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Day 10 Assignment
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Day 10: Challenging Old Ways – Counterexamples
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</div><div>Jeff learned a lot from this lesson and had some fun coming up with dozens of counter examples.</div><div>All three of my main characters are having difficulty changing anything by themselves but you put them all together and magic happens. </div><div>Einstein old ways</div><div>-stuck in depression </div><div>-stuck in crazy room</div><div>-no to every invitation </div><div>-getting round and out of shape</div><div>-has let go of any kind of grooming</div><div>-grumpy old man</div><div>-too busy for anyone</div><div>-lousy friend</div><div>-changing the world is a million miles away</div><div>Counter Examples</div><div>-Stan gives him a book, tells him it might help</div><div>-Everyone keeps inviting him</div><div>-jen says I can help you with your food choices</div><div>-had enough of mr grumpy says Stan</div><div>-you can help me ,then I can help you</div><div>– there’s another way to look at it – it’s ok to be a little weird</div><div>-let’s eat that elephant one bite at a time</div><div>-say yes to life again</div><div>
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What I learned is that my old ways becoming new ways and counter examples are largely made possible with the change in law in NZ in 1985 allowing natural parents and adopted children to have access to their records.
Fiancé discussing unmarried mothers at dinner party (1960)
‘Who’d marry one of those girls?’
Discovers wife was ‘one of those girls’.
‘What have you done to me? What have you done to my name? And worst of all, you gave somebody else a baby and not me.’
Counter: Dave receives a letter with a copy of a birth certificate – his own parents had lost their first child to adoption before he was born. He is no longer the eldest of four. Dave realizes how badly he treated Ros, states he must apologize, and realizes his mother is still the same mother, and agrees to meet with his older sister.
Helen (sister) has already met with their mother. Whilst Dorothy (mother) was delighted to meet with the daughter she had lost, the old ways might have asked that she didn’t tell the other children (from the marriage) as she had been forceful in decrying sex before marriage, for obvious reasons.
Born in 1913, she’s of a generation that would find even more shame in her secret being known, so she’s the ‘counter’ to the mores of the times, and also the means to Dave changing his judgmental ways.
Libby (wage clerk) is with the wife of a new staff member. The wife has brought in tax numbers and so on -paperwork and records needed for her husband’s wages. Tells Libby she recognized Ros at a staff welcoming function. Asks if Ros and Dave have children. When told there are no children wife announces it must be Dave’s problem as she had recognized Ros from living in a Church hostel in another city thirteen years ago and Ros had been there as an unmarried mother waiting for her baby to be born.
Libby: ‘Why are you telling me this? Have you said this to Ros?’
Begs her to get in touch with Ros and begs her not to repeat this to anyone.
Linda (on teaching staff) asks for the next day off.
Admits she has a child who has found her and who will be in her city the following day. Says she could have lied and called in sick but would prefer to be honest.
Counter : Ros grants the day off and then lets Linda in on her own secret ‘There are a lot of us about.’ She’s taking a risk sharing this with Linda especially after her marriage ended because of her secret being told.
Matthew at 29 finds Ros. He had tried via social workers about ten years prior and was told the records were sealed forever. He drives eight hours without letting her know he’s coming, fearing rejection if he phoned or wrote first. Counter -his inner turmoil is calmed when he is welcomed -and Ros can see and touch her never forgotten child where the bonding took place in the womb.
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Lori’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment is that presenting the old ways and then challenging them will move my story forward.
5 Question Challenges to an Old Way(Thomas doesn’t think he can celebrate Christmas now that his wife is gone.) :
1. Is something wrong?
2. Don’t you think she would want you to move on?
3. Does moving on mean forgetting?
4. What does Christmas mean to you?
5. Can peace and joy be found by Christmas?
5 Counterexamples to an Old Way:
1. Christmas celebrations and traditions are happening all around Thomas.<div>
2. Miriam finds peace and joy at Christmas even though she is a widow.
3. Thomas meets a real scrooge, and he doesn’t want to end up like him.
4. Thomas tries to make Christmas perfect for another family, but that backfires when he crosses boundaries.
5. When talking to someone else about loss, they say, “I think you of all people would understand.”
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Lori Lance.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by
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Dale’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment is to look at challenges in this new way.
– 5 Question Challenges to an Old Way.
Antonia’s old way: To believe that her work and her merit should stand on their own, regardless of her sex.
1. Her classmates question her naivete and tell her that she will not be accepted equal to men in the outside world.
2. Mina Fleming tells her that she won’t be able to work in the observatory.
3. Pickering questions her need to work in such detail creating a more refined classification system.
4. Her aunt questions her need for credit for her work.
5. Her father questions her ability to work at HCO when it’s clearly upsetting her and affecting her health.
– 5 Counterexamples to an Old Way.
1. Mina Fleming is a counter example because although she is not happy with the pay she receives, she works within the parameters Pickering has set.
2. Pickering is a counter example when he does not give Antonia full credit for her work on the 1st two binary stars.
3. Annie Jump Cannon proves another counter example when, after reviewing both classification systems, she decides to support and work within the Pickering/Fleming system.
4. Her aunt is a counter example as she represents the imperative to be “feminine” and to be willing to let the man take the bulk of the credit.
5. The Solar Union is a counter example when the majority of them decide to adopt the Pickering/Jump Cannon system rather than her own.5 Question Challenges to an Old Way:
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Karen Tolliver Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment is there are several ways to challenge the old ways and make the film more interesting to the audience. Again, I am amazed at the road my film is taking by adding counterexamples to it.
Counterexample #1. Challenge: Teen age girls in front of Victoria Secret window look at the new Push-up Bra.
Counterexample: Sharon says, “ It’s not your outside appearance that matters it’s what’s on the inside that counts”.
Counterexample #2. Challenge: Sharon believes Steven would never hurt her, he loves her.
Counterexample: Carol says, “When a person truly loves you they treat you like they want to be treated, with honer and respect. This (points to the file) is none of that.”
Counterexample #3. Challenge: Sharon’s mother tells her Steven is “Just like your father”.
Counterexample: Sharon in a Voice Over, “She’s right, how could I have trusted him after he pretends to love me so much and lies about everything that he’s doing behind my back.
Sharon cries and gets on her knees. “Dear God, how could I have been so blind, but I know I came into this world not having an example from my father how a man should love me, treat me right, or respect me. I know that its not your plan for me, so now I’m going to trust You and look inside of me for the answers”.
Counterexample #4. Challenge: Andrea snatches the microphone from a Caucasian lady singing Karaoke.
Counterexample: Diane says, “ Oh my God. I’m so embarrassed. Would you look at this heifer. Does she think just because she’s Black she can sing better? I got two words for her “Tina Marie”.
Counterexample #5. Challenge: Is it too soon to Date after Steven?
Counterexample: Sharon says, “ I asked God to help me and BAM I meet James. I think it’s a sign. Laugh if you want, but he’s tall, dark, and handsome. But, more than that I asked for someone who could put some joy into my heart right now. Someone that can take my mind off Steven and I can help and be of service too.
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Lauren’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment:
Two challenge techniques: Questioning and Counterexample. The process of creating these techniques. How to create counterexamples by having them occur through character, experience and dialogue.
Brainstorm at least 5 Question challenged and 5 Counterexamples you can put in your screenplay.
1. Go through your story outline or script and brainstorm the following:
– 5 Question Challenges to an Old Way.
Questioning how her brother, Asher, could work against her and the organization which has raised her and cared for her.
Questioning how the organization can lie to her about what is actually happening to the children.
Questioning how she could act so coldly and treat the children so poorly all these years.
Questioning why she never suspected the real motives of the organization when they’ve mistreated her all her life.
Questioning why she has only thought about herself and her own survival.
Questioning why it never occurred to her the organization has nefarious motives.
– 5 Counterexamples to an Old Way.
Old Way: The woman is unemotional and heartless in general but especially in how she treats the children.
Counterexample through Character: When she meets her brother, Asher, on the street he says he’s been watching her treatment of the children she takes. He struggles to hold back tears of joy at finding his little sister after a lifetime of searching for her. There is also tremendous sadness from seeing how poorly she treats the children when she places them in the vehicles. The woman is struck by Asher’s empathy for trafficked children.
Old Way: She is brutalized, starved by the organization to keep her in check.
Counterexample through Dialogue: Asher tells her of her past and the life she once lived, there’s a better way to live.
Asher: This isn’t the sister I knew when we were little. She was kind to everyone. She loved and cared for even the smallest creature. You were brought up in a loving home. Our mom did all she could to make us happy and feel loved. It isn’t right what they’re doing to you in that place.
Old Way: She doesn’t care about the children she kidnaps. This is merely a job.
Counterexample through Experience: The organization performs surgery/removes organs, she wakes to find some of the children she’s taken who’ve gone through the same thing. She sees their pain, the exact pain she is feeling.
Old Way: She believes everyone exists at this meager level, this is normal.
Counterexample through Character: Asher confronts her with what a normal life looks like. She takes in his nice clothes and polite manners. He tries to give her money. She refuses for fear of repercussions. His appearance and manners strike her as someone who is well off. Perhaps there is another way of life within her reach.
Old Way: The woman does whatever she’s told by the organization even when it’s wrong, immoral, criminal.
Counterexample through Dialogue: She learns how Asher has dedicated his life to slowing down trafficking and making it more difficult for traffickers.
Asher: I watched our mom die. I was taken and placed in an orphanage. I’ve spent my entire life looking for you. When I learned there was a possibility you were caught up in this lifestyle, I tasked my group to stop at nothing to find you and do anything we can to slow the progress of those who took you. Mom’s final words to me were, Asher- you must find your sister.
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