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Day 12 Assignment
Reply to post your assignment.
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8 Replies
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Brad’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is to dig deeper into the emotions of each scene to pinpoint whether it’s – for example – excitement or anxiety – that the scene is causing.
Danger: The building is on fire; they’re on the top floor.
Excitement: They jump from the roof into a canal.
Adrenaline: They land right next to the boat filled with the people who are hunting them.
EXT. Apartment building – night
A few late night stragglers pedal home from the clubs, but the street is stone silent. A boat with a dozen people on board on the canal below pulls up to dock.
INT. Apartment building – night
The men from the boat are outside Carlos and Aliyah’s apartment. They begin emptying containers of gasoline by the door and down the stairs. They stop at the second floor.
EXT. Apartment building
Other men douse the front and back of the building.
INT. Apartment building
The men run a gasoline soaked rope down the rest of the stairs to the front door.
INT. Apartment
Carlos and Aliyah sleep soundly.
EXT. Apartment building
One of the men lights the rope by the front door and dashes to the boat where the rest of the men are gathered.
INT. Apartment building
Fire races up the rope and bursts into a wall of flames when it reaches the stairs to the third floor.
EXT. Apartment building
Flames climb up the walls.
INT, Apartment
Aliyah is awakened by the flickering light of the fire outside and wakes up Carlos
EXT. Apartment building
The person in the first story unit escapes out his window. The couple on the second story runs out of the front door.
INT. Apartment
Aliyah opens the front door to see what’s up and is blown back by the flames, her hair on fire. Carlos puts it out with a sheet and slams the door shut.
EXT. Apartment building
Carlos and Aliyah climb onto the fire escape, but below them it’s engulfed. The only way out is up.
INT. Apartment
Fire consumes everything inside.
EXT. Apartment building
By the time they get to the roof, the flames have caught up with them. They’re wrapped in towels, and the towels catch fire. They drop the towels, and panic as the flames close in on them. They look down — It’s a three story jump across a street to reach the canal. But it’s their only hope. They jump, their naked bodies silhouetted by the light of the engulfed building. Splash! They made it. They bob up, see each other, and embrace. We hear the click of a gun. They landed right next to the boat. One of the men has a gun to their heads.
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Emmanuel’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that level 3 action emotions are heart-pounding, always, and they keep viewers on the edge. When written well, level 3 action emotions always deliver.
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Sung-Ju Suya Lee’s Level 3 Action Emotions
Lesson 12: Level 3 Action Emotions
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Each of the emotions has to be put into the story, it doesn’t always come naturally. Thinking of the scenes as a step-by-step procedure takes a lot of creative mojo. Still at the outlining stage.
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.
Danger: A blast in the engine room on the cruise ship. A fire engulfs the ship. Veterans (along with the odd Family member) and Pirates fight as the ship is sinking. As they go further down into the cruise ship, all fight in submerged water.
Excitement: Veterans (and Family members) start winning, use shark spears, lawn bowling balls, knives, flare guns, fire extinguishers, etc. (whatever is on the ship) to fight the Pirates. Hold off the Pirates. Some Pirates retreat to the upper decks, as they want to get off the sinking ship.
Adrenaline: Veterans (and Family members) race to the crew bunk bedroom to save the grandchildren from the sinking ship and the Pirates.
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David’s Level 3 Action Emotions
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” Danger, excitement, and adrenaline are emotions that might best be worked in as situations early during the script writing. I found it hard to produce credible adaptations in the robot scene. On the other hand, earlier conventions in assignments might be interchangeable.
EARLY IN THE MOVIE
Saul is driving. Relaxed. Sees his daughter’s, Joann’s, school and smiles. He turns the corner and gasps at a demonstration. Several cop cars with flashing lights.
DANGER: A crowd demonstrating outside the school. Determined, but peaceful. Varied clothing. A half-dozen are a Cult and are dressed much alike with red caps. They carry signs.
“ALIENS GO HOME”, “WE WANT CHILDREN TOO”, “WHERE IS MY CHILD”.
News-units are videotaping. A cop stands by.
Saul slams on the brakes. He jumps out of his car and runs to a cop. They talk. The cop shakes his head and Saul relaxes and grins.
EXCITEMENT: A shadow moves over the area. Everyone hushes. Looks up. Fear or anger in their faces and postures. The shadow keeps moving and everyone begins to relax.
COP (looking up)
When are those bastards going to leave?
SAUL
Be thankful they aren’t killing people anymore.
COP
Tell me about it. I was in a bar when they hit. Midnight, just like they said. Guy started screaming and banging his head on the floor. The guys that didn’t run out stood it as long we could. The bartender blew the guy’s brains out. We couldn’t even drink after that.
SAUL
We all saw exterminations. Thank God my daughter missed it. I’m here to pick her up.
COP
Can’t say I missed some of the people what got exterminated. They were the worst. We never would’ve put them away. Even a lot of the politicians needed it. We sure found out a lot afterwards.
SAUL
Y’know, the funny thing is that most of the people I’ve met aren’t sorry for who or what they supported or believed. Some people made the worst out to be heroes.
COP
They give me the creeps not even knowing what they look like. But, I can’t complain about some of the results. Almost no armies or prisons and I’ll retire after ten-years on the force. Going to Florida with my wife and kids.
DANGER: RUTH, a RED-CAP, speaks into a lapel mic. The Cult begin to join up and they check their concealed weapons. They start to chant. Everyone begins to move away. The students and teachers become frightened and start moving back into the school.
Ruth is appraising the situation. Too many cops? The Cultists are all looking to her. After a moment she shakes her head and the red-caps begin to move away.
Then, two of the cop cars pull away and all the Cultists stop and look at Ruth again. She nods her head. Yes!
ADRENALIN: The cop moves in to break up the demonstration. Ruth pulls a gun, puts the muzzle right on the cop’s chest and shoots him. He drops.
The Cultists start shooting at the teachers and children, and anyone else who gets in the way. People are screaming and dropping like flies. Blood spattering everywhere.
Saul reacts. Pulls his Glock. Forgets to release the safety at first. Then, training kicks in. Saul shoots several Cultists and rescues several teachers and students. He is changing magazines when a Cultist aims, point-blank, at a child. Saul throws himself on the child. The Cultist can’t miss. Saul and the child are doomed.
Suddenly, the Cultist jerks around. There is a bullet hole in her chest. The side of her face gets blown away. The camera zooms out to show the cop lying on the ground, firing his weapon. He dies. Saul and child are saved.
Saul has killed several of the Cultists. Sirens are heard. Ruth orders the rest to withdraw. As they leave, Ruth singles out Saul as the person who interfered. Saul has his daughter in his arms. He sees Ruth aiming and he leaps behind a low wall. Bullets smash into the wall an instant after they gain safety.
The Cultists pile into cars and speed away. Saul and Joann are safe.
Saul madly hugs his daughter.
There is the sound of brakes squealing. Then the sound of tires screeching. A car backs up into view and slams to a stop. 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.
SAUL
Baby. I’m coming. (Starts crawling to her).
JOANN
Daddy, please, it hurts.
SAUL
I’ve got you.
JOANN
Daddy you’re hurt too. (she touches the blood pouring from Saul’s wounds).
SAUL
Stay with me baby. (Joann dies).
NEAR ENDING
INT – BENEDICT’S LAB – NIGHT
Dimly lit, shadows. Lab and work benches with chemicals, electronics and construction materials. A large, echoing space. Robots are mostly quiet, at their workstations. A few are sweeping, cleaning etc. The robots are industrial types. They have wheels, treads, tool-arms. Not humanoid.
DANGER: Saul and Sandy walk in and immediately stop, suspicious.
Benedict appears at his office door.
BENEDICT – Nice to see you again Saul. Is this social? And your attractive friend.
SAUL – Professional, I’m afraid. Morgan slipped. You fell.
BENEDICT – Dear me! Looks like it’s showtime for you. Is it too hard to choose between Aliens who have slaughtered millions of your own kind or your own kind?
SANDY – Let’s cut the crap and get out of here.
SAUL – Coming quietly Benedict?
BENEDICT – ‘fraid not Saul. Bad choice. By-the-way, Morgan got here ahead of you. He was all broken up. Would you like to see applied science working?
EXCITEMENT: Benedict looks down an aisle. Saul and Sandy walk over to see. Morgan is lying on the floor, his limbs and body all in different angles than normal. A robot with steel claws stands over the body. Both agents draw their weapons.
Benedict presses the button on a remote and ducks into his office. All the robots begin to move, spin around, their tools at the end of their appendages begin to whine, whirl, and, in general, sound terrifying.
ADRENALIN:
SANDY – Shit.
Intercut between Saul and Sandy in simultaneous actions.
A circular saw robot goes after Sandy. She fires at it, but the bullets bounce off. He chases her down an aisle, swinging the saw. A blow-torch-wielding robot cuts off her escape. They have her cornered. Only two escape routes and both cut off.
She uses parkour and runs up the side of a wall and onto pipes running over the cabinets.
She drops in back of the robots. They turn in half-circles looking for a target. She grabs a steel rod, shoves it between the blow-torch robot’s wheels and flips it over. It lies there like an overturned turtle melting itself.
The saw-robot turns and goes after her.
Saul starts after Benedict. A cleaning robot goes after him swinging its broom. Saul thinks it’s funny until the broom smashes a crate to pieces.
Then he runs, but meets a nail-gun robot. The robot fires and a pattern of nails embeds itself in the wall behind Saul. One nail pins his jacket to the wall and he struggles to get out of it before his head is knocked off by the broom.
The nail robot has reloaded its clip and has trapped Saul in a corner with no escape. Saul fires his gun into the eye of the robot, but its hand flies up and the bullet bounces off. Saul fires at the other eye and the same thing happens. Saul fires back and forth, but the robot is too fast. The gun is empty. Saul moves his aiming point back-and-forth, faster-and-faster. The robot’s arms begin to move faster than the eye can follow, until there are two sounds like broken glass and the robot has knocked out its own eyes. It collapses.
The saw-robot starts after Sandy again. She grabs a can of spray-paint and sprays the robot’s eyes. It is blinded and makes half circles in the aisle trying to find a target. Sandy runs around the end of the tables, but meets the claw-robot. It grabs her jacket, but she pulls loose.
She runs around the other end of the tables pursued by the snapping, reaching claws. She ducks around the end of the benches into the aisle where the saw-robot is still moving. She judges the motion and ducks past just as the saw blade swings out of the way. The claw-robot tries to pass, but the saw gets it right in the middle. It keeps pushing until the saw cuts it in half.
Saul tries to get to Benedict’s office. His way is blocked by a welding-robot. Saul ducks under its torch, sees a jar of solvent, and throws it at the robot that becomes engulfed in flames. Saul pauses, relieved, and turns toward the office.
The flaming robot rushes at him from the fire. Saul runs to the wall and pulls the fire hose off the roll. The robot gets too close and Saul has to run, pulling the hose after him. He doubles back down another aisle to the water valve. The hose doesn’t reach. He can’t hold the hose and turn on the valve at the same time. He turns the valve just before the robot reaches the nozzle. The hose whips up, knocks it over and the water puts out the fire.
Saul enters Benedict’s office.
BENEDICT – You made it. I figured 50-50. Did you know I love pets?
A robot dog, the size of a small pony, with enormous fangs growls at Saul.
Sandy is still running and diving. One robot has obtained a pipe and is swinging it around like a baseball bat smashing everything around it. Sandy pushes a heavy cabinet on top of it and it is immobilized. There are no more robots attacking.
Sandy collapses, exhausted. Suddenly, a door opens and another dozen robots enter the room. Sandy makes it to the EMP switch and turns it on. The robots collapse.
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Janeen’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that emotion can be built in or added in later to enhance the excitement of a scene.
INT. LAKE HOUSE 2 – AFTERNOON
While one bad guy is on the phone, they take out the other one and then the one on the phone. Using items from the cottage, the parents, Secret Service agent and hero (and his little dog) defeat the bad guys. Other bad guys (cleanup guys) are on the way, however, so they have to hurry.
Danger, Excitement, Adrenaline
NICK and IVY are sitting on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs, feet tied at the ankles. HOLLY and RUDY are sitting at the table. Their hands and feet aren’t tied, but they are tied to the chairs by ropes around their waists. BAD GUY 1 and BAD GUY 2 are pacing. A CLOCK is ticking.
Rudy is wiggling in his chair. Nick gives Rudy a nod.
RUDY
I have to go to the bathroom.
BAD GUY 1
You were in the bathroom when we got here.
RUDY
I just took my blood pressure medicine when you guys came in. I hadn’t taken it for a couple of days. That’s stuff’s a diuretic. You know what that means?
BAD GUY 1
Diarrhea?
RUDY
(disgusted)
No, you moron. It means I have to pee. A lot and often. I need to go now.
BAD GUY 1
Untie him and let him go, but don’t let him out of your sight.
RUDY
I can’t pee when someone’s watching. I’ll need a little privacy in the bathroom.
BAD GUY 1
Stand outside the door.
RUDY
Hurry. I don’t have any spare pants.
Bad Guy 1 fumbles with the rope while Bad Guy 2 watches. Nick catches Ivy’s eye and looks from there to the ropes tying her hands with a significant look.
HOLLY
I’m going to have to go as soon as he’s done. Can you untie me so I’m ready?
BAD GUY 1
Let me guess. Diuretics?
HOLLY
No. Two glasses of iced tea.
Bad Guy 1 sets to work on Holly’s ropes.
NICK
(whispering)
Bring your hands over to mine and I’ll get your ropes loose.
IVY
How are you going to do that?
NICK
Be quiet and do as I say.
Ivy is incensed at being ordered. Nick gives her a challenging stare and she relents. They skooch closer to one another, turning until their hands touch behind their backs.
BAD GUY 1
You two, shut up.
NICK
Yes, sir.
HOLLY
I really, really have to go. Isn’t there another bathroom in this place?
BAD GUY 1
There’s one in the master bath. Let’s go.
Holly winks at Nick and Ivy as she leaves the room.
Nick reaches under Holly’s hands and tugs. Her ropes are instantly loosened so she can slip her hands out.
IVY
(whispering)
How did you do that?
Ivy quickly unties Nick’s hands.
NICK
I was a Boy Scout.
IVY
You were special ops. I’ve seen your record.
They both untie their own feet and scramble to them quietly.
NICK
Checking me out, huh?
Ivy gives him a quick head shake and reaches for a glass angel from the counter. Nick grabs a ceramic Santa. (Danger)
IVY
Appropriate.
They both chuckle.
The bathroom door opens and Rudy shuffles out of the bathroom. He sees Nick with one finger to his lips and the Santa held aloft.
RUDY
Did I get my fly zipped? I can’t see in this light.
Bad Guy 2 leans over to see if the fly is zipped. Nick takes a couple of steps closer.
RUDY
Holly will give me hell if I come out with my fly only half zipped.
Nick whacks Bad Guy 2 on the head and pulls his gun from where he had it tucked in the waist of his pants as he slumps to the floor. (Excitement)
Nick looks around for something to tie him with Rudy hands him a curling iron from the bathroom. Nick ties Bad Guy 1’s hands behind his back with the cord, slipping the curling into the back of his pants for good measure.
RUDY
That’s a new kind of wedgie.
Nick smiles and looks around for something to bind his feet.
NICK
Gag him. Stuff a paper towel in his mouth and then tie one of those curtain ties around it.
Rudy toddles to the counter, gets a paper towel and takes the holiday themed tieback from a kitchen curtain while Nick uses the hair dryer cord to tie Bad Guy 2’s feet.
When Rudy gets back with the paper towel and tie, he hands them to Nick who deftly gags Bad Guy 2.
BAD GUY 1
Hey, what’s going on out there?
RUDY
I missed the toilet. Your buddy’s trying to clean it up for me. He’s a great guy, you know? Not many guys would clean up another guy’s pee, but I couldn’t reach it. Beside the toilet, you know? I couldn’t get down there.
INT. LAKE HOUSE 2 MASTER BATH – DAY
Bad Guy 1 shakes his head in disgust.
BAD GUY 1
What a moron.
He raps on the bathroom door.
BAD GUY 1
What’s going on in there?
HOLLY
Do you really want to know?
Bad Guy 1 rolls his eyes.
BAD GUY 1
Come back to the kitchen as soon as you finish. And use the exhaust fan.
HOLLY
What are you implying?
Bad Guy 1 waves in disgust and heads for the kitchen. Nick and Ivy stand at the ready with their Santa and angel at the ready. Nick mimes for Ivy to go for the guy’s gun. (Adrenaline)
When he is almost to the doorway where Nick and Ivy are hidden, Holly calls out.
HOLLY
Hey, big shot. Can you get this new package of toilet paper open for me?
Bad Guy 1 turns around to respond and Nick hits him on the head with the Santa figurine. The guy turns back to Nick, gun in hand.
Ivy whacks his gun hand with the angel. It shatters on the gun and he still holds it.
Grizzly jumps onto Bad Guy 1’s shoulder and bites his ear lobe. He howls in pain, reaching up to flick off Grizzly. Nick grabs his hand midway to his ear and deflects it from Grizzly, neatly wrenching it behind the guy’s back.
Ivy stomps on Bad Guy 1’s foot, grabs the gun from his hand and turns it on him.
IVY
On your knees now or I’ll shoot off your kneecaps.
Bad Guy 1 looks startled and gives Nick, who holds his arm behind his back a look of terror.
NICK
She means it. Get down.
IVY
(shouting)
Now!
Bad Guy 1 drops to his knees. Nick pushes him forward onto his belly, still holding his arm behind his back.
Rudy ambles into the hallway carrying a string of outdoor lights and an extension cord.
RUDY
Can you use these?
NICK
Thanks, buddy. You and the missus are good at this.
RUDY
Thanks! We watch a lot of McGyver.
Nick gives Ivy a smile, shakes his head, and binds up Bad Guy 1.
NICK
Where shall we stash them? It won’t be long before the rest of them show up.
IVY
Guest Room Closet. People always check the master, but never the guest room.
Holly comes in with the other kitchen curtain tie and a paper towel for Nick.
HOLLY
She’s right. They always figure it’s full of jigsaw puzzles and old quilts.
The women nod to one another.
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Denice’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that with these techniques in mind the engaging action doesn’t need dialogue to create emotional reactions in the audience.
SETUP: Triple has stolen a multimillion dollar, experimental scooter. She’s being chased through her Dad’s company.
INT. HALLS OF FAST SILVER, INC. – DAY
EXCITEMENT: Triple zooms through the hall on the scooter. Executes a dangerous turn.
RIGHT CORRIDOR
Scooter skids. Rights itself. She disappears around a corner.
Dr. Quan and Guards run behind her.
ANOTHER CORRIDOR
Triple races down a long corridor. Veers around personnel.
ADRENALINE: ANOTHER GUARD runs toward Triple. Points a gun.
Triple’s telekinetic power knocks it out of his hand. He charges forward.
She pushes a green button. Wheels rotate sideways. Scooter roars up the side of the wall over the guard. Twists around a corner.
ANOTHER CORRIDOR
Triple slides down the wall. Wheels reposition.
Main doors out of the building loom in front of her.
DANGER: Dr. Quan is fast, running close behind. She fires a taser at Triple.
Triple zigzags. Taser hits a CLERK with file boxes. Boxes fly. Hit Dr. Quan. She’s down.
DANGER: The outer glass doors close from the bottom up.
DOOR GUARDS hold their ground. Grab their taser guns.
Triple focuses on their belts. Guards run forward. Trip on the pants around their ankles.
DANGER: Glass door rises higher. Two feet of open space left, ten feet above.
ADRENALINE: Triple pushes the red button. Light flows from the bottom of the scooter. She concentrates. They fly into the air. Slide sideways out the opening to freedom.
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Kathy’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is I can create danger, excitement, and adrenaline in one scene.
CLIMAX: Danny realizes an attack could be in motion so he heads to the UN.
Storm hits NYC. (danger)
There are 4 buildings: the 39 story rectangular Secretariat tower, the General Assembly building, the Library, and a Conference Area.
The General Assembly Building is a sloping structure with concave sides, 380 feet long and 160 feet wide, topped with a shallow dome. The north end, opening onto a landscaped plaza, is the main public entrance to the Headquarters complex. A Second floor hallway is lined by Members States’ flags and connects the Conference Building with the General Assembly Building.
Danny and his men can barely stand upright as they cross the plaza. (danger)
Flying debris hits one man (danger) and he is knocked unconscious. (fear for his safety) Another officer drags him to shelter. ( relief)
The officers pass through entry doors in the tall glass wall of the General Assembly building.
Beyond the lobby to the right is the small Meditation Room. Suspended from the ceiling above the stair landing connecting the lobby with the second-floor ceremonial entrance to the General Assembly Hall is a Foucault Pendulum, a 200-pound gold-plated sphere, 12 inches in diameter, held by a stainless steel wire suspended from the ceiling, 75 feet above the floor of the lobby and over a raised metal ring, six feet in diameter. It swings back and forth.
There are 4 interior ledges, each for a floor. Ramps zig zag up to the second floor. There are sets of 2 elevators and stairs in the front and in the back of the hall, on opposite sides of the building.
Danny’s men spread out. Some enter the meditation room. Some follow Danny up the ramp to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, Danny finds wounded and dead UN guards. (danger, death) One wounded guard tells him there are hostages in the Assembly Hall. (danger)
The General Assembly Hall has a seating capacity of 1,800. At 165 ft long by 115 ft wide, it is the largest room in the complex.
At the front of the chamber is the rostrum containing the green marble desk for the President of the General Assembly and matching lectern. Behind the rostrum is the UN emblem on a gold background. Flanking the rostrum is a paneled semi-circular wall that tapers as it nears the ceiling and surrounds the front portion of the chamber. In front of the paneled walls are seating areas for guests and within the wall are windows which allow interpreters to watch the proceedings as they work. The ceiling of the hall is 75 ft high and surmounted by a shallow dome ringed by recessed light fixtures.
Officers come out of the empty Meditation room, go up in each elevator, and search the floors as they surround the Hall. (chase, excitement)
Shots come from terrorists on the 3rd and 4th floors. (shootout, excitement, danger, adrenaline)
Danny leads a team up to the 3rd floor balcony. (chase, excitement, adrenaline)
They team breaches the doors, use grenades to kill the terrorists. (excitement, adrenaline) One lives but is wounded. Danny grabs him, forces him to talk. (interrogation, setup) He says there are 20 terrorists holding 300 people in the Hall. (reveal)
Shots come from the 4th floor balcony.
Danny leads a team up to the 4th floor balcony. (chase, excitement, adrenaline)
They team breaches the doors, shoot and kill the terrorists. (gun battle, danger, excitement, adrenaline)
Danny looks down 4 stories ( adrenaline) and sees the terrorists aiming guns at cowering hostages. (danger, fear, excitement, adrenaline) Can’t shoot.
Danny discusses the situation. Calls for smoke bombs. A man rushes out of a police van with a backpack. He gets hit by flying debris, goes down.
Danny sends another man who drags the first officer to safety ( relief) then takes the elevator to the 4th floor. He gives the smoke bombs to Danny. (relief)
Danny and his officers drop smoke bombs into the hall. (twist)
Danny runs back downstairs to the second floor balcony. (excitement, adrenaline)
Terrorists surprised as smoke fills the room. They panic and try to escape. (evade) They grab hostages (Danger, excitement, adrenaline) and take them to a smaller room in back of the hall, the GA 200 reception suite, and lock the door.
Danny and crew shoot a dozen men in the hall. (shootout, excitement, adrenaline )
Several men escape but are captured.
Danny calls the police van and an officer struggles through the high winds to bring a tank into the hall. (excitement, adrenaline) It contains sleeping gas.
Danny pipes sleeping gas into the Reception suite. (twist, intrigue)
Everyone in the room falls asleep. (relief)
Danny and men run into the Reception Suite. Handcuff the terrorists.
Hostages are freed. (relief)
Danny and his men celebrate.
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Mark Dotz
What I learned from this assignment is adding in moments that build tension and anxiety make for great moments of relief and help the dynamics of a scene.
EXT. FOREST FOGGY NIGHT – EARLY 3AM
Damian and Isabella pop their heads out of the fog in a deep hole in the forest revealing that they are inches from a cliff-side. In the distance they can see Archibald’s men quietly marching towards King Fortuna’s the castle in the distance. Damian notices a group of horses carrying something large.
DAMIAN
They have catapults?
Damian looks closer and sees something much worse than catapults. Canons. Isabella knows exactly what they are.
DAMIAN
What is that?
Isabella looks off in the distance contemplative. Something is wrong.
ISABELLA
They were mine.
DAMIAN
What are they Isabella? What are they?
Isabella looks down at the ground.
DAMIAN
What?
ISABELLA
Black powder.
Damian is confused.
DAMIAN
Whats that?
ISABELLA
Portable thunder and lighting.
DAMIAN
Is it some kind of magic?
ISABELLA
Worse.
They start climbing down the cliff-side towards the castle.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING – CASTLE IN THE DISTANCE
Damian and Isabella come to a small clearing, they can see Fortuna’s towering castle in the distance. Isabella scans the area and stops Damian with her arm. She puts her fingers to her lips and stares down Damian.
ISABELLA
Shhh.
Damian looks around and sees two men pissing on trees, childlike they are playing swords with their pee streams.
PISSING MAN 1
Ha ha! I win!
PISSING MAN 2
Doth their sword shy away in battle?
Suddenly Isabella smacks Pissing Man 1 over the head with a log…
PISSING MAN 1
Ugh.
He falls to the ground…his friend looks at Isabella
PISSING MAN 2
Hey?!
Followed quickly by Damian swinging the butt of his sword over the head of Pissing Man 2.
PISSING MAN 2
Ow? That really hurt.
Pissing Man 2 is peeing all over himself.
PISSING MAN 2
Oh come on, I pissed on my uniform?
Damian goes in for another knock down blow. Pissing Man 2 collapses. Isabella examines the man. Isabella points at Pissing Man 2 and his slightly damp uniform.
ISABELLA
You are wearing that one.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING
Archibald’s men have finished marching and are preparing their weapons, the catapults and the Cannons for battle. Isabella wears the Red Uniform complete with a helmet obscuring her face. Damian wears one as well, which clearly has a damp spot on it. Isabella whispers to Damian in her deepest manliest voice. She has a small pouch of powder.
ISABELLA
Here. Put this in the hole of the tube and it will stop them short.
Damian looks at the pouch, he sees what black powder looks like.
DAMIAN
And if we can cut the chords on those catapults they’ll be useless.
Isabella goes into her normal voice.
ISABELLA
Sounds like a plan.
Isabella’s voice has given her away. An unmasked Soldier in Red turns around.
SOLDIER IN RED 1
Hey, what did you say?
Damian has to react quickly. He points at the Barrels.
DAMIAN
We need to load the- uh, barrels?
Damian has no idea what to call the Cannons.
SOLDIER IN RED 1
You mean the cannons?
Isabella chimes in with her deepest voice.
ISABELLA
Yup.
Soldier in Red 1 questions Isabella’s reaction.
SOLDIER IN RED 1
Yeah, go ahead, load them up.
Damian and Isabella walk up to the Cannon. Damian holds the pouch of powder and stands there clueless. Soldier Number 1 continues to watch the couple as another group of soldiers pass. One of the commanders call Soldier in Red 1 over.
COMMANDER IN RED
Hey you, you’re with us.
The Commander calls over Slider in Red 1, he quickly runs to join them and abandoning his observation of Damian and Isabella.
Without hesitation Isabella grabs the pouch of powder from Damian and quickly starts adding way too much black powder into the dozens of cannons.
ISABELLA
Here. Keep doing it to all of them.
Isabella makes her way over to the nearby Catapults.
EXT. CATAPULT STORAGE
Surrounded by a DOZEN SOLDIERS IN RED, Isabella makes her way over to one of the 3 catapults. Most of the men are distracted in conversation or sharpening their ax’s and swords.
Isabella unnoticed starts slicing a line of rope. Within seconds it is disconnected, She moves on to the next on.
EXT. FOREST – CANNON AREA
Damian empties out his pouch of black powder. He hears a conflict in the distance and looks up to see Isabella engaged in a moment with a Soldier in Red, HAIRY SOLDIER.
EXT. CATAPULT STORAGE
Isabella is hiding the cut rope behind her as she is engaged by HAIRY SOLIDER, whose uniform is a obviously too tight.
HAIRY
It obviously doesn’t fit you. You are going to get all tangled and not do well in battle.
Isabella tries her best to mask her voice
ISABELLA
No, no. It’s is fine for me.
HAIRY
No way, that is way too lose. You’re going to get your sword all caught up in yer knickers.
Isabella is shocked and looks for a way out.
HAIRY
Just trade the shirts for a moment and you’ll see.
Hairy takes off his shirt and reveals a rough hairy body that shimmers with sweat in the night air.
HAIRY
Here, take mine.
Isabella grossed out loses her composure and in her normal voice yelps.
ISABELLA
No, that’s gross!
All of the men whip their heads around.
ISABELLA
Oops.
HAIRY
How come you sound like a lady?
All the soldiers come to attention and focus their energy onto Isabella. She slowly walks backwards unsure what to do.
HAIRY
Take off your helmet their kid? Who are you?
Isabella is done for and then…
DAMIAN (O.C.)
This way!
Damian is seated comfortably in one of the buckets of the catapults. He has removed his helmet.
Isabella without hesitation leaps out of the way of the Hairy Soldier and flings herself over to where Damian sits. She climbs into the bucket with him. The soldiers all stand in shock watching all of this unfold. Isabella turns to Damian.
ISABELLA
Wow. You really smell like pee.
Damian reaches over and slices the catapult rope sending them flying.
Damian and Isabella are projected over the castle moat. Their arms flailing int he air.
DAMIAN
Whoa!
Isabella lands perfectly and rolls on the ground. Isabella has a smooth landing. Damian smacks against the side of the castle and falls down a few feet.
DAMIAN
Ouch!
Isabella runs over to his aid. She picks him up.
ISABELLA
Are you okay?
DAMIAN
…I don’t know.
Suddenly arrows start landing on every side of them. They look up and see that Fortuna’s castle archers have started attacking them. They run and lean against the castle walls to avoid exposure to the arrows. Damian shouts up to Fortuna’s guards.
DAMIAN
It’s me! Damian!
The guards cease fire for a moment.
EXT. CASTLE BATTLEMENT
Two castle guards, Franky and Johnny, look over at Isabella and Damian.
FRANKY
It’s the middle of the night Damian. What are you doing down there?
JOHNNY
Cute girl you got there. What’s your name sweetie?
EXT. CASTLE WALL
Damian and Isabella see that Archibald’s men are moving into position.
DAMIAN
Can we get a shortcut inside today? There is a lot of trouble that is about to happen over there.
Damian points at the few men we can see moving a catapult into position.
EXT. CASTLE BATTLEMENT
Johnny looks out at Archibald’s men. Frank looks out too.
JOHNNY
That’s not good.
FRANK
Go wake the king.
Johnny runs off.
EXT. CASTLE WALL
Damian and Isabella wait patiently and then suddenly a rope drops down in front of them. Damian offers the rope.
DAMIAN
After you.
Isabella starts climbing up the rope and scaling the side of the castle. Damian follows closely behind her.
EXT. CASTLE BATTLEMENT
Isabella and Damian are moments from the battlement where Frank waits for them. Suddenly arrows start flying at them. Damian kicks his legs out like a windmill trying to block the arrows. He yells at the arrows.
DAMIAN
Stop it. Stop it!
Isabella grabs Frank hands and is pulled safely behind the battlement. Damian nearly a foot from the battlement takes and arrow in the arm. He loses his grip with that arm and is now left hanging on with one hand.
DAMIAN
OWWW!
Damian is quickly losing his grip. Then a series of hands grabs him by the soldier and pulls him up. It is a platoon of Fortuna’s soldiers in Blue. Damian is pulled into safety behind the battlement.
Damian and Isabella now safely behind the battlement look out on the inner castle. The entire castle population runs around preparing for battle.
A well dressed and handsome man, Peter the Great, followed by several young soldiers kneels down next to Damian and Isabella.
PETER THE GREAT
What are we looking at here?
Damian, winded, and bleeding from his arm, squeezes out the words.
DAMIAN
It’s Archibald. He has black flower.
ISABELLA
Black Powder.
PETER THE GREAT
What’s that?
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