Post day 21 Assignment Here

[Emmanuel Sullivan]

Emmanuel’s Act 4 First Scenes

What I learned doing this assignment is act 4 is usually full of choices the protagonist must make quickly to stay ahead of the fast-moving antagonist.

[Lee Tidball]

Lee’s Act 4 First Scenes

What I learned doing this assignment is…that it’s exciting to learn what’s really going on in the last act—the real details, not just a big, climactic showdown and then everyone goes home happy, etc.

Outlines

Key Scene 1 – Reaction to Act 3 TP

BEGINNING – Milly is taken to a special dungeon-like cell, bound by chains made with a special substance that cannot be torn. Though Milly angrily bangs away on them, nothing budges.

MIDDLE – She cries softly, both from pain from her wounds, as well as from the emotions of the moment.

END – A voice comes out from the darkness in a cell next to hers. The woman, who looks somewhat like Milly, says words of comfort.

Key Scene 2 – Milly’s dilemma

BEGINNING – Milly goes on and on through her tears about how she has secretly known for several years at least that she is different, but always covered it up because she was afraid, both of what other people would think, and what it would mean to her and her own life.

MIDDLE – Now, she’s in a situation where everyone that she cares about depends on her to save them, and she knows so little, and really doesn’t know what to do. If she doesn’t know how to use all her various powers, or even know which she has and doesn’t have, how can she help them? Her strength and speed don’t seem to do any good in this cell.

END – The woman comes more into the light, revealing more resemblance to Milly. She says that Janus learned what materials to use because of her. She’s Milly’s mother Lana, and has been Janus’s prisoner for nearly ten years. And she also reveals that Milly is not Marcus’s ADOPTED daughter, but his real, natural daughter, and thus one of only a handful of people in all the planet who wields both the superhuman power of her alien DNA, but the paranormal powers of a true wizard.

THE SCRIPT

INT. JANUS’S UNDERGROUND COMPOUND – THE CELLS – MOMENTS LATER

At the end of a long, underground hallway, a large, mostly dark underground room. Individual jail cells line its walls.

Milly’s tossed into one of them by two guards. They slam its door and bind it shut with a strange-looking cable.

Milly cries out in pain, then sobs openly. Both her arm and leg show painful, if not deep, raw wounds.

Someone stirs in the cell next to Milly’s. Though Milly doesn’t know it, this is LANA, Milly’s mother.

And Lana doesn’t know that Milly’s her daughter–at least not yet.

LANA

What’s wrong, young one? Can I help at all?

MILLY

Not unless you’re Wonder Woman or a magician that can instantly heal wounds.

LANA

That’s a pretty tall order. I used to have extraordinary strength–like Wonder Woman I guess–but the General has found ways of neutralizing those like us. As to the instant healing, definitely can’t offer you any help there.

MILLY

I’m a bit like Wonder Woman myself, minus the power bands. Just found out today. Even from another world I guess.

Lana rises, walks more into the dim light of the cell room.

LANA

If you’re the General’s captive, that’s why you’re here. This area has cells specifically built to house people and other creatures that have innate supernatural strength compared to the humans who rule this planet. They call us–

MILLY

Aliens. I know. I’ve struggled with being one my whole life.

Milly turns so that she can see Lana silhouetted in the dimness, wipes away the last of her tears.

MILLY

Same with you?

Lana leans against hers and Milly’s mutual cell bars.

LANA

In a way, I guess.

MILLY

People here don’t believe in aliens. I didn’t believe in aliens. But I started doing all these superhuman things, you know. I was faster and stronger and could do goofy things like move things with my mind and stuff. But I kept it all a secret, even from my best friend Justin.

Lana listens with interest as Milly rambles on.

MILLY

I was so scared of what people would think if I really acted, you know, like myself. So I never told anyone.

LANA

Not even your parents.

MILLY

Parent, and no. My father adopted me after my mother died. It was weird with him, though. It was almost like he knew even though I never told him. He always called me “my dear little alien.” I hated it, but I think it was because I knew he was right and it scared me.

Milly once again begins to cry. Tears trickle down as she continues.

MILLY

But then a couple nights ago–I think–Dad didn’t come home. He works at a secret lab someplace, but he always comes home on the bus. But he didn’t take the bus this time, and he never came home! I didn’t know what to do, and no one would help me except me and my friend Justin, and we tried to figure out what to do, and then I remembered about this paper that Daddy said I should look for if he never came home, but we couldn’t find it, and then Justin found a safe and I remembered about that, and we didn’t know how to unlock it, but it did by itself, and we found the instructions and then there was this knocking on the door…

Lana crouches down in her cell, now keenly interested, as Milly babbles on.

MILLY

And these guys with guns or something showed up and then Granny Sue came and we barely escaped, and today we came here to save Dad, and Granny Sue tells me I’m this super person and that without me, we can’t save him, but I don’t know how to do anything, because for my whole life I wouldn’t believe that I was who I really am, and even though I broke us in here and all, I couldn’t get to that general guy so we could make him give us Daddy back, and now who knows what will happen, and I just don’t know what to do, and–

Lana leans more into the light.

LANA

Come closer, child.

Without thinking, Milly moves over toward the bars where Lana now sits very close to. Lana reaches out her arm into Milly’s cell, puts it around Milly as Milly sits next to her.

LANA

There, there, Milly. Just be easy…

Milly sniffs some more, then suddenly pulls back, looks into Lana’s face for the first time. Lana catches her breath.

MILLY

How come you know my name?

Now Lana bursts into tears as well.

LANA

Because I’m your mother Milly. I’m your mother! I’m not dead–never was– and I’m here for you now.

The two embrace and cry some more.

[Ed Lusk]

Ed’s Act 4 first scenes.

What I learned doing this assignment is rewrites to the outline were needed so that the New Ways were developed further. My characters thinking and action got him out of trouble caused in the Act 3 turning point. They were fun scenes to write. But as the lesson says our protagonist is not out of trouble – yet. Hopefully a showdown with the antagonist is coming in the climax scene. Not sure about the clear dilemma yet, that requires further analysis.

ACT FOUR SCENE 1 Out Line

BEGINNING – Henry’s appears defeated, knocked unconscious laying on the street.

MIDDLE – Henry finds he strength to believe in himself. He’s not finished, not like this.

END – Henry finds the strength and courage to save the day.

ACT FOUR SCENE 2 Outline – Dilemma

BEGINNING – Henry finds one last and very important toy hidden in the back of the sleigh.

MIDDLE – Henry and Samwise – dilemma – If you deliver that toy, you make good on a promise nut there is not enough time to save Christmas. You’ll be vilified for life.

END – Henry makes his decision. Setting up the climax scene.

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.

Several flat screen television beam the chaos on thirty forth street.

SANTA CLAUS

News travels fast.

ALFREDA

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

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

ALFREDA

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

The screens switch to the frightened reindeer surrounded by the mob. The look of curiosity across Santa’s roses faces changes to deep concern.

SANTA

The reindeer, Alfeda. Samwise. What have you done?

Santa closes his eyes going into deep meditation. Alfreda taps away on her cell phone never taking her eyes off the television screens.

EXT. THIRTY FORTH STREET – THE SLEIGH – NIGHT

The darkness enveloping Henry breaks. A new dawn. The lead reindeer, through the crush of bodies licks his face. The chaos of the crowd seeps back in. The reindeer bends, it’s tree branch size antlers lower to the ground, hooking under Henry’s vest.

With one quick snap of the neck Henry is tossed, up into the air, above the crowd, somersaulting through the air. He lands on his feet on the shoulder of the reindeer. Ahead, the team of reindeer and a clear path across the crowd.

Henry runs across the reindeer backs to the sleigh. He jumps into the seat. He looks at the dash. Where was the spot? His fingers tap, nothing is happening. He tries another place. He finds the switch.

Samwise reading off names of New Yorkers from cartons in the cargo hold. Voices from the crowd shout out HERE. Samwise chucks the carton in their direction.

SAMWISE

What’s the plan?

From the belly of the sleigh and deep, rich and VERY LOUD HO, HO, HO, and again HO, HO, HO.

The crowd falls silent. The pandemonium subsides in shock. The crowd step away from the sleigh. In combined wonder they believe. Is Santa here? They search the sky. They search the street. Are they caught red handed being naughty? The reindeer calm, ready for flight.

Henry hits the switch again. HO HO HO

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 department store Santa’s arrive pushing their way between the reindeer and the crowd. No one wants to be caught on video punching a Santa. Which one is real? 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. This is their moment to flee.

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

(Yelling back at the crowd) You’re welcome.

SAMWISE

That’s it kid we are done …coast to coast. Take me home.

EXT. WINTER NIGHT SKY – NIGHT

The Northern Lights shine among the stars. It’s peaceful. The a little turbulence. The sleigh bounces. There’s a bump and a thump from the cargo hold. Samwise climbs back and returns with a single toy package.

HENRY

I thought it was empty.

Samwise turns the carton over and over. He stops and reads the label.

SAMWISE

William Tate – Kay. Saint Louis, Missouri.

HENRY

What did you say.

Samwise reads it again.

SAMWISE

William Tate – Kay . Saint Louis, Missouri.

FLASH BACK – PELZNIKEL TOYS FULFILLMENT CENTER – OFFICE – DAY

Jessica Tate Williams leans menacing over Henry and the broken drone.

JESSICA

Pity. My son ordered this same drone from Pelznikel Toys.

It will break my heart to tell him he’s not getting it now for Christmas.

HENRY

He’ll get it. I promise. All the toys will be delivered

By Christmas.

BACK TO HENRY

HENRY

We have to go back.

SAMWISE

Not with me you’re not.

HENRY

I have to deliver this toy. I promised.

SAMWISE

Kid, it just one stupid toy. Your a hero in your own mind.

Isn’t that enough?

HENRY

A Pelznikel keeps their word.

SAMWISE

The word is vilified! Do you know what that means? You turn this sleigh around Santa won’t

Have enough time to make Christmas. Alfreda will make sure the world knows it your fault. Are you okay with that?

Henry looks down on the carton. He imagines Jessica Williams Tate answering the door. Henry has her sons toy. He has redemption in hand. He snaps the reins the sleigh whiplashes around chaining direction away from the Northern Lights.