Lesson 2

[Marlon Jones]

Lesson #2 – Assignment 1

What I learned: How the different circles of characters can impact the journey of the lead characters and influence the trajectory of the overall story. I also learned that is it difficult to put different characters into their respective circles because of their function in the story.

Scandal
Olivia Pope and her team of crisis managers do whatever it takes to get justice for their clients… which appears to be outside of the lines. But they insist that they are “the good guys.”

3 Circles of Characters

Main Character Circle
• Olivia Pope (lead)
• Abby Whelan
• Harrison Wright
• Quinn Perkins

Connected Character Circle
• Huck
• Stephen Finch
• Cyrus Beane
• President Fitzgerald Grant
• Mellie Grant
• David Rosen

Environment Character Circle
• Secret Service Agents
• Police
• Reporters
• White House Staff
• Visitors to the White House
• Senators
• Multiple persons of interests
• Witnesses
• Hospital staff
• Judges
• Jail Staff (Guards)
• People in the Park
• Runners

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  Marlon Jones.

[Marlon Jones]

Lesson #2 – Assignment 2

What I learned: How the different circles of characters can impact the journey of the lead characters and influence the trajectory of the overall story. I also learned that is it difficult to put different characters into their respective circles because of their function in the story.

Almost Normal
Divorcees from polar opposite backgrounds, Stevie and Dominique, marry quickly desiring to blend their two families and create a new and flourishing life but they are met with unrelenting obstacle from all sides… including their families, their kids… and even themselves.”

3 Circles of Characters

Main Character Circle
• Steveland Jackson (lead) – African-American, athletic and nerdy but ultra-competitive. Was ALWAYS the role model for his 5 siblings and the poster child for success until his almost 20-year marriage ended in a bitter divorce.
• Dominique Jackson (lead) – Caucasian, athletic (soccer player) and super competitive but also super generous. She was the “alpha” in her previous 16-year marriage and even though she says she didn’t like that she had to have that role… it’s abundantly clear that she is not ready to give it up now.

Connected Character Circle
• Ace Jackson
• Malia Jackson
• Zayna Jackson
• Jacob Hansen
• Kyle Hansen
• Ryan Hansen
• Nicole Hansen

Environment Character Circle
• Steveland’s Family
• Dominique’s Family
• Steveland’s Friends
• Dominique’s Friends
• Steveland’s Bosses
• Dominique’s Boss

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  Marlon Jones.
• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  Marlon Jones.

[David]

David Chai's Three Circles of Characters.

What I learned doing this exercise is how even though the world is populated with many characters, the main character circle is squarely the main focus of the series.

Succession

A. Main Characters Circle:
Kendall Roy
Logan Roy
Roman Roy
Siobhan Roy

B. Connected Circle:
Connor Roy
Greg Hirsch
Tom Wambsgans
Marcia Roy
Frank Vernon
Lawrence Yee
Gerri Kellman
Willa Ferreyra
Greg's mother.

C. Environment Circle:
Board Members, Hospital workers, Doormen, chefs, maids, drivers, helicopter pilots, security, bodyguards, press, employees, theme park employees.

[Matt Ferro]

Matt Ferro Lesson 2 pt. 1

What I learned: Character Circle defining is a great way to parse your story’s characters in order to keep track and to make sure they are getting the right amount of focus.

THE AMERICANS

A. Main Characters Circle:

Phillip, Elizabeth, Stan,

B. Connected Circle:
Amador,
The General,
Annalise,
Nina,
Vasili,
Head of Directoriate S,
Paige,
Henry

C. Environment Circle:
Babysitters,
Stan’s wife and kids,
travel agency office comrades,
targets,
FBI office colleagues of Stan and his boss
KGB office colleagues and etc.
Russian and American intelligence folks outside of main offices

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by  Matt Ferro.

[Bryan Koss]

Bryan Ko’s three circles of characters
◇
The Queens Gambit
◇

A. Main Characters Circle:
Beth
Beth’s step Mon
Mr. Shabal

◇

B. Connected Circle
Beth’s best friend in Orphanage
Beth’s Stop Father

◇

C. Environment Circle:
Orphanage principle and teacher,
Kids in orphanage,
Players in chess competition
◇
——–
◇
Assignment B

not yet

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by  Bryan Koss.

[Tom Wilson]

Tom's Three Circles of Characters
Assignment 1: Example Show 24 list of each circle
A. Main Characters Circle:
• Jack Bauer [Kiefer Sutherland]
• Teri Bauer [Leslie Hope]
• Nina Myers [Sarah Clarke]

B. Connected Circle:
• Kim Bauer [Elisha Cuthbert]
• Senator David Palmer [Dennis Haysbert]
• Gary Matheson [Richard Burgi]

C. Environment Circle:
• Misc. security men and women
• Misc. male and female pedestrians
• Misc. Terrorist unit personnel

Assignment 2: My Show TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD list of each circle
Tom' s Three Circles of Characters
Doing this assignment I learned it’s fun to make characters interesting.

A. Main Characters Circle:
• Sara Amed, Afghan Scientist
• General Ratkin, Commander U.S. troops in Afghanistan
• Lt. Matt Brown, Sara’s fiancé

B. Connected Circle:
• Zeno Amed, Sara’s brother
• Lee and Abrams, JAG officers investigate Ratkin
• Fazela, Sara’s mother, fought against the occupying Russians in 1980s.

C. Environment Circle:
• Misc. Pentagon military personnel
• U.S. troops exiting Bagram Air Force Base
• Political party convention delegates

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Tom Wilson.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Tom Wilson.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Tom Wilson.

[Susan Arnout Smith]

Susan Arnout Smith’s Three Circles. What I learned: I learned to slow things down. I was confused at first because I didn’t realize there were two pre-course lessons that are vital to the understanding of the subsequent material. I may be moving more slowly through this than was my original intention, but I’m stoked to be doing this work.

Concept: Kids in an isolated fugitive family in Alaska take down kidnappers who abduct their parents, only to discover their ‘parents’ had kidnapped them years ago. Seeking justice, they turn in their ‘parents,’ only to learn their ‘parents’ had saved them from their true, dangerous birth parents. Now, they must rescue the ‘parents’ who first saved them…and take down the vast evil complex at the heart of their birth parents kingdom.

Group 1: Core Characters (Lucy, Nate, and Their ‘Parents’)
Lucy (14)
• Unique Role: Proactive hero and de facto leader of the siblings, Lucy is fiercely intelligent, resourceful, and protective of her brother, Nate.
• Secret/Intrigue: Struggles with fragmented memories of her early childhood that hint at a darker past but can’t fully trust them. She discovers she has a knack for decoding patterns, maps, and clues, which proves invaluable.
• Arc: She transitions from a loyal follower of her ‘parents’ to questioning everything they taught her and ultimately finds a way to integrate their lessons with her emerging sense of justice and morality.
Nate (11)
• Unique Role: Emotional anchor and strategist, Nate balances Lucy’s boldness with caution and ingenuity, often acting as her conscience.
• Secret/Intrigue: Nate has an eidetic memory and uncanny intuition, often able to spot dangers or lies before others. He struggles with conflicting loyalty, especially after learning the truth about their ‘parents.’
• Arc: Nate evolves from being dependent on Lucy to an equal partner in their survival and mission, embracing his unique abilities to confront their biological parents’ evil empire.
‘Parents’ (David and Sarah)
• Unique Role: Fugitives who raised Lucy and Nate, deeply flawed yet loving. They’re both protectors and criminals, whose actions ignite the central conflict.
• Secret/Intrigue: They kidnapped Lucy and Nate years ago to save them from being groomed by their birth parents to inherit a sinister empire. They harbor guilt but also fierce determination to protect the kids at all costs.
• Arc: Forced to rely on Lucy and Nate for rescue, David and Sarah must confront the morality of their choices and ultimately support the kids’ decision to dismantle the evil complex.

Group 2: Connected Characters
1. Elijah (The Tracker)
• Role: A rugged, morally ambiguous survivalist hired by the kidnappers. Initially an adversary, he later allies with Lucy and Nate, drawn to their resilience.
• Secret/Intrigue: He’s a former associate of David and Sarah, with his own agenda tied to exposing the biological parents’ empire.
2. Marisol (The Rebel Insider)
• Role: A disillusioned employee within the biological parents’ organization who aids Lucy and Nate after realizing their true intent.
• Secret/Intrigue: Marisol has a personal vendetta against the biological parents for exploiting her family, which fuels her willingness to risk everything.
3. Viktor and Serena (The Biological Parents)
• Role: Charismatic yet terrifying heads of a shadowy criminal empire. They’ve spent years searching for their children, intending to reclaim them.
• Secret/Intrigue: Viktor and Serena are masterminds of a global trafficking ring, but their obsession with power is rivaled only by their warped sense of parental entitlement.

Group 3: Environment Characters
Alaskan Sub-World:
• Park ranger
• Local bush pilot
• General store owner
Evil Complex Sub-World:
• Security guards
• Technicians managing surveillance systems
• Cult-like followers of the biological parents

Concept Breakdown
A. Engaging and Highly Proactive Heroes
Lucy and Nate are young heroes with layered internal and external conflicts. Their resourcefulness, sibling bond, and moral dilemmas make them compelling protagonists.
B. Major External and Internal Conflicts
External: Confronting brutal kidnappers, navigating the Alaskan wilderness, and battling their birth parents’ empire.
Internal: Wrestling with betrayal, identity, and justice as they decide how far they’ll go to protect those they love.
C. Transformational Journey
Lucy and Nate evolve from survivalist kids defending their family to independent heroes dismantling a criminal empire while navigating their sense of self and morality.
D. Intriguing World
The story spans the stark, rugged Alaskan wilds, a survivalist haven that sharpens the kids’ skills, to a high-tech, heavily guarded fortress of deception, power, and darkness.
This concept combines edge-of-your-seat tension with emotional depth, delivering a unique thriller/family drama hybrid.