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Lesson 13
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DAY 13- Bob’s ‘Delivers Insights Through Conflict’ examples.
What I learned doing this assignment is that conflict serves multiple roles. Yes, it creates continued interest in how things are going to work out, and yes, it gives the audience a rooting interest in the main character’s success, but it also allows for some profound moments to reveal themselves. That idea is a lightbulb moment for me.
New Way/Insight #1- I want to deliver the idea that revenge leads to retaliation which creates a rapid downward spiral of misery for all. I want the audience to see the Old Malvolio’s blind rage gave him a few moments of gratification but potentially, years of misery. (Sir Toby and his small group all played in the dirt and got caught up in retaliation, to everyone’s detriment.)
New Way/Insight #2- I want to deliver the idea that the character who acts out of pure, blinding revenge suffers the most. (Malvolio’s deep-seated fear of being disrespected and disliked came true in the strongest terms.)
New Way/Insight #3- I want to deliver the idea that the character who is quick to forgive eventually gets rewarded for his actions. (Fabian, the baker is quick to release Malvolio from out of the dark even after years of verbal bullying.)
New Way/Insight #4- I want to deliver the idea that everyone can sense a phony poser who tries to curry favor with higher status people. (So, rather than others seeing Malvolio as an able steward, he is seen as an obsequious suck-up.)
New Way/Insight #5- I want to deliver the idea that posing and arrogant behavior is often a response to fear of not being good enough, but if you stop a moment and look deeper, you’ll see the truth is, you ARE good enough. (Despite his shortcomings, Malvolio has many fine attributes that only got revealed after he let his rage go and tried to make amends.)
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Bob–This is very clear. Did you know all the insights you wanted to deliver before you did this course?
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Joan-
To answer your question: no. I’ve realized these insights in this course only. I came into it with just a vague outline of my play. So each day is opening new doors of understanding. And I intend to go back to at least one other full-length play and use Hal’s questions to help me make that one stronger. Thank you for asking. It made me see how lucky I was to take this class.
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Bob–Me too.
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DELIVER CHALLENGE/NEW WAYTHROUGH CONFLICT
What I learned: I like my profound message coming during an argument between two secondary characters. Conflict keeps it from being too “on the nose.”
Profound message spoken by secondary characters in conflict:
Petra (Gaia’s boss): Why can’t you understand that women go back and forth to our houses because it’s part of the process!
Gaia (Selma’s mentor and boss): While women are going back and forth, they endure more pain and more misery. And they can get killed. Counseling on-site can save lives!
1. Selma stops blaming herself for her mother’s death. Selma honors her mother by holding her father responsible for her death.
Conflict: Selma and Gaia argue about Selma’s need to blame herself.
2. Selma asks for help. She needs Elizabeth’s friend to keep Elizabeth at the transition house.
Conflict:
Elizabeth’s friend: You lied to Elizabeth and now you want me to help you?
Selma: Yes. Do you want her to go back to her abuser?
Elizabeth’s friend: Of course not.
3. Selma is willing to open up and talk about herself.
Conflict:
Elizabeth: That was rough.
Selma: I don’t usually talk about myself, but since I know so much about you…
Elizabeth: You grill me and now you want a heart-to-heart? I’m not interested.
4. Elizabeth understands Mark is not a good man.
Conflict:
Selma: It’s called gaslighting.
Elizabeth: Get away from me You don’t know anything!
Selma: I know you’re not crazy.
Elizabeth: You’re wrong. I am crazy. I have to be.
Selma: Why?
Elizabeth: Because.
Tears flood Elizabeth’s face.
Elizabeth: Don’t you see?
Selma looks confused.
Elizabeth: He said I was delusional… l was afraid I’d hurt her…
Her eyes. Her hair. She was so beautiful. And her feet were so tiny…
Please say I’m crazy.
5. Elizabeth understands Mark is in control.
Conflict:
Selma: He controls everything.
Elizabeth: Stop hammering at me.
Selma: Well, doesn’t he?
Elizabeth: Yes!
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Vivien’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
What I learned doing this assignment is that conflict can force a character to face themselves (their wound, truth, need, want, hope, etc…) or reveal themselves to others. Conflict can also create a deeper level of understanding, hence, empathy among the characters.
1. Conflict 1: An argument provokes the person to tell the truth.
Insight: Father reveals that when Mother lost Anthony’s older brother when he was one year old, she nearly had a nervous breakdown. He fears that the news of Anthony’s death will destroy her.
Conflict: Alicia is a principled person who value integrity. She loathes deception. When Father tells her about his decision to keep Mother in the dark about Anthony’s passing, she denounces it as unethical and unfair to Mother. She insists that Mother has the right to know about her son’s death.
2. Conflict 2: Conflict uncovers a secret.
Insight: Anthony has a secret girlfriend Cindy, who is pregnant with his child.
Conflict: Alicia meets with Anthony’s former roommate Marco to discuss Anthony’s life. Marco tells Alicia about Anthony’s girlfriend Cindy, who he kept secret from his family, and suggest that she tells her about Anthony’s death. Alicia declines. She asks Marco to keep his promise to not reveal the news to anyone because it may get leaked to Mother. But when Marco tells her that Cindy is six months pregnant with Anthony’s child, Alicia is caught in a dilemma about the right thing to do.
3. Conflict 3: Conflict brings out the true nature.
Father has a heart attack and is hospitalised overnight. He plans to lie to Mother that he is spending a night at his friend’s. Alicia insists that Father tells Mother the truth.
Insight: Despite her cold demeanour, Alicia loves her parents deeply.
Conflict: Alicia does not want Father to act like a superhero and shoulder all the family’s misfortunes. She believes that his overly protective attitude toward Mother is not only detrimental to his health but also undermines Mother’s ability to deal with life problems. She plans to take Mother to visit Father in the hospital.
4. Conflict 4: Conflict uncovers an emotional issue.
Alicia quarrels with Mother about her obsession with Anthony.
Insight: Alicia craves her mother’s love.
Conflict: Alicia becomes irate when Mother constantly ask about Anthony’s wellbeing. She wants to talk to him, to see him, to send money to him, etc… Alicia tells Mother that she only saw Mother twice in 12 years and all Mother talks about is Anthony. She tells Mother that she came to Australia to spend time with her, but if Mother has no time for her then she’ll go back to Los Angeles.
5. Conflict 5: Conflict uncovers an emotional issue.
Insight: Alicia feels profoundly guilty for not coming to Australia to see Anthony since he moved to Australia with the family 12 years ago.
Conflict: When Alicia comes to Australia to attend Anthony’s funeral, she’s shocked to hear that Father has had him cremated. She reproaches Father for not giving Mother an opportunity to say goodbye to her son. Father asks Alicia if she regrets for not seeing Anthony all these years.
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Ashley’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
This method forces me to think of creative ways to deliver the new way/insights. I put down all the places where the insights might be able to be delivered, but will see if it works as I get to each scene.
New Way: Malinche owns her strange ability to use her voice and communicate with birds.
– Argument with Jeronimo provokes Malinche to use her voice.
– Competition with Francisco “the Aztec” about the role of translator in Hernando’s crew.
– Conflict with Itzamna leads to uncovering Malinche’s superpower.
– When her superpower is discovered by Emperor Montezuma in the Garden of Coatlicue.
– Malinche has nothing to lose on the altar ready to be sacrificed to the gods and gives the speech of a lifetime.
Malinche owns her voice and superpower, using it to lead the people.New Way: The hierarchal society is dismantled and it is a flat playing field.
– After Hernando burns down the ships, he says that no-one is leaving the New World, no matter their social class.
– Argument between Itzamna and Emperor Montezuma. Itzamna points out that the Mexica’s hunger for more power makes the tower taller, so tall that it will eventually fall.
– Power struggle with the lower classes. They are discontent with the status quo and get riled up.
– Power struggle with the noble class and Malinche.
New Way: Everyone is a ‘foreigner’, as each person has a unique gift. ‘Foreigners’ make the collective stronger.
– Falsely accused by Emperor Montezuma, as she is a ‘foreigner’
– During Malinche’s first speech to the people of Tenochtitlan, she admits to being a ‘foreigner’ in her own homeland and communicates the new way. However, afterwards she is falsely accused of trying to take power by the elite and is sent to death.
– Communicated symbolically during a hostile chess game against the noble men.
New Way: Playing “small” and living in fear doesn’t serve yourself or the world.
– Argument with Itzamna when she lies about hiding her gift. The truth comes out.
– Malinche experiences loss, particularly the loss of her infant son, as she thinks she is being sent to die.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Ashley Sarikaya.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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Marilynne’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
What I learned doing this assignment is…I kept coming back to arguing as the form of conflict rather than exploring the whole range of conflict types.
Old Way – New Way/Insight – Conflict
1. OW-Chloe makes life decisions based on other people’s expectations
NW-Other people make decisions in her life only if she lets them. She is capable of making her own deliberate, conscious choices.
Conflict uncovers an emotional issue – Chloe has a weekly Zoom call with her family (mother, father, younger brother, older sister). It starts off as a regular update, everyone chatting. Then someone asks when she will be back. There is a pause, then Chloe says she thinks she will stay for a while. The immediate response is no, her place is at home. Then everyone is talking, arguing at the same. Chloe raises her hand to get everyone’s attention. When the noise dies down, she declares she’s not thinking about it, she has decided to stay another year. End of discussion.
2. OW-Feels nothing measures up to her expectations of “what might have been”
NW-Makes the most of opportunities that are all around her to work with others and change people’s lives for the better. This is her purpose.
Conflict uncovers loss. Chloe often bemoans the fact that her life could have been great, should have been great. Finally, Rose Marie has had enough. She confronts Choe directly with all the opportunities she has had, the ones that are right in front of her. Rose Marie understands this constant referral to “what could have been” is about loss and Chloe’s expectations not meeting reality.<s></s>
3. OW-Is irritable and impatient with the people she works with because they don’t solve problems as quickly or efficiently as she does.
NW-Other people’s opinions are as important as her own in problem solving. Takes time to listen to other people.
Conflict uncovers a misunderstanding – Chloe routinely argues with a woman named Amara who could almost be her twin, they are so alike. Amara is responsible for the community care program that looks after women and their newborn babies for a few days. Their programs could be and should be complementary. However, they are equally irritable and impatient with each other. Each day they exchange snide words and comments until one day a woman who is a patient needs help and they have to work together to help her. Working together helped them realize they each had valid problem-solving strategies.
4. OW-Chloe attempts to solve problems in her unsuccessful program as a solo effort
NW-She realizes the importance of including local expertise in program planning and marketing and starts to include experts in her planning
Conflict uncovers competition – Chloe presents her plan for advertising her local program for pregnant women. Eduardo strongly disagrees with her plan. He shows her data that demonstrates how successful his plan has been. She realizes the important contribution he could make and invites him to be a member of her team.
5. OW-Chloe believes in science, numbers and statistics
NW-She connects with the real women behind the numbers
Conflict uncovers arrogance. Chloe presents the program statistics – the number of pregnant women in the larger community, average age, number of births and deaths. As she works in the program, she gets to know many women in the community. When she begins to talk about “death rate as just a number” at a local meeting, several people start to argue with her. It’s not a death rate, it’s Luna and Imani and Makena and Sade. Chloe knew these women too and she recognizes there are real women behind the numbers.
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Brenda Boddy – Delivers insights through conflict.
What I learned: This script is built on action and conflict. I went through the scenes, trying to find additional areas to ‘show’ discord.
—Kit talks to Karma in her truck. She doesn’t believe she’s a goddess. He badgers her with singing until she tries her powers out.
–Karma injures someone in her first real use of her powers…
KARMA
(chastened)
That was a cluster-fuck. I didn’t want to act, and you said all that courage bullshit.
KIT
I also told you…”You’re not ready”.
KARMA
You didn’t tell me I was dangerous. I just injured someone.
KIT (V.O.)
Your powers are growing.
KARMA
I don’t want powers that hurt people.
KIT
They’re yours. Get control. You aren’t very…God-like yet.
–Karma doesn’t want the powers if she can hurt people. Kit tries to make her see things in a different way.
KIT (V.O)
That’s nice. I was talking about your confidence, not your sparkle. You look like a comic book. But this might work…Fake it till you make it.
KARMA
It doesn’t change how I feel about fighting or hurting someone.
KIT
When Thamia attacked you, there was an instant reaction to protect yourself. What about those who can’t protect themselves?
KARMA
That’s not fair.
KIT
Someone must stand in the way of chaos, or it will spread.
KARMA
I felt out of control.
KIT
You have to practice.
KARMA
Fine…Fine, let’s do this.
–Zeus needs Karma to find his Godstone. He appears as a young suitor and gives Sobin the wrong idea.
KARMA
(hissing undertone)
I can’t believe you just did that.
ZEUS
That boy radiated interest in you. Gods dating humans never works out. The female always ends up holding the bag…or the baby, if you know what I mean.
KARMA
You would know.
Karma walks furiously toward her truck. Zeus runs to follow.
KARMA
Who I date is none of your business.
ZEUS
I’m your father. I have a right to be protective.
KARMA
Since when? Fifteen minutes ago? You don’t get to come down here and tell me what to do.
Karma gets in her wooden truck.
–Karma is reluctant to get involved again.
POSEIDON
I believe Thamia knows where my Godstone is.
Karma watches the side of the cake recreate itself with new cake and frosting.
KARMA
I don’t understand. Are you guys just morons?
Karma waves her hands around her head, as another cherub floats too close.
KARMA
Don’t these things have radar…? I got the shit beat out of me last time. You need to find someone else to get your stone.
POSEIDON
We don’t have anyone else.
–Karma has just lost her nana. When the dust settles, she is quietly mourning in her own way.
Karma is slumped back in the tub, bubbles up to her neck, eyes closed, head tipped back. Mascara tears streak her face.
KIT (V.O)
Your dad is here. When you’re ready to talk.
She takes a deep drink from her wine bottle. Plunks it down beside the tub.
KARMA
Go away. I want my life back.
ZEUS
There’s no going back. Thamia will be coming for you.
Zeus is leaning against the truck when Sobin arrives.
Sobin heads for Zeus, his jaw set.
SOBIN
Karma has a black eye.
Zeus straightens.
ZEUS
Yea…
Sobin grabs Zeus’s shirt front, slamming him against the truck.
SOBIN
And my daughter just got injured–both incidents happened right after you started hanging around.
Zeus pushes Sobin back. Violently.
ZEUS
If you weren’t dealing with your daughter right now, I’d give you a lesson in manners. Stay away from my Karma.
SOBIN
Your Karma? If I find out you had anything to do with what’s happening around here, I’m coming after you. And if Karma wants me gone, she’ll ask me.
ZEUS
You snotty-nosed cub.
Zeus punches Sobin in the face. Sobin jumps forward and the two tangle in a brawl.
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JD’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
I learned that starting at end of a scene – the desired insight – can help craft the best way to reveal it. And conflict is a powerful way to expose the truth.
Fear of water (secret) – During Jake’s first dive during training, he has a panic attack. He almost drowns because he starts doing everything wrong. When the trainer rescues him from the water, Jake goes on the offensive and starts claiming that the trainer prepared jake’s gear wrong. Jake gets argumentative and abusive. The trainer has to put Jake in his place and hits back, knocking jake to the floor of the boat. Trainer, “You know damn well that I prepped you properly! What the hell happened down there?” Jake, “I’m scared of the water.”
Value of treasure (perspective of reality) – Jake whittles a mermaid. Bartender, “That’s nice! You could sell that.” Jake, “It’s nothing. Just passing the time.” Bartender, “Nothing? One day, someone will find that on a deserted island and put it in a museum as an artifact.” Later… Jake begins to value his latest woodcarving – a mermaid like Lana. A young boy steals it. Jake is furious. He chases the boy until the chase is interrupted by the boy’s mother. The kid’s mother looks at the carving. “Why are you so upset over this piece of junk?” And throws it at Jake’s feet. Jake drops to his knees, picks up the carving and caresses it like it is the most valuable object in the world.
Same as a prostitute (true nature) – Jake is a gold digger, literally. Bartender, “These women at the bar are just like you. They give you sex, you give them money. You stop giving them money, then they don’t need you anymore.” (beat) “Your clients give you money, and you give them gold and treasures. They stop giving you money – now you don’t need them anymore.”
Value of self (emotional issue) – Lana, “You’re just a grave robber. You must be pretty proud of yourself, stealing from the dead.” Jake, “They don’t need it anymore!” Lana, “Don’t they? Maybe they don’t. But maybe their people do. Maybe it’s important to their people; to their history; to their memory; to their spirit.” Jake, “My dad left my mom when I was seven, and my mom died in a boating accident when I was eight. They didn’t leave me anything. No one ever gave me anything. I’ve always had to take it.”
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Tom’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
What I learned doing this assignment was how to identify key points of conflict that could act as setups or payoffs toward the new ways or profound truth. Through that I was able to see how scenes could be rewritten to have a greater impact on the audience by starting with the end result in mind.
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Chhimed Delivers Insights Through Conflict
What I learned doing this assignment is that protagonists need to be challenged in their habits and worldview if we want them to grow.
NEW WAYS and INSIGHTS
Step 1. New Way / Insight you want to deliver?
<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>New Way: Sharing yourself with others instead of dealing with everything on your own.
<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Insight to deliver: The more you let people in, the more you are seen, known, and loved.
Step 2. What kind of conflict could that insight show up in?
A friendship where the “best friend” for decades doesn’t know a major part of the protagonist’s life or something very monumental that happened in their best friend’s life, resulting in disaster or loss of life due to not sharing information.
Step 3. Brainstorm ways to deliver the insight through the conflict.
i. There is a crucial magical object that only works with true friends, but when A.V. and D. go to use it, thinking they’ve got this in the bag, it doesn’t work because of A.V.’s secrets from D. For once, D is mad.
ii. At a party game with a desperately needed cash prize, another friend duo wins because know each other inside out. When they lose that money, D. confronts A.V. about her “privacy.”
iii. A.V.’s first relationship with A. broke up because of A. cheating on her, but there was also some distance created by A.V. not sharing herself or revealing information.
iv: A.V. wants to share something important with a respected, loved, and significant person to her, but that person dies. A.V. realizes that without sharing herself, she is brutally alone in the universe.
v. Because A.V. refuses to disclose to anyone, even her best friend, where she goes to spiritually and emotionally recharge, she ends up falsely accused of robbery. If convicted, it would destroy her professional reputation as well as her personal life as she has no alibi for the day and time of this crime.
Five different ways you can use conflict to express an insight:
1. Keeping your less desirable traits from others 1) doesn’t work, and 2) can actually hurt people.
2. If we don’t fully know each other, what is friendship really based on?
3. Emotional distance creates physical, emotional, and mental distance.
4. To truly feel we belong, we must be known to others. Sometimes we have a limited amount of time to express things, so we’d better do it while we can.
5. Stubbornness in holding onto individual pride will destroy our life.
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