Day 8 Assignments

[Jamie Stegner]

Jamie Stegner PROFOUND ENDING.

“What I learned doing this assignment is” to start at the end. Begin with the end in mind. The happy ending is the goal of the whole torturous journey. How will the characters get there and bring us along with them?

1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

One person can change the world for the better: equality, liberty, and freedom.

2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change? Lead Character frees himself and many others from artificial constraints that had gone on for centuries. Through a long journey, he launched a new world, married, and lived happily.

3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete at the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?

Several characters contribute to the changes that brought about the
freedom, equality, and liberty we enjoy today, that spring from this time in history.
In the closing scene we see glimpses of the future that will develop as a
result of these events.

4. How are you designing it to have us see
an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens? He loves her but thinks she deserves better
so doesn’t act on it. She loves him but
feels unworthy of his attention so she doesn’t pursue him. The audience will see
that they’re made for each other and wish they would see it. The sudden wedding at the end is a surprise but hoped for
all along.

5. What is the Parting Image/Line that
leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds? “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants
us to be happy.”
————–

[Robert Smith]

Robert R. Smith Profound Ending

Answer the question “what I learned doing this assignment is…? (place at top of your work.

To sharpen dialogue and character development so that it heads to a profound ending, with twists and turns.

Design your ending to have a profound impact.

Title: ANGELS IN GANGLAND

1. What is your Prpfound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

Earlier in the film. Rabbi Solomon explains that revenge never works because what goes around comes around. What is needed to heal the broken world is for everybody to do good that comes around and goes around. He uses the analogy of a NYC Subway Metrocard (good deeds) being the ticket onto the homebound train to the reward of the World to Come. Lou must atone for his life of crime by earning his Metrocard by persuading his assassin (Carlo Vizzini) to do what he (Lou) should have done, i.e., quit the mob and join Witness Protection.

At the end of the film, Lou Tasca that mission is accomplished and he sums up the story this way:

LOU

That is my story. Carlo and Sam went into the Witness Protection Program. So did Oleg and Tony. Sherrie and Carlo have a whole new life, identity, and a family. Sam returned to his faith. That made Rabbi Sol very happy. A lot of bad was rectified with ripples of good that made deep imprints on the world. What good things are you doing where you are? Whatever it is, may it go around and come around. Oh, and by the way.

(proudly brandishes a Metrocard)

I got my Metrocard. See you soon – but I hope not too soon – on the homebound train.

Lou salutes a good-bye with his Metrocard in hand and walks out of the spot light and disappears into the darkness, exits.

SFX: SOUND: NYC SUBWAY TRAIN DOORS CLOSING AND TRAIN LEAVING STATION.

2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters0 come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?

They become a team of spirit guide (Rabbi Solomon Levinsky) and transformable character (Lou Tasca) on the mission to persuade Carlo Vizzini and his fellow gangster (and Solomon’s son) Sam to quit the mob and join Witness Protection Program. Solomon has transformed Lou from a criminal to a man of conscience and good will. Together they saved the lives and souls of Carlo and Sam, first by saving them from assassination by their mob captain, Tony Rizzo, and by successfully persuading them to escape death by quiting the mob and joining Witness Protection.

3. What are the set up/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?

The good done by Lou and Solomon are far reaching as it results in Carlo and Sherrie (his fiancé), Sam, Tony Rizzo, and Oleg Oransky ( a Russian mob boss who providentially has already and turned FBI informant. Lou calls it a “jackpot of souls”who have all joined Witness Protection.

4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens? (A jackpot of souls)

Through twists and turns.

Tony Rizzo, mob captain and boss of Lou Tasca, Carlo Vizzini, and Sam Levinsky, orderedCarlo to kill Lou, ostensiby because Lou was telling mob family secrets to members of other families. Real reason: Tony owed Lou $200K in gambling debts and cancelled the debts by having Carlo cancel Lou by assassination. Tony aims to kill Carlo and Sam because Carlo starts raving about seeing the ghost of Lou Tasca. Moreover Tony rightly suspects Carlo and Sam of dealing drugs with a Colombian drug cartel – punishable by death in the Mafia. Tony now plans to kill Carlo and Sam, but Rabbi Solomon, by dybbuk-like spirit possession warns Carlo and Sam of the danger to them and that they must save their lives and souls by quitiing the mob and surrendering to Witness Protection. As it turns out, Sam is the hitman sent by Tony to kill Carlo after which Tony will kill Sam – which Sam does not know. It looks like all is lost but Carlo persuades Sam to join him in surrendering to the FBI by saying if he (Sam) kills him (Carlo) he’ll feel just as guilty as he did after killing Lou. Oleg Oransky, a Russian Mob Kingpin and FBI informant warns the FBI of the danger to Carlo and Sam from Tony.. Oleg joins the FBI agents Michelle Ippolito and Dave Moore to intervene. Oleg is considered by Solomon to be a godsend and a mensh. Oleg arrives to warn Sam and Carlo that Tony Rizzo is on his way to kill them but so is the FBI.. Tony arrives and is met by the defiance of Carlo, Sam, Sherrie, and Oleg who brag that they are proud “lousy stinking rats” who will do the right and good thing of surrendering to the FBI Witness Protection Program. He is about to execute them when the FBI arrives and the FBI and former gangsters encourage Tony to surrender also. Tony’s long-suffering wife also arrives. She had been an FBI informant all along and says she thinks of what has happened as an intervention to persuade Tony to do the right thing and join the gang and surrender to Witness Protection. ,

5. What is the parting Image/ Line that leaves us with the profound Truth in our minds?

The parting image is Lou and Solomon basking in the success of their mission and the possibility that they may share future missions as a team, name: Better Angels. and then Lou delivers the closing line written above in #1.

• This reply was modified 4 years ago by  Robert Smith.
• This reply was modified 4 years ago by  Robert Smith.

[Mark Smith]

Mark Smith/ASSIGNMENT/Profound Ending

——————

Design your ending to have a profound impact.

1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

Any real change may come at a high cost, but worth it in the end.

2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?

Change Agent Frank Hammond gets fired.

Transformable Characters: Robert Kennedy graduates despite attempts to block him.

Tamara Brown gains a new belief in the educational system.

Principal Donald Moten gets fired opening up the school to an administration concerned about academic excellence and seeing students go on to college.

3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning? Will the principal and teachers changing grades of star players be accountable? Will Frank quit or give up before any real change occurs? Will the school district be able to squelch out any change or will the news stories and public outcry succeed in bringing change? Will Robert Kennedy and other student in the tumultuous transition stay in school or give up?

4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?

The school superintendent who has fought to hide the cheating from the public appoints a group of independent investigators who uncover the corruption that Frank has been saying all along. Though Frank is fired, the district offers him his job back. But he declines.

5. What is the Parting Image/Line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?

Frank packs up his books, and walks through the now peaceful hallways of the building as students thank him. In the background, the three high school basketball banners, which was the centerpiece of the schools hallway, are being taken down from the wall.

6. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” (place at top of your work).

Great to experiment with ideas, to see how different possible endings might best lead to a profound script.

[SUZANNE KELMAN]

Suzanne Kelman – Profound Endings

What I learned doing this assignment is it is important to really brainstorm your ending you can add more layer in as the screenwriter did in Casablanca

Profound Truth – Love can always find a way.

My lead characters come to an end of change in a way when she is telling him the story. She now is for filling his destiny not the other way around.

Parting Image – The picture of them in the garden where their love story begins and she telling him about their love story that he no longer can remember.

The garden is set up at the beginning in the open scene to show it is going to be a significant part of the story with her hiding a key.

The surprise ending is that you never expect them to meet again as he has been “dead” for 60 years.

[Joshua Doerksen]

DAY 8 ASSIGNMENT – PROFOUND ENDINGS

Joshua Doerksen’s Profound Ending

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT:

There is a metaphor in my profound ending that I had not seen evident in building the structure of the screenplay. Through analyzing the profound ending by way of defining the Transformational Changes, scenes became much clearer in purpose to proliferate the shift of thought that support the New Way of Life to be revealed.

A.) PROFOUND TRUTH

– True legacy is ONE person making a difference.

– In the end, Bill Bishop gives up the fight in court, resigns as CEO of his company, agreeing to a settlement. The settlement provides a division of resources that would indefinitely fund the “Bishop Foundation”, whose charter stipulates and advocacy for issues as determined by Bill Bishop and a new chosen Board. Bill installs Edward as the Director, seemingly giving up only actually showing that his trust in others and his support of those endeavors that may help generations to come will be his legacy.

B.) THE CHANGE

– Bill is at ease with his sense of legacy, and his outlook is not focused on his mortality – rather the knowledge that he will be leaving a lasting impression through helping others.

– Bill has learned to let go of the things he cannot control and to accept those realities as his own.

– Dr. Pratt has realized her own strength and courage through Bill Bishop. Though her direction remains the same, her resolve is further solidified, and she learns to pick her battles. She accepts her role as a “trailblazer” of sorts and that her life and mission will not be perfect, but they will make things better for those to come after her.

– Edward’s convictions grow stronger through the inspiration, his mission becomes clear and his sense of purpose is renewed. His loyalty, integrity, and passion remain intact and he is full of gusto again.

C.) PAYOFFS

– “Turing Tactical”, the A.I. project Bill was protecting stays secure within his Bishop Foundation.

– Bill’s guilt and horror around his participation in the Atomic Bomb is mitigated by his renewed sense of legacy to advocate for people who could not otherwise do so for themselves.

– Dr. Pratt wins a moral victory over her superior Dr. Wilhelm, and though it may make things more difficult for her in her future, she has gained the respect and admiration of her colleagues and co-workers.

– Edward is rewarded for his loyalty to Bill, although with responsibility and a renewed sense of purpose, and that proves to be the greatest reward he could hope for.

D.) SURPRISING

– In the finale we expect to see Bill Bishop dying, but he does not. Rather, he “walks off into the sunset” secure in the knowledge that he has done the right thing for himself and others.

– The Board of Directors relent in their pursuit of the “Turing Tactical” project and slowly change their focus on re-inventing the Bishop brand by acknowledging some of the very genius in Bill Bishop that they were once so opposed.

– Dr. Pratt confesses her profound love for Bill (in a paternal way) which Bill reciprocates, eluding to the daughter he has no relationship with. In doing so, Cynthia and Bill share very painful and personal memories which in turn brings their relationship full circle.

– We learn what the “Turing Tactical” Project really is, and that it’s future is far from over.

E.) PARTING IMAGE/LINE

– Bill Bishop shakes hands with Edward as he is getting into his car to drive away from the Bishop Foundation. Bill is passing the baton to Edward. Bill has not only shown his resiliency and true character at this point and has now shown that he has accepted the idea of relinquishing control in his life. His trust of Edward is manifest in the actions of driving off into the sunset, and his last words to Edward – the same words spoken by Edward to Bill in a previous scene from a battle in WWII – “It only takes ONE.”.

[Christine Cornelius]

Lesson 8

Chris Cornelius’ Profound Ending

“What I learned doing this assignment is: that the over all best message from this script is ‘live learn and renew.’

1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

Live, learn and renew.

Each of the three storylines (childhood, 1979 trip, present) ends on a different motorcycle after a great deal of strife and growth.

We see the progress she’s made at 3 different stages of her life… and she’s not done yet.

2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?

For Trish it is each of the three story lines.

For the change agent characters it is when Trish is trying to downsize–looking through all of the memorabilia she’s kept in her attic from her life and travels. She revisits her interactions with these characters and we see how they contributed to her life, completing their purpose and life in her life.

3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?

We see that ‘life is a journey not a guided tour.’

We see how she moved along through life ‘taking the good and leaving the bad behind.’

In the process of downsizing in her attic she’s having problems dealing with the choices she’s having to make: what to keep and what to discard of all of these things she’s saved over time. So for her own sanity she abandons the idea, possibly to take off on a new adventure, or just take a break and gain a new perspective.

One of her sons, who she’s influenced to adventure in life, is also encouraging her to travel earlier in her retirement rather than later.

She emails her friend Sandy about getting together for a spa ritual weekend-learned from her interaction with the vietnam vets

4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?

We have no idea about whatever happened to Tom–the biggest change agent in her travels.

Trish is inspired to put her old stored leathers on in front of a full length mirror in the attic and becomes stronger and stronger and renewed.

She zips up the front of her jacket, as Tom had when they were parting.

But what’s this? She unzips the breast pocket and finds the scrap of envelope with Tom’s phone number on it “call whenever.”

5. What is the Parting Image/line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?

Trish is inspired to put her old leathers on and becomes stronger and stronger and renewed.

She zips up the front of her jacket, as Tom had when they were parting.

But what’s this? She unzips the breast pocket and finds the scrap of envelope with Tom’s phone number on it “call whenever.”

Renewed Trish buys a new bike and gives the Mythic Motorcycle Man salute to a young biker at the dealership that is preparing his bike for a cross-county tour. The Mythic Motorcycle Man was the ‘God of Adventurers’ and ‘Warrior for his Soul’ character that Trish met on her way back to Tom when she saw that she still had a lot of life experience to navigate before getting to his point of evolvement.

So the last shots that altenate, supporting and contrasting with each other, are:

(1) Trish’s childhood storyline where she’s elated, after much trial and error, having succeeded in teaching herself to ride a motorcycle.

(2) Trish’s 1979 trip ending with her having succeeded in tearing herself away from the Mississippi family she fell in love with; and being rescued from ‘out of gas’ by the warden of a prisoner road crew; to returning to the life she had made for herself-but changed.

(3) Senior Trish, the present storyline, with Trish speeding off in her old leathers on a new bike to escape from the downsizing.

It’s anyone’s guess where she is off to. To call Tom? To add a new layer of adventure to her life? Visit Sandy? Or for a little joy ride and peace-of-mind, and then back to the downsizing job at hand.

There is a possible addition to the ending where two cars are drag racing on the highway toward her; and it appears she survives this near death by riding between them, because we hear her laughter.

But we also see a bright light rise skyward and a hawk flying off into the brightness.

Which leads us to the question: Is her charmed life still in tact and she’s alive… or dead and off to a higher realm of some kind.

And then there’s another possible level of intrigue. The computer she’s been using in her present story line is clicked off. But by whom? And why?

[Frank Jordan]

Frank Jordan’s Day 8 Assignment (Profound Ending)

What I learned doing this assignment is to construct an ending that will stick in the audience’s minds for the rest of their lives. To do this, I must use the final scene or series of scenes to “payoff” the most profound “setups” in the story.

Logline: (Based on a true story) Drafted into World War I, a humble black farmhand struggles to reconcile his life in the Jim Crow south with his “duty to country,” before leading his regiment in the bloody capture of a German stronghold.

1. Profound Truth: Some things worth fighting for in life are greater than self. Love. Honor. Liberty.

2. Completed Change: Both lead characters, Change Agent and Transformable, die.

3. Setups/Payoffs: The two primary setups occur early in the script. First, on page 21. Still downhearted, Freddie enters Camp Jackson and plods along a muddy tract between a row of barracks. He ignores the white recruits who are laughing, ridiculing, and insulting the black recruits, and gazes at a large American flag fluttering above the barracks. Given his life so far, one can only imagine what is going through his mind when he sees the American flag. This setup is bolstered on page 72 when the 371st Infantry is preparing to move up to the front lines. Lt. Heller is told to leave his American flag behind because they are fighting with the French. Angered, Lt. Heller conceals the flag under his tunic. The second primary setup occurs on page 34 when Lt. Heller breaks up a fight between Freddie and Cpl. Thomas. Heller, “Get back to work! Go on!” Freddie, “This is bullshit! Why we here?” Heller, “IT’S YOUR DUTY!”

4. Inevitable Ending Design: In the final sequence of battle scenes Lt. Heller is mortally wounded. Freddie pulls him into a shell hole and tries desperately to stop the bleeding. Freddie rips open Lt. Heller’s tunic and sees the tattered, blood-soaked American flag. He grieves at the loss of his friend, then recognizes the flag represents the symbol of hope they are all, deep down, fighting for. Freddie eventually removes the flag and stuffs it down the front of his own tunic. After selflessly making his way across No Man’s Land and taking out the menacing German machine-gun (allowing his men to advance), as well as the officer who initiated the surrender ruse, Freddie pushes on. We expect Freddie to survive at this point, but he doesn’t.

5. Parting Image/Line(s): Occurs in the final two-scene sequence, before the CUT TO BLACK and postscript. In the first scene, the battle for Hill 188 is won. But for a few distant shell bursts, all is calm, peaceful. Moses (friend since childhood) cradles Freddie in his arms in a shell hole. He wipes a tear. “Look at you.” Moses pulls Freddie’s Bible from his breast pocket. He opens the Bible and gazes at Pearl’s envelope (last letter to Freddie). “How’m I ever gonna explain this?” Moses sets the envelope back in its place and sticks the Bible in his own breast pocket. Gazing at Freddie, Moses spots a piece of American flag protruding from the top of his tunic. Moses unbuttons a few of Freddie’s buttons and pulls the blood-soaked flag out. Moses clenches the flag with both hands, SCREAMS, then gently drapes it over Freddie and tries to smooth it out. Moses wipes another tear and pans No Man’s Land. Dozens of dead comrades lie scattered about. Moses (O.S.), ” Freddie, we done our duty.” Moses wipes another tear. Moses (softer), “We done our duty.” In the final scene, the 371st Infantry survivors solemnly observe the burial of their shrouded dead, row upon row. More than one-hundred. Moses stands alone, Freddie’s Bible in hand. Col. Miles, Capt. Vivies, and Capt. Wharton (leg bandaged and leaning on a cane) stand nearby. The next cross his hammered into the ground. As Lt. Heller is laid to rest, Moses opens Freddie’s Bible to the page where he placed the envelope. Moses (V.O.), “This is my commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” Moses pauses as the next cross is hammered into the ground. As Freddie is laid to rest next to Lt. Heller, Moses continues (O.S.), “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends.” (Note: We know it is Lt. Heller and Freddie because we close on their names, painted on the crossbar of the crosses.) Clutching Freddie’s Bible over his heart, Moses invokes every fiber his soul can bear and sings: AMAZING GRACE. The burial detail stops. Everyone is still. Soon all the officers and men are singing.

[Birgit Myaard]

Birgit Myaard’s Profound Ending

What I learned doing this assignment is there are five keys to delivering a profound ending to your audience (Profound Truth; Lead Character endings; Setups that become powerful payoffs; Surprising, yet inevitable drama; Final image that sticks with us) and the final scene will be one of three things: 1) A direct statement of the Profound Truth; 2) A subtext image/line that has been set up earlier that means the Profound Truth; or 3) A question left with the audience that point to the Profound Truth.

What is your Profound Truth and how
will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it only matters how you play the game, whether that game is football or life.

How
do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come
to an end in a way that represents the completed change?

Walter Camp “loses” his pre-eminent position on the rules committee and is forced, finally, by the new rules committee to embrace the adoption of the forward pass, thereby ushering in the modern era of American Football and, ironically, opening up the game.

What
are the setups/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it
deep meaning?

Throughout the series, Camp wants to win. If it is not specifically written in the rule book, then in his mind it is okay. In episode two, Camp thinks he has killed an opponent he tackled, who ends up concussed and bleeding on the frozen ground. In that same game, Camp makes a forward pass that is only legal because of a coin toss, since passing had not been addressed at all in the agreed-upon rules for that game. In a later episode, Camp quits medical school because he “can’t stand the sight of blood.” Blood and the forward pass seem to be inextricably, negatively linked in Camp’s mind and he tries to make football more open as a result.

How
are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making
it surprising when it happens?

We will see throughout the series that Camp always wants to win, but he loses his bid to keep football a kicking and running game when his rules committee is maneuvered out of existence. Despite his resistance to the forward pass, after it is adopted by the new rules committee, Yale wins, under Camp’s tutelage, against Harvard.

What is the Parting Image/Line that
leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?

Camp’s funeral? The lines from the poem he often quoted, by William Makepeace Thackaray: Who misses or who wins the prize— Go, lose or conquer as you can; But if you fail or if you rise, Be each, pray God, a gentleman.

[Scott Richards]

Scott Richards’ Profound Ending

What I learned doing this assignment is the power of brainstorming specific beats in a story to come up with the best, or at least better scenes to fully realize the important profound moments.

The Profound Truth: Love vanquishes Addiction. In the beginning, we see how “Addiction Vanquishes Love”. Gradually throughout the story our protagonist struggles with herself as much as with the antagonist to realize her a purpose for herself and defeat her self-loathing. In the end we see how she has an epiphany to grow and comes to the realization that through love, she can change and defeat her own self-loathing, her addictions and find a purpose.

Transformable Character: Vikki finally understands how her old ways never did her anything but harm, and how her ‘new ways’ can pull her out of a history of self-loathing and addiction to achieve a new purpose in life.

Change Agent: Prison may, or may not alter his behaviour.

Setup/payoffs: There are multiple setups that are paid off in the climax and resolution. All are deeply connected with the overall theme of going from ‘addiction vanquishes love’ to ‘love vanquishes addiction’.

Final Image: a sunrise and new positive purpose that will change the lives of many.

[Brenda Bynum]

Brenda Lynn’s Profound Ending

What I learned doing this assignment is that knowing the ending helps to build the setups and payoffs at the beginning, helping to create guideposts throughout the journey to arrive at the final destination which is inevitable but surprising.

Design your ending to have a profound impact.

1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?

There are times when you have to give up your dream in order to fulfill your destiny.

David, realizing that Appo is not long for this world, gives up his dream of being the youngest PhD candidate at Columbia University in order to fulfill his destiny of learning Maya culture and becoming a Aj’qi (Maya priest).

3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?

His fight for his dream at the beginning becomes his fight for his destiny at the end.

The beginning desire is to see art in a cave. The payoff is that he discovers his soul in a cave.

His skill as a scholar (the head) is much more powerful when he has learned to share someone else’s knowledge (the heart).

4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?

It appears as if David is going to go back to New York to complete his degree, but at the last moment, he chucks the offer letter and goes to Appo. After David performs the Maya gratitude ceremony, they enter the cave together.

5. What is the Parting Image/Line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?

A dream is for today, a destiny is for your lifetime.