Lesson 3

[Tony Scott]

Tony J Scott Subtext Character

My true vision as a writer is to fall in love with writing and stay motivated to write from the love of writing and not as a chore and then hoping others will love my creations and become well known as a top writer in the screenplay community.

I learned that when you have no idea how to write a story but you have an idea, it may be possible to fully create the story by following a plan before you begin to write. I still have no idea how I’m going to tell this story by I have two-three main characters with intentions and character traits and I have an idea where the main lead begins and how it ends for her. I’m grateful for that much so far.

Movie Title: Underworld
Character Name: <div>

Selene
Subtext Identity: Warrior/Lycan killer

Subtext Trait: Suspicious, crafty, Evasive, Secretive

Subtext Logline: Heartbroken over the slaughter of her family
when she was a little girl. Selene pours out all her killing energy into
killing those she thinks are responsible for the death of her family.

Possible Areas of Subtext: She thinks waking up Viktor and
telling him how Craven is betraying the vampires to the Lycans will work
in her favor. She wasn’t counting on learning that it was actually Viktor,
the man who raised her, who murdered her family to cover up a secret.

3. For your two leads, brainstorm these answers:

· Movie Title: In The Blood

· Character Name: Najah Blackman

Subtext Identity: Time traveler planning to kill her ancestor. </div>

Subtext Trait: Secretive, Undercover, Scheming, Sneaky

Subtext Logline: Traumatized by a site that’s given her
nightmares since she was a child, and because of it she refuses to follow
tradition, becoming a vampire on her 21^st birthday coming out
ball.

Possible Areas of Subtext:
After her father lets it slip out that she can break the curse if
she could find a way to kill her ancient elder, she realizes her father
has been setting her up to do his dirty work for him so he can assume the
role of the true Family Ruler and head over all Vampire clans.

Character Name: Horace Blackman
Subtext Identity: Acting Head of the Vampire clans
Subtext Trait: Evil Corrupt Deceitful

Subtext Logline: He lied and stole the head of the family
position from his older brother who wanted to continue the peace agreement
with the Vatican and has hard-pressed the Vatican armies to war with the
Vampire army.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Unable to kill his father, the true
ruler of the Vampire clans, while during his century long sleep, he tricks
his daughter, Najah, into doing it for him. When she fails she becomes so
determined that she time travels and attempts to kill him in the past.

[Anna Burroughs-Merrill]

Anna’s Subtext Characters

My personal vision: to get my writing mojo back.

What I learned from doing this assignment: My concept is intriguing, but my characters are still rather flat. I need to do some more character development, figure out ways to bring these characters in conflict with one another against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks.

Title: La Sirène (The Mermaid)

Concept: A Coast Guard maverick suspects that his wheel-chair-bound oceanography professor, who holds the fate of his career in her hands, is involved in a series of terrorist attacks against poachers by killer dolphins.

Genre: Mystery / Suspense

——————————

Character with the most subtext: Lorelei Saba

Subtext Identity: Mermaid.

Subtext trait: secretive

Subtext logline: Wheelchair bound college professor by day, Lorelei is really a mermaid.

Possible areas of subtext: she must hide what she really is while attempting to teach humans to respect the frail balance between preserving the ocean and allowing humans to eke a living from the ocean the way that they do.

——————————

Character #2: Jacob Staats

Subtext identity: surfman

Subtext trait: Heroic – daring – reckless – fish out of water

Subtext logline: Jacob Staats will pilot a ship through the straits of hell to save your life, but put him in charge of a team of subordinates, or heading up a criminal investigation, and he’s a fish out of water.

Possible areas of subtext: Jacob’s prior strategy of quelling his fears with bravado no longer works in his new position where only facts, evidence, and an ability to train a team to follow his command matter.

[Will Jennings]

Will Jennings: Subtext Characters

My Vision: I will write movies that are extremely funny and entertaining that bring a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment to a world starving for true enjoyment.

What I learned from doing this assignment is how to see the real person who is hiding in the background.

With your example movie, give us the following answers for the character with the most subtext:

Movie Title: Something’s Gotta Give

Character Name: Erica Barry

Subtext Identity: A playwright who is finally comfortable being divorced after a few years.

Subtext Trait: Insecure, desperate for love

Subtext Logline: Erica is a highly successful writer who secretly aches to be married again.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Why she wears turtlenecks in summer? How does she get herself into a Zen Place? Why does she think her sex life is in the rearview mirror? Will she ever find true love again? Is this young doctor really interested in me? Wondering why is Harry continuing to date young women after our relationship.

Movie Title: Something’s Gotta Give

Character Name: Harry Sanborn

Subtext Identity: A sixty-year-old lifetime womanizer who delights in pursuing beautiful gals under thirty.

Subtext Trait: Charming, afraid of aging

Subtext Logline: Harry is a womanizer who falls for the mother of his latest 20-something fling.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Trying to lead everyone. Afraid of dying for the first time in his life. Wondering if he is too old for the young ladies. After having a heart attack, assures everyone he does not need a daytime nurse.

For your three leads, brainstorm these answers:

Character Name: Gwendolyn

Subtext Identity: A teen from Fairyland who is on a mission to help young people on Earth.

Subtext Trait: Optimistic, laughs about everything.

Subtext Logline: A daughter following orders to help earthlings become kind to one another.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Attempting to see the bright side. Wondering when she will ever go home. Wondering if these people will ever get the message.

Character Name: Abigail

Subtext Identity: A teen from Fairyland who is on a mission to help young people on Earth.

Subtext Trait: Wild, zany, acts then thinks.

Subtext Logline: A daughter following orders to get people to enjoy their situation and get along with each other.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Why don’t they follow my magnificent inspiration? How simple can I make the obvious? Don’t they like to have a good time and get along?

Character Name: Brandi

Subtext Identity: The popular girl who rules her little world of teenage cool kids.

Subtext Trait: Mean, self-righteous, abusive, manipulative, and narcissistic.

Subtext Logline: Brandi is the daughter of a crime family that rules her junior high school, cool kids.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Living up to her parent’s bad intentions. Wondering why everyone doesn’t respect her authority. When will the two new girls fall to her attacks? Wondering if I am really a bad person.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Will Jennings.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Will Jennings.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Will Jennings.

[Claudia OBrien]

Subject Line: Claudia’s Subtext Characters.

My vision: To become the best screenwriter I can be, and to find success in the industry.

What I learned from doing this assignment is: subtext is fun. And it adds depth to the script that will make it even more fun to write.

2. With your example movie, give us the following answers for the character with the most subtext:

· Series Title: Will Trent

· Character Name: Will Trent

· Subtext Identity: A detective who is illiterate and grew up and suffered abuse in the foster care system.

· Subtext Trait: Secretive, suspicious, loner

· Subtext Logline: Will is a brilliant detective who prefers to work alone to hide his illiteracy but cannot read the reports that contain key information needed to solve cases.

· Possible Areas of Subtext: Forced to work with a new detective, he tries to hide his illiteracy and drive her away from working with him; he uses a dictation device to record (and listen to) his thoughts on the case to avoid reading and writing; he uses his powers of observation to find clues.

3. For your two leads, brainstorm these answers:

· Character Name: Grace O’Malley

· Subtext Identity: Nurse who secretly wishes she could have become a doctor.

· Subtext Trait: Polite, tactful, withholding, modest, discreet, intimidated.

· Subtext Logline: After a lifetime of deferring to the expectations of others rather than pursuing her own dreams, Grace falls in love with a completely unsuitable man – a Tuskegee airman.

· Possible Areas of Subtext: She balks when she thinks she knows better; she struggles when her desires don’t mesh with societal expectations.

· Character Name: Ann Wahl

· Subtext Identity: Closet lesbian rejected by her family.

· Subtext Trait: Guarded, secretive, brash.

· Subtext Logline: A closet lesbian whose family disowned her when they discovered her sexual orientation, Ann hides her fear of rejection under a brash, “don’t give a shit” exterior.

· Possible Areas of Subtext: Ann resists falling for Grace; she tries (but fails) to hold everyone at arm’s length for fear of rejection; she naturally leads the nurses, thereby causing herself to be more noticed and under scrutiny; she wants to hate Booker because of Grace’s feelings for him – but she can’t help but respect him.

[Ron Johnson]

My Vision: I want a space that is dedicated to writing, so I can have an entire wall for notecard storyboarding. I want my projects to advance in competitions and then be requested by the studios. I want to see those projects in festivals, in theaters, on streaming platforms. I want writing and producing to be my full time job.

What I learned doing this assignment is that subtext is difficult to find because it’s hidden but it’s well worth the exploration because it makes the characters to much more real and interesting. I can see where having this information at the start is extremely important to crafting a great script.

Example movie.

Out of the Furnance

Russell Cuze(Christian Bale)

subtext identity: integrity

subtext trait: Fixer

subtext logline:Russell Cuze is a hard working guy who’s trying to keep his family together.

possible areas of subtext:drinks to deal with pressure of sick father, tries being a father to his younger brother who suffers from ptsd, wants to be a father, helps anyone who needs it to avoid his own issues.

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”>EDDIE</font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>subtext identity: An </font>underachiever who avoids conflict</font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>subtext traits: hides things, honest, guilt</font></font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>subtext logline:Eddie is a working class guy who avoids any kind of limelight and doesn’t want extra attention.</font></font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>Possible areas of subtext: Turns down promotion at work when he clearly can do the job, lives alone and doesn’t have visitors, helps others to make up for an unseen wound from his past.</font></font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>Det. Taylor</font></font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d” face=”SF UI Text, sans-serif”><font face=”arial”>subtext identity: Manipulative, sadistic</font></font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d”>subtext traits:Controlling</font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d”>subtext logline: Det Taylor is a manipulative police officer who controls criminals with threats</font>

<font color=”#4d5c6d”>Possible areas of subtext: takes pleasure interrogating subjects, using potential charges to motivate criminals to do his bidding. Uses his badge for his own gains. Feels the world at large owes him. </font>

[Maureen Tilyou]

Maureen’s Subtext Characters

MY VISION: By nurturing fun and curiosity in the writing process, I will do my very best to create a successful writing career full of love, full of awe, full of productivity, and full of joy!

What I learned doing this assignment: I thought that I had to take more time to get these answers, but when I went ahead and ‘Filled in the Blanks’, the answers were there 🙂

1. Start this assignment by empowering yourself using our State-To-Activity empowerment process.

State: I love discovering…

Activity: …the subtext of my characters!

2. With your example movie, give us the following answers for the character with the most subtext:

Movie Title: The Fugitive

Character Name: Richard Kimble

Subtext Identity: Fugitive on the run trying to prove his innocence

Subtext Trait: Concealing, Undercover, Strategic

Subtext Logline: Richard Kimble is a fugitive on the run using undercover concealing strategies in order to stay safe while trying to prove his innocence.

Possible Areas of Subtext: 1) Every time he comes into contact with people they could recognize him, so every conversation is fraught with danger. 2) In order to prove his innocence, he has to enter areas where he is in danger of being caught. 3) The subtext in one scene that is clear to us from his behavior, but we still can’t believe it until he does it- He’s rather JUMP than let them take him to prison and lose his chance to clear himself. Wow!

3. For your two leads, brainstorm these answers:

Character Name: Daniel

Subtext Identity: Psychologically damaged genius on the run, trying to expose one secret, while hiding other layers of secrets from himself and others.

Subtext Trait: Secretive, Obsessive Control Compulsions, Undercover,

Subtext Logline: Daniel is a Psychologically damaged genius who is forced out of his self created comfort zone where he controls everything- and out into the world where he controls nothing.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Just trying to survive out in the world where his control is nil or limited. Desperately trying to regain control in this new circumstance while on the run from killers. In order to survive, he needs to ACT quickly, where he would previously game plan and weigh every decision. He is totally off kilter, but must step up to survive.

Character Name: Gideon

Subtext Identity: Layer 1: Member of Reboot :Layer 2: Spy and Advocate for Anti-Reboot group.

Subtext Trait: Concealing, Secretive

Subtext Logline: Gideon is a long time member of Reboot who is secretly working against them.

Possible Areas of Subtext: In his dealings with everyone he knows, including Daniel, his wife, Johanna, other members of Reboot, etc.

Character Name: Johanna

Subtext Identity: Competitor and Con, Leading Member of Reboot.

Subtext Trait: Manipulative, Devious, Treacherous

Subtext Logline: Johanna is a leader in Reboot who manipulates and betrays everyone to further Reboot’s cause.

Possible Areas of Subtext: Her dealings with husband Gideon, Daniel, and everyone else not on board with Reboot. When trying to protect Gideon, she lies to other Reboot members.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Maureen Tilyou.

[Mahee Sanapareddy]

Mahee’s Subtext Characters

My Vision – I want to be a great writer who is well-respected and recognized in the industry, with successful books published and blockbuster movies produced. I want to create a successful movie franchise that audiences all over the world will love, rave about, look forward to, and continue to enjoy many years from now.

What I learned from doing this assignment is discovering the subtext of my lead characters. This has always been a hard one for me to master.

Movie Title: The Terminator

Character Name: Sarah Connor

Subtext Identity: A waitress with a boring life suddenly learns she’s the mother of the future.

Subtext Trait: Disbelief, Timid, Fearful, Suspicious

Subtext Logline: An ordinary waitress is pursued by two visitors from the future, one to protect her and the other to kill her.

Possible Areas of Subtext: She can’t run, she can’t hide. She is suspicious of Kyle, but then depends on him to protect her. She is terrified of the terminator. Realizes no one can save her except herself.

Character Name: TREVON

Subtext Identity: A young kid who must rebel against the very leader he’s following.

Subtext Trait: Aggressive, impatient, high-strung

Subtext Logline: Trevon rebels against Reverend DuVernay during his search for his father’s assassin.

Possible Areas of Subtext: He’s scheming, plotting trying to link DuVernay to his father’s death. Struggling to get out of his own shadow. Embarks on an interdimensional voyage to a parallel world. Finds his extraterrestrial alter ego with deep links to the dark side. Must help him attain enlightenment, as he himself goes through a change.

Character Name: Reverend DuVernay

Subtext Identity: A corrupt, ruthless, and crooked politician who uses his followers to his advantage

Subtext Trait: Conniving, Hypocritical, Narcissistic, Perverted, and Untrustworthy

Subtext Logline: He does the opposite of what he preaches as he set his eyes on the congressional seat. Exudes a flamboyant confidence in public, is deeply disturbed in private.

Possible Areas of Subtext: He makes false promises, talks big game, seduces women, misleads his followers, lives a life of lies without any shame, always focused on himself.

[Natasha Paris]

I am a uniquely amazing, inspiring, prolific, and successful writer/director whose name alone sales. I have a huge following because I help change the world for the better.

Title: Missing in Costa Rica

Genre: Drama

Logline: Based on a true story, a sister retraces the steps of her missing sister in a foreign country.

Protagonist Character: Victoria

• Logline: A newly wed, newly immigrant tormented artist desperately tries to find her sister lost in Cost Rica while keeping her family afloat.

• Unique: She’s an immigrant, a newly wed, and now she has to save her sister while keeping her family and parents together.

Arc Beginning: happy, newly wed, and sister/mother/daughter

Arc Ending: hurt, lost, heartbroken sister

Internal Journey: starting a new life with new prospects

External Journey: lost her sister but better relationship with her husband

Old Ways: rely on sister, not value husband words, happy, believe in life

New Ways: lost, value husband, weight of family.

Subtext Identity:

She starts as an immigrant, newlywed, tormented writer and mother, leaning on her sister for support and guidance. Victoria battles not only the challenges of her sister’s disappearance but also her own internal demons. Her journey involves not just finding her sister but also finding her voice as a writer and a reason to keep living, evolving into a resilient and resourceful problem solver who shoulders the weight of her family’s well-being.

Subtext Trait:

Artistic resilience. She must confront not only external challenges but also her own creative and emotional struggles. As she confronts her suicidal tendencies, she discovers an inner strength and determination to not only survive but to also be a beacon of hope for her family, especially when her sister goes missing.

Subtext Logline:

“In the midst of her sister’s mysterious disappearance, Victoria, a struggling and suicidal writer, embarks on a harrowing journey of self-discovery, discovering a profound resilience within herself as she transforms from a troubled soul to a determined leader in her quest for family and truth.”

Possible Areas of Subtext:

Identity Shift: Victoria’s journey is not just about finding her sister but also about discovering her own strength and identity as an immigrant and wife. This subtext explores how her roles and sense of self evolve throughout the story.

Finding Purpose: As Victoria delves deeper into the search for her sister, the subtext can explore how this mission becomes her newfound purpose in life, giving her a reason to live and fight.

Connection to Her Sister: The link between Victoria’s suicidal thoughts and her sister’s disappearance can be explored, adding depth to their relationship and highlighting the emotional complexity of the story.

Survivor’s Guilt: If Victoria’s sister’s disappearance is linked to her suicidal tendencies or if she feels responsible for it in any way, the subtext can delve into her survivor’s guilt and how she copes with this complex emotion.

[Tully Archer]

TITLE: Fearly Beloved

GENRE: Horror (Rom) Comedy

CONCEPT: A couple on the verge of a break up is brought together by the challenges of living in a haunted house.

CHARACTER: Kavish Mandal

ROLE: Main character / boyfriend

COVERT TRAIT: Fearful.

COVERT IDENTITY: A little boy who’s hoping for lasting comfort.

COVER ACTIVITY: Giving to others, in ways that feel safe. Protects his heart.

SUBTEXT LOGLINE: Kavish has an acceptance wound, is scared of a broken heart; covers by giving in ways that feel safe; when triggered, will flee to the comfort of linear task-doing or worse, what he thinks of as “cold logic” (it will have ignored many facts unhelpful to him in that moment) no matter how irrational.