Week 3 Day 1: Margaret and Andrew Character Structure — THE PROPOSAL

[Susan]

The Proposal

Andrew’s Journey:

Introduction

Andrew is really stressed out. He is late getting up and trying to get to work and prepare for his crazy super demanding boss including getting her special coffee which someone spills on him in the office. Then his boss tells him she needs him this weekend and he can’t go to his Grandmother’s 90th birthday party. She prods him to quit.

Act 1 Turning Point

His nutcase boss tells the big bosses that the two of them are getting married and he is floored and says he is not going to marry her. Obviously she makes it worthwhile like threatening him with not having a job and being out on the street.

Midpoint

They have to go to immigration about Margaret’s deportation.

He takes Margaret to meet his folks in Alaska and they have to pretend they even like each other to her family. She is hard to handle and so is his family.

Act 2 Turning Point

Stuff happens while they are at his folks, he sees Margaret’s wound and then he falls in love with Margaret

Climax

The wedding is cancelled which he no longer wants to happen, Margaret will be deported to Canada, (and his Grandma has a pretend heart attack to get to the airport before Margaret’s plane leaves).

Ending

He wants to marry Margaret anyway

Margaret’s Journey:

Introduction

Margaret powers into work. She demands Andrew be around for the weekend even though it’s his Grandmother’s 90th birthday. It appears she is trying to get him to quit. She goes into the big bosses office hoping to hear about her second raise and finds out she is being deported and won’t be able to

Act 1 Turning Point

She goes into the big bosses office hoping to hear about her second raise and finds out her visa application is being denied and she is being deported and won’t be able to work for a US company then. Andrew sticks his head in the office and she decides they’ll get married and tells the big bosses that. Then Andrew tells her he won’t marry her and she threatens him with no job.

Midpoint

They have to go to immigration and learn everything about each other so it looks real. Margaret has to go with Andrew to his folks in Alaska. Everyone welcomes her with open arms as well as teases her. She is a wreak trying to keep up with them.

Act 2 Turning Point

Lots of little and deep emotional things happen. She sees what a wonderful person Andrew really is and she falls in love with Andrew and his warm loving family.

Climax

The Wedding is called off and she has to be deported to Canada.

Ending

She loves Andrew and wants to marry him now.

What makes each character great from a writing perspective:

Andrew:

Andrew is in a job he keeps in order to get up in his profession even though his boss is an endless cause of distress as she demands the world of him and his family is loving, but also demanding. He is caught between two worlds and has to constantly make a decision for his career and to put up with crazy Margaret in order to go forward. He is a nice guy who needs to learn to get what he really wants in a difficult world and still be a nice guy so he has far to go.

Margaret:

Margaret is a mess. Everyone is afraid of her and keeps their distance. She is alone except for the people who work under her, especially Andrew who she uses, abuses, and uses as a crutch. She has a very deep wound making her this way, but we don’t know what it is, she completely keeps it to herself. There is so much room for change in this character – a total revelation is possible and a 180 as she heals her wound!

Breakthrough: I could use Andrew’s choice predicament in one of my screenplays for a character. He would make the opposite choice though. I have to think about how that is different, and if I want to add more of the new person and turn it into a Rom-com that is not what it is right now. It only has a Romantic background. It is really more about the character himself and his journey against all obstacles and how strong he becomes. I don’t want to make it into a full-fledged Rom-Com. This character has issues with his x even worse than Andrew’s issues with Margaret, he also has issues with his brother like Andrew has with his father. So what type of film IS it?! It appears to be more like a hero’s journey comedy… I have to decide! I have not had anything about the relationship of the brothers to their parents… is that necessary?