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Day 5 Assignments
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Eric Humble’s Character Journeys!
What I learned doing this assignment is: how rich a story you can create simply by writing out a structure for each character. I didn’t know how much material I’d be able to mine from my concept, but between the character profiles and now the character journeys, I realize I have more than enough to craft a plot — and I have a greater understanding of how the journeys will inform the shape of that plot. I’m looking forward to learning how to apply it all with structure and how to apply these journeys to both the thriller model and the Profound model, both of which I think will be relevant to this project.
DAY 5 – THREE-ACT STRUCTURES
D’QUAN
Beginning: On the run and in hiding at the community outreach center. Gets spotted by Robert – and witnesses him shoot Standish.
Turning Point 1: Takes Standish to his hiding spot and calls Robert, demanding that he reinvestigate the case and prove him innocent or he’ll let Standish die.
Midpoint: Robert uncovers evidence that D’Quan supplied opioids illegally to his brother and others – he really is a criminal, and part of what he’s been doing is trying to cover this up.
Turning Point 2: They discover Markway’s scheme.
Dilemma: Standish is fading – D’Quan can either get him to a hospital and reveal his position or stay hidden but Standish will die.
3rd Act Climax: D’Quan faces Markway and shoots him to save Robert.
Ending: D’Quan gets railroaded by the system for just the minor charges he’s arrested for. But his brother’s death is vindicated.
ROBERT:
Beginning: Nervous for his first day as a plainclothes detective working with the legend Markway. Then, following Markway’s lead, keyed-up, he shoots Standish while pursuing D’Quan.
Turning Point 1: D’Quan calls him — he will let Standish die unless Robert proves him innocent. “You’re a detective — detect.”
Midpoint: D’Quan’s brother was shot by a different bullet that he finds in the wall — a police-issue bullet — which was then covered up and switched in ballistics for IA inspection… D’Quan is right. There is a cover-up, and a cop is involved.
Turning Point 2: Discovers Markway is the real killer… but why did he do it?
Dilemma: Come clean and face charges or stay quiet and be as corrupt as Markway.
3rd Act Climax: Robert squares off with Markway, tries to bring him in the right way — when Markway turns the tables on him. D’Quan kills him, saving Robert’s life and revealing himself in the process.
Ending: D’Quan’s brother’s cell phone is recovered, all questions answered. Robert is offered a promotion on the condition they keep everything quiet about Markway. Robert resigns instead.
MARKWAY:
Beginning: D’Quan’s brother discovers that Markway is engineering an opioid/heroin pandemic to tear apart the neighborhood so that real estate tycoons can buy it up and gentrify it. Markway tracks him down and offers to buy his silence for a million dollars in exchange for the cell… but kills him instead and frames his brother D’Quan.
Turning Point 1: D’Quan evades capture by the larger police force.
Midpoint: He suspects Robert is trying to reinvestigate the case.
Dilemma: Cut Robert in by confessing and winning him over or kill him, too.
Turning Point 2: The cell phone is here. He has to get to it and destroy first.
3rd Act Climax: Markway hunts down Robert to kill him — but D’Quan shoots him, then saves his life.
Ending: Markway gets away with a slap on the wrist, is unapologetic.
STANDISH
Beginning: Notices things don’t add up in Markway’s story just as the media frenzy and manhunt for D’Quan heat up.
Turning Point 1: Tails Markway and Robert, only to get shot by Robert… and finds himself at the mercy of D’Quan, who is only treating him as it benefits himself.
Midpoint: Gains D’Quan’s sympathy as a fellow downtrodden Black man… then hits him and tries to escape. But his wound takes a turn for the worse.
Turning Point 2: Overhearing the conversation, realizes Robert is on the right track… and Markway is their man.
Dilemma: Robert illegally discharged his weapon at him – guilty of a career-ending criminal mistake; but it was an accident, spurred on by Markway. Does he nail Robert or help him get the goods on Markway?
3rd Act Climax: Chooses to back up Robert with the arrest.
Ending: He is nonetheless overridden when it comes to prosecuting Markway. Can’t save D’Quon from an unfair sentence.
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