Lesson 12

[Jeremy Kirk]

Subject line: Jeremy Level 3 Action Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is scenes don’t need to be action packed to have these emotions.

Look through your outline and choose a scene that could use danger, excitement, and adrenaline.

INT. BIRCHWOOD HOLMES OFFICE
Gale knocks on the door and enters.
GALE
You wanted to see me?
BIRCHWOOD
Yes, son. Come have a cigar with me. (Excitement)
GALE
But father, I don’t smoke.
BIRCHWOOD
Who said anything about smoking it? (Danger)
Nervous, Gale moves around the leather chair and seats himself on a foot stool. Next to him on a side table is a cigar in an ashtray and a lighter.
BIRCHWOOD
Do you know why I place lit cigars to my flesh?
GALE
I figured…you had your reasons.
BIRCHWOOD
Pain. Pain keeps the senses sharp. Without pain you become dull and senseless.
Gale looks at the cigar.
BIRCHWOOD
Place it in your mouth, light it, and suck till you run out of air in your lungs.
Gale places the cigar in his mouth, tries to light it, but his shaky hands can’t.
Birchwood leans out of the darkness.
BIRCHWOOD
Let me.
Birchwood adds flame to tobacco.
Gale puffs and suddenly begins to COUGH and CHOKE, drool hangs from his lip. (Danger)
BIRCHWOOD
Now take the cigar while it’s hot and apply it to your skin. (Danger)
Gale looks with red watery eyes.
GALE
(gruff voice) Why?
BIRCHWOOD
This will be the first lesson of many. You have a weak soul. And no son of mine can be weak. Through pain we will awaken the natural born killer in you.
Gale looks at the top of his hand.
BIRCHWOOD
Do it NOW! (Adrenaline)
Gale flinches and grinds the cigar onto the top of his hand. He YELPS and scurries away like a wounded Gollum.