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Lesson 3
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Cameron Martin’s Beat Sheet – Draft 1
Vision: Write a marketable Action movie that connects with audiences on a deep, spiritual level, regardless of background, while prioritizing quality time with my family.
What I learned doing this assignment is…Another way of layering in beats into your script. This process feels a little less structured than the “Save the Cat” model or the “Mini Movie Method.” I’m going to need more practice with this strategy. I get it, it’s supposed to be “fill in the blank” and expand what’s already been worked on. Just trying to trust the process and know I’ll have an actual outline (and hopefully a script I like) eventually.
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Act 1: Waking up in the Labyrinth
Null: PJ 1: Null wakes up to a mechanical arm probing her.
Action Convention: She retaliates and discovers she’s been augmented with a strange ability to control different machines.
Null PJ 2: Null explores the room.
Calvex AJ 1: Calvex introduces himself and explains Null is safe, but because she woke up too soon, there’s brain damage and amnesia in her coming back to life.
Deeper Layer: Calvex has lied to Null. He’s keeping her in the dark and wants to see what she’ll do. He’s testing her, and eventually will test the original copy, to discover the means with which he too can be reborn as something else.
Calvex AJ 2: Calvex escorts Null out of the room to begin the quest out of the facility.
Null PJ 3: Action Escalation: Null encounters her first obstacle since leaving the room, and fights against a group of “rouge robots”
Null PJ 4: Null discovers the robots were carrying a coffin, and inside is a copy of Null
Calvex AJ 3: Calvex discourages Null from waking up her copy, as as only one may make it through the maze.
Deeper Layer: This is part of Cavlex’s plan. Null’s copy is the original, who has her own reason for being there, separate from Calvex’s influence
Null PJ 5: Null wakes up her copy anyway
Janice AJ 1/Action Escalation: Janice wakes up and in a panic fights Null
Deeper Layer: Janice has all her memories of who she was before, and knows something’s wrong
Null PJ 6: Null subdues Janice
Calvex AJ 4: Calvex intervenes and persuades Janice to accept a truce.
(Note: Possible other directions to take – Go further with Calvex being the true antagonist, and allowing Janice’s and Null’s shared plot have a deeper meaning. Calvex reveals himself to be the true enemy, and works to test Null and Janice. Or, Calvex is a true passive observer, and Janice is a manipulator of Null until Null wises up, and gets Null to back down by revealing something the two share besides looking identical)
Act 2: Null and Janice fight their way out of the purgatory maze
Janice/Act 3: Janice works to manipulate and weaken Null. She tries to crush her will to live at every point.
Deeper Meaning: Janice is actually the original, and Null is the copy.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Janice betrays Null and tries to kill her, but Null sacrifices her body to possess Janice
Deeper Meaning: Null was meant to be a final sacrifice for Janice to reach her full potential, but Null possessing Janice wasn’t a part of the plan.
Janice Act 4 Climax: Janice goes on the warpath against the man who assaulted her and his gang.
Act 3: Null fights through Janice’s mind and uncovers the truth.
Deeper Meaning: Janice killed herself to come back stronger and exact vengeance on her former accomplices.
Turning Point 3: Null gains control of Janice’s body.
Act 4 Climax: Null and Janice fight for control during Janice’s raid on her former accomplices. Meanwhile, Calvex tries to reacquire them both due to Null’s escape.
Resolution: Janice is assimilated. Null wins and declares war on Calvex
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Marc’s Beat Sheet–Lesson 3–Beat sheet Part 1
My Vision: Win the Nicholl Fellowship and receive a 10 rating on the Black List
What I learned: If I have the “big picture” in terms of the beats, then I can manage the journeys much better.
WIM Module 4–Lesson 3: Bea Sheet Part 1Genre: Drama / Thriller
Title: The Corporation versus Andy BealGenre:
Drama/ThrillerACT
1 Beginning: Andy Beal, an A-type
personality Billionaire, is having a mid-life crisis and needs to
challenge himself to “High Risk” stimulating endeavors.Andy’s
PJ: Andy’s dream is to play the
best poker player in the world. He decides to go to Las Vegas. Andy is a Billionaire,
but he is an amateur poker player.Bob Brunson: AJ-B: Bob Brunson strikes up a conversation
with Andy at the casino bar. He invites Andy to a friendly game of low-stakes poker. Andy accepts. Andy flashes lots of money in front of Bob.DEEPER LAYER: Bob Brunson sees Andy as an easy mark. An amateur rookie
just asking to be taken.Inciting
Incident: Andy, an amateur poker player, loses a low-stakes poker game to
a member of the Corporation, a group of Las Vegas professional poker
players.Bob
Brunson AJ-B: Informs his Father Dole Brunson (AJ-A) He just beat a new “mark”
and he is sure that he has more money to bet.Turning
Point 1: Humiliated, with a need to recoup his losses, he challenges the
leader of the Corporation, Dole Brunson, to a series of high-stakes poker
games. The games last over a period of six years.DEEPER
LAYER: Andy is searching for his former business partner who embezzled a
fortune from him and he thinks a poker player in the Corporation is
related to the embezzler.Andy’s PJ: Andy returns to Dallas, Texas to access the
situation in Las Vegas and what he can do to recoup his money.ACT 2:
Andy’s PJ: Andy, a “fish out of
water” realizes he is no match for the Corporation and gets his son, to
create a computer program algorithm to give him an advantage.DEEPER
LAYER: Andy feels he is in the right place to find the embezzler’s
brother.Turning
Point 2 / Midpoint: Andy starts winning and gets very “cocky.” Dole is
forced to recruit more players into the Corporation and pool their money
to keep the challenge going.Dole
Brunson AJ: Dole renegotiates the terms of the games and recruits a new
round of players.Andy’s
PJ: MAJOR REVEAL: A female private investigator, hired by Andy has tracked
the embezzler to the Corporation poker player, who is his brother,
agent/manager.Act 3:
Dole’s recruits are losing to Andy and dropping out, one by one.Andy’s
PJ: INFLUENCES SURFACE STORY: Andy demands from Dole Brunson, the
antagonist of the Corporation, that he plays the brother of the embezzler.
The player keeps losing and he is forced to get more money from his
embezzling brother to keep him in the game.Dole
Brunson PJ: Turning Point 3: Dole calls up and recruits Phil Ivey, the
best poker player in the world, for a one-on-one challenge with Andy Beal.Andy’s
PJ: DEEPER LAYER / HINTS: Photos and conversations with the private investigator as to
why Andy is playing poker and trying to do his own con game with the
Corporation. Andy wins all the Corporations money, including the
embezzler’s brother. He wants to leave Las Vegas but Dole temps him with
one more last game.Dole
Brunson: AJ: Dole meets with Phil Ivey and briefs him on Andy’s playing
style.Act 4
Climax: Phil Ivey beats Andy Beal and recoups the Corporation’s winningsCHANGES
REALITY: Andy lost all his winning by losing to Phil Ivey. Satisfied, he
got his money back from the embezzler but he ultimately played and lost to
the best poker player in the world.Andy’s
PJ: Resolution: Andy returns home to Dallas, Texas. He researches and
finds a new “High” risk challenge. -
My Vision: To create commercial studio size films that move people. To create characters that can live forever and bring electrifying memories to those that have watched one of my films.
What I learned from doing this assignment – To work on creatin an in-depth bulletproof outline.
Note – At this point I have developed an overall outline for the story and will massage as necessary to make sure all elements are there. For example, I did not use “Chris PJ 1.” I just insured that what I had for this part was in the beat sheet.
Sorry, it is also tough to read as my formatting does not transfer over well.
BEAT SHEET DRAFT 1
The element of Wind is layered subtlety throughout the story so far, from breezes to the swishes of the shinai, to the plane flying through the clouds, to the boy moving elegantly through the air, to a rapidly spreading fire on a television in the background of the restaurant bar.
Genre: Action/Adventure
Opening (20 years ago)
· Introduction to the Wind Tribe living undetected in the Amazon.
o Set up unique skills of the tribe.
o Mixture of super and normal
· The Evil Descendants attack the tribe looking for a “Key.”
· The Queen’s infant child (Chris, short for Christina) escapes with the help of a Protector, Diana.
o Short lived supporting role
· Her Mother, the Queen of one of the Wind Tribes, is killed by Ronin, a King of another Wind Tribe.
o Intro to Ronin, the Antagonist.
Act 1 (present time)
· Twenty years later, the Child is grown up and taking class at Columbia.
o Intro to Protagonist, Christina (Chris).
o Soft intro to supporting character, James.
· Hers is a “normal” college student life (“normal,” given she is brilliant and studies martial arts as well)
o Central Park
o Dojo
o Ice Cream cone / something normal
· The Antagonist, Ronin, searches for Chris and the Key.
o Estate in Switzerland
o High-Tech search
§ Why taken 20 years?
§ Time to try something new?
§ Find another possible Descendant.
§ Ronin sends son, Ando, after possible target.
· Attempt to kidnap Chris by Ronin’s son. Diana is killed.
o Dinner at Restaurant
§ Chris being set up on date / annoyed.
§ Diana part of “extended family”
· Inciting Incident – Chris’ adopted/guardian father is killed; her adopted/guardian mother is severely injured in assault.
o Ando, Ronin’s son, attacks and tries to take her prisoner.
o Huge Battle on New York Streets
o Her father and Diana killed, her mother wounded.
o Mystery – why were they attached? Who is Chris? Who is James?
· Chris is saved and taken by another Descendent, James, her “Protector,” to see a Japanese Master in Japan.
o James was a student in Chris’ class and was at Central Park
o Convinces her to go with him.
· Travel to Japan to meet Aiko, a “A Martial Arts Master, but also a Protector.”
o She learns of her background as a Descendant of Zeus.
o She carries the key around her neck on worn leather necklace given she thought from her adopted mother, but learns from her birth mother, Queen of the Amazon Wind Tribe.
o James is also a member of the Wind Tribe and her personal “Protector.”
§ Trained to protect her, his duty. A loaner.
· Ronin attacks Japanese compound.
o Compound wiped out.
o Monks defeated by Ronin’s soldiers.
o Large battle with weaponry, helicopters, and descendants/soldiers falling from the sky in the wind.
o Aiko sacrifices himself to give Chris and James time to escape.
· 1st Turning Point – Chris and James are the only to escape.
o Thru well and underground stream opening into ancient cavern with Wind Symbols and hieroglyphics.
o Ronin burns the castle compound down (the element of Fire).
Act 2
· New Plan – They head to England to meet and learn more about herself, her role, and the Key from a “Librarian” (Franklin, a keeper of the Descendants secrets).
o Begin to see the wealth of Descendants – they arrive at Tokyo airport and board a private plane owned by large solar/energy corporation.
o Chris comes to learn more about James and like him.
§ Bond formed.
§ Possible start of romance?
o Mystery – The Descendants live among us? What does the Key do?
· Ronin and his Tribe are on her tail.
o At the estate, the maps show a bigger picture of the Descendants support around the globe. Various Librarians are highlighted on the map. They believe England is where Chris will head next and get on their way.
§ Underground base, beneath Castle, so hidden from world.
§ Stealth Helicopters, aircraft take off from caves.
§ Technology to keep them hidden from radar.
§ Hi-tech modern looking office building on grounds of a Disney-like castle.
§ Japanese company called “Kaze” (wind).
· Chris and James arrive at English Country estate.
o Meet Franklin.
o Learn of other tribes.
o Given weaponry.
o Go to see Professor at Oxford who is an expert in Mythology.
§ Franklin had tried to recruit him but failed. He liked to be at a University, good guy, had found some ancient texts even Franklin was only allowed to review but not catalog.
§ Learn they must go to Rome or Athens.
· Plan in Action – Attack at Oxford
o Assault on the campus. Professor and students killed.
o Chris, James and Franklin (British Librarian) escape together from another assault by Ronin’s men and Ando (Ronin there?).
§ Ando is seriously injured by Chris. (killed?)
§ Many of the historic colleges are damaged in the firefight.
§ Chris, James and Franklin make it to their cars.
· Chris and James go one way, Franklin the other. Chris is trying to draw the mercenaries away from Franklin.
· Escape in wicked Aston Martin Valkyrie.
o Chase scene leaving Oxford toward Blenheim Castle.
§ Elaborate car chase involving multiple cars.
· Through country side, ending on the great lawn of the Castle.
· James had called for a helicopter to be waiting for them.
§ Arrive at their helicopter outside of town.
· As they take off more Ronin helicopters show up and there is a dog fight in the air as they approach the English Channel.
· They are shot down once they reach the water. They crash into the Channel violently and the chopper settles beneath the water.
§ Ending with driving over white cliffs of dover, blowing up London bridge, Buckingham palace, tower of London
· Water tribe saves them with state-of-the-art private submarine, taken to large container ship owned by Poseidon Shipping
· They travel aboard the ship and anchor off Marseille.
o Water Tribe has been following the events of Ronin.
o Chris tells them she needs to get to Rome.
o Decide on Marseille instead of closer to Rome as figure may be more undetected. Marseille controlled by Water Tribe.
· They travel to Rome to the Vatican Library in search of an ancient text.
o They break into Vatican vault and find the ancient scroll.
§ Elaborate B&E, a Cardinal at the Vatican is part of the Descendants team and assists them through one of his younger priests.
§ They find the Scroll and take to the Cardinal’s office. Over looking St. Peter’s Square.
· Mid-Point – Chris learns where the “Lock” may be hidden and how it could be used, and vows to defend with her life.
o She learns the Key “may” be a way for one person to control all four (4) elements; Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. This is from the ancients. Zeus, split the elements and assigned a “Tribe” to guard and protect their respective element. At the time, these were respected Gods from around the world that understood their Duty.
o The Italian Cardinal tells them that over the centuries, many Descendants became power hungry and wanted to control the World. Tribes split and Wars developed, and this must be why.
· Arriving at their “safe house” they feel something is amiss.
o Ronin (Ando as well?) himself attacks Chris and her team, including the Water Tribe member, Lexus.
§ When he learned, Chris was going to Rome, he decided he would use her to get the scroll for him.
· He had not grabbed the scroll earlier because he did not want his intentions out in the open for the other Tribes to see until it was too late.
o Ronin kills Lexus.
§ “It didn’t have to be this way.” Ronin is now on his own against all the elemental tribes.
§ Some of Lexus’ team show up, but too late to save him, but early enough that Ronin withdraws.
§ Ronin takes the Scroll.
· Funeral at Sea for Lexus.
o All Tribes send a representative.
· Chris and James regroup in Sardinia/Cairo/Tunisia/Morocco for the preparation to travel to the Lock.
· Finally feeling safe for the moment, Chris and James stroll the beach (alt – remains of Carthage or the pyramids) after a lite beach bar candlelight dinner.
o Ronin, by himself, steps from the shadows (maybe Ando trying to prove something to his father and is killed). NOTE!! TWIST?? Does James betray Chris and she must kill him??
o A tremendous fight ensues and James falls to the ground. Ronin has the tip of his sword to James neck and demands Chris hand over the key.
o She does. Ronin releases James with a warning and turns to walk away.
o James feels relinquishing the key was his fault and he grabs a gun on the sand to kill Ronin. Ronin spins and decapitates James.
o Chris falls to her knees defeated and crying.
· 2nd Turning Point – Chris loses the Key to Ronin. James is killed.
Act 3
· Rethink everything – Chris visits her adopted mother (Mrs. Wentworth) in the hospital. Her mother tells her she must accept the ultimate responsibility and recover the Key. This is the woman who raised her, so she feels that she is her mother.
· Chris goes on the offensive. She visits the Amazon Tribe and sees her birth-mother’s grave.
o She is treated as the queen. She looks so much like her mother.
o An old shaman consoles her and prepares her heart for what is to come.
· A member of Fire, Water and Earth arrive in the Amazon and offer their help.
o Old school bonfire, no technology present.
o **Twist – does a Descendant try and kill Chris in her sleep?
o **Twist – she captures Ronin’s spy?
o Discuss the possible outcome of Ronin controlling all the Elements.
o Note – must answer question why the Tribes are not sending “armies” to go over and attack Ronin.
§ Chris may want small so one Element does not get greedy and become the next Ronin on the battlefield.
§ Sneak in with a smaller group?
· Crisis/Dilemma (New Plan) – She recruits a small team to help her save the World. Knowing they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. Her team is made of herself, one Descendant from each; Fire, Earth and Water, and a few from the Amazon.
· They head off to Africa to confront Ronin as he is on his way to find the “Portal.”
o They board a C4 in the Amazon
o Prepare their weapons.
o Analyze the Island (their destination)
o See aerials of Ronin already setting up a base camp.
o **Intrigue – is one the Team an ally of Ronin
· They land on the far side of the lush island and make their way towards Ronin’s camp.
o They encounter a few sentries along the way, but no problem.
· Ronin is making his way through a cave into the mountain.
· Chris’s team make the coast and the rocky shoreline they were looking for and put on suits for the water and enter.
o They find an underwater cave and enter the mountain from below.
· They arrive first at the vast Greek God/Roman looking chamber and wait for Ronin.
· They are in the middle of placing charges to destroy the temple when Ronin arrives.
Act 4
· Climax – Battle of all battles takes place on an uninhabited island, off the coast of Africa, where all 4 Elements exist. A Volcano for Fire, the pounding Ocean for Water, the fertile lands for Earth and the winds that move the Clouds around the Volcano’s peak for Wind.
o Chris and her allies push Ronin back out into the open.
o More Descendants arrive to support them in their battle?
§ They did not heed her advice?
§ Just Water Tribe greater support because of killing of Lexus?
§ She must claim respect of all the Tribes to begin a Peace?
· Resolution – Chris regains the Key and strikes down Ronin who is killed. The World is Safe.
o Buries the Portal without knowing where it ultimately leads.
§ A portal to a far off world? The past? The future?
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by jeffrey jeff glatz glatz.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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Pam Ewing’s Beat Sheet – Draft 1
My Vision: Professional. Produced. Prolific. Popular.
What I learned: Difference in the Antag’s Journey is not just opposite the Protag’s
• Opening: Daily Life
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – dismissive. Has his projects to get to which seems suspicious.
o Deeper Layer – everyone is controlling Natalie, even jewelry
• Inciting Incident: Natalie’s Mother dies leaving her broke so Natalie cuts husband loose because she says he’s only after money she no longer has any, only a dying request to claim birthright.
o Protag Natalie – despite her sadness she begins assertiveness and a glimmer of something potentially supernatural happens
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – He refuses to be dismissed. Learns of birthright and decides to follow.
• Turning Point 1: Natalie sets off to claim her inheritance must deal with
o Protag Natalie – trying to navigate journey discovers husband tagging along
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – sets himself up as trying to be helpful but she sees greed
o Antag/Vlad – has a tremor which he tries to dismiss
o Deeper Layer – in her vulnerability Natalie wants someone to lean on
o Genre Convention – rom com push-pull attraction forced together
• Act 2: In Transylvania Natalie meets Vlad and leans on him. A fortune teller warns her off Vlad and tries to confirm if she is a true heir in the Transylvania power lineage but it appears that Natalie is not it
o Protag Natalie – Natalie enjoys someone appreciating her
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – not jealous exactly but doesn’t trust Vlad
o Antag/Vlad – can’t explain this new connection to Natalie but she doesn’t seem to be a threat
o Deeper Layer – Vlad has been warned about a threat to his power
o Genre Conventions – Natalie’s powers grow but can be explained as coincidence
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Discovers her inheritance or be dead – confronts Vlad and husband follows them
o Protag Natalie – being drawn into Vlad’s intentions
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – pissed – Natalie keeps pushing him away, inheritance might be worthless
o Antag/Vlad – maybe he has found a soulmate in Natalie
o Deeper Layer – Natalie can’t really believe in herself as a true love interest or heir so is willing to throw it all away
o Genre Conventions – Vlad and husband struggle with their feelings and doubt any honest intentions
• Act 3: Vlad shows his evil intent. She must defend her pesky husband who is trying to “rescue” her.
o Protag Natalie – Her powers keep growing but she doesn’t realize that she’s the cause of the things happening until her husband points it out signaling that maybe she can trust husband
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – in over his head but is he’s going down he’ll try to do the right things by Natalie
o Antag/Vlad – gives up on his romantic notions which makes his anger even greater
o Deeper Layer – love and money are blood sports
o Genre Conventions – fights and frights, rejection and failure
• Turning Point 3: Natalie tests her powers against Vlad which means she must accept help from her husband
o Protag Natalie – in compromising situation but uses some powers that save her but not her husband
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – relies on Natalie and even confesses attachment to her but she lets him down
o Antag/Vlad – nothing but winning, winning, winning
o Deeper Layer – If Natalie can’t embrace her powers she and husband are dead and Vlad wins
o Genre Conventions – darkness before the dawn (literal dawn could kill Vlad)
• Act 4 Climax: Overcomes enemy and her worst fears culminate in the possibility of losing her husband
o Protag Natalie – conventional fighting and failure
o Antag-Romantic/Husband – tries to puzzle out a win but he’s a prisoner
o Antag/Vlad – this sparing with Natalie has been fun but now it is time to end
o Deeper Layer – Need to employ/trust emotions and bring secrets to light to test them
o Genre Conventions – Natalie has a secret power that Vlad cannot defeat – she was born in light
• Resolution: Accepts ex-husband with new boundaries and personality while testing new energy and power
o Protag Natalie – she has he options – does she want her husband back on new terms? Kill Vlad? Rule Transylvania?
o Antag – Romantic/Husband – he confesses how he came to marry her and it wasn’t money so there is an ability to find mutual trust
o Antag/Vlad – Death would let him rest in peace. The fortune teller would keep reminding him of his fall and harness what remains of his power for the betterment of the community
o Deeper Layer – Love can be built from the ashes and maybe better for it
o Genre Conventions – bad guys must be defeated. Love must triumph.
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Heather’s beat sheet.
I did the beat sheet in Final Draft as it is easier to see the whole thing spread out. I’m going to try and paste it here so everyone can see it, but that may require some technical expertise. Wish me luck.
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