Day 16 Assignments

[Brenda Bynum]

Brenda Lynn’s Profound Map Version 1

What I learned doing this assignment is to begin by answering the questions and filling in the blanks. Trust myself that the answer will come and that I will be able to create a Profound Map and ultimately a profound story.

TITLE: NAJT OF THE JAGUAR

WRITTEN BY: Brenda Lynn Bynum

1. What is Your Profound Truth?

To look beyond superficial expectations to find the deeper meaning of life.

2. What is the Transformational Journey?

Old Ways: Living life on screens and avoiding contact with people

Journey: After making plans to study the art in the caves of Lascaux, David has to study in Tikal without the use of, his tech so his must face life head-on.

New Ways: Understanding the importance of a spiritual, grateful existence.

Transformational Logline:

An ego-centric anthropology student hides behind technology and artificial self-imposed goals, to avoid connecting has his world turned upside down when his Celt Iberian professor sends him to his last choice on the list, the jungles of Tikal, where he must learn how to live with nature and open himself up to a spiritual life in order to survive and thrive with the Maya.

3. Who are Your Lead Characters?

Change Agent (the one causing the change):

Appo, knows that the Maya will need help to share their message. He feels that David is the man to do the job. He has tried to share the message himself but has not been able to go beyond Guate’s borders.

Transformable Character(s) (the one who makes the change):

David, the tech-dependent, ego-centric student thinks that his work at school is there to help him achieve is artificially imposed goals. He discovers that learning, especially spiritually, is the way to live a fulfilled life.

Betraying Character (if you have one):

Don Pedro, who doesn’t think David is dedicated enough or deep enough to understand the task at hand.

Oppression:

Modern life with competition and disconnection contributes to the lack of spiritual satisfaction.

4. How Do You Connect With Your Audience in the Beginning of the Movie?

Change Agent:

Father Sean

A. Relatability – Trying to do his best for his students

B. Intrigue – He is a Celt Iberian – he reads Runes

C. Empathy – His student doesn’t understand why he is changing the plan

D. Likability – He loves life

Change Agent:

Appo

A. Relatability – He dyes his hair, a sign of vanity in the spiritual man. He is not a saint

B. Intrigue – His understanding of the Cosmos

C. Empathy – He is one of the last of his kind

D. Likability –He plays the harmonica and is happy with life.

Transformable Character:

David Lazar

A. Relatability – David has a plan for his life, but it is not in his control. Someone else makes the decision for him.

B. Intrigue – He is in competition with his brother. He wants to be the youngest PhD student at Columbia University. Will the change in these studies jeopardize his plans?

C. Empathy – He is the second son who is constantly being compared to his brilliant older brother.

D. Likability – He keeps trying even though his hopes and dreams have been dashed.

5. What is the Gradient of the Change?

EMOTIONAL GRADIENT (Forced Change):

David had plan to spend his summer studying in Lascaux, France, but is forced to go to Tikal where he knows nothing, not even the language, of the Maya people. He will have to learn from experience, not just books.

Denial: Keeps learning French, Goes to Art Museum, Shows up at Frank’s Orientation for Lascaux. He planned to go to Lascaux. It is the top prize and he deserves it.

Anger: He goes to where Frank works and confronts him of stealing the position that he deserves. They get it a fight. His sense of entitlement makes him blind to the opportunity.

Bargaining: Tells Appo that he will be there for a couple of weeks, but then he will go in France. David tries to take notes, but nothing electronic works in Tikal. He has to go analog.

Depression: Monkeys have destroyed his room, eaten his books. Appo teaches him about the fire ceremony and the importance of gratitude. He is so busy trying to get what he feels entitled to that he can’t see the beauty around him.

Acceptance: He hands over his last electronic device and begins to learn the ways of the Maya. He will soon have to make the choice of fulfilling his dream or following his destiny.

ACTION GRADIENT

Setup:

David is at the top of his class.

He has done everything right to achieve his goal of going to Lascaux, France to study.

Humiliated on Social Media, David has to decide whether to risk losing his dream or achieving it in spite of the change.

Journey:

Father Sean wants to send David to Tikal.

David struggles against the change which leads to a fight that goes viral on Social Media.

He accepts his fate and goes to Tikal to do battle with the elements.

Through Appo, he begins to accept that he doesn’t need gadgets to get through life.

He has to face the ultimate challenge – spending one night alone in the jungle.

When he learns of Appo’s limited time here on earth, David must choose between achieving his goals or fulfilling his destiny.

Payoff:

Once he is accepted by the Maya, he can use his technical skills to document the story.

He accepts that his brother’s dream is not his own.

He decides to stay in Tikal to learn to become a Maya priest.

The world owes him nothing, but his gratitude for life makes all the difference.

CHALLENGE/WEAKNESS GRADIENT

Challenge: He planned to go to Lascaux. It is the top prize and he deserves it.
Weakness: Competitiveness, Planner

Challenge: His sense of entitlement makes him blind to the opportunity.

Weakness: Confrontational and controlling

Challenge: David tries to take notes, but nothing electronic works in Tikal. He has to go analog.

Weakness: Sense of entitlement and control.

Challenge: Appo teaches him about the fire ceremony.

Weakness: So busy look inside, that he can’t see the beauty on the outside. Tries one more time to go to Lascaux.

Challenge: He has to make the choice of fulfilling his dream or following his destiny.

Weakness: He has to decide what is the most important thing in his life: dreams or destiny.

6. What is the Transformational Structure of Your Story?

MM #1 – Status Quo and Call to Adventure: (Pages 1 – 15) – David is the top of his class so he is anticipating (as he has done all semester and basically of his life) that he will win the coveted position of going to Lascaux, France to study the artwork in the caves for the summer.

Turning Point: Call to Adventure. David’s Celt Iberian professor decides to “wound him in the thigh” and sends David to work with the Maya in the jungles of Tikal. Gradient – Denial – you can’t possibly mean it. You can’t send me to the jungles of Tikal.

Change Agent: Father Sean

Transformational Character: David

Old Ways: Digital with not contact

The Vision: Maya, do you good.
Challenge: David had a plan and a vision for his life that is not going to happen, even though he thinks he deserves it.

Weakness: Can’t see the gift before him. Uses technology to try and get ahead.

MM #2 – Locked Into Conflict: (Pages 15 – 30) – David has a fight with his best friend, Frank, who is going to Lascaux instead. The fight goes viral and his brother calls to humiliate him even further. Gradient – Anger.

Turning Point: Locked in. Humiliated, David accepts the position. He has to go to Tikal or he won’t complete his Masters.

Old Ways: Technology backfires on him. Video of fight goes viral.

Challenge: Frank wins the prize that David was seeking. Thinks that Frank stole it from him.

Weaknesses: Pride. Sense of Entitlement. Bad loser.

MM #3 – Hero Tries to Solve Problem – But Fails: (Pages 30 – 45) – David attempts to go over Father Sean to the head of the school. Please let me go to Lascaux. Gradient – Bargaining.

Turning Point: Standard ways fail. – One last call from Father Sean. Either he goes to Tikal or he will have to wait another year to graduate.

Change Agent: Father Sean

Transformational Character: David

The Vision: Look out, you might learn something inside.
Old Ways: Doesn’t want to experience. Wants to follow his plan.

New Ways: Has to try to learn more about the Maya.

Challenge: David had a plan and a vision for his life that is not going to happen, even though he thinks he deserves it.

Weakness: Entitled. Controlling. Inflexible.

MM #4 – Hero Forms a New Plan: (Pages 45 – 60) – Our hero spawns a bigger plan. He prepares for it, gathers what materials and allies he may need, then puts the plan into action — only to have it go horribly wrong, usually due to certain vital information the hero lacked about the forces of antagonism allied against him.

David attempts to use his technical savvy. He does research online and pulls it all together and places it in the Cloud so when he is in Tikal, he can send the report and be done with this nightmare.

Turning Point: Plan backfires. There is no internet service in the jungle, he is going to have to write is paper on his own with a pencil and paper. Gradient – Depression (writes a half-hearted paper).

The Vision: Connecting with people is the best way to learn.
Old Ways: Tries to use technology to end around the problem.

New Ways: He is going to have to go to Tikal and hand write the paper.

Challenge: Tries to write the report in advance, but discovers there is no access to the Cloud in the jungle.

Weakness: Lazy. Easy button.

Midpoint: Travels to Tikal. Meets Appo, his guide.

Old Ways: Computer and phone don’t work.

New Ways: Has to learn to communicate in analog format.

Challenge: Everything is different from the life he is accustomed to.

Weakness: Self-involved. Egocentric.

MM #5 – Hero Retreats & The Antagonism (Change Agent) Prevails: (Pages 60 – 75) – Meeting Appo who is giving David a chance. They learn about the fire ceremony and Maya’s view of time.

Turning Point: The decision to change. David gives Appo his last digital device, his Fit Bit watch. Gradient – Acceptance.

The Vision: It is possible to learn beyond books.
Old Ways: Tries to time the event, but gets mesmerized by the fire ceremony.

New Ways: Learns about gratitude and forgiveness. Instead of entitlement, David is becoming grateful.

Challenge: Timing and controlling are no longer required. What’s his purpose then?

Weakness: Hides behind technology which he no longer has.

MM #6 – Hero’s Bigger, Better Plan!: (Pages 75 – 90) – David takes the challenge of spending one night in the jungle. It can’t be that difficult. But when he sees a jaguar with one green eye and one blue, that’s it. He is done.

Turning Point: The ultimate failure. He is unable to complete the task of spending the night in the jungle. (Still arrogant, he attempt to show off fails. He is scared.)

Old Ways: Relies on his arrogance to try and get him through the night.

New Ways: He learns ways of surviving in the jungle, but falls asleep and the fire goes out.

Challenge: Out of his comfort zone.

Weaknesses: Arrogance, trying to control things.

MM #7 – Crisis & Climax: (Pages 90 – 105) – David does a vision quest. He learns of the sacrifices the Appo has made for him to be there in the jungle and learn. Appo is not long for this world. David has to make a choice.

Turning Point: Apparent victory. He has to decide whether to go back and complete his masters or stay and learn from Appo. (He learns an invaluable lesson about life and connection.)

New Ways: David sacrifices his career to stay and study with Appo.

Vision: This is David’s destiny, not just his dream.

Challenge: Will Maya accept David?

Weaknesses: Vulnerability. Control.

MM #8 New Status Quo: (Pages 105 – 120) – David abandons his dream of getting a Masters and stays to study with Appo and the Maya.

New Way: David, with the help of the Appo and Maya elders, is going to become an Aj’qi.

Profound Truth: Sometimes you have to give up your dream in order to fulfill your destiny.

7. How are the “Old Ways” Challenged?

What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?

A. Challenge through Questioning

Why does David have to changes his plans?

Father Sean Questions the value of the digital world in people’s lives.

Is competition really that important? How does it impact the quality of life?

Is the documentation of an experience as impactful as actually living it?

B. Challenge by Counterexample

Appo is content with the world without a digital slant.

Accepting that everyone has a role to play in life and that makes us all equal.

Father Sean’s and Appo’s lifestyle

With Appo’s pending death, David has to change his life.

Appo trusts that David will help make a difference in their world.

David tries to use his gadgets in the jungle, but they don’t work.

David experiences life through his books until the monkeys take them away.

Father Sean and Appo are both examples of men who have lived great lives without the use of electronics.

C. Challenge by “Should Work, But Doesn’t”

David points out to Father Sean that he is the best in his class and therefore should be going to the top prize location – Lascaux, France. Father Sean points out that because he is the top of his class, he is going to receive the most difficult challenge – a summer in the jungles of Tikal.

Utilizing his family’s clout with the University, David tries to get his place back. It backfires when Father Sean tells him either he goes or he loses his place in line for a PhD.

Thinking he is the best at everything, David picks a fight with his best friend who ends up going to France. He lose the fight to Frank who grew up fighting in the streets of the Bronx.

David tries to use the Cloud to get his report done so that he can get out of the jungle of Tikal. However, there is no access to the Cloud in the jungle. He is going to have to write his thoughts down the analog way – paper and pencil.

Arrogantly thinking that the world must cater to him, David attempts to spend one night alone in the jungle, but fails at it.

D. Challenge through Living Metaphor

Late for his appointment with Father Sean, David has to go down a spiral fire escape which becomes symbolic for the Maya belief system of space time called Najt.

David journey in the airport in Guate becomes symbolic of the different views of time.

Trying to time the fire ceremony, David learns the truth about time and the fire of life.

Spending a night in the jungle, David has to learn to rely on himself and not his gadgets to survive a night in the jungle.

David, after learning that Appo is dying, must choose between fulfilling his dreams of becoming the youngest Ph.D. at Columbia University or study with this man who knows the ancient ways of living a fulfilled life. David lets go of his dreams in order to fulfill his destiny.

8. How are You Presenting Insights through Profound Moments?

A. Action delivers insight

Action: David accepts his trip to Guatemala by getting a backpack and learning Spanish.

Insight: Step out of your comfort zone in order to grow.

Action: David does battle with mosquitoes and wins with Bounce.

Insight: David can make his own path in his new environment.

Action: Meeting and bonding with Appo because he shares food and water.

Insight: Thinking of others can be a reward in and of itself.

Action: David begins to time the fire ceremony but is so enthralled that he forgets his plan. He turns his watch over at the end of the ceremony.

Insight: David decides not to capture time, but to learn from it.

Action: David has one more venture into Internet world and realizes that it is more frightening than the jungles of Tikal.

Insight: What is shown to us is not necessarily the truth of the world.

B. Conflict delivers insight

Plan Goes Wrong: David plans to go to Lascaux and ends up in Tikal instead.

Insight: David has to learn to live in his life.

Competition: David competes with his brother to be the best student of Anthropology. His standard is “time.” Who can do it the fastest?

Insight: David can love his brother without competing with him.

Power Struggle: David thinks because he is the best student that he should get the choice of where he wants to study. Father Sean thinks differently.

Insight: Life owes you nothing. It is up to you to experience all you can.

Dilemma: David has to choose between being the youngest PhD student ever or study with the Maya and become a priest.

Insight: Sometimes you have to let go of your dream to fulfill your destiny.

Physical Confrontation: David tries to beat up Frank for taking his spot.

Insight: He doesn’t win and loses more than just the fight.

Public humiliation: He’s defeat goes viral on Social Media.

Insight: Social Media devours David when the video of his fight goes viral.

Stakes raised: David finds out that Appo is not long for this world. If he doesn’t stay many secrets will die with Appo.

Insight: David has to give up his dream to fulfill his destiny.

C. Irony delivers insight

David plans to the youngest Ph.D. candidate and ends up studying to be a Maya priest.

Insight: Giving up dream to fulfill destiny.

When David’s tech gadgets disappear one by one, he has to learn to actual be in life, not just take pictures of it.

Insight: Experience life instead of just reading about it is invaluable.

He times the fire ceremony only to become entranced by the experience. He eventually sacrifices his last gadget—his FitBit watch. He begins to be “in” his life, instead of watching it from the sidelines. He gives up the counting of time in order to actually exist in time.

Insight: There are many dimensions to time.

David is forced to spend one night alone in the jungle. Once he learns how to live in nature, he can relax and enjoy the experience.

Insight: Look up and experience life.

9. What are the Most Profound Lines of the Movie?

Pattern A: Height of the Emotion

When David finds out that he is not going to fulfill his dream of going to Lascaux, but ends up assigned to Tikal instead.

“Jungle, Tikal, the Maya—do you good.”

His brother makes David feel that no matter what he does, he will always come in second.

“Where you are end in the race is a position. How you take the journey is the true measurement.”

David first experience with the Maya Fire Ceremony.

“Life from afar is fascinating. But even with the pain, life from within is exhilarating.”

David finds out that his spiritual guide, Appo, is not long for this world.

“Life is an empty vessel. Only you can choose what to put inside.”

David must choose between his old dreams and his new destiny.

“A man has many dreams in life, but only one destiny.”

Pattern B: Build Meaning Over Multiple Scenes

1. “What goes around comes around.”

Frank says it to David when confronted about the Lascaux switch.

Father Sean reminds David that his actions will have consequences.

Appo uses it to explain that what is sent out into the cosmos will someday return into your life.

2. “Look outward. You will be amazed at what you discover inside.”

Father Sean says it to David when he tells him that he is going to Tikal instead of Lascaux.

When Appo sees David wrapped up in his technology gadgets.

When David experiences his vision quest.

3. “Life is an empty vessel. What are you going to put inside?”

Father Sean says it to David when he sends him to Tikal instead of France.

Father Sean says it to David when he wants to leave Tikal.

Father Sean says it again when David tells him that he is going to stay in Tikal to become a Maya priest.

10. How Do You Leave Us With A Profound Ending?

1. Profound Truth: There are times when you have to give up your dream in order to fulfill your destiny.

2. The Change: David, realizing that Appo is not long for this world, gives up his dream of being the youngest PhD candidate at Columbia University in order to fulfill his destiny of learning Maya culture and becoming a Aj’qi (Maya priest).

3. Setup/Payoffs: His fight for his dream at the beginning becomes his fight for his destiny at the end. The beginning desire is to see art in a cave. The payoff is that he discovers his soul in a cave. His skill as a scholar (the head) is much more powerful when he has learned to share someone else’s knowledge (the heart).

4. Surprise: It appears as if David is going to go back to New York to complete his degree, but at the last moment, he chucks the offer letter and goes to Appo. After David performs the Maya gratitude ceremony, they enter the cave together.

5. Parting Image/Line: As David enters the cave with Appo, “A dream is for today, a destiny is for your lifetime.”