Post day 18 Assignment Here

[Emmanuel Sullivan]

Emmanuel’s Act 3 Middle Scenes

What I learned doing this assignment is the stakes turn up in act 3. The protagonist must act quickly to the rising tension.

[Lee Tidball]

Lee’s Act 3 Middle Scenes

What I learned doing this assignment is…is how, if you just keep plugging forward, scenes just seem to come, and then they get written. They’re not that good, but they’re there. I also get the idea of making a new plan, but…

Outline – Key Scene 2

BEGINNING

Justin hangs out amongst the life-sized toys. He notices that they’re really alive, like humans.
Granny Sue assesses the situation magically. She detects a typical early-warning zone around a perimeter several hundred yards in diameter. Those who cross it won’t know it, but will alert those in the underground bunker. This is mildly surprising to her—she figured there might be more.
Justin wonders what happens to these very real people if shooting starts. Granny Sue telepathically tells him not to worry. If they’re hit, they turn back into toys.

MIDDLE

Granny Sue tells Milly that her skin is very dense, much like Kevlar, but her facial orifices are not (eyes, ears, etc._). With her speed and thrust, she can be like a battering ram.
When Justin begins the diversion, Granny Sue will magically destroy the early-warning shield. They will wait a couple minutes. Then Milly will hurl herself toward the entrance before them and destroy it.
Once in, “the magic word” probably won’t work, but Granny Sue’s charmed electric tools will. As quietly as possible, they’ll try to find Marcus and bring him out.

END

All goes well for the most part. Justin and crew make a great distraction. A crazy, action-filled battle rages between his soldiers and soldiers from Janus’s perimeter guards.
Any guards near the entrance near Milly and Granny Sue either take off or are left almost alone. Granny Sue disperses them, and Milly crashes through the doors.
Suddenly things change. Justin and all his soldiers either can’t move or return to toy size. Justin’s helpless to resist Janus’s soldiers. He surrenders.
Milly and Granny Sue see Marcus passed out in a chair. They head for him, but suddenly are arrested by Janus’s spell. Granny Sue and Milly try to fight it, but movement causes electric shocks.
As Janus taunts them, they see Marcus and his chair hauled up on cable as high as the main cavern is—several hundred feet—and then dropped like a rock to the concrete floor below.

THE SCENES

EXT. NEAR LAVA CRATERS – DAY

Justin walks among several dozen soldiers from various eras, planets, etc. He pinches a Viking, and the guy takes a swing that nearly takes his head off.

JUSTIN

Hey, watch it. I’m your commander, you know.

VIKING

(subtitled-said in Norse tongue)

Oh. Sorry.

Justin tries to fist-bump him. He doesn’t get it. The shake hands instead.

JUSTIN

Damn! That felt real.

(suddenly, in his head)

GRANNY SUE

Don’t worry. They are all real, but Marcus’s magic is such that if they are hit in any way that would cause death or great pain, they just turn back into toys.

JUSTIN

Gee, thanks–really. Hey, are you in my head all the time?

GRANNY SUE

Only when needed. Be ready. I’ll give the command soon. You’ll tell the men to charge the large fissures below you. As you get closer, you’ll see that there’s actually a long ramp there that leads down to a huge garage door opening. That’s your target.

JUSTIN

Gotcha!

EXT. LAVA CRATERS – DAY

Milly and Granny Sue peer from behind the lip of a low cinder cone over to another, large cinder cone next to it.

A few people who look like tourists hang out, eat lunch from the tailgate of a pick-up truck.

GRANNY SUE

Those would be guards down there. The main entrance is most likely magically hidden. I’ll find it soon enough.

She waves her arms high over her head several times.

GRANNY SUE

A standard early-warning spell stretches out to fifty yards or so in front of those men, probably surrounds the compound area. I’m surprised it’s not a stronger barrier, but then again, you don’t want real tourists electrocuted or turned into dust, now do you.

Milly shakes her head warily. Granny Sue hunkers down with Milly.

GRANNY SUE

Okay. A couple things before we talk about the plan. Your power is significant over just that of an ordinary human. For instance, your skin is incredibly dense, even though it doesn’t appear so. It’s virtually impenetrable.

Milly checks out her arm, then looks to Granny Sue questionably.

GRANNY SUE

Every wonder why you’ve never had so much as a scratch in your life?

MILLY

How did you know–

GRANNY SUE

No time to explain. Just believe it. Here. Let me show you.

Before Milly can figure what’s happened, Granny Sue’s grabbed a carpenter’s hammer from her bag and slammed it down with all her might on Milly’s hand.

Milly doesn’t flinch. She checks herself out. No mark on her hand at all.

GRANNY SUE

Now that only works for areas covered with skin. Eyes, nostrils, open mouth, ears, etcetera, your as human as anyone. Be especially careful of that.

Milly looks curiously at her hand, then brings it down on a rock. The rock bounces away–and her hand’s not bruised.

GRANNY SUE

Someday your arms will be strong enough to smash that to dust. But your legs are already strong enough for what we’re up to today.

They climb up the cinder cone again, study other cinder cone.

GRANNY SUE

So here’s the plan. Justin’s distraction will be launched, and within a minute or two, most of those guards will leave. I’ll go in and clear out those other dudes and reveal the actual doorway. As soon as I do, you’ll run and then hurl yourself like a big ole wrecking ball right at it. Once you crash through it, we’ll assess where we’re at, then, as quietly as we can, find Marcus. You got it.

Milly nods, a determined look on her face.

EXT. NEAR LAVA CRATERS – DAY

Justin chats with some Gulf War soldiers, then suddenly…

GRANNY SUE

Are you ready?

JUSTIN

As we’ll ever be.

GRANNY SUE

Okay! Go for it! The big fissure below you. And make lots of noise!

Justin steps up onto a big boulder.

JUSTIN

Okay, everyone! Are target is that big fissure straight down this hillside. As we get closer, we’ll see a big long ramp! We head down that, and attack the big doors at the end of it. Blow’em open! You got it!

ARMY GENERAL

What’s our opposition?

JUSTIN

Honestly, sir, I have no idea. We’ll just head in and shoot at whatever we run into. Okay! Everyone, follow after me and my little friend here.

He and the army guys board leap up onto a giant US Army Abrams tank. The soldiers pile into it. Justin rides on top behind the turret.

JUSTIN

This is insane, of course, but I think we’ve already gone around the bend way too far, so what the hell.

(to the tank commander)

Shove off, captain.

(to all the others)

Move out!! Charge!! Or whatever you say!

Several dozen soldiers, ancient warriors, futuristic soldiers, and a number of vehicles and even some flying craft, head off behind Justin’s tank or take off into the air, yelling battle cries, etc.

They’re soon at the bottom of the hill. Machine gun fire erupts from hidden bunkers near the fissure. A helicopter gunship’s Gatling guns wipe them all out.

The tank slams into an invisible wall. So do soldiers.

JUSTIN

Let’s see if this is what I think it is.

He points to the space in front of them.

JUSTIN

Crumble! The magic word!

Suddenly, the tank surges forward. Soldiers dash forward again.

JUSTIN

Ha-ha!! I’m the Sorcerer’s Apprentice!!

More gunfire, more machine guns, some big guns in gun emplacements fire away at the charging horde.

Justin’s tank speeds up, its turret swirls, its gun fires, takes out gun emplacements, even a couple armored vehicles that come out of the fissure.

The helicopter buzzes the fissure with gunfire. Justin can now see the long ramp.

JUSTIN

There it is! Go-go-go! Damn, I feel like I’m in a movie!!

EXT. LAVA CRATERS – DAY

Milly and Granny Sue watch as the guards of the door dash around the cinder cone toward the other side. Only two remain.

GRANNY SUE

I’m moving out.

She walks out, then does a little jog as she gets closer. The two guys look curiously, then pull weapons.

Granny Sue pulls out an electric screwdriver, points it at the men, flips it on.

As the tool whirs and spins, both men are lifted off the ground and spin as if caught in a horizontal vortex. They spin high over the smaller cinder cone before Granny Sue turns off the screwdriver, at which time they plunge back to Earth, unconscious.

Granny Sue waves her hand over the face of the big cinder cone. It exposes a large double door.

GRANNY SUE

Now!

Milly hesitates for a minute, then, with anger and fury in her eyes, she takes off running then sends herself straight as an arrow at the door.

IMPACT! The doors shatter into slivers and busted iron. Milly continues through before she skids on a floor, takes out several chairs and tables as she does.

Granny Sue is there immediately. No one’s in the room. They head down a hallway quickly, silently.

GRANNY SUE

How are you?

MILLY

Great! That was awesome.

GRANNY SUE

You did wonderful, but now, we gotta be hecka careful.

Granny Sue waves her hand over them.

GRANNY SUE

An invisible shield. It should help.

EXT. THE RAMP – DAY

Justin and his “army” fight intensely along the ramp as soldiers in odd, futuristic uniforms use both traditional and futuristic weapons like particle beam guns and laser ray weapons.

Some of Justin’s people have the same kinds of weapons and engage them. Others fight with whatever they have.

Justin’s tank blasts away at the doors down at the ramp’s end. Justin waves his hand again.

JUSTIN

Begone! The magic word!

The next tank shot blasts part of the door, though it doesn’t collapse.

JUSTIN

Ha-ha! Fire again. Head for that breach guys!

They all do, when suddenly, everything goes haywire.

Everyone of Justin’s army suddenly stops. Arrested as if by magic. Justin can’t even move his mouth.

Then, his entire army instantly becomes toys again.

He finds himself sitting helplessly on top of a toy Abrams tank. Janus’s soldiers advance.

INT. JANUS’S UNDERGROUND COMPOUND – MORNING

Milly and Granny Sue sneak through a partially open door. There’s Marcus sitting unconscious in a chair to the side of a large, cavernous control room.

MILLY

Daddy!

Milly charges toward him.

GRANNY SUE

Wait!

Suddenly, they’re both arrested. Neither can move or talk. Chuckling comes from out of the dark.

It’s General Janus.

[Ed Lusk]

Ed’s Act Three Key Scenes Two and Three

What I learned doing this assignment is the flow of the story – pace and suspense naturally increased. We are naturally being propelled to the climax. It not feeling forced or contrived. I realize I need to get more scenes with the protagonist and antagonist together, which will take creatively as they have been physically /geographically separated.

KEY SCENE – 2 – Making a new plan

BEGINNING Henry has to finish getting his toy delivered. Time is running out to get the sleigh back. There is ONE special toy he must deliver – the lawyer’s son. Fulfill his promise.

MIDDLE – Henry will use Alfreda plan against him to his advantage – famous for stealing – now use his fame for the NP message.

END – Launch the plan in a BIG WAY ?? Where and How?

KEY Scene 3 – Things are going well until.

BEGINNING – Plan is going well, followers are growing.

MIDDLE – Alfreda goes against Santa’s wishes. Paints Henry as a prankster. Beliefs are split.

END – Alfreda is coming after Henry – In person – Snow Messenger in play. Document disappears.

KEY SCENE 4 – Turning Point – Protagonist faces new low.

BEGINNING – All toys delivered except one – special one found tucked away in the sleigh. Henry;’s plan accepted as a hoax. Samwise says it over. Henry’s done what he can. “You lost kid”

MIDDLE – Alfreda strikes back.

END – Henry is left no sleigh, no Samwise , one special package left, and Family’s Toy business reputation destroyed.

MIDDLE – Henry uses the NP document as proof there is a crisis at the NP. They need help to find a solution.

END – Henry post his proof on Social – followers skyrocket.

EXT. NIGHT SKY – SLEIGH – NIGHT

The sleigh glides over the Chicago Suburbs. Christmas lights adorn the houses below. It’s peaceful – for now. Toy cartons launch off the back of the sleigh.

HENRY

You said Mall Santa’s are conduits. What do you mean by that?

SAMWISE

Santa can’t everywhere. He has helpers. The mall Santa’s channel back to the NP, what the boys and girls are wanting for Christmas. It like a market survey.

HENRY

Is it two way channel?

SAMWISE

I suppose it can be. Why?

HENRY

I think Santa choose me to help him.

SAMWISE

Kid – You seen the NP, Does Santa look like he needs help?

HENRY

That’s just it. My dad taught me those closes to the problem don’t always see the solution. Maybe he wanted me to secretly come the North Pole. You said yourself you didn’t know why I was there.

SAMWISE
Until you stole his sleigh

HENRY

Accidentally.

SAMWISE

Say Santa wanted you to help him. Okay , with what?

Henry pulls out the document. As he hands it over to Samwise it nearly flies away. Samwise snatches it out of the air.

HENRY

With this – the North Pole melting. Your home is in danger. The tradition is dying.

SAMWISE

Oh that. We’re toast.

HENRY

Don’t say that!

SAMWISE

It an ice mountain. Temperature rise . Ice melts. End of story.

HENRY

A story – a story that must be told and I’m the one who’s going to do it!

SAMWISE

You think people will believe you Henry? That hate you!

HENRY

I have to try. Some people believe in me. I can’t let them down.

KEY SCENE – 2 – Making a new plan

BEGINNING Henry has to finish getting his toy delivered. Time is running out to get the sleigh back. There is ONE special toy he must deliver – the lawyer’s son. Fulfill his promise.

MIDDLE – Henry will use Alfreda plan against him to his advantage – famous for stealing – now use his fame for the NP message.

END – Launch the plan in a BIG WAY ?? Where and How?

EXT. CELL PHONE STORE

The sleigh parked on the roof of a strip mall. In hiding. Below them a cell phone store. Samwise on look out. Nervous. Henry climbs over the ladder back onto the roof and into the sleigh

SAMWISE

You get it?

Henry pops a new cell phone out of a box.

SAMWISE

This is stupid.

Henry taps aways at the phone. He stops Stunned.

SAWWISE

What?

Henry

One million two hundred and fifty two thousand followers?

SAMWISE

How many does Alfreda account have?

A few more taps

HENRY

One hundred and ninety three million.

SAMWISE

I’d say she’s winning kid.

Henry starts scanning the the North Pole Document.

HENRY

Not for long.

INSERT

Post @ HenryPLovesToys. North Pole is melting. They need our help. #HelpNorthPole, #SaveChristmas

HENRY

Collective minds

The sleigh takes off.

INT. NEW STATION – NIGHT

It’s the feel good story of the day. One not to be taken too seriously.

ANCHOR

We have this Christmas news. The North Pole is melting

Christmas bad boy Henry Pelznikel claims he has proof.

Yes it appears climate change has reached the North Pole

Leaked documents posted to Henry’s feed show contingency plans on relocating the North Pole.

CO-ANCHOR

Let’s hope those elves can swim.

ANCHOR Happy Holidays and good night.

Silly laughter before the sign Off. .

EXT. CLEVELAND – NIGHT

It’s cold, bleak. Steel mill blast furnace flames mixed among the swirling snow.

EXT. CLEVELAND CITY HALL STEPS – NIGHT

A podium full of microphones. MAYOR, political opportunities no matter what the odds, braced against the wind and snow. Behind the mayor loyal supporters and other dignitaries.

MAYOR

What better location for the North Pole to relocate than Cleveland. Being on

The North Coast of America it a natural fit. Call us Santa, let’s talk relocation.

EXT. CLEVELAND SKYLINE – STEEL MILLS – NIGHT


Henry pilots the sleigh over the steel mills. Samwise has his hands out, warming them against flames exiting the smoke stacks.

INT. TEXAS GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

TEXAS GOVERNOR, surrounded by Stenson wearing patriots. Microphones laid out across the desk.

GOVERNOR

Let me state for the record the great state of Texas welcome the The North Pole with open arms, of Course as long as they don’t bring Their North Pole values with them.

The Governor beams duplicitous smile. . Chuckles all around. Off screen reporters yell follow up questions.

EXT. MIAMI FLORIDA – BEACH – DAY

A unidentified Florida representative speaks from the delightful palm tree lined white sand beach

FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE

Sunshine , beaches , Florida has it all. South Beach perfect

Location for the North Pole.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE – SLEIGH – NIGHT

The sleigh zooms across Manhattan.

SAMWISE

How many people live here?

HENRY

About twenty million. They need to see us.

Samwise hits a couple of buttons on the smoke glass dash. Lights flash under his finger tips. From the runners below the sleigh, color smoke emit a glowing trail.

Samwise

That help?

Henry snaps the reigns and the sleigh banks deeply down towards the East River.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE

Henry takes the sleigh through skywriting exercise. The glowing smoke spells out #SAVETHENORTHPOLE

EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE – SLEIGH – NIGHT

The glowing smoke trails behind the erratic flying sleigh. Henry scream in delight. Samwise hangs on for dear life.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY – THIRTY FORTH STREET – NIGHT

INSERT

Street sign reads thirty forth street.

New Yorkers bundled up agains the cold travers the busy street. Department stores and their window decorated to the hilt.

Jingling becomes louder and louder. Pedestrians stops. Looking around. From the out of the darkness above Henry glides the sleigh down to the street.

SAWWISE

You sue you want to do this kid? I think every New Yorker is on the Naughty List.

The sleigh glides to a stop in the middle of seventh avenue and thirsty fourth street. Traffic stops, horns blare. New Yorkers gather around the sleigh.

Henry stands up. Taking it all in. Cell phones fixed on him.

HENRY

My name is Henry Pelznikel

A NEW YORKER yells.

NEW YORKER

Hey that’s Santa’s Sleigh. You stole it!

HENRY

It was an accident. We’ve been delivering toys for hours.

NEW YORKER

You’re toys. What about all the other kids.

The crowd not on Henry’s side. The murmurs and catcalls.

INSERT

Cell phones text message – HOLD THE SLEIGH

BACK TO HENRY

Samwise senses the crowd is getting hostile.

SAMWISE

Kid this is not working. We got to go.

Some of the crowd come forward. They hold onto the bridle straps. The reindeer stomp and in fear.

SAMWISE

Kid the reindeer, they’ll spooked, Come on.

HENRY

The North Pole is melting. They need our help.

Yells from the crowd denouncing Henry’s message. More pedestrians take hold of the sleigh.

HENRY

If you follow me, I show you how you can help.

NEW YORKER

Kid will do anything for followers. What a scam!

HENRY

No No it’s not a scam. I have proof.

Henry waves the document. The Reindeer buck and stomp at the surrounding crowd. A hand reaches up and grabs Sawwise’s vest.

SAMWISE

Kid. Get us out of here.

Henry takes the reigns, a quick snap. The reindeer try to rise. Up slightly, pulled down, up again pulled pack down. Bells jingle, voices yell.

HENRY

We’re stuck.

INT. NORTH POLE – SANTA’S OFFICE – NIGHT

Alfreda helps Santa Claus getting suited up. A fake jelly belly strapped to his waste. Gone is corporate casual, replaced with the traditional red suite.

SANTA CLAUS

You are that confident.

ALFREDA

We have a lock on the sleigh

Several flat screen television beam the North Pole relocation news clips.

SANTA CLAUS

News travels fast.

ALFREDA

It shouldn’t be traveling at all. That’s the problem

The screens change to the few of Henry’s Skywriting above New York City.

ALFREDA

The kid got style. I’ll give him that.

SANTA

The reindeer, Alfeda. Be careful.

Santa closes his eyes going into deep, transcendental meditation. Alfreda taps away on her cell phone.

EXT. THIRTY FORTH STREET – DEPARTMENT STORE DOORS – NIGHT

Various department doors along the street swing open. Black boots and red pants run out.

INT. THIRTY FORTH STREET – DEPARTMENT STORE STORE WINDOWS – NIGHT

Wooden soldiers come to life. The glass breaks . The soldiers march out of the windows, form a platoon and march towards the the sleigh and the crowd.

EXT. THIRTY FOURTH STREET – THE SLEIGH – NIGHT

The store Santa’s arrive pushing their way between the reindeer and the crowd. No one wants to punch a Santa. The crowd starts to step back. The toy soldiers take up positions around the sleigh.

The New Yorker lets go of Samwise. He dusts himself off. The helpers give enough room for the sleigh to move.

SAMWISE

Punch it kid.

The sleigh zooms nearly straight up away from the street. Threads it way between the skyscrapers. Some toy cartons fall out the back down into the hands of the crowd below.

The pedestrian read the label.

PEDESTRIAN

Hey this is my order.

Others around the pedestrian realize the same thing. The sleigh pulls away nearly out of sight.

HENRY

You’re welcome.