Day 7 Assignments

[Suzanne Frank]

Suzanne’s show Empathy/Distress Part 2

What I learned in this assignment is … these are glorified bulletpoints. There’s so much to discover! For every sentence here I have a page of notes as I play with options and ideas …

A. Undeserved misfortune: Gulf Coast in general, because of impending storm; Maelle/loss of her best friend; Dadpilot’s sentence of ghosts; Zephyr/lost everything when she followed her guides; Handler/marital consequences of taking this job; when they escape, everyone they ever talked to will be investigated/accused;

B. External Character conflicts. The development/investigation into the Gulf 7 and changes within NOLA as the threat escalates and the storm approaches

C. Plot intruding on life: weather/politics

D. Moral dilemmas. How much of your history do fellow conspirators deserve to know? What they don’t know could hurt them HOW?

E. Forced decisions they’d never make. Dadpilot/spy & betrayals; Zephyr/leave her guides;

[Dave Arena]

What we learned doing this assignment was these mysteries and open loops were already built into our outline just by doing the work we’ve done so far. We were also surprised to see several mysteries presented because when we did the exercise on mysteries earlier in the process, we were stuck with nothing at the time. The impact these have had on the outline is two-fold. One, we are able to have some that are closed by the end of the pilot which gives some resolution but two, so many are still open for future episodes and seasons.

Main Mystery: Why is Liz so motivated to help people with sex and relationship advice?

Sub-Mysteries: why does Liz have these beliefs about monogamy, sex, and relationships?

Sub-Mysteries: how did Liz and Eric become swingers?

Sub-Mysteries: why does Maria treat Don and Liz so badly?

Sub-Mysteries: why is Liz and Teresa’s relationship so combative and competitive?

Sub-Mysteries: why is Liz so sensitive to being shamed and judged?

Sub-Mysteries: what’s the backstory of Liz and her dad’s relationship?

Sub-Mysteries: why is Liz’s dad still married to his mom if he’s trans?

Main Open Loop: what will happen to Liz and Eric now that their secret is out?

Sub-Open Loops: why is Eric miserable with his job?

Sub-Open Loops: why is Liz bothered after slamming the door on someone at the club?

Sub-Open Loops: why is Liz glad their lifestyle is now known?

Sub-Open Loops: who is the woman Liz and Eric are concerned about and why is she at the swinger club?

Sub-Open Loops: what happens now that Liz and Eric have been exposed?

Sub-Open Loops: what is going on with Michelle’s marriage?

Sub-Open Loops: will Michelle pursue swinging?

Sub-Open Loops: how will swinging affect Michelle’s marriage?

Sub-Open Loops: will Liz and Eric’s daughter Mary find out about their lifestyle?

Sub-Open Loops: what will happen when Eric finds out Liz deceived him?

Sub-Open Loops: Is this the end of Michelle’s marriage?

Sub-Open Loops: is this the end of Michelle and Liz’s friendship?

Sub-Open Loops: what will happen with Liz and Eric?

Sub-Open Loops: will Michelle ever find her happily ever after?

Sub-Open Loops: how will the decision to be public affect, Liz and Eric?

Sub-Open Loops: how will the decision to be public affect their daughter?

Sub-Open Loops: how will Liz deal with the shame and judgment as they are exposed more?

Sub-Open Loops: how will Liz deal with her family potentially knowing?

Sub-Open Loops: how will this affect Liz’s business?

Sub-Open Loops: how will this affect Eric’s job?

Sub-Open Loops: how will Eric get comfortable with the uncertainty?

Sub-Open Loops: how will the community react once they find out Liz is giving advice from the hair salon?

Sub-Open Loops: how does this affect Michelle since she co-owns the salon?

Sub-Open Loops: what is the significance of the relationship between Liz and her dad?

Sub-Open Loops: will Liz’s dad ever come out as trans?

[Megan Schemenauer]

Megan’s Open Loops and Mysteries

What I learned doing this assignment is…that mysteries revolve around the past while open loops propel us into the future of the season or series. Both keep an audience intrigued in your series.

I found it much easier to brainstorm a series of questions rather than the different types of intrigue.

Main Mystery: How is Lexie and Alexis’s cross-timeline communication possible?

Sub-Mysteries:

Why did Alexis become so cold?

Why was Alexis contemplating suicide?

Why was Lexie planning to run away?

How did Alexis become an undercover agent?

Who else might know about Lexie and Alexis’s emails?

Why is Lexie so overlooked by her family?

Are Lexie’s siblings Lily and Scott as perfect as they seem?

If Lily is so smart, why does she need her mom’s help with her applications?

Why does Lexie stay friends with Betsy, who is completely different from her and has no filter?

Why is Sterling so competitive with Alexis?

Why does Alexis lie to Lexie about her job?

Main Open Loop: Can Lexie and Alexis help each other improve their lives?

Sub-Open Loops:

Will Lily still get accepted into her first-choice college?

Can Lexie trust Alexis?

Will Lexie find out her future self is an undercover agent?

Will Alexis learn to connect with people on a personal level?

Will Brett ever win over Alexis the ice queen?

Will Lexie ever come out of her shell?

How will Lexie continue changing under Alexis’s influence?

Will interacting with her past self improve Alexis’s present misery?

Will their communication extend beyond email?

PILOT OUTLINE

TEASER:

Essence: Lexie getting dressed. It’s her first day of high school. She is eager and optimistic. Seems confident. Checking her outfit and appearance in the mirror. Possibly recording herself on her first day of high school? Alexis, however, is the VO we hear, reflecting on the importance of trust.

Turning Point: Lexie walks outside to meet her childhood best friend Betsy, who makes a tactless comment about the outfit Lexie spent so much time putting together.

Reveal: Lexie’s confidence deflates like a popped balloon.

Sub-Mystery: Why does Lexie stay friends with Betsy, who is completely different from her and has no filter?

Sub-Open Loop: How will bright but socially awkward Lexie do in high school?

ACT 1:

Essence: Lexie feels terrified at high school. Bus driver gets her name wrong. Cafeteria is noisy, crowded, nowhere to sit. Cafeteria lady gives her green beans after she says she doesn’t want them. Possibly a bully at school pulls a prank on her? Back at home, Lexie feels shut out by her family. Her older sister and younger brother are happy and successful and have the full attention of mom and dad.

Sub-Mystery: Why is Lexie so overlooked by her family?

Sub-Open Loop: Will Lexie ever come out of her shell?

Turning Point: Reveal: We see Lexie has been contemplating running away from home.

ACT 2:

Essence: Lexie disappears during lunch.

Sub-Mystery: Where is Lexie hiding? Why?

Essence: Betsy finds her in the library. Lexie admits to considering running away. Betsy thinks running away doesn’t solve anything; references her deadbeat dad. Lexie just needs to find a way to be special in her own way.

Essence: Lexie’s English teacher gives the class an assignment: to write an email to their future selves.

Turning Point: After a particularly tense family dinner, Lexie not only writes the email but clicks send. In the morning, she’s surprised to find a response.

ACT 3:

Essence: Lexie probes to figure out if the email is real. She asks questions about Alexis’s life. Alexis presents her life as happy and successful. But while she is a success at work, she doesn’t enjoy it: she treats people coolly, endures constant stress, nosy coworkers, pressure from her boss, competition from Sterling, and innuendos from Brett.

Sub-Mystery: Why does Alexis stay at a job she clearly hates? Why did Alexis become so cold? Why is Sterling so competitive with Alexis?

Sub-Open Loop: Will Brett ever win over Alexis the ice queen? Will Alexis ever leave her job?

Reveal: Alexis’s home life is empty and lonely. So empty she nearly commits suicide one night. The same night she receives Lexie’s email.

Sub-Mystery: Why was Alexis contemplating suicide?

Turning Point: At first, Alexis blows off the email. Until she opens her mail and sees a birth announcement from her sister. Lily is adding to her family while Alexis has nothing and no one. Alexis decides to try to change her present by fixing her past. She continues emailing Lexie, ostensibly to help Lexie improve her life, but actually to better her present by fixing her past.

Sub-Open Loop: Will interacting with her past self improve Alexis’s present misery?

ACT 4:

Essence: Alexis shocks Lexie with the things she knows about her and her family. Lexie isn’t sure whether or not she can trust Alexis.

Lexie feels overlooked again by her mother, who doesn’t have time to teach her how to drive because she’s too busy helping her older sister with college applications.

Sub-Mystery: If Lily is so smart, why does she need her mom’s help with her applications?

Sub-Open Loop: Will Lexie learn to drive? Who will have time to teach her?

Turning Point: To take her sister down a peg, Lexie messes with Lily’s college application essay.

Sub-Open Loop: Will Lily still get accepted into her first-choice college?

Reveal: Alexis knows about Lexie’s deception, moments after it happens. Lexie finally believes Alexis is her future self. Alexis gives Lexie her first piece of advice: Stop caring what other people think.

ACT 5:

Essence: Lexie goes through a school day applying Alexis’s advice: corrects the bus driver who gets her name wrong, speaks up to the cafeteria worker who tries to give her green beans, speaks up when Betsy gets too tactless. She also keeps the emails from her future self a secret from her friends and family. For the first time this school year, Lexie actually enjoys school and it’s all thanks to Alexis. Alexis lets Lexie think she has a career in retail.

Main Open Loop: Can Lexie and Alexis help each other improve their lives?

Lock In: Return to Alexis’s VO about the value and importance of trust. Lexie is starting to trust Alexis, but the final scene reveals what Alexis really is: an undercover agent.

Reveal: After convincing Lexie she’s trustworthy, Alexis goes out and completes a mission in which she lies and kills someone.

Sub-Mystery: Why does Alexis lie to Lexie about her job?

Sub-Open Loop: Can Lexie trust Alexis? How will Lexie continue changing under Alexis’s influence?

[Sharilyn Kyle]

Sharilyn’s Open Loops and Mysteries

What I learned doing this assignment is…the plot & character details must work toward the ACT T.P.’s so that the show flows.

**4. Tell us which Open Loops and Mysteries you’ve added and the effect on the interest level of the outline.

I added a possible open loop and mystery to each ACT, which I think just makes the show more interesting and even allows me space to be funny. The situational context gets deeper when I ask the past and future question. I can even see how episodes will evolve from the loops and mysteries.

Growing Outline

Teaser:

Essence: Over black, moans, groans, clicking keyboard sounds. Eating? Fucking? Typing? An excited “Yes!” Climax reached.

surface LAYER: People are aroused

• Mystery: Sounds like one thing but could be another

• Deception: The sounds come from two excited people-both in same space?

• Secret Identity: It’s a man and woman but what is the relationship, if any?

• Strange Behavior: If it’s not your sex style, then the sounds are normal otherwise very animalistic

beneath LAYER: Erin eats out of boredom. Walley gets paid, but not enough, to hack.

• Erin-Beginning: In her bedroom, safe. Chillin’ and eating.

REVEAL: Food and hacking, in separate places, excite Erin and Walley

Turning Point: A deep belch. Snoring.

• Walley-Beginning: Dark hours of the night or day? Face lighted by computer glare. Talking to himself? Hacking.

Open Loop:

Mystery:

 

Act 1:

Essence: Song like Weird Al Yankovich’s “Eat it!” awakens grossly obese Erin who barely moves in a sunken twin bed. She feeds the birds and herself via delivery. KIDS clamor at her window.

surface LAYER: Erin is a caring, bedridden teacher.

• Intrigue: Why are elementary KIDS hanging out under a window?

• Mystery: BIRDS fly to Erin’s window, like old Disney “Snow White”

• Secret: Knife props up the window

• Secret Identity: A lecherous NEIGHBOR waves to Erin from across the street. She doesn’t wave back

• Hidden Layer: Walley complains about hacking job, but kowtows when BOSS shows up on screen

• Strange Behavior: Food delivery GUY(?) knowingly delivers to Erin’s window

beneath LAYER: Erin’s window is a lifeline.

REVEAL: Erin watches the world through her window.

• Patty-Opening: Saunters up for Erin’s snack order for the day. Kids admire Patty

Turning Point: Walley reviews Erin footage in his trailer alongside his blow-up doll girlfriend

surface LAYER: Walley is a recluse creeper.

• Deception: Walley works on his own porno hack. The only site that he thinks gov’t doesn’t monitor.

• Accusation: Kandy Kane accuses Walley of trying to get her to go back to being a blow-up DOLL when that is what she is

beneath LAYER: Walley believes he has to protect his trailer from government intrusion. Conspiracy.

Everyone is watching him.

• Walley-Turning Point: Hacks Erin’s room thru her phone as an example to Kandy

• Walley-(Dilemma is optional.) Walley can’t convince Kandy that his hacking will pan out/protect them

Open Loop: Will Walley’s relationship with a blow-up doll continue?

Mystery: Why does Erin teach through her window?

 

Act 2:

Essence: Erin gets weighed and washed by her caretaker, Ms. Chen & besty#2 Mi-Ya. Besty #1 Patty prances around, pumping Erin up for the day

surface LAYER: Everyone on board with helping Erin get healthy, feel good about her fat self

• Intriguing World: Walley’s browser lands on a “safe” porn site

• Deception: Patty leaves a bag of cucumbers, vegie dildos, in corner. She Erin talk in code about the firmness, thickness, length

• Wound: Cut marks on Erin’s arm physical and emotional scar

• Hidden Agenda: Ms. Chen prepares Erin’s food with a little more flavor, she taste tests it

• Hidden Layer: Mi-Ya ½ helps her mom wash Erin because it puts all the attention on Erin

• Strange Behavior: Ms. Chen checks the room. Finds small razor blades. Mi-Ya measures Erin. Ms. Chen weighs Erin by blood pressure cuff

beneath LAYER: Erin enjoys the attention. Patty gets to practice her make-up artistry, Mi-Ya gets a free model for her Fat Femme Fashion line; Ms. Chen gets “paid” well

• Patty-Beginning: Super sexy and confident in preparing Erin’s hair & make-up for the day

• Ms. Chen-Beginning: Fussing over Erin. Washing her. Weighing her.

• Mi-Ya-Beginning: Sassy while assisting her mom in washing/weighing Erin

REVEAL: Patty takes pictures and sends them off; Mi-Ya measures Erin. Also photographing Erin; Ms. Chen fixes eating equipment in Erin’s room, tidy’s up. Erin’s routine pops-up on Walley’s screen

• Mi-Ya-Ending: She challenges Erin to get fit for her fat fashion line

• Walley-Turning Point 2: Kandy Kane blow-up Doll girlfriend resents the time he spends hacking. They argue. He doesn’t want her to return to work in sex-trade industry

Turning Point/Midpoint: Later, alone, in the dark, Erin falls and she can’t get up.

surface LAYER: Erin is hungry all the time

• Intrigue: Erin eats in the dark, like it’s a sexual.

beneath LAYER: She masturbates with food at night. Then eats it.

• Mystery: Heavy footsteps sound.

• Secret: Erin can walk.

• Erin-Turning Point: She falls out of bed, reaching for a snack. No one in her room. She can’t get herself up.

REVEAL: Erin can walk. Baby steps.

• Patty-Turning Point: She can’t help Erin get up, too concerned about her look

• Patty-Midpoint: Patty and Ms. Chen fight over call/not call the 1st Responder.

Erin’s bleeding from somewhere. Parents Stu&Lu, Ms. Chen rush to her aid

surface LAYER: Erin’s parents really care. Period blood or blood from the fall.

beneath LAYER: Erin’s a cutter-her masturbation food ritual.

REVEAL: Erin’s knives in her room, under the bed, for “protection.” Parents check “security” cameras

• Ms. Chen-Turning Point: She calls the 1st Responders against Erin’s wishes

• Mi-Ya-Turning Point: She doesn’t wanna help Erin get up because it helps her mom

• Erin-(Dilemma is optional.) Erin has to leave the house to see the doctor about her bleeding

• Walley-(Dilemma is optional) Report the Erin footage or use it?

Open Loop: How will Walley’s footage change Erin’s life, if he posts it?

What are the cuts on Erin’s arm?

Will Erin be able to take care of herself?

Mystery: Who else is watching Erin?

Why is Erin so fat?

What’s behind the tension w/Mi-Ya, Erin & Ms. Chen?

Act 3:

Essence: 1st Responders can’t get Erin out of her house. Convince her to leave. She’s humiliated.

surface LAYER: Erin’s afraid to go outside.

• Intrigue: Why won’t Erin leave her house? Tell them she can walk?

• Mystery: Where is she bleeding from?

• Secret: Walley watches the whole Erin “fall and can’t get up” fiasco.

• Deception: Blood from the legs but really from her va-jay-jay.

• Wound: Kids’ PARENTS see Erin’s immobility as a safety hazard

• Accusation: Assumed Erin can’t be pregnant by 1st RESPONDERS.

beneath LAYER: Erin doesn’t wanna leave her safe place. Show that she can walk.

REVEAL: Everyone sees/not see Erin. They ignore her wishes about her body.

• Patty-Turning Point 2: Patty’s DAD shows up as one of the 1st Responders. She fights with him.

• Erin-Turning Point 2: Erin’s bleeding “examination” is humiliating.

• Ms. Chen-Midpoint: Ms. Chen doesn’t defend Erin’s weight nor protect her during fat-shaming

• Erin-Major Conflict: She refuses to leave/see a doctor.

Turning Point: Her besty Patty protects her, while Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya turn on Erin.

Patty confronts her Father, an ambulance driver. Walley previews his “Fat Bitch Pitch” for porno

surface LAYER: Ambulance driver is a former LOVER. Walley targets Erin.

beneath LAYER: Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya are sick of Erin’s neediness.

REVEAL: Walley redirect his surveillance cameras. Stumbles upon Erin. Researches “Porn for profit”

• Walley-Midpoint: Watches the whole 1st Responder fiasco while simultaneously editing footage

• Intriguing World: Soft porn-internet montage of fetishizers

• Patty-Major Conflict: Patty’s dad refuses to help his colleagues lift Erin’s limbs

• Strange Behavior: After seeing Patty, MALE EMT won’t help Erin. Weird Neighbor guy offers to help clean Erin up/transport her

Open Loop: Why does Walley target Erin?

If Erin doesn’t teach, what will she do?

What is the essence of a fat fetish?

Why does EMT refuse to help Erin?

Mystery: Why is the Neighbor so into Erin?

Why doesn’t Erin tell/show that she can walk?

Why is Patty so overprotective?

 

Act 4:

Essence: Erin confides in Patty about her fat-shame. Erin & Patty reminisce

surface LAYER: Erin thanks Patty for being there for her.

• Mystery: Is Patty hetero? homo? bi? Why?

• Mystery: Who da’baby daddy?

• Secret: Walley doesn’t tell Kandy but he compiles Erin footage.

• Deception: Stu&Lu’s security camera’s all over Erin’s house in back

• Secret Identity: Erin’s adopted

• Wound: Erin is okay with being fat just doesn’t know why she’s this fat?

beneathLAYER: Erin and Patty “did it” after a wild night of cutting, drinking, eating

• Intrigue: Patty had a Patricio moment with Erin

REVEAL: Erin dissatisfied with Ms. Chen, Mi-Ya, Patty caring for her.

• Ms. Chen-Turning Point 2: Ms. Chen drags Stu&Lu into ganging up on Erin

• Mi-Ya-Midpoint: She sides with her mom about Erin’s weight taking over her life

• Mi-Ya-Turning Point 2: She presents more fashionable muumuu’s to Erin’s dislike

• Mi-Ya-Major Conflict: She fights with Erin

Turning Point: Walley’s Erin footage goes viral

• Hidden Layer: Walley wants to be an independent contractor. No more gov’t hacking.

• Intriguing World: Porn Press headquarters Gina “discovers” Walley’s work

• Ms. Chen-Major Conflict: Mi-Ya defends Erin to her mom, Ms. Chen, who has 2nd thoughts about how she handled Erin

Open Loop: Will Patty & Erin hook up?

Can Erin get pregnant again?

Will Patty go back to being Patricio?

Will Ms. Chen and Mi-Ya resolve their mother/daughter squabble?

How far will Walley take his Erin hack?

Mystery: Why was Erin given up by her bio parents for adoption?

Why is Walley so unethical?

What are Stu,Lu, Ms. Chen hiding?

 

Act 5:

Essence: Erin vows to lose weight. Porno press flags Erin footage.

surface LAYER: Erin is innocent.

• Intrigue: Erin weighs herself

• Wound: Remembering Fat camp

beneath LAYER: Erin wants a man, not a cucumber.

• Accusation: Patty accuses Erin od being a secret-sexer

REVEAL: Erin picks her body apart in a full-length mirror.

• Erin-Midpoint: Fat shaming 1st responders, neighbors, family, friends make her see herself as they do

• Strange Behavior: Mi-Ya shows Erin new muumuu line. Erin hates it

• Ms. Chen-(Dilemma is optional.) Help Erin by coddling or hurt her by making her face the truth? Tough Love.

• Hidden Agenda: Ms. Chen discourages Erin

• Major Conflict: Walley reviews, edits and sends off his Erin pitch

• Intriguing World: Internet soft porn sites

Lock In: Medic calls Erin revealing she lost a baby. WTF!?! She didn’t even know she was preggers!

• Ms. Chen-Ending: Ms. Chen face in security camera caught by Mi-Ya

• Patty-Ending: Erin consoles Patty who leaves her in a huff

• Mystery: How? When? Who? Erin’s sexual encounters

• Erin-Ending: Erin discovers she was preggers.

• Mi-Ya-(Dilemma is optional.) Tell Erin that her mom has a camera on her or not?

• Ending: Chubby Chasers, porno folks blow up Walley’s phone

Open Loop: How will Erin lose the weight?

Will Erin get a man?

What is the “soft” porn internet world like?

Will fat-shame plague Erin?

Who is helping Walley with the camera work?

Does Kandy Kane stay or go along with Walley?

What will Erin do to escape the over-bearers in her life?

Mystery: Why does Ms. Chen discourage Erin?

What happened at Fat Camp?

[Suzanne Frank]

Suzanne’s Open Loops & Mysteries

Main Mystery — what is Tilda’s family based on

Sub Mysteries:

Why is Grandmere suddenly so different?

Where did the Looking Glass come from?

How can it communicate?

Why did it pick Tilda?

What does city gov’t know?

What is S’s heritage?

Who is J-P and why dressed as 18th c?

History with Stefani, Zephyr & Tilda

Why did Tilda grow up in Houston? What happened between her parents?

Why does T lie to her masked friends about her name?

What started the “tiny rebellions” movement?

Were the “travel” moments real? and HOW?

Who is Stefani’s grandmother?

What was the last NOLA disaster?

What wounded Zephyr?

What do Tarot cards have to do with anything?

Main Open Loop — what is going to happen to New Orleans & when?

Sub Open Loops —

Why are the rats fleeing?

What’s with the sink hole?

Can Tilda trust Zephyr?

Where can Tilda go?

How can she free the Looking Glass?

What will her family do?

Will we see J-P again?

Will Stefani escape or stay? Lie or resign?

Will Tilda go back to antique New Orleans again?

Can other people also travel?

What IS the Looking Glass?

Who else knows about the Looking Glass?

Will anyone learn what happened?

Are tourists going to be safe/saved

[Tom Minier]

Tom’s Open Loops and Mysteries

What did I learn??? Travel and writing is tough! I’ve been on the road for the past month and I honestly thought I would be able to get in the headspace to keep up with these assignments–I was wrong. That said, I am back and feeling motivated to get caught up!

I started working on this lesson the day before I departed and wrapped it up yesterday. The big writing takeaway was how fundamentally important it is to write with a past and future in mind. I think this also serves as a gauge for how strong the act of the episode is. I noticed through this exercise that my act 4 may be a little weak in comparison to the other acts.

TEASER

Mysteries:

What prompted the protest?

Why are there so many groups protesting different things?

What is Florida Man there to do?

Who is responsible for starting the violence?

Open Loops:

What will be the outcome of the protest?

What long-term consequences will result from it?

ACT 1

Mysteries:

What is the nature of the experiment they are conducting?

Where did Elliot, Twyla and the Janitor come from?

Why would the Janitor choose Florida Man to lead the group?

Who are Twyla, Elliot and the Janitor?

How can they know about the future of mankind?

Why are they concerned about the fate of humanity?

Where are they physically located?

Open Loops:

What will be the result of the experiment they are conducting?

Are they here to help or hurt mankind?

How will their location affect how they will help mankind?

ACT 2

Mysteries:

What did Florida Man do to end up in court?

How was Florida Man trying to protect the community while committing crimes against it?

How does he know the judge?

Why does the judge cut him a break even after Florida Man casually disrespects him in his court?

Why does Florida Man plead non guilty when there seems to be an insurmountable of evidence against him?

Is Florida Man insane?

Open Loops:

Will Florida Man be able to abide by the judge’s ruling or will he end up in jail?

How will this situation help Florida Man with regards to his mission?

How will Florida Man’s mental health affect his decisions?

ACT 3

Mysteries:

Why did Elliot and Twyla organize a pandemic support meeting?

Why did Florida Man choose this support group? OR Why did the judge tell him to go to this support group?

Who is Elliot talking to about sabotaging the experiment?

What does Elliot mean when he says there is a cosmic bond that unites them?

Open Loops:

How will the loses that the group members have individually experienced help them come together?

How will the group react to Florida Man not being there voluntarily?

How will the cosmic bond of the group bring them closer?

ACT 4

Mysteries:

How can Florida Man inspire a group when he is reluctant to even open up to them and they blatantly show that they do not respect him?

What is the Janitor’s involvement here and connection to Elliot and Twyla?

Open Loops:

Will Twyla continue to be subservient to Elliot, or will she stand up to him?

What will result from the aggression that Elliot exerts over Florida Man and the group?

Will Florida Man notice the presence of the Janitor and his connection to Twyla and Elliot?

ACT 5

Mysteries:

Who sends Florida Man the false flag message when he gets home?

Why is the leader of the group posing as the Janitor?

How do they know the group will keep coming back?

Where does the group go when they leave the room?

What does the Janitor mean when he talks about the group being abducted?

Open Loops:

What will be the repercussions of the false flag message on Florida Man?

How will Twyla’s doubt about the experiment affect her behavior and decisions?

How will the group respond when they find out they’ve been abducted?

Will Twyla and the Janitor realize that Elliot is working against them?