Lesson 1

[Anna Burroughs-Merrill]

Anna Burroughs-Merrill’s Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

Anna’s writing vision: To get back into the “flow” with my writing

What I learned from this assignment: I’m familiar with the different types of structure, but this was a nice, succinct, clear explanation.

Title: La Siréne (The Mermaid)

Concept: A Coast Guard maverick suspects that his wheel-chair-bound oceanography professor, who holds the fate of his career in her hands, is involved in a series of terrorist attacks against poachers by killer dolphins.

Character Structure: Dramatic Triangle

[Natasha Paris]

Hey Anna,

If you meant to use the french word for mermaid, it’s actually La Sirène. The accent is on the other side! 😉

[Tully Archer]

Hi Anna,

So the dolphins are doing the attacks? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but you said “by dolphins”… is this a comedy thing?

[Tony Scott]

Tony J Scott Title, Concept, and Character Structure.

My true vision as a writer is to fall in love with writing and stay motivated to write from the love of writing and not a chore and then hoping others will love my creations and be well known as a top writer in the screenplay community.

I learned in my previous class that a good outlive is a great way to start. But this assignment I learned that a great outline in the actual first draft and hopefully the screen play may not need updated versions. Deciding on which character structure will help keep focus on the story and character development.

Title: Two years past Freedom

· HIGH CONCEPT: A
young black woman must time travel to kill her pure blood vampire ancestor
before someone else does or spend the rest of her life as a vampire and causing
history to change forever.

Character Structure: Dramatic Triangle

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Tony Scott.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Tony Scott.

[Tully Archer]

Hi Tony,

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I don’t understand how killing her vampire ancestor would PREVENT her living as a vampire?

[Tony Scott]

it’s in her blood line and if she never actually kills or consumes human blood the vampire in her can lay dormant but she’s very ill because of it. If she can kill the matriarch she will never have been born a vampire.

[Tully Archer]

But won’t she also have never been born at all? Again, sorry, not trying to poke holes just trying to understand. 🙂

[Ron Johnson]

Ron’s Title, concept, and character structure.

My Vision: I want a space that is dedicated to writing, so I can have an entire wall for notecard storyboarding. I want my projects to advance in competitions and then be requested by the studios. I want to see those projects in festivals, in theaters, on streaming platforms. I want writing and producing to be my full time job.

What I learned doing this assignment is the reinforcement of the importance of outlining. I want to be able to make changes on the fly without getting lost or confused down the line.

Title:8 Balled

Concept: After Derrick kills a drug dealer in self defense, a dirty cop forces Derrick to take the cop’s C.I.’s place to make up for lost revenue. Derrick does as he’s told and pulls on a thread that leads to corruption at the highest levels.

Character Structure: Protagonist vs Antagonist

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Ron Johnson.

[Tully Archer]

Hi Ron,

This sounds cool. Who is Derrick in all this? If the cop thinks he CAN take the C.I.’s place, I’m imagining that he’s sort of In The Drug World?

[Natasha Paris]

Natasha Paris’ Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

I am a uniquely amazing, inspiring, prolific, and successful writer/director whose name alone sales. I have a huge following because I help change the world for the better.

What I learned from doing this assignment is going through the Title, Concept, and Character Structure activity that I need to find an antagonist to my story! LOL!

Missing in Costa Rica

Genre: Thriller

Concept: Based on a true story, a woman retraces the steps of her missing sister in a foreign country.

Character Structure you’ve chosen: Protagonist versus Antagonist.

[Jim Kanter]

Natasha,

I live in Costa Rica so if I can help with atmosphere, let me know.

[Natasha Paris]

Hey Jim!

That’s so awesome to let me know!! I’ve never been, but I may have tons of questions along the road! Thank you! Where in Costa Rica are you located? The story takes place in Santa Teresa.

[Jim Kanter]

I’m in Guanacaste in the NW Pacific side. On the coast in a small town called Las Catalinas about 45 minutes from Liberia.

[Tully Archer]

Hi Natasha,

This sounds cool. In the true story, did she find her sister?

[Natasha Paris]

No, unfortunately. And she won’t either in this version.

[Tully Archer]

That’s a bummer but it’s good to have movies about this kind of thing. Best of success to you and this!

[Mahee Sanapareddy]

Mahee’s Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

My Vision – I want to be a great writer who is well-respected and recognized in the industry, with successful books published and blockbuster movies produced. I want to create a successful movie franchise that audiences all over the world will love, rave about, look forward to, and continue to enjoy many years from now.

What I learned from doing this assignment is to create a great outline that will help me make the best decisions to turn it into a magnificent story.

Title – Realm: Gates of Wrath

Concept – When a prominent black historian studying an ancient tribe is brutally murdered, his son must must embark on an interdimensional journey to find the assassin.

Character Structure – Protagonist versus Antagonist

[Tully Archer]

Hi Mahee,

This sounds fun. I’m curious about the world – does he know his journey will be “interdimensional” when he starts (is it a known part of his world) or does he discover all that after he starts?

[Mahee Sanapareddy]

Hi Tully, he discovers the nature of his journey as he begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together from his father’s research.

[Tully Archer]

I love a fish out of water and finding out there are other dimensions is a great version of that! Cool cool

[Will Jennings]

Will Jennings’ Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

The Title is: True Fairy Tales

Concept: Two young princesses come from a Fairy Tale World to try and make Earth a better place. Whatever they envision on their cell phones and tablets, comes to life.

The Character Structure is Protagonist versus Antagonist.

My Vision: I will write movies that are extremely funny and entertaining that bring a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment to a world starving for true enjoyment.

What I learned from doing this assignment is the very beginning of an outline.

[Tully Archer]

Hi Will,

This sounds fun. I’m curious, did they come to Earth out of sheer benevolence or are they fleeing something?

[Claudia OBrien]

Claudia O’Brien’s Title, Concept and Character Structure!

Title: Wings of Grace

Concept: A nurse in the
WWII Women’s Army Corps battles racism, sexism and incompetence as she
tries to save the life of a badly injured Tuskegee airman.

Character Structure: Romantic
Triangle.

My vision: To become the best screenwriter I can be, and to find success in the industry.

What I learned from this assignment: I really like this outlining process; it helps my brain slowly fill in the details of what I want this screenplay to become.

[Tully Archer]

Hi Claudia,

This sounds neat. I’m curious, who’s the third in the triangle?

[Maureen Tilyou]

Sounds really engaging! Look forward to seeing how it develops. 🙂

[Tully Archer]

Tully’s Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

GENRE: Horror/Comedy.

CONCEPT: An engaged couple heading for a breakup are brought back together by the daily challenges of living in a haunted house.

TITLE: Fearly Beloved.

CHARACTER STRUCTURE: Dramatic Triangle. (The ghost is the third.)

[Maureen Tilyou]

Fun! Love the Title!

[Tully Archer]

Thanks!!

[Maureen Tilyou]

Maureen’s Title, Concept and Character Structure

MY VISION: By nurturing fun and curiosity in the writing process, I will do my very best to create a successful writing career full of love, full of awe, full of productivity, and full of joy!

What I learned doing this assignment is how nice and easy productive 1st steps can be.

Title: The Supremacy Code

Concept: When a psychologically
damaged genius invents a new mode of hacking, and stumbles upon a
plot to trick the nations of the world into giving up their
sovereignty, he pushes himself to embark on the impossible– to somehow
warn a world where no one can be trusted, while an omnipresent
network of AI hunts him down.

CHARACTER STRUCTURE: Dramatic Triangle

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Maureen Tilyou. Reason: My Font codes were showing everywhere. Kind of distracting lol

[Mahee Sanapareddy]

Love your concept.

[Maureen Tilyou]

Thank you, Mahee. I love yours as well!

[Tully Archer]

I love it, I just have one question so I can understand: what do you mean by “give up their sovereignty”? Like in a legal sense, philosophical sense… I’m currently unable to picture any person or entity going “you’ve convinced me, I’m going to GIVE UP MY SOVEREIGNITY”… like, what does that LOOK like? What do THEY think is happening?

I love how complex and stakes-y it is!!

[Maureen Tilyou]

Yes, I get your confusion. My original idea, (and I’m still leaning there) was it is a neuro-link sort of thing a long time in the making. A brainwashing tactic with a built in Failsafe that would make sure each person’s vote goes the ‘right’ way. That’s why I see it as a Sci-Fi Thriller. That answer is not a simple one, because it really has to be well laced into the script and developed to make it believable. I hope tat sort of addresses your question. Or begins to.

[Jim Kanter]

Jim Kanter’s Title, Concept, and Character Structure!

Jim’s writing vision: To start writing again so that I enjoy it by being more effective and productive.

What I learned from this assignment: Don’t get stuck in one mindset/solution. By considering different alternatives you might find something that works even better.

Title: Super Lost

Concept: A family of superheroes lose their superpowers and have trouble adjusting to being normal so they go on a road trip to find their mentor and discover how to regain them.

Character Structure: Dramatic Triangle

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Jim Kanter.

[Natasha Paris]

Ha! I love this! What a great concept!

[Tully Archer]

That sounds SO fun, is it meant to be a sort of comedic adventure?

[Jim Kanter]

Yes. I see it not so much as a superhero movie but a fish-out-of-water comedy and a look at family relationships in challenging times.