Lesson 8

[William Peed]

MIke's Rom Com

1. Attraction -Meet Cute

Daniella is attracted to Miguel because he's willing to risk his life to stand up to Pasha Hassan

Miguel is attracted to Daniella because she saves his life by standing up to Paha Hassan

2. Desire

Pasha Hassan's frustrated desire for Daniella

Miguel wants to live a life fit for a romantic chivalry, where brave men perform heroic acts to prove themselves worthy of fair maidens.

When Daniella sees Miguel at the Harem, she realizes how much she missed him. And how angry she is at him.

– Zara's desire for Benengeli

Miguel sketching Daniella while she tells Zara the story about Adriadne and Theseus.

– Zara and Benengeli's interaction

Daniella watches Miguel tell the concubines the story of LePanto through the keyhole, mouthing along to Miguel's story

At the harem

– Pasha Hassan's desire for Daniella

– Hajji Murad's desire for Zara

Daniella's desire to get Zara to freedom

Miguel's desire for Daniella and vice versa as they discuss their life in Madrid

3. Yearning

Miguel yearns for his freedom, particularly with Daniella

Daniella yearns to be with Miguel, safe and sound in Algiers

Pasha Hassan yearns to be Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire

4. Doubt

Daniella doubts that Miguel's even still alive

Miguel doubts that Daniella will choose him over Pasha Hassan

Miguel doubts that they can stay together as long as they're in Algiers

Daniella doubts that Miguel will even try

Miguel doubts that he'll be able to pull the escape off

5. Jealousy

Daniella is jealous when she finds out Miguel didn't come straight to the harem to see her

Miguel is jealous of Pasha Hassan

Daniella is jealous of the other Concubines when Miguel ignores her

Benengeli is jealous of Hajji Murad when Zara saves his life

6. Betrayal

Daniella betrays El Lobo by having Pasha Hassan free the prisoners

Miguel betrayed Daniella by escaping without her

Daniella betrays Miguel by not showing up at the dinner party.

Miguel betrays Daniella by using that as an excuse to not try to make it work

Miguel betrays Daniella and Benengeli by using Zara as bait

Miguel betrays Daniella by keeping the proposal secret

Daniella betrays Miguel by using his own words to propose to Pasha Hassan

Miguel betrays Sancho and Dr. Alonzo by canceling the escape

Pasha Hassan betrays Daniella by giving Zara away to Hajji Murad

7. Anger

8. Passion

Their first meeting at the harem, before they're interrupted by Benengeli

They're night in Daniella's Suite before she finds out about the proposal

9. Obsession

Miguel is obsessed with getting Daniella out of Algiers

Benengeli is obsessed with getting Zara out of Algiers

10. Love

Miguel gives up his freedom for Daniella's

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by  William Peed.

[Madeleine Vessel]

Madeleine’s Romance Emotions Part 1

“What I learned doing this assignment is… Yet another pass, and the outline is thickened and steamed up with attraction, desire, yearning, doubt, and jealousy. I’m loving this.”

Attraction:

In Act 1, Thea picks up David at Dora’s Doll House. He’s so happy to be rescued, he grabs both her hands and kisses them. When he draws back from this display of gratitude, he looks into Thea’s kind eyes. Something stirs in him.

In Act 1, Thea is driving the tow truck with David in the passenger seat. A love song comes on the radio. Thea starts to shut off the radio, but he stops her. “Don’t, please. It’s a love song.”

This interaction happens shortly after Thea picks David up at Dora’s Doll House. Disgusted then, now her attitude softens when she surmises he likes love songs.

Maybe, his search for love is why he was at Dora’s Doll House.

Something stirs in her.

Desire:

David’s and Thea’s first kiss happens at night while they are lying on the hood of Thea’s pickup truck looking up at the stars.

She tells him that she first saw the Milky Way as a kid in the backseat of a Jeep with her parents, driving out to a remote mine site. She describes the overwhelming feeling of being loved by her creator as she looked at the stars.

He tells her, he first saw the stars on a clear night at sea while on his father’s yacht. His experience was similar to hers.
Lying side by side, their hands touch. Then they hold hands. Finally, they kiss. It’s short but sweet.

Yearning:

When David drives away from Thea on his way back to his old way of life, he sees her waving in the rearview mirror. Already, he misses her. He begins to yearn for her from that point on.

As Thea watches David drive away, her yearning for him begins.

Doubt:

When David must choose between staying with Thea and returning to his old life. He doubts the true extent of his affection for her. It’s their proximity that ignites his passion, he tells himself. And so he leaves.

David tells Thea he will call her. When he doesn’t, Thea doubts his love for her.

Jealousy:

Thea feels jealousy as she watches David’s and her mother’s growing relationship. He talks to her about listening to La Traviata and sipping B&B, something Thea has never done.

David feels jealous when he see the priest and Thea in a head
-to-head, laughing and joking together. He wants that kind of head-to-head with Thea.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by  Madeleine Vessel.

[Gayle Jackson]

Gayle’s Romance Emotions Part 1

What I learned doing this assignment is I need to develop a more consistent emotional throughline so the characters’ feelings are grounded and not scattered with many base threads that can be woven into the action plot.

Look through your outline and find places you can build these emotions in scenes:
Attraction – In the middle of an attempted kidnapping, Huck rescues Casey and throws her off a train before jumping himself. She thinks he is a random stranger doing a good deed and he finds her cute and plucky.

– On the train each is impressed with the other’s skills at fighting to save their lives and have the strength to jump off the train.

Desire – Realizing they have survived they need to find a way to civilization and bond over the bravery and quick-thinking of their escape.

– Casey introduces herself and Huck tells her he is Huck Hawkins (which is the name of the character she created in her comic). He doesn’t know she is the author, and she is attracted because she thinks he is a fan and recognizes her name. When he sees her name on the comic and makes the connection, he is embarrassed and is attracted to her.

Yearning – She yearns to be with a man who can teach her how to be adventurous and he yearns for a clever woman who is not a criminal, but she is engaged, and he is a fugitive

– After a long hike up the mountain, Casey and Huck talk about their respective relationships and how getting into this adventure has put them off their paths. They consider where they would be right now if they were not where they are.

Doubt – She leads them down a dangerous path and they are in lost, and she learns he is a fugitive who has been lying to her so doubts everything he has said to her, and he sees her as pretentious and obnoxious.

– They are almost caught by the people trying to kill them who want the MacGuffin and hide in an abandoned church where Casey learns Huck is a fugitive who has no idea who she is and only wanted the artifact. He does not admit he has feelings for her.

Jealousy – Huck is jealous of the fiancé for being successful and able to settle down. Casey is jealous of Huck’s ex-partner for being a powerful, badass who doesn’t ask for permission.

– Casey gets sassy when she meets the ex who takes her hostage. Huck gets snappy when Casey wants to introduce him to her fiancé. Huck walks away and puts down the fact that her fiancé dropped everything to fly across the world to find her.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s romance emotions part 1

what i learned doing this assignment is I’m finding layers and character behaviors to flesh this out. Nimfa is a jealous character so this works great with the story.

Attraction – She sees him first and wants his attention. When he comes over to her place, she keeps distracting him with food and feeds him because his hands are oily.

Desire – She notices his plumber crack and pokes it with a rose stem to get his attention. Much to his shock and he apologizes for his lack of decorum much to her laughter.

Yearning- Tommy gets Nimfa’s notes on his car window and wonders if she’s stalking him.

Doubt – Nimfa feels she can’t get it into Tommy’s head no matter how hard she tries.

Jealousy – the boss of Tommy is jealous of the attention he receives from the filipino family.
Nimfa gets jealous when she sees Tommy assisting another female.

[Alison Benson]

What I learned doing this assignment is I wouldn’t have known about all these emotions and how they played out in a romcom. I can see there are more opportunities but I’ve done one of each for starters. This exercise just elevated my script AGAIN!!

Attraction Scene 4: As Ina speaks, she gets closer into the hedge, she leans in, falls through, she’s made a large gaping hole. Dave catches her. Their eyes lock, there’s an immediate connection – An officer and a gentleman moment. Ina strokes his huge arms around her, takes his flower from behind his ear, puts it behind her ear, she misses, it falls into the hedge. Dave stands her upright. She stoops to get his flower, apologises, he says don’t worry, says she doesn’t feel too well, leans into the bush, throws up. Dave pulls her hair back. She gets up, thank you. Dave hesitates, you’re welcome.

Desire scene 7: Ina is squished between Dave’s huge legs and the dog that has put her head on Ina’s lap.
Dave changes the gear stick that hits her leg. Ina: thank you. Dave: you’re welcome. Dave looks away , smiles. Ina looks away, smiles.

Yearning scene 8: Dave offers to drive her back, the dog jumps in first, moves over for her. She tells the dog, that’s okay, I kind of liked the middle.

Doubt scene 11: We’ll never win first prize if we have so much grass. It needs to be a sanctuary for men to come and relax. If they’re going to relax, they need grass to relax on. Grass is a waste of space, there’s a time and place for grass and it’s not here. So how do they relax. On chairs. You can put a little bit of grass there between the flowers. And don't get me started on the path. We need rows of trees with fruit, not a path. Ina: Make it productive and aesthetic. Dave: Make it practical and relaxing. If we can’t agree on this, there’s no moving forward.

Jealousy scene 23: Shell comes beside her. Shell: maybe it’s meant to be. Ina: Dad was happy. I don’t understand. At the garden last week. Shell: your father thought you were talking about the garden, not the two of you. Ina: you’re wrong. Shell: you think your dad would be okay with this? He won’t change. People don’t change, remember? And we know what men are like, narcissists, losers. Your words. BETRAYAL Ina: You’re right. I thought he saw something different in me. How could I ever compete with that skin and that body. Shell: I’m just protecting you from more hurt later on.

• This reply was modified 6 months, 1 week ago by  Alison Benson.

[Eugene Mandelcorn]

Eugene’s Romance Emotions Part 1

What I learned doing the assignment is that there are emotions that each character feels that are only hinted at and are not obvious until a situation brings them to light.

Attraction:

When Joe meets Beth in the park, he is definitely attracted to her and fumbles with his lines. She thinks he’s a fool.

When Voice and Karen meet, he is at first attracted to her, but she makes it clear that she is repulsed by him, and he verbally attacks back.

Desire:

When Joe and Beth are assigned to watch a movie together for a film class they are taking, Joe feels like it is a first date and Beth is shocked at his forward actions.

Both Voice and Karen want to have a home but are not sure about living together. They are obviously opposites in many ways.

Yearning

Joe offers to pay Beth to work on his film. She is having financial problems, so she takes him up on his offer. He will at least have her by his side almost every day.

Voice is aware that he wants female companionship and once Karen helps him in areas where he is somewhat backward, such as cleanliness, he develops a yearning for her presence in his life.

Doubt

When Beth discovers that Joe has recorded personal information she confided to him, she feels betrayed and walks out on the production.

When it is decided that the city will allow only one tiny home to be built on the property, it becomes a contest between Voice and Karen for the residence and their differences re-surface.

Jealousy

A relationship has developed between Voice and Karen and Joe is jealous because he wanted a relationship with Beth, but he blew it.

Voice is jealous of Karen’s sophistication. It is one of things that makes it difficult to make a connection with her despite his attraction to her.