Lesson 4

[Timothy Barley]

Tim Barley’s 10 Most Interesting Things

What I learned from doing this assignment is that I have a lot of interesting things from which to choose.

1. The most unique thing about the hero is that his blandness is an unknown cover for his actual superiority to everyone.

2. Alex is super powerful, descended from a long line of two groups of ancient mortal enemies.

3. There is a big surprise when it’s revealed who/what group is actually assassinating those with the Power.

4. It’s a major twist when it’s revealed who and what Jimmy is.

5. Feenix is totally floored when she realizes that her brother and her enemy have had or are still in a relationship.

6. Alex is betrayed when his new girlfriend is found out to be part of the radical opposition group.

7. The person watching Alex from the shadows may be his long lost father.

8. His aunt and CEO of the most advanced tech firm, may actually be his mother.

9. Each side, which want to “mentor and teach him to use his growing powers,” may actually be using him to win the war.

10. Alex’s power may come not just from what was the Garden of Eden, but may also be extraterrestrial in part.

[Avi K]

Avi Kapurala’s 10 Most Interesting Things

1. Unique villain and hero? Hero: Billionaire serial killer. Villain: Best friend-turned-arch-enemy who discovers his secret.

B. Major hook: Sexy date that turns into cold-blooded murder.

C. Turning points:

-A corporate plot to undermine a rival ignites his desire for revenge.

-Our hero is a serial killer.

-The killer’s wife is in league with him!

D. Emotional dilemma? Find a way to eliminate the threat without drawing attention, or risk his secret being exposed and hang for murder.

E. Major twists?

-Sean Miller disposes of Claire’s body/Viktor is the actual killer.

-Maya asks for Jacob’s company as a friend/she’s plotting with Viktor to get rid of his threat.

F. Reversals?

-Sean Miller is not the killer, Viktor is.

-Maya’s closeness to Jacob is a lie to gain his trust.

G. Character betrayals?

Maya dupes Jacob into trusting her.

David Richardson betrays the trust of his friend Peter and rapes his daughter.

H. Surprises?

[Elizabeth Dickinson]

Elizabeth’s 10 Most Interesting Things

What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s very similar to earlier work in the Binge Worthy class, just organizing it differently.

1. Oversoul doesn’t know how to purge regrets of past lifetimes to become an angel.

2. Secretly psychic hero Celt from first reviewed lifetime can communicate with pagan gods, but the ability doesn’t help him.

3. Celt regularly chooses to protect those he loves, even though it’s not to his benefit, and means he can never return home.

4. The pagan gods Celt believes in are not completely trustworthy.

5. There’s a constant clash between Celt’s values and Rome’s values.

6. Learning how to become a gladiator is just cool.

7. The series gets to show ‘behind-the-scenes’ history of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

8. There’s a lot of shocking, contradictory (surprisingly modern) historical attitudes about sex, gender roles, violence, etc.

9. Karma is about experiencing, not punishing.

10. To become an angel, you need to be fully human first.

A.
What is most unique about your villain and hero?

What’s most unique about my Oversoul is that it’s tasked with looking after every lifetime it’s has, and still isn’t sure how to become an angel.

What’s most unique about Celt (the first lifetime) is that he is secretly psychic, and is the only one in his tribe who can see and communicate with the gods, but it doesn’t actually help him benefit.

What’s most unique about Taranis is that he doesn’t really care what happens to Celt once Celt makes the bargain with him.

What’s most unique about the Roman Sirius is that he’s trying to reconcile his progressive values within a conservative culture.

B.
Major hook of your opening scene?

The major hook of my teaser/opening scene is that the audience doesn’t know what it will take for the Oversoul to become an angel.

C. Any
turning points?

The first turning point is when Celt discovers Romans near where his tribe is hidden. The main turning point is when Celt volunteers to go with the Romans to keep his mother and tribe safe.

A second major turning point is when Celt is offered the opportunity to escape, but won’t leave because it means abandoning a younger tribal member who accompanies him.

D.
Emotional dilemma?

The major emotional dilemmas include deciding to go with the Romans even though his heart is with his home. The second emotional dilemma is around giving up his chance to escape to protect Piran, his younger tribal friend.

E.
Major twists?

A major twist is that Taranis, the god of thunder really doesn’t care whether Celt goes with the Romans or remains (contrary to what Celt thinks). Taranis just wants to be the first/main god that Celt dedicates himself to.

Another major twist is when a Roman soldier cuts out Piran’s tongue to stop his whining.

F.
Reversals?

Celt’s best friend Coran tries to rescue Celt and Piran, offers them a chance to escape.

Weak-looking Piran is the one who actually stops Celt from cutting out his own tongue in grief and solidarity with Piran.

G.
Character betrayals?

Celtic Clu leads the Romans to Celt’s villages but covers his collaboration by saying resistance would be worse for the Celts.

H. Or
any big surprises?

The Roman translator truly believes that enslaving the Celts is improving their station in life.

2. Make a list of any other things in your script that could interest a producer.

Small child becomes a gladiator.

Three levels of sub-plots: Soul overseeing the action had to identify and purge regrets of past lives, pagan gods and goddesses vie to influence Celt, Celt has to navigate between the peaceful, matriarchal values he grew up with inside a violent, patriarchal Roman society. How does he do this without losing his soul?

[P.G. Sundling]

P.G. Sundling’s 11 Most Interesting Things

4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and post it at the top of your work.

I have so many interesting things that happen in the series, I could only get it down to 11 and many are packed with multiple layers each. This is so much easier after creating a pitch bible.

1. Go through your project and see which of these specific hooks you have:

A. What is most unique about your villain and hero

None of the Above saves the world with his mind. In the middle of trying to stop nukes to prevent nuclear war, None must also match wits with a godlike mind.

Renquist outwits the heroes multiple times. When MJ finds Renquist, she tries to kill him with an illegal drone strike, which Renquist destroys with a mysterious device. MJ thought shooting down the plane was her revenge, but Renquist tricked her into killing his loose ends and made money doing it.

B. Major hook of your opening scene?

A simulation predicts nuclear war and something worse. What happened to Air Force One? Why is Maria president, When James is the one running for president?

C. Any turning points?

MJ’s transformation after her death during childbirth during an important battle

The secrets of the Big Bang start intergalactic wars that endanger the entire multiverse.

D. Emotional dilemma?

Despite being asexual, MJ has to use seduction to find proof Zelda is a spy.

E. Major twists?

Zelda is a Russian spy that murdered her way into Nones love life

Zelda was the female intruder from the pilot.

Astrid and the murder room

F. Reversals?

Renquist buys the producer of None’s TV show. Renquist turns the tables on None on his own show.

None uses Renquist’s ploy to blame him into a hostile takeover attempt.

G. Character betrayals?

A jury of lovers with all None’s girlfriends confront him on live TV. Corella was behind the ambush and it turns out she was secretly dating him too.

H. Or any big surprises?

An alien fleet is much older than the universe. How is that possible? Have they gotten lost in the wrong universe?

2. Make a list of any other things in your script that could interest a producer.

3. Organize both and select the 10 most interesting things. Post those to the forums.

Changing his name to None of the Above and running for president.

The jury of lovers and a Russian spy murdering her way into None’s love life.

The plot to assassinate the president, including Astrid and the murder room

The Russian conspiracy and attacks on the White House

Xor and predictions of doomsday. Stopping nuclear war.

The rise of AI and the battle for supremacy. None must match wits with a godlike mind.

The Triple Apocalypse

The transformations of None and MJ.

The second invasion fleet

Alien fleet older than the universe

Secrets of the Big Bang and haunted space

[Wendy Weising]

Wendy Weising 10 Most Interesting Things

What I learned doing this assignment is there are quite a few twists and turns in this screenplay.

1. Go through your project and see which of these specific hooks you have:

A. What is most unique about your villain and hero?

Villain (Dr. Jones): She’s an alien who hates humans but must consume them to survive. If she can’t get love or friendship, she’ll use her power to make people do what she wants. She keeps herself and her hospital white and clean while feasting on human brain tissue and pimping a fifteen-year-old patient out to her friends.

Hero (Jane March): An abused housewife who doesn’t know she is an alien warrior.

B. Major hook of your opening scene?

Starts with a bang: The weakest looking person leads an army of farmers against fully equipped and armored enemy soldiers.

Twist: She was dreaming. The real enemy is the man sharing her bed.

C. Any turning points?

Jane discovers she is not in a hospital but a facility where aliens are mining humans for brain tissue needed for their survival.

Jane is no longer on Earth but on Cerebros.

Jane was pregnant, but Dr. Jones takes her baby for experimentation.

Jane finds out that her kids are in another facility and in danger.

Jane learns that she is an alien.

Dr. Jones steals human children to use as her slaves. She’s pimping a fifteen year old out to her investors.

Janes husband on Earth is really an alien mercenary.

Dr. Zyn fell in love with his best friend’s wife (Jane).

Dr. Jones killed Polly’s parents and took her to Cerebros.

D. Emotional dilemma?

Should Dr. Zyn eat human brain tissue and live or remain true to his morals, abstain, and slowly die?

Once Jane finds out she and her kids are aliens, should she eat and give her kids human brain tissue to survive or die?

Dr. Zyn must either become Dr. Jones’s mate and save Jane’s life or confess his love to Jane and risk her being killed by Dr. Jones.

Polly must either be a slave, be fed, have a home or escape with her friends, be free, and in the unknown.

Ava must remain a slave and a prostitute with full access to the drug she’s addicted to or escape with her friends and no longer have the drug.

E. Major twists?

Setup: Jane’s having weird visions.

Twist: She’s remembering her life as an alien mercenary.

Setup: Aliens discussing dinner.

Twist: They are discussing the flavor of the next human sacrifice.

Setup: Jane sees doctors with a human skull open in surgery.

Twist: They’re not fixing the brain but extracting is for consumption.

F. Reversals?

Setup: Jane attacks a warrior.

Reversal: It’s the husband who abuses her.

Setup: Jane takes abuse from her husband to protect her sons.

Reversal: He’s not her husband but an alien.

Setup: Dr. Zyn says he loves Jane.

Reversal: He must become Dr. Jones’s mate to protect Jane.

Setup: Aliens eating in a pristine setting.

Reversal: They are eating human brain tissue.

G. Character betrayals?

Dr. Jones lies to Jane, telling her that she has no children.

Dr. Jones forces Dr. Zyn to become her mate even though she knows he loves Jane.

Polly spies on her friends for her slave master.

H. Or any big surprises?

Setup: Dr. Jones controls everyone.

Surprise: They all escape and leave her.

Setup: Jane hates aliens.

Surprise: She finds out she is an alien.

Setup: Dr. Jones does experimental surgery on Jane.

Surprise: It wasn’t an experiment. She removed Jane’s fetus and now holds it hostage.

2. Other interesting things.

The aliens and humans started from the same race of people.

The aliens are dying because they lack something in their atmosphere.

3. Organize both and select the 10 most interesting things.

1. Jane lives as an abused housewife when she is really an alien warrior living with an alien mercenary pretending to be her husband.

2. The aliens see themselves as being better, more sophisticated, and cleaner than humans, yet they must eat human brain tissue to survive.

3. Dr. Jones kidnapped Polly and Ava and now uses them as her slaves.

4. Dr. Zyn is in love with Jane but must mate with Dr. Jones to protect Jane from her wrath.

5. Dr. Jones pimps Ava out to her friends and gives her drugs to help her cope. Because Ava is addicted to the drug, she must continue to sleep with Dr. Jones’s friends if she wants access to the drug.

6. Dr. Jones controls everyone in the hospital, until they surprise her by escaping.

7. Jane discovers she is not in a hospital but a facility where aliens are mining humans for brain tissue needed for their survival.

8. Jane is no longer on Earth but on Cerebros.

9. Moral aliens must go against their morals and eat human brain tissue or keep their morals and die.

10. The aliens and humans started from the same race of people.