Lesson 4

[Karen Christine Angermayer]

Hi everyone,

first of all I want to say thank you for the great experience to be in this group.

It´s amazing to see how each of our shows and their characters are growing in a unique way.

Doing this assignment I have a question. I don´t know if this is the right place in the forum to post it, so I try:

Designing my show concept I have to decide whether my main character is in his forties or better in his fifties.

Hal, you said in your class “Screenwriting over 50” (thank you for sharing your valuable insights!) that the majority of people watching shows is at the age 18-39.

My question:

How to we decide best as authors during the writing process, if we have two great actors in mind:

Go for the younger one – because it might sell the show better? (though this has an influence on the story and the tonality of the show)

Or should we put these thoughts aside and concentrate on the story first?

I am grateful to hear more about your thoughts and experiences.

Many thanks in advance 🙂

Have a great day, everybody, Karen Christine

[Kristina Zill]

Hi, Karen,

It seems like the age of the viewer would depend on the show. For instance I’ll bet that TED LASSO has an older viewership, as would OZARK, whereas 13 REASONS WHY is obviously for the teen market (though strangely, when I just watched the first season on Netflix, all of the ads featured oldsters living it up on cruises).

I would say that if you have an actor in mind, go ahead and write it for the 50-year-old. You can always work in a juicy part for a younger actor and maybe get some crossover appeal.

KZ

[Karen Christine Angermayer]

Hi, KZ,

thank you so much.

This is very helpful, especially the juicy part 🙂

All best, Karen

[Karen Christine Angermayer]

LAYERS OF CHARACTER INTRIGUE

Assignment 1: What I learned doing this assignment is how these 7 layers help us to create deep conflicts (inside and outside a character), twists and long lasting suspense.

Layers of Character Intrigue: Big Little Lies

Madeline:

Hidden agendas: to beat her former husband Nate

Competition: against Renata, mother AND successful in her job, against the town hall to get her play on stage, and against her own fears of loosing her daughters

Conspiracy: with Renata who accuses Jane´s son of attacking her daughter Amabelle

Secrets: love affair with Joseph

Deception: deceives herself, denying her feelings for Joseph, and her husband Ed

Wound: that Nate was the winner of the marriage, and that working half-time and earning less than 150.000 doesn´t count

Secret Identity: lover of Joseph

Jane:

Hidden agendas: trying to find Ziggy´s father without him knowing, running away from her past

Competition: with Renata in protection her own son

Conspiracy: ?

Secrets: she hasn´t told Ziggy who his father is, and until the end of Season 1 she does not know herself that it is Perry

Deception:

Wound: the cruel night with Perry

Secret Identity: over several episodes she keeps the secret that she was raped by Ziggy´s dad,

Common secret of Jane, Bonnie, Madeline, Celeste: how Perry died

Celeste:

Hidden agendas: ?

Competition: ?

Conspiracy: at the end of Season 1: develops a plan with their therapist to move out and leave her husband

Secrets: her aggressive and violent sexual relationship with her husband

Deception: Pretends that everything is okay in her marriage, both sons seem not to know it

Wound: Perry´s way of controlling and hitting her

Secret Identity: deep inside she´s still the talented, self-assured lawyer

Renata:

Hidden agendas: to beat Madeline and to show everybody that she is a great mother AND a successful business woman

Competition: with Madeline, wants her daughter to be loved and her birthday party a success, and in competition with the full-time moms

Conspiracy: with Harper to beat Madeline

Secrets: wish to be coveted by her husband more often

Deception: ?

Wound: not to be accepted as a good mother, because of her successful career

Secret Identity: ?

Bonnie:

Hidden agendas:

Competition: unwillingly in competition with Madeline about the love and friendship of Abigail

Conspiracy:

Secrets:

Deception:

Wound:

Secret Identity:

Bonnie is a very likeable person, and seems to have almost none of these layers. For this reason I assume that she is not one of the main characters in Season 1.

Maybe in Season 2?

[Bobby Sacher]

Bobby’s Layers of Character Intrigue

What I learned doing this assignment: just forcing myself to answer each category for each character generates ideas I hadn’t thought of (and an entirely new character!)

LAYERS OF CHARACTER INTRIGUE

MR ROBOT

ELLIOT

ROLE:

Cyber-security Tech

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Trying to bring down Evil Corp
Destroying people who “deserve it” along the way

COMPETITION:

Any time he’s in a race to hack someone else/prevent them from hacking him

CONSPIRACIES:

fsociety’s plan to destroy Evil Corp

SECRETS:

hiding his morphene addiction from therapist
Hiding his delusions from everyone
Hiding his involvement with fsociety from Gideon, Angela
hiding his “takedowns” of individuals from Angela/Therapist/etc

DECEPTION:

Acting like a loyal AllSafe employee, while trying to bring down their biggest client
Deceiving/lying to therapist

WOUND:

Father’s death at the hands of Evil Corp
Father’s betrayal when Elliot told Mom of his cancer

SECRET IDENTITY:

Hacker

MR. ROBOT

ROLE:

Revolutionary

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Trying to bring down Evil Corp, and bring about biggest revolution/wealth re-distribution in history

COMPETITION:

??

CONSPIRACIES:

fsociety’s plan to destroy Evil Corp

SECRETS:

Why did he choose Elliot?

DECEPTION:

Doles out info to his group/Elliot on a “need to know” basis
Acts like a homeless guy

WOUND:

Father let him down when he got caught by cops/went to jail

SECRET IDENTITY:

Revolutionary

ANGELA

ROLE:

Cyber-security Tech/Elliot’s touchstone and only friend

HIDDEN AGENDA:

???

COMPETITION:

???

CONSPIRACIES:

???

SECRETS:

Her mom and Elliot’s dad BOTH got cancer working for Evil Corp

DECEPTION:

???

WOUND:

The loss of her mom

SECRET IDENTITY:

???

TYRELL WELLICK

ROLE:

Interim CTO at Evil Corp

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Clawing his way to the top

COMPETITION:

Everyone at the company vying for power

CONSPIRACIES:

He and his wife plotting together for power

SECRETS:

Secretly gay?
Planted something in phone of gay collegue

DECEPTION:

Cheating on his wife
Planting chip in phone

WOUND:

Deep-seated rage (why?), self-loathing ?

SECRET IDENTITY:

Sociopath

MY LAYERS OF CHARACTER INTRIGUE

AMP

FRANK

ROLE:

Bitter detective “playing out the string”

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Wants to solve murdered partner’s death (told to go nowhere near it)

COMPETITION:

Against other detectives – wants to prove he’s still the best
Against AMP – doesn’t want to be bested by a fucking robot

CONSPIRACIES:

After finding out AMP’s “inhibitor chip” is gone – keeping AMP’s secret

SECRETS:

Hiding his drinking
AMP’s “agency”
secretly investigating his parther’s death
something about his daughter? (a secret he’s kept FROM his daughter?)

DECEPTION:

Deceiving Chief, Genesis Corp execs, about AMP’s “agency”
Deceiving his daughter, therapist about drinking
Deceiving Chief about his investigation into partner’s death

WOUND:

A failure as a father
A failure as a partner (TWO partners died on his watch)

SECRET IDENTITY:

Alcoholic

AMP

ROLE:

First sentient AI Detective

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Wants to be truly free
SECRET FROM AMP: hidden “assassin program” completing missions during AMP’s “sleep cycle”

COMPETITION:

Against all human detectives – proving he’s not just a computer
Against Frank specifically, who views him as not alive

CONSPIRACIES:

With Ailene (and then Frank), who doesn’t reinstall his “inhibitor chip”

SECRETS:

Hiding his freedom
keeping Frank’s secret, investigating partner’s death
SECRET FROM AMP: Assassin program
SECRET FROM AMP: Rachel, the teen girl whose mind was copied and used as the basis for AMP’s AI Program – bits of her personality seep into AMP’s – the oddities he CAN’T explain

DECEPTION:

Deceiving Chief, other detectives and Genesis Corp execs about his freedom

WOUND:

Viewed as “nothing but a program”
“Inhibitor Chip” a strait-jacket, removing choice from his life
Loneliness – actually not in his programming, but “RACHEL” – the human mind underpinning his brain – is, and her loneliness and isolation seeps in (the one thing AMP can’t explain)

SECRET IDENTITY:

First A.I. Being with true “self-agency”
Assassin Program personality underneath – hidden even from AMP

AILENE

ROLE:

AMP’S “Robotics Liaison” – his therapist, and tech monitoring his progress

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Believes in Robots’ Rights – they are self-aware, therefore, they should have control over their decisions

COMPETITION:

Against other Genesis employees, who want her position

CONSPIRACIES:

With AMP (and then Frank), after she fakes the re-insertion of his “inhibitor chip”

SECRETS:

Raped by boss – uses it for job security; proof to her that humans are NOT superior
AMP has been set free

DECEPTION:

Deceiving all of Genesis Corp about AMP’s progress; has to mess with reports/data to keep his agency secret

WOUND:

Rape – instinctive mistrust of people, and their unknown agendas. Robots are dependable.
Seen as inferior, due to race (black) and gender

SECRET IDENTITY:

ProRobot revolutionary

MILES MALIM

ROLE:

Head of Global Genesis Group’s robotics division

HIDDEN AGENDA:

Overthrow of Western Civilization

COMPETITION:

Against robotics engineers, who think they’re smarter than he is

CONSPIRACIES:

With cult who believes mankind has failed, it’s time has passed; mankind needs to be monitored and controlled
With orphanage corporation, who “donates” unwanted teens, whose brains will be used to build AI Brains

SECRETS:

Into S&M, as a submissive (he is unworthy himself?)
Shadow operation within GGG

DECEPTION:

Deceiving police department about what AMP is
Deceiving AMP himself
Deceiving GGG employees, who believe in what they’re doing

WOUND:

????

SECRET IDENTITY:

Self-Appointed Judge, Jury and Executioner of Humanity
Member of SECRET GLOBAL SOCIETY, made of international members, all of whom will take over their own countries when the “Saturation Point” is reached

[Kristina Zill]

KZ’s Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is… how labeling intrigue makes it intentional, not accidental, as you’re designing your show.

Assignment 1

How character intrigue is being used to create the need to see more episodes:

Deception: Clarke makes her mother believe she’s been terminated by removing her transmission bracelet.

Secrets: Abby turned her own husband in to protect the others, but hid that fact from Clarke.

Wound: Jasper is more cautious after the attack.

Wound? Kane doesn’t want to be inoculated. Is he afraid?

Secrets: The little girl killed Wells.

Competition: Clarke is doing the same thing her father did “The people have a right to know.” Competing with Bellamy about how to manage the colony.

Deception: Murphy is strung up for Wells’s death – because of the little girl’s secret.

Competition? Clarke and Finn escape with the girl to keep her out of Murphy’s hands.

Deception: Nigelle snitches on Abby, tells Kane about the pressure regulator

Wound? Kane’s background – his mother is a preacher.

Wound: Clarke winds up in the same position as her mother: information is dangerous, the people can’t be trusted with it

Deception: Nigelle gave them a faulty part.

Hidden Agendas: Abby is working to send a pod down to earth. She bribes Nigelle for a pressure regulator by giving her morphine.

Competition being set up: Clarke and Finn get together. His girlfriend, Raven, is on the way down to earth in a pod.

Questions posed that make you want to watch the next episode:

How will Abby be saved this time? (because we know she won’t be floated. My guess is that Raven will transmit back just in time, and they’ll realize that Abby was right to repair and send down the pod.)

Now that Raven is arriving soon, and Clarke and Finn just made love, what will become of this love triangle?

Will Nigelle be punished for her deception?

Bigger Question: What will happen to the young criminals once everyone from the Ark lands on Earth?

[Kristina Zill]

KZ’s Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is… how to build intrigue into characters from the start.

Assignment 2: Find the intrigue in my Inner Circle characters.

CHARACTER NAME: NOLAN

Role: Uber Villain

Hidden Agendas: get revenge against people in his life by putting them in his novels

Competition: He competes with all of Tony’s boyfriends.

Secrets: He fears he’s not a good enough writer

Deception: He tells the agent the novel is almost finished, when it’s not

Wound: He used to be an attractive man. Now he’s getting older and is becoming overbearing and jealous in his relationship with a younger man.

Secret Identity: The creator of the fictional world.

CHARACTER NAME: TONY

Role: Victim of Nolan’s abuse, has to do whatever Nolan says

Hidden Agenda: to break free of Nolan’s plot

Competition: He competes with Michelle, who used to be in a relationship with Nolan before she changed sex.

Secrets: He has an affair with Oliver

Deception: He wants to be number one in Nolan’s novels and not have to share the spotlight

Wound: He wanted to be an actor but didn’t have the talent, so now he’s dependent on Nolan.

Secret Identity: In the book, Tony is the murderer.

CHARACTER NAME: OLIVER

Role: Outsider disrupter the current world

Hidden Agenda: To free Tony and have him all for himself.

Competition: love triangle with Nolan

Secrets: He tries to hide the blank spots in his mind, fears he’s getting dementia

Deception: He also wants to gain a spot in the novel

Wound: His father left the family, so he had relied on rich older men rather than risking a broken heart.

Secret Identity: He’s the fictional counterpart of the real Oliver, who’s in the hospital with Covid.

CHARACTER NAME: MICHELLE

Role: Catalyst

Hidden Agenda: Wants Oliver to get involved with Tony so that the Detective (the intended victim) will be spared. As the story progresses, she changes her goal: she wants Oliver to kill Tony so that she will be spared.

Competition: She competes with Tony for prominence in the story, tries to get him killed so that she stays alive.

Secrets: She knows about the parallel world of the real-life role models

Deception: She pretends to do things for Oliver’s benefit

Wound: When she transitioned from Michael to Michelle, Nolan dropped her.

[Cat Miggs]

Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is by adding these layers the characters are becoming a whole person and adds more flavor to the show overall.

Assignment 1-

Character Name: Shane

Role: leader of base camp survivors

Hidden agendas: wants Lori and to be a better father figure to Carl, wants to be the best leader

Competition: internal struggle of being a loyal friend

Conspiracies: Lori and him having a relationship

Secrets: in love with Lori

Deception: sends Rick off to city pretending that he didn’t want him to go

Wound: when Rick came to camp he became second fiddle

Secret Identity: top dog

Character Name: Rick

Role: cop / sheriff

Hidden agendas: getting bag of guns more so to get walkie-talkie back because he doesn’t want to be failure

Competition: within himself to fulfill promises he made

Conspiracies: teams of with Dixon to take down Guillermo and gang to get back Glen

Secrets: he has a God complex

Deception: plays the good guy to his advantage

Wound: realizes the Guillermo is a good guy and almost was ready to kill him

Secret Identity: becomes God when he puts his sheriff hat on<font color=”#888888″>
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Assignment 2-

Character Name: Susan

Role: Forest Ranger with gift to talk to trees

Hidden agendas: uses her gift to get promoted at work and accepted from team

Competition: within herself, to be happy at a second chance of life

Conspiracies: teams up with Mystery Forest Ranger to get promoted at work, prove she is good at her job and helps the Forest to payback favor she owes them so after she then can be really free

Secrets: she is not sure she wants this second change of life, that she can actually talk to trees and Mystery Forest Ranger, she is enjoying and glad to be rid of the mother and wife role/title

Deception: lies to go work on her own instead of teams, always leaving partner only to catch up with them in the end so that she can really use her new gifts and use Mystery Forest Ranger help.

Wound: guilt

Secret Identity: a powerful being

[Pauline Gray]

Lesson # 4

Example Show:

<b style=”background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>MR. ROBOT

What I learned from this exercise is that my show needs another layer of complexity.

Hidden Agendas

Competition:

Hacker Romero is very not so secretly competitive with Elliot

Conspiracy:

The entire show is about a conspiracy to bring down Evil Corp and erase the world’s credit history.

Secrets:

Elliot is secretly a Morphine Addict.

Deception:

Every one is lying to someone.

Wound:

Elliot is deeply wounded by his mother’s abuse and the circumstances surrounding his father’s death.

Secret Identity:

Elliot is secretly a Morphine Addict.

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Pauline Gray.

[Michael Lipoma]

What I learned doing this assignment is that there can be much more to a character than what comes through at a first glance. Going through the process, one discovery about a character led to several more, and some about other characters.

Note: Lead character first name changes from “Nora” to “Holly.”

ASSIGNMENT 1: EXAMPLE SERIES: THE MORNING SHOW

1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the places you’ve already seen Character Intrigue in the previous episodes.

ALEX LEVY

Create need to watch future episodes:

Alex’s well played facade about being genuinely excited about Bradley’s success in the show vs. what we see on Alex’s face: she’s envious of the attention Bradley’s receiving, and resentful of Bradley’s success—this is presented VERY subtly, through small moments.

Hidden agendas:

Wants to overturn the network hierarchy (patriarchy).

Competition:

With Cory over control of the show

With Bradley over power on the show

With Fred over who has the real power

Conspiracies:

She and Bradley will change TMS and the morning news business

With Bradley and Chip to uncover the systemic patriarchy throughout their business.

She and Bradley will work together to make the show a success (Alex would die first).

Secrets:

She’s in continued contact with Mitch

She knows she’s on her way out.

A single look from Alex while Bradley is getting love on stage from Kelly Clarkson shows she knows she’s getting left behind.

Deception:

Brings on Bradley to shake things up, but really has no idea why she acted on impulse.

Presents to Charlie and Cory that she’s proud of her choice for Bradley, and happy for Bradley’s success—but we can see through it.

Wound:

Feels betrayed by Mitch

She and Mitch built the audience over fifteen years, and Mitch destroyed it

Secret Identity:

Running the network

BRADLEY JACKSON

Create need to watch future episodes:

Bradley’s shitshow abortion reveal reverberates through every level of the show. Some love her honesty, others are losing their minds.

Mia telling Bradley that the Ashley interview is important because this type of abuse is rampant—especially interesting because we just saw Mia divulge to the investigator that she and Mitch had an affair.

Hidden agendas:

To get her point of view stories past the filter of the softened format of TMS.

Will she subvert the interview with Ashley (Mitch’s accuser)?

During the Ashley interview, Bradley goes off script, asking unvetted questions that could reveal the toxic culture at the network.

Competition:

With Alex for recognition and the top spot (ultimately).

Bradley goes off script almost immediately and talks about her abortion at 15. Don’t know how this really applies to competition, apart from she’s going against what Alex just told her to do.

Conspiracies:

Working with Mia Jordan, her producer, to position Bradley to do exactly what she wants.

Bradley going off script is exactly what Cory was hoping for.

Secrets:

Her family life: her brother is an addict and her mother is a mess.

Deception:

She plays the obedient co-host while conspiring for real power

Wound:

The impact of her brother’s illness on her. She feels used by the circumstances that thrust her into a position she didn’t really want: co-host of TMS.

Secret Identity:

The anchor of TMS, host of her own show, or the person with the real power

CORY EMERSON

Create need to watch future episodes:

As Cory is on his phone getting REAMED by his boss, he is grinning—Brandy’s actions are exactly what he was hoping for (and knew all along she was going to be unpredictable—which is what the tired, boring format needed).

Hidden agendas:

Use Bradley to get rid of Alex.

Undermine Fred (President of the Network).

During the Ashley interview, Alex gets on Bradley’s comm and tells her to stop the questioning, but Cory intervenes and says not to stop the questioning, knowing this exposes everyone in power.

Competition:

With Alex for control.

With Fred for ultimate power: we see Cory’s delight at Fred losing his shit over the phone about Bradley’s abortion reveal.

Conspiracies:

Working with Fred to get rid of Alex.

Working with Bradley to get rid of Alex

Secrets:

Is there for the fun of it. He’s got a cushy network job in Hollywood. He’s causing chaos in the biggest way possible and if it’s a success it’s a huge win. If it fails, he goes back to green lighting pilots.

Deception:

He convinces Bradley that he’s got her best interest and that she’ll ultimately be the lead.

He deceives Fred w/pretty much everything.

Wound:

Deep inside this cold, charming, calculating chaos factory is a real person that, as a child, took care of his mother.

Secret Identity:

The person really in control.

CHARLIE BLACK

Create need to watch future episodes:

Maybe this relates to Secret Identity, but in Episode 4, we don’t really know whose side Charlie is really on.

Hidden agendas:

To undermine and get rid of Bradley.

Competition:

With Bradley for power.

Conspiracies:

Secrets:

Deception:

Mitch presents that his main mission is to “protect the show.”

Wound:

Secret Identity:

2. Watch the next episode and see how Character Intrigue is being used to create the need to see more episodes.

• The Investigator presents herself to everyone on staff as a third-party confidential investigator, in whom they can confide—she’s only looking for the truth. In fact, we see her on the phone w/Fred, reporting on what she’s discovered: so far, he’s not in trouble. This hints at something larger we discover later in the series.

ASSIGNMENT 2

1. For your Inner Circle characters, fill in any of the Intrigue items that apply.

Character Name: HOLLY GLASS

Role: a disgraced Pharma executive and ex-con who returns to Love Springs and changes everyone’s life and the small town’s future, either making them all wealthy or putting everyone in jeopardy.

Hidden agendas:

While seemingly recovering low-profile in this almost off the grid town, Holly knows she’s on the verge of a huge discovery, and uses her obscurity to work secretly.

Said more succinctly:

Holly works secretly on a revolutionary compound while becoming a welcomed member of the town’s quirky community.

Competition:

While much of the town welcomes any hint at outside money or investment for improvement, Holly wants the town kept out of public interest.

In competition with Brent Waters—her former partner and Pharma exec who betrayed her. Holly worries it could be only a matter of time before Brent’s researchers stumble on the discovery she made.

Conspiracies:

Holly wants the town to remain off-the-grid, so she secretly aligns with the Mayor (Bobby Kyle), and helps his effort to thwart any modernization, corporate influence, or gentrification. Mostly this is through Holly’s skillful manipulation of the Mayor’s fragile ego.

Secrets:

Holly discovered something revolutionary and has the secret in her head. When she was doing research, she realized she was about to be set up, so she thoroughly destroyed any trace or trail that might lead anyone to discovery, all while knowing this was illegal.

Deception:

Holly presents herself as a recently-divorced ex-con struggling to find her way again, when she’s really working to build her own empire. This is revealed/develops slowly over the first season.

Wound:

Betrayed by a partner she trusted. Divorced by a husband who took advantage of her incarceration to loot everything.

Secret Identity:

The Walter White of erections.

Character Name: JACK OADLINKER

Role: Jack is Holly’s best friend, confidant, and the only person she can trust. He is her “way in” with the Pharma company.

Hidden agendas:

Jack has always been in love with Holly, who genuinely loves Jack, but only as a dear friend. One day, Jack hopes Holly will feel the same was about him that he feels about her.

Competition:

Conspiracies:

Jack conspires with Holly, supplying her with whatever she needs but can’t get her hands on because she’s banned from the company—and working in pharmaceutical research.

Secrets:

Jack’s in love with Holly.

Deception:

His face to the world is a scared, nervous little man. In reality, he’s brave, crafty, and can handle himself. He’s spent years training to overcompensate for his stature: think a Navy SEAL that was too small to qualify, but every bit as skilled, tough, and surprisingly jacked.

Wound:

He’s been diminished his whole life because of his physicality. The only person who ever genuinely looked past that and respected him was Holly, who could never realize his dream of loving him.

Secret Identity:

Corporate super-spy. Helping Holly allows Jack to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a real special operator or intelligence officer.

Character Name: MINDY MARGOLIS

(Holly’s childhood best friend who never left Love Springs. They grew apart after Holly moved away, but reconnect on a deep level when Holly returns)

Role:

Mindy is Holly’s new best friend in town, and her lifeline and “ears” to EVERYTHING that is happening in town, with who, what, and where.

Hidden agendas:

To keep Holly from ever leaving again.

To one day replace Bobby Kyle as Mayor by gaining information on everybody.

To put Love Springs on the map after she’s Mayor.

Competition:

With Holly because Mindy has always been the most popular person in town. While she loves Holly, she feels a tug every time Holly gets recognition.

In competition w/Bobby Kyle for Mayor.

Conspiracies:

Secrets:

She’s slept with almost everybody in town—and their husbands or wives.

While she has the reputation of never leaving the town, there was an “extended vacation” during which nobody really knows what happened or what she did.

Deception:

Mindy presents herself as the wholesome town “good girl” that loves everyone and everyone loves. Problem is, that “love for everyone” is real, and physical.

Wound:

She believes she could have had a rich life if she’d been able to leave Love Springs.

Secret Identity:

Mindy pulls the strings in the town, and is really behind anything that goes on. The ONLY string she hasn’t been able to pull is Bobby Kyle’s. She’ll never have a chance to pull Holly’s.

Character Name: BOBBY KYLE

Role: The Mayor of Love Springs, Bobby’s role is to be an impenetrable roadblock to any progress, development, or change.

Hidden agendas:

Maintain control over the forests and seemingly decommissioned and abandoned Cold War era radar station, beneath which is the home for a Top Secret government Black Project.

Work with the government to keep their secrets at the top of Love Springs.

Competition:

With everyone in the town for progress, investment, and commercialization.

With Mindy for real power in the town, and ultimately who will be the next mayor.

Conspiracies:

Works with the government keeping a secret project secret.

With Holly, who supports his efforts against the townsfolk’s desire to reinvigorate the small village.

Secrets:

During the early 70’s, Bobby was recruited by a secret branch of the government, analogous to the CIA who are forbidden to spy domestically. He’s still connected to a splinter branch of this organization, hence his unwavering stand on keeping the area secluded.

Deception:

Bobby appears to be on the verge of dementia, a relic of a former time on his way out. But, as a former litigator, Bobby is a skilled negotiator, which also makes him an expert tactician. He sees two moves ahead, and is careful about curating the town’s perception of him: strong enough to be Mayor, but everyone wonders if he’s getting too old for the next term…

Wound:

Secret Identity:

Deep cover spy. At least that’s what he believes.

[Chanda Haynes]

Show: EMPIRE

LUCIOUS

Name: Lucious Lyon

Role: CEO of Empire Records

Hidden Agenda: To deceive the public about his health issues, so that his company can still go public on the NYSE.

Competition: Competing with old enemy who also runs a record company. Competes with his sons for women, and on who is the best musician in the family.

Secrets: Hid the severity of his illness from his family and the public. Hid his mother in an institution and told everyone she died from suicide.

Deception: Had the doctor lie to the public about his health. He and his son helped each other to cover up murders they committed. Let Cookie believe she was on the Board of Directors, never telling her she was ineligible.

Wound: Father was a cop, killed in front of him. Mother was bipolar and made suicidal threats. Had to raise himself after his father’s death because his mom was incapable.

Secret Identity: His real name is actually Dwight Walker. His ex-wife, friends, and children didn’t even know that.

COOKIE

Name: Cookie Lyon

Role: Co-founder of Empire Records, ex-wife of Lucious, mother of his children.

Hidden Agenda: To bring down Frank Gathers. She blames him for having to do prison time.

Competition: Competing with Aneka, Lucious’ new girlfriend. Competing with other staff for the Head of A&R position.

Conspiracy: Working with the FBI to convict Frank Gathers. Working with Jamal (her 2nd son) to get his album released before his brother’s.

Secrets: Informant for the Feds. Still in love with Lucious. Regrets not staying with her first boyfriend.

Deception: FBI agent pretended to be her probation officer to deceive Lucious. Made empty promises to artists on the competing label to get them to come over to Empire.

Wound: Blames herself for her father’s heart attack and death. Was kicked out of the house at 17, and had to hustle with Lucious to survive.

Secret Identity: Her real name is Loretha and she was an honor roll student with a promising future before she met Lucious.

<i style=””>ANDRE

Name: Andre Lyons

Role: Oldest son of Lucious and Cookie Lyons. CFO of Empire Records.

Hidden Agenda: To be his father’s successor as CEO of Empire.

Competition: Competing with his brothers to be the successor. Competing with his own mental illness.

Conspiracy: With his wife to diminish the reputations of his brothers. With his wife to hide the murder of Vernon. With his father to cover up Bunky’s murder.

Secrets: Stopped taking his medication. Contemplated suicide. Jealous of his brothers’ musical talent. Helped his father to hide guns and drugs as a child.

Deception: Set up a fake robbery, which led to his brothers fighting one another, and him looking like the most responsible one.

Wound: Grew up without his mother, she was in prison 17 years. Abusive father. Hides his father’s crimes. Was the only one in the family with no musical talent. Learned that his grandmother also suffers from bipolar disorder.

Secret Identity: He’s just as power hungry as his father. Willing to do anything for power, even kill.

[Chanda Haynes]

“What I learned doing this assignment is that building these layers within your characters starts to tell the story. The way these layers are exposed is what creates your drama. You could take these same layers and expose them in a different way and make it a comedy. The story becomes more about the characters and less about the plot.

Like the Joneses — Intriguing Character Layers

Character Name: Tony Jones

Role: VP of Jones Farmacy

Hidden agendas: Wants to be CEO of his own company.

Competition: Competing with his siblings and cousins for bigger roles in the company. Competing with Steve and Tracy for Kenya’s attention. Competing with Henry for his father’s admiration.

Conspiracies: Working with Pete to move ahead of Jones Farmacy. Working with the Governor to dethrone Pete.

Secrets: Still in love with Kiarra, his ex-wife. Afraid that his son doesn’t love him. Afraid of dying alone.

Deception: Took the job with Pete hoping to get Kiarra back.

Wound: Recovering alcoholic. Feels overlooked by his father. Was forced to live with his father after the divorce of his parents. Lost his family due to his alcoholism. College roommate died after smoking a laced joint.

Secret Identity: Hates these corporate cannabis companies.

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Character Name: Willie Jones

Role: CEO of Jones Farmacy

Hidden agendas: To run the company from behind the scenes.

Competition: Competing against Pete’s company for #1 black owned cannabis brand.

Conspiracies: He let Steve believe he was closing the coffee deal, and Willie had already secured the deal. Conspired with Henry about the timing of the announcement of Henry being in charge.

Secrets: Insecure that he doesn’t have all the credentials Tony and Pete have.

Deception: Lied about going to college. Elaine confirmed the lie.

Wound: Was forced to drop out of eighth grade and work on his grandfather’s farm with his dad. Went back to school, graduated, then gave up his acting school dreams due to his father’s illness.

Secret Identity: Was working on an illegal weed farm while his family thought he was away at college.

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Character Name: Henry Jones

Role: Owner of startup, Old Henry Coffee, nephew of Willie Jones

Hidden agendas: To be Willie’s successor. Feels he and his sister are owed their mother’s share of the family business.

Competition: Compares himself to Tony constantly. Competes with Tracey for Heather’s attention. Competes with Heather for their dad’s attention.

Conspiracies: Conspired with Willie to secure the coffee deal and deceive Steve. Conspiring with his father to have controlling shares in Jones Farmacy.

Secrets: In serious debt. Gambling addiction. Needs the funds from this deal so he doesn’t go completely broke.

Deception: He was deceiving Willie while Willie thought they were deceiving Steve.

Wound: Lost his mother as a child. Raised by his dad until his dad disappeared. Grew up in Tony’s shadow.

Secret Identity: He considers himself homeless.

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Character Name: Pete Roberts

Role: CEO of Green Diamonds, Willie’s nemesis. He and Willie share a grandson.

Hidden agendas: Wants revenge on Willie for taking Elaine from him.

Competition: Competing with Willie for #1 black owned cannabis brand. Competing with other businessmen for the Cannabis Commissioner’s seat.

Conspiracies: Conspired with Tony’s mother to get Tony to work for him. Conspired with a reporter to get dirt on Henry.

Secrets: Still has love for Willie. Never really loved Elaine, just didn’t want her to be with Willie.

Deception: Deceived the board members to get votes.

Wound: Struggled for acceptance early in life. Accused of being a sellout.

Secret Identity: Zen Buddhist

[Jan Fantl]

Jan’s reposted after it got lost here:

WIL: diver deeper and deeper into long time rubbing and exploring characters.

Hidden agendas: Upon arriving, Oliver’s overt agenda is to uncover the truth behind his parents’ deaths and bring their killers to justice. However, his ulterior motive is to uncover the roles of his relatives in the web of corruption that pervades the town, including the water conspiracy. This includes a personal vendetta against his long-time opponent who played a role in his past struggles and caused him to leave town at the age of 17 and 11 month.

Competition: Oliver is fiercely competitive, especially in his professional life as a police officer in military jurisdiction. His biggest competition comes from Klara, a detective in the public homicide division who is equally ambitious in her field. Oliver and Klara are often at odds, but their rivalry drives them both to be better at their jobs. They constantly try to outdo each other, but deep down they respect each other’s skills and dedication to the job. From time to time Oliver sees even his valuable ally cousin Marie as a potential rival in their investigation.

Conspiracy: Oliver believes that a larger conspiracy is at play behind his parents’ deaths and the privatization of potable water in the Lake District and Cottbus. He suspects that powerful individuals and organizations are working together to control resources and exert their influence. His counter-conspiracy is awakened when nobody in town or in the military bureaucracy is willing to listen or act. He uses all the strings and favors he can pull from his internationally built network of ISAF and military police collaborations.

Secrets: Oliver has secrets related to his military service in Afghanistan and his struggles with accepting his rising PTSD. He also has a secret as to why he never returns home between assignments, but rather spends his time off and holidays somewhere far away, ever since his father spoke with him at the age of 17 and 10 months.

Deception: Oliver may resort to deception or manipulation in order to protect those he cares about. He may also withhold information from his allies or lie to his enemies in order to gain an advantage. Additionally, he pretends to have repressed the behaviors of his family and the Wind tribe that led to him running away and leaving town in shame.

Wound: Oliver carries an emotional wound related to his past in Cottbus. At the age of 17, he and two friends drove without a driver’s license out of town, causing an accident where the car landed in one of the canals of the lake district. Oliver’s best friend was trapped behind the wheel, and while his other friend pretended to get help and ran away, Oliver tried but couldn’t save his best friend. She slowly drowned in his arms, and he was blamed for the accident. This event has haunted him ever since and caused him to struggle with guilt and feelings of inadequacy. This main wound is compounded by his traumatic experience in Afghanistan, resulting in him slowly developing PTSD.

Secret Identity: Oliver doesn’t have a secret identity in the traditional sense, but he may use aliases or go undercover to gather information or carry out his investigations. In a way, he is a secret law and order vigilante.

Marie:

Hidden agendas: Marie’s hidden agenda is to become a leading artist of the eco movement while make a living from her pictures. And little later she seeks to find out what role her father, Hans Wind, may have played in her uncle’s death. She also has a secret desire to explore her bisexuality, which she has not yet acted upon.

Competition: Marie is in competition with herself, as she struggles to balance her personal and professional life. She also has a competitive relationship with Oliver about practical intelligence, as they often challenge each other’s ideas and approaches to the investigation.

Conspiracy: Marie acts as an agent provocateur by providing her landscape pictures to a group of eco-activists in order to increase pressure on local and federal politicians. However, after Oliver arrives, she begins to suspect that her uncle’s death was not an accident and that there is more to the story than she has been told. She teams up with Oliver to investigate her own family and others involved in the conspiracy.

Secrets: Marie’s biggest secret is her desire to explore her bisexuality. She has not yet acted upon it, as she is afraid of how her conservative family and community would react.

Deception: Marie desires to become a renowned photographer especially in the context of saving the planet yet she hides her activities as she wants to remain the heiress of her parent’s wealth.

Wound:Marie’s wound is compounded by three factors and leads to a sense of inner isolation due to her lack of direction and identity. The conservative family she grew up with has a clear idea of how Marie should live her life. Bartending is not an acceptable profession, and neither would be her seeking to explore her own sexuality as a bisexual woman. She feels like an outsider in both her small town and in her eco-activist group, where she can’t reveal her wealthy heiress background or that she took the beautiful pictures for the campaign of the water mill.

Now, she’s even investigating her own family for murder. All these layers of isolation rub against each other, and the wound of “who am I, and who do I want to become?” cannot heal.

Secret Identity: Bisexual. Marie wants to live as a bisexual woman and be surrounded by a community that accepts her private desires and emotions. However, she does not expect this to be fulfilled in a polyamorous relationship among three partners.

Stefanie

Hidden agendas:Despite her professional and emphatic demeanor, Stefanie harbors a deep-seated desire for revenge against the military establishment that she believes has failed her patients. She has a strong desire to help her patients overcome their trauma and find a path forward, but also secretly works on a book to expose the flaws in the system and demand accountability.

Competition: Stefanie is in competition with other mental health professionals who may not agree with her unorthodox methods or her outspoken advocacy. She sees herself as a trailblazer and a rebel, but also recognizes that her approach may not be well-received by everyone.

Conspiracy: Stefanie has suspicions about the military’s handling of PTSD and related issues. She believes that there may be underlying agendas at play that are not in the best interest of Oliver and other soldiers and therefore she backs Oliver when his superiors start to ask questions.

Secrets: Stefanie keeps her personal life very private, which enables her to keep her own unresolved trauma and PTSD hidden from most people in her life.

Deception: Stefanie is intentionally deceptive and protective of her patients’ privacy in her professional work, often avoiding revealing certain details or information at all costs. Additionally, she initially pretends to have no knowledge about Oliver’s activities while being part of their inner team herself.

Wound: Stefanie suffers from PTSD as a result of her time in the field as military doctor, which she still struggles to come finally to terms with. She also has personal wounds from past relationships and experiences that she keeps hidden from most people.

Stefanie’s secret identity is that of a scientific book author, where she exposes the flaws in the military’s handling of PTSD and advocates for a groundbreaking approach that involves families and achieves more successful outcomes.