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Lesson 2
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Chris Wood’s BiG M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment was – abandon all ideas of what you thought you were going to write about. My treatment has already taken two left turns, a right turn, and another left turn, but it’s still holding true to my original concept, just in totally new directions. Psyched.
Logline:
RAINBOW CHILD
A college co-ed discovers a deep well of psychic abilities when she’s lured into a hippie-drug cult that’s robbing banks and being watched by a secret agency bent on turning ESP into a physical weapon of mass destruction.
1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Samantha Hamilton spent her four years at Rayburn University splitting time between psych labs and judo intramurals. She loves people but is becoming increasingly bored and dissatisfied with their predictability until she meets the charismatic members of a hippy commune in Rapture, California.
Dangerous Villain: Dr. Richard Forsythe is a maverick outcast from the Duke University Paranormal Research program thirsting for fame, recognition, and manipulative dominion over the world by way of psychic powers that can be focused into physical energy strong enough to destroy the planet.
High stakes: Samantha’s life, the life of her unborn child, destruction of the planet.
Life and death situations:
Van kidnappings, blunt force trauma torture, forced drug overdoses, government assassins, backwoods hillbilly rapists, brainwashing, psychic brain pressure, egomaniacal cult leaders and cult initiations, bank robberies
This story is thrilling because?
Samantha is both pawn and player in a drug-fueled, cult-soaked, bank-robbing, thought-reading, mind-bending journey to discover who the real Rainbow Child is.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: Who is the real Rainbow Child prophesied to reveal ESP as a real, practical [and practically devastating] sixth sense?
Big Intrigue: Dr. Richard Forsythe’s underhanded plan to exploit the academic and intelligence communities to gain control of Samantha and sole dominion over psychic energy on earth.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Will Samantha learn to control the agathokakological psychic forces within her in time to save her unborn child from a drug cult, a government conspiracy, and a renegade psychiatrist?-
This reply was modified 11 months ago by Chris Wood.
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I’m producing a docu series on Psychics, and if you need RD I can connect with real people with the gift.
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by
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Subject Line: Andre’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment is/are…
Purpose of this assignment: The Conventions and Big M.I.S. are what my decisions will be based upon as I write this Thriller.
A THRILLER creates the “thrilling” experience for the audience by pitting an unknowing/unwitting, but resourceful Hero against a dangerous Villain who is committed to destroy anyone who gets in their way. And the job is to stack as much suspense, mystery, intrigue, betrayal, tension, and twists as possible to keep increasing that thrilled state.Constantly stack Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense. If I get this done, my script will be a Thriller. If I miss this, I will have a drama; which I do not want.
Get clear on this: a great thriller script has multiple layers of mystery, intrigue, and suspense all intertwined together. They all work together to deliver a coherent story that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish. Stacking M.I.S. is a big key to my success.
While watching my movie, audience should be trying to solve the big mystery, intrigued by something covert that is happening, and in suspense that something terrible is going to happen to the hero. If there is a moment that audience is not captivated by those three emotional states, that scene needs to be rewritten.
Do NOT jump the gun and begin writing scenes. That will be a huge waste of time and will likely get me attached to scenes that will not make my thriller the best it can be. Take this one step at a time.Creating M.I.S.
To clarify, my Hero is going to enter a situation where they truly NEED to solve a mystery. That mystery takes them into intriguing situations, and puts them in danger, the danger will provide the suspense that my thriller needs.
Simple question for each of these areas that get right to the essence of the Big M.I.S…Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of my story that will keep audience wondering throughout the story? The secret, question, or puzzle that must be solved by the hero, often to save their life or someone else’s. The mystery shows up early in the script. It is the bait that lures the Hero into the life-threatening situations and the intrigue of the Villain’s plan. The mystery may be about solving the crime or figuring out who set them up. Whatever it is, it must force the Hero into solving it.
IMPORTANT- The mystery is not presented as a line of dialogue, but the mystery emerges as a result of some serious action.
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? The covert, underhanded, or clandestine force or plan of the Villain. Plotting, crafty, underhanded, secret, covert, stealth, sly, clandestine, concealed, deception.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to my Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? The main danger that the Hero experiences. For a Thriller to be a Thriller, the stakes must be high. We need to be worried that the Hero or someone they care about won’t survive. Whatever my story is about, there is a way to make it life threatening. Find that and use it to keep audience engaged.
Log-line: Iaculis Dignissim (Targeted Asset). (Also working title).
Question 1: What are the conventions of my story?
• Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: A Mechanical-Electronics student prodigy with a very bright future.• Dangerous Villain:
o APT28 is a threat group that has been attributed to Russia's General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) 85th Main Special Service Center (GTsSS) military unit 26165.This group has been active since at least 2004.
o Governmental agencies and their For-Hire Independent Contractors.
• High Stakes: In 2018, the US indicted five GRU Unit 26165 officers associated with APT28 for cyber operations (including close-access operations) conducted between 2014 and 2018 against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the US Anti-Doping Agency, a US nuclear facility, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the Spiez Swiss Chemicals Laboratory, and other organizations.
Some of these operations were conducted with the assistance of GRU Unit 74455, which is also referred to as Sandworm Team.
• Life and death situations:
o False attribution of a us citizen with a foreign threat group.
o US and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),
o a US nuclear facility,
o the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW),
o the Spiez Swiss Chemicals Laboratory, and other organizations.This story is thrilling because it is partially based on a true story.
Question 2: The Big M.I.S. of my story is…?
• Mystery:
o While doing research for a project, a mechanical-electronics college prodigy locates a file titled Apt28. The intrigue is, he lives in Apt28.• Intrigue:
Lawfare and Character Assassination. Lawfare is using the legal system as a form of warfare to target and take out anyone or anything seen or viewed as opposition even innocent civilians-unofficial definition. Character Assassination is destroying the credibility of a person, akin to assassinating them systemically.
APT28 reportedly compromised the Hillary Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2016 in an attempt to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.
Our prodigy hero lives in apartment 28.
Our hero becomes the target of political operatives.
Being a registered republican residing in a democratic state only adds fuel to the fire of intrigue and partisan divide.
The beautiful women of intrigue: Asian, Russian, Indian, etc.
He becomes romantically involved with a Russian girl, but does not know she is Russian. You can imagine the issue this causes with the black female sista-hood, some in the black/white "American" community, they don’t like it.
He learns being American in America, means being targeted.• Suspense:
o A file, labeled with the same apartment number of our Hero is attributed with a terror threat group? Being labeled a terrorist by every three-letter acronym governmental agency (domestic and international) and their For-Hire Contractors; who pose as friends, lovers, and neighbors.
o Having his credit (financial, medical, et al) compromised.
o Audited by tax department with false claims he must invalidate.
o Forced into bankruptcy by corrupt us senators, attorney generals, state governors and vice presidents seeking presidential appointments, simply by towing party lines of lies and bullshit.
o Once they get you in their target hairs, they don’t ask questions, no matter how UNJUST.
o No Thing nor Person can be trusted. Friends and family are separated and disappear from his life, creating isolation.End Andre’s Big M.I.S.
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by Andre Howard. Reason: Reason for edit is formatting
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by
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David’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment: The conventions of the thriller must be well planned before we write the first line. They need to be specific I also learned why I don’t like these Netflix thriller movies where they just blow up some stuff and stream it. It’s just action, without the mystery, intrigue, and suspense.1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: A high school English teacher who is a former mob guy who is in WITSEC
Dangerous Villain: The mob boss he crossed
High stakes: His life, the life of his girlfriend, and his students.
Life and death situations: The mob boss wants him brought back to him, so he can kill him personally. His henchmen will stop at nothing to grab him up and deliver him.
This story is thrilling because? The people who come after him become more and more dangerous. He is leading a group of his students into a national poetry slam competition, and the students also become targets.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? What did the protagonist do to the antagonist? Before going WITSEC, he crossed the boss in some way, or stole something from him. We don’t know what it is.
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? The underworld organization that is coming for him.Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Will he survive, keep his girlfriend and students alive, and take down the mob?
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What is WITSEC? Witness protection?
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Yep. Witness Protection Program, or WPP. But commonly known as WITSEC, short for Witness Security.
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What I learned during this lesson is that the hero has to be unwitting, but resourceful.
I had developed my hero some time ago, but after this lesson, I learned I developed my hero all wrong.The town’s weirdo is suspected of kidnapping a missing teen by a grief-stricken investigator. Things turn for the worse when the investigator wakes up partially paralyzed and the weirdo is his only hope for survival.
• Hero – Samuel Harrington – a dedicated investigator grieving the death of his once kidnapped sister.
• Villain – Judas – a strong methodical mastermind and killer.
• High Stakes – Samuel has to rescue the missing girl she’s murdered.
• Life and death situations: Missing girl’s life is at risk. Samuel is being held hostage, and his life is at risk. The waitress’ life is at risk.
• The story is thrilling because it’s suspenseful throughout as Samuel tries to solve the mystery of the missing girl and stop the killer.Big Mystery: Where is the missing girl?
Big Intrigue: Who kidnapped the girl and why? Is it the weirdo Dick Looney? Who is Dick Looney? Why is he so weird? What are his secrets? Why are his bullies disappearing?
Big Suspense: Samuel needs to find the missing girl and the killer before he/she strikes again.
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by Nadira Pankey.
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Sounds fun!
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This reply was modified 11 months ago by
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“Sangre”
What I learned doing this assignment is that being specific can help clarify the story you’re trying to tell.
Logline 1:
A retired soccer star has to survive the darkness of his past and the evil that lurks in the jungle.
Logline 2:
A degenerate soccer legend and his longtime sports agent struggle to survive the jungles of Colombia and the monster that awaits them.1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: A pompous soccer legend who has been pampered his whole career has to fend off his manager trying to kill him and a mother who will do anything to feed her daughter.
Dangerous Villain: Manager, the Mother’s love for her daughter’s survival.
High stakes:Everything in the jungle can kill you, even the things you don’t expect.
Life and death situations: Survive jungle life, falling off a cliff, bugs, snakes, pumas, alligators, and the unknown.
This story is thrilling because?
One man needs to survive after beings attacked by everything.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? What purpose does this aging legend have in life now that soccer is over and who is trying to kill him and which will succeed.
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?Why does the young girl need blood to survive.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? The jungle, the manager, and the mother all prey upon our hero, but his worst nightmare is the mysterious girl hungry for blood, oh and there’s a twist of the reptilian kind. -
Joan Philo
Big MISWhat I learned doing this assignment is that I need to decide what the clandestine plot that will live under the surface will be, and that I need to add more mystery to the villain.
The Vanishing is a feature 1960’s thriller script about a 12-year-old girl, with a history of “crying wolf” who must convince the police that the man they have behind bars for the kidnapping of a college student, is the wrong guy, or the sick fuck she saw in the field shoving a girl into his truck, will murder her too.
What are the conventions of your story?
• Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Maura McMahon, 12-year-old, who burned down the college field grassy hill at the age of 3, and then lied about it, blaming it on two men in jeans.
• Dangerous Villain: Paul Stevens, 30’s, stalker of the college girls living in the Dominican dorms. Husband of Jane Stevens, 20’s, father of twin 7-year-old girls.
• High Stakes: Murder of college girls, Maura plays a dangerous game of spying on Paul, she could lose her life
• This story is thrilling because it’s a cat and mouse chess game between Paul, Maura, the cops, and her safety conscious parents, who won’t let her have any freedom.Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
• Big Mystery: Where are the kidnapped girls and how is Maura’s spying on Paul go undetected by him, or is it?
• Big Intrigue: The clandestine plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie is?
• Big Suspense: The main danger to Maura is that Paul will murder her to keep her silent.
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