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Day 5 Assignments
Post your Day 5 Assignment here.
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Madeleine’s Character Journeys
What I learned doing this assignment is that by figuring out the character’s journeys, I’m also figuring out the story’s plot. An outline is beginning to take shape.
Concept Hook – mental illness
3-Act Structure of each main character’s journey.
Act Journey for Dory: She represents depression in this story, may even be suicidal.
Beginning: Depressed after seeing her fiancé on nationwide television kissing another woman, Dory is barely putting one foot in front of another when she is taken hostage at a university activity center by Tristan.
Turning Point: While talking to Tristan, she learns that he is mentally unstable and needs medication before he hurts someone. Tristan really doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He agrees for Dory to call the fire department for help.
Dilemma: When Dory is on the phone after dialing 911, she must decide whether to alert the police or to do as Tristan wants and just call for the fire department.
Midpoint: Dory is caught between Tristan and Lilith. Lilith wants Tristan dead by cop. If she gets her way Dory will also be a casualty.
Turning Point 2: Duncan has Lilith dragged away. Tristan calms down.
Dilemma: Dory hears Duncan’s suggestion that they should all go to the hospital in the back of the police car. She must decide either to go along with the plan or to wait for an ambulance.
3rd Act Climax: Dory convinces Tristan to get into the police car. She gets in first. He follows her. As soon as Tristan’s door closes, Duncan opens Dory’s door and pulls her out. She feels betrayed… then grateful. The police car drives away, heading to the hospital with Tristan.
Ending: Dory asks Con to cut off her engagement ring. She’s free from Tristan. She’s free from her cheating boyfriend. She’s ready to live again all by herself.
Act Journey for Tristan:
Beginning: At the Activity Center, he bumps into Dory and fears she will fall into the swimming pool and drown. She assures him she knows how to swim. He confides in her that he’s afraid he’s going to hurt someone because he’s late taking his medication, scaring her.
Dilemma: He must decide whether to trust Dory and receive help from an outside authority or to hide until his mother returns home.
Turning Point: Something about Dory is trustworthy, so he agrees to let her call the fire department to help him, but not the police.
Midpoint: He doesn’t trust the fireman, Con, because he has blue eyes and because he grew up with Con and remembers a fight they had when they were kids, which he won—totally irrational. But when the policeman arrives in the form of Duncan, he is willing to trust Duncan’s brown eyes, despite the fact that Duncan is starting to fall apart (PTSD flashbacks) when he discovers the call is a hostage situation.
Turning Point 2: Tristan panics at the sight of Lilith’s arrival. She’s his sister who hates him for all the trouble he’s caused the family. When she tells Tristan she hopes he dies by police officer, he holds onto Dory even tighter. Duncan gets Lilith out of there. Tristan starts to believe Duncan is on his side.
3rd Act Climax: Tristan allows Dory and Duncan to convince him to get into the back of Duncan’s police unit. He agrees as long as she goes with him. She agrees. They both get into the police car. But then when Duncan grabs Dory out of the car, he’s all alone and scared as the police car drives away.
Ending: Now on medication, he’s happily cycling on a street. He passes by Dory and doesn’t recognize her. Away he goes.
Act Journey for Duncan:
Beginning: Duncan arrives on the scene at Con’s request. He realizes he’s got a hostage situation and almost immediately has a PTSD flashback.
Turning Point: Against his and Con’s better judgment, Duncan decides to risk falling to go ahead with the hostage negotiation. The fact that he has brown eyes is what makes it important.
Dilemma: Does he continue on his own with the hostage negotiation, or call someone else in, who might or might not be able to win Tristan’s confidence.
Midpoint: Duncan locates Lilith, Tristan’s sister. When she arrives on the scene, he tells her exactly what he wants her to do. She does just the opposite, hoping Duncan will kill Tristan. Duncan has her dragged away.
Turning Point 2: Duncan tells Tristan he’d like to give him a ride to the hospital to get his medication. After much discussion, Tristan agrees to get in the police car as long as Dory goes with him. Duncan agrees.
3rd Act Climax: After Duncan gets Tristan into the back of his police unit, he goes around to Dory’s side, opens her door, pulls her out, and slams the door shut again, penning Tristan inside alone.
Ending: Duncan holds Dory for a moment, comforts her, then gets into the police unit and drives away with Tristan.
Act Journey for Con:
Beginning: Con responds to Dory’s 911 call.
Turning Point: Con recognizes Tristan as someone he grew up with. He knows Tristan has paranoid schizophrenia.
Dilemma: Tristan doesn’t trust Con because he has blue eyes. Tells him to go away. Con must decide whether he will try to continue with the hostage negotiation by himself or call in the police against Tristan’s will.
Midpoint: Con realizes that Duncan is struggling with something that looks like PTSD and urges him to call someone else to the scene. But then when Duncan successfully handles Lilith’s removal, he decides to let Duncan run with it.
Turning Point 2: He discusses strategies with Duncan. They come up with the idea of tricking Tristan into getting into the police unit.
3rd Act Climax: Con helps Duncan get Tristan into the backseat of the police unit and rescue Dory at the same time.
Ending: Con cuts off Dory’s engagement ring.
Act Journey for Lilith:
Beginning: She is brought to the scene by Con.
Turning Point: When she sees her brother in the middle of a hostage situation, she hopes he dies at the hands of the police.
Dilemma: She must decide whether to do as Duncan tells her and help negotiate an end to the hostage situation or whether to follow her own scheme and try to steer the situation into a gun battle which would likely kill Tristan.
Midpoint: She engages in a conversation with Tristan designed to scare him and cause him to invite police action.
Turning Point 2: She is shut up by Duncan before Tristan does harm to Dory.
3rd Act Climax: She is dragged away from the scene by a bystander.
Ending: She disappears from the story.
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DAN’S CHARACTER JOURNEYS!
What I learned doing this assignment is
how careful I must be in designing character journeys, and how they
all must be as cohesive and intertwining as possible. That way, the
audience can put things together later, almost like playing connect
the dots with the viewers.III ACT JOURNEY FOR MARSHA
BEGINNING: Traumatized from her
child’s murder. Hearing voices that she thinks are her family trying
to reach her from beyond. Drinking problem. She is asked by Mable, her mother, as a
medium, to spend the night in the apartment Mable rents out to try and communicate
with the spirits that reside there, so they may leave.TURNING POINT: Spirits are indeed in
the house. However, Marsha sees Mable doing something strange in the
basement when she goes to tell her.DILEMMA: Does she kill herself to be
with her family in the afterlife? Can she do it, or will fear stop
her?MIDPOINT: The spirits are in the house,
but they are not her family. They are something malevolent. She is
locked in, and they begin to seriously harm and terrify her. Whatever
this is, it’s something truly evil.TURNING POINT 2: Marsha learns the
truth about Mable: she is a devil worshiper trying to sacrifice
Marsha to the devil and bring him into the world.3RD ACT CLIMAX: Mable was one of the
killers who broke into the house and killed Marsha’s family. They
struggle. Marsha kills Mable and the devil takes her, instead.ENDING: Marsha goes from being a timid
and traumatized victim to being strong enough to let go of her
deceased family.III ACT JOURNEY FOR MABLE:
BEGINNING: Marsha’s mother. Landlord of
the building; Marsha’s mother, wants Marsha to investigate the
spirits so she can rent out the building.TURNING POINT: Mable is worshiping
something in the basement. She passes it off as a charm to ward off
trespassing spirits.MIDPOINT: She wants Marsha to be her
daughter, again. Marsha lets her in a little, and for a while, they
are mother/daughter, again.TURNING POINT 2: Peter, the only other
tenant, tries to deliver a message to Marsha about what Mable is
actually doing. He is killed for his troubles.3RD ACT CLIMAX: Mable is one of the
killers in the house. She is also a devil worshiper. She wants the
devil to be her husband and her daughter’s father.ENDING: She turns into a maniac, trying
to murder Marsha and give her soul to the devil. Marsha escapes and
kills her.III ACT JOURNEY FOR PETER:
BEGINNING: Peter has no family, and
felt like Mable took him in when he had no one.TURNING POINT: He meets Marsha.
MIDPOINT: He tells Marsha about his
life and how he was homeless and friendless before Mable. Mable
mothered him and gave him something to believe in. Marsha divulges in
her troubled past with her family being murdered and her being left
for dead.TURNING POINT 2: He is flogged by
Mable. Marsha watches this from the window. Marsha helps him.3RD ACT CLIMAX: Mable is incapacitated
so Marsha can figure out what is happening.DILEMMA: Does he help Mable take over
the world or does he help Marsha keep the devil away?ENDING: He sacrifices himself, getting
in the way of Mable’s attack and thereby allowing himself to die. -
Mark Hawk’s Character Journeys!
What I learned doing this assignment is that defining character arcs up-front can lead directly to the foundation of an outline synopsis quickly. By doing this, the story can be examined for adjustment or the character’s arcs can be adjusted to make the story more compelling.
Carol Rossman (female):
A very wealthy Eco-Patron who is always looking for ways to take advantage of any situation and doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Motivation: Must always control any given situation.
Wound: Father never thought she would amount to anything because she is not male.
Subtext: She has never been involved on a personal level with anyone for very long.
Dilemma: Allowing her to enjoy her feelings versus always having to be in control.
3 Act Journey for Margaret
Beginning: Margaret rides in a rear seat of a four-person air drone as they make their way to an Antarctic research facility. She’s making this trip to see what is occurring at the site that is generating so much secrecy.
Turning Point: During the welcome at the research facility, Jeffery interrupts and talks over Margaret when she tries to introduce herself. When she tries to politely tell Jeffery that he is interrupting her, Jeffery becomes more aggressively dismissive. She has only been treated like this by one man in her life, and she makes a note to watch Jeffery carefully.
Midpoint: Learning from Marly that the research is at an impasse because Leo is overly cautious about anything. Margaret learns that Marly has been working with Jeffery to capitalize on the new discovery.
Turning Point 2: Watching the drone carrying Jeffery and the core sample containing the alien entity crash almost immediately after lifting off.
Dilemma: Margaret must decide whether she needs to take over and lead everyone through the current situation or not. If she does not, she feels that the bickering and fighting will continue and lead to more suffering. If she does, will she have the backing of everyone.
3rd Act Climax: Margret and Simone block the others as Marta drops the core sample containing the alien entity into the drill hole.
Ending: Margaret, Leo, Marta, and Simone board a drone and leave the research station.
Leonard (Leo) Brunell (male):
The lead scientist who is over-protective of their work and doesn’t like to be micro-managed. This individual is an anti-commercialist and believes that discoveries should be shared with all of humanity.
Motivation: To make a discovery that could benefit all of humanity.
Wound: Was betrayed by a past colleague on ownership of a joint-discovery.
Subtext: Does not trust easily, and definitely does not trust rich people.
Dilemma: Deciding on how to work with patrons who can fund the research projects could lead to self-sabotage.
3 Act Journey for Leo
Beginning: Leo walks into the main drill area as Brian operates the controls.
Turning Point: Leo is told that the Ecotourists will be arriving in two hours. Leo resents having to take part in these tours because they take away from project work.
Midpoint: Increasing number of system failures and a lack of answers begins to make Leo’s head spin.
Turning Point 2: Leo witnesses Brian Oglethorp, the maintenance lead, almost decapitated by a freak accident next to the drill shaft while Leo is trying to get answers out of him.
Dilemma: Leo feels that he is losing control of the situation at hand, and the research project in general. How can Leo regain the control that he feels he is losing?
3rd Act Climax: Leo discovers that Marly Sinclair has given the alien artifact sample to Jeffery Milestone against orders and protocols.
Ending: Leo, Margaret, Marta, and Simone board a drone and leave the research station.
Jeffery Milestone (Male):
A crypto billionaire who is just looking for a good time. They are looking for ways to take advantage of old-school money and will do anything to embarrass them.
Motivation: To make as much money as possible without having to do the work.
Secret: Wants to financially destroy Carol.
Wound: Was fired from a company that Carol was CEO.
Layers: Always verbally trying to joust with Carol and overwhelms anyone around him. He sucks all the oxygen out of any room he is in.
Intrigue: Tries to undermine anything he sees Carol becoming involved in.
3 Act Journey for Jeffery
Beginning: Jeffery rides in a front seat of a four-person air drone as they make their way to an Antarctic research facility. He’s making this trip after bumping someone else off the trip so that he can be near Carol.
Turning Point: Jeffery notices that Leo doesn’t like all the questions from Carol, or that Reggie seems a little too eager to provide information. He sees an opportunity to cause confusion and take advantage of the situation.
Midpoint: Jeffery overhears Marta mention to Reggie that the substance in the core sample is not behaving like anything she has ever seen. Jeffery decides to steal the sample and leave before anyone finds out.
Turning Point 2: Reggie agrees to Jeffery’s offer to pay handsomely for the alien artifact sample.
Dilemma: How is Jeffery going to be able to get the sample and leave without anyone stopping him?
3rd Act Climax: Jeffery takes the sample containing the alien artifact and tries to leave on one of the drones.
Ending: Jeffery dies in the drone crash.
Regina (Reggie) Sinclair (female):
An up-and-coming scientist who knows how to get their projects funded. Will do whatever it takes to take over projects after they have already started and run into difficulties.
Motivation: Will do anything and everything to further their career.
Secret: Has already worked out a deal to undermine Leo to take over the project.
Layers: Reluctantly took the assignment on the project after losing out on a different project.
Conflict: Has competed with Leo on different projects in the past. There is very little trust between Reggie and Leo.
Hidden Agenda: Will falsify project data to get Leo fired.
Regina (Reggie) Sinclair (female):
An up-and-coming scientist who knows how to get their projects funded. Will do whatever it takes to take over projects after they have already started and run into difficulties.
Motivation: Will do anything and everything to further their career.
Secret: Has already worked out a deal to undermine Leo to take over the project.
Layers: Reluctantly took the assignment on the project after losing out on a different project.
Conflict: Has competed with Leo on different projects in the past. There is very little trust between Reggie and Leo.
Hidden Agenda: Will falsify project data to get Leo fired.
3 Act Journey for Reggie
Beginning: Reggie stands beside Brian as he operates the core drill controls when she learns that a group of wealthy ecotourists is arriving shortly.
Turning Point: Meeting one of her idols, Carol Rossman.
Midpoint: Reggie tries to present herself to Carol as someone who is destined for something greater, but Carol seems cordial and doesn’t respond to Reggie’s tactics.
Turning Point 2: Jeffery approaches Reggie with a secret proposal and offers her an obscene amount of money in return for the alien artifact sample.
Dilemma: Does Reggie accept Jeffery’s offer and give him the sample?
3rd Act Climax: Reggie agrees to give Jeffery the sample on the condition that Jeffery takes her with him. Jeffery betrays Reggie when he quietly leaves the facility without her.
Ending: Reggie realizes what Jeffery has done and runs out to the drone pad to try and get on the drone. She is tries to open the door when the drone lifts off. Reggie’s arm is stuck in one of the support arms as the drone rises. The drone flips on its side and crashes. Reggie dies.
Simone Wilson (female):
A true ecotourist who is only there for the experience. They believe that the price they paid for the excursion is going to fund the research they are visiting. Very naive.
Motivation: To experience both science and nature in one setting.
Secret: Won a very large lottery drawing.
Wound: Ashamed about not having money until recently.
3 Act Journey for Simone
Beginning: Simone rides in a front seat of a four-person air drone as it makes its way to an Antarctic research facility.
Turning Point: Simone lies about how many times she has been on ecotourist trips but keeps asking questions about what is going to happen.
Midpoint: Simone notices that Jeffery and Reggie are planning something.
Turning Point 2: Simone catches Toni giving her a knowing look as she watches Jeffery and Reggie having a quiet conversation.
Dilemma: Who can Simone tell anyone about Jeffery and Reggie?
3rd Act Climax: Simone calls out Toni for putting the alien artifact sample from the crashed drone into her pocket and not telling anyone.
Ending: Simone, Leo, Carol, and Marta board the remaining drone and leave the research station.
Brian Oglethorp (male):
The maintenance lead who thinks there is nothing they can’t fix. Feels very uncomfortable around people who have money and looks for any reason to avoid them. Likes to be told what the problem is without any advice on how to fix it.
Motivation: To be able to fix anything.
Secret: He is bluffing his way through life by using aggression and intimidation.
Wound: Is ashamed that he doesn’t have the money or education that everyone else has.
Dilemma: He feels that if he admits he can’t figure something out he will be immediately removed and has nothing to fall back on.
3 Act Journey for Brian
Beginning: Brian operates the controls of a core drill. He’s becoming increasingly annoyed that Reggie keeps looking over his shoulder.
Turning Point: Notices that the drill is behaving odd. Over the objections of Leo and Reggie, he stops and begins the process of raising the core.
Midpoint: Brian tells Leo that the equipment is not working properly and that he cannot guarantee anyone’s safety. Leo thinks he just can’t figure out why it won’t work and asks Marta. Brian tells Leo that if he says it won’t work, it won’t work. Marta agrees with Brian.
Turning Point 2: Marta tells Brian that she is noticing odd flickers on equipment when the unknown sample is brought near any monitor or equipment.
Dilemma: Brian doesn’t whether Marta is trying to show him up or if there is something about the unknown sample. He simply doesn’t know what to do, and this realization scares him.
3rd Act Climax: After an argument with Toni, Brian begins the process of sealing the core shaft when something reaches up out of the shaft and pulls him down face-first into the shaft.
Ending: Brian dies.
Marta Lightfoot (female):
The maintenance subordinate is an all-around nice person and always has a smile on their face. Will do or agree with anything that the maintenance lead says but is actually the smartest person in any room.
Motivation: To learn as much as there is to learn without causing conflict.
Wound: Was humiliated during the verbal portion of his dissertation by a professor who had had some of his published work brought into question by Marta.
Subtext: Will remove themself from any intellectual discussion even when they could add a different or confirming opinion.
Secret Identity: Has a PhD in Applied Physics from Caltech.
3 Act Journey for Marta
Beginning: Marta guides the core piping as it drops down into the drill shaft.
Turning Point: Marta discovers an unknown substance in the middle of the ice core that has just been brought up.
Midpoint: Marta interrupts Toni trying to physically examine the unknown sample that has been brought up.
Turning Point 2: Leo insists that the unknown substance is some kind of unknown primordial substance, but Reggie and Toni disagree given that there is ice above and below it. They examine it under a microscope and cannot see anything close to an organic compound. Toni suggests that the sample should be sent to McMurdo for further testing.
Dilemma: Marta thinks that the substance may not be organic. After the drone crashes, Marta wonders if something in the substance may just want to go back to where it came from.
3rd Act Climax: When Simone accuses Toni of having the sample, Marta asks for it. Toni pulls a gun and says that she is going to take it to McMurdo. When asked why, Simone accuses Toni of being in the military. Toni grins and does not answer but gets into the only remaining drone to leave.
Ending: Marta, Simone, Leo, and Carol board a rescue drone and leave the research station.
Toni Granfield (female):
The young grad student who is secretly working for the military and sends weekly reports to a clandestine center. Always curious and never really offers any ideas.
Motivation: Must successfully complete her assignment in order to be promoted.
Secret: She is a spy working for the military.
Subtext: Always nice and disarming to avoid attention.
Hidden Agenda: Any discovery of biological or unknown origins are to be immediately reported and the station to be isolated.
Dilemma: If she is discovered she will no longer have a career.
3 Act Journey for Toni
Beginning: Toni writes down a message from a radio communication with McMurdo Station of an upcoming arrival of an Ecotourist drone later that day. She then walks the message to the drill room and hands it to Leo.
Turning Point: When communications become intermittent after the unknown substance is pulled from the core sample.
Midpoint: Toni secretly sends an update and receives a coded response indicating that she is to take the sample and deliver it to a contact.
Turning Point 2: Toni tries to take the unknown sample, but Jeffery and Reggie take it first.
Dilemma: How can she get the sample back?
3rd Act Climax: Toni searches the crash and retrieves the unknown sample. Simone sees her do this and calls her out inside.
Ending: Toni pulls a gun and takes the unknown sample and tries to leave on the remaining drone. The drone crashes almost immediately after takeoff and kills Toni.
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Lesson 5
Hope’s character journeys
What I learned: Comparing the character’s journeys – seeing who is where when and doing what to drive conflict and story – was very, very helpful. I felt like this is an invaluable way to stay on track and make sure the pieces are fitting together at this point.
3-act journey for Ruby
Beginning: Countess Rowena (aka Ruby) has the campus practically to herself during Christmas break. The college president calls to make sure she has everything she needs; commiserates that she couldn’t travel to Europe over the break.
Turning point: Clash and Hugh kidnap her (lay in wait or break into her dorm?) She’s ordered to call her parents; they demand $5 million for her release. But a snowstorm prevents them from getting her off campus.
Midpoint: With the city in a whiteout, Roger sneaks Countess Rowena out of the dorm room, through the snow, to the library. Roger says if he can get her to the facilities building across campus, he can contact the police via satellite radio.
Dilemma: Countess Rowena helps Roger after he has a minor heart attack, she admits to Roger that she’s not a countess (i.e., no $5 million); she’s a hacker/foster kid who aged out of the system.
3rd act climax: Ruby is caught by the kidnappers. She demands they let her help Roger because he can get them to the satellite radio on which can call her “rich parents.” Instead she calls the college president? Pretends that he’s her father, tells him that he must send $5 million for her release. (Or she hacks into a bank to steal money for the ransom?)
Ending: Ruby admits she’s not an heiress and has no money/wealthy parents. The kidnappers don’t believe her. She and Roger team up to finally defeat them. Then the police — and college president — arrive. Ruby admits who she really is.
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3-act journey for Clash and Hugh
Beginning: Clash and Hugh scope out the campus and see Countess Rowena alone. As the snowstorm begins, they argue about how they’ll get her off campus and back to their hideout so they can contact her family to demand $5 million.
Turning point: They see their chance and they knock out the countess. They get her to their van, but the snowstorm has hit and the van is snowed in. They must get the countess out of the van and back to the dorm. They aren’t sure what to do: No phone service; no electricity; no heat.
Midpoint: As they decide they must dig out the van. They discover Rowena is gone (Roger gets Rowena/Ruby untied and out of the room), the kidnappers follow tracks through the storm to the library.
Dilemma: Clash or Hugh continue to fight; Clash wants to cut his losses and run. Hugh demands that they keep going. They find them again, but Roger has collapsed. They want only Rowena/Ruby, but she demands they let her help Roger.
3rd act climax: They agree to take Rowena/Ruby and Roger to the Facilities building, where the satellite phone is. They demand she call her father and get the money. She seems to.
Ending: They hear from Ruby that she’s actually called the police and she’s not an heiress. They argue again; Hugh finally leaves, but he’s stopped by the police outside and Clash is arrested inside.
3-act journey for Roger
Beginning: He’s cleaning up after his retirement party, knowing it’s his final job to do at the college. He’s depressed and cranky about it.
Turning point: He investigates a strange van in the parking lot; sees Clash and Hugh with the Countess Rowena and realizes she’s being kidnapped.
Midpoint: Roger waits till Countess Rowena is alone and he gets her untied and out of the dorm room (while Clash and Hugh are trying to dig out the van). No heat and no lights! They must avoid the parking lot and Roger uses his cardkey to get them into the library.
Dilemma: Due to the struggle across the snowbound campus, Roger has a minor heart attack in the library. Roger is incapacitated; Rowena confesses that she’s not an heiress, just a hacker/former foster kid. He’s angry, but tells her about the satellite phone. If they can make it to the facilities building, they can call the police.
3rd act climax: The kidnappers find Roger and Rowena. He doesn’t want her to tell them about the phone and he’s angry when she does. Roger and Rowena/Ruby are taken to the facilities building.
Ending: Roger helps Rowena/Ruby make the call; the police come and arrest the kidnappers.
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Subject line: Monica’s Character Journeys!
What I learned doing this assignment – you’re right I hadn’t thought of character journeys with a structure – now I have to re-tool my MSC 14 war movie!
1. For each of your main characters, create a 3-Act Structure of their journey.
3-Act Structure Mother
Beginning: She returns to the Vatican to see her friends. She’s brought her daughter.
Turning Point: She confronts the new Pope – her daughter is his daughter.
Dilemma: Knowing her life is probably in danger if she tells her secret – does she or doesn’t she.
Midpoint: Tells the new Pope that not only is the daughter his daughter, she’s also the second coming of Christ.
Turning Point 2: Has her daughter perform some “miracles”.
3rd Act Climax: The new Pope confronts her over the secret saying it has to be managed properly.
Ending: With her life in danger she tries to send a pre-written email but there is no service. She’s poisoned and everything is covered up.
3-Act Structure – Daughter
Beginning: She explores the Vatican.
Turning Point: Discovers she is this Pope’s daughter.
Dilemma: But has insight into this Pope being the anti-Christ and she is in danger.
Midpoint: Gets into the Secret Archives and finds the document which exposes the Christian church as a fraud.
Turning Point 2: Performs the miracle of illusion exposing the Vatican as a den of iniquity.
3rd Act Climax: She exposes the new Pope as the anti-Christ and the fight for souls is on.
Ending: She raises her mother from the dead as the Vatican disintegrates around her.
3-Act Structure – The Pope
Beginning: He welcomes the Mother and Daughter to the Vatican – they’re old friends you know.
Turning Point: The Pope denies the daughter is his daughter.
Dilemma: Accept the daughter as he knows she is his or disown her so he can have the power that goes with being the Pope.
Midpoint: The 2000 year old sham is up and he stands to lose everything.
Turning Point 2: The “miracle” of illusion is being played over and over again on all platforms – his agenda is moved up.
3rd Act Climax: The fight between the SC-Christ and the evil Pope.
Ending: He loses for evil can not triumph.
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Michael’s Character Journeys
What I learned is that mapping out the characters journey is a way of mapping out a plot line that actually matters and shows growth through the plot. This way its easier to avoid writing themes or side-plots that don’t fit in, because the plot is actually based on what needs to happen for the characters to each grow and intersect with each other.
Casey
Beginning: hardened criminal. Wants to leave wounded George behind.
Turning Point: winds up at an ashram, where George is taken to heal.
Reveal: christianity and hopelessness
Continues to stick around for George
Is annoyed by monks and Guru, but reluctantly relaxes a bit
Midpoint: Money is missing, freakout
Reverts to cold criminal
Turning Point 2: Boss is on his way over
Dilemma: Protect Ashram, or betray to show boss loyalty (betrays)
3rd Act Climax: throws self in front of bullet to save Guru
Ending: finds out Guru gave money to FBI to send back to mint, but lets go of their rage. Decides to stay at the Ashram, also releases Fred’s ghost.
Gerry
Beginning: tough and driven but with conscienceIs the one who helps George into car, and says they need Ashram
Turning Point: Meets Pranil the holy practitioner, who is taken with them
Begin to trust, and have feelings
Enjoy relations but then pulls away from emotion.
Midpoint: Money gone
Now she distrusts (everyone incl.) Pranil
Pranil now knows she is a criminal and thinks she is evil – and Gerry agrees
Turning Point 2:
Pranil offers her acceptance, forgiveness, and she decides to love him, just as the boss shows up
Dilemma: (? needs work. Options: – leave w Pranil or stay to protect Ashram – tell Pranil to go so doens’t get hurt?)
3rd Act Climax: fights for Ashram, worried about Pranil, they help each other
Ending: Pranil decides to join her
George
Beginning: wants to die. Acerbic, sardonic, smart but rudeTurning Point: realizes the healer saved him, and that could have died, and smokes their herbs but ends up with spiritual experience
Realizes life had had no meaning
Begins asking questions, trying to learn
Begins annoyingly telling Gerry and Casey to come see the light
Midpoint:
Money gone, can his newfound faith withstand the disappointment?
Reveal his estranged daughter that his share was for
Dilemma: turn back on his newfound spirituality, or accept the money being gone
Turning Point 2: Boss shows up, he hilariously tries to convert boss, and almost is killed
Dilemma: stand up to Boss and die, or shut up and live (shuts up)
3rd Act Climax: uses his tech skills against boss
Ending: off to see his daughter.
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MICAH’S CHARACTER JOURNEYS!
What I learned doing this assignment is how to clearly define the beats in the character’s journey and therefore how to separate and arrange major beats in the movie.
JENNIFER
BEGINNING: She is a prostitute who keeps her profession secret from her husband, Richard. She wants to quit the business, but accepts one last job from her pimp so she can pay off debt.TURNING POINT: Her client is accidentally killed and Richard is on her way home. She has to find a way to dispose of the body as well as keep it a secret from her pimp.
MIDPOINT: She discovers that her client was actually just knocked out, but in an ensuing scuffle she kills him for real. Now she’s guilty of murder.
TURNING POINT 2: Her pimp arrives and blackmails her: he’ll get rid of the body if she continues to hook for him, as well as provide him additional money.
DILEMMA: Does she remain enslaved to Pimp or does she let Richard find out who she really is?
3RD ACT CLIMAX: She reveals her secret to Richard via voicemail, freeing herself from Pimp. Enraged, he calls the police on Jennifer.
ENDING: A fight breaks out between Jennifer and Pimp and he is killed. The police come and she convinces them that the pimp attacked her and her client. Richard arrives home, having not listened to the voicemail, and Jennifer deletes it.
PIMP (Walter? Vinnie?)
BEGINNING: He has conned Jennifer into doing one last job, offering her a large payout and to leave her and her husband alone forever.
TURNING POINT: Calling to check in, he senses something is wrong and becomes suspicious of Jennifer.
MIDPOINT: Jennifer confesses to him that the client is dead. He immediately hangs up and drives to her cabin.
TURNING POINT 2: He offers to clean up the mess, but demands money and that Jennifer continue to hook for him.
3RD ACT CLIMAX: Incensed that Jennifer has confessed to her husband, he calls the police on her.
ENDING: A scuffle ensues and he is killed, later being blamed for the murder of the client.
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What I learned doing this assignment: The journey road map helps to keep suspense and intrigue clear at all times.
Marc Lynch Character Journey
Concept Hook: Lost in the New Mexico Sandia Mountain wilderness to find a medical assistant for her injured Father.
Act Journey for Helen.
Beginning: Helen has a fistfight in her schoolyard with the school bully.
Turning Point 1: Helen sent by her mother to live with her Father( a hot air balloon pilot) in New Mexico.
MidPoint: Fatu, a naturalist, finds Helen passed out in the mountains. Beverly, Helen’s mother, and her Father’s mother visit New Mexico and are angry at the lack of effort by Search & Rescue to find Helen.
Dilemma: Help Fatu search and kill ” El Lion” or continue on, alone, to find medical assistance for her injured Father.
Turning Point: 2 “El Lion attacks and kills Fata. Helen is left alone to walk the wilderness trying to find help.
Act Climax: Helen does Battle with “El Lion.” The search and Rescue team assist her in the kill.
Ending: Search and Rescue team and Helen load into the helicopter. Helen has a vision and demands the helicopter go back to Fatu’s house. She finds her father walking to the house.
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Assignment 1
For each of your main characters, create a 3-Act Structure of their journey.
JORDAN MAAN: he’s the flawed protagonist who displays the concept by demonstrating what it’s like when your good intentions in helping people collide with an addiction to hurting others.
· Beginning: he stalks a man down an alley and proceeds to beat him senseless.
· Turning Point 1: it is revealed that he is a 12-step program sponsor and is trying to help others stay sober.
· Midpoint: reveal that Jordan used to be in law enforcement and wrongfully detained and assaulted BLM activists during the D.C. marches in the summer of 2020. He is trying to make up for those actions.
· Turning Point 2: Jordan learns that his sponsee Roy fell off the wagon when he got meth from a local drug dealer named Cesar Machado.
· Dilemma: Jordan is supposed to honor the 12-step program’s doctrine of non-violence but he sees that violence can save his sponsees from ruining their lives from sinking back into addiction.
· 3rd Act Climax: Jordan goes to the meeting hall to get ready to attack Cesar but Cesar has already set a trap there and Jordan is captured. He is freed with the help of an unexpected ally and proceeds to kill Cesar and his gang.
· Ending: Jordan is given a new opportunity: work with a shadowy syndicate with connections to BLM and the police force.
CESAR MACHADO: the cunning and deadly antagonist who displays the concept of the story by being an addict who is unflinching about his addiction, while also deriving dark pleasure from causing others to succumb to addiction. Cesar loves to break people’s spirit since his is already so broken.
· Beginning: learns that Mike, one of his associates, was assaulted by a masked vigilante. Puts the word out on the street to start looking for this guy.
· Turning Point 1: one of his low-level dealers is beaten up too.
· Midpoint: leans that Officer Espinoza is also looking for the masked vigilante.
· Turning Point 2: Roy comes to him asking for meth. Roy mentions that he’d been going to NA meetings and has a sponsor named Jordan.
· Dilemma: Cesar is addicted to his own drugs, but needs to be sharp enough to run his business effectively.
· 3rd Act Climax: Cesar ambushes Jordan at his own NA meeting hall. Plans to torture and kill him but things go awry when Jordan is able to get free from the help of a mysterious stranger.
· Ending: Jordan and Cesar fight to the death and Jordan is finally able to kill him.
ROY GREEN: an addict who is being sponsored by Jordan Maan. Roy displays the concept of the story by being someone who is addicted and unable to stay sober, and that is taken advantage of by Cesar and causes Roy to betray someone he cares about.
· Beginning: attends an NA meeting with his sponsor Jordan. He is happy that the negative people in his life have been fortuitously absent and he can take ground on staying sober.
· Turning Point 1: Officer Espinoza interviews him about the assault and his name being mentioned. Roy is baffled and can’t understand why anyone would do that.
· Midpoint: Roy is fired from his job.
· Turning Point 2: Roy goes to Cesar to buy drugs. Cesar wants to know where he’s been all this time. Asks him why someone beat up Mike and told him to stay away from Roy Green?
· Dilemma: Does Roy tell Cesar about his sponsor or keep quiet and not get any drugs?
· 3rd Act Climax: Roy tells Cesar and sets into motion events that will end with his sponsor and friend being killed.
· Ending: Roy sinks into the throes of addiction, riddled with guilt over what he’s done.
SUSAN ESPINOZA: an Austin Police Department officer, & woman of color. She displays the concept by representing someone who\s not dealing with addiction but is affected by those who are, & vice versa.
· Beginning: has learned of a couple of recent assaults by a masked man who warns the victim to stay away from specific people. These people seem to have no idea why their names are mentioned and do not appear to be directly linked to these assaults.
· Turning Point 1: she realizes that the assaults are in a certain part of the city and patrols that area every night. One night she gets lucky and witnesses the masked vigilante assaulting someone. She tries to catch him but he gets away.
· Midpoint: after interviewing Roy Green, she realizes that the masked vigilante must be his sponsor.
· Turning Point 2: she learns that Jordan Maan was an former Army soldier who became a law enforcement officer. He partook as one of the many unmarked police officers who arrested BLM protestors in D.C. in the summer of 2019.
· Dilemma: does she bring this former cop into her secret organization? Can she trust that he’s the type of reformed officer that she needs on her team?
· 3rd Act Climax: while surveilling Jordan, she realizes that he’s been captured by homicidal gangsters.
· Ending: she helps him defeat the gangsters and offers him a membership into her secret order.
What I learned from doing this assignment is:
This is a really good way to plot out the story. By figuring out the character arcs of each of the main characters, it’s easier to understand how the overall story will flow. This seems to be a really effective way to make a character-based story, even if the story is an action movie or thriller, which are traditionally more plot-centered stories.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Frank Kim.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by
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Assignment 5 – What Did I Learn: Interesting that I never looked at a character having a three act structure, just the story itself. It’s certainly a way to develop the arc for a character, maybe not with all the details and layers, but at least the main points to flesh out as the story develops!
1. For each of your main characters, create a 3-Act Structure of their journey.
Character One: Librarian
Beginning: Librarian is anxious to close up on a Friday night. It’s been a long week, she is waiting to hear back about an biopsy and her son is on leave from military duty. She hasn’t seen him for three years. So much going on in her life, and the last place she wants to be is in the library! But, there’s an author signing, and she’s tasked to stay until all visitors are gone and the security guard locks up.
Turning Point: Librarian gets reamed out by author of book signing for trying to close up a few minutes early.
Midpoint: Author comes back to apologize right before closing.
Turning Point 2: Librarian and author are confronted by another person who enters the library after killing the security guard who we never see.
Dilemma: Librarian is now gong to be a witness to a murder of the author by the killer which means she’ll be next in line.
3rd Act Climax: Librarian must figure out a way to survive the killer’s plan.
Ending: Librarian outwits the killer, but not sure yet how she does so.
Character Two: Author
Beginning: Author has the worst book signing of his career on a Friday night at a library. He’s on the downside of his illustrious career.
Turning Point: He confronts the Librarian about not being more welcoming and discouraging visitors.
Midpoint: Before getting in his car, he decides to turn around and apologize to the Librarian.
Turning Point 2: He doesn’t realize he’s being followed.
Dilemma: Now back in the Library, he’s cornered by the killer and also endangered the life of another person.
3rd Act Climax: He figures out a way to help the Librarian survive the killng.
Ending: He dies an unwitting hero.
Character Three: Killer
1. For each of your main characters, create a 3-Act Structure of their journey.
Beginning: Killer attends the book signing only to listen to a reading of the book.
Turning Point: He stays out of sight at first, unless the author grows suspicious or recognizes him.
Midpoint: The author leaves, he follows, but the author goes back. He decides to follow him back into the library.
Turning Point 2: Killer decides the library is the best place to kill the author. He’s already written a suicide note for him. He planned to leave it at his apartment, but now he realizes the library is a better place for the murder, since there’s not as many chances of things going awry.
Dilemma: He has no choice but to kill the Librarian too.
3rd Act Climax: Killer executes the author, but Librarian escapes.
Ending: Not sure what happens yet with killer. Stay tuned! I might also change who gets killed, Still working on details.
2. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
3. Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.<wbr>screenwritingclasses.com/<wbr>forums/
Subject line: (Your name’s) Character Journeys!
2. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
3. Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.<wbr>screenwritingclasses.com/<wbr>forums/
Subject line: (Your name’s) Character Journeys!
2. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
3. Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.<wbr>screenwritingclasses.com/<wbr>forums/
Subject line: (Your name’s) Character Journeys!
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