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Day 9 Assignments
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10 Replies
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Madeleine Vessel’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is that big picture open loops create questions in viewers about the future that can only be answered by watching future episodes. This is opposed to mysteries which create questions about the past.
ASSIGNMENT 1
SUPERNATURAL
Big Picture Open Loops established early in the season:
1. Will Sam and Dean find their father who has gone missing?
2. Will Sam and Dean find out who killed their mother and Sam’s girlfriend?
3. Will Sam return give up on finding his father and return to college, or will he continue to work with his brother to find their father and to hunt down demons along the way?
4. Will Sam and his father reconcile?
5. Will Sam and Dean reconcile their differences? These aren’t big, but they definitely remember their childhoods differently.
Episode 9 of SUPERNATURAL: How those big picture open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes:
This season begins in the house where Sam and Dean lived as children, where his mother was killed by some kind of fiery demon. Then Sam has a vision of a woman trapped in their old house. At the close of the episode, we see that the father is still alive, but he doesn’t want to see them because he first needs to find out some mysterious truth.
1. Will Sam and Dean return to their childhood home based on one of Sam’s dreams that a woman living there is in trouble?
2. Is the evil working in their old house now, the same evil that was working in the house when the boys were kids?
3. Will they be able to get rid of the evil spirits in that house before they kill the mother and children presently living there?
4. Is the evil spirit gone forever?
5. Why doesn’t the boy’s father want to see them?
6. What truth is the father looking for?
ASSIGNMENT 2
1. Brainstorming the big picture open loops for my first season that will keep the audience captivated.
GOALS:
New goals: Keep to the rules of witness protection.Keep from blowing her identity.Find out who killed Falisa and gravely injured Zhora and why.Find out why someone broke into her house.Zhora’s goal to marry Falisa is crushed by her killing.
CONSEQUENCES:
Are Sophie and Bill going to be caught trespassing on Falisa’s crime scene?Are Sophie and Zhora’s true identities going to be discovered by the FSB?Is Sophie going to die at the hands of her kidnapper?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Sophie’s major problem is solving Falisa’s murder while keeping her witness protection intact.Sophie and Bill are trying to find out who killed Falisa and gravely injured Zhora.Sophie and Bill are trying to find out who the art thieves are.Major change imposed on character? When Sophie tries to keep one of Falisa’s paintings safe from thieves, she becomes a target.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Sophie is forming a new relationship with Bill.Sophie’s relationship with Olivia is in peril. Sophie and Bill disagree about her involvement in the investigation. Sophie’s and Bill’s grow closer.
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can Sophie survive Vitaly?Can Sophie and Zhora survive the FSB?Will Sophie’s decision to go to Moscow put her in danger of losing her witness protection status? Of revealing her true identity? Of being killed? Will Sophie’s decision to go to Moscow put Bill in danger? Put the art collector in danger?
2. My top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops,
· Can Sophie and Zhora keep their true identities hidden?
· Will Sophie and Bill find out who killed Falisa and gravely injured Falisa?
· Will Sophie get back Falisa’s paintings?
· Will Sophie survive Vitaly’s efforts to kill her?
Are Sophie and Bill going to be together?
· Will the FSB discover Sophie’s and Zhora’s true identities?
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George Petersen BIG PICTURE OPEN LOOPS
What I learned from this assignment is
Assignment #1
The Americans
Early open loops:
Will Elizabeth get revenge for being raped by a KGB officer?
Will Phillip and Elizabeth be able to “eliminate” the Russian spy locked in their garage?
Extended open loops:
Will Stan bust Phillip or will Phillip be able to keep up the charade of best friends?
Will Phillip and Elizabeth be able to meet the domestic needs of their kids.
Will Phillip’s secret son ruin any hopes of a meaningful marriage with Elizabeth?
Assignment #2
The Red Ballot
GOALS:
New goals?
To find the lost copy of the inaugural address. It’s the only copy.
Goals related to the big picture?
To get Lincoln to Washington safely and in one piece.
Crushed goals?
Kate’s goal of _____ gets crushed by ______.
Competition / conflict around goals?
Pinkerton and Stinson compete over security protocols.
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
Ferrandini and the drunken gang members board the train searching for Lincoln. Only Kate stands between them.
Problems created from past actions?
Lincoln spills the beans to his friend, Stinson, a member of his security detail and he, in turn, goes to the press. Lincoln is humiliated.
Good plans gone wrong?
Ferrandini gets wind of Pinkerton’s change in plans.
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
Convincing his detectives on the absolute importance of secrecy.
What are they trying to solve?
Is there in fact an assassination plot against the President?
Major change imposed on character?
Kate presses Pinkerton to be more intuitive.
Previous solutions cause new problems?
Kate’s progress with Ferrandini leads to an unplanned romantic relationship.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
Ferrandini and Kate
New relationships forming?
Kate and Lincoln
Conflict inside relationships?
Kate and Pinkerton
Lincoln and Pinkerton
Relationships changing?
Ferrandini and Pinkerton
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
Can Kate and Pinkerton survive the bloodthirsty gangs of Baltimore?
Putting themselves in danger / making
dangerous decisions?
Pinkerton steps into a secret meeting of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
Kate gets on a train filled with drunken rioters.
Who else is pulled into their danger?
Kate. The President.
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
As the big day approaches, the gang members are getting drunk.
Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
Will Kate and Pinkerton discover the assassination plot in time?
Will Ferrandinin discover that his fiancé is a spy before the marriage?
How will Kate and Pinkerton foil the plot?
How will Pinkerton get Lincoln to stop talking and lay low?
How will Kate get Lincoln on the train without being recognized?
How will Pinkerton deal with Lincoln’s retired military escort who don’t believe in spies?
When will Pinkerton figure out that his barber, Ferrandini, is misdirecting him with fake information?
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Paula’s Big Picture Open Loop
What I learned from doing this assignment:
Open loops are critical to make my series create obsession in the viewer, and give clues to future episodes. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought to create these. They also have helped me move the plot along.
Assignment #1 – Big Picture Loops in “Gossip Girl”.
1). Will Serena stay this time or leave again?
2). Will Serena betray Blair again with Nate?
3). Will Serena and Dan get into a real relationship
How open Loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.
b). Blair finds out from Jenny what he said to her when he thought she was Serena at the masked ball, and although Blair had expected t be engaged with Nate’s mother’s ring, she couldn’t accept it and instead went to the strip club and had sex with Chuck.
c). We see them making out outside the school and at Dan’s apartment, but they are interrupted by Vanessa and then Rafael. When it seems they finally will consummate the relationship, Serena bows out and only wants to cuddle. We also discover that Dan is a virgin.
Assignment 2:
1). GOALS
New Goals – Tess wants to get Tony to break up with Bianca
Goals related to the Big Picture – Tess wants to make the big bust.
Crushed Goals – She was overlooked for last promotion/big bust at FBI and it looks like she won’t win Tony.
Competition/Conflict around Goals – Now her emotions for Tony are affecting her career goal, and also jealousy toward Bianca begins to become an obsession, possibly sabotaging her main Goal.
CONSEQUENCES
1). Are they going to be caught? = She’s undercover but the local police also want the dealers; some of the cops know her.
2). Problems created from past actions? She has had conflicts with one particular cop and she can see him sabotaging her.
3). Good plans gone wrong? She is trying to be a good agent, but gets caught up in the thug world because of her passion for Tony.
SOLVING PROBLEMS
1). WHAT IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THIS CHARACTER? She needs a big promotion (bust) so she can be financially free and leave her husband
2). What are they trying to solve? It seems cut and dried, but once Tony appears in her life, she gets confused. The feelings she has for him destabilize her.
3). Major change imposed on character? Her heart gets opened.
4). Previous solutions cause new problems? – She had an ‘understanding’ with her husband of 25 years that she would stay in the marriage for security and appearance sake.
RELATIONSHIPS IN PERIL
1). With Tess’ husband Randy because the marriage is dying; she has become extremely frustrate and taunts him, and he is almot to the point wher he will hit her.
2). New relationships forming – possibly Tess, and Tony, and conflictual – between Tess and Bianca, and Tess and John.
3). Conflict inside relationships? Tess feels she can’t express her feelings to Tony, because he is a thug who never expresses his feelings, Also, there is some dissatisfaction between Tony and Bianca. He cheats on her.
4). Relationships changing – Tess can’t be the obedient wife to Randy anymore
DANGER/SURVIVAL/RISKS
Can they survive the drug bust? Where Tess felt she didn’t have issues with it before, now she isn’t so soure she will not protect Tony and lose her promotion or do it so her boss won’t find out.
Putting themselves in danger/making dangerous decisions? Tony decides to steal some drugs from a Mafia guy.
Who else is pulled into their danger? Tess, John
Internal dangers – Tess’ repressed sexuality masked by her ambition – She is beginning to not trust herself.
2). 5-8 Big Picture Loops
1). Will Tess and tony consummate their relationship or be just business partners?
2). Will Tess sabotage her own career ambitions because of her love interest?
3). Will Tony go back to Dom Rep. with Bianca?
4). Will Tess leaver Randy?
5). Will Randy get violent with Tess?
6). Will the big bust end up in violence? Toward whom?
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ASSIGNMENT 1
What I learned doing this assignment is that big picture hooks can keep the viewers locked in for seasons at a time, rather then just for episodes. Of course we need small picture hooks that can fulfill the viewers appetite from episode to episode.
American Horror Story, Season 10:
Big Picture Open Loops:
Harry, a mediocre writer with writer’s block, discovers that a small black pill can make him one of the greatest writers in the world, but comes his a high price.
Will Harry join the community of vampires?
Will Harry’s wife discover what he and Alma (his daughter) are doing to become talented?
How are these open loops being used to create the need to see future episodes?:
Knowing that the father and daughter are now blood thirty vampires, we question how they will feed their hungers?
We also know that Bella Noir loves to et babies and with Harry’s wife giving birth in Episode 5, we wonder how long before Bella sets her sights on the baby.
We also wonder whether TB Karen will eventually come over and join the vampires.
ASSIGNMENT 2:
My Project, “Stream” big picture hooks:
Why can’t humans have children anymore?
What is the Stream and what does it have to do with the no-birth?
What is at the other end of the Stream?
Can they keep Michael’s body in hiding from the police until he returns or will they be caught and charged with Michael’s murder?
Can Michael find the source of the Stream?
What is the role of his brother Johnny in the events to play out and why must he find him in the ocean of souls?
Can Michael save his marriage after having an affair?
Who is Cronus and why is he stealing souls?
What lies beneath the Seals?
Can Michel develop a relationship with Cronus’s concubine to help him find the ocean of souls and Cronus’s weakness?
Will he get Cronus’s concubine to turn on Cronus?
If the seals are lifted, what happens
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This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by Jack Young.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by
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Eric Humble’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is: that open loops can take storylines I have in mind for future episodes/arcs and transform them into devices to keep an audience watching. This was a really interesting assignment. I brainstormed many more ideas than I’ll use in the pilot, although most of them will find their way into the plan for future episodes. It was fascinating to think these ideas through using the idea of open loops because I was able to see how I might plant seeds of the storylines or introduce them in such a way that it will point toward the future without the need to go into detail for any of them, and how that might hook a viewer into continuing to watch the show.
ASSIGNMENT 1
Mr. Robot
1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
Big Picture Open Loops:
Will their plan to hack Evil Corp work?
Will Elliot and Angela become lovers?
Will Tyrell Wellick become CTO at Evil Corp?
Will Tyrell Wellick get caught for murder?
Will Gideon discover that Elliot is the fsociety hacker?
Will Mr. Robot reveal his true identity to Elliot?
2. Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.
Each of these open loops show up to some degree in each episode and remain open even when something new moves us closer to an answer. We can’t stop watching because each development gives us more curiosity about how these questions will ultimately be answered and keep us in suspense.
ASSIGNMENT 2CONCEPT ONE:
GOALS:
New goals?
Will Jude cure Catherine’s cancer?
Will Marks become a target of the cabal?
Can Catherine and Dres cover up the murder they committed?
Goals related to the big picture?
Will Marks take out the leader of the cabal?
Will Dres avenge her mother’s death?
Can Jude protect Dres from the cabal?
Crushed goals?
Marks is demoted by the cabal leader for failing to kill Dres. Will he get himself restored to his position?
Competition / conflict around goals?
Can Jude cure cancer before Marks’s Pharma company does—and keeps the cure legally off the market and out of reach?
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
Will Catherine discover Jude has been lying to her about the severity of her illness?
Will Dres get found out as a con woman scamming Marks?
Problems created from past actions?
Will the SEC arrest Jude for kickbacks?
Good plans gone wrong?
Will Dres or her partner complete the con and sting Catherine and Jude out of their money?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
Protect Dres long enough to develop a cancer cure from her DNA.
What are they trying to solve?
Who is after Dres?
Marks needs to know what secrets the cabal leader is guarding?
What is the cabal doing? Who are they targeting and why?
Major change imposed on character?
In order to survive, Dres has to stay off the grid—will she get killed when she surfaces in plain view to con Marks… which broadcasts her all over the media?
Previous solutions cause new problems?
Catherine and Dres divert the police’s suspicions away from them… only to have their cover up attract the attention of the cabal, whose members snoop around demanding answers.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
Catherine and Jude are now lying to each other—she’s covering up the attack and murder and Jude is concealing her cancer. Will the lies tear them apart?
New relationships forming?
Will Jude and Dres become lovers?
Will Catherine and Dres become partners in crime?
Conflict inside relationships?
Marks is scheming to undermine his mentor. The cabal leader is scheming to eliminate Marks. Who will win?
Relationships changing?
Will Jude compromise his ideals now that Marks is his mentor rather than his nemesis!
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
Can Dre’s survive the cabal?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
Is Jude a match for the professional assassins he’s taking on?
Can Jude infiltrate the cabal or will he get killed in the attempt?
Who else is pulled into their danger?
Dres’ partner is being tailed by the cabal—will he be killed or turned?
Will Marks’s dying wife be targeted by the cabal?
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
Will Catherine become addicted to painkillers as she self treats her illlness?
2. Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
Will Jude cure Catherine’s cancer?
Can Jude protect Dres from the cabal?/Is he a match for the professional assassins he’s taking on?
Can Catherine and Dres cover up the murder they committed?
Will Catherine discover Jude has been lying to her about the severity of her illness?
Marks is scheming to undermine his mentor. The cabal leader is scheming to eliminate Marks. Who will win?
Will Jude and Dres become lovers?
Can Jude cure cancer before Marks’s Pharma company does—and keeps the cure legally off the market and out of reach?
CONCEPT TWO:
GOALS:
New goals?
Will Scoleri win the primary?
Will Darren become the chief of staff?
Will Eco command the underworld’s respect as de facto leader of the mafia?
Can Scoleri win over politicians and constituents?
Goals related to the big picture?
Will Darren ever nail Scoleri?
Will Scoleri discover the identity of the person who launched the campaign?
Will Darren discover the identity of the person who launched the campaign?
Crushed goals?
Can Darren ever expose and arrest Scoleri?
Can Darren tear down the politician who created the law currently protecting Scoleri?
Competition / conflict around goals?
Will Darren sabotage Scoleri’s chances?
Will Scoleri win the district’s support over his established rival?
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
Will the chief of staff discover who Darren really is as he attempts to usurp the chief’s job?
Will Scoleri’s rival discover his true identity as a gangster?
Will the reporter discover who Scoleri is?
Will Bender get found out as a mole for Eco?
Will Darren discover Eco is having an affair with Rebecca?
Problems created from past actions?
Will Darren’s lethal armed robbery be discovered by Eco? By the FBI?
Will Eco discover Scoleri is the one who killed his brother?
Good plans gone wrong?
Can Darren find his way back to a position of influence once he’s stuck campaigning on the road as an intern by the chief of staff?
Can Eco salvage a takeover of the Saudi drug operation after being shown up by the Saudis?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
Scoleri only knows how to achieve power through terror and violence… but now must court constituents through compassion? Can he?
Darren plays by the book… can he cross enough moral and ethical lines to get to a position of power enough to expose and nab Scoleri while simultaneously taking down the president who wrote this predicament into law?
What are they trying to solve?
Who set this in motion? Why?
Major change imposed on character?
Mob boss to presidential candidate?
Straight-arrow G Man to cutthroat political operative?
Loving wife to adulterer?
Timid mob lawyer to mafia don?
Previous solutions cause new problems?
Darren joins the campaign to head off Scoleri and take down the current president… but is relegated to a starter position. Can he work his way up in time to be effective?
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
Will Darren’s marriage survive Rebecca’s affair?
Can Eco remain in Scoleri’s esteem if he jeopardizes the organization?
New relationships forming?
Bender and Eco… will Bender get turned from unwitting mole to willing mafia informer?
Rebecca and Eco — will this relationship become stronger than Rebecca and Darren?
Conflict inside relationships?
Rebecca having an affair—will Darren find out? Will it break them?
Relationships changing?
Darren and Bender—best friends/colleagues to outsider and insider… will they keep secrets from one another? Will they become adversaries as Darren’s long game plays out?
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
The motives of the one who put this in motion are unclear—is Scoleri marching into danger the more he succeeds in getting elected?
Eco knows Darren was close to nabbing them all—he’s keeping tabs on Darren and will have his men kill him if he makes another move toward the organization… will Darren survive?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
Bender is spying on the FBI to retrieve the flash drive he and Darren stole—will he be found out?
Will Darren’s family be taken out as collateral damage in his war with Scoleri?
Will the rival gang or Saudi drug gang kill Eco? Eco’s lover Rebecca? Scoleri?
Who else is pulled into their danger?
Rebecca is being tailed by Eco’s enemies.
Scoleri’s lieutenants are thrust into the spotlight as staffers—will they expose everything to the press?
Darren is putting the chief of staff, his rival, in the crosshairs of the mob now run by Eco. Will he be killed? Will Darren let him be killed just to advance himself?
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
Bender’s gambling addiction makes him prey to Eco. Can he get the money legitimately in order to free himself of Eco’s extortion?
Darren’s need to complete the original mission causes him to act rashly and over ambitiously… will he put himself in more danger from this?
2. Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
Will Eco command the underworld’s respect as de facto leader of the mafia?
Will Scoleri win the primary?/Can he win over politicians and constituents committed to supporting his rival?
Will Darren ever nail Scoleri?
Can Darren tear down the politician who created the law currently protecting Scoleri?
Scoleri knows Darren was close to nabbing them all—he’s keeping tabs on Darren and will have his men kill him if he makes another move toward the organization… will Darren survive?
Who set this in motion? Why?
Darren and Bender—best friends/colleagues to outsider and insider… will they keep secrets from one another? Will they become adversaries as Darren’s long game plays out?
Darren plays by the book… can he cross enough moral and ethical lines to get to a position of power enough to expose and nab Scoleri while simultaneously taking down the president who wrote this predicament into law?
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Cathryn Atkinson’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is to plan out the open loops, see how they can fit into the pilot and beyond. How the characters’ relationships and actions create more.
ASSIGNMENT 1 – Mr Robot
Mr. Robot’s Big Picture open loops – to date:
Elliott’s mental health and drug use – How is effecting him? Since he is the narrator – how is it effecting the story we are getting?
Elliott is a cybersecurity worker who solves the problems of evil corp, but is also a lead hacker for a nihilistic hacking group. Will he get caught? How will the tensions tighten further? Who is Mr. Robot to Elliott?
Elliott and Angela’s parents died because of EvilCorp – What will happen?Episode 9 – Mr Robot Big Picture open loops:
Elliott’s is Mr Robot? What is really going on?
Elliot started the Fsociety with Darleen – does he remember? What next? Why is Wellick at Elliott’s place after he is fired? They will work together?
Colby offers Darlene a job at Evilcorp. What’s next?ASSIGNMENT 2 – Run Angelita:
Brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season
GOALS:
New goals?
Once Angelita discovers she carries the digital link for hundreds of millions of dollars, what will she do? (Not in pilot, but several episodes in)
Goals related to the big picture? Angelita decides to give the money away to those who need it most, which freaks out the cartel, and the FBI (the latter in season two).
Crushed goals?
The woman Angelita is running towards is not her mother. She is connected to Dario. Her mother is alive, maybe, but missing – later seasons.
Competition / conflict around goals?
Does Angelita help people with the money? Or use it to keep going? What does she think of Dario’s offer, does this change everything?CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
By the cartel in season one, by the FBI in season two
Problems created from past actions?
She kills a (bad) man in season one. What are the ramifications?
Good plans gone wrong?
She has to break the law to keep herself safe, she uses violence in her search for peace.SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
She just wants to be a teenage girl again and not worry about anything.
What are they trying to solve?
Get the money, find a place to live/hide, escape the cartel, survive
Major change imposed on character?
She lost her family and home, she became a refugee – the story of season one.
Previous solutions cause new problems?
She takes Chance hostage and they escape together. His problems are added to the mix, because his father gets involved.RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
Can Angelita trust anyone? What about her best friend at home? What happens to her brother Luis? Grandmother?
New relationships forming?
Chance helps her, falls for her. Veronica helps her, uses them, feels remorse. Dario wants a chance with her, to be her brother.
Conflict inside relationships?
Luis wasn’t who she thought he was. Her life was fake (and dangerous) and she did not know it. Chance is falling for her and she for him, but she wants to leave him behind when she finds her mother.
Relationships changing?
Constantly. Dario/cartel, Dario/Angelita, etc etcDANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
The danger from the cartel? Running away? The US migrant system/racist vigilantes/border patrol/ICE?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
As Angelita is on the run.
Who else is pulled into their danger?
Chance, Veronica, innocent bystanders
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
Angelita – panic attacks/PTSD; Veronica – drug addiction; Chance – has an illness (cancer?)Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
1) She lost her family and home, she became a refugee – the story of season one.
2) Luis wasn’t who she thought he was. Her life was fake (and dangerous) and she did not know it. Chance is falling for her and she for him, but she wants to leave him behind when she finds her mother.
3) The danger from the cartel? Running away? The US migrant system/racist vigilantes/border patrol/ICE?4) Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions? Angelita goes on the run.
5) Who else is pulled into their danger? Chance, Veronica, innocent bystanders
6) Good plans gone wrong? She has to break the law to keep herself safe, she uses violence in her search for peace.
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Lesson 9: DQ’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is to try ANY open loop that I can imagine, then keep the ones that invite obsession. This assignment was a significant elevation of the source material I started with so far.
Jessica Jones Big Picture open loopsWill Kilgrave kill all his parents? (Can his father “cure” him?)
Will Kilgrave kill all of Jessica’s friends?
Will Jessica kill Kilgrave?
Will Trish and Malcolm put themselves in harms way?
Will Trish and or Malcolm succumb to drug addiction?
Will Jeri betray Jessica?
Will Jessica and Trish break up?
Will Jessica and Luke get together?
What does the organization running Simpson have to do with Jessica and Kilgrave?
Blythe Big Picture Open Loops
How will Blythe’s strategy change when she discovers (good plan gone wrong? Previous solutions cause new problems)
How will Blythe recover from the defeat suffered when Ian changes the game?
How will Blythe react to competition (her sisters, Alice James) in her war against the creatures and Ian?
Can Blythe stay hidden amongst night society? Will humans discover Blythe and stop her war? Imprison or even kill her?
Blythe amplifies the danger she’s exposed to when the takes a chance to destroy several creatures at once and is put on a mock trial by them
Relationship with Alice James – how does the secret come out and how does it change them?
Relationship with Franco – can blythe resist the temptation or will she break his heart and soul as she did his father’s?
(Think of New relationship?/Conflict inside relationship that comes to the surface?
Will Blythe kill all the creatures? Can she bring herself to kill Ian? Will Ian kill her?
How will Blythe deal with Internal conflicts? (addictive love, need to be loved, need to shut down her feelings with violence against herself as well as others?)
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Leybe Díaz – Big Picture Open Loops:
What I learned doing this assignment is how to look at the story from a discovery approach, to ask questions, to use this model to create open loops!
ASSIGNMENT 1
SCANDAL
1- Big Picture Open Loops established early in the season:
– Why did Olivia hire Quinn?
-Did Amanda Tanner have an affair with the President?
-Who is behind the Ananda Tanner blackmail?
-How is Olivia related to the White House and the President / What happened- why did she leave?
-What’s the nature of the relationship between Olivia and the President, an affair, true love, will they ever be together?/ The sex tape.
-Is Mellie aware of their love affair ?
2- How those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes:
We knew Quinn Perkins had a past with some secrets and that she wasn’t Qinnn Perkins, but who was she then? And why was she at the firm? some of the other characters would ask these questions themselves, along with us. Will Quinn’s true identity be revealed?
This open loop carried the show until the very end of the pilot, into the next episode when it was finally revealed, opening a new loop: What will happen to Quinn or the real person Quinn is, after her true identity is revealed?
The Amanda Tanner open loop was a big one, that generated many more other smaller loops until the very end of the pilot when we learned it was Billy who was blackmailing the President, and that he had an affair with Amanda and sent her to the WH.
-Olivia’s involvement with the White House and the President kept being revealed during the whole episode.
-The love story between Olivia and the President kept opening more loops in many ways, we saw how their love affair started and they came closer at the end of the pilot – showing it was true love and with that opening a bigger loop: Will they ever have a normal life together?
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.
How will Emma perform as a home aide?
Will her lack of knowledge , training expose her and ruin Isaac’s plans and her big paycheck?
Why is Isaac hiring Emma to take care of his sister, going through the trouble of getting fake credentials and not hiring a professional HHA?
Will Mariza (the supervisor home visiting nurse) will catch Emma?
How will Emma get along will Flora and do the job to get all the money she needs.
Is Emma and Isaac will get caught at lying? What would the consequences be?
GOALS:
New goals:
Isaac offers Emma a big pay if she works as the home aide for his sister Flora, despite her lack of experience or training.
Emma needs the money and accepts the job and to pretend she’s a licensed home health aide as Isaac has asked her to.
As Emma becomes the Home Aide for Flora and she moves into Flora’s home she quickly notices the house is filled up with handwritten notes everywhere around the home, she starts connecting the information contained in them and starts discovering that both Isaac and Flora have been committing some big crimes.
Goals related to the big picture:
She secretly decides to keep digging and connecting Flora’s notes to find out more about the family’s crimes.
Crushed goals:
As she keeps learning about the crimes Isaac and the family she now works for.
What will she do with the information she discovers will she expose the criminals and possibly get killed or will she remain silent and allow the harm to continue?
Will she stay doing her job?
Will Isaac succeed at taking Flora to the nursing home?
Competition / conflict around goals:
Will she get caught by Isaac, Linda it the neighbor at gathering all this information?
CONSEQUENCES:
What could happen to Emma if Isaac discovers Emma is learning about his and his family criminal enterprises?
Will Flora be killed if she’s sent to the nursing home?
What effect will Emma have in Flora’s brain condition?
Good plans gone wrong:
Will Isaac be able to send Flora to the Nursing home and get her killed there?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Will Emma succeed at finding and connecting all the pieces from Flora’s fragmented notes, left scattered at her house?
How will she use this revelatory information?
Previous solutions cause new problems:
How bringing Emma to Flora’s house will flip Isaac’s plans for Flora?
RELATIONSHIPS:
How will Flora and Emma relationship be, will they get along Or Emma won’t be able to stay doing the job?
How will the relationship between Emma and Isaac change as Emma starts discovering his hidden criminal activities?
Will Emma help Flora get better and thus help her to stay home and avoiding the nursing home or will Emma be helping Isaac and contribute to Flora’s brain condition to worsen?
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
If Emma is caught at knowing Isaac’s crimes will she get killed by him?
Will she be able to continue digging secrets along with doing her job as a the home aide.
How will her past trauma – PTSD be triggered and create more risks for her?
Top 8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in my pilot:
1- What will Emma do with all the secrets she will discover?
2- Will she help the FBI?
3- Will Emma be caught as the FBI informant?
4- What are the criminal enterprises Isaac’s is involved with?
5- Who killed Flora’s Father/ how?
6- How Emma’s own psychological trauma / mental health affect her plans?
7- How will she be able to use her cognitive super powers?
8- How will this new relationship between Emma and Flora change the course of their lives?
Small Picture Open Loops:
4-Who are those involved in such crimes?
5-What ongoing crimes are they committing?
What’s the next criminal move they’ll have?
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Rafal‘s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is discovering and naming open loops that are there in the story and characters.
ASSIGNMENT 1
Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
Who was murdered on the school fundraising event ?
Who is the murderer ?
Is Bonnie or Madeline going to win the respect and love of Madeline’s and Nathan’s daughter Abigail?
Is the Madeline spectacle going to be produced?
What Jane is escaping from?
How will Jane and Ziggy survive in Monterey as Ziggy was accused of abuse first day in school?
What is the real nature of Celeste and Perry relation?
2. Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.
About the murder – questioning the townspeople raises suspicions and investigation of the audience.
The spectacle issue leads to Madeline/Joseph love affair secrets.
Jane is obsessed with her memories of rape, planning a revenge and denying it.
The increase of physical abuse and the counselor talks of Celeste and Perry rise question about how it is going to end.
Deadline: 24 hour
ASSIGNMENT 2:
Big Picture Open Loops
GOALS:
New goals?
Goals related to the big picture?
Crushed goals?
Competition / conflict around goals?1. How Arcadia is going to prepare Chris to be willing to live and inherit after her. How to make him capable of standing up to his mother despite that he had only just been saved from suicide?
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
Problems created from past actions?
Good plans gone wrong?2. Will her new approach to the treatment work or she dies even faster?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
What are they trying to solve?
Major change imposed on character?
Previous solutions cause new problems?<div>3.How will the new behaviour of Arcadia influence other patients of the clinic, especially those who want to follow her?
4. How is Arcadia going to repay for her sins committed to people who are dead?
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
New relationships forming?
Conflict inside relationships?
Relationships changing?5. Will relation of Eve and Matthew survive?
6. Will Chris and Monica be together?
7. Will Arcadia be forgiven for her sins?
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
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)?8. Can Arcadia survive and the family stay together while she refuses the treatment from her daughter and undermines functioning of their clinic?
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Eloise Healey’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is to ensure there are enough big-picture loops present in a pilot to spark immediate viewer interest.
NO MAN’S LAND – ELOISE HEALEY
Top Big-Picture Loops to establish in the pilot:
1. Will the illegal settlement be discovered and the women sent back to prison?
2. Why is Emma so adamant the settlement won’t include men?
3. How did Emma finance the ship crossing to the mainland?
4. Will Emma maintain control of the settlement – and what is she prepared to do to ensure that control?
5. Can the women navigate the stresses of the new settlement without turning on one another?
6. Will James bring about the downfall of the settlement?
7. Will the settlement face opposition from the Indigenous inhabitants?
8. Will Mary develop her own goals/agenda/backbone – and will that be in conflict with Emma’s?
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