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Lesson 9 Assignments
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Module 1.9 Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is…Open Loops are unanswered questions about the future of the plot and main characters. These questions compel viewers to obsess about the story and create a strong desire to binge watch.
Assignment 1: Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season. Mr. Robot –
Will fsociety actually implement the Super-Hack and erase all consumer debt?
What will be the consequences?
Will E-Corp discover that Elliott’s actions at their “Server Farm” allowed the Super-Hack to be possible?
What will be the consequences of Elliott’s mental health problems?
What will be the relationship between Elliott and Mr. Robot?
Assignment 2: Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
In the classic TV series, “Twin Peaks”, the Open Loop was Who killed Laura Palmer?
In my series, “Perfect Candidate”, it will be Who killed Karen Hodges?
Why were each of the candidates selected since none seem to fit a “corporate model” for a Vice President-level position?
What will happen to the protagonist, Verna Williams, if she doesn’t get the job?
What will happen to the other main characters since all of them desperately need the job?
Who is the corporation, Supreme Dynamics, really? Do they have some nefarious purpose?
And most importantly, the question to last the entire series….What exactly does the job of Vice President of Special Operations mean?
What does that role actually do?
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by H.G. MIDDLEMASS.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by H.G. MIDDLEMASS.
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Assignment 1
Game of Thrones Open Loops
1) What will happen to Jon Snow? Will he make it in the Night’s Watch, which he was forced to join? Now that his brother Robb is going to war, he must choose between his sworn duty and his loyalty to his house. What will he do?
2) Can Sansa achieve her goal of a royal marriage? Now that her father has been executed for treason, it seems unlikely, so what will her fate be now, at the mercy of King Joffrey?
3) Can Danaerys survive and eventually get back the throne of Westeros? Now that Kal Drogo is sick and may die, what will be her fate? Can she survive the mortal danger she’ll be in if Drogo dies?
4) Arya is on her own now. Can she survive? How?
5) Can Tyrion ever gain the respect of his father?
6) Can the Night’s Watch get help to defend against the White Walkers? Now that they’ve seen one, they believe, but will anyone else? Can this threat somehow overshadow the civil war that is happening?
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Mod 1 Lesson 9 Assignment 1
“The Young Pope”
OPEN LOOPS
Will Lenny Belardo (Pius XIII) be able to implement his plans for the Catholic Church without causing the Church to become insignificant or bankrupting it?
Will the Italian government cave to Lenny’s requirements for concessions to the Vatican?
Why did Esther leave with her baby?
Is Lenny being blackmailed so he doesn’t seriously investigate pedophilia claims?
Can Lenny resist the challenges to conform to Vatican norms coming from the other cardinals?
Can Lenny really perform miracles, and if so, how?
How will Lenny’s relationship with Sister Mary evolve? With his former mentor, Cardinal Michael Spencer?
Will Lenny survive plots to discredit him and make him resign the Papacy?
Will the pressures on Lenny and his own internal doubts cause him to have a breakdown?
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Bob’s Big Picture Open Loops
Mod 1 Lesson 9 Assignment 2
What I learned doing this assignment is that Open Loops (along with Mysteries) provide fodder for stories necessary to keep interest in the show.
“Mount Moriah”
OPEN LOOPS
Based on GOALS:
· How will Daniel exact revenge?
· Will Daniel assist Christine with her plan to demolish the Dome of the Rock and build a Third Temple (new goal)?
Based on CONSEQUENCES:
· Will Avi learn that Daniel has an agenda separate from Mossad’s?
Based on SOLVING PROBLEMS:
· Can Daniel come to terms with the guilt he feels over his parents’ murders?
Based on RELATIONSHIPS:
· Will Daniel and Christine develop a personal relationship?
Based on DAMAGE/SURVIVAL/RISKS:
· Will Daniel suffer a breakdown?
· Will Daniel get caught/killed as he seeks the terrorist that killed his parents?
· Will Daniel’s issue with anti-depressants become problematic?
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DAY 9 ASSIGNMENT
1:
DAY 9 MARY J. ANDREWS: episode 9 The 100 Open Loops
What
I learned doing this assignment is this must work because it’s gone on for 7 seasons.<hr width=”100%” size=”3″ align=”center”>
1) BIG PICTURE OPEN LOOPS—previously established:
a. The Ark is falling apart, Citizens are suffering from Oxygen depletion
b. The citizens/workers are not told of the situation
c. In the opening show 100 young people, under age 18 who were incarcerated for breaking rules are placed into a drop-ship and sent to Earth to see if the planet is safe for humans after wars irradiated it.
d. Council decides to cull 320 citizens to have a month’s time before they will have to do it again.
e. Council member Dr. Abigail, Clarke’s mother, aboard the ship champions the people’s safety & tells them of the plan to cull their numbers and claim it an accident. (to their surprise, volunteers come forth and are culled).
f. On Earth, the landing party deals with the planet, each other, and the grounders who attack them. They establish order, find food, set up a defense perimeter.
2) how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future:
With each episode main problems aboard the ship unfold to reveal ship politics. In episode 9, the recently introduced ex-chancellor, Dianna, who is leading the working class to an uprising. She orders an explosion that kills 7 people before she and her people prepare to steal the Exodus ship that is being prepared to launch next batch of settlers. Failing to kill the Chancellor, she and her people launch the ship early, not caring that it will rip out many of the existing systems aboard the Ark and cause deaths. Clarke’s mother is caught aboard the ship when it launches and crashes on the planet.SO NOW WE NEED TO WATCH TO FIND OUT IF CITIZENS ON SHIP WILL SURVIVE AND IF CLARKE’S MOM MAKES IT, WAS EVERYONE KILLED IN THE CRASH…SURE MADE A BIG FIREBALL JUST BEHIND THAT MOUNTAIN IT HIT.
On the planet, Octavia and Finn open a dialog with Lincoln (the grounder who saved their lives before they captured and tortured him…then Octavia released him.) They set up peace talks with the Grounders before the Ark ships start arriving with military, etc. Both parties bring weapons, fighting breaks out just as their leader, Anya is considering peace (btw, Grounders tell that their rockets hit one of their towns and they know about the Lincoln’s capture and torture….) SO NOW, WE NEED TO WATCH TO SEE IF THE SHIP/PEOPLE SURVIVED, AND ARE THOSE PESKY GROUNDERS GONNA ESCALATE AND ATTACK, OR WILL THEY GO AFTER THE CRASHED SHIP, TOO?
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Lesson Nine: Open Loops
Assignment 1: Sample Show is The Vampire Diaries
Big Picture Open Loops
· Will Stefan and Elena stay together?
· Is Katherine the vampire alive or dead (staked)?
· Will Damon continue to manipulate the humans of Mystic Falls?
· Who else will be turned into a vampire?
· Who else will exhibit supernatural powers?
· Who will find out that Stefan and Damon are vampires?
· Will Stefan and Damon ever be able to reconcile?
· What is Stefan like when he feeds on human blood?
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Big Picture Open Loops
Assignment #1 Handmaids Tail
Will Moira escape to Canada after she killed the man in the club?
Will Commander Waterford find out that June was working him in the club to pick up a package for May Day.
If Commander finds out about June working for May Day what will he do? Will he condone her punishment or use it against June?
What will happen to June if she is caught with the package by the government?
Will the man in the deli get caught for giving June the package?
How did Moira manage to get the package out?
What is in the package? Will June open the package and find more info on May Day?
What will happen to Luke? Will he reunite with June and his daughter?
What I learned doing this assignment is I understand now how I was hooked on certain shows when they used open loops. Open loops trigger the viewer to imagine several outcomes of a show in the first episode that keeps them engaged in the series.
Assignment #2 Refuge Nation
Big Picture Open Loops
Will they find Isaac’s family?
How will their lives change when they find them? Will they be accepted? Will they get to stay? How will he be raised?
Will they survive the journey on the road after killing the bandits? What other dangers are instore?
Where did Grandpa Frank come from? When did he die? Will Jessie and Irene get to see Grandpa Frank?
How will the journey be when encountering different states and countries? Will they abide by the laws and cultures?
Will Jessie’s erratic behavior and Irene and her conflicted relationship put their journey in peril?
How will Isaac react to meeting his Native family? Will accept his culture? Will he reject the culture he grew up in?
How long will Grandpa Frank stick around? Will the children stop seeing him?
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Example Show: Secrets and Lies
Big Picture Loops:
Did Ben have anything to do with his son’s murder?
Will Ben and Christie get back together?
Who killed Tom?
What does Detective Cornell know that she’s hiding?
Kim’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is that I need to make sure the pilot holds intrigue and mystery through withheld information and hints of answers yet to come.
My Open Loops:
If Nat really tried to murder Eric, then why?
Why is Krystal so interested in Nat’s relationship with Eric? What are her motives for getting so entangled in their problems?
Why is Eric so loyal to his wife, even though she may have tried to kill him?
What secrets are Eric trying so hard to hide from everyone, even his wife?
Will Nat be able to control her different personalities, or will they destroy her?
What does Krystal know that she’s not telling anyone?
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ANNE JAMES
Lesson 9 – Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned from this assignment: That I have way more Big Open Loops for this first episode than I expected. They came more easily than I anticipated. But I can see that I need more historical information to develop plot lines that will help these Big Open Loops unfold.
ASSIGNMENT 1
The Young Pope
Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season:
• How will his contemporary, confrontational, arrogant style of leadership fare in the Vatican environment?
• Why did Lenny’s parents abandon him?
• Are Lenny’s parents still alive?
• Can Sister Mary stay loyal to Lenny and still help his papacy succeed?
• Is Lenny’s relationship and need to put Dussolier in a powerful position enough to ensure Dussolier’s success in his new role?
• Is Lenny’s faith in Gutierrez enough to ensure he will solve the Kurtwell case?
• Is Lenny truly a saint?
• Will Voiello keep his power and influence within the Vatican?
• Will Spencer return to Lenny’s father figure/mentor role?
• Barring a miracle, will Esther ever conceive a child?
ASSIGNMENT 2
Possible big picture open loops for my first season of Vestal Virgins introduced in the pilot:
• Who impregnated Livia? Was she raped or was it consensual?
• Who broke the Vestals’ vow of secrecy and revealed Livia’s miscarriage?
• Why did Silvius, Vestalis Maxima Chief Vestal, waive a trial and put Livia immediately to death?
• Did anyone know about Livia’s and Nerilla’s taboo relationship?
• Did Livia really love Nerilla?
• Why was Aeliana, the embodiment of Vestal demure chastity and natural successor, passed over as Vestalium Maxima?
• Will Nerilla, as the new Vestalium Maxima, restore the public credibility of the Vestals and preserve their lives?
• Can Nerilla use her new position, access, influence and cunning to gain more political control over the running of the Roman Empire?
• Will Nerilla be able to gain control over a divided House of Vesta?
• Will Nerilla, who has doubted her mystical powers and connection to the gods, be able to offer important blessings on endeavors that will ensure Rome’s success?
• Can the Vestals trust Silvius?
• Can the Vestals keep the fire of Rome literally burning?
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I’ve learned that my principal characters are as complicated as real life, but perhaps just a little more dramatic.
The Fisherman
Big Picture Open Loops in the Pilot
Will John become the man he secretly wants to be
Will John save his mother
Will John survive the underworld
Does Kate love John or is she using him
Who killed Skylar and why
Goals:
Will John find Skylar’s killer
Will John make enough to save his mom
Will John and Kate’s relationship survive
Will John become the man he yearns to be
Consequences:
Will John survive the mobsters
Will John’s mother beat the illness
Will Kate be found out
Will Captain T make it out of the business
Solving Problems:
Can John pull off the crimes and raise the money
Can Captain T muster the courage to kill John
Will Kate be able to set John up
Relationships:
Does Kate love John
How much does Captain T care about John
Does John love or hate the mobsters
Does John love himself
Danger/Survival/Risk:
Will John survive his choices
How far will Captain T go
Will Kate survive her own behavior
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===========================================================ASSIGNMENT 2:
DAY 9 MARY J. ANDREWS: Open Loops in The Fireborn Chronicles
What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s hard to tack down intertwined open loops.Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
1. Can Rael and his team capture the Corporate Overlord and make him pay for his abuses?2. Will Ira and Tristen survive Tristen’s Oracles?
3. Who are the Oracles?
4.Why is everyone hunting Rael?
5. Why now?
6. What is Tristen’s mission?
7. Who are the Psi Terrorist?
8. Where is the Oracle Planet?
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Chantria’s Open Loops
ASSIGNMENT 1
Example Show: The Handmaid’s Tale
Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season:
When and how will June escape Gilead? Will she reunite with her family and how?
Will Gilead crumble and how?
What is Mayday and how will it happen? Will it be successful?
Will Gilead take over all of the United States or be defeated?
Will Nick and June have a romantic relationship?
Will June get pregnant and allow her baby to be taken away?
What happens to a handmaid if she’s conceived and given birth to a child for a Commander and his Wife?
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ASSIGNMENT 2: Show – “Beyond Temple Walls”
What I learned from this assignment is building in open loops creates a need for audiences to want to find the answers in future episodes. It also allows me to be very intentional with the storytelling.
First season Open Loops for first season:
CONSEQUENCES:
Will Sovannah and Dekhune Serey get caught by the police or fellow monks? If so, will Dekhune Serey get a special kind of punishment as a monk?
Will the others discover that Sovannah is the daughter of a crime boss and will she need to repent for her father’s sins?
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Who murdered Dekhune Thom and why?
What is really happening at the temple behind locked doors?
Will Sovannah discover why and how her father “disappeared”?
RELATIONSHIPS:
Will a romantic relationship develop between Sovannah and Detective Tran?
How far can Sovannah push Dekhune Serey to go outside his comfort zone and possibly against his religion?
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can Dekhune Serey’s innocent and optimistic mind be completely shattered and corrupted as he continues with this investigation?
Will their investigation put the other monks and community members at risk of losing their lives?
Will Sovannah’s unpredictable hot temper be the reason of her downfall?
2. Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
Who murdered Dekhune Thom and why?
What is really happening at the temple behind locked doors?
Can Dekhune Serey’s innocent and optimistic mind be completely shattered and corrupted as he continues with this investigation?
Will Sovannah and Dekhune Serey get caught by the police or fellow monks? If so, will Dekhune Serey get a special kind of punishment as a monk?
Will Sovannah’s unpredictable hot temper be the reason for her downfall?
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Subject line: Nadine’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is although I intuitively include some of these techniques in my writing, it is useful to have a name for them and learn how to write them more effectively.
ASSIGNMENT 1
1. In LOST, the Big Picture open loops, established early in the season, include: Will the crash survivors ever be rescued?
Will they find out what’s causing the attacks and the roars?
Will they discover where the hatch goes?2. I watched the next episode to see how the open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes and realized, when someone kidnaps a pregnant girl, then releases her with no memory, the audience wants to know why?
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ASSIGNMENT 2:
1. Using this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for the first season of my TV Series, I used Big Picture Open Loops to find ways to keep the audience captivated.
GOALS:
New goals? When a 12 year-old girl (Monique), is raped, her goal of becoming a great lawyer pales as she figures out how a baby will impact her future.
Goals related to the big picture? The dual leads, Kuno and Jai, are both on a mission to bring greater justice into the world.
Crushed goals? When KUNO (16), is told that his father committed suicide, he sees all as lost.
Competition / conflict around goals? Toward the end, when Kuno and Jai are thrown together and find they share similar goals, they must also figure out how to work together to achieve them.
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught? When Kuno’s mom and Jai set him up to be arrested, and don’t tell Kuno why he learns to hate the two people who love him the most.
Nadine’s Big Picture Open LoopSs.U. Assignment 3/11/22 2 of 3 Problems created from past actions? Because Kuno acted out after he was told his dad
killed himself, the courts used those incidents to add more time to his sentence.
Good plans gone wrong? Jai felt so guilty over her part in Kuno’s arrest that she joined the military and did not fight back when she was abused, even raped by a fellow soldier.
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character? Because Kuno does not know the truth about anything that is happening to him, he continues to make poor choices.
What are they trying to solve? Once Kuno is exonerated, he and Jai must find ways to get past their fury in order to pursue their mutual humanitarian goals.
Major change imposed on the character? Both Jai and Kuno realize that their hatred mirrors the hatred of racists and others. Without knowing all the facts, they continue to strikeout
Previous solutions cause new problems? When Jai joined the military to get away from her guilt, she made her life worse because it was for the wrong reasons.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril? Kuno’s mom loved him deeply but her actions, without his knowledge, drove a wedge between them.
New relationships forming? As Jai and Kuno learned how similar they had become to those they despised, they changed and developed their relationship differently, too.
Conflict inside relationships? When the moms of both Kuno and Jai discovered how badly their choices had affected their children, they pulled away and tried to learn.
Relationships changing? As the truth starts to come out, regarding the girl who was raped, by whom, and who they became, everyone’s relationships shifted.
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X? Can Kuno survive prison and Jai survive the military?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions? When Kuno’s mom never told who had raped her, as a child, she placed the lives of all she knew, in danger.
Who else is pulled into their danger? Kuno’s grandfather, his aunt, and Jai.
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)? Kuno’s father chose to work undercover for the DEA, thus also placing his family’s health in danger.
Nadine’s Big Picture Open LoopSs.U. Assignment 3/11/22 3 of 3 2. My top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops in my pilot are:
1- The story begins with the door being kicked in, an arrest of a Black man, and the rape of a girl by someone who was supposed to be a protector.
2- A hospital scene of a 12-year-old girl giving birth and being asked to decide what she wants to do with her baby.
3- !5 years later, opens to a high school debate team in which a teenage boy falls deeply for an older girl who is his fiercest opponent.
4- A father and his teen son playing at the home of the dad’s partner, followed by a scene when everyone has gone home except the dad and his partner. When the father discovers that his partner is also working for the Cartel, and confronts him, the partner kills the dad. Later, the wife realizing the danger covers it up as a suicide.
5- A memorial service, also at the home of the deceased partner, in which the slain cop’s son, Kuno, has a meltdown.
Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.screenwritingclasses.com/forums/ Deadline: 3 Days (24 hours for Assignment 1, 48 hours for Assignment 2)
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ASSIGNMENT 1
“What I learned doing this assignment is how to examine Big Picture hooks”
Sample Show: Stranger Things
Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
– Who is Eleven and where did she comes from?
– Why does the agent call her father?
– Who is her real father and mother?
– Is Mike really dead?
– Will they ever find him?
– Where is he?
– What is the monster?
– Where is it from?
– Where does Eleven get her powers from?
– What is the agency researching?
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ASSIGNMENT 2:
“What I learned doing this assignment is how to brainstorm different hooks that can play out over the season/series/”
Use this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season that you will use to keep the audience captivated.
CHARACTER: ANTHONY
GOALS:
New goals?
– Discovering who killed his team
– decoding from his dead father journal
– trying to regain his lost memory
Goals related to the big picture?
– discovering what the dark force is
– keeping the boys out of jail
– tracking down who or what killed his father
– discovering what is trying to kill him but can’t
Crushed goals?
– following a lead to who killed his team to find out that they are dead
– following leads and clues from his fathers journal that leads to more clues
Competition / conflict around goals?
– the dark agency and agents
– the dark agency that doesn’t want him to learn who he is after they wiped his memory
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– will he figure out who killed his team and dad
– will he be caught as an AWOL soldier
Problems created from past actions?
– he doesn’t remember who he is after battled that killed his team
Good plans gone wrong?
– he tries to help the boys but they turn their backs on him
– he tries to help people but is accused of ulterior motives
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– he doesn’t remember who he is after the attack
– he doesn’t remember that he’s a solider
– he doesn’t know who gave him a false life identity
What are they trying to solve?
– Who is he?
– What killed his father?
– What are the dark beings?
Major change imposed on character?
– He goes from a timid gardener avoiding contact to a confident warrior leading others.
Previous solutions cause new problems?
– the more he learns about his past the more the dark beings seem to follow him
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– relationships with employers and “imposer family members”
– military relationships and fellow soldiers
New relationships forming?
– relationships with the boys he’s caring for
Conflict inside relationships?
– some of the boys don’t want to stop doing crimes because of the status and money
Relationships changing?
– he gains more respect as they see him overcome obstacles and forgive them for their double crossing him
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– the attacks from the dark forces on the group both individually and corporately
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– deciding to break into drugs houses to free friends
– researching dark forces and the dark organization
– he follows dark entity into their domain and is almost killed
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– as he researches the darks, the entire house is put in danger when the darks strike back
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he has bad dreams/memories that arise suddenly which leads him to drink to sleep better
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CHARACTER: EDWARD
GOALS:
New goals?
– Becoming the success his father said he would never be
Goals related to the big picture?
– Discovering his family hidden secret past
– he has hidden abilities that seem to manifest suddenly
Crushed goals?
– trying to attain approval from his family
Competition / conflict around goals?
– competing with his siblings for respect and status
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– he using his family status to drive fancy cars and buys stuff
– he poses as his father at his company to gain access and buy items on company credit
Problems created from past actions?
– he father company hires an investigator to see what happened to the money
Good plans gone wrong?
– he tries to gain access to the company to help his father fix and problem but learns about dirty dealings of his fathers company and his family line
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– acceptance for who he is
What are they trying to solve?
– what crooked or illegal dealings does his family do or did
Major change imposed on character?
– from an arrogant privileged teen to a giving and respectful young man
Previous solutions cause new problems?
– learning the family business meaning learning the family illegal activities
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– he risks his fathers respect if he reports him
New relationships forming?
– with underprivileged teens
Conflict inside relationships?
– he wants to be respected but shows little respect cause he never had to
Relationships changing?
– instead of trying to gain acceptance from his family his begins to dislike them
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– when he’s found out by his father secrete society will they kill him?
– will his father save him or let him die?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– he recues women being held captive by his fathers company
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– he pulls his brothers into danger when they help him rescue the women
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he’s secretly addiction to cocaine and sleeping pills
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CHARACTER: CHRISTOPHER
GOALS:
New goals?
– Getting away from his neighbourhood
Goals related to the big picture?
– he has skills with the computer that are used against him
– raising enough money to move his mom out of the hood
– not going to jail for murdering his father
Crushed goals?
– his stash of money is found by cops that raid an abandoned home. after he confided in officer Tim where it was
Competition / conflict around goals?
– He wants to stop doing crime but his cousin doesn’t and they work together. His cousin needs his skills
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– Is he going to get caught robbing and stealing and for killing his father
Problems created from past actions?
– after killing his father, someone knows he did it but he doesn’t know who they are, but they’re blackmailing him to keep him doing crimes
Good plans gone wrong?
– he does a final job to get out of the life but it connects him to the crime and he needs help to clear his name
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– staying out of jail and finding out who’s framing him
What are they trying to solve?
– who’s blackmailing him for killing his dad
Major change imposed on character?
– he goes from trying to hide what he’s done to admitting it
Previous solutions cause new problems?
– cyber crime gets the attention of others nd they force him to work for him
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– with his cousin
– with his mam
New relationships forming?
– with other boys in group home
Conflict inside relationships?
– he doesn’t trust people and especially people of different races
Relationships changing?
– he grows to trust others and help them
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– fights against drug dealers
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– he puts himself in danger when he’s forced to steal from drug dealers
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– his cousin and other boys
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he’s scared of the dark and likes alcohol
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CHARACTER: RO
GOALS:
New goals?
– Going back to China to find his missing father
Goals related to the big picture?
– He has secret abilities he doesn’t understand with fighting skills and speed
Crushed goals?
– He has people searching in China for his dad but they cant find him
Competition / conflict around goals?
– local hitman are looking for him, but they don’t expect him to be a teen
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– he kills and beats up bullies and abusers for other kids and girls
Problems created from past actions?
– he was caught on camera beating a dad abusing his son and there’s a search for him
Good plans gone wrong?
– he tries to help a boy being bullied but they caught him and lock him up
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– finding his long lost family
What are they trying to solve?
– raising enough money to go back to China
Major change imposed on character?
– fitting in as a law breaking foreigner in America
Previous solutions cause new problems?
– he’s hired to beat-up the person that was gonna to get him a new passport to go home
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– with his new friend and his unknown handler that gets him the hit jobs
New relationships forming?
– with his group home teens
Conflict inside relationships?
– trying to control his anger issues
Relationships changing?
– learning to trust
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– the hitman jobs he goes on
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– he’s hired to save a girl from a gang
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– his other brothers
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he is very angry because of his lost of family
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CHARACTER: OMAR
GOALS:
New goals?
– Discovering his heritage
Goals related to the big picture?
– His reservation was taken over by dark entities and they’re pursuing him
– he can see them and he doesn’t know why
Crushed goals?
– when he thinks he finds embers of his tribe they end up as dead ends
Competition / conflict around goals?
– his research about the darks seems to be blocked and vanishes mysteriously
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– they darks are pursuing him and hes able to hide from them
Problems created from past actions?
– his actions of running away from the darks have made him a target
Good plans gone wrong?
– he mentions to another friend that there are dark following them and they put him in a crazy house
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– how are the darks and why are they following him
What are they trying to solve?
– why can he see them when others cant
Major change imposed on character?
– he begins to understand that he’s not crazy
Previous solutions cause new problems?
–
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– his childhood friends think hes crazy
New relationships forming?
– with new people outside his tribe
Conflict inside relationships?
– helping them believe in the darks
Relationships changing?
– as he relate to the challenges in his friends by telling them what he sees
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– will the darks find him
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– he follows the dark as they follow another person into a abandoned building
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– he friends and family
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he thinks hes crazy sometimes
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CHARACTER: FRANCISCO
GOALS:
New goals?
– helping provide for his mom and siblings
Goals related to the big picture?
– trying to understand his eyesight for details
– getting free of the gangs
Crushed goals?
– when he tries to get free from a gang that kidnap his brother
Competition / conflict around goals?
– his childhood gang wont let him leave
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught?
– he is forced into gang dealings
Problems created from past actions?
– he worked with the gang in the past and they wont let hi leave
Good plans gone wrong?
– he works to get the gang to leave his little brother alone but his brother chooses to join them anyway
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character?
– getting free from the gang
What are they trying to solve?
– provided for his family
– being blamed for a crime as a result of a car he stole that was stole from him
Major change imposed on character?
– he begins to use his skills to help others
Previous solutions cause new problems?
– paying off the gang connects his brother to them
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril?
– relationships with his brother and mom
New relationships forming?
– with the other guys
Conflict inside relationships?
– trying to get his brother to make better choices
– trying to get the gang to release him
Relationships changing?
– him breaking away from negative friends and finding good ones
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X?
– Gang gun fights and police raids
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions?
– fights with revile gangs
Who else is pulled into their danger?
– his brother and mother
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)?
– he misses his dad and blames him for his misfortunes
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Assignment 2: Phyllis’ Big Picture Open Loops
I learned that my open loops came from my characters’ goals and relationships.
· Will Sasha ever believe that the monsters are real?
· Will Duncan track down the monsters?
· What will happen when Duncan and Sasha encounter a monster?
· Is Duncan’s daughter dead or alive?
· Will Delia be able to stop Duncan?
· Will innocent bystanders be hurt by Duncan and Sasha’s pursuit of monsters?
· Will Sasha try to stop Duncan because he’s a danger to himself and others?
· Will Sasha have any other opportunities that threaten her partnership with Duncan?
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Assignment 2
Subject: Marcus Wolf’s Big Picture Open Loops
All drama depends on conflict and resolution to create interest and develop story lines. I learned an excellent way to create and introduce conflict into the story in a way that can engage the audience and strongly guide their motivation to watch.
There are a number of big picture open loops that will start in the pilot:
Goals:
Queen Edith has not produced an heir for King Edward and he is looking for a way to get rid of her. Once her father, Earl Godwin, is exiled, there is no way to stop Edward from pushing her aside. Can she find a way to continue on as queen? Can she regain Edward’s affection?
Consequences:
Sweyn has brought massive trouble and disgrace upon his family and has lost everything. Can he find a way to gain forgiveness? Can he redeem himself?
Godwin’s bluff to intimidate King Edward goes awry and results in the exile of the whole family. Can they find a way to regain their standing in English society?
William commits an atrocity after losing his temper at the siege of Alencon. The church does no look kindly upon this event. The support of the church is important to William and now it is in jeopardy. Can William gain forgiveness? Can he find a way to remove this stain on his reputation?
Solving Problems:
Harold, always in Sweyn’s shadow is desperate to get his father’s attention and approval, despite their contentious relationship. How will he achieve this?
Duke William’s two uncles betray him and King Henry turns on him, placing all he has achieved in Normandy in peril. How can he survive this crisis and retain his hold on Normandy?
Relationships:
Harold’s wife, Edith (not to be confused with his sister, Queen Edith) has been with him for years, helped him build his power base in East Anglia and born him sons, yet they have still not had a Christian wedding recognized by the church (although they are married under Dane Law). Harold could marry another woman at any time without going through the massively complicated divorce proceedings demanded by the church. Can Edith prevent this? Can Harold find a way to make Edith happy while keeping his options open?
Sweyn claims that his real father was King Cnut and that he has a claim to the Danish throne. His mother, Gytha, vehemently denies ever having an affair with Cnut (her brother-in-law), yet there is a lingering question about it. While he had been exiled from England (on his own, previously to the exile of his whole family) he had gone to Denmark and gotten himself exiled for there due to his insistence on royal standing. Can Sweyn find the evidence he needs? Will he continue to shame his family by going down this road?
The two children, Wulfnoth and Hakon are given as hostages during the crisis between Godwin and Edward. Then Godwin’s family is then forced into exile. What will happen to the children?
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Dave’s Big Picture Open Loops for Blank Slate
What I learned doing this assignment is there’s a difference between Big Picture and Small Picture open loops.
The big Big Picture Loops for the pilot
· What went wrong with The Experiment?
· How does Joshua switch realities?
· Can he get back to the base reality?
· What if he doesn’t?
· What do The Two Agents want?
· What’s Salva got to do with it?
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Assignment 1 lesson 9
INVENTING ANNA
BIG PICTURE OPEN LOOPS :
– Is Anna a fraud or a real heiress? <div>
– Does she have money?
– Why did she hurt so many people? What did she do to them?
– Will Vivian the journalist get her story? Will it lift her career?
– Will Vivian be able to manage a story and a pregnancy in the same time ?
– Will Todd be able to deal with this difficult case ?
– Will Todd accept to collaborate with Vivian?
SMALL PICTURE OPEN LOOPS:
In Episod 5
1. Is Anna a fraud or a real heiress? Does she have money? (big picture) SHOWING IN THIS EPISOD.
OPEN LOOP: Anna’s credit cards are declined at the restaurant after she had dinner with Neff.
CONSEQUENCE: Neff has to pay for their dinner.
WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE:
Why is Anna broke? </p><p><br></p><p><b>OPEN LOOP</b>: Hotel manager says to his team, don’t insist on getting client’s cards today as the machine is <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">broken but write down the numbers. But don’t put any pressure on the clients today as the hotel is full.</span></p><p><b>CONSEQUENCE:</b> Anna didn’t leave her credit card at the hotel reception and Neff didn’t write her card <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">number.</span></p><p><b>WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: </b> Is Neff responsible? Is she going to lose her job?</p><p><br></p><p><b>OPEN LOOP: </b>the way Vivian makes a frown showing she doesn’t believe that Anna has money.</p><p><b>CONSEQUENCE:</b> <b> </b>we, the audience, watch Anne overspending with a certain distance..</p><p><b>WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: </b> Why Vivian who is an investigation journalist believes Anna could be a fraud ?</p><p><br></p><p><b>OPEN LOOP: </b>Anna’s confession to Neff: when she was a kid, she didn’t have anything. </p><p><b>CONSEQUENCE:</b> Neff is surprised that Anna was poor when she was a kid.</p><p><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE:</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;"> Is Anna making up a story about her past that’s not true?</span><br></p><p><b>OPEN LOOP: </b>Anna was spending $1000 a day. « Like she can’t get rid of it fast enough » says one of the <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">journalists at Scriberia.</span></p><p><b>CONSEQUENCE: </b>Something had to be wrong. </p><p><b>WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: </b>Before, Anna was spending someone else’s money (Chase) but here, this is her own money she is running through. Either she is supremely confident that this ADF thing is going to happen or this is one last gasp of freedom before the fall.
2. Why did Anna hurt so many people? What did she do to them? (big picture)
In this episod: NEFF, THE CONCIERGE
OPEN LOOP: the way Anna tips ($100 notes)
CONSEQUENCE: Neff plans to get as much money as possible from Anna so she can make her film. Anna notices that Neff can be very useful to her.
WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE:
Will Neff gets the money she needs for her film?
OPEN LOOP: Neff mentions Anna to the sons of the owner of the property manager of 281 Park. They say if she was in business with our father, she would stay in one of the suites.
CONSEQUENCE: Neff is now questioning whether Anna has been lying. Neff makes a call and discovers Anna doesn’t lease 281 Park Ave.
WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE:
Will Neff confront Anna? And what will be Anna’s explanation?
OPEN LOOP: Neff’s boss reveals that Anna hasn’t paid the hotel.
CONSEQUENCE: Neff checks if Anna has paid for the restaurant and discovers that her bills have be put on her hotel bill. And then, she discovers that Anna told the restaurant’s manager that her cards had been hacked but she never told Neff.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: She would have told Neff is she had been really hacked<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>. So did she lie to Neff too?</div><div>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>OPEN LOOP: Anna is kicked out of the hotel.
CONSEQUENCE: Neff can’t help Anna recovering her passport and papers despite their friendship and her generosity. Neff would risk her job.
WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: Is their friendship over? Neff will never get her money back?
OPEN LOOP: Neff’s boss celebrates ! Anna has just paid her hotel bill!
CONSEQUENCE: Neff was wrong to mistrust her. Neff was right about claiming that Anna had money.
WHICH CREATES A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUTURE: will Anna be friends with Neff again?
I stopped there but I could carry on with the following points of the big questions. It’s very interesting to see that structure for the big picture open loop to the small picture. Another breakthrough for me!!
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N’s Big Picture Open Loops S.U. Assignment 3/11/22
Subject line: Nadine’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned doing this assignment is although I intuitively include some of these techniques in my writing, it is useful to have a name for them and learn how to write them more effectively.
ASSIGNMENT 1
1. In LOST, the Big Picture open loops, established early in the season, include: Will the crash survivors ever be rescued?
Will they find out what’s causing the attacks and the roars?
Will they discover where the hatch goes?2. I watched the next episode to see how the open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes and realized, when someone kidnaps a pregnant girl, then releases her with no memory, the audience wants to know why?
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ASSIGNMENT 2:
1. Using this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for the first season of my TV Series, I used Big Picture Open Loops to find ways to keep the audience captivated.
GOALS:
New goals? When a 12-year-old girl (Monique), is raped, her goal of becoming a great lawyer pales as she figures out how a baby will impact her future.
Goals related to the big picture? The dual leads, Kuno and Jai, are both on a mission to bring greater justice into the world.
Crushed goals? When KUNO (16), is told that his father committed suicide, he sees all as lost.
Competition / conflict around goals? Toward the end, when Kuno and Jai are thrown together and find they share similar goals, they must also figure out how to work together to achieve them.
CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught? When Kuno’s mom and Jai set him up to be arrested, and don’t tell Kuno why he learns to hate the two people who love him the most.
N’s Big Picture Open Loops S.U. Assignment 3/11/22 2 of 3 Problems created from past actions? Because Kuno acted out after he was told his dad
killed himself, the courts used those incidents to add more time to his sentence.
Are good plans gone wrong? Jai felt so guilty over her part in Kuno’s arrest that she joined the military and did not fight back when she was abused, even raped by a fellow soldier.
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character? Because Kuno does not know the truth about anything that is happening to him, he continues to make poor choices.
What are they trying to solve? Once Kuno is exonerated, he and Jai must find ways to get past their fury in order to pursue their mutual humanitarian goals.
Major change imposed on the character? Both Jai and Kuno realize that their hatred mirrors the hatred of racists and others. Without knowing all the facts, they continue to strikeout
Do previous solutions cause new problems? When Jai joined the military to get away from her guilt, she made her life worse because it was for the wrong reasons.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril? Kuno’s mom loved him deeply but her actions, without his knowledge, drove a wedge between them.
New relationships forming? As Jai and Kuno learned how similar they had become to those they despised, they changed and developed their relationship differently, too.
Conflict inside relationships? When the moms of both Kuno and Jai discovered how badly their choices had affected their children, they pulled away and tried to learn.
Relationships changing? As the truth starts to come out, regarding the girl who was raped, by whom, and who they became, everyone’s relationships shifted.
DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X? Can Kuno survive prison and Jai survive the military?
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous decisions? When Kuno’s mom never told who had raped her, as a child, she placed the lives of all she knew, in danger.
Who else is pulled into their danger? Kuno’s grandfather, his aunt, and Jai.
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine, inner demons)? Kuno’s father chose to work undercover for the DEA, thus also placing his family’s health in danger.
N’s Big Picture Open Loops S.U. Assignment 3/11/22 3 of 3 2. My top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops in my pilot are:
1- The story begins with the door being kicked in, an arrest of a Black man, and the rape of a girl by someone who was supposed to be a protector.
2- A hospital scene of a 12-year-old girl giving birth and being asked to decide what she wants to do with her baby.
3- !5 years later, opens to a high school debate team in which a teenage boy falls deeply for an older girl who is his fiercest opponent.
4- A father and his teen son playing at the home of the dad’s partner, followed by a scene when everyone has gone home except the dad and his partner. When the father discovers that his partner is also working for the Cartel, and confronts him, the partner kills the dad. Later, the wife realizing the danger covers it up as a suicide.
5- A memorial service, also at the home of the deceased partner, in which the slain cop’s son, Kuno, has a meltdown.
Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.screenwritingclasses.com/forums/ Deadline: 3 Days (24 hours for Assignment 1, 48 hours for Assignment 2)
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What I learned from this assignment was that a pilot is written with a series of questions that are answered later. This has always been a main draw to me when I watch many of the shows that are made today. I love the questions that arise and not knowing right away what the answers are. The intrigue feeds my obsession.
Big Picture Open Loops
Assignment 1
Mr. Robot
Will Elliot, Mr. Robot and Fsociety accomplish their goal to bring down Ecorp and change the economic status quo?
Will Elliot get a handle on his social anxiety and be drug free? Will he stop hacking people? Will Christa be able to help him?
Will Wellick report Elliot’s changing the dat file? Will Wellick be the CTO?
Will it be discovered that it was Elliot that left the E Corp server vulnerable to a hack by Fsociety? If so, what will be the consequences?
Who really is Mr. Robot, and why is he so driven to bring down the system?
Assignment 2
What is the traumatic event that keeps playing out in Jill’s mind?
What happened to Jill’s mother?
Will it be discovered that Nicky is a government mole working for the crew?
Will there be a war between Jimmy and Charlie?
Will Jimmy be boss of the Outfit?
Will Jimmy and his crew utilize Jill’s surveillance skills and her ability to “disappear”?
Will Jill and Jimmy fall for each other?
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ASSIGNMENT 1
Diana’s Big Picture Open Loops
What I learned: The more open loops, the better. Adding them to my writing, makes for a more engaging script.
1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the Big Picture open loops that were established early in the season.
Elliot and his best friend almost kiss. Will something more come of it? Elliot and his drug dealer sleep together. Will something more come of it? Elliot tracks down and exposes people online. Will he get caught? Mr. Robot and Tyrell recruiting Elliot. Who will win out? Tyrell knows Elliot got the CTO of Evil Corp fired. How did he know and what will he do with this information? Will he blackmail Elliot? Will he tell his employer? Elliot’s boss suspicious of him. Will he get caught? Will Elliot kick the morphine habit? Will he and Mr. Robot’s crew succeed? Will they get caught?
Watch
the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need
to see future episodes. Who can you trust? Ecorp? Fsociety? How does Mr. Robot
always know where Elliot is? What is his interest in Elliot? What is Elliot’s
role in Fsociety? Has is Mr. Robot always several steps ahead? Who is Mr.
Robot? Will Tyrell get back in the game?Is Elliot going to live? Will he spring
the guy out of jail? Why did Angela visit the former CTO of Ecorp? Is Shayla
going to live? Will Elliot try to get revenge on the fugitive? Will the
fugitive get caught? Will he continue to haunt Elliot?ASSIGNMENT 2:
1. Use this list to brainstorm big picture open loops for your first season that you will use to keep the audience captivated.
GOALS:
New goals? Wife: To not get caught. Husband: To have a
normal marriage and advance in career.
Goals related to the big picture? Wife: Destroys others.
Husband: Cleans up her messes.
Crushed goals? Marriage
is not normal.
Competition / conflict around goals? Wife wants to
cheat her way into luxury.CONSEQUENCES:
Are they going to be caught? Yes. Cops at door at end
of pilot.
Problems created from past actions? Yes. Thief.
Con-artist.
Good plans gone wrong? Husband wanted a normal
marriage, but it went sideways.SOLVING PROBLEMS:
What is the major problem for this character? Wife: Thief/Con-artist
doesn’t want to get caught. Husband: Going bankrupt to support her
lifestyle.
What are they trying to solve? Wife: Shortcut to
wealth. Husband: Keep his normal world together.
Major change imposed on character? Mother-in-law moves
in because she foreclosed on her house. Asks daughter to get husband to purchase
life insurance.
Previous solutions cause new problems? Mother-in-law
despises son-in-law and tries to poison him or maybe has a curse put on
himRELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships in peril? Marriage on the rocks
New relationships forming? Mother-in-law
Conflict inside relationships? Daughter and mother are
conning the husband
Relationships changing? Yes. The husband is being
scammed by his own wife.DANGER / SURVIVAL / RISKS:
Can they survive X? Husband thinks their marriage can.
Putting themselves in danger / making dangerous
decisions? Wife is.
Who else is pulled into their danger? Husband.
Internal dangers (drug addiction, need for medicine,
inner demons)? Wife is sociopath.1. Tell us your top 5-8 Big Picture Open Loops that could be in your pilot.
Will wife get caught for fraud/theft?
Will wife go to jail?
Will husband get sucked into her world?
Will husband catch wife cheating?
Is MIL in cahoots with the
daughter? -
Mark
Lederkramer Binge Worthy TV Big Picture Open Loops
Module 1 Lesson 9 Assignment 1 and 2
What I
learned from this assignment was that a pilot has to have a lot of
different open loops so as to keep the viewers trying to figure out what’s
going to happen next. The intrigue of unanswered questions is what will
help make the show Binge Worthy <div>Big
Picture Open LoopsAssignment 1
Mr. Robot
1) The biggest open loop is what is actually real and what’s a figment of Elliot’s imagination
2) What are Tyrell Wellick and his wife really up to?
3) Will Elliot ever get clean or will he always be a junkie?
4) Will Elliot and F Society actually pull off the hack of ECorp?
5) What is Angela’s role in the show Will she take the job that Terry Colby has offered her?
6) What does Tyrell really want with Elliot?
7) Who is Mr. Robot and why is using Elliot
8) Will Tyrell report Elliot’s Involvement with the attempted hack at Steel Mountain?
9) What will happen now that Elliot knows that Mr. Robot is his dead father?
Assignment 2
My Show Pilot
1) Will Matty get it together and stop partying so much?
2) Will Micky be able to deal with his new life and position in the crew?
3) Will the Big 3 Crew and the Torrio Crew alliance work out?
4) Will Matty be able to meet and set up the buy in Columbia?
5) Will the Columbian trip succeed?
6) Will Micky have to deal with the Torrio crew?
7) Will Stuey ever listen to Tony about any decisions made for the crew?
8) Will Matty ever find out the truth about the break in and robbery at his old apartment?
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