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Lesson 8: Emotions of Love – Part 1
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What I learned from this lesson was how to incorporate emotions into the scenes of the Rom-Com.
TODAY’S ROM COM EMOTIONS
• Attraction
• Desire
• Yearning
• Doubt
• Jealousy
1. Attraction – Scene: Audition
Count Dracul sweeps Sophia off her feet during his audition. He finds her to be a strong woman capable of being his equal in the stare-down. He finds this to be an attractive characteristic. Count Dracul is not used to women resisting his charms and hypnotic trance. He discusses this at great length with Ron and Bo, his servants, and later with Chris as he struggles to come to terms with someone as powerful as himself.2. Desire – Scene: After winning the role Count Dracul meets with the cast and Sophia’s team.
Count Dracul and Sophia discuss her stage sets with the authentic castle and village. He offers her advice on what the inside of the castle contains, and she is thrilled to find someone interested in her unique design. She seeks him out for advice even though her work is already extraordinary. Count Dracul makes himself available for her to discuss details about the castle.3. Yearning – Scene: After an evening Rehearsal
Sophia yearns to be taken seriously as an artist and set designer and Count Dracul provides her with moral support when the crew laughs at her rotating set piece. Count Dracul yearns for someone to take a real interest in his castle and discusses a restoration project with her.4. Doubt – Scene: Sophia’s apartment after Count Dracul’s breakthrough
Sophia is struggling to understand how Count Dracul could leave after sex because it is close to dawn. Is he really a vampire or just out of sunscreen?5. Jealousy – Scene: Sophia and Chris save the Production
Jerry the Producer tries to seduce Sophia with future work if she agrees to become his girlfriend. Her looks and personality would do wonders for sealing deals. Sophia pays him to continue the play after he threatens to shut it down unless he receives his weekly stipend. Chris provides the money to Sophia after selling the real vampire stake to a collector.Chris is also jealous of the attention she receives from Jerry as well as feeling Count Dracul and Sophia are getting too close. Count Dracul becomes enraged when he thinks Sophia is cheating on him. Chris tries to explain that modern women can date multiple people.
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Renee’s Romance Emotions Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment is how to build the emotions of love into the structure of the story to ensure the audienceAct 1: Setup
Attraction: During the freak storm at a high school event, Mike creates a makeshift shelter, which Sarah joins him in. Their initial attraction is sparked by their immediate responses to the crisis—Mike’s quick thinking and resourcefulness appeal to Sarah, while her willingness to jump in and help with the setup shows her proactive nature. This scenario fosters an environment where they appreciate each other's traits, leading to mutual admiration. Their connection is highlighted through shared smiles, laughter at the situation's absurdity, and a sense of teamwork as they manage the shelter together.Act 2: Escalation
Desire: Attraction/Flirting: As they work together on the reunion planning, particularly when discussing decorations and selecting music, their past chemistry reignites. They find themselves drawn to one another, not just physically but emotionally, as they discover their goals and dreams have aligned more than they realized since high school.Yearning: Plan in Action/Denial: Despite the clear chemistry, Sarah remains focused on her career, leading to a yearning from both sides. Mike yearns for a deeper connection, reflecting on what might be if Sarah chose to stay. Sarah, though denying it, starts to feel a pull towards what life with Mike could offer, contrasting with her current lifestyle.
Doubt: Midpoint Turning Point: After her ex’s dramatic claim of engagement and the subsequent fire, Sarah starts to doubt her worth in relationships, wondering if her life choices have made her undesirable or unsuitable for a fulfilling personal life, especially compared to Mike’s apparent simplicity and contentment.
Jealousy: Mike’s Major Conflict/Obstacle: Seeing Sarah’s ex assert himself as her fiancé sparks jealousy in Mike, combined with his feelings of inadequacy. This not only causes emotional turmoil but also pushes him to reconsider his passive stance in both his personal and professional life.
Act 3: Complications and Higher Stakes
Desire: Separation/Forced Together: Forced to spend a day together visiting potential new locations, their desire is rekindled amid shared challenges and close quarters, reminding them of their deep compatibility and the potential for a future together.Yearning: Working through Issues/Differences: Their heartfelt conversations about past mistakes and current fears amplify the yearning as they both realize how much they’ve missed and needed each other’s presence and support in their lives.
Doubt: Hate/Betrayal/All Hope is Lost: When Sarah overhears Mike expressing doubts about her commitment to anything beyond her career, it fuels her own doubts, not just about their relationship but also about her life choices and priorities.
Jealousy: Turning Point: The announcement of Sarah’s job overseas acts as a trigger for Mike’s jealousy, not towards another person but towards the career that seems to be taking Sarah away from him, highlighting his fear of losing her to her professional aspirations.
Act 4: Climax and Resolution
Yearning: Mike’s Journey to London: Mike’s decision to pursue Sarah in London is driven by a powerful yearning for a life that includes love and personal happiness rather than just the comfort of the known.Desire: Love Happens: In their final reunion, the desire they’ve held back throughout the story culminates in a decision to prioritize their relationship, choosing a future together that balances both love and career ambitions.
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Rita’s Romance Emotions – Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment:
— Consciously focusing on each of these emotions in scenes where they are most appropriate really adds to depth of the characters’ interactions.
— I think I’ll need to go back later to make sure it isn’t overdone or clumsy.
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ASSIGNMENT:1. Look through your outline and find places you can build these emotions in scenes:
Attraction — Meet cute. It’s an awkward meeting with the woman in front of a palm reader’s shop. I added more dialog to add sort of a start/stop kind of meeting that goes wrong but with more potential for future “they’ll be together” vibes.
Desire — Second meeting. Brief. I added more reason for desire to make Ben ask her to coffee. She’s still scattered but in a short sundress. He’s still a random dude but she likes that he lets his dog’s judge of character override his hesitancy to act on his desire.
Yearning — at their next meeting, yearning definitely made these scenes more emotional and less like just annoying rom-com not getting together yet.
Doubt — meeting at a dive bar in their sleep, more doubt was added, creating depth and meaning to the scene.
Jealousy — there are other circumstances and feelings to cause conflicts in this story but not a great deal of need for jealousy between the two main characters. Jealousy is built into secrets the female protagonist discovers in her transformational journey. I added some jealousy in with the doubt scene.
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Brenda Clarke
What I loved about this is that this lesson gives as the opportunities to dive deeper into the characters and their emotions 🙂Emotions of Love Part 1.
ATTRACTION Meet-Cute at the garage, Mollie is instantly smitten with this stunningly attractive woman who turns up out of the blue at the garage. She takes her for a jaunt in one of her gizmo’s an electric tricycle.
Lady Cornelia Lyttleton alias Jean Horton, is at first mildly curious about Mollie upon their first meeting but it isn’t until she arrives at her family mansion to discuss driving lessons that she is attracted to Mollie and her sense of humour.
DESIRE Mollie more connected to her emotions wants to sleep with Jean, but lacks confidence because of the social divide.
Jean packs a picnic for her second driving lesson, she too now has a desire to know Mollie on a more intimate level.
YEARNING Mollie having slept with Jean yearns for a long-term relationship but doubts if it is ever possible.
Jean spurred on by her friend Ethel decides to give the servants time off, in order for her to have her way with Mollie, when she invites back to her London home for supper.
DOUBT Mollie doubts Jean’s love for her when she finds a letter addressed to Lady Cornelia Lyttleton, and that she has been lying to her about her real identity. This causes her to leave and left Jean feeling guilty for not telling Mollie sooner.
JEALOUSY is depicted by the older lesbian character Ethel, who when seeing the two young women together and so madly in love with each other decides to see if she can bed Mollie.
After Mollie drives Ethel back from a meeting, she is invited inside only to have Ethel try and seduce her. Mollie thwarts her advances and says her heart is lost to Jean/Cornelia and will have nothing to do with Ethel. Ethel, devastated is left hot under the collar. This should be a good opportunity for some more comedy.-
This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Brenda Clarke.
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This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by
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2. Attraction/Flirting: There is none. They’re both acting awful to each other but the attraction is there. ATTRACTION: Backwards glances, stopping themselves from trying to be charming. Previously having described perfect type.
3. Denial: She takes him home to have sex and it’s clear they’re afraid of the feelings. DESIRE: They want to have sex, both of them, but need it to be safe and not wanting anything. So they decide to just be clinical.
4. Separation/Forced Together: Grandma insists on meeting him so she takes Eamon to meet her. There’s a crisis and they bond so Charlie tells Eamon about her death curse, which rattles him. They realize they can’t see each other as much, and just meet occasionally for no strings sex. YEARNING: They want so much more than they’re allowing themselves to have. Grandma’s admiration for them makes them want it more.
5. Working through Issues/Differences: Eamon disappears for two weeks and when they finally see each other, they end up in bed. DOUBT: He isn’t even calling for sex. Maybe they really don’t have anything at all. She sees him with other women the JEALOUSLY is intense but she has no right to have it. -
Kimbal Thompson: Lesson 8: Emotions of Love – Part 1 ASSIGNMENT:
What I learned doing this assignment is the life situations and how they can alter emotions..
1. Look through your outline and find places you can build these emotions in scenes:
• Attraction: Initial scene at new summer school class
• Desire: In summer school class, when arriving back from Boston, Approaching house after
• Yearning: Arriving at house, arriving back at house following dinner
• Doubt: his date arriving, his date arriving back at house late at night, “Nobody home”
• Jealousy: Dinner scene with girlfriend and former high school girlfriend, Dinner scene following arrival from Boston and date. Pole dancing scene.
2. For each emotion, tell us what the scene is about and how you build the emotion into it.• Attraction: On the first morning of summer college studio class, Margo’s eyes met Keaton’s as she approached the studio entrance. Inside the studio, seated back-to-back she asked Keaton for his astrological sign. He responded by tossing his Pisces key fob over his shoulder just as a similar one landed on his desk. Turning to face each other they both simultaneously said “March Fourth.”
• Desire: Back in Boston, she realizes how much she misses Hawaii and, also thinks of Keaton and decides to return.
• Yearning: Arriving in Hawaii, she takes a cab to downtown Honolulu. Just as she exits the cab with only her purse and large design portfolio, Keaton’s coincidently exiting his office building and sees Margo. He takes the rest of the day off , they pick up her luggage from the airport, have lunch, and he offers to let her stay at his house for the night. She accepts his offer.
• Doubt: As they enter his house, set down her luggage, he realizes he has a date that evening and she is on her way over. She arrives, sees Margo and her suitcase. Keaton makes introductions, then suggests they all go out to dinner together. It does not go well. Following dinner, his date leaves. Margo and Keaton stay up talking, he says she doesn’t have to stay in the extra bedroom . Margo opts for the guest bedroom.
• Jealousy: Keaton’s date returns later that night crawling in his window. Margo decides to leave Keaton’s the next morning. -
Stuart’s Romance Emotions Part 1
What I learned from this assignment is the crucial role that romance emotions play in shaping both the overall character journeys and the individual scenes. It was challenging to stay focused on the emotional shifts within scenes while still plotting out the broader story. However, exploring the sequence of emotions has helped me assess the purpose of each scene and maintain story momentum. To stay on deadline, I’m sharing my scene explorations from Act I.
Scene: Remi dumps Julian
Remi: Doubt → Anger (possibly Betrayal)
Julian: Doubt → BetrayalRemi’s Doubt: Remi has doubted Julian’s feelings for her. Does he love her? Does he really know? She wants to test him in this scene. They’re celebrating their relationship, and he gives her the usual gift—she expects it—and she’s angry. Julian says he loves her, but Remi challenges him: “Do you really know what love feels like?” Now Julian feels doubt. Anger pushes Remi to dump him, and she surprises him with the news that she’s studying abroad in France and wants to go with an untethered, open heart. Remi asks him, “How do you feel now?” He feels betrayal.
Scene: Meet-Cute – Julian collides with Angelina
Julian: Anger → Attraction → Anger → Doubt
Angelina: Yearning → Attraction → AngerJulian’s Anger: Frustrated after being dumped by Remi, he goes for an intense early morning rowing session on the Charles River. Angelina is also in a small boat on the river, relaxing and drawing. She’s sketching the activity on the river, notices Julian across the water, and is taken by his determined rowing. She includes him in the sketch (yearning, he’s at a physical distance, but she’s drawn to him). She’s interrupted by a phone call from her mom in Venice, who wants to know when she’ll return. Her mother is arranging two events, one for each suitor pursuing her heart. Angry, Angelina argues with her mother and stands up in the boat. Julian accidentally plows into Angelina’s boat, causing her to fall into the Charles River. Julian dives in after her. She impulsively pushes him away, but their eyes connect—a flash of attraction—quickly derailed by her anger at Julian for causing the collision. She fights him as he tries to help her back into the boat and notices the water-soaked sketch of himself. She wads it up and throws it at him. She ends the scene angry with her mother and showing anger at Julian. Julian ends the scene angry and doubtful.
Scene: Angelina is Julian’s guest lecturer!
Julian: Betrayal → Yearning → Doubt
Angelina: Yearning → Betrayal → YearningJulian arrives minutes late to his Romance in Art seminar, but the professor announces that the guest lecturer is also running late. Angelina arrives, and Julian recognizes her. She’s yearning to share her perspectives on art and romance with the students and calls on them to interpret the artwork she shows. Julian tries to avoid getting picked. She shows a painting of a couple on a boat and is intrigued by one student’s Italian name, “Rossi.” She calls on him, and Julian reluctantly raises his hand. She recognizes him! The two verbally spar over the painting, engaging in a blaming game that confuses the students—both feel betrayal and yearning, but they shut it down, reminding themselves they are professor and student. Doubt sets in. She gives the class their assignment: create a piece of art that conveys love or romance in their life.
Scene: Julian struggles with the assignment.
Julian: Yearning (for Remi) → Betrayal → Jealousy → DoubtHow does a broken heart feel? He yearns and decides to surprise Remi to win her back. He’s humiliated and sees her with friends, including a guy friend—betrayal. Jealous, he tackles the art assignment, but it’s a mess. The assignment defeats him—doubt!
Scene: Angelina critiques student work.
Angelina: Yearning
Julian: Doubt → JealousyAngelina yearns for students to share their perspectives on love. She critiques several assignments. Jealousy builds in Julian as he wishes he could have a similar experience to what students share in their work. He doesn’t turn in his assignment.
Scene: Attraction at the wine and cheese gala.
Julian: Doubt → Attraction
Angelina: Yearning → AttractionJulian and Angelina have an encounter. Julian is doubting love altogether and hands her his assignment. Yearning, she supports the effort and questions, “Is this love?” He confesses his jealousy. He admits he’s failed the class and doesn’t know what true love is. She remembers his name and asks whether he’s related to the famous Rossi family, the gondola builders, and gondolier trainers. But she doubts it based on his weak rowing skills. Playful banter, laughter, their hands brush accidentally, and they feel something—attraction.
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Lynn’s Romance Emotions Part 1
WHAT I LEARNED doing this assignment is that emotions can grip the audience. In fact, I came to realize the audience may be feeling more emotion at certain point than the characters (and vice versa).
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Look through your outline and find places you can build these emotions in scenes.
For each emotion, tell us what the scene is about and how you build the emotion into it:ATTRACTION/DESIRE
— First scene with Ethan; he is at work with friend Paul discussing holiday plans — Tilly’s family is arranging a date for Tilly with Paul. Paul shows Ethan Tilly’s photo. Because Ethan finds her attractive (Action: Ethan sees her beauty and stifles his attraction) he is against his friend dating her, because he was left broken-hearted by a glamorous woman. Then on P19: Ethan, home alone on his laptop, can’t take his eyes off Tilly on her magazine website. Talks to himself: “She is a beauty… All the more reason to run away fast, Paul.”
——- By the time Ethan meets Tilly in person on P35-36 when she saves his life, not knowing she is Tilly, he says, “You’re a saint.” This is what he said about his plain jane girlfriend on P7 (because of her taking care of her sickly father), so it’s a different type of attraction. Then as she treats him for frostnip, Ethan’s grateful face looks adoringly at her close face. And a page later: She glances up at him. They smile warmly. They share a moment of magnetic connection, more than mere attraction, which is also there. Ethan breaks the spell–he has to–and looks at his foot, wriggling his toes. ETHAN: “Big Foot.” (in reference to her calling him Yeti when he appeared at her door). And the attraction phase continues…
— As for Tilly, she is against getting involved with anyone, having been used by a guy she loved. This plays out through the end of Act 1 when she gets angry with her family for trying to set her up with a blind date. However, when Ethan appears at her door all covered in snow and frost on P35, she somewhat affectionately calls him “Yeti.” Then, as above, they “share a moment” on P37.
——- By the next morning Tilly has come to know Ethan is determined to risk danger to travel to Chicago to propose to his girlfriend and attend her father’s funeral: Tilly is bit disappointed and mumbles to herself: “All the good ones are taken.”DESIRE/YEARNING
— In Act 2 as Tilly and Ethan are holed up together, fleeting moments of desire flare up, but are suppressed because of Ethan’s commitment to his girlfriend. These increase.
— In Act 3 things take a different turn after Ethan’s girlfriend dumps him for an old beau. Their desire continues to increase, but now Ethan suppresses it because Tilly is the woman his best friend Paul plans to date and is really into it (the woman Ethan first discouraged Paul from in Act 1, then was all for their dating/love in Act 2, and is now conflicted between loyalty to Paul and his own growing love for Tilly in Act 3)
— In Act 4 when all is lost — Tilly angry that Ethan was in on setting her up on the blind date, thinking he was only playing her for that; Paul for suspecting Ethan loves Tilly and is angry with Ethan for not being forthcoming about all that was going on — Ethan leaves, yearning for Tilly, at least to make amends, and for his friendship with Paul.DOUBT
— I’ve made it fairly clear from the beginning Tilly and Ethan are the leading characters (with differences that could help fulfill the other’s needs, and similarities in being dumped and other experiences). However, throughout Act 1 there is doubt (on the part of the audience) Tilly will even fall for Ethan or that she might fall for his friend Paul instead of Ethan.
— Throughout Act 1 there is doubt (on the part of the audience) Ethan’s relationship with his girlfriend will somehow end and that he will fall for the very type of glamorous woman he is determined never to fall for again.
— There is no hope for their relationship in Act 2, due to Ethan’s commitment to his girlfriend.
— In Act 3 things take a different turn after Ethan’s is dumped. He struggles to be loyal to Paul, hoping Paul is not that serious about Tilly, hoping Tilly will not be interested in Paul. But his loyalty compels him to at least let Paul have his try. He doubts he has much chance with Tilly, then when the issue that she has a boyfriend back east comes up (she is just using that to get her family off her back) Ethan doubts either he or Paul have a chance with her.
——- In a scene in the middle of Act 3 assistant Susan tells Ethan that Tilly loves him. He his now doubtful they can get together because he cannot backshoot Paul by taking Tilly away.
———— On P71 Ethan asks Paul if he’s “really, really” keen about dating Tilly; Paul says he is, so Ethan says he’ll do what he can to swing her his way. Paul says, “You’re the best friend a guy could have.”
— In Act 3, Tilly doesn’t have much doubt that Ethan will eventually come around after healing from him being dumped, which makes for a comedy conflict — Tilly into Ethan, Ethan into her, but trying all sorts of tactics to dissuade her.
— End of Act 3 Tilly finds out Ethan was in on setting her up on the blind date and now thinks he was only playing her for that (betrayal), whereas before she thought his reticence was because he only needed time to heal from being dumped. She doubts he ever loved her or was into her (also echoes the bad experience she had with an earlier guy).JEALOUSY
— More disappointment than jealousy: In Act 2, Tilly feels bad that Ethan is “taken” (committed to another).
— More disappointment than jealousy and worry for Paul’s prospects with Tilly: In Act 3 Ethan guesses (wrongly) that Tilly has a serious boyfriend back East.
— End of Act 3 Paul becomes irately jealous on P87 when he figures Ethan is in love with Tilly and taking her away from him (he hasn’t even dated her yet).
— Paul gets jealous on P102 (5 pages from the end), after falling for Susan instead of Tilly, when Ethan calls Susan to figure out what he should do after messing up the second time. Paul grabs the phone and tells him, “Just-just you stay away from my daisy [ref to Susan].” -
Pat's Romance Emotions – Part 1
What I learned is that I have barely scratched the surface of the emotions that I can build into my script. I plan to keep the list of emotions in front of me when I flesh out my outline. This exercise is so amazingly beneficial.
Attraction:
Inciting Incident: Jaki is embarrassed to be wearing a clown suit while she does an embarrassing welcoming dance for a man entering an assisted living home. She notices Mitch and can’t help but be attracted to his caring attitude and good looks.Mitch, on the other hand, has embarrassingly taken Jaki to be a man in drag in the clown suit. After realizing she’s a good-looking woman, he feels an initial attraction to her.
Later in Act 1: Mitch joins Jaki and his dad on the way to an ice cream shop. Though Jaki is still in her gold digger mode and thinks she has her sights set on Mitch’s dad, she enjoys Mitch’s humor.
Desire:
Mitch visits the strip club that he intends to buy. Though Jaki has retired from stripping and is now a bartender, she is on a pole, doing some outrageous moves. Mitch ignores the younger strippers and can’t take his eyes off of Jaki.At the assisted living home where Jaki volunteers she starts to constantly watch the front door in the hopes that Mitch will enter to visit his dad.
In an accidental meeting in a park, Jaki lets her guard down and initiates a kiss with Mitch, only to be startled by her own actions and she runs off.
Yearning:
Jaki becomes distracted while she and a friend are serving a meal to homeless folks only because she can’t stop thinking about Mitch.Mitch has turned against Jaki due to believing that she stole his dad’s vintage Rolex, yet he feels like a fool for having her banned from the assisted living home where his dad is a resident.
Jaki attempts to go on a date with another man, but when she sees Mitch out with another woman she abandons her date, unable to handle Mitch with someone else.
Doubt:
When Jaki learns that Mitch intends to buy the strip club that she had hoped to purchase she doubts herself and her ability to find a man who could care for her.Mitch doubts himself after thinking that Jaki, like his gold digger ex-wife, is only after his money.
Jealousy:
This is a hard one. I don’t see either character as jealous people. Jealousy may or may not be a part of the script. I’ll have to keep thinking about this one.-
This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by Pat Fitzgerald.
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This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Terrie’s Romance Emotions Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment is that highlighting emotional content doesn’t come easily to me. So this exercise is very important to my development as a screenwriter.
I’ve embedded notes into my outline so just to save time I’ll skip putting details here. -
Joy Smith’s Romance Emotions Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment is… like most of the things around structure and planning, I can be intentional with the emotions and make it fit the story – but being intentional will lead to there being more emotion, which will draw in the reader (and audiences) deeper. For a romcom especially, this can only be a good thing!
I think I’m going to start adding the emotion for each scene to ALL of my new outlines, because it should help me be leaner and write more effectively.
1. Look through your outline and find places you can build these emotions in scenes:
Attraction
Desire
Yearning
Doubt
Jealousy2. For each emotion, tell us what the scene is about and how you build the emotion into it.
I need to go through and check on my outline (and run it through Screenplay Feedback before I start writing) but here’s what I have so far:
Act 1:
Opening: Introduces Stella’s mission (via the inside of the ice cream stand) and Crispin as a reporter.
Emotion: both yearning for something more, even if they don’t quite realize it.
Her initial state: A lone US Marshall, focussed only on her career and catching the bad guys.
His initial state: Also very focussed on work. Struggling to look after his niece.Emotion: both yearning for something more, even if they don’t know it.
Meet-Cute: They meet when Stella is just getting set up with her surveillance van. Crispin’s niece drops an ice cream she bought and is distraught. Stella gives her another one. They both see each other as being caring and good with children.
Emotion: attracted to each other, both by their caring nature (which makes sense as they’re both in somewhat serious, emotionally cold jobs)
Her Meet-Cute moment: Takes pity on what she assumes is a Dad out of his depth, and gives a small child an ice cream to stop them from crying. It’s part of her cover, and it’s Christmas, after all. Stella has been watching the same Santa as the kid.
His Meet-Cute moment: Can’t calm down his niece after she drops her ice cream, distracted by Santa, and is rescued by Stella, who gives her a new one.Emotion: attracted to each other, both by their caring nature (which makes sense as they’re both in somewhat serious, emotionally cold jobs)
Inciting Incident: Her ice cream truck breaks down in front of his car. He reluctantly helps her and they discover they’re going to the same place (he is tailed by the ice cream truck!) as he received a tip about a robbery due to take place.
Emotion: attraction – though expressed as infuriation. Doubt about the initial attraction as well.Attraction/Flirting: After they both head to the same crime scene, they pretend that they’re together, shopping for their child to get access to the store?
Emotion: desire – they’re imagining themselves together, even though only at a very surface level. They both know that they actually want what they’re just playing.
Her initial challenges: Keeping her undercover identity secret – taking work too seriously and lying to Crispin despite feeling attracted to him. Law enforcement don’t trust the press.
His initial challenges: He feels that there’s something not right with Stella. When he’s late to a scoop because her ice cream truck broke down and parked him in, he dislikes her.Emotion: Doubt, in a big way! They’re both worried about the lies that Stella has had to tell due to his job.
Turning Point: After more coincidental meetings, he confronts her in her ice cream truck and says she’s no ice cream seller. She says she is, but has to tell her team he’s on to her.
Emotion: more doubt – this is a big thing that’s keeping them apart. Trust has been lost.
Act 2:
New plan: stay out of each other’s way
Denial: They clash over intelligence and crime scenes and keep arriving at the same place. “Not you again”.Emotion: Attraction in denial again.
Her Major conflict / Obstacle: She’s trying to bust a major crime ring and this local reporter keeps showing up.
His Major conflict / Obstacle: He’s trying to get the scoop of his career, and this ice cream seller keeps showing up at all the crime scenes.Emotion: Attraction in denial, they are doing a terrible job of avoiding each other and a terrible job of expressing their attraction.
Plan in action: See each other everywhere they go – wholesalers, crime scenes, everything.
Emotion: Desire – and maybe a little jealousy if they see each other with different people – this can be an opportunity for comedy and to misinterpret things.
Midpoint Turning Point: Crispin makes a bust – it’s Stella! She confesses she is an undercover Marshall and shares her info with him.
Separation/Forced Together: as above.Emotion: Yearning – they both realize that they need to be honest with each other because they’re getting in each other’s way too much. They can’t lie anymore because their desire is too great.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – they reluctantly work together to try and find the right Santa (the criminal). Stella is unconvinced of his non-law enforcement investigative skills, and Crispin thinks all cops are rubbish/undercover means liar.Emotion: Doubt – a betrayal on confirmation of the lies. Trust is broken, but the attraction is still there, even though there doesn’t seem to be any way forward for them.
Her Self-Reflection: If she wants to get the criminal, she has to trust Crispin.
His Self-Reflection: Maybe not all law enforcement personnel are liars and cheat, and they can work together.Emotion: Desire – even though things look bleak for them as a couple, they can’t walk away. Their strong desire is keeping them together, even though it risks their jobs and professional reputations.
New plan – they realise they’re stronger together, and Crispin plants a piece in the paper about where the hottest new toy is going to be stocked. It’s a trap for Santa and his law enforcement friends.
Emotion: Yearning – if they catch Santa, they can maybe be together. Getting over the obstacle reveals the way forward to what they want.
Working through Issues/Differences – They are put in a situation where they have to trust each other to help the investigation.
Emotion: Desire – they’re shown by their proximity that they still desire each other and a future together.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – lots of parents show up, trying to buy the toy, the parents get a bit antsy, a bit of disorder/argy bargy (not a riot!) and the cops step in. Now Santa knows that the cops are onto him!
Her Acceptance and Growth: Stella realises she needs some roots after all, as she faces Christmas alone, staking out a criminal in an ice cream van.Emotion: Doubt – they’ve blown it yet again. Maybe they’re not as good together as they think they are.
Act 4:
Demonstrate the change: They trust each other enough to set up a sting, without their superior’s permission, and face the consequences together, as a team.Emotion: Desire – there’s no rational reason for their actions, given everything that’s happened, other than redeeming themselves to each other.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: they are chastised by their superiors, and have to work as part of larger teams, and with each other, to make sure they catch Santa.
Emotion: Jealousy – they’re split up and have to work closely with different partners.
His Acceptance and Growth: Crispin wants a little more adventure in his life, and this US Marshall has certainly provided it so far.
Emotion: Desire – he can’t deny it at all now.
Hate/Betrayal/All Hope is Lost: Santa and his gang now know that they’re onto him. They both get in trouble with their agencies for arranging the unsanctioned sting. How will they catch Santa now?
Emotion: Doubt – how will they move forward?
Resolution: They catch Santa, distribute the must have toys to every kid in Monterey, and get together.
Reunion: They work together through Christmas Eve to ensure each child wakes up to a toy on Christmas morning.
Love Happens: They work as part of a team, realise how well they work when they’re together, and catch Santa. Then distribute a toy to every kid in Monterey.
Emotion: Desire and attraction working together to form love.
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This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by Joy Smith.
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This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Dean's Romance Emotions Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment is… how to turn a motion picture into an emotion picture. ;oP
Meet-Cute:
Emotion: Attraction / Doubt
When Ethan clumsily falls into the water trying to reel in a fish, Sophie laughs. Despite the awkwardness, there is a spark of attraction that neither wants to admit. Ethan is slightly charmed by her laughter, but doubt immediately follows—both of them internally dismiss the idea that they could be attracted to each other.
Inciting Incident:Emotion: Doubt
Here, as they start to rehearse scenes together, they feel doubt about the chemistry they are expected to have on screen. Both Ethan and Sophie are unsure if they can work well together, and their off-camera animosity makes them question whether they can pull off a convincing romance.
Attraction/Flirting:
Emotion: Attraction
While bickering off-camera, Ethan and Sophie start sharing inside jokes and develop playful banter. The attraction is evident in how they tease and lightly flirt, even if they don't fully recognize it. This tension adds an interesting dynamic, with attraction bubbling under the surface.
Turning Point:
Emotion: Doubt
The argument that causes the fire on set represents a major doubt in their professional relationship. Both Ethan and Sophie feel unsure about their ability to work together, and this doubt extends into their personal feelings—they are frustrated with each other but also with the undeniable tension between them.
Act 2: The Connection Deepens
New Plan:
Emotion: Yearning > Doubt
As they try to work together to improve their on-screen chemistry, Sophie and Ethan both start feeling a yearning for a genuine connection. However, this yearning quickly turns into doubt—they second-guess their motivations and wonder if their connection is just a result of the film or if it's something deeper.
Working Through Issues/Differences:
Emotion: Desire > Yearning
When they open up to each other about their personal tragedies (Sophie’s loss of a friend and Ethan’s loss of his wife), this vulnerability creates desire—an emotional and perhaps physical desire for each other, driven by the realization that they are more alike than they thought. The desire subtly transitions into yearning, as both of them start to crave a deeper connection, not just as co-stars but as real people.
Plan in Action:
Emotion: Attraction > Desire
As their on-screen chemistry improves, the attraction between them strengthens. However, this attraction gradually builds into desire—a desire for more than just a professional relationship. The lines between their roles and reality begin to blur, as the romantic tension between them grows.
Midpoint Turning Point:
Emotion: Jealousy > Doubt
Once their off-screen "romance" is used to promote the movie, jealousy starts to creep in. Ethan may feel jealous seeing Sophie interact with others on set, while Sophie feels doubt about the authenticity of their relationship. They both wonder if the attraction and chemistry they’re experiencing are just for show or if it’s real
Act 3: The Conflict and Growth
Rethink Everything:
Emotion: Doubt > Yearning
After the movie becomes a hit, Sophie feels betrayed by Ethan’s comment about their “fake” romance. Doubt overwhelms her—doubt about his feelings and doubt about her own. But beneath that doubt is a powerful yearning for Ethan to prove her wrong, to show that the connection they shared wasn’t just an act.
Hate/Betrayal/All Hope is Lost:
Emotion: Betrayal > Doubt
Sophie’s doubt reaches its peak here. She questions everything—whether Ethan ever had real feelings for her, and whether she had been foolish for developing feelings for him. This doubt becomes a block that keeps her from accepting his apologies or believing in their connection.
New Plan:
Emotion: Yearning > Desire
After Gwen tells Ethan that Sophie genuinely loves him, Ethan realizes his own feelings of yearning for Sophie. His desire to make things right grows stronger, pushing him to organize the grand romantic gesture. This yearning transitions into desire—a desire not only to win Sophie back but to be vulnerable and show her his true self.
Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift:
Emotion: Desire > Doubt
When Ethan’s initial grand gesture fails, his desire to make things right turns into doubt—he doubts whether Sophie will ever forgive him or if their connection was ever real. Sophie, too, is torn between desire and doubt, wanting to believe in Ethan’s sincerity but still feeling unsure if she can trust him.
Act 4: The Resolution
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict:
Emotion: Yearning > Desire
During the final grand gesture at the fishing village, both Sophie and Ethan experience a mix of yearning and desire. Sophie yearns for Ethan to finally prove that his feelings are genuine, while Ethan desires nothing more than to show Sophie how much he truly cares. The tension between the two emotions culminates in a heartfelt confession.
Demonstrate the Change:
Emotion: Desire
As Ethan confesses his love during the special event, desire drives his actions—he desires to make up for his past mistakes and desires to be with Sophie. Sophie, moved by his vulnerability, lets her own desire for love and connection guide her response.
Reunion (Story Breakdown / Yearning):
Emotion: Yearning
As Sophie forgives Ethan, both of them feel a sense of yearning—not just for each other, but for a new beginning together. The yearning transitions into contentment as they embrace and look forward to a future both on and off-screen.
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This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by Dean Burkey.
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This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by
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