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Post Your Day 1 Assignment Here
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Brendan Williams Transformational Journey
Who
is the Hero? The hero of the
story is 20-year-old Anita Pearson.
What
is the Hero’s Character ARC that represents the transformation? Anita
starts out in the story as a young woman suffering from depression
and feeling cut off from her mother despite living in the same house
as her. Her ARC is that she goes from being depressed about her
brother’s death to finally accepting it and understanding that Sam
didn’t betray her, but committed suicide to protect her and her
mother.What
is their Internal Journey? Anita
starts out as someone suffering from depression due to a sudden death
in the family to finally moving on to the final stage of the grieving
process and accepting her brother’s death and understanding why Sam
decided to take his own life.What
is their External Journey? Anita
goes from a young woman who needs love and affection from her mother
to becoming the parent figure in the relationship and deciding to
help her mother instead of abandoning her. She comes to understand
why her mother refused to acknowledge her as she was growing up.What
is the Hero’s Old Ways?Suffers from depression and has an opioid addiction.
Is a loner and very quiet. She keeps to herself.
Scared about her mother’s well-being.
What
is the Hero’s New Ways?Finally accepts her brother’s death.
Is able to express to her true feelings to her mother.
Is willing to let go of the past and move on.
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Mark’s Transformational journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that thinking through the qualities of character – before and after the journey – will be great to use as a reference during the writing. This first basic step will be valuable to come back to and remember when I forget – and to tweak if necessary.
I had created these characters years ago for a treatment, but only as regards certain aspects of character. It took some real hard thinking to fill in the blanks enough to chart a course to their transformational journey.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
My Hero is Victoria Kate Brennan, a strong-willed, impulsive young woman who yearns for adventure. In 1934 women have little power in a man’s world. She doesn’t like her status quo.
Internal Journey: From
struggling for self-reliance and independence to having the strength to influence
and command men.External Journey: From a
pampered woman to a respected, admired leader, equal to the men around
her, and able to relate to her man as an equal.3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Kate starts out living the small town life, and the biggest thing in her life is her thrilling boyfriend, Tony. She thinks validation of her life comes from her relationship with him.
Her Old Ways
Restless. Not content with her life
Feels confined by concept of marriage because of self-doubt.
Indecisive. Lingering regret about her choices
A dreamer who idolizes her hero, Amelia Earhart
Infatuated with Tony
Her New Ways
She ends up as an inspiring figure to the survivors of an incredible ordeal, and to people around the world.
Decisive and confident in herself.
Understands the meaning of true love
Self-reliant
Empowered by the sacrifice of a loving man enough to love him on an equal basis.
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Janeen’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that I’m going to trust the process and let the transformational journey dictate my conflicts and character journeys.
Who is my Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents the transformation?
My hero is Jym, a gym owner who needs to lose 50 pounds, help her diabetic s-i-l, and create a program that will work for her low income gym clientele.
Internal Journey: She must learn to question authority (including her doctor/brother’s), research and trust that research (find what works for her, what/how that can work for her diabetic/pre-diabetic clientele and meet their income restrictions and family meal restrictions) and have the courage of her convictions to put it into place for herself, her s-i-l and her clientele.
External Journey: She goes from chunky gym owner to svelte gym guru. She gains external confidence and power over her clientele in advising them to find a doctor if they have any diabetic/pre-diabetic meds or conditions before embarking on her diet. She exerts control over and provides direction for her lead trainer to find exercise that strengthens her clientele without throwing them into a low blood sugar situation.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways: She trusts authority, obeys her brother, does not believe she has the willpower to change, cannot help her s-i-l or her clientele in their journeys to health. She is helpless and discouraged in spite of her best intentions to help her old neighborhood and herself get healthy.
New Ways: She understands that she must trust her own research and that authorities aren’t always right. She finds the diet that is right for her and helps her clientele find their best diets. She convinces her trainer to not see muscle-building and weight loss as the be-all/end-all to get to health, she stands up to authorities and her brother, she succeeds at weight loss/control and helps many others do so with cost-feasible diets that families on SNAP can afford to follow.
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I like the challenge your character faces in losing 50 pounds. I say this because I know from experience what this means. Over the pandemic, I put on pounds and ballooned up to 228.2 pounds. I made the decision to follow the advice of a friend and participate in a health and wellness program which I started October 19, 2020. By January 19 of this year, I had lost just over 50 pounds. I am now at 182 pounds and adding muscle through a regular workout program. I feel great, and the emotional payoff is one of the reasons why I feel I can now reach for other goals such as writing a script.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Mr. Brunken.
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I’m going to take that as a sign that I may have an audience for this script. Thanks! (And congrats on the weight loss!) Janeen
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by
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Cynthia’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is:
– to keep it simple and relatable
– sometimes taking a nice hot shower is exactly what is needed to get clarity about the story.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Donna is in an increasingly abusive relationship that is escalating and ends with her murdering her husband.
Internal Journey: From making
excuses about the situation to drawing a line in the sand and saying
enough is enough <div>External Journey: From abiding
and fearful wife to strong self-protectorOld Ways:
1. Fearful and trepidatious
2. Hiding from the truth of her situation
3. Submissive and compliant
New Ways:
1. Courageous and bold
2. Admits to and is fully aware of her reality
3. Is strong and stands up for herself
</div>
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What I learned doing this assignment is not to be freaked out starting with a hero before vetting an idea, a logline or even a title. I’ll just put on my big boy writing pants and dive in.
Hero: A mid 30’s ex-FBI agent working as a small town sheriff steps up when home grown terrorists threaten to attack a major city.
Internal:
From cautious and playing it safe to confident and brave
External:
From small town sheriff to national hero
Old Ways:
play it safe
be cautious
try to avoid confrontation
pass off the problem ASAP
New Ways:
sure of himself
brave
takes on the tough challenges
see the job through
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Becky’s Transformational Journey: What
I learned doing this assignment is focusing on the story as a whole, beginning to the end, is really comfortable. Usually, my ideas are too focused on one aspect.Mind: A recluse, and lover of all things late
1800s, early 1900s is offered a gift to live in the time she’s always
wanted to. She learns that the easy, calm, slow-paced life she
believes that era engenders is quite the opposite when ushered into
the world of vaudeville that enchants her at first, but once she’s in it, realizes it is not a fairytale.Physical: An historical theater, vaudeville nut
meets a true ghost of the vaudeville theater and is offered to enter
her dimension and live in the time she’s always dreamed was a better,
easier place. Now faced with the reality and choice of the early
1900s or now, she makes the choice that now isn’t so bad.The old way was living in the past,
hiding from the present and new things. The new way is learning and
enjoying that there is simple sweetness and genuine entertainment all
around us that is equal to what was perceived from our safe world.<title></title><style type=”text/css”>
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Melanie’s Transformational Journey
What I learned today doing this assignment is that the character evolves both internally and externally during their transformational journey. For some reason in the past I’ve only focused on a character’s internal growth.
2. As the fledgling new America fights for freedom during the heart of the Revolutionary War, sixteen year old Sybil, daughter to a Colonel, aspires to do more than just help her mother take care of her eleven siblings at home. She begrudgingly does her chores at home while she watches the men go off to fight for their freedom. Secretly she wants to break this stereotypical mold to prove to her father that she is strong enough to help in the war. She does so by leaving in the middle of the night to warn the militia across the neighboring counties of an imminent British attack. Her character arc is that she rises from her quiet obligatory daughter role at home to find her voice/strength and rally the troops from neighboring counties to fight the British.
Internal Journey: From angrily obstinate and impulsive to open-minded and strategic. From a scared childish introvert to an outspoken leader of men.
External Journey: From amateur horse rider to experienced equestrian. From a small town colonial homemaker to a rallying messenger of the American militia.
3. Old Ways:
Stews over her situation, forcing her ideas on her siblings and parents.
Impulsively makes decisions.
Slave to her chores and responsibilities at home. Restless and wants to prove herself.
Self-serving for her own gain.
New Ways:
Listens and learns from an unexpected teacher.
Formulates a plan of action to rally soldiers.
Finds courage to ride alone by horseback in the middle of the night.
Recognizes the self-sacrifice it takes to be a leader.
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Dale’s transformational journey.
What I learned doing this assignment is culling what I know about my protagonist into more succinct descriptions of the primary elements of her journey.
My hero is Professor Elizabeth Drewer caught up in how the Me Too movement affects the life of her university and ultimately comes to affect her own personal life in transformative ways.
Her internal journey is from certainty and high-minded ethical stances to realizing not everything is black and white.
Her external journey is from strictly supporting university rules concerning “consensual relationships” and condemning those who break them, to falling for a graduate student who woos her and thus being tempted to break those rules herself.
Her old ways: Judgmental. Lives in her head. Logical. Unbending. Perfectionistic. Black and white thinking.
Her new ways: No longer sure of everything. More forgiving of human failings. Can embrace ambiguities. Now has a balance or heart and mind.
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What I learned from this assignment:
I learned that it’s okay to feel confident when I start writing something new. I usually spend too much time doubting myself – and it has a crippling effect on creativity. It feels good to have confidence – even if you’re talking yourself into it!
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
The hero of the story is Stacey Walker. She is in her mid-40s, very pretty, very smart, but severely disabled with cerebral palsy. She is a wheelchair user – a motorized wheelchair. She only has use of her right arm and hand. Her left arm and her legs are usually cramped and rigid.
Internal Journey: She has been dependent on her parents, then her social work caregivers in addition to her parents, all her life. She has no confidence; anything she needs someone has to give her. She is terribly afraid of offending someone and being abandoned.
External Journey: Over the course of the story, circumstances will demand that she assert herself if she’s ever going to find love and have the kind of life she dreams of. This means pushing herself to demand what she needs, and learning to do more for herself.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Allow other people to do everything for her
Give in to the needs of others rather than demand her own needs be met
Taking whatever scraps of friendship people offer her
New Ways:
Asserting herself
Demanding that her needs be met
Actively seek out a meaningful romantic relationship
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Pat’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that using this method helps to round out the character arc. The journey and the character arc becomes more clear when you can exclusively focus on these points.
You send a Hero on a journey that the audience gets to live.
1. Listen to the 3 minute Empowerment Audio FIRST.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Ira
Internal Journey:
· Discovers he is not happy with his father’s plans for him to become a preacher
· Falls in love with Theater
· Seeks to overcome racist reviews and in his spare time, becomes an outspoken critic of U.S. Slavery
· Discovers markets that appreciate and laud his works/sponsors an enslaved family
· Plans to return to home the US
External Journey:
· Farmer boy
· A ship hand
· Tries Shakespearean acting and his beat up by locals
· Attends seminarian school
· Journeys to England
· Rises through the ranks of English Theater
· Panned by the Critics
· Discovers a role where he is lauded for his work
· Penalized for his outspokenness regarding abolition
· Tours throughout Europe and obtains critical acclaim
· Returns to England and gains acceptance
· Seeks the same in the US
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
· A farm boy who lives life to please his father
· Takes odd jobs to help support the family
· Obedient to his father
· Attends seminary school
New Ways:
· Attends theater at night
· Networks with actors and others in the Theatrical world
· Takes risks and moves to England
· Finds a way to battle his critics
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Seana’s transformational journey
My hero is Amelia Stanhope, a teenager nearing the end of her junior year. She lives in a well to do suburb of New York and is pretty dialed in to her future. She’s got the grades, the family connections and the intelligence to be looking forward to going to a good college, finding the right partner and landing a good job. But visiting her grandparents in the rural south, she becomes stranded there by the pandemic lock down.
Her internal journey is from a fairly unthinking and taken for granted life path, to one that is more open to her own deeper desires and goals.
Her external journey is about learning this culture that is not like the one she knew at home and having to decide if the old path was right for her.
The old ways:
Studying hard with her college bound friends
Focusing with her peers on getting into the right college/
A social scene of strictly her peers who are all thinking along the same lines
Teen romantic interest
The new ways:
A broadened understanding of human beings due to getting outside her bubble.
A new vision of how she wants to live her life.
A new sense of who she might want as friends and romantic attachments.
A new connection with her grandmother.
What I learned from doing this assignment:
Seeing the characters journey as being an arc between old ways of being to new ways of being has already given me a clear sense of the trajectory of this story, while not making me feel too pinned down on specifics.
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DeRuve’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is a great approach to start with the basics. I was kicking around ideas over the weekend trying to prepare for this class. I honestly didn’t come up with anything I liked until this morning when I read this assignment. I am definitely a character driven writer, I usually start with a character that interests me over any plot or story lines. I found that this lesson helped me boil down the basics of my character, and all of a sudden a ton of ideas started coming. My seed for this came this morning, and already sprouted. Exciting.
****There was no confidentiality agreement at the beginning of this class like the other, but since we are all here, I assume we are all on the same page of respect and privacy for each other as writers and creators.
1980’s, Troy, New York.
Who is the hero?
Severino Perisi, a.k.a. The Rhino, mid-thirties, a professional boxer, and debt collector/leg breaker for the mob.
What is the hero’s character arc that represents his transformation?
Rhino begins his journey where he has been for the last fifteen years of his life. He lives a violent lifestyle as a professional boxer, and in his private life, he is a low level henchman for the Mafia. He has grown accustomed to his small one bedroom apartment, crappy car, and his detachment from any friendships or relationships. His soft spot is his family. His parents, and three of his grandparents all live under one roof. He is the baby of five, all of which live on the same block. He is the most reliable caregiver and provider, he is also the only single one in the family, causing agita in his Mother and Grandmother. He has a tender side, but only with his family.
At his first fight it is revealed that his entire career has been fixed as part of the Mob’s sportsbook, and that’s how he consciously makes a living as a boxer. He has fought over a hundred professional bouts, and nearly all of them have been fixed. To his credit, he can do exactly what the sportsbook needs him to. First round knockouts, take a dive in the third, carry a bum the distance and win by points, he was fully in control.
He has one “friend” in the world, a single Mother he crosses paths with on Sunday nights at the laundromat. After seeing each other for years, they finally speak, and an unexpected relationship develops between them.
The Capo gives Rhino instructions on a passed due collection, as Rhino follows his target he learns that this man is the brother of the woman in the laundromat. Eventually, as the debt doesn’t get paid, Rhino is told to kill him.
Through his relationship with the woman, he begins to develop a sense of self he hadn’t had before. He started questioning the life he has lived. After a few fights don’t go their way, Rhino is challenged with a big payday to move down in weight class and take a dive against the middleweight champion. As he begins to realize he’s never lived to his potential, and has never been given a break in his life, he takes action to change the circumstance. Which will draw conflict from the Mob, with his family and their safety, and with his love interest and the safety of her family.
He doesn’t kill her brother, he doesn’t take a dive, in fact, he wins, and he wants to leave this life behind and start over somewhere, anywhere.
What is the hero’s internal journey?
Rhino begins the film a hardened man, who isn’t very smart, and has no one looking out for him. He has accepted a lifestyle he isn’t truly happy with because he believes he doesn’t have any options. He will discover his worth, and challenge the forces against him, and finally break free of this controlled lifestyle.
What is the hero’s external journey?
As a boxer Rhino’s entire career has been carried by the Mob and the sportsbook. His record floats around .500, and he makes more money serving the Mob’s fix, than he does actually fighting. He realizes that he never really reached his full potential even though he felt like he was a better boxer than anybody. He realizes he was being used, in and out of the ring, and he wants to change it.
What are the hero’s old ways?
Leg breaking without any conscious
Working fixed fights
Disconnect from any and all relationships
Grateful for the hand he has been dealt
What are the hero’s new ways?
Can’t follow through with his orders
Wants to see how good of a fighter he really is
Allow his love interest in, become vulnerable
Make the changes needed to live the life he wants
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Aleta Rafton’s Transformational Journey
Assignment 1
What I learned is to clarify the character’s journey and to persist despite doubts.
Stepdad Transformational Journey
The Stepdad a 35 year old computer geek goes from being weak and afraid to confident in himself to deal with anything and developing good relationship with stepson
Arc beginning: nerdy, overly cautious, afraid of almost everything
Arc Ending: confident, calm, good relationship with stepson, feels good about self
Internal Journey
Extremely cautious and not willing to risk to get what he wants until life situations force him to act differently
External Journey
Takes risks which bring results so his life opens leading to good relationship with stepson
Old Ways
Fearful
Overly cautious
Not confident
New Ways
Confident
Brave
Fearless
Boy Transformational Journey
Boy 11 goes from being angry, intolerant and critical of stepdad to good relationship with stepdad
Internal Journey
Dislike for stepdad who is opposite of firefighter dad evolve into respect and trust because events force him to rely on his stepdad so he sees new side to stepdad leading the boy to become more tolerant of people’s differences.
External Journey
Goes from avoiding stepdad to wanting to spend time with him
Arc beginning: closed off from stepdad, aloof,
Arc Ending: more open to different types of people
Old Ways
Angry
Closed off
Intolerant/Critical
New Ways
Happy
Open
Sees good in Stepdad
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Brandi’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment…is that it is important to have an end game driven by the arc and overall transformation of your character rather then a character and story informed by the details you wish to incorporate.
Who: Violet, a morally cautious woman in her late 20’s–librarian who always errors on the better side of right.
Violet–at the lowest point of her life, emotionally crippled by several failed, lack luster relationships and thereby incapable of making a decision for herself–seeks the metaphysical guidance of a tarot reader, who’s reading facilitates a self-indulgent, hedonistic relationship in which Violet becomes almost completely lost.
Internal Journey: From feeling worthless, uncertain and lost in her loveless life to having the tenacity to love herself first and foremost and who trusts herself enough to chose–even if its the wrong choice.
External Journey: From a shy, cautious librarian to confident, new mother and dramaturg.
Old Ways
*Always looking for signs
*Low self esteem
*Working a job she likes, but lacks passion for
*Single and alone
New Ways
*Makes decisions based off of intuition
*Self worth
*Confident enough to purse a career that excites her
*New, complicated relationship with baby and baby’s dad
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Kim’s Transformational Journey
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
That even though I’ve had this character/concept in my brain for a bit, thinking ahead to the end of this journey where my protagonist ends up, helped spark new motivations/ways to flesh out her character early on. It was a good exercise because it also helped me hone in on the protagonist specifically, rather than going down rabbit holes of developing supporting characters or secondary plot threads as a way to procrastinate (a trap I fall into a lot)
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
My hero is Mara. 39, smart, successful, stubborn eldest daughter, and closeted asexual/aromantic, who learns her longtime dream of having a baby/traditional family can still be achieved, if she’s willing to go the nontraditional route for the first time in her life.
Internal Journey: From closed off and consumed by her own self interests/self preservation, to emotionally available and present with those she fully lets into her life.
External Journey: Only thinks herself worthy/capable of love from her immediate family, but comes to find platonic love and acceptance through the family she’s formed, and those she met along the way.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Isolated/closed off, slightly agoraphobic
Inauthentic and hiding who she is/what she really wants
Fearful/anxious
Rigid and uncompromising when it comes to the one path she thinks will make her happiest
Drinks excessively to cope
Leans into comfort zone of family even though they aren’t the comfort she actually needs
New Ways:
Travels in pursuit of goal
Becomes open/honest about who she is/what she needs
Learns of alternate paths that could work to make her happy
Finds comfort zone with people letting her finally be herself
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Kimberly Pinto.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Kimberly Pinto.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Kimberly Pinto.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Kimberly Pinto.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by
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Dave Holloway’s Transformational Journey
Internal Journey: Nigel begins the story as a somewhat timid, bookish lawyer who has little self-confidence to a more confident young man who realizes he can do many things he wouldn’t have thought himself capable of.
External Journey: Nigel is a 25-year-old lawyer in London whose journalist wife is on assignment in what was formerly America. He learns she has been taken prisoner in a military state on the west coast of North America. He, along with a friend, must travel overland from the east coast to the military state and free her from the prison.
Old Ways: Not confident, intellectual and immersed in books, somewhat afraid of venturing outside his protected, comfortable life.
New Ways: Confident, open to new experience, more interested in physical adventures, feeling much more positive about himself and enjoying life more.
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Aline’s Transformational Journey
This is a part of a feature film that I have already started writing scenes for. I had not thought of the emotional state of my protagonist at the end of the journey. I have events written down but her journey was floating and open ended. I have a goal now. She goes on a literal journey and returns home- but when she is back, she is a new person. As a writer, I tend to write ambivalent events and I avoid spoon feeding and “obvious journeys”. However, I also have a problem finishing projects and I believe that creating clear point A to point B journeys will help me stay focused and create more engaging scenarios.
Internal Journey: Lucy is hesitant, hiding, running away from her problems while subconsciously crying for help wanting to be seen and saved. She ends up decisive, taking responsibility for her choices and making decisions based on what she has learned: facing her family and starting a new life- free from the dogmas of her religious upbringing.
External Journey: Lucy is first seen running away from home in her mother’s car and hiding from the ones that could help her because she is inexperienced and afraid. She journeys from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and back to SLC to face the choices she needs to make openly to her family.
Old Ways:
Lucy went to church even when she didn’t want to; She kept it a secret that she had 3 moms in her polygamist family; She didn’t tell her parents that she felt neglected and overworked with having to help with the smaller kids; She felt awkward with the youngest wife being too close to her age; She cried at night thinking she would have to be married to a man and share him with other wives- She was ashamed and terrified that her high school friends might find out — the rumours were a nightmare; some kids said her whole family could go to jail and she was terrified of losing them or going to jail herself; Loves Tori Amos’ feminist music; is embarrassed for having kissed Lucien when she thought Lucien was a boy; Lucy is afraid of her own sexuality.
New Ways:
She is confident and tells her parents that she wants out of the cult but she doesn’t want to lose them as a family; but she is ready to face consequences of being true to herself; She is ready to admit she has feelings for Lucien- who is actually a queer girl.
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Lesson 1: Jonathan’s Transformational Journey
—What I learned doing this assignment is that by we are essentially creating our road map for our Protagonist.
The “before” and “after” – this transformation should be the basis of the Protagonist’s evolution.
Our task is to create an organic way to introduce obstacles, antagonists, and decisions that force our Protagonist to take action and become who we envision in the end.
—Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Jaslyne Liber, 40-year old, sheltered, adopted-daughter to the Matriarch of an American Wine-Dynasty. She seeks to break free of her life-long servitude to her well-meaning but self-centered, entitled family and to develop a voice and confidence and to be her own woman.
<div>
</div>—Internal Journey:
<div>
From being a meek, submissive follower, co-dependent to her family to being a confident, self-assured, late-bloomer who she can be proud of.
—External Journey:
From the bottom of the unspoken family hierarchy to being worthy of taking over the family wine business.
—-What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Quiet, obedient and submissive.
A follower, never questions authority.
Shy and cautious.
Defers to her sisters.</div><div>New Ways:
· Confident, go-getter, full of charm.
· Dynamic salesperson.
· Competes and surpasses her sisters.
· Vocal, leader.
</div>
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Chris’ Transformational Journey
What I learned from doing this assignment is largely just taking a deeper dive into my characters emotional states and qualities. I honestly hadn’t given a ton of thought to what we’re calling the Old Ways vs New Ways and found it informative when the instruction said that if you know the end result, one way to find the Old Ways is to go opposite.
My hero is Cora, a 20 something, bi racial (black/white) girl, living in Los Angeles in the mid 1990’s who accompany’s an acquaintance to the pristine mountain community of Lake Arrowhead. They’ve been tasked with making a delivery, which is essentially a McGuffin, it’ll be revealed to be a smallish piece of art, for some slightly below board types in exchange for some quick cash.
Simultaneously, a pornographic film is being shot remotely at a rented lakefront estate. This is pre internet / online porn, so it was actually shot somewhat like an actual film, it’s digital obviously, not Boogie Nights, but they did have actual budgets and small crews.
The stories cross over when the McGuffin disappears, along with Cora’s friend. Cora desperately needs to find the merchandise. Her life literally depends on it. The porn movie has basically been turned into a Giallo film where everyone now feels that they are actually making “ART”. I mean, if you watch Giallo films, what’s more punk rock than making an actual porn that masquerades as Giallo. But when people are disappearing, it’s almost like someone might be making a snuff film and possibly “the most pure Giallo film ever.”
Cora’s character arc will be:
Internal Journey- From transactional and non committed to compassionate and resourceful.
External Journey- From being along for the ride to being a survivor and boss.
Old Ways- Self involved, taking shortcuts, judgmental.
New Ways- Self reliant, resourceful, out smarting everyone, becoming her best self.
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Veleka’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that by brainstorming about the story before class started, I had laid groundwork that bore fruit when it was time to do the homework.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation? Arminda Cupit will be a Lone Ranger to start, and over the course of Season One learn that she is loved as well as respected.
Internal Journey: Ashamed of being a poor, Irish immigrantExternal Journey: Learns to join a community and not just lead it.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old: bossy, perfectionist, distant, isolated.
New: lets herself be rescued and ultimately saved by her team
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Veleka Gray. Reason: Forgot to put subject line
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This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by
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Gayle’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is how important it is to know the main character – from where they are to where they need to go in order to craft a story worthy of them.
RICK COFFEY – A 35 year-old paranormal investigator, married who works with his wife. She does most of the legwork and he takes the credit, being the face of their success. His fame is now waning and desperate to reclaim their renown after a failed movie about their experiences.
Internal Journey: Moves from shame and fear about not being the great ghost hunter he proclaims to being proud of the resourceful skills he does have which will allow him to work with and show love/pride for his wife and her accomplishments instead of trying to outshine her.
External Journey: Moves from selfish boor demanding a reality show to show off his success to humbly working with his wife to get rid of a demon in their house and win his back wife’s affection. He’s also now willing to start a family he’d always put off.
Old Ways: Snarky, selfish, boaster who thinks way more of himself than he should. Believes his wife will follow his dreams of international fame and success while putting her goals second until they have what he says is enough money to start a family.
New Ways: Now more humble, he respects his wife’s proficiency and knows he has a lot to learn. Willing to listen to his wife and let her teach him the skills needed to revive their ghost hunting success. He becomes able to openly talk about his inner wounds and motivations to put their marriage back on solid ground.
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30 day screenplay assignment 1
What I learned doing this assignment is what I begin with and what I end with. This keeps me on track. What I am doing is listing the essentials of my character so I don’t deviate and lose their focus.
Internal journey – from letting people walk all over him to finally getting a backbone and taking leadership.
External journey – from a weak male who can’t stand up for himself to a man ready to break down the door and reclaim his life that was stolen from him.
Old ways
Shy.
Lived in his stories.
Wasn’t social.
Not wanting to interact much with anyone.
Allowed himself to be walked on.
New ways
Powered with the need to be vindictive
No longer allowing himself to be a victim.
Doesn’t let an opportunity go by.
Realizes he must be a lone wolf instead of being a follower.
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Jin’s Transformational Journey
1. Story Arc — Identify old ways and new ways.
OLD Ways: Romantic, naive, believes in marriage of parents
Hangs out with his girlfriend
Better relationship with father’s side of the family
No relationship with mother’s side of the family
NEW Ways: Realist, cynical, believes relationships are temporary
Breaks up with his girlfriend
Damaged relationship with father’s side of the family
Kindles new relationship with mother’s side of the family
2. Protagonist and Antagonist — Who are we traveling with?
Father isn’t much of a presence yet, hard to have conflict between characters if they are always apart from each other, off screen*
Need to go through a journey together, either as partners or obstacles
Maybe in his place use Eilo, new female friend, exposes his beliefs on dating
3. Conflict — What is forcing this change?
College, long distance, news of divorce, parents waited until he was 18 and left the nest
Forms a female friend that fills the role of his girlfriend, but then she leaves him because she starts dating someone else
4. Theme — What is this story about?
Different understandings of love, what’s best for one’s son, or parents vice versa, sacrifice
5. The 4 Act Transformational Structure.
Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring
6. Beat Sheet: Obstacles/Challenges — What events demand the change?
Accepted to school in new york
Not coming home? Not visiting girlfriend/break up
Information of divorce blows up at family reunion
Different testimonials from both parents, sides with mom’s, hears about the negatives that his dad fails to mention
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7. Arc Beginning: Jin is unwilling to accept the impending divorce of his parents.
Arc Ending: Jin forgives his father and makes peace with both sides of the family.
8. I<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>nternal Journey: From afraid of dealing with conflict To being able to confront his fears.
External Journey: From breaking relationships with people To repairing them.
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Pam’s Transformational Journey
What I learned: in order to give my Hero enough room to grow, I need to make him initially less likable than I had envisioned. Maybe a bit of a Tool…
Who is your Hero & what is their Character Arc that represents a Transformation?
One of Hollywood’s top celebrity hairstylists, 30ish HENRI BERGER, witnesses a murder and is relocated for his protection. He must adapt in his new, rural Vermont world — living incognito as a dog groomer.Internal Journey: Henri goes from being obsessive, anal, and insecure — governed by what others think — to a guy who “keeps it real” and redefines what’s important in his life.
External Journey: From image-conscious, accomplished Celebrity Hairstylist to creative and sought-after Dog Groomer — and ultimately doesn’t see this as a step down the career ladder. From needing to be part of the “it” crowd to a guy who knows who his real friends are.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>OLD WAYS
– Materialistic
– Anal. Life shouldn’t be messy.
– Values conventional outer beauty
– Perfectionist
– Surrounds himself with celebrities and perfection
– Needs others to validate his success<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>NEW WAYS
– Down to earth
– Life doesn’t have to be perfect
– Re-evaluates individuality, inner and outer beauty
– Accepts imperfections
– Surrounds himself with real friends and people he loves
– Redefines success and happiness -
Sam Reynolds Transformational Journey
What I learned from this assignment: this will be a useful line of thinking when it comes to thinking about conflict and mapping out the story. I haven’t thought quite like this before.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
My story’s hero is Nadine, a 30-year-old woman who, with her husband’s urging, has decided to terminate her 35 weeks in utero baby due to a brain anomaly. Nadine goes from a grieving, timid, and helpless woman to one who takes control of her life path by not listening to doctors and having her baby her way.
Internal Journey: From feeling insecure and scared to someone who doesn’t take NO for an answer. <div>
External Journey: From ending a life inside her to living a life on the outside that is all her.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Allows doctors to dictate what she should do
Afraid to speak up – follow rules
Didn’t know she could make herself have the baby at home
Timid and wants to stay hidden
Conventional thinking about parenting
New Ways:
Confident to say NO and do it her way
Takes control of her life and how she wants the birth to end
Wants to show herself and her baby
Doesn’t care what people think
</div>
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Renee’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is by understanding the protagonist’s journey through the story you can have a better idea of what to include in the outline and subsequent script.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
The hero is Mia Roberts, a 19-year-old art student.
Internal Journey: At the start of the story she is a shy and naive young woman who is scared of her own shadow and lets people walk all over her. By the end of the story, she has found her strength and has learned to stand up for herself. <div>
External Journey: She starts out weak and ends the story stronger than she ever though possible.
What are the
Old Ways:
– she keeps to herself
– avoids confrontation
– she quiet
New Ways:
– she is more sociable
– she is outspoken
– she meets conflict head-on
</div>
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I just posted and scrolled up a bit and it looks like I almost copied you. haha. I didn’t!
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My heroine is a young woman who will be based on my mother and her experiences coming of age during The Great Depression and WW II. I haven’t yet come up with a name for the character.
My character is abandoned by her father who is an alcoholic. She is the only one left to care for her mother who is totally blind. She feels overwhelmed, isolated, helpless. This leaves her with deep abandonment issues that haunt her. While feeling depressed and forlorn she is given a free pass to go to the opening of Gone With The Wind in Minot, ND, her hometown. Enthralled, she stays through three performances in one day and is inspired by Scarlett’s determination, which she then makes her own. She gets a job in a bakery, faces threats posed by her supervisor and the harsh realities of the times. Eventually, after being noticed for her hard work and reliability by the owner of the bakery, she gets a chance to go to an elite boarding school. While there, she is ridiculed by the other students. She faces these taunts down and in the process is inspired to become a teacher. With no money to go on, finds a way to finish college to get hired as a teacher in a small midwestern town. While there, she has to adapt to new realities, but eventually wins an award from the state for her teaching. Still fearful of abandonment, she ultimately finds and marries a man whom she trusts and who will not abandon her.
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Adam’s transformational journey.
What I learned from this assignment:
A good strategy for an overall look at the character journey and change. I like the breakdown like this because I can almost see the scenes, one by one, that you could write throughout the movie to reflect each change, bringing depth to character, action moving forward and raising stakes. Plus how you can build the old ways and the new way into the both the internal and external journeys. Was also very fast!
Hero: Martin, mid-40s, a mild mannered, fun high school teacher, who goes about his quiet life with his nuclear family until a global threat questions his reality and pits human against human.
Internal Journey: From being fearful and living in denial/under a veil to brave and eyes wide open.
External Journey: From living a comfortable, quiet and ‘safe’ life to a freedom fighter trying to save humanity.
Old Ways:
· Did as he was told
· Just tried to be the fun and liked guy
· Insecure
· Let his wife make the decisions
· Let his kids run over him (own kids and students)
· Kept his head down, avoids conflict
New Ways:
· Makes up his own mind
· Doesn’t care what other think
· Confident
· Debates/doesn’t back down
· Leads others
· Faces conflict head on
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Haha! I guess it’s true Adam, great minds think alike. Looking forward to seeing how you use the transformational journey in your script.
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Sandra’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that in order to have an amazing character driven story, the protagonist needs to have an Arc and Transformational Journey. This assignment was easy and fun!
Hero: Lucy is a Ph.D. student
Hero’s Character Arc
Internal Journey: From fearful and timid to strong and confident.
External Journey: From a timid Ph.D. student to taking down a manipulative professor.
Old Ways:
-Didn’t believe in herself (insecurity, low self-esteem, self-doubt)
-Jumped to conclusions (erroneous thinking)
-Honest and naïve
-Overly dedicated to her work and studies (workaholic – ignored her family)
New Ways:
Empowered – believes she can accomplish anything
Courageous – released her fears and self-doubt
Examines situations – thinks things through
Sets healthy boundaries and priorities – better self-care
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Hi, Sandra.
Just wanted to say “Hello!” I just realized you were in my Thriller class that we just finished.
I look forward to learning more about your Hero Lucy’s Transformational Journey :0)
Best,
Pam
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Judy’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is to power up and think outside the box.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
An introverted, nerdy, teenage girl who believes in fact, not fantasy. She’s critical of her sister’s belief in Santa and in trying to disprove him, causes Santa to have amnesia.
Transformation: She brings Santa back for her sister
Beginning Arc: Doesn’t believe in Santa.
Ending Arc: Champion of Santa
Internal Journey: From introverted disbeliever, to an outgoing, social butterfly believer.
External Journey: Taking risks. Gets out of her safe zone. Has to help Santa remember who he is.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old ways:
Introverted,
Disbeliever
Afraid of the unknown,
Stays in her safe zones
New ways:
Social butterfly,
Believer,
Adventurous,
Out-of-the box thinking.
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Day 1 – Transformational Journey
The Odysseya
WIL: This was a good way to have a deeper understanding of my character and who she moves in the world as the story begins and how she transforms for the end and the rest of her life.Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
My hero’s name is Jetti. She is a PhD student. Her area of work is mythological creatures. She has been studying The Odysseya – an elusive species of Mermaid who are descendants of Ceres and the Sirens of the Odyssey.
Internal Journey:
From meek, driven by her need (survival)/complacency to support, show deference, and be completely capitulate toward the patriarchy. To knowing her worth, finding her own strength, come out of the mire that is the gaslighting of the status quo and fests on its flesh.
External Journey:
From working on a PhD about mermaids to becoming one.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways
Believing:
– That she is less than
– That men know better
– That she needs to be a man or think like a man to live her life
– That all women are less than unless they uphold the patriarchy
– That mermaids are lecherous creatures
– That women are not understandable
Afraid:
– Of herself and what she is feeling
– Of doing something wrong
– Of her own shadow
– Of men
– Of authority
Let:
– People walk all over her
– Dominate her
– Judge her
– Criticize her
New Ways
Embodies her true nature – becomes a mermaid. Recognition of who she truly is.
Leaves her old self literally behind. And devours that which kept her from recognizing herself for her whole life.
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Kit’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of focusing on what is important to the story foundation and recognizing the broader trends of what I want my story to be about instead of getting lost in the fun details.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation? – Monica Staub is a privileged married member of what she thinks is a health and wellness group but is in fact a vampire cult. When she refuses to graduate to the next level of commitment and is excommunicated, she must team up with a local band of vampire slayers to rescue her husband from the cult. By the end, she is the only one who can slay the head of the cult who has been covertly terrorizing the area for a couple of centuries.
Internal Journey: Monica’s internal journey is from selfish, judgmental and superficial to deeply caring, understanding and willing to fight for others
External Journey: Monica’s external journey takes her from being a privileged member of a cult that seems to be focused on health, fitness & spiritual awareness to being “The One” who slays the head of the vampire cult.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
· focused on gaining privileges and retaining status in the cult
· uses physically working out to avoid connecting emotionally or dealing with trauma/change
· views a person’s ability to meet beauty standards as a reflection of that person’s character
New Ways:
· thinks and acts independently for herself and her goals within the team setting
· protects & supports others, especially those who are more vulnerable physically or emotionally
· accepts people in their totality based on their own actions and words
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Carissa’s Transformational Journey
What I learned—Clarity on my main character.
Hero: Ron Glazer
Internal: Ron has to prove himself to everyone, that he can do it all.
External: Ron has to do everything… Manage, produce and work undercover.
Old Ways: Ron had to prove himself. Has to juggle hundreds things. It’s not enough to be a talent manager, he has to produce. It’s not enough to produce, he has to work undercover.
New Ways: Ron doesn’t need to prove himself. It’s enough to leave Hollywood, work undercover and enjoy his family.
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Carolyn Pierre-Outlar’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is how important it is to clearly define your character’s arc before you even start writing.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation? My hero is Mekhai Santos, a 22-year-old recent college graduate who goes from being a naive, insecure pushover to a strong, confidant, and formidable adversary.
Internal Journey: From powerless and insignificant to respected and feared.
External Journey: Unemployed college graduate to the one who takes down a powerful drug company.
Old ways:
1). Guilt-ridden, timid
2). Momma’s boy, cares too much about what others think of him
3). Materialistic, thinks money will solve all his problems
New ways:
1). Fighter, confident
2). Secure, independent
3). Selfless, brave
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John T’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that coming up with a basic arc seems to be based on the central idea or theme – freedom naturally flows from self-empowerment.
· Internal Journey: Jennifer goes from being an easily manipulated introvert to a strong and intentional woman in charge of herself.
· External Journey: Jennifer goes from being the butt of jokes and tricks to dominating the cyborgs on the island and emerging as the sole survivor.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old ways: deferring to her boyfriend, not standing up for herself, being a pushover, allowing herself to be ridiculed, letting others tell her what to do.
New ways: in control, not bothered by what others think, confident, not hampered by old memories, free of self-imposed limitations, not afraid to improvise.
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Terri Potts Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that it gives me a chance to breakdown the story for clarity and structure.
Who is your hero?
My hero is Paul or Saul of Tarsus. A Roman citizen, he comes from a family of tent makers. Paul is well versed in the Jewish faith and is studying to become a Rabbi. Paul is in opposition of “The Way” and is committed to persecuting Christians.
The character arc in his transformation:
Internal Journey: Paul is struggling with why people are believing in “The Way?” Being devoted to the Jewish Faith he wants to stop the people by persecuting them.
He goes to the extent of getting permission from the high priest to continue his torment by going to Damascus to carry out his plan further.
External Journey: On his way to Damascus, Paul encounters difficulties in carry out his plan. He comes to understand why “The Way” is a significant part of life and realizes he was wrong all along. This not only changes his journey, but his life as well.
Old Ways: Determination to banish “The Way” no matter what it takes. His anger and diligence was for all the wrong reasons.
New Ways: He learns about “The Way” and understands the significance of why people are following it. He takes a life long journey to enlighten people to join “The Way” and for is sorry for all of the torment he’s caused. He then finds himself being persecuted for the same reason that he persecuted others.
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Anna Erishkigal’s transformational journey:
What I learned doing this assignment: its helpful to brainstorm old and new ways of doing things beforehand.
Who is my hero?
Mikhail is a genetically engineered super-soldier who can command a terrifying power that no mortal creature can control. To rescue his son from the Devourer of Children, he must become more than human, archangel, a creature that can hold the darkness and light in perfect balance or the power will destroy, not only him, but the entire planet.
Internal journey: he must move past his fear and rage and learn to wield his “gift” from a place of total detachment.
External journey: he must rally humanity to band together, fight back against the Evil One, and drag the devil, literally, into hell.
Old Ways: he’s used to fighting his battles alone. He tends to think in terms of good and evil.
New Ways: his “gift” is too overwhelming for any creature to wield. He must rally others to help him fight.
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Richard’s Transformational Journey
What I learnt doing this assignment is that not writing for six years has its disadvantages.
Who is your Hero?
Shane, a fiercely loyal clansman.
What is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
From traditionalist to the people’s leader.
Internal Journey: Changes all he believes in regarding culture and history.
External Journey: From being a loyal warrior to the leader of his people.
The Old Ways: Traditionalist. Subdued. Wanting normality.
New Ways: Leader. Visionary.
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Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learn about my character’s changes, and dig deeper into her mind and soul, wants and needs.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Moon, a Chinese immigrant strives for success, rights and freedom in the US. During the journey of getting her green card, she realizes she must face her own demon, let go of her old self in order to set free.
Internal Journey: From unemotional to open and vulnerable, from lost to find herself.
External Journey: From a finance broker living in a rat race city life to a free-spirited artist in a creative open space.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old ways: Business minded, career, success driven, unemotional, city woman, loner, rigid, live in other people’s dreams & expectations.
New ways: Open, true to herself, vulnerable, rediscover her own value and mission, living in her dreams and new hopes.
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Patricia Towers-ChASSIGNMENT
1. Listen to the 3 minute Empowerment Audio FIRST.
https://30dayscript.s3.amazonaws.com/Empowerment+Audio.m4a
2. Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Victim: My character is a victim of circumstances. As a little girl, her mother left her. My character has to make some sense of her life as she grows into adulthood.
Hero
Explorer
Runner
Fighter
Victim: Victim: My character is a victim of circumstances. As a little girl, her mother left her. My character has to make some sense of her life as she grows into adulthood.
Dreamer
3. Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Change Agent:
Villain
Change Agent: My character is a change agent by initiating and managing her own internal change.
Authority
Predator
4. What other characters might be necessary?
Supporting characters:
Minor roles: Her aunt, teacher
Background characters: dancers, street people walking
5. Pick your genre.
Rom-Com or Buddy Movie
Thriller
Horror
Action
Drama: My genre, would be Drama
Sci-Fi
Comedy
6. Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story: Lead Character
Age range and Description: 5years to 80 years old
Internal Journey: Very alert to her surroundings
External Journey: From loneliness to moving to New York
Motivation: To belong
Wound: mssing her mother
Mission/Agenda:
Secret:
What makes them special?
Her Tenacity, endurance.
7. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learned Not to overthink and answer the questions.
8. Post your assignment in the forums at http://www.screenwritingexperts.com
Subject line: (Your name’s) Character Profiles Part 1 (place in first line)
Deadline: 24 hours Profile Part 1
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EUGENE’S TRANFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
What I learned from this assignment is that I like the Old Lesson System much more and hope I can adapt to this New Lesson System.
1. Listen to the 3 minute Empowerment Audio FIRST.
https://30dayscript.s3.amazonaws.com/Empowerment+Audio.m4a
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Internal Journey: Celeste SeedlingSun must accept the fact that her visions may not fit, in a timely manner, with her present goals.
External Journey: Celeste must help Patrick Lee in his campaign for the Presidency.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
The Old Ways are the Present two Party System in the U.S. where others who run for President do not really have much of a chance.
The New Ways are Patrick Lee’s Campaign that breaks all the rules and gets the attention of the nation and the world. Celeste, originally his campaign manager, has become his Vice Presidential Running Mate.
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4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
This will be a new and interesting way for me to start new scripts.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Internal Journey: Patricia has to find the courage to stand up to her father and then later on to forgive him.External Journey: Patricia grows from child who is cared for by her mother, to an adult who cares for her mother.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways – Patricia is afraid of her father, hates him.
New Ways – Patricia is not afraid of her father, forgives him.
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BEAST – George
George is a highly appreciated theater technical director. He is a theater staff member who does everything for everybody else, but has unfulfilled ambition of being a writer/director. The theater company loves his technical work but for self serving reasons do not encourage his ambitions. He begs a 15 minute slot on their pitch night for the one “showcase” opening they do to fulfill their grant agreement. The mostly absentee theater figure head and world class Mythologist shows up unexpected to the Pitch Night. His overwhelming approval wins George the showcase run.
George’s exhilaration at landing the spot soon transforms into apprehension at meeting the challenge of developing his pitch into a ninety minute performance. The other Artists and Theater Manager are not going to make this easy for him.
Internal Journey: Face it, George is a suck up, a yes man, always wanting to please, that’s why he’s so good at his job. But this will never get him to where he wants to be as peer to the other creators.
External Journey: Overcoming the other member’s narrow view, that George is only a facilitator of their wishes, is the battle George has to fight if his vision of his production “BEAST” is to succeed.
George Old Ways
No confidence, not a peer, subservient, desiring others to like him.
Concealing his artistic ambitions.
Hides behind a disguised veil of wry humor.George New Ways
1. Strong, projects leadership
2. caring while focused on his ambition
3. Generates enthusiasm and wins the respect of his artistic peers
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Steven Patterson – Assignment 2 – Who We are Traveling With
What I learned doing this assignment is – it saves a lot of time to figure out all these motivations before starting the actual scriptwriting.
>> Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role: Victim.
Stacey Walker begins the story as a person with cerebral palsy who feels helpless. She is dependent on her parents and her caregivers for all her activities of daily living – preparing her food, going to the bathroom, getting in and out of bed, etc.
>> Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role: Authority.
Harry Walker is Stacey’s father. He loves Stacey dearly but he has taken care of her for so long he has basically taken over her life. He cares for her in a programmed, practical way to get “the job” done quickly. He’s efficient but not very empathetic to her needs or what she is going through. He’s not malevolent or evil; he has just fallen into a pattern of “doing the job” of taking care of his “invalid” daughter.
>> What other characters might be necessary?
Supporting characters:
Brittany – Stacey’s social work caregiver.
Joan – Stacey’s mother.
Mateo – Stacey’s married lover.
Minor Roles:
Cindy – Brittany’s overbearing mother
Cara – Brittany’s younger sister
>> Pick your genre: Drama
>> Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story: Stacey, the Protagonist
Age range and Description: Stacey is in her early 40s. She has severe cerebral palsy. Her speech is difficult to understand, she is a wheelchair user, and has extremely limited mobility.
Internal Journey: Stacey goes from feeling powerless to believing she can control her own life.
External Journey: She goes from total dependence on others to establishing boundaries and a sense of independence.
Motivation: To live her own life.
Wound: not sure of this yet
Mission/Agenda: To at last have a meaningful relationship.
Secret: She has had an ongoing sexual relationship with a married man for several years.
What makes them special? Despite her disabilities she is kind, thoughtful, and resilient.
Role in the story: Harry, the Antagonist
Age range and Description: Harry is Stacey’s father. He is in his 70s. Because of Stacey’s disability he got trained to be a licensed caregiver so he could support his daughter and get paid for it. He is well intentioned but domineering. He makes all of Stacey’s decisions for her.
Internal Journey: He goes from being totally controlling to relaxing his grip.
External Journey: Same as the Internal Journey.
Motivation: To be seen as a wonderful, caring, perfect father.
Wound: He is in no way responsible for Stacey’s condition; nevertheless he feels that her disability is his fault. Something in his genes, maybe. It makes no sense but nevertheless he feels that way.
Mission/Agenda: To care for and protect Stacey.
Secret: not sure about this yet
What makes them special? Despite being so overbearing and controlling, he is doing what many men would not – devoting himself to caring for his daughter. But he’s going about it in a much too aggressive way.
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1. It is possible to finish this.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Jon Johnson
Internal
Journey: from weak and afraid to strong & fearlessExternal
Journey: From unemployed dogcatcher to facing animal attack3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old ways – fearful, going from disaster to disaster, not wanting to put out effort, Kat and others dominate him
New ways -couregeous, faces Kat and rescues Bob
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Michael O’Keefe — Day One Homework
[1] What I learned doing this assignment? By providing a framework for the protagonist, listing his beginning and ending attributes (the way he thinks, reacts and sees the world) via the transformation he undergoes, it allows me to see where I need to start instilling the heroic-transformational aspects needed to keep the audience “hooked” and at the same time provide a plausible framework for the hero’s transformation.
[2] My hero’s name is Clendon. His character arc and resulting transformation begins with the murder of his mother, his emotional devastation and subsequent obsession to find out who murdered her.
2a. Internal journey = Clendon goes from carefree, wealthy, eighteen year old to devastated, emotionally unstable and violent, to a young man determined to prove his father killed his mother, to discovering the truth.
2b. External journey = Clendon moves from high-school senior to a young adult: who survives great loss, finds love, discovers the identity of his mother’s killer, embraces forgiveness.
[3] What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
3a. Clendon’s old ways: specific set of (1) behaviors, (2) emotions, and (3) thinking patterns that were present before the change and will be gone or altered after the change.
(1) behavior: obsessively works out to stay grounded. (1) behavior: training & sparring keeps his anger and want for violence in check. (2) emotion: suspicious, full of himself, arrogant, wants to start fresh. (3) thinking pattern: right is right and wrong is wrong; no grey areas with him.
3b. Clendon’s new ways: specific set of (1) behaviors, (2) emotions, and (3) thinking patterns that replace the Old Ways as the change is being made.
(1) behavior: learns forgiveness, something his mother always preached to him. (1) behavior: protects the one he loves at the expense of exacting his vengeance. (2) emotion: embraces his mother’s motto: family before all else. (3) thinking pattern: learns there are grey areas, not everything is black and white, e. thinking pattern: learns forgiveness and carries on his mother’s legacy.
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<font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>Jeff’s Transformational Journey
</font></font></font><font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation? </font></font></font>
<font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>Internal Journey: That the waning of American values can be corrected and that his belief and support of them validates his life.</font></font></font>
<font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>External Journey: When government doesn’t protect the citizens the military/gun is still a validate way to right the wrong, just like the 2<sup>nd</sup> amendment provided! </font></font></font>
<font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways? Letting others right the wrong, after coming out of “retirement”, and being effective like always, the NEW WAY he realizes that he is needed and decides to run his own cold calling telemarketing company! </font></font></font>
<font color=”#343434″><font face=”Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”2″>4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work. That my initial idea did not have a transformation in it. It was an action film. </font></font></font>
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My hero is Annie. She is just about to turn 30, she is scared and unsure, unempowered and floundering in life. She wants creative freedom but doesn’t have the belief in herself to express her ideas confidently, because she is blocked by her negative inner critic, every time she attempts something new or exciting. Her negative inner critic is blocking her from growth and success.
Inner Journey: She learned to take accountability for herself by fully acknowledging and dealing with her block to process it.
External Journey: She goes from being a mail carrier in a publishing house to writing her own self help book and giving a TED talk.
Her old ways are being held back by her block, listening to the negative self talk and allowing it to hold her back. Her old ways are drinking too much and not taking care of her body, taking drugs and eating horrible food.
Her new ways are writing down and exploring her creative ideas, not ignoring the block but understanding that her inner critic is only there to help her deal with her fear. She is now able to help other people process their inner critics as well. She can now do hard things and is able to be accountable for herself.
During this assignment I learned to break the main character down to the most basic components of motivation. I learned that creating the basic arc of the character can be essential to creating a clear framework for the story. This lessons also helped me remove my anxiety about getting started because this initial process doesn’t feel so overwhelming.
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Mary Buchanan
Lesson 1
What I learned doing this assignment: I believe this process will save me time in writing because I am doing all the thinking about characters before the writing.
1. HERO: Liz Bradford, VP Marketing for Bradford Inn
Internal Journey:
from rejection by high school sweetheart to confident to pursue a relationship with someone else.
from fear of flying to getting on a plane to begin a new relationship
External Journey
from workaholic to avoid love relationships to wanting a balance to start a new relationship
2. Old Ways: avoid conflicts, always “on the job”, no dating, lives in the frustrated past, angry over rejection in high school relationship, business success if ok, but needs to work on sales skills, especially family relationships of clients, manipulated by old boyfriend
New Ways: Takes time for fun, develops stronger interpersonal skills, overcomes fear of flying, seeks new relationships, better attitude in sales because she is happier in new relationship, stands up to old boyfriend.
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Randy Weaver : Transformational Journey
“What I learned doing this assignment is…I needed to define the character arc in order to define the journey.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
My hero is 20 year old Adelle. She feels safe in her own family and looking forward to a College internship. She discovers information that she wasn’t an only child and had a sister that disappeared. While searching for the truth, her reality becomes non-reality.
Internal
Journey: From naïve and trusting to determined and self-reliant.
External
Journey: While searching for the truth about her family, she loses what
family and life she had.3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Dependent on her parents.
Unknowing of how the world works.
Doesn’t know her strengths.
Reliant on others.
Untested.
New Ways:
Determined to find the truth.
Courageous.
Trusts her intuition.
Accepts her new reality.
Finds the killers of her sister.
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Jena Bonna Transformational Journey
What I learned? The biggest thing I learned from this assignment was how powerful the 3 minute empowering audio bit could be. I easily tapped in to previous successful thoughts and feelings, as well as instantly editing the last line (NLP) of it from “you’re going to be such a great writer” to “I am a great writer!”
LEAD CHARACTER: BILLIONAIRE OLD MAN spends his days obsessively planning for his death.
Arc Beginning: Obsessed with planning every detail of his death.
Arc Ending: Loves living life to the fullest – turns his back on death.
Internal Journey: Releases the hold his secret (and dead wife) has on him. (Releases old life.)
External Journey: Bonds with tween to plan and execute a clandestine mission that will free him from his secret so he can dies in peace.
Old Ways: Obsessively planning funeral, amending will, writing and rewriting obituary, customizing headstone, planning scenarios for every cause of death, who gets every dime etc. Keeps a big secret. Holds on to dead wife.
New Ways: Shares his secret. Trusts a stranger. Ready for life’s next adventure, makes new friends, and loving every minute of it.
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Jon’s Transitional Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is that I love screenwriting. It is something that even this first assignment reconfirms that I am a good writer who needs more tools and the sharpening of his craft. I learned that a good character arc is the reason that I watch Man On Fire over and over. People love to be taken on a journey. They WANT to like the main character and his ARC. That filling in the middle between the beginning and end of the transformational journey is just the How and What and that makes writing easier.I learned that knowing my own transformational journey and that of others will help me be more success full at writing my own screenplay. I was surprised to learn that an analogy like dieting and weight lose is so very like any character’s journey. If I use the tools presented, I will write faster and more effectively.
\Who is my Hero:
My hero’s name is Chance (short for Chancellor). He was named by his father, who was a lawyer, before he was convicted of murder for killing the intruder during a home invasion – and not retreating as the law requires. Chance went to great schools, never wanted for anything and had immense promise up to that traumatic day in this life. With two toddlers of his own and overwhelming bills related to civil lawsuits and the now failed practice, Chance struggles to get by financially, on top of struggling emotionally. In this new state of being, he doesn’t make good decisions. He turns to the streets to make money and the streets are meaner than he could imagine. But, he has to do what he has to do. As a result of all of this madness, his mother loses her grip on reality and his fiancé decides she can’t handle who he has become.
Transformation:
Chance puts his sad criminal behavior behind him and builds a happy and prosperous life using his brain.
Internal Journey:
Feeling terrible about his criminal ways to feeling great about achieving things legally.
External Journey:
From being a two bit hustler to becoming a homeowner and business owner
Old Ways:
Not giving a shit about people, being what his dad loathes, having nothing, being full of rage and confusion,.
New Ways:
genuinely caring about people, being just what his dad would have wanted, owning a home and a business just like his dad, conquering his rage and learning where it came from.
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Clendon – Transformational Journey (Day One Homework)
[1] What I learned doing this assignment? By providing a framework for the protagonist, listing his beginning and ending attributes (the way he thinks, reacts and sees the world) via the transformation he undergoes, it allows me to see where I need to start instilling the heroic-transformational aspects needed to keep the audience “hooked” and at the same time provide a plausible framework for the hero’s transformation.
[2] My hero’s name is Clendon. His character arc and resulting transformation begins with the murder of his mother, his emotional devastation and subsequent obsession to find out who murdered her.
2a. Internal journey = Clendon goes from carefree, wealthy, eighteen year old to devastated, emotionally unstable and violent, to a young man determined to prove his father killed his mother, to discovering the truth.
2b. External journey = Clendon moves from high-school senior to a young adult: who survives great loss, finds love, discovers the identity of his mother’s killer, embraces forgiveness.
[3] What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
3a. Clendon’s old ways: specific set of behaviors, emotions, & thinking patterns that were present before the change and will be gone or altered after the change.
a. behavior: obsessively works out to stay grounded. b. behavior: training & sparring keeps his anger and want for violence in check. c. emotion: suspicious, full of himself, arrogant, wants to start fresh. d. thinking pattern: right is right and wrong is wrong; no grey areas with him.
3b. Clendon’s new ways: specific set of behaviors, emotions, and thinking patterns that replace the Old Ways as the change is being made.
a. behavior: learns forgiveness, something his mother always preached to him. b. behavior: protects the one he loves at the expense of exacting his vengeance. c. emotion: embraces his mother’s motto: family before all else. d. thinking pattern: learns there are grey areas, not everything is black and white, e. thinking pattern: learns forgiveness and carries on his mother’s legacy.
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Kristin’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment: Character arcs seem pretty standard fare, but considering Old and New Ways streamlines the process.
Hero and Character Arc: A founder of a family business makes all decisions based on “what’s fun for him,” ignoring others’ views/feelings or the ramifications of his choices. By the end, he has fought the government in a legal case that makes worldwide headlines—and he does it with honor, thanks to friends he’s made along the way.
Internal Journey: From selfish and childlike to mature, inclusive, and forward-thinking.<div>
External Journey: From rough-around-the-edges small-time entrepreneur to hero of an entire industry.
OLD WAYS
- “All about me”
- Consequences be damned
- Ignores business partners and/or mentors
- Talented, but closed-minded
- Hidden insecurity
- Business can only grow “so far” because of arrogance
NEW WAYS
- Collaborative
- Teaches others “the rules”
- More humble, which increases abilities
- Fights for the little guy
- Takes on the federal government
- Protects and supports business partners
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Rhonda’s Transformational Journey
What I learned is that the Hero must be noticeably changed from how she/he began to how she/he is at the end of the story.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Barbara goes from being a timid, sheltered, church girl, to a strong, independently thinking woman who can manage her career and life on her own, without her parents or ex-husband. She grows from a very good, but apprehensive choir girl, to an accomplished, acclaimed, award-winning R&B singer.
Internal Journey:
From a shy unconfident church girl with low self-esteem – to and independent, strong, confident woman full of self-love.
External Journey:
She moves from the small town of St Francisville to the bustling music town of New Orleans with her successful, pompous entertainer husband and then to the bright lights of Hollywood as a star vocalist and independent woman and then returning to St Francisville to her simple yet fulfilling retired life.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
She is shy and timid
She obeys all laws and follows all rules
She has low self-confidence
She is an amazing vocalist, full of doubt
She’s only been comfortable singing in the church.
New Ways:
Outgoing
Social Butterfly
Self-confident in life and business
Knows she can blow!
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Ronnie Cray’s Transformation Journey
What I learnt doing this assignment is that a truly good story, involves the transformation of the Hero. People will get emotionally involved in the story, and are willing to follow it to the very end. I learnt that I also go through a transformation, myself, if I have been touched by my efforts, to tell this story.
Who is the Hero? She is a 37 year old mother named Angela, with a 15 year old daughter, named Lizzie. The name of the movie is Lizzie and Angela.
What is the Character Arc that represents a transformation? Angela goes from being a strict, inflexible and domineering mother, who wants to control her daughter’s every move, to a mother who is more willing to give her daughter the freedom she absolutely craves for.
Angela’s internal journey involves going from being totally strict, and domineering with her daughter, to beginning to truly understanding her daughter’s needs. Her perspective is originally one that is fuelled by fear, because of the her own strict upbringing, and because she herself was raped, at the age of 15 years old. Yet she never tells her daughter about that. She slowly begins to understand her daughter, after many heated arguments, and her running off to be with her dad, in the middle of the night, that if she wants her daughter to be happy, she has to loosen the tight grip, she has on her daughter.
Angela’s external journey involves her never listening to her daughter’s point of view, totally dismissing it, and strictly enforcing her rules on her daughter. It gradually changes through a series of heated arguments, and running off to be with her dad, to her letting her daughter actually have the freedom, that she desperately longs for. Angela actually listens to her daughter’s point for the first time.
The Old Ways:
1. Being strict.
2. Never listening to her daughter.
3. Being very fearful, but hiding it well from the daughter.
4. Not giving her daughter, the respect she deserves.
The New Ways:
1. She loosens her tight grip on the daughter.
2. She finally starts listening to the daughter.
3. Although she is still fearful, she opens up to the daughter, telling her, what happened when she herself was 15 years old.
4. She gives the daughter the respect she deserves.
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