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Day 3 Assignments
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June Fortunato’s Three Endings for Retirement Day 3 of Great endings
What I learned– Most of my screenplay is written. It’s extremely difficult to change course and hard to determine what/where the crisis and the climax happen. Perhaps this takes more rumination. This would’ve been much easier when first outlining. Nonetheless, an alternative may develop as I finish my pages and I might choose a different ending as I go.
ROY goal- to have an easy retirement with someone. Need- to be vulnerable and face his demons
KIM goal– to take her power, stand up and confront and defeat her brother. Need- to believe that even if she accidentally hurts someone, that she will still be loved and accepted. aka her power overcome her fear, stand up and stay.
Structure of Up Ending:
1. Down at the beginning of the 3rd Act. 2. Twists and turns. 3. Climax concludes with Protagonist receiving both their goal and need.
Ending one- UP
Beginning of the third act Roy calms Kim when she has a melt down, he convinces her to go with him on an adventure. They have a brilliant day together in Atlantic City but then he has a melt down. Kim blames herself for it and runs. Roy’s goal is not met and his need goes awry. Kim’s goal is met but her need is not.
CRISIS Kim (goal is up) confronts her brother but because she caused Roy’s meltdown she stays away from him. (need is down) Roy (goal is down) to have an easy retirement- but to be vulnerable and face demons (need is up)
Twists Roy’s vulnerability with Kim helps him to cope in an explosive job. Kim misses Roy and looks for him. Roy rejects Suzy and decides to go for Kim. Kim is offered a pet sitting job and a place to stay- even though it’s Roy who needs that place most.
CLIMAX Roy opens up about his medal and events of the past. Kim admits to Marilyn that she borrowed her car and caused her great pain, but Marilyn forgives her. Roy helps Kim to use his lawyer and whistleblow on her embezzling and identity theft brother.
Ending Brian and his wife are hauled off to prison, Kim gets her house, Roy, too, plus Kim and dogs, and Kim learns to trust.
2
ROY goal– to have an easy retirement with someone. Need- to be vulnerable and face his demons
KIM goal- to take her power, stand up and confront and defeat her brother. Need- to believe that even if she accidentally hurts someone, that she will still be loved and accepted. aka her power, overcome her fear, stand up and stay.
Structure of Down ending
1. Up at the beginning of the 3rd Act. 2. Twists and turns. 3. Climax concludes with Protagonist losing both their goal and need.
Beginning of the third act
Roy calms Kim when she has a melt down, he convinces her to go with him on an adventure. She stays with him for it. They have a brilliant day together in Atlantic City. Roy’s goal is coming together. Roy’s needs not yet met. Kim’s goal not yet met. Kim’s need is met.
CRISIS Roy has a melt down. Kim runs.
Twist Roy confronts an event that would normally trigger him but he’s able to cope because of his experience with Kim. Kim is running but because she was with Roy, she confronts her brother. Roy is denied an apartment. Kim gets a place to live.
CLIMAX Kim’s brother has convinced his boss that Kim made up the proof that he’s embezzling and an identity thief. Roy begs Kim to run with him but she digs in and therefore loses everything.
Ending Kim’s brother has her declared insane and keeps everything he stole. Roy can’t get a place to live, and when Marilyn dies, Marilyn’s daughter takes the house. So he has no Kim, and no home.
3
ROY goal– to have an easy retirement with someone. Need- to be vulnerable and face his demons
KIM goal– to take her power, stand up and confront and defeat her brother. Need- to believe that even if she accidentally hurts someone, that she will still be loved and accepted. aka her power, overcome her fear, stand up and stay.
Structure of Ironic ending 1. At the beginning of the 3rd Act, the goal is looking good, the need is in danger. 2. Twists and turns. 3. Climax concludes with Protagonist receiving their need, but losing their goal
Beginning of the third act
Roy calms Kim when she has a melt down, he convinces her to go with him on an adventure. She stays with him for it. They have a brilliant day together in Atlantic City. Roy’s goal is met, but he has not become vulnerable. Kim’s has confronted her brother somewhat (he wasn’t there but she ripped up the garden) so her need is met. Her need, to overcome her fear of rejection, is not met. goal and need are met.
CRISIS Roy has a meltdown in Atlantic city. Kim runs away.
TWIST Kim confronts her brother but hasn’t yet won. Roy gets a job and it doesn’t trigger him. Roy chooses Kim over Suzy. Both Roy and Kim look for each other.
CLIMAX Kim asks about Roy’s medal and he opens up. Kim confronts her brother but is rejected.
ENDING Roy gets his first benefits check, but Kim has run and he has no-one.
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Cameron Martin’s Three Endings
What I learned doing this assignment is…First, the importance in structuring the twists. Up to this point, I had a vague idea in what exactly would happen, but it was pretty much unstructured. This was extremely helpful in recognizing exactly where I needed to clear up some details and structure a worthy finale. Second, this was pretty reaffirming where my comfort zone is. My Up Ending and my Ironic Ending were very similar because those are the kinds of stories I want to tell and lean toward (Ecclesiastes is my favorite book of the Bible). I’m much more interested in watching how people confront and either overcome or find contentment with the harsh realities of life. While I admire CHINATOWN for what it achieved, I‘ll probably never revisit it. I’ll more than happily watch a college football game instead, and observe a team overcome adversity (or hopefully galvanize as a team in a difficult loss). I’ll continue playing with this in coordination with the lessons learned from the Free Friday Class on THE MATRIX and the profound screenplay model. Both of these structures should help me to better set up the moment when Sully surrenders control, his greatest sacrifice.
UP ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
Isaiah’s infected and is going to die.
– Twists.
The hosts escape the breached bunker and are free to hunt all over the colony
The conscripted exterminators arrive to kill everything no inside the bunker.
Execution of Plan A: Sully sneaks his way with Isaiah to the Medical Bay in the colony.
False Victory: Sully and Isaiah make it to the colony Medical Bay. Sully grabs supplies that’ll help keep Isaiah alive, and prepares to perform the procedure
Falling into the Trap: Just as Isaiah said, they’re not alone in the Medical Bay, and have to escape. Isaiah starts to cough, blowing their cover (they can no longer effectively hide)
Opponent’s Victory at Hand: The opening where Sully is fighting his way through. The conscripted exterminators come and pin Sully and Isaiah down
– Crisis.
Sully is pinned down after running and escaping room to room from exterminator and host alike. He finally asks Isaiah for help and to take charge.
– Climax.
Isaiah takes charge, guiding Sully through to the passenger vessel, teaching him how to keep him alive, until Sully’s in the Medical Bay where he can cure his son.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Instead of grabbing Jude’s documents on the Hegemony’s coverup, Isaiah and Sully grab Isaiah’s notebook and solution to coexisting with the alien worms. The Hegemony spares Sully and Isaiah after Markus forms a wall with other conscripted passengers, and uses Isaiah’s plans to build upgrades to the space colony that prevents future infestations of the colony. There is also the hint that life adapts to the worms, much in the same way that the Australian wildlife is slowly adapting to the invasive cane toads.
DOWN ENDING
NOTE: The easiest way to apply this would be to keep everything the same as both the Up Ending and the Ironic Ending, but have both Sully and Isaiah die, never making it to the medical bay because Sully can’t trust his son, thus keeping the theme of Control vs. Cooperation intact. This also still follows Robert McKee’s model because it’s a turn from the negative to an even greater negative. However, since I already kind of cheated by making the Up Ending essentially a copy and paste of the original Ironic Ending if not for a couple details, I’ll go ahead and try to come up a different setup for the 3rd Act and and a downer ending.
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
There’s one major change for this plot point, and it’s that Sully never pushes Isaiah and gets him infected. Isaiah saves Sully, Sully thanks him and trusts him. They also manage to seal up the bunker and contain the threat of the near hundred hosts within.
– Twists.
The exterminators arrive in force.
Isaiah collects his notes and both he and Sully try to show they’re not a threat to the exterminators, which works…
Until an officer freaks out and accidentally shoots Isaiah.
Sully escapes with a dying Isaiah in his arms.
– Crisis.
On a loud speaker, Sully is beckoned to return to the passenger ship where his son was just shot. But when Isaiah bleeds out and dies before the voice on the loud speaker can finish, Sully has to choose between attempting to cooperate and trust the people there, and bring Isaiah’s notes to them, or seek revenge, demanding they acknowledge their actions that led to Isaiah’s death, or be wiped out by the bunker full of infected.
– Climax.
Sully fights his way back to the bunker, and unleashes the infected onto the Hegemony officers and their conscripted exterminators, killing everyone. “Open wide,” as he opens the bunker door from inside the bunker.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
The Protagonist gets neither. His son dies in his arms before he can get a real chance to connect with him. He failed to keep him safe.
NOTE: Now I want to watch a classic Disney movie after this ending.
IRONIC ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
Isaiah’s infected and is going to die.
– Twists.
The hosts escape the breached bunker and are free to hunt all over the colony
The conscripted exterminators arrive to kill everything no inside the bunker.
Execution of Plan A: Sully sneaks his way with Isaiah to the Medical Bay in the colony.
False Victory: Sully and Isaiah make it to the Medical Bay. Sully grabs supplies that’ll help keep Isaiah alive, and prepares to perform the procedure
Falling into the Trap: Just as Isaiah said, they’re not alone in the Medical Bay, and have to escape. Isaiah starts to cough, blowing their cover (they can no longer effectively hide)
Opponent’s Victory at Hand: The opening where Sully is fighting his way through. The conscripted exterminators come and pin Sully and Isaiah down
– Crisis.
Last Ditch Effort: Sully is pinned down after running and escaping room to room from exterminator and host alike. He finally asks Isaiah for help and to take charge.
– Climax.
Greatest Sacrifice: Isaiah takes charge, guiding Sully through to the passenger vessel, teaching him how to keep him alive, until Sully’s in the Medical Bay where he can cure his son.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
The Protagonist got their need (connecting with his son) but didn’t get his goal (keeping his son safe). Instead, they have illegally escaped and will have confidential knowledge that could spark a revolution.
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Dev Ross – Different Endings
What I learned was that by just conjuring up three different ways of seeing my ending, I came up with additional story beats that will really inform my greater story!
HAPPY ENDING
1. DOWN AT BEGINNING OF ACT THREE
– Shimmers are getting worse. Fabric of universe unraveling…
2. TWIST
– Clay is about to shoot a random black man. Maybe this will suffice. A SHIMMER and LINCOLN comes out of it. Lincoln registers his own shock as his car rams Clay’s. They are now finally face to face.
3. CRISIS
– Nubia is struck down by a car in what she thought was her own neighborhood.
– Night sky is collapsing on itself
– Lincoln pursues Clay
4. CLIMAX
– Clay and Lincoln fight in the Plant. Kill their self.
5. RESOLUTION
– A new world devoid of their race hatred has evolved.
DOWN ENDING
1. UP at beginning of ACT THREE:
– Clay is about to shoot a random black man when Lincoln stops him.
2. TWIST
– Lincoln catches up with Clay, who admits he’s in deeper than he wanted. He wants out. Lincoln offers him that. Before they can resolve, SHIMMER takes Lincoln away. Clay thinks it’s God telling him NO!
3. CLIMAX
– The men fight in plant, kill their own selves.
4. RESOLUTION:
– Their worlds are destroyed by their hate. Two less Strings in the multi-verse
IRONIC ENDING
1. DOWN at BEGINNING OF ACT THREE
– Shimmers are getting worse. Fabric of universe unraveling.
2. TWIST
– Clay is about to shoot a random black man. Lincoln stops him, ramming his car.
3. CRISIS
– Night sky is collapsing on itself. Lincoln pushes wife out of the car to pursue Clay.
4. CLIMAX
– Clay and Lincoln battle, kill their self.
5. RESOLUTION
– A new world devoid of race hatred is birthed.
6. TWIST on ending
– Another world evolves where ADAM SPENCER is declared winner of latest US election.
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PS81 Day 3 (Writing Great Endings) Anita’s Three Endings
What I learned: I will admit to being stumped here with writer’s block. I cannot see past my own ending – which is an Ironic Structure. It feels ludicrous to even try because completely Happy or wholly Tragic just doesn’t fit. So, at the risk of being trite, I am giving it a shot here in order to fulfill this assignment. But I’ve known from the beginning how I want this story to end (it’s baked in the cake) throughout.
HAPPY ENDING
BEGINNING OF 3<sup>RD</sup> ACT
Danica’s sister does not die from kidney disease, but her brush with death serves as a warning to Danica.
TWISTS
Harley has been working at the lab for a new kind of kidney pig transplant that ultimately is what saves Danica’s life.
Danica gets the kidney transplant she needs in time to argue her big case.
Harley wants to meet her mom. They do so and begin a connection.
CRISIS
In the courtroom showdown with Cyrus Danica argues brilliantly and wins the case.
CLIMAX
Cyrus, who has lost his wife and family because they learn of Harley, asks Danica to forgive and forget and they start a new relationship.
Did the protagonist get their goal and/or need?
Yes. Danica gets recognition for her career and a new kidney; Harley gets to know her biological parents; and Cyrus starts over with Danica.
TRAGIC ENDING
BEGINNING OF 3<sup>RD</sup> ACT
Danica’s sister dies from kidney disease, AND her brush with death does not serve as a warning to Danica about her own health risks, as she’s too obsessed with her career.
TWISTS
Danica wins her court case – OR – loses her court case and can’t get a kidney in time and dies before meeting Harley.
CRISIS
Danica is too ill to argue her big case and loses the opportunity of a career.
CLIMAX
Someone else argues Danica’s big case instead of her because she is too sick.
Did the protagonist get their goal and/or need?
No. Danica either dies or blows her career or both.
IRONIC ENDING
BEGINNING OF 3<sup>RD</sup> ACT
Danica’s sister dies from kidney disease, a familial genetic disorder.
TWISTS
1) Danica discovers her own health life-threatening genetic risk and eminent need for a kidney transplant.
2) Harley, who has already unearthed the identities of her biological parents and their health histories (through working at a genetic research lab), plots a way for Danica to get what she needs – a transplant.
3) Cyrus Kilner is assigned to the case Danica must argue.
CRISIS
Danica, while arguing the most important case in her career, and doing so in front of Judge Cyrus Kilner – faints from the pain of late stage kidney failure. Danica’s Senior Partner and mentor puts her on furlough and Danica decides to reach out and connect with Harley.
CLIMAX
Harley sets up a meeting with Danica. On the way she does a hit-and-run on Cyrus, killing him.
RESOLUTION
Danica wakes in a hospital, having received her new kidney. Harley walks in and reveals it is from Cyrus.
Did the protagonist get their goal and/or need?
Danica will live, but it is with the knowledge that the daughter she never wanted, but had hoped to get to know – that her daughter is a monster who has orchestrated she receive a kidney from the man who has ruined her career, twice – Harley’s own father.
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PS81 – Dana’s Three Endings
What I learned Doing This Assignment
Playing with the different endings, I have imagined a better twist and climax for my story. I intend to combine the crisis and climax from the down ending with the crisis and climax from my original ironic ending. This lesson really was a breakthrough for my script.
HAPPY ENDING/UP ENDING
Beginning of 3<sup>rd</sup> Act – Down
Ellen fails to draw William out, Jason’s suicidal personality, and her plan to pressure him into committing suicide and save her daughters from Ryan, Jason’s psychotic personality, has failed.
Twists
Bobby, Jason’s child personality, reemerges and explains that William was banished during therapy with Dr. Sullivan. William is gone. Ellen, learning the police are enroute, engages Bobby in conversation about his boyhood to stall.
Crisis
When Bobby becomes suspicious of Ellen’s constant questions, he realizes the police are closing in, and Ryan resumes control. He drags Ellen’s daughters from the locked room to kill them.
Climax
Ellen, Bobby, and Ryan engage in battle of wills until the sound a door bursts open and SWAT storms in. Gunshots ring out. The phone goes dead. The call is dropped. And for an agonizing silent minute, Ellen doesn’t know who’s been killed. Det. Sorensen bursts with the news: Jason is dead; her daughters are saved.
Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Ellen has saved her daughters and has overcome her self-doubt as a psychologist.
TRAGEDY/DOWN ENDING
Beginning of 3<sup>rd</sup> Act – Up
Ellen successfully produces William, Jason’s suicidal personality, bringing him to the forefront for her to pressure him to commit suicide and save her daughters from Ryan, Jason’s psychotic personality.
Twists
William has been cured of his suicidal feeling by Dr. Sullivan.
Crisis
William decides he likes being in the present and throws in with Ryan, and with time ticking down, Ryan drags Ellen’s eldest daughter from the locked room to kill her.
Climax
Ellen triangulates William against Ryan, pitting one personality against the other. She toys with William’s vanity, arguing that he will be returned to the darkness, cast aside by the authorities to study Ryan. But her plan backfires, and William takes total control and banishes Ryan to the darkness. She has replaced one villain for another. William thanks her for bringing him forward, but apologizes for what must now happen, and hangs up with Ellen screaming for her daughters.
Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Ellen fails to save her daughters and winds up in a mental institution, the psychologist becoming the patient.
IRONIC ENDING
Beginning of 3<sup>rd</sup> Act
Ellen has successfully drawn-out William, Jason’s suicidal personality, to the forefront to pressure him into committing suicide to save her daughters from Ryan, Jason’s psychotic personality.
Twists
With his personality ever-present, Ryan intercedes between Ellen and William, thwarting Ellen’s plan and pitting her against a suicidal manic-depressive and a murderous psychopath.
Crisis
Ryan, pushed to the limit, drags one of Ellen’s daughters from the locked room and threatens to killer her on air to stop Ellen from pressuring William to commit suicide.
Climax
Ellen, William, and Ryan engage in a triangulated battle of wills until the sound of a gunshot breaks the fight. The phone goes dead. The call in dropped. And for an agonizing silent minute, Ellen doesn’t know who’s been killed, until Det. Sorensen bursts with the news: Jason is dead; her daughters are saved.
Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Ellen saves her children, but she has lost her humanity, pushing her patient to kill himself.
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DAY 3 – HAPPY, TRAGIC, OR IRONIC?
Lisa’s Three Endings
What I learned is to try out different paths for your story to find the best one, especially the ending.
Three Endings for “Mary’s Wonderful Christmas”
UP ending:
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
The community center and one of the activity points for the IAWL festival catches on fire. Joseph, Mary’s boyfriend saves her daughters and Mary along with other volunteer firefighters, puts out the fire.
– Twists.
Mary hasn’t heard from Peter (her ex-husband) and she’s worried about him. He suffers from PTSD. But it’s not like him to disappear. She goes to the police station to get help, but the police think she’s overreacting. When she says she thinks he’s kidnapped Santa Claus, they laugh at her.
– Twists.
Mary’s father Harry tricks her. He locks her and her sister, Violet into the Women’s Rights Museum among statues of great women until they make up. They are very competitive with each other and are always out of sorts. This time because of Violet’s flirting and dancing with Joseph. They make up and eventually get out of the museum.
– Crisis.
Peter is climbing with Santa on a roof to go down the chimney and steal the presents. But he doesn’t realize that Mary, dressed as Santa, has replaced the real Santa. Mary tries to talk Peter out of it. In the meantime, the two NORAD agents who are looking for Peter and Santa find them on the roof. They’ve confiscated the volunteer ladder truck and are riding up on it to the roof. The agents have their guns drawn. Mary begs them not to shoot Peter. Dash, one of the agents, shoots. Mary jumps in front of Peter and falls off the roof. Peter thinks she’s been shot and surrenders to the agents.
– Climax.
Mary and Peter’s daughter, Janie was lost during the IAWL parade. Santa gets the NORAD agents to let Peter go and question them the next day. Santa tells Peter that he could have left any time because of his magic, but he wanted to help him. Peter is changed. Santa HAS helped him. Mary and Peter hug and Mary kisses him. Mary goes downtown and Peter to the house in case she went there. Mary runs down the street and asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen Janie. Showing how many people care about her and her family. Mary finds Janie in the nativity scene at the church at the end of downtown. Janie and Mary have a heart to heart about leaving town. Peter, along with their other daughter, Ruthie, find Mary and Janie. Mary and Peter fall into each other’s arms and bring in their daughters.
The town has gathered at the church and sing Silent Night. Mary’s sisters and father are there. Joseph pushes his way through the crowd and witnesses the family hugging.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
It ends with the town giving Peter the money from the festival to pay his mortgage and save his snowmobile shop. Joseph proposes to Mary one last time, but we don’t hear her reply. Skip to one year later, it’s Christmas and we are back where we started in Mary’s kitchen and see Uncle Billy (the dog). Moving to the living room we see Janie, Ruthie, then Mary. Mary calls to the other room and in comes Peter. Mary didn’t leave town and she got back with Peter, the father of her children.
Mary got her need for love and support, but not her goal to move to a larger place and have new experiences.
DOWN ending: (I don’t feel I can use a down ending for a Christmas movie)
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
Mary finally locates Peter. He says he’s fine and lies to her about Santa. She can relax and work on the festival without worrying about him now.
– Twists.
The community center and one of the activity points for the IAWL festival catches on fire. Joseph, Mary’s boyfriend saves her daughters and Mary along with other volunteer firefighters, puts out the fire.
– Twists.
Mary hasn’t heard from Peter (her ex-husband) and she’s worried about him. He suffers from PTSD. But it’s not like him to disappear. She goes to the police station to get help, but the police think she’s overreacting. When she says she thinks he’s kidnapped Santa Claus, they laugh at her.
– Twists.
Mary’s father Harry tricks her. He locks her and her sister, Violet into the Women’s Rights Museum among statues of great women until they make up. They are very competitive with each other and are always out of sorts. This time because of Violet’s flirting and dancing with Joseph. They make up and eventually get out of the museum.
– Crisis.
Peter is climbing with Santa on a roof to go down the chimney and steal the presents. But he doesn’t realize that Mary, dressed as Santa, has replaced the real Santa. Mary tries to talk Peter out of it. In the meantime, the two NORAD agents who are looking for Peter and Santa find them on the roof. They’ve confiscated the volunteer ladder truck and are riding up on it to the roof. The agents have their guns drawn. Mary begs them not to shoot Peter. Dash, one of the agents, shoots. Mary jumps in front of Peter and falls off the roof. Peter thinks she’s been shot and surrenders to the agents.
– Climax.
Mary and Peter’s daughter, Janie was lost during the IAWL parade. Santa gets the NORAD agents to let Peter go and question them the next day. Santa tells Peter that he could have left any time because of his magic, but he wanted to help him. Peter is changed. Santa HAS helped him. Mary and Peter hug and Mary kisses him. Mary goes downtown and Peter to the house in case she went there. Mary runs down the street and asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen Janie. Showing how many people care about her and her family. Mary finds Janie in the nativity scene at the church at the end of downtown. Janie and Mary have a heart to heart about leaving town. Peter, along with their other daughter, Ruthie, find Mary and Janie. Mary and Peter fall into each other’s arms and bring in their daughters.
The town has gathered at the church and sing Silent Night. Mary’s sisters and father are there. Joseph pushes his way through the crowd and witnesses the family hugging.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Before the town can give Peter the money for his mortgage, he jumps off the George Bailey bridge, but isn’t saved by Mary…or anyone else this time.
Mary, Joseph, the girls, and Mary’s sisters and father lead a procession down main street to the church to bury Peter.
Mary blames herself for Peter’s death because she always took care of him.
Cut to 1 year later, The town gave Mary the money from the IAWL festival, and she bought back the snowmobile shop. She’s running it now and there’s been plenty of snow. Business is booming. Her daughters are helping her out in the shop. No man is around. She’s alone now and raising the girls.
Mary didn’t get her goal of leaving town nor did she get her need for love and support.
IRONIC ending:
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
Mary has told Joseph that she is moving with her daughters after the festival. He is furious that she’s waited so long to tell him.
– Twists.
Mary hasn’t heard from Peter (her ex-husband) and she’s worried about him. He suffers from PTSD. But it’s not like him to disappear. She goes to the police station to get help, but the police think she’s overreacting. When she says she thinks he’s kidnapped Santa Claus, they laugh at her.
– Twists.
Mary’s father Harry tricks her. He locks her and her sister, Violet into the Women’s Rights Museum among statues of great women until they make up. They are very competitive with each other and are always out of sorts. This time because of Violet’s flirting and dancing with Joseph. They make up and eventually get out of the museum.
– Crisis.
Peter is climbing with Santa on a roof to go down the chimney and steal the presents. But he doesn’t realize that Mary, dressed as Santa, has replaced the real Santa. Mary tries to talk Peter out of it. In the meantime, the two NORAD agents who are looking for Peter and Santa find them on the roof. They’ve confiscated the volunteer ladder truck and are riding up on it to the roof. The agents have their guns drawn. Mary begs them not to shoot Peter. Dash, one of the agents, shoots. Mary jumps in front of Peter and falls off the roof. Peter thinks she’s been shot and surrenders to the agents.
– Climax.
Mary and Peter’s daughter, Janie was lost during the IAWL parade. Santa gets the NORAD agents to let Peter go and question them the next day. Santa tells Peter that he could have left any time because of his magic, but he wanted to help him. Peter is changed. Santa HAS helped him. Mary and Peter hug and Mary kisses him. Mary goes downtown and Peter to the house in case she went there. Mary runs down the street and asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen Janie. Showing how many people care about her and her family. Mary finds Janie in the nativity scene at the church at the end of downtown. Janie and Mary have a heart to heart about leaving town. Peter, along with their other daughter, Ruthie, find Mary and Janie. Mary and Peter fall into each other’s arms and bring in their daughters.
The town has gathered at the church and sing Silent Night. Mary’s sisters and father are there. Joseph pushes his way through the crowd and witnesses the family hugging.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
It ends with the town giving Peter the money from the festival to pay his mortgage and save his snowmobile shop. Joseph proposes to Mary one last time, but we don’t hear her reply. Skip to one year later, it’s Christmas. We see that Mary is in a new city and townhouse with Uncle Billy, the dog, Janie and Ruthie celebrating Christmas. Then someone comes in the front door. Is it Peter or Joseph or someone new? It is her sisters and father who have come for Christmas day.
Mary got her goal to move to a new and exciting city. She had to leave the only town she’s ever known and both Peter and Joseph behind. She didn’t get her need for love and support…but maybe in the future.
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Anna Harper’s Three Endings
What I learned from this exercise.
I think because I have not yet written the whole story, I was more objective and less emotional about writing the endings. I do on the whole prefer to be immersed in the work. I consider this exercise an opportunity for possibilities. Don’t know If I will actually use them.
PIRATE by Anna Harper
– Beginning of 3rd Act. UP ending
CHRIS one of the street kids takes drugs, steals, illiterate has been taken to hospital. His leg has been amputated. (septicemia) He is being discharged back to the youth group home.
TWISTS
SOPHIE shows up at the hospital. Offers Chris to come and stay at the farm as long as he wants if he gets counseling.
– Twists Chris’s mother shows up. She wants Chris to come back to her home.
– Crisis.
Chris has to choose. He is torn. Sophie’s new man, the retired policeman has moved in. Sophie insists on counseling and has offered Chris a job.. The farm has rules. And other street kids now live there. He loves his mother and realizes she is a walking disaster and only wants the extra welfare check, yet he goes with his birth mother anyway.
– Climax.
Back at the farm, Sophie has a meltdown.
She blames herself. Her new man Simon suggests she phones Chris to see how he is. Result; no food in the house, mother out at the pub. They go out to fetch Chris. The next day at the farm, Sophie tells Chris he has rights, he is old enough, does he want to be adopted by Simon and Sophie? he says yes.Tragic Ending
– Beginning of 3rd Act. Sophie finds Chris one of the street kids bent over double, O.D. he is barely conscious. She tells him he must get treatment and she will come and see him in hospital. The group home is keeping a spot open for him. Ambulance arrives.
– Twists.
Simon (Sophies new man friend ex-policeman), gives her a speech about hopeless cases.
– Crisis.
Sophie gives Simon his marching orders. Says she is going to take Chirs in or else. She thinks Simon’s poor attitude will be harmful to Chris.
– Climax.
A phone call from the hospital, Chris died in his sleep, and the septicemia had spread.
Colin has to leave, however, in the end, he is beginning to have an epiphany. We see him befriending street kids.
Ironic Ending
1. Down at the beginning of the 3rd Act.
BACK STORY Sophie has opened a successful home for street kids at the farm. It has its dramas yet it is going well. She is in a live-in relationship with an aging ex-copper Simon.
DOWN BEGINING
It’s Sophies 85 birthday, everyone is at the party. Sophie drinks an entire glass of champagne, puts the glass down, blows out many candles, and then collapses. She has had a stroke. Off to the hospital.
2. Twists and turns.
Simon gives his troops (the resident, formerly, street kids) a talking to about how they have to take the reins and run the farm now. He says he won’t be around much longer either.
3. Climax concludes with the Protagonist receiving both their goal and need.
The climax is a voice-over read of Sophie’s will. The visuals are Sophie is still alive and living at the Farm, debilitated, she is still recovering. One of the boys is feeding her./or assisting her to walk All the happy busy activities of the Farm going on around her.
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KATES 3 ENDINGS
What I learned doing this assignment is if you have set up a character to be a certain way you can’t force them to behave in a way that isn’t in their character. So, for me the Q is does having the ending justify changing the character from the beginning? and what else does that change? I need more time to look at possible endings and see if the payoff is worth the changes that would need to be made. I did realise that I need to make it harder for Nia to reach her need… More twists!
Nia’s Goal/Need
She wants the perfect idealized father she never had /She needs to know and accept the truth.
THE UP ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act.(down)
.Darrogh (her father) throws Nia out of his house, she has a flashback to a forgotten memory when he kicked her Mother out; Luciana (who she was beginning to trust and like) has been called into question; the land they are all trying to has bulldozers on it; the 2nd attempt to work the con has failed.
– Twists.
had another memory surfaces – of her father misunderstanding the rel between L and Am
Luciana gives Nia a letter she had received from Amahla saying how much she loved Darorgh and Nia but the pain was too much to bare. And for Nia to live with her.
3rd try at the con has worked
Darrogh calls to ask Nia to come back ‘home’
Nia asks the community to hold off on the public play for now
– Crisis
Nia agrees to meet Darrogh one more time as long as he is honest with her
Darrogh and Nia have one more private meeting when he again tries to’ buy’ and emotionally blackmail her, she again asks him to tell her the truth
Darorgh gives her a letter tread – from Amahla to him – just before she suicided, asking him to let Nia live with Luciana
Darrogh confesses he was so hurt he abandoned Nia and blamed Luciana
He has been working to raise $ for cancer research but didnt want anyone to know to avoid people asking for money.
Nia says he could give the land back to the community and set up a place for people with cancer to heal
If he does she will stay
he says he will think about it.
– Climax
At the event that night Darrogh announces he doesn’t want a landfill but a Community for health.
The con people come clean and give him his money back
Luciana and Darrogh make amends
All ends well
– Protagonist receiving both their goal and need.
She gets the perfect idealized father she never had and she knows/accepts the truth of his past behavior
THE DOWN ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act. (up)
Darrogh (her father) and Nia agree to disagree
Luciana offers wise advice suggesting be patient
the 2nd attempt to work the con has opened a door to an solution
– Twists.
Nia has a flashback to a forgotten memory when he kicked her Mother out
Luciana (who she was beginning to trust and like) has been called into question
the land they are all trying to has bulldozers on it; the 2nd attempt to work the con has failed.
– Crisis.
Nia asks the community to hold off on the public play for now
Confronts Darrogh about the truth of her Mother’s death and why he left
Darrogh says he was heart-broken, asks Nia to forgive him, and says how much he needs her
– Climax.
Nia makes a choice to support him -believes she can help him- and after all he is her Dad
She withdraws from the play and resigns from the theatre troupe
She tells him about and admits to her part in the Con and also asks for forgiveness
He is impressed and offers her a partnership with him
She says yes if he works on being kinder to people.
They are now bound together.
– Protagonist losing both their goal and need.
They have a relationship but her father is still a shit and she still won’t believe it, hoping for him to change. thus she hasn’t faced the truth and has traded one form of blindness for another at the cost of her ethics.
THE IRONIC ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act – the goal in danger and the need almost fulfilled.
Darrogh (her father) throws Nia out of his house, she has a flashback to a forgotten memory when he kicked her Mother out; Luciana (who she was beginning to trust and like) has been called into question; the land they are all trying to has bulldozers on it; the 2nd attempt to work the con has failed.
– Twists.
Nia has sorted it out with Luciana and heard some truths; and had another memory surface
3rd try at the con has worked
Darrogh has asked Nia to come back ‘home’
Nia agrees to go all in with the community and also suggests a ‘play’ to expose the con to Darrogh very publicly
– Crisis.
Darrogh and Nia have one more private meeting when he again tries to’ buy’ and emotionally blackmail her, she again asks him to tell her the truth but can’t yet tell him she knows
– Climax.
the play is performed capped by an ‘epilogue’ performed by Nia (dressed a gown of her mother’s) as Desdemona in the murder scene in Othello- and she tells him she knows the ruth.
– Protagonist receiving their need, but losing their goal
Nia finds out the truth (and with it her strength) but will never have the idealized, perfect father she wanted.
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Day 3 – Happy, Tragic or Ironic? –Assignment
Mike O – Three Endings
What I learned by doing this is that the ending is the culmination of the entire script. Personally, I love-love-love happy endings and so forcing myself to think and to write a tragic ending is a leap of faith. The ironic ending is intriguing and the one where I think/feel/know I will have insights and a “breakthrough” or two that I can use in the script (even if I stay with my ‘happy’ ending) as twists and turns in Act three. AFTER DOING THIS, I AM GOING TO GO WITH AN IRONIC ENDING!!!!!
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[I] Write out the following things for the UP ending, the DOWN ending, and the IRONIC ending:
Up Ending:
(1) Beginning of 3rd Act. Upbeat. Brooklyn (protagonist) shares with Tarek (love interest) her plans for the paintings she is about to undertake for an ultra-rich client.
(2) Twists.
A. Brooklyn doubts herself, afraid she will hurt Tarek, his sons, or they will be hurt or worse. B. Tarek shows up at her studio unannounced and surprises her in a good way.
C. Tarek’s appendix ruptures, he is rushed to hospital, almost dies! Brooklyn has his 2 boys w/ her
D. Brooklyn has flashback to her mom’s time in the hospital and her death there, same hospital!!
(3) Crisis. Her Gallery is burned to the ground. She drives up and stares at the rubble. It’s arson.
(4) Climax. Brooklyn faces Richard after the gallery is burned to the ground. She has proof he did it. Richard is caught off guard and is subsequently arrested by the town sheriff.
(5) Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both. Brooklyn gets both her goal (become a “known” artist on the rise) She also fulfills her need, (to be in love and have that love reciprocated)
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Down Ending:
(1) Beginning of 3rd Act. downbeat. Brooklyn (protagonist) shares with Tarek (love interest) her plans for the paintings she is about to undertake for an ultra-rich client. He gets jealous, insinuates that the rich man gets the prize. She leaves his house pissed off: at Tarek for thinking that, at herself for sharing that with him. Her career, her business! Tells herself he’s just jealous.
(2) Twists
A. Brooklyn shows up at Iverson’s office, they go over his ideas, she tells him come by the studio tomorrow night, that he won’t be disappointed. Hint of flirtation, tells herself “Mom, you were right. Great providers trump puppy love”
B. Tarek tries to get a hold of her, she isn’t answering her phone. He decides to fly to Chicago, to apologize, to explain himself.
C. Tarek finds the studio, sees a limo parked. He sees them leave, sees Iverson kiss Brook.
D. Tarek leaves Chicago, his worst fear realized. He chastises himself all the way back to Colorado.
(3) Crisis Brook’s Gallery is burned to the ground. She drives up and stares at the rubble. It’s arson.
(4) Climax Brooklyn faces Richard after the gallery is burned to the ground. She has proof he did it. Richard is caught off guard and is subsequently arrested by the town sheriff.
(5) Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both. Brooklyn gets both her goal (become a “known” artist on the rise) She does NOT realize her need to be in love! She foresakes love.
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Ironic Ending:
(1) Beginning of 3rd Act. Upbeat. Brooklyn (protagonist) shares with Tarek (love interest) her plans for the paintings she is about to undertake for an ultra-rich client.
(2) Twists.
A. Brooklyn doubts herself, afraid she will hurt Tarek, his sons, or worse.
B. Tarek packs to go to Chicago, his appendix ruptures, he is rushed to hospital, almost dies! C. Brooklyn shows up at Iverson’s office, they go over his ideas, she tells him come by the studio tomorrow night, that he won’t be disappointed. Hint of flirtation. She tells herself “Mom, you were right. Great providers trump puppy love”
D. Brandon tries to get a hold of Brook, she isn’t answering her phone. Leaves a voice msg. re: his dad.
E. Iverson is not interested in Brooklyn sexually, just her art. She is ashamed of herself, of what she did
F. Beth shows up at hospital w/ flowers. Boys hug her, are close, remember her.
G. Brooklyn shows up at the hospital, sees Beth leave; starts to leave, decides to fight for what’s right.
H. Brooklyn goes in, talks with Tarek, make-up. Both apologize. She tells Tarek, you spend Xmas eve with Beth, then come over on Christmas Day and we will revisit this conversation.
(3) Crisis. Brooklyn faces Richard after the gallery is burned to the ground. She has proof he did it. Richard is caught off guard and is subsequently arrested by the town sheriff.
(4) Climax. Brooklyn faces Richard after the gallery is burned to the ground. She has proof he did it. Richard is caught off guard and is subsequently arrested by the town sheriff.
(5) Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both. Brooklyn gets the fame she is after and she is able to hang onto the love she started.
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Matthew Frendo’s Three Endings
WHAT I LEARNED: I learned how the three types of endings work and how to create them. This will give me much more variety in the endings and stories I can create.
– Beginning of 3rd Act. The remaining players get thrown back into the game, Host madder than ever
– Twists.
The Host releases 4 beasts at once, each with the scent of one player in mind.
This separates the group, so they can’t beat them together anymore.
– Crisis. Alicia beats hers first…then must decide to save herself for her son on the outside or help her new friends stay alive.
Twist: Alicia’s dad enters game as last monster…after being biologically upgraded.
– Climax. Alicia’s dad gets her alone in hall of mirrors and tortures her while he hunts her. She gets beaten, but ends up winning just as new friends break in to help her.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Got goal: stay alive and need: find love and acceptance
– Beginning of 3rd Act. After audience interviews, everyone but the Host wants them to win. The audience, the background people, sponsors…everyone is on their side and things are looking good.
– Twists.
Host sends in 4 animals to get them
The team beats them all together
Alicia’s dad, biomodified, comes in as final monster
– Crisis. Alicia must decide whether to get the team or take on her dad alone.
– Climax. She takes on her dad alone, after he taunts her as weak. She fights him off long enough to make sure the rest of her friends get out safely, but ends up getting killed by him on end. It brings an end to future Hunts, as no one wants to see it now that they understand what they did.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Loses goal: dies, Loses need: no love or acceptance from friends or others
– Beginning of 3rd Act. Alicia and her new friends are a strong team now. But the Host is pissed after the interviews and decides to go harder on them.
– Twists.
Host sends in 4 monsters, each with a different scent
Her friends decide to help her first, after learning about her child
Then the Host sends in her biomodified father as last monster
– Crisis. Will Alicia take their help and be a team, or go alone at it like usual?
– Climax. Alicia plays with the team, for the first time in her life, against her father. He fights back, along with other monsters, and the fight against all the monsters becomes too much. They all end up dying, as she walks out a broken victor.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Got goal: to live, Lost need: to have love and acceptance
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Antonio Flores’ Three Endings
What I learned doing this assignment:
The more I explore and brainstorm about the different endings, the more interesting possibilities that come up. Ultimately, some of these can be incorporated at the beginning of the third act or in the other sections. The experience of taking this lesson is great!
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Try ALL THREE of these endings with your story.
UP ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
Down: Parisa, Bahadur and Philip realize that the Ruler won’t let them go even if they won the tournament, or even if they gave him the secret that Bahadur keeps. As they try to send a message out, Philip gets killed.
– Twists
(FEAR) Now that Phillip is dead and Bahadur, too weak to fight. Parisa is the only option to face the Ruler’s favorite, Shahnaz, in the tournament’s final.
(SETUP) Maroon Cloak reviews surveillance video with conversations between Parisa and her boyfriend. He finds a talk related to Parisa’s acrophobia (fear of heights), so he tells the Ruler to make the final fight take place on a monkey-bar kind of scaffold high above the ground.
(HOPE) Parisa decides that she will make her own rules instead of following the Ruler’s game. She fabricates a nine-section whip and conceals it as a decoration on the Persian Warrior mask that she plans to wear in the fight.
– Crisis.
(FEAR) Ring masters forbid Parisa from wearing the mask.
(HOPE) Parisa argues that her intention is to provide the Persian Warrior that was expected to fight in the final.
(FEAR) Head ring master confronts Parisa. She holds to her reasons.
(HOPE) Parisa gets the Ruler’s approval to wear the mask.
– Climax.
(FEAR) Parisa is in a David-Goliath fight. The massive fighter punishes her, until…
(HOPE) Parisa decides to play under her own rules. She detaches the nine-section whip from the mask and hurts Shahnaz’s right arm.
(FEAR) They climb up the scaffold. Parisa’s anxiety is about to get triggered by the height, but she avoids looking down. (PAYOFF) The inner voices whisper: “Higher, higher” like in the opening scene when she adjusted the treadmill controls.
(HOPE) Shahnaz is at a disadvantage with only one arm to hang on to the frame. Parisa manages to apply an arm bar with triangle pressing the giant’s neck veins. Shahnaz does not concede. The pressure on his neck sends him to sleep.
(FEAR) The two fall off from the scaffold and perish. Parisa goes through a supernatural experience where she makes amends with her sister and Sandy.
(HOPE) Maroon Cloak decides to give the antidote to Bahadur, who…
(FEAR) Helplessly holds to Parisa’s lifeless body and does not let go.
(HOPE) Right then, a rescue team attacks the underground camp and defeats the Ruler. Philip’s massage went out. They take Parisa and Bahadur away on an air ambulance.
(FEAR) Bahadur leaves the antidote behind.
(HOPE) Timely medical attention saves Parisa’s life. Bahadur recovers his desire to live. Tells the rescue team where he left the antidote. A jet board is dispatched to retrieve it.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Parisa rescued her boyfriend and more than a fighter, she becomes a fearless warrior.
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DOWN ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act.
UP: Parisa, Bahadur and Philip realize that the Ruler won’t let them go even if they won the tournament, or even if they gave him the secret that Bahadur keeps. As they try to send a message out, Philip gets killed. When Parisa finds out that Philip had planned to slowly kill Bahadur by reducing his medication, both feel relief. One less enemy, they think.
– Twists/Crisis
Same as in UP ENDING
– Climax.
(HOPE) Right then, a rescue team attacks the underground camp and defeats the Ruler. Philip’s massage went out. They take Parisa and Bahadur away on an air ambulance.
(FEAR) Bahadur leaves the antidote behind. On the air ambulance, the medical team confirms Parisa is gone. Bahadur tells the rescue team the secret data before he dies.
– Resolution.
A waiting area at the airport. Sylvain meets with a man who covertly delivers two medals and an official letter. Coach Wang and Mestre Oliveira conduct ritualistic ceremonies. A tape falls off a picture frame. An abandoned treadmill glowing control panel fades out.
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Parisa did not rescue her boyfriend, but died with honor… not as a mere fighter, but as a real warrior.
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IRONIC ENDING
– Beginning of 3rd Act /Twists/Crisis/Climax.
Same as UP ENDING, except Parisa ends up long-term handicapped
– Resolution.
A waiting area at the airport, Sylvain meets with a man who covertly delivers two medals and an official letter. As he leaves, we finally see the face of the man. It is drunkard bet collector, FRED CORNER!
As Sylvain gets in his car and drives away, we learn that the letter details the witness protection program for Parisa and Bahadur, including an initial bank deposit and a deferred financial support plan of investments, horserace bets, lottery bills, that they must purchase at specific places and times, as these are all set to win. There’s no name on the signature. The document just reads: “Get married, have children, and live happily ever after! Merci!”
– Whether the Protagonist got their goal, need, neither, or both.
Parisa rescued her boyfriend and secured their financial future. Although she may be medical disabled, more than a fighter, she now holds the spirit of the warrior, which goes beyond physical action.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Antonio Flores.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Antonio Flores.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by
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