Day 5 Assignments

[r. reid jr]

RON Character Emotions

“What I learned doing this assignment is that with a show like LOST, not everything is revealed all at once but we are engaged. I can use this idea with my story for my shows. And I am quickly seeing where my characters are lacking the depth of emotions that other shows have figured out.”

ASSIGNMENT 1: Show LOST

Subject line: Ron KATE Emotions

A. Situational:

• Hope / Fear

• B. Motivation: freedom / truth

• C. Mask: Base innocent / Public Mask: fights for justice

• D. Weaknesses /fear of her past

• E. Triggers/ mysteries of island-beast

• F. Coping Mechanism/seeks justice she never got.

Subject line: Ron SAWYER Emotions

A. Situational: Hope / Fear

• B. Motivation: Respect / Power

• C. Mask: Base Greed/ Tough guy

• D. Weaknesses/acting before thinking

• E. Triggers /sense of what is right

• F. Coping Mechanism/speaking his mind

ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show

Watch the next episode of your Example Show and create an Emotional Profile for two or three main characters in this show.

Deadline: 24

ASSIGNMENT 2: SHOW: KIDNAPPING OF CASEY K.

1. KEN

• A. Situational: Hope / Fear

• B. Motivation: truth / truth

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / good guy

• D. Weaknesses: under Casey’s thumb

• E. Triggers /Responds too hard situations with leadership.

• F. Coping Mechanism /Screws things up (once ahead)?

2 CASEY

• A. Situational: Fear / Leader

• B. Motivation: Respect/ Power

• C. Mask: Fear / PARTY BOY

• D. Greed

• E. Doesn’t want to caught in a corner

• F. Coping Mechanism/Blackmail

ASSIGNMENT 2: SHOW: SIGMA 2619

BRUCE

• A. Situational: Fear / Leader

• B. Motivation: Respect/ Power

• C. Mask: FOR TECH / JUSTICE

• D. WHO TO TRUST

• E. MEMORY GAP

• F. SEEN AS AN OUTSIDER

MYSTERY WOMAN

• A. Situational: HOPE/ MYSTERIOUS PERSON

• B. Motivation: JUSTICE/ STAYS IN THE SHADOWS

• C. Mask: FEAR / STAYS IN THE SHADOWS

• D. NO ALLIES/WORKS ALONE

• E. HAVING HER PLANS RUINED

• F. Coping Mechanism/Blackmail

AGENT TYLER

• A. Situational: HOPE / Leader

• B. Motivation: Respect/ AMBITIOUS

• C. Mask: FAILURE / LEADER

• D. AMBITION OVER FRIENDSHIP

• E. FIGURING OUT PUZZLES

• F. Coping Mechanism/Blackmail

AGENT SOMALIAN

• A. Situational: Fear / Leader

• B. Motivation: Respect/ Power

• C. Mask: Fear / POWER

• D. HER PAST/CONTROL

• E. GETTING CORNERED

• F. ADDICTION

SNOWY

• A. Situational: Fear / PLANNER

• B. Motivation: A BETTER FUTURE/ ANSWERS

• C. Mask: Fear/PARTY PERSON

• D. TRUSTING STRANGERS

• E. FIGHTING WHEN IN A CORNER

• F. Coping Mechanism/FIGHTING BACK

[Sharon Scherle]

Jean’s Character Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is that everything is there, under the surface. That’s because it’s been thought out before the show was written and planned into the episodes. I need to do the same to my show and make sure the characters have what it takes to get the audience invested in the characters and keep watching the show.

Assignment One:

Show: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES

STEPHAN SALVATORE

1) Situational:

Hope: Keep Damon in control, Protect Elana and the townsfolk

Fear: Damon will harm Elana, Damon will expose them to the townfolk

2) Motivation:

Want: Acceptance from Elana, to keep Damon away from Elana

Need: to hide his vampirism

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: weak

Public Mask: the all-round good guy

<div>
4) Weaknesses: can’t stand up to his brother,
gives into Elana’s whims
</div><div>

5) Triggers: drinking human blood, threatening
Elana

</div><div>

6) Coping Mechanism:

</div>

DAMON SALVATORE

1) Situational:

Hope: to drive a wedge between Elana and Stefan

Fear: being alone

2) Motivation:

Want: to torture Stefan

Need: love

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: vulnerable

Public Mask: charming jackass

4) Weaknesses: hurts people he cares about, impulsive

5) Triggers: threatened, treachery

6) Coping Mechanism: attacks, verbally and physically, kills

Assignment Two:

Show: THE VAULT

Sharra Lane

1) Situational:

Hope(goal): to be a good agent

Fear (worry, danger): being killed

2) Motivation:

Want: to be a stronger person

Need: to belong

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: Sadness

Public Mask: Brave

4) Weaknesses: not depending on others

5) Triggers: being abandoned

6) Coping Mechanism: shut down, hide, cry, seclusion, inaction

LAZARUS MAITLAND

1) Situational:

Hope(goal): to fix the Vault

Fear(worry, danger): being found out as a deceiver

2) Motivation:

Want: maintain control and peace

Need: family

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: Failure

Public Mask: the diplomat

4) Weaknesses: hurts people he cares about

5) Triggers: when anyone he loves is threatened, when anyone questions his authority

6) Coping Mechanism: drinks and lies

TANNER HOLMES

1) Situational:

Hope(goal): to make Sharra a great agent, to keep her safe

Fear(worry, danger): failing to keep Sharra safe

2) Motivation:

Want: to be the ‘go to’ man

Need: to prove his worth

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: a fraud

Public Mask: A hero

4) Weaknesses: hot-headed

5) Triggers: being challenged, injustice

6) Coping Mechanism: fight back, blame others, attack back, lash out

FAOLAN

1) Situational:

Hope(goal): to protect Sharra from the Vault

Fear(worry, danger): being exposed

2) Motivation:

Want: truth

Need: redemption

3) Mask:

Base Negative Emotion: violence

Public Mask: civility

4) Weaknesses: always right, uncompromising

5) Triggers: threatened, disloyalty

6) Coping Mechanism: denial, ignore it, pretend it didn’t happen

[Janeen Johnson]

Janeen’s Character Emotions (Assignments 1 & 2)

What I learned doing this assignment is that I could picture my characters’ reactions when I put them in situations where they felt the various profile emotions.

Assignment 1:

Big Little Lies

Madeline’s Profile

A. Hope: Happy Marriage / Fear: Being found out to be a cheater in her marriage <div>

B. Want: Lust; Love / Need: To feel valued

C. Base Negative Emotion: Envy / Public Mask: Happy and strong

D. Weaknesses: Jealousy, Need to look strong and controlled and happy

E. Triggers: Someone else being bullied

F. Coping Mechanism: Silent Treatment, closed lipped

Celeste’s Profile

A. Hope: Have her marriage work out / Fear: Fears being murdered or hurt by her husband </div><div>

B. Want: Her career as a lawyer / Need: Safety from her husband’s rage

C. Base Negative Emotion: She’s to blame for her marriage trouble / Public Mask: They are a happy couple and she is happy at home

D. Weaknesses: Wants to help, wants to work, wants her sons

E. Triggers: Sees trouble brewing and wants to throw the first verbal punch so she feels she controlled the situation

F. Coping Mechanism: Sex

Jane’s Profile

A. Hope: Feeling safe, her son to not be like his father /Fear: He will come back and hurt her </div><div>

B. Want: Revenge, control of what happened / Need: Feeling safe

C. Base Negative Emotion: Rage / Public Mask: Every thing is under control and good

D. Weaknesses: Thinking about Ziggy’s dad, remembering the rape

E. Triggers: Things that remind her of that night, thinking about revenge

F. Coping Mechanism: Running

Assignment 2

My screenplay:

Cara’s Profile:

A. Hope: Competence at motherhood, farming / Fear: Failure </div><div>

B. Want: Feedback, to know she’s doing OK / Need: Feedback that what she’s doing is ethical

C. Base Negative Emotion: Indecision, self-doubt and guilt / Public Mask: Strong, capable, always weighing options

D. Weaknesses: Lack of self-confidence, Suspicion of others

E. Triggers: Being pushed to do something she isn’t sure is ethical, being taken advantage of

F. Coping Mechanism: Hide

Randy’s Profile:

A. Hope: To be lucid long enough to see the Twins take over the farm / Fear: Alzheimer’s, Death </div><div>

B. Want: Cara to step up / Need: Help with the farm

C. Base Negative Emotion: Bombast / Public Mask: Nice, considerate guy

D. Weaknesses: Fear

E. Triggers: Others encroaching on the farm or twins

F. Coping Mechanism: Soft-soaping, pleading, praying

Mindy’s Profile:

A. Hope: Success (financial and parental) / Fear: For Jim’s wife, the financial stability of the farm </div><div>

B. Want: to help others / Need: To save others in danger, to be relevant

C. Base Negative Emotion: Suspicion / Public Mask: Great Mom, Capable woman

D. Weaknesses: Randy’s pleading, legacy in danger

E. Triggers: Bullying

F. Coping Mechanism: Parapsychology interference in situations

Mike’s Profile:

A. Hope: Kids, farm future / Fear: Farm will not survive to be passed on </div><div>

B. Want: More land, money / Need: Sense of security

C. Base Negative Emotion: Despair / Public Mask: Quiet competence

D. Weaknesses: When Mother Nature strikes, seeing his dad unhappy, scared

E. Triggers: Injustice, cheating

F. Coping Mechanism: Long haul justice, quiet plotting or seething

Jim’s Profile:

A. Hope: His farm will survive / Fear: He will get beat out by bigger farms </div>

B. Want: His wife back, revenge for whatever drove her to die / Need: Love, vindication

C. Base Negative Emotion: Anger, physical / Public Mask: good humor, jollity

D. Weaknesses: Feeling like an underdog, Not good enough

E. Triggers: Not having control of a situation with his family

F. Coping Mechanism: Striking out, physically taking out his anger until it dissipates

[Natasha Le Petit]

“What I learned doing this assignment is this is something I need to do, not only in developing my two main characters, but the supporting/minor characters and by using these internal struggle profiles I can also discover more interesting insights to each character and possibly find ways to create more conflict and drama.

Assignment One
Handmaid’s Tale – June’s Internal Struggles <div>

Hope: to escape Gilead, to find her daughter. / Fear: being found out, tortured, maimed, killed.
B. Want: freedom. / Need: To survive.

C. Base Negative Emotion: Anger, fear / Public Mask: dutiful, obedient

D. Weaknesses: sometimes she can’t hide her strong will, still ignorant about the world of Gilead, how to navigate the Commander and his wife.

E. Triggers: Being confined to her room. Her one chance of freedom – a visit to the doctors. June is so looking forward to walking, fresh air but is instead confined to a car. She loses it and starts hitting the windows in a rage, for a moment showing Nick, exposing what she really is feeling and thinking.

F. Coping Mechanism: Using the commander’s need to connect with her to her advantage. Allowing herself to be closer to Nick. Trying to soften the Commander’s wife, take the blame for everything.

Assignment Two

Zoe –

Hope: to leave her marriage, to see her father getting better/Fear: how her husband will react. What her friends will think. What the unknown future of being on her own means.

Want: happiness. Need: freedom, to find herself again.

Base Negative Emotion: fearful, afraid to speak up. Public Mask: confident, proud, in control.

Weaknesses: Naive, too trusting. Also, she loses control at times, going into rages or hysterical crying.

Triggers: public embarrassment. Discovering when people have been dishonest with her.

Coping mechanism: She uses entertaining, extravagant parties to show everyone that she is fine. Her never ending lunches, charity events also distract and keep her busy from really dealing with her deep, profound loneliness and unhappiness. She avoids conflict at all cost. She uses Nadine as a shield.

Nadine

Hope: to avenge her family and get justice for other families. Fear: her true motives and identity being discovered.

Want: revenge, to be close with her son. Need: to heal the pain and grief she has gone through.

Base Negative emotion: consuming rage. Public Mask: calm, kind, generous.

Weaknesses: she can’t keep a lid on her fury at times. She doesn’t know Zoe as well as she thinks she does. She underestimates her. Guilt: she is becoming someone she doesn’t like, someone her family would not like. She struggles with this.

Triggers: hearing about Zoe’s upbringing, her relationship with Leo, with her own children.

Coping mechanism: When the anger starts to consume her, she takes it out on Leo, the man she cares for. She plays her Aunt’s favourite music. She looks at photos, teddy bears, reminding herself why she is doing this.

Alex:

Hope: to one day run the country. Fear: Afraid of his parents, afraid of being exposed. Afraid he won’t be good enough.

Want: to get rid of his parents. Need: to stand up to them, to stand on his own.

Base Negative emotion: desperate need to be liked, never feels good enough. Public Mask: charming, funny, confident.

Weaknesses: parties too hard. Allows himself to be influenced and manipulated by people in Government/power; his birth mother.

Triggers: his father. He just needs to see his name appear on his phone and it instills horror, a fight or flight response. He is terrified of him and also hates him. The Spanish language, Mexico. He has a fascination. He was raised in the wrong family/the wrong culture.

Coping Mechanisms: deep down, Alex is an introvert. He has been raised in a famous family and while he plays the part of the outgoing, confident politician, he only copes by finding ways to be alone, to escape from the media, his family etc.

</div>

[Jack Sherry]

What i learned from this assignment is that making a character profile chart and template for the emotions and character traits of my characters helps me organize the characters and their relationships.

FROM THE 100

CLARKE’S Character Emotions

Hope – Save the Arc as well as the 100 on the earth

Fear – Humans will be completely wiped out

Want – Someone to love who loves her

Need – survive

Base Neg Emotion – Terror

Mask – Hero

Weakness – Afraid she’ll make mistakes

Trigger – Infighting among the 100

Coping Mechanism – Do it herself

ABBY’S Character emotions

Hope – Save the Arc and the 100

Fear – Everyone will die

Want – Respect and love from daughter Clarke

Need – Save Clarke

Base Neg Emotion – Shame, Remorse

Mask – Always in control

Weakness – Afraid she’s been wrong the whole time

Trigger – Lies

Coping Mechanism – Bullies others into getting her way

[Jack Sherry]

In my pilot CONCEIVED, here are the main characters’ emotional profiles:

VICTORIA’S Emotions:

Hope – Her business succeeds, she stays on top, she has baby girl

Fear – She fears business failure, humiliation

Want – Power. She wants to succeed in society and polo, business, and have a baby by surrogate so she can continue her lifestyle

Need – she needs a friend, someone to have her emotional back

Base Negative Emotion – disconnect, withdraw into her safe world

Public Mask – She is in control, never shows emotion

Weaknesses – No friends, only associates

Triggers – incompetence, betrayal, (Her wound is being cheated on in college by Sir George)

Coping Mechanism – withdraw, return to her world where she rules

KAYLA’S Emotions

Hope – save the Everglades, have a child

Fear – She fears failure, socially and in business

Want – Power. Success in her law career, victory over the Sugar Cane King

Need – Acceptance, respect

Base Negative Emotion – attack, scheme, revenge

Weaknesses – Cares too much what people think of her

Triggers – disrespect, prejudice

PROFESSOR MATTHEWS’ Emotions

Hope – Bring back to life the genes of Bran The Blessed

Fear – plan or his beliefs fail

Want – fastidious, everything in order

Need – Prestige, Distinction, Power

Base Negative Emotion – disgust, rejection, scheme

Public Mask – I am correct

Weaknesses – Bad social skills

Triggers – mistakes

Coping Mechanism – I will fix it

SANTIAGO’S Emotions

Hope – His genes take over the world

Fear – His gene line will end

Want – My next woman

Need – A real partner

Base Negative Emotion – Disdain

Public Mask – I’m too good for you

Weaknesses – Overly optimistic of his abilities

Triggers – Any failure by his inside group of followers

Coping Mechanism –Sex

[Rob Sutherland]

Rob’s Character Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is how one-dimensional and often “nice” I often make my main characters. I need to “break” them more, crack them open to see what is really inside and not be afraid of what might be there. There’s fertile ground for drama there.

Also, the value, again, of just filling out the profile by tossing things in to “audition” them for positions in a character’s personality, knowing they may not stay there. Doing so throws open the possibility of interesting connections between the various elements because each one feeds into and offers possibilities for the others.

Also, that a character mask is like a secret the character doesn’t know they are keeping, and which offers room for both growth and subtext. This is different to a deception, which is a secret they do know they are keeping.

Assignment 1: Emotional Profiles in “The Vampire Diaries”

ELENA PROFILE

A. Hope: Find love and happiness. Fear: Being alone, never recovering from her grief

B. Want: To have a relationship with Stefan. Need: To be loved

C. Base Negative Emotion: Grief / sadness Public Mask: Coping

D. Weaknesses: Cannot abide secrets, obsessive need to uncover the truth

E. Triggers: Being lied to

F. Coping Mechanism: With Stefan – Escape, denial. With Jeremy – confrontation

STEFAN PROFILE

A. Hope: Live a normal life. Fear: Losing the one he loves – again; losing control of his vampire nature.

B. Want: To have a relationship with Elena; to protect people from Damon. Need: to feel at home, settled.

C. Base Negative Emotion: Fear, doubt. Public Mask: Cool, competent.

D. Weaknesses: Lack of trust; being a loner.

E. Triggers: Violence and injustice

F. Coping Mechanism: Withdraw and be a fixer, then return.

DAMON PROFILE

A. Hope: To have a relationship with Elena. Fear: Being alone, always wandering without human connection

B. Want: To roam free, wild, violent, use his power, take revenge on Stefan. Need: to connect with others

C. Base Negative Emotion: Self-loathing. Public Mask: Violence, anger, being in control.

D. Weaknesses: Being a loner; lack of accountability

E. Triggers: The suggestion that he can change, live a normal life.

F. Coping Mechanism: Violence

Assignment 2: Emotional Profiles in “Mirage”

DAVID PROFILE

A. Hope: To find out who he is; to find meaning. Fear: That he will forever be alone; discovering that life is pointless and he is a cosmic accident.

B. Want: To become human. Need: Human connection / intimacy.

C. Base Negative Emotion: Fear, grief, loss. Public Mask: Arrogance as a result of his invulnerability. The Mirage won’t admit to having human needs.

D. Weaknesses: Refusing help from others, denial that he is bothered by immortality

E. Triggers: Witnessing basic human connection / physical touch between others

F. Coping Mechanism: Withdrawal, research into his past

JULIA PROFILE

A. Hope: To make a name for herself as an archaeologist. Fear: Of emotional connection; being killed by the demons.

B. Want: To survive. Need: Self-confidence

C. Base Negative Emotion: Self-doubt. Public Mask: Intellectual, brainy, educated

D. Weaknesses: Keeping people at bay, jealousy

E. Triggers: Criticism

F. Coping Mechanism: Intellectualisation, projection of her own faults onto others

DETECTIVE WHITE PROFILE

A. Hope: To use solid policing and smarts to do his job well. Fear: That he is out of his depth.

B. Want: To catch the Mirage and bring him to justice. Need: To forgive himself

C. Base Negative Emotion: Guilt at his secret gambling losses. Public Mask: Dominant, authority, “by the book”

D. Weaknesses: Strict adherence to rules and regulations, the way things have always been done

E. Triggers: Evidence or suggestions of the supernatural

F. Coping Mechanism: Hard work, denial

VINCENT CHAMBERLAIN PROFILE

A. Hope: To become immortal. Fear: Death and damnation

B. Want: To steal the Mirage’s powers and immortality. Need: Control, power

C. Base Negative Emotion: Fear. Public Mask: Ruthlessness, anger, feigned civility

D. Weaknesses: Obsessiveness; narcissism

E. Triggers: Failure; suggestions to let go of his obsession

F. Coping Mechanism: Manipulation, conspiracy, violence

MADELEINE PROFILE

A. Hope: That her life has been well spent. Fear: That David will love another more.

B. Want: To pass on her role as David’s confidante to someone worthy. Need: To stop and rest, be still

C. Base Negative Emotion: Jealousy. Public Mask: Compassion, joy, wisdom

D. Weaknesses: Need for control, ownership of David, vetoing his relationships with others

E. Triggers: Others learning his identity, getting close to him

F. Coping Mechanism: Behaving childishly

[Tracy Cheney]

Tracy Cheney: I learned how much care goes into planning each character long before writing episodes. I also saw that I don’t know my characters as well as I thought even though I’ve lived with them for a long time. I can see them in scenes, but I was leaving it more to the actors to bring them to life. But it’s got to be on the page and I don’t know how to do that beyond writing a description (and I took the Subtext class)! They were pretty blank to me in lots of areas as I did this assignment; I assigned emotions to my characters to complete this, but am sure they will change.

LOST

Jack Emotional Profile

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: survive/there won’t be a rescue
B. Motivation: Want / Need: To not be the good human being making decisions/take steps to survive even when others don’t
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Not good enough/Skilled neurosurgeon
D. Weaknesses: emotional in a profession that demands detachment
E. Triggers: his father
F. Coping Mechanism: passive to his father’s face

Locke Emotional Profile

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: there won’t be a rescue/there will be a rescue
B. Motivation: Want / Need: to feel manly/This is fun and I want to tackle every hard physical challenge
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: feeling emasculated/virile survivalist
D. Weaknesses: he is magically living out an experience totally opposite of who he has been
E. Triggers: “don’t tell me what I can’t do!”
F. Coping Mechanism: set out to do it with determination

Sawyer Emotional Profile

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Get with Kate/Rejection
B. Motivation: Want / Need: to be part of the group/to feel valued and loved
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Rage/Could care less
D. Weaknesses: assumes the bad boy facade
E. Triggers: Rejection
F. Coping Mechanism: Mouth off, fight

EL <st1:place w:st=”on”><st1:city w:st=”on”>PUEBLO</st1:city></st1:place>

Antonia Moreno de la Cruz

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: she can run off to a nunnery in Mexico to become who she wants to be/she will be married to a churlish man
B. Motivation: Want / Need: someone to partner with/needs to stand up
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Rage/Cheerful Good Girl
D. Weaknesses: vociferous for other’s issues, while denying herself
E. Triggers: being forced to do what she doesn’t want to
F. Coping Mechanism: silence, even while doing it

Joseph Chapman

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Get home to <st1:city w:st=”on”>Boston</st1:city>/killed in <st1:place w:st=”on”><st1:city w:st=”on”>Los Angeles</st1:city></st1:place>
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Control his destiny/Act like a model citizen to get out of jail
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: dislikes being in enemy territory and forced to make restitution/be helpful
D. Weaknesses: impatience; attention from women
E. Triggers: not being understood (speaks only English in Spanish province), physically restrained
F. Coping Mechanism: Swearing furiously, show of brute strength

Thomas Fisher

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: He’s found a safe home among people who look like him / he’ll be sent back to the US for a bounty into slavery
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Control his destiny/Act like a model citizen to get out of jail
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: fear of being seen as a slave and not respected for his position aboard ship/ friendly peacemaker

D. Weaknesses: injustice to those who labor; loves to eat
E. Triggers: being ordered about disrespectfully; the whip
F. Coping Mechanism: Lies, masks true emotions to avoid fights which he’d win

Lucas Polanco

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: He’ll inherit his uncle’s lands/be a nobody with nothing and a native wife rather than Spanish;

B. Motivation: Want / Need: wants to be admired / needs to be the best dancer as has no other manly skills or prowess
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: fear of failure/ bravado, a cultured gentleman among coarse men
D. Weaknesses: fear of returning to <st1:city w:st=”on”><st1:place w:st=”on”>Mexico City</st1:place></st1:city> a failure; cowardly; likes to be seen in command
E. Triggers: being laughed at; can’t be the butt of the joke
F. Coping Mechanism: stomp off; self-righteousness; persistence to have his POV acknowledged

Father Diego Perez

A. Situational: Hope / Fear: He’ll be on the only ship out in the spring or summer/He’ll be stuck in El Pueblo
B. Motivation: Want / Need: to be free of the priesthood and speak freely/cover his roots to protect his family
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: conflicted about religion/earnest priest
D. Weaknesses: fury with own father who he once adored
E. Triggers: thoughts of home, talk of supporting the King, injustice to the Indians
F. Coping Mechanism: pray harder — but can’t pray as only gets silence; be a soothing balm

[Elizabeth Appell]

What did I learn? The lessons so far are helpful in creating interesting characters with complicated motivations, wants and needs.

ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show

Watch the next episode of your Example Show and create an Emotional Profile for two or three main characters in this show.

EMOTIONAL PROFILE FOR CELEST AND MADEINE IN BIG LITTLE LIES

CELESTE:

Situational: Hope/Fear

a. Hope: to have a happy, loving family and normal sex life. Fear: Their violent encounters will destroy their live together and one might even be killed.

Motivation: Want/Need

b. Want: To temper their encounters / Need: To live without fear he’ll hurt her.

Mask: Base Negative Emotion/ Public Mask

a. Base emotion: Shame/ Public Mask: Perfect life (rich, well-educated, beautiful)

Weaknesses:

a. Major stress

Triggers:

a. Attempted domination over her

Coping Mechanism

a. Fight back/ will not let her children be taken away from her.

MADELINE

Situational: Hope/Fear

a. Hope: Madeline hopes to be a good mother/ Fear her children will leave her.

b. Wants: to control the group including friends and family Need: She knows best.

Base Negative Emotion/ Public Mask.

a. Lack of confidence/ Public Mask enthusiasm that runs hotter than anyone else

Weakness:

a. Moves forward without listening

Triggers:

a. If she blocked from doing what she’s sure is right

Coping Mechanism:

a. Confiding in the wrong person then pushing to fix the lie

ASSIGNMENT 2: Your Show ELEMENTS OF BETRAYAL

1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:

LANE BAER

• A. Situational: Hope: Wants his book to be huge success/ Fear: His desire is so deep he may lose everything including his family.

•

• B. Motivation: Want: earn his father’s approval / Need: to take care of his family.

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask

• D. Weaknesses: His wife will get the credit for her brilliant editing

• E. Triggers: Accusation that Paige is the murderer

• F. Coping Mechanism: Give up then dive back in and work to succeed

MARTA BAER

• A. Situational: Hope family to get back on stable footing / Fear they will live like little people for the rest of their lives.

• B. Motivation: Wants to be attractive to men / Need to wear makeup to transform

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Sexual, dominant / Public Mask: timid, the “little wife”

• D. Weaknesses: hides, afraid to fight

• E. Triggers: Comes out fighting to save her daughter

• F. Coping Mechanism: takes on the personal of the “New Marta”

PAIGE BAER (16-year-old daughter)

• A. Situational: Hope: her parents can get things stabilized / Fear: Her father will be accused of the murder

• B. Motivation: Want: her father to be successful / Need: to do what she can to protect him

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: A frightened young girl / Public Mask: rude, prideful

• D. Weaknesses: Lies, fearless

• E. Triggers: if her father is sad or pinned down, she will do anything to help him

• F. Coping Mechanism: acts out, goes in a straight line toward the problem

[Gloria Katch]

Bingeworthy TV, Module 1, Lesson 5: Creating Emotional Characters

What I learned in this assignment is: Thinking below the surface can create more connections between the characters in the show and create themes.

My Example Show: Big Little Lies:

Madelaine: Situational: Hope – Hope is to be successful as a drama teacher and an influencing creative force in her community, Monteray, California.

A: Fear: Is that she will be controlled and stymied by politics and conservative views on the school board and city council.

B: Motivation: Wants the play to be successful. Need: To be recognized in the community.

C: Mask: She feels threatened, insecure. Public Mask: Confident: assertive, and almost aggressive at times, Passionate.

D: Weaknesses: She wants her children to excel and can be picky and pushy and times instead of letting some minor things go. A bit of a drama queen and self-absorbed. She doesn’t pay enough attention to her husband’s needs.

E: Triggers: Her ex-husband, anything that challenges her as being an inadequate mother.

F: Coping Mechanism: She plots to get revenge. She lobbies/rallies behind the scenes to get what she wants.

Celeste: Situational: Hopes that she can resolve the issues with her husband. Fear: She will lose her marriage.

B: Motivation: Wants: To save her marriage. Need: Needs validation and fulfillment in her previous career as a successful lawyer.

C: Mask: She’s troubled by their abusive relationship. Public Mask: They’re a perfect couple with a husband who’s crazy about her.

D: Weaknesses: She’s afraid to tell her husband the truth about her need for a career because he will see it as a threat to their marriage and his need to be in control all of the time. She is ashamed of their sexual behaviour behind closed doors.

E: Triggers: Violence and aggressive behaviour.

F: Coping Mechanisms: Avoidance, Evasive of expressing her true feelings. She complies with her husband to avoid an argument, even though she doesn’t want to.

Jane: A: Situational: Hope – Hope is to raise her son properly. Fear: That her ex may find her and she has a secret that could be revealed that has severe consequences.

B: Motivation: Wants to lead a normal life for her son. Needs to belong and fit into a community.

C: Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Fear in many areas including her son may be psychotic like his father.

Public Mask: Everything is normal. She’s a happy, regular single mom raising her child.

D: Weakness: She’s a little naïve, worries a lot, insecure, overly stressed.

E: Triggers: Anything that threatens her or her child.

F: Coping Mechanism: Jogs a lot to relieve her anxiety attacks. She also carries a gun for protection.

Renatta: A: Situational: Hope – Hopes to be a good mother despite the demands of her successful career. Fear: That she isn’t a good mother and her daughter will suffer for it.

B: Motivation: Success. Needs: To excel in every area of her life. It’s like she’s trying to prove something.

C: Mask: She worries about her status in the community and appearances. Public Mask: Rich, successful women.

D: Weakness: Perfectionist, buys her way around town.

E: Triggers: Anything that reflects negatively on her as a mother.

F: Coping Mechanism: She drinks a lot. Uses her influence and schemes behind the scenes to get things done her way.

Assignment 2: Off Your Rocker

Stuart — A: Situational: Hope: To find a cure for M.S.

Fear – That he will be so debilitated by M.S. he won’t be able to lead a successful life and die young.

B: Motivation: Love of science and discovering things. Needs to find a cure to prolong his life. Wants to be a good husband some day and father, grandfather.

C: Mask: Embarrassed about his divorce, losing his house and having to live in a retirement home at his age. Public Mask: He is going to find a cure and get himself out of this mess/predicament. He may try and become

D: Weaknesses: Stuart may be overestimating his abilities in medical science concerning humans. He can be self-absorbed, too detailed and has difficulty relating to seniors and sometimes others who are not as well educated as he is.

E: Triggers: Anything about his wife and Frank, who betrayed him or about not being a good father/family man bothers him. Academically, he may feel challenged in this new medical/science community that would annoy him.

F: Coping Mechanism: He may try to over-compensate in his professional life, by trying to influence and instigate more changes in his home environment – Cuckoo Valley.

Boris: A: Situational: Hope: He will be reunited with his family. Fear: He won’t be able to make this happen and they may end up in jail for protesting the Russian government.

B: Motivation: Want – He wants to be a good family man. Needs to fulfill this and sees it as his purpose in life.

C: Mask: Base Negative Emotion: He’s a broken man, disabled and not able to work like he used to. He has a secret as a former KGB agent that defected.

Public Mask: Carefree and jolly most of the time. Is trying to leave his past behind him.

D: Triggers: Anything that negatively happens effecting freedom and democracy in Russia gets him worried. He feels for other people like himself he hears about in the news because of his own experiences. The sound of cars backfiring reminds him of gunshots.

F: Coping Mechanism: Drinks, goes to the shooting range when he can to left off some steam.

Likes to makeup stories.

Sandra Meade/Counsellor/Love Interest A: Situational: Hope – Hopes to find peace with herself and have a husband.

Fear: She fears she will always remain a middle-aged spinster.

B: Motivation: Want: Marriage. Needs: More sense of a personal life, family and to be loved, intimacy.

C: Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Sadness and loneliness. Public Mask: Optimistic, has it all together as a counsellor.

D: Weaknesses – too trusting, perhaps, can be taken advantage of because of her caring nature.

E: Triggers: Persons who were adopted like herself or lost their family due to a tragedy. (Boris’s situation is always a trigger for her) Children who grew up in foster care and had particularly bad foster parents.

F: Coping Mechanism: Deflects by changing the subject, pretends everything is fine, minimizes personal issues. Helps others instead of working enough on her own issues.