Day 7 Assignments

[Megan Schemenauer]

Megan’s TV Pitch Bible Investigation

What I learned doing this assignment is… that I like brainstorming on my laptop rather than on my phone. It’s easier for me to keep up with the speed of my thoughts. I also noticed that these tools are really interwoven; both the digging tool and wondering tool naturally led back to extrapolation

Because of this investigation, I happened upon two major breakthroughs. First, I need to write a summary that goes beyond just the pilot or the first season and incorporate more of the cliffhangers and character journey of the entire show. Second, I need to rewrite each of my episodes focusing not only on what Lexie is living through in her timeline, but what Alexis is going through in hers. The hard part will be keeping Alexis’s real job a secret until the last episode of season one.

I feel like I could keep investigating these questions and more, but since I’m already a couple lessons behind, I’ll stop here for now.

[Tom Minier]

Tom’s TV Pitch Bible Investigation

What I learned in this lesson is that the investigative process is iterative and that I need to organize the work we’ve done so far. I had one aha moment regarding two of the main character’s that I don’t believe should show up in season 1, but I haven’t rule it out. Essentially, Eddie, one of the facilitators of the group, is sabotaging the group’s efforts to save humanity. This will build out of his disagreements with Trish in the first season, but I think that the reveal is a slow burn, maybe even a season cliffhanger.

Another step I want to take is to put all of the story bible material together in a more readable format. I think that if I have put together I’ll be able read through it all easily and be less distracted.

[Dave Arena]

What we learned doing this assignment is that just getting a rough draft done and not making it perfect worked well. Once we slept on what we created, we realized the entire season of episodes wasn’t the story we wanted to tell so with that said, we changed all of the episode descriptions:

Episode 1

Liz and Eric have a relationship most consider “couple goals” but nobody knows they’ve been secretly swingers for over 14 years. When Liz’s best friend Michelle tells her that she’s considering swinging to help her marriage, it puts Liz in a dilemma. Does she warn Michelle that this is probably not a good idea for a marriage already on the rocks and out her and Eric in the process or keep her mouth shut and let Michelle get hurt on her own? Liz investigates if Michelle is going to the club they frequent. When she does show up, Liz spies on her without Eric knowing. When Liz sees Michelle about to make a huge mistake, she has to out herself to save her.

Episode 2

Liz, now feeling the weight of her secret off her chest and loving that she can talk to her best friend about this openly, agrees to show Michelle the ropes of swinging if she doesn’t tell Eric. Liz helps Michelle set up a profile on a swinger website where she meets another newbie couple that she’s interested in and brings the female half to the salon for Liz’s advice. Liz devises a plan to bring them to a house party for their first encounter. She convinces Eric to let her go to the party alone and promises to send a video of her naughtiness. Eric is excited by this suggestion but has no idea what Liz is really up to. Just before things are about to go down, Michelle vomits all over the male half of the couple ruining their first potential swap.

Episode 3

Michelle is embarrassed by their first swinger attempt and her husband is pissed off at her for ruining it because he was really into the other woman and wanted this to happen. Liz admits it was her fault for taking them to a house party, which was a little too much for their first time. She suggests they slow things down and invite the couple to dinner so they can get to know them a bit more privately. But, when Michelle asks Liz to go with her to help feel things out, she has to take Eric which makes for an awkward dinner with everyone trying to keep it on the down low. However, the plan works as Michelle successfully has her first swinger experience.

Episode 4

Michelle tells Liz that her marriage and sex life are the best they’ve ever been which makes Liz feel cautiously optimistic that she’s actually helped them. When a woman walks into their hair salon looking for Liz’s advice, Michelle admits she “referred” her. Liz connects with this woman and feels like she has a strong relationship that would benefit from swinging which makes Michelle a bit jealous. Once the woman leaves, Liz is pissed at Michelle and lets her know that she’s afraid her inability to keep her mouth shut will get her exposed. Liz and Eric get together with the woman from the salon and her husband. Even though Eric can’t know how this came to be, Liz feels a little less guilty throwing him a bone.

Episode 5

Liz visits Michelle’s house after she calls her in a panic. When Liz arrives, she finds Michelle and the dude from the couple they hooked up with. Michelle explains that they’ve decided to swap partners and living arrangements for two weeks but that’s not what she really wants. Liz warns them that this is going to blow up in their faces and is not what swinging is about. Liz confronts Michelle’s husband but fails to convince him to come home. Michelle ends up on Liz and Eric’s doorstep with packed bags in hand.

Episode 6

After leaving the husband of the other couple in her house alone, Michelle moves in with Liz and Eric. Liz tells Eric she is there temporarily because her marriage is going through some hard times. But, when Michelle sees a video on social media of her husband living his best life with the other woman, she once again can’t help herself from verbally vomiting everything. Now, Eric finds out that not only has Liz been deceiving him but has also outed them to the one person who can’t keep her trap shut. Liz asks Eric to help and he convinces Michelle’s husband to go back home, but then gives Liz the silent treatment which drives her bat shit crazy.

Episode 7

When Liz’s dad is diagnosed with cancer and given less than 2 years to live, Liz has a heart-to-heart with him while she styles his wig. He is secretly trans and bi-sexual but has always been afraid to walk his truth and stays miserably married to her mom. Liz is the only one who knows his secret and he’s the only one who knew hers as they formed a pact early on so that they never accidentally ran into each other at a club or party. Liz and Eric reconcile and while he understands her need to live authentically because of her dad, he doesn’t think she is truly ready for all of the potential negative consequences and wounds this may open up.

Episode 8

Liz compromises with Eric and lets him know that being open with Michelle at least has helped her and maybe that’s all she needs right now. But, at a family get-together when Michelle accidentally spills the beans to Liz’s strict Catholic mother and judgmental perfect sister, it opens up the can of worms Eric has most feared for him and Liz.

This means we also need to modify the season 1 and 2 summaries a bit, but we are going to do that once we edit the bible.

[Sharilyn Kyle]

Sharilyn’s TV Pitch Bible Investigation

What I learned from doing this assignment is…story is not static.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>4. For any parts where there is a substantial improvement, rewrite those parts of the TV Pitch Bible. Then, tell us what parts you changed and give a quick description of what you did.

I’m not ready to rewrite YET. But I have categorized. I need to organize the PB’s & E’s so that they make sense in the seasons. Like I need to build up to the episode. I also feel I need sequence these ideas. Right now I’m all over the place BUT I’m excited about storylines that I didn’t see before doing this exercise. I still think I can mine some more before I rewrite.

KEY: (PB)=Use in TV Pitch Bible (E)=Use in Episodes (D)=Don’t use

(Intriguing World)SITUATION(S)

DIG: What’s beneath that?

1. Level1-Erin does demands mad money to do food porn (D)

2. Level2-Erin’s motive is that she can eat and explore the “soft” porn industry (D)

3. Level3-Erin doesn’t wanna really lose weight but she monetizes her eating (D)

4. Level4-Erin’s self worth is tied to her physical appearance(PB & E)

5. Level5-As she gets bigger, her greed grows, as well as her ego (PB)

6. Level6-Erin goes for a porn guy who is turned off by her ego not her weight (PB)

EXTRAPOLATE: If…then…

1. If Erin does the porn then what kind is it? (D)

2. If Erin does not do porn then what does she do? (D)

3. If Erin loses the weight then will she pursue a teaching career? (E)

4. If the migrant kids’ parents find out Erin’s a porn star, then do they report her? (E)

WONDER: What if…

1. Erin knew she was being filmed and was performance eating all along (D)

2. Food/Supermarket companies approach her about legit advertisement (E)

3. She gets a “real” contract to be the spokesperson for a food product (E)

BACKTRACK: How could it have happened?

1. Erin set up the camera herself and pursued a job in porn. (D)

2. Patty invites Walley over to talk about managing Erin. (E)

3. Ms. Chen’s been feeding Erin fattening foods “poisoning” her (D)

4. Mi-Ya sets up the camera to present Erin has her “Face of Fat Fashion” (D)

FORECAST: How can this get worse?

1. The “soft” porn industry rejects her (D)

2. Her parents kick her our of the apartment they pay rent on (E)

3. Erin is labeled a pedophile and or sex offender b/c the “soft” porn is illegal (D)

4. Erin gets arrested, but cannot go to jail due to her size, so all the work she’s done

to get out of the house, confines her to house arrest! (E)

5. Walley uploads footage of Erin teaching the kids–Schools flag her as a sex-offender (D)

(Main)CHARACTER(S)

DIG: What’s beneath that?

1. Level1-Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya are always at odds, except pertaining to Erin’s hygiene (PB)

2. Level2-Mi-Ya confronts Ms. Chen about not connecting with her as a Furry (E)

3. Level3a-Ms. Chen complains that Mi-Ya hides behind her furry fandom(E)

4. LEvel3b-Mi-Ya complains that her mom is running from her real culture/family(E)

4. Level4-Mi-Ya contends that being a Furry is the only way her mother notices her(D)

5. Level5-Ms. Chen ignores Mi-Ya because she represents her abusive husband (PB)

EXTRAPOLATE: If…then…

1. If Patty and Mi-Ya form their own Fat Styling company then they leave Erin (PB)

2. If Walley regrets making Erin a star, then he must face his trailer trash background (PB)

3. If Erin slims down, then she’s labled a food porn impostor. (D)

WONDER: What if…

1. Patty becomes Patricio, one night with Gina. They make a baby! Erin gets jealous. (PB)

2. Patty returns to her religious roots as a father? (E)

3. Walley and Candy marry? (E)

4. Walley makes Candy compete with Erin?(D)

5. Walley goes legit?(D)

6. Erin uses her porn fame to find Ms. Chen after she ups and leaves?(D)

7. Erin’s been wearing a fat suit for a social experiment on fat acceptance?(D)

8. Walley turns out to be Erin’s brother? (PB)

BACKTRACK: How could it have happened?

1. Erin could become Walley’s love interest.(D)

2. Ms. Chen’s ex-husband could be the mastermind behind the “soft” Porn Palace site.(PB)

FORECAST: How can this get worse?

1. Erin’s biological parents are weirdo pornist.(D)

2. Erin’s biological parents gave her up b/c she was too big as a baby. (E)

3. Ms. Chen’s Ex been tracking her all the time. He finds her via Walley’s hack.(PB)

4. Mi-Ya’s been helping her father. She planted the camera to get even with her mother.(D)

5. Ms. Chen gets deported.(D)

6. Patty and Walley hook up. (D)

7. Walley is thrown into depression by Candy’s deflation. (E)