rooting factors: Throws himself into danger to protect them – proving he’s one of the group
How they react under stress: Rattled, panicked; thinks of saving himself first; tries to talk/deal his way out
Relationship with other characters:
Is sexually attracted to Rachel, even though she rebuffs him
Charms Mackenzie and gets her in his camp, championing him
He and Roach share a love of drugs and intoxication
He sees Bill as a rival to himself, because Bill blatantly doesn’t trust him
He sees Veronica as easy prey for the Wino, so he grooms her to be snatched by him
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Arm-wrestling Bill at the bar, and losing – but with charm.
Denial: He ushers the group in and makes them turn in their cell phones and take a shot – which, it will turn out, he has drugged.
Their reaction at first horror: Acts like he’s panicking and trying to escape.
Relation to group after first horror: He’s ingratiating, even though no one likes or trusts him except Mackenzie.
How they fight back: Tries to talk his way or deal his way out with the Wino.
End Point: The Wino injects him with all the drugs they have and more in the Wino’s possession… and eventually, the Wino devours him whole.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You can’t deal with the Wino. It doesn’t have or need allies.
Name: Noah
Role in the Story: Love interest
Age range and Description: 24
Traits:
Geeky (architecture/engineer nerd)
Awkward
Sheepish
Brave
Fears: Dying here like this; offending Rachel
Wants: To survive
Needs: To not blow his chances with Rachel
Likability / Rooting factors: Geeky and knowledgeable about engineering, which helps them navigate the space; brave in life-and-death matters even though he’s sheepish in interpersonal ones
How they react under stress: Panics, strategizes, stands with Rachel on most things – though he sneaks drugs even when she refuses in order to save himself
Relationship with other characters:
Likes Rachel, but is intimidated by her religious upbringing
Feels bullied by Mackenzie
Is intimidated by Bill
Distrusts Bremmer
Gets along well – but not romantically – with Veronica
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Studying – when Mac acts like there’s an emergency to get him to open up.
Denial: Assesses the building as condemned for a reason – will collapse at any time. As far as he’s concerned, that’s the only danger. Dismisses the Wino as a danger – he probably just wants a couple of bucks to get loaded… but he doesn’t see any wino.
Their reaction at first horror: Freaked out, doesn’t want any of them to go near the body – and refuses to himself, feeling queasy.
Relation to group after first horror: Follows Bill’s orders – but is braver than the others despite seeming more cowardly.
How they fight back: Gets everyone inside the next partition while remaining behind to finish barricading the door. Is Bill’s second to take out The Wino at the midpoint, but Bill gives him the order, “If anything happens to me, don’t reveal yourself. Retreat and regroup.”
End Point: Tries to load the gun, can’t, but uses the bullet and a hammer to shoot The Wino… only to realize it’s Veronica’s corpse and the Wino is right behind him.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Drugs let you see it but hinder your ability to stop it.
Name: Bill
Role in the Story: Leader
Age range and Description: 24
Traits:
Badass
Leader
Kind
Strategic
Fears: Letting his troops down
Wants: To get them all out safely
Needs: To kill The Wino
Likability / Rooting factors: Heroic, badass, and kind to everyone under his “command”
How they react under stress: Takes charge, focuses the group on the task at hand, gathers intel and strategizes
Relationship with other characters:
Is of like minds with Rachel and her unflappable nature
Loves Mackenzie but never holds her to account for her actions
Sees Noah, Roach, and Veronica as his troops, there to be directed and protected by him
Distrusts Bremmer, blames him for all of this and suspects he has an ulterior motive
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Arm-wrestling Bremmer at the bar – and winning. Bremmer points out Bill’s U.S. Marines tattoo.
Denial: Isn’t afraid but seconds Rachel’s decision to leave… until Mac charges ahead and finds Bremmer and the party. Then, he dives in and does a shot.
Their reaction at first horror: Takes charge, “From here to the street is a warzone.”
Relation to group after first horror: Leader. Everyone looks to him except Mac, who disobeys orders.
How they fight back: Strategizes, gives orders, confers with Rachel and Noah with regard to their areas of expertise, and goes out to stab The Wino himself.
End Point: Is attacked after he vomits the alcohol in his system and can no longer see the Wino. Later, returns to stab the Wino and finish him off for Rachel and Mac only to die of blood loss in the street afterwards.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You can’t see The Wino unless you’re drunk or high.
Name: Roach
Role in the Story: Out of control / Obnoxious
Age range and Description: 22
Traits:
Obnoxious
Entitled
Drugged-out
Verbose
Fears: Being found out as a junkie; ODing; dying in a derelict building with no decency
Wants: To get out alive
Needs: To keep his addiction hidden
Likability / Rooting factors: Darkly humorous outlook; wise-cracking
How they react under stress: Deadpan dark humor; gets high; slinks behind everyone to hide his addiction; gets snippy and entitled, obnoxious
Relationship with other characters:
Snide condescension toward Rachel; paranoid, feels like she’s judging him for doing drugs – but once the horror starts, he and Rachel bond over their fascination of the morbid
Snipes at Mackenzie – she’s repulsed by him, he sees it as a frienemy relationship
Defers to Bill, counting on him to get them out of it
He and Bremmer have a shared fondness for drugs
He chides Noah for being a wuss, thinks himself superior
Is protective of Veronica
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Invites himself along, despite no one wanting him to go – by paying for an upscale rideshare to pregame.
Denial: Pooh-poohs everyone’s suspicions – wants to see what there is to see… and goes along with Mac.
Their reaction at first horror: Freaks out and takes a drink from a bottle lying around. Then gets up close with Rachel to examine it, fascinated by the gore.
Relation to group after first horror: Protective of Veronica, supplier of drugs, insolent to Bill yet follows him… and sneaks his own stash along the way.
How they fight back: Gets everyone high, but withholds drugs from Noah except acid. Fights with Noah to keep his heroin.
End Point: Is scrabbling for the spilled coke when The Wino gets him and sucks it out of his brain.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? It needs alcohol or drugs that you have consumed first… and will consume them out of your body.
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Scott Kaplan’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is to have a motivation for each character’s actions. To make the characters have different dimensions/components for their reactions. This sets up each character’s journey from start to finish(however long they survive for).
MAX
1. Role: Survivor/Badass
2. Traits: Fearless. Black Belt.
3. Fears: The unknown. Losing friends/new love(Shwin).
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to solve the mystery/horror. Needs to defeat the cult.
5. Likability/Rooting Factor: Audience roots for Max. Willing to risk his life to save the town.
6. How they react under stress: Takes charge, confronts those who disrespect him; can be violent(especially if he drinks).
Example–Action:Neighbor harasses Shwin. Reaction: Max pummels him.
Ultimately, he must confront the cult, then the spirits they summon.
7. Relationship with other characters: Close to Father Bob–goes to him for confession(s).
B Story: Grows closer to Shwin, developing more intimacy as the acts progress. Hence, he trusts her to help him achieve the goal…but tends to keep the other characters at a distance.
Character Journey
1. Intro: Images of Max alone in his studio, going through a series of martial arts maneuvers. He wears a “Cobra Kai” headband and shirt(a fan of the popular show).
2. Denial: He refuses to accept that his rage is dangerous…until he discovers how to channel it by standing up to the antagonists(with the help of Father Bob and Shwin). These are the only characters he trusts.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Stone face/concern. How can he stop the evil?!
4. Relation to group after first horror: Untrusting, yet attempts to gather some neighbors for a meeting to feel them out.
5. How they fight back: Monster(s) too powerful until …
6. End Point: Shwin gives a history lesson. She’s willing to help Max so her ‘people’can rest.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
History–a flashback shows a massacre in the 1860’s–the suffering of the Marsapeaques. Shwin is a descendent of the Native American tribe blown up and buried alive, just so these contractors could build their own town. Shwin shows Max a strategy that might enable them to outsmart the cult–who are ancestors of the men responsible for destroying the original settlers. Her people were enslavened to the depths underground by contactors(who started this cult 154 years ago). Max and Shwin cultivate a plan to ‘turn the tables.’ They risk everything to help save the town. This would then free the souls of the undead so they can finally rest in peace. Will Max and/or Shwin survive? Time will tell…
SHWIN
1. Role: Co-Protagonist/Name comes from Shana Winters
2. Traits: Protective (especially of Max)
3. Fears: The cult will find out her secret–that she is a descendent of the original settlers.
4. Wants/Needs: Wants Max to let down his emotional wall. Needs to help Max decipher a way to end the bloodshed.
5. Likability/Rooting Factors: Very warm heart, audience roots for her to be with Max and help him restore equalibrium in the community.
6. How they react under stress? Follows Max’s lead until end of ACT 2 (When it seems that all is lost). She discovers the long standing secret; this enables her and Max to game plan against the cult, and save her people who have been in purgatory for 154 years.
7. Relationship with other characters: Like Max, keeps to herself. Untrusting of stranger.
Character Journey
1. Intro: She is seen riding her bicycle around town. Shwin is very fit. Unbeknownst to the cult, she considers herself “the neighborhood watch.” She runs into Max, as they cross paths during one of his runs. Instant chemistry.
2. Denial: She doesn’t see the flaws in Max (as she falls for him). Refuses to accept her heritage, prolonging agony in the small town.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Incredulous, hides out behind a bush in the barren wasteland observing victim being mutilated.
4. Relation to the group after first horror: Like Max, she is untrusting of the townies, yet follows his lead to gather the troops.
5. How they fight back: She uses her knowledge of the town’s history to set up a plan of action.
6. End Point: Her knowledge leads to a chain of events–a reaction–to combat the evil forces.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? In the aforementioned character journey of Max, the massacre of her ancestors in the 1860s show that justice can finally be served.
FATHER BOB
1. Role: Town Pastor
2. Traits: Moral compass of the town.
3. Fears: Afraid that evil has possessed the people he cherishes.
4. Wants/Needs: Wants the crimes to stop. He needs to help Max and Shwin, in any way he can.
5. Likability/Rooting Factors: His willingness to assist the protagonists makes him a crowd pleaser.
6. How they react under stress: Scared, but cannot deny Max’s cry for help.
7. Relationship with other characters: Very close, especially with Max…enough to denounce his oath to divulge confessions (Stacy’s crisis of conscience about the cult).
Character Journey:
1. Intro: Image of Sunday Mass. Father Bob giving an insightful sermon.
2. Denial: His committment to the Lord…must be betrayed to save innocent lives.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Joins forces with the revolt against the cult.
4. Relation to the group after first horror: Willing to do whatever it takes to stop the incessant deaths.
5. How they fight back: Agrees to perform exorcism.
6. End Point: Exorcism leads to his death.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Draws out the cult, enabling Max and Shwin to turn the spirits against them.
STACY
1. Role: Member of the cult.
2. Traits: Follower of leaders of the cult, especially Piper.
3. Fears: Afraid he will be sacrificed if he doesn’t follow orders.
4. Wants/Needs: He wants to protect his family. Hence, he needs to obey their dirty deeds.
5. Likability/Rooting Factors: Unlikeable at first, redeems himself after confession and subsequent revolt against his cult.
6. How they react under stress: Cowers, unsure of what to do. Indecisive.
7. Relationship with other characters: Pretends to like family of victims until it hits too close to home. His crisis of conscience is a turning point.
Character Journey:
1. Intro: Congregating with the other cult members. Sinister looking.
2. Denial: Refuses to believe that the Harbor Rats he grew up with–bonded since birth–could be capable of committing such heinous crimes.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Pretends to accept; conflicted, he eventually confesses to Father Bob.
4. Relation to group after first horror: He plays along, afraid if he goes against his cult his family will be killed.
5. How they fight back: Goes to Father Bob, who in turn agrees to exorcism. This leads to the turning of the undead spirits.
6. Endpoint: Upon discovery, Clen and Piper execute Stacy…burying him alive.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? His death is not in vain. His actions start the chain of events that lead to the revolt’s taking back the town that was torn from the original settlers. Thus, the Marsapeaques can finally rest in peace.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Scott Kaplan.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Scott Kaplan.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by
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Cameron Martin’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is…First thing I had to do coming into this assignment was change the opening for both Sully and Isaiah to help make sense of later points in the script; it’s more believable that a pulmonologist have experience and creativity with power tools than for a construction worker to successfully pull off a bronchoscopy for his so. I was trying to avoid that exact procedure, but everything else I’ve found involves a strong likelihood of death for the patient. Sooooo…
In addition, I felt like I had to justify Isaiah’s understanding of basic mechanics that comes into play later.
Beyond that, going through this process was helpful in identifying the specific horror traits required for each character. I’m still new to this, so a lot of my characters are inspired more from the thriller and action genres than they are from horror. This was especially noticeable when I tried to fill in the blanks for Jude. I think I have most of the characters at a good starting point. I look forward to incorporating more of the horror and fear into their characters throughout this process.
Sully
A. What is their Character Profile?
Role: Survivor / Protagonist
Traits: Inventive, Controlling, Loving
Fears: Seeing another loved one die
Wants/Needs : Wants to get himself and his son to safety / Needs for he and his son to understand each other.
Likability / Rooting factors: He’s a smart-ass, confident, and doesn’t know how to quit. Will always find a way.
How they react under stress: Takes complete control. Default aggressive mindset.
Relationship with other characters: Cracks jokes, but keeps people at a distant from his son. Extremely protective of his son, and will sacrifice everything to keep him safe.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Like an episode of HOUSE. A catastrophic failure comes up, and he’s the best man to fix it. Also has a problematic relationship with his son.
Denial: Goes to get his son instead of heading straight to the bunker. Tries to comfort his son before just picking him up and carrying him.
Their reaction at first horror: Pick son up and run like hell. Think his way out of the problem.
Relation to group after first horror: Put them at a distance, or take charge. Listens and follows his son’s lead so far as it keeps him out of harm’s way.
How they fight back: Makeshifts a weapon using a baseball bat, nailers, and power tools. Covers his spacesuit in bleach, uses his pulmonologist skills to extract eggs. Exposes state secrets implicating the state’s coverup.
End Point: Saves son, and is sent off world to bring about revolution.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You have to work together to survive.
Isaiah
A. What is their Character Profile?
Role: Survivor / Expert on the monster
Traits: Obsessive, Scientific, Gentle
Fears: He can’t be loved
Wants/Needs : Wants to help everyone survive. Needs to know his dad will love him no matter what.
Likability / Rooting factors: Extremely smart kid. Handles the monsters like Steve Irwin handled crocs.
How they react under stress: Covers ears and hums loudly. Kicks and screams.
Relationship with other characters: Outgoing but quirky. Can’t help but talk about aliens, even when no one else wants to.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Excited about a “discovery,” that could “save everyone.” Pulls a prank with some basic mechanics and gets in serious trouble.
Denial: Hides and tunes out the alarm like it’s any other loud sound.
Their reaction at first horror: Try to outsmart it and save both people and the aliens.
Relation to group after first horror: I want to say “become an exposition dump,” because that’s what Aspies do (I am one, I do this, and it drives my wife nuts), but that sounds like a cop out. So let’s go with…Share knowledge and form a plan.
How they fight back: Isaiah doesn’t He uses his knowledge to calm or deter the aliens, never wanting to bring direct harm to them.
End Point: Help his dad keep him alive, and rest from the invasive procedure he’d just gone through.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You have to know/understand your enemy to survive
Jude
A. What is their Character Profile?
Role: Victim / Government Spy
Traits: Motherly, Undercover, Badass
Fears: ???
Wants/Needs: Wants to rescue/support Sully and Isaiah. Needs redemption.
Likability / Rooting factors: She’s James Bond if Bond was played by Rosemary Harris
How they react under stress: Become a cold-blooded machine of destruction
Relationship with other characters: Just the sweetest little ol’ grandmother you’d ever meet
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Save sully and Isaiah from certain death
Denial: N/A
Their reaction at first horror: We don’t see the first reaction. However, we learn her first reaction comes in the form of breathing in the spore eggs.
Relation to group after first horror: Become a caretaker to make the deaths of those on the outside of the bunker as easy as possible.
How they fight back: Shoot the worms with a laser pistol.
End Point: Requests a lethal injection be given to her.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Being a badass won’t save you.
The following two characters don’t necessarily fight the monsters that Sully, Isaiah, and Jude do, but instead are confronted by an authoritarian government conscripting them to fight said monsters…
Markus
A. What is their Character Profile?
Role: Holy Man / Follower
Traits: Religious, Discreet, Non-confrontational
Fears: Death, Confrontation
Wants/Needs: Wants to spread his faith and be left out of conflicts. Needs to go along with the crowd to avoid conflict
Likability / Rooting factors: Soft spoken and wants to proactively prevent conflict
How they react under stress: Do what they’re told.
Relationship with other characters: Help others, until he’s forced to choose between killing others and inciting the state to kill him.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Wakes up on a passenger vessel and saves another passenger from falling.
Denial: Prays and follows the line of people through the conscription process.
Their reaction at first horror: Follow orders
Relation to group after first horror: Kill a man for threatening to mutiny
How they fight back: Use their commissioned gun
End Point: Save Sully and Isaiah and go against orders
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Fighting back against tyranny is hard and morally grey.
Apollo
A. What is their Character Profile?
Role: Freedom fighter
Traits: Foul mouthed, Forward, boisterous
Fears: N/A
Wants/Needs: Wants to start a revolt against conscription. Needs to be left out of other people’s conflicts
Likability / Rooting factors: No-holds-bar attitude toward everyone, especially those in power
How they react under stress: Confront the problem
Relationship with other characters: Sell, sell, sell
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Nearly falls on account of Markus
Denial: There is no denial, only action
Their reaction at first horror: Gain followers to start a rebellion
Relation to group after first horror: Sell people on the idea of taking their fate into their own hands
How they fight back: Create a plan to overthrow the military power conscripting the passengers to fight at their behest.
End Point: Killed by Markus
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Fighting against tyranny is hard and requires patience
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Marc KOENIG’s Character journey
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is to think of every character as the main character with a journey, and to find a reason for their death and how they die.
ELISABETH
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Monster bait
- Traits: Sweet, meticulous, generous, curious
- Fears: snakes, guns
- Needs: wants to learn about ancient civilizations, loves to read
- Likability: she shares her knowledge, she speaks foreign languages
- Reaction to stress: numb out
- Relationship: listening, forgiving
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: she finds a grave she has been looking for for ages
- Denial: she misinterprets the ancient crime scene
- Reaction at 1st horror: denial, misunderstanding
- Relation after 1st horror: panic
- Fight back: she doesn’t
- End Point: she dies instantly
- Insight brought to others: Panic is the worst reaction
PAUL
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Monster bait
- Traits: watchful, arrogant, impulsive, generous
- Fears: he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to his girlfriend
- Wants/Needs: wants to be loved, to attract people’s attention
- Likability / Rooting factors: caring for his girlfriend, sportsman
- How they react under stress: confront
- Relationship with other characters: sassy, friendly
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Character Intro: he helps his girlfriend but doesn’t listen to her.
- Denial: he touches the body, unaware of the danger of contamination
- Their reaction at first horror: denial
- Relation after first horror: …
- How they fight back: …
- End Point: he dies in a car crash
- What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Don’t be too self-assured face to the unknown and listen to wise people
JENNIFER
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Carrier
- Traits: extraverted, adventurous, outgoing, deceptive
- Fears: loneliness, lack of love
- Needs: have fun, work in a team
- Likability: she is attractive, her fragility makes her appealing
- Reaction to stress: dramatize
- Relationship: sociable, friendly
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: devastated by her sister’s death that she learns at her wedding, she wants to find the answers her sister was looking for in her job
- Denial: she ignores her sister’s warnings about the stone
- Reaction at 1st horror: unarmed, misunderstanding
- Relation after 1st horror: panic
- Fight back: she has no time to fight back
- End Point: she is the last one to die
- Insight brought to others: keep prudent face to the forces of nature
IRINA
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Survivor – rule breaker
- Traits: Brainiac, badass, courageous, loyal
- Fears: the sight of blood
- Needs: she wants to be the best
- Likability: badass, resourceful
- Reaction to stress: she takes charge and leaves no one behind
- Relationship: distant, helpful
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: she breaks rules to achieve an experiment and succeeds, although she is threatened to lose her job if she keeps ignoring the protocol.
- Denial: she overrides her superior’s order to save Jennifer
- Reaction at 1st horror: she takes charge
- Relation to group: she takes her own decisions to fight
- Fight back: she runs to the danger to put an end to it asap
- End Point: she survives the confined apocalypse, to find herself trapped in a new one.
- Insight brought to others: be smart and never give up
TREVOR
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Leader / Red herring
- Traits: bossy, courageous, silent, pragmatic
- Fears: security breaches, losing control
- Needs: he wants to know everything about everyone, and to have control
- Likability: his sense of humor
- Reaction to stress: he sacrifices others to save his own life and get what he wants
- Relationship: he is distant and domineering.
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: he comes back to the lab to check what the team is doing so late at night, he locks down the compound on the first alert.
- Denial: he suspects a secret weapon based on nanotechnology
- Reaction at 1st horror: observant, individualistic, merciless
- Relation to group: he conflicts with all others, seen as unreliable
- Fight back: he locks down the threat, and he brings guns.
- End Point: he is sacrificed by Irina
- Insight brought to others: you reap what you sow
SCOTT
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Moral one
- Traits: faithful, shy, prudent, boring
- Fears: pain
- Needs: have a mission
- Likability: reliable, in love
- Reaction to stress: overreact, dramatize
- Relationship: underestimated but appreciated by the others, he doesn’t open up.
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: Crazy in love with Jennifer, he is the happiest man in the world as he gets married to her. Until they learn about the tragedy of Elizabeth’s death.
- Denial: He can’t believe his wife is contaminated or has changed.
- Reaction at 1st horror: He would do anything to save Jennifer, whatever the cost.
- Relation to group: He conflicts with the ones who want to neutralize or eliminate Jennifer since she became uncontrollable and highly dangerous.
- Fight back: He struggles for his safety, as well as for Jennifer’s. He is a clumsy fighter, but he doesn’t backpedal in front of the danger when it comes to saving his wife.
- End Point: He dies together with his wife, sacrificing his life to save Irina and Bill, and because he can’t live without Jennifer.
- Insight brought to others: Love is stronger than evil.
BILL
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Complainer.
- Traits: Workaholic, coward, obedient, dreamer
- Fears: Afraid of the dark, phobia of clutter.
- Needs: burying himself in work, avoiding interactions with others.
- Likability: he loves animals and plants.
- Reaction to stress: he flees from trouble, and doesn’t want to hear about problems.
- Relationship: he is the one who does all the annoying work. He is boring to others.
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: Jennifer holds him in the office after hours to help her analyze the stone.
- Denial: he blames Jennifer and Irina for mishandling and breaking the expensive machines in the lab. He is convinced that the incident comes from their negligence.
- Reaction at 1st horror: he wets his pants and runs.
- Relation to group: nobody cares about him. He isolates himself and tries to run on his own.
- Fight back: he just hides.
- End Point: he looks like the last survivor together with Irina but turns out to be contaminated as well and he tries to kill Irina.
- Insight brought to others: never lower your guard, remain vigilant even in front of seemingly vulnerable people.
SALLY
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Obnoxious
- Traits: strict, conceited, venal, loner
- Fears: lose her job
- Needs: money, be busy with something
- Likability: she is a caricature
- Reaction to stress: she blames other people
- Relationship: people don’t like her and she doesn’t like people
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: she works late and finds out that Jennifer runs an unauthorized experiment.
- Denial: She thinks Jennifer did something wrong and caused the incident.
- Reaction at 1st horror: denial. She only thinks of the financial consequences.
- Relation to group: she is upset against everyone, and people are reluctant to protect her.
- Fight back: she comes up with plans to neutralize and kill the contaminated before they damage the compound.
- End Point: she is badly wounded by Jennifer, then blown up by a grenade
- Insight brought to others: money is useless in life and death situations.
JULIA
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Innocent
- Traits: generous, funny, vindictive, fighting
- Fears: she hates animals
- Needs: seducing men, having sex
- Likability: charming, kind to every man
- Reaction to stress: she gets upset
- Relationship: she is appreciated by men, women are suspicious about her
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: she stays after hours to have an affair with Trevor.
- Denial: she doesn’t want to be involved in the incident, but she can’t go away once the compound is locked up.
- Reaction at 1st horror: she tries to help Jennifer, and she gets infected.
- Relation to group: she becomes the next threat after Jennifer, and everyone is very scared of her as she practices martial arts.
- Fight back: she tries to remove the spines but she endures fierce pain.
- End Point: she dies peppered with bullets when the commando shoots her with no mercy.
- Insight brought to others: the beauty and the beast can be one single person.
JOHN
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Rescuer
- Traits: kind, sportsman, seductive, altruistic
- Fears: claustrophobic
- Needs: attract attention, having physical activity
- Likability: he is strong and courageous, reliable
- Reaction to stress: he takes charge.
- Relationship: he is appreciated. People trust him. He is helpful and serious about his job.
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: he is called to fix a machine that broke down following a misuse from Irina.
- Denial: he thinks the incident is due to the machine.
- Reaction at 1st horror: denial
- Relation to group: people rely on him to fix the material and find a way to get out by bypassing the lock-up.
- Fight back: he tries to fight Julia but he is too hesitant in hitting her and gets tricked… and killed.
- End Point: he dies his neck broken by Julia.
- Insight brought to others: when your life is at stake, sometimes you have to make the most difficult and contradictory decision to survive. In a case of an emergency, there’s no second chance.
SOLDIERS (5 in total)
CHARACTER PROFILE
- Role: Monster baits
- Traits: Obedient, brutal
- Fears: Unknown enemy
- Needs: Fulfill their mission
- Likability: they come to kill the monster
- Reaction to stress: they face the problem
- Relationship: coordination and protection between them
CHARACTER JOURNEY
- Intro: They break in to shoot everyone
- Denial: they think their mission will be simple, that they are the strongest
- Reaction at 1st horror: They shoot to kill
- Relation to group: keep shooting
- Fight back: do I have to say it three times?
- End Point: They all die
- Insight brought to others: guns don’t make you invincible
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Brandon’s Character Journey Track
What I learned: Character introductions can provide either clues as to how each character dies or how they solve a piece of the puzzle.
Character Profile: Julian, 16
1. Role: Leader
2. Traits: Takes charge; jack of all trades; clairvoyant
3. Fears: the dark; voices in his head
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to please Sofia; Needs to stop the horseman
5. Likability / Rooting factors: knowledge about many things; smart
6. How they react under stress: keeps his cool
7. Relationship with other characters: a calming effect on the group; can capture their attention and get them back on track
Character Journey:
1. Character Intro: Draws an amazing comic strip asking Sofia to prom
2. Denial: Does not believe his grandmother when she tells him he can see ghosts
3. Their reaction at first horror: paralyzed when watching his friend get trampled
4. Relation to group after first horror: takes charge and wants to investigate
5. How they fight back: They must steal HH’s original head
6. End Point: A Revolutionary ghost lures and distracts him while HH gets to him.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Don’t be a dick to your girlfriend.
Character Profile: Sofia, 17
8. Role: Rescuer, which often means sacrifice
9. Traits: positive, ‘can-do’ attitude; Pollyanna-ish
10. Fears: getting dirty
11. Wants/Needs: wants to be a star; needs to survive the night
12. Likability / Rooting factors: She sacrifices her own safety to go back and rescue Julian
13. How they react under stress: she doesn’t scream but takes action
14. Relationship with other characters: supportive to sometimes an annoying degree
Character Journey:
8. Character Intro: On stage, in the spotlight – a shining star
9. Denial: Tries to discourage Julian from investigating (let the cops handle it)
10. Their reaction at first horror: denial of Newt’s death
11. Relation to group after first horror: dismissive at first
12. How they fight back: she sacrifices her own safety; she uses an old shackle to protect her neck
13. End Point: She sacrifices herself to buy Lacy time
14. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Sacrificing for the greater good is sometimes necessary
Character Profile: Owen, 18
15. Role: Rebel/Rule Breaker
16. Traits: Paranoid; His interruptions can be annoying
17. Fears: the unknown
18. Wants/Needs: Wants to take care of his baby; needs to survive for her
19. Likability / Rooting factors: we see how great a young father he is; we want him to survive
20. How they react under stress: not well, jumps to conclusions; overreacts; wants to kick ass
21. Relationship with other characters: Maybe he’s Julian’s older brother
Character Journey:
15. Character Intro: Bonding with his baby girl
16. Denial: Thinks killer is just a psycho in a costume
17. Their reaction at first horror: Wants to go out and kill the monster himself
18. Relation to group after first horror: He’s the hothead; he must calm down
19. How they fight back: He holds off HH at the schoolhouse for as long as he can
20. End Point: Decapitated at the schoolhouse
21. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? It is unwise to jump to conclusions
Character Profile: Lacy, 17, sole survivor
22. Role: Complainer/Skeptic
23. Traits: realist but also a skeptic; complainer but for good reason: she’s the smartest of the group; also often ‘the mother’ of the group
24. Fears: the unknown
25. Wants/Needs: Wants to put on a great show;
26. Likability / Rooting factors: She’s the voice of reason; the ‘Skully’
27. How they react under stress: She tries to rationalize, providing reason and scientific evidence
28. Relationship with other characters: an outsider; she’s considered ‘too cautious’ but probably knows what she’s talking about
Character Journey:
22. Character Intro: We see her painting a horse set piece for the play, wishing she could ride; only time she felt truly free
23. Denial: Takes the longest to accept the truth
24. Their reaction at first horror: She does not believe in ghosts
25. Relation to group after first horror: She’s the sole skeptic in the bunch
26. How they fight back: She finally makes it to the bridge with HH’s head
27. End Point: Lacy beats the horseman to the tunnel at the bridge; finally destroying the head
28. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Finally accepting the truth of a situation can save your ass
Character Profile: Newt, 15
29. Role: Moral One
30. Traits: Shy, won’t strip in the stream
31. Fears: social situations
32. Wants/Needs: wants Sofia; needs to survive the demonic horse
33. Likability / Rooting factors: Incredible on stage, shy as shit socially
34. How they react under stress: timid
35. Relationship with other characters: Warns friends of danger
Character Journey:
29. Character Intro: We see him as the co-star of the play (Puck); but then totally shy backstage
30. Denial: ?
31. Their reaction at first horror: He can’t believe what he’s seeing; he must get closer; takes pictures with his iPhone
32. Relation to group after first horror: He’s the first one down; possibly just injured
33. How they fight back: Julian searches for the horse
34. End Point: Trampled to death or near-death
35. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Curiosity kills the cat
Character Profile: The Stranger, 59
36. Role: Menacing Stranger/Carrier
37. Traits: Rich; eccentric; full of mystery; obssessed
38. Fears: not solving the mystery; not knowing the full story of HH
39. Wants/Needs: He wants to know if the ‘legend’ is true; he needs to possess the monster itself
40. Likability / Rooting factors: He’s a cowboy-type but rather sinister
41. How they react under stress: foolishly haphazard
42. Relationship with other characters: their opponent – he ultimately wants to keep HH alive
Character Journey:
36. Character Intro: A rich man at an auction, but we do not see his face until he meets the kids.
37. Denial: He must be sure the legend is true
38. Their reaction at first horror: astonishment; then pleasure in seeing the monster
39. Relation to group after first horror: outcast
40. How they fight back: He traps the monster at first; then monster escapes
41. End Point: Impaled by HH
42. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Don’t try to cage the monster, it’s impossible
Character Profile: The Schoolmaster (Ichabod Crane)
43. Role: Red Herring
44. Traits: nervous, shell-shocked; but smart; knowledgeable
45. Fears: the Headless Horseman
46. Wants/Needs: to be ‘released’ from the Horseman’s grip/terror
47. Likability / Rooting factors: bookish, clever; idiosyncratic
48. How they react under stress: not well – PTSD, shaking, hiding under desk
49. Relationship with other characters: gives others insight into backstory, but is interrupted halfway
Character Journey:
43. Character Intro: Reading a book in the schoolhouse
44. Denial: Doesn’t have much memory, he thinks he was a teacher…
45. Their reaction at first horror: … but definitely remembers one thing: the Headless Horseman
46. Relation to group after first horror: Turns on them; traps them in the schoolhouse
47. How they fight back: kids yell at him; threaten him to let them out!
48. End Point: Ichabod survives; perhaps we see him take up the mantle at the end
49. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Nothing stops the Headless Horseman. Nothing.
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Alfred’s Character Journey Track
what I learned while doing this assignment to is to give arc to characters even if they die immediately in the script.
1) Gabriel Freeman
Role – Leader
Traits – Inquisitive. He has to figure things out
Fears – losing his family
Wants/needs – to be the best teacher he can be. he wants to protect his community.
Likability – He can be a bit of a smart ass.
How he acts under stress – As a teacher he is used to stress but tends to shy away from it.
Relationship to other characters – He’s the teacher at a local school. some in the community don’t like him because he’s an atheist. He’s a good neighbor.
Intro – PTA Board meeting. Parents are having issues with an atheist teaching their children.
Denial – Being an atheist and a science teacher he flat out denies that there is a creature.
First Reaction – He Runs.
Relationship to group after first horror – he takes charge and becomes a leader.
How he fights back – tries to learn as much as he can about it. Researches it.
Endpoint – He survives.
Insight that his survival brings to the audience – Religion is another form of control.
2) Sierra Freeman
Role – The Moral One
Traits – Nurturing and confident
Fears – losing her family
Wants/needs – to protect her family
Likablity – she’ll always do the right thing
How She reacts under stress – She shuts down
Relationship to other characters – mother in the community
Intro – Supporting her husband at the PTA meeting
Denial – Disbelief
First Reaction to Horror – shuts down
Relationship to the group after the first horror – keeps the group from making wrong decisions.
How she fights back – outsmarts the creature
End Point – Survives
3) Eboni Freeman
Role – Complainer
Traits – Impulsive, wants her way. Sort of bratty.
Fears – unknown
Wants/Needs – wants everyone to like her.
Likability – typical teenager
How she reacts under stress – avoids stress
Relationship to the other characters – Popular girl at school
Intro – At the PTA Meeting.
Denial – doesn’t believe it.
First Reaction – screams
Relationship after the first horror – she’s kidnapped
How she fights back – She’s kidnapped
Endpoint – Survives
4) Omar Pope
Role – Red Herring
Traits – Confident and bad ass.
Fears – Unknown
Wants/Needs – he provides the group with info but is secretly working with the creature
Likability – 1000% likable
How he reacts under stress – calm and collected
Relationship to the other characters – he becomes the source of information
Intro – He’s at a crime scene taking notes
Denial – doesn’t deny the creature
First Reaction – his eyes go wide
Relationship to group after first horror – he’s the researcher and gives them info on the creature
How he fights back – He doesn’t
End Point – He dies.
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Lance’s Character Journey Track
What I learned from this assignment is that idea / scene generation is key. Any way that you can gather scene ideas can help you in later stages. Also, this exercise and our other assignments have helped to navigate the different elements of writing a horror screenplay.
I still like to keep the outline loose for Act Two, Part Two and the third act, but these assignments have been challenging me to think more about the end.
Hailey – Rescuer
Role: Rescuer / Survivor – the lead protagonist
Traits: Romantic, a free thinker, but also pragmatic.
Fears: Domestic / sexual abuse / the dark / scary movies
Wants/Needs: She wants to start a family with Nathan. She needs to learn more about herself.
Likability / Rooting factors: Kind / giving / loyal
How they react under stress: She runs. If she can’t run, she’ll fight
Relationship with other characters: Married to Nathan who in the beginning of the movie is the innocent.
Hailey’s Character Journey
Character Intro: Hailey and Nathan move into their new home – a condo which used to be an apartment building. Hailey starts setting up their new home / nesting.
Denial: Despite her own misgivings and the warning from her friend Vanessa, she puts those thoughts aside and tries to make a home with Nathan.
Their reaction at first horror: Hailey dismisses the visions she sees.
Relation to group after first horror: She reaches out to Vanessa for help.
How they fight back: She tries to cast a spell to remove the evil spirit from Nathan.
End Point: She decides she needs a new start and moves into a new apartment.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Sometimes the scariest person is the one you live with.
Nathan – Innocent
Role: Innocent / Victim – supporting lead / becomes the antagonist when possessed
Traits: Driven / motivated / selfish / loves Hailey to a fault / avoids alcohol and drugs
Fears: Losing control / ending up like his grandfather
Wants/Needs: Gunning for a new promotion at work / needs the feeling of support from Hailey
Likability / Rooting factors: He loves Hailey. He fights for causes he believes in.
How they react under stress: He will fight to protect his family / Hailey. He hunkers down under stress.
Relationship with other characters: Married to Hailey.
Nathan’s Character Journey
Character Intro: Carrying furniture into the condo, he gets injured.
Denial: He wakes up feeling something pressing against his chest and shakes it off thinking it’s something he ate.
Their reaction at first horror: He tries to get away.
Relation to group after first horror: Under the control of Marshall, his personality changes and he starts abusing Hailey.
How they fight back: He prays for help.
End Point: He has his body back, but he’s injured physically and emotionally.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You can’t protect the ones you love from yourself.
Vanessa – Moral One
Role: Moral one / Victim
Traits: Can sense spirits / auras / kind / very pragmatic
Fears: Ghosts / spirits
Wants/Needs: Wants to go on vacation
Likability / Rooting factors: Doesn’t take any nonsense. Good friend
How they react under stress: She’s a fighter
Relationship with other characters: Friend of Vanessa
Character Journey
Character Intro: Vanessa is introduced during a small housewarming party at Nathan and Hailey’s new condo
Denial: She doesn’t deny that she feels something wrong in the new home.
Their reaction at first horror: She feels uncomfortable / she wants to leave.
Relation to group after first horror: She’s worried about Nathan and Hailey
How they fight back: She helps Hailey exorcise the evil spirit
End Point:
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
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