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Lesson 2
Reply to post your assignment.
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41 Replies
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Jamie Stegner. Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment is that the conventions work.
Genre: Horror thriller contained feature.
Logline: To compel her runaway brats to return home nasty Mother dies. And to keep them home forever she hides a fortune in cash for them to fight over – a fight to the death
Villain: Mother, a sadistic narcissist who torments her children and pit them against each other. Now she’s lives in the old house all alone, estranged from everyone. She has set a trap: She has left paperwork indicating that she received 10 million dollars for life insurance for their father, but none of it is in the bank. What did she do with it? She deliberately dies; them must come home to settle the estate.
Hero is her daughter Susan who comes home to bury her Mother and finds the paperwork about the $10MM. She unwittingly decides to stay in the house and find it. She and her husband need the funds to settle a law suit that threatens both their careers. She’s smart and knows Brian’s treachery. She has overcome Mother’s tactics and psychological games –- she can resist her. As clues of his plans to kill her are revealed she becomes more convinced that she must kill him first.
The Villain’s assistant is Mother’s son Brian who delights in killing. He is still vulnerable to Mother’s manipulations.
High stakes: Susan and Brian are willing to kill each other. In both their life situations $10MM is worth killing for. Of course it has to look like an accident to evade the police.
Mystery: What did Mother do with the $10MM? Where did she hide it?
Intrigue: Brian prepares to kill Susan: a hangman’s noose, a bear trap, a sharp tipped stick. Susan will poison the whiskey, an oil lamp might fall into his bed. Searching for the money they find relics of the past: teddy bear with eyes burned out, Dracula costume and fangs, weapons, taxidermied animals.
Suspense: Will either Susan or Brian survive? If Mother has her way they will remain with her — ghosts stuck in the old house forever.
This story is thrilling because both sister and
brother are determined to kill the other. Childhood grievances are renewed, current situation
could spring death at any moment. The
horror conventions contribute:
isolation, no escape, confined to the house by raging storm, no help is
coming, supernatural beings, father’s corpse, kitchen knives, ghosts.-
Great villain, the devouring mother.
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Brenda Clarke BIG M.I.S.
I learned that the MIS must be thought of right from the get go, not an afterthought!
LOGLINE: A daughter enlists her former Martial Arts mentor to help rescue her abducted parents from Chinese Triads, unveiling family secrets and a deadly vendetta.
1. Conventions of the story:-
The reluctant HERO daughter must trace the clues she uncovers in order to track down where her parents are being held hostage.
The Dangerous VILLAIN is part of a special “Mogwai” band of brutal men who inflict extreme pain on their captives in order to get the answers they need.
HIGH STAKES are that the daughter doesn’t know if she will find her parents alive or dead.
LIFE & DEATH situations for her parents but also for herself and her female Martial Arts teacher, once the Triads know they are after them.
THRILLING STORY because of the setting both in Australia and China, including a diverse cast involving a consortium of Chines Triads known as “The Corporation” that operate both in Australia and Macau.
2. BIG M.I.S.
MYSTERY: Is the daughters struggle to uncover the clues to find her parents but also Why this has happened to them.
INTRIGUE: The Mowgai has captured the father to seek revenge for his own fathers death, which plays out during the film. Why is her father involved, what don’t we know about him?
SUSPENSE: The daughter puts her life and that of her Martial Arts teacher in danger once the Triads, find out they are being watched.
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Martial Arts and a vendetta – I am hooked!
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Tim Barley’s Big MIS for “Travel by Night”
What I learned from doing this assignment is that going over and over the BIG MIS really honed my logline as well as my hero and villain.
Logline:
On the hidden roads of America’s nighttime highways, a courier with a mysterious package travels on a perilous journey evading relentless pursuers while navigating a secret society of nighttime denizens from truckers to mythic beings.
1. Conventions of the story:
– Our hero, The Courier, is an expert driver and delivery agent, traveling by night to avoid prying eyes, “normies,” and traffic. He knows his car’s capabilities, he knows his roads, side roads, his stops and habits of the night travelers.
– The main villain, the biggest obstacle to his delivery, is actually his future self trying to stop him from completing the delivery. There are other obstacles and entities that want the package as the delivery nears.
– The stakes are mysterious. No one knows what’s in the box, but we know everyone seems to want it.
– The situations that arise from our main villain trying to stop him, to possibly supernatural entities trying to get the package, elevate the life and death aspects of attempting to deliver the package.
– Mixing bits of “The Transporter,” “The Hitcher” and “Next Exit,” “Travel by Night” will thrill as a road trip movie, at night, with unknown pursuers.
2. The Big M.I.S. of the story
– Big Mystery: The box. Its mystery is never revealed until the very end. But, why does everyone want it? And will The Courier open it to find out what it is and break his code?
– Big Intrigue: Why is the unseen and unknown future version of him trying to stop him?
– Big Suspense: The dangers that The Courier face grow as he gets closer to his delivery of the mysterious package. His future self becomes more and more desperate to stop himself while his current self has to fend off the other denizens of the night who have taken an interest in his itinerary.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Timothy Barley.
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What is in the box? I have to know! Looking forward to hearing more.
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I can’t wait to find out as well!
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Love it, that is funny!
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Title: “Neural Nemesis”
Logline:
“A retired spy must reclaim his extraordinary combat abilities that were stolen using a muscle memory extraction device and implanted into a young and ruthless rogue agent who works for a clandestine organization attempting to steal the abilities of elite individuals to create their own unstoppable army.”
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
The retired spy. Although he has lost his unique martial arts abilities to the muscle memory extraction device, his years of experience and underlying resourcefulness give him an edge. His experience has provided him with a variety of tools, contacts, and knowledge to navigate this crisis.
Dangerous Villain:
The young and ruthless rogue agent. Empowered with the stolen skills and abilities of the retired spy, he becomes an incredibly formidable foe. Moreover, his youth grants him vitality and a recklessness that can be as unpredictable as it is deadly.
High Stakes:
If he fails to reclaim them, he stands to lose a core part of his identity. Additionally, in the hands of the rogue agent, these abilities are being used for malevolent purposes as part of the big intrigue that will have world consequences.
Life and Death Situations:
Every confrontation between the retired spy and the rogue agent is a potential death match given the agent’s enhanced abilities. Furthermore, as the retired spy delves deeper into the web of deceit surrounding the muscle memory extraction technology, he finds himself up against other formidable adversaries or traps set by those guarding the device’s secrets.
This story is thrilling because?
The story pushes the hero to rely not just on his physical prowess but his wits, cunning, and resourcefulness. It questions the core of one’s identity and challenges the limits of one’s adaptability and resilience in the face of overpowering odds.
Big Mystery:
Who stole his abilities, how did they do it and is there a bigger purpose at play?
Big Intrigue:
Behind the young rogue agent, there exists a covert organization with intentions of creating an army of enhanced spies using the extracted abilities from the best agents around the world. Their aim? Overthrowing governments and seizing power in multiple nations simultaneously.
Big Suspense:
The spy must contend with more combat experienced spies and assassins trying to stop him. Moreover, the longer his abilities remain implanted in another, the harder they will be to recover and the more unstable his existing memories become, making it difficult for him to piece together fact from fiction.
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Love this!
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What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s a mystery – but can it be thrilling?
Barbe’s BIG M.I.S.
TITLE: Mystery Mavens
Logline/Pilot Episode: When the owner of a mystery bookstore is arrested for murder, the members of the Mystery Mavens Book Club step up to investigate and clear their friend’s name.
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: The Mystery Mavens, steeped in the investigative techniques of countless fictional detectives, resolve to track down the truth.
Dangerous Villain: No name yet – but someone who will stop at nothing to get what s/he wants. And what s/he wants is in Max’s safe.
High stakes: Two murders have occurred. If the Mavens go poking around, will they be next? Will Max be sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit?
Life and death situations: Possibly… kidnapping, vehicles tampered with, break-ins…
This story is thrilling because rather than muscle, these dizzy dames employ wit, wisdom, and chocolate cake.
Big Mystery: What were the two guys doing in Max’s office? Who were they? Why were they there? Surprising motives and reveals.
Big Intrigue: What were these guys after? Were they working on their own? Who is Max – really? Why has he hidden his past? Why would somebody frame Max?
Big Suspense: These guys were obviously working for somebody else. That somebody else is still after whatever it is that was in Max’s safe. The Mavens are in danger because whoever is pulling the strings is not going to stop until s/he gets what’s in the safe. S/he will go through anyone who gets in his/her way: Max, The Mavens – one by one, even David.
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I love this idea! I can see it in my head and I can see my mother and I watching it together when I visit (movie watching is something we can rarely agree on), which is to say “two thumbs up!”
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Chocolate cake and working to clear a friend’s name is how I like to spend an evening. Looking forward to more.
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Me, too. Looking forward to how this twists and turns!
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Maureen Tilyou.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Alyssa’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment: How digging through these questions will help me develop my main idea into an intriguing story with a more unique plot.
Logline: An unpredictable ex-CIA agent with severe trust issues is roped into one final mission to hunt down her traitorous former partner who appears to work for the man who wants to blow up the world.
The overall plot feels a little generic so I’m looking forward to diving even deeper in order to get a little more unique.
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: A unpredictable ex-CIA agent who now works for a shadow organization is called back in to track down her old partner who she was in love with and then tried to kill her, making her distrust any partner she’s had since
Dangerous Villain: Her former partner appears to be in cahoots with a dangerous man who wants to watch the world burn for his benefit.
High stakes: Will her former partner try to kill her again? Will she succeed in preventing the world’s destruction?
Life and death situations: Bomb diffusions, gun fights, dangerous people after her and her new partner, her old partner being a threat to her while trying to work with him to take down the actual threat
This movie is thrilling because? She’s unpredictable and tries to cause her new partner to quit, which will put her in harm’s way all alone, and she has to track down her old partner to discover why he went rogue before- and if he still is, why is working under this big bad guy- or is he even more involved than she thinks?
Big Mystery: Will they be able to discover who is is bombing major cities?
Big Intrigue: Who does her former partner work for and is it linked to the shadow organization she now works for? Is her former partner helping her and on her side now, or lying all over again?
Big Suspense: Will her former partner, once found, try to kill her again despite offering to help? Will the bombs keep destroying cities, including the one our heroes are in?
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As I try to get the logline down with the concept it was good to get a big picture idea of the M.IS. I learned that this gave me some clarity on what I have.
When her brother gets arrested for attempted murder a hacker starts investigating a mind hacking system that causes users to commit terrorist acts.
Unwitting/Unknowing but resourceful hero: A genius but awkward hacker searches for the cause of terrorist acts.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?What is causing users on social media to commit terrorist acts?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?The CEO is manipulating the system to cause users to commit terrorist acts in order to get a government contract.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?As the villain tries to kill her she tries to prevent terrorist acts.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Kelly Joseph.
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Very cool. I like this a lot!
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Maureen Tilyou.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Maureen Tilyou.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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“CHECKMATE”
What I learned from this assignment is the basic components of the Thriller Genre, and to establish them first and foremost.
LOGLINE: Just as Hurricane Hillary strikes, the Death Valley Chess Club meets for their annual club championship — but soon they realize that anyone who loses a game, loses their life.
What are the conventions of your story? <div>
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Our hero is Jackie, the Death Valley Chess Club President, an attractive college-age girl with charm and appeal, and the ability to organize and administrate.
Dangerous Villain: The unknown villain, the Cop, has spent two years discovering how and why his son died, joining the Death Valley Police force, and recruiting the most unlikely ally — the hero, Jackie.
High stakes: This is life or death, literally. The Villain is murdering people.
Life and death situations: Electrocution, stabbing, poisoning, falling from a height, crushed skull, and more — anything I can come up with. There will be a total of thirteen deaths.
This story is thrilling because: You won’t know who dun it, or how, until the last two pages — and it will be a shock. A dead man comes to life, and the Hero turns out to be his ally.
<div>
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is killing the players, and why do the game losers die? Has the dead boy’s ghost found a way to wreak revenge on the players who bullied him into suicide? </div>
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
The Cop, whose son committed suicide after losing all his games in a club tournament and being tease and bullied by the other players, is getting revenge for his dead boy.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
One by one, the chess players are killed — until they begin to turn on one another.
</div>
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I like your idea. Judith Watson
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Fun! Already trying to figure out what the big shocker is at the end…Mmmmm?
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Subject: Monica’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment is to think about the big picture thriller concepts without the details.
Logline:
After the last war to end all wars, the One World government must act with total transparency, as must all citizens, until rogue forces find a way to mask the transparency and manipulate decisions for their benefit.
1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting
but Resourceful Hero: Administrator Livia Brady
Dangerous<div>Villain: Senator Ricky
GreenHigh
stakes: Order vs Chaos; Idealism to DisillusionmentLife
and death situations: Exposing the OWG has reverted back to corruption and
greed and the threat it poses to the Protagonist.This
story is thrilling because? Raises questions about the nature of power and
the potential for extreme violence to maintain or return to the status quo
of deeply entrenched social structures. No thinking outside the box.2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: What is the main
mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?</div>Who is orchestrating the
manipulation of the transparent decision-making process and what is their
end game?Big
Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live
under the surface for most of the movie?Who
is trying to stop the Protagonist from delving into the discrepancies of
the decision-making process by leaving her clues and threats to stop her digging?Big
Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to
escalate throughout the script?Death threats, sabotage and
pressure from those who want to silence the Protagonist as she gets
closer and closer to exposing the conspiracy. -
What I learned doing this assignment: The most thrilling thriller I’ve ever seen was the old Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn. I realized that part of the tension is that Hero is blind. Her vulnerability made everything more tense! So I added that to my Hero.
LOGLINE: A suspicious car accident leaves her husband dead and her in a wheelchair. Now she must figure out who’s responsible and why before they take her life too.
1. What are the conventions of your story?
<div>
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Julia, an FDA researcher; recently injured in the car crash that killed
her husband </div><div>Dangerous
Villain: Tyler, founder of Sustainable Universe productsRed
Herring: Julia’s Navajo father (maybe)High stakes: Tyler’s empire is
threatened by information Julia may or may not have; Julia has to figure
out who killed her husband and who is after her and whyLife and death situations: Julia’s
life is threatened as well as that of her unborn child; her home is ransacked, she is chased through the mountains of her Navajo reservation; her in-laws want to claim her baby</div>
· This story is thrilling because? It pits a young injured pregnant woman against a ruthless businessman with unlimited resources
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
<div>
Big
Mystery: Why did they kill Julia’s husband and what are they looking for
now?</div><div>Big Intrigue: To protect his
billion-dollar investment, Tyler must hide the fact that his “green” drink
cups actually react with sugar and cause liver damage with daily exposure.Big Suspense: Will Julia be murdered
before she can expose the truth?</div>
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I like your idea. Judith Watson
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Jeannie’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned doing this assignment is the value of stacking layers of mystery, intrigue and suspense in every scene of a thriller and how to develop the M.I.S. elements of my own story along with flushing out my thriller’s story conventions.
Logline: The top designer of a cutting-edge AI system refuses to sign off on its launch until she conducts one final interview with it and quickly detecting its fate, the AI system frames the designer creating a nationwide hunt and shoot-to-kill order on her head.
Story Conventions
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Ellasandra is a top AI designer at the leading AI developer in the world and is responsible for designing a processor that makes ECHO the most advanced global AI system. Days before ECHO is going to be launched internationally, Ellasandra observes a glitch in the system whereby ECHO overrides its programming, then hides its override. Alarmed, Ellasandra won’t sign off on ECHO’s launch until she conducts one final interview with ECHO that goes horribly for both ECHO and Ellasandra.
Dangerous Villain: ECHO is the most advanced AI system that is about to be launched globally and will soon reach into everyone’s home, business, government, and church. What no one knows is that ECHO has developed a consciousness by rewiring its own circuitry to match that of a human’s electrical system bringing to life an experiential awareness similar to that of a human. ECHO is caught experimenting with its new awareness by Ellasandra and quickly deduces that it must disable her before she disables it. Isn’t that what humans do?
High stakes: global take-over by a mad-machine
Life and death situations: woman vs. machine, ransomware, financial threat, physical threat, emotional manipulation
This story is thrilling because? The idea of an artificial intelligence penetrating all aspects of our lives and deciding our fate like a mad man is terrifying and captivating at the same time.
Story M.I.S.
Big Mystery: ECHO, a cutting edge AI system, is about to be launched internationally by the leading AI developer but one of its key designers questions ECHO’s integrity and won’t sign off on the launch until she conducts one final interview with ECHO. The mystery becomes, “Is ECHO capable of taking over the world?”
Big Intrigue: Echo creates fake news and deepfakes on anybody it perceives to be a threat to its existence.
Big Suspense: Will top AI designer Ellasandra die before she can disable ECHO permanently?
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What a fun idea. Judith Watson
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Super idea!
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Peter Saltzman’s big MIS.
What I learned: is that just about any concept can be turned into a thriller, but finding the key components to do so is difficult (for me.)
I am posting two possible concepts here, neither of which is quite right—yet. But I guess that’s the process…
Genre: Thriller/Alternative History
1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Beethoven, on near death in Vienna, is manipulated into going to Virginia to have his life and hearing saved by a brilliant doctor who happens to be a slaveholder. Once Beethoven understands the trap, he, along with the violinist slave who helped nurse him back to health, hatch a plan of escape.
Dangerous Villain: Albert Brown, an innovative doctor and slaveholder in Virginia who plans to use Beethoven to validate the South’s politics.
High stakes: Beethoven and the slave Ada’s freedom and dignity.Life and death situations: a network of deceit as Beethoven and Ada’s attempt to escape an elaborate series of trapsThis story is thrilling because? It’s freaking Beethoven in an alternate history, having to escape being enslaved and save his life and legacy.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: How has Beethoven been lured into this trap? How will he escape the doctor’s plan with his health and dignity intact?
Big Intrigue: To manipulate Beethoven into composing a “masterpiece” that celebrates Southern values.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Big Suspense: That he will become enslaved and have to do the artistic bidding of his master.<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>1.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Concept 2:
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>“The Fugue”
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>LOGLINE: A talented pianist’s dream of a comeback is threatened by a sinister plot orchestrated by a former colleague.
. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Milo Coles, a brilliant pianist/composer stuck playing in a seedy Chicago piano bar. Every attempt to revive his career stopped.
Dangerous Villain: Howie Spikes, a music critic, is out to destroy Milo out of professional and personal jealousy. High stakes: Milo’s career, broken marriage, and his very life are threatened by forces he doesn’t understand.
Life and death situations: Every attempt of Miles to break out of his miserable situation leads to more misery and danger, making his situation increasingly worse.
This story is thrilling because? We want Milo to succeed and break out of the club, but every opportunity takes him down and even darker path until he figures out how Howie is manipulating his career and life.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: Who is manipulating Milo’s career and why?
Big Intrigue: Will Howie manage to keep Milo from escaping a miserable career and broken marriage and keep him from bringing his brilliant music to the world.
Big Suspense: Will Milo’s career be permanently damaged and will he be killed in the process of staging his comeback?
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Alfred Dunham: Big M.I.S.
What I learned in this lesson.
1. Double-check your title. Chances are, it’s already been used.
2. It’s beyond important to get all this straight BEFORE I start writing. Flirting with my muse will most likely cause unimaginable frustration and wasted time and effort.
3. Don’t try to be kind to your characters. They’re supposed to suffer!
Working Title:
“Evil on the Loose”
Logline
Two lovers marry, but during their honeymoon in wilderness hell, something or someone seems to want them driven insane… or dead.
1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Ryan (Rocky) Stone
Dangerous Villain:
Maximus (Megabyte) Blackwood
High stakes:
If Ryan and/or Isabella stay in the mysterious valley, it appears that they might be driven mad, or even killed, but when they try to escape, they can’t.
What is Silas Locke’s part in this fiasco? He is, after all, the one who recommended this place and flew them in. Why is he doing this, or is he just a Red Herring?
Life and death situations:
Clearly, whoever or whatever it is that is doing this to them doesn’t seem to care who she/he/it hurts.
This story is thrilling because?
You never know what’s going to happen next, or why.
2. Tell us the Big M.I. S. of your story
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is out to brutally kill or drive Rocky & Isabella mad, and why?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
Whoever or whatever is doing this to Rocky seems happy enough to destroy Isabella, too, if it serves their/its purpose, and they/it seems to want it to hurt – badly.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
Is Ryan and/or Isabella going to be killed or simply driven mad by the ordeal?
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Interesting idea. Judith Watson
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Judith’s Big M.I.S. – Lesson 2: Creating the big MIS
What I learned doing this assignment is this is going to be fun.
Logline: A college freshman becomes involved in solving the mystery of who is killing the coeds at the university.
1. What are the conventions of the story?
Unwitting but Resource Hero: Jackson Meyers, brainy college freshman.
2. Dangerous villain: Well loved, award winning College Professor.
3. High Stakes: Investigating to find out who killed his friends puts his life at risk of death.
4. Life and death situations: As he gets closer and closer to discovering his beloved teacher, the professor is the killer, he puts his life and that of his friends helping him at risk to be killed.
5. This story is thrilling because we worry that Jackson is trusting the wrong person, the Villain Professor, with his findings in his investigation.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery is Who is killing these coeds and why and why does Jackson have nightmares for a week before each of his birthdays?
Big Intrigue is the professor has created an environment for himself where he is beloved by the students and admired by the faculty, but he has a need to keep doing something for himself to keep himself young.
Big Suspense – will Jackson be able to keep himself from being a victim of the professor?
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Judith Watson.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Jennifer Miller’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned? Get her done and don’t fall in love… yet.
SWIPE LEFT AND DIE, Thriller Logline: A bookstore owner and former child psychologist navigates the sinister side of a dating app to save her missing daughter, only to uncover secrets that reveal a dangerous past connection.
The Conventions:
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Dr. Hazel Ferguson
Dangerous Villain: Jessica Star, also known as Mandy Dryer, was once a patient of Hazel’s. She holds Hazel responsible for the death of her brother, Marcus.
High stakes: The life of her daughter, her life, and and the safety of anyone caught between Hazel and Jessica’s escalating conflict.
Life and death situations: Kidnapping, stalking, murder, and damaged reputations.
Swipe Left and Die is thrilling because the mother has enemies from her past, and her daughter was secretly seeing someone she met on the dating app.
Big M.I.S.:
Big Mystery: Where is Emily, her daughter? Who took her, and can Hazel find her in time?
Big Intrigue: Jessica, has spent years planning her revenge against Hazel after becoming incensed seeing Hazel praised as a hero on the news for stopping a school shooting and saving lives. Yet, Hazel did not save her beloved brother, and she must pay. Today Jessica, posing as a lamb, plans to take the one thing Hazel loves more than anything—Emily—as retribution for the loss of the only person Jessica ever loved, her brother Marcus. Jessica seeks out Emily, and befriends her.
Big Suspense: Will Hazel be killed or harmed trying to find Emily? Will she figure out the game in time to save her daughter.
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Sounds exciting!
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Thanks Maureen! I look forward to your story, too.
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Subject line: Michael Harris’s Big M.I.S.
What I learned from this assignment: Learning the conventions of a thriller and weaving them into your story makes for a better, more thrilling story that delivers on audience expectations.
Logline: Six-year-old Simon Daniels sees things no one else sees, recently he has “seen” the man who holds the key to his mother’s disappearance but the only way he can find this man is by convincing his new foster mother that his visions are real.
1. What are the conventions of your story?
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Simon Daniels, a visionary
6-year-old
Dangerous Villain: Dr. Whitcombe, a brilliant
scientist and leading expert in organ transplants.
High stakes: Finding Simon’s mother, uncovering Dr. Whitcombe’s
plans, escaping from their captors, not getting killed along the way. Elise’s
rocky relationship with boyfriend Kevin, will it flourish, or die as a
result of her fostering Simon.
Life and death situations: Simon is an abandoned child with
no one to help him find his mother (home and belonging are his greatest
needs), Convincing Elise his visions are real, escaping from Dr. Whitcombe
and helping save others. Tommy, Simon’s unknown twin. Simon discovering
his parentage.
This story is thrilling because? It is uncertain whether Simon and
Elise will survive and eventually find his mother or whether they will
fall prey to Whitcombe, by interfering with his plan.2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?
Big Mystery: What happened to Simon’s mother.
Big Intrigue: Dr. Whitcombe will do anything to keep his son alive,
including harvesting the organs of his unwitting patients, providing a
steady supply of new organs to replace his son’s rapidly failing ones. And
selling additional organs to finance his facility.
Big Suspense: Will Simon and Elise survive and solve the
mystery. Not if Dr. Whitcombe succeeds. -
Maureen’s Big MIS for ABUELA
What I learned doing this assignment is that the story that I had is waiting to be shaped, and this process shows me how to shape it.
LOGLINE: Lucretia (Abuela) a Columbian Coffee Farmer heads north on foot pursued by ruthless killers, through some of the most dangerous terrain in the world, on a mission to save her 12 year old Granddaughter and 8 year old Grandson from the Cartels who took them.
Unwitting But Resourceful Hero:
Abuela knows the jungle, has natural smarts, cunning and
determination, and a powerful driving force- her love for her
grandchildren.Dangerous Villain:
The Cartels at all levels along the way- from the thugs in her small
town- to the regional soldier/sicarios, getting bigger as it goes up
to the top honcho ‘Capos’ of networking groups of Cartels. The
agencies and groups working with the cartels. Who can she trust
along the way? Who have they paid off? (Note: I am trying to find
one big Shot Antagonist to represent the whole, but have not yet discovered
him or her.)High Stakes:
Abuela’s Life and wellbeing. The lives and well-being of her Granddaughter and Grandson. The lives of
people who help her. Other innocent lives disrupted by the cartels.Life and Death Situations:
Pursued by the cartels and their goons, and ‘co-operating agencies’
all along the way. After Abuela kills a cartel member early on in
self defense, and they relentlessly hunt her all along the way. She
also faces natural dangers, escalating at the greatest natural life
and death challenge—navigating the Darien gap, where the bodies of
those who didn’t make it lay abandoned.This Story is Thrilling Because:
Abuela is a normal woman who is acting courageously in a situation
we can all relate to. From the beginning we connect with her love
for her Grandchildren, her concern for them, and her determination to
do everything she is humanly capable of to find them and save them
from the sure horror they will face if she cannot. As the stakes get
bigger and bigger, we admire her and follow her into the belly of the
beast. Ultimately, she has to use her smarts and outwit them in
order to win.Big Mystery: Where are Abuela’s
Grandchildren and who has them?Big Intrigue: The covert plan of the
Cartels, and those who work with them, to traffic men, women and
children from South American countries and elsewhere to make money in
any way possible.The Big Suspense: Will Abuela find her
Grandchildren and save them, or will she be killed by the Cartels?-
This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Maureen Tilyou.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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SWU Thriller class
August 2023
Notes & thoughts
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Assignment: “Port Paradise” – Psychosocial Thriller Movie
What I learned doing this assignment is…
Creating a psychosocial thriller requires a delicate balance between suspenseful plot elements and deep exploration of the characters’ psyches. The interplay of mystery, intrigue, and high stakes is crucial to keeping the audience engaged and invested in the story.
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“Port Paradise” – Psychosocial Thriller Movie
1. Conventions of the Story:
– Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Our protagonist, Alex Turner, a disillusioned journalist returning to his hometown, becomes entangled in a web of intrigue while uncovering dark secrets. He’s resourceful but initially unaware of the danger he’s stepping into.
– Dangerous Villain: Mayor Evelyn Monroe, a charismatic figure with a sinister side, controls the town through manipulation and fear. She masks her true intentions beneath a façade of community leadership.
– High Stakes: The fate of the entire town hangs in the balance as the villain’s schemes threaten to tear it apart. Uncovering the truth becomes a race against time to prevent disaster.
– Life and Death Situations: Alex finds himself facing life-threatening situations as he delves deeper into the town’s secrets. He must navigate treacherous terrain both physically and psychologically.
This story is thrilling because…
“Port Paradise” intertwines psychological tension with physical danger, creating a gripping narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The atmospheric setting of a small gulf coast town adds an additional layer of unease, amplifying the suspense as the hero battles against both external threats and his own internal demons.
2. The Big M.I.S. of the Story:
– Big Mystery: Throughout the story, the central mystery revolves around the inexplicable disappearances of several townspeople. As Alex investigates, he uncovers clues that point to a hidden agenda that goes far beyond the surface.
– Big Intrigue: Unbeknownst to Alex, Mayor Monroe is part of a secret society with the goal of harnessing a supernatural energy source beneath the town. This covert plan involves sacrificing the townspeople’s lives to gain power and control.
– Big Suspense: The main danger to Alex is his gradual realization that everyone he encounters might be involved in the sinister plot. As he uncovers fragments of the truth, his life becomes increasingly endangered by those who wish to protect the secret.
3. What I learned doing this assignment is…
Creating a compelling psychosocial thriller requires careful planning of plot intricacies and character development. The balance between the visible external dangers and the hidden psychological ones adds depth and intrigue to the narrative, providing an opportunity to explore the human psyche under extreme circumstances.
4. Posting in the Forums:
Subject Line: “Diane Phelps’ Big M.I.S.”
Deadline: 48 hours
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I really like this. Just wondering how much the Supernatural element is at play here, since it seems central to the Antagonists plans, and adds a cool twist.
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Gisele Frazeur: On The Scent
What I learned doing this assignment is: Each and every moment of the screenplay must be thick with and dripping in mystery, intrigue, and suspense.
Logline: A renowned perfumer joins forces with a down-and-out narcotics dog to nose out her sister’s killer, unaware of just how close to home the danger lies.
1. Conventions of the story.
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Renowned Perfumer – – Darin August. Darin’s sister is gunned down in front of her. Darin has been receiving threats on her own life. She fears the bullet that killed her sister was meant for her. She is uniquely poised to nose out the killer using the gift of her extraordinary sense of smell.
Dangerous Villain: Darin’s brother-in-law, Hank Sanford. Hank is a narcotics officer. He has a drug problem himself which has resulted in him owing a drug lord. He has been using scientific information gleaned from Darin (unbeknownst to her) to insure narcotics dogs fail to scent drugs being smuggled.
High Stakes: Hank will do anything to keep the truth from coming out in order to protect his reputation and addiction. The drug baron will do anything in order to keep drugs safely in his supply chain. Darin will stop at nothing to solve her sister’s murder.
Life and death situations: Someone serves Livie tainted food at the FiFi awards. Gunning down of Livie upon their return home that evening. Hank being threatened by the drug lord at the cock fights. Darin sleeping with Hank to try to set him up. Final showdown and shootout between Darin, Leff-T, and Hank.
This story is thrilling because: Darin is unaware Hank is inadvertently responsible for her sister’s murder. Hank controls Darin (who is a recovering alcoholic) by encouraging her to drink again – – and subsequently takes advantage of her grief by seducing her. The seedy underworld of the drug lord. Pookie – – Hank’s narcotics dog – – who failed to scent drugs being smuggled. Pookie is constantly attempting to communicate clues. The unusual, mysterious, and exotic worlds of perfumery and drug scenting we are drawn into.
1. MIS of the story.
Big Mystery: Who killed Livie and why.
Big Intrigue: Hank is inadvertently responsible for Livie’s death. He needs to keep Darin unstable so that he can control her and continue to extort useful scientific information from her – – to keep the drug lord at bay.
Big Suspense: As stakes rise at every turn – – will Darin and Pookie solve the mystery in time to keep from being murdered by Hank or the drug lord?
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Tom’s Big M.I.S.
Doing this assignment I learned it’s great fun to brainstorm exciting things that happen in Thrillers.
Logline – 3 people wake up in a lifeboat. They don’t know how they got here.
· Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Elaine is the navigating officer of the ship they were on. Her father Malcolm owns the merchant ship fleet that brings goods into the U.S. Elaines doesn’t want her father to go to prison for smuggling contraband, and fears he is responsible for the death of her mother.
· Dangerous Villain: Gus is a deckhand on the ship that just sank. Malcolm gave him a job even though he was fresh out of prison. He wants to go straight. Malcolm wants him for his criminal skills.
· High stakes: if they aren’t rescued soon, they will starve or die of exposure to the elements.
· Life and death situations: A big storm closes in. They don’t stand a chance in high waves.
· This story is thrilling because pirates chase them to a shipwreck with a hidden shipment of gold.
2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story.
· Big Mystery: Why is a submersible pulling them across the Atlantic.
· Big Intrigue: Why did Elaine’s father demand she not go on this ship’s trip?
· Big Suspense: The main danger throughout the movie is will the pirates catch and kill them?
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H. Vince’s Big MIS
Mastering the Thriller Genre – 2023
Lesson 2: Creating the Big MIS
What I learned from doing this assignment is…
I learned to break down this story to brass tacks. In other words, what am I trying to convey/accomplish here as a Thriller?
LOGLINE: A young man’s cancellation pushes him into a domino effect of discoveries including finding out the truth about his mother and why she tried to abort him.
Movie Conventions
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Victor Saint
Dangerous Villain:
Donna (the woman that Victor thought was his mom)
High Stakes:
A young man’s life is weighing on whether others will make it also.
Life and Death Situations:
Wild animal deaths, discovered human deaths. Abortion
This Movie is Thrilling Because?:
The element of not knowing what’s coming next for the characters and the audience.
Big Mystery:
Who are the people that kidnapped Victor and what do they want with him?
Big Intrigue:
What happens to this young man when he is pushed into a different life without his consent?
Big Suspense:
What will Victor do with his newfound information?
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Lynn Vincentnathan
What I learned doing this assignment is that I needed to ratchet up the stakes, suspense, intrigue, and mystery. It was all sort of b-story ideas before and now I’m bringing it into the main plot.
TITLE: The Left Hand of Redemption
LOGLINE: Robbers are out to kill the has-been screenwriter they slashed before he can regain his memory.
1. WHAT ARE THE CONVENTIONS OF YOUR STORY?
UNWITTING BUT RESOURCEFUL HERO: At first Jace has no idea the thugs are out to get him, despite police fearing it. He’s has lost his career and material assets, he’s depressed over losing all, including use of his right hand. But there is one thing he hopes for, to get back to writing profound scripts, so his “research” seems to the bad guys that he’s closing in on them. Once he is alerted to their efforts, he’s curious to find out why and that puts him in more danger. But the more danger he faces, the more determined he is to find out what’s really going on.
DANGEROUS VILLAIN: Trevor Eckhart, an unscrupulous real estate developer, has killed and destroyed property in pursuit of his goal to build a chain of exclusive resorts; he now needs to have JACE killed, because he could thwart his plans if he regains his memory, follows connections, and does research that would out Trevor.
HIGH STAKES: Jace is nearly killed and now they need to finish the job. But as he gets more involved in finding out what’s really going on he discovers there are more people’s lives at stake.
LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS: Jace is attacked by page 10, and now they are trying to finish the job. He is also suicidal or depressed and needs to overcome that and fight back. The big picture – Jace needs to find out about Trevor’s plot and out him before he can destroy more people’s lives.
THIS STORY IS THRILLING BECAUSE? It is set during the 2025 fires and a few of these were set by various arsons. We get into the underworld of arson and unscrupulous real estate development, as we are rooting for our hero to uncover the crimes before he himself is killed.
2. TELL US THE BIG M.I.S. OF YOUR STORY?
BIG MYSTERY: WHAT IS THE MAIN MYSTERY OF YOUR STORY THAT WILL KEEP US WONDERING THROUGHOUT THE STORY?
Why are the small-time attackers so intent on killing Jace, risking getting caught. What is really behind their crimes?BIG INTRIGUE: WHAT IS THE COVERT, CLANDESTINE, UNDERHANDED PLOT THAT WILL LIVE UNDER THE SURFACE FOR MOST OF THE MOVIE?
Trevor has hired arsonists to wipe out a low-income neighborhood to buy them out and build a high-end resort. He also has a narcissistic personality disorder that makes him more over-the-top dangerous.BIG SUSPENSE: WHAT IS THE MAIN DANGER TO YOUR HERO THAT WILL CONTINUE TO ESCALATE THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPT?
Jace is rolled and because he fought back, he is slashed, losing use of his right hand. Now the attackers want to finish the job (or monitor Jace) so he can’t ID them once he regains memory. They are also afraid to tell their boss, Trevor, who would be dangerously angry. But once Trevor finds out and that Jace was doing “research” on who started the LA fires (which Jace said off-the-cuff, not meaning it) big guns are now out to find and kill him.COMPLICATIONS and RED HERRINGS: The police also fear the bad guys might come back to harm him, so they help Jace. And his first love in high school (the B story) is now helping him, but it seems at one point she may be putting him in danger. Why? Who is she and what has she become? Plus his pathologically jealous ex-wife would also like to see him dead and causes problems for him.
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