Post Day 3 Assignment Here

[David Halligan]

Dave’s Right Characters

What I learned doing this assignment:

I value our forum. Reading the posts of classmates often helps me clarify elements of a lesson.

1. Think about Concept Hook and Contained Setting:

Even though this script will be a comedy short, I plan on using as much stuff as I can from all my ScreenwritingU courses to make it great. My only character on screen is a telephone operator but instead of her being a virtuoso on the switchboard she’s a novice filling in for her sister. I plan on throwing obstacles in front of her on every page.

The whole film will take place in the telephone office, and I think there will be enough sights and sounds to hold interest. I thought about writing in a cat. If the actor brought her own pet would we still need a wrangler and an ASPCA rep?

The office could be a shack on the edge of town or maybe it’s in the backroom of some kind of shop or hotel if I can find a good reason for it. Perhaps it’s right on Main St. with a window on the storm raging outside.

In any case, the operator must eventually clear every hurdle and be a social media star on the busiest night of the year.

2. How can main characters uniquely fit the Hook?

The operator uses her Mom Skills and her upbringing on a farm to handle all that comes her way during the New Year’s Eve blizzard.

3. How does each main character cause or enhance conflict?

Phone calls from her kids, her sister, and others present dilemmas. And the operator (Audrey?) is already out of her ordinary world at FADE IN but seems in command of that world by FADE OUT. Pretty good if I can pull it off.

Audrey’s husband is the town vet. He’s out in the storm where Audrey can’t reach him.

4. What makes these characters Right for This Story?

These characters share the common experience of living in a small Pennsylvania mining town during a bygone era.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna’s Right Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that for a contained movie to be successful, the characters need to have a lot of conflict with each other and opposing views to keep the tension high throughout the film.

Think
about your Concept Hook and Contained Setting.

Characters are a team of scientists and a government agent.

With
each of your main characters, how can they uniquely fit with the Hook?

Scientist #1 is a carefree ivy league grad.

Scientist #2 is a single mother with a young son, her parents are babysitting him.

Scientist #3 is a tough loner who doesn’t like to follow the rules.

Government agent is stern and determined.

Thinking
about the conflict that hook creates, how does each main character enhance
or cause that conflict?

Scientist #1 is always curious and must solve the mysteries they meet.

Scientist #2 wants to make the world a better place for her son, she acts on emotions.

Scientist #3 has a strong sense of self preservation over helping the group.

Government agent is the ultimate professional, his life is his work, he always delivers.

Tell
us what makes these characters the “right ones” for this story?

Scientist #1 is hard wired for science and riddles. They like to be mentally stimulated and get bored when others aren’t as intelligent. They come from a rich family and they have had every advantage in life.

Scientist #2 is watchful resourceful. She has worked hard for everything that she has and wants to make the most of her opportunities.

Scientist #3 is prone to betrayal if it serves their own interest. They got through life by stepping on and manipulating others.

Government agent has no real family, no home, he is a nomad who goes where he is needed to complete his assignments. He takes great pride in being the best at his job. He comes from a military family of disciplinarians who moved around a lot.

[Halloween Bloodfrost]

Halloweens Right Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that the original conceit can be expounded upon by character examination.

!. Hook and contained setting.

The original idea blossomed with a reversal of the expected behavior of the twist character into an unexpected motivation and drive.

2. How do the characters fit the hook?

A whip crack smart butler sees everything this wicked family is about.

Marge is an absolute asshole matriarch TERF who drives the emotional themes of abandoning all good for a greater evil.

Fr. Terry is a defrocked priest now being driven back to God on this Halloween night

Tara is the disenfranchised self-absorbed goth college girl who is getting a real eye opener into the true

nature of her filthy rich family.

3. How do the characters enhance the conflict.

The butler backstabs and manipulates everyone into fighting each other and digging away at each others truths by lying and forced manipulation.

Marge pushes her agenda of asshole racism, zero fucks given and bullys everyone into following her commands which builds resentment from everyone around her.

Terry seeks God and prays at every turn which infuriates his sister, mother and the butler and drives the chaotic narrative of this Halloween night.

Tara self absorption drives the help into conflicting orders with her grandmother Marge who is trying to pull of the annual Halloween party.

4. What makes the characters the right ones?

The Butler sees everything so is in a perfect position to manipulate everyone, especially since he is largely ignored as “the help”.

Marge climbed her way to the family’s power structure by being ruthless and she has zero heart for her blood.

Father terry is a soft heart yet conflicted priest who got tired of not satisfying his carnal desires. Hes the perfect tricxkster

Tara is Marge’s hope for the future of the family and she leans into it by learning how to manipulate her grandmother’s perceptions of her.