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Lesson 8
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Marc’s Intriguing Moments
WIM Module 4 – Intriguing Moments – Lesson 8
What I learned: It’s a powerful technique to keep the viewer engaged and “guessing” who is who and what happens next.
Act 1
Intrigue:
Who is Bob Brunson and why does he agree to play Andy Beal in his first game of poker?
Covert Agenda:
Andy appears as an “A” type personality looking for a challenge. But he really wants to find the poker player brother who embezzled money from his business.
Act 2
Scheme:
Andy and his son create a computer algorithm program to give him an advantage over the professional Corporation players.
Act 3
Conspiracy:
Andy and the private investigator exchange notes on how to find the embezzler,
Mystery:
Dole Brunson recruits Phil Ivey to play Andy.
Act 4
Superior Position:
Andy did his research on Phil Ivey. But he doesn’t know how deep Phil’s skills and playing strategy. The viewer knows because Dole Brunson revealed this information through a discussion with Phil.
Andy realizes this after Phil beats him in the final game.
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Jeff Glatz Intriguing Moments
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 – Always engage the audience.
Act 1:
Mystery – why was an Amazon tribe attacked twenty years ago?
Mystery – what is the significance of the Key?
Secret/Hidden Identity – Chris is a Descendant of Zeus.
Scheme – Ronin attempting to kidnap Chris to attain the key.
Scheme/Conspiracy – Ronin, antagonist, is trying to take over the world.
Intrigue – Slowly discover the hidden world of the Descendants living among us.
Act 2:
Covert Agenda/Mystery – Is Chris’ “Protector” a traitor or ally?
Mystery – what is the purpose of the Key?
Scheme – Ronin attacking Chris to attain the key.
Hidden Identity – A British Lord is a “Librarian” and guardian of the Descendants secret existence.
Superior Position – Ronin is assembling a superior force to attack Chris and get the Key.
Conspiracy – The Vatican has been hiding the existence of the Descendants for ages.
Intrigue – Chris learns the Key may allow one Descendant to control all four elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Wind) and control the world.
Covert Agenda – Ronin is using Chris to discover some clues as to where the “Lock” may be located.
Act 3:
Scheme – Defeated Chris must devise a new plan to stop Ronin.
Mystery – Chris mother revealed as leader of the Amazon tribe.
Conspiracy – A spy tries to kill Chris.
Intrigue – Is one of the Team an ally of Ronin?
Covert Agenda – Chris has assembled her own army force to attack Ronin.
Act 4:
Mystery – the exact purpose of the Key is never revealed as Chris destroys the Lock in the ensuing climax battle.
Superior Position – Ronin’s forces appear overwhelming versus Chris’ team.
Secret – One of Chris’ team leaders has convinced other Descendant tribes to join in the fight at the end.
Intrigue – The Portal exists in ancient Greek ruins.
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Pam Ewing’s Intriguing Moments!
My Vision: Professional. Produced. Prolific. Popular.
What I learned: I appreciate Hal’s comment that this is intentional writing, because this is not in my flow!!
Act 1
• Secrets: Natalie’s mom is definitely keeping her past a riddle
• Superior Position: we (the audience) see bats, bites, gloom where Natalie sees umbrellas, gemstones, sunshine
• Mystery: what’s the deal with Natalie’s marriage
Act 2
• Covert Agenda: Husband keeps interjecting himself might be for money or concern or something else
• Hidden identity: Vlad is hiding his vampire nature from Natalie and Natalie is just discovering hers
• Secret: Natalie is given information from a gypsy about her past
• Intrigue: Natalie’s pursuit of her inheritance keeps leading her back to Vlad
• Superior Position: Natalie has realized that Vlad’s symbols and gestures are akin to hers
Act 3
• Intrigue: Natalie accepts visit to Vlad’s castle will she make it out alive
• Intrigue: Vlad has Natalie’s husband kidnapped
• Hidden Identity: Vlad and Natalie reveal themselves for different reasons
• Secret: what’s at stake to secure inheritance and what is the inheritance (money, power, blessing, curse, et
Act 4
• Covert Agenda: Natalie wants to free husband and claim inheritance which means defeating Vlad
• Intrigue: Natalie vs. Vlad who wins
• Hidden Identity: Natalie is a daylight vampire so superior power
• Secret: why is Natalie’s husband really there – love or money
• Intrigue: what to do with Vlad
Mystery: the whole story of Natalie’s birth and
birthright and mother’s flight from Transylvania -
Heather’s intrigue opportunities
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: once you get the character’s traits and emotional beats ironed out, there is lots of opportunity for intrigue. The story naturally builds itself.
Act 1 Beat 1
Opening – Sarah doing laundry: a perfectionist marathon. Sarah’s husband on the phone: he’s not coming home. Seems the ‘logging camp’ where he’s been living is named Ruby. Emotional Beat 1 – Betrayal.
Heather’s intrigue opportunities
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: once you get the character’s traits and emotional beats ironed out, there is lots of opportunity for intrigue. The story naturally builds itself.
The new comments are italic and bolded.
Act 1 Beat 1
Opening – Sarah doing laundry: a perfectionist marathon. Sarah’s husband on the phone: he’s not coming home. Seems the ‘logging camp’ where he’s been living is named Ruby. Emotional Beat 1 – Betrayal.
Let’s explore the intriguing moments of Sarah’s backstory and how this fits with her husband’s betrayal.
-Sarah’s brother died when she was looking after him. She blames herself for his death and everything that happened afterward – that she had to go into foster care.
– in her mind her parents didn’t want her, she wasn’t perfect. Now she overcompensates by being a perfectionist.
– But it isn’t working. She isn’t good enough. The kids aren’t good enough and the house is a mess. (It isn’t really)
– It doesn’t matter because now her world has crashed and she’s a single mother of 2, with an epileptic toddler and a jealous 6-year-old who knows how to push all her buttons.
Sarah’s big secret/cover up is she’s sure social services are going to come and rip her children away. She’s determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Beat 2
On the radio a story play about the Harrison Lake Sasquatch throwing rocks at some local fishermen. Scary music. And screaming – REVEAL ONE – BUILD UP – JOE’S FATHER IS REALLY THE SHADOW MAN
Beat 3
Becky wants to paint. Sarah says no. Becky has a hissy fit.
Beat 4
The doorbell rings. Sarah answers.
Beat 5
Joe Green going door to door with a cooler of salmon. Sarah wants one. Joe sees she’s upset, gives it to her free. Hint to a further relationship between them. Emotional beat 2.
Establishing Joe as a caring and empathetic individual, in contrast to the things Harper is about to say.
Beat 6
Harper cruising by arrests Joe, Emotional beat 3 – Harper taking his anger at the loss of his promotion out on Joe.
What’s going on here? Why is this cop so angry at this Indian guy? Is it really about selling fish off the reservation?
It’s really about an argument Joe and Harper had years ago that made Harper look bad and wrecked his chances for a promotion – A secret only Harper, Joe and Harper’s CO know about.
Beat 7
Back in the kitchen Becky pulls out the paints anyways. Lila spills paint all over her dress and the clean sheets. Sarah goes ballistic and throws the kids outside telling them to stay out of the woods. Sarah overreacts because of the phone call. Emotional beat 4
Sarah realizes she’s lost it big time and needs to calm down. In her mind Social Services are already watching her (Conspiracy), paranoia.
Beat 8
Becky wants payback. She drags Lila into the woods to see her “secret” place: a dark hollow where Becky leaves trinkets, and something leaves gifts in return.
Beat 9
The ‘shadow man’ watches, a dark blurry figure following behind them. REVEAL 2 HE WATCHES THEM PLAY IN A FAIRY RING OF MUSHROOMS. LILA LEAVES ONE AS A GIFT TO THE SHADOW MAN
Beat 10
Inciting Incident – Lila disappears.
Beat 11
Searchers find a long clump of black hair at the hollow. Hours later Becky tells her mother it was the “Shadow Man”, happy her sister is gone.
Sarah begins to think she’s losing it. Are there really people watching her? Was it Social Services taking away her daughter. She can’t say anything to anyone about this secret or they’ll take Becky too.
Beat 12
Harper doesn’t seem too worried about the girl he’s sure it was Joe Green. He was there just this morning. Sarah shouldn’t worry her pretty little head about it.
Beat 13
Sarah despises Harpers condescending attitude toward her. Sarah -grief, terror, fear her children will be taken away by S.S. Emotional beat 5
to show Harper what she’s made of and decides to find Lila on her own, despite her terror of the forest.
The fear of losing her children is stronger than her terror of the forest.
Act 2 Beat 6
Midpoint Turning Point – Sarah gets hopelessly lost. She didn’t bring food or water. Not even a compass or map.
Act 2 Beat 1
Turning Point – Sarah has to find Lila before she needs her next dose of Phenobarbital. They’ve got 20 hours
Act 2 Beat 2
Sarah rallies the neighbors. They search the surrounding forest. Long black hairs are found in the kids secret hollow.
Harper says they’re Joe’s. The neighbors say they’re the legendary bigfoots. The CO’s say they’re bears
Act 2 Beat 3
The CO let’s Joe out of holding
Act 2 Beat 4
New plan: Sheriff Harper goes after Joe Green. He sets a plan in motion to capture the drifter. He loads his truck with weapons, ammunition, and a bear trap. Harper- cold fury at his CO. Plans to frame him for poaching. Emotional beat 6
Let’s talk a bit about Harper’s back story. Long ago Harper and Joe used to be hunting buddies. That was before they had an argument over a bear. It seems fitting to Harper that he frames his CO for bear poaching because he took Joe’s side in the argument over his partner in the force. Especially since his CO still seems to hold a grudge against him. Harper is scheming.
Act 2 Beat 5
Plan in action: Sarah decides shadows all look threatening and she’s having panic attacks. Somethings following her.
Act 2 Beat 7
By nightfall everyone’s looking for her. The shadows come alive. She spends the night in a tree. She thinks she’s safe until something attacks. Sarah – terror as something attacks her in the tree. Emotional beat 7
Act 2 Beat 8
The next morning, she stumbles across a creek where she runs into a bear that attacks.
Act 2 Beat 9
Joe Green tracks her down and chases the bear off.
Sarah mentions to Joe she can’t believe anything Harper has said about him, since he’s risked his life to save her. Joe just shrugs her words off, like their relationship is a big secret.
But the real reason he’s in the woods is a secret too – he has to find his father, the Shadow Man.
Act 3 Beat 1
Rethink everything – Joe teaches Sarah how to read the forest. How to be safe in it, Sarah and Joe develop a friendship. Sarah reveals how she always wanted to live alone in the forest but was terrified of it. REVEAL 2 INCLUDING TEACHING HER ABOUT THE MUSHROOM.REVEAL 3 – FORESHADOWING SARAH’S HOUSE IN THE FOREST. Sarah and Joe grow close. Emotional beat 8
Joe understands Sarah’s fear and teaches her to look at the small picture instead of trying to take in the whole woods. He treats her with patience, and she begins to trust him. They find they have a lot in common.
Act 3 Beat 2
New plan – Joe finds a long clump of hair and tracks a three-toed creature to Forbidden Pass. Sarah is sure Lila is with it. There are small footprints like her daughters there beside it. REVEAL ONE – FURTHERING THE REVEAL OF THE SHADOW MAN
Act 3 Beat 3
Sarah catches a glimpse of Joe’s feet. They have three toes. Maybe Harper was right after all. Now she doesn’t know if she should trust him. REVEAL ONE – FURTHERING THE REVEAL
Sarah knows Joe is hiding something from her. What’s his secret/mystery?
Act 3 Beat 4
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Harper catches up with them. He tries to kill Joe, but something comes out of the forest and attacks the Sherriff. Harper gets caught in his own bear trap.
Act 4 Beat 1
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Sarah and Joe are forced into the Pass by the fight.
Will they evoke the curse of the pass? (No one ever comes back from the pass)
Act 4 Beat 2
they find a cave where they find Lila. Sarah’s relief Emotional beat 9, followed by unease. What’s wrong with her daughter?
Sarah’s relief is short lived. The mushroom cures epilepsy but at a price.
Act 4 Beat 3
They are confronted by the “Shadow Man”, Joe’s psychopath father a sacred Holy Man to the First Nation’s people. He’s taken the girl because she’s epileptic and therefore Holy. Sarah tries to negotiate for her daughter. REVEAL ONE – FINAL REVEAL the Shadow Man is Joe’s father.
Act 4 Beat 4
Harper drags himself to the cave and shoots the “beast”.
Act 4 Beat 5
Joe tackles him in a fit of grief and rage. Harper dies. Joe- rage and grief – Emotional beat 10
Joe hates himself for becoming like his enemy. He realizes he can never leave the pass.
Act 4 Beat 6
No one notices Lila is under the influence of the mushroom. She slices her mother’s throat. It’s pretty obvious Lila can’t return to society. REVEAL 2 THE MUSHROOMS SIDE EFFECTS MAKE A PERSON CRAZY. Sarah- disbelief. Shock, Loss. Emotional beat 11
Act 4 Beat 7
Resolution: Joe takes his father’s place and looks after Lila.
Sarah gets her house in the woods, no longer afraid or driven to be perfect. REVEAL 3 – SARAH’S WISH COMES TRUE. Sarah – contentment. And peace. Emotional beat 12
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