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Day 1 Assignments
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June Fortunato Day 1 of Dramatic devices- scenes
What I learned: This is not a ‘light’ assignment if the film is stopped every few seconds – so the assignment took me quite a few hours. Nonetheless- it’s a good re-entry to the lessons. I’ve studied other films frame by frame, but this one is incredibly tense and intriguing because there are at least two actions happening simultaneously in every moment, and in every moment, the protagonist, Adam Sandler (aka Howard) gets himself into deeper an deeper trouble. He’s a menace to himself, driven, unstoppable, and sets up open loops/ enemies who will come back to hurt him as the movie moves forward and these problems include Howard’s portended colon cancer. -The use of steady-cam compounds the tension with non-stop movement and the extreme closeups and sharp cutting and often gritty alternatingly shiny pallet complete the chest pounding anxiety of this film. BTW, I chose a film that I had not seen, and watched 40 minutes of it. I still have to watch the end.
Uncut Gems logline: “With his debts mounting and angry collectors closing in, a fast talking NYC jeweler risks everything in hopes of staying afloat and alive.”
UNCUT GEMS
Opening
-1:01 Ethiopia- throngs of people run to a place in an excavated partly open mine, shouting. A man is horrifically wounded- his leg torn to shreds.
-2:48 Two men who watched go into the mine shafts, and chisel a rock- it’s an amazing blue gem, and HUGE. An uncut gem.
-3:57 The title sequence is floaty, and magical like the universe including the music.
-4:18 The scoping of someone’s colon – revealed that it’s during a colonoscopy- and the person is Adam Sandler, aka, Howard. He has polyps/ aka health problem coming. Quite an introduction to a protagonist- a metaphor for “takes it up the a…”
-5:48 Howard receives a manilla envelope with $24K and walks to his jewelry store.
-6:58 He gets water for one of two thugs- one of whom slaps him. Others in the store are worried- especially a “Friend.”
-7:35 The thugs take his envelope/money and his watch. It feels like protection money.
-8:24 Howard calls Arno and tells him that the watch is worth 20K- It’s revealed that the men are debt collectors for Amo, and Howard owes $100K to “Arno” (on the phone) A glimpse of Howard’s deepening problems.
-8:36 Howard goes to an apartment – booze bottle all over after an obviously huge party- two women are lying in bed (just lazy) and Howard complains that they show up any time to work- the woman convinces him to lay with her and cuddle. She’s a model. She accuses him of being manipulative and a constant liar. Sets up that his employee is his lover and in some ways, that he’s at her mercy when he decides to cuddle with her. At this point we know that this character is living wild- parlaying one thing for the next gambleand moves quickly from one thing to the next- willfully and forcefully propelling his future.
-10:11 He sells an extraordinarily huge diamond cross. It’s worth $235K. Sets up the other jewelry store relationship developed later. We think that he might pay off his debt.
-10:39 In a restaurant he approaches the owner who’s also a bookie. We learn why Howard’s in such trouble- deep gambling addiction- he bets $24K on the Lakers. And, that he already has replaced his stolen watch with an extraordinary watch- with a huge garnet.
-11:25 He’s in his back hallway- two body guards scuffle with the same debt collectors- who now threaten Howard’s life.
-13:11 In his shop, KC from the Lakers – Howard pulls out the stops with charm and shows KC a diamond encrusted FURBY- He’s dazzled by KC.
-14:42 Howard’s Friend tries to sell KC a watch. It’s a hot watch and Howard doesn’t want Friend to sell in his shop- Friend can just keep them in his safe- that’s all. This sets up another situation to be resolved/developed.
Inciting incident
-16:17 A package arrives. Howard is alarmed, and quickly takes it back to his office. He cuts it open while his worker, Yassi, screams at Howard about working there- his loyalty for 8 years- while simultaneously Howard cuts open the package and a huge fish. Yassi quits setting up potential sabotage- he leaves.
-17:50 Inside, the HUGE uncut gem we saw in the opening. Implied is that that somehow, Howard has a web/network to get this to him- that he must owe for this rock? and that he’s thrilled beyond reason. Intrigue amps up.
-18:11 sequence end
-18:44 Howard shows the rock to KC- it’s a black opal- rare- found in garnet mines- KC wants it. It’s revealed that the rock is 5000 carats- worth $3K each carat- and that it’s already slated for auction. Also that his network is one of “African Jews”
-21:52 Howard has bet on the night’s game- so he allows KC to take the rock overnight for good luck- then in collateral, takes KC’s championship ring. Friend is supposed to retrieve the rock and bring it to Howard at 9AM then next morning- when he will place it in auction.
– 23:10 end of set up for Inciting incident
-24:53 Howard goes to the other jewelry shop, this time doesn’t sell, but pawns- the ring. The deal is $21K cash, but he pays 7% vig. and if he doesn’t claim the ring by Friday- that shop will keep the ring. This sets up another set of troubles for Howard, and simultaneously, he’s watched and followed by Arno’s two thugs.
-26:07 Although he calls Arno to show him that he’s got the money, Howard instead, goes into the restaurant/bookie- and changes his bet to $40K on the Lakers, with a 6 parlay. The bookie tries to discourage him. He’s just compounded the vast amount of money he’s betting and can lose.
-27:08 Home, glued to the game, his wife blasts him over and over again to say good night to their son. Howard escapes to watch the game in his car, then goes to see his incredibly spoiled son- who has shelves of collectible FURBYs and a huge tv screen- He too, is watching the game and has bet $25.- so he already has his father’s bad habit.
-30:21 Wife “wants to tell the kids” right now- Howard wants to wait until after Passover and even, after summer- revealing his impending divorce and also sets up that his wife may do something to take Howard down. The delay is probably about money for Howard.
-31:27 In a cab- the price of garnets has dropped 41% and Howard’s thrilled.
-32-40 – 38:01 He’s in another apartment- of his lover- whom we met her earlier- Howard hides in the closet, she undresses- they sext- she masturbates- he jumps out- they are seen through the wall of windows of a huge apartment- Are they being watched?
-36:91- 39:22 Next morning- Friend does not show up with the rock at the auction house- Howard insists that Friend drive him to Philadelphia, where KC is practicing. When they get there, Friend goes to the back, but Howard is prevented. Simultaneously, Howard is supposed to go to his daughter’s play that evening in NYC- which sets up yet another overlapping time constraint problem.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by June f.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by
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Dev Ross – Lesson 1 – Dramatic Choices
What I learned doing this lesson was how even small dramatic choices ratchet up the tension to push one scene into the next. Though I enjoyed the film “Coda,” I didn’t think it was Academy Award material. Still, the way the scenes kept adding dramatic tension via her relationships verses her own desires was well done.
In the first 30 minutes of CODA, we are introduced to RUBY, the only hearing child in her otherwise deaf father. In this time, we see how much her family and their livelihood depend on her hearing ability, how worn it she is by the time she gets to school, how she’s being made fun of by her peers because she often smells like fish and because of her deaf family. We also learn that she has a secret love of music, a great relationship with her dad, a strained one with her mother, and a competitive one with her deaf brother. By the 30-minute mark, Ruby has chickened out of auditioning for choir but then returns after her teacher encourages her.
1. Miles and Ruby are to do a duet together but suck at it because they haven’t rehearsed together due to their awkwardness with one another. Teacher is openly disappointed and chides them.
2. Teacher challenges Ruby to audition for Berkely Music School but she puts up a myriad of excuses – mostly money and her family.
3. Teacher challenges her to work for a music scholarship.
4. Ruby’s mom chastises her for wanting to sing and pushes back on her for joining the choir.
5. Her brother wants to start a fish co-op but since they are deaf, they are powerless to convince other fishermen. Brother’s frustration leads to fight in a bar.
6. Brother begins sexual relationship with Ruby’s best friend.
7. Awkward teen tension between Ruby and Miles while rehearsing. Can’t look into each other’s eyes.
8. Miles hears Ruby’s parents having raucous sex, reports it to a friend who spreads it all over school. Ruby will no longer have anything to do with him.
9. Ruby struggles to free her singing with teacher.
10. Deaf mom is left out of growing business, increasingly isolated, and putting pressure on Ruby not to go too far outside of family.
11. Due to helping her family, Ruby is often late to private music practice with teacher, who doubts her commitment.
12. Deaf mom increasingly feeling ‘out of it’ due to her new hearing co-op partners.
13. Tension builds between Miles and Ruby. He tries to apologize but she won’t accept.
14. Mom pressures Ruby to stay for news interview so she – once again – misses her music rehearsal with teacher.
15. Teacher refuses to work with her any longer. Ruby attacks his failure as a musician. He won’t allow it. She finally admits her co-dependence with her family.
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Cameron Martin’s Dramatic Choices
What I learned doing this is…I realize much of this is due to the setting, but damn. There’s a lot of drama built into a slow burn of a movie. Setting, then, plays a huge roll in adding to the dramatic tension of a story, even when the basic plot (DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – Get the dam working) isn’t all that exciting (Compare to STAR WARS – Save the princess). So many dramatic moments are woven through the first 30 minutes of DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES just through the setting established in the opening montage: simian flu wipes out human civilization, but makes apes smarter. Also, did know this coming into this lesson, but it’s still eye opening to see how many dramatic moments are successfully fulfilled page after page, and many times having multiple dramatic moments per page. If I had to summarize how DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES pulls this off, it’s put the wrong (though, still competent) people in the worst kind of situation, and have just one character on either side have to work through the problems both sides create for each other and themselves.
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
1. Opens with the collapse of human civilization via news montage and tracking the spread of the simian flu.
2. Showing the red dots as the virus spreads, followed by the red dots slowly fading away to show the billions of people dying.
3. Chimps are in war paint that resembles their skeletal structure, including a painted skull on their face.
4. Caesar looking intense, leading a hunting party.
5. The apes hunt and take down several elk.
6. Caesar’s son joins his father in the hunt.
7. A bear attacks Caesar’s son, just as he’s about to kill an elk, prompting Caesar to fight the bear to protect his son.
8. Caesar calls for help, and stands up to the bear to get it to stand up on its hind legs.
9. Koba kills the bear with a large spear.
10. Caesar assesses his son’s wounds from the bear attack. He has large gashes in his torso.
11. Caesar and his apes ride horseback through a post apocalyptic forest up to…
12. A huge sanctuary compound in the trees. The apes have established their own civilization, complete with school that teaches language and ethics. They communicate with each other much like we do, with Koba going so far as to comfort Caesar’s son by saying “Scars make you strong.”
13. Something calls for Caesar’s attention…there are many chimps wearing what look like facemasks and…Caesar is comforting his wife through the birth of their second child.
14. Caesar and Maurice talk about the humans, the fact that they’re all gone, and the question is raise as to whether apes will go to war with each other in the same way as humans went to war with themselves.
15. It’s been 10 years since the last humans were seen.
16. Caesar’s son, Blue Eyes, goes on a fishing trip with his friend, Ash, and come into contact with the first human seen for over 10 years, and the human shoots Ash.
17. More humans come to find out about the gunshot, and the apes swarm the sight in a huge army, surrounding the humans.
18. One of the humans recognizes something different about the apes, whereas the rest of the group is still on the defense. The leader of the humans tells his scouting party to put their guns down in the face of an army of apes holding spears.
19. Caesar speaks in human language, telling the humans to “GO!” The rest of the apes shout in english “GO!”
20. Caesar commands Koba, again in english, to “follow!”
21. Intense music guides us as the apes follow the humans caravanning back to their colony in the ruins of San Francisco.
22. The humans need power, thus they went to check on a dam and whether it would help, but as they tell their leader, “there’s a problem.” [the apes]
23. The humans debrief their leader, who doesn’t believe them. The confidence built in “he didn’t kill us” is shattered with the question “maybe they let us live so they could follow us and kill us all.”
24. There’s a whole town of humans living in the ruins of a metropolitan center in the middle of San Francisco, and the party that made first contact with Caesar’s apes can’t tell anyone what they saw.
25. Koba and his apes found the humans’ colony.
26. The apes discuss what to do with the humans. Koba wants to kill them. Rocket, whose son was shot, says he’ll follow Caesar’s lead. We start to see the separation of the apes into factions, one led by Koba and the other led by Caesar, built on the fear of humans and what to do with them.
27. Caesar talks in english, saying war could cost them everything they’ve built, “home, family, future.” He’ll decide by morning.
28. Koba makes the case to Caesar to kill the humans, saying his choices are built on the suffering he endured at their hands. Caesar takes Koba’s hand.
29. Caesar rides into San Francisco on horseback with an army of apes.
30. At the gates of the colony, Malcolm, the human, goes to talk with the apes: one man against an army.
31. Caesar talks to humans, “Apes do not want war, but will fight if we must!” He sets the borders, pointing to each “Ape home! Human home!” then sets the ultimatum, “do not come back.”
32. Blue Eyes gives the kid’s lost bag back as a sign of peace.
33. The colony is in a panic. Meanwhile, Gary Oldman is trying to calm them saying they have the firepower, they’re immune, and why they need to find power (to connect with the rest of the world and rebuild [they don’t know if anyone else is alive besides them]).
34. Malcolm tells Gary Oldman that the dam is the only option, even though Oldman just stated they would find another way. Oldman – “Well, then, we fight them.”
35. Two weeks from running out of fuel (ticking clock is set up). Oldman confirms that once that happen, he won’t be able to calm the panic and mayhem, and things will go back to the way they were with complete anarchy and chaos.
36. Malcolm says he wants to go back and talk to the apes. “Give me three days” (another ticking clock). Shows the bag as a sign that he thinks the apes can be reasoned with.
37. Gary Oldman gives him the three days, but says he’s going to assess what they have in the armory, and if Malcolm isn’t back in three days, then he and the rest of the humans are going to go up to the ape’s home and kill them all
38. Malcolm has to take Carver (the man who shot one of the apes) because he’s the only one who knows how the dam works.
39. Malcolm’s who strategy is built on telling the truth and hoping for Caesar to be in a “good mood,” despite just moments before seeing Caesar warning the humans to not come back. Malcom’s desperation comes from the desire to avoid war, which is inevitable if the two factions can’t work together.
40. Malcolm’s son insists on joining his dad, “it’s safer up there with you than it is down here.” -
DAY 1 What Make a Script Dramatic?
LISA’S DRAMATIC CHOICES
———THE FAMILY STONE – First 30 minutes———
WHAT I LEARNED:
This is a great example of maintaining character traits. Meredith remains stiff, the family members are very loose, and Everett is between the two worlds. Nothing seems out of place and the action moves intentionally along, building and building. You can see the explosion and change coming.
This is a Christmas movie that my family watches every year. I particularly like the character arc of Meredith. And the idea that we will eventually find the right match even when we’re with the wrong match. The family dynamics are relatable. Being misunderstood is relatable. Feeling the family pressure and sadness is relatable.
I learned from deconstructing the scenes that I need to slow down and take my time building the characters. My work is short and concise, but I need to take more time for development. I need to update my “cut to the chase” work mode.
THE FAMILY STONE OPENING
1. Meredith is on a business call on her cell phone in a department store. She is arguing with someone over a report that is due on Christmas and says that her subordinate cannot take time off. She sees Everett purchasing a gift and interrupts him to correct the color of the gift he’s buying for his sister…then she goes back to her call. The call drops and as she starts to redial, Everett takes her phone away from her…saying Merry Christmas to the salesperson.
2. Credits
3. Patrick and Thad arrive in the driveway of a beautiful old home and get presents out of the back of the SUV.
4. They greet Sybil, the mom with hugs and kisses. Sybil signs to Thad. Patrick and Sybil talk recipes. They ask Sybil about when the others are coming. Kelly, the dad comes in with brownies and kisses Sybil. Kelly signs to Thad and hugs both him and Patrick as Sybil watches.
5. Another car arrives. It’s an old model yellow Volvo car. Amy gets out, drops her laundry in the snow.
6. Cut to the interior of a third car, a BMW. Meredith apologizes to Everett for being on her phone. She fidgets and clears her throat a couple of times. Everett acknowledges that she’s nervous. She says she’s not.
7. Amy, Sybil, Kelly, Patrick, and Thad are discussing Meredith before she arrives. Amy hates her! Kelly tells her to have generosity of spirit. Amy tells the story of going to NY to see a guy and they go to dinner with Meredith and she’s a total phony, uptight, talked constantly, and has a fake disgusting cough that sounds like she’s digging for clams. Susannah arrives with her daughter, Elizabeth. Sybil says Amy was telling them about Meredith who is a throat clearer. Patrick says Amy never likes anyone. Amy says she loves Patrick and Thad says that took years. Susannah says Meredith was curt on the phone.
8. Meredith and Everett arrive, and he says they are all watching from the window. Kelly goes out to greet them. Meredith puts out her hand to shake Kelly’s hand and he hugs her.
9. Inside the house, Everett hugs Thad and Patrick. He introduces Meredith to Thad, and she talks slowly and loudly to the deaf Thad. Thad asks his sister why she’s shouting. There’s tension between Meredith and Amy. Sybil is sarcastic. They family take a photo on the stairs and push Meredith out of the way.
10. Meredith argues with Everett over them sleeping in the same bed in his parent’s home. Everett said Sybil put them together. Meredith says it’s not right!
11. Sybil laughs when Everett tells her that they must find another place for Meredith to sleep. Sybil says does she think I don’t know that you screw? She laughs at separate bedrooms, it’s so silly. She’s putting Amy out of her room.
12. Amy says to Meredith, you’re putting me out of my room. Elizabeth asks why she’s not staying with Everett; did they have a fight? She wants to try on Meredith’s very expensive shoes. Meredith gets a call from her sister. They don’t leave at first, then after stares from Meredith decide to leave. Amy clears her throat on her way out. Meredith tells her sister that they hate her. Yes, I’m being myself!
13. Meredith goes to Everett’s room and ask him not to be mad. He says he’s not. She sees some of his awards in a drawer and asks why they’re tucked away. He says they were from a long time ago. They hug and look in the mirror. Meredith says to look at them…
14. Ben arrives and Amy tells him wait until you meet her! Ben greets Sybil. Then Everett and Meredith come downstairs. Everett in a tie. Ben looks at Meredith and stares and says Hi.
15. Ben carries Elizabeth into the kitchen and asks Susannah where her husband is. She says what husband? He’ll come on Christmas. Everett asks where’s Dad? Meredith sees that Elizabeth has worn her shoes and torn the heel off. She grabs them and says she guesses she has another pair she can wear with that outfit. Ben asks if he can help her and to not be long “pretty lady” because they will all be talking about her. Ben says remember Miss Yuen. Second grade teacher, she was terrific. Ben says Meredith’s spectacular. Where did you meet?
16. Driving in the car, with Everett, Ben, Amy, Thad, and Elizabeth, Meredith tells the story of how they met in Hong Kong, no Kowloon. Amy starts to sign to Thad what Meredith is saying but gives up. Meredith shouts at Thad to try to get him to understand. Ben only asks, what were you wearing?
17. At the pizza parlor, Meredith is still telling the story. Ben is fascinated by Meredith.
18. Now at home, Meredith is still talking about how they met. Everett tells about the monks he was going to stay with that have taken a vow of silence. Amy says of what? (Clearly a jab at Meredith). What did you two talk about? Everett can’t remember. Meredith does and goes on telling of what she does and how they got together, and Everett never made it to the monks. When Meredith stops talking, everyone is just staring at her in disbelief that she could go on so long. Meredith says they were in the right place at the right time. Ben says destiny. Everett is forced to agree. Meredith offers to help clean up, but Sybil sarcastically says no you’re a guest.
19. Meredith and Everett go into the hall. As Meredith begins to say something Sybil comes into the hallway. Everett says he wants to talk to Sybil. There’s something he wants to ask her. Sybil says I thought that might be it and leaves.
20. The family is playing charades. There’s a clue acted out and ben asks whose clue was that. It wasn’t very good. Meredith clears her throat. Amy hand picks a clue for Meredith to act out. Meredith protests and doesn’t want to do it. As Meredith acts it out, she unconsciously points her index finger. And Amy calls her out as pointing at Patrick who is black. The clue is the bride wore black. Amy calls her racist. Meredith leaves. They call Amy a Meany.
21. Meredith rages against Amy to Everett. Meredith says she’s not a completely ridiculous person. Meredith accuses him of having doubts and wishing she were different. I don’t want you just because you’re a good guy and couldn’t find the break. He says he’s not a good guy. She says he is.
22. Sybil says she knows Everett is coming for her mother’s ring. Dad says he can’t understand what Everett sees in her. She’s an attractive, intelligent, and successful woman. She better mannered than any of us. Sybil says you stick a silver spoon up a monkey’s butt and it will say please and thank you. Dad says she’s a fine woman. But she doesn’t know or trust herself very well. So, Everett may not know himself at all.
23. Sybil, Meredith, and Amy are in the kitchen and Amy doesn’t say good morning to Meredith. Sybil tells Amy that they got a Christmas card from Brad Stephenson’s mom. Brad popped Amy’s cherry. Amy protests. Amy cuts off Meredith as she’s getting milk for her coffee. Amy is cold to her. Meredith asks for a chance. Amy says don’t sweat it. Meredith says I don’t care if you like me or not. Amy says Aww, of course you do.
24. Meredith is going to the Inn. The family is gathered looking outside as Meredith gets in the car.
She says it was her “bad back”. Everett comes in and wants to know who said something and that her sister is coming. Amy laughs. Everett gets mad. This is how this is going to go. Meredith means a lot to me so you better start getting used to the idea. He tells his dad that he expected more of him.
25. Ben brings Meredith a cup of coffee and asks if she’s coming back. He tells Meredith that he had a dream about her last night. Meredith clears her throat. Everett comes out. Ben says to bring back the mug because it’s Sybil’s favorite and she’ll kill you.
26. Dad sits the family down and gives a lecture on welcoming Meredith and her sister, Julie back to the house without judgment and opened arms. Act like a civilized family. Sybil says she knows he’s going to ask for the ring. Ben says he can’t marry her, he doesn’t even love her.
27. Everett asks his mom for his grandmother’s wedding ring. This is the woman I’m going to marry. Sybil asks about another girlfriend. Everett said she told him to come to her when he met the woman he was to marry and he’s doing it now. Sybil says no. I can’t, that woman. I can’t give you the ring. Everett says you promised me. Sybil says I know you’re disappointed but think how I feel. Sybil drops her head into her hands. (31 minutes)
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Matthew Frendo’s Dramatic Choices
What I learned doing this assignment was just how many dramatic moments are in a film. I don’t know if it’s because it’s based on a book or just because it’s a great flick, but Harry Potter had a dramatic moment almost every 30 seconds.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
1. Dumbledore shows up and uses magic to take the light from every lamp.
2. A cat turns into Professor McGonagell.
3. The two have cryptic and intriguing talk about Harry and Hagrid.
4. Hagrid arrives – on a motorcycle from the sky
5. They leave baby Harry with the “Worst Muggles Ever,” but how are Harry’s only relatives…until he is ready.
6. Close up on baby Harry’s weird scar.
7. Preteen Harry lives in a cupboard with abusive relatives who are celebrating his cousin’s bday as they make Harry work and get breakfast ready.
8. Cousin throws temper tantrum over presents, even though Harry has nothing.
9. Uncle warns Harry about any “funny business” and threatens to take his meals away.
10. Dudley is bad to animals at zoo…
11. Leading to Harry talking to a snake!
12. Harry talks to snake about losing parents.
13. Harry magically puts his cousin in snake cage.
14. Harry allows snake to escape.
15. Snake thanks him with speech on way out.
16. Snake scares everyone all around.
17. Dudley ends up trapped in snake cage.
18. Uncle abuses Harry to find out what happened. When Harry says it’s magic, his uncle says there’s no such thing.
19. Owl drops off letter for Harry from Hogwarts.
20. Dudley steals letter and shows parents.
21. More and more owls drop off letters that his uncle destroys.
22. Uncle tires to shut mailbox for good.
23. Owls drop off huge amount of letters that Uncle burns.
24. Owls now all over yard as letters swarm in.
25. Uncle takes them to abandoned lighthouse.
26. Harry celebrates birthday alone when…
27. …Hagrid busts in.
28. Uncle tries to stand up to Hagrid, who bends the gun.
29. Hagrid gives Harry his first cake.
30. Hagrid tells Harry he’s a wizard for the first time and gives him entrance letter to Hogwarts.
31. Uncle refuses to let Potter go and they insult Harry and his parents.
32. Find out they lied about his parents the whole time.
33. Hagrid threatens Uncle over Dumbledore and then gives Dudley a tail for eating Harry’s cake.
34. Hagrid tells Harry not to tell anyone because he’s not allowed to do magic.
35. Harry and Hagrid go to back of a pub.
36. When Harry gets there, pub goes silent and then everyone wants to meet him.
37. Harry meets Dark Arts teacher, who acts oddly.
38. Harry wonders why he is famous, but Hagrid won’t tell him.
39. Enter Diagon Alley through secret door and see magical stuff all over.
40. Harry finds out he has secret Gringotts account with a lot of money.
41. Harry sees goblins for first time.
42. Hagrid gives secret thing to goblin from Dumbledore.
43. Harry sees all his money.
44. They go another vault, but keep it secret from Harry.
45. Hagrid tells Harry to keep second vault secret.
46. Harry goes to get a wand…and Ollivander already knows who he is.
47. Ollivander talks about Harry’s parents buying their first wands.
48. Harry tries different wands, with crazy results.
49. Harry finds his wand, which is paired with the wand of the person who gave Harry his scar.
50. Harry hears about “He Who Must Not Be Named” for first time and that he did terrible things.
51. Hagrid gets Harry and owl for his birthday.
52. Harry finds out the one who gave him his scar killed his parents.
53. Hagrid tells Harry about how some wizards go bad and tells story of “He Who Must Not Be Named,” getting scared when Harry says the name.
54. Hagrid tells Harry how his parents died…and that Harry was cursed in an effort to kill him.
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Anna Harper Lesson 1 Dramatic moments
Power of the Dog
What I learned from this movie; every moment was packed with drama. In terms of documenting and analyzing it was necessary to get to the essence and move on.
Power of the Dog
An amazing film that deserved all the wins.
The dramatic tension in the movie was greatly amplified by the cinematography which used the epic landscape, and the ever-changing moods and light on the mountains to contain the second layer of the story world. The cattle ranch and the support businesses, way stations, saloon, a grain elevator, and boarding house are contained within the backdrop of the mountains. The music/soundtrack also added a layer of drama. There were many smaller details seeded throughout, that did not involve dialogue, yet told the story and illustrated the characters.
Some of those detail were; Phile the antagonist banging his cowboy heels and spurs jangling as he walked menacingly. The costuming shows the character arc; Rose the love interest of George Phil’s brother starts by wearing farm girl attire and as she falls into alcoholism her clothing becomes more sexual in nature. All amplifying the drama of the moment.
Other dramatic details I noticed were, taxidermy on the walls, symbols of wealth and prowess, and foreboding of death.
Main characters
Phil Antagonist
George, brother to Phil, Protagonist 1
Rose George’s love interest, Protagonist 2
Peter, son of Rose, a college kid Protagonist 3
Opening scene; the drama in this scene is provided by the chaos of cattle being herded, the cowboys yelling, dust flying, all with the backdrop of the mountains.
Phil and George are riding together, it is quickly obvious that this is a wealthy ranch and that George is the one who handles the business and Phil is following his dream as a hands-on cattle rancher. The drama unfolds with dialogue between Phil and George, which is immediately a nasty onslaught from Phil and sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Phil cuts his brother up relentlessly, being just plain nasty. We do not know why at this point
George is attired throughout in clothes that would befit a banker, even when helping with moving the herd. He is a gentle and quiet person providing an almost annoying passive contrast to Phils’ constant attacks. and ground in cowboy dirt.
The second scene has the cattlemen and the herd arriving at a sort of cookhouse/ boarding house. Phil behaves very rudely and mocks Peter who is waiting table, referring to his more gentle ways as effeminate. The bad behavior escalates throughout the meal.
Rose and her son are visibly upset by the taunting of the cattlemen’s dinners…After the cattlemen leave. George returns to check on the distressed Rose. The next layer of drama unfolds as George quietly enters the kitchen unknown to a sobbing Rose. He offers her sympathy and a shoulder to cry on.
Meanwhile, we get a glimpse of the degree that which the ever macho Phil is co dependant to George. He frets and gets angry when George fails to show up for sleep. Previously we observed the two cattlemen ranchers in the same bed, hardly an economic necessity.
The next day the breakfast service is a repeat of the previous night’s drama with people behaving very badly. The otherwise quiet passive George steps up to the plate and confronts the dinners, using his voice in a surprisingly loud, authoritative way to establish order, he further impresses Rose by removing his banker’s suit jacket and helping with the breakfast service.
Phil gets wind that there is something going on with his brother and Rose and is immediately insulting to both Rose and George.
In the next dramatic scene is Phil, now fully aware that his brother is involved fully in an adult relationship, in bed by himself weeping.
Rose and George make off to a nearby town and get married on the quiet to avoid the drama of Phil’s temper. They celebrate with a picnic in the mountains. This time the mountain encircles the couple with a feeling of privacy that is missing in the rest of their lives. The mountains make a dramatic yet benevolent backdrop, reflecting the enormity of what has just happened in these two people’s lives. Both George and Rose cannot believe their luck. George confesses he is glad not to be alone, and Rose cannot believe she has landed a very eligible George.
From this point forward, Rose’s character arc takes center stage for a while. The pressure of being the wife of a successful man is too much and there are several uncomfortable scenees where she feels inadequate, the drama of a grand piano being delivered which she says she does not want, and then being required to play for the Governor, which is a bust. Rose has a stiff drink after to recover and begins her descent into alcoholism. Phil continues to be vicious in his attacks including Rose’s non-musical abilities compared to him.
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Day 1 – Anita’s Dramatic Choices
What I learned: There’s always a variety of ways to tell the same story. This movie could have started anywhere in the life of Shelby, but the choice of her wedding day was the perfect foil for all the large and small crises depicted in the list below. In the first 30 minutes we were introduced to all the characters under pressure, showing their character traits in full relief. I know STEEL MAGNOLIAS was also a play – which I’ve neither read nor seen – and it would be interesting to know if the story was told in just this same way. For instance, the device of shooting at birds in a tree added huge drama to the overall sense of chaos. I believe the filmmakers used the medium of film (especially editing) to its best and most dramatic effect in telling this family’s story. This set-up to the rest of the film was a good reminder of giving my characters “business” to do that reflects them, not just standing there spouting dialogue.
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
1. A woman (Annelle) walks through town revealing its small town charm with its distinct southern flavor.
2. Anelle witnesses the prep outside a large home for a big fancy wedding
3. GUNSHOTS! (Drum shooting at birds in a tree)
4. Bride-to-be (Shelby) in crisis over the color of her nail polish
5. Household under total commotion with wedding prep (flowers, caterers, etc)
6. Mom M’Lynn in a tizzy over broken champagne glasses
7. Annelle nervously arrives at her destination, Truvy’s Beauty Shop (a gathering spot / location which is like its own character)
8. Truvy’s husband Spud is watching TV instead of coloring eggs causing Truvy stress
9. Annelle arrives just as Truvy yells at Spud and he leaves
10. Next crisis at wedding home: younger brothers plan to decorate the bride and groom’s car with condoms
11. GUNSHOTS!
12. Annelle auditions her skills as a hairdresser and gets hired, with an ecstatic reaction
13. Truvy’s ill-mannered son runs off on a motorcycle
14. Truvy and Annelle ‘talk trash” while literally taking out the trash, and we learn Annelle has secrets
15. Clairee arrives for her appointment in a spray of gravel with more gossip
16. Then Clairee and Truvy gossip about Annelle behind her back
17. MORE GUNSHOTS!
18. Jackson sneaks into Shelby’s room and finds her soaking in a tub.
19. It’s revealed they have had some major disagreement putting the wedding in jeopardy, but make up
20. Jackson climbs back out the window
21. Two younger brothers are playing basketball in the house
22. M’Lynn discovers Drum’s gun and hides it
23. Oiser Boudreaux arrives in a fit of anger at the front door with a huge uncontrollable dog
24. M’Lynn and Shelby sneak out the back leaving Drum to answer, and Drum and Oiser have it out over his gunshots upsetting the dog (it’s obvious they have a long-standing dislike of each other)
25. Oiser follows Drum into the backyard – past all the wedding prep chaos – with the dog barking continuously and the 2 arguing the whole way
26. Oiser grabs his bullets and dumps them into the pool
NOTE: All of this happens in just 18 minutes!
27. Back at Truvy’s Beauty Salon the girls are getting ready for the wedding with Annelle’s nerves making her super awkward and clumsy while more gossip is shared (revealing Jackson’s back-story)
28. Mom M’Lynn and daughter Shelby spat back and forth fussing over every little detail of the wedding plans but also reveal common ground and true fondness for each other
29. Shelby has a diabetic sugar crash, the tremors ruining her newly finished wedding hairdo, but also exemplifying just how fragile Shelby’s health is
30. Drum can’t find his gun so digs up bow and arrows in the garage with his 2 boys
31. Oiser shows up at Truvy’s with her huge mangy dog in tow to complain to M’Lynn about Drum
32. Oiser confronts Annelle with steely eyes and we find out about her problems with her missing husband as Annelle loads colored eggs into the car trunk for the Easter egg hunt
33. Drum and the boys shoot an arrow loaded with lit fireworks into the tree
34. EXPLOSIONS! Everyone screams / Dog breaks away barking, crashing into the car trunk, smashing the eggs / Drum temporarily loses his hearing
35. One of the frightened birds lands poop on Oiser’s face.
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PS81 – Dana’s Dramatic Choices
What I learned from this assignment:
In every scene, little by little, the screenwriter reveals a piece of evidence against the protagonist and/or his emotions toward the victim. The drama unfolds gradually, not everything at once, learning about the other characters through his investigation, like peeling an onion to keep us engaged. We are meant to like the protagonist at the beginning and then suspect him of murder through the entire film. We don’t want him to be guilty, but we’re kept guessing until the very end.
PRESUMED INNOCENT
Opening:
1. Over the scene of an empty court room and jury box, Rozat “Rusty” Sabich narrates his responsibilities as a prosecutor and justice.
2. In their kitchen, Rusty and Barbara begin their morning. Barbara mentions Rusty’s ambitions to be a lawyer; Rusty reads a newspaper article about the political debate between DA Raymond Horgan and Nico Della Guardia. INSERTED picture of the two men.
3. Barbara, the dutiful wife, drops their son off at school and Rusty at the ferry into the city.
4. At the DA’s office, Rusty walks a chaotic room instructing the other prosecutors how proceed on their cases demonstrating his authority.
5. Rusty is handed a note his secretary found slipped under his office door. She tells him the DA wants to see him. Rusty reads the note. INSERTED: “I know it’s you. Stop it!” He pockets the note.
6. In the DA’s office, Raymond informs Rusty that Carolyn Polhemus was raped and murdered. CLOSE SHOT: Rusty visibly shaken, trying to hide emotion. Raymond complains about the politics and asked Rusty to take over the investigation.
7. Rusty enters Carolyn’s office and begins the investigation. He’s wistful at her photograph.
8. On the computer, a file is shown missing.
9. Det. Lipranzer joins Rusty in Carolyn’s office. They discuss the missing file and the method of death. INSERTED: graphic crime photos. Lipranzer suggests she knew her killer. Rusty seems worried. They discuss Carolyn’s dangerous sexual character.
10. In the hallway, Rusty meets with another prosecutor about the missing file. Why did Carolyn have it? Unknown. Also, Tommy Molto, head of homicide has quit.
11. In the dark of his office, after hours, Rusty burns the note. We see it full flame.
12. In their master bedroom, Barbara is relaxing on their bed when Rusty gets home. She comments about her loneliness, a dig at him. She bemoans working on her dissertation at her age. She is unhappy with her life. News of Carolyn’s murder is broadcast on TV. She watches his obsessive reaction, asks about suspects. She’s angry he’s investigating the death of his ex-lover.
13. At Carolyn’s funereal, Nico Della Guardia and Judge Little are introduced. Rusty sees Carolyn’s ex-husband. A professor at some college. Rusty listens to Raymond speaks about Carolyn.
14. FLASHBACK: Carolyn next to Rusty in bed.
15. Raymond hosts a press event in an office tower. Barely anyone shows. An attendee tells Rusty people “smell a loser.” Raymond’s campaign is dying.
16. In the elevator heading down, Raymond explodes at Rusty for dragging his feet on the murder.
17. Back in the DA’s office, Rusty presses Raymond about the missing bribery file. He presses until Raymond hands him the file.
18. Driving with Lipranzer, Rusty reads the file aloud regarding a deputy prosecutor taking bribes five years ago. Carolyn’s writing is all over it. She investigated the case. It was dismissed.
19. A restaurant over lunch, Rusty and Lipranzer discuss the medical examiner’s findings. Blood type A – like Rusty. The killer is sterile – unlike Rusty. He forgot fingerprints, suggesting evasion. Phone company printout shows phone calls to Rusty’s home. He confesses his affair with Carolyn, shocking Lipranzer. Evidence is building slowly. Lipranzer suggests the victim had it coming. “She was bad news.”
20. Rusty follows a police captain through a busy station house discussing the murder.
21. In the captain’s office, Rusty is told Carolyn was investigating the bribery case. He learns she stole the file. Rusty asks about Molto. Is he involved? The captain tells Rusty about Carolyn’s interest in him, even before they met.
22. Barbara and their son meet Rusty at the ferry that night. She’s in a good mood.
23. At dinner, their son comments it’s nice to see them happy again.
24. Back home, Barbara nervously seduces her husband.
25. The next day, Rusty arrives at Carolyn’s ex-husband’s home.
26. Sitting in the study, the husband reveals more about Carolyn. She was a liar, lying her way into college. Her background was made up. She hated weak men, like her husband. The husband tells Rusty he wished Carolyn were dead. He suggests Carolyn finally met a man that she made feel weak who acted on his fantasy. We now think it’s Rusty. When he’s given pictures of Carolyn – INSERTED – he reacts, revealing to the husband it’s more than just work for Rusty.
27. Rusty driving away, fantasizes about Carolyn.
28. FLASHBACK: another shot of her next to him in bed.
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Antonio Flores’ Dramatic Choices
What I learned is:
Storytelling. The order of the beats, the perspective from which the story is told, it all counts. The intriguing elements that keep the audience hooked as well as the unexpected things that make the story believable and yet, different. Those count even more. The DRAMATIC ELEMENT is something that propels the story and our experience of the story towards somewhere nobody had expect it it to go.
I saw the movie years ago, twice, during an intercontinental flight over the Pacific. This time, I read the script. So many typos and spelling mistakes!
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Assignment: Discover what makes a movie dramatic.
1. Pick a movie you really like and watch any 30 minutes of it. As you
watch, make a list of everything that happens in the movie that’s dramatic.
Characters:
- Cutter: a man in his 60’s, the designer of equipment for magic tricks
- Alfred Borden: mid, 30’s, the magician
- Robert Angier: an American magician, 35, Borden’s rival magician
Movie: The Prestige
1. Opening scenes: A cluttered workshop. CUTTER, a man in his 60’s, explains the structure of a magic act to a little girl.
- A magic performance has three acts: the pledge, the turn, and the prestige
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: As we learn about the three acts and the way how magic works, a situation builds up on a stage where a magician, we’ll later know as ROBERT ANGIER, performs.
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: Each of the three acts is described in connection to what happens on stage.
- A fake-beard man, later we’ll know as ALFRED BORDEN, DRAMATIC ELEMENT: alters something backstage, which will affect the outcome of the performance.
2. Inciting incident: The trick fails, Robert Angier falls through a stage trap door into a water tank that Borden allegedly placed strategically under the stage trap door. DRAMATIC ELEMENT: Angier gets drawn.
- Borden is tried in court. He is wrapped in chains.
- Cutter, is now at the witness box declaring that he saw Borden at backstage.
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: Dilemma: the magic equipment designer, Cutter, must choose to reveal his most treasured magic secret or let Borden, allegedly Angier’s assassin, escape from justice.
- The judge accepts to listen to Cutter’s secret in private.
- Before being removed from court, Borden looks at the little girl from the opening scenes. They wave at each other — they are connected. She leaves the court with a man named FALLON — later, we will learn that he is Borden’s magic tricks designer.
- OWENS, a solicitor, visits Borden in jail. He is requested to empty his pockets at the gate. Guards explain that DRAMATIC ELEMENT: the Warden saw Borden’s magic disappearances on stage and ordered everyone to be on the alert as he may try to escape.
- Borden is allowed to speak to the solicitor, but he is wrapped in chains and chained to a strong bolt in an open space in the jail’s yard.
- The solicitor offers a sum to Borden for his collection of tricks. The money comes from a historian specialized in magic, Lord Caldlow.
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: The solicitor informs Borden that unless he takes Lord Caldlow’s offer, his daughter is destined to end as an orphan, because the court found his designer, Fallon, is unsuitable to act as the girl’s guardian.
- On behalf of Lord Caldlow, the solicitor presents Borden with Angier’s journal where DRAMATIC ELEMENT: Angier describes the time he spent in Colorado learning Borden’s trick: The Transported Man. Angier claims to have improved it.
- Borden argues that Angier never found the secret of his trick. Now we envision how deep the conflict between these two magicians is.
- Borden takes the journal along with him and reads it in his cell.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about: Rivalry
- This DRAMATIC PLOT pits the protagonist against the antagonist in a power struggle. They are equally matched and as one’s power increases, the other’s decreases. This plot is all about who is superior. As they both struggle to prove their superiority, the protagonist faces moral dilemmas.
- Borden goes back to his cell and reads Angier’s diary. The non-linear storytelling takes us back to the time when Borden, Angier and Julia, Angier’s wife used to work for a magician. Cutter was the magician designer.
- Borden meets Sarah, a beautiful woman in the audience. Marries her. They have a daughter.
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: [Setup] the two young magicians pretend being volunteers from the audience and tie up Julia, the magician’s assistant, before she is submerged in a water tank and then transported by magic out of it. The trick is a fake knot that Borden makes on the rope that holds Julia’s wrist.
- Because the fake knot often gets undone when they pretend to test its firmness, they discuss a different type of knot that Borden proposes. Cutter disagrees and forbids — it’s too risky, it might not get easily undone underwater.
- DRAMATIC ELEMENT: [Payoff] Unable to undo the knot, Julia gets drown in the water tank. Here is the start of the conflict between the two.
- The judge visits Cutter’s studio and learns about the mechanism to escape from the tank.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1: DRAMATIC ELEMENT: Borden is found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging.
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