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Lesson 3
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19 Replies
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Heather’s Transformational Journey
Vision statement: I want to see my scripts optioned this year and turned into movies that people will remember long after they leave the theatre.
What I learned from doing this assignment: it is far easier to start with a clear picture of the character’s journey before you write the script than to waste time trying to rewrite it numerous times after.
2. Tell us the Character Arc for your Protagonist:
Arc <div>
* Beginning:
Sarah
is a perfectionist
Her
focus is completely internal* Ending:
Has
learned to let things slide. Can
see other people have flaws. Places
blame where it belongs.3. Give us their Internal/External Journey.
*Internal
Journey – only sees the dirt in the house, the things she has to clean.
How her children aren’t perfect, and her marriage isn’t working. Everything
is her fault because she’s not perfect. </div><div>*External
Journey: She learns to look at things from another person’s point of view,
sees how a person’s struggles shapes them.4.Tell us their Old Ways at the beginning of the movie and their New Ways at the end.
*Old
Ways:
Perfectionist,
impatient, short tempered, self-destructive, overprotective. </div>*New
Ways:
Believes
in herself, knows her strengths, communicates better with her daughter.
Patient. Focused.-
I can picture this transformation very clearly. Nice.
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Thanks for your feedback, Mark. I appreciate it.
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Subject: Marc’s Transformational Journey
My Vision: My vision is to win the Nicholl Fellowship and get a recommended “10” rating on the Black List.
What I learned: The “broad” strokes of this exercise gave me a clear view of where I’m going in the story and how the “small” details will fit in between.
Character Arc for Protagonist: Andy Beal
Arc Beginning: Egotistical, amateur, poker player.
Arc Ending: Achieve mastery of high-stakes poker.Internal Journey: Insecure self-doubt to total transparency of his higher self.
External Journey: Egotistical, combative, amateur poker player to a peaceful, zen “buddha” type.Old Ways:
He looked down with condescension at the Las Vegas pros as “hicks.”
Self-doubt.
Created a computer algorithm program to give him a winning advantage.
He thought his “Billionions” made him better than everyone else and it would make a difference.New Ways:
He learned to respect the social and cultural differences in the Las Vegas “hick” poker players.
He Learned the game “organically” without the aid of a computer program.
Learned to meditate like a “buddha.”
Winning and bragging rights became irrelevant. The journey became all-important.-
Sounds like a really interesting transformation.
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Nice clear transformational journey.
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My Vision:
To create commercial studio size films that move people. To create characters that can live forever and bring electrifying memories to those that have watched one of my films.
What I learned from doing this assignment – Make sure there is a nice arc, but more importantly, a meaningful arc.
Christina (Chris) Wentworth – Protagonist
Arc Beginning: Naive but brilliant socially awkward college student.
Arc Ending: Brave leader who has embraced her role as the most powerful descendant.
Internal Journey: From shy and feeling out of place to fearless and a leader.
External Journey: From unknowing Descendant to taking her place as the Descendant of Zeus and saver of the world.
Old Ways:
- Introverted and awkward.
- Feeling of being out of place in the world.
- Sheltered by family.
New Ways:
- Defiant
- Brave
- Warrior
- Leader
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In the context of this Descendants world, I can see how this character arc will be full of meaning.
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I can already see this in my mind. Great vision😃
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Cameron Martin’s Transformational Journey
Vision: To write a story that connects with audiences on a deep spiritual level, regardless of background, while prioritizing quality time with my family.
What I learned doing this assignment is…organizing my thoughts. I know what I want the journey to be and to *feel* like. Putting it into words helps narrow the focus for future reference. “This is what I want my character to be.” I reserve the right to change anything later in the process, but having a designated point in the brainstorming/outlining process helps to make adjustments for necessary major fixes in the story.
1. Tell us the Character Arc for your Protagonist:
Arc Beginning: headstrong and naive “demi-god” android
Arc Ending: meek, self-sacrificing savior
2. Give us their Internal/External Journey.
Internal Journey: From believing based on what she’s told to believing based on how she acts.
External Journey: From the right hand of a digital god to a meek, self-sacrificing girl
3. Tell us their Old Ways at the beginning of the movie and their New Ways at the end.
Old Ways: Naive, Reckless, and Headstrong. Believes only because she’s been told what to believe. Possesses machines by literally and violently assuming control over them. Fragile ego that, when broken, cascades her into a well of self-doubt and destruction
New Ways: Wise, Humble, and Gentle. Believes because her actions represented in others informs her belief. Communes with machines, allowing them freedom. No ego, but totally convicted in self-belief that she can do good by laying herself down for others.
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Just to be clear, this “self-sacrificing girl” is an android? This will be interesting to see how this character change plays out in the AI world.
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Thanks Mark!
Yeah, maybe I tried a little too hard to vary my descriptions.
In my head, the discernment between the artificial and the biological consciousness in this story is pretty fluid, but that’s not especially helpful to the reader when they’re being introduced to an unfamiliar world. Thanks for pointing that out to me.
I’m looking forward to seeing how your story turns out! I love coming of age stories!
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(Revised)
Arc Beginning: Amnesiac cyborg that just wants to live
Arc Ending: Self-Assured cyborg that sacrifices herself for others
Internal Journey: From having no memory or sense of self to knowing her past and who she wants to be at her core
External Journey: From inside a techno-purgatory to the real world…through countless bodies of death robots and her original copy
Old Ways: Reckless in combat but timid with decisions, low self confidence and follows others, even if she doesn’t think it’s right.
New Ways: Precise in combat and confident with her choices, high self esteem and will do what’s right, even if it costs her.
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My Vision: I am going to work as hard as I can to be a writer who is sought-after for both spec scripts and writing assignments, because people in the industry know the scripts I write will be entertaining, thought-provoking, and emotionally satisfying.
What I learned from doing this assignment is:
Planning out the character’s arc and beginning and ending states gives a blueprint to follow when building a plot.Arc Beginning: Timid college freshman who is socially awkward and buckles under pressure.
Arc Ending: Heroic international superspy.
Internal Journey: From timid and fearful to assertive and courageous.
External Journey: From wallflower college freshman to being an international superspy who can save the world from a madman’s evil plot.
Old Ways:
Lacks self-confidence.
Easily pushed around.
Escapes reality into daydreams.
Can’t handle any social or academic pressure.New Ways:
Confident in his abilities.
Assertive. Doesn’t let others control him.
Lives wholly in reality.
Accepts all challenges head-on.-
Everybody loves an underdog story like this! Can’t wait to see what you do with it.
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My Vision: Professional. Produced. Prolific. Popular.
What I learned: Already building complexity by developing character journey before overall plot line.
Protag: Natalie
· Arc Beginning: Confused, immature, spoiled Princess
· Arc Ending: Has confidence in self rather than money – Knows how to navigate the world for what she wants
o Internal Journey: Gaining self-confidence and confidence to fight for what she wants/needs, learning to be a “princess” leader
o External Journey: Pampered rich girl to roughing it in the woods of Transylvania with monsters and her soon-to-be ex-husband
· Old Ways:
Beautification priority
snide social climbing even if she doesn’t feel good about it
She’s skeptical of things she can’t manager through money
overly devoted to her mother
always feels lacking
· New Ways:
Starts to use her brain rather than her face
sets humanitarian or charity goals rather than social climbing
likes a challenge
takes a more balanced measure of people and commitments
is respected and courageous
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Sounds like the perfect vehicle for an A list actor.
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Well drawn picture of the protagonist.
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My Vision: I live a wonderfully happy life writing, collaborating and producing multiple Oscar and BAFTA-winning movies with more than enough money for two light and bright homes, each with its own indoor lap pool (heated using eco-friendly technology).
What I learned from doing this assignment is that the character becomes clearer and more interesting with every question in the assignment and develops in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Also that the empowerment practice feels increasingly good!
Arc Beginning: brooding, angry, depressed loner
Arc Ending: engaged with life and love
Internal Journey: from suppressing grief to acknowledging sadness and engaging with the ups and downs of life
External Journey: catastrophic accident, reconstructing (false) memories, uncovering the fraud, laying his lost love to rest and engaging with new friends
Old Ways: suppressing grief into self-destructive behaviours, anger at the world and everyone in it, meanness, hiding away
New Ways: engaging with community, generosity, laughing and fun, active grieving, risking love and loss again
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