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Lesson 3
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What I learned doing this assignment is that I have to know the different layers of the main characters in order for each one to develop accordingly throughout the series. I also learned that AI can help provide certain character angles that make the drama stronger.
THE ENGAGING CHARACTER MODEL
What makes a lead characters engaging on multiple levels?
A. Role in the show:
Beth: Is determined to succeed at chess
Alma Wheatley: is foster mother and friend to Beth, even as she moves into adulthood. She supports Beth emotionally on her journey.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Beth: She does her best not to lose at chess, but finds ways to remember those who helped her get there. As a result, she is very modest.
Alma Wheatley: As Beth’s foster mother, we she her waver on being supportive on Beth’s endeavors while depending on Beth for financial support from her chess earnings. We see her reverting back to drinking, which leads Beth to do the same.C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Beth: Is overly competitive and only sees others as failures until she loses a game. The real secret is how her dependency on tranquilizers and now drinking (that she began when Alma offered her a sip on a plane) will play a role in other potential failures in chess.
Alma Wheatley: She is an alcoholic and a heavy smoker. She is there for Beth, but cannot seem to overcome the trauma/treatment from Mr. Wheatley (from before separation) and seems to be in a state of decline once again.D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Beth: morally, she knows that Alma “loses” a lot in life. Beth reminded her of that when Alma brought it up. Alma, in spite of everything, has been a true rock in Beth’s life and up until that point in time, Beth almost forgot what losing feels like. For example, she lost her parents early in life and her way of life after being sent to the orphanage.
Alma Wheatley: She took financial advantage of Beth when she was a minor. Not only that, she gave Beth alcohol, which Beth began to depend on, much like the tranquilizers.E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Beth: She was invited by Margaret to attend a party. Beth accepted the invitation and this was out of character, in a way, considering Beth seemingly moved past her nemesis (Margaret) after succeeding in chess. In the end, Beth wanted to show off chess, but the girls at the party were only interested for a short time.
Alma Wheatley: She became the antithesis of a foster mother, by definition, during Beth’s travels. She repeatedly lied to the school about Beth being ill, causing Beth to miss significant learning opportunities.F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Beth: We want her to succeed, but to fail at times and to understand that everybody fails from time to time.
Alma Wheatley: We want her to move past her negative experiences with Mr. Wheatley and find a way to be financially secure and healthy without relying on Beth’s winnings.Assignment 2:
1. Tell us the journey of your show.
The show that I am proposing is about a mid-twenties college graduate man deep in debt who suffers from a rare blood disorder and is seeking ways to cure it and to find ways to finance it. The people in his life, including his best friend and relatives are not very supportive and in fact might betray him.2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show?
Liam – He is a 25 year old male who becomes sick at work. He seeks ways to find a cure. He sees a competition for ballet. His parents and close friends criticize him about it.
Jack – He is the same age as Liam and has been his best friend since childhood. He lives in the same neighborhood. He is supportive of Liam, but betrays him.3. Answer these questions for each of those characters.
A. Role in the show:
Liam – lead character who goes through many obstacles in order to achieve a worthwhile result.
Jack – Is Liam’s best friend. He is closeted and makes a pass at Liam, who feels violated. Jack works, over time, on forgiveness, but causes other problems along the way.B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Liam – Is popular, yet quiet. Life through him unfortunate curveballs, including a curable, yet painful blood disease, a best friend who uses him, and parents who do not support his endeavors.
Jack – Forgiveness and causing problems for Liam seems to be a common theme. Liam is almost too forgiving of Jack, but since they had been staples in each other’s lives for years, Liam forgives him time and again. It turns out that Jack is the key to Liam’s health and success at ballet.C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Liam – He is confused about his purpose in life, his sexuality, and how to move past trauma. He has to achieve financial results and to find a bone marrow doner in order to live comfortably. His mission is ongoing
Jack – He is jealous of Liam because he finished college and had many girlfriends, while Jack was lacking in said areas. He assaults Jack and steals from him for drugs and prostitutes. He even gets Jack arrested. However, his composure is calm, cool, and collected. We cannot see what is beneath the surface initially.
*Liam and Jack are very different people. Liam hals always been kind to others and will be in this series, but he slips into patterns of immoral behavior. Jack is abrasive and hurts others to get his way. We see this soon in the series. However, he begins to see the part he played in his drama and tries to change over time.D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Liam – Morally, Liam finds every avenue possible to pay off his tuition and to save up for medical treatment. He dabbles in drugs, prostitution, and even steals items from family members. While Liam’s behavior is not as extreme as Jack’s behavior, we see him breaking away from reality more often than not.
Jack – Jack is using Liam physically, emotionally, and financially. In the end, he “sobers up” and finds ways to repair damage. However, he doesn’t see how crossing boundaries hurts those who care deeply about him.E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Liam – Liam goes to the darkest places, including people who had been kidnapped in order to extract organs for others. He doesn’t see humanity in his immediate world right away. He wants to get better, financially and physically and will take any chance he can get to get there.
Jack – Jack will turn around and be there for Liam. He is one key (out of many) to help Liam get well again.F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Liam – We want Liam to get better physically and financially. However, we also want him to avoid ways that are immoral and hurt others. We are cheering him on, but cannot help but wonder if he will change for the better again.
Jack – Jack is Liam’s rock, whether Liam thinks so or not. Jack needs to grow up and stand on his own two feet. We care about him because he really is a kind and supportive person to those in his immediate world, but we want him to stop hurting others.AI PROMPT: For each of the [main characters] for this [drama] about this [character-driven drama], please brainstorm the [Character Basics] of that character that fits this TV series well.
Character Basics =
A. Role in the show:
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
D. D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
E. E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
F. F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Genre =
Concept =
Main characters = Liam, Jack, Amanda, Misty and Martin (Liam’s parents)Genre: Character-driven family drama with emotional mystery
Concept: When Liam returns to his small hometown after a decade-long estrangement, he reopens old wounds in a fractured family and uncovers hidden truths about the past. Each character is dealing with unresolved trauma, secrets, and choices that ripple into the present. As tensions rise, so do questions of loyalty, morality, and identity.
________________________________________
1. Liam (Protagonist)
A. Role in the show:
The estranged son who returns home after years away.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A quiet observer and thinker; he now works in forensic psychology, trained to uncover hidden motives and patterns—skills he begins applying to his own family.
C. Intrigue:
Liam left after a traumatic event he may have partially caused—or covered up. He’s hiding the full truth from everyone, including himself.
D. Moral Issue:
He manipulates emotional truths from others, sometimes crossing ethical lines to uncover buried family secrets.
E. Unpredictable:
Will he expose the past or protect his family’s reputation? Is he here for healing or revenge?
F. Empathetic:
We feel his pain of abandonment, his longing to belong, and his quiet courage to face the darkness of his past.
________________________________________
2. Jack (Liam’s brother)
A. Role in the show:
The golden child who stayed—seemingly loyal, stable, and successful.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A charismatic high school coach with strong ties in the community. Seen as the family’s moral compass.
C. Intrigue:
Jack may have been more involved in the event that drove Liam away than anyone suspects. His clean-cut image hides control issues and suppressed rage.
D. Moral Issue:
He uses manipulation and gaslighting to maintain control and preserve the family image.
E. Unpredictable:
Will Jack protect Liam—or silence him? His need to be the hero could turn dangerous.
F. Empathetic:
He genuinely wants peace and stability, even as he fears everything unraveling. His loyalty to family is real, but flawed.
________________________________________
3. Amanda (Liam’s old flame / Jack’s wife)
A. Role in the show:
Liam’s former girlfriend who married Jack after he left.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A local journalist who knows how to dig for the truth, but rarely applies that skill to her own life.
C. Intrigue:
She’s still in love with Liam—and may have been all along. She also knows something about the incident they all pretend didn’t happen.
D. Moral Issue:
She’s betraying her marriage emotionally—and possibly planning a deeper betrayal.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she help Liam expose the truth or destroy it to protect herself and her child?
F. Empathetic:
She’s torn between duty, guilt, and love—and she’s trapped in a life that never felt fully hers.
________________________________________
4. Misty (Liam and Jack’s mother)
A. Role in the show:
The matriarch who holds the family together with denial and grace.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A former nurse turned community counselor; she’s emotionally perceptive but dangerously passive-aggressive.
C. Intrigue:
Misty knows what really happened—but she buried it to keep the family from imploding. Her silence may be the linchpin to everything.
D. Moral Issue:
She covers up wrongdoing to protect her sons, even when it causes harm to others.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she finally tell the truth—or manipulate others into keeping it buried?
F. Empathetic:
She’s lost so much already. Her actions come from love, but they’ve caused destruction.
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5. Martin (Liam and Jack’s father)
A. Role in the show:
The stoic, emotionally distant father who embodies the town’s old-school values.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A retired police chief with deep community respect—and a history of bending justice to protect his own.
C. Intrigue:
He altered or destroyed evidence long ago to protect one of his sons. He’s tormented by guilt and haunted by the consequences.
D. Moral Issue:
He compromised justice and manipulated the system for his family.
E. Unpredictable:
He could confess everything—or double down on lies to preserve his legacy.
F. Empathetic:
His moral collapse came from love and fear. Now, he’s trying to do right—but may be too late.
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