Lesson 1

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris
Convention!

What I learned – That one has to let go of perfectionism on the first rounds and just let the story flow – and grow. Amazing how doing that leads to so much more story developing.

Concept – An ex MMA champion who gave up fighting because he killed his best friend in a fight, becomes depressed, a loser, puts on weight and is now a slob. When his father, a retired cop, lands up in trouble after a vicious gang leader he put away years ago is escapes from prison with six vicious inmates, comes after him, and our hero has to get himself back in shape to protect his father. He will later find out who is behind the prison escape and the reason they are after his father.

Conventions

Hero: An out of shape ex MMA champion who has to regain his confidence, rebuild his body and mind to protect and then save his father.
Mission: To save his father when an imprisoned gang leader escapes and comes after him with six inmates with nothing to lose.
Demand for action: Protecting his father when he is attacked and then having to go and save his father when he is kidnapped by the gang.
Antagonist: The escaped gang leader – but the ante will go up when we realise that there is a corrupt top cop involved who is behind the escape and the attack on his dad.
Escalating Action: His father is kidnapped and our hero has to go in and save him, realizing too late that a top crooked cop is behind the escape and the kidnapping – and the twist comes when we find out that his dad is took something that that the cop and gang leader want back. Now he has the gang and a bunch of corrupt cops after him and is father

[Karen Angermayer]

Karen Christine Angermayer

Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment: I learned to think bigger and stretch the ideas to a level where the audience and I as a writer experience fast-paced action and unforeseen twists.

Concept:
A dog walker stumbles upon the world’s first perfect lie detector, a device powerful enough to expose global corruption. Hunted by a ruthless senator and her mercenaries, he must protect the device, outwit his enemies, and uncover his own courage—all while relying on his pack of unpredictable dogs.

Conventions

Hero:
Charlie Baxter, a reluctant and resourceful dog walker with a knack for improvisation. His bond with his dogs becomes his secret weapon as he learns to step into the role of an unlikely hero.

Demand for Action:
The discovery of the perfect lie detector forces Charlie into a relentless chase. Powerful enemies will stop at nothing to destroy the device and anyone who knows about it, leaving Charlie no choice but to fight, run, and outsmart them.

Mission:
Protect the lie detector, rescue his kidnapped love interest, and expose the corruption tied to the device—all while keeping himself and his dogs alive.

Antagonist:
Senator Sylvia Sinclair, a corrupt and manipulative politician who fears the lie detector will expose her crimes. She commands a team of mercenaries, including quirky but deadly henchmen, to hunt Charlie down.

Escalating Action:
From a park ambush to a clinic fight, and culminating in a chaotic showdown at a high-profile fundraiser, the stakes rise as Charlie is pushed to his physical and emotional limits, forcing him to grow into the hero he never thought he could be.