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Day 10 Assignments
Reply to post your assignment.
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9 Replies
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Emmanuel’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is picturing the level 1 emotions in action movies I’ve watched, the writer used anxiety, fear and relief throughout the story. I think fear is used most often in level 1 and the minute the protagonist is out of danger you feel relief for him/her.
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Janeen’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that deliberately naming the emotion wanted/intended makes it easier to write the scene to evoke that emotion. Being intentional makes it easier.
Selected Scene: Opening scene description: Hero in spartan apartment is having a flashback dream and his PTSD teacup poodle licks his ear to wake him, his dream turns to a beautiful woman nibbling his ear and the dog barks. He shoots up and gives the tiny dog in his hand a kiss on the nose. Thanks Grizzly!
Scene Outline: Nick is asleep in his spartan apartment. He starts to twitch, moaning, eyes darting under the lids. A teacup poodle wakes, alerts, growls softly. (Anxiety) We enter the hero’s dream. He’s in uniform in a war zone, riding in a humvee in a convoy with one vehicle ahead of him. (Anxiety) The lead vehicle hits an IED and explodes. (Fear) Nick jumps from the humvee to cradle a dying soldier in his arms, tears in his eyes, rage and horror fighting for dominance as he watches the life drain from the dying soldier’s body. (Fear) “Hang on, hang on.” Then the medic does a quick check and shakes his head. Nick starts to cry, shaking uncontrollably. (Devastation) Cut to: the poodle leaps out of the upturned Santa hat he was sleeping in on Nick’s nightstand and onto Nick’s pillow. It licks his ear and the face near his ear. Nick’s dream changes abruptly to one where a beautiful woman is nibbling his ear. He relaxes and his moans turn to those of lust and pleasure. (Relief) The poodle stops, observes the situation momentarily and then barks sharply in the man’s ear. Nick shoots up to a sitting position, scooping up the poodle as he rises. He holds the tiny dog in front of him, close to his face, nose to nose. Then he takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out. “Thanks, Grizzly.” The little dog licks his hand and barks joyously and we notice that the tiny collar on the dog says PTSD Service Dog.
SCENE
INT. SPARTAN APT. – MORNING
NICK, a thirty-something man is asleep in his spartan basement apartment. He twitches, moaning, eyes darting under the lids.
A TEACUP POODLE wakes, alerts, growls softly. (Anxiety)
We enter the hero’s dream. He’s in uniform in a war zone, riding in a Humvee in a convoy with one vehicle ahead of him. (Anxiety)
The lead vehicle hits an IED and explodes. (Fear)
Nick jumps from the Humvee to cradle a dying soldier in his arms, tears rolling down his cheeks, rage and horror fighting for dominance in his eyes as he watches the life drain from the dying soldier’s body. (Fear)
NICK
Hang on. Hang on.
A medic does a quick check and shakes his head.
Nick starts to cry, shaking uncontrollably. (Devastation)
CUT TO: the poodle leaps out of the upturned Santa hat he was sitting in on Nick’s nightstand and lands neatly on Nick’s pillow.
It licks his ear and the face near his ear.
Nick’s dream changes abruptly to one where a beautiful woman is nibbling his ear. He holds her closer in his arms. He relaxes and his moans turn to those of lust and pleasure. (Relief)
The poodle stops licking, observes the situation momentarily, and then barks sharply in Nick’s ear.
Nick shoots up to a sitting position, scooping up the poodle as he rises. He holds the tiny dog in front of him, close to his face, nose to nose. Then he takes a slow deep breath in and out.
NICK
Thanks, Grizzly.
The little dog licks his hand and barks joyously and we notice that the tiny collar on the dog’s neck says PTSD Service Dog as Nick nuzzles Grizzly’s neck.
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David’s Level 1 Action Emotions
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” Again, very challenging to list all scenes and try to fit the emotions to them. Some come easily and others not at all.
OPENING. – FBI OFFICE – FBI agents just doing their boring jobs. Desks and cubicles neatly organized. Large windows. Agents and secretaries busily working. Buzz of conversations. A friendly, social office. “MEN” AND “WOMEN’ doors.
ANXIETY. Suddenly, a dark shadow crosses the window. Immediately, conversation stops. Everyone looks out or at the window. Part of a huge spaceship can be glimpsed moving above the building.
FEAR. The object hovers. People gasp, stifle screams. Abject fear on their faces. One agent checks a round in his Glock and walks into the MEN’s. A second agent follows. A secretary checks a pill and walks into the WOMEN’s.
Snatches of voices. “It’s stopping”, “What does it want?’, “It can’t be happening again.”, “There was no warning.”.
RELIEF. The object moves on and the shadow is gone. People give relieved laughs, look sheepish, bury their faces in their hands. The people come back out of the rest rooms looking sickly. Conversations begin slowly.
SAUL receives a phone call. Hands shaking and voice squeaky. Conversation and desk photos show Saul, the Hero, is very happy with his family.
INCITING INCIDENT. – OUTSIDE SCHOOL – Saul’s daughter, Joann, and other children are murdered by Cult. Saul is wounded.
A crowd demonstrating outside a school. Determined, but peaceful. Varied clothing, but a half-dozen are dressed in what might be a uniform with red caps. News-units are videotaping. A cop stands by.
They carry signs; “ALIENS GO HOME”, “WE WANT CHILDREN TOO”, “WHERE IS MY CHILD”.
Saul drives up. Talks to the cop.
ANXIETY. RUTH, a RED-CAP, speaks into a lapel mic. RED-CAPs begin to gather around her. They start to chant. Everyone looks at the RED-CAPs and begin to move away.
FEAR. Teachers gather the children. They move back into the school. The cop starts toward the RED-CAPs.
RELIEF. The demonstrators move away.
FEAR. Ruth shoots the cop.
ANXIETY. Saul rescues a child, but the RED-CAPs are still shooting.
FEAR. A Cultist aims, point-blank, at a child. Saul throws himself on the child. The Cultist can’t miss.
RELIEF. The Cultist jerks around: a bullet hole in her chest. The side of her face blows away. The camera zooms out to show the cop lying on the ground, firing his weapon. He dies. Saul and child are saved.
ANXIETY. Saul has his daughter in his arms.
FEAR. He sees Ruth aiming and he leaps behind a low wall. Bullets smash into the wall an instant after they gain safety.
RELIEF. The Cultists pile into cars and speed away. Saul and Joann are safe.
ANXIETY. There is the sound of brakes squealing. Then the sound of tires screeching. A car backs up into view and slams to a stop.
FEAR. Ruth opens up with an UZI. The wall is now a trap. Bullets ricochet from it and slam into Saul and his daughter. Saul wounded, daughter dying.
NO RELIEF.
Saul is saved from death by medical techniques derived from Alien intelligence.
ANXIETY. Ruth enters hospital carrying flowers. Finds Saul’s room. Sees candy-striper entering “DRESSING ROOM”. Follows her.
FEAR. Doctor and nurse in Saul’s room. Ruth, dressed as candy-striper, enters room. She fusses around. Doctor leaves. Ruth slips out knife and holding it at her side, comes up behind the nurse.
NURSE. “Poor guy, he lost his daughter and there’s no way he’s going to make it.”
RELIEF. Ruth leaves.
He is appointed to an Agency tasked with protecting the Aliens from the Cult and other enemies.
ANXIETY. Saul told of Agency’s office by mysterious person or way. Goes to address. As he enters office he sees a red cap on chair. The lock clicks ominously behind him.
FEAR. The person at the desk turns and is pointing a gun.
RELIEF. The person switches his grip and pulls out a shoulder-holster.
AGENT. “Here’s your standard issue.”
Interrogation of a suspect. They use a fake video of an Alien eating a live person and threaten him with being lunch.
ANXIETY. One agent threatens and is going to hurt young sympathetic (12-year-old pretty daughter of Cultist. Like Saul’s) Cultist for info.
FEAR. Agent uses small charge and timer from bomb workshop. Puts it on her stomach. She’s screaming.
RELIEF. Saul comes in with video-player.
They find the time the bomb is set for and that it will be put aboard a shuttle to an Alien ship. They go to the airport and as they find the package they are fired at and pinned down.
ANXIETY. Saul and Sandy walk around the loading area. The bomb package has the wrapping paper seen in the bomb-factory and is visible to the audience. The timer, counting down, is periodically seen on the screen. Saul and Sandy get closer to, or farther away, as the timer counts. (like in TOUCH OF EVIL). At the same time, they are followed by several rifle-scopes.
FEAR. As soon as they see the package, the Cultists start firing. The fight begins.
RELIEF. The last killer is blown up by bomb.
Fight takes place in a mall with drones that can drop grenades.
ANXIETY. As Saul and Sandy approach the destination, unseen by them, drones begin to appear and hover. They gather on objects (like the jungle-gym in THE BIRDS).
FEAR. The fight begins.
RELIEF. The fight ends.
Saul fights off hitmen and robots.
ANXIETY. Saul and Sandy enter Benedict’s laboratory. A shadow moves out of their sight. A robot’s eyes follow them. A robot picks up a knife. A sound occurs. The muzzle of a gun follows them. The security monitor in Benedict’s office shows them on screen. Benedict has his feet on the desk.
FEAR. The first shots are fired.
RELIEF. The hitmen and robots are finally down.
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Brad’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is it can be helpful to identify and label the emotions each scene generates to help map out a more complete roller coaster ride for the audience.
Scene outline: This is the final scene in Act I. Carlos and Aliyah are following pings from the air tag in their stolen bag. It leads them to a farm just outside a small town near Rotterdam. As they’re walking through town to get to the farm, the see a woman wearing one of Aliyah’s shirts. She was not the person who stole their bag. They follow her to a cafe, where they man who stole the bag is seated. We will see he’s there before Carlos and Aliyah do, creating anxiety over what will happen when they encounter him. When he sees them approach, he recognizes them and runs away. They chase. As they run after him through this foreign town familiar to him, he tosses things at them that put them in danger: a sickle, a bicycle, etc. He eventually gets stuck in an alley blocked by construction and turns to fight the two. This creates fear, since he seems crazed and cornered with nothing to lose. Just before they tangle, he makes one last dash for it through a break in the construction obstacle. As he shoots out from a blind corner, he gets killed by a truck. For the viewer, it’s a relief; our heroes are not in danger anymore.
EXT. Sossenheim – Day
Aliyah and Carlos walk through the town center, following the latest air tag ping on their phone. They’re using the phone to find their way. They look up at a street sign, and a young woman wearing Aliyah’s Kansas City Chiefs jersey with her name on the back walks by.
Carlos: “What are the odds?”
They double take.
Aliyah: “Zero.”
They follow the woman for several blocks, almost losing her when a train gets between them. The woman walks up to a cafe, where the bag thief is seated. They know each other and start chatting. The train now gone, Carlos and Aliyah spot her in the distance. They hurry toward the cafe. As they get near, the thief recognizes them and hurries off. He tries to play it casual, but looks back and sees they’re following him. The chase begins, through alleys and across small canals. They’re faster than he is, but every time they get close, he picks up something and throws it at them. First a bicycle. Then a sickle. Finally a brick. The thief keeps running, dodging a car, jumping across a small canal, and then he turns down an alley. Unfortunately for him, there’s construction at the end of the alley and the way out is blocked. They have him cornered.
Carlos: We just want the bag.
It’s not clear if the man understands English, but he looks crazed. He charges toward them. They jump away, unsure if he’s trying to attack them or get away. He runs out of the alley, a very winded Carlos and Aliyah trying to keep up. When he reaches the cross street he sprints out from behind the blind corner and a cement truck flattens him. Carlos and Aliyah stop. It takes a few seconds for them to process what they just saw. The dude is clearly dead. As the truck driver and witnesses hurry into the street, Carlos and Aliyah slip away.
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Mark Dotz
What I learned form this assignment is that … building emotion into a scene is best when you have sympathetic characters and bad guys who are not.
INT. ARCHIBALD’S DUNGEON – NIGHT
ISABELLA is tossed into the dungeon. The large metal doors are slammed behind her. As she lay beaten on the ground she looks up and see some light cracking through some bars on the window of her cell. Frank and Dave stand over her.
ISABELLA
I don’t understand? Why are you doing this?
Isabella dust herself off. One of the guards in red, Frank, speaks up.
FRANK
You’re lucky to be alive little girl. You just sit tight and we’ll get Archibald to finish off his business with you.
ISABELLA
I’ve done nothing wrong!
Isabella takes a breath for a moment and calms down.
ISABELLA
Do you guys like cake? Let me out and I can make a really good cake?
The men laugh at her joke and then clean up their laughter and get back to looking attentive and serious.Isabella
Soup?
Frank
We don’t know why you are here, but you must have done something wrong to be here. We’re just doing our job, okay Isabella?
Isabella
Yeah I get it. Soup is bland. I’ll make you cake.
The men laugh with her.
INT. ARCHIBALD’S ROYAL COURT – NIGHT
Candle lit we see Archibald’s court. A large room in his castle where normally there would be dinners and party’s but for now Archibald sits alone chewing on some kind of game meat. One of his Advisers, Calvin, approaches.
CALVIN
Sire.
Archibald picks at a piece of meat in his teeth.
ARCHIBALD
Speak.
CALVIN
We have her sire. She is in the dungeon and awaits your next move.
Archibald turns to BEATRICE, his cruel adviser, her twisted nose and dark eyes reveal years of cruel intentions.
BEATRICE
This is your chance. Show the king you mean business, slice of her ear, an arm or something more personal… and send it to the king. Prove to him that you are strong enough to fight him and his army.Calvin steps in.
CALVIN
You should keep her here and draw out the king and his men. Kill him on your terms, on your land.
ARCHIBALD
I don’t know. Are we strong enough to fight the king? On his land?
BEATRICE
Not only are you strong enough to fight the king, you have enough of an army to kill him in his home, in his bed, in his throne, in front of his men.
She laughs evilly to herself.
CALVIN
Sire, it is an unnecessary risk to go to his castle. Send him a message and draw him out.
Archibald thinks for a moment and then waves his finger in the air.
ARCHIBALD (COMMANDING VOICE)
Men let’s go. I will make my decision at her cell.
BEATRICE
Time is of the essence. Take her ear and send it to the king.
Beatrice hands Archibald a finely carved dagger with a creatively carved handle.
BEATRICE
Use this, it is blessed with the power of your elders. Take her ear and send a message.
Archibald stares at the knife i her hands and thinks. He rejects the knife and pushes it away.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella takes in her situation. From the ground she looks up and sees the window above her and sees the several metal bars that sit between her and freedom.
ISABELLA
You guys busy up there?
The two guards stare off into space and avoid looking back at her.
ISABELLA
Can either of you read? I could really use a bed time story right now?
Dave looks back at her and giggles a little. She continues joking with them as she studies the window.
ISABELLA
Do you know the one about humpty dumpty? I here it has a tragic ending but makes for a great story.
She pulls herself up a little and looks outside the window.
ISABELLA
Hey! At least I have a view from here! Look at all that horse shit.
Frank starts laughing.
INT. ARCHIBALD’S CASTLE HALLWAY
Archibald travels the hallway on his way to the dungeon, followed by two guards, and Beatrice and Calvin. Beatrice sharpens the knife. Archibald is annoyed. He yells as Beatrice.THE MUSIC STARTS BEING TENSE WITH A STRONG RHYTHMIC DRUM.
ARCHIBALD
Will you stop!
Beatrice stops sharpening the blade.
ARCHIBALD
Must you incessantly sharpen that blade!
BEATRICE
The sharper the blade the quicker it is done.
Archibald stops to scold her.
ARCHIBALD
I still haven’t decided what I am going to do.
Beatrice lightly brushes her hand on the side of Archibald’s face.
BEATRICE
You do what is best for you.
An almost magical presence comes over Archibald.THE MUSIC TURNS MYSTICAL AND THE CAMERA ANGLES HAVE A DUTCH TILT.
BEATRICE
Ruling this land is what you are born to do.
Archibald stares off. Calvin is annoyed at Beatrice’s actions, that are obviously some kind of spell.BEATRICE
You’ll get to rule over everything, but first you need to take King Fortuna’s power away.
Calvin has had enough. He slaps Beatrice’s wrist out of the way.
CALVIN
That’s enough you old hag!
Archibald awakes from his trance and Beatrice cowers away and hisses at Calvin.
CALVIN
Sire, you have a young lady to torture. Can we go now?
Archibald regains consciousness. Archibald swings his finger in the air in a commanding way.
ARCHIBALD
Let’s go!
Archibald starts marching with his platoon of men down the hall. Beatrice takes up the rear wincing from the pain on her slapped wrist.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella studies the room and the horse outside the window. She sees a rope dangling form one of the horses. See starts formulating a plan.
ISABELLA
Would either of you gentlemen have a shred of decency and get a lady a tall glass of mead. This dungeon is like an oven. A really stinky old oven, with like moldy…
Isabella looks around.
ISABELLA
…Old moldy feet?
She looks down at the ground and sees a little puddle.
ISABELLA
It seems there has been a lot of wet feet right here, or is that pee? Gross.
The Guard laughs.
ISABELLA
Please guys, just a little something. I’m parched.
FRANK
I’ll get her some mead.
Frank shakes his head as he walks away.
DAVE
Sorry Isabella, we’re just doing our job.
Isabella sighs.
ISABELLA
Oh? Your job is to lock up young ladies? Great, what other perks do you get.
Isabella watches carefully as Frank heads up the stairs to an upper level.
ISABELLA
Do you also get to steal form little old ladies?
Once Frank is out of sight, Isabella draws Dave’s sword and knocks him on the head with the butt of the sword.
ISABELLA
I’m sorry Dave. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I can’t stay here.
Isabella turns around and looks towards the window.
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Archibald and his platoon approach a guard who sits with his feet up. He sees Archibald and flips his body to attention.
DUNGEON GUARD
Sire!
The guard fumbles for his keys and opens a gate letting Archibald and the men into the Dungeon area. As Beatrice passes the guard she cast a spell that puts him back to sleep.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella has a hold of the rope that is dangling from a horse outside the cell.
ISABELLA
Come here George. This is gonna hurt a little okay?
George, the horse, Nays.
GEORGE (HORSE VOICE)
Neigh!
BEGIN CROSS-CUTTING MONTAGE
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Archibald and his men march towards the Dungeon.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella wraps the rope around the bars.
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Archibald holds Calvin back so he can lead the men.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella ties the rope around a bar and into a knot.
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Beatrice is still in the rear of the approaching soldiers as she sharpens her blade. Archibald waves his hand in Beatrice’s direction and then puts his finger to his lips.
ARCHIBALD
Shh. That’s enough.
EXT. DUNGEON EXTERIOR- NIGHT
George, the horse, pulls at the rope tied to his saddle. He is doing nothing and is getting frantic.
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Archibald enters the winding staircase leading to the dungeon.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella watches as George the horse struggles to pull the bars apart.
ISABELLA (SIGHS)
Okay George. I’m sorry for this.
INT. DUNGEON ENTRANCE
Archibald goes down the staircase getting closer to the Dungeon.
INT. DUNGEON
Isabella takes a deep breath and then yells loudly to George.
ISABELLA
OH NO! LOOK GEORGE A MOUSE!
EXT. DUNGEON
George leaps in the air and runs away with all of his might and full speed. The rope yanks at the bars and pulls apart most of the wall of the dungeon. The wall of the floor above the dungeon collapses and an older woman there is changing. She let’s out a Wilhelm scream!
WOMAN IN HER UNDERWEAR
Argh! What happened to my wall!
INT. DUNGEON – NIGHT
Isabella squeezes through the rubble. She is still holding Dave’s sword.
EXT. DUNGEON
Isabella slips out of the collapsed dungeon wall and calms down George.
ISABELLA
I’m sorry George, there is no Mouse sweetie. Sorry buddy.
She pets George’s nose to calm him down.
ISABELLA (CONT)
Unfortunately we really need to go old buddy. You saved me, but we need to get out of here.
Isabella leaps onto Georges saddled back and they ride off.
END CROSS-CUTTING MONTAGE
INT. DUNGEON
Archibald runs down the stairs to look at the rubble that was formerly his dungeon. His platoon of men fan out and check out the scene.
CALVIN
Sorry sire, it looks like she escaped.
Archibald puts his face in his hand.
ARCHIBALD
No Shit.
BEATRICE
This wouldn’t of happened if you had taken her ear.
ARCHIBALD
How? How the hell was taking her ear going to prevent her from collapsing half of my castle wall? How the fuck was this to be prevented if she didn’t have a fucking ear?
Beatrice mumbles to herself.
BEATRICE(MUMBLES)
I’m just saying that maybe we could have made up our mind a little faster and taken care of things earlier…
Frank comes down with a cup of mead and bread, he hasn’t noticed the destruction yet.
FRANK
… and one cup of mead and I got a little bread, if it’s gonna be your last meal it might as well be a good one.
Frank suddenly notices half the wall of the castle is gone and Archibald and his men are all standing around the debris.
FRANK
Uh oh?
Frank immediately looks towards the unconscious Dave.
FRANK
It’s all his fault.
Frank swigs a big gulp of the mead. -
Sung-Ju Suya Lee’s Level 1 Action Emotions
Lesson 10: Level 1 Action Emotions
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Emotions are definitely key, even in Action movies. The example of The Matrix was good. There are some good examples in this module.
Logline:
When a group of old timers at a veteran’s retirement home win the mega lottery, they buy an old cruise ship to sail around the world with their extended families, but Pirates hijack their ship in South-East Asia and the Veterans must face the last battle of their lives to save their families.
Anxiety: Pirates hijack the cruise ship. They want ransom money to be transferred on their laptop. One Veteran explains that all their money went into buying the old, second-hand cruise ship. A Veteran gets to the radio to call for help. Pirates break the ship’s radio. Pirates torture one Family member for ransom money.
Fear: A fight ensues between the Pirates and the Veterans. A Pirate points a gun at a grandchild’s head. Pirates take control, again.
Relief: That Veteran agrees to give the Pirates the meagre ransom money. But, the bank details are in a suitcase in the luggage holding area, down below. Pirate stops holding a gun to the grandchild’s head. They leave the grandchildren alone for the time being. Some Pirates and the 2 Veterans go down below. Only a few Pirates stay on deck.
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Denice’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is how valuable the set-up can be in establishing an emotional reaction in the audience. It changed the scene from strictly a flashback.
EXT. TELEKINESIS WATER TEST (TKW) LAB – DAY
Triple stops outside the lab wearing a wetsuit. She hesitates to push open the door. Her hand shakes.
INT. TKW TEST LAB – DAY
Control station overlooks different sizes of empty water tanks.
Dr. Harkin yells angrily on the phone.
DR. HARKIN
You’re asking me to . . . I need more money.
Triple pushes inside. Plods toward the largest tank. Inside, four cuffs hook to the inside walls for wrists and ankles.
Dr. Harkin swallows nervously. Whispers.
DR. HARKIN
I’ll do what I can.
He hangs up, grabs a test folder. Looks at his watch.
DR. HARKIN
You’re habitually late, Triple One.
TRIPLE
Please, Dr. Harkin, can’t you call me Triple?
DR. HARKIN
Being late could make the difference between your life
or your death. Do I make myself clear?
She doesn’t answer.
DR. HARKIN
I didn’t hear you, Triple One.
He glares.
Defiance pours from her soul.
TRIPLE
Yes, Sir.
DR. HARKIN
Are you planning to fail again? Eleven years is a bit tedious.
TRIPLE
What have I done to make you hate me?
DR. HARKIN
Get on with it.
Triple trudges up the steps. Descends the ladder inside.
FLASHBACK
Her hands become smaller. Six-year-old Triple climbs down the stairs into the tank, eyes wide, lips quivering.
INTERCUT FLASHBACKS
Teen Triple blinks. Takes a breath. She places each leg
next to the ankle cuffs. They fasten automatically. Does the same for her wrists.
Dr. Harkin pushes a red button on the control panel before him. Water gushes from the bottom of the tank.
TRIPLE
You’ve never used full water power.
He laughs.
DR. HARKIN
Expecting me to let you pass without effort?
He climbs the steps. Drops a key into the tank.
Triple stares at the shining key, tossed by the surging water.
Young Triple watches water rises slowly to her knees. Tears drip down her face. She stares at the key on the floor. It rises to the lock on her right ankle cuff. Unlocks it.
The water races to Triple’s waist. Right ankle cuff hangs open.
Key sinks.
Teen Triple focuses on moving the key to the right wrist cuff.
DR. HARKIN
Both ankles first, Triple One.
TRIPLE
What difference does it make?
She moves the key to the left wrist cuff. Unlocks it.
DR. HARKIN
You FAILED the test.
He hurries down the stairs. Slips intentionally on the last step. Hangs onto the rail. Rolls to the floor. Pretends to hit his head and pass out.
His fall distracts Triple. Key falls to the bottom of the tank.
She blinks.
Water covers Young Triple to her neck. She loses the key floating before her. Screams.
Water splashes into Triple’s mouth. She inhales. Water floods over her head. Eyes wild, she reaches for the key with her foot. Key swirls away. She stares at the key. It reaches her wrist cuff.
Young Triple holds her breath. Panics against restraints.
Her mother slams into the room. Rushes to drain the water. Slugs Dr. Harkin. Removes her hysterical daughter from the tank.
Teen Triple grabs the key with her hand. Unlocks left ankle and wrist cuffs. Streaks to the top. Hangs over the edge. Gasps.
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Kathy’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is I can create a scene with all three of these Action emotions.
1. Look through your outline and choose a scene that could use anxiety, fear, and relief.
2. Create an outline of the scene that includes each of the three emotions.
MIDPOINT: Thief tells the mob boss about Danny and mob boss orders him to kill Danny. (anxiety)
The men shoot at Danny in midtown (fear) but he’s not hurt. (relief)
3. Write the scene as a first draft, highlighting anxiety, fear, and relief.
LGA Thief: I didn’t say a word.
Mob Boss: Which is your job.
LGA Thief: He’ll never know anything.
Mob Boss: Take Raymond with you. Tail that cop and make sure you’re not followed.
LGA Thief: Piece of cake.
He leaves.
Thief and Raymond watch as Danny leaves the station, gets in a taxi, they tail him.(anxiety)
After Danny gets out and the cab drives off, Carlos aims a handgun and fires. (fear)
Danny ducks and the bullet sails over his head. ( relief)
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Linda’s Level 1 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is focusing on these emotions helped direct this scene and made it much more interesting than writing it without building around anxiety/fear/relief.
EXT. MENDOZA HOUSE – DAY
FARZAAD ZAHID and JANSHER ALI sneak through a wooded area in south Texas with a young girl, PILAR CUEVAS (pre-teen), who is gaunt and speckled with dust and grime. Pilar stares at the ground as the men push her onward.
They approach a clearing and the men squat down, pulling Pilar by the tattered dress down with them. The men survey the land, squint toward a modest home. Farzaad points to a broken-in pickup truck, motorcycle, and a pristine Mercedes.
FARZAAD
(in Pashto)
Too many.
JANSHER
(in Pashto)
The girl.
He grabs her arms. Yanks her face to his.
JANSHER
(in Spanish)
You tell them about us, tell them anything, and I will kill you.
Her body trembles.
JANSHER
(in Spanish)
You understand?
She nods.
FARZAAD
(in Pashto)
No. We need to wait.
He pulls the girl toward him.
JANSHER
(in Pashto)
There will be others. Don’t question my decision.
Farzaad backs down. Eyes the girl.
Jansher grabs her by the neck.
JANSHER
(in Spanish)
Go. Eat a piece of the fruit. Make noise so they come out. Tell them nothing.
He jerks her neck, sending her to the ground. Pulls out a gun.
JANSHER
(in Spanish)
Go.
She runs. To the peach tree. Looks back, sees the glint of the gun. Grabs a peach. Throws it against the car. THUD. Grabs another one and bites in.
The front door opens.
MATTEO MENDOZA, with an air of authority steps out onto the porch, followed by his father, JUAN CARLOS MENDOZA, a frailer version of his son, but with the same sense of bravado.
MATTEO
What are you doing?
The girl ducks behind the trunk of the tree, eating the peach with an awareness of the edge of the woods.
Matteo scans the land from the porch. Juan Carlos heads back in the house. Comes out with a shotgun.
MATTEO
Put that away.
JUAN CARLOS
You think you know sitting in that fancy office, but you aren’t here on the ground.
MATTEO
It’s just a child.
Matteo steps off the porch. Juan Carlos flanks him, his shotgun at the ready.
MATTEO
It’s okay. Come.
Pilar doesn’t move. As he gets closer, he sees her attention on the woods.
MATTEO
Is someone out there?
She stares at him.
MATTEO
(in Spanish)
Is someone out there?
She shakes her head. But Juan Carlos heads that way. Pilar’s body goes into flight mode, she starts to run.
MATTEO
(in Spanish)
Stop, please. You’re hungry. We have food. Please, come eat with us.
She hides behind a stump, peers over it as Juan Carlos approaches the woods.
MATTEO
(in Spanish)
My mother is a great cook. You will love her food. She will be disappointed if you don’t come and eat with us.
Juan Carlos steps into the woods. Pilar tenses behind the stump. Juan Carlos comes back out.
JUAN CARLOS
No one there.
Matteo waves her toward the house. She follows behind them at a distance. Stops at the porch. Matteo’s mother, Carmen, hustles out to her.
CARMEN
(in Spanish)
Don’t let them scare you child. They like to show off, but you can trust them with your life. Now let’s get you fed and cleaned up.
She ushers her into the house.
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