Lesson 4

[Lloyd Shellenberger]

Module 3 Lesson 4: Assignment Character Intrigue

Working hard every day to become the best writer I can be and as a result I become the best writer in Hollywood

“What I learned from doing this assignment…

Detailed outlines for the emotional responses and actions give the script deeper layers, making it more interesting”

ASSIGNMENT

Title: Letters from Baghdad

Character Name: SFC Jerry Reese
Role: <div>

Role: Protagonist

Hidden agendas: Reese sets up the antagonists after he realizes he must face them to save the interpreter’s family. In addition, the death of SFC Reese’s younger brother as a result of a drive shooting when he grew up in Brooklyn plays heavy on each of his decisions.
Unspoken Wound:The death of SFC Reese’s brother as a result of a rival gangs drive by.

Secret Identity: Former Brooklyn gang member who joined the Army to get away from the neighborhood and give himself a chance at a future.

LogLine Subtext: SFC Reese’s go to response is protocol but when the family is in eminent dangerous safe world fails him and he must default to his street sense to save the family and himself.

Act 1: The open market scene in Baghdad shows a side of Reese that is street smart and and decisive. He saves his soldiers and many of the Iraqi’s there. He fails to save an Iraqi child and we see the profound effect it has on him.

Act 2: When the Iraqi interpreter is murdered despite Reese’s best effort to prevent it. He is too late to save him.

Act 3: Reese decides to play politics to help the family get the asylum visa. He contacts his Congressman and a broadcast Journalist, he attempts to force the US State Department to help them.

Act 4: Reese and his unit set up the terrorist, Al-Sadar, by giving him false bait in an attempt to bring about a final confrontation. Al-Sadar takes the bait setting up the confrontation between Reese, and his soldiers. Reese believes he has won but the antagonist tells him you cannot cut off the head of the Hydra since the head will always grow back. This convinces Reese the family must leave Iraq.

Title: Letters from Baghdad

Character Name: Al-Sadar Terrorist </div><div>

Role: Antagonist

Conspiracy: Al-Sadar and his legion plan the murder of the Interpreter and his family and anyone else that gets in the way.

Secret Identity: Al-Sadar is a former Republican Guard who believes he is doing God’s work by ridding his land of the Infidels and killing those who help the coalition. His real Identity must be hidden or he will be arrested and executed.

Act 1: We see Al-Sadar setting up the massacre at the Baghdad open market. This is where Reese recognizes him as his nemesis and Al-Sadar sets his sites on the interpreter, Jerry and his unit.

Act 2: It is upon Al-Sadar’s orders that the wheels are set in motion to kill the Interpreter and his family. Al-Sadar executes the interpreter in front of his family. It is a message for others who would dare defy him and help the Americans.

Act 3: Al-Sadar and his crew attempt to kill the family but he is stopped by Reese and the soldiers. The deadly game is now afoot and Reese cannot afford to make any mistakes. This is where the old thinking dies and he now becomes fully committed and willing to do whatever it takes.

Act 4: SFC Reese and his unit plant false information in an attempt to draw out Al-Sadar. He takes the bait but Al-Sadar was a career soldier who is not easily fooled. He is a worthy adversary to Reese and his unit. In the final action scene, Al-Sadar tells Reese there are many heads to the Hydra and he can’t kill them all. Even in death, Al-Sadar believes he is justified and has won.

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[Melissa Barreca]

Melissa Barreca’s Character Intrigue

My vision: Melissa Barreca is one of the most sought after writers in the movie industry because of the artistry of her writing, professionalism and exceptional ability to tell important, entertaining, joyful, and heartbreaking stories that inspire audiences and become legendary classics.

What I learned…There can be many layers of intrigue surrounding characters that is never actually spoken in the script but will add much depth to the story.

For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

Character Name: Norah

Role: Protagonist/Mother trying to reunite with her children

Hidden agendas: In a scary and rough world, Norah is willing to put up with some of Michaels tricks in exchange for his protection, an unspoken quid pro quo.

Competition:

Conspiracies:

Secrets: She is a genius who is smarter than the average person but doesn’t want to be singled out so she hides her abilities.

Deception:

Unspoken Wound: Norah’s sister went missing when she was a small child and she never recovered from the sense of loss.

Secret Identity:

How it might show up in the script: We see Norah making very fast calculations or having a great memory or ability to understand complex things, but then very quickly change the subject or avoiding the situation. Norah confronts Michael on his manipulation and then goes along with it. Norah talks about her sister that she has never seen after their childhood and we can hear the sorrow and loss.

Character Name: Michael

Role: Antagonist/secretly manipulating Norah’s life for his purpose

Hidden agendas: He has always wanted to be with Norah but left Ireland when she decided to marry Doyle. He will do anything to have her as his wife and has deluded himself into thinking this is what is best for her.

Competition: He is best friends with Doyle on the surface but festers with jealousy and anger that he ended up with his love. Norah is his ultimate prize, he is always competing for her and willing to play dirty.

Conspiracies:

Secrets: Michael knows what happened to Norah’s sister and never told her the truth. He was responsible for her going missing in Ireland and never got over the guilt.

Deception: He tricks Norah and Doyle into thinking he has their best interests at heart. The root of his deceptive personality began in Ireland when Bridget went missing. He learned the power of lying and manipulation and the pattern continued and escalated.

Unspoken Wound: He is heartbroken over his love marrying his friend. He had a wife when he first came to America and a baby, who both died and he has never told anyone.

Secret Identity: Michael is the opposite of what he appears to be.

How it might show up in the script: Michael lies and then we see the truth immediately before or after he presents his version of events; We know that he has tricked Doyle and made him disappear; A reveal of what happened to Norah’s sister after she is reunited with her kids?; Backstory – he confesses his pain after seeing Norah and Doyle marry; what else might he confess?

[Margaret]

Margaret’s Character Intrigue

Margaret’s Vision: To be the best screenwriter for faith-based movies

What I learned: A little bit of brainstorming can open up unique layers for your characters.

Title: Rock of Cashel

Character: Patrick

Role: Protagonist

Intrigue Items:

Competition: Patrick is in competition with Morrigan, although he won’t call it that or even recognize it to himself. He just sees himself doing God’s will, but he actively does everything he can to compete for the hearts of the Irish. This will show up as he attempts to recognize her next move and outwit her. He also will use whatever powers given him by God to combat her powers.

Unspoken wound: Patrick caused the situation where is sister is kidnapped, allowed a sheep he was watching to drown through his inattention to duty, and caused the king’s death through his naivety. He doesn’t speak about these but it drives his focus and his care so that it doesn’t happen again.

Character: Morrigan, Queen of the Otherworld

Role: Antagonist

Intrigue items:

Conspiracies – She sets up events and characters to lure Patrick away from his mission.

Deception- She shapeshifts into other characters to deceive Patrick and those with him.

[Paul Schutte]

Paul’s Character Intrigue

My Vision: I am going to study, learn, and practice to hone my natural talents to become a master writer who creates works that people love and that make an impact on their lives. These works will be published, produced, distributed, and seen by a wide audience.

What I learned from doing this assignment is …?

It’s difficult to flaw my protagonist. I want her to be practically perfect in every way, so giving her the flaw I’ve given her makes us hate that side of her. I hope it’s not too much.

Character Name: Sarah

Role: Protagonist

Competition: As part of her desire to be seen, she sees herself in competition with everyone who has achieved recognition.

Hidden agendas: She always appears to praise and support her competition, but she can have actions that are subtle passive aggression or hidden aggression.

Subtext manifestation – She really wants to prove herself right and Bushnell wrong. She has secretly hated his success and how everyone hangs on his every word. She drops so low as to criticism and ridicule his autism that is really not a good side of her.

Character Name: SU Danny

Role: Antagonist/Love Interest

Hidden agendas: From all appearances, the SU is out to rule the world and is making some naïve mistakes, but in fact, they are out to save the world and have the world destroy them.

Competition: There is competition within the SU, in that the SU sees Sarah as a threat because she makes the SU sympathetic, but it also loves Sarah for the very same reason.

To implement their hidden agenda, the SU uses Secrets and Deception

Subtext manifestation: Domineering the human population. Destroying much of humanity’s infrastructure and weaponry.

[Alyssa Giannola]

Alyssa’s Character Intrigue

One Sentence Vision: I want to be the best writer I can be and a go-to writer in the industry, crafting scripts that become successful movies which make a lasting impact on people.

What I learned from this assignment is…how fun it is to brainstorm and discover details about my characters, especially my antagonist(s) and their motivations/secrets. This has been a very helpful process to add deeper layers to my story! Still mulling over my two leads and if there are any more layers to add at this point.

Character Name: Alex

Role: Protagonist

Unspoken Wound: As a kid, he was responsible for his father receiving the death fortune, and therefore the death of both of his parents.

How could this show up? It drives/motivates him to achieve his goal beyond what is healthy (guilt) and complicates his relationships throughout, especially with Celia because he’s never told her (he does towards the end). It affects his judgement, adding tension and putting them in increasingly difficult situations.

Character Name: Celia

Role: Triangle Character

Secrets: She received a fortune to kill Alex but is hiding it from him.

How could this show up? Every conversation/interaction with Alex has the underlying knowledge that she might be the one to kill him. Even though she’s helping him survive, deep down she knows the end is coming; and if she runs from her role, she’ll die next.

Character Name: Nijara

Role: Antagonist

Conspiracies: She knows it’s a false religion and is working with the AI behind the scenes to help control people

Deception: She pretends she’s a prophet, when in reality she’s a high-level computer programmer and tech

Secret Identity: She doesn’t know she’s actually a clone that’s been created by the AI and therefore has no free will of her own.

How could this show up? In her conversations with Alex and Celia, acting “holy” and talking a certain way, all the while knowing what’s really going on. Everything she does she believes is as a partner to the AI, not knowing she’s really a slave (reveal is at the very end).

Character Name: Parker

Role: Secondary antagonist/fake ally

Hidden agendas: He also received orders to make sure Alex dies.

Secrets: He has fallen for Celia through their work at the precinct together, therefore he has an underlying motivation to see Alex permanently out of the picture.

Secret Identity: He works for the church to make sure death fortunes come true, no matter what.

How could this show up? He pushes Celia towards leaving Alex, butts heads with Alex when he comes to the precinct for Celia’s help and throughout, and is the one who kills Alex in the end.

[Christopher Confer]

WIM Module 3 Lesson 4: Intrigue

Vision:

To write and sell excellent, original, enticing screenplays in order to take audiences on cinematic adventures that satisfy their need for great stories.

What I learned from doing this exercise…sometimes I am too close to what I am writing and can’t see the forest for the trees. When I started this assignment I was thinking I need to create intrigue. Then I looked at the story after a 24 hour break and the intrigue was right there in my face.

Character Name: Judge Ken

Role: Protagonist District Court Judge

Hidden agendas: Star Chamber

Conspiracies: With Judge Jason on the star chamber

Secrets: Gave a Cuban-American a break on sentencing because he suffered under communism. Gave him only 2 days on the rotary phone.

Need to avenge wife’s death who died by a distracted driver.

Unspoken Wound: Has to do bad to do good. Doesn’t want to break the law but feels he must for the greater good. For him it’s a wound because he loves the law.

Also, he was always trying to please his parents growing up by overachieving.

Secret Identity: Star chamber member

How it might show up in my movie:

Scene where they are meeting at Ken’s first Star Chamber meeting and pronouncing sentences and it is obvious he is uncomfortable, sweating a lot.

Short scene in which he calls the Cuban-American into his chambers with their attorney to let him know normally he gives one year on a rotary phone but since he escaped Cuba, he’s only giving him 48 hours of rotary phone.

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Character Name: Judge Jason

Role: Protagonist District Court Judge

Hidden agendas: Star Chamber

Conspiracies: With Judge Ken on the star chamber

Secrets: Need to avenge daughter’s death who died by a distracted driver.

Unspoken Wound: Bullied as a kid.

Secret Identity: Star chamber member

How it might show up in my movie:

Quip to his bailiff how he hates bullies. One defendant complains. He retorts: you’re lucky we don’t send you to Guantanamo.

[Brian Atkins]

BRIAN ATKINS

I want to be known as a great writer. One who is able to create a moving compelling story that touches on a lot of social ills, as well as personal triumphs and tragedies that I can use to relate to others.

Concept: A homicide detective inadvertently becomes a vampire hunter after he gets entangled in a 30 year old conflict between his mysteriously aged chess playing friend and the devastating power of the Impundulu who’s travelled all the way from Africa to wreak havoc on this midwest town.

Favorite Title 1: THEY DON’T ALL WEAR FANGS or NOT ALL WEAR FANGS

Favorite Title 2: BENNETT & THE IMPUNDULU

I learned from this assignment how much intent needs to go into the title and how the right title will leave an indelible impression on the audience for a lifetime. And also there’s something of a science to it or at least the connection of the title to the audience’s response to the overall film as a whole.

[Brian Atkins]

<b tabindex=”-1″ data-thread-perm-id=”thread-a:r775684605548290512″ data-legacy-thread-id=”188b1266ddb3e439″>Brian TITLE, CONCEPT, CHARACTER STRUCTURE

I want to be known as a great writer. One who is able to create a moving compelling story that touches on a lot of social ills, as well as personal triumphs and tragedies that I can use to relate to others.

What I learned from this assignment was that I’m beginning to see the pieces come together and to grasp the formulation of it all.

TITLE: BENNETT & THE IMPUNDULU

CONCEPT: A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE INADVERTENTLY BECOMES A VAMPIRE HUNTER AFTER HE BECOMES ENTANGLED IN A 30 YEAR OLD CONFLICT BETWEEN HIS MYSTERIOUSLY AGED CHESS PLAYING FRIEND AND THE DEVASTATING POWER OF THE IMPUNDULU, WHO’S TRAVELLED ALL THE WAY FROM AFRICA TO HIS MIDWEST HOMETOWN.

MY CHARACTER STRUCTURE IS : DRAMATIC TRIANGLE

PLEASE LET ME KNOW U RECIEVED THIS

[Lenore]

WIM Module 3, Lesson 4

Lenore Bechtel’s Character Intrigue

My vision: I want to create enough salable screenplays that an agent will want to market my work and recommend me for writing assignments.

What I learned from doing this assignment is perfectly good characters are not as interesting as ones who have some intrigue like a hidden agenda, a conspiracy, a secret, a deception, or an unspoken wound.

My Title: Berlin Rendezvous?

Concept: Keeping her promise to Zhores, the Russian soldier she loved until the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, Libby—flying to meet him when the Wall is coming down in 1989—is stunned to learn how her seat-mates lives intertwined with theirs.

Dramatic Triangle

LIBBY: Her secret and unspoken wound is that in the past 28 years, many men with whom she wanted to have a relationship dumped her. If Zhores doesn’t keep his promise, she might never have a mate to grow old with.

She might act as if she feels superior to men, and her dialogue might be denigrating toward men. Her secret could be hinted at in her comments about Freida leaving Stuart. The only man she left was Zhores. All since then left her.

I think I don’t want to add this dimension to this character, but am exploring possibilities for this assignment.

FREIDA: This is the character who could easily have a hidden secret. She could be fleeing the USA, using earthquakes as an excuse when she’s truly running away for another reason.

Maybe during the earthquake she was in a jewelry store, recognized a pendant as one seized from her grandmother during the holocaust, and stole it. She might be wearing the pendant and covering it with her hand in each running scene.

Or maybe she passed up an opportunity to save her husband’s beloved dog during the earthquake, is secretly glad it didn’t survive, and would rather leave than cope with his grief. So she might shrink into herself at the very sight or mention of a dog.

Or maybe I can think of something much better that happened to her after the Loma Pieta earthquake on Oct. 17, 1989 and the days this movie takes place, November 9 and 10, 1989.

ALLISON: Her secret and unspoken wound is already spelled out as her subtext identity. She’s a self-assured child prodigy who underneath her independent bravado would like to have a life like other children her age.

Her feeling will be hinted at in her comments about many episodes of Young Libby’s story. Her glances at children with parents before and after her violin solo at the Louvre will show her envy. When Freida calls her mother from Hamburg, she’ll wish she were closer to her own mother who had her when she was fourteen. In her monologue which details the family she’s figured out she has, but doesn’t yet know she’s figured it correctly, her yearning to be a normal part in a normal family will become obvious.

[H. Vince]

Student Name: H. Vince

WIM – 2023

Lesson 4: Character Intrigue

My Vision: I am going to go to the theater in disguise and watch a movie I wrote and listen to the reactions of the audience.

What I learned from doing this assignment is…

I am learning more and more about my characters and how important they are to the story.

For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

Character Name: Clara

Role: Wife/Savior
to Husband

Hidden agendas: Maybe
she stops and relates to her husband because she too took a substance to
help her without him knowing

Secrets: Doesn’t
want to be in control unless necessary, maybe Clara has anxiety too?
Unspoken Wound: Maybe
had to care for younger sibling(s) when she was young herself so enjoys
the life of someone taking care of her

Character Name: James
Role:

Husband/Develops Dementia

Hidden agendas: Made
a secret plan to do something on the vacation his wife would really love

Secrets: Has
anxiety

Deception: Participated
in a clinical trial without telling his wife

Unspoken Wound: Maybe
something happened at work that has been causing him to build up the
anxiety

· Character Name: Dr. Ria

· Role: Family Doctor

· Hidden agendas: has a cut in the clinical trial

· Secrets: Involved with a big pharma company

· Deception: Didn’t tell James how he knows the edibles have been known to cause severe memory loss for a certain period of time

· Unspoken Wound: Scared to reveal whole truths because he was inaccurately accused of malpractice in the past

Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

· There may be flashbacks of Clara being forced to take charge when she was young and didn’t want to have to do that again and/or there is a flashback of her being a savior in a way with a sibling. Maybe a sibling got hurt and she was able to care for and be a hero in a way to her sibling. She could use her past triumphs to help James when he developed dementia.

· There could be a scene of James meeting with his doctor and sharing his stresses and anxiety and how he doesn’t want to tell his family and worry them.

· I’m also toying with an idea of James and Clara possibly having a grown child that was disabled and this could have helped cause James’s anxiety.

· There could be a scene where Clara discovers a wonderful surprise of something James planned for them on their vacation and he developed dementia before he could present it to her.

· There could be a scene of Dr. Ria receiving results of the clinical trial that he doesn’t want to share

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[Eden Young]

Eden Young

WIM Module 3 Lesson 4: Character Intrigue

My vision: I am going to be an empowered, wonderful writer that’s known for great dialogue and great characters that win audiences’ hearts.
What I learned from this assignment is the intrigue changes everything… ads depth.

2. For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

Character Name: Calvin Knightly

Role: The Son & The Husband

Secrets: Wishes he left with his Dad. Secretly loathes his mom. Secretly Blames here.

Unspoken Wound: Wonders if it’s his fault that his dad left and his mother died (he doesn’t know til the 3rd act of the movie that she committed suicide; but none the less takes the blame for her passing ).

Calvin’s subtext might show up in my movie: Definitely in his breakdown. But even before that in the subtle sarcastic responses to his mother

Character Name: Cora Knightly

Role: The Mom

Hidden agendas: Never let her son find out that she drove her husband away and that she committed suicide

Secrets: Secretly thinks she doesn’t have it and wonders how he got away (her ex husband)
Deception: Makes everyone believe that she has it together and that she’s happy.

Secret Identity: The Queen, The Seductress

Cora’s subtext might show up in my movie: She diverts topics. Her appearance. Her demeanor. How she praises or gives advice to her son leaving him wanting more.

Character Name: Rebecca Knightly

Role: The Wife

Hidden agendas: Wants to obliterate Cora’s influence/ grip on Calvin

Competition: With Cora for Calvin’s time, love and attention

Rebecca’s subtext might show up in my movie: Getting rid of photographs, gifts, or clothing given to Calvin by his mother. Possibly change the subject or deflect every time he brings her up.

[Cassie Randall]

My vision: I am a dynamic, respected, constantly learning and growing writer with an ever-growing and improving library of A-list quality, genre-diverse scripts that present genuine stories that audiences love to watch and that producers love to sell, and boy, do I make that MONEY, y’all!

What I learned from doing this assignment is…when you leave your mind open to the potentials of discovering characters, you can experience actually meeting more realistic people and allowing them to reveal themselves to you instead of forcing them into the small box you’ve already considered in just putting together the story. It opens a lot of space for characters to interact with each other and reveal themselves, and it will make it way more fun to put distinct characters together and see how they play!

2. For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

NOTE: Need to do this for other characters: ex-wife, ghost hunting tenant, potentially an exorcist, potentially the guy’s boss, potentially a therapist, lawyer

Character Name: Dan Harris (VERY subject to change)

Role: Guy going through a divorce and has no choice but to live with an antisocial ghost

Hidden agendas: Maybe he is trying to get back with his wife. Or maybe he is trying to have the ghost exorcized. Maybe the ghost reminds him of someone he hates or had a bad history or interaction with.

Competition: Maybe his wife cheated on him and he feels like he has to prove himself to be more desirable than the guy she cheated with. With the ghost–who can make the other one move out?

Conspiracies: Working with the exorcist to get the ghost out.

Secrets: Maybe he had an affair himself in the past so he’s really been trying to make it up to his wife, who is just an awful awful person to begin with. Does she know? If she does, it would be more of a reason to be even more awful awful awful.

Deception: Has to convince the ghost nothing is happening with the an exorcist

Unspoken Wound: His mom taught him to always make everyone else happy and put himself last. This could lead to him being codependent, helpless, or deep down resentful

Secret Identity:

3. Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

His interactions with his wife and the ghost. Potentially the exorcist. Maybe with the ghost hunter tenant to make the ghost miserable.

2. For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

Character Name: Greg Jackson (VERY subject to change)

Role: Antisocial ghost who has to put up with a guy going through a divorce as a roommate

Hidden agendas: Influencing the therapist or wife to get the guy out? Tries to get the guy to forgive wife? Wants to have the guy do certain things so he can experience by proxy?

Competition: Wants to get the guy out of his apartment–how far does he have to go, and who will blink first?

Conspiracies:

Secrets: Maybe he cheated with someone close to the guy. Hmm, I have to figure out when the ghost was born and died. Also, that also seems too obvious to include, but it’s an option.

Deception: Maybe he secretly likes having the guy here because he can experience stuff through him.

Unspoken Wound: He is genuinely envious (in a sweet way…?) of living people. He has stuff he wishes he’d done. What are those things………a relationship with a partner? With a child? With a friend? Some professional, physical, or artistic accomplishment? Yeah, that would be good–the guy can help him after they join forces.

Secret Identity: Related to the guy? Or to someone he knows? No, I don’t think I like that, too obvious, but it’s an option.

3. Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

The crazy things he does to try to get the guy out. Things he gets or encourages the guy to do so he can experience them too. Working behind guy’s back to sway wife, etc.

[Ruthie Harris]

Ruthie’s Intrigue

My Vision: To be known for and make a living from female-driven, dark comedy, while remaining confident that I have the skills and knowledge to elevate my ideas to their highest potential.

What I learnt: Our characters have secrets…

2. For each of your main characters, use this list to brainstorm one or more Intrigue items that might apply. You don’t need all of them; just one or two.

Character Name: Zadie Haygate

Role: Protagonist – Hollywood Talent Agent

Hidden agendas: To become a Hollywood Power Player.

Competition: Other agents out to snag her clients.

Conspiracies: Jasper building on the fact Zadie is straight within the LGBTQ+ community.

Secrets: Imposter Syndrome

Deception: Teaming up with Jasper to leverage their newfound notoriety to both their advantages.

Unspoken Wound: Not believing she’s good enough to make it in Hollywood.

Secret Identity: Potential Hollywood Power Player in the making.

Character Name: Jasper Benjamin

Role: Antagonist – former child star looking to make a comeback.

Hidden agendas: To make his comeback in Hollywood.

Competition: The shark tank that is Hollywood!

Conspiracies: Promoting the fact Zadie is straight to the LGBTQ+ community who assumed she was one of them.

Secrets: Desperate to be someone again in Hollywood.

Deception: Teaming up with Zadie to leverage their newfound notoriety to both their advantages.

Unspoken Wound: A child star who couldn’t maintain the momentum.

Secret Identity: Hollywood A-Lister in the making.

3. Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

Zadie: We are led to believe she has crippling imposter syndrome – which she does. However, she’s smart enough to know she’s good at her job of being a talent agent. She utilizes her newfound notoriety and that of her client, (and secret lover) Jasper, to both their advantages to further both of their respective careers.

Jasper: Alleged nemesis of Zadie, when really the two are in cahoots to hoodwink Holly to both of their advantages.

[Ashley Sarikaya]

Ashley’s Character Intrigue

Vision: I write enthralling, entertaining, and transformational scripts that win awards, get produced and create positive change in the world.

I learned how to illustrate the wound and hidden motives in a way that’s intriguing and entertaining for the audience.

Character Name: Malinche

Role: Protagonist

Unspoken Wound: Malinche was sold into Mayan slavery as a child by her mother and stepfather to gain her inheritance after her biological father died. She idealized her deceased father, and looks for romantic partners with similar qualities.She fears her partner will die and leave her for the wolves.

Subtext: She is over-protective of Hernando and Itzamna.

Secret Identity: Malinche is not entirely human. She is a bird-talker, or a half-bird/half-human with the ability to communicate with birds through song. She can also see the world from a superhuman bird’s eye view which gives her the power of forecasting.

Subtext: She uses her gift to gain material comfort, safety and security. She is careful to not reveal her true identity. She has a strange birthmark, an identifying mark for bird-talkers and she makes sure it is covered up.

Character Name: Hernando

Role: Antagonist

Hidden agendas: Hernando has a covert plan and is taking action to become the new Emperor of the New World without his crew’s knowledge.

Subtext: He stays up late, secretly planning his next move. Resists Malinche’s pull towards fun. He keeps a journal handy to record his learnings and plan.

Competition: Hernando is striving to out the Governor of Cuba for acknowledgement, profit and power in the New World.

Subtext: He hints at his grandiose ambition to his crew, and they laugh. Hernando changes the subject. His madness becomes known after his men betray him.

Character Name: Itzamna

Role: Change Agent and main supporting character

Secrets: Itzamna is communicating with a spirit. The spirit knows things about Malinche and is helping Itzamna guide Malinche. In Act 3, we discover that the spirit is actually Malinche’s unborn son who becomes born again.

Subtext: His mind is buzzing and he experiences anxiety and migraines. He wants to escape like a hermit. Sometimes he is paranoid as the spirit warns him of future challenges.

[Marguerite Langstaff]

Module 3 Lesson 4 Character Intrigue

Marguerite Langstaff : THE BILLIONAIRE IN 501

VISION: I want to learn to write and market movie sctipts.

What I learned during this assignment: I learned not to fall in love with my characters and not to make them “perfect,” or it might make intrigue more difficult.

State: I just love discovering how to

add intrigue to my main characters even though it is the most difficult assignment for me so far.

Activity: the intrigue of my characters.

Character name: Grandmother .Grandmother’s subtext might show up in the movie in three ways: Secret, Hidden agendas and deception. She was quite affluent and sold her house to retirement in a retirement community (Shady Acres) but then invest all her money in a fly by night stock which went south and bankrupt so she lost all her money, but she doesn’t want her daughter to know about that. She deceives her daughter. She also has an unspoken wound. She is basically shy and yet she has to make new friends in her new community…so she carries this wound while trying to lead her new neighbors into money making events.

Character: Pappy: Pappy is my antagonist. He is a retired doctor who has a crush on Grandmother but is too proud to show it. That’s his wound….he carries an ego which makes him think that he shouldn’t stoop to court Grandmother so he expresses his emotions in rather imposing and unhelpful ways. He also has a secret. His daughter is terribly afraid that all women are after Pqppy’s money…so he has to keep his crush on Grandmother a secret.Module 3 Lesson 4 Character Intrigue

Marguerite Langstaff : THE BILLIONAIRE IN 501

VISION: I want to learn to write and market movie sctipts.

What I learned during this assignment: I learned not to fall in love with my characters and not to make them “perfect,” or it might make intrigue more difficult.

State: I just love discovering how to

add intrigue to my main characters even though it is the most difficult assignment for me so far.

Activity: the intrigue of my characters.

Character name: Grandmother .Grandmother’s subtext might show up in the movie in three ways: Secret, Hidden agendas and deception. She was quite affluent and sold her house to retirement in a retirement community (Shady Acres) but then invest all her money in a fly by night stock which went south and bankrupt so she lost all her money, but she doesn’t want her daughter to know about that. She deceives her daughter. She also has an unspoken wound. She is basically shy and yet she has to make new friends in her new community…so she carries this wound while trying to lead her new neighbors into money making events.

Character: Pappy: Pappy is my antagonist. He is a retired doctor who has a crush on Grandmother but is too proud to show it. That’s his wound….he carries an ego which makes him think that he shouldn’t stoop to court Grandmother so he expresses his emotions in rather imposing and unhelpful ways. He also has a secret. His daughter is terribly afraid that all women are after Pqppy’s money…so he has to keep his crush on Grandmother a secret.

[Brian Bull]

BRIAN BULL – Character Intrigue

VISION!!!
My ultimate goal is to get my scripts from my hands to the SILVER SCREEN!!

“What I learned from doing this assignment is…

There are several ways to make your characters more intriguing and by listing them it really helps to define who they are. I can really see the advantages to the process.

The ONE THAT GOT AWAY – A Fisherman’s Tale
A fisherman is determined to catch the fish he blames for his younger brother’s death, however, in the end, it turns out the fisherman is the one who had gotten away.

Character Name: John (15 years old)
Role: Older Brother

Hidden Agenda: wants to spend the entire day fishing

Competition: Wants to show his brother that he knows what he’s doing and not to go home empty-handed.

Secret: he’s been told about the chicken for bait at school.

Deceptions: gives the impression he knows things about the river – way more than he does

Unspoken Wound: the mysterious disappearance of their father

Secret Identity: Role Model / Father Figure

Character Name: Jim (12 years old)
Role: Younger Brother

Hidden Agenda: the sooner they run out of bait, the sooner they can go exploring the river.

Competition: you never know what you’ll catch and maybe – just maybe, Jim will outperform his brother John

Secret: afraid they might catch a “gator” or who knows what – maybe something worse after all it is the bayou.

Deceptions: That he enjoys fishing as much as John.

Unspoken Wound: the mysterious disappearance of their father

Secret Identity: He’s more of a Birdwatcher

[Adrienne Watkins]

Adrienne Watkins- Character Intrigue Module 3- Lesson 4

My Vision: I am going to work as hard as I reasonably am able to succeed at script writing to be recognized by multiple movie producers as a skilled script writer, and to have my scripts produced worldwide.

What I learned from this assignment is that character personality is important to attract actors and make script interesting.

1-Subtext: Fransie hides that she is an orphan from Roy and Flavia, and that she’s falling in love with Roy.

Character: Fransie

Role: Deaf woman with inherited musical abilities

Unspoken wound: She’s ashamed she’s an orphan and hides her pain through dancing.

2-Subtext: Roy the jazz musician hides his emotional pain from his divorce by absorbing himself into his music.

Character: Roy

Role: lonely jazz musician

Unspoken wound: hurting from his painful divorce.

3-Subtext: Flavia, Roy’s business manager is secretly in love with Roy, she is jealous of Fransie them discovers they are sisters separated at birth.

Character: Flavia

Roy: Roy’s jealous business manager.

Competition: She competes with Fransie for Roy’s affection.

Secret Identity: She discovers Fransie and her sister are separated at birth.

[Haley Chambers]

Haley Chambers’ Character Intrigue

Haley’s Vision: I am going to work hard to be recognized as a successful screenwriter with many of my scripts made into films/TV shows.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS ASSIGNMENT IS… Subtext can make characters more intriguing!

Concept: A recently hired dishwasher boy discovers the strip mall sandwich shop in which he works is actually the front of an underground factory for manufacturing dreams.

– Character Name: For now it’s “Sam”

– Role: Main protagonist

– Unspoken Wound: Childhood neglect/abuse that caused him to look down upon himself. Used his imagination as an escape, but suppressed it because he was told it was bad.

– Subtext in the plot: Sam has literal nightmare following him, and it lures in the shadows for most of the story. He doesn’t realize that nightmares spawn from a person’s worst fear, and are personal. Sam’s nightmare is himself, as he was told when he was younger that he was unwanted. His past of being verbally beaten down by his parent causes him to be very self-deprecating and fearful.

– Character Name: Lionel, the Recruiter

– Role: Recruits people to Dream Factory

– Competition: Wants to be promoted in the Dream Factory. Fears being ordinary.

– Subtext in the plot: Lionel believes that by being the most eccentric and over the top person he can be, he will be recognized more as a committed employee of the Dream Factory, therefore deserving of a raise. He often judges people for not going the extra mile or being ordinary.

– Character Name: Cornelius, the Dream Factory Foreman

– Role: Mentor/“Red Herring” antagonist

– Hidden Agenda: Wants to find a way to cure/stop the spread of nightmares. Secret: Experiments with patients who have bad nightmares.

– Subtext in the plot: Because Cornelius is trying to stop the spread of nightmares, he takes interest in Sam, as Sam has a nightmare following him. Cornelius has little time to notice Lionel’s desire to please him/be promoted, as he is very focused on his studies. Appears to be the villain as he is fascinated by nightmares.

– Character Name: “Jane”, the secretary

– Role: Antagonist

– Hidden Agenda: Feels overlooked/under appreciated by Dream Factory workers, wants to make things right with the power of nightmares.

– Deception: Pretends to be sweet and innocent, helpful and kind to Sam. Gets him to trust her. Unsuspected because of her bubbly/cheerful personality.

– Subtext in the plot: Deceives employees of Dream Factory/Sam into thinking she is sweet and innocent so that she can scheme going unnoticed. Feels under appreciated by Dream Factory workers, as she is only a secretary who failed at Dream creation. Wants to prove herself using power of nightmares, so she takes interest in Sam’s nightmares.

[Veronica Turowski]

Veronica Turowski’s Character Intrigue

My Vision: I want to be a successful writer who writes several scripts a year and sells them to producers who are eager to make my vision a reality by bringing my scripts to completion so everyone can watch my movies on the big screen.

What I learned from doing this assignment is I keep discovered new things about my characters.

Character Name: Eppsa Kestner

Role: Protagonist

Unspoken Wound: She was traumatized by her own death and doesn’t remember that she was killed by her demonic, serial killer husband.

Secret Identity: She is a ghost but doesn’t know it.

Eppsa is curious about ghosts. She is compelled to help Lonnie. Hearing about a suicide brings her to tears or makes her mad because life is to be cherished. She wonders why people don’t take her seriously when she talks to them. She kills Hayden by making it look like he committed suicide.

Character Name: Hayden Kestner

Role: Antagonist

Hidden agendas: He was in a Satanic cult with some friends from high school, but when they turned against him to follow Jesus, the demon inside Hayden wants revenge.

Secret Identity: He’s a serial killer.

He is son adores him and the staff at the homeless shelter give him an award for his help. He uses the ice cream truck as a guise to drive through neighborhoods without suspicion. He’s murdered 4 friends since high school and has 5 more to kill.

Character Name: Lonnie Dowic

Role: Protagonist

Hidden agenda: He must help Eppsa stop Hayden before revealing to her she’s a ghost.

Secrets: Lonnie needs to get her to discover the truth about Hayden’s identity so she can stop him, and both can pass over.

Lonnie was the older brother of one of Hayden’s high school friends who killed himself after a Satanic ritual. He helped the other friends realize Satan worshipping is dangerous and discovered that Hayden was possessed. Lonnie tells Eppsa the name of each person Hayden is going to murder as soon as he learns himself. He can’t see into the future who Hayden is going to kill. Lonnie is only figures out the next victim’s name whenever Hayden decides who he’s going to kill.

[shira marin]

SHIRA MARIN’S CHARACTER INTRIGUE

WIM-MOD 3, L4

MY VISION: I commit to doing everything from my strongest, most creative writer self to learn the course material as thoroughly as possible, then, revise and sell my screenplay to a producer who can’t wait to make it into an unforgettable film that everyone, everywhere can’t wait to see, be inspired by, and fulfill their best, most creative selves.

What I learned from this assignment is how to look at the structure of my characters to give them the most rounded, full development they can have through setting the stage for intrigue and then watching how it manifests in the subtext and the action of the story.

Character Name: KARA CAVALLI (mixed race)Role: Doctoral Student/Instructor turns Global Change AgentHidden agendas: To turn the tables on the traditional masculine doctoral degree conventionsCompetition: With herself to rise up to complete her dissertationConspiracies: Conspires with Hekate to turn the tide on the prevailing toxic masculine aspects of humankind worldwide.Secrets: Nagging self-doubt. She’s not completely sure that she is up to completing her doctorate. She e distrust of men is deep and serious.Deception: To wheedle her way through the system without revealing her intention to upend the university system and the world orderUnspoken Wound: Abuse by fatherSecret Identity: Ultra progressive in a rigidly patriarchal university system.

Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.

Kara comes from money and appears to have her life together and under control, but small things give her away. In anxious states, she rakes her fingers through her hair. When she feels insecure she shifts in her seat, makes jokes, gets humorous, silly and at times snarky. She often catches herself cursing, and she catches herself, self-correcting as if her mother were present. Her relationship with her mother is trained at best due to Kara’s feeling undermined by her. Kara has a sensuous side, but isn’t sure how far to let herself go with her boyfriend Oliver.

Character name: Grayson Benoit (mixed race)

Role: Department Dean Hidden agendas: Maintain persona identity at all costs to cover for his secret identities Maintain tradition and the status quo of the university at all costs to ensure he’s a “shoe-in” for his desired promotion to Chancellor.Competition: He’s competing particularly with Kara’s Academic Advisor Calum Ross.Conspiracies: None so farSecrets: Nagging insecurity about his identity and anything that competes with his coveted promotion. She’s not completely sure that she is up to completing her doctorate. He distrusts virtually everyone.Deception: To wheedle her way through the system without revealing her intention to upend the university system and the world orderUnspoken Wound: acceptance of his identity Secret Identity: He passes as a traditional Anglo-White but is a cross-dressing, gay, Black man.

Grayson is curmudgeonly even though he’s in this middle-age. He is vain and fusses about his appearance. He looks cool until he opens his mouth, which is often self-important and imperious, expressed in his carriage and tone of voice. Under this demeanor, he is an explosive sort, full of bombast.

Character Name: Oliver Ashe

· Role: Kara’s boyfriend-Mixed Race

· Hidden agendas: People assume he’s White. He wants the acceptance and privilege this affords him.

· Competition: His own community of journalists to will the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative reporting

· Secrets & Deception: He’s Black and can’t reveal the truth for fear of what impact it will have.

· Unspoken Wound: His inauthenticity: being split between his inner truth and outer presentation. He’s plagued by this reality for various reasons.

His relationship with Kara is solid then becomes unstrung as she discovers her hidden past. He doesn’t get it and their strife between them; He deals with it by being understanding to a point. Then, they break up but the tension of attraction is still between them.

Character Name: Calum Ross

· Role: Tenured Professor ad Kara’s Academic-Dissertation Advisor

Hidden agendas: He’s in the running for the Chancellorship, but he’s 70 and is only vaguely interested in the promotion to Chancellor.Competition:Conspiracies: He’s a fond mentor for Kara and just as much a friend which blurs boundaries in their relationship by innuendo.Deception: To play straight enough to convince Grayson he’s working through the system. In fact,he wants t bring the stodgy university into the 21^st Century with the help of Kara’s unorthodox dissertation and its impact

[Bent Hanlen]

BENT’S CHARACTER INTRIGUE

MY VISION IS FOR ME TO BECOME A RESPECTED TELEVISION WRITER AND SELL MY FEATURE FILM THIS YEAR.

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT WAS ……… I’M FINDING PIECES OF CHARACTER TO ELABORATE ON IN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. I WILL ESTABLISH THESE CHARACTERISTICS THROUGH SEVERAL SCENES. I LOVE THIS. I JUST HAD A BREAK THROUGH!!!!

• Character Name: THE GENERAL
• Role: SECURITY HEAD AT THE NORTH POLE
• Hidden agendas: HE WANTS TO MILITARIZE THE CONTINENT AND MAKE IT AN OFFICIAL COUNTRY
• Competition: SANTA BECAUSE SANTA IS OLD SCHOOL AND OBJECTS TO CHANGE.
• Conspiracies: GENERAL FEELS THAT IF THEY DON’T UPGRADE THEN THEY WILL BE INVADED BY EXPANSIONISTS.
• Secrets: WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE NORTH POLE
• Deception: ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE SANTA
• Unspoken Wound: AS NEVER FELT POWER IN ANY FORM.
• Secret Identity: A TRAITOR … CARES NOTHING FOR THE HAPPINESS OF CHILDREN.

• Character Name: INDIGO
• Role: ELF
• Hidden agendas: WANTS TO AVOID THE DRAFT WHICH LEADS TO DELIVERING PRESENTS
• Competition: THE LAW THAT STATES ALL ELVES MUST SERVE
• Conspiracies: HE FEARS THE OUTSIDE WORLD THAT CRIPPLED HIS OWN FATHER
• Secrets: HAS A FEAR OF HEIGHTS AND ANYTHING UNKNOWN TO HIM
• Deception: WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO AVOID SERVICE
• Unspoken Wound: WANTS TO STAY WITH HIS FAMILY AND NEVER LEAVE THEM EVEN ON CHRISTMAS EVE
• Secret Identity: A CONSERVATIVE PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO REMAIN ON THIS LAND.