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Lesson 5
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Marc’s Character Action Tracks
My Vision: To win the Nicholl Fellowship and receive a 10 rating on the Black list.
WIM Module 4-Character Action Track- Lesson 5
Genre: Drama/Thriller The Corporation versus Andy Beal.
ACT 1 Beginning: Andy Beal, an A-type personality Billionaire, is having a mid-life crisis and needs to challenge himself to “High Risk” stimulating endeavors. Andy’s dream is to play with the best poker players in the world. He decides to go to Las Vegas. Andy is a Billionaire, but he is an amateur poker player.
PP: Andy meets a stranger in a bar-Bob Brunson, a member of the Corporation-and agrees to set with him for a “friendly” low stakes game of poker. PP: Andy and Bob find a special table and play. The game begins. Andy flashes a wad of cash-100’s. Bob Brunson sees Andy’s money.
PP: Inciting Incident: Andy, an amateur poker player, loses a low stakes poker game to a member of the Corporation, a group of Las Vegas professional poker players.
CAT Rageful: Andy goes to the previous bar, where he was nice but now he abuses the bartender because he lost the first game.
PP: Bob Brunson tells his father, Dole Brunson, that he just bet Andy in a low stakes game. He has lots of money and thinks they can get more of it.
PP: Turning Point 1: Humiliated, with a need to recoup his losses, he challenges the leader of the Corporation, Dole Brunson, to a series of high stakes poker games. The games last over a period of six years. Dole and Andy Agree to terms.
CAT Condescending: Andy thinks the Corporation players are a bunch of hick, so he talks “down” to them.<div>
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PP: Dole Brunson. Recruits and organizes the Corporation players, one by one. PP: Andy returns to Dallas to prepare for the challenge. He get his secretary to purchase 25 of the best books on poker. Andy speed reads all of them.
ACT 2: Andy Beal arrives to Las Vegas at the Bellagio.PP: Andy, a “fish out of water” realizes he is no match for the Corporation, and he loses most of his money.
CAT Belligerent: Andy goes to the “owner” of the casino and complains that he is being cheated by the Corporation.
PP: Andy recruits his son, to help create a computer program algorithm to give him an advantage over the skills of the Corporation.
PP: Andy and his son, role play and test out the algorithm.Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Andy starts winning and gets very “cocky.”
CAT Ecstatic: Andy drives through a Black neighborhood and throughs out handfuls of dollar bills to homeless and street people.
PP: Dole is forced to recruit more players into the Corporation and pool their money to keep the challenge going.
Act 3: Dole’s recruits are losing to Andy and dropping out, one by one. Turning Point 3: Dole calls up and recruits Phil Ivey, the best poker player in the world, for a one-on-one challenge with Andy Beal.
PP: Andy does extensive research on Phil Ivey and prepares for the final game.
CAT Envy: Andy curses out his secretary over the photo because she is giving him the wrong research on Phil Ivey.
Act 4 Climax: Phil Ivey beats Andy Beal and recoups the Corporation’s winnings.
Resolution: Andy returns home to Dallas, Texas. He researches and finds a new “High” risk challenge.
Beginning: Dole Brunson, cruises the Casino looking at the new prospects.Inciting Incident: Dole’s son tells his father about a new prospect, Andy Beal, he just beat and is sure they can take all of his money.
CAT Calculation: Dole checks the Corporation’s coffers and who he can recruit to play Andy.
Turning Point 1: Dole accepts Andy’s challenge and one by one gathers resources to start the games.
Act 2: Dole and the Corporation recruits beat Andy. Andy leaves Las Vegas to regroup.
CAT Joyful: Dole and the Corporation party and gloat after beating Andy.
Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Andy returns with new strengths starts winning. Dole, humiliated and almost broke, regroups with a new plan.</div>
Act 3: Dole’s new recruits are dropping out and exhausted.
CAT Bully: Dole bullies the remaining Corporation players.
Turning Point 3: Dole consults with Phil Ivey and negotiates a new challenge with Phil and Andy.
Act 4 Climax: The Corporation and the entire Casino watch Phil Ivey beat Andy Beal.
Resolution: Dole pays out the winning to the Corporation and looks for a new poker tables to play.
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Jeff Glatz Character Action Tracks
My Vision: To create commercial studio size films that move people. To create characters that can live forever and bring electrifying memories to those that have watched one of my films.
What I learned from doing this assignment – Excellent way to ensure/double-check that Characters are acting as they should in a consistent tone to the profile(s) created.
I went thru beat sheet and characters, on this pass, seem to be acting per their profiles and attractors.
BEAT SHEET DRAFT 1
The element of Wind is layered subtlety throughout the story so far, from breezes to the swishes of the shinai, to the plane flying through the clouds, to the boy moving elegantly through the air, to a rapidly spreading fire on a television in the background of the restaurant bar.
Genre: Action/Adventure
Opening (20 years ago)
· Introduction to the Wind Tribe living undetected in the Amazon.
o Set up unique skills of the tribe.
o Mixture of super and normal
· The Evil Descendants attack the tribe looking for a “Key.”
· The Queen’s infant child (Chris, short for Christina) escapes with the help of a Protector, Diana.
o Short lived supporting role
· Her Mother, the Queen of one of the Wind Tribes, is killed by Ronin, a King of another Wind Tribe.
o Intro to Ronin, the Antagonist.
Act 1
· Twenty years later, the Child is grown up and taking class at Columbia.
o Intro to Protagonist, Christina (Chris).
o Soft intro to supporting character, James.
· Hers is a “normal” college student life (“normal,” given she is brilliant and studies martial arts as well)
o Central Park
o Dojo
o Ice Cream cone / something normal
· The Antagonist, Ronin, searches for Chris and the Key.
o Estate in Switzerland
o High-Tech search
§ Why taken 20 years?
§ Time to try something new?
§ Find another possible Descendant.
§ Ronin sends son, Ando, after possible target.
· Attempt to kidnap Chris by Ronin’s son. Diana is killed.
o Dinner at Restaurant
§ Chris being set up on date / annoyed.
§ Diana part of “extended family”
· Inciting Incident – Chris’ adopted/guardian father is killed; her adopted/guardian mother is severely injured in assault.
o Ando, Ronin’s son, attacks and tries to take her prisoner.
o Huge Battle on New York Streets
o Her father and Diana killed, her mother wounded.
o Mystery – why were they attached? Who is Chris? Who is James?
· Chris is saved and taken by another Descendent, James, her “Protector,” to see a Japanese Master in Japan.
o James was a student in Chris’ class and was at Central Park
o Convinces her to go with him.
· Travel to Japan to meet Aiko, a “A Martial Arts Master, but also a Protector.”
o She learns of her background as a Descendant of Zeus.
o She carries the key around her neck on worn leather necklace given she thought from her adopted mother, but learns from her birth mother, Queen of the Amazon Wind Tribe.
o James is also a member of the Wind Tribe and her personal “Protector.”
§ Trained to protect her, his duty. A loaner.
· Ronin attacks Japanese compound.
o Compound wiped out.
o Monks defeated by Ronin’s soldiers.
o Large battle with weaponry, helicopters, and descendants/soldiers falling from the sky in the wind.
o Aiko sacrifices himself to give Chris and James time to escape.
· 1st Turning Point – Chris and James are the only to escape.
o Thru well and underground stream opening into ancient cavern with Wind Symbols and hieroglyphics.
o Ronin burns the castle compound down (the element of Fire).
Act 2
· New Plan – They head to England to meet and learn more about herself, her role, and the Key from a “Librarian” (Franklin, a keeper of the Descendants secrets).
o Begin to see the wealth of Descendants – they arrive at Tokyo airport and board a private plane owned by large solar/energy corporation.
o Chris comes to learn more about James and like him.
§ Bond formed.
§ Possible start of romance?
o Mystery – The Descendants live among us? What does the Key do?
· Ronin and his Tribe are on her tail.
o At the estate, the maps show a bigger picture of the Descendants support around the globe. Various Librarians are highlighted on the map. They believe England is where Chris will head next and get on their way.
§ Underground base, beneath Castle, so hidden from world.
§ Stealth Helicopters, aircraft take off from caves.
§ Technology to keep them hidden from radar.
§ Hi-tech modern looking office building on grounds of a Disney-like castle.
§ Japanese company called “Kaze” (wind).
· Chris and James arrive at English Country estate.
o Meet Franklin.
o Learn of other tribes.
o Given weaponry.
o Go to see Professor at Oxford who is an expert in Mythology.
§ Franklin had tried to recruit him but failed. He liked to be at a University, good guy, had found some ancient texts even Franklin was only allowed to review but not catalog.
§ Learn they must go to Rome or Athens.
· Plan in Action – Attack at Oxford
o Assault on the campus. Professor and students killed.
o Chris, James and Franklin (British Librarian) escape together from another assault by Ronin’s men and Ando (Ronin there?).
§ Ando is seriously injured by Chris. (killed?)
§ Many of the historic colleges are damaged in the firefight.
§ Chris, James and Franklin make it to their cars.
· Chris and James go one way, Franklin the other. Chris is trying to draw the mercenaries away from Franklin.
· Escape in wicked Aston Martin Valkyrie.
o Chase scene leaving Oxford toward Blenheim Castle.
§ Elaborate car chase involving multiple cars.
· Through country side, ending on the great lawn of the Castle.
· James had called for a helicopter to be waiting for them.
§ Arrive at their helicopter outside of town.
· As they take off more Ronin helicopters show up and there is a dog fight in the air as they approach the English Channel.
· They are shot down once they reach the water. They crash into the Channel violently and the chopper settles beneath the water.
§ Ending with driving over white cliffs of dover, blowing up London bridge, Buckingham palace, tower of London
· Water tribe saves them with state-of-the-art private submarine, taken to large container ship owned by Poseidon Shipping
· They travel aboard the ship and anchor off Marseille.
o Water Tribe has been following the events of Ronin.
o Chris tells them she needs to get to Rome.
o Decide on Marseille instead of closer to Rome as figure may be more undetected. Marseille controlled by Water Tribe.
· They travel to Rome to the Vatican Library in search of an ancient text.
o They break into Vatican vault and find the ancient scroll.
§ Elaborate B&E, a Cardinal at the Vatican is part of the Descendants team and assists them through one of his younger priests.
§ They find the Scroll and take to the Cardinal’s office. Over looking St. Peter’s Square.
· Mid-Point – <font color=”#ae0605″>Chris</font> learns where the “Lock” may be hidden and how it could be used, and vows to defend with her life.
o She learns the Key “may” be a way for one person to control all four (4) elements; Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. This is from the ancients. Zeus, split the elements and assigned a “Tribe” to guard and protect their respective element. At the time, these were respected Gods from around the world that understood their Duty.
o The Italian Cardinal tells them that over the centuries, many Descendants became power hungry and wanted to control the World. Tribes split and Wars developed, and this must be why.
· Arriving at their “safe house” they feel something is amiss.
o Ronin (Ando as well?) himself attacks Chris and her team, including the Water Tribe member, Lexus.
§ When he learned, Chris was going to Rome, he decided he would use her to get the scroll for him.
· He had not grabbed the scroll earlier because he did not want his intentions out in the open for the other Tribes to see until it was too late.
o Ronin kills Lexus.
§ “It didn’t have to be this way.” Ronin is now on his own against all the elemental tribes.
§ Some of Lexus’ team show up, but too late to save him, but early enough that Ronin withdraws.
§ Ronin takes the Scroll.
· Funeral at Sea for Lexus.
o All Tribes send a representative.
· Chris and James regroup in Sardinia/Cairo/Tunisia/Morocco for the preparation to travel to the Lock.
· Finally feeling safe for the moment, Chris and James stroll the beach (alt – remains of Carthage or the pyramids) after a lite beach bar candlelight dinner.
o Ronin, by himself, steps from the shadows (maybe Ando trying to prove something to his father and is killed). NOTE!! TWIST?? Does James betray Chris and she must kill him??
o A tremendous fight ensues and James falls to the ground. Ronin has the tip of his sword to James neck and demands Chris hand over the key.
o She does. Ronin releases James with a warning and turns to walk away.
o James feels relinquishing the key was his fault and he grabs a gun on the sand to kill Ronin. Ronin spins and decapitates James.
o Chris falls to her knees defeated and crying.
· 2nd Turning Point – Chris loses the Key to Ronin. James is killed.
Act 3
· Rethink everything – Chris visits her adopted mother (Mrs. Wentworth) in the hospital. Her mother tells her she must accept the ultimate responsibility and recover the Key. This is the woman who raised her, so she feels that she is her mother.
· Chris goes on the offensive. She visits the Amazon Tribe and sees her birth-mother’s grave.
o She is treated as the queen. She looks so much like her mother.
o An old shaman consoles her and prepares her heart for what is to come.
· A member of Fire, Water and Earth arrive in the Amazon and offer their help.
o Old school bonfire, no technology present.
o **Twist – does a Descendant try and kill Chris in her sleep?
o **Twist – she captures Ronin’s spy?
o Discuss the possible outcome of Ronin controlling all the Elements.
o Note – must answer question why the Tribes are not sending “armies” to go over and attack Ronin.
§ Chris may want small so one Element does not get greedy and become the next Ronin on the battlefield.
§ Sneak in with a smaller group?
· Crisis/Dilemma (New Plan) – She recruits a small team to help her save the World. Knowing they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. Her team is made of herself, one Descendant from each; Fire, Earth and Water, and a few from the Amazon.
· They head off to Africa to confront Ronin as he is on his way to find the “Portal.”
o They board a C4 in the Amazon
o Prepare their weapons.
o Analyze the Island (their destination)
o See aerials of Ronin already setting up a base camp.
o **Intrigue – is one the Team an ally of Ronin
· They land on the far side of the lush island and make their way towards Ronin’s camp.
o They encounter a few sentries along the way, but no problem.
· Ronin is making his way through a cave into the mountain.
· Chris’s team make the coast and the rocky shoreline they were looking for and put on suits for the water and enter.
o They find an underwater cave and enter the mountain from below.
· They arrive first at the vast Greek God/Roman looking chamber and wait for Ronin.
· They are in the middle of placing charges to destroy the temple when Ronin arrives.
Act 4
· Climax – Battle of all battles takes place on an uninhabited island, off the coast of Africa, where all 4 Elements exist. A Volcano for Fire, the pounding Ocean for Water, the fertile lands for Earth and the winds that move the Clouds around the Volcano’s peak for Wind.
o Chris and her allies push Ronin back out into the open.
o More Descendants arrive to support them in their battle?
§ They did not heed her advice?
§ Just Water Tribe greater support because of killing of Lexus?
§ She must claim respect of all the Tribes to begin a Peace?
· Resolution – Chris regains the Key and strikes down Ronin who is killed. The World is Safe.
o Buries the Portal without knowing where it ultimately leads.
§ A portal to a far off world? The past? The future?
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by jeffrey jeff glatz glatz.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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Pam Ewing’s Character Action Tracks!
My Vision: Professional. Produced. Prolific. Popular.
What I learned: Focusing on pesky details is important
Protag – Natalie Action Tracks
· Beginning: dealing with her dying mother she makes a fluttering/flying action/fly away with hands as comfort and dismissing problems – later used as vampire power
· Inciting Incident: Mother dies leaving her broke so she stomps around like the indulged child she has always been and rejects the situation by violently shaking
· Turning Point 1: She sets off to claim her inheritance – I don’t quite have it yet but I’d like her to have an excitement/anticipation skip or jump that Vlad also does
· Act 2: she decides to follow Vlad and leans on him so literally she leans on Vlad slipping out of her husband’s embrace
· Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Discovers she needs to confront Vlad or succumb she strokes her necklace in contemplation.
· Act 3: While still trusting Vlad she must defend her pesky husband by coming between them and push them apart. Not yet realizing her powers, she is surprised that she knocks her husband out and slows Vlad
· Turning Point 3: She tests her powers trying to defend her husband and her ‘fly-away’ motion creates literal flight.
· Act 4 Climax: Fears culminate in the possibility of losing her husband and losing to Vlad she huddles as withdrawn but she pops out of it with new resolve
· Resolution: Accepts power position by twisting her view until she is upside down/hanging upside down
Antag – Husband
· Beginning: Distracted with business he is constantly pushing Natalie away or turning his head away
· Inciting Incident: Mother dies and his efforts to comfort his wife when she is shaking are rebuffed he pounds his new invention until it is destroyed.
· Turning Point 1: Decides to follow his wife shaking his head and even walking backward out the door to leave
· Act 2: when he sees Vlad wooing Natalie he puts a protective arm around her
· Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: worried about his and Natalie’s lives being threatened he speaking with slashing hand gestures, grabs Natalie which she rejects
· Act 3: He tries to furtively follow Natalie but she sees him and he makes, goofy disapproving, childish faces
· Turning Point 3: He follows Natalie and they fall into an old dry well where he pleads with Natalie on his knees then pounds bricks in frustration
· Act 4 Climax: Natalie fights Vlad and husband coaches Natalie how to free him and makes cuckoo clock sounds to annoy Vlad and fakes out a henchman to untie him by sounding like Vlad?
· Resolution: He seems to have revived to a focus on his business but as he talks on the phone he plays footsies/tic tac toe with feet with Natalie
Triangle – Vlad
· Beginning: could such an intelligent, handsome, wealthy, ageless creature be so bored he takes out several cuckoo clocks with one toss (like skipping stones), needlessly cruel to henchman who sets up the next set of clocks
· Inciting Incident: he is warned that his empire is in danger and laughs it off – excitement/anticipation skip or jump that is like Natalie’s response
· Turning Point 1: shrugs off a foreboding shiver and sniffs at the air like a hunting wolf
· Act 2: encounters Natalie who intrigues him and he can’t control licking his chops
· Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: He must control/have Natalie so he changes his grooming prep and selects a new cape
· Act 3: Noticing Natalie’s power he orders them kidnapped and he ties ropes and readies the torture chamber
· Turning Point 3: His henchmen fail to get Natalie so he beats a henchman and himself before turning on the husband
· Act 4 Climax: at defeat to Natalie he begs for leniency groveling like a dog on the floor
· Resolution: fakes smile as hangs out sign saying welcome to his touristy cuckoo clock store while villagers wave merrily at him
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Heather’s Character Action Tracks!
Vision statement: I want to see my scripts optioned this year and turned into movies that the audience will remember long after they leave the theatre.
What I learned from this assignment: You can go over these things a million times in your head but until you seat yourself in the character it doesn’t have any meaning at all. The perspective of a petulant, jealous 6 year old is completely different from that of an angry, hard done by 50 year old Sheriff. Even if they are coming from the same place. One gets even, the other explodes.
Sarah Protagonist: 1<sup>st</sup> scene
Ironing, cooking pancakes and fixing Lila’s hair. At the same time while her eldest whines at her.
Patient: floats easily from task to task (this doesn’t have any drama and doesn’t support her obsession with being a perfectionist)
Harried: Pancakes can burn, Lila can cry, and the day just builds to a point where Sarah is about to lose it.
Fragile: Establishes her mental state early on. She’s not coping. She cries and throws the pancakes at the wall because the eldest doesn’t like them. The kids think this is a great game and then there’s syrup and pancakes to clean up now on top of everything else to do.
Revenge: They can go without until dinner and look like they’re homeless. Go play outside! Don’t expect to come in until I call you.
Sheriff Harper: Antagonist
Receives bad news. He’s been turned down for a promotion he was expecting.
Angry: Puts a fist through a wall. Grabs his gun and demands an answer from the CO.
Vengeful: Plans a way to get the CO’s position and power by framing him for poaching.
Sly: Plots a way to make himself look better than the CO.
Tricky: Turns to crime to make ends meet. – takes weapons from the evidence locker.
Joe Green: Catalyst character
Has come home to the reservation because he’s heard his father is ill.
Calm: Needs to put his life in order. Must come to terms with his father.
Resolute: Knows his father has taken the girl. Knows Harper will kill him. Will do what needs to be done to protect his father, no matter what his father thinks of him. Absolutely unreadable, expression wise – but his actions are clear and decisive: quits drinking with the snap of a decision, heads into the bush to track Lila as soon as he’s freed from jail etc…
Gentle: Helps Sarah get over her fears of the forest and her mistrust of men.
Lethal: Takes out a bear and the Sheriff with his bare hands.
Fatalistic: We are not the masters of our destiny. In the end nothing you do will really matter.
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