Lesson 7

[Alfred Dunham]

Alfred Dunham: The Life-Threatening Sequence (Suspense)

What I learned doing this assignment:

1. I’ve figured out where the story needs to start.

2. The first Danger should occur somewhere in the first ten pages and should never stop until the last scene.

Potential Dangers

ThreatsTalking about the dangerPhysical dangerSurveillance / watchedChasedLured into a dangerous situationCloseness to the villainTrapped / Abducted / ArrestedDanger to someone they know people around them die or are injured. Stalked Thugs or professionals hired to hurt them. Presence of weapons or thugs. The unknown.

But the danger could also come from other areas:

Something that damages their reputation. Chance that a relationship could end. The threat that their own secret could be revealed. Public humiliation.Loss of a job or career. A demand to stop pursuing the mystery. Betrayal from someone close. Someone operating covertly around them. Other parties who need to solve the mystery first. Other parties who want the Villain dead. <div>

1. What is the Villain’s plan, and how does that put the Hero in danger?

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Maximus’ Plan is to drive Isabella insane (or worse) like her mother, and since Ryan is now married to Isabella, what injures her injures him. Maximus is just fine with that.

2. What other potential dangers could your Hero experience as they try to solve the mystery and confront the Villain?</div>

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It’s a wilderness area, far from emergency help of any kind.

And what if they get trapped in The Valley and can’t get out, leaving them to Maximus’ whims?

Or, what if Ryan figures-out a way out, but it’s very dangerous and they may not make it?

3. From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones that work for this story.

These are the ones that seem to work, at this point in time.

· Threats

· Physical danger

· Surveillance / watched

· Lured into a dangerous situation

· Trapped / Abducted / Arrested

· The unknown

But the danger could also come from other areas:

· Something that damages their reputation

· The chance that a relationship could end.

· The threat that their own secret could be revealed.

· Ancillary unexpected dangers like rock slides or a fall, etc.

4. Sequence those dangers in order and make a list like the one I did for Basic Instinct above.</div><div>

a. Ryan, Silas, and Isabella meet for dinner. Ryan is first, followed by Silas and Isabella, who meet outside the restaurant. Isabella queries Silas about whether he’s said anything to Ryan about their knowing each other. Silas reassures her and is next to enter. Isabella holds back and is last to enter. Ryan is in the dark, and when Isabella arrives, he introduces her to Silas – and presents Silas’ Plan via Silas’ firm’s invitation. Silas is unaware of Maximus or his firm’s relationship with Maximus. Ryan is unaware of anything. Isabella is largely unaware of Ryan’s dealings with Silas.

b. Although, in the beginning, Isabella isn’t talking about her felt threats (her mother, Maximus, Silas), they are affecting her and her disposition. She’s constantly afraid that Ryan will find out, and that will be the end of their marriage.

c. Ryan is very intuitive, and there is something about The Valley that doesn’t feel right. He feels he’s been lured into a dangerous situation and feels “eyes on the back of his neck.”

d. Ryan begins to imagine he sees physical danger. The problem is, Isabella sees it too – or is she just imagining it, too?

e. The cabin is too good to be true, and it is filled with mysterious symbols and a book… a diary.

f. The night is filled with sounds that escalate until morning.

g. Isabella is terrified and wants to leave.

h. There is a gate and fence blocking the trail out. Isabella tries to broach the gate and is knocked back by some force field. She’s unconscious and convulses. Ryan no longer feels trapped; he knows they’re trapped. There is little choice but to stay in the cabin for another night.

i. First, the sounds return, then, the physical manifestations, which include Isabella’s mother. Ryan is an unbeliever, so his mind runs in a different direction from Isabella’s. They argue. Silas becomes the Red Herring until the connection to Maximus is made. Isabella confesses her fears, one by one, and Ryan builds a more accurate picture of the weird guy from college.

j. Ryan perceives the cabin to be a set-up, as well as the entire valley. They once again try to leave – they cannot. More scary experiences.

k. Ryan thinks he can lead Isabella out of harm’s way, but it will be equally dangerous. Angry, he sets the cabin on fire (he has his logical reasons). The fire spreads. They must leave.

l. Ryan’s escape route is very scary in places, but it works.

m. Ryan and Isabella reach the lake on the rim and meet Silas, proclaiming his innocence.

n. Maximus crashes his helicopter but escapes with his weaponry, yelling he’s going to kill them.

o. Silas is proven innocent. Maximus is killed when his helicopter explodes, also threatening the other three.

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[Timothy Barley]

Hello! I don’t seem to have the correct time for the live meetings. Can anyone tell me what time/day they are?

[Alfred Dunham]

1:OO PM, Sat., California Time.

[Timothy Barley]

Thanks!!!

I have it in my calendar as 6pm, 3pm and 12pm, but not 1pm. Grrr….

[Brenda Clarke]

Brenda Clarke “Life Threatening Sequences”

What I’m learning is that usually when I begin writing a script I start with the Character Profiles, with a thriller genre there is all this M.I.S. detail that has to be plotted in and sorted out well before I even start writing an outline! Have to get all this Sh!t in a Pile before you even begin – which is great, as then once all this detail is identified/worked out then the actual writing of the screenplay is the easy bit! 🙂

1. What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger?

The Villain wants to track down the informant that led to the discovery of their shipment of Heroin that was seized in Melbourne, thus losing millions of dollars to their empire. As they trace this person, they suspect they also might be the same person who murdered their father.

The daughter just happens to be on a video chat with her mother when the Villains henchmen come to their home looking for her father/husband. They end up abducting the mother.

2.What other potential dangers could your Hero experience as they try to solve the mystery and confront the Villain? I HAVEN’T LISTED ITEMS 2 & 3 HERE AS THERE WERE TOO MANY

3. From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones that work for this story.

4. Sequence those dangers in order and make a list (eg: Basic Instinct)

1. Daughter witnesses her mother’s abduction whilst on a live video chat
2. Her ex Martial Arts Instructor informs her that the men were soldiers of the Chinese Triads, who happen to operate both in Australia/China
3. Daughter goes Undercover, to Casino to seek out leads, which could expose her to
significant risks should she be discovered by the Triads.
4. Martial Arts Instructor finds potential Triads who could be involved and informs daughter to get to China ASAP
5. Daughter finds out that a large shipment of Heroin was seized by the authorities a few
months ago and that the Triads from China are seeking the informant. (Daughter goes
on a date with one of the soldiers from Casino who gives her this information)
6. Now in China with her MA instructor, they discover some locations where the Triads usually frequent, she must once again go to this bar, seek information where they may be holding her mother, thus placing herself once again in danger
7. She finds a lead and both women go to this hotel to rescue the mother, they must fight the soldiers who have weapon.
8. Daughter/Mother/MA all see news item that shows the father/husband is implicated in the murder of an opposing Triad gang Leader, is being sort after by the Chinese Authorities.
9. Daughter now realises she must find her father before the Police and more importantly before the Triads.
10. MA instructor stays to protect the mother. Daughter now must find the father. She finds the location where they held her father & evidence of torture/blood.
11. MA/Daughter say they must go back to Triad bar and find out where they have taken the father. A fight ensues and eventually the daughter gets the evidence from a suffering victim.
12. Daughter pursues Villain up into the Mountains, to his grandfather’s home, in a small out of the way village. She confronts the villain a fight to the death ensues, he dies. She rescues her father and he explains his innocence in the Triad murder but reveals he is an undercover agent who exposed the Heroin shipment to Australia and also shot the Villains father in the line of duty.
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[Kaden San]

Here are the dangers to the hero listed in order:

1. Loss of Abilities: Right after the extraction procedure, the protagonist finds himself unable to perform even basic actions that he once excelled in. His shooting is off, and his hand-to-hand combat skills are all but gone.

2. Professional Humiliation: As he stumbles and fumbles due to his lost skills he thereby loses a key potential witness who dies because he could not protect them. This incident is captured, and he is reprimanded by his own superiors in his spy organization. His once legendary reputation is tarnished.

3. Memory Lapses: Along with his combat skills, the protagonist starts experiencing sudden and unexpected memory lapses. Names, places, even faces – essential details vanish, making his mission incredibly challenging.

4. Threats: Anonymous packages or messages are sent to him, making it clear that the Villain knows about his vulnerability and is mocking his attempts to intervene.

5. Chased: Without his elite skills, even average thugs or lower-level agents can give him a hard chase. This becomes evident when he barely escapes from a pursuit, which would have been easy for him previously.

6. Taunted: Everywhere he goes, the rogue agent seems to be always a step ahead, taunting him with his own stolen abilities and keeping him constantly on edge.

7. Talking about the danger: An anonymous source (the inventor of the extraction device) reaches out, with a coded message left at a crime scene. They provide fragmented clues about how he might regain his abilities – and the deadly consequences of not getting them restored over a long enough time period.

8. Danger to Someone They Know: In an attempt to demoralize him further, a close friend is severely harmed by the rogue agent, with hints that it’s only the beginning.

9. Surveillance: His every move seems to be monitored. Drones, suspicious vehicles, or even casual bystanders seem to be tracking him, hinting at the Villain’s vast resources and network.

10. The Unknown: He experiences episodes where he cannot differentiate between reality and illusion, likely a side effect of the extraction procedure.

11. Thugs or Professionals: He is ambushed by a group of agents displaying combat styles eerily familiar, hinting that they might be using extracted abilities from other elites.

12. Physical Danger: Every confrontation leaves him injured or exhausted due to his lost skills, which takes a toll on his health and stamina.

13. Lured into a Dangerous Situation: A deceptive invite promises a way to restore lost abilities, leading him into a trap where he narrowly escapes.

14. Unreliable Allies: Not everyone in his inner circle believes he can overcome this setback. Doubts, internal conflicts, and reluctance to help come from superiors he once trusted.

15. Trapped: A seemingly innocuous lead brings him face to face with the rogue agent in an environment designed using the protagonist’s own tactics.

16. Hostage Situations: The Villain, confident in his power, takes several hostages, including those close to the protagonist, forcing him into making tough choices.

17. Betrayal from Someone Close: An ally, out of fear and coercion, betrays his trust, by turning over documents related to the spy organisation’s other elite members to the villain, as possible extraction targets.

18. Other Parties Want the Villain Dead: Rival factions or organizations, seeing an opportunity, wish to take down the Villain, but their methods are extreme, forcing the protagonist to navigate a delicate balance as he needs the rogue agent alive to regain his abilities.

19. Demand to Stop Pursuing the Mystery: He’s detained by local authorities, while trying to get away from the rogue agent. His former agency, seeing his compromised state, demands he stop the investigation, declaring it ‘above his current pay grade’.

20. The Threat That Their Own Secret Could Be Revealed: The Villain hints at dark secrets from the protagonist’s past, and threatens to reveal them.

21. Technological Manipulation: As he relies more on technology to compensate for his lost skills, the Villain hacks or tampers with his equipment.

22. Closeness to the Villain: The Villain orchestrates a direct confrontation, not for combat, but to gloat, showcase the rogue agent’s skills, and demoralize the protagonist further.

23. Impersonated: The rogue agent, with the protagonist’s skills, commits acts under his guise, creating confusion and mistrust among his allies.

24. Presence of Weapons: Confrontations reveal that even basic weapons in the hands of adversaries are a grave threat now, given his weakened state.

25. Other Parties Need to Solve the Mystery First: Independent factions, pursue the protagonist for the framed crimes of the Villain, complicating his efforts.

26. Weaponized Technology: The Villain, besides having muscle memory tech, employs drones, AI defenses, and other advanced gadgets to thwart the protagonist’s efforts.

27. Betrayed by Their Own Abilities: In a climactic confrontation, the rogue agent uses the protagonist’s own fighting style against him, turning his strengths into his greatest weakness.

28. End Game Danger: As the story hurtles towards the climax, the protagonist, despite his vulnerabilities, rallies his allies for a final confrontation, not just to reclaim his abilities but also to stop the Villain’s nefarious plans.

[Diane Phelps]

Diane Phelps’ Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned in this assignment… This will be fun to build these dangerous situations into the story.

Life-Threatening Sequence:

As Alex Turner delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Port Paradise and Mayor Monroe’s involvement in the supernatural energy plan, he inadvertently puts himself in grave danger. The villains’ plan and the unfolding mysteries conspire to create a series of life-threatening situations for him:

1. Physical Danger: While researching Lindsay’s notes at her old apartment, Alex is suddenly attacked by an unknown assailant. The attacker is relentless, and Alex barely manages to escape with his life, leaving him battered and paranoid.

2. Surveillance: After discovering Lindsay’s encrypted messages, Alex realizes that someone is closely monitoring his every move. He notices suspicious vehicles parked near his apartment and strange individuals following him in the town, raising his paranoia.

3. Chased: While pursuing a lead to an abandoned factory rumored to hold secrets about the energy source, Alex is chased through dark, labyrinthine corridors by unknown assailants armed with flashlights and weapons. He narrowly escapes, but the encounter leaves him shaken.

4. Trapped/Abducted: During his investigation, Alex receives an anonymous tip leading him to an underground chamber beneath the mayor’s mansion. As he explores the hidden tunnels, he unknowingly triggers a trap set by the villains, causing the tunnel to collapse, trapping him deep underground. He must use his wits and resourcefulness to escape before he runs out of oxygen.

5. Danger to Someone He Knows: As Alex gets closer to unraveling the supernatural energy source, the villains, desperate to protect their secret, kidnap Beck, the local psychologist who had been helping him. They send a chilling message: Stop your investigation or Beck will pay the price. Now, Alex must race against time to save Beck while continuing his mission.

6. Presence of Weapons or Thugs: Alex finally confronts Mayor Monroe, thinking he has the upper hand. However, she is well-prepared and has armed bodyguards waiting in the shadows. A tense standoff ensues, with guns drawn and lives hanging in the balance.

7. Betrayal from Someone Close: Just when Alex believes he can trust Oliver, the conspiracy theorist, he discovers that Oliver has secretly been working for the villains, feeding them information about his progress. This betrayal puts Alex in a precarious position, as he must now outmaneuver both Oliver and the villains.

8. Other Parties Wanting the Villain Dead: Alex’s investigation has attracted the attention of rival factions within the secret society, who also want to control the supernatural energy source. They see Alex as a threat and send their own hitmen to eliminate him, turning Port Paradise into a battleground of covert operatives.

These life-threatening sequences intensify the suspense and danger in the story, as Alex races against time to uncover the truth, protect those he cares about, and thwart the villains’ sinister plans for Port Paradise.

[Barbe LaPierre]

Barbe’s Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned is that using the list made for a very efficient process to identify all the jeopardy that the Hero(es) could face. The list helped to pull the story together.

1. What is the
Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger?

– Volkov wants the manuscript.
– The Mavens get in his way, and he sends his thugs to threaten, harm and
perhaps kill them, one-by-one.

2. What other potential
dangers could your Hero experience as they try to solve the mystery and
confront the Villain?

– In Act 2 the Mavens begin hunting for clues to help exonerate their friend
Max.
– This activity brings the Mavens to the attention of the villain, Sergei
Volkov.
– Sergei must get the manuscript in Max’s store.
– In Act 3 Sergei turns the tables on the Mavens. Surveillance turns to
intimidation.

4. Sequence the dangers in order and make a list.

· Break-in at Max’s store

· Gunshots!

· Max finds a body in his office.

· Max follows the thief into the alley and shoots him.

· Max is arrested.

· The Mavens start their investigation and are surveilled by Volkov’s thugs.

· The thugs threaten the Mavens by chasing them, tampering with their vehicles, trap them, and threaten their lives.

· Max lies about who he is, his past, his reason for purchasing the manuscript, his past connection to the dead ex-FBI agent, and his current connection to Volkov.

· All this turmoil destroys Max’s relationship with Matty Holmes, one of the Mavens.

· Max’s store and reputation are lost.

· Volkov is threatened with death by his employer – a powerful and shadowy Russian oligarch.

· In Act 4, the Mavens turn the tables and invite Sergei to dinner at Matty’s house. (This is a comedy after all.)

· Sergei attends the dinner but brings his thugs to stand guard outside and inside.

· Unknown to the diners inside a police SWAT team swoops in and dispatches the thugs outside.

· Just as Sergei, with a twinge of wistful regret, threatens to kill all the Mavens, the SWAT team breaks in overpowers the thugs inside.

· Sergei is captured.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Barbe LaPierre.

[Jamie Stegner]

Jamie Stegner Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned: My villain and her assistant are pretty bad. The hero’s suspicions magnify the actual events and her plan to retaliate in self-defense create more life threatening events for the villain.

Life Threatening Sequence for the Hero

Susan’s Life Threatening sequence

Return to icky house and sadistic mother. Unknown dangers. House falling apart? Mother’s booby traps? Father missing – where? Father’s traps on the grounds.

Brother treacherous over inheritance? Won’t want to share.

Threat of regression into horror of childhood.

Threat to lose husband because of her secret now revealed. He won’t understand and forgive her.

Isolated – driving down a narrow tree-lined road. No other buildings. No other cars in either direction.

Bird swoops. Threat of approaching storm. Wind picks up. Clouds swirl.

Driveway in disrepair. Rutted gravel. Narrow. Is this the exit??

House view: tall dark, in need of repairs. Weather beaten.

Over-sized chimney standing tall above the house – for what purpose?

Crows caw a warning.

Brother blocks the door with his foot – hostile. But relents.

Chandelier fell – dark stain in the floor boards. Pulley remains in the second floor ceiling.

Many guns around the house. Some in cases like art. Snarling texidermied animals on the walls and sideboard.

Susan to kitchen for beverage: all knives are out on the counters and floor pointing directly at her. She ignores it assuming it was brother. Tells husband who comes a minute later and all knives are astonishingly in their places. Susan is freaked!

ADD Wife Wendy comes in from the store. Mother stands near Susan with hatchet (wood for fireplace) above her head. Wendy picks up nearby gun and would shoot in Susan’s direction. H doesn’t see the ghost.

Howard wants to burn the guns. Susan collects from around the house. Her brother is whittling a sharp point on a long stick.

Coming down stairs she feels pushed and almost falls. Drops all the guns that fall all the way down to the bottom (strange).

Burning the guns in the fireplace. Portrait above: Susan tells Howard (and Wendy) her family history of crime and violence. One son married a witch and the grandparents burned them both at the stake in the back yard, but not before she conjured a wife for her son – Susan and Brian’s ‘parents’.

Lunch: friction between Susan and Brian. Sell or not the house. Hostility.

Susan sorts old mail. Susan remember incident at this table of sadistic Mother. Finds bank reports of $10mm withdrawn as cash. LURE her into staying in the house, cancelling motel. Pt of no return.

Brian overhears about $10MM and feels slighted. Tells his wife.

Wendy goes thru closet – Father’s corpse falls thru the ceiling from the attic. Why did he die up there?

Brian accuses Susan of not telling about the money. Susan accuses Brian = yelling fight. Life- long hatred.

Spouses retreat to veranda -– fall in love. What Susan dreaded most -– losing Howard over this secret. But they need the money so she took a chance on the inheritance.

Discuss what to do with Father. Bury secretly and forget it? Won’t be able to dig in very wet ground. Burn his corpse – no dry wood after this storm. All four must agree and never tell. Risky. Don’t want to call police because it will reopen his missing person case and delay closing the estate. Everybody on edge.

Whiskey around the fireplace. Four sit quietly after a long day. Storm building outside.

LATER: Great GrandMother steps down from the portrait and hands whiskey up to Gread Grandfather. Growls at Wendy sleeping on couch. She goes to kitchen and throws knives. Disturbs Susan’s sleep.

Susan finds the knives thrown into the wall. But when Howard comes a few minutes later, they are all in their place. She feels crazy.

Closet search – no money but teddy bear with eyes burned out. Other toys with evidence of torture and misadventures.

Howard and Wendy rush off to the store leaving Susan there alone with Brian. Susan sees the attraction between them and is crushed.

Mother’s ghost whispers to Brian, who threatens Susan. She slips quietly up into the attic.

Father’s corpse is half-way in / out of the attic. His arm is caught in one of his squirrel traps; he couldn’t open it with one hand. It’s nailed to the floor. He must have died of the cold. Susan releases the trap and he falls the rest of the way thru the floor into the bedroom below. His dry skin and clothing holding the bones together.

Mother’s ghost harasses her but she not much bothered. She’s had lots of therapy to deal with this. She’s prepared to talk back. Still it’s sickening.

Susan looks around the attic. She doesn’t find any cash but an old photo album contains a newspaper clipping of a missing 4-yr old girl, snatched from a public event. The photo could be Susan. Mother screeches “give me that!!“. Susan secure it and retreats to her bedroom downstairs.

In her bedroom, Susan starts to pack to leave. She reads the news clipping more carefully. “This explains a lot.”

Howard and Wendy get stuck in the mud of the driveway and walk back to the house. Howard comes in the bedroom wet and changes clothes. He and Susan have difficult talk about Wendy and how he left in such a hurry. The car blocks the exit now. “I can get out.” Susan says. H nods knowing she’s capable. (Susan the warrior)

The two men go into the basement to look for the cash. Brain finds some but it’s on top of a bear trap set to spring. He leaves it as he found it – to spring on someone else. He prepares a gag to stifle any calls for help. Who will he catch?

The two women go thru the kitchen looking for cash and something to eat. Susan threatens Wendy – to leave Howard alone. She pretends to agree.

They discuss how nasty Brian is. Wendy is afraid of him – knows he will kill her someday. They agree he needs to die, but it must look like an accident. Can Wendy keep quiet and carry out a plan? Probably not, Susan thinks she’s an idiot. Susan expects Brian to try to kill her.

Lunch: the four sit around the dining room table. Susan and Brian across: bristle with hostility. Howard and Wendy across regret they didn’t get away.

Brian and Howard return to the basement and Brian springs the bear trap on Howard, gagging him. Howard’s arm bleeds badly until he passes out. Brian leaves him there to bleed out. He burns the gag in the living room fireplace and goes thru the room looking for cash. Under one rug he uncovers Grandmother’s witches circle and chuckles.

Meanwhile the women have cleaned up the lunch and started to plan the death of Brian. They go upstairs and in the bedroom notice the oil lamp close to the bed – they see how it could fall in and start a fire killing anyone asleep in the bed. They will help him sleep soundly with Wendy’s pills in the whiskey. Tonight, before he can kill them.

Where would Brian put the cash he found? In the room with Father’s corpse probably. Susan has the nerve to check, while Wendy watches in the hallway. Susan is startled by a hangman’s noose in a long slim rope. They rush out of there and retreat downstairs to the kitchen. Just a cup of tea. And secretly they crush the pills. Susan delivers to the open bottle of whiskey in the living room.

The women take tea into the dining room where the old mail bank papers are still in piles. Ten million is a ridiculous amount of life insurance. Susan looks carefully at the papers. They are forged. All fraud. There’s no money. Typical Mother trick. Susan is furious at herself for falling for it.

Where’s Howard? ! They haven’t seen the men since lunch. Susan runs into the basement calling. She finds Howard almost dead, stops the bleeding and tries to revive him. He’s too heavy for her to move. She needs to get him to medical help. Calling for Wendy to help, she gets no reply. Frustrated, Susan goes up stairs to get Wendy.

Wendy is hanging from the hangman’s noose run through the pulley in the ceiling. Susan sinks to her knees in despair of helping Howard – the most important thing to her. She cannot lose Howard.

Suddenly Susan is energized. She rises up. Follows the rope to where Brian is standing at the banister upstairs. She charges up the stairs intent on killing him, freeing Wendy, and getting Howard to the car.

Brian sees her coming and ducks into his room to retrieve the gun over his door. He comes to the top of the stairs just as Susan does and shoots her full in the chest. She flies over backwards and falls and falls until she crashes on the stairs and falls to the bottom.

Brian stands at the top of the stairs and laughs at his victory. He scurries down the back stairs into the living room. There’s the whiskey left from last night and his glass on the table. He pours the whiskey and gulps. Pours again and collapses into the chair, drinking.

Mother’s ghost stands at the top of the stairs. She laughs. She shimmies and prances down the stairs.

Mother dances and laughs.

“It’s so nice to have the house full of family again.” As she brings a glass of whiskey upstairs to Father.

The storm passes. The Sun sets and the full moon rises.

Howard struggles to get to the top of the basement stairs. Wendy is hanging from the Pulley. Susan is at the bottom of the stairs. Howard sits down next to Susan. With his good arm he’s able to get his cell phone out of his pocket. He calls 911 it’s ringing. He weeps.

[Monica Arisman]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: Monica’s Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned doing this assignment is there are many ways to threaten your Hero, just have to get creative.

Create your Life Threatening Sequence.

What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the
Hero in danger?

· The Villain’s plan is to put himself in charge of the glass society.

· The Villain will stop at nothing to reach his goal.

What other potential dangers could your Hero experience
as they try to solve the mystery and confront the Villain?

· The Villain volunteers to help her uncover who the murderer is.

· The Villain breaks into her home and tampers with her robot so he can watch her.

· The Villain claims he’s falling for the Hero and he wants to take the relationship to another level but when she refuses, he hires someone to attack her.

· The Hero turns to an ally living outside the glass society to go undercover for her, but his cover is blown and is nearly killed.

From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones
that work for this story.

· Assassination attempt

· Evidence is sabotaged

· Attempted kidnapping

· Betrayal within the ranks

· Poison that was on a piece of evidence

· Violent attack at a public rally

· She’s being framed for the murder

· Explosive discovery of incriminating evidence

Sequence those dangers in order
and make a list like the one I did for Basic Instinct above.

a) A council member and the Hero are having dinner at his home discussing a pressing matter before the council. They end up in bed. He ends up dead.

b) At a public rally, the Hero addresses the crowd to inform them that a popular council member has been murdered. A heckler suggests she did it as she was seen with him on the night in question. As she vows to launch an investigation, bombs go off and gunfire erupts. A bullet grazes her shoulder.

c) Hero convenes the council and a committee is formed to investigate the murder. The way the meeting goes has the Hero suspecting the transparency that she believed in is being manipulated.

d) The Villain worms his way onto this committee of five councilors. As per the rules, the three councilors (Hero, Villain and three other) must be temporarily removed from the day-to-day decision-making.

e) After hours the Hero goes on the hunt for incriminating evidence and finds it. Only it’s sabotaged with poison.

f) The Villain breaks into her home and tampers with her robot so he can watch her.

g) The Villain claims he’s falling for the Hero and he wants to take the relationship to another level but when she refuses, he hires someone to attack her and kidnap her.

h) The Hero turns to an ally living outside the glass society to go undercover for her, but his cover is blown and is nearly killed.

i) The committee confronts a high-ranking official who warns them to stop digging. Their investigation is gaining attention, and they find themselves under increased scrutiny and suggestions that she’s the murderer.

j) Assassination attempt because the poison didn’t kill her as she discovers the antidote in time.

k) Betrayal within the ranks when she discovers her robot has been compromised. All her evidence has gone missing.

[Peter Saltzman]

Peter Saltzman’s Life-Threatening Sequence

What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger?

To humiliate and destroy the career and personal life of Miles Coles. His goal is to have Miles do himself in from despair. If not, Howie do the job by creating a scenario where Miles is murdered by engaging in some fake elicit situation.

Threats of physical harm or death for plagiarism, cultural appropriation.
Threats from thugs for pursuing the truth
Poisoning with psychedelic drugs before performance
Warnings from Missy for talking about his paranoid perceived threats. She connects it to his use of drugs
Thugs force him into a dangerous trap where he is further humiliated with livestreaming of a video of scamming a homeless person out of his money. It’s all staged but it looks real. It’s broadcast on Facebook Live. It is believable because Miles has lost his livelihood
Miles is very hopeful when the great opportunity to advance his career turns into a scam that put him in harm’s way, further damaging him psychologically.
A major comeback performance is derailed by publishing a false but believable story of Miles plagiarizing the concert’s primary work from a long dead artist he admired. Leads to Miles being cancelled in social media culture. Leads to physical threats.
Loss of income and opportunities leads to more stress in marriage and eventual separation. Leads Miles further down path of despair. Considers suicide
Disruption of club performances by paid-off audience members lead to further humiliation.
One of his sidemen is roughed up when Miles appears to be approaching the truth

What other potential dangers could your Hero experience as they try to solve the mystery and confront the Villain?

Slipups caused by hacking of hearing aids during key part of performance.
Bright lights flashing in his face randomly during performance
Missy, to protect both herself and Miles, thwarts his efforts to discover the truth and pursue important opportunities that would get him out of the club.
Faked Ai videos of Miles soliciting very young and very old women and men
Loses big performance opportunities as he is cancelled due to all of the above
Threat of losing his one last gig at club
His wife betrays him out of rage, destroys his reputation further.

From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones that work for this story.

· A major comeback performance is derailed by publishing a false but believable story of Miles plagiarizing the concert’s primary work from a long dead artist he admired. Leads to Miles being cancelled in social media culture. Leads to physical threats.

· Thugs force him into a dangerous trap where he is further humiliated with livestreaming video of scamming a homeless person out of his money. It’s all staged but it looks real. It’s broadcast on Facebook Live. It is believable because Miles has lost his livelihood

· Miles is very hopeful when great opportunity to advance his career turns into a scam that put him in harm’s way, further damaging him psychologically.

· Poisoning with psychedelic drugs before performance

· Slipups caused by hacking of hearing aids during key part of club performance in front of music industry execs.

· Missy, to protect both herself and Miles, thwarts his efforts to discover the truth and pursue important opportunities that would get him out of the club.

· Faked Ai videos of Miles soliciting very young and very old women and men

· Loses big performance opportunities as he is cancelled due to all of the above

· Loss of income and opportunities leads to more stress in marriage and eventual separation. Leads Miles further down path of despair. Considers suicide

· Disruption of club performances by paid-off audience members lead to further humiliation.

· One of his sidemen is roughed up when Miles appears to be approaching the truth

· His wife betrays him out of rage, destroys his reputation further.

· Threat of losing his one last gig at club.

Sequence those dangers in order and make a list like the one I did for Basic Instinct above.

1. A major comeback performance is derailed by publishing a false but believable story of Miles plagiarizing the concert’s primary work from a long dead artist he admired. Leads to Miles being cancelled in social media culture. Leads to physical threats.

2. Slipups caused by hacking of hearing aids during key part of club performance in front of music industry execs.

3. Disruption of club performances by paid-off audience members lead to further humiliation.

4. Faked Ai videos of Miles soliciting very young and very old women and men

5. Loss of income and opportunities leads to more stress in marriage and eventual separation. Leads Miles further down path of despair. Considers suicide

6. Missy, to protect both herself and Miles, thwarts his efforts to discover the truth and pursue important opportunities that would get him out of the club.

7. One of his sidemen is roughed up when Miles appears to be approaching the truth

8. His wife betrays him out of rage, destroys his reputation further.

Threat of losing his one last gig at club.

10. Thugs force him into a dangerous trap where he is further humiliated with livestreaming video of scamming a homeless person out of his money. It’s all staged but it looks real. It’s broadcast on Facebook Live. It is believable because Miles has lost his livelihood. He mulls suicide and even publishes a cryptic social media post (which is B.S. because he’s about to expose Howie.

11. Threats on his life by thugs for exposing the truth.

[Timothy Barley]

Tim Barley’s Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned from doing this assignment is that, although I have it all in my head, it’s good to get it in steps and down on paper.

1. Nocturne’s Plan & How It Puts The Courier in Danger

Nocturne’s plan is to stop The Courier from making a successful deliver of The Package on time. The efforts that he uses to stop The Courier from completing his task involve secondary characters used to stop him from moving forward escalating to actual interaction to appeal to his human nature, putting The Courier in both physical and mental danger and loss of his reputation as someone who can complete deliveries.

2. Potential Dangers – that work in “Drive at Night” and in sequenced order

Talking about the danger: this is a short-notice, expedited delivery in short timeframe due to other drivers “not being available”

Surveillance/watched/stalked: From the very moment he is tasked with the delivery, he has the feeling of being watched as he is being watched by agents of Nocturne looking to stop him any way they can

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Physical danger<font face=”inherit”>: his primary vehicle is damaged/sabotaged, putting him in a less-than-ideal backup vehicle that </font>doesn’t<font face=”inherit”> </font>have<font face=”inherit”> the known/unseen safety features necessary for a clandestine trip through the Night </font>Authority

Additional physical danger is added when he is confronted by thugs and authorities – both real and Night Authority

Something that damages their reputation & loss of jobs/career: if he doesn’t complete the task, he becomes an delivery agent that is “less than” and unhireable

Chased by Thugs or professionals hired to hurt him: Nocturne has hired other couriers that know The Courier to track him and chase him down, including The Night Authority rogue agents that are looking to stop him

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Someone operating covertly around them/Betrayal from someone close: a close ally springs a trap on The Courier by L<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>uring The Courier and Astra into a dangerous situation.

<font face=”inherit”>Closeness to the villain: The Courier’s </font>closeness<font face=”inherit”> to the villain (the same person, or at least that is what </font>Nocturne<font face=”inherit”> says) makes him </font>susceptible<font face=”inherit”> to future knowledge that can be used against him.</font>

Arrested: The Courier is picked up and has to be rescued by an Astra, putting her in Danger, and putting her in a situation where she may be injured or possibly die

<font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>The unknown: </font>the<font face=”inherit” style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> danger that the </font>package<font><font face=”inherit”> presents is a big unknown that has put him into a tough situation, as </font>Nocturne<font face=”inherit”> offers up a key that he says can unlock it so he can see why he shouldn’t make the delivery – putting The Courier at odds with The Code</font></font>

[Kelly Joseph]

Kelly’s Life Threatening Sequence.

What I learned? I learned to just keep brainstorming to find more and more dangerous situations for the hero.

What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger? The Villain’s plan is to use the mind hacking system to hack social media users’ thoughts and get them to perform terrorist acts.

Bennet will kill to keep the plan a secret.

Bennet will send his security team after the protagonist.

Becomes a suspect with the police.

What other potential dangers could your Hero experience

She has social anxiety and has to leave the house.

She tries to talk with one of the users but the police come.

She tries to talk with one of the users but he tries to kill her.

House broken into and she has to leave her house.

Patrons at the coffee shop turn on her.

Police arrest her.

Tight Surveillance

Being chased by Villain’s thugs

Her mind gets hacked.

She buys an AR 15 and goes to kill a crowd of people at the mall.

[penny WINGERT]

Penny Wingert, I have learned that following the thriller map is not that difficult at all and I am ready to start my screenplay now

[penny WINGERT]

Have learned creating a villains plan with plenty of disruptions is the plot of my cataclysmic thriller

[Gisele FRAZEUR]

Gisele Frazeur’s Life-Threatening Sequence

Assignment # 7

What I learned doing this assignment is: Dangers for the Hero can emanate from places other than / in addition to the Villain. This can serve to heighten the suspense / thrill.

What is the Villain’s plan and how does it put the Hero in danger?

The Villain (Hank), a narcotics officer, needs to keep the Hero (Darin), a renowned perfumer, unstable, off balance, and reliant on him in order to keep extorting scientific information from her to feed to and appease the drug lord he is beholding to. This scientific information is used to throw narcotics detecting dogs off the scent of drugs being smuggled.

List of dangers to Hero. Threats, physical danger, surveillance, closeness to the Villain, stalked, people around them die or are injured, damage to reputation, threat that their own secrets could be revealed, public humiliation, loss of job and/or career, betrayal, other parties who want the Villain dead, and succumbing to life threatening addiction again.

Threats: Darin receives death threats by phone getting ready for and traveling to awards ceremony wherein she is being awarded for the perfumes she is the creator of.

Something that damages reputation: Raucous protestors block her entrance to the awards. They were mobilized by a celebrity rapper/minister. She turned down a commission to create a fragrance for him.

Physical danger: An hors d’oeuvres laced with a human body part is served to Darin’s Sister, Livie.

People around them die or are in danger: Upon arriving home after the ceremony – -Darin is knocked unconscious and Livie is gunned down on Darin’s front porch.

Casting of suspicion onto Darin and public humiliation: Darin’s juvie record is ferreted out and leaked to the press. It comes to light – – publicly – – that Darin killed her stepdad while underage. He was a pedophile. This makes her a suspect.

Loss of health/control: After an ugly altercation with her mom wherein her mom accuses her of being responsible for Livie’s death – – Hank convinces Darin (a recovering alcoholic) to resume drinking to help “take the edge off” the events of the day.

Surveillance: Darin is being watched. Photos of her drinking are leaked to her boss.

Loss of career: Her boss puts her on leave.

Closeness to the Villain: Hank seduces Darin. Keeps her afraid and drinking to control her.

Physical Danger: Darin shows up at Leff-T’s with a gun. Going to make him pay for having killed Livie.

Danger to someone they know: Once exonerated, Leff-T and Darin make peace. They investigate Livie’s murder together. This puts “T” in danger as Hank and the drug lord need him off the scent. “T’, a recovering alcoholic himself, is trying to help Darin with her sobriety. This threatens Hank’s control as well.

People around them die or are injured: A narcotics officer Leff-T has contacted is willing to show Darin and “T” the footage of Pookie’s (Hank’s narcotic’s dog’s) failed drug bust. The officer ends up murdered before the meet takes place.

People around them die or are injured: Darin’s friend, Dharma, has been helping Darin investigate the connection between Pookie’s odd behavior and Hank. Dharma is overdosed at a restaurant waiting for Darin. She set up the meet to convey important intel to Darin. She is overdosed before Darin arrives.

Betrayal from someone close: Darin puts 2 and 2 together. She remembers Hank sleeping with his socks on. She ferrets out his bloody sock from his hamper and realizes it was his toe in the hors d’oeuvre. She realizes he is involved with Livie’s murder.

Physical Danger: Going to meet Leff-T and convey the info – – she arrives home to find Leff-T being held hostage by Hank. There is a showdown resulting in Leff-T shooting Hank.

[Michael HARRIS]

Michael L Harris’s Life-Threatening Sequence

What I learned is: It is easy to miss opportunities to increase suspense by focusing solely on the main threat and not considering the sequence of threats that can accompany it.

What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger?

The villain, Dr. Whitcombe’s plan is to keep his son alive by any means necessary, including murder. When Simon gets to close to uncovering the real operation behind the nursing home façade, Whitcombe is willing to kill him.

What other potential dangers could your Hero experience as they try
to solve the mystery and confront the Villain?
From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones that work for
this story.
Sequence those dangers in order and make a list like the one I did
for Basic Instinct above:

a. The danger of alienating his new foster mother and her boyfriend.

b. The threat of being watched.

c. Direct treats for Dr. Whitcombe

d. The threat of physical violence from Whitcombe’s enforcer.

e. The threat of being trapped in a sub-basement and worrying about your fate.

f. The sense of ill-ease generated by the things he sees in vision while confined.

g. The threat of collapsing walls, rats and being caught while trying to escape.

h. The danger that he has placed his foster mother in.

i. The unknown

j. The discovery of his identity.

k. The knowledge that illegal activity is happening, and others are in danger but there is nothing he can do to help them.

l. The threat posed by discovering Whitcombe’s son is alive.

m. The reality of death before his eyes

n. The threat posed by the weapons he must avoid to save the villain

o. The threat of rejection and the thought of being alone.

[Jennifer Miller]

Miller’s Life Threatening Sequence

What I learned is the easiest way to keep hearts pumping is the put the hero in danger by methodically raising the stakes. And, that the Villain’s goal must be worth killing for. Those two, along with a suspenseful set up prior to the Life Threatening moment, are essential to keep the thriller a cardiovascular workout that aligns with the genre.

What is the Villain’s plan and how does that put the Hero in danger?

PLAN: The villain’s aim is to exact revenge on Hazel by abducting her daughter, Emily, and exploiting Hazel’s past traumas, while framing Liam and increasing her social media likes.

Hazel is put in danger because she will do anything to find and save her daughter, Emily.

DANGER: Surveillance and a threat, a slashed tire begins the mystery – who is being targeted and why, the mother or the daughter, or both. Closeness to the villain.

What other potential dangers could your Hero experience as they try to solve the mystery and confront the Villain?

Threats

Talking about the danger
Physical danger
Surveillance / watched
Chased
Lured into a dangerous situation
Closeness to the villain
Trapped / Abducted / Arrested
Danger to someone they know
People around them die or are injured.
Stalked
Thugs or professionals hired to hurt them.
Presence of weapons or thugs
The unknown.
Something that damages their reputation

The chance that a relationship could end.
The threat that their own secret could be revealed.
Public humiliation.
Loss of a job or career.
A demand to stop pursuing the mystery.
Betrayal from someone close.
Someone operating covertly around them.
Other parties who need to solve the mystery first.

From the list of potential dangers, choose the ones that work for this story.

Threats

Talking about the danger
Physical danger
Surveillance / watched
Chased
Lured into a dangerous situation
Closeness to the villain
Trapped / Abducted / Arrested
Danger to someone they know
The unknown.

Something that damages their reputation

The chance that a relationship could end.

The threat that their own secret could be revealed.
Public humiliation.

A demand to stop pursuing the mystery.
Someone operating covertly around them.

Other parties who need to solve the mystery first.

Sequence those dangers in order and make a list like the one I did for Basic Instinct above.

Surveillance / watched – mother daughter go on a climbing adventure Echo Peak, Emily has a secret, Hazel can tell. They are watched by an unseen WATCHER.
Physical danger / Threats / Surveillance / watched – return to car to find tire violently slashed. Hazel pretends that she ran over nail, all that construction they passed, yeah right— Emily saw, she knows, but she lets it slide and decides to lighten the mood. While changing the tire Emily convinces mom to try the dating app, support her interests, and make her empty nest as love nest, and she creates a dating profile for mom. WATCHER’S phone is notified, connected to Emily’s dating app/phone, when HAzel’s profile is created.
Talking about the danger – At the university, Hazel drops off Emily, warns her to be careful. Surveillance / watched – who is being targeted Hazel or Emily, or both? Hazel has enemies as she has been an outspoken opponent of certain pharmaceutical drugs used to treat minors. ***Perhaps SET UP TREVOR, Jealous/Ex.
Trapped / Abducted / Arrested; Betrayal from someone close; Someone operating covertly around them – Emily is taken.
Someone operating covertly around them – Jessica deletes Emily’s dating profile, tells Hazel Emily didn’t work late at the internship, but that she had a date from the app.
Something that damages their reputation – When Hazel confronts Liam and Valerie, she learns that Emily asked for a couple of days off for personal reasons. This casts doubt on Emily’s actions and raises concerns about the dating app’s involvement in the unfolding events, which could tarnish their family’s reputation and the reputation of their business.Trevor she said it was for personal reasons. App about to launch nationally and they do not believe their app has anything to do with Emily. But discover that her dating profile has been deleted.
Talking about the danger – Turns out that Liam was last person to see Emily, and a known gamer who created violent, psychological games.
The unknown – Emily her daughter lied to her, and all those dates, and she knew Emily was keeping something from her.
The unknown – Emily’s car found and GPS leads Hazel to David, journalist covering the Harding Twins, violent gamer, the most violent, leaves behind blood and guts to take on the most violent game, love. WHY was Emily at his home? He wasn’t there, but he has a good guess – he saw an intimate moment between Liam and Emily.
The threat that their own secret could be revealed – Liam does not reveal to Hazel anything about his relationship with Emily, professional capacity is all he discusses. And, he isn’t concerned at all. He believes Emily, surprised by his proposal, turned him down and then asked Trevor for time off. Thinks she is thinking. She asked him for time.
Public humiliation – Jessica via social media. Liam exposed using fake dating profiles, met with Emily numerous times.
12) Other parties who need to solve the mystery first. Liam, suspect number one, and he really does love Emily, needs to find her and clear his name. Interrogating Liam, he tells her he knows all about her and her past – don’t try to pin this on me or my company, as you have plenty of people who seem to want you dead – Emily told me about the tire, no NAIL. Knifed.
Talking about the danger – David tells Hazel that Liam is either a devious lover or she is being targeted by a past patient, a psychotic killer.
The threat that their own secret could be revealed – Trevor discovers Liam behind the fake profiles from Emily’s deleted dating app, showing he and Emily were constantly corresponding and dating.
***LIAM’S story and timeline check out – CCTV footage show Emily leaving HOME LIAM and later drives to DAVID’S.
Other parties who need to solve the mystery first / Threat – Liam fights back against Hazel’s accusations. Hazel believes Liam has her daughter now convinced and she has been harassed through the app — believes he is playing a game with her. But he says he loves Emily, he bought the house – he is being followed. He now believes Emily is in danger. She asked him for a few days, he popped the question to her and scared her, thought she needed time and she told me how protective you are of her, she’s your whole life. Liam calls Trevor and tells him he was not the only fake profile that reached out to Emily, there was another and he thinks they have been harassing Hazel, sending her profile matches that are old patients she failed to help/save. Are you a hero? What does your journey really say about the fruits of your labor? What about the lives of the innocents?
Trapped / Abducted: Jessica takes Liam. Arrested Police arrive to arrest Liam. Found his phone at Trevor’s.
Physical Harm: Hazel told by Trevor he may have something for her, they plan to meet, but he is killed.
Physical Harm: Jessica discovers Trevor has put it together that there was another fake profile, but he did not create it, leading her to target Trevor.
Physical harm / Arrested: Turns out that Jessica is actually Mandy Dune. Hazel goes to Mandy’s old house. They battle and David is wounded, but Hazel stops Jessica before she can hurt anyone else when the police arrive. Jessica is taken into custody.

[penny WINGERT]

Penny Wingert

What I learned is too reveal that 2 groups of Aliens are trying to take over the planet before the devil destroys it.

[penny WINGERT]

Penny Wingert , I have learned that Suspense builds on itself as each lesson adds more layers