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Day 9 Assignments
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What I learnt from this was how many possibilities I have to create drama, problems and open loops for my characters. I loved the brainstorming list in particular.
Assignment one. ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
Big Picture loop is –
Will June ever escape? Will she find her daughter? What will happen to the rest of the handmaids and all those oppressed under the Gilead dictatorship?
Smaller loops in this episode – June has been having an affair with Nick but has recently learnt her husband is still alive. She continues to see Nick. Open loop – will she have to end this, will she choose one man over the other? What will her husband do if he finds out about this?
Why has the commander taken June to a nightclub? What are his intentions towards her? Why did the last handmaid kill herself? Why did the wife blame her husband? Is the same thing going to happen to June? Will the commander draw her into prostitution like the other women?
Assignment two. My show ‘Stroke’.
5-8 big picture open loops-
Where is Zoe’s husband, why did he lie about where he is, is he having an affair and who with and where is their money?
Will she have the strength to leave him? How will she do this with no access to money?
Why did Nadine really turn up after 25 years of being missing? What happened to her to make her run away when her career was gong so well?
What happened to the two missing women that were linked with a well known actor?
Why did the journalist investigating suddenly stop looking into it?
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Janeen’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is that the more questions I ask, the more Open Loops I see are available to me. I’ll definitely need to write them down, plot them on a timeline and mete them out episode by episode.
Assignment 1: Big Little Lies
Big Picture Open Loops in 1st season:
1. Who was killed? <div>
2. Will Celeste get away from her abusive husband?
3. Will Jane kill someone or get revenge on them?
Will Renata crush Madeline?At the end of season 1, we find out who was killed and how it happened.
Season 2 Big Picture Open Loops:
1. Will Celeste’s mother-in-law figure out how her son was really killed? </div><div>
2. Will the MIL turn the kids against their mother?
Will she tell Ziggy that her son was his father and try to take him from Jane?3. Will Renata (and her marriage) survive the loss of her money?
4. Will Bonnie’s mom wake up and tell people what Bonnie confessed?
Will Bonnie confess to the police?They had enough open questions for a third season, but wrapped all but one up at the end of Season 2. Open questions were: What happened when they all 5 went to the police to confess what really happened? How many will go to jail for perjury? Will Renata get her money back? How will Ziggy and his new brothers work as a family?
Assignment 2:
Big Picture Open Loops for “The Last Eden” — possible title for my series
Goals:
Cara had a life in LA. Will she be satisfied in Iowa as a farmer? Will there be enough of a challenge?
Will Jim get Mike and Mindy’s farm or will Cara and Randy be able to hang onto it for the kids?Consequences:
1. Will Jim get caught for his role in Molly’s death? In Mindy and Mike’s? </div><div>
2. Can Cara learn to be a modern farmer? Can she handle the equipment, finances and risks? Will it be a good year for crops? If not, how will they keep the farm?
Solving Problems:
1. Will Randy convince Cara to use her parapsychology techniques to save the farm? Mend relationships? Convince others to give them “good deals”? </div><div>
2. Will Cara be able to adapt to not having a full time office job after 20 years of it to learn to be a self-starting farmer?
3. Will Mindy’s use of parapsychology techniques mandate that Cara use them to continue the farm’s prosperity? What if they were unethical?
Relationships
1. Will Cara be a good parent to the twins? Will they accept her? </div><div>
2. How will Randy and Cara’s relationships change over time as her knowledge grows and his Alzheimer’s gets worse?
3. Will Jim kill his oldest son before he can say what he saw happen to Mike and Mindy’s car? 4. Will Jim’s youngest son gravitate to Cara the way he had to Mike and Mindy before their death?
5. Is Jim’s oldest son really Mike’s kid as Jim suspects? What does that mean to Mike’s farm?
Danger/Survival/Risks
1. Will Jim end up killing Cara too? </div>
2. Did Jim cause Molly’s death and make it look like suicide? Do either of the kids know?
3. If Cara uses her techniques, will it be ethical? Will it work if she’s concerned about the ethics of it? Will someone catch her doing it and make it public?
4. Will the farm survive? Weather? Business relationships? Big Ag threats?
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Rob’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is the value of intertwining storylines to open new loops, sustain others, and close some loops for a sense of forward movement. Open Loops need to be revisited to keep them alive, and so-called closed loops can be reopened if carefully crafted.
ASSIGNMENT 1: Big Picture Open Loops developed in Episode 9 of “The Vampire Diaries”:
Existing Open Loops:
Stefan backing off from Elena reignites the question of whether they will get together. When Stefan saves Bonnie’s life Elena decides she can be with Stefan but he says they had better not. The Loop remains open.
Who is Emily and why does she need Bonnie’s help? We learn that Emily was a witch who was Katherine’s handmaiden. Why does Damon want Bonnie’s crystal? We learn that it is to resurrect Katherine, that she was protected in a spell by the crystal, but Emily breaks the spell and Damon leaves town in despair. The comet’s return was the “celestial event” that allowed the spell to be cast and undone. Emily asked Damon to protect her lineage (Bonnie) but now she is breaking the deal by getting rid of Katherine.
We learn that Bonnie’s necklace cannot be disposed of – it keeps coming back to her.
When Stefan feeds a dying Bonnie his blood to save her life we learn that she will not turn into a vampire so long as she doesn’t die before she expels his blood from her system in the next few days.
Will Caroline and Vicky’s brother get together?
New Open Loops:
We meet a new character, Alaric, who wears a mysterious ring given him by his father. We are led to believe he might be a vampire because of the ring and he doesn’t enter a house without being invited. Is he a vampire or a red herring? He is courting Jenna. Alaric’s wife’s death remains an unsolved “cold case”. How did she die? Was it a vampire attack?
A family history project by Jeremy appears set to uncover some info.
Logan, whom we had assumed was dead after a vampire bite, returns. So, is he now a vampire too?
ASSIGNMENT 2: Big Picture Open Loops that could be in the pilot of “Mirage”:
Who is David / The Mirage and what is the source of his powers? Why is his face obscured in all photographic and digital images?
Who is sending the demons trying to kill Julia? Who murdered Vincent Chamberlain and why?
What are the parchments with mysterious symbols on them and how do they relate to the Mirage’s past?
What is “The Blade” that the demons are seeking?
What is the purpose of the mysterious experiments that the Mirage is performing?
Why does David’s touch have such a terrifying impact on humans?
Will Detective White track down the Mirage? What will he do if he does? Will he find a way to capture him?
Who are the mysterious Government agents trying to recruit David for his powers?
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Jean’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is that building in open loops into the series needs to be done before any writing is done. These loops will help create drama and conflict and make for interesting watching.
ASSIGNMENT 1
1. Big Picture Loops:
Will Elana hook up with Stefan.
Will Daman ruin Stefan and Elana’s relationship?
Will Elana find out Stefan’s a vampire?
Will Jeremy recover from his parent’s death
and stop acting out?Will Stefan’s relationship with Elana put her in
danger?Will Bonnie’s newly discovered witch power put
her in danger?Will Elana be able to handle Stefan being a
vampire?Will Bonnie be pulled into Stefan/Damon drama?
Will Stefan and Damon be caught and killed by the
Mystic Falls council?2. Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.
Will newly turned vampire Vicky kill any of her friends, including Jeremy and her brother Matt?
Will Jeremy finally discover that vampires exist?Will Stefan convince Vicky of his way of dealing with the blood lust or will she give in to the craving for human blood?
Will Damon wheedle his way into the confidence of Mayor Lockwood’s wife and the Sheriff who are both on the council?
Will Bonnie embrace her family’s witchy ways?
Will Damon do something good for a change?
ASSIGNMENT 2:
The Vault: Big Picture Loops
Will Sharra overcome all the adversities and become
an agent?Will they finally catch who is trying to stop
Sharra?Will Faolan be caught by his fellow agents?
Will Faolan interfere with Sharra’s
recruitment?Will Tanner and Sharra get together?
Will Faolan and Lazarus resolve their differences?
Will Sharra’s assailant succeed in
stopping/killing her?Will Sharra break the rules in order to change
her own timeline to save her parents?What is going on with their silver tattoos and
the connection to the Vault?-
This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Sharon Scherle.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by
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Ron Reid Jr <font face=”inherit”>Big Picture Open Loops (A</font>ssignments<font face=”inherit”> 1 +2)</font>
“What I learned doing this assignment is that Open loops can help me open my stories with a bang, while small loops can help keep intensity on one show or characters or even a situation.
They essentially can be very powerful.
ASSIGNMENT 1 SHOW: LOST
1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
BIG picture loops for everyone is: the CRASH of the airplane and
-will they get rescued
-when will they get rescued
-will animals in the jungle kill them if they wander too far
Smaller Loops
-will they have enough to eat
-who is the French woman and what is her intensions (radio for Sayid and then taking the baby away as a sacrifice/exchange for her own son who was taken).
-will the raft of Michael, Jin, Sawyer and Walt make it.
-what is in the underground tunnel?
-why does the button need to be pressed every 108 mins?
-what will happen if they don’t?
-who are the others who captured them?
2. Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.
-smaller loop of the raft-they get attacked from a ship, Walt is taken and the rest of them are put in a pit, with a new prisoner who turns out to be a spy.
-will Shanon get over Boon’s death and become a partner for Sayid and look after Walt’s dog for more than a day?
Deadline: 24 hours
<hr>ASSIGNMENT 2: Show: SIGMA 2619
1. Use this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season that you will use to keep the audience captivated.
BIG OPEN LOOPS-What is this tech that controls people to the point they will attack people.
<font face=”inherit”>Who is the mystery woman that seems to be controlling people with the tech to control minds and </font>commit crimes?
Who will Bruce trust? The agents or himself to find the mystery woman and the tech?
Where did the tech come from that everyone is looking for?
What happens to Bruce’s people if he doesn’t find the tech in time?
Why do we think the mystery woman and Bruce may know each other?
GOALS:
<div>Bruce has to make an alliance with the Agents but not reveal himself-that he is an alien? </div>
Snowy who lost her memory or had no direction wants to find herself again.
New goals?Goals related to the big picture?Crushed goals?Competition / conflict around goals?
CONSEQUENCES:
Will Bruce get caught searching for the tech and not working with the agents?
Are they going to be caught?Problems created from past actions?Good plans gone wrong? <div>
Consequence of Bruce falling for the Agent on his mission!
Consequence of falling for Snowy and trying to complete his mission. What happens to her if he gets the tech? Will he take her with him or try to stay on Earth?
<div>
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Bruce is trying to figure out who the mystery woman is.
The agents are hunting the mystery woman.
What is the major problem for this character?What are they trying to solve?Major change imposed on character?Previous solutions cause new problems?
RELATIONSHIPS:
Is it possible that one of the agent is falling for Bruce?
Is Snowy falling for Bruce at the same time as the Agent is?
Can the other agent and Bruce get along if Bruce is dating his partner and be objective?
What if there is tension with the agent(s) and Bruce if they don’t get along but they all want the tech or to destroy it?
Relationships in peril?New relationships forming?Conflict inside relationships?Relationships changing?</div><div>
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Bruce may feel he is putting others at risk to reveal himself he wants the tech without revealing who he is?
What will the Mystery Woman do if Bruce tries and to take the tech?
If other alien/earth agents are sent to get the tech from Bruce or the Mystery Woman with orders to kill everyone, will any of them survive?
Everyone is in danger as long as this tech is being used.
(Can they survive X?Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?Who else is pulled into their danger?Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?))
ASSIGNMENT 2: THE KIDNAPPING OF CASEY K.
1. Use this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season that you will use to keep the audience captivated.
BIG PICTURE LOOPS
-The main man of the party who ties and brings everyone together is kidnapped.
-why was he kidnapped?
-will everyone just try to cover they butts to save him vs people who genuinely care for him work together?
GOALS:
-Everyone seems freaked out but a few people aren’t but they all have the same goal eventually and that is to find Casey K. and bring him back?
-partnerships or mini-teams-each trying to use their skills or influence to find Casey K.
-everyone wants to be the first to find this guy and look like they care but on their own it won’t work.
(New goals?Goals related to the big picture?Crushed goals?Competition / conflict around goals?)
CONSEQUENCES:
2 consequences: First secrets will get spilled that Casey K. had secret and second: Casey K. could really be hurt or killed.
Has Casey’s past caught up with him?
Are they going to be caught? Problems created from past actions?Good plans gone wrong?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Casey kept an odd group of people of people who feared him over the secrets he kept buried for a price of loyalty and other who loved him and her loyal to his whims and coming out to one or any of his events to say thank you.
Who are the people who took him and who do they work for or do they work for themselves?
Amongst the group or small teams: who can be trusted to just to help each find or solve why was Casey K. taken?
<font face=”inherit”>Who did Casey K. keep secrets for ? Who would want to silence him? </font>How are a group of strangers going to work together and do something the police can’t do?
Will these strangers get along or just tear each other apart if given the chance?
(What is the major problem for this character?What are they trying to solve?Major change imposed on character?Previous solutions cause new problems?)
RELATIONSHIPS:
Everyone at the party are almost strangers to each other or know each other on a superficial basis. But bonds of trust will have to be solved quickly if they are to save or find Casey K. alive.
(Relationships in peril?New relationships forming?Conflict inside relationships?Relationships changing?)
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Was Casey K. involved with the wrong crowd? Or was this a deal gone wrong?
Who will survive if those who took Casey K. turn on those who are looking for him?
Uncovering the clues of where Casey K. is going after a smart and well-planned group of individuals.
((Can they survive X?Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?Who else is pulled into their danger?Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?))
</div></div>
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David’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned from this assignment is the critical need to have major questions that the audience wants to have answered be delayed- and with as much tension as impossible. Major open loops is the key to having an obsessed viewer.
ASSIGNMENT 1
1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
· Who killed Jason?
· Why would he be killed?
· Will Archie and Betty be a couple?
· What did Hiram Lodge do?
· Will Archie get busted for being with Gundy/scene of the crime
· Is Veronica good or bad?
· What’s the feud between Coopers and the Blossoms?
2. Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes. All the loops are in play during the episode- a step forward, then a step back, always keeping us guessing and wanting more. Open loops = obsession
ASSIGNMENT 2:
1. Use this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season that you will use to keep the audience captivated.
GOALS:
New goals? Emily goes back to school, starts sorority
Goals related to the big picture? Finally going to finish/accomplish something
Crushed goals? Never finished college, got shunned by sorority
Competition / conflict around goals? Too old, too dumb to get her degree. Social pressures, from daughter to the dean.
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught? Lose her job, house
Problems created from past actions? Never finishes anything, not good enough
Good plans gone wrong? No one joins, daughter makes fun of her, other girls too
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character? Can’t get ahead because she has no degree
What are they trying to solve? Keeping the house
Major change imposed on character? Goes back to college
Previous solutions cause new problems? Hide everything, pretend everything’s fine
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril? Daughter and husband and boss
New relationships forming? New sorority sisters
Conflict inside relationships? Daughter thinks she’s having mid-life crisis, husband separated
Relationships changing? Emily and daughter, Emily and boss
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X? College, ridicule, dean, other sororities sabotaging them
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions? Throw party with underage kids, job in jeopardy and future with husband and daughter
Who else is pulled into their danger? Lindsay, the other girls, Emily’s friends, her boss and co-workers
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)? Not good enough, never finishes anything
3. Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
· Will Emily finish college and get her degree?
· Can she defeat the dean for control of the house?
· Can she start a sorority?
· Can the relationship with her daughter be salvaged?
· Can her marriage sustain?
· Can she keep her job while going back to school?
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