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Day 7 Assignments
Reply to post assignment.
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7 Replies
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Bob Rowen’s 4 High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is a process of sorting out my thoughts in a systematic way. I can now see the light at the end of my scriptwriting tunnel. Looking forward to the next lesson!
MY BEAT SHEET
Pass 1: Structure and TEs
Pass 2: Add Slug Lines
Pass 3: Add Placeholders and Additional Scenes
ACT 1:
INT. PERSONNEL MANAGER’S OFFICE – DAY
OPENING: Virgil applies for employment with PGE and convinces the personnel manager that he believes nuclear energy is the power source of the future and thus gains the admiration of the personnel manager. Virgil is hired and goes to work in the line department because the nuclear unit is still under construction.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
INCITING INCIDENT: Two years later, Virgil is offered an apprentice instrument repairman position in the fossil fuel Units 1 and 2 of the Humboldt Bay Power Plant. The nuclear unit started up for the first time four months earlier. Virgil’s wife, KATHRYN, knows Virgil ultimately wants to join the nuclear workforce of Unit 3 and, therefore, is very much opposed to Virgil accepting the position at the Humboldt Bay Power Plant. She feels working there is too dangerous. Virgil tells Kathryn it’s absolutely safe and takes the job putting him at odds with Kathryn.
INT. COLD INSTRUMENT SHOP – MORNING
TE 1: Virgil meets FORREST WILLIAMS, a shift helper in the nuclear unit, who tells Virgil nuclear power really isn’t the power source of the future. Virgil strongly disagrees with Forrest!
INT. KITCHEN – EVENING
INCITING INCIDENT: Virgil’s wife, Kathryn, agrees with Forrest and feels Virgil should not have taken the job. They argue. Virgil ignores Kathryn and it strains their marriage.
INT. EDGAR’S OFFICE – MORNING
TE 2: Virgil is notified by EDGAR WEEKS, the plant’s nuclear engineer, that he is being transferred to the nuclear unit as an apprentice nuclear control technician. Virgil’s tenacious effort to get into the nuclear workforce finally pays off.
ACT 2:
INT. UNIVERSITY LIBRARY – NIGHT
Virgil researches the biological effects of radiation exposure and presents his findings to plant management and the employees; he argues the Company should do everything possible to keep radiation exposure to an absolute minimum. Virgil is rebuffed by almost all of the power plant employees and is threatened by Edgar.
INCITING INCIDENT: Virgil is now confronted with the Company’s systematic and philosophical disregard for radiation safety.
INT. COLD MACHINESHOP – MORNING
Virgil discovers radioactively contaminated scrap iron was intentionally sold to an unsuspecting scrap iron dealer and plant management covers up the incident after Virgil unveils what happened.
INT. UNIT 3 COUNTING ROOM – AFTERNOON
Virgil is ordered to sign false shipping documents for a highly contaminated spent fuel-shipping cask.
INT. UNDER THE REACTOR AT MINUS 66 – MORNING
Virgil, along with another employee, is drenched with reactor water and reactor crud while working under the reactor flushing in-cores. The serious radiation accident requires major decontamination protocols but the plant’s nuclear engineer dismisses the contamination as just a nuisance.
INT. LAZIO’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT – NIGHT
TE 3: Virgil now admits to Kathryn she was correct but explains he has too much invested in becoming a nuclear control technician to do anything but now try to change the Company’s approach to radiation safety in order to not only protect the employees but also the general public.
EXT. HARRIS AND K MARKET – LATE AFTERNOON
INCITING INCIDENT: Virgil becomes embroiled as a witness in a police brutality incident.
TE 4: The forces working against Virgil’s efforts get ugly. Virgil digs in his heels.
PLACEHOLDER: Provide examples of what happens to Virgil and his family.
ACT 3:
PLACEHOLDER: How does Virgil become aware that PGE’s Humboldt Nuke is now the dirtiest nuclear plant in the Country?
EXT. DEMPSTY DUMPSTER – MORNING
Virgil rummages through garbage bin looking for certain information and finds a whole lot more than what he expected.
INT./EXT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS – DAY/NIGHT
PLACEHOLDER: Virgil decides to document PGE’s numerous violations of radiation safety.
INT. REACTOR CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
Virgil discovers extremely hot particles management later claims are simply Chinese fallout from atomic bomb testing in China.
INT. EDGAR’S OFFICE – MORNING
Virgil locks horns with the Nuclear Plant Engineer over the removal of the key air sample monitor at the elementary school downwind from the nuclear facility.
INT. ASSEMBLY ROOM – MORNING
Virgil and Forrest present their concerns at an official PGE safety meeting. The Company responds by firing both of them and making them national security risks in a secret law enforcement document provided to the FBI.
INT. COURTROOM – DAY
Virgil testifies against the local police about the Harris and K police brutality incident.
INT. UNIVERSITY STUDENT LOUNGE – AFTERNOON
Deputy JERRY HOTT makes Virgil aware of a secret police document that designed to make Virgil and Forrest, along with two other CTs, national security risks.
ACT 4:
INT. DR. KASUN’S OFFICE – DAY
Virgil is advised by one of his University professors to protect himself is to go public as quickly and in as many different ways as possible.
INT. HEARING ROOM – DAY
Virgil prevails in his California Unemployment Appeals Board Hearing.
INT. GRAND JURY ROOM – DAY
Virgil testifies before the grand jury exposing the Atomic Energy Commission’s mishandling of PGE’s numerous violations of radiation safety and their cover-ups.
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Rob Springfield’s 4-Act High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is a systematic way for writing by using 3 passes to create a beat sheet. I make a commitment to the group that I will use these High Speed Writing Rules to get my script done at record speed.
MY BEAT SHEET
Pass 1: Structure and TEs
Pass 2: Add Slug Lines
Pass 3: Add Placeholders and Additional Scenes
ACT 1:
EXT. BASEBALL FIELD – DAY
Opening Scene: (3 years prior) at a baseball game, Mark’s drunken father, Jeff, humiliates an 11-year-old Mark. He makes him do push-ups on the pitcher’s mound in front of a crowd of people because he did not pitch a shutout during the game. Jeff’s boss finally steps forward to make him stop. Next, fast forward to 3 years later, Mark is constantly getting into trouble at school, at home, in the neighborhood. He’s repeatedly throwing objects at school and everywhere else just to annoy people or to get attention. He constantly argues with his dad and/or the entire family. His only interest seems to be goofing around with apps to follow his dad or pull pranks for kicks.
INT. STEIN’S CLASSROOM – COMPUTER PROGRAMMING – DAY
TE 1: Mark’s soon to be mentor, DR. GREEN, gives him positive reinforcement by commenting on his work the first day he meets him in the class.
EXT./INT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT/OFFICE – DAY
Inciting Incident: Mark breaks a car windshield on school property. His principal and dad insist that he gets arrested to teach him a lesson. Dr. Green suggests that Mark works at his software laboratory doing menial tasks as a form of punishment. Mark winds up doing community service at a software laboratory.
INT. SOFTWARE SOLUTION LABORATORY – DAY
TE 2: Dr. Green allows Mark to help him code the app to enhance its functionalities.
EXT. SOFTWARE SOLUTION LABORATORY – DAY
Mark learns that John Stein, Dr. Green’s former partner, plans to kill him and steal the billion dollar app.
INT. SOFTWARE SOLUTION LABORATORY – DAY
Mark falls into possession of the app before his mentor’s enemies can steal it by force.
EXT. STREET – DAY
Just in the nick of time Mark and his family escape a slew of killers and head out of town.
ACT 2:
EXT. TRAIN STATION – ARKANSAS – NIGHT
To dodge the killers, Mark and his family board a train headed out west, since Mark wants to keep the app safe until he can get it into the right hands. His dad, Jeff, feels that if they go to Vegas he can win the money that owes to some dangerous hustlers who are also threatening the family.
In the meantime, Mark learns more about how to use the app to defend his family. He starts to have fun with it and annoy others on the train. All seems calm and safe.
INT. TRAIN STATION – NIGHT
On the train the family argues the whole time and constantly slams Mark about every little thing as usual.
EXT. TRAIN STATION – TEXAS – DAY
Midpoint Turning Point: Mark’s train pulls into a stations in the next city. The killers board the train, almost immediately Mark and Jeff see them.
INT. TRAIN – DAY
Jeff and Mark go to warn Julie and Ann before the train leaves the station. When they get to the cabin the killers are already in the cabin with knives. Mark sees the killers hold knives to his sister and Mom, threatening to torture them.
TE 3: Mark develops a fearless demeanor when dealing with the killers.
INT. TRAIN (PARKED/MOVING) – DAY
They give Jeff a phone and try to make him siphon money from an account, but Mark stands up to them. He fiddles around with the app and BOOM…a taser zaps them. The train is barely in motion. Mark and his family jump from the train. On the train the stunned killers watch them roll down an embankment.
INT. AIRPORT – NEW MEXICO – DAY
Mark and family slip on a plane unnoticed or so they think. But, some different killers are already waiting for them. The plane takes off. They capture all of them and take them to a lower compartment with weapons. Jeff tries to resist and gets stabbed. They put a knife to his throat, ready to slice and… Mark fidgets with the phone app and WHAM the alarm sounds all over the plane it shakes and shutters, Mark grabs a flare nearby and shoots the killers, they run from the compartment. The pilot has land immediately. The plane makes an emergency landing at a municipal airport near a strip mall. The family knows that Mark is their “go to” and sees him in a different light.
TE 4: Mark feels good when his family thanks him for saving them, he matures some.
ACT 3:
EXT. AIRPORT/STRIP MALL – DAY
The family gets off the plane and head toward a strip mall across a field. Immediately they see two motorcycles. The killers see them running to the mall. They pursue them. Mark and family jump on the motorcycles and speed off. The killers call for back up on their phone.
EXT. INTERSTATE 40 – ARIZONA – DAY
Jeff drives with Julie in tow, Mark drives with Ann in tow. They make it to Arizona with no incidents then they battle with a big truck with killers. Eventually, they elude them. They almost make it to the Arizona border…but a battle with some killers on bikes goes down. They have to dodge wrecks and oncoming traffic, before they run the killers off the road.
EXT. INTERSTATE 40 – NEVADA – NIGHT
Next, they switch to a car and make it into Nevada state. The chaos starts again with a set of hummers trying to sandwich them off the road. They elude the wrecks and bullets. They finally make it to the casino strip in Las Vegas. Mark comes up with a good idea in the hotel to trick the killers that may be in wait.
INT. LAS VEGAS STRIP HOTEL CASINO – NIGHT
New plan: In the hotel Mark uses his mom and sister as a distraction to the killers by using the app. What’s more, Jeff begins to gamble and win big. Mark makes plans to get the app in the right hands. Jeff almost has all of the money. Everything seems okay. The killers have no idea of Mark and the family’s whereabouts. The app has completely disguised them.
Turning Point: The killers devise a slick way to flush Mark and his family out so they can seize them without making a scene. Mark continues to use the app changing identities like crazy as his dad reaches his payback amount. However, constant bickering between Mark and Jeff causes them to get their wires crossed and mistakenly expose their whereabouts. The killers capture the entire family and steal the money that Jeff has won. Now, he has to give in to their demands of embezzling money from an account at his job. John Stein and his crew of killers find a way to hack Mark’s phone, download the app, and delete it from his phone. Mark tries one last attempt to get the money and app back, but nothing seems to work. The killers hold all the cards, it’s lights out for them.
ACT: 4
INT. ROADHOUSE CASINO – NIGHT
Mark and his family are captured and taken to a sleazy roadhouse casino. In a room, Mark finally confronts his dad about the past and Jeff apologizes.
TE 5: Mark forgives his dad. The killers plan to whack and bury them in the desert behind the roadhouse.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Just seconds before the killers are about to ice them, Mark comes up with an idea.
TE 6: Mark uses psychology to manipulate the head killer to bet on his throwing arm.
Mark and Jeff challenge him in front of his woman and others that Mark can hit any target from any distance. This bet is only for them not to be killed, not to get back the app.
ACT: 4
Resolution: TE 7: Mark does not back down to the killers but shows a fearless attitude.
If Mark can hit a bullseye from fifty feet out, the killers will let his family go free. No one believes Mark can do it. It catches the attention of some of the big high rollers at the roadhouse who can’t resist. They bet big bucks on Mark’s behalf.
Mark draws back and…BINGO…he hits the target with ease. Suddenly, Mark remembers that his mentor put in a 24-hour safeguarding mechanism on the app against hackers that will erase it from all devices it wasn’t originally loaded on.
PLACEHOLDER: Mark discovers that the mentor hid the app on his smart watch in an email attachment.
PLACEHOLDER: The app is put in the right hands and Mark’s dad is able to pay off the debt.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Robert Springfield.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by
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Harley Grant’s High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good in my writing.
MY BEAT SHEET
Pass 1: Structure and TEs
Pass 2: Add Slug Lines
Pass 3: Add Placeholders and Additional Scenes
ACT 1.
EXT. BACKYARD — NIGHT
Opening: Priyanka and her daughter Sia attend a family wedding. Priyanka talks with her brother and spends most of the time with Sia and her younger cousins. Sia yawns and Priyanka gathers up their coats and give congratulations to the bride and groom and their parents.
INT. BEDROOM — NIGHT
Priyanka puts Sia to sleep.
TE1: Priyanka gets a call saying that her ex-husband Rohan is getting out of jail.
Placeholder: Show Priyanka’s reaction as she realized that her safe, quiet life is coming to an end. Maybe she calls her friend Rick.
TE2: Two men invade Priyanka’s home in the middle of the night.
INCITING INCIDENT: The invaders want to take Priyanka’s daughter on behalf of her ex-husband.
Placeholder: Priyanka recognizing the true threat of her ex-husband.
TE3: While tied up in her kitchen, Priyanka slips free and grabs a gun from one of the invaders and kills both of them.
EXT. FRONT YARD – NIGHT
Placeholder: Priyanka pulls her car out of her garage, siphons gas, and pours it all over her house. She sets it on fire and takes Sia to Rick’s place and leaves her daughter Sia with him.
ACT 2
INT. FAMILY PAWN SHOP – NIGHT
Priyanka meets up with her brother Raj at the family pawnshop/gun smuggling operation. She tries to get Rohan to help her and shut down the family business.
TE4: Raj tells Priyanka that business is booming and he has been working with Rohan to get guns to newly released prisoners.
Placeholder: Priyanka discovers that she cannot depend on her brother. Priyanka is now all in and make the decision to give up her current life and see the world as kill or be killed.
INCITING INCIDENT: Priyanka realizes that she has messed up by telling Raj where Sia is in hiding. Raj knocks her unconscious and leaves her in the basement.
EXT. JAIL – NIGHT
Rohan gets out of jail and Raj picks him up.
ACT 3
INT. BASEMENT – MORNING
Priyanka wakes up to her phone ringing. It’s Rick telling her that Raj came by to take Sia for lunch.
TE5: Priyanka must figure out a way to escape the basement and have the power to protect her daughter. She breaks open the gun cases and takes as many weapons that she can carry in a duffel bag. Priyanka use a shotgun to blow the lock off the basement door to gain her freedom.
Placeholder: Priyanka knows that instead of shutting down the gun smuggling company she must take it over.
INT. RICK’S BAR – DAY
Priyanka goes to Rick’s place and asks him to come out of retirement and train her for battle.
EXT. RESTAURANT – DAY
Priyanka finds Raj and Sia. Priyanka and Raj fight.
TE7: Priyanka kills Raj, but Rohan shows up. Rohan kills Rick and mortally wounds Priyanka. Rohan leaves Priyanka for dead, takes Sia, and takes off with a truck of guns and ammo.
ACT 4:
EXT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Priyanka wakes up stumbles to Rick’s place to get weapons.
Placeholder: Priyanka knows that Rohan has taken Sia to her childhood home. A place that Rohan grew up admiring. It is protected with fortified walls, armed guards, and only one entrance. However, Priyanka’s mom taught her how to sneak out and in when her father used to get drunk and abusive.
EXT. MANSION – NIGHT
Priyanka uses an unknown passage to enter. Shoots all of the guards. Then, it’s a one-on-one fight to the between her and Rohan.
INT. MANSION – NIGHT
TE8: Rohan grabs Sia as a hostage. Priyanka puts her weapon down. Just as all looks lost, Sia pretends like she is going to kiss Rohan and instead stabs him in the eye with a fork. Rohan releases her in pain; Priyanka picks up her gun and kills Rohan.
INT. MANSION – DAY
Priyanka and Sia attend a family meeting and all of her cousins give support to Priyanka as the new leader.
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Subject: Arial Burnz’s High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is…I failed miserably at getting this down quickly. Through the exercise, I learned I needed to change the internal arc of my character, though. Filling in the scenes helped me realize I needed to pivot by changing her personality a little.
And this hammered the point that my ongoing problem is being brief! Words are POURING from my fingertips, but I’m having a real hard time locking down a simple summary of each scene.
Logline: After a young elf is betrayed by her best friend, she is imprisoned and spends fifteen years escaping and developing her skills to become a powerful sorceress and seek vengeance. This is a gender-flipping retelling of the tale The Count of Monte Cristo, but set in a fantasy world.
Tweaking a little…
Aylen’s Old Ways:
- Old Identity: Poor tavern girl, half-elf
- Naïve and too trusting of those around her
- Cannot wield magic and ignorant of the craft
Aylen’s New Ways:
- New Identity: Wealthy sorceress with a title
- Strong independent woman
- Is a powerful yet responsible wielder of magic
Act 1:
EXT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – ALLEY – DAY
Opening: When Aylen arrives at her place of work, she is greeted by a messenger with a proposition – delivery a wax-sealed letter from a “secret admirer” to the lady-in-waiting of Lady Greymore. Secrecy is paramount and Aylen is paid a large sum, half in advance. The rest to be paid after delivery. He will find her. Aylen’s co-worker, Tanyth, is spying on the conversation, though. Tanyth knows the identity of the messenger behind his magical glamor, and he suspects there’s something sinister behind the letter.
INT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – DAY
While Aylen is distracted speaking with the tavern owner about some creative marketing she’s doing for his business, Tanyth sneaks a peek at the letter, then reseals it and puts it back into Aylen’s belongings. He makes it very obvious he is not a fan of Aylen’s and her ambitious ideas, so Tanyth is keeping this information in his proverbial back pocket.
INT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – NIGHT
Transformational Event #1: Because of her marketing efforts this week, the tavern is packed and Aylen is offered a partnership in the business. This pisses Tanyth off, though, who believes he should have been made partner. His distaste for Aylen grows.
EXT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – NIGHT
Transformational Event #2: Dylan von Shain, Aylen’s boyfriend and childhood friend, takes a romantic detour while walking her home and proposes marriage. This is young love at its finest!
INT. ELCARYN COTTAGE – NIGHT
Aylen returns home with Dylan to share today’s news with her mother, Cellica. This good fortune will allow Aylen to buy better care for her sickly parent. Privately, Aylen gives Cellica medicine she purchased with the money she received from the messenger, but doesn’t reveal how she got it and makes her mother vow not to say anything to anyone.
INT. VON ABEL ESTATE – DAY
At their weekly teatime, Aylen shares all her wonderful news with her best friend, Kylantha “Key” von Abel. Jealous, Key has a difficult time being happy for her friend and cuts their visit short. After Aylen leaves, Key has a tantrum and has Dylan von Shain summoned at once.
INT. VON ABEL ESTATE – NIGHT
Dylan, his father Baron von Shain, and Key’s father Baron von Abel are subjected to Key’s tantrum over Aylen and Dylan’s engagement. Regardless of how much their parents have been pushing Dylan to marry Key since they were children, the final decision is his. He wants to marry for love, not title, and Aylen is his choice. His older brother will inherit the barony, so why should it matter? Dylan leaves no room for argument and leaves.
INT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – NEXT DAY
Escorted by a personal body guard, Kylantha arrives at the tavern looking for Aylen, but she isn’t there. She has the day off to start her wedding plans. This infuriates Key and she storms out.
EXT. COPPER DRAGYN TAVERN – DAY
Before she climbs into her carriage, Tanyth has a conversation with her. They both have similar interests – they want Aylen out of the picture. He begins his devious plan by telling Key about Aylen’s mysterious letter from the “secret admirer”…
INT. ELCARYN COTTAGE – NIGHT
Inciting Incident: While Aylen, Dylan and Cellica are enjoying dinner, Aylen is arrested. They will not say what the charges are, but the cottage is searched and the letter she was to deliver on the morrow is confiscated. Dylan says he will go speak with his father immediately and vows to clear this up.
INT. ROYAL SOLINTA COURT CHAMBERS – NIGHT
Aylen is questioned by a royal clerk, Tirandal Qiren, about the secret admirer’s letter, and a truth rod proves she is telling the truth when she says she’s ignorant of the missive’s content. Although he is about to let her go, Qiren asks whom was the intended recipient. “The lady-in-waiting to Lady Greymore.” Qiren’s demeanor changes. He burns the letter and tells the guards to secure her. Aylen escapes before she can be put into a carriage and runs to her friend Key for help.
INT. CASTLE ESTATE OF THE VON ABELS – NIGHT
Turning Point & Transformational Event #3: Although it seems Key will help Aylen escape, Aylen is defenseless against Key’s magic, which she uses to detain her to be arrested. In their exchange, Aylen learns Key was the one who betrayed her to the royal clerk. Aylen is hauled off to prison.
Act 2:
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – NIGHT
Reaction & Transitional Event #4: Aylen is sent to the Fortress of Valna – aka Anguish Island – and her welcoming is a good sound beating from a hulking female guard. Aylen cowers, bruised and bleeding, in the corner of her cell and her new home.
INT. GREYMORE MANSION – DAY
Tirandal Qiren marches home to confront his mother, Lady Haera Greymore. She is involved with Baron von Abel in some conspiracy to overthrow the throne and give the ruler of Mastonia passage to lay siege upon the Eastern Kingdoms. All of this was in the “secret admirer” letter he just burned. Although Qiren wants to leave the city at once, Lady Greymore tells him she’ll have him imprisoned as a traitor once she becomes queen of Solinta. He isn’t going anywhere.
INT. ROYAL SOLINTA COURT CHAMBERS – DAY
Dylan, Key and Aylen’s closest friends plead for her to be released and ask where she is. They have appealed for weeks and are getting nowhere. Tirandal Qiren apologizes, but says there’s nothing he can do. Aylen had evidence upon her and failed the truth rod inquisition. She was imprisoned for crimes against the crown and for being an accessory to conspiracy in this war with Mastonia that has just started. And he now has word in hand that says she has been executed. It is too late. Everyone is heartbroken and Kylantha “faints”, falling into Dylan’s arms.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – DAY
Aylen causes a ruckus for the attention of the warden, who appears to hear her out. She pleads her innocence and asks for news or to send a letter. The warden tells her to give up all hope. This prison is for those who are meant to disappear. And besides, Solinta is at war with Mastonia right now, and this little speck on the map is the least of anyone’s concern. There will be no appeals, no visitors, no cell mates. She will live the rest of her life alone in this cell. She should be thankful she is not caught up in the war.
INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS – MONTAGE – PASSAGE OF TIME
With a montage of images, we witness Aylen fall into the depths of despair, deteriorating from the sweet half-elf girl who had everything going for her to a broken soul who is giving up on life. We also see images of Solinta at war with Mastonia, and Dylan joins the military to defend his kingdom, alongside his father and older brother and, therefore, abandons Kylantha. Kylantha focuses her fury over Dylan into her magical studies.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – DAY
New plan & Transitional Event #5: Aylen meets Syndra, an older fellow prisoner who has mistakenly dug her way into Aylen’s cell trying to escape. Syndra was once a powerful sorceress and an archaeologist, and Aylen makes a deal with her – educate her and she will help Syndra escape. She wants to not only learn general academics, but the theory of magic, as well as hand-to-hand and magical combat. The prison is warded to nullify magic, but Syndra can still teach her the motions and the book knowledge of magic.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – DAY
During their efforts to dig their tunnel, Syndra shares her story – She was suspected by the King of Solinta of discovering the location of a great goblin treasure. When she denied having found it, he threw her in prison to persuade her to turn it over. Syndra told only one person about that treasure, so she knows who betrayed her, but the point is moot now. She’ll escape and live a wealthy life despite them.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – MONTAGE – PASSAGE OF TIME
Plan in action: A compilation of scenes showing Aylen and Syndra digging their way out of the prison and how they’re able to keep up with the prison schedule of feeding and the emptying of the chamber pots to disguise their efforts. They come close to being caught on a couple of occasions. Aylen also gets the crap beat out of her regularly by her “favorite” hulking female guard.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – DAY
Between the montage of images…
- Beginning lessons of the science behind the magic that operates in Evanterra – Universal Energy, aether, nether, and how such energy flows through each individual. How much/little UE flows through a person determines how much magic they can wield.
- Lesson on the Triquetra of magic – the three things necessary to wield magic – UE, knowledge of spells, and kinship (someone’s aptitude or talent in certain areas, such as illusion or plants or the elements of water, fire, earth or air, etc.). The combination of these three and the variations of kinship determine the type of magic that can be wielded.
Aylen also receives general education, and learns how to speak and read multiple languages – Goblish, Vozohkian, northern elvish dialects compared to the southern dialects, Dwarvish, Terrusian, etc.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – NIGHT
Aylen and Syndra discuss what happened to Aylen and who was involved with her arrest. Qiren was hiding something. He changed his mind and had her imprisoned, but why? They come to the conclusion that Qiren was protecting someone or himself, tied specifically to Lady Greymore. What his connection is to her is unknown, though.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – DAY
Aylen and Syndra finally dig an opening to the outside, but it’s partially blocked by stone That’s going to take longer to dig through, but their freedom is just within reach. Unfortunately, they have one other obstacle: the Draconian Sea serpents surrounding the island are in the middle of mating season. Syndra had planned on enchanting one for a ride, but dealing with dozens? No way. But mating season should be over by the time they dig through the rock.
INT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – NIGHT
Midpoint Turning Point & Transformational Event #6: Their tunnel is discovered! Aylen and Syndra are confronted by the three guards on duty. Via distractions, fighting and tricking the guards, Aylen and Syndra escape.
EXT. FORTRESS OF VALNA – CONTINUED
Managing to thwart the guards, Aylen and Syndra escape to the edge of the island, outside the magical ward of the fortress. There is a horrible storm raging outside, but they are free! Outside of the ward, Syndra is able to use magic, but they still have a swarm of sea serpents to deal with. She enchants one of the sea dragons for them to hitch a ride, but using magic triggers a booby trap planted inside her. Syndra is going to die. Aylen must use what she was taught to finish their rescue. Through much struggle, mistakes, and almost becoming an aperitif, they are able to make it to shore and hide in the caves along the cliffs of the Lourean Kingdom. Huddled together, they collapse, exhausted.
Act 3:
EXT. SHORES OF LOUREAN KINGDOM – DAY
Rethink everything: Upon waking, Syndra explains she will die in a few days as long as she doesn’t use any magic. It will be up to Aylen to use magic for any of their needs moving forward. They must reach the village of Thallan in Lourean, but Syndra is cryptic about why it’s so important. First thing’s first, though. They need to get out of these prison rags and find food, so they set off looking for the first settlement they can find.
EXT. WIDOW’S CABIN – DAY
They find a widow’s cabin and for some chores as payment, she offers food, shelter, and clothes. Syndra talks her into lending them a horse and cart to Thallan by sharing who they’re going to see – Royal Clerk Lambert Thompson. Because the widow knows and trusts Thompson, she tells them to leave the horse and cart with the stable, she’ll pick them up later.
EXT. ROAD TO THALLAN VILLAGE – DAY
They have a half-day’s journey ahead of them, so Aylen practices her magic, but Syndra also gives Aylen the map to the location of the goblin king’s treasure. She lied about not finding it, but she won’t be around to enjoy it and wants Aylen to have it. Thompson will be able to draw up the magical contract that will take Syndra’s ability to be the key to the treasure and transfer it to Aylen, who will be the new key.
INT. LAMBERT THOMPSON’S COTTAGE, THALLAN – DAY
Transition Event #7: Lambert Thompson (human) is an old friend of Syndra’s. The contract he’s creating will also make Aylen Syndra’s sole heir to her estate and title, and must be sealed with Syndra’s magic, which will be fatal to her. Syndra says her goodbyes and gives some final parting advice, which includes the futility of revenge. Syndra signs the contract and dies. Aylen Elcaryn, once tavern girl and prisoner, becomes Aylen Ara’Elcaryn, heir to Amon Fae, her new estate on the outskirts of Radario.
INT. LAMBERT THOMPSON’S COTTAGE – NIGHT
New insights: Aylen questions Thompson his relationship with Syndra. When they share stories, Thompson confirms that Aylen isn’t the only victim of the von Abels. Kylantha’s father, Baron Cormyn von Abel, is the one who imprisoned Syndra with the authority of the king. Aylen is determined to avenge Syndra as well as herself and will do so by fulfilling Syndra’s dying wish – earn a degree in magic at the Lyceum in Havencrest. Thompson will journey with her tomorrow to Yaphine, where he can secure a faery portal for her to Havencrest.
INT. MAGE’S GUILD IN YAPHINE – DAY
Through Aylen’s letter of recommendation to the Lyceum of Havencrest, Aylen is granted permission to use the faery portal. She says her goodbyes to Thompson and steps through.
INT. LYCEUM OF HAVENCREST – DAY
Aylen arrives on the other side in the portal room of the lyceum, where she is greeted by her new mentor. Aylen checks in with her letter of recommendation from Syndra, which earns Aylen instant respect. Her room in the dormitory will be ready tomorrow, so she will have to stay in the city overnight, but they give her a list of supplies she’ll need and welcome her to the college. She’ll start tomorrow.
EXT. CITY OF HAVENCREST – DAY
New plan: Aylen finishes her shopping of supplies (e.g., parchments, writing instruments, a few books, etc.) and heads toward the Golden Gryphon, one of the recommended taverns near the college. On the way, she encounters a young gnobbit pickpocket (Gwendolyn Diggle) who is in a scrap with a street gang. Aylen comes to the little rogue’s defense and is challenged to a duel with the leader of the gang who Aylen learns is a member of the thieves’ guild. The fight is a combination of magic and knives, but Aylen overcomes her opponent. She not only earns Gwen’s loyalty, but the respect of the master thief whom she bested. They go to the Golden Gryphon Tavern and share drinks and a meal.
EXT. LYCEUM OF HAVENCREST – NEXT DAY
Before Aylen checks into the Lyceum, she asks Gwen to do her a favor. Gwen eagerly agrees – she owes Aylen her life. Since Gwen is a member of the thieves guild, Aylen asks her to journey to Radario and find out what has become of her family, friends and enemies. She wants to know what has transpired since she was imprisoned.
INT. LYCEUM OF HAVENCREST – CONTINUED
Aylen enters the college with Gwen and, since Aylen is now nobility and has free access to the portals, Gwen is granted access to journey to Radario, with a certificate of passage for the way back. They say their goodbyes and Aylen is shown to her dormitory and introduced to the world of the Lyceum.
INT. & EXT. LYCEUM OF HAVENCREST – THREE MONTHS LATER
Turning Point & Transition Event #8: When Aylen emerges from the college, earning her robes and the certificate of her degree as a Sorceress, we learn that because Aylen trained extensively over 15 years with Syndra, she only needed to be tested for her kinships, practice applying her skills with the use of universal energy, and then pass her examinations, which she did with flying colors. Aylen is a full-fledge Sorceress of the highest order. Gwen, already returned from her fact-seeking journey to Radario, awaits her outside of the college and they head to the Golden Gryphon Tavern to celebrate.
INT. THE GOLDEN GRYPHON TAVERN – NIGHT
Gwen relays her info to Aylen in the privacy of their room. Kylantha is now a Jewel of the Crown, a member of the council to the King of Solinta, and the position she holds is the Royal Mage and advisor to the throne. Cellica, Aylen’s mother, died shortly after Aylen went to prison. Tanyth bought out Aylen’s former employer and is now the owner of the Copper Dragyn. Jaeros (ex-tavern owner) and his wife died about 5 years ago. And Qiren has also climbed the ranks and oversees [placeholder].
Since Kylantha is so close to the throne, they can’t risk using the Faery Portal to Radario. Aylen will have to return to Yaphine and take the 2-day trip to her new estate in Lourean. Their next order of business is to find that treasure.
And what of Dylan? Gwen says he was the hardest to find. His title was stripped and he’s marked as a traitor in Solinta. His father was executed as a traitor of the crown, and Dylan’s brother died on the battlefield. Only because Dylan fought in favor of the crown was he spared the fate of his father. Now he’s in Lourean working as a Soldier of Fortune for the prefects. Dylan hunts down bad guys.
INT. LOUREAN ROYAL COURTHOUSE – NIGHT
Dylan turns in the latest criminal he’s apprehended and gets paid. The Lourean prefect who pays him says he did a little digging in Dylan’s case about trying to find proof of his father’s innocence, but he keeps getting stonewalled. Dylan tells him to stop looking. This had Kylantha all over it, and she’s too powerful to come up against. She has the information to clear Dylan’s family name, but her price is too high – marriage so he can become her lap dog. No way. Dylan has to admit defeat and get on with his already ruined life. Why make it worse by becoming Key’s slave?
INT. DYLAN’S APARTMENT IN LOUREAN – NIGHT
Before Dylan can settle down for the night, he catches someone prowling around his place. Dylan apprehends the guy, who confesses who he’s spying for under pressure. Key has not only been spying on Dylan, but she’s been the whole reason he had to leave Solinta. Key has been trying to bottleneck Dylan, trying to make her his only option for redeeming his family name. Dylan lets the guy go and advises him to leave the continent to dodge the wrath of Kylantha.
Act 4:
INT. GRAND ESTATE OF AMON FAE – DAY
New Plan: Aylen and Gwen arrive at Amon Fae to take stock of what Aylen’s inherited. The place is a mess – unkempt for several years. Although accommodations aren’t great, they get settled in. The treasure is hidden in a chamber beneath the foundation of the estate, which could only be revealed by the heir of Amon Fae. This is why the contract for Syndra’s title and riches was a magical one. Binding Aylen to the inheritance, she became the key to the treasure, and it’s why no one else has been able to find the treasure all these years.
INT. CAVERN UNDER AMON FAE – DAY
The wealth of the great goblin king’s treasure is beyond anything they ever imagined, which, taken by the goblins in many raids over decades and then lost four centuries ago during the Siege of Maroshnar and the downfall of King Clotmord. Gwen is a bit of a geek about it. [IF I’m keeping the magic relic item: We also learn a bit more about the dangerous magical relic here.]
INT. AMON FAE, PARLOR – DAY
Aylen wants her enemies to suffer like she has. Gwen tries to talk her out of this, but she isn’t budging. Time for a party! The new Sorceress of Amon Fae has returned to claim her riches. Why not show them off and invite each of the key players? But the estate must be restored before they can entrap their prey.
INT. & EXT. EXECUTE THE PLAN – MONTAGE
They prepare for the big event, and the short montage shows everything that goes into planning for the event – wardrobe, catering, landscaping and repairs. Gwen is prowling around the streets of Radario, spying on the fiends and gathering current intel. We see Aylen and Gwen plotting. The invitations go out to everyone who is important.
PLACEHOLDER: DYLAN’S REASON FOR ATTENDING
Still trying to figure out how Dylan may (or may not) end up at the party, but Aylen and Dylan should probably see each other after all these years. She still thinks he had a hand in her going to prison, since he never came looking for her. He will suspect Aylen is his lost love, but she will discourage him from this notion.
PLACEHOLDER: AYLEN GETS REVENGE ON QIREN
Aylen will entrap Qiren, the royal clerk who lied and had her sent to prison.
PLACEHOLDER: DYLAN & AYLEN REUNITE
Dylan will figure out who the Sorceress of Amon Fae really is – Aylen, his lost love – and confront her. They will reconcile and make love. Although Dylan wants them to walk away from the past, Aylen won’t. She isn’t finished with her revenge yet.
PLACEHOLDER: AYLEN GETS REVENGE ON TANYTH
Aylen will entrap Tanyth, who conspired with Key to report Aylen to Qiren as a traitor.
Climax & Transitional Event #9: The last person she must face is Kylantha, but her friend has become a powerful mage herself and has had many years of practice, where Aylen has only had a few. The two duel and it appears Kylantha will win, but Aylen will pull upon her final lesson from Syndra (still need to refine this) and triumph over Kylantha. (STILL NOT SURE IF I’M USING THIS: There will be a single magical relic/item the baron was after from Syndra, and I want that item to be the key to Kylantha’s undoing, but I also want Aylen’s abilities to contribute to her victory. The personal lesson learned, which will give her the ability to triumph.)
Resolution: Aylen is reunited with Dylan and she takes her place as Aylen Ara’Elcaryn, the Sorceress of Amon Fae with him at her side and they set off to travel around the world and have a family of their own.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Arial Burnz.
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ML Palidofska Lesson 7
What I learned doing this assignment: How to add the Slug lines and placeholders.
BEAT SHEET FOR MOVIE “THE SNOWBANK HOTEL”
ACT I
INT./GOVERNMENT OFFICE/DAY
OPENING: Everett James called into boss’s office and given assignment. Boss hands him folder with info on Margaret Strong. He informs Everett that she was a member of a writer’s group where one of the members had a book published divulging some government secrets. All members of the group have been investigated so far except Margaret. The idea is to prevent this from happening again. Inside folder are photos and roundtrip tickets, hotel reservation and a brochure on the Snowbank Hotel. After discussing Margaret, they talk about Everett’s upcoming retirement. Then the boss informs Everett that a criminal he put away many years ago is coming up for parole.
INT./CONDO/DAY
Neighbor bangs on Margaret’s door. She tells her that she has to forfeit her yearly trip to the Snowbank Hotel as a relative just died and she has to go out East for the funeral. She offers Margaret the roundtrip tickets and hotel room which are all paid for.
INT./AIRPLANE/DAY
Margaret is on the plane and happens to be sitting next to Everett James. In the seat behind them is the ex-convict in disguise. Neither of them notice the passenger behind them.
INT./SNOWBANK HOTEL LOBBY/LATE AFTERNOON
All the guests are arriving in the main lobby, getting situated and are told dinner is at 5:00 pm in main dining room. Everybody gets introduced: Margaret Strong, Everett James, Larry Fox, Camille Hudson, Josh Cunningham. Uncle Stash (who runs the place) is very funny and it’s an interesting dinner. (The ex-convict is nowhere to be seen. He is not a guest at the hotel and he disappears for a while.)
PLACEHOLDER: Everett chatting up Margaret and getting her drunk.
ACT II
INT./DINING ROOM/NIGHT
The guests are all discussing the eminent snowstorm that was predicted – the biggest in years. Everett is chatting up Margaret. Larry Fox and Camille are developing a relationship. Anita and Josh are flirting.
PLACEHOLDER: Everett and Margaret are sitting in front of the fireplace having drinks. It gets later and later and he walks her to her room. She says good night and goes to sleep realizing she is falling in love. Besides that, he makes a great prototype for the hero she is writing in her new romance.
INT./DINING ROOM/MORNING
Snowstorm. Huge blizzard sets in. Guests are watching it rage at the breakfast table. Hotel is completely isolated by the fierce and intense storm. Despite the storm, ex-convict is keeping an eye on Everett, waiting for an opportunity. Every now and then you see his face pressed against the window looking in.
INT./HOTEL KITCHEN/DAY
Anita has found out that Everett is an investigator. She is telling Stash. She is freaked out because she is an illegal alien. Camille comes into the kitchen for more coffee. She tells Camille. Camille tells Larry Fox and finds out Larry Fox owes the government millions of dollars in unpaid taxes. No one says anything to Margaret as they think she needs the attention Everett is giving her.
INT./MARGARET’S ROOM/DAY
Anita is in Margaret’s room freshening up the linens. They are chatting about the weather and the subject turns to Everett. She tells Margaret that Everett is an investigator.
PLACEHOLDER: Scene where Margaret confronts Everett about being investigator.
INT./KITCHEN/DAY
The generator for the hotel is fluctuating and Stash is on the phone. He manages to get through to the village and ask for a repairman to come up and fix it. The ex-convict who is in the basement and hears the conversation shows up in disguise.
ACT III
INT./HOTEL/EVENING
The lights go out. Stash finds candles for everyone and hands them out, assuring everybody that the repairman to fix the generator is working on it now. Anita tells Josh she is illegal over candlelight. Camille yells at Larry about his unpaid taxes. Margaret knocks on Everett’s door to give him candles.
INT./EVERETT’S ROOM/EVENING
Everett is packing his suitcase and trying to arrange a helicopter to lift him out of the hotel as Margaret has proved not to be a serious threat (at least to the government). She sees his gun in the suitcase. The door was open. It shuts quickly, blowing out their candles. There’s a scuffle. There’s enough light from the snow and a full moon to see the metal of the gun in the suitcase. Margaret is shocked to see the man punching Everett is the man who was supposed to fix the generator. She picks up the gun. Everett punches the convict who falls on the ground. Then Margaret grabs the gun and shoots him as he lunges toward Everett. She wounds him.
INT./HOTEL STAIRS/EVENING
Josh hears the shot, has grabbed his rifle and is running up the stairs to Everett’s room. He sees the convict lunging again toward Everett and shoots him. He falls over dead. Margaret is freaking out. All the guests and Stash are making their way toward the sound of the gun and Everett’s room. Suddenly there’s a huge bang on the lobby door. The big door blows open. It’s the real generator repairman. He fixes the generator.
INT./HOTEL LOBBY/DAY
The helicopter shows up. Margaret, Everett, police and dead body leave. All guests are gradually leaving, being helicoptered out. Josh stays and proposes to Anita. Camille and Larry on helicopter following Margaret and Everett’s. She says she’ll pay Larry’s taxes if he marries her. They make a deal.
Everett is pretty beat up by the ex-con and Margaret offers to take care of him at her condo until he’s better. He accepts her offer.
LAST SCENE
INT./CONDO LIVING ROOM/DAY
Everett is watching football game on Margaret’s couch all bandaged up while she is at her computer finishing her novel.
Credits run with pictures of Margaret’s book on New York Times bestseller list. Also postcards of Camille and Larry on honeymoon, a wedding invitation from Mexico to Anita and Josh’s official Catholic wedding (they were married first at the Justice of the Peace). Also a new brochure from Stash featuring the updated menu at the Snowbank Hotel and inviting them back.
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<b style=””>Keri’s Beat Sheet
What I learned: This a great architecture & many new ideas emerged while I was working on it (some good… some really bad). But overall it was a fun assignment & looking forward to the next one.
Act 1
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/LIVING ROOM – DAY
TV camera and crew set up, focused on: Reverend Jesse Jonas (RJ2; antagonist) and his wife, Mrs. RJ2 (as yet-unnamed protagonist) sitting on a posh sofa surrounded by posh stuff. Mrs. RJ2 (“Main”) tells a shy, sanitized, holy “story” about their first meeting … her narrative plays over a flashback where we see what really went down.
Flashback: //with main character’s V.O. of sanitized story//
INT. DIVEY LINGERIE BAR – DAY
She’s waiting tables. He eyes her. Asks the bartender about her “temperament” as if he’s picking out livestock.
EXT. DIVEY LINGERIE BAR – A FEW MINUTES LATER
He walks out, Main over his shoulder screaming and clawing the shit out of his back. He’s wincing. Hurrying. Finally sets her down in front of:
SHINY MERCEDES. She blinks. At the car. At him. Then recognizes him.
End Flashback
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/LIVING ROOM – DAY
She says something like: that’s when I knew… (but in her story, it’s not in relation to the car)
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/LIVING ROOM – DAY
Scene here where we get their standard vibe/relationship; she mentions something she needs (from a store like Best Buy) he sort of blows it off and is interrupted by a call from The Publicists or something like that.
EXT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION – DAY
She’s smoking with NAME, 40s, housekeeper. They have a weird but chummy conversation. Then housekeeper gives her a set of car keys.
EXT. BEST BUY/PARKING LOT – LATER
She parks the 10-year-old Toyota Corolla….has a weird run in with VAN MAN. Like she walks into his side mirror while texting with RJ2 and falls over or trips over him while he’s sitting on the floor in Best Buy or something. something weird that LEAVES A MARK.
INT. BEST BUY – A WHILE LATER
TranformEvent #1: She’s carrying (thing she needed). As she passes the WALL OF TVs she sees a dozen identical close ups a beautiful Asian Woman on the central segment of screens. She’s a BUDDHA/Lao Tze/Oprah mashup. Saying something EMPOWERING. Something exactly opposite of what our heroine feels….she stops to watch. Meets the Best Buy buddy.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Another dull dinner. Orphanage is mentioned…RJ2 asks about her Scratch or whatever from VAN MAN run in; she secret smiles and is vague about source.
INT. BEST BUY – SOME OTHER DAY
She walks in, checking her watch, and heads straight for the TVs. Her buddy approaches. Tells her today’s guest. She hands him a bag of freshly made cookies or something.
EXT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION – DAY
Scene with RJ2 and The Publicist, who’s clearly dismissive of and slightly hostile to the Main. The Orphanage Brochures are there. Main picks one up and studies it. Asks something basic like: how many kids are there? or etc and they both just stare at her and say something dismissive.
INT. BEST BUY – SOME OTHER DAY
Inciting Incident: During her now daily escape to Best Buy to watch the Asian Woman’s Oprah-esqe show, she hears some girls talking and sees that one is the spitting image of the ragged, sorrowful cover girl for her husband’s orphanage brochure.
INT. BEST BUY – A MOMENT LATER
TransformEvent #2: She musters the courage to ask the girl about it & the girl is like: Seriously, what!? You ever heard of modeling? And they laugh. She’s humiliated.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/DINING ROOM – NIGHT
TransformEvent #3: She carefully asks RJ2 about the brochure; he charmingly shuts her down, and then issues a not so veiled threat for her to stay sweet & know her place.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/RJ2’S OFFICE – DAY
Turning Point: The next day, she investigates… and finds out: the orphanage is a scam. A very lucrative one.
Act 2
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/DINING ROOM – NIGHT
She is trying not to be bugged by this scam thing… it must be a misunderstanding as she’s finally “safe” in this luxe world & doesn’t want to lose it. So this conversation is her trying to RATIONALIZE it all and asks him about the parishioners support group or something like that…. and RJ2 (sensing something’s up) is suddenly a bit more attentive; he gives her a $5,000 online shopping spree and hints that maybe her own car is next.EXT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION – DAY
She’s smoking with the housekeeper… who holds out the car keys but she shakes her head.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION/HALLWAY – DAY
She walks by his office… peers in. Walks on… then walks back and goes in. Shuts the door. Starts looking EVERYWHERE. She finds paperwork on the ministries finances. It’s INSANE how much people are donating through tithing etc…. and these are not rich people. She finds a handmade crocheted hot pad someone sent in with a note apologizing for not having the money to contribute. etc… and a few other things like this. notes. Strain. guilt/sorrow. She looks around the room. Out the window at the LUXE grounds around the “parsonage.” Her eyes DARKEN.
INT. TOYOTA COROLLA – A WHILE LATER
TranformEvent #4: She is PISSED. On the seat beside her is a packed duffle bag and she’s mumbling “greedy motherfucker” etc., all pretense of the good ministers wife DISSOLVED. She gets on the freeway gets angry as hell.
She eyes the far-off city destinations as the freeway splits. Shrugs and chooses ______________. She takes the turnoff North and looks around. Checks the GAS GAUGE. It’s got a quarter tank. She checks out the shiny fine cars passing her easily. Fuck. Then she looks up and sees the RJ2 Billboard by the side of the road: It says STOP in huge letters. Then underneath. Some dumbass “cool” slogan.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION – DAY
UPS delivers a package. She opens it up. It’s the MAGAZINE with the article.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION / DINING TABLE – NIGHT
He tells her how moved people are about the article. Like: people LOVE her. RJ2 talks about it being time to bring her into the ministry; convinces her of the need to use her own rags-to-riches story to “inspire” people (i.e., get them to donate even more money).
INT. MINISTRY TV STUDIO/BACKSTAGE – NIGHT
Maybe: she gets a makeover under the direction of The Publicist who picks out just BAD clothes?? Super short hair cut? or ??
INT. MINISTRY TV STUDIO STAGE – NIGHT
She’s looking out at the audience. It’s all loud and bright and the Rock Band is playing and there are 6000 people and it’s pretty terrifying. Then TranformEvent #5: she is on stage for the first time; the spotlight blinds her. but people applaud. she feels powerful, then RJ2 hands her the mic and she freaks and runs off stage.
INT. PARSONAGE MEGAMANSION / BEDROOM – NIGHT
Aftermath of above…. he’s all like: how am I supposed to inspire the confidence of my congregation, in the power of god to fulfill their dreams when my own wife is terrified etc. He really rags on her about all this and HAS A POINT.
INT. BEST BUY – DAY
She’s at Best Buy, at an all-time low. But her show inspires her to do something big. She vaguely discusses her dilemma with her Best Buy Buddy. He (clearly crushing on her bad) is super encouraging… telling her how great she is and how she deserves the best, etc.. and how she’ll figure it out. He quotes the show. And she’s like: Yeah. You’re right. She’s feeling strong and determined.
EXT. BEST BUY – DAY
TransformEvent #6: She is about to get in her car when RJ2 calls, says something sort of hideous and proposes something demeaning & she speaks her mind to him for the first time. Like: LOUD. And he is dead silent and then: he eviscerates her. completely. It terrifies here and she panicks and she sees the sliding door on the van next to her car open a crack. She hangs up on him, still PREACHING at her, and she makes a break for it, impulsively climbing into the van and hiding.
Act 3
INT. VAN – DAY
She peeks out at the driver. He’s young. Tattooed. And playing music that is actually GOOD (which she hasn’t heard in a while!). Her phone RINGS and she freaks, shutting it off … but the music is so loud the driver doesn’t hear it…
INT. VAN / DRIVE-THRU – DAY
He’s ordering something. Her stomach is GROWLING. She considers. then: asks him to order her a burrito and he SCREAMS and hits his head or something.
INT. VAN / DRIVE-THRU – A FEW MINUTES LATER
Parked, they eat. She’s ravenous. It’s scary. He watches… scared. But intrigued. She explains what’s up. Asks if she can just hang out etc.
INT. PARSONAGE MCMANSION – evening
RJ2 returns home. Asks the housekeeper: Why are you Here?? Where is your car. She’s all like: not sure if she should be protecting Main or worried or what. He sees something’s up and threatens to call ICE if she doesn’t spill the beans. So RJ2 learns about Best Buy & is all like: WTF !?
INT. VAN MAN’S HOUSE – EVENING
He has to go do something. Leaves her there… HER PHONE RINGS. RJ2. She doesn’t answer. He leaves message that makes her glad she didn’t… she explores (snoops) and we learn more about VAN MAN.
EXT. BEST BUY / PARKING LOT – (CONTINUOUS)
RED/BLUE lights flash. Squad cars encircled around the housekeeper’s car.
INT. VAN MAN’S HOUSE (CONTINUOUS)
She’s doing something. HER PHONE RINGS again. RJ2. She rolls her eyes.
INT. BEST BUY (CONTINUOUS)
Watching security cameras… seeing what looks like a KIDNAPPING… but they can’t get the van’s plates. Cops clip a pic of VAN MAN’s FACE and send it in. Print it. bark orders re: Get it out on the floor and see who remembers this son of a bitch etc.
INT. VAN MAN’S — A WHILE LATER
He gets home… //how do they not get him through receipts etc.?? maybe does he have a fake Identity?? Is he an immigrant or a criminal?? or ?
TransformEvent #7: At Van Man’s house, she sees RJ2 on the news, using her supposed “kidnapping” to benefit himself and she FREAKS OUT and SCREAMS and BREAKS SHIT and releases a lifetime of repressed anger.
Then realizes: they are going to find VAN MAN and arrest him! So she calls RJ2 and says it’s a misunderstanding… her HOBBY or whatever is somehow connected to this or she lies and says she knew him from the BAR—and they just went out or something.
Then she’s all like: I’m going back and I’m going to take that motherfucker DOWN.
EXT. BEST BUY
RJ2 FIRES the housekeeper on the spot.
EXT. PARSONAGE MANSION – NIGHT
They pull up and RJ2 Meets them at the GATE…. super ugly
New Plan: She is in full on ACTING MODE… steels herself & makes initial steps re: taking her place in the RJ2 world and “plays along” while assembling team, making a take-down plan, executing on it.
INT. PARSONAGE MANSION – NIGHT
She talks with RJ2 about all her realizations.. how part of her was hanging on to the earlier world of the bar etc but now she realizes that THIS is her world. I want a role. Whatever you think god wants me to do, I will do it. Like KICK ass at it! I want to help you build this godly empire & etc etc….
INT. PARSONAGE MANSION – DAY
Finds housekeeper’s number… takes photographs of documents. She is right to work on this. CAPER begins
INT. UBER – DAY
Brief conversation… about something SALIENT then driver drops her at Best Buy. Meets up with Buddy & VAN MAN. STRATEGY Session.
INT. MINISTRY STAGE …
TransformEvent #8: she is on stage again for the first time since she ran off it; she powers through it, emboldened by her new plan; she stays mostly on script but also subtly SUBVERTS RJ2. He watches her, suspiciously and somewhat in disbelief.
INT. PARSONAGE – NIGHT
RJ2 asks her some questions… getting suspicious
INT. PARSONAGE – DAY
Placeholder: there is something she needs & can’t get/find. Maybe it’s at Ministry??
More Placeholders scenes here re: team working together making a plan to GET THE THING.
INT. MINISTRY? ?
Turning Point: RJ2 and The Publicist discover the plot and… TransformEvent #9: RJ2 catches her collecting evidence and she must literally fight for her life. She initially escapes and frees her team, but just when she thinks she is in the clear, The Publicist finds her and she & RJ2 kidnap her for real.
INT. MINISTRY BASEMENT
Main is tied up in a bomb shelter like space. completely sealed off. They interrogate here and reveal their real relationship (Prince Charles & Camilla-city to her Diana!) and leave her. She is in dark night of the soul land.
Act 4
INT. MINISTRY BASEMENT
Someone arrives to keep her alive. This will be someone who’s been lurking throughout. Maybe it’s RJ2’s brother or something. Someone who is terrified of him & terrified to betray him. But also knows this is wrong…
INT. BEST BUY
Placeholder: housekeeper, van man & bb buddy meet up to try to figure out where she is so they can rescue her. Figure out that she must be at ministry (as housekeeper still has contacts at the house or went there or something). They steal a GEEK SQUAD van or something and use it to access the grounds.
INT. MINISTRY BACKSTAGE – NIGHT
They are prepping for huge pageant of some kind. A Benefit for the ORPHANAGE and the brochure covergirl is there, backstage, practicing her lines. And they have other guests there. Plus work this whole event in earlier
INT. MINISTRY BASEMENT / BATHROOM – NIGHT
She is doing something that is going to help her escape + get brother or whomever on her side.
INT. MINISTRY COMPUTER ROOM
Geek Squad are examining all the cameras… floor plans… trying to find her. They have to tie up computer girl, who immediately knows they are frauds as: bullshit responses re: computers, which they know nothing about. But she keeps getting the gag out and talking. Being SUPER NEGATIVE in an extreme way. Telling horrible stories about: prison. Crime gone wrong. Weird stories. She starts getting in their heads.
INT. MINISTRY BASEMENT – NIGHT
CLIMAX: She escapes in some super ingenious way and meets up with team… They mad-cap it to:
INT. MINISTRY STAGE – NIGHT
She commandeers the stage and takes the microphone and … tries to tell them what is really going on but at first no one believes it and it looks like it’s going super SOUTH, but then she stops and does some deep breathing and mouths her mantra or something and looks at her team and meanwhile RJ2 & The Publicist are calling for security etc and they are about to nab her when:
TransformEvent #10: She finds HER VOICE: and her own brand of wild, off-beat “preaching” about empowerment – e.g., “You don’t these people. You don’t need me. Everything you need is inside you!” While also presenting evidence and swaying the congregation and the authorities on live tv that RJ2 and The Publicists are CROOKS. She presents VIDEO or AUDIO of him—something that nails it down in a really self-incriminating & ugly way that shows the truth of who he is. What he values.
EXT. MINISTRY– NIGHT
We see RJ2 and The Publicist are taken to jail on fraud and money-laundering charges, along with IRS violations.
EXT. MINISTRY AMPHITHEATER – DAY
Resolution: Our hero is on stage with Asian TV woman and they are tag teaming it on the grand reopening of the Ministry which is no longer called that… she’s changing the name, changing everything. No tithing, no mediation w/higher powers. No dress code. Just: sharing, supporting, doing what they can for the broader community and having fun. Or something like that & her gang is all there.
-
Chris Blanchett’s High Speed Beat Sheet.
Ironically enough, I commit to the group to use the high-speed writing method as we move forward.
What I learned from this lesson is loss of momentum equals death (metaphorically speaking).
Act 1:
INT. RYAN’S OFFICE – DAY
Ryan and his assistant Alex review commercial spot in advance of meeting. Creative Director Don stops by to let Ryan know meeting is delayed. At Alex’s suggestion Ryan takes opportunity to pick up suit at dry cleaners.
EXT. STREET – DAY
On his way to dry cleaner Ryan helps (stranger) Meg Gilmore get her car started so she can make a grad school mid-term.
INT. DRY CLEANERS – DAY
Ryan gets call from Alex. Meeting in conference room is back on to original time.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY
Ryan arrives late for meeting. Don is presenting Ryan’s spot as primarily his (Don’s) work. Agency CEO Andrew Sterling compliments Don on quality of spot. Announces client has decided they want to change (agreed upon) direction of the campaign. A new script will be needed by Monday.
Transformational Event 1 – Ryan agrees, under duress, to write the new script over the weekend, which means forgoing his high school reunion which he had been looking forward to.
INT. RYAN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Ryan is working on new script. Gets call from his ex-wife KAY, about a silver picture frame that is hers. Ryan says he will try to locate it, even though it is on his desk containing a picture from Ryan and Kay’s wedding. Ryan’s attention is drawn to a self-help infomercial.
Transformational Event 2 – Ryan downloads free trial copy of life-coach-in-a-box app onto his phone.
The download is interrupted by incoming call from his friends CLAYTON and ART who try to convince him to at least attend the opening reception of reunion weekend that evening. Ryan refuses, using deadline as reason. Clayton informs Ryan that his (Ryan’s) high school sweetheart, Lindsey, will be at the reception.
Transformational Event 3 – Ryan decides to attend reunion reception.
Act 2
INT. LAKESHORE HIGH SCHOOL REFECTORY
Ryan is regaling Reunion Attendees with stories of high school antics and is upstaged by his high school nemesis PAUL STILES, now a massively successful high-tech tycoon.
Ryan crosses paths with high school sweetheart LINDSEY. It is apparent from their conversation that their high-school romance ended badly and that a spark still exists between them. Their conversation is interrupted by…
A welcoming ceremony by the spry, elderly, and distinguished EDWIN GODLING, Alumni Board President, who enjoys a near mythic status and is known to be a business mentor to Paul Stiles.
We establish part of the following day’s festivities will include a presentation and dedication of two custom-designed, ornate, and extremely expensive urns which Stiles is donating to grace the entrance way to the school.
We are introduced to Godling’s grand-nephew BART, who – still in college – is in attendance as the youngest member of the alumni board. We also learn Lindsey and Stiles are married.
INT. ART’S MINIVAN – NIGHT
Plot-point – Ryan’s phone has been on the fritz since the interrupted download of the self-help app.
Ryan is torn as to whether he should finish the script over the weekend as planned or attend the upcoming reunion events in order to see Lindsey. Art wants to call it a night. Clayton suggests they maintain the reunion spirit and spend the remainder of the evening as they would if still in high school.
EXT./INT. EMERALD BUD CANNABIS EMPORIUM
Art and Clayton speak with owner and fellow alum NAME while Ryan purchases a goodly supply of pot. The sales-person is Meg Gilmore, who Ryan had helped earlier getting her car started. Clayton watches as Ryan and Meg engage in easy banter.
INT. ART’S MINIVAN – NIGHT
Clayton chides Ryan for not getting Meg’s number, then informs Ryan and Art that the owner of the Emerald Bud (who we met at the reunion reception?) had supplied something even better than pot, hallucinogenic mushrooms. Ryan is leery of the prospect, Art objects outright, saying he’s not even sure he wants to smoke pot, let alone trip on mushrooms. Clayton suggests they go somewhere quiet to discuss the options and he knows just the place…
INT. STRIP CLUB
After heated discussion (periodically interrupted by Strippers offering lap-dances, Art agrees to determine whether or not they do mushrooms via a ro-sham-bo (rock, paper, scissors) contest with Clayton. Clayton wins and the die is cast.
Our heroes get in an altercation with Bart Godling (who we met at the reunion reception), who is at the strip club with some of his collegiate friends. The altercation results in Bart and his friends being kicked out of the strip club – they threaten our heroes as they depart.
EXT. ARBORETUM PARK – NIGHT
Our heroes go to a large park to take the mushrooms. The road leading into the park is blocked with a closed gate. Clayton goads Art into “off-roading” around the gate and onto the road.
EXT. PARK CLEARING – NIGHT
Our heroes choke down the mushrooms and wait for them to take effect. We learn from Art that the urns Stiles is donating to Lakeshore High will be taking the place of some statues of Lions (the school’s mascot) that had graced the entrance-way to the school for years but had been stolen by a local fraternity decades ago. Ryan goes to take a leak.
EXT. PARK UNDERBRUSH – NIGHT
As Ryan relieves himself the half-downloaded self-help app on his phone crackles to life with positive-thinking homilies and advice that takes on the appearance of an actual conversation with Ryan which (along with the hallucinogenic effect of the mushrooms) convinces Ryan that by re-connecting with Lindsey and making amends for their break up it will symbolically put to rest the mistakes of his past and give him a fresh start going forward.
Transformational event 4 – Ryan makes active decision to improve quality of his life by re-connecting with Lindsey.
EXT. PARK CLEARING – NIGHT
Ryan returns to the now tripping Art and Clayton (who are arguing over the merits of commitment, monogamy, and fidelity – Art is pro all three, Clayton less than convinced). Ryan announces his intention to see Lindsey that night. A spotlight beams down on them. Police tell them to come out of the clearing with their hands up.
A hilarious field sobriety test ensues with Ryan, Clayton, and Art – now fully tripping – performing their tasks with super-human efficiency. The mystified police – who are having a professional spat as one of them (a younger woman) recently passed the detective (?) test which the other (older grizzled male) did not pass – and this is their last night as partners. Ultimately the cops give them a warning for being in the park after-hours and tell them to take off and keep their noses clean.
INT. MINIVAN – NIGHT
Ryan plots out elaborate plan to connect with Lindsey at her Hotel. Clayton sees Bart and his frat-pack friends getting out of a car and entering another strip club.
Set-piece: American Graffiti homage – Clayton sets chain around back axel of frat pack car. Ryan goes into strip club – taunts and flips off Bart and the frat pack. They give chase, Ryan allows them to see him get in Minivan which takes off. Frat pack jumps in their car and floor it, which results in their rear axle being torn off and their damaged car sitting in the parking lot.
EXT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Ryan, Clayton, and Art have to make their way through throngs of Self-Help enthusiasts to enter the hotel. Tommy Nelson Thomas, the self-help speaker who created the app Ryan downloaded is holding a seminar.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT
Ryan, Clayton, and Art perform Ryan’s incredibly elaborate and intricately timed plan to absolute perfection… and it proves completely ineffective. Guided by the cryptic messages of the self-help app Ryan runs into Lindsey – apparently completely by chance. Unfortunately she is with the distinguished Edwin Godling, who regards Ryan and his subtle hallucinogenic idiosyncrasies warily. Ryan is completely ineffective; fortunately Lindsey manages to slip Ryan a note telling him to meet her later that night (or morning) at the Lakeshore High campus.
Ryan messes up the self-help seminar fire-walk. Millennials char their feet.
EXT. LAKESHORE HIGH ATHLETIC TRACK – NIGHT
Ryan and Lindsey meet at high school campus and walk the athletic track as they did when dating in high school. Ryan apologizes for infidelity which caused their break-up. Lindsey forgives him. Confides that Stiles recently confessed to an affair and their marriage is in a precarious spot. Ryan is genuinely sympathetic. Lindsey Is taken by his empathy and openness, somewhat jokingly asks if he’s drunk. Ryan assures her he’s completely sincere, not drunk…doesn’t mention mushrooms. Lindsey kisses Ryan on the cheek, says she often wonders what might have been, leaves.
ACT 3
Note – we can flesh out Art and Clayton’s subplots in next assignment
INT. MINIVAN – NIGHT
Ryan is confident “the curse is lifted.” Having reconciled with Lindsay he has earned his second bite at the apple.
INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Lindsay and Stiles argue about Stiles’ affair and Lindsey meeting Ryan that night.
INT. MINIVAN – NIGHT
The conversation turns to how Ryan and Lindsey broke up in high school, specifically, how did Lindsey find out about Ryan’s cheating? All Ryan knows is Lindsey received an anonymous note informing her and when Ryan lied about it, she confronted the girl in question, who confessed.
Art changes the subject back to the curse being lifted. Just then Clayton inadvertently kicks a (previously set up) flare from Art’s safety kit, which ignites and fills the van with smoke and attracts the attention of a…
EXT. ROAD – NIGHT.
…Police cruiser which turns on its lights and pulls over the Minivan.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT
Stiles informs Lindsey that Art let it slip that Ryan and his friends are on mushrooms.
EXT. ROADSIDE – NIGHT
The two (still feuding) police we met at the park when our heroes had just taken the shrooms now have our heroes lined up outside the Van. It appears they are going to take our heroes in and book them when…
Meg Gilmore, the clerk at the pot shop who Ryan had helped start her car, calls from her car to the police saying a naked man armed with a gun (or umbrella – she’s not quite sure) is walking in the middle of the street a few blocks away.
The cops tell our heroes to call it a night and stay off the roads. And get in their car.
Meg winks to Ryan and drives off.
INT. MINIVAN – NIGHT
Ryan says the happy ending confirms that the curse is indeed lifted.
Overcome by guilt, Art blurts out a confession that back in high school he let it slip to Stiles that Ryan cheated on Lindsey. Ryan, is overcome by the implication: Stiles had used the information to break him and Lindsey up so he could go out with her.
Art is extremely apologetic. Ryan, magnanimous in his belief that the curse is removed, forgives Art. Tells him not to worry about it. At least he has put things right with Lindsay.
At that moment, Ryan receives from Lindsey who is irate Ryan had lied to her (by omission) about being on mushrooms. As Ryan tries to explain she hangs up, angrier at him than ever before.
Ryan glumly announces the curse is back. Clayton insists that’s ridiculous, there is no curse, then notices…
Bart and the frat pack are in a car next to them. Ryan says the curse is back. Clayton tells Art to take a left turn…
INT VAN/EXT ROAD – NIGHT
Our Heroes appear to have eluded the Frat Pack who are unable to take the left turn from their lane. Clayton declares their escape as proof “the curse” does not exist. At that moment the car lurches to one side. Art pulls the Minivan over.
Upon examination, one of the Minivan’s tires is completely blown out. Despite the fact we have established that Art is hyper-prepared for any possible contingency to an almost ridiculous degree… turns out he doesn’t have a spare tire.
In the far distance the Frat Pack car is visible, circling back to take the turn they missed.
With no other choice, our Heroes begin pushing the minivan to get it off the road. Ryan spots a car dealership ahead and directs their efforts to get the minivan to the dealership parking lot.
Once in the lot, Art immediately drawn to a section of the lot filled displaying a selection of Land Rovers (we have already established his fascination with Land Rovers) and is joined by the dealership owner, a smooth talking… well… used car salesman.
Ryan & Clayton use the Minivan’s car-jack and tools to remove the flat tire. Ryan spots the Frat Pack car in the distance heading in their direction. Ryan has Clayton take the car-jack & tools and wheel the flat tire to a similar Minivan which is part of the dealership inventory. Clayton jacks up the other minivan and begins removing a tire.
As the Frat Pack car nears, Ryan grabs a price sign off a nearby car (a clunker) and puts it on the front window of the Minivan to disguise it as part of the dealership inventory. The low price immediately attracts the attention of passing pedestrians. As the Frat Pack car bears down on the dealership, Ryan assumes the persona of a salesman and engages in a hard-sell of the Minivan, attracting a CROWD of shoppers. The Crowd prevents the Frat Pack from getting a clear view of the Minivan or Ryan, and they pass the dealership and continue on their way.
Clayton wheels the new tire to the minivan and gets it attached as Ryan disperses the Crowd of potential shoppers. (joke opportunity – the crowd’s buying desire is aroused, metaphorically battling off aroused suitors). Clayton grabs Art (much to the chagrin of the owner/salesman), they get in the Minivan WITH RYAN NOW DRIVING, and take off in the opposite direction as the Frat Pack had gone.
INT. MINIVAN – NIGHT
As our heroes drive off, the self-help app on Ryan’s phone sputters a series of unrelated self-help homilies and “dies.” Art is sympathetic to Ryan’s loss. Clayton cynically points out that it’s not a loss. It’s an app that can be re-downloaded. Ryan interprets the app’s last utterances as having given him the means of re-removing the curse: upstage Stiles at the next day’s dedication of the urns. Clayton asks how. Ryan turns to Art and asks “which frat was it?” a reference to the conversation they had in the park about the urns being placed in spot that decades earlier had been occupied by caste-iron lions – this is Transformational Event 5 – Ryan taking control of events..
ACT 4
INT./EXT. FRATERNITY HOUSE – NIGHT
Our Heroes approach the Frat House which Art identifies as the one which stole the ions from Lakeshore High decades ago. According to Art the Lions are in the secret pledge initiation room in the attic of the frat house.
Reaching the Frat House and peering in through the window our Heroes discover Bart and is friends in the living room drinking beer and playing video games. Ryan comes up with a plan – this is Transformational Event 6.
.Ryan knocks on the door, insults and enrages Bart and the frat pack, and runs off with Bart and the Frat Pack in hot pursuit, allowing Art and Clayton to slip into the frat house.
EXT. STREET/INT. FRAT HOUSE – NIGHT
Intercut:
Ryan being chased by the frat pack with Art and Ryan making their way through the frat house and discovering the Lions in the Attic.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Self-Help guru Tommy Nelson Thomas is out for a (PREVIOUSLY SET UP) jog, working off some of the frustration from the evening’s disasterous seminar.
EXT. STREET/INT. FRAT HOUSE – NIGHT
Intercut:
The frat pack closing on Ryan with Art and Clayton unbolting the Lions discovering they are far too heavy to budge.
Art comes up with a plan…
INT./EXT. FRAT HOUSE/EXT STREET – NIGHT
INTERCUT
Art parking the Van at the Foot of the Frat House.
Clayton and Art using a rope to pull the Minivan’s winch cable up and over a (sturdy structure) then attach to the lion.
Art using the winch to pull the Lions out of the frat house attic window then using the (sturdy structure) as a fulcrum to slowly lower the Lions toward the ground.
With
The frat pack cornering Ryan.
Tommy Nelson Thomas arriving.
Frat pack insulting Tommy and putting him over the edge.
Tommy Nelson Thomas using Tae Kwan Do skills to beat up the frat pack as Bart and Ryan look on.
Ryan and Bart turning toward one another. Ryan decking Bart – – this is Transformational Event 6 .
INTERCUT
The cable gets jammed and Art just manages to escape as the Minivan is pulled up off the ground. The Lions and the minivan reach equilibrium hovering some 20 feet off the ground.
Art getting on the frat house front-porch-roof, bolt-cutter in hand, intent on cutting the cable to free the Lions even if it means sacrificing the van
With
Ryan and Tommy Nelson Thomas running back to the frat house.
EXT. FRAT HOUSE – NIGHT
Ryan and Tommy Nelson Thomas arrive in time to see…
Art stumbling off the front porch roof and managing to get a grip on the winch-cable as he inadvertently cuts it.
The Van crashing down onto the ground and crumpling.
Art being pulled up and through the attic window.
The Lions landing on the Lawn unscathed.
Tommy Thomas making a phone call.
EXT. FRAT HOUSE – NIGHT
Ryan and Clayton help the dazed but okay Art out of the Frat House. Our heroes wonder what to do. Tommy Nelson Thomas assures them everything is handled. A semi-truck, adorned with Tommy Nelson Thomas’s smiling countenance pulls up and two burly Teamsters get out.
As the Teamsters load the Lions into the truck with a fork lift, Art reports his van as having been stolen… gives the police a description of the thieves matching the frat pack.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT.
Our Heroes are in the cab of the Semi as it drives down the street, passing…
The battered and bedraggled Bart and the Frat Pack as they make their way back to the…
Frat House, the crumpled Van on the lawn.
EXT. LAKE SHORE SCHOOL COURTYARD – DAY
The Reunion Festivities continue with the planned unveiling of the urns. After Stiles makes his address he lifts the curtain of the urns, revealing the Lions.
Stiles is flabbergasted.
Edwin Godling, alumni board president, demands to know who is responsible. Ryan steps forward. Godling grabs his hand and shakes it enthusiastically. Godling had been a student the year the Lions were stolen. Has long advocated for their return.
Linsdsey and Ryan make their peace. Ryan has opportunity to reveal Stiles’ duplicity to Lindsey. Stiles’ is (need to set up) aware Ryan could essentially end his (Stiles’) relationship with Lindsey. Ryan doesn’t tell Lindsey – – this is Transformational Event 7 – Ryan taking control of events..
. They (Lindsey and Ryan) part on good terms. Stiles raises a glass toward Ryan in a gesture of thanks.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY
Ryan is expected to present the new ad direction but instead makes an impassioned plea to show the original ad to the client, winning the support of agency CEO Andrew Sterling – who is especially gratified when Ryan announces he had landed two new: one of Edwin Godling’s company and one with self-help guru Tommy Neslson Thomas. This sequence is Transformational Event 8.
INT. JEWELRY STORE – DAY
Clayton buys an engagement ring. Starts to flirt with salesgirl. Stops himself.
EXT. KAY’S HOUSE – DAY
Ryan hands Kay the silver frame, the wedding picture still in it. They hug. Ryan departs.
EXT. USED CAR LOT – DAY
Art is with the Used Car Salesman admiring the Land Rover he just bought… which is his wife’s favorite color (set up).
INT. EMERALD BUD POT SHOP – DAY
Ryan asks Meg Gilmore out. She accepts.
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