BWTV-AI Module 1 – Lesson 4:
Subject line: (Vernall Ritchey’s) Intriguing Character Layers
What I learned doing this assignment is the thought process that goes into how to create characters that are engaging.
ASSIGNMENT 1:
Opening Scene:
1. Elizabeth Jennings sucks a man’s penis as he spills the beans giving up important information.
2. Philip Jennings (Elizabeth’s husband ) and another man waiting to execute a hit.
3. Elizabeth pays a man to look out his window for a few minute.
4. Philip and his accomplice chase the Russian Defector into an alley where they have an intense fight scene.
5. Philip’s accomplice gets stabbed in the stomach.
6. Philip catches the Russian Defector, Elizabeth drives up, they throw the Russian Defector in the trunk of the car and drive away.
7. Philip and Elizabeth are at odds with dropping the accomplice off at the hospital. Elizabeth is willing to let him die so they can make the bust. Philip disagrees and they drop their accomplice off at a hospital for help.
8. Philip and Elizabeth missed the bust due to untimeliness.
9. At Home in their garage – the Russian captor tries to bribe Philip with $3 million if he lets him go.
10. Philip pushes the man back into the trunk.
11. The Jennings daughter takes a cup of coffee and leaves for school.
12. Elizabeth goes into the garage and pauses before opening the trunk. She has a flashback to Soviet Union in 1960 when the Russian captor threw her into a submissive hold on the ground, tearing off her sweats and raping her.
13. Philip meets with Martha who calls him Clark unknowing his real identity. Clark pumps Martha for secret FBI information.
14. Philip goes through a hidden storage space behind a circuit box and plays a tape of Elizabeth’s encounter with the man she met at the beginning of the episode in the bar. He listens to some of her sexual exploits with the man.
15. Elizabeth wants to kill the Russian defector captor. Philip disagrees.
16. Philip suggests that they defect themselves and become millionaires, and “a lot of our problems just go away.” Elizabeth isn’t amused. They argue about their disagreeing views.
17. Philip and the kids are going to the mall where he hears a man make a sexual suggestive comment to his daughter.
18. Philip kisses the back of Elizabeth’s neck and she tells him to stop, he doesn’t until she pulls a knife on him. Philip reminds her that she’s his wife, and Elizabeth says, “Is that right?”
19. Jennings’ go over to welcome some new neighbors who’ve just moved in. They meet Agent Stan Beeman, who works for the FBI and tells them he works in counterintelligence.
20. Elizabeth and Philip have an intense argument about whether or not their cover might be blown. Philip brings up letting the Russian captor go and accepting his $3 million offer and living happily in America. Elizabeth goes ballistic, she asks if he’s joking stating her cause for living is to be a spy for Mother Russia.
21. Agent Beeman comes over and asks Philip for some jumper cables. Philip brings Agent Beeman into the garage, who notices the make and model of the car. Philip opens the trunk, and instructs the Russian captor to stay quiet.
22. Back at FBI headquarters, Agent Beeman meets a CIA agent about the kidnapping of the Russian captor. Beeman says that if Russians kidnapped the defector, they’d probably keep him close to home.
23. Later, Philip pulls the Russian captor from the trunk and tells Elizabeth he’s taking the Russian captor to make a deal. She tells him she’s a KGB officer and would die and lose everything before betraying her country. She decides to finish things herself, she fights Philip then . . .
24. . . . Elizabeth beats the Russian captor so hard, that at one point she kicks his head through the garage’s drywall. She picks up a crowbar and the Russian captor tells Elizabeth he’s sorry and never meant to hurt her. “They let us have our way with the cadets. It was part of the job a perk,” he says.
25. Philip asks what he’s talking about and to the Russian captor, “how did you hurt her.” Philips looks at Elizabeth and ask, “how did he hurt you.” Elizabeth drops the crowbar and says nothing but “do what you want with him, take him to the Americans if that’s what you want.”
26. As she’s walking away, Philip grabs the Russian captor, pushes him up against the wall, and chokes him until he dies. Elizabeth turns around and watches. He lets the Russian captor ‘s body fall, then turns to look at Elizabeth, who looks at him and says nothing.
27. We next see Philip and Elizabeth driving in silence. They dump the Russian’s defector body. They get back into the car and look at each other. Saying nothing, Elizabeth climbs across the car and kisses Philip. They then have a steamy make out session, right there in the car.
28. The next morning, Philip and Elizabeth are helping conceal each other’s wounds and bruises. They eat breakfast with their kids when the phone rings. Elizabeth answers and looks stunned. Not saying anything, she looks at Philip.
29. Philip winds up in the backyard of Errol, the man who’d hit on Philip’s 13-year-old daughter at the store earlier. This doesn’t end well for Errol, who winds up severely beaten and with the wrong end of a barbecue fork stuck through his hand.
30. After 15 years of marriage, Elizabeth gets around to telling Philip some of her real backstory: Her father died fighting Nazis and her real name.
31. That night, a curious Agent Beeman breaks into the Jennings’ garage and snoops around for clues, examining the car and even opening its trunk. Seeing nothing amiss, Beeman shakes his head and opens the garage just enough to make his way out.
32. Meanwhile, we see, that Philip has been standing there watching and holding a gun, ready to kill Beeman even if he were to take the snooping further.
ASSIGNMENT 2:
Intriguing Layers:
·
John Doe:
·
Role: Protagonist with amnesia recruited by a DEA Task
Force.
·
Hidden Agendas: John has a dual life as an undercover DEA
Agent and a drug dealer.
·
Competition: Rises in rank as a drug dealer while working
undercover.
·
Conspiracies: Uncovering the truth about G’s attempt to
kill him.
·
Secrets: John’s past, including his identity and the
reason behind his amnesia.
·
Deception: Leading a double life, deceiving both the DEA
and the drug cartel.
·
Wound: Emotional trauma from G’s betrayal and attempted
murder.
·
Secret Identity: Maintaining his secret identity as both
a DEA Agent and a drug dealer.
·
FBI Chief Toni Graves:
·
Role: Leader of the FBI team.
·
Hidden Agendas: Determined to stop human trafficking at
any cost.
·
Competition: Against the criminal organizations involved
in trafficking.
·
Conspiracies: Investigating deeper connections within the
criminal network.
·
Secrets: Personal struggles or sacrifices she makes for
the greater good.
·
Deception: Potential undercover operations within the FBI.
·
Wound: Emotional toll from dealing with heinous crimes.
·
Secret Identity: Unrevealed personal aspects beyond her
role as FBI Chief.
·
Mikef:
·
Role: Skeptical but reliable member of the team.
·
Hidden Agendas: Uncovering the truth behind John’s
abilities.
·
Competition: Internal conflicts within the team.
·
Conspiracies: Doubts about FBI Chief Toni Graves’
decisions.
·
Secrets: Personal motivations for being part of the team.
·
Deception: Shifting from skepticism to adaptiveness.
·
Wound: Emotional struggles, especially regarding Dade’s
wife.
·
Secret Identity: Unveiling personal background and
motivations.
·
Ni:
·
Role: Determined and resourceful team member.
·
Hidden Agendas: Passionate about finding missing girls.
·
Competition: Against time and criminal elements.
·
Conspiracies: Uncovering potential larger criminal
networks.
·
Secrets: Personal frustrations and motivations.
·
Deception: Willing to take risks to achieve goals.
·
Wound: Frustration and impatience in challenging
situations.
·
Secret Identity: Unveiling personal struggles and history.
·
Jones:
·
Role: Observant and analytical member of the team.
·
Hidden Agendas: Questioning decisions and seeking the
truth.
·
Competition: Against potential threats and challenges.
·
Conspiracies: Challenging the status quo when necessary.
·
Secrets: Personal motivations for being vigilant.
·
Deception: Questioning the identity of the antagonist.
·
Wound: Constantly questioning decisions for the team’s
safety.
·
Secret Identity: Uncovering potential hidden talents or
skills.
·
Dade:
·
Role: Tough and determined protagonist.
·
Hidden Agendas: Emotional investment in the mission to
save his wife.
·
Competition: Against those who hold his wife hostage.
·
Conspiracies: Uncovering the motives behind the
kidnapping.
·
Secrets: Authority and expertise in high-pressure
situations.
·
Deception: Carefully measuring words to gather
information.
·
Wound: Emotional struggles and desperation.
·
Secret Identity: Revealing the depth of his determination.
·
Hitch:
·
Role: Confident and observant team member.
·
Hidden Agendas: Providing a voice of reason and support.
·
Competition: Focused on getting answers, even through
force.
·
Conspiracies: Uncovering hidden truths within the team.
·
Secrets: Calming the team in difficult situations.
·
Deception: Quick to take action without questioning
orders.
·
Wound: Unrevealed personal struggles or sacrifices.
·
Secret Identity: Depth beyond the practical and
level-headed exterior.
·
Jimenez:
·
Role: Loyal and skilled team member.
·
Hidden Agendas: Providing unwavering support to teammates.
·
Competition: Quick thinking and resourcefulness in
high-pressure situations.
·
Conspiracies: Reacting with urgency to unforeseen
challenges.
·
Secrets: Professional demeanor masking personal
frustrations.
·
Deception: Cool and confident demeanor in challenging
situations.
·
Wound: Resourcefulness and quick thinking in difficult
moments.
·
Secret Identity: Unrevealed personal background and
motivations.
·
G:
·
Role: Antagonist, John’s ex-best friend and partner in
crime.
·
Hidden Agendas: Jealousy of John’s success and attempts
to kill him.