Lesson 5

[Rita Roberts]

Rita’s Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment:

— Ben might have to show just a little more reluctance to increase tension and cause an “all is lost” moment.

1. Create the individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.

Dreamtime

Ariale’s Journey

1. Initial state: Ariale is in a relationship with someone who doesn’t care about her dreams and desires. He doesn’t fully engage with who she is in general.

2. Meet-Cute moment: The sudden vivid intensity and intrigue of her dreams causes her to spontaneously stop at a palm reader’s shop to get answers. But it only causes her to have more questions. On the sidewalk, she runs into Ben and his dog. She continues talking to herself, then also at Ben which is endearing but crazy. He keeps walking but his dog tugs on the leash toward Ariale.

3. Initial challenges: Ariale has to give this new guy a chance, despite the fact that she feels like she’s going crazy and her mom’s continuous suspicious questions about every man Ariale dates.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Ariale finds out her mom was right. Ben is married!

5. Self-Reflection: More dreams give her further information which she experiments with in waking life.

6. Acceptance and Growth: After she’s fired she discovers Ben’s house is the dream house where they meet in sleep.

7. Demonstrate the change: Ariale confronts her mother to uncover all the lies that have guided her life. She discovers that her dream experiences had more truth than her waking life. She takes the risk that to see if Ben will still see her even though she’s acted so crazy. He can’t say no, his dog wouldn’t let him anyway.

8. Reunion: The whole family gathers at their real life dream house for a picnic with everything out in the open and all forgiven.

Ben’s Journey

1. Initial state: Ben is just a guy walking his dog, Chuck.

2. Meet-Cute moment: They encounter a woman talking to herself. He wants to hurry past but the dog likes her and Ben knows Chuck is a good judge of character.

3. Initial challenges: Ben and Chuck run into Ariale again. This time Ben musters the courage (or stupidity — she’s a little crazy and she’s in front of a palm reader’s shop) to invite her for tea. Chuck insists.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Ben has to admit that he’s currently married. Ariale runs out on their date before he can explain he’s about to finalize a divorce.

5. Self-Reflection: Ben doesn’t understand why Ariale keeps freaking out at the moment he thinks she might be the one. He doesn’t want another crazy woman like his ex-wife. But Chuck is all in for Ariale.

6. Acceptance and Growth: The continuous unplanned encounters with Ariale and Chuck’s approval of her makes Ben allow himself to stay open to giving it a try.

7. Demonstrate the change: When Ariale returns to explain her behavior and apologize before she leaves him alone for good, Ben can’t let her go.

8. Reunion: Ben has the whole picture, a complete family, and his dream girl.

[David Penn]

David’s His Journey/Her Journey
What I learned from this assignment is the importance of structuring the arc of the relationship from both viewpoints.
MITCH KULCHINKI (‘SKI’)
1. Initial state: He’s a Trump loving fireman who’s tired of being single and seeing the same girls in the small town. He wants to start a family.
2. Meet-Cute moment: Liz, a reporter, interviews Mitch after he saves a life in a fire… and sparks fly.
3. Initial challenges: They have radically different political beliefs in a turbulent election year. His friends don’t think it’ll work. His conservative, former Marine dad jibes her at a dinner.
4. Major conflict/Obstacle: Election night chaos, riots in the street. He can’t understand her world and vice versa. They break up, staying in their comfort zone.
5. Self-Reflection: He goes back to his old ways, hanging with his buddies, picking up girls. His dad dies (without having a grandchild). Mitch realizes this is not the life he wants.
6. Acceptance and Growth: He nearly dies in a fire and is hospitalized. He has no family to visit him. Liz does, rekindling their spark.
7. Demonstrate the change: He surprises Liz in NYC- she got her dream job- and professes that he’s willing to move there to make the relationship work.
8. Reunion: She attends the funeral for Mitch’s dad in the small town. Everyone welcomes her. They make plans to incorporate their different lives- big city and small town- making compromises, symbolic of how politics should work.

LIZ WESTBROOK

1. Initial state: Liz is a liberal reporter stuck in a blue collar town, hellbent on getting out.
2. Meet-Cute moment: She interviews Mitch after he saves lives in a politically motivated fire and is impressed. She never thought she’d be attracted to someone so ‘basic.’
3. Initial challenges: She finds out through social media that Mitch is a huge Trump fan. Has an uncomfortable dinner with his conservative dad.
4. Major conflict/Obstacle: Election night chaos. Their political differences explode, ending the relationship. She’s gonna focus on her career 100% and get out of this town.
5. Self-Reflection: She gets her dream job in NYC, then learns that Mitch is in the hospital. She pretends to be his fiance to visit him.
6. Acceptance and Growth: She goes to NYC and finds her colleagues are even more liberal that her, out of touch with real problems people face. She misses Mitch.
7. Demonstrate the change: At a big media event, Mitch shows up and professes his love. She’s willing to make this work.
8. Reunion: She returns to the small town for the funeral of Mitch’s dad and is welcomed by everyone, feeling the love of the small town.

[Brenda Clarke]

BRENDA CLARKE
although this is not set in concrete, I learned that its important that both characters have equality as far as their journeys are concerned, giving the story a perspective from both points of view. This gives the story greater depth.
HER AND HER TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
MOLLIE 1. INITIAL STATE: MOLLIE an outsider the rest of society, butch in her appearance and where she lives (at the back of the garage) and works. Her life is lonely apart from the companionship of her dog and her older brother Oliver. She has had sexual relationships with women before but never experienced falling in love.
2. MEET-CUTE MOMENT
Mollie captivated by the beautiful Cornelia, when she visits the Garage, (to visit Oliver). She is instantly attracted to her and wonders if she may have a chance with this stranger.
3. INITIAL CHALLENGES:
Mollie is out of her league, coming from a working-class background, feels she is out of her depth and uncomfortable when invited to Cornelia’s opulent family home for afternoon tea
4. MAJOR CONFLICT/OBSTACLE:
Mollie pressured by her brother not to pursue the relationship due to class differences and to stick to her own kind. Annie a friend and suffragette, wants to “bed” her.
5. SELF REFLECTION:
Mollie realises that she may have to change/improve both herself if she is to have a long-lasting relationship
6. ACCEPTANCE & GROWTH:
Mollie realises that she must smooth out her rough edges, in order to be more socially acceptable, especially in the company that Cornelia keeps.
7. DEMONSTRATE THE CHANGE:
Mollie enters an all-female race, having somewhat changed both her appearance and attitude.
8. REUNION:
A softer Mollie agrees to move in with Cornelia and is open to behaving in the more “social norms” of the day, but will continue to work at her brother’s garage and her inventions.

CORNELIA's TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
1. INITIAL STATE: Despite coming from a well to do family, Cornelia desperate to mingle with her like minded female companions as far as the political world is concerned. She has not had a same sex relationship, but deep down feels that this is where here truth lies.
2. MEET-CUTE: She meets Mollie at the Garage, is first quite shocked but deep down feels an instant attraction to her.
3. INITIAL CHALLENGES: Whilst she feels attracted to Mollie, she doesn’t believe there can be a future due to the class divide and very different personalities.
4. MAJOR CONFLICT/OBSTACLE: Cornelia now finds herself mixed in with other women in her struggle for equality and gets herself arrested during a march.
5. SELF-REFLECTION: Cornelia now released from prison, realises that she is not that much different from other working-class women, they want to be seen and to be heard and to be treated fairly.
6. ACCEPTANCE AND GROWTH: Cornelia realises that she was perhaps too hard on Mollie and that she sees great strength and that Mollie will provide a more grounded and honest relationship that she has been yearning for.
7. DEMONSTRATE THE CHANGE: Cornelia apologises to Mollie for her attitude and offers her car to use in the big upcoming race.
8. REUNION: Mollie wins the race and Cornelia expresses her love for Mollie and asks her to live with her in her new home in London. The two women are then seen celebrating the victory of the right for women to vote as the march hand in hand together in the streets of London.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Brenda Clarke.

[Lynn Vincentnathan]

Lynn’s Her Journey / His Journey – SOPHIE’S WHITE CHRISTMAS

WHAT I LEARNED from this assignment is the importance of tracking each lead’s transformational journey, for one thing because each has a separate journey with steps perhaps not aligned with each other.

CREATE THE INDIVIDUAL TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY FOR EACH LEAD CHARACTER.

ETHAN’S TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY CONTAINS:
1. INITIAL STATE: Ethan lives a staid life, wanting a family above all else, planning to propose to (whom he think’s is) a sure thing, stable woman, after having been dumped by a glamor woman.
2. MEET-CUTE MOMENT: Ethan “meets” her in a magazine photo in his first scene when his friend Paul says a date with her is being arrange–and he’s against that, not wanting Paul to be hurt by a flighty glamor woman (as he was). When 10 pp into Act 2 he meets her in person in the blizzard (not recognizing her) as she saves his life there’s an instant attraction and connection.
3. INITIAL CHALLENGES: He suppresses that attraction because he’s planning to propose to another. He’s concerned she doesn’t want to date Paul, but hopes it works for Paul and Tilly (now that he’s found her to be a fantastic, caring person), then all can be happy.
4. MAJOR CONFLICT / OBSTACLE: When at mid-point his “stable” girl dumps him and Ethan is growing more attracted to Tilly, developing a stronger connection, he suppresses that because Paul is very much hoping to date Tilly, claiming to be in love with her. He cannot betray his best friend and needs to at least give Paul and Tilly a chance without interfering. But when Tilly finds out Ethan was in on setting her up (and supposes he was only stringing her along for that), she is so upset and hurt, that Ethan decides to leave.
5. SELF-REFLECTION: In Act 4 Ethan realizes he made terrible mistakes not being fully honest with Tilly and Paul (and not trusting them) – and is very sorry he lost the friendship of both, when what he dearly wants is family, and they were the closest to family he had.
6. ACCEPTANCE AND GROWTH: He accepts his wrong-doing and his wrong-headedness about Tilly being unsuitable for Paul (and him). Instead of continuing his flight away from them (what he accused Tilly of much earlier), he realizes he needs to try again and apologize to her but can’t stay with them & hotels are booked; an older person encourages him to look into B&Bs. He wants to make amends
7. DEMONSTRATE THE CHANGE: He goes back and tries to make amends, but messes up. Then tries again.
8. REUNION: More than her love, he wants her friendship and focuses on apologizing, but she has already gotten over her anger and idea that he was not in love with her, but just using her (for Paul). He professes his love and she accepts him, professing her love.

TILLY’S TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY CONTAINS:
1. INITIAL STATE: Tilly, a glamorous travel writer, seems happy/satisfied with her career, but is stressed by her family pushing marriage on her and had problems with them discouraging her adventurous spirit. Also she was crushed when a guy she fell for used and cheated her.
2. MEET-CUTE MOMENT: When Tilly “meets” him in a negative comment under a pseudonym she is upset, but also realizes there’s some truth in it. When she meets him in person in the blizzard she is attracted and is impressed by his extreme commitment to get to a funeral, despite extremely bad weather. She sees him as a daring traveler (not at the staid guy he is).
3. INITIAL CHALLENGES: When she shortly finds out he’s traveling mainly to propose to another, she’s a bit disappointed, “All the good ones are taken.” When Ethan’s girl dumps him, she thinks he just needs time to heal and that’s why he’s reticent (not knowing he’s the friend of the guy with whom her family is trying to set her up). She goes on up to Act 4 with this thinking, expecting him to heal so they can be together in love.
4. MAJOR CONFLICT / OBSTACLE: When Tilly finds out at end of Act 3 that Ethan has been in on her family getting her into a blind date (she hasn’t met Paul yet), she is furious and hurt.
5. SELF-REFLECTION: After the blow-up (with Ethan leaving) Tilly’s assistant Susan tries to make her understand that Ethan loves her, but she doesn’t accept that (which harks back to her earlier disappointment in love). Tilly does understand Ethan has (as she puts it) a misguided loyalty to his friend.
6. ACCEPTANCE AND GROWTH: Ethan has helped her develop a better consideration for her family and the need for family. In an earlier scene some 10 pp before the big blow-up, she has expressed a desire to change her career in a direction more compatible with Ethan’s life (there was a plant in her 1st scene that she had other ideas about her career). He helps her realize she can do that without giving up her adventurous spirit (he’s not like her family, trying to discourage that – in fact, Ethan develops a desire for that different adventure). And he helps her (and himself) realize they can have that AND a good family life as well. Susan’s message is sinking in, that Ethan loves her and not all men are like the former cheater, and she has not been able to get over her feeling for him.
7. DEMONSTRATE THE CHANGE: She has increasingly shown throughout her journey her ability to get over her issues (upset, then relent), so in the end it is not surprising that she accepts/forgives Ethan. In Act 4 she graciously accepts her family’s visit and Paul (which she earlier rejected and feared).
8. REUNION: When Ethan shows up at the end of Act 4, she is so ready to accept him and is a bit disappointed he only seems to want her forgiveness. But when he expresses his love for her, they come together.

[Jess Paxton]

Jess’s His Journey / Her Journey

I learned that just as the relationship has a journey, each character has a journey also. Adding another layer to my story.

This made me see a sequence from an entirely new point of view: My protagonist, Stella, once separated from the surprise love of her life, convinces herself that the romance was all a ridiculous dream. She doesn’t really love Stan; she’s never loved anyone. It was some kind of hypnosis that the entire town put on her; totally impractical and not anything to do with her real life back in the States.

But when she goes to see Stan, to prove to herself that she’s over him, she runs to his arms…

…a cold embrace, as he has since discovered who she is and why she came to the town: to get him evicted.

So much more powerful than her just going to see him and tell him how she’s planning to save his house by moving it. Now, she can still tell him that, but she’s talking to a wall that she created.

Thus ends the third act, and propels the story into the final act in which Stella will save the day!

Stella’s Transformational Journey

1.  Initial state:

Stella is a borderline sociopathic legal headhunter for a law firm that handles cases for large corporations, usually against ordinary citizens and class-action lawsuits.

2.  Meet-Cute moment:  

Stella wakes up at Stan’s, having been feverish and dazed for five days. She realizes she’s in strange pajamas and freaks out.

3.  Initial challenges:  

Stella knows that she must hide her reason for being in Queensborough. Stan’s friends and his sister, Sandy, seem to Stella to be giving her a third degree about her past and her current situation, when in fact, they’re just trying to be friendly.

4.  Major conflict / Obstacle:

Stan turns out to be the person Stella is there to evict for LotSmart. Donald insists that Stella spy on Stan and discover his weaknesses!

5.  Self-Reflection:  

Stella begins to realize how friendly small towns can be, and how wonderful a family can be. She begins to doubt her winner-take-all existence and participates in community activities, bringing her ever closer to Stan. She even defends him against a LotSmart employee. When Joe tells her that she is in love with Stan, Stella can’t keep herself from spending the weekend alone with him — and falling in love completely.

6.  Acceptance and Growth:  

Stella returns to Atlanta determined to convince Donald to help Stan & the kids keep their house. He convinces her that she’s fallen for this idyllic portrayal of rural life, and she goes to see Stan to prove to herself that it’s all been a pleasant dream — and falls for Stan all over again!

7.  Demonstrate the change:

Stan, newly aware that Stella was there to evict him, rejects her — another in the list of rejection Stella has lived with all her life. But now, instead of retreating into her business law cubby hole, Stella plots a new course on how to save Stan and the kids. She calls the Queen and convinces her to interdict against the eviction Stella herself was sent to Queensborough to prosecute.

8.  Reunion: 

Stella returns to Stan’s, ready to beg him to take her back. He does, and they become engaged — and Stella uses her new home to practice “anti-corporate law”!!!

Stan’s Transformational Journey

1.  Initial state:

Stan is a widower, still clinging to his wife’s memory, desperately trying to do the right thing for his family, friends, neighbors, and community — as he has done all of his adult life, as a fireman, a paramedic, and a B&B owner.

2.  Meet-Cute moment:  

Stan helps rescue Stella after her car wreck, takes her home, and nurses her back to health. He finds in her reaction to her situation a kind of fatherly instinct towards her, but also physical attraction.

3.  Initial challenges:  

Stella is unlike anyone Stan has ever known, and his wife’s memory holds him back from breaking the ice with Stella.

4.  Major conflict / Obstacle:

Stan needs to put all his attention on his court case, but the beautiful stranger is taking up most of his time.

5.  Self-Reflection:  

Stan discovers Stella’s real identity and purpose in Queensborough. He collapses emotionally and is ill-prepared to win his court case.

6.  Acceptance and Growth:

Stan, despite his heart telling him otherwise, rejects Stella and her world.  When Stella wins the case for him, Stan rushes off to buy an engagement ring.

7.  Demonstrate the change:

When Stella begs him to take her back, Stan welcomes her back and proposes to her.

8.  Reunion: 

Stan, inspired by his new love, re-opens the B&B and celebrates the holidays with Stella and the kids.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of the transformational journey to continue to discover deeper layers in the characters and their relationship. This allowed me to focus on distinguishing between Julian and Angelina based on how their idea and experience of love and romance have impacted them in their initial states. This assignment also allowed me to have fun with alternatives for the meet-cute and how it can impact the reunion to show their relational growth.

Julian’s Transformational Journey

1. Initial State:
   Julian is a risk-averse engineering student who believes he's in love with Remi. However, he has never fully given himself up to love, doing only what he believes is correct without truly making himself vulnerable. He engineers romantic relationships with dates, gifts—token obligations rather than authentic vulnerable experiences.

2. Meet-Cute Moment:
   Julian, frustrated after being dumped by Remi, goes for an intense early morning rowing session to figure out how to fix the breakup. He accidentally collides with Angelina, who is sketching in a small boat. They both fall into the water and angrily blame each other for the incident. Awkward discovery! Angelina is the guest lecturer for his Romance in Art seminar.

3. Initial Challenges:
   Julian accepts Angelina’s challenge to go to Venice and learn about love from the experiences of a gondolier. Julian is determined to win back Remi but has growing feelings for Angelina. Angelina sees him as a gondolier, a servant. Julian’s fear of vulnerability continues to hold him back, and he holds a grudge for their fiery first encounter.

4. Major Conflict / Obstacle:
   With the help of his cousin, Julian takes on disguises to get closer to Angelina and be accepted in her higher social circles. During the Carnival festival, Julian uses disguises to manipulate her suitors’ schemes to win her heart. But this leads to Angelina mistaking Julian for one of her suitors and using this to make her decision. This forces Julian to reveal his true identity to Angelina. She feels betrayed and ends their relationship.

5. Self-Reflection:
   Separated from Angelina, Julian focuses on the testing for his gondolier certification. But his cousin outs him as an imposter. This forces Julian to reflect on his actions and realize that his fear of vulnerability and need for validation have kept him from being authentic—he recognizes a need to fully open up, expose himself, to experience true love.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
   Julian accepts that he must be vulnerable and genuine to achieve a meaningful connection. He sets up an encounter with Angelina to show his heart, but she rebuffs him. Remi visits him from Paris, she’s been following his gondolier training on social media and wants him back. She pushes him to complete his gondolier training without the Rossi sponsorship.

7. Demonstrate the Change:
   Julian demonstrates his change during the gondolier competition at Festa della Sensa. His performance showcases his authentic self, displaying skill, passion, and artistry (in love and marine engineering). But he confesses that this wasn’t his demonstration of love for Remi. He’s heartbroken for another.

8. Reunion:
   Angelina also witnessed Julian’s declaration of love, and the two reunite. He wins her heart with his vulnerability and authentic actions. They kiss on his gondola and almost fall into the canal. What the hell, Angelina pulls him into the water.

Angelina’s Transformational Journey

1. Initial State:
   Angelina is a sophisticated, emotionally guarded professor from Venice. She is cynical about true love due to a past heartbreak. However, she is facing family pressures to marry and has two suitors, both well-respected in Venetian society, who are vying for her heart.

2. Meet-Cute Moment:
   Angelina, enjoying a peaceful morning sketching in a small boat, is suddenly collided with by Julian's rowing boat. They both fall into the water and angrily blame each other, creating a memorable and contentious first encounter. Angelina discovers that Julian is a student in the Romance in Art seminar and embarrasses him in class.

3. Initial Challenges:
   Angelina's cynicism about true love and her guardedness create a barrier to connecting with Julian. She also holds a grudge for their water encounter. She maintains professionalism and class to demonstrate her power over him and keep their hearts distanced. In the university seminar, she is the visiting professor, he is the student. In Venice, she is upper-class Venetian and treats him as a lower-class apprentice gondolier, resisting her growing feelings.

4. Major Conflict / Obstacle:
   During Carnival, Angelina is navigating her two suitors—and their proposals. She doesn’t realize Julian is using disguises to get closer to her. Wearing a disguise similar to one suitor, Angelina’s heart is melting. She commits to the suitor, not realizing it was Julian. When Julian reveals his deception, Angelina feels betrayed and ends their relationship. This conflict forces her to confront her fear of being hurt again and her belief that true love is unattainable.

5. Self-Reflection:
   Separated from Julian, Angelina reflects on her past heartbreak and realizes that her cynicism, fear, and biases have prevented her from opening up to new possibilities.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
   Angelina accepts that she must let go of her past hurt and be open to vulnerability. She begins to see the value in risking her heart for genuine love and starts to soften her guardedness. She rejects Julian’s authentic declaration and his invitation to attend the gondola competition. Her grandmother reveals a dark secret about finding true love a second time, prompting Angelina to reconsider her beliefs. She attends the gondola competition in disguise.

7. Demonstrate the Change:
   Julian initially falters in the competition, but Angelina accidentally drops her disguise. Enough to catch Julian’s eyes. This prompts him to reveal his authentic self. Angelina supports Julian’s performance, recognizing his genuine skill and heartfelt passion.

8. Reunion:
   Angelina and Julian reunite. Angelina is moved by his vulnerability and authentic actions. They kiss on his gondola and almost fall into the canal. What the hell, Angelina pulls him into the water. She welcomes true love.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Stuart Voytilla.
• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Renee Miller]

Renee’s Her Journey/His Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is how important it is to think about and create a solid structure for each main character’s journey.
Sarah Collins
1. Initial State:
Sarah is a high-powered attorney whose life revolves around her career. She is driven, slightly controlling, and prioritizes her professional achievements over personal relationships, stemming from insecurities rooted in her high school experiences of feeling like an outsider.
2. Meet-Cute Moment:
During a sudden storm at a high school soccer game, Mike and Sarah share a makeshift shelter.
3. Initial Challenges:
As Sarah plans the reunion, her control issues and insecurities manifest. She struggles to balance her professional demeanor with the laid-back attitude of her hometown, causing friction with Mike and other committee members.
4. Major Conflict / Obstacle:
Sarah's acceptance of a job overseas coincides with the deepening of her relationship with Mike, forcing her to choose between her career aspirations and her rekindled romance.
5. Self-Reflection:
In London, Sarah excels in her new job but feels a void. Memories of Mike and the reunion make her question her life choices, and she realizes that professional success hasn't fulfilled her emotionally.
6. Acceptance and Growth:
Sarah acknowledges that she needs a balance of love and career to be truly happy. She decides to make room in her life for personal connections alongside her professional ambitions.
7. Demonstrate the Change:
When Mike shows up at her new office in London to profess his love, Sarah openly embraces her feelings for him in front of her new colleagues, publicly prioritizing her personal life for the first time.
8. Reunion:
Sarah and Mike decide to start a new life together in London, demonstrating their commitment to each other.
Mike Henderson
1. Initial State:
Mike is a local business owner in Willowbrook, nostalgic and rooted in his hometown. He feels inadequate for not having achieved more beyond his small-town life.
2. Meet-Cute Moment:
The same storm-driven encounter with Sarah years ago sparks something in Mike, reminding him of what might have been and reigniting his feelings for Sarah.
3. Initial Challenges:
Mike struggles with his feelings of inferiority compared to Sarah's successful life. His comfortable small-town existence clashes with her dynamic, high-powered lifestyle.
4. Major Conflict / Obstacle:
When Sarah decides to take the job overseas, Mike feels abandoned and doubts whether a relationship between them could ever work, given their different life paths.
5. Self-Reflection:
After Sarah leaves, Mike contemplates his life and realizes he's been holding himself back due to fear of change and failure.
6. Acceptance and Growth:
Encouraged by his daughter, Mike accepts that he needs to be willing to leave his comfort zone and fight for what he wants, deciding to pursue Sarah in London.
7. Demonstrate the Change:
Mike demonstrates his commitment and bravery by flying to London and openly declaring his love for Sarah in a grand, romantic gesture, showing he's ready to start anew.
8. Reunion:
Reunited in London, Mike and Sarah embrace their new journey together, both having grown and changed, now ready to blend their worlds and build a future together.

[Patrick McCormick]

Patrick McCormick's Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is:
Putting what we see into words allows the story to become real. Clarifying each part separately, we see how it all fits together to make a beautiful adventure.

Sean Daery's Transformational Journey

1. Initial state:
Sean is an aging studio executive who is watching Hollywood lose its substance to a modern world, becoming just a profit machine without a soul.

2. Meet-Cute moment:
Sean discovers Linda 15 years before, admiring her youthful sincere hopefulness wrapped in a cute awkward girl. He takes her under his wing and gives her a chance. Now she tries to save him like he saved her.

3. Initial challenges:
Sean decides to find and save the magic being lost in Hollywood, becoming obsessed. As the modern world converges around him and his studio is dying, he has to balance both worlds.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle:
Sean must choose which world to live in. Sell out and modernize, or stay on his path of finding the magic and saving it.

5. Self-Reflection:
Resisting the deal of a lifetime, Sean realizes he must stay true to who he is, leaving it all to be lost.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
Entering the dimension where real Hollywood magic is made before it goes to Earth, he has to find out what is wrong that he first felt happening on Earth.

7. Demonstrate the change:
Deciding to go to Earth and stop the end of the world, Sean risks everything, not only to save humanity, but Linda who he has always loved but could never be with.

8. Reunion:
Battling the demon creating armageddon, Sean must now face who he really is, an ancient god with the power of fate in his hands incarnated as a human.
With the fight for humanity now over, he and Linda can now return the course of humanity on the right path.

Linda Delaney's Transformational Journey

1. Initial state:
Linda was just a naive kid wanting to do big things in Hollywood when they met. Sean taking her under his wing, she was always thankful for the chance.

2. Meet-Cute moment:
15 years later, with a studio saving deal for the taking, Linda knows this will set them up to become truly successful. Showing Sean the numbers, he acts like he doesn't notice, going on about his quest for the magic.

3. Initial challenges:
Linda has to get Sean to sign the papers so the deal can go through, but he does everything he can to stall it.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle:
As Sean runs away, the investors ready to leave and they chase after him, he disappears into another dimension. Linda has to clean up a bankrupt studio, losing everything they worked for.

5. Self-Reflection:
Finally admitting how she really feels, waking up halfway across the world from a drunken stupor, she tries to find Sean, and just when she admits failure and faces death, he pulls her into that realm.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
Sean and Linda investigate whats wrong in the Creator Realm, uncovering the plan to awaken armageddon using Hollywood. They risk everything to stop it or humanity is doomed.

7. Demonstrate the change:
As Linda learns to commit crimes to save the world, she must awaken her inner hero just to survive. Battling the demon along Sean, she faces the fact its better to follow your truth rather than betray who you really are.

8. Reunion:
As Sean and Linda save the world, they must now change the course of humanity, using the same vehicle it was to be destroyed with, Hollywood.

[Pat Fitzgerald]

Pat’s Her Journey/His Journey

What I learned: I’m seeing deeper layers to my characters and how they are becoming more well-rounded and real though this assignment. Also, they’re in a screenplay which means that getting together requires obstacles in order to make the plot interesting. This assignment enables me to find more obstacles for them, so when they finally have their reunion it’ll be really sweet.

Jaki Buran
Initial State: Jaki is always broke and torn between doing what’s necessary to make money or helping others, which is her true passion. And she’s finished with relationships, unless the man has lots of money and is willing to share
.
Meet-Cute Moment: Jaki can’t help but notice Mitch’s amusement when she rebels against a silly clown act and turns it into a strip, albeit a modest strip.
Initial Challenges: Having lost her husband in a tragic act of violence, Jaki has built a wall around herself. She claims that the only man she would want in her life is one who would spend lots of money on her. She mistakenly thinks that Mitch’s dad is rich and initially turns on her charm towards Dad.

Major Conflict/Obstacle: Jaki wants to purchase the strip club where she bartends, thinking that owning the place will give her financial security. But she learns that Mitch also plans to buy the building. She takes this personally and becomes hostile toward Mitch.

Self-Reflection: Mitch’s dad’s illness brings the two of them together in mutual concern, and Jaki starts to wonder if her hardass external persona causes her more harm than good.

Acceptance and Growth: When Jaki discovers that Mitch wants the strip club building to create a recreation center for the disadvantaged she realizes that they have a lot of the same goals, to help folks who are in need of help.

Demonstrate the Change: Jaki presents Mitch with a plan to transform the strip club, without putting anyone out of work, into the recreation center. And she asks him to help her at the place where she volunteers to make meals for the homeless.

Reunion: Jaki accepts Mitch’s invitation to sit down for dinner with the homeless people that they are serving, where she accepts the fact that money could never bring her the happiness she once thought it would.

Mitch Nickelsen
Initial State: A bitter divorce has made Mitch suspicious of all women. He refuses to deal with his own loneliness or that an honest relationship could make him happy.

Meet-Cute Moment: He gets a big kick out of his dad’s enjoyment of Jaki’s rebellious take on an act made to welcome Dad to an assisted living home. He is attracted to Jaki, though he’s wary of the feeling.

Initial Challenges: Mitch has sworn off relationships, at least for a time span that he feels he must strictly adhere to. And he’s afraid that if he lets himself start to care for Jaki, she’ll end up breaking his heart. That’s happened to him a few too many times.

Major Conflict/Obstacle: Mitch accuses Jaki of stealing his dad’s vintage Rolex watch so she can sell it for the down payment on the strip club building that he plans to buy. He won’t allow Jaki to give him an explanation any more than Jaki wants to hear why he wants the building.

Self Reflection: When Mitch learns that Jaki insisted on accompanying his dad to a hospital for some health tests he realizes that he has misjudged her and starts to realize that he’s been judging all women by the way his ex-wife treated him. He awkwardly attempts to apologize to Jaki for having the wrong opinion of her.

Acceptance and Growth: After Mitch’s dad’s Rolex is found he feels like an idiot for accusing Jaki of stealing it. He starts to think that Jaki just might be the right woman for him and wonders if she’d like to work at the recreation center he plans to build, but he remains reluctant to bring up the subject to her.

Demonstrate the Change: Mitch accepts Jaki’s offer to help cook for the homeless, and he brings an amazing amount of food to the kitchen for an extra special meal. While they cook, they discuss everything that they could do for the recreation center that Mitch wants to build.

Reunion: Mitch finally fully realizes what a good-hearted person Jaki is. He garners all of his courage to give her a soulful kiss, to the applause of the homeless folks with whom they share a meal.

[Dean Burkey]

Dean’s Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned from this is assignment is the best way to make a famous actress fall in love with you is to spill orange juice on her. And all this time, I'd been thinking I have to spill coffee! ;oP Make sure each of the leads has his or her own transformational journey. And when all else fails, spill the juice! ;oP

Sophie’s Transformational Journey:

1. Initial state: Sophie Taylor is a talented actress frustrated with her career, feeling stuck in a cycle of mediocre romantic comedies. She’s professional but yearns for more meaningful roles and is somewhat cynical about romance, both on-screen and off.

2. Meet-Cute moment: On their first day on set, Ethan clumsily falls into the water while trying to reel in a fish. Sophie laughs, and they share a genuine moment of amusement despite their initial animosity.

3. Initial challenges: Sophie’s professionalism clashes with Ethan’s cavalier attitude. She is annoyed by his antics and sees him as another obstacle in her already frustrating career.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: After the movie becomes a hit, Ethan’s comment about their “fake” romance for marketing purposes devastates Sophie, who had started to develop real feelings. She feels betrayed and walks away in tears.

5. Self-Reflection: Sophie reflects on her feelings and realizes she had been too guarded, letting her frustrations with her career prevent her from seeing the genuine connection she had with Ethan.

6. Acceptance and Growth: Sophie decides to give love a chance despite her fears and frustrations. She opens her heart to the possibility that Ethan’s feelings might be genuine.

7. Demonstrate the change: When Ethan makes his grand romantic gesture at the fishing village, Sophie listens to him with an open heart. She recognizes his sincerity and forgives him.

8. Reunion: Sophie and Ethan reunite, acknowledging their growth and the genuine connection they’ve developed. They embrace, ready to face the future together both on and off-screen.

Ethan’s Transformational Journey:

1. Initial state: Ethan Blake is a once-famous actor now struggling to find meaningful roles. He is charming on-screen but jaded and cynical off-screen, taking the role in the romantic comedy purely for financial reasons.

2. Meet-Cute moment: On their first day on set, Ethan clumsily falls into the water while trying to reel in a fish. Sophie laughs, and they share a genuine moment of amusement despite their initial animosity.

3. Initial challenges: Ethan’s nonchalant attitude and his initial lack of respect for the project and Sophie’s dedication create tension between them. He often masks his insecurity with humor and bravado.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: After the movie’s success, Ethan’s comment about their “fake” romance for marketing purposes leads Sophie to believe he never had genuine feelings for her. This misunderstanding causes a painful rift between them.

5. Self-Reflection: Ethan realizes that he had been hiding his true feelings out of fear and insecurity. He reflects on his past losses and understands that he has been using cynicism as a shield.

6. Acceptance and Growth: Ethan decides to be honest and vulnerable about his feelings. He understands that he needs to show Sophie his true self and earn her trust.

7. Demonstrate the change: Ethan organizes a special event at the fishing village, recreating a scene from their movie with genuine, heartfelt additions. He publicly confesses his love for Sophie and acknowledges his mistakes.

8. Reunion: Sophie, moved by Ethan’s persistence and genuine apology, forgives him. They share a heartfelt kiss, united by their mutual growth and newfound love.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Dean Burkey.

[Adite Banerjie]

Spilling coffee will scald her…that’s guaranteed to kill any attraction! 😁

[Micki Hess]

Micki’s Her Journey / His Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is like every relationship, it has to grow and both have to compromise and communicate with each other. The deeper the character’s development the more relatable they become.

### Character Development for Chloe and Weston

**Chloe Monroe:**

1. **Initial State:**
– **Character:** Chloe Monroe is a highly successful and emotionally guarded wedding planner. She is fiercely organized and driven but deeply hurt from being jilted at the altar.
– **Situation:** She boards a luxurious cruise ship in her wedding dress, seeking escape and solace.

2. **Meet-Cute Moment:**
– **Situation:** On the cruise, Chloe is mistaken for the bride of a high-profile celebrity wedding. Weston Reed, the photographer, is charmed by her in the wedding dress, thinking she’s part of the event. Their paths cross when Chloe clarifies the misunderstanding and takes over planning the wedding.

3. **Initial Challenges:**
– **Professional:** Chloe has to organize a high-profile wedding on short notice, dealing with limited resources and unexpected challenges on the cruise.
– **Personal:** She struggles with her emotions and trust issues, amplified by seeing Weston’s carefree attitude.

4. **Major Conflict / Obstacle:**
– **External:** Chloe’s ex-fiancé, part of a rival firm, sabotages her efforts, jeopardizing her professional reputation and the success of the wedding.
– **Internal:** Chloe must confront her lingering feelings of betrayal and self-doubt.

5. **Self-Reflection:**
– **Realization:** Chloe recognizes that her need for control is a defense mechanism against her fear of vulnerability and failure. She also begins to see Weston’s value beyond his relaxed demeanor.

6. **Acceptance and Growth:**
– **Change:** Chloe learns to trust Weston and embrace spontaneity, allowing herself to be more flexible and open. She starts to let go of her rigid approach and finds joy in the unexpected.

7. **Demonstrate the Change:**
– **Action:** Chloe confidently handles a major crisis during the pre-wedding event, improvising and working with Weston to turn the situation around. She also finally changes out of her wedding dress, symbolizing her readiness to move on.

8. **Reunion:**
– **Moment:** After the wedding’s success, Chloe rejects her ex-fiancé’s attempt to reconcile, reaffirming her new-found confidence and independence. She and Weston share a heartfelt moment on the deck of the cruise ship, deciding to pursue a future together.

—

**Weston Reed:**

1. **Initial State:**
– **Character:** Weston Reed is a free-spirited, adventurous photographer who avoids long-term commitments. He thrives on capturing candid moments and lives life with a carefree attitude.
– **Situation:** He’s on the cruise for an assignment, looking forward to a relaxed job without major responsibilities.

2. **Meet-Cute Moment:**
– **Situation:** Weston is charmed by Chloe, still in her wedding dress, during their first interaction. He initially mistakes her for part of the event he’s photographing, leading to a humorous and memorable first meeting.

3. **Initial Challenges:**
– **Professional:** Weston is thrust into a high-pressure situation, having to work closely with Chloe on the celebrity wedding, which demands more responsibility and commitment than he’s used to.
– **Personal:** He’s intrigued by Chloe’s determination and drive but is also challenged by her need for control.

4. **Major Conflict / Obstacle:**
– **External:** Weston must help Chloe navigate the sabotage attempts by her ex-fiancé and the rival firm, pushing him out of his comfort zone.
– **Internal:** He grapples with his fear of commitment and the realization that he wants more stability and purpose in his life.

5. **Self-Reflection:**
– **Realization:** Weston recognizes that his aversion to commitment stems from a fear of failure and loss. He begins to see the value in Chloe’s structured approach and how it complements his spontaneity.

6. **Acceptance and Growth:**
– **Change:** Weston starts to take on more responsibility and think about his future. He commits to helping Chloe save the wedding and acknowledges his feelings for her, deciding to stay and build something meaningful.

7. **Demonstrate the Change:**
– **Action:** Weston takes the lead in a crisis during the pre-wedding event, using his creativity and adaptability to save the day. He openly supports Chloe and helps her navigate the challenges, showing his newfound sense of purpose.

8. **Reunion:**
– **Moment:** After the successful wedding, Weston confesses his feelings to Chloe and commits to staying with her. They share a romantic moment on the deck of the cruise ship, looking forward to their future together.

[Duane T Basham]

Duane’s Transformations Journies.

What I learned from this is that BOTH characters have to be affected by the relationship and both have to change to move closer together.
Maria’s Transformational Journey
• 1. Initial state: Insecure about Men’s love
• 2. Meet-Cute moment: At a roundabout where she damaged flowers.
• 3. Initial challenges: Goes from not wanting to date him to dating him as a test case.
• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: He did not know he was a spy on her App development.
• 5. Self-Reflection: He was honest in everything he did.
• 6. Acceptance and Growth: This is somebody who doesn’t want anything from her, and supports her doing what she wants to do. This is the kind of person she wants to be around.
• 7. Demonstrate the change: Supports Jimmy getting a cut of the App deal and gives him her dying plant to bring back to life.
• 8. Reunion: At the Airport she realizes that even though Jimmy doesn’t say I love you, everything he does says I love you.

Jimmy’s Transformational Journey
• 1. Initial state: Not looking for serious relationship – non committal.
• 2. Meet-Cute moment: Fixing flowers he does not know she tore up.
• 3. Initial challenges: He does not bolt when she pushes him away.
• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: He does not know she was developing an App and their whole relationship was a test case.
• 5. Self-Reflection: She’s a serious woman who is not needy and actually liked him.
• 6. Acceptance and Growth: This is a confident woman who is his intellectual match and is not looking for a traditional co-dependent relationship.
• 7. Demonstrate the change: Jimmy follows her on the book tour.
• 8. Reunion: At the Airport – they both get from each other what they want.

[Kimbal Thompson]

Kimbal Thompson Lesson 5 ASSIGNMENT : Her Journey / His Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is to not expect the unexpected.
1. Create the individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.
Each character’s Transformational Journey contains:
Her Journey:
 1. Initial state: Raised in a quite staid Boston household in Dorchester, Margo
accompanied one of her college professors teaching at the University of Hawaii
summer session. A creative Pisces studying design, she enrolled in a design
studio.
 2. Meet-Cute moment: On the first morning of the studio, Margo’s eyes met
Keaton’s as she approached the studio entrance. Inside the studio, seated backto-back she asked Keaton for his astrological sign. He responded by tossing his
Pisces key fob over his shoulder just as a similar one landed on his desk. Turning
to face each other they both simultaneously said “March Fourth.”
 3. Initial challenges: Intrigued by this, Margo needed to depart to meet the
person she had accompanied to Hawaii.
 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Margo has accompanied someone to Hawaii for the
summer session. Never-the-less, her new classmate seems a soulmate, and she
is empathetic in discussing a dilemma he has found himself in. Then, she must
return to Boston.
 5. Self-Reflection: Back in Boston, she realizes how much she misses Hawaii and
decides to return there upon graduating.
 6. Acceptance and Growth: Arriving in Hawaii, she takes a cab to downtown
Honolulu. Just as she exits the cab with only her purse and large design portfolio,
Keaton’s coincidently exiting his office building and sees Margo. He takes the rest
of the day off , they pick up her luggage from the airport, have lunch, and offers to
let her stay at his house for the night. She accepts and as they enter his house,
sets down her luggage, he realizes he has a date that evening and she is on her
way over. She arrives, sees Margo and her suitcase. Keaton makes introductions,
then suggests they all go out to dinner together. It does not go well. Following
dinner, Margo ops for the guest bedroom and Keaton’s date returns.
 7. Demonstrate the change: Margo decides to leave Keaton’s the next morning
although comes back unannounced one evening several weeks later. As she
approaches his front door, the lights are off, and she hears soft music. Tapping on
his door, the female voiced response is “nobody home.” Margo rethinks all and
returns to Boston.
 8. Reunion: Back in Boston, Margo, wanting to keep in shape, discovers pole
dancing. While still pursuing her design talents, she is offered a night position at a
strip club. Thinking it might loosen up her attitude she accepts. Keaton, in Boston
for a summer class at the Graduate School of Design, is taken to the club by an
old friend.
His journey:
 1. Initial state: A design student at the University of Hawaii, Keaton enrolls in a
summer session studio.
 2. Meet-Cute moment: On the first morning of the studio, Keaton’s eyes met
Margo’s as she approached the studio entrance. Inside the studio, seated backto-back she asked Keaton his astrological sign. He responded by tossing his
Pisces key fob over his shoulder just as a similar one landed on his desk. Turning
to face each other they both simultaneously said “March Fourth.”
 3. Initial challenges: Intrigued by this, Keaton needed to depart to meet his livein girlfriend.
 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: While at home with his girlfriend that evening Keaton
receives a phone call from a female caller asking; “guess who this is?” As out of
earshot as possible, he responds with “Margo?”. The response asks: “who’s
Margo?”” The caller turns out to be his visiting former high school girlfriend,
wanting to get together. Keaton invites his former girlfriend to have dinner
together with his present girlfriend. It does not go well.
 5. Self-Reflection: I probably should not have done this.
 6. Acceptance and Growth: Margo misses Hawaii and the thought of Keaton.
Arriving in Hawaii, she takes a cab to downtown Honolulu. Just as she exits the
cab with only her purse and large design portfolio, Keaton’s coincidently exiting
his office building. Their eyes meet. Margo. He takes the rest of the day off , they
pick up her luggage from the airport, have lunch, and Keaton offers to let her stay
at his house for the night. She accepts and as they enter his house, set down her
luggage, Keaton forgot he has a date that evening and she is on her way over.
She arrives, sees Margo and her suitcase. Keaton makes introductions, then
suggests they all go out to dinner together.
 7. Demonstrate the change: Keaton has not changed. It does not go well.
following dinner, Margo ops for the guest bedroom and Keaton’s date returns.
 8. Reunion: Keaton, now a practicing professional, is invited to take a summer
course at the Graduate School of Design. He calls an old friend living in
Massachusetts so they can see one another. His friend offers to fix him up, while
in town. That does not work out and they decide to go to a strip club

[Pam Ewing]

ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNMENT
Pam’s Her Journey / His Journey
What I learned: I’m how they fit against each other and when these might fit the plot

Her Journey
1. Initial state: Anxious, insecure, trying to find herself/under her mother’s control
2. Meet-Cute moment: she’s running from a suitor and falls – he comes to her aide and she is calm and able to laugh at her phobias
3. Initial challenges: Her insecurities keep pop up as jealousy because he’s so charming, outgoing and handsome
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Her insecurities cause lack of trust with lack of ability to communicate/she feels there is something missing/she overhears a conversation that seems to prove her worst fears
5. Self-Reflection: She’s trying to do something on her own and questions if she’s been pushing him away because of her insecurities/jealousy/she sinks herself into her hobbies
6. Acceptance and Growth: during her quest to claim her fortune she feels energized and confident/she finds herself wanting to work with him but is still afraid to be totally honest about her feelings
7. Demonstrate the change: in fighting for her fortune she saves his life and faces his true form
8. Reunion: He thinks since she has her inheritance that she’ll stay there because she has everything she said she ever wanted. As he turns to go she grabs him and says she does [have everything] and she has her suitcase

His Journey
1. Initial state: on the make for money/comes off as shallow and self-centered
2. Meet-Cute moment: he rounded a corner and ran into her and felt empowered that he could help her, he could see that she was wealthy, he was able to make her laugh and he loved her laugh
3. Initial challenges: he needs the mother’s blessing but also doesn’t want to be part of the mother’s controlling behavior/he wants to have a deeper relationship be feels he’s cornered
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: He is always working and she feels he’s avoiding her/he has a secret that he fears will cause a larger rift
5. Self-Reflection: he feels he has the wrong priorities and she won’t accept his secret
6. Acceptance and Growth: watching her grow more confident, he feels that he should put the relationship on a more truthful footing by coming clean about his secret
7. Demonstrate the change: he reveals himself and uses his secret to help her win her inheritance/she doesn’t seem to reconnect so he accepts that he might be
8. Reunion: He accepts that he accepted his authentic self and is willing let her go to be her authentic self

[Ira Drower]

I learned that in a Rom-Com both lovers must have a transformational journey in which they both make changes to keep the relationship moving forward.
Dracula’s Transformational Journey:
1. Initial State: Dracula is in a self-imposed exile for 100 years because he feels irrelevant when no one shows up for his 500th birthday party.
2. Meet-Cute Moment: When Dracula opts for a dramatic entrance to his audition sweeping Sophia, who is giving on-stage directions to the other actors, into the air attempting to hypnotize her with her stare. It does not affect her.
3. Initial Challenges: Dracula is not a classically trained actor and doesn’t have stage experience. His entrance and audition win him the role but now he must learn the finer points of acting.
4. Major Conflict/Obstacle: The Producer wants Dracula to change his speech to a more hip version. Sophia can provide lessons. He can only work nights.
5. Self-Reflection: Dracula becomes more obsessed with Sophia who is resistant to his tricks and attempts to control her as she begins to exert more control over him than he is used to.
6. Acceptance and Growth: When Dracula discovers he is being set up to be killed he confronts Sophia on the stage during rehearsal only to admit his true feelings toward her.
7. Demonstrate the Change: Dracula refuses to bite her to change her into his slave because it is the human side of Sophia he is in love with and would never want to change that part of her.
8. Reunion: Sophia leaves the play to return to London and work as a speech coach. Dracula follows her, rescuing her from some thugs and wrapping her up in his cape for warmth. They leave for Mort’s Mortuary in search of a larger coffin for the 2 of them.

Sophia’s Transformational Journey:
1. Initial State: Sophia has been hired to direct a play and design a new set for a rotating stage. She recently broke up with Chris but is excited about the new opportunity.
2. Meet-Cute Moment: Sophia is swept off her feet when Dracula performs his audition for the play. His antics amuse her as she finds his audition unique.
3. Initial Challenge: Although Dracula finds Sophia intoxicating she is not interested in a relationship and wants to keep things professional.
4. Major Conflict/Obstacle: When the Producer insists on changing Dracula’s speech from Old World to a more modern way of speaking. Sophia is forced to work with him on his diction. She must train in the evenings due to his affinity to sunlight.
5. Self-Reflection: When Dracula has a breakthrough, Sophia kisses him sparking their night of romance.
6. Acceptance and Growth: Sophia realizes she has feelings for him and has lied to herself that Dracula could be her one student who became famous due to her coaching.
7. Demonstrate the Change: Sophia confesses her true feelings on stage and quits the play rather than present a false appearance to him. When they meet again in London they reunite and embrace.

[Luc Pagès]

Luc’s Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment: answering the questions is getting easier, as is trying not to be perfectionist in my way of thinking.

Marguerite’s Transformational Journey
1.  Initial state:
Marguerite has just been diagnosed with Azheimer and doesn’t expect anything from life any more, although she regrets not having lived what she could have.

2.  Meet-Cute moment:  
Marguerite sees Alph-O and Lilly banter, reminding her of what a meet cute feels like.
Later in Limbo, being young again, she gets to live it for real with Alph-O.

3.  Initial challenges:  
Marguerite would love to start all over again, but how long will this fantasy last?
While she has a crush on Alph-O, she feels she is too old in real life and isn’t allowed to have a sexual relationship with him.

4.  Major conflict / Obstacle:
Marguerite is a woman of 70 in the body of a 17 year old. She regrets not daring a love story when she was 17 and doesn’t want to make the same mistake again, but how far is she morally allowed to take this relationship with Alph-O without telling him her real age?
After having sex, it can only stay a fling since she has no future to offer.

5.  Self-Reflection:  
What the fuck, Carpe Diem legitimates the lie. Let’s go for it.
After having sex with Alph-O, Marguerite feels that lying is like she’s raping him and the relationship feels empty because she can’t express who she truly is.
After he accepts her the way she is, she doesn’t feel what she has to offer is worth it.  

6.  Acceptance and Growth:  
First, she needs to come straight with him about her age, even if the whole thing stops when she does.
Then, she must truly accept Carpe Diem, but in real life.

7.  Demonstrate the change:
Marguerite asks to be awakened.

8.  Reunion: 
Marguerite embraces her new life with Alph-O, and with Alzheimer.

Alph-O’s Transformational Journey

1.  Initial state:
Alph-O is a rap group leader, wannabe famous, privileging his career over any meaningful relationship.

2.  Meet-Cute moment:  
Unexpected rap banter-battle in a public place, where Lilly (17) gets the lead over Alph-O (35), with the help of her grand-mother Marguerite (70).

3.  Initial challenges:  
Externally: Wants to wake up, so he can attend to the last recording session of his first album. He’s no longer satisfied with the message conveyed by his title track and want’s to work on it before the final recording.
Internally: He never took any music lessons and feels like a fraud facing “Lilly’s” (Marguerite) music science.
Resists his attraction to “Lilly” (Marguerite) when he finds out she’s only 17 (and not 25 as she claims).

4.  Major conflict / Obstacle:
He can’t date a 70 year old woman.

5.  Self-Reflection:  
At the beginning, Alph-O feels like he’s taking advantage of Lilly (Marguerite) because of his age and position. Then he feels betrayed and disgusted, when finding out she is not 17, but 70.
Then realizes that the most important thing in his life right now is to be with her, what ever her age, and not waste a single second, since no one knows how long it will last.

6.  Acceptance and Growth:  
Accept Marguerite as she is: with an old body.

7.  Demonstrate the change:
In front of everyone at council meeting, he tells the doctors he loves Marguerite and wants them to bring her back to life, so they can be together for the next second, and the next, and the next, until there is no more seconds left for them to live.

8.  Reunion: 
Alph-O embraces his life with Marguerite, and her Alzheimer.

[Avi K]

Avi's Her Journey/His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is: It’s okay to just fill in the blanks for now and keep brainstorming for better alternatives.

1. Create the individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.

Daniel Walker’s transformational Journey:

• 1. Initial state: Daniel is a successful, wealthy novelist, who prefers throwaway relationships with ‘arm-candy’ women because of his insecurities. No steady relationship, ever.

• 2. Meet-Cute moment: He meets Ashley, a stunning woman, in a bar at a hotel during a book tour. They have a drink, flirt, and sleep together and then she is gone the next morning.

• 3. Initial challenges: a. Daniel finds himself totally out of his league. For the first time, he’s been left hanging by a stunning woman, and has no idea how to deal with the rejection; he likes her on a deeper level than his usual women, and is at a loss on how to process his feelings. b. He tries to track her down using details she gave him, but draws a blank. Feels bitter and tries to put her out of his mind – unsuccessfully.

• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Suddenly, Daniel is thrown together with Ashley again, in a situation where his life and safety depend on her. He tries to charm her and get to know her better despite their circumstances, but she resists his advances. He’s more bitter than ever.

• 5. Self-Reflection: Daniel goes home to his mother after the assassin is killed and the plot is exposed. She tells him that his journey is his own and need not be what his parents’ relationship was. He’s foolish to give up on love because of mistakes someone else made.

• 6. Acceptance and Growth: He accepts his mother’s words and makes a call to Ashley (actually to her boss).

• 7. Demonstrate the change: He meets her in Paris and accepts his mistakes. Begs for her forgiveness and love. Insists that he will support her no matter what.

• 8. Reunion: She gives in and they kiss. They’re then sent on a joint mission!

Ashley Miller’s Transformational Journey:

• 1. Initial state: Ashley is a beautiful, glamorous, charismatic, super-spy, who stays away from relationships because she believes that partners will slow you down (or let you down? her former partner cheated on her and left her for someone else?).

• 2. Meet-Cute moment: She meets Daniel in a bar at a hotel during a mission. She has a drink with him and goes to his room for an alibi. But she finds him charming and funny, and sleeps with him.
• 3. Initial challenges: a. While she is attracted to him, she doesn’t believe they will work, because of her profession. (b. But she gives him her ‘ghost’ contact, just because she’s curious about him. Then she’s convinced he’s shallow like she believes, because he writes a rant about her.)

• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Unexpectedly, Ashley is assigned to protect/shepherd Daniel. Their time together proves tricky as they keep bickering. He’s bitter and it turns her off even more.

• 5. Self-Reflection: Ashley goes home after the mission, and keeps thinking of how Daniel took a bullet to save her. Her boss suggests that Daniel proved his trustworthiness. Having a partner who has your back is the best thing in life, especially in their profession. She regrets how she behaved with him.

• 6. Acceptance and Growth: She goes to NYC to see him, but he’s not there. The doorman jokes that he might be out with a new fling. She leaves a letter for him.

• 7. Demonstrate the change: She discovers that her Paris rendezvous is actually Daniel. She asks him to forgive her and that she’s ready to trust him.

• 8. Reunion: She gives in and they kiss. They’re then sent on a joint mission!

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Avi K.

[Lisa Paris Long]

Rom-Com – Lesson 5 – Her Journey/His Journey

Lisa Paris Long’s Her Journey/His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is that defining journeys is difficult but a vital step in moving the story forward.

Working Title: The Angel Baby

Create an individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.

Caroline Mason’s Journey –

1. Initial state: College student concentrating on studies, but also fighting for causes on campus
2. Meet-Cute moment: Caroline is responding to the book that she was looking for in the school library has been “challenged” (a term used instead of banned). She stands on a chair in the library and gives a speech about banning books. She is mad when a boy she doesn’t know grabs her from her chair and carries her outside.
3. Initial challenges: Caroline is a workaholic. She and Matt have decided not to have children, but at a party where there are many kids, she starts to have new feelings of maybe she does want kids…but she quashes them.
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: When a baby is found in their bed, Caroline freaks out but is secretly excited. This goes against the agreement she and Matt have against having babies.
5. Self-Reflection: Caroline realizes she has motherly instincts that she didn’t know she had previously.
6. Acceptance and Growth: Caroline decides to take care of the new baby as her own for as long as possible…even though Matt has left her.
7. Demonstrate the change: As the baby has to be given back, Caroline realizes that she does want a baby after all. She will do it even if Matt doesn’t want to have a baby.
8. Reunion: Matt returns and apologizes. Caroline takes him back because she believes they belong together. Caroline finds out she’s pregnant.

Matt Caldwell’s Journey –

1. Initial state: Matt is a college student who is both smart and popular. And has a reputation of a ladies’ man about campus.
2. Meet-Cute moment: Matt watches Caroline giving a speech in the library while on a chair. As she starts to fall off the chair, he runs over and swoops her up. He carries her outside.
3. Initial challenges: Matt is a workaholic and totally devoted to his company…and Caroline. No room for anything else especially kids.
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: When a baby appears unexpectedly in his life, he is horrified. He can’t take care of it, doesn’t want to take care of it. It’s not in the plan. He ends up leaving Caroline alone with the baby.
5. Self-Reflection: Matt’s time away from Caroline is painful…they haven’t been apart in 15 years. He thinks about how Caroline seemed to like taking care of the baby.
6. Acceptance and Growth: Matt realizes that he and Caroline can absolutely take care of a child. Maybe they have changed? Maybe they should think about their life of material things and think about being parents.
7. Demonstrate the change: Matt decides returns to Caroline as they have to give the baby back to the parents.
8. Reunion: Matt is there as they give the baby back. He apologizes to Caroline for leaving her alone. He says he thinks they can be parents now. He is surprised and happy when they realize that Caroline is pregnant.

[Donna Donna Hoke Hoke]

Can someone please catch me up? I know Hal took a sick day last week but did we have a class this past Saturday? I didn’t get any emails or recordings of any classes (I’m on vacation) and now my RC class is showing as complete. Are we done?? Thanks for any help!

Donna

[Adite Banerjie]

Hi Donna. No new posts or video after Lesson 6. Still waiting for the next lesson.

[Terrie Shaft]

Terrie’s Her Journey / His Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that creating a journey for each character increases the depth of the story.

Sara’s Transformational Journey:
1. Initial state: productivity coach that is driven to help people squeeze the most out of each day.
2. Meet-Cute moment: coffee shop – stuck waiting too long b/c a barista is late
3. Initial challenges: she’s focused on making her reality show a reality.
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Austin, the person who is the focus of her show, is not cooperative, he doesn’t want to be part of it or change his ways.
5. Self-Reflection: she too rigid in her approach she needs to allow fun to happen.
6. Acceptance and Growth: she alters her productivity process to accommodate Austin’s need for spontaneity.
7. Demonstrate the change: in an episode of her show she tells everyone how she is changing things because life also needs to be fun.
8. Reunion: Austin comes back for the last episode and declares how much her process and her personally she means to him.
Austin’s Transformational Journey:
1. Initial state: gifted but unsuccessful artist.
2. Meet-Cute moment: working as a barista to get by, he serves Sara who lectures him on the need to be punctual for the sake of other people’s productivity.
3. Initial challenges: She’s the talent on a new reality show that his friend and gallery owner has set him up to be part of.
4. Major conflict / Obstacle: he doesn’t want to be part of any reality show.
5. Self-Reflection: after trying some of Sara’s system, he’s been more creative and accomplishing more as an artis.
6. Acceptance and Growth: he realizes that Sara has helped him. It’s real not just a reality show.
7. Demonstrate the change: he shows up and thanks Sara for all her help and gives her a piece of art (probably has a clock in it somewhere)
8. Reunion: He shows up on time for the last episode of the reality show – gives Sara credit for helping him be more focused on ART.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Terrie Shaft.

[Donna Donna Hoke Hoke]

CHARLIE’s journey:
1. Initial state: Charlotte Winfield. A good and giving person. She works at an animal shelter, where she has to deal with animals being put down. She works to save them and find them homes. She also does social about celebs because it allows her to worship from afar. Charlie is a woman in deep pain, good-hearted person who can only experience unrequited love because she fully believes someone who loves her will die.

2. Meet-Cute moment: The little league game

3. Initial challenges: Trying to maintain distance while desperately wanting to be close

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: Her belief in her death curse

5. Self-Reflection: She can’t put someone she loves in danger

6. Acceptance and Growth: She realizes she doesn’t have that power

7. Demonstrate the change: She lets Charlie tell her he loves her

8. Reunion: HAE

EAMON’s journey:
1. Initial state: Decent guy pretending to be an asshole

2. Meet-Cute moment: They both realize how attracted they are

3. Initial challenges: Maintaining an asshole facade even when he meets her grandma

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: His fear of hurting her, denying his love

5. Self-Reflection: He has to live his life and be honest

6. Acceptance and Growth: His heart attack makes him realize how much he wants to live

7. Demonstrate the change: He lets Charlie say she loves him

8. Reunion: HAE for now

[Ruthie Harris]

Completed but unable to post assignments without them condensing into one big block of text. Grrrrrrr…

[Joy Smith]

Joy Geldard-Smith’s Her Journey / His Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is… conflict is the key to driving any story forward – including a love story! As much as I love torturing my characters for the sake of comedy, I also need to ensure that they grow and change so that the ending is satisfying and believable.

Her Journey: Stella Lee
• 1. Initial state: A lone US Marshall, focussed only on her career and catching the bad guys.
• 2. Meet-Cute moment: She gives a small child an ice cream to stop them from crying. It’s part of her cover, and it’s Christmas, after all.
• 3. Initial challenges: Keeping her undercover identity secret – taking work too seriously and lying to Crispin despite feeling attracted to him. Law enforcement don’t trust the press.
• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: She’s trying to bust a major crime ring and this local reporter keeps showing up.
• 5. Self-Reflection: If she wants to get the criminal, she has to trust Crispin.
• 6. Acceptance and Growth: Stella realises she needs some roots after all, as she faces Christmas alone, staking out a criminal in an ice cream van.
• 7. Demonstrate the change: They trust each other enough to set up a sting, without their superiors permission.
• 8. Reunion: They work together through Christmas Eve to ensure each child wakes up to a toy on Christmas morning.

His Journey: Crispin Davis
• 1. Initial state: Also very focussed on work. Struggling to look after his niece.
• 2. Meet-Cute moment: Can’t calm down his niece after she loses her ice cream, and is rescued by Stella, who gives her a new one.
• 3. Initial challenges: He feels that there’s something not right with Stella. When he’s late to a scoop because her ice cream truck broke down and parked him in, he dislikes her.
• 4. Major conflict / Obstacle: He’s trying to get the scoop of his career, and this ice cream seller keeps showing up at all the crime scenes.
• 5. Self-Reflection: Maybe not all law enforcement personnel are liars and cheat, and they can work together.
• 6. Acceptance and Growth: Crispin wants a little more adventure in his life, and this US Marshall has certainly provided it so far.
• 7. Demonstrate the change: They trust each other enough to set up a sting, without their superiors permission.
• 8. Reunion: They work together through Christmas Eve to ensure each child wakes up to a toy on Christmas morning.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by  Joy Smith.

[Eugene Mandelcorn]

Eugene Mandelcorn’s His Journey/Her Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is that each person involved must go through a individual transformational journey, but with two rom-coms going on at once, they do not have to go through the journey at the same time or at the same pace.

Lesson 5
ASSIGNMENT

1. Create the individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.

Each character’s Transformational Journey contains:

1. Initial state: JOE – A young man who has lost his mother in a tragic accident, inheriting her home, and fears his father who left the family when he was young is among the homeless. He aspires to be a filmmaker. BETH – Is estranged from her family who are financial insecure and while she is struggling to make a living on her own. She also aspires to be a filmmaker. VOICE – A older man, who was a Shakespearean trained actor, is homeless, and because of his paranoid, conspiratory nature, is unable to work. KAREN – An older widow, who was a trophy wife, is a meticulous homeless person.

2. Meet-Cute moment: JOE – He comes out of the theater on his cell phone reviewing the film he just saw when he bumps into Beth, spilling her drink all over her intriguing outfit. He tries to help her clean it up, but only makes things worse. BETH – Coming out of the theater to be confronted by Joe who ruins her outfit. She is a mess and has a job interview she must get to. VOICE – Is recruited from the homeless, by Beth, to be part of a film that Joe and Beth are making. He rides in the back seat of Joe’s car with Karen, whom he meets for the first time. KAREN – Recruited by Joe, she rides in the back seat of his car with Voice, kind of a terrifying blind date.

3. Initial challenges: JOE – He is bringing the three of them to a small narrow lot where he intends to build a couple of tiny homes and shoot a feature film in the process. BETH – She is not crazy about this project, but has agreed to come aboard, because Joe has hired her to write a script centered around these two homeless people as they attempt to house them. VOICE – Although he sees Karen as attractive, he cannot identify with her haughty, superior nature. It challenges his egotistical bent. KAREN – She is repulsed by Voice, who spells and is insulting. She agrees to this project, only if their homes are at opposite ends of this small lot.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: JOE – Joe starts shooting the project documentary style. He calls it Cassavetes Style and using his cell phone. BETH – Beth is upset not only that he is using a cell phone, but that he seems to have no real interest in the scenes she had written for the main two characters. VOICE – Voice is asking for his lines but is pretty good at tearing Karen comments apparent and making fun of the film that Joe is making. KAREN – Is more sympathetic with Joe’s approach but feels Beth could have picked a much better person to play opposite her than the boisterous and smelly Voice. (How in the world are they going to work together as a team!)

5. Self-Reflection: JOE – Realizes that because of his attraction to Beth he has offered to pay her to keep her on the project and is not treating her as an equal. BETH – Realizes that although Joe has perhaps taken on more than he can chew, he effectively trying to keep the project on budget and really wants to help the homeless. VOICE – Realizes that he really enjoys the verbal fisticuffs with Karen and is starting to respect her intellect and ideas. KAREN – Is starting to respect Voice, although she disagrees with him at every turn, she is starting to believe that she can turn him around.

6. Acceptance and Growth: JOE – Joe allows Beth to shoot some of the scenes she has written, but of course she still has to use a cell phone. BETH – She realizes and respects Joe’s determination to make this film, a mixture of doc and narrative. VOICE – He seriously talks to Karen about his problems. KAREN – She also begins to confide in Voice.

7. Demonstrate the change: JOE – Joe confides in Beth about his search for his homeless father. BETH – Beth reveals that she has been evicted from her apartment and has been living in her car. VOICE – Accepts the fact that he is a bit paranoid and tells Karen that maybe the local gang is not really out to kill him. KAREN – Accepts that Voice really cares about her and that maybe she is a bit too concerned about her looks and her surroundings.

8. Reunion: JOE – Offers his home to Beth. BETH – She is seriously thinking about it. VOICE – Decides that he will share a small home with Karen. KAREN – Decides that she will share the home with Voice. (When the Tornado comes all four of them are forced to huddle together in the tiny home, during the storm)

• This reply was modified 8 months, 1 week ago by  Eugene Mandelcorn.

[Mary MacNeith]

What I learned from this lesson, is to narrow down the specifics of each character for each of the eight skillsets for this assignment. I enjoyed discovering their journey together and their separate internal journey together.

Wallis’s Journey From a wealthy family

ASSIGNMENT
Create the individual Transformational Journey for each lead character.

1. Initial state:
Wallis, (25) is angry not receiving the commission for a painting she was given, taken away by the client, because Wallis is unconventional.

2. Meet-Cute moment:
Wallis runs smack into Wyatt and her paint splashes on them both, arguing on the sidewalk.

3. Initial challenges:
Wallis looses a commission for a painting, that she needed to pay the rent.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle:
Wallis gets a new commission for an action, and its Wyatt who must work with her to get the painting completed.

5. Self-Reflection:
Wallis reflects her tumultuous life.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
Wallis sees a positive path through Wyatt, as inspiration appears for the painting.

7. Demonstrate the change:
Wallis begins the large painting, and is engrossed with positivity

8. Reunion:
Wallis says yes to marrying Wyatt.

Wyatt’s Journey from a low income family

Each character’s Transformational Journey contains:

1. Initial state:
Wyatt (35) is a former U.S. Coast Guardsman working for a non-profit who commissions art for actions.

2. Meet-Cute moment:
Crashing into Wallis is painful and frustrating, then Wallis started giggling as the blood gently drips down his face, and she kissed his cheek to make it feel better.

3. Initial challenges:
Wyatt grew up impoverished, and continues to be thrifty.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle:
Wyatt dislikes the ideas and themes for the painting Wallis suggests, and discovers he has a serious medical condition.

5. Self-Reflection:
On a trip with Wallis to the country, Wyatt reflection on a dialog with his mother when he was young, about doubt, struggle and change.

6. Acceptance and Growth:
Wyatt collaborates with Wallis to create an inspirational painting that reflects the ancient past with the present.

7. Demonstrate the change:
Wyatt is struggling with his medical condition, and proposes to Wallis.

8. Reunion:
Wyatt is laid to rest at the cemetery and another painting is placed next to his headstone, with lots of people in attendance and sharing wonderful stories.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mary MacNeith.

[Nancy Lucas]

What I learned doing this assignment is to map out each of of the main characters transformational journey, in order to het the marks in the story.

Each character’s Transformational Journey contains:

For him:
1. Initial state: Cynical, unsure of the success of his job, long hours, asks himself if it is worth it, lost his girlfriend from traveling so much- thinking about settling down, He is tech- savvy- but feels his present job does not utilize his skills.
2. Meet-Cute moment: They meet in the bakery where he is cranky about something going on with the satellite/ internet work.
3. Initial challenges: Trying to be happy and helpful to others in the holiday spirit, especially since his firm is failing at what they promised to provide- plus he has a deadline to meet in order to get to the next job.

4. Major conflict / Obstacle: (unsure) how to slow down and be helpful. He is also finding 'small town' things 'silly ' and states that outloud- and upsets our heroine.
5. Self-Reflection: when pushed to the brink by his boss, he is forced to re-examine how he is living, his own happiness and what he wants to do with his life. Should he continue in this position.
6. Acceptance and Growth: He realizes he wants a more stable job and likes the small town feel. He likes how he feels with her.
7. Demonstrate the change: He brings his tech skills to help (unsure) the HS students win money for their trip to a competition, (or something)
8. Reunion: He foregoes the promotion offered to him and leaves the job with the Energy company in order to stay in Spruce Point.

I am working on HER side of all of this, as I am still not sure what she wants. (ugh)

• This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by  Nancy Lucas.