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Lesson 2
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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 – To concentrate on a wide emotion and action range for the leads.
Lead Character Name: Christina (Chris) Wentworth
Role: Protagonist
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
- She is an unknowing Descendant of Zeus with Super Human Powers that must discover her inner strength to save the world.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
- She has no idea for 19-20 years of her life that she is a Descendant.
- Transforming a very bright college student who studies applied mathematics and studies martial arts into a Hero, one the world will never learn of if all goes according to plan.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
- During a kidnapping attack upon her family, she instinctively calls on her “power” to escape with the help of another.
- The final battle where she is the leader of other “super human heroes.”
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
- An unknowing college student is violently attacked, her father killed, her mother injured, but she escapes using skills she has not fully developed and learns she may not be like other people.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range?
- Shy, but witty, to brave and a leader.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
- Learning to embrace the fact that she is a Descendant of the most powerful deity and all the responsibility that comes with that awakening.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
- Falling in love with her “Protector.” (who will be killed)
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
- Through the realization of who she is and what that represents.
9. What could make this character special and unique?
- Brilliant, shy, beautiful, fighting skillset – be a Super Human Hero.
- A female lead that is a “Super Human Hero” and NOT a comic book hero.
Lead Character Name: Ronin Hisoka
Role: Antagonist
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
- Villain of all Villains. A Super Human and a Descendant of the Japanese God of Wind.
- A master of martial arts and all his “powers” are what humans can already to but pushed to the extreme. Don’t go into the unbelievable.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
- Ruthless, vicious.
- One of the Descendants that was supposed to protect our World now wants to control it.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
- Attack on Japanese compound where he “flies” through the sky
- Fighting until the end.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
- Introduced in first scene when he and his troops attack an Amazon village.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range?
- Fairly linear, does not have a change of heart.
- Becomes even more maniacal as he approaches his goal.
- Suave to Psychopath.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
- Role as a father and in his opinion, savior of the planet.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
- His Son
- Battle of wits and brawn with Chris
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
- This is the first time she will find herself in any of these situations and she will grow through them.
9. What could make this character special and unique?
- Ruthless Descendant who has a special sword he fights with.
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Rich characters for an active area!
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My Vision: Win the Nicholl Fellowship and receive a 10 rating on the Blacklist.
What I learned: A-list and upcoming actors are always looking for the next great role. Craft your story and characters in such a way that gives them a reason to sign on.
Marc’s Actor attractors for the movie: The Corporation vs Andy Beal
Movie Title: The Corporation vs Andy Beal
Lead Character Name: Andy Beal (Protagonist)
Genre: Drama/Thriller
1. Why would an actor want to be known for this roll?
It’s an opportunity to portray the mindset and lifestyle of the post – modern Billionaire. A uber educated family man. A vindictive auto-didact . A winner at all cost. His motto: Greed is good. Stick it to the other guy before they stick it to you.
2. What makes the character the most interesting character in the movie.
Extreme fearlessness. An amateur poker player who is a fish out of water.
3. What are the most interesting actions the lead takes in the movie.
a. He challenges Dole Brunson, the leader of the Corporation to a series of high stakes poker games.
b. He creates a computer algorithm to give himself an advantage of the Corporation professionals.
c. He scraps the computer program and decides to use his own “brain” to beat the professional poker players.
4. How is the Character introduced that could sell it to an actor.
A vulture fly’s in the sky and lands on the roof of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Then, we see Andy in the middle of a final high stakes poker game with the great Phil Ivey.
5. What is the Character’s emotional range.
From calm, to anger, to vindictive revenge.
6. What subtext can the character play.
Scheming, Lying, Bluffing.
7. What is the most interesting relationship the character has.
Dole Brunson, the leader and mastermind of the Corporation.
8. How is the character’s unique voice presented.
The obnoxious, a type personality demands that he makes on the Corporation and the Bellagio management
9. What makes the character special and unique.
The unwavering belief in himself and his ability to not take “no” as an answer from anyone.
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Pam Ewing’s Staking Claim Actor Attractors
My Vision: Professional. Produced. Prolific. Popular.
What I learned: Hard to break away from the cliche
Female Lead: Natalie
1. Why WANT to be known for this role? Even though she seems to have given up on life she finds her spunk to fight for what she wants and deserves.
2. What makes character one of the most interesting? She’s been clueless and powerless but she discovers that when she’s able to tie together her ancestry with her goals, she sees clearly and acts decisively
3. Most interesting actions of Lead? At fist at least, she deludes herself, majors on the minors then the blinders are off and she can focus and puts the first things first
4. How character introduced? Unwilling to make decisions regarding her mother’s death and her impending divorce or committing to claim her inheritance
5. What’s emotional range? Wimpy, argumentative to keep from hearing/learning to powerful, able to listen, learn and apply learning
6. What subtext can the actor play? Basically she is tying things together that she ignored because they never made sense and now how can she use this intelligence, build confidence, decide what she really wants
7. Most interesting relationships? With her ex – how much does she really need or want to be with him? With her mother who is now dead but left her with a puzzle rather than affection. With Vlad – She’s attracted to him for all the wrong reasons.
8. How character’s unique voice presented? Humor born of subverting her own desires to accommodate others and confusion about her own life where 2+2 equals anything but 4
9. What makes character special and unique? She’s actually smarter and more powerful than even she knew. She’s always looking on the sunny side even in dark situations.
10. (example scene) Walking to dinner in Transylvania, captured by the quaint beauty despite showers. She’s scared as a man quickly engulfs her in his cloak but accepts dinner invite from him as he explains he was just trying to keep her dry. We notice that she notices that his cuff links match her necklace and other odd things about him so she’s got something intellectual going on despite her giddy empty-headed acceptance.
Male Lead: Jeff
1. Why WANT to be known for this role? He gets to dispel the greedy unfaithful husband stereotype. He wants the money the money for other businesses and he wants to prove his worth.
2. What makes character one of the most interesting? He seems to keep doing the right thing which makes us wonder if he loves his wife or he’s just that greedy to the core or is there something else at stake for him
3. Most interesting actions of Lead? That he follows her to Transylvania under the pretext of protecting his divorce settlement but when it gets life-threateningly scary and he could just leave, he stays to help her
4. How character introduced? He arrives late, holds up the proceedings, schmoozing at his wife’s mother’s funeral
5. What’s emotional range? From Mr. Popularity to potential villain to authentic person
6. What subtext can the actor play? He’s got another life but it is not what his wife suspects
7. Most interesting relationships? With wife he never seems honest. With Vlad is he just looking for a business investor, tour guide, or is he pumping Vlad for the guy’s apparent interest in his wife
8. How character’s unique voice presented? He hides his feelings and intelligence under his slick personality
9. What makes character special and unique? He seems so obviously selfish, corrupt and scheming yet forgivable
10. (example scene) He snakes through the funeral getting intel as he goes. He puts his arm around his wife so she can’t shake him off. He looks comforting but quietly he’s pressing her about blocking his calls and the new inheritance
Love Rival/Villain: Vlad
1. Why WANT to be known for this role? Addictively romantic type to make women swoon but fearfully violent
2. What makes character one of the most interesting? He toys with Natalie and Jeff as a cat playing with its living prey
3. Most interesting actions of Lead? He keeps from revealing his powers, preferring to play on his charms
4. How character introduced? He attacks Natalie but since she is able to innocently ward off his attack, he switches tactics
5. What’s emotional range? From local playboy to cunning suitor to evil overlord
6. What subtext can the actor play? He knows people are intrigued with dark side, so he keeps it light with a drizzle of fear
7. Most interesting relationships? With Natalie might he have extended interest in her to keep her with him and rule together. With the husband – string the gnat along until I can smash him. With his sidekick – what promises have been made and how has their dynamic changed over the years?
8. How character’s unique voice presented? Of course, international accent and endless stories of escapades. He’s a much bigger operator than Jeff could ever be, than anyone could ever be, no rivals.
9. What makes character special and unique? In one sense he is tied to evil and stuck there. In another sense Natalie offers him a kind of choices: change, add Natalie to the mix, move on, fight to hold on to everything
10. (example scene) – Vlad is holding Jeff hostage and when Natalie arrives to the rescue she presents a greater challenge than he had anticipated because her claim to the power is stronger than his. He tries to win her over to rule together. Ultimately, he has to do the only thing he’s ever done – can a vampire shave off his fangs?
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Cameron Martin’s Actor Attractors!
Vision: To write an action movie 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…How much more difficult it can be to truly make a great character. This is definitely a first draft, and what I think I really need to do is brainstorm as many different characteristics as I can play with to see what fits. Jules is an amazing character, and I remember 3:10 TO YUMA because of those characters, but the simplicity in which this assignment expresses them leads me to believe that I need to start “getting out of my comfort zone” and start making movie characters more than philosophical debates.
Protagonist/Antagonist: Null/Janice
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role?
Represent two different characters on screen, providing more opportunities for a dramatic range. Give a performance that symbolizes/platforms both our vengeful or vision-centric selves, as well as our open and innocent selves. Engage in never-before-seen action sequences that set the role and movie apart from the competition in the industry.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie?
One of the characters doesn’t know anything, while the other knows everything. Janice is on a revenge quest, while Null is in a mystery. Null, speaks with laconic wisdom, almost like how a child might view the world, whereas Janice is longwinded, quoting different philosophers and verses to justify her position. They both use mech-judo to take down targets; Null uses a soft style, like a mix of PaKua and Jiujitsu, while Janice is hard, like a mix of Muay Thai and Judo. Though Null is innocent, she is incredibly perceptive of her surroundings (she’s not attached to any memory), making her the smartest character in the room. Janice, meanwhile, is intensely focused on her quest. Null schemes her way out, while Janice is a one woman army, bulldozing her way through every obstacle.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie?
Janice stabs Null in the back. Janice repeats the act of killing herself, but this time, the opposition is external. Null goes on a discovery to uncover and manage the worst parts of herself. Janice and Null, two sides of the same person, work together, fight each other, and end their arcs with actualizing into one whole person again. Janice and Null engage in sci-fi fight scenes with each other and with multiple obstacles. Null rescues Janice from being stuck in a vision of vengeance, allowing her to be a whole person.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor?
Right into the action, and pulling stunts that hasn’t been seen on the big screen yet, least of all by a female lead. No memory, but an unnatural level of combat capability (like a sci-fi version of Jason Bourne with a female lead).
5. What is this character’s emotional range?
It’s two characters in one. One side is vengeance, sorrow, self-destruction, and rage. The other side is innocence, intuition, grace, and precision.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
Janice is operating from a vengeance quest mindset, but doesn’t include Null on the details, as that would tip her off to the plan to kill her so that Janice can escape. Null is innocent but not naive, though she feigns ignorance while keying in on the reason she and a copy of hers are there.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has?
Null and Janice’s relationship to each other are the most interesting because they’re the same person: two sides of the same coin. Janice likes what she sees in Null because she sees herself, but the uncanniness of an exact duplicate is jarring. The same could be said vice versa.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented?
Janice speaks with philosophical fervor, while Null speaks with a laconic bite.
9. What makes this character special and unique?
Similar to FIGHT CLUB, you have two people that represent two sides of the same person. The key difference is in the structure and the intent behind this structure. Where FIGHT CLUB hides the truth, and that’s the point of the story and it’s expressing of the human psyche, this story and the two characters at the center of it fully acknowledges that the two are the same person, and instead explores that angle of the human experience where we uncover, grapple with, and accept the worst parts of ourselves and the decisions our shadows made.
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Heather’s Actor attractors!<div>
Vision statement: I want to see my scripts optioned this year and turned into movies that the audience will remember long after they leave the theatre.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: although plot and story is important, if you aren’t thinking of character growth and looking at things from an Actor’s point of view, you end up writing a boring script.
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* What about this role would
cause an actor to want to be known for it?The character has to do some soul searching and has some real obstacles to overcome: her oldest daughter has a real hate-on for her sister – how does Mom deal with this knowledge on top of the pressure of her youngest daughters illness? Plus the pressure of her husband being absent at work all the time (logging camp) plus the internal pressure she has placed on herself (perfectionist) Now she has to cope with a missing child when the police don’t seem to care.
*What makes this character one
of the most interesting characters in your story?She makes the decision to find her daughter by herself, despite the fact she has zero wilderness skills and is terrified of the forest. Her ‘Mom’ instinct is strong enough to overcome her fears. Her character arc goes from timid mouse to super woman.
*What are the most interesting
actions the Lead could take in the script?She has to face down a bear by herself and overcome the creature that took her daughter and escape with her.
*How can you introduce this role
in a way that could sell it to an actor?The mom is doing epic 1950’s laundry the way only a perfectionist could. She’s even starching the sheets she’s ironing, while the kids are running around. The oldest daughter wants to paint and opens the cans, but Mom says no. They get into an argument. Something just short of child abuse that she would feel sorry for later. (The kind of behavior any harried mother can identify with) Mom tells her to mind her sister. Resentful the kid sulks. The little one spills paint all over the clean sheets and Mom goes ballistic, kicking them outside.
*What could be this character’s
emotional range.From loose canon to determined and in control. From fearful to strong and collected.
*What subtext can the actor
play?She believes women have more roles to play in life than just housewives and so she’s determined to undermine the Sherriff’s outdated opinions at every opportunity. And prove something to her husband. Maybe also to herself.
*What’s the most interesting relationships
this character can have?The relationship with the Indian tracker. Both of them are outcasts in a way, forced to conform to societal molds neither one of them fits. They will both grow beyond the bounds of those molds and break them.
*How will this character’s
unique voice be presented?Her language will change. She won’t be prim and proper at the end of the movie. She’ll be tough and will have learned to swear like a man.
*What could make this character
special and unique?She will have gone through
an experience that should have killed her, but she lives (her own daughter
tries to kill her but isn’t strong enough). She will go from prim, pretty house
wife to tough bush lady who doesn’t care what she looks like.</div></div>
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