Lesson 2

[Robin Fellows]

WIM+AI – Module 4 – Lesson 2
Robin’s The Deeper Layer

MY VISION: I aim to make my writing flow naturally, like second nature, crafting stories that resonate globally and leave a mark, backed by a supportive team who really get what I'm about.
Today, I learned that exploring Jake and Veronica's hidden agendas makes their secrets compelling for the audience. It also gives the actors portraying these roles a chance to show their acting range.
Deeper Layers:
Jake Reynolds:
Surface Layer: Jake is a detective struggling with addiction while investigating Dr. Thornton's murder.
Deeper Layer: Jake harbors guilt over his partner's death, which fuels his addiction and self-destructive behavior.
Major Reveal: Jake discovers that his partner's death was orchestrated by the same corrupt officials involved in the current conspiracy.
Influences Surface Story: Jake's personal vendetta against the corrupt officials becomes intertwined with his professional duty to solve the case, driving him to take greater risks.
Hints: Flashbacks of his partner, Jake’s reactions to certain clues, and subtle mentions of past cases that went unsolved.
Changes Reality: Jake's realization forces him to confront his own demons and seek redemption not just for his partner’s death but for all the lives impacted by the corruption he failed to see.
Structure:
Beginning: Jake is introduced as a detective with a troubled past, assigned to investigate a murder.
Inciting Incident: Jake finds a connection between the murder and high-level corruption.
Turning Point 1: Jake confronts his superior, Captain Rodriguez, revealing the corruption within the force.
Act 2: Jake and his team devise a plan to gather evidence against the corrupt officials.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Jake discovers that his partner's death was orchestrated by the same officials, deepening his resolve.
Act 3: Jake faces a major setback, including Adrian’s betrayal and his own relapse into addiction.
Turning Point 3: Jake confronts his addiction, determined to bring down the corrupt officials.
Act 4 Climax: Jake leads a daring operation to expose the corrupt figures, culminating in a confrontation at the Syndicate’s stronghold.
Resolution: The truth is revealed, justice is served, and Jake finds redemption and closure.
Veronica Blackwood:
Surface Layer: Veronica is a cunning criminal mastermind controlling the Dominion Syndicate.
Deeper Layer: Veronica's ruthless ambition is driven by a traumatic past of poverty and betrayal.
Major Reveal: Veronica was betrayed by a close associate early in her rise to power, fueling her distrust and ruthlessness.
Influences Surface Story: Veronica's paranoia and need for control lead her to make increasingly desperate and reckless decisions.
Hints: Flashbacks to her past, her reaction to betrayal, and her obsessive need to control information and people.
Changes Reality: Veronica’s vulnerability is exposed, making her a more complex antagonist and setting up her eventual downfall.
Structure:
Beginning: Veronica is introduced as the manipulative leader of the Syndicate.
Inciting Incident: She learns about Jake’s investigation and decides to eliminate him.
Turning Point 1: Veronica targets Maya, believing she holds key information that could threaten her.
Act 2: Veronica orchestrates schemes to maintain her control and eliminate threats.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Veronica’s past betrayal is revealed, showing her vulnerable side and explaining her ruthless behavior.
Act 3: Veronica faces setbacks as her control starts to slip, leading to desperate measures.
Turning Point 3: Veronica’s vulnerability is exploited by Jake and his team, leading to her downfall.
Act 4 Climax: Veronica’s empire crumbles as the truth is exposed, and she is brought to justice.
Resolution: Veronica faces the consequences of her actions, and the Syndicate’s power is dismantled.
Maya Chen:
Surface Layer: Maya is a skilled data analyst aiding Jake’s investigation.
Deeper Layer: Maya's involvement is driven by a personal vendetta against the Syndicate for wronging her family.
Major Reveal: Maya’s father was a whistleblower who was silenced by the Syndicate, and she has been seeking justice ever since.
Influences Surface Story: Maya’s personal quest for justice adds depth to her motivations and strengthens her resolve to uncover the truth.
Hints: Maya’s reactions to certain evidence, mentions of her father, and her determination to see the case through.
Changes Reality: Maya’s personal connection to the case adds emotional stakes and aligns her fate with Jake’s mission.
Structure:
Beginning: Maya joins the investigation, using her skills to analyze data and uncover clues.
Inciting Incident: Maya finds evidence linking the Syndicate to high-level corruption.
Turning Point 1: Maya is targeted by the Syndicate, leading to her capture and interrogation.
Act 2: Maya’s capture and eventual escape deepen her resolve to bring down the Syndicate.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Maya’s personal connection to the case is revealed, adding emotional depth to her involvement.
Act 3: Maya continues to assist Jake despite the risks, uncovering crucial evidence.
Turning Point 3: Maya’s analysis leads to a breakthrough, providing the team with the final piece of the puzzle.
Act 4 Climax: Maya’s data analysis plays a key role in the climactic operation to expose the Syndicate.
Resolution: Maya finds justice for her father and validation in her skills, contributing to the city’s healing process.
Additional Structure:
Jake Reynolds:
Beginning: Introduced as a troubled detective, struggling with addiction.
Inciting Incident: Assigned to Dr. Thornton's murder case.
Turning Point 1: Discovers corruption within the police force linked to the case.
Act 2: Teams up with Maya and Adrian, facing dangers and uncovering more evidence.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Discovers the connection between his partner’s death and the current conspiracy.
Act 3: Faces setbacks, including Adrian’s betrayal and his own relapse.
Turning Point 3: Confronts his addiction and resolves to expose the corrupt officials.
Act 4 Climax: Leads the operation to expose the corruption, culminating in a showdown at the Syndicate’s stronghold.
Resolution: Finds redemption and closure, bringing justice to the city.
Veronica Blackwood:
Beginning: Introduced as the manipulative leader of the Syndicate.
Inciting Incident: Targets Jake’s investigation.
Turning Point 1: Decides to eliminate Maya as a key threat.
Act 2: Orchestrates schemes to maintain control and eliminate threats.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Her past betrayal is revealed, showing her vulnerable side.
Act 3: Faces setbacks and takes desperate measures to maintain control.
Turning Point 3: Her vulnerability is exploited, leading to her downfall.
Act 4 Climax: Her empire crumbles as the truth is exposed.
Resolution: Faces the consequences of her actions, and the Syndicate’s power is dismantled.
Maya Chen:
Beginning: Joins the investigation as a skilled data analyst.
Inciting Incident: Uncovers evidence linking the Syndicate to corruption.
Turning Point 1: Targeted and captured by the Syndicate.
Act 2: Escapes and deepens her resolve to bring down the Syndicate.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Her personal connection to the case is revealed.
Act 3: Continues to assist Jake, uncovering crucial evidence.
Turning Point 3: Analysis leads to a breakthrough in the investigation.
Act 4 Climax: Plays a key role in the operation to expose the Syndicate.
Resolution: Finds justice for her father and validation in her skills.
5 New Plot Layers:
Hidden Agenda of the Syndicate:
Deeper Layer: The Dominion Syndicate is not just involved in local corruption but is part of a global network aiming to destabilize governments and create a new world order.
Influence: This revelation expands the stakes of Jake’s investigation, making it a battle against a larger, more formidable enemy.
Hints: International connections, unexplained resources, and hints of global coordination.
Changes Reality: Jake’s mission becomes more urgent and dangerous, as he realizes the broader implications of the conspiracy.
Jake’s Secret Benefactor:
Deeper Layer: An unknown benefactor has been subtly aiding Jake’s investigation, providing him with crucial leads and resources.
Influence: This benefactor’s true identity and motives become a key mystery, adding a layer of intrigue.
Hints: Anonymous tips, unexpected resources, and clues left for Jake.
Changes Reality: The benefactor is revealed to be a former Syndicate member seeking redemption, complicating Jake’s feelings of trust and betrayal.
The Double-Cross:
Deeper Layer: One of Jake’s closest allies is secretly working with the Syndicate, planning to betray him at a critical moment.
Influence: This betrayal adds tension and suspense, as Jake must navigate the investigation without knowing who to trust.
Hints: Inconsistent behavior, hidden communications, and misleading advice.
Changes Reality: Jake’s strategic plans are compromised, forcing him to adapt quickly to survive and succeed.
The Lost File:
Deeper Layer: A missing file from the police archives contains evidence that could dismantle the Syndicate and implicate high-ranking officials.
Influence: The search for this file drives the plot forward, as Jake and his team face obstacles and dangers to retrieve it.
Hints: References to past cases, mentions of missing evidence, and leads pointing to hidden locations.
Changes Reality: The file’s contents reveal the full extent of the corruption, pushing the climax to a new level of intensity.
The Fall of Rodriguez:
Deeper Layer: Captain Carla Rodriguez is not just complicit but is a key player in the Syndicate, using her position to manipulate both sides.
Influence: This turns Rodriguez from a reluctant accomplice to a primary antagonist, intensifying Jake’s personal and professional conflict.
Hints: Hidden communications, unexplained decisions, and direct orders from Rodriguez.
Changes Reality: Jake’s battle becomes even more personal, as he must confront his superior to expose the truth.
5 New Character Layers for Protagonist (Jake Reynolds):
Survivor’s Guilt:
Deeper Layer: Jake feels intense guilt over surviving an incident that killed his former partner, which is the root cause of his addiction.
Influence: This guilt drives his self-destructive behavior and deepens his need for redemption.
Hints: Flashbacks, emotional reactions to similar situations, and references to his partner.
Changes Reality: Understanding Jake’s guilt provides insight into his motivations and adds depth to his quest for justice.
Family Connection:
Deeper Layer: Jake’s estranged sibling is involved in the Syndicate, complicating his personal and professional life.
Influence: This revelation creates inner conflict for Jake, torn between familial loyalty and his duty to the law.
Hints: Subtle mentions of family, a mysterious figure helping him, and clues leading to personal connections.
Changes Reality: The sibling’s involvement forces Jake to confront his past and resolve deep-seated family issues.
Secret Protector:
Deeper Layer: Jake has been secretly protecting a key witness or victim related to the case, risking his career and life.
Influence: This protection adds a layer of complexity to Jake’s actions, showing his dedication and moral code.
Hints: Unexplained absences, hidden safe houses, and anonymous help to certain characters.
Changes Reality: The reveal of the protected individual’s identity and importance changes the stakes of the investigation.
Hidden Skill:
Deeper Layer: Jake possesses a specialized skill or knowledge from a previous career (e.g., cyber forensics, military tactics) that he’s kept secret.
Influence: This skill becomes crucial in overcoming obstacles and defeating the Syndicate.
Hints: Subtle demonstrations of skill, past references, and sudden expert advice.
Changes Reality: This hidden capability shifts the balance of power, giving Jake an unexpected advantage.
Unfinished Business:
Deeper Layer: Jake is driven by a need to solve an old, cold case related to the current conspiracy, which involves a personal loss.
Influence: This connection adds emotional weight to his investigation, making it more than just a professional duty.
Hints: References to unsolved cases, personal items related to the cold case, and emotional responses to related clues.
Changes Reality: Solving the cold case ties up personal and professional loose ends, providing Jake with closure and motivation.
5 New Character Layers for Antagonist (Veronica Blackwood):
Reluctant Leader:
Deeper Layer: Veronica never intended to become a criminal mastermind; she was forced into the role by circumstances and is looking for a way out.
Influence: This reluctant leadership adds depth to her character, showing a more vulnerable side.
Hints: Moments of hesitation, regretful looks, and secret attempts to find an escape.
Changes Reality: Veronica’s vulnerability can be exploited, making her a more complex and relatable antagonist.
Lost Love:
Deeper Layer: Veronica’s ruthless demeanor stems from the loss of a loved one who was taken by the corrupt system she now controls.
Influence: This loss fuels her actions and explains her deep-seated hatred for betrayal and weakness.
Hints: Personal mementos, emotional reactions to similar situations, and mentions of a tragic past.
Changes Reality: This layer humanizes Veronica, making her actions more understandable and adding tragedy to her character.
Secret Benefactor:
Deeper Layer: Veronica is secretly funding social programs or charities, trying to atone for her actions in a twisted sense of justice.
Influence: This adds complexity to her character, showing a hidden desire to do good despite her criminal activities.
Hints: Unexplained charitable donations, hidden accounts, and mentions of anonymous benefactors.
Changes Reality: This layer creates moral ambiguity, making it harder to view Veronica as purely evil.
Manipulated Pawn:
Deeper Layer: Veronica is actually being manipulated by a more powerful figure in the shadows, who uses her as a pawn in a larger game.
Influence: This shifts the power dynamics, showing that Veronica is not the ultimate villain but a puppet in a grander scheme.
Hints: Subtle commands from unseen figures, fear of unknown consequences, and hidden threats.
Changes Reality: Revealing the true mastermind behind the scenes adds a new level of complexity to the plot.
Secret Child:
Deeper Layer: Veronica has a child she has kept hidden to protect them from her dangerous world.
Influence: This hidden child explains some of her ruthless decisions as efforts to secure a future for them.
Hints: References to a secret life, unexplained absences, and protective actions.
Changes Reality: The existence of the child adds emotional stakes and creates potential leverage for Jake and his team.
By integrating these deeper plot and character layers, the screenplay gains complexity and emotional depth, making the story more engaging and multifaceted.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Robin Fellows.

[Sunil Pappu]

Sunil Pappu’s Deeper Layer!

My Vision: I’m a successful produced writer who specializes in female-led thrillers.

“What I learned from doing this assignment is… creating a more interesting deeper layer and as a result having a breakthrough in creating a more convincing surface layer that can cause a bigger surprise when revealed.

• Surface Layer: Ria’s mission is to intercept messages to help the rebel divers locate and disrupt the supply lines of the Pakistani military to East Pakistan.
• Deeper Layer: Ria’s secret mission is actually to plant false intelligence to expose the traitor in the crew
• Major Reveal: Ria uncovers evidence of Vikram’s betrayal when the Pakistani military hits the wrong port. She plants false intelligence only Vikram would have coordinates to confirm.
• Influences Surface Story: Ria doesn’t trust any of the crew not because she is afraid they are all men but that one of them is a traitor. Vikram’s absence on a dinner date with Ria where he tries to sneak into Ria’s quarters and covers up with seduction when she catches him going through her messages. Captain Desai as a corrupt officer influenced by fame and money is the red herring of the story.
• Hints: Lt. Rehman who saved Vikram’s life while illegally crossing the European border on falsified papers warns Ria not to trust Vikram and his charming persona. Ria asks to carry a sidearm on board for protection and is refused by Captain – she knows there is a traitor amongst them. Ria tunes into other frequencies and decodes communications between merchant vessels – gets reprimanded by Capt. Desai for straying from the mission of interception naval communications. Vikram uses his charm with Captain Desai to get access to the military codes to communicate to his Pakistani Admiral when his messages are intercepted by Ria.
• Changes Reality: From seeing Ria and the crew with barely trained divers on a decommissioned ship making inconsequential attempts to sabotage supply line vessels on the East Coast to a more nefarious scheme of infiltration and exposing a traitor and intercepting top secret messages that drastically change the direction of the war and create a permanent blockage that can end the genocide.

• Surface Layer: Cdr. Vikram is loyal to his rebel crew
• Deeper Layer: Cdr. Vikram wants personal vendetta against the rebels for his sister and has ideological beliefs that are opposed to theirs.
• Dramatic Reveal: to audience – when he kills Lt. Rehman underwater and blames it on Ria’s negligence; to the crew – TP3 when Pakistani frogmen sabotage their ship to sink it.

• Surface Layer: Ria’s father was dishonourably discharged from duty
• Deeper Layer: Secy. Varma blamed his failure due to misinformation on Ria’s father who served honorably to save the mission.
• Dramatic Reveal: Ria deciphers an enemy communication that leaks an audio file that reveals Secy Varma’s cover-up

• Surface Layer: Ria is decoding merchant ship communications with the Pakistani Navy
• Deeper Layer: The enemy radio operator was her colleague before going to Pakistan and it’s now a battle of wits to prove the best spy radio operator – an unfinished bet they had made upon graduating from the British academy where they were trained together.
• Dramatic Reveal: Ria identifies a unique signature in one of the messages and responds with her own to confirm the identity of the enemy operator.

• Surface Layer: Cdr. Vikram believes that his sister was killed by Rebel forces
• Deeper Layer: His sister actually marched with the rebel forces and was massacred by Pakistani military
• Dramatic Reveal: Ria discovers a hidden communication that she reveals to Cdr. Vikram when they are underwater and after that she beats him down to complete her mission.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Sunil Pappu.

[Harry Rankin]

Harry’s Deeper Layer!

My vision for success from this program is:
To create scripts freely when working with producers, directors and cast, and sell award-winning work to create a lifestyle confident of financial freedom.

What I learned from doing this assignment is: This feels like the foundational building block.

Surface Layer: The happy couple are on the space mission, but an accident leaves them alone and expecting a birth.
Deeper Layer: The world has been descending into a spiral of territorial disputes, all based around financial reward. Extremes of capitalism have rendered the climate toxic and stress levels are so high that war is beginning to break out everywhere.
Major Reveal: Harrison is behind the shuttle crash
Influences Surface Story: Folk on earth are desperate for release from tension. What they get is a re-focus. On the origins of mankind and what we should all be striving for.
Hints: Press announcements. Hints from Harrison’s press secretary. Unit nurse’s wholesomeness.
Changes Reality: What humanity needs is a way off planet. What we are going to get is a new messiah?

Beginning: Training camp
Inciting Incident: Pool rescue
Turning Point 1: Weightless sex
Act 2: Mission commences
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Crash
Act 3: Pregnancy announced
Turning Point 3: Rescue fails
Act 4 Climax: Birth
Resolution: What happens now…? (ie messiah moment)

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Harry Rankin.

[Pat Fitzgerald]

The Deeper Layer – Module 4 Lesson 2
Pat Fitzgerald’s Deeper Layer
My vision is to have fun completing this class with a contest-winning script that will establish me as a courageous and original writer.
What I learned from this lesson is that my story would be just plain stupid if I hadn’t taken the time to discover my characters’ subtext. And as always, letting go of perfection allowed my creativity to flow. I don’t think of any of my current decisions as static – the best may yet be waiting for me to discover it.

Tammi Jenkins
Surface Layer: Tammi is an amoral woman who feels she has the right to determine when another person’s life should end.
Deeper Layer: Raised by a domineering mother who insisted that she was always right and Tammi did everything wrong, Tammi is obsessed with constantly proving that she is never wrong.
Major Reveal: Tammi finds her mother in a memory care facility, but Mom’s memory remains sharp on the subject of Tammi always making wrong decisions. This ignites fury in Tammi and the compulsion to perform darker pranks.
Influences Surface Story: Once she’s a resident in the retirement village, Tammi hears constant complaints over her cohorts hating old age. She decides there’s nothing wrong with putting them out of their misery.
Hints: Tammi becomes a leader of the pack in the retirement village, organized activities so she can keep track of who – according to her- still enjoys life and whose time needs to come to an end.
Changes Reality: When Tammi watches her mother try to dominate everyone in the memory care facility and sees how others brush off Mom’s domineering ways, Tammi realizes she’s been over reacting and needs to quit being so judgmental.

Violet Pankowski
Surface Layer: Violet is a follower who enjoys helping Tammi pull her cruel pranks.
Deeper Layer: She has always resented Tammi for her insistence on always being in charge and sees Tammi’s taking up residence in the retirement home as her chance to take revenge.
Major Reveal: Violet succeeds in putting a resident “out of her misery” without first getting the okay from Tammi.
Influences Surface Story: Violet and Tammi start having more and more arguments over the pranks that they pull.
Hints: Violet steals a bracelet from a retirement home resident, gives it to Tammi who wears it in front of the resident, which causes Tammi to look like the thief – much to Violet’s delight.
Changes Reality: Violet has always been the one who has been surreptitiously in charge of she and Tammi’s, including one gone wrong in high school that led to someone’s death. Violet was thrilled with this power and is happy to have Tammi once again aiding in performing so-called acts of mercy.

Modified 4 Act Structure
Beginning: Tammi watches with glee as her husband falls from a ladder and crushes his skull.
Inciting Incident: Tammi moves to a retirement village and is reunited with her high school bestie, Violet Pankowski. When Violet suggests returning to the fun of mean pranks, Tammi agrees, to break the boredom of retirement village living.
Turning Point One: Violet knows Tammi’s car has bad breaks, but unknown the Tammi,she lends the car to a village friend who constantly complains over hating old age. Th friend dies in a car accident.
Act Two: Needing to regain control over Violet, Tammi suggests they perform an elaborate ceremony in which they declare themselves “angels of mercy,” vowing to end the lives of retirement home residents whom they deem no longer have quality of life.
Act Two Turning Point: Tammi tries unsuccessfully to end the life of a man with dementia, but Violet takes over and succeeds, justifying her actions because it frees the man’s wife to continue her life without the burden of her husband’s dementia.
Act Three: Tammi is diagnosed with terminal cancer and starts to question her decision to put others out of their misery – she sees value in life that is not a perfect life.
Act Three Turning Point: Violet learns of Tammi’s diagnosis, and Tammi realizes she may be on Violet’s hit list.
Act Four Climax: Tammi and Violet face off, each trying to do the other in.
Resolution: After a cat and mouse competition Tammi and Violet both end up dead – nobody wins.

Antagonist: Violet Pankowski
Beginning: Violet and Tammi had been besties in high school. Both delighted in pulling mean pranks on their classmates, but Violet was secretly jealous that Tammi was the dominant one in their relationship.
Inciting Incident: Violet is conflicted when Tammi moves into her retirement village. She’s happy to have friend with whom she can identify, but fears that Tammi will once again dominate her life.
Turning Point One: Despite jealousy over Tammi’s popularity in the village, Violet is happy to revive the cruel pranks they pulled in high school.
Act 2: Violet takes part in Tammi’s “angel of mercy” ceremony while she vows that she will someday get her revenge on Tammi for thinking that Violet must always be the follower.
Act 2Turning Point/Midpoint : Violet succeeds in ending the life of a man with dementia, something she knows Tammi had tried to do and failed.
Act 3: Violet takes Tammi on a tour of the village’s memory care unit, suggesting that, perhaps they should set fire to it and put all these folks out of their misery.
Turning Point 3: Violet impersonates Tammi when she phones Tammi’s doctor and learns that Tammi has terminal cancer.
Act 4/Climax: Violet decides to take the ultimate revenge on Tammi, but Tammi eludes her making Violet increasing furious.
Resolution: Violet takes dangerous steps to pursue Tammi and makes a fatal mistake that leaves both of them dead.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Pat Fitzgerald.

[Bob Creager]

Bob Creager’s Deeper Layer
VISION: As a screenwriter, I aspire to craft highly unique, high-concept stories that intrigue from the first glance and reach an A-list storytelling level at my own pace.
What I learned: So much progress in developing the characters and laying out their parallel stories. Keeping The Sixth Sense foremost in mind, helps to develop the deeper layer.
1. Each piece of the puzzle:
The main characters:
Nicholas Samichlaus, aka Santa Claus, aka The Vampire and Isabella Clark, Interpol agent, vampire hunter, love interest of Nicholas
Surface Layer: Isabella is in town because of the report of vampire attacks starting on Christmas Day. Nicholas is in town to feed on humans.
Deeper Layer: Nicholas, as Santa, attacked and killed Isabella’s parents on Christmas Day 25-30 years ago. He accidentally harmed Isabella who is traumatized by the vampire attack and her subsequent inability to have children inflicted by Santa magic.
Major Reveal: Two-part reveal. Nicholas’ rival vampire reveals to Isabella (act 3 reveal) that Nicholas is a vampire. Nicholas reveals that he is Santa during the act 4 climax when he uses Santa magic to fight his rival.
Influences Surface Story. Nicholas uses Santa magic to hide his vampire activities by slowing time, levitating, glamouring
Hints:
Nicholas disappears before each attack.
Bite marks smell of candy, may have a Santa trademark. He always has a candy cane.
Kozlov cryptically refers to Nicholas’ dual curses when he reveals the vampire.
Images on social media show a Santa-like figure at many/most crime scenes. (Nicholas could be stalking Isabella.)
Children charismatically attracted to Nicholas.
Nicholas displays uncanny skills in entering buildings.
After the vampire reveal, Isabella has a flashback of a series of shots showing Nicholas’ Santa-like laugh, Nicholas at the crime scenes.
Changes Reality: Learning that Santa is also a vampire and the reason for his longevity allows Isabella to overcome her hatred of vampires and allows her ask Santa for her wish, to have children.
2. Merging the deeper layer hints with the character journeys
Nicholas Samichlaus
Beginning: Nicholas is the charming but reclusive Santa Claus figure who is also a cursed, immortal vampire plagued by bloodlust. He displays uncanny skills in entering buildings undetected.
Inciting Incident: Interpol agent Isabella arrives to investigate the "12 Days of Christmas" vampire attacks committed by Nicholas due to his bloodlust, which seem to start every Christmas Day when he is in town to feed.
Turning Point 1: Despite his dual vampire/Santa nature, Nicholas feels an undeniable romantic connection to Isabella as she unknowingly investigates him. Children are charismatically attracted to Nicholas.
Act 2: Struggling between his Santa persona and vampiric urges, Nicholas continues his deception while Eirlys warns this path will lead to tragedy. He uses Santa magic like time slowing and glamours to hide his vampire activities. Bite marks on victims smell of candy and have his Santa trademark.
Turning Point 2: Just as Nicholas and Isabella's feelings grow, Kozlov exposes that Nicholas is the killer vampire she hunts, making a cryptic comment about his "ancient curses", though his Santa identity remains secret.
Act 3: Shaken by Isabella's mission to eliminate him, Nicholas considers confessing he is also Santa Claus, before Kozlov horrifically reveals just his vampirism. Isabella sees images on social media of a Santa figure at crime scenes.
Turning Point 3: Kozlov's revelation of Nicholas' vampire nature shatters Isabella's feelings. She has a flashback showing Nicholas' Santa laugh at old crime scenes. She is unaware he is also Santa as he prepares to battle Kozlov.
Act 4 Climax: Battling Kozlov on Epiphany Eve, Nicholas channels festive Christmas magic fused with his vampiric abilities.
Resolution: Breaking Kozlov's curse, Nicholas finally reveals to Isabella that he is the true Santa Claus, embracing his calling as the protective Santa figure with her. Learning he is Santa allows Isabella to overcome her vampire hatred.
Agent Isabella Clarke
Beginning: A determined Interpol agent haunted by supernatural tragedy in her childhood. She is in town investigating reports of vampire attacks starting on Christmas Day. She is cynical about Christmas.
Inciting Incident: Isabella arrives to investigate the deadly "12 Days" vampire attacks.
Turning Point 1: Isabella feels an inexplicable romantic spark with Nicholas, whom she believes is just a toy designer, even as she pursues him as a suspect. Nicholas seems to disappear before each attack.
Act 2: As feelings grow, Isabella remains oblivious to Nicholas' attempts to deceive her with his supposed toy designer persona. Nicholas always has a candy cane on him.
Turning Point 2: Just as Isabella and Nicholas connect, she learns he is the killer vampire, and shockingly, her orders are to eliminate him.
Act 3: Determined to follow her duty, Isabella prepares to take down the vampire Nicholas, until Kozlov horrifically exposes more about his true nature first. The reveal helps Isabella realize Nicholas killed her parents on Christmas 25-30 years ago when she was harmed by his Santa magic, leaving her unable to have children.
Turning Point 3: Kozlov's reveal of Nicholas' monstrosity as a vampire shatters Isabella's feelings for him and belief in Santa/Christmas.
Act 4 Climax: During the battle against Kozlov, Isabella must decide if she can overcome her hatred to spare the vampire Nicholas.
Resolution: Seeing Nicholas break his curse through an act of selfless love reveals he is the real Santa Claus, restoring Isabella's childlike wonder. Learning Santa is a vampire allows her to ask him to grant her wish of having children. She chooses to be with the human-protecting Santa.
AI PROMPT
5 New Plot Layers:
1. Nicholas is the original Santa Claus from the 4th century, cursed with vampirism as punishment for his greed, doomed to bring joy one night then feed his hunger the next.
2. The "12 Days of Christmas" killings are an ancient vampiric ritual Nicholas must perform every century to temporarily sate his bloodlust and maintain his humanity.
3. Isabella's parents were turned into vampires by Nicholas centuries ago but kept their identities secret, making Isabella an unwitting hunter of her own undead parents.
4. The conspiracy within Interpol involves a vampire cult seeking to free an ancient evil by collecting the souls of the immortals like Nicholas.
5. Nicholas' rival Vladimir is his own vampiric creation from centuries past who now seeks to usurp his master and claim dominance over the vampire world.
5 New Character Layers for Protagonist:
1. Nicholas has an estranged vampire daughter he turned centuries ago who is unaware of their connection and working against him.
2. His "toy designer" career hides his true role as the creator of iconic Christmas legends and lore over the ages to spread wonder.
3. He is the last of an ancient bloodline of immortal beings who were the inspiration for Santa Claus and must continue the legend.
4. His constant battle against the monster within is a metaphor for addiction, with each feeding plunging him into darkness he must overcome.
5. Nicholas has the ability to shapeshift, explaining his timeless appearances but also making him unsure of his true original form.
5 New Character Layers for Antagonist:
1. Isabella is a Dhampir – a half-human/half-vampire hybrid, unaware of her true supernatural heritage.
2. Her vendetta against the supernatural is motivated by misplaced guilt – she inadvertently led the vampire that killed her parents there.
3. She is descended from an ancient lineage of vampire hunters whose duty is to protect the secrecy of the immortal realm.
4. Her inability to have children stems from a vampiric curse placed on her bloodline for past transgressions against their kind.
5. Isabella's determination hides deep self-loathing – she projects her self-hatred of her own potential supernatural nature onto others.
I ran the prompt a second time against a previous prompt in order to focus the response.
5 New Plot Layers:

Nicholas was turned into a vampire by Krampus, the anti-Santa figure, as punishment for failing to live up to Christmas ideals.
The "12 Days of Christmas" killings are actually sacrifices needed to break an ancient curse that binds Nicholas' soul.
Isabella's parents were willingly turned into vampires by Nicholas after their "murder", trapped in undead form.
Crimson North was founded by Nicholas centuries ago as a sanctuary for vampires to co-exist peacefully with humans.
Interpol is actually aware of the supernatural world and uses Isabella to monitor/control Nicholas.

5 New Character Layers for Nicholas:

He is the original Santa Claus from ancient pagan times before being corrupted into a vampire.
His vampirism is slowly stripping away his Santa magic, requiring him to feed to maintain his powers.
He has a secret child from a past romance, with the bloodline key to breaking his curse.
Nicholas genuinely wishes to retire and pass on the Santa mantle, but his curse won't allow it.
He was betrayed long ago by a loved one, igniting his self-loathing and struggles with darkness.

5 New Character Layers for Isabella:

She is a reformed vampire hunter who killed her own turned parents out of mercy.
Her vendetta hides subconscious guilt over failing to save her parents from their fate.
Isabella is unknowingly the key that can break Nicholas' curse due to her strange childhood link to him.
Her determination stems from being underestimated her whole life due to her gender.
She is slowly developing a sympathetic fascination with the supernatural she was taught to destroy.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Bob Creager.

[Edward Lusk]

ED'S DEEPER LAYER

MY VISION is to be a bankable, reputable, and industry go-to writer who’s demonstrated how to entertain and hold an audience’s attention through unforgettable characters and stories that are as enjoyable to write as they are to watch.

What I learned doing this assignment is by creating another layer to the story adds story intrigue and character development that was not there with the surface layer. The deeper layer creates more opportunities for interest and big reveals adding entertainment value.

Act 1: Introduction to the Old Ways

1. Beginning:

Opening Scene: At Santa’s North Pole, two boys, one human (young Howie) and one elf (Jasper), play in the toy factory. The elf must suddenly leave, promising to return.

– Transition: Santa takes young Howie’s hand, and they disappear in a sprinkle of stardust. Howie awakens in the Great Hall of Winterberry Manor, surrounded by his family, who wonder where he’s been.

Current Day: Christmas chaos at a fragrance counter. Howie, now an adult, is spritzing samples and using humor as a defense mechanism. A customer refers to Howie as an “Elf” which somehow gets under Howie’s skin.
A peculiar customer, Jasper, hidden under an oversized Santa hat, sparks Howie’s curiosity and reluctant attraction. Howie asks Jasper if they’ve met before?

2. Inciting Incident:

– Howie’s boyfriend sees him with Jasper and accuses him of flirting, leading to an ugly breakup. Store Santa (Howie’s best friend, Jesús) intervenes, tussling with the BF, trying to win Howie’s favor.

Jasper makes a cryptic comment about them being on the “naughty list” and disappears, leaving behind now oddly polite shoppers. Howie quits his job on the spot.

3. Turning Point 1:

Back the the North Pole Photograph Castle, Howie reminisces while sitting on Jesús’s lap (dressed as Santa) complaining about his estranged family.

– Family Introduction: At Winterberry Manor, Grandpa Nick texting Howie while and Grandma Evie clean up a big mess around the hearth, hinting at the broken chimney’s significance. They worry it won’t be fixed by Christmas Eve.

Jesús encourages Howie to accept his Grandpa Nick’s invitation to Winterberry Manor, convincing him it’s better than being alone for Christmas. They drive up before the storm hits.

Act 2: Exploration and New Challenges

4. New Plan:

At Winterberry Manor, Howie and Jesús are shocked to find Jasper working there as a caregiver. They suspect Jasper might be scamming the grandparents. Grandpa Nick assures them everything is fine and hints at the need for a traditional Christmas and sacrifices must be made.

Howie wants Jasper gone bust in conflicted over his attraction to him. Jesús all too willing to help.

Howie confides to Jesús he finds a unexplained connection to Jasper that he wants to explore. Jesús would just love to be a North Pole elf and live the Christmas Spirit everyday.

5. Plan in Action:

– Jasper and Jesús conspire and compete creating Hallmark-style Christmas moments with Howie, which are both disastrous and insightful.

Howie and Jasper grow closer Jesús’s jealousy intensifies. He tries to sabotage their relationship while seeking to win Howie over.

Grandma Evie hopes for family healing and encourages Howie to reach out to his parents, though he resists. She subtly hints at secrets about Howie's past and their family legacy.

– Jasper rejects Howie for reasons he can’t explain but promises it’s for Howie’s benefit.

6. Midpoint Turning Point:

– Jasper reveals he’s an elf and explains the magical chimney’s significance. He needs Howie’s help to fix it and save Christmas.

– Howie and Jasper bond over their shared experiences of rejection—Howie by his family, Jasper by the North Pole elves. Their relationship deepens as they work on the chimney repair. Howie’s elfin heritage is hinted at more clearly.

Act 3: Reevaluation and Conflict

7. Rethink Everything:

The chimney requires Howie’s enactment of the true Christmas spirit to function, paralleling Howie’s need for inner transformation.

Howie discovers his grandparents have protected Christmas magic for generations. His family’s rejection was to keep him safe from the magical dangers linked to his elfin heritage

– Howie learns he’s part-elf, explaining his connection to Christmas magic and Jasper. His family misunderstood his coming out, thinking he was revealing his elf heritage otherwise he be lost to the North Pole forever.

8. Turning Point:

– Jasper confesses he’s had feelings for Howie since their childhood meeting. The group’s efforts to repair the chimney fail, leading to accusations and hurt feelings.

– Grandpa Nick must choose between focusing on the chimney or addressing family issues. Grandma Evie struggles with unresolved family rifts. Jasper contemplates staying with Howie versus returning to the North Pole.

Act 4: Climax and Resolution

9. Climax/Ultimate Expression of Conflict:

– Grandpa Nick’s efforts lead to a breakthrough in family unity. Howie reconciles with his parents, finding the true Christmas spirit, which empowers him to magically repair the chimney.

– Jasper, torn between duty and love, decides to return to the North Pole, saving Christmas despite his heartbreak. Jesús disappears, leaving Howie emotionally healed but alone.

10. Resolution:

– Howie, back at the store working the returns counter, is surprised when Jasper, now human, appears. Jasper explains he embraced vulnerability and accepted help, ready to start a new life with Howie.

– Jesús, now an elf, finds his path at the North Pole, ensuring Howie’s happiness. Howie and Jasper, as new custodians of the magic chimney, enjoy their romance and newfound roles in preserving Christmas traditions.
– Grandma Evie’s wish for family reconciliation is fulfilled as the family unites around the true spirit of Christmas.

[LJ (Lawrence John) Seliski]

LJ’s Deeper Layer!

My vision is to write incredible high-concept screenplays that are made into popular, financially successful movies.

What I learned from doing this assignment is the importance of having a deeper level that delivers on the concept of my screenplays.

Genre: Sci-Fi
Concept: An eighteen-year-old woman who was abused as a foster child rescues a gifted, exiled alien twelve-year-old Princess, and agrees to help her avoid capture by the Princess’s twenty-four-year-old identical twin sister, an adversary who wants to misuse the Princess’s gift and is involved in a conspiracy that threatens both humanity and alien kind.

5 New Plot Layers
Hidden Prophecy: A prophecy exists that foretells the rise of a leader from a royal alien bloodline who will bring peace to both alien and human worlds. This prophecy drives many of the character’s actions and decisions, unbeknownst to Mia and Ariael initially.
Intergalactic Espionage: A covert group of alien spies within human society has been manipulating events for decades, working both for and against Zarael. Their involvement adds a layer of intrigue and reveals the depth of the conspiracy.
Ancient Alliance: Humanity and the alien race have an ancient, forgotten alliance. Mia and Ariael discover this history, which complicates their understanding of current events and provides them with unexpected allies.
Power Source: Ariael’s ability to change appearances and identities is derived from a rare alien artifact hidden on Earth. This artifact becomes a key objective for all parties, as it holds the power to change the tide of the conflict.
Foster System Corruption: The foster care system that Mia experienced abuse within is revealed to be a front for Zarael’s operatives to find and exploit vulnerable children for their own ends. This adds personal stakes for Mia and highlights the systemic corruption.

5 New Character Layers for Mia
Hidden Lineage: Mia is unknowingly of alien descent, a secret kept from her to protect her. This revelation connects her more deeply to Ariael and the alien conflict.
Trauma-Induced Abilities: Mia’s traumatic past has inadvertently awakened latent abilities that make her uniquely suited to protect Ariael and combat Zarael’s forces.
Past Connection with Zarael: In a twist, Mia had a past encounter with Zarael that she doesn’t remember due to suppressed memories, which Zarael exploits to manipulate Mia’s actions.
Self-Sabotage: Mia has a tendency to subconsciously sabotage relationships and plans when they become too personal or emotionally intense, reflecting her deep-seated trust issues.
Reluctant Hero: Mia is initially reluctant to embrace her role as protector due to a fear of failing those she cares about, stemming from a past failure that resulted in loss or trauma.

5 New Character Layers for Ariael
Involuntary Empath: Ariael’s abilities include involuntary empathy, meaning she can’t help but feel the emotions of those around her, making her deeply compassionate but also vulnerable to emotional overload.
Exiled for Compassion: Ariael’s exile was due to her opposition to cruel practices on her home planet, showing her inherent kindness as a strength that also made her a target.
Dual Identity Crisis: Ariael struggles with her ability to change identities, sometimes losing herself in the personas she adopts, which creates internal conflict about her true self.
Secret Heirloom: Ariael possesses a secret heirloom from her mother that holds hidden powers or knowledge crucial to overcoming Zarael and resolving the larger conflict.
Hidden Training: Despite her young appearance, Ariael has undergone extensive training in diplomacy, combat, and leadership, making her more formidable than she initially appears.

5 New Character Layers for Zarael
Sympathetic Villain: Zarael’s actions are driven by a twisted sense of duty to save her people from an even greater unseen threat, making her a more complex and sympathetic antagonist.
Split Personality: Zarael suffers from a psychological split, with one side ruthless and power-hungry and the other deeply regretful and conflicted, adding depth to her motivations and actions.
Shadowy Mentor: Zarael is being manipulated by a mentor figure who has their own dark agenda, adding a layer of tragedy to her character as she believes she is acting of her own free will.
Forbidden Love: Zarael harbors feelings for a human or alien character who is allied with Mia and Ariael, creating internal conflict between her ambitions and her emotions.
Deceptive Vulnerability: Zarael occasionally shows vulnerability or regret, which she uses to manipulate others, but these moments also hint at her buried humanity and potential for redemption.

[Monica Arisman]

Subject: Monica’s Deeper Layer!

VISION: I am a very successful screenwriter who has had multiple movies made.

What I learned from doing this assignment is that this time, Chat GPT had some really good ideas. Not all of them. But a lot of good ideas.

EMILY DAVIS – PROTAGONIST

• Surface Layer: Emily is a struggling writer who wants to be successful and find purpose.

• Deeper Layer: Emily is a recovering alcoholic which she has hidden from her brother. She drank more to mask the fact she felt different from everyone and to hide the pain of losing her parents.

• Major Reveal: Emily learns that the accident that killed her parents was orchestrated by dark forces to ensure Emily’s potential as a storyteller does not come to light because her writing has the power to alter reality.

• Influences Surface Story: Donahue and Azazel know Emily is a powerful being who knows the celestial language of creation. He does everything he can think of to prevent her from discovering the truth of who she is. And, who he is.

• Hints: The hidden dream part of the library sparks the recovery of her repressed memories of her parent’s accident. She writes a short story about how she envisions her life and it comes true.

• Changes Reality: Discovering Emily is of divine lineage and chosen to re-ignite spirituality forces her to confront her identity and the choices she’s made, in order to change.

DONAHUE, THE GUARDIAN, ANTAGONIST

• Surface Layer: Donahue is helping Emily write God’s articles to inspire humanity towards being more spiritual.

• Deeper Layer: Donahue was the original architect of the library, his primary role is to collect the souls of forgotten writer’s and their stories. But he learns that each soul strengthens his power and enables his vision of taking over the After-Life.

• Major Reveal: These manipulative actions are driven by a desire to break free of the Library which he sees as a prison.
• Influences Surface Story: He’s been the one turning humanity away from the Divine.

• Hints: Battles with Azazel prevent him from seeing God is trying to replace him.

• Changes Reality: When Emily learns of his manipulations she writes him a story to break free of the library and face his judgment.

4-Act Integration

Act 1:

Emily’s drinking problem reveals her feelings of being different and wanting to fit in. Instead of embracing the differences she tries to slowly kill herself. Until she makes a real attempt on her life. Emily’s NDE allows her to embrace her special writing ability and the influence it has on her life.

Act 2:

Emily explores the library and meets the forgotten souls of writers and their characters. She begins to recover repressed memories and uncovers the true nature of her task. Hinting at the hidden realities of the library.

Midpoint:

Emily discovers the dream archive which also reveals her past lives and the true implications of her writing. Emily starts to piece together her divine lineage and her brother’s secret role in protecting her.

Act 3:

Emily confronts Azazel and Donahue, grappling with the realization that their roles are intertwined with her fate. She learns about Donahue’s reluctant antagonism and his hidden benevolence.

Act 4:

The climax involves Emily using her newfound powers to write a story that changes reality, freeing the trapped entities in the library and uncovering the true Guardian. The resolution sees Emily fully embrace her role, understanding the deeper layers of her existence, and setting the stage for future challenges.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Monica Arisman. Reason: Formatting

[Madeleind Gentinetta]

Madeleine’s Deeper Layer!
Vision: I am going to do whatever it takes for me to be a writer of amazing stories with meaning who can move the audience and change the world resulting in financial, critical and audience success.

What I learned from doing this assignment is: The process of writing back and forward with ChatGPT as a sounding board or a writers’ room to figure out a deeper layer. Very often, you don’t get the perfect answer, but you have to look for hints, which help to come up with better ideas. ChatGTP is sometimes not so much of an original creator, more of generator ideas, which in a next step leads to great original ideas.

Deeper Layer
Mary
Surface Layer: Mary is an aging jazz singer trying to reclaim her former glory after a stage accident. Deeper Layer: Mary's obsession with maintaining a youthful image and her fixation on Marlene Dietrich stem from a deep-seated fear of aging, irrelevance, and a troubled relationship with her son, paralleling Dietrich’s own life.
Major Reveal: Mary’s behavior is driven by a desire to live up to Marlene Dietrich’s legacy, who also faced a fall from grace after a stage accident. This obsession has estranged her from her son, similar to Dietrich’s strained relationship with her daughter.
Influences Surface Story: Mary’s attempts to emulate Marlene Dietrich influence her interactions with others, her approach to rehabilitation, and her performance plans. Her fear of irrelevance causes her to make drastic decisions to uphold her glamorous facade.
Hints:
Mary’s meticulous beauty rituals and reluctance to appear without makeup.
Conversations and flashbacks referencing Marlene Dietrich’s life and career.
Mary’s strained relationship with her son and her defensive reaction when compared to Dietrich.
Subtle comments about her being a “diva” and her unwillingness to show vulnerability.
Changes Reality: The realization that Mary’s obsession is rooted in her fear and unresolved issues with her son shifts the narrative from a simple comeback story to a deeper exploration of identity, legacy, and personal reconciliation. The audience sees Mary’s struggle not just as a battle against age but against the shadows of a legacy she feels compelled to honor.

Placid
Surface Layer: Placid is a highly disciplined and orderly director of the retirement home, known for his strict adherence to rules.
Deeper Layer: Placid’s hidden passion for dance and his past rejection from a dance academy due to his physical stature make him jealous and resentful of Mary’s artistic pursuits.
Major Reveal: Placid’s strictness and opposition to Mary stem from his own unresolved dreams and bitterness over his unfulfilled aspirations in dance.
Influences Surface Story: Placid’s rigidity and control over the retirement home environment clash with Mary’s creative spirit, intensifying their conflict.
Hints:
Placid’s secret dance practices when alone.
His emotional reactions to anything related to performing arts.
Flashbacks or subtle comments about his past aspirations and rejections.
Changes Reality: Understanding Placid’s motivations adds depth to his character and makes his opposition to Mary more nuanced, revealing his internal struggle between duty and passion.

Robert
Surface Layer: Robert is Mary’s overprotective son who believes she should retire and age gracefully. Deeper Layer: Robert’s overprotection is driven by his deep-seated resentment and emotional wounds from Mary’s neglect during his childhood.
Major Reveal: Robert’s protective nature is a mask for his unresolved anger and need for a mother figure, which he never had.
Influences Surface Story: His constant pressure on Mary to retire and his attempts to control her decisions create significant tension and conflict.
Hints:
Robert’s passive-aggressive comments about Mary’s career.
Flashbacks to his lonely childhood and moments of neglect.
His over-involvement in her life, reflecting his need for control.
Changes Reality: The revelation of Robert’s true feelings adds complexity to their relationship, highlighting themes of forgiveness and the impact of parental choices on children.

Vince
Surface Layer: Vince is Mary’s talented but insecure piano accompanist who dreams of achieving greatness but is constantly held back by his fear of conflict.
Deeper Layer: Vince’s pushover nature and ambition are driven by a childhood spent in poverty and a desire to escape his past.
Major Reveal: Vince’s behavior is a result of his upbringing, where conflict meant danger, and compliance was survival.
Influences Surface Story: His inability to assert himself causes friction with Mary and the new bar owner, complicating the journey to Mary’s comeback.
Hints:
Vince’s reluctance to challenge decisions even when they’re against his interests.
Flashbacks to his difficult childhood and moments of deprivation.
His moments of passive resistance that hint at his inner turmoil.
Changes Reality: Vince’s journey from compliance to assertiveness mirrors Mary’s struggle with her identity, adding a layer of parallel growth and self-discovery.

Dieter
Surface Layer: Dieter is the new, pretentious bar owner focused on modernizing the venue and increasing profits.
Deeper Layer: Dieter’s aggressive business tactics stem from his need to prove himself to his father, who disapproved of his career choice.
Major Reveal: Dieter’s drive for success and modernity is a reaction to his father’s constant criticism and pressure to uphold family traditions.
Influences Surface Story: His decisions to replace Mary and hire a journalist to trash her performance are rooted in his desperation for validation and fear of failure.
Hints:
Dieter’s references to his father’s expectations and comments about family legacy.
Flashbacks to moments of his father’s disapproval and pressure.
His overcompensation in business decisions, reflecting his need to prove himself.
Changes Reality: Dieter’s character reveals the impact of parental expectations on personal choices, adding a layer of understanding to his otherwise antagonistic actions.

Sophie (Traveling Angel)
Surface Layer: Sophie is a young, shy resident or worker at the retirement home, initially skeptical of Mary’s influence.
Deeper Layer: Sophie’s skepticism and later support stem from her own insecurities about fitting in and finding her place in the world, much like Mary’s struggles with her stage persona.
Major Reveal: Sophie reveals her own artistic aspirations and fears of failure, mirroring Mary’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
Influences Surface Story: Sophie’s transformation from skeptic to supporter reflects her own journey towards embracing her talents and finding confidence, influenced by Mary’s struggle and growth.
Hints:
Sophie’s reluctance to participate in creative activities.
Subtle admiration and envy of Mary’s past success.
Gradual involvement in Mary’s program, revealing her own talents.
Emotional moments where Sophie shares her fears and dreams.
Changes Reality: Sophie’s deeper layer adds a parallel journey of self-acceptance and artistic growth, reinforcing the film’s themes of overcoming insecurity and embracing one’s true self.

Renewed structure
Beginning: Mary is a glamorous jazz singer clinging to her youthful image, with the mantra “Youth is the key to success and relevance.”
Inciting Incident: Mary breaks her hip after falling off the stage, mirroring Marlene Dietrich’s own stage accident.
Turning Point 1: Placid enforces Mary to participate in the book buddies program in exchange for rehearsal time, beginning her reluctant immersion into the retirement home community.
Act 2: Robert pressures Mary to retire gracefully, seeing her plans as dangerous and image-destroying. Mary’s frustration builds as she struggles with the constraints of the retirement home and her son’s lack of faith in her.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Vince searches for a younger performer to replace Mary, increasing her desperation and intensifying her fixation on Marlene Dietrich. Mary decides to create the “Marlene program” as a means to reinvent herself and prove her worth.
Act 3: Placid stops the "Marlene program" but wants her to sing with the elderly, which Mary hates. Dieter hires a journalist to write a negative review of Mary’s performance, damaging her credibility. Despite these setbacks, Mary pushes forward, trying to salvage her program.
Turning Point 3: Placid buys tickets knowing Mary hates to perform in front of elderly people. Sophie steals her costumes to force her to perform authentically. Vince insists Mary stick to her old style to attract audiences and not a new program, creating a crisis for Mary.
Act 4 Climax: Dieter replaces her with the younger singer, and the journalist turns the light off when Mary goes on stage. Faced with the ultimate humiliation, Mary must decide whether to give up or perform without her equipment, symbolizing her struggle between clinging to the Dietrich facade and embracing her true self.
Resolution: On stage, Mary embraces her age and inner child, performing authentically and breaking free from her old mantra. This act reconciles her strained relationship with her son and allows her to create a new legacy, showing that true success comes from being authentic and embracing one’s true self.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Madeleind Gentinetta.
• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Madeleind Gentinetta.

[Pam Ewing]

Pam’s Deeper Layer
Vision: Become a Writing Athlete
What I’ve learned: living the 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration Thomas Edison spoke about

Layers
• Surface Layer: Maia is a former CEO often accused of not knowing how to dig deep and get her and dirty
• Deeper Layer: Maia grew up poor – as a child she was catching and cleaning shrimp to sell at restaurant next door then helping her parents scrub down the morgue – but she scrubbed this detail form her bio and avoided grime work ever since
• Major Reveal: After being grossed out by spa procedures and death encounters, Maia aggressively uses gore against Dr. Kari.
• Influences Surface Story: Maia repelled by mud bath, fish eating cuticle, etc.
• Hints: After a fast Maia goes for the green goo in a lobster
• Changes Reality: Maia is in the Morgue chasing Dr. Kari. She knows her way around. She dispassionately uses corpses to her advantage. While fighting she reveals how she grew up and shows some tricks she learned which is how she was onto Dr.Kari’s plans early on.
Plot Layers
• Beginning: Maia is being celebrated and cringes at her childhood bio
• Inciting Incident: Maia rejects the idea of a spa with lame reasons
• Turning Point 1: Maia packs survival equipment and knockout meds for the spa
• Act 2: Ollie turns up her nose at Dr. Jeremy because he deals with dead things but Maia still seems intrigued
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Maia sees the truth and danger of the spa and instead of running away, she leans into it
• Act 3: Maia tries to get Ollie out. She tries to determine Dr. Jeremy’s involvement while in his gory lab
• Turning Point 3: Dr. Kari is on to Maia and tries to kill her but fails
• Act 4 Climax: Dr. Kari has held Ollie hostage, maybe killed Dr. Jeremy, but Maia is still advancing. Dr. Kari offers Maia a job even though she can’t handle anything dead. Maia rejects offer by using dead things to defeat Dr. Kari
• Resolution: Reviving Dr. Jeremy and freeing Ollie, Ollie suggests that Maia takes over the spa and reveals that she understands Maia’s past and gruesome background.

[David Wickenden]

David Wickenden Deeper Layer
Assignment #2
Vision: I become a writer that the industry respects and wants to work with and it offers me challenges that helps me to continue to grow and be successful.
“What I learned from doing this assignment is…?”

• State: I am absolutely capable…
• Activity: …building in an engaging deeper layer!
2. As we did above with The Sixth Sense, create each piece of this “Deeper Layer” puzzle.
• Surface Layer: The siblings are being attacked by ghosts and Silas is there to help them.
• Deeper Layer: Silas is using the siblings and plans to sacrifice them to gain the powers of the dead witches.
• Major Reveal: Eliza’s research of the family’s past reveals that the witches had been murdered in the 1700 by Silas’s ancestors.
• Influences Surface Story: This causes her to distrust Silas. It also has her facing the truth of her powers and her missing mother.
• Hints: The ghost reveal what Eliza has repressed concerning her mother’s disappearance and her part in it.
• Changes Reality: The reveal of her own latent powers awakens in Eliza and gives her the tools to combat Silas and his cult.
3.
• Beginning: As a child playing with magic, Eliza causes her mother to disappear into an unknown realm.
• Inciting Incident: Years later, Eliza and her siblings enter an ancient family estate that they have inherited.
• Turning Point 1: They are attacked by a group of ghosts who are pushed back by Silas Hawthorne and his people. Surface layer
• Act 2: Eliza researches the history of the family to understand why the estate is haunted. Major reveal.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: She finds that Silas’s ancestors had killed the Blackthorne witches during the 1700s in an attempt to steal their magic.
• Act 3: Hawthorne captures Eliza’s brother and sister and plans to sacrifice them in the ceremony at midnight. Deeper layer.
• Turning Point 3: The ghosts convince Eliza to use her latent magic powers to defeat Silas and his cult with the help of the ghosts. Hints.
• Act 4 Climax: Massive fight ensues. Eliza’s magic, with the help of the ghost and the added power of Eliza’s mother wins the day.
• Resolution: The ghosts are freed from the curse and Eliza begins the hunt for her mother.
IA INPUT
5 New Plot Layers:
1. Cult’s True Purpose: The cult isn’t just seeking power; they aim to open a permanent portal to another realm, unleashing an ancient evil that could dominate both worlds.
2. Family’s Hidden Legacy: The Blackwood family has an ancient protector spirit bound to their bloodline, which can only be awakened through a specific ritual that involves sacrifice and blood magic.
3. Double Agent: One of the Blackwood siblings is secretly working with Silas, either out of fear or a misguided belief that it will protect the family.
4. Prophecy Fulfillment: A hidden prophecy reveals that only through the ultimate sacrifice of one family member can the cycle of bloodshed and power be broken, forcing Eliza to consider the unthinkable.
5. Lost Tome: A long-lost book containing powerful spells and the history of the cult’s true origins is discovered, revealing that the cult was originally formed to combat a far greater evil, twisting the current conflict into a tragic misunderstanding.
5 New Character Layers for Eliza Blackwood:
1. Hidden Talent: Eliza possesses a natural affinity for magic that she has suppressed all her life, fearing it after her mother’s disappearance, which she only starts to accept and explore as the story progresses.
2. Secret Mentor: Eliza had a mentor (perhaps an old family friend) who knew about the family’s supernatural legacy and trained her in secret, providing her with knowledge she initially dismisses but later relies on.
3. Guilt-Fueled Drive: Eliza is haunted by not just her mother’s disappearance but the fear that her father’s death was also related to her latent powers, which fuels her determination to protect her siblings at all costs.
4. Internal Conflict: Eliza struggles with the morality of using dark magic to fight the cult, fearing that in doing so, she might become as monstrous as the enemies she despises.
5. Emotional Barrier: Eliza has built emotional walls to protect herself from the trauma of her past, which she must break down to fully accept her role and power, learning to trust her siblings and their shared strength.
5 New Character Layers for Silas Hawthorne:
1. Tragic Past: Silas’s obsession with power stems from a traumatic event in his childhood, such as witnessing the cult’s brutal retaliation against his family for defying them, driving his ruthless ambition.
2. Split Personality: Silas battles an internal struggle between his human side and a darker, more malevolent force that grants him his powers but threatens to consume him entirely.
3. Secret Vulnerability: Silas has a hidden physical or emotional weakness tied to his quest for power, such as a cursed injury or a loved one he’s trying to protect, revealing a more sympathetic side.
4. Manipulative Charm: Silas is incredibly persuasive, able to turn people to his cause by exploiting their deepest fears and desires, making his followers’ loyalty seem almost supernatural.
5. Unfulfilled Prophecy: Silas believes he is the prophesied savior of the cult, destined to bring them ultimate power, but the prophecy actually speaks of his downfall at the hands of a betrayed follower.
Integration into the 4-Act Structure
Act 1:
• Opening: Introduce the cult’s ritual failing to fully open a portal to another realm, hinting at a greater danger.
• Inciting Incident: Eliza's mentor’s letter or hidden diary is found, warning about the cult’s true purpose and urging Eliza to embrace her powers.
• Turning Point: The Blackwoods agree to help the cult, unaware of the true depth of Silas’s plans and the prophecy involving their bloodline.
Act 2:
• New Plan: Eliza begins to unlock her hidden magical talent, guided by her mentor’s teachings.
• Plan in Action: The siblings use modern relics and Eliza’s growing powers to fend off ghost attacks, uncovering deeper layers of their family’s history.
• Midpoint Turning Point: Eliza discovers the full extent of the prophecy and her own role in it, realizing that Silas’s plans could unleash an ancient evil.
Act 3:
• Rethink Everything: Eliza’s emotional barriers start to break down as she accepts her powers and responsibilities, struggling with the morality of dark magic.
• New Plan: Eliza prepares to confront Silas, using the knowledge from the lost tome and her mentor’s guidance.
• Turning Point: The confrontation fails initially, revealing Silas’s true vulnerability and the need for Eliza’s ultimate sacrifice to break the cycle of power.
Act 4:
• Climax: Eliza, empowered by her ancestors and the ghosts, engages in the final battle with Silas, balancing the use of dark and light magic.
• Resolution: Eliza defeats Silas, preventing the portal from opening. The ghosts move on, but Eliza is left with the knowledge and power needed to find her mother, setting up a potential future journey.
By adding these deeper layers, the story gains more complexity, making the characters richer and the plot twists more engaging, ultimately creating a more compelling horror/thriller experience.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  David Wickenden.

[David Zelitzky]

David Z’s Deeper Layers!
Vision:
I am an interesting, dependable, successful writer that people love to work with.

What I learned from doing this assignment is this is the difficult part that gets to the heart of the story and the hidden motivation that make this a meaningful and more deeply profound movie and not just a week-end horror movie.
Surface Layer: Tessa is working hard to get out of this town with her brother, trying to stay healthy and keep him together.
Deeper Layer: She’s controlling and doesn’t show her emotions because of her grief over losing their mother
Major Reveal: She has been battling drug addiction her whole life.
Influences Surface Story: She can’t forgive Mick for dealing drugs. Her friends know her issues but never talk about it.
Hints: Her anger at her brother for smoking pot, her obsession with working out and eating healthy foods only.
Changes Reality: Now we see the pull that all the drugs surrounding Tessa has on her, her anger with anyone that has anything to do with it and her

[James Hernandez]

James’ Deeper Layer!

My Vision: I am a great writer who is recognized by the industry as an exceptional collaborator able to elevate any project into production and have maximum success.

What I learned from doing this assignment is…the discovery of a deeper layer that has both romantic leads sharing similar histories, which unites them once these aspects of their pasts surface. It’s fascinating how the AI prompt reinforced the ideas I was already considering but presented them as a form of additional support for the story.

The “Deeper Layer” puzzle:
• Surface Layer: Ethan wants to find true love by Valentine’s Day.
• Deeper Layer: Ethan has already found true love as Lily has been following his life through the letters he has left behind.
• Major Reveal: Lily tells Ethan she’s known about him for a while but wanted to make sure he’s the real man portrayed by his letters.
• Influences Surface Story: Once Lily meets Ethan in person, she wants to get to know him better. Lily is affected by Joey’s advance on Ethan, which brings up doubts that he can be trusted.
• Hints: Lily comes across as knowing Ethan well on their first date. Ethan’s letters are left everywhere he visits.
• Changes Reality: Once Ethan discovers Lily has been a follower of his, we realize they were meant for each other. All their actions were made for the purpose of solidifying their relationship.

Structure with Deeper Layer:

• Beginning: Ethan is introduced as a lonely bachelor on New Year’s Eve.
• Inciting Incident: Ethan decides to have a dating site find his true love with the help of a computer genius.
• Turning Point 1: Ethan finds himself immensely attracted to Lily and would like to pursue her.
• Act 2: Ethan and Lily run into problems as her ex resurfaces and his life gets bombarded by a rush of suitors.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Lily catches Ethan and Joey in a compromising position which a deep rift in the relationship.
• Act 3: Lily reveals to Ethan she’s been following him for a while and wanted to make sure he’s the person portrayed in the letters.
• Turning Point 3: Ethan must set things straight to prove to Lily he’s a good man with likewise intentions.
• Act 4 Climax: Ethan confronts Max whose been sabotaging the relationship and wins Lily’s heart.
• Resolution: Ethan and Lily unite in understanding leading to budding romance.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  James Hernandez.

[Lee Tidball]

WIM Mod 4 – Lesson 2

Lee’s Deeper Layer

My Vision: I am a writer who is excellent, recognized as such by people in the industry, and has several projects sold for WGA-type fees and some of those produced and successful in the theater and/or on a major streamer.

What I learned from doing this lesson is that adding a deeper layer is one of the most important thing that can be done to raise stakes and drive audience interest and intrigue.

My Deeper Layer

* Surface Layer: Kellen and her group of 6th graders are held against their will by a group of “wildcat” miners who don’t want them to call authorities..
* Deeper Layer: The miners are really a radical right-wing militia who are protecting a group of foreign agents who are sabotaging the electrical substation behind the mine as part of a plot to take down the much of the national electrical grid.
* Major Reveal: Kellen hears a PG&E crew chief talking to each other in Korean, a language she understands.
* Influences Surface Story: Students are taken hostage, Kellen’s job becomes to both stop the operation and rescue her students.
* Hints: Kellen had been told by her friend Mara Jensen to be looking out for odd activity around the substation. The “miners” don’t know how to pan for gold or mine it. Their excuse for being there is lame. A PG&E crew shows up later. Their work seems secretive.
* Changes Reality: Kellen is now in a life-and-death situation with her students caught in the middle of a plot to cripple American infrastructure by a foreign enemy.

New 4-Act Structure

* Beginning: Kellen and her enrichment class, with Jesse, her nephew as counselor and 7 other 6th graders and Allison, a female counselor, head off to the old mining area. Kellen gets a call from Mara Jensen.
* Inciting Incident: Kellen sees suspicious things, one kid sees a gun, screams. Everyone runs, tries to hide, but are hunted down by the “miners” and now held hostage. Only Kellen and Allison are not found, but when they run for it, shots are fired and the counselor is killed while Kellen gets away.
* Turning Point 1: Kellen is devastated and filled with vengeful fury. She is able to contact the outdoor school with an emergency code.
* Act 2: Sheriff and a SWAT team shows up. There’s a battle—SWAT’s beaten back, several killed and wounded. No one pays any attention to the PGE crew that’s working at a substation nearby, but…
* Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: During the fight, Kellen, who came with the SWAT team, sneaks behind the miners near the PG&E crew, hears them talking in Korean (which she understands).
* Act 3: Kellen heads back home at the Outdoor School. She checks in with Mara Jenson, tells her what’s up, then re-arms herself with her old sniper rifle, pistol, and her combat knife.
* Turning Point 3: Kellen picks off Gabriel’s men, who hold kids as human shields, one by one and the kids escape. Then there’s explosions at the substation.
* Act 4 Climax: Kellen chases down the Koreans, kills them all, then has it out with Gabriel Knox. She subdues him and is about to take him in, but he laughs, tells her that his lawyer will get him get him off, he’ll escape, etc. She puts a gun to his head, tells him that that’s fine—then she’ll have a legit reason to hunt him down and kill him for what he did to Allison, then takes him in.
* Resolution: With kids safe and enemies dead, Kellen is hailed as a hero, and people mourn for Allison. Mara Jensen contacts Kellen and says that the substation had been cut off from the rest of the grid, so no extensive harm done, though attacks in other parts of the country weren’t thwarted as successfully.

AI response to Deeper Layer Prompt

### 5 New Plot Layers:

1. **Hidden Surveillance**: Unbeknownst to Kellen, the outdoor school has been under surveillance by a secret government agency due to suspected extremist activities in the area. This agency has been tracking both Kellen and Gabriel, complicating her mission as she discovers she’s not only dealing with the militia but also navigating around the agency’s objectives.

2. **Double Agent**: One of the students or counselors is revealed to be a mole working for the extremists, feeding them information about the group’s movements and plans. This betrayal adds a layer of mistrust and urgency as Kellen tries to uncover the mole while keeping the group safe.

3. **Personal Vendetta**: It’s revealed that Gabriel’s radicalization was not only due to being left behind but also because Kellen was part of the decision-making team that led to the abandonment of his comrades. This personal betrayal fuels his desire for revenge, making their confrontation deeply personal.

4. **Cyber Conspiracy**: The cyber attack is not just a standalone act of terrorism but part of a larger conspiracy involving multiple factions with different agendas, including corrupt government officials and foreign agents. Kellen’s mission becomes about unraveling this web to prevent a national catastrophe.

5. **Ancient Secrets**: The old mining town holds ancient secrets and artifacts that have a supernatural or historical significance, which the militia plans to exploit. This adds a mythic element to the story, giving Kellen another dimension to her fight—protecting not just people but a legacy.

### 5 New Character Layers for Protagonist (Kellen Hamilton):

1. **Buried Trauma**: Kellen has recurring nightmares and flashbacks of a specific mission where she had to make a choice that led to the death of civilians. This trauma influences her decision-making and her interactions with her students, sometimes causing her to hesitate or react aggressively.

2. **Family Secret**: Kellen’s nephew, Jesse, is not just a relative but the son of her best friend who died in combat. She feels a deep sense of responsibility and guilt towards Jesse, which is why she is overprotective and tries so hard to connect with him despite his resentment.

3. **Secret Identity**: Kellen was once involved in a covert operation that went wrong, and she has been living under a new identity provided by a witness protection program. Her real name and past are secrets even from her closest colleagues at the outdoor school.

4. **Reluctant Hero**: Kellen has been in contact with a therapist, trying to leave her violent past behind and become a pacifist. Her struggle between her nurturing role as a teacher and the violent skills she possesses creates internal conflict throughout the story.

5. **Hidden Talent**: Kellen has an artistic side—she’s a skilled painter or musician, something she uses as an emotional outlet. This softer side contrasts sharply with her combat skills and provides moments of vulnerability and humanity.

### 5 New Character Layers for Antagonist (Gabriel Knox):

1. **Secret Alliance**: Gabriel has been in contact with a foreign intelligence agency, believing they are allies in his cause. However, it’s later revealed that they are manipulating him for their own purposes, causing him to question his actions and loyalty.

2. **Personal Loss**: Gabriel’s radicalization was partly driven by the loss of his family in a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, which he believes could have been prevented if not for the government’s negligence. This personal loss fuels his hatred and desire for revenge.

3. **Moral Complexity**: Gabriel occasionally shows acts of kindness and mercy, such as sparing a child’s life or providing medical aid to a hostage. These moments create a morally ambiguous character, making the audience question if he is entirely evil or if there’s still good in him.

4. **Philosophical Beliefs**: Gabriel follows a radical philosophical or religious belief system that justifies his actions. This belief system is deeply ingrained in him and he tries to convert others to his way of thinking, adding a cult-like dimension to his leadership.

5. **Internal Conflict**: Gabriel is haunted by the memory of his fallen comrades and frequently talks to them as if they were present, indicating possible PTSD or a split personality. This makes him unpredictable and adds depth to his character’s psychological state.

These deeper layers will add complexity and emotional resonance to both the plot and the characters, making the story richer and more engaging for the audience.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  Lee Tidball.
• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  Lee Tidball.

[Linda Kish]

Linda’s Deeper Layer!

My Vision is: I will do whatever it takes to be a sought-after profound writer who has many successful movies produced and an Oscar on the mantel.
What I learned doing an assignment is I had deeper layers, but was missing a number of opportunities to set them up better and make them much stronger.

Camila and Arturo’s relationship
• Surface Layer: Camila is afraid of Arturo, a leader in the cartel
• Deeper Layer: Camila and Arturo were once engaged to be married
• Major Reveal: At the midpoint after Isabel is killed. Through surveillance, he learns who killed Isabel, and knows he was previously paid off by Arturo. Camila assures him Arturo would never harm her children. He promised her he’d protect them all and that’s what he’s been doing.
• Influences Surface Story: Arturo is the one to take Joaquin under his wing. He warns Camila that Dante is checking out Isabel. He agrees with Camila that it is better to keep their relationship from Joaquin. He pretends to empathize with Joaquin when he is tasked with violence. He “saves” Isabel from “kidnappers.” Warns Joaquin of Luis attacking Isabel. Vows to Camila to protect her husband.
• Hints: We don’t see Dante checking out Isabel. He is always the one warning of what is to come and “protecting.” Asks Joaquin if he has a dog. They never leave you. Or, see her run, she will always come back. Got out once, got lost, next day she was at my doorstep.
• Changes Reality: Knowing they have a relationship makes us wonder whether Arturo is the one terrifying Joaquin and his family.

Arturo schemed up the competition and Joaquin’s summons
• Surface Layer: Rodrigo summoned Joaquin and his family to be with him while he dies.
• Deeper Layer: Arturo schemed the situation so he can win back Joaquin’s wife, Camila.
• Major Reveal: At the crowning at the end. Tomas reveals that Arturo told them Joaquin was dead and convinced his mother to take him back.
• Influences Surface Story: This was all about Camila wasn’t it, he asks Arturo. Then asks Rodrigo whose idea the competition was – Arturo’s. And my family coming?
• Hints: Rodrigo makes a comment about Arturo taking Joaquin under his wing – he’s the one who cares most about Rodrigo’s legacy. He knows how to get people to do what he needs them to do.
• Changes Reality: He must be killed and Joaquin has to do it. Now Dante wants revenge against Arturo too. Joaquin has to kill Dante first – which leads to him having to chase down Arturo.

Joaquin lies about being Rodrigo’s family
• Surface Layer: Joaquin learns he is related to Rodrigo and tells him so
• Deeper Layer: It’s a lie that Joaquin created
• Major Reveal: At the very end, when Rodrigo is dying he tells him they could never be related.
• Influences Surface Story: Rodrigo awards Joaquin the crown.
• Hints: Tells Camila that Rodrigo is lonely. He wants a family, his son.
• Changes Reality: Rodrigo wants Joaquin to win badly now.

Misinformation Network
• Surface Layer: Dante and Arturo’s people are turning on them
• Deeper Layer: Joaquin has created a sophisticated surveillance and misinformation network. Has advanced tech skills, which he uses to manipulate events from behind the scenes.
• Major Reveal: Act 3: Arturo figures it out and shares the info with Dante who now also realizes he has to kill Joaquin
• Influences Surface Story: Arturo and Dante are about to square off, but don’t based on this information.
• Hints: The letters. Things he discusses with Santiago.
• Changes Reality: Dante agrees to kill Joaquin.

Attacks on Isabel and Stalking of Camila
• Surface Layer: Dante is stalking Camila and Isabel
• Deeper Layer: Arturo is manipulating them to think it’s Dante
• Major Reveal: Act 3: Once he has Camila in bed, he says something about how beautiful she looked in the bathtub.
• Influences Surface Story: Forces Joaquin into the competition. Keeps suspicion on Dante at first.
• Hints: All the warnings about Dante come from Arturo.
• Changes Reality: Now we know the lengths Arturo has gone to in order to get Camila back.

[Jan Westbrook]

Jan’s 4 Act Deeper Layer

My Vision: I am a talented and strong writer with a unique voice, recognized by the movie industry with multiple screenplays produced.

What I learned from this assignment was how important it is to empower myself to create, and not remain stuck, as I was. Coming up with these elements was important to the development of the story and had a profound influence on how I see how the story can play out, challenging me further in the fantasy genre

Surface Layer: Emberleaf races against the halo-moon cycle and Khyber-Ra to restore the shattered numinous amulet to regain her magic and retain her reign over Eveandor
Deeper Layer: the shattering of the numinous amulet is part of an ancient prophecy that foretells of a dark one rising up and puts Emberleaf on the quest to restore it, preventing the prophecy from coming true and regaining her magic. Her quest reveals her family’s and her own connection to dark magic, her connection with Khyber-Ra and that M’Mranth-Jinx is the dark one rising, and is their father.
Major Reveal: M’Mranth-Jinx tells Emberleaf and Khyber-Ra he is their father and wants them by his side to rule the realm as a family
Influences Surface Story: challenges Emberleaf to rescind the banishment spell on her life unity partner, Khyber-Ra; is a dilemma for Emberleaf to keep to light magic or convert to dark magic. The queen’s council become involved to help defeat M’Mranth-Jinx
Hints: she has guilt over exiling Khyber-Ra(before the movie starts); she is visited by her mother in the mystic lakes; she cannot have offspring without Khyber-Ra; Lightthistle’s warning to her about venturing out into the realm vulnerable and defenseless; when she enters the forbidden forest to collect a fragment of the amulet, she is confronted with creatures created by her family, including herself when she was a young pixie
Changes Reality: Emberleaf now knows she has both dark and light magic capabilities, but is a more confident ruler; she is removed from the queen’s council for being tainted

Character: Emberleaf
Beginning: Emberleaf burdened with making a crucial decision of banishing Khyber-Ra, her life unity partner, for using dark magic, acknowledges the halo-moon cycle ending and its consequences at the secret queen’s council
Inciting Incident: a disguised Khyber-Ra uses dark magic on her and has the numinous amulet shattered stripping Emberleaf of her magic, and breaks a spell keeping M’Mranth-Jinx prisoner. The halo-moon cycle is reaching its zenith
Turning Point 1: assembles the pixie alliance to regain her magic, restore the numinous amulet and defeat Khyber-Ra. The queen’s council offers representative from each land: Willowbreeze, Thornwhisper, Nightshade, to be a part of the alliance. Lightthistle warns Emberleaf about going out into the realm magicless and facing Khyber-Ra and an unknown creeping darkness
Act 2: collects the first fragments, almost killed by a hideous creature, but Nightshade saves her, using dark magic and is kicked out of the alliance, as the halo-moon reaches its nadir; M’Mranth-Jinx emerges and builds his army of creatures and beasts; Emberleaf is visited by her mother in the whispering, mystic lakes
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Emberleaf is separated from Willowbreeze and Thornwhisper and is captured by inhabitants of the forbidden forest, actually shielding her from the prying magic of M’Mranth-Jinx and collects the last fragment of the numinous amulet. M’Mranth-Jinx reveals to Khyber-Ra and Emberleaf he is their father
Act 3: Emberleaf is given over to the tribe of bartering beasts, Khyber-Ra stands at M’Mranth-Jinx’s side
Turning Point 3: makes the decision to save Willowbreeze, Thornwhisper, and Nightshade over herself just as the moon-cycle ends. Khyber-Ra rises up and captures Eveandor
Act 4 Climax: Willowbreeze, Thornwhisper, Lightthistle and Nightshade free Emberleaf. Emberleaf and her alliance along with the queen’s council, battle and defeat Khyber-Ra, as the halo-moon cycle ends, Emberleaf exiles Khyber-Ra to the forbidden wastelands
Resolution: The group cast M’Mranth-Jinx back into his prison, Emberleaf shows leniency on Nightshade for practicing dark magic, he and Willowbreeze and Thornwhisper are part of her royal court. Emberleaf becomes a more confident leader, but is removed from the queen’s council for having both equal light and dark magic capabilities.

Character: Khyber-Ra
Beginning: Khyber-Ra exiled by Emberleaf, his life unity partner, for practicing dark magic
Inciting Incident: Khyber-Ra is disguised as a magic trainer, reveals he is Khyber-Ra and enacts vengeance on Emberleaf, shattering the numinous amulet, stripping Emberleaf of her magic, leaving her defenseless and vulnerable
Turning Point 1: seizes control of Eveandor, enlists Nightshade, whom he secretly trained in dark magic, to bring him the numinous amulet fragments
Act 2: Khyber-Ra is beaten down by the inhabitants of the forbidden forest, makes a deal with the tribe of bartering beasts to get him Emberleaf
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: captures Willowbreeze and Thornwhisper when they attempt to rescue Emberleaf, assembles the numinous amulet
Act 3: The halo-moon cycle ends, Khyber-Ra assumes control of Eveandor from M’Mranth-Jinx
Turning Point 3: has the numinous amulet stolen from him by Nightshade, loses his kingdom
Act 4 Climax: Khyber-Ra battles Emberleaf and is defeated as the halo-moon cycle ends
Resolution: his life is spared, but he is banished to the forbidden lands, not to far from his father’s prison

• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  Jan Westbrook.

[Mary Spiers]

Mary’s Deeper Layer
My vision: I am a leading creator of relatable family-friendly stories with compelling, authentic and unique characters.

I learned that there are a number of compelling deeper layers. However, I already had some built in and I was tempted to add more…I did add a little, but was reminded this could have made things too complex.

Surface Layer: Diana Wildroot is a mentor to Ava, teaching her the ways of wholistic healing using nature and sound.
Deeper Layer: Diana is not just a healer she is Ava’s grandmother (and may have been reincarnated through various generations to undo a musical curse.
Major Reveal: In a shocking twist, it’s revealed that Diana herself was the architect of the curse.
Influences Surface Story: Diana discovers Ava is her grand daughter fairly early and this is why she mentors her so closely. She sees Ava as the one who can break the curse.
Hints:  We see hints of Diana having more of a connection to Ava though info related to a family tree, then we see some sort of birth mark or something that reveals they may be related. Diana also needs to show that they are both recipients of the curse.

Act 1: Discovery and Departure
Opening: Ava's emotional disconnect from the world and herself sets the stage, using her on-stage performance juxtaposed with the storm to symbolize her inner turmoil. Onstage Disconnection: Ava performs a complex violin solo on stage while a storm rages outside. She focuses almost entirely on sound (doesn’t care about visual ). She’s a great technician, but doesn’t have a lot of emotional musical depth… Immediately after concert, Ava bypasses celebrating with fellow musicians and instead sits alone in the dressing room, staring at her violin case while a storm rages outside.

Inciting Incident: Ava walks home silenced from the outside world by earphones. She is struck by lightning on her way home, altering her senses to perceive sounds as vivid colors. She wakes up in a hospital, seeing the beeping monitors and bustling nurses as a symphony of colors and shapes, realizing something profound has changed within her.

Turning Point 1: Ava decides to get away to recuperate at a wilderness retreat, where she meets Diana Wildroot. Ava’s lack of wilderness skills is immediately evident, and she struggles with basic survival tasks, highlighting her "fish out of water" status. Diana introduces the quest for the "Special Note," hinting at deeper familial and curse connections yet unrevealed. Ava’s initial ineptitude in the wilderness, compounded by her synesthetic perceptions, deepens her personal and emotional crisis, making her journey not just about survival but about understanding her new self in a real-world context.
Act 2: Mastery and Deception
New Plan: Diana begins teaching Ava to control her synesthetic perceptions, using natural elements like the sound of a creek or the rustling leaves to create visual-aural maps. Their bond deepens as Diana imparts survival skills alongside lessons on the "Special Note."
Plan in Action: Ava’s growing competence in the wilderness mirrors her increasing trust and reliance on Diana. She starts to shed her urban biases and embraces the slower, attuned pace of nature. Their relationship deepens, with Diana becoming more than a mentor; she becomes a confidante.
Midpoint Turning Point: Ava’s perceived mastery of the "Special Note" and her comfort in the wilderness are both shattered by the revelation that her success is an illusion orchestrated by Silas Thorn and that Diana has gone missing. This betrayal forces Ava to reassess her adaptability and reliance on Diana and reevaluate her own strengths and weaknesses in a challenging situation.
Act 3: Descent and Redetermination
Rethink Everything: In her quest to find Diana, Ava learns of Diana’s true identity as her grandmother. This revelation transforms their relationship, infusing it with new meaning and responsibility and Ava's commitment to their shared legacy pushing her to internalize her role within her family’s history
New Plan: With personal stakes heightened, Ava integrates her newfound wilderness skills with her synesthetic abilities to devise a plan to rescue Diana and confront Thorn, now fully understanding the depth of his deceit and her own role in their legacy.
Turning Point: An initial failed attempt to confront Thorn emphasizes the need for Ava to fully embrace both her wilderness adaptability and the lessons from Diana, highlighting the synthesis of her dual growth—personal and environmental. This failure tests the strength of Ava and Diana’s relationship, compelling them to trust each other more deeply and collaborate more closely.
4: Climax and Resolution
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: Ava, now fully at home in the wilderness and in tune with her "Special Note," faces Thorn in a showdown that tests all her skills. She uses her deep connection to nature and the knowledge and lessons from Diana to overcome Thorn’s manipulations.
Resolution: Ava rescues Diana and defeats Thorn. In a shocking twist, it’s revealed that Diana herself was the unintended architect of the curse and was counting on helping Ava to reverse the curse. The healing sanctuary is restored, symbolizing the healing of the land and Ava herself. She embraces her synesthesia and her place in the wilderness, alongside her deep bond with Diana.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mary Spiers.

[Kathryn Gould]

Kathryn’s Deeper Layer!

I choose to be a highly creative and energized writer who makes big movies and loves her life working with the most creative people in the world.

What I learned: Found even more pieces to the puzzle and some more secrets to make other characters more interesting and intriguing.

2. As we did above with The Sixth Sense, create each piece of this “Deeper Layer” puzzle.

• Surface Layer: Group of young biohackers discover a plot by Medinano to use mind control to seize world dominance.

• Deeper Layer: Their mentor is already aware of this and has a deadly plan to stop it – she’s going to release a virus that will kill all those perpetrating the plan, and millions more.

• Major Reveal: At the midpoint when they find their mentor, believing she works for Medinano, they discover her plan.

• Influences Surface Story – She tells them to leave the problem alone, not to do anything about it, then disappears, leaving them to take the blame for stolen tech.

• Hints: In the first scene they are asked to leave something in a very difficult and dangerous location, and then help a scientist sneak out. Then they find out he’s being hunted as a terrorist, then they are labeled terrorists; There are new people working with Dr. Bennett, and Japheth is suspicious. He asks her about a project he was working on that he thought showed promise, but she says no, it didn’t go anywhere – then he finds evidence that it does work (this is what leads him to suspect that she works for Medinano.) Later we’ll find out she was using his work to distribute the virus – I think he meant it for good, like it could take a good adaptation and spread it to everyone who had the tech so that she would only have to treat one person for a disease that’s going around, something like that.

• Changes Reality: Before the reveal, we believe the story is about a group of kids trying to stop a big bad company from taking over the world; afterwards, we realize that it’s about a group of kids who have to make increasingly difficult moral choices to save lives, even the lives of the people trying to take over the world, possibly to their own detriment.

3. Add the rest of the structure to the characters to the script. Try to get to the point as we’ve done in the Six Sense example above.

• Beginning: Japheth breaking into lab – Dr. Bennett asks him to do something different this time, plant a device in the office of someone high up, as well as sneak a scientist out of the lab. When he discovers the glitch in Nell’s tech – maybe he has to do an on-the-fly installation so they can get away because of the extra risk – he goes to Dr. Bennett and there are new people working with her, he feels shut out. They see on the news that the scientist they helped escape, who is now working with Bennett, is being called a dangerous terrorist. She tells him that an idea he had to spread good programming to fight common infections doesn’t work, too dangerous, the code breaks down or something.

• Inciting Incident: Through his own research, he figures out the secret mind-control programming. Desperate to prove himself to Dr. Bennett, he goes to tell her they should take this info to the world; she tells him the world is a lot more complicated than he knows anything about and the best thing he can do is go home and never breath a word about this discovery. She’ll let him know when she needs him again.

• Turning Point 1: After arguing over what to do all night, terrified that every sound is someone coming to arrest them, they go back to Dr. Bennett’s office the next day to try to convince her to go public with the discovery, but they encounter Medinano’s investigators. Dr. Bennett has disappeared, and they are accused of industrial espionage.

• Act 2: They are forced to flee, using their enhancements to evade Medinano’s forces. Instead of being able to go public with Medinano’s abuses, they find their own images, edited to look like they’re the aggressors, broadcast all over the world as they are labelled dangerous biohacking terrorists.

• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: In an attempt to exonerate themselves, they hunt down Dr. Bennett, believing that she is working with Medinano and set them up because of their discovery. But when they do find her, they discover that the truth is even more chilling: her plan is to release a virus that will eliminate all individuals enhanced with Medinano nanotech, aiming to thwart Medinano’s control but sacrificing millions of lives. During this, they find out that Dr. Bennett has a daughter and ex-wife in the Uppers, and now a grandchild she has never seen – and her anger over losing them fuels her hatred of Medinano (their teammate and Japheth’s love interest tells them this, and ultimately has to confess that she was working for Medinano and was planning to turn them in). Bennett’s new operatives, who are also enhanced, attempt to capture them. They barely escape.

• Act 3: Shaken by the discovery of Dr. Bennett’s plan, Japheth reevaluates his goals and methods, questioning his mentor's teachings and his own motivations. At first, Japheth is tempted to allow Dr. Bennett’s plan to proceed. It is Nell who reminds him of his humanity. Now hunted by both Medinano’s forces and Dr. Bennett’s operatives and faced with the dual threat of global manipulation and a biological catastrophe, the group decides to go where no one expects them to go— to infiltrate Medinano's main facility and expose both plots to the world. to infiltrate Medinano's main facility and expose both plots to the world. to infiltrate Medinano's main facility and expose both plots to the world. to infiltrate Medinano's main facility and expose both plots to the world.

• Turning Point 3: In a fight with Medinano’s forces, they realize that one of their members has betrayed them in exchange for technology to save his mother’s life. Another of the team members dies; they are taken captive.

• Act 4 Climax: As they are about to be taken in to have all their enhancements taken away, including Nell’s ability to walk, Dr. Bennett begins her attack. This gives them the opportunity to escape, and they hack into Medinano’s system and start using their own technology against them. They then realize that Dr. Bennett’s point of entry into the Medinano system is the thing that they smuggled in in the first scene–and the code she’s using is Japheth’s. Realizing that they can help, they are torn, escape and save themselves, or help the enemy and save millions of lives? Ultimately they choose to stay and use their knowledge of Dr. Bennett’s methods – as well as the knowledge that she has an ex-wife and daughter in the uppers who she would have given a preventative code to – to help the Medinano authorities stop the virus. In the process, due to Nell’s wizardry, they are able to broadcast the truth during a live global event. Despite being detained, the massive public outcry prompts their release and sparks an intense global dialogue on equity and ethics.

• Resolution: Although wary of mainstream society, the biohackers commit to vigilantly protecting humanity from future technological misuses, while working toward a more equitable future and seeing their former mentor as well as those who masterminded the global conspiracy brought to justice. Since the conspiracy spans the globe, with sleeper agents already in key positions in major governments, the final act involves coordinating with international biohacker cells to dismantle Medinano’s influence worldwide.

[Vernall Ritchey]

ASSIGNMENT: Module 4: Lesson 2
Vision: To captivate audiences by writing, producing, and directing smart, well-written, blockbuster scripts.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: how great my characters are coming together.
Subject Line: WIM – Vernall Ritchey – Deeper Layer

Deeper Layers:
Plot Layers:
1. Kyla’s Past: There could be a deeper secret in Kyla’s past that makes her susceptible to demonic possession. Perhaps she dabbled in the occult or has a hidden lineage connected to demonic entities.
2. The Demon’s Identity: What is the Demon’s true nature and origin? Is it a singular entity or a fragment of something larger? Is there a reason it chose Kyla?
3. The Significance of the Exorcism Attempt: Was the initial attempt to exorcise Father Gill a setup by the Demon to manipulate Kyla? Did it serve another purpose?
4. The Crucifix: Is there a reason the crucifix seems to have no effect on Kyla? Could it be a fake or hold some hidden meaning?
5. The True Goal of the Demon: Is the Demon’s ultimate goal simply to possess a human or is there a larger plan in motion? Does it want to escape its current form or influence the world in some way?
Character Layers:
Kyla
1. Hidden Doubts: Kyla may have doubts about her faith or calling that the Demon exploits. Perhaps she feels a lack of control in her own life, making possession seem appealing.
2. Inner Conflict: Even as the Demon takes hold, there could be a flicker of Kyla’s true self fighting back. This internal struggle could be a source of suspense.
3. Redemption Arc (Even in Embrace the Darkness Ending): Even if Kyla succumbs, there could be a moment of self-awareness or sacrifice that hints at a potential for redemption, even in the afterlife.
4. Connection to Father Gill: Explore a deeper connection between Kyla and Father Gill. Perhaps they share a hidden past or a spiritual bond that becomes a weapon against the Demon.
5. Trigger for Possession: What specific event or weakness allowed the Demon to fully possess Kyla? Was it a moment of despair, anger, or a specific action?
Demon
1. Vulnerability: Is there something the Demon fears or is susceptible to? A holy object, a prayer, or a specific type of person (like a pure soul)?
2. Weakness of the Vessel: Does Kyla’s weakening faith or humanity somehow weaken the Demon’s power? Is there a risk of the Demon being trapped if fully expelled?
3. History with Exorcists: The Demon’s past defeat by an exorcist could be a source of motivation for revenge. This could tie into the significance of the exorcism attempt.
4. True Form: Does the Demon have a true form beyond its possession of Kyla? Is it something monstrous or something more deceptive?
5. Cost of Possession: Is there a cost to the Demon for possessing Kyla? Does it drain its power or limit its abilities in some way?
These are just a few ideas to get you started. By exploring these deeper layers, you can add complexity to your characters and plot, creating a more surprising and engaging story.

Deeper Layers:
Plot Layers:
1. Kyla’s Past Trauma: Perhaps Kyla’s vulnerability stems from a past trauma that the demon exploits. This trauma could be related to the church, faith, or a personal experience that makes her susceptible to the demon’s influence.
2. The Demon’s Origin: What is the origin story of the Demon? Is there a reason it targets Kyla specifically? Is there a weakness the exorcists can exploit based on the Demon’s past?
3. Hidden Motive for Father Gill: Is Father Gill aware of something about Kyla’s past or the demonic entity? Does he have a hidden motive for wanting the exorcism performed?
4. The Power Source: Is there a physical object or location that fuels the Demon’s power? Is there a reason the attempted exorcism on Father Gill failed?
5. Higher Stakes: Are there greater consequences if Kyla succumbs to the darkness? Does the demonic possession have implications beyond Father Gill and Kyla?
Character Layers:
Kyla:
1. Hidden Doubts About Faith: Maybe Kyla already harbored doubts about her faith before the possession began. The demon amplifies these doubts, fueling her transformation.
2. Internal Conflict: Even as the demon takes hold, a sliver of Kyla fights back. This internal struggle creates a moral complexity to her character.
3. Connection to the Church: Does Kyla have a deeper connection to the church beyond becoming a nun? Is there a family history or past experience that colors her motivations?
4. Redemption Arc (Even in Darkness): Even if Kyla embraces her demonic side, is there a chance for redemption or a way to use her power for good?
5. Trigger for Transformation: What specific event or trigger caused Kyla’s initial possession? Understanding this could be key to understanding her vulnerability.
Demon:
1. Fear of Something Else: Perhaps the Demon is afraid of something greater than the priests or even God. This fear could be a weakness that the priests exploit.
2. Vulnerability to Faith: Is the Demon susceptible to genuine acts of faith or displays of compassion? This vulnerability could create an opening for Kyla to fight back.
3. More Than Malevolent: Is there a reason for the Demon’s malice? Is it simply evil, or is there a tragic backstory that motivates its actions?
4. Limited Possession: Can the Demon only possess one person at a time? Is there a way to transfer the possession to another host?
5. Symbiotic Relationship: Does the Demon need Kyla as much as Kyla needs the Demon? Is there a way to disrupt this symbiotic connection?

Deeper Layers:
Plot Layers:
1. The Relic: The amulet/cross/religious symbol Father Gill possesses weakens Kyla and could be the key to her exorcism or even her possession.
2. Kyla’s Past: Kyla’s vulnerability to possession stems from a traumatic event in her past that the demon exploits.
3. The Demon’s Origin: The demon is revealed to be a fragment of a more powerful entity, and defeating Kyla only weakens but doesn’t destroy it.
4. Hidden Messages: Unexplained symbols or messages left by Kyla foreshadow the demonic possession.
5. Higher Purpose: The attempted exorcism was orchestrated by a higher power to test Kyla’s faith and expose the true enemy.
Character Layers:
Kyla:
1. Hidden Motive: Kyla isn’t becoming a nun out of piety, but to get closer to the church’s relics to further her demonic goals.
2. Internal Conflict: A sliver of Kyla’s humanity remains trapped within her, battling the demon for control.
3. Redemption Arc: Despite succumbing to the demon, a selfless act by Kyla to protect Father Gill weakens the demon’s hold.
4. Angelic Legacy: A shocking twist reveals Kyla is not demonic but a fallen angel, twisted by past events.
5. Unreliable Narrator: The entire story is from Kyla’s perspective, making the audience question the truth of everything they see.
Demon:
1. Fear of Something Else: The demon fears a higher power and the exorcism is a desperate attempt to escape a coming threat.
2. Weakness: The demon has a specific weakness besides holy objects, exploitable by Father Moore or Lyle.
3. Symbiote: The demon and Kyla are not in a traditional possession, but a symbiotic link, benefiting each other.
4. Broken Promise: The demon was once an angel who broke a vow to God, leading to its fall and current form.
5. Not So Evil: The demon’s motivations are not purely malicious, but driven by a desire for survival or a twisted sense of justice.

[Brandi Hoffman]

Brandi’s deeper layers

Brandi’s vision: I want the creative freedom to attract an audience that is passionate about my films, and regularly deliver films that are commercially successful and leave my audience thrilled and eager for the next.

What I learned from doing this assignment: It wasn’t too difficult to put in an extra layer, but well worth it. The ones AI suggested weren’t great, but I like the one I came up with.

Surface Layer: Buddy hates his life and wants to kill his father in order to set himself free
Deeper Layer: His mother manipulates Buddy into killing his father so she can be alone with her lover
Major Reveal: after Buddy confesses to trying to kill his dad, his dad figures out his wife is behind the whole plot
Influences Surface Story: Buddy thinks it’s his own idea, but is devastated when he learns of his mom’s treachery
Hints: glances between mom and the hired hand/ guy who gets his hands dirty
Changes Reality: Buddy isn’t nearly as competent and in control as he thinks he is

Beginning: Mei is a huge liar and is desperate to prove herself in the competitive world of magic. When a dress rehearsal for a performance goes wrong, she lies and says it’s all under control.

Inciting Incident: Mei’s ex-boyfriend Chuck falls out of a prop box during a show before 231 cement engineers. Mei tries to play it off, but someone notices that the prop is bleeding.

Turning Point 1: When she’s questioned by the police, she lies and tells them she didn’t know the victim. Someone points out to her that she’s really in trouble, it wasn’t a harmless little lie.

Act 2: Mei has to investigate Chuck’s murder before the police figure out he was her ex. She looks for the assistant who went missing during the show, but everyone seems to have forgotten.

Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Mei finds a blueprint in the assistant’s apartment, but before she can figure it out, she’s caught by her assistant’s landlord. She lies (unsuccessfully) to get out of trouble, but a video of her escaping goes viral, though without identifying features.

Act 3: Mei asks her friend Jerri to look at the blueprint. Jerri recognizes it as a prop device in William Henry’s show and goes off to warn him that someone is trying to hurt him.

Turning Point 3: Jerri is found dead, and evidence points to Mei. Mei’s other lies are uncovered and life becomes very difficult. She finds her assistant in hiding who confirms that Buddy is the one who hired Chuck to sabotague the device to make it look like an accident.

Act 4 Climax: Mei forms a new plan to expose Buddy, but Buddy kidnaps Mei’s brother. Mei’s family bands together to stop the evil stage manager while Mei traps Buddy with his own sabotaged prop. William Henry confronts his wife and confirms she was the mastermind behind the plot to kill him, and Buddy is left devastated.

Resolution: Mei is a changed woman who can let people into her life. She’s now more confident in her abilities as a magician and has learned the importance of honesty and trust in her relationships.

[Diane Denham]

Bonnie’s Vision for the Future: I want to improve my writing skills by 200% and sell at least one script between 2024 and 2025.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that taking the time and care to use only what fits my story from the AI generated responses, was totally satisfying and enriching to the process.

Module 4: Lesson 2 The Deeper Layer
Bonnie’s Deeper Layers
New Plot Layers:
1. Xiola's Mother's True Fate: It's revealed that Xiola's mother was a secret operative working to expose corruption within both the human espionage organization and the ET confederation. Her disappearance was a result of Xiola’s and her mother’s shared mission gone wrong. Xiola's current mission intertwines with finishing what her mother started.
2. Quarky's Hidden Identity: Quarky is not a bumbling tourist, but a powerful respected shaman on their home planet. Their special abilities are not just quirky; they are pivotal in stabilizing the time-space anomaly. Their hidden potential becomes a key to resolving the crisis, leading to unraveling the mystery anomaly.
3. Zartuuf’s Redemption Arc: Zartuuf's controlling, verbal abusive father caused the trauma that led him to pursue power obsessively. This adds depth to his motivations and his eventual change of heart.
4. The Plane Passengers' Secret Agendas: Each passenger on the plane has a unique skill that will aid in resolving the crisis.
5. The Interdimensional Conspiracy: The malfunction was no accident, but a deliberate act orchestrated by the ET confederation and a roque faction within Xiola’s espionage organization, aiming to destabilize the interdimensional travel market and seize control.
6. The Plane as a Catalyst: The plane is revealed to be a nexus point in time and space, attracting various interdimensional energies, causing the aircraft’s strange anomalies as it trans-locates, flying over various Earth power centers, like Stonehenge, Shiprock, Mt Shasta.
7. Hidden Agenda of the ET Confederation: The ET confederation is not just manipulating Zartuuf but has a broader sinister agenda to use Earth as a testing ground for their experimental technologies. This revelation forces Xiola and Zartuuf to reassess their mission and the stakes involved.
8. Parallel Universe Consequences: Strange events continue causing ripples across parallel universes, where characters see brief flashes of their alternate lives, alternate selves.
9. Xiola’s Mother’s Disappearance: It turns out Xiola’s mother was also a time traveler who got entangled in the ET Confederation’s schemes. Her disappearance is linked to the current malfunction, adding personal stakes for Xiola.
10. Zartuuf’s Betrayal: At a critical moment, Zartuuf is offered a deal by the ET Confederation to betray Xiola and the others in exchange for his own safety and success. His decision and its aftermath add tension and complexity to the plot.
New Character Layers for Protagonist:
1. Xiola’s True Identity: Xiola is revealed to be a human-ET hybrid, inherited from her human mother and ET father. Her mission is more personal than she realized.
2. Internal Conflict: Xiola harbors guilt over a past mission where her actions led to unintended casualties. Xiola feels intense guilt for her mother’s disappearance, believing it was her fault due to a mission gone wrong. This guilt drives her actions and decisions throughout the story.
3. Secret Mentor: Xiola receives guidance through a mysterious device left by her mother, revealing cryptic messages that slowly unravel the deeper conspiracy and her mother’s real mission, but when the device breaks, she discovers she can use her innate psychic powers to receive messages.
4. Hidden Skills: Beyond her secret agent training, Xiola possesses latent abilities inherited from her ET heritage, which she starts to unlock and use, hinting at her connection to Quarky, as the story progresses.
5. Hidden Vulnerability: Despite her confident exterior, Xiola struggles with severe anxiety and fears of inadequacy, stemming from her mother's high expectations and her own internal pressure to succeed.
6. Dual Loyalties: Xiola is secretly working to investigate both her own espionage organization and the ET confederation, hoping to expose what she suspects is a conspiracy to control multidimensional travel.
7. Connection to Quarky – Secret Mentor: Xiola receives guidance through a spirit being, which connects her to Quarky. She begins to sense a strange connection to them before discovering they are half-siblings through the father. This connection influences her protective instincts towards them and adds emotional depth to her character.
New Character Layers for Antagonist:
1. Familial Ties – Dark Family History: Zartuuf comes from a family with a dark history of unethical experiments in interdimensional travel. His actions are influenced by a desire to both surpass and redeem his family’s legacy. He is secretly related to a high-ranking member of the ET confederation, complicating his feelings of unworthiness and driving his desire to prove himself independently.
2. Romantic Vulnerability: His feelings for Xiola are deeper than he lets on, revealing a softer side that conflicts with his ruthless business persona and affects his decisions.
3. Redemption Desire: Zartuuf has always harbored a secret wish to undo the wrongs he’s committed, driven by a moral compass buried under layers of ambition and survival instinct.
4. Secret Benefactor: Zartuuf has been secretly funded and manipulated by a shadowy figure, his father, within the ET confederation, whose true motives remain hidden. This benefactor’s agenda complicates Zartuuf’s path to redemption.
5. Genuine Love: Despite his manipulative nature, Zartuuf genuinely falls in love with Xiola, which conflicts with his professional ambitions and forces him to confront his true self.
6. Redemption Quest: Zartuuf secretly longs for redemption and to make amends for his past mistakes, driving his actions in subtle ways and adding layers to his character’s motivations.
7. Childhood Trauma: Zartuuf's drive for success is rooted in a traumatic childhood experience where he was constantly belittled and underestimated. This trauma fuels his ambition and fear of failure.
8. Hidden Talent: Zartuuf has a hidden talent for music and frequencies that effect dimensions, which he secretly uses to calm himself, and later others, adding empathy for his character.
9. Secret Compassion for Animals: Zartuuf has a profound love for animals, which is why he is deeply affected when his ET pet goes missing. His compassion contrasts with his otherwise ruthless demeanor.
10. Regret over Past Betrayals: Zartuuf has betrayed colleagues in the past to climb the corporate ladder in the ET travel industry. His regret over these actions haunts him and influences his current decisions.
New Character Layers for Triangle Character:
1. Quarky's True Power: Quarky has a Shamanic ability to manipulate multiple dimensions, a power they gradually learns to master, which becomes crucial in resolving the malfunction.
2. Hidden Bravery: Despite his anxious exterior, Quarky has a history of courageous acts, having saved others during crises on his home planet, which he downplays due to modesty.
3. Cultural Heritage: Quarky’s special abilities are linked to ancient rituals from his home planet, revealing a rich cultural background that becomes vital in understanding the malfunction.
4. Secret Mission: Quarky was sent on the vacation by his elders with a hidden agenda to observe and report on the ET travel agents, making their presence on the plane more than coincidental.
5. Mystical Heritage: Quarky is unknowingly a member of an ancient Shamanic lineage from a distant planet. Their special abilities are tied to his lineage, making him a target for various factions seeking to exploit his powers.
6. Secret Guardian: Quarky was assigned find and act as a secret guardian to Xiola, tasked with protecting her and assisting in her mission. His bumbling nature hides their true competence and dedication.
7. Unseen Sacrifices: Quarky has made significant personal sacrifices to be on this mission, including leaving behind a peaceful life and loved ones. Their inner conflict about these sacrifices adds depth to their character’s journey.
8. Hidden Bravery: Quarky, despite their anxious demeanor, possesses a hidden bravery that surfaces in critical moments, surprising both themselves and others.
9. Unique Perspective: Quarky has a unique perspective on the time-space anomaly, seeing patterns and connections others miss. This perspective is crucial in piecing together the mystery. Despite their bumbling exterior, they are a secret genius with deep knowledge of spacetime mechanics. Their hidden intelligence becomes crucial to solving the malfunction.
10. Cultural Conflict: Quarky struggles with the cultural differences between their home planet and Earth, leading to misunderstandings and comedic situations. This cultural conflict also provides insight into their character’s background.

[Margaret]

Margaret’s Deeper Layers!
Vision: To write profound faith-based screenplays that are produced.
Protagonist: Jabin
Surface layer: He enjoys playing the guitar.
Deeper Layer: His guitar has been his instrument for emotional release, and he sees his music as his ministry for God.
Major Reveal: Jabin loses his ability to play the guitar when he loses his fine motor skills, and becomes depressed, unable to fight the feelings of doom and uselessness.
Influences Surfaces Story: Jabin struggles with depression.
Hints: Jabin changes when he can’t play, and seems to soar when his fine motor skills return and he can play again.
Changes Reality: The symbol of the guitar alone in the corner is not just a guitar, but how Jabin feels. When he takes the guitar with him to his stem cell therapy it signifies his hope and feelings of usefulness.
Antagonist: Dr. Morgan
Surface layer: An expert in the field of oncology.
Deeper Layer: Not one of his patients with Jabin’s history has survived, and one of the patients that died was someone close to him with future goals that died with them.
Major Reveal: After 3rd return of cancer, he puts Jabin on oral chemo and tells him there is no hope.
Influences Surfaces Story: He remains detached, doesn’t want to get involved in discussing Jabin’s aspirations and plans.
Hints: He tells Jabin to let go of his aspirations and focus on “getting well.” He keeps developing therapies in the hopes of finding the right combo to have a patient survive.
Changes Reality: We have hope that Jabin might survive, when in reality the doctor has no hope for his survival.

Triangle Character: Becca
Surface layer: Becca is a friend who sympathizes with Jabin’s illness.
Deeper Layer: Before reconnecting with Jabin, she spent a year in a traumatic relationship, wishing she had not terminated her relationship with Jabin.
Major Reveal: When Jabin proposes.
Influences Surfaces Story: Becca is eager to do anything to support Jabin.
Hints: She looks for a job near his potential work site in Tucson, even though her family is in Seattle and she has no relationship commitment from Jabin.
Changes Reality: We think she is being nice, when she desperately wants to be Jabin’s significant other after experiencing other relationships.
4-Act Structure:
Beginning: Jabin is a determined and ambitious college senior, planning to graduate and start a career at Raytheon. He is optimistic and focused on his future.
Ant. Beginning: Dr. Morgan is a pragmatic oncologist focused on providing the best possible care for his patients, often at the expense of their personal aspirations.
Inciting Incident/ TP 1: Jabin receives a terminal cancer diagnosis from Dr. Morgan, throwing his future into uncertainty, with a life-and-death struggle, and starting his internal battle with despair and fear.
Ant. TP 1: Dr. Morgan delivers Jabin’s terminal diagnosis, initiating the central conflict between his medical realism and Jabin’s aspirations.
TC (Triangle Character) Beginning: Becca is Jabin’s old high school flame who initially rejected him. She is empathetic, optimistic, and loyal, but carries the emotional wound of her past regret.
TC TP 1: Becca reconnects with Jabin and learns about his terminal diagnosis, reigniting her feelings and determination to support him.
Act 2: Jabin continues with school despite his illness, goes into remission, and rekindles a relationship with Becca.
Unspoken Sacrifice: Becca applies for a job in Tucson, where Jabin’s new job will be, even though there is no relationship commitment and her family is in Seattle.
Losing Talent: As Jabin’s disease progresses, he loses fine motor control and is no longer able to play the guitar.
Ant. Midpoint: As Jabin goes into remission and graduates, Dr. Morgan begins to see the impact of Jabin’s determination and starts to question his own approach. (His mentor told him he must be detached in medicine.)
Reveal Ant. Personal Loss: Dr. Morgan has lost a loved one with aspirations to cancer so he struggles to get emotionally involved with the aspirations of his patients.
Midpoint: The cancer resurges, testing Jabin’s resolve and his relationship with Becca as he embraces the uncertainty of his future.
Corporate Conflict: The HR department offered employment to too many new graduates, causing them to request a start date extension for Jabin, allowing him to undergo treatment (Corporate unaware of Jabin’s cancer).
TC Midpoint: As Jabin goes into remission and they start a relationship, Becca’s faith in his potential strengthens, but the cancer’s resurgence tests their bond.
Ant. TP 2: When the cancer resurges, Dr. Morgan explores alternative treatments, pushing the boundaries of traditional medicine and showing a shift towards supporting Jabin’s personal journey.
Ant. Dilemma: Dr. Morgan must balance his professional dedication to finding effective treatments with the risk of giving Jabin false hope.
TP 2: Jabin faces the dilemma of choosing between a risky therapy to prevent reoccurrence of the cancer, losing his job at Raytheon or start his job without the treatment.
Dilemma: Jabin must choose between his career aspirations and his health, knowing that either choice could lead to significant loss.
Spiritual Quest: Jabin experiences a vision that has impact on his decision (he is to be a light in a dark place.)
Regain Talent: Jabin picks up the guitar again and is able to play.
TC TP 2: Becca stands by Jabin as he faces his health-career dilemma, providing unwavering support and encouraging him to choose life and love.
TC TP Relationship reveal: Becca’s last relationship was not healthy, and she has self-esteem issues as a result of this.
TC Dilemma: Becca must choose between the fear of losing Jabin and the hope of a future together, knowing the pain that either choice could bring.
Act 3: Jabin plans a wedding, has stem cell replacement therapy, starts work at Raytheon.
Turning Point 3: Two days before his wedding with Becca, the cancer returns.
TC Major Conflict: As Jabin’s cancer returns just before their wedding, Becca confronts the reality of their uncertain future and must find the strength to commit fully.
Ant. Major Conflict: Dr. Morgan faces his own professional burnout and the emotional toll of seeing Jabin’s recurring struggles, leading to a personal crisis about his role as a doctor.
Act 4: Jabin marries Becca, starts oral chemotherapy.
Ant. Reveal: Not one of Dr. Morgan’s patients with Jabin’s history that was prescribed the oral chemotherapy has survived.
TC Ending: Becca marries Jabin, embracing the uncertainty and cherishing their love. Her unwavering faith and support are instrumental in Jabin’s miraculous recovery, symbolizing the power of love and resilience.
Act 4 Climax / Major Conflict: Jabin has a pneumothorax, and has a life-threatening decision to make. Should he not marry Becca or take a life-risking flight to his wedding?
Resolution: Jabin marries Becca, starts a new chapter in his life, and embraces each day with gratitude. A miracle happens, and Jabin’s cancer becomes undetectable, symbolizing his journey from despair to hope and his acceptance of life’s uncertainties.
Use of Talent: Jabin joins a church band.
Ant. Ending: Dr. Morgan comes to celebrate Jabin’s life and achievements, recognizing the value of faith and personal aspirations in the healing process.

[Terrie Shaft]

Terrie’s Deeper Layer
Vision: I am paid to write screenplays that become successful movies. My process is so solid I can enjoy my equestrian hobby while exceeding expectations with my writing.
Concept: An alien crashes into an off-the-grid hippie's house and they accidentally swap bodies.
What I learned from doing this assignment is I’d already been trying to work some of this in, but it made me realize that I need to withhold some things to improve the story.
Misa
• Surface Layer: wants to save the planet
• Deeper Layer: Misa's reclusive lifestyle stems from estrangement from a family deeply involved in industrial pollution and she refuses to take any money from them.
• Major Reveal: During the Earth-Day festival she’s called out as fraud!
• Influences Surface Story: her personal off-the-grid home while environmentally friendly has many tricked out features (this is also a hint). She’s polished when interacting with wealthy influential people.
• Hints: claims to have no family but evidence otherwise. She’s educated.
• Changes Reality: it’s not enough for her to live in an environmentally-friendly manner she needs to offset her family’s environmental degradation.
Bill
• Surface Layer: wants to return home
• Deeper Layer: he stole a spaceship and left to avoid punishment for an error he made so he actually doesn’t want to leave
• Major Reveal: when his body (with Misa in it) starts to deteriorate he realizes his body can’t stay and suddenly ‘knows’ exactly what is needed to repair his ship.
• Influences Surface Story: his efforts to fix his ship are insincere.
• Hints: breaks something when he tries to fix things, claim ignorance on how his ship works
• Changes Reality: he’s not such a nice guy, he isn’t owning up to his mistakes

Deputy Rhoades
• Surface Layer: Follow the law and everything will be okay!
• Deeper Layer: He is an alcoholic in recovery.
• Major Reveal: when he tries to convince Misa (with Bill in the body) to go to rehab – it helped him!
• Influences Surface Story: He seems to be investigating Misa looking for reasons to arrest her but actually he’s concerned about her mental and physical health.
• Hints: at the Farmer’s Market he convinces everyone to calm down then uses some breathing techniques on himself.
• Changes Reality: He’s a concerned officer who really wants to serve and protect his community.

Misa (Protagonist 1)
• Beginning: Misa is an angry, reclusive hippie live in a well-appointed off-the-grid home with her marijuana plants. She shuns human contact, distrusts authority, technology, and mainstream society. Gets into an altercation with a customer at the Farmer’s market and is sent home.
• Inciting Incident: Bill’s spaceship crashes into her home – she assumes it’s a hallucination. She tries to help him fix his spaceship. Bill is pretty inept, actually breaks something else while attempting to fix it.
• Turning Point 1: Bill and Misa switch bodies. Misa assumes it’s part of the hallucination.
• Act 2: Misa (now in Bill’s body) and Bill (in Misa’s body) struggle with their new circumstances. they need to figure out what causes the swap so they can unswap bodies. Misa's frustration grows as she realizes Bill is not equipped to fix the ship or understand Earth.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Misa needs to attend the farmer’s market to avoid suspicion. Misa dresses up as a bigfoot to accompany Bill (in her body) to sell products. Realizing Bill's body cannot survive on Earth for long, they need to fix the spaceship urgently. Bill (in Misa’s body) learns to navigate human customs and starts to appreciate Misa's passion for the environment. Despite Misa’s clumsiness (because Bill is operating the body), he is a good salesman at the farmer’s market.
• Act 3: Misa (with Bill in the body) must attend the Earth Day festival – winning would provide the $ to get the parts for Bill’s spaceship. Misa (with Bill in the body) works with Bill (with Misa in the body) to improve Misa’s products. Misa (with Bill in the body) sabotages a repair. Bill (with Misa in the body) confronts him.
• Turning Point 3: Misa’s products don’t win the festival prize – in fact she’s called out for the damage her family’s business has done to the environment. However, they obtain retail distribution and the money to fix Bill’s ship. Misa (with Bill in the body) owns that Bill doesn’t want to return to his home planet, he is avoiding a punishment. Deputy Rhoades suspects Misa (in Bill’s body) of drug use, adding pressure. They must work together to convince him otherwise and avoid exposing their secret.
• Act 4 Climax: Bill & Misa work to repair the ship. Deputy Rhoades sees Bill’s body. Misa in Bill’s body tells Deputy Rhoades something only she would know. Bill (in Misa’s body) offers to let Misa keep his body so she can leave and survive.
• Resolution: After a final comedic twist that reverses the body swap, Misa returns to her body. She embraces her role in helping others and becomes a catalyst for positive change, working to heal the planet.
Bill
• Beginning: Bill is flying along, comes out of hibernation really needs a toilet, but he breaks it! Figures, he’s always seen as expendable and clumsy. He lacks confidence and is generally considered a failure by his peers.
• Inciting Incident: Bill’s spaceship crashes into Misa’s home. Bill panics – he’s been seen! Bill says he needs to fix his ship, but he’s pretty inept, actually breaks something else while attempting to fix it.
• Turning Point 1: Bill switches bodies with Misa. Further panic!
• Act 2: Bill and Misa try to figure out what causes the body swap so they can unswap. Misa (in Bill’s body) starts to suffer from Earth sickness.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Misa in Bill’s body attends the farmer’s market dressed as Bigfoot.
• Act 3: Bill’s body (with Misa in it) attends the Earth Day festival hoping to win enough to get parts to fix the ship. Bill and Misa must work together. Misa (in Bill’s body) is infuriated that he was sabotaging the repairs. Does he want his body to die with her in it?
• Turning Point 3: Misa’s products don’t win the prize. Bill (with Misa in his body) is very smooth at presenting the products, despite the big foot costume and manages to obtain retail distribution providing the money to fix Bill’s ship. Misa (in Bill’s body) must stay hidden to avoid exposing their secret but still work together.
• Act 4 Climax: Bill and Misa repair the ship. Misa (in Bill’s body) is failing. Deputy Rhoades sees Misa (in Bill’s body) but she tells Deputy Rhoades something only she would know so he doesn’t report the sighting.
• Resolution: Bill and Misa accidentally unswap bodies. Bill returns to his planet with newfound confidence and empathy. He promises to make amends and keep other aliens away from Earth, ready to prove his worth.

Deputy Rhoades
• Beginning: After secretly completing a stint in rehab, he returns to work sober but struggles with self-doubt about his effectiveness. Rhoades encounters Misa at the farmer’s market and diffuses the situation, sending her home with a warning.
• Turning point 1: Deputy Rhoades stops his cruiser to engage in deep breathing and self talk to calm his nerves.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: He notices Bill (in Misa’s body) acting odd and suspects drug use. His concern for the community stoner deepens his involvement.
• Act 3: “follows up” with Misa, investigating her behaviors
• Turning Point 3: Rhoades' suspicions grow, and he confronts Bill (in Misa’s body), offering rehab advice revealing his own experiences.
• Act 4 Climax: See’s Bill’s body – worries he’s somehow fallen off the wagon without knowing.
• Resolution: agrees to keep Misa & Bill’s secret. He remains dedicated to his role but with a new understanding of compassion and second chances, continuing his journey of personal redemption.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 1 week ago by  Terrie Shaft.

[Diane Denham]

Bonnie’s Vision for the Future: I want to improve my writing skills by 200% and sell at least one script between 2024 and 2025.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that if I just keep moving through what I've created so far in the lessons, things gradually do come together.

Bonnie’s Deeper Layer:

Plot Layers
• Surface Layer: Xiola and Zartuuf are investigating the mysterious anomaly.
• Deeper Layer: The anomaly was intentionally created by rogue factions within Xiola’s espionage organization and the ET confederation.
• Major Reveal: The conspirators are attempting to sabotage interdimensional travel to incite chaos and seize power.
• Influences Surface Story: The characters must now navigate the political intrigue and suspected conspiracy between the ET confederation and rogue faction within Xiola’s organization.
• Hints: Inconsistent anomalies, covert messages intercepted by Xiola, and unusual behaviors among certain agents.
• Changes Reality: The investigation is no longer about fixing a glitch but preventing a larger, orchestrated crisis, exclusive control over multidimensional travel.
• Beginning: Xiola suspects sabotage due to irregularities.
• Inciting Incident: Discovery of encrypted messages from her mother hinting at sabotage.
• Turning Point 1: Realization that the anomaly is part of a larger plot.
• Act 2: Xiola, Zartuuf and Quarky work together to uncover the conspiracy and fix the anomaly.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Identifying key players in the conspiracy.
• Act 3: The team must outwit the conspirators while maintaining their cover and fixing dangerous ongoing multidimensional glitches.
• Turning Point 3: The rogue factions within the ET confederation and espionage organization attempt a final, devastating move.
• Act 4 Climax: Showdown with the conspirators.
• Resolution: Conspirators defeated, exposed, and order restored. Xiola heads up a special forces unit to maintain free and peaceful travel between worlds, working with Zartuuf from the ET confederation. Quarky returns to their home planet to continue their role as a respected and honored Shaman to their people.

XIOLA’S 4-ACT STRUCTURE
• Surface Layer: Xiola’s mission to investigate the cause and fix the anomaly.
• Deeper Layer: Xiola’s true mission is to find her missing mother and expose the conspiracy she suspects between a rogue faction within her organization and the ET confederation, haunted by her first mission where she made a risky decision that caused harm.
• Major Reveal: Xiola’s actions are driven by a personal quest to find out what happened to her mother.
• Influences Surface Story: Adds emotional depth and urgency to her mission.
• Hints: Emotional responses to mother-related topics, private moments of grief.
• Changes Reality: Her mission’s stakes are more personal than professional.
• Beginning: Hints of a personal agenda.
• Inciting Incident: Discovery of a clue about her mother, hinting at Xiola’s hybrid genealogy.
• Turning Point 1: Realization that her mother’s fate is tied to the anomaly.
• Act 2: Balancing her professional and personal quests.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: A major breakthrough, contact with her mother, who reveals that Xiola is a hybrid Human/ET.
• Act 3: Emotional conflict and determination in discovering her mother’s fate and the surprising reveal about her heritage.
• Turning Point 3: Facing the truth about her mother, a double agent who has been infiltrating the ET confederation to expose the conspiracy.
• Act 4 Climax: Resolving both missions simultaneously.
• Resolution: Xiola finds closure and resolves the anomaly.

ZARTUUF’S 4-ACT STRUCTURE
• Surface Layer: Zartuuf’s professional ambitions, flamboyant charisma, romantic ovations toward Xiola.
• Deeper Layer: His musical talent hides his ability to manipulate dangerous spacetime warps with musical frequencies. Zartuuf’s attraction to Xiola conflicts with his driving ambitions.
• Major Reveal: His benefactor is using him as a pawn in a darker scheme. His music can influence the spacetime anomaly.
• Influences Surface Story: Adds a unique dimension to his character and the plot.
• Hints: Subtle references to music affecting anomalies, moments of vulnerability, emotional responses to Xiola’s actions.
• Changes Reality: His hidden talent becomes crucial to resolving the anomaly.
• Beginning: Subtle signs of his use of music in tense moments.
• Inciting Incident: Discovery of the benefactor’s true motives resulting in questioning how his music affect could affect the anomaly, initiating a situation that forces him to choose between Xiola and his ambition.
• Turning Point 1: Realization of being a pawn and utilizing his unique talent.
• Act 2: Struggling to implement music to influence the anomaly.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: A critical moment that tests his courage, where he risks confronting his father, the benefactor, and using his musical abilities to make a difference.
• Act 3: Actions driven by his unique ability and need to reconcile his emotions and ambitions.
• Turning Point 3: A decisive use of his musical talent.
• Act 4 Climax: Final resolution involving his music which manipulates and syncs with frequencies that are opening dangerous portals.
• Resolution: Zartuuf’s talent becomes a recognized and valued asset, and he finds a path to healing and redemption.

QUARKY’S 4-ACT STRUCTURE:
• Surface Layer: Quarky’s role as a tourist and their quirky, bumbling, anxious nature.
• Deeper Layer: Quarky is a member of an ancient mystical Shamanic lineage with special abilities, sent by their elders on a secret mission.
• Major Reveal: Their lineage grants them unique powers essential to resolving the anomaly.
• Influences Surface Story: Adds depth, mystery, humor and importance to the character.
• Hints: References to elders, secretive behaviors, and cryptic comments involving their shared lineage and special abilities connected with their half-sibling, Xiola, through their father.
• Changes Reality: Their abilities become key to the resolution.
• Beginning: Subtle signs of their Shamanic abilities.
• Inciting Incident: Discovery of their lineage’s importance.
• Turning Point 1: Realization of their hidden brilliance and unique abilities.
• Act 2: Actions influenced by their lineage and powers.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: A major success due to their strategies and special abilities.
• Act 3: Using their powers to influence weird multidimensional events resulting from the original anomaly.
• Turning Point 3: A critical situation where their decisive action involving Quarky’s and Xiola’s shared genealogical lineage abilities saves the day.
• Act 4 Climax: Final resolution involving their unique powers.
• Resolution: Quarky’s powers and ancient Shamanic lineage are recognized and honored.

[Hope McPherson]

Hope’s deeper layer!

My Vison: To be a full-time respected screenwriter whose work brings joy to viewers and creates work for others in the industry, including actors and crew.

What I learned: I don’t have all the answers for this one yet, but I’m posting it to stay moving … Still, by looking for some deeper layers, I have found interesting connections.</>

Surface layer: Marta tries to hold her wedding day together as her precise planning unravels.

Deeper layer: Marta is being targeted by her former mentor, who’s jealous that she’s surpassed him in ability and readership.

Major reveal: The “fictional characters” are really out-of-work actors (Vincent is Royal’s cousin). The groom, Marcus, is in on it, but he’s been duped, too.

Influences surface story: When Royal appears to help, he’s really sabotaging her. Groom, Marcus thinks he’s doing her a favor, helping her get ideas for her next book.

Hints: ??

Changes reality: Royal and Vincent are real-life cousins. Marcus (groom) is also in on it, but thinks he’s helping. Royal holds a grudge against Marta’s parents.

Four-Act structure:

Act 1:

Beginning: Marta begins her wedding day, happy and anxious as she struggles to keep everything under control. She second-guesses her choices, including her groom and wedding given that she’s late for a deadline with her publisher.

Inciting Incident: Her wedding plans are derailed when her fictional character, Lily, springs to life alongside her new book’s cunning antagonist, Vincent Black. They demand she take orders from them, changing their roles in her book — or else. She refuses, and doesn’t take them seriously.

Turning Point: As chaos ensues and the lines between fiction and reality blur, Marta struggles to regain control of her wedding as her fictional characters now “edit” her wedding. Marta’s publisher arrives and gives Marta an ultimatum: Marta delivers the manuscript that day or she’ll be dropped for good. Good luck self-publishing successfully after the PR nightmare her wedding looks to be, the publisher adds.

Act 2:

New plan: Marta suspects a very human plot behind the mayhem. She tries to trip up the fictional characters. Rival author, Royal Brighton, offers to help. Unbeknownst to Marta, Royal, fueled by jealousy and potential financial gain, has hired actors to portray her characters and disrupt the festivities. Marta’s publisher and Royal get chummy.

Plan in action: As the stakes escalate and the fictional characters/hired actors continue to wreak havoc, Marta continues to try to control things. But the fictional characters stop her at every turn. But Marta’s groom, Marcus, is secretly collaborating with Royal, believing it’s all an elaborate prank that will endear Marta to their publisher.

Midpoint Turning Point: Marta accuses Vincent and Lily of being impostors and demands to know why they are trying to destroy her and Marcus’ wedding day. In reply, Vincent pulls Marcus “into the book,” and Marcus disappears from the venue.

Act 3:

Rethink everything: As the ceremony grows closer, Marta uncovers clues that lead her to Royal’s involvement, revealing the true extent of his vendetta against her – stemming from his blaming her best-selling authors’/parents’ on his early failures.

Disasters pile up: missing groom, decorations aflame, catering gone awry. Struggling against mounting calamity and the fracture in her relationship, Marta fights to salvage her special day and prove her innocence. With time running out, she battles not only external chaos but also internal doubts, determined to reclaim control and secure her happily-ever-after.

Act 4:

Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Marta enlists Vincent and Lily — who she tricks into admitting are actors — to design her and Marcus’ wedding on the fly. She finds Marcus in the basement and learns he was in on it under false pretenses. He learned, though, that Royal blames Marta for his stalled career.

Resolution: Despite the chaos, Marta emerges victorious, having embraced the disorder of her imagination. She discovers happiness in the chaos as the wedding comes off as a creative smash hit, with Vincent and Lily gaining new jobs as wedding planners.

Impressed, the publisher gives her a deadline on her deadline and Marcus agrees to postpone their honeymoon to make it happen. Royal is dropped by the publisher and decides to raise llamas.

In a victory of outlandish creativity, the wedding concludes with Marta and Marcus united in love, ready to face whatever challenges their future holds.

[Michael Collado]

Mike’s Deeper Layer

My Vision is to write an original screenplay, make a couple of calls to pitch it, to start a bidding war.
From this lesson, I learned to how and why the Surface layer and the Deeper layer is going to fit together.
• Surface Layer: Amidst her suspension for insubordination, in which she cries sexism, Jocinda/Coach Jo takes on coaching her goddaughter's baseball team, which is stacked with brainiacs in a misogynistic environment.

• Deeper Layer: It turns out one of the major sponsors of the Little League, Vita Solutions, is helping their mother company, Synapse Tech Systems, with a secret research program involving Nanotechnology.

• Major Reveal: Synapse Tech Systems is testing a human performance enhancement program. With its latest nanobot technology, it can tap into the knowledge of the greatest athletes, transferring their skills directly to their hosts, turning them into the next Willie Mays or Hank Aaron.

• Influences Surface Story: Coach Jo notices that some of the other players on opposing teams are improving exponentially, and they are making a huge difference in the win-loss column.

• Hints: you can see how the kids are starting to mimic some of the game's greatest players, Willie Mays' basket catch, and Ty Cobb's aggressive play on the bases.

• Changes Reality: This technology will revolutionize human potential. Imagine a world where anyone can perform at the level of a champion, breaking barriers previously thought insurmountable; unfortunately, the side effects are also insurmountable. Besides, the brainiacs have proven that any physical game can be learned through sound scientific research.

• This reply was modified 11 months ago by  Michael Collado.

[hari messer]

Hari's Deeper Layer

My Vision: I want to write screenplays that enable me to work with like minded creative people in the industry to produce profound movies that will have a long lasting positive effect on the world.

What I learned… Look at plot twists and character subtext to find the deeper layers.

Surface Layer: The people of a small mountain town fight to prevent a multinational corporation’s attempted takeover of it’s water supply
Deeper Layer: It is a front for an alien invasion of the earth. They need the water to accomplish their goal
Major Reveal: It gets revealed in a dramatic way when Jamaica allows the morph to go and reveal their presence to humanity.
Influences Surface Story: The aliens need the water to maintain their morph into human form. The bottling plant will send the water to aliens all over the Earth.
Hints: There are moments when some of the characters momentarily lose their morph.
Changes Reality: The small town’s fight becomes the humanity’s fight.

• This reply was modified 11 months ago by  hari messer.
• This reply was modified 11 months ago by  hari messer.

[jamie handley]

Jamie’s Deeper Layers
My scripts will get made into powerful movies that impact audiences and view me as a talented, hardworking professional.

What I’ve learned with this lesson is knowing the purpose of the multiple layers and how it can help to change the story and make it better. Not only for the plot but also for the characters.

Surface Layer: Lindsey is trying to be strong implementing the will and property.

Deeper Layer: She resents doing it as it should have been Sadie’s job. She resents Sadie. She has secrets that were shared with her mother about Sadie that no one else knows.

Major Reveal: Gracie finds the journals and doesn’t share them with her mother but knows and understands the strained relationship with Sadie. Sadie’s husband and Brooke’s father killed himself in an overdose and left a note for Sadie. Sadie fell in love with another man and had an abortion.

Influences Surface Story: Once the journals are examined by Lindsey, she is caught in the middle of confronting Sadie which could damage Brooke’s lasting memory of her mother.

Hints: Gracie knows the truth and confronts her mother. Brooke overhears a conversation and joins in. Everyone’s world begins to unravel.

Changes Reality: The complexities of Sadie’s life are finally exposed which makes the family understand Sadie’s damaged life.
3. Add the rest of the structure to the characters to the script. Try to get to the point as we’ve done in the Six Sense example above.

Act 1: Foundations of Conflict
Opening: Lindsey is overwhelmed by the dual burden of grief and responsibility as she sorts through her mother Sarah’s estate. Her physical and emotional struggles set the stage for her journey. Lindsey studies the failed colon cancer surgery and thinks the doctor is at fault. Brooke arrives in Arizona, tells Gracie she has moved to Oregon to care for her mother, Sadie, which shifts the family dynamics, deepening Lindsey’s feelings of abandonment and challenging her role within the family.
Inciting Incident: Lindsey arrives in Oregon hoping for consolation from Sadie. The tension escalates when Sadie, suffering from terminal colon cancer and addiction, manipulates a situation to seek drugs, straining her relationship with Lindsey further. Lindsey calls for an ambulance, her shoulder breaks.
Turning Point: Sadie uses Lindsey to get help, (drugs) at the hospital to meet with the criteria for hospice, unknown to Lindsey. Lindsey returns home, Gracie makes a trip to see her aunt then returns home to help her mother, Lindsey deals with her medical needs. They discuss the medical malpractice issue. Gracie and Lindsey discuss the journals

Act 2: Escalating Tensions

New Plan: Lindsey, seeking understanding and guidance, delves into her mother’s journals. This exploration is juxtaposed with her need to reconcile with her present family situation. Sarah had secrets that are shared between Lindsey and Gracie.
Plan in Action: The journals reveal not just secrets but also Sarah’s deep insights and hopes for her daughters, which reshape Lindsey’s understanding and her approach to dealing with Sadie.
Midpoint Turning Point: Discoveries of manipulation and deceit by Sadie, particularly regarding her drug-seeking behavior, push Lindsey to her limits, forcing her to oppose Sadie’s drastic choices. Sadie left stipulations for Sadie, Lindsey and Emma that change the dynamics of their relationships and their mother’s wishes.

Act 3: The Breaking Point

Rethink Everything: The familial confrontation reaches a climax as the assisted suicide debate and buried secrets tear at the fragile threads holding them together. Lindsey feels increasingly isolated. Lindsey finds a hidden diary in one of the journals in the box.
New Plan: A desperate Lindsey, along with Gracie, organizes a family meeting, aiming to bridge gaps with the revelations from Sarah’s journals.
Major Shift: The family meeting collapses into chaos, with Sadie’s fall marking a literal and metaphorical breakdown of family relations. The truth is exposed. Sarah tried to commit suicide, gave Sadie to an in-law for over a year, fell into depression. Lindsey’s failed marriages left scars and withheld from Brooke and Gracie as a means of protection.
Act 4: Resolution and New Beginnings
Climax: Sadie’s decision to proceed with her assisted suicide on her birthday comes to a head. Lindsey’s attempt to intervene and her delayed arrival add to the tragic tension.
Resolution: Sadie dies before Lindsey can reach her, leading to a deeply emotional reckoning for Lindsey, Brooke, and Gracie. They confront their grief, guilt, and the legacy left behind.
New Ways: Post-tragedy, Lindsey fully assumes the role of matriarch, initiating new family traditions and starting to write a memoir. This marks a significant step in embracing her mother’s legacy of love and forgiveness.
Final Scene: The family gathers in Laguna Beach, sharing memories and committing to new beginnings, a scene that symbolizes healing and the potential for future unity.

[Kristin Donnan]

Kristin’s Deeper Layer!
VISION: “I envision writing so well and consistently that I’m in demand, cherry-picking projects, selling beyond my wildest dreams, collaborating with people I admire and truly care about, and speaking my soul—on a big scale—so that I enjoy professional freedom, financial freedom, and joy.”
WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT: I was pleased to realize that I had been building these in automatically, so this assignment was really a double-check for that. Of course, the double-check makes me more aware, more conscious, or maybe more deliberate. I do feel that these things have to be intentional… I also realize I’m “missing some,” but that’s okay for now!

• Surface Layer: John is running a ranch for his family until the probate / estate is settled.
• Deeper Layer: The ranch family is intimately involved in the “Norwegian mafia,” which John always thought was just a tall tale.
• Major Reveal: As he investigates the murder, he discovers his brother’s involvement—and that the dead woman is collateral.
• Influences Surface Story: Now the stakes are much higher.
• Hints: Zeke’s first appearance is weird; his and John’s behavior at the scene of the death indicates that John knows something is up; John’s behavior with the cops; discovery of the “igloo site” skeleton; discussions with elders; uncovering the mineral rights situation.
• Changes Reality: John is faced with an impossible dilemma of either protecting his brother and family’s past or living with honor.

• Beginning: The calm setting belies the criminal underbelly of the family.
• Inciting Incident: Zeke’s sudden appearance and weird behavior suggest a problem that has deeper roots—more than just the normal bickering that comes with estate stuff.
• Turning Point 1: Everyone’s behavior at the death site.
• Act 2: Indications of the more sinister situation come from old relics from the past / storage. Things just don’t add up.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: The “igloo skeleton” causes John to identify and name the “Norwegian mafia.”
• Act 3: The elders provide essential clues to put the back story together.
• Turning Point 3: With his team, John uncovers the mineral rights plot, which was part of the mafia mentality.
• Act 4 Climax: This is the war of good and evil.
• Resolution: Good wins, but it’s not a happy ending for John. He’s lost the thing that took him through life, the “family code.”

[Tom Wilson]

5 New Plot Layers:
1. Secret Research: Sara discovers classified research data from U.S. government projects that could expedite her quest for a cure. However, accessing this information means betraying her country.
2. Political Conspiracy: It is revealed that the disease afflicting Sara's people is not natural but was created as a biological weapon by a faction within the U.S. government to control the region.
3. Double Agent: General Ratkin is secretly working with a rival faction or country. His plan to withdraw U.S. troops and his presidential ambitions are part of a larger scheme to destabilize the U.S. from within.
4. Betrayal within Ranks: Sara learns that Matt, her true love, is involved in the very conspiracy she is trying to fight against, forcing her to choose between her love and her mission.
5. Self-Sacrifice: The climax reveals that the only way to distribute the cure effectively involves Sara risking her own life, making her journey not just about finding the cure but also about becoming the ultimate savior.
5 New Character Layers for Antagonist:
6. Traumatic Childhood: General Ratkin’s childhood was marred by abuse and neglect, shaping his current lack of empathy and twisted sense of power.
7. Hidden Vulnerability: Despite his tough exterior, Ratkin has a chronic illness or disability that he hides, which adds a layer of irony to his exploitation of Sara’s quest for a cure.
8. Secret Benefactor: Ratkin funds humanitarian projects or orphanages anonymously, hinting at a complex moral landscape and suggesting he’s not purely evil.
9. Haunted by the Past: Ratkin is haunted by the ghosts of soldiers he’s lost due to his incompetence, which manifests as insomnia and paranoid behavior.
10. Manipulative Genius: While publicly seen as inept, Ratkin is actually a master strategist who has manipulated his image to underestimate and disarm his enemies.
________________________________________
Genre: Thriller
Concept: An Afghan scientist must marry a U.S. general, who withdraws U.S. troops from Afghanistan so he can be elected President. In exchange, she can go for her PhD at Berkeley to find a cure for a deadly disease ravaging her people and her mother.
4-Act Structure:
• Opening: Introduction of Sara, her background, and her desperate situation. General Ratkin is introduced, showcasing his ambitions and unethical behavior.
• Inciting Incident: Sara is offered the deal by General Ratkin to marry him in exchange for her PhD and resources to find a cure.
• Act 1 Turning Point: Sara breaks up with Matt and reluctantly agrees to the marriage, setting her on a collision course with Ratkin's plans.
• Midpoint: Sara uncovers a key piece of research or data that significantly advances her work but also exposes a dark secret about the disease’s origin.
• Act 2 Turning Point: General Ratkin's true intentions and deeper conspiracies are revealed, escalating the stakes.
• Crisis: Sara faces a major setback, such as being exposed or losing critical research data, forcing her to make a drastic decision.
• Climax: A high-stakes confrontation between Sara and General Ratkin, with the future of the cure and many lives hanging in the balance.
• Resolution: The aftermath of the confrontation, Sara's victory or defeat, and the resolution of her personal journey and the disease's impact on her people.

[Sylvia Krawczyk]

WIM+AI – Module 4 – Lesson 2: The Deeper Layer
Sylvia’s Deeper Layer!
My vision from this program is to challenge myself in my writing genre and write my most amazing script to date.
What I learned from doing this assignment is…this is a great way to add in depth.

Genre = Romantic Thriller
Concept = An artist's unexpected reunion with her first love reveals mutual passion that turns to sinister betrayal leading to a crises that unravels her life.
Protagonist Character Profile =
Character profiles =
Character: Protagonist: Hope
Logline: A well-known artist, Hope, is unhappily married to Will.
Unique: Hope is guilt filled that she respects yet does not love her husband. She’s still in love with Joy.

Antagonist Character Profiles =
Character: Antagonist: Joy is Hope’s old classmate.
Logline: Full of life, Joy is an art curator.
Unique: Joy was Hope’s first love in High School and Will’s best buddy from College. They were engaged.

Character: Antagonist-Third Wheel: Will is Hope’s husband.
Logline: Will is a family lawyer that avoids responsibilities with his wife, Hope.
Unique: Will is secretly having an affair with Hope’s brother, Michael, as he helps Joy steal all that is Hope.
4-Act Structure =
Act 1:
Opening:
Hope Harwood, a successful artist, is emotionally disconnected from her life, her marriage to Will, and her creative process. At her art exhibit featuring older, successful works, she feels trapped in her past achievements and a loveless marriage suppressing her true desires.

Inciting Incident:
A fire breaks out at the gallery, damaging some of Hope’s older works. An art dealer presses her to create new art to cover the damages, forcing her to confront her creative stagnation and self-doubt.

Turning Point:
Hope discovers that Will is having an affair with her brother, Michael. This deepens her emotional crisis. Amid this personal chaos, she runs into Joy, her first love, reigniting unresolved feelings and intensifying her internal conflict. Hope, feeling lost, sees Joy as a potential way out of her stagnant life. Her passion is reignited with unresolved feelings and complicating her already fragile emotional state.

Act 2:
New Plan:
Joy encourages Hope to create new work and revive her art career, offering support and seduction. Hope, smitten and inspired, begins to focus on her art again, using Joy's validation as fuel to escape her emotional turmoil. Hope sees Joy as a savior, offering her a chance to revive her creativity and escape her troubled marriage. Will is emotionally unavailable. He lets Hope do as she wishes and remains passive.

Plan in Action:
Hope creates new art and finds herself creatively rejuvenated. Her relationship with Joy becomes romantic, deepening her connection to the past and fueling her creativity. Will remains absent, avoiding any confrontation with Hope. However, Joy begins taking subtle credit for Hope’s work, positioning herself as the visionary behind Hope’s artistic success. This professional power dynamic begins to shift, as Joy becomes the face of their collaboration.

Midpoint Turning Point:
The tension escalates when Hope catches Will and Michael together, confirming her worst fears. At the same time, Joy reveals her financial troubles and convinces Hope to allow her to use some of Hope’s artwork under Joy’s name to boost her career exploiting Hope's emotions to serve her own agenda. This marks the moment when Hope is both emotionally and professionally manipulated by the two people closest to her—Will and Joy.

Act 3:
Rethink Everything:
Joy’s manipulation grows more aggressive. Hope starts to see through Joy’s manipulations. Joy’s rise to fame, built on Hope’s work, becomes more blatant, and Hope realizes that her own identity and creative legacy are being stolen. Hope begins to feel used and betrayed. She realizes that Joy is not the person she thought she was, but confronting this truth feels overwhelming. Hope is further sidelined in the art world as Joy's star rises. Meanwhile, Will moves forward with divorce proceedings. His passive-aggressive opposition becomes more evident as he seeks to capitalize on the divorce, further complicating Hope’s already fragile life.

New Plan:
Hope tries to reclaim her art and identity but feels trapped and powerless by Joy’s growing influence and Will’s legal claims. Will, now emboldened by his relationship with Michael, files for divorce, taking a substantial portion of Hope’s assets. The art world, enamored by Joy, largely dismisses Hope, who is seen as yesterday’s news. Faced with personal and professional ruin, she contemplates walking away from everything but knows she must fight back to regain her life and career.

Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift:
Hope’s worst fears are realized when Joy fully eclipses her in the art world. Joy takes over Hope’s artistic identity and her persona. Hope is sidelined, her name and contributions erased. Will’s divorce proceedings leave Hope financially devastated, and she is on the brink of losing everything—her art, her marriage, and her reputation. Will’s divorce proceedings will leave Hope with almost nothing, both emotionally and financially. She hits rock bottom.

Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict:
Determined to fight back, Hope hires a lawyer and takes Joy to court. She exposes Joy’s theft using forensic evidence that reveals Hope’s hidden signature under the layers of paint on every piece Joy claimed as her own. Joy, in a last-ditch effort, uses her connections and influence to discredit Hope, accusing her of lying and trying to destroy her career out of jealousy. The courtroom battle intensifies as Joy’s manipulations and lies come to light, but she loses ground as the evidence mounts against her.

In this final battle, Hope publicly reclaims her identity as the true artist behind the work. This public confrontation is cathartic, as Hope reclaims her identity, both as an artist and as a person. Joy’s deception is revealed, and her career collapses. Will, seeing that he cannot manipulate Hope anymore retreats defeated. He agrees to a divorce settlement that allows Hope to retain her assets.

Resolution:
With her name and reputation restored, Hope triumphs in court and reclaims her assets. She divorces Will and severs ties with Joy completely. Empowered by her victory, Hope leaves the city to start fresh, embracing her artistic rebirth and newfound emotional freedom. Free from the toxic relationships that once defined her, she embarks on a new chapter in life, creatively and personally liberated. Hope experiences a creative resurgence, this time unburdened by the
emotional baggage of her past.

5 New Plot Layers:
1. Joy's Revenge Plan from the Start:
It's revealed that Joy's reappearance in Hope's life wasn't a coincidence. From the beginning, Joy had been plotting her revenge on both Hope and Will for betraying her in the past. Her endgame is not only to steal Hope’s art but to also publicly humiliate Will for breaking off their engagement in college, which she never got over.
2. Hope's Subconscious Sabotage:
A deeper layer is uncovered when it is revealed that Hope’s creative block and her tolerance of Joy’s manipulations stem from a subconscious guilt about her own past choices. She has been sabotaging herself as a way of atoning for past wrongs she committed against Joy, such as leaving her without closure in high school.
3. Will’s Covert Role in Joy’s Scheme:
Will's role in helping Joy is more active and strategic than initially thought. It is revealed that Will had been aiding Joy in sabotaging Hope from the shadows in exchange for financial gain, knowing that he would likely lose most of his assets in the divorce. This betrayal deepens Hope’s feelings of being used by everyone around her.
4. Michael’s Double-Cross:
Michael, Hope’s brother, initially seems to be complicit in Will’s affair, but a deeper layer reveals that he has been secretly working to expose both Will and Joy. He is trying to protect Hope, driven by guilt for the affair, but his plan spirals out of control when he underestimates Joy’s ruthlessness.
5. The Art Dealer’s Secret Investment:
The art dealer who pressured Hope to create new work after the fire is secretly working with Joy. He had invested heavily in Joy’s rise to fame and engineered the gallery fire to push Hope into creating new art that Joy could claim. This adds an additional layer of external manipulation to Hope's already tumultuous life.

5 New Character Layers for Protagonist (Hope):
1. Fear of True Freedom:
Hope’s emotional stagnation and paralysis stem from a deep-seated fear of true freedom. Despite wanting to break free, she fears that if she truly cuts ties with Will and Joy, she will lose all structure in her life. This subconscious fear keeps her tethered to her toxic relationships longer than it should.
2. Childhood Trauma Related to Control:
Hope’s need to be recognized as an artist and to have control over her work stems from childhood trauma where she was often controlled or manipulated by an overbearing parent. Her need to reclaim her identity in the present is directly tied to a past where her voice was silenced.
3. Love as a Destructive Force:
Hope’s love for both Joy and Will becomes a destructive force in her life. She continually sacrifices parts of herself to make the relationships work, reflecting a pattern of co-dependence. As a result, she struggles with whether her love is genuine or simply a need to be loved in return.
4. Self-Doubt as a Defense Mechanism:
Hope’s creative self-doubt and emotional passivity are defense mechanisms. She keeps herself in a constant state of doubt as a way to avoid taking responsibility for her choices, allowing others (like Joy and Will) to take the lead so she can deflect blame when things go wrong.
5. Unresolved Resentment Toward Her Brother:
Hope harbors deep, unresolved resentment toward Michael, not just for his affair with Will, but for overshadowing her throughout their childhood. This sibling dynamic becomes more apparent as the story unfolds, revealing that her relationship with Will may have been an unconscious attempt to stay connected to her brother.

5 New Character Layers for Antagonist (Joy):
1. Romantic Idealism Turned Cynical:
Joy was once an idealist who believed in the purity of love and art. Her heartbreak from both Hope and Will in her younger years hardened her, turning her into a cynical manipulator. She now believes that control is the only way to avoid being hurt again, which drives her need to dominate Hope’s life and career.
2. Psychological Projection of Her Own Insecurities:
Joy’s obsession with Hope’s art stems from her own insecurities as an art curator. She projects her fear of being irrelevant and forgotten onto Hope, which is why she needs to take credit for Hope’s work. This layer adds a psychological complexity to her villainy, revealing that she doesn’t just want power—she fears irrelevance.
3. Secret Affair with Michael:
In a shocking twist, Joy had a brief affair with Michael during their high school years, unbeknownst to Hope and Will. This secret affair adds a layer of emotional tension and betrayal, complicating Joy’s motivations. It also explains her ability to manipulate both Will and Michael so effectively.
4. Fear of Abandonment:
Joy’s manipulative behavior is driven by a deep fear of abandonment. Her need to control Hope and Will stems from her experiences of being emotionally abandoned in the past. This fear makes her relentless in her pursuit of power and recognition, as she equates success with emotional security.
5. Secret Saboteur of Hope’s Early Career:
It's revealed that early in Hope's career, Joy had sabotaged one of her early opportunities out of jealousy. This hidden act of betrayal shaped their divergent paths and explains Joy's obsession with controlling Hope’s future. Once this is revealed, it reframes their entire relationship from high school to the present.

5 New Character Layers for Antagonist-Third Wheel (Will):
1. Internalized Shame About His Affair:
Will’s affair with Michael isn't just about physical attraction or rebellion—he is deeply ashamed of his sexual orientation due to his conservative upbringing. This internal conflict adds a layer of complexity to his avoidance of confrontation, as he is trying to bury his shame rather than deal with it openly.
2. Fear of Professional Failure:
Will’s passivity in his personal life is mirrored by a deep fear of failure in his professional life. His secret involvement in Joy’s scheme to steal Hope’s art is motivated by a desperation to maintain financial stability and avoid professional ruin. He is willing to sacrifice his marriage and morals to protect his career.
3. Hidden Ambition for Control:
Will’s avoidance of responsibilities is a front for his deeper, hidden desire for control. His manipulation of both Hope and Michael stems from a need to dominate them emotionally, even as he presents himself as passive and uninvolved. This layer reveals that his passivity is a calculated way to maintain power without being overt.
4. Unresolved Romantic Feelings for Joy:
While Will is having an affair with Michael, he also harbors lingering romantic feelings for Joy from their college days. His resentment toward Hope and his passive-aggressive behavior in the divorce is fueled by his jealousy over Hope’s renewed connection with Joy, complicating his motivations in both the affair and the marriage.
5. Sabotaging Hope’s Career for Personal Gain:
Will’s involvement in Joy’s scheme goes deeper than helping her as a friend. He sees Hope’s art as a potential financial windfall in the divorce settlement. By aiding Joy, he is setting up a scenario where he can profit from Hope’s downfall, ensuring his financial security once their marriage ends.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  Sylvia Krawczyk.