Aline A
Forum Replies Created
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Aline’s Act 4 Climax
When I started this story, I didn’t think she would go home- but when she does, the obvious biggest fear and knot in her trauma is facing her father. Everything that seemed to be the problem melts away- the ambiguity of his love and abuse towards her is what she needs and fights against. Facing him and that pain undoes the knot.
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Aline’s Act 4 First Scenes
I have been overwhelmed with the extra layers I have been thinking of and lost focus on ACT 3. Some of the scenes became treatment language but I decided to “keep moving” despite the fog. This exercise today guided my thinking into asking the right questions to continue the journey and stay in the moment with the characters. Thank you!
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Aline’s Act 3 Reaction to Midpoint
With the need for a “change in meaning” at the midpoint I added a layer that I didn’t have at first in my story outline. The outlining of Act 3 major scenes became the re-arranging and revamping of the plot altogether. Once I focused on fixing the problems and asking “ what would happen here” now that the extra layer exists… The structure still stands and the protagonist gets to deal with higher stakes every time. The subtlety of “why” this character needs to do that is getting tricky and I feel like a surgeon trying to connect the dots with intention and believability.
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Aline Has Completed Act 2 Draft 1
I learned: The connecting scenes made the main ones more personal and I am not getting into the emotional aspect of their actions. This has always been favorite part but now I have a structure that makes me more confident that I won’t get lost in a good moment not knowing where it will go.
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Aline’s Act 2 TP – Midpoint
The need for a turning point here made me revisit and potentially revise the underbelly of the story and add some drama with the family life that can follow Lucy in her getaway drive crossing state lines. Looking for a change in meaning I am trying the hidden events uncovering to see if it works with the story.
I often feel like my stories get convoluted so I avoid layers- but then as I check they are actually a little bland- SO: this layer brought to you by the “new meaning” MidPoint exercise may or may not work. We shall see.
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Aline’s Act 2 Middle Scenes
What I am learning as I try to follow the exercise direction: I start writing the scene outline and I end up writing a rough draft of the scene… and some connecting scenes- all very rough but when it comes I just jot it down to help me later. But as a result I have some scenes that don’t match the exercise description. I am not convinced my Act 2 is eventful enough but for now I will focus on the exercises and then revisit this structure- once I can put it all together and rewrite.
I am a little overwhelmed but I am still hopeful I will pull this off.
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Aline’s Act 2
This exercise made me realize the plot needed some support. I looked at my original Act 2 Beat SHeet and focused on what it needed to amplify the stakes at those moments- thinking of what ifs;; What if, her father was more concerned with the CAR she took to run away because there were (guns,drugs… illegal things) in the trunk? What if he was using some dubious means to support the church finances or his own?I also looked at the timeline of the first Turning POint and the reaction to the consequences on her family side- the side that we don’t see but will be important for the reaction as she travels and becomes more committed to not returning and making it to LA.
The lesson structure allows me to focus on the stakes of the NOW: ACT 2 is all that matters and my usual worrying of “ what comes next” is replaced by a certainty that “ I will figure it out when it’s time”.
I had my first flash of inspiration as I was resting from the points I couldn’t connect. As I read a book, one line about guns turned into the above possibility. I am finally concentrating my creativity productively.
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Aline’s Finished Act 1
What I learned with this lesson: I think I will have to go through these lessons again with another project to begin to internalize the process as a structure itself. It is a revelation to have an entire Act drafted and know where the other acts are going already. The lessons are a system I lean on to stay calm and carry on while a million ideas float in my head. I can rely on the certainty that I will move ahead with the story. The fast writing is not going great. I get distracted easily. The only speed I am seeing is that I am moving ahead and not stalling. But the writing itself has been painful to get to… I feel a lot of resistance from myself and it’s hard to admit that because I want to finish my script so bad.
On this assignment I cleaned up all the notes and bits from previous lessons and added the scenes that made the transitions smoother or needed information. It is still rough and I am looking forward to improving them, but most importantly I am looking forward to Act 2! I can’t believe I actually mean that! Thank you!
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Aline’s Beat Sheet #2
Again- that motivational recording makes all the difference in my accomplishing the exercise!
I was getting ahead of myself thinking of how the antagonist also had events that involved the turning points in each act and I was happy to see my instincts were right. It made me feel confident in my overall understanding of the process. The theme hit me hard as extremely personal in my life even though the plot itself is totally fictional.
I learned to be add pieces that are solid to move the story forward and to keep detailed accounts in separate files to help me visualize the skeleton of the story first. The theme helped me find the heart of the characters motivations.
Will start just keeping my work to myself unless someone asks to see and give feedback. Thank you!
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Aline’s High Speed Beat Sheet
I learned: It took me a lot of time to go through this because I was questioning the difference between the Inciting Incident and the Transformational Event. I still think my third and fourth acts are weak, but it may be because there are a couple more layers at least that should be added here following the supporting character and the antagonist… I am trying to keep it simple with just the main points in the protagonist’s journey– I will, however, focus on the speed writing technique with all assignments, and as much as I was slow this time, I was also paying attention to where I was failing at those points to improve next time..
Act 1:
INT. CHURCH- DAY
OPENING: Lucy (17) clumsily plays a simple church hymn on the piano while the congregation mingles after a meeting. She starts to jam a little. An authority figure shows up and says that’s not appropriate behavior in the church. She blushes, apologizes and stops. (Lucy is obedient and doesn’t question)
INT. LUCY’S HOME- NIGHT
TE 1: Charlotte- younger wife is pregnant. Lucy finds her mother Eliza crying alone. She tries to talk – her mother gets angry and even more distant.
EXT. SALT LAKE CITY STORE- DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Lucien is making his way hitchhiking from Washington State to LA. Meets Lucy by chance in Lucy’s SLC neighborhood. Lucy walks home with Lucien. Charlotte sees Lucy with a crush on a strange boy outside of the FLDS church. Charlotte tells Eliza.
INT. LUCY’S BEDROOM- DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Lucy wins tickets to see Tori Amos in Los Angeles. She knows her conservative family wont let her go. She puts away the tickets.
INT. LUCY’S HOME/ DINING ROOM- NIGHT
TE 3: A man in his 30s friend of the family is invited for dinner and her polygamist father forcefully suggests they should marry. Lucy is shocked. She looks at her mother for support. She’s not available- that night Lucy listens to Tori Amos inspiring music and looks at the tickets. She’s going to LA.
Act 2:
EXT. GAS STATION SOUTHERN UTAH- NIGHT
INCITING INCIDENT: She gets lost and harassed at a scary gas station when looking for help. From a payphone, She calls home crying. Charlotte picks up. Tries to convince her to come home- Gets info about LA plan. “Naively” tells Lucy that marrying the 30 y.o. Man was her idea. Lucy hangs up. She can’t go home.
TE4: She can’t go home because the person he thought might be an ally in the family was actually the least trustworthy. She needs to follow through with getting away
Act 3:
EXT. FREEWAY- DAY
TE5: She keeps driving. Crying. Meets Lucien again on the road.
INT. LUCY’S CAR- DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Go to LA and stay! In 2 hours with Lucien, She’s in love with this magical boy!!
TE 6 Lucien is a transboy! Lucy straddles Lucien in the passenger seat. Feels Lucien’s breasts. Deep Moral conundrum. Lucy is completely against homosexuality. She is confused and angry.
INT. LOS ANGELES DINER – EVENING
INCITING INCIDENT: They stop at a diner before the show. Police arrive with a missing person sign looking for Lucy. Lucy and Lucien get away. (They go to Tori Amos concert and meet her afterwards).
INT. LOS ANGELES DINER- LATER THAT NIGHT
TE7: Waitress at the diner convinced Lucein to give up Lucy and get the reward together. Lucien would be able to start his life and make sure Lucy was protected. Waitress convinced that Lucy needs a real man … not a “fake” man like Lucien and that Lucien was being selfish for not letting Lucy go back to her wealthy family. Lucien is the one to give up Lucy to the police( because he thinks he is doing the right thing for Lucy who is lucky to have a family looking for her)
Act 4:
INT. LUCY’S HOME- DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Lucy is home and says she won’t get married. Her family disowns her and she needs to leave when she turns 18 in 2 months.
INT. SALT LAKE CITY DINER- DAY
TE8: Lucy and Lucien have reached their next level. Lucien comes through and shows up for them to start their journey together. Lucy accepts that she is in love with a queer boy/girl (one day at a time)
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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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Aline’s 4 Act Transformational Structure
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I need to do this a few times with fresh eyes – until I distill the structure and see it more clearly. Very useful device. 3rd and 4th acts are still nebulous and tentative. — also I get hung up on events and definitely need to revise this to bring the structure more prominently to light.
Concept: A dramedy coming of age road trip feature. Lucy is a teenage runaway leaving her polygamist family behind for an adventure in LA and hopefully a new life.
Main Conflict: Lucy’s inexperience and religious upbringing create a self imposed obstacle as she hides from her family and tries to open her mind. Her polygamist family is searching for her to bring her back while she struggles with confusion between the desire to start a new life and the fear of the real world without the familiar support system.
Old Ways: Lucy went to church even when she didn’t want to; She kept it a secret that her she had 3 moms in her polygamist family; She didn’t tell her parents that she felt neglected and overworked with having to help with the smaller kids; She felt awkward with the youngest wife being too close to her age; She cried at night thinking she would have to be married to a man and share him with other wives- She was ashamed and terrified that her high school friends might find out — the rumours were a nightmare; some kids said her whole family could go to jail and she was terrified of losing them or going to jail herself; Loves Tori Amos’ feminist music; is embarrassed for having kissed Lucien whenshe thought Lucien was a boy; Lucy is afraid of her own sexuality.
New Ways: She is confident and tells her parents that she wants out of the cult but she doesn’t want to lose them as a family; she is ready to face consequences; She is ready to amidst she had feelings for Lucien- who is actually a trans young man.
Act 1:
Opening: Lucy has to help with a lot of chores related to the large family. More than what a regular 17y.o. Would. She listens to the radio, has Tori Amos stuff in her room. Wins tickets but knows better than to ask or tell anyone. She won’t be able to go to LA and she knows it. (WHAT IF: LUCIEN IS IN A GAS STATION OR BUSINESS IN SLC AND THEY CHANCE MEET THEN. HAVE AN ADVENTURE- LUCY FINDS OUT LUCIEN IS HEADED TO LA… BUT SHE CAN NEVER IMAGINE GOING. THAT ADDED TO THE FAMILY MISERY/MARRIAGE HINT (ONCE LUCY GETS HOME AFTER DINNER FROM THE ADVENTURE AND RAISES THE FAMILY’S EYEBROWS… AND THE WINNING OF THE TICKETS PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE– SHE LEAVES ALONE BUT FINDS LUCIEN AT THE SAME PLACE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD/BUSINESS… OR GOES AFTER THE PLACE LUCIEN IS STAYING… DOESN’T FIND HIM AND THEN FINDS HIM ON THE SIDE IF THE ROAD.
Inciting Incident: Lucy coming home from school with a boy, innocently but clearly a crush. Charlotte tells Eliza.
Turning Point: At dinner, a man in his 30’s is a guest. Lucy’s father announces he thinks it’s a good idea for Lucy to marry him. Passive aggressive. Charlotte thinks Lucy should be happy. She is horrified. She listens to Tori Amos and cries in her bed at night. ( younger wife Charlotte announces she’s pregnant. Lucy catches her mother – who can’t have babies anymore and is now ignored by husband, crying and puts two and two together: polygamy is traumatizing)
Act 2:
New plan: Picks up her Tori Amos tix and gets in her mom’s car.
Plan in action: She’s headed to LA- She has a little money saved.
Midpoint Turning Point: She gets harassed at a scary gas station. From a payphone, She calls home crying. Charlotte picks up. Tries to convince her to come home- Gets info about LA. Naively tells Lucy that marrying the 30 y.o. Man was her idea. Lucy hangs up. She can’t go home.
Act 3:
Rethink everything: She keeps driving. Crying. Meets Lucien on the road.
New plan: Go to LA and stay! In 2 hours with Lucien, She’s in love with this magical boy!!
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Lucien is a transboy! Lucy straddles Lucien in the passenger seat. Feels Lucien’s breasts. Deep Moral conundrum. Lucy is completely against homosexuality. She is confused and angry.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: They go to Tori Amos concert and meet her afterwards. Lucien is the one to give up Lucy to the police( because he thinks he is doing the right thing for Lucy who is lucky to have a family looking for her)
Resolution: Lucy is home and says she won’t get married. Her family disowns her and she needs to leave when she turns 18 in 2 months. Lucien comes through and shows up for them to start their journey together. Lucy accepts that she is in love with a queer boy/girl?
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Aline’s Character Interviews
What I learned:
These characters know exactly who they are and there are crazy details to their perception of the environment and story.
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST
My name is Lucy, I’m 17. My dad is married to three women. My mom Eliza, Judy and Charlotte. Since Charlotte came along the dynamic has been off and I am feeling very unhappy to see my mother so depressed. Char tries to be my best friend because she’s only 5 years older than me, but bothers me. I Feel guilty that it bothers me … I am supped to be supportive of my family. But I want to run away.
I started questioning my faith because things started to feel wrong. I saw that my mom really wasn’t happy with the one thing that they say is god’s will, against mainstream mormonism and against the law even. I am seeing a different angle of the life I am living and for some reason I am seeing things differently than I did just a year ago. Ithink Tori Amos’ music has something to do with it. I feel guilty sometimes listening to it, but it also makes me feel the same as when I “ feel the spirit”- I feel inspired . I feel like the thoughts I am having are for my personal growth and I can’t stop.
– They are all I have ever known. I am going to lose all the blessings if I betray my family and my faith.
I got these tickets for a Tori Amos concert. And I coulndt ask anyone if I Could go. I knew what the answer would be. I tried to tell Charlotte but she nearly ruined my plan … so I took her car and decided that they would either think I was kidnapped or whatever. I thought maybe they wouldn’t even notice I was gone… I figured I could get a job in LA and live in the car for a while then ask help from the mormon church… I know they would help me… they are good people- even if they don’t accept the full gospel…. What am I saying. I don’t accept it either. I am a sinner. Like them.
**What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?
The one I jus mentioned… I don’t know if I can fully let go of my faith. I feel like God is watching me. I feel very bad after I masturbate. I am not supposed to. I confess to the bishop every time after I do.
**What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?
I have had to be an adult helping raise my siblings. I am the first of 14 and Charlotte is pregnant- so soon to be 15. I am wondering what my life will be like. My mother is suffering I can tell. She doesn’t open up but I have seen her crying alone – I walked away before she could see me. I have no one to talk about this.
**What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?
I am up against myself even because I have been molded to fit into this- the fact that I am rebelling against should come as a surprise, and in a way it does… but it also makes sense because I feel like I am chosen. At first chosen to be FLDS- above the mormons. Now. I feel like one more layer of lies has been peeled off my eyes. And I am above my own family. I am still in tune with my Chosen one beliefs.
**What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?
When I meet Lucien I am crazy attracted to him– but then I find out he’s a girl and I am still attracted to him but also repulsed by liking a girl. How is that possible? I am going to hell and I am afraid — but it’s also exhilarating.
**What does it do for your life is you succeed here? I will heal and learn to life in a world where my opinion matters and I can decide what happiness means.
** What were your thoughts when Lucien betrayed you?
I felt stupid and alone. I thought I would never learn how to be in the world and outside of my family bubble. Lucien sent me right back to them — I trusted Lucien and I was horribly mistaken about his character– how could I trust my own instincts and feelings if I had been so wrong about him? I feel like I was broken and could never mend and function in a society outside of the FLDS Church. It was just as well that I was being sent back. I was broken before I left and broken by betrayal as I was being dragged back to salt lake city.
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST
*Tell me about yourself.
I am a faithful member of the true church of Jesus Christ.
*Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
I am close to Lucy in age and I can communicate with her better. I know that she responds to me.
*Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?
Don’t be ridiculous. My intention is for her to succeed. I will never let her father know that she ran away for one, so she won’t be disowned or questioned about her virginity. I will do everything to protect her to make sure she can have a celestial marriage like mine. Like ours.
*What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?
Keeping my family together and ready to be together forever.
**What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?
Lucy won’t know of my personal misery as I share my husband with other wives. The ones with the seniority… I feel out of place. I feel inadequate… I need to be better and try harder. I won’t let Lucy or anything know of my weakness as I question whether I am truly happy with this arrangement. I shouldn’t question. The very existence of questioning shows my personal unworthiness.
**Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?
I am kind and generous. I go above and beyond. I am close in age to Lucy. I feel blessed to be her mother as well.
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Aline’s Character Profile Part 2
What I learned:This girl has a rich internal world that I was brushing over as I was thinking of her physical journey. The exercise helped me find her complexity organically by observing her environment. And that initial visualizing exercise is pretty badass for my energy as I write.
Here it goes:
What draws us to this character? The chance to understand her unusual life experience: Lucy’s upbringing in a polygamist family. Her waking up to forming an opinion as she steps out of her bubble for the first time. To witness her awakening.
Traits: Innocent and endearing. Her inexperience and naivete are funny.
Subtext: Everything in the world is both a wonder and a danger: she is torn between her ingrained religious beliefs that everyone who is “of the world” is bad, and her desire to free herself from the consequences of her cult in her future life as an adult.
Flaw: She doesn’t accept her own attraction to a queer/trans girl. Her beliefs have made her judge others and herself harshly against some divine standard of conduct.
Values: Honesty, sexual and moral purity, growth.
Irony: To be honest with herself she will have to admit that she is falling for a trans girl ( to uphold one value she will have to break another); and running away does not solve her problem: but facing it and being honest with her family and dealing with the consequences. (running is a first level courageous act, but the ultimate bravery is to face reality to change it)
What makes this the right character for this role? Lucy is the oldest child in a polygamist family with 3 wives, 14 kids and growing. Lucy lives a semi-modern life because polygamy is a crime even in Salt Lake City and the life style is frowned upon in the community. She is an outsider even in a regular Mormon conservative community, while being taught extreme values of loyalty towards her immediate family as a survival skill. Her family group live like fugitives in plain sight. She has access to music and culture, but has been brainwashed to self-censor. The apparent sweetness and innocence of Tori Amos music is insidious with a layered message against the controlling of women by the patriarchy. When Lucy picks up on that, her awakening begins. She lives in layers of contradictions as she pulls herself to two extremes between her subconscious loyalty to family and religion and her fresh and inexplicable desire to follow her heart.
Protagonist: She is a Runner who wants to be a Dreamer. She sees what she doesn’t like in her life but doesn’t have the courage or knowledge to change the situation, so she runs. She shows the seed of courage by running away at first, but ultimately will realize that running doesn’t solve the problem. She will learn to take action to change her situation in a real way.
Antagonist: Her family (3 mothers and one father) are the image of Authority. They serve a religion that requires strict faithfulness to their rules and their clan, and they intend to keep Lucy safe from the world and its evils by exercising their power over her.
Supporting characters: Lucien is close to a second protagonist because he will have his own transformational journey and battles to fight, Charlotte, the younger of the polygamist wives, will be a false friend, Lucy’s real mother Eliza will be a mirror for Lucy as she feels her mother’s tragic place in a polygamist marriage, Tori Amos(the singer) is a presence because her feminist music prompted Lucy to question and run.
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Aline’s Character Profiles Part 1
I love digging into the character and story with a purpose. I didn’t know her motivation- I hadn’t thought of what type of protagonist she was; or that her partner in crime in the story might be a powerful sidekick with a transformational journey. In my head I had two protagonists and a journey. The antagonist was “life”.. but it turns out, it’s just her family and her belief system.
2. Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
She is a Runner who wants to be a Dreamer. She sees what she doesn’t like in her life but doesn’t have the courage or knowledge to change the situation, so she runs. She shows the seed of courage by running away at first, but ultimately will realize that running doesn’t solve the problem. She will learn to take action to change her situation in a solid way.
3. Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Her family (3 mothers) are the image of Authority. They serve a religion that requires strict faithfulness to their rules and their clan, and they intend to keep Lucy safe from the world by exercising their power over her.
4. What other characters might be necessary?
Supporting characters: Lucien is close to a second protagonist because he will have his own transformational journey and battles to fight, Charlotte, the younger of the polygamist wives, will be a false friend, Lucy’s real mother Eliza, Tori Amos(the singer) is a presence because her feminist music prompted Lucy to question and run.
Minor roles: The waitress in LA, the cop, Lucy’s father is kept in the dark by the three mothers who are trying to “save” Lucy from being disowned.
Background characters: Lucien’s family, other Tori Amos fans, Lucy’s 13 brothers and sisters.
5. Pick your genre.
Dramedy road trip / buddy movie-drama-comedy
6. Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story: Lucy: Protagonist
Age range and Description: 17, shy, smart, deep thinker, few friends, good grades, unassuming looks and demeanor.
Internal Journey: becoming active in making the changes that will take her away from the future as a young wife in a polygamist marriage.; becoming brave and assertive.
External Journey: leaving home (to get the attention from her family in a way she wouldn’t otherwise by simply voicing her wishes)- making her way to Los Angeles and then back home to face them with a newfound outlook and attitude.
Motivation: She won tickets to a Tori Amos concert. Her family won’t let her go. She sees her younger mother crying because she is miserable in her life- but smiles through the misery.
Wound: Feels rejected by her mother who is too busy with all the other children and has to deal with her own wound of having two younger wives in her marriage to her husband. There is a lot of trauma going around in the family.- female emotional wound.
Mission/Agenda: break free. Be “normal”
Secret: listens to Tori Amos in her walkman and CD player
What makes them special? She should have stayed with the program. Something inside her makes her question instead of accepting her fate like the other women and girls around her. That makes her think that she can see something that others can’t- and that’s not exactly a blessing in this household.
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Aline’s Transformational Journey
This is a part of a feature film that I have already started writing scenes for. I had not thought of the emotional state of my protagonist at the end of the journey. I have events written down but her journey was floating and open ended. I have a goal now. She goes on a literal journey and returns home- but when she is back, she is a new person. As a writer, I tend to write ambivalent events and I avoid spoon feeding and “obvious journeys”. However, I also have a problem finishing projects and I believe that creating clear point A to point B journeys will help me stay focused and create more engaging scenarios.
Internal Journey: Lucy is hesitant, hiding, running away from her problems while subconsciously crying for help wanting to be seen and saved. She ends up decisive, taking responsibility for her choices and making decisions based on what she has learned: facing her family and starting a new life- free from the dogmas of her religious upbringing.
External Journey: Lucy is first seen running away from home in her mother’s car and hiding from the ones that could help her because she is inexperienced and afraid. She journeys from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and back to SLC to face the choices she needs to make openly to her family.
Old Ways:
Lucy went to church even when she didn’t want to; She kept it a secret that she had 3 moms in her polygamist family; She didn’t tell her parents that she felt neglected and overworked with having to help with the smaller kids; She felt awkward with the youngest wife being too close to her age; She cried at night thinking she would have to be married to a man and share him with other wives- She was ashamed and terrified that her high school friends might find out — the rumours were a nightmare; some kids said her whole family could go to jail and she was terrified of losing them or going to jail herself; Loves Tori Amos’ feminist music; is embarrassed for having kissed Lucien when she thought Lucien was a boy; Lucy is afraid of her own sexuality.
New Ways:
She is confident and tells her parents that she wants out of the cult but she doesn’t want to lose them as a family; but she is ready to face consequences of being true to herself; She is ready to admit she has feelings for Lucien- who is actually a queer girl.