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Day 12 Assignments
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5 Replies
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What we learned doing this assignment is that once again most of this information was already determined by previous lessons but we were able to really double-check and make sure the elements for each scene were there and solidify some scenes that were a bit light either in empathy/distress and/or action.
Couple Goals Beat Sheet/Outline
A story = the lifestyle situation Liz helps with
B story = Liz and Eric
C story = family and society relationships/dynamicsShow Concept: a suppressed swinger after being exposed by her childhood best friend starts using her hair salon as a front for sex and relationship advice in order to finally live her truth.
Inciting Incident: Liz’s childhood best friend, Michelle shows up at the local swing club and sees Liz and her husband Eric. After Liz helps Michelle explore the lifestyle in an attempt to save her marriage, she feels like this is her purpose and decides to help strangers with sex and relationship advice using her hair salon as a front.
Everything in this pilot must deliver on the show concept and create the Inciting Incident.
Teaser
INT. CLUB CARNAL – NIGHT: INTRIGUING WORLD
Liz has sex in an open room of a swinger club while her husband, Eric, and others watch. She locks eyes with a woman appearing in the doorway who is on her cell phone. Liz abruptly jumps up and then slams the door in her face ending her and Eric’s night prematurely. Eric never saw the woman.
Start: Liz has sex while her husband, Eric, and others watch
Challenging Situation: a woman appears in her doorway on her cell phone
Conflict: cell phones are against the rules
Action: Liz abruptly jumps up and slams the door on her
Finish: Liz and Eric’s night is over prematurely
Open Loop: why did Liz slam the door?
Mystery: why does Liz have these beliefs about monogamy, sex, and relationships? How did Liz and Eric become swingers?
Empathy/Distress: Plot intruding on life (Liz’s childhood best friend was at her door but the audience and Eric don’t know).
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: Liz and Eric are experienced swingers and why did Liz slam the door?
ACT 1
EXT. CLUB CARNAL – SAME NIGHT: IMMINENT THREAT
As they walk toward their car, Eric accuses Liz of being the “swinger police” and ruining their night, but then they both see the girl from the doorway and Eric blurts out “Michelle?” Liz beelines for her, Eric grabs her and pushes them down behind their car door. Liz tells Eric that’s who she slammed the door on. Liz seems relieved someone knows about their secret while Eric freaks out. Liz charges after Michelle to find out why she’s there but Michelle gets in her car and speeds off.
Start: Liz and Eric argue about Liz ruining their night
Challenging Situation: their secret lifestyle is exposed by someone they know
Conflict: Liz doesn’t care and wants to confront her, Eric freaks out
Action: they hide behind their car and argue about what to do
Finish: Liz charges Michelle, but she gets in her car and speeds off
Open Loop: who is Michelle and why is she at the swing club? why is Liz glad their lifestyle is now known? What happens now?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Extreme consequences/Plot intruding on life (being exposed by someone close to them). External character conflicts (Liz doesn’t care and Eric does).
Payoff: (Setup: Liz and Eric are experienced swingers and why did Liz slam the door?) Payoff: their lifestyle has been a secret and now someone they’re close to knows.
Irony:
Setup: who is Michelle and what happens now?
ACT 2
INT. BATHROOM – DAY: SECRET IDENTITY
The next day at a birthday party for Liz’s dad, Michelle is there and we learn that she is Liz’s childhood best friend and like a sister to her. Michelle tells Liz that she was at the club to spice up her marriage and promises Liz and Eric their secret is safe with her. Eric, in an attempt to keep the exposure to a minimum, gets Michelle and Liz to promise this ends here, but he doesn’t believe Michelle can keep her mouth shut. Then Michelle blurts out that she’s already told her husband.
Start: Michelle promises Liz and Eric their secret is safe with her
Challenging Situation: keeping the exposure to a minimum
Conflict: Eric doesn’t believe that blabbermouth Michelle can keep this secret
Action: Eric gets Michelle and Liz to promise this ends here
Finish: Michelle already told her husband
Open Loop: will Michelle keep their secret or expose them more? will Michelle’s husband be a threat to Liz and Eric?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: External character conflicts (Michelle, Liz and Eric). Brings their wound present (Eric’s insecurity and not liking uncertainty).
Payoff:
Irony: Michelle tells Liz and Eric their secret is safe with her, but she’s already told her husband
Setup:
INT. LIZ’S PARENT’S LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS: WOUND
Liz’s younger sister, Teresa plays a video of old family photos as a gift to her dad, Don. When some photos come up that trigger their mom, Christine, she shames Don and Liz setting off a huge family fight where Don just walks off to his room and Liz storms off.
Start: Teresa plays a video of old family photos as a gift to her dad
Challenging Situation: there are photos in there that trigger Liz’s mom
Conflict: Liz’s Mom, Christine shames Liz and her dad, Don regarding the photos
Action: a huge family fight breaks out
Finish: Liz’s dad goes to his room and slams the door, Liz storms off
Open Loop:
Mystery: Why does Maria treat Don and Liz so badly? What does she mean by “he doesn’t even deserve the parentheses”? Why is Liz and Teresa’s relationship so combative and competitive?
Empathy/Distress: External character conflicts (Christine & Liz, Liz & Teresa, Christine & Don, Eric & Christine). Undeserved misfortune (Liz and Don publicly shamed). Brings their wound present (Liz and Don – judgment and shame).
Payoff: (setup: who is Michelle) Payoff: Michelle is Liz’s childhood best friend and like a sister to her.
Irony: Christine is so Christian but not so Christian like towards Liz and Don.
Setup: What’s up with Liz’s dad and the family dynamics?
INT. HOT LOCKS HAIR SALON – DAY: HIDDEN AGENDA
Michelle admits to Liz that she’s pursuing swinging not to spice up her marriage, but to save it and asks for Liz’s help. Liz knows this is a recipe for disaster and she promised Eric to end this, but she can’t have her friend go at this alone. Liz tells Michelle that she’ll come up with a plan to help her without Eric finding out.
Start: Michelle admits to Liz that she’s pursuing swinging not to spice up her marriage, but to save it.
Challenging Situation: Liz doesn’t want to help because she knows this is a recipe for disaster, but she can’t have her friend do this alone
Conflict: Liz promised Eric this would end and now she’s going to help Michelle behind his back
Action: Michelle shows Liz “Swinger TikTok” and Liz can’t believe the followers these people have (and the bad advice they give). Michelle asks Liz to help her and her husband have their first swinger experience
Finish: Liz tells Michelle she’ll come up with a plan
Open Loop: what is going on with Michelle’s marriage? will Michelle actually participate in swinging? how will swinging affect Michelle’s marriage? what plan will Liz come up with to help Michelle?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Undeserved misfortune (Michelle given an ultimatum by her husband). Witnessing the pain of others (Michelle’s marriage is on the rocks). Extreme consequences (divorce for Michelle and potentially for Liz going behind Eric’s back). Brings their wound present (Michelle not being worthy of love). External character conflicts (Liz can decide not to help Michelle and watch her friend fail miserably or at least try and help her navigate a world that she’s an expert in even though she knows she’ll still probably fail miserably).
Payoff:
Irony: Swinging should be the last thing you do to save a bad marriage.
Setup: Liz has to come up with a plan to help Michelle and Michelle shows Liz about Swinger TikTok which sets up Liz’s need to help people.
Act 3
INT. KANE HOUSE – NIGHT: DECEPTION/CONSPIRACY
Liz convinces Eric that she should attend the “naughty school girl” house party alone so she can send him a video of her exploits but it’s really a cover for helping Michelle. Liz tells him a mutual friend is picking her up, but it’s Michelle and her husband.
Start: Liz convinces Eric that she should attend the swinger house party alone
Challenging Situation: it’s a cover-up for helping Michelle
Conflict: she’s involving herself and doing it behind Eric’s back
Action: Liz tells Eric that if she goes to the party alone, she can send him a video of her naughtiness and that a mutual friend is picking her up
Finish: Michelle and her husband pick Liz up.
Open Loop: will Liz and Eric’s daughter Emma find out about their lifestyle? what will happen when Eric finds out Liz deceived him? Will Liz’s plan work?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Plot intruding on life (Liz has to convince Eric that she should go to this party alone so she can help Michelle).
Payoff: (Setup: Liz has to come up with a plan to help Michelle). Payoff: This is the plan.
Irony:
Setup: What’s going to happen with this plan?
INT. HOUSE PARTY – SAME NIGHT: WOUND
Liz and Michelle enter the party with Michelle’s husband and the woman they are going to have a threesome with — it’s sex everywhere – Michelle is shell-shocked. Liz sets them up in a private room. Michelle gets cold feet, walks out of the room, and vomits in the hallway. Her husband stays in the room with the other woman and Liz escorts Michelle outside.
Start: Liz and Michelle enter the party — it’s sex everywhere – Michelle is shell-shocked.
Challenging Situation: Michelle gets cold feet
Conflict: Michelle’s husband stays in the room with the other woman while Michelle walks out
Action: Michelle walks out of the room and vomits in the hallway.
Finish: Liz gets Michelle out of the party.
Open Loop: What happens with Michelle’s marriage now?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Undeserved misfortune (Michelle gets cold feet but her husband stays in the room with another woman). External character conflicts (Liz & Michelle’s husband, Michelle and Michelle’s husband). Plans that failed (the swinging made things worse for Michelle’s marriage). Witnessing the pain of others (Michelle). Extreme consequences (potential divorce). Brings their wound present (Michelle: unworthy of love).
Payoff: (Setup: What’s going to happen with this plan?) Payoff: it fails miserably.
Irony: swinging was meant to help Michelle’s marriage and she leaves the party without him.
Setup: What happens now?
EXT. HOUSE PARTY – SAME NIGHT: WOUND
Michelle is a hot mess outside the party as Liz tries to calm her down. Michelle then tells Liz this is all her fault and that “whores like her are who ruin marriages.” They have a huge fight and Michelle leaves Liz at the party alone. Now, Liz has to come clean to Eric as she calls him to pick her up.
Start: Michelle sobs
Challenging Situation: Liz’s plan failed miserably and now she has to tell Eric
Conflict: Michelle blames Liz and shames her
Action: Liz and Michelle get in a fight
Finish: Michelle leaves Liz at the party alone and Liz needs to call Eric
Open Loop: Is this the end of Michelle’s marriage? Is this the end of Michelle and Liz’s friendship? What will happen with Liz and Eric?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Undeserved misfortune (Liz gets blamed for trying to help). External character conflicts (Liz and Michelle). Plot intruding on life (Liz has to call Eric and he finds out she deceived him). Plans that failed. Witnessing the pain of others (Liz and Michelle). Extreme consequences (potentially the end of a life long friendship). Brings their wound present (Liz: shame & judgment, Michelle: unworthy of love).
Payoff: (Setup: What happens now?) Payoff: Liz’s plan fails miserably
Irony:
Setup: What will happen with Liz and Michelle?
INT. HOUSE PARTY – SAME NIGHT: HIDDEN AGENDA
While Liz waits for Eric, she goes back into the house to get the video she promised him. She grabs one of the creeper guys who hit on her earlier and tells him he can cum on her ass – no touching! Then, she throws him her phone and instructs him to film it.
Start: Liz waits for Eric
Challenging Situation: she has to get Eric the video she promised
Conflict:
Action: Liz goes back into the house and tells a creeper guy standing alone in the corner that he can cum on her ass
Finish: She throws him her phone and tells him to film it.
(Continuation of the previous scene).
INT. CAR – SAME NIGHT: DECEPTION
Eric gives Liz the silent treatment as they drive which Liz can’t stand. She screams at him “yell at me, anything…” but he doesn’t take the bait and remains quiet. She turns up the volume on the radio as they drive to Lita Ford’s Kiss Me Deadly.
Start: Liz and Eric drive in silence
Challenging Situation: she can’t stand his silent treatment
Conflict: Eric is pissed at her deception
Action: Liz yells at him “saying anything is better than this!” He doesn’t take the bait and remains quiet.
Finish: She turns up the volume on the radio as they drive to Lita Ford’s Kiss Me Deadly.
Open Loop: what will happen with Liz and Eric?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Undeserved misfortune (Eric being deceived). External character conflicts (Liz and Eric). Plans that failed (Liz trying to help Michelle without Eric finding out). Witnessing the pain of others (Liz and Eric). Extreme consequences (potential marital problems). Brings their wound present (Liz: shame and juadgment, Eric: insecurity, trigger is being lied to/deceived).
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: What will happen with Liz and Eric?
Act 4
INT. CAR – DAY: WOUND
Eric slept in his car all night. The back driver’s side window crashes in. Liz threw a rock threw it, then gets in the car. She tells Eric that’s the first and last time he ever sleeps without her. Liz and Eric have a heart-to-heart about how she needs to live authentically and doesn’t want to keep their lifestyle private anymore. Eric reminds her of the stakes if they go public. Eric agrees to support her even though he knows that if they go public, it’s going to be difficult for them, but if they don’t, he risks Liz resenting him.
Start: Liz throws a rock through their car window and gets in with Eric.
Challenging Situation: If Liz continues to help people, they risk being further exposed and it may negatively impact his marriage (and life), but if he gets his wish and she shuts it down, she may resent him and that could also negatively affect his marriage (and life)
Conflict: Eric doesn’t want their lifestyle public, but Liz does
Action: Liz tells Eric she wants to give sex and relationship advice from her hair salon
Finish: Eric agrees to support Liz if she keeps it on the down low
Open Loop: how will this decision affect Liz and Eric? how will this decision affect their daughter? how will Liz deal with the shame and judgment as they are exposed more? how will Liz deal with her family potentially finding out? how will this affect Liz’s business? how will this affect Eric’s job/career? how will Eric get comfortable with the uncertainty?
Mystery: why is Liz so motivated to help people with sex and relationship advice? what regret is Liz’s dad living with? Why is Eric miserable at his job?
Empathy/Distress: External character conflicts (Liz wants their lifestyle public and help others with their relationships and Eric wants to protect them and keep it private). Extreme consequences (divorce, how this will affect their daughter, losing family, shame & judgment, Liz’s regret). Brings their wound present (Liz: judgment & shame, Eric: insecurity/uncertainty).
Payoff: (Setup: What will happen with Liz and Eric?) Payoff: For now, they reconcile and come to an agreement.
Irony: Liz failed Michelle miserably but she feels helping people with their relationships is her purpose
Setup: What will happen with Liz and Eric long term?
INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY: WOUND
Eric sits alone having his coffee. A text comes in from Liz – it’s the video of her from the house party. A mom who sits next to him catches him watching it and she leaves disgusted.
Start: Eric having coffee alone
Challenging Situation:
Conflict: Eric is embarrassed publicly
Action: Liz texts Eric the video from the house party. He views it and then realizes what it is – but, it’s too late as a mom next to him sees it. He tells her “sorry, it’s just my wife.”
Finish: the mom leaves disgusted
Open Loop: How is Eric going to handle potentially being more and more public?
Mystery: Why is Eric so insecure and afraid of uncertainty?
Empathy/Distress: Brings their wound present (Eric Insecurity)
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup:
INT. HOT LOCKS HAIR SALON – DAY: WOUND
Liz tells Michelle that if she ever shames her like that again, she’ll rip her head off. Despite Liz telling Michelle that her marriage is irreparable, Michelle decides to stay with her husband. A woman who saw a TikTok post from Liz comes into the salon for her sex advice. Liz tells Michelle to not tell Eric about the TikTok.
Start: Liz tells Michelle that if she ever shames her like that again, she’ll rip her head off.
Challenging Situation: Michelle unfairly shamed Liz. Liz knows Michelle’s marriage is irreparable.
Conflict: Liz and Michelle are at odds
Action: Liz and Michelle talk it out. A woman who saw a TikTok post from Liz comes into the salon for her sex advice.
Finish: Liz tells Michelle to not tell Eric about the TikTok.
Open Loop: how will the community react once they find out Liz is giving advice from the hair salon? how does this affect Michelle since she co-owns the salon? will Michelle end up divorced and if so, will she ever find her happily ever after?
Mystery: why is Liz so sensitive to being shamed and judged?
Empathy/Distress: External character conflicts (Liz and Michelle, Michelle & her husband). Witnessing the pain of others (Liz and Michelle). Brings their wound present (Liz and Michelle).
Payoff: (Setup: Michelle tells Liz about Swinger TikTok.) Payoff: Liz uses Swinger TikTok to help others.
Irony:
Setup: What future lifestyle/swinger/sex situations will Liz help with? Who else will find out about Liz and Eric’s lifestyle? How will going public affect Liz and Eric’s marriage? How far will Liz go with the sexpert idea? Will Liz and Eric’s daughter find out? What will happen with Michelle’s marriage?
Act 5/Tag
INT. HOT LOCKS HAIR SALON – NIGHT: SECRET IDENTITY
After hours at the hair salon – Liz is cleaning up by herself when there is a knock on the door. Liz unlocks it and lets a woman in. But, it’s actually her dad in a wig and bad makeup. He sits in her chair and she styles his wig. Liz’s dad is the only person who knew about Liz and Eric’s secret.
Start: After hours at the hair salon – Liz is cleaning up by herself
Challenging Situation: Liz’s dad is secretly trans
Conflict: Liz helps him
Action: A knock on the door. Liz lets a woman in. But, it’s actually her dad in a wig and bad makeup. She helps him style his wig for a night out.
Finish: Liz’s dad is the only person who knew about Liz and Eric’s secret
Open Loop: what is the significance of the relationship between Liz and her dad? will Liz’s dad ever come out as trans?
Mystery: what’s the backstory of Liz and her dad’s relationship? why is Liz’s dad still married to his mom if he’s trans?
Empathy/Distress: Brings their wound present (Don’s shame)
Payoff: This is why Liz wants to help others. This is why Liz’s mom treats both of them badly (resentment)
Irony: Liz wants to help her dad live his truth but she’s not living hers
Setup: Who else will find out about Liz and Eric’s lifestyle? How will going public affect Liz and Eric’s marriage? How far will Liz go with the sexpert idea? Will Liz and Eric’s daughter find out? What will happen with Michelle’s marriage?
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Dave Arena.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
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Suzanne’s outline with intrigue …
What I learned in this lesson is I needed more scenes (which I added). But I’m finally starting to SEE it, the flow between scenes, the tonality of how it fits together. The italicized “intrigue” is the lead of that scene, but most of them have multiple threads. (TK is for the words I haven’t chosen yet, LOL …)
I also think “Lazy Witch Bar” is the best NOLA bar name. Maybe I should invest …
NOTHING STAYS BURIED
TEASER
EXT. Park—Night: In.world/Mystery/<wbr>secret ID/Strange be/Hidden A
(S/u) A figure stands in TK, shrouded in a cloak. In the distance, jazz music and people laughing.
(E/d)She sets down a (gris-gris) and prays to “Loa” asking for mercy since the past months have been relentless for her poor city.
(Irony)Her phone rings and she answers it as she turns to the light – a black woman, middle aged, impeccably groomed – she’s madame mayor.
EXT. Overview—Night: InW
From where she is at (former) Congo Sq park, we fly over streets of NOLA filled with parades and tourists, and patches that are dark and empty.
EXT. Street—Night: In.world/conspiracy/secret/str<wbr>ange behavior/secret ID/Hidden A/hidden layer
(OL)And onto … a crowd, bumping into each other, who suddenly
(Action)New Orleans street where costumed people are bumping into each other, but suddenly begin a choreography with parkour off the old buildings, delighting (and distracting) the tourists filming it.
Behind the “wall” of dancers, a few others are handing tools back and forth, doing something to the street. Then they finish and join in the grand finale, and the group disperses, each on a different bike, going a different direction.
View of their work: mosaic repair of a rupture in the sidewalk
EXT. Park—Night: InW/Cons/Hidden A/Deception
All of the dancers, still in costumes and masks, talk about the experience while sharing a flask. (OL) Lead female excuses herself, she has a big job to be turned in tomorrow. (OL) (em/d) A Spanish-accented male tries to deepen the hug she gives each of them. (OL) She leaves and he watches her go.
EXT. Streets—Night: Strange be/Secret ID/threat
She rides through alleys—full of Mardi Gras action and color—and streets (changed from hurricane) and locks her bike up at shabby spot, then climbs up to (Conflict) a nice balcony, with the d’Argosy logo on the wall behind her.
She turns and a tourist is filming her. (Em/d)
(OL) (S/u) (Irony) He accuses her of being a fraud, since she’s protesting the state of the city, but living a building owned by the people are the most destructive. Like the super deep well they’re about to drill in the Gulf of Mexico.
(Imm threat) (Em/d) She threatens him and he leaves. Once alone, she removes her mask (intro Tilda) and toasts to tiny rebellions—the only ones she dares. She flips the logo off.
ONE WEEK UNTIL MARDI GRAS
Act 1
INT. Lazy Witch Bar—Day: Inworld/Mys/secret/deception/ <wbr>conspiracy/secret ID/Hidden layer/strange be/suspicion
(OL) (s/u) (M) Tilda enters the bar in creative professional attire. Zephyr asks her if she wants a shot/she counters with wanting a Tarot reading. Zephyr ignores her.
(Conflict) Stefani brings up Tilda’s job deadline … getting it done in time for Mardi Gras day. Hardship of doing something for d’Argosy fam. Tilda shrugs.
(s/u) In the background Houma guy is delivering TK while tourists gather for coffee.
(s/u) (em/d) At the bar, the three women reflect on rough fall/winter with hurricane Hilaria. FQ full of film crews and a few cosplay houses in addition to tourists. Zephyr puts her dog outside to sit with homeless guy who watches for TK. She reads Stefani’s first card … they hear screams
EXT. Street—Day: My/Emp/Threat/Strange be
(Challenge) (A)Screams as people get away from a thousand rats racing down the streets & sidewalks, fleeing the FQ.
(A) Stefani gets call from her boss (mayor) and “don’t tell me another hotel collapsed,” waves goodbye and starts up the street.
The rats stream around a Black parade, carrying a “snake” down the street with 2<sup>nd</sup> line who promise Loa will “save everyone” if you ride with the snake.
(s/u) (M) (OL) The street clears, and Tilda & Zephyr whisper they’ll walk over together at 2 pm. Joke about how today they’ll learn they’re really from a family of vampires.
INT. Luxury bedroom for 20—Day: InW/M/Secret/Conspiracy/Hidden Layer/Strange be/Susp
Tilda, Zephyr and another ten women chatting, reveal they’re all cousins, as they get into 18<sup>th</sup> c. clothes. (s/u) (OL) Everyone except Tilda is tattooed, and they all have a d’Argosy logo on their shoulders.
(Challenge) (Em/d) (S/u) Tilda and Zephyr are half-shunned, since they didn’t grow up in NOLA, only spent summers here. Snarky comments about being Texans instead of Creoles. Zephyr laughs it off; Tilda is quiet. They ask about their surnames, Zephyr is Hughes and Tilda is Rountree—neither held to the family tradition that all d’Argosy offspring (regardless of father) have the name. Teasing that maybe they’re not “real” (Tilda and Zephyr make vampire joke).
TK enters and says Grandmarie is on her way. Everyone focuses on dressing.
INT. Modest house—Day: Hidden layer/Strange be/susp/secret ID
(Challenge) (em/d) (M) Stefani gets her 80- year-old Italian great-grandmother whose lease requires a 12-hour evacuation during this weekend every year. (s/u) They discuss how the “rebate” makes the space affordable, bitter, since they used to own it until d’Argosy “witches” stole it back. (Conflict) Stefani tells her they must go by the sinkhole; (M) grandma gets agitated until Stefani promises they’ll be at a jazz club tonight. (Action) As they leave, Grandma is relieved “the axeman won’t get them” this time.
Act 2
INT. Grand bedroom—Day: InW/My/Se/Conspiracy/Hidden layer
Grandmarie enters and the cousins are lined up, everyone dressed perfectly. She is elegant and inspects each, checking their stockings and shoes. When she gets to Tilda, she is bare-legged beneath her costume and wearing her glitter DMs and everyone gasps.
(Em/D) (OL)Tilda argues heat and rats, and that this is her “first” Mardi Gras, so she’s adjusting. GM demands she change, or she can’t come—and won’t see the reveal of the work she’s done. (Irony)
(s/u) (OL) Tilda appears to acquiesce and GM whispers she can wear her boots for the “renewal viewing” but must be in appropriate foot gear in the mansion. (Irony) “You are my favorite” She doesn’t mention the stockings/bloomers etc. and Tilda excuses herself to get changed.
Everyone troops out, sneering, except Zephyr, who shrugs, conflicted and mouths “vampires.”
INT. Mayor’s office—Day: S/Dec/Cons/Hidden A/Susp
Mayor and city fathers, all in costume, but with masks off, arguing about protesters in front of d’Argosy building to stop deep well. Mayor is grateful they aren’t filming the rats.
(OL) (M) (S/u) (Irony) It looks bad, because d’Argosy are “King and queen of Rex”–essentially, bankrolling Mardi Gras since they were the only family that turned a profit this year.
INT. Mansion great room—Day: InW/My/Secret/Deception/<wbr>Conspiracy/ Secret ID/Hidden Agenda/ Strange behavior /Imm threat/Suspicion
Family of about 30 people, standing in “new” room that was Tilda’s design job. (p/o) Everyone in costume, talking about the newest “addition” because as soon as Lent starts, sinking the deepest well ever in GOM. (Challenge) Three people accuse of problems and they reveal the family is on (p/o) both sides of fossil fuel conflict: they have the well AND the chemicals to clean up an accident. They win, no matter what.
(M) Grandmarie enters and promises “it’s still there” —while giving a short history about this once-in-a-generation experience.
INT. Tunnels—Day: Strange behavior
(Action)(M) Everyone departs through ancient tunnels.
INT. Dank room—Day: Hidden layer
(M) (OL) (s/u)Each family member walks by the Looking Glass, some appearing to see, others to hear, then each walks back to the mansion, alone and quiet.
INT. Mansion great room—Night: Conspiracy/ Secret ID/Hidden Agenda/ Strange behavior/Imm threat/Suspicion
(p/o) Back in the mansion, half the family say the Looking Glass confirmed what they feel: the time is up for the family.This starts a fight, Zephyr continues the “we are vampires” jokes, but (M) Tilda looks a bit stunned. It devolves into about half ready to leave NOLA, and half wanting to hire a private army against them.
When Grandmarie enters, they ask her to tie-break the vote, and her voice is different. (M) Tilda & Zephyr exchange looks as Grandmarie supports the oil-lovers, opposite her usual position. (Em/d) The opposition prepare to leave gracefully—and Grandmarie shoots. (Conflict)
(Action)Chaos, with the doctor and nurse running to assist. Tilda flees through the house up to the balcony.
INT. Jazz club—Night: Secret
(M) (OL) (s/u) Stefani parks great-grandma at jazz club with (Spanish-accented) waiter and takes a call (from Frenchman whose conference arrives in three days) as she pushes through crowds to site of sinkhole, in an abandoned and TK part of FQ.
EXT. Sinkhole—Night: Suspicion
(p/o) (OL) (Em/d) Building-sized hole. Stefani calls (mayor) and reports, this is definitely where the rats came from. She will investigate cause. After hanging up, she looks at the surrounding buildings suspiciously and crosses herself. “How am I supposed to cover this up?” she asks herself
Act3
EXT. Mansion balcony in FQ—Night: Imm threat/InW
(Em/D) (Challenge)Street below is full of costumed/masked people. They see Tilda and start shouting at her. She can’t get them to shush. A man (J-P) in 18<sup>th</sup> c. costume shouts out if she jumps, he’ll catch her. She hears more shots from inside. (s/u)
Tilda dangles from the balcony, (p/o) flashing bare legs and glitter boots, then falls into the arms of masked man. The crowd shouts for them to kiss. They do, and it’s surprisingly hot to them both. (Conflict) Tilda sees her cousins have entered the crowd at the opposite end of the street. (em/d) (Action)She pulls a dazed J-P behind her into an alley.
INT. Mansion great room—Night: Conspiracy/ Secret ID/Hidden Agenda/ Strange behavior/Imm threat/Suspicion
(Challenge)(em/d) (s/u) (M) Family, both sides, is giving loyalty oath to Grandmarie. Zephyr is sarcastic, but Grandmarie (OL) (still with strange voice) is serious and humorless. Zephyr gives oath, other family are seeing to the (leg?) shot on TK. She crosses her fingers when she swears. (Conflict) Grandmarie asks where Tilda is “you know how she is … hates conflict. She’s probably hiding in the dumb waiter like always.”
Act4
EXT. Street—Night: InW
Tilda and man run through streets …
EXT. 18<sup>th</sup> c Street—Night: M/Secret/Threat/<wbr>Behavior
(OL) and turn into 18<sup>th</sup> c N.O. (s/u) Comment on the smell. They both freeze, but then hear Mardi Gras music, but very different. J-P wonders where they are and Tilda
EXT. Street outside older version of mansion—Night: M/Secret/<wbr>Threat/ Behavior
(Challenge)leads them back to her family’s mansion and it’s guarded by 18<sup>th</sup> c men exhibiting racist, etc. behavior as they usher in mostly men for a wedding celebration.
J-P says he’s leaving. Tilda begs him to escort her. He mutters he’s an actor, he can do this.
INT. Great hall—Night: M/Secret/Threat/Behavior/Layer
It’s a crush of men and women, in similar attire, watching each other and speaking in (Creole) French. J-P is accosted and introduces himself with a flourish, and Tilda too.
She’s impressed he speaks French. He tells her he grew up in the Caribbean. She asks him to eavesdrop while she checks something out. (Conflict) If I have to take off my mask here, I’m a dead man. She promises to be back soon.
INT. Tunnels—Night: Conspiracy/Threat
Tilda overhears as her ancestors come in from viewing the Looking Glass, and discuss how this marriage will assure their family’s ascendency for TK years. A small price to pay for marrying a TK. Joke that it’s TK who is marrying her.
(irony) (em/d) (s/u) Tilda gets cornered by two of them and they play with her for a moment—accusing her of being quadroon—before she flirts/threatens her way out of it and back to
INT. Great hall—Night: Secret/Deception
(em/d) Toasts are being offered to the happy couple, in Creole French.
EXT. Mansion drive—Night: Threat
(OL) She and J-P melt away and she asks the math problem. He threatens to not speak again until they are safe. Can she get them back? Tilda lies and says yes.
EXT. 18<sup>th</sup> c. street—Night: InW
They find a parade, mix in, then take another alley.
EXT. Current street—Night: Suspicion/<wbr>Deception/Conspiracy
They walk into current NOLA.
(Conflict) J-P rips off his mask and reveals he’s black, and as he starts to yell at her she asks him to do the math (for the time difference) He does, puzzled. She runs back to the mansion.
EXT. Street—Night: InW/M/S/Deception/Hidden layer/Strange be
Stefani sees tourists filming a “possessed” homeless man who is warning of catastrophe and listing allll the ways through the centuries that NOLA has almost been lost. Listeners seem scared and talk about leaving. Stefani interrupts and tells them the weirdness they’ve been seeing in NOLA is actually a new form of “reality show” setting. They press her to say more, and she admits she’s the mayor’s PR staffer.
LOCK IN
INT. Mansion lounge/bar—Night: Secret/M/Deception/Conspiracy/<wbr>Hidden Agenda
(Challenge) Zephyr is making drinks for her cousins and teasing with them. They ask her to read their cards and she pulls death and tower. Suddenly sobered, they go to check on TK who was shot.
Zephyr unlocks the door to the tunnel that led to the Looking Glass, and writes (TK intials) inside TK doorway.
INT. Grandmarie’s dated bedroom—Night: Conspiracy
(Challenge)Grandmarie is facing the mirror, taking off her makeup, jewelry, talking to herself in a man’s voice. He mentions she’s never been worthy of the name, which is why they had to send “assistance” for this TK time
INT. Dank room—Night: Hidden agenda
(OL) Tilda sneaks into Looking Glass again, and when she touches it, has
VISION
Looking at New Orleans from the Mississippi, it’s soggy with water and instead of mirrored reflections, it’s sitting in pools of oil. Almost looks like B& W film. High tide marks are blackened, bodies of animals and people are discernible through the oil. Tall things are broken, signs down, everything stained with oil. As we move through the French quarter, it looks like a hurricane of oil, not water, hit. She sees her family’s great room, and everyone in it is stained with oil, and dead.
INT. Dank room —Night: Threat
She looks down at her hands, and they’re coated in red blood, thick like oil.
She hears “Free me” in an unearthly voice.
-
Megan’s Outline With Intrigue
What I learned doing this assignment is… just when you think you’ve considered every possible angle of your outline, there’s another opportunity for further improvement.
I was tempted to skip this lesson due to being so far behind. While I don’t have the time to reconsider the intrigue in each scene as much as I would like, I’m at least going to fill in the blanks for this assignment.
This outlining process was lengthy but incredibly valuable.
TEASER
INT. ELEGANT LA RESTAURANT — NIGHT: Secret Identity
Dressed as a waitress, Alexis fills the crystal water glasses of the Hollywood executives she has been assigned to bust. One of the men hits on Alexis, grabbing her ass. After obtaining the information she seeks, she slams the man against the table and cuffs him. The restaurant manager rushes out and fires her as she walks by and quits. She pauses on her way out of the restaurant to check her appearance in a mirror.
Open Loop: What does Alexis do for a living?
Mystery: Why is she allowed to get away with this behavior?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis is sexually harassed.
Payoff: Alexis gets revenge for the ass grab.
Irony: A beautiful waitress who is also dangerously capable of defending herself
Setup: Alexis as an undercover agent
INT. LEXIE’S BEDROOM — DAY: Imminent Threat
Lexie’s face is now the one staring in a mirror. She nervously scrutinizes her appearance as Alexis’s VO about the importance of trust begins. It is the first day of high school. She combs through her closet, trying on and discarding outfit after outfit until most of her closet is on the floor. She finally settles on a dress. She adds a necklace but the chain breaks. Is it a sign of what’s to come?
Open Loop: Is Lexie connected to Alexis?
Mystery: What kind of first day will Lexie have?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie is nervous; her necklace breaks.
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: Lexie’s nervous excitement about starting high school; the broken necklace as a sign of what’s to come
ACT 1
EXT. OUTSIDE LEXIE’S HOUSE — DAY: Wound
Lexie excitedly joins her childhood best friend Betsy and Betsy‘s younger brother Marcus, who are waiting at the corner for the bus. Betsy bluntly criticizes Lexie‘s outfit, and Lexie’s spirits bottom out. In Lexie‘s mental replay, Betsy slaps Lexie across the face. Lexie boards the bus behind them, deflated.
Open Loop: Will Lexie and Betsy’s friendship survive high school?
Mystery: How did two complete opposites become friends?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie’s friend is tactless.
Payoff: what other people will think of Lexie‘s outfit
Irony: Betsy is Lexie‘s best friend but she’s her harshest critic.
Setup: tension between Lexie and Betsy
INT. SCHOOL BUS — DAY: Mystery
The bus driver greets the trio as they board the bus. he asks their names but misunderstands Lexie‘s. Before she can correct him, he tells her to take a seat. Lexie stumbles down the aisle and nearly wipes out. She slinks to a seat in the back. Betsy tells her she should learn to stand up for herself.
Open Loop: Will Lexie ever learn to speak up for herself?
Mystery: Why is it so difficult for Lexie to speak up?
Empathy/Distress: No one seems to listen to Lexie.
Payoff:
Irony: Rather than helping Lexie, Betsy lectures her.
Setup: Lexie needs to learn to speak up for herself.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY — DAY: Wound
Lexie tentatively enters the high school hallway as a bell rings. A group of three mean girls see her and begin to point and snicker at her outfit. Lexie rushes past the mean girls, head down and humiliated.
Open Loop: How will Lexie fit in with kids in high school?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: students are laughing at the outfit Lexie spent so long picking out.
Payoff: Betsy was right about Lexie‘s outfit.
Irony:
Setup: Lexie doesn’t fit in.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL FIELD — DAY: Mystery
Playing goalie for a field hockey game during PE class, Lexie nervously hops from foot to foot in the goal. A huge girl approaches and takes an aggressive shot on goal. Lexie ducks to avoid getting beaned in the face. The PE teacher runs out onto the field, blowing his whistle and waving his arms at Lexie in frustration. Lexie cringes.
Open Loop: Is there anything Lexie is good at?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Lexie is humiliated during PE.
Payoff:
Irony: A gym teacher should encourage his students, not embarrass them.
Setup: Lexie needs to become more athletic.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH CLASSROOM — DAY: Wound
The speech teacher calls Lexie to the front of the room. She approaches the podium fearfully. After an awkward silence, a few stuttered attempts to speak, and snickers from the other students, a red-faced Lexie runs out of the classroom as the flabbergasted teacher watches.
Open Loop: Will Lexie survive high school classes?
Mystery: Why is it so difficult for Lexie to speak out?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie stutters when she tries public speaking and runs out humiliated.
Payoff:
Irony: it’s speech class but Lexie can’t utter a single word.
Setup: Lexie needs to become better at communicating.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA FOOD LINE — DAY: Mystery
The cafeteria lady asked Lexie if she wants green beans. Lexie says no. The lunch lady ladles green beans onto her tray anyway. In Lexie’s mental relay, The cafeteria lady is a wart-covered ogre and the ladle is twice as large. The green beans inundate her mystery meat and mashed potatoes. Lexie slowly walks away from the line with the unwanted green beans.
Open Loop: Will Lexie ever learn to speak up for herself?
Mystery: Why is it so difficult for Lexie to speak up?
Empathy/Distress: No one listens to what Lexie wants.
Payoff:
Irony: The cafeteria lady is offering Lexie a healthy food but in an emotionally unhealthy way.
Setup: Lexie needs to learn to speak up for what she wants.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA — DAY: Wound
Lexie reenters the noisy, overcrowded cafeteria alone. She sees only one open seat. Just as she is about to take it, a mean kid slides in and steals it. Lexie looks around awkwardly for a minute. Then she sets her tray down and leaves the cafeteria without eating.
Open Loop: How is Lexie going to survive high school? Will she ever eat lunch?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: people are mean to Lexie and she feels alone.
Payoff:
Irony: The cafeteria is a place of social interaction but it’s the place Lexie feels most shut out.
Setup: Since the cafeteria is overcrowded, Lexie has to find somewhere else to eat lunch.
INT. LEXIE’S DINING ROOM — EVENING: Wound
At the dinner table with her family that night, Lexie listens to her older sister Lily brags to their mother about the scholarship opportunities she’s receiving. Dylan, with several empty beer bottles in front of him, jovially engages Lexie‘s younger brother Scott in a conversation about football practice. Lexie looks back-and-forth between the two conversations and then excuses herself from the dinner table. No one notices.
Open Loop: How will Lexie handle being ignored by her own family?
Mystery: Why don’t Lexie‘s parents pay as much attention to her as they do her siblings?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie’s parents seem more interested in her siblings than they do in her.
Payoff:
Irony: Even at home, a place everyone should belong, Lexie doesn’t.
Setup: Lexie‘s detachment from her family as an adult (Alexis)
INT. LEXIE’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Secret
Back in her bedroom, Lexie shuts the door and looks around at her bare walls. She looks down at her blank cell phone. After a moment’s contemplation, she pulls an overnight bag out of her closet, tosses it on the bed, sits down at her computer, and searches for bus times.
Open Loop: Will Lexie run away from home?
Mystery: Has she run away before?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie feels so unnoticed she’s willing to cut ties with everyone and run away.
Payoff: Lexie’s reaction to being unnoticed
Irony: If she runs away, she’ll really have no one.
Setup:
ACT 2
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA — DAY: Mystery
Betsy enters the crowded cafeteria the next day, tray in hand. She looks around for Lexie. No sign of her. Betsy walks out.
Open Loop:
Mystery: Where is Lexie? Did she actually run away?
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: Though she may be blunt, Betsy does look out for and care about Lexie.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY — DAY: Hidden Layer / Conspiracy
Lexie is sitting on the floor in the stacks reading a novel and eating a PBJ. A voice accuses Lexie of stealing her seat. Lexie jumps up and apologizes profusely but Cerise tells her she is just playing. Cerise introduces herself to Lexie. The two chat for a minute before Betsy arrives with her cafeteria tray.
Betsy behaves coldly toward this newcomer who appears to be winning over her longtime best friend. After Cerise leaves, Lexie admits to Betsy that she’s been thinking about running away from home. Betsy convinces her she just needs to find something of her own to make her special and offers to help her find it.
Open Loop: Will Betsy be able to help Lexie find something to make Lexie feel special?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Empathy for both Lexie and Cerise, who are clearly outsiders
Payoff: Finding out where Lexie hides during lunch
Irony:
Setup: blossoming friendship for Lexie and Cerise; tension between Betsy and Cerise as a result of competition for Lexie‘s friendship
MONTAGE
INT. HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE LAB — DAY: Hidden Layer
In biology, Lexie and Betsy work side-by-side at a lab station. Betsy accidentally sets the sleeve of her lab coat on fire with a Bunsen burner. Tony, a cute boy, smiles at Lexie and in her embarrassment, she accidentally spills a tray of owl pellets on his head.
Open Loop: What will Lexie be good at?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: The girls embarrass themselves.
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: Lexie notices Tony, who will end up becoming her boyfriend.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM — DAY: Mystery
At cheerleading tryouts, Lexie stands in the middle of the gymnasium, hands on hips, facing a trio of board cheerleaders. While attempting a cartwheel, she lands on her head, and the rude cheerleaders begin to laugh at her. Betsy storms over to them and screams at them until they stalk away, glaring back at Betsy.
Open Loop: What will Lexie be good at?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Mean girls make fun of Lexie.
Payoff:
Irony: Cheerleaders are supposed to build people up; these cheerleaders tear Lexie down.
Setup: future feud between Betsy and the cheerleaders
INT. HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY — DAY: Mystery
Lexie and Betsy sit in a circle with other students, books in hand. Lexie is listening raptly to another student speak, but Betsy, with her head resting on her fist, falls asleep. Her head slips off her fist and she jolts awake.
Open Loop: What will Lexie be good at?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Lexie is interested in things Betsy is not.
Payoff:
Irony: The one thing Lexie likes, Betsy is bored to sleep by.
Setup:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM STAGE — DAY: Mystery
Betsy steps onto center stage for the fall musical auditions. She belts out an awful, off pitch number. When it’s Lexie‘s turn, she freezes at center stage like a deer in headlights and then runs away in terror, only to fall off the stage.
Open Loop: What will Lexie be good at?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: again, both girls embarrass themselves.
Payoff:
Irony: In running off stage, Lexi makes an even bigger spectacle of herself.
Setup:
MONTAGE ENDS
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM — DAY: Wound
Lexie is still icing her elbow and kids in the classroom are still taunting her when her English teacher gives the class an assignment: to write an email to their future selves. Lexie turns to Betsy with optimistic hopes about her own future, but Betsy tactlessly shoots down those hopes in traditional Betsy fashion.
Open Loop: Will things ever get better for Lexie?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Kids in class are still making fun of Lexie; even her best friend doesn’t think she will amount to much in the future
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: The reason Lexie writes an email to her future self
INT. LEXIE’S DINING ROOM — EVENING: Wound
Lexie is once again sitting at the dinner table with her family, but this time the atmosphere is completely different. Dylan, now sober and irritable, shuts down every topic his family raises. Lily mentions winning a position in student government; Dylan rages against the corruption in the US government. Scott mentions that the football team voted on the design for new warm-ups; Dylan rages about the corrupt voting system in America. Lexie tries to tell her parents about her day but her mother shuts her down for fear of further riling up her father. Lexie once again excuses herself from the table early.
Open Loop: What will it take for Lexie‘s parents to pay attention to her?
Mystery: What causes Dylan’s extreme mood shifts? Why does he drink so much?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie doesn’t have a chance to share anything about her life with her family.
Payoff:
Irony: This family dinner is anything but family-focused.
Setup: Dylan’s alcoholism
(What’s going on? Dad ran out of alcohol and Mom won’t let him go to the bar until after dinner.)
INT. LEXIE’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Hidden Agenda
Lexie sits down at her desk. She opens her laptop and fires off her email to her future self. After a momentary pause, she clicks send and goes to bed.
Open Loop: What will happen with Lexie‘s email to her future self?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Since there is no one else in Lexie‘s life, she reaches out to someone who is make-believe.
Payoff:
Irony: Since Lexie can’t talk to someone, she talks to “no one.”
Setup: creates the opportunity for Lexie to connect to Alexis
INT. LEXIE’S BEDROOM — THE NEXT MORNING: Mystery
Lexie wakes up and notices her open laptop. She sees an email in her inbox. It seems to be a response from her future self. In disbelief, Lexie sends a response to the email and receives an almost instantaneous reply. Lexie about falls out of her chair. Just then, Lily yells up that it’s time to go to school. Lexie emails and asks if she can switch to messaging her future self. When the reply is yes, Lexie grabs her backpack and cell phone and leaves for school.
Open Loop: Is the email from Alexis, Lexie’s future self, real?
Mystery: Is Lexie going to keep emailing a stranger? Is it safe?
Empathy/Distress: fear that Lexie is being duped
Payoff:
Irony: The “make-believe” person is the one person who answers her; just when Lexie stops looking for something to make her special, something special finds her.
Setup: The beginning of Lexie‘s friendship with Alexis
ACT 3
EXT. OUTSIDE LEXIE’S HOUSE — DAY: Deception
Lexie is messaging as she walks out of her house. She is in shock and disbelief. Immediately, she begins firing questions about Alexis’s life, her future. Head down, Lexie nearly bumps into Betsy as she texts. Lexie quickly pockets her phone. But as they climb onto the bus, she begins to read Alexis’s response about her happy, successful life in Chicago in the year 2040.
Open Loop: Should Lexie believe these emails?
Mystery: How did Alexis end up in Chicago?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie has to start keeping secrets from her best friend.
Payoff:
Irony: By connecting with Alexis, Lexie begins to lose her friend in her own timeline.
Setup: Lexie’s desire to become more like Alexis.
CUT TO 2040 REALITY:
INT. CHICAGO DEPARTMENT STORE — DAY: Secret Identity
Alexis, in uniform, is re-folding men’s dress shirts at the checkout counter. Sterling sweeps past and drops a stack of flyers on the counter, messing up Alexis’s folding. She makes no apology but instead proceeds to rub her recent sales in Alexis’s face and then swoops in to steal a menswear sale from Alexis. Brett swings by the desk to say hello and flirt with Alexis on his way to the shoe department. Before he can finish asking her out, Alexis walks away in disgust.
Open Loop: Will Alexis ever put Sterling in her place? Will Brett ever have a shot of winning over Alexis?
Mystery: Why doesn’t Alexis have any friends?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis seems unhappy at a job with people she can’t stand.
Payoff:
Irony: Alexis has told Lexie she is happy and successful at work, but clearly she is not.
Setup: competition between Alexis and Sterling; Brett’s pursuit of Alexis
INT. TRAIN — EVENING: Wound
Alexis is sitting on a train on her way home, alone. A mother with a baby wrapped in a sling against her chest smiles at Alexis as she takes a seat across the aisle from her. Alexis instantly turns away.
Open Loop: Why does Alexis present her life so differently to Lexie?
Mystery: Why is Alexis so cold? Does she have a problem with mothers and/or babies?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis’s standoffishness creates a lonely life for herself.
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup:
INT. ALEXIS’S STUDIO APARTMENT — EVENING: Wound
Alexis walks into her apartment. She drops her bag, keys, and a stack of mail on the counter and looks around at the bare walls. She opens her refrigerator. Empty. Alexis walks out of the kitchen.
Open Loop:
Mystery: Why is Alexis so alone? Has she always been?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis’s standoffishness creates a lonely life for herself.
Payoff:
Irony: Lexie thinks Alexis is happy and successful, but this is the reality.
Setup: provides a reason Alexis seeks a change
INT. ALEXIS’S BATHROOM — EVENING: Hidden Agenda
Alexis opens her medicine cabinet and takes out a bottle. She studies the label, contemplating. Then she hears her email ping from the bedroom. She sets the bottle down on the sink and walks out.
Open Loop: Will Alexis kill herself?
Mystery: What has happened to bring her to the point of giving up?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis is so miserably alone she’s contemplating suicide.
Payoff:
Irony: Alexis has told Lexie she has a wonderful life, but really she’s so unhappy she’s on the verge of ending it.
Setup: provides a reason Alexis seeks a change
INT. ALEXIS’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Strange Behavior
Alexis walks into the bedroom and leans over her computer to view the screen. She sees Lexie’s email, skims it, and snorts skeptically. She walks back out of the bedroom.
Open Loop: What will Alexis do with Lexie’s email?
Mystery: Why is Alexis so skeptical?
Empathy/Distress: Distress for Lexie: yet one more person is ignoring her; and this time, it’s her own future self
Payoff:
Irony: As a teen, Lexie struggled with being ignored. As an adult, Alexis ignores everyone.
Setup: Lexie’s email plants the seed in Alexis’s mind that there might be a way to better her life
INT. ALEXIS’S KITCHEN — EVENING: Wound
Alexis picks up the stack of mail from the kitchen counter. She begins opening her mail and a birth announcement from her sister Lily falls out of one envelope. She reads it, drops the announcement back on the counter, and walks out.
Open Loop: Will Alexis try to change her life?
Mystery: Why is her sister’s news so upsetting? Why doesn’t Alexis have a family?
Empathy/Distress: Alexis has no one even as her sister is adding onto her perfect family
Payoff:
Irony: Her sister’s happy announcement brings Alexis even more misery.
Setup:
INT. ALEXIS’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Deception
Alexis sits down at her desk in front of Lexie’s email. She heaves a deep sigh and writes a response to Lexie’s email, presenting her life as happy and successful as a retail associate. She clicks send.
Open Loop: Why does Alexis lie? Will Lexie believe her? Does Alexis have ulterior motives for contacting Lexie?
Mystery: How is this cross-timeline communication possible? How did Lexie become Alexis?
Empathy/Distress: Empathy for Alexis’s misery but distress over whether or not Lexie is getting herself into a dangerous situation
Payoff: Alexis finally responds to Lexie’s email.
Irony: Lexie emails her future self because she has no one else to talk to; the one person who responds is completely lying to her
Setup: Alexis’s lies about Lexie’s future
ACT 4
INT. LEXIE’S KITCHEN — DAY: Secret
Lexie is texting Alexis during breakfast. Alexis shares shocking pieces of information about both Lily and Scott. When Lily sits down and tries to view Lexie’s screen, Lexie is quick to hide the texts. Alexis gets in trouble for texting during breakfast. She hides her phone, but her secrecy only makes her siblings more intrigued. They tease her ruthlessly about having a boyfriend.
Open Loop: Will Lexie‘s family find out about Alexis his texts?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Lexie’s siblings tease her ruthlessly.
Payoff:
Irony: The only time her siblings seem to pay attention to Lexie is when she doesn’t want them to.
Setup: Lexie is starting to keep secrets.
EXT. OUTSIDE LEXIE’S HOUSE — DAY: Deception
Lexie meets Betsy and Marcus again to wait for the school bus. Marcus steps out into the road and nearly gets hit by a car. Betsy rescues him. Lexie is so busy texting Alexis again that she barely notices. Betsy asks who Lexie is texting but Lexie hides her messages from Betsy too. Lexie pockets the phone and changes the subject to learning how to drive. Betsy notices the sudden change in topics but engages in the conversation.
Open Loop: Will Lexie’s friendship with Betsy fall apart now that she’s started keeping secrets?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Betsy is losing her longtime best friend.
Payoff:
Irony: The closer Lexie gets to Alexis, the further she gets from Betsy.
Setup: Marcus nearly getting hit by a car predicts a future event.
INT. LEXIE’S KITCHEN — EVENING: Wound
When Lexie enters the kitchen after school, Amanda, her mom, is sitting at the kitchen table helping Lily with her college applications. Lexie hems and haws until she gets up the nerve to ask about driver’s ed. Amanda says they can’t afford it and she is too busy to teach her. Lexie suggests Dad but Amanda instantly shuts down that idea. Deflated, Lexie walks out of the kitchen.
Open Loop: Who will teach Lexie how to drive?
Mystery: Why does Amanda seem to care so much more about Lily than she does Lexie?
Empathy/Distress: Lexie‘s mom has time for her sister but not for Lexie.
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: Lexie not knowing how to drive sets up a future event.
INT. LILY’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Strange Behavior / Wound
Lexie sneaks into Lily’s bedroom. She opens up Lily’s laptop to her college application essay. After a momentary hesitation, Lexie begins rewriting a large portion of the essay to make her sister sound like a clown. Then she resubmits the essay, closes the laptop, and hurries out.
Open Loop: Will Lily still get accepted to her first-choice college now that Lexie‘s messed up her application?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: empathy for Lily having her application tampered with; empathy for Lexie being ignored
Payoff: The backlash of Lexie being ignored for too long
Irony: Lexie is mad at her parents but she takes it out on her sister
Setup: part of the reason Lily does not go to college
INT. LEXIE’S BEDROOM — EVENING: Conspiracy
Lexie is lying in bed feeling guilty. She texts Alexis, who already knows what Lexie has done. Lexie finally believes Alexis is her future self. Alexis gives Lexie her first piece of advice: Stop caring what other people think.
Open Loop: Will Alexis‘s advice help Lexie? Does Alexis have an ulterior motive?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: empathy for Alexis who is feeling guilty
Payoff:
Irony: Lexie is trusting in someone who may not be entirely trustworthy.
Setup: The impetus for Lexie starting to trust Alexis and to change
ACT 5
MONTAGE
INT. SCHOOL BUS — DAY: Strange Behavior
Lexie gets onto the school bus. The bus driver calls Lexie the wrong name again and this time she turns around and corrects him. The bus driver shows her respect and she takes her seat, happy.
Open Loop:
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony:
Setup: Lexie is learning to speak up for herself.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY — DAY: Strange Behavior
Lexie is standing at her open locker. The mean girls walk past Lexie and snicker at her outfit. Lexie slams her locker shut. She walks up to them and introduces herself. She tells them she can see into the future and makes a less-than-desirable prediction for each. The girls hurry away.
Open Loop: is Lexie‘s prediction about these three girls true?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: distress that Lexie is facing mean girls again
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: Lexie is pretending to have an ability she actually could have with Alexis‘s help.
Setup: Lexie starts to see the benefit of knowing other people’s futures, not just her own.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL FIELD — DAY: Strange Behavior
Field hockey girls in gym class run past. Lexie is actually keeping up with them. They pass the ball to her. Lexie seems to actually be enjoying herself.
Open Loop: is Lexie finally getting accepted into a group?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: When Lexie stops caring what other people think, she starts enjoying her life more.
Setup:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM — DAY: Strange Behavior
Lexie is standing behind a podium in speech class. She wraps up her speech to applause from the audience. The speech teacher asks if she’s considered trying out for the fall musical. With a wry smile, she tells him yes.
Open Loop:
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: The speech teacher suggests Lexie audition for the fall musical, which she already did and made a fool of herself in.
Setup: Lexie may someday make a pretty persuasive speaker.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE LAB — DAY: Strange Behavior / Hidden Layer
Lexie is working at a lab station in biology. Tony, the cute boy, catches her eye and smiles at her. Lexie shyly smiles back.
Open Loop: Will Lexie and Tony get together?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: The awkwardness of first attraction
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: When Lexie stops caring what people think, people like her even more.
Setup: Lexie and Tony’s future relationship
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA FOOD LINE — DAY: Strange Behavior
Lexie steps up to the food line. The cafeteria lady tries to serve Lexie green beans and Lexie politely declines.
When the cafeteria lady ignores her and moves to dump the beans on her tray, Lexie keeps moving down the line. In Lexie’s mental replay, the cafeteria lady dumps the beans all over the counter and stares after Lexie in shock.
Open Loop: If one piece of advice could change Lexie‘s day so much, how else might Alexis’s advice impact Lexie‘s life?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: Lexie’s imagination that normally makes her feel worse about a situation can also make her feel even more confident about a situation.
Setup:
MONTAGE END
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA — DAY: Hidden Layer
Lexie finds a seat and waves a surprised Betsy over. Betsy notices there is something different about Lexie. Lexie speaks up when Betsy begins getting too tactless. She smiles, proud of herself as Betsy’s brow furrows in confusion. The two friends are even now starting to grow apart.
Open Loop: Will Lexie and Betsy‘s friendship survive these changes in Lexie?
Mystery: Why isn’t Lexie more open with her best friend Betsy?
Empathy/Distress: Betsy is losing her childhood best friend in a place she is already struggling to fit in.
Payoff: Lexie is already growing from Alexis’s advice.
Irony: In standing up for herself, Lexie is also pushing away her sometimes tactless best friend Betsy.
Setup: The beginning of the end of Lexie and Betsy‘s longtime friendship
EXT. TRAIN STATION — EVENING: Hidden Agenda
As Alexis’s VO resumes about the importance of trust, Alexis sits down on a bench next to the man from the department store. He mentions being disappointed with the suit he purchased, saying he wishes she had been the one to sell it to him. The man implies he expected there to be more; Alexis presses him for information. When he refuses, she threatens to kill him. He calls her bluff. She kills him and boards the train home.
Open Loop: Can Alexis be trusted? If Alexis is willing to kill, is she willing to harm Lexie to get what she wants? Mystery: How did Lexie grow up to become Alexis?
Empathy/Distress: distress for Alexis that she is now communicating with and trusting in someone dangerous
Payoff: there is no more question about whether or not Alexis is trustworthy
Irony: Alexis is as dangerous as Lexie is innocent
Setup: Alexis can’t be trusted
-
Sharilyn’s Outline With Intrigue
What I learned doing this assignment is…determine the detail to clean up a scene.
TEASER
I/E – ERIN’S HOUSE – NIGHT : Strange Behavior
Erin moans and groans alone, in the dark. Sounds of a wrapper opening. A condom package? Snack bags opening? A crazy full moon shines through. No, wait! Flood lights from across the street outline her naked largesse. CREEK! CREEK! A fat arm, then plump fingers, reaching in and around full lips as in and out the finger goes. The bed herks and jerks.
Open Loop: Why is eating so pleasurable?
Mystery: Why is eating so pleasurable?
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony: Eating is like fucking, when it’s good!
Set up: Eating can be orgasmic.
A man’s voice moans in tandem with the motion of the bed. Erin exhales loudly. The release. Then snoring.
Open Loop: Why aren’t the dude and chick doing it to each other?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Good food, like a good release, will put you to sleep.
Payoff:
Irony:
Set up: Erin eats alone.
ACT 1
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – NIGHT : Wound
Walley pecks away, complaining to his blow-up doll girlfriend, Kandy, about the job and that he’s being watched. His BOSS’ face pops up on the screen confirming his suspicions. He switches him off and searches up porn for pleasure. In his, search he remembers how lucrative her former sex work was. He vows to get his sex-side-hustle going.
Open Loop: Kandy’s “realness”
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Walley hates his job. His Boss is a dick.
Payoff:
Irony: Only he hears himself complain.
Set up: Walley & Kandy’s ease in porn participation.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Hidden Layer
Erin is still hungry after a night of binge eating. She props open her window with a knife. A BIRDIE greets her. She feeds it some crumbs while licking her fingers. Her regular food delivery GUY stops by. She wraps as much of herself in the curtain and sticks out her arm to grab up the bag. Visible slice marks show. Elementary migrant STUDENTS arrive for free tutoring.
Open Loop: Is she crushing on the Food delivery guy?
Mystery: Very dangerous using a knife to prop up a window.
Empathy/Distress: Erin is kind to animals, kids.
Payoff:
Irony: Erin isn’t kind to herself.
Set up: Teaching vs. porn dilemma.
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Hidden Layer
Patty saunters up ready to beat Erin’s face for the day. Erin is of course not ready, in full tutor mode with her class. Patty ignores them, imploring Erin to buzz her in and get rid of the kiddies. Erin unwillingly obliges.
Open Loop: How does the trans-Latina fit in to Erin’s world?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony:
Set up: Patty’s role/relationship with Erin.
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Wound
Walley works hard at his keyboard as Kandy overlooks from the doorway. His boss pops on his screen to berate his performance. Walley stammers through an apology. He stutters when he gets nervous. He pushes what he thinks is the mute button on his keyboard and goes in on his boss who takes it all in. He then responds with a snarky comment, to Walley’s surprise. He clicks him off, unable to face him after the tirade.
Open Loop: Will Walley grow a pair?
Mystery: How do Walley and Kandy stay together?
Empathy/Distress: Walley stutters.
Payoff: Walley tells his boss off.
Irony: Walley is being watched as he hacks others.
Set up: Walley’s entry into the soft porn world as his own boss.
ACT 2
I/E ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Hidden Layer
Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya show up in their own way: Ms. Chen fussy and Mi-Ya in her cat-furry attire. Erin is where she always is: on the bed eating while Patty chats away and combs through her mop. Ms. Chen is fed up with Erin’s inertia. Patty defends her besty to which Ms. Chen then comes for her. All the while creeper Neighbor dude from across the street spies on Erin’s front door.
Open Loop: Who is the Neighbor Guy to Erin?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Patty is a loyal friend.
Payoff: Patty styles Erin to eat.
Irony: Ms. Chen tears Erin down while building her up
Set up: Mother daughter dynamic
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Strange Behavior
As Walley and Kandy peacefully spoon, he hears cat purring. Believing that Kandy didn’t let the cat out, he rouses, searching for kitty. Passing by his computer screen he sees Mi-Ya at Erin’s front door. He sits at the monitor excited that his hack works.
Open Loop: Walley and Kandy spoon like a “real” couple
Mystery: How/why does Walley connect with a blow-up doll?
Empathy/Distress: Walley can’t get with a “real” woman
Payoff:
Irony: Walley complains about being watched but watches another
Set up: How Waley collects Erin sex footage
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Wound
Mi-Ya arrives at her own kitty pace which ticks off her mother, Ms. Chen. Their mother-daughter tension fills the room as Mi-Ya shows Erin a new muumuu design she cut. No one is impressed, especially not Erin. Mi-Ya, in turn, feels the sting of rejection. Ms. Chen reprimands her daughter and prepares for Erin’s wash-up.
Open Loop: What’s behind Ms. Chen’s tension with her daughter?
Mystery: How is it that Erin, Ms. Chen, and Mi-Ya can be so intimate?
Empathy/Distress: Mi-Ya is dismissed by her mother and friend.
Payoff:
Irony: Erin rejects the friend who takes care of her when she can’t care oforherself.
Set up: Mi-Ya resents her friend, pushes for her fat fashion line
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Strange Behavior
With Patty out of the room, Ms. Chen orders Mi-Ya to assist her in stripping Erin. The two don’t work in tandem so Erin gets stuck in her own clothes. Trying to assist their efforts, Erin’s immobility becomes apparent as she pulls and tugs to no avail. Finally she sits nude, a brown blob. Walley and Kandy watch from their trailer.
Open Loop: How will Erin take care of herself w/out the Chen’s?
Mystery: from where does the Chen/Stodermann trust stem?
Empathy/Distress: Erin’s dependency on the Chen’s.
Payoff: Seeing Erin naked.
Irony: Both Mother/Daughter enable what they criticize in Erin.
Set up: The fat fetish hook
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Imminent Threat
Prepped and positioned up by her window, Erin is tutors her kids. Across the street, she spots creepy neighbor dude filming. She screams at him scaring the kids who scatter. As he schleps away, she slams her window down, forgetting the knife used to prop it up.
The knife handle spews out hitting a crouching kid. Erin hears the whimpers. Realizing the knife handle hits one of her kids, she offers a treat. The kid takes the treat, immediately happy, thanking Erin in Spanish while running off. Erin keeps snacking to calm her nerves.
Open Loop: Neighbor dude’s infatuation with Erin. Will he hurt her?
Mystery: Why does Erin use a knife in the window? What happened to her?
Empathy/Distress: The kid gets hurt b/c of Erin’s prop.
Payoff: Erin protects the kid from creeper neighbor.
Irony: Erin can’t protect herself from eating herself to death.
Set up: Child endangerment.
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Strange Behavior
Walley and Kandy sit dumbfounded at what they just witnessed: Erin’s full wash up. Walley realizes that this live stream is golden. His mind clicks. Kandy disapproves. Walley reminds her of her past as a blow-up doll sex worker and how successful she was. That was how they met. He knows he shouldn’t but he has to paste up and post what he’s seen, so he does.
Open Loop: Walley and Kandy’s relationship. How does it work?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Walley’s post will devastate Erin.
Payoff:
Irony:
Set up: Walley’s start post begin his career.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Strange Behavior
Erin heaves herself up. She stands upright. A little unsteady. She breathes deeply survey the food chaos in her room. Her eyes land on a CORNER where Patty left a plastic bag. A knowing smile creeps across her face. Erin takes baby steps over to the bag. What? The bitch can walk! She easily bends over at the waist to grab up the bag. Her round ass moons Walley.
Open Loop: Why doesn’t Erin tell that she can walk?
Mystery: Food motivates Erin to move but not in her favor, as any addiction.
Empathy/Distress: Erin is unsteady on her feet. She can fall.
Payoff: Erin can walk, so she can do for herself.
Irony: Erin moons Walley “kiss my ass,” style and he is.
Set up: Food fucking.
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Imminent threat
Walley rationalizes filming Erin as Kandy berates him for invasion of privacy. He pieces together scenes typing and talking ferociously. Both watch Erin’s large, ass-cracked-apple-bottom fill the screen.
Open Loop: Does Walley have a fat fetish?
Mystery: Will Kandy leave Walley?
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff: Walley’s site comes together.
Irony: Walley’s subconscious is Kandy the blow-up doll.
Set up: Walley knows he’s wrong but can’t help himself.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Strange Behavior
Erin digs around for a knife. She breathes hard, hot and heavy. She sweats. Walking is work. She pulls out a ZUCCHINI, CUCUMBER, then an unripe PLANTAIN. She sniffs, presses, and pinches each. She rubs them against her breast flesh for smoothness. The Plantain tip pokes her. She pitches it across the room. She weighs the zucchini and cucumber, one in each hand. She measures for length, thickness.
The Zucchini wins. She cuts the tip. Lifts her stomach, slides it down to her HooHa. She throws her head back and moans. Erin drenches in sweat. She licks her lips, smacks her tongue in her mouth. Parched, she needs a drink. She yanks herself up. Woozey.
Open Loop: Food fucking? Really!? Ew! Why?
Mystery: When did food become sexual for Erin?
Empathy/Distress: Erin masturbates with food. She obviously wants a man.
Payoff: Now we know what the teaser was about.
Irony: Food is pleasurable both for digestion and dildo.
Set up: Erin’s food erotica as her entry into porn.
Erin steps on the Plantain, slips and slams to the floor! In pain, she can’t get up.
Open Loop:
Mystery: Had she fallen before?
Empathy/Distress: Erin can’t get up.
Payoff:
Irony: Walking hurts her.
Set up: Erin’s obesity gets exposed to the world.
ACT 3
INT. WALLEY’ S TRAILER – DAY : Imminent Threat
BANG! Erin hits the floor hard. She lies awkward. From the screen, Walley justifies spying on Erin to Kandy, who just wants him to get Erin some help. They both see Erin bleeding and screaming. Neighbor Guy rushes to Erin’s front door. He pounds on it. Stu & Lu happen to drive up as Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya arrive alarmed. The Migrant families cruise by chattering in Spanish. They don’t drop off their kids but hang around, concerned.
Open Loop:
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: How hurt is Erin?
Payoff: Constant surveillance by family, friends evidenced by their quick arrival.
Irony: When she helps herself, she hurts herself.
Set up: Erin’s bleeding = baby loss.
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Imminent Threat
Stu & Lu beg Erin to open the door as a CROWD gathers. Mi-Ya tiptoes around to Erin’s window. Neighbor Guy’s eyes follow Mi-Ya. She taps out the secret knock on the pane. She enquires about Erin’s state. Snarky Erin responds from the floor. The two go back and forth about getting help. Erin is adamant about not wanting any 1st Responders showing up.
Too late, they’re there. Sexy POLICE and Hot Fire DUDES answer the call of duty. Patty argues everyone down about barging in on Erin. She ceases her rant as the EMT Van pulls up.
Open Loop: Will Erin and Mi-Ya remain friends after this?
Mystery: Why doesn’t Erin want help from those who are trained to help?
Empathy/Distress: Erin is stuck on the floor.
Payoff: Mi-Ya vs. Erin showdown.
Irony: The hot guys show up in Erin’s worst state.
Set up: Patty’s turbulent relationship with men.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Imminent Threat
Erin goes off on Mi-Ya who was just trying to help. Neighbor guy snaps a sneaky video of Mi-Ya talking through the Window. Her cat senses pick up the filming. She turns on him. He flees. Erin throws a tantrum. Why can’t everyone just leave her alone? Ms. Chen refutes every word Erin yells through the door.
Patty makes eye contact with the EMT Driver. Nope. He turns on his heels at the behest of his COLLEAGUES. Patty marches behind him. Erin pleads with everyone to leave her alone. She’s fine. She can get up on her own. Stu & Lu agree that with the FIREMEN to bat-a-ram the entryway.
Open Loop: Who is the EMT Driver to Patty?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Forcing entry on Erin whose anxiety is through the roof.
Payoff:
Irony: No one hears Erin but they see her. The Chen’s work against Erin.
Set up:
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Imminent Threat
The local TV NEWS CREW van descends on the scene. Erin wallows in self-pity. Mad and sad she fumes. The Police demand to know who Erin Stodermann is as they have a complaint from a parent of child endangerment. Stu & Lu go into protect mode. At hearing the Police she fears the worst. To get even with Erin, Mi-Ya snitches that she is inside, incapacitated.
Open Loop:
Mystery: Why does Mi-Ya snitch like this?
Empathy/Distress: Erin’s weight/lifestyle is made public.
Payoff:
Irony: Cops enquire about Erin hurting kids when she helps them.
Set up:
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Hidden Agenda
Walley finger taps hard on the keyboard. He can’t believe his luck. It’s happening for him. Hopefully. Finally? He names the video “Erin Eats Everything.” He stops, feeling Kandy’s guilty gaze on his back. He assures her that this time, it’s gonna work. He shows Kandy some clips. He calls his Boss and quits.
Open Loop: What does Erin’s Video look like?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Walley tells his Boss he quits.
Payoff: Walley confronts his ass-hole boss without stuttering.
Irony: Walley covers himself by exposing Erin.
Set up: Walley becoming a boss
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Secret
The Firemen knock the front door down. ALL pack the house, fan out and search the premises. Erin breathes hard trying to contain herself. Until she screams at the top of her lungs for them to get out! Ms. Chen, Stu & Lu try to calm her, convince her that she needs help. Everyone sees the blood. Erin clocks the shocked expression on the 1St Responders’ faces. They weren’t prepared for a patient her size.
Open Loop: Is the blood an indicator of something seriously wrong with Erin?
Mystery: How did Erin get this fat?
Empathy/Distress: Erin sees how others see her. Fat shaming.
Payoff:
Irony: The 1st Responders can’t/won’t help Erin.
Set up: Bleeding = pregnancy loss
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Secret
Patty confronts the EMT driver, who wants no parts of her. Him. He remembers her as she was born—his son, Patricio. Patty doesn’t deny that but cannot allow him not to help her friend because of her life choices. EMT Dad refuses to hear the argument.
As Medics ask health questions, Patty reenters. Erin is still on the floor. A hot mess as People talking around her. Patty crouches by her friend whose eyes plead with her. A 1st responder stands over them asking Erin if they could at least test her vitals. Erin agrees. They take her blood pressure, lift her limbs. Ms. Chen cleans up around her. The bleeding stops.
Open Loop: Where is the blood coming from?
Mystery: Why does Patty’s EMT Dad refuse Erin help?
Empathy/Distress: Erin doesn’t get the help she needs.
Payoff: Patty puts her EMT Dad in his place.
Irony: 1st responders help Erin the way they want, not what for what Erin needs.
Set up: Erin Patty intimacy.
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – NIGHT : Imminent threat
As Walley sleeps, a counter tallies up the number of hits to Erin’s live stream and video. A montage of video travel shows how Erin’s sex tape goes viral.
Open Loop:
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: How will Erin respond to her viral status?
Payoff: Walley’s work.
Irony: Erin tries so hard to stay hidden and now she’s fully exposed.
Set up: Chubby chasers, fat fetishizers, world of internet “soft” porn
ACT 4
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Deception
Erin is still on the floor. Snoring. Dried blood sticks to her hand. Candy wrappers, snack bags, pizza boxes, fast food packages surround her. Mi-Ya shows up. She raps on the pane. Erin rouses. She knows who it is. She shoos her away.
Mi-Ya unhinges the bars and pops open the pane. She climbs in. Cat-agility. Mi-Ya picks up the food trash as Erin protests. Mi-Ya ignores her. She drops a gift bag on Erin’s stomach roll. Erin peaks in. She pulls out cat ears, and whiskers. Mi-Ya reiterates nine more lives. The two make up.
Open Loop: Will Erin’s response to stress always be to binge eat?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Erin is still on the floor!
Payoff: Mi-Ya and Erin make up.
Irony: Mi-Ya is not the person hurting the Erin the most.
Set up: Mi-Ya cannot be trusted.
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Strange Behavior
Patty pulls the plywood door away from its frame as Ms. Chen hovers. The two argue. Patty gets a splinter and breaks a nail. She curses Ms. Chen who holds her own. Weird neighbor Guy appears outta nowhere asking about Erin. Both Patty and Ms. Chen gang up on him. He can’t handle their female synergy. He bolts.
Ms. Chen and Patty push and shove each other down to Erin’s bedroom. Erin sits on the bed, content, as Mi-Ya affixes her whiskers and cat-eared headband.
Open Loop: Is Mi-Ya taking Patty’s place with Erin? How did Erin get on the bed?
Mystery: What’s up with Mi-Ya and the cat thing?
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony:
Set up: Patty vs. The Chen’s
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Deception
Both Ms. Chen and Patty wonder why Mi-Ya is on time and prepping Erin? Stu & Lu snap them out of their trance as they push through with groceries. Ms. Chen snatches the bags and exits without a word. Patty follows. Mi-Ya knows her mom and besty are miffed.
Open Loop: What is Mi-Ya up to? How do Stu&Lu always pop up just in time?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony: Family and friends appear to arrive to actually help Erin, but not really.
Set up: Objectifying Erin’s fat.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Secret
Erin greets her parents curious as to how they knew she had fallen. Stu & Lu admit to installing security cameras. Erin is too through them. She asks them to leave. They do. Patty re-enters confused as to why the Stodermann’s are leaving. Patty goes in on Erin. At least she has parents who care. Erin reminds her that they’re not her real parents.
Open Loop: What does Erin mean that Stu&Lu are not her “real” parents?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress:
Payoff:
Irony: Patty encouraging to be close to her parents when she is not close to hers.
Set up: Erin’s adoption.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Secret
Ms. Chen prepares b-fast. Mi-Ya tries to help/make-up. Ms. Chen is not having it. Why was Mi-Ya there without her? The two argue. Mi-Ya leaves after Ms. Chen accuses Mi-Ya of being just like her FATHER. Ms. Chen regrets her words.
Open Loop: Mother/ daughter tension never ends.
Mystery: What is Mi-Ya’s Father like? What he do to Ms. Chen?
Empathy/Distress: Mi-Ya can’t crack her mom.
Payoff:
Irony: Mi-Ya is just like her mom, that’s why the two don’t get along.
Set up: Mi-Ya’s malevolent father intro.
INT. PORN PRESS HEADQUARTERS – DAY : Hidden Agenda
An ASSISTANT rushes in to GINA STELLACIO showing her Erin’s footage.
Excited at the discovery, Gina demands contact with the video/live streamer. The Assistant gets right on it.
Open Loop: How will the porn world react to Erin’s largesse?
Mystery: Who is Gina?
Empathy/Distress: Gina is bored with her porn position.
Payoff:
Irony: Porn is more than just bad sex scenes.
Set up: Porn has to find the latest thing to stay up-to-date.
INT. WALLEY’S TRAILER – DAY : Hidden Agenda
Walley and Kandy are on the outs. Walley’s phone rings. He answers a very professional Assistant who wants to know if he manages the talent in the video. In hushed tones he lies saying he does. Kandy is too through with him. He knows it.
Open Loop: Will Walley’s lie catch up to him?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: Walley lies to Kandy. Dolls have feelings too?
Payoff: Walley gets recognized for his viral Erin sex-tape.
Irony:
Set up: Porn connection with Gina. How will they work together, if at all?
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Wound
Ms. Chen arrives with a healthy b-fast for Erin who refuses. Erin demands to know why Ms. Chen allowed the 1st Responders to rape her. Ms. Chen defends her actions retaliating w/harsh criticism of Erin’s weight, life, dependency on her. Patty intervenes. Erin kicks Ms. Chen out.
Open Loop: Erin sticks up for herself but loses the help she needs. Will she adjust?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: PTSD for Erin after the 1st Responder break in.
Payoff: Erin confronts Ms. Chen.
Irony: Erin doesn’t eat healthy.
Set up: Erin weans away from Chen dependency.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – DAY : Secret
Patty sages the room. Erin reminds Patty of her faith. The two reminisce—fat camp, gay camp. Patty pulls out all the Communion bottles from around the room. Erin retrieves a chocolate stash and a Cucumber. A moment passes between them. Maybe they shouldn’t do what they’ve done before?
Open Loop: Where will Patty and Erin go from here?
Mystery: What happened between Patty and Erin? Were they lovers?
Empathy/Distress: Sleep away camp horrible experience for both friends.
Payoff: Erin decompresses, readjusts her perspective.
Irony: They bond over a common experience in different settings.
Set up: Patty’s Patricio secret.
ACT 5
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE/WALLEY’S TRAILER/PORN PRESS HEADQUARTERS – NIGHT : Wound
Alone, buck naked and a little tipsy Erin stands fully naked. Patty wraps her arms around her from behind, her chin resting on her shoulder. Patty affirms Erin’s beauty. Erin isn’t buying it. She picks herself apart. They’re both drunk. Patty leaves.
Walley watches the live feed. He doesn’t get what’s going on between Patty and Erin. Gina watches, thinking Walley’s duped her into regular gay porn. She’s pissed.
Open Loop: Will Erin find out she’d being filmed?
Mystery: Did Patty once love Erin romantically?
Empathy/Distress: Gina’s fed up. Erin doesn’t see herself as beautiful.
Payoff: Erin’s nudity.
Irony: Patty appreciates Erin as a homey, lover, friend.
Set up: Gina vs. Walley. Erin’s body acceptance.
EXT. ERIN’S HOUSE – NIGHT : Hidden Agenda
Neighbor Guy lurks. He spots Patty stumbling out of the house. He offers her a ride. Patty ain’t that drunk, so she accepts.
Open Loop: Why is weird neighbor Guy always around?
Mystery: Where does he come from? Want?
Empathy/Distress: Will Patty get hurt?
Payoff:
Irony:
Set up: Patty and weird neighbor Guy’s interaction.
INT. ERIN’S HOUSE – NIGHT : Wound
A Medic text-to-reply message alerts Erin. She responds still tipsy.
The medic calls with test results. All of Erin’s vitals were normal for her age given her size. Erin eye-rolls, about to hang up, when the medic expresses condolences for the loss of the BABY. Erin is in shock. More shade from the medic whose dumbfounded that someone her size could even get pregnant. Erin clicks off.
Open Loop: Erin is not a virgin; so what is she?
Mystery: How, when did Erin get pregnant?
Empathy/Distress: Child loss.
Payoff: Erin knows how to have sex.
Irony:
Set up: Erin wants to be a mom one day.
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Tom’s Outline With Intrigue
What I learned in this assignment was that there is plenty of room to expand the intrigue. Honestly, I think this lesson was most useful for going through the notes and bullet points from previous lessons and seeing what is still relevant and then organizing it scene by scene.
Concept: Nine people with seemingly nothing in common enter into a support group to help cope with loss during the pandemic, but discover they are the subjects of an extraterrestrial experiment to change the outcome of an upcoming political protest that starts a domino effect, leading to the end of democracy, and ultimately the extinction of mankind.
Inciting Incident: Florida Man attends his first support group meeting as ordered by court to avoid jail time, meeting the group that will ultimately be tasked with changing the trajectory of mankind to avoid extinction.
A Story: The group’s purpose to save mankind
B Story: Eddie, Twyla and the Janitor
C Story: The inter/intra-personal relationships of the group
Beat Sheet
TEASER EXT. STATE CAPITAL – DAY: CONSPIRACY
Seeking out the false flag at a protest, we weave with FLORIDA MAN through the crowd on both sides of the protest as the tension rises. Distracted, as he looks for signs of deception, Florida Man passes seemingly unaffected by growing tensions and impending violence.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Every character is highlighted in the teaser in a manner that builds empathy or distress
Setup: What is Florida Man there to do?
Mystery: What prompted the protest?</font><font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Mystery: Why are there so many groups protesting different things?</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Mystery: What is Florida Man there to do?</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Mystery: Who is responsible for starting the violence?</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: What will be the outcome of the protest?</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: What long-term consequences will result from it?</font>
EXT. STATE CAPITAL – ULTRA CONSERVATIVE STAGE – DAY
BRENDA, the leader of a far-right organization is preaching her variety of conservative values from a mega phone as Florida Man passes by. Vehemently opposed to everything Brenda stands for, ANGELA screams profanities regarding existential threats against the planet, and waves her banner of opposition.
EXT. STATE CAPITAL – RIGHT SIDE OF CROWD – DAY
Each step Florida Man takes into the crowd is met with greater hostility. Passing by STU, we hear him in an argument about border reform and building bigger walls.
EXT. STATE CAPITAL – CENTER OF CROWD – DAY
Passing into the eye of the storm, Florida Man bumps into F.M., a white cis male and Texan who is struggling to take a side, and DANI who is standing between two men twice her size trying to stop a fight.
EXT. STATE CAPITAL – LEFT SIDE OF CROWD – DAY
PETER CETERA yells at Florida Man demanding social equality, especially for the LGBTQ population. A group of militant looking men and woman pass by Florida Man. The leader of this group, POE, can be heard responding to the prospect of violence indicating that his cohort won’t start the fight, but they’ll finish it.
EXT. STATE CAPITAL – PERIMETER OF PROTEST – DAY
Crossing the adjacent street, the protest has pushed outward into the street, as tensions reach a tipping point. Cars are stuck in the street unable to pass. Florida Man sees a very frustrated JENNY slam her car horn a few times, and then get out of her car and abandon it. Crossing the street, the local police are in riot gear and given the command to break up this protest. As they move in, shots are fired, and complete chaos erupts. Multiple people from gun fire and then due to trampling, many more are injured, but the true damage is to the polarized American psyche.
ACT 1
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT: SECRET IDENTITY
TWYLA and the JANITOR are watching the riot unfold on an old TV. Twyla lectures on about space and time as the Janitor listens attentively. Twyla seems to care deeply about the people and violence. She continues talking about an experiment and how excited she is for the opportunity to help. ELLIOT soon arrives. He is marveling over his own body, fascinated by it.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: Are Twyla, Elliot and the Janitor here to help or hurt mankind?
Open Loop: What will be the result of the experiment they are conducting?
Mystery: Twyla and Elliot are talking about the events unfolding leading to the extinction of mankind
Mystery: What is the nature of the experiment they are conducting?
Mystery: Where did Elliot, Twyla and the Janitor come from?
Mystery: Why would the Janitor choose Florida Man to lead the group?
Mystery: Who are Twyla, Elliot and the Janitor?
Mystery: How can they know about the future of mankind?
Mystery: Why are they concerned about the fate of humanity?
Mystery: Where are they physically located?
Empathy/Distress:
Irony: The Janitor reveals that he has selected who will lead the group, and he is the last person any one would expect him to choose
Setup: The role of the Janitor
Setup: Twyla and Florida Man are watching the events of the protest unfold on the TV as if watching it live, but pause on a close up of Florida Man</font>CLOSE ON TV
They continue talking about the protest as if an event in the distant past, and repercussions it will have long into the future.
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT
The conversation that turns and focuses on how this can be stopped, as if it hasn’t yet happened. Elliot still seems distracted by himself, and less concerned about the experiment, but continues feeding into the conversation. Twyla asks if humans are really capable of changing, finally the Janitor speaks up and pauses the TV on a shot of Florida Man indicating that with the right leader it is possible. Twyla and Elliot both show signs of doubt and concern about what the Janitor is implying, but seem to respect the Janitor too much to oppose him. They discuss that this event must be stopped or it will cause a domino effect that leads to the fall of democracy and the end of mankind.
ACT 2
INT. COURTROOM – THREE WEEKS EARLIER: STRANGE BEHAVIOR
Florida Man, a lone wolf conspiracy theorist prone to making poor choices is representing himself in court. He is reckless, unstable, and aloof. He also continuously refers to the judge by his first name, disrespecting the judge and his court.
Judge makes a comment during trial he represents the greatest problem with society: people thinking they can make a difference—this might as well be a trial for the whole of mankind—the judge is tired of seeing Florida Man in his court and encourages him to plead insanity.
Facing jail time, Florida Man argues that what he was doing was for the greater good in an attempt to heal the community, and makes a shockingly compelling case, considering he looks homeless. The Judge, who is actually family, tells Florida Man that if he doesn’t abide to house arrest and attend a group support meeting he will go to jail. Florida Man inquires about what type of support group, and the judge recommends one that is actually helping people in the community so that he can learn what it means to be truly helpful.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: Will Florida Man be able to abide by the judge’s ruling or will he end up in jail?
Open Loop: How will this situation help or hurt Florida Man with regards to his mission?
Open Loop: How will Florida Man’s mental health affect his decisions? Is he mentally ill?
Mystery: Florida Man refuses to disclose why he was trespassing, only citing that he’s trying to heal the community
Mystery: Why does Florida Man plead non guilty when there seems to be an insurmountable of evidence against him?
Mystery: Why does the judge cut him a break even after Florida Man casually disrespects him in his court?
Mystery: How does he know the judge?
Mystery: How was Florida Man trying to protect the community while committing crimes against it?
Mystery: What did Florida Man do to end up in court?
Empathy/Distress: Florida Man is trying to defend himself and is clearly not a lawyer
Irony: Florida Man is defending himself, but talking to the judge in a manner that is disrespectful
Irony: Florida Man may appear uneducated and homeless, but actually puts together a compelling argument showing how intelligent he actually is
Setup: The judge knows about Florida Man’s history and cuts him a break</font>ACT 3
EXT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – EVENING
Florida Man arrives to the church and sees a flyer on the door for a pandemic survivor support group and walks in.
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT: INTRIGUING WORLD
Entering into the basement, a meeting already appears to be underway. In the middle of basement are a circle of ten people. Elliot and Twyla are facilitating the meeting and the other eight are support seekers.
Florida Man is welcomed by Twyla who grabs a chair for him as space is made in the circle. She then hands him a name tag sticker and a marker. Looking around the circle he sees a very diverse group of people all wearing name tags. Florida Man proceeds to write “Florida Man,” on the tag.
Elliot, the more charismatic of the facilitators helps everyone to feel at ease. It seems as though the meeting is just getting started as Elliot reviews some rules with the group.
Stu, Poe, Angela, Brenda, Jenny, F.M., Peter Cetera and Dani all go around and talk about the devastating loss they’ve experienced from the pandemic. Finally, we get to Florida Man and he explains that he hasn’t actually lost anything, and that he is here because a judge is forcing him to be there to avoid going to jail. Several members of the group ridicule him, but Elliot focuses on his honesty and calms down the group illustrating that there is a cosmic bond that unites them.
Twyla and Elliot have a disagreement and the Janitor emerges from the shadows sweeping the floors and making his presence known. Seeing the Janitor, the argument dissipates immediately making Florida Man suspicious as he watches the Janitor recede back into the shadows.
The group takes a break and Elliot B-lines it for the restroom.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: How will the loses that the group members have individually experienced help them come together?
Open Loop: As the group enters that are given name tags, but many of them choose not to use their real names
Open Loop: How will the cosmic bond of the group bring them closer?
Mystery: Why did Elliot and Twyla organize a pandemic support meeting?
Mystery: Why did Florida Man choose this support group? OR Why did the judge tell him to go to this support group?
Mystery: What does Elliot mean when he says there is a cosmic bond that unites them?
Irony: The person who the Janitor appoints to lead the group is the least liked member of the team
Setup: How will the group react to Florida Man not being there voluntarily?
Payoff: The majority of the group doesn’t believe that Florida Man should stay in the group</font><font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Brenda reveals that she lost her father during the pandemic and is now trying to fill his shoes by taking over his “organization”</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: As Poe is explaining what he lost during the pandemic he lost is faith in God, and will no longer be preaching </font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Angela indicates that she lost any sense of hope in humanity during the pandemic</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: While discussing what was lost in the pandemic, Jenny indicates that she lost her job</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Stu lost his wife during the pandemic, but blames it on illegal aliens coming into the country</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: F.M.’s family lost their farm during the pandemic and now he has set out on a new course to become a rapper</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Peter Cetera lost his grandmother due to complications with virus and is now seeking to follow his dreams of being a musician despite the shadow his name has cast on him</font>
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Empathy/Distress: Dani’s family has been torn apart by their opposing political stances and she’s been struggling to keep them civil.</font>
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – RESTROOM: HIDDEN AGENDA
Elliot enters the restroom seemingly upset about the status quo of the group and lack of common ground he seems to have with Twyla. A mysterious being appears in the mirror that checks in with Elliot and we learn that it is his intention to sabotage humanity and it is going better than he could have expected. The mysterious being is pleased and sends Elliot on his way.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Setup: Elliot is working with another person or group to support the downfall of humanity
Open Loop: Who is Elliot talking to about sabotaging the experiment?
Mystery: Why is Elliot compelled to sabotage the experiment?</font>ACT 4
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT: DECEPTION
As the group comes back together, to Twyla’s disapproval, Eddie puts the focus back on Florida Man trying to get him to open up. Florida Man is very reluctant to talk about himself, especially since he is used to being on his own and blending in. Seeing that Florida Man is struggling, Twyla interjects and tries to help him, but Eddie overpowers her and insists that Florida Man lead a trust building exercise.
Twyla becomes more irritated with Eddie as he explains the rules of the trust exercise. The majority of the group shows no respect to Florida Man, believing that he shouldn’t even be there, and as a result the trust exercise fails miserably having an overall negative effect.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: Why is the Janitor always seen as a laborer in the background?
Open Loop: As Elliot becomes aggressive, Twyla turns to the Janitor, which Florida Man notices
Open Loop: Will Twyla continue to be subservient to Elliot, or will she stand up to him?
Open Loop: What will result from the aggression that Elliot exerts over Florida Man and the group?
Open Loop: Will Florida Man notice the presence of the Janitor and his connection to Twyla and Elliot?
Mystery: How can Florida Man inspire a group when he is reluctant to even open up to them and they blatantly show that they do not respect him?
Mystery: What is the Janitor’s involvement here and connection to Elliot and Twyla?
Empathy/Distress: Florida Man is forced into the spot light again when given the responsibility to lead the trust exercise despite no one trusting him
Irony: Being put on the spot backfires and Florida Man gains sympathy from one of the group member’s with a deep fear of public speaking
Setup: The trust exercise is Elliot’s first attempt to discredit Florida Man as a leader and ensure that he’ll never successfully be able to lead the group</font>ACT 5
INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT: WOUND
This week’s meeting concludes and Twyla sends them off with a homework assignment and indicates that they will be meeting here every week for the next couple months, encouraging them all to come back. There is doubt if anyone will come back and Twyla tries to mend the situation but the damage is done.
As everyone is leaving a few give Florida Man dirty looks, and others talk about him as if he weren’t there. Florida Man walks out ashamed.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: How will Twyla’s doubt about the experiment affect her behavior and decisions?
Open Loop: Will anyone actually come back to this meeting and why?
Empathy/Distress: Most of the group makes it clear that they don’t appreciate Florida Man
Irony: Twyla and Elliot seem to be moving in opposite directions with regards to helping the group
Setup: Twyla gives a homework assignment for the next meeting (episode)</font>EXT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – NIGHT: HIDDEN LAYER
Florida Man is the last person to leave the building. He feels like an outcast. Angela, one of the more vocal members of the group, is outside of the church smoking a cigarette. She offers one to Florida Man and ty start talking about Angela’s fear of public speaking and how she feels it was really brave of him to show up and be honest about why he was there.
Finishing her cigarette she encourages Florida Man to come back and walks off. The first alliance is forged.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: How will the relationship between Florida Man and Angela evolve?
Mystery: Why did Angela feel inspired to wait up for Florida Man?
Empathy/Distress: Angela reveals her real name and opens up at her fear and acknowledges how brave she thought Florida Man was for being honest
Irony: The angriest looking character ends up being the one with the biggest heart
Setup: The first alliance of the group is formed
</font>INT. SAINT JUDE’S CHURCH – BASEMENT: IMMINENT THREAT
Twyla and Elliot are cleaning up the space when Twyla confronts Elliot about his reckless behavior and deviation from the plan. Elliot is initially dismissive of Twyla and then indicates that this is part of a bigger plan to bring them together. Twyla indicates that she isn’t sure if she is up for this and Elliot gives her some tough love reminding her that she singed up for this.
The Janitor approaches and tells them to begin prepping for the next session.
<font face=”Helvetica Neue” size=”2″ color=”#000000″>Open Loop: Will Twyla and the Janitor realize that Elliot is working against them?
Open Loop: How will the group respond when they find out they’ve been abducted?
Open Loop: Where does the group go when they leave the room?
Open Loop: What does the Janitor mean when he talks about the group being abducted?
Mystery: The Janitor alludes to the group being abducted
Mystery: Why is the leader of the group posing as the Janitor?
Mystery: How do they know the group will keep coming back?
Empathy/Distress: Twyla calls out Elliot’s behavior as unacceptable
Setup: The Janitor tells Twyla and Elliot to prep for the next session
Payoff: The Janitor is actually the leader of the group
Payoff: Florida Man is at the protest in the beginning looking for a false flag</font>INT. FLORIDA MAN’S HOME: INTRIGUING WORLD
Walking through his home, it looks like a crime scene. He’s a mess, and his life is a conspiracy-driven train wreck. He sits down at his computer and checks his email. Next to the computer are the papers from the recent court appearance. There he finds an invitation from a conspiracy group indicating that there is going to be protest and the group is getting together to catch proof of a false flag operation. Florida Man accepts the invitation.
Open Loop: What will be the repercussions of accepting the false flag invitation on Florida Man?
Mystery: Who sends Florida Man the false flag message when he gets home?
Empathy/Distress: Florida Man returns to an empty home. He lives in an apartment that resembles a crime scene. Stacks of open books. Pictures on walls. Maps. An investigation is underway.
Setup: Florida Man is somehow connected to a larger group of conspiracy theorists Payoff:”
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