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Day 10 Assignments
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LESSON TEN – SCRIPT
Overview
An innocent young girl with amnesia is used by her mad twin sister to fool a psychiatrist.
Title – The Zero Girl
Genre – Horror
Logline – A mad girl uses her twin sister to keep from going to an insane asylum.
ACT 1
INT. DARK ROOM – NIGHT
A woman hunches in a lounge chair, looks at the grated fireplace in front of her, and drinks from a glass of whiskey.
A creak comes from across the room.
Two large pale eyes appear in the dark door frame across the room. A second pair of eyes appear next to the first pair.
The woman looks over her shoulder with swollen eyes.
A figure explodes out of the dark door frame and races across the floor.
The woman screams.
A poker swings through the air, and slams into the top of the woman’s head.
Blood flies through the air and splatters on the wall above the fireplace.
The glass of whiskey falls from the woman’s hands and shatters on the floor.
She slumps forward in the chair. The poker swings through the air again.
She slumps forward into the blazing fireplace.
Two large pale eyes stare down into the flames as a cackling laughter fills the dark room.
Glittering charcoals scatter across the floor and under the window across the room. The drapes ignite. The fire races up the wall. Thunder cracks and shakes the room as the flames spread.
A tiny figure races across the room. It dives through the flaming drapes, and crashes out the window as the sound of fire engines fill the air.
EXT. BURNING HOUSE – NIGHT
A screaming, mad girl is caught on the sidewalk in front of a burning house by the firemen and taken to the hospital. They assume she is insane by her screaming erratic behavior, and call a social worker.
INT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT
The social worker thinks the girl is insane, and puts her into a security ward for observation.
INT. HOSPITAL – DAY
The next day the social worker goes to see how the girl is doing. She is shocked at what she finds, and can’t believe this is the same girl. The girl is frightened, docile, and has amnesia.
The social worker is sure she made a mistake. This does not seem like the same girl she saw on the night of the fire, but just to be sure she takes her to the doctor for an evaluation.
ACT 2
INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE – DAY
Dr. Baines, the psychiatrist, talks to the girl and finds she is not insane. He thinks it was the trauma of the fire that killed her mother that caused her acting that way. There is a bruise on her forehead where she was hit by a falling timber, and she has amnesia.
The doctor releases her to the custody of her aunt, but the social worker is required to check in on her once a week to be sure that she is all right before he will sign a release.
The social worker takes her to her aunt’s boarding house.
Ivy aunt is very glad to see her. She practically raised the girl. All her birthday parties were here at her boarding house, and Ivy spent lots of weekends here with her. She shows Ivy to her old bedroom at the back of the house.
ACT 3
INT. IVY’S ROOM – DAY
After the aunt and the social worker leave the room, the window slides open. Her twin sister climbs in and tells her she must not tell the aunt, the social worker, or the doctor that she is there. She needs her to help her. The doctor will put her in an asylum if she doesn’t.
Ivy tells her she can’t help her; she has no memory of the fire or even anything about momma. She doesn’t even remember who Aunt Alice is.
When the aunt comes back into the room to help Ivy unpack, Iris jumps out the window.
INT. IVY’S ROOM – NIGHT
Each night Ivy sees her sister climb out the window. She does not come back until dawn.
The aunt reads the morning paper. There was a murder committed behind the park.
There is another murder committed in the neighborhood the next day.
The social worker shows the paper to the doctor.
The doctor brings Ivy in and talks to her. Again, he lets her go.
The aunt tells the social worker and the doctor that Ivy was in the house when both murders were committed.
Ivy fights with her sister. She does not want to continue to lie to the doctor. He is suspicious and thinks she is lying to him. She will be the one he will put in the insane asylum.
There is another murder. Ivy thinks it was Iris. Again, they fight. Ivy is helpless, she has no memory and is afraid of her sister.
Another murder is committed just around the corner from the boarding house. The doctor and social worker look at the paper and think Ivy is behind it all. There were no murders before she showed up
ACT 4
INT. BOARDING HOUSE – DAY
The social worker comes to the boarding house to get Ivy.
INT. IVY’S ROOM – DAY
Ivy and Iris are fighting in the room when the social worker gets there.
Just before the social worker throws the door open, one girl jumps out the window. The social worker grabs the girl in the room by the arm and arrests her.
INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE – DAY
At the doctor’s office the mad girl kills the social worker and the doctor.
1. Place holder = How does Iris get away?
2. A dramatic ending that catches up to her.
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I’m still writing but wanted to post what I’d written so far. I’ve decided to ditch the idea of having film makers and a big reveal: I don’t think it fits with the characters and plot in this movie. Instead the film makers will be replaced by the current owners of the castle.
• Concept: When a couple on a romantic vacation become trapped in a Castle full of ghosts they are forced to negotiate a risky escape.
• Main Conflict: The ghosts don’t want them to leave and the Castle owners refuse to help.
• Reason for Containment: They are locked in the Castle by the two current owners who are desperate for the ghosts to leave so they can expand their business by building a conservatory and a tea room in the area of the Castle occupied by the ghosts.
• Characters: CEO and co-owner of a Mining Conglomerate who’s claustrophobic and afraid of the dark.
• Transformational Journey: She’ll take responsibility for her ancestor’s misdeeds by helping the ghosts pass over and will acknowledge the safety violations that led to employee deaths at her own company.
• Characters: The Medical Doctor will stay and fight the ghosts to win his wife back.
Lesson 7
Hook: How do you help the ghosts of your ancestor’s victims to pass over peacefully?
Unique Monster/Villain: The Prisoner; The Piper Boy; Lady Mary, and The Drummer Girl.
Characters: The Castle Owners (2); the Tourists (2); the Ghosts (2 to 4).
Concept: When a couple on a romantic vacation become trapped in a Castle full of ghosts they are forced to negotiate a risky escape.
Main Conflict: The ghosts don’t want them to leave and the current owners refuse to help.
Act 1:
• Opening: A couple taking a drive through the countryside have just started their vacation.
• Inciting Incident: The husband has arranged to stay at a Castle which used to be owned by his wife’s great great grandparents.
• Turning Point: They are invited to dine by the two charming owners and then locked in their quarters after the meal.
Act 2:
• New plan: They wake up after hearing strange noises.
• Plan in action: They want to leave.
• Midpoint Turning Point: They realize they are locked in the Castle and are not alone.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: They make a deal with the ghosts.
• New plan: Allow us to leave and we’ll help you pass over.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Two of the ghosts pass over but take the mining CEO with them.
Act 4:
• Final plan: One of the owners tries to help the Doctor.
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: All hell breaks loose.
• Resolution: The CEO and Doctore escape and vow to become better people.
Lesson 5 Character Journey
CEO:
Beginning: She doesn’t want to be on vacation in the first place; doesn’t believe the family tree that she’s shown on the computer at the tourist office.
Turning Point: She accepts the challenge of going into the castle to help the ghosts pass over.
Turning Point: She accepts the challenge (wants to humour the 2 geeks in the tourist office) of going into the castle to help the ghosts pass over.
Midpoint: She ends up in a battle with her husband and not just the ghosts.
Turning Point 2: She must find a way to bring her husband back: he’s now in the ghost’s camp.
Dilemma: She knows that the local economy thrives on these ghosts stories and they are provide to exist when occasionally one is seen.
Dilemma: She knows that the local economy thrives on tourism, ghosts stories, and when one is seen people keep coming so killing off the ghosts won’t be a popular thing to do.
3rd Act Climax: Will the ghosts forgive her and her ancestors? Will her husband return?
Doctor:
Beginning: He doesn’t want to be involved in the challenge/situation of going into the castle to help the ghosts pass over.
Turning Point: He meets one of the unhappy ghosts and realizes they are in pain and wants to help them.
Midpoint: He and his wife end up in a battle against each other.
Turning Point 2: He and his wife end up in different ghost camps.
Dilemma: He’s a doctor and he’d be working against his doctor’s oath if he has to kill the ghosts.
3rd Act Climax: can he find an ethical way to help the ghosts while freeing himself?
Lesson 6 Layers and Reveals
Surface Layer: Tourists plan to stay at a Castle.
Beneath The Castle used to be owned by the wife’s great great grandparents.
Beneath that: They have taken jet lag pills prescribed by the husband.
How Revealed: We see them taking them before they go to dinner.
Beneath that: The owners have also spiked their food
How revealed: See the owners spike their food
2. Brainstorm potential character layers.
• Secret identity:
• Intrigue layers
• Hidden relationships and conspiracies
• Hidden Character history
Surface Layer: A CEO of a mining Company on her first vacation for 3 years is looking forward to the time off with her husband and a getaway from their children.
Beneath that: She doesn’t like taking time off.
Beneath that: She’s covering up some deaths at her company.
How Revealed: The ghosts appear/ she dreams.
Surface Layer: A medical Doctor looking forward to taking his wife on her first vacation in 3 years and a getaway from their children.
Beneath that: He’s chosen Scotland the birthplace of her great great grandfather – giving her some time to explore her ancestors.
How revealed: He wants to stop at a Castle along the way.
Beneath that: He’s in a trial for a jet lag pill.
How Revealed: We see them taking the pill before they enter the Castle restaurant.
3. Brainstorm potential location layers.
Surface Layer: A Castle.
Beneath that: A Bed and Breakfast.
Beneath that: Want to build a conservatory.
Beneath that: Ghosts that need to pass over.
Beneath that: A mysterious dead body:
How Revealed: The 2 film makers need to go in and rescue the 2 tourists.
Title: The Castle.
Genre: Drama Horror Mystery
Logline: When a couple on a romantic vacation become trapped in a Castle full of ghosts they are forced to negotiate a risky escape.
Guidelines:
4 Act Structure
Character Journeys
Layers and Reveals
Infinite Possibilities
Act 1
INT. HOTEL – GLENCOE SKI RESORT – DAY
A five star hotel check out desk.
The two staff behind the desk chat.
Staff #1
Eyes up here come the Americans.
Staff #2
They look so glamorous and happy.
Staff #1
Maybe we’re just dowdy.
Staff #2
Speak for yourself.
Staff #1
But we love them anyway.
Staff #2
Yes we do.
A couple early forties approach.
Staff #1
Good morning. Madam, Sir everything to your satisfaction.
Jason
We had a fabulous time.
Jen
It was like a second honeymoon.
Staffer #1
Are you going anywhere nice after this?
We find out they are spending one night at a Castle that was owned by Jen’s great grandfather and before catching their flight back to the USA. Note: this may be the beginning or end of their trip TBC.
We get the impression the Castle has some history.
EXT. A CAR (MOVING) – DAY
We’re flying high above an SUV as it makes it’s way through snow covered hill and glen to the sound of Big Country’s In a Big Country.
EXT. CASTLE – DAY
The couple arrive at the castle and are greeted by the two owners.
INT. CASTLE – DAY
The tourists settle in.
EXT. GARDEN – DUSK
They tour the gardens as the sun goes down. Marvel at the fantastic views.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Barbara Gilmore.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Barbara Gilmore.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
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Nothing to post until Part 2. I enjoyed creating the first draft of the outline by combining the different layers and character, location, and plot elements we have studied in the class.
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Day 10 & 11 outline assignments take me back to what I said in my introduction. Excited to take advantage of the great deal on this course & learn what I can about the Contained Screenplay information in it. But the timing is a bit off for me to give the focused attention to developing a complete story. Even the “90 minutes” to put together the outline the class is looking for is beyond what I have to devote to it, and honestly, my project is nowhere near where I want it to move to a serious outlining phase. SO much more conceptualizing work to do. I’ve done what I can to keep up with the spirit of the assignments, but not enough for it to be fully formed & satisfying.
I’m reposting some preliminary outline material in the Day 11 response. But I don’t expect anyone to waste much time on giving me feedback on what I have at this point.
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Just an FYI – I’m still working on my outline. Will post all to Lesson 11 Forum by the morning of 3/9.
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Act 1
Opening: Four college friends meet after five years to hike into the bayou to look for an abandoned riverboat.
Lori is Happy, at peace with herself and the world
Jeremy is Happy, the leader
Cassie is reserved, happy with reservation
Donovan is Happy, relaxed, confident, joking and free-spirited
Inciting Incident: A local bayou boy warns them away from the riverboat.
Turning Point: Once aboard the riverboat, the boy steals their canoe, stranding them.
When they realize they are trapped on the riverboat Lora is not overly concerned as she relies on the others to make decisions that will save them.
Jeremy takes charge.
Cassie steps up to co-lead the group.
Donovan doesn’t realize that he severity of the situation. He’s still joking and having a good time.
Act 2
New Plan Get off the boat and back to shore
Plan in Action Swim or wade to shore
Midpoint Turning Point Jeremy is bitten by a snake and they must return to the boat
Lora goes inward and stays calm.
Jeremy confesses to having cheated on Lora with her roommate, Cassie, and sent Donovan to take care of her.
Cassie aligns herself with Jeremy and is hostile with Lora and Donovan.
Donovan realizes the severity of the situation and looks for possible escapes.
Act 3
Rethink Everything Lora must stay with Jeremy while the Donovan and Cassie go for help
After Jeremy’s snakebite confession, Cassie feels shame, but must get Lora and Donovan on her side if they’re to survive.
Donovan unravels. Donovan, set up as the villain, He must explain his rapey behavior.
New Plan Reason with the meth heads and get the canoe back
Turning Point: Huge failure/Major Shift Meth heads kill someone. The other returns to the riverboat pursued by meth heads
Act 4
Final Plan Fight the meth heads and take their boat
Lora must band with her enemies to defeat them.
Climax/Ultimate expression of conflict A final showdown on the riverboat
Certain of death, he clears his conscious and is at the mercy of his friends
With Jeremy out of the way, Cassie has the opportunity to become leader if she can defeat Donovan and reign in Lora.
Resolution The urban explores steal the boat and call the police
Lora leaves the riverboat with a new confidence and peace.
Cassie finds that winning is not the high she thought it would be.
Lora
MOTIVATION: To get closure from her college friends
SECRET: She planned the outing in order to confront her “friends”.
WOUND: She feels betrayed by Jeremy, Cassie and Donovan
SUBTEXT: She betrays her friends
LAYERS: Zen yogi but below is a vengeful spirit
Jeremy
MOTIVATION: To reunite with college friends
SECRET: He’s not as successful as he pretends to be.
WOUND: Feels physically inferior to Donovan
SUBTEXT: Hollow man
LAYERS: Below his successful investment banker exterior, he feels incomplete and unhappy.
Donovan
MOTIVATION: Hang out with old friends for good time.
SECRET: He’s not good enough
WOUND: hurt by smarter college friends
SUBTEXT: Unstable
LAYERS: Although he’s strong and beautiful, he’s fragile and damaged
Cassie
MOTIVATION: To rekindle her romance with Jeremy
SECRET: She slept wither friend’s boyfriend
WOUND: Jeremy rejected her for Lora
SUBTEXT: Envious
LAYERS: The “got it together” trainer is
unfulfilled and scheming
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