Lesson 9

[Evelyn Brooks]

Evelyn’s Favorite Twists!

What I learned doing this assignment is to keep looking for ways to elevate the story with interesting twists and unexpected reversals. Doing this lesson, I created several new scenes that I know will add more intrigue to my story.

My FIVE favorite twists listed as Setup/Twist.

1. New Threat ====================== Unexpected Support

Act One, new restaurant scene: Mikki (bruised from the pro bout in opening) is dining with her husband Reinaldo. SETUP Customer stops at their table on the way out and berates Reinaldo for being a wife-beater. Reinaldo tries to placate him, Mikki interrupts with an explanation. The customer defends himself by using a common paradigm about women fighters and tells Mikki: a battered woman is a battered woman–get back to your kitchen and leave the fighting to men. TWIST a waitress who recognizes Mikki tells the customer to stop jumping to conclusions and leave her clients alone or risk being asked to leave.

2. It Just Got Worse ============== It Just Got Better

Act Two, new shopping mall scene that foreshadows the kidnapping to come. SETUP Mikki and her little girl are shopping for clothes. Mikki turns away for a moment to rehang a couple of rejects. TWIST Mikki turns back to see a strange woman hustling Ava off. Mikki drops everything and leaps for the kidnapper, pulls her down, screams for security. The woman kicks and punches, manages to get up and run off. Mikki hugs Ava, crisis averted.

3. Attacked ====================== Protected

Midpoint new scene: SETUP Shayla launches an anonymous social media attack on Mikki, supposedly exposing her as a secret underground fighter at illegal clubs. Mikki is called up to see the MMA fight committee who threaten her with expulsion from their list of fighters. TWIST the only woman on the board, a retired boxer, stands up for Mikki and says it’s all a plot to discredit their champion.

4. Reversal ====================== Reverse the Reversal

Act two– new scene at gym; an earlier scene in act one will set up that Mikki trains at a local gym and enjoys a special women fighters’ class where they all go to lunch afterwards, supportive of each other’s goals. This new scene will reverse the camaraderie due to Shayla’s vicious social media attack. SETUP The women at the gym are wary of Mikki so she spars with a trainer–who we know is one of Shayla’s thugs. TWIST he admires Mikki’s strength and whispers a cryptic warning to stay on her guard, thus befriending her when her real friends have turned their backs on her.

5. Lost Resources ================= New Resources

Act Three, add a twist to the final fight between Shayla and Mikki. SETUP Shayla has a gun and two knives. Mikki is unarmed. TWIST Mikki kicks the gun away and captures a knife, so now she has a new resource. This scene also has a “reversal” because Mikki crosses a line when she kills someone (her cousin Shayla) for the first time in her life.

[BG]

ACTION LESSON 9 – Twists that Engage Us!

ASSIGNMENT

BG’s Favorite Twists!

What I learned doing this assignment: I’m starting to think that my whole concept is a twist: A broken-hearted reporter, working undercover as a waiter to get a scoop about a conspiracy to start a war, decides to fight the conspirators, instead. Clearly, a change of direction. But I don’t know what type of twist that is. Yet;))

Initial Plan: REPORTER goes to check out a posh club in London, where, according to a tip he has received, a conspiracy is centered.

Unexpected Support: As he’s mulling over how he should get into The Club, he’s accosted by HOSTESS, who works there, and is hired on the spot as a waiter. Now he’s inside the den of thieves!

Plan Fails: REPORTER’s “ingratiate yourself with BILLIONAIRE for access to him” plan fails when he’s spotted near forbidden areas of The Club.

Plan Succeeds: So he resorts to planting a listening device, a more illegal means, and succeeds in learning part of the conspirators’ plan.

New Threat: REPORTER’s conversation with EDITOR is picked up by NSA. Now, major intelligence agencies are involved.

New Threats: MI6 searches for, but cannot find, a listening device (TWIST). ENERGY MOGUL hires ASSASSIN.

Identity or Plan Exposed: HOSTESS reports to her control, revealing to the audience that she’s a German spy.

New Threat: REPORTER discovers his friend and ally, HACKER, has been abducted.

It Just Got Worse: And then, on the way back to his hotel, he’s attacked by ASSASSIN.

Identity or Plan Exposed: REPORTER discovers that HOSTESS is a German spy.

New Resources: REPORTER discovers HOSTESS is an ally, and it was she who sent him the tip, and removed his listening device to protect him.

Betrayal / Surprising Alliance: HOSTESS is working for BILLIONAIRE under false pretenses: She’s a spy, who is there to stop his plans (betrayal). She’s allied with REPORTER, who’s her asset and who’s also betraying him.

Deceived / Surprising Truth: REPORTER is passing himself off as a waiter, but when he decides that is no longer a viable plan, he writes a letter to BILLIONAIRE, confessing that he was there to get an interview, and apologizing for deceiving him.

Attacked / Protected: ASSASSIN attacks REPORTER again, but HOSTESS flies out of the shadows and flattens ASSASSIN.

Trap / Trick / Escape: REPORTER tricks BILLIONAIRE, and causes him to arrange the killing of a fellow conspirator.

[Patricia Steffy]

Patricia’s Favorite Twists!

What I learned doing this assignment is that I have to keep looking for ways to incorporate more twists into the script. While there has always been escalating danger (ie It Just Got Worse), I need to play with the alliances a bit more.

New Threat

Most of the PCU inmates, except our hero, feel good about being left behind. Being in the shelter of the tower prison feels safer than being out in the polar vortex with Sykes on a bus. Then the power goes out. And the storm arrives.

Plan Fails

Donovan makes decision to leave the unit and move to another floor, but the building is crumbling and water still cascades down an already faulty elevator shaft. At the elevator shaft, they hear screams from below — SEG is being flooded, and a young inmate, who our hero tried to take under his wing earlier, is in SEG. A mission is hatched for our hero and two other men to go try to save the kid. But the stairs are blocked. Daring rescue attempt by our hero using the electrified elevator shaft, despite the cascades of water. They arrive. But they are too late.

It Just Got Better and then It Just Got Worse

A last bus of prisoners flee in the storm. The engine stalls. The driver repeatedly tries to get the engine started again and panic takes hold. For a second, a moment of victory. Hope that they can keep moving.

Just as the bus appears to be moving again, a spark sets off an explosion in the engine and flames burst into the bus and are sucked backwards toward the oxygen of a faulty window and nearly everyone on the bus dies.

Unexpected Support

After deciding that their only way is up, the inmates slowly began to move as a team. But a fried security door means that someone will have to hold the door open, in order for people to get out and then try to escape before it closes. An unlikely hero among the inmates steps forward and sacrifices himself.

New Resource

Our hero leads the remaining men to the guard level, only to find a hellscape. Electrical has sparked a fire, and the windows had already blown out in the storm. Fire and ice combine. There is no relief here. Just as all hope is lost, he spies an unlikely new resource, hatches a new plan that the men think is crazy — but using this household item is their only choice. They just have to cross through flames to reach it.

[Mark Ezra]

Mark’s Favorite Twists

What I learned in this assignment is that it is hard to come up with twists cold. When I’m writing a screenplay I can come up with them no problem, but not here. I’ve knuckled down and produced some but I’m not thrilled with any of my twists. I think I shall get better ones when I start writing my screenplay.

Safety ========================= Danger

She is told to stand well back as the experts go in to disarm an IED. So she feels SAFE.

They manage successfully, but are maimed by a hidden booby trap IED, so now she realises she’s in DANGER.

New Threat ====================== Unexpected Support

She finds herself up against many booby traps, and an out of control vehicle.

At the last moment she is pulled out of danger by her misanthropic and highly critical Sergeant who unexpectedly congratulates her on a good job done.

Plan Fails ========================Plan Succeeds

She tries to disarm an IED, misinterprets instructions and accidentally cuts the wrong wire. But the Villain wired it differently from normal and she has, inadvertently, cut the RIGHT wire.

Attacked ====================== Protected

She and Colleague are attacked, but her bizarre collection of pest control weaponry helps them fight back in a new and thrilling way.

Trap/Trick ===================== Escape

Villain sets trap to trick her into entering the room with the bomb, but in bluffing, she tricks him into the room and traps him.

[Monica Arisman]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: Monica’s Favorite Twists!

What I learned doing this assignment is even though I knew about incorporating twists into a film this assignment showed me the types of twists which will be very helpful in all my scripts.

Go through your outline and rethink it as a series of twists. Add in any twists that you feel will improve it.

1. Choose any scene that needs a twist or two: I’ve gone through the outline and choose scenes where I thought a twist could work.

2. Brainstorm ways to use one or more of these twists:

Safety
======= Danger

Victoria
visits her mother’s grave (safety). But after meeting Jack and giving a
false identity she takes her leave, Jack goes to the grave and wonders
out loud who she really is (danger).<div>

New Threat
=== Unexpected Support

Victoria
knows that Jack is suspicious of her. So to buy some time she becomes his
drug dealer.

Plan Fails
=====Plan Succeeds

Jack
and Beatrice open a new gentlemen’s club. Everything is going well until
it is raided by the police – none of their other clubs have been raided
by the police.

Identity or Plan Exposed
====Identity Hidden

Jack
and Beatrice suspect Victoria (since she’s new to their business) is the
reason the club was raided. Beatrice decides to find out who Victoria
really is.

Deceived
====== Surprising Truth

Someone
in the police is feeding Jack and Beatrice information. It turns out to
be the Superintendent.

Attacked
======= Protected

Victoria
and Jack have it out with Jack losing. But then Victoria goes with Jack
to pick up the new girls at the unmarked border crossing.

Lost Resources
===== New Resources

The
police raid causes Jack to lose some of the girls. But Beatrice has a
plan to secure more girls by kidnapping women from the US sanctuary
cities.

It Just Got Worse
==== It Just Got Better

After
arresting Beatrice and telling her she won’t get jail time if she helps
them take down the latest event, Jack kidnaps Victoria and takes her away
from the event.

Trap/Trick
==== Escape

Victoria
is strung up. Jack beats her. He’s trying to decide how to finally kill
her when she uses what little strength she has and kills him.

Unexpected Weapon
==== Surprising Response

Victoria
kills Jack by kicking him into a battle-axe (he has a room of medieval
weapons).

Tell us your FIVE favorite twists listed as Setup/Twist.

a. Trap/Trick/Escape – Victoria is strung up. Jack beats her. He’s trying to decide how to finally kill her when she uses what little strength she has and kills him.

b. Deceived/Surprising Truth – Someone in the police is feeding Jack and Beatrice information. It turns out to be the Superintendent.

c. Lost Resources/New Resources – The police raid causes Jack to lose some of the girls. But Beatrice has a plan to secure more girls by kidnapping women from the US sanctuary cities.

d. Unexpected Weapon/Surprising Response – Victoria kills Jack by kicking him into a battle-axe (he has a room of medieval weapons).

e. New Threat /Unexpected Support – Victoria knows that Jack is suspicious of her. So to buy some time she becomes his drug dealer.

</div>

[John Woodward]

John Woodward’s 5 Favorite Twists!

Doing this assignment, I learned that twists build audience engagement because they create surprise, suspense, intrigue, and enjoyment.

FIVE favorite twists listed as Setup/Twist:

1. New Threat: A vicious crew of gangbangers chase Trey, a gutsy inner-city youth, for the innocent offense of retrieving a baseball that rolled too close to the gangsters. The lethal bullies pursue Trey to exact a devastating punishment. When Trey hides in a ghoulish sub-basement of a ghetto tenement, he discovers an extreme oddity – Eldgidge Makepeace, a robust older man who speaks in an antiquated British accent, locked in a crude cell-sized cage.

Unexpected Support: When the gang thugs suddenly arrive to kill Trey, Makepeace insults the ruthless mob leader. The ruthless killers enter the cell to teach Makepeace a lesson. But their trusted automatics are powerless against him! The ruthless bullies have freed a more powerful ruthless bully! Makepeace kills all of the gangsters, facilitating Trey’s escape.

2. REVERSAL: When Makepeace terminates the gangbangers, he saves the lives of Trey and his brother Domino.

REVERSE THE REVERSAL: After slaughtering the gangbangers, Makepeace immediately turns the gang’s weapons on Trey and his brother Domino, killing Domino! Trey alone survives the massacre in the sub-basement. Trey alone must deal with the terror that is Makepeace.

3. Identity Exposed: In Kwa’s “Undead Slave Trader” story, we find out that ELDRIDGE MAKEPEACE is an 18th century slave ship captain doomed to the realm of the undead after being killed then cursed by an African shaman whom he sought to enslave. Makepeace can’t be killed because he is already dead.

4. It Just Got Better: Trey and Joe use their weapons well. The bullets can’t kill Makepeace, but they slow him down.

It Just Got Worse: A neighbor videos Trey and Joe blasting Makepeace with automatic weapons until he falls out of sight behind a dumpster. The video goes viral and soon Trey and Joe are wanted by the police for murder. They can’t seek help from the authorities.

5. BETRAYAL: Joe quits on Trey, choosing to live his own life rather than helping Trey to stop Makepeace from assassinating black leaders.

SURPRISING ALLIANCE: After Makepeace assassinates revered leader Walker Jones, the villain hunts Trey down and closes in for the kill. Joe returns at the last second to save Trey from certain death. The unlikely allies flee together from the immortal fiend.

[Pat GALBRAITH Galbraith]

ASSIGNMENT 9

Pat Galbraith’s Twists that engage us!

What I learned about this assignment is the twist and turns that keeps us interested.

1.Opening

1863, During the civil war, back woods of Arkansas. Colonial home where she lives with her family.

Jesse James and the younger brothers often sit at the dinner table. Myra is one of many children.

Danger: Myra’s brother becomes chronically Ill.

Deceived: Doctor will not come to their home to help him.

Danger: Myra steals the medicine at gun point.

Safety: As soon as she gets the medicine to her brother, she leaves the county on the run.

2.New threat: Renegade northern troops invade the state of Arkansas because they favor the south. Burning homes and killing civilians.

3.First Turning Point at end of Act 1

More threats: Myra learns of neighbor’s babies being killed, fathers hung, and mothers raped by the malicious evil soldiers.

Unexpected Support: Gangs in the State began to ride against the warmongers.

Myra puts herself in danger by joining the neighborhood gang.

[Daniel Burt]

Dan’s Favorite Twists!

What I learned doing this assignment is that adding twists helps to keep this process fun.

Setting – An Elementary School Field Trip in Japan exploring the wonders of their Water Ice Garrison. A kindly grandfather is amongst the chaperones. The vessel is replete with scientists and engineers, civilians, and a precious few ships officers and crew when they are trapped and forced to deploy as-is.

_________________

Safety – Danger

They are only underway for a few weeks when seismic events collapse their current heat vent, forcing them to turn the vessel 90° on end to make it to the next active vent before freezing. Despite cursory preparations, the result is chaos and injury throughout the ship.

Safety – Danger – Safety

The kindly Grandfather is clearly enjoying walking a circular hallway adjacent to an on-board playground with his 5 y/o grandson. Life-sized replicas of sea life hang from the ceiling. He is walking hurriedly towards the public restroom when the announcement to secure for impact blares into their revere. Despite frantic efforts, the pair are unsecured when the tipping begins, and they slide downward – slowly away from the bathroom.

They arrive unharmed at the hallway end (now the floor), grandson amused, grandpa rattled. The grandson reiterates his urgency.

ID Hidden – ID Exposed

The grandfather removes his spectacles. His mien changes, his dress shirt comes off, and he is completely transformed. His muscular frame has a distinctive Yakuza tattoo.

Dodging falling items and struggling fellow passengers, the grandfather struggles back to the restroom by opening lockers and using them as handholds/footholds, the grandson holding on piggyback, using his dress belt around his neck for him to hold on to. The sounds around them are brutal.

Lost Resource – New Resource

They finally make it back to the restroom, only to see the toilets jutting out from the wall at about 6 feet high. (beat)

The grandfather straps his grandson onto the baby changing table now on the “floor”, removes the belt from his neck, straightens it, and unsheathes the spring steel sword it contains. He heads grimly back into the hallway.

Plan Fails – Plan Succeeds

Frame the grandson sitting commode style, in frame of his grandfather’s hand on his, and soothing words. A receding shot reveals the grandfather has cut down a shark replica, cut off its tail, and shoved it into a toilet so that the jaws, face up, are now a seat, funneling into the toilet through its torso.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel Burt.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel Burt.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s favorite twists !

what I learned doing this assignment is this….. all these twists I’m adding make my story interesting and make me want to see this as a movie. I’m saying my interest is captivated.

Opening — an elf scout is at the location where Krampus exits the earth. The elf is attacked by the demons surrounding Krampus.

new threat – unexpected support – elf is attacked and the reindeer are like guard dogs and fight to save the elf. But it is unsuccessful.

Inciting Incident – The elf returns in a heavily damaged sleigh with a few of the reindeer dead. It is obvious to Santa this was all done by Krampus.

danger – safety we thought the elf was dead. The sleigh returns to the North Pole damaged and some reindeer dead.

First Turning Point at end of Act 1 – Santa and the elves take off in numerous sleighs. Santa declares he will stay with the sleighs going in the area of where Krampus is located.

Mid-Point — They encounter Krampus and there is a chase that ensues. Santa and the elves get away.

trap trick – escape Krampus attacks the sleigh caravan and Santa and crew get away.

Second Turning Point at end of Act 2 – One of the little girl elves is kidnapped by Krampus. They must find her and this is pushed by her brother.

It got worse – it got better They have an idea where Krampus is located.

Crisis – Santa and the elves find out Krampus has kidnapped children along with that girl elf. They must save the kids and her.

Climax – final battle with Krampus and the demons. A battle with sleighs and quick demons goes into the sky. The final battle between Santa and Krampus puts Santa close to his demise. It is up to the brother elf and his sister to save Santa because the second in command The General wants Santa to go down.

betrayal – suprising alliance the General turns his back on Santa. Indigo the elf and his sister help Santa.

unexpected weapon – surprising response the reins used to harness the reindeer are tied around Krampus and he is cut in half.

Resolution – demons are killed. The General is killed. Santa survives. Brother and sister are reunited Krampus is buried deep in an icy tomb. It looks like he isn’t dead yet

Reversal – Reverse the reversal Krampus moves in his grave. Then stops.

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• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by  Bent Hanlen.

[Andre]

Subject
line: Andre’s Favorite Twists!

“What I learned doing this assignment is/are…?

-Five twists or more are acceptable.

-Twists can be created with Plot, Character, Dialogue, Action, or Meaning.

–Small twists shift a scene; Large twists can be act breaks.

–The types of twists:

1. Negative – Positive

2. Danger – Safety

3. New Threat – Unexpected Support

4. Plan Fails – Plan Succeeds

5. Identity or Plan Exposed – Identity Hidden

6. Deceived – Surprising Truth

7. Betrayal – Surprising Alliance

8. Attacked – Protected

9. Lost Resources – New Resources

10. It just got worse – It just got better

11. Trap/Trick – Escape

12. Reversal – Reverse the Reversal

-Definition of Twist: A
shift or deviation in direction.

-How: Set a direction, then change it in some way that causes the reader/audience to wonder/worry what will happen next. Create the unexpected, yet in hindsight, makes sense. Well set up. Twists that do not make sense and is only there to add excitement will cause the script to lose credibility.

1. Identify or set up a predictable pattern, then brainstorm ways to change direction suddenly.

2. Ask, what unexpected change could occur now?

3. How could another character respond in an unexpected way?

4. What could be the worst or best thing that could happen here?

-My favorite 6 twists Set-Up/ Twist:

1. Negative – Positive. Science/Engineering vs. Human Emotion.

2. Danger – Safety. Learning to live with danger as the new norm. Space is unforgiving.

3. New Threat – Unexpected Support. Untested unproven equipment.

4. Attacked – Protected. Atmosphere (or no atmosphere) vs equipment.

5. Lost Resources – New Resources. Expendable resources, far away from home.

6. It just got worse – It just got better. Constant failures of expectations, new realizations based on challenges; space is hard/difficult and unforgiven.

-Andre