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Lesson 14
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In this lesson, I learnt that i have some thriller elements in the first half, then thrills in every scene from the mid point to the climax. Adding slug lines made it easier to reshuffle scenes and improve structure and flow. Still have some story threads to tie up in a more satisfying way, as always. It’s slowly coming together. Thriller elements italicised below.
KANGAROO ISLAND feature film thriller map
EXT – ISLAND AIRPORT – DAY
Adventurous US traveller, Skyler Munro (late 20s), touches down on wild Kangaroo Island on a warm sunny morning. She meets her new boss, handsome country larrikin, Wayne Cartwright (late 30s), Skyler hoists her luggage onto ute tray where she’s greeted by two excitable sheepdogs.
INT – VEHICLE – DAY
Driving to the station, Wayne is charming; Skyler learns about remote island life, Wayne’s deep family history – and how he was once happily married but doesn’t elaborate! Wayne learns about Skyler’s rather more exciting former life in the Big Apple.
At a hectic 120km/hr, they arrive hours later in conservative wool growing country on the grassy plains of the island’s west.
EXT – SHEEP STATION HOMESTEAD – DAY
Skyler meets the other workers Lucy, Bella and Dan. Wayne proudly leads workers on a tour of the historic colonial homestead and wool shed.
Wayne briefs workers on the shearing season ahead, explains the roles of cook, yarding hands, roustabouts, wool classer and bale presser. He promises employment contracts to anyone who wants to join the team.
Late afternoon, Skyler discovers her Vodafone plan has no mobile service, no wifi, no communication with the outside world. She briefly ponders life without social media for the first time ever. Will she survive the long weeks of shearing without it?
Wayne tells the workers they will need a Telstra card or satellite phone plan to work on this part of the island. Skyler asks Wayne where she can buy one. Wayne promises to take her to town once the mustering is done.
Wayne shows everyone to their sleeping quarters; small cabins and bunkhouses dotted around the station homestead. Except Skyler’s room, which is in the main homestead.
INT – VEHICLE – DAY
Daybreak: Jovial Wayne drives Skyler and Dan at breakneck speed to the station next door to lend the neighbours a hand with some livestock husbandry.
EXT – SHEEP YARDS – DAY
Wayne, Skyler and Dan meet farmer Bill (50s), his wife Gwen (50s) and two teenage daughters. They help with lamb vaccinating, marking and tail docking – a bloody job, but one Skyler accepts as the price of enjoying meat – and a necessity for the health of breeding ewes and their lambs. She enjoys the taste of the rural Australian life she came for, discovers the neighbouring farmers are lovely people, all singing Wayne’s praises. After a long day, exhausting Bill is thankful; he invites Wayne, Skyler and Dan back for his 50th birthday party in a couple of weeks time.
EXT – VEHICLE – DAY
It’s hot driving home, Wayne slows down, pulls up outside the local pub, the only building on a long, lonely road in the middle of nowhere. Wayne invites Skyler and Dan in for a cold beer. Still wearing blood stained overalls, Skyler cautiously agrees. Dan stays outside, lights up a smoke.
INT – PUB – DAY
Skyler follows Wayne into the pub, meets Wayne’s close mate publican Tom, who runs the only business in town, with the help of two bar staff, Kati and Romy, female backpackers from Germany.
Inside, a group of Wayne’s mates shout and jeer, joking about his new girlfriend. After his smoke, Dan enters and works out what Wayne is up to. Dan responds with a put-down of Wayne for setting up Skyler for embarrassment. This infuriates Wayne.
Skyler meets Beryl, wife of a bossy school teacher, who tries to warn Skyler about something that once happened on the station but is reluctant to speak with Tom staring at her. Wayne downs the last of his beer, calls time to go.
INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT
Skyler lies alone in her bedroom exhausted after the long day’s work, almost asleep. She hears a shuffle of footsteps that stop at her door, hears a soft voice ‘Can you hear me?’ Silence. She freezes. Minutes later, she hears soft, slow whispering through the thin wall to the adjacent room. Can…… You…… Hear ……Me? Again, she ignores him.
INT – FARM OFFICE – DAY
Wayne spends several days working the phone, finally locking in four shearers who can start next week – Vinnie, Beau, Max and Kenny – for the one month job. Wayne tells the contractor he’s dealing with that he doesn’t need a woolclasser or shed hands, he’s got that covered.
EXT – HOMESTEAD VERANDAH – DAY
Wayne offers the roles of roustabout and yard hands to workers who are willing and able, telling them they need to sign those contracts today if they want to join the team.
Skyler and workers discuss how Wayne can be weird and temperamental but all agree the offer sounds decent. Besides – as Skyler tells everyone she meets – she’s on her dream working holiday of a lifetime and no one is going to stop her. She signs up.
EXT – PADDOCK OF HUNGRY SHEEP – DAY
Wayne has begun hand feeding to get the pregnant ewes through a cold winter. Wayne is throwing bales of hay to sheep from the back of the ute, driven slowly by Skyler. Wayne suddenly goes ballistic, yells at Skyler to stop. He jumps down and cradles his prize sheepdog, Max, as if seriously injured. Wayne suddenly turns and laughs at the look of shock and horror on Skyler, who thought she’d driven over Max. Skyler is relieved but shaken.
EXT / INT – OUTSIDE SHEARING SHED – DAY
The Shearers union rep, Bob, arrives on the station unannounced for a safety audit of the shearing shed. Wayne and Bob argue about workplace safety rules and regulations. When Wayne protests about the costly upgrades – coming at the worst possible time – Bob warns he may boycott the station if he’s now careful, potentially delaying the start of shearing.
Wayne fumes, eventually ordering Bob off the property in temper. But Bob refuses to be bullied and stays to finish the audit. Wayne tells Bob he is mustering sheep today so make sure you shut the front gate when you leave. When done, Bob packs up and departs.
EXT – FRONT GATE – DAY
Bob stops at the end of the long driveway to open the gate. WIth precision timing, Wayne rolls a rock down from road-side escarpment, crushing car and Bob instantly. Wayne tows the car, with Bob slumped at the wheel, to a cliff, rolls it over into pounding swell. He stands, staring proudly at his handy work below. Pulls out a mobile and rings the union office to ask why Bob hasn’t arrived yet to audit his shed.
INT – BUSTLING SHEARING SHED – DAY
Shearing has finally begun. All going smoothly, until rain arrives on the third day, and stays for days. When the shearers run out of dry sheep, shearing is suddenly halted, with no end in sight. The workers are disappointed – there’s no wet day pay – and Wayne is on edge.
EXT – WAYNE’S BOATSHED – DAY
In a bid to break the boredom, Wayne offers to take Dan and Skyler on a deep sea fishing trip. Dan declines, Skyler agrees. She loves fishing, especially deep sea fishing. They load up and drive to the boat ramp to launch.
EXT – FISHING BOAT – DAY
Wayne gives the outboard motor full throttle, hits some big swell and almost tips the boat over. Skyler’s adrenaline is pumping.
They bait up and fish in silence. Wayne gets seasick, starts heaving overboard. He looks over at Skyler who is totally fine. Wayne is bewildered.
As the sea gets rougher, Skyler reels in. But Wayne refuses, pissed off that she’s catching more than him, until he hooks a tuna that’s bigger than he can handle.
Suddenly, Wayne slips, falls off the boat. Skyler stares in disbelief, sees Wayne struggling to grip a rung in the big swell …. decides she better save him. They return home in silence.
INT – FARM HOUSE – NIGHT
Wayne receives a threatening phone call from one of his many creditors; it’s last year’s shearing contractor, Frank Wilson, who’s still waiting on his final payment. Wayne assures Frank outstanding money will be paid soon, with overdraft extension due any day.
EXT/INT – SHEARING SHED – DAY
A couple of burly guys looking like bankers in dark suits arrive at the station. They corner Wayne in the shearing shed, start roughing him up – just so he gets Frank’s message. Working nearby, Skyler is curious, suspects something sinister is happening, peaks through a hole in the shearing shed wall. She feels some pity for Wayne.
INT – FARM DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Lucy and Bella haven’t shown up for dinner. Skyler confronts Wayne, asks where they are. Wayne shrugs.
EXT – SHEARING SHED – DAY
Two weeks into the shearing, and it’s payday. Wayne pays everyone in cash. Lead shearer Vinnie is not happy, he confronts Wayne, accusing him of underpaying the shearers. They argue about the award minimum. Vinnie says he’s too old for this bullshit, walks out in disgust, leaving Wayne with the three younger shearers to finish the job.
INT – SHEARING SHED – DAY
Early morning: The shearers are sullen and dispirited, uneasy about their decision to keep shearing, instead of walking out with Vinne. When one shearer calls ‘Lousy Sheep’, they all down tools to confide. They refuse to finish shearing Wayne’s lousy sheep. Wayne argues with the shearers before finally promising to pay the full rate, once the bank overdraft comes through. Too late. All three shearers walk out anyway.
Furious Wayne declares he’ll shear the last few hundred sheep himself. But he needs Skyler and Dan to stay to pick up fleeces, sweep the floor, class the wool, press the bales and keep the sheep moving through the shed. Wayne offers a pay rise. Dan and Skyler accept.
EXT/INT – BILL’S BACKYARD BBQ AND FIRE PIT – NIGHT
It’s Saturday night: Wayne, Skyler and Dan arrive for Bill’s 50th birthday party. A big night of celebration, eating barbecue fish, drinking beer and whisky chasers, and arguing with Wayne about the latest AFL rule changes.
Come time to leave, Wayne insists he’s OK to drive home, tells Skyler and Dan to get in the ute, time to go.
Happy-go-lucky Dan, who’s drunk enough to cloud his judgment, accepts the ride but Skyler refuses – she knows Wayne drives even faster when he’s drunk too many.
Skyler offers to drive – instead of Wayne – given she’s only had a couple of drinks all night. Wayne is indignant. How dare she question his driving ability and experience. He refuses.
Skyler shrugs cooly, walks away to avoid his outburst. She takes the long walk overland by moonlight back to the homestead – map and compass in back pocket, just in case.
EXT/INT – WAYNE’S UTE – NIGHT
Tipsy Dan is slurring his words, laughing at his own jokes in the passenger seat. Wayne suddenly turns into an open paddock and floors the accelerator, sending the ute into noisy, high speed, circles of dust and wheelslip. Dan looks confused, terrified, ill. Wayne roars with laughter. When Dan falls silent, Wayne pulls out of the circle work and heads for home.
INT – FARMHOUSE VERANDAH – NIGHT
End of the third week of shearing. Wearing her most comfortable bathers, Skyler relaxes in a homemade Hot Tub on the verandah after a hard day’s work in the shearing shed. Wayne wanders up in his budgies, presumes to join her?
As soon as Wayne steps in, Skyler bales. Wayne watches resentfully as she leaves.
Later, Skyler retires to bed earlier than usual. Wayne questions why Skyler won’t watch TV with him. She politely declines and leaves.
EXT – STATION – NIGHT
Traumatised Dan wakes in the night, decides to leave immediately. He packs his belongings and walks to the road, hoping to hitchhike the two hour trip to Kingscote, the nearest police station.
Before leaving, he writes a note for Skyler but Wayne finds it before her. She never sees it and Wayne keeps her guessing.
INT – FARM KITCHEN – DAY
When Skyler rises, Dan is nowhere to be seen. His backpack is gone too. Skyler is confused. She confronts Wayne, who is evasive.
Wayne says she’s the only one he can really trust.
Asks if she’s gonna let him down too?
EXT/INT – PUB – NIGHT
Skyler agrees to another pub trip – after Wayne promises to let her drive home – hoping to quiz Beryl again.
On arrival, Skyler offers to shout, heads straight to the bar. As Kati takes her order, she leans in close to say she knows that Skyler is working for Wayne and we need to talk – in private.
They agree to meet in The Ladies in ten minutes where Kati tells how she and Romy fled Wayne’s employ months earlier, after being coerced to undress and wash cars for Wayne and his mates. How the police found out and drove straight to the station, catching them red handed. How the police helped the girls leave the station, but they let the guys off without so much as a warning.
Shaken Skyler returns to the bar where she meets with Beryl again, who finally tells Skyler “Oh, you’ll be alright dear, but whatever you do … just don’t upset him”. Skyler is more concerned than ever.
Wayne watches intently as Skyler and Beryl talk. Wayne suddenly demands Skyler leave with him now. Skyler stays calm, convinces herself she must go back with Wayne for her passport and luggage, she calmly gets in his car.
INT – UTE – NIGHT
Wayne drives in silence, gradually getting faster, more reckless.
Skyler refuses to be thrown by his driving. She demands Wayne tell her what he and his mates made the German girls do. Wayne is defensive – accuses the German girls of lying. He swings the steering wheel to avoid hitting a kangaroo. Skyler fears a car crash.
He suddenly hits a kangaroo. The jolt causes the glove box to fly open, an official-looking badge falls onto Skyler’s lap. She recognises it as belonging to Union rep Bob who Wayne ordered off the property. She grabs it, hides in her pocket, Wayne doesn’t see, keeps driving. Dread courses through Skyler.
INT – FARMHOUSE – NIGHT
Back home, Wayne has cooled down, he turns on the charm, tries to reassure Skyler she’s safe alone with him, offers to cook her a nice dinner. Skyler tells him she has a searing migraine and can’t eat. He can get her an ice pack though.
INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT
Skyler goes to her room and secures her door from inside with a makeshift lock. Wayne hears the unexpected sound of her door locking. Wayne chuckles to himself. Skyler quietly packs her passport, wallet and basic survival pack. Lies in bed, racks her brains for possible ways to escape.
She wakes around 4am to the sound of her door lock rattling from the outside. Skyler freezes, then silence. She calls out: “What are you doing?” Wayne doesn’t answer, but continues walking down the corridor to use the toilet.
EXT – SHEEP STATION – DAY
Next morning, Skyler leaves the house before dawn, she walks the property boundary, onto a dirt road, looking for any sign of civilisation. She decides to walk back towards Bill’s place next door, and simply ask for the truth about Wayne, once and for all. Am I safe with him or not?
A few utes drive past, all men at the wheel, most look groggy, some with dogs chained up in the back. Eventually a family station wagon pulls up and a friendly guy gets out, waves Skyler over.
It’s Bill. Skyler walks up to him and shares her concerns about Wayne, asks him to take her to town. Bill says of course, get in, what’s the problem? Skyler tells him the two girls left a week ago without warning and by yesterday morning, Dan was gone too..
INT – VEHICLE – DAY
As Skyler talks, Bill turns into Wayne’s driveway and takes Skyler back to the homestead. “Let me talk to him sweetie, I’m sure we can sort this out for all concerned.”
EXT – STATION – DAY
Bill delivers Skyler back to Wayne. Tells him poor Skyler got lost while out walking. She was lucky he came along. Wayne welcomes Skyler back like an old friend, turning on the charm again. Tells Skyler she’s the best worker he’s ever had, 10 times better than Dan and the others.
EXT/INT – STATION VERANDAH – NIGHT.
Around 2am, Skyler wakes from a deep sleep to the sound of vehicles honking, spotlights flashing. Wayne’s gang of younger mates gather on the verandah outside Skyler’s window, drinking and heckling her to come out and entertain them. Full of sexual innuendo. Skyler fears the worst. Wayne sits apart, wallowing in his power over Skyler, over his mates, only calling them off when Skyler passes out. She wakes at 5am to silence. Checks her clothing. All intact. She quietly gets up, peeks out the door
EXT – STATION / CLIFFTOPS – DAY
Skyler tip toes out of the house, leaving Wayne passed out on the couch. She walks towards the coastline, climbs up the highest point on the cliffs bordering the station, hoping for phone service, nothing. Skyler continues walking, now looking for signs of Dan or his belongings.
After hours of searching, she discovers him lying injured in a deep rocky crevice on a wild stretch of coastl.
Skyler calls out to him but Dan’s delirious, not making sense. Skyler pomises to return with water, food and rope to get him out. She races back to the homestead.
INT – STATION HOMESTEAD – DAY
Sullen Wayne is sitting up in front of the television watching replays of AFL grand finals he once starred in. Skyler tries to talk to Wayne – asks what last night was all about? Did you enjoy terrorising and humiliating me? What was the point of it? He ignores her. She heads outside to walk the dogs.
EXT – STATION YARD – DAY
Grumpy Wayne emerges from the house, drives to town for more supplies to finish shearing. Decides he better buy Skyler that Telstra sim card so she doesn’t shoot through on him too.
Watching Wayne from a distance, Skyler returns to the house after he leaves, starts pacing around the house, deep in thought.
INT – HOMESTEAD – DAY
She breaks into Wayne’s farm office through a window, discovers piles of unpaid bills. She sees photo of Wayne with his wife tossed in the corner. She searches furiously for his wifi password. Finally discovers it written faintly under modem. She hears Wayne’s car slowing down on the main road as it approaches the station driveway. She knows she’s got about one minute.
Skyler connects, her phone goes ballistic with incoming messages. She tears up with relief. She returns a text message from her friend Charlotte in Sydney. Shyler begs her to call the KI police ASAP. She scrambles back out through the office window, slams it shut.
Wayne returns to the house, sullen and brooding. Skyler stays calm, puts on her cheerful demeanor and offers to cook Wayne’s favourite meal. Minestrone soup. He grunts.
Wayne sees her phone sticking out of her pocket and asks why she’s carrying it around? “I’ve just been taking pics of the dogs. Here wanna see?” Wayne fobs her off. “Why would I wanna look at those stupid mutts?”.
They eat dinner in silence. Skyler goes outside to feed the dogs.
Wayne gets a call from local cop Bluey who says Sydney Police boss rang asking about a worker, apparently being held there against her will. Speaking softly, Wayne assures the cop there must be some misunderstanding. Wayne agrees to bring Skyler into the local police station tomorrow.
EXT – HOMESTEAD & SURROUNDS – NIGHT
Furious Wayne goes outside and confronts Skyler, “Yeah i will take a look at those doggie pics.” Skyler takes off outside.
Skyler and Wayne are locked in a tense cat and mouse chase through the nearby Reserve. Wayne wants to see her phone, knows she’s cracked his wifi and he’s furious..
INT – SHEARING SHED – NIGHT
Exhausted and paranoid, Wayne thinks he finally has Skyler cornered in the woolshed, demands she come out of hiding, he’s not gonna hurt her, he just wants her to promise she’ll stay and help him finish the shearing.
When she refuses, he threatens to shoot Max and Woofy. As he raises his rifle, Skyler relents, drops her mobile.
As Wayne bends down to pick it up, Skyler rolls a wool bale down onto him, from atop the wool stack, knocking the wind out of him. Injured Wayne drops the rifle, struggles to push the wool bale off. Skyler runs for the road, both dogs in tow, hoping to intercept police any minute.
Wayne’s neighbour Bill shows up at the shed, sensing Wayne may be losing control and becoming dangerous. Bill struggles to free Wayne while also trying to calm him down.Wayne breaks free, goes ballistic. Attacks Bill. They wrestle, Bill struggles to subdue Wayne.
EXT – STATION DRIVEWAY – NIGHT
Skyler sees car lights turn into the driveway. She waves her arms to grab attention.
New local police woman Margo approaches the station at a slow pace. Skyler jumps into the police car while it’s still moving. Skyler explains how Dan’s in trouble, he fell in a crevice and broke his leg trying to escape the property a few nights ago. We’ve got to get him out now!
EXT – COASTAL CLIFFS – DAY
In dawn light, Skyler leads Margo to the crevice where Dan lies injured, barely breathing. They hoist him out with ropes and give first aid. He survives.
They drive to the homestead to find neighbour Bill has Wayne in a headlock. Margo takes control, approaches the men with her handgun aimed and cocked.
Wayne is arrested, handcuffed, and taken into the station for questioning.
INT – POLICE STATION – DAY
Police declare they cannot charge Wayne with any crime. They accept he terrorised and instilled fear in his workers but he didn’t physically assault anyone. And there’s insufficient evidence to charge him with deprivation of liberty based on the employment contract terms.
Skyler retrieves the Union rep badge from her bag, hands it to the police, explaining where it came from.
The police take her statement and open an investigation. Wayne’s property is searched but no body or other evidence is found. Wayne is never charged.
Skyler moves to Sydney, becomes an Aussie, settles here. She sets up a dedicated service to support migrant workers, backpackers and international travellers working in remote locations of the world.
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Deb Delivers Irony!
What I learned… I love irony so this exercise was a little bit easier for me to execute than assignments 12 & 13. Irony is actions producing opposite intended results – or two opposing experiences happening at the same time.
New Way/Insight: What we do/don’t do impacts the lives of those around us.
Irony: REASONS: Jack’s initial reason for the quest is to appease his wife, help his son and atone for his sin – these are all the wrong reasons for doing the right thing. However, midpoint, Jack will realize that he just wants the treasure for himself. (Again, the irony is – this is still the wrong reason). Finally, at the climax, the reason will shift to: I find the treasure because the treasure is to be found (bigger than our own reason or strength).
New Way/Insight: Happiness is elusive and not guaranteed.
Irony: MOTIVATION: In the beginning, every character, including the main character, Jack, just wants to be “happy.” They are motivated by this pursuit. By the end of the story, they will realize that their motivation is not something that can be grasped or, it is only momentary. Jack’s need for happiness will dissolve… and he will embrace physical and emotional pain… knowing that these things too, are temporary. He will learn to live in the tension of both happiness and pain.
New Way/Insight: What constitutes good? What is your measure of morality and do you really meet that standard? What happens when you fail to live up to that standard – who will pardon you?
New Way/Insight: Our lives are not what we make it – and we can’t manipulate a god or The God – just like we can’t control the weather.
Irony: CREDIT: Jack strives for the treasure and gives up everything for it, but the irony is the coincidences and circumstances beyond his control that led him to it. He can’t take the credit for finding it. Rather, he can state confidently that the treasure found him.
New Way/Insight: This world is not enough. Something is wrong – something is missing. We will never be satisfied with the things the world can offer.
Irony: DEALS: Jack goes through incredible hardship and thinks he’s reached the pinnacle when he uncovers the fool’s gold (Explorer Jacques Cartier – thought Quartz was Diamond). The people who deal in this gold congratulate and encourage him to peddle it. But it’s worthless. When he comes to Land X – and sees the wasteland – it’s hard for him to believe that anything worthwhile could be buried there – but this is where the priceless treasure is.
New Way/Insight: We cannot be our own god and give lip service to the true God. We must constantly put to death our own will.
New Way/Insight: It’s in losing your life that you find true life.
Irony: WIN/LOSS: Though Jack has lost his wife, friends, and everything he owns, he’s gained a priceless treasure.
New Way/Insight: We all fall short – are wretched and unworthy of anything good and need forgiveness. It is the most precious treasure and worth more than all the wealth this world can hold.
Irony: IDENTITY: Jack has discovered the priceless treasure – this is his new identity – he no longer cares for the affection, praise, or affirmation of his wife/friends. (the very thing he wanted and hoped this quest would bring him)
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Deb:
Really enjoyed your post. You are really shining with this lesson. What an interesting script you have written!
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Thanks, Bob, it will be interesting to see how it all comes together!
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Agreed. I am working with an outline for an old script that I’m rewriting. Can already see the difference in quality and audience appeal.
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Sunil Pappu Delivers Irony!
“What I learned doing this assignment is…how easy it is to find irony to deliver insights if you just put two opposites together”
IRONY DELIVERS INSIGHT:
IRONY: Japanese occupation forces take over the country as the emperor steps down from power and pass a law that guarantees freedom of religion
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: It takes a terrible defeat to win one’s rights and freedom!
IRONY: Schools are shut as Japan reels from the aftermath of war Toda thinks it is the perfect time to launch a correspondence course for the students
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: Learning never ends!
IRONY: Doctors predict Daisaku will not live to age 30 but he goes on to live to 96 in high spirits still writing and publishing at a feverish pace.
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: You can even prolong your life if you can give it a purpose.
IRONY: Yubari coal miners’ Union which should stand to protect the rights of all workers threatens the jobs of workers who are Soka Gakkai members because they don’t support their endorsed candidate in elections violating their basic rights and freedoms.
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: Soka Gakkai members are harassed for being good workers and upright members of the community.
IRONY: Daisaku a religious leader is criticized by the media and political leaders for wanting to visit a communist country that is atheist ahead of his trip to Russia during the cold war.
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: Daisaku believes that it’s his duty to go because there are people there.
IRONY: Daisaku meets Gorbachev who envisioned Perestroika, which ultimately ended the cold war era of the Soviet Union. He says to the young Daisaku, I want to be your student and learn from you today.
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: Great leaders and thinkers are always thirsting to seek and learn from everyone.
IRONY: Daisaku visits Okinawa a place of a bloody land battle during WWII in which countless lives were lost and decides to start his novel The Human Revolution which begins with the lines: “Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel.” Then in 1977, Soka Gakkai opens its Okinawa Training Centre on the former US missile launch site.
NEW WAYS / INSIGHT: We can use symbols of the foolishness of war to transmit the message of peace to the world
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Sunil Pappu:
Your script has excellent opportunities for Irony. Enjoying your posts throughout this class.
Bob Kerr
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Thanks, Bob. Appreciate your comments.
Sunil
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Mary Albanese delivers Irony.
What I learned: Irony isn’t that hard to create when you realize it is just opposites that clash. What a great way to think of it! This reminds me of a concept that has been fascinating me for a long time — the antimony. An antimony is the situation that results when you have two diametrically opposed opposites BUT BOTH ARE TRUE. Example: Statement 1: Writing is the most public thing you can do. Statement 2: Writing is the most private thing you can do. These two statements are complete opposites. Yet both are true, which stops and makes you think. This creates big energy, and is pretty exciting. I think using antimonies is another great way to infuse irony into a script. So I will add antinomies to the bottom of my list of ironies for my script.
P14 Homework
Five examples of Irony in my script.
The irony in Opposites:
Heather learns from Guy even though he’s not really there.
Heather loses her mother’s love and finally realizes she hasn’t lost anything.
Heather gets to walk but doubts she deserves it.
Anna becomes a major executive – of a bunch of broken cars.
Ethan is locked away in an institution where he becomes a respected teacher.
Guy influences everyone the most even though he dies young.
Mr. Guth succeeds but can’t shed his hidden pain.
Maddie never walks but finds a way to save others from the same fate.
Maddie finds purpose she wouldn’t have had if she hadn’t been shattered.
Anna pushes for someone to have a meltdown, and the one who has it is herself.
These wheelchair kids are just like every other teenager. At the same time, these wheelchair kids are NOTHING like every other teenager.
Heather’s persistence is annoying. Heather’s persistence is her superpower. Two opposites, but both are true.
Ethan is greatly handicapped and will have a limited life. Ethan’s art will live on forever.
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Bob Kerr: DELIVERS IRONY
What I learned in this assignment is the opportunity to leverage irony into profound moments of my script. Amazing the power these tools are having on the quality of my writing.
WIN/LOSS: Despite being undermanned and undersized the valiant effort of the Wichita State football players, who take the field against Arkansas, is rewarded with a standing ovation. Every time WSU has the ball the crowd is cheering for them to score. Despite the support, WSU loses 62-0 but the players and coaches feel like they actually won because they showed up and the crowd clearly was on their side at the game in Arkansas. THE INSIGHT – never quit no matter the odds.
CREDIT: The Shocker football team was never recognized for the effort to just show up at the Arkansas game 23 days after the fatal plane crash. It was the first time that freshman played a varsity football game in NCAA history, but people remember the Marshal plane crash because of the film “We Are Marshall.” THE INSIGHT: Doing something great is worth the effort even if only you remember it.
DEALS: With all of their equipment destroyed in the plane crash, the players still vote to continue their season. Unable to practice with full gear till a few days before the game, the Shockers made a mark in history that is remembered in the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame. THE INSIGHT – The decisions you make in life will leave a mark in history no matter how bad the decision may seem at the time.
MOTIVATION: While the rest of the college football teams in the country were preparing for the next game, the Shockers were attending funerals for their fallen teammates. They wanted to be there for their teammates and their families. The “need” to be on the practice field that week was forgotten. THE INSIGHT – There are moments in a young mans life where you will be called upon to grow up faster than you expected. Lean into those moments.
REASONS: When John Yeros calls back to his roommates in Wichita and they are joking and laughing, he does not understand. He has spent the last five days shuttling family members back and forth to the hospitals and the airport to be with the players that survived the crash. He is very much in the moment of grief and tragedy. To hear others joking like nothing has happened he is confused and angry. They remind him the team has voted to continue the season and that they must get on with their lives. It is a moment filled with irony and profound insight. THE INSIGHT – There is a time for everything and we must move on from the grief and sadness that is part of life.
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Assignment 14
Subject line: Susan McClary Delivers Irony!
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is:
The definition of irony for film is Irony is actions that produce the opposite of the results intended, or two opposing experiences which happen at the same time.
With your list of the New Ways / Insights you want audiences to experience, go through these steps:
Step 1. What is the New Way / Insight you want to deliver?
Step 2. How could you deliver that insight through opposite experiences?
OR.
Step 1. Where could you build opposite experiences into your screenplay?
Step 2. What is the New Way / Insight you want to deliver through them?
Come up with at least five (5) different ways you can create IRONY in your screenplay and deliver an insight.1) GG sees people as a type of animal and matches them to that animal in a quiz on his new channel.
He gets a couple who turn out to be an elephant and a mouse. The elephant has been complaining that the mouse makes him nervous! Even though this is a cliche it never stops being funny and it’s being used in a new way.2) New Channel is named Dear Tabby.
3) GG gets thrown out of his own house (old way irony)
4) When people are blaming/shaming etc. GG for their own mirror issues, he mirrors them back.
5) The pets think people should be like them, GG thinks some people act like different animals.
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Ray’s Delivers Irony
What I learned doing this assignment is how to use irony to deliver an insight.
1. New Way/Insight – Eve tries to convince Mr Butler and his wife to go to church with her.
Eve tells them she wants to take them to see a movie but take them to a church event.
2. New Way/Insight – Love shows Eve how to bring Ava closer.
Ava is in her room crying because someone snuck in and trashed her room. When she opens her eyes, the room has already been straightened out. Ava asks Eve how she cleaned up so fast. Eve says, “the dolls did it”, and laughs.
3. New Way/Insight – Eve tries to study the Bible with Ava.
Eve tells Ava that she has a good book to read. She is telliing her about some of the things that happens in the book. Ava is so excited to see the book. Eve gives Ava the Bible.
4. New Way/Insight – Adam wills his house to Eve.
Adam’s brother shows up with an old will that says he gets the house. Then, Eve produces a new will giving the house to her.
5. New Way/Insight – Eve teaches Ava about dolls and enlists her help with starting the business.
As Eve is teaching Ava about the business, she is setting it up so that she is starting her business, but also starting a business for Ava. Her faith not only led to her business being started, but also for Ava, as well.
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Sharon Delivers Irony (kinda…!)
What I learned doing this assignment is…. that Irony is a great tool, and although I write with irony integral to everything, I do perhaps need more specific examples within particular scenes….. I’ll come back to this in a later draft, I think. I suspect there are additional examples that I can enhance/ include.
Anyway, in the meantime…
Insight/ New Way
– Irony
You cannot avoid your destiny.
– She’s trying to make her own life – yet that’s exactly what is pre-ordained.
You are drawn to do something in particular in life – you have a purpose. It’s ok to pursue it.
– But what you’re drawn to will expunge human life as we know it.
You will only achieve what you are meant to do over time – it’s not an immediate thing.
– She’s working on a time machine. 😊
You must CLAIM your destiny.
– She stopped waiting and claimed it….. but her destiny will destroy the world!
All good things come to those who…. take action and believe.
– She stopped waiting and claimed it….. but her destiny will destroy the world!
You can recover from adversity and loss.
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Persistence pays off. Slow and steady wins the race.
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Our place in humanity is pre-ordained, and that is our job in life. Every iota of our being and existence is driven by the past – including our thoughts, feelings, emotions, decisions – even if we think we’re in total control. So relax. And enjoy the ride.
– There are LOADS of her running around – at different stages in her life.
You are YOU. Live yourself to the max.
– There are LOADS of her running around – at different stages in her life.
Follow your heart, not your head to align with your ultimate purpose and happiness.
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Time is of the essence – use it before it runs out.
– She’s building a time machine – should have all the time in the world! But she doesn’t….
Focus on what you truly want, and it will come.
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Gord Delivers Irony!
I, too, love irony. What I learned: In one sense, irony can be built through opposites of what’s true. Or can be built by making the abnormal the new “norm.”
Screenplay – TMS (abbrev. title)
One – The Captain or “First Seat” of a commercial flight is the least authoritative position in the cockpit. Huh?
Jess introduces Augie, a new arriving senior pilot with an airline transport pilot certification, to the big airplane. He puts Augie in the captain’s seat or “First Seat.” But Augie learns to his shock that the “First Seat” is actually the bottom rung of authority within the cockpit where it is the easiest job among the three crew positions. Augie must take orders and follow the direction of the crew who are the ones who truly keep the plane in the air where all Augie must do is fly by taking directions. Augie is further advised that, should he survive his first several nights, that perhaps he might earn his way to the “Second Seat” or the co-pilot’s position.
In the usual course of flying, the captain or “First Seat” is in charge and gives orders. But here, surprisingly, it’s not true. The coveted seat is, in fact, the co-pilot’s seat or “Second Seat,” who is in charge and gives orders.
Two – Danger is the new norm.
In the normal course, commercial pilots avoid all known dangers. But in this story, Jess and crew fly directly into known dangers, which is inapposite to how proficient airline transport pilots are trained.
On Augie’s initial flight he will have the crap sacred out of him numerous times. If he survives and can “take it,” he will learn that this is the “new norm” away from all that he thought was prudent and typical. Because, every nighttime flight involves edge-of-your-seat, “anything can happen,” dangerous flying, at least to the uninitiated. Later on, following a few flights, Augie recognizes the wisdom behind the method where this is the only way they can accomplish the task. And this is likely the safest method of doing so.
Three – Being shot at, is a good thing.
Back when there were no electronic navigation aids such as GPS to help determine one’s position, and particularly on the African continent where no other helpful nav. beacons were available, navigation was done celestially or by “DR” or “dead reckoning.” DR is the process of calculating the current position of a moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and incorporating estimates of speed, heading (or direction or course), and elapsed time to determine one’s approximate position while moving. When obtaining another “fix” or finding the next known location, navigators would adjust course accordingly and would begin the process anew.
With the flights described in this story, navigating is even more tenuous where all flying is done at night to avoid being detected by the enemy. Thus, known positions must be determined by another method where, in this story, the crews are flying blind. Little does Augie know that the next “fix” known to Jess and crew is when they are shot at by antiaircraft guns.
Augie, who is on his first flight is scared s#$%less when the plane is shot at. Not only that, but he also can’t believe Jess and Bull remain calm while he’s soiling his pants. That’s because Jess and crew know exactly where the big guns are located. When, therefore, Jess looks at a chart and calmly says to Augie that being shot at “is a good thing,” Augie thinks he’s flying with a madman. Of course, this is entirely counter to Augie’s sensible world. But nothing is sensible in this world. So yes, being shot at, is a good thing.
Four – The Pope’s Emissary is a fugitive from justice.
Father Tony becomes the Emissary for the Vatican and negotiator for the Pope when organizing an airline to fly humanitarian missions, to help stop the starving of young children who are victims of a war tactic. But Tony, a true Catholic Prist and exemplar “man of the cloth” is dubbed Nigeria’s Most Wanted Fugitive. Why? According to Nigerian leadership, Father Tony’s intermeddling into the war, by organizing these humanitarian flights, has protracted the war and caused greater casualties. It’s a lie, of course.
Five – The hero is a coward.
The core of the story is that Jess, the lead protagonist, is a true hero. He faces death nightly while supplying humanitarian aid to a starving nation. He goes beyond the job of mercenary pilot, saving the most important man behind these missions, a Catholic priest dubbed a “most wanted fugitive” by the enemy (more irony) and helping to even the score in favor of the victims of this most unfair war. But in truth, he does all this because he cannot face what he fears the most, fessing up to, and apologizing to family for his misgivings. He would rather face the dangers of this war than face the perils of being rejected by family.
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