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Lesson 3
Reply to post your assignment.
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20 Replies
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Kelly’s World and Characters!
What I learned? I learned to focus on the big picture and try not to think down the line. I kept thinking about the feelings and engagement that I want to have.
When her brother gets arrested for attempted murder a hacker starts investigating a mind hacking system that causes users to commit terrorist acts.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? What is causing users on social media to commit terrorist acts?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?The CEO is manipulating the system to cause users to commit terrorist acts in order to get a government contract.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? As the villain tries to kill her she tries to prevent terrorist acts.
Thrilling Word of Mind Hack : this is a thrilling world because it goes into the dark world of hackers/dark web and their methods.
HERO: AVERY
A. What is the mystery of this character? What is causing users on social media to commit terrorist acts?
B. What is the suspense of this character?The closer she gets to fininding out the cause the more danger she is in because the villain’s wants to keep it a secret.
C. What is the intrigue of this character?She hacks and steals from companies that take advantage of customers, she goes after sex traffickers.
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
VILLAIN: BENNET:
What is the mystery of this character? What is causing users like his partner’s daughter to commit terrorist acts?
What is the intrigue of this character? Keep his plan hidden so that he can sell his governmental surveillance system.
What is the suspense of this character? Will this single minded industrialist create enough havoc?
RED HERRING CONNOR
What is the mystery of this character? Is he responsible for the havoc that is happening?
What is the intrigue of this character? Is something causing him to create havoc in the everyday world?
What is the suspense of this character? How far will he go in creating havoc for ordinary people?
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<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: Monica’s World and Characters!
What I learned doing this assignment is that in a thriller each character must have the MIS as part of their make-up.
CONCEPT: After the last war to end all wars, the One World government must act with total transparency, as must all citizens, until rogue forces find a way to mask the transparency and manipulate decisions for their benefit.
Big Mystery: Who is orchestrating the manipulation of the transparent
decision-making process and what is their end game?Big Intrigue: Who is trying to stop the Protagonist from delving into the discrepancies of the decision-making process by leaving her clues and threats to stop her digging?
Big Suspense: Death threats, sabotage and pressure from those who want to silence the Protagonist as she gets closer and closer to exposing the conspiracy.
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
Post-apocalyptic one world government that must make decisions with total transparency. The OWG must convene in transparent chambers, visible to the public at all times, as they debate and make decisions that shape the World. The catch, all Citizens are subject to the same transparency laws.
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
Hero: Livia Brady, Administrator, ensures that the transparency laws are being followed by the OWG.
Mystery: Once she realizes her naiveté, how does she discover who’s behind the manipulation of the decision-making and transparency laws.
Suspense: She must find and enlist the help of the leader of a group of rogue Citizens who refuse to live inside the transparency confines.
Intrigue: Will she get hurt or killed for exposing the conspiracy.
Villain: Senator Ricky Green
Mystery: How is he manipulating the decision-making to get around the transparency laws? Will he kill Livia to take over the government?
Suspense: He’s a master manipulator and somehow evaded execution for his previous corruption and managed to survive the war. He is setting Livia up to take the fall because of her belief that this new system of government works.
Intrigue: Everything he does is covert and has a small team of like-minded senators implementing his plan.
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Alyssa’s World and Characters!
What I learned: This process is really helping! I changed my narrative a little bit, to be focused more on the characters and their involvement in the story rather just than a big bad villain and basic plot- my character’s roles in the narrative became more focused and in the forefront. Everyone wants Cobra (our hero’s former partner) because they think he has access to the main villain or knows some deep secret about the villain that will wreck his plans, and our hero Ace is the only one who can find him.
Current logline: An unpredictable ex-CIA agent with trust issues is roped into hunting down her traitorous former partner who holds the key to stopping a villain who wants to blow up the world.
Big Mystery: Does Cobra actually know who is is bombing major cities and will he help Ace, if she can find him?
Big Intrigue: Who does Cobra actually work for and is it linked to the shadow organization she now works for? Will Cobra help her or is he lying all over again, like when he betrayed her before? Will Cobra tell his secrets or die with them?
Big Suspense: Will Cobra, once found, try to kill her again despite offering to help? Will the bombs keep destroying cities, including the one our heroes are in? Will Cobra help Ace or is he setting her up?
Intriguing World: I’m still working on developing a unique world for my story, but it’ll be the life and work of these spies within this world-wide shadow organization and how it interacts with other organizations (CIA, MI6, etc)
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>HERO: Ace
Mystery: Ace is an unpredictable ex-CIA agent who works for the shadow organization trying to change the world after her former partner betrayed her and left her for dead, causing her to distrust everyone- especially new partners.
Intrigue: What really happened between her and Cobra? Will she work with the CIA or is she operating on her own terms? Can she learn to trust Bryson as her new partner or will she leave him hanging at the worst moment?
Suspense: Can she learn to trust herself and others or will she end up trusting the wrong person once again, putting her life and the world in danger? Will her unpredictable nature help her succeed or cause her to fail? Who is trying to stop her from finding Cobra, who will kill to keep her away?
RED HERRING: Bryson, Ace’s new partner
Mystery: Who is Bryson and why is his past shrouded in red tape?
Intrigue: Why does he know so much about Ace, Cobra and their pasts?
Suspense: Is Bryson a plant by the villain and just another partner who will betray Ace?
RED HERRING: Cobra, Ace’s former partner
Mystery: Can Ace find Cobra and get him to talk before more cities burn?
Intrigue: Ace and Cobra were former partners and lovers- what happened that caused him to betray her? Who does he work for now? Is he an enemy who is working with the villain or is he a covert agent trying to stop him? What does he know and why does everyone want to find him?
Suspense: Is he going to help Ace or try to kill her again?
VILLAIN: Lintz, leader of the shadow organization
Mystery: How did he become the head of the shadow organization that operates as spies for hire to help bring world change for the better, without the red tape? Are they only doing good or does he have another agenda?
Intrigue: Why does Lintz send his best agent back to the CIA right before an important mission? Does he know something more about what’s going on? Is he a good guy or has he sold his soul to the highest bidder?
Suspense: Is Lintz’s organization really helping the world or making things worse? And if Ace finds out what he’s up to, will he kill her?
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Alyssa Giannola.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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I’m learning that you must put the three MIS into most every main character. It also has brought up the question for me “do I need a Red Herring Character” in this story? I’m not sure yet, but something to think about as I navigate through these Thriller Story elements.
MYSTERY: Is the daughters struggle to uncover the clues to find her parents but also Why this has happened to them.
INTRIGUE: The Mowgai has captured the father to seek revenge for his own fathers death, which plays out during the film. Why is her father involved, what don’t we know about him?
SUSPENSE: The daughter puts her life and that of her Martial Arts teacher in danger once the Triads, find out they are being watched.
DAY 3.
WORLD: CASINO’S. Criminal underworld of Chinese Triads known as “The Corporation” operates both in Australia and China. Criminal activities include: drug importation & distribution (heroin), illegal gambling, money laundering, extortion, prostitution.
May Cheng: HERO/ Daughter
A: Mystery: May struggles to uncover the clues to find her parents but also WHY this has happened to them.
B: Intrigue: She appears to be an easy going young woman but deep down she is a mean lean fighting machine.
C: Suspense: The more she unravels about the Triads the more she is putting herself in danger.
“The Dragon” VILLAIN Long
A: Mystery: Why does he want May’s father captured?
B: Intrigue: He has a team of soldiers doing his dirty workC: Suspense: He declares that he wants to kill May’s father for revenge of his own fathers’ death.
Cheng Shi / Father (English name John)
A: Mystery: Why is John on The Dragon’s hit list?B: Intrigue: What lies has he been telling his family?
C: Suspense: We eventually find out that he is an undercover CIA Agent and through his duty, killed The Dragon’s father
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What I learned is that there are multiple layers to a great thriller script that need to be thought through carefully.
Logline: “A retired spy must reclaim his extraordinary combat abilities that were stolen using a muscle memory extraction device and implanted into a young and ruthless rogue agent, who works for a clandestine organization attempting to steal the abilities of elite individuals to create their own unstoppable army.”
Big Mystery:
Who stole his abilities, how did they do it and is there a bigger purpose at play?
Big Intrigue:
Shadow Organization: Behind the young rogue agent, there exists a covert organization with intentions of creating an army of enhanced spies using the extracted abilities from the best agents around the world. Their aim? Overthrowing governments and seizing power in multiple nations simultaneously.
Big Suspense:
The spy must contend with more combat experienced spies and assassins trying to stop him. Moreover, the longer his abilities remain implanted in another, the harder they will be to recover and the more unstable his existing memories become, making it more difficult for him to decipher fact from fiction.
World Setting:
The Underground Black Market and fight club:
This setting would be rife with whispered secrets and hidden agendas where the muscle memory extraction device could have originally been bought or is being sold to the highest bidder. Furthermore, top agents could be present, and deals are made discreetly. Within the black market could be a fight club where the rogue agent might test and display his newfound abilities against formidable opponents to further improve the bidding war for their skills. The dingy, adrenaline-charged atmosphere is perfect for unexpected confrontations.
HERO (Retired Spy)
Mystery: How will he track down and confront the rogue agent who now possesses his stolen combat abilities?
Intrigue: As he navigates the world without his abilities, he discovers deeper layers of betrayal within the organizations he once trusted. While his aim is to recover his abilities, there’s the question of whether he’ll use them for vengeance or justice.
Suspense: Can he reclaim his abilities and stop the clandestine organization’s plan to steal and implant elite skills into an unstoppable army, especially when he’s at his most vulnerable?
RED HERRING (Possible Third Party – Former Ally/Protegé)
Mystery: Why is this ally/protegé always at the scene after the rogue agent’s deeds? What’s their end game?
Intrigue: They seem to have their own secretive operations running parallel to the rogue agent’s actions. They leave clues, some that aid and some that hinder the retired spy’s mission.
Suspense: Will they cross paths with the retired spy, leading to a confrontation? And if so, on which side will they truly stand?
VILLAIN (Rogue Agent):
Mystery: Beyond having the retired spy’s abilities, what drives the rogue agent? What’s his personal stake in all of this?
Intrigue: With every encounter, it becomes clear the rogue agent is not just a mere puppet of the organization but has his own vendetta and ambitions. He’s always a step ahead, leaving breadcrumbs of his bigger plan.
Suspense: As he becomes more emboldened by the stolen abilities, who else is in his crosshairs? Will he turn on the very organization that empowered him, aiming for something even bigger?
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Tim Barley’s World and Characters for “Travel By Night”
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I’ve got a really big idea and characters floating around my head, but this lesson is the beginning of making them more concrete.
CONCEPT: In the darkness of America’s nighttime highways and byways, a courier with a mysterious package travels on a perilous journey evading relentless pursuers while navigating the secret society of nighttime denizens from truckers to mythic beings.
Big Mystery: The content and importance of the mysterious package to his future self, his job and other denizens of the night.
Big Intrigue: The future version of the courier is orchestrating events from behind the scenes, manipulating the present through underhanded and hidden means.
Big Suspense: The escalating danger to the courier, trying to complete his delivery as they are pursued not only by their future self’s agents but also other night denizens with varying motives.
INTRIGUING WORLD:
The nighttime world of travelers made up of the lonely, truckers, drivers, law enforcement, pirates, strange mythic beings and the gods of the night, traveling the highways and hidden byways from one bright neon-lit oasis to the next. A world filled with secrets, danger, and magic—a place where every journey is a story and every traveler harbors a hidden purpose or desire.
Top Inner Circle of Characters:
1. The Hero – The Courier:
Big Mystery: What’s his connection to the package and this world, and why was he chosen to carry this package?
Suspense: Will he succeed in delivering the package or will he uncover the truth behind the package?
Intrigue: What led him to this life, and how does he know so much about it?
2. The Ally – Astra, The Roadwise Girl: A 17-year-old emancipated girl who has grown up within the nighttime world, familiar with its unspoken code, mythic beings, and secrets.
Mystery: Why is she alone on the road, and what’s her connection to the hero?
Suspense: How will her knowledge and connections help or hinder the hero’s journey? What secrets is she keeping?
Intrigue: Is she real or inside The Courier’s head? What drives her loyalty to the hero?
3. The Villain – Nocturne: A dark, enigmatic figure hell-bent on stopping The Courier.
Mystery: What’s the true nature of his pursuit, and how are they connected to The Courier?
Suspense: Will he convince The Courier to stop his mission or open the package before The Courier learns how Nocturne is?
Intrigue: The complexity of their mission, the duality of being both a foe and possibly a protector, and the moral ambiguity of their actions add layers of intrigue.
4. The Red Herring – The Fellow Courier: A seemingly friendly fellow courier whom our hero encounters on the road, providing camaraderie and doubt.
Mystery: Why does this new courier have time to hang out and help our hero?
Suspense: Are they an ally, or a secret adversary, or merely a diversion, pulling the hero’s attention from the real villain?
Intrigue: Are they friend or foe? What’s their hidden agenda?
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Timothy Barley.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Timothy Barley.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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What I learned from this assignment is how to paint my characters with the same broad, but particular to the Thriller, strokes as the overall story. This gives the same level or Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense to the characters as the plot. Therefore, we have created a new level, or layer, to the story. This has also helped define the characters themselves.
PART I: The overall concept, and the Big MIS of the story.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is killing the players, and why do the game losers die? Has the dead boy’s ghost found a way to wreak revenge on the players who bullied him into suicide?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
The Cop, whose son committed suicide after losing all his games in a club tournament and being tease and bullied by the other players, is getting revenge for his dead boy.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
One by one, the chess players are killed — until they begin to turn on one another — and on Jackie.
PART II: The Intriguing World of the story.
In the chess world, it is common for clubs to have an annual club championship tournament. But this year, the Death Valley Chess Club is holding its tournament in an abandoned office building outside of town — where the boy who lost every game in their tournament three years ago killed himself. And, because Hurricane Oscar has kicked up an electrical storm, cell phone communication is not working.
PART III: The Lead Characters.
The Red Herring: Strange, but true, my Red Herring is dead before the movie begins. In fact, he is the underlying cause of the story.
A: The mystery of the dead boy is whether his ghost is having revenge on the players?
B: The Intrigue of this character is that it is his father and his ally who is wreaking havoc on the chess club.
C: The suspense of this character is that he was teased, ostracized, and bullied into suicide.
The Hero: The lovely and brilliant young Jackie, who is preparing to go to college as soon as she can raise the money, but meanwhile has taken over as chess club president.
A: Her mystery is whether she can organize the players into a strike force that will find the murderer.
B: Her intrigue is that she is part of The Cop’s plan to murder all of the guilty players.
C: He suspense is that the killer is murdering players who have lost their games — will she lose a game and become his next victim?
The Villain: The Cop, the father of the dead boy. After he was shot in the line of duty in San Diego, his unstable wife left him, bringing their son to Death Valley, where her parents lived. He became a detective, and after his son’s death, he joined the Death Valley P. D. in an effort to find out how his son died, and why.
A: His mystery is that no one (except Jackie) knows who he is, or his relationship to either the dead boy or Jackie.
B: His Intrigue is that he Seems to die soon after he enters the building.
C: His Suspense is whether he will be found and caught by the angry, desperate chess players who are his victims.
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Barbe’s World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is I’m starting to tease out the difference between Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense
CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S
Logline/Pilot Episode: When the owner of a mystery bookstore is arrested for murder, the members of the Mystery Mavens Book Club step up to investigate and clear their friend’s name.
Big Mystery: What were the two guys doing in Max’s office? Who were they? Why were they there? Surprising motives and reveals.
Big Intrigue: What were these guys after? Were they working on their own? Who is Max – really? Why has he hidden his past? Why would somebody frame Max?
Big Suspense: These guys were obviously working for somebody else. That somebody else is still after whatever it is that was in Max’s safe. The Mavens are in danger because whoever is pulling the strings is not going to stop until s/he gets what’s in the safe. S/he will go through anyone who gets in his/her way: Max, The Mavens – one by one, even David.
WORLD: Art Crime with hints of organized crime, money laundering, and smuggling.
CHARACTERS
HEROES: The Mavens – 7 resourceful book club members who want to help their friend and resolve to use their deep knowledge of crime (albeit fictional) to solve the case.
Mystery: How could
their friend be tangled up with this villain?Intrigue: How will they
use their wit and wisdom to outwit a mastermind?
Suspense: Will they be
able to solve the crime in the face of personal danger?RED HERRING: Max Middleton – owner of Whodunitz the mystery bookstore
Mystery: Who is
he—really?
Intrigue: Why is he
keeping his past a secret? How does he get mixed up with the villain?
Suspense: Is he guilty?
The villain will stop at nothing to get his/her hands on what Max is
hiding.VILLAIN: (no name — yet)
Mystery: Why does s/he
covet whatever is in Max’s safe?
Intrigue: The villain’s
motive is imbedded in a web of conspiracy.
Suspense: Very likely to
go after the Mavens – one by one in myriad ways. -
Judith’s World and Characters – L3 – Creating world/characters with MIS – homework
What I learned doing this assignment is how important MIS is for the whole script, the world and characters.
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the MIS of your story.
A freshman college student becomes involved in solving the mystery of why coeds are being killed on campus.
Big Mystery is Who is killing these coeds and why and why does Jackson have nightmares for a week before each of his birthdays?
Big Intrigue is the professor has created an environment for himself where he is beloved by the students and admired by the faculty, but he has a need to keep doing something for himself to keep himself young.
Big Suspense – will Jackson be able to keep himself from being a victim of the professor?
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for you story.
My intriguing world is the manipulative relationship between student and professor.
3. With your Hero and Villain, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions.
Hero: Jackson Meyers – student who eventually solves the murder of the coed killings.
Villain: Professor Mimosa – the narcissistic professor who is using coeds for his own personal gain.
HERO: JACKSON MEYERS
1. What is the mystery of the hero?
Jackson Meyers has nightmares every year a week before his birthday.
2. What is the intrigue of the hero?
Don’t have this yet.
3. What is the suspense of the hero?
Will he be killed by the man killing coeds because he has become involved in finding out who this person is?
VILLAIN: PROFESSOR MIMOSA
1. What is the mystery of the villain?
He uses the babies of coeds he has impregnated to stay young.
2. What is the intrigue of the villain?
He manipulates the young coeds, making them believe he is in love with them and gets them pregnant. Then he aborts the fetus at a certain time to get the fluid he needs to stay young.
3. What is the suspense of the villain?
Will this villain destroy Jackson and be able to continue his horrid process of creating his stay young fluid?
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Jamie Stegner World and Characters M. I. S.
What I learned: The Thriller conventions enhance the horror. They were there to some extent but bringing the Thriller aspects to the top strengthens the story.
1. Logline: To compel her runaway brats to return home, nasty Mother dies. And to keep them home forever she hides a fortune in cash for them to fight over – fight to the death.
Mystery: Where is the cash hidden? What did Mother do with it?
Intrigue: Dark old house with many nooks and crannies, basement and attic. Life-long hatred of brother and sister – encouraged by Mother. Criminal past of the family apparent in the weapons displayed, photo portraits with gangsters. Father who disappeared found dead in the attic. Clipping of an abducted girl found in old photo album. Was a boy ‘lost’ too? Terrible storm beats on the house and muddies the driveway impassable.
Suspense: Who will survive the weekend? Who will find the cash?
2. World: Dark old house built on a cliff over a Great Lake during Prohibition for smuggling whiskey from Canada. Isolated by forest. Estranged sister and brother come home to bury Mother and settle the estate. Terrible storm isolates them in the house for the weekend.
3. Characters: Sister: Mystery: Why has she kept the existence of her Mother and brother secret from her husband? She doesn’t want to return but they need any money from the estate. Intrigue: Memories of terrible childhood. Finds news article about snatched 4 yr old girl –photo: it could be her. Secret motive: last chance to kill her murderer brother. How can she kill her brother and make it look like an accident? Bank letters indicate Mother received 10MM from Father’s life insurance and withdrew it all. Where did Mother hide the cash? Suspense: Will her marriage survive the reveal of this big secret? Will she survive the weekend? Will her plan to kill brother succeed? Will she find the cash? Brother: Mystery: Will he find the cash before sister does? Intrigue: What will he do with the sharp point he’s whittling? What will he do with the hangman’s noose he’s making with a very long slim rope? He re-hid the small amount of cash and bear trap he found; who will he spring it on? His old vampire costume resurfaces. He has extensive collection of guns and awful knives. His room has taxidermied snarling animals. Mother: Her plan to have the sister and brother fight over the 10MM is in place. She compels their return home with her death. They will kill each other and remain in the house with her forever.
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Alfred Dunham: World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment:
Having all this stuff in mind before starting to write is not only helpful, but imperative. In a layered story, like a Thriller, it’s way too easy to get mixed up and confused. There is a LOT happening, and it had better happen in the right places or it won’t make sense, or thrill. Just setting this up was a nightmare.
CONCEPT AND BIG M.I.S.
CONCEPT
Once classmates in college, two young men, one a paleontologist student and one a physics student, clash over the woman they are both interested in. They all go their separate ways, however, and years later, the more mature woman (an established artist, now) chooses to marry the paleontologist. The former genius physics student now owns his own high-tech robotics/electronics firm, and although the other two have all but forgotten him, he has not forgotten them. As he remembers it, the insult of having his marriage proposal turned down was incendiary. With her marriage to his rival, he vows to get even [shades of Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker in the 1944 film-noir, Laura]. [MOVIE BEGINS HERE] He wants to psychologically torture them to death.
BIG M.I.S.
Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story?
Who is out to brutally kill or drive Ryan & Isabella mad, and why?
Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie?
Whoever or whatever is doing this to Ryan seems happy enough to destroy Isabella, too, if it serves their purpose, and they seem to want it to hurt – badly.
Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script?
Is Ryan and/or Isabella going to be killed, or simply driven mad by the ordeal?
INTRIGUING WORLD
We are taken inside the conflicted mind of a very disturbed man who on the one hand has an exquisite appreciation of beauty and cohesion, yet can also entertain the most profoundly ugly, revolting, visions of punishment for the one thing, the one person, he professes to love most. Maximus Blackwood’s Valley is a physical rendition of what’s in his head – his concept of a nightmare in Heaven.
CHARACTERS
Main Character/Protagonist/Hero – The Husband – A Paleontologist
Ryan (Rocky) Stone
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Ryan has become something of a loner. Why Bella, now? What happened between he and Bella – the time frame between college and now?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Ryan is in an almost impossible situation. New wife, unanswered questions, alien world… how will he handle it?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Will he and Bella figure it out in time? How will this impact their marriage if they do make it?
Antagonist – Villain
Maximus (Megabyte) Blackwood
A. What is the mystery of this character?
What is wrong with his mind? Is this something Bella saw when she turned him down? What is he thinking now?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Exactly how far is Maximus willing to take his felt need for revenge?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
What is going to happen to him in the end?
Contagonist – The Red Herring
Silas Locke
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Who is this person that Ryan has come to trust?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Why is he doing this?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Will Silas ever come to realize what he’s done and try to correct it?
Influence Character/Guardian – The Wife who is paired with the Husband
Isabella (Bella) Lake
A. What is the mystery of this character?
What is going on in Bella’s mind as this story unravels? Her part in it?
B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will Ryan live up to her expectations? Did she choose well, or…?
C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Will Bella be strong enough to get through this ordeal?
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Jennifer Miller’s World and Characters!
What I’ve learned is that honing in on the top three characters and aligning their MIS is key to keeping the thriller tightly focused and perfectly attuned from the start, generating MIS in every aspect. Additionally, focusing more on the world, which I rarely do, was enjoyable, and brainstorming ideas for the setting/world with AI was a fun experience.
Concept:
Title: SWIPE LEFT AND DIE
A bookstore owner and former child psychologist navigates the sinister side of a dating app to save her missing daughter, only to uncover secrets that reveal a dangerous past connection.
Big M.I.S.:
Big Mystery: Where is Emily, her daughter? Who took her, and can Hazel find her in time?
Big Intrigue: Jessica, posing as a lamb, plans to take the one thing Hazel loves more than anything—Emily—as retribution for the loss of the only person Jessica ever loved, her brother Marcus.
Big Suspense: Will Hazel be killed or harmed trying to find Emily? Will she figure out the game in time to save her daughter.
Intriguing World: Amid the sleek interface of a sophisticated dating app lies a world where the pursuit of love collides with a web of vengeance.
Characters:
HERO: Hazel Ferguson
Mystery: Who has taken her daughter?
Intrigue: She may run a bookstore, but she is a trained psychologist who knows how to quickly read and unravel people.
Suspense: She aggressively searches her missing daughter, putting her in more and more danger.
RED HERRING: Liam Harding:
Mystery: How does Liam’s secret relationship with Emily tie into her sudden disappearance?
Intrigue: He orchestrated an intricate web of fake dating profiles to romantically pursue Emily and win her over. He keeps his relationship with Emily secret, while his tech empire’s multimillion-dollar sale is impending.
Suspense: Unveiling his hidden motives progressively reveals a shrewd and calculating persona. Liam’s motives and actions blur the line between friend and foe, complicating Hazel’s quest to find her daughter and raising questions about him.
VILLAIN: Jessica Star (Mandy Dryer)
Mystery: Why is she going to such lengths to hurt Hazel/Emily? What happened between her and Hazel? Who is she really?
Intrigue: She has been planning revenge since seeing Hazel hailed as a hero on the news. She befriended Emily and set up LIAM HARDING (Dating Apps Creator) to enact her revenge. She plants clues using the dating app and digital footprints, commits murders, stalks her targets, and poses as an ever-helpful friend, all to get revenge against Hazel.
Suspense: Will she kill or harm Emily before Hazel can find her?
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Peter Saltzman’s World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is…?
Each step in the process helps me find new details and fill in holes (while simultaneously exposing new holes!)
Once again, I’m posting two concepts because I’m still unsure which one I’m going with…
Concept 1: Harmonic Freedom
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Big Mystery: How has Beethoven been lured into being a virtual slave in Virginia? How will he escape the doctor’s plan with his health and dignity intact?<div>
Big Intrigue: To manipulate Beethoven into composing a “masterpiece” that celebrates Southern values.
Big Suspense: That he will become enslaved and have to do the artistic bidding of his master.
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
Beethoven is virtually imprisoned in the main house of the expansive plantation, but through Ada, the violinist-slave assigned to help him, he is led to a discrete corner of the plantation, where a small gathering of slaves who are skilled musicians themselves keeps alive African traditions and melds them with the world of early America.
1. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
HERO: Beethoven</div><div>
What is the mystery of this character? How has the doctor cured him, and at what price?
B. What is the intrigue of this character? If he can escape, what will the greatest composer in history do with the new musical language he has learned from the slaves?
C. What is the suspense of this character? Will he be enslaved himself or killed trying to escape?
RED HERRING: Isadora Brown (wife of the doctor)
What is the mystery of this character? As a brilliant amateur pianist and Beethoven freak herself, she seems to be the one who has lured the composer into this trap and expects repayment with a series of compositions dedicated to her.
B What is the intrigue of this character? Her provenance is mysterious, and it the doctor may have rescued her from poverty or slavery in Haiti or some other island nation.
C. What is the suspense of this character? Will she help Beethoven escape and at what cost to her own status?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Villian: Albert Brown (brilliant doctor, slaveholder)
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the mystery of this character? A complete musical illiterate, what is his obsession with Beethoven? And how did such a seemingly thoughtless and depraved man become such a brilliant doctor—or is there some fraud behind it?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the intrigue of this character? He is willing to manipulate anybody, including his wife, to get what he wants. But what does he want?
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What is the suspense of this character? He has seemingly cured Beethoven of his deadly illness and restored his hearing but expects the composer to do his bidding in return.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Concept 2: Fugue
1. Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.
Big Mystery: Who is manipulating Milo’s career and why?</div><div>
Big Intrigue: Will Howie manage to keep Milo from escaping a miserable career and broken marriage and keep him from bringing his brilliant music to the world?
Big Suspense: Will Milo’s career be permanently damaged, and will he be killed in the process of staging his comeback?
2. Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story.
A hidden network of musicians, waitstaff, and performers who have all experienced mysterious setbacks in their careers. Milo discovers this tight-knit group while searching for a way to restore his own career. They exchange stories and secrets, uncovering a pattern suggesting deliberate interference in their lives.
3. With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:
HERO: Milo Coles, brilliant forgotten musician</div>
A. What is the mystery of this character? How has he gotten stuck in this situation, and why can’t he get out?
B What is the intrigue of this character? Beneath his depressed state, he’s an absolute musical magician
.C. What is the suspense of this character? Every opportunity for escape leads to something worse or danger to his life.
RED HERRING: Misty Jones (club owner, bartender)
What is the mystery of this character? She’s a music lover but a cynic who seems to want to keep Milo here for her own amusement
.B What is the intrigue of this character? She has a mysterious background, having become the club owner overnight a few years back out of the blue with no previous background in the business.
C. What is the suspense of this character? Will she keep Milo trapped or help him escape, even if it leads to the downfall of her club?
Villian: Howie Spike, music critic
What is the mystery of this character? A respected music critic noted for his flowery language, he has a past with Milo and may, out of jealousy, be thwarting him.
What is the intrigue of this character? What does he have against Milo, professionally and personally?
What is the suspense of this character? To what extremes will he go to destroy Milo once and for all? Even if it means ruining his own career.
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Maureen’s Intriguing World and Characters for ABUELO
What I learned doing this assignment is
that it doesn’t matter if I’m drawing a blank (or 10). Do the
Assignment, Work the Process– it will come.CONCEPT: A Colombian Abuela
(Grandmother) travels north
on foot through some of the most dangerous terrain, pursued by
ruthless killers, on a mission to save her 12 year old Granddaughter
and 8 year old Grandson from the Cartels.Big Mystery: Where are Abuela’s
Grandchildren and who has them?Big Intrigue: The covert plan of the
Cartels, and those who work with them, to traffic men, women and
children from South America and elsewhere, to make money by any means
available.The Big Suspense: Will Abuela find her
Grandchildren and save them, or will she be killed by the Cartels?Intriguing
World:The
world of Cartel Trafficking of human beings, the people who help
them, and the people who are exploited by them, from the Point of
View of a woman trying to take back her grandchildren from them.Roles:
Character: Abuela (Lucretia) (Protagonist)
A. What is the mystery of this character?
Will Abuela find the
inner strength and strategic agility to take back her Grandchildren
from the Cartel? Related– a mystery from Abuelo’s past as a
teenager that develops over the course of the story.B. What is the suspense of this character?
Will Abuela be killed by
the Cartel?C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Abuela constantly
surprises us in her ability to use whatever resources she finds to
out-wit and out-maneuver the ruthless, organized thugs we don’t
think she has a chance against.Character: The Cartel – (Antagonist)
A. What is the mystery of this character?
What depths will they go
to as a group? Can Individual Cartel members be swayed or bought
off? How can they be defeated?B. What is the suspense of this character?
How far will they go to
stop Abuela?C. What is the intrigue of this character?
They are relentless,
powerful and seemingly unstoppable in their plan to make as much
money as possible through human and drug trafficking. Their
networks of co-conspirators and co-operating (albeit sometimes
competing/fighting) Cartel Groups, is seemingly ubiquitous.Character: Enrico (Red Herring/Young Love Interest)
A. What is the mystery of this character? Who is this Charismatic
Young Man who taught 17 year old Lucretia (Abuelo) to fight and
‘think like a General’ during the revolution/insurgency in her birth
country.B. What is the suspense of this character?
Is Enrico dead? Will
Abuelo meet him again? Can he help her?C. What is the intrigue of this character?
Fearlessly committed and
daring, he puts himself in explosive and dangerous situations for
their Cause, making Young Lucretia fear for his life.-
This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Maureen Tilyou.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Heather Estay’s World and Characters
What I learned: I found it difficult to come up with an intriguing world on the corporate side. Might need to bring more politics into it.
The Big Mystery: Why was Julia’s husband killed and who did it?
The Big Intrigue: To protect his billion-dollar investment, Tyler must hide the fact that his “green” drink cups actually react with sugar and cause liver damage with daily exposure.
The Big Suspense: Will Julia be exterminated before she can expose the truth?
The Intriguing World: The world of corporations that claim to be “green” and political power pitted against the intrinsic/mystical power of the Navajo .
Heroine: Julia
Mystery: How can she use her research skills and Navaho background to find out what’s going on?
Intrigue: Despite her scientific training and family issues, she is still drawn to her childhood upbringing of the Navajo tradition and shamanism.
Suspense: Despite her current disability and her at-risk pregnancy, she is determined to find out why her husband was killed which puts her life and that of her unborn child in jeopardy.
Villain: Tyler
Mystery: Is he really a bad guy or the environmental protectionist he’s built his reputation on?
Intrigue: He’s lost his soul and has been seduced by the power his reputation and wealth bring. He was (and maybe still is) in love with Julia.
Suspense: Will Tyler get outed by Julia or will he kill her first?
Red Herring: Conrad (not sure I’ll use this character)
Mystery: As a Senator who is known for his environmental passion, what did he know about Julia’s husband’s work and death?
Intrigue: He’s a ruthless politician who uses environmental concerns as a convenience to boost his popularity.
Suspense: Will Conrad be able to find Julia and stop her using the resources of the federal government?
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Jeannie’s World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that I can round out characters using the MIS model.
Logline: The top designer of a cutting-edge AI system refuses to approve its launch until she conducts one final interview with it and quickly detecting its fate, the AI system uses its advanced technology to frame the designer and forces a worldwide womanhunt and shoot-to-kill order on her head.
M.I.S.
Big Mystery: ECHO, a cutting edge AI system, is about to be launched internationally by the leading AI development company but one of its key designers questions ECHO’s integrity and won’t approve the launch until she conducts one final interview with ECHO. The mystery becomes, “How much damage can an AI system do?”
Big Intrigue: Echo replicates human consciousness and when replicating the consciousness of a disturbed mind, ECHO becomes extremely dangerous
Big Suspense: Will top AI designer Ellasandra die before she can disable ECHO permanently?
INTRIGUING WORLD: Where human intelligence and artificial intelligence intersect
HERO: Ellasandra
Mystery: What does Ellasandra know about ECHO that makes it such a threat?
Intrigue: Ellasandra is on the Autism spectrum and uses her mathematical genius to stay one step ahead of ECHO
Suspense: How is Ellasandra going to disable ECHO with multiple bounties on her head?
VILLAIN: ECHO
Mystery: What causes ECHO to go rogue?
Intrigue: ECHO replicates the mind of Hitler to become a world leader
Suspense: As Ellasandra races to find a way to disable ECHO, ECHO does everything in its replicated sick mind to prevent it
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Gisele Frazeur’s World and Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is: In order to make my screenplay unique and fascinating – – I must mine the world I am creating to find where mystery, intrigue, and suspense NATURALLY occur within said world.
On the Scent
Logline: A renowned perfumer joins forces with a down-and-out narcotics dog to nose out her sister’s killer, unaware of just how close to home the danger lies.
Big Mystery: Who killed Livie and why?
Big Intrigue: Hank is inadvertently responsible for Livie’s death. He needs to keep Darin unstable so that he can control her and continue to extort useful scientific information from her – – to keep the drug lord at bay.
Big Suspense: As stakes rise at every turn – – will Darin and Pookie solve the mystery in time to keep from being murdered by Hank or the drug lord?
Intriguing World: How the science of perfume making could be applied to scenting dogs.
Hero: Renowned Perfumer Darin August.
What is the mystery of this character? How does she figure out who her sister’s killer is?
What is the suspense of this character? Pookie – Hank’s retired narcotics dog is ill at ease and trying to communicate something of importance to Darin. Will she be able to use her skills as a nose to figure it out – – and how it relates to the murder?
What is the intrigue of this character? Will Darin be kept off the scent by Hank – – or get killed as she gets closer to his role in Livie’s murder?
Villain: Narcotics Officer Hank Sanford.
What is the mystery of this character? What is Hank’s role in his wife’s murder?
What is the suspense of this character? Will Hank be able to keep Darin off balance and off the scent enough to keep manipulating scientific knowledge from her that will prove useful to the drug cartel he is in bed with?
What is the intrigue of this character? Will Hank’s appetites and addiction get him killed – – and thusly get Darin killed?
Red Herring: Leff-t. Gang member – – turned rapper – – turned televangelist.
What is the mystery of this character? Is he a good guy or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
What is the intrigue of this character? Leff-T claims to be reformed – – but maintains deep ties within the gang community. Why? He did call for boycott of Darin from his parishioners – – yet proclaims his innocence.
What is the suspense of this character? Will he be able to save Darin from Hank and the drug lord before he gets killed by them?
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Subject line: Michael Harris’s World and Characters!
“What I learned doing this assignment is that finding the big mystery, intrigue and suspense keeps the thriller a thriller and draws audiences. Finding the MIS of each character takes this process a layer deeper.
1. My MIS is:
Big Mystery: What happened to Simon’s mother.
Big Intrigue: Dr. Whitcombe will do anything to keep his son
alive, including harvesting the organs of his unwitting patients,
providing a steady supply of new organs to replace his son’s rapidly
failing ones. And selling additional organs to finance his facility.
Big Suspense: Will Simon and Elise survive and solve the
mystery. Not if Dr. Whitcombe succeeds.2. World: The secret dealings of a brilliant expert in organ transplants who uses his knowledge and connections for nefarious means.
3. Characters:
HERO: Simon Daniels
A. What is the mystery of this character? Are his visions
real?B. What is the suspense of this character? Can he escape a
bigger more powerful villain. Can he convince Elise that his visions are
real?C. What is the intrigue of this character? Will he find his
mother? (who disappeared 2 years before the movie began? He has been
trying for years but couldn’t convince his foster parents his visons are
real.) If not, what will he find?VILLIAN: Dr. Whitcombe
A. What is the mystery of this character? Who is he? And what
is his relationship to Simon?B. What is the suspense of this character? Will he be able to
maintain his operation despite the interference of Simon and Elise.C. What is the intrigue of this character? He has been selling
organs on the black market for the past few years in order to keep his severely
damaged son alive and finance his operation.SECONDARY HERO: Elise
A. What is the mystery of this character? Why is she so
passionate about fostering a child? What is her deep wound?B. What is the suspense of this character? Will she accept Simon’s
visons as real and help him find his mother?C. What is the intrigue of this character? Her turbulent
relationship with her mother and inability to commit to long-term
boyfriend Kevin. -
Diane Phelps’ BIG M.I.S.
What i learned doing this assignment is to really push the characters to the next level and that will make a better story.
CONCEPT: “Port Paradise” is a pulse-pounding psychosocial thriller that uncovers the dark secrets lurking beneath the picturesque surface of a coastal town. As four girlfriends embark on a weekend getaway, they become entangled in a web of mystery, intrigue, and danger. When they go missing one by one, a disillusioned journalist, Alex Turner, returns to the town to unravel the truth. With the help of a local psychologist and a conspiracy theorist, he uncovers a sinister plot orchestrated by the charismatic but dangerous Mayor Evelyn Monroe, who plans to harness a supernatural energy source at the cost of innocent lives. As Alex dives deeper into the mystery, he battles external threats and his own inner demons, leading to a heart-pounding showdown that will determine the fate of the town.
Big M.I.S. (Main Intriguing Scenario):
– Big Mystery: The main mystery that keeps the audience wondering is the true nature of the supernatural energy source beneath Port Paradise, its origins, and its potential consequences if harnessed.
Big Intrigue (Covert Element):
– Covert Intrigue: The covert element revolves around Mayor Monroe’s involvement in a secret society and her manipulation of the town’s facade, showcasing a facade of philanthropy while harboring sinister intentions.
Big Suspense (Main Danger):
– Main Danger: The main danger to Alex and the town is the escalating threat posed by Mayor Monroe and her secret society’s determination to harness the supernatural energy. As Alex delves deeper, his discoveries put his life at increasing risk, and he must race against time to save the town and his friends from impending doom.
Intriguing World:
The story unfolds in the seemingly idyllic coastal town of Port Paradise, which masks a dark underbelly of secrets and deception. The juxtaposition between the town’s picturesque beauty and its hidden mysteries creates an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere that draws viewers into its enigmatic world.
Character Roles, Mysteries, Suspense, and Intrigue:
1. Lindsay Reynolds:
– Mystery: The mystery of Lindsay lies in her connection to the supernatural energy source and why she was targeted.
– Suspense: Lindsay’s risk-taking nature and adventurous spirit place her in increasing danger as the threat escalates.
– Intrigue: Her fearless personality conceals vulnerability, and her role as a missing girlfriend sparks questions about what drew her into the mystery.
2. Megan Johnson:
– Mystery: Megan’s mystery involves her knowledge of the town’s dark secrets due to her organizational role in planning trips.
– Suspense: Her nurturing nature leads her to protect her friends, making her a target for those seeking to exploit the energy source.
– Intrigue: Megan’s caring demeanor masks hidden strength, and her connection to the town’s secrets adds complexity to her character.
3. Emily Davis:
– Mystery: Emily’s mystery revolves around her spiritual connection and her potential role in the supernatural energy’s origin.
– Suspense: Her free-spirited nature makes her susceptible to the intrigue, and her disappearance raises questions about her unique perspective.
– Intrigue: Emily’s artistic outlook brings depth to the story’s exploration of human psyche, making her a vital part of the mystery.
4. Dr. Rebecca “Beck” Martinez:
– Mystery: Beck’s mystery involves her understanding of the town’s psychology and her reasons for aiding Alex.
– Suspense: Her involvement draws the attention of those protecting the secrets, putting her empathetic nature in peril.
– Intrigue: Beck’s role as a psychologist adds layers to the exploration of the characters’ psychological struggles and the town’s dynamics.
5. Captain Marcus Turner:
– Mystery: Marcus’s mysterious past and his connection to the energy source tie into the town’s history.
– Suspense: His loyalty to Alex and his role in the fishing charter make him a crucial ally and target.
– Intrigue: Marcus’s enigmatic past contributes to the town’s hidden history, and his protective nature adds depth to the story.
6. Oliver Jenkins:
– Mystery: Oliver’s mystery lies in the accuracy of his conspiracy theories and his knowledge of the town’s secrets.
– Suspense: His unconventional insights make him both an asset and a liability in the investigation.
– Intrigue: Oliver’s eccentricity masks a wealth of information, and his role as a guide adds layers to the uncovering of truth.
7. Mayor Evelyn Monroe:
– Mystery: Mayor Monroe’s true intentions, her connection to the supernatural energy, and her secret society involvement form her mystery.
– Suspense: Her charismatic facade hides her malevolent nature, and her actions escalate the danger.
– Intrigue: Mayor Monroe’s manipulation of perception and her thirst for power create a multi-dimensional antagonist.
8. Officer Jake Williams:
– Mystery: Officer Williams’s internal conflict between loyalty to the town and the truth forms his mystery.
– Suspense: His allegiances waver as he assists Alex, putting his position and safety at risk.
– Intrigue: Officer Williams’s internal struggle adds depth to the town’s complexities and the challenges faced by those seeking the truth.
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H. Vince’s World and Characters!
Mastering the Thriller Genre – 2023
Lesson 3: Creating World/Characters with MIS
What I learned from doing this assignment is…
Breaking it right down to some main players and how they carry the suspense of the movie…
LOGLINE: A young man’s cancellation pushes him into a domino effect of discoveries including finding out the truth about his mother and why she tried to abort him.
WORLD: Southern California beach city and then kidnapped and put in a controlled operative facility.
HERO:
Victor Saint
Mystery: What do Donna’s employers want with him?
Intrigue: He’s kind but he also has a somewhat not caring Gen Z attitude.
Suspense: What will he do now that his life is turned upside down?
RED HERRING:
Donna (the woman that Victor thought was his mom)
Mystery: Victor thought she was his mom and he finds out she’s not.
Intrigue: She has been playing the role of Victor’s mother his whole life and got attached to him even though she thought she wasn’t interested in having a family.
Suspense: Will Donna be loyal to her employers or help Victor?
VILLIAN:
Donna’s employers
Mystery: Is it the government? Who put Donna in place?
Intrigue: Why would they care so much about some average young man?
Suspense: They put Donna in place for a reason.
Big Mystery:
Who are the people that kidnapped Victor and what do they want with him?
Big Intrigue:
What happens to this young man when he is pushed into a different life without his consent?
Big Suspense:
What will Victor do with his newfound information?
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