Lesson 6

[Karen Angermayer]

Karen Christine´s Action Structure

What I learned doing the assignment is:
I learned that structure is the backbone of the story, and aligning the Mission, Villain, and Action Tracks creates a seamless flow where every scene serves a purpose. The structure not only escalates the stakes but also ensures that Charlie’s emotional journey and the action sequences complement each other. By tying the turning points to both the external conflict (Sylvia’s pursuit) and the internal conflict (Charlie’s self-doubt), the story becomes more engaging and meaningful.

3-Act Structure

Act 1: The Setup
Opening

Scene: Charlie is walking his pack of dogs in the park. He’s clumsy but charming, juggling leashes and dodging chaos caused by his mischievous Labrador, Max. This lighthearted moment introduces Charlie’s bond with the dogs and his self-deprecating humor.
Purpose: Establishes Charlie’s ordinary world and his reluctance to take risks, setting up his eventual transformation.

Inciting Incident

Scene: Max retrieves a locked briefcase hidden in the park. Inside is the stolen lie detector, a sleek device that can expose any lie. Moments later, Sylvia’s mercenaries ambush Charlie at his apartment, forcing him to flee with the device and his dogs.
Purpose: Forces Charlie out of his comfort zone and into the central conflict. The lie detector becomes the object of pursuit, setting the stakes for the story.

First Turning Point (End of Act 1)

Scene: After narrowly escaping the mercenaries, Charlie seeks refuge at Sophie’s veterinary clinic. While there, he accidentally activates the lie detector, revealing its power to expose lies. Sylvia’s agents track him to the clinic and attack, but Charlie and Sophie manage to escape together.
Purpose: Locks Charlie into the conflict. He realizes the lie detector is dangerous but also potentially world-changing, and he can’t simply walk away.

Act 2: The Conflict

Midpoint

Scene: Charlie and Sophie discover the lie detector’s creator, Dr. Eleanor Vance, who reveals Sylvia’s plan to destroy the device and cover up her crimes. Dr. Vance wants to destroy the lie detector herself, believing it’s too dangerous, but Charlie insists on protecting it. Meanwhile, Sylvia launches a smear campaign, framing Charlie as a thief and fugitive.
Purpose: Changes the meaning of the journey. Charlie is no longer just running for survival—he’s fighting to protect the truth and expose Sylvia’s corruption.
Second Turning Point (End of Act 2)

Scene: Sylvia’s agents kidnap Sophie, leaving Charlie a chilling ultimatum: surrender the lie detector or Sophie dies. Charlie, devastated and guilt-ridden, feels he’s out of options. Dr. Vance urges him to destroy the device, but Charlie refuses, realizing he must confront Sylvia directly.
Purpose: Pushes Charlie to his lowest point. He must overcome his self-doubt and take decisive action to save Sophie and expose Sylvia.

Act 3: The Ultimate Expression of the Conflict

Crisis

Scene: Charlie infiltrates Sylvia’s high-profile gala, where she plans to destroy the lie detector during a live broadcast. He uses his bond with the dogs to create distractions and evade security, but he’s captured before he can reach Sylvia. She taunts him, exploiting his insecurities and claiming he’s too weak to stop her.
Purpose: Forces Charlie to confront his fears and decide whether he’s willing to risk everything to stand up for the truth.

Climax

Scene: During the live broadcast, Charlie escapes his captors and crashes the event. Using the lie detector, he forces Sylvia to confess her crimes on live television. The dogs hilariously disrupt the broadcast, adding levity to the tense moment. Sylvia tries to spin the situation but is exposed as a fraud and criminal.
Purpose: The ultimate showdown between Charlie and Sylvia. Charlie completes his transformation into a hero, using his wits and courage to outsmart the villain.
Resolution

Scene: Sylvia is arrested, and her corruption is exposed. Charlie becomes a local hero, finally proving to himself that he’s capable of making a difference. He reconciles with Sophie and starts a new chapter in his life, confident and fulfilled. The final shot shows Charlie walking his dogs with Sophie by his side, the lie detector safely stored away as a symbol of his journey.

Purpose: Provides emotional closure and ties up loose ends, leaving the audience with a sense of satisfaction and hope.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Villain Track

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT IS…
That giving the villains distinct motivations, shifting tactics, and escalating decisions makes the story far more intense and believable. Each step they take forces the hero to evolve, and by building their plans with intelligence and menace, the villains become worthy obstacles to Rick’s redemption. Importantly, I learned that when the system itself is part of the villainy (as with Keller), the hero’s fight becomes about more than survival — it becomes moral.

1. VILLAIN TRACK QUESTIONS (my story has two villains)
A. What is the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or annihilate the hero?
JAX MENDOZA’s plan:
* Sent by Keller to kill or retrieve Hank and destroy any evidence.
* Mendoza escapes prison with help from Keller, reassembles his old crew, and launches a targeted campaign to eliminate Hank, then Rick for Keller.
* Once Rick begins interfering and making him look incompetent in front of Keller, Jax makes it personal.
CHIEF KELLER’s plan:
* Remain hidden behind Jax and the gang violence.
* If Jax fails, use the police system and leverage (like capturing Julia) to silence Rick and recover the drive.
* Keller’s backup plan: destroy all loose ends and pin it on a “rogue gang.” – Frame Rick and Hank.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?
* Jax Mendoza:
* Sends gang members to kill Hank at the retirement home
* Ambush at the cabin
* Kidnaps Julia to force Rick to comply
* Sends waves of armed men to the final safe house
* Psychological torment: reveals Rick was the reason Hank never exposed Keller
* Chief Keller:
* Uses police intel to track Rick and Hank
* Freezes resources, frames Rick as a wanted junkie – He has picks from Ricks arrests for drugs
* Threatens Marge, has Julia abducted
* Publicly spins narrative as “Rick attacks police in drug-fueled rampage”
* Sends professional assassins, (cops) not just gangsters

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit it?
* Jax Mendoza:
* Physically dominant, gang loyalty, military-style tactics
* Knows how to stay off-grid, tracks Rick with ex-con connections
* Has nothing to lose and no moral compass
* Chief Keller:
* Total institutional power — controls police comms, legal system, city media
* Reputation as a “hero cop” – No one would believe he is dirty
* Publicly untouchable
* Can act clean while others get dirty. (Need a weak spot for him – Maybe he has a daughter?)

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?
* Jax Mendoza:
A brutal, bare-knuckle fight where Rick refuses to kill him with a gun. Instead, Rick reclaims his honor by defeating him with fists — the same tool that caused his original downfall. Rick leaves Mendoza broken and exposed before police arrive. (Maybe Keller kills Jax for failing him??)
* Chief Keller:
After Rick publicly exposes the footage, Keller tries to kill him anyway. Hank shoots him from a distance — poetic justice . The image of Keller, bleeding out in his crisp white shirt, exposed to the world, is a final unmasking of institutional rot.

2. VILLAIN PLAN STEPS — JAX MENDOZA & CHIEF KELLER
Villain: Jax Mendoza (Phase 1 Villain)
Label Set: ESCAPE – TARGET – DOMINATE – CRUMBLE
1. ESCAPE – Mendoza breaks out with Keller’s help. Kills two guards, rejoins his old crew.
2. TARGET – Tracks down Hank. Sends men to retirement home. Rick intervenes.
3. DOMINATE – Tracks Hank to the cabin. Ambushes. Wounds Hank. Julia kidnapped. Forces Rick to act.
4. CRUMBLE – Rick kills Mendoza in an MMA-style showdown. Bloody, personal, poetic.

Villain: Chief Keller (Phase 2 Villain)
Label Set: MANIPULATE – ESCALATE – COVER – DIE EXPOSED
1. MANIPULATE – Orchestrates Mendoza’s escape. Uses him as a deniable asset to silence Hank.
2. ESCALATE – After Mendoza fails, Keller orders Julia’s execution and frames Rick for multiple crimes.
3. COVER – Tries to destroy the flash drive, pressure Marge, and “suicide” Hank.
4. DIE EXPOSED – Rick live-streams the evidence. Keller shoots at Rick. Hank shoots Keller. His reputation dies before his body does.

• This reply was modified 2 days, 13 hours ago by  Clive Morris.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Action Track (6)

What I Learned Doing This Assignment Is…
That action works best when it reveals character, raises stakes, and evolves with the story. It’s not just cool sequences—it’s about watching Rick reclaim his strength, dignity, and purpose, step by painful step. Overcoming Jos drug problem and lack of self esteem – through the actions sequences. Building the action around emotional growth gave each scene weight and meaning, especially when balancing physical fights with internal battles and complex relationships. I was worried about the dual antagonists, but I think this lesson showed me how dual antagonists can create layered tension by escalating the hero’s journey from survival to revolution.

1. ACTION QUESTIONS
A. What action could naturally show up in this movie?
* Fistfights, improvised combat, and MMA-style takedowns (Rick’s specialty)
* Brutal close-range shootouts (Hank’s domain)
* Tactical escapes through rural or urban terrain
* Cabin ambushes, betrayal, vehicle chases, last-minute rescues
* Final siege into a corrupt stronghold, with Rick weaponizing his training and resolve
*
B. Considering the Mission and Villain Tracks, what action fits this track?
* Escape from the first gang attack
* Cabin ambush after being tracked
* Urban assault on Jax’s hideout
* Infiltration and full-blown assault on Keller’s base
* Final hand-to-hand battle to reclaim self and justice
*
C. How can the action start well, build in the 2nd act, and escalate to a climax?
* Start: Rick defends Hank with raw instincts (messy but heroic)
* Middle: Rick regains his edge—mounts strategic, emotionally charged attacks
* End: Rick stages full assault on enemy ground, combining MMA with firearms under Hank’s training

2. TYPES OF ACTION USED
✔ A. Chase/Pursuit
✔ B. Fight /MMA type as well as normal 
✔ C. Shootout
✔ D. Rescue
✔ E. Escape/Evade
✔ G. Dangerous Situations
✔ H. Interrogation
✔ I. Torture (psychological & threat-based more than graphic)

3. SEQUENCE OF ACTION SCENES + PURPOSE
1. Pharmacy Break-In (Escape/Evade)
Rick and Dez rob a pharmacy. They barely escape when police respond.
Purpose: Show Rick’s desperation, criminal lifestyle, and lack of control.

2. Retirement Home Parking Lot Fight (Fight)
Rick defends Hank from gang attackers. Brutal, untrained, MMA instinct kicks in.
Purpose: Reignites Rick’s fighter instinct; reveals Hank is being hunted.

3. Escape to the Cabin (Escape/Evade / Chase)
Rick, Hank, and Marge flee the city. They avoid a roadblock and ditch a tail.
Purpose: Establish trust among trio; show Keller’s growing reach.

4. Gun Training Sequence (Competition / Dangerous Situation)
Hank teaches Rick to shoot better. Rick has military training- but is rusty and Hank is an expert. Tense moment of failure, breakthrough, then connection.
Purpose: Show Rick learning to control violence; father-son healing begins.

5. Cabin Ambush (Shootout / Fight / Dangerous Situation)
The gang attacks. Rick uses new skills, traps. Hank is wounded.
Purpose: Test of growth. Rick saves lives but fails to stop Jax. Stakes rise.

6. Julia’s Kidnapping (Off-Screen Threat)
Julia is abducted and used as leverage. Rick sees video threat.
Purpose: Push Rick to his moral breaking point. Fuel Act III mission.

7. Rick vs. Jax Mendoza (Fight / Interrogation)
Rick invades Jax’s hideout. One-on-one brutal MMA fight. Rick wins.
Purpose: Closure of personal vendetta. Rick reclaims identity.

8. Infiltration of Keller’s Compound (Escape/Evade / Shootout / Rescue)
Rick and Dez sneak in. Marge snipes from afar. Rick finds Julia, plants live feed.
Purpose: Combo of physical/moral action. Turning point for public exposure.

9. Final Confrontation: Rick vs. Keller (Fight / Shootout)
Keller tries to kill Rick. They fight. Keller is shot by Hank.
Purpose: Justice delivered. System exposed. Rick finally wins without losing his soul.

10. Epilogue – Rick Walks Into the Gym (Symbolic Competition)
Rick returns to MMA gym—this time, not to fight but to coach. Help kids defend themselves.
Purpose: Resolution. New purpose. Quiet victory.