Lesson 8

[Bob Rowen]

Bob Rowen’s Writes Great Hope/Fear!

What I learned in doing this assignment: In developing endless possibilities of “hope/fear” moments for my screenplay, I learned that these emotional shifts are critical in maintaining tension and engagement throughout the story. Each moment of hope creates the potential for a turning point, while each fear heightens the stakes and deepens the conflict. Exploring these possibilities allowed me to better understand how small changes in events, decisions, or character actions can ripple through the narrative, influencing the overall arc and keeping the audience on edge. This process taught me the importance of balance—how hope and fear must constantly compete, driving the story forward and revealing new layers of complexity.

High Concept: Wade Meadows, a falsely accused high school social science teacher, fights to survive a conservative backlash and politically charged, rigged termination hearing.
Conflict: Wade Meadows faces a hostile school board president, Ken Franks, who is determined to impose his worldview and will stop at nothing to ensure Wade’s dismissal.
Reason for Containment: In order to accommodate a public venue, Wade’s dismissal hearing takes place in the town’s Community Hall (utilizing the parking lot, foyer, conference room annex, and the large auditorium).
Characters:
• Wade Meadows: (protagonist) An idealistic teacher, blissfully unaware of the complex politics in the public- school environment. Initially, he is driven purely by his passion for education and his desire to inspire his students, but he soon finds himself overwhelmed by the bureaucratic and political challenges that threaten his idealistic vision.
• Ken Franks: (antagonist) The powerful school board president with an agenda of his own. In the final analysis, Franks was placed on the board of trustees by powerful, influential people who expect him to do their bidding.
• Peter Swayze: (co-antagonist) The vice principal with a hunger for success that borders on desperation, fueling his ruthless tactics and willingness to betray even those closest to him.
Transformational Journey: Haunted by his past silence about a Marine cover-up, Wade’s journey is about finding his voice in order to do the right thing this time, culminating in his refusal to back down, even when pressured by political forces, choosing to speak out no matter the personal cost.
THE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES — HOPE/FEAR
ACT 1
Hope: As teacher Wade Meadows enters the parking lot, he sees a group of students and parents gathering in support, making him feel reassured that he isn’t standing alone in the battle ahead.
Fear: As he approaches the entrance to the Community Hall, he notices the far-right powerbrokers that are visibly confident, chatting easily with Ken Franks, school board president, which makes him fear that they’ve already set things in motion behind the scenes.
Hope: A few students and parents wave encouragingly, making Wade believe that his openness and honesty will sway the tide of public opinion.
Fear: Whispers of “indoctrination” and more sinister accusations circulate in the crowd, signaling to Wade that the hearing may turn into a spectacle driven by misinformation.
Hope: Wade overhears a conversation between two parents discussing the importance of standing up for truth and how they plan to speak in his defense.
Fear: He overhears another parent grumbling about “radical teachers” and realizes that preconceived notions might cloud the judgment of many attending the hearing.
Hope: The presence of some media representatives gives Wade hope that transparency will lead to a fair hearing and exposure of the truth behind the accusations.
Fear: As more conservative media outlets arrive, Wade fears they will spin the hearing to suit their narrative, damaging his reputation regardless of the facts.
Hope: Wade spots his most outspoken students entering with their parents, who have come to support him, boosting his morale.
Fear: Wade’s confidence wavers when he notices Peter Swayze, vice principal, exchange nods with one of the ultraconservative powerbrokers, signaling that a coordinated effort may be in play to discredit him further.
Inciting Incident
Hope: As Franks begins outlining the charges, Wade hopes the absurdity of the claims will make them easy to refute.
Fear: The way Franks presents the accusations, tying them to emotional and political rhetoric, makes Wade fear that the hearing won’t focus on facts but rather on whipping up public outrage.
Hope: Wade shares with his representative that his prepared defense will dismantle the “indoctrination” claims with logical arguments and examples from his curriculum.
Fear: Wade begins to worry that the charges have been framed so simplistically that the nuances of his defense may get lost in the noise, leading people to see him as guilty by default.
Hope: When Wade’s representative begins challenging the school board’s procedural violations, he feels a glimmer of hope that the hearing may not proceed as smoothly for his adversaries.
Fear: Franks dismisses these procedural concerns, moving forward with confidence, making Wade fear that the board members have already made up their minds.
Hope: Wade anticipates that his student witnesses will provide honest, heartfelt testimonies that will sway public opinion in his favor.
Fear: The moment Franks starts emphasizing the importance of “protecting children from political agendas,” Wade fears that his students may be dismissed or discredited for being too young to “understand” the situation.
Hope: Wade expects that the exposure of the charges to the public will generate sympathy and spur his supporters into action.
Fear: Wade fears that the charges, once heard, might solidify the biases of those who already oppose him, making it impossible to win over the community.
Turning Point
Hope: By making the hearing public and bringing student testimonies to the forefront, Wade hopes to show the community the real impact of his teachings.
Fear: Wade begins to worry that the transparency he sought may backfire, especially if his students are too nervous or emotional to deliver their testimonies convincingly.
Hope: Wade’s hope grows when several parents express their consent for their children to testify, indicating that they trust him and believe in his innocence.
Fear: Wade fears that Franks influential allies will start pushing parents to withdraw their consent, leaving him with fewer student voices to defend him.
Hope: Wade has a solid legal strategy and believes transparency will force at least some of the board members to reconsider their biases.
Fear: The possibility that the school board president has already manipulated key witnesses or used political connections to sway the outcome begins to gnaw at Wade.
Hope: Wade believes that the public hearing will highlight the discrepancies in the school board’s actions and bring forth evidence of the smear campaign.
Fear: Wade fears that the public spectacle could drown out the facts, turning the hearing into a battle of ideologies rather than a search for truth.
Hope: The presence of students from diverse backgrounds gives Wade hope that their testimonies will break down the board’s narrow, one-sided narrative of “indoctrination.”
Fear: Wade worries that the students might be seen as pawns in his defense and that their voices will be discredited as being “coached” or “manipulated.”
Act 2
New Plan
Hope: Wade hopes that uncovering the full extent of the smear campaign will expose the political motivations behind his dismissal.
Fear: Wade fears that the smear campaign may run deeper than he realized, involving powerful community members who could retaliate against those who try to speak out.
Hope: Wade’s legal team uncovers evidence linking the smear campaign to a local PAC (Political Action Committee), and he hopes this revelation will sway the board to reconsider.
Fear: Wade begins to worry that even if the smear campaign is exposed, the community’s divisions may be so deep that the truth won’t matter.
Hope: Wade plans to use testimonies from his guest speakers to demonstrate that his curriculum is balanced and non-partisan.
Fear: Wade worries that the guest speakers themselves may be smeared, painted as biased or part of the same “radical” agenda.
Hope: Wade feels confident that his influential guest speaker will provide a turning point in the case, given their strong standing in the community.
Fear: Wade starts to fear that the guest speaker may back out under pressure from local business leaders or political figures, leaving him without a key piece of his defense.
Hope: Wade’s students’ willingness to testify gives him hope that their voices will show the positive impact of his teachings.
Fear: Wade fears that the school board president will use his influence to block the most critical student voices from being heard.
Hope: Wade’s legal team uncovers emails linking the school board president to an orchestrated smear campaign, solidifying their case.
Fear: One of Wade’s most important student witnesses, who had been outspoken in his favor, goes silent when approached to testify, raising concerns that they have been intimidated.
Hope: One of the guest speakers, a prominent local figure, is planning to provide additional evidence that could turn public opinion in the Wade’s favor.
Fear: Wade learns that community influencers are planning a counter-narrative to discredit the testimony of his students and guest speakers.
Hope: A parent who had previously been on the fence joins Wade’s side, expressing support for transparency and a fair trial.
Plan in Action:
Hope: As the community gathers in the auditorium following a recess, Wade notices several supporters among the crowd, offering emotional strength.
Fear: One of Wade’s guest speakers informs him of threats he’s received, creating fear that key testimonies may be compromised.
Hope: Wade’s representative finds a way to admit crucial evidence, despite objections from the school board president’s legal team.
Fear: Wade notices the school board president confidently addressing the crowd, gaining visible approval from the audience.
Hope: A late arrival, an influential former student, shows up to offer surprising and unexpected testimony in Wade’s defense.
Midpoint Turning Point:
Hope: Wade’s representative argues that blocking the school board president’s daughter from testifying violates free speech, causing a stir that might work in their favor.
Fear: The school board president’s refusal to let his daughter testify makes Wade fear that his case will lose its emotional weight.
Hope: The mother of the school board president’s daughter insists on her daughter’s right to testify, creating a rift within Frank’s camp.
Fear: The public starts to lean toward the school board president’s side after the exclusion of the student witness, swaying opinion further against Wade.
Hope: During a recess, Wade’s students rally outside the hall, chanting in support of Wade and demands to freely testify, giving him renewed faith that public opinion may still be swayed.
Act 3
Rethink Everything:
Hope: The school board president’s daughter takes a bold stance; to reveal publicly that she has information about her father’s manipulation, shocking the audience and causing Wade to feel reinvigorated.
Fear: Wade starts receiving texts from students expressing doubt about his case, suggesting they all need to testify.
Hope: During a break, a well-respected journalist in the audience approaches Wade with interest in covering his side of the story in-depth, offering a potential shift in the media narrative.
Fear: Peter Swayze, vice principal, is accused of spreading false rumors about Wade’s personal life to further discredit him, making Wade question if he can handle the growing attacks.
Hope: One of Wade’s guest speakers shows up unexpectedly with new evidence that could change the trajectory of the case.
New Plan:
Hope: Wade finalizes his plan to publicly expose the conspiracy, confident that the truth will finally come to light.
Fear: Wade’s legal representative warns him that accusing the school board president publicly could backfire, causing the teacher to second-guess his strategy.
Hope: Wade is tipped off that a national education advocacy group is monitoring the case and may intervene with public support if the conspiracy is proven.
Fear: Wade hears rumors that key evidence might be suppressed before the final hearing, leading to doubts about whether the truth will ever be fully revealed.
Hope: Wade’s wife, previously wary of the consequences, offers full emotional support, giving him the strength to move forward with his bold plan.
Turning Point:
Hope: A last-minute guest speaker, a well-respected community figure, agrees to testify, partially filling the gap left by one of the original speaker’s withdrawal.
Fear: The pressure on one of the guest speaker increases, leading him to back out just minutes before the final phase of the hearing begins.
Hope: Wade’s last two classroom guest speakers provide bombshell testimony.
School Board Panic: The bombshell testimony causes chaos among the school board members, leading to heated arguments behind closed doors.
Hope: A community organization stands up to offer public support, helping sway undecided attendees toward Wade’s side.
Fear: Wade discovers that the school board president has planted a false witness in the final round of testimony, intending to further smear his name.
Hope: The school board president’s daughter sends a text message to her father threatening to go public with damning information about him if he doesn’t allow her to testify. She sends a copy of her text to Wade giving him renewed hope.
A Fantastic and Informative Student Demonstration: Wade’s students conduct a demonstration of what was covered in class.
Hope: Wade is encouraged by the audience response to the student demonstration.
Act 4
Final Plan:
Hope: Wade’s final statement is met with an emotional response from a couple of board members, who are visibly shaken by the truth he presents.
Fear: Franks ally, the Board’s clerk, dismisses Wade’s closing statement as a desperate act, and some of the audience seems to side with her.
A Terse Announcement: The Board’s clerk announces she has heard enough and demands the Board go into executive session and vote on Wade’s dismissal resolution.
Fear: The Board is likely to vote against Wade, leaving him with little hope for redemption.
Hope: Wade sees an undecided school board member deeply affected by his final statement, giving him hope that the vote might swing in his favor.
Climax / Ultimate expression of the conflict:
The School Board’s Decision: Wade is terminated! (by a 3-2 vote).
Hope: The community begins to turn against the school board president.
An Unexpected Surprise: A County Office of Education confidential employee announces publicly that Wade has been named the County’s “Teacher of the Year”.
Resolution:
The School Board’s Second Executive Session: Two members of the Board demand a second vote in another executive session and this time Wade is retained (by a 3-2 vote).
Hope: After the reversal of the board’s decision, Wade feels victorious and is uplifted by the announcement of being named “Teacher of the Year”.
Fear: The commotion following the reversal causes tensions to flare, and the school board president hints that the fight is far from over, making the teacher fear further retaliation.
Hope: The national press coverage begins to frame the teacher as a hero of intellectual freedom, suggesting his story has the potential to make history.
Fear: Despite the victory, rumors persist that the teacher will still face obstacles in his career, casting a shadow over his victory.
Hope: The press conference becomes an inspiring moment where the teacher reflects on the importance of truth and how this battle strengthened his resolve, leaving the audience with a sense of hope.

[Micki Hess]

Micki’s Writes Great Hope/Fear!
What did I learn from doing this assignment is hope/fear and other elements of it can drive the script into deepness that the audience wants that they weren’t aware of. With each acts having deepness of emotions and despairs, characters become alive.
Act 1: Introduction to the Hotel and Families
Hope:
Environment (Trapped/Prisoner): The families arrive at the hotel with high hopes for a perfect Christmas Eve. The setting feels magical, promising a holiday to remember.
Incompatibility (Forced to Deal with Each Other): Both families hope to avoid each other as much as possible, assuming they can coexist without much interaction.
Unpredictability (Not Sure What the Real Threat Is): At first, the prank war is seen as harmless fun, a playful way to pass the time until Christmas Day arrives.
Isolation (Helpless): The families believe they have control over their stay, confident that this is just another holiday gathering.
Increasing Tension (Ticking Clock): There’s an excitement about the clock striking midnight and Christmas finally arriving. The hope is that this will be the best Christmas ever.
Fear:
Environment (Restricting): The coziness of the hotel becomes a prison as they realize the clock never strikes midnight. They are trapped.
Incompatibility (Opposing Needs/Desires): The families soon realize they can’t avoid each other, and their conflicting desires for how to celebrate Christmas spark the first signs of tension.
Unpredictability (Out of Control Situation): The prank war begins to escalate unpredictably, and they start to fear that the situation is spiraling beyond their control.
Isolation (Psychological Issues): The unending Christmas Eve creates mental strain, and characters start feeling psychologically trapped, questioning if they’ll ever leave.
Increasing Tension (Impending Doom): As the clock fails to strike midnight, there’s a growing fear that they may be stuck in the hotel forever, trapped in an endless loop.
Act 2: The Prank War Escalates
Hope:
Environment (Claustrophobic): The families hope the prank war will break the monotony of the unending Christmas Eve, adding some excitement to their stay.
Incompatibility (Mind Games): Each family believes they can outwit the other through clever pranks, hoping to come out on top and prove their superiority.
Unpredictability (Could Attack at Any Moment): The thrill of anticipation keeps the families on their toes, believing they can out-prank the other.
Isolation (Loss of a Companion): Characters begin to form alliances within their own families, hoping that teamwork will give them an advantage in the escalating prank war.
Increasing Tension (What’s the Worst That Could Happen?): They still believe there’s no real danger, and that things will return to normal soon, allowing them to enjoy Christmas Day.
Fear:
Environment (Dangerous): The hotel starts to feel less like a cozy retreat and more like a hazardous place. The pranks turn dangerous, with characters fearing they could get hurt.
Incompatibility (Triggering Each Other): Psychological triggers from past family tensions surface, as the rivalry reignites old wounds, deepening the conflict between the families.
Unpredictability (Out of Control Situation): The pranks become reckless, and characters fear that someone might truly snap, turning the situation deadly.
Isolation (Helpless): Some characters feel increasingly isolated as the pranks escalate, with no clear way to escape the loop or break the tension.
Increasing Tension (Impending Doom): The longer they remain trapped, the more they fear the loop is inescapable, and that the consequences of the escalating pranks will be severe.
Act 3: Realization and Desperation
Hope:
Environment (Restricting): As the families search for a way out, they cling to the hope that they can find the key to breaking the loop and finally seeing Christmas Day.
Incompatibility (Psychological Issues): Despite the growing tension, they hope to find common ground with their family members to stop the endless prank war.
Unpredictability (Not Sure Who or What the Real Threat Is): Some characters believe there is still time to figure out what—or who—is behind the endless Christmas Eve and stop it before it’s too late.
Isolation (Helpless): A few of the family members believe there’s still a solution they haven’t tried, and if they work together, they can escape.
Increasing Tension (What’s the Worst That Could Happen?): They convince themselves that, while things are bad, the worst hasn’t happened yet, and they can still avoid a tragic outcome.
Fear:
Environment (Not Livable): The hotel becomes more hostile, and the fear grows that they are trapped in a place that’s becoming increasingly dangerous.
Incompatibility (Triggering Each Other): As each family member is pushed to their breaking point, the fear of emotional collapse and irreversible damage to relationships looms.
Unpredictability (Out of Control Situation): The fear grows that the hotel itself may be manipulating events, and they no longer know how to stop the escalating chaos.
Isolation (Psychological Issues): Some characters begin to succumb to the hopelessness of the situation, fearing they will never escape and that the hotel is breaking them psychologically.
Increasing Tension (Impending Doom): The fear that they are running out of time mounts, even though the clock is stuck at Christmas Eve. They feel impending doom creeping closer, despite the frozen time.
Act 4: Final Showdown and Unity
Hope:
Environment (Hiding Out): Characters believe that if they band together, they can stop the pranks and solve the mystery of the endless Christmas Eve.
Incompatibility (Opposing Needs/Desires): They finally start to hope that by resolving their differences and working as a team, they can end the loop and bring about Christmas Day.
Unpredictability (Person on the Edge): They hope to rein in the family member who has reached their breaking point, preventing them from doing something irreversible.
Isolation (Helpless): The final push brings characters together, giving them hope that unity and understanding will be the key to escaping.
Increasing Tension (Ticking Clock): As the clock seems to inch toward midnight, they hope that their final plan will succeed in breaking the loop.
Fear:
Environment (Dangerous): The hotel becomes more perilous, with strange happenings and physical danger escalating, making the final moments more tense.
Incompatibility (Triggering Each Other): The fear that their old rivalries and issues will sabotage their final attempt to escape looms large, as they wonder if they can truly trust one another.
Unpredictability (Out of Control Situation): Even as they attempt their final plan, they fear the hotel or some unseen force will thwart them, keeping them trapped forever.
Isolation (Psychological Issues): The fear of being stuck in an emotional and physical loop forever, with no chance of ever escaping, reaches its peak.
Increasing Tension (Impending Doom): The sense of impending doom becomes overwhelming, as they realize this may be their last chance to break the loop—or be trapped for eternity.
Resolution:
Hope: The families finally resolve their emotional issues and unite in the true spirit of Christmas, breaking the loop and finally bringing about Christmas Day.
Fear: They fear that their unity will not be enough and that something they’ve missed will trap them forever—but ultimately, their shared breakthrough frees them from the hotel’s grasp.
This blend of hope and fear across the acts emphasizes the emotional and psychological stakes while layering in the suspense of the endless Christmas Eve and its hidden dangers

[Marni Sullivan]

Marni Writes Great Hope/Fear!

WHAT I LEARNED: You can use the hopes and fears of the characters to create self-fulfilling prophecy of what happens in the story.

Act 1:
• HOPE: Lysha will get to avoid her overly-critical relatives on Christmas Eve
• FEAR: The rash of break-ins at the other locations will result in shutting down the system and her chance to work over the holiday.
• HOPE: Lysha will get to spend some quality time with Wallace, her supervisor / crush
• FEAR: He will see what a mess she really is by sitting with her the whole night.
• HOPE: The night will go off smoothly with little incident.
• FEAR: There will be a cyber-breach as there was one at three of their other locations.
• HOPE: The sign-in anomaly she noticed on her system was a careless coworkers in a hurry to leave for the holiday.
• FEAR: The people behind the other breaches has finally worked over to their location.
• HOPE: This will be like the other breaches where nothing is disturbed and no one knows why they bothered.
• FEAR: This is the beginning of a bigger attack.

Act 2:
• HOPE: Wallace’s request to walk the perimeter with him maybe an excuse to be closer to her.
• FEAR: She is deluding herself that he has any interest in her.
• HOPE: They won’t find anything to make the anomaly she noticed earlier a problem
• FEAR: The slightly ajar door with a dead motion sensor means someone broke-in physically.
• HOPE: Wallace is right not to take the situation too seriously.
• FEAR: Wallace is being lazy and not taking a potential threat seriously.
• HOPE: Wallace will be able to help her deal with whatever intruder in inside the place.
• FEAR: Wallace may be an accomplice to the break-in.
• HOPE: She is wrong about Wallace.
• FEAR: She is right (which he proves when he tries to subdue her).

Act 3:
• HOPE: Wallace admits that he is part of the crime, but he is trying his best to keep her safe.
• FEAR: Her tendencies not to let things go might get her killed.
• HOPE: By activating the lockdown mechanism, they will panic and try to get out.
• FEAR: She is trapping herself inside with what Wallace describes as “truly dangerous men.”
• HOPE: If she can get to the transfer order in time, she can foil their plans by keeping the box they are looking for our of their reach until help arrives.
• FEAR: Aside from some self-defense training, she is not capable of taking on trained criminals.
• HOPE: She can get in and out of the front office without being noticed or confronted.
• FEAR: Someone is already there and she is going to end up in a physical altercation.
• HOPE: After taking down the first guy, she can get back to the I.T. office and barricade herself in.
• FEAR: They are already after her (proven when she finds Wallace dead in the office).
 
Act 4:
• HOPE: The men will have trouble locating the box because it was recoded and locked into the vault.
• FEAR: They have Wallace’s hand which is the biometric key for getting into the vault.
• HOPE: She can get to the vault in time to dismantle entry.
• FEAR: She doesn’t know where they are or if they are looking for her.
• HOPE: When she finds herself fighting for her life in against the 2nd man, she wins.
• FEAR: The remaining person is the leader of the trio and an assassin.
• HOPE: She will find the leader in the vault and activate the climate-control security to lock him in.
• FEAR: He abandons looking for the box and decides to kill her instead.
• HOPE: She make use of her knowledge of the facility to lose him or trap him somewhere.
• FEAR: He gets the drop on her and she finds herself trapped on an elevated manlift with him.

[Rice Rice]

Frances’ Writes Great Hope/Fear!

What I learned doing this assignment is a demonstration of how interjecting Hope/Fear instances into my outline made my story more engaging.

Here are the Hope/Fear moments that I interjected into each Act:

Act 1

1. Hope: Jack is intrigued when Ellie and the troubadours speak of mistletoe’s healing properties. For a fleeting moment, he hopes their remedy might provide some relief for his cancer.

Fear: Jack recoils, afraid to believe in a cure, feeling that hope is dangerous and irrational. His skepticism deepens, fearing he might be manipulated by people selling false hope.

2. Hope: As Ellie sings the Druid song and the secret passage is revealed, Jack sees a glimmer of something extraordinary. Maybe there’s more to life than the bitterness he’s clung to.

Fear: The shifting bookshelf and concealed entrance evoke dread. Jack fears he’s losing control over his environment and perhaps his sanity.

3. Hope: The idea of an ancient, secret Druidic knowledge excites Gareth, and Jack feels a subtle pull toward discovering more, a spark of curiosity overcoming his usual apathy.

Fear: Jack’s fear of the unknown surges as he considers what they might find in the hidden room. He fears that digging into the past will only unearth more pain or danger.

4. Hope: Ellie’s charm begins to break through Jack’s gruff exterior, and Jack contemplates the possibility that these strangers might have entered his life for a reason.

Fear: Jack fears emotional vulnerability, his instincts urging him to push everyone away before they can hurt him like the loss of his family did.

5. Hope: Jack, seeing the mystical elements aligning in the cabin, briefly wonders if something beyond the material world could intervene in his life.

Fear: He fears letting his guard down, scared that accepting such ideas would mean facing his unresolved grief and guilt.

Act 2

1. Hope: Jack, with reluctant optimism, helps Ellie prepare the mistletoe-whisky concoction, hoping that it might relieve some of his physical pain, if not cure him.

Fear: He fears that even if it works, he’ll owe something to Ellie, and worse, be forced to confront his mortality sooner than he’s ready.

2. Hope: The discovery of the Druid poem and its ancient knowledge gives Ellie and Gareth hope that they’re on the cusp of something powerful—perhaps a cure for Jack.

Fear: Jack grows increasingly anxious, fearing that this “cure” might be a trap that worsens his condition or hastens his death.

3. Hope: Jack momentarily lets his guard down and confesses his doubts to Ellie. For a moment, he allows himself to feel supported and not completely alone.

Fear: Immediately after, Jack fears this connection, instinctively pushing Ellie away with a harsh remark, afraid of the intimacy he’s allowed.

4. Hope: When they find the sundial and hidden crypt, Ellie grows excited, feeling that they’re on the verge of a breakthrough that will save Jack’s life.

Fear: Jack’s fear spikes as they uncover the crypt. He fears the mystical elements at play and what drinking from the vial could do to him—death feels too close.

5. Hope: Ellie believes they’ve found a solution, and Jack, while skeptical, allows himself to entertain the idea that he could be saved.

Fear: Jack fears the disappointment that will come when the concoction doesn’t work, further fueling his sense of hopelessness and loss.

Act 3

1. Hope: Ellie tells Jack that the liquid in the vial will change everything, and Jack feels a faint hope flickering again—maybe he can still be saved.

Fear: He fears trusting her. The last time he hoped for something (saving his family on Christmas Eve), he was devastated by loss.

2. Hope: The family crest on the coffin connects Jack to something ancient and meaningful. He briefly contemplates the possibility of legacy and purpose.

Fear: Jack is afraid that embracing this newfound lineage will come with consequences. He fears he is not worthy of such power or knowledge.

3. Hope: Gareth’s enthusiasm and belief in the ritual are infectious, and for a moment, Jack allows himself to believe that maybe magic could save him.

Fear: Jack’s fear of the unknown kicks in. He panics that whatever this ritual might awaken could be something dark or uncontrollable.

4. Hope: As Jack takes a sip of the golden liquid, there’s a moment of hope where he believes it might actually work.
Fear: His immediate physical reaction—convulsing and vomiting—brings overwhelming fear, making him think he’s made a fatal mistake.

5. Hope: Ellie’s efforts to revive Jack give her hope that he’s not gone, that they haven’t lost the chance to heal him.
Fear: In that tense moment when Jack seems to be dead, fear grips everyone, as they face the potential that they’ve pushed him too far and it’s too late.

Act 4

1. Hope: After Ellie successfully revives Jack, the possibility of a true healing becomes real. They believe that following the proper Druid ritual will be the key to Jack’s salvation.

Fear: There’s fear that if Jack completes the ritual and it fails, there will be no other recourse to save him from his illness.

2. Hope: Jack’s willingness to wear the robe and chant the ancient lyrics represents a moment of surrender to hope. He is choosing to embrace the mystical process, allowing himself to believe in something bigger than himself.

Fear: Jack fears that fully committing to the ritual will open up old wounds. His emotional healing is tied to letting go of his grief, and that terrifies him.

3. Hope: The kiss under the mistletoe feels like a breakthrough, a moment of genuine emotional connection between Jack and Ellie, showing Jack that love still holds power in his life.

Fear: Jack fears that embracing love again will only lead to more loss and pain, repeating the trauma of his past.

4. Hope: After drinking the final vial, Jack feels the sensation of his cancer pain fading. The possibility that this ritual has worked is exhilarating and fills him with hope for a future free of suffering.

Fear: He fears that this relief is temporary or illusory, that his pain will return and the miracle was just a fleeting dream.

5. Hope: In the resolution, Jack embraces not just the physical healing but the emotional healing of letting go of his past grief. He hopes that, even if his time is limited, he can live the rest of his life with a sense of peace and connection.

Fear: Jack’s final fear is whether he can truly maintain this new outlook or whether his old bitterness and guilt will come creeping back to haunt him.

[Anna Maganini]

Anna Maganini Writes Great Hope/Fear!

What I learned from this assignment – It was absolutely horrific in some ways, took forever to do the first part on brainstorming so many situations because I thought you had to do ALL of them. THEN – I re-read the instructions and it said pick only five of them to brainstorm – LOL! I had already done all of them! HOWEVER, the ones that were useful to my story I loved brainstorming on, and you never know which ones will be useful for your story. I even thought up a few new situations particular to my story, to brainstorm on. It definitely put my imagination in a more fruitful, creative place.

When I did the 2nd part – putting HOPE and FEAR into each step of my 4-Act structure, I brainstormed all new stuff overnight and in the morning as I lay in bed. So that’s what I used in my 4-act structure, all the new stuff. I only put the second part of the assignment in here – the HOPE and FEAR in the 4-act structure. No use boring you with all the brainstorming I did. But I sure got in a years’ worth of it!

HIGH CONCEPT – A crippled Afghanistan war vet moves into a co-op and gets caught up in neighborly games that turn deadly – especially for vets. But who runs the game?

Character: Rainey moves into a quaint neighborhood and gets caught up in ‘neighborly’ games that turn ominous and even deadly – unless she can find who runs them.

CONFLICT – It’s neighbor against neighbor competing to win and kill the other before they get killed – until they realize it’s them against the game runner

REASON FOR CONTAINMENT – A forced competition in home of one or two of the victims where the only way they may get out alive is to find out who’s running it before they kill each other.

CHARACTERS –
– Rainey is a crippled Afghanistan war vet, 30’s, who moves into a new place wanting to make friends, but she may have another agenda.

– Bobo is a young guy, 19 or 20, of Afghan origin, more disabled than she, on oxygen and a wheelchair, who may hold the secret to the games.

– Josh is a psychopath, 40’s war vet with PTSD, deeply in debt, who will easily kill to win

– Kayla, his wife, 30’s, seemingly weak, appears to be the slightly better half of the couple but has more vile intentions than her husband

Supporting – Sack is a gruff old, somewhat suspicious Afghani guy, 70’s, Bobo’s dad.

Supporting – Vincent is the handsome neighbor, 40, that Rainey gets a crush on

Supporting – Bonnie, Rainey’s friend, 40, makes sure she’s moved in, warns of dangers

ACT 1 –

HOPE – Rainey moves in -spectacular open ++++++ but I don’t know what yet.

FEAR – THREAT – Her friend Bonnie warns her about TV news-some psycho is killing vets

HOPE – She laughs it off and bakes cookies for new neighbors

FEAR – HELPLESS – She is crippled and hangs her Purple Heart on the fridge??

HOPE – Cute guy stops by to say hi, invites her to play ‘neighborly’ games, she gives him a plate of cookies

HOPE – Encouraged, she takes a plate of cookies to neighbors Bobo and dad Sack

FEAR – TRAUMA – Bobo is playing an Afghani song on piano, it takes her back to what happened to her in Afghanistan

HOPE – They help revive her with saffron tea and make friends. She invites them to join the neighborly games with her, so they all join the games together.

FEAR – ABUSE – on her way out, she freezes as she hears violent screaming and hitting from another apartment.

HOPE – She makes her way towards that apartment with her last plate of cookies.

FEAR – ABUSE – OPPOSING NEEDS/DESIRES – Josh pushes Kayla, who has a black eye, as they blame each other for stealing a neighbor’s laptop and pawning it (or something more expensive). Now the neighbor has found out and they can’t get it back. He has sent a threatening letter. Kayla answers the door crying, but Josh pushes her back in, shoves Rainey away, so she stumbles, and her cane and cookies fall on the floor.

HOPE – Kayla runs back out, apologizes, helps Rainey pick up her cane and cookies, Rainey tells her to call if she ever needs anything, gives out her phone number. Friends maybe?

FEAR – PERSON ON THE EDGE – Josh comes back out and pulls Kayla back in to more fighting

HOPE – Rainey gets her first neighborly game message in the neighborhood mailbox -‘how long does it take you to bake cookies?’ Several neighbors have already answered. She happily leaves her answer – ‘one hour’ – then leaves her own question – ‘how long did it take you to make friends here?’

FEAR – WARNING – She turns to get her mail. When she turns back, there is already a new answer waiting – ‘don’t make friends here – EVER!’ She turns around – sees no one. WHO LEFT IT?

HOPE – The next day – more answers to her question – “I’m your friend already – She smiles thinking it’s the cute guy. There’s also a new question – How long for piano practice? An answer – half an hour – on a note with Arabic writing, that must be Bobo. She smiles.Writes her own response. Zero minutes – I don’t play music :-((

FEAR – DANGER-MIND GAMES – UNKNOWN THREAT – She enters her apartment, finds a strange note inside her door! Someone’s been in here! ‘Do you want to play a more serious game? How long does it take you to take a shower?’ She’s afraid, makes sure her doors and windows are all locked.

HOPE – She’s locking her last window when she sees the handsome guy come home from work. He waves, she waves back. She decides to answer the questions – ‘Yes’ – and – ‘half hour shower – every evening about this time’. Leaves it outside her door.

FEAR – OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION – WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? – A few minutes later, a knock, she answers the door – no one there. But there’s a note outside. ‘Well then, let’s meet tomorrow evening – after your half hour shower. In spite of her jitters, she leaves another note. ‘Deal’.

HOPE – she picks out the dress and earrings she will wear tomorrow night.

FEAR – THREAT – MIND GAMES – Josh throws the threatening note at Kayla, who reads it. ‘You must pay me back to get out of debt. How long does it take you to rob an apartment?’ Kayla, tearful but determined, writes an answer – ‘half an hour’. She hands it to Josh, who pins the response outside their door, slams it shut.

HOPE – Rainey gets in the shower ready for what she thinks is a date with the cute guy

FEAR – UNKNOWN THREAT, MIND GAMES – Rainey finds out her watch and all the clocks in her home are missing. She also finds there is a secret door from her bathroom she hadnt noticed before that she can’t open.

FEAR – CRIME VICTIM – As she showers, she hears robbers invade her home-she’s getting robbed!

===============

ACT 2 – TICKING TIME BOMB

HOPE – When she hears Kayla’s voice, she's relieved, greets her new friend, hoping this is all a big mistake.

FEAR – TICKING TIME BOMB – No mistake. Just as Kayla and Josh find a gun inside the apartment with a note for them, Rainey finds a gun by the shower with a note for her pinned to shower curtain, explaining she is in a game. Shower in exactly a half hour, as robbers rob her in exactly a half hour. Finish first, you kill them. Finish last – they kill you. Finish too early before time is up, and your gun backfires and kills you. NO CLOCKS allowed!

FEAR -INJURY / DEATH / FORCED TO DEAL.. Rainey has a nervous breakdown in the shower, as she’s never killed anyone, even in Afghanistan. She falls and hurts herself.

HOPE – If she has to kill, she must. She starts counting down the half hour, determined to end right on time.

FEAR – OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION – She hears the robbers do the same thing as they want to win too.

FEAR – INJURY – Rainey has forgotten her pills and her cane outside the bathroom.

HOPE – She calls for the robbers to put them inside the bathroom for her, but they refuse.

HOPE – Desperate and hurt, Rainey puts on a bathrobe to go get her cane and pills.

FEAR – UNKNOWN THREAT – But a new note is mysteriously pinned to her shower forbidding her to do it. WHO IS THIS PERSON AND HOW DO THEY GET IN HER HOUSE?

HOPE – Something happens (don’t know what yet) and she discovers the person knows what she’s doing by sense of smell – THE SNIFFER.

FEAR – UNKNOWN THREAT – HOW? WHERE?

HOPE – She rubs charcoal bamboo on herself to mask her smell. Goes out, leaves shower on. It works. THE SNIFFER has no idea.

FEAR – HELPLESS – INJURY – She tries to get her pills but Josh spills them everywhere on purpose and takes her cane.

HOPE – She reaches for the empty tin of pills, hoping there’s one left, sees Kayla puts down a round object the same size as her pill tin. It makes Rainey curious. She takes the tin and her plastic library card off the dresser.

FEAR – PERSON ON THE EDGE – DEATH – Josh is so berserk, he accuses Rainey of ‘finishing too early’ and aims to shoot. Before Kayla can stop him, he shoots Rainey but the gun backfires on him and kills him, just like the note said!

FEAR – MIND GAMES – IMPOSSIBLE ODDS – Sobered and afraid, both Rainey and Kayla get a new note that says even if both sides end on time, they die. Two winners are not allowed; both their guns will backfire and kill them as they kill the other. And, if both finish too late – a bomb goes off, killing both sides. Basically, win or lose, both sides die.

HOPE – They hug; for a moment, it feels like friendship. Rainey asks Kayla to work together and break the rules so they don’t kill each other.

FEAR – OPPOSING NEEDS/DESIRE – DANGER – Kayla says no, as Josh would have wanted to win. They fight. BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO WIN! Unless they find the game runner. But Kayla thinks she has a plan to win.

+++(A couple more things as Rainey goes back to finish her shower, tries to figure out who THE SNIIFER IS, but THE SNIFFER keeps thwarting her plans)

HOPE – Rainey finds the bomb that will supposedly blow them all up. It's deep under her bathroom sink.

FEAR – MIND GAMES / OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION – ATTACK AT ANY MOMENT – What if it goes off? Are they out of time yet? WHAT TIME IS IT?

HOPE – A strange smell comes from her bathroom vent, curry???? The vents! That’s how THE SNIFFER smells what’s going on.

HOPE- And THE SNIFFER gets in and out to leave notes through the mysterious door!

HOPE – Rainey leaves the shower running, rubs bamboo charcoal on herself again, uses the plastic library card to unlock the mysterious door in her bathroom.

FEAR – DANGER – UNKNOWN THREAT – she finds herself in a tunnel, fear and excitement build as she closes in on the game runner.

HOPE – She emerges from the tunnel, finds and unlocks another door, finds herself in Bobo’s house. The house smells of curry. She’s found him! Bobo is the game runner!

==============

ACT 3 –

HOPE – She finds Bobo playing Afghan songs on the piano, sees all her furniture and belongings piled up in his house, victorious at having found him.

FEAR – MIND GAMES – UNKNOWN THREAT – She accuses him and takes his wheelchair so he can’t move; places the bomb in his apartment. He sobs it’s not him, that Kayla is using his apartment to store the stolen stuff, while his dad went to the store to get ingredients for his curry.

++++ HOPE – (some other stuff that makes her think it’s him even more)

++++ FEAR – (some other stuff that makes her think it’s him even more)

FEAR -TICKING TIME BOMB – Rainey starts moving her stuff back out of Bobo’s apartment, while the bomb ticks down.

FEAR – THREAT – Kayla comes in with another armful of Rainey’s belongings, laughs and admits she was the game player all along. She hates war vets, thinks they have created too many wars. Her husband Josh was also a vet. She has suckered all the vets into her game to kill them.

FEAR – COULD ATTACK AT ANY MOMENT – PERSON ON THE EDGE – Kayla starts a new game since the bomb is in here now. Bobo must play the piano while Rainey accompanies him on the tambourine — until the bomb goes off. Maybe if they play fast enough, she might spare them.

FEAR – TICKING TIME BOMB – Rainey and Bobo both try to play the piano and tambourine as fast as they can – while Kayla keeps moving Raineys stuff in.

FEAR – DEATH- DESTRUCTION – Kayla says Time’s UP! She takes out the round object she thinks is her bomb detonator and game control box.

HOPE – She finds she is holding Rainey’s empty pill tin.

HOPE – Rainey shows Kayla she’s the one with the bomb detonator/control box. She had taken that from the dresser instead of the pill tin.

HOPE – All along a deep part of Rainey suspected Kayla! Kayla’s game is up!

===============

ACT 4

HOPE – Rainey is the true game runner now. She’s got the bomb and the detonator.

FEAR – DEATH – DESTRUCTION – She realizes Kayla has a gun and she doesn’t have hers.

HOPE – The half hour is not quite up yet. If Kayla shoots, it will backfire on herself.

FEAR – DEATH – DESTRUCTION – Kayla cocks the gun anyway and aims.

HOPE – Bobo throws himself at Kayla and the gun slides towards Rainey. She picks it up.

FEAR – IMPENDING DOOM – She can’t shoot with her crippled right hand and body. Just then the control device stops clicking. TIME’S UP!

FEAR – DEATH – DESTRUCTION – Kayla runs out and recovers Rainey’s gun from the apartment, starts shooting through the wall. Rainey, out of fear, starts shooting through the wall at random.

HOPE – Kayla gets hit and stops shooting. Maybe this is over.

FEAR – OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION – Wait! The bomb is about to blow! Rainey stumbles out of Bobo’s apartment, screams at him to crawl his way out!

HOPE – Rainey and Bobo make it back to Raineys apartment.

FEAR – OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION – PERSON ON EDGE – DEATH -DESTRUCTION – HELPLESS – But Kayla drags herself like a torpedo into the apartment also, lunges on top of Rainey. They have a ferocious girl fight which crippled Rainey is losing. Bobo looks paralyzed.

HOPE – Rainey screams at Bobo to crawl himself to the phone and call police. He tries to…

HOPE – Rainey reveals she’s a war vet helping Veterans’ Affairs investigate recent killings against veterans – and Kayla is going down.

FEAR – DEATH – DESTRUCTION – But Kayla is strangling her, taking her time, enjoying it.

HOPE – ???? SURPRISE ENDING ??? Vincent is at the door with flowers. Hello? We had a date.

FEAR – DEATH – DESTRUCTION – Suddenly the bomb goes off, blowing up Bobo’s apartment.

HOPE – But they are fine. Vincent takes it all in and takes some rope and ties Kayla up with it.

HOPE – He takes out his phone to call 911. Sirens already sound in the background.

==========

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Anna Maganini.

[Arthur Anderson]

Arthur Writes Great Hope/Fear

What I learned from this assignment is the importance of balancing hope and fear to create an emotional roller coaster for the audience, enhancing their engagement with the story. By carefully sequencing these moments, you may effectively build tension, deepen character arcs, and elevate the overall impact of the narrative.

Act 1:
Environment – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group wins the lottery at the Halloween party and boards the houseboat, excited for the adventure ahead.
Fear: As they pass Jekyll Island, the atmosphere shifts, with dark clouds gathering overhead, hinting at impending danger.

Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They joke and laugh, building camaraderie, feeling invincible as they approach the island.
Fear: Suddenly, a loud noise from below the boat interrupts their fun, causing panic as they realize they might be in trouble.

Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They attempt to fix the boat’s engine, believing they can quickly resolve the issue and continue their adventure.
Fear: They discover the propeller has been ripped off the motor by something that left a large prehistoric-sized tooth in the metal frame, leaving them stranded and being pushed by something under the houseboat toward the ominous shore of Jekyll Island.

Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: As they approach the island, they see lights in the distance, suggesting potential help or shelter.
Fear: The lights turn out to be on a recently destroyed Sheriff’s marine patrol boat covered with blood, igniting fear as they realize the danger they are in and are too far out for cell service.

Increasing Tension – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They make a plan to explore the island for help by heading to an antenna tower in the distance.
Fear: Just as they disembark, Ty is attacked by a vicious creature, which drags him into the brush, leading to fear and chaos as they scramble to find him. Something else with red eyes is in the woods tracking their movement.

Act 2:
Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group finds shelter in an abandoned bio-weapons lab building, creating a temporary safe haven.
Fear: Strange noises outside the building heighten their fear, suggesting they are being watched.

Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They discover supplies in the building and are able to start the backup generator, giving them hope for survival.
Fear: One of the things they find is a video of the bio-weapons experiments, which turned animals into vicious mutant predators, a warning sign about the island’s dark past, creating doubt about their safety. They discover the radio room has been destroyed.

Environment – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They devise a plan to search for Ty, encouraging each other to stay positive.
Fear: As they venture out, they realize the island is a maze of traps and danger, making them question their choices.

Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They catch a glimpse of Ty in the distance, igniting hope that he’s alive.
Fear: Suddenly, a creature attacks, holding Ty’s head in its raised claw, revealing the horrifying reality of their situation and forcing them to flee.

Midpoint – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They find a hidden lab revealing the truth about the creatures, sparking a new plan to survive.
Fear: The mutated scientist appears, commanding the creatures, shattering their hope, and confirming the danger they face as they lose another member of their group to a new, more hideous creature.

Act 3:
Incompatibility – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group tries to unify, deciding to stick together and create a strong defense plan.
Fear: Tensions rise as disagreements arise, with conflicting ideas on how to survive creating fractures within the group.

Increasing Tension – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They successfully set traps to protect themselves, building confidence in their plan.
Fear: The traps fail, and they face an onslaught of creatures, pushing their panic to new heights.

Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley comes up with a new strategy that appears to have potential, rallying the group.
Fear: Mason is suddenly killed by a colossal spider and is taken away during the attack, causing utter chaos and despair among the survivors.

Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group manages to regroup and formulate a new escape plan, igniting a flicker of hope.
Fear: Just as they start to execute their plan, they realize the mutated scientist has been leading the creatures directly to them.

Turning Point – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley discovers a way to potentially use the lab’s technology to their advantage.
Fear: The power fails, plunging them into darkness, and the creatures close in, heightening the sense of doom.

Act 4:
Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley, determined to escape, formulates a daring final plan that could lead them to safety.
Fear: The remaining friends are separated in the chaos, leaving Riley alone to confront the dangers. Each of them is killed by creatures the mutant scientist sends after them.

Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley successfully deploys the life raft she finds in the boat house on the dock, thinking she might have a chance.
Fear: The mutated scientist confronts her just as she thinks she’s succeeded, revealing its power over the creatures.

Climax – Hope/Fear:
Hope: In a final showdown, Riley faces the scientist, using her wit and newfound courage to fight back.
Fear: The confrontation escalates as creatures swarm around her, making her fight feel desperate and uncertain.

Final Resolution – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley manages to outsmart the scientist and the remaining creatures, leading them into a trap on the houseboat where she has left the propane running. She baits them into the houseboat. When they attack, she jumps off the boat and fires a flare into the boat, killing the mutant scientist and the creatures.
Fear: As she departs the island, a large octopus tentacle rises out of the water and moves toward her as we CUT TO BLACK and then hear her scream.

Emotional Conclusion – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley reflects on her friends as she navigates back to safety, feeling a sense of strength and survival.
Fear: The last shot reveals her being attacked by the tentacle of an octopus. Did she really make it out alive?

[Gina Coviello]

Gina Writes Great Hope/Fear!

What I learned doing this assignment is – really paying attention to where these moments happen in your story can point out where more conflict needs to be added in, and whether or not it delivers enough for the audience. I want to do more brainstorming on this before I dive in to the script writing, because I think I can make some of these stronger.

Act 1

HOPE – Marcus, the new security expert, arrives at the base.

FEAR – On the surface, there are reports of a new virus that may mutate to affect humans.

HOPE – Lena is confident that their team will find a cure and a vaccine before that happens.

FEAR – Isaac is hiding his drug use from everyone.

HOPE – Keller reports that the base’s communications and life support systems continue to be fully operational.

FEAR – An ocean earthquake rattles the station, damaging areas and wreaking havoc with the computer systems.

DANGER – Oliver has accidentally infected himself with a virus.

Act 1 TURNING POINT: FALSE HOPE – Keller assures the group that he can get everything up and running, and that the damage is manageable.

Act 2

NEW PLAN: Assess the damage to determine if it is safe to remain in the station and continue their work.

HOPE – Marcus checks it structurally, aside from a few areas that have been closed down by the security system, the base remains sound. The doctors check their labs to make sure the contagions are secure.

FALSE HOPE – Keller checks the computer systems and reports that everything is operational.

FEAR – But he sabotages a part of the system, making sure not everything can come back online.

CONSPIRACY – Nadine realizes that Keller works for the terrorist group and is there to keep an eye on her.

MIDPOINT TURNING POINT – FEAR – A second, more powerful earthquake rocks the station, causing irreparable damage.

DEATH – The second quake caused the cabinet of virus vials to dislodge from the wall and topple over. Oliver is exposed to a deadly virus and closes himself in the lab to protect the others. They watch helplessly outside the door as he dies.

HOPE – But the others are safe for now.

FEAR – Keller can’t get the system up and running, but lies about it, planning to escape in a one-man submarine, leaving them all behind.

Act 3

RETHINK EVERYTHING – FEAR – Losing Oliver has the group worried that they may all be infected.

HOPE – Marcus suspects Keller is up to something, but his main concern is getting everyone out alive.

NEW PLAN – HOPE – Gather up the data and research, and evacuate the base.

TURNING POINT: Huge Failure/Major Shift – FEAR – The earthquake caused a landslide and the base is shifting toward the edge of the shelf.

FEAR – Lena can’t find her way back to the others and is trapped by debris!

HOPE – But Marcus hears her call out and rushes to her, dislodging the debris and freeing her.

TRAGEDY – Isaac doesn’t know that Lena is safe and goes to her lab to get her. He gets trapped inside the flooding room and drowns!

BETRAYAL and FEAR – Marcus and Lena discover Keller’s betrayal, that the company he is working for is blackmailing Nadine, making her steal samples of the virus and he is there to report on her. At the same time, he is also stealing the base’s research and secrets to sell to their competitor. The only reason they didn’t evacuate immediately is because he didn’t have what he needed, so he lied about the life support systems coming back online. The system is down, and access to the single submarines is destroyed.

Act 4

HOPE – FINAL PLAN – Navigate the flooding base in order to manually override the system and jettison the submersible to the surface.

FEAR – As they race to the submersible, the rest of the base floods with water. They’re running out of time!

CLIMAX/Ultimate Expression of Conflict – DANGER – As they slog through the waist-high water heading toward the submersible, the water level continues to climb.

FEAR – They must swim through the corridor to get to the next air pocket, not knowing if there is a way out!

DEATH – The box jellyfish, now loose from its tank and swimming dangerously nearby, stings Keller, sending him into cardiac arrest and killing him.

HOPE – Lena, Nadine, and Marcus get to the submersible but…

FEAR- Once inside, see that the controls are damaged and it can’t be sealed and jettisoned from the inside.

HOPE – While Mac and Lena rush to find a solution…

SACRIFICE – Nadine exits, seals the hatch from the outside and hits the eject button, sacrificing herself to save them.

TRAGEDY – Marcus and Lena watch the base and Nadine slide off the shelf into the dark abyss…

HOPE – As they rise up to the surface, finally free.

Although I’m going to give them one more trial before they get there, but haven’t brainstormed that part yet.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Gina Coviello.

[Joy Smith]

Joy Smith Writes Great Hope/Fear!

What I learned doing this assignment is… Even though I’m writing a Christmas romcom, the hope\fear strategy still works really well. You wouldn’t think it at first glance, but it also helps clarify the conflict and escalate the tension in the story – which should keep the audience interested. Anything that does that is a good tool for me to learn!

1. Pull out the 4-Act structure of your story.
2. Using the list of Infinite Possibilities above, brainstorm 5 or more Hope/Fear moments that can occur in each Act.
3. Sequence those Hope/Fear moments to fit the emotional journey you want your audience to have.

Concept: When Santa’s daughter is accidentally stuck on a magical island, she is forced to choose a husband before her father’s powers vanish, threatening Christmas for everyone.

Main Conflict: Sandra choosing a husband – it shows up as conflict with her father, between her and the two suitors and only between the two suitors.

Act 1:
• Opening: Santa on the beach with his daughter, having an office party before the biggest day of the year: delivery day.
HOPE: Santa having fun at the beach with his family and with his workers.
FEAR: Santa brings out the truth telling wine.

• Inciting Incident: Santa tells his daughter he wants to retire and she must choose a husband because being Santa is a big job.
HOPE: Santa tells Sandra he wants to retire and will pass the reins on to her.
FEAR: Santa tells Sandra she must choose a husband, it’s too big a job to do alone.

UNSURE WHO THE REAL THREAT IS: Sandra doesn’t like anyone and doesn’t think Santa will follow through. She doesn’t know who likes her. She says she knows her Dad wanted a boy. She goes to bed.

DANGER: Santa accidentally casts a spell when Sandra doesn’t get up for breakfast.

• Turning Point: Sandra realizes she is trapped on the island – she thinks alone!
LEFT ALONE: Sandra thinks she is alone on the island.
HOPE: She’s happy with this, as she doesn’t want to face choosing a husband. Thinks she can punish her Dad by going missing.

Act 2:
• New plan: While she is enjoying sulking, she finds out that two of her suitors are also trapped with her.
TRAPPED: She finds Jasper and Magnus on the island.

• Plan in action: They try to woo her and get her to make a decision, respecting Santa’s wishes, but she is resistant.
FORCED TO DEAL WITH EACH OTHER: After trying to stay on her own, she realizes she needs the company, so has to deal with Jasper and Magnus.
WORST THING/HER FEAR: They both say they’re into her and would happily marry her.

• Midpoint Turning Point: They find out that Santa’s powers are diminishing the longer they are on the island.
THREAT: Jasper figures out the reason they’re trapped on the island, and that Santa is in danger of his magic draining away.

Act 3:
• Rethink everything: Sandra realises she must make a decision to save Christmas for everyone.
HELPLESS: Sandra tries to figure out how she can get back home and save her Dad. Jasper says the only way to break it is for her to marry.
IMPENDING DOOM: Christmas might not happen this year, or ever again.
TICKING CLOCK: She must marry by midnight on the 23rd so that delivery day can happen on time.

• New plan: She uncovers the elf that has been helping Magnus, and realizes that he and the elf are in love. They leave the island via the Bermuda triangle.
HIDING OUT: They discover the elf and Magnus’ true motive – he doesn’t really love Sandra.
HOPE: Magnus not loving her is a relief, but she still has to marry someone and there aren’t many options.

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Santa is still on the island, in a weakened state, they need to resolve it to save Christmas.
DEATH: They find Santa, not dead, but in a bad state – he’s been on the island all this time with no one to look after him.

Act 4:
• Final plan: Sandra must marry Jasper to save Santa.
CHARACTER FEAR: That it won’t work out, and that it won’t save Santa.

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Sandra marries Jasper, fulfilling her Father’s wishes and releasing the magic.
HOPE: That they will make a great team together.
HOPE: That Christmas will be saved.
CHARACTER FEAR: That she won’t be good enough to make the deliveries.
HOPE: She has Jasper now and Santa says he believes in her. He wanted a boy because he finds them easier to deal with, but he loves his challenging, bright, wonderful daughter.

• Resolution: They start deliveries as Mr & Mrs Claus
HOPE: Christmas is saved!