Lesson 6

[Lynn Vincentnathan]

Lynn’s Delivering Multiple Layers!

What I learned doing this assignment is I had already had some of these layers by doing earlier assignments and creating a backstory for myself. However, this assignment helped me flesh them out and come up with better ideas.

I learned something else — the reason I didn’t like THE MAN FROM EARTH (which I loved as first, since I’m an anthropologist and got into the early man stuff) is because when it got to part that he was Jesus, that bonked me out of my suspended disbelief with the thought this writer wrote it with an agenda to promote his view. It wasn’t only because I’m a Christian, but because it just didn’t fit what I’ve learned about Jesus. And why would people follow such a non-charismatic not-so-great man?

But this made me realize that my own agenda, to write about climate change, may also have the same repercussions for the climate change denialist crowd (the very people I would hope to persuade), so I’m probably just preaching to the choir. I’ve got to really take this to heart and find the best, most effective way, to write CC screenplays.

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TELL US ABOUT THE LAYERS YOU’VE CHOSEN. USE THIS FORMAT WITH EACH OF THEM:

Surface Character Layer: Lew Grayson, an elder, has a great history of getting many to mitigate climate change, then argued against the geronticide, that it would perpetuate evil against humanity and the earth

Beneath That: Jerrod Isaacs, a legendary leader of the 49ers out to kill the elderly as retribution, killed Lew Grayson and later assumed his identity and became repentant.

How Revealed: First Lew reveals it to Josh and Megan after the Midpoint in his bid to convince them he is not worth saving, that they should save themselves. Then in Act 3 Roz (who considers Jerrod her hero and inspiration) figures it out and Lew confirms it, leading her to grasp Lew’s anguish for his killing, and reform.

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Surface Character & Plot Layer: It seems someone is informing about elders, including Lew, being hidden. Josh and Lew think it may be a neighbor, wondering how he would have known.

Beneath That: It is Megan, Josh’s pregnant wife, who has tipped them off.

How Revealed: Around mid-point Megan in anger confesses, but when Josh threatens to divorce her, she tearfully explains how she was trying to protect and provide for their baby on the way.

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Surface Plot Layer: The new 49ers (Roz, etc) are out to kill the elderly again.

Beneath That: Their plan is to kill others as well and their new motive is more to reduce the population so the remaining can have more rations, than revenge (as it was with the original 49ers), but using revenge is a better motivator.

How Revealed: some early hints, such as dwindling rations being a problem & Roz in charge of rations recipient (Rat-Recip) inspections. Misled when Roz refers to the earlier 2049 geronticide as the great revenge and whips up Hillard to help her go out and kill them (and others who get in their way). Then at the time of the great dilemma toward end of Act 2, we come to understand their plan is just to kill as many as possible in seemingly justifiable ways. And later Roz/Hillard make that clear.

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Surface Location Layer: This is Lew Grayson’s home, with his books, and eco-projects

Beneath That: Lew (Jerrod) took it over years later when he came to regret his killing of this great man. Then he created t a hiding place within it when threats of geronticide erupted.

How Revealed: It is understood to be Lew’s home, but the hiding place is revealed soon in Act 1 setup. That Jerrod took it over as well as Lew’s name come up later when Lew blurts it out to Josh and Megan after the Midpoint, and Roz figures it out in Act 3.