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Post Day 3 Assignment Here
Reply to post your assignment.
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17 Replies
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Deshawn Smith Hero and Villain
What I learned doing this assignment is trying to make everything original and extreme.
Hero morally right: Elijah is fighting the LAPD(nephillim) to try and stop the Fallen Angels.
Villain Morally wrong: Lucifer has blackmailed ever government head of state and controls most of the world.
Hero Elijah Williams, High School dropout.
A. Unique skill set: Trained by angels in every form of fighting at birth.
B. Saved his community and country.
C. His mother was abusive.
Villain: Lucifer, Fallen Angel.
A. Unbeatable: One of the most powerful beings in the universe has unlimited resources and minions from within the government agencies and police departments except the military.
B. Plan/Goal: Make his kingdom mirror Heaven to trick souls into believing him.
C. He loses the war in Heaven and is doomed to destruction.
Impossible mission: He must infiltrate LAPD and bring down the nephillims to save his community.
A. Pputs hero in action: He goes through a police compound to take down the Brotherhood of the Blue Shield. Having gunfight/battles, hand to hand combat, and fighting with the works of the spirit.
B. Demands they Go Beyond their best: He has to go against the whole Police Department to bring down the Nephillim and force Lucifer to regroup.
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Cameron Martin’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is…yeah, I’m probably going to clean up and simplify some concepts in this. BUT! That’s not what this assignment is about. Honestly, the concept that there are no bad ideas, just ones in progress is a real “third eye” opener. I haven’t had a flood of ideas for this or any other story since high school, and it’s been a blast to make discoveries in areas I never considered. On the surface, this outline shares a lot of similarities with other plot structure outlines I’ve seen over the years (See John Truby’s Anatomy of Story, Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, etc). What’s worthwhile about this though is the simplicity of it, coupled with the attitude of creative abandon. You find yourself rethinking concepts for set pieces that were solid enough. But because the bar is always being raised and you’re always looking for as many different answers to the same question as you can, quality be damned, you seemingly stumble into ideas that just make your whole day for having them. Haven’t had this much fun writing in a long, long time.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds?
Calvex doesn’t just want to bring his wife back. He blames himself for her being taken away from him and the peaceful city of Arcadia, by Janus, the Fallen Angel and lost child of Adam. He wants to right a wrong and redeem himself in both his eyes and his wife’s. <div>
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?
Calvex’s mission would be to cross into the underworld (Sheol?) and bring his wife out of the death that exists there, and back to the everlasting life found in Arcadia via the “Afterlife Protocol,” which allows for humans to continue reincarnating into machine surrogates after their passing. It’s one man against all of the underworld’s cyborg armies, mechanical monstrosities, and the Fallen Angel, a child of Adam that was made in his image, who dwells at the center of it all.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
Internal motivation:
Bring his wife out of Sheol, and back to Arcadia. To seek retribution and forgiveness for not being able to save his wife before.
External motivation:
Calvex being from the heavenly city of Arcadia and a chosen disciple of Adam means everyone in the underworld wants to kill him or use him to get into Arcadia and live forever. They assume that they can take Calvex’s Afterlife Protocol (the code tied to his soul/consciousness) for themselves.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?
Searching for his wife with a guide (similar to Virgil guiding Dante through Hell). Fighting cyborg marauders, monsters. Finding his wife and learning she wasn’t taken from Arcadia – She left under her own free will. Fighting Janus and learning how and why she fell from Arcadia. Discovering what the Underworld (Abaddon?) really is. How Adam destroyed the world, and hacked Calvex’s mind to leave him with an “adjustment” to his memories, so he could perceive Janus and his wife a certain way. Janus has powers beyond what Calvex is prepared for. Calvex fighting Janus and Adam in Abaddon, Arcadia, and perhaps a third plane in cyberspace, the Nexus, where Adam and the souls of the Afterlife Protocol reside. Calvex reuniting with his wife, only to lose her again. What if the guide for Calvex through Abaddon was his wife all along, but because of how Calvex was hacked he couldn’t see it? Robot and cyborg carnage coupled with the testing of one’s faith and what is and isn’t real. How do you walk a path yourself when your mind isn’t your own? How do you choose what’s just under your own volition, without being told by external forces?
2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission: Bring wife back to Arcadia, avenge her by killing Janus the Fallen, and live happily together again.
Motivation:
Calvex’s memory of the events tell him he’s responsible for his wife being taken away – He wasn’t strong enough to protect her because he turned down a promotion to be a Guardian under his digital god, Adam. Calvex wanted to live a normal life with his wife, and it cost him dearly. </div>
Inciting Incident:
Calvex, years later after accepting the role of a Guardian, is asked to venture into Abaddon, the Underworld, and vanquish Janus, the Fallen Angel and true child of Adam, once and for all. Her influences have wreaked havoc in Arcadia for years, and Calvex is just one of the many victims of Janus’ manipulations.
First Action:
Cross into Abaddon. It’s hell, and the Trappers that capture Calvex, even with his newly bestowed powers, are evidence of this.
Obstacle:
Calvex must escape from a Gladiatorial slave arena.
Twist – Calvex only gets out with the help of one of the “Underworlders,” dubbed “The Giant Tamer.” He asks for her help to guide him through the Underword.
Escalation:
Calvex and his guide, The Giant Tamer, make it to the inner circle, where Janus resides behind a gate guarded by an army loyal to Janus. The guide reveals herself to Calvex’s wife and asks for him to join her in the Unerworld. Calvex believes this is a lie and fights.
Overwhelming Odds:
Janus presents herself. Her powers far exceed what Calvex was prepared for.
Twist/Apparent Defeat – Adam takes over Calvex’s cybernetics once the opportunity presents itself – Calvex never had true autonomy over his powers. Calvex’s wife sacrifices herself, and Calvex learns the truth by losing his wife a second time. Calvex loses his faith in Adam. What will he choose to believe in now? What is just in an unjust world?
New Plan:
Take the forces of Abaddon, the Underworld, and ride into Arcadia with Calvex and Janus leading the charge to destroy Adam once and for all.
Full out Attack:
War in the streets of the heavenly city of Arcadia! Many of Cavlex’s people are panicked and don’t know what’s going on. Calvex must come to grips that his drive to protect those that can’t defend themselves extend to the people of Arcadia as well. Calvex follows Adam into his domain, a cyberspace called The Nexus, where the Afterlife Protocol is coded.
Twist – Calvex is promised to be reunited with his wife again, in exchange for his corporeal form. Adam may upload a backup of himself into Calvex’s physical body, to prolong his life (think Horcrux), and Calvex may reunite with his wife solely in The Nexus, but they may never be reunited in the material realm.
Success:
Calvex understands through Adam’s explanation that what Adam is talking about is merely an exchange, and that Adam’s code is already intertwined with his (consciousness, soul, etc), through the cybernetic implants Adam blessed him with prior to his journey. And if Calvex can eliminate his soul, he’d be purging Adam’s code both within him and outside of him, thus killing Adam, Janus, and he. Calvex’s story ends with all traces of Adam being erased from the Afterlife Protocol, returning the promise of everlasting life to the Human race and his wife.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Cameron Martin.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by
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Subject line: Joan Edwards’ Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that the more you write down or think aloud what the hero or other characters could do, the more ideas you get.
A.
What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face
of the overwhelming odds? Bladen will want to see Ansaca’s face when he
has to resign as CEO of the Bulwark Bank and ultimately spend many years
in prison.
B.
What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? To not only
penetrate the security at the bank but also to transfer all funds in Ansaca’s
personal accounts to a bank in Switzerland.
C.
What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
The
strong internal motivation is to get even for all the years people made
fun of him and his family for living in a car. The external motivation is
that Ansaca boasted that no one could defeat him. His bank and his home
were impenetratable. No one could enter unless they has passed the
security.
D.
Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally
happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain? Ansaca has
guards that have guns to shoot. However, they are not good as Bladen. He
can disarm them with Tae Kwon Do. Bladen can wrap them up like mummies without
them realizing what has happened. Ansaca finds no trace of Bladen. Only
his mummified guards.2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission:
Motivation:
His parents were homeless after Ansaca cheated them out of their home by
selling them a house more than they could afford. Cheated people by
processing two loans for them; First mortgage and second mortgage at the
same time. Knowing they didn’t have the money to pay for both loans and
knowing the bank would foreclose on them…They would be homeless.Inciting Incident: Then his grandmother lost money in an investment scam from the bank Ansaca is CEO of now. Plus Ansaca bragged that Ansaca Kennelworth brags at a Convention of Banking CEOs that no one could break into his bank and steal any amount of money and definitely couldn’t transfer funds out of the bank without him and his team knowing it.
First
Action: Investigate to find out what kind of security Ansaca’s bank and home
has.
Obstacle:
One of the guards spots him and Bladen has to depart quickly.
Escalation:
Ansaca calls Bladen on the phone and asks him what’s up with his scouting
expedition. Tells Bladen he’s onto him and his grandparents’ home is in
jeopardy if Bladen does more investigating.
Overwhelming
Odds: Bladen needs more help.
New
Plan: Bladen calls on his playground buddies who are now in high places in
CIA, SWAT team, Makeup and disguises in Hollywood.
Full
out Attack: Using Seven Strategies they kidnap Ansaca’s guards and take their
places.
Success:
They transfer all Ansaca’s money and assets to bank account in Switzerland.
Ansaca has to step down as CEO and thinks he’s off free except the CIA/FBI
arrest him for fraudulently mishandling money and loans for people who can’t
afford to pay them back. -
Bob Colley Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that starting from a germ of an idea is a lot more difficult than working backward from a released movie. I had to figure out how to blow up the world’s largest glacier. Apparently, you just can’t hit it with a stick. Luckily I have a James Bond+ budget.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds?
Vengeance for his research wife that’s missing and the need to save chicken farms in low lying areas, or saving the world. Too close to call.
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?
Take out nuclear tipped hypersonic missiles that are guarded by mountain topped laser anti-aircraft batteries. No one would fly into such a death-valley, meat grinder.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
Internal: Vengeance for his missing his wife and killed crew.
External: Step up and do the right thing.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?
Some of his crew will die. More motivated to stop and kill villain.
2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission: Stop a top criminal empire from destroying the “Doomsday” Glacier and collecting $1 billion dollars.
Motivation: Find out what happed to his missing, research wife from Hercules Dome site and payback for his former crew.
Inciting Incident: Villain uses outfitted fishing vessel to torpedo the top of an undersea mountain holding back the eastern section of the Thwaiter Glacier.
First Action: Hero’s former crew investigates the fishing vessel.
Obstacle: Fishing vessel is heavily armed. Chinese registered boat with a Russian crew kills helicopter pilots investigating the boat.
Escalation: Villain threatens to use hypersonic missiles with nuclear warheads to vaporize nine-hundred trillion metric tons of ice in three-hundredths of a second, give or take.
Overwhelming Odds: Silo is located in an area that is protected by mountaintop laser batteries and a thousand troops.
New Plan: Plot a suicide mission to take out the missiles.
Full out Attack: Hero leads crew of high-speed helicopters that zig but mostly zag through a gauntlet to destroy the silos.
Success: Missiles are destroyed, villain is killed and threat actors are revealed.
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Rebecca’s Hero’s Mission Track
I learned from this assignment that one idea leads to another, and using this method opens up creative thought.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds? PTSD from the great war fuels ragman’s anger.B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? How to prevent the coal and iron police from massacring the townspeople by killing their commander, Herr Bucholtz, without detection before he gives the order.C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the Hero? Bucholtz’s relentless pursuit to brutally kill members of Ragman’s family and by a need to correct a 10-year-old mistake.D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this Hero went on this mission against this villain? Ragman could be killed or jailed for murder if he fails, his wife taken captive, and his radical brother murdered.
2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission:
Motivation: revenge and need to save his family.Inciting Incident: Bucholtz brutally attacks Ragman’s brother, a passivist carpenter, and leaves him dead.First Action: Ragman finds and saves his brother and verbally confronts Bucholtz.Obstacle: Bucholtz targets Ragman’s wife and her family.Escalation: Bucholtz arrests the carpenter a second time, whips him, and puts him in a cell with a dying man. Ragman and his activist brother break into the jail, take on the jailers and save the carpenter and the other prisoner. The carpenter dies weeks later. When Ragman learns that the villain raped his wife, throwing her into depression, in addition to impregnating his wife’s sister, he confronts Bucholtz into a physical fight. Bucholtz bites off his earlobe. The township constable saves Ragman from being shot by arresting him. The villain plans a massacre at a protest led by the Hero’s activist brother.Overwhelming Odds: The whole force of the state coal and iron police, the county sheriff and his deputies, and the power of Republic Steel. New Plan: The Hero plans to attend the rally and kill the villain silently with his knife before the villain gets off the first shot, a signal for the police to open fire on the miners and their families.Full out Attack: The surge of the crowd pushes the Hero too far away from Bucholtz on horseback. Ragman must improvise. He flings a brick and hits his mark. Success: The Bucholtz misses his shot before falling to the ground spooking his horse. The horse rears up, flails his hooves, and tramples his master’s head before surging through the crow. During the confusion, Ragman moves in for the final kill. He ducks under the crowd, removes his outer layer of clothing and pops up as a different person.
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Subject Line: Deshawn Smith’s Hero Mission Track
What I learned by doing this assignment how to have a good time coming up with possibilities. It is so fun to come up with more things to put your hero through to make an engaging screenplay.
Motivation: Needs to help his mom save her house that’s been in the family for 100 years and regain his Christian faith.
Inciting Incident:He steals a car to sell for money to save his mom’s house and gets beat up by cops(nephillim).
First Action:He gets saved by Michael and his spirit, and Michael takes him to the demon hangout. By equipping him with armor and guns.
Obstacle:They attack him with 50 Nephilim and look him up. He escapes and kills 50 of the with Michael.
Escalation: They send ten men to his house to kill him. He kills wounds all 10.
Twist: They kidnap his mom.
Overwhelming Odds: he had to go to the police station to find the commissioner and fighting every cop.
New Plan:
Full out Attack: he gets information from the commissioner and him and Michael go to a demonic strong hold to find his mom.
Success:He fights and shoots with Micheal 60 demons and Saves his mom.
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Wayne’s Hero’s Mission Track
Doing this assignment I learned to keep it simple.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds? George believes the CIA is rotten from top to bottom, a tool for plunder, which has given up on American. She also believes she might be crazy. She would rather die than not know the truth.
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? To get close to those in control of the CIA and be able to hear their thoughts. To expose and correct without leaving the US vulnerable in the process.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero? George has insight from hearing thoughts of Agents. Classified information.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain? They would be jailed, interrogated, brain washed, dissected, tortured, and disappeared. But… she wouldn’t be destroyed until they found out how she got her intel.
2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission: Gain access to proximity of CIA chief. Hear their secret thoughts. Do whatever is necessary to stop evil.
Motivation: George hears thoughts of those near her. And she is in internal dialogue with an alien. Voices are from an alien or others or she is crazy. She needs to know which.
Inciting Incident: George psychically hears CIA plans. And confirms them. And gets away after being pursued.
First Action: She changes her looks and goes to the CIA with information. She’s trying to see if there is a shred of truth in what she overheard.
Obstacle: They are too smart, they realize what she’s doing just as she’s leaving.
Escalation: She has to keep evading them while getting close to them, while getting them to think about what their missions are doing to the world.
Overwhelming Odds: TWIST. There are others with her powers working in the agency.
New Plan: New plan. She discovers she can broadcast as well as hear thoughts.
Full out Attack: George doesn’t have to do it all. Just get the info out there. (This need to be converted to action…later.)
Success: See the forces of good prevail.
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Matt Frendo’s Hero Mission Track
What I learned from this assignment was how to create a lay out an action film.
A.
What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face
of the overwhelming odds?A former black ops CIA agent that was one of the best in the field, who has been trying to keep that keep that part of himself down.
B.
What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?Stop the cartel and mercenary group from terrorizing and taking over town.
C.
What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?INTERNAL: was going to let it lie due to vow of peace, but when he sees a child die, bringing to mind his past accident, he feels need to get involved.
EXTERNAL: Cartel looking to hurt town he loves and then kill him.
D.
Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally
happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?First breaks up one fight mostly peacefully. So they send worse guys, who he has to fight off. He’s about to leave to keep things peaceful when other townspeople get involved and get killed. He then aims to just protect the town, but when the cartel strikes back, they kill a family that took him in and showed him love. That means he now must avenge their death.
Clear Mission:
Motivation: After
retiring to this small town to make up for his sins, Jacob is taken in by
a peaceful family, who show him love. He starts to help the town and finds
some good in his life again.Inciting
Incident: the cartel sends some people to rough up the father of the
family that took Jacob in, because he won’t turn his fields into cocaine
fields. Jacob stops them with most peaceful martial arts, but they say
they’ll be back.First Action:
They send a few assassins to kill Jacob, but he’s able to fight them off
and stop before killing them.Obstacle: Jacob decides
to leave, as he doesn’t want to be a killer again.Escalation: The
cartel comes back and kills the son of the family, as a message.Overwhelming
Odds: Now Jacob can’t leave. He is forced to leave his new life and
morality behind to do what’s right. He finds the opium den where some of
the assassins are getting high. He goes in and kills them all, leaving one
desecrated with a message against the cartel.Twist: The cartel
brings in their American member…an ex-CIA “friend” of Jacob who knows
everything about him.Apparent defeat:
They use his own weakness against him by kidnapping a young girl from the
town. He goes after the girl, knowing he’s walking into a trap. Once there,
his “friend” helps them torture Jacob the same way Jacob tortured people
as a black ops agent. They throw him into the river, leaving him for dead.Twist: he washes
up on shore and is found by a tribe living on the outskirts of the town.
The tribe’s shaman wakes him up and they heal him.Apparent defeat:
While he is healing, the town is taken over and people are forced to start
harvesting drugs.New Plan: Jacob
works with the tribe of outsiders to make a new plan, using makeshift
weapons from what they can find around them.Full out Attack:
They attack to free the town, using their weaponry and skills against the
overwhelming odds. Jacob takes on his ex-friend, then has a knife battle
with Nestor to the death.Success: Jacob
leaves and goes back to the town to say goodbye, before leaving to rejoin
the world he left behind. -
Brenda Lynn’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that building the Hero’s motivation and mission makes for a strong spine for the story. Just getting the answers down on paper helps to make it possible to make the story deeper and strong.
MISSION TRACK
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds? Lisa is determined to recover a sense of self and purpose. Recovering the stolen art will help heal her wounds.B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? To recover missing stolen artwork from a mob boss utilizing the artwork as leverage.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero? Externally, she has been trained for spying and espionage.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain? Her life is at risk and she gains access to the inner circle and an intimacy with the mob boss.
MISSION STEPS:
Clear Mission:
Motivation: Lisa is determined to recover artwork that has been stolen and return the items to their rightful owners.Inciting Incident: The Mob boss’ son is convicted and thrown in jail. He will do anything to get his son out. He buys a stolen piece of art.
First Action: She is recruited to infiltrate the Mob’s inner circle.
Obstacle: She has no idea where the artwork is.
Escalation: She becomes closer to the mob boss, but she is followed.
Overwhelming Odds: She is constantly being watched and must work in the dark and, literally, behind the walls, to achieve her goal.
New Plan: She discovers the artwork and works out a plan to get it out of the vault.
Full out Attack: She has to escape with artwork in her possession.
Success: She returns the artwork to the FBI. The mobster gets thrown in prison.
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Alice’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that impossible is possible, it can be planned actually. It doesn’t need yet to be detalized.
Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds?<div>
Knowing of impending danger, he can’t let it go, as it would be him guilty in !getting nice interesting lady, ignorant of danger, to be killed. He also then would never see her again.
<div>
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?
He must not only steal into restricted area, but after escape to confront senator with all powers in that one’s position to search for them and destroy, unless they kill him first prior escape.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
Internal motivation he wishes to bear his subject.
External motivation: info he possesses after he hacked into net dialogue.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?
Their only chance to escape is either exposure, or politician stuck in area he dooms to be exploded, and be destroyed with it.
2.
Clear Mission: To save the lady, and escape, destroying senator.
Motivation: Hero cracks into comp, and finds info, an interesting lady he’s in love is under danger.</div><div>
Inciting Incident:
First Action: Hero drops from his night security post and leaves for a place, where scientific experiment is ongoing.
Twist: His wife suspects it, and tracks him down to restricted building.
Obstacle: Access to building is restricted, they must steal into it under disquise.
Twist: As they steal inside, he MUST tell his wife real reasons they are here.
Obstacle: They need to find his lady who is in one of the labs, in order to do this, he phones her, prompting down a secret question, only her knows answer to (what he gifted prior their parting), and prompts her to delete conversation and call him back during break, masking it from security.
Apparent success: They find each other and keep stealing around.
Escalation: they do must steal out of the building and not to be pursued. But it is now also moral question of other people.
Overwhelming Odds: They face security inside, and military outside. And scientific experiment.
New Plan: To block exit, after they would bring everyone out with fire alarm.
Full out Attack: Military, following the track, face scientific experiment.
Success: Senator is blocked inside of a lab, as Hero and his company use his helicopter to escape.
</div></div>
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The main thing I learned is that this is a much better way of working out the action. I’ve always just written without a plan, this way gives me a plan that works and can easily be adjusted as needed.
Mission Track Questions
A. The hero will go straight into the face of overwhelming odds because of her love for the land, people, and wildlife, also because of her sense of duty.
B. The mission that is the impossible goal is killing a seemingly unkillable giant beast.
C. The internal motivation that drives the hero is to protect the lives endangered by the beast. Her external motivation is learning of the death of an old friend.
D. If the hero goes on this mission she could succeed, she or her friends could fail and either die gruesome deaths or suffer injuries with lifelong consequences.
Mission Steps to Outline the Mission
A. Motivation – To protect the people, wildlife, and land she loves.
B. Inciting Incident – Witnessing the aftermath of the beast’s attack on the caravan.
C. First Action – Tracking down the report of a second attack.
D. Obstacle – Finding out her father has been assigned to assist in the hunt.
E. Escalation – While tracking the beast, a once in a decade storm deluges the land turning the ground to muck and forcing them to a stop while the wind picks up and thunder and lightning roar, grounding any helicopter air support.
F. Overwhelming Odds – While they are mired down the poachers who have escaped attack their camp to retrieve the weapons, killing one and injuring two of the tracking party while disabling their transportation and radio communication.
G. New Plan – Care for the wounded, bury the dead, repair the transportation, and track the poachers who have the only means of communication.
H. Full Out Attack – Final confrontation with the poachers. Our hero faces off and kills the poachers silent partner, her one time best friend from the Marines. The head poacher is killed brutally by the beast.
I. Success – The hero must use herself as bait to lure the beast away from one of fallen teammates. The action escalates until finally the hero’s father tricks her and sacrifices his life and kills the beast.
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Tarina’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is… tracking the story this way shows me all the gaps, opportunities and places where I can elevate my story… It shows me there is still a lot of gaps and as I know it is an open process it gives me the reassuring that it is a work in progress… anything can still happen.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A.
What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face
of the overwhelming odds?Revenge for her parents, fear to be captured again, need to save the world from the man she hates the most, don’t want the world to be exposed to the same madness she grew up with.
B.
What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?To unlock the kill code in her head while being hunted by a maniac and confronted with her past.
C.
What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?Internal – Revenge
External – Save the world
D.
Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen
if this hero went on this mission against this villain?2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission: To unlock the code locked in her brain and destroy the mad maniac hunting her.
1. MOTIVATION FOR THE MISSION:
She (brainiac) and her parents (scientists) were held captive for years by this maniac’s father. They died to give her a chance to escape and deliver the evidence so that the father can be put away in prison. After years in captivity, she loves the freedom of her new world only now it is threatened by the son of the man that held her captive all those years ago – now he uses the world she loves to hunt her down.
2. INCITING INCIDENT:
The son (now millionaire maniac) knows she have the code in her head that can destroy the global assassination program that his father developed. He also wants to avenge his father’s imprisonment and death. He uses all his money, contacts and the global assassination program to hunt her down.
3. FIRST ACTION:
When the girl starts to fear for her life the first clue to the puzzle unlocks in her brain. She needs to find the operatives that kept her save after she escaped to watch her back while she unlocks the puzzle in her head.
Girl’s mission: Find the operatives that protected her. Unlock the puzzles in her head. Destroy the global assassination program with the code in her head.
4. ESCALATION:
Maniac uses everyday people to hunt her down as well as all his contacts and money. She needs the internet to unwrap the layers of puzzles but every time she uses it, his opportunities to kill her become better and better.
New Mission: Follow the breadcrumb trail over the world to unlock the code, stay alive, get the code.
5. OVERWHELMING ODDS:
Maniac influences one of the operatives sworn to protect her to kill her. When he almost succeeds and his team must kill him, they understand the futility of what they are trying to do. Can she trust them can she trust her own abilities? Fight and run, fight and run.
6. TWIST:
The code does not work. All was in vain. Enemies are closing in fast.
7. APPARENT DEFEAT:
She realizes she must go to the facility where she was imprisoned with her parents. All operatives are either dead or gravely wounded. She must do this alone… but she panics when entering the facility and are captured.
8. APPARENT SUCCESS:
She finds a way to clear her mind as she hears the voices of her parents urging her on. She enters the kill code and destroy the program.
9. TWIST:
Out of his mind with rage after the program was destroyed the maniac start to torture and toy with her, now she must face the maniac in the lab where she was tortured and kept as a kid. She breaks down unable to think, giving up the will to live and fight back. She just wants it to end.
10. FULL OUT ATTACK:
Through a glass panel she sees a girl being used in the same manner as she was as a kid. This fills her with rage, she confronts her fears, her past and uses that anger to unleash hell on the lab. Killing the maniac, burning everything to the ground but saving the girl.
11. SUCCESS:
Injured beyond recognition she hands the girl over to the last heavily injured operative before she (dies/ loses consciousness)
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Action Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Kimbal Thompson’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned from this how the story begins leading to many possibilities.
1. Ask the Mission Track questions to discover your Hero’s mission.
A.
What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face
of the overwhelming odds?No one will possibly believe him about what he has witnessed nor about the antagonist.
B.
What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?To prevent the antagonist from succeeding, given no one else can.
C.
What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?Knowing what knows is true, realization of his new superpowers and believing in himself.
D.
Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally
happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?Likely, he would be annihilated from the start.
2. Use the Mission Steps to outline the mission.
Clear Mission:
Motivation:
Initially, to find out what Mr. Edgeson was and what was happening in his
attic.
Inciting
Incident: Crawling up Mr. Edgeson’s arbor to spy on him, seeing him with
the miniaturized aliens and eavesdropping on their conversation, then
falling backwards with the arbor to the ground and hitting his head.
First
Action: An alien went to discover the commotion and cast a spell on Elton.
Obstacle:
Elton initially awakening with a sore head and believing what he had
witnessed.
Escalation
:Elton discovered he could be transformed, miniaturized, and understand
the aliens’ and Mr. Edgeson’s real identity and mission.
Overwhelming
Odds: Conveying all of this to anyone else.
New
Plan: Take Mr. Edgeson and the aliens on himself
Full
out Attack: While miniaturized or life size, and where?
Success:
Or else!.
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What I learned about this activity is to manifest the mission in the storyline.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds? Cinnamon (Hero) has been suffering from PTSD, panic attacks from being the lone survivor in a fatal car crash that killed her biological father; (Hero) also discovers the body of her Stepfather dead from a gunshot wound in her home. Both men were her mentors; wealthy, powerful men in the affluent neighborhood where she grew up. She cannot manage the pain, so she feels the need to get answers because she somehow feels responsible as she was only 5 years young at the time of her father’s death and 17 years young when she found her stepfather.
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? Cinnamon (Hero) is a lawyer, hell-bent on putting away bad guys after witnessing the demise of two important people in her life. She becomes driven to find out about their lives, she hires a Private Investigator to find out the truth behind these cold cases as she remembers/has visions/nightmares of someone saving her from the car crash and fleeing from the scene without realizing her life may also be in danger.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero? Family secrets, Her Mother (Villian) hides her background to protect her lovers; she knows the truth, but the truth may in fact be deadly for our (Hero), or could the answers make the father/stepfather the real villains? The plot thickens
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain? Cinnamon can only think of the villain being her own mother as she has never talked about what really happened to her lovers; Cinnamon (Hero) father and stepfather; Has her mother (villain) grieved or has this been an act to hide the truth. The mission is for Cinnamon to either clear her mom’s name as rumors have spread of her mother’s “alleged” involvement in the (2) deaths.
Motivation: The quest to find the truth about the demise of her father/stepfather
Inciting: Mother/daughter relationship tarnished by rumors in her town.
Incident: Rumors swirl about her mother’s knowledge and involvement in the tragedies.
First Action: Cinnamon (Hero) is a high powered who is hell-bent on finding the answers to past tragedies in her family.
Obstacle: Mother may/may not have the answers but if she does it may hurt the (Hero) or unravel secrets of the (Villian) past or even the men she loved so she tries to keep Cinnamon (hero) from the mystery.
Escalation: The Villian (Mother) has never told her the truth even as Cinnamon (Hero) is now a full-grown adult.
Overwhelming Odds: Is the Hero (Cinnamon) a lawyer stepping into danger by investigating these high-profile deaths of powerful men with dangerous waters she may have to tread.
New Plan: Is the mother (Villian) protecting her from danger or out to put away anyone who is interested in finding out the truth about her lover’s slayings.
Full out Attack: Cinnamon (Hero) confronts her mother about her father/stepfather and mom says she knows nothing. Then Cinnamons asks her mother (villain) about rumors of her involvement in the deaths, and she denies the allegations but why are there even allegations against her and Cinnamon (Hero) wants answers.
Success: Cinnamon finds out the truth. Was it worth the risk? Has she lost the person closest to her heart (Her own mother)?
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Stuart Ungar
Writing Killer Action Movies
Lesson 3:
What I learnt from this assignment is that to be successful a narrative drive is composed of a strong empathy with my handicapped heroine combined with her needing to overcome a seemingly impossible task.
A: Ruth Snyder: a world-renowned, but handicapped neuroscientist, twice winner of the Nobel prize and Paralympic gold medallist is severely distressed, enraged and bent on revenge for the murder of her twin sister.
B: Alone Ruth takes on the private army of Wilhelm Weber, the world’s richest man and his son Henry, Vice President of the USA
C: Internal Motivation: On learning of her twin sister’s murder Ruth wants revenge.
C: External Motivation: Ruth realises herself and her daughter, Deborah, are next to die unless she defeats the father and son team.
D: Ruth is subject to multiple assassination attempts from both the CIA as well as the VP’s hitmen.
Clear Mission: To understand why her sister was murdered and punish the perpetrators.
Motivation: On her sister’s murder Ruth sees the pain in her father Abraham’s eyes, but does not understand fully until she learns of Wilhelm Weber’s role in Abraham’s early life.
Inciting Incident: The Weber’s murder of Ruth’s sister Sarah.
First Action: Ruth, when studying the drone video showing Sarah’s death, misses a vital clue
Obstacle: Ruth by sheer chance narrowly escapes being shot by a sniper
Escalation: Six-man hit team take Deborah hostage
Overwhelming Odds: Ruth uses her kendo/samurai sword skills and saves Deborah
New Plan: Entrap Wilhelm’s Chief of Staff, torture him to reveal Weber’s gameplan
Full out Attack: Ruth fights her way into the VP’s residence, tortures the VP and gets a confession.
Success: Ruth thwarts the illness that has enveloped Congress. Ruth reunites with her husband.
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Diana T. Black…Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is the need for story logic, causality, and creating serious consequences for the actions taken on behalf of the Hero and the Villain… it’s circular with one character fueling the other in a perpetual mano-a-mano situation…a fight to the death. Because the Hero is morally right (although he errs on occasion out of vengeance and passion), he needs to be the one left standing. It’s a lot of fun to create. The following may seem busy but it is a 6-episode mini-series I’m writing in full…
A. What is it about this Hero that has them willing to face of the overwhelming odds?
Keylan has an overwhelming sense of “duty and sacrifice before self”. He can’t abide injustice and corruption, hence his willingness to work undercover for his friend the DA – Adrian Tanaka. But now that he knows his girlfriend was murdered and possible connections
between her death and this crime syndicate he’s on the verge of uncovering, AND the fact that his life and that of his son is under serious threat, it’s got personal. Keylan’s capacity for
revenge bubbles to the surface… whoever is behind this will pay.B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?
To take down the entire syndicate and the chief orchestrators, specifically the corrupt and
ruthless Dominic Tarrega – the current Assistant DA, who has serious back-up via the syndicate and many in the judicial and civic administration ranks (Dominic has bought and blackmailed them into compliance).C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
Internal –
Keylan has an irrational, almost obsessive need to “save” others, especially those he holds dear. This obsession includes feeling a sense of responsibility (deserved or otherwise) for their failures and short-comings. In essence, he can’t bear to let anyone down especially if their demise is in any way associated with his own perceived shortcomings. He feels he should have “been there” to protect his girlfriend, Louise (murdered at the beginning of the narrative). In Episode One, he failed to prevent his best friend and 2IC from what appears to have been suicide. Keylan feels he should have seen it coming.
External –
Outrage over the injustices perpetrated by a syndicate that appears to be growing in strength – murder, sex-trafficking, money laundering, attempts being made on Keylan’s life and his son, Reuben’s life also being threatened.D. What could happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?
Once Keylan is exonerated and released, he sets out to uncover the identity and full scope
of the syndicate’s crimes and the identity of its lead orchestrator i.e. Dominic and Alfonso’s
son, Torera. He embarks on a mission to get revenge on both of them – in the name of seeking justice. He discovers along the way, that his ex-wife Nicole, is also involved – she’s in bed (literally) with Dominic and unbeknownst to him, the retired “Don”, Alfonso.Mission Steps – Outlining the Mission.
Clear Mission: To get revenge on Dominic (and Nicole) and destroy the drug syndicate.
Motivation: Dominic (Keylan’s ex-wife, Nicole, is complicit) orchestrated the theft of
$2 M from the LA Youth & Community Charity Trust (LAYCCT), the murder of Keylan’s girlfriend, Louise, ordered Keylan to be killed while he was on “the inside” for a crime he didn’t commit, and seriously threatened Reuben – Keylan and Nicole’s son. Once Keylan is exonerated and back outside, Dominic and his partner Torera try to murder him.Inciting Incident: Disappearance of Louise (Keylan’s girlfriend who was supposed to rendezvous with him in Honolulu – she never showed up) and the accusation/implication that she embezzled the LAYCCT of $2M and absconded (possibly to Acapulco, Mexico). Keylan gets a cryptic postcard postmarked Acapulco stating, “If you wish to continue our
relationship, come join me.” .First Action: Keylan drops everything to go and confront “Louise”. When he arrives, his life is
seriously threatened. He discovers it’s a “Louise look-alike” who reveals she doesn’t have
the money (never had it), and that she was paid to take on Louise’s identity.Obstacle: When she and Keylan are attacked on the yacht, Keylan fails to save her from
being killed before she can divulge who’s the mastermind behind the deception.Keylan’s Mission: To discover and bring to justice the mastermind behind this crime (murder
and theft) and locate (and rescue) the real Louise (she’s dead – murdered). He doesn’t want
to believe the fake Louise’s statement that “she’s “old news” my friend”.Obstacle: He has no clue who is behind this (leads have run dry) and has willingly accepted
Dominic’s offer to help him (thinking he’s an amicable colleague – they both serve on the
board of the Charity Trust) – unaware that Dominic is in fact THE criminal mastermind.Escalation: Further threats on Keylan’s life on his way back to California. Then when he arrives “home” he’s confronted with the deteriorating mental state of his best friend (Victor)
who’s marriage to Roslyn has failed (Keylan pressured him into marrying her). Victor chooses to escape via an alcohol-fueled suicide in a fire situation. In order to save Victor’s reputation, Keylan swaps the routine blood samples (taken after a fire)… in fact it was Victor who was intoxicated, not Keylan.New Mission: Once Keylan discovers Louise’s body (dumped at sea) he redoubles his efforts to uncover who’s behind the murder and theft, all the while trying to deal with the death of
Victor. He blames himself for not being there for him. He’s now accused of being drunk
on duty the day Victor died and could face involuntary manslaughter charges. Keylan loses
it with Victor’s wife, Roslyn when she tries to seduce him. Back on the hunt for the
mastermind, clues point to a crime syndicate that he and Adrian (the DA) thought had
been disbanded long ago (Alfonso had gone into retirement) but it appears to be gaining in
strength and still no clue as to who’s responsible. Further attempts on Keylan’s life have
now ceased since he’s been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter. A bench court
case date has been set and Keylan is refusing to cooperate with his Defense Counsel, who
has surmised that he’s innocent.Overwhelming Odds: When the court-case comes up, Dominic, a supposed colleague, does an about-face (twist) and throws the book at Keylan, who was under the impression that he’d
get off lightly. Dominic maintains he must prosecute to the full extent of the law and is now calling for him to face two years in prison. While in prison, attempts are made on his
life, meanwhile serious threats are being made on his son’s life outside and Keylan is
powerless to stop them. His adoptive father dies of a broken heart before Keylan has a
chance to tell him the truth – that he was innocent. The spurned Roslyn is the only one
who can clear Keylan’s name (she knows the truth as to who was drunk). She reluctantly
comes forward to reveal the truth after being blackmailed and abused by Patrick. When
Keylan is exonerated and discovers that it is Dominic who’s the mastermind he throws the
justice system out the window, determined to get revenge against Dominic, and plots to
bring him down along with the entire syndicate, but it will mean “crossing a line” and he’s
surprised at how willing he is to do that. He’s captured by Dominic’s thugs and that of his
partner, Alfonso’s son, Torera. They’re holding Reuben (Keylan’s son) prisoner and they’re
about to torture Keylan in front of him when Reese and Robin come to the rescue, and
they escape. Adrian urges Keylan to abide by the law. But Keylan’s done with being a law-
abiding citizen.New Plan: Keylan plots to expose Dominic and Torera – murder, theft, money-laundering, sex-trafficking etc. when he’s secretly approached by Alfonso (Torera’s father and the original Don – now retired). Alfonso wants to come to some amicable arrangement regarding his son, Torera, but Keylan’s not willing to comply – he’s gunning for both of them along with
his ex-wife, Nicole (Dominic’s lover… unbeknownst to Dominic she’s two-timing him with
her also being Alfonso’s lover). Keylan abducts Nicole as leverage for Dominic to come
clean and face the law. He rocks up at the rendezvous and shoots Nicole dead.Full out Attack: Keylan and Reese have a showdown with Dominic and Torera’s thugs that
include Patrick, who’s started a fire with booby traps (explosives) in an old warehouse
complex down at the docks. Patrick is prey to both sides wanting him dead and commits
to being engulfed by flames. With Dominic and Torera’s thugs dying around them,
Dominic pretends to give up and shoots Torera dead, maintaining that he was the
mastermind and beyond saving. As Dominic approaches them with Reese and Keylan
closing the gap to arrest him, Dominic fatally wounds Reese who dies in Keylan’s arms.
Keylan hunts Dominic down in the burning building. State Troopers – not on Dominic’s
payroll, like many of the local police, have the building surrounded – there’s no escape.
Adrian communicates to Keylan to bring Dominic in – he doesn’t want to but reluctantly
agrees as he chases Dominic into a dead end. The fire is closing in. Keylan berates Dominic
for all his evil deeds then goes to rescue Dominic, but the floor caves in and Dominic falls
to his fiery death.Success: The
Syndicate is demolished, the sex-trafficked girls are rescued. Alfonso has fled,
and on
his way to Bolivia with his illegal funds now deposited in the Banco
Mercantil Santa
Cruz,
when he’s picked up by the real Interpol and his assets frozen. Keylan is reinstated as
Lead Firefighter of his unit. -
Christopher Dalbey’’s Hero’s Mission Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that the building blocks to the Hero’s mission and drive gives the story structure a stronger backbone. I also noted that seeing the mission track in front of me gives me a clearer perspective of how and where to watermark the set-ups and payoffs.
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of the overwhelming odds? Because of her determination to distance herself from the voodoo ties that her family has been allied with, Phara is consumed to win her seat in the mayoral race in New Orleans. But knows that she has an uphill battle in New Orleans if she is to win because of her political oppositions and corruption.
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? To win the seat as mayor of New Orleans.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero? Internally, she is driven to separate herself from the associations that her family has with the voodoo culture. Externally, she is well educated in political science with a background in MMA to boot.
D. Imagine that mission playing out across a story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain? After her inadvertent and tragic death, she must first come to terms that she’s been reincarnated as voodoo deity Maman Phara. When she does, she fastens to her supernatural abilities and seek the justice and vengeance against those who wronged her as a mortal
MISSION STEPS:
Clear Mission:
Motivation: Phara’s determination to detach herself from family ties and finds new identity as mayor of New Orleans.
Inciting Incident: Phara is raped and murdered at an underground sex party that Senator Triano (antagonist) heads.
First Action: She realizes her supernatural powers as voodoo incarnate Maman Phara when she encounters the first of many political persons whom were involved in her murder.
Obstacle: Senator Triano’s insurmountable power both in the underground and deep in corrupt political circles.
Escalation: The closer she gets to Senator Triano, the more she learns of his ties to the voodoo culture and hierarchy.
Overwhelming Odds: She is constantly being combated with Senator Triano’s underground army and his influence throughout New Orleans.
New Plan: She forms a plan to strike when her powers are fully available to her – in the dark partying hours of New Orleans.
Full out Attack: With his excessive influence, Senator Triano has a search team to seek out Maman Phara. But she makes this difficult for Triano’s goonies to seek her out now that she goes under many guises to secretly infiltrate Triano’s team during Mardi Gras.
Success: She finally gets to Senator Triano and dethrones him in the underworld.
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