Lesson 8

[Diane Phelps]

Diane Phelps’ Thriller Plot

What I learned is … that this is a lego version of the story. Building the blocks up one by one and then you have a movie.

Opening:

The film begins with a breathtaking aerial view of the picturesque coastal town of Port Paradise, bathed in golden sunlight. The camera descends to reveal the bustling streets, happy families, and pristine beaches. This idyllic setting masks the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. As the scene unfolds, we are introduced to Alex Turner, a disillusioned journalist, who returns to his hometown after years away. He’s seen in action, investigating a small local news story, showcasing his sharp investigative skills and unwavering determination.

Inciting Incident:

During his visit home, Alex discovers that his sister, Lindsay, has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. He begins to dig into her disappearance and stumbles upon an old diary filled with cryptic clues, suggesting a government cover-up tied to the supernatural energy source beneath Port Paradise. This revelation propels Alex into a personal journey to uncover the truth about Lindsay’s disappearance and the dark forces at play in his hometown.

Turning Point 1:

Alex’s investigation into Lindsay’s diary leads him to a local psychologist named Dr. Beck, who has been counseling some of the missing residents. Together with Beck, he starts piecing together the puzzle of the energy source and Mayor Evelyn Monroe’s involvement. However, they inadvertently attract the attention of the villains who are determined to protect the secret. A mysterious car crash narrowly misses Alex, making it clear that he’s now locked into the conflict, and there’s no turning back.

Midpoint:

As Alex and Beck delve deeper into the mystery, they discover a hidden chamber beneath the mayor’s mansion, revealing the true extent of the supernatural energy source’s power. They find evidence linking the “Enlightened Circle” to the town’s dark history and realize that the opposition they face is far more formidable and sinister than they ever imagined. The danger escalates as they learn that harnessing this energy could lead to catastrophic consequences for the entire town.

Turning Point 2:

In a shocking twist, Beck is abducted by the villains as a warning to Alex to stop his investigation. Alex, devastated and guilt-ridden, feels responsible for Beck’s abduction. He hits rock bottom, realizing that he’s up against ruthless adversaries who will stop at nothing to protect the secret. He contemplates giving up, but a chance encounter with Oliver, the conspiracy theorist, gives him a new glimmer of hope and determination.

Climax:

Alex, Oliver, and a reluctant whistleblower from within the “Enlightened Circle” team up to expose Mayor Monroe and the society’s true intentions. In a heart-pounding showdown, they confront the mayor and her armed bodyguards in the underground chamber. Guns are drawn, and the fate of Port Paradise hangs in the balance. The supernatural energy source begins to surge uncontrollably, causing chaos and destruction.

Resolution:

In a tense standoff, Alex manages to convince some members of the “Enlightened Circle” to turn against Mayor Monroe, leading to an internal struggle within the society. Beck is rescued, but the town is still on the brink of disaster as the energy source threatens to spiral out of control. In a final act of sacrifice, the whistleblower helps Alex and his team shut down the energy source, averting catastrophe. Mayor Monroe is arrested, and the society’s secrets are exposed to the public.

The film ends with Port Paradise on the path to recovery, its dark secrets brought to light. Alex has not only found the truth about Lindsay’s disappearance but also uncovered the town’s darkest mysteries. As he reflects on his journey, he finds closure and a renewed sense of purpose. The closing shot is a serene view of Port Paradise, no longer hiding behind a facade, as the sun sets over the horizon, signifying the end of a long, harrowing journey and the beginning of a new chapter for the town.

[Brenda Clarke]

Brenda Clarke THRILLER PLOT

So, it has been very messy, but realise this is only the first attempt at placing all these elements together. I also found there are gaps, which when doing this process again, will be able to fill in these gaps and make it more comprehensible further down the track. Huge Learning Curve 🙂

Act 1. Opening: Daughter gives a Yoga class out on lawn beside beach, in Australia. Later at home she witnesses her mother (who lives in China) being abducted by 3 Asian men whilst on a video chat with her. She tries calling her father, he is not answering his phone.
Life Threatening: Are they going to kill her mother?

MYSTERY: Why would these strange men abduct her mother? Where is her father?

VILLAINS PLAN: Abduct the wife and torture her for information to the whereabouts of her husband.

Act 2. Inciting Incident: She now has to uncover the truth and rescue her mother. Martial Arts instructor chases up on tattoo design, informs her that the men were soldiers of the Chinese Triads, who happen to operate both in Australia/China.
She realises she needs to go deeper into the criminal underworld to find her parents. She goes undercover to Casino to seek out leads.

Life Threatening: She puts herself at risk should she be discovered by Triads
MYSTERY: Who are these men and what do they want with her mother? Why hasn’t she heard back from her father?
VILLAINS PLAN: Track down John and slowly torture him to death for revenge of his father’s murder.

Act 3. Turning Point: She must go to China to further her investigations. MA Instructor says, she must train to level up on her fighting skills (which is against her mother’s wishes) They train together.
Life Threatening: She feels she is not up for it, ex teacher re assures her, she must dig deep to find her “Fighting Warrior”, fight to survive.

MYSTERY: We find out that the daughter was a champion Martial Arts Practitioner.

VILLAINS PLAN: To find the hiding place of John, abduct and torture him.

Act 4. Midpoint: Her and her ex Martial Arts instructor find a bar where the Triads frequent, where she has to seek out information where they may be holding her mother.
Life Threatening: She is exposing herself once in the company of these underworld soldiers. MYSTERY: Who are these men and what do they want with her mother?

VILLAINS PLAN: Soldiers capture John and take him to the Dragon, in an abandoned warehouse.

Act 5. Turning Point: Her and MA Instructor find the location of a small hotel where the mother is being held, fight the soldiers who have weapons and rescue her. Fight Sequence.
John goes deeper into hiding, which makes him look guilty (red herring)
Life Threatening: two women outnumbered by six men.

MYSTERY: Mother explains, they are after information about her husband/father. WHY? What is going on?

VILLAINS PLAN: He is informed that the daughter is after him, he now orders his soldiers to kill her. He murders an opposing Triad leader and make it seem like John has committed these killings. to manipulate the police and distance himself from the crimes. He establishes false alibis for the Murder of Triad Leader, to put the police off track.

Act 6. Turning Point: Daughter sees TV program where her father is implicated in the murder of an opposing Triad gang Leader and is in hiding from the Chinese Authorities.
She goes back to bar, before she goes in, is chased away by Triad on motor bike. MOTOR BIKE CHASE. He crashes and before he dies she gets the information of the location of her father

Life Threatening: She now knows the Triads are onto her
MYSTERY: How is she going to rescue her father without the Triads finding her first?
Did her father really commit this recent murder?
VILLAINS PLAN: He takes John and moves him to another location, which is difficult as John now has severe injuries, leaving a trail of blood.

Act 7. Climax: Daughter pursues Villain up into the Mountains, to his grandfather’s home in a small isolated village. She confronts the Villain, a fight to the death ensues, he dies. She rescues her father and reunites him with his wife/mother.
Life Threatening: Fight to the death

MYSTERY: Why is the Villain after John?
VILLAINS PLAN: Slowly torture John to death as he killed his father.

Act 8. Resolution: The Father explains his innocence in the Triad murder BUT reveals he is an undercover agent who exposed the Heroin shipment to Australia and also shot the Villains father in the line of duty. The daughter now faces the aftermath of her ordeal and the challenges of rebuilding her life with her family.

MYSTERY: Does the daughter go back to being a Yoga Instructor or does she go on a different path? Join her father in becoming a spy?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Brenda Clarke.

[Alfred Dunham]

Brenda: This is Alfred Dunham. Are you the self-same Brenda Clark who sent me a Friend request? If so, when critique time comes along, maybe we can exchange critiques???

[Brenda Clarke]

Hello Alfred, yes I did send the friend request. I’m trying to make some contact with fellow class members. Would be happy to exchange when the time comes.

kind regards,

Brenda

[Barbe LaPierre]

Barbe’s Thriller Plot

What I learned is that the technique works! It’s still bare bones but creates a good foundation from which to craft the story.

OPENING: Max’s store is broken into

Villain’s Plan 1: Get the manuscript that is still in the safe.

Life Threatening 1: Break-in at Max’s store.

Life Threatening 2: Gunshots!

Life Threatening 3: Max finds a body in his office.

Life Threatening 4: Max follows the thief into the alley and shoots him.

Mystery 1: Why did Max shoot the intruder?

CATALYST: Matty Holmes receives a distress call from her friend, Max, who has been arrested for murder.

Villain’s Plan 2: The Mavens come to Max’s aid – but are in the dark about Max’s true background.

Mystery 2: What is Max hiding?

FUN AND GAMES: The investigation begins.

Life Threatening 5: The Mavens start their investigation and are surveilled by Volkov’s thugs.

MIDPOINT: The Mavens come to the attention of the villain – Sergei Volkov

Mystery 3: Who is Volkov?

Villain’s Plan 3: Now the Mavens stand in the way of Volkov.

BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:

Mystery 4: Why does Volkov need the manuscript?

Villain’s Plan 4: The Mavens are threatened with kidnapping, their vehicles tampered with, and homes broken into.

Life Threatening 6: The thugs threaten the Mavens by chasing them, tampering with their vehicles, trapping them, and threatening their lives.

Life Threatening 7: Max lies about who he is, his past, his reason for purchasing the manuscript, his past connection to the dead ex-FBI agent, and his current connection to Volkov.

Life Threatening 8: Volkov is threatened with death by his employer – a powerful and shadowy Russian oligarch.

FINALE:

Villain’s Plan 5: Volkov needs to take out the Mavens one-by-one.

Life Threatening 9: The Mavens turn the tables and invite Sergei to dinner at Matty’s house.

Life Threatening 10: Sergei attends the dinner but brings his thugs to stand guard outside and inside.

Life Threatening 11: Unknown to the diners inside a police SWAT team swoops in and dispatches the thugs outside.

Life Threatening 12: Just as Sergei, with a twinge of wistful regret, threatens to kill all the Mavens, the SWAT team breaks in and overpowers the thugs inside.

Life Threatening 13: Sergei is captured.

RESOLUTION:

Life Threatening 14: All this turmoil destroys Max’s relationship with Matty Holmes, one of the Mavens.

Life Threatening 15: Max’s store and reputation are lost.

[Alfred Dunham]

Alfred Dunham: Thriller Plot!

What I learned doing this assignment:

The logic behind the three previous lessons became patently clear with this one. I found that I had to go back and spruce up the previous lessons to understand this one.

BIG MYSTERY = THE BIG SECRET THAT IS BEING COVERED UP = The source of their danger.

I. List out your structure using whatever structure you are comfortable with.

Opening – Ryan and Isabella are lured into a free honeymoon vacation by Silas

Inciting Event – Ryan and Isabella accept Silas’ offer, and after the wedding, find themselves isolated in a vast wilderness. There is no turning back.

Turning Point 1 – Something is not right.

Midpoint Twist – They are in serious danger, and they know it.

Turning Point 2 – They make a terribly dangerous decision to try to beat the trap they’re in.

Climax – They succeed in escaping the Villain’s trap.

Resolution – Ryan and Isabella agree to focus on their unexpected strengths and forget past secrets.

II. Inside your structure, fill in the gaps with the Life-Threatening situations, Mysteries, and Villain’s plan. Do this one at a time. That will keep you from getting confused.

Opening

MYSTERY 1. Who, after all, is Silas, and who is his boss?

2. Why the strange offer?

3. Where is this “Valley,” and why does an electronics firm own it?

4. Who is the guy at the wedding that walks off?

DANGER 1. Why is Isabella so out of joint over Sialis knowing her?

2. What is the significance of a guest leaving the wedding?

Inciting Event

MYSTERY 1. Does Silas actually know how to fly that old helicopter?

2. Okay. Now they’re “here” [the starting point], now what?

3. Really, now. A paid gatekeeper to The Valley? Why?

DANGER 1. The old helicopter decides to hiccup. Silas must fix it.

2. The snake in the trail upsets Isabella.

3. Isabella’s fear of heights.

4. Isabella’s claustrophobia – rock fall?

Turning Point 1

MYSTERY 1. Nothing feels right. The gatekeeper was weird.

2. The cabin appears new, but it is made to look old.

3. Inside, the cabin is spooky: symbols, the diary….

3. Are they alone, or not? Ryan feels eyes on the back of his neck.

4. What has Silas gotten them into? His descriptions do not fit.

5. Why is Isabella so full of fears? Ryan wonders.

DANGER 1. Are they seeing danger on their walk down Valley or just imagining it?

2. Ground fog moves in. Isabella’s fears get the best of her.

3. The night is filled with strange noises. Sleep is fitful.

Midpoint Twist

MYSTERY 1. The cabin is weird: the symbols, the book, the night sounds….

2. Isabella wants to leave. She is frightened. Ryan agrees.

DANGER 1. Isabella is struck unconscious at the gate – and convulses.

2. Ryan is now frightened. Takes her back to the cabin.

3. Is she going to be okay? Or is this just the beginning?

Turning Point 2

MYSTERY 1. Night two in the cabin has both Isabella and Ryan spooked.

2. Who or what is doing this? For what reason? Silas? Silas boss?

3. Isabella’s mother [who is dead] appears — terrifies Isabella, and

4. She becomes Ryan’s first evidence of what might be happening.

DANGER 1. Isabella blames Silas – thinks he’s blackmailing her.

2. Ryan at first goes along with her as his hit on her unfolds.

3. Isabella’s mother threatens her – talks to her in the present.

4. Ryan finds this curious – realizes they’re being watched.

5. Isabella’s experience with Maximus unfolds.

6. Ryan realizes that the dangers are real.

Climax

MYSTERY 1. Ryan decides to test a theory….

2. How might Ryan beat Maximus at his own game?

3. Is everything being electronically orchestrated?

DANGER 1. Ryan assumes that Maximus is bent on killing them.

2. Ryan develops an escape plan, but…

3. The escape plan may be as dangerous as Maximus’ plan.

4. Ryan sets the cabin on fire, which spreads. They have no choice.

5. They must try the escape route.

Resolution

MYSTERY 1. What will Maximus do, now?

2. How is he aware of what’s going on?

3. Silas shows up, proclaiming himself innocent.

4. The connection of Silas’ boss to Maximus unravels.

DANGER 1. Maximus shows up and crashes his helicopter, but escapes unhurt.

2. He is enraged by the fire and threatens to kill everybody.

3. His helicopter explodes, throwing shrapnel everywhere – he is killed.

4. Ryan and Isabella pledge to focus on their strengths and forget the past.

[Timothy Barley]

Tim Barley’s Thriller Plot!

What I learned from doing this lesson is that I loathe outlining, but the process works. And from all the classes I have taken from Hal, you’d think I’d know that…

I am using the standard 3-act structure with a bit of circular Fabula/syuzhet story structure due to it’s twist at the end [as conceived for now].

Act I – Setup:

Inciting incident:

THREATS:

– The Courier is given a short-notice, expedited delivery in short timeframe due to other drivers “not being available”

– From the very moment he is tasked with the delivery, he has the feeling of being watched as he is being watched

MYSTERY:

– Dispatch casually mentions that The Courier wasn’t the first choice, suggesting it was due to availability or skill set.

– The package is a metal box with no markings save the numbers “0008” etched into the metal, a triangle key hole.

– False allies in the form of fellow couriers and other “night travelers” who at first appear to be genuinely helpful, but may be trying to hinder or steal the package.

– Where is everyone?

– Why can’t he contact some of his connections?

VILLAIN’S PLAN:

Sabotage: The courier’s main vehicle is sabotaged that isn’t a quick repair (someone knew how to hamstring his transport run effectively), and he’s forced to use his backup, which is less secure and less well-equipped.

Turning point:

THREATS:

– The Courier’s primary vehicle is damaged/sabotaged, putting him in a less-than-ideal backup vehicle that doesn’t have the known/unseen safety features necessary for a clandestine trip through the Night Authority.

MYSTERY:

– Discovery of sabotage elements (it’s not a regular malfunction). Clues hinting at insider knowledge of the courier’s vehicle – where it was stored and how to disable it.

– Night Authority – may be infiltrated by Nocturne’s influence to stop The Courier (also regular authorities – Highway Patrols, sheriffs, etc. – may be turned as well

– Denizens – night denizens, creatures of night myth, usually uninterested in the goings-on of the Night World, suddenly come out of the literal dark to try get the package

VILLAIN’S PLAN:

False Allies: Our hero meets a “Fellow Courier” who seems helpful but has been turned by Nocturne to hinder The Courier.

First Run-In with Authorities: Unknown law enforcement tries to pull him over, against “the rules” of the night transport kingdom. He evades, but realizes the forces against him are more organized and potent than he thought.

Act II – Confrontation:

Rising action:

THREATS:

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

– Nocturne has hired other couriers that know The Courier to track him and chase him down, including The Night Authority rogue agents that are looking to stop him

– A trip to Bazaar for parts and information leads to trouble

MYSTERY:

– Introduction of seemingly helpful characters Astra, Griffin and other couriers.

– – Inexplicable failures or setbacks while they’re around, especially Griffin, a great mechanic who knows The Courier the longest/most.

– Griffin offers to take the route, noticing The Courier is using his secondary vehicle.

Midpoint:

THREATS:

– A close ally springs a trap on The Courier by Luring The Courier and Astra into a dangerous situation.

MYSTERY:

– Strange encounters with mythic creatures, normally no interaction.

Turning point two

THREATS:

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

– If he doesn’t complete the task, he becomes an delivery agent that is “less than” and unhireable

MYSTERY:

– The Future Key – presented by Nocturne himself who near the end, while never showing his face to us, alludes that he is the future self, giving The Courier the key to open it and stop what will happen

– The discovery that it’s an aged version of a key the Courier already owns.

– The realization that his own key doesn’t work on the package lock.

VILLAIN’S PLAN:

Mythic Denizens Encounter: Night denizens approach The Courier interested in what he has in his car. This is unusual and can only the work of someone who told them what was in the package.

Act III – Resolution:

Pre climax

THREATS:

– The Courier’s closeness to the villain (the same person, or at least that is what Nocturne says) makes him susceptible to future knowledge that can be used against him.

MYSTERY:

Climax

THREATS:

– The danger that the package presents is a big unknown that has put him into a tough situation, as Nocturne offers up a key that he says can unlock it so he can see why he shouldn’t make the delivery – putting The Courier at odds with The Code.

MYSTERY:

– What’s in the box?

VILLAIN’S PLAN:

Final Confrontation with Nocturne (Climax): An elaborate chase ends in a standoff where Nocturne reveals that he is a future version of the Courier, hinting that delivery of the package is a mistake. Leaving The Courier with doubt.

Conclusion

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Timothy Barley.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Timothy Barley.

[Monica Arisman]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>SUBJECT: Monica’s Thriller Plot

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”><b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>What I learned doing this assignment is my mysteries don’t seem strong enough and will have to re-think those.

1. List out your structure using whatever structure you are comfortable with.

Three Act Structure

OPENING:

· The Hero and the Minister are having sex.

· The Hero leaves. The Minister is very much alive.

Mystery 1: Who killed the council member?

Life Threatening Situation 1: Did the Hero kill the Minister?

INCITING INCIDENT:

· The Minister is dead.

· The Hero must inform the public via a meeting in the town square.

Life Threatening Situation 2: Bombs go off, gunfire at the rally, a bullet grazes the Hero’s shoulder.

Mystery 2: How was it done with transparency cameras everywhere?

· The Hero suspects the transparency she helped create and believes so passionately in, is being manipulated.

TURNING POINT 1:

Villain’s PLAN 1: The Villain worms his way onto the committee selected to investigate the Minister’s death. As per the rules, the five (Hero, Villain and three other Minister’s) must be temporarily removed from the day-to-day decision making.

Life Threatening Situation 3: After hours, the Hero goes on the hunt for incriminating evidence and finds it. Only it’s sabotaged with poison.

Life Threatening Situation 4: The Villain breaks into her home and tampers with her cameras and her robot so he can watch her.

MID-POINT:

Villain’s PLAN 2: Suggests the Hero to step away from the investigation, as she is ill. And that he’s falling for her. He wants to take it to the next level to help her recover. She declines.

Mystery 3: Is the Hero the murderer?

Villain’s PLAN 3: Has a secret team of killers who live outside the glass society.

Life Threatening Situation 5: The Villain has these killers attack her and kidnap her.

TURNING POINT 2:

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

Life Threatening Situation 6: Betrayal as she discovers her robot and cameras are compromised.

The Hero turns to an ally living outside the glass society to go undercover for her. He has the antidote for the poison.

Life Threatening Situation 7: His cover is blown and they barely escape with their lives.

CLIMAX:

Villain’s PLAN 4: Makes a motion to have the Hero placed on leave and himself deemed Administrator.

The Hero convenes a Minister meeting to unveil the evidence she has collected, naming the Villain as the mastermind. The public watches with anticipation as the truth about the glass societies corruption surfaces. The citizen’s riot.

Life Threatening Situation 8: The Villain pulls a gun and shoots her and several others before he is restrained.

RESOLUTION:

Order is restored and significant changes to the glass society is undertaken.

[Kelly Joseph]

Kelly’s Thriller Plot

What I learned? I learned that once I got the structure down I could easily layout my M.I.S easily and really start seeing what I had for my Thriller. I really could see what my scenes were.

Opening: We meet Avery, an agoraphobic hacker who rarely leaves her apartment. She’s introverted and scared of the outside world due to a traumatic past. We see her daily life, focused on her computer and isolated from society.

Villains Plan 1: Use MindHack system to hack partner Connor

Villains Plan 2: Get Connor to identify ordinary social media users who are good citizens.

Villain’s Plan 3: Get Connor to create a terrorist group and lead them.

Villains Plan 4: Unleash mind hacking algorithm

Inciting Incident: Avery’s brother, the only person she cares about, is arrested for attempted murder. She begins doing research.

Mystery 1: Who was her brother talking to online?

Mystery 2 Who is this soccer mom lady?

Life Threatening 1:She has social anxiety and has to leave the house.

Life Threatening 2: She tries to talk with one of the users families but the police come.

Villain’s Plan 5: Have the group commit various terrorist acts.

Act 1 Turning Point: Avery makes the decision to leave her apartment for the first time in years. She ventures into the outside world to gather information

Mystery 3: Who is this Greystorm character?

Mystery 4: What is this group planning?

Life Threatening 3: She tries to talk with one of the users but he tries to kill her.

Life Threatening 4: She tries to talk with one of the users but he tries to kill her.

Life Threatening 5: House broken into and she has to leave her house.

Life Threatening 6: Patrons at the coffee shop turn on her.

Villain’s Plan 6: Kill anyone that gets in the way.

Midpoint: Avery’s investigation uncovers the extent of the mind hacking system’s influence and its connection to a powerful figure, Bennet, who seems to be behind it all. She realizes that her own life is in danger.

Life Threatening 7: Police arrest her.

Mystery 5: Who is unleashing this code?

Mystery 6: Is Connor the leader?RED HERRING

Life Threatening 8: Her mind gets hacked.

Life Threatening 9: She buys an AR 15 and goes to kill a crowd of people at the mall.

Mystery 7: Who is really behind this?

Life Threatening 10: Tight Surveillance

Life Threatening 11:Being chased by Villain’s thugs

Act 2 Turning Point: Avery narrowly escapes an attempt on her life by Bennet’s henchmen, confirming that she’s onto something big. She decides to go off the grid, using her hacking skills to stay hidden while she digs deeper into the conspiracy.

Climax: Avery finally confronts Bennet in a high-stakes showdown, where they engage in a tense battle of wits and technology. As she exposes the mind hacking system’s secrets to the world, she faces her greatest fear head-on, outside her comfort zone.

Resolution: Avery’s brother is exonerated, but she’s left changed by her journey. She’s no longer agoraphobic, having faced her fears and overcome them. She’s also aware that the world is a dangerous place, but she’s determined to use her skills to protect it from similar threats.

[Jamie Stegner]

Jamie Stegner Intertwine Structure and M.I.S with Villain’s Plan for Thriller Plot

Concept: To compel her runaway brats to return home, nasty Mother dies. And to keep them home forever she hides a fortune in cash for them to fight over – fight to the death.

Structure: 3 Acts. Contained horror/thriller feature

OPENING: Lure us into the story and
introduce the lead character [villain]
in action. MOTHER
in red dress and diamonds. Struts
thru the dark empty house. She speaks to the life-size portrait,
declaring her intentions.
Villain’s plan:
She wants her children home and to stay forever with her in the
house as ghosts.
INCITING INCIDENT: An event that propels the Hero on
the Journey. Mother dies. Villain’s
plan: She dies – causing the estranged
children to come home for burial and estate closing.

Hero’s Life Threatening = After the simple burial, Susan (S) drives to the house, feels ominous. Many warnings: birds, trees, dark clouds swirl.

Mystery: She explains to her husband why she has kept the existence of Mother and Brother (B) secret all these years. And revealed now only because they need any money they can get from the estate.

Life Threatening: Brother is treacherous. Goals: survive the weekend. ‘Don’t let this change us’ = risking her loving family relationships, her life-line to sanity.

Isolated house. Grounds have grown wild. Driveway rutted.

Tall dark weather-beaten house, in disrepair – what hazards?

Over sized chimney up one side. What is that for?

Crows caw a warning.

Life threatening: Brother blocks the door with his foot. Glares hostility at her. She expects it and pushes back.

Mystery: Dark stain in the floorboards below where chandalier fell. The pulley is still in the second floor ceiling. Brother warns with a grin.

Life Threatening: Many guns in various displays. Other weapons and taxidermized animals.

Life Threatening: S to kitchen. All knives are out and point directly at her. A minute later her husband comes and all knives are in their place. How did (assumed) brother get them put away so fast??

Life Threatening: Wendy comes in from the store and sees ghost of Mother standing over S with the hachet from firewood pile poised over S head, ready to strike her dead. Wendy picks up a gun and fires at the ghost, nearly hitting S. Ghost vanishes and W is astonished.

They decide to burn all guns. S & W gather the guns. H builds a fire in LR fireplace.

Life Threatening: S upstairs. B is in his room whittling a sharp tip on a long stick. Refuses to surrender his guns.

At top of stairs, S feels pushed and starts to fall. All guns fall and tumble all the way to the bottom – weird. Cut banister doesn’t give way this time.

Remove ammunition and throw all guns in the fire.

Mystery: S explains to H the violent criminal family history of the people in the portrait above the mantle. She mentions the witchcraft and burning at the stake.

Villain’s Plan: Lunch: all four sit around the table. Friction, life-long hostility between S & B, generated by Mother, is renewed.

Mother’s plan Cover-up: REVEALED GRADUALLY as discovered by the characters.

TURNING POINT 1: A major twist that locks the
hero into the conflict. Find the $10MM bank papers. S and
husband decide to stay in the house and find the cash. Point of no return: Cancel the motel reservation and stay
in the house. Hero’s big
mistake.

Villain’s Plan:

Mother created false bank statements indicating 10MM cash was withdrawn. She left this in the house for her children to find.

S goes thru the old, apparently, unopened mail in boxes stuck in corner of dining room.

She remembers sadistic Mother birthday cake scene and moves to another chair.

Mother’s Lure: She finds 10 withdrawals and deposit from life insurance company. MYSTERY: WHERE IS THE CASH??? H comes in she tells him about the bank statements. They will stay in the house and look for the cash.

They cancel the motel = POINT OF NO RETURN. THE BIG MISTAKE.

B overhears ( from kitchen) and feels slighted by S. [be sure rivalry between S& B is well set up] He’s sooo angry!!

(back stairs) B Tells his wife to find the cash and not tell S&H. From upstairs railing, B eavesdrops on S & H, B imagines he swoops down and rips their throats out – he wants to be a vampire – powerful. He slithers down the banister and slips into the basement. Black.

————————- end of Act 1 —————————–

Mystery: Act 2 begins big with Father falling thru the ceiling. – a torment for W perpetrated by Mother.

Life Threatening: S&B accuse each other of being involved in Father’s death.

B furious about the life insurance. “You weren’t going to tell me!”

S & B screaming fight in dining room.

Life Threatening of Marriage: Spouses H & W retreat outside to the veranda. Wendy entices H. Maybe a chance to get away from B. H is attracted to her. Good conversation.

Mystery: Back inside discuss what to do with Father’s corpse. Burn or Bury? Risky to trust all 4 to not tell police. Not to involve police as will delay settling the estate.

no

H build cozy fire in LR. All gather. S brings whiskey and 4 glasses.

All four sit quietly after a long day.

Life Threatening Marriage: What S wants most of all is H’s love. S noticed that H is attracted to W; S has tears in the dark.

Mystery: Great Grandmother steps down from portrait – to kitchen – throws knives – S dreams.

Life Threatening: In a.m. S finds knives thrown into the wall. When H to kit knives are all put away – she feels crazy.

Mystery: Closet search uncovers mutilated toys from childhood.

Life Threatening Marriage: H & W rush off to the store leaving S there alone with B.

Villain Plan: Mother torments B and B torments S.

Villain’s Plan: Mother
bought a long (30ft) slim rope and stashed it in the pantry where one of
them would find it. It fits thru the pulley in the hall ceiling. B finds. It’s colored like a poisonous
snake.

S escapes to the attic. Father caught in squirrel trap and froze and dried out. Mother’s ghost laughs – she heard him calling for help but turned down the furnace instead. S releases the corpse from the trap so it continues to fall into the bedroom below.

Villain’s Plan: Mother torments S and encourages rivalry with B.

Mystery: S finds newspaper article about a kidnapped girl age 4 – it could be her.

S retreats to her bedroom and prepares to leave.

Life Threatening Marriage: H returns from store – they got stuck and walked back in the rain – change clothes. S upset about his attraction to W. Difficult conversation.

Villain’s Plan: B & H to basement in search of cash.

Mother’s set up the trap before she died:

B finds a small amount $$ on top of a bear trap ready to spring. He’s cautious and leaves it as he finds it – ready to spring on someone else !! He prepares a gag to stifle any calls for help.

Life Threatening Marriage: S & W go thru the kitchen for cash and something for lunch. S warns W to stay away from H. She agrees (lies).

Life Threatening: They discuss how treacherous B is. W knows he’ll kill her someday.

Villain’s Plan: S agrees to help her. “He’s a killer, he needs killing.” S knows it’s risky to trust W.

MIDPOINT: (A major revelation. The opposition
is 10 times worse than thought.)

· Lunch: the four sit around the dining room table. Susan and Brian across: bristle with hostility. Villain’s Plan: Life Threatening: Silently S & B Declare war.

· Life Threatening Marriage: Howard and Wendy across regret they didn’t get away; S furious but will deal with that later.

· H & B friendly. Throws S off. She doesn’t protect H from B.

· Villain’s Plan: Life Threatening Marriage: Brian and Howard return to the basement and Brian springs the bear trap on Howard, gagging him. Howard’s arm bleeds badly until he passes out.

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

· Brian leaves H there in the basement to bleed out. He burns the gag in the living room fireplace. Mystery and Villain’s Plan: B goes thru the room looking for cash.

· Mystery: Under one rug he uncovers Grandmother’s witches circle and chuckles.

· Mystery, Life Threatening: S & W upstairs: Where would Brian put the cash he found? In the room with Father’s corpse. Susan has the nerve to check, while Wendy watches in the hallway. Life Threatening: Susan is startled by a hangman’s noose in a long slim rope – looks like a poisonous snake. She’s so startled by it she doesn’t think to take it to the fireplace or cut it up into small pieces.

· They rush out of there and retreat downstairs to the kitchen. ‘Just a cup of tea.’

· Villain’s plan: Secretly they crush the pills; Susan delivers to the open bottle of whiskey in the living room. Cautious – leave no evidence for police. “We need to burn that rope.”

· Villain’s plan; Life Threatening: Meanwhile B goes upstairs and sets up his hangman’s noose in the pulley.

· The women take tea into the dining room where the old bank papers are still in piles. Ten million is a ridiculous amount of life insurance. Susan looks carefully at the papers.

· Villain’s Plan: They are forged. All fraud. There’s no money. Typical Mother trick. Susan is furious at herself for falling for it.

· TERROR: Where’s Howard? ! They haven’t seen the men since lunch. Susan runs into the basement calling. She finds Howard almost dead, stops the bleeding and tries to revive him. He’s too heavy for her to move. She needs to get him to medical help.

· Life Threatening: Calling for Wendy to help; none! she gets no reply. Frustrated, Susan goes up stairs to get Wendy.

· TERROR: Wendy is hanging from the hangman’s noose run through the pulley in the ceiling.

· Susan sinks to her knees in despair of helping Howard – the most important thing to her. She cannot lose Howard.

TURNING POINT 2: Major setback. The
lowest of the low. HOWARD BLEEDING OUT. Wendy hanged. ALL
IS LOST. [ “Not Howard. Not
Howard.” [Howard had sympathy and empathy for Brian. Wanted to help heal
the conflict. H was a sincere friend to B. B had pretended to be friends
with H. ] Heart wrenching: S didn’t
protect H from B; she knew better.

———————————- end of Act 2 —————————————–

CLIMAX: The ultimate
expression of the main conflict (Mother’s orchestrated hatred between S
& B). Susan races up the stairs to kill Brian – she has no
weapon only her rage and her justification that he needs killing. Brian defends himself with his rifle.

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

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

· Villain’s Plan: Brian stands at the top of the stairs and laughs at his victory. He scurries down the back stairs into the living room.

· Life Threatening for Brian: Villain’s Plan: There’s the whiskey left from last night and his glass on the table. He pours the whiskey and gulps. Pours again and collapses into the chair by the fire, drinking.

Villain’s Plan victorious:

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

· Mother dances and laughs. She pours whiskey for the couple in the portrait.

· She kicks B.

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

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

Howard climbs up from the basement
– barely alive. He finds Wendy and Susan dead. Can he get his phone out of
his pocket? Call – any power? It’s ringing at 911. He sobs, sitting on the stairs next to
Susan.

The End.

[Peter Saltzman]

Peter Saltzman’s Thriller Plot!

What I learned: As usual, be patient, fill in the blanks and it will work itself out over time. As a composer, this is easy for me because I’ve done it so many times. As a screenwriter, I’m still learning to trust the process.

List out your structure using whatever structure you are comfortable with.

OPENING: Miles is at a fancy concert venue, rehearing his brilliant work with a large virtuoso ensemble.

INCITING INCIDENT: Everyone’s phones are blowing up with an account of Mile’s plagiarizing the work from a forgotten dead artist.

TURNING POINT 1: Videos of Miles soliciting sex from teenagers; his wife leaves him.

MIDPOINT: Miles loses his only gig and all income. Lives on the street

TURNING POINT 2: Video of him scamming homeless people

CLIMAX: Miles uses his and Missy’s hacking abilities to expose Howie

RESOLUTION: Miles goes back to the big stage—but keeps his club gig..

Inside your structure, fill in the gaps with the Life-threatening situations, Mysteries, and Villain’s plan. Do this one at a time. That will keep you from getting confused.

OPENING: Miles is at a fancy concert venue, rehearing his brilliant work with a large virtuoso ensemble.

Mystery 1: why are all the musicians and staff looking at Miles like he’s an alien?

Villain’s Plan 1: Howie has planted a false story about Miles using a fictitious series of accounts

INCITING INCIDENT: Everyone’s phones are blowing up with an account of Mile’s plagiarizing the work from a forgotten dead artist.

Life-Threatening 1: Social Media posts include death threats

Mystery 2: did Miles plagiarize the musician’s work? He clearly has a strong connection to this musician

Mystery 3: who posted these videos?

Villain’s Plan 2: The story goes viral with a series of “proofs” including a college paper Miles wrote. The paper itself has been hacked.

TURNING POINT 1: Videos of Miles soliciting sex from teenagers; his wife leaves him.

Life-Threatening 2: Miles is arrested; more death threats

Mystery 4: Did Miles do these things? (He doesn’t seem like the type and we can’t entirely see his face in the videos.)

Mystery 5: Why is Missy evasive about her ownership of the club? And who is the “silent partner” for whom she seems to be at beck and call?

Mystery 6: These videos seem like possible fakes, but who’s behind them again.

Mystery 6.5: Why does music critic Howie Spike keep showing up at Miles gigs when he’s never supported his old friends’ work in the past?

Villain’s Plan 3: Howie infiltrates Miles’ personal life, sewing doubt in his wife and kids by creating credible-looking incidents of cheating and betrayal.

Villain’s Plan 4: Howie hires actors to play the teenagers plays on Mile’s desperation.

MIDPOINT: Miles loses his only gig and all income.

Life-Threatening: Loss of everything leads Miles to consider suicide.

Mystery 7: Who is Missy? Mile’s search for her turns up nothing…then a scandal in her past when she had a different name?

Mystery 8: Why does Howie write a piece bemoaning his friend’s downfall but offer no actual support when he’s loaded?

Villain’s Plan 6: Howie’s machinations lead to the cancellation of all gigs and financial ruin, further undermining his marriage

Villain’s Plan 7: The end result of Howie’s plan has always been to undermine Miles’ confidence to the point where he destroys himself and Miles now suggests he may commit suicide.

TURNING POINT 2: Video of him scamming homeless people

Life-Threatening 4: Homeless people attack Miles

Mystery 9: Miles wasn’t even on the street that night. Where did this video come from?

Mystery 10: Missy has disappeared from the club. Where is she? Dead?

Villain’s Plan 8: When Miles doesn’t do himself in, Howie unleashes his thugs to create a scenario where Miles will be killed because due to his own devious behavior with prostitutes.

CLIMAX: Miles uses his and Missy’s hacking abilities to expose Howie, proving all the accusations were forged.

RESOLUTION: Miles goes back to the big stage—but keeps his club gig. Reunites with his wife and kids.

<div>
</div>

[Michael HARRIS]

MICHAEL L HARRIS’s Thriller Plot

What I learned is: as I read through what I had written and added new sections and information, additional insights came to me. Plotting out your thriller will lead to additional insights and make the eventual writing process much easier.

List out your structure using whatever structure you are comfortable
with:

Opening: A young boy (Simon) asleep behind a sofa tosses as images flash in his mind.

· Life Threatening # 1 – Simon’s dreams or visions are turbulent; he sees his foster mother kill his foster father with a knife.

· Mystery # 1 – Who is this boy?

· Mystery # 2 – Are shades dreams shades of the past, visons of the future or a psychotic episode?

· Mystery # 3 – A button drops at the foot of a casket and a woman’s face. What’s that all about? And who is she?

Inciting Incident: Simon awakens to a heated argument between his foster parents, and believes his vision of an impending murder to be true. On the way to school he calls his case worker and asks to be removed from the home.

· Life Threatening # 2 – Caught in the middle of his foster parents argument he has a plate thrown at him and witnesses a death threat to his foster father.

· Mystery # 4 – Is Simon’s vision real? Will Mrs. Malbree, the foster mother real follow through and kill her husband?

· Mystery # 5 – Why does Simon steal a cell phone on his way out of the house?

· Mystery # 6 – Will Simon be placed in a new home? What will that look like, previous homes have not been good.

· Life Threatening # 3 – Simon steps in front of Elise’s car. She has to break hard to avoid hitting him.

· Mystery # 7 – Why does Simon meet Elise at the cemetery?

· Mystery # 8 – What’s up with the button?

Turning Point 1: Simon “sees” the man who knows what became of him mother.

· Villain’s Plan # 1 – After losing his wife in a car crash two years ago, Dr. Whitcombe a well-respected expert in organ transplantation vowed to keep his son alive by any means possible, including organ transplants and murder.

· Villain’s Plan # 2 – Whitcombe created a nursing facility for young patients with life threatening conditions. They are also a ready source of organs for his son who has since the accident been presumed dead.

· Villian’s Plan # 3 – Simon’s mother, Debra Daniels worked for Whitcombe prior to the accident. When she bulked at Whitcombe’s proposal to transplant one of Simon’s organs into Tommy (Whitcombe’s son) and threatened to go to the authorities, Whitcombe killed her.

· Villian’s Plan # 4 – Simon was there on the fatal night but escaped. Simon has recently “seen” Whitcombe in vision and knows he knows what happened to his mother.

· Mystery # 9 – Who is this man (Dr. Whitcombe) Simon “sees” in vision?

· Life Threatening # 4 – Does the man pose a danger to Simon?

· Mystery # 10 – Will Elise accept Simon’s visions as real and help him find the man?

· Life Threatening # 5 – Will Elise reject Simon and send him packing?

· Mystery # 11 – Where is the Building Simon saw and what is inside?

· Mystery # 12 – Why are the patients in “Tommy’s Hope” so young?

· Mystery # 13 – Who is Dr. Whitcombe?

· Villian’s Plan # 5 – When Simon shows up asking questions at the nursing home Whitcombe’s plan is threatened.

· Mystery # 14 – Why is Simon’s mother in a picture in Nurse Hanes office?

· Mystery # 15 – What secrets does the sub-basement hide?

· Life Threatening # 6 – Do the phantoms of the past pose a threat to Simon and Elise?

· Mystery # 16 – What was in the cooler Dr. Whitcombe passes to the courier?

· Life Threatening # 7 – Whitcombe seems intimidating even he appears to be congenial.

· Mystery # 17 – Why does being around Dr. Whitcombe feel so freaky?

Midpoint: Simon runs away forcing Elise to enter the journey.

· Mystery # 18 – Where is Simon?

· Life Threatening # 7 – Did Simon disappear on his own?

· Life Threatening # 8 – Simon sees a vision of his mother floating underwater.

· Mystery # 19 – What is the mysterious car shaped image that appears in aerial photos of a pond on the Whitcombe property.

Turning Point 2: They get to close to Dr. Whitcombe’s big secret and are locked in a sub-basement to await their fate but instead seek a way out discovering more secrets.

· Villian’s Plan # 6 – When Simon and Elise return to the facility covertly they are caught and imprisoned in an old subbasement where Simon’s visions reveal the history of the facility and Debra’s fate.

· Life Threatening # 9 – Simon and Elise are locked in the Sub-basement to await their eventual fate. Whitcombe is willing to kill to protect his secret.

· Mystery # 20 – Is there a way out?

· Mystery # 21 – Why is Simon seeing so many dead bodies?

· Life Threatening # 10 – Do the bodies pose a threat to Simon and Elise or are they foreshadowing of things to come?

· Life Threatening # 11 – Simon sees the night his mother was killed.

· Mystery # 22 – Is there any evidence to prove Debra Daniels was there?

· Mystery # 23 – Where does the discovered tunnel lead?

· Life Threatening # 12 – A collapsing tunnel.

· Life Threatening # 13 – Rats

· Mystery # 24 – Will they survive the rats?

· Life Threatening # 14 – A henchman who is chancing them?

· Mystery # 25 – Will they survive the henchman chancing after them?

· Villian’s Plan # 7 – As they are escaping Simon and Elise find Whitcombe’s private office in an adjoining building and in it news articles of successful and unsuccessful transplants with Whitcombe’s patients and Simon’s birth certificate revealing his real parentage.

· Life Threatening # 15 – Simon’s sense of identity is challenged when he learns who his father is.

· Mystery # 26 – What is the paper Simon finds in Dr. Whitcombe’s private office?

· Villian’s Plan # 8 – Simon and Elise discover a young patient about to go under the knife and learn that Whitcombe’s nursing facility is a ready source of unwitting yet ready organ donors to finance his operation by selling “extra” organs on the black market.

· Life Threatening # 16 – Will Simon and Elise fall prey to the surgeon’s knife?

· Life Threatening # 17 – The knowledge that illegal activity is happening, others are in danger and they are unable to help.

· Mystery # 27 – What is the “operation” Whitcombe’s staff is prepping for in the basement of the mansion?

· Mystery # 28 – Is Tommy still alive?

Climax: The uncover Whitcombe’s final secret, Tommy is still alive, though barely. Caught a second time their fate is sealed. Can they escape? Yes, with a little help from Tommy.

· Life Threatening # 18 -– Tommy is still alive.

· Villian’s Plan # 9 – Whitcombe’s end came is to keep Tommy alive and his patients are a ready source for needed replacement parts as Tommy’s organs increasingly fail.

· Life Threatening # 19 – Whitcombe’s order to kill them.

· Life Threatening # 20 – The reality of death before their eyes.

· Mystery # 29 – Will they escape from Whitcombe again?

· Life Threatening # 21 – Weapons firing around him… Will the police kill Simon?

· Mystery # 30 – Will the police kill Dr. Whitcombe?

· Mystery # 31 – Will Elise keep Simon? Does he finally have a home?

Resolution: At the cemetery where they first met Simon and Elise stand over his mother’s grave. “We’re both orphans now!”; “Guess we’ll just have to take care of each other.” Kevin proposes and Simon sees another vision… the adventure may not be over yet.

· Life Threatening # 22 – The thought of being alone (Simon)

· Mystery # 32 – What does Simon “see” at Tommy’s grave?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Michael HARRIS.

[Jennifer Miller]

OPENING: Mother and daughter are being watched.

***PAST Planning BEFORE THE MOVIE BEGAN:

Intrigue: Jessica meticulously profiles Hazel and Emily, identifying their vulnerabilities and psychological triggers.

Intrigue: Leveraging her charismatic online persona, Jessica befriends Emily through their internship at the dating app, Love Clicks, cultivating trust.

Mystery: Who is watching them? Why? Are they targeting Hazel? Emily? Both?

Life Threatening: Surveillance / watched – mother daughter go on a climbing adventure Echo Peak, Emily has a secret, Hazel can tell. They are watched by an unseen WATCHER.

Life Threatening: Physical danger / Threats / Surveillance / watched – return to car to find tire violently slashed. Hazel pretends that she ran over nail, all the construction they passed – yeah right — Emily saw the tire, she knows it was not a nail, but she lets it slide, and decides to lighten the mood. While changing the tire Emily convinces mom to try the dating app, support her interests, and make her empty nest as love nest, and she creates a dating profile for mom. WATCHER’S phone is notified, connected to Emily’s dating app/phone, when Hazel’s profile is created.

Life Threatening: Talking about the danger – At the university, Hazel drops off Emily, warns her to be careful. Surveillance / watched – who is being targeted Hazel or Emily, or both? Hazel has enemies as she has been an outspoken opponent of certain pharmaceutical drugs used to treat minors. ***Perhaps SET UP TREVOR, Jealous/Ex.

INCITING INCIDENT: Daughter goes missing.

Intrigue: Jessica executes her abduction plan, forcefully taking Emily away and making it appear as though Liam Harding, the dating app’s creator, is involved in Emily’s disappearance.

Intrigue: Jessica deletes Emily’s dating profile, making it appear as though Liam Harding, the dating app’s creator, is involved in Emily’s disappearance.

Mystery: Who took Emily?

DEBATE: All signs point to she took time, but no, no, Hazel knows her daughter, yes, sure Hazel can be overprotective, she understands the darkside of human nature, but Emily would never just leave, never. She is not that kind of kid.

Secret: Jessica kidnaps Emily after a date with Liam.

Cover Up: Emily vanishes mysteriously after a secret rendezvous with Liam.

Life Threatening: Trapped / Abducted / Arrested; Betrayal from someone close; Someone operating covertly around them – Emily is taken by Jessica.

Life Threatening: Someone operating covertly around them – Jessica deletes Emily’s dating profile, tells Hazel Emily didn’t work late at the internship, she had a date from the app.

TURNING POINT 1: Her car is found abandoned.

Mystery: What is Liam hiding?

Secret: Jessica pins the crime on Liam, uses crime to increase social media followers.

Cover Up:

A) Jessica deletes Emily’s dating profile.
B) Jessica knows from Emily that Liam used fake profiles to ask her out on the app.
C) She discreetly informs Hazel about Emily’s connection to Liam.

Intrigue: Playing the role of the concerned friend, Jessica hints to Hazel that Liam might have had a role in Emily’s vanishing, diverting attention and raising doubt.

Intrigue: Jessica exploits (HAZEL’S) Emily’s dating app profile to intensify the danger and connects it to Hazel’s past experiences as a child psychologist. Meanwhile, Trevor, who works at the dating app, becomes increasingly uneasy about Jessica’s involvement. He accidentally stumbles upon a crucial piece of information that could potentially unravel Jessica’s plan. Trevor finds evidence linking Jessica to the abduction and realizes the danger he poses. Just as he’s about to share the information with Hazel, Jessica kills Trevor.

Life Threatening: The unknown – Emily’s car found and GPS leads Hazel to David, journalist covering the Harding Twins, violent gamer, the most violent, leaves behind blood and guts to take on the most violent game, love. WHY was Emily at his home? He wasn’t there, but he has a good guess – he saw an intimate moment between Liam and Emily.

Life Threatening: The unknown – Emily’s car found and GPS leads Hazel to David, journalist covering the Harding Twins, violent gamer, the most violent, leaves behind blood and guts to take on the most violent game, love. WHY was Emily at his home? He wasn’t there, but he has a good guess – he saw an intimate moment between Liam and Emily.

Life Threatening: Something that damages their reputation – When Hazel confronts Liam and Valerie, she is informed that Emily asked for a couple of days off. Trevor she said it was for personal reasons. App about to launch nationally and they do not believe their app has anything to do with Emily. But her dating profile has been deleted.

Life Threatening: Talking about the danger – Turns out that Liam was last person to see Emily, and a known gamer who created violent, psychological games.

Life Threatening: The unknown – Emily her daughter lied to her, and all those dates, and she knew Emily was keeping something from her.

Life Threatening: The threat that their own secret could be revealed – Liam does not reveal to Hazel anything about his relationship with Emily, professional capacity is all he discusses. And, he isn’t concerned at all. He believes Emily, surprised by his proposal, turned him down and then asked Trevor for time off. Thinks she is thinking. She asked him for time.

Life Threatening: Public humiliation – Jessica via social media. Liam exposed using fake dating profiles, met with Emily numerous times.

MIDPOINT: Liam’s alibi clears him, but Hazel is convinced he took her daughter because she begins receiving disturbing matches from the dating app that are images and names of her past patients.

Mystery: Who is Mandy Dune?

Secret: Jessica recovers Emily’s dating profile.
Cover Up: She discreetly shares it with TREVOR to pinpoint Emily’s location, fully aware that Trevor will trace the fabricated online interactions back to Liam.

Intrigue: As details come to light about Liam and Emily’s secret relationship, and that the fake profiles were created by him on Emily’s account. Using her social media prowess, Jessica orchestrates a comprehensive online campaign that paints Liam as suspicious. She exposes Liam’s actions concerning Emily, his hidden connections, and his manipulation of dating profiles. Just as Hazel becomes convinced that Liam is behind her daughter’s disappearance, Jessica manipulates Hazel’s dating app profile sending matches from fake accounts with pictures of her past patients. This makes Hazel doubt her suspicions about Liam and keeps her torn between her intuition and the unsettling coincidences.

Secret: Jessica is Mandy Dune.
Cover Up: Trevor launches an investigation into the dating app, specifically scrutinizing Emily’s online presence. He uncovers a fabricated profile that had communicated with both Emily and Hazel, utilizing images and names from Hazel’s past clients. However, the mastermind behind this account was none other than MANDY Dune, aka Jessica, not Liam. Tragically, Trevor meets a grim fate. Leaves behind Liam’s hospital file, she stole to frame him.

Intrigue: Jessica uses Emily’s phone to text Liam, lure him to her old home, there disables him and carefully orchestrates a scenario that frames him for Emily’s disappearance. She leaves behind subtle evidence that points toward his involvement (GAMING, violent past).

Life Threatening: Public humiliation – Jessica via social media. Liam exposed using fake dating profiles, met with Emily numerous times.

Life Threatening: Other parties who need to solve the mystery first. Liam, suspect number one, and he really does love Emily, needs to find her and clear his name. Interrogating Liam, he tells her he knows all about her and her past – don’t try to pin this on me or my company, as you have plenty of people who seem to want you dead – Emily told me about the tire, no NAIL. Knifed.

Life Threatening: Talking about the danger – David tells Hazel that Liam is either a devious lover or she is being targeted by a past patient, a psychotic killer.

Life Threatening: The threat that their own secret could be revealed – Trevor discovers Liam behind the fake profiles from Emily’s deleted dating app, showing he and Emily were constantly corresponding and dating.

Life Threatening: Other parties who need to solve the mystery first / Threat – Liam fights back against Hazel’s accusations. Hazel believes Liam has her daughter now convinced and she has been harassed through the app — believes he is playing a game with her. But he says he loves Emily, he bought the house – he is being followed. He now believes Emily is in danger. She asked him for a few days, he popped the question to her and scared her, thought she needed time and she told me how protective you are of her, she’s your whole life. Liam calls Trevor and tells him he was not the only fake profile that reached out to Emily, there was another and he thinks they have been harassing Hazel, sending her profile matches that are old patients she failed to help/save. Are you a hero? What does your journey really say about the fruits of your labor? What about the lives of the innocents?

Life Threatening: Trapped / Abducted: Jessica takes Liam.

Life Threatening: Arrested Police arrive to arrest Liam ???

TURNING POINT 2: Trevor is dead and Liam is missing and all signs point to Hazel’s past as a child psychologist.

Mystery: Is Jessica the killer?

Secret: Jessica is an ex-patient of Hazel’s and she is out for revenge

Cover Up:

A) Jessica changed her name to hide something. Her real name is Mandy Dune.

B) Trevor was investigating Emily’s dating profile, tracks down a fake profile that contacted both Emily and Hazel. He tracks those to an account M. Dune. He searches and finds that M. Dune is none other than Jessica Burnside. This revelation terrifies Trevor,And, he is murdered, making it look as though Liam did it.

Secret: Jessica, a former patient of Hazel, seeks vengeance.
Cover Up:
A) She kidnaps Liam, leaves evidence that he killed Trevor.
B) Frustrated by Hazel’s perceived hero status, Jessica meticulously devised her escape plan and adopted a new identity as Jessica.

Intrigue: In a high-stakes confrontation, Jessica reveals her true identity to Hazel, exposes the depths of her revenge plan, and unravels the connection between their pasts, all while Emily’s life hangs in the balance.

Life Threatening: Physical Harm: Jessica discovers Trevor has put it together that there was another fake profile, but he did not create it, leading her to target Trevor.

Life Threatening:Physical Harm: Hazel told by Trevor he may have something for her, they plan to meet, but he is killed.

CLIMAX: Hazel breaks into Mandy Dune’s childhood home and battles her past to save the future.

Life Threatening:Physical harm / Arrested: Turns out that Jessica is actually Mandy Dune. Hazel goes to Mandy’s old house. They battle and David is wounded, but Hazel stops Jessica before she can hurt anyone else when the police arrive. Jessica is taken into custody.

RESOLUTION: Hazel reunites with Emily.

[Gisele FRAZEUR]

Gisele Frazeur’s Thriller Plot

What I learned doing this assignment is: be methodical!

Opening: Renowned perfumer Darin August attends an awards ceremony with her pregnant sister, Livie Sanford. The evening is rife with turmoil. Picketers block the entrance to the ceremonial hall. Darin receives threatening phone calls. At the reception someone chokes on an hors oeuvres laced with a human toe which results in Darin performing an emergency tracheotomy on them. They are harassed again by protestors exiting the evening’s festivities.

Life threatening 1: Phone call to Darin.

Mystery 1: Who is making threats to Darin and why?

Mystery 2: Why are people protesting Darin at the awards?

Life threatening 2: Laced hors d’oeuvres.

Mystery 3: Who wants to harm Livie and why?

Mystery 4: Whose toe is the meatball laced with?

Villains plan: To instill fear in Darin. To cast suspicion on Leff-T.

Inciting Incident: Upon returning home from the awards Darin is knocked unconscious and Livie is shot – -outside of Darin’s home.

Life threatening 3: Physical attack on Darin and Livie.

Mystery 5: Who is responsible for the attack?

Turning Point 1: While being treated at the hospital Darin learns of her pregnant sister’s death.

Mystery 6: Why would someone kill Livie?

Mystery 7: What is Leff-T’s beef with Darin – – and did he do it?

Villain’s plan 2: To send a message to Hank to keep in line and compliant “or else”.

Act 2: Darin investigates Leff-T – – the man she suspects of her sister’s murder. He is a gangster, gone rapper, gone televangelist. She turned down a commission to make a celebrity fragrance for him. He had called upon his followers and parishioners to boycott her fragrances and the perfume house she works for. In a downward spiral she resumes drinking (she is a recovering alcoholic) and begins a sexual relationship with Livie’s husband, Hank Sanford.

Mystery 8: Darin’s mother makes reference to Darin having killed her husband at the funeral. What is the story here?

Mystery 9: How was Darin’s juvie record unsealed?

Mystery 10: Who leaked her juvie record to the press?

Life Threatening 4: Anonymous death threat mailed to Darin’s home.

Mystery11: Who sent it?

Mystery 12: Who wants her dead.

Mystery 13: Why has Hank really encouraged her to resume drinking – – as he knows she battles with alcoholism?

Mystery14: Why would Hank have sex with his recently deceased, pregnant wife’s sister? Seems ice cold and heartless.

Life threatening 5: Someone is surveilling Darin.

Mystery 15: Who leaked photos of her drunk to the press and her boss?

Villain’s plan 3: To keep Darin off balance – therefore malleable and manipulatable.

Turning Point 2: Leff-T is cleared as a suspect.

Life threatening 6: the real killer is still out there.

Mystery 16: Who is the real killer?

Act 3: Darin gets back on the wagon. After receiving intel from Leff-T indicating suspicious activity on the part of her narcotics officer brother-in-law, Hank Sanford, she begins investigating Hank. She enlists the aid of her friend, Dharma to aid in the investigation.

Mystery 17: What is Pookie – – Hank’s retired narcotics dog – – attempting to communicate to Darin?

Mystery 18: Why is Hank so vehemently opposed to Darin’s burgeoning friendship with Leff-T – even though Leff-T has been cleared?

Life Threatening 7: Some leaves poison out for Pookie.

Mystery 19: What does Pookie know that has someone gunning for her?

Mystery 20: Who is behind trying to poison Pookie?

Life Threatening 8: Officer who has agreed to meet with Darin and Dharma to discuss circumstances of Pookie’s failed drug bust and subsequent termination – – is murdered.

Mystery 21: Who killed the narcotic’s officer and why?

Mystery 22: What has Pookie so agitated when Darin and Dharma run scenting tests on her?

Villain’s plan 4: To keep Darin off his scent.

Turning Point 3: Dharma has requested a meet-up with Darin because she has important intel to share. She overdoses at the restaurant while waiting for Darin to show.

Life threatening 9: Dharma being overdosed.

Mystery 23: who overdosed Dharma and why?

Villain’s plan 6: To keep Darin from learning the truth of his guilt.

Act 4: Darin figures it out.

Mystery 24: Why does Hank sleep with his socks on?

Mystery 25: What is it about violets that makes Pookie go Berserk?

Climax: Darin confronts Hank with what she knows about him using scientific information he has been gleaning from her to make his narcotics dog fail to scent contraband at potential drug busts. Leff-T has been kidnapped by Hank. Darin buys them time by confessing she is pregnant with Hank’s child. Hank confesses everything. A shoot out ensues. Hank is shot by Leff-T.

Life threatening 10: Hank’s dog scent drugs at a bust. His deterrent didn’t work. The drug lord will kill him now. He prepares to go on the run.

Life threatening 11: Hank finds Leff-T at his house. Holds him hostage. Uses him as bait to get Darin.

Mystery 26: What was Hanks role in Livie’s death?

Life threatening 11: Hank prepares to kill Darin.

Life threatening 12: Hank pushes Leff-t – – who is tied to a chair – – in the pool to drown.

Villain’s plan 7: To escape the drug lords coming to kill him. To tie up loose ends.

Resolution: Leff-T, Darin’s baby, and Dharma attend the FiFi Awards (perfume industry) with Darin. She dedicates her award to her deceased sister and informs the audience of newest release: a fragrance created for Leff-T’s non-for-profit benefiting reformed gang members and their families.

[Kaden San]

Title: Neural Nemesis

Act 1: The Set Up

Introduction:

We meet David Stratton, on his last assignment before retirement, showcasing his extraordinary combat abilities, sharp reflexes, and covert actions.

After a successful operation, he has a small celebration of his retirement with colleagues and friends where he goes drinking for the first time in years.

Inciting Incident:

Stratton wakes up in the morning, feeling different. He tries to perform some combat moves he’s known for years but fumbles.

He discovers a scar on the back of his neck – indicating that something has been done to him while he was asleep.

He notices the date, realizes that he has been unconscious for two days. He calls a colleague to confirm it has been two days since they last spoke at the party.

Tech Mystery: He discovers a discarded part of the memory extraction device tech under his bed (although he doesn’t know what it is yet). It’s intricate and obviously a part of a more significant apparatus.

Act 1 Turning Point 1:

Tech Mystery: Determined, Stratton starts his search for answers. He breaks into a former agency contact and traces the equipment to Dr. Verne, a neuroscientist known for his cutting-edge research on memory and muscle reflexes, had disappeared months ago. Rumors had surfaced that he was working on a revolutionary project, but details were scarce. This device appears to be able to transfer skills from one person to another.

The Big Secret: Stratton believes the culprit is stealing abilities for wealth and power.

Stratton decides he needs his abilities back and returns to the spy agency.

Act 2

The Financier (Red Herring): A mysterious billionaire suspected of financing the evil organization. He has been funding several covert projects and is very secretive about them. David uncovers monetary ties between the Financier and Dr Verne believed to be behind the technology.

Stratton begins assembling a team of old friends and allies, each with their own set of skills. They devise a plan to recover the device from the Financier but must first trace his steps.

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

Intrigue: They follow the breadcrumbs to elite individuals & prodigies who have disappeared. Fake reports and social media postings are published to justify their disappearance.

Red Herring: They infiltrating secretive high-profile event hosted by the Financier. It’s a black market event where illegal and experimental high tech is for sale. There is also a cage fight showcasing the newly acquired skills of the rogue Agent (Alex) where he easily kills other fighters.

Suspense: Lured into a Dangerous Situation: A deceptive invite promises a way to restore lost abilities, leading him into a trap where he narrowly escapes. The Villain orchestrates a direct confrontation by putting him in the cage fight with the rogue agent in order to gloat and showcase the rogue agent’s skills, and demoralize the protagonist further.

Red Herring: Evidence found in the Financier’s office seems to hint at knowledge of the extraction plots. The Financier is discovered to have been present where the extraction incidents occurred.

Intrigue: Other elites are involved in accidents and their sustained injuries are being treated at a fake rehabilitation centre for elites funded by the Financier. The fake rehabilitation centre, becomes the new obsession among the elites.

They go to interview a potential witness to one of the elite disappearing.

Suspense: They encounter rogue agents enhanced with stolen abilities led by Alex (the rogue agent) who worked closely with David in the past and was presumed dead. He has been sent to deal with the witness.

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

Suspense: Memory Lapses: Stratton starts experiencing sudden and unexpected memory lapses at the worst time. Names, places, even faces – essential details vanish, making his mission incredibly challenging.

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

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

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

The Tech Mystery: Stratton, utilizing his connections and skills, finds that Dr. Verne might be held in a secret facility underneath the rehabilitation centre. A high-risk mission ensues to locate and hopefully rescue him.

Suspense: Stratton has a direct run in with Alex who uses Stratton’s own moves against him and is vastly outmatched. Stratton gets away by the skin of his teeth.

Suspense: Stratton, with his diminished skills, struggles with self-doubt.

The Tech Mystery: Once rescued, Dr. Verne is initially reluctant to speak, traumatized by his abduction and forced work. However, with time, he reveals the magnitude of his findings. He had been working on a way to transfer muscle memory to help patients with muscle degradation diseases or paralysis. But the tech was weaponised by the Villain.

Suspense: Talking about the danger: Verne explains that he might be able to regain his abilities – and the deadly consequences of not getting them restored over a long enough time period.

Midpoint:

Intrigue: They are drawn to a government database cyber attack that steals the sensitive government secrets. The authorities believe a rival country is behind the attack.

The Financier (Red Herring): Infiltrating secretive high-profile events hosted by the Financier. Finding covert project details in the Financier’s assets, leading to a false climax – The Financier is being blackmailed. He is a victim not the culprit. As the Hero is about to expose the Financier, it’s revealed that the billionaire’s interest was in a completely different illicit tech venture and not the extraction process.

Mystery Hidden Training Facilities: Surveillance captures training sessions of agents showcasing abilities not their own. This location is where agents with stolen abilities are trained, but for what purpose?

Intrigue: The rogue agent begins taking out threats, but it’s disguised as unrelated incidents or accidents.

Intrigue: The rogue agent starts taking out high level government agents and frames the protagonist based on his telltale combat abilities. He is now being hunted by government officials as a person of interest.

Suspense: Government law enforcement, pursue the protagonist for the framed crimes of the Villain, complicating his efforts.

David decodes a secret communication between rogue agents about a big upcoming event.

Targeting Mystery: David recollects a past mission where he crossed the now-Villain, hinting at the personal vendetta.

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

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

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

The team discovers the organization’s plan is nearing fruition. They have a list of elite targets and are set to extract abilities from a key military general that would allow the coup to proceed.

Intrigue: Bomb threats start emerging, taking the attention away from the extraction process and the upcoming coup.

Hidden Facility mystery: Unearthing blueprints of a fortified base, suggesting preparations for a significant assault – the military coup.

Intrigue: As the climax approaches, irrefutable evidence of the muscle memory extraction is exposed, but by then, the villain’s army is ready.

David reveals a failed mission, a betrayal, and the Villain swearing revenge.

Intrigue: The military coup begins, with a now clear and present threat to the government, culminating in a massive battle between the protagonist, his spy agency and the unstoppable army.

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

3. Turning Point Act 2:

The team infiltrates the organization’s main facility. They recover the device, but not without costs – members of Stratton’s team are captured.

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

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

Act 3: Resolution

1. Climax:

Suspense: Just as things look bleak, Stratton taps into his years of experience and cunning, using the environment and Alex’s overconfidence against him. The fight is brutal, but Stratton manages to outwit the younger agent. Using the device, Stratton reclaims his abilities.

With his abilities back and the device in hand, Stratton and his remaining team disrupt the organization’s plans and rescue their friends.

3. Ending:

Stratton destroys the device, ensuring no one can misuse it again. He returns to retirement, but now with a renewed sense of purpose, mentoring young agents and emphasizing the value of experience over raw skills.

[Peter Saltzman]

TITLE: Fugue

• OPENING: Milo is at a fancy concert venue, rehearing his brilliant work with a large virtuoso ensemble.

o Mystery 1: why are all the musicians and staff looking at Milo like he’s an alien?

o Villain’s Plan 1: Howie has planted a false story about Milo using afictitious series of accounts

o Direction: At the dress rehearsal for the performance of Milo Coleman’s major new work, there is a thrill among the players and staff sitting in the seats.

o Twist: One by one players stop playing, looking at their phones, then up at Milo, quizzically. So too the staff. Musicians walk out, leaving Milo perplexed. A report going viral that the major new work is a plagiarized fraud.

o

• INCITING INCIDENT: Everyone’s phones are blowing up with an account of Mile’s plagiarizing the work from a forgotten dead artist.

o Life-Threatening 1: Social Media posts include death threats

o Mystery 2: did Milo plagiarize the musician’s work? He clearly has a strong connection to this musician

o Mystery 3: who posted these videos?

o Villain’s Plan 2: The story goes viral with a series of “proofs” including a college paper Milo wrote. The paper itself has been hacked.

• TURNING POINT 1: Videos of Milo soliciting sex from teenagers; his wife leaves him.

o Life-Threatening 2: Milo is arrested; more death threats

o Mystery 4: Did Milo do these things? (He doesn’t seem like the type and we can’t entirely see his face in the videos.)

o Mystery 5: Why is Missy evasive about her ownership of the club? And who is the “silent partner” for whom she seems to be at beck and call?

o Mystery 6: These videos seem like possible fakes, but who’s behind them again.

o Mystery 6.5: Why does music critic Howie Spike keep showing up at Milo gigs when he’s never supported his old friends’ work in the past?

o Villain’s Plan 3: Howie infiltrates Milo’ personal life, sewing doubt in his wife and kids by creating credible-looking incidents of cheating and betrayal.

o Villain’s Plan 4: Howie hires actors to play the teenagers plays on Mile’sdesperation.

o Direction: Milo shows that his composition is original, having nothing to do with the lost work by Antoine Bo’dean.

o Twist: An essay that Milo wrote in college about Bo’Dean is published online; and a grainy video of a performance of Milo performing Bo’Dean’s song.

o Direction: Milo meets his old friend from college, Howie Spikes, an influential music critic in Chicago. Howie promises to write a piece in support of Milo.

o Twist: Howie sees a photo on his social media showing a meeting between Bo’Dean and Milo.

o Direction: Milo is performing his regular piano bar gig, with his wife Ella and Howie there to support him (Howie claims he is still behind him, but is holding off writing a piece.) Despite the rumors of Milo’ malfeasance, the crowd is into his performance.

o Twist: At the climax of a song Milo’ suddenly hears horrible screeching in his hearing aids and runs off the stage in terror.

o Direction: He returns to the stage and apologizes for the technical malfunction and continues playing.

o Twist: The same horrible noise appears in the sound system speakers.

o Direction: We see the club is in a fancy Chicago neighborhood, with high end features inside and out.

o Twist: When Milo confronts Missy about the constantly malfunctioning cheap sound system, she evasively says that they can’t afford to replace it.

o Direction: Howie is all of the sudden showing up at Milo’ performances all the time.

o Twist: In spite of their past friendship in college, Milo reminds him that he’s never written an article about him. Howie claims it’s conflict of interest

• MIDPOINT: Milo loses his only gig and all income.

o Life-Threatening: Loss of everything leads Milo to consider suicide.

o Direction: Milo procures a gun from a musician. Looks at himself in the mirror.

o Twist: Milo smiles and puts the gun away.

o Mystery 7: Who is Missy? Mile’s search for her turns up nothing…then a scandal in her past when she had a different name?

o Direction: Milo sees that the previous version of Missy (Marla Pharoah) was charged with absconding funds from her artist clients.

o Twist: One of those artists was Howie!

o Mystery 8: Why does Howie write a piece bemoaning his friend’s downfall but offer no actual support when he’s loaded?

o Villain’s Plan 6: Howie’s machinations lead to the cancellation of all gigs and financial ruin, further undermining his marriage

o Villain’s Plan 7: The end result of Howie’s plan has always been to undermines Milo’ confidence to the point where he destroys himself and Milo now suggests he may commit suicide.

• TURNING POINT 2: Video of him scamming homeless people

o Life-Threatening 4: Homeless people attack Milo

o Mystery 9: Milo wasn’t even on the street that night. Where did this video come from?

o Mystery 10: Missy has disappeared from the club. Where is she? Dead?

o Direction: Milo has the dirt on Missy and plans to use it to make her help him get to Howie.

o Twist: Milo learns that Howie blackmailed Missy.

o Villain’s Plan 8: When Milo doesn’t do himself in, Howie unleashes his thugs to create a scenario where Milo will be killed because due to his own devious behavior with prostitutes.

• CLIMAX: Milo uses his and Missy’s hacking abilities to expose Howie, proving all the accusations were forged.

o Direction: Howie’s manipulation of the truth is bullet-proof; he’s used AI in a way that creates irrefutable “evidence.”

o Twist: Howie can’t help boasting to Milo’s wife Ella, who has fake rekindled her old relationship with Howie, about his first real masterpiece. The whole thing is broadcast live on social media.

RESOLUTION: Milo goes back to the big stage—but keeps his club gig. Reunites with his wife and kids.