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Post Day 25 Assignment Here
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Don Thompson’s Solved Structural Problems
What I learned: to lay out a clear plan for solving structural problems that can be executed in the actual rewrite. To me, this is definitely a two-step process.
Note: the actual rewrite will not occur during this class as it is too time-consuming for my current schedule. The bottom line is that I’m planning now for future changes. I currently have an 85-page first draft that is the basis for rewrites.
Possible Structural Changes:
1. Johnson’s death and Billy’s subsequent promotion could come earlier so as to get to the heart of the story sooner.
2. Billy coming on board the HMS Indomitable and how that occurred could be accomplished via flashbacks, rather than opening the film.
3. Billy could kill Claggart sooner.
4. Additional scenes might be added: flashback sof Claggart’s time in London that resulted in a manslaughter charge prior to him being forced to join the Navy.
How this could impact Structure:
Current Structure (taken from Lesson 5):
Act 1:
• Opening – Billy Budd is taken from ‘The Rights of Man’ as an impressment (forced recruit)
• Inciting Incident – Johnson challenges Billy Budd to a fight
• Turning Point – Billy Budd is unable to save Johnson when he falls ill
Act 2:
• New plan – Billy Budd will try to impress Claggart and the Captain
• Plan in action – Billy gets promoted to chief maintopman
• Midpoint Turning Point – Claggart decides he must defeat Billy Budd via deception
Act 3:
• Rethink everything – The status quo continues on the HMS ‘Indomitable’
• New plan – Billy tries to befriend Claggart
• Turning Point – Unable to befriend Claggart, Billy retreats
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Claggart falsely accuses Billy of mutiny
• Resolution – Billy kills Claggart and is hanged by the Captain who decides he needs to abide by ‘the rule of law’ and not ‘what is correct under the circumstances’ (to acquit Billy).
Proposed Structure:
Act 1:
• Billy Budd is already impressed on the HMS Indomitable’ from the merchant ship ‘The Rights of Man’. He fights Johson, resulting in Johnson’s injury and ultimately death when he falls from the topmast.
• Inciting Incident – Johnson challenges Billy Budd to a fight.
FLASHBACK: Scenes of Billy Budd’s impressment (forced recruitment) from ‘The Rights of Man’.
• Turning Point – Billy Budd tries to save Johnson from a fall but cannot; Johnson dies; Johnson’s funeral at sea.
Act 2:
• New plan – Billy Budd will try to impress Claggart and the Captain
FLASHBACK: Scenes from Claggart’s life in London where he was involved in manslaughter and forced to join the Navy.
• Plan in action – Billy gets promoted to chief maintopman
• Midpoint Turning Point – Claggart decides he must defeat Billy Budd via deception
Act 3:
• Rethink everything – The status quo continues on the HMS ‘Indomitable’
• New plan – Billy tries to befriend Claggart
• Turning Point – Unable to befriend Claggart, Billy retreats
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Claggart falsely accuses Billy of mutiny
• Resolution – Billy kills Claggart and is hanged by the Captain who decides he needs to abide by ‘the rule of law’ and not ‘what is correct under the circumstances’ (to acquit Billy)
Denouement: After Billy is hanged, the ship is attacked by a French Frigate and disabled. The ship drifts in the fog until rescued by a Spanish (allied) Frigate. Danskar travels to Madrid with the cross he had given to Billy. Danskar lays the cross at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Cathedral. The SOUND OF CATHEDRAL bells at the end of the film signified Billy’s spiritual transcendence.
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Lesson 25: Draft 2: Solving Structure Problems
ASSIGNMENT
BG Solved Structural Problems
What I learned doing this assignment: I found these structure questions extremely useful. I discovered that my answers to these questions, taken together, form a summary of my plot. So, by answering them in some detail, I ended up with a 3-page summary — almost a treatment! And it helped me consolidate, and clarify in my own mind, the jumbled mess that had evolved over 24 lessons.
2. Using the Structure Questions above, go to each structure point in your script and ask the question. Make sure you have a real answer.
THE STRUCTURE QUESTIONS
Act 1:
Opening/Old Ways: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode? Do the “Old Ways” show up in their behavior and dialogue?
On an airfield in Ukraine, BAYRAKTAR COMBAT DRONES are lined up in front of open hangar doors. One circles overhead like a giant prehistoric bird. In the distance, weapons of war, tied up on pallets, are being unloaded from the cavernous bowels of a cargo plane.
This is being monitored in real-time on a wall-size screen in a conference room of a posh London club. Seated around the table are five very important men, each with his own agenda and needs, who have come together in a conspiracy, codenamed NORTHSTAR.
At the head of the table sits BILLIONAIRE, a man of immense wealth, who uses his media empire as a weapon in his crusade to fight off any challenge to the Western-led world order. To his right sits ENERGY MOGUL, another billionaire. His needs are pecuniary and easier to understand. He wants Germans to stop buying cheap Russian gas and buy, instead, his five-times more expensive LNG.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
A young REPORTER, who has not recovered from a broken heart, finds a fat envelop in his mailbox. It contains photos of Billionaire (introduced in the opening), his posh club in London, and some bank statements. His EDITOR thinks this is definitely a tip worth investigating. A scoop like that could put his weekly magazine on the map. He decides to send Reporter to London to check it out.
Turning Point: How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Before flying to London, Reporter shows the material, via secure video-link, to HACKER, a friend who lives in London. They conclude from copies of the bank statements that money is being pooled to finance a nasty operation, and someone is trying to stop it by sending this tip. Reporter says, The world is full of nasty stuff, let’s just stick to getting a story.
Reporter flies to London, gets a room at a cheap hotel, and the next morning goes to the club in the photos, which is named ‘A Club for Patriots.’ While looking around, he’s approached by a big, beautiful woman, who says she remembers him from the days he worked at a fancy restaurant in London. Her name is HOSTESS, she works at The Club, and hires him on the spot as a waiter.
Act 2:
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?
That night Reporter discusses with Hacker over video-link how he should ingratiate himself with Billionaire so that Billionaire will want to keep him around to serve him. Reporter tells Hacker he hates to lie.
The ingratiate-for-access plan backfires before it starts, because he’s spotted ‘loitering’ and is banned from the floor. So he needs to make a new plan to investigate the conspiracy. He moves up the ladder of deception: He climbs in through an open window and plants a listening device in the thermostat of the St. Michael conference room.
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
As Billionaire presides over a Northstar status meeting with the other four conspirators, Reporter listens in his car, and is upset and pissed. He calls in, over an encrypted connection, to his Editor to report. Reporter seems out of his funk now: He blurts out, Just who are these men who feel entitled to start wars and consign so many to destruction and death for their own purposes?
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey?
NSA Keyword Monitoring Program picks up on the word Northstar and an alert goes out. At CIA, Langley, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EASTERN EUROPE meets with underlings. They are not only aware of Northstar, but they are covertly supportive. He tells staffers NSA has warned them that the press may be onto Northstar. They decide to alert Billionaire via MI6 and other cutouts.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?
Six agents from MI6 show up at dawn to sweep the St. Michael conference room. No bugging devices are found. Billionaire looks relieved. Hostess leaves quickly and walks fast to her car with her large Gucci bag slung over her shoulder. In her car, which she keeps parked in a remote spot of a major retailer’s lot, she sets up an unusual-looking laptop and some equipment, and sends an encrypted message to her control, GERMAN AGENT. They establish a secure link and talk. She reports the MI6 agents’ dawn visit and says she’ll have to figure out a way to deflect suspicion away from ‘the mule.’
Meanwhile, MI6 agents’ dawn visit to sweep for bugs has created excitement among the kitchen staff. When Reporter walks in for his shift that morning, a waitress rushes to him and gushes, “They were everywhere, Monsieur! But they didn’t find anything!” Reporter at first looks concerned, then relieved and surprised. His eyebrows go up slightly – brain whirring, puzzle pieces jumping around, assembling themselves into a coherent picture. He spots Hostess approaching. He hastily moves behind a group of workers to avoid being seen – he’s getting suspicious of Hostess.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict?
The Energy Mogul jumps the gun, meets with ASSASSIN and hires him without authorization.
That night, Hostess again sits in her car with her unusual-looking laptop and some equipment and sends an encrypted message to her control, German Agent. She then plants evidence remotely into Hacker’s electronics equipment, in order to deflect Intelligence agencies away from Reporter.
This time, NSA deciphers traces of a British hacker’s phone number and new references to Northstar in monitored transatlantic communications. At CIA, Langley, Deputy Director for Eastern Europe again meets with underlings to discuss the legal advantages of capturing a foreign citizen as opposed to an American reporter. They decide the law permits abduction of a foreigner for national security purposes.
Scottish moors. A black MI6 van speeds toward a dark, lonely-looking house, looming in the distance. In the van, Hacker lies unconscious with two boxes full of his electronics equipment by his side. An American rendition team sits in front.
Meanwhile, Reporter keeps trying and can’t get through to his friend Hacker. He leaves his room with some tools. He climbs up to Hacker’s flat – seems he’s getting used to this. He jimmies open a window, and goes in. He finds it ransacked. And all of Hacker’s electronics equipment are missing.
On the way back to his own flat, Reporter is attacked from behind by Assassin. He topples Assassin down. As the guy, surprised by Reporter’s tactic, tries to right himself, Reporter kicks Assassin’s head, knocking him out. Then, Reporter kicks again — he’s really pissed! He bends down and whispers, You attacked the wrong waiter, didn’t you?
Next morning, Reporter is really cold toward Hostess, who has come to the kitchen to talk to him. He evades her attempts to talk.
That evening, Reporter follows Hostess to the parking lot. Inside her car, Hostess starts setting up her secure laptop and her gear on the passenger-side seat. Reporter looks in through the window. He recognizes the equipment – their images had zipped by on his screen while he was researching listening devices in his hotel room. He knocks on the window. Hostess looks surprised, but moves her gear to her lap and unlocks the door. Reporter slides into the passenger seat and says, Why don’t we talk here?
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.
In the car, Reporter confronts Hostess, who admits to being a German agent, also trying to stop Northstar. Reporter asks Hostess if she had anything to do with the abduction of his friend, Hacker. She does not answer. Instead, she tells him she can help him find his friend. “You help me, I help you.”
Meanwhile, at the remote CIA safe house, DOCTOR reports Hacker has been interrogated, he’s in bad shape, and insists he didn’t hack or send any hacked materials to Reporter. STATION CHIEF does not believe. She tells DOCTOR to keep on trying.
Act 4:
Dilemma: What emotional dilemma requires the protagonist to choose between two alternatives, losing something with either choice?
His friend’s disappearance has caused Reporter to realize he needs a new plan. He brainstorms and decides staying as a waiter at The Club is no longer safe or useful. He writes a letter to Billionaire, confessing and apologizing for working at his club under false pretenses.
After tendering his resignation to Hostess, he invites her to lunch. They eat under some old trees to avoid satellite surveillance. Hostess tells him interagency chatter indicates Hacker is being interrogated at a desolate CIA safe house in the Scottish Moors. In another move up the ladder deception and violence, Reporter decides to rescue Hacker – from what is, in essence, a government prison. He asks for Hostess’s help. She points out that it would be a very high-risk operation. Reporter tells her that he has a plan for stopping Northstar. “I made a nice, bloodless plan, where we don’t have to hit any of the bad guys. Let the Goliaths kill each other. But I absolutely need Hacker to be able to do it. Since you also want to stop Northstar, will you help me rescue him?”
Climax/Ultimate Expression of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?
Reporter, Hostess and Hostess’s contacts carry out an elaborate rescue operation to break Hacker out of the CIA safe house. Hacker is spirited away to a German safe house in Ireland.
Now that Hacker is safe, Reporter explains to Hostess in more detail the plan he has made to stop Northstar: “Take away their money, and what is left? A bunch of preening old men, trying to rule the world! Since my hacking skills are nowhere near what the job requires, can you set it up so that Hacker participates via secure remote link?” She agrees.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the “New Ways” and bring this story to a fitting conclusion?
Reporter, Hacker and Hostess refine and implement Reporter’s original plan to divert the conspirators’ 20 billion dollar Northstar kitty.
Next day, Billionaire holds a Northstar status meeting. He’s breathing fire: His daily review of accounts shows the 20 billion dollar kitty is no longer in the secret Northstar account. After a heated discussion, with recriminations flying around and Energy Mogul on the defensive, Billionaire terminates Northstar.
Soon, Billionaire discovers that a lot of the Northstar money has moved to accounts controlled by Energy Mogul. As if bringing unwelcome attention to the group wasn’t enough! He calls Assassin for a walk in the park, and hires him for more money to kill Energy Mogul instead of Reporter.
New Ways: What are the New Ways and do they clearly show up in your lead character’s Act 4 behavior and dialogue?
Billionaire is in cleanup mode. He calls Reporter’s Editor and offers to give an exclusive interview to Reporter. During the interview, he explains what is needed to defend the Western way of life, tries to find out how much Reporter knows, and blames it all on Energy Mogul. Reporter’s questions are mild and respectful. But there is change in the air. The balance of power between the two has shifted. After Reporter leaves, Billionaire looks unsettled. He continues to stare, like a malign bird of prey, at Reporter’s empty chair.
Energy Mogul is found dead in his bed — attributed to sudden cardiac arrest due to excessive colchicine, a medication he was taking for his gout.
The floor of a hidden room behind St. Michael Conference Room suffers a sudden structural failure and collapses. The resulting fire from broken gas pipes destroys Northstar documents and equipment.
Reporter is seen smiling and animated, having dinner with Hostess/German Agent. A guy who never smiled, is smiling and laughing again.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by BG ERENGIL.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by BG ERENGIL.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by BG ERENGIL.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
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Charles Ferrell’s Solved Structural Problems
What I learned doing this assignment is the clarity I have gained about my protagonist. We are getting to know each other better and now the story is evolving as a direct result.
Concept: Duncan Smaul a university teaching student and PhD candidate in history, all of which is disrupted by the ghost of a little girl. She drives him to discover a long-hidden secret, including her tragic death, under a local lake. His life and his future begin to unravel. Duncan is torn between doing nothing at the risk of losing his mind or risking his entire future to uncover the truth.
Main Conflict: Unknown to him, his recent & ancient past is showing up in the form of the little girl’s ghost and is slowly driving him insane, headlong into a direct collision course with Professor Winfield and his future.
· Old Ways:
· Duncan is a firm believer in planning, structure, and trust in the system.
· Only believes in facts and what he can put his hands or eyes on.
· Has no interest in the supernatural or conspiracy theories?
· New Ways:
· Is being guided by the supernatural
· Open to possibility beyond known facts.
· Willing to fight the system.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1: He believes in and trusts the system; everything has a plan and work the plans forward toward completing his PhD.
Opening: Duncan fails to deliver his PhD thesis theme to the board, embarrassing the head of the history department. He hesitates due to a strange feeling, which he discovers later is the influence of the little Asian girl.
Inciting Incident: Duncan begins to be haunted by the little girl by day and in his nightmares about a secret internment camp, covered up with a local lake. He begins to feel the battle between what he wants a PhD and what he needs the truth about the camp, the little girl and why him?
Turning Point: He is pulled into the chancellor’s office and questioned if his conspiracy theories are part of a theme idea/theory or is his mental state questionable (he’s not sure himself). It is suggested that he see a therapist.
Act 2:
Going outside the facts or bucking the system was never him. Now he has triggered Winfield, and he is caught in the middle between him and the emerging truth with no turning back.
New plan: Put the incidents behind him and work to get back on track, get back into the system.
Plan in action: He does what he thinks the chancellor suggested and interrupts the science phd board to declare his history theme about the secret camps. The supervising Regent reluctantly accepts, putting him at further odds with Prof Winfield who is not present and was involved in the camp.
Midpoint Turning Point: The chancellor suspends Duncan’s teaching position for going over his and Winfield’s head to the Regent and his threatens his PhD candidacy. Forces him to start seeing a staff therapist as a condition to regain status.
Act 3:
Rethink everything
All he has worked for is on the line and yet he still cannot prove why. Find the truth, about the camp and about Winfield’s anger.
New plan
He buys a fish finder with a side scan sonar unit.
He steals a boat and begins to scan the lake for evidence himself night after night, returning it before sunrise. His buddy refuses to help the second night, his girlfriend leaves him due this erratic behavior and him getting suspended without telling her.
He returns to the lake and is arrested and beaten by fake cops, he spots the professor driving away from the area
New insight
Prof Winfield knows something more; his involvement is bigger than workplace embarrassment. He is out to destroy him and continue the coverup, this is real!
Turning Point: He returns to the university, exhausted, dirty, and beaten to find he is fired from the university and kicked out of the PHD program. His university housing is taken away jobless, homeless, and alone.
Act 4: Nothing left to lose and the truth to gain. Stop at nothing!
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
A witness of the camps with evidence comes forward as patient of his girlfriend, she brings the evidence to him (he’s not crazy). With students help he discovers Winfield in one of the pictures, he hatches a plan to expose him, expose the existence of the camp.
His buddy has an idea and gains access to a local construction site backhoe. He digs a massive hole in the lakes levee, flooding part of the town and major highway. the news helicopters covering the story now can see the foundations of a large multibuilding complex in the mud. The interviewer sent to visit the witness calls into the tv station and fill in the missing information. At the same time a student has slipped a fake copy of a university new story to the chancellor, citing the university as complicit in suppression of the truth.
Resolution
Professor Winfield is confronted by Duncan as the story unfolds on TV at school, after which the prof commits suicide. The university wanting to be on the right side of history, restores Duncan’s status. He is named director of a new University Historical Archives center. In hypnosis with his staff psychologist, it is revealed that he was the little Asian girl in a past life.
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VIC VALLEAU LESSON #25 DRAFT 2 SOLVING STRUCTURE PROBLEMS
What I learned doing this assignment is: structure is great way to see big picture.
INT. COFFEE SHOP
Nancy and Elie argue.
Nancy: He thinks I’m trying to trap him into child support.
Elie: No worries there, the laws favor mothers. As a husband you don’t stand a chance of landing him, too many easy girlfriends.
INT. LUCKY’S HOUSE – DAY
She barges into his house confronts him, while he’s getting ready for a date, just gets out of shower.
SHE CONFRONTS HIM WITH COURT ORDER IN ANOTHER PATERNITY CASE.
LUCKY
Some visionarY medium you are. Cant you tell I have lots of women?
NANCY
How many of them are pregnant?
LUCKY
Not mine, not mine, not mine!
NANCY
You remember restaurant ladies room?
LUCKY
I didn‘t even get my pants off, and neither did you.
NANCY
So you remember? That was the time. I was careful to be sure, peeded on a stick, no other men.
LUCKY
Be honest, do you really know what you want in a man besides??? getting pregnant?
NANCY
Why, are you offering?
LUCKY
Lock the door when you leave.
EXT. COUNTRY CLUB STEPS – DAY
Im here to cry on your shoulder. I tried, I faileld. Im weak, wolrthless, no reason to go on living!
ELIE
Don’t say that! I’s late for my meeting. We talk later.
NANCY
I think he’s spying on me, looking for a boyfriend to claim he’s not the father.
ELIE
The tests will prove it. He’s a smart man.
NANCY
I’m doomed, almost 40, single mother, no man. What should I do?
ELIE
Or maybe he’s trying to keep you sane, not suicidal. Or from seducing another attractive man. That’s your habit, isnt it?
ELTON COMES TO HER RESCUE COMMENTS ON HIS SHOES, SAME AS LUCKY ????AND THEY HAVE SEX.
NANCY LOOKS UNDER WOMENS STALLS FOR MANS SHOES SEES BROGUES, BARGES IN, SEES ELIE AND LUCKY HAVING SEX.
Wrong person.
She talks to old girlfriends is he faithful?
Lucky’s party at bar with friends, men admiring his carefree approach to women.
NEVER WANTED CHLDREN SO HE’S PERFECT ONE NIGHT STAND.
HALF WAY THRU ACT 1, MANY MORE MISSING SCENES TO COME. IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP UP, ILL MOVE TO #25.
SHE HOPELESSLY ATTRACTED TO BAD BOY HIM
SHE TELLS ELIE DOCTORS TOLD HER SHE CANNOT CONCIEVE BUT SHE DOES. aCCIDENT KNOCKED OUT HER OVARIES AND BROKEN BACK, USES CANE FOR BAD LEG.
CRIPPLED FROM ACCIDENT, USES CANE.
SHE WANTS LATE IN LIFE BABY AND HUSBAND.
HOPELESSLY ATTRACTED TO HIM. BEGS WHICH HE HATES.
INCITING INCIDENT: CLOSES HER EXITS.
HE DISOWNS AFFAIR/ RESPONSIBILITY, PUSHES FOR ABORTION HE’LL PAY FOR. SHE WANTS LATE IN LIFE BABY AND HUSBAND.
END OF ACT 1 TURNING POINT A TWIST THAT LOCKS UP INTO JOURNEY WITH NO GOING BACK. WHY HIM, AND NOT ELTON?
NEED A NEW SCENE EXPLAINING WHY SHE GOES TO ELTON. WHO DOES SHE TELL? LUCKY! SAYS YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE, BUT TO HUSBAND HUNT AMOUNG YOUR FRIENDS.
ELTON WANTS SEX WWITH HER, DOES IT. ANY MAN WILL DO. ELTON DOES IT TO IMPRESS LUCKY AND TO WIN THE BET NOT TO BE HER HUSBAND,
HES A POTENTOIAL HUSBAND
UNTIL HE BRAGS TO LUCKY WHO SAYS NOT GOOD, YOU NEED SEX WITH TWO WOMEN, ELIE IS IMPOSSIB LE, FRIGID AS MY DAED WOULD SAY.
ACT 2 WHAT NEW PLAN DOES NANCY CREATE TO DEAL WITH ACT 1 TURNING POINT OF NO HUSBAND BUT JUST SEX.
MIDPOINT TURNING POINT CHANGES MEANING BY REVEALING SOMETHING. WHAT IS REVEALED? THAT LUCKY IS IN PATERNITY SUIT ALREADY AND JAIL IS NEXT IF HE DOESNT FESS UP.
THAT BABY ISN’T LUCKYS, IT WAS A TRICK TO GET HIM.
ACT 3 REACT/RETHINK SUCKY’S PATERNITY DUTIES. DOES SHE REALLY WANT HIM SINCE HS IS NOOT FATHER B;UT SHES IN LOVE WITH HIM.
NEW PLAN TO DEAL WITH LUCKY’S NOT FATHER IS: CORREC GAMBLING AND WOMANIZING TO MAKIE HIM PERFECT HUSBAND, THEN JUST CONVINCE HIM.
ACT 4 DILEMMA- NANCY MUST BE CHOSING AND LOSING BETWEEN TWO ALTERNATIVES. SHE CONFESSES HE’S NOT FATHER ;BUT LOSES CHILD SUPPORT V.
FIGHT TO THE DEATH
RESOLUTION – CURES HIS WOMANIZING AND GAMBLING WAYS, SO HE BECOMES BEST HUSBAND, LOVES HER FOR CARING DEEPLY, MARRIAGE AND 3 YEARS AFTER WE SEE HER WITH BABY BOY.
The end
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Andrea Cabañas, Draft 2 Solving Structure Problems
What I learned: this assignment was crucial to my story because it showed me a few weaknesses in some parts. I even had to change my turning point and I also found a stronger meaning for the climax (I was having already a big issue with it). Amazing how ideas for dialogues made scenes stronger with the changes. I loved this exercise.
Structural changes:
ACT 1:
Opening
Zoe battles with her feelings toward Paula; don’t get the job she had applied for. Zoe’s already working with her new client and paid back Paula’s money. She tells Georgia about James and her insecurities about coming out.
Opening/Old Ways: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story?
We know straight away that Zoe had feelings for Paula and James.
Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode?
Yes – we know Zoe’s already working on a new project, wants to get on top of her finances to be free, to live on her own.
Do the “Old Ways” show up in their behaviour and dialogue?
Through James, Georgia and Katrina’s dialogues – particularly when she denies Katrina she has a relationship with Paula.
Inciting Incident
Two police investigators go to Zoe’s house to track down a drug dealer from the Sinaloa Cartel who has connections with Paula.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
Katrina knows for sure, that her daughter is having a homosexual relationship. Zoe feels ashamed; it seems this revelation has more weight than learning that Paula is a drug dealer. It’s also the trigger to make Katrina act against Zoe, which propels her to kick her daughter out of the house. Zoe it’s on her own to decide what she wants in her life.
Turning Point
Paula tells Zoe that Matias is Juan, she needs to protect Zoe. Juan pays a surprise visit to Paula after Zoe leaves her house.
Turning Point: How is this Turning PoinT a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Nobody knew who was Matias until Paula tells Zoe. However, Zoe is more concerned about not losing the project; she needs the money, she needs to leave home, live independently. She doesn’t believe in Paula.
Act 2:
New plan – Zoe goes back to her house to take more clothes and Katrina has a breakdown. Zoe goes to Georgia’s and tells her about her decision. Paula calls her; they meet.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with Act 1 Turning Point?
Zoe decides to keep with the project regardless of the danger; pretends not to know anything and goes ahead—she needs the money, she wants her freedom. She lies to Paula about it.
Plan in action – Confident, Zoe keeps working on Juan’s project, unaware that she is being used by Juan as bait to threaten Paula.
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
Zoe dives into the project, keeps working tirelessly. She keeps sneaking out of her mother to meet Paula and lies to Paula about her work.
Midpoint Turning Point – Zoe sees Juan’s men killing Paula’s driver. She speeds and is caught by the police, drunk and high. Loses her drivers license.
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey?
When Zoe sees that a man dies, she realises for the first time the danger she’s in. She gets more desperate when Juan pays her a visit on the following day and tells Zoe he knows she stole from him and wants his product back. Upset with Paula, Zoe feels hopeless, not knowing what to do.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Zoe tells Georgia what happened, about the killing. She tries to calm down her friend. Zoe decided to put everything on hold, to stay away from Juan, start working on a new project. She sees James with a girlfriend.
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things?
Zoe realises that she’s playing with fire and was too naive, taking the wrong decisions. She needs Paula’s help, but she’s too angry at her. Zoe’s tempted to call the police detective, but doesn’t do it; instead, she decides to step back for a while, mainly when she gets a new project.
A New plan – After seeing James with a girlfriend, Zoe acts again without thinking about the consequences. She talks to Juan, tells him she will stop working for him due to some other issues, and they have sex. Juan sends one of his men to follow her.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict? Zoe acts by frustration, makes a dangerous move thinking that seducing Juan is the best solution, without knowing she was falling into a trap.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Frustrated, Zoe agrees she needs to hide and she makes the move without saying much. Zoe and Katrina are kidnapped in their house; Georgia is there, the guys knock her down, left between life and death for Zoe’s despair.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way.
Suddenly, Zoe sees that her best friend and her mother are involved in this situation because of her – Georgia’s almost dead and experiencing rape, and her mother is bitten in front of her. Memories from her childhood come up, which suddenly makes Zoe react.
Act 4:
Dilemma: What emotional dilemma requires the protagonist to choose between two alternatives, losing something with either choice?
Zoe wonders why does everything she does go wrong? Is this really because she’s a woman (pre religious concepts, childhood trauma comes up). Her mother still tries to persuade her to stop making the wrong decisions in life.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Zoe and Katrina argue; Juan stokes Zoe’s anger, gives her the gun to end her suffering, to kill Katrina. Paula appears with the money; the police seize the house. Juan shoots Paula, Zoe’s desperate. Katrina shoots Juan before he tries to kill Zoe.
Climax/Ultimate @xpression Of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically?
When they’re trapped, Juan teases daughter and mother to have a fight. The truth comes up, Zoe learns Katrina acted behind her back to make Paula disappear from her life. Katrina doesn’t miss the chance of trying to make Zoe believes she’s a loser because she’s a woman. Zoe reacts furiously against her own mother.
Resolution – Two months later, it’s Georgia’s successful exhibition; she’s engaged. Zoe forgives Katrina. In her new apartment, Zoe receives a box, with a dress in it, and an envelope with cash, and flight tickets.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the “New Ways” and bring this story to a fitting conclusion?
Zoe has finally moved in into her new apartment and forgives her mother. For the first time, she is free, independent, although alone. When receiving Paula’s invitation for a trip, she feels, for the first time, she owns her own life and is able whatever she wants to do with it.
New Ways: What are the New Ways and do they clearly show up in your lead character’s Act 4 behaviour and dialogue?
When Zoe sees Paula again, waiting for her, she feels free, she ‘finds herself’. Zoe tells Paula she loves her and differently than James, Paula reacts nicely. Then, a couple eye them awkwardly and Zoe reacts, stressing that she is happy with her girlfriend, so what? Zoe is free to love whoever she wants.
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Robert Wood’s Solved Structural Problems.
What I learned doing this assignment is that there are a few points where my structure doesn’t quite match the desired structure of the assignment, but I’m not sure that’s necessarily a bad thing. I do need to continue doing more work expanding the script throughout as it is still too short.
Act 1:
Opening/Old Ways: I think the opening scene is engaging and lures us into the story. Matt’s “Old Ways” show up in his agitated, cynical, tense behavior and dialogue.
Inciting Incident: It shows Bert’s need to get out on the water and find the monster, which propels the story. Also, Matt begins to uncover the mystery about Harris.
Turning Point: The Turning Point locks us & Matt into the journey with “no going back” by showing the depths of Bert’s manic obsession to find the monster.
Act 2:
New Plan: Matt continues efforts to pack up his dad’s life and move him to a care home, while also uncovering more of the mystery about Harris.
Plan in action: Matt pursues this through talking to Bert and remembering times from his childhood.
Midpoint Turning Point: The midpoint doesn’t change the meaning, but it does set Matt off on the decision to go along with Bert’s need to search for his monster.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: Matt has agreed to go out on the lake with Bert; this process sets up the big reveals to come.
New Plan: They are on the water searching for the monster.
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. Bert remembers the day Harris died and the revelation that he killed him accidentally leads both Bert and Matt to their lowest point.
Act 4:
Dilemma: Matt must accept his father’s past affair and the accidental murder he committed and make the decision not to report it to police and allow Harris to remain a missing person forever.
Climax/Ultimate @xpression Of The Conflict: This is the ultimate expression of the conflict because it forces Bert and Matt to confront the reality that Bert himself is the monster on the lake that he’s been haunted by all these years. The “fight to the death” has already happened.
Resolution: Matt understands his father fully and accepts him.
New Ways: Matt’s New Ways are patience and kindness and understanding for his father, and he does exhibit those in action and dialogue in Act 4, particularly as it comes to a close.
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Benito Selim’s Solved Structural Problems
What I learned doing this assignment is once the first draft is done, it’s easier to now look at the whole story and make the necessary changes to improve on your second draft.
Act 1:
Opening/old ways: Karen and Jeff interact with schoolmates before leaving and meeting their fates. Giving more clues as to why they went to the rendezvous point.
Inciting Incident: Darryl and Gary have more conversations and Gary announces he a pledge for the same fraternity Jeff is part of.
Turning Point: Darryl and his friends shoot a documentary about the abrupt closure of the farm Darryl finds a locket in an old barn and takes it with him while editing their project the brutal death of Karen shows up on film. This has pretty much stayed the same except no old camera is used.
Act 2:
New plan: After heavily editing the film, they present their project to the class. Karen reappears and her death is more gruesome than before. Unfortunately, the video camera, memory card, and laptop it’s projecting off mysteriously burst into flames. Darryl is left with no project, but a lot of questions.
Plan in action: Darryl decides to investigate Starkoaks even more despite his discouragement.
Midpoint Turning Point: Darryl in his investigation is contacted by a woman Ellen Paisley who informs him that he possesses a psychic ability and he’s no schizophrenic. Darryl is confused and lost, he decides to look at the locket he found and opens it. Inside are the pictures of Karen and Jeff.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: Darryl questions his illness and does his own research on psychic abilities. He reflects to his childhood when he encountered a little girl who was murdered. Darryl’s friendship with this child led to her murder and several others to be solved.
New plan: Darryl now believing what Ellen told him seeks her help. Darryl also informs his friends of his plan. Visions of Karen then begin to increase with more details.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Darryl partners with a detective on Karen’s disappearance but is accused of being involved. His friends try to clear his name but begin to be killed off by Karen’s killer.
Act 4:
Dilemma: Despite Darryl being cleared of involvement in the campus deaths, the killer is relentless in pursuing him still.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Darryl finds Karen’s murder was due to her father solving an old case and Darryl was the next intended victim. Darryl, Marcus, and Ellen are shocked to find Tina and Gary behind this. Darryl is the only one they don’t want dead but instead wants to pin the murders on him.
Resolution: Karen’s murder is solved; she is at peace and the town can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
New way: Darryl is now content with his gift and embraces a new life ahead.
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Janeen Solved Structural Problems
What I learned doing this assignment is that I hit most of the structural beats, but needed more of my antagonist’s efforts included. I added those scenes.
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TIM SOLVED STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS – DAY 25
What I learned doing this assignment is that my key scenes are pretty solid. My challenge going forward will be in writing these scenes more completely and effectively, and filling in the “in-between” scenes.
One thing I changed is the Dilemma. Originally, it occurred right BEFORE the Low of Lows, when it should be AFTER. The new dilemma is even more significant, with higher stakes and emotion.
ACT 1:
OPENING: Duke’s “old ways” are evident from the start as he is man’s best friend and his man is a bachelor. However, a longer scene or additional scenes are probably warranted to really establish his lazy lifestyle that will soon be disrupted.
INCITING INCIDENT: Duke has been wrongly accused by Bob’s new wife and her bratty daughter and banished to live outdoors. His old life has been completely upended and his reaction is to run away – definitely a new world for him.
TURNING POINT: Duke wants to go home but finds out that he’s not wanted. It’s devastating to him and literally locks him in a new life on his own, with no option to go back to the old.
ACT 2:
NEW PLAN: Duke’s new plan is to join a pack of bad dogs and live without humans, even antagonizing humans as much as possible.
PLAN IN ACTION: He slowly becomes a ‘bad boy’ like the rest of the crew, as they wreak havoc on the town, and he even considers challenging Rex as leader of the pack.
MIDPOINT TURNING POINT: Down to his last strike with the dog pound, Duke is adopted by Emma, the dog catcher’s daughter.
ACT 3:
REACT/RETHINK: Duke realizes he can’t trust Rex or the rest of the pack. He has to careful because he’s living with the enemy (the dog catcher).
NEW PLAN: Duke’s going to play along with Emma and her family, gaining their trust and biding his time until he can escape, help Sunny find her family, and get his revenge on Rex.
TURNING POINT: Rex has gotten the best of Duke again. He has failed to help Sunny, he almost got Emma hurt, which is his third strike that the dog catcher has been waiting for.
ACT 4:
DILEMMA: Duke can run away and lose Emma and Sunny forever OR he can return to fix the mess he made and take down Rex, but at the risk of his life. In short, his newfound belief that dogs are man’s best friend is being tested again, with more dire consequences.
CLIMAX/ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF CONFLICT: The final battle is a physical, if not deadly, one between Duke and Rex, but it’s not just about them. It’s about Duke risking his life to defend Emma (and her dad) and proving he is man’s best friend.
RESOLUTION: The “new ways” are evident first in Duke’s return to being “man’s best friend” and living happily with Emma’s family. But Emma has also taken on new ways – accepting her prosthetic leg, reconnecting with friends, and trying skateboarding and other activities she enjoys. Finally, Rex and the other bad dogs have been adopted by good people and are enjoying the good life they rejected for so long.
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Rebecca Jordan’s solved structural problems.
What I learned doing this assignment is that I am not done solving structural problems. The main through line is still there. But the sub plot timeline is a mess and all over the place. Trying to achieve emotional impact as opposed to chronological order. This is ongoing. And I have found that some of what I had in Act 1 rolls over to 2… So I need to make sure I’m at the right points and understanding what Turning points really are TPs. I have figured out Act 1 which helps establish what may need to happen later. I will likely need to take it apart and restructure the two story lines.
Act 1: 25 to 30 pages — Set up and see Old Ways.
Opening: GIG On Rachel, 50’s, at gig. Turns down a party to work on her memoir.
RANCH 1974. Ride home on long country road. To the Ranch. Introduces Farm life and Rachel living with God Parents. Love of horses.
Introduces Rachel’s world and how she got there. Farm. Horses.
RANCH 1974. And that she’s an artist like Mom and Uncle Ben.
Rachel at HOME at her desk writing. She frets, lights a joint, sips coffee, looks at photos. Pic with Hillary. Takes us to
HIGH RISE 1974. Intro Mom and her absence. And failed marriage etc.
HOME. Drunk. Sing to board. 2yrs old and buckingham fountain. Rachel and Mom at home in high rise apartment very late with cops standing in a circle in their living room.
One of a young boy, in particular. Montage (1972) Rachel (9 yrs old) outside the fence of public elementary school waves at little boy (7) who runs to her.
They walk hand in hand. Play in the park.
Dad outside Rachel’s school. Rachel excited to see Dad.
Rachel outside same school waiting. Empty school lot. No little boy.
Little boy with Dad getting in car. A woman in the passenger seat.
Rachel home alone after school playing with barbies. Rachel answers the phone.
Rachel and Mom at home in high rise apartment very late with cops standing in a circle in their living room. Rachel crying. Mother yelling and crying.
Mom answers phone, hangs up. Mom enraged yells at Rachel. Cops settle Mom down. Rachel runs to her room.
Rachel, (age 13, 1977) in front of her apartment building, finishes up a joint while removing makeup with a tissue. She takes a swig from the pint of JD in her purse and throws a sweatshirt over her sexy top. She enters her apartment where her mom and Japanese step father are having dinner. Rachel is late. Mom, 31, blonde caucasian, wears a kimono, comes after Rachel yelling. Rachel skulks into her bedroom closes the door. At the dinner table, Mom scolds her for putting ketchup on her rice which is unacceptable. Rachel retorts. Mom cues, Rachel’s step-dad, (28, Japanese, athletic), he back hands Rachel across the face. Rachel screams runs to her room.
Later, Rachel checks to make sure they are sleeping. She throws her clothes out the window and sneaks out the back door with a partially empty empty duffle bag. Friend waits in car as she scoops up her clothes. They drive off.Inciting Incident: Rachel (Present, 50’s), at her desk, struggles with writing her memoir. There are paintings on the walls of her work that reflect her struggle. The phone rings. She answers; it’s her Aunt calling to let her know that Rachel’s Uncle, her mom’s brother has shot him in the head. Rachel’s aunt has no idea where mom is living. None of the phone numbers she’s has tried work.
Turning Point: After hearing the news of her Uncle’s suicide, Rachel struggles to concentrate and contemplates trying to find her Mother. Montage, 1973-4. Rachel sits in passenger seat with mom at the wheel at a stop light. They laugh as mom pumps the breaks making the car rock to the beat of the music. “Ga-sha-gow-gow-gow”
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Act 2: 20 to 30 pages — Challenge the Old Ways.
Reaction: Rachel gets trashed and recounts the past thrashing about until she wears herself out, paralyzed with emotions taking over. She is belligerent, confused and destructive as she struggles with the responsibility of having to contact her Mother.
The Plan:
1) Rachel, a hung over mess, gets cleaned up and tries to work on her memoir in order to distract herself but is haunted with memories sending her into another bout of rage. She justifies all that happened as an excuse to say fuck it!
2) Getting nowhere with the numerous phone numbers and email addresses she has, Rachel finally calls the police department in the town where her aunt told her she had last lived. Rachel asks the Police officer to drive over to the house with a message to call her. But she never hears back. The police officer left a note on the door for her because nobody was home.
3) Rachel recalls her childhood and the kidnapping of her little brother her little brother and how her mom blamed her and never showed loved toward her again. She gets fucked up and decides she never wants to see her mom again anyway. What’s the point?
4) Now really angry, she sets out to confront her mom. She drives to the little town where she thinks she’ll find her mom but when she arrives and rings the door bell a stranger answers the door. A nice couple is renting the house. Seeing how distraught and messed up Rachel is, they invite her in for a cup of coffee. At a loss, she finally agrees. They talk and try to come up with some clues at which time Rachel breaks down. The couple, encourages her and invite her to spend the night so she can get some rest. But she’s embarrassed and humiliated and turns them down.
Turning Point 2: MIDPOINT:
Rachel drives around the town criticizing its podunk nowhere nothingness. She gets high and finds a pub. After a beer and a shot and having folks be too nice to her, she leaves. With nowhere to go, she ends up back at the house and humbly decides to accept the kind couple’s invitation to spend the night.
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Act 3 – With Midpoint change, Profound moments that give us new ways.
New Plan:
The next morning, over breakfast with the kind couple, the man shows Rachel a PO Box address where he sends the rent checks. Rachel’s, unexpectedly feels excited and curious. There’s no turning back. These people have made her see a new way. She graciously says her goodbyes and drives South determined to see her mom.
Turning Point 3:
Rachel finally finds her Mom in a convalescent home. She is unconscious and has been for quite sometime with no guarantee of waking up.
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Act 4
Climax: Rachel is committed to waking her mom out of her coma. She visits daily, to the dismay of the Nurse who is overly protective with no knowledge of Rachel’s existence. Rachel not only has to break through to her Mom, but she also has to win over the Nurse, who eventually engages with Rachel. They share stories and become friendly. Each day presents a new tactic to reach her Mom. Including bringing her guitar and singing songs, perhaps that she’s written for her and reading poetry, etc. The nurse can reach Rachel’s Mom in a way that is secret until Mom is ready to acknowledge Rachel.
Resolution: Perhaps Mom can’t open her eyes. But she’s changed from the visits and from the Nurse’s persistence.Rachel breaks down, desperate for a connection, ready to give up. Mom takes Rachel’s hand and squeezes it hard. This is enough.
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Dana’s Solved Structural Problems
What have I learned from this assignment?
Reading the script, I found structural problems and scene that were out of place. Moving them forward in the script or completely deleting them heightened my characters’ motivations and their conflict. Not only protagonist vs. antagonist, but also antagonist vs. antagonist and protagonist vs. protagonist.
Structural Changes
1. I moved the security deposit scene where Jack retrieves his weapons and the meeting location between him and Frank to a bar to emphasis their lack of regard for the parole rules.
2. I added a love scene between Frank and Oksana before Act 3 where Oksana was originally introduced, adding depth to their relationship.
3. I moved the first meeting between Simon and Hill to Act 2 after Hill kills a witness, creating greater tension between the two men.
4. I deleted the scene between Jack and his first lawyer discussing the old case and simply mention the lawyers lack of cooperation in another scene with Calvin Brown, the civil attorney.
5. I deleted a scene showing Jorgensen, the parole officer, hiring the thugs to kill Frank.
6. I added a short scene revealing Hill and Jorgensen sitting in a car watching the thugs trying to kill Frank, demonstrating the connection between the men.
Act 1:
Opening/Old Ways: Frank Valentino and Jack Donovan are paroled from prison and confront their harsh realities. Their families and careers as cops are gone. They’re two ex-cons adjusting to being out.
Inciting Incident: Jack reveals to Frank his obsession to dig into the past and right the wrongs done to him and his old partner. But Frank refuses and leaves Jack to investigate on his own.
Turning Point: Douglas Hill hires street thugs to kill Frank not knowing Frank was planning to flee the state. By trying to kill Frank, Hill inadvertently pushes Frank to the journey, helping Jack find the man responsible for framing them.
Act 2:
New Plan: After questioning one of the thugs who tried to kill Frank, Jack and Frank decide to go after Jorgensen and work their way up the chain, witness by witness.
Plan in action: Jack and Frank break into Jorgensen’s home when he’s in bed with a hooker/drug dealer and threaten to kill him. They leave him and the hooker tied up for the cops to find with the drugs in the room.
Midpoint Turning Point: Jack and Frank find a witness tortured and murdered, but the cops arrive before they get away clean. They escape after a car chase, but they’re now wanted for the murder of the witness. They turn to Oksana, the head of the Russian mob, for help.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: Oksana suggests to Jack and Frank that, in trying to learn who framed them, they forgot to ask about the victim. Who was he? Why was he killed? They decide to delve into the victim’s life.
New Plan: Jack and Frank start their investigation at the cemetery where the victim is buried. The cemetery manager tells them about the family from his files. The find the birth mother buried next to the victim and decide and to seek out the adoptive mother.
Turning Point: Oksana contacts Frank. She tells him that Jack’s daughter has been grabbed by Hill.
Act 4:
Dilemma: Hill contacts Jack to arrange an exchange. He’ll trade his daughter for Jack and Frank – her life for theirs – plus the missing hard drive video exposing Hill’s involvement in the murders. They agree to the exchange.
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: Jack and Frank are held hostage, waiting for Hill’s men to confirm the authenticity of the hard drive. But the hard drive is booby trapped and explodes, allowing Jack and Frank to escape into an abandoned steel mill.
They split up and engage Hill and his men in a shootout. Frank is killed, and Jack faces death at the hands of Hill and Simon. But Simon suddenly kills Hill in retaliation for things Hill has done. Simon makes a new deal with Jack.
Resolution: Frank’s body is taken to Oksana, who agrees to give him a Russian funereal. Jack leaves with Simon, who agrees to helps him escape to Mexico, which was Frank’s plan. Hill’s death is made look like a suicide to protect Jack. The governor is dropped from contention as a vice presidential candidate. And the person who hired Simon to kill the first victim escapes – maybe.
Oksana meets with a reporter and hands him the missing hard drive with the video showing Hill – the governor’s head of security – involved in the murder.
New Ways: Jack finally learns who killed the original victim and sent him to prison, but it doesn’t change his life for the better. Frank is dead, the murderer goes free, and his daughter never learns that he is her father. Jack has to flee the country to remain free.
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Lori Solved Structure Problems
What I learned from this assignment is the importance of working through my structure again. I gained a lot of clarity.
Act 1:
Opening/Old Ways: Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode? Do the “Old Ways” show up in their behavior and dialogue?
An upbeat Christmas song plays against a depressing scene to lure the audience. It will have a bookend ending with an idyllic Christmas scene.
My lead character is stuck in a grief cycle and has trouble moving on. Through dialogue, the theme is stated, “Is it better to love and lost than never have loved at all?”
Thomas is stuck in many ways, and he is having trouble writing the Christmas sermon, “Hope for Christmas,” which is also the title of the script.
Inciting Incident: How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey?
Thomas gets a phone call. Someone from his congregation has been killed in a car wreck.
Turning Point: How is this Turning Poing a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?”
Thomas’ wife was also killed in a car wreck, and so this incident makes him relive the pain and unforgiveness.
Act 2:
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point?
Thomas decides to skip Christmas, but is that possible for a church pastor?
Plan in action: How does the protagonist take action on that plan?
He puts away all his Christmas decorations and hides the Christmas tree in a hall closet.
Midpoint Turning Point: How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey? Thomas goes Christmas shopping in order to give another family the perfect Christmas he wishes he could have, but it backfires, and he spirals down into depression.
Act 3:
React/Rethink: What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? How do they react or rethink things? As Pastor of a church, it’s impossible for him to skip Christmas.
New Plan: What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict? He decides that he will go through the motions and pretend.
Turning Point: The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way. Everything is falling apart at church, and then his wife’s killer chooses the worst timing to confront him.
Act 4:
Dilemma: What emotional dilemma requires the protagonist to choose between two alternatives, losing something with either choice? If Thomas continues this way, he will lose much more. If he gets past this, he will have to forgive his wife’s killer.
Climax/Ultimate @xpression Of The Conflict: How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically? Thomas falls asleep at the foot of the cross. When he wakes, he cleans himself up, appearing to be his best self, and then he confronts his wife’s killer and forgives.
Resolution: How does this resolution represent the “New Ways” and bring this story to a fitting conclusion?
With the removal of hate and unforgiveness, Thomas is able to find hope for Christmas again.
New Ways: What are the New Ways and do they clearly show up in your lead character’s Act 4 behavior and dialogue? Thomas takes part in the traditional Christmas celebrations with newfound hope and joy.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Lori Lance.
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