Day 5 Assignment

[June f]

june Fortunato

Member

February 8, 2022 at 8:08 pm

June Fortunato’s Basic Structure

What I learned is: This is a wonderful way to get to the key revelations and turning points while developing a story.

Logline (ish) When crazyass Roy almost dies in a self-inflicted car crash, he knows that he can’t keep going like this- he has to stop moving from mooch to mooch and find a permanent situation to collect his SSI- until he meets an eccentric woman who speaks very loudly! to herself! an dwho plays the same mooch and dash game. For the first time in his life, he’s happy. So is she. They crash crazy places together and have a blast. He’s never had so much fun. But he’s tired. He’s got to change and she refuses to stop running. Now he’s in love with her, and he even wants to take care of her- Roy has to leave this woman or run with her until he collapses. In retirement, one just wants it to be easier, but Roy doesn’t want to go it alone anymore, either.

Inciting Incident

When Roy deliberately crashes a car he almost dies, and wakes up in the midst of getting last rites. He goes to court and learns that he’s owed a lot of money- from SSI, Veteran’s benes and even a medal of honor- but he hasn’t had an address or even technology to collect. It’s essential to get a permanent location, so that he can get his money and doesn’t have to scrounge anymore. And there’s a time limit- the claim is in progress.

Page 10

Roy has to change his life. Now he knows, but he’s still looking for the perfect pad- still wandering, and it seems like he’ll never get this dream before the clock runs out.

First turn end of act 1

Roy meets Kim and the two have a hellofa blast because she does what he does and now he has someone to do it with.

Mid act 2

Roy and Kim are having beautiful times, but he can’t convince her to get a retirement place and stop running- and he can’t do this anymore. He needs an address, he needs his money from SSI and the veterans. Now he’s torn between being without her, which brings him much joy for the first time in his life, and resting – which he must do because he’s broken and can’t go on with the lifestyle. he can’t figure it out with her, and he can’t figure it out without her anymore. It’s the first time in his life that he has to dump someone instead of being dumped. It feels shit.

Second turning point end of Act 2

Roy longs for Kim. When he runs into her in a hidey place, he’s overjoyed. They have another great escapade, but she decides to give him a break and leaves before he wakes. Now his heart is broken all over again. What is his revelation? That secretly, he knows that she can’t do it without him anymore, either.

Crisis

Roy finds himself contemplating suicide in “their place” a cliff where they dreamed of having a place. But when he gets there, Kim is there, too. Should they jump off together, like Thelma and Louise? Like they talked about when ‘life would become too much” But seeing her, he knows there can be a way. He says, “Let’s have a life together, for whatever is left. I have a plan.”

Resolution

So what does Roy have to change to achieve his NEW goal- of having her AND a permanent residence? He has to guarantee that her life will be as exciting as it is right now, but slower, and not as difficult. The answer lies in what does she love? A scam. A sneak. She thrives on this. He decides to sneakily pay for high end restaurant dinners ahead of time, and make her think that they’re skipping the bill. He can do that with everything, too- groceries, flowers- even travel and car rentals. They get a permanent pad first as a trusted housesitter, and then , when the owner goes into a nursing home- they get to stay.

[Matthew Iott]

What I learned doing this assignment is that…This is hard. I learned that the initial seed idea can quickly collapse under the weight of structure and can be frustrating to work through. Every writer I know has talked about how tough Act 2 is. This is building the foundation, the proverbial “ditch digging” and I know without it, I won’t have much of story no matter how excited I was about the original idea.

Logline – Life is complicated and nothing is easy, most especially finding out who you really are and what you really want. But once it’s in front of you and within reach, there’s no going back.

9 Beat Structure

1. Opening

A beeping alarm clock reveals Katie, clearly already up for hours. From there we see her get her son ready for school all the while taking calls and answering texts about the restaurant and the new menu she’s going to present for the first time. Stress and anxiety levels are high.

2. Inciting Incident

Thinking he’s in New York on business, Katie is unpleasantly surprised to see her father enter just as service is getting started. After seeing that Katie has completely altered his menu, he goes ballistic, ending in Katie quitting/being fired in front of her entire staff. She leaves, mortified and humiliated.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

Amid the challenges of raising a child and at her lowest point in her career, we watch to see if Katie can find herself and emerge with renewed confidence and a brighter more accomplished future.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

She meets Eamon.

5. Mid-Point

By chance, Katie comes across a broken down coffee shop that still has a workable kitchen and with a lot of work and elbow grease, it could become the restaurant that Katie always dreamed of having. Pouring her life’s savings into it along with running a few credit cards, Katie is reinvigorated. For the first time in a long while she remembers why she wanted to be a chef in the first place.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

Just as Katie’s new restaurant is getting going, there’s an electrical fire that nearly destroys everything except for Eamon’s actions that save it from total disaster.

7. Crisis

Katie’s father ends up in the hospital from a heart attack and in the ensuing scene, she finds out that he’s on the verge of losing everything. He asks her to come back and work for him and she must choose between going backward or forward.

8. Climax

Knowing she has to go her own way, Katie turns down her father’s request and she sets out to do all she can to win the James Beard Award, pitting herself against the Sous Chef who her father has put in charge and who has ambitions of his own.

9. Resolution

Things don’t go as Katie hoped but she realizes that she’s okay with that and in the end her relationship with Eamon offers her a chance to profoundly change her life forever.

[Kate Hawkes]

KATE’S BASIC STRUCTURE

What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that once I get myself focused with a good cheat-sheet with blank spaces beneath each beat, a willingness to let go and not get too detailed, then it starts to flow. Got a bit hung up on ‘Is this right?’ I read and reread the examples ‘til my head was spinning, and then shouted, ‘Oh darn it – just gonna jump in.’ There are surely some holes but at least now there is something to see the holes in.

LOGLINE: A young actress joins forces with a poor rural community to con and expose the greedy developer in their midst who is also her long absent father, setting herself and others free.

1) OPENING SCENE

A desperate crowd at a town meeting, led by Mayor Luciana, discuss how to stay solvent and bemoan the greed of Darrogh. At the same time, a tour bus of actors arriving on the edge of the town, are setting up their campsite, preparing for their play this weekend. Nia falls in love with the beauty of the land and muses to her friends on perhaps staying on there after the tour ends.

2) INCITING INCIDENT

Nia meets Darrogh and finds out he is her long-lost father whom she has idolized. He welcomes her into his palatial home, which means she has to turn away from the locals she had begun to know, especially Luciana, but having a relationship with her father means more to her than anything.

3) BY PAGE 10

Luciana confronts Nia and tells her the truth about Darrogh and how he cheated her family out of the ranch and has affected the entire community. Nia says she believes she can best help by staying with him and that she can turn him around.

4) FIRST TURNING POINT AT THE END OF ACT ONE

Luciana presents a letter from Darrogh at a town meeting in which he announces he is going to develop a massive landfill on the ranch he ‘bought’ from her family and offering to buy out the other little farms in the area but people have to decide in the next week then the offer is off the table. It will mean the end of their small community but they need the money. Nia, secretly at the back of room, is appalled.

5) MID-POINT

Nia tries to talk with her father and sees a nasty side of him. Luciana reveals to Nia that she knew her Mother. A small group of towns people decide to set up a ‘sting’ company purportedly to manage and expand the landfill. Nia suggests that some of her theatre friends pose as ‘the businessmen’ but she will stay in her father’s house to keep an eye on him and is still hopeful he’ll change.

6) SECOND TURNING POINT AT END OF ACT TWO

Darrogh delays signing with the ‘company’ saying he will do it himself and doesn’t need them yet – maybe later in the process. He realizes that Nia is hanging out with Luciana and kicks her out of the house. The surveyors and bulldozers arrive. The ‘company’ makes one more offer, adding that the farms he wanted have agreed to join the deal, thus increasing the potential return on his investment.

7) CRISIS

Darrogh says he will sign the deal with the ‘company’ if the community agree to name the new landfill after him. Nia has to choose between the father she hoped for and the community whose values she shares. She agrees with Luciana that Darrogh be publicly exposed so with her troupe she creates a ‘play’ to which Darrogh is invited on the pretext of gratitude from the community but will really play out the story so he sees the truth.

8) CLIMAX

Performed outdoors at the very hillside where Nia first fell in love with the land and where the landfill was to have begun, with the ‘dozers under the stage lights, Darrogh sees the con revealed after it is too late to back out. He has lost most of his money, all his land and house through the deal he agreed to. From the stage Nia calls him out for the father and person he has been and is.

9) RESOLUTION

The community has their land back and the money to develop a back-to-nature retreat center for future sustainability. Darrogh pleads with Nia to forgive him and take him in. She tells him he must depend on this community because she is going on with her life, free of his shadow and independent. Luciana quietly tells Nia she will find him a place at the ranch she has got back. Nia leaves on the tour bus with the theatre troupe as she had arrived.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by  Kate Hawkes.

[Cameron Martin]

Cameron Martin’s Basic Structure!

What I learned doing this assignment is…this is my favorite part of outlining. I’ve read and applied a number of different outlining models over the years (Snyder’s, Truby’s, Harmon’s, McKee’s, Vogler’s and recently ScreenwritingU’s). A number of the steps from previous assignments help prioritize certain aspects of the story I want to tell, but this is where everything comes into focus. Answering the questions took me in a direction I was really excited about with my concept for “Grand Theft Road Trip.” Meanwhile, “Old Testament Band” needs a lot of work, but it’s getting closer to where it needs to be for it to be a satisfying story for most audiences.

I’ve also discovered how helpful reading everyone else’s assignments can be. Doing a quick edit and post the next day can fix a number of problems, but following up with your work after reading everyone else’s posts reveals so much more. You get to learn other people’s perspective with the lesson. Also, by the time you finish reading 15+ outlines from others, you can’t help but look at your own with a fresh perspective. You catch more of what you’re looking for in a story (what you’re diamonds and talents probably are) and have a chance to elevate them further.

OPEN WIDE

Logline: When a government agent accidentally creates a breach in their designated bunker, she must help save the lives she’s put in danger of both the hostile aliens and the inbound target bomb on their complex.

1. (Active) Opening – A Grandmother wakes up to an alarm warning residents of an alien outbreak. She and the rest of the residents take refuge in a bunker, but one of the residents with them is infected.

2. Inciting Incident – The grandmother pulls out a handcrafted pistol and kills the infected before it has a chance to kill her, but by doing so creates a breach. Now when the site is bombed, the chemicals will penetrate into the bunker and wipe out the remaining survivors.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. – The grandmother reveals her true identity as a spy for the Hegemony, sent to cover up the source of the alien outbreaks. Now, she is directly responsible for saving the residents her actions have put in harm’s way.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1 – The initial plan to seal the breach fails. Now, the survivors have no choice but to escape from the bunker.

5. Mid-Point – The resident pacifist that has refused to take part in any previous action reveals herself to be a former Super Soldier, when she takes out several of the aliens. (The residents have a fighting chance).

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 – On the way out of the doomed complex, the Grandmother and several others are gassed and rendered unconscious.

7. Crisis – The Smuggler reveals himself as a loyalist to the Hegemony, using his reputation as a means of capturing dissenters. He manipulates the pacifist super soldier’s programming to kill the other residents one by one.

8. Climax – The grandmother spy, who is good at her job, releases the trap she’s set earlier and kills the Smuggler. She’s able to save the pacifist and another resident, but the rest of the community has perished.

9. Resolution – The grandmother is able to lead the two other survivors out of the doomed building and onto an escape ship to get off world, moments before the complex is bombed.

POSSESSING EDEN

Logline: An android in search of redemption for a murder she committed is tested by a copy of herself that represents her own guilt, and she must either kill that side of herself or become one with it.

1. (Active) Opening – Janus (protagonist) saves a helpless boy from a raging robot at the intersection of the upper floors of a massive nine story building and the underworld. (Explaining the rules of the world through action).

2. Inciting Incident – Janus creates a copy of herself, but, unknown to her, in doing so also kills the person whose body was needed to create the copy.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. – Janus, with the help of her Copy, will steal her creator’s (Adam/Antagonist) code that allowed her to be made, and venture into the underworld to use that code in order to resurrect her victim.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1 – Janus abandons the upper floors and descends into the underworld, against Adam’s wishes. Adam casts her as a fallen angel to his followers and vows to eliminate her. She is subsequently captured by forces from the underworld.

5. Mid-Point – Janus rescues a guide (Calvex) to the underworld from an execution/gladiator pit that they both escape from.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 – Janus’ Copy attacks her and tries to kill her after being promised a place in the upper floors if she renders justice against her counterpart. Janus is able to heal her guilt and merge with her Copy.

7. Crisis – In the preceding action, Calvex sacrificed himself for Janus and died. Janus uploads him through the Afterlife Protocol, but Adam vows to “do what gods do.”

8. Climax – Janus, with the help of the underworld, returns to the upper floors and defeats Adam.

9. Resolution – The residents of the high rise are free to explore a world that’s much bigger than anything they imagined.

GRAND THEFT ROAD TRIP

Logline: A driving instructor finds out her son commits grand theft auto on a regular basis during a defensive driving course where her son is behind the wheel and the cops are on their tail. As her son’s hostage, the two now have to mend the relationship that was broken.

Note: Playing with both genders, since the story doesn’t yet require anything specific. Saying “I have a female Baby Driver” may or may not be a quality pitch, depending on whom I talk to.

1. (Active) Opening – The Kid breaks into a Maserati and takes it on a joyride, evading cops along the way, before leaving it and successfully sneaking into her parent’s out. (This one action will have consequences for the rest of the protagonist’s life/story. Analogy 101).

2. Inciting Incident – A cop is able to identify the Kid while she’s on a defensive driving course with her father, and attempts to pull the two over.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. – The Kid slams the gas and takes her dad for the ride of his life as she successfully evades law enforcement. Now the dad is left wondering what happened to his daughter, and how does he get her back.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1 – The dad has a choice: turn his daughter in, or try to mend the relationship that was lost. He chooses to go with his daughter, instead of turning her into the cops.

5. Mid-Point – Turns out the Maserati the Kid stole belonged to a drug lord, and he put a hit on the Kid. Now the Kid sees her actions have consequences that affect her family.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 – The dad is shot in the crossfire between cops and the cartel.

7. Crisis – The Kid gets herself and her dad out okay, but her dad’s bleeding out.

8. Climax – After watching her father die, the Kid turns herself in, but on the condition that she help take down the drug lord.

9. Resolution – The Kid avenges her father and goes to prison. She sets up a memorial to her father and dedicates her life and love of cars to his memory.

OLD TESTAMENT BAND

Logline: A Christian Rock band snaps and goes full “Old Testament” on the criminal underworld when their founding member is killed by a loan shark.

1. (Active) Opening – Someone is offering a confession to a priest. Flashback to…the band playing a number (“Lizard Brain” – Similar in tone to “Deeds” by Sanctus Real) at a local convention. They’re good, but are still trying to make it big.

2. Inciting Incident – They’re offered a loan that’ll allow them to get past their initial hurdle and make a living off of performing. Most of the band ignores the deal, recognizing it for what it is, but the band’s founding member accepts, not seeing any other way for the band to achieve their goals.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. – What will the consequences be for the band and it’s founding member?

4. First turning point at end of Act 1 – The band plays another number (“Hollow Deal” – Similar in tone to “Shadows” or “Perfect Life” by Red), this time in front of thousands, and their album is a top seller.

5. Mid-Point – The man who offered the loan comes to collect, but the band refuses to pay him back. The founding member tries to resolve tensions, but when the rest of the band arrive to stop him, the loan shark kills the band’s founding member and puts a bounty on the remaining band members.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 – The band is left with nothing after going through the normal channels and losing the admiration from fans when the secret’s out. When the cops are bought off and no justice will be served for their friend, the band is forced to answer the question, “Turn the other cheek” or self-defense/vengeance.

7. Crisis – The band plays one more number (“Pleasant Dream” – Similar in tone to “Not Ready to Die” by Demon Hunter) to trap their pursuers, including the loan shark and crooked cops. It works, but traps a number of bystanders in the crossfire.

8. Climax – The loan shark is left with nowhere to run, his criminal organization collapsed, as the last surviving band member render’s justice.

9. Resolution – The last surviving band member finishes his confession that was started at the beginning of the movie.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by  Cameron Martin. Reason: Adding additional context and ideas from earlier

[Dev Ross]

What I learned from this lesson is that my antagonist is who really drives this story. I’m in total new territory here as I tell the story from a White Supremacist’s pov. Not sure how to tell it but I’m finding my way…

Outshined by the latest hate groups, a fading KKK Grand Dragon plots the murder of a black leader, but when he wakes the next morning, he is that black leader who is suddenly struck with a plan to murder the Grand Dragon.

OPENING: Under a threatening sky, a large White Supremacist gathering takes place. Grand Dragon JACOB CAINE is slated to speak. He tosses off what he feels must be imagined slights from the organizers but then he’s literally booed off stage as a White Supremacist in Name Only — a SINO. Crowd wants to hear from the other, newer, sexier leaders of the movement.

INCITING INCIDENT: His eighteen-year- old daughter informs she’s pregnant with boyfriend’s child. They’re keeping it. Getting married. Her future husband is black. Despite the pleas of his wife, Caine disowns his daughter and kicks her out. Moments later, there is a slight earthquake. Caine thinks God’s warning him to set things right.

Page 10: Cross burning on his lawn! Word has gotten out about his daughter. How can he lead if he can’t even control his kid? Followers demand he step down as Grand Dragon. He’s got to re-establish his power! But how?

First Turning point, End Act 1: The skies continue to roil. Jacob plans to assassinate JACKSON ABLE, black community leader. He cleans his rifle then goes to sleep next to his wife. The earth rumbles outside. Wakes up as Jackson Able, next to his black wife. But as he fully awakes, his thought being someone else fade like a dream you had and can’t remember. Now all he knows is Jackson. And Jackson is struck with the driving need to kill the Grand Dragon.

Mid. Pt: Having failed to assassinate Jackson, who always seems to be one step ahead of him, Jacob’s obsession grows to the point of accusing his wife of warning the man. In an Iago-esque moment, he even accuses her of having an affair with him. She packs up, leaves.

Second Turning point at end of Act II: Because of his growing paranoid behavior, Jackson’s wife insists he get help, or she will take their son and leaving.

Crisis: Jackson is driving to a therapy session when he sees his same make and color of car drive past with Jacob driving. Car chase ensues.

Climax: The men end up in an old cotton processing plant. The weather is threatening. It’s a cat and mouse chase. Bullets ricochet and both are hit. Dying, they both try to drag themselves out of the plant. Both end face down in water. They lift their heads to see each other’s in reflection in the water. Thunder and rain cease after they both die.

Resolution: The world looks different. Jacob’s daughter and husband stroll their baby past black and white townspeople who wave and greet them.

[Michael Katz]

Michael Katz Basic Structure

What I learned: Though there are many decent theories of structure, a new writer trying to get read and sell a script maximizes their chance of success by using the most-used, tried and true 9-beat structure.

ASSIGNMENT — Present MEGALOMANIAC using the 9-beat structure

CONCEPT: Think James Bond villain…the entire movie from the villain’s POV, and it’s his complete story, from origin story to tragedy, so in addition to his initial victimhood and need for vindication, we’re seeing his growth to tycoon, evolution to villain, and descent into megalomania…and planetary annihilation.

1. OPENING — Young boy Traeger in his backyard using a magnifying glass and tweezer pulls a splinter out of his thankful cat’s paw, he notices sunlight concentrating through the lens, and with solar ignition fries an ant crawling on the back of his hand

2. THE INCITING INCIDENT — In front of media at a small-scale pilot plant, Traeger reveals his revolutionary sun harnessing breakthrough battery receptacle, but a foreign spy sabotages the demonstration, killing several and injuring Traeger

3. BY PAGE 10, WE KNOW WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT — Traeger suspects industrial espionage and government conspiracy as he is arrested and his equipment confiscated, and he vows to gain enough power to force entrenched interests into submission so he can implement his technology and achieve vindication

4. FIRST TURNING POINT AT THE END OF ACT ONE — An American actress/environmental activist/influencer Imelyna who had attended Traeger’s demonstration believes in Traeger and his ability to end global warming, and she orchestrates his release from jail, and he decides to accept her invitation to relocate and pursue his technology with her backing

5. MID-POINT — Traeger’s hugely successful business has made him a tycoon, but the government keeps throwing obstacles at him to stall his progress blocking all normal commercial business avenues to build out his technology, so a frustrated Traeger realizes that doing things legally isn’t going to achieve success, so he decides to pursue the same goal in a new way…as a villain, and he uses criminal enterprise to continue his mission

6. SECOND TURNING POINT AT END OF ACT TWO — Derek the spy completely destroys Traeger’s lair, his masterplan is a failure as the control room is inoperable and he is unable to communicate/control his solar technology SunBolt in space, it looks like all hope is lost, Traeger descends into megalomania as he lays injured and trapped under debris

7. CRISIS — Imelyna finds Traeger, he forgives her for betraying him and their cause, he apologizes for failing, she says it’s not too late and gets an idea that he take the rocket to the space station where he can operate SunBolt and prove once and for all that his technology works, she frees him and gives him the codes, Derek the spy enters and Traeger shoots/wounds Imelyna to distract Derek so he can escape

8. CLIMAX — In the space station Traeger demonstrates SunBolt, and POTUS congratulate him for saving the world from global warming, Traeger is pulled out of his delusion by radar alerts of launching nuclear missiles, POTUS is actually berating Traeger for putting a hole a mile deep into the ground, Traeger accuses POTUS of having the spy sabotage the battery receptacle just like he did a decade before, POTUS admits responsibility, louder proximity alerts, Traeger adjusts SunBolt to create a wide beam that burns the incoming missile guidance systems rendering them aimless, Traeger is overcome with self-righteous indignation and turns SunBolt into a weapon of mass destruction and blasts the white house ending the call, then he completely annihilates earth

9. RESOLUTION — Realizing the ramifications, “I’m not the last man on earth. I’m god.”, Traeger alternates between maniacal laughter and crying, then silence, then he blasts the moon to smithereens, “Fuck it.”

[Lisa Paris Long]

[PS81] Day 5: Intro to Basic Structure

Lisa Long’s Basic Structure

What I learned from doing this assignment is…that having changed part of the story, I still need to flush out some parts of it. And being brief is difficult.

Concept: (a slight change was made)

When Santa is kidnapped and ends up in Seneca Falls, NY, a super mom must save him, and the annual It’s a Wonderful Life festival.

Opening: Mary saves a man from drowning, shows us that she is a busy mom of two daughters and a miniature dachshund. She is organizing the annual It’s a Wonderful Life festival. Also, Mary works at the local winery with her boss, Joe. We feel the physical tension between them. Mary’s ex-husband is out of regular work as a snowmobile repair man because it hasn’t snowed in 3 years.

Inciting Incident: Mary backs away from playing “Mary Bailey” this year. Mary’s children having trouble watching the NORAD site where Santa’s movements are tracked leading up to Christmas. Santa is gone! Two men have kidnapped Santa at the north pole and are heading for Seneca Falls, NY and the IAWL festival.

By page 10, you know what the movie is about: The audience knows that Mary is a bad ass volunteer firefighter. They know that she is torn between two loves. The audience knows that Santa is missing at the same time the town gets ready for the IAWL festival.

Turning point at end of Act 1: Mary has seen the suspicious men who have kidnapped Santa, but she’s still putting it together.

Mid-Point: Mary and her ex, co-parent. Mary has a bad feeling about the strange men and follows them but loses them.

Turning point at end of Act 2: Mary tracks the suspicious men and finds out that they are holed up in her ex’s snowmobile shop. She tries to contact NORAD but can’t get through to them. She goes to the police station, but the police don’t believe that someone has kidnapped Santa and they laugh at her.

Climax: Mary, dressed as Santa, trades places with the real Santa and thwarts the bad guys with the help of her friends and family.

Resolution: The bad guys are arrested. Santa climbs up on the firetruck and joins the parade. Later that night, Mary chooses her man.

Thank you,

L.Long

[Arthur Anderson]

[PS81] Arthur Anderson’s Basic Structure

What I learned doing this assignment:

Like charting out a trip on a map to a location you have never been to, outlining your film makes sure you arrive at the correct destination.

BLACKOUT
SOLAR STORM

Logline:

When a coronal mass ejection (CMJ) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CMJ just days away.

1. Opening

Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International
Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.

2. Inciting Incident

NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CMJ hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CMJ is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CMJ heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CMJ damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.

5. Mid-Point

With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CMJ is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CMJ strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CMJ.

7. Crisis

The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.

8. Climax

The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CMJ is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CMJ slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by the earth.

9. Resolution

A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.

[Alice Eden]

Alice’s Basic Structure

What I’ve learned doing this assignment is I like to play with structure, but midpoint still is vague to pinpoint!

In time of Separation, an artificial death protecting Advanced West society of Planet MIROPOLIS, workers of Research Institute get massacred, to create “new weapon”, interests clash, judge sentences wrongdoer at scandalous process, Separates, his subtle image reflected on video, his advice to filter people and expel outcastes is taken into practice…

1. Opening

Representation of how SEPARATION works. Life moves on another rails. “What new qualities did you acquire?” “I can move walls apart!”

2. Inciting Incident

On a flight back home from resort area.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

This is going to be on the ground of Research Institute, where Anaupsh massacres its workers. But that’s also at another planet, named MIROPOLIS, and has to do with advanced science and discrimination of castes.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

His girlfriend is missing amid lab personnel. “ Where is Kiat?”

5. Mid-Point

Protagonist get contacted by secret service officer after his journalist brother streams confusing news to illustrate the case.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

Protagonist gets massacred, officers who contacted him shot.

7. Crisis

Anaupsh presents her work at symposium.

8. Climax

Scandalous process. Judge gives a speech and separates right at the court.

9. Resolution

Upstart with residences for outcastes.

…after reservations for outcastes are created, trained WARDS are to bring qualified back to society,

Born in reservation, AKATA witnesses her Ward’s death, runaways, gets escorted by high rang military, becomes his lover, as anyone around undergo danger of being marked as “outcastes”.

Runaway

1. Opening

Destruction of Black Archipelago by atomic weapon.

2. Inciting Incident

Ward choses residence to be dispatched to.

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

MIROPOLIS seventy years after they started with zones.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

Ward meets Akata.

5. Mid-Point

He hides Akata in his apartment behind locked doors.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

Ward is shot down.

7. Crisis

Akata burns her stepmother who came back to kill her with acid from the barrel.

8. Climax

Akata deposits report, fights her way via girl, picks up a gun, and deceives helicopter pilot.

9. Resolution

Akata is picked up by high rang military.

Akata outside of reservation

Akata communicates with young high rang military who picked her up at his last gig of technology station.

He brings her to hotel room, where they have sex.

Two officers come to expose him.

He tries to make phone call downstairs, but receives a blow.

He awakes at the hospital, where they finish up locking doors, till military dispatch comes. Main officer freaks out and gets tied up. One of young militay starts giving orders, but reports they are in a siege. Finally they get rescued by regiment he requested by phone.

As he discovers that Akata, now married to him, went pregnant, they get blamed he abuses her, at their stay at another hotel. Military come, main officer freaks out and gets tied up. One of the boys starts giving orders. They search hotel rooms, discover dead body of ten years old, daughter of hotel owner, who goes mad. Psychologist comes and they all exchange contacts.

Boy matures, and gets ward training. As he is inside of reservation, he holds not from shooting to bring young couple outside. They themselves report how brave he went. He faces tribunal, with Son of Main Commander and Psychologist also present. They officially sentence him to death, but in reality would let him come back to reservation, now forever.

Son of Main Commander separates.

[Antonio]

[PS81] Antonio Flores’ Basic Structure

What I’ve learned:

That it is OK to use other structures, approaches in constructing my narrative. The Mini Movie Method (MMM) I learned in ScreenwritingU courses has proved to me one of the easiest to understand. But the idea of ongoing renewal, trying, testing new ideas, models, approaches; keeps me intrigued, engaged.

The stress on the three-act structure refers me back to the idea of the macro and micro — that similar to the three-act structure, every scene, every mini-movie segment has its own three-act structure.

ASSIGNMENT

———————

Create a structure for your story.

1. Tell us your concept in a logline.

A cheerleader-made-MMA-contender fights to find her runaway fiancé, an MMA prizefighter who, unbeknownst to her, hides a weapon of mass destruction, was poisoned, and must battle for the antidote in an underground octagon.

2. Present your story, showing each part of the 9-beat structure:

1. Opening

A woman gets up on a treadmill. She places her cellphone on the accessory tray and plays loud music into her wireless earphones.

Somewhere else, a manager helps his dazed MMA fighter to step in the octagon cage. A massive opponent is waiting for him. The crowd roars at the sight of the David-Goliath challenge about to start off.

Disoriented, the fighter catches the sight of a man standing on the opponent’s corner. Face veiled by the hood of his tunic, he holds up a knife. The blade, like a scale reaching the boiling point, progressively changes color — and so it does the wound on the fighter’s arm.

2. Inciting Incident

The woman abruptly stops the treadmill. The preview of a text message displays on her cellphone screen: “HE’S GONE”. Taken aback, she waits a moment, wipes her tears and replies: “HELP ME. I WILL FIND HIM.”

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

The manager of the MMA fighter introduces the woman to a group of open-mouthed ring masters who can’t stop looking at her with both, lust and disbelief. When they agree to give her a try, she steps into the octagon and shows them that the cartwheels, backflips and high kicks of a cheerleader can make a spectacular mix with the “mixed” MA.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

Every night, the woman looks for her fiancé in every corner of the underground octagon, just to bump into a female rival who advises her not to dream on becoming a champion, or else, they will meet at the top, where only one of them can stand.

5. Mid-Point

She follows the man who run away with her fiancé. As she confronts him, a gang attacks them and then, a second gang attacks her and the first gang.

The man runs away, the first gang fold back. She is confronted by the second gang. They give her a package and instruct her: In case you found him, this is not the antidote — but it will keep him alive.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

After the underground octagon wraps up for the night, she remains hidden in the facility. Her fiancé and the man who run away with him come out from somewhere. This is a rescue, she thinks, and follows them. Ambushed by the first gang from the other night, she intervenes. Outnumbered, they are taken prisoners. Now she discovers the truth about the breaking up and the identity of the man who run away with her fiancé.

7. Crisis

After several attempts to escape have failed, now they know that sometimes, to escape, one must stop running. The only way out is going through hell.

They are transported to somewhere in the middle of the desert. A deadly tournament will take place in there. The prize is the antidote to neutralize her fiancé’s poisoning. The cheerleader develops her MA skills under the coaching of her fiancé. They manage to send a message out.

8. Climax

The Tournament. The woman’s fiancé is too weak to fight for the antidote, so she takes his place. She wins over the female rival and, against the odds, defeats the Goliath-like fighter, but she is badly beaten. She collapses. It seems the end for her. Armed forces arrive and take control of the situation. A hand urges for paramedics to help her. Chaos.

9. Resolution

Young cheerleaders rehearse. Loud electronic music. Drumming beats and string riffs. A wheelchair quietly rolls into the gym. The girls swarm around their old coach. She is still bruised, but recovering. She explains that to cheer means to encourage, to do something the frightens you. Cheerleaders help others to conquer their fears, but they must first conquer their own. Young girls ask her: “Have you conquered yours?” “Wait — was it scary?”

[Dana Abbott]

Dana’s Basic Structure

What I learned from this assignment:

By putting the story together in a 9-point beat outline, it helped me envision the whole story from beginning to end. I can now see the beats in my story and how it should unfold as I begin to write.

Opening:

In traffic, heading to work, Ellen (last name) receives a call from her husband telling her that his car won’t start, and that he’s using Uber to drop their children off at school late before heading work.

At work, she has a meeting with her station manager and producer. They discuss how to get her rating up coming into ratings week. She professes ratings are secondary to helping her patients.

Inciting Incident:

Dr. Ellen receives a call on air from a patient suffering from multiple personality disorder who tells her that his violent personality has kidnapped her family and is threatening to kill them.

By page 10, you know what the movie is about:

Believing the call is a crank, Dr. Ellen calls her husband to confirm her family’s safety, but his phone goes to voicemail. Her children also have not arrived at school yet. Concerned, but not panicked, the station calls the police.

First turning point at end of Act 1:

The patient calls back and puts her husband on the call. He confirms that he and their daughters have been kidnapped.

Mid-Point:

Unable to talk her patient down on air, the violent personality forces her to choose one member of her family to be killed. Unable to choose, she screams at him not to harm her daughters, and by default she has chosen her husband who is shot on air.

Second turning point at end of Act 2:

To save her daughters, and with the police unable to find the man, Dr. Ellen decides to extract the patient’s suppressed, manic-depressive personality and manipulate him to save her daughters.

Crisis:

Having successfully drawn the manic-depressive personality from her patient, she manipulates him to commit suicide to save her daughters, only for his violent personality to reemerge.

Climax:

She pits the two personalities against each other, pushing the patient to kill himself before his violent side can killer one of her daughters. The gun goes off. Nothing is known…until the cops kick the door and find the man dead. Her daughters are saved.

Resolution:

The detective who managed the investigation from the radio station, puts Dr. Ellen in the back of a car to take her to her daughters. They wave goodbye to each other. It’s over.

Back at the station house, the detective receives a phone call from a physician at a psych hospital. He informs the detective that the patient was being held for observation and was had only released that morning. The detective realizes there had to be someone else involved.

Aerial shot over the city. Another radio show is talking about Dr. Ellen’s nightmare when the host receives a call. It’s Dr. Ellen’s patient who said, “Love your show. Long time listener. First time caller.”

End.

[Matthew Frendo]

What I learned doing this assignment was how to create a basic outline for a script. I learned what type of events should go where in that outline as well.

1. Opening Host gives intro into the event and the people who were chosen, including a girl no one ever heard of named Alicia.
2. Inciting Incident. The prisoners’ loved ones are kept in a cage with a bomb…and if they don’t go through the challenges quickly enough, the bomb goes off.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. First person dies horribly in event after losing their challenge, setting things in motion.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1 Realize they need to become a team to survive and start working together to get out of the challenges.
5. Mid-Point Audience starts to root for Alicia and vote for things to go her way on social media, making things easier for her to get through. Also, she realizes she was set up in there and makes deal with fellow contestant to find out who it is and get revenge; starts working against the challenges.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2. A favorite young prisoner is killed in the contest unfairly…and Alicia makes sure the audience sees it in horrifying detail.
7. Crisis. Alicia has a choice: she can save her wretched father or find out who did this to her, why they did it and get revenge.
8. Climax Alicia finds the people who put here there. She puts them all into the challenges and releases the information she unknowingly had on them and what they are doing to the world.
9. Resolution She leaves the challenges a hero.

[Nancy Kates]

Nancy Kates basic plot outline

What I learned: I’m still working on this, and feel a bit overwhelmed by the need to write the outline in detail at this early juncture. But it is helpful.

Concept: Two good friends, one lesbian, the other straight, eat magic cake and switch bodies. After a lot of conflict, they discover that they must work together in order to overcome what has happened to them.

Opening: the two women meet at a cafe. Marilyn complains about Doug, Zoe admits she likes it when her partner, Heidi, travels for business. They order fancy chocolate cake because it’s Zoe’s 46th birthday. The bill is insanely high.

Inciting incident. After leaving the cafe, there’s a “shazaam” moment, and the women switch bodies. They freak out and return to the cafe, which is now closed. They find a note: they can’t tell anyone what has happened, or the change will be permanent, and they need to figure out how to reverse it within 72 hours, or it will be permanent for that reason.

During Act 1, we learned that neither couple is having much sex. Zoe explains lesbian bed death to Marilyn.

Turn at the end of Act 1: Zoe discovers that Doug is cheating on Marilyn, and doesn’t know what to do. Marilyn discovers that she likes kissing Heidi, Zoe’s partner, and is tempted to sleep with Heidi. Marilyn loves the break she’s getting from her kids. She doesn’t want to go back, at least not yet.

Midpoint: Zoe starts to enjoy taking care of the kids, but is increasingly desperate to get back to her life. They try various things, which do not work.

Turn into Act III: Marilyn sleeps with Heidi. She’s in heaven.

Crisis: Marilyn admits that she slept with Heidi. Zoe is furious. The have a huge fight. It feels like all is lost, and they’ll never get back to their own bodies/lives.

Climax: Zoe consults a shaman, in a desperate attempt to get some answers. The shaman asks what’s she’s learned, and why she is there without her friend. Marilyn finds Zoe and begs for forgiveness. They work together to figure it out.

Resolution: they return to the cafe, which has been closed in prior visits. The clock is running out. They confront the barista who sold them the magic cake, who defends themselves…the cake merely granted a wish, in this case Marilyn’s wish to be someone else. the barista is like a couple’s counselor for the two friends. Marilyn and Zoe talk about what they’ve learned from being in the other’s life and body, and express newfound appreciation for each other. Zoe goes to the bathroom, thinking she is going to be ill, then looks in the mirror, and realizes she is back in her own skin.

Coda: Marilyn confronts Doug about his affair, then suggests she might be okay with an open relationship, as she has a newfound interest in women. Zoe goes home to Heidi and makes love passionately with her.

[anna harper]

ProSeries 81 Anna Harper Outlining

What I learned from this exercise. The format helps the script to write itself, almost. This method gave me a good starting point to know where I was going with this script. Thanks.

SILENT NIGHT

CONCEPT;/LOGLINE

It’s almost Christmas in a picture-perfect English village. a stray Newfoundland dog, Alfie who has telepathic superpowers befriends 13-year-old Dylan saving him from a series of unpleasant events, the loving relationship between Alfie and Dylan, helps Dylan to understand how his choice to be mute must change in order that Dylan has a happier life and to accept the death of his mother, saving him, just in the nick of time, from being sent away to a ‘special school, arranged by his covertly and generally evil Dad’s girlfriend, Miss Perkins, (Dylan’s grade 6 teacher), luckily Alfie saves the magic and joy of the Christmas by introducing the very lonely Steve (Dylan’s Dad) to a new love interest.

1. OPENING

ESTABLISHING, EXT. VILLAGE CHRISTMAS SCENE LANDSCAPE/.DAY

PAN EXT. VILLAGE SCHOOL/DAY.

DYLAN exits school, looking warily behind, and then starts to run.

MISS ELIZABETH PERKINS is standing on the school steps, smiling and watching as a group of boys start to pursue Dylan into the village High St.

2. INCITING INCIDENT

Terrified, Dylan hides in doorways and eventually is forced to jump into a garbage skiff at the back of the fish and chip shop.

The boys give up. Dylan emerges from under the trash; he hears noises, very scared he starts to cry, and then a dirty scruffy huge all-black Newfoundland (ALFIE) emerges with the fish and chip newspaper wrapping in his mouth. Dylan screams and cowers in fear. Alfie speaks telepathically to Dylan

3. FIRST TURNING POINT

“Shhhh or those nasty bully boys will be back”

DYLAN (internal dialogue) Who is that talking to me?”

ALFIE “It’s me, Alfie, I’m a dog with superpowers, or at least, I can talk to you. No one else can hear us OK?”

DYLAN “I must have banged my head, I’m hearing things”

“Nope, I’m Alfie, the super dog at your service. I’m starving, let’s get outta here; let’s go check out the garbage at the butcher shop, maybe we can find some juicy raw meat scraps?”

DYLAN OK I’m going to try out this stupid talking in the head thing, I know this is a trick and it won’t work. Alfie, you are the dirtiest dog I have ever seen, you stink. And you’re the size of a donkey, not a dog! Raw meat scrap sounds disgusting, I’m not going to the butcher shop!”

ALFIE You can hear me right? So it does work then, us talking in secret my mind to your mind, kinda like Startrek? I am so hungry, I feel like I’m starving, haven’t eaten in three days. Licking the fish and chip paper isn’t helping either, I need some real food before I pass out”.

DYLAN; Ok, we can go to my house. My Dad won’t be home for a while. We can check out the fridge,

EXT. DYLAN’S COTTAGE.DAY

ALFIE and DYLAN enter. The dog leaves huge dirty footprints on the floor.

DYLAN We are going to have to clean this up and clean you up too. My Dad can’t find out.

So hurry upstairs, you are going to have a bath.

ALFIE Nooo bath. I hate baths.

DYLAN; There is bacon in the fridge and a pork chop from last night, probably a sausage or two. How much do you eat anyway? Bath first, stinky Alfie.

INT. SENIORS SHOPPING BUS. DAY

The bus has some Christmas decorations, and the old people are sharing little gifts and singing Christmas carols. The bus pulls up on the decorated High Street and they all get off.

STEVE Bye my darlings, see you tomorrow. Go home and put the kettle on, put your feet up. See ya!. I’m off home early to a nice cold beer.

MIDPOINT

INT; DYLAN AND STEVE’S COTTAGE/DAY.

STEVE enters and listens to the noise of running water.

“Dylan, are you in the bathtub? It’s only 3 o clock in the afternoon! What’s going on, are you sick or something? You never have a bath at this time. What are you up to?”

Steve opens the bathroom door. Alfie is in the bathtub looking rueful, with lots of bubble bath, towels, and water everywhere.

ALFIE: ” Now what are you going to do. How are you going to explain this with your not-talking thing going on?”

DYLAN I don’t know what to do. I’ll wait and see what Dad says, and then try waving my hands around, it usually works. Though I’ve never had to explain a giant dirty dog in our bathtub before.

STEVE: What the blooming heck is all this? Who or what is that smelly animal doing in my bathtub. Dylan, for God’s sake, speak to me for once. Elizabeth Perkins is due over in an hour.

And the whole house smells like a dirty dog. Dylan throws his arms around Alfie’s neck, and he starts to act as if he were crying.

STEVE. He doesn’t have a collar on. I’ll check with the dog pound in the morning, see if anyone is looking for him. He can stay tonight, that is all though. We cannot keep a dog, Dylan. I’ll take Elizabeth out for supper instead of eating here. O.K. I’ll help clean this up.

Dylan points to his mouth, and, acts as though he is eating then points to Alfie.

STEVE: Find what you can in the kitchen for him to eat, give him a big bowl of water. Seems like a really nice dog. Someone must be missing him.

SECOND TURNING POINT END ACT 2

INT: INDIAN RESTAURANT/EVENING

MISS ELIZABETH PERKINS “Well, it’s nice to see you socially, not in my office with Dylan and with his various troubles. We can get to know each other better. And it gives me a chance to tell you something a little special. I have been working hard to find something to help Dylan out, you know with his behavior problems getting into trouble at school all the time. All of this was caused by his refusal to speak, acting mute. It is really time he gave that up. Anyway, I want to tell you all about this special school I found that helps boys and girls like Dylan. The school is located in London, it’s a boarding school.”

CRISIS

a). At Alfie’s suggestion, Dylan starts to draw pictures to explain what is happening at the school. Children being locked in the cellar, verbal intimidation, punishments.

He draws pictures of the boys beating him up, and then he draws the boys running after him and hiding in the garbage with Alfie. Dylan leaves these pictures on the kitchen table for his Dad to see.

When Steve comes home, he goes straight to bed, not seeing the pictures. He runs out of the house in the morning as he is late for his bus route. Still does not see the pictures.

b). Steve has an interview at Dylan’s school. He agrees to consider the boarding school option and takes the paperwork home. Elizabeth continues to flirt with Steve. Steve is not entirely easy with Elizabeth.s moves.

Steve calls the pound from home. No one has claimed Alfie, so he can stay for just one more night, and then he will go to the pound.

c) Dylan takes his pictures away believing that his Dad is not interested.

d). Christmas magic: Amid the sparkle of the village Christmas decorations. Steve, Dylan, and Alfie go for a walk. Dylan indicates he wants to go into the bakery. They buy gingerbread man cookies and encounter a delightful baker, Mickey; genuine, fun, she likes Alfie and gives him bakery dog biscuits. Alfie ” I like her, she would be a much better choice. Let’s see what we can do.”

e). Next day Steve has a one-way conversation, with Dylan about going to the boarding school. Dylan runs out of the house, (shock and horror.) When he arrives at the school he observes from a safe point, Elizabeth threatening a little girl (Daisy, Dylan’s friend ) and then locking her in the cellar Dylan runs away from the school and meets Alfie at home to discuss the problems. telepathically. They talk about not talking.

f). Dylan runs to his Dad’s bus. The only words he can utter is “Help Daisy”, and pulls his Dad to go to the school. Dad is shocked. He enters the school and Dylan runs to the cellar door and pounds on it; a crying Daisy is on the other side of the door. Elizabeth comes running, unlocks the door, and explains that Daisy has locked herself in the cellar. She gives Daisy a withering look (a la Cruella Deville) and Daisy acquiesces.

7. CRISIS

On the way home, Steve takes the side of Elizabeth and says they should very seriously consider the boarding school as Dylan is creating trouble and Steve cannot figure out how to help him, he is feeling at his wit’s end.

8. RESOLUTION

Alfie finds the envelope with Dylan’s pictures inside and takes them, to Steve.

Steve looks at them in disbelief and then he sees the picture of Miss Perkins(Elizabeth) standing on the school steps smiling while the boys chase Dylan. The penny drops for Steve.

Steve phones the school board, and tells his son not to worry he is not going to the boarding school, he apologizes for not understanding or believing Dylan

.

Alfie spends more time with Dylan explaining how important it was for him to speak, he saved Daisy from the cellar. He also talks to him about loving his mother and making his mother happy by talking and enjoying his life. Dylan is still silent. He draws another picture of Alfie with a big heart around Dylan and Alfie, he gives it to his Dad.

Dylan, Steve, and Alfie go shopping in the village. Dylan points and waves at the bakery.

They go in and buy all sorts of Christmas goodies. Steve seems to really see Mickey for the first time. He likes her. Alfie gets more dog cookies. Mickey is just about to close the shop and suggest they all go to the seafront cafe for hot chocolate.

Dylan holds his Dad’s hand and points to the village’s huge Christmas tree, lights sparkling snowflakes falling. Dylan speaks “Christmas magic.” F.O.

[Ramon Espinoza]

What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that when you have a great concept, the outline writes itself.

Logline- Robert, a government official, has to figure out why his daughter killed herself, first, he learns that it was due to a gossip, about her being a slut in college, and some photos running around. Then, trying to find out who leak the photos, he finds out the photos are true, and the rumors goes beyond that. His daughter was the leader of a prostitution ring on campus. She provided the service to higher government officials. Then he discovers that she did not kill herself, she was murdered. The next piece on the puzzle is that Robert finds out that her daughter discovered a conspiracy to steal pension money by members of he government. Then he finds out His best friend and daughter’s godfather, Thomas, is the leader of this conspiracy. And wants him dead too for asking too many questions. When he finds out everything, he wants vengeance and does everything in his hands to achieve this goal. Still, in the end, he finds himself between letting the crime being committed survive and letting his daughter’s reputation be clean or trashing her daughter’s reputation and dying himself by exposing the corruption.

1. Opening:

We open with a benefit dinner, attended by Robert, a government official, his college daughter; their relationship has been distant since his wife died of cancer four years ago. And his best friend and daughter’s godfather, Thomas.

2. Inciting Incident.

A day after he reconnects with his daughter, Robert finds out that she has committed suicide; when he asks why the university tells him that it is due to a rumor, and some photos circulated the university, calling her a slut..

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about:

Robert sets out to investigate the facts to clear his daughter’s name. So he sends a detective he knows very well from his days as a CIA agent.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1:

The detective investigates and finds out that his daughter did have a secret life: she was part of a group of university prostitutes who provided services to high-ranking government officials. And that she did not commit suicide, they killed her; however, the detective does not finish to inform him why he is killed.

5. Mid-Point

Robert, full of rage and thirst for revenge, now tries to find out who killed his daughter and why to unmask them and clear her name.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

Robert discovers that his daughter belonged to a prostitution network and that she was the leader of it and that his best friend and daughter’s godfather abused her since she was 14 years old. And that, in a session with an official, she discovered a conspiracy to steal workers’ pensions. She was most likely killed for it. Then Robert suffers an attack. Someone wants to kill him. And they kill the people who bring him closer to the truth. Investigating like this has become impossible.

7.Crisis

Robert realizes what this could mean for him, for his daughter’s reputation, and for the rest of his friends and family. His friend contacts him and gives him a choice, telling him that he can clean up the image of his dead daughter and stop persecuting him if he accepts a part of the pension money and stops investigating further. Or he will release the truth about his daughter, to stain more her name, and will end up killing him.

8.Climax

Robert decides to reveal everything. So he goes for the papers with his contact, but he is killed just as he hands him the papers, to which Robert has to run for his life.

9.Resolution

Robert has to get to a point where he will send things to one of his contacts, a journalist who will publish the information right then and there. Robert succeeds, but at the price of his life.

[anna harper]

Anna Harper ProSeries 81 Character Arc in Plot

What I learned from this assignment. I have a better idea of what an outline for a producer might contain. Also, it helps me see where I have to expand in the script.

SILENT NIGHT

LOGLINE Plot Selection 11 Metamorphosis

It’s Christmas in an English village; a stray Newfoundland dog, Alfie, with telepathic superpowers, befriends (a lonely, bullied mute 13-year-old Dylan), traumatized by his mother’s death, the loving relationship between the dog and Dylan, help the boy to speak again saving him from being sent away to a special school engineered by his Dad’s covertly evil girlfriend; instead, Alfie and Dylan introduce Dad, Steve to a new love interest just in time for Christmas

PLOT/SUMMARY

It’s almost Christmas in a picture-perfect English village. a stray Newfoundland dog, Alfie who has telepathic superpowers befriends 13-year-old Dylan saving him from a series of unpleasant events, the loving relationship between Alfie and Dylan, helps Dylan to understand how his choice to be mute must change in order that Dylan has a happier life and to accept the death of his mother, saving him, just in the nick of time, from being sent away to a ‘special school, arranged by his covertly and generally evil Dad’s girlfriend, Miss Perkins, (Dylan’s grade 6 teacher), luckily Alfie saves the magic and joy of the Christmas by introducing the very lonely Steve (Dylan’s Dad) to a new love interest.

Character Arc

Part to be changed; Dylan must risk breaking out of silence

Biggest fear; Breaking silence risks breaking the illusion of safety in silence and a bubble of closeness to his dead mother, whom he must let go of in order to function successfully in his life.

Completions of Arc. Alfie breaks through Dylan’s silence in an unusual way, telepathically. Gradually winning the affection and trust of the dog, Dylan risks speaking again as his silence is no longer serving him in the real world.

1. OPENING

DYLAN exits school, looking warily behind, and then starts to run.

MISS ELIZABETH PERKINS is standing on the school steps, smiling and watching as a group of boys start to pursue Dylan into the village High St.

2. INCITING INCIDENT

Terrified, Dylan hides in doorways and eventually is forced to jump into a garbage skiff at the back of the fish and chip shop.

The boys give up. Dylan emerges from under the trash; he hears noises, very scared he starts to cry, and then a dirty scruffy huge all-black Newfoundland (ALFIE) emerges with the fish and chip newspaper wrapping in his mouth. Dylan screams and cowers in fear. Alfie speaks telepathically to Dylan

3. FIRST TURNING POINT

Alfie convinces Dylan they can communicate telepathically.. In order to avoid the boys and feed a very hungry Alfie they go to Dylan’s house..

MIDPOINT

INT. DYLAN/STEVE’S COTTAGE/DAY

Steve comes home to discover chaos. Dylan wants to keep the dog. Steve allows the dog to stay for one night. His girlfriend(Dylan’s school teacher) was to visit for dinner, this is now impossible. Subtext GF would find the chaos unacceptable.

SECOND TURNING POINT END ACT 2

INT: INDIAN RESTAURANT/EVENING

At dinner, Steve and Elizabeth Perkins discuss Elizabeth’s suggestion of sending Dylan away to a boarding school.

CRISIS

INT. SCHOOL/DAY

Alfie convinces Dylan to draw pictures as a way of communicating the abuse that is taking place at the school. Steve fails to discover them. Elizabeth summons Steve to the school to discuss Dylan’s part in bullying and presents paperwork for the boarding school.

INT.DYLAN/STEVESCOTTAGE/DAY

Dylan reclaims his drawings believing his Dad does not care. Steve announces Alfie can stay one more night and then he must go to the pound.

EXT. HIGHSTREET BAKERY/DAY

Dylan uses his mime language to convince Dad and Alfie to go for a walk. They go to the bakery where Steve meets the baker. Alfie tells Dylan telepathically that she would be a much better companion for his Dad. Walking home, Steve breaks the news to Dylan about the boarding school. Dylan is in shock. Steve says he is at wits end and does not know what to do for Dylan. Alfie talks to Dylan about not talking.

7. CRISIS

INT.SCHOOL HALLWAY/DAY

Dylan observes Elizabeth locking his friend Daisy in the school cellar. Dylan runs away from the school and fetches his Dad. Dylan utters his first word “Daisy.” When they arrive at the school and find her in the cellar, Elizabeth convinces Steve and intimidates Daisy into believing Daisy locked herself in the cellar.

INT.DYLAN”S HOUSE/DAY

Alfie finds the envelope with Dylan’s pictures inside and takes them, to Steve. Steve looks at them in disbelief and then he sees the picture of Miss Perkins(Elizabeth) standing on the school steps smiling while the boys chase Dylan. Steve talks to Dylan about the pictures and how upset Dylan must be. He praises Dylan for rescuing Daisy and says he will take care of things. Dylan uses a few words to describe the pictures..

EXT.HIGHSTREET.DAY

Dylan takes Alfie for a walk. Alfie explains how important it was for him to speak, also talks to him about his mother’s happiness by Dylan talking and enjoying his life. Dylan is still mostly silent. Later, he draws another picture of Alfie with a big heart around Dylan and Alfie, he gives it to his Dad. Steve says if Alfie can continue to help Dylan talk, he can stay.

COMPLETION OF ARC

EXT.HIGH STREET/EVENING

Dylan, Steve, and Alfie go shopping in the village. Dylan points and waves at the bakery.

They go in and buy all sorts of Christmas goodies. Steve seems to really see Mickey for the first time. He likes her. Alfie gets more dog cookies. Mickey is just about to close the shop and suggest they all go to the seafront cafe for hot chocolate.

Dylan holds his Dad’s hand and points to the village’s huge Christmas tree, lights sparkling snowflakes falling. Dylan speaks “Christmas magic.” END

[Anita Gomez]

PS 81 Anita Gomez’s Basic Structure!

What I learned doing this assignment: I had already sketched out a preliminary “Beat Sheet” in my own fashion. Applying this structure allowed me to smooth out some of the flow, and to add an additional twist I had not previously considered.

LOGLINE:

A woman who can’t access an abortion abandons her baby at birth only to learn years later the child is her only hope for a life-saving transplant — leading her to search for the daughter she never wanted.

1. Opening Scene:

My Protagonist is in the throes of childbirth (we don’t see her face yet). It isn’t going well, and we hear from the doctors that she could die. GRAPHIC: “9 Months Earlier”

2. Inciting Incident:

Our lead is in high-end law offices after hours. She is a junior attorney, strong and ambitious, working on a case. A senior partner comes in, flirting with her in an all-too-familiar way. She confronts him with the fact that she is pregnant and past the 6 weeks allowable for an abortion in her state. In fact, he was instrumental in passing this law. We see him revealed as the hypocrite he is (ultra right-wing; married with his own kids; but still offering to send her away for an abortion)

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.

Our lead confides in her Evangelical sister (mother of 2 kids herself) that she doesn’t want this child and wants to flee the state for an abortion. She fears for her health, having been born with only 1 kidney and reminds the sister how she herself almost died in childbirth, twice. The sister guilt-trips her / tells her she’ll grow to love the child. The woman flees the state. She makes an abortion appointment, but at the last minute, can’t go through with it.

4. First turning point at end of Act 1

We are back at the opening scene of a wretched birthing experience. The woman in labor blacks out; we now see her as our lead character. She regains consciousness to the sounds of a screaming infant. A nurse tries to hand her the baby daughter, saying she is fine – except she too was born with the mother’s genetic defect of having only one kidney. The new mother turns away from the squalling infant. Her sister’s words haunting her, the new mother is unable to bond with her newborn and abandons her at a “Safe Haven” firehouse telling the child, “I never wanted you” leaving a note, “Her name is Diane”.

5. Mid-Point

We follow our protagonist as her ambitions bear fruit and she climbs the legal ladder. She is cold, hard, and driven, and a compulsive marathon runner… who over, time, begins to show signs of minor health issues like fatigue and loss of stamina. Concurrently, the former senior partner / biological father of her child, continues to be promoted – first to judge, then as Circuit Court judge, putting him once again in the woman’s professional orbit. Meanwhile the now-adopted baby has grown into a brilliant young woman, who at the age of 20 has graduated college and become a genetics researcher. (We see the same cold hard ambitious edge her biological mother has, exemplified by her pathological inability to connect with boyfriends or co-workers.) Then, the Protagonist’s sister dies from kidney failure. Our lead sees her own doctor and is told she too has kidney disease, and must have a transplant to survive. She is told her best chance for survival is a close relative and so, begins seeking out her daughter’s whereabouts.

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2

In the course of her work she must prepare for arguments being heard to restrict abortions in the state and she is tapped to argue against this (taking a pro-abortion stance) in a preparatory mock trial. She learns that the father of her abandoned child will be the Circuit Appeals Judge (notorious for continuously obstructing abortion rights) who will be hearing the case.

7. Crisis

She argues passionately in her presentation stating, “Not everyone’s cut out to be a parent. Not everyone SHOULD be a parent… and yet, life IS sacred”. In her intensely conflicted zealousness she collapses – both mentally and physically. The woman goes on a concentrated search for Diane, the daughter, and using a “23&Me” type genetic app, finds her. She contacts Diane, not disclosing who she is – only a ‘close relative’; and in the course of email exchanges, the two women agree to meet. We, the audience, are unsure of her motives.

8. Climax

Diane gets into her silver sedan driving to the early morning appointment set to meet her mother. We see a man bending over to get the morning paper from his driveway. She’s momentarily distracted. Brakes Squeal.

Blackout.

9. Resolution

Eyes blink open. The hospital room looks eerily similar to the opening scene. It is, once again, our protagonist but current day. A TV is on, set to the news. Wincing in pain she gets out of bed and walks to a mirror, lifting her gown to reveal a long scar mid-back. She has gotten her transplant, but looks confused. Her daughter, Diane walks in, smiling, fresh as a daisy. The mother is stunned silent… this is obviously her daughter, as they practically look like sisters. Diane turns to the TV and raises the volume with the remote. The anchor is reporting on the tragic death of Circuit Appeals Court Judge at his home this morning, the only lead a silver sedan seen on the street … if anyone has more information… TV switched off, Diane turns to her mother, “Well, at least he did one thing right in his life – he signed up as an organ donor.”

END.

[Justina Mitchell]

Justina Mitchell’s Basic Structure!

What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that some of the beats are very closely intertwined and some are spread further apart.

Concept:

A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.

Opening:

We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.

Inciting Incident:

Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life; he chokes on a sausage or absent-mindedly cartwheels down the grand staircase or something like that.

By page 10, you know what the movie is about:

Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only know relatives in order to pick one.

First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:

Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.

Mid-Point:

The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer/friend.

Second turning point at the end of Act 2:

All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.

Crisis:

As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.

Climax:

Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling like she can’t trust him.

Resolution:

Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.

[Michael O’Keefe]

Mike O – Story Structure

DAY FIVE – ASSIGNMENT– STORY STRUCTURE

1. What I learned is that the story structure is the skeleton upon which you hang the story. Without it, you won’t have a story that functions properly.

2. Present your story, showing each part of the 9-beat structure. Give us each of these:

1. Opening – Protagonist is a painter on the cusp of being “discovered” You get the flavor of the movie.

This is the opening scene. Usually, it last 1 to 4 pages and should be as interesting as possible. You want to start with action, intriguing visuals, and something that gives the flavor of the movie.
———————————————————–

2. Inciting Incident – Protagonist receives news her estranged father has passed and she is the executor of his estate.

The Inciting Incident is the event that sets the movie in motion. It makes a big enough change in your protagonist’s life that she must go on the journey to resolve it ———————————————————–

3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. Yes. Protagonist has to leave her “life” travel across country and take care of her father’s estate.

We need to be out of confusion and have a general understanding of the story.

———————————————————–

4. First turning point at end of Act 1 – Protagonist discovers who her father really was. He was not poor and he did not abandon her as the protagonist’s mother told her. Her father was wealthy, he loved her and kept tabs on her – This ends Act 1 pg. 30

This is a major twist in the story. The protagonist has gone on the journey. Now, everything has changed in some major way and the major conflict has been set into motion. The protagonist has had a change in his or her life.

———————————————————–

5. Mid-Point – Protagonist is trying to tie up her father’s estate, learns her father’s GM is trying to steal her father’s art gallery. She sees the antagonist for what he really is.

At the middle of the movie, usually there is some kind of major change. It can be identified by these characteristics: [1] The protagonist is still pursuing the same goal, but something is really different about it. [2] A twist has occurred that opens the eyes of the protagonist. They’re going after the same goal
in a new way.

———————————————————–

6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 – protagonist is using a lawyer to prevent the general manager from stealing her father’s art gallery.

So it looks like all hope is lost because of this turning point. At this point, the protagonist has to change to achieve his or her goal. They have to accept something about themselves or they have to accept that their way of doing things just won’t work anymore. They completely reverse a way of getting what they need most in life.

———————————————————–

7. Crisis – Protagonist in addition to using a lawyer to prevent the General Manager from stealing her father’s art gallery has to deal with her love interest who has a medical emergency and is rushed to the hospital.

Throughout this story, the Protagonist has been engaged in a conflict and their emotional dilemma has become more and more of an issue. They’ve tried everything, but nothing has solved the problem. Now, they face the dilemma head on. They are being forced to make a huge choice — usually between their goal and their need.

———————————————————–

8. Climax – The protagonist and antagonist come face to face literally at the art gallery. He has stolen a number of expensive paintings and replaced them with no-name works. The protagonist has proof, has photos of the paintings that are missing and a hidden camera that captured him.

The protagonist and antagonist come face to face for the showdown. After this conflict, there is only one winner.

———————————————————–

9. Resolution – The protagonist accepts what happened, embraces her father’s posthumous love and decides to live there, where it feels real with her newfound love.

The resolution gives us an answer to the question that the Inciting Incident asked. It tells us
how this conflict will finally be resolved.

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