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Post Your Lesson 11 Assignment here
Post Your Lesson 11 Assignment here
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6 Replies
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Margaret’s Level 2 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment: This wasn’t easy for me. I don’t know how to format the action. It took some effort to think of a shock sequence (killing of preacher).
EXT. IRISH VILLAGE – DAY
Sunlit emerald grass and trees surround a small village. Villagers suspend their tasks, run to the tune of a ram’s horn, gather in the center of the village.
A gray-haired man (PREACHER) raises his voice to the crowd.
PREACHER
May our great God shine down upon us and bless us this fine day! Let us begin this Lord’s day with praise for the one true God, the Father of us all.
The Preacher raises his hands, suddenly falls back dead, a plumbata (lead-weighted dart) stuck in his forehead.
Startled, the congregation jumps up and screams. Plumbata and slingshot fly.
The contubernia, lead by Coroticus, swoops down from a small rise just outside the village.
Coroticus sounds the charge.
COROTICUS
God be with us!
A young man with a shovel wards off Coroticus, but falls to his deadly sword.
A courageous young boy, VALEN (9), sneaks up behind Rufus who aims his bow and arrow at a villager going into the doorway of his house. The villager is struck down by Felix, who removes the bread from the dead man’s hands and stuffs his face with it.
Rufus lowers his bow just as Valen swings a large stick and knocks the red-headed soldier unconscious.
Marcus thrusts his javelin to fell an escaping villager, then scoops up a nearby woman, MARY ELIZABETH, who chastises him as he binds her hands and feet.
MARY ELIZABETH
You would kill God-fearin’ innocents? You are naught but a barbarian! The likes of a Pict!
MARCUS
You have no right to speak of God. We mean to silence those who follow the cultist Patrick.
MARY ELIZABETH
Cultist? He is a bishop! Ordained by the church himself!
Marcus pushes her down, stares into her eyes. Caught off guard by the Irish beauty, his tongue finds no voice.
Mary Elizabeth spits in his face.
MARY ELIZABETH
You serve the devil himself!
Her spit releases his tongue.
MARCUS
I follow the will of God! This mission is blessed by the pope himself.
MARY ELIZABETH
Heathen! Liar!
Marcus ignores her and turns back to the fight, only to see Brocchus dragging a woman into a house. His face contorts in anger.
Cassius notes Brocchus as he enters, laughs, runs after a villager.
Marcus starts after Brocchus but is detained by Valen and his swinging stick. Marcus easily overcomes the boy, pulls a knife to end his life, stops with Mary Elizabeth’s desperate plea.
MARY ELIZABETH
You say you follow God! Let him live! He is but a boy.
Marcus, loathe to kill a youth, sheaths his knife and binds the boy’s hands.
MARCUS
You may regret you saved his life. Both you and he will be sold to the Picts you despise.
Hadrian steps up behind Marcus, pulls at his arm, his face dark.
HADRIAN
Orders were to save only the women.
MARCUS
He will sell easily, still young enough to be trained as a slave.
Hadrian scans the defiant Valen’s face, laughs.
HADRIAN
As you will, Marcus. Hide him until we are finished.
Marcus grabs Valen, pulls him over to a loom of an unfinished rug, tips it over on top of the boy. Valen stills, his wide eyes peek out through the woolen threads.
Marcus enters a nearby house, a man runs out. As the man runs near the loom, Valen calls out.
VALEN
Da!
Valen’s call alerts Cassius, who runs to slay the man. The man’s body falls onto the loom. Valen screams.
Cassius pokes his sword down through the rug, looking for the source.
Hadrian holds onto two struggling women, CLAUDIA and CECILIA, while calling out to Cassius.
HADRIAN
Cassius!
Cassius turns from the loom to assist Hadrian. Valen pulls himself out from under the loom and his dead father.
Marcus comes out of the tent with a small bound woman, PRISCILLA, slung over his shoulder. He dumps her next to Mary Elizabeth. Cassius and Hadrian leave their prisoners there as well.
The weeping women view the men of the village, strewn across the ground, dead or dying.
Brocchus steps into view, his hand clenched tightly onto the back of Valen’s tunic.
Marcus starts towards them, but Hadrian arrives first, breaking Brocchus’ hold, pulls the boy back.
HADRIAN
(to Brocchus) He will be sold.
Marcus steps between the angered Brocchus and Hadrian, who pulls the boy over to the captive women.
Cato sees the standoff between Marcus and Brocchus, motions to Coroticus with one hand as he pushes another woman, TATIANA, in front of him.
Coroticus strides toward the prisoners, steps over the dead, calls out to his men.
COROTICUS
The work is done. String the women together.
Brocchus calls out to Coroticus.
BROCCHUS
I will finish the killing of the boy.
COROTICUS
Boy?
Brocchus motions to Hadrian and Valen. Hadrian pushes the boy down next to the women.
HADRIAN
He can be sold, sir. Still young enough to train as a slave.
Coroticus lifts his sword and moves towards the boy, but not before he catches the concern for the boy reflected in Marcus’ eye.
He reaches Valen, lifts his sword, brings it down. The ropes between Valen’s feet sever.
COROTICUS
He will not be carried. If he can keep up, he will be sold.
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What I learned from this assignment is…. How exciting these three emotions are.
The scenes below are from the first attack against the cop/hero ordered by his ex-wife/villain. He is chasing the killer who tried to ambush him.
SURPRISE: Cop chases killer to parking lot door. Killer punches touch pad and door opens. It locks. Cop can’t open door and pulls out gun…. A security guard “friend” stops him and punches in numbers on the pad. Cop steps back. The door opens.
SHOCK: Cop and guard smile at each other. Cop takes a step forward…. “Crash.” A truck rams through door and guard is slammed. Cop jumps back onto floor. The truck drives off. Cop jumps up aiming gun at back tire. He shoots the tire and truck rams into another car.
SUSPENSE: Killer and cop shoot it out. Both run out of bullets. Killer runs to lower parking level.. Cop runs to his police vehicle.. He screams guard name, but gets no response. Cop opens trunk and pulls out large sniper rifle.. He loads bullets.. Killer tries to hot wire several cars below.. Cop runs to lower level just as killer starts a car.. Cop stops and looks through scope. He shoots out back window of car as it screeches down to next lower level. Cop runs back and gets into police vehicle. The chase continues.
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I learned from this assignment is to keep action interesting by using surprise, shock and suspense.
Scene outline:
Escape: Jun is trying to escape the building. He covertly hacks and disables well guarded electronic doors and alarms. He barely makes it own undetected.
Surprise: Jun safely arrives at an escape point and rejoins his friend who is trying to help him escape. They make their way out through the trash. The friend pulls out a gun and holds it to Jun’s head. He has been betrayed. Jun’s reflexes quickly deflect the gun as he is fired upon.
Shock: A fight ensues where they wrestle for control of the gun.
Suspense: During the fight, the bag “valuable drive” flies in the air and perilously falls close to a huge shredder. Some heavy trash getting split apart in small pieces as the shredder disintegrates them. Right as Jun looks like he will defeat his ex-friend and recover the drive, the bad guys show up and capture him. Escape plan foiled.
Draft:
INT. TRASH ROOM – NIGHT
Jun bolts through the door leading to a trash room with a huge shredder and several metal bins. Jon is waiting by an exit door.
JUN
You made it.
JON
You know I got you brother.
As Jun opens the door to leave, Jon pulls a gun on Jun. Jun steps tot he right and pulls Jons arm in so that he can’t get his shot.
JUN
What are you doing?
JON
I can’t let you have it.
JUN
Wait!
Jun and Jon continue to fight for the gun. Jun disarms Jon and kicks him against one of the bins.
JUN (CONT’D)
You have some explaining!
JON
What’s in that drive is not what you think.
JUN
I thought the deal was we split it.
Jon throws some trash into Jun’s face stinging his eyes. Jon tries to grab the gun but it flies off into a dumpster. He elbows Jun in the head and snatches the bag.
Jun regaining his sight chases after Jon.
JUN (CONT’D)
You know why I need that.
JON
I don’t care. This is my ticket to freedom.
Jon pulls out a knife from Jun’s bag.
JON (CONT’D)
Look what I found.
Jon swings at Jun. He moves to evade the swings. Jon is haste throws the knife but misses. Jun charges for the bag and tries to pry it off Jon. The bag flies off into the shredder.
An alarm sounds and the shredder comes to life. Some trash gets disintegrated as the bag falls down the shoot.
JON (CONT’D)
We got to cut the power to that thing.
Jun punches him in the face and leaps over the edge to snatch the bag back. A bullet ricochets off the machine.
Jon has control of the gun again.
Jun fall into the chute and towards the shredder. Before he hits the blades the machine stops, he is safe.
Climbing out of the machine, he notices that he is now surrounded by Sen’s men. Jon is with them.
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Hey Matthew:
All the best with your project. Quite interesting.
Would you look at my final 16th assignment? I followed the SKILL MASTERY SHEET that Hal had sent us.
Thanks – Roscoe
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Reluctantly she turns, sets focus on the distant blur of uptown traffic as he steps back into the bar, confused. She inserts earbuds, plays music, thoughts somewhere else.
A young gang member appears, leers her from behind. Focused on her backpack, he watches her slight stagger down the dark, empty block. He’s in pursuit, pace quickens.
Now, he’s behind her. Reina stops, listens, and so does he.
A beat.
Reina pivots slowly, and without warning, he grabs the strap of her bag, spins her to the ground as he pulls for its release. But she holds it, fights for it. With a knuckled fist, he slugs her across the cheek. But she won’t give up.
He tears away, struggles with the weight of his haul. Pushing the filthy concrete away, Reina lifts her weight, steadies, takes chase. Fast, really fast.
Street corner, he thinks he’s free, slows his pace. Suddenly, she’s right behind me, her hands reach for the bag, yanks, fiery adrenaline grapples with him. He belts her.
Reina stumbles back, but hugs the bag to chest, a full-force elbow blow to keep him away — he punches her in the jaw, the bag slams to concrete as she eats curb. He runs.
She rolls onto her back, clutches the bag to her chest, closes her eyes, and sounds a guttural cry. When she opens them, the headlight glare of a downtown bus burns her eyes.
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<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject line: Madeleine’s Level 2 Action Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is surprise, shock, and suspense can be built into a scene pretty easily when you know how to use INSIDE/OUTSIDE and Beginning > Opposition > Betrayed > First Attempt > Villain Team Attack 1 > Hiding > Villain Attack 2 > Sacrifice > Second Attempt > Escape.
A Scene that uses all three of these Action emotions: Surprise, Shock, Suspense
OUTLINE
INT. ST. PETER’S BASILICA
CONFESSIONAL
I. FBI Agent uses her mobile phone to notify the U. S. Embassy of the Basilica’s takeover and of the hostage situation and requests they notify the Vatican Police and the Italian Police of the situation.
II. After the FBI Agent peeks out the confessional and sees no one around, she and the Priest quietly exit.
BASILICA
III. Exiting, an armed soldier suddenly appears from behind a pillar and confronts them. With lightning speed, the Priest dispatches the soldier and picks up his gun.
IV. As FBI Agent and Priest go through the soldier’s backpack and divide the useful items between them.
V. FBI Agent asks the Priest, “Who are you?” The Priest reveals that he is a former U. S. Army Ranger, who served in combat zone around the world and that he became a priest to avoid situations like this. He doesn’t want to kill anyone else. She introduces herself to him, “I’m FBI Special Agent so and so, currently a legal attaché at the U. S. Embassy in Rome.”
They size one another up. They shake hands. She takes the confiscated gun from the Priest.
VI. Overhead, unbeknownst to the FBI Agent and Priest, a drone captures them on camera. The head soldier sends two men to capture them.
VII. As the FBI Agent and Priest creep from one pillar to another to discern what is going on, two soldiers ambush them.
One by one, the FBI Agent takes them out.
The Priest collects the dead soldiers weapons and backpacks.
The Priest and FBI Agent see the drone. They realize that the drone is armed with a camera and that the armed soldiers must know exactly where they are.
VIII. Watching them on camera, the soldiers decide the best way to finish off the Priest and unknown woman is to shoot them with the drone.
IX. The leader calls back the drone, weaponizes it, and sends it back out to hunt down the FBI Agent and Priest. It’s just a matter of time before it finds them.
FIRST DRAFT OF SCENE, HIGHLIGHTING SURPRISE, SHOCK, AND SUSPENSE.
INT. ST. PETER’S BASILICA – CONFESSIONAL/BASILICA – DAY
Inside the confessional, FBI Agent takes out her mobile phone and selects U. S. Embassy from her contact list.
FBI AGENT
This is FBI — . Please notify the Italian Police and Vatican Police that terrorists have overtaken St. Peter’s Basilica and taken hostages. So far, I and a priest have avoided capture, but we need immediate help… Thank you.FBI Agent peeks outside the confessional. A soldier is loitering.
She quietly closes the confessional door.
Through the screen —
FBI AGENT
At least one soldier hanging around.PRIEST
We’re in no hurry.FBI AGENT
Right.FBI Agent takes another peek.
FBI AGENT
I don’t see anyone, but that doesn’t mean we’re alone.PRIEST
I’m ready if you are.FBI AGENT
Okay, then. Let’s move.FBI Agent and the Priest cautiously open their confessional doors.
Instantly, an armed soldier drags the Priest out of his confessional stall. With lightning speed, the Priest dispatches the soldier and picks up his gun.
FBI Agent surveys the visible terrain for more soldiers.
FBI AGENT
Looks like he was working alone.
PRIEST
Don’t count on it.
FBI Agent and Priest go through the dead soldier’s backpack and divide the spoils between them.
FBI AGENT
Who are you?
PRIEST
You mean?
FBI AGENT
Yes.
PRIEST
Before I became a priest, I was a U. S. Army Ranger, serving in the Middle East. I’d hoped as a priest I’d be able to avoid situations like this. I was wrong.
FBI AGENT
FBI Special Agent —. I’m a legal attaché at the U. S. Embassy here in Rome.
They size one another up. They shake hands.
FBI AGENT
I’ll take this.
She takes the confiscated gun from the Priest.
FBI AGENT
Better I do the killing than you.
The priest nods his head and kisses his crucifix.
Above, unbeknownst to the FBI Agent and Priest, a drone captures them on camera.
The FBI Agent and Priest creep from one pillar to another, the drone flying silently overhead.
Without warning, two soldiers ambush them.
One by one, the FBI Agent takes them out.
The Priest collects the dead soldiers weapons and backpacks.
Now, FBI Agent and Priest see the drone hovering overhead.
PRIEST
It’s armed with a camera. They know exactly where we are.FBI Agent aims at the drone, but it darts away before she can shoot.
FBI Agent
Damn.PRIEST
Only a matter of time before it finds us again. Who knows what it will be armed with then?
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