Day 15 Assignments

[Marie Wilson]

Marie’s Height of the Emotion

What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s worth persevering with the outlined steps. I usually have to go right into a scene and become the characters, more of less, to develop dialogue, so I had a hard time with this approach at first. But rereading the lesson helped (as well as some stick-to-it-ness), and I began to see how the patterns can work. I didn’t have the time with the deadline to brainstorm “10 – 20 ways to say the important lines”, but I got the hang of it with a little less brainstorming.

1. Make a list of the 5 most emotional moments in your screenplay.

a) Despite a fear of appearing in public Emoke auditions

b) Kay leaves for LA then turns around and comes back

c) Sandra’s heart attack

d) Kay suspects Sandra faked her heart attack

e) Kay realizes she feels a sense of duty towards the cast

2. With each of those scenes, go to the height of the emotion and brainstorm lines that can deliver the deeper meaning of the scene.

a) Height: After hearing jeers and laughs from the other auditionees, Emoke is so crushed and overcome with fear that she can’t perform her monologue. Lines that deliver deeper meaning: Kay to Emoke: “Every time someone like you steps up to the plate, steps up on a stage or up to a podium, you bring so many others along with you.” “Sure, the loud and horrible come crawling out of the woodwork. But every time you step up, you create avenues for good folks and they are legion.”

b) Height: After walking out on the play and leaving town Kay returns and Emoke is overjoyed. Emoke tells Kay what life has been like before the play. Lines that deliver deeper meaning: Emoke: “I’ve dealt with a lot of haters. I always have and I guess I always will.” “This play…this is the love amidst the squalor.”

c) Height: Kay is terrified that her mother will die. Lines that deliver deeper meaning: Kay to Mom: “Nothing matters to me as much as you do.” “I’d do anything for you.” “Without you I am nothing.” “I owe you everything.”

d) Height: Kay is enraged that her mom may have faked her attack, opening her eyes to the fact that her mom is one of the shallow townspeople, so Kay packs and leaves. Lines that deliver deeper meaning: “I simply don’t care anymore. I can only wonder how you can stand to stay in this horrible little town, with everyone bowing and kowtowing to that vicious woman.”

e) Height: In the midst of an LA party Kay realizes she has grown to love the people in the play, especially Emoke. Lines that deliver deeper meaning: “That’s the love amidst the squalor.”

3. Give us a quick explanation of the emotion and meaning of the scene, then the new line that you are going to place there.

a) Emotion: Fear. Meaning of scene: One has to step up and be counted, no matter the negativity. New line: “Every time someone like you steps up to the plate, steps up on a stage or up to a podium, you bring so many others along with you.”

b) Emotion: Overjoyed. Meaning of scene: That all the rehearsals and pep talks and movement forward hasn’t been for nothing – they will take back the play. New line: “There’s the love amidst the squalor.”

c) Emotion: Desperation; Meaning of scene: Despite Kay’s efforts to free herself from her mother’s grasp, she loves her deeply, due to this devotion, her mom repeatedly manipulates Kay. New line: “I’d do anything for you…”

d) Emotion: Rage. Meaning of scene: Kay is finally understanding that her mother won’t change. New line: “I’d do anything for you…except this.”

e) Emotion: Love. Meaning of scene: Kay sees beyond her world as a TV princess and finds she cares about her amateur cast and crew. New line: “You are the love amidst the squalor.”

[Kathleen Gamble]

Kathleen’s Height of Emotion

What I learned from this assignment is that at the height of emotions, we should not settle for the first thought that comes, but look at varied ways.

1. When Cassie learns of her father’s death. “When I needed him in the past, he wasn’t there. When I need him in the future, he won’t be there; no difference.

2. At the funeral repast, Rhonda stood up and made a scene with the intent on making an uncomfortable situation, worse for Cassie. She said to the family, “True Wests have a certain pedigree. True Wests have sophistication, distinction and class.”

3. At the will reading, Cassie was challenged not to join the company because she is a bastard baby. She said, “Like it or not, West blood is running through my veins”.

4. T.T. told Cassie, “Welcome to the family. You are where you belong.” When Cassie could finally speak through her tears, she said, “More than job, money or power, this is what I wanted”.

2. What I learned is there are a variety of ways of using the same saying for emphasis.

Excuses, excuses: Mia said that to Cassie when Cassie complained about the new business wardrobe being too tight, not the right color, or anything negative.

Rhonda shouts this to Cassie when Cassie couldn’t balance the fake ledger.

Cassie says this to Rhonda when the Board want to know what part did Rhonda play in the project to save the company. Rhonda said she was occupied with other important matters.

Cassie goes from being a shy person with excuses to a bold person who won’t accept excuses.

West Blood: Rhonda declares at the will reading that West blood should only run West Refrigeration. This was to exclude Cassie and demean her in front of the family.

When Rhonda says only West blood can run the Company, Cassie responds, “It’s a good thing I have West blood running through my veins.

The Board announces that Cassie was responsible for saving the Company. She replied, “As my sister so proudly says, Only West blood should run West Refrigeration.'”

Cassie went from being excluded by others and being included on her own terms.

Better to be seen, not heard: Nichelle told Cassie this when she was going to the will reading. In other words be quiet and keep your mouth shut.

When Cassie walked into Rhonda’s secret team meeting and boldly sat down. All eyes on her. She said, “You know the old saying, it’s better to be seen, not heard. I’m just here to listen.”

T.T. found out about the arguments between Cassie and Rhonda and told Cassie to wait her turn. At the right time it will happen, just be quiet and learn about the business and in a few years, you’ll be ready. It’s better to be seen, not heard. Cassie retorted, “The saying is CHILDREN are to be seen and not heard. I am not a child; I’m a grown woman and will be bullied no longer.”

Cassie went from believing what others thought was best to doing what’s best for herself.

[William Peed]

1. Make A List Of The 5 Most Emotional Moments In Your Screenplay

A.) Miguel and Daniella’s first scene together

1.) Daniella confronts Miguel about escaping without her.

a.) He has escaped and left her behind. She is being kept alive by telling Hassan Pasha stories. Stories that Miguel tells her. All of the prisoners who have escaped with him have ended up dead.

1.) Everyone who tries to escape with you ends up dead

2.) You don’t care who dies so long as you get your freedom

3.) You’ll sacrifice anyone to get what you want.

B.) Daniella tells Miguel that Hassan has proposed to her and she’s not going with him

1.) Daniella discovers that Miguel knew Hassan was going to ask her to marry him but didn’t tell her.

a.) Miguel has been planning this escape, knowing all along that Hassan was going to ask Daniella to marry him. Part of the reason he’s planning the escape is to keep her from marrying Hassan. When she tells Miguel, he let’s it slip that he knew. (This has to be done artfully.) She’s pissed.

1.) You knew? And didn’t say anything?

It didn’t matter. I’m going to rescue you.

Who said I needed you to rescue me?

C.) Miguel tries to convince Daniella to come with him

1.)Miguel tells Daniella that Hassan is planning to kill her.

a.) Hassan has made Miguel suspect that he’s growing bored with Daniella and is planning to kill her. Reverting to his old ways. Miguel tells Daniella of his suspicions. She accuses him of being jealous. Which he is. But he is also probably right.

1.) He’s going to kill you

He would never kill me. He asked me to marry him.

He’s killed everyone before you

This is different. He loves me.

I love you.

That’s what you said.

D.) The Play

1.) Miguel’s goodbye. The line(s) that cause her to choose him over Hassan. Escape over marriage.

a.) Miguel has gone of script in the play. Is improvising in a way that shows that he’s really listened to Daniella, taken what she’s said to heart, and that he does love her. Watching it, sitting next to Hassan, Daniella realizes that he does in fact love her. She leaves to escape with Miguel.

E.) Miguel gives himself up for Daniella’s escape.

1.) Miguel says goodbye to Daniella

a.) As Hassan’s men close in on the escapee’s, they know they’ll be caught. Unless Miguel draws them off. but before he goes, he says his final goodbye to Daniella.

2. Select three lines that you want to build deep meaning around

A.) Something to Hassan.

1.) Used at their first meeting

2.) Somewhere in the middle

3.) Last scene

B.) Some variation of the everyone who escapes with you ends up dead linbe

1.) Daniella

2.) Sosa

3.) Hamad

C.)

[Marie Wilson]

Marie Builds Meaning with Dialogue (assignment 2 Day 15)

What I learned doing this assignment is that I would need way more time to do justice to this kind of work. But it’s a good intro for me, gets my brain working in the right direction.

1. Select three lines (from your script or lines you make up) that you want to build deep meaning around.

a) I’d do anything for you.

b) If this is the squalor, where is the love?

c) And everything in between.

2. Create an arc for each line — Beginning meaning to ending meaning.

a) Arc: Begin: Kay says this when she thinks her mom is dying and she means it, word for word. Middle: Sandra (the mom) tells Kay she must recast the role that Emoke has: “I’d do anything for you – except this.” Sandra sees the light, Eunice has stepped way over the line and Sandra turns on her. End: Kay to Sandra: “I’d do anything for you.”

b) Arc: Begin: An egg is thrown at Emoke’s bookstore window, leading Kay to ask the question: “If this is the squalor, where is the love?” Middle: Kay has left the play and realizes she misses the people in it, she says: “They are the love amidst the squalor.” End: Kay and Emoke have brought the town around to accept and celebrate Emoke and all non binary and trans folk. Kay: “Love can transform squalor.”

c) Arc: Begin: There is only the binary for some people, but the tagline of Emoke’s bookstore (called Love & Squalor) is “And everything in between.” Middle: Someone says the line sarcastically to Coco, making fun of their chosen pronoun. End: The exclusionists (except for a few) will no longer exclude and one of them repeats the line in a celebratory way: “And everything in between.”

3. With each line, look through your script to find opportunities to build the line into at least three scenes that work for the arc.

a) 3 Scenes for “I’d do anything for you.” 1) Ambulance/heart attack scene 2) Kay packs to leave while Sandra suggests a solution would be to recast Emoke’s role. 3) Sandra rebels finally against Eunice’s wicked rule and gets formally introduced to Emoke – she shakes her hand and apologizes for past behaviour.

b) 3 Scenes for “love and squalor”. 1) Someone throws an egg at Emoke’s window 2) the Hollywood party when Kay realizes she loves those people in the play. 3) The standing ovation for Emoke on opening night.

c) 3 Scenes for “And everything in between.” 1) When Kay first visits the bookstore she asks Emoke about its name (Love & Squalor) and its tagline: “And everything in between.” 2) At rehearsal someone says the line sarcastically to Coco, making fun of their chosen pronoun. 3) At the Christmas fair, one of the townsfolk whose had a change of heart repeats the line in a celebratory way: “And everything in between.”

4. For each one, tell us the line, the arc, and the different meaning you gave the line in the scenes it appeared.

a) Line: “I’d do anything for you.” Arc: Being made under duress, to qualifying the comment, to really meaning it. Different Meaning in each scene it appeared: Sc.1: Kay feels like an emotional toady to her mom. Sc 2: Kay is taking a stand against the power her mom holds over her. Sc 3 Kay has uncovered her true love and respect for her mom.

b) Line: “If this is the squalor, where is the love?” Arc: The squalor is more predominate than the love but by the end it’s been flipped – love overtakes. Different Meaning in each scene it appeared: Sc.1: Squalor (representing negativity and haters is predominate, the love is hard to see. Sc 2: Love is overtaking squalor in Kay’s world Sc 3: Squalor takes a backseat in the larger world of the town, and love reins.

c) Line: “And everything in between.” Arc: From rejection of anything other than the binary to acceptance of “everything in between.” Different Meaning in each scene it appeared: Sc.1: The tagline for the bookstore: it’s meaning here is mostly hidden and has to be explained. Sc 2: Nasty sarcasm. Sc 3: These “others” that make up the colourful “in between” are accepted and celebrated.