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Becky’s Transformational Events – What
I learned doing this assignment is the change from into transformed
can keep happening all the way to the end. It doesn’t have to be cold
turkey from one aspect of the character to viola I’m changed. It was
nice to pepper it out of them.ACT 1
Opening: Dana’s first visit to
THE GEM theater. Sits in the center of the empty theater with the
curtain closed. Dana’s eyes are closed an opened book in her lap. The
stage curtains open to a grand piano being played by a black pianist
and Ade in a sparkling long, white gown singing a song from the early
1900s. A strong wind blows the book closed and stops the show going
on in Dana’s mind. The theater guide finds Dana for a short tour –
the closed curtain ripples as Dana looks back.Inciting Incident: Back for a
more in depth tour of THE GEM. Dana asks about the theater’s
inclusion of Black performers. It is confirmed. Dana is visited by
Ade in the theater’s green room-she believes.Encounters with the entity gets vision
of playbill and is <font color=”#ff6600″>intrigued</font>-goes to
library find out more with date she was whispered from entity.Turning Point: Dana wants to
understand more about Ade’s life. She visits the local library to
find out more on vaudeville days in this town and visits a 94 year old
in the assisted living facility that tells some old tales he heard
from his Dad. <strike>Then visits a psychic.</strike> No one helps in
how to contact… talk to Ade.<font color=”#6666ff”>stops her
vacation</font> to keep going back to theaterACT 2
New Plan: She cancels the rest
of her trip to stay at The Gem.<font color=”#ff0000″>Lies</font> to
theater host about why coming back each day – going to do a paper
on the theater.Plan in Action: finding an
article about Ade’s death being poison. Dana has to learn how to
communicate back. Decides to go stay the night at the theater.Midpoint Turning Point: Ade is
able to get through and open up the time rift. Dana gladly steps in.<font color=”#ff0000″>Steels away</font>
in theater to spend the night – and <font color=”#ffd320″>steps
through rift </font>with AdeACT 3
Rethink Everything: Dana is
mesmerized by the new world.She loves it. Is questioned. Says
friend of Ade’s, Immediately <font color=”#cc00cc”>brought in</font>
to Ade’s circle of friends.New Plan: Ade pushes her to stay
and switch places with her. Dana has to find Ade’s killer first.Dana <font color=”#996600″>asking
questions</font> about Ade’s final showDana wants to go back – Ade begs to
stay, this is world you love-help me into your worldDana meets and <font color=”#996600″>faces
the murderer </font>at vaudeville show – finds out motiveTurning Point (huge failure/major
shift) Dana realizes she has to go back. Ade is ghost, cant
switch places. Has to be physical for physical. Ethereal has to move
on to their afterlife.<font color=”#007826″>Dana meets with
seer</font> – tells her must go back – or expire from worldACT 4
Climax/Ultimate expression of the
conflict: The rift is about to close. Ade is desperate to move
into Dana’s world. Dana can’t stay.Ade says no- I need to go, you stay –
its my turn. <font color=”#007826″>Ade shows Dana how to dance</font>Dana <font color=”#cc00cc”>in a crowd
bar dancing</font> – Murderer sees Ade in Dana – He’s scaredDana shows<font color=”#009900″> Ade’s
friends</font> how Ade was poisoned and whyResolution: The two women figure
out the killer, why and how. Gives Ade ability to move on and Dana
ability to live in her world stronger.Dana takes murderer to seer -Ade faces
murderer-shows herself. He is literally scared to death.Dana ready to go home and live a brave
life-Ade ready to move on<title></title><style type=”text/css”>
</style> -
Dave Holloway’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that defining the transformational events ahead of writing the story allows me to brainstorm a number of such events and choose the ones that seem most effective and dramatic
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.
Changes needed for character to go from Old Ways to New Ways.
1. He must go from the comforts of home, family and home country to being alone.
2. He must travel through a country where he’s a foreigner and unfamiliar with the ways of living there.
3. He must learn to live and survive outdoors: to travel by foot and by canoe, and to sleep outdoors.
4. He must learn to survive violence.
5. He must shed the morals and responsibilities of civilized life to accustom himself to breaking laws to survive.
6. He must learn to risk his life in battle.
7. He must learn to risk his life in the wilderness.
8. He must learn to defeat another man in a physical battle to overcome a brutal, fascist prison system.
Transformational Events
1. Nigel travels from England to the land where America once lay, which has become transformed to a series of independent nation-states. His friend Roger accompanies him.
2. The two voyage through states that are mostly wilderness, to a Native-American state, to a state without laws, and to a military state.
3. Some of the states have reverted to primitive conditions, so they must travel by foot and canoe part of the way, camping outdoors.
4. On a bus through a business state, a fight erupts between police and a workers leader they try to arrest. Roger gets involved in the fight, while Nigel looks on.
5. During the journey, they steal a Native-American canoe, and later a car, to continue across the continent.
6. Nigel and Roger get caught up in a battle between Native Americans and whites trying to illegally hunt animals on Native-American land.
7. Nigel and Roger at one point have to jump from a 15-foot-high wall into a river, not knowing how deep it is, risking serious injury or death.
8. Nigel has to fight the warden of a prison in the military state in order to free his wife from imprisonment and execution.
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Aline’s Transformational Events
What I learned: Finding the story structure is a super power.
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
Accept that her religious beliefs are detrimental to her development and that the feelings and thoughts she’s been getting from listening to Tori Amos are a sign of her trauma wanting to be dealt with.
Accept that her mothers are not happy the way she always believed to be true
Accept that they don’t really know what’s best for her
Accept that she is alone and needs to make decisions herself and be brave
Accept that Lucien is an ally
Accept that it’s not a sin to be trans
Accept that it’s not a sin to be in love with a trans man
Accept that facing her family and clarifying her position will set her free to start the new life she is ready for.
4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.
Being forced to marry a much older man.
Being harrassed while all alone on the road.
Getting lost while driving to LA
Finding out Lucien betrayed her and told her family where she would be after the concert
Making out with Lucien by mistake (thinking Lucien was a boy), then later on purpose(after learning that Lucien was a transboy)
Forced back at home and finding that the older man is there to marry her- using her voice and emotions to express herself without fear of consequences anymore.
Being disowned by her family and facing the shame with courage.
Seeing that Lucien is back in SLC for her and getting away together.
6. Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Being forced to marry a much older man.
Act 2:
Getting lost while driving to LA/ Being harrassed while all alone on the road.
Making out with Lucien by mistake (thinking Lucien was a boy), then later on purpose(after learning that Lucien was a transboy)
Act 3:
Finding out Lucien betrayed her and told her family where she would be after the concert
Forced back at home and finding that the older man is there to marry her- using her voice and emotions to express herself without fear of consequences anymore.
Act 4:
Being disowned by her family and facing the shame with courage.
Seeing that Lucien is back in SLC for her and getting away together.
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1. What I learned from this assignment is that the transformational events are a contrast between the present and the future; between the Old and the New Ways. I also learned that contrast will be vast at the beginning but will get smaller as the Hero gets closer to who they will be in the end. Finally, there are one or two Transformational Events per Act, but those events become more extreme as the protagonist becomes more competent.
2. Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.
OLD Ways: Romantic, naive, believes in marriage of parents
Hangs out with his girlfriend
Avoids the truth, ignorant
Close 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
Seeks the truth, wants justice
Damaged yet restored with father’s side of the family
Kindles new relationship with mother’s side of the family
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.
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
– Recognize his father’s crime, shatter his belief system that he is perfect
– See how much his relatives take advantage of his mother, her suffering and sacrifice
– Make the decision to give up his current life: either move in with mom’s new apt or go to school in NYC
– Find out that his relatives are aware of his father’s actions, yet choose to protect him
– Team up with a woman his father had an affair with to expose the illegitimate child he had
– Cheat on his girlfriend to realize that he is the same devil as his father
– Realize he has caused too many other people pain and that he must forgive his father to restore the balance of his family
4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.
– Call comes through the bluetooth speaker in the car. Jin overhears a mistress calling him in distress.
– Family ritual ceremony, mother working hours in the kitchen. Not being acknowledged. The other aunts arriving late and leaving early.
– Tells his girlfriend that he won’t be moving in with her/going to school with her. Abandon her.
– Break the news at dinner in front of his grandparents, storm out, sever his connections with them.
– Get in touch with the mistress and meet his bastard half brother. Bring them to his grandparents and have his father disowned. Destroy his reputation and his business.
– Has to convince his girlfriend, who is close with his father, that he is in the wrong. Cheats on her to prove a point? Or break up with her since she doesn’t want to?
– Confront his father and forgive him, attend the family ritual together without his mom
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——-Jonathan’s Transformational Events
What I learned – it’s not enough to have the plot points and turning points but to show the steps in the Protagonist’s evolution. This creates guide posts for the hero to pass through.
Jaslyne Liber
Character Arc
Old WaysAnti-social
Dependent to Mother
Shy, timid
Submissive
Lives in a fantasy world
New Ways
Confident
Bold and daring
Independent
A leader
In touch with trends and the news
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
· Get out into the real world
· Know how to read people – by meeting with people
· Share the vast knowledge
· Really get to know the sisters.
· Believe in herself
· Become a leader
· Be kind
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DeRuve’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is a great technique to start finding scenes for my outline. This was a bit of a daunting task at first. Once I got into the swing of things it started really paying off. I still have a lot of work to do on this, but I saw positive influence on the direction of the story.
Character Arc:
Rhino begins his journey as a professional boxer and made leg-breaker, but on the inside he has a heart of gold and a guilty conscience. He will finish his journey breaking free of the mob, relocating, and starting his life over.
What are the hero’s old ways?
Leg breaking, debt collecting, bullying
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, guilty conscience
Wants to see how good of a fighter he really is, or could of been
Allow his love interest in, become vulnerable
Make the changes needed to live the life he wants
Ideas for Change or Steps that need to happen for change:
-Rhino roughs up his target on a collection, when the dust settles, the target’s little girl emerges. This makes Rhino question his actions.
-Rhino and Billie interact for the first time, sparking their interest in each other.
-Rhino has a fight against a newly turned professional, a 19 year old they shrug off, and he is knocked out in the first round. He’s slapped around by Joey in the locker room as the bet failed and lost them money.
-Rhino goes on a collection and lets the guy off with a warning, causing a lot of tension between him and Joey.
-Joey brings Rhino with him to finish the job and kill the target, Rhino can’t do it, so Joey steps in and shoots him in the head.
-Rhino’s relationship with Billie develops, he is given his next target, and it happens to be her brother. He has to form a plan to get out of this.
-Rhino goes on a collection and forces his target to pack up his family and leave the state and never look back.
-Rhino no longer wants to take dives in the ring, during a big fight he has a change of heart and begins to fight back, winning in spite of the plan to lose.
-Billie finds out who Rhino really is, and she can’t be apart of it. She is moving to North Carolina to be with her sister.
-Rhino’s Father knows what he has been up to and encourages him to break free of the control of the mob.
-Joey threatens Rhino’s life as he begins to disobey orders and fail his objectives. Their brotherhood is revealed to be a sham.
Opening:
Severino Perisi is the teddy bear of his huge Italian family. The kids all love him, and climb on him, and even though he is bigger than everyone by a foot and a hundred pounds, they all treat him as the baby of the family even though he is the provider.
At nightfall, Sevvy becomes the Rhino, a debt collector for the Mafia. His target is utterly terrified of him, and Rhino uses brute force to send his message. All of this was done on his way to the boxing arena for his scheduled fight.
-Rhino roughs up his target on a collection, when the dust settles, the target’s little girl emerges. This makes Rhino question his actions.
Inciting Incident:
Rhino is paid off by the mob, and it is orchestrated by his best friend Joey. He carries the fight three rounds with ease, and quickly knocks out his opponent. Through the first couple rounds the crowd was booing and taunting the fight which seemed to move rather slowly. Afterwards, Joey expresses his true self to Rhino, and we see the control he has over him.
-Rhino and Billie interact for the first time, sparking their interest in each other.
Turning Point:
Rhino is instructed to collect from a target, and if he doesn’t have the money to kill him. He of course doesn’t have the money, but instead of killing him, Rhino forces him to pack his family up and skip town. Warning him to never come back, making it clear what a favor he is doing for him.
ACT II:
New Plan:
Billie influences Rhino to follow his heart, his consciousness is eating at him after years of his old ways. He needs to find new ways to collect the debts without hurting anyone. In the ring he is set to fight a 19 year old fighter who they take lightly, he’s supposed to carry the fight to the fourth round but is knocked out in the first. Joey questions his ability to be the bagman, and a fighter for the mob.
-Rhino has a fight against a newly turned professional, a 19 year old they shrug off, and he is knocked out in the first round. He’s slapped around by Joey in the locker room as the bet failed and lost them money.
-Rhino’s relationship with Billie develops, he is given his next target, and it happens to be her brother. He has to form a plan to get out of this.
Plan in Action:
Rhino and Billie spend more time together, and are falling for each other. However, she keeps him at arms length as a defense mechanism. Rhino begins training a little harder to not have another blunder in the ring. Rhino attempts to make another peaceful collection which goes terribly wrong resulting in the target being beaten to a pulp, shaking Rhino up pretty bad. Another fight is set, against a real competitor, Rhino insists they bet on him winning by knockout in the first, against their advice, but he comes through.
-Rhino goes on a collection and lets the guy off with a warning, causing a lot of tension between him and Joey.
-Rhino goes on a collection and forces his target to pack up his family and leave the state and never look back.
Midpoint Turning Point:
Rhino is given a new target, Billie’s brother, he’s instructed to kill him.
Act III:
Rethink Everything:
Rhino makes the decision to pull away and break free of the mob. He no longer wants to hurt people, and no longer wants to work the fixed fights. He needs to somehow save Billie’s brother, without getting himself killed for disobeying orders. He also can’t let anyone find out what he has been doing all these years.
-Joey brings Rhino with him to finish the job and kill the target, Rhino can’t do it, so Joey steps in and shoots him in the head.
New Plan:
Help Billie and her family get out of harm’s way. Distract Joey and the mob from the task. Rhino gets a chance to move down in weight class and fight the Junior Heavyweight Champ, he’s supposed to dive, but he believes he can beat him.
-Rhino no longer wants to take dives in the ring, during a big fight he has a change of heart and begins to fight back, winning in spite of the plan to lose.
-Billie finds out who Rhino really is, and she can’t be apart of it. She is moving to North Carolina to be with her sister.
-Rhino’s Father knows what he has been up to and encourages him to break free of the control of the mob.
Turning Point:
Joey reveals that he knows that Rhino didn’t kill Billie’s brother as instructed. He also knows about Rhino’s relationship to Billie, threatening her family. Joey reveals that he will kill Rhino if he has to in order to get what he wants.
-Joey threatens Rhino’s life as he begins to disobey orders and fail his objectives. Their brotherhood is revealed to be a sham.
Climax/Ultimate Expression of Conflict:
Rhino fights the Junior Heavyweight, and even though he has agreed to dive, the fighter is just not putting up a tough enough fight. Rhino is fighting soft and the crowd is booing him. In that moment he decides to go for it and wins. After the fight he is on the run, until his crucible with Joey.
Resolution:
Rhino leaves this life behind and we assume he makes his way for Billie who has moved south.
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Pat’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that this is good way to focus on the hero’s transformation.
Old Ways:
• Plays in black theaters
• Runs from his problems
• Doesn’t trust the system to fight back
• Attends theology school at his father’s insistence
• Watches in the wings of white theaters
New Ways:
• Moves to London to chart his own path
• Plays in white theaters
• Learns the art of spin and uses the system to his advantage
• Finds ways to fight back criticism and excel and uses those accolades to turn the opinion of other critics
• Becomes the first critically acclaimed black Shakespearean actor
Transformational Events & Dramatic Events within the 4-Act Structure. Transformational Events are italicized.
Act 1:
Opening:
Ira receives high scores in declamation and develops a passion for acting. He watches plays, then begins acting in black theaters where he is quickly declared an African Roscius.
At 10, Ira’s mother dies, but he continues his passion for acting. At 15, When his father remarries, Ira leaves home to work on a ship headed to NC. A slave trader offers to buy him. He overhears it, becomes frightened and he returns home, deciding seafaring is not the life for him.
One day he, and other black actors, are beaten by a white gang who resent blacks performing Shakespeare or other plays written by whites. His mentor, Brown, encourages him to fight back and file a law suit against his attackers. He does. Additionally, the theater is burned down and relocates to Albany.
Ira accompanies a friend who delivers costumes to a famous white actor, Henry. Ira watches Henry perform in the wings. When Ira’s friend dies of yellow fever, Ira convinces Henry to let him take on the role of valet, and makes himself indispensable by also running errands for him.
Ira’s father has other plans for him – to follow his footsteps and enroll in a theological school. Ira agrees to attend.
Inciting Incident:
Henry suggests Ira join him in London. Ira drops out of college and voyages with
Turning Point:
Ira voyages with Henry to London, where the slave trade had been abandoned in 17 years earlier.
Act 2:
New plan: Build a network while tending to Henry and watching his mentor in the wings. Ira effectively operates as an understudy.
Plan in action: When Henry falls ill, he recommends Ira fill in. Most of the audience receives Ira’s performance with enthusiasm. but the critics pan him, especially, Gilbert who uses race as weapon against Henry.
Ira marries Margaret, an Englishwoman, who is as incensed by Gilbert’s lies as Ira is.
Ira becomes the first African-American actor to establish an acting career in a foreign country, starting with a 7-week run at the Royal Coburg Theatre in London in 1825, (his second job). But other theater owners bow to the pressure of the critics and he as difficulty finding work.
Ira’s mockery accelerates as a traveling minstrel performer mocks him in black face and “re-enacts” his performances as a bumbling, illiterate fool.
Midpoint Turning Point: Other critics decry Gilbert’s taunts and Ira sees an opportunity to spin his background to further influence his reviews. Despite the warm reception from audiences, and other critics changing their opinions, Gilbert refuses to give.
Act 3:
Rethink everything:
Ira develops a plan to fight his critics.
New plan:
Ira fights back by creating a performance in which he parodies the parody in white face where his performances are well received.
Ira turns to playing in provincial towns where he his lauded for his work. But Gilbert continues to escalate the pressure.
The buzz created in the provincial press, grabs the attention of the world stage.
Turning Point – Major shift:
Still unable to book major London theaters, Ira then turns to the international stage where his performances are in high demand all over the world. The superlative accolades he receives cannot be ignored.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict:
Ira is honored by Queen Victoria, and booked in a major London theater. Gilbert finally writes a favorable review of Ira before dying.
Resolution:
The US Civil War ends. Ira makes plans to return to the U.S. but on his European tour, he dies in Poland.
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Dale’s Transformational EventsWhat I learned from this assignment was how difficult it was to differentiate between changes/steps and dramatic events / tests.
Old Ways: Elizabeth is in her element, cool, logical controlled. Unlike her moody and unpredictable mother, she has modeled herself on her accomplished and demanding professor father. Her brilliance as a philosopher is evident in the articles and books she writes, and in the classes she teaches Her marriage having fallen apart because of another woman still baffles and disturbs her, and her best friend telling her it’s not healthy to be a “walking head” makes her want to prove she’s just fine, thank you very much.
New Ways: Elizabeth is coming off a scary experience of unexpected passion that thrown her entire world off balance and has made her re-evaluate not only the ways she has moved through the world (controlled, closed off emotionally, logical), but the ways she has condemned and judged others. When the smoke clears, she finds that she has evolved into a more balanced human being in terms of accepting the important role of emotions, and feeling more compassion for others.
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
· Arrival of Elizabeth’s new TA, Richard: a renegade thinker.
· Outraged about predatory behavior on the part of some professors.
· Although she is clear about her standards of ethical behavior, she is faced with the somewhat less ethical behavior of a respected colleague.
· Is challenged by the teaching style of her new TA. Drags him on the carpet. Glimmer of attraction.
· Must make a choice as to whether to turn against her colleague by telling what.she knows. (Old ways.)
· Starts to truly develop feelings for her TA (which at first she denies to herself) through their interactions. (New ways.)
· First test. Richard declares his feelings.
· Report what happened to university? End all personal contact with Richard.
· Faced with him again, giving in to her passion. Torn between love and ethics. Why has reason abandoned her?
· Her friend Barbara defends Elizabeth to Richard
· Elizabeth, afraid of losing Richard, decides loving him is worth the risk.
· In the end, realizing the transformative power of emotion to crack a person open
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Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.
· (In an encounter with her ex-husband she realizes he has a messy life that he nonetheless seems to embrace. Was he not who she thought he was?
· A student comes to her trying to decide whether to add her own testimony to a lawsuit concerning the disturbing predatory behavior of a professor. Outraged, Elizabeth encourages her to step forward and testify.
· While out with her friend, Barbara, she sees a fellow philosophy professor, Philip, holding hands with a young woman who is a former student, but still attends the university.
· She tries to convince him to end the relationship, as it breaks new university rules and he gives her all the reasons he thinks these rules are draconian.
· Calls her new TA, Richard, on the carpet for his less than traditional way of teaching the students by using sex, drugs, rock and roll. A beginning attraction.
· Two more encounters with the TA and they get to know each other better, attraction is clearly growing.
· Meanwhile, someone reported Philip to the administration and she may be brought in to be questioned re him, as all the Philosophy faculty is.
· Richard turns up at her door, declares his feelings for her, she shares a kiss with him, then kicks him out, ashamed.
· But he won’t stay away and it plunges her into a helpless and obsessive longing for Richard. Faced with him again, giving in to her passion. Torn between love and ethics. Why has reason abandoned her?
· Her friend Barbara defends Elizabeth to Richard saying this is too difficult for Elizabeth
· In the end, when Richard stops calling, Elizabeth gives up and goes to him saying loving him is worth the risk, but he has decided (rationally) to leave the university for her sake.
· She comes to realize how rigid she had been, how even she can be taken over by emotion. It makes her more compassionate and more willing to be of both heart and mind. We see this in how she now relates to Philip and how she relates to her students.
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Chris’ Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that diving deeper into my characters can result in figuring some things out and helping over all.
OLD WAYS: Selfish, conceited, lying
NEW WAYS: Resourceful, helpful, trusting
CHANGES NEEDED:
– Taking the ‘job’
-realizing loss via death and insanity
-accepting the ‘task’ at hand
-trying a new thing by getting a job on the movie
-accepting a love interest
-accepting the fact that the love interest sucks and moving forward
-realizing that the whole ‘game’ is rigged and fucked up
-making adjustments, so she can win
TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS:
-People killed on boat
-Tries to escape from mountain
-Gets job on movie
-Meets love interest
-Love interest betrays her and dies
-Enlists help from crew
-Is betrayed by crew
-Revealed that she had an arrangement
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Melanie’s Transformational Events
What I learned: transformational events give you a road map for the character’s journey.
SYBIL
Character Arc:
Beginning: An overlooked farm girl destined to a life at home
End: A soldier with a mission to save the country
Old Ways:
Believes her way of doing things is the best/only way
Impulsive in her reactions, doesn’t plan anything
Does things for self-gain
No one listens to her
New Ways:
Realizes that she is a student
Understands that in order to win, you must plan
Puts country first
Leads people
Changes she will have to make to go from Old Way to New Way – in order of importance:
Experience her ways of doing things (forcing her will upon others) fail. Example: Her horse fails to listen to her, bucks her off and leaves her stranded. She learns she needs help – she can’t do this mission alone.
Experience loss to realize that impulsive behavior in war is an end game. It’s not fun and games anymore. Example: On her way through the forest to find her horse, she witnesses the spoils of war and it’s not pretty.
Make the decision to keep moving forward. This new way of life is harder than she thought. Example: She breaks down seeing her horse is injured because of her actions, but ultimately she decides to keep going. She can’t go back now.
Outwit the enemy. Example: She regroups since her horse is now wounded, coming up with a new strategy to take another path to town instead of out running the antagonist.
Stand up to the enemy. Learn how to fight like a man. Example: Antagonist beats her to the next town anyway, standing in her way. She must fight him in hand to hand combat.
Become a leader of the militia, like her dad. Example: In addressing the crowd gathered before her at the end, she must be believable, figure out how to rally them. We see her use her dad’s skills, as he addressed the troops in the beginning. She becomes a new version of her dad!
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Mark’s Transformational events
What I learned from this assignment is how blending the transformational structure with the protagonist’s journey seems to enable little holes in the story to get filled in with meaningful developments that are true to the characters.
Victoria’s 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
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 in an equal basis
Changes that need to Happen
Victoria needs to:
1.stop relying on her fiance for validation
2.be aware of a bigger, more dangerous world
3. See people for who they are, what drives them, and who is evil
4. believe that she can make a difference to 100 people
5.stop being dependent on Amelia Earhart’s accomplishments
6.become skilled at survival
7.stand up to men
Events to make this change happen
She parts ways with Tony and goes off on her own
Becomes humbled by the scope of her journey to Alaska
Understands the danger Drake poses to the group
Decides to put aside her fear and help in the shipwreck
Jensen shakes her admiration of Amelia Earhart from her, and they connect
A polar bear attacks the camp and she braves danger to save lives
Rallying from despair to build the runway
Fighting with Drake, breaking him down psychologically, and pitying him
The Transformational Structure
Act 1:
Opening: Tony barnstorms through town in his plane with Victoria riding along, thrilled. He proposes and she accepts.
Inciting Incident: She decides to go on the research voyage to the arctic. He argues its too dangerous, and she leaves in anger. She parts ways with Tony and goes off on her own.
The trip involves trains and ships, and she struggles at the same time she is awed by her new world.
Turning Point: The ship she boards sails into a storm and gets locked in the ice. The wind blows them away from land toward the North Pole.
Drake, the first mate, tries to test Captain Jensen.
Act 2:
New plan: She tries to learn the science procedures on board, but has trouble. She is the only woman who does this. The others are merely passengers who become increasingly fearful.
Plan in action: Her looks and politeness provoke a couple of arguments. Men notice her. Women are disturbed by her. Captain Jensen has to intervene and befriends her.
A ship is sighted in the distance, and salvation seems at hand. But it is revealed to be a derelict with frozen corpses on deck.
Drake, laughs ghoulishly, reveals his ugly inner drive, and declares they will never be saved. She understands the danger Drake poses to the group
Midpoint Turning Point: The ship is slowly crushed in the ice. They have to evacuate to the ice field. She decides to put aside her fear and help in the shipwreck. They unload all the cargo, food and supplies. They are stranded.
Everyone is frantic at their plight. Drake smiles to himself, looking at Victoria.
Tony flies to Point Barrow, Alaska and starts his search flights, while the Navy stays grounded due to weather.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: They build crude shelters and tents and create a small town to survive. Jensen shakes her admiration of Amelia Earhart from her, and they connect.
New plan: Some men want to trek away to safety. Jensen has to control the uprising that Drake is behind. Victoria gives Jensen the idea to build a runway for plane rescue.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: The wind blows away the radio antenna leaving them out of radio contact. A polar bear attacks the camp and she braves danger to save lives
The runway is built, then cracks develop as the ice shifts each day. When men give up, she convinces them to carry on.
Tony is grounded by the Navy and prevented from flying. He tries to dig his plane out of the ice and collapses in exhaustion.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict:
Tony is joined by his sidekick Nick, who arrives at the Navy base with ten other fliers to attempt rescue.
Tony discovers the camp, and the runway. The frantic people prevent him from rescuing Victoria first.
Planes land over the next few days, rescuing many. Drake hides out with Victoria captive in an ice cave, and Tony thinks one of the other planes rescued her. She fights with Drake, breaking him down psychologically, and pitying him.
Resolution: Captain Jensen is the last one on the ice. Everyone else has been rescued.
Victoria struggles in the ice cave as she watches Tony fly away.
Victoria runs out of the cave, pursued by Drake. Jensen spots them. Tony lands again and she and Jensen make it to the plane as Drake slides into the sea on the melting ice.
Victoria and Tony are reunited, and are married by Jensen.
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Renee’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is
Beginning: Mia is a shy art student with few friends who just wants to find love.
End: Mia is an outgoing art student who realizes she was always surrounded by love.
Old Ways
– Keeps to herself
– avoids confrontation
– she’s quiet
– she doesn’t believe in herself
New Ways
-more sociable
-she’s outspoken
-she meets conflict head-on
-knows she can accomplish anything
Changes that need to happen
1. Mia’s boss berates her because she is late and writes her up.
2. A guy comes into her work and asks her out.
3. Her roommate wants her to go out and meet her friends
4. The new guy wants her to meet his friends, but she refuses. They get in a fight and she decides to ghost him.
5. Her roommate is killed, and she’s taken in for questioning. She stands up for herself and is released.
6. Lonnie, her friend and stalker drugs her and kidnaps her.
7. She wakes up tied to a bed and must find a way to get free.
8. She plays along with Lonnie’s sick fantasy so he will untie her. She tries to flee, she struggles with him. She is able to escape.
Act 1:
Opening – Mia sits on a bench sketching what’s in front of her. She watches an older couple walk by arm in arm. She spots a dandelion and makes a wish to find love.
Inciting Incident – Mia hurries to work when a man, Ian, steps out a doorway and runs into her,
knocking her to the ground. He helps her up and watches her as she runs down the sidewalk.1. Mia’s boss berates her because she is late and writes her up.
· Turning Point – the man that knocked her down turns up at her work and asks her out on a date, she reluctantly says yes.
2. A guy comes into her work and asks her out.
Act 2:
Reaction – Mia enjoys the date and gets a bouquet of flowers from a secret admirer. Her roommate Breanna asks her
to go out to the club with her.3. Her roommate wants her to go out and meet her friends.
New plan – Mia decides she should be more open to meeting new people and agrees to go out with Breanna.
Plan in action – Ian wants
Mia to meet his friends but she doesn’t feel comfortable and this causes the conflict which refuses to meet head on.4. The new guy wants her to meet his friends, but she refuses. They get in a fight and she decides to ghost him.
Midpoint Turning Point –
after a long day at school and work, Mia comes home to find her roommate dead. The police come and question her. She calls Lonnie and he comes over to comfort her. He gets her a drink laced with Rohypnol; she passes out.5. Her roommate is killed, and she’s taken in for questioning. She stands up for herself and is released
Act 3:
6. Lonnie, her friend and stalker drugs her and kidnaps her.
7. She wakes up tied to a bed and must find a way to get free.
Rethink everything – Mia wakes up tied to a bed with Lonnie leaning over her. New plan – Mia must
figure out how to get Lonnie to untie her.8. She must play along with Lonnie’s sick fantasy so he will untie her. Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Mia convinces Lonnie that she won’t run away and gets him to untie her, but she realizes that the only way out of the house is with the keys that Lonnie keeps closely guarded.
Act 4:
9. Lonnie unties her but she is trapped. She must confront him. They struggle, but she gets away.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
– She confronts Lonnie, they fight, she manages to get the keys and escape. Lonnie either gets arrested or is killed? Not sure about this yet.
Resolution – Mia is back at art school,
surrounded by friends. She realizes that she is surrounded by love. -
Mary Ellevold, Transformational events, lesson 6
Change 2 -needs to question if it’s a phobia or real?
Add – it’s real all right…., Kat & Bob believe him
Change 3 -needs to quit being mr nice guy and fight kat legally
Add others dissing Jon for no atty, & signing contract when 10
Change 4-needs to do phobia therapy-graduate; prove to judge can handle animals, not run so he gets his company back; add his reactions
Change 5 -needs to get people on his side and combat the animals
A Jon befriends Bob; add med side effect scene
B Jon discusses w/Doug, who is paranoid
C jon discusses w/psych & granny who don’t believe
Change 6 – Needs to face animals, stop attack-does at zoo
Change 7 – needs to figure out why they’re attacking
a- Add “why is this happening to me
b- God’s wrath or Kat’s wrath
c- Bob hints at why; finally confesses
Change 8- must sacrifice himself to save Bob & Gerbel
d- Jon befriends Bob & gives him gerbil
e- Jon saves the party by unclogging the toilet
f- Jon dives in fountain to save Bob & Gerbil
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Brendan Williams Transformational Events
In this assignment, I learned what situations will I place my two characters in. I’m planning on making my script 80 pages (I know that’s short, but I want this to be a low low low budget and small art house picture), so I decided there are 8 transformational events (each ten minutes each). Figured that was a good way to structure my story.
<title></title><style type=”text/css”>
</style>Concept:
On the night of her deceased
brother’s birthday, a teenage girl suffering from depression tries to
help her mother overcome the denial of her son’s suicide and must
find a way for her to accept it.The Transformational
EventsBeginning:
Anita, 17, is suffering from
depression and is completely shut off from the rest of the world. She
spends her time taking opioids and cutting her wrist as a way for the
physical pain to bury her emotional pain.Ending:
Anita helps her mother overcome
the denial of her son’s death and finally accept it by convincing her
it was an accident. She decides to be the one to take care of her
mother and hold their relationship together.In
Between: Anita encounters a
series of dilemmas that will test her love for her mother and decide
if choosing to leave the country for college is really the best
decision for both of them.Transformational
Event #1: Anita returns home
and asks her mother if she packed up Sam’s bedroom, but Valerie says
she can’t bare to go inside. We see Anita can’t go in the room
either.Transformational
Event #2: Valerie is playing
the piano and Anita joins her, but when Valerie sees the razor scars
along her arms, she walks away. She doesn’t want to talk to Anita
about anything.Transformational
#3: Anita tries to call her
friend, Hannah about dropping off some pills, but she’s unable to do
it. Anita loses it in her room and tries to find a way to deal with
her withdrawal.Transformational
Event #4: Anita receives an
acceptance letter from Trinity College that her short story, “The
Boy Who Died” has moved her up in the admissions process. Anita
must decide if she should continue with the process or decide she
should stay behind in Maine and take care of her mother.Transformational
Event #5: Valerie is the one
stealing the pills from Anita, however she’s not dumping them, but
she’s rather taking them for herself.Transformational
Event #6: Valerie decides to
throw a birthday party for Sam and buys a cake and makes what used to
be Sam’s favorite dinner, but Anita tells her she needs to get over
it and accept the fact that Sam is gone and she can’t go on any
longer seeing her mother in denial.Transformational
Event #7: Valerie knocks on
Sam’s door and tells him to wake up for school, but when he doesn’t
answer, she opens the door and loses it. Anita rushes into the room
and comforts her mother. She tells Valerie that she’ll be by her side
every step of the way in the grieving process.Transformational
Event #8: Anita must decide
between telling Valerie the truth about Sam’s suicide letter or just
keep the secret private. She decides to burn the letter in the
fireplace. -
Carissa’s Transformational Events
What I learned: While my protag is juggling his life, I am juggling story lines because of his life. I will see if this helps when I go back to the script.
Old Ways:
Ron juggles too much
Ron protects his clients at all costs
Ron thinks he knows more than he does
Ron has to prove himself.
Ron is too trusting.
Ron thinks success is having a nice car and house
New Ways:
Ron pares down his activities
Ron can’t always please everyone
Ron is humbled
Ron realizes what “good enough” means
Ron puts up his guard, knows not to trust right away
Ron feels successful with his family and a condo
Transformational Events:
Ron gets shot at
Ron has to tell his wife everything
Ron meets former Pres Truman
Ron works for CIA
Ron meets with bank who will give him 25 mill.
Ron does FBI sting
Ron agrees to work with Paulo
Paulo source of info but has a big mouth—Sheik working with Lockheed
Ron finds out who stole from Sheik.
Sheik doesn’t like Paulo told him who is stealing
Ron takes initiative and goes inside airplane hanger
Treasury unhappy that Ron took initiative
Paulo beat up, life threatened
Ron gets Paulo to work with him and Treasury
Sheik working with Lockheed
Sheik arrested but released on diplomatic immunity
Ron’s clients leave the biz
Ron shot at
Treasury wants Ron in CO
Sheik laundering money thru Ritz Carlton
Paulo secretly stealing from Sheik.
Ron and Paulo fight it out. Paulo set up a psy op against Ron
Ron stays in CO and his family joins him
-
Pam’s Transformational Events
OLD WAYS
– Materialistic
– Not crazy about dogs. Filthy beasts!
– Perfectionist
– Values conventional outer beauty
– He’s part of a fashionable “It” crowd with so many friends
– Surrounds himself with celebrities
– Has a girlfriend who uses him for his connections. Is attracted to her for her outward beauty.
– Takes crap from Marc
– Needs others to validate his successNEW WAYS
– Down to earth
– Appreciates dogs for their intelligence, uniqueness and loyalty
– Expands definition of beauty to include individuality and inner beauty
– Accepts imperfections
– Surrounds himself with real friends and people he loves
– Has a girlfriend who sees him. Is attracted to her for her individuality and inner beauty.
– Defeats Marc and gets him arrested for attempted murder
– Success and happiness has a new meaning
STEPS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN TO GO FROM OLD WAYS TO NEW
– See that expensive clothes, car, and your “it crowd” do not define your success
– Gradually adjust to being around dogs. Learn about them, and from them.
– Learn that beauty comes in all forms, both outward and inward. (inc. clothes & hair)
– See what was a lie and what is true in his life
– Learn what is really important in a romantic relationship
– Learn the truth about Marc and defeat him. And realize that he doesn’t want to be him.
– Redefine success and happinessTRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS
Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.– At the gallery fundraiser, Henri learns that Marc’s sponsorship of the event is more about “seeing and being seen” than supporting the charity. And trolling for new clients. “Can you ever have too many friends, be too rich, or be too good-looking?” Marc’s words echo in his head. Henri begins to wonder if that’s where his life is headed.
– When Henri meets Acadia, she is unlike any of the women in his former world. Genuine, totally comfortable in her own skin, and favors practicality over fashion.
– Acadia falls for him when she thinks he’s a dog groomer, and seemingly not even a good one. Doesn’t use him for his connections (like his previous girlfriend).
– Henri has his first creative breakthrough at the dog salon when he gives a Jack Russell Terrier a Mohawk, despite the initial dismay from Cam. This starts an Owner/Pet matching-hairdo trend that becomes a popular request in the salon.
– Henri has his first real insight into dogs as emotional beings when he learns that the “ugliest” mutt (Goodfella) keeps getting passed over for adoption. He sees the hurt in the dog’s eyes. Henri uses some fancy grooming techniques to show off Goodfella’s good features and personality.
– Henri sees how proud Cam is of his dog salon and the genuine bond he has with his clients. Even when business levels were down. Success has nothing to do with luxury or an “it” crowd.
– Acadia casually mentions to Henri that when he styles his hair, he kind of looks like that movie star Bradley James. This triggers the realization that he may have been the intended target of the hit. And that Marc lied — he was set up when Marc sent him on the errand to Bradley’s house.
– Really appreciates Jared for looking in on his Papi. Having people in his life he can count on means the world.
– Henri sees that Jared would risk his life for him, when he helps Henri look for clues re: who hired the hit. And misleads the hitman, leaving a fake iPhone in plain view.
– Jared comes to the rescue, along with the police, to save Henri and Acadia.
And then later, Jared helps trap Marc. Jared is a true friend. Trust is everything. -
Gayle’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is… transformation is a process. In order for the journey to make sense the character must be seen failing at what used to work before they can decide to choose the new ways in order to succeed and change.
Rick’s Old Ways – Chases happiness… An inept ghost buster… Takes the credit for his wife’s work… He sees fame and fortune as the key to happiness… Does not want a family until he has fame… Thinks he should be the family boss.
CHALLENGE – Act 1
1. Draws a small crowd at book signing
2. Ignorant and dismissed at paranormal panel
3. Called out on his own webcast
4. Reminded his career is no longer bright and shining and the money is not great
5. Warned by his wife that she wants to raise a family now, with love not with fame and fortune
6. Chases fame and wife declares she wants a divorce
EVOLVING – Acts 2 & 3
7. He doesn’t believe she can succeed on her own or without him.
8. He throws a tantrum when she demands he sign over the house so she can sell it.
9. No one wants him on his own so he tries to use his charm to win her back
10. As ghosts manipulate them, he believes his wife is trying to get back together
11. Ghosts kidnap his wife and he has no clue what to do
12. Reads his wife’s notes and is able to find the right ritual
CHANGE – Act 4
13. Listens to his wife and is able to have a genuine conversation
14. Figures out how to rescue his wife
15. Chooses to listen to everyone around him in order to defeat the demon.
16. Chooses to stay with his wife instead of chasing an elusive goal when he already has everything he wants.
Rick’s New Ways – Lets happiness come to him… A
skilled ghost buster… Gives his wife her due credit… Realizes the love of his
family will bring him happiness… Knows there is never a right time to have a
child… Knows marriage is compromise. -
Sandra’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is how it helps to plot out the obstacles, steps and events that force the protagonist to change and transform, and incorporate these into each Act.
OLD WAYS
Lucy started the movie living in the Old Ways.
Old Identity: Fearful and timid Ph.D. student who doesn’t believe in herself.
Jumps to conclusion.
Honest and naive.
Overly dedicated to her work – workaholic.
NEW WAYS
In the end, Lucy becomes stronger and more confident.
New Identity: Empowered – believes she can accomplish anything.
Courageous – released from fear and self-doubt.
Sets better boundaries, priorities and self-care.
Examines situations – thinks things through.
CHANGES OR STEPS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN:
Recognizing she jumped to conclusions. Problems it causes when she doesn’t check things out first.
Aware of danger – someone following her.
Needs to find out who is sabotaging her research and why.
Sees Prof. Clark as the enemy.
Accepts she can control her reality.
Claims her voice – honest with her husband instead of avoiding.
Claims her power – survived storm/ditch – can survive anything.
Realizes she can have it all (career, marriage, and motherhood) on her own terms.
TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS
1. Dead mouse – poisoned (jumps to conclusions, thinks it was her research assistant.
2. Café -not her husband with another woman – jumps to conclusions
3. Tire slashed – changes it – black truck side swipes driver’s side.
4. Assistant denies. Warns about Prof. Clark – provides info.
5. Unexpected strong storm. Rains harder and harder. Strong winds.
6. Lucy afraid she won’t survive.
7. Lucy finds out about the family secret.
-
Adam’s Transformational Events
What I learned – turning the journey into hard decisions in steps makes the journey so straightforward and easy to place, manipulate and change
Character Arc: Les starts as a man afraid to speak up to a man leading a revolution.
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
Transformational Events:
1. A friend shows him what’s happening behind the scenes
2. Les tries to tell the principal that he thinks they should do something different – gets shut down
3. He witnesses something that was considered a conspiracy become a reality
4. Les is fired for getting too close to a student with masks off
5. Les and Donna are at odds over vaccinating and the kids – she leaves
6. Les builds a new internet with friend
7. Les is arrested and put into a labour camp
8. Les breaks out and begins a world revolution
-
2) Celeste must train Patrick to debate the big boys.EUGENE’S TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS (Lesson 6)
What I learned doing this assignment is that it is very repetative. Going through the same points again and again and again. Hopefully learning something and added to it each time.
Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.
CELESTE’S CHARACTER ARC:
Celeste starts from a person with a mission of his own that has takes a back seat to Patrick’s mission. She is willing to wait 8 years to realize her personal goals.
At the end of the film she realizes that she has reached her personal goal even sooner than she ever dreamed by helping Patrick on his personal journey.
OLD WAYS
1) Celeste must train Patrick to speak effectively.
3) Celeste must make Patrick presentable to the public.
4) Celeste must train Patrick to overcome his challenges.
NEW WAYS
1) Celeste must put her goals and ambitions on the back burner to help Patrick succeed.
2) Celeste must incorporate Patrick’s unsual ideas into her mindset and help him implement them.
3) Celeste must accept the fact that she has feelings for Patrick.
4) She must accept that she has, by helping Patrick, realized her ambition.
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
1) Celeste must put her ambitions aside to teach Patrick to be able to speak effectively to a large audience. Part of the old ways of politics.
2) Celeste must help Patrick to implement a major solution in California to the Homeless Crisis in L.A. to keep the momentum of his campaign moving forward.
3) Celeste must help Patrick deal with the upheavel and possible damage that Barb, his former fiance has caused to his campaign. He is being investigated for possible income tax evasion.
4) Celeste must help find out why Seco is arrested and the campaign team is being accused of have plotted an assassination attempt.
5) Celeste must organize the write-in campaign as Patrick is not on the ballot on any state in the union.
6) Celeste must deal with the fact that Patrick has fallen in love with her.
7) Celeste is happy for Patrick when he finally wins both the popular vote and the electoral college vote.
8) As Patrick has won a plurality, but not a majority, of the electoral college, the vote for President and Vice President goes to the Congress. The Senate elects Celeste as the Vice President, but the House is deadlocked. When Inaugaration day comes, Celeste is sworn in as the President of the U.S. and makes an endearing speech as the first Native American President.
Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
1) Celeste has trained Patrick in the old ways, to be an effective public speaker.
2) She has put off her ambition to be President, at least for present, to help Patrick solve problems.
3) Celeste must deal with the fact that she really cares for Patrick.
4) She realizes that he can teach him to debate (the old way), but if he uses his new ways he will be even more effective.
5) She is happy with her work with Patrick when he wins the popular vote.
6) She realizes the old ways have made her President of the U.S., but the new ways she had learned from Patrick are the way she will run the country.
Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Opening :
Candidate Lee gives his first major Speech to a huge, adoring audience in Los Angeles, California.
NEXT scene:
Patrick and Celeste are discussing with Los Angeles City Officials their plans to eliminate Skid Row from the City and transport all the homeless to Angel City, a new planned community within the City of L.A.
Inciting Incident
They break ground on Angel City, which to the amazement of L.A. Officials, is completed in 7 days. This brings an almost instantaneous reaction from his opposition and his trusted campaign worker Seco is arrested on the spot.
Turning Point:
After trying to get Seco out of jail, Patrick visits a mental patient in a local asylum who may have lead to the arrest of Seco and learns how his campaign is effectively being attacked.
Act 2:
New plan:
Patrick must prove that the mental patient was talked into giving false testimony against Seco and that this was somehow arranged by his opponents.
Plan in action:
The mental patient retracts his claims against Seco and he is released from jail.
Midpoint Turning Point:
Patrick finds out that his old girlfriend, Barb, has turned him in to the IRS for possible income tax violations in the past preparation of his clients taxes, when he was a CPA.
Act 3:
Rethink everything:
Celeste helps Patrick prepare for the next Presidential Debate and tries to convince him that everything will be okay.
New Plan:
Patrick manages to get through the debate without having any kind of direct confrontation with the two major party candidates. He plays a game of verbal Aikido throwing them off guard as he makes positive statements that emphasize solutions.
Turning Point:
After winning the Debate he is arrested back stage for income tax evasion.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict:
Patrick goes over the figures with the IRS and proves everything he did is within the law. The Presidential Campaign takes place and even though Patrick Lee is not on the ballot and voters must write in his name, he wins the Popular Vote and the Electoral College Vote.
Unfortunately, he does not have a majority of the Electoral College, so the Republican House and the Democratic Senate must decide the President and Vice President. It is a tie in the House Vote for President, but Celeste SeedlingSun wins the Vice Presidency in the Senate Vote.
Resolution:
By Inauguration Day, there is still no clear winner in the House Vote for President, so Celeste SeedlingSun takes the Presidential Oath of Office, and makes an inspired Inaugural Speech as the First Native American President of the U.S.
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EUGENE’S TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS (Lesson 6)
What I learned doing this assignment is that it is very repetitive. Going through the same points again and again and again. Hopefully learning something and adding to it each time.
For most part I see this process as very difficult. You cannot make changes once you post and before posting it is extremely difficult to work on this “reply” platform. Not very well thought out.
Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.
CELESTE’S CHARACTER ARC:
Celeste starts from a person with a mission of her own that takes a back seat to Patrick’s mission. She is willing to wait 8 years to realize her personal goals.
At the end of the film she realizes that she has reached her personal goal even sooner than she ever dreamed by helping Patrick on his personal journey.
OLD WAYS
1) Celeste must train Patrick to speak effectively.
2) Celeste must train Patrick to debate the big boys.
3) Celeste must make Patrick presentable to the public.
4) Celeste must train Patrick to overcome his challenges.
NEW WAYS
1) Celeste must put her goals and ambitions on the back burner to help Patrick succeed.
2) Celeste must incorporate Patrick’s unusual ideas into her mindset and help him implement them.
3) Celeste must accept the fact that she has feelings for Patrick.
4) She must accept that she has, by helping Patrick, realized her ambition.
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
1) Celeste must put her ambitions aside to teach Patrick to be able to speak effectively to a large audience. Part of the old ways of politics.
2) Celeste must help Patrick to implement a major solution to the Homeless Crisis in L.A. to keep the momentum of his campaign moving forward.
3) Celeste must help Patrick deal with the upheaval and possible damage that Barb, his former fiance has caused to his campaign. He is being investigated for possible income tax evasion.
4) Celeste must help find out why Seco is arrested and the campaign team is being accused of having plotted an assassination attempt.
5) Celeste must organize the write-in campaign as Patrick is not on the ballot on any state in the union.
6) Celeste must deal with the fact that Patrick has fallen in love with her.
7) Celeste is happy for Patrick when he finally wins both the popular vote and the electoral college vote.
8) As Patrick has won a plurality, but not a majority, of the electoral college, the vote for President and Vice President goes to the Congress. The Senate elects Celeste as the Vice President, but the House is deadlocked. When Inauguration Day comes, Celeste is sworn in as the President of the U.S. and makes an endearing speech as the first Native American President.
Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
1) Celeste has trained Patrick in the old ways, to be an effective public speaker.
2) She has put off her ambition to be President, at least for the present, to help Patrick solve problems.
3) Celeste must deal with the fact that she really cares for Patrick.
4) She realizes that she can teach him to debate (the old way), but if he uses his new ways he will be even more effective.
5) She is happy with her work with Patrick when he wins the popular vote.
6) She realizes the old ways have made her President of the U.S., but the new ways she had learned from Patrick are the way she will run the country.
Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Opening :
Candidate Lee gives his first major Speech to a huge, adoring audience in Los Angeles, California.
NEXT scene:
Patrick and Celeste are discussing with Los Angeles City Officials their plans to eliminate Skid Row from the City and transport all the homeless to Angel City, a new planned community within the City of L.A.
Inciting Incident
They break ground on Angel City, which to the amazement of L.A. Officials, is completed in 7 days. This brings an almost instantaneous reaction from his opposition and his trusted campaign worker Seco is arrested on the spot.
Turning Point:
After trying to get Seco out of jail, Patrick visits a mental patient in a local asylum who may have lead to the arrest of Seco and learns how his campaign is effectively being attacked.
Act 2:
New plan:
Patrick must prove that the mental patient was talked into giving false testimony against Seco and that this was somehow arranged by his opponents.
Plan in action:
The mental patient retracts his claims against Seco and he is released from jail.
Midpoint Turning Point:
Patrick finds out that his old girlfriend, Barb, has turned him in to the IRS for possible income tax violations in the past preparation of his clients taxes, when he was a CPA.
Act 3:
Rethink everything:
Celeste helps Patrick prepare for the next Presidential Debate and tries to convince him that everything will be okay.
New Plan:
Patrick manages to get through the debate without having any kind of direct confrontation with the two major party candidates. He plays a game of verbal Aikido throwing them off guard as he makes positive statements that emphasize solutions.
Turning Point:
After winning the Debate he is arrested back stage for income tax evasion.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict:
Patrick goes over the figures with the IRS and proves everything he did is within the law. The Presidential Campaign takes place and even though Patrick Lee is not on the ballot and voters must write in his name, he wins the Popular Vote and the Electoral College Vote.
Unfortunately, he does not have a majority of the Electoral College, so the Republican House and the Democratic Senate must decide the President and Vice President. It is a tie in the House Vote for President, but Celeste SeedlingSun wins the Vice Presidency in the Senate by one vote.
Resolution:
By Inauguration Day, there is still no clear winner in the House Vote for President, so Celeste SeedlingSun takes the Presidential Oath of Office, and makes an inspired Inaugural Speech as the First Native American President of the U.S.
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Justine’s transformational events
What I learned doing this assignment is that there should be two big changes per act. I had no idea! That definitely changed the way I viewed each act.
Character Arc: Annie goes from a girl afraid to turn 30, who doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life and has horrible self-esteem to a successful author with a best selling self-help book, giving TED talks, totally empowered and taking full accountability for herself.
Old Ways: quits easily, doesn’t take care of herself, no self-esteem or self-confidence, no motivation or drive, not empowered, unhealthy
New Ways: empowered, accountable for self, successful author, healthy, motivated
Steps that need to occur for Annie’s transformation
Finding out about writing
contest at work
Serious talk with
mom about how she’s disappointed
Blacks out the
night before birthday
Begins hallucinating
negative Block that’s been holding her back
Serious talk with Jenn
where she considers not listening to the Block
Begins to write a
story/make positive change
Finds out that
Jenn has stolen her story/argument with Jenn leading to a blackout night
and disappearance of Block
Realization that
the block is there to help and changes her perspectiveACT 1: The initial flashback of being accused of cheating in a creative writing class in college for Annie is the first traumatic blow to her self-confidence and creativity, and is the birth of the Block to begin with. The birthday dinner with Mom is upsetting for Annie because it’s the first time mom has expressed disappointment in her. It’s this dinner that causes her to party so hard later that night. The original blackout event the night before her birthday is traumatic because she wakes up with a horrible hangover and a great sense of disappointment in herself, plus now a mean presence is following her around saying all of the mean things to her that she normally thinks about herself.
ACT 2: When she’s getting dressed, attempting yoga with Jenn, trying to jog or quit smoking, the Block is contradicting her, mirroring her own inner doubt that she can do hard things. Each time it’s incredibly frustrating for Annie which causes her to reach out to Jenn. She tells Jenn about her loud, obnoxious inner critic that’s blocking her creative thought, not explaining that she can SEE the Block. Jenn says she doesn’t HAVE to listen to the Block and suggests Annie prove the Block wrong, by writing for this contest. Annie and Jenn discuss two story ideas that Annie could write, one is VERY unique and the other is safe. Jenn insists that Annie write the unique one, but the Block insists Annie stick with what’s safe, after all she isn’t THAT creative, and probably won’t finish anyway. Annie then writes the easy, safe story, but disagrees with and ignores the block about some of the details.
ACT 3: When Annie submits the story, she’s starting to feel more accountable and empowered, she CAN finish things. When the winner is announced, it’s JENN, not Annie. Jenn won writing the story that was Annie’s unique and ultra-creative idea. Annie and Jenn have it out, Jenn tells Annie she’s sick of wallowing with her, watching Annie waste her amazing talents. She KNEW Annie would never write that story and chose to do so instead, after all, creative ideas will always find a way to be born. Annie is devastated, she thought she was getting better, but she knows Jenn is right in a way. She goes out, copes in the unhealthy way of getting blackout drunk and comes home to pass out.
ACT 4: In the morning, she’s alone. The Block is not longer a hallucinated being around her, she’s alone. She feels horrible about the night before, and realizes that she doesn’t need to cope that way anymore. She CAN do hard things. She makes a list of the things the Block said she CAN’T do. She starts to cross out CAN’T and write CAN. She realizes that if she believes she can, SHE CAN. She goes to Greece to meet her mother and start living the empowered life she’s always wanted.
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Anna’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment: the transformational journey helped me flesh out a few more elusive events.
MIKHAIL’S TRANSFORMATIONAL EVENTS:
OLD WAYS
o In the beginning, Mikhail is still “the leader.”
o Doesn’t want to be no stinking “champion” for She-Who-Is
o Terrified of his dark gift, abusing power (“I’m no better than Moloch”).
o Traumatized by his core wound.
o Doesn’t believe he can wield the power responsibly.
o Focuses on uniting humanity to fight back using mortal means.
NEW WAYS
o In the end, becomes more than “The Champion.” Becomes a legendary “archangel.”
o Can wield his power (barely).
o Can heal others.
o Can lead men into battle.
o Puts aside his animosity for old enemies to defeat Moloch.
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways). Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult.
1. Having no idea what, exactly, he did on Lucifer’s ship to defeat Ba’al Zebub, but having heard what he did and seen the way he melted parts of the ship, he is absolutely adamant that he never use the dark power again, just as the Cherubim and his grandmother warned.
2. He mistakes Ninsianna’s “shadow cat” which is lurking after them as one of the creatures he manifested while he was suffering a flashback. The shadow cat doesn’t obey him and attacks somebody. Ninsianna claims she didn’t see it, so he assumes it is his. It fortifies his resolve to never use such a horrific power ever again (especially when that power is following you around, eating people).
3. Ninsianna grows impatient with his unwillingness to do what is necessary to get back their son, uses dark magic to torture information out of somebody, shames him.
4. MIDPOINT: Pareesa is killed defending him. Grief-stricken, he says “take me instead.” This unlocks the positive side of his dark gift. He uses the power to heal Pareesa’s injuries and pull her back from the Hall of Heroes.
5. There is nobody to teach him to use his power, but then Gita reappears. She tells them of a second temple she visited once as a child, the tomb of Tiamet. Gita is Amhran reborn and, while she’s been away, her power has grown. She can wield the same dark gift that he can, but her gift manifests in a different way. This gives him hope.
6. Mikhail begins to control his dark gift. It is too powerful and unreliable for a mortal creature to wield alone. He must share the burden with others … the reason the Seraphim formed deep bonds to one another.
7. Mikhail confronts Moloch. Moloch taunts him to lose control of his dark power, destroy Earth now that he’s retrieved all of his body parts and has his power back. Mikhail begins to destabilize, Ninsianna’s love isn’t pure enough to keep him grounded and even with Pareesa, it still isn’t enough. But then Gita appears out of the shadows and begins to sing a song which no mortal creature should be able to sing – the Song of Ki. The song stabilizes Mikhail’s dark power so he can defeat Moloch and get back his son.
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Jon’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is… I am much further along in solid story structure AND everything in between. Also, I’m realizing that I have to slow down and let the lessons motivate some of my brainstorming.
Character ARC / 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 irresponsible
Not having ambition
Not seeing himself successful in the future
being what his dad loathes
having nothing
being full of rage and confusion
New Ways:
genuinely caring about people
being responsible
being more of 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
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways). Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult.
Transformations Need:
Stop being lazy and irresponsible
Recognize that there is a better life for him in the future
Find motivation and ambition
See the level of power that is within him to achieve his goals
Get off the criminal path and onto the legit path
Learn to make a plan and execute the plan
Stop doubting himself and see himself successful in the future
Begin to have empathy and sympathy for others
Get a handle on his temper, anger and rage
Become personally valuable
Become financially valuable
Work to become secure
Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.
Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
Transformational Events:
He leaves the kid alone to make a run. Fiancé catches him and confronts him
Dean Johnson pressures him to stay in school to no avail
Fiancé lets him know she wants a better life and is taking a break with the kid
He has a pageful outbreak
Between crimes… He helps an elderly man on a ladder fix his windows
Between crimes… When he sees a woman is buy cat food eating cat food he brings her groceries
Fiancé follows him on a caper
He lets a victim go free with out taking from them
Fiancé calls him as he’s almost caught and guides him out of danger
His mom tells him about his grandfather the carpenter – built this house
He sees the Habitat billboard and pursues it
Detective takes him to see his lakeside lot he plans to build on
He buys part of the lot from the detective
He builds his home alongside his brother’s home
Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
4 Act Structure for Protagonist
Act 1:
A Opening
The beginning of the day for main characters
Chance sees homestead billboard on the way to law school
Its where…
Detective volunteers for habitat for humanity
Dad lectures young lawyers in his office on power of details
Fiancé gets kids off to school on her way to work EXHAUSTED but COMMITTED
Retired Mom sips her coffee and slides her a few dollars and a coffee to go THEN fires up a cig
Chance urgently traverses the school campus…surveying it like he taking it all in
Detective tries to sneak by Judge Jones (you ignoring me?) SMDH
Chance walks the hallways at school to a locker and empties it
Suddenly summoned into and admin office by the school dean
Long stares then the verdict
Dean Johnson Are you self destructing? No, let me be real…YOU are self destructing
Chance says school is not what he wants…he’s miserable…I’m here for all the wrong reasons
Dean asks you have a kid and a fiancé what is your plan your life plan
Work, save, buy some land by a lake and build my own home
Dean and how will you pay for it all assuming you don’t even have a job yet
Chance just glares at his assumption
Dean Johnson lectures him about needing successful kids like him in the community
Who says I won’t be successful?
Chance Its over…
Dean what’s over?
Chance this conversation
B Inciting Incident
Chance quits college
Leaves his books behind with Dean
Returns for his mechanics manual
Fiancé confronts him when he leaves kid alone to to go on job interview
Gets a job fixing cars
Chance now has a secret to hide
C Turning Point 1
Dad kills a home invader
The laws are not on his side
He goes to jail
Act 2:
A New plan
Chance promises his Mom he’ll take care of them
Carolina seems unsure of it
Chance works harder at work but the money isn’t enough
Fiancé lets him know she wants a better life and is taking a break with the kid
He has a rage filled outburst when they leave
Mom calms him and tells him about his grandfather the carpenter – built this house
Detective visits Callahan in jail with questions
Something peculiar STEPPED ON FOOT QUESTIONS
Calahan is out of his mind irritated with the system and blurts out everything but answers
a civil lawasuit for $1 million dollars I don’t have
My home is going into foreclosure
With my wife and family in it
And ur asking me about stepping on a foot!!
Im done! He walks off then yells back
They better not touch my hellcat!!
B Plan in Action
He picks up an onsite job on a construction site
Chances jobs starting to pay off savings is growing
He studies homebuilding in the little free time he has
He volunteers at Habitat to learn to build a house
Meets the Detective
Im Detective Wolski but Barry is good
Chance is startled to be chatting up the police
Detective eventually recognizes him as his brother
Questions him on a few things
Chance is startled to be chatting up the police
They both share their disdain with their jobs
They talk dreams and realize they are similar dreams
They jokingly make a plan to leave the city and build on a lake
They play a guessing game about their fav things and are amazed at similarities
They admire each other
Detective shows him his building manual
Chance’s spirit is lit on fire as he flips through it
Detective says keep it ill grab another one
Maybe you’ll learn enough to help me one day
C Turning Point 2. (MIDPOINT)
He gets fired for moonlighting the same day his night job gets stopped by the city inspector
Act 3:
A Rethink everything
Chance becomes a crook
Robbing, Stealing, Fencing, Scamming
Savings skyrockets
Detective Begins Investigating the crime spree
Between crimes… He helps an elderly man on a ladder fix his windows
Between crimes… When he sees a woman is buy cat food eating cat food he brings her groceries
Detective calls Judge Jones from streets
Tells him Callahan’s Judge Karen Dreyfus is not clean for this case
Says you might wanna look into it
B New plan
Chance learns about the Detective from TV news story as he preps for caper
Vows to Tighten up his routine and the overall plan
Fiancé follows him on a caper
He lets a victim go free with out taking from them
Fiancé calls him as he’s almost caught and guides him out of danger
Detective left high and dry at the scene
Judge Dryfus is forced to recuse herself
Judge Jones calls Detective cell with a short cryptic message
Thanks for the tip Detective she was definitely compromised friend of a friend’s rotten ass son
Detective thanks him for listening
Judge Jones rejects it having not done anything illegal
Detective right the law, trust the law
Judge Jones it works
Yeah but sometimes it needs oil change and a jump start or it’ll leave your ass stranded or run your ass over
Good day Detective
C Turning Point 3: Huge failure / Major shift
Detective gets an urgent text and rushes out the house
Detective is watching Chance
Sets him up good
Chance is arrested on 20 counts
Looking at 20-80 years in prison
Chance is in jail dejected as he paces in his small cell
Does push up, sit ups between going crazy
He runs in place
Time goes by and he now has a thick raggedy beard staring at the ceiling
Suddenly, he tears a few strips of his sheet
Braids them together slowly
Tests the strength of the long braid
Then ties a noose and drops it on the bed
He searches for a pencil then paper
But only finds his building manual
He whips to the dedication and finds a big blank spot on the page and rips it out
When he does he reads the first page of the manual
Its a motivational introduction that reads
“Build Your Dream Home & Change Your Lifestyle in 90 days”
Once again a fire is lit inside him
He urgently turns over the blank page and draws a sketch of what he plans to build
Then he reads voraciously
Act 4:
A Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict
Detective visits Callahan in jail for a few unanswered questions
They carry on like adversaries
Detective Delivers Chances Fate
Detective makes promise to do what he can to help
Dad says don’t worry about me just Chance
Before they part Detective reaches for dads hand
Dad squeezes back and says, I know…you are sorry, I know not your fault son
Dad says I’m sorry too
By the time Detective says for what
Dad shoves him away, calls him fuckin asshole and retreats calling on guards
Dads trial begins up to All Rise…
Judge Jones is announce and we see delight on Detective’s face
Judge then continues the harsh treatment that Judge Dryfus started
Dad calls Sergeant Antoni Mills (arresting officer) to the stand
Dad gets him to prove him not guilty through an exercise in the courtroom
Judge stops the hearing and rule it a mistrial
Dad and Detective share a moment from a distance
Then suddenly, dad walks across the room and hugs Detective and quickly part
The Prosecuting Attorney reluctantly answers his cell phone and says Yes Sir, No, Sir, UH yes
Detective leans back in an whispers something to Dad
Dad face grows with excitement and he tears up as Detective pats him on the shoulders
DA is cursing at his team over the phone then slams it shut
Phone rings immediately
His brother’s mother the ex DA pulls a favor and gets him out of jail around the same time as dad
Mr Claiborne right?
AG Claiborne, what can I do for you
This. Is her name you might remember me from our early days working in the same building on main?
Cant say I do, but what is your issue
My issue is that you have a very serious problem heading your way
And I need a favor
So maybe its no problem for you if you can help
Whoever this is I don’t have the time…
Under the floor boards of the janitor’s closet right down the hall from you
You will find a box of files
The box will read :…
Most of the files in the box with contain blank sheets of paper
But one of the files will be of great interest and value to you and your family and your freedom
When you find the box of files and walk down your dirty criminal memory lane
You will have an uncontrollable urge to set it on fire.
Feel free to do so…There are 2 more identical boxes in similar cleverly tucked away places
Ill call you tomorrow with a small favor you will be overjoyed to take care of for me
DA has the floor ripped up and sees a file box labeled “1 of 3 mf”
DA tells his staffer to get me on the AG’s lunch schedule and I mean today, just tell him I’m treating
B Resolution
Dads lawsuits are dropped and his finances and home are safe again
The 2 brothers are halfway done building their twin lake houses
Funny Barry introduces his girlfriend/fiance to Chance
Chance says please don’t tell me I have a sister too?
Yes you do
Chance yells for dad
Carolina joins Chance and intros herself to
Sister in law
She says soon to be sister in law
Chance oh shit congrats fam!!!
Dad and Mom visit them and bring a check to help them finish
Dad I sold the hellcat… not much but it’ll buy a shitload of lumber and nails and some shingles maybe
Dad once the lawsuit is reversed I can help you more
He turns to Barry and finishes his statement “Son”
Then to Chance “Son”
The two brothers simultaneously say the same thing “Dad, we’re good…”
Then they laugh at themselves
Chance we’re fuckin twins is what we are
Barry except I’m older
Chance you’re older?
The family all join in on the banter
Until they notice Mom walking over to Barri’s Mom
Everyone gets nervous, worried
Mom stops infant of her sitting regally in a wheelchair smoking a cigarette
They stare at each other
A long time goes by
Then Mom reaches out and hugs her tightly
Everyone exhales and smiles
Mom whispers Thank you as her tears well up
And I’m sorry for keeping them apart all this time
Sylvia WE kept them apart and Im sorry too, but that’s over now…they’re together, happy and young
Mom And we getting old AF
Sylvia SMDH girl
They both wipe their tears and sign
Mom points to cigarrette
Mom U got another one of them uhh…
Barry’s Mom “Sylvia” hell, sit down lets smoke the whole pack
Mom says as she sits next to her on a picnic bench
Oh, i see you’re bad as me, Huh!
Sylvia birds of a feather
As the rest of the family joins them and Dad and Barry take away their cigarettes
the view rises to reveal their majestic lakeside property with nothing but promise
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Steve Patterson’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that even minor conflicts in a character drama can have a major impact on the characters in the story.
1. Mateo arrives … and immediately turns to leave when he sees Stacey’s parents are there. But Stacey insists that he stay. Normally she’d just give up and be disappointed, but this time she insists he stay.
2. Stacey tells Britney, her caregiver, to find a way to get rid of her parents. Stacey wants to manipulate things behind the scenes so she doesn’t have to do it directly.
3. Stacey has to use the bathroom. It’s Britney’s job as her caregiver to take Stacey to the bathroom, but Harry insists on doing it. Stacey flatly refuses. It might seem like a small thing but it’s a big deal for Stacey to stand up to her father.
4. A cat and mouse game ensues. Harry is suspicious that something is going on while Stacey finds reasons to get them out of the house.
5. Harry finally figures out what is going on between Stacey and Mateo. He demands that Mateo get out the house. Stacey refuses to let Mateo leave.
6. Harry says he’ll disown Stacey if she continues to see Mateo. She calls his bluff. She has other caregivers. She can live without him if he can’t learn to allow her an independent life.
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John T’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that putting some meat on the bones is a good way to brainstorm.
· Internal Journey: Clare goes from being an easily manipulated introvert to a strong and intentional woman in charge of herself.
· External Journey: Clare goes from being the butt of jokes and demeaning taunts to dominating the situation, defeating the cyborgs on the island and emerging as the sole survivor/winner.
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.
Clare’s changes:
1. See herself for who she is. Stand up to her mother.
2. Realize that her life is the only life she can control.
3. Decide that she will be more assertive.
4. Act against her impulse to be the butt of Rod’s jokes and jabs.
5. Challenge her cyborg as she might challenge herself.
6. Hold her own when her cyborg turns deadly, not back down.
7. Leave Rod in the dust – doesn’t need him anymore.
8. Emerge from the island stronger, better and ready to take on the world.
Clare’s TE’s:
TE 1; Clare helps a wounded bird fly away.
TE 2: Clare confronts her mother about her father’s abuse.
TE 3: Clare asks her boss for a raise.
TE 4: Enjoys a book about riddles.
TE 5: Clare draws even with her cyborg in a game of Know Thyself.
TE 6: Clare suffers a humiliating defeat in front of the group and decides to leave the island.
TE 7: Clare decides to ignore the mean guests and be friends with a nice guest.
TE 8: Clare outwits her cyborg – buys time.
TE 9: Clare kicks her cyborg off the cliff.
TE 10: Tells Rod goodbye. Climbs aboard the rescue helicopter.
Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Opening – Rod embarrasses Clare at a dinner party. A friend mentions that a new weekend retreat involving robotic clones sounds interesting. It’s called Discovery Island where one spends the weekend getting to know thyself by interacting with one’s cyborg twin.
TE 1; Clare helps a wounded bird fly away.
Inciting Incident – Rod insists that Clare go with him on a self-encounter weekend at Discovery Island or else he’ll end their relationship. That scares the hell out of her so she agrees to go.
TE 3: Clare asks her boss for a raise.
TE 2: Clare confronts her mother about her father’s abuse.
TE 4: Enjoys a book about riddles.
Turning Point – The final leg to Discovery Island is on a helicopter. There’s no runway. The helicopter almost crashes but everyone is safe. The helicopter is down for repairs. Everyone must stay a bit longer than the weekend. No worries, everything is comped.
Act 2:
New plan – Clare sucks at the encounters, won’t share with the group. However, unlike all the others, she excels at encounter challenges. Rod constantly embarrasses Clare in front of the group, something that upsets her greatly.
TE 5: Clare draws even with her cyborg in a game of Know Thyself.
TE 6: Clare suffers a humiliating defeat in front of the group and decides to leave the island.
Plan in action. – Clare secretly plans her escape, offers to pay the pilot to take her off the island when the helicopter is repaired, but a storm approaches. She can’t leave.
TE 7: Clare decides to ignore the mean guests and be friends with a nice guest.
Midpoint Turning Point: A storm takes out the central computer – the cyborgs self repair with painful and deadly consequences for incorrect responses – the cyborgs know their humans all too well. Terror reigns on the island.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Each person’s cyborg is a reflection of themselves. They get what they give so some guests are getting their asses kicked in varied and painful ways. Cruelty begets cruelty. Clare realizes that she must vanquish her cyborg twin in order to survive and the only way to do that is to challenge it with something it doesn’t know.
New plan – While most guests are losing, Clare probes C2 for helpful hints, receives a few electric shocks but is holding her own, buying time using her analytical skills to gain a tactical advantage.
TE 8: Clare outwits her cyborg – buys time.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – people are hiding, some are getting killed. Clare climbs up a hill but is trapped – C2 moves in for the final quiz! Clare must step up with all she can muster. Clare uses logical to outwit C2 and score a few victories using her wins to slowly disable her cyborg. It’s down to one leg, then one arm, but it’s still pursuing her up the cliff.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – C2 has Clare trapped. It taunts her with memories Clare has forgotten. Clare must face what she has run away from her whole life – a repressed memory, the one thing unknown to her cyborg. Clare resurrects her sexual abuse at the hands of her Uncle Henry – she wins! “I’m done with you!”
TE 9: Clare kicks her cyborg off the cliff, watches it smash apart on the rocks.
Resolution – Clare leaves Rod begging for her help. She gives him back his own: “Oh, Rod, get over yourself.”
TE 10: Tells Rod goodbye. Climbs aboard the rescue helicopter.
Clare learns that she won the $50,000 prize for “Inward
Honesty” and is also awarded $5 million for pain and suffering. Her life is now
her own. -
Paul’s transformational events
What I learned doing this assignment is that every protagonist must either change or change those around them. .
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
– Realize that her father doesn’t acknowledge her existence
– Realize that her father has a secret family.
– Strive for independence away from the family.
– Realize that her mother can no longer care for herself.
– Take on the role of caring for her mother.
– Marry her sweetheart.
– Realize it’s time to put her mother into a nursing home.
– Realize it’s time to forgive her father.
4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
– As above
5. Brainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes for the character.
6. Add these transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Opening – Patricia in her wedding dress about to go to the church to get married.Inciting Incident – Patricia gets message from her father that he’ll kill her if she marries Blake.Turning Point – We get to learn more about Patricia’s father Jesse via a flashback from her mother Pearl.
Act 2:
New plan – Patricia as a teenager follows her father and discovers his secret life.Plan in action – Patricia is going to blab to her mother, about her discovery.Midpoint Turning Point – Patricia decides to keep her father’s affairs secret as it may cause harm to her mother.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Patricia decides to go to college, so that she can shift out and get on with her new life.New plan – Patricia can’t be independent from her family as her mother becomes unwell. Marries her sweetheart.Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – None of Patricia’s siblings can be relied upon to look after her mother who has dementia.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict –Patricia decides to take her mother under her care – disobeying her father. Realizes it’s time to put Pearl into a Nursing Home. Pearl dies.Resolution – Pearl decides to forgive her father.
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Kristin’s Transformational Events
I learned that I was nervous that “the future” wouldn’t provide me with creative tests and events, but as I considered the samples and developed ideas, they actually meshed with what I had in place for the structure. I think I can get much better ones, but I was able to get past my fears. Not sure why this way seems more intimidating than my old way—except that my old way is familiar.
HERO & 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 sued the government and fought bravely through a legal case that makes worldwide headlines—and he does it with honor, thanks to friends he’s made along the way.
JOE’S 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
- Helps formulate and spreads the word re: industry “rules”
- More humble, which increases abilities
- Fights for the little guy
- Takes on the federal government
- Protects and supports business partners
- Becomes role model for industry
JOE’S LIST OF CHANGES
- Consider the ramifications of his actions
- Realize that fulfilling his every impulse and whim does not lead to deep joy and happiness
- Look ahead to the future—beyond himself to his friends, industry, and history
- Invite other people into his life—this leads to messiness and distraction, but also fulfillment
- Embrace the duties that come with leading
- Choose a side—and be willing to fight for it
- Stand up against the oppressor, and cut a path for the underdog
- Change history
4-ACT STRUCTURE WITH [EVENT/TEST] INSERTED
Act 1:
- OPENING: The weird and colorful life of independent paleontologists: [EVENT/TEST] Joe, leading a caravan of his crew on the way home from a dig, hears a rumor that investigations are happening regarding digs on public lands—the “knock-knock on the computer,” but from the universe, not the good guys. He blows it off.
- Distracted, [EVENT/TEST] he leaves behind his young kid during a fuel stop—later, after someone else has noticed and the kid is back—Joe repeats his tongue-in-cheek mantra in his own defense, “every man for himself.” However, he is secretly startled by his self-absorption
- INCITING INCIDENT: Seizure! Prosecutor Mr. Little gets his 15 minutes on TV.
- TURNING POINT: Joe files suit and goes in front of news cameras—as school kids demonstrate in front of his building for the return of the small town’s signature fossil. While Mr. Little is VERY displeased at the bad press, [EVENT/TEST] Joe suddenly realizes that the thing he had considered as “his” really “belongs to everyone.”
- Just then, [EVENT/TEST] unprepared, government-hired “scientists” come to crate the delicate fossil—trying to “take over,” telling Joe he has “to stand down.” But he makes a painful decision to help—crate the fossil he loves, in order to save it from damage. He even uses his own materials.
Act 2:
- NEW PLAN: Planning the legal case—like a bull in a china shop.
- PLAN IN ACTION: Not listening to lawyers or colleagues, thinking that force of personality is enough. “Much ado about nothing.” Plus, Joe’s wild lawyer is giving advice that is daring and contrary to other defendants’ lawyers’ advice. [EVENT/TEST] Joe begins as he begins everything—by running over everyone like a steamroller. But soon, he has to learn how to listen—and still lead. As Mr. Little sees the chaos in Joe’s camp, he feels pretty confident.
- The “custody case” widens a bit, as the Native community weighs in. [EVENT/TEST] A prominent medicine man makes an offer to come to Joe’s trailer house behind the company. Joe accepts, just to be polite. But this guy starts making sense, and he calls Joe “a caretaker” of the earth’s treasures. Joe starts to see his role differently.
- MIDPOINT/TP: Not only does Joe’s custody lawsuit fail, but also Mr. Little indicts Joe and his partners as if it’s a RICO case. Hundreds of felony charges. Even the little-old-lady receptionist is an “unindicted co-conspirator.”
- [EVENT/TEST] Joe’s daughter turns 18—and takes off with her boyfriend. She says her life has been dominated by whatever her dad wants, and she is NOT going to let her world get derailed by something she can’t help or control.
Act 3:
- RETHINK EVERYTHING: This shit is real. As Joe’s people are pulled into the drama, he learns the downfalls of his overall POV. [EVENT/TEST] He is even asked to step down as CEO by his family and business partners, but he’s still the majority stockholder. Is he going to give up—or change? Mr. Little sets his sights on taking Joe and the business down.
- NEW INSIGHTS: Joe’s new plans involve research, collaboration, listening to new ideas, and engaging colleagues behind the scenes to assist.
- [EVENT/TEST X 2] Joe starts having DREAMS. One is with the guys who created this independent business model 100 years before. They’re relying on him. Another is a conversation with the dinosaur herself. This begins a dialog, where they share a process of dealing with Mr. Little.
- Once the team breaks down the hundreds of federal charges, they reveal Mr. Little’s errors and the case’s inherent weaknesses—because Joe is actually a good guy. By now, Mr. Little is cocky; he thinks he’s got this in the bag. Nerding out, he prepares dozens of very boring slideshows and graphs and charts.
- TP / FAILURE / MAJOR SHIFT: The trial goes on, and Joe’s side gets all the laughs. Mr. Little is striking out, even though a friend of the judge is on the jury. Finally, as the verdict is read, Joe and his colleagues are triumphant for almost the entire list of charges (Mr. Little hates this)—but Joe is convicted on a technicality. Even with “right on his side,” he faces a prison sentence.
- [EVENT/TEST] “Everyone” in the clan is devastated and embarrassed, “guilty!” But Joe walks out the front doors of the courthouse—with a cigar in his mouth. This confuses Mr. Little and the judge.
Act 4:
- CLIMAX: When Joe is being logged into prison, the guard on duty looks at the conviction—“Failure to fill out forms? You must have really pissed someone off.”
- Joe quickly becomes a celebrity at minimum security. [EVENT/TEST] But when he finds fossils in the exercise yard, he thinks twice about picking them up. After all, <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>this is federal property. He has a great idea for a TED Talk about ownership of “the public trust.”
- [EVENT/TEST] Meanwhile, can he run the company from prison? He has to understand what “teamwork” really looks like. Also while inside, [EVENT/TEST] Joe helps rewrite federal policy on fossil collections, writes books, sees the benefits of collaboration.
- From his bunk in Minimum Security, Joe and his people launch a campaign against Mr. Little and the frivolous prosecution. Still, Mr. Little is feeling pretty good about himself until he comes home to a yardful of turkeys, boxes of hatchling chickens, deliveries of exotic parrots…every “<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>T. rex relative” you can think of.
- RESOLUTION: As soon as Joe gets out, [EVENT/TEST] businesses are lined up to place orders—NOT what Mr. Little had hoped for. Joe and his team set out on a new prospecting mission—in a new way, and with help from the “dream-fossil.”They find another <i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>T. rex. Mr. Little does not get his promotion…and is demoted to Public Defender.
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Bob Colley – Transformational Events
What I learned is that I’m making this way too hard.
2. Start with the Character Arc and the list of <st1:street w:st=”on”><st1:address w:st=”on”>Old Ways</st1:address></st1:street> and <st1:street w:st=”on”><st1:address w:st=”on”>New Ways</st1:address></st1:street>.
Old Ways:
play it safe
be cautious
try to avoid confrontation
pass off the problem ASAP
scared of heights
New Ways:
sure of himself
brave
takes on the tough challenges
see the job through
Courageous
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
Overcomes his fear of heights while chasing villain
Sees test drone attack on his small town
Leads the hunt for the terrorists
Doesn’t back down
Relentless in tracking down the villain
Is assigned to work with a new FBI agent
4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
Sees test drone attack on his small town
Is assigned to work with a new FBI agent
Leads the hunt for the terrorists
Overcomes his fear of heights while chasing villain
Doesn’t back down
Relentless in tracking down the villain
Transformational events to your four act structure.
Act 1:
Opening – Raid and firefight gone wrong.
Inciting Incident – Six drones fly to different pats of town and explode.
Sees test drone attack on his small town
Turning Point – New FBI recruit shows up and spurs Hero into action.
Is assigned to work with a new FBI agent
Realizes the agent isn’t up to leading the investigation so hero steps up
Act 2:
New plan – Learning back country skills.
Plan in action – Trying out new skills
Overcomes his fear of heights while chasing villain into building under construction – lifted up by crane during a fire fight; Villain escapes by drone copter
Midpoint Turning Point – Encounter their first drone swarm.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – How to stop 1,000 drones?
New plan – AI pulse gun.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Chase into and up a building under construction; hero lifted up as firefight ensues; villain escapes by drone chopper.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Reprogrammed the drone swam to blow up and destroy enemy camp.
Chases villain through tunnels and finds her hiding in a hole.
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Assignment 6
I learnt about adding changes, connecting events to make changes, building character arc and story structure.
Old Ways: Careful, Cautious, trusts no one, unemotional, unattached, rigid, business minded, goal orientated, sellout, jaded, hard on herself, live by the book, impatient, disconnected.
New Ways: Carefree, creative, open, accepting, finds her true self, lets others in, vulnerable, emotionally connected, finds relationships with others and herself.
From Impatient, plan & live for the future to live in the moment.
From living in a box and system to living freely.
From alone to having companies.
From emotional handicap to feeling things again.
From unattached, emotionally disconnected to vulnerable and open up.
From doubtful to trust. From careless to care and sharing info.
From denying her creative talents, selling out to be an artist.
From hard on herself to letting go.
From finding her wants to her needs.
Act 1:
Opening – A Chinese grad student comes back to her apartment and her ex left her. Her apt is no longer a home. She fails to land a job because she is a foreigner. She sells everything to pay rent.
Inciting Incident – She’s desperate and drunk alone on 4th of July at the rooftop. She passes out…
Turning Point – She married someone.
Act 2:
New plan – A year later, she works at a financial firm as a portfolio manager. She works very hard, and is doing very well. She is a loner. She doesn’t associate with her colleagues.
Plan in action – She flies to Texas and meets with Mike. They have a week to prepare for the INS interview. Road trip back to LA, they realize they are so different, and not easy to get along.
Midpoint Turning Point – They decide not to follow her plan. Mike shows her around, the nature, and his history and his family, etc. They start sharing things in their life. They start learning about each other, traveling to places ( home town, high school, cemetery, watch sunset) . They take pictures, and build real memories.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – When it comes to certain things, they are still very reserved as they’re hiding something from each other. They worry if the truth comes out, they would fail the mission.
New plan – They are getting more connected, more feeling. They have found ways to get more out of each other. Is Moon acting? Are they both acting?
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – They discover their inner demons.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – INS interview. A lot of unexpected questions, but they show deep connections.
Resolution: She quits her job. Sometime in the future, they meet again.
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Lesson 6: Randy Weaver: Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is… by processing and naming my arc
components, I see more clearly how each transformational event defines the story line.Old ways:
Dependent on her parents.
Unknowing of how the world works.
Doesn’t know her strengths.
Reliant on others.
UntestedNew Ways:
Determined to find the truth.
Courageous.
Trusts her intuition.
Accepts her new reality.
Finds the killers of her sister.6-8 changes or steps that need to happen from the Old ways to the New ways: Easiest
to Most difficult:1) Acknowledges that her past as others tell her is not the truth
2) Discovers that she may have had a sister
3) Decides to forge ahead to research her ancestry
4) Investigates murders and mystery in her home town
5) Becomes a threat to the murderer that still lives close by
6) Confronts the killerBrainstorm dramatic events or tests that could cause those changes to the character:
1) An Ancestry DNA test result shows her ancestry DNA matches to others in her
town
2) Photo on the museum wall at the bird sanctuary depicts her holding another
young girls hand, who’s wearing a bracelet similar to hers.
3) Researches public records. Discovers possible ancestors who own most of the
town.
4) Finds out Emory, owner of the museum and sanctuary, had a brother with two
young daughters.
5) Adele speaks to a local Indian woman who owns a bookstore that supplies
information on the local lore
6) Speaks to her grandfather who has dementia and lives on the 2nd floor at the
museum. He tells her that he was at his granddaughters funerals, and they died.
7) Her adopted mother tells her the truth about her adoption. The Professor helped
them adopt her.
8) Confronts the real killer at the museum and narrowly escapes
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