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Lesson 4 Assignment
Reply to post your assignment.
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6 Replies
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Paul’s New Outline Beats.
5. Vision of success from this program: I want to write scripts that become movies that change people’s lives.
5. What I learned from this assignment is that it is an excellent way to re-examine each scene and ensure it is fulfilling a function. I have followed Hal’s advice from Mastery Session 10 and am posting this Assignment even though it is not complete. So, in answer to Question 2.C. I do feel there is something still missing. On the positive side, the assignment did get me to develop my Beat Sheet and add scenes.
2. Beat Sheet
ACT ONE: Lilia (Protagonist), a loving, caring single-mother, working hard to help her daughter escape poverty.
1. INT. BUS. DAY.
Lilia (Protagonist) riding home from work after as cleaner in private homes. We see the poor streets of Culiacán. See military road block ahead. Passenger comments on “Doing the gringos’ job.”
2. EXT. STREET. SAME.
Lilia gets off bus. Road to her house blocked by military vehicles. A fentanyl lab in neighboring house is being destroyed. Lilia forces her way through. Witnesses violence against the women working in the lab. Man escaping lab is shot in the back as he tries to escape. Lilia goes toe-to-toe with soldiers to defend the women. Helps get dead body of man back to his house.
3. INT. DEAD MAN’S HOUSE. SAME.
We see the poverty that forced the man into drug production. Lilia outraged at family’s suffering.
4. EXT. STREET. SAME.
Lilia continues walking home, past the soldier and cops as they finish destruction of fentanyl lab. A plain-clothed DEA agent recognizes her. She ignores him. One of the cops follows her to her front door. Reminds her of the 500 pesos she owes for “protecting” her house. (First hint of police corruption).
5. INT. LILIA’S HOME.
Lilia’s father, TINO, reading. Daughter, MARISOL, doing homework. Lilia asks if heard news outside. Tino says it’s nothing new. Comments about the hypocrisy of drugs war. “Why don’t they go after consumers the way they go after producers?” Told Marisol to ignore noise and keep studying for her “ticket out of this hell.” Lilia to daughter: “Your Dad’s right.” Prepares evening meal.
6. EXT. STREET. NEXT DAY.
Lilia walking home with shopping bags. See places discreetly selling drugs.
7. EXT. LILIA’S HOUSE. SAME.
As Lilia approaches house, Marisol rushes out to announce she has won the scholarship.
8. INT. LILIA’S HOUSE.
Mother and daughter jubilant. Tino not so sure. Not like idea of grand-daughter going to live in USA. Expresses anti-gringo sentiments.
9. EXT. CULIACÁN AIRPORT. DAY.
Lilia and Tino saying farewell to Marisol. Tino issues warnings. Slyly passes her a wad of US dollars.
10. INT. LIBRARY US COLLEGE. DAY.
Marisol studying hard. Male student invites her to party.
11. INT. POSH HOUSE. EVENING.
Party in full swing. US students joke with Marisol about Mexico, the source of their drugs. She pleads innocence. Refuses drugs. Young host of the party, HANK, forces her. She dies.
12. EXT. POSH HOUSE. NEXT MORNING.
Journalists gather in front of house. Reporting on discovery of dead Mexican girl in the house of SENATOR MARCUS, a hawk in the drug war.
13. INT. MIDDLE CLASS HOME IN CULIACÁN. NEXT DAY.
Owner of house asks Lilia how daughter is getting on. Lilia not had any news for 2 days. Checks cell-phone. No messages. Lilia worried.
14. EXT. LILIA’S HOUSE. LATER SAME DAY.
Lilia returning home. Worried. Neighbor meets her. Shows her video on cell-phone. Senator MARCUS claiming Mexican girl brought drugs to his house and she died. Not his son’s fault.
15. INT. LILIA’S HOUSE. SAME.
Tino already seen the video. Tino and daughter Lilia vow revenge. [Turning point].
ACT TWO: Senator’s son kidnapped and brought to Culiacán.
16. INT. BAR IN CULIACÁN. EVENING.
Tino and Cartel boss. The Cartel owe him one. Boss agrees to arrange for kidnapping of HANK MARCUS.
17.-20. Kidnapping of Hank Marcus and transfer to Culiacán.
21. INT. UNDERGROUND ROOM. SEVERAL DAYS LATER.
Hank Marcus blindfolded. Tino introduces daughter, Lilia, to the man who killed her daughter, his grand-daughter. Lilia instinctively tries to kill him. Fails. Hank wounded. Tino has other plans. Lilia frustrated.
22. TV SCREEN.
Reports on disappearance of Senator Marcus’s son.
23. INT. UNDERGROUND ROOM.
Hank Marcus still being held. Tino and Lilia plan his “trip” into the world of drugs’ supply.
24-26. EXT-INT. CULIACÁN. DAY & NIGHT.
Hank Marcus on trip of discovery of reality of drug supply. Tino and Lilia are his guides. The trip is filmed with Lilia’s phone. Uploaded to internet with anti-drug war commentary by Tino.
27. INT. SENATOR MARCUS’ OFFICE. DAY.
Senator Marcus contacts friends in DEA to organize visit to Culiacán to search for his son.
28. EXT. STREET. NIGHT.
Informer within DEA calls Cartel to warn of Senator Marcus’s visit.
29. EXT. CULIACÁN AIRPORT. EVENING.
Senator Marcus arrives incognito. Picked up in anonymous-looking car. Former DEA colleague at the wheel.
30. EXT. STREET FEW BLOCKS FROM AIRPORT. SAME.
Road-block. Driver shot dead. Senator Marcus seized and driven away.
31. INT. UNDERGROUND ROOM. NIGHT.
Senator dumped in underground room. His son is a few yards away in a neighboring room.
32. INT. LILIA’S HOUSE. SAME NIGHT.
Tino gets call, telling him Senator Marcus has arrived. Tino tells Lilia. She is not interested. Wants to finish the job with Hank Marcus, the Senator’s son.
33. US TV NEWS.
Whereabouts of Senator Marcus unknown, following disappearance of son.
ACT THREE: Lilia finds herself up against the DEA and the Sinaloa Cartel as she campaigns on social media for an end to drug war.
34. INT. CARTEL BUNKER. DAY.
Senator Marcus being held by gunmen. Lilia enters bunker to deal again with Hank Marcus. Senator Marcus recognizes her as his former lover. Calls her name. Plastic surgery and name change makes him unrecognizable. Lilia in shock.
35. LILIA’S HOUSE. SAME DAY.
Lilia reports to her dad, Tino, on her discovery. Tino disturbed. Does not explain why.
36. INT. BAR. NIGHT.
Tino and his Cartel contact drinking. Tino explains DEA agent is back in Culiacán.
37. etc.
Cartel want him dead. Lilia mixed feelings. Decides to protect him. Gets him to a safe house.
38. etc. Lilia and Senator Marcus start as enemies, but end up as allies. Senator Marcus sees tragic errors of the drug war.
39. etc. Lilia’s online postings getting a following world-wide. Calls for end of drug war. Provokes opposition from drug cartels, DEA, United Nation.
40. etc. Lilia being targeted. Senator Marcus trying to protect her.
ACT FOUR: Lilia is murdered by DEA/Sinaloa Cartel working together. Senator Marcus returns to US with his freed son. He now has an anti-drug war message. Lilia’s legacy is global demands to end the drug war.
[WORK IN PROGRESS]
END
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VISION – To write touching, entertaining family stories that have a message to teach and entertain audiences at the same time.
What I learned doing this assignment is doing the below:
What’s missing in my outline is my protagonist’s backstory, her upbringing and her mother. Major event is when her daughter runs to the predator, my protagonist has to remember the abuse she went through with one of her mother’s former boyfriends. This is history repeating itself, and my protagonist must handle it differently in order to save her own daughter from a dangerous man. I’m currently working that out the plot points of the backstory.
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Madeleine’s New Outline Beats!
Vision: I am going to do whatever it takes for me to be a writer of amazing stories with meaning who can move the audience and change the world resulting in financial, critical and audience success.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: What I learned is that I went over all beats again and found some spots to make correction. I know that the end is not working yet, but I move on – just trusting the process of filling in the blanks.
ACT 1 – 1.1 Opening: Old way: Alex teaches frontal and loses it with Mirai who asks a critical question.
Deeper layer: Alex is irritable because he is in a new life stage.
AJ 1 – Beginning: Corrie is bored and does not have a satisfying life on her own.
AJ 2 – Inciting Incident: Corrie offers Alex a new garden house to start a new life at home.
Deeper layer: Alex hates his birthday present because he wants more career time next year (fear of birthday, fear of decline, fear of death).
1.2 Inciting Incident: Alex wants to become dean.
Refusal of call: Luke wants Alex to do a health check
Genre convention, build up: Doc reveals menopause.
1.3 Turning Point 1: Alex starts application, is tired and lies about it.
AJ 3 – Turning Point 1: Corrie realizes that Alex wants to apply and informs Luke about his health.
AJ 4: Corrie looks for a new professional challenge.
Genre convention Alex: Alex finds out that Flavia applies as well.
Genre convention Alex: Luke advices support from Mirai.
ACT 2 – 2.1 New plan: A contacts M for support.
Genre convention Alex: Mirai demands a workshop and personal involvement.
2.2 Plan in action: Alex self-medicates for marathon
AJ 5 – Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Corrie finds Alex medication and thinks he has an affair.
2.3 Midpoint: Alex suffers heart attack
Genre convention Alex: Flavia becomes interim dean because Luke passed away.
Deeper layer: Alex build garden house as therapy
AJ 6 – Act 3: Corrie has a job and starts an affair.
Genre convention: Flavia reduces hours, Corrie starts to work and an affair
ACT 3 – 3.1 Rethinking: Alex starts a self-sufficient life and feels good about it.
3.2 New Plan: Alex destroys home to force family to live in garden
3.3 Huge Failure: A lives alone in garden and discovers Eve’s garden.
AJ 7 – Turning Point 3: Corrie moves out because she hates Alex’s new self-limiting lifestyle (poverty trauma).
Recovery: Alex holds Eve’s inspired lecture and gets Mirai’s support.
4.1 Climax: Corrie and Alex have conflict about future of family (dean vs family – just one family)
Deeper layer and moral action: not just one planet, one family, also just one life (celebration birthday, but nobody comes)
Deeper layer: Flavia tells Alex that Luke was worried about him and wanted her to be dean.
AJ 8 – Act 4 Climax: Corrie comes for birthday to discuss divorce.
AJ 9 – Resolution: Corrie makes a birthday party, starts her career and a new family life.
4.2 Resolution: New way of life and family. Corrie works, Alex teaches workshop at home.
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Brandyn Cross’ New Outline Beats!
My vision for success in this program is to develop and hone my skills to the extent that my screenplays will be produced and widely viewed.
What I learned from this assignment is how to start plotting beats throughout the outline.
ACT 1
OPENING
Alex drinks at a grave during a snow storm, shown from the side, so we don’t see a name on the headstone.
Alex is then driving in the snow. Despondent over his failing career, Alex intentionally crashes his car into an overpass pylon in a suicide attempt. A few cars pull over, and a few men run to help.
We are led to believe that Alex survived the crash, but is left disabled. As he awakens in hospital, a news report in the background reports on the crash, claiming it involved several vehicles and that there were multiple fatalities, but he is seemingly oblivious to the report.
As Alex rehabilitates, we see him as depressed, despondent and self-absorbed, filled with negativity and concerned only with how his misfortunes have made him a perpetual victim. He has however developed psychic abilities following the accident enabling him, among other things, to connect with ghosts.
INCITING INCIDENT
Alex is visited by Sandy, a child ghost, who tells him he has the power to help grieving parents, and help their departed children cross over to eternity.
Not known to Alex, Sandy died and has been waiting to be reunited with his father when his time comes. We see Sandy’s mentor, an angel named Angel, who gives Sandy his assignment and encourages him along the way.
Sandy learns that his father has never gotten over Sandy’s death, and his life has spiraled downhill, culminating in his suicide. Because of all this baggage he still carries, he is not able to join Sandy in heaven.
TURNING POINT
Sandy is told that his father can join him if he is redeemed by helping some other ghosts who are in turmoil, and in need of closure.
Three other ghost children are assigned to Sandy as those whom Alex must help, and Sandy understands that these ghosts are some kids whose forgiveness Alex needs to bring about his own redemption.
Alex is initially not interested. He is adamant that if he is going to connect with ghost children, he wants to connect with his own departed son, the details about whom he has very little recollection.
When told he can’t do that, Alex is a little pissed and not interested. Rather, he dedicates his efforts to trying to revive his career, and ignores his psychic connections. But, no matter how hard he tries to ignore them, he is haunted by his abilities and feels a compulsion toward them.
Alex is unable to work because he is haunted by the ghosts, and by strange memories. He remembers being at a grave, showing a little more of the headstone, but still no name.
He also remembers being at the crash as the drivers who pulled over fight to get him out of the car.
From there, he is able to psychically see Rorie, the first ghost child Sandy introduces him to, and his family, who are grieving over Rorie’s death.
ACT 2
Alex still has no interest in using his powers to assist others rather than himself, and tries to ignore these powers.
As Sandy tries to convince Alex to help Rorie, Alex discovers he is unable to suppress his powers, and is unable to ignore an internal need to bring these dead children and their parents together to help them achieve closure.
Sandy is almost desperate to convince Alex to do so, seemingly more invested in this than make sense. As Sandy is not allowed to reveal his true identity to Alex, he has to guard the secret of their relationship, and that this is what Alex needs to do so he and Sandy can be reunited.
Yet, Alex still refuses.
Sandy is despondent, but is encouraged by Angel.
Then, in another vision of his accident, arranged by Angel, Alex sees a kid get out of one of the cars at the scene. He starts running across the highway, but stops cold, looking down the road, terrified.
TURNING POINT 2 / MIDPOINT
After a lot of effort and with Alex unable to suppress his psychic powers, Sandy convinces Alex to write the book for Rorie, both Rorie and Sandy helping him to do so.
Alex then contacts Rorie’s family to get the book to them, insisting their departed child compelled him to write it. They are skeptical and want nothing to do with Alex.
Initially, Alex shrugs off their dismissal of him, rationalizing that he has done everything he can and it’s not his fault if they won’t listen to him. Sandy is nearly desperate to get Alex to press them and not accept ‘no’ for an answer.
Alex listens to Sandy only when he realizes that, in writing Rorie’s story, he has gained a greater recollection of his own son. But, with the family’s rejection of him, he begins losing that newfound recollection and realizes that, for his own sake, he must succeed in bringing the family and their departed child together.
He then remembers being at the grave again, camera a little more to the front. This connects him to the feelings this family feels, and leads him to the realization of what he needs to do go get Rorie’s family to believe him.
These psychic insights into Rorie’s family are successful, and he is able to bring Rorie and his family together, where they achieve closure, and Rorie is able to move on into heaven.
At this point, Sandy introduces Alex to Beth and Kody, two other child ghosts, and shows them their families as well.
ACT 3
Alex feels connected to the grief of Rorie’s family and their resulting relief upon being able to say goodbye to Rorie.
Alex’s longing to feel that for his own son grows even stronger, as Alex begins to understand on some level 0that all life is connected, and that he must develop an honest empathy for others going through the grief process if he wants to experience that same sense of peace regarding his son.
In further remembering his crash, he sees the child in the street, paralyzed in fear as a truck goes out of control as it approaches the crash scene. This time, though, he sees the face of the child, who looks very similar to Rorie.
He remembers more of being at the grave, even further to the front of the headstone, but is still unable to see the name.
Alex now believes he must succeed in getting these other families to believe in his ability to connect them with their departed children, now knowing for sure, but suspecting, that his own salvation may lie in the balance.
He is now unwilling to accept failure, and becomes absorbed in helping these other families to move beyond their paralyzing grief. In losing himself in the selfless service of others, he forgets entirely about reviving his career, as that no longer seems important.
Sandy and Beth help Alex create Beth’s story, and he is super-confident in presenting her book to Beth’s family, including her mother and father.
Beth’s father accepts Alex’s story without question, encouraging his wife to accept it as a message from their daughter that she is safe in the arms of heaven. In some ways, it seems easier than it should have been, but Alex becomes almost overconfident and egotistical over the success that he pats himself on the back for.
Sandy is brimming with hope, but Angel tries to keep his hopes a little tempered.
TURNING POINT 3; HUGE FAILURE / MAJOR SHIFT
Sandy’s hopes are dashed when Beth’s mother, Rose, commits suicide after Alex delivers Beth’s book to the family.
Alex insists to Sandy that he is doing more harm than good by meddling in the grief of these families and that he’s done with it. He refuses to continue working on any other books, and tells Sandy to leave him alone, saying he wants nothing more to do with this kids.
Sandy is now consumed with despair. Angel encourages him to keep trying to convince Alex, but he refuses. Not only has Alex become bitter and lost his confidence, but so has Sandy.
ACT 4
Beth intercedes and, with Angel’s help, shows Sandy what Beth’s mother would have done without the intervention of Alex and Sandy.
Sandy then shows Alex. As it turns out, her suicide was out of the hope of being reunited with Beth. Without Alex’s book, she would still have committed suicide but, in that case, would have been out of the hopelessness of feeling that Beth was gone from her forever. It would have been an act of despair rather than a misguided act of hope. In that state of mind, she would have also taken her husband and other kids with her.
Sandy and Beth convince Alex to speak with Beth’s dad, who confirms that his wife’s suicide was probably unavoidable but that, before receiving Beth’s book, he had been unable to reach her. He thanks Alex for bringing Beth back to them for even just one more moment.
With Angel’s help, both Sandy and Alex decide to resume their work, and help Kody by writing his book.
CLIMAX / ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF THE CONFLICT
In fleshing out Kody’s story, Alex and Sandy realize that, unlike the other stories, Kody is the one in need of resolution and closure. Alex discovers that Kody’s book was necessary to help Kody come to terms with his death so he could cross over and be reunited with his mother, Angel, who had died earlier and had been waiting for her reunion with Kody.
We then learn that even Sandy’s heavenly mentor had a stake in this of eternal proportions. Alex and Sandy are able to see the heavenly reunion of Kody and Angel.
They express their gratitude to Alex and Sandy, and tell Alex that they forgive him. He is confused and, at that moment, Rorie, Beth and Rose also appear and thank Sandy and Alex. They also tell Alex that they forgive him, and now he’s beyond confused.
Alex asks Sandy what they meant, and Sandy is in tears. Sandy tells Alex that’s what this was all about, and that now Alex just needs to forgive himself.
At that moment, with his redemption complete, Alex recalls everything. He sees the accident scene clearly. He sees himself in his car as the rescuers- the parents of the ghost children- realize that Alex is dead.
Just then, the truck plows through the cars that had stopped to help. He watches in tears as the truck plows through the cars containing Beth and Kody, and strikes Rorie as he runs across the road, all of whom are instantly killed.
Alex is beyond consolable, not only realizing that he is dead, but that in selfishly killing himself, he also caused the deaths of Rorie, Beth and Kody.
Sandy insists again that Alex has to forgive himself. Alex can’t do it, but Sandy is desperate. He insists that God has forgiven him, and that Rorie, Beth and Kody, along with their families, have as well, and that it’s imperative that he forgive himself.
Alex insists that he deserves to burn in hell and that, at this point, wants to. Sandy is in tears, begging Alex to accept everyone’s forgiveness, and forgive himself. He tells Alex he’s just beginning to learn of all the good he has done for others. Alex asks what’s the point.
At that moment, Alex sees himself directly in front of the grave, where the name Alexander “Sandy” is on the headstone. He realizes that Sandy is, in fact, his son, who had died previously and led to his isolation and loss of interest in living.
RESOLUTION
Alex completely realizes that he has been dead throughout the story. This whole journey has, in reality, been about his own reclamation and redemption, which he must undergo before being allowed to join his son, Sandy, in the eternities.
He takes Sandy in his arms and asks Sandy if he can forgive him for the fool that he has been. Sandy just hugs him. With Sandy’s blessing, Alex is able to at least begin to forgive himself. He comes to terms with his suicide, and is able to recognize Sandy for who he is, at which point they are reunited in heaven.
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KZ’s NEW OUTLINE BEATS
Vision: To create quotable, memorable screenplays (like the ones I love), and help them get made into successful movies.
What I learned from doing this assignment is… that I usually get impatient at this point and start writing scenes. So outlining must be a weakness that I’ve been trying to avoid.
Also… I’ve fallen behind because of some demanding situations at my “survival job” so I’m going to do as Hal suggested and just post what I’ve got with the idea of going back and adding more later on.
Opening: Opening: Warren Buffet divulges his secret for success: Meditation! It gives him a mental edge over his competitors. Result? Myra’s class is full of business types, jockeying for position.
ACT 1 – Wendy and Darwin, 30s, are skilled negotiators, known for their abilities in the business world. They are both in Myra’s class to gain an edge in negotiation.
Act 1:
Wendy PJ1
We see Wendy negotiating in a low-stakes situation as though her life depended on it. When Myra says there’s no room in the class, she brings down the hammer until she gets her way, leaving Myra feeling a bit shaken. In the class, she notices Darwin, who is as gorgeous as an Indian prince.
Darwin AJ1
Darwin comes off a high-stakes hostage situation where he negotiated a surrender. But then he gets a call from his mother who insists he come home for dinner to meet a young woman she wants him to marry. He reluctantly obeys. He can negotiate anything, but he can’t ever win against his mother.
PJ 2 / AJ 2
Wendy attends a Negotiators conference where she is a guest speaker… and so is Darwin. They are asked to give a demonstration negotiation. They each try to psych out the other. Darwin asks her to get him coffee. She (having overheard him on the phone with his mother) mocks him for being a mama’s boy. They’re both tough at the negotiation table and the demo is deemed a draw.
PJ3 / AJ3
Afterwards, Wendy and Darwin are invited to a party, which winds up in a game of strip poker. The others have all lost their clothes, but Wendy and Darwin are left fully clothed as others go off to enjoy their nakedness.Wendy and Darwin can’t negotiate terms about how lovemaking will be conducted. Who would be dominant. Whose needs would be met first. Darwin reveals a sad side: women want to use him like a boy toy, but don’t get to know the real him. So they wind up back in their own rooms, alone.
PJ5 / Wendy’s boss assigns her to an upcoming negotiation where he needs “a killer.” She’ll be facing off with Darwin, who will represent the opposition. Wendy and Darwin find out they’ll be facing each other in an upcoming negotiation. They have each been chosen for their cutthroat, scorched earth, merciless desire to win.
PJ 6
In meditation class, Wendy informs Darwin that they’re going to be facing off in a negotiation and that he shouldn’t count on her being soft because of their mutual attraction.AJ 5
Darwin lets her know that he manipulated it so that he would be facing off with her, and that he let her win the negotiation at the conference because he knows he can win against her. And, by the way, he’s not attracted to her.
TURNING POINT: Wendy, Darwin and Myra all “ace” the recording of the guided meditation where they “observe the observer,” and they all three wind up on the train to Nirvana.
Act 2: Myra wants to stay in Nirvana. Darwin and Wendy want to leave. Myra tries to convince them that they should want to be in Nirvana, rather than ensconced in Samsara, the pain of living.
Are they able to see scenes from their lives? Are these shown on a movie screen by a monk who is also on the train to Nirvana?
Are private things revealed about them, things that at first they intend to use against each other in the upcoming negotiation?
Wendy and Darwin team up to defeat Myra, who insists that they all need to stay to achieve her ideal of living in Nirvana; but the negotiators can’t help double-crossing each other as they try to win what they have been told is the one seat back to reality.
PJ – Wendy double crosses Darwin, he double crosses Wendy, they wind up in a lucid dream where they each believe they have gotten the better of the other and arrive at the negotiation with the secret that will give them victory. Darwin notices the documents aren’t readable and breaks the news to Wendy: they’re dreaming.
TURNING POINT: Wendy and Darwin realize that they’ll have to work for a win/win or they’ll never get out of here.
Deeper Layer: They’ll be stuck in limbo until they learn to work together.
Act 3 – By helping Myra get what she wants, rather than constantly opposing her, Wendy and Darwin help themselves.
Act 4 – Wendy and Darwin make it back to reality, where no time has passed. They face off at the negotiating table, but disappoint their bosses by going for a “win/win” solution that is good for everyone.
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Raquel’s New Outline Beats – I am behind in my assignments so I will push on and add more to this later on…
Vision: I want to go deeper into my writing to create screenplays where characters of depth are placed in compelling journeys with a fresh voice that Hollywood producers as well as independent film companies know they must make!
What I learned from doing this assignment is although I already know the basic plot points of my screenplay there is a lot to fill in the whole story.
Act 1
P.J. Miri right before the war is a rising blues violinist. She cherishes her freedom. She has casual affairs with men. Her music career is above family and friends.
New Specific Beats:
Int. Nightclub-Warsaw
Miri is playing violin to a mostly young crowd that sit at small tables. She is backed up by piano, drums and guitar.
The crowd is lively and drinking. Some get up to dance.
Inciting incident: A.J. -2 anti-semitic thugs attack a patron at music club.
The back door opens with a bang and 2 twenty-something men grab a patron up from his table and start to beat him calling him a dirty Jew.
Miri and the band stop playing.
Audience members grab the 2 men and throw them out the back and lock the door.
They help the man back to his table.
The MC urges the band to continue to perform.
The crowd is subdued.
The concert ends.
Miri and the others pack instruments to go home.
Miri’s boyfriend Andre takes her violin to hold for her.
Exterior: They walk quiet streets to her apartment.
Andre speaks about the incident. Miri is silent.
Miri opens her apartment door.
Andre wants to come inside.
Miri is too tired.
They kiss at the door.
Andre who is Christian wants to marry Miri to protect her.
She declines.
Deeper Layer Miri tries to maintain life as usual. Turns downs marriage proposal later that evening. Determined to live her free life.
Turning Point 1: P.J -Miri is now confined in the Jewish quarter of the Warsaw Ghetto.
Deeper Level: Miri faces her own death. She befriends other musicians for support to survive.
Miri sits at a communal table. She is served soup. Angie, seated on the other side calls her name. She recognizes Miri from performances.
Angie tells Miri that she is a pianist. She is looking for a piano and has heard there is one in the ghetto at a building where there will be music classes for children.
They walk together from the soup kitchen and pass hurriedly by a group of Nazi soldiers.
As they continue to walk one raises a rifle at their backs as if to shoot them. He lowers it and the soldiers all have a good laugh.
Angie takes Miri to the music school and tells her they can both teach the kids there.
Next day:
They enter a room with a piano and chairs.
Angie sits at piano- plays classical music
Fifteen kids enter the room with Claude.
Some gather around the piano. Others take seats.
Angie stops playing so Claude can speak.
Claude tells the children to all take their seats.
He tells them that Angie and Miri will give them music classes.
They sing songs they know and new ones too.
Angie sits at the piano and plays.
Miri leads the kids in singing a popular children’s song.
After Angie is very warm to the kids- hugs them. Miri is standoffish.
Act 2: P.J. Miri is teaching a song to the class of children.
Angie is at the piano.
One boy (Jacob) asks for violin lessons as he already knows how to play from his father who is too busy to teach him. Miri refuses until she learns that he is pretending that his father is still alive.
Deeper Level: Years before Miri delayed going home to play at a gig when her younger brother was ill. To her shock when she returned home he had died. She avoids emotional/love relationships.
Turning point 2: Midpoint: P.J. Miri practices classical music to tryout for the ghetto orchestra.
Deeper level: Miri’s main purpose to play in orchestra is for the greater access to food which she will bering to her young music students.
A.J. Officer Heinrich hears Miri practice and starts a conversation about the great German composers.He forces a kiss which she rebuffs. He is aware of her now close relationship with Jacob. She will be his mistress or he will send Jacob to Treblinka.
Deeper level: He considers himself a cultured member of the Aryan race who has the right to control a Jewish prisoner.
Act 3: P.J – Miri uses her time at her “rehearsals” at a Nazi officers club outside the ghetto to sneak over to the Aryan side – pass as a non-Jew and meet with resistance members in order to smuggle weapons into the ghetto.
Deeper Level: Miri now uses her music skills to aid and save others while she puts her own life in jeopardy having changed from the time music was a selfish pursuit.
Turning pt. 3: A.J. Heinrich becomes suspicious of her absences and also hears she has a Jewish lover (Avi).
Deeper Level: He is enraged that Miri would dare not be under his thumb.
P.J.: Miri is worried for Jacob and helps hide him to escape from the ghetto. Her lover is killed aiding this escape.
Deeper Level: Miri is devastated that Avi died protecting Jacob. She stays alive to continue to smuggle weapons for the cause.
Act 4: Climax: A.J. Drunk Heinrich catches Miri with a potato sack filled with weapons. He lifts his weapon.
Deeper level: He drinks to numb himself against the killing he is part of.
Act 4: Climax: P.J. Miri raises a gun and kills Heinrich.
Deeper Level: It is the first time she has killed anyone and she shakes and cries.
P.J. Miri is helped to escape the ghetto so she will not be killed in retribution.
Resolution: The war is over. P.J. Miri hears that Jacob is alive. She searches for him and finds him at a Jewish orphanage. They are reunited but she has to say goodbye. He is being sent to relatives in Palestine.
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