Week 2 Day 4: Character Reveal – SPIDER-MAN

[Anis Taylor]

Watching Peter Parker learn about his superpowers was a great way to learn character reveal. When Peter first sits down he notices the fork stuck to the palm of his hands, before he knows it cobwebs have shot out his wrist and has attached itself to a lunch tray. It’s fun to create a way that both the audience and the character can learn about their special abilities at the same time.

Usually we are introduced to characters who already know their strengths and super power and it’s us the audience who is just learning. Spider Man was fun because both the audience and Peter Parker learned about themselves at the same time.

[Rice Rice]

During the entire scene, Peter has no dialogue. His facial expressions, actions and reactions to what other characters do and say serve to reveal the progression and effect of his superpower discovery.

Most of the other characters are just as amazed and pleased as Peter, but some express disgust and call Peter a freak.

The revelation of his superpowers is made through his attempts to execute ordinary behavior in the school dining room and hallway.

After he accidentally smashes the class bully with a tray of food that got stuck in his hand’s web, Peter demonstrates other parts of his super abilities as he fights off the attacks by the bully.

This method of revelation presents the audience with a unique opportunity to experience with Peter the existence of his superpowers.

Since my story is sci-fi, I had a chance to rewrite my superpower reveal scene to have my character learn about her superpowers at the same time as the audience.

[Vincent Ovalle]

Week 2 Day 4: Character Reveal – SPIDER-MAN

The scene plays out in the school’s cafeteria. Peter Parker sits alone at his table while the cafeteria full of students provided the backdrop. As Peter ate his lunch he started to experience weird phenomenon. His left hand magnetically picked up the fork. Perplexed he gave lite shake to throw the fork down ,but when that failed he streched away the fork away with his right hand the sticky spider web attached to it send the tray up in the air and landed on another tray in front of him. He desperately gave it a hard pull to bring back his tray,but the tray flew over him to hit the big guy Flash on his back. Peter turned around and saw the food all over the big guy’s clothes. As fash turned back to figure out what happened the entire cafeteria was focused on the accident. Peter made a fast dash to the door ,but with the tray attached to the web the big guy put two and two together and angrily followed Peter outside . Peter walked to his locker room in amazement of this strange power. The main confrontation is a physical fight.Other students in the hallway tried to explain to Flash that it was a accident as Peter stood in front of his locker and tried to avoid the fight, but the big guy put up his dukes and started to pace Peter’s movements .Then he threw a flurry of jabs that missed ,but the third jab missed Peter by a hair. Peter looked surprised and concerned. Then the big guy moved all the way back to the locker , and lunged at Peter with a whopping right hand Peter awakwardly folded his body backwards Flash missed and landed on the other side of the hall to switch places with Peter. The other students who looked on again pleaded to stop the fight, but with Flash’s next punch Peter performed a supernatural double backflip and when Peter both feet landed he was in control of his powers. This is the scene’s arc. In the beginning Peter didn’t understand his powers and now he does and is iin control. Peter now raised his dukes to defend himself. Flash threw one last punch and missed Peter grabbed his arm in fury and hit Flash with a short punch that send Flash back to the other side of the hall to end the fight. Everybody looked on in disbelief.

The powers was manifested as they ate lunch and Peter held on to his tray.The fight was the action that revealed to Peter he had supernatural powers that he did’nt control or understand at this moment. Peter and the students did’nt understand the supernatural powers ,but thru the fight only Peter gained that realization he can control the powers . The student still did’nt understand what was going on when they called Peter a weirdo and freak.

[Anna Burroughs-Merrill]

Peter Parker is in his high school cafeteria, eating lunch, when his strange ability to shoot spiderwebs gets him in trouble with the class bully. The bully tries to beat him up in front of the entire school, but to his surprise, not only does he dodge all of the punches, but he also punches him down the hallway. Alas, his momentary sense of accomplishment is ruined when the bully’s buddy calls him a freak and Peter runs away from his friends.

• Scene arc: From “new abilities revealed” to “standing up to the bully” to “triumph” to “shame.”
• Situation: Peter has newfound superpowers.
• Conflict: Level I: Peter vs. his new abilities; Level II: Peter vs. the class bully.
• Moving the story forward: Peter has new abilities, but has no idea how to use them.
• Entertainment value: This scene is FUNNY. Who doesn’t want the skill to suddenly best the class bully?
• Setups/payoffs: we catch glimpses of Peter’s newfound superpowers, including the ability to shoot super-strong spiderwebs, his spidey-senses, and his phenomenal agility, strength and speed.
• What makes this scene great? This was “coming of age” with a superhero twist.
• How is the reveal demanded by the situation? Peter’s newfound abilities are as much of a surprise to him as they are to his classmates.
• How does the scene reveal Peter Parker’s powers through action? Peter reacts well to suddenly having spider powers; but although he prevails against the bully, he first attempts to evade the punches, and once he does punch the bully, he only uses enough force to get the bully to stop.
• How does Peter and others react to the reveal? Peter is just as surprised as his classmates that he prevailed against the class bully, although only he knows that this isn’t something that has a logical explanation (as far as his classmates know, he’s been taking karate or some other logical explanation).
• From a writing perspective, not only does this portray how freaked out Peter is at his own abilities, but the fact the tray drags behind him and then gets stuck in the door (super strong webs) reveals this is not just an ordinary spiderweb. Also, as the bully is pursuing him down the hall and suddenly Peter is slow-motion super-aware of everything going on around him was beautifully done.

What I learned while rewriting my own scene?

• My script: SOTG: Archangel (season 5)
• My changes: I’ve got several characters whose natural abilities have developed supernatural edges that will provide an opportunity to use these types of reveals. Mikhail has to embrace his ability to wield void matter; Ninsianna must set aside her misgivings and harness her grandfather’s dark gift; Gita realizes she can do a hell of a lot more than simply hide in the dark; and “little weapon of mass destruction” Pareesa is forced to (gasp) develop feminine wiles! It will take time to tweak these throughout the entire season, but I’ve added notes to certain scenes where I can have a bit of fun.

[Susan Willard]

Week 2 Day 4: Character Reveal #1: Spiderman

Scene: “Peter vs Flash”

Objective: Create a scene that reveals something unique about one of your lead characters through action and situation.

Spiderman — Peter Parker finds out he has special powers.

Basic scene components

• The scene arc is the progression of Peter’s learning his Spiderman, going from not knowing about skills to being able to use them to win a fist fight.

• At school lunch Peter learns that he has superhuman skills and accidentally hits “Flash”, a big fellow student, with a lunch. Peter must defend himself from a school bully.

• Two conflicts exist together:

 Peter versus his superpowers. Peter has superpowers and must learn how to use them.

 Peter versus Flash, a school bully. Peter accidentally splattered him with food.

• The scene moves forward as Peter discovers and uses each new superhuman power that is unexpectedly used. Peter has no dialogue, only action, which moves from one event to the other.

• It’s entertaining to see Peter learn about different new abilities, fumble with these abilities, and learn to use them better. It want to see more of these abilities and what Flash do to Peter because he got into trouble.

• Each new ability sets up new possibilities for the story. The payoffs will come later in the story as Peter uses these, and other, new abilities.

What makes this scene great?

• Peter’s new abilities, as they are revealed, are needed to fight against the bully and for the rest of the story of his conversion into his use of them.

• Peter’s powers show up in something happening unexpected, such as:

 The web shot out of his wrist unexpectedly at the lunch table.

 He can hear and feel everything around him in slow motion in the school hallway.

 He moves to avoid punches.

 He jumps and flips to avoid an attach from behind.

 He catches Flashes hand in mid punch and then punches Flash down the hall.

• Different people, in the scene, had different reactions to Peter’s new powers:

 Peter is amazed, energized, angry, worried, frustrated, and confused. Most of all, Peter is glad he wasn’t hurt by Flash. At the end of the scene, Peter is standing, while taking in all the reactions for his evaluation.

 Flash’s friend is angry. He says to Peter, “You’re a freak.”

 Peter’s friend is excited. He says to Peter, “Peter, That’s amazing.”

 Peter’s female friend is pondering, trying to figure out what she just watched – speechless.

[Courtney Hill]

This is the scene where Peter realizes that something is off with him. We actually see his powers via the web and his senses. Peter doesn’t say much at all in this scene. We are shown through his reaction and his classmates reactions to his powers. He is able to dodge the bully’s punches and eventually overcomes him with one punch. His friends are shocked and happy at whatever is happening to him. Peter is off to figure out what’s going on.

[Randy Hines]

the reveal here runs both ways. Peter’s powers are revealed to himself and some of their extent. The tough guy is revealed to be not up to Peter’s strengths and will think twice before engaging Peter again. Peter’s no longer a pushover. Positions here are reversed. It’s a turning point for their interaction. It’s also a turning point for Mary Jane who sees Peter in a new, engaging, intriguing light. Though he’s still, disappointingly, a freak to some in the crowd but that’s more fear of the unknown in typical human parlance.

[jay miracle]

With almost no dialogue and all action, Peter’s realization and rising action really delivers.

I’ve used this technique to strengthen my protagonist’s powers and realization he can take on the world: when he suddenly and uncharacteristically attacks the 2nd Lieutenant to his antagonist.

[Zev Ledman]

Scene Mastery – Week 2 Day 4: Character Reveal – SPIDER-MAN

Even though your characters may not be superheroes, there are many things you will want to reveal about them. This scene shows that the reveal doesn’t have to be through dialogue. Action is more powerful than words. Very important to know!

Instructions:

Please watch this scene and provide your insights into what makes this scene great from a writing perspective. Read the other writers insights and make notes of how you will reveal character in interesting ways. Rethink or create your own Character Reveal scene using your new insights and rewrite the scene. Then post the answer to the question, “What I learned rewriting my scene…?”

Objective: Create a scene that reveals something unique about one of your lead characters through action and situation.

Spiderman — Peter Parker finds out he has special powers.

Basic scene components — Scene arc – when Peter is no longer afraid of Flash due to his new found powers, situation, conflict – Peter and Flash’s bullying (relationship will never be the same), moving the story forward – We see Peter’s new superpowers which will guide the story moving forward, entertainment value – Lots of unique action, and setups/payoffs.

Watch 2nd time for:

What makes this scene great?

How is the reveal demanded by the situation? Without the reveal, we just have a kid having lunch. Big kid getting mad at the small kid for an accident, Bully beats up kid. We need some action to move the story.

How does the scene reveal Peter Parker’s powers through action? No words needed – actions tell everything, and more interesting and entertaining. First, Peter is baffled upon first seeing his newfound powers. Then, it turns from surprise to amusement, then turns to amazement, before finally settling in Confidence.

How does Peter and others react to the reveal? Peter gets a little cocky. The antagonist’s friend thinks he’s a freak. The girl Peter loves is confused and doesn’t know what to think.