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Post Day 5 Assignment Here
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9 Replies
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Emmanuel’s 4-Act Transformational Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is the transformational structure should just be a brief overview of the conflict in each act. I simply provided a one-sentence overview for each item listed in each act. This gave me a broad, high-level view of the opening act to the resolution.
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30 Day Script Lesson 5: Kimbal Thompson’s Four-Act Transformational Structure 09.11.21
What I learned doing this assignment is a start to this adventure. .
ASSIGNMENT
1. Create a first draft of your 4 Act Transformational Structure.
2. Give us the following:
1. Concept: Kai, 14-year-old scout whose parents won’t let him get a driver’s license until he becomes an Eagle Scout for which he must complete an Eagle Scout project. His initial project is to restore a steel paper airplane sculpture at a local High School Courtyard although the school insists he also restore the full-size bronze sculpture of a horse that has been long stored away.
In restoring the horse, he discovers it has been patched, finds and takes a hidden cache from inside the horse. Meanwhile, Rory, the convicted killer that hid the cache escapes prison, finds the horse missing from storage and learns of the Eagle Scout project. He ruthlessly pursues Kai.
for the cache, and out of sheer vengeance. .
Main
Conflict: Solving the origin of the cache mystery. Rory and Kai; Finishing
the project.
Old
Ways: Complete the Project, obtain the rank of Eagle, get Driver’s
License.,
New
Ways: Get rid of the convicted killer, get a reward, complete the Project,
obtain the rank of Eagle, get Driver’s License.3. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
Opening:
Kai must complete an Eagle Scout Project
Inciting
Incident: Selects project for the restoration of large metal paper
airplane sculpture at a local high school courtyard.
Turning
Point: School insists he also restore the life-size bronze horse
sculpture. Kai accepts.Act 2:
New
plan: Kai decides to bring in expertise in restoring large bronze exterior
bronze sculptures.
Plan
in action: Utilizing instructions from experts, Kai discovers patch in
horse.
Midpoint
Turning Point: Kai’s curiosity leads him to discover why there is a patch.Act 3:
Rethink
everything: Rory escapes prison, goes to find the horse and finds it
missing
Finding
the horse missing, he learns of Kai’s project, finds the repaired patch,
and goes after Kai
Turning
Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Kai traces the source of the cache,
goes after Kai.Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate
expression of the conflict: Rory captures Kai; Kai tricks and severely injures
Rory, stealing his car and drives…
Resolution:
. .to the statue dedication ceremony turning in Rory and solving a long
unsolved Hawaiian mystery.3. Once you have created the 4-Act Structure for your Protagonist, go back over it to see if there is any big picture points you need to add to represent your Antagonist. Rory hates both paper airplanes and Scouts.
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Why am I not able to see the Day 5 Assignment? It says it is not available until tomorrow. This is what it said yesterday about Day 4. I can’t catch up if I can’t see the assignments!
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Lisa’s Four Act Transformational Structure
What I learned from doing this assignment was that I need a stronger conflict with the antagonist to make the story more interesting.
Concept:
After an alcoholic father dies, He is given a chance to go back to see his kids, but as the family dog. He has to fight to survive, while trying to find his kids to save them from their abusive mother.
Main Conflict:
Mayla resents David for leaving her behind with the kids and she’s taking it out on the kids, being abusive and neglectful. Deep down she wants to get rid of the kids.
David Sterling Old Ways:
Alcoholic, drinks himself to sleep every night
Lets life live him, doesn’t feel in control of his circumstances
Lets Mayla run the show
David Sterling New Ways:
Hopeful of a better future with his kids
Does whatever he can to find his kids
Knows what he wants, and doesn’t let anyone get in the way of that
Act 1
Opening: After tucking in his two kids, Kai (10), and Diane (6), David Sterling has an argument with his wife Mayla. She storms out of the house, to go out partying. David starts drinking. He drinks himself to sleep and passes out on the couch
Inciting Incident: David finds himself in the afterlife. He drank himself to death. He wants to go back and see his kids again. His guides tell him he has already served his purpose in their lives and he will never see his kids again, and all other positions have been filled. THey show him how Mayla is treating the kids, yelling at them, punishing them for no reason, and even hitting them.
David pleads with his guides to let him return. He’s so remorseful. They make an exception. He can go back as the family dog, but he will first experience the same abuse and neglect his kids experienced by him being gone
Turning Point: David accepts the offer and returns to earth as a dog. He is abandoned in a box in the rain as a puppy. Someone finds him and brings him to a shelter.
Act 2:
Reaction: David is lonely and feels helpless. He can’t remember where he used to live in his human life. The shelter is cold and sterile. Finally he is adopted by a family, but it’s not his family. The little girl dresses him up like a babydoll and treats him like a toy. He misses his family.
Meanwhile, Mayla is posing as a perfect example of a mother at her church, and is an instagram model/ influencer. At home, she is always angry and abusive towards her kids.
New Plan: David finds a way to escape. It’s hard for him to find food and shelter. He gets adopted on the street by a houseless man, Charlie, who takes care of him. They travel from city to city. David enjoys the freedom and company, but doesn’t recognize his surroundings, and still can’t remember details from his human life.
Mayla has started dating a man from her church. Things are getting serious.
Turning Point 2: Winter comes and it gets very cold one night. David snuggles up to Charlie to keep each other warm. Charlie keeps drinking to stay warm. David wakes up shivering and Charlie has died, leaving David on the streets again.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: David tries using his dog instincts, picking up smells, trying to remember his kids scents, but doesn’t pick anything up.
New Plan: David remembers the city where he lives. He sneaks on the bus to make it there. He tries remembering old landmarks, but it’s been a few years and things have changed.
David sees his kids walking down the street with their mother and her boyfriend. David tries getting their attention. They stop to pet him and they want to keep him, but Mayla doesn’t let them. She puts the kids in the car and drives off. David tries to keep up and he can’t.
New insights:
Somehow, seeing his kids has made him remember his old address. He starts looking for ways to get back to his old house.
Mayla has remarried and moves in with her new husband in his house. It’s becoming harder for her to keep her secret that she’s abusing her kids.
Turning Point 3: David finds his old house, but it’s empty and for sale. He picks up his kids’ scents. He keeps searching.
Act 4
Climax: David finds the new house. Mayla and Greg, her new husband, are having an argument. Greg storms out of the house. Mayla puts the kids to bed and gives them benadryl and packs a bag. She plugs in a bunch of things to an outlet and several power strips and starts the fire. She walks out the door and David pulls her pant leg and growls, ferociously. Mayla runs, leaving the door open. She gets in her car and drives off.
David goes into the house and wakes up Kai, Kai bring himself and Diane out a window and David is trapped inside. Firefighters arrive, and pull David out of the house, but he’s unconscious. They try to revive him. After a couple minutes he wakes up.
Resolution: Mayla is arrested for multiple charges and is put in jail. David is recognized for being a hero. Kai and Diane get to keep him and they all live with their grandmother.
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Lee’s 4-Act Transformational Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is…that this process continues to challenge me to improve and evolve my story into something that will be both action-packed and heartwarming.
Concept – After her scientist father is kidnapped and vanishes without a trace and the authorities act as if he never existed, Millie, a young teenager, and her friend Justin set out to find him, guided only by the vague words of her dying grandma.
Main Conflict – Milly’s father’s been kidnapped for his unique inventions that will give megalomaniacal general Janus virtually limitless power. Unbeknownst to Milly, she’s literally the only one who can stop him.
Old Ways – Milly thinks of herself as just a normal person, and a shy, quiet, small one at that. There’s nothing remarkable about her at all
New Ways – Milly is actually a powerful alien human with amazing abilities—if she’ll accept that fact and believe in herself.
Act 1
Opening – Milly’s going through a normal day. She’s close to her father, who calls her “my darling little alien,” her friend Justin, etc. We find out that her mother died years ago. Mention is made of her father’s intricately made toys, and she and her father joke about how cool it would be if they could suddenly become real. Father says maybe if she just says some magic words. <div>
Inciting Incident – Milly returns from school. Dad doesn’t come home. She calls the police. There’s no record of his name or who he is. They want to take her in. She calls Justin. He says why don’t they go look for him then. Milly says that’s crazy.
Turning point – Next day, Milly’s Granny Sue shows up. So do unknown assailants (assailants are from General Janus—he calls off regular law enforcement). Granny tells Milly where her Dad is, and she’s the only one that can save him. Assailants close in. As Granny holds them off, Milly and Justin must leave or be killed. Granny insists they take Dad’s toy collection, say magic words. Granny’s killed as the two go.
Act 2
New Plan – Milly and Justin snag Justin’s Dad’s credit card, then leave town on his dirt bike (or car). </div><div>
Plan in action – They crash the dirt bike, run out of gas, etc., buy bus tickets, but none stop where they have to go. Milly experiments with “using her power,” but has no success. Janus has men shadowing them. He’s also got Milly’s dad busy in a secret lab. A giant tank becomes no bigger than a toy.
Midpoint Turning Point – Milly discovers that if she says “the magic words” while holding one of Dad’s model toys, it becomes life-sized and real.
Act 3
Rethink everything – Using the vehicle and weapons that were once toys, Milly and Justin make it to their destination. </div><div>
New plan (using New Ways) – Milly and Justin attack the compound where her Dad’s being held. At first, success, but when General Janus has them where he wants them, he says “a magic word” and all of Milly’s new-found equipment turns back into toy size again.
Turning point; “All is lost…” Huge failure/Major shift – Milly and Justin are captured. Janus prepares to move his miniature army with its futuristic weapons to consummate his diabolical plans.
Act 4
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Milly uses innate power that she’s always been told she has but just played around with now to focus on freeing herself, Justin, and her father. Despite General Janus being somewhat prepared, he’s no match for Milly.
Resolution – Milly defeats General Janus and his little army, frees everyone. She also finds her mother, who disappeared years ago, and is the leverage Janus had of Milly’s dad for so long.
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Lesson 5 – Kathi’s 4 Act Transformational Structure
1) Structure
a) Concept: What if the socialist revolution you think you support would mean killing off your grandchild-to-be?
b) Main Conflict: Fran escaping from a re-education camp to save her daughter from a forced abortion.
c) Old Ways: compliant, wants to please others, weak, passive, against guns.
d) New Ways: stands up, isn’t concerned about making others unhappy, strong, aggressive, using a gun when she has to.
1) Act 1
a. Opening: Anti gun protest where Fran spouts socialist jargon. An activist bombs what they think is a church but turns out to be a Taco Bell
b. Inciting Incident: New socialist government (People’s Republic of California), with deputy commandant, Sandy (her old therapy patient) who confiscates her house and resettles her to…
c. Turning Point: A re-education camp or farm where she has to till the land and grow pot for the revolution
2) Act 2
a. New Plan: Fran decides to give it a try, please the government and be helpful.
b. Plan in Action: Tries to make it like camp, learning all the communist beliefs through games, but everybody gets it backwards; tries to do group therapy but people just want to talk about personal problems, not the group so it fails; Fran wants to get her family transferred to join her but no luck (PRC wants to segregate and destroy the family Sandy shows her by way of a puppet show); Fran wants to go home but Sandy shows her via home security that it’s taken over by others and her home is in shambles.
c. Midpoint Turning Point: Fran finds out her daughter is pregnant
3) Act 3
a. Rethink everything: Farm is a failure because nobody knows what they’re doing and Fran is fearful she’ll be killed; realizes she has to escape, especially to save her daughter.
b. New Plan: escape from the farm, liberate pregnant daughter and get out of state.
c. Turning Point: Huge failure/major shift: Caught by Antagonist, taken to other farm where daughter is, daughter wants abortion; Fran to witness death of her future grandchild (or be the killer herself).
4) Act 4:
a. Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Fran, with help of son in law and others, turns gun on Sandy and the rest of the army to free daughter (who has changed her mind and wants the baby afterall).
b. Resolution: Escape to other state. They have nothing but are helped by townspeople there. Daughter gives birth.
What I’ve learned: This skeletal approach to an outline is more approachable than laboring over all the details. I have something to work with.
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Ying’s Four Act Transformational Structure
What I learned is how to better sequence the scenes for my story.
1. Give us the following:
Concept- Ying, a young warrior princess, goes from insecure follower of her older brother to confident tribal leader
Main Conflict- A Chinese warlord is determined to wipe out Ying’s tribe
Old Ways- The tribe fights other tribes and distrusts all Huaxia
New Ways- The tribe creates alliances with neighboring tribes and other Huaxia leaders.
Act 1:
Opening- The tribe in peace. Trades with Huaxia and by ship with other areas of Asia. Sun is named lead commander to bring all native tribes under Chinese control and for them to pay tribute.
Inciting Incident- The tribe’s leader, Ying’s father, agrees to peace since he feels it is better than fighting a protracted war. Sun uses the peace treaty meeting as a deception to allow him to murder Ying’s father. Sun thinks Ting and Ying too young to lead the tribe and no one else is suitable.
Turning Point- Ting and Ying decide to lead the tribe, but Ying acquiesces to Ting’s leadership as her older and physically stronger brother who embraces the old ways.
Act 2:
New plan- Ting and Ying lead a guerilla resistance
Plan in action- The guerilla attacks are working but they don’t allow the tribe to trade as in the past which makes the tribe poorer and poorer. Sun is determined to finish the tribe off with one great blow.
Midpoint Turning Point- Ting attacks a tax shipment thinking it will make the tribe rich again, but the shipment is only a decoy to take all the warriors out of the village. Meantime, Sun’s forces attack the tribe’s village. It is burned to the ground and the tribe barely escapes genocide by retreating to an old tribal redoubt that Ying had refurbished for just such an emergency.
Act 3:
Rethink everything- Ying sees that the tribe is not strong enough to win using old ways.
New plan- Ying creates new alliances with rival tribes and a nearby Huaxia governor who is a rival of Sun’s.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift- Ting attacks Sun thinking he can win by strength alone. He does not realize that this is exactly what Sun wants. Sun’s weakened force has gotten massive reinforcements from the emperor. Ting’s attack fails terribly and his best friend and Ying’s lover is killed.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict- Ting leads a retreat back to their home territory. Ying senses a trap and stands-up to Ting. She recommends doing something Sun would not expect, retreating through a narrow canyon into a rival tribe’s territory. With Ying’s new alliances, this will be their best hope of survival. If she is wrong, the tribe will be trapped and all the warriors killed. The warriors side with Ying remembering her wisdom of refurbishing the redoubt that saved the tribe. Just then a scout that Ying sent ahead reports back there is a trap ahead.
Resolution- Ying uses the constriction and sheer cliffs of the canyon to her advantage allowing her tribe to successfully hold off a much larger army. They need only hold them off until dark and the tribe’s warriors can melt away into the darkness. They will at least survive to fight another day. All still seems to be lost as the Huaxia force is just too great to resist even until dark, when the rival tribes that Ying has befriended show up to reinforce Ying’s tribe and defeat the Huaxia.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Jeffrey Lehmann.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by
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Pat’s transformational structure.
What I learned: To just relax and allow the ideas to flow and above all, to let go of perfection.
Concept: Against her wishes, widowed Ivy Davies granddaughter signs Ivy up for online dating, where Ivy discovers her cohort in a long-ago bank robbery is on the site, the man who took off before giving Ivy her cut of the robbery.
Main Conflict: Will Ivy blackmail Victor for her share of the robbery, or will both of them finally own up to the deed?
Ivy’s old ways:
She lives a lie, as a conservative, set-in-her-ways senior citizen to cover up her outlaw past and present.
Lonely, but won’t admit it to anyone, even herself.
Stern and standoffish with her granddaughter.
New ways:
Spontaneous and content with her life.
Open to new relationships, if not love.
An honest relationship with her granddaughter.
ACT ONE:
Opening: Assisted living home residents are happy to see Ivy arrive with her weekly brownies, which are loaded with pot.
Inciting Incident: Ivy returns home to discover her granddaughter signing her up for an online dating site.
Turning Point: Ivy decides to meet with a man on the site – Victor Bertzyk, who has no idea that Ivy was his partner is a decades ago bank robbery.
ACT TWO:
New Plan: Ivy decides to fake caring for Victor in order to steal back the money that she believes he owes her.
Plan in Action: Ivy convinces Victor to stay in her guest house for an extended visit, tells him she knows who he is proceeds to try to blackmail him.
Turning Point: Ivy’s granddaughter starts investigating her hometown’s legendary bank robbery.
ACT THREE:
Rethink Everything: Ivy realizes that she has to be honest with Victor, and with her granddaughter.
Plan in Action: Ivy destroys her little pot farm and suggests that she and Victor part company.
Midpoint Turning Point: Ivy’s granddaughter finds evidence that Ivy and Victor may have participated in the bank robbery.
ACT FOUR:
Rethink Everything: Ivy realizes the importance of finally coming clean and being honest with her granddaughter.
New Plan: Ivy tries to convince Victor that they must go to the police and confess to the robbery.
Turning Point: Huge Failure/Major Shift: Ivy fully realizes that Victor is in early stages of dementia. She convinces him to make a large donation to the assisted living home and to move into it.
Ivy’s granddaughter convinces her that there is no need to confess the crime to the police, to just continue living her life as a best citizen she can be.
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Ed Lusk – Transformational Four Act Structure.
What I learned in this assignment is this structure is a efficient way to check if the character’s transformation is aligned with the plot structure. A check for turning points and change of plans. If not, where it needs correction or addition. I’m not 100% confidant in the main conflict , however, for draft one its a start.
Create a first draft of your 4 Act Transformational Structure.
1. Give us the following:
Concept
An obscure influencer for his failing family toys business finds himself pursued by Santa’s Social Media Influencer Elf and her Naughty List after the boy swipe’s Santa’s sleigh to make good on an online promise.
Main Conflict
Alfreda wants Henry stopped at all cost and Santa’s sleigh returned in time for Christmas Eve.
Old Ways
Henry’s coddled by his parents
Dreams of being a influencer yet has few followers
Henry’s contributions not respected by his father
Henry doesn’t have any friends
New Ways
Henry goes out on his own on secret trip to the North Pole
Henry swipes Santa’s sleigh & chased.
Henry takes a chance to help family business and gain followers
Henry makes a friend in Reindeer Stable Elf – Samwise
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
Opening
The Pelznikel Family Toys business is not doing well. Creditors are circling like buzzards. Henry’s feels helpless and alone. He tries to help with social media posts. His drone video nearly wrecks the fulfillment center. Creditors shut down the business two days before Christmas
Inciting Incident – Henry’s posts his promise all Pelznikel toys will be delivered by Christmas while also trolling Santa Clause goes viral.
Turning Point
Henry’s takes Santa’s Sleigh with Elf Samwise onboard with hopes of using it to deliver Pelznikel Toys by Christmas.
Act 2:
New plan
Using the sleigh, Henry’s trying to make good on promise but the sleigh is not easy to control. Lot’s of near misses as it swoops and swoons across city skylines. No one knows who’s behind it – yet. Rochelle, Henry’s neighbor and secret admirer joins the team.
Plan in action
Henry’s without a way to make posts. He devises ways for others to post him and the sleigh. Lots of Selfies! Catches the attention of a TV Meteorologist and Elfreda’s confidant. Using his weather radar to track the sleigh. Samwise helps pointing out the the sleigh’s added features that Henry uses to his advantage.
Midpoint Turning Point – Alfreda – Santa’s right hand Elf is call upon to do whatever is necessary to stop Henry and get that sleigh back!
Act 3:
Rethink everything
Alfreda’s trolling Henry. He’s now enemy of Christmas jeopardizing the holiday for everyone with his foolish plans. The Naughty List is sent after Henry to stop him. Chases and near misses.
Henry’s discovers Santa has a plan for him that did not include the Sleigh Theft. He wants Henry’s help to save the North Pole from Climate Change. Rochelle expresses her feelings for Henry – a first!
New plan
A skeptical public sees Henry’s post about Santa’s needs help because the North Pole is melting as false narrative. Santa does needs everyone’s help or North Pole will need relocation.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift
The reindeer are called back to the North Pole. Henry sets them free along with Samwise, The sleigh teeters near disaster on top of the Saint Louis Arch. Then crashes.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
Henry uses a little Christmas magic to save the North Pole. Alfreda takes all the credit for it.
Resolution
Santa helps deliver the rest of Pelznikel toys. He saves the Pelznickel toy company with a huge contract for toys. Santa shares with Henry’s parents it is all because of Henry who taught Santa a valuable lesson. To be determined!
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