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Day 1 Assignments
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14 Replies
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Diana’s Intriguing Concept and World
What I learned: This formula rocks. It helped me elevate my initial concept and make it more intriguing and unique for producers and viewers.
Present your concept and world.
1. Present your Concept.
A. Engaging and highly proactive hero…FBI agent
B. …up against a major conflict…unwittingly marries a
career criminal
C. …goes on unique transformational journey…who commits
the very crimes he investigates
D. …Into an intriguing world. and is then framed for
her crimes with the help of Santeria to sway the jury.2. Tell us the World of this show.
Unique Sub-World: Santeria, white-collar crime
Previously unexplored: Mother-in-law is Santeria Queen
and Crime Lord
The unknown: Wife is a con-artist and married to four
other men whom she did the same thing to. His two kids aren’t his.
The unseen: FBI investigation; wife poisons kids
against father; one of his “sons” is blatantly committing crimes to get
imprisoned so he can kill his father.
Unheard of Dangers: Being hexed by mother-in-law, being sent to prison, being killed by son. Reason to explore it: Wants
to prove his innocence and get back at his wife.-
Mary J. Andrew’s Intriguing Concept & World:
DAY 13 MODULE 2-1 Intriguing concept & world
What I learned doing this assignment is…how easily it came together. I know my story now better than ever before.
Three Universal Government Special Dark Ops agents, hot on the trail of paranormal terrorists across three galaxies. Find themselves pitted against The Universal Corporate Overlord into an intriguing universe where dimensions collide, destinies are forged, and prophesies must be fulfilled.
Upon a Pleasure Planet, Tanivol, they close in to capture the mind-jacker who blatantly takes control of their leader as well as a Universal Government ambassador. She, a blind slave girl with exceptional psionic powers, leads the agents to The Pleasure Palace where everything can be bought—for a price. Amidst gravity dancers, floating stages with musicians casting their musical madness, privacy booths, underground gardens/pools, slave sex dens into the dark cells below, they seek and finally capture both their leader and his abductor.
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Phyllis’ Intriguing Concept and World
I learned from this assignment that, properly written, a concept and world can give an engaging overview of the project.
CONCEPT: A by-the-book EPA investigator, fired for political reasons, teams with an eccentric billionaire activist, even though she thinks he’s delusional, discovering that she can find trust in a world of betrayal by fighting creatures spawned by the same build-up of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
HOOK: What if a disgraced EPA investigator joins forces with a billionaire activist to continue fighting climate change, only to discover he’s delusional and the real mission is to vanquish creatures spawned by greenhouse gases?
WORLD: The controversial world of climate change, pitting environmental activists against fossil fuel companies, with a supernatural twist–deadly creatures spawned by the same greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
· Unique sub world: the controversial world of climate change
· Previously unexplored: supernatural creatures
· The unknown: are these creatures real and if so, how do you kill them?
· The unseen: plan to declare billionaire incompetent, finding the creatures
· Unheard of Dangers: supernatural creatures are deadly, human monsters (the fossil fuel industry and their captive politicians) can be worse
-Reason to explore it: to protect the planet.
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What I learned was the “Pitch Bible” should contain a minimum of: 1. CONCEPT/WORLD, 2. SUMMARY, 3. CHARACTERS, 4. EPISODES, 5. 5 SEASONS, 6. BINGEWORTHY
1. Concept
A blue-collar, middle-aged woman is an unlikely candidate when she competes for a lucrative corporate job. Unemployed and without health insurance, she needs a liver transplant to survive. Her struggle is not only physical – she’s also battling episodes of paranoid delusions affecting her judgment. Compounding these problems is the fact that the corporation and the job are not what they seem, everybody has something to hide, nobody is who they say they are and a half-million annual is at stake!
2. World of this Show
Unique World: A remote, isolated facility with an unheard of vetting process in the corporate world…..in a one-of-a-kind competition to become the Vice President of Special Services….that will test how far she and the others are willing to go to win the job.
Previously unexplored: Agatha Christie’s classic, “And Then There Were None”, is at an isolated setting but the characters are not engaged in direct competition for a very high-paying job. In “Killer Job”, the stakes are much greater, the characters fully developed and the conflict is direct and ongoing in every episode.
The Unknown: What is the actual job? Why did Nebularkin choose them? Why such a remote location?
The Unseen: Secret rooms and tunnels that are off-limits at the facility.
Unheard of Dangers: After the second death, it becomes obvious that the first death was not accidental and one of them is definitely a killer! Who is it?
Reason to explore it: Half Million annual salary for the winner and to see how a group of strangers will interact without supervision and strict rules to adhere to.
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What I learned doing this assignment is how to start using the content we’ve been creating and expand on it.
1. Present your Concept.
A reclusive gardener is placed as steward over a group home of boys that are unknowingly being experimented on by an evil corporation.
2. Tell us the World of this show.
– Unique Sub-World: The unseen realm that’s effects people through drug use and virus creation or germ warfare
– Previously unexplored: How drugs are being used to turn people into creatures
– The unknown: How are the drugs causing the transformation
– The unseen: The evil corporation trying to control the world
– Unheard of Dangers (for the character): He risks being found out and killed by the creatures/organization
– Reason (for character) to explore it: The same creatures killed his team and he sees the boys slowly transforming
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Bob’s Intriguing Concept and World
Concept: An orphaned American ex-patriot becomes a skilled Mossad Agent after his parents are murdered by terrorists to exact revenge for their deaths.
Unique subworld: The highly dangerous world of middle east espionage.
Previously unexplored: The religious fanaticism of all factions.
The unknown: Political manipulations, world opinion, outside influences.
The unseen: The protagonist’s unstable nature, depression, guilt, use of drugs/alcohol, and consultation with a therapist.
Unheard of dangers: Terrorists, double agents, betrayals.
Reason to explore it: Vengeance and alleviation of guilt.
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Kim’s Intriguing Concept and World
I learned how to streamline the plot into something simple, even though my idea is complex.
1. Present your Concept.
• A charismatic yet spineless psychiatrist
• defends his wife accused of attempting to murder him
• so he can protect his marriage, career, and reputation
• as they mend the damage their past life selves have done to them.
2. Tell us the World of this show.
• Unique Sub-World: Past lives trying to communicate with the present lives
• Previously unexplored: How to fix the mistakes of one’s past lives
• The unknown: If it’s possible to fix a fate that has gone off the rails
• The unseen: Not everyone is whom they seem to be; how can we know who is supposed to be connected to us eternally?
• Unheard of Dangers: When a soul will do anything to protect its past
• Reason to explore it: The love triangle will never undo itself on its own; lives are doomed to unhappiness until fate is back on course
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What I learned from this assignment is creating unique worlds and sub worlds draws a viewer into intrigue which can make a binge worthy show.
Refuge Nation
A. Engaging and highly proactive hero… Irene and Jessie goal is to keep their family safe on their journey to find their Native American nephew’s community for survival. B. …up against a major conflict… Family travels through dangerous territories of what is left of the United States and Native American Nations with special passports. C. …goes on unique transformational journey… Isaac transforms when he finds his Native American family when he is emersed in his culture. D. …Into an intriguing world. Native American retrieve some of their broken treaty land back and are now sovereign nations. What once was Nebraska and South Dakota claimed it independence as the Sandhills Republic.
2. Tell us the World of this show.
Unique Sub-World: Outsiders are only allowed in the Native Nations and Sandhills Republic with special visa and passports. Previously unexplored: The displacement camps are where bandits and criminals gather for intel and planning crimes. The unknown:The unseen: Grandpa Frank is a spirit that guides the family only seen by Isaac and Mira. Unheard of Dangers: Bandits have been tracking the family.Reason to explore it: Bandits and criminals backstories. <div>
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Anne James
Module 2 – Lesson 1 – Intriguing Concept & World
What I learned doing this assignment…It was fascinating to really boil it all down. Loved this formula. Felt totally prepared for this step.
ASSIGNMENT:
My concept and world for THE VESTAL VIRGINS:
1. My Concept.
A. …Amidst a scandal, a reluctant Vestal Virgin is hastily appointed Head Priestess.
B. …long struggled with doubts about her mystic capabilities and the life chosen for her
C. …navigates the high stakes of life and death
D. …gradually transforms from Vestal slacker to one of the most powerful women in the Roman Empire.
2. Tell us the World of this show.
Unique Sub-World: The House of Vesta – 6 virgin priestesses afforded access to the highest levels of Roman society and government.
Previously unexplored: Roman Empire through the female lens
The unknown: Warring factions seeking Vestal blessings and gods’ favor
The unseen: A virgin navigating the highly competitive, sexually charged world or Roman politics.
Unheard of Dangers: Buried alive for breaking chastity vow.
Reason to explore it: The women of Rome were just as bad ass as the men.
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Marie’s Intriguing Concept and World
What I learned doing this assignment is that it helped me question every word, every idea to try to concentrate and elevate the concept.
CONCEPT
A. A young guardian angel, Skyler, studies at the school of angels. His mission is to protect Rose, a genius teen hacker
B. But fallen angels interfere and disconnect him from Rose, revealing a bigger scheme to lead human beings to self-destruction through Cyber war.
C. And Skyler must discover the secret of his own origin
D. To succeed in his mission and team up with Rose, turning her into an ethical hacker to save the world.
INTRIGUING WORLD
A. The school of angels
B. The Cyber war on earth
C. The teenagers online and offline.
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Module 2, Lesson 1
I’m learning that the more these exercises challenge me, the more I learn about my series.
Concept:
A. An ambitious young woman skilled in surveillance…
B. …breaks through the gender barrier of the male dominated Chicago Outfit,
C. …rising through the ranks and sparking a change in the paradigm of criminal activity…
D. …as the dominant era of the mob comes to an end in the 80s and 90s.
World of the Show:
Unique Sub-World: The Outfit where everyone must earn or become expendable, money is power.
Previously unexplored: a woman turning a boys-only, male-dominated environment on its head
The Unknown: how hard it is to earn, especially as a woman
The Unseen: a secret government mole running an investigation. Feds are especially interested in flipping her to use her for her surveillance abilities.
Unheard of Dangers: Everyone is out for themselves, no one is safe
Reason to explore it: For power and money
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Leslie DuFresne.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Leslie DuFresne.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by
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Subject: Marcus’s Intriguing Concept and World
NOTE: I put aside my original concept and started over. Anyone who would like to see my new BW Framework, let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts!!
This assignment helped me do a better job of describing the big picture. Before, I was focusing on describing what my characters were doing in the story to the exclusion of the overarching story itself. Also, of course, it taught me how start my pitch bible and began to show me the value of the framework document.
Concept
A coven of witches suffering the effects of old age have retired in the 21st century. But the modern world has no answers to the tribulations of old age. Magic might, though. As each one is separately engrossed in exploring ways to “cure” aging, they are interrupted by a bigger concern. They must deal with very old issues to re-form the coven, so they can battle an old enemy who has returned.
The World
Unique sub-world: The hubris of dabbling in dark magic, whose consequences they are not prepared for. People who have been friends or enemies for centuries.
Previously unexplored: Elderly witches desperate to contend with the issues of aging and loss.
The unknown: Creatures from another, inscrutable world. A daughter raised from the dead. A sorcerer involved with organized crime. A witch being blackmailed.
The unseen: The motivations of a sorcerer who might be powerful enough to subjugate the human race.
Unheard of dangers: Poorly thought-out attempts to regain youth through magical means, also including raising a loved one from the dead. An ancient and hideously dangerous spell.
Reason to explore it: To regain youth. To save the world.
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Dave’s Intriguing Concept and World for Blank Slate
What I learned doing this assignment is…Keep it simple.
Concept
After an experiment to prove the existence of multiverses goes awry, a college PR writer battles spies, colleagues—and even sometimes his wife and kids—in fundamentally different versions of his own life to get back to his original reality.
A. Engaging and highly proactive hero…
B. …up against a major conflict…
C. …goes on unique transformational journey…
D. …Into an intriguing world.
World
Unique Sub-World: familiar, but fundamentally different, parallel universes
Previously unexplored: the profound effect of seemingly tiny changes
The unknown: slightly different lives in parallel worlds
The unseen: people who are allies in one universe are enemies in others
Unheard of Dangers: spies, international intrigue, colleague who want revenge
Reason to explore it: get back to his normal life
THE WORLD OF BLANK SLATE
Parallel universes where friends become enemies and what you know becomes nonsense.
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Mark Lederkramer Binge Worthy TV Module 2 Lesson 1
Intriguing Concept and World
“Smuggle”
I learned how all the previous work that I did in Module 1 will help create an intriguing Concept and World. The BW Framework is an invaluable tool in putting together a Pitch Bible that will instantly create a desire for every reader to want more and more, showing them how successful the show will be
1. Present your Concept
Based on a true story, “Smuggle” will show you how a regular guy goes to work for three friends, and becomes involved with Marijuana smuggling, dealing, and the most murderous crew in the history of the Mafia in New York in the 1970’s and 1980’s
A. Law abiding young man Micky Levine who swore he would never get involved with the Mafia
B. Micky has to navigate a new criminal life involving smuggling, dealing, and murder
C. Average guy to drug smuggler and dealer
D. into world of dealing, smuggling and murder
2. Tell us the World of this show.
• Unique Sub-World: The underbelly of smuggling, drug dealing and murder in New York in the 1970’s and 1980’s
• Previously unexplored: Nobody has ever truly told the story of how Marijuana and Hash were smuggled into the US
• The unknown: Will the Columbian trip work and what obstacles will arise
• The unseen: The police and how much they know and what they are doing to learn more
• Unheard of Dangers: Police, DEA, other smugglers and dealers. Arrest or even death
• Reason to explore it: Based on true story. We used to joke and called it, “The Greatest Story Never Told”. Now the story will finally be told by Micky as the narrator of the show
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