Day 3 Assignments

[Wendy Weising]

Subject line: Wendy Weising’s Engaging Main Characters

Lesson #3, Assignment #2

Wendy Weising

What I learned doing this assignment is that the characters will begin to tell you who they are as you think and write about them.

1. Journey:

When a loving wife and mother wakes up in a hospital bed and is told that her family doesn’t exist, she must face her fear of conflict, figure out what is really going on, and lead her small group to escape the hospital, find their families, and survive the new planet that they are now on.

2–3. Main characters that will sell your show

Jayne March

A. Role: She is a mother, wife, and patient in a hospital following an accident.

B. Unique Purpose: escaping the hospital and finding her family

Expertise: She has spent days caring for and leading her two children. She knows how to care for people who have been hurt.

C. Intrigue: Before the accident, she was never able to stand up for herself or her children—her husband always did this. She is falling in love with Dr. Zyn, who is an alien and not her husband.

D. Moral Issue: She lies, destroys property, and even kills to escape the hospital and find her family. She falls for someone who is not her husband.

E. Unpredictable: She no longer has a protector or someone who will take care of things for her. She must do things that are uncomfortable for her and the opposite of what she would normally do: stand up for herself in her belief that she has a family when the medical staff tells her she’s crazy, lead a group of friends to freedom, and hurt others if they stand between her and her friends and family.

F. Empathetic: At first, she doesn’t know how to stand up for herself. She must learn by trial and error. The hospital staff tells her that she doesn’t have family when she knows that she does. She is separated from her kids, who are in danger.

Polly Doyle

A. Role: She is a patient who also cleans at the hospital.

B. Unique Purpose: To help Jayne plan their escape and survive the hospital.

Expertise: She is extremely smart and knows every nook and cranny of the hospital. She also knows about the planet.

C. Intrigue: She was taken as a child and raised on the planet because of her intelligence. She has worked a few times for the aliens and helped them with their brain studies and surgeries to protect her own brain. She knows what is truly happening in the hospital and in the outside world but acts like she doesn’t.

D. Moral Issue: She believes in Jayne and wants to follow her out of the hospital, but to do that, she has to lie about her involvement with the aliens and what she knows.

E. Unpredictable: If she was willing to sell others out to save herself, she might do it again, even though she doesn’t want to hurt her friends. Because she is so smart, she comes up with extremely inventive ways to do things.

F. Empathetic: She has no one but herself to rely on. There aren’t any kids or a spouse for her to rescue. She was taken as a baby and raised on the planet because of her intelligence. She is extremely introverted.

Ava Grace

A. Role: She is a patient who serves food to the other patients at the hospital.

B. Unique Purpose: She wants to find her mother, so she is willing to help Jayne and the others escape from the hospital.

Expertise: She is the extrovert extraordinaire. She can make anybody like her. She is a singer and entertainer.

C. Intrigue: The aliens have not touched her brain because they love music. They are enthralled by her singing. She is addicted to a drug that she can only get at the hospital.

D. Moral Issue: She knows that if she leaves, she won’t have the drug. She tells the others that she wants to leave but doesn’t know if she can. She is stealing and hoarding it so that she will have enough to last her.

E. Unpredictable: She might be willing to stay behind or even turn her friends in for the drug. If she goes and runs out of the drug, who knows what will happen.

F. Empathetic: She is a teenager without parents. She is addicted to a drug. She sings beautiful songs.

Dr. Zyn

A. Role: An alien assigned to be a doctor at the hospital where Jayne is a patient.

B. Unique Purpose: Help Jayne escape the hospital and navigate the planet.

Expertise: Because he is one of the aliens, he knows everything—their plans, goals, empire, etc.

C. Intrigue: He is working against his fellow aliens because he does not agree with them. He is in love with Jayne.

D. Moral Issue: He must thwart the plans of his own race to save one woman and her family, which might reunite her with her husband.

E. Unpredictable: He has to act the part to fool the aliens but win the heart of Jayne. His actions will seem strange to both sides.

F. Empathetic: He is a good guy. He is willing to give up a lot for the woman he loves.

[Stuart Voytilla]

American Horror Story Engaging Main Characters

Character: Dr. Ben Harmon

A. Role in the Show

Husband/Dad moving his family into the Murder House. The previous family’s father murdered his own family, will Ben serve that same role?

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Psychiatrist, seeing young man, Tate, who may be a ghost connected to murder house.

Diamond: He wants to protect his family, but as father of the family, could be targeted by Evil to murder his own family (as Larry did to his own). He is interacting with Larry (previous father/murdered), and sleepwalking (playing with fire).

C. Intrigue: What is the secret beneath the surface?

Is he being possessed by the evil in the basement and will that lead him to murder his family?

Can he keep the murder/disappearance of Hayden secret?

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

His backstory is infidelity, affair with Hayden. He’s struggling against carnal desires (fighting Moira’s repeated seductions, and ending affair with Hayden). He’s complicit with Larry’s murder of Hayden – burying the body under gazebo – and has deeper obligation to Larry.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

His sleepwalking and mysterious jumps feed unpredictability. His sudden trip to Boston to see Hayden questions how much he will continue to hide from Vivien. He’s swayed/controlled by Constance and others connected to Murder House. We question, is Ben in control?

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

This is a challenge for me as a viewer. I care for him because of his role as husband and father – I care more for Vivien and Violet and thereby want Ben to triumph over the evil spirits that are tempting and possessing him. He’s morally broken and I want him to rise up and earn redemption.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Engaging Main Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

I had some great discoveries in this assignment, especially questioning unpredictability and exploring moral boundaries. I found great value going through the three main characters of the series (including the central antagonist/opposition). This helped me begin to see these characters, especially Trippetta, and appreciate/elevate them as main characters.

The Series Title: Poe Forevermore “Hop-Frog”

This is a seasonal anthology like American Horror Story with each season a re-imagining of one of Poe’s works. The first season is based on his dark fairy tale “Hop-Frog.”

The journey of your show:

Enslaved as the court jester, a kind-hearted dwarf transforms into merciless angel of death as he deviously exacts vengeance upon a tyrannical king and his ministers who usurped his land, massacred his family, and now abuse his secret love.

The main characters that will sell the show:

Hop-Frog:

A. Role in the Show: enslaved as the court jester serving tyrannical King Goplik

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: To turn the tables on King Goplik and his ministers and to use their horrific tactics against them to bring them down. Physically, he’s a curiosity to the King and thus given the name “hop-frog” and role as court jester.

Expertise: witty, master of creating magical theatricals/events with wondrous clockwork mechanicals

Irony: he manipulates his prey, so they use their own “swords” and sins to bring themselves down.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? He’s secretly in love with Trippetta; he deceives King Goplik and the ministers, and he manipulates them toward their own destruction. He’s a dwarf and physically disabled – when he was a boy by King Goplik’s Master of Ceremonies.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Deviously weaves his skills with the demented tactics of his prey. As he gets deeper into the heads of his targets, he becomes more dangerous.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? Hop-Frog is suddenly and tragically thrown into a subverted new world (physically and emotionally) of horrific, bloody darkness. This starkly unpredictable situation motivates unpredictable actions; however, Hop-Frog uses his skills to initially help him navigate the unpredictable situation, and then he’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? We’ve witnessed the massacre of his family, his townspeople, and enslavement of his secret love, Trippetta. Serving King Goplik, Hop-Frog is continually humiliated and ridiculed.

Trippetta:

A. Role in the Show: Enslaved as the court dancer to serve the pleasures of King Goplik and his ministers

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: To get revenge for the massacre of her betrothed and her family.

Expertise: athletic, dancer, fencer; innocence shattered, she discovers her power of seduction

Irony: she treated childhood friend Hop-Frog as a “pet” and now must trust him as her partner of vengeance.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She wants King Goplik’s head and his throne.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Like Hop-Frog, Trippetta’s innocence is shattered; however, she uses her skills initially for survival and escape. Her moral boundaries are challenged as the stakes elevate – and her journey shifts to vengeance.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? Tragically thrown into horrific, bloody darkness, she uses her skills initially to navigate the unpredictable situation, and then she’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win in Goplik’s world.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? We’ve witnessed the massacre of her betrothed, family and her townspeople. She doesn’t deserve this situation, and we care whether she’ll survive and successfully get revenge.

King Goplik of Brattvia:

A. Role in the Show: Tyrannical ruler, who terrifies and conquers through horrifying practical jokes. He’s fighting to keep the throne against an underground resistance.

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: to use his horrific practical jokes to finally bring down his rival, King Queeg of Balog, and to destroy the swelling resistance (enemies from within)

Expertise: passion for comedy and horror – especially when mixed into a delightfully demented practical joke – practical for Goplik’s gain.

Irony: he’ll seek the trust and ministerial advice from his fool

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? Goplik uses fear and terror to hide his own weaknesses. He instigated the disappearance/murder of his brother, King Raynor, in order to seduce the queen and take the throne.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Goplik rules for power and there are no moral boundaries as long as he’s not the victim. The ends justify the terrifying means. He’s most loyal to his Queen, and his son. Hurting either of them would be a moral boundary difficult to cross.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? As he’s feeling greater threats from enemies (from outside and within), and dealing with the growing complications from Hop-Frog, he becomes more desperate and more unpredictable.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? His true love for the Queen (and hatred for his older brother, King Raynor)? I’m continuing to explore the “why”. It may be connected to his passion to rule by terror, and motivations for the demented and deadly practical jokes he develops. Queen Mother issues?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Timothy Barley]

Assignment #1: Rick Grimes, The Walking Dead

A: Role in the show

Georgia sheriff’s deputy who awakens from a coma to find that zombies have taken over the world and has to lead survivors to safety

B: Unique Purpose/Expertise

Expertise: position of authority, proficient with weapons, level-headed

Purpose: to lead a group of survivors in a strange new world

C: Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Leading group of strangers, reconnecting with his wife and son, not entirely ready for the violence that is needed to survive

D: Moral issue: moral boundaries crossed

Is it okay to kill, even though they are undead? “Laying down the law” within the group of strangers, and leave to die.

E: Unpredictable: what will they do next?

How much leadership will he embrace and take over? How hard does he have to be to maintain order in this new world?

F: Empathetic: why do we care?

He is finally reunited with his family and will stop at nothing to keep them safe.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Timothy Barley.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Timothy Barley.

[Avi K]

Avi Kapurala’s Engaging Main Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is: To not get stuck in the details and to think high-level when needed.

Assignment 1: MR. ROBOT

Engaging Main Character: Elliot Alderson

A. Role in the show: A
cybersecurity firm employee with mental health issues and exceptional
coding skills. <div>

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise: Hacking
skills

C. Intrigue: What is secret
beneath the surface? He is a vigilante hacker.

D. Moral Issue: What moral
boundaries are they crossing? Hacking into people’s private lives and
information, lying.

E. Unpredictable: What will
they do next? He feels the need to protect people he cares about, or who
he thinks have suffered injustice and takes matters/retribution on their
behalf without their knowing.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Because he suffers from crippling social anxiety and loneliness.

Assignment 2:

1. Tell us the journey of your show. – A shy teenager who suffers multiple heartbreaks becomes a clever serial killer.

2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show? – Aman

3. Answer these questions for each of those characters.

A. Role in the show: A shy
teenager-turned-finance-whiz who keeps failing at finding love. </div><div>

B. Unique Purpose: To entrap
women.

Expertise : great conversationalist.

C. Intrigue: What is secret
beneath the surface? He kills women
when they reject him. </div>

D. Moral Issue: What moral
boundaries are they crossing? Murder. He kills women who he feels used him
for material benefit and then tossed him aside.

E. Unpredictable: What will
they do next? He begins to feel empowered to seek out victims.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Because he suffers from serial heartbreak in his quest for love.

[P.G. Sundling]

4. Answer the question, “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.

Each half season of the series is radically different, so it was really hard to describe the intense dynamics of exponential change.

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Watch the next episode of your Example Show to see any places the lead characters might fit this model.

Tell us the name and Engaging Profile answers for at least one character from your example show.

Lost is an ensemble show, so its characters are a bit diluted to share screen time. It’s the 3rd episode and the only thing that I’m really captivated by is the island itself. The island makes a more interesting character than the humans by far.

A. Role in the show:

Island: provide a challenge to the characters.

Kate: Help with missions for survival.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Island: expertise is adding mystery

Kate: Kate does what needs to be, even if it makes her uncomfortable.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Island: Polar bears on an island, strange transmissions, etc. We know very little, with new reveals each episode.

Kate: Why was she in jail? She seems normal.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

Kate: She was a prisoner, so she must have crossed a moral boundary to land in handcuffs.

Island: This island has been dangerous for at least 16 years.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

Island: Anything can happen on the island and we only know a little about what is going on.

Kate: She’s actually the prisoner, so what we thought we knew about her is wrong.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

Island: The island is so mysterious.

Kate: We’ve seen her deal with fear, learn a lesson from Jack, and face it.

ASSIGNMENT 2:

Now, do the process with your show.

1. Tell us the journey of your show.

When the Earth goes through a series of radical transformations, only two childhood friends can keep the world from complete destruction. Each half-season the stakes will raise exponentially, from the national level all the way to the multiverse level.

2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show?

James Wong/None of the Above(“None”) and Maria Cortez/More Jobs(“MJ”)

3. Answer these questions for each of those characters.

A. Role in the show:

None: An out-of-the-box thinker with a trainload of crazy ideas. His brain gets him in and out of trouble.

MJ: She protects None from himself and others. MJ takes over the presidency when needed.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

None: Expertise: Solving problems, although not necessarily without creating new problems.

MJ: Expertise: Uses her martial arts skills to handle danger.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

None: His insecurities around MJ drive him to be a player. He is blocking out memories. After the brain implant, he hides the entity in his head from MJ.

MJ: She hides the reason she can’t be physical with None. She keeps the secrets on the surveillance tapes from James to keep him safe. She must combat a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels. Almost no one can be trusted. She must keep the drone strike and the plane she shot down (and blamed on terrorists) secret.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

None: None. He would never break an oath or lie, regardless of the consequences, including his own death.

MJ: She shoots down a plane with Americans and does an illegal drone strike against conspirators that tried to kill None.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

None: From changing his name to None of the Above and running for president to using his brain to come up with unexpected ways to save Earth.

MJ: When she should run away, she runs into danger. Nothing is off the table against those that hurt her best friend.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

None: The assassination attempt took his beautiful mind, leaving him a broken man.

MJ: She’s traumatized by the White House attacks and must regain her footing.