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Day 13 Assignments
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O’Keefe – Midirects – when Appropriate !
“What I learned is — following the process has allowed me to “find” new clues, misdirects, all the elements that go into a fully-realized thriller that I would not have been smart enough to come up with without this process. I have added a number of wonderful elements that I did not think up, using my old plot and character development method.
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[I] Check these three to see how effectively you used misdirection
A. The Red Herring character (school Janitor) =
(1) He is scheming for some reason other than the crime that is being investigated. He was stalking Cindy and he planted hidden cameras in her bedroom and the faculty bathroom to film her having sex w/ Dino he did it for money.
(2) He acts and reacts as if he is hiding something. Not really, he is a sociopath, so he doesn’t exhibit fear.
(3) Many clues point to his guilt. He has a record for stalking and assault, they find hidden video footage of Cindy having sex w/ Dino on his computer.
(4) We believe he is guilty. It is not until we discover the real thing they are hiding that we realize they didn’t commit the crime. The janitor’s mom, dying of cancer and needing meds is the real reason the janitor did what he did; he didn’t kill Cindy.
B. The Villain’s plan (Jim, step-dad) =
(1) First, Jim has a secret (to get the engraving plates from Dino’s biological father who is in prison)
(2) Second, he covers/hides that secret with a lie or scheme (it is covered up with a murder, clues given to detectives that point to Dino as the killer – done to force Dino’s father into divulging the engraving plates whereabouts)
(3) Third, that lie or scheme is presented to the audience as the truth or reality before we even suspect it. (We don’t see the murder; when we do, thanks to the Janitor’s hidden cameras in Cindy’s bedroom, we see a man wearing a mask. However, we do see a leather friendship bracelet on the killer’s wrist as he drives the knife into Cindy’ chest. – the exact kind Dino wears – this ties into the first ten pages where we see Dino get ready for school: he puts on his friendship bracelet and notices it is wet, he feels on top of the medicine cabinet for moisture, he smells the bracelet, makes a face and puts it on, thinks nothing of it)
C. The cover-up for each mystery present as “Reality.”
Jim, being a US Marshal, knows the law and how to hide evidence and plant evidence. He sends the homicide detectives on the case clues pointing to Dino. It is all circumstantial evidence in the beginning: photos that reveal Dino did indeed know the teacher who was killed, he was having an affair with her. Later, it is one of his tee-shirts with a drop of Cindy’s blood on it and Dino’s DNA…
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[II] Look through your Thriller Map for opportunities to add in misdirection.
1. Clue Misdirection = add in for the following characters:
* Realtor’s possible involvement – his fling w/ Cindy, she dumped him, his response
* Vice Principle’s involvement – he hired Cindy, favored her, gave her top tier pay, etc
* Cindy’s dentist – no video or record of it, but he was having sex w/ Cindy too. The strand of silver hair the detective finds in Cindy’s bedroom and in the storage unit
2. Character Misdirection = add in for the following characters:
(a) A character we don’t believe who turns out to be telling the truth.
* The Janitor
* The Real Estate mogul
(b) Character(s) jumping to conclusions.
* Rodney, Leah’s partner on the case
* Leah, wanting to find the real killer, knows (in her heart) it is not Dino
(c) Characters intentions are misunderstood.
* The Janitor’s involvement – he is doing what he is doing to get money to buy his mom’s cancer medications.
* The school’s vice principle – he helps Cindy because she looks like a niece of his that was killed in a car wreck – Leah figures it out seeing the photo on the VP’s desk… She puts two and two together – does the research, figures out who the girl is, she looks a LOT like Cindy.
(d) Character presented as one thing, but turns out to be another.
* Real estate mogul – presented as rich, well dressed, well mannered, a real pillar of the community. Turns out he is a pathological liar, an egomaniac who sees himself as the victim, someone who tries to help the less fortunate – when the opposite is the truth.
3. Dialogue Misdirection =
* Janitor’s speech, knows more than he lets on, speaks in what-ifs uses allegory – what he says has hidden meaning with moral significance.
* Real Estate mogul’s speech – short sentences, accusatory, he tells Rodney about being meeting with Cindy (lie, he ran her off the road) he says he was beaten up by one of Cindy’s fuck buddies. “I don’t know, he wore a mask. Sucker-punched me (a lie, he got his ass beat fair-n-square) “told me to stay the fuck out of her life or else. He pointed a gun in my face (a lie) Said if he ever saw me near Cindy again, he would put that gun in my mouth and blow my fucking head off. (lie) “I never saw the crazy bitch again.”
4. Writer Misdirection = There is none in the script at this point. Must look into this!
[III] Decide on the ones that work and add them to the Thriller Map.
I am going to incorporate all of them!
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David’s Misdirects…When Appropriate!
“What I learned is…?” Another challenge to think outside the box of a worked over script.
1. Check these three to see how effectively you used misdirection
A. The Red Herring character.
Looks criminal, hip flask, file in Cult possession, sneaking around, proximity to a murder.
B. The Villain’s plan.
None used. The plan was open to the audience.
C. The cover-up for each mystery present as “Reality.”
None used. Coverups specific.
2. Look through your Thriller Map for a few opportunities to add in misdirection.
A. Clue Misdirection.
Early on, plant the idea that the fight is between Cajun and Islander families for ethnic rivalries, not the treasure.
B. Character Misdirection.
Could add a priest who was sent to investigate the murder by the diocese. He would want to be discreet or incognito so as not to raise suspicion and that would raise suspicion.
Actually, now that I think about it, I could add another level of intrigue by having an undercover priest sent by the Vatican to investigate the murder and the suspicion that someone is trying to resurrect the Spanish Inquisition?
C. Dialogue Misdirection.
Can’t think of any.
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Rachelle Misdirects… When Appropriate!
What I learned… Much of the misdirection was already there, I just needed to label it as such. I am dying to get to the next assignment because my thriller map is a mess. It’s getting pretty rough trying to insert things in appropriate places.
1. Effective Misdirection
- Red Herring = Jules, effective, because misdirection leads Cyn to the insulin in her mother’s room which Jules would have had access to. Misdirection concerning whether or not Jules received an inheritance. Jules is keeping secrets. Cyn and Jules have a busted relationship.
- The Villain’s Plan = Alexander’s mother set this plan in motion years ago when she faked Alex’s death so he wouldn’t exist, thus making it easier to get away with everything he does. Her reason for targeting Cyn and Jules comes from her previous relationship with their mother. She may have altered her own identity to cover up this relationship. She wants to take everything she can from their mother, even after she has killed her. Effective misdirection through false identities, manipulation, and secrecy.
The cover-up for each mystery presents itself as “Reality.”
- Who killed Cyn and Jules’ mother? Reality looks like she died from her illness. Then it looks like Jules did it. Then it looks like Xander did it.
- Why did their mother make Cyn executor of will? Could be because she’s the eldest. Just to get her to come back to VT. Mom knew she would be a critical element in protecting Jules and solving the mystery of Xander and Carly.
- Why did Cyn leave in the first place? Running from her trauma. What she thought she was running from turns out to be twisted. She learns the truth behind all she thought she knew about her past. It’s much worse.
- Who is Alex/Xander? Someone who doesn’t exist as far as the police are concerned. A secret identity trusted by both sisters. Even after they think he’s the murderer, they must uncover the truth about who their step-mother is.
- Who is Carly? Their mother’s previous associate, covered up by them never having heard about her before. She inserts herself into the family as someone to be trusted, even admired. It’s all part of her manipulation to get what she really wants, what she thinks their mother owes her.
2. Added Misdirection:
- Clue Misdirection – Empty vial of insulin Cyn assumes Jules used to kill their mother.
- Clue Misdirection – Photo of boy on Carly’s desk, she says he died, but he is the adult Alexander.
- Character Misdirection – Cyn confronts her father about the affair after reading the letter her mother left her. He tells her it’s not true. She doesn’t believe him.
- Character Misdirection – Jules presented as needing Cyn for something having to do with their mother’s will, but Jules already got her inheritance, much more than what was left to Cyn.
- Dialogue Misdirection – Jules tells Cyn she can’t smoke in her mom’s room because of the oxygen tanks. They’ll use this to their advantage later on.
- Dialogue Misdirection – Maybe a phone call between Cyn and Jules where it’s breaking up? A line that was misunderstood?
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1. Check these three to see how effectively you used misdirection
A. The Red Herring character. The couple betrays her but are on her side.B. The Villain’s plan. He helps her get away from the couple and comes with two guys who are FBI. C. The cover-up for each mystery presents as “Reality.”
2. Look through your Thriller Map for a few opportunities to add in misdirection.
A. Clue Misdirection.B. Character Misdirection. Stepfather is very sympathetic. Dialogue Misdirection. Stepfather says things about Lilly that are inappropriate for a father to say. He knows when she had her period and says things like well she knows her way with men…
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