Lesson 4

[Evelyn Brooks]

Evelyn’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment is to plot out the villain’s steps carefully so that they can become an exciting well-orchestrated dance with the hero’s steps that ramps up the excitement and audience engagement in the story.

My villain’s plan is pre-existing. In fact, Shayla has been plotting to bring down her cousin Mikki since they were little girls.

PREPARATION: Before the story opens, Shayla puts her plan in place, step by step, to kill her cousin Mikki, a champion MMA fighter, and then usurp her place in life: marry Mikki’s successful and handsome husband, adopt Mikki’s adorable little girl, run Mikki’s MMA fight studio, and, not the least, become the adored daughter of the extended close-knit family instead of the also-ran.

MISTAKE: Shayla neglects to confirm who is driving Mikki’s car (which has dark tinted windows) when she crashes into it, intending to kill Mikki. But Reinaldo is driving. He is killed. Mikki and her daughter Jordyn (5) are not seriously injured. As soon as Mikki has recovered enough to do so, she goes on the rampage to discover the identity of the hit-and-run driver and bring him/her to justice.

DILEMMA: Shayla didn’t have a plan B. The point was to kill Mikki without being found out. She can’t do something obvious that would give her away to the family, such as feeding Mikki something with shellfish that she’s deathly allergic to.

DECISION/STOP MIKKI FROM FIGHTING: Shayla sends two ruthless fighters to beat up Mikki so badly that she won’t be able to compete in the next MMA promotion.

RESULT: Mikki knocks out both attackers and comes out with only a few bruises.

PLAN/KIDNAP MIKKI’S DAUGHTER: Shayla staged a supposed gang entry into Mikki’s house in a gated community, kidnaps Jordyn and keeps her captive in a friend’s house, not letting the child see it’s her Aunt Shayla doing this.

PLAN/REDUCE MIKKI TO POVERTY: Shayla demands a $3 million ransom, knowing how much money Mikki has available, and gives her 72 hours to respond or Jordyn will die. Actually, Shayla intends to grab the money and flee with Jordyn to create a family life together.

RESULT: Mikki tries to negotiate, says she doesn’t have that kind of money, it’s all tied up in property and a new project her husband had just launched.

PLAN/HOOK MIKKI UP WITH LOAN SHARKS: Next best thing is bankrupt Mikki a different way by getting her involved with loan sharks and watch the repayment amount explode

VANTAGE POINT: Shayla stays close to the crisis, knowing all the details of both sides with her vantage position inside of the family, and soothing Mikki with false hope.

PLAN/BRING MIKKI TO HER KNEES: When Mikki has the money from the loan shark, Shayla’s two thugs rob her and beat her up.

RESULT: Mikki is broke and in the hospital, but contacts her wealthy supporters and–sidestepping the kidnapper’s instructions to not go to the authorities — borrows the $3 million

PLAN/BRING MIKKI TO THE KIDNAPPER’S LAIR: Shayla releases an anonymous tip about where Jordyn is being held, planning to kill Mikki when she arrives, and then flee with Jordyn to Mexico.

CAPTURE: Despite Shayla’s disguising mask and bodysuit, Mikki realizes who her opponent is and defeats her in an MMA fight, knowing all her cousin’s weaknesses. Mikki rescues her daughter and intends to take the defeated Shayla to the police.

ESCAPE: While Mikki is putting zip ties on Shayla, Shayla revives, leaps away from her, runs out and drives off in Mikki’s new car.

FITTING ENDING: Shayla crashes the car off an embankment and dies.

[Mark Ezra]

Mark’s Villain Track

What I learned doing this assignment is the value of exploring every alley in seeing where the story will go. I may not use all these ideas in my draft, and may include some others. But it gives me an excellent blueprint to work from.

1.INITIAL PLAN: Plant a series of booby-trapped explosive devices around the city.

2.SOW CHAOS: drastically reduce the strength of the Bomb Squad.

3.HOLD THE CITY HOSTAGE: With a smart bomb that cannot be disarmed.

4.GANG: Highly trained Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists.

5.WEAPONS: Multiple imaginative IEDs which go off without warning, injuring/maiming members of the Bomb Squad and terrorising the City.

6.PREDICTING THE BOMB SQUAD’S MOVES: Each IED is more sophisticated. The Villain has knowledge of the Bomb Squad’s disarmament methods and can second guess them.

7.UNPREDICTABLE HEROINE: As she is not yet conversant with the Squad’s methods, she is unpredictable and therefore less easy to surprise and destroy.

8.UNSEEN VILLAIN: Nobody knows who he is. Not even his own men. So how can she beat him?

9.CONFUSION: A member of the Bomb Squad tries to get close to her. Asks intrusive questions. Is he the Bomber? One of his men? Or an innocent jerk?

10.HERO’S DECEPTION: She fakes an explosion that (supposedly) maims the remainder of the Squad, to put Villain off guard, and she raids the Villain’s base*

11.RETALIATION: Villain’s men attack Hero in her own home, but she has an arsenal of pest control devices to fend them off and beat them.

12.FAKE DEMANDS(?) to the City Mayor.

13.DEMANDS REJECTED: Hero proves these demands are misdirection.

13.DECISION:Push forward the final mission – a smart bomb to hold Los Angeles hostage.

14.FITTING ENDING: She disarms the smart bomb and traps Villain. HE will be destroyed by HIS OWN bomb.

[BG]

Action Lesson 4: Create Your Villain Track

ASSIGNMENT:

BG’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment: I’m still trying to figure out how to raise the body-count, especially since my hero wants to save people and not kill anybody!

Ask the Villain Track questions to discover your Villain’s plan, decisions, and actions. Include labels with each step of their plan. Develop your own set of labels, but make sure you clearly show decisions, plans, and actions your Villain takes.

TITLE: A CLUB FOR PATRIOTS

HERO: REPORTER

VILLAIN: BILLIONAIRE

THE PLAN: The Villain’s plan is in place before the movie starts and the Hero wanders into that plan, not knowing what he is getting into.

It is a conspiracy, codenamed NORTHSTAR, to pump weapons and militants into MALDOVINIA, where rebels are battling government forces. The conspirators want to turn the protracted insurgency into a full-blown land war in the middle of Europe and disrupt piped natural gas supply, so that they can sell expensive LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) to Europeans.

The conspiracy is led by BILLIONAIRE, a man of immense wealth, who uses his media empire as a weapon in his crusade to fight off any challenge to the Western-led world order. His second-in-command is ENERGY MOGUL, another billionaire. He wants Germans to stop buying cheap, piped natural gas and buy, instead, his five-times more expensive LNG.

WEAPONS: A shipment of weapons is being unloaded from a cargo plane at a remote airfield in Maldovinia.

CONSPIRATORS’ MEETING: The conspirators watch this in real-time on a wall-size screen in the St. Michael conference room of the posh London club named A Club for Patriots. They discuss the progress of operation NORTHSTAR.

THE TIP: REPORTER receives a mysterious envelope containing blurry photos of BILLIONAIRE, the club and some bank statements.

BILLIONAIRE MEETS REPORTER: Sent to investigate the tip, REPORTER gets a job as waiter at the Club. BILLIONAIRE takes a shine to him.

CAUGHT SNOOPING: BILLIONAIRE spots him near the St. Michael conference room and bans him from the floor. REPORTER resorts to installing a jerry-rigged listening device into the thermostat in the St. Michael conference room.

CONSPIRATORS’ SHOUTING MATCH: The conspirators have a heated discussion about the funding of operation NORTHSTAR. REPORTER, in his car, listens via his listening device and learns about the conspiracy.

CAUGHT SPEAKING: Keyword monitoring programs of NSA latch onto the word NORTHSTAR in a conversation between REPORTER and his editor, and CIA discovers that the press is onto NORTHSTAR, which they support. They alert MI6. MI6 sends agents to scan the St. Michael conference room.

TWIST: No bugs are found! BILLIONAIRE is relieved. ENERGY MOGUL still thinks REPORTER is involved somehow.

ABDUCTION: REPORTER’s friend and ally, HACKER, is captured and is being interrogated in a CIA safe house.

ASSASSIN ATTACKS: ENERGY MOGUL, without authorization from BILLIONAIRE, hires a hitman, named ASSASSIN, who ambushes REPORTER. REPORTER tries to fight him off, finally pushing him off his center of gravity and toppling him down. While ASSASSIN is down, he kicks him unconscious.

TORTURE: At the CIA safe house, HACKER has been interrogated, he’s in bad shape, and he insists he didn’t hack or send any hacked materials to REPORTER. STATION CHIEF does not believe. She tells DOCTOR to keep on trying.

BATTLE AT THE SAFE HOUSE: Using tools and a plan made by him, REPORTER, HOSTESS, and her allies rescue HACKER from the CIA safe house, and take him to an undisclosed safe house.

ASSASSIN ATTACKS AGAIN: On the way to his new hotel, where he’s hiding out, REPORTER is again attacked by ASSASSIN, wielding a taser this time. HOSTESS jumps out of the shadows and flattens him. REPORTER asks her not to kill him.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: REPORTER, HOSTESS and allies make a plan to put NORTHSTAR out of business.

ATTACKED: BILLIONAIRE discovers NORTHSTAR funds are missing. It looks like ENERGY MOGUL stole them.

FALLING OUT AMONG THIEVES: BILLIONAIRE terminates the plot and has his second-in-command, ENERGY MOGUL, killed by ASSASSIN.

CLEANUP MODE: BILLIONAIRE calls REPORTER’s editor and tells him he’ll give an exclusive interview to REPORTER.

FITTING ENDING: During the interview, BILLIONAIRE explains what is needed to defend the Western way of life, tries to find out how much REPORTER knows, and blames it all on ENERGY MOGUL. REPORTER’s questions are mild and respectful. But there is change in the air. The balance of power between the two has shifted. After REPORTER leaves, BILLIONAIRE looks unsettled. He continues to stare, like a malign bird of prey, at REPORTER’s empty chair.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s villain track

what I learned doing this assignment is to make the protagonist a multi faceted character. I want the greed and self serving attitude to come out ten fold.

The General will set up deals with other countries to drill oil at the North Pole. To do this successfully, Santa must be removed in some way. Initially it is attempted as impeachment of his position. But that is impossible. The General then decides that Santa will come to demise by the hands of Krampus. Only then can the North Pole evolve and become a country.

MISTAKE: The General wants to impeach Santa from his leadership postion.

DILEMMA: There are no politics at the North Pole so this is impossible and can’t happen.

DECISION/KILL HIM: Word gets out that Krampus is roaming the planet on Christmas Eve. The General plans to set up Santa for a fall.

PLAN – The General sets up Santa to be in the area of Krampus.

.PLAN/ GOING TO DELIVER – .Krampus attacks the sleighs. Instead of helping, the General watches from a distance.

ESCAPE – The General tells the elves to return to North Pole because it is too late.

RETALIATION: Indigo tells the elves no we must finish this delivery and he goes after Krampus to save Santa.

ESCAPE: The General doesn’t appreciate the insubordination. He goes after Indigo.

FITTING ENDING: Krampus kills the General and they both fall into the ocean to perish.

[Patricia Steffy]

Patricia’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment is that Sykes is a complex villain. He is a man of principles, but he’s also someone who saw his dreams snatched from him. It drives him, but it also blinds him. I think it’s okay that there might be moments when the audience feels for him. But he takes it too far, and he pays the price. I’m not convinced that my labels for the track are the best, but they are a good start.

1. Ask the Villain Track questions to discover your Villain’s plan, decisions, and actions.

A. What might be the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero? The plan could be pre-existing or created on the spot.

The initial plan is one of vengeance. The embittered prison guard blames our hero for his life going to hell. But he’s not a mustache-twirling villain. He believes in his duty. He believes he is on the side of right. He threatens to expose Donovan’s secret to the other inmates. He’s responsible for making it has hard as possible for Donovan to leave as the storm approaches. And the last stand between them is a fight to the death as the storm crushes everything around them.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

Expose him to the other inmates, making him look weak.

Tempt Donovan into acting violently against him — jeopardizing Donovan’s release date (which is only 3 days away)

Harass people Donovan seemingly has taken under his wing — which has deadly consequences

Manipulates the Warden and forces Donovan to choose between early release and those who will be left behind to die

Is responsible for an accident that kills nearly a dozen inmates, including some of Donovan’s crew

When all is lost and the building crumbles around them, Sykes takes one more shot (literally) at Donovan

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

He is respected within the prison system, which gives him power over the inmates.

He’s smart and driven — unfortunately, for our hero, he is driven by bitterness and a need to blame someone else for his life.

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?

Rather than accepting a truce and saving his own life, he makes one more stand and dies.

VERSION 1 VILLAIN TRACK: Deadly Freeze

Villain: Randall Sykes, a 50-something, by-the-book head guard who is corporate’s favorite inside man.

Hero: Donovan, survivalist turned inmate with a secret past.

IN THE MOMENT PLAN: Sykes’s plan was conceived the moment he sees that Donovan has been transferred to his protective custody unit. From that moment on, he makes it his mission to hold Donovan responsible for all the disappointments in his life.

DECISION: Threaten to expose him to the other inmates, making him look weak. Sykes wants a reaction.

NEW PLAN: Harass people Donovan seems to care about — including a young man awaiting trial and a young guard who Sykes thinks is going to wash out any day now. This almost works, but another inmate goes down in the process and the storm is getting closer.

RETALIATION: He manipulates the Warden and forces Donovan to choose between early release and those who will be left behind to die.

NEW PLAN/ESCAPE/GLORY: Frustrated at not being able to finish the job with Donovan, Sykes takes command of the last bus leaving the prison before the storm hits — despite warnings that it was too late. On board, several members of the protective custody unit that stood by Donovan during the earlier confrontations. Things go horribly wrong as the bus becomes stuck in the storm — everybody dies, except for the Sykes who is blown out of the door.

FITTING ENDING:

When all is lost and the building crumbles around them, Sykes takes one more shot (Literally) at Donovan. But he hits the younger guard. He raises the gun one more time as Donovan refuses to defend himself — instead, he offers Sykes a chance to survive. But he fires the gun. Hits a support that is already disintegrating and brings the ceiling down on himself.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by  Patricia Steffy.

[Monica Arisman]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject line: Monica’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment is that this helped to track the villains and their decisions throughout the story.

1. Ask the Villain Track questions to discover your Villain’s plan, decisions, and actions.

A. What might be the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero? The plan could be pre-existing or created on the spot.

The villain’s plan is in place but they’ve been complacent because Beatrice has friends in the upper tier of society and they’ve been getting away with it as they’re always one step ahead of the police.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

Jack goes after Victoria. But Victoria is physically and intellectually smarter than he is. He does too many drugs but still thinks he can take Victoria down because Beatrice relies more on Victoria now than Jack.

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

Jack has goons at his disposal. When he goes to kidnap Victoria he has the goons do it for him. Also, he tries to convince Beatrice that Victoria isn’t all that she seems.

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?

Death is a fitting end and a gruesome one at that.

2. Include labels with each step of their plan.

Develop your own set of labels, but make sure you clearly show decisions, plans, and actions your Villain takes.

1. Plan/Expand their human trafficking ring: Worming their way into the upper tiers of society makes it easy for the villains to source new “recruits” right under the nose of the people who run the world and the police.

2. Controlling Authorities: The villain has infiltrated police safe houses. They have places that fly under the radar of the police because these places are in very dangerous neighbourhoods.

3. Surprised: A new investor takes an active, hands on interest which threatens their operation.

4. Plan/Recruiting: The villains recruit girls that don’t quite fit into the upper tier of society through their infiltration of country clubs.

5. Mistake: Jack continues to do drugs that are affecting his memory and nearly gets himself killed by Victoria, or so he thinks.

6. Dilemma: If Jack does away with Victoria his mother Beatrice won’t be happy as Victoria brought a lot of money to the operation.

7. Surprised: The police have raided their new club and have discovered their girls in the police safe house.

8. Plan/Kill Heroine: Jack invites Victoria to one of his houses. But is surprised to find her there before him. He attempts to kill her but she is stronger.

9. Retaliation: Jack breaks into Victoria’s apartment. A fight ensues but Victoria is kidnapped by Jack and taken to a warehouse.

10. Surprised: It doesn’t go well for Jack as Victoria beats him up again.

11. Dilemma: Beatrice is arrested. In order to gain her freedom, she has to give up Jack and all the information on the human trafficking ring.

12. Plan/Sell the girls: Jack and Beatrice throw a party where their buyers will take possession of the girls.

13. Capture: Jack captures Victoria and takes her to his upscale apartment to end her.

14. Fitting End: After stringing Victoria up and whipping her, he’s going to kill her slowly. Unfortunately for Jack, Victoria has a little energy left to kill him.

[Paul Penley]

Paul’s Villian Track

What I learned. My action sequences and my story line aren’t quite lined up. I need to work on my outline.

1. Ask the Villain Track questions to discover your Villain’s plan, decisions, and actions.

A. What might be the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero? The plan could be pre-existing or created on the spot.<div>

Pre-Existing Plan- Lord Balin’s plan is to build an army of ruthless Demon assassins to help him escape the captivity of the Spanish Mission. Once this is accomplished he will use the army to destroy mankind and have is ultimate revenge on God.

<div>

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

Lord Balin could crush him with his hands. He is a Fallen Angel, his speed, strength and giant like physical structure are more than any mortal can endure.

Lord Balin surrounds himself with a hoard of pre-immortals who will kill at his whim.

Lord Balin has an army of demons waiting in caves below the Spanish Mission.

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

Superior strength, ruthless killers, and an Army of Demons. He has set the rules of his world. Those who violate the rules die horrible deaths.

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?

To die at the hands of what he is most jealous of and despises the most. mankind.

2. Include labels with each step of their plan.

MISTAKE: When Lord Balin recognises the cross on Billy’s neck he places both Johnny and Billy to the moment in time he killed their father. Mistake #1 He should have killed them both 20 years earlier with their father.

DILEMMA: Lord Balin watches as Billy is challenged by Demon Mexican Soldiers. Billy kills their Captain inside the Mission, breaking one of Lord Balin’s commandments. The punishment is a duel to the death in the streets. The winner will be bitten by one of Three Fallen Angels. Three victories equals three bites which secures the fighters immortality and strengths of the Angel’s whom they aquired their bites. Intrieged by the brother’s protective nature he allows Johnny to fight for his brother in the street outside the Mission. When Johnny defeats the hardened Chinese fighter he sees there is potential and wants to groom him to become a general.

DECISION/KILL HIM: Lord Balin sends three assassin to test Billy’s skills. Instead of securing Billy in the fight the assassin engages with two of Billy’s loyal outlaws. One of the Outlaws becomes dinner, The second becomes a Demon. Three of Balins best assassins die. Billy escapes the conflict and recognises Lord Balin as the monster that Killed his father.

<strong style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Trap: Before Lord Balin can send another team of Demons to destroy Billy. Billy and his remaining Outlaws try to escape by using the tunnels below the Spanish Mission. No one returns from the tunnels. It’s a trap preset for any who try and escape. Only Billy and his outlaws escape.

PLAN/Brother against brother: Lord Balin sends Johnny to Kill his brother. This backfires, when Johnny and Billy go back to back and start killing Demons. Lord Balin sends his hoard to destroy them.

Destruction: Billy has a plan. Destroy all of the buildings and tunnels so the demons can not hide from the rising sun. They will all die at sunrise. Lord Balin commands his demons to kill all remaining mortals. However he wants the two brothers alive. The brothers kill the other two Fallen Angels and come for Lord Balin.

RETALIATION: Lord Balin releases the Demons from the caves below.

ESCAPE: Lord Balin escapes to the safety of the Spanish mission.

FITTING ENDING: In a face-to-face fight with Billy. Billy uses a sacred spike and drives it through Lord Bailns heart. Billy uses Balin’s own sword and cuts Balin”s head from his shoulders.

</div></div>

[Daniel Burt]

Lesson 4

Dan’s Villain Track

What I learned doing this assignment is that writing out the lesson notes manually solves the initial problems even as I copy them over. I had to constantly stop writing to take notes of the unfolding track and its details.

For what follows, please remember that this is for a scripted series, and the tracks flow a little differently as the villain contends with more than just my main hero. Thanks.

A. What might be the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero?

Claudette Martz’s machinations are mostly pre-planned. She establishes a deep network during the world’s rush for survival. By the time the freeze becomes global, she holds sway within every survival node and virtually all human communication across the galaxy. She doesn’t develop enmity for Jordan Hendrix personally until he becomes a thorn in her side, which precipitates many in-the-moment plans.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

I have brainstormed these, but I’m reticent to reveal specifics apart from what appears below with the tags. Claudette is amoral, the wealthiest individual in history, sports a 160+ IQ, and has a system in place to monitor and steer outcomes for all of humanity extant.

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

Claudette has had a singularly unique relationship with technology since her childhood, which leverages her capability and speed of implementing decisive action 10-fold. This is compounded by her wealth and the numerous world-class experts it affords her.

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain?

After dismantling her empire, she is in a tiny prison permanently cut off from everything she craves and provided only crude necessities. Her human contact is limited to clergy and counselors striving to rehabilitate her, and she is under non-stop surveillance.

MISTAKE: Claudette’s plan a) first involves undermining
any opposition to her master plan across all humanity. Failing that, b) she
is content to hobble or even eliminate entire survival nodes to avoid
rebellion later. Her mistake is in not destroying Jordan Hendrix quickly
and impersonally, as his personal strengths and leadership are her
ultimate undoing.

DILEMMA: While learning who the Hero is through attempting a)
and b) above, she starts to be drawn to him – altruistic, handsome,
caring, and yet maddeningly unavailable to her. Echoes of a father who
left her painfully alone. Her dilemma is 4-pronged:

How to stop DIG 4 without
harming Jordan Hendrix?
How to draw J.H. to herself?
How to kindle a relationship,
and preserve him physically as she will be preserved so they can reign
together forever?
(Spoilers)

DECISION/KILL HIM? /KILL HIS MISSION?
/THWART HIS AID TO OTHER NODES: Claudette
determines that his survival is needful, the state of his body is
negotiable, and lives around him are valuable only if indispensable to her
plan, and later if harming them would arouse Jordan’s displeasure. These
decisions have the effect of mildly retraining Claudette’s amoral code.
Everything else is still on the table. She can maim him, kill nearly
everyone else concerned, and cause mission failure(s) for D.I.G. 4. She surreptitiously
demonizes him in the eyes of the world and thwarts his plans when he seeks
to aid others.

CAPTURE: A team is sent by Claudette to D4 purportedly to obtain
a rare earth mineral logged by the D4 crew on its descent. The team
arrives, precipitates a disaster, and the APEX team, Jordan, and one of
his Terranauts are cut off and knocked out. Jordan awakes in the APEX compound
and learns he can’t return anytime soon.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>ESCAPE: The delay and its justification wear thin, and
over several episodes, Jordan and his Terranaut teammate escape, inciting
rage in Claudette for his rejection of her many-layered overtures.

RETALIATION: Claudette, in a rare emotional response, prematurely activates
several sleeper agents aboard D4, yet yearns for him more than ever. It
also marks the first time she spurns her closest ally.

THE COUPE: Shortly after establishing a haven for D4 nearer the Earth’s
core, Jordan learns the extent of the betrayals from Claudette. Jordan
plans in concert with the other remaining nodes and allies within the APEX
perimeter, facilitated by a new, secure means of communicating. He sets
out with a company-sized unit to overthrow the evil power hub (a lot is
left out here).

ESCAPE PLAN: Claudette and her chief ally escape via underground
rail to her vast personal luxury bunker. It is designed to be failsafe and
has manual means of operation, capable of sustaining them indefinitely.

FITTING ENDING: Jordan’s team breaches the bunker, driving
Claudette into a small safe room. Her partner is defeated, and they turn
this into the “fitting end” segregation cell (as capital punishment has
been outlawed globally in the crisis) described at the beginning of the
assignment.

[Donald Morgan]

Don’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment is that the hero’s story is intensified by confronting and overcoming a villain who seems far superior and who’s willing to commit unspeakable acts of evil to achieve their own goals.

VERSION 2 PLAN: The Villain spent a lot of time preparing a complex plan that was designed to achieve an impossible goal and thwart any opposition. The Hero then wandered into that plan, not knowing what he or she was getting into.

A. What might be the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero? The plan could be pre-existing or created on the spot.

The Sheriff recognizes the immense amount of money and power he can gain from stealing America’s newest weapon and selling it to the highest foreign bidder.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

He can use all assets and powers of his department for his own purposes without restraint.

He has access to all of the law enforcement data bases and information that could be used against him. Once he discovers Zach’s identity of Zach, he can also use those resources to exploit Zach’s background and counter his skills.

His deputies can use violence and even murder with total abandon to serve him.

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

He has virtually total control of the entire county with dozens of deputies and agents acting on his behalf and under his power.

His organization has amassed vast amounts of money to deal with any problem.

The extent of his corruption and power reaches even to the State Government.

He already has insiders working on the Army base where the weapon was tested who provide all of the information he needs to carry out his plan.

He has no reason to fear being arrested, let alone ever being prosecuted.

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?

He dies a horrible death caused by the very weapon he stole and tried to sell.

Pre-Planned Villain Track: The Sheriff planned to hijack a secret Army weapon, which is partly successful except that one of his senior deputies chickens out and moves the weapon to an old factory building.

1. SEARCH: The theft of the Army weapon results in a combined FBI/State Police search all along the original route of travel, but the Sheriff has anticipated every action and volunteers his department to actually help find the missing weapon.

2. DILEMMA: The Sheriff discovers Zach has returned home after being discharged by the Army, and while he wants him to leave, the senior deputy who is Zach’s brother has already confessed to Zach that he helped steal the weapon.

3. DECISION: Unable to find the weapon hidden by his senior deputy, the Sheriff viciously interrogates him.

4. MISTAKE: The interrogation goes too far, resulting in the senior deputy dying before telling where the weapon was hidden.

5. DECISION: Realizing Zach will not leave until his brother’s killer is found and the weapon recovered, the Sheriff sends a SWAT team to murder Zach.

6. SEARCH: Zach kills the entire SWAT team and escapes, and the Sheriff calls upon every deputy and informant to find Zach and kill him.

7. CAPTURE: Zach is discovered where the weapon was hidden by his brother, and the Sheriff captures him.

8. TWIST: A team of Chinese commandos who are also after the stolen weapon arrive and attack all of the Americans, including Zach and the Sheriff.

9. ESCAPE: Zach uses his military skills to eliminate the Chinese commandos and escapes with the Sheriff as his prisoner.

10. TWIST: Zach’s CID Commander has been colluding all along with the Sheriff and turns on Zach.

11. FITTING ENDING: Fighting hand to hand, Zach kills his Commander and then turns the weapon on the Sheriff, which kills the Sheriff.

[John Woodward]

Subject line: John Woodward’s Villain Track!

I learned from this assignment that some villains are impossible to destroy.

1. PLOTTING: From behind the rusted iron bars of a crude cage, Makepeace fantasizes about his plans to assassinate black leaders. Gnarly white fingers flip through a news magazine circa 1967 to a tattered photo of Walker Jones, a distinguished black civil rights leader. A razor blade carves the photo from the page. Fingers plunge a rusty pin through Jones’ smiling face and into the rat.

Several dead rats dangle from string nooses tied to the iron bars. Pinned to each rat a black face. A gallery of lynchings. The low light and poor condition of the photos mask their identities.

2. GANGBANGERS CHASE TREY & DOMINO

An innocent play in a baseball game pisses off a group of gangbangers. Chase ensues with Trey and his brother Domino fleeing through the ghetto with gangsters in close pursuit.

3. MAKEPEACE PLOTS HIS ESCAPE FROM THE CRUDE CAGE. ELDRIDGE MAKEPEACE, a tall, pale, abominable old rogue with a ruggedly handsome face, wears ragged earth-stained clothes, peers with a shrewd, prying intensity from the cell. His hair hangs in a braid below the shoulders of his soiled blouse. Strands of mold-covered rat paws hang like a beaded curtain from rusted iron bars, provide privacy for a crude cage. Gnarly fingers push the curtain aside. Light spills into the dismal cell.

4. MAKEPEACE EMPLOYS TRICKERY TO ESCAPE IMPRISONMENT from the crude cage.

A livid scar from a saber slash traverses his neck from earlobe to earlobe. A tattoo of a sailor swinging by the neck on a rope adorns one sinewy arm. Another tattoo, near his shoulder, reads “A FAIR WIND.” He speaks in the antiquated vernacular of an 18th century British seaman.

5. Trey learns of Makepeace’s plan to assassinate black leaders. Trey alone escapes from the sub-basement. Makepeace realizes he must destroy Trey before he rallies forces to thwart his plan.

6. MAKEPEACE KILLS TREY’S BROTHER. Trey blames himself for his brother’s murder because the brother did not want to descend into the sub-basement in order to hide from the ganbangers. It motivates Trey to kill Makepeace and avenge his brother’s murder. It motivates Makepeace to kill Trey before he can attain revenge.

7. MAKEPEACE KILLS GANGBANGERS. Makepeace escapes and kills all the ganbangers who chased Trey and caused him to hide in the tenement sub-basement. The living members of the gang assume that Trey killed their homies. They hunt Trey.

8. MAKEPEACE KILLS the shaman KWA who has kept him imprisoned.

9. MAKEPEACE CHASES TREY thru the ghetto. The chase forces Trey into a tough adjacent neighborhood. Joe, a world-weary construction foreman, discovers TREY breaking into his house and holds him at gunpoint for the police. Makepeace arrives first. Trey and Joe fight him then flee together.

10. A neighbor uses his smartphone to video TREY and JOE appearing to murder the monster Makepeace. The video is played on the news and the internet. Trey and Joe are hunted by the police. Makepeace continues to pursue the unlikely allies. Now, Trey and Joe are wanted for murder by the police so they can’t go to the police for assistance.

11. MAKEPEACE assassinates revered civil rights leader Walker Jones. Trey and Joe realize the urgency of their mission. The atmosphere in the city becomes increasingly chaotic and violent. Joe returns to help Try after realizing he failed to believe Try’s story and now Walker Jones is dead. The unlikely allies are now stuck with each other and will grow to rely on each other.

12. MAKEPEACE endures a bow and arrow attack by Trey. The undead monster realizes that Trey is resourcefully seeking weapons that can slow him down. And therefore, Makepeace doubles his effort to kill Trey.

13. AS POLICE ARREST TREY, MAKEPEACE arrives and kills them. At the last second, Joe arrives to save Trey. Makepeace endures Joe’s attack with more powerful firearms. Another intense gun battle and chase ensues.

14. MAKEPEACE initiates his hunt for Presidential candidate Patricia Hamilton. Knowing Trey and Joe are in pursuit, Makepeace accelerates his mission to assassinate Hamilton. Makepeace follows Hamilton as her campaign moves from New York to Delaware. Based on news reports for Hamilton’s next campaign stop, Trey and Joe try to get Makepeace before he gets Hamilton.

15. MAKEPEACE steals a car to pursue Trey and Joe. Gun battle ensues during an intense car chase on the open highway. Trey fires a bazooka that destroys the undead slave trader’s Cadillac. But once again he emerges from the fiery crash damaged but not destroyed.

16. MAKEPEACE battles the unlikely duo on a claustrophobic ferry ride across Delaware bay.

17. MAKEPEACE appeals to Joe white man to white man in order to convince him to betray Trey.

18. MAKEPEACE tracks Hamilton to a rural hunting-lodge style hotel she uses for the campaign stop. Makepeace battles then kills a dozen secret service agents on his way to Hamilton’s room. Makepeace Hamilton resourcefully defends herself long enough for Trey and Joe to join the battle with the immortal villain.

19. A climactic BATTLE continues from the hotel to an industrial area of the waterfront. Joe appears to be trapped in a boat as it sinks offshore. Makepeace pursues Trey and Hamilton. Eventually Joe re-enters the battle. A commercial speargun (used to hunt whales) slams threw Makepeace and pins him to a huge wooden dock pilon. Not dead, but not free, Makepeace curses the pair as they transport him to his final resting place. Or is it?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by  John Woodward.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by  John Woodward.

[Andre]

Subject Line: Andre’s Villain Track!

What I learned doing this assignment is, there are (2) two-types of Villains plans:

1. In the Moment, and

2. Pre-Planned.

In the Moment the Villain is surprised or drawn into a conflict. They quickly generate a plan to destroy the threat and go into action.

Pre-Planned before the movie started, the Villain spent a lot time preparing a complex plan that is designed to achieve an impossible goal and thwart any opposition. The Hero then wandered into that plan, not knowing what he or she is getting into.

Purpose of the Villain Track. From a story-telling perspective, the Villain’s plan accomplishes a lot of goals that make this story great.

· Shows the diabolical nature of the Villain.

· Takes the hero beyond their own limits.

· Requires the Hero’s unique set of talents.

· Demands a series of action sequences.

· Creates an un-survivable gauntlet that engages the audience.

A. What might be the Villains plan to accomplish an evil outcome or to annihilate the hero? The plan could be re-existing or created on the spot.

That’s just it, this Villain is NatureSpace itself and the dangers of exploring it; if Space is considered Nature. Space is unforgiving, Nature can be forgiving.

It (NatureSpace) can kill YOU, without effort, without trying!

It is what It is, NatureSpace. Respect It, but know this, there is no requirement for it to respect you.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?

Infinite ways! Easily, without trying.

C. What advantages does the Villain have and how can they exploit that in this movie?

The advantages the Villain of NatureSpace has is We as the Protagonist cannot kill it, yet it can kill us.

The advantage the villain has is it is older, more established (we as Humans are exploring It, It is not exploring us).

NatureSpace exploits these advantages in the movie every Second, Minute and Hour (total running time, include fade-in and final fade-out).

Audience Experienced via Characters engagement with equipment (gauges fuel, oxygen, etc.), movement and location without dizzy nausea, and the known moment of return and landing.

From the Opening Scene to the Final Scene, we are aware that by end of movie, our Protagonist Cres have to land safely. Represent this via time and resources remaining.

D. What would be a fitting end for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?

Fitting End for this
Villain is being explored-conquered! Explore Space, conquer the unknown,
respect It, It does not have to respect You!

Space is a proving ground of sorts for any living species. (Add
those Tardigrade creatures that live in space.)

-Andre