Lesson 8

[Hiram Taylor]

Hiram Taylor – CHARACTER JOURNEY TRACK
What I learned doing this lesson. I learned an easy way to get a good start on developing each character as a specific human being rather than a type. Yes, one is the cook but answering these questions fleshed him out in my head. I also now know how he functions in the plot.
LESSON # 8 CHARACTER jOURNEY TRACK
Brother Mathias:
ROLE: The stern but compassionate Abbot, struggling to hold the monastery together as cracks appear in their silent devotion.
TRAITS: Fussy, stern but compassionate. Frustrates easily, rules the monastery with an iron fist. Demands order and obedience to rules.
FEARS: Dying in this place. Afraid someone will discover his secret and why he was sent because of his sins with young boys.
WANTS: Salvation. Release from his pain.
NEEDS: Sexual relief
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: One can respect his authority and appreciate his discipline. But he is not very likable.
HOW DOES HE REACT UNDER STRESS: Over-dramatic.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: He is the master, their prison guard, he is alone and lonely.
INTRO: He runs in from the chapel when he hears screaming. He’s frustrated and annoyed. He is the leader.
DENIAL: He won’t even listen to the idea there’s a monster. For most of the first two acts, he tries to pretend everything is normal. By Act 3 he is beside himself with frustration and fear.
HIS REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: Clean up the mess and pretend it didn’t happen.
REACTION TO GROUP AFTER 1ST HORROR: Soothing, Brushing it aside, trying to get everything back to normal, going on with their duties, pretending it didn’t happen.
HOW DO THEY FIGHT BACK: Violence.
END POINT: He is killed by two of the monks who want to leave.
WHAT INSIGHT: The young priest realizes he has killed someone which is a sin.

Brother Silas: A young monk haunted by guilt over a past transgression, easily manipulated by the Unnamed One’s whispers.
ROLE: The 2nd Monk to die by suicide.
TRAITS: A worry wart. Flogs himself in repentance. Prays a lot. High strung.
FEARS: Punishment for his sins.
WANTS: To be forgiven.
NEEDS: To forgive himself.
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: He is good-looking, tortured with guilt
HOW HE REACTS UNDER STRESS: He goes berserk.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: Is a loner.
CHARACTER INTRO:He is on his knees in prayer in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary when he hears the scream.
DENIAL: Can’t believe what’s happening in this holy place.:
THEIR REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: Disbelief. Shock.
RELATIONSHIP TO GROUP AFTER FIRST HORROR:His fear drives him to rush to his room and lock the door.
WHAT THEY DO FITS WHO THEY ARE: He hides in fear.
HOW THEY FIGHT THE MONSTER: He cries and whines and begs and prays
END POINT:He bashes his head against the stone wall until he dies.
WHAT INSIGHT DOES THEIR DEATH BRING: That the horror is not going to stop. Everyone is in danger.

Brother Banner: A herbalist gifted with quiet strength and unwavering faith.
ROLE: The calm one.
TRAITS: Believes that he has been forgiven of his sins and is therefore cheerful and happy in his garden.
FEARS: That bugs are going to eat his garden.
WANTS: To pretend that this is happy place when God meant for him to be.
NEEDS: To get over himself and face reality.
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: He is the only cheerful one.Friendly. Nice.
HOW HE REACTS UNDER STRESS: shuts down.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: Friendly, shares his garden vegetables, fruits and flowers.
CHARACTER INTRO: He is working in his garden.
DENIAL: He acts like nothing happened.
THEIR REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: Shock. Can’t understand or fully grasp what is happening yet.
RELATIONSHIP TO GROUP AFTER FIRST HORROR: He brings fresh flowers to every room and breaks his vow of silence by whispering to all the monks and the stranger but not the Abbott.
WHAT THEY DO FITS WHO THEY ARE: He is generous and kind but also a busybody and gossip.
HOW THEY FIGHT THE MONSTER: Run.
END POINT: He dies in the freezer.
WHAT INSIGHT DOES THEIR DEATH BRING:Even the good die.

Brother Corvus: An aged monk, rumored to hold secret knowledge of the monastery’s past and the Unnamed One’s origins.
ROLE: The Prophet. The Wise one.
TRAITS: Cranky, complains all the time about body parts pain. Over dramatic. Fatalistic.
FEARS: The future.
WANTS: To be young again. To start his life over.
NEEDS: To come to his senses and face the truth.
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: He tells jokes. Makes wisecracks.
HOW HE REACTS UNDER STRESS: Over dramatic. The Drama Queen.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: They all like him and seek his wisdom..
CHARACTER INTRO: He is smoking a cigarette in the front yard and talks to the Stranger and tells him he can’t talk in the monastery, it’s a silent monastery.
DENIAL: He knows the monster is real, he knows its history and why it has come.
THEIR REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: All in a days work. Haul out the body.
RELATIONSHIP TO GROUP AFTER FIRST HORROR: Gets to work cleaning up the mess.
WHAT THEY DO FITS WHO THEY ARE: He is almost like the custodian of the monastery.
HOW THEY FIGHT THE MONSTER: Run away and hide.
END POINT: Not sure yet
WHAT INSIGHT DOES THEIR DEATH BRING: Not sure he dies.

Brother Peyton: A skilled sculptor, his hands now frozen in fear by the whispers, but with a hidden resilience waiting to be awakened.
ROLE: The artist.
TRAITS: He is a dreamer. Into his own space and time. Forgetful.
FEARS: That his hands will freeze up and his talent will disappear. He would go crazy then.
WANTS: To create just one great work of Art.
NEEDS: To realize his artwork is garbage.
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: He so involved with his work. It is so important to him, a person can’t help but feel sorry for him.
HOW HE REACTS UNDER STRESS: Prays. Crosses himself. Sometimes he throws a temper tantrum and breaks his art.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: He’s the recluse, too into his own world to care about anyone else.
CHARACTER INTRO: He is sculpting a vase on a potting wheel.
DENIAL:He does his art.
THEIR REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: Confusion.
RELATIONSHIP TO GROUP AFTER FIRST HORROR: He gets suspicious.
WHAT THEY DO FITS WHO THEY ARE: He is determined to solve the mystery behind the monster which will lead to his death.
HOW THEY FIGHT THE MONSTER: He confronts it.
END POINT: Not sure yet
WHAT INSIGHT DOES THEIR DEATH BRING: Not sure yet.

Brother Richard: An unhappy man, scowls and groans that reveal his attitude towards the other monks. He is the cook.
ROLE: The cook.
TRAITS: Gruff, over-weight. Scowls and groans to make his point.
FEARS: Using too much salt. Burning himself. Afraid of fire.
WANTS: For someone to cook dinner for him one day.
NEEDS: To go on a diet. Be a nicer man.
LIKEABILITY/ROOTING FACTORS: He can cook.
HOW HE REACTS UNDER STRESS: Curses, then covers his mouth with his hand.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS: They all like him or at least they better if they want to eat.
CHARACTER INTRO:He is hauling groceries in from the truck.
DENIAL: He eats.
THEIR REACTION TO THE FIRST HORROR: Dismay.
RELATIONSHIP TO GROUP AFTER FIRST HORROR: Let’s eat boys.
WHAT THEY DO FITS WHO THEY ARE: He cooks and love doing it.
HOW THEY FIGHT THE MONSTER: He confronts and fight it.
END POINT: He burns to death
WHAT INSIGHT DOES THEIR DEATH BRING: No food for dinner tonight.

[Aaron Clow]

Aaron’s Character Journey Track

What I learned doing this assignment was… This was the most consequential assignment so far and the one that helped fill out my outline the most (and took the longest to complete). It also seemed to tie a lot of pieces together. It’s still a mess, but I can see the bones of my outline coming together now. I see the next lesson is make it readable, so I will do some more work on it in the next lesson. For now, I think this step is done and I need to post it.

Characters

The Developer

Character Profile

Role: Lead survivor

Traits: hotheaded, curious, impulsive, derisive

Fears: not getting what he wants, not figuring something out

Wants/Needs: recognition, authority, answers

Likability / Rooting factors: bravery, curiosity, is a good friend

How they react under stress: brave when he’s scared

Relationship with other characters: He feels like he is the glue, but he is the solvent

Character Journey

Character Intro: He’s drinking with his assistant at the local bar after work, picks up the bill before they walk out

Denial: There can’t be anything wrong with the preserve, people are overreacting

Their reaction at first horror: Witnesses a teenager get taken by some weird force of nature and freezes – he isn’t seeing what he’s seeing. He tries to intervene, but it’s way too late

Relation to group after first horror: Tries to collect info from people to excuse what he saw – he dismisses anything that doesn’t fit into the narrative

How they fight back: When logic fails, he gives in to the supernatural using logic

End Point: He believes he’s the only one to piece all the supernatural threads together to seal up the park – he promises the Chief’s son to leave it to the creatures there – a plaque notes natural faults make the area dangerous, tribute to those who lost their lives in the park

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: Don’t mess with things you don’t understand

The Developer’s Assistant

Character Profile

Role: the moral compass

Traits: sharp and dry humor, knows some about local legends

Fears: he’s old, doesn’t fear much

Wants/Needs: wants to still be necessary and effective

Likability / Rooting factors: his joy is infectious, his wisdom delivered with heart

How they react under stress: quickly, and decisively

Relationship with other characters: voice of reason

Character Journey

Character Intro: he’s having a drink with the developer

Denial: same as the developer

Their reaction at first horror: springs into action, tries to urge everyone else to act

Relation to group after first horror: thinks they cannot defeat whatever it is they saw, need to find resources to fight

How they fight back: calls in favors with well-meaning friends

End Point: falls off a cliff inside the preserve

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: elders have wisdom acquired through life experience – listen to them

The Police Chief

Character Profile

Role: the authority and muscle,

Traits: experienced, more Fish & Game officer than police

Fears: the paranoia of his town’s citizens

Wants/Needs: order, logic, reason

Likability / Rooting factors: naturally sharp, steady

How they react under stress: calm, assured, seen it all

Relationship with other characters: antagonist at first, then trying to avoid self-panic

Character Journey

Character Intro: He’s at the gate, helping, like he always does

Denial: He doesn’t for a second believe there’s a monster

Their reaction at first horror: something’s wrong, but there has to be an explanation

Relation to group after first horror: skeptic realist

How they fight back: calm, rational, until it’s clear the monster is not rational

End Point: dies saving his son and the developer

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: Sometimes brawn can temporarily seem like a fix, but in this case, it’s not lasting or fully effective – he’s a step along the way to discovering what the monster is

The Police Chief’s Son

Character Profile

Role: information relay

Traits: straightforward, immature

Fears: his father’s disappointment

Wants/Needs: approval from everyone – his father, his girlfriend

Likability / Rooting factors: we hope he’ll get his life together and stand up

How they react under stress: he wants to act, but folds

Relationship with other characters: the voice of reason, but not authority

Character Journey

Character Intro: Watching TV, bored, with his girlfriend – she mentions she’s bored, this town is boring. He says actually…

Denial: He knows it was a hunter’s accident and thinks it was a boar or something

Their reaction at first horror: he doesn’t witness it directly –

Relation to group after first horror: Chief (dad) persuader

How they fight back: joins with the developer and Chief

End Point: Only he and the Chief’s son survive – leading to the developer promising to close up the preserve

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: we all have tragedies in our lives and have to live with pain

Hunter who shot his friend

Character Profile

Role: Quirky partner to friend

Traits: neurotic, smart, clumsy

Fears: no primal fear, but hates to see people in pain

Wants/Needs: to appear competent, responsible

Likability / Rooting factors: underdog vibe

How they react under stress: sheer panic

Relationship with other characters:

Character Journey

Character Intro: panicking at the gate

Denial: thinks he must have been hallucinating

Their reaction at first horror: denial – couldn’t have seen what I saw

Relation to group after first horror: he thinks he’s going crazy, has to be

How they fight back: will diagram for the developer & assistant where they were

End Point: his apartment where he gives the developer a key insight

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: closes the circle – he was the only one who unwittingly had the key to resolving the monsters

The Chief’s Son’s Girlfriend (& Campers)

Character Profile(s)

Role: monster fodder

Traits: impulsive, daring, immature

Fears: not much

Wants/Needs: excitement and adventure

Likability / Rooting factors: they’re stupid, not mean

How they react under stress: total freakout

Relationship with other characters: only really knows the Chief’s son, the Chief knows the families of the kids

Character Journey

Character Intro: Watching TV, bored, with the Chief’s son, talking about no excitement in this little town – actually, she’s wrong. Somethings up at the preserve.

Denial: None – she’s the first to be “touched” by the monster and fully knows its capabilities because it grabbed her brain

Their reaction at first horror: Run

Relation to group after first horror: hysterics – she felt the monster, it’s coming for her now, it can mess up her brain

How they fight back: no idea how – just keep running

End Point: She’s taken by the monster

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: how the monster attacks first – in your head

The Environmentalist

Character Profile

Role: Physical world antagonist to developer, historian of local lore

Traits: stoner outdoorsy type

Fears: technological progress and change

Wants/Needs: things to stay as they are

Likability / Rooting factors: he believes in his cause and its justice

How they react under stress: chilled

Relationship with other characters: unshaken

Character Journey

Character Intro: He’s in a blind, taking notes from a tree in the preserve

Denial: He’s been here for years, never saw a monster – this can’t be real

Their reaction at first horror: Anger – the developer has unbalanced something

Relation to group after first horror: Antagonistic – no one should be here

How they fight back: He thinks by getting rid of the people in the preserve (even if it means accidentally luring them into the monster’s grasp), it will restore the balance

End Point: He miscalculates, dies in front of the developer, the chief blames the developer

What insight does death/survival bring to others/audience: balance is important – if logic didn’t work against the monsters, pure “magic” or environmental elements didn’t either

REVISED OUTLINE

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established: A police cruiser careens down a dirt road in the dark woods to the atmospheric, imposing gate to the game preserve. Just outside the gate are two hunters, one of them covered in blood.

Injured, wounded, or debilitated: A hunter has accidentally shot his friend while shooting at a strange monster inside the preserve, he’s in shock, thinks he might not have seen what he saw, but can’t be sure. He could be making it up, but he seems terrified.

The Police Chief Character Intro: Police chief calmly assesses the situation, empathizes with hunters, applies first aid, makes a decision to bring them to the hospital with the cruiser because it would take too long to get an ambulance.

The environmentalist intro: walks out of the preserve, with binoculars on and a notepad.

Connect with the characters: Protagonist and assistant banter at work, it’s late and they’re eating at the bar. Neither has a family – the office is their only family. We connect with both characters here in a scene to be written.

The Police Chief’s Daughter’s Intro: Back at the police station, the Chief has just dropped off the hunter and his friend at the hospital and enters the police station. His daughter is sitting, listening to the radio scanner, heard about a “monster,” almost out of earshot. She’s concerned, confronts her dad when he gets in. He waves her off. It was nothing. He lies and tells her the hunter was drinking. She’s not sure she believes him. He tells her to go home, everything’s fine. Why was she here?

Characters are warned not to do it: The Chief goes to call the developer and his assistant. They’re walking to their car and get a call – someone’s been shot in the preserve.

Police Chief’s Daughter’s girlfriend intro: The daughter goes to her girlfriend’s house instead. Light conversation, then the girlfriend realizes something’s wrong. Doesn’t press. “If I tell you something,…” “Are you fucking kidding me? We have to go check it out.” The daughter says no, instantly regrets telling the girlfriend. Girlfriend says they should get their friends together and go.

The developer and assistant are at the police station to talk to the chief, who they know, and the chief’s dialog infers that he had history with these two, and that they had been warned. Turns out the Chief actually asked the developer to post the land. How did people get in? Sounded like a boar that attacked.

Denial of Horror: The developer challenges the chief – maybe he’s been slack and someone is messing with them, setting them up so that they can’t develop this land. Maybe someone in town. Chief claims the only person out to stop him is one he already knows about (the environmentalist).

Denial of Horror: They get the name of the hunter from the police chief. It turns out the developer’s assistant knows the hunter, doesn’t know him to be irrational. He’s 20 years sober. “Before 10am, it’s X, After 4pm? It’s drunk,” but not in this case. The developer and his assistant visit the man who shot his friend and interrogate him.

Character re-introduction of Hunter who shot his friend: Again, he seems shaken, talking about a monster but the two don’t necessarily believe him. But then – he found something the developer wants investigated – a set of keys – the developer recognizes them as the set to the train station, but one is missing. Diagrams for the developer and assistant where they were. The assistant is spooked. Starting to believe him about the monster, believes they should gather supernatural assistance. Meets with a friend, passes along more info to the developer about the potential. The developer is all “yeah, all right, I’ll file that.”

Character refuses to take action: The developer & assistant take the diagrams to the chief, but he won’t investigate anything in the preserve. It’s private property, and unless they know someone from town is in trouble, he’s not going in. There’s nothing to investigate. Whatever it was the hunter saw, it’s being treated as an accident. The friend has massive swelling of the brain and is in a medically induced coma – probably a month at most. The Chief says the developer can halt for a month if he’s worried, and then they’ll get answers.

Doing something forbidden: The friends sans daughter all hide out in the preserve on a dare. The chief’s daughter argues and stays. She is the only one who knows the campers have gone. She’s worried.

Environment changing: The game preserve is disorienting, the road disappears, and the gates are confusing.

Monster approaching: The campers are trapped by the gate.

No escape or route cut off: “The gate is supposed to be here,” but the gate has changed or won’t open

Face to Face with the monster: The campers are the first ones we see coming face-to-face with the monster. The girlfriend’s brain is “touched” by the monster and she turns on her friends, then runs.

Safety taken away: With the police chief refusing to act, the developer decides to stay in a cabin already on the land near the insecure entrance gate and be his own security until he can get the gate fixed. He doesn’t know the campers are there.

Monster: The real estate developer stumbles across the kids at the train station, they beg for help, but he thinks they are playing a prank, accuses them of sabotage – “did someone’s parents put you up to it?” The developer and his friend are going to take everyone back to the police station.

Meanwhile, the police chief’s daughter is telling his dad about the campers. The developer and friend and campers all witness the true horror of the monster – I don’t know what this is yet. I think the wall and gate have contained the monster and kept it from town. I have to figure out some kind of supernatural, maybe energy field that actually keeps the monster inside – the lines of the fence were determined LATER, after some ancient previous civilization had marked them. That’s why the monsters are kept inside, not because of the fence itself.

ACT 2 – THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The campers have scattered. Several are presumed dead. Two are with the developer and his friend. The friends don’t want to leave the train station, but it’s time to go. The developer and assistant talk about:

Walking into a trap: The assistant and the developer might be walking into the environmentalist’s trap. It’s not really a monster, right? Whatever is happening here has to be possible as a trap from the environmentalist OR as a monster.

Friends in danger: The developer’s assistant gets separated from the developer. Goes missing. They’re all going to go find him.

See another killed: the developer watches his assistant (and friend) fall, pushed off the cliff by some unseen force. The real estate developer suspects the environmentalist might really have killed him – he’s still in denial. Could it have been the girlfriend who went mad? They escape. Still missing is the girlfriend and the assistant is dead.

Developer goes to hospital to get some clue, any clue – goes to the hunter’s friend’s room. Hunter is there. He knows. “You saw it.” “Yeah, I saw it.” Something he says proves a key point to getting the monsters under control. Thinks the environmentalist knows.

MIDPOINT – The monster is worse than we thought!

Terrorized: The police chief knows he has a problem. Whether it’s a monster or something else, we are having major conversations about the integrity of the preserve wall and keeping people out. He doesn’t think the developer is responsible, but there’s an issue that leads to the realization that the environmentalist keeps opening the wall – he might control the monster. But he doesn’t realize what the monsters are or how to stop them once they act. Will have to find a way to reference this earlier in the story.

The developer visits the environmentalist, ends up getting arrested after threatening him, because the environmentalist,…

Environmentalist denial: He’s been here for years, swears he never saw a monster. But claims the developer has unbalanced something. They fight. The preserve has unseen forces, should be left alone.

Full pursuit by the killer: The developer is arrested for threatening the environmentalist (for his own safety – or so he thinks – actually, the environmentalist knows already), and he knows what’s going on by now, but he has to convince the chief to let him go so he can deal with the monsters. He comes up with a plan, then gets wind that the environmentalist was seen at the preserve. He goes to the preserve.

The environmentalist sabotages something in the preserve, because thinks getting rid of the people in the preserve (even if it means accidentally or intentionally luring them into the monster’s grasp), it will restore the balance, but something goes wrong. He miscalculates, dies.

Now, monsters threaten to break out of the zone – he’s made it worse. They’re getting outside the barrier now, where they had always stayed within the barrier before. The developer sees he’s lost control, finds the environmentalist.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death: The developer has to come up with a plan to fix the damage he has done, but there is no fixing it. The damage is permanent. He must now deal with the monsters. Worse, he is now lost inside the preserve. Going to think of some neat set pieces here inside the gates.

Character re-introduction, police chief’s daughter begs her dad to go in – her girlfriend and friends are in the preserve. She follows him.

Forced into a dangerous environment: The police chief needs to track down the developer in the game preserve. He finds the environmentalist dead, shit is going sideways in the preserve. He finds the developer, is taking him in for murder of the environmentalist. They both confront the monster and battle it. The chief dies saving the developer, who then finds the chief’s daughter. They have to band together if they’re going to survive.

The thrilling escape from death: The protagonist and chief’s daughter figure out how to neutralize the monsters. Developer “atones” and saves the chief’s daughter and promises to seal up the place for good. No one else will die here. Ever. “I’m sealing it up.”

Resolution: Monument to the fallen, noting geological instability in the preserve, no access.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Aaron Clow. Reason: formatting

[Selma Ahmed]

Selma: Character Journey Track
What I have learned… yet again, I find myself amazed at how wrong my original choices were and how I amend, adapt, replace in order for the story to work – according to the model. And it’s all the better for it as it is really making the end product the real deal!!
It has taken me some time to do this, apologies for being behind.

HORROR CHARACTER PROFILE

Martha
1. Role RESCUER:  generic mother figure who must save her daughter from hanging in place of Elizabeth, the witch.
2. Traits (main characteristics): organiser, kind, worrier,
3. Fears (Primal fears): losing her family, loneliness
4. Wants/Needs (main motivations):wants excitement, wants her family to do well.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: willing to do everything for her family, including giving up her life.
6. How they react under stress Takes charge. Confront it head on.
7. Relationship with other characters: abit of a mother hen
Angel
1. Role out of control:  thinks she can lend her expertise about witch craft to save the situation.
2. Traits (main characteristics): kind, confident, risk taker, wants to help.
3. Fears (Primal fears): not doing her job properly.
4. Wants/Needs (main motivations): wants excitement, wants her family to do well, wants a husband and children.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: she is endearing, but abit dotty.
6. How they react under stress: believes she has the answers, underestimates the situation.
7. Relationship with other characters: well liked, trusted.
Jenny
1. Role: Innocent. The witch wants her.
2. Traits: overwhelmed, terrified.
3. Fears: losing her mummy
4. Wants/Needs: safety
5. Likability / Rooting factors: her innocence.
6. How they react under stress: listens to her mother. Takes risks for survival.
7. Relationship with other characters: she is the favourite, adored by all.

Grandmother
1. Role: Leader.
2. Traits: sharp, still has her wits about her, but her body is failing her.
3. Fears: death.
4. Wants/Needs: needs to be looked after, needs to retain her dignity.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: the stories she knows, her family, her age – 90.
6. How they react under stress: Takes charge.
7. Relationship with other characters: everything gravitates around her.
Tony:
1. Role: complainer.
2. Traits: relaxed, calm, controlled, hands on, charismatic, thinks he’s right, rational.
3. Fears: looking foolish.
4. Wants/Needs : to have a good time, wants adventure.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: cares about his family, wants to do the right thing.
6. How they react under stress: Takes charge.
7. Relationship with other characters: fits in for an easy life.
THE CHARACTER JOURNEY
EACH CHARACTER
1. Character Intro: Martha
Martha is in the kitchen, making the finishing touches to the cake, lots of activity, abit chaotic but she is calm, takes it in her stride, drinks wine. Sees something unsettling, brushes it off.
2. Denial:
This character understands something is not right. But she focus her attention on finding her son, doesn’t believe it is connected to the witch.
3. Their reaction at first horror:
Doesn’t understand why he would ‘kill’ himself.
4. Relation to group after first horror:
Devastated that her son is dead. Doesn’t take charge, tries to figure out what has happened.
5. How they fight back:
She hides – until Angel figures out that the only way she can die is through strangulation/hanging…then tries to trap her.
6. End Point:
The witch kills her and she is able to save her daughter and destroy the witch.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Jenny survives – and realises she has powers.
1. Character Intro: Angel
Angel is sitting by the grandmother attending to her needs, drinks herbal tea.
2. Denial:
this character is just up with the fairies! Really naïve, disbelieves the clues.
3. Their reaction at first horror:
Thinks she can help through her own brand of witchcraft.
4. Relation to group after first horror:
Wants to help, supportive, tries to comfort and be strong for everyone.
5. How they fight back:
She hides, uses her brand of amateur witchcraft which obviously does not work. Works out how to get the witch defeated – tries to trap her but is killed.
6. End Point:
The witch kills her.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Martha and Jenny are more vulnerable.
1. Character Intro: Jenny
Nine-year-old Jenny is in her own bubble – in the kitchen with her mother being very distracting. We see how close she is to her mother.
2. Denial:
Jenny is terrified. Doesn’t understand as her parents shield her, protect her.
3. Their reaction at first horror:
Petrified, hides.
4. Relation to group after first horror:
She is the child, sticks close to her mother.
5. How they fight back:
Only at the end does she fight back, defiant and angry, finally realising her own power against evil.
6. End Point:
She returns to the present – her mother has saved her, and she has realised that she has dark powers …
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Jenny survives – ready to take revenge.
1. Character Intro: Grandmother
Grandmother is the matriarch. Celebrating her 90th birthday. The house is hers, old house on the land given to the nine year old Jennet who denounced her family in 1612. She is in a wheelchair enjoying the attention, ordering people around.
2. Denial:
Doesn’t register the sinister element of the moment,
3. Their reaction at first horror:
Slightly annoyed that her day has been hijacked. Very self-centred. .
4. Relation to group after first horror:
Out of touch, powerless, vulnerable. Tries to get everyone to protect her. Incites fear.
5. How they fight back:
Strategy. She cannot hide.
6. End Point:
The witch burns her to death.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Everyone understands that the witch means business and will try to kill everyone.
1. Character Intro: Tony
Tony is enjoying the day, full of bravado, relaxed, drinking.
2. Denial:
He is shocked but tries to be the leader, calm and strong in the situation. Has no idea of anything sinister.
3. Their reaction at first horror:
Refuses to accept that anything supernatural is occurring and because of this, acts foolishly, tries to attack the monster.
4. Relation to group after first horror:
Leads/argues. Causes issues as he doesn’t believe there is a witch. The others try to persuade him of the dangers.
5. How they fight back:
Tries to trap the witch, outsmart her.
6. End Point:
The witch kills him in a truly gruesome manner
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Terrifies – but the others realise that the witch kills using the ways ‘witches’ were executed.