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Lesson 12
Reply and post your assignment.
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9 Replies
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John Woodward’s Level 3 Action Emotions. Danger, excitement, and adrenaline.
Doing this assignment, I learned the action emotions frequently overlap each other, relief can be short lived, and adrenaline accompanies excitement or danger.
SCENE:
INT. GAS STATION – DAY
Joe pours two coffees as a HUNTER in a green flannel cap exits. Joe glances outside.
JOE’S POV — The hunter climbs into a Winnebago next to a mangled NYPD squad car. Joe does a double take, hurries out.
EXT. GAS STATION – DAY
[ANXIETY]
A wrecked NYPD squad car in southern New Jersey means one thing: Makepeace. Joe pulls his Browning, scans the station, joins Trey in the convertible.
JOE: There’s a New York City squad car parked behind the Winnebago.
TREY: Makepeace. What’s he doing here?
JOE: Same as us. Getting gas — following Hamilton to Delaware. He’s ditching the squad car. Probably jacked that RV.
Joe eases the convertible next to the RV. Trey leans out his door, slashes tires.
TREY: Roll!
Tires SQUEAL as they speed away. Makepeace steps out of the hunter’s Winnebago with a shotgun in each hand. He wears the hunter’s hat and jacket as a disguise. He detects the punctured tires, scans the station for a vehicle to his liking.
MAKEPEACE’S POV — TWO TEENAGERS exit a very old HONDA CIVIC.
Even a slave trader from the 18th century knows not to choose a Civic as a chase car. Makepeace looks around.
MAKEPEACE’S POV — A new CADILLAC pulls into the station.
Makepeace steps in front of the Cadillac. A WOMAN slams the brakes. Makepeace jerks open her door.
MAKEPEACE: I’ll make no bones about it, ma’am, if you don’t relinquish and be quick about it, I’ll use your blood to warm my rum.
WOMAN: This is my husband’s car! He’ll –
MAKEPEACE: I don’t care two coppers whose it is, and you may lay to that, ma’am.
[DANGER]
Makepeace yanks her from the Caddie. Still an awful driver, he grinds the ignition, jerks a turn, tears down the road.
EXT. PENINSULA ROAD – DAY
Trey and Joe speed along a desolate road that runs down a narrow peninsula. Joe glances in the rear view mirror.
JOE’S POV — The Cadillac crests a hill, speeds toward them.
JOE: He stole a Cadillac!
Makepeace steadies a shotgun on the Cadillac’s side-view mirror, fires! Joe swerves to the other side of the road. Trey snatches the Mossberg shotgun, fires at the Cadillac.
The windshield shatters, hangs in its frame. Makepeace brushes it away, fires through the open space.
[ADRENALINE]
The Cadillac weaves unsteadily under Makepeace’s inexperienced hand, but he speeds abreast the convertible. As Trey blasts away at the slave trader, Joe swerves, slams the Caddie into a guard rail that parallels a steep bluff.
Makepeace can’t handle the skid. The Cadillac slides sideways in the gravel as the convertible pulls away.
Makepeace controls the skid, closes on the convertible.
The convertible zips past a pickup which tows a tractor on a trailer. The Cadillac swerves past the truck. A crotchety FARMER gives the finger to the passing vehicles.
Trey fires. The Cadillac’s radiator explodes.
Makepeace fires. Bullets rake the convertible’s tail lights.
Joe struggles to pull the convertible out of a skid.
[EXCITEMENT]
Trey sends several rounds into the Cadillac’s hood. Flames erupt from the Caddie’s engine! Makepeace struggles to see through the blaze. When the flames part, his eyes grow wide!
MAKEPEACE’S POV — Trey aims the bazooka, fires!
KABOOM! The bazooka blast obliterates the front of the Cadillac! What’s left SMASHES through a guard rail, disappears over the bluff! A fireball rises from the rocky shore! Trey and Joe celebrate their apparent victory.
[RELIEF]
TREY: HELL YEAH!!!
JOE: Burn! Burn, baby, BURN!
EXT. FERRY PORT – DAY
A tree-covered hill slopes to a dock on the New Jersey side of Delaware Bay. A SEAMAN oversees access to a weathered mom-and-pop ferry. Joe pays the fare, drives the convertible up the ramp. Trey looks behind for Makepeace.
EXT. FERRY – DAY
Joe and Trey drive across the oil-stained deck, park on the ferry’s forward-most row. The HELMSMAN chews a toothpick, waddles past.
JOE: Yo, Captain, when do we shove off?
HELMSMAN: Soon as she’s full up.
JOE: Any way to leave sooner?
HELMSMAN: Can you swim?
DISSOLVE TO:
Except for two spaces, cars now fill the ferry. From a strategic position near the ramp, Joe scrutinizes cars as they board. Trey looks sea sick, wipes his sweaty brow.
JOE: You okay?
TREY: Sea sick. It’s like third grade all over again.
A red MERCEDES stops short of the toll gate. Windshield glare hides the driver, fuels their anxiety.
[ANXIETY]
TREY: What’s he doing?
JOE: It’s gotta be Makepeace.
Trey slips a hand into his jacket. Joe grips the pistol in his pants, squints. The Mercedes veers to the toll booth. A masculine hand pays the fare. The Mercedes angles to an open slot. Trey watches intently as the windshield glare disappears, reveals an ELDERLY MAN. Joe relaxes his grip on the pistol. Trey breathes easier.
JOE (facetious): Good thing we didn’t panic.
TREY: Maybe the explosion finished him.
JOE: Maybe my aunt’s got gonads.
A blue BUICK boards the ferry, takes the last space. Again, the glare hides the occupants.
TREY: I can’t stand this much longer.
Trey and Joe grip their pistols. The driver’s door opens. A BIG MAN, as huge as an NFL lineman and black, sets his six-year-old son on deck, points to the restroom. The BOY hurries past Trey, pretends to shoot him with his index finger. Trey forces a smile. The seaman locks the gate. The ferry chugs away from shore.
[RELIEF]
TREY: He’s finished.
JOE: About time.
Trey high-fives Joe. A RUMBLE interrupts the celebration.
THEIR POV — The pickup from the peninsula road crests the hill — no longer tows the tractor.
JOE: That’s the guy we passed.
TREY: Where’s the tractor he was towing?
[SUSPENSE]
JOE: Makepeace.
TREY: But he’s too late.
[DANGER]
The pickup accelerates, crashes through the toll gate, speeds up the ramp, arcs through the air, crash lands on the ferry atop the Mercedes, slides back! The truck teeters on the edge of the deck, tilts toward the water. A huge, black hand snatches the bumper! The hulk-like lineman struggles heroically to save the pickup from plunging into the bay.
INT. PICKUP – DAY
Makepeace seizes an automatic in each hand, begins to climb out of the pickup.
EXT. FERRY – DAY
The big man strains to secure the pickup. Trey appears.
TREY: Say dog, let me give a brother a hand.
BIG MAN: Thanks, brother.
Trey sucker punches the big man, knocks him to the deck, lunges into the bumper, heaves the truck overboard! The pickup SLAMS into the surf.
TREY: Slipped right outa my hand.
[EXCITEMENT]
As the truck sinks, travelers gather, but not for long — Trey unloads pistols into the cab roof, eliminates the air pocket. Water inundates the pickup. It plunges to a watery grave.
The helmsman cuts the ferry’s engine, heads toward Trey. Suddenly, the FERRY ENGINE SPUTTERS to life. The helmsman glances back.
HELMSMAN’S POV — Joe heads the ship out to sea.
The helmsman races back to his post, spins Joe around.
HELMSMAN: What you’re doing is a federal crime.
Joe jams a pistol barrel into the helmsman’s gut. A toothpick drops from the helmsman’s jaw.
CUT TO:
The six-year-old black boy emerges from the restroom, finishes zipping his pants.
BOY’S POV — A scarred, water-soaked, hand clutches a remote section of the oil-stained deck.
A child’s curiosity compels the boy to watch with cherubic, innocent eyes.
Makepeace pulls himself on board, spots the child, raises a finger to his lips to hush the boy, motions him to draw near.
[ SUSPENSE]
MAKEPEACE: Come here, sonny, come nearer here. Just a bit closer.
The child stands dead-still.
MAKEPEACE: Look, boy, look what I’ve got for you here in me pocket.
Makepeace puts a hand inside his jacket, grips a knife in his breast pocket, continues to charm the boy.
MAKEPEACE: I’ve been to the confectioners and I’ve got me a pocket full of sweetmeats?
The boy stares, bewildered, inches away. Makepeace seems to hypnotize the child with his voice, edges forward.
MAKEPEACE: Come, boy, come get your tasty treat. Right here in me pocket.
The boy backs away.
MAKEPEACE: Don’t you like candy, boy?
The boy bolts.
[RELIEF]
BOY: Daddy! Daddy! A stranger tried to give me candy.
With secrecy no longer his, Makepeace dives behind a car.
Trey ties the helmsman’s hands to a rail near the ferry’s throttle, spins around to locate the commotion.
[ADRENALINE]
Joe and Trey open fire on Makepeace from the helm. Makepeace returns fire. Bullets slam into cars. Several gas tanks EXPLODE! Travelers scatter. A few topple under Makepeace’s indiscriminate fire.
LONG SHOT — Chaos erupts on the ferry’s deck. Flames and black smoke rise from burning cars. Many travelers dive into the bay. Others take cover under cars. Makepeace advances. Trey lays down a barrage of lead to cover their retreat down a line of cars.
MAKEPEACE: Joseph, your friend seems none too happy aboard this ship.
Trey fires again. Makepeace stalls, reloads his weapons.
MAKEPEACE: Now, Joseph, your head ain’t much account, nor ever was. But you’re able to hear, I reckon; leastwise, your ears is big enough. Now, here’s what I say: Give Trey over to me, and we’ll join up. At least, I’m one of your own kind, Joseph. Then we’ll take care of this nasty business, such as it be. Duty is duty after all, and you’ll be free to take your place in a better world. You know I’m right. What do you say?
[SUSPENSE]
Trey stares at Joe, almost expects to be betrayed.
JOE: What are you lookin’ at?
MAKEPEACE: You can’t touch pitch and not be mucked, lad. I’ll be tellin’ you for the last time! Choose your poison.
Joe answers Makepeace with lead.
MAKEPEACE: If that’s your answer, well then, I’ve had as much as I can stand of you two clams, you’ve hazed me long enough, by thunder!
Makepeace advances on their position. DOLLY with Trey and Joe as they crawl down a row of cars, reload their guns.
TREY: What now?
JOE: I’ll keep him busy. You get the bazooka. Try for a shot that’ll blast him overboard.
TREY: Dat’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.
JOE: Trey.
TREY: Yeah?
JOE: Don’t miss.
Trey crawls away. Joe slips inside a black sedan, lies on the floor board, grips his Browning automatic.
Makepeace searches. Several passengers become fodder for his savage indifference. As the slave trader passes the black sedan, Joe swings the door open, shoots him in the back. Makepeace falls face down.
MAKEPEACE: How can I extol your high qualities, Joseph, when you shoot me in the back?
[DANGER]
Makepeace rolls over, fires! Joe dives behind a car, leads Makepeace toward Trey. Makepeace takes the bait, follows in a parallel row.
Trey retrieves the bazooka from the trunk, scampers to an adjacent aisle, sets up for a clear shot.
The ferry speeds toward the rocky shore of Lewes, Delaware.
Still tied to the rail, the helmsman glances futilely from the full-open throttle to the fast approaching shore. The helmsman stretches to hook the throttle with his foot. His toes barely rake the throttle.
The ship roars on, closes on the rocky coast. The helmsman stretches his toe closer to the throttle. A precious inch would prevent disaster!
Joe runs in a crouch behind cars, allows Makepeace to get an occasional glimpse. Makepeace fires at Joe, misses.
At the front of the ferry, Joe crawls into the convertible, revs the engine, glances in the rear view mirror.
JOE’S POV — A few cars back from the convertible, Makepeace steps between bumpers. The slave trader raises his weapon for an unobstructed kill shot on Joe!
Joe pops the clutch. Tires SQUEAL! The convertible plows in reverse into the car behind it, bulldozes a line of cars, pins Makepeace between bumpers. The slave trader buckles at the knees. His automatic weapon arcs wildly out of control. Stray bullets rake the helmsman. He falls. The throttle remains wide open. The ship barrels full-tilt toward a disastrous collision with a wood pier on the rocky shore.
[EXCITEMENT]
Joe opens fire on the trapped slave trader. His bullets send Makepeace into a jiggling dance. Trey moves into position for a clear shot, fires the bazooka!
The BLAST just misses the slave trader, obliterates the car that has him pinned, frees Makepeace.
TREY: Damn.
As Trey reloads the bazooka, he glimpses the pending disaster.
TREY’S POV — The ferry closes on the wood pier.
TREY: Joe! Look!
JOE’S POV — The ferry roars for shore with amazing speed.
[ADRENALINE]
Joe revs the convertible’s engine. Trey drops the bazooka, races up the aisle, dives into the car. Joe slams it into drive, hits the gas. The convertible accelerates through the ferry’s front gate, flies off the deck, lands with a bang on the pier, zips over rough beams, races a few planks ahead of the ferry as it smashes into the pier, obliterates the dock, grinds timbers to pulp as it goes.
Joe struggles to control the convertible. The ferry grinds to a halt a few planks short of shore. The convertible accelerates off the pier, whips south down Delaware Highway 9.
EXT. SHORE – DAY
Joe drives the convertible down the road. Trey gazes behind.
JOE: Is he coming?
TREY: Maybe he’s stuck on the ferry.
[RELIEF]
JOE: Maybe he’s having a cup of tea. Maybe he went and turned himself in. How did you miss that shot?!
The convertible crests a hill, disappears down the highway.
EXT. FERRY – DAY
Cars burn out-of-control on the ferry. Makepeace strides out of the inferno as if emerging from hell.
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Mark’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of keeping the action story moving, even in respite/relief. Also the importance of not overwriting each piece of action.
INT. MEGAN’S HOUSE – NIGHT
(continued from an earlier assignment)
There’s an offscreen crunch of broken glass underfoot.
Megan sits up, switches on the lights.
MEGAN: Now what?!
She glances up and freezes.
Framed in the doorway is a HIT MAN holding a gun. (Suspense)
MEGAN: What do you want?
The Man puts his gun up to her face and, as he squeezes the trigger – (Danger)
Megan sideswipes the gun aside and knees the Man hard in the balls.
He crumples, recovers and shoves her against the door of her menagerie. The door flies open and they tumble inside.
INT. MENAGERIE – NIGHT
As Megan and the Hit Man tumble in, the animals in their cages go crazy.
In the tumble, the Man drops his gun. As he bends to retrieve it, Megan kicks him into the forest of sticky moth strips. He gets inextricably tangled.
Megan relieves him of his gun.
MEGAN: Nice firearm.
Blamm!
Gunfire erupts from the next room, narrowly missing Megan, busting the lock on the Racoon cage. As TWO HIT MEN rush in, an angry RACCOON MOTHER and her PUPS leap up and fasten onto their faces.
Megan grabs a handy riot stick and lashes out at their knees, bringing them crashing to the ground. She lashes at their guns.
One Hit Man drops his gun into her aquarium [Yes, these props/animals were all set up earlier in the story]. He fumbles in the murky water, SCREAMS and leaps back, the SNAPPING TURTLE clamped to his wrist.
Megan snatches up a hand gun, fires random pellets of hard bait at the two Hit Men: by no means fatal, but they carry a punch.
Realising she’s got the wrong gun, Megan grabs a second gun from her shelf, firing off several rounds and hitting both men with sedative darts. Their actions slow and they slump, sedated and unconscious. (Relief)
Megan gathers up the raccoons and returns them to their cage.
THUMP!
A KNIFE thuds into the side of the cage.
A KNIFE MAN bursts in, wielding a large knife. (Adrenaline)
Megan snatches up a dog catcher with a long handle and loops it over his head. As much as he swings his knife, he can’t quite reach her.
Megan grabs a taser and FIRES, hitting the knife and sending shock waves down its shaft. The Knife Man crumples.
A final HIT MAN leaps in, tripping over the Knife Man. Without flinching Megan hauls him forward and hurls him into her ‘dispatch room’. She slams the glass door shut, sets the lever to ‘high’ and slams down the red button.
A cloud of gas fills the ‘dispatch room’. The hit man struggles to break out but is unconscious in seconds.
MEGAN: Never mess with pest control. We get ‘em every time.
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<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: Monica’s<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that when you break a scene down like this, it is easier to create.
Create a scene that uses all three of these Action emotions.
SET-UP: After returning from sourcing more women from an unguarded US/Canada border crossing, Victoria rats Jack out to his mother because he killed the recruiters. So Jack kidnaps her to teach her a lesson.
DANGER: Victoria has been kidnapped and is tied up. There are two goons and Jack.
INT. WAREHOUSE – LATER
Victoria wakes to find her arms tied to the back of a chair. Her feet are free. Her boots on. She looks around and sees two men wearing sunglasses. And Jack.
VICTORIA
(struggles)
Untie me.
Jack squats in front of her.
JACK
So many things have gone wrong since you came into my life.
VICTORIA
What are you talking about?
JACK
The Lost Kitten was raided. My mother’s house was broken into. You tell my mother I killed those guys.
VICTORIA
And this is my fault?
JACK
You told me you called the cops.
VICTORIA
Not that time.
JACK
What?! Who broke into my mother’s house?
VICTORIA
How the hell do I know?
Jack slaps her. Then leans close to her face.
JACK
I’m going to teach you a lesson.
Turns to Sean and the GOON.
JACK
You two out.
EXCITEMENT: Victoria goads Jack. What’s going to happen?
VICTORIA
Like the last lesson you tried to teach me. What five minutes ago? When you had to have someone help you?
Jack hits her again.
VICTORIA
You’re going to pay for that. You pathetic, failure of a man.
Jack hits her again. Laughs.
DANGER: Victoria warns Jack that he’s going to pay for hitting her.
Jack waits till the men leave. Then he turns back to Victoria. Rubs his crotch. Unzips his pants. He fondles her breast. Smirks. She smirks back.
JACK
I’m going to enjoy this.
VICTORIA
I didn’t realize what a sick bastard you really are. Tell me how long have you been screwing your mother?
Jack winds up to slap her again but…
ADRENALINE: Victoria begins to beat Jack.
Victoria brings her knee up and catches him in the groin. He yells out. She head butts him. He falls to the ground.
JACK
BITCH!
Sean and the GOON run back in and over to where she is. Still tied to the chair. She stands up as Sean comes at her.
She twirls. One of the chair’s legs catches him in the groin.
Victoria overbalances. Falls to the floor. The chair breaks. Rolls to her knees.
Unties the ropes. Picks up the spindles from the chair. Jumps up.
Sees the GOON.
EXCITEMENT: More people join the fight.
VICTORIA
Come on big boy. You know you want to.
GOON runs at her.
GOON
(growls)
ARRRRRGGGGG.
Takes a swing at her. She ducks. Brings the chair spindles down on his back. She jumps. Lands on his back.
CRACK.
He’s out cold.
TURNS.
She sees Jack trying to get up. She runs. Does a flying kick.
Catches him under the chin with her boot.
SNAPS his head back.
Claps the sides of his head with the chair spindles.
He goes down. Holds his nose.
VICTORIA
Some lesson.
JACK
My nose. You broke my nose.
VICTORIA
That’s not all I’m going to break.
Victoria grabs his hair. Pulls it back. With her other fist hits him hard. He falls to the ground.
Victoria looks at the three prone men. She bends over. Hands on knees. Breathing hard.
Victoria turns at a sound. Pivots. Crouches.
Jack pulls a gun. Shoots.
Victoria brings up the spindles. Falls. Shot.
Jack jumps up. Runs.
Daniel races to Victoria’s side.
DANIEL
Shit.
Daniel carefully turns Victoria over.
VICTORIA
(moans)
I thought you went home for the evening.
DANIEL
I followed you. First to the Baker house. Then back to your apartment. I was watching when I saw them drag you out.
VICTORIA
I think they drugged me. I don’t remember much until I woke up here.
DANIEL
Stay still.
Victoria leaks blood all over the floor. Daniel rips his shirt. Presses it to the wound.
DANIEL
Jack shot you. And now I have to report this.
VICTORIA
Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. Since the operation is under the umbrella of the R.C.M.P. But they probably won’t like it when I kill Jack.
DANIEL
Right now. I have to get you to the hospital. Here press your hand to the wound.
Victoria nods. Looks around.
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Evelyn’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is that a scene I was unsure how to write since my specialty is drama and I’ve never done a car chase or shoot out, etc. suddenly became very easy to outline, and then to write as long as I kept my focus on delivering the promises of danger, excitement, and adrenaline.
This scene takes place shortly after Mikki’s little girl Ava has been kidnapped along with their housekeeper named Pearl, and Mikki is waiting to hear from the kidnapper about the ransom dropoff details.
INT. MIKKI’S HOUSE – AVA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Mikki paces, clutching one of Ava’s stuffed toys, distraught.
The phone in her jeans pocket pings with an incoming text.
ADRENALINE. She yanks the phone out and reads a message from PEARL: man hide me and ava houseboat lake mead marina hurry!!!
EXT. MIKKI’S HOUSE – NIGHT
EXCITEMENT. The garage door opens. Reinaldo’s brand new Corvette backs out, its engine thrumming eagerly.
Mikki drives off. The Corvette is out of sight by the time the automatic garage door finishes closing.
EXT. LAKESHORE ROAD – NIGHT
The moonlit night casts eerie shadows on the sagebrush and small boulders lining the two-lane blacktop road that wends through the desert to Lake Mead.
Both lanes are empty.
ADRENALINE. The Corvette leaps into frame, going over 100 MPH as Mikki eats up the miles to the marina.
DANGER. As Mikki takes a curve in the road, two cars — a zippy little Mini Cooper and a rumbling classic Mustang pull onto Lakeshore Road from side roads.
The two cars flank the Corvette, keeping pace like an escort service.
EXCITEMENT. Mikki jams her foot on the accelerator, leaving them in her dust.
DANGER. Peg, driving the Mini Cooper on the left, jerks her wheel and slams against the Corvette’s left flank.
ADRENALINE. Mikki controls her car, keeping it steady.
DANGER. Sarge, driving the Mustang on the right, shoots out Mikki’s passenger window.
EXCITEMENT. The tempered glass breaks into small pieces that fall out of the window frame. Mikki darts a glance at the window, keeps driving.
ADRENALINE. Mikki notices her fuel gauge is in the red zone!
DANGER. Sarge, staying alongside the Corvette, aims his gun to shoot Mikki now that the passenger window is wide open.
EXCITEMENT. Mikki catches a glimpse of the gun, slams the accelerator and is nearly airborne as she zooms ahead, her glance going to the fuel gauge again and again.
MIKKI: (under her breath, to the deity of all drivers) Oh please! Just let me get to the marina!
DANGER. Sarge changes gears on the Mustang, bumps the rear of the Corvette and rides its tail like a butt-grabbing pervert.
Mikki brakes hard, wheeling into the left lane where Peg is lagging behind them but now catches up.
EXCITEMENT. Saving herself, Peg tries to avoid hitting the Corvette. She spins the wheel too hard, fishtails, goes off-road into the sagebrush, and then stalls in a drift of gritty sand.
DANGER. Sarge’s Mustang stays on the Corvette, follows Mikki’s every move like a disco dancer, slowing when she does, speeding up when she gives the Corvette more gas, shimmying to the left when she does, and then back to the right.
ADRENALINE. A pickup truck heading for the marina tries to pass them, honking, and just avoids getting sandwiched between the Corvette and the Mustang. As the truck flies off, the man juts a hand out his window and flips them a finger.
EXCITEMENT. Mikki does a sudden U-turn and slams Sarge’s car off the road. Spinning, the Corvette does a 180 and Mikki continues to the Marina.
ADRENALINE. Glancing in her rearview mirror, Mikki sees the two drivers–Peg and Sarge–get out of their wrecks and stand in the middle of the road, watching her race away from them.
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ACTION LESSON 12: Level 3 Action Emotions
ASSIGNMENT
BG’s Level 3 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment: This one really, really helped me write the initial draft of a scene I was feeling I would never be able to write.
3. Write the scene as a first draft, highlighting danger, excitement, and adrenaline.
SETUP:
Scottish moors. Moonless, windless night. REPORTER, HOSTESS, and 3 TEAM MEMBERS (TM#1, TM#2, TM#3) lie on the ground, wearing night vision goggles and small oxygen masks, crawling slowly toward the Safe House 50 feet away.Low light in the windows. TM#4 sits in one of the two cars parked behind them on the tall grass.
REPORTER operates a small drone, using a hand-held control device. The drone goes from window to window like a pollinating bee, inserting a tiny tube into any opening it can find.
REPORTER
(whispering)
Okay, I’ve injected all the gas I had. It’ll disperse and everyone will be sound asleep in minutes, if not already. Security cameras are off, everything is jammed —DANGER:
HOSTESS
Can’t believe I said yes to this thing. We can all be killed —The drone returns silently like a trained bird and lands next to the cars as — REPORTER springs forward.
TM#1 is already there, opening the door with his lock picks, revealing a shabby, dark hallway.
ADRENALINE:
REPORTER enters, holding a spray can, breathing fast, adrenaline pumping. The control device has been tucked into one of the large pockets hanging around his torso.RELIEF:
No sounds except for the faint humming of equipment — everybody is asleep! REPORTER heads straight into the sleeping quarters of the STATION CHIEF — seems like he has a floor-plan in his brain.HOSTESS
(hissing to TM#1)
Get the damn package!TM#1 consults a small piece of paper and TM#1 and TM#2 hustle to the ‘surgery’ dragging a large bag with air-holes.
SUSPENSE:
Just outside DOCTOR’s quarters, HOSTESS stops short, listening — not sure everybody is asleep!Fight / Flight / Freeze:
She freezes — everybody is not asleep! She creeps in —SURPRISE:
DOCTOR is getting up — frazzled — but holding a gun!Her arm shoots out — lifting and pulling him to herself with one hand, holding his gun arm with the other — turning toward the door with him in front of her, as —
SHOCK:
— a groggy GUARD#1 shoots at them from the doorway.As DOCTOR slumps, HOSTESS catches his gun and shoots GUARD#1 dead.
TM#3 comes up behind GUARD#1, takes his gun and makes sure DOCTOR is dead.
As HOSTESS and TM#3 arrange the bodies and the guns to make it look like a shoot-out took place —
REPORTER rushes in.
REPORTER
Oh, crap! You said there was only one guard!HOSTESS
(huffy)
And you said everyone would be asleep! Just go make sure yours are truly asleep!REPORTER rushes back to spray more sleeping gas on the sleeping STATION CHIEF and GUARD#2.
TM#1 and TM#2 hustle the large bag, with HACKER in it now, out the door — followed by REPORTER and HOSTESS.
RELIEF:
REPORTER checks his watch.REPORTER
Phew! Out the door in less than 2 minutes!They run toward the cars.
EXCITEMENT:
As TM#1 lays out the bag containing HACKER on the backseat —REPORTER
That could have gone down a whole lot worse!TM#1, TM#2, and TM#3 drive off. REPORTER and HOSTESS get into the second car. The drone is on the back seat. HOSTESS drives.
HOSTESS
So. You’re gonna hang all this on that poor woman, aren’t you?
(beat)
You didn’t think I saw you hiding financial reports among her papers, did you?REPORTER
You’re not the only one who can frame people, you know.
(beat)
Did you have to kill the doctor?HOSTESS
Hey, I wasn’t the one who shot him. Besides, he tortures people.
(beat)
So. What’s she gonna do now?REPORTER
Well, I don’t think she’ll be ordering any more ‘extreme interrogation sessions’! She’ll probably say her doctor was paid off to spring the prisoner, there was a shoot-out with security guys —HOSTESS
And she slept through it all! And where is the prisoner supposed to be now?REPORTER: On the loose?
(brightly)
Maybe they’ll ‘question’ her on what kind of transport she arranged for him!HOSTESS
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then they find the incriminating evidence in her files… Why is it always the woman who has to do the heavy lifting? -
Patricia’s Level 3 Action Emotions: Danger, Excitement, and Adrenaline
What I learned doing this assignment is that this scene actually rolls through these action emotions, as well as suspense, shock, and surprise multiple times in different ways. P.S. I accidentally did lesson 11 and 12 together.
[SETUP]
EXT. FOREST – Dawn
Frigid and silent. It’s dawn, but the light barely filters through the barren trees. Nothing stirs, until —
SNAP!
A booted foot stops atop desiccated leaves and a twisted tree branch.
[FEAR/DANGER]
FBI AGENT #1
(whispers)
Shit.
[FEAR/DANGER]
An agent in full gear, clearly freezing, winces, as the forest waits. His partner noiselessly joins him.
FBI AGENT #2
(whispers back)
You’re gonna be that loud, we could just ring the bell.
FBI AGENT #1
(chagrined)
Screw you. We don’t even know if he’s still living out here.
(muttering to himself)
Cocky son-of-a-bitch.
FBI AGENT #2
(nods)
Tell that to Jonesy.
Both agents glance behind them at a team of 10 agents, fanning out to scour the forest floor to the west — the only sound the occasional muffled rumble of distant walkie talkies.
The wind starts swirling around them as they inch over the earth, not knowing what lives beneath them.
[SUSPENSE/ FEAR]
EXT. FOREST DUGOUT – Dawn
A set of eyes come into focus amid the darkness of a dugout below the agents. Early light reveals DONOVAN, exhausted by the world, bearded and scarred, he waits. Will he escape again? They’ve never been this close.
Donovan settles a backpack on his back, secures his hatchet to it and is ready to run. No panic here — he moves through the near darkness of what looks like a warren of self-dug caves, filled with survival gear, a hacked solar cooking system, and books.
The sound of the footsteps suddenly ring hollow above Donovan. FBI Agent #1 is standing next to one of the dugout’s vents.
[SHOCK]
EXT. FOREST – Dawn
FBI Agent #1 crouches down to inspect the vent. Just as he turns to alert his partner, his weight shifts, and he shouts as he crashes down into the dugout. Writhing in pain, he comes face to face with Donovan.
FBI AGENT #1
HERE! HERE! HERE!
[ADRENALINE]
Decision made.
Donovan runs through an opening hidden by leaves, sprinting into the trees, just as FBI agent #2 responds to his partner’s warning. He grabs his walkie, as he starts to pursue.
[DANGER]
FBI Agent #2
Quadrant 4! Quadrant 4! Suspect is on the move. Agent is injured. All agents! Quadrant 4 — In pursuit.
[EXCITEMENT]
Donovan is a blur, but the much younger agent is gaining. Donovan knows he can’t outrun him, but he knows the forest. He makes a turn and suddenly —
[SURPRISE]
The young agent stops. Scans the trees around him.
FBI Agent #2
(to himself)
Where the f —
[ADRENALINE/SURPRISE]
He hears the other agents in the far distance responding to the call, just as he spies movement near the river. He crosses the distance, jumps down the bank — emptiness.
[SURPRISE]
Because Donovan is behind him coming out of the water.
[EXCITEMENT]
The agent turns, and Donovan strikes — the heel of his hand lands a punishing blow to the agent’s throat.
The young agent wheezes and staggers back. Reaches for his gun, and for Donovan’s now sodden jacket with his free hand. Donovan kicks the legs out from the agent, but the agent holds firm — sending them both tumbling into the rushing water.
[ADRENALINE]
Donovan jackhammer punches the agent’s nose — blood spraying and mixing with the river. The young agent momentarily stumbles and sinks.
Donovan turns back toward the bank, adrenaline pushing him forward.
[DANGER]
But the agent staggers after him — clawing at him — sending Donovan sprawling face down onto the muddy bank.
Donovan rolls to his side, reaching for his pack — he kicks out again, slamming the agent against the rocks. The young agent slides to the ground, still determined.
FBI Agent #2
(gasping for air)
We’re taking you —
Silence.
[FEAR/ SUSPENSE/DANGER]
Donovan is holding the hatchet.
The agent’s gun is useless. He knows it. Donovan knows it.
[EXCITEMENT]
Donovan rises.
The young agent looks Donovan in the eye. He refuses to beg.
But Donovan doesn’t swing the hatchet. He doesn’t run. He just looks at the young agent.
[SURPRISE]
And he drops the hatchet.
Laces his hands behind his head.
And waits.
[RELIEF]
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Patricia Steffy.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by
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Dan’s Level 3 Action Emotions.
What I learned doing this assignment is that I would love to do this full-time.
SETUP:
S.I.G. (Space Ice Garrison) 11: Already fully stocked and crewed, awaiting the final complement of personnel to run its orbital divisions at 100%. In geosynchronous orbit somewhere midway over Hawaii and California.
Donetta Irving – a 27 y/o Haitian beauty. Pre-ice she was the get-it-done head of logistics for the Tennessee hub of the largest money-making machine on earth: Walmart. In orbit, she is the operations officer and the ultimate instinctive problem-solver for her Space Station, and other nodes scattered around the world within reach of her comsat. Extended living in the station has given Donetta terrible island fever and she searches endlessly (and comically) for ways to stretch out and escape her physical and mental confines. Still counting her vacation days, the Wal-Mart family residing with Apex Survival Inc. receives her regular updates, complete with suggestions for running their business during the “longish winter”.
In this scene, the Ice Age has arrived early, and life on Earth is unraveling fast.
_________
The space visible outside SIG 11’s bridge is strewn with vessels and satellites. Highest-tech monitors are tracking the globe, as chain disasters CUT us in and out of the action on board SIG 11. The human v. ice age scoreboard is grim and dynamic.
SUSPENSE: Donetta stands amid some of the finest scientific minds as they rabidly hypothesize over what’s going on, unable to get a word in. Eyeing the gravitational and magnetic readings, and the ridiculously considered time the techs at the stations were taking with their thoughts, she can’t believe it.
SURPRISE: After being told to “stay calm” complete with a palm gesture by the Science Chief, Donetta quietly directs a young ensign to move them to 5x orbit at maximum speed.
ADRENALINE: The klaxon sounds with the announcement to prepare for emergency movement. Everything is dropped, and the essential crew tether in place. Donetta contacts SIG 9 over South America, asking if they are tracking the Tsunami headed their way from Okinawa. She rapid-fire orders the communications team to create SIG-based cross patches for all emergency signals. She issues an all-call to warn everything airborne to land or move to higher orbits, sharing the readings she’s tracking.
EXCITEMENT: Donetta is getting operational control of the unfolding events when a terrible, numinous CAVITATION sound escapes the planet and a series of unstable gravitropic waves ripple, radiating from the South Pole, like a spoon hitting a bowl of gelatin. Vessels and satellites still at lower elevations are crashing, flung in a flat spin, or torn apart and exploding. The bridge gasps as one as an ARC (Animal Rescue Center) and Space Carrier Group 4 are crushed and twisted in an instant, hanging dead in space.
DANGER: The resulting debris field are moving at a summed velocity of an explosion (5,454 mph) and a geosynchronous orbit (7,000 mph), so 15,000 mph shrapnel storms in every direction from every explosion. Donetta guides the ensign to head at top speed on the current heading.
SUSPENSE: The Science Chief countermands the order as the deadly fields close on them, precipitating an argument with Donetta. She listens and yields to him. They weren’t going to be able to completely dodge the storms, so he changes the heading so that the destructive interference of the storms greatly reduces the damage/number of projectiles that make it to SIG 11. Combined with shifting their shields, the damage is minimal.
RELIEF: A short-lived relief, they slowly reapproach Earth, preparing to take stock of the ongoing global catastrophes.
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Bent’s level 3 action emotions !
what I learned doing this assignment is this…….. by focusing on these feels, I’m successful in getting the captivation of the audience.
danger excitement adrenaline
EXCITEMENT
EXT. CITY – NIGHT
Santa in a sleigh followed by other elves in sleighs, they all are panicking while flying from something that is apparently after them.
ADRENALINE
One elf in the back of the pack turns around and sees demons bouncing off buildings in chase. They get closer to his sleigh.
FEAR
He’s freaking out! His life and the lives of his reindeer are about to end. The demons over power his sleigh and bring it down.
ADRENALINE
The elf falls out of the sleigh. The demons regroup and turn and face the elf. His sleigh is flipped and the reindeer can’t pull away. They are stuck.
FEAR
You can see the reindeer are scared as the demons get closer. The elf is alone and his group is distant.
The demons are closing in and their faces show an intent to kill. He hurridly releases each reindeer one at a time.
ELF- GO HOME! GO GO GO!!!!
RELIEF
One by one 3 of the reindeer take off. He has saved them. Now on to the next one.
The escaping reindeer are attacked by the demons and fall to the ground wounded.
EXCITEMENT
This elf has no choice but to fight! They are closer to him!
RELIEF
From out of nowhere Santa and his sleighs attack from behind and knock the demons away and into other buildings. Those creatures are destroyed. Their bodies melt into the cracks of the asphalt.
Santa gets out of his sleigh. Other elves get out of theirs.
EXCITEMENT
SANTA – Quickly! Get these reindeer into one sleigh and take them home!
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Andre’s Level 3 Action Emotions.
What I learned doing this assignment is …
Action movies cannot survive without these three emotions: Adrenaline, Danger, Excitement.
Definition of Danger: The state of being vulnerable to injury, loss, or evil.
How to create Danger: Create a situation where peril is imminent or they are currently in peril and more/new danger is imminent.
Suspense is being worried about future peril. Danger means the peril could happen any moment.
No monotone Danger. Alternate emotions so the level of concern audience feels, goes up and down. Going from danger to relief, then back to danger, then to even more intense danger, etc.
Danger may be combined to cause other Action emotions-fear, suspense, panic, adrenaline, and others.
Excitement
Definition of Excitement is having, showing, or characterized by a heightened state of energy, enthusiasm, eagerness, exhilaration, or upheaval.
How to create excitement:
Create something that is visually spectacular or unique.
Unique and extreme action
Through amazing terrain
Impressive explosions
Special Effects
Gun battle, extreme King Fu fights
And anything else that excites us!
Create action that the Hero has control of and/or is winning, thus giving the audience the fun side of the fight/race.
A winning Hero gives audience freedom from fear…
…causing us to enjoy the violence. We’re winning!
And this gets us excited about what happens next!
BTW, the Hero cannot win all the time! That would be monotonous. Instead, alternate moments of danger and moments of excitement. Keeps audience on their toes!
Adrenaline
Fight / Flight / or Freeze
Definition of Adrenaline: The physiological symptoms (such as increased heart rate, respiration, heightened senses) that occur as part of the body’s fight-or-flight response to stress.
How to create Adrenaline: Put my audience in a dangerous, frightening, or highly competitive situation, as well as the feelings of heightened energy and excitement.
Adrenaline is the last of
the emotions/physical responses because it can be triggered by the previous
ones-fear, shock, danger, or excitement.Twistful Set-Up: Landing On the Moon. Twisting Suspense-
Negative Twist – Positive Twist: Science/Engineering/Technology vs. human emotion.
The danger of unproven science and engineering in the vacuum of space. The excitement of human emotion fueled with adrenaline as this unproven science and technology is being explored and tested.
Dangerous Exciting New Threat Twist – Unexpected Support Twist: Untested unproven equipment.
Twisting Transition-
Plan Fails Twist – Plan Succeeds Twist: Original landing zone, no go. Adrenaline fueled Must land somewhere.
Danger Twist – Safety Twist: Learning to live with danger as the new norm.
Twistful Tragedy-
It just got worse Twist – It just got better Twist: Constant failures of expectations, new realizations based on challenges; space is dangerously hard/difficult and unforgiven.
Lost Resources Twist
– New Resources Twist: Excitement ramps up as Time, Air, Fuel, Oxygen, EVERYTHING, runs out. Adrenaline
pumps through monitored veins as this manned Ship MUST Land somewhere. Expendable
resources, far away from home.On the
moonBut not as planned.
New location. What resources remain? Oxygen, Fuel, Time, hope and confidence.Twistful Set-Up: Landing On the Moon. Twisting Suspense:
Negative Twist – Positive Twist: Science/Engineering/Technology vs. human emotion. The danger of unproven science and engineering in the vacuum of space. The excitement of human emotion fueled with adrenaline as this unproven science and technology is being explored and tested.
Dangerous Exciting New Threat Twist – Unexpected Support Twist: Untested unproven equipment.
Twisting Transition-
Plan Fails Twist – Plan Succeeds Twist: Original landing zone, no go. Adrenaline fueled Must land somewhere.
Danger Twist – Safety Twist: Learning to live with danger as the new norm.
Twistful Tragedy-
It just got worse Twist – It just got better Twist: Constant failures of expectations, new realizations based on challenges; space is dangerously hard/difficult and unforgiven.
Lost Resources Twist
– New Resources Twist: Excitement ramps up as Time, Air, Fuel, Oxygen, EVERYTHING, runs out. Adrenaline
pumps through monitored veins as this manned Ship MUST Land somewhere. Expendable
resources, far away from home.-Andre
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