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Day 3 Assignment
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7 Replies
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Jean’s Finished Act 2
Having completed Act 1 in the two days gave me confidence that I can do the same for Act 2. My show deals with time travel. There are two separate timelines going on. Even skipping into the future that is revisited in a later episode. Act 1 starts that. Act 2 builds on it. Now, I need to add the action and dialogue to match the different timelines and keep everything straight. It is a challenge but a fun challenge. I can’t wait to write Act 3.
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Subject line: Elizabeth Appell – Finished Act 2 (place in first line)
I wrote this scene before I went to the hospital due to the stroke. Now going back is quite remarkable. I have reread it again. And Maybe again. Speed writing is interesting. It’s like a part of me I didn’t know about bubbles up.
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Janeen Finished Act 2!
What I learned doing this assignment is that once I’m in the flow, I don’t want to stop to post assignments or do self-evaluations. I just want to continue on to the next act.
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Jack’s Act 2
ACT 2
EXT. KAYLA’S GARAGE – NIGHT
Kayla drives up to her garage and parks.
EXT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Kayla leads Victoria to a porch with stairs leading up to a garage apartment.
KAYLA
I live up there. Home and office.
She leads Victoria along a bricked walkway around the extensive, unlit main house to the ocean.
VICTORIA
Who lives here?
KAYLA
It’s my father’s house, but he lives in New York. I only see him once or twice a year.
The walkway leads to a wooden bridge over a sand dune. They stop and enjoy the moonlit sea, then slip off their shoes.
VICTORIA
Absolutely stunning.
EXT. BEACH – NIGHT
Under the nearly-full moon, the ladies walk along the beach.
Ahead, they see tracks leading from the receding tide up onto the beach and then back down.
KAYLA
See here? The turtle came up, but didn’t lay her eggs and went back into the water.
VICTORIA
Why did she go back?
KAYLA
Got spooked by something.
VICTORIA
Is the red tide from pollution?
KAYLA
Runoff from agriculture.
They continue and see a dark form ahead, digging.
They approach cautiously and watch as a turtle lays eggs.
KAYLA (CONT’D)
Only one egg in a thousand survives until adulthood. If they do, they come right back here to this very beach to lay their eggs. Problem is, this may be the last year if we can’t stop the red tide.
They stroll along the beach. Kayla takes Victoria’s hand.
Victoria responds, giving Kayla a smile.
Behind a sand dune, hidden out of sight, Charles observes.
VICTORIA
You have me thinking about eggs.
My fund invests in a cryogenics and gene-editing laboratory in New York. The president has been on me to freeze some of my eggs.
(pause)
Have you thought about children?
KAYLA
I’m married to my work. Kinda in the child-free movement at the moment. You know, climate change, world overpopulation, all that. Don’t suppose you’ve got an algorithm for that, do you?
VICTORIA
You’re funny. I do feel a need to pass on my genes. My parents are relentlessly introducing me to new suitors.
They reach the steps leading up to Kayla’s father’s house.
Victoria, tired, sits down, sighs.
Kayla sits beside her. Victoria leans back into her shoulder, staring at the moon and stars.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Algorithms.
She passes out.
Kayla watches her breathe for a moment, then picks her up using a fireman’s carry and lugs her up the stairs.
From a hidden vantage point, Charles instinctively moves to help, but stops, watches, retreats.
INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
In the bedroom, Kayla lays Victoria on the bed, fully clothed, then strips her down to panties and bra and slides a blanket over her.
INT. KAYLA’S BEDROOM – DAWN
Victoria wakes up, sees Kayla is still asleep beside her and wonders what happened.
She slips out of bed and enters a bathroom.
INT. KAYLA’S KITCHEN – DAWN
Victoria, in shorts that are too big for her and a sweatshirt, walks through a small but well-appointed kitchen with a juicer on the counter next to a bowl of fruit.
EXT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT – DAWN
Victoria steps out into the early morning and looks out over the pink clouds above the ocean.
INT. GARAGE – DAWN
Victoria enters the garage, finds a bucket.
EXT. KAYLA’S FATHER’S HOUSE – DAWN
She carries the bucket to the steps leading down to the beach. She looks both ways and sees a mound of sand.
EXT. BEACH – DAWN
She walks to the mound and slides down onto her knees. She fills the bucket half way up with sand.
She digs up an egg without touching it with her hands and places it along with the sand into the bucket.
The sun peeks out of the ocean.
EXT. KAYLA’S FATHER’S HOUSE – DAY
Victoria climbs the stairs. Kayla comes around the house.
KAYLA
You scared me.
VICTORIA
Sorry, didn’t want to wake you.
Kayla looks down at the bucket.
KAYLA
Are you making Windsor castles?
VICTORIA
I had a dream about the eggs, so I dug one up to take it to New York.
KAYLA
You aren’t suppose to mess with the eggs; it’s against the law. I mean, the odds are so bad against any one of them making it, and now you dig them up!
VICTORIA
You’re cross. I’m sorry. I meant no offense. You see, the lab I told you about, they’re doing some innovative procedures with eggs. Maybe they can increase the turtles’ chances from one in a thousand to something better.
Kayla spreads her hands, upset.
KAYLA
You’re messing with nature.
Kayla turns away and strides back toward the house shaking her head.
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R. Reid Jr’s Finished Act 2
“What I learned doing this assignment is just how much of a flow I was going to have as it build from the first act into the 2nd Act wasn’t hard and the previous layers, building intrigue and mystery and my other writing exercises have help me structure this writing a lot better than just writing on my will.
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I didn’t complete Act 2 in a couple of days. Since each act involves a completely different character and his world, shifting to my first male character’s different gender, location, and circumstances took some thought. However, having a fairly complete outline helped to move along. I followed Hal’s advice to move on if I got stuck, which happened a number of times when I didn’t have enough historical information to draw on. However, it was exciting to finally get Act 2 down on paper even with some gaps to fill in later.
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Rob’s Finished Act 2
Same again – forgot to post but enjoying the writing.
Rule 1: Use empowering self talk. Cheer yourself on. A
Rule 2: Understand writing in drafts. B
Rule 3: Choose speed over quality for EARLY drafts. B
Rule 4: Allow yourself to start (or continue) without all the answers. A
Rule 5: Keep moving. Don’t allow yourself to ever stall out. B
Rule 6: Even if you can’t create it now, you will be able to at some point in the future! B
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