Lesson 1

[Milam Smith]

What I learned doing this assignment is…?”

The five necessary tropes that propels the action script forward.

Concept: CIA SpecOps agent on her first assignment survives murder attempt and must track down her Mentor’s killer–and discover the truth about her past.

Conventions

Hero: Riley S. orphaned early in life is prepared by her traumatic foster care to face a dangerous world, aptitude for solo sports through skill hones physical abilities, and unusual intellect through college guides her to CIA employment.<div>

Demand For Action: Unknown antagonist and questionable support from CIA makes her quest one of survival as well as results.

Mission: Riley must find who was behind the murder of her mentor and if there is a bigger threat behind it.

Antagonist: Mole working with enemy nation to compromise prevent new Nato candidate nation from becoming a member.

Escalating Action: The mystery of her true background and ‘abilities’ becomes entwined with Mole’s mission, which expands to include taking her out.

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[Nat Melvin]

Natalie’s Concept

What I learned is that being predominantly a thriller writer, I can derivate to action genre with a marketable concept, and Hal’s phenomenon program.

Concept: A family’s impending divorce takes an unexpected turn when a State Fair disaster forces them to grapple with survival challenges to save their kids.

Conventions:

Highly Skilled Hero: Pilate’s instructor, mother of two kids

Demand for Action: Saving children from a catastrophic collapse of a giant Ferris Wheel

Mission: To save her own kids and other State Fair visitors

Antagonist: Mob boss, aka loan shark / land developer

Escalating Action: to prevent mob’s hitmen from destroying State Fair attractions

A. Amazing Character – Brie, personal Pilates trainer

B. Impossible Mission – A woman against the mob

C. Engaging Journey – Brie is torn between her ex who wants to keep their kids from relocating to another state, and her fiancé who turns out to be a ruthless head of the mob all while trying to save people and her kids from a disaster

D. Incredible Action – from fixing the attractions, to taking out hit men, to preventing a major disaster

E. Intriguing World – Regular Jane female against trained hitmen