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Lesson 8
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Dean’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is how to make sure each character serves a defined purpose and gets fleshed out properly too.
I was going to say that’s so cool that you mentioned The Thing, because I just watched that the other day, but then I remembered that I just watched that the other day, because it was part of our homework. ;oP
1. Anna
Role/Function in the Story: A young mother and one of the main protagonists, Anna is a symbol of hope and resilience, driven by her love for her son.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Caring, determined, resourceful, empathetic.
Fears (Primal Fears): Losing her son and being powerless to protect him.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Anna wants to protect her son and keep him safe, and she needs to find a way to overcome the Myst to survive.
Likability / Rooting Factors: Anna’s love for her son, her determination to protect others, and her willingness to connect make her very likable and easy to root for.
How They React Under Stress: Under stress, Anna becomes proactive—she takes charge, tries to connect with others, and doesn’t give in to fear easily.
Relationship with Other Characters: She tries to support and form a bond with Daniel. She listens to Dr. Evelyn Hart’s advice and tries to keep everyone together.
Character Intro:
Anna is a young mother living in Eldergrove. She enjoys taking her son to community picnics and concerts, which shows her love for connecting with others. This foreshadows her willingness to try and form connections even in dire situations.
Role: Leader/Protector.
Denial:
Anna initially believes the disappearances might be a misunderstanding, possibly lost people in the fog. She stays positive for her son’s sake but starts to believe in the true horror once Sarah disappears.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When she sees Sarah consumed by the Myst, she immediately becomes hyper-vigilant, holding her son close and urging the others to stay together.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Anna takes on a leadership role, trying to unite the others and keep hope alive. She tries to get others to focus on protecting each other and sharing their fears.
How They Fight Back:
Anna uses empathy and connection as her weapon against the Myst. She attempts to form a genuine bond with Daniel, believing that unity and shared hope are the keys to survival.
End Point:
Anna and Dr. Hart survive the Myst, only to step outside where a sniper guns her down.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Anna’s death reveals that the Myst is far more sinister than just a supernatural force gone wild.
2. Marcus
Role/Function in the Story: An elderly widower who represents the vulnerability of loss and the power of the Myst to exploit emotional wounds.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Melancholic, nostalgic, vulnerable, traditional.
Fears (Primal Fears): Being alone and unable to reunite with his deceased wife.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Marcus wants to find peace and be reunited with his wife.
Likability / Rooting Factors: Marcus’s grief and his devotion to his late wife make him a sympathetic character.
How They React Under Stress: He withdraws, becomes more vulnerable, and succumbs to the whispers of the Myst. He eventually gives up and steps into the Myst willingly.
Relationship with Other Characters: He is protective of the group but also fearful, leading to disagreements. He initially tries to barricade the group, thinking that it will keep them safe.
Character Intro:
Marcus is an elderly widower who spends time alone reminiscing about his wife. He attends community events but mostly watches from the sidelines, showing his struggle with loneliness.
Role: Skeptic/Reluctant Participant.
Denial:
Marcus believes that the disappearances are simply accidents. He is resistant to the idea that something supernatural is at play and thinks that if they barricade themselves, they’ll be safe.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When Sarah disappears, Marcus becomes visibly shaken but still tries to rationalize it, believing that she must have gotten lost.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Marcus is distrustful and skeptical. He argues for barricading the doors and staying inside, which creates conflict with Claire, who wants to take action.
How They Fight Back:
Marcus does not fight back in the traditional sense. Instead, he retreats inward, trying to block out the horrors. Eventually, the whispers become too much for him, and he gives in to the Myst.
End Point:
Marcus steps into the Myst willingly, drawn by the voice of his deceased wife, showing how his loneliness was his ultimate downfall.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Marcus’s death shows that giving in to past regrets and failing to move forward leaves one vulnerable to the Myst. Emotional stagnation becomes a key vulnerability.
3. Claire
Role/Function in the Story: A reclusive artist who symbolizes self-imposed isolation, her inability to trust makes her an easy target for the Myst.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Introverted, stubborn, distrustful, creative.
Fears (Primal Fears): Being judged or misunderstood, losing control.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Claire wants to maintain her independence and avoid showing vulnerability.
Likability / Rooting Factors: Claire’s complexity, her desire to find her missing cat, and her creative perspective make her interesting, though her distrust can be alienating.
How They React Under Stress: Claire withdraws from others and avoids seeking help, eventually isolating herself and refusing to communicate.
Relationship with Other Characters: She clashes with Marcus and others who want her to stay inside, and her mistrust creates a barrier between her and the group.
Character Intro:
Claire is a reclusive artist who prefers to spend time with her cat and paint rather than socialize. She is creative but has a hard time trusting people, even at community events.
Role: Loner/Skeptic.
Denial:
Claire initially thinks the others are exaggerating and believes she should take care of herself rather than rely on others. She dismisses the supernatural explanations for the disappearances.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When the horror becomes undeniable, Claire is scared but refuses to show vulnerability. She becomes desperate to find her cat, which leads to tension with Marcus.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Claire grows more isolated, distrusting Marcus and avoiding making connections with others. Her fear of vulnerability keeps her distant.
How They Fight Back:
Claire helps Daniel destroy the red antennas. She likes him, but he likes Anna.
End Point:
Claire is too afraid to jump off the roof or rush down the ladder, so the Myst gets her when she helps Daniel destroy red antennas.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Claire’s death highlights that fear and hesitation can make individuals easy prey for the Myst, which feeds on negative emotions.
4. Daniel
Role/Function in the Story: A schoolteacher burdened with guilt for not being able to protect the children, representing the impact of regret.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Responsible, guilt-ridden, empathetic, intelligent.
Fears (Primal Fears): Failing those who depend on him, especially the children he was supposed to protect.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Daniel wants to atone for what he perceives as his failures and find a way to keep others safe.
Likability / Rooting Factors: His dedication to his students, his empathy, and his willingness to help others make Daniel easy to sympathize with.
How They React Under Stress: Under stress, Daniel becomes erratic, overwhelmed by his guilt, and eventually sacrifices himself in a misguided attempt to save Anna.
Relationship with Other Characters: He forms a bond with Anna, and they try to keep each other strong. He respects Dr. Evelyn Hart and listens to her advice.
Character Intro:
Daniel is the village schoolteacher who loves his students. He is responsible and cares deeply for the children, making him feel a strong sense of guilt when they disappear.
Role: Caregiver/Guilt-Bearer.
Denial:
Daniel tries to rationalize the disappearances, believing he should have done more to protect the children. His denial is rooted in guilt and responsibility.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When the horror becomes undeniable, Daniel is devastated and becomes increasingly erratic, overwhelmed by the weight of his guilt.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Daniel becomes desperate to protect others and atone for his perceived failure. He leans on Anna for support and respects Dr. Evelyn’s guidance.
How They Fight Back:
Daniel attempts to fight back by trying to protect Anna and the others. He eventually sacrifices himself to save Anna.
End Point:
Daniel opens his eyes, so he can see to cover Anna’s eyes sure she would open them after her son disappears.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Daniel’s sacrifice illustrates the power of the Myst when it’s full force; and shows he truly loved Anna.
5. Dr. Evelyn Hart
Role/Function in the Story: The psychologist and voice of reason within the group, she tries to understand the Myst and keep the group connected.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Analytical, empathetic, composed, intelligent.
Fears (Primal Fears): Failing to save others, being powerless in the face of an unknown threat.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Dr. Evelyn wants to understand the Myst, keep the survivors connected, and find a way to overcome the threat.
Likability / Rooting Factors: Her intelligence, her willingness to help, and her calm demeanor in the face of chaos make her likable and trustworthy.
How They React Under Stress: She tries to stay rational, encouraging others to stay connected and calm, even when things spiral out of control.
Relationship with Other Characters: She tries to lead the group and be a stabilizing force. She forms a partnership with Anna and Daniel in their attempt to fight the Myst.
Character Intro:
Dr. Evelyn Hart is a psychologist who has recently moved to Eldergrove. She is analytical and likes to help people, which is why she takes on a leadership role when the Myst arrives.
Role: Voice of Reason/Leader.
Denial:
Dr. Evelyn is initially skeptical of the supernatural aspect of the Myst, focusing on the psychological impact. Her scientific approach makes her take longer to acknowledge the true nature of the threat.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When she realizes the nature of the Myst, she remains composed and starts analyzing how to survive, quickly pivoting her focus to helping others stay connected.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Evelyn becomes the voice of reason, encouraging the survivors to share their fears and stay connected. She tries to maintain group cohesion.
How They Fight Back:
Dr. Evelyn fights back with knowledge and strategy. She discovers the link between the red antennas and the Myst and tries to disable them to weaken the threat.
End Point:
Although her discovery provides a glimmer of hope, the group is unable to destroy the antennas in time, and her efforts ultimately fail. She is the last survivor until a bullet hits her in the forehead
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Dr. Evelyn’s efforts show that knowledge and understanding can be powerful, but timing and unity are crucial. Her death shows something far more sinister than something supernatural is at work in the Myst.
6. George
Role/Function in the Story: Represents the desperation of the villagers in their attempts to fight back against the Myst.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Resourceful, hopeful, determined.
Fears (Primal Fears): Feeling powerless and unable to protect himself or others.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): George wants to find a practical solution to fight the Myst.
Likability / Rooting Factors: His determination and creative approach to fight back make him sympathetic, though his plan ultimately fails.
How They React Under Stress: George becomes resourceful, trying to solve the problem directly. He uses an electric leaf blower to try and push back the Myst.
Relationship with Other Characters: He is part of the village group trying to survive, and his actions inspire a mix of hope and fear among the others.
Character Intro:
George is a practical man, always looking for a hands-on solution. He spends his time helping neighbors with small repairs, showing his resourcefulness and optimism.
Role: Problem Solver/Optimist.
Denial:
George refuses to believe that the Myst is unstoppable. He thinks there has to be a practical solution and tries to find a way to fight it.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
George grabs an electric leaf blower and tries to use it to fight back against the Myst. He believes action is better than inaction.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
George’s attempt gives the group a mix of hope and fear. Some see him as brave, while others think he’s reckless.
How They Fight Back:
George uses a direct, practical approach, trying to physically repel the Myst with tools he has on hand.
End Point:
His leaf blower fails when the power goes out, and he is swallowed by the Myst. His failure shows the fragility of human tools against supernatural forces.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
George’s death shows that while courage is admirable, practical tools alone are no match for supernatural threats. More is needed than brute force.
7. Tom
Role/Function in the Story: Another desperate villager who tries to improve on George’s failed attempt, representing false hope and the lengths people will go to survive.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Confident, bold, hopeful.
Fears (Primal Fears): Being rendered helpless, failing where others have failed.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Tom wants to succeed where George failed, to find a way to overcome the Myst.
Likability / Rooting Factors: His confidence and willingness to take risks make him relatable, though his recklessness leads to his demise.
How They React Under Stress: Tom reacts by trying to take control, using a gas-powered leaf blower to fight back.
Relationship with Other Characters: Tom’s actions give the villagers false hope, but his failure ultimately adds to their despair.
Character Intro:
Tom is bold and confident, known for his brash nature. He often takes risks, believing that fortune favors the brave.
Role: Risk-Taker/Challenger.
Denial:
Tom believes George’s failure was due to the choice of tools, not the nature of the Myst itself. He thinks he can outsmart the problem.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
Tom confidently grabs a gas-powered leaf blower, determined to succeed where George failed, believing power and confidence will make a difference.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
His confidence gives the group a fleeting moment of hope, but when he fails, it plunges the group into deeper despair.
How They Fight Back:
Tom uses brute force, attempting to physically push back the Myst with more power. He’s convinced he can solve the problem by taking a bigger risk.
End Point:
The gas blower overheats and bursts into flames, and Tom is consumed by the Myst. His failure shows that bravado without understanding is dangerous.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Tom’s death serves as a warning against reckless overconfidence and the danger of relying solely on force without considering the deeper problem.
8. Sarah
Role/Function in the Story: The first victim of the Myst, setting the tone of fear and helplessness in the village.
Traits (Main Characteristics): Fearful, reactive, determined.
Fears (Primal Fears): Fear of the unknown, fear of isolation.
Wants/Needs (Main Motivations): Sarah wants to escape the Myst and survive.
Likability / Rooting Factors: Sarah’s vulnerability and her desperate attempt to escape make her a sympathetic character.
How They React Under Stress: She panics, running blindly through the Myst until she is cornered.
Relationship with Other Characters: Her disappearance terrifies the other villagers and sets off the chain of events that lead to the growing fear and isolation in Eldergrove.
Character Intro:
Sarah is portrayed as a fearful and dependent person. She often follows the lead of others, showing a lack of confidence. She finds solace in community events, but always remains in the background.
Role: Follower/Victim.
Denial:
When the disappearances begin, Sarah denies the true danger, convinced that as long as she stays with the group, she’ll be fine. She doesn’t see the Myst as a personal threat until it’s too late.
Their Reaction at First Horror:
When the Myst surrounds her, Sarah panics. She runs blindly without a plan, unable to face the horror or think clearly. Her flight response is pure instinct, driven by overwhelming fear.
Relation to Group After First Horror:
Sarah’s death acts as a catalyst for fear among the others. She does not live long enough to interact significantly with the group after the first horror, as she is one of the initial victims.
How They Fight Back:
Sarah doesn’t fight back; her immediate instinct is to flee. Her lack of composure and reactive nature prevent her from contributing to the group’s efforts.
End Point:
She is cornered by the Myst in an alleyway and disappears. Her screams are muffled, and she is swallowed by the Myst without leaving a trace.
What Insight Do Their Deaths or Survival Bring?:
Sarah’s death emphasizes the consequences of panic and the inability to stay rational. It shows that losing control and giving in to fear makes a person an easy target for the Myst. It serves as a warning to the group that staying composed and united is vital for survival.
MYST
ACT 1: The Arrival of the Myst
Atmosphere of Evil established: A previous town with red antennas all around has its population plummet to zero thanks to the Myst! And five bullets for the women who survived the Myst.
Monster Reveal: Somehow that Myst did something to almost everyone in that town.
Horror Situation: That town gets enveloped by the Myst.
Reaction: Everyone, except for five women who are found shot, screams and then disappears. (Horrific screams, not just-won-the-lottery screams.)
When informed, the governor orders that that tragedy be kept out of the news. Wealthy elite Hargrove agrees to keep everything quiet.
Welcome to the seaside town of Eldergrove, which seems like an ideal town, with lots of community events and everyone getting along.
Just the sort of out of the way town to get selected by Hargrove Communications to become beta testers for a new Internet / TV service to “connect” them with the real world.
Red antennas pop up all over town.
Less and less people attend the community events.
Six weeks after become beta-testers, that same mysterious Myst visits.
Horror Situation: Some citizens disappear.
Reaction: The others assume they left town for personal reasons. A.k.a. denial!
Monster Reveal: People disappear in the Myst. – Disappear permanently!
Horror Situation: Sarah runs from the Myst, but gets cornered and can’t run anymore.
Reaction: Attempt to escape.
Monster Reveal: People become more aware of the Myst making people disappear.
After Sarah disappears, people begin to consider the real dangers of the Myst.
ACT 2: Fear and Paranoia
Horror Situation: George uses an electric leaf-blower to stave off the Myst. But then the power goes out; and he gets engulfed.
Reaction: Try to solve it.
Monster Reveal: The Myst isn’t as easily stopped.
Horror Situation: Marcus uses a gas-powered leaf-blower, but it bursts into flames.
Reaction: Hide. The others stay locked inside.
Monster Reveal: The Myst defends itself in order to accomplish its goal: The annihilation of everyone in town.
As night falls, the Myst takes on shadowy forms and appears to be alive, stalking the villagers, creating fear and paranoia.
Survivors, including Anna, Marcus, Claire, Daniel, and Dr. Evelyn Hart, stay in the village hall, trying to find safety in numbers.
Horror Situation: The Myst uses the villagers’ fears against them, making them suspicious of one another. Marcus hears the voice of his late wife and steps into the mist.
Reaction: Claire becomes more withdrawn.
Monster Reveal: The Myst knows things about each person, so it’s more than just some Abracadabra fog making people disappear; its a MYSTerious entity instigating and thriving upon people’s fears.
ACT 3: Resolution?
Dr. Evelyn Hart deduces that the Myst feeds on despair and isolation. She tries to keep the group together emotionally, but her warnings are ignored as paranoia grows stronger.
Monster Reveal: She figures out that the Myst has something to do with the beta-test program for Hargrove Communications. The individualized programming separated people, making them more vulnerable and more “attractive” to the Myst.
Survivors start blaming each other for attracting the Myst.
Horror Situation: This division causes Marcus to step into the mist, leading to his disappearance, and
Reaction: Claire isolates herself further.
Monster Reveal: The Myst drives people apart.
Anna tries to connect with Daniel, urging him to stay strong to fight the Myst. Daniel, burdened by guilt and despair, begins to break down, but agrees to help however he can.
They manage to find a glimmer of hope by holding hands and sharing their fears, seemingly weakening the Myst temporarily.
Monster Reveal: Dr. Evelyn Hart pleads for everyone to stay together and to work together to destroy the signal from the red antennas.
Daniel and Claire start knocking down the red antennas.
Monster Reveal: The Myst grows weaker with each newly destroyed red antenna. So the Myst comes at Daniel and Claire full force, Daniel jumps off the roof, but Claire’s too afraid to jump and becomes engulfed by the Myst.
Horror Situation: Claire gets taken by the Myst.
Reaction: Dr. Hart, Anna, her son, and Daniel clutch each other inside a the town hall.
Monster Reveal: The Myst seeps full force through cracks and under the doors to envelope them. Dr. Hart tells them to stay strong and keep their eyes closed.
Horror Situation: Anna’s son becomes curious and peeks. The Myst takes him away.
Reaction: Afraid Anna will open her eyes, Daniel opens his, so he can see to cover Anna’s eyes with his hands, pleading for her to keep them closed.
Horror Situation: Daniel disappears.
Reaction: Dr. Hart and Anna clutch each other with their eyes clenched closed, tears streaming down their faces. The Myst recedes, leaving Dr. Hart and Anna all alone. Eldergrove Population: Two.
Seeing that the Myst receded, Dr. Hart and Anna run outside, sad everyone else died, but happy that they survived. They smile and hug and jump for joy.
Kablam! Kablam! Bullets fired from a sniper hit each of them in their forehead. Eldergrove Population: Zero.
Scientist 1: “Two survived this time. The Myst is getting better.” Scientist 2: “Weird though. How the survivors never men.” The sniper is Scientist 1 who calls Hargrove to inform him that the town has been “evacuated”. The scientists quickly remove and dispose of Dr. Hart and Claire’s bodies.
A government team arrives to investigate the disappearance of everyone, along with Mr. Hargrove, who quickly buys the village under the guise of helping, hinting at further sinister plans. Hargrove agrees to keep everything quiet, so he won’t ruin the governor’s chances of re-election. He also agrees to have his top scientists figure what could be causing such a MYSTerious phenomena.
The Myst rolls into a new, isolated town, teeming with new red antennas. Two scientists oversee the operation from a distance, hinting that Mr. Hargrove has a bigger plan; and the cycle is far from over. So the Myst isn’t so MYSTerious after all, for as long as there is greed and despair, the Myst will be there. -
Tim's Character Journey Track
What I learned from doing this assignment was that it seems insane to create this much depth for characters that I loathe and can't wait to kill in various ways…
CHARACTER PROFILES:
1. Tyler – The Rebel / Survivor
– Role: Conspiracy theorist influencer who aims to uncover the truth behind the myth of Vivian.
– Traits: Skeptical, sharp-minded, stubborn, often sarcastic.
– Fears: Being powerless or losing control; that he’s right but no one will listen.
– Wants/Needs: He wants validation that his conspiracy theories have merit and needs to prove that he’s not just paranoid. Deep down, he craves connection but struggles to trust others.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Despite his often grating nature, his honesty and ability to see through illusions make him relatable. His determination to protect others once he understands the threat makes him worth rooting for.
– How They React Under Stress: Leans into paranoia, becomes more obsessive, and pushes others away when they doubt him. However, he also takes action and refuses to give up, which makes him resilient.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Rivalry with Mason: Clashes with Mason over leadership, as Mason dismisses Tyler’s theories.
– Connection with Zara: Finds a kinship with Zara’s cynicism and shares his suspicions with her, though she keeps him at arm’s length.
– Protective of Lily: Sees her as genuinely kind, and her belief in his theories pushes him to fight harder.
– Suspicious of Vivian: Keeps a close eye on her, believing she’s hiding something, which creates tension throughout.
2. Riley – The Rescuer / Victim
– Role: The moral compass who tries to keep everyone calm and focused on survival.
– Traits: Charismatic, empathetic, slightly overbearing, people-pleaser.
– Fears: Failing to protect others; being seen as weak or selfish.
– Wants/Needs: Desperately wants to be the one who saves the day and feels a need to be seen as a good person. He craves recognition for his selflessness.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: His genuine concern for others makes him likable, but his need to be the hero can sometimes feel self-serving.
– How They React Under Stress: Dramatizes and becomes increasingly frantic, trying to convince everyone to listen to him. Struggles to remain calm as the situation worsens.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Close to Cassidy: Protective of her, possibly nursing a secret crush, which clouds his judgment when it comes to her well-being.
– Rivalry with Tyler: Finds Tyler’s conspiracy theories irritating and tries to keep him from spreading panic.
– Supportive of Mason: Looks to Mason for leadership but tries to influence him to adopt a more compassionate approach.
– Dismissive of Sophia: Finds her vanity frustrating and tries to push her to be more selfless.
3. Mason – The Leader / Victim
– Role: The self-appointed leader who tries to organize the group’s survival efforts.
– Traits: Confident, authoritative, strategic thinker, stubborn.
– Fears: Losing control or failing to lead effectively; being exposed as inadequate.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to maintain control and prove that he can handle the crisis. He needs to be seen as strong and capable.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: His confidence can be reassuring in the early stages, but his refusal to listen to others can make him less likable as the situation escalates.
– How They React Under Stress: Blames others when plans fail, becomes more controlling, and refuses to accept alternative ideas. Can snap under pressure when he feels his authority is challenged.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Conflict with Tyler: Constantly butts heads with Tyler over what to do, dismissing his theories.
– Respected by Riley: Riley looks up to Mason, but Mason sometimes sees Riley as a distraction.
– Romantic Tension with Sophia: There’s an attraction between Mason and Sophia, though he’s critical of her focus on appearance.
– Dismissive of Lily: Sees her as too fragile to be helpful, which causes friction between them when she shows hidden strength.
4. Zara – The Introvert / Loner / Victim
– Role: The cynical photographer who observes from the sidelines, keeping to herself.
– Traits: Reserved, sarcastic, insightful, distant.
– Fears: Losing her independence; being forced to rely on others.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to stay out of the drama and avoid getting too involved. Needs to feel like she has control over her own fate.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Her dry wit and honesty make her relatable, and her reluctance to trust adds a layer of depth.
– How They React Under Stress: Shuts down emotionally, becomes even more distant, and avoids taking sides. Reluctantly engages when her survival is directly threatened.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Aloof from Mason: Resents Mason’s need for control and questions his decisions.
– Mutual Respect with Tyler: Shares some of Tyler’s skepticism, though she doesn’t fully buy into his theories.
– Sympathy for Lily: Feels a protective instinct toward Lily, recognizing the strength behind her timid exterior.
– Dismissive of Riley’s Optimism: Finds Riley’s attempts to rally the group irritatingly naïve.
5. Sophia – The Out of Control / Victim
– Role: An OnlyFans star who thrives on attention and pushes boundaries for her audience.
– Traits: Flirty, confident, manipulative, vain.
– Fears: Becoming irrelevant; losing control over her image.
– Wants/Needs: Needs constant validation and craves the attention she gets online. Wants to maintain her relevance and visibility.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Her boldness and refusal to conform to others’ expectations can be compelling, but her self-centeredness makes her harder to root for.
– How They React Under Stress: Deflects with humor and tries to maintain her image, even as the situation deteriorates. When truly afraid, she becomes desperate for validation and attention from others.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Flirts with Mason: Uses her charm to try and manipulate Mason, but is irritated by his dismissiveness.
– Dismissive of Tyler: Views Tyler as too paranoid and annoying, often making fun of his theories.
– Friction with Cassidy: Competes with Cassidy for attention, especially from the male influencers.
– Dismissive of Riley: Finds Riley’s hero complex tedious, but uses him for emotional support when scared.
6. Jonah – Monster Bait / Victim
– Role: The rational tech mogul who refuses to believe in the supernatural.
– Traits: Arrogant, analytical, dismissive, prideful.
– Fears: Anything he cannot explain or control; being wrong or humiliated.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to maintain his image as the smartest person in the room and needs to control the narrative.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: His intelligence can be admirable, but his dismissiveness and pride make him difficult to sympathize with.
– How They React Under Stress: Dismisses concerns, doubles down on rationality, and belittles others for believing in “superstitions.” Becomes increasingly frustrated as things become less explainable.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Dismissive of Tyler: Sees Tyler’s theories as nonsense and openly mocks him.
– Tolerates Mason: Views Mason as a useful leader but doesn’t respect his authority.
– Frustrated with Riley: Finds Riley’s emotional approach to situations irritating.
– Indifferent to Sophia and Cassidy: Sees them as superficial and not worth engaging with.
7. Brooke – The Carrier / First to Die
– Role: The thrill-seeker who is always chasing the next big story or viral moment.
– Traits: Bold, curious, energetic, adventurous.
– Fears: Being irrelevant; missing out on an opportunity.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to capture everything on camera and needs to prove that she’s always in the middle of the action.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Her adventurous spirit is infectious, and her desire to push boundaries makes her an exciting presence.
– How They React Under Stress: Embraces the danger, seeing it as just another story until it’s too late. Her curiosity overrides her sense of caution.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Rivalry with Sophia: Competes for the spotlight, often trying to outdo Sophia in terms of attention and content.
– Friendship with Riley: Appreciates his supportive nature, though she doesn’t always take his concerns seriously.
– Dismisses Tyler: Finds his conspiracy theories amusing but not worth considering.
– Adventurous Bond with Mason: Sees Mason as a kindred spirit in their desire to take risks.
8. Cassidy – The Complainer / Victim
– Role: The beauty influencer obsessed with maintaining her perfect appearance.
– Traits: Vain, high-maintenance, dramatic, shallow.
– Fears: Imperfection; losing her looks or control over her appearance.
– Wants/Needs: Needs to feel admired and respected for her beauty and wants to keep up her carefully curated image.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Her vulnerability under pressure reveals that she’s more insecure than she appears, making her sympathetic when the danger intensifies.
– How They React Under Stress: Dramatizes everything and becomes increasingly hysterical as her appearance deteriorates. Looks to others for reassurance.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Resents Sophia: Sees Sophia as competition and constantly tries to outshine her.
– Dependent on Riley: Relies on Riley for emotional support, manipulating his affection to get what she wants.
– Clashes with Zara: Finds Zara’s cynicism distasteful and condescending.
– Skeptical of Tyler: Thinks Tyler is just looking for attention with his theories.
CHARACTER JOURNEYS (in order of death)
1. Brooke – The Carrier / First to Die
– Character Intro: Brooke is introduced as the adventurous thrill-seeker, eager to capture the perfect content and push boundaries for her audience.
– Denial: Dismisses the strange behavior of reflections as “cool visuals” for her videos, seeing the house as an opportunity rather than a threat.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: When her reflection begins moving out of sync, she’s intrigued rather than scared, seeing it as a potential viral moment. Her curiosity keeps her engaged until it’s too late.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: Her disappearance shocks the group, but many assume she wandered off for more footage or is pulling a prank. It’s not until her blood is found that panic starts to set in.
– How They Fight Back: Brooke doesn’t truly have the chance to fight back; her curiosity leads her straight into the doppelgänger’s grasp.
– End Point: Dragged into the mirror by her reflection, leaving bloody streaks as the doppelgänger takes her place.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Brooke’s death shows the audience the deadly allure of the mirrors and sets the tone for how the reflections will manipulate each character’s flaws. Her absence creates the first rift of fear among the group.
2. Jonah – Monster Bait / Second to Die
– Character Intro: Jonah is the rational tech mogul who scoffs at the idea of anything supernatural, positioning himself as the voice of reason.
– Denial: Jonah refuses to believe anything is wrong, dismissing the group's concerns as hysteria and insisting there must be a logical explanation.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: After Brooke’s disappearance, he grows annoyed by Tyler’s theories and mocks the others for believing in “ghost stories.”
– Relation to Group After First Horror: His skepticism distances him from the group, especially Tyler, creating tension. Others look to him for reassurance, but his refusal to listen makes him seem increasingly out of touch.
– How They Fight Back: Jonah tries to debunk the fear by directly interacting with the pool’s reflection, aiming to prove it’s harmless.
– End Point: His doppelgänger drags him into the pool, holding him underwater while the group sees his distorted, terrified face beneath the surface. His doppelgänger emerges dry, taking his place.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Jonah’s death reveals that the reflections can manipulate the physical world and are far more dangerous than anyone imagined. It emphasizes that denial is no protection from the danger.
3. Sophia – The Out of Control / Third to Die
– Character Intro: Sophia is introduced as a bold, flirty influencer who thrives on attention and validation, using her looks as her primary currency.
– Denial: She brushes off the initial warnings, convinced that any strange occurrences can be used to her advantage as part of her brand.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Sophia is unnerved by Jonah’s disappearance but clings to the belief that she can use the situation to her benefit, seeking to maintain her composed, confident image.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: She distances herself from the more fearful members, trying to remain self-assured. Her tension with Cassidy grows, as they compete for the group’s attention.
– How They Fight Back: Sophia tries to leverage her vanity against the reflections, thinking she can charm or manipulate her mirror image.
– End Point: Her reflection seduces her with a more perfect version of herself, pulling her into the glass as her body contorts and snaps. Her doppelgänger emerges with flawless, unsettling composure.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Sophia’s death warns the group—and the audience—about the danger of self-obsession. It shows that the reflections can use the characters’ deepest desires against them.
4. Cassidy – The Complainer / Fourth to Die
– Character Intro: Cassidy is the high-maintenance beauty influencer, constantly preoccupied with her appearance and irritated by the discomforts of the retreat.
– Denial: Despite growing tensions, Cassidy refuses to believe that the mirrors are truly dangerous, seeing the others as overreacting. She focuses on maintaining her appearance amid the chaos.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Jonah’s disappearance and Sophia’s odd behavior start to shake her composure, but she clings to her belief that they are just trying to scare her.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: Becomes more dependent on Riley for emotional support, leaning into her damsel persona, which grates on others like Tyler and Zara.
– How They Fight Back: Cassidy tries to keep up appearances, literally, focusing on fixing her makeup even as the mirrors become more menacing.
– End Point: While touching up in front of a cracked mirror, the glass shatters outward, slicing her face and body to pieces. Her doppelgänger steps through the shards, smiling coldly as Cassidy bleeds out.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Cassidy’s death illustrates that the mirrors exploit vanity and denial. Her gruesome end drives home that the reflections are ruthless in exploiting personal weaknesses.
5. Riley – The Rescuer / Fifth to Die
– Character Intro: Riley is the empathetic, supportive influencer who tries to keep everyone calm and focused on survival.
– Denial: Even as the situation becomes dire, Riley clings to the belief that they can figure out what’s happening and get through it if they stick together.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: He tries to rally the group after Jonah and Sophia disappear, urging them to stay calm and work together.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: Becomes more protective, especially toward Cassidy, but his desire to help starts to come off as desperation.
– How They Fight Back: Riley attempts to physically pull a trapped “Brooke” out of a mirror, refusing to accept that she’s gone.
– End Point: The reflection traps and crushes him inside the glass, leaving him twisted and broken as his doppelgänger emerges.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Riley’s death shows that the desire to save others can be used as a trap. It reveals that even the well-intentioned are vulnerable to the manipulations of the reflections.
6. Zara – The Introvert / Loner / Sixth to Die
– Character Intro: Zara is the cynical photographer who keeps her distance, observing the group’s dynamics with a critical eye.
– Denial: Zara is skeptical of the supernatural but suspects that something is off with Vivian and the house. She keeps her concerns mostly to herself, unwilling to fully engage.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Zara becomes more cautious, avoiding reflective surfaces and keeping herself physically distant from the group.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: She tries to warn others subtly but refuses to put herself on the line for them. Tension rises with Tyler as he pushes her to engage more directly.
– How They Fight Back: Zara attempts to stay out of the mirrors’ reach by isolating herself, using the darkroom as a sanctuary.
– End Point: Her reflection drags her through a darkened window, crushing her head against the glass as she’s pulled into the shadowy depths.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Zara’s death highlights that isolation is not a defense against the mirrors. It shows that avoiding the problem won’t keep one safe from the inevitable.
7. Mason – The Leader / Seventh to Die
– Character Intro: Mason is the self-appointed leader who tries to take charge of the group’s survival efforts.
– Denial: Mason refuses to believe that the situation is out of his control, convinced that he can outthink and outplan whatever is happening.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: He becomes frustrated when others, especially Tyler, challenge his leadership, focusing on practical solutions like breaking the mirrors.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: His need for control puts him at odds with Tyler, but Riley’s support emboldens him, even as others lose faith.
– How They Fight Back: He leads a coordinated effort to destroy the mirrors but underestimates their power and the doppelgängers’ ability to manipulate the reflections.
– End Point: The mirror wall collapses on him, pinning him with jagged shards as his doppelgänger emerges to finish him off.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Mason’s death demonstrates that overconfidence is deadly in the face of the supernatural. It marks the turning point where the survivors realize they can’t control the situation.
8. Tyler and Lily – Survivors
– Tyler:
– Character Intro: Tyler is the conspiracy theorist who attends the retreat to debunk the myth of Vivian.
– Denial: He’s suspicious from the start but keeps his theories to himself until the first signs of danger appear.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Tyler’s paranoia ramps up, and he starts taking action, covering mirrors and trying to decipher the nature of the threat.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: He alienates some of the group with his theories, but forms a tentative alliance with Zara and later Lily.
– How They Fight Back: He uses his knowledge of the myth to find ways to weaken the doppelgängers and break the mirrors strategically.
– End Point: Defeats his own doppelgänger, using a combination of light and mirror traps. Survives with the grim understanding that the mirror world’s threat isn’t entirely gone.
– What Insight Do Their Survival Bring?: Tyler’s survival emphasizes that knowledge, even when seen as paranoia, is crucial to overcoming the supernatural threat.
– Lily:
– Character Intro: Lily is the anxious and shy influencer who is often underestimated.
– Denial: Initially clings to the hope that everything will resolve itself if they stay calm.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Begins to believe Tyler after the first disappearances, quietly aligning with his theories.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: Becomes more assertive in urging others to listen to Tyler, showing a hidden strength that surprises the group.
– How They Fight Back: Supports Tyler’s efforts to weaken the doppelgängers, using her keen observation skills to notice inconsistencies between the doppelgängers and the originals.
– End Point: Survives alongside Tyler, more resilient than before, but deeply haunted by what she has witnessed.
– What Insight Do Their Survival Bring?: Lily’s survival shows that strength comes from unexpected places, and those who see beyond appearances can find a way through the terror.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil Established:
Vivian’s original self, a style maker from generations ago, is replaced by her doppelgänger. Her eerie legacy stretches through decades, adapting to each new medium. She welcomes the group to the retreat, her presence radiating an unsettling charm.
– Monster Reveal: Vivian is shown being replaced in a flashback, setting the eerie tone.
– Demand: Establishes the danger of mirrors and the concept of replacement.
Character Intro:
– Brooke: Thrill-seeker, eager to explore. Sees the house as an opportunity for unique content.
– Jonah: Dismissive tech mogul, the rational one who mocks the supernatural.
– Sophia: Confident, self-absorbed, looking for the perfect content to maintain her influence.
– Cassidy: Focused on her looks, sees the retreat as a chance to relax while staying beautiful.
– Riley: The compassionate one, eager to keep the group united and safe.
– Zara: Cynical observer, keeping her distance but subtly watching everyone.
– Mason: Self-appointed leader, takes charge from the start, organizing the group's activities.
– Tyler: Skeptical conspiracy theorist, attending with a hidden agenda to investigate Vivian’s rumored immortality.
– Lily: Shy, overlooked, but watches Tyler’s behavior with curiosity.
The Characters are Warned Not to Do It:
Conrad warns the group about the strange occurrences in the house, emphasizing the danger of mirrors.
– Monster Reveal: Conrad’s warnings include references to disappearances surrounding Vivian.
– Demand: Increases the eerie atmosphere, but the group dismisses his warnings.
Denial:
– Brooke: Eagerly dismisses Conrad’s warnings, thinking it’ll make for great footage.
– Jonah: Rationalizes the warnings as superstition, laughing it off.
– Sophia: Sees the house’s oddities as just another dramatic setting to manipulate for content.
– Cassidy: Scoffs at the idea of danger, focusing more on self-care.
– Riley: Tries to calm everyone, thinking they’re overreacting to the creepy atmosphere.
– Zara: Watches the reactions but keeps her own concerns to herself.
– Mason: Assumes control, dismissing the warnings as a means to maintain calm.
– Tyler: Listens closely, feeling a thrill at the confirmation of his suspicions.
– Lily: Nervous but hopes Tyler’s curiosity doesn’t cause trouble.
Safety Taken Away:
A sudden storm traps the group inside the house, cutting off communication. The mirrors seem to pulse with a strange energy, creating an unsettling environment.
– Horror Situation: The house is isolated by the storm, reflections in windows and mirrors multiply.
– Reaction – Denial: The group jokes about going dark, but the tension builds.
– Character Reactions:
– Brooke: Sees this as a chance for unique content.
– Jonah: Continues to dismiss the tension, reassuring others it’s just a storm.
– Sophia: Focuses on maintaining her aesthetic despite the setting.
– Riley Tries to keep everyone focused on enjoying themselves despite the storm.
– Zara: Withdraws to observe from the shadows.
– Mason: Tries to take charge, organizing the group’s activities indoors.
– Tyler: Begins mapping the house’s reflective surfaces, increasingly anxious.
– Lily* Observes Tyler’s behavior and starts to worry that he might be right.
Monster: The Nature of the Beast:
Brooke is the first to encounter the danger. Her reflection becomes aggressive, dragging her into the glass, leaving only streaks of blood behind.
– Horror Situation: Brooke’s disappearance is marked by bloody streaks.
– Reaction – Confusion: The group searches but believes she’s playing a prank.
– Character Reactions:
– Brooke’s Denial ends with her death, setting the tone.
– Group Reactions:
– Jonah: Assumes she wandered off.
– Sophia: Thinks Brooke is trying to get attention.
– Mason: Frustrated with the distraction, downplays the danger.
– Riley: Worried but tries to keep the group calm.
– Tyler: Begins to suspect something supernatural, but no one listens.
– Zara: Notices Tyler’s growing paranoia.
– Lily: Starts believing Tyler’s suspicions but is afraid to speak up.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The storm worsens, turning the house into a fortress. Mirrors appear in unexpected places, showing reflections that don’t match the group’s movements.
– Monster Reveal: Tyler shares the myth of Vivian’s immortality and connection to disappearances.
– Demand: The group starts questioning the true nature of the house and Vivian.
One of Us Killed – Jonah:
Jonah dismisses Tyler’s theories and leans over the pool. His reflection drags him underwater, his face twisted with terror as he drowns.
– Horror Situation: Jonah is drowned by his reflection, leaving no body behind.
– Reaction – Denial* The group tries to rationalize his absence.
– Character Reactions:
– Sophia: Starts to panic internally but hides it behind a confident façade.
– Riley: Grows more desperate to keep everyone together.
– Mason: Doubles down on leading, refusing to accept a supernatural explanation.
– Zara: Becomes more wary, aligning with Tyler.
– Lily: Trusts Tyler’s theories, adding to the tension with Mason.
Full Pursuit by the Killer:
The doppelgängers become more aggressive. Sophia is seduced by a perfect version of herself, drawn through the glass as her body contorts.
– Monster Reveal: Sophia’s doppelgänger steps out, more flawless and manipulative.
– Demand: The group realizes anyone could be next, driving mistrust.
– Character Reactions:
– Cassidy: Clings to Riley for comfort, becoming increasingly hysterical.
– Mason: Struggles to maintain control as his leadership is questioned.
– Tyler: Becomes more frantic, trying to destroy mirrors.
– Zara: Isolates herself further, avoiding reflective surfaces.
– Lily: Begins to take a more active role in supporting Tyler’s theories.
One of Us Killed – Cassidy:
Cassidy’s obsession with her appearance leads her to fix her makeup in front of a cracked mirror. It shatters outward, slicing her to pieces.
– Horror Situation: Cassidy is shredded by the glass, her doppelgänger stepping through.
– Reaction – Panic: The survivors scramble to escape the reflections.
– Character Reactions:
– Riley: Devastated by Cassidy’s death, he blames himself for not protecting her.
– Mason: Becomes more desperate, trying to control the situation.
– Tyler: Uses Cassidy’s death as proof that the reflections are the real threat.
– Zara: Becomes even more withdrawn, suspicious of everyone.
– Lily: Gains confidence in Tyler’s plan, actively helps him cover mirrors.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the Death – Riley:
Riley tries to rescue what he thinks is Brooke from a fractured mirror, but his reflection pulls him in. His body is crushed as his doppelgänger emerges.
– Horror Situation: Riley’s twisted body is trapped in the glass.
– Monster Reveal: The real bodies are imprisoned in the reflection world.
– Demand: Drives the survivors to try and prevent their own replacements.
– Character Reactions:
– Mason: Loses composure, snapping under pressure.
– Tyler* Urges Lily and Zara to trust him, trying to find the right mirrors to break.
– Zara: Reluctantly supports Tyler’s plan, though she doesn’t fully trust him.
– Lily: Shows her bravery, helping Tyler navigate the doppelgängers’ traps.
One of Us Killed – Zara:
Zara is dragged through a darkened window, her head crushed against the glass as she’s pulled into the reflection world.
– Horror Situation: Zara’s screams fade into the shadows as her doppelgänger steps out.
– Monster Reveal: The reflections gain strength with each new victim.
– Demand: Tyler and Lily realize they are out of time, with doppelgängers closing in.
– Character Reactions:
– Tyler: Becomes more determined to use the storm’s aftermath against the reflections.
-Lily: Resolves to help Tyler, showing newfound strength.
One of Us Killed – Mason:
Mason smashes a mirror wall but is pinned by the shards as his doppelgänger emerges.
– Horror Situation: Mason is impaled by glass, bleeding out as his doppelgänger walks past.
– Monster Reveal: The wrong mirrors can give the doppelgängers more access.
– Demand: Tyler and Lily must be precise in their actions.
The Thrilling Escape from Death – Tyler and Lily:
Tyler faces his doppelgänger, using a combination of natural reflections and shattered mirrors to weaken it. Lily provides crucial assistance, helping him trap the doppelgänger in a final mirror.
– Monster Reveal: Sunlight can weaken the reflection world’s grip.
– Demand: The remaining reflections continue to haunt the house, suggesting the threat lingers.
Resolution:
Tyler and Lily survive but are left deeply scarred by the experience. As Tyler looks out over the ocean, he sees Zara’s reflection smiling back at him, leaving the audience with the chilling possibility that the mirror world still has a hold on reality.
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This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by Timothy Barley.
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Just checking something out by making a comment on this lesson…
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Dave Wetzel’s Character Journey Track
What I learned from doing this assignment was that creating characters that the audience can relate to and will form an emotional investment in their survival is key when creating a successful horror franchise.
CHARACTER PROFILES:
1. WILLIAM HARPER “JOHNNY” LITTLEJOHN (16) – The Moral One
– Role: Biology, archaeology, and geology student, loves all things science and biology related.
– Traits: Tall, gangly, very smart but shy too, loves science but religious as well.
– Fears: Loss of control, things he can’t figure out, fear of the devil and evil.
– Wants/Needs: He wants to feel validated and appreciated for his science skills.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Very shy but likable, loves to dig in for clues no matter where he / they have to look. Open to believing in the unbelievable. A loyal friend who will fight to protect those in danger.
– How They React Under Stress: Relies on science to explain the believable and religion to explain the unbelievable. Acts fast when others are in danger.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Very close with the gang who he grew up with.
– Connection with Jennifer: Johnny see the challenges that Jennifer has endured to get her life sober and back in order and is amazed at her synesthesia ability. What’s Jennifer to open up about her experience of being clinically dead for two minutes, did she see God / the devil? Did she see anything at all?
– Protective of Marley: Johnny secretly has a crush on Marley but know that she only has eyes for Terry.
– Suspicious of Deacon Malum: Keeps an eye the deacon, especially once Jennifer warns the gang that she senses evil in him.
2. JOHN “RENNY” RENWICK JR (16) – The Rebel / Rule Breaker
– Role: Ready to fight at a moment’s notice, willing to dig in and help Johnny and the gang search for clues.
– Traits: African American, tall, large build, engineering wiz, loves to wrestle and box in his spare time.
– Fears: Fear of failing to help the gang, fear of not living up to his own high bar for success.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to fight for the side of good and destroy evil including racism.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Renny is ready to fight to protect his friends from any wrongdoing or evil no matter if it’s human or demon.
– How They React Under Stress: Wants to understand what the enemy is and if he can’t beat it with science he’s will to use his fists.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Close to Tom: Protective of Tom since he is smaller and picked on sometimes at school for his size.
– Supportive of Terry: Renny wants to help Terry and the gang solve the mystery of the murdered students.
– Suspicious of Deacon Malum: Renny also does not trust Deacon Malum.
3. THOMAS “TOM” ROBERTS (15) – The Monster Bait / Victim
– Role: Tom is the doubter of the gang and wants to avoid confrontations at all costs.
– Traits: Short, skinny, pale as a sheet, electrical wiz, has bad asthma which is worsened by extreme exertion but is controlled with twice monthly injections and daily medication.
– Fears: Being seen as inadequate or a drag on the gang because of his size and asthma, but inside he has the heart of a lion.
– Wants/Needs: Wants to maintain control and prove that he can handle the crisis. He needs to be seen as strong and capable.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Tom is very likable as he’s grown up with Terry and the gang, he’s closest to Renny who protects him from bullies at school.
– How They React Under Stress: Tom’s asthma symptoms get worse under stressful situations so he keeps plenty of inhalers nearby.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Close to Renny: Renny protects Tom from any bullies at school.
4. MISAKI “MARLEY” BROOKS (15) – The Love Interest
– Role: Marley loves using her intelligence to help the gang solve mysteries.
– Traits: Asian, small, cute girl, extremely intelligent, sharp wit, likes to practice fencing and martial arts Bo staff fighting.
– Fears: Being seen a less because of her size and age and not needed by the gang.
– Wants/Needs: Marley is very attracted to Terry but too shy to say anything.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Marley may be small in size, but her heart is huge and so is her fighting spirit, she’ll fight to protect her friends against anyone / anything that means them harm.
– How They React Under Stress: Marley jumps into action when danger is nearby, she may be small but she has the heart of a lion and fights like one too.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Attracted to Terry – Marley is very attracted to Terry but too shy to say anything.
– Mutual Respect with Nearest: Marley respects Nearest for his sacrifices and trauma from the Iraqi war, her grandfather was in WWII and fought against the Allied forces.
– Sympathy for Jennifer: Marley feels for Jennifer and the pain she’s endured from her opioid addiction to her near death and is drawn to her and the only other female in the gang.
– Suspicious of Deacon Malum: Marley’s radar is up and shares her unease around the deacon along with Renny and Johnny.
5. TERRENCE “TERRY” LEE JR (16) – The Leader
– Role: Terry is the de facto leader of the gang, he’s smart but caring and giving.
– Traits: Tall, wiry, dark skinned, intense, has Asperger's syndrome, very smart.
– Fears: Terry wants to keep his friends safe and solve the mystery of the murders at the school while they’re cut off from outside help. He fears failure and his disorder will be a hindrance to the gang.
– Wants/Needs: Terry needs to feel like he’s “normal,” even though he knows he’s not.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: When one of the students goes missing, Terry and the gang try to find out who or what is abducting and possibly killing students at the school. They eventually enlist the reluctant help of Jennifer.
– How They React Under Stress: Terry sometimes has “stimming” episodes if he’s under tremendous stress which is a source of embarrassment.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– A Fierce Protector of His Friends: Terry will fight with all his might to protect his friends.
– Respects Nearest: Terry respects Nearest and the trials he’s endured in the war and his personal struggles.
– Attracted to Jennifer: Even though Jennifer is older, Terry is attracted to her and Marley can see it, so does Jennifer but she knows that nothing could come from it and those thoughts and actions are inappropriate for a school faculty staff member and a student (especially one that’s underage).
6. JENNIFER WEATHERLY (24) – Introvert / Loner
– Role: Jennifer is an administrative assistant at the school and helps the gang and Nearest solve the mystery of the murders at the school.
– Traits: Naturally attractive, recovering opioid addict now two-years sober, attempted suicide survivor by opioid overdose, a synesthete. A person with synesthesia may mingle with sound, taste with touch, etc. The senses are cross wired. For example, when a digit-color synesthete sees or just thinks of a number, the number appears with a color film over it. Since Jennifer’s attempted suicide (she was clinically dead for four minutes) her synesthesia has since manifested in way that allows her to visualize a person’s true nature in form of a colored “aura” around that person in certain stressful or heightened situations. Arrogant, analytical, dismissive, prideful.
– Fears: Jennifer is afraid the students will learn of her dark history and cause her further embarrassment. She’s thankful to have a job and is leery of causing trouble. Unbeknownst to Jennifer, Marley and Tom did some investigative research on Jennifer and uncover her dark past and share it with the gang but they don’t tell Jennifer until much later in the story.
– Wants/Needs: Jennifer wants to maintain her image as good and responsible employee. She needs stability in her life and the recent traumatic events cause her anxiety.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Jennifer is a survivor and a fighter who believes in the gang and wants to help..– How They React Under Stress: When the students begin to talk about seeing a demon in the reflection of a holy object, Jennifer is unsure that when she herself witnesses the same vision of if she’s hallucinating as she did under the influence of drugs.
– Relationship with Other Characters:– Knows about Terry’s feelings for her: Jennifer knows that Terry is attracted to her (and she know that Marley is attracted to Terry). Jennifer understands that nothing could come from the attraction by Terry and that those thoughts and actions are inappropriate for a school faculty staff member and a student (especially one that’s underage).
– Likes the Gang: Jennifer likes the gang that the way they watch out for each other.
– Very close to Nearest: Jennifer and Nearest are very close, both are old souls that have seen a lot but are still trying to become the best version of themselves.7. NEVILLE “NEAREST” GREEN” (late 60’s) – The Rescuer
– Role: Nearest knows that there is evil lurking in the church / school and wants to help destroy it too.
– Traits: African American, school janitor, a former priest in the armed services who lost his faith, Iraqi war veteran, former alcoholic, now sober.
– Fears: Nearest feels lost since he lost his faith and is afraid of death.
– Wants/Needs: Nearest yearns for connection again and finds in his friendship with Jennifer and the gang. He wants to keep the ones he cares for safe.
– Likability / Rooting Factors: Very kind and likable with and old soul quality.
– How They React Under Stress: Nearest has been in firefights before so he’s cool under pressure and willing to die to protect his friends.
– Relationship with Other Characters:
– Close to Jennifer: Jennifer and Nearest are very close, both are old souls that have seen a lot but are still trying to become the best version of themselves.
– Suspicious of Deacon Malum: Nearest has been around evil long enough to know someone’s true nature and shares his unease around the deacon along with Renny and Johnny and Jennifer.
CHARACTER JOURNEYS (in order of death)
1. TOM ROBERTS – The Monster Bait / Victim
– Character Intro: Tom and the gang meet in the library after first murder and don’t believe it was a wild animal attack.
– Denial: The visiting Deacon Malum insists that the attack was a terrible accident. Jennifer tells the gang to leave the investigating to the authorities but she’s unsure herself.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: The gang try to find evidence of any other wild animal attacks on the schools grounds in the past. There was a similar attack twenty years ago.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: The gang commit to sticking together.
– How They Fight Back: The gang tries to follow every lead and solve the mystery.
– End Point: Tom is attacked by the monster after Deacon Malum lures the gang into the bowels of the school, he barely survives the attack.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Terry and the gang realize how dangerous and terrible the demon is and that anyone of them could be next.
2. Nearest – The Rescuer / Second to Die
– Character Intro: Nearest is introduced as a humble janitor for the school but as the story progresses we learn of his past with the war and his alcohol abuse.
– Denial: Nearest warns the gang not to interfere with the school investigation of the death of the student in the opening sequence.
– Their Reaction at First Horror: Nearest and Jennifer begin to privately investigate the death of the student.
– Relation to Group After First Horror: Nearest fears for the student’s safety and warns them not to get too close to the investigation.
– How They Fight Back: Nearest and Jennifer dig deeper into the school’s history and the mysterious Deacon Malum. Nearest regains his faith in God and a statue in the image Saint Michael the Archangel warrior angel gifts Nearest with the sword that he’s holding in the statue.
– End Point: Nearest severely wounds the demon with the sword of Saint Michael and allows the gang and Jennifer to escape certain death but the demon kills Nearest in the battle. Theres also a painting behind the statue of Saint Michael with his army of Archangels battling demons from hell.
– What Insight Do Their Deaths Bring?: Nearest makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Jennifer and the gang. The demon seems to be destroyed but could survive for more in the franchise. Jennifer is alone in the chapel and observes to her astonishment that Nearest now appears to be in the painting of Saint Michael battling Yog – Formido along with other heavenly warriors.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established – One of the students at the school is killed in a horror manner. The school is buzzing with the news, the dean of the school and Jennifer Weatherly try to calm the uneasy students. It seems to happen in multiple instances at the school every twenty years.– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Intrigued by the killing of the student.
– Renny: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Marley: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
• Connect with the characters – The gang discreetly discusses the grisly murder during study hall, the janitor, “Nearest,” overhears them.
Moral One – WILLIAM HARPER “JOHNNY” LITTLEJOHN
Rebel / Rule Breaker – JOHN “RENNY” RENWICK JR
Monster Bait – THOMAS “TOM” ROBERTS
Love Interest or lovers – MISAKI “MARLEY” BROOKS
Leader – TERRENCE “TERRY” LEE JR
Introvert / Loner – JENNIFER WEATHERLY
Rescuer – NEVILLE “NEAREST” GREEN”
• The characters are warned not to do it. – Jennifer and Nearest warns the gang not to try to get involved in the murder investigation.
Terry, Johnny, Renny and Marley are eager to learn more about the death and the cause, Tom warns them that it may be too dangerous.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Respects his elders and their orders but wants more information.
– Renny: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Marley: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid any harm coming to anymore students.
• Denial of Horror – The dean of the school and Deacon Malum informs the students that the unfortunate death of the student was simply a terrible accident and not a murder.
The gang are not persuaded by Deacon Malum to avoid the mystery, Jennifer tells them not to get involved. Nearest warns them that it may be dangerous, but they want to get answers.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Wants to respect the order by Nearest and Jennifer but sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Renny: Defies the orders of Nearest and Jennifer and wants to dig in for more information.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it and not cause trouble.
– Marley: Likes Jennifer but sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Is attracted to Jennifer and wants to bide by her wishes but he sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it and not cause a scene. She wants to remain under the radar at school.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it to protect everyone.
• Safety taken away – The bridge that allows access to the school is washed out by a violent storm and is impassable for weeks. The current weather conditions are too rough for aerial landings.
Tom is even more nervous now, Nearest and Jennifer are also on edge. The gang resolve to buckle down and forge ahead to solve the mystery.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Wants to listen to the adults and avoid causing trouble.
– Renny: Sees this as a chance to spend more time trying to find clues to the mystery.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Marley: Sees this as a chance to get closer to Terry but senses that he’s not interested in her, he likes Jennifer (why?). She agrees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Sees this as a chance to hang out around Jennifer more but is concerned about the safety of the gang. He knows that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it. She can tell that Terry likes her, but she knows it’s inappropriate, she senses Marley’s jealousy of her.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it and keep everyone safe.
• Monster – The nature of the beast. Jennifer and Nearest begin to explore the legend of the school and uncover accounts to the monster from previous attacks years ago.
Jennifer is unsettled by the findings of the history of the school and its dark past as a former prison for the criminally insane.
Nearest is also tested as he wants to avoid stressful situations. The gang forge ahead with their investigation.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Even though they were told to stay out of the investigation Johnny wants to dig in for more information.
– Renny: He’s on the scent of the trail now and wants to dig in for more information.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it. He tells the others to stay out of the situation.
– Marley: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – The current weather conditions are too rough for other boats to come or for any aerial landings.
Tom is even more on edge as their only way to escape is removed. The gang try to settle him down. Jennifer and Nearest are also on edge as they sense there is evil at work in the school. Terry, Johnny, Renny and Marley try to dig in for more clues.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Renny: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Marley: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Nearest: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
• One of us killed – another student is killed and Tom Roberts in the gang is almost killed too. Jennifer manifests her synesthesia abilities to observe a red “aura” around Deacon Malum.
The gang and Jennifer follow Deacon Malum under the school along with another student who is killed by the demon. Tom is seriously wounded too. Nearest hears about the fight but still can’t believe it’s true. Jennifer sees the “aura” of evil around
Deacon Malum for the first time. Now she reveals her gifts to the gang and Nearest.– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Feels terrible that Tom was hurt, and someone was killed and feels responsible for letting them tag along with the gang and Jennifer. He’s committed to finding out what’s going on.
– Renny: Is furious that something hurt one of the gang and wants revenge.
– Tom: Currently unconscious after the attack by the demon.
– Marley: Sees that something is fishy and wants to dig in for more information.
– Terry: Feels terrible that Tom was hurt, and someone was killed and feels responsible for letting them tag along with the gang and Jennifer. He’s committed to finding out what’s going on too.
– Jennifer: Senses the aura of danger around Deacon Malum and knows that there’s danger about and can no longer avoid it. She feels terrible about the attacks.
– Nearest: Feels terrible that he wasn’t there to protect the others.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer – Jennifer, and the gang follow Deacon Malum into the bowels of the school and observe him summoning the demon “Yog-Formido,” from a portal to hell.
Deacon Malum senses that Jennifer knows his true intentions to have the demon kill twelve students and orders the demon to attack and kill the gang. Tom is in the school infirmary recovering from his wounds.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Johnny is terrified by what he sees in the bowels of the school but is determined to help safe his friends from danger.
– Renny: Sees the evil and is ready for a fight.
– Tom: Still recovering from the attack.
– Marley: Terrified by what he sees in the bowels of the school but is determined to help safe her friends from danger. She confides in Jennifer about her feelings for Terry.
– Terry: Terrified by what he sees in the bowels of the school but is determined to help safe her friends from danger.
– Jennifer: Terrified by what he sees in the bowels of the school, she knows that Deacon Malum is dangerous and wants to protect the gang. She confides in Marley that if Terry doesn’t like her it’s his loss.
– Nearest: Feels terrible that he let any harm come to innocent students.
• Terrorized – Deacon Malum orders the demon to hunt down and kill the gang.
The gang band together with Jennifer and Nearest to dig for more clues. Jennifer, the gang and Nearest research the identity of the demon and find a book hidden in the school library that identifies the demon as Yog-Formido and its ancient history.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Helps Jennfer and Nearest dig in for more information on the demon. Finds the demon description of Yog-Formido.
– Renny: Wants to know how to hurt the demon.– Tom: Still recovering from the attack but describes the demon in detail for them.
– Marley: Helps dig for clues in the library.
– Terry: Helps dig for clues in the library.
– Jennifer: Helps the gang and Nearest dig in for more information on the demon. Sees an aura around one of the texts buried deep in the library.
– Nearest: Helps Jennifer the gang and dig in for more information on the demon.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death – The demon kills another student while searching for Jennifer and the gang.
Nearest shoots the demon with one of his old guns from the Army but it does not harm the monster.
Jennifer, Nearest and the gang try to kill the demon but fail and barely escape annihilation by seeking refuge in the school chapel. Jennifer, the gang and Nearest decode a part of the old text that tells them the demon can be killed by the sword of Saint Michael.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Using their new knowledge of the demon wants to help kill it.
– Renny: Ready for battle.
– Tom: Still recovering from the attack but helps them build an electrical trap for the demon.
– Marley: Terrified of the demon but wants to protect her friends and kill it.
– Terry: Terrified of the demon but wants to protect his friends and kill it.
– Jennifer: Terrified of the demon but wants to protect the students and kill it. She senses the true desire of Deacon Malum and wants to see him revealed for the true evil he is.
– Nearest: Terrified of the demon but wants to protect the students and kill it. Nearest is at his lowest and almost loses all faith but remembers that the true path to redemption is in the service of those in need. He tries to shot the demon with his old service pistol but the shot doesn’t harm the monster.
• Hysteria – Jennifer, Nearest and the gang try to kill the demon but fail and barely escape annihilation by seeking refuge in the school chapel. Nearest regains his faith in God and a statue in the image Saint Michael the Archangel warrior angel gifts Nearest with the sword that he’s holding in the stature. Theres also a painting behind the statue of Saint Michael with his army of Archangels battling demons from hell.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Using their new knowledge of the demon wants to help kill it.
– Renny: Ready for battle.
– Tom: Still recovering from the attack but wants to help.
– Marley: Using their new knowledge of the demon wants to help kill it. She accepts that even though Terry may not be attracted to her, she values their love and friendship just as much.
– Terry: Using their new knowledge of the demon wants to help kill it.
– Jennifer: Using their new knowledge of the demon wants to help kill it.
– Nearest: Nearest regains his faith in God and a statue in the image Saint Michael the Archangel warrior angel gifts Nearest with the sword that he’s holding in the stature.
• The thrilling escape from death – Jennifer, Nearest and the gang fight the demon, and he’s badly wounded by the newly gifted sword of Saint Michael. Deacon Malum is killed by Nearest in a battle in the bowels of the school.
– Character Reactions:– Johnny: Helps fight the demon.
– Renny: Helps fight the demon.
– Tom: Uses and new electrical trap to stop the demon for a moment.
– Marley: Helps fight the demon.
– Terry: Helps fight the demon.
– Jennifer: Helps fight the demon and is armed with her senses to detect any student taking on the demon’s form.
– Nearest: Nearest and the gang fight the demon, and the demon is badly wounded by the newly gifted sword of Saint Michael. Deacon Malum appears to be killed by Nearest in a battle in the bowels of the school.
• Death returns to take one or more. – Nearest is killed by the demon as Nearest sacrifices himself to allow the gang and Jennifer to escape death.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Stunned by the loss of Nearest to the demon and brought closer together by the battle.
– Renny: Furious over the loss of Nearest but grateful to be alive.
– Tom: Stunned by the loss of Nearest to the demon and brought closer together by the battle.
– Marley: Stunned by the loss of Nearest to the demon and brought closer together by the battle.
– Terry: Stunned by the loss of Nearest to the demon and brought closer together by the battle. Terry learns that a true leader has to sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice.
– Jennifer: Stunned by the loss of Nearest to the demon and feels she has finally forgiven herself for her mistakes by helping others in need or danger.
– Nearest: Regains his faith and takes his place in heaven fighting evil.
• Resolution – Jennifer and the gang recover from the battle as the weather clears and boats and police and once again able to cross the waters to the island. Jennifer is alone in the chapel and observes to her astonishment the Nearest now appears to be in the painting of Saint Michael battling demons.
– Character Reactions:
– Johnny: Sees that fighting for something good is the most noble cause.
– Renny: Sees that fighting against evil is his destiny and resolves to continue.
– Tom: Senses there’s danger in the world but also love and good.
– Marley: Now closer to the gang than ever before and feels accepted and loved.
– Terry: Proud of the gang and what they did to save the school from evil, committed to fighting evil no matter what form it takes.
– Jennifer: Senses there’s danger about and wants to avoid it.
– Nearest: Nearest with the sword that he’s been gifted by Saint Michael is in heaven with God and his army of Archangels battling demons from hell.
– Jennifer (now armed with the sword of Saint Michael) must now hunt down the demon at the next school where terror strikes to make sure it is indeed the demon Yog – Formido at work and to make sure it cannot recruit more demons and hopefully kill Yog – Formido once and for all. Jennifer uses her newly manifested synesthesia ability to see an aura of evil around any demon in human form which helps her in her noble quest.
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This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by David Wetzel.
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This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by David Wetzel.
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This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by
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Ryan’s Character Journey Track
What I learned from this assignment is that it is important that all characters have appropriate traits and character change over the course of the story. I only had two main characters that I think are worthy of this whole exercise, but I can see how I can apply this in general to other characters to make them feel more fleshed out and interesting.
Cas (Protagonist)
A. What is their Character Profile?
1. Role: Leader
2. Traits: Intense and angry about his place in the world. He wants to fit in, but at the same time wants to be seen. Sort of an Underground Man.
3. Fears: Being useless or common.
4. Wants/Needs: He wants to achieve and help. He craves excitement away from the mundane. His need is to stop the monsters and help his neighborhood.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Is somewhat of an everyman though he desperately thinks he isn’t. Encounters identifiable domestic annoyance. In the end, he never gives up and comes to appreciate family.
6. How they react under stress: Cas goes into overdrive. Single minded and needs to check boxes on his way to finish the job.
7. Relationship with other characters: Cas has love/loyalty/responsibility to his family and friends but is not fulfilled by them. Though caring, he is somewhat dismissive of others. Tries to be friendly but doesn’t always know how.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
1. Character Intro: Fired from job he collects his belongings. Goes home in a trance almost to loving family. Shortly thereafter his fridge dies starting his stress of suburban life.
2. Denial: Sees some strange happening in neighbor’s yard. Dismisses it along with the first murder as just freak stuff or accident. Though as stupid stresses mount, he goes to give the murder more credence.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Goes into action. Pursues surveillance.
4. Relation to group after first horror: Tries to take charge but is dismissed by everyone (except Aisha) as even wife is sort of upset with him.
5. How they fight back: Warns neighborhood. Figures out silver kills the monsters. Devises a strategy.
6. End Point: Kids able to fight the two active monsters with the silver and Cas’s advice. Aisha comes in to help, and Cas realizes the large guy with masks needs to be unmasked.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Cas’s persistence and drive is what led to him to survive past the blind luck of being unseen by the monsters. Also, he needed the help of others and to teach others instead of just thinking he is the one to do it.2. Build those Character Journeys into your outline.
Aisha
A. What is their Character Profile?
1. Role: Rescuer/Introvert Loner
2. Traits: Sarcastic. Seems confident but is self-conscious about her lack of career success. Seems like a slacker with slight goth. She is intrigued with Cas and like him, she is looking for fulfillment.
3. Fears: Being judged. Not being enough so she acts like things aren’t important. Afraid to show she cares.
4. Wants/Needs: She wants to enjoy life with fulfillment and to have people (her family) not look down on her. She needs connection and purpose.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Sort of cool. Helpful and loyal to Cas.
6. How they react under stress: Excited and enthusiastic until scared when the monster is after her and it gets real.
7. Relationship with other characters: Sarcastic but not cruel. A voyeur of the neighbors where she is like Cas in thinking she is more informed/conscious.
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
1. Character Intro: Appears on back of motorcycle driven by a jerk guy she is ‘dating.’ Makes out with guy and takes him inside after smiling and giving peace sign to Cas and Alfonso who are talking in their yards.
2. Denial: First thinks Cas is crazy but interesting. However, Cas ends up convincing her of the monsters’ existence. Before this she tells him he better be careful, everyone will think he’s guilty.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Disbelief but humors Cas until he brings her around.
4. Relation to group after first horror: Supportive of Cas but knows he looks crazy. Not openly supportive of him in front of others.
5. How they fight back: Helps Cas with surveillance. Aisha is the first person to actually hurt the monsters when she hits them with the silver object after Cas is completely useless in his attack on the monsters.
6. End Point: She is now serious and totally out of slacker mode as family is targeted. Had become slightly more serious when they targeted her, but now more for family. She helps to stop and injure the small monster after she returns from her parents’ house being destroyed.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?: Persistence helps. You should help to prove your worth instead of having to hide it under fake disinterest. -
Alison’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is this is all coming together and does not seem as overwhelming
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established:
We open in a different museum, where a person from a previous group is shown being drawn into a painting. We don’t see the painting clearly, only a side view as the victim vanishes. The reaction from the group is paralyzing shock and fear. As the scene ends, the painting is packed into a shipping box, preparing to be moved to the new museum.
Horror Situation: A person disappears into the unseen painting.
Reaction: Shock and fear from the group witnessing the disappearance.Connect with the characters:
The group arrives at the museum:
Emily: The quiet observer, wears thick glasses due to her poor eyesight, making her feel vulnerable. She’s self-conscious but perceptive, noticing small details.
Claire: Ambitious and confident, sees the museum visit as a chance to expand her academic portfolio.
Derek: Bold and protective of Claire, his girlfriend. He’s ready to step up if any trouble arises.
Max: Introverted and intrigued by mystery, drawn to the painting’s backstory.
Sarah: Compassionate, sees herself as the responsible one, often acting as the group’s mediator.
Jake: Sarcastic and pessimistic, frequently complains and jokes about the situation.
Dr. Harrison: The authoritative professor, firmly rooted in skepticism and quick to dismiss any signs of supernatural events.The characters are warned not to do it:
The night guard (the old guard) gives them an eerie warning: “Whatever you do, don’t turn around if you hear footsteps.” He jokes, but there’s something sinister behind it.
Horror Situation: The guard’s unsettling behavior and mysterious footsteps.
Reaction: The group laughs it off, seeing it as a prank. Jake jokes about it, while Dr. Harrison dismisses it as superstition.Denial of Horror:
The students joke about the “cursed” painting.
Claire sees it as a potential thesis topic.
Dr. Harrison insists there’s a rational explanation for everything.
Jake jokes and complains, while Emily quietly observes, unsure but cautious.Safety taken away:
At 8 PM, the museum locks, trapping them inside. The professor’s keycard fails, and the power begins to flicker. Flashlights become their only light source, creating an increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere.
Monster: The nature of the beast:
The old guard appears in mirrors and shadows, lurking close to the cursed painting. Strange sounds grow louder, building tension as the group starts to feel the weight of the museum’s haunting atmosphere.
Horror Situation: The guard’s appearances, combined with whispers and footsteps.
Reaction: The group grows slightly uneasy, with Emily feeling particularly tense but staying quiet.ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated/Trapped:
The students split up to explore the museum. The power flickers, turning the museum into a labyrinth. They continually end up in front of the cursed painting, regardless of the direction they go.
Horror Situation: Trapped in a disorienting loop, constantly drawn back to the painting.
Reaction: They start feeling lost and afraid, with Derek insisting they stay together, and Dr. Harrison stubbornly dismissing their fears.One of us killed (Max):
Max investigates the painting too closely, captivated by its mystery. The group watches in horror as he’s absorbed, becoming one of the painting’s dots.
Monster Reveal: The painting consumes victims, trapping their souls.
Horror Situation: Max’s abrupt disappearance.
Reaction: The group panics. Claire tries to rally them, while Dr. Harrison insists Max must be hiding.MIDPOINT — THE MONSTER IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT
Full pursuit by the killer (Old Guard):
The old guard actively stalks them, using the museum’s layout to drive them toward the painting. The group’s attempts to avoid him only end in failure.
Monster Reveal: The old guard manipulates the environment, ensuring there’s no escape.
Horror Situation: Growing fear of being constantly followed.
Reaction: Jake breaks away in a panic, accusing the group of not taking things seriously enough, and Claire struggles to maintain control.Terrorized:
As paranoia rises, the group is terrorized.
Jake’s fear drives him to separate from the others. He’s soon trapped by the guard, backing into the painting and becoming another dot.
Emily begins to assert herself, suggesting ways to avoid the painting, but Dr. Harrison dismisses her as irrational.
Monster Reveal: The guard’s power grows stronger with each consumed soul.
Horror Situation: Jake’s terrified escape attempt.
Reaction: The group is horrified as Jake disappears, with Sarah trying to comfort the others.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death (Derek & Claire):
Derek, protective of Claire, tries to fight the guard to buy her time.
Claire: Desperate to destroy the painting, she attempts to tear it down physically, but the painting’s power overwhelms her.
Monster Reveal: Physical force cannot destroy the supernatural link.
Horror Situation: Derek’s failed attempt to protect Claire, followed by Claire’s tragic disappearance.
Reaction: Emily and Sarah are left reeling. Emily’s glasses break during the chaos, leaving her nearly blind.
Hysteria (Sarah’s Sacrifice):
Sarah tries to save Emily by attempting to damage the painting directly, hoping to stop the curse. Her bravery leads her directly into the painting’s trap, and she is consumed.
Monster Reveal: The painting’s curse is unbreakable through sacrifice alone.
Horror Situation: Sarah’s futile act of self-sacrifice.
Reaction: Emily is now alone and disoriented, relying on her senses to survive.The thrilling escape from death (Emily):
With her glasses broken, Emily must rely on her hearing and touch. She avoids the guard’s footsteps by trusting her instincts, narrowly escaping.
Monster Reveal: Emily’s lack of sight protects her from the painting’s allure.
Horror Situation: Emily’s tense and silent escape as she navigates without sight.
Reaction: Emily barely escapes as dawn breaks.Resolution
Monster Reveal:
As Emily steps outside, the camera lingers on the museum entrance, revealing that the cursed painting is now displayed prominently as a permanent exhibit. The new dots represent Claire, Derek, Sarah, Jake, and Max. The old guard’s footsteps echo faintly, suggesting the curse will continue.
Horror Situation: The cursed painting continues to claim victims.
Reaction: Emily survives but is visibly traumatized, realizing the curse remains unbroken. -
Diane’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that I have a lot of characters and that building dialogue, once I understand them better than just a vague idea of who they are, will give me more to work with and help me build the relationships between all of them. It’s getting easier to imagine what my script will look like.
1A. What is their Character Profile?
— BLAKE
• Role: Out of Control Know-it-all — Blake, 18, has all “the answers” for everyone. Always interrupting and correcting others.
• Traits: Super impressed with his imagined talents after watching a few videos. He’s conceited, cheerful, active, and sloppy.
• Fears: Afraid of being seen as incompetent.
• Wants/Needs: Wants excitement/Needs reality check
• Likability / Rooting factors: He gets involved in new things/it’s possible he could learn a thing or two if he tried.
• How they react under stress: Shuts down because he can’t figure out what to do.
• Relationship with other characters: Not attached to anyone, believes everyone likes and admires him.
1B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: Talkative. Tells “fun-facts” about the island.
• Denial: Others sense his self-importance, don’t really listen. He doesn’t see it.
• Their reaction at first horror: Laughs at scary stories of missing people.
• Relation to group after first horror: Believes he knows more than the guides.
• How they fight back: Ignore him.
• End Point: He’s the first to go missing and die.
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? It raises a level of confusion Because they’ve not been paying attention to him, they’re not sure he was even there to begin with.2A. What is their Character Profile?
— FRANKIE
• Role: Leader: Frankie, 30, the online group leader and organizer of the group trip to visit Alcatraz. Knows everyone’s interests in the group and presses each to contribute to their self-tour.
• Traits: He’s enthusiastic, organized, sneaky, and amiable
• Fears: ??
• Wants/Needs: Wants like-minded friends / Needs in-person people skills
• Likability / Rooting factors: His enthusiasm is contagious.
• How they react under stress: Interested, wants to figure things out.
• Relationship with other characters: wants them to consider him a friend
2B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: He greets the online group members to the island.
• Denial: ??
• Their reaction at first horror: He’s sure someone is missing, but won’t swear to it.
• Relation to group after first horror: He expresses worry for them.
• How they fight back: They get suspicious of him.
• End Point: Frankie is second to go missing/die.
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Frankie dies to increase the confusion of the remaining group. They know for sure someone is missing, but think it was a prank.3A. What is their Character Profile?
— VINCENT
• Role: Love Interest of Bonnie: Vincent, 25, has been on many tours of many prisons. Quiet, just loves traveling with others but not very chatty. Friends with Bonnie who he becomes protective of
• Traits: Protective, Contemplative, Caring, Grim
• Fears: ??
• Wants/Needs: Wants to be in a relationship /Needs Bonnie to enjoy his hobby
• Likability / Rooting factors: He’s friendly
• How they react under stress: Tries to figure out what’s going on
• Relationship with other characters: Good, they trust him
3B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: He and Bonnie finally meet in person
• Denial: Resists going on the exploration
• Their reaction at first horror: Not surprised, expected someone to get hurt
• Relation to group after first horror: Some see him as leader to get out
• How they fight back: break into groups (go deeper vs get out the way we got in)
• End Point: Third one to die – he dies in front of the group
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The others new know that something weird and deadly is going on.4A. What is their Character Profile?
— CHESTER
• Role: Complainer: Chester, 17, doesn’t have a plan for his life after high school. He’s local to San Francisco bay area
• Traits: Adventurous, Playful, Naïve, Foolish
• Fears: being on his own, being left behind, being left out
• Wants/Needs: Wants to be part of the group / Needs to figure out who he is
• Likability / Rooting factors: His playfulness keeps things light and less scary
• How they react under stress: Quiet, he doesn’t know what options he has
• Relationship with other characters: The tolerate his playfulness, can tell he’s young and inexperienced
4B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: Big proponent to explore deeper
• Denial: Doesn’t think any harm can come to them
• Their reaction at first horror: He knows Blake is missing, but others don’t believe him
• Relation to group after first horror: has little credibility
• How they fight back: Points out what should have been clues
• End Point: Fourth to die… taken by wall of water that drags the group to the chamber
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Proves how powerful the water-monster is and that it can take anyone at any time.5A. What is their Character Profile?
— GHOULIE
• Role: Monster Bait: “Ghoulie,” 18, only uses his gamer-nickname. Awkward in real life, always in a hurry to “get” the monster first in order to “win” the game. Approaches life that way.
• Traits: Charming, Confident, Quirky, Selfish.
• Fears: Losing
• Wants/Needs: Wants real-world excitement / Needs real-life skills
• Likability / Rooting factors: He’s looking for a way to win this “game”
• How they react under stress: Scared, but believes he can win if he figures out the “rules” of the “game”
• Relationship with other characters: ??
5B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: Approaches real life much like online life; what you do is quick but not permanent, you just have to keep going in the game
• Denial: At the end of the day, all will be fine;
• Their reaction at first horror: Bluster, as if he can just build his game character somehow
• Relation to group after first horror: Decides they are “expendable” characters and wants to save himself
• How they fight back: they try to stop him from triggering the water-monster
• End Point: Fifth and last to die in the 3rd act
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? There’s no way to survive.6AWhat is their Character Profile?
— TRAVIS
• Role: Loner: Travis: 19, keeps to the margin, likes to observe others observing the chambers, catches the details that others miss.
• Traits: Caring, Creative, Private, Indecisive
• Fears: being center of attention
• Wants/Needs: Wants to have an adventure with others / Needs to reach out to others to have a connection
• Likability / Rooting factors: He’s clever and points out some interesting characteristics of the island’s history
• How they react under stress: alleviate it
• Relationship with other characters: awkward, not savvy with his people skills
6B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: Observational and talks himself into going with them “come on, go, you wanted to have an adventure”
• Denial: ??
• Their reaction at first horror: Believes it was intentional
• Relation to group after first horror: afraid, he attempts connection with others
• How they fight back: I’m busy surviving, don’t get in my way
• End Point: Survives
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? His skill at hiding or going quiet showed them they could hide from the water7A. What is their Character Profile?
— BONNIE
• Role: Historian: Bonnie, 22, bookworm, she actually knows folklore, rumors, and myths. Friends with Vincent and this is the first time they actually meet. They have some good chemistry
• Traits: Smart, Eloquent, Practical, Indecisive
• Fears: real life danger, book danger is exciting and that’s how she prefers her adventures
• Wants/Needs: Wants to have a good first date with Vincent / Needs to face life outside of books.
• Likability / Rooting factors: She’s willing to join in on a real-life exploration of the island that she’s read about.
• How they react under stress: unpredictably
• Relationship with other characters: Good. She’s open to everyone’s differences
7B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: First meets Vincent then together them meet the group
• Denial: Has a hard time believing the water is actually haunted, wonders if what she sees is just her imagination
• Their reaction at first horror: tries to make sense of it from what she knows of the island
• Relation to group after first horror: they rely on her for a practical perspective
• How they fight back: ??
• End Point: She survives
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?8A What is their Character Profile?
— Isabel
Role: Tag-Along/Rescuer: Isabel, overheard the group planning to go off-tour and followed them. She knows more about the Island and the water than the others who are focused on the prison.
Traits: Superstitious, Moralistic, Serious, Precise
Fears: Inability to keep others safe
Wants/Needs: Wants to explore the island and its myths / Needs to employ what she knows about myths to save others
Likability / Rooting factors: Others are curious about her knowledge
How they react under stress: more afraid than the others given her myth knowledge; knows she must intervene
Relationship with other characters: Conflict between her superstitions and mystical knowledge and what others consider common sense.
8B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: She joins the group
Denial: ??
Their reaction at first horror: Wonder; are the myths real and not just stories?
Relation to group after first horror: She becomes a source of knowledge…
How they fight back: …but they poopoo the idea of myths being real
End Point: Survives and saves the others.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Respecting different cultural histories9A. What is their Character Profile?
— HAROLD
• Role: Moral One: Harold, 22, just graduated from college, majored in Forensic Science, and about to go to the Police Academy. Interested in fixing a broken prison system.
• Traits: Confident, Forceful, Moralistic, Pedantic
• Fears: Anarchy and chaos
• Wants/Needs: Wants to explore under the prison to expand his knowledge / Needs to understand that one-size does not fit all personalities for tourists or prisoners
• Likability / Rooting factors: Not particularly likeable; points out what he sees as wrong-headed ideas
• How they react under stress: Hesitates, can’t think for himself as he needs guidance of a “system”
• Relationship with other characters: Feels obligated to morally guide them
9B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
• Character Intro: Joins the group because he sees an opportunity to correct them
• Denial: He can’t possibly be wrong
• Their reaction at first horror: I told you so
• Relation to group after first horror: They dislike him
• How they fight back: He’s pretty much on his own after that and must work to be part of the group that continues on
• End Point: Survives
• What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? He learns that his viewpoints are his and that others are not wrong because they differ from his. He survived because he didn’t understand what was happening.
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