Day 11 Assignments

[Mary Spiers]

Mary’s outline

What I learned do this assignment was the different passes were very helpful to keep refining this. Now I, or anyone else can get the general idea and continue to brainstorm to see what else can be done. Having this structure, and having it quickly, is very helpful. Note: I stopped putting in where the scene is because it will either be inside Ashley’s house or outside in this contained screenplay.

Title: Sniff

Genre: buddy drama (comedic elements)

A high-profile perfumer loses her superpowered smell ability and fakes her disappearance, taking refuge with a prepper in the country while she tries to regain her sense of smell.

Act 1:

EXT. ROAD – EVENING

OPENING:

High-profile Rachel is on the phone in her luxury broken down car near Ashley’s property.

Layer: Rachel, panicked, tells her confidant at the perfume company to cover for her because she says she has lost her sense of smell and needs time to recuperate. Hidden relationships and conspiracies

CJ: Ashley comes out with a gun but she recognizes Rachel from TV

CJ: Rachel overcompensates that everything is ok. Help will be on the way, but no one can fix the car.

CJ: Ashley offers to let Rachel stay for the night.

INT. ASHLEY’s HOUSE:

CJ: Rachel City girl Rachel realizes Ashley lives off grid. What is she getting into. She is polite but wants out of there ASAP.

CJ: Ashley is wary of outsiders but recognizes Rachel from TV. She’s got her on a pedestal.

CJ: Rachel discovers Ashley distills essential oils that could be used in the perfume industry. Ashley recognizes Rachel from TV and says how much she admires her super smell detection ability. Rachel shows off in front of an Ashley.

CJ: Ashley sees a rare kindred spirit in Rachel. Ashley hints at lonliness. Ashley also shows some of her knowledge

CJ: Rachel sees a challenge to her claims of a super smell ability and doubles down on dazzling Ashley with science.

Layer: Rachel acts as if she trusts people, but does not, in fact she manipulates people. As the story progresses we discover Rachel operates from a façade and is trying to cover for this.

INT. ASHLEY’s HOUSE -DAY

Rachel asks to call for car assistance. Loss of resources: Rachel realizes she has no cash (garage takes cash only), her phone is so low she has to turn it off and her car needs major engine repairs.

Ashley is sympathetic when Rachel tells her she’s lost her sense of smell through Covid.

Layer: Rachel pretends she’s got skills she does not. This is revealed when we see her smell something and get it wrong. She said she is a “nose” and had covid…but neither are true.

EXT. ASHLEY’s HOUSE -DAY:

A major incident knocks out the power grid. Ashley has her own power. Ashley says there’s nothing around and insists Rachel stay with her while they figure things out. She also says she has a method to help her recover her sense of smell. Rachel is trapped.

Act 2:

INT. ASHLEY’S HOUSE – Day

High society Rachel is a fish out of water in an off-the-grid lifestyle. She sneaks Ashley’s satellite phone and tries to contact her confidant from work to get her out of there. She gets through but is cut off. Ashley discovers her and takes phone away….only for emergencies.

Ashley and Rachel discuss their methods of blending in a general way.

CJ Rachel dismisses Ashley’s intuitive methods of blending essential oils Rachel says all the science is a trade secret. Ashley is more revealing in an attempt to impress Rachel.

CJ: Ashley was rejected by the popular crowd and wants to fit in and be recognized.

Rachel secretly smells as many scent blends as possible but can’t figure them out. Rachel actually has her sense of smell but doesn’t let Ashley know.

LAYER: Rachel acts as if she trusts people, but does not, in fact she manipulates people. As the story progresses we discover Rachel operates from a façade and is trying to cover for this.

CJ: Rachel becomes secretly intrigued by Ashley’s knowledge of plants and distilling. She secretly smells some blends. They’re wonderful. She’s got to learn more.

Rachel tries to impress Ashley with science while Ashley says she blends intuitively and doesn’t write down her recipes.

CJ: Ashley shares her intuitive model of blending scent – turning point for her in trust.

LAYER: Rachel will try to steal Ashley’s perfuming secrets

LAYER: Ashley seems to just be interested in essential oils and holistic healing for its own sake and to make money in the business.

Reveal that Ashley turned to this after traditional medicine failed her family. Beneath that is her desire to heal her family member (sister?)

Ashley is a great cook and makes a wonderful meal for them. But she is self-depreciating and makes cracks about country food vs. city food.

Rachel can taste the food and Ashley calls her on it – she does seem to have a sense of smell to enjoy the food.

CJ Rachel pretends she’s got skills she does not. Revealed when she smells something and get it wrong. She said she is a “nose” and had covid…but neither are true. She has to cover saying maybe her sense of smell is returning.

Rachel redirects and asks Ashley to show her some of her distilling/blending techniques and to let her smell some things to test her recovering sense of smell. Ashley does have Rachel smell some different scents. She is confused and a little suspicious about her inconsistency.

Rachel covers and again makes something up about her olfactory system.

Ashley shows Rachel her secret store of one of the most expensive and sought after essential oils for the perfume business.

Mind games: Ashley tricks Rachel with the scent game…Rachel’s smell acuity is very inconsistent.

Hope: Rachel recovers her balance and tries to butter up Ashley regarding her knowledge and makes a suggestion that Rachel could help her if she shares more.

Rachel realizes stealing perfumery secrets through the methods she has used in the past is not working. Act 2 TP/Midpoint: Rachel realizes Ashley is intuitive and smart. Rachel needs to change her methods

CJ: Midpoint: Ashley believes Rachel will catapult her into fame

Act 3:

•Rachel decides to work with Ashley to learn her methods.

•Rachel learns natural blending methods as her sense of smell “recovers”.

•Ashley is injured and Rachel has to take over some of the critical aspects of off-grid living and blending perfumes.

Hope: Rachel learns quickly and gains more admiration and trust of Ashley

CJ: Ashley reveals she wanted to be a medical doctor, but when traditional medicine failed and her sister died, she turned to holistic medicine.

CJ Rachel (midpoint)may have found an answer to her job woes.. Ashley’s “natural health scent” secrets. She realizes how lucrative these would be and wants to get them. But Rachel’s work world closes in as she finds out rival perfumers are after her.

Rachel and Ashley hear there are people after Rachel.

Rachel makes up a story for Ashley, plus she is in the middle of nowhere, her pursuers won’t find her hideaway

Rachel discovers they’ve found where she is through her phone and they’re closing in

She gives Ashley a story. Ashley will help protect her…has a gun

Rachel CJ: Dilemma: Does Rachel actually steal Ashley’s work?

Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Ashley discovers Rachel is a fraud as a “nose” and as a business partner. Rachel was all about stealing her secrets. She doesn’t say anything to Rachel yet.

Rachel: Hidden Character history: Rachel doesn’t trust women. She grew up with a grandmother who was very harsh. This is revealed when Ashley confronts her.

Ashley CJ: Dilemma: Ashley must decide whether to turn Rachel in, give her up. She vacillates between her own needs – to help someone who is broken to get her appreciation (fighting off lonliness) vs. her anger at being duped by a superficial city person.

Rachel thinks at least she has her job: after all everyone does reverse engineering of perfume. She rationalizes it’s not the same as outright stealing written formulas.

Loss of resources: Rachel hears she has been stripped of her high profile life.

Rachel CJ: Turning Point 2: all is lost: Rachel’s intent to steal Ashley’s work is discovered and Ashley tells her she knows. Rachel tries to lie but it doesn’t work. The other perfumers are out for revenge for what Rachel has stolen.

Act 4:

Final plan: Rachel has no way out except to admit the truth about herself to Ashley. She’s a fraud. She was going to steal.

CJ Rachel: Climax: The perfumers close in on Rachel.

CJ Rachel admits she’s been a fraud to Ashley. She never had a super sense of smell and has stolen perfume recipes. She said she was a “nose” and had covid…but neither are true.

Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Rachel starts to tell the truth but now Ashley doesn’t believe her. Rachel has to prove she is genuine

Hope: Rachel tries to negotiate with AshleyRejection: Ashley is livid that she’s been taken advantage of Ashley CJ: Ashley decides not to expose Rachel and does protect Rachel as bad guys close in.

Rachel CJ Resolution/ENDING: Rachel decides to leave the high-powered perfume business and start a new more authentic life for herself.

To be solved:

1. What happens between when Ashley is so angry that Rachel has betrayed her to when she decides to protect her. (what is their bond?)

2. Who exactly are the bad guys and how do they threaten Rachel?

3. Subplot needs to be developed about the Prepper world of Ashley.

4. Who is Ashley trying to heal in her family. What is the relationship?

5. What are the methods Rachel has used in the past to steal perfume formulas?

6. Does Rachel both lose her job and have people after her or just one of these scenarios?

7. Did Rachel ever really have a super smell ability? – no – she used technology.