Lesson 3

[David Wickenden]

David Wickenden World and Characters

What have I learned from this assignment?

That all the main characters require their own M.I.S so they are more than just 2 dimensional characters and they are more interesting so that the audience is consumed to find out more and answers the questions it raises.

Concept

A mother and daughter show up at a man’s cottage pleading for help. They are being chased by a deranged cult leader and his followers.

Big M.I. S.

· Big Mystery: Why does the cult want the child back, badly enough to kill?

· Big Intrigue: Can our hero trust the woman and her daughter? What are they not telling him?

· Big Suspense: Will the cult kill the hero and those he is protecting?

Intriguing World

The mysterious and terrifying world of cults and the powers they hold over people.

Hero – Michael Healy

Mystery: How can he protect these females

Intrigue: He has incredible survival skills for a businessman.

Suspense: Will he be killed trying to protect these women?

Red Herring – Cult Leader

Mystery: Why does he want the daughter to point of killing anyone involved

Intrigue: Has special powers that he uses to track daughter. Talks to some unseen entity.

Suspense: Will he use his daughter as a sacrifice to Satan?

Villian: Mother and Daughter

Mystery: What makes them so important that the cult will do anything to get them back?

Intrigue: She is obviously not telling everything she knows.

Suspense: Will the cult leader capture her and her daughter?

[Lenore]

Lenore Bechtel: World and Characters!

From this assignment I learned that characters must have multiple dimensions.

Mystery: Can Elijah discover, and then follow up on—what his remote-viewing father saw that caused him to be killed?

Intrigue: Elijah inherited the remote-viewing ability but lost it by using it for his own pleasure.

Suspense: Will Elijah get killed before he discovers the disastrous behind-the-scenes plot that his father viewed?

Intriguing World: The national web of secret sites capable of using walking, talking holographs for nefarious purposes.

Top Three Characters:

Elijah, son of a preacher, is a recent high school graduate who discovered his remote-viewing gift at age five. In his small community of Beaumount, his family’s unusual skill is common knowledge. Elijah’s gift seemed to be limited to sensing animals in trouble, but his father Daniel saw more serious things.

His mystery: Although told he would lose his skill if he used it for anything but helpful purposes, he yielded to temptation one time. Since then, he’s waited for the ding in his head that came when he needed to see an animal in need.

His intrigue: Will he get the ding that leads him to his father’s killer and reveals what his father saw?

His suspense: Will he get killed as he’s trying to uncover the what his father saw that caused him to be killed?

Buzz has been his best friend since he moved to Beaumount for his senior year. He and Elijah prove that opposites attract. Buzz barely made his grades at a highly academic boarding school, and his father was afraid he wouldn’t make his grades to graduate. He thought Beaumont High School would be easier, but Buzz probably wouldn’t have earned his diploma without Elijah’s tutoring.

His mystery: He hates working for his father, who buys all that Beaumount property owners will sell with plans to build a resort hotel and turn Beaumount into a tourist town.

His intrigue: Did he entice Elijah to remote-view the girls’ locker room because he wanted him to lose his gift?

His suspense: Does he truly want to help Elijah or is he trying to keep Elijah distracted from trying to find his father’s killer?

Zoe calls herself Cassandra and pretends to have prophetic skills. She is beautiful beyond words, and Elijah falls in love with her, even though she tells him her rules up front. Elijah respects her wishes not to be touched, having no idea she is a hologram.

Her mystery: Buzz’s sister Zoe was the model for the Cassandra hologram.

Her intrigue: She makes her lie that her wicked father keeps all his children confined to their house seem believable.

Her suspense: Is she truly a lovable person or does she really want Elijah dead?

#

[Serita Stevens]

LESSON THREE

Concept – China is profiting by killing innocent people for their organs and transplanting them to Western patients who need it for high fees but with an urgency that many are requesting.

Big mystery of the story – Deborah – our nurse/reporter heroine – who really wants to work for CBS – will she find out who is engineering the transplants here, will she become a victim herself? Or will she get the story she wants to move her career along?

Intrigue – Dr. Andrew Chu one of the main docs at this alternate hospital she has been asked to investigate – is romancing her, but is really one of the docs in control of the illegal organs. Will she find out in time before she’s herself a victim?

Suspense – Her DNA matches that of one of the patients. She’s convinced to go to China with him as his nurse not knowing that it is her liver they want. Will the patient agree to murdering her (will he even know about it) or will he back down at the last minute and will they escape?

Intriguing World is that of the illegal transplant game, the doctors and nurses who participate in this scheme and those that back down at the risk of their own lives.

Characters –

Heroine -Deborah Roth, RN -wanna be journalist doing an internship for CBS

Mystery – How does she find out about the illegal transplants when she’s gone there for exposing the alternative “cures” that her friend had died of?

Intrigue – Does she fall for Dr. Chu’s charms and learn about the situation in China

Suspense – Does she become a victim herself of the illegal transplants or does the patient save her in the end?

Villain -Dr. Andrew Chu – studied here at Harvard with the transplant team and has aligned himself with the illegal organ trade in China acting as conduit here.

Mystery – How much does he really know and does he plan to murder Deborah himself?

Intrigue – Can he get Deborah to fall for his charms and bring her over to China with him?

Suspense – Will he succeed in capturing and killing her for the organ trade profit?

Red Herring – Dr. Greg Brock –

How much does he know about the illegal organ trade? Does he suspect what is happening and how much does he participate himself?

Will he help or hinder Deborah’s investigation? Will he participate in capturing her?

Will he convince the patient to let her go before it’s too late?

[Rachel Morgan]

Rachel’s World & Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is: how to clearly outline the Big M.I.S. of the key characters and create an intriguing world in which the story can play out.

1. Logline: It’s 1954 and the FBI is chasing rumors that the Soviet Union has planted a suitcase-sized nuclear bomb somewhere in New York City. But when a body is found floating in the Hudson River, it’s NYPD Detective Bob Stoughton who chases the clues, discovers the rumors are true and must prevent the deaths of millions of people.

The Big M.I.S. of the story:

· Big Mystery: What is the connection between a man found floating in the Hudson and an empty dockside warehouse that bares traces of radioactivity?

· Big Intrigue: A rogue Soviet team has smuggled an atomic bomb into New York City and is about to detonate it at a secret location.

· Big Suspense: Will Stoughton discover the rogue Soviet team in time to save New York and prevent a war?

2. Intriguing World: The shadow world of rogue Soviet nuclear terrorists

3. Top character questions:

· Hero: NYPD Detective Bob Stoughton – an NYPD detective who discovers a mysterious radioactive warehouse on the docks when investigating a body found in the Hudson.

o A. What is the mystery of this character? Will Stoughton discover the connection between a body floating in the Hudson and a radioactive warehouse? And what is the significance of the radioactive warehouse?

o B. What is the suspense of this character? Will Stoughton discover the suitcase bomb plot in time to save New York?

o C. What is the intrigue of this character? Stoughton walks his own path when investigating crimes, often breaking the rules and defying his superiors.

· Villain: Alexei Krasnoff – An ex- Soviet army colonel who wants to destroy New York to spark a war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that he thinks the Soviets could win at a time when their forces are stronger.

o A. What is the mystery of this character? Krasnoff is hidden behind a veil of secrecy for much of the story. Who is he? What is he trying to do? Why is he doing it?

o B. What is the suspense of this character? Will Krasnoff succeed in planting a suitcase bomb in New York and detonating it?

o C. What is the intrigue of this character? Krasnoff is a master of manipulating people and events while remaining unseen.

[John Stimson]

John Stimson’s World and Characters

What I learned from this lesson is that with breaking down the Big M.I.S. you are able to see the depth and layers your story will have if you built from those points in the story.

The CONCEPT of my story “A Criminal Enterprise”: Steve Henderson was a SWAT officer with the LAPD before his guard unit was called to serve in Afghanistan. Steve lost his foot and lower leg when he stepped on an I.E.D. Now he provides private personal protection to L.A.’s rich and famous, along with doing private investigations. A former protection client, Kristin Erickson, calls Steve as she is being followed by some Latino thugs who act like they want to kill her. As Steve keeps Kristin away from the thugs, he tries to figure out why they are pursuing her. He discovers that they are drug cartel sicarios and he seeks help from the LAPD. However, the more Steve learns about the cartel and why they could be after Kristin the more reluctant the LAPD becomes to helping someone who was one of their own. A Delta Force operator, who Steve conducted an op in Afghanistan with, surveilling the cartel sicarios becomes Steve’s only ally.

1. The Big M.I.S. of my story

Big Mystery: Why
are the cartel members trying to abduct Kristin Erickson? Because she is
the wife of real estate developer—who died mysteriously—who was involved
in the L.A. mayor’s scheme to launder cartel money.<div>

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Big Intrigue: The
Mayor of Los Angeles is the frontrunner of potential candidates in the
next presidential election. He is also connected to a Mexican drug
cartel—who would obviously want under its control the president of the
United States.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Big Suspense: Who
is the guy who shot Steve and decapitated the woman in Steve’s house? And,
is he working for the cartel or someone else?

<div>

2. The Intriguing World I have selected: The world of Los Angeles politics, major real estate developments, that of a Mexican drug cartel, and to a lesser extent, the movie industry.

3. Top 3 characters’ role they play and then answer these three questions:

STEVE HENDERSON

Steve is the protagonist; the detective unraveling a mystery that may lead to his death.

His mystery: Whether Steve has come to terms with his loss of limb and the turn it caused his life’s path.

The suspense of his character: Will Steve live? Cartel members and others are trying to kill him.

The intrigue of Steve’s character: Before Kristin needed his help, Steve was working an private investigation that was leading him to a nefarious secret kept by the Los Angeles mayor’s family.

KRISTIN ERICKSON

Kristin is at first the damsel in distress who becomes the femme fatale who leads the hero (Steve) to his doom.

Her mystery: Does she know more about her dead husband’s dealings with the mayor and the cartel than what she told Steve?

The suspense of her character: Kristin disappears the night Steve was shot and another woman killed in Steve’s house, is she dead or alive?

The intrigue of Kristin’s character: The cartel could have easily killed her but they tried to abduct her so it might be that the cartel believes Kristin has something of might of value to them.

TRAVIS WOLFF

Travis Wolff crossed paths with Steve in Afghanistan and now crosses paths again in Los Angeles, the drug cartel pursuing Kristin are in the crosshairs of this Delta Force operator.

His mystery: Why is U.S. Special Forces counter-terrorism operator working an op in L.A.?

The suspense of his character: Can Wolff protect Steve from the cartel and the others trying to kill him?

The intrigue of Wolff’s character: Is he acting on his own or is he working a counter-terrorism op for the US government?

</div></div>

[Maggie Tsavaris]

Maggie Tsavaris’s World and Characters! (Assignment 3)

What I learned doing this assignment is: The importance and fun of going another layer deep to find the Big M.I.S. of my top 2 characters. I see that I’m fleshing out Leyla and Haasim to be more real and 3D, and at the same time, I’m gradually building a much more solid foundation for–dare I say it–an actual for-real thriller.

The Linguist

by Maggie Tsavaris

(inspired by several true stories)

Concept: Leyla is a linguist who deeply fears growing old alone is working for the U.S. government in Iraq. She meets a wealthy and connected Lebanese man, Haasim, who promises her a life of love and comfort in exchange for highly classified details on human assets, and she must decide whether to betray her country and risk the lives of human assets for a life she dreams of.

KEY: Leyla’s biggest fear of growing old alone plays right into Haasim’s plan.

The Big M.I.S. of my story:

Big Mystery: Will Leyla access
highly classified information to which she has access but which she has no
need to know, and if she does, will she turn over classified information
to Haasim, and if she does, what will happen to her and to the human
assets?

[Mariannjely Garcia]

Mariannjely’s World and Characters!

What I learned doing this assignment is that analyzing the mystery, intrigue, and suspense behind the hero/ villain / red herring helps create well-rounded and interesting characters for a thriller.

CONCEPT: A young and talented foreigner joins a sommelier summer program in the U.S., but when she discovers the dark secret behind the prestigious vineyard, she must run for her life.

• Big Mystery: What’s the secret ingredient behind the most popular wine, and what’s the vineyard’s owner hiding?

• Big Intrigue: An elite clientele is willing to pay any price to keep up with beauty standards, even if it involves killing young women.

• Big Suspense: Will Ariana make it out alive from the Sommelier Summer Program?

WORLD: A prestigious Vineyard covering human trafficking for an elite clientele that wants to trick aging for as long as possible and at any price.

HERO: International student, Ariana Ramirez

Mystery: Is it really a Sommelier Summer program that Ariana got herself into?

Intrigue: Ariana is ambitious and has a great talent for wine. She wants to impress Karen to hopefully get hired after the summer program. As she tries to get close to Karen, she discovers odd things that makes her question the program. Once she finds the truth, she plays the survival game.

Suspense: Is Ariana going to be a victim of human trafficking?

VILLAIN: Owner of the Vineyard, Karen Coex

Mystery: Why is Karen recruiting young foreigners?

Intrigue: She is a sharp businesswoman with an answer for everything and can trick anyone. She’ll do anything to ensure her family’s vineyard stays in business for another 100 years.

Suspense: Will Karen continue to get away with the vineyard’s secret?

[Norene Smiley]

3. NORENE’S WORLD & CHARACTERS USING MIS – ‘THE MAW’

What I learned doing this assignment: To think sideways and brainstorm possibilities to up the stakes.

CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of ‘The Maw’

• Big Mystery: What is happening in the village of Linden Close?

• Big Intrigue: What are the locals hiding? What or who is responsible for killing people in the coastal community? Why won’t Archer forgive his father? Why did Archer’s mother abandon the family?

• Big Suspense: Will Archer be able to save his sister? Will the Quinn family survive?

2. Intriguing World: Survival Adventure Tourism in isolated Newfoundland hamlet surrounded by challenging environment and a local population steeped in superstition.

3. Characters:

Hero: Archer Quinn – teen suffering loss of his mother and at odds with his father

A. Mystery: Why does he resent his father?

B. Intrigue: What secret is he hiding related to the disappearance of his mother?

C. Suspense: Can Archer gather the courage to face his fears and save his sister no matter what the cost?

Red Herring: Gerry Quinn – Archer and Ellie’s father, desperate to keep the family together

A. Mystery: What is his real background?

B. Intrigue: Why won’t he talk about his wife? Why was he so adamant they come to Linden Close?

C. Suspense: What is he willing to do to save his family?

Villain: Oona Doyle – Tourism operator and guide on survival challenges

A. Mystery: What is she protecting?

B. Intrigue: Does she have something to do with missing tourists?

Why does she lie to Archer about the limestone caves?

C. Suspense: Can she be trusted? How does she keep disappearing and appearing unexpectedly?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Norene Smiley.

[Donna Stockwell]

Donna Stockwell’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is how much more interesting this story is with the multi-layered MIS approach.
Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
CONCEPT – A resourceful artist begins to lose her sanity as she works as a maid and personal assistant to a high society business woman who lives in the penthouse of an exclusive hotel, and starts playing with dirty long hair from the bathtub drain to make “H art”.
Big Mystery: Is the maid really seeing a devil in the woman she works for, is her art that bad, or is she so frustrated that she cannot get the attention of the gallery board to show her work.
Big Intrigue: The penthouse guest really sees genius is the maid’s art but pushes her to her limit before agreeing to help her show her pieces in the art gallery, and keeps her as her maid and adds to her duties to distract her from producing any more art.
Big Suspense: The main danger to my Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script is Herself, since she puts herself under so much stress that she is not seeing people or her life circumstances clearly.

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story – an exclusive hotel, with emphasis on the bathroom and walk in closet.
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
MAID/ARTIST: Lead character
A. What is the mystery of this character? How did she meet/get the job for the PT?
B. What is the suspense of this character? How will she learn to play PT’s game and gain access to show her art in the art gallery?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? Will she succumb to all PT’s pressure and lose her mind and rights to her art?

PENTHOUSE TENANT (PT) – boss of lead character, and director on art gallery board
A. What is the mystery of this character? Does PT need to submit art to get more recognition on the art gallery board?
B. What is the suspense of this character? How will PT keep the maid from getting access to the board to show her art? Could it be murder? What happened to her last maid/personal assistant?
C. What is the intrigue of this character? Will PT steal the maid’s art and display it as her own?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Donna Stockwell. Reason: for to add what I learned

[Kimbal Thompson]

Thriller Day 3 Assignment

Kimbal Thompson’s World and Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is

1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and 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? What’s really happening in this rural town?

Big
Intrigue: What
is the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the
surface for most of the movie? Among others, what is happening within and
who is running this small rural town.

Big
Suspense: What
is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout
the script? Can he escape or his likely demise.2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story:
An 18-year-old midwestern student, stopped in a small midwestern town
speed trap finds himself step-by-step lured to secret caves below the town
in attempting to find out the source of the town’s corruption and escape
the town..

3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

Eighteen-year-old Richard Head (Protagonist)

A.
What is the mystery of this character? Why is he suddenly leaving home and
where is he going?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? His hang-up with his name. How he
keeps getting deeper and deeper into unknown situations.
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? He keeps setting up deadlines that
become interrupted by circumstances out of his control.

Flight Instructor (Red Herring)

A.
What is the mystery of this character? What is really his background
besides being a small- town airport flight instructor?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? How he surprisingly comes to grip
and handles deadly situations.
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? How he is so low-key, yet surprisingly
comes to grip and handles deadly situations.

Salvatore (Villain)

A.
What is the mystery of this character? Who is he, where did he come from
and why is he seemingly on charge of this mysterious operation?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? His hang-up with his name. How he
keeps getting deeper and deeper into unknown situations.
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? Why does a rough burly Latino man run what appears to be
happening in caves below a small midwestern town?

[Brendan Guerin]

ASSIGNMENT 3

What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s hard to answer the MIS questions of hero and villain because I need to do more backstory development on both.

1. Remind us of your CONCEPT: An adventurous young American backpacker’s dream working holiday in Australia turns into a nightmare when her job on a remote island sheep station descends into a harrowing fight for sanity and survival

The Big M.I.S.:

Big Mystery: Will Wayne’s manipulative behaviour towards Emma descend into physical abuse?

Big Intrigue: What sinister act or crime has Wayne committed that everyone in the small town seems to know about – and why won’t anyone warn Emma about him?

Big Suspense: Will Emma tough out her 88 day contract or cut her losses and find a way to escape the island before losing her sanity?

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.

A lonely windswept sheep station located in the remote wild west of South Australia’s largest island where an insular community have always closed ranks to protect their own during difficult times.

3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

HERO: Emma, an adventurous young American backpacker doing a working holiday program on a remote island sheep station

A. What is the mystery of this character? Why is Emma so trusting that she can’t see the escalating dangers of completing her visa program?

B. What is the suspense of this character? Will Emma escape before losing her sanity or worse?

C. What is the intrigue of this character? Emma reassures Wayne of her 88 day commitment but secretly explores possible escape options – just in case

VILLIAN: Wayne, a fifth generation wool producer, former local footy hero, sense of entitlement, bit rough around the edges but can turn on the Aussie larrikin charm at will

A. What is the mystery of this character? Who is Wayne and is he a genuine threat to Emma’s psychological and physical well being?

B. What is the suspense of this character? Will Wayne’s tormenting, manipulative behaviour send Emma crazy before she leaves the island?

C. What is the intrigue of this character? Wayne is ostensibly a successful grazier, coming from a fifth generation sheep family dynasty well-respected by locals, enabling him to profit from illegal wildlife smuggling, bully workers and silence critics

[John Duvall]

ASSIGNMENT: John Duvall – World and Characters

“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”

Answer: I learned how to root the development of my characters in the mysteries surrounding them.

1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.

<div>Big Mystery: What is
the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the
story? Answer: Who killed Monsignor Dennehy and why?

</div><div>

Big Intrigue: What is
the covert, clandestine, underhanded part that will live under the surface
for most of the movie? Answer: Sister Teresa’s relationship to Monsignor
Dennehy.

</div><div>

Big Suspense: What is the main danger
to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Answer:
The threat of physical violence, and the threat that his investigation may reveal Teresa’ guilt.

</div>

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story. Answer: A Catholic church in a conservative Midwestern American town.

3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

<div>
A. What is the mystery of this character? Answer:
Father Martin Bloom, who has secretly been assigned to investigate
corruption within the diocese.
</div><div>

B. What is the suspense of this character? Sister
Teresa becomes Bloom’s lover but increasingly appears to harbor secrets.

C. What is the intrigue of this character? Father Dennehy,
who is admired by everyone but is mysteriously killed. Who had something
against him and why?

</div>

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  John Duvall.

[Ken Callaway]

Ken Callaway’s World and Characters!

What I learned while doing this assignment is the importance of fully realizing each of the main characters, to give them more depth, realistic emotions and the motivation to do what they must do.

Concept – Spellbound by JRR “Tolly” Tolkien’s nightly fireside tales, a Brummie lad at a scout jamboree in 1953 England seeks a mysterious girl that he believes is a fairy sent to destroy our world.

Big Mystery: Who is Genevieve and is she an actual fairy?

Big Intrigue: Could anyone at the jamboree or in the village of Droitwich be a fairy? What do the fairies want?

Big Suspense: If Kevin is sane, is he the conduit between the world of men and that of fairies and if so, can he stop them before they kill him?

WORLD: Adolescent fantasies collide with the stark realities of post-war England.

HERO: Kevin Frye

Mystery – What is his lifelong connection to the fairy world?

Intrigue – Is he falling in love with Genevieve?

Suspense – Will he discover the truth and if so which truth will it be?

RED HERRING: Hugh ‘Hux’ Huxley

Mystery – What could he have against Kevin, a kid he’s just met?

Intrigue – What does he know about Droitwich, fairies and Genevieve?

Suspense – Will he discover Kevin’s frailties and his secrets?

VILLAIN: Genevieve Rashwood

Mystery – Could she be an actual fairy?

Intrigue – Why is she toying with Kevin?

Suspense – How far would she go to set her malevolent scheme in motion? Would she kill Kevin?

[Edith Schmidt]

Edth’s World and Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that not only one character has M.I.S., but all of the main characters.

1. Concept:

Big Mystery: Will André be able to stand up to his father & get his family back?

Big Intrigue: Who is the stranger and why is he following André?

Big Suspense: Will he defeat the stranger and stay alive?

2. Intriguing World:

André has lost his wife and family, because his father intervened too much. So to achieve his goal he has to stand up to his father which is hard for him for he never managed to do that.

3. Top characters:

Hero: André

A – Mystery: Why can’t he stand up to his father?

B – Intrigue: Why is the stranger after him?

C – Suspense: Will he survive and get his family back?

Red Herring: The stranger

A – Mystery: Who is he?

B – Intrigue: What does he want?

C – Suspense: Will he get what he wants?

Villain: André’s father

A – Mystery: What are his true feeling towards his son?

B – Intrigue: Does he know the stranger and what he wants?

C – Suspense: Will he help his son and find peace with him?

[Tina Howe]

What I learned doing this assignment is that many ideas for this story came up during this task, so I started a list of possible things to include. I realize these are just ideas with none are cast in stone.

THE CATALOG’s World and Characters!

CONCEPT: A pregnant woman wakes in a secret long-term coma facility and must escape before The Operator hunts her down and kills her.

BIG M.I.S.:

Big Mystery: How long has my heroine been in the Facility, who put her here, why is she pregnant, and how does she get out?

Big Intrigue: Who’s running a Facility that uses women as ‘breeders,’ and why?

Big Suspense: If my heroine doesn’t escape, she’ll be put back into a coma to be used as a breeder for the rest of her ‘useful’ life.

Intriguing World: A coma facility run by corrupted technology.

Characters

Heroine: Julie Doe

A. Mystery: How come she can’t remember who she is and why can’t she leave?

B. What is the intrigue of this character? She continues to make believe she’s in a coma until she’s found out.

C. What is the suspense of this character? Will she finally escape, come clean that she’s awake, or be disposed of?

Red Herring: Caretaker Peters

A. What is the mystery of this character? Why does he do such cruel things to the patients?

B. What is the intrigue of this character? His brow is always sweating; what is he hiding?

C. What is the suspense of this character?

Villain: The Operator

A. What is the mystery of this character? Who put this cruel woman in charge and why?

B. What is the intrigue of this character? Is she human or machine?

C. What is the suspense of this character? Who will she kill next?

[Joanna Bielak]

Joanna Bielak’s World and Characters!

Concept: Missing Persons Police Department search for the son of the environment minister. Behind the kidnapping stays a group of activists fighting for animal rights acts. For some, fighting for the environment is eco-terrorism.

1 Big MIS

M: Where is the boy? Who are activists and what do they want? What can or won’t deputies do?

I: Everyone wants to find and free the boy, but what about animal rights? What can we do to stop using animals in laboratories definitively.

S: Beta has to negotiate simultaneously with the government and activists to free the boy. Neither of them wants to make concessions – the sands of time are running out.

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.

Laboratory testing – do we not test on animals? Or does it outsource to China? The test is also a product – like any other, it has its price – order it, and other countries will gladly do it. It’s allowed in Asia.

Fur lobby – fox, mink, and nutria farms. Today, wearing fur is out of fashion in Europe, but export to the East (post-Soviet countries, Russia and Asia) continue – so there is a group lobbying to maintain the status quo.

3 Characters

Heroine Beta Sroka

A. What is the mystery of this character? – She is the professional head of the Missing Persons Police Department. And a big heart human – it’s a moral game for her.

B. What is the suspense of this character? – Is she capable to find and free the boy?

C. What is the intrigue of this character? – Her negotiations with the government and activists are difficult, but Beta can discover and use pieces of information about every participant in that game.

Environment Minister, father of the missing boy

M: What is his role in the activist group?

I: He is a double player – can he pressure the government to accept Animal Rights Acts? Can he exchange his son’s life for laws adopted by terrorism?

S: What kind of secrets can he use against other deputies? Will he blackmail them?

[Jason ferrell]

Jason’s World and Characters!

What I learned doing this assignment is… that I don’t know some of these pieces and it’s bugging me.

1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.

Big Mystery: How does Anthony threaten the petroleum industry? <div>

Big Intrigue: Who pulls the strings of Oil industry? Who’s really in charge? Who is the Villian/Enemy?

Big Suspense: Death and character assassination of Anthony, and the people he loves.

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.

Hacking

Main Stream Media

Assassins both literal and character

Oil fields- myths

3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

Hero: Anthony

A. Mystery: How does he find out why and who is targeting him? </div><div>

B. Suspense: Will he be able to stop and or expose them

C. Intrigue: Will anyone believe him?

Villian: Victoria Stanton

A. Mystery: Why is she targeting Anthony? How will she destroy him? </div><div>

B. Suspense: Will she be able to destroy Anthony and anyone who could help him and frame him before he can go public?

C. Intrigue: Why would she and the media and politicians lie?

Red Herring: Professor Talman

A. Mystery: Is Professor Talman on Victoria’s side? </div>

B. Suspense: Will Professor help or betray Anthony?

C. Intrigue: Why wouldn’t a priest of science follow their own religion?

[Russel Traher]

Russel Traher’s World and Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is:

The world we define can also have a M.I.S. that helps stimulate the actions all character. And can play an important part in defining setting/places of intrigue for scenes.

CONCEPT:

A candidate for US Senator finds out that a close friend of a person he murdered 40 years ago is still alive. He is hunting her down in order to prevent her from telling anyone what she might have seen.

CAST:

Lori Hatfield (initial age 15)

Ted Hatfield (Lori’s dad)

Emily Hatfield (Lori’s mom)

Jason Wilson (initial age 18, now 59) friend of Lori, known to be seeing her

George Wilson – Jason’s father and the local sheriff

Fred Smith (initial age 17) friend of Jason

Tammy Whitefield (initial age 16) friend of Lori

Julie Stevens (initial age 16, now 56) (Lori’s best friend)

Private Investigator – Jason Wilson

Psychiatrist – Jenny Farrell

Big M.I. S.

Big Mystery:

What did the candidate for US Senator do 40 years ago in this city? What will he do if he finds the girl’s best friend?

Big Intrigue:

Who is the candidate for US Senator? Why is he trying to keep his identity a mystery? Who will take on the challenge to discover what happened 40 years ago? Will a local or outside person intervene?

Big Suspense:

What will happen to the girl’s best friend? Will she disappear or something worst?

Intriguing World

Small farming community that has a reputation for picking the best candidates for office in the state. So votes this city so votes the state. It also grows the best corn in the country.

Characters M.I.S.

Jason Wilson (initial age 18, now 59) friend of Lori, known to be seeing her, candidate for US Senator.

Mystery: What did he do 40 years ago? Why is he kicking off his campaign in this city?

Intrigue: Why is he running for US Senator?

Suspense: To what lengths will he go to suppress past information about him?

Private Investigator – Jason Wilson

Mystery: What brought Jason to this city? Is he passing through or will he be staying?

Intrigue: Why is he helping solve the murder of Lori Hatfield? He seems to been spending a lot of time with Jenny Farrell. Is there something between Jenny Farrell and him?

Suspense: How committed to solving this murder case is he? His life is in danger.

Psychiatrist – Jenny Farrell

Mystery: What brought her to this city? Why is an unmarried, attractive woman making her home in this city?

Intrigue: Will she disclose the details of Jenny Farrell hypnotism when she was 17? Is there something between Jason Wilson and her?

Suspense: Is her life in danger? Will she remain silent? Will she stand up for Jenny?

Tammy Whitefield (initial age 16) friend of Lori

Mystery: Will her memory return.

Intrigue: Is she strong enough to fight the that pressure that will surely be put on her?

Suspense: If her memory returns what will she do? Does she remember Jason Wilson? Will she go to her grave with the details of Lori Hatfield’s death?

[Michael Katz]

1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.

CONCEPT: Disruptive green energy technology is being sabotaged by espionage, which sends a solar astrophysicist with developing megalomania on a revenge mission to bring down the entire corrupt fossil fuel industry, who enlist Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s best spy to kill him.

Big Mystery: The main mystery after Waldo’s demonstration is sabotaged by Spy that keeps us wondering throughout the story is “Who is sabotaging green energy innovators and why?”

Big Intrigue: The covert, clandestine, underhanded part that lives under the surface for most of the movie is the cat and mouse game from the Hero’s POV of facing the spy craft of the world’s greatest spy, including having his partner/lover fall in love with the spy and betray him.

Big Suspense: The escalating high stakes, life threatening, main danger that the hero experiences is: will the hero be able to evade the spy and get revenge against the corrupt fossil fuel industry?

2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.

The mysterious world of how a person develops into a megalomaniac, and from their point of view seeing the frustrating pesky interference of spies.

World of an Eastern European astrophysicist, world of how someone turns into a villain, world of a megalomaniac building a lair, exotic locations around the world, world of spy craft, world of deploying solar technology in space

3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

HERO: Unwitting/unknowing but resourceful Hero: An unassuming, altruistic scientist finds himself the victim espionage, and the trauma triggers a developing megalomania that enables him to become a worthy adversary to the Spy villain, solve the mystery, and ultimately defeat him.

What is the mystery of this character? Who is after him and how will he get revenge?

What is the intrigue of this character? How he transforms into a megalomaniac.

What is the suspense of this character? Is he going to be a victim of the spy?

DANGEROUS VILLAIN: The world’s greatest spy, covert and dangerous, who works for Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is sent to investigate the megalomaniac scientist, and he uses his irresistible charm, wit, and fearless, cruel spy craft to try and stop him from implementing his innovative space solar technology and bringing down the fossil fuel industry.

What is the mystery of this character? How does he always find the megalomaniac and stay alive?

What is the intrigue of this character? Underneath his classy exterior, cool gadgets, and quips…he is a classless, selfish, cruel human being with no accountability.

What is the suspense of this character? Will he be able to stop the megalomaniac?

[Carl Gundestrup]

Mastering the Thriller Assignment 3

Lead Characters and their world

Carl Gundestrup

Lead Characters:

Eric Neilsen: Hero

Norman Larusha: 1st Villain

Hidden Villains within the U.S. Government, Russia, China & Iran.

Cayla Amundsen: Influencer – disgruntled FBI agent

What I learned from this assignment: I looked at the main characters’ strengths, weaknesses, and flaws in detail. I began to realize that to create great characters, they needed traits that could be exploited, skills that make them capable, and emotions that make them relatable. This assignment also helped to add more layers to the M.I.S.

Concept: Eric Nielsen’s family is an unintended casualty of political crossfire. In his search for the truth, Eric becomes a relentless force in unraveling an international global conspiracy to destroy America and subjugate the world.

Opening Big Mystery: Why was a brain surgeon targeted for a mafia-style hit when all he did was rough up a serial killer that he had been researching his brain waves?

Big Intrigue: Who are the people ordering the hit through Norman Lurusha, and what dark secrets are they so afraid of that they are willing to kill a brain surgeon? Can Eric trust Cayla the disgruntled FBI agent who reveals his “accident” was actually a “hit?”

Big Suspense: What could Eric know or be involved in that someone wants him dead? Will Eric’s continued meddling get him killed? Or his wife? Will they try again? Who tried to kidnap Cayla, the FBI agent? Why? Is this a different issue than what is happening with Eric?

SUB WORLD: Cayla, the FBI agent, leads us to the world of dark politics within the FBI, what the FBI is doing outside the law, and introduces us to the mafia and other sinister characters. Later we learn of the Global conspiracy that threatens the US and the world.

Our hero is Eric Neilsen: mystery: Will he stay the course when he discovers the tremendous scope of the conspiracies he is unraveling and his chances of survival, let alone winning?

Intrigue: Does he have the tools and resources to succeed? Does he have the courage and determination as an individual fighting against world powers, their agents, and the traitors that abound in our own country?

Suspense: Can he survive almost hourly attempts on his life, extended family, Cayla, and individuals like Bill Hancock and his family from a myriad of sources?

Background for me: Eric has been better than anyone at almost everything he has ever tried. He is extremely religious and a constitutionalist. The Navy Seals pushed him well beyond his limits and showed him things about himself he did not know. He resigned his commission as a seal, deciding that he’d rather save lives than take lives, and patching up buddies was not something he wanted to do. His commanding officer was so angry with his decision that he did everything possible after graduation to say Eric washed out so the Navy would not pay for his medical degree. Eric’s fascination with the human brain and studying the inner workings of a serial killer appear on the surface to be his family’s demise.

The first Villain, Norman Larusha: Mystery: Norman has for decades kept himself insulated from the FBI, other agencies, organizations, and individuals. At first glance, Norman appears at the top of the food chain. But his early death in the story immediately tells us he is just a cog in a much larger machine.

INTRIGUE: How will his computer, files, and lists of contacts play out in the big picture?

Suspense: Who is so loyal to Larusha even after his death is determined to exact revenge on Eric? Is it a man who will fill his vacancy? A relative? A person with a motive other than revenge?

Cayla Amundsen, The FBI agent. Mystery: Her partner was killed. She is convinced the FBI could have prevented it and let the killer escape. She is willing to leave the FBI to bring the killer to justice. Who is trying to kidnap and kill her, and why?

Intrigue: In her lone wolf investigation, she stumbled upon Eric’s situation with a “hit” by Larusha. She introduces us to a scandal within the FBI, a boss we don’t know whose side he’s on, and activities within the bureau outside the law.

Suspense: Who wants to kill her? FBI? Mafia? Are they the same people that want Eric dead or others yet unknown?

Personal notes for me on Cayla. We know very little about her, and she is a big influence on Eric, and we are convinced she is until dark forces and situations make us question her loyalty, motives, and intent. Cayla is a drop-dead-gorgeous, tough woman of the world who is used to men begging for her attention. She runs into Eric, whose soul is owned by a wife who appears to be a vegetable. Cayla’s relationship with Eric’s wife, Catherine, will play a huge role in Eric’s life, his decisions, and the story.

[Caroline Fritz]

Caroline’s World and Characters!

What I learned: I think adding a red herring will really put this script over the top.

1. Concept: An MI6 agent on a visit to the U.S. doesn’t know who to trust when his friend’s wife is kidnapped.

Big M.I.S.

· Big Mystery: Who kidnapped the hero’s friends?

· Big Intrigue: The CIA agent is working with the arms dealer to kill the hero or is he? Is he the Red Herring?

· Big Suspense: Many people want him gone or dead, whatever comes first

2. Intriguing world: The world of the spy and the diplomat.

3. Hero: Callahan Terry

a. What is the mystery? Is he a diplomat or a spy?

b. What is the suspense? Is he walking into a trap?

c. What is the intrigue? Why is he being targeted?

Red Herring: Aaron Copley

a. What is the mystery? Is he a crooked CIA agent?

b. What is the suspense? Will Callahan find out?

c. What is the intrigue? Why is Aaron being set up by Bridget?

Antagonist: Bridget Copely

a. What is the mystery? Is she a victim?

b. What is the suspense? Was she really kidnapped?

c. What is the intrigue? Who is she, really?

[Christopher Lynch]

Macondo-World and Characters

What I Learned from this Lesson: I have mapped out the plot (the story) but trying to assign motives to the characters is forcing me to rethink their roles.

1) CONCEPT AND BIG MIS OF THE STORY

Big Mystery: Who is trying to
sabotage the mission – Chuck’s boss, the cartels or the US government?
Big Intrigue: Why is the boss
behaving so suspiciously? Is he trying to prevent the bribery from being
discovered? Setting up Chuck as a fall-guy? Doing the dirty work of the
rival cartel?
Big Suspense: Can he keep the
mission secret while trying to carry it out? He is ambitious, so if he
blows it, his career is gone. If his boss or the cartels find out, Chuck
could lose his life.

2) World: This is Colombia before Pablo Escobar consolidated power – lawless and violent. The story is told from inside a remote US Consulate where the focus is on the Americans who were involved with the drug smuggling. Chuck has to pretend to be part of this world while carrying out the geo-political games of his bosses back at the White House.

3) Characters

a. Hero: Chuck

i. Mystery: His real mission – to arm a Chilean guerilla group, not be a Junior Officer at a small Consulate

ii. Intrigue: Chuck must survive Max’s attempts to keep Chuck from discovering the truth of Max’s illegal activities

iii. Suspense: Can Chuck carry out the mission while keeping it secret from Max?

b. Red Herring: La Telaraña – Woman head of a cartel

i. Mystery: What is her end-game – fomenting a revolution in Chile or becoming the drug king (queen) pin in Colombia

ii. Intrigue: She has a series of intricate games to manipulate the men around her into giving her power and fame.

iii. Suspense: Can she gain control over the weapons shipment?

c. Villain: Max

i. Mystery: What is Max trying to conceal – his affairs or his ties to the Cartel?

ii. Intrigue: Max’s involvement with the visa-selling ring which helps the rival cartels get drug smugglers into the US.

iii. Suspense: Can connections to the ‘old-boy network’ in the US government deflect suspicion away from himself?

[John Woodward]

John Woodward’s World and Characters!

Doing this assignment, I learned to emphasize traits that create MIS for each of the characters.

CONCEPT: A washed-up MMA trainer meets an alluring young woman hours before her estranged husband, a notorious broker of black-market art, tries to kill her. Desperate to start a new life, she persuades the fighter to steal a cursed masterpiece her husband stole from a ruthless boss in L.A.’s Russian underworld. In their struggle to escape, they fall in love, but can you trust your lover when the tie that binds is murder?

Big Mystery: Where is the stolen masterpiece? Can Chance and Allison successfully steal the painting from her estranged and desperate husband, Brad, a notorious dealer of black-market art. If they can steal the masterpiece to fund their life together, will they survive the wrath of Allison’s estranged husband? Can Chance and Allison survive the unrelenting efforts by the ruthless underworld boss, Vladimir Prudnikov, to recover the priceless masterpiece that the art dealer stole from him?

Big Intrigue: Can Chance trust Allison? Does she truly love him? Or has she seduced him to use him to recover the painting from her brutal husband?

Big Suspense: In the struggle to possess the priceless masterpiece, will Allison betray Chance? Will Allison kill Chance?

2. INTRIGUING WORLD: The notorious LA underworld of stolen masterpieces, Russian mobsters, MMA fight fixing, black market art deals, and a beautiful young trophy wife desperately trying to free herself from a wealthy controlling deviant husband.

3. CHARACTERS MIS

HERO: Chance Mitchell

Mystery: Chance is a retired MMA fighter, who trains fighters out of his shoddy gym. Is he being set up by Allison, the estranged wife of a notorious broker of black-market art?

Intrigue: When one of the MMA fighters Chance trains fails to take a dive, the fight fixer gives Chance 72 hours to come up with the funds to cover his losses or they will kill him. Will Chance secure the money to pay the potentially lethal debt? Chance seeks out Brad Van Zandt, a notorious broker of black-market art, who owes Chance $150,000 from a recent MMA promotion. When Chance visits the art dealer’s home, he meets Brad’s beautiful young (but estranged) trophy wife, Allison Van Zandt. Chance learns that Brad stiffs everybody he deals with, and only pays when he’s threatened physically. Allison claims that whatever Brad did to Chance he’s done 100 times worse to her. She reveals that the art broker is on the run with a priceless masterpiece he stole from a client. The duo decides to team up. Chance falls for Allison. She claims she loves him, but does she? Or is she using him? Will she kill him once she has what she wants?

Suspense: Allison’s estranged husband is jealous, controlling and lethal. Will Chance be killed for getting too close to Allison? The painting belongs to Vladimir Prudnikov, a mobster determined to get it back. Will Chance get hurt or killed for stealing the priceless masterpiece from Prudnikov?

VILLAIN OR RED HERRING: Allison Van Zandt.

Allison is either the villain or the red herring. We learn for sure on the last page.

A. Mystery of this character. She hates her husband who is extremely jealous, controlling and deadly. She has a scheme to leave her wealthy husband who she claims has stolen a priceless masterpiece from a notorious client.

B. Suspense of this character. Can she survive splitting from Brad, and the various thugs he has ripped off.

C. Intrigue of this character. Can Allison convince Chance to steal the priceless masterpiece? Will they be successful or die in the attempt? Does Allison grow to love Chance or is she using him only to help her secure the masterpiece? Will she dispose of Chance when he is no longer needed? Will Chance discover Allison can’t be trusted and leave her to the wolves (Brad and Prudnikov) who pursue her?