Post Day 1 Assignment Here

[andrea cabanas]

Andrea Cabañas – Transformaional Journey

2. My hero is Zoe Muller, a 35-year-old Australian woman with a German background, who was raised by a fundamentalist Christian family. When she was 16 years old, she left the church and was banned from her family ever since. She lives in Sydney, where she still tries to find a way to shine professionally.

Zoe’s Internal Journey: from being submissive to being a confident woman, able to accept that it’s okay to love another woman.

Zoe’s External Journey: from being insecure, without focus and no professional ambition to becoming an independent business owner.

3. Old Ways:

– Naive, submissive

– Doesn’t see her true potential as a woman

– Still influenced by her prejudiced mother, even as an adult woman

– Can’t save enough money to be financially independent

New ways:

– Confident

– Forgives her mother

– Falls in love with a woman; learns that there is nothing wrong with being bisexual

– Not afraid of taking risks, particularly when she’s in a dangerous situation

4. What I learnt doing this assignment is that is not that difficult to understand how to build your characters’ arc with the examples given, even though I re-wrote my answers a few times!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  andrea cabanas. Reason: Forgot to tell a bit more about my protagonist

[Don Thompson]

Don Thompson – Transformational Journey

The hero of this story is Edwin Vere, the captain of the Royal Navy warship ‘Avenger’ during the Napoleanic wars of the 1790s.

Captain Vere’s Inner Journey: he discovers that innocence can and still does exist in the world of human beings.

Captain Vere’s External Journey: he finds it impossible to be a moral human being and to serve King and Country at the same time. He was unaware of this fact before encountering the merchant seaman Billy Budd.

Old Ways:

-Accepting that human beings were for the most part fallible, morally frail, and easily manipulated.

New Ways:

-Accepting at least the possibility of human innocence and moral strength, although he (Vere) is still skeptical about its reality and whether or not the so-called ‘innocent’ are just fooling themselves and will always, eventually, join the lot of the ‘mature’ that are cynical and skeptical regarding human motives.

What I learned from this exercise: At first I believed my hero might be the central character of Billy Budd (after whom the story is named). After some thought, I realized that Captain Vere is the hero as he is the person who goes through the transformational journey. It is the merchant seaman Billy Budd, along with Master of Arms Claggart, who are the catalysts of that transformation, and, in a sense, both antagonists in the story.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Don Thompson.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Don Thompson.

[Scott Wolson Wolson]

Scott A Wolson – Transformational Journey

Jeremy Zatz is a 22 year-old college senior, who works each summer at an Upstate New York resort. While the rest of the world is dealing with the challenges of the 1980’s, the summer of ’82 is especially hedonistic for Jeremy and his buddies. Their hidden microcosm is a long way from reality at a time when sex, drugs and rock & roll were abundant. It is only a personal tragedy that wakes Jeremy from this idealistic existence.

Jeremy’s internal transformation is one that changes him from careless, irresponsible, selfish and often crude to a more thoughtful, introspective and likeable individual.

Jeremy’s external transformation is one that moves him from loud, obnoxious and insulting to a mellower, more mature young man.

Before:

– Crude, overcritical

– Funny at the expense of others

– Selfish and lacking depth

– Unconcerned with the future

After:

– Emotional

– Sympathetic

– Worried about the future

– Introspective

What I learned from this exercise is that all of life is an arc, and the key to good screenwriting is to find that one special arc that makes for great story-telling and sparks the interest of viewers.

[Peter Birdsong]

Peter Birdsong transformational journey.

Carly is a high school cheerleader who sees only the small world around her. She’s pulled from school one semester when her estranged mother decides to sail a boat across the Atlantic. Her eyes are opened to a much larger world worth exploring.

Internal Journey: From a feeling of anger and pride to a feeling of wonder and humility.

External Journey: From a prideful and naive high school student to a humble and experienced explorer.

Old Ways:

Obsessed with social media.

Blames her mother.

Driven by pride.

Naive

New Ways:

Cuts herself off from social media.

Forgives her mother.

Chooses a life of humility.

Gains Experience

What I learned:

I thought this would be a piece of cake. It wasn’t. I had to think long and hard on this. In all honesty, I probably worried too much about it being perfect (and I still think it’s a little weak). Breaking down the old ways and news way actually helped me answer the journey questions better.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Peter Birdsong.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Peter Birdsong.

[Dana Abbott]

Dana’s Transformational Journey

What have I learned during this assignment?

I used to write scripts by sitting down and writing, adjusting the characters as they developed. To start with defined characters and their arcs makes scripting much easier and better focused.

Who is your Hero(s) and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?

Two police detectives (not yet named) wrongly convicted of manslaughter for killing a college student/political activist that was in their custody.

Internal Journey: Angry and revengeful to redemption and peace

External Journey: Racist killers hated by society to respected police officers who bring the real murders to justice.

Old ways: Alone and resentful, ignorant of the crime, perished skills

New Ways: Needing each other, finding the killer, developed new skill sets

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Dana Abbott.

[BG]

BG’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment: This assignment allowed me to learn more about my protagonist.

2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?

A foreign affairs reporter investigates a tip about a plot to start a war in Eastern Europe.

—– Internal Journey: From not caring that it is a WAR that is being planned (not my department) to wanting to do something to stop a war.

—– External Journey: From being an observer (mission: to get the scoop) to becoming a player (taking action to stop a war).

3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?

The reporter starts the movie living in his old ways:

—– Dedicated to getting the scoop.

—– Jaded reporter.

—– Observes, but doesn’t intervene. Not my department.

—– He doesn’t care that it is a WAR that is being planned. It’s somebody else’s war.

—– Self-absorbed. Wallows in self-pity.

—– Willing to go along to get along.

—– Blind to his own motivations. Always joking to hide his wound.

In the end, he has become a player:

—– He has found out he can fight a physical battle, not just a virtual one in an op room.

—– Can thwart a conspiracy.

—– Courageous.

—– Is fighting for a cause.

—– Self-confident and accomplished.

—– Operates well in the cloak-and-dagger space.

—– Released from his wound.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: Having trouble with tags!!!
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: Having trouble with tags!

[Robert Wood]

Robert Wood – Transformational Journey

What I learned from this is that it’s possible to do an Assignment without actually receiving or reading it as long as you can see everyone else’s homework. 😉 (Edited to add that I have now seen the Assignment and am leaving this Transformational Journey as originally written.)

Matt returns to his childhood home in Kelowna, British Columbia, on Okanagan Lake, where his elderly father continues his lifelong obsession with the legendary local sea monster Ogopogo. Matt decides to help his old man on one last wild goose chase in search of the creature.

Matt’s Internal Journey takes him from insensitive and judgemental in relation to his father to a new sympathetic and understanding bond, finally fully appreciating his father.

Matt’s External Journey is that the quest with his father to find a sea monster doesn’t necessarily lead them to the creature (although maybe it does?!), but it does bring the son closer to his father than he has ever been before.

Old Ways:

– Insensitive

– Judgemental

– Cold

– Impatient and agitated about dealing with his father

New Ways:

– Sensitive

– Understanding

– Sympathetic

– Patient and at peace with their relationship

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Robert Wood.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Robert Wood.

[victor Valleau]

1970’s, “Almost Nice” Nancy is the hero. She is a hostess at an elegant beach restaurant/resort. She is almost a manager, requiring a few more seductions, she would manage gleefully, but she isn’t ambitious. That’s what men are for and thank God for the “pill”.

Inner Journey: Seduction is easy. Men are weak. Her beauty attracts the wrong men. Beauty is her cross to bear or is beauty a blessing from the Gods. .

External Journey: Man who awakens her to love is also man she needs but doesn’t indulge her narcissism.

Old Ways:

Princess who rules men

New Ways:

Falls in love. exposes her heart, but too late.

What I learned: I am driven and most enjoy writing about my current life concerns and experiences. I had sketched out a story about my days at Cornell Law, then moved into this. My usual approach was to evolve character arcs as script progressed. This top down approach seems a lot faster.

[Katherine Bennett-Greer]

Katherine Bennett-Greer – Tranformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is: A valuable reminder that creating the Protagonist’s journey prompts vital questions that develop the plot. This process increases my confidence.

Working Logline: In this hilarious and heartfelt Holiday Family Comedy, Emily, a ten-year old resourceful geek, must take down thugs bent on stealing her rare pet Chihuahua during “Take Your Pet to School Day”.

2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?

Internal Journey: Emily is a 9-year-old superkid whose DIY resourcefulness and Dennis the Menace luck are surpassed only by her dislike for Christmas, the day when her dad left the house and never came back. She’ll transform to a kid who doesn’t believe in what she can’t see to a kid who believes in both the power of love and Santa Claus.

External Journey: Emily is a 9-year-old superkid whose tech savvy and Dennis the Menace luck are surpassed only by her dislike for Christmas, the day when her dad left the house and never came back. She’ll transform to a kid who uses her DIY resourcefulness to take down bad guys set out to lock down her school and steal her rare Chihuahua.

3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?

Old Ways: Emily suffers from not believing in what she can’t see. This includes the notion of love and everything about Christmas. The only time she’s happy is when she’s creating contraptions. But every contraption backfires. This lends itself to feeling jinxed, uninspired, and isolated.

New Ways: Emily’s feels capable, inspired, and part of a team when her resourcefulness leads other kids in a plot to take down the bad guys. Her Mom’s courage to save Emily from falling off the school’s roof proves to Emily that love is real. And when she spies Santa on the roof of the school battling the bad guys’ helicopter, she realizes that Christmas too is something she can believe in.

[BG]

BG’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment: This assignment allowed me to learn more about my protagonist.

2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?

A foreign affairs reporter investigates a tip about a plot to start a war in Eastern Europe.

—– Internal Journey: From not caring that it is a WAR that is being planned (not my department) to wanting to do something to stop a war.

—– External Journey: From being an observer (mission: to get the scoop) to becoming a player (taking action to stop a war).

3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?

The reporter starts the movie living in his old ways:

—– Dedicated to getting the scoop.

—– Jaded reporter.

—– Observes, but doesn’t intervene. Not my department.

—– He doesn’t care that it is a WAR that is being planned. It’s somebody else’s war.

—– Self-absorbed. Wallows in self-pity.

—– Willing to go along to get along.

—– Blind to his own motivations. Always joking to hide his wound.

In the end, he has become a player:

—– He has found out he can fight a physical battle, not just a virtual one in an op room.

—– Can thwart a conspiracy.

—– Courageous.

—– Is fighting for a cause.

—– Self-confident and accomplished.

—– Operates well in the cloak-and-dagger space.

—– Released from his wound.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  BG ERENGIL. Reason: Still having trouble with tags!

[Rebecca Jordan]

Rebecca Jordan’s transformational journey.

I learned that I don’t have all the answers yet and that’s okay. Also learning a new approach to character development and arc, as opposed to just writing in hopes that it will all come together which may have been the reason I couldn’t decide on anything, thereby not quite making it to a final draft.

My hero is Rachel, a middle-aged Puerto Rican American artist who while writing a memoir about her complicated and colorful past is hit hard with the idea that she may never again see her long-time estranged and narcissistic Mother. Experiencing much inner turmoil and unable to proceed with the memoir, Rachel sets out on a journey to find and confront her.

Rachel’s Internal Journey: Rachel, in spite of her lack of self worth and disdain for her Mother, is determined to heal and have a life with love in it. She knows that she can’t expect her Mother to change or make her feel better, but finds solace in doing what she feels is the right thing.

Rachel’s External Journey: Despite being neglected and having run away as a child, Rachel is now successful and respected in her industry. She sets out to find and confront her estranged Mother.

Old Ways:

– People pleasing, lacks self esteem, self loathing.

– Looks to others for answers, believes others have the answers.

– Reckless, righteous, and emotional.

– Resents her Mother for her lack of care and interest.

– Angry.

New ways:

– Confident and self assured.

– Evolved.

– Courageous.

– Healthy in mind and body.

– Loving.

– Successful.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Rebecca Jordan.

[Timothy McDevitt]

Tim’s Transformational Journey

Buck is a Golden Retriever who feels betrayed by his owner and no longer believes man is his best friend. He runs away, determined to live on his own, until he’s caught by the dog catcher and adopted by a family with a special needs child who is just as bitter as himself. If he can learn to trust again, Buck and the child may be exactly what the other needs to heal their wounds.

Internal Journey: overcome feelings of betrayal and learn to trust again.

External Journey: From a life of solitude to being part of a loving family.

Old ways:

selfish, suspicious, bitter, mistrusting of humans

New ways:

trusting, loving, once again “man’s best friend”.

What I learned from this assignment is having a clear END for the character’s arc makes it easier to come up with the START of the arc.

[Daniela Bolanos]

Daniela Bolaños – Transformational journey

I learned that I need to understand my main character better so I can make him into a person.

Hero: His name is Michael. He is a cowboy, raised in a conservative fashion. He is accomplished and rich but lonely.

Internal Journey: Goes from not caring about anybody but himself to falling in love.

External Journey: Goes from rich lonely cowboy to taking care of an entire commune.

Old ways: self absorbed, vain, obsessed with money and power

New ways: caring, generous, loving

[Suzanne M Begley]

1990: My hero, Molly Finn, a 28 year old Executive in the up and coming Wireless cellphone industry meets a farmer, Seamus O’Connor, while on vacation in rural Ireland. He does not have a home phone. He moves to NJ, they marry and raise a family. The challenge of raising children with modern conveniences and American “my child should be happy at all times” tests their marriage repeatedly. Parenting differences rule the household.

Internal Journey: Molly goes from being happy go lucky to trying to raise children that appreciate their father and his background. Despite outward appearances, they are not a loving family, a loving couple, yes, a loving family, no. Does she keep trying to make that happen or give up and simply care less about all those around her?

External Journey:

She ages, the children grow up, she gains weight, gives up tennis, drinks Chardonnay. Then, decides to get healthy and train for a half marathon.

Old Ways:

Really Cares about everyone’s happiness.

Knows that everyone likes her because she is always cheerful and happy

Always does well, works hard to achieve success.

Won “Best Personality” in High School.

New Ways:

Still has lots of friends but has deep resentment that her immediate family does not even like each other, never mind love each other.

Maturing, learns that relationships are much more complex than most people let on

What I learned doing this exercise?

Its difficult to cover a long time frame in a story, should I pull back and shorten the time frame? Think about another screenplay for the rest of the story?

Important to try and stay on track with every detail adding to the quality of the finished product.

[Teri Moore]

Two siblings are in their 40’s and were born and raised in the same households. He’s two years older than her. Their occupations are such where one has an overflow of money, social status, and resources, and the other is borderline homeless. What was it that created such economic and influential disparity in a single household? What were the societal, parental, and other past generational influences that molded who they are?

Impossible journeys:

At his junior high school age, their mother enrolls him in a private school and expects him to take all accelerated courses. When he asks his mother if he can be on the baseball team of the high school, even though he obviously is not yet able to drive, one condition is that he find his own transportation to practices and games. He also is given consequences if he doesn’t score all A’s every semester.

At her high school age, their mother makes her continue with public school. The girl is given very little guidance relating to occupational choices.

Both parents are too busy with their individual jobs to have time for the two children.

Major conflicts in their early teens:

He sees that there are very little demands on his little sister. Jealousy sets in. He loves playing baseball but he’s only 5’ 3” so there are physical limitations, and he has to find transportation home from practice sessions and games.

She sees that he gets all the attention. She wonders whether the parents wanted her since most of the family resources is spent on him. Jealousy sets in.

Major conflicts change as they grow older.

Characters in opposition:

The two siblings.

The two parents.

The siblings, both individually and separately, have conflicts with both the children individually and separately.

No one outside the family is to know the stresses within the walls of this household.

Hero/protagonist is the mother’s brother, who grows as an influential member of the family as the story progresses.

Villain/antagonist is the mother, who blatantly exercises favoritism and almost impossible standards for the children, having to be family’s foundation with a weak, epileptic husband.

Logline: Members of a family struggle for position and power, both amongst themselves and in public, find they cannot survive without each member’s release of themselves.

By the end of the story the uncle has a large role in these transformations through the death of the grown children’s father:

The uncle convinces the son to re-examine the societal demands his mother faced years earlier, to recognize the basis for his sister’s stubbornness as parallel to their mother’s, and to seek forgiveness for his past attitudes and actions.

As the uncle’s sister, as her nearly homeless daughter’s mother, and as a result of her husband’s death, she comes to the realization that her concentration on her son had formed her daughter’s defiance.

The daughter comes to realize that the ways of her uncle is a release from herself as she strives for personal freedom and self-satisfaction.

As this story progresses, I’ll be learning some psychology, which will be a challenge for me, the accountant. And, yes, I’m learning how to be organized when starting to write about a story. Foundation first…so the story stays on track throughout the entire writing experience. I will definitely use these 30 steps whenever writing anything from now on.

[Benito Selim]

Benito Selim’s – Transformational Journey

My Hero is Darryl Case, a 23-year-old college senior who is close to quitting school because feels his journalism major will just end up a decently paid job and not a career, he loves. Darryl his whole life has felt like an outcast and college was the place he could be new.

Darryl’s internal journey: Confronting his past to learn the truth about himself and build up his confidence.

Darryl’s External journey: Embracing that he has a clairvoyance gift and is not a schizophrenic while closing a decades-old cold case.

OLD WAYS:

-Afraid and obedient

-Too trusting in his diagnosis

-A sad loner who couldn’t open up to people

NEW WAYS:

-Expanding his mind to take control of his gift and not right it off as being sick

-Confident to find who is committing murders around campus

-Taking control and his life for closure even if he’s in danger

What I learned from doing this assignment is stepping into your hero/main character’s shoes to become them and get your script process flowing.

[Cathryn Atkinson]

Cathryn’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is I let this story lie fallow for three years. And it wasn’t easy, but I am ready to writ it now. This was a great start.

My hero Is Charles/Charlie, a 12-year-old boy in London in 1824.

Internal journey: he is a people pleaser, he’s afraid of losing his family, of poverty, of lower standing, of losing his dreams. The transformation is that he loses everything, his worst fears come true, but he overcomes them and finds his voice. He starts to come into his power and define his life.

External journey: He is separated from his parents and younger siblings, who are jailed for debt, apart from his sister, who is sent to school and seems to get every opportunity he dreams of. Instead, he is forced to work in a factory. He works through this, perseveres, and starts to move into adulthood and his future.

Old Ways: A child – selfish, greedy for attention, takes things for granted, naïve, fearful, no self-control, didn’t believe in himself, accepted the dominance of others, jealous of his sister.

New Ways: Learns resilience, won’t let anyone stop him getting what he wants (a future, and control over his life), won’t be corrupted by bad people, admits when he is wrong (reconciles), more aware of world and promises to be a force for good in the world. Saves his sister.

[Cathryn Atkinson]

Error made

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Cathryn Atkinson.

[Janeen Johnson]

Janeen’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this lesson is specifying this info will dictate some turning points and changes that must be manifested in the story.

Hero and Character Arc:

My hero is Nick, a former Army Ranger with PTSD who is working as a mall Santa

Internal Journey: Plagued by nightmares and flashbacks, Nick doesn’t trust his own sense of reality any more. He relies on his PTSD dog to tell him what’s real and who to trust. He learns to trust himself in this screenplay.

External Journey: Nick sees the president’s parents kidnapped, rescues them using his Ranger skills, but then flees with them, going off grid to avoid all law enforcement since at least one government agent is involved in the kidnapping attempt and continues to pursue them using government resources. He must figure out who can be trusted and who will kill anyone in their way to hold the parents hostage to help a hostile foreign government.

Old Ways:

– Only trusts his PTSD teacup poodle

– Nightmares/Flashbacks/Hypervigilance

– Shuns being around others

– Can’t keep a job

New Ways:

– Trusts his own judgement of people (good/bad/dangerous/safe)

– Loves a woman

– Ready to take charge again

– Nightmares/Hypervigilance abating (not completely gone, but he knows what’s real or not when a flashback or nightmare is over.

[Giles]

Charles Ferrell’s transformational journey

What I learned doing this assignment is that character arc is the most basic tenet of characters and viewer’s journey.

Duncan Smalls Character Arc

Duncan Smalls is an aspiring history professor, recent masters graduate at a local university who engages more with past than his own present. Books are his constant companion until the distant past engages him.

Internal Journey: Withdrawn, loaner struggling for acceptance to center of public attention and potential leader.

External Journey: Mediocre history teacher a virtual unknown, to history maker who unearths what has been under everyone’s feet.

What are the Old Ways? Unheard and willing to accept a life of “less than”

What are the New Ways? Unstoppable in his search, willing to risk all.

[Casandra McCottrell]

Casandra McCottrell – Transformational Journey

What did I learn by doing this assignment?

To identify who my hero is and my hero’s Character Arc (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL) that represents A transformation.

When Zelda Longwood moves in with her mom, she attends a baptist church where she befriends a man (passing Christian) who is also a member of a sinister cult. But when Zelda joins a group known as the Pact, this sets off spiritual warfare against a secret society of vampires, demons, and fallen angels.

Internal Journey: Living without God: Subordinate and Suppressed to Fearless Warrior.

External Journey: Raised baptist, passing as Christian, to “Anointed One” of The Pact.

Zelda’s OLD WAYS

• Unaware if God exists
• Lacked Faith
  Agnostic; skeptic
• Ignorant of Rulers of Darkness

<div>

Zelda’s NEW WAYS

• Fearless and Warrior-Like
• God Fearing; Demon Slayer
• Gift of Discernment
  The Anointed One of “The Pact”

</div>

[Daisy Khalifa]

Subject line: Daisy Khalifa’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment: I learned more about character and the imperative of having your main character change, grow, and have a new worldview by the end. I learned that I must look for that progression and ensure it is happening, so that my story is engaging enough to keep viewers “rooting” for my hero.

Internal Journey: Mia Pauley, mid-thirties, is a single girl who lives and works as far away from her family and hometown as possible. She cares about her family but wants distance, though she has not necessarily found happiness in her adopted hometown, and feels that she is “blocked” and unable to be in love, or have success. Instead, she is wild, has lovers, and lives life on the edge. She questions herself, her childhood and the emotional “damage” her family created and sustained for her and for themselves. By the end of the film, Mia has seen her family for all of their failures and accepts these serious flaws—she no longer wishes she could erase them or that they never happened. Mia breaks through her self-imposed barriers and her heart is open, her life is calm again and she sees clearly the gift she has been given of a good, happy life.

“From a carefree, self-destructive cynic to a self-respecting, confident woman.”

External Journey: Mia is unsure, indecisive and lives life tentatively, full of worry and insecurity, though she is a good person. By the end, Mia has endured, through a chance cosmic encounter with a man from an earlier time in history, a view of her “alternate life and reality” and, while tempted to live it, makes an even more bold decision to accept what she was dealt. Mia’s encounter with alternate events of her life force her to make difficult decisions that further illustrate her capacity to do what is kind and loving and right with the universe.

“From indecisive, timid thinker in her own world to an experienced, informed observer and ‘traveler’ of time, who commandeers history and events over which she has control, and that she knows she can change for better or for worse.”

Mia OLD ways:

1. Passionate and wild; impulsive; hiding low-self esteem.

2. Unclear, vague though intensely smart. Untapped, dormant talent.

3. Bitter, mad, judgmental; not been in love.

Mia NEW Ways:

1. Peaceful and calm, resolved and free of heavy emotional worries.

2. Focused, successful, wiser; aware of her powers and intellectual gifts.

3. Capable of being in love.

[David Shapiro]

Who is the lead character this story is about? see below #2. <div>

What is the improbable goal that character is going for? see below “logline”.

What/who is the opposition? Just about everything including the majority of nations that oppose “soiling” the heavens, the churches (Pope, etc.), most political leaders, friends, parents, Nature, libido, rocket science, etc.

D. What is the interesting world worth exploring?

The moral dilemma of sex as a mortal sin or a celebration of carnal pleasures leading on the path to Hell.
E. What makes this concept unique? Hypocrisy is explored with all of its whims and nuances.

Logline: MAKE ME A STAR: A failing space entrepreneur and a desperate porn producer team up to save their companies from bankruptcy by enrolling a drop-dead gorgeous innocent young virgin to have sex with an equally youthful and handsome stud in weightless orbit. The pay-per-view income and the world-wide attention is expected to satisfy everyone’s ambitions.

1. The improbable goals that the characters try to achieve are

Externally – being able to follow their dreams of wealth, fame, power, prestige, notoriety)

Internally – finding satisfaction is proving to others that they have value by accomplishing material achievements

2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation.

There are four heroes:

the space entrepreneur – sanctimonious to humble

the porn producer – user to savior

the starry eyed girl – guileless to sagacious

the Lothario – pride to reverence

3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?

Old ways: Internal – Never enough, fear of failure, incognizant of being part of something greater than oneself

Old ways: External – chasing happiness through money, power, and prestige

New ways: Internal – finding satisfaction in service and self-sacrifice

New ways: External: Letting go of control, choosing to be good

</div>

[Jess Paxton]

Lesson 1:

Building the Transformational Journey

Step 1: The Story Arc

Jess’s Transformational Journey

Logline: A hypnotherapist, Olivia, is called in to care for the President after the First Lady is murdered, and she soon falls in love with the charismatic patient, but soon she begins to suspect the President himself could be the killer.

Olivia’s Internal Journey: From a guarded, disillusioned loner to a fully empowered woman who bravely faces her future.

Olivia’s External Journey: From a timid, formulaic therapist to a confident detective who faces and defeats a serial killer.

OLIVIA’S OLD WAYS:

Relying on formula

Aloof and uninvolved

Hurt and unaccessible

Lacking self-confidence

Self-disciplined

OLIVIA’S NEW WAYS:

Winging it

Emotionally and physically involved

Risk-taking, vulnerable

Empowered

Bravely facing an uncertain future

What I learned doing this assignment:

When dealing with a bittersweet conclusion, it is difficult to fulfill all of the character’s transformation. I’ll continue to refine this as the story and characters reveal themselves to me.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Jess Paxton.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by  Jess Paxton.

[Steven Nikosey]

Assignment #1

“What I learned doing this assignment is…?

I still have a long way to go to release the hold the internal critic has on me. I need to write much more freely and excitedly at this creative stage.

But, I like this assignment as a good jumping off point for the story-creation process.

My anti-hero is Yannis Georgiou, a highly successful CEO and Lead Game Designer of a virtual reality gaming company. He has it all, youth, vibrant health and fitness, movie-star good looks, a beautiful, brilliant, wife who’s his partner and soulmate, sweet adoring talented children, and a close circle of good friends, loyal family, and a sterling reputation among his peers and competitors tabut… now the company he founded is in his garage less than three years earlier is on the verge of its IPO which will make him a twenty-something billionaire. Yet, here he is just beginning to conquer the world, insatiable, ever-aspiring and striving for more of everything, more wealth, more prestige, greater challenges, higher accomplishments, more fame, greater accolades…only to, suddenly, inexplicably…lose everything he thought he possessed almost overnight. In the end, he learns, that it is only when a man has nothing left to lose, that he has actually gained and possesses something of true lasting value, his essence and finally finds contentment in just being.

ARC Beginning: A Tech Giant on top-of-the world and in full-control of his life in a sensible reality

ARC Ending: A tiny entity adrift in a random, chaotic cosmos, in an utterly incomprehensible reality.

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Internal
Journey: Feeling in-control of his understandable
reality to no control over an incomprehensible new reality.

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External
Journey: A CEO and embodiment of
the American Dream to a cautionary tale.

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Old Ways:

– Supremely confident

– Certain of what success is and achieving it

– Rushing towards his clear goals

– Good fortune is his birthright and reward

– Elitist and feels like one Rand’s Atlas’s.

– His perception of reality is the true reality

New Ways:

– Unsure of himself

– Uncertain of what success is

– Drifting through life

– New-found appreciation for the less fortunate

– Egalitarian and believes in intrinsic human value

– Does not know what is truly real any more

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[Lori Lance]

Lori’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is to think in terms of internal and external journeys and make sure that both are fully used. And to think of the new ways as the opposite of the old ways so that I have a clear path of where I’m going.

My Hero is Thomas, a small-town pastor who feels like it’s his responsibility to make Christmas memorable for everyone else. He spirals downward when faced with the first Christmas after his wife’s death, and he wants to avoid Christmas altogether.

Character Arc that represents a transformation:

Internal Journey: from hopelessness to hopeful

External Journey: avoiding Christmas festivities since his wife is gone to taking part in community

Old ways:

anger

depression

crossing boundaries

fear

isolation

New ways:

acceptance

joy

respecting boundaries

fearlessness

community

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by  Lori Lance.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s transformational journey

what I learned doing this assignment was I have a Santa character who doesn’t show the strength of the previous Santa. He isn’t qualified for the job like the previous Santa was. So mistakes are made and that’s what makes this character interesting.

Current Santa

internal journey – He wants to uphold the rules of the North Pole but struggles against a defiant General who wants to move progress forward. He stands his ground despite the imminent deathly odds against him.

exterior journey – He does his best to command the situation at the North Pole and doesn’t but he survives and the General does not.

Old ways – Tells General to let it go. He is passive and soft in his rule

New ways. He is forced to be in charge when Krampus attacks. He has no choice but to save his elves and put himself last.