Lesson 14

[Bob Rowen]

Bob Rowen’s Great Action Set Piece!

What I learned doing this assignment is how to “build in meaning” to an action scene.

OUTLINE OF ACTION SET:

Set Up: Several prior scenes lead up to the failed showdown between Edgar and Prater in the following barroom fight scene. But there’s more to Edgar and Far-West’s plan.

Pre-Action

· Gracie’s barkeep connects with Prater after the Minus 66 accident.

· Prater becomes involved in a police brutality case.

· Edgar denies Prater access to AEC regarding removal of Station 14.

· Prater unsuccessfully seeks union support for nuclear whistleblower protection.

· Prater brazenly confronts nuclear plant management regarding radiation safety.

· Corporate headquarters responds with a plan to go after Prater.

· McCrea informs Prater trouble is brewing but keeps sources close to his chest.

Action

· Prater, Forrest and three other supporters are in Gracie’s playing pool.

· A dozen Company men led by Edgar enter and a nasty fight breaks out.

· Prater and Edgar go at it one-on-one. Prater puts down Edgar, his boss.

· A patron calls police.

· Several policemen enter and side with Edgar and his men.

· Barkeep escorts Prater and supporters into the storeroom and out the back of the building.

Post-Action

· Forrest is suspended then fired; but Edgar is really after Prater.

· Prater takes up a collection for Forrest and his family.

· Edgar engages Prater in front of many key witnesses in the reactor control room.

· It’s a set-up. Prater loses control and strikes Edgar. Prater is fired.

· Prater discovers a secret police document that makes him a national security risk. Does Edgar and the Company win?

· Prater meets Dr. Kasun. Prater becomes a full blown whistleblower seeking protection.

9 PLACES FOR UNIQUENESS:

1. Environment: Gracie’s Pizza Hut & Pool Hall.

2. Rules: No fighting and decent behavior.

3. Villain: Large number of Company men opposed to Hero and his few supporters.

4. Mission: Hero’s need to defend the truth.

5. Struggle: The clash between Company’s Big Lie and Hero’s Whistleblowing.

6. Unique Skillset: Hero’s military hand-to-hand combat and escape-and-evade training.

7. Meaning: Company men serving notice on Hero and his few followers.

8. Allies: The police show up in support of the Far-West Company men.

9. Weapon: Brass knuckles, Billy club, pool sticks, pool balls, chairs, broken bottles.

STRATEGIES TO ELEVATE THEM:

A. What if…?

Villain: The plant’s nuclear engineer leads the Company men.

B. Take to an extreme.

Mission: The plant’s nuclear engineer faces off with Hero.

C. Specific to character or environment.

Mission: Hero lays out his boss, the plant’s nuclear engineer.

D. Shocking or Surprising.

The police show up and side with Company men.

E. Go opposite.

Allies: Gracie’s barkeep sides with Hero and his supporters.

F. What haven’t we seen?

The escape route Hero and his supporters use to leave the scene.

[Gary Holland]

Gary Holland – Great Action Set Piece

Setup – The criminal sends ten space fighters to go after the artifact inside the Earth fighter.

Pre Action – The hero and scientist are pleased with the performance of their new fighter… unaware of the danger that looms.

Action – The enemy fighters come out of nowhere and pursues the hero… they are lead to a remote area of Nevada. The aerial assault is intense… main weapon, ENERGY SPHERES. The hero evades at ground level, spewing debris in their wake… close combat through mountain peaks and other trickery to pick the enemy off one by one… until one unfortunate turn sets the stage for the destruction of Las Vegas. After the devastation, the hero must confront the dreaded BLACK ENERGY in the cockpit.

Post Action – They manage to escape death, but compromise the artifact along the way. The scientists talk and actions lead the hero to believe that she knew this was coming.

The scientist admits that the artifact transmitted an activation signal into deep space and they couldn’t stop it. The hero cuts her some slack, because she just saved them from a gruesome death… they must regroup and head to the safe house.

[Frances Williams]

Frances Williams Great Action Set Piece.

What I Learned doing this Assignment is how to set up great Action sequences.

Set Up,

Alexis and her daughter are sitting on a bench on a subway platform waiting for a train to arrive.

Pre-Action,

Two men dressed in Black approaches them on the platform.

Action – They attempt to grab her daughter and fight ensue, they fight fist to fist until guns are drawn.

Post Actions,

Alexis discovers a sealed document that detsils a secret past of the Prime Minister.,

9 Places for uniqueness,

1. Environment – Covenant Preparatory School.

2. Rules No Smoking on School Grounds.

3. Villain Russian Mafia,

4. Mission Hero must rescue the Prime Ministers daughter before it’s too late.

5. Struggle,

6. Unique Skillsset Kung Fu, Extreme Fighting,

7. Meaning,

8. Allies – CUA, Special Forces,

9. Weapons Drones, Laser Guns. Attack Dogs.

Strategies To Elevate Them

A. What If?

Villain What if the Syndicate turned against the Mon and became Government Informants,

Rules / Allie What if no fighting in School. became fighting allowed like a sport in a ring like boxing.

Take to an Extreme

Weapons They use Drones that carry Nukes,

Specific to character or environment.

Mission was to stop an Nuclear Attack by Russia

[Beth Zurkowski]

Beth Zurkowski Great Action Set Piece! What I learned doing this assignment is How to use the guides to make my story better.

Take an Action Set Piece from your outline and use the steps above to turn it into an amazing experience for the reader and audience.

1. Build in the meaning.

· Set up: Plan: get Naya out of Velda”s house because it’s not safe. After they leave there is a huge explosion and it knocks them down. Naya and Velda are in an argument.

· At the rendezvous with sheriff; Naya’s relatives show up.

· Pre-Action: Velda fights Naya’s relatives to distract them from Naya and Darshes escape with the aid of the sheriff.

· Action: The fight scene

· anxiety Velda hears footsteps behind them. She looks behind herself but it’s dark and she doesn’t see anything.

· Fear The footsteps are faster.

· relief Velda sees a kid chasing a ball behind her. Relief washes over her.

· surprise It’s Naya’s brother’s footsteps.

· shock They have guns.

· suspense Velda and Naya make a run for it.

· danger More of Naya’s family members close in.

· excitement The Brazilian dance ensues. Velda finds resources in a sword shop. She wields a sword and sheild.

· adrenaline. The family captures Naya then Velda stops them from taking her.

Post-Action: After
winning the fight Velda and Naya get away.