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Lesson 2
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Jacqueline Escolme: 4 Act Structure
What I learned from this assignment is 1. My story can always be made stronger 2. Not to over attach to my earlier ideas, better ones always come
Title: The Birthday List
Genre: Rom-Com
Concept: A frustrated midlife wife goes on a surprise weekend away that turns into a life changing adventure
Main conflict: Her against her old life and her controlling husband
4 Act Structure
Act 1
1. Opening – she’s being interviewed for a job well below her capabilities, getting turned down. Again.
2. Inciting Incident – Her husband loses his big job and cancels the birthday weekend away she’d planned to revive their staid marriage
3. Turning Point – She accepts her best-friend’s surprise offer of a weekend away in New York instead and gets on a plane.
Act 2
4. New Plan – She makes a bucket list of everything she’s going to do in New York.
5. Plan in action – Nothing goes to plan. Her friend leaves unexpectedly and she gets taken advantage of, but she still manages to tick off some things on her list and she finds a brilliant book store with a like-minded owner.
6. Midpoint turning point – The man she thought was a friend turns menacing. She stands up for herself and for a moment feels empowered until her husband calls to tell her he’s being sued and they’re probably going to have to sell the house and the valuable book collection her dead mother left her.
Act 3
7. Rethink everything – She tries to get home to salvage her life but ends up re-routed and stuck in Denver
8. New Plan – She goes into the mountains to hike and clear her head and tick off more of her list but ends up stranded and alone, with her life at risk.
9. Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – She gets rescued but has no way of getting home and has to accept she’s losing everything
Act 4
10. Climax/ Ultimate expression of conflict – In the wilds she lets go of her old life and rediscovers what’s really important, opening up a new opportunity in the process
11. Resolution – Re-born and ready to start over she has one thing left on her list. She books a flight home via New York. She knows her last chance of saving herself is in that book store.
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David’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned from this assigment is the importance of having a rock solid foundation for the story.
Title: HEISTING THE CUP
Genre: Action-comedy
Concept: Two crazed sports fans steal the Stanley Cup
Main Conflict: Ruthless mobsters hunt down the thieves, hellbent on retrieving the Cup
Act 1:
Opening: Charlie’s beloved Flyers lose a heartbreaking playoff game. Worse, Roski, an ex-Flyer, scores the winning goal.
Inciting Incident: Roski talks shit about Philly fans, then puts out a rap song called ‘Fuck Philly.’
Turning Point: Charlie and his roommate Victor borrow the replica Cup from Charlie’s dad and head to NYC
Act 2:
New plan: Charlie hatches a plot to steal the Cup from Roski. Victor’s his accomplice.
Plan in action: Despite bumps in the road- didn’t go as planned- they pull of the caper
Midpoint Turning Point: Stripper that Victor invited over the night before comes back with her thug friend and try to steal the Cup. The guys flee, now on the run.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: $1 million reward’s out for the Cup. They’re now wanted men.
New plan: To go to NYC where Victor knows a collector who’ll pay $3 million for the Cup
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Roski’s assaulted by hockey fans for losing the Cup. Charlie realizes that sports has messed up his life.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Charlie gets the check from the collector, but rips it up.
Resolution: Charlie returns the Cup to Roski and pleads his love to his girfriend, promising change
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Subject: Pat Galbraith’s Beats of 4 Act Structure
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” A different way of going about a rewrite and to continually consider better changes.
A. Genre: Thriller
B. Title: Black Bird
C. High Concept: A fatherless skateboarder, and his misfit friends, including a crow, discover his fatherly mentor has been killed, they risk their lives to find his killer and bring the killer to justice.
D. Main Conflict: When Ronnie’s Mentor gets in the way of villain’s’ plan to falsely get funds from the City to build a large subdivision, he is killed. When Ronnie and his friends investigate the killing of his mentor, the villains stalk Ronnie and his friends. One friend after the other is kidnapped with impending death.
E. Transformation Journey: Ronnie is very trusting as a young teen, believes people are all good. His confidence in himself is building to go out into the world and stand up to find the killers and rescue his friends.
F. Opposition: A covert contractor looking for a quick way to riches; Murder and kidnap when people get in the way.
Act 1
Opening:
1. INT. RESTAURANT – DAY
Ronnie Hester, 17, sweats over a dish washing machine, wishing he was somewhere else.
2. INT. GREENFIELD HOME – DAY
Ronnie visits his fatherly mentor. The mentor gives him a pocket watch that belonged to his father.
The mentor tells him about a courier job that’s open in a law firm.
3. EXT. SKATEBOARD PARK – DAY
He and his friends practice skateboarding for an upcoming competition. Ronnie gives his girlfriend a ring.
4. INT. PSYCHIC’S HOUSE – DAY
Ronnie’s friend, Charlie, buys a crow at an estate sale. They soon learn the crow has special skills.
Inciting Incident:
5. INT. BANK BUILDING – DAY
Ronnie enters a bank building to check on the job. When leaving the bank building, he overhears two men talking about a plan for a murder.
Turning Point
6. EXT. RIVER/UNDER THE BRIDGE – NIGHT
Ronnie and his friends go to the river to see what and who might show up for the murder plan that he overheard. They hide and watch the villain, kill, and throw the body into the water.
The killer discovers them and chases them through town on their skateboards. They escape.
7. INT. RONNIE’S HOME – DAY
Ronnie learns that the man killed was Mr. Greenfield his mentor.
ACT 2
New Plan
8. EXT. THEATER – NIGHT
Ronnie and his friends plan to find out who and why Mr. Greenfield was murdered.
The plan is to talk to Mrs. Greenfield about enemies he may have had. They also need to know who the two men were who were discussing the murder.
Plan in action
9. INT. MRS. GREENFIELD’S HOME – DAY
They interviewed Mrs. Greenfield. She reveals her husband is in an investment group where they buy and sell investments. The funds come from the city.
Midpoint Turning Point.
10. EXT. MRS. GREENFIELD’S HOME – NIGHT
Leaving Mrs. Greenfield home, a black Honda is parked across the road watching the house. They discuss that they have been found out and will need to work undercover.
11. INT. SKATE COMPETITION/MALL – DAY
Ronnie and Stan skateboard in a competition at the skate mall. They wonder where Charlie is. Charlie has been taken by the villain.
Act 3
Rethink Everything
12. EXT. SKATEBOARD PARK – DAY
The gang decide to break into the building and search through the records where there might be evidence of what’s going on at the investment company.
New Plan
13. They’ll enter the Investment office after dark when security changes shifts.
14. INT. INVESTMENT OFFICE – NIGHT
They break into the office and discover the villains plan to dupe the city to get financing to build a subdivision in an unsuitable site. Mr. Greenfield was against. He believed the area to be a risk for cancer.
Point: Huge failure/Major shift
15. The Villain comes into the office and catches them. He kidnaps Stan, who is a diabetic, and takes medication daily. The villains continue to stalk Ronnie, Jody, and Louella.
16. EXT. SKATEBOARD PARK – DAY
Louella and Jody skate at the park when a man walks up to Jody. He tells her mother has had a medical emergency and wants to take her to her mother. Jody gets in his car.
Act 4
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
17. INT. RONNIE’S HOUSE – DAY
With the help of his one friend left, Louella, and a black crow, they discover where Stan, Charlie and Jody are being held.
18. EXT. STREETS – NIGHT
The crow guides them to a warehouse where the men are getting ready to kill Stan, Charlie, and Jody.
19. INT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT
The sheriff finally arrives and backs them up. But the gunman gets the upper hand. While the villain has them at gunpoint the crow flies in attacking the gunman. Villain runs for the door straight into the sheriff’s backup.
Resolution
20. INT. HOSPITAL – DAY
The friends gather at the hospital to check on Stan. He’s going to be ok. They discuss college and their inspirations for a good life.
21. EXT. SKATEBOARD PARK – DAY
Sitting on the bench at the Skatepark Jody and Ronnie kiss.
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Connie Barr
3 Act Structure
I learned that this process of distilling the story down to the essentials provides a different perspective. I also need to continue to work on being less verbose:)
Title: Love Dance
Genre: Rom-Com
High Concept: A dance-obsessed divorcee craves love but has given up on it until her polar opposite cowboy with a bizarre occupation shows up as her new dance partner.
Main Conflict: Daisy’s meddling daddy struck a shady deal with Buck to be her partner which angers her when it is revealed.
Transformation Journey: After a bad marriage and horrid dates, Daisy had given up on love but learns that it can still be a reality after 50.
Opposition: Randall, Daisy’s cheater ex is hellbent on getting her back and keeps interfering in her life.
1. INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – DAY – Opening
As Daisy watches a dance contest on tv and dances with her dog, her stalker ex-husband startles her disguised as a gardener.
2. EXT. CEMETERY – PORTLAND, OREGON – DAY
Daisy visits her mom’s grave and chats with her.
3. EXT. DOWNTOWN PORTLAND – DAY
Daisy reads outside her work and homeless harry steals her lunch.
4. INT. DAISY’S OFFICE AREA RECEPTION – MAIN LIBRARY – DAY
Daisy’s staff surprise her with a 50<sup>th</sup> birthday celebration.
5. INT. DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
On the phone, Daisy laments about her non-existent love life to her BFF, Luci when her ex, Randall interrupts with a visit.
6. EXT./INT. YOUTHFUL ASSISTED CARE CENTER(YACC)- PORTLAND – DAY
Daisy and her sister, PT visit their dad, Frank in the assisted living community. He quizs them both about their husband prospects while flirting with his CNA, Zira.
7. INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE FRANK’S APARTMENT – DAY
Daisy and PT cross paths with Buck Wright on his way to visit Frank.
8. INT. FRANK’S APARTMENT – DAY – Inciting Incident
Buck asks Frank about his new “equipment”. Frank offers Buck as a business deal: Frank buys “equipment” for every man in the community who wants one in exchange for Buck becoming Daisy’s new competition dance partner for nationals. The men are interrupted by one of Frank’ s many ladies delivering a casserole.
9. INT. YWCA – PORTLAND – DAY
During Zumba class daisy and Luci discuss some of Daisy’s bizarre senior dating experiences.
10 INT. MURPHY’S CHINESE RESTAURANT – DAY
Daisy has a horrid lunch date with Wilbur, the bug man.
11.EXT. MURPHY’S CHINESE RESTAURANT – DAY
Outside the restaurant, Daisy tells Luci about her dreadful date.
12.INT. DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
Back at the library, Daisy receives a strange call from the police.
13. INT. RECEPTION DESK – MAIN LIBRARY – DAY
Stunned, Daisy tells her assistant, Nancy the call was from the morgue.
14. INT. MAIN LIBRARY LOBBY – NEXT MORNING
Daisy arrives the next AM to find her staff all discussing the dead of a former colleague, whose body Daisy had to identify.
15.INT. DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
Daisy is so distracted telling Luci about the death she gets her scarf caught in the paper shredder.
16. EXT. FARMER’S MARKET – DOWNTOWN – DAY
PT and Daisy discuss more dating disasters as they stroll the farmer’s market. PT gives her sister advice.
17.EXT. MULTNOMAH FALLS – DAY
Luci and Daisy hike the falls, discussing the upcoming wedding of
Daisy’s daughter, Izzy in Canada.
18. EXT. EASTSIDE DANCE ACADEMY – DAY
Outside signage of Eastside Dance Academy.
19. INT. RECEPTION DESK AT EASTSIDE DANCE ACADEMY – DAY
Buck gets rid of two potential replacements for Daisy’s dance partner before she even meets them.
20.INT. SMALL PRIVATE PRACTICE ROOM – DAY
Buck enters the practice room as the only remaining dance partner. He and Daisy are polar opposites, yet there is electricity.
21. EXT. EASTSIDE DANCE ACADEMY PARKING LOT–DAY – Act 1 Turning Point
Outside the academy, Daisy bosses Buck, pelting him with instructions and he wonders what the heck he’s gotten himself into.
22. EXT. DOWNTOWN – NIGHT
Luci and Daisy get coffee and discuss Daisy’s new dance partner. Randall in disguise watches them.
23.EXT./INT. GOTTA LOVE IT BAKERY – NIGHT
Luci gives Daisy a major peptalk as they visit a bakery before going to the movies.
24.INT. SAM’S MOTORCYCLES – DAY
Buck’s BFF, Ernie chastises him for making a deal with Frank as they wait for Buck’s motorcycle to be repaired.
25.INT. DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
City investigator, Thomas Farmer visits Daisy to inform her of an internal audit of the library. She mistakes him for Randall in yet another disguise.
26.INT. EASTSIDE ACADEMY PRACTICE ROOM – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy practice. She’s all business and he’s having fun. They argue.
27. EXT. LA PETITE CAFE – NIGHT
Michael, the UPS guy who is crazy for Daisy, takes her to his pal’s new restaurant the night before it opens. They debate how important their large age difference is.
28.INT. LA PETITE CAFE – NIGHT
Loads of fun having a restaurant all to yourself: great food, wine, music and dancing but the romance is one-sided.
29. INT. LIBRARY, OUTSIDE DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
Daisy overhears Thomas grilling her staff about her.
30.INT. PORTLAND – CRYSTAL BALLROOM – BACK STAGE – NIGHT
The over 50 dance contest for Oregon. Buck and Daisy have a blast with lots of support among the audience.
31. INT. PORTLAND – CRYSTAL BALLROOM – AUDITORIUM – NIGHT
Stiff competition but Buck and Daisy win!
32.INT. COAT CHECK ROOM – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy get their coats from the odd coat check lady (Randall in disguise). Daisy introduces the men to one another.
33.EXT. O’REILLY’S IRISH PUB – NIGHT
Michael takes Daisy to a millennial’s bar where the beer pong game splatters her. She hates it all, leaves but Michael tries to make amends. They argue and realize they live in different worlds.
34.EXT. CITY PARK – DAY
Luci and Daisy play catch with Truman while discussing Michael.
35.INT. DAISY’S CAR – NIGHT
Daisy drives to Buck’s home in the country in a heavy rainstorm to practice while voicing her concerns about what horrid things might happen there.
36. EXT./INT. BUCK’S HOME – NIGHT
As Daisy tours his home, she asks probing questions and make assumptions.
37. INT. BASEMENT OF BUCK’S HOME – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy practice intently to the point of exhaustion and when they take a break succumb to their mutual attraction and make out which is interrupted by a phone call from someone Buck calls “Honey”.
38.INT. SASSY SALLY’S NAIL SALON – DAY
Daisy and Luci have manicures and discuss the night at Buck’s.
39.INT. YACC RECREATION ROOM – NIGHT
Frank and is buddies enjoy a poker tournament when Daisy, daughter Izzy and her fiancé, Stephanie drop by for a visit. The old dudes make cracks about the Lesbians.
40.INT. TRAILS INN SALOON – NIGHT
Buck takes Daisy to a local bar to learn to dance to country music.
41.EXT. OUTSIDE DAISY’S CONDO – NIGHT
Buck takes Daisy home and lingers. They flirt and kiss.
42. INT. DAISY’S CONDO – NIGHT
Daisy and Izzy share mother/daughter time discussing both of their relationships. Izzy urges her mom to be open to love.
43. EXT. MARY’S CLUB – NIGHT
Arriving in a limo, Frank, Randall and Quincy, Steph’s stuffy British dad, take her out for a bachelor night at a local strip club. Frank spouts his opinions about love.
44. INT. MARY’S CLUB – NIGHT
Quincy is appalled about the place; Frank is in charge and continues to share his drunken pearls of wisdom about life and love. Steph tries to keep it peaceful.
45.INT. SINFUL SKIN CARE SALON – NIGHT
Luci, Daisy, Izzy enjoy spa treatments, PT endures it as they share stories and laughs.
46.INT. EMBERS GAY BAR – NIGHT – Midpoint
The guys and Steph move on to a gay bar. Frank and Randall have an illuminating chat where Frank reveals his special deal with Buck.
47.INT. LIMO – NIGHT
Frank insists they move on to Marcelle’s where drag queens perform.
48.INT. MARCELLE’S CLUB – NIGHT
Quincy is outraged by the attention from the drag queens.
49.INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Izzy, Luci, PT and Daisy relax enjoying a click flick except PT, who doesn’t get it.
50.INT. LIMO – NIGHT
The bachelor party moves to a lesbian club. Steph wants to call it a night.
51. INT. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON BALLROOM – SEATTLE – NIGHT
Daisy and Buck outshine all the other couples and win the NW Regional contest.
52.INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy celebrate their win at her place and things heat up. He goes to his car to get a special something.
53.INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM/BATHROOM – NIGHT
While he’s gone, Daisy dashes about preparing her bedroom and herself, searching for sex toys, lube, etc.
54.INT. DAISY’S GUEST BATHROOM – NIGHT
Buck preps in the guest bathroom with his special sex equipment.
MIDPOINT
55.INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy oust Truman and have amazing sex.
56. INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DAISY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
The loud noises coming from the bedroom drive Truman crazy.
57.INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Buck and Daisy banter happily about their sexual encounters.
58.INT. DAISY’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
As Daisy prepares post-coital snacks, Buck finally reveals what he does for a living and explains how he helps men with ED.
59. EXT. BASKETBALL COURT – DAY
Buck and Ernie shoot hoops. Buck tells his bud that he left Daisy’s while she slept and had left a cryptic “sorry” message. Ernie reminds him that his dead wife, Annie would want him to be happy.
60. EXT. DOWNTOWN PORTLAND – DAY
Luci and Daisy window shop and discuss Daisy’s concerns about her job and what happened with Buck.
61.INT. RENTED VAN – DAY
Diasy drives a large van with Izzy as co-pilot, PT, Frank, Randall, Steph and her parents in the back. Izzy and Daisy discuss the upcoming wedding in Canada as they head north.
62. EXT. WASHINGTON – REST AREA – DAY
Steph’s mum, Celia demands a bio break even though they’ve been on the road a short time. The tension mounts among the passengers.
63. INT. RENTED VAN – DAY
On the road again, Randall rides shotgun. He sweet talks Daisy and declares his undying love for her. She reminds him of his many infidelities when they were married. Daisy pulls over for yet another Celia pit stop and has PT take over driving to avoid Randall.
64. INT. ROSEDALE HOTEL – NIGHT
The road weary travelers argue with the hotel desk clerk about a reservation mix-up giving them only 2 rooms for the 8 of them. Due to the city hosting 6 conferences, they accept their only option in the dodgy hotel.
65. INT. ROSEDALE HOTEL – HALLWAY – NIGHT
They all agree that the gents take 1 room and the ladies the other. Daisy peeks into their room and is horrified. She reminds Steph and Izzy that it’s only for one night and they have their Hawaiian honeymoon to enjoy.
66. INT. ROSEDALE HOTEL – BRIDAL SUITE – NIGHT
The ladies settle into the raunchy room and speculate about the oddities.
67. EXT. VANCOUVER, B. C. – OUTSIDE CHAPEL AT STANLEY PARK – DAY
Everyone is dressed to the nines and pose for the photographer outside the venue after PT and Daisy argue about PT’s attire physically. The brides laugh it off and kiss.
68.INT. U.S./CANADA BORDER – HOLDING CELL – DAY
Border guards watch the wedding party as daisy makes their one phone call to Buck.
69. EXT. MOTORCYCLE RALLY – DAY
Buck is happy Daisy called and tries to apologize for his behavior the night they were together but she frantically explains they are being held at the border because of her dad.
70. INT. CANADIAN BORDER – OFFICE – DAY
Daisy explains that the offense in international drug trafficking. Buck shares that he has some Canadian clients in government he can contact.
71.INT. DETENTION AREA – HOLDING CELL – DAY
A guard releases the would-be criminals thanks to buck’s intervention. Randall takes credit and continues to woo daisy.
ACT 2 TURNING POINT
72.EXT. DETENTION AREA – NIGHT
The big reveal by Randall to Daisy: Buck is Frank’s penis pump salesman with whom he made a deal to finance pumps all around YACC in exchange for Buck being Daisy’s new dance partner and keep it all secret from her. Daisy is livid.
73. EXT. REST AREA – U.S. SIDE OF CANADIAN BORDER – DAY
Once across the us border, Daisy stops at a rest area to give Frank an angry lecture.
74.INT. VAN – DAY
Daisy’s fuming and gives everyone orders as to their tasks when they return to Portland far later than expected, possibly missing their flights. Everyone is deathly quiet and a little scared of her.
75.EXT. MOTORCYCLE RALLY – PARKING LOT – DAY
An inexperienced rider at the rally loses control of his expensive motorcycle hitting Buck, who tries to help him.
76. INT. DALLAS – HACIENDA HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT
Daisy reads the Welcome to Dallas Hacienda Hotel, host of the National Over 50 Dance Competition and peaks into the ballroom to assess her fellow contenders.
77.INT. DALLAS HACIENDA HOTEL – FRONT DESK – DAY
Daisy is freaking out because Buck has not shown up for the big competition. She leaves him threatening phone messages.
78. INT. PENDLETON – HOSPITAL ER – DAY
Buck’s in the ER in rough shape and wants to make a call but is sedated.
79.INT. PENDLETON – HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT
From his hospital room, Buck tries repeatedly to call Daisy but she hangs up or doesn’t answer. He even leaves a message for Frank.
80. INT. DALLAS HACIENDA HOTEL – DAISY’S ROOM – DAY
Daisy gets drunk in her hotel room and sends Buck a scathing email that ends with “Do not ever attempt to contact me in the future”.
81. EXT. DAISY’S CONDO – DAY
Michael delivers “I’m sorry” balloons and a poster board inscribed ”please let me explain.” He is quick to state that they are not from him.
82.EXT. LIBRARY – DAY
Prepping for a work event, Daisy has an encounter with homeless Harry and then chats with Luci on her cell reporting about all the apology gifts she’s gotten and how heartbroken she still is about Buck and the contest debacle.
83.EXT. IN FRONT OF YACC – DAY
Daisy and Buck arrive at the same time to visit Frank and have a brief, uncomfortable exchange. He asks if she has a new partner yet and she responds that she’s given up dance.
84.INT. FRANK’S APARTMENT – DAY
Daisy sits on the edge of Frank’s hospital bed. He is in bad shape hooked to various tubes and devices. He apologizes, but she assures him there’s no need.
85.INT. DAISY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Daisy calls Buck but a woman answers and says he’s asleep.
86.INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – DAY
Luci arrives at Daisy’s to find her pouring over scraps of paper trying to put them together like a big puzzle. Luci jumps in to help. They speculate who might have sent it. They put French words together. Daisy reads it aloud. It’s from Buck professing his love for her and desire to spend the rest of his life dancing with her.
87. INT. LIBRARY – DAISY’S OFFICE – DAY
Daisy mopes around her office, shoves a photo of her and Buck with their regional trophy into a drawer. Thomas Farmer arrives. He shares his report and positive decision. Daisy gets to keep her job but it fails to give her much joy.
88. INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Randall arrives to find Daisy’s normally tidy condo in shambles with empty wine bottles, crap and dirty clothes everywhere. He answers her cell promising to deliver a message but writes nothing down. Luci arrives questioning what he’s doing there. He replies delivering soup to the depressed Daisy. Luci shoos him away and orders disheveled Daisy to go upstairs and shower as they are going out. Then a young woman arrives, Vicki Wachowski, a friend o f Buck’s.
89.INT. DAISY’S BATHROOM – DAY
Daisy talks to herself in a steamy mirror asking what’s the remedy for a fractured heart.
CLIMAX
90. INT. DAISY’S LIVING ROOM – DAY
Luci gets to know Vicki. Daisy joins them. Vicki is Buck’s friend who sings his praises, sharing that he stepped in to help her family when her dad, Buck’s best bud died. Vicki reveals that he was seriously injured at the motorcycle rally and felt so guilty about missing the “dance thingie”. She says he’s been super sad. They were afraid he’d start drinking again like after Annie, his wife died and he blamed himself for her death. She says he’s obsessed with Daisy and asks her to call him.
91. EXT. WILLAMETTE CEMETERY – DAY
Frank’s graveside service with busloads of ladies from YACC in attendance and Buck. Daisy expresses her appreciation and invites him to the wake at Oaks Amusement Park.
SIX MONTHS LATER
92.INT. DAISY’S OFFICE – CHRISTMAS TIME – NIGHT
Christmastime. Daisy waters a big Ficus tree (the one Buck sent her as an apology) and closes her office.
resolution
93.INT. LIBRARY LOBBY – CHRISTMAS TIME – NIGHT
Everyone is at the huge Christmas party at the library. Buck moves Daisy under the hanging mistletoe, gives her a big kiss and an envelope which contains two airline tickets to Paris. Then he dances her to a shadowy corner, goes to one knee and proposes. She screams yes and more kisses. Frank’s favorite holiday song, white Christmas plays.
94. EXT. EIFFEL TOWER – PARIS – DAY
Beneath the iconic tower, Buck in hunky cowboy garb and Daisy in a fetching dress dance the Texas Two-step embrace in the dance of love, grinning with glee.
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Judith’s 4 Act Structure – Funwork – May 30, 2023
What I learned doing this assignment is a starting process to get my screenplay in order and strong.
1. Give us the following:
TITLE: REUNION FROM HELL
GENRE: THRILLER
HIGH CONCEPT: A woman welcomes her estranged sister into her life only to discover she has evil intentions.
MAIN CONFLICT: A woman accepts the invitation from her sister to reunite their estranged family only to discover that her sister’s intentions are to take over her life.
2. Fill in the 4-act structure:
ACT 1 –
Opening: Rachel poisons her mother and fakes her own death.
Inciting Incident: Rachel crashes Emily’s gallery art show embarrassing her but asking Emily to join her in reuniting the family.
Turning Point: Emily calls Rachel and agrees to renew their relationship.
ACT 2 –
New Plan: Women will try reunification for two weeks and at the end of that time Rachel will give Emily mom’s nursing home name to Emily whether they decide to be sisters or not.
Plan in Action: See women preparing for Christmas, cooking, Rachel supporting Emily after her gallery show pictures are destroyed in a fire.
Emily thinks she has caught Eugene having an affair.
Midpoint Turning Point: Eugene and Emily have a big fight over the affair. Eugene insists Rachel set this up. To prove him wrong, Emily calls her mom’s nursing home to confirm Rachel’s reunification intentions and finds out Mom died in a house fire along with Rachel.
ACT 3 –
Rethink everything: Emily confronts Rachel, and they have a big fight where Rachel thinks she has killed Emily.
New plan: Emily’s actions fizzle when she learns that Rachel tried to kill Eugene in a car crash on the freeway.
Turning point: Huge failure/Major Shift: Rachel kills Lynn, Emily’s best friend, and kidnaps Katie, the little girl Emily is adopting.
ACT 4 –
Climax/Ultimate expression of conflict: Emily rescues Katie, and she and Rachel have a big fight in the Barn/Studio which catches on fire and Rachel dies in the fire and Emily and Katie escape.
Resolution: Emily says goodbye to mom and Rachel at their gravesites. She places the art medallion on Rachel’s grave and apologizes. She walks off, pregnant, with her new family of Eugene and Katie no longing believing reuniting with Rachel and mom is the only way to have the love and family she needs.
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Tracy’s 4 Act Transformational Structure
What I learned is to tighten up my time frame, so movie will take place over two-weeks – Rush prep and Rush itself. The story is about the tussle going on behind the scenes to keep a sorority house running – Upstairs/Downstairs
1.
Title: Sorority Mom
Genre: Comedy/ Coming-of-Age
Concept: A 63-y-o Midwestern woman who dumps her marriage takes her
first boss job ever in a glitzy sorority house already under sanctions,
which doesn’t stop the girls’ plans to run a dirty Rush to get more
pledges.Main Conflict: Rule-following Mona is a first-time boss in an all-female
world where no one wants to follow the rules. She has three opponents, Missy (21) the girls’ president, Shaney (42) the girls’
liaison to the Board, and Conchita (45) the HeadHousekeeper who was promised the
House Director job by Shaney.Act 1:
Opening Doormat Mona Meyers leaves husband, gets
crummy jobs; gorgeous, entitled Missy the sorority girls’ president receives disciplinary
sanctions from the university board warning of closure for alcohol violations
and low grades. The university secretly wants the property.Inciting Incident Mona gets hired at Missy’s west
coast sorority as House Director to maintain the rules; Missy informs the
girls they will do everything to get aligned with top ranked fraternity.Turning Point Mona antagonizes the girls by letting police
search rooms; Missy demands that her Board liaison Shaney bring in upgraded
furniture against Rush rules, despite the Board’s need to
tighten up expenses.Act 2:
New plan Day 1 Rush – frat boys steal all meat from freezers, girls thrilled
to be noticed; Mona tangles with Head Housekeeper over her authority as
boss.Plan in action House Directors on the row take Mona under their wing,
share insights in dealing with her opponents.Midpoint Turning Point Day 2 Rush – frat boys panty raid –
Missy and Board liaison Shaney run off Mona’s ally the Board president,
gaining control of the checkbook.Act 3:
Rethink everything Day 3 Rush – Mona fires Cook for
fraud, who was put up to it by Head Housekeeper Conchita – frat boys fill
fountain with manure, run through house smearing walls with peanut butter.New plan Mona hires black Cook who loves teaching girls to dance rather than
cook, introduces tension with Hispanic staff who refuse to work.Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift Day 4 Rush – Mona negotiates
with frat Rush leader to lay off pranks and become allies; even so, they hang
concrete penis from roof with hose running through it that floods basement
rooms; Missy breaks more rules – consequences?Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Bid Day celebration –
Mona walks in on boob ranking the pledges and yells at girls; Missy fires Mona, and gives Conchita the job.Resolution Frat boys hire Mona as their first-ever
House Director; Mona rehires the cook she fired; porch roof collapses at the girls’ house while they
sunbathe on it, ruined by water from the boys’ prank but ignored.-
This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Tracy Cheney.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Tracy Cheney.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Tracy Cheney.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: Monica’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is where parts could be strengthened without having to go through pages of script.
List the beats of your 4 Act Transformational Structure.
1. Give us the following:
Title:
Traffick/Stop<sup>©</sup> <div>Genre:
Action/Crime
Noir<div>
Concept: An
undercover cop infiltrates a human trafficking ring to take down the main
trafficker in order to discover what happened to her sister who
disappeared in his company several years previously.Main
Conflict: The protagonist, Victoria, mission is to
find her missing sister, Lizzie, against the antagonist, Jack, who’s
keeping Lizzie for his own personal sex slave.Act 1:
Opening: Victoria, Lizzie and her friends
are enjoying a night out at a club.
Inciting
Incident: Victoria leaves the
table. When she returns she witnesses Lizzie leaving the club with Jack.
Serena introduces Victoria to Jack’s mother who is the brains behind the
trafficking ring.
Turning
Point: Victoria infiltrates the Jack’s
human trafficking ring but ends up being arrested by the police after they
raid the club. We discover Lizzie in Jack’s hide-away and she agrees to
help Jack take down Victoria and Serena.</div><div>Act 2:
New
plan: Victoria needs more
information about Jack.
Plan
in action: Breaks into his
hide-away; breaks into Jack’s mother’s house – to steal information.
Interview some of the girls rescued from the club.</div><div>Midpoint
Turning Point: One of the girls is
murdered right in front of Victoria by one of the other trafficked girls.Act 3:
Rethink
everything: Victoria knows that
Jack is responsible for Lizzie’s disappearance. Need to push Jack to make
a mistake.
New
plan: Victoria travels with Jack to
procure more girls. Investigate the country clubs where girls are also
being trafficked.</div><div>Turning
Point: Huge failure / Major shift:
Jack suspects Victoria so he kidnaps her to add to the trafficked
girls. Only to discover she’s more than she appears and ends up beating
him up. But he shoots her to put her out of commission.Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate
expression of the conflict: Victoria and Serena find Lizzie. Victoria goes
back undercover for the big party where the girls will be sold. But even
in disguise Jack sees her and decides to rid himself of Victoria. He takes
her to his apartment where he tortures her. But again she turns the tables
and kills him with the last bit of her strength.</div>Resolution:
The trafficking ring is destroyed. Lizzie is recovering. Victoria is
recovering and now can have a relationship with Daniel as her mission is
accomplished.</div>
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Lesson 2 – Robert W. Daniel “Saving Paradise” Outline and Beat Sheet 05-29-2023
A troubled Navy Seal Commander and his team receive a 72-hour ultimatum from a rogue DPRK submarine which they must capture and destroy without detonating the onboard nuclear missiles which could kill millions of Americans.
ACT I
1. OPENING IMAGE – WALTERS HOME – NIGHT
NEWS FLASH. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has fired another missile across the Sea of Japan; this is the third missile firing this month.TV playing to and empty room.
2. INT. AFGHANISTAN – DAY
FLASHBACK OF ROADSIDE BOMB EXPLOSION causing Walters some major injuries.
3. INT. WALTERS HOME – NIGHT
4. INT. WALTERS HOME – DAY
Walters asleep on the couch. Sara is up early and leaves, headed to California to visit her mother. Walters’s anger and unconcern has caught up with him.
5. EXT. AIRPORT HIWAY – DAY
Walters is headed for the airport to catch-up with Sara. On the way Walters meets a JOSH TURNER (6), a foster kid hitchhiking. He stops picks up Josh; who’s going headed fishing. Walters drops the kid off; because he’s going right by Josh’s fishing hole. Walters misses Sara the plane it’s taxiing down the runway.
6. EXT. NAVY TRAINING CENTER – DAY (THEME STATED)
Walters and team leader ACE MCMANN (28) have been pushing his other six men Seal’s to the limit, and Walters is catching hell from the team. Walter is angry and retaliates; however, the team mentions the problem to their higher-ups. McMann gives the team a motto, “Live Free or Die.”
7. INT. NAVY COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters is advised by ADMIRAL CHARLES WILLIAMS (50), to seek help for his anger issues, or the Admiral will take action.
8. INT. NK SUB – NIGHT
9. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Several days later, during the early morning hours, the N.K. submarine stealthily enters Pearl Harbor and casually ties up at an empty berth in the Naval Dry Dock area. Just like it belonged there.
10. EXT. NK SUB – PEARLHARBOR – DAY
Later in the early morning, the North Korean Nuclear Submarine is discovered by the Navy harbor patrol. The harbor is abuzz with “Who is the hell is responsible for this Fukien Mess??” The submarine is immediately barricaded by a Destroyer to prevent it from escaping the harbor.
11. INT. NAVY COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
ALERT: A call to Matt Walters advising him he and his Red Scorpions are the chosen “Suicide Squad,” and he has to report for duty ASAP – NOW. The Hawaii Civil Defense Department has notified so the preparations for evacuating the public.
12. INT. NAVY COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters is full of excuses about how to handle the problem. How silly to using a Seal Team to take control of a missile-armed nuclear submarine with a can opener. Walters tells Admiral Williams he will need some time to come up with a plan. The Admiral stated they have no time.
13. INT. WHITE HOUSE – NIGHT
The Naval Pac-Fleet Command has notified POTUS, and they have ruled out attacking the submarine with aircraft, missiles, or bombs. The possibility of a missile with nuclear warheads exploding on Oahu would be a disaster. Everyone is pointing fingers about whose fault it is.
14. INT. NAVY COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
The Seal Team will have to convince the NK Commander that it is in his best interest to hand over control of his sub to the SWCC. Pac-Fleet has been trying to make radio contact with the submarine commander ever since its discovery in the harbor. Nothing.
After some serious thinking and orders from his Admiral, Walters finally agrees to gather his Red Scorpions. The Scorpions gear-up and head across the harbor in their inflatables to the Naval Dry Dock area where the submarine is tied up.
ACT II
15. EXT. NAVAL DRY DOCK – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters and McMann take the lead, and the other Seals are around the submarine at strategic vantage points. All of the Seals have radio contact, and Walters checks one last time for any information contacting the North Korean Commander. Walters gets a lucky break.
16. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Pac-Fleet has made contact, and the NK Commander is allowing two of the Seal Team members to enter the submarine. Walters has the six other team members to be cautious and standby. He’s elated that the Commander made a wise choice to talk instead of holding out.
17. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters and McMann board the sub with intercoms and full-battle gear plus Walters favorite some C-4 explosives, they make their way into the submarine. Down the access hatches, then down to the control room. The N.K. Commander Kang greets the two, and he speaks English. The N.K. Commander is very cocky and demanding, it’s here the two Commanders feel each other out.
18. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
19. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
The NK Commander complicates things by telling the Seals that he has been in contact with a South Korean GENERAL NANG who, in turn, has been in contact with an American GENERAL MOORE.
20. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
And to keep the NK Nuclear Missiles from being fired that the NK LEADER DING KIM MO would be ousted. And, the U.S. would have it provide aid and lift all the embargos.
21. INT. NAVY COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
All the conversations about on board the NK Sub is being transmitted to Naval Command via Walters intercom system.
22. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Oh, yes, and you have to get this done in 48 hours, and the clock is ticking. Walters asked the Commander, “What if the higher-ups shot down the demands?” The Commander’s responds, “I will start a battle like you have not seen on this earth.”
23. INT. NAVAL COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
SWCC -PAC FLEET has heard every word over Walter’s intercom system.
24. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters moves up the ladder and stops. McMann covers and leaves a listening devise. Walters places the C-4 explosives and an electronic detonator behind the access door hinges.
25. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Then the two Seals leave the submarine for their inflatables and team.
26. INT. WHITE HOUSE – WASHINGTON, DC – NIGHT
POTUS and the Pentagon throw a wrench into the process; they offer an olive branch. And allow a Hawaii based FBI negotiator to talk with the N.K. Commander to gain some more time to accomplish the demands.
27. EXT. NAVAL COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters, McMann, and the negotiator FBI AGENT AMANDA BLAKE (30) get permission to board the N.K. submarine again.
28. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
When the N.K. Commander finds out than none of the demands have been accomplished, and the time wasted, he threatens to kill the three and launch the nuclear missiles.
29. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters gains control of the situation.
and agrees to work harder on the demands. Walters packs more C-4 into the plumbing around the access hatch. The three leave the submarine empty-handed.
30. INT. US ARMY COMMAND -SOUTH KOREA -DAY
In the meantime, the arrests of various Generals and Aids are in progress. And the U.S. finds out that North Korea’s Leader claims the submarine has gone ROGUE.
31. EXT. NAVAL COMMAND – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
Walters is finally able to contact his girlfriend Sara by phone; he can’t tell her much about what is happening. They chit-chat, but Sara detects a need from Walter’s voice. Walters is aware of his need to change; his eyes are now open to his weaknesses. He licks his wounds.
32. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – DAY
33. EXT. PEARL HARBOR NATIONAL MEMORIAL – DAY
He fires a direct hit missile and destroys the Pearl Harbor National Memorial turning it into a small pile of rubble. This whacko has turned Pearl Harbor into a shit-hole.
34. INT. WHITE HOUSE WASHINTON, DC – NIGHT
Negotiations have broken down, time is running out, and the POTUS orders to wipe the damn thing out.
35. INT. NAVAL COMMAND – NIGHT
Walters and the Red Scorpions find out that they will have to cut off the trigger finger or the whole damn arm of the N.K. Commander to stop the NUKES.
36. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters has orders to take the submarine, do whatever it takes. The Red Scorpions move on the sub, blowing the hatches and entering the sub with excitement only to feel the jaws of defeat slam on them. Several of the Seals are wounded, and the plan turns to crap; Walters realizes he should have expected the unexpected. The Seals retreat.
37. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Now Commander Kwan has a small taste of victory, he has his Missile Launch Team set-up the two nuclear missiles prepared for auto-launch. The change will enable the system to function if Kwan is incapacitated.
38. INT. NAVAL COMMAND – NIGHT
39. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters and McMann move on the N.K. submarine, they blast their way through the rubble used to cover the access hatches. Walters his C-4 to clear the area as he and Ace head into the Control Room. Gunfire, explosions, and smoke fill the sub. Walters places C-4 on the walls of the sub at critical locations and killing N.K. sailors along the way. Some of the sailors see the Seal with the Suicide Vest and bail from the submarine. Walters explodes several C-4 charges to place vent holes in the structure. Smoke billows out into the night air. There are fires everywhere.
40. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters and Ace continue blasting their way towards the Missile Launch Command Center. Commander Kang is wounded and hold up in the center. Walters wrestles for control of the submarine and realizes he is dealing with one of the most vicious naval commanders he has ever encountered. Now he must gain control of the two missiles to win the war.
41. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Another gun battle breaks-out for control of the Missile Launch room and the clock is running. Walters in a final battle with Kang, then Walters is stabbed.
42. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
But Walters has a bigger knife of his own and takes down Kang with a silent killing technique. The blade cuts across the throat.
ACT III
43. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters and McMann go through the launch, trying to discover the secret to stopping the launch clock. No way! The submarine is in danger of blowing at any minute. Walters contacts SWCC Command and advises of the critical situation. The missile launch clock has 10 minutes, and running notifies THAAD.
44. INT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters and McMann hurry through the rubble and up the ladder, and out of the sub. Then several loud explosions and parts of the submarine start flying. The two Navy Seals are blasted into the air with great force from one of the explosions.
45. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
46. EXT. NK SUB – PEARL HARBOR – NIGHT
Walters and McMann are both alive. They are picked out of the water and taken to the base hospital.
47. INT. THAAD MISSILE DEFENCE COMMAND CENTER – NIGHT
The THAAD missile defense system intercepted both Nuclear Missile approximately 50 miles off the coast of Hawaii.
48. INT. BASE HOSPITAL – DAY
49. EXT. NAVAL COMMAND – DAY
The President and dignitaries visit the North Korean submarine remains, an incinerated hulk in the harbor. Sometimes all is well that ends well — apparent victory.
50. EXT NAVAL COMMAND – DAY
The President visits Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. The Seal Team receives an honor “Live Free or Die.”
THE END
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Stuart’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment… It’s invaluable and empowering for me to have distance/objectivity at this stage of rewriting, to give myself the freedom to step back to view, explore and strengthen the big picture structural elements. “Fill in the blanks”, “put together the puzzle”, and “looking beneath the surface” to strengthen structure have been valuable creative processes for me on this assignment.
• Title: A Giving Heart
• Genre: Drama
• Concept: Set against the musical backdrop of ‘50s-‘70s male R&B groups, a black singer defies racial barriers in his pursuit for fame as lead singer for an R&B band.
• Main Conflict: The challenges of racism, interracial love, group rivalry, and alcoholism push him to the brink of death.
Current Draft:
Act 1:
• Opening
Wayne fights Marvin because Marvin won’t let Wayne’s white friends play, the fight is broken up by Aunt Willie. Wayne and kids distribute leftover meat to the neighborhood families.
• Inciting Incident
Aunt Willie gives Marvin a second chance, as a lesson to Wayne to listen to and follow his “giving heart”.
• Initial Plan
Wayne leads The Masters, with Marvin as member, as a teen R&B group. He hustles them into the New Era Club.
• Turning Point
The Vietnam draft forces The Masters to break up, and they play their final performance in New Era Club.
Act 2:
• New plan
Wayne chooses to enlist in U.S. Air Force and serves stateside at Luke AFB to survive the war and create a new singing group.
• Plan in action
Wayne creates and leads The Esonics, airmen who perform in the Officer’s Club. He meets Donna, the woman he saw in God’s vision, and woos her.
• Midpoint Turning Point
As the Esonics enter civilian life, Stage Seven takes away their deal. Wayne marries Donna, an older white divorcee with a family of five.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything
Wayne commits to civilian life and family life by becoming an insurance agent.
• New plan
The only black in insurance, Wayne hustles for success, but he needs to sacrifice singing. To cope, he’s drinking.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift
Drinking himself near death, collapsing in an alley, Wayne is found by the Pastor Walt. Wayne and Aunt Willie pray Wayne to full recovery. Major Shift: Wayne receives God’s vision to sing for an all-white congregation.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
He refuses to follow the church’s board to ignore the homeless in their new church, and delivers them food, opening the hearts of the congregation members, and the door of their church.
• Resolution
He sings his song for Aunt Willie at her gravesite and shares that song at Pastor Walt’s new church and for a global spiritual community.
Elevated Structure:
Act 1:
• Opening
Wayne fights Marvin because Marvin won’t let Wayne’s white friends play, the fight is broken up by Aunt Willie. Wayne and kids distribute leftover meat to the neighborhood families. A white racist father tosses Wayne’s donation of meat back at the boy.
• Inciting Incident
Wayne hustles a music studio producer in a pool hall. Excited by the kid’s singing voice, the producer offers Wayne a gig recording back-up vocals for Elvis Presley.
• Initial Plan
Wayne leads The Masters, a teen R&B cover group, with Marvin as member. He hustles them into the black-only New Era Club.
• Turning Point
Forced to break up due to Vietnam draft, The Masters play their final performance in New Era Club. Wayne sees a mysterious white woman sitting in the club (God’s vision) – but Marvin confirms this was Wayne’s imagination.
Act 2:
• New plan
Wayne chooses to enlist in U.S. Air Force and serves stateside at Luke AFB to survive the war, create a new R&B cover group, and find the woman in his vision.
• Plan in action
Wayne creates and leads The Esonics, who light up the Officer’s Club. He meets Donna, the woman he saw in God’s vision, and woos her. But Wayne is targeted by racist Captain Burgess.
• Midpoint Turning Point
(I’ve put two here just, both are important in this act transition. Still exploring which is the primary Midpoint TP)
Having baited Wayne into striking him, Captain Burgess orders Wayne’s deployment to Vietnam, but Wayne and his supervising officer manipulate the system to keep him stateside and alive.
As the Esonics prepare for civilian life, their off-base club severs their agreement, putting the future of the group in question.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything
Wayne marries Donna, an older white divorcee with a family of five. Wayne commits to civilian life selling insurance to support his family.
• New plan
The only black in insurance, Wayne hustles for success, but he’s sacrificing singing. To succeed, Wayne’s brings in an ignored demographic, black clients. To succeed and to cope, he’s drinking heavily. Wayne’s fighting to get the Esonics a new life, but he’s challenged by infighting and ego.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift
Drinking himself near death, collapsing in an alley, Wayne is found by the Pastor Walt. Wayne and Aunt Willie pray Wayne to full recovery. Major Shift: Wayne receives God’s vision to sing for an all-white congregation.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
Refusing to follow the church’s board to ignore the homeless at the church’s old grounds, Wayne does not show up to sing at the groundbreaking of Pastor Walt’s new church. Wayne delivers meals to the homeless at the old church grounds, opening the hearts of the congregation members, and the door of their new church.
• Resolution
Wayne prays with Aunt Willie at her passing, and he writes an original song for her. He sings it at her gravesite, shares that song at Pastor Walt’s new church, and broadcasts it for a global spiritual community.
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Ron Turowski 4 – Act Structure
• Title: Javaland
• Genre: Dark Comedy
• Concept: When sisters of a failing coffee truck receive an unexpected delivery of coffee beans that
changes their fortunes, there’s one problem; they belong to the cartel.
• Main Conflict: Sisters vs The Cartel.
Act 1:
• Opening: Two sisters’ coffee truck business is failing; their dreams are collapsing.
• Inciting Incident: The sisters receive a shipment of coffee beans that will change their fortunes.
• Turning Point: The coffee beans are the property of a powerful cartel, and two Sicarios are sent to
recover them.
Act 2:
• New plan: The sister’s truck is becoming a huge success with expansion plans.
• Plan in action: The Cartel will soon put a bounty on their return. Every bounty hunter is looking for the beans because of the money offered.
• Midpoint Turning Point: The two Sicarios from the cartel are sent to retrieve the beans, pose as repo men, and start to eliminate the bounty hunters.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: The sisters figure out what is happening and plan to keep their business.
• New plan: One sister takes a stand and fights for the business.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: DEA catches wind of them. The sisters find a journal that contains the formula to infuse cocaine into the coffee beans.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: They use the journal as leverage, and a gun battle ensues.
• Resolution: Months later, the sisters opened a store in DC, only to be surprised by unexpected guests.
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Susan’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment: I learned to create a structure that highlights the action, conflict and turning points for each scene that will allow me produce solid scenes without unnecessary “fluff”.
Title: KILLING TIME
Genre: THRILLER
Concept: A serial killer, thought to be dead for 20 years returns, set on revenge and sets his two sons on a frantic chase to end his murderous rampage.
Main Conflict: One brother, a straight arrow cop, the younger, paranoid and suffering PTSD, must learn to trust each other and work together to stop their serial killer father who has manipulated time to torture his family and his victims for years.
Then list out the beats of each Act as you have them right now.
Act 1:
Opening: (Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode?) 17 y/o RYAN KYLE and his 12 y/o brother Zach, have killed their father in the basement of the family home and must dispose of the body.
Inciting Incident: (How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?) 15 years later, Ryan is a homicide detective investigating a possible serial killer, with his new, unwanted partner MARY (they share apparent history and tension) Ryan and Mary find his brother bloody and suffering from a serious panic attack, not taking meds; Mary finds an victims earring in Zach’s bath.
Turning Point: (How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”) Zach tries to explain to Ryan that their father is “back from the dead”. Ryan doesn’t believe him, concerned for his brothers mental well being, he demands Zach gets back on his meds… or else.
Act 2:
New Plan: (What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?) Ryan is distracted from his investigation by his brothers “encounter” he tries reaching out and Zach comes to him after getting a call from their “dead father”.
Plan in action: (How does the protagonist take action on that plan?) Zach turns to Ryan to tell his truth, their father is “back from the dead” and wants revenge, he needs Ryan’s help to vanquish their tormentor. Ryan threatens Zach with involuntary commitment if he continues with his delusions and doesn’t get back on meds.
Midpoint Turning Point: While inspecting forensic info on their crime scene Mary recognizes their victim’s missing earring, the mate found in Zach’s bath, she gives Ryan an ultimatum. Ryan finds a cryptic message on his windshield to resume their game.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: (What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?) Ryan doesn’t want to believe his brothers involvement but all roads are leading to Zach, who refuses to blame anyone but their father for the killings taking place.
New Plan: Zach and Ryan met up where the younger turns over a beat up file, JTR intel; the bartender identifies the Ripper sketch as the man who had been in looking for them. Ryan delves into related forensic documents to confirm his worst fears, zach always appears at the scene. He breaks into Zach’s home to try to find some kind of evidence to prove/disprove Zach’s involvement; finds MOM.
Turning Point: (The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.) Ryan dupes Zach into meeting him for lunch which is actually an intervention; Zach is utterly betrayed but finally wins Ryan over with his own proof, photos on his cell of their father committing his heinous murders.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Expression Of The Conflict: (How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?) The brothers go back in time, to the beginning, where they know they can finish the game with their father.
Resolution: (How does this resolution represent the transformation that has taken place and bring this story to a fitting conclusion? How does the change show up in your lead character’s behavior?) Ryan and Zach finally bring down their nemesis where it all began in 1888; Mary is the Ripper’s last victim, but they find their mother who was banished by Jack 15 years earlier.
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Sandra’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is that my WIM structure needed to be elevated.
Title: SMUGGLERS JOURNEY
Genre: Drama/Crime
High Concept: The adventures of a young sea captain lured into the dangerous world of crude oil smuggling, where he faces a firing squad if captured.
Main Conflict: The protagonist (Sloane) is forced to smuggle oil to stay alive.
Act 1
Opening: Sloane watches tv when there’s a knock on the door. Peering out behind the curtain, he sees policemen with guns.
Inciting Incident: Sloane discovers his ship crew is smuggling oil.
Turning Point: Sloane is badly beaten up when he threatens to report the smuggling to the authorities.
Act 2
New Plan: Sloane captains a new ship with a different company, and marries his girlfriend.
Plan in Action: Sloane meets Senor Grande (antagonist), a banker, who lures him into smuggling.
Midpoint Turning Point: Police raids continue frequently on Sloane’s house/office.
Act 3
Rethink Everything: Sloane leaves the ship and smuggling. He tries several legitimate jobs that all fail.
New Plan: Senor Grande convinces Sloane to come back and smuggle whiskey.
Turning Point: Huge Failure/ Major Shift: Senor Grande sinks the ship for the insurance money.
Act 4
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: Insurance company suspects Sloane. Sloane and Senor Grande fight it out. Sloane gives up his life of crime and enters a residential alcohol treatment program.
Resolution: Clean and sober, Sloane becomes a counselor and works in a prison helping inmates. Senor Grande is shot by a firing squad.
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ASSIGNMENT TWO
FRAN’S 4ACT STRUCTURE
WHAT I LEARNED: from this and all the other lessons plus what I’m doing for the Autocrit classes I taken so far. It’s getting so much easier for me now to get out an entire outline for my story written and I am no longer struggling with doing one. What made this so great, I entered a short story writing challenge and the first thing I did was outline my story according to what I learned in these classes along with a beat sheet. And it was so easy and it made my writing so fast!! And the best thing about this, I DID NOT PROCRASTINATE!! IT JUST FLOWED!!! YAY!!!
Title: BORN OF BLOOD AND FIRE
Genre: HISTORICAL FICTION/FANTASY
Concept: THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS AS TOLD THROUGH THE EYES OF THEIR MOTHER ILIA
Logline: A destiny forged by the gods, her world torn apart by an uncle’s greed and his lust for his brother’s throne, an innocent, young princess—embarks on a journey that will end in the birth of two sons, one a god, one a mortal, and the creation of the greatest empire the world has ever known–Rome.
Main Conflict: Amulius gains power and his brother’s throne through war and the killing of Numitor’s heirs and Numitor’s castration and exile. The young daughter. Ilia, will suffer a worse defeat via her uncle. She is condemned to the life of a Vestal Virgin in the service of the fires of Vesta. And to die if she violates her oath and bears children.
Then list out the beats of each Act as you have them right now.
THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS
Act 1:
Opening: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode?
It’s Jupiter vs. Mars. They argue. Mars has started a war which is contrary to Jupiter’s plans to build a new empire. Mars is banished from Olympus. He goes to build a home near the Palatine Mountain. There is a temple there built in his honor. Jupiter vows he will build his new empire through the seed of Mars.
Second engaging scene Ilia is telling the story of Aeneas and the founding of their home Alba Longa to her little brother Aegestes to help him fall asleep while they wait for the war to begin.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
War is waging between the brothers Amulius and Numitor. Amulius is out to usurp power and take over. He exiles his brother, kills the heirs and he forces young Ilia into service as a Vestal Virgin.
Turning Point: How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Ilia will not accept her fate. The first thing she does is try to escape. But she fails. She is brought back, beaten and given a heavy guard to watch over her—that she doesn’t do it again.
Act 2:
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?
Some time passes. When she thinks it is safe, she tries to escape again. This time she gets a little farther—to the Temple of Mars near the Aventine Hill where she has heard her father has been exiled.
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
She hides in the temple where she believes she is safe. There she encounters Mars, who is immediately smitten by her. They fall in love. Make love. Mars then leaves again with his wolves, leaving Ilia alone.
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey?
In the Meantime, Amulius has learned of her escape in the midst of learning his bride has plotted against him by taking a contraceptive that will allow her to not become pregnant. He breaks the next vile of the elixir she was supposed to drink, he kills her hand maiden who was complicit in the plot and he rapes Tezza.
He then takes his leave to go find Ilia. He thinks he knows where she has gone. To Numitor. There near the Aventine Hill, he finds her in the temple, confronts her and tells her she is never to escape again for next time she will be put to death. He then proceeds to rape her. Bloody her and leave her for dead.
But her cousin and caretaker at the convent, Antho, followed her father, Amulius, along with Ilia’s old man servant, to the temple where they find her, Antho knows what her father did. They take her back to the convent and care for her, save her life.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?
Nine months later, Ilia gives birth to twin sons: Romulus who is the son of Mars. Remus who is the son of Amulius.
Amulius has another son by Tezza, Celeres. Once his heir is secured, Amulius proceeds to kill Tezza by strangulation.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict?
Days later, Ilia is still hell bent on leaving, escaping. This time Antho says she is going with her, to help her escape her father.
They go with the help of the old man servant, taking the twins with them.
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.
When they reach the Malitiosa Forest near the Aventine Hill they part ways. Antho goes one way, Ilia goes another, hoping that her father is still there alive and well. Antho will go to the Palatine Hill. For a while. At least, maybe her father won’t find her there among his cattlemen and shepherds.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Expression Of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?
Antho is successful, but Ilia is not. She is found, this time by Amulius’ elite army and she is brought back to Alba Longa in chains along with her twin sons.
There Amulius pronounces sentence upon her: she is to die by drowning in the Tiber River. Her hands are tied and she is taken away by guards, but not before hearing the sentencing of her sons, who Amulius suspects are his, to a watery death, too, in the Tiber. The old man servant for this helping her escape yet again, is forced to do the dirty work for Amulius. But the old man servant cannot harm the boys. Instead, he puts them in a cradle that is water tight, he wraps them in a precious cloak that belonged to their mother, and as he watches Ilia being thrown off the cliff by the soldiers, the man servant gently sends the boys on their way downstream where they will land in an olive grove. There Mars’ wolves find them and care for them.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the transformation that has taken place and bring this story to a fitting conclusion? How does the change show up in your lead character’s behavior?
There months later, the shepherd Faustulus, and his son Lucius find the boys by accident one day, and take them home to the Aventine Hill where they will care for them as theirs.
THIS IS THE END OF PART ONE. PART TWO BEGINS THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS 18 YEARS LATER. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN THIS ONE QUITE FINISHED BUT I NEEDED TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING FOR THE CLASS. I DO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BEAT SHEET THAT IS ALMOST FINISED WITH DETAILS IN IT.
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Title: BORN OF BLOOD AND FIRE
Genre: HISTORICAL FICTION/FANTASY
Concept: THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS AS TOLD THROUGH THE EYES OF THEIR MOTHER ILIA
Logline: A destiny forged by the gods, her world torn apart by an uncle’s greed and his lust for his brother’s throne, an innocent, young princess—embarks on a journey that will end in the birth of two sons, one a god, one a mortal, and the creation of the greatest empire the world has ever known–Rome.
Main Conflict: Amulius gains power and his brother’s throne through war and the killing of Numitor’s heirs and Numitor’s castration and exile. The young daughter. Ilia, will suffer a worse defeat via her uncle. She is condemned to the life of a Vestal Virgin in the service of the fires of Vesta. And to die if she violates her oath and bears children.
Then list out the beats of each Act as you have them right now.
THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS
Act 1:
Opening: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode?
It’s Jupiter vs. Mars. They argue. Mars has started a war which is contrary to Jupiter’s plans to build a new empire. Mars is banished from Olympus. He goes to build a home near the Palatine Mountain. There is a temple there built in his honor. Jupiter vows he will build his new empire through the seed of Mars.
Second engaging scene Ilia is telling the story of Aeneas and the founding of their home Alba Longa to her little brother Aegestes to help him fall asleep while they wait for the war to begin.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
War is waging between the brothers Amulius and Numitor. Amulius is out to usurp power and take over. He exiles his brother, kills the heirs and he forces young Ilia into service as a Vestal Virgin.
Turning Point: How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Ilia will not accept her fate. The first thing she does is try to escape. But she fails. She is brought back, beaten and given a heavy guard to watch over her—that she doesn’t do it again.
Act 2:
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?
Some time passes. When she thinks it is safe, she tries to escape again. This time she gets a little farther—to the Temple of Mars near the Aventine Hill where she has heard her father has been exiled.
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
She hides in the temple where she believes she is safe. There she encounters Mars, who is immediately smitten by her. They fall in love. Make love. Mars then leaves again with his wolves, leaving Ilia alone.
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey?
In the Meantime, Amulius has learned of her escape in the midst of learning his bride has plotted against him by taking a contraceptive that will allow her to not become pregnant. He breaks the next vile of the elixir she was supposed to drink, he kills her hand maiden who was complicit in the plot and he rapes Tezza.
He then takes his leave to go find Ilia. He thinks he knows where she has gone. To Numitor. There near the Aventine Hill, he finds her in the temple, confronts her and tells her she is never to escape again for next time she will be put to death. He then proceeds to rape her. Bloody her and leave her for dead.
But her cousin and caretaker at the convent, Antho, followed her father, Amulius, along with Ilia’s old man servant, to the temple where they find her, Antho knows what her father did. They take her back to the convent and care for her, save her life.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?
Nine months later, Ilia gives birth to twin sons: Romulus who is the son of Mars. Remus who is the son of Amulius.
Amulius has another son by Tezza, Celeres. Once his heir is secured, Amulius proceeds to kill Tezza by strangulation.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict?
Days later, Ilia is still hell bent on leaving, escaping. This time Antho says she is going with her, to help her escape her father.
They go with the help of the old man servant, taking the twins with them.
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.
When they reach the Malitiosa Forest near the Aventine Hill they part ways. Antho goes one way, Ilia goes another, hoping that her father is still there alive and well. Antho will go to the Palatine Hill. For a while. At least, maybe her father won’t find her there among his cattlemen and shepherds.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Expression Of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?
Antho is successful, but Ilia is not. She is found, this time by Amulius’ elite army and she is brought back to Alba Longa in chains along with her twin sons.
There Amulius pronounces sentence upon her: she is to die by drowning in the Tiber River. Her hands are tied and she is taken away by guards, but not before hearing the sentencing of her sons, who Amulius suspects are his, to a watery death, too, in the Tiber. The old man servant for this helping her escape yet again, is forced to do the dirty work for Amulius. But the old man servant cannot harm the boys. Instead, he puts them in a cradle that is water tight, he wraps them in a precious cloak that belonged to their mother, and as he watches Ilia being thrown off the cliff by the soldiers, the man servant gently sends the boys on their way downstream where they will land in an olive grove. There Mars’ wolves find them and care for them.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the transformation that has taken place and bring this story to a fitting conclusion? How does the change show up in your lead character’s behavior?
There months later, the shepherd Faustulus, and his son Lucius find the boys by accident one day, and take them home to the Aventine Hill where they will care for them as theirs.
THIS IS THE END OF PART ONE. PART TWO BEGINS THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS 18 YEARS LATER. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN THIS ONE QUITE FINISHED BUT I NEEDED TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING FOR THE CLASS. I DO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BEAT SHEET THAT IS ALMOST FINISED WITH DETAILS IN IT.
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FRAN’s 4 ACT STRUCTURE
WHAT I LEARNED: Along with the classes I’m taking here and Autocrit’s classes I’m taking, I am really learning how to outline a lot better and enjoying it. I’m getting my story down much better, faster, and the best thing about it, I entered a short story writing challenge and used the methods here to make my outline. It was so easy, faster, smoother. AND THE BEST THING ABOUT IT I DIDN’T PROCRASTINATE! It was so easy to write the story with this method. from concept to outline to actual story. YAY!!!
Title: BORN OF BLOOD AND FIRE
Genre: HISTORICAL FICTION/FANTASY
Concept: THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS AS TOLD THROUGH THE EYES OF THEIR MOTHER ILIA
Logline: A destiny forged by the gods, her world torn apart by an uncle’s greed and his lust for his brother’s throne, an innocent, young princess—embarks on a journey that will end in the birth of two sons, one a god, one a mortal, and the creation of the greatest empire the world has ever known–Rome.
Main Conflict: Amulius gains power and his brother’s throne through war and the killing of Numitor’s heirs and Numitor’s castration and exile. The young daughter. Ilia, will suffer a worse defeat via her uncle. She is condemned to the life of a Vestal Virgin in the service of the fires of Vesta. And to die if she violates her oath and bears children.
Then list out the beats of each Act as you have them right now.
THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS
Act 1:
Opening: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode?
It’s Jupiter vs. Mars. They argue. Mars has started a war which is contrary to Jupiter’s plans to build a new empire. Mars is banished from Olympus. He goes to build a home near the Palatine Mountain. There is a temple there built in his honor. Jupiter vows he will build his new empire through the seed of Mars.
Second engaging scene Ilia is telling the story of Aeneas and the founding of their home Alba Longa to her little brother Aegestes to help him fall asleep while they wait for the war to begin.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
War is waging between the brothers Amulius and Numitor. Amulius is out to usurp power and take over. He exiles his brother, kills the heirs and he forces young Ilia into service as a Vestal Virgin.
Turning Point: How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Ilia will not accept her fate. The first thing she does is try to escape. But she fails. She is brought back, beaten and given a heavy guard to watch over her—that she doesn’t do it again.
Act 2:
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?
Some time passes. When she thinks it is safe, she tries to escape again. This time she gets a little farther—to the Temple of Mars near the Aventine Hill where she has heard her father has been exiled.
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
She hides in the temple where she believes she is safe. There she encounters Mars, who is immediately smitten by her. They fall in love. Make love. Mars then leaves again with his wolves, leaving Ilia alone.
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey?
In the Meantime, Amulius has learned of her escape in the midst of learning his bride has plotted against him by taking a contraceptive that will allow her to not become pregnant. He breaks the next vile of the elixir she was supposed to drink, he kills her hand maiden who was complicit in the plot and he rapes Tezza.
He then takes his leave to go find Ilia. He thinks he knows where she has gone. To Numitor. There near the Aventine Hill, he finds her in the temple, confronts her and tells her she is never to escape again for next time she will be put to death. He then proceeds to rape her. Bloody her and leave her for dead.
But her cousin and caretaker at the convent, Antho, followed her father, Amulius, along with Ilia’s old man servant, to the temple where they find her, Antho knows what her father did. They take her back to the convent and care for her, save her life.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?
Nine months later, Ilia gives birth to twin sons: Romulus who is the son of Mars. Remus who is the son of Amulius.
Amulius has another son by Tezza, Celeres. Once his heir is secured, Amulius proceeds to kill Tezza by strangulation.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict?
Days later, Ilia is still hell bent on leaving, escaping. This time Antho says she is going with her, to help her escape her father.
They go with the help of the old man servant, taking the twins with them.
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.
When they reach the Malitiosa Forest near the Aventine Hill they part ways. Antho goes one way, Ilia goes another, hoping that her father is still there alive and well. Antho will go to the Palatine Hill. For a while. At least, maybe her father won’t find her there among his cattlemen and shepherds.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Expression Of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?
Antho is successful, but Ilia is not. She is found, this time by Amulius’ elite army and she is brought back to Alba Longa in chains along with her twin sons.
There Amulius pronounces sentence upon her: she is to die by drowning in the Tiber River. Her hands are tied and she is taken away by guards, but not before hearing the sentencing of her sons, who Amulius suspects are his, to a watery death, too, in the Tiber. The old man servant for this helping her escape yet again, is forced to do the dirty work for Amulius. But the old man servant cannot harm the boys. Instead, he puts them in a cradle that is water tight, he wraps them in a precious cloak that belonged to their mother, and as he watches Ilia being thrown off the cliff by the soldiers, the man servant gently sends the boys on their way downstream where they will land in an olive grove. There Mars’ wolves find them and care for them.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the transformation that has taken place and bring this story to a fitting conclusion? How does the change show up in your lead character’s behavior?
There months later, the shepherd Faustulus, and his son Lucius find the boys by accident one day, and take them home to the Aventine Hill where they will care for them as theirs.
THIS IS THE END OF PART ONE. PART TWO BEGINS THE STORY OF ROMULUS AND REMUS 18 YEARS LATER. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN THIS ONE QUITE FINISHED BUT I NEEDED TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING FOR THE CLASS. I DO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BEAT SHEET THAT IS ALMOST FINISED WITH DETAILS IN IT.
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Jen’s Four-Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is that I have been able to elevate my script with this method even though I was originally afraid that I was “ruining” it!
Act 1:
Opening – A staged “taking” happens, zombies drag a man through
fence – show Mariana here, afraid . Pregnancy ceremony (looking cult-like)
Inciting Incident – Mariana
sees things that make her suspicious, Davis tries to get her to go into
the building, she refuses, but says she will go outside, she does gets
some information about the layout, gets caught, memory wiped, Davis takes
information from her and puts it in a notebook (that is well-filled, this
has been going on for a long time). Davis is trying to catch a zombie,
seems like he does, but it is Felicity and she gets away
Turning Point – her mother is taken and she decides she will go in
buildingAct 2:
New plan – Mariana takes control, Davis is relieved, as this has definitely happened before, she sneaks to compound, she is caught
and she wakes up at home (with a gasp, like she doesn’t remember where she
is). She goes downstairs, looking for mother, shocked she isn’t in kitchen
making breakfast, finds her in bed, with a wound on her back, her mother
has a story about being attacked by a creature, doesn’t Mariana remember?
Yes, she was just making sure mom remembered, making sure she was okay
(notices medication by bedside) just a test to make sure not taking too
much medicine. Davis is disappointed that they are back at square one and Mariana doesn’t remember anything. Plan in action – They meet Felicity, who tells them they are in a
cult, they don’t believe her – but they become friends, she brings them
things (candy, a computer, etc. to prove world is up and running)
Midpoint Turning Point – Mariana sees that a guard she likes and
trusts is actually involved in the “takings.” They drag man through fence
and he stops and takes off mask while Mariana watches.Act 3:
Rethink everything – They decide to go together into the building
and get information and then sneak into “the real world” as they are
believing Felicity now
New plan – they are going to get the authorities involved to “save
the children”
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – they get caught and are
told that the girl is right – the world is not over, they are the ones
with Red Fever and are being held to protect the rest of the world.Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Mariana learns about
germs and masks and they escape, the compound is raided as a “cult” – they
discover from files that the compound is an organ farm. The commissioner (Beverly)
tells the Warden that the whole thing was for her son, calls Mariana “that
heart” and we find out it was all for Mariana but boy hadn’t needed heart
yet. Adults get killed, children get taken to Social Services – Mariana
gets taken to Beverly’s brought back to compound for surgery, just as
Beverly is about to shoot her in the head, Alicia kills Beverly
Resolution – Felicity takes Mariana to fair and they meet up with
Davis – go on Zombie ride, kiss -
CJ’s 4-Act Structure
WIL: It is good to step back from the script to see that the structure is flowing the way it should and the tension is being maintained.
1. Give us the following:
Title: On U.S. SoilGenre: Action / ThrillerConcept: A special forces operative must come out of retirement to rescue her family and stop an attack on the G-7 summit to creates economic chaos
· Main Conflict: General Marx plans a military coup white the G-7 conference is held in Washington DC. Claire’s husband is set up as a domestic terrorist. Claire must stop the coup and rescue her family.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
Opening: Military prepares for parade for G-7 with live ammunitions. Morning family chaos with a glimpse of Claire’s abilities. William (Claire’s husband) prepares for meeting with the President with a plan to broker peace in the Middle East.<div>
Inciting Incident: Williams Meeting goes badly with the President.Turning Point: William is kidnapped and branded a Domestic Terrorist after an attack on D.C.
Act 2:
New plan: Claire turns to friend and former commander – General Marx to help find William and clear his name.<div>
Plan in action: The General turns over the task to Colonel Thomas as he plans parade for G-7 Conference. Ticking clock (72 hours away)
Midpoint Turning Point: Claire sees a copy of her Think Tank plan “Operational Rebuild” on the Generals desk – then another attack on D.C.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: Claire under siege by the FBI looking for William and being stonewalled by General Marx needs a new plan. </div><div>
New plan: Claire reaches out to an old friend, Jonathan Spires from the CIA. They worked on the Operation Rebuild project together. She has determined someone is working their rebuild plan backwards to topple the gov’t – She has to admit she needs help.
Turning Point: Claire reaches out to tell the General and remembers he had the plan on his desk. Claire is considered a person of interest – her face on every TV station. The General sends Army Rangers after Claire as a “person of Interest” before FBI can get to her.
Huge failure / Major shift: In a confrontation with the Rangers Jonathan is wounded but Claire convinces one of the Army Rangers to meet her and convinces her she is innocent.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Claire –finds the “Safe House” where William is being held. After a shoot-out with Rangers – She and William escape to try to clear William’s name. Claire’s left her daughter in the care of Colonel Thomas’ wife – only to find out that they are in on the plan with General Marx. She must rescue her daughters and stop the attack on G-7.Resolution: General Marx plans to topple the governments who don’t respect the military. Marx intends to capitalize on the economic chaos after he attacks the G-7 and escape leaving the chaos behind. Claire stops the attack in G-7 and General Marx.
</div></div> -
Ann’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is that there are some alternate turning points that will work better than my original ones.
Title: VANISHING TERRORISTS
Genre: Thriller
Concept: A Florida rancher resentful of her tribe’s lifestyle discovers a terrorist’s plan to steal the hidden Cold War missiles and destroy the Everglades. When the FBI fails, she embraces the old traditions to stop the terrorists.
Main Conflict: Stopping the terrorists from stealing the missiles. It’s life and death.
Act 1:
· Traditional Seminole funeral in the swamp. River’s refusal to participate.
· Inciting Incident: River (protagonist) meets Zuka (antagonist) spying on her on her ranch. Who’s fooling who?
· Turning Point: Dave and Jeff (Montana FBI) arrive disguised as cowboys.
Act 2:
· New Plan: Dave and Jeff use River’s ranch as a cover to help the Florida FBI locate the terrorists and to discover their target.
· Plan in action: River, Dave, and Jeff go on a nighttime python hunt up the river but in reality all three are looking for something else.
· Midpoint Turning Point: River, Jeff, and Dave discover an abandoned pier and shack that has been recently used. It’s the terrorists headquarter and python breeding farm. They discover the terrorists mission and the missiles.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: River discovers that her pet alligator has been skinned, someone (Chief Skinny Snake?) with swamp knowledge had to know where this pier and cabin were, she knows Jeff and Dave are FBI, and she knows what Zuka (the terrorists) has planned.
New Plan: She knows she must use Seminole Indian Swamp skills to stop the plan and revenge the alligator’s death.
Turning Point: Jeff and Dave are near death. The terrorists have found the missiles and they have a python breeding farm. The only way River can win is to fall back on Seminole help and strategies.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate Express of the Conflict: River attacks Zuka and his helpers. She has her Indian friends take out the terrorist team. Zuka hurts River but she rallies and tracks him in the swamp.
Resolution: Dave and Jeff are saved. They meet with other FBI at River’s home. No one can find any trace of the terrorists.
River delivers Zuka’s scalp to Chief Skinny Snake.
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Brian’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is… I pretty much stayed true to my original structure, and I believe it’s pretty solid. The only thing that worries me is my Protag (Julia) is pretty weak in the first half, but that is her transformational journey, and the side character (Detective Sara) kind of takes over. This could be either of their stories.
• Title: HEAD GAMES
• Genre: Supernatural Thriller
• Concept: A reclusive, young psychic helps a skeptical detective stop a killer targeting psychics, not knowing that the killer is possessed by an evil spirit who is trying to escape the after life.
• Main Conflict: Stop an evil spirit from escaping Purgatory. Catch the killer. Don’t let anyone else die.
Act 1: Making Contact
• Opening 1 – ANTAGONIST – Mystery/Intrigue – KELLER, a loser, drug addict OD’s and appears to die, until SIMON, in a strange place, with some strange equipment, somehow brings him back to life and takes over his body. What? Why? HIDDEN – This is step one of Keller’s plan to escape the afterlife – How? – Long story.
• Opening 2 – PROTAGONIST – JULIA, a recluse, and her domineering MOM. Julia has some kind of psychic powers and Mom doesn’t want her using them (Carrie?). Julia sees a murder? (Under the surface – Mom is a ghost that haunts/visits psychic Julia.)
• Inciting Incident – Julia shares her vision with a TV psychic (STEPHAN). They see a boy being kidnapped and murdered by Keller, or so they think. Julia’s Mom is pissed. Julia knows she did wrong. Why? HIDDEN – Mom knows Simon and knows about the murder. Is she trying to protect Julia or incriminate her?
– Stephan and skeptical, Detective SARA find the dead boy buried in a shallow grave. His head is missing.
• Turning Point 1 – Stephan is murdered by the killer and his head is taken.
Act 2: Should’ve listened to Mom
• New plan – Julia is freaked out. Lay low. Keep powers hidden. Refuse the call.
• Plan in action – Stay away from the cops, but they come to her.
• Midpoint Turning Point – Julia taken into protective custody against her will, plus
• REVEAL – MOM is dead — She has VR and knows Simon!! They both live in the afterlife.
Act 3: Catch the killer
• Rethink everything – Julia is out of her element. Hearing everyone’s thoughts. She wears earbuds and listens to music. What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? The killer is after her. Knows her?
• New plan – Julia comes clean, but nobody believes her. They think she’s crazy. Her Mom has been dead for 10 years.
• Julia proves she’s psychic and see Sara’s son being kidnapped. – old ways challenged. Police procedure – Sara’s training says she should do it by the book.
• New plan – Julia creates a new plan to work with Mom and Sara to catch the killer and save Bryce. With that, they embrace the need to change. What is the plan? Sara tries to get mom to find out who has the kid. Mom won’t give it up. Acts like she doesn’t know anything. Gets caught.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Julia finds out mom has been deceiving her and helping Simon! Julia is devastated. Lowest of the lows. Everything has failed.
Act 4: Sacrifice
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Julia sacrifices herself to save the kid.
• Resolution – Julia is dead and helping Sara solve crimes from the after life.
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Genre and 4 Act Structure
What I learned from this assignment: Never write a script UNTIL you have the structure worked out first. Also, hard to assign structure conventions to a road-trip drama where most of the movie is two guys in a car, talking. The bulk of it happens in my 2nd act – I must trim about 18 pages from my current 2nd act.
Title: “The Road Back”
Concept: Two strangers – a white, homeless, recovering-addict street musician, 26, and a black, retired, bereaved widower, 64 –share a cross country drive just days before Christmas, a holiday they both dread, discovering a path of redemption and renewed purpose along the way.
Genre: DRAMA
ACT 1
• OPENING:
Josh, white, 26, busking on a San Francisco street corner 6 days before Christmas. Refuses request by a kid to play a traditional Christmas song. Does one his way. Kid cries. Josh returns to his homeless camp to discover ….
•INCITING INCIDENT: Three good friends of his in a neighboring tent died of a Fentanyl overdose while he was out. Cops and news reporters on the scene. Josh is shocked, devastated.
• Cop recognizes him from a drug bust the prior year. Buys the distraught Josh a cup of coffee to comfort him. Tells him about his friend Al who needs someone to help drive him to Chicago for Christmas — $600, expenses, and plane ticket back. Josh dismisses the proposed gig.
• Next day, Josh faces the scrutiny of his parole officer. Offers up the Chicago driving gig as proof he has good intentions of reform. The Parole officer likes the idea. There’s no turning back for Josh now.
• TURNING POINT:
DAY 1, DEC. 21: Josh, now committed to the journey, meets retired, widower Al, black, 64, at Al’s suburban home. Car loaded up and ready. Meeting is awkward and confrontational. Josh reluctantly signs Al’s contract/agreement, pledging good behavior during the journey.
• They’re soon off, with Josh behind the wheel, saying he doesn’t want to talk during the trip. But soon they find themselves having to escape the wrath of a pissed-off truck driver who Josh cut off. The adventure begins.
ACT 2
• NEW PLAN:
• Music montage – driving shots across California. Josh driving, Al reading. Finally, Josh can’t stand it any longer and breaks the silence.
• PLAN IN ACTION:
• Conversation points:
–Al’s reading a travel book about historical sites along their route. Josh doesn’t care about history.
–Why Chicago? Josh asks. Al tells about his Sister’s invitation and the great Christmas waiting for him there. Josh is invited to join them Christmas eve, and stay there, before being taken to the airport Christmas day for his flight back to SF.
–Josh & Blues. Al learns of Josh’s love for playing the blues and interest in connecting with Blues venues in Chicago. Al knows blues. Amused to hear Josh consider himself a bluesman.
–Al shops the best price on gas, establishing his frugality.
• Sierra Mountains Blizzard. They buy chains, have them installed, make their way through the mountain pass.
• They stop at the Donner Memorial Monument. Time for lunch.
• They stop at a café in Truckee. Argue over the route. Josh wants the fastest route possible, driving long days to get the trip over. Al wants to deviate over an old historic highway through Nevada’s Great Basis Desert to take in some historical sites; to make it interesting. Al’s way or the highway.
• Josh makes a disparaging remark about a developmentally-challenged worker. Al calls him on it and chews him out. They leave to get back on the road.
• MUSIC MONTAGE 2: They make their way past Reno and into the expansiveness of the Great Basin Nevada desert.
• Al studies the map of their proposed journey. Asks Josh what town Josh is from in Iowa. Al finds it on the map. Josh tells about his family that still lives there, his mother and his married sister. And about his father who abandon the family when Josh was a young boy. He talks about his single mother’s modest house she’s been in for over 30 years, etc. Al tells Josh to respect her for having provided a home as a single mother and the struggles she’d endured.
• They stop at the ruins of a Pony Express station. Al talks about the under-appreciated, unheralded heros that made the Pony Express work, a metaphor for his own forced retirement.
• NIGHT 1, DEC. 21: They make it as far as Ely, NV and get a room at hotel. Go out to find a place for dinner and get mixed up in a Christmas Pageant going on in town. Josh ends saving the Savior from the prankster who steals it out of the live Nativity Scene Manager in front of the towns people. Josh and Al relish in being heros before learning the truth… the jokes on them.
• NEXT MORNING, DEC 22<sup>ND</sup>: Josh strumming guitar in hotel room waiting for Al who is checking Blood Pressure and taking meds. PURPOSE: Josh’s guitar skills, Al’s health problems and lapse in his own care, as if he had previously given up. They hit the road.
• Conversations Points:
— Josh slams Christmas holiday. Al tries to defend it, but is also privately saddened by it.
–Al asks Josh if he’s ever been in love. Josh tells about his ex-girlfriend back in his hometown. Admits his fault for it not working out- drugs.
• Out of Gas scene. They run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. 3 “working girls” from a local Bordello ranch, headed on a ski trip, stop and offer assistance – but only after teasing Josh & Al.
• MUSIC MONTAGE 3 — Time Elapse, driving scenes.. They reach the landmark “Wendover Will” the 60’ Cowboy sign and get back onto Interstate 80…. They pass by the Great Salt Lake and soon, skirt the outside of Salt Lake City. Into mountainous, rocky terrain until they reach the ‘Welcome to Wyoming’ sign. Music out.
• Conversations Points:
–Christmas music on radio. Josh hates it, turns it off. Al tells him to lighten up.
–Josh reflecting on his dead friends. Recounts the incident. Al already familiar with the facts.
–Josh then careless seems indifferent about living or not – perhaps he should have joined them. Al jumps on his case about the comment. Josh points out Al’s own carelessness with his medications, cheating death, making him seem like a hypocrite.
• NIGHT 2, DEC. 22<sup>ND</sup>: Cheyenne, WY – They check into a motel. It’s late but a nearby cowboy Saloon is still serving so they go there.
• Honky -Tonk Cowboy Saloon. Josh and Al are finishing their dinner. There is a band playing there but they are short their guitar player who is sick, so guest players are taking turns filling in. They are not very good. Al offers Josh up to them. Josh begrudgingly accepts and joins them on stage. Josh delivers an incredible, virtuoso blues guitar performance. Everyone in the bar sits up and takes notice. Al is very impressed and tells Josh so. As Josh and Al are leaving the bar, a redneck picks a fight with Josh. Bouncers pounce on the redneck and a bar brawl ensues. Josh and Al skedaddle.
• NEXT MORNING, DEC. 23<sup>RD</sup>: They leave the hotel and get back on the road. Al driving now, Josh playing his harmonica.
• Conversations Points:
–Al raves again about Joshes blues performance. Asks where Josh learned to play. Josh says from an old guy who runs the music store in his Iowa hometown.
–Josh’s phone rings. Josh ignores it. It’s his mother. Al notices that—2<sup>nd</sup> time this trip. Al tells him he’s lucky to still have a mother calling to check on him… Al talks how he misses his mother… about how there’s nothing more powerful than a mother’s love for her child.
–Roles in life. Al lectures Josh on accepting with honor the roles in life one has: Son, brother, and someday, husband and father. Josh gets testy… calls Al “Sappy Happy”
–Al is silent at first. Ruminates on this “Happy” label… then tells Josh about his wife that died two months before from Cancer and about the son they lost (their only child) ten years before that in a senseless street shooting near his highschool. Al is emotional, off in a dark zone. Josh insist on taking over driving. They’ll stop in Omaha for the night.
• MID-POINT TURNING POINT:
Last road-night together, Dec. 23<sup>rd</sup>. Omaha Hilton. While having dinner and drinks together in the lobby restaurant bar, Al gets choked up when the Hotel lobby pianist performs a Christmas song that was a favorite of his late wife. He retires early. Tells Josh to meet him in the lobby at 8 am ready to go. But Josh slips off the edge into his old ways: gets drunk then ends up in a dive bar with some girls that encourage him to drop a pill with them. Stumbles back to the hotel, throws up, passes out and sleeps in long past his wake up call.
ACT 3
• RETHINK EVERYTHING:
Next morning, December 24<sup>th</sup>, Al waits for no-show Josh, then discovers Josh’s hung over state, takes stock of the situation, helps him load his things into the car, then proceeds to drop him off at the nearest airport, having booked a plane ticket to send him home. Josh is crushed by this, losing this new friendship, feeling like a failure – again. Al notices all the pre-Christmas activity around them, travelers in happy moods, etc, then relents and decides to gives Josh another chance. They continue the last day of their journey together.
• NEW PLAN:
Al realizes that Josh’s tattered clothes won’t do for showing up at his sister’s house in Chicago for Christmas Eve. Plus, they smell like puke. Al finds a men’s clothing store still open mid-day Christmas eve and buys Josh a complete new set of clothes, plus a warm, long dress coat. Josh protests, but Al says he’d like to do it to honor his late son’s memory – about what he might have spent on him for Christmas if he were still alive. Josh concedes and accepts the gifts. They get in the car and continue on. Al drives so Josh can continue to sleep off his hang over.
• TURNING POINT:
Al driving on Interstate 80 through snow covered Iowa while Josh sleeps in the passenger seat, now dressed smartly, clean shaven, looking like a very different Josh from who he began the trip with. It’s starting to snow. Suddenly, Al sees a sign for Josh’s hometown; an exit just a couple miles ahead, which bothers him. Perplexed, he dials it into his GPS navigator and sure enough…. Josh’s hometown lies just about 40 miles north of their present position. The exit is getting closer. Al receives a text from his sister wondering about their ETA in Chicago that evening. Al is torn but takes the exit then pulls over to the side of the road to think it through. It all makes sense to him now.
ACT 4
• CLIMAX/ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF CONFLICT:
Josh wakes up and looks around. He recognizes the road they are on. He starts screaming at Al to turn around. Al, startled by Josh’s reaction and outburst, pulls over to the side of the road. Al tries to reason with him. The otherwise cool, detached Josh now breaks down, gets emotional. Tells why he thinks he can’t go home again… about the shame he carries for those he hurt during his drug using days – his mother, sister and ex-girlfriend. Al calmly gives him the message Josh needs to hear about confronting his past head on and atoning as a way to move forward in life. Josh pulls himself together and then agrees to it.
• RESOLUTION:
As they enter Josh’s hometown, with the snow falling, afternoon giving way to evening, Josh has him stop off first at his ex-girlfriend’s small gift store. She is closing up. Al waits in the car as Josh goes in, and after receiving a very hostile greeting, he apologizes to his ex-girlfriend for his past misdeeds and mistreatment. After unleashing on Josh, she softens a bit and forgives him, wishing him a Merry Christmas. With their friendship restored, Josh leaves.
Then, after spending a light moment together taking a sled run down Josh’s former sledding hill, puzzling all the young kids sledding there, Al drops Josh off at his mother’s house lit up with Christmas lights and a small gathering going on inside. Al and Josh say their ‘good byes’ then Josh starts up the sidewalk with his things as his mother looks out the window, overcome with joy at the sight of her son. She and Al exchange warm gaze of understanding. He smiles and nods to her before getting back into the car and driving away, feeling good at the delivery of a son back to a parent, and this major step forward in his own healing. As he drives away, he starts to sing the very Christmas song that brought him to tears in Omaha the night before. Fade Out, music over credits.
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Lesson 2 Four act structure
June Fortunato
Title: Katie and Ti or Click
Genre: Drama. Grift. Fish out of water.
High Concept:
Reckless, narcissistic Katie, wants all eyes on her, all of the time. Her parents ‘gift her” a year in Cancun, and escape her. Suddenly the very thing Katie dreaded, being invisible/ of zero consequence, is suddenly her reality. That’s when Ti spots Katie as her next mark.
Main conflict
End of act I
Katie’s parents finally find a way to ditch Katie, they pack up and disappear, only to die because Katie sabotaged their camper. This is the first time Katie cannot lean on anyone, which is why Ti spots Katie as her next mark.
Transformational Journey
Parents: Are pushovers and finally get the courage to do what they’ve had to do all along: the
flee. Katie, a fish out of water, learns that her vicious and manipulative tactics do not work anymore. She realizes that, actually, she’s nothing and nobody cares. She’s unburdened. She finds a new joy in being a follower, and in trying to excel and feels, finally, truly seen.
Ti she starts as someone who would help Katie, to someone who learns how to hate, and enjoys putting Katie out of her misery
Opposition
Ti steps in throughout Katie’s journey. Katie is unaware of it.
Parents- escape and Katie is unaware of it.
Structure
Opening for Katie
Katie finally graduates. (Thanks to her parents who, after 5 years, pay the college for a fake Associates degree.) Her long abused parents convince Katie to take a year long trip to Mexico by ‘begging’ her to accompany them to join a mission and help build toilets. Katie takes their fifty grand and chooses Cancun. Just what they wanted.
Katie cannot get any of her ‘friends’ to go with her to Mexico. Her parents arrange for a suck-up girl from church, Evangelista, who speaks Spanish, to go with her.
Opening for Parents and sibling: Dale and Lyla and brother, Freddie
They get to work. They’ve sold the house, they pack up. They delete all of Katie’s online accounts and theirs, they cancel their phone account, and hers. They quick jobs, sell the car dealerships, and get out, with no forwarding addresses and little money.
Opening for Ti
She is at the gate headed to Cancun, as well. She’s returning to Mexico after a battle with relatives in the USA. She’s watches Katie, and Evangelista. Normally helpful and easy going, Ti recognizes a scam when she sees it and decides to investigate.
Inciting Incident for Parents Katie ‘graduates”
Inciting Incident for Katie Katie is suddenly abandoned by Evangelista and on a one-way flight to Cancun. She suddenly realizes that she’s alone for the first time in her life.
inciting incident for Ti She follows Evangelista to the bathroom and sees that Evangelista has set Katie up and is wiping Katie’s phone. Now she’s sure that Katie is her next mark.
Act I
Katie meets Ti on the plane and brags and bitches. Ti is so drained that she drops a sedative into Katie’s drink to shut her up. Katie lands in Cancun and Ti is no where in sight. Now Katie is completely alone with no one to lean on. She discovers that her phone is wiped. She cannot get ahold of her parents. Their line is disconnected. Katie’s parents and brother die in the camper that Katie sabotaged.
Act I for Katie
She behaves as she did stateside- splashing money around, buying people’s attention, being a brute and nasty. The sim card is gone and her phone and accounts are wiped. She feels that if she can reach her parents, all will be restored.
Act I for Ti
Ti stays in a cheap hostile in Cancun or in a cabana on the beach. She follows Katie, gathers info. She gets into Katie’s room and sets up scary events of Mexican lore/superstition, such as an aloe tree with red strings, dirt under Katie’s bed, hanging water balloons, and a room full of black moths.
Act I Turning point
Katie is no longer welcome in all of Cancun. She’s blown through most of her fifty grand. She decides to leave but she has zero idea of what to do. She spots Ti in the bus station. Ti is unreceptive- so she notes where Ti is headed, and finally, secures a bus headed to the same place.
Act 2
Plan in action
Ti has assured herself that Katie will follow. She’s also made arrangements with the next bus driver. Katie’s kicked out of the bus. Katie ends not in Merida, but in Valladolid, and takes a frightening walk to find the town. In Valladolid, Katie starts to play nice. There are glimpses of Ti in the town, but Katie isn’t sure it’s her – might be her imagination. Katie goes to the consulate.
End of Act 2
Katie’s passport is confiscated. She’s broke. She’s eating off of food left on tourists’ plates. She’s stealing and trying to grift.
Act 3
rethink everything
Ti makes sure that people don’t help Katie Katie’s barely living. People don’t let her sleep in their room when she fucks them. They don’t feed her. For the first time in her life, she’s hungry, she’s terrified, and this time, she really needs help and no one cares. Now she must figure out how to steal and survive
New Plan
Katie learns that her parents are dead. She learns that it was due to the camper and she knows that she sabotaged it. The crash was intended for her brother, Freddie. Katie is homeless and living under branches at the ceynote. Katie spots Ti with a “guru” at a restaurant. Ti introduces her. He buys her breakfast. Katie is invited to be part of the group. She’s extremely grateful to Ti.
Act 4
Katie scams with them- robbing tourists while one person pretends to be drowning in the ceynote. Finally, it’s her turn to prove herself. Unlike the past, she eagerly wants to impress the boss. She is the one who’ll pretend to drown. Katie has changed. She realized that being part of the group and being told what to do is the best way to
be noticed. She practices. She wants to be perfect. Then it’s her chance. She pretends to drown, and Ti jumps in to ‘save’ her- and makes sure that Katie actually drowns.
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Lori’s 4 Act Structure
A. Genre: Christmas Drama
B. Title: Hope for Christmas
C. High Concept: A small-town pastor, the man that the town leans on the most, becomes the one it must hold up as he spirals downward in depression when facing the first Christmas without his wife.
D. Main Conflict: grief at Christmas time
Act 1:
Opening – A small town prepares for Christmas.
Inciting Incident – A member of the church is killed in a car crash.
Turning Point – A distraught Pastor Thomas believes death has won again as he is mourning his first Christmas since his wife passed.
Act 2:
New plan – Thomas isn’t going to celebrate Christmas this year.
Plan in action – Thomas crosses boundaries and does more harm than good.
Midpoint Turning Point – Thomas spirals downward into depression and tries to isolate himself.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Thomas can’t go on this way.
New plan – Thomas will try to pretend that everything is okay.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Pretending nearly destroys Thomas, and Christmas seems to be falling apart.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Thomas gets honest with himself and his friends. He pleads with God.
Resolution – Hope is restored by Christmas day when Thomas gives a sermon about the hope of Christmas.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Lori Lance.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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Kimberly Jentzen 4 Act Structure
I’ve been working on this and forgot to submit it. When I didn’t get my lesson today, I decided to catch up my submissions.
I’m learning structure!!! Yay! A structure system that makes sense to me. I used to do page counts of what was supposed to happen. That’s all I could figure out from all the other training I had past received. Hal, you are brilliant!!! It’s liberating!
1. Give us the following:
Title: Chasing DuskGenre: Action <div>
Concept: A fearful baker learns how to summon her courage to face off the notorious bandit Bully Canary with the help of her long lost sister, Dusk
<div>
Main Conflict: Ella’s determined but doesn’t believe she’s as brave as Dusk and needs Dusk to teach her how to fight so she can face off the man who killed their brother.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
Opening: Ella is serving soup at the Theatre. Ella is used as a temporary sandbag for the theatre’s fly system. </div>
Inciting Incident: Theatre fire – Bully Canary kills Ella’s brother
<div>
Turning Point – Grandpa dies upon hearing the news, but with enough time to tell her to find Dusk
Act 2:
New plan – takes a train, then a wagon, then a balloon, then a mule</div><div>
Plan in action – Dusk is bringing in a dead bad man (who had accidentally shot himself dead) and she gets assigned bounty hunter. Ella finally gets Dusk to teach her to shoot and fight
Midpoint Turning Point – Dusk reveals that she’s never killed anyone
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Ella gets a gig at the Rattlesnake Inn. They will capture him. </div><div>
New plan – Ella and Dusk purchase rope and determine they’ll take him to the crowbar hotel. Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift — Bully Canary comes and steals Ella’s cakes and goes to rob the bank both Ella and Dusk catch him, but he escapes.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Ella is kidnapped to be Canary’s slave cook. Dusk goes after Canary to save her. The town get’s involved. </div>
Resolution – Together Dusk and Ella take Bully Canary in for good.
</div>
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David Becker’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned from this assignment is that I can always improve the structure points.
Title: The Road to Painted Hills
<b style=”background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Genre: Drama
Concept: When an ex-con seeking redemption (Jake) unexpectedly falls in love with the mother of the two twins he killed in tragic drunk-driving accident 20 years before (Jess), he must decide whether or not to tell her the truth.
Main Conflict: Jake must come clean to finally move on from his painful past, but his grave secret threatens to destroy the only love they have ever known.
Act 1:
Opening – Ex-con Jake Bellamy returns home from a building site to find that his fiancé has left him and taken their dog.
Inciting Incident – Jake learns that he finally free of the cancer which has plagued him the last few years. He resigns from his building job and decides to travel back to his home-town of Prineville, nestled beneath the Painted Hills of Oregon to seek redemption from the mother (Jess) of the twin girls he killed in a drink driving accident twenty years before.
Turning Point – Jake meets Jess but, before he can tell her, her restaurant burns down. Jess asks him to help rebuild it.
Act 2:
New plan – Feeling bad about the fire, Jake agrees to work on the rebuild
Plan in action – Jakes begins work and gets to know Jess
Midpoint Turning Point – Jake tries to tell her; she makes a move on him; they kiss.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Jake is caught in a dilemma as to whether or not to disclose his secret</div><div>
New plan – he puts off telling Jess as they fall deeper in love
Turning Point – Huge failure / Major shift – Sheriff accuses Jake of theft; he takes a finger-print from Jake and discloses to Jess who Jake actually is.
Act 4:
Dilemma – Jess goes on a bender; trashes the new build; what does she do?
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Jake visits her; Jess has fallen off the wagon; they fight; she gets in her car; Jake goes after her; she crashes and ends up in the hospital. Jake is arrested as the Sheriff finds the stolen goods; Jake is released on bail.
Resolution – Jake visits Jess in hospital; they make up; Jake takes a medical; Jake attends trial and pleads not guilty; Jake takes Jess home and nurses her; Jake works on the build; TJ’s son confesses to the crime and the charges are dropped against Jake; Jake tells Jess the cancer has returned; Jake finishes the build; they enjoy their final days together as Jake weakens; in the last scene we see Jess at Jake’s graveside in the Painted Hills
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by David Becker.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by
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Melanie’s 4-Act Structure
What I learned from this assignment is to stay open to discovering something new that will improve the story.
• Title: Amy on the Train
• Genre: Rom-com
• Concept: When a visually impaired, mild-mannered librarian in her 50s creates a secret identity as a pole dancer on the NYC subway trains, she finds herself in a a Clark Kent/Lois Lane/Superman-type love triangle with one of her library patrons who falls in love with her alter ego and is determined to learn her true identity.
• Main Conflict: Amy wants to protect her secret identity but Phil is determined to expose it.
4 Act Structure
Act 1:
• Opening: A picture-perfect walk in Central Park in falling snow. Phil proposes to Amy. (But this is just Amy’s fantasy.)
• Inciting Incident: Laurie and Carrie accuse Amy of being stuck in a rut and challenge her to take a chance and step out of her comfort zone. Amy creates the alter ego of the Dancing Queen.
• Turning Point: Phil sees the Dancing Queen on the train. He doesn’t recognize that she is Amy. He instantly falls in love.
Act 2:
• New plan: Amy plans to express herself through dancing on the trains but keep her true identity a secret.
• Plan in action: Amy dances on the trains as the Dancing Queen while keeping her identity a secret from everyone in her life even though the Dancing Queen has gone viral.
• Midpoint Turning Point: Phil reminds Amy of her love for dancing and she resolves to revive her Dancing Queen persona.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: Amy recognizes that her fear of judgement is outweighed by her love of dance.
• New plan: Amy goes back to dancing on the trains but it is getting more and more difficult for her to hide her secret from the people she is close to.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Amy has finally worked up the courage to attend Phil’s dance recital only to be devastated by Miss Catherine’s tirade. Amy flees rather than stay and fight.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Amy returns to the dance studio with Phil and confronts Miss Catherine.
• Resolution: Amy and Phil have their first real date.
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Elisabeth’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this Assignment:
My story still had weak points, the story was still wrong. But I can correct that all with every new assignment.
Title: Friendly Fire
Genre: Thriller
Concept: Lilianna’s first love appears, who is presumed to have died in a fire, and causes her to question her trauma and the credibility of her best friend and her fiancé.
Main Conflict: Lilianna has to face her fear of fire and find out the truth about the cause for this trauma.
Act 1
Opening: Tobias stands in front of the windows of his hotel room. He’s fully dressed and looks at the rising sun over the rooftops of Nuremberg. The alarm clock of his cellphone rings. He looks at it for a few seconds, then switches it off. He takes a photo of Lilianna and burns it in the ashtray. “It’s time” he says and leaves.
Ordinary world: Lilianna’s fiancé Alex and her best friend Kim are rushing through the Meistersingerhalle (place for concerts) where a whole lot of people are running to and fro, busy getting everything ready in time. Right in the middle of it: Lilianna. She seems kinda weathering the storm. It’s only when Kim and Alex arrive that she is getting a little upset. Will they be on time? (Introduction of characters).
Tobias shows up, talking to Lilianna about a project. Suddenly a loud noise and a flame. Lilianna gets afraid, panics. Alex takes her in his arms, calms her down (we learn about her fear).
Inciting Incident: Tobias tells Lilianna that he wants his event to be with fire. Lilianna is tempted to turn him down.
Turning Point 1: Lilianna finds out that she has to accept Tobias’ order.
Act 2
New Plan: Lilianna hands the order to Kim & Alex, while she is fighting with her fear & tries to concentrate on the present event.
Plan in Action: Tobias plays with Kim & Alex who do their best to give him what he wants, trying to find out as much about them as possible. Something’s strange.
Midpoint: Lilianna finds out that Tobias is her first love. It was his cousin who died in the fire. He tried to save him but failed.
Act 3
Rethink: Lilianna sees that the fire was not her fault, but still there are some incongruencies.
New Plan: How find out the truth? While Kim and Alex try to find out what’s going on and how to continue their own plan of destroying Lilianna.
Turning Point 2: Alex gets kidnapped.
Act 4
Climax: Lilianna finds out that Kim and Alex are together & trying to ruin her business by stealing the money of the business and putting the blame for this on her.
Resolution: Kim has set the house on fire to get rid of her rival, that’s how she sees Lilianna, for she wanted Tobias for herself. She is jealous of Lilianna’s creativity, of Tobias wanting her and her being liked by “everybody”.
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testing for AI review component
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