Lesson 9

[William Whiteford]

Assignment 9
William Whiteford – Twists and Turns

In this assignment, I explored the definition, types, structure, and function of plot twists, as well as how to create them effectively. Plot twists surprise the audience, evoke emotional highs and lows, and make a story more unpredictable. Structurally, a twist is simple: an event or action moves in one direction and then abruptly shifts. There are 14 types of twists. When creating a twist, we can start either with the current direction of the plot or the twist itself and build the structure around it. Additionally, I studied 22 examples of twists in the thriller North by Northwest.

1. Locations of Plot Twists in My Script
Here are the 14 twists (labeled T1–T14) as they appear in chronological order:
•T1: Loss of Resources: The villain, Jack H., hacks into his boss’s account and files (Act 1).
•T2: A Lie Exposed: The villain forged his references and letter of recommendation (Act 1).
•T3: Secret Identity Revealed: The villain, hiding under the alias “Jack H.,” is actually Roy J. Jack H. died three months ago (Act 1).
•T4: New Consequences: After the villain attacks the writer, the writer begins firearms training (Act 2). Later, the police suspect and confine the hero (Act 2).
•T5: Changing Sides: The hero’s wife, Grace, conspires with the villain (Act 2).
•T6: Betrayal of Trust: Grace repeatedly betrays the writer (Acts 2 and 3) and later betrays the villain as well (Act 3).
•T7: New Problem Arises: The hero’s brother, Dan, demands a building plot (Act 2).
•T8: Unexpected Side of Someone: Dan attacks his brother at home during the night (Act 2).
•T9: New Options Unfold: The hero’s friend, John, offers to help (Act 2).
•T10: Mistake Comes Back to Haunt: The hero places too much trust in others (Act 2).
•T11: The “Solution” Backfires: The hero chases Jack with a gun, only to end up trapped in an empty building (Act 2).
•T12: Worst Possible Outcome: The hero is confined to a clinic, facing a long-term sentence and the loss of his assets (Act 2).
•T13: Increasing Danger: In the clinic, the hero fears for his life. A veteran later attacks him (Act 3).
•T14: Something planned for doesn’t happen (Plans Go Awry): The villain and Grace plan to escape abroad, but at the airport, the fugitive hero shows up instead of Grace.

4. Revised Thriller Map
Below is the updated structure of my Thriller Map, with key moments and twists:
Act 1 (A1):
•Inciting Incident: A mysterious veteran, described as “a man with a rifle,” shoots a bird in a park.
•Villain’s Plan 1: The villain, Jack H., stages a series of animal killings to frame his boss, get him confined to a psychiatric clinic, and then escape abroad with Grace, the hero’s wife.
•Life-Threatening Situation 1: The hero is at risk of being shot during the park encounter.
oMystery 1 (M1): Who is the shooter?
oMystery 2 (M2): Is the shooter a fugitive from a local psychiatric clinic?
•Twist 1 (T1): The villain hacks his boss’s account and files.
•Turning Point 1: The hero’s wife’s cat is found dead.
oMystery 3 (M3): Is the elusive veteran responsible, or is it the secretary?
oLife-Threatening Situation 2: Is this a warning to the hero and his family?
•The hero burns Jack’s manuscript. Jack assaults the hero and vanishes. Later, the hero discovers that Jack H. died three months ago.
•Twist 2 (T2): The villain forged his references and a letter of recommendation.
•Twist 3 (T3): The villain’s real name is Roy J., not Jack H.
oMystery 4 (M4): Who is using the identity of “Jack H.” and where is he now? How dangerous is he?
oMystery 5 (M5): Will the hero be able to identify and capture the villain?
Act 2 (A2):
•Twist 4 (T4): New consequences arise as the hero starts firearms training.
•Twist 5 (T5): The hero’s wife, Grace, conspires with the villain.
•Twist 6 (T6): Grace repeatedly betrays the hero.
•Twist 7 (T7): The hero’s brother, Dan, demands a building plot.
oLife-Threatening Situation 3: A masked man attacks the hero at night.
oMystery 6 (M6): Is the attacker Dan, who recently had a dispute over property with the hero?
•Twist 8 (T8): We see an unexpected side of Dan as he likely attacks his brother at night.
•Twist 9 (T9): The hero’s friend, John, offers his help.
•Twist 10 (T10): The hero’s trust in others backfires.
•Twist 11 (T11): The hero chases Jack with a gun but is trapped in an empty building.
•Midpoint: The hero pursues Jack again, but Jack escapes.
oLife-Threatening Situation 4: A high-speed chase through the city with both men armed and shooting at each other.
•Turning Point 2: The hero is confined to a psychiatric clinic.
•Twist 12 (T12): The hero faces a long-term sentence and loss of assets.
Act 3 (A3):
•Twist 13 (T13): In the clinic, the hero fears for his life and is attacked by a veteran.
oLife-Threatening Situation 5: The hero fears the possibility of electric shock treatment.
oLife-Threatening Situation 6: The veteran launches a violent attack on the hero.
oLife-Threatening Situation 7: The hero escapes the clinic, pursued by the police.
•Twist 14 (T14): At the airport, instead of meeting Grace, Jack encounters the fugitive hero.
Climax:
•The hero confronts the villain in a final showdown and triumphs.
oLife-Threatening Situation 8: The hero faces the armed villain alone in a dark, confined space.
Resolution:
•The hero’s wife, Grace, escapes abroad, while the hero hires a new secretary. Meanwhile, the villain begins writing his memoirs from prison. Will he succeed?

# # #

[William Peed]

LESSON #9

MIKE'S THRILLER

1. Something Planned For Doesn't Happen

CURRENT DIRECTION

The Prisoners are condemned to death

TWIST

Miguel doesn't get his head chopped off

Daniella proposes to Pasha Hassan

2. Lost Their Resources

Daniella loses Zara when Pasha Hassan regifts Zara to give to Hajji Murad in return for the position of the Sultan's Grand Vizier in Constantinople.

– He had given Daniela Zara as her handmaiden as an engagment gift.

– Daniella had asked for her as her gift so that she could keep Zara safe.

– Miguel had accused her of selling Zara out when she proposed to Pasha Hassan

3. Someone Changes Sides

Daniella!!!!! The Love of His Life! The one he'd give up everything for!!!!!

— She proposes to Pasha Hassan. Chooses Pasha Hassan and Algiers over Miguel and Madrid

4. A New Problem Occurs

Daniella makes Miguel promise he won't leave Algiers. He'll put the effort in and make it work

— If you love me, you'll stay here and make it work.

— He never actually promises!

— But he will stay and make it work

5. A Lie Is Uncovered

Daniella finds out about the Proposal

— It wasn't a lie —

– A lie by omission

— she leaves the room reading Miguel's proposal. Perhaps reads a couple of lines out loud. She'll use his words in her proposal to Pasha Hassan

6. New Consequences Emerge

After Miguel is finally fully honest with Daniella and tells her about the proposal (he still lies to her about why he lied to her, though), Daniella steals Miguel's own words to propose to Pasha Hassan

7. New Options Emerge

Miguel negotiates a way out of Algiers that doesn't involve him having to risk his life

8. A Mistake Comes Back To Haunt Them

Miguel lying about the proposal results in Daniella proposing to Pasha Hassan using his own words

9. A Trust Is Violated

Miguel has left Algiers without her

— this is backstory

Pasha Hassan regifts Zara

– You said she was a symbol of your eternal love

– Well, now she's a symbol of my eternal gratitude to Hajji Murad

10. We See An Unexpected Side Of Someone

Pasha Hassan tells Daniella about Constantinople

— Pasha Hassan takes Miguel's advice and tells Daniella about going to Turkey

— Miguel tries to rat Pasha Hassan out. Because Miguel can't imagine actually being completely honest.

— But Daniella already knows

11. It Just Got More Dangerous

Daniella agrees to try to escape

— Now her life's in danger too

12. Secret Identity Uncovered

Rock the Casbah

Miguel and Benengeli in drag. Caught by the Janissaries

13. The Worst Possible Thing Happens

Daniella proposes to Pasha Hassan

14. The Solution Makes Things Worse

1. Death for escaping

– the Gate of Grief

– Mock Execution

– Meet* cute – Daniella saves Miguel's life

– *They've already met. They've known each other for years. This is the first time they "meet" in the movie

TWIST: Miguel's mock execution

– Death of Miguel's Guard

– Mystery: Why does Pasha Hassan allow Miguel to live?

2. Losing Daniella's love

– Pasha Hassan asks Miguel to propose to Daniella for him

– Miguel takes an opposite turn in the labyrinth. Makes a mental not to himself. The same way will does in Shakespeare in

Love. He's been gong the opposite way through the maze, from the bagnios to the harem.

– Mystery – Why doesn't Pasha Hassan ask Daniella to marry him his ownself?

TWIST: Miguel negotiates a way out of Algiers that doesn't involve him having to risk his life

3. Surveillance

– Bonengel

– Who knows Miguel's secrets

– El Manco LePanto

4. Lying to Daniella

TWIST: Daniella makes Miguel promise he won't leave Algiers. He'll put the effort in and make it work

— If you love me, you'll stay here and make it work.

— He never actually promises!

— But he will stay and make it work

– Daniella makes Miguel promise to never leave her*

– * Miguel never actually promises

Miguel has left Algiers without her

— this is backstory

5. Losing himself/his self-respect

– He stays with Daniella even though she's still with Pasha Hassan

– He gets a job. An apartment. A new wardrobe. To make Daniella happy

– In spite of this, she still chooses* Pasha Hassan over Miguel

– * she doesn't have a choice

– which is made clear by Benengeli*

– *whose life is also in danger*

– * should Pasha Hassan catch Miguel and Daniella, or if Miguel escapes, Benengeli will lose his head*

– * like Miguel's last guard

6. Losing Daniella, Part Duh

– Miguel accepts the fact that he cannot remain in Algiers if Daniella is going to marry Pasha Hassan. He's going to escape,
and, ideally, bring Daniella with him.

– Which will put Miguel's, and anyone who chooses to go with him, as well as Benengeli's lives, in danger

– Which causes Miguel to put together a plan, which results in —

7. Discovery, Disguise, Chase

– Miguel goes to the Harem, so Benengeli can see what actually goes on

– Miguel, looking romantic, framed in the keyhole. Daniella's lips so sweet and tender, like petals falling apart, mouths
along to Miguel's story.

– Which happens to be the same time that Pasha Hassan, El Lobo and Hajji Murad show up

– Daniella rescues them

– But Benengeli's not wise enough to recognize it

– Miguel and Benengeli disguise themselves as concubines

– Zara saves them by offering herself to Hajji Murad

– they escape through Daniella's balcony and flee through the streets of the Casbah*

– *the whitewashed walls in the moonlight

– Keystone Janissaries

– Miguel and Benengeli hide in a secret garden

– Benengeli's dagger at Miguel's throat, a shock of red blood in the pale moonlight

TWIST: Rock the Casbah

Miguel and Benengeli in drag. Caught by the Janissaries

– Discovery by Janissaries

8. Altogether Now

TWIST: Daniella agrees to try to escape

— Now her life's in danger too

– Daniella asks Miguel to get Zara out of Algiers.

– He agrees, but only if Daniella goes with him

– Which now puts Miguel, and Daniella, and Zara and Benengeli and Sancho and Dr. Alonzo's lives at stake

– Mystery: How's he going to get them out of there?

9. Heat from Pasha Hassan roughly page 65

– The Sultan is coming. I need my proposal*

– *Is this the first time we hear about the Sultan's arrival? Maybe we mention this earlier?

– If he doesn't convince Daniella to marry him soon, Pasha Hassan is going to kill him.

– Miguel would rather be dead than see Daniella marry Pasha Hassan

10. Losing Daniella's love forever

– Daniella discovers the Proposal

TWIST{ Daniella finds out about the Proposal

— It wasn't a lie —

– A lie by omission

— she leaves the room reading Miguel's proposal. Perhaps reads a couple of lines out loud. She'll use his words in her proposal to Pasha Hassan

Miguel lying about the proposal results in Daniella proposing to Pasha Hassan using his own words

TWIST: Daniella!!!!! The Love of His Life! The one he'd give up everything for!!!!!

— She proposes to Pasha Hassan. Chooses Pasha Hassan and Algiers over Miguel and Madrid

– "You lied to me."

– "It was a lie of omission."

– Daniella proposes to Pasha Hassan, using Miguel's own words!

After Miguel is finally fully honest with Daniella and tells her about the proposal (he still lies to her about why he lied to her, though), Daniella steals Miguel's own words to propose to Pasha Hassan

11. Loss of Freedom

– He's going to Constantinople*

– no slave has ever returned to Europe from Turkey

– Maybe this is where we first reveal the Constantinople gig.

– Pasha Hassan and El Lobo have kept it a secret from Daniella

12. Humiliation

– He reveals Pasha Hassan's plan to got to Constantinople to Daniella

TWIST:Pasha Hassan tells Daniella about Constantinople

— Pasha Hassan takes Miguel's advice and tells Daniella about going to Turkey

— Miguel tries to rat Pasha Hassan out. Because Miguel can't imagine actually being completely honest.

— But Daniella already knows

– She already knows. Pasha Hassan took Miguel's unintentional advice and told her already

– Daniella releases him from her promise. He can go. She won't stop him. He can use her wedding to escape.

12. Loss of respect from friends and self

– He'll remain a slave before he'll leave Daniella

13. Intrigue: What is Hajji Murad going to collect as his price for getting Pasha Hassan named Grand Vizier?

14. Discovery

– Miguel and Sancho* infiltrate Pasha Hassan and Daniella's wedding

– Sancho's working. That's why they couldn't use the wedding as a distraction, as Miguel had intended.

15. Forced marriage/Betrayal

– Zara is Hajji Murad's chosen prize

– Pasha Hassan has betrayed Daniella's trust.

– Zara was Pasha Hassan's engagement gift to Daniella, a symbol of his love. He's now given Zara to Hajji Murad in exchange for the Grand Viziership of The Ottoman Empire

TWIST: Daniella loses Zara when Pasha Hassan regifts Zara to give to Hajji Murad in return for the position of the Sultan's Grand Vizier in Constantinople.

– He had given Daniela Zara as her handmaiden as an engagment gift.

– Daniella had asked for her as her gift so that she could keep Zara safe.

– Miguel had accused her of selling Zara out when she proposed to Pasha Hassan

Pasha Hassan regifts Zara

– You said she was a symbol of your eternal love

– Well, now she's a symbol of my eternal gratitude to Hajji Murad

– Zara escapes rather than be forced to marry a man she doesn't love.

16. Chased

– Zara escapes, which causes Benengeli to follow

17. Death

– the only way Daniella can save Zara's life at this point is to —

– escape with Miguel

18. Discovery

– the old Wedding Switcheroo

– "Where is my Bride?" Cut To__

– Daniella on her horse as Miguel tries to climb on his.

19. Chase:

– "Where is my betrothed?"

– Zara on her way to the Harem

– When Pasha Hassan discovers Daniella and Miguel have escaped, he sends El Lobo and his Janissaries* after them

– Where is Benengeli, my most trusted Janissary? Cut To:

– Benengeli following Zara

20. Discovery

– Zara in the Harem

21. Disguise

– Zara in the Janissary uniform. Tereza as the prisoner.

– Aren't you a bit short for a Janissary?

22. Discovery

– Miguel, Daniella, Zara, Tereza and Benengeli through the labyrinth

23. One Last Betrayal

– Miguel had offered Zara to the Gatekeeper*

– It was after my last escape attempt

24. Losing Daniella

– El Lobo and the Janissaries show up at the Docks

25. Losing Daniella, his Freedom, and or Death

– Miguel and Sancho hold of the Janissaries as Daniella, Zara, Tereza, Benengeli and Dr. Alonzo escape

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  William Peed.