[Arjen Westra]

Arjen Westra’s Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is…

That putting intrigue and layers in every interaction that a character has with most of the other characters, makes the episode incredibly worth watching. We can prepare this in a systematic way so colleagues that will have material to work with. I almost feel forced NOT to look at the characters this way when i am reading or watching anything at the moment 🙂

ASSIGNMENT 1:

1. Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the places you’ve already seen Character Intrigue in the previous episodes.

:

The Americans – Philip Jennings

Role: Travel- and tourism professional, husband of Elizabeth, Father of Paige and Henry.

Hidden Agenda: Defend (or defect??) the Soviet Union. Getting information from Martha

Competition: Other travel companies,

Conspiracy: With Elizabeth: against everybody else, With Martha: against her boss

Deception: Causing his neighbour Stan to think that he has a travel agency. His kids making them believe that they are a normal family.

Wound: a lost love of his life.

Secret identity: A KGB spy.

The Americans – Elizabeth Jennings

Role: Travel- and tourism professional, wife of Philip Jennings, Mother of Paige and Henry.

Hidden Agenda: Defend (or defect??) the Soviet Union. Getting information from Martha

Competition: Other travel companies,

Conspiracy: With Elizabeth: against everybody else, With Martha: against her boss

Deception: Causing their neighbour Stan to think that they, The Jennings, have a travel agency. Her kids: making them believe that they are a normal family.

Wound: an extremely poor youth.

Secret identity: A KGB spy.

The Americans – Stan Beeman

Role: FBI Agent

Hidden Agenda: taking the position of his boss.

Competition: Some colleagues, agent MIzzi

Conspiracy: against his boss.

Deception: Just doing his job as a boring civil servant

Wound: a bad marriage

Secret identity: Head of the FBI Counter intelligence

2. Watch the next episode and see how Character Intrigue is being used to create the need to see more episodes.

ASSIGNMENT 2

1. For your Inner Circle characters, fill in any of the Intrigue items that apply.

HIBAP – Kamau

Role: A plumber/handyman.

Hidden agendas: Chase his brother as an area MP and possibly become The President of Kenya

Competition: For market share as a plumber: his competing Plumbers. For power, money and position: His brother, Deep state underworld, gang leaders for authority in his

Conspiracies: with gang leaders, with friendly MP’s

Secrets: He is involved in drug trade to get his money

Deception: His brother, his kids, his customers

Wound: Betrrayed by his MP-brother

Secret Identity: Narcissist

HIBAP – Mutuku

Role: Kamau’s brother in crime, best friend and business partner.

Hidden Agenda: Take over the plumbing company

Competition: His brother for control of the company, control of the money in the company

Conspiracy: With Kamau for being the boss in the company. With Imelda to get more control over Kamau/The Company.

Deception: Causing Imelda to believe that Kamau has a lot of girlfriends.

Wound: was betrayed by his brother when he was in love with Mutuku’s wife. He is from a different father but Does not know his father.

Secret identity: Boss-owner of the Plumbing company.

HIBAP – Imelda

Role: Kamua’s beloved wife
on and off after two divorces they keep coming back to each other.

Hidden agendas: Entering the Kenyan Elite but she leaves het options open: I f a better option passesm she would be ready to take her children to Europe or the UNited `States.

Competition: For position, for money: with other hidden agenda slay queens.

Conspiracies: with other ladies, with the known politician.

Secrets: She is third wife and owns a few houses (in name) of a well known politician.

Deception: Kamau, to make him think she is a loving wife.

Wound: Has always lived in poverty and could not even follow education because of that.

Secret Identity: Business man, Banker, lover.

HIBAP – Oduor

Role: a politician who used Kamau for his own gain.

Hidden agendas: He wants to win the area-MP position, his way of getting rich.

Competition: For power, money and position: his aspiring politicians, deep state underworld, gang leaders for authority in his ‘distribution area’ and Kamau.

Conspiracies: with gang leaders, with friendly MP’s, with police officers.

Secrets: He is involved in drug trade to get his money,

Deception: His brother, his kids, his customers.

Wound: Betrayed by his MP-brother who died,

Secret Identity: Governor of Nairobi, On of the 20 richest businessmen of Kenya.

Kamau’s brother Jake

Role: a very conservative pastor who used Kamau for his own gain.

Hidden agendas: He wants to turn everyone in a true believer: he thinks he is the true representataion of God in Kenya: The Kenyan Law is the same as his personal interpretation of religion.

Competition: For power, money and position: his aspiring politicians, deep state underworld, gang leaders for authority in his ‘distribution area’.

Conspiracies: with gang leaders, with friendly MP’s, with police officers

Secrets: He is involved in drug trade to get and to launder his money,

Deception: His brother, his kids, his customers

Wound: Betrayed by his MP-brother who died a long time ago.

Secret Identity: Governor of Nairobi.

[Arjen Westra]

Subject line: Arjen Westra’s Engaging Main Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is… intrigue is hard to catch in words. The more we can connect different storylines for our characters, the more interesting it can become. It can almost become.

ASSIGNMENT 1

Watch the next episode of your Example Show to see any places the lead characters might fit this model.

Tell us the name and Engaging Profile answers for at least one character from your example show.

Philip Jennings

A. Role in the show: he is a husband, a friend and has a hidden life as an undercover KGB operative.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Philip Jennings is an undercover spy, able to live a completely double life as a model American citizen.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Everything Philip does, it has a professional side to it. It is easy to confuse the real Philip and the non-real person as we witness him in his different roles, different (intimate) relationships and literally under the surface there seems to be going on a permanent conflict between believing communism and the American way of life that Philip really seems to enjoy.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

Killing/betraying people that he cares for. Betraying his country (That seed is planted in the beginning), communism, lying to his kids.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

It partly depends on the choices of The Centre (‘their bosses’ in Moscow) and if things go according to plan or not.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

He has a family and somehow seems to be a really nice guy. He is put in a position where he has to fear for his life every time he puts a foot forward, being it in his private life, or being it in his professional life. And like in all those lives: these situations are all out of control. It’s walking on eggs all the time.

ASSIGNMENT 2

1. Tell us the journey of your show.

A low profile African slum handy-man/plumber has embarked on a journey to become The President of the country.

2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show?

Kamau: A plumber/handyman.

A. Role in the show: low profile plumber/handyman in a Nairobi-slum and aspiring politician.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise: plumbing ad some tricks to sell and deceive people.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

He is wiling to go all the way at any cost.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

He betrays his family, his customers and finally the people who vote for him. He uses the same tricks that he used as a plumber when he is going into politics.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

He reacts by emotion as if he is constantly under threat. A bit reckless. Sometimes out of desperation or high on succes and then bring himself in trouble because he didn’t think about the consequences. Doesn’t listen very good and has somewhere a disgard for people.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

He has kids, he is a bit clumsy in what he does and in the end he somehow also tries to be a normal human being, making the best of his life. He is deeply committed to taking care of his family.

[Arjen Westra]

Subject line: Arjen Westra’ s Three Circles of Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is, that a circle of main characters, each with their intrigue, mystery, storyline can contribute to making the main character more interesting. You could even talk of synergy here: there is always something going on that keeps the mind of my viewer busy and that gives me reasons to go back en get more engaged.

A. Main Characters Circle:

Kamau: low profile plumber, our main protagonist.
Mutuku: Kamau’s brother in crime, best friend and business partner.
Kamau’s four kids.
Kamua’s beloved wife Imelda, on and off after two divorces they keep coming back to each other.
Kamau’s brother Jake, who is a well meaning pastor.

B. Connected Circle:

Cousin Jim, a selfish ad corrupt MP.
Uncle Bob a silent and somewhat mysterious uncle with a background in hospitality. He owns some land and some hotels.
⁃ A young cousin that wants one thing: to get rich by working his ass off. He is extremely smart especially in IT.

C. Environment Circle:

Some local shop owners
People of the slums where het operates
An NGO-worker that he meets from time to time to talk capacity building.
A National politician, who is a friend of a friend’s brother but well connected because he is a Minister of National Security

[Arjen Westra]

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Example Show to see how the characters fit into these three circles. A quick list for each circle:

A. Main Characters Circle: Elizabeth Jennings, daughter Paige (early teenage), son Henry (younger brother, early teenager),

B. Connected Circle: Stan Beeman, Martha (works at FBI Counter Intelligence, Sandra (Stan’s Wife),

C. Environment Circle:

Colleague of Philip, agent Mizzi, Timoshev, other victims, Classmates of the kids, Stavos, Helene (both staff members of Jennings Travel, the company that Philip and Elizabeth use as a cover company). Elizabeth’s trainer, Politician/Goverment Official, Sandra (Stan’s Wife), Matthew (son of Stan and Sandra)

[Arjen Westra]

Hello Cheryl, I made a pre-course assignment with my Show Concept etc. Where do I post that or should i keep that for myself?

[Arjen Westra]

Hello Cheryl, I read that I need to post my own Show Concept as a pre-assignment. Where do i post it?

[Arjen Westra]

The Americans – 5 Star Model

What I learned doing this assignment is…

1/ Creating a lot of questions/mystery/layers, is a good way to get people hooked. 2/ Starting a few storylines (where the main characters are introduced (each with their own, different storylines) also helps with people/viewers getting hooked. 3/ The combination of the double lives/storylies we create, works extremely well when they are completely different from each other and/or have a big contrast: contrasting storylines seem to work, not sure if extremer in difference is always better. It makes viewer even wonder more: What kind of people are these? And that’s what we all want to know…

1. Big Picture Hooks

Ask this: What is the big hook of this show?

– KGB couple (Philip and Elizabeth) trying to stay under the radar while their neighbour is an FBI-agent working in Counter Intelligence Department.

2. Amazing and Intriguing Character

Ask this: What makes these main characters intriguing and interesting?

-These people want/need to be ‘normal’ in order tor survive, meanwhile, are still able to kill, do the spy-job it seems. Their ability to two lives that so totally seem to be the opposite of each other, makes some of these characters very intriguing.

3. Empathy / Distress

Ask this: What situation causes us to feel both empathy and distress for this character?

-The family situation at home: they dont want to involve their family in their work. The fact that they are left with a prisoner just by being a bit too late makes me feel empathy. I start feeling more empathy when I discover that these people (Philip and Elizabeth actually have kids). The fact that their neighbour works at the FBI.

4. Layers / Open Loops

Ask this: What questions are created by this first episode that can only be answered by watching the entire season?

-Are Philip and Elizabeth gonna get caught/how will the relationship between the new neighbour Stan Beeman and the family develop? Will the relationship between Philip and Elizabeth warm-up a bit? What about the kids?

5. Inviting Obsession

Ask this: How does this pilot create the need to see every single episode?

-We all want to know how this relationship will develop AND if and when Philip and Elizabeth when/how will they get caught by their FBI-neighbour and how are they going to avoid being caught?

[Arjen Westra]

1. Name: Arjen Westra

2. I have written two feature scripts, five shorts. I have a few features under construction.

3. What I hope to get out of the class? I hope to kind of structured way to channel my passion, I want to deepen my craft.

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? Originally, I am a Dutch journalist. In 2002, I exchanged the comfort of a job at a magazine in the Lowlands for a journey as a freelancer in Africa.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Arjen Westra.

[Arjen Westra]

I, Arjen Westra, agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.

2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.

I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.

3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.

4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.

6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Arjen Westra.