Day 6 Assignments

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Relationship Map

(Unable to copy the chart format in a post.)

What I learned doing this assignment is…

The importance of relationships as the hook for viewers – in many ways more powerful than the individual characters. This encouraged me to broaden the character circles. Fascinating discoveries. Yes, answers are a bit long but I’ve uncovered fascinating layers with questions that I want to keep open for further exploration and discovery. This has been an eye-opening and creatively liberating assignment.

Assignment 1

TV Relationship Map

American Horror Story

Character: Ben Harmon

Relationship with Vivien

Surface: Married

Common Ground: Value of family, home, commitment to daughter Violet. Expecting a new baby.

Conflict: Ben’s infidelity and lies to cover up relationship with Hayden and pregnancy.

History: Vivien miscarried, and Ben used affair to cope with pain. Vivien caught them, but has agreed to give him a chance to start again with the move into Murder House.

Subtext: Ben believes the marriage will survive. Vivien can no longer trust Ben.

Relationship Arc: From working on a new start – to separation (Ben’s out of the house); however Ben needs house to maintain professional practice.

Relationship with Hayden

Surface: Instructor-Student

Common Ground: Sexually attracted to each other. Affair. Hayden’s pregnant.

Conflict: Ben’s committed to marriage; Hayden wants to break up marriage.

History: Had an affair and Vivien caught them. They continued the affair after Ben promised to end it. Hayden’s pregnant.

Subtext: Ben does not believe she’s dead and a ghost. Hayden believes Ben’s committed to her.

Relationship Arc: From breakup with Ben committing to family – to Hayden haunting Ben and ruining marriage. (Ben believing she’s alive.)

Relationship with Larry

Surface: Strangers

Common Ground: Both owners of Murder House. Both fathers. Larry murdered his family.

Conflict: Larry extorts Ben for $1000, and murders Hayden. Ben believes Larry was working with Hayden to stage her murder.

History: Larry’s murder of his own family – trapped in the history of Murder House. Ben refuses to believe supernatural.

Subtext: Ben may be fated to follow the actions of Larry and murder his family. Ben believes Larry is working with Hayden.

Relationship Arc: From a stranger warning Ben to leave – to Ben believing Larry/Hayden have set him up (and Ben’s threatened to kill Larry).

Assignment 2

Poe Forevermore: The Horror of Hop-Frog

Lead Character: Hop-Frog

Relationship with Trippetta

Surface: He serves/entertains his princess

Common Ground: love of nature, entertains her with his clockwork creations; their loved ones were massacred by King Goplik; both serve as entertainment to King Goplik and his court

Conflict: She believes Hop-Frog could have saved Prince Brann; her family is wealthy, privileged; he’s a servant; she sees him as physically disabled – unable to be the hero.

History: Friends since childhood, although she treats him as her “pet”, to serve her entertainment needs

Subtext: He loves Trippetta with his soul; he feels guilt over death of Prince Brann

Relationship Arc: From long time best friends to adversaries to conspirators in revenge to lovers?

Relationship with King Goplik

Surface: Court Jester and confidante to the King

Common Ground: Humor… especially wickedly dark humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta

Conflict: King Goplik massacred Hop-Frog’s family. And has placed Trippetta in servitude.

History: The King’s Master of Ceremonies tortured/disfigured Hop-Frog when he was young. King Goplik wants domination of his neighboring lands. By taking Hop-Frog’s country (Lavinia), King Goplik feels he can force Balog into compliance.

Subtext: Hop-Frog wants the king to fall – revenge. But needs to earn the king’s trust as adviser of the grand practical jokes to maintain his reign of terror (and set up his fall)

Relationship Arc: From servant/king to worthy conspirators and adversaries of the horrific practical joke to fool/humiliate the king – Hop-Frog clears the throne for the next ruler (Raynor? Syrelle? Trippetta? Hop-Frog?)

Relationship with Myria

Surface: Hop-Frog’s guardian

Common Ground: Creativity/mechanicals, love of nature, morality (a moral code)

Conflict: His low self-esteem; Myria wants him to find his strength, his special power, his secret sauce. He’s frustrated by her challenges (and her guidance to seek for answers – “just tell me.” (Hop-Frog’s impatience)

History: she raised him since the disappearance of his parents (abandonment, death…?); she’s connected with the resistance

Subtext: Myria is nurturing, she believes Hop-Frog serves a significant, powerful role – his service as slave/servant/fool is his pathway. Myria was Hop-Frog’s guardian when he had no one.

Relationship Arc: From nurturing, supportive to tragic – Hop-Frog witnesses her massacre at the hand of King Goplik’s army, led by Lord Asnar.

Lead Character: Trippetta

Relationship with Hop-Frog

Surface: Hop-Frog is her servant

Common Ground: love flowers and nature; she delights at his mechanicals; shared trauma of massacre of their families/country and now enslavement by King Goplik

Conflict: Hop-Frog is treated as a servant, from a lower class; why did he survive Goplik’s attack and Prince Brann died? Is Hop-Frog capable of helping her escape?

History: She’s known Hop-Frog as long as she can remember, felt sorry for his physical disabilities, took him in as a servant and friendship developed, a friend in need for entertainment (and counsel?)

Subtext: She’s superior to him; why did Hop-Frog survive? Is he capable of helping her? Can he be trusted?

Relationship Arc: From princess-servant to co-conspirators in revenge (and possible lovers)?

Relationship with King Goplik

Surface: Princess of usurped country, now serving as entertainment

Common Ground: Royalty; power, manipulation; passion for beautiful acquisitions

Conflict: Goplik is her captor, abuser. She wants vengeance.

History: Although aware of King Goplik as foreign leader, their history begins with the King’s attack and usurpation of her homeland on the day of her debutante’s party (and intended announcement of her engagement to Prince Brann).

Subtext: she’s determined to see him punished, and plans to take the throne

Relationship Arc: From slave to abused victim to vanquisher

Relationship with Lord Asnar

Surface: She’s the spoils of war; Asnar is her captor; sparring partners

Common Ground: physical combat skills, fencing, both self-taught

Conflict: she was the spoils of war that Asnar wanted for himself, but was forced to give to King Goplik; she wants revenge but she admires his combat skills and intelligence

History: Both have reputations – his heroism on the battlefield, her beauty and grace. History begins with the massacre of her family/Prince Brann.

Subtext: is she falling in love with her captor, or using him for her vengeance on King Goplik and his court?

Relationship Arc: From captor-spoils to lovers to… enemies?

Lead Character: King Goplik

Relationship with Hop-Frog

Surface: Hop-Frog serves as his Court Fool, and confidante

Common Ground: loves oddities; humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta. Both have had histories of being ridiculed.

Conflict: King Goplik’s army massacred Lavinia. Goplik needs Hop-Frog to maintain/direct Goplik’s tyrannical reign; can Hop-Frog be trusted?

History: Master of Ceremonies tortured/tormented Hop-Frog, when he was young. Hop-Frog is presented to Goplik as spoils of war.

Subtext: Can Hop-Frog be trusted as confidante and “minister”?

Relationship Arc: From King-slave to King-minister to vanquished-vanquisher.

Relationship with Lord Asnar

Surface: Asnar is Goplik’s Minister of War. Secret lovers.

Common Ground: power, military strategy, horror/torture, sexual exploration

Conflict: Asnar’s conflicts with King’s ministers; rivalry with Queen; King forced Asnar to give up Trippetta. Will Asnar take the fall for Raynor’s disappearance/death?

History: Asnar was the King’s page, a servant, and secret lover. Asnar taught Goplik his combat skills and helped plot the disappearance of King Raynor. Goplik rewarded Asnar as the king’s military adviser and hand of terror.

Subtext: Asnar wants Trippetta for his own, will she break up their allegiance? Asnar is treated as an outsider by the King’s ministers. Can they trust each other, and keep the truth of Raynor a secret?

Relationship Arc: From king-minister to adversaries (to allies?)

Relationship with Princess Syrelle

Surface: Uncle-Niece. Syrelle is Raynor’s only child.

Common Ground: Blood. Family history. Power. Political skullduggery. Worthy manipulators.

Conflict: Syrelle believes Goplik murdered her father, and wants the throne. Goplik needs to appease Syrelle (and resistance)

History: After King Raynor disappeared mysteriously, and Goplik took the throne (and the Queen’s hand and heart), Syrelle suspected her mother and uncle plotted the murder of Raynor. A growing Resistance supports Princess Syrelle as rightful Queen. Fueling belief that Raynor may still be alive.

Subtext: Goplik wants her dead. Syrelle wants Goplik and mother punished, and to take the throne.

Relationship Arc: From compliant Niece, to bloodthirsty adversary for throne.

[Wendy Weising]

Wendy Weising’s Show Relationship Map

What I learned doing this assignment is that even when you aren’t feeling like you can do the assignment, you can fill in the blanks. Once you do, it’s amazing to see how the characters know each other.

Lesson #6, Assignment #1

Lost

Jack

Relationship with Kate

Surface: Couple-Girlfriend

Common Ground: Fit, young, good looking, trapped on the island

Conflict: Jack not knowing Kate’s past. Kate not wanting to
tell him.

History: She was one of the first people he met. They bonded
immediately and were attracted to each other. She chooses not to go with him to
the caves.

Subtext: Kate doesn’t think she can be good enough for him.

Relationship Arc: First meeting to being a couple to distancing

Relationship with Locke

Surface: Advisors/Locke-on the island/Jack-anything
medical

<div>

Common Ground: Working to feed and shelter the group

Conflict: Sometimes disagree on next action to take.

History: Jack saw Locke’s expertise when he brought back a boar-now Jack looks to him for things regarding the island/Locke saw Jack saving people medically-he defers to Jack when medical attention is
needed.

Subtext: Mutual respect for each other’s help and expertise

Relationship Arc: From one of the survivors to reliance on each other

Relationship with Sawyer

Surface: Adversaries

Common Ground: Both like Kate

Conflict: Sawyer is jealous of Jack because Kate is close to
him. Jack doesn’t trust Sawyer because he steals and makes passes at Kate.

History: While Jack was busy helping people after the crash,
Sawyer was stealing supplies for himself. They have gotten into it several
times.

Subtext: competition

Relationship Arc: From not paying attention to each other to fighting
and keeping tabs on each other

Assignment #2

Jayne March

Relationship with Dr. Zyn

Surface: Doctor-patient

Common Ground: Love of humans and children

Conflict: He is from a race of beings that are feeding on
humans. She doesn’t know if she can trust him.

History: He is the first person she sees in the hospital. He
falls in love with her. He takes special care of her. She begins to care for
him.

Subtext: In love but can’t admit it

Relationship Arc: From doctor-patient to close friends to soul mates

Relationship with Ava Grace

Surface: Patient-food service

Common Ground: Trapped in the hospital/Love brussel sprouts

Conflict: Jayne pushes Ava to get off the aliens’ drugs, but
she doesn’t want to.

History: When Jayne woke up, Dr. Zyn brought Ava in to sing
and calm her down. They began to talk. Ava goes to Jayne for help and advice.

Subtext: Mother-daughter

Relationship Arc: From a voice calming a patient to a daughter of Jayne

Relationships with Dr. Smith

Surface: Doctor-patient

Common Ground: Dr. Zyn

Conflict: Dr. Smith lies to Jayne, and Jayne steals from and plots against her. Both
compete for Dr. Zyn’s love and loyalty.

History: Dr. Smith conducts experiments on Jayne, which Dr.
Zyn stops. Jayne gathers info about her. She begins to fight back.

Polly Doyle

Relationship with Dr. Smith

Surface: Patient-doctor

Common Ground: Dr. Smith’s library

Conflict: Dr. Smith forces Polly to become her spy. Wants her
to hurt Jayne.

History: Dr. Zyn found her as a baby. Dr. Smith raised her
as her own. Polly was not pretty, so she put her to work in the hospital. Polly
does extra jobs to stay out of the brain-mining operation and to have access to
Dr. Smith’s library.

Subtext: Captive-Controller

Relationship Arc: Dr. Smith was like Polly’s mother. Then Polly is
used by Dr. Smith to the point that Polly spills the secrets of the hospital
and planet to Jayne.

Relationship with Jayne March

Surface: Patient cleaner-patient

Common Ground: Love of maps

Conflict: When Polly tells Jayne that she’s been working for
Dr. Smith, their escape plan stalls while Jayne processes it.

History: They meet when Jayne is ranting about her family
and no one acts like they believe her. Polly comes into her room. Polly won’t
talk to her at first. Then she whispers, “They’re lying.” They become friends,
but Polly keeps working for Dr. Smith until they decide to escape. Then Polly
draws up maps of the hospital and planet and restores their friendship.

Subtext: Friends forged in fire

Relationship Arc: Not speaking to each other to close friends who
rely on each other

Relationship with Ava Grace

Surface: Patient coworkers

Common Ground: Love <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Jayne Eyre/Hate
but need Dr. Smith.

Conflict: They try to outdo each other to gain Dr. Smith’s favor.

History: They compete against each other until Jayne comes.
Then they work together to obtain extra supplies and plan their escape with
Jayne.

Subtext: Competition/Friendship

Relationship Arc: From competitors who dislike each other to friends
who rely on each other

Ava Grace

Relationship with Dr. Smith

Surface: Patient-doctor

Common Ground: They both love Ava’s voice.

Conflict: Dr. Smith got Ava addicted to drugs to control her.
Ava must perform for her drugs.

History: Ava wakes up in hospital. When Dr. Smith prepares
experiment but hears her singing. This stops her. She tells Ava that she killed
her own mother and then supplies her with drugs. She gives her the job of
feeding the other patients.

Subtext: Slave/Master

Relationship Arc: From Dr. Smith in awe of Ava’s voice to controlling
her and her voice

Relationship with Polly Doyle

Surface: Fellow patient workers in hospital

Common Ground: <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Jayne Eyre-their favorite book/Hate
but need Dr. Smith.

</div>

Conflict: They try to outdo each other to gain Dr. Smith’s
favor.

History: They compete against each other until Jayne comes.
Then they work together to obtain extra supplies and plan their escape with
Jayne.

Subtext: Competition/Friendship

Relationship Arc: From competitors who dislike each other to friends
who rely on each other

Relationship with Dr. Zyn

Surface: Patient-doctor

Common Ground: Both care about Jayne but in different ways.

Conflict: She takes some of his hospital supplies to sell to
other patients, and he catches her. He also confronts her about the drugs.

History: Dr. Zyn was always nice to Ava and made her laugh.
She would sing for him and bring him steak.

Subtext: Friendship

Relationship Arc: From troublesome teenager stealing his supplies to
caring about each other as friends

[Ben Ather]

Subject line: Ben’s show Relationship Map

I couldn’t upload pdf file. So I copied and paste and everything is all jumbled. Not going to fix it because it’s a pain to do.

What I learned doing this assignment is many things and one of them is to always know that any relationships can have many things underneath that make them interesting. If nothing is there, I have to find something.

Assignment 1 – Example Show: Prison Break

SURFACE

Michael and Abruzzi: Inmates

Michael and Sucre: Inmates

Michael and Sara: Doctor/Patient

COMMON GROUND

Michael and Abruzzi: Inmates, break out of the prison.

Michael and Sucre: Cellmates, inmates, break out of the prison.

Michael and Sara: Their fathers have done bad things.

CONFLICT

Michael and Abruzzi: Scofield holds the information Abruzzi needs to find Fibonacci.

Michael and Sucre: Scofield set up Sucre to find out if he can trust him.

HISTORY

Michael and Abruzzi: Met at the prison.

Michael and Sucre: Met as cellmates in the prison.

Michael and Sara: Sara works in the prison as a doctor.

SUBTEXT

Michael and Abruzzi: Conspiring to break out of the prison. Michael has the plan tattooed on his body.

Michael and Sucre: Conspiring to break out of the prison. Michael has the plan tattooed on his body.

Michael and Sara: Michael is planning to break his brother out of the prison. Michael has the plan tattooed on his body.

Relationship Arc

?????

Assignment 2 – My TV Show

SURFACE

Rain and Terra: Adopted father and daughter

Rain and Reed: Love interest.

Rain and Mo: Teacher and student

Rain and Aloe: Love interest.

Rain and Shard: Rain’s protector

Rain and O’ller: Mother and daughter

COMMON GROUND

Rain and Terra: Change the rule. School. Parents.

Rain and Reed: School. Students. Change the rule. In love.

Rain and Mo: School. Care for Reed.

Rain and Aloe: School. Students. In love. Care for O’ller.

Rain and Shard: Change the rule.

Rain and O’ller: Common enemy. Marriage with Whyller.

Conflict

Terra betrayed and killed Whyller.

Rain betrayed Reed.

Rain wants to change the rule.

Rain is a distraction to Reed.

Aloe disapproves of Rain seeking revenge.

Shard betrayed Whyller.

O’ller married Whyller’s enemy.

History

Parents with Whyller.

Join same school.

Father.

O’ller sent Aloe to protect Rain.

Whyller found Shard homeless.

Arranged Marriage.

Subtext

Terra is using Rain to find his brother.

Rain is Terra’s brother.

Whyller knows Terra cursed Rain.

Terra conspired with O’ller to curse and abandon Rain.

Rain is an ugly girl disguised as a pretty girl.

Rain’s not the woman Reed thinks she is.

Reed is secretly helping Rain change the rule.

Rain broke the rule.

Aloe knows Rain is O’ller’s daughter.

Rain is Aloe’s cousin.

Whyller is Aloe’s uncle.

Shard was Whyller’s subordinate.

Whyller knows Shard conspired with Terra to test Rain.

Husband and wife.

Rain is Whyller.

Rain was Whyller’s

daughter.

O’ller conspired with Terra to cursed and abandon Rain.

Whyller is in love with Aloe.

Relationship Arc

From brothers to enemies.

From not knowing each other to family.

From not knowing each other to enemies.

From not knowing each other to family.

From betraying Whyller to redeeming himself.

From husband and wife to being separated by death – Whyller dies.

TERRA

MO

SHARD

O’LLER

Surface

Best friends

Lord and subordinate

Wife

Common Ground

School.

Teacher.

To find Whyller.

To find Whyller.

Town.

Conflict

Mo wants to take over Terra’s position.

Terra takes Reed hostage.

Terra tricked Shard into betraying Whyller.

Shard wants to help Whyller stop Terra.

Terra wants to kill Whyller.

History

They met through their teacher.

Shard was Whyller’s subordinate.

Whyller introduced O’ller to Terra.

Subtext

Terra conspired with Kins to make Kins the head of Affinity Academy.

Terra conspired with Rain to change the rule.

Shard is looking for Whyller to join him.

Rain isn’t Terra’s daughter, but Whyller’s.

O’ller doesn’t know Terra is dying.

O’ller is gathering an army in secret to fight Terra.

Terra conspired with Rain to disguise as a pretty girl.

Aloe is Terra’s daughter and her mother is alive.

Relationship arc

From best friends to enemies.

From lord and subordinate to enemies.

From husband and wife to enemies.

REED

MO

TOTO

ALOE

Surface

Father and son

Best friends

Best friends.

Common Ground

Family.

School.

Common enemy.

School.

Aloe’s friends.

City.

Toto’s friends.

Their mothers are friends.

City.

In love with Rain.

Conflict

Mo wants Rain dead.

Mo thinks Rain is distracting Reed from becoming a great person.

Reed is Mo’s son.

Jealousy.

Aloe is helping Rain change the rule.

History

Father.

Aloe introduced Toto to Reed.

Met through their mothers.

Subtext

Reed is secretly helping Rain change the rule.

Reed conspired with Toto to sabotage his father’s plan that may harm Rain.

Mo is using Reed to push Rain to change the rule to realize his goal.

Reed is violating their family value.

Reed wants to become his own person.

Toto is Mo’s illegitimate child.

Aloe became friend with Reed because of his father.

Relationship arc

Same.

From best friends to brothers.

From best friends to family.

MO

NATCHE

KINS

ZIN

TOTO

Surface

Mo is Natchez’s superior.

Conspirators.

Enemies.

Toto is Reed’s Friend.

Common Ground

School.

Agency.

Punish those who break the rule.

Teachers.

School.

Teachers.

School.

Common enemy.

School.

Conflict

Natchez disapproves of Reed leading them.

Head of the Affinity Academy position.

Mo is plotting to replace Terra.

Mo abandoned his mother with unborn child for Reed’s mother.

History

Natchez was recruited to join Sparrow Agency for his skills.

Terra introduced Kins to Mo.

They met at Affinity Academy.

Reed introduced Toto to Mo.

Subtext

Being under younger person hurts Natchez’s pride.

Kins is conspiring with Terra to become head of Affinity Academy.

Kins is spying on Mo.

Zin is investigating Mo.

Toto is Mo’s illegitimate child.

Toto wants to return Mo to his mother’s side.

Relationship arc

Same.

From conspirators to enemies.

From enemies to friends.

From not knowing each other to father and son.

[Elizabeth Dickinson]

Elizabeth Dickinson Relationship Maps

(I wish you guys had a way we could just paste in the map with this info…)

What I learned from doing this assignment is that I seem to have a complicated way of expressing simple things when it comes to relationship maps.

13 Reasons Why Relationship Map

Clay to Hannah

Relationship Surface – Mutual Crush

Relationship Common Ground – Both like each other

Relationship Conflict- Clay doesn’t voice his attraction in time to prevent Hannah’s suicide

Relationship History- Meet cute at cinema job, but Hannah doesn’t initially see Clay as boyfriend material, then falls for him, but unable to be honest about what’s going on with her; devastates Clay with her suicide

Relationship Subtext – Unshared information about what’s going on with Hannah

Relationship Arc- Not knowing each other well to falling in love
to losing each other

Clay to Tony

Relationship Surface- Mentee, guide to tapes

Relationship Common Ground- Both know about tapes, were friends with Hannah.

Relationship Conflict-Tony won’t share info from tapes until Clay listens to them

Relationship History- Tony is keeper of Hannah’s tapes, shadows Clay to make sure he’s alright

Relationship Subtext- Tony is gay, has boyfriend but may be attracted to oblivious Clay

Relationship Arc- Tony starts out as father figure (calls Clay ‘son’), acts like stalker, but ‘saves’ Clay when he gets into trouble. From mentoring to friends

Clay to Bryce

Relationship Surface- Jock villain, Hannah (and other girls’) rapist

Relationship Common Ground-Both know Hannah, go to same school

Relationship Conflict- Bryce is arrogant, tries to bully Clay

Relationship History-Fearing what Clay will reveal, Bryce beats up Clay, but Clay secretly tapes Bryce admitting to rape

Relationship Subtext-Bryce is an insensitive bully, but unsure of what Clay can do.

Relationship Arc-Bryce seems stronger in all ways than Clay, but
Clay turns tables on him by using smarts, vs. brute strength. (From reluctant
respect to loathing

Living My Lives/Celt

Oversoul to Writer-

Relationship Surface-Designer of her life

Relationship Common Ground-Both working on same thing, one in heaven, one
on earth

Relationship Conflict-

Oversoul doesn’t want to get involved in writing

Relationship History- Believes writer doesn’t need them to realizing
destinies intertwined

Relationship Subtext- Unconscious colleague

Relationship Arc- From not paying attention to seeing her needs
intersect with its needs.

Oversoul to Celt

Relationship Surface- Designer of his life

Relationship Common Ground- Both want to purge regret

Relationship Conflict-

Celt can’t let go of regret, Oversoul must help

Relationship History- First life with complexity, competing religions,
active conscience

Relationship Subtext- One of best lives, didn’t realize it at time
(like Dorothy not knowing she was always able to get home)

Relationship Arc- From fondness to aggravation to respect

Oversoul to Tyran

Relationship Surface- Only connection is Celt

Relationship Common Ground-

Both want Celt to succeed

Relationship Conflict- Tyran gets in the way, seemingly limits Celt’s
options

Relationship History- Oversoul didn’t set up life for Celt thinking
Tyran would play such a big part, reluctantly has to adjust

Relationship Subtext-Interference

Relationship Arc- From taking him for granted to realizing he’s
important

[Timothy Barley]

Tim Barley’s Show Relationship Map

What I learned from doing this assignment is that with this map, I can start to see my characters and their motivations a little more clearly now.

Assignment #1

Rick Grimes

Relationship with Lori

Surface: Wife

Common Ground: Their desire to keep Carl safe

Conflict: the secret that she is keeping about her relationship with Shane

History: their marriage was on the rocks before the zombie apocalypse, and although they share common ground, it’s still fraught with major difficulties

Subtext: Rick is beginning to get the idea of what happened

Relationship arc: we didn’t see the beginning, but we know it’s not going to be easy to reconcile with everything that is going on around them

Relationship with Shane

Surface: strained friendly

Common ground: stay alive and keep Rick’s family and everyone safe

Conflict: Shane’s anger about the secret is more than he can deal with

History: coworkers, friends

Subtext: competition over Lori and lies between old coworkers

Relationship arc: from coworkers/friends to enemies

Relationship with Daryl

Surface: allies against the undead

Common ground: killing zombies

Conflict: Rick killed his brother

History: none, in the same group of survivors

Subtext: competition to be the leader doing it their ways

Relationship arc: wariness turning to friends they can count on

Assignment #2:

Alex/Allistar

Surface: long time friends

Common Ground: working to help Alex stay safe

Conflict: the life-long lie of not telling Alex who he was

History: old time friends

Subtext: wariness of more lies

Relationship arc: friends who turn out to be allies and closer friends

Alex/Feenix

Surface: coworkers

Common Ground: working to find out Alex’s true power

Conflict: jealousy of Alex’s power

History: none, coworkers

Subtext: what are her true intentions?

Relationship arc: new coworkers to lovers

Alex/Jade

Surface: girlfriend/boyfriend

Common Ground: living together

Conflict: her true intentions

History: been dating for years, with Alex unaware of what she really is

Subtext: is she really in love with Alex

Relationship arc: boyfriend/girlfriend to enemies

Allistar/Feenix

Surface: uneasy allies to help Alex

Common Ground: helping Alex

Conflict: at odds on how to best help Alex

History: aware of each other’s family lineage and Houses

Subtext: how to best deduce Feenix’s intentions toward Alex

Relationship arc: uneasiness to friends

Allistar/Jade

Surface: friends through Alex

Common Ground: friends through Alex

Conflict: normal bro jealousy of girlfriends and he suspects who she really is

History: known her since she’s dated Alex

Subtext: figuring out what Jade’s game really is and what house she’s with

Relationship arc: jealous best friend to enemy

Feenix/Jade

Surface: at odds women

Common Ground: none

Conflict: Alex’s attention, romantically and regarding the power

History: none

Subtext: figuring out who each of them is allied to

Relationship arc: jealous women to even more jealous women

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

[Linda Anderson]

Linda Anderson’s Show Relationship Map

What I learned doing this assignment is this was more fun creatively than I thought it would be.

Relationship Map for The Righteous Gemstones.

Lead Character Jessie and Relationship with Eli, Judy, and Ami

Jessie and Eli:

Surface: Jessie’s father

Common Ground: wants family to stay together

Conflict: needs Eli’s attention and approval

History: never feels appreciated by Eli

Subtext: Eli loves Jessie but focuses mainly on his weaknesses

Relationship Arc: from disrespect to encouragement

Jessie and Judy:

Surface: Jessie’s younger sister

Common Ground: both want to be favorite child

Conflict: competitive with major sibling rivalry

History: always sniping at each other except Judy is smarter than Jessie

Subtext: recognize they’re in the same low boat in their parents’ view

Relationship Arc: put each other down to cooperation

Jessie and Ami:

Surface: Jessie’s mother

Common Ground: both want kindness

Conflict: Jessie shocks her with his extreme bad behavior

History: Jessie doesn’t feel he’s important to her

Subtext: she forgives more than accepts him

Relationship Arc: lack of interest in bringing Jessie in line with his father to wanting them to be close

ASSIGNMENT 2:

Relationship Map with Main Character and Three Lead Characters

Main Character: Louise

Lead Character: Derrick

Surface: Louise’s condo neighbor

Common Ground: both willing to hide their true identities to get what they want from each other

Conflict: He’s Louise’s polar opposite with values and lifestyles

History: Derrick drives Louise crazy playing loud music she can hear through their shared condo wall late at night to disturb her

Subtext: They need each other to achieve what they want

Relationship Arc: From adversaries to teamwork

Lead Character: Candice

Surface: Editor Louise sent her memoir to for publication

Common Ground: They both want a wildly successful book

Conflict: Candice has no regard for Louise’s idea of the kind of life that makes an engaging memoir

History: Candice snarkily rejects Louise’s memoir

Subtext: Louise writes much cooler Derrick’s memoir and passes it off as hers

Relationship Arc: From hostile editor-author to matchmaker between Candice and Derrick and the key to Candice finding a “bad boy” who doesn’t bore her

Lead Character 4: Jan

Surface: Louise’s adult daughter

Common Ground: their reach exceeds their grasp; both have superiority complexes

Conflict: Louise views Jan as a failure in life and inferior to her

History: Jan’s latest failed relationship and job loss drive her to move in with Louise

Subtext: Neither of them see themselves as losers—only as misunderstood and unappreciated

Relationship Arc: from battling and putting each other down to saving each other’s lives

[Laurie Brown]

Laurie Brown’s) Show Relationship Map

What I learned from this assignment is seeing patterns with the main character that get carried over into her other relationships makes her consistent.

QUEEN’S GAMBIT

BETH – MOM

Surface- Mother daughter relationship

Common Ground – They both have experienced abandonment and the insecurity that comes with that

Conflict – They fight about how to spend money in the beginning and what is appropriate for girls to hope for and Beth’s interest or lack thereof in men.

History – Both addicts. Mom protects Beth from the press. Beth takes care of Mom financially and enables her . Mom also enables Beth’s with her pills (secret) and condones her drinking.

Subtext – They both cope with life with drugs and alcohol but hide it from each other. Beth steals mom’s pills. She is protective of Beth and covers for her.

Relationship Arc – From strangers to partners, they merge into being a team for Beth’s success.

BETH – MR. SHAIBEL

Surface – Janitor and resident

Common Ground – They are both lonely at the orphanage and interested in mastering chess

Conflict – They argue about whether girls should play chess and if he should be a mentor. What’s appropriate and when to quit.

History They bond over chess and he agrees to mentor her and show her the way. One of only person Beth trusts.

Subtext – Neither let on that there is any love between them. He toughens Beth up with his withholding and she challenges him constantly to help her.

Relationship Arc – From strangers to gaining mutual respect and he becomes her secret (from the orphanage) mentor.

BETH – JOLENE

Surface – Friends

Common Ground – They are both Fellow orphans at the orphanage hoping to be adopted

Conflict – Jolene told Beth not to like the pills too much. Black girl vs. white girl. Both older but white girl gets adopted not Jolene

History – Jolene befriended Beth when she was firs there and turned her on to the way to cope. Pills and how to deceive them by putting under her tongue.

Subtext – They both cope with the orphanage by abusing drugs and acting like they don’t need love or parents

Relationship Arc – From strangers to “partners in crime” and forever friends.

CORP TRUTH
JOANNE – BETTE
Surface – Colleague – Fellow nurses in the Army Corp

Common Ground – They are both young nurses in the Army Nurses Corp and are not happy with their dating experience

Conflict – Big conflict is whether or not to follow their love or the Army’s rules. There is more to life than succeeding at a career according to Beth.

History – They are equals that get to know each other at the dances and commiserate about how they are treated by men

Subtext – Unexpressed love. Secrets they must keep together.

Relationship Arc – From friends to lovers. From keeping secrets to sharing secrets

JOANNE – MARGE

Surface – Professional army colleagues

Common Ground – They are both young nurses in the Army Nurses who are driven to rise to the top of the ranks.

Conflict – Competition for being the sole colonel in the nurses corp as there can be only one.

History – They are equals who have competed throughout their career toward the same goal

Subtext – Hidden competition and secret scheme to take down Joanne with blackmail and betrayal

Relationship Arc – From trusted friends to a massive betrayal and eventual reckoning with Marge’s nephew

JOANNE – JOSEPH
Surface – Father daughter relationship. Respectful but cold.

Common Ground – They both rise to colonels in their careers and see that as the highest honor.

Conflict – They have the same goal but a totally different set of rules to meet their goals. One man, one a woman at different times in history. He’s not supportive of women entering the Army, and she thinks it’s the only way to gain his respect.

History – They are father/daughter, both abandoned by the wife/mother who committed suicide.

Subtext – Both have great shame and abandonment issues which they cover up by seeking societal approval by climbing the ranks in the army.

Relationship Arc – From loving to estranged to understanding each other

[Avi K]

Avi Kapurala’s Show Relationship Maps

What I learned from doing this assignment: Character maps are a great way of understanding how your characters will/should behave during the season.

Assignment 1

Character: Elliot

Map with Angela

Surface: Best friend

Common Ground: Grew up in the same town, lost parents to leukemia.

Conflict: She thinks he’s detached.

History: Neighbors, co-workers.

Subtext: Tension

Relationship Arc: Close to estranged to friends.

Map with Mr. Robot

Surface: Co-conspirator

Common Ground: Hacking Evil Corp.

Conflict: Mr. Robot is too violent for Elliot’s liking.

History: Fight over methods, but find a way to work together for the common goal.

Subtext: He’s Eliot’s father

Relationship Arc: Comrades to estranged to relationship.

Map with Shayla

Surface: Supplier-girlfriend

Common Ground: Drugs, sex.

Conflict: His aloofness and her clinginess.

History: Classmates, on-and-off tension.

Subtext: Emotional need.

Relationship Arc: Supplier to friends to lovers.

Assignment 2

Character: Aman

Map with Maya

Surface: Marriage-wife

Common Ground: Marriage.

Conflict: Little time spent together after marriage. Aman is too busy with work.

History: They were classmates in an MBA program and then started a firm together.

Subtext: She was a better student than him. Gave up her partnership in the firm after marriage.

Relationship Arc: Classmates to marriage to murder.

Map with Tara

Surface: Father-Daughter

Common Ground: Daughter. Horse-riding.

Conflict: Lack of quality time together. Disapproves of her being gay.

History: Daughter.

Subtext: She hates her father for putting her mother through loneliness and depression, and for his discomfort with her sexuality.

Relationship Arc: Doting daughter to estranged to suspecting him of murdering her mother.

Map with RJ

Surface: Father-Son

Common Ground: Son-automobiles and racing.

Conflict: Lack of quality time together. Picks on him (son) for being emotionally weak and wanting to become a chef.

History: Son.

Subtext: Hates his father for putting him down before friends and family and lack of support for career interest.

Relationship Arc: Friends to estranged to suspecting him of murder.

Character: Maya

Map with Aman

Surface: Marriage-wife

Common Ground: Marriage.

Conflict: Little time spent together after marriage. Aman is too busy with work. Suspects he cheats.

History: They were classmates in an MBA program and then started a firm together.

Subtext: She was a better student than him. Gave up her partnership in the firm after marriage.

Relationship Arc: Classmates to marriage to murder.

Map with Tara

Surface: Mother-Daughter

Common Ground: Daughter. Romantic movies. Poetry.

Conflict: Critical of her mother’s hesitation to leave her father. Sees it as emotional cowardice.

History: Daughter.

Subtext: Fiercely protective of her mother.

Relationship Arc: Doting daughter to critical.

Map with RJ

Surface: Mother-Son

Common Ground: Son-Cooking, painting.

Conflict: Feels like she is over-protective and embarrasses him with friends.

History: Son.

Subtext: Best friends.

Relationship Arc: Friends to slightly aloof/secretive on account of over-protectiveness.

Character: Tara

Map with RJ

Surface: Brother.

Common Ground: Siblings.

Conflict: Disapproves of him not standing up for their mother against their father. Thinks he’s a coward.

History: Siblings.

Subtext: Tension.

Relationship Arc: Close to estranged to allies.

Map with Bev

Surface: Girlfriend

Common Ground: Romantic relationship.

Conflict: Bev has a wandering eye, which Tara hates.

History: Classmates-turned-lovers. Fight like cats and dogs.

Subtext: Betrayal.

Relationship Arc: Love to estranged to breakup.

Map with Nik

Surface: Best friend.

Common Ground: Indian heritage, Classmates.

Conflict: He likes her romantically and feels like her sexuality is a phase. She hates his condescension.

History: Classmates, on-and-off tension.

Subtext: Friends.

Relationship Arc: Friends to estranged.

[P.G. Sundling]

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Watch the next episode of your Example Show and focus on ONE of the main characters and how they interact with others. Notice how much you discover that could go into their Relationship Map.

Create a Relationship Map for one lead character and their relationship with three others.

Purpose: Give you a deeper experience of the relationships in a well written show.

Deadline: 24 hours

Show Lost – Main character Jack

SURFACE

Kate: They act romantically involved.

Locke: They are both heroes that have had successful missions (Jack saving people, Locke defeating the boar singlehandedly)

Charlie: Charlie seems to be an assistant to Jack.

COMMON GROUND

Kate: Trapped on island, admired by group, pitch in to work on group objectives.

Locke: Trapped on island, both striving to not accept other’s views of their limits, Both known for areas of expertise (Jack on medicine, Locke for survival skills).

Charlie: Trapped on island, insecure because of family relationships (Charlie’s brother, Jake’s parents).

CONFLICT

Kate: Kate stayed on the beach instead of joining him in the caves.

Locke: Jack is a man of science and Locke is a man of faith since his miracle.

Charlie: Charlie doesn’t feel taken seriously by Jake.

HISTORY

Kate: They bonded immediately and there seems to be a mutual physical attraction, but Jack doesn’t seem to act on it. He discovered Kate was the criminal. He had a chance to know her secret, but passed on the opportunity.

Locke: Locke saved Jack’s life when he was dangling on the side of a cliff. Locke had insights that helped Jack deal with seeing the ghost of his dad and move on to leadership.

Charlie: Charlie was one of the first few people he tried to get to help him in the pilot. Charlie hiding drugs makes him seem off and unreliable, like the time Charlie disappeared into the plane bathroom.

SUBTEXT

Kate: When Jack had a chance to show he was thinking of her, instead his thoughts were about the group. When Kate finds out Jack is hurt in the cave-in, she drops everything to go help him.

Locke: Locke helps Jack feel comfortable with leadership and leaving his dad’s shadow.

Charlie: His band was famous and Jack didn’t even hear of it. Jack doesn’t value the same things as Charlie.

RELATIONSHIP ARC

Kate: Jack helped Kate face fear with his technique. They to bond closely in the beginning, but are drifting apart into different groups. Jack gets hurt in a cave in and then get closer together again.

Locke: Jack and Locke both have leadership qualities and will likely lead competing groups.

Charlie: Charlie is being less cooperative with helping and not having his opinions matter. When he risks his life for Jack after the cave-in and finds the way out, he proves himself to Jack and the others.

ASSIGNMENT 2:

1. Create a Relationship Map for THREE lead characters from YOUR SHOW IDEA.

2. Using the Relationship map, pick a main character (place in upper left hand corner), and with each character he or she is in relationship with, give us the 6 relationship experiences listed below:

Surface:

Common Ground:

Conflict:

History:

Subtext:

Relationship Arc:

Main character: None of the Above

SURFACE

MJ: President and VP

Ada: Voices in his head is probably a sentient AI, but None could be possessed, or crazy too.

Fernando: President and Secretary of Defense.

COMMON GROUND

MJ: best friends since childhood, the company they build together, facing Renquist and his allies.

Ada: She’s inside his head and knows him better than he does.

Fernando: They both care about MJ. Both working in None’s administration. They are both honest, good men.

CONFLICT

MJ: MJ wants to be taken more seriously. None has wanted a romantic relationship with MJ for decades, but she’s not willing to be physical with him. Yet MJ sabotages his relationships.

Ada: She controls None’s body and sabotages his romantic relationships. She makes him appear to act oddly.

Fernando: They both try to marry MJ.

HISTORY

MJ: Friends since childhood, they built a software company together.

Ada: Assuming Ada is a sentient AI, Ada evolved from None’s educational software, Adaptonium.

Fernando: MJ picked Fernando to be Secretary of Defense during their reality TV show.

SUBTEXT

MJ: None keeps the secret of Ada in his brain implant from her. MJ sabotages his relationships, but doesn’t want to be physical. That makes None insecure and motivates him to always be chasing other women, because he won’t be in a position of falling in love with another person who won’t be physical.

Ada: Ada wants None and is willing to wait 100 years of subjective time to be with him. Ada also sabotages his relationships and toys with None in ways no one can see.

Fernando: Fernando knows about Ada and forces None to tell MJ about her.

RELATIONSHIP ARC

MJ: It takes None on death’s doors for MJ to overcome her phobias and kiss him. They get closer and then break up. With Ada’s help, None wins MJ back. Fernando and MJ compete to marry her. She’s pregnant from one of them.

Ada: She plots to make None hers and eventually she does. She gives none gifts of enhanced ability and wears him done.

Fernando: Fernando tries to help None with the implant. They are rivals over MJ, but work more closely as None recovers from the brain trauma.

Main character: MJ

SURFACE

None: President and VP

Fernando VP and Secretary of Defense

Renquist: Renquist invested and bought None and MJ’s company, Adaptive Unlimited.

COMMON GROUND

None: best friends since childhood, the company they build together, facing Renquist and his allies.

Fernando: They are warriors at heart with extensive martial arts knowledge.

Renquist: Their only common ground is their hatred of each other.

CONFLICT

None: MJ wants to be taken more seriously. None has wanted a romantic relationship with MJ for decades, but she’s not willing to be physical with him. Yet MJ sabotages his relationships.

Fernando: MJ’s mixed signals cause him frustration.

Renquist: Renquist made physical advances and she kicked his ass, leaving a scar. She has surveillance tapes of him that he’s willing to kill for.

HISTORY

None: Friends since childhood, they built a software company together.

Fernando: They met on the reality TV show, but she thought he’d make a great mentor.

Renquist: He invested in Adaptive Unlimited and bought the company.

SUBTEXT

None: None keeps the secret of Ada in his brain implant from her. MJ sabotages his relationships, but doesn’t want to be physical. That makes None insecure and motivates him to always be chasing other women, because he won’t be in a position of falling in love with another person who won’t be physical.

Fernando: Their dojo training sessions are a cover for talking covertly, but also have sexual overtones.

Renquist: MJ never trusted Renquist and setup surveillance of his meetings in None’s office.

RELATIONSHIP ARC

None: It takes None on death’s doors for MJ to overcome her phobias and kiss him. They get closer and then break up. With Ada’s help, None wins MJ back. Fernando and MJ compete to marry her. She’s pregnant from one of them.

Fernando: They become close while tracking down the conspiracy. She keeps him at a distance, but sends mixed signals. MJ saves Fernando’s life during the White House attacks. He thinks it’s a sign she loves him, but she kisses None when he walks in. In season 1.5 they drift apart, then closer, at one point being physical. MJ is pregnant and the father could be None or Fernando.

Renquist: After trying to kill each other, in season 1.5 they have to ally briefly. She dismisses charges of treason for his help.

Main character: Renquist

SURFACE

None: Renquist invested and bought None and MJ’s company, Adaptive Unlimited.

MJ: Renquist invested and bought None and MJ’s company, Adaptive Unlimited.

Ivashov: Partners in business

COMMON GROUND

None: They have a shared desire for Adaptive Unlimited to be a success.

MJ: Their only common ground is their hatred of each other.

Ivashov: They are both billionaires with extensive power. They are businessmen.

CONFLICT

None: He took None’s company, and tossed None aside. Renquist leads a conspiracy to assassinate None when he’s president.

MJ: Renquist made physical advances and she kicked his ass, leaving a scar. She has surveillance tapes of him that he’s willing to kill for.

Ivashov: When MJ doesn’t bail out the banks, the Russians lose a lot of money, which they blame on Renquist. Renquist gives Ivashov the kill switch in return for his life.

HISTORY

None: Renquist perverted the use of None’s company against his wishes.

MJ: MJ never trusted Renquist and setup surveillance of his meetings in None’s office.

Ivashov: Renquist and Ivashov plan a weapons deal. They seem like close allies.

SUBTEXT

None: Renquist respects None’s brilliance, but must destroy him.

MJ: : Renquist kills MJ’s friends who had a copy of the surveillance tapes. He does what he can to make feel unsafe. With his power and connections, anyone could be working for him. She can trust no one.

Ivashov: Renquist treats Ivashov like a henchman instead of an equal.

RELATIONSHIP ARC

None: They work closely together on the company, Renquist betrays him. They fight over control of the company.

MJ: After trying to kill each other, in season 1.5 they have to ally briefly. She dismisses charges of treason for his help.

Ivashov: They start as close allies. The failure of Renquist’s plan and the money lost force Renquist to trade the kill switch for his life. Renquist helps MJ invade the Kombinat base in Russia to get the kill switch back.