Day 8 Assignments

[Ted Tronsen]

Ted Tronsen’s Shadow Mountain Character Journey Track

What I learned doing this assignment is that each character must have an arc from beginning to end (of their life). Each character serves a purpose and fulfills a specific role in the group. It’s important to know your characters before you start writing the script. I have not incorporated these 15 Character Arcs into my outline yet.

1) Michael

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Guide/Gardener, Rescuer, The
voice of reason.
Traits: Gregarious, Dependable, Dedicated. Fears: Doing the wrong thing…
being wrong.
Wants/Needs: Wants to help
seekers/clients.
Likability / Rooting factors: Charismatic,
he’s the “good guide.”
How they react under stress:
Very well, but not at first.
Relationship with other
characters: Great!

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Michael is the
lead day guide at Shadow Mountain and has worked his way up quickly. He’s
taken on additional responsibilities and is very well liked by the
Executive Director. He is a “Renaissance Man” and good at everything he
puts his mind to, but he is not prepared for the killer.
Denial: He denies there is a
killer until it becomes blatantly obvious.
Their reaction at first horror:
Disbelief.
Relation to group after first
horror: Put on a happy face.
How they fight back: He leads
the group as they try to get away at the end.
End Point: He is killed by the
killer.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? He stuck it out for as long as he
could.

2) Todd

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Overnight Guide, Rescuer, The
clever one.
Traits: Reliable, Committed,
Protective.
Fears: Things not going
according to plan.
Wants/Needs: To be able to sleep
at night.
Likability / Rooting factors: Honest,
he’s the “cool guide.”
How they react under stress:
Very well, calm, cool and collected.
Relationship with other
characters: Very good!

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Todd is the
lead overnight guide and has been working at Shadow Mountain the longest.
With his seniority comes a lot of experience. He is good at keeping the
seekers/clients calm but loses control at the end.
Denial: He is in denial about
making it out alive.
Their reaction at first horror:
Can’t believe it!
Relation to group after first
horror: This is serious!
How they fight back: He fights
back by successfully leading the only survivor out of the wilderness and
back to the van.
End Point: He is killed when he
turns the key in the ignition of the van.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? He lasted the longest and was the
strongest.

3) Jimmy

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The Chef, the Killer, and
the “Carrier.”
Traits: He has a fiery temper
and is very passionate.
Fears: Afraid of being identified
and caught.
Wants/Needs: He needs to kill.
Likability / Rooting factors: He
is big and acts goofy.
How they react under stress: Very
well.
Relationship with other
characters: He is liked but distant.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Jimmy just
joined the staff at Shadow Mountain as the chef. Nobody really knows him
yet, but he seems likable.
Denial: He is in denial about
being evil and thinks he is just putting people out of their misery.
Their reaction at first horror:
Acts surprised.
Relation to group after first
horror: Tries to comfort them.
How they fight back: He kills
people one by one.
End Point: He is seriously injured
at the end but survives.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? His survival brings a sense of
dread.

4) Brock

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The Leader.
Traits: Punctual, levelheaded, dedicated.
Fears: He’s afraid of not being
on time.
Wants/Needs: Efficiency and
comfort.
Likability / Rooting factors: He’s
a standup guy.
How they react under stress:
Reacts nonchalantly.
Relationship with other
characters: He is their leader.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Brock has been
at Shadow Mountain for over a year now and has stayed past his graduation
to make sure he is able to fully recover. He has a strong personality, and
the other seekers/clients look at him for leadership.
Denial: He denies that the
seekers are committing suicide.
Their reaction at first horror:
Doubt
Relation to group after first
horror: Leads them to believe there is a murderer.
How they fight back: He lasts
until the very end and is instrumental in their escape.
End Point: He is killed.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? He was right about there being a
killer.

5) Svetlana

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The Sacrificial Lamb
Traits: She has a strong accent
and personality!
Fears: Afraid of not taking her
medication.
Wants/Needs: She wants things to
run smoothly.
Likability / Rooting factors:
She just finished the program!
How they react under stress: Not
well.
Relationship with other
characters: She is the mother figure.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Svetlana is
from Russia and has just recently completed the year long program. She has
stayed on an extra month to be able to attend her daughter’s wedding in
the U.S. before returning to Russia.
Denial: Leaving Shadow Mountain.
Their reaction at first horror:
Death
Relation to group after first
horror: Dead
How they fight back: She doesn’t
have a chance.
End Point: Death. She is killed,
but the murderer makes it look like a suicide.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? Her death brings a reality check to
the others.

6) Dji Dji

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The innocent one, love
interest, monster bait
Traits: Innocent, Attractive,
Exotic
Fears: Being alone.
Wants/Needs: To feel safe, to be
protected.
Likability / Rooting factors:
She is very beautiful!
How they react under stress: Seemingly
well.
Relationship with other
characters: Good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Dji Dji is from
Africa, so she is a foreigner who is naïve to the American way. She is
very innocent, but longs for attention. She is quiet and demure.
Denial: She thinks she is safe.
Their reaction at first horror:
Shock
Relation to group after first
horror: Withdraws
How they fight back: Hides in
her room.
End Point: She is killed, but the murderer makes it look like a suicide.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? Did she really commit suicide or
was she killed?

7) Hideki

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Loner/Introvert
Traits: Intuitive, Optimistic, Polite
Fears: Not fitting in.
Wants/Needs: Calmness and
serenity.
Likability / Rooting factors: He
is the quiet one.
How they react under stress:
Remains calm.
Relationship with other
characters: Good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Hideki is from
Tokyo and is nearing completion of the one-year Shadow Mountain program.
Denial: He will complete the
program.
Their reaction at first horror: Skepticism.
Relation to group after first
horror: Conspiracy theorist.
How they fight back: He senses
danger.
End Point: He is killed, but the
murderer makes it look like a suicide.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? There could be a killer on the
loose?

8) Jessica

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Moral One
Traits: Friendly, Courteous, Kind
Fears: Death
Wants/Needs: Social Justice
Warrior
Likability / Rooting factors:
She cares about others.
How they react under stress:
Well.
Relationship with other
characters: Good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Jessica is not
a well-developed character and is the first to disappear on the camping
trip. Not much is known about her aside from her being a Social Justice
Warrior.
Denial: Death
Their reaction at first horror: Judgement
Relation to group after first
horror: Worried
How they fight back: Doesn’t.
End Point: She is killed. Death.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? None

9) Tanivé

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Love interest, Sex Object
Traits: Flirtatious, Friendly,
Beautiful, Exotic
Fears: The Dark
Wants/Needs: To be admired and
given attention.
Likability / Rooting factors:
She’s hot!
How they react under stress: Not
well.
Relationship with other
characters: Very good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Tanivé is from
Mexico and is relatively new to Shadow Mountain. She is very inquisitive
and flirtatious. She’s a sexy siren.
Denial: There is a killer on the
loose.
Their reaction at first horror: Surprise
Relation to group after first
horror: Follower
How they fight back: Tries to
help.
End Point: She is killed. Death.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? None

10) Emily

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The Victim, Complainer
Traits: Negative, Depressed, Difficult
Fears: Not getting sympathy.
Wants/Needs: Attention.
Likability / Rooting factors: Feel
sorry for her. “Poor me!”
How they react under stress: Not
well.
Relationship with other
characters: Not good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Emily was
molested as a child and raped by her father. She carries this guilt and
shame with her and knows how to make everyone around her feel like shit.
Denial: Being liked.
Their reaction at first horror:
Shock
Relation to group after first
horror: Follower
How they fight back: She runs
away…
End Point: Death. She’s killed.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? None

11) Vincent

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Struggling/Frustrated
Artist, Moral One, New Guy
Traits: Artistic, Passionate, Intelligent
Fears: Not being famous.
Wants/Needs: Fame and fortune.
Likability / Rooting factors: He’s
very interesting!
How they react under stress: Well.
Relationship with other
characters: Very good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Vincent is the
newest seeker/client to arrive at Shadow Mountain. He’s recovering from leg
injuries after jumping off a rooftop in NYC in a failed suicide attempt.
He has a lot of integrity and is serious about his recovery.
Denial: He’s going to recover.
Their reaction at first horror: Disgust
Relation to group after first
horror: Difficulty fitting in.
How they fight back: Fights the
killer.
End Point: Killed. Death.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? They’re all doomed!

12) Christian

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Rebel/Rule Breaker, Out of
control/Obnoxious
Traits: Rebel without a cause,
Defiant, Rule Breaker
Fears: Conforming
Wants/Needs: Attention
Likability / Rooting factors:
Not likable.
How they react under stress:
Very well.
Relationship with other
characters: Not good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Christian is
from Southern California and has a bad attitude. He doesn’t want to be at
the program and is only there because his parents are forcing him to do
it.
Denial: About Life and Death.
Their reaction at first horror:
Doesn’t care.
Relation to group after first
horror: Outcast.
How they fight back: He runs
away.
End Point: Death. He’s killed.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? Sometimes the bad ass lives longer.

13) Bobby

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Red Herring
Traits: Acts crazy, Aggressive,
Noncompliant
Fears: Doesn’t seem to have any.
Wants/Needs: Attention
Likability / Rooting factors:
None
How they react under stress: Not
well.
Relationship with other
characters: Not good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Bobby is the
red herring in that he could be the killer and the other seekers suspect
that it is him after he mysteriously disappears, and the murders begin.
Denial: Sanity
Their reaction at first horror:
Laughs
Relation to group after first
horror: Ostracized
How they fight back: Disappears
End Point: Not known.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? He could be the killer?

14) Elise

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: The Survivor,
Traits: Highly intelligent, Very
Attractive, Spiritual
Fears: Death
Wants/Needs: To survive and stay
alive.
Likability / Rooting factors:
She is very likable!
How they react under stress:
Very well.
Relationship with other
characters: Very good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Elise seems to
be the model seeker/client. She is very serious about starting a new life
and believes that her suicide attempt was just a new beginning for her, a
liberation.
Denial: She lives in acceptance.
Their reaction at first horror:
Shock
Relation to group after first
horror: Female lead.
How they fight back: She
successfully escapes and survives.
End Point: She drives away. The
lone survivor of the group.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? No matter how bad it gets, you can
overcome all odds and survive.

15) Bethany

A. What is their Character Profile?

Role: Executive Director of
Shadow Mountain
Traits: Strong Willed, Spiritual,
Compassionate
Fears: Shadow Mountain closing.
Wants/Needs: To keep Shadow
Mountain going.
Likability / Rooting factors: She’s
charismatic.
How they react under stress:
Very well.
Relationship with other
characters: Very good.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Bethany is the
founder and Executive Director of Shadow Mountain which is a Therapeutic
Community Residence (TCR) offering suicide survivors a chance to recover
from their trauma without the use of psychiatric drugs/psychotropic
medication.
Denial: People can be cured
without medicine.
Their reaction at first horror:
Anger.
Relation to group after first
horror: They lose faith in her.
How they fight back: She refuses
to shut down Shadow Mountain, even after there are a few apparent suicides.
End Point: Shadow Mountain must
shut down.
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience? Did she care more about the
seekers/clients or their money?

[Rich Hynes]

What is Samantha’s Character Profile?

Role: Leader/Mother

Traits: Driven, Focused, Fearless

Fears: Losing her family

Wants/Needs: Wants to get her children back. Needs to stop the monster and protect her community.

Likability / Rooting factors: She’s a badass when she needs to be. Natural leader/quickly takes command. Sees the bigger picture.

How they react under stress: Cool as a cucumber. Even when it all hits the fan. During the most extreme of circumstances, she only just starts to show her nerves fraying.

Relationship with other characters: Family, both immediate and extended. They’re all her responsibility.

What is Samantha’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Normal mother interacting with her family. In charge but with a soft touch. Prone to misplacing her keys.

Denial: Dismissive of Priest’s warning that her daughter was kidnapped by a monster. Has to be a human(s).

Their reaction at first horror: Fine. It’s a monster. Gimmie back my kids or I’ll destroy you.

Relation to group after first horror: Tries to maintain command, keep everyone alive and still achieve the objective.

How they fight back: With everything she has. With everything at her disposal. Axe, Fire, dynamite.

End Point: Blows herself up along with the monster and the storage facility to save her daughter.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? A mother will do whatever she need to to protect her family.

What is Benjamin’s Character Profile?

Role: Rescuer/Father

Traits: Strong, Brave, Levelheaded

Fears: Losing his family, a team member

Wants/Needs: Wants to get his kids back. Get his family home safely

Likability / Rooting factors: He’s a good father and leader. Fair. Thinks things through. Just careful enough.

How they react under stress: The tougher things get, the stronger he comes back. Wants to protect/save everyone. Not above making the sacrifice play.

Relationship with other characters: Father figure at home, father figure at work. Everyone looks up to him.

What is Benjamin’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Normal father getting ready with his family in the morning. Paying attention, watching over everything.

Denial: Doesn’t believe the priest. Can’t believe normal/expected support systems aren’t going to help.

Their reaction at first horror: Freeze, assess, then try to put an axe through its head.

Relation to group after first horror: Team leader, counter balance to his wife.

How they fight back: Focused and methodical. Just like fighting a fire.

End Point: Sacrifices himself so his family can escape.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? A father will make any sacrifice to protects his family.

What is Smitty’s Character Profile?

Role: Rebel/Rule breaker

Traits: Full of life. Happy-go-lucky.

Fears: Failing at the crucial moment. Also, drowning.

Wants/Needs: To get the job done. To make the save. To be the guy that comes through in the clinch.

Likability / Rooting factors: Everybody loves Smitty and that ear-to-ear smile.

How they react under stress: He pushes through. Harder and harder until he approaches breaker like commitment and ferocity. Refuses to retreat, even to his determent and the determent of the mission.

Relationship with other characters: The firefighters look up to him as an example of courage and commitment. He’s the guy they go to when they have a problem.

What is Smitty’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Taking the engine for an unauthorized spin under the guise of training to run an errand for the chief. Because fire trucks are awesome.

Denial: He denies the reality of the situation. Acts like it’s just another day at the office. Until it isn’t.

Their reaction at first horror: He freezes. Just totally freezes with fear.

Relation to group after first horror: A little broken. Quiet. Just follows orders.

How they fight back: He forces himself to go on. Just one foot in front of the other.

End Point: Appears to drown in a rooftop water tank trying to save someone. Comes back and dies fighting the monster in act 3.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Not everything is as it seems.

What is Emma’s Character Profile?

Role: Out of control/daredevil

Traits: Bold. Hot headed and quick tempered. Reckless. Thinks she’s invincible.

Fears: Being attacked by dogs.

Wants/Needs: Adrenalin and recognition. Not a “look, a woman can do it too” recognition. A “DID YOU SEE THAT!?! That was AWESOME! Let’s do it again!” kinda recognition.

Likability / Rooting factors: Her energy and enjoyment of every challenge.

How they react under stress: Eats stress for breakfast. Usually.

Relationship with other characters: Strong teammate. A little bit of a problem with her recklessness.

What is Emma’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Riding on top of the fire truck. Where you’re not supposed to ride.

Denial: That there’s a real possibility she could die.

Their reaction at first horror: She freaks. The reality sets in. She becomes cautions/afraid.

Relation to group after first horror: Unreliable and skittish. Barely holding it together. Want’s to escape.

How they fight back: Tries to be stealthy.. Want’s to be invisible. To sneak up on it.

End Point: Eaten by hell hound puppies after getting trapped

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Recklessness is not always a good thing.

What is Kyle’s Character Profile?

Role: Complainer

Traits: Kinda whiny. Doesn’t want to be there.

Fears: Fears being killed.

Wants/Needs: Just wants to get out of there.

Likability / Rooting factors: He does what he has to, but no more. Put upon.

How they react under stress: Poorly. Cowardly and negative. Doomsayer.

Relationship with other characters: Not their favorite guy on the team.

What is Kyle’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Hiding in the fire truck, afraid to get caught.

Denial: Not our problem. Let the professionals handle it.

Their reaction at first horror: Abject terror. Breaks and runs.

Relation to group after first horror: Has to be found/rescued.

How they fight back: Survival mode only. Frantic. On the run.

End Point: Dies badly. Tortured and killed by monster.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? A fear-filled treat for the monster. Allows him to show his powers.

What is Mikey’s Character Profile?

Role: The Moral One.

Traits: New. Naive. Rule follower.

Fears: Not being able to pull his weight. Afraid he’ll break and run.

Wants/Needs: Just wants to go home.

Likability / Rooting factors: The new guy. Young and excited hopeful. Until shot goes sideways.

How they react under stress: He handles stress badly. His fear and doubt are obvious. Questions orders. Why me?

Relationship with other characters: The kid and the new guy. Bossed around. Hazed.

What is Mikey’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Hiding in the truck with Kyle. Afraid of getting in trouble.

Their reaction at first horror: Breaks and runs. Hides.

Relation to group after first horror: He’s a liability.

How they fight back: Poorly. Tries to escape and fails.

End Point: Panics, hides, dies screaming in a storage unit.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Don’t turtle.

What is Priest’s Character Profile?

Role: The Carrier

Traits: Dark and mysterious. Tries to hard to convince. Arrogant.

Fears: Failing in his mission and becoming a servant of evil.

Wants/Needs: The be proven right. To be vindicated. To vanquish the evil he’s been hunting.

Likability / Rooting factors: Not many. He appears to be the person they need to get the job done. He’s necessary, or so he says.

How they react under stress: Gets cranky and short tempered. Especially when questioned.

Relationship with other characters: He’s an outsider. He’s only there because he convinced them the can’t win without him.

What is Priest’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: The mysterious stranger who appears in the eleventh hour.

Denial: Thinks that the evil is no match for him.

Their reaction at first horror: Shits himself. Totally out of his league. Immediately killed by monster.

Relation to group after first horror: Dead.

How they fight back: Bleeds on monster.

End Point: Killed viscerally to demonstrate the severity of the situation.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Sometimes the smartest guy in the room, isn’t the smartest guy in the room. Beware of “experts”.

What is Olivia’s Character Profile?

Role: Sacrificial Lamb

Traits: Normal teenager put in extreme circumstance

Fears: Several. TBD

Wants/Needs: Escape and survival. Keep sanity.

Likability / Rooting factors: An innocent

How they react under stress: Terrified. Paralyzed at times.

Relationship with other characters: The daughter and the victim

What is Olivia’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Happy morning. Just got a new bed.

Denial: N/A

Their reaction at first horror: Terrified victim. Continuous terror.

Relation to group after first horror: Victim with ticking clock now. The danger is real.

How they fight back: Try to resist and escape.

End Point: The severely damaged survivor.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? “At what cost?”

What is Noah’s Character Profile?

Role: Monster Bait

Traits: Impulsive. Guilty.

Fears: Fear of getting his sister killed. Fear of death. Other fears TBD

Wants/Needs: Rescue his sister and escape. Survive. Keep sanity.

Likability / Rooting factors: Good kid. Knows he screwed up. Trying to fix it.

How they react under stress: Like a typical teenager

Relationship with other characters: The son and the victim.

What is Noah’s Character Journey for this story?

Character Intro: Told to dispose of the mattress properly by father

Denial: Not my fault!

Their reaction at first horror: What have I done?

Relation to group after first horror: Second victim with ticking clock now. The danger is real

How they fight back: Try to resist and escape. Try to free sister.

End Point: Almost makes it out. Almost.

What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The good guys don’t always win. You have to live with the consequences of your choices.