Lesson 6

[Caitlin Stryker]

ASSIGNMENT #6

Caitlin Stryker’s TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS: What I learned doing this assignment is that some of my timeline is wonky. It might take me a minute to sort this out.

2. Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.

Character Arc: Carla is a meek, depressed stay-at-home mom with low self-esteem, whose marriage is flailing. In the end, Carla is a dynamic individual fully confident in her abilities opening up her own copywriting business and her marriage is thriving. In between she meets Harriet who challenges her to take the steps to live up to her full potential.

Old ways: waiting for a miracle/lottery ticket; never finishing what she starts; negative self talk; not wanting to stand out; hiding herself; staying home doing housework

New Ways: creating her own successes; always following through; positive self-talk; not willing to compromise herself for the sake of others comfort

3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).

• a)Going out at night with friends = getting a sitter, getting dressed up, talking to new people

• b)Reaching out to her old boss (who is a younger woman and didn’t approve of Carla’s decision to marry and have a child) and getting advice and contacts for getting back to work

• c)Coming to terms with the reality that her marriage is in trouble. Mark has cheated on her, she discovers and she will have to confront him.

• d)Can she stand on her own two feet? She is unemployed and has been rejected repeatedly in the job search process. She didn’t even get the front desk at a gym job that she applied for.

• e)Couples therapy? Which turns into is Carla crazy and needing to be committed because she’s an adult with an imaginary friend she insists is real…

• f)Carla fucks up and makes out with a guy at a club and gets thrown in the drunk tank. She was too loud and too rambunctious out on the town.

• g)Carla can’t hide any part of herself anymore; she will have to own her “crazy” if she wants to fully love herself and bring her whole self to all aspects of her life. This means Harriet stays but as a part of Carla, as her “alter ego” and as a part of herself she brings to the forefront. Which means in a way Harriet gets to be real too! (Like Sasha Fierce and Beyonce. Like Elliot P Dowd and Harvey.)

4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.

See above they are in order A-F

5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.

1. When Carla first bumps into Harriet, Harriet invites Carla for a night out. Carla neveer leaves the house anymore, her husband is away on business and it’s a Thursday (school night.) So Carla has to find a sitter and figure out what to wear that isn’t lame and go through getting into a a crowded bar past a line and a bouncer.

2. Carla’s old boss is an intimidating girl boss type who is 5 years younger than Carla and told Carla that she was screwing her career when she decided to leave to get married and have a child. Now that Carla needs to get back to work for real (being a part-time sub is not cutting it) she must reach out to Jennica and work on her portfolio and put herself out into the work world.

3. Carla discovers incriminating evidence of cheating on Mark’s phone. She tells Harriet and Harriet insists she confront Mark.

4. Mark suggests couples therapy. He’s been worried that Carla is depressed anyway.

5. Does Carla want to leave Mark? Does she even have that option? She realizes that she doesn’t

6. Carla goes out again with the girls. This time the moms from school are there too. Carla drinks way to much, makes out with a 25yr old, gets thrown in the drunk tank and Mark has to bail her out. The next day there is a viral video of her coyote ugly bar top dancing and falling off with a nip slip. And Harriet is revealed to all to be imaginary–the reason the video is viral is partly because Carla is obviously talking to herself.

7. Now therapy takes a different turn. The therapist and Mark turn on Carla. Will she be able to talk them out of having her committed?

8. Carla can’t hide any part of herself anymore; she will have to own her “crazy” if she wants to fully love herself and bring her whole self to all aspects of her life. This means Harriet stays but as a part of Carla, as her “alter ego” and as a part of herself she brings to the forefront. Which means in a way Harriet gets to be real too! (Like Sasha Fierce and Beyonce. Like Elliot P Dowd and Harvey.)

6. Add these transformational events to your four act structure.

Act 1:

• Opening: Carla reading Sam his bedtime story “Where the Wild Things Are”; steps on toys on the way out. Has a call with Mark who is away for work.

• Inciting Incident: Carla crying in bed at 3am totally stuck and depressed. Do we see Harriet or not at the foot of the bed? Kind of dreamlike.

• Turning Point: Bumping into Harriet on Abbott Kinney coming out of Blue Bottle

Act 2:

• New plan: Let’s get you out girl and put some color back into your life.

• Transformational event A) When Carla first bumps into Harriet, Harriet invites Carla for a night out. Carla neveer leaves the house anymore, her husband is away on business and it’s a Thursday (school night.) So Carla has to find a sitter and figure out what to wear that isn’t lame and go through getting into a a crowded bar past a line and a bouncer.

• Plan in action: Carla is out on the town with Harriet. She bumps into her old boss at the bar. She also bumps into two of the moms from Sam’s school.

• Transformational event B) Carla’s old boss is an intimidating girl boss type who is 5 years younger than Carla and told Carla that she was screwing her career when she decided to leave to get married and have a child. Now that Carla needs to get back to work for real (being a part-time sub is not cutting it) she must reach out to Jennica and work on her portfolio and put herself out into the work world.

• Midpoint Turning Point: Harriet comes over for dinner. Carla finds out that Harriet is imaginary. Carla covers that Harriet is imaginary by making it look like she just didn’t show.

Act 3:

• Rethink everything: Carla asks Harriet why she left in middle school. Carla wonders if she’s crazy, but decides she is not and that Harriet is her superpower.

• Transformational Event C: Carla discovers incriminating evidence of cheating on Mark’s phone. She tells Harriet and Harriet insists she confront Mark.

• Transformational Event D:Mark suggests couples therapy. He’s been worried that Carla is depressed anyway.

• New plan: Use me to help you get unstuck. Everyone needs help and I can help you build your business and yourself.

• Transformational Event E: Does Carla want to leave Mark? Does she even have that option? She realizes that she doesn’t

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Viral video of things too wild out on the town and Carla looking crazy talking to herself and winding up in the drunk tank. Harriet reveals to Carla that she wishes she were real and how lucky Carla is to be human.

• Transformational event F)Carla goes out again with the girls. This time the moms from school are there too. Carla drinks way to much, makes out with a 25yr old, gets thrown in the drunk tank and Mark has to bail her out. The next day there is a viral video of her coyote ugly bar top dancing and falling off with a nip slip. And Harriet is revealed to all to be imaginary–the reason the video is viral is partly because Carla is obviously talking to herself.

Act 4:

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Mark wants to commit Carla, unless she gives up Harriet.

• Transformational event G)Now therapy takes a different turn. The therapist and Mark turn on Carla. Will she be able to talk them out of having her committed?

• Transformational Event H) Carla can’t hide any part of herself anymore; she will have to own her “crazy” if she wants to fully love herself and bring her whole self to all aspects of her life. This means Harriet stays but as a part of Carla, as her “alter ego” and as a part of herself she brings to the forefront. Which means in a way Harriet gets to be real too! (Like Sasha Fierce and Beyonce. Like Elliot P Dowd and Harvey.)

• Resolution: Everyone realizes, especially Mark, that Harriet is an important part of Carla.

7. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.

What I learned doing this assignment is that some of my timeline is wonky. It might take me a minute to sort this out.

[mark.napier2022@gmail.com napier]

SUBJECT LINE: Mark Napier’s Transitional Events

7. What did I learn from this assignment? I basically acquired the skills to enhance Turning Points with more in depth scene development and dialog that pushes the characters development through escalating situations that are intended to stimulate the audience using dramatic events that cause the Arc in the Character to take shape as he/she changes for the good or bad.

2. Start with the Character Arc and list of Old Ways and New Ways.

-Professional CIA officer forced into chronic homelessness who successfully pulls himself off the streets 5 years later and eventually pursues a US Congressional seat and forces the CIA to enforce child predator laws.

Old Ways:

-#1 Abandonment of self, hopeless, severe depression, PTSD, wants to commit suicide

-#2 Drug use beginning the fourth year while on the streets

-#3 Not assertive, discarded and forgotten

-#4 Follow rules and letter of the law that yields negative results

-#5 Does not trust instincts in everyday life, drops guard down when not job related

-#6 Others/Country first

New Ways:

-#1 Accepting self, hope for a brighter day, perseverance and fortitude

-#2 Drug use stops at the end of the fourth year while on the streets

-#3 Assertive, turns to ruthlessness when threatened, and made presence known w/use of force

-#4 Make own rules, circumvent system, take law in own hands, leave no chain of evidence, yields results

-#5 Trust instincts, verify and focus on situation analysis to ascertain best course of action

-#6 ’My Dog & Me 1st’ attitude and to Hell with everyone else, let them pull their own weight

3. Make a list of 6 to 8 changes or steps that need to happen for the character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).

-#1 Protagonist must accept who he is and the infection of HIV.

-#2 Protagonist needs to stop hanging around the folks that use drugs.

-#3 The protagonist must be willing to confront and influence change or threat.

-#4 The protagonist must lose faith in himself and God.

-#5 The protagonist must trust his basic instincts alerting him to danger.

-#6 The protagonist must lose family, friends, career and country.

4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.

#2, #4, #3, #5, #6, and #1

5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.

#1 Despite having to turn to strip dancing to survive, he must be proud that not only he outperforms successfully against Twinkies half his age, but he develops a ‘following’ and inspires others his age to get back into shape. He turns his weaknesses into opportunities for success to buy time until he can get off the streets.

#2 The protagonist must change his environment by moving from Florida to Colorado. He must get rid of the instruments used in supporting the drug habit. Above all else, the protagonist must protect his dog from further careless exposure by others.

#3 While the protagonist lives off the land in a close knit Colorado community he lets them know in no uncertain terms that they will get killed messing with him. He is willing to exchange fire and ‘a man that has nothing, has nothing to lose.’ Protagonist must also stand up to the injustice of his dismissal from the CIA by mass mailing what transpired to 80+ members of the US House and Senate, 13 committees, the White House Special Counsel, the Director of National Intelligence and prominent media personalities shining an unwelcome light on the CIA. The Protagonist must figure out a way to pursue the US Congressional seat (as an army of ‘ONE’) during an election year and use his campaign website, social media and press releases to focus on Washington, DC to further his efforts to promote change within the CIA. Protagonist must also undermine a sex trafficker at a porn studio and confront predators to protect younger dancers seeking the protagonist’s protection. The protagonist must get into fights with thugs at a bar to demonstrate he is not just another “masculine booty’ parading around on the dance pole.

#4 The protagonist still feels like a failure in life and his self worth and self esteem continues to be rock bottom. His dog is the only companion that give him a reason to live. Having survived minus 22 degrees below zero in the elements of Colorado’s extinct volcano for the entire month of December, a coffee shop owner remarks that “I would like to think that God is in the trenches with you!” to which the protagonist replies…”If that be the case then God needs to call in more fire support because my ass is being handed to me.!” Later another woman would go solicit $2,500 in contributions from FaceBook followers to donate to the protagonist to help get him off the streets.

#5 While the protagonist is enjoying a meal with a long-time colleague at the CIA’s cafeteria, he has the feeling of impending doom come over him. Then the protagonist sees the antagonist in the same cafeteria. The protagonist dismisses the feeling as paranoia.

#6 Once stigma of HIV is known, family, friends and colleagues from the home office of Counterterrorism Center and US Army Reserve unit distance themselves, exploit the circumstances to pilfer from the protagonists’ losses, or discard and forgotten because he is no longer deployable, despite the availability of medicine.

6. Add these transformational events to your 4 Act Structure. Listed by numerical order as listed under Question No. 3. (Obviously a need to extrapolate a couple of more for Act 1 and 2)

ACT 1:

#3, #5

ACT 2:

#5

ACT 3:

#1, #3, #6

ACT 4:

#2, #3, #4

[Michael Montiel]

Dr. Robert Amador’s (Protagonist)transformational journey:

******What i learned from this assignment: That when I got stuck I was able to push ahead; something difficult for me to do. I put “placeholders” for act four/climax. I also need to find deeper confrontation/transformational events for act 4 and the climax.

#2: Dr. Robert Amadors OLD WAYS:

*Very smart erudite innocent Professor–a little to innocent and gullible for the ways of the world.

*Not sure of himself, he needs to stand up for his goals/interests

*He’s disorganized

*Needs push to get going; his daughter motivates him. She has faith in him, even though he frequently disappoints her.

*lacks self-confidence

NEW WAYS:

*He will master self-confidence

* He will go from weak insignificant person to STRONG global Hero!

*He takes Action: no more nerdy professor, but man with a plan !

* He takes back control of his invention from his mentor who he once feared and respected.

*His daughter sees him as hero for humanity’s future on earth.

* He’s so self-confident a filled with self-love and self-esteem and so sure of himself that he breaks through by communicating with extra-terrestrial life.

*He’s a proud family man; His wife takes him back! He’s earned his daughter’s respect! And He’s celebrated around the world: he will live in eternity as the scientist that discovered intelligent life in outer space.

#3: 6-8 “Changes” / “steps” that need to happen for that character to go from(beginning) old ways to [Ending] NEW WAYS:

1. Recognize life is passing him by an his daughter is getting older and he has bills to pay.

2. He needs to start taking action!

3. He needs to get organized: to get his “shit” together!

4. Take the step to present his studies and make them public at conference!

5. Must be daring and confront scientists when they are wrong, must not be afraid to correct them!

6. Learn to brush-off failures when they happen and move on!

7. He must accept that he is in control and skilled as a very Competent Astrophysicist.

8. Stand up to his superiors even the president of the USA!

#4: Dramatic events or tests causing above changes to the character:

A. He’s throwing party at his observatory for a colleague who’s under him but has decided to leave public-funded observatory and go into private space exploration. Robert is shocked how much more money his colleague Sarah will be making.

B. He brings leftover cake from colleagues party to his ex-wife’s house who’s throwing birthday party for his daughter. He realizes he forgot to get her a present as he’s always got something going on at the lab.

C. His ex-wife yells at him for never making enough money, for failing as a husband, father, provider–as a man!

D. Daughter hears the fight. Robert goes into daughter’s bedroom. She confronts him and tells him how much she loves him and how much she believes in him: He should leave the observatory and make presentation at the conference. He says it’s not ready, his daughter insists he’s ready.

[Put in scene of Mexico here, touch on mayans and ancient Astronomy–showcase what they learned and how the inspires him to re-visit his published article and present it at the conference].

E. At the conference he sees colleagues from previous jobs, universities. He corrects them on an observation, something they forgot to calculate. He’s super confident when he goes on stage to make his own presentation, But he bombs and gets heckled by a more established scientist. He’s booed off stage. His colleagues from earlier in the evening shout, “guess your calculations were off big time, loser!”

F. After conference, General Portman shows sympathy for the humiliated Dr. Robert Amador. He gives him boost of self-confidence! tell’s him to not lose faith to brush it off. He invites him to his house. He gets hired by General to lead project at secret government facilities. He’s brushed off this failure and for the first time in his life he doesn’t quit, but takes the Challenge!

G. He demonstrates he’s up for the job. Although he’s tricked to fail, and loses leadership position, he confronts his nemesis and re-takes control of the facility: He proves he’s skilled and still in control and has what it takes to finish his project.

H. After getting fired directly by the US president, he takes control into his own hands: He stands up to his superiors and finishes mission of his own! (General Portman assists him as he’s been fired by president as well).

#6: Above dramatic transformational events interwoven into Four-Act Structure:

ACT ONE:

*Opening: A: Robert is at celebration party for his colleague who’s been awarded research position at start-up space travel agency in California making huge money. He’s happy for his friend but a little envious: Where is his life going? How long must he remain a PhD. student?

B: He brings leftover cake from colleagues party to his ex-wife’s house who’s throwing birthday party for his daughter. He realizes he forgot to get her a present as he’s always got something going on at the lab. C: C. His ex-wife yells at him for never making enough money, for failing as a husband, father, provider–as a man!

D: Daughter hears the fight. Robert goes into daughter’s bedroom. She confronts him and tells him how much she loves him and how much she believes in him: He should leave the observatory and make presentation at the conference. He says it’s not ready, his daughter insists he’s ready.

[Put in scene of Mexico here, touch on mayans and ancient Astronomy–showcase what they learned and how the inspires him to re-visit his published article and present it at the conference].

*inciting incident: Robert Flys to Colorado: Robert gets motivated to present his latest paper on time travel and communicating with extra-terrestrial life once he gets it published in the <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>journal for the search for intelligent life.

E: At the conference he sees colleagues from previous jobs, universities. He corrects them on an observation, something they forgot to calculate. He’s super confident when he goes on stage to make his own presentation, <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>But he bombs and gets heckled by a more established scientist. He’s booed off stage. His colleagues from earlier in the evening shout, “guess your calculations were off big time, loser!”

*Turning point: At conference, he presents his paper but he is booed and jeered by Dr. Peter Rosinski leading the chorus of disappointment from the audience. Other scientists stand up for him but sit back down when Dr. Peter Rosinski makes his speech from audience and humiliates Robert.

at the end of lecture, US military general Portman takes the humiliated Robert back to his place. He explains to him that he liked his plausible presentation and would he like to come work in secret government facility. Robert agrees, and when he’s at the facility, he encounters the very same Dr. Rosinski who was heckling him the previous day. What is goin on here? Dr. Rosinski confesses that he had to shut him up as Robert was indeed on to something and should not expose this new discovery with the public. Dr. Rosinski bring him on to work for secret government space agency and introduce him to secret super quantum computer that can do trillions of calculations in seconds ! Never before has there been a tool for previous astronomers to help them. Robert was born for this. Finally, he’s ready to take action to do what he was born to do!

ACT TWO PART ONE/PART TWO:

F. After conference, General Portman shows sympathy for the humiliated Dr. Robert Amador. He gives him boost of self-confidence! tell’s him to not lose faith to brush it off. He invites him to his house. He gets hired by General to lead project at secret government facilities. He’s brushed off this failure and for the first time in his life he doesn’t quit, but takes the Challenge!

G. He demonstrates he’s up for the job. Although he’s tricked to fail, and loses leadership position, he confronts his nemesis and re-takes control of the facility: He proves he’s skilled and still in control and has what it takes to finish his project.

H. After getting fired directly by the US president, he takes control into his own hands: He stands up to his superiors and finishes mission of his own! (General Portman assists him as he’s been fired by president as well).

ACT THREE AND FOUR and Climax

MUST EXPAND HERE AND ADD MORE EXCITING TRANSFORMATIONAL POINTS WHEN ALL HOPE IS LOST AND WE TURN TO THE CLIMAX: what are the missing transformational moments for Robert’s Journey ? Perhaps revisit mayan sequence here?

I. Robert’s deepest wound is ignited/opened up when his wife told him he was a failure as a man: in this dramatic scene he’s at his ex-wife’s house feeling defeated. She’s being super caring but the scene opposition to this is: Robert feels like his wife is being patronizing. [daughter is missing: picked up at school by stranger]: This ignites his anger: is he really a failure as a man/father?

[put mexico scene hear with his grandfather Guillermo! His grandfather is reading El Universo]–he’s motivated

J. It all comes together: he is not failure as a Man. He’s reignited and in dramatic climax, the General aids Robert to get his daughter back and arrests the evil Peter Rosinski!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Michael Montiel.

[Trish]

Trish’s Transformational Events for Emma

What I learned doing this assignment is that I like the formula for going from old to new and how one might do that, in literal and practical ways.

2. Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.

Emma Harper is a burned-out office worker on vacation. She ends as a self-empowered and strong woman who defeats her fear of being unloved, while defeating Richard Blackwell who terrorizes guests at his hotel. She goes from a victim of bad circumstances and poor life choices to a victor, who loves herself.

Old Ways

1. Blame everyone else

2. Internalize bad things as fodder for low self-esteem

3. Avoid responsibility (except in her job) – reluctant to step in and help others

4. She’s emotionally cut off from herself and others.

5. She acts businesslike to stay in control

New Ways

1. Takes responsibility for how she deals with hardships (forgives and takes them less personally)

2. Lets things go easier / handles her emotions maturely

3. Willing to step up and help others, even fighting for them

4. Can connect with others (reconciles, in some fashion, with ex and father)

5. Lets loose a little (not crazy, but in fitting with her personality)

3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).

1. Gains self-esteem. That she’s good at things beyond her job. Gives her the fortitude to accept self-blame, if appropriate.

2. Comes to understand that shit happens and maybe it’s not personal

3. Finds satisfaction in helping others, even if it’s a risk to herself

4. Chooses to trust Lucas and share intel with him. This forces her to be vulnerable and to work together with someone. Realizes she is strong enough to handle her emotions and other peoples’.

5. The extreme nature of events, forces her out of her comfort zone.

(this numbering correlates with the old and new ways lists)

4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.

1. Finds satisfaction in helping others, even if it’s a risk to herself

2. Comes to understand that shit happens and maybe it’s not personal

3. Chooses to trust Lucas and share intel with him. This forces her to be vulnerable and to work together with someone. Realizes she is strong enough to handle her emotions and other peoples’.

4. The extreme nature of events, forces her out of her comfort zone.

5. Gains self-esteem. That she’s good at things beyond her job. Gives her the fortitude to accept self-blame, if appropriate.

(not sure of this order, but it’s a start)

5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.

1. Olivia pursues a friendship with her, even though Emma rebuffs her repeatedly.

2. Learns that the dreams are personal to each guest, which means the people are being targeted and manipulated.

3. Seeing the guests suffer, compels her to investigate.

4. Emma will have to get personal with the guests in her investigation into the dreams. This will make her and them uncomfortable. Builds empathy.

5. Her own nightmares cause her anguish and grief and self-reflection.

6. Her new friend dies and that motivates her to see this through.

7. Desperation forces her to trust Lucas.

8. As more guests face death or blackmail, Emma and Lucas have to work fast and maybe they don’t have time to do all the investigating that they’d like (before taking action).

9. She and Lucas deal with their past to eliminate the blackmail option for Richard.

10. She calls the authorities for help and somehow physically restrains Richard (maybe kills him in self-defense)

11. The gratitude from the remaining guests for what Emma did overwhelms her in a good way.

6. Add these transformational events to your four act structure.

Act 1:

Opening: Emma checks into the hotel. She meets Sam, the aged bellhop and Richard, the hotel manager. She meets Olivia (a doctor) in the lounge and they see Lucas (the former journalist) across the room. Olivia, an extroverted friendly person, pursues a friendship with Emma, even though Emma rebuffs her repeatedly.

Inciting Incident: Emma has a nightmare of a fight with her ex. She dismisses it as stress-induced. Richard’s plan is in motion for this new batch of guests (not sure yet if everyone arrives at the same time or not.)

Turning Point: Emma tells Olivia about her dream and she says, she had one too about a former patient. They don’t get into details. Emma brushes it all off. Lucas and Emma talk and he shares some about his past, but Emma doesn’t want details from him either. Richard reminds everyone about the calming music/water sounds they offer to listen to as they fall asleep (It has subliminal messaging that causes the nightmares). The music is also in the hallways and throughout the hotel. Sam makes weird comments that Emma ignores. Emma realizes that the nightmares are based on real events in the people’s lives, which means the people are being targeted and manipulated. Richard intensifies the messaging for the guests to increase their fear.

Act 2 (or 2A):

New plan: Seeing the guests suffer, compels her to investigate. Emma suspects the hotel staff are behind the nightmares, but she doesn’t know who or how. She sees a therapy dog wincing in the lobby where gentle music is playing. That leads her to consider the music. Emma questions people, both staff and guests. She’s gauging who she can trust. She has to get personal with the guests when discussing the nightmares. Richard ups the intensity on Emma’s dreams, as he suspects she suspects something. This causes her to reflect.

Plan in action: Lucas does his own investigation, but Emma doesn’t trust him. The guests are dealing with their nightmares in various ways. Olivia is spiraling. Richard is very empathetic to the suffering guests, offering free spa treatments. We see/hear him suggesting suicide as a way out of the situation (into the computer program where the messages come from), but we don’t know who that message is for.

Midpoint Turning Point: Olivia tells Emma the truth about killing a patient and she kills herself by overdosing on pills. Richard is pleased.

Act 3 (or 2B):

Rethink everything: Emma teams up with Lucas now and they have to trust each other and share info. They have to tread carefully but also work quickly. Richard continues to spy on Lucas and Emma and dig up more dirt on them.

New plan: Emma and Lucas discover Richard is exploiting the guests and manipulating them via subliminal messaging in the music. They have to figure out how to stop him.

Turning Point – Huge failure / Major shift: Even though Olivia has died, her spouse is still there trying to figure out what to do. He bribes Richard to keep Olivia’s secret and let him leave (with her body). Another guest tries to kill their partner (after learning their secret), but only maims them (trying to avoid another suicide). The hotel doctor treats them.

Emma and Lucas confront Richard directly with what proof they have, thinking it’s enough. They know he’s blackmailing and manipulating the guests and they know how, but don’t know still how to stop him. He doesn’t care about their proof, because he has dirt on them too and now they’re lives are in danger. They know that time is of the essence, so they confront him before they are in fact ready.

Act 4:

Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Emma and Lucas have to rectify their past situations so that the dirt Richard has on them doesn’t apply anymore. [need to keep working on this]. Emma and Lucas figure out that Richard was blocking access to the full internet and had a cell phone jammer. They deal with those things, so they can call the police. This needs to be part of a large set piece with life or death hanging in the balance. Maybe Emma kills Richard in self-defense or tricks him into a room she can lock, to wait for the police.

Resolution: Lucas releases his guilt over his work thing. The other guests are relieved and free, like people shaken from a stupor. Emma forgives herself and her ex and she cries for all she’s lost (in life and Olivia dying). She realizes how helpful it was to partner with Lucas on this mission, but not in a romantic way (unless that is needed to show she can be emotionally vulnerable – maybe it’s hinted that she reunites with her ex). Emma reconnects with her dad and makes plans to see him. Richard is hauled away (unless he was killed earlier). Sam, the bellhop, is free to retire. The gratitude from the remaining guests for what Emma did overwhelms her in a good way. The hotel is shut down and everyone leaves, but a haunting lingers in the air, as if what happened there won’t be forgotten, in a good or bad way.