Day 10 Assignment

[Michael O’Keefe]

DAY 10 ASSIGNMENT

O’Keefe – Trust Relationships

What I learned from this assignment? It helped me to consider the viewpoints of the other characters as it pertains to the interactions of the other characters. It allows me to find points trust, distrust and how those in turn can create mystery and intrigue.

Create trust / distrust relationships between your characters and add them to your Thriller Map.

[I] Make a list of the main characters.

(1) Hero: Dino

a. basic state – trustworthy

b. may not appear trustable but truly is trustworthy

c. circumstance that might cause him to change – protecting his friends

(2) Villain: Jim

a. basic state – not trustworthy

b. may appear trustable but truly is not trustworthy

c. circumstance that might cause him to change – personal gain

(3) Red Herring Character: Janitor

a. basic state – trustworthy

b. may not appear trustable but is basically trustworthy

c. circumstance that might cause him to change – fear of jail

(4) Love Interest: Leah, detective on the case

a. basic state – very trustworthy

b. appears trustable and is truly trustworthy

c. circumstance that might cause her to change – arresting Dino for a crime he didn’t do.

II. With each character relationship, brainstorm how trust or distrust might show up between them.

(1) Hero / Villain – too much bad blood over the years; never be any trust between them

(2) Hero / Red Herring Character: Hero helped the janitor at school, didn’t have to

(3) Hero/ Love Interest: distrust might occur if Dino lies or hides his past from her.

(4) Hero / Trusted, but shouldn’t be: when it comes to his father’s past & that business

(5) Hero / Isn’t trusted, but should be: He is not trusted by Detective Rodney and police chief

III. Create a sequence for each trust/distrust relationship add that to your map.

Dino – Hero / Jim – Antagonist

1. TRUST: Dino trusts Jim will do whatever he can to upset and antagonize him.

2. DISTRUST: Dino distrusts Jim with anything having to do with his father’s past.

3. TRUST: Dino expects Jim to throw him out of the house on his 18^th birthday.

4. DISTRUST: Jim knows Dino and his dad have secrets & he hates Dino for it.

5. TRUST: Jim trusts Dino to chase after the pretty detective, so he uses her to get Dino.

6. DISTRUST: Jim feeds clues to the detective(s) implicating Dino, he doesn’t trust them

7. TRUST: Dino trusts in Jim’s greed to get the best of him and it does, allowing Dino in.

8. DISTRUST: Jim doesn’t trust Dino; double-crosses him at the exchange place.

9. TRUST: Dino trusts Jim to brag about the murders to him; he does; it’s recorded.

10. DISTRUST: Jim distrusts Dino; ties him to chair when he leaves the cabin.

Dino – Hero / Leah – Love Interest

1. TRUST: Dino trusts Leah upon meeting her. She is smart and sexy.

2. DISTRUST: Leah distrusts him; he’s a player, he’s got felon for a dad.

3. TRUST: Dino trusts Leah will try to find out who killed Cindy.

4. DISTRUST: Dino learns she lied to him about her name and job upon meeting him.

5. TRUST: Dino trusts her the night she comes to him naked and w/ nothing to hide.

[David Mailman]

David’s Trust Relationships

“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” Trust/mistrust relationships get built into scripts along the way. Focusing on them allows more to be added. Then it becomes another question of how to fit them into the script.

Create trust / distrust relationships between your characters and add them to your Thriller Map.

1. Make a list of the main characters.

2. With each character, ask these questions:

A. What is their basic state — trustable or not trustable?B. How might they really be trustable, but appear not trustable OR be not trustable, but appear trustable?

· C. What circumstances might cause them to switch from one to the other?

3. With each character relationship, brainstorm how trust or distrust might show up between them.

HERO:

Paul

VILLAIN:

Grand Inquisitor (GI)– not trustable.

The GI is never trustable and only appears in the background until the end. However, I may give him a character alter ego in the script later. E.g., he may be a banker who gives Jack a loan to save his boat, making him trustable. The real reason for the loan would be to let Jack go after the gold so he can be followed.

School principal– not trustable.

RED HERRING CHARACTER:

Lenny – trustable.

TRUSTED, BUT SHOULDN’T BE:

school principal– not trustable.

The principal seems trustable until the end when he tries to murder Paul and Sandy. He encourages Paul, tells him about scholarships, is very friendly with all students, especially minority, asks about Paul’s interests and says he can help with anything, just let him know.

ISN’T TRUSTED, BUT SHOULD BE:

Sandy- trustable.

But, Paul wonders why a cool, rich, popular girl would go out with him. Paul was told she belonged to a family with Cult connections. Her father was an executive with the oil company that owned the rig that killed Paul’s father. She was going to a Cult party.

But, she becomes trustable when she rescues Paul’s mother, leading to the arrest of most of the Cult. Also, she becomes Paul’s girlfriend before he finds the treasure.

Lenny- trustable.

But, Lenny is an alcoholic, appears out of nowhere, attaches himself to Jack, seems to have just the right skills for treasure hunting. Lenny’s past is unclear, he looks and is rough.

But, Lenny was not trustable until he revealed his father was the person on the burning oil rig that Paul’s father turned around to save before the rig blew.

4. Create a sequence for each trust/distrust relationship (like I did with Three Days of The Condor) and then add that to your map.

Hero / Villain: The Grand Inquisitor.

Distrust. The GI attacks Paul’s group on the high seas. The Grand Inquisitor acts behind the scenes. He does not appear until near the end of the script.

Hero / Lenny: Red Herring Character: Hero / Isn’t trusted, but should be:

Distrust. Paul is being followed by Lenny.

Distrust. Lenny is seen in the neighborhood before a neighbor is strangled in Paul’s yard.

Trust. Jack introduces Lenny to Paul.

Distrust. A file on Lenny is seen in the Cult’s boat.

Trust. Lenny reveals he is son of man Paul’s father tried to save.

Trust. Lenny is drugged by Cult member.

Hero / School Principal: Trusted, but shouldn’t be:

Trust. The principal appears in small parts until the third-act. He greets students, helps Paul and is very interested in Paul’s activities.

Distrust. He tries to burn Paul and Sandy alive.

Hero / Sandy: Isn’t trusted, but should be:

Trust. Paul is attracted to Sandy. She kids him for being shy. They both are smart and simpatico.

Distrust. Paul is told her family is associated with the cult.

Trust. They start going together.

Distrust. Paul learns her father is associated with the death of his father.

Trust. Sandy rescues Paul’s mother.

Trust. Sandy helps kill the principal.

[Rachelle Storti]

Rachelle’s Trust Relationships

I learned that my story isn’t as exciting as I thought it was – at least when I was going through the relationships it didn’t feel very gripping. I reworked my whole notecard board and had some dream/vision moments of more exciting elements I can add.

Main Characters

Hero: Cyn

Villain: Alex or Carly (his mother and Cyn’s step-mother)

Red Herring Character: Jules

Trusted but shouldn’t be: Alex or Carly (step-mother)

Isn’t trusted but should be: Jules and their father

Questions for each character

Cyn = Trustable, appears to be untrustable because of her alcoholism and addictions, but trustable because she is honest to a fault. She may switch from one to the other when she is triggered.

Alex = Untrustable, appears to be trustable because he is charismatic and is good at lying. He may switch from one to the other when he is trying to play too many parts at once.

Jules = Trustable, but appears to be untrustable because she has secrets she’s unwilling to reveal. She may switch from one the other when she is confronted about information she is withholding.

Carly = Untrustable, but appears to be trustable because she is professional and precise. She may switch from one to the other because she underestimates her opponents.

Dad = Trustable, but appears to be untrustable because of the grudges his family holds against him. He may switch from one to the other when he is disciplining his children vs when he is supporting them.

How trust/distrust shows up

Cyn/Alex: They dated in high school and Cyn believes she is still in love with him. He has created a persona, “Xander,” to scam their family. Cyn will have to figure out that Alex is the Xander Jules has been dating and figure out how to hold him accountable for what he’s done.

Cyn/Carly: She’s the step-mother Cyn only just met, the one she really wanted to hate, but found herself respecting and admiring. It takes her far too long to realize that Carly is Alex’s mother and the mastermind behind her family’s tragedy.

Cyn/Jules: They are estranged sisters. Cyn got to go live her life while Jules stayed behind to take care of their mother. Cyn suspects foul play in their mother’s death and implicates Jules, but finds out there is no way Jules could have done this. They end up becoming allies.

Cyn/her father: She holds a grudge against him because of his possessiveness after her parent’s divorce. He holds a high public office and ends up being the force that saves Cyn and Jules in the end.

Trust/Distrust Sequences

Cyn/Alex:

1. Distrust: Something happened in their past (not sure what yet) that Cyn can’t let go of.

2. Trust: She’s back in town and he is her source for drugs.

3. Distrust: Alex spies on her and Jules at the police station.

4. Trust: Alex is ‘there for her’ when she needs him.

5. Distrust: Cyn finds something ‘Xander’ stole from Jules at Alex’s house.

6. Trust: He makes up some lie about where the stolen item came from.

7. Distrust: Cyn wakes up in jail and remembers/figures out that Alex and Xander are the same person.

Cyn/Jules:

1. Trust: They’re sisters, they used to be close.

2. Distrust: Jules is a nurse and had access to drugs that could have killed their mother earlier than expected.

3. Trust: Jules gets on Cyn’s case about responsibility, which annoys Cyn, but she knows that it is because Jules cares about her.

4. Distrust: Jules is dating some mystery man that Cyn has never met, supposedly the only other person with access to kill their mother. Is he real or did Jules make him up?

5. Trust: Jules spills her guts at gunpoint.

6. Distrust: Jules disappears.

7. Trust: She comes back and reveals where she’s been. She helps Cyn take down the bad guys.

Cyn/Carly:

1. Distrust: Cyn has decided not to like her before she even meets her.

2. Trust: Carly is polished, professional, funny, and engaging. She earns Cyn’s trust with her psychological knowledge.

3. Distrust: Carly sometimes asks questions or baits Cyn in ways that seem unlike what a therapist would do.

4. Trust: Cyn gains self-confidence and moves towards sobriety because of the time she spends with Carly.

5. Distrust: Cyn finds out Carly is Alex’s mother.

6. Trust: That doesn’t mean she’s evil, maybe she doesn’t know what Alex has been up to.

7. Distrust: Turns out Carly had history with their mother and has been dying to get back at her for years.

Cyn/Dad:

1. Distrust: Cyn holds a grudge against him, because of how he handled the divorce with her mother.

2. Trust: He bails her out of jail.

3. Distrust: He chastises her for being in jail, bad for his career.

4. Trust: He believes whatever she tells him, because he knows she cannot lie.

5. Distrust: He married Carly, does he know more about her and Alex’s evil deeds?

6. Trust: He reveals information that helps Cyn solve the puzzle.

7. Distrust: He is not around when Cyn really needs him.

8. Trust: he comes through in the end.

[Leo Sopicki]

Leo’s Trust Relationships

What I learned is that this trust/distrust pattern was implied but I never explicitly thought about it.

The outline seems to be getting a little unwieldy, but it is good to have all these ideas in at least the approximately right spot. Also, I typed the word “quest” to describe Matt’s search for his father. Perhaps I should look at the Save the Cat Golden Fleece model before doing the final outline.

MAIN CHARACTERS/RELATIONSHIPS

Hero: Matt Strong – Needs to find,
reconnect with his father

Villain: Hank – Wants revenge on
Matt’s father – Not Trustable

Red Herring Character: Luke – Matt’s
Father – Trustable but appears not

Sidekick: Mike – Matt’s stand in and
buddy – Trustable

Matt / Hank

Trust: New guy on set. Seems to be a
fan. No reason not to trust.
Distrust: Makes rude remark about
Matt
Trust: Says he’d like to help Matt,
but has obligations.
Trust: Tells Mike he understands
Matt’s predicament and offers to help.
Distrust: Tries to talk Mike out of
helping Matt.
Trust: Recruits people to help Matt
get to his father.
Distrust: Sets up Matt to fall into
a trap.
Distrust: Tries to kill both Matt
and Luke.

Matt / Luke

Trust: Matt trusts his dad, Luke,
the soldier.
Distrust: Luke abandons Matt and his
mom.
Trust: Matt needs his dad and makes
a leap of faith to trust him.
Distrust: Matt realizes his recluse
dad might unintentionally kill him.
Trust: His dad realizes who Matt is
and asks his forgiveness.

Matt / Mike

Trust: Mike has been a
stand-in/stunt man for Matt and they are friends
Distrust: Hank lies to Matt about
what Mike said.
Trust: Mike commits to helping Matt
find his dad
Distrust: Hank tricks Mike into
abandoning the quest.

NEW OUTLINE

Mini-­Movie 1 – Status Quo and Call to Adventure – Matt is a movie star with a life threatening disease.

Matt / Luke – Trust: Matt trusts his dad, Luke, the soldier.

Matt / Luke – Distrust: Luke abandons Matt and his Mom

Current Direction: It appears to be an Indiana Jones style adventure

Twist: No! It’s only actors on a movie set

Matt / Hank – Trust: New guy on set. Seems to be a fan. No reason not to trust.

Life Threatening 1 — Matt has a life-threatening medical condition

Life Threatening 2 — Matt passes out in public

Villain’s Plan 1 — Pretend to not know anything about Matt’s background.

Matt / Mike – Trust: Mike has been a stand-in/stunt man for Matt and they are friends

Mini-­Movie 2 – Locked into Conflict – Matt tries to locate his dad, Luke, but uncovers mysteries

Current Direction: Sweet old lady offers to help him

Twist: She turns on him when she realizes who he is

Current Direction: Creepy old guy tells him to go away

Twist: He comes back, armed, but willing to talk.

Matt / Luke – Trust: Matt needs his dad and makes a leap of faith to trust him.

Mystery 1: Where is Luke?

Life Threatening 3 — The floor of his old house has massive blood stain

Mini-­Movie 3 – Hero Tries to Solve a Problem, but Fails – Matt looks for his dad, but fails and is attacked.

Mystery 2: Who is Hank?

Life Threatening 4 — Matt is being surveilled by a mysterious man

Life Threatening 5 — Someone shoots arrows at Matt’s car

Life Threatening 6 — Twitter threat – We know you’re looking for your dad. We’ll protect him, even if it means killing you.

Villain’s Plan 2 — Lie about his background and his injuries.

Villain’s Plan 3 — Create an incident that “makes him change his mind” and agree to help Matt.

Mini-­Movie 4 – Hero Forms a New Plan – Matt accepts help from his stunt double Bill and military consultant Hank.

Current Direction: Matt is frustrated and without a plan

Twist: Stunt double Bill and Hank volunteer to help him.

Matt / Hank – Trust: Says he’d like to help Matt, but has obligations.

Matt / Hank – Trust: Tells Mike he understands Matt’s predicament and offers to help.

Matt / Mike – Distrust: Hank lies to Matt about what Mike said.

Current Direction: Matt is confused about his dad’s motivation

Twist: Hank tells him a lie which Matt believes

Mystery 3: Why no police?

Villain’s Plan 4 — Convince Matt not to involve the police in trying to find his dad.

Matt / Hank – Distrust: Tries to talk Mike out of helping Matt.

Matt / Mike – Trust: Mike commits to helping Matt find his dad

Mini-­Movie 5 – Hero Retreats and the Antagonist Prevails – Matt tries to learn about his father in a mountain town near Luke’s camp.

Current Direction: Mountain town near dads camp seems safe

Twist: People are spying on him

Current Direction: Hank seems like a good person

Twist: He kills a townsperson in cold blood

Life Threatening 7 — Matt’s father has allies in the mountain town near his cabin – they are reporting on him

Matt / Luke – Distrust: Matt realizes his recluse dad might unintentionally kill him

Mystery 4: Why does Hank know so much?

Matt / Hank – Trust: Recruits people to help Matt get to his father.

Villain’s Plan 5 — Recruit people to infiltrate Luke’s survivalist group.

Villain’s Plan 6 — Kill the recruit and make it look like Luke did it.

Mini-­Movie 6 – Hero’s Bigger, Better Plan! – Matt gets close to Luke’s camp, but loses Bill, and ends up in a trap.

Current Direction: Bill has been helping

Twist: Hank feeds Bill bogus info so he has to leave

Current Direction: Matt and Hank are closing in on Matt’s dad

Twist: Matt falls into a trap – a pit in the ground

Villain’s Plan 7 — Try to get rid of Bill, so Matt is totally dependent on him.

Mystery 5: What happened to Bill?

Life Threatening 8 — There are people patrolling the woods

Life Threatening 9 — They encounter a bear

Life Threatening 10 — Matt is caught in a trap

Mini-­Movie 7 – Crisis and Climax – Hank rescues Matt and gives him instructions on how to get to Luke.

Matt / Mike – Distrust: Hank tricks Mike into abandoning the quest.

Villain’s Plan 8 — Train Matt to overcome the obstacles Luke has set up to protect his hermit camp.

Life Threatening 11 — Matt thinks he has killed his father

Life Threatening 12 — Matt considers suicide

Mini-­Movie 8 – New Status Quo – By finally committing an act of real heroism, Matt is able to rescue his Dad and defeat Hank.

Matt / Hank – Distrust: Sets up Matt to fall into a trap.

Matt / Hank – Distrust: Tries to kill both Matt and Luke.

Current Direction: Matt is still reluctant to take risks

Twist: He jumps across a ravine to save his Dad from Hank

Current Direction: Matt’s Dad still doesn’t know who Matt is

Twist: He sees dog tags and realizes who Matt is.

Villain’s Plan 9 — Arrange the final meeting so he can first kill Matt in front of Luke, then kill Luke.

Life Threatening 13 — Matt must jump from one cliff to another

Life Threatening 14 — The antagonist has captured both Matt and his dad

Matt / Luke – Trust: His dad realizes who Matt is and asks his forgiveness.

[Linda Kish]

Linda’s Trust Relationships

What I learned doing this assignment is …

Characters:

<div>
Hero: Leo
</div><div>

Basic state:
Trustable – top prosecutor, protects family, refuses to bend the law

Not trustable
– had an affair with his investigator, commits crime to protect family
Circumstances
– stalked, family under attack, life on the line

Villain:
Vittorio

Basic
state: Trustable – good friend, lost a loved one, empathizes

Not
trustable – vague about his trip to Italy, sketchy about his job, rationalizes
benefits of the mob, digitally stalking Leo
Circumstances
– family member killed by street crime, no justify any other way, feelings
of powerlessness

Red Herring
Character: Antonio

Basic
state: Not trustable – supporting his enforcer who is arrested for
murder, cocky, tells Leo he won’t win, shady mob dealings

Trustable –
telling the truth and it’s proven, offers information to Leo, attempt on
his life
Circumstances
– his life is in jeopardy, perceives a threat to his leadership of the crime
family, being set up

Trusted, but
shouldn’t be: Vittorio

See above

Isn’t
trusted, but should be:

Gianna

Basic
state: Not trustable – working for the mob, bends the facts, trying to
free a criminal

Trustable –
insistent Leo is blaming wrong person, trying to help him figure out who
is stalking him

Circumstances
– client is innocent, her life in danger, witnesses stalking

Hero /
Villain: Leo / Vittorio

Trust: Good
friend brings gifts from Italy to Leo’s family dinner

Distrust: Vague
about his trip

Trust:
Supportive of Leo’s plight to take down Antonio

Distrust:
Shady about new job

Trust: Together
when Leo gets a stalker message.

Distrust: Offers
advice that is questionable / defends mob actions

Trust: Keeps
info Leo tells him about the stalker secret

Distrust:
Meets with mobsters visiting from Italy

Trust: Encourages
Leo to go after Antonio

Distrust:
Sets up Antonio
District:
Is the stalker

Trust: Antonio
is killed and believed to have been the stalker

Distrust: Sets
up Leo

Distrust:
Gets Leo to quit job

Distrust:
Becomes the new mob boss

Hero / Red
Herring Character: Leo / Antonio

Distrust:
Antonio’s enforcer on trial for murder

Distrust:
Tells Leo he can’t win

Trust: Doesn’t
have the digital expertise

Distrust:
Evidence planted that he is doing it

Trust: His
defense attorney swears he’s innocent

Distrust: Antonio
is in vicinity and it looks like he’s responsible for drive-by

Trust: Is
told Leo is coming after him, but doesn’t believe it

Distrust:
Shows up at Leo’s daughter’s dance class

Trust: Is
killed and bad things are still happening to Leo

Hero / Trusted,
but shouldn’t be: same as above Leo / Vittorio

Hero / Isn’t
trusted, but should be: Leo / Gianna

Distrust:
Gianna is representing Antonio’s enforcer

Trust:
Another lawyer vouches for her

Distrust:
Withholds information

Trust: Convinces
Antonio to give them information

Trust:
Trying to help solve who is doing the stalking

</div>

[Wilke Durand]

Hero: Lily – mentor – detective<div>

Basic state Lily: trustable

Appears not trustable:

Fighting with her stepdad and mother
Runs away from home because she’s pregnant.
According to stepdad promiscuous and bad news.
Switches:
When we find out stepdad has raped her and impregnated her.

Basic state mentor: trustable

Appears not trustable: ?
Basic state detective: trustable
Appears not trustable: ?

Villain: Gynecologist
Basic state: not trustable
Appears trustable:
He takes her to billionaire couple and helps her.
Even though we think stepdad is trustable, we appreciate it when he listens to Lily when she says she’s scared of stepdad. He sees to it that stepdad doesn’t come near Lily again.
When it turns out the billionaire couple are sexually abusing young girls, he promises to safe her.

Red Herring Character: Housekeepers</div><div>

Basic state: trustable

Appears not trustable:
They rapport the fact that the girls have been in the control room.
They overhear Lilly’s friend’s plan to run away together and tell the couple.
Switch:
1. When the girl is removed from the island. Her fear and cry for help makes them doubt the couple’s trustability.
2. When the girl is found dead, they inform the police and help Lilly escape.</div><div>

Stepdad

Basic state: not trustable
He seems very concerned with Lily’s well-being.
Is very kind with sick spouse.
Is kind to Lily even though she hates his guts.
Switch:
When it’s all over and Lilly moves back home, he tries to rape her.
We find out he is the father of the baby. </div><div>

Lilly and Friend at the billionaire couple’s house

Basic state: trustable
She shows up with the billionaire’s couple at the meeting point. Bertrays Lilly.</div><div>

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Appears not to be trustable:

<font face=”inherit”>She doesn</font>’<font face=”inherit”>t show up at the meeting point to escape the island.</font>

Switch: She is found dead in another state.

Lilly / Gynecologist

TRUST: She assumes that gynecologist knows best when he says she is to long overdue to perform an abortion on her.</div><div>

DISTRUST: The friend at couples house tells her gyn. Is in on the girl trafficking.

TRUST: The girl doesn’t show up at the meeting point. Gynecologist is there and tells her`: you see? She’s not to be trusted.

DISTRUST: finds out she was not to far gone into her pregnancy to have an abortion.

DISTRUST: She finds out he’s in on the girls’ trafficking for the couple.

TRUST: He confesses that he brings girls to the couple but doesn’t know about the sexual abuse. She believes him.

TRUST: He helps her get away from the couple.

DISTRUST: Finds child’s pornography on his computer.

DISTRUST: The criminals have an interest in her. She realizes the baby is for them.

Lilly / Stepdad

DISTRUST: She doesn’t trust him because he sexually abuses her</div><div>

TRUST: He promises her to help her escape from the gynecologist’s house and tells her she must come home. Nothing will happen to her.

DISTRUST: When he tells her that her mother is in the hospital, she hangs up on him. She doesn’t believe him.

TRUST: She talks with her mentor on the phone, not exposing stepdad.

DISTRUST: When she comes home when it’s all over and he wants to ‘tuck her in’. When he rapes her, she kills him with the candle holder.

Detective & mentor / stepdad

DISTRUST: Why isn’t he report her missing? </div><div>

DISTRUST: Why isn’t he going after the billionaire couple.

TRUST: He asks for her help to make Lilly’s escape possible.

DISTRUST: She knows that Lilly doesn’t want his help. What is happening to her at home?TRUST: Lilly doesn’t break when she is busting her chops about her stepdad.

DISTRUST: Hearing Lilly on the phone telling stepdad off about the abuse.

DETECTIVE – GYNECOLOGIST

DISTRUST: Why is he frequenting the house of the billionaire’s couple and why is he also attending their parties at their private island? </div>

DISTRUST: Why is he so keen on saving Lilly? What is she to him?

TRUST: He has saved Lilly from the billionaire’s couple.

DISTRUST: The people that posed as detectives are criminals.

TRUST: He runs with Lilly from the criminals.

DISTRUST: Lilly disappears. He was the last person to see her.

DISTRUST: She breaks into his home when taken off the case and finds Lilly in the basement. The criminals after her and ask him why she isn’t dead yet. Shoot out with criminals and gynecologist.