BWTV: Lesson 4: The 10 Most Interesting Things

[Lloyd Shellenberger]

Lloyd’s 10 Most Interesting Things

Vision: Working hard every day to become the best writer I can and as a result I do become the best writer in Hollywood.

What I learned from this assignment is… how to fine tune my pitch.

Marketable Components for Producer.

This project is highly marketable and proven because of the continued success of shows like The Unit, Blacklist, and Ray Donovan. Colonel Benjamin Greene is a fixer, just not in the traditional sense. Nor is he a hero in the traditional sense. He is the kind of anti-hero that an A-list actor will fall in love with. The Pilot for the TV and Streaming is budgeted and scheduled for any producer who would care to look at it.

Genre

Action Drama

Benjamin Greene High Concept
A former CIA assassin turned Special Operations Commander and his crew are brutally recruited into a Top-Secret Pentagon agency whose mission is to ensure the nation’s secrets stay secret.

Logline:

After the murder of an Iraqi interpreter, SFC Miles Clark and his crew must risk their lives and careers to save the widow and her children from certain death.
A. Unique.

The concept is strong, focusing on a former CIA assassin turned commander who is now part of a top-secret Pentagon agency. The main conflict revolves around keeping national secrets and dealing with internal and external threats, which is engaging and has high stakes.

B. Great Title.

The title is indicative of a strong lead that dominates the show and exemplifies excellent leadership qualities as a unit Commander and Special Operations operative.

C. True.

Some of the episodes were inspired by true events but because of the sensitive nature of the story, names and dates were changed to protect the true facts. I spent time in Psychological Operations and did tours performing those duties.

D. Timely.

Unfortunately, with the world in a state of chaos this story fits the current times perfectly.

E. N/A It may not be a first.

Blacklist, Ray Donovan, The Unit, Seal team. The way this is presented allows the crew to travel around the world hiding or getting rid of the incrementing deeds of nefarious government agencies. The conflict lies in the resistance and desire at times to work outside of the Puzzle Works mandate and make up new rules as they go along.

F. Ultimate.

This may be the best action-packed TV series to date.

G. Wide audience appeal.

The emotional arc of the lead protagonist makes this a powerful role any actor would love to play. Audiences would embark on a wild emotional ride as they root for the lead characters and Colonel Greene and his crew.

H. Book

I am contemplating creating a long running book series named The Puzzle Works or the Puppet Masters.

I. Similarity to TV success.

The Unit, Blacklist, Ray Donovan

J. A great role for a bankable actor.

This story takes an actor all the way through the emotional arc from A to Z. Colonel Benjamin Greene is a strong and capable protagonist. His antagonist is just as capable and committed. Throughout the series rival factions conspire to expose or hide the truth as well, often putting Greene and his crew in compromising situations.

This is a TV Series drawn from real life world events. Soldiers and government agencies are involved in covert operations all around the world daily. The TV or Streaming audience gets a front row seat to the inner workings of the espionage game.

Plot Layers: The true nature of the Puzzle Works agency and its influence on global affairs.
Character Layers: Greene’s past and the reasons behind his wife’s death. The best aspect of your script is the high-stakes world you’ve created and the complex nature of the Puzzle Works agency.

Plot Layers: The conspiracy within the agency and the true extent of the corruption.
Character Layers: Greene’s past as an assassin, Mosely’s hidden agenda, and Garnet’s full capabilities.
Situation Layers: The betrayal within the team and the agency’s real purpose.
Reveal: The betrayal by Mosely and the agency’s true nature.

What is most unique about your villain and hero? My lead, Colonel Benjamin Greene is flawed and bitter, but he is the perfect man for the job of leading his crew through the world of espionage and murder.

B. Major hook of your opening scene?

The pilot does a good job of introducing the high-stakes world of espionage and the characters’ roles within it. The inciting incident is the brutal recruitment of Colonel Greene and his team, which sets the tone for the series. It begins with the raid on an Agency drug house in Afghanistan.

C. Any turning points? Situation Layers: The team’s recruitment and the real motives behind their missions. The Puzzle Works is all consuming and brutal. The whole series is defined by that moment. Murder is the first and last order of the day for this demented agency.

D. Emotional dilemma? Colonel Benjamin Greene left the Agency years before for his wife. He does not appear to be happy coming back to the spy world. His son Lt. Brian Greene is his last tether to humanity and his greatest trigger.

E. Major twists? There are over 35 open loops and a dozen or more mysteries written into this show.

F. Reversals? There are enough open loops and twists in the first season to keep the audience guessing. Lt. Greene and Desmoines enter the drug trade in what appears to be a direct betrayal of Colonel Greene, or is it? The end of the first season sees a major twist in why and for what purpose they did this. Nothing is as it seems.

G. Character betrayals? There are a load of character betrayals starting with Sergeant Garnet. We learn from the first episode she may be the most dangerous person in the mix. Lt. Greene is not above betrayal directed at his father and Sergeant Garnet. Jones has a questionable pass that puts him in a compromising position from Agent Stockton.

H. Or any big surprises? There are over 35 open loops. Maybe Greene wasn’t recruited? He may have recruited the agency. His wife’s death may have not been from natural causes. When you take away the one thing that keeps a killer civilized what happens to restraint?

Ten most interesting things in my script:

1. Teaser: The opening scene is action-packed and establishes the high-risk world of the characters.

2. 1ST ACT: Introduces the main characters and the premise of a top-secret agency tasked with keeping the nation’s secrets. Who are the Puzzle Works?

3. Turning Point: The team is brutally recruited into the agency.

4. 2ND ACT: The conflict of trust and betrayal within the agency is introduced.

5. Turning Point: The team learns about the depth of the conspiracy they are dealing with The Puzzle Works agency is the in the spy game and no one escapes them. No One!

6. 3RD ACT: The characters grapple with the implications of their mission and their uncertain future. As former Puzzle Works agents and colleagues are brutally murdered you begin to understand you cannot walk away from the agency.

7. Turning Point: A significant betrayal within the agency is revealed. The true identity of Garnet is hinted at but not revealed. If she is a spoiler, Col. Greene and Lt. Greene have a big problem that could change everything.

8. 4TH ACT: The characters’ efforts to resolve the situation lead to further complications.
Turning Point: A major character is put in mortal danger. Colonel Greene is a marked man. The only protection he has is from the one agency he hates the most, The Puzzle Works.

9. 5TH ACT: The final act cements the characters’ commitment to their mission and to each other. The burning down of the warehouse and erasing all evidence is the operating theme of Greene and his crew.

10. Agent Stockton is every bit as ruthless and talented as Greene and we see that in the final warehouse scene and at the hospital. There is no line he will not cross to bury Greene and his crew.

Plot Layers: The conspiracy within the agency and the true extent of the corruption.
Character Layers: Greene’s past as an assassin, Mosely’s hidden agenda, and Garnet’s full capabilities.
Situation Layers: The betrayal within the team and the agency’s real purpose.
Reveal: The betrayal by Mosely and the agency’s true nature.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Lloyd Shellenberger.