Lesson 10

[Bob Rowen]

Bob Rowen’s Level 1 Action Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is a way to add emotion to the draft of my opening scene.

Create a scene that uses all three of these Action emotions: anxiety, fear, and relief.

Scene: Act 1 (Opening) – Minus 66 under the reactor – Prater and Ray are “flushing in-cores”.

ANXIETY: Prater (protagonist) learns he’s the one who is assigned to go up in between the reactor control rod drives to change out an in-core instrument string. Because of a series of recent reactor scrams and failing fuel cladding, there is an unknown possibility of deadly gross radioactive contamination instore for Prater that could be life-threatening.

FEAR: Prater knows Edgar (antagonist) has his reasons for assigning him to be the one who goes up between the reactor’s control rod drives to do the job.

RELIEF: Although there was an accident and Prater was drenched with reactor water and reactor crude, he was able to say after he left the decon station at access control, “At least I’m still alive!”

Draft of scene:

INT. ACCESS CONTROL CHANGE ROOM – EARLY MORNING

Several workmen are busily stripping down in the crowded change room. VIRGIL PRATER (mid-20s), lean, short hair and muscular build is taking off his street clothes. He keeps on his skivvies, socks, and shoes and places the rest of his clothing in a locker.

INT. ACCESS CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS

Prater comes out of the change room into the larger access control area of the nuclear facility. He makes a beeline to the racks and bins containing radiological protective clothing and equipment.

Prater is quiet, preoccupied, and in a hurry. He gets into a pair of white coveralls, slips on a pair of black galoshes over his shoes and white booties over the galoshes, puts on a surgical cap, and he grabs a couple pair of surgical gloves.

CONTROL OPERATOR 1

(from behind)

Where are you going, Prater? Got time to talk to us about the crab feed?

PRATER

(doesn’t turn around)

Nope! I’m heading to Minus 66.

Prater goes over to the step-off pad beyond the earshot of the other workmen.

CONTROL OPERATOR 1

(staring hard at Prater))

God, he’s such a fucking hard-ass!

SHIFT HELPER

I heard he’s a former Force Recon Marine Pathfinder. Those guys were real badasses.

CONTROL OPERATOR 1

Well, maybe so but goddamn it, he’s not in the Marines anymore so he can stop acting like he is.

CONTROL OPERATOR 2

One thing’s for certain, he’s one helluva shit stirrer.

CONTROL OPERATOR 1

Yeah, has been ever since he showed up here.

INT. ACCESS CONTROL STEP-OFF PAD AREA – CONTINUOUS

Prater charges his dosimeters, signs the access control log, enters the radiation controlled area, and disappears around the corner into the Plus 27 Area of Unit 3.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM – MORNING

Edgar is finishing his morning brief with a portion of his management team: ANDY ANDERSON (late 50s), Nuclear Instrumentation Engineer; and GEORGE ALLEN (early 60s), Radiation Protection Engineer.

EDGAR

One more thing Andy, do we have Prater flushing in-cores today?

ANDY

Yes, and Ray will be working with him.

EDGAR

Very good!

ANDY

It could be a really nasty job this time.

EDGAR

Yep, and that’s why I want Prater up in there.

ALLEN

Could be a lot of contamination this time and I’m sure Prater will scream to high heaven about it.

EDGAR

Let’s just see what happens this morning. I’ll deal with him if there’s a problem and he wants to make a federal case out of it. Oh, one more thing. I’ve already talked with Jerry. I want all of Prater’s supervisors to keep a confidential book with supporting evidence on him. And don’t worry about the contamination this morning.

ANDY

Well, there’s always been some contamination during in-core flushing but with the recent scrams, it could really be bad today!

Edgar smiles, closes his note pad and heads for the door without saying another word.

INT. NORTHEAST AIR-LOCKS – CONTINUOUS

Prater is at the Plus 27 NE air-lock that provides entry into the reactor building. He Opens the first door, steps inside the air-lock, then spins a large wheel to close and lock the door behind him. He turns 90 degree to open the second door in like fashion, then exits and closes that air-tight door.

INT. REACTOR BUILDING – CONTINUOUS

Prater pauses on the platform outside the air-lock and sees FORREST WILSON (30), medium build, with fine facial features, alongside the spent fuel pool down below. Prater hurries on down a long flight of stairs. As Prater passes by the spent fuel pool —

FORREST

Hey Prater, see you at McCrea’s for lunch. Okay?

PRATER

Okay Bud, you’ve got it.

Prater skirts on past the spent fuel pool and disappears down another long flight of stairs.

INT. MINUS 14 – CONTINUOUS

Prater, now at Minus 14, sees RAY HASTINGS (mid 30s), a tall lanky fellow, waiting at the top of the man-lift and hurries over to him.

INT. TOP OF THE MAN-LIFT – CONTINUOUS

PRATER

Sorry it took so long. Got hung up at access control. It’s real busy up there this morning.

RAY

No problem. I haven’t been waiting long. My last job took a little longer than expected. Because of the high radiation levels at Minus 66, I want us to go over a few things here before we head on down.

PRATER

Okay, sounds good.

RAY

God, how I hate this job but what choice do I have?

Ray and Prater review and discuss their assigned Radiation Work Permit and the Minus 66 blueprints.

Beat.

INT. MINUS 14 TOP OF MAN-LIFT – MORNING

Ray rolls up the blueprints and places them on a shelf behind the man-lift. Ray picks up his bucket of tools.

RAY

I’ve already taken everything else we’ll need down there. By the way, Prater, you know you’ll be the one who’s flushing in-cores this morning.

PRATER

Yeah, that’s what Andy said.

They check their CPs (radiation dose rate instruments).

RAY

You ready?

PRATER

Ready as I’ll ever be.

RAY

Okay then, let’s get after it!

Ray steps onto a moving platform and grabs the hand-hold as it comes over the top of the continuous vertical running belt. Prater does likewise on the next platform. They disappear downward into the dimly lighted access shaft alongside the reactor.

INT. UNDER THE REACTOR AT MINUS 66 – CONTINUOUS

Ray and Prater arrive at Minus 66. As Prater steps off the man-lift, he shadows Ray to another step-off pad. After changing booties, they cross over into the area directly beneath the reactor.

PRATER

Is this going to go any better than the last time I worked this job?

RAY

I don’t know. Edgar keeps saying they’re going to change the way we flush in-cores. It’s been fucked every time I’ve done it! Let’s hope we’re not going to have any problems this time. Move your dosimeters and film badge to the top of your head. Okay — no miscues — let’s get it done!

It is extremely hot and humid causing water to run down the concrete walls of the lower dry well. There are “DANGER HIGH RADIATION” signs everywhere. Ray sets his timer.

RAY

We’ve got exactly 12 minutes MAXIMUM to get this done.

Prater goes up into the area between the reactor’s control rod drives and Ray follows him, positioning himself on a platform directly beneath Prater. Ray directs the light from a large hand-held battle lantern while Prater works overhead in tight quarters.

PRATER

Get ready to hand me the in-core string.

A few minutes pass. Ray keeps looking at the timer.

RAY

We’re getting close on the time.

SUDDENLY, highly radioactive reddish-black sludge and reactor water gushes down on them.

PRATER

(yells in sheer panic)

Son-of-a-bitch! I lost it! Quick, get me the new in-core string so I can button this fucking thing up!

There is deafening silence — then Prater yells —

RAY

We gotta go! NOW!

PRATER

Almost got it.

(Beat)

PRATER

Okay. Let’s get the fuck out of here.

They scramble down from under the reactor and immediately go to the Minus 66 step-off pad. Their CPs indicate they are grossly contaminated.

PRATER

I’m never doing this shit again!

RAY

It has to be done and I know the front office is working on finding a better way of doing it.

PRATER

(babbling)

Bullshit! This is totally insane! The Company is dragging its feet on fixing this problem. This is totally fucking insane!

INT. ACCESS CONTROL DECONTAMINATION STATION – MORNING

Ray and Prater strip butt naked, enter the decon showers, and start the painful process of scrubbing down. Their faces, neck, and forearms are being scrubbed raw. Prater’s injuries are worse. Several employees are standing around watching what’s taking place. Prater leaves the decon showers and looks in the mirror at his disfigured face.

PRATER

At least I’m still alive.

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Bob Rowen.

[Chris Spizuoco]

Chris’s Level 1 Action Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment: great way to add emotion in a structural and strategic way.

EXT. APPROACHING DEVIL’S SLIDE CA ON HIGHWAY 1 – DUSK

Our HERO (30 something) hugs the curves driving his mid size sedan; nervously checks his rear view and side mirrors.

In an instant – SMASH; our VILLAIN (age unknown) SLAMS him from behind in an SUV; almost forcing the Hero through the cliff’s protective guard rail. Our Hero’s PTSD kicks in.

FLASHBACK

Our hero on a dusty elevated mountain road in Afghanistan; fish tails while being chased by multiple enemy forces…automatic MACHINE GUN FIRE from behind; bullet SMASHES rear view mirror as he approaches sharp turn…half the front tire off the road…

BACK TO SCENE

Our Hero with pursed lips and a death grip on the steering wheel. Sweat beads down his forehead. As he approaches Devil’s Slide…difficulty keep all 4 wheels on the ground. The Villain is now locked on the sedan’s back and accelerating both vehicles. He SNAPS the headlights on illuminating our Hero’s sedan and blinding him off the rearview mirror; hero RIPS the rearview off the windshield and beams the light back to the Villain.

As they approach the cliff, a 3rd vehicle SLAMS the Villain’s SUV from an angle SMASHING it off the road and SLAMS down the cliff. As the STRANGER moves slowly by we get the shadow of a women’s head.

The SUV forms a crushed recycled wreck as it settles 200 feet below on the rocks with waves CRASHING to shore.

INT. HERO’S SEDAN – CONTINUOUS

Our Hero’s head rests on the steering wheel as he turns the car off; the mystery STRANGER continues down the road.

HERO

(exhales)

What the fuck….??

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Chris Spizuoco.
• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Chris Spizuoco.
• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Chris Spizuoco.

[Gary Holland]

Gary Holland – Level 1 – Action Emotion

Using your creativity, Anxiety, Fear and Relief is a snap.

Anxiety – The visitors arrive… especially the criminal’s enormous ship.

Fear – The attack of ten space fighters and destruction of Las Vegas.

More Fear – The invasion of the black energy into the hero’s cockpit.

Relief – They survive and go into hiding at the safe house.

[Frances Williams]

Frances Williams Level 1 Action Emotions,

What I Learned doing this Assignment is How to create Action Scenes that invoke the audience emotions.

Anxiety – Alexis is driving when she spots the Van carrying the kidnapped daughter of the Russian Foreigner Minister, she follows the van she fires shot at the Van and the tires go out and the Van skids down an hill

Fear – The Mob is holding a gun to the head of the daughter when the Van hits a patch of ice and rolls down a hill

Relief – The daughter jumps out of the Van and tumbles down an embankment landing on a pile of grass.

[Beth Zurkowski]

Beth Zurkowski Level 1 Action Emotions What I learned doing this assignment is how to add more detail to my outline.

Create a scene that uses all three of these Action emotions.

1. Look through your outline and choose a scene that could use anxiety, fear, and relief.

2. Create an outline of the scene that includes each of the three emotions.

Velda has Naya and Darsh get into her car as they proceed to the police station to get to a safe house. Then Naya spots her brother’s car following them. Anxiety Velda tries to lose him as she bites her nails. She begins to sweat as Naya’s brother gets more aggressive by trying to smash into Velda’s car into a bridge buttress in the median on the highway. Velda’s car is wedged in. Fear Brother starts shooting them. Velda backs out and manages to get away from him as she travels down the highway. She asks if anyone is injured as she looks wildly around for brother to see if he’s still on her tail. Relief At her fast speed a cop car pulls her over and Brother’s car drives past. Velda, Naya and Darsh breath out in relief.