Arthur Anderson
Forum Replies Created
-
Arthur’s Budget
What I learned in this assignment is that there are ways to adapt your script to necessary budget requirements without losing the drama in the story.
MAIN VARIABLES
Number of Locations
25% cut – Eliminate opening party keep all scenes on the island and limit the number of sets for the bio-lab by using an existing building.
Quadruple Budget – Build a lab facility with action moving through a number of interesting sets.Expensive locations
25% cut – Use an establishing shot of the island to establish its isolation but shoot the film on the mainland that has a cove for the water scenes.
Quadruple Budget: Use an actual island and take advantage of many exterior locations. Build the lab set on the mainland in production facility stages.Number of characters
25% cut – Go from 6 main characters to 4.
Quadruple Budget – Go from 6 characters to 10, using recognizable actorsSpecial effects
25% cut – Use minimal Special Effects for creature attacks
Quadruple Budget – Use bullet hits, explosions, wire rigs for the creature attacksNumber of pages
25% cut – Cut script from 120 pages to 90 pages
Quadruple Budget – Increase script length from 120 to 135 pagesCrowd scenes
25% cut – Eliminate opening party scene
Quadruple Budget – Make the opening party scene a huge school event with 150 students in a luxurious private club on a river.Stunts, Chase scenes, and Fight scenes
25% cut – Reduce the number of creatures killing the teens.
Quadruple Budget – Make each scene where the teens are attacked by a creature an intricate and viscerally exciting fight through the labyrinth of the lab with stunts, special effects, and visual effects continuously ramping up the jeopardy and the action.Special sets
25% cut – Make the lab on the island very minimalist, having been destroyed by a hurricane years ago.
Quadruple Budget – Make the surface lab as described above, destroyed by a hurricane years ago; however, make a lower, functional level. The mutant scientist is still working on his plan to infect the mainland with his creation.SECONDARY VARIABLES
Rights to music, brands, books, etc.
25% cut – Use an up and coming composer to create the score for the movie. Many now work alone and in their home studios to score films.
Quadruple Budget – Hire a well known composer and do a full orchestration of the score for the film.Explosions and Firearm
25% cut – Use weapons teens find on the island and the lab to defend themselves from the creatures. The only explosion would be in the finale.
Quadruple Budget – The teens take the firearms from the destroyed Sheriff’s marine patrol boat and use them to fight the creatures. They make traps with gas cans they would shoot to destroy the creatures, make improvised explosives and in the end the entire lab would be blown up.Kids — shorter work days, tutor on the set
25% cut – All cast members would be cast 18 years old to look younger
Quadruple Budget – Age limit would not be a problem for casting the first two actors who are killed off in the film since they do not work on the entire film schedule.Animals – need a wrangler, more time to shoot, Humane Society
25% cut – Cut the number of actual animals used on the island tracking the kids to just a hand full
Quadruple Budget – Use a wide variety of animals to be lose on the island, some not yet mutated.Weather — Rain, snow, wind, tornados.
25% cut—Plan the shoot for the spring or summer when the weather is best. Use the interior sets as cover in case of rain.
Quadruple Budget—Only use the real location at the beginning of the film, when the teens arrive on the island, and for the finale, when Riley defeats the mutant scientist. Build the Exterior Jungle sets on the backlot of a film studio, and the interior sets on stage.Water and underwater scenes
25% cut – Have Riley defeat the mutant scientist on land and not end up in the water
Quadruple Budget – Make the opening scene when the creature attacks the houseboat more of an event with the creature being seen and one of the teens falling in the water. They then have to be rescued by the others. The group has to blow out a giant aquarium filled with mutant water creatures during a fight with the Mutant Scientist in the bio-lab. When there are only three teens left, they have to swim out of the lab via a flooded tunnel to escape the bio-lab.Night scenes
25% cut – Tarp in the building on the island so the interiors with windows may be shot Day for Night.
Quadruple Budget – Shoot all the scenes Night for Night.Helicopters, aircraft, drone shots
25% cut – Purchase stock shots of an island, so no aerial shots are required to establish the island. Do not use helicopters or aircraft. Only use a drone and schedule those shots together on the same day or a couple of days to keep the expense down.
Quadruple Budget – Use a drone at the opening party to establish its enormity. Use a helicopter with a space-cam to track the houseboat on its journey to the island and the ensuing attack. Use a drone throughout the island and bio-lab scenes for the chases and creature attacks.Green screen work
25% cut – Make half of the creature attacks with practical creature outfits. Limit the number of shots and the amount of screen time for the creatures that need greenscreen.
Quadruple Budget – Each creature would be specially designed with unique mutant attributes for different methods of killing its prey. Use multiple angles to enhance their fear-factor.Extensive Make-up
25% cut – Eliminate any makeup for actors or creatures that requires delaying production time on set. Any specialty makeup needed for a scene will be scheduled to be applied before the set call. For creatures, find preexisting masks and suits that require minimal makeup.
Quadruple Budget – Have a special makeup design for the Mutant Scientist incorporating animal and insect features on his entire body.Archival Footage
25% cut – When the teens find the videotapes of the animal experiments, cut back on the amount of footage they see.
Quadruple Budget – Shoot detailed footage of the lab experiments on animals and focus on how the morph into apex predators with the last footage being the Mutant Scientist videoing himself morphing into the creature he has become. -
Arthur Writes Great Hope/Fear
What I learned from this assignment is the importance of balancing hope and fear to create an emotional roller coaster for the audience, enhancing their engagement with the story. By carefully sequencing these moments, you may effectively build tension, deepen character arcs, and elevate the overall impact of the narrative.
Act 1:
Environment – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group wins the lottery at the Halloween party and boards the houseboat, excited for the adventure ahead.
Fear: As they pass Jekyll Island, the atmosphere shifts, with dark clouds gathering overhead, hinting at impending danger.Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They joke and laugh, building camaraderie, feeling invincible as they approach the island.
Fear: Suddenly, a loud noise from below the boat interrupts their fun, causing panic as they realize they might be in trouble.Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They attempt to fix the boat’s engine, believing they can quickly resolve the issue and continue their adventure.
Fear: They discover the propeller has been ripped off the motor by something that left a large prehistoric-sized tooth in the metal frame, leaving them stranded and being pushed by something under the houseboat toward the ominous shore of Jekyll Island.Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: As they approach the island, they see lights in the distance, suggesting potential help or shelter.
Fear: The lights turn out to be on a recently destroyed Sheriff’s marine patrol boat covered with blood, igniting fear as they realize the danger they are in and are too far out for cell service.Increasing Tension – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They make a plan to explore the island for help by heading to an antenna tower in the distance.
Fear: Just as they disembark, Ty is attacked by a vicious creature, which drags him into the brush, leading to fear and chaos as they scramble to find him. Something else with red eyes is in the woods tracking their movement.Act 2:
Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group finds shelter in an abandoned bio-weapons lab building, creating a temporary safe haven.
Fear: Strange noises outside the building heighten their fear, suggesting they are being watched.Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They discover supplies in the building and are able to start the backup generator, giving them hope for survival.
Fear: One of the things they find is a video of the bio-weapons experiments, which turned animals into vicious mutant predators, a warning sign about the island’s dark past, creating doubt about their safety. They discover the radio room has been destroyed.Environment – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They devise a plan to search for Ty, encouraging each other to stay positive.
Fear: As they venture out, they realize the island is a maze of traps and danger, making them question their choices.Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They catch a glimpse of Ty in the distance, igniting hope that he’s alive.
Fear: Suddenly, a creature attacks, holding Ty’s head in its raised claw, revealing the horrifying reality of their situation and forcing them to flee.Midpoint – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They find a hidden lab revealing the truth about the creatures, sparking a new plan to survive.
Fear: The mutated scientist appears, commanding the creatures, shattering their hope, and confirming the danger they face as they lose another member of their group to a new, more hideous creature.Act 3:
Incompatibility – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group tries to unify, deciding to stick together and create a strong defense plan.
Fear: Tensions rise as disagreements arise, with conflicting ideas on how to survive creating fractures within the group.Increasing Tension – Hope/Fear:
Hope: They successfully set traps to protect themselves, building confidence in their plan.
Fear: The traps fail, and they face an onslaught of creatures, pushing their panic to new heights.Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley comes up with a new strategy that appears to have potential, rallying the group.
Fear: Mason is suddenly killed by a colossal spider and is taken away during the attack, causing utter chaos and despair among the survivors.Unpredictability – Hope/Fear:
Hope: The group manages to regroup and formulate a new escape plan, igniting a flicker of hope.
Fear: Just as they start to execute their plan, they realize the mutated scientist has been leading the creatures directly to them.Turning Point – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley discovers a way to potentially use the lab’s technology to their advantage.
Fear: The power fails, plunging them into darkness, and the creatures close in, heightening the sense of doom.Act 4:
Isolation – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley, determined to escape, formulates a daring final plan that could lead them to safety.
Fear: The remaining friends are separated in the chaos, leaving Riley alone to confront the dangers. Each of them is killed by creatures the mutant scientist sends after them.Danger – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley successfully deploys the life raft she finds in the boat house on the dock, thinking she might have a chance.
Fear: The mutated scientist confronts her just as she thinks she’s succeeded, revealing its power over the creatures.Climax – Hope/Fear:
Hope: In a final showdown, Riley faces the scientist, using her wit and newfound courage to fight back.
Fear: The confrontation escalates as creatures swarm around her, making her fight feel desperate and uncertain.Final Resolution – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley manages to outsmart the scientist and the remaining creatures, leading them into a trap on the houseboat where she has left the propane running. She baits them into the houseboat. When they attack, she jumps off the boat and fires a flare into the boat, killing the mutant scientist and the creatures.
Fear: As she departs the island, a large octopus tentacle rises out of the water and moves toward her as we CUT TO BLACK and then hear her scream.Emotional Conclusion – Hope/Fear:
Hope: Riley reflects on her friends as she navigates back to safety, feeling a sense of strength and survival.
Fear: The last shot reveals her being attacked by the tentacle of an octopus. Did she really make it out alive? -
Arthur’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned from the assignment is the four-act structure serves as a powerful tool for crafting a cohesive and compelling film, ensuring that the narrative remains engaging while providing opportunities for character exploration and thematic depth.
1. Concept
In The Creatures of Jekyll Island, a group of high school students wins a lottery for an exclusive Halloween houseboat river tour, only to find themselves stranded on the eerie shores of Jekyll Island, a former bio-weapons lab filled with genetically mutated creatures. As night falls, they must confront these terrifying monsters, including a former mutated scientist who controls them, while battling their own hidden fears and betrayals to survive the night.2. Main Conflict
As the teenagers navigate the horrors of the island, they face terrifying creatures led by a mutated scientist.Act 1:
Opening: The film opens at a lively Halloween party at a river house, showcasing the excitement of the lottery winners preparing for the “Halloween Houseboat Horror River Tour.” The characters are introduced amidst laughter and camaraderie, setting a carefree tone.
Inciting Incident: As they pass by Jekyll Island, something rams their boat from below, disabling the engine. Panic sets in as they realize they are adrift, unable to navigate away from the ominous island.
Turning Point: The group decides to investigate the island for help. As they approach the shore, they witness Ty being violently killed by a creature and taken away. Fear grips them, leading to chaos as they scramble to find safety.
Act 2:
New Plan: The remaining friends, now in shock, decide to seek shelter in an abandoned building on the island. Tension rises as they argue about what to do next, revealing their individual fears and insecurities.
Plan in Action: While searching for supplies and a means to call for help, they encounter strange noises and unsettling signs of previous inhabitants. They stumble upon hints of a former scientist who conducted unethical experiments, heightening their paranoia.
Midpoint Turning Point: In a shocking moment, they discover a hidden chamber revealing the creatures’ origins and that the former scientist has mutated into a creature that now controls the other mutated animals. This revelation shifts their understanding of their situation and escalates their desperation.
Act 3:
Rethink Everything: As night falls, the group faces a new threat: the creatures, led by the mutated scientist, begin attacking them one by one. They must confront their inner demons and the fractures within their friendships.
New Plan: They devise a plan to create a diversion using flares to distract the creatures while attempting to escape back to the boat.
Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift: The plan goes horribly wrong when the flares attract even more creatures, and the mutated scientist reveals its terrifying power to command the others. In the chaos, Mason is brutally killed, causing the remaining friends to spiral into panic and despair, realizing they may not escape.
Act 4:
Final Plan: With dwindling hope, Riley devises a last-ditch effort to reach the boat and signal for help using whatever materials they can find, recognizing that they must confront the mutated scientist to survive.
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: In a heart-pounding showdown, Riley faces the mutated scientist and the remaining creatures, using her wits and courage. As she fights for survival, she must confront the group’s hidden truths and her own guilt over their decisions.
Resolution: Riley emerges as the sole survivor, traumatized but resolute. As she escapes the island on a piece of driftwood, she is haunted by the memories of her friends and the horrors they faced, not seeing the giant claw emerging from the water close behind her!
-
Lesson 6 – Delivering Multiple Layers
I learned that by integrating these layers into the screenplay, you can create a more engaging and multi-faceted narrative that resonates with audiences, ensuring a memorable viewing experience.
Potential Plot Layers
Plot Layer 1
Surface Layer: The group believes they are on a fun Halloween adventure on a houseboat.
Beneath That: The island is actually a former bio-weapons lab, with hidden dangers lurking.
How Revealed: As they explore, they uncover documents or remnants of experiments that indicate the island’s dark past.Plot Layer 2
Surface Layer: The mutated creatures are simply the result of nature gone awry.
Beneath That: The creatures are part of a larger experiment, created intentionally by scientists. The lead creature is one of the scientists who has mutated.
How Revealed: A character finds an old video or recording that details the experiments conducted on animals.Plot Layer 3
Surface Layer: The group is united against the external threat of the creatures.
Beneath That: Internal conflicts and betrayals are brewing among them, leading to divisions.
How Revealed: Tensions flare during a crisis, revealing hidden grudges and secrets that fracture their unity.Plot Layer 4
Surface Layer: The main conflict revolves around surviving the night against the creatures.
Beneath That: There’s a deeper philosophical battle about humanity’s impact on nature and the consequences of scientific tampering.
How Revealed: Characters engage in discussions about morality and the ethics of genetic experimentation as they confront the horrors around them.Potential Character Layers
Character Layer 1
Surface Layer: Riley is seen as the cautious, fragile final girl.
Beneath That: She harbors deep guilt and trauma from her sister’s death, making her stronger than she appears.
How Revealed: Through flashbacks or emotional breakdowns, her true motivations and past are unveiled during critical moments.Character Layer 2
Surface Layer: Alex is the optimistic friend trying to maintain morale.
Beneath That: He struggles with feelings of inadequacy and guilt over his inability to prevent their situation.
How Revealed: In private conversations or moments of vulnerability, Alex reveals his fears and insecurities, providing depth to his character.Character Layer 3
Surface Layer: Mason presents himself as a brave, thrill-seeking risk-taker.
Beneath That: His need to prove himself stems from a troubled relationship with his father and fear of being perceived as weak.
How Revealed: Interactions with other characters reveal Mason’s backstory and internal struggles, particularly when faced with danger.Character Layer 4
Surface Layer: Samira is the rational skeptic, focused on science.
Beneath That: She hides her insecurities and fear of being undervalued, which drives her need to prove her intellect.
How Revealed: As the danger escalates, her logical reasoning clashes with the need for instinctual survival, revealing her true motivations.Potential Location Layers
Location Layer 1
Surface Layer: The island appears to be a picturesque, remote location for a Halloween party.
Beneath That: It serves as a trap designed to ensnare unsuspecting visitors for the mutated creatures to prey upon.
How Revealed: As they explore, they uncover signs of previous visitors who never left, such as remnants of past parties or abandoned belongings.Location Layer 2
Surface Layer: The abandoned lab facilities appear dilapidated but harmless.
Beneath That: They house advanced, unstable experiments that can turn on the characters.
How Revealed: Characters accidentally activate dormant systems or encounter remnants of failed experiments that threaten their safety.Location Layer 3
Surface Layer: The houseboat seems like a safe haven for the group.
Beneath That: It becomes a trap when the creatures disable it, leaving them stranded and vulnerable.
How Revealed: As they attempt to fix the boat, they realize it’s been tampered with or sabotaged, heightening the tension.Location Layer 4
Surface Layer: The dense woods surrounding the island feel like a typical camping ground.
Beneath That: The woods are alive with unseen dangers, and the environment itself is a character that can mislead or ensnare them.
How Revealed: Characters find themselves lost or led into danger by seemingly ordinary trails or sounds that turn out to be deceptive. -
Arthur’s Character Journeys – 3 Act Structures
I learned that these three-act structures for the character’s journeys provide individual arcs and interconnect to enhance the overall narrative, driving the tension and emotional stakes throughout the film.
Riley Stone
Role in Concept: The resilient final girl driving the emotional core of the story.
Beginning: Riley is hesitant and reluctant to engage in risky activities, showcasing her fear and trauma
Turning Point 1: The group is attacked by a mutated creature, forcing Riley to confront her fears.
Midpoint: Riley realizes her survival depends on taking risks, leading to a pivotal moment where she must act decisively.
Turning Point 2: Another character’s reckless choice leads to a major setback, intensifying the stakes and forcing Riley to take charge.
Dilemma: Riley must choose between staying hidden to avoid danger or leading the group to safety, risking exposure.
3rd Act Climax: In a final confrontation with the apex predator, Riley confronts both the creature and her past, ultimately overcoming her guilt.
Ending: Riley emerges as a strong survivor, having proven her worth and overcome her inner demons.Alex Kimble
Role in Concept: The optimistic friend who provides hope and camaraderie, highlighting themes of friendship and redemption.
Beginning: Alex is portrayed as the group’s morale booster, eager to help but struggling with his own insecurities.
Turning Point 1: The initial attack shatters his hope, revealing the seriousness of their situation.
Midpoint: Alex’s attempts to maintain optimism fail, leading him to doubt his ability to protect his friends.
Turning Point 2: After witnessing Mason’s recklessness lead to a dangerous situation, Alex feels compelled to take a stand.
Dilemma: Alex must choose between taking a risk to help others or staying safe, fearing his own inadequacy.
3rd Act Climax: In a critical moment, Alex sacrifices himself for the group, showing his growth and willingness to face danger for his friends.
Ending: His sacrifice becomes a catalyst for Riley’s final stand, demonstrating his ultimate redemption.Mason Turner
Role in Concept: The thrill-seeker whose reckless bravery raises stakes and highlights different responses to fear.
Beginning: Mason is energetic and daring, showcasing his desire to impress his peers.
Turning Point 1: The first encounter with a creature forces Mason to confront real danger, shaking his confidence.
Midpoint: After a failed attempt to confront a predator, Mason’s bravado is challenged, leading to inner conflict.
Turning Point 2: Mason’s reckless decision results in a major setback for the group, heightening tension.
Dilemma: He must choose between risking everything to redeem himself or retreating to safety, which he fears would label him a coward.
3rd Act Climax: In a desperate attempt to save a friend, Mason faces the creature head-on, resulting in his tragic demise.
Ending: His death serves as a wake-up call for the remaining characters, emphasizing the real dangers they face.Samira “Sam” Patel
Role in Concept: The logical skeptic whose scientific mindset offers insight but can blind her to primal dangers
Beginning: Sam is rational and focused on the mysteries of the island, often seen as the voice of reason.
Turning Point 1: The danger becomes real, challenging her scientific perspective and forcing her to question her approach.
Midpoint: Sam’s attempts to understand the creatures lead her into a dangerous situation, showcasing the limits of her logic.
Turning Point 2: After witnessing the consequences of Mason’s recklessness, Sam realizes that not everything can be explained or controlled.
Dilemma: She must choose between exploring further for knowledge or prioritizing the group’s immediate safety.
3rd Act Climax: In an attempt to study a creature up close, she becomes its prey, illustrating the dangers of her analytical approach.
Ending: Her demise highlights the tragic consequences of ignoring primal instincts, impacting the remaining characters.Tyler “Ty” Grant
Role in Concept: The comic relief whose bravado masks deeper insecurities, providing tension and levity.
Beginning: Ty is charismatic and humorous, bringing lightness to the group but hiding his anxiety about the future.
Turning Point 1: The first attack reveals the seriousness of their situation, making his humor feel misplaced.
Midpoint: Ty realizes that jokes won’t save them, leading to moments of self-doubt about his role in the group.
Turning Point 2: His desire to prove himself leads him to make a reckless choice that puts others in danger.
Dilemma: He must decide between acting heroically to impress others or recognizing the real danger they face.
3rd Act Climax: In a moment of desperation, he distracts a creature to help others escape, resulting in his own death.
Ending: His sacrifice serves as a poignant reminder of the fine line between bravery and recklessness.Jordan Lee
Role in Concept: The artistic outsider whose fascination with darkness adds depth and introspection to the group.
Beginning: Jordan is depicted as an outsider, withdrawn but keenly observant, using art to cope with bullying.
Turning Point 1: The threat becomes real, challenging his perception of the island as merely a source of inspiration.
Midpoint: His desire to document the creatures leads him to take unnecessary risks, creating tension within the group.
Turning Point 2: After witnessing the group’s losses, he struggles between capturing the horror and ensuring his own safety.
Dilemma: He must choose between risking his life to film a once-in-a-lifetime event or stepping back to protect himself and others.
3rd Act Climax: In a moment of obsession, he gets too close to a creature, leading to his tragic end.
Ending: His death serves as a haunting reminder of the dangers of being consumed by one’s own fears and artistic pursuits. -
Arthur’s Character Depth
I learned that this technique helps provide a clear view of each character’s depth, motivation, and conflicts, helping advance the story’s overall dynamics.
CHARACTER DEPTH
Riley Stone
Motivation: Want: To survive and protect her friends. Need: To confront her guilt over her sister’s death and prove her resilience.
Wound: Traumatized by her sister’s death at the hands of a bear, leading to feelings of guilt and fear.
Layers: Initially seen as fragile, Riley’s journey reveals her inner strength and resourcefulness as she faces both external threats and her personal demons.Alex Kimble
Motivation: Want: To keep the group hopeful and ensure their survival. Need: To reclaim his sense of purpose after his injury sidelined his sports career.
Secret: He harbors fears about his worth and whether he can truly protect his friends.
Conflict: Alex’s optimism often clashes with Riley’s caution, creating tension that heightens the stakes.Mason Turner
Motivation: Want: To prove his bravery and toughness. Need: To overcome feelings of inadequacy instilled by his father.
Wound: Emotional scars from being belittled by his military father, pushing him to take reckless risks.
Dilemma: He must choose between proving his bravery and protecting his friends, leading to dire consequences.Samira “Sam” Patel
Motivation: Want: To explore the island and its mysteries. Need: To break free from her overprotective upbringing and prove her independence.
Layers: Her curiosity masks a deep-seated fear of not being taken seriously, leading her to take risks.
Conflict: Her rational approach to danger can lead to clashes with more instinctual characters, especially Riley.Tyler “Ty” Grant
Motivation: Want: To have one last epic adventure before graduation. Need: To confront his fear of the future and his declining high school status.
Secret: He hides his anxiety about what comes after high school, using humor to deflect his fears.
Intrigue: His over-the-top antics can create situations that inadvertently place the group in danger, revealing a darker side to his personality.Jordan Lee
Motivation: Want: To find inspiration for his art. Need: To confront his insecurities stemming from bullying and find his voice.
Wound: His history of being bullied creates a cynical outlook on life and deep fear of rejection.
Secret Identity: He presents himself as a brooding artist, but his fascination with darkness stems from a need to escape his pain and loneliness.CHARACTER PROFILES
Riley Stone
Character: The resilient and resourceful final girl is determined to survive.
Secret: Fears she is too fragile to protect her friends.
Wound: Guilt from her sister’s death during a bear attack.
Motivation: To survive and prove her strength by protecting her friends.
Hidden Agenda: Wants to confront her past trauma head-on.
Dilemma: Must choose between her instinct to avoid danger and the need to protect others.Alex Kimble
Character: Optimistic and athletic, he tries to keep the group hopeful.
Secret: Doubts his ability to truly protect his friends after his football injury.
Wound: Loss of identity after being sidelined from sports due to a knee injury.
Motivation: To maintain group morale and ensure everyone’s survival.
Hidden Agenda: Seeks redemption for his perceived failure to protect his friends.
Dilemma: Torn between being a source of hope and facing his own insecurities.Mason Turner
Character: Impulsive and adventurous, he seeks to prove his bravery.
Secret: Deeply fears being seen as weak or cowardly.
Wound: Emotional scars from his father belittling him for being “soft.”
Motivation: To prove his toughness to himself and others.
Hidden Agenda: Wants to gain the respect of his peers through risky actions.
Dilemma: Must choose between reckless bravery and the safety of the group.Samira “Sam” Patel
Character: Rational and curious, the science-minded skeptic of the group.
Secret: Hides her fear of not being taken seriously.
Wound: Feels trapped and undervalued due to her overprotective upbringing.
Motivation: To explore the island’s mysteries and prove her independence.
Hidden Agenda: Seeks validation for her intellect and decision-making skills.
Dilemma: Torn between her logical approach and the primal dangers they face.Tyler “Ty” Grant
Character: The jock and comic relief, uses humor to mask insecurities.
Secret: Anxious about his future after high school.
Wound: Struggles with feeling like he peaked in high school.
Motivation: To have one last epic adventure and live life to the fullest.
Hidden Agenda: Hides his anxiety by trying to keep the mood light.
Dilemma: Must confront his fear of the future while maintaining his bravado.Jordan Lee
Character Description: The quiet, brooding artist with a fascination for the macabre.
Secret: Hides his insecurity and fear of rejection stemming from bullying.
Wound: Bullied for being different, leading to a cynical outlook.
Motivation: To find inspiration for his art and confront his fears.
Hidden Agenda: Seeks to escape his pain through artistic expression.
Dilemma: Torn between capturing the island’s dangers and protecting himself from harm.CHARACTER CONFLICTS
Riley Stone vs. Alex Kimble
Riley’s cautious nature often clashes with Alex’s optimism. While Riley prioritizes survival and safety, Alex may push for hope and action, leading to disagreements about how to handle immediate threats.Riley Stone vs. Mason Turner
Riley’s instinct to avoid danger contrasts sharply with Mason’s impulsive bravery. This difference can create tension, especially when Mason’s reckless actions endanger the group, forcing Riley to confront her fears to protect others.Riley Stone vs. Samira “Sam” Patel
Riley’s emotional responses may clash with Sam’s rational approach. When Sam insists on studying the island or its creatures logically, it can frustrate Riley, who feels that immediate action is necessary for survival.Riley Stone vs. Tyler “Ty” Grant
Riley’s seriousness in the face of danger can be undermined by Ty’s humor and need to keep spirits high. This dynamic can create friction when Ty’s attempts at levity come across as inappropriate, particularly in dire situations.Riley Stone vs. Jordan Lee
Riley’s focus on survival may conflict with Jordan’s artistic obsession with capturing the horrors of the island. This can lead to tension as Riley worries about Jordan’s safety while he pursues his creative vision.Alex Kimble vs. Mason Turner
While Alex tries to maintain morale, Mason’s reckless need to prove himself can create rifts in the group. Alex’s concern for the group’s safety may clash with Mason’s desire to take risks, leading to arguments over what actions to take.Alex Kimble vs. Samira “Sam” Patel
Alex’s desire for hope may be challenged by Sam’s skepticism and focus on logic. When faced with dangerous situations, Alex might feel frustrated with Sam’s analytical mindset, while Sam may feel that Alex’s optimism is naive.Alex Kimble vs. Tyler “Ty” Grant
Alex’s earnestness in maintaining group morale can be tested by Ty’s more carefree approach. If Ty’s humor undermines serious moments, Alex may become frustrated, leading to conflict over priorities and group dynamics.Mason Turner vs. Samira “Sam” Patel
Both characters are impulsive, but in different ways. Mason seeks to prove himself through bravery, while Ty seeks to distract with humor. Their approaches can clash, especially if Mason’s risks put the group in danger and Ty’s humor distracts from the urgency of their situation.Samira “Sam” Patel vs. Tyler “Ty” Grant
Sam’s logical perspective can clash with Ty’s impulsive nature and humor. If Ty’s antics jeopardize the group’s safety, Sam may confront him about his recklessness, leading to heated debates about survival strategies.Samira “Sam” Patel vs. Jordan Lee
Sam’s rationality may come into conflict with Jordan’s artistic, brooding nature. Sam’s logical approach to danger may frustrate Jordan, who is more focused on the aesthetics of their situation, creating tension around their priorities.Tyler “Ty” Grant vs. Jordan Lee
Ty’s need to be the center of attention may clash with Jordan’s quiet, introspective nature. Ty might dismiss Jordan’s artistic pursuits as unnecessary, leading to conflict about the value of their experiences on the island. -
Arthur’s Right Characters.
I learned that each character may align with the hook in distinct ways that enhance their role in the story and the central conflict. The interactions among the characters deepens the hook’s impact.
Hook: Trapped on an island teeming with monstrous creations from an abandoned bio-weapons lab, six teens must outwit the deadly, monstrous, mutated wildlife that stalks them at every turn.
How each character uniquely fits with the hook:
Riley Stone – As the “final girl,” Riley embodies resilience and the struggle to survive. Her backstory of trauma makes her fight against the mutated wildlife deeply personal, adding emotional weight to her survival journey. Her desire to prove herself aligns with the urgency of escaping the island.
Alex Kimble – Alex’s optimism acts as a counterbalance to the fear that grips the group. His motivation to keep everyone hopeful enhances the tension as he tries to maintain morale while confronting the life-threatening situation, making his eventual demise even more impactful.
Mason Turner – Mason’s reckless bravery drives the action forward. His impulsive decisions to confront the creatures reflect the danger inherent in their situation, making him a catalyst for conflict. His character’s arc shows the consequences of underestimating the threat, heightening the stakes for everyone.
Samira “Sam” Patel – Sam’s scientific curiosity positions her as the group’s voice of reason. However, her logical approach to the creatures ultimately leads to her downfall, emphasizing the theme that not all knowledge is beneficial in life-or-death situations. Her demise serves as a wake-up call for the others.
Tyler “Ty” Grant – Ty’s humor masks his insecurities, making him both a source of levity and tension. His desire to live life to the fullest contrasts sharply with the horror surrounding them, highlighting the stakes of their predicament. His demise underlines the dangers of bravado in the face of true terror.
Jordan Lee – Jordan’s fascination with the macabre aligns with the eerie atmosphere of the island. His artistic perspective adds depth to the story, showing how the environment influences the characters. His obsession with capturing the horror ultimately leads to his end, reinforcing the peril of ignoring danger for the sake of art.
How each character enhances or causes the conflict:
Riley – Riley’s inner struggle with her past trauma leads her to be cautious, which may clash with others’ more reckless attitudes. Her reluctance to take risks can create tension within the group as they face the urgency of survival, especially when others want to confront the predators directly.
Alex- Alex’s optimistic nature can create friction when his hopeful outlook clashes with Riley’s skepticism. His desire to rally the group may lead him to take unnecessary risks to keep their spirits up, causing others to follow suit even when they should be cautious.
Mason – Mason’s impulsive bravado often puts him at odds with Riley’s cautious approach. His willingness to confront danger head-on can lead to reckless decisions that endanger the entire group, creating a cycle of escalating risks that heighten the tension and urgency of their situation.
Samira – Sam’s scientific mindset can lead to disagreements about the best way to handle the situation. While she seeks logical explanations and solutions, her insistence on studying the creatures can distract the group from immediate threats, increasing the likelihood of a deadly encounter.
Tyler – Ty’s humor and need to be the life of the party can lead to inappropriate reactions during serious moments, frustrating those who are more focused on survival. His impulsive need to prove himself can also push him into dangerous situations, increasing the stakes for the group.
Jordan Lee – Jordan’s dark fascination with the island and its dangers can create unease among the group. His artistic obsession may lead him to take risks to capture moments, which can cause others to worry about his safety and the group’s overall survival.
What makes these characters right for the story?
These characters are the “right ones” for the story because they each bring unique traits, motivations, and conflicts that enrich the story and enhance its themes.
-
Arthur’s great hook
How did this process work for you? It enabled me to look at my concept from different vantage points and narrow down what the focus of the story should be.
What did you learn doing this assignment? When developing your concept, it helps to be able to step back and let your creative process have room to entertain more effective approaches to your story.
Intriguing Contained Setting: Abandoned former Bio-weapons lab located on an island off the Carolina coast.
Unique Monster/Villain: Island animals exposed to genetic bio-weapons research transformed into super predators.
Mystery: How did the local animal population become transformed by the genetic bio-weapons?
Impossible goal/Unsolvable problem: How will a group of teen partygoers escape the island super-predators with the houseboat they arrived on is disabled.
Unique layers: One of the teens mothers was a research scientist who died working on the island, but is she really dead?
-
What I learned doing this assignment is that it really is possible to scale down the concept of a large film into the core elements to make a smaller film that will still entertain an audience.
Arthur’s Contained Version of Jaws
TITLE: Jaws
AS THEY DID IT:
• A. Locations: Various settings including the beaches of Amity Island, the town, the harbor, and the open ocean aboard the Orca.
• B. People: Main characters include Chief Brody, Quint, Hooper, Mayor Vaughn, and numerous townspeople, beachgoers, and crew members.
• C. Stunts: Shark attacks, boat maneuvers, underwater filming, explosive finale with the shark, and various action sequences on the water.
• D. Extras: Beachgoers, townspeople, tourists, and boat operators appearing throughout the film.
• E. Wardrobe: Casual summer clothing for beach scenes, scuba gear, fisherman outfits, and everyday clothing for town sequences.CONTAINED VERSION:
• A. Locations: Entirely set on a small disabled fishing boat (the Orca), which is stranded on an island just off the coast. The characters are contained on the boat as they attempt to lure the shark close enough for capture, using the docked boat as their last stand.
• B. People: Core cast reduced to just Chief Brody, Quint, Hooper, Ellen Brody and a few other key characters.
• C. Stunts: Focused on small-scale, suspenseful moments on the boat: reeling in the shark, tense struggles with fishing gear, and interactions with the shark from the safety of the docked boat. The final confrontation occurs as the shark attempts to ram the boat.
• D. Extras: None
• E. Wardrobe: Simplified to the core characters’ fishing and boating attire, with no need for the wide range of summer clothing seen in the original beach and town scenes. -
Arthur
“I agree to the terms of this release form.”
Please leave the entire text below to confirm what you agree to.OR
NOT AGREE, in which case, you hit “Reply to this topic” and type in the words “I’ll do the class privately.”
If you agree to the terms of the release form, then you can post your assignments into the group and your cohort can give feedback on them.
Also, if you don’t agree to this group confidentiality agreement, you’ll still need to sign an agreement that says you will keep the strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential.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.
0 -
As a member of this group, I, Arthur Anderson, 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.
-
Arthur’s Outline Version 1
1. List the following key components of your story:
A. Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying coronal mass ejection just days away.
B. Plot Choice: Underdog
C. Character Structure: Ensemble
D. Lead Characters
Reilly Ryan is a US female captain, pilot, of the international research spacecraft Reliant. Reilly worked her way up through the ranks the hard way and now must use all her skillsets to bring together an international crew to solve one of the most difficult problems anyone has ever encountered to save humanity. As the pilot and only survivor of a five-crew aborted launch and ocean crash landing four years ago, she still bears the physical as well as the emotional scars of survivor’s guilt.
Chase Douglas is a US black male first officer, co-pilot, and celestial navigation specialist. Passed over for command on this mission. He is a former Navy Top Gun fighter pilot who is smart, talented, and sometimes too ambitious.
Nico Lee is a Chinese female anti-matter propulsion specialist, Ph.D. She competed against thousands of candidates for this position which left little time for emotional interaction with other people. There is no one smarter in this field or lonelier because of it than her.
Tara Cooper is a French black female specializing in scalar wave and torsion field physics, Ph.D. An only child who worked her way through college, master’s, and her Ph.D. by working in her step-parent’s winery. She patented a frequency modulation device that reduced the aging time of the vintner’s now international best-selling wine in half which made her a small fortune. She is here because she loves her work not because she needs the money.
Diego Quinn is a Latino male life science specialist and MD, Ph.D. He is not really enamored with working in space and is more surprised than anyone that he is on this mission. His invention of an implant that monitors the body’s vitals and reactions to radiation and magnetic fields sealed the deal. He views this as a short-term assignment that will leapfrog his career in research ahead by decades.
Oleg Raykin is a Ukrainian male mechanical engineering specialist; Ph.D. Oleg would not have made it past all the political appointees vying for his spot if he had not invented the plasma field generator. It is the only known device that can contain anti-matter generation which propels the research spacecraft to near light speed. He grew up in the tough mafia-controlled neighborhoods of Moscow and does not suffer incompetence or fools.
Skyler Hardwick is a British female pool reporter chosen to broadcast special reports on the maiden voyage of the trillion-dollar international research spacecraft, Reliant, as it goes through its earth orbit testing. She used every political, financial, and bordering on blackmail of the Royal Family influence to get this assignment. She’s digging for a story deeper than the Reliant mission to propel her career to an anchor desk
E. Dramatic Question:
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
F. Main Conflict:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
G. Dilemma:
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive the necessary equipment, they need from earth to adapt their untested Tesla shield, Capt. Reilly Ryan must lead her crew on an unplanned hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve a fusion reactor from an unmanned mining moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, in just 48 hours.
H. Theme:
Humanity as a group is larger than the sum of its parts.
Structure of your screenplay (9 beats, one sentence each):
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in six hours with an even larger earth-destroying CME 48 hours behind that one. All space stations are evacuating to earth. Capt. Reilly orders the crew to prepare for evacuation, however, the Reliant crew votes to stay with the ship and try the untested Tesla shield to save the ship.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
In a process that would normally take twelve hours, the crew scrambles to fire up the Tesla shield in six.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need another fusion reactor to power the modified shield. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned autonomous mining moon base to retrieve the additional reactor.
5. Mid-Point
With the other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the mining base and then using the earth return lunar payload spacecraft at the base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with the damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the mining base. They discover the AI-controlled mining equipment has been damaged by the CME and is destroying the base. Barely staying ahead of the crushing mining machines, they find and load fusion reactor onto the lunar return ship. They blast off just as the AI miner hits their ship. Reilly struggles with the damaged ship to rendezvous with the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss. They decide to honor Chase’s sacrifice by exploring deep space with the Reliant.
2. Post your “Get to the Essence” outline in the PS81 forums at
SOLAR STORM
+ ++ Opening
1. EXT SPACE
Looking at the earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter-rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of the frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Reliant’s crew. Oleg Ryakin – Ukrainian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship. Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Ph.D. Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Ph.D. Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. Ph.D. Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. Ph.D. Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, Ph.D.
3. INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
Capt. Reilly explains to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield. At this moment, Chase reports and emergency message from NASA has been received.
+++ Inciting Incident
4. INT COMMAND MODULE
The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, informs the crew of a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun is going to hit the earth with devastating effects in less than six hours. Another larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. Orders them to abandon ship.
+++ By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The crew wants to stay on the ship and try out the Tesla shield.
Reilly has a flashback of her shuttle crash 4 years ago.
Reilly warns the crew of the dangers, tells them to talk it over with families and come back to vote on whether to stay or not.
9. INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister. FLASHBACK: Chase’s dad teaches him to fly the family crop-duster.
Oleg talks with his daughter. FLASHBACK: Oleg & his wife fighting the Russian invasion force outside the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear facility, she is killed.
11. INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her stepparents at their vineyard. FLASHBACK: after the call, looks at a photo of them at the vineyard, morphs into a live-action scene of her Ph.D. celebration.
12. INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife. Looking at a photo of his daughter he FLASHES back to the two of them being by her bedside as she dies of cancer.
13. INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon-to-be ex-husband news anchor. FLASHBACK: BBC News Director tells Skyler she is being replaced by a younger anchor.
14. INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck. From a photo of her husband and daughter – FLASHBACK: Reilly runs into an emergency room; Buck tells her husband and daughter have died in an auto accident.
15. INT COMMAND MODULE
Crew votes to stay and use the shield. Skyler will be sent to earth.
NASA and Reilly approve of Skyler staying on board after her impassioned plea.
17. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg, Nico & Tara scramble to bring the fusion generator up to full power.
18. INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power.
19. EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant.
20. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at workstations 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection: 3 minutes to hit.
21. EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the threat.
22. INT BRIDGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head-on strike by the CME.
23. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg tells them he’s ready to test-fire the shield.
24. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
25. EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella-like structure on the front of the mast shielding the ship 360 degrees.
26. INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
27. EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
28. INT ENGINEERING
A Klaxon begins to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
29. INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
30. INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the Reliant facing the CME. Reilly is going to use the shuttle’s engines to keep them in alignment. She heads to the shuttle.
31. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
32. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly uses the shuttle’s main engine to push the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME. Skyler has joined her and is terrified.
33. EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelope in a burst of rainbow colors.
34. MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Asia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics. The lights of the world go out: BLACKOUT.
35. INT BRIDGE
Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler.
36. EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
37. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fusion reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
38. INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
39. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the engines just as the CME is passing.
40. EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
41. INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ship’s systems.
+++ First turning point at end of Act 1
42. EXT/INT BUCKS SILO
As soon as the electrical storm has passed a circular metal hatch opens and an antenna mast extends 30 feet into the air. Inside, Buck has fired up his shielded backup generator and is scanning radio frequencies.
43. INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg brings power back up as Tara reports all coms with NASA and other earth stations have been lost. A staticy transmission is heard….it’s Buck!
44. INTERCUT: BUCK’S SILO & COMMAND MODULE
Reilly tells buck about reactor damage: Buck tells Reilly though no help from the earth is possible a fusion reactor is on the remote mining operation on the moon.
45. EXT RELIANT
The ship passes through FRAME over the darkened earth.
46. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew comes up with a plan to go to the moon to retrieve the fusion reactor.
47. INT ENGINEERING
Skyler approaches Oleg and Nico about the odds of moon mission success. Vodka is all he can offer her for encouragement.
48. INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn tells Reilly and Tara he may be able to make a serum of stem cell replicators that will mitigate the modified shields radiation output.
49. INT BRIDGE
Chase argues with Reilly that he should be the one to take the shuttle to the moon base.
50. INT ENGINEERING
Nico preps the anti-matter drive, Oleg hits the coms button to confirm the drive is ready to go.
51. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders everyone to prepare to launch as she heads to the bridge.
52. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg buckle up in their seats overlooking the engine control panels.
53. INT BRIDGE
Reilly counts down from 5 and then hits the thrusters.
54. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant flies through the left side of FRAME the four anti-matter drive thrusters glow red and the ship darts out of FRAME into the distant black illuminated by the moon.
55. INTERCUT: BRIDGE, COMMAND MODULE, ENGINEERING
INTERCUT: among the crew as the ship accelerates with increasing G-force.
56. INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out the speed 15…17….20,000 mph. Reilly cuts the power. Reilly calls out to crew 11.9 hours to shuttle launch.
57. INT SILO
Buck taps a few keys and brings up a satellite orbiting the moon, he sees a problem.
58. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves toward the moon.
59. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew reviews a 3D rendering of the mission to the moon. Buck informs them mining machines are destroying the moon base.
60. INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn gives Skyler an inhaler for her nerves.
61. INT CAFETERIA
The crew decompresses by sharing funny stories about each other from their year of training together.
62. INT OBSERVATION DECK
We discover Chase and Nico have a relationship.
63. INT CREW QUARTERS
Reilly & Tara share a moment to reflect on how their mission has changed.
The Reliant rotates 180 degrees and the Anti-Matter Drive engages to begin braking.
65. INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out the completion of the turn.
66. INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico confirms anti-matter drive thrust is nominal. Oleg confirms the fusion reactor is stable.
67. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara looks at the 3D Projection of the slingshot orbit and confirms they are on the right track and the shuttle launch is a go. She begins a 10-second countdown.
68. INT SHUTTLE
Skyler takes a hit off the inhaler doc gave her. The countdown hits zero. Reilly hits a series of switches, and the shuttle undocks from the Reliant.
69. EXT RELIANT
The shuttle pulls away from the Reliant. As it clears the mother ship the main engines fire to slow its descent.
70. INT BRIDGE
Chase looks out the window to see the shuttle braking hard with its engines at full thrust.
71. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly calls out over the comm that number three is running hot, they are pulling 7 G’s in the deceleration. Skyler is too scared to scream.
72. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
She orders the co-pilot to jettison the solid boosters as she shuts down the main engine. She tells everyone to hold on as she rolls the shuttle inverted.
73. EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
It performs a 180-degree arc heading back toward the Florida space base.
74. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly drops the gear and deploys the speed brakes to slow down but there’s just not enough time.
75. EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The Shuttle stalls and hits the water hard, with the left wing down it cartwheels across the water.
76. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The shuttle occupants are tossed around in the violent cartwheel. A warning Klaxon goes off…..
77. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly snaps back to the present day and sees the overheat light on number three. She shuts it down.
78. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tells Reilly she will have to burn the other two engines longer to slow down and will have less time to rotate the ship 180 for the crash landing.
79. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly hears Chase calling out the countdown of engine shut down. At zero she cuts the engines and hits the thrusters for rotation.
The shuttle, approaching the moon stern first, flips over on its back and then rotates 180 degrees the moon rapidly approaching below.
81. INT COMMAND MODULE
Chase has joined Tara and Quinn at the 3D display. He tells Reilly she’s still going too fast.
82. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly hits the forward thrusters, drops the landing gear, and uses the rear thrusters to drag the rear wheels across the smooth, previously mined, moon surface
83. EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The rear wheels slam into the surface of the moon and plow two deep grooves in its surface.
84. INT SHUTTLE
Skyler screams as the vibration is twice as bad as the braking maneuver. Reilly holds the forward braking thrusters at full power until the nose suddenly slams to the ground.
85. EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The front and rear landing gear collapse. The shuttle continues to slide until it impacts and penetrates one of the dome-shaped structures disappearing inside.
86. INT COMMAND MODULE
All the crew sees is a massive dust cloud engulfing the entire base. And no answering call to their transmissions to the shuttle.
87. EXT SHUTTLE
An enormous mining machine with a rock-crushing grinder chews its way into the building. Reilly grabs Skyler and they barely escape the destructive grinding of the machine.
88. INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck looks at his monitor, infrared scan reveals that Reilly made it to the moon base.
89. INT RELIANT COMMAND MODULE
Tara calls to Nico, now in the engine room with Oleg, that they are not braking hard enough with the anti-matter drive.
90. INT BRIDGE
Chase is monitoring their path and determines they only have minutes to correct the problem, or they will blow past any way to sling-shot for the return to earth.
91. INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico tells the team the anti-matter drive was designed for long periods of acceleration, not short-term full power sprints, it’s losing power.
92. INT MOONBASE MINING FACILITY
Reilly and Skyler dodge car-sized ore carriers moving empty and full through the corridor leading to the reactor.
93. EXT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
The door is locked, Reilly pulls out an electronic box and runs it over the lock. It opens and they enter.
94. INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly and Skyler discover AI-bot running reactors, it attacks Skyler, Reilly saves her.
95. INT MED BAY
Quinn gets an idea that magnetic pull could help their deceleration problem. Magnets!
96. INT BRIDGE
Magnets. Chase gets the idea and asks Tara if the frequency generation array is able to attract as well as repel.
97. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara reconfigures the frequency array as she asks Oleg what they may use for power?
98. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg tells the team the fusion reactor is only able to run at 40% of capacity, they need 50% to power the array.
99. INT BRIDGE
Chase asks about daisy-chaining the small fusion reactor in the explorer satellite they were to deploy in deep space?
100. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg and Nico splice the satellite reactor into the fusion drive.
101. EXT RELIANT
The frequency projection array pans to the right aiming directly at the moon.
102. INT BRIDGE
Chase transmits they are 1 minute away from the point of no return.
103. INT LAUNCH BAY
Nico makes the final connection and engages the power transfer on the control panel.
104. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg plugs in the final patch relay and hits the transfer switch. It works.
105. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara activates the frequency array and the entire ship begins to vibrate.
106. INT BRIDGE
Chase monitors the ship’s systems. Alarms begin to go off indicating in red parts of the ship that are experiencing overload stresses.
107. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg work the controls to keep both reactors in sync.
108. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tweaks the array as the 3D red arc slowly merges and disappears into the green arc.
109. INT BRIDGE
Chase watches the tracks emerge. Then yells for them to kill the array.
110. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara kills the array as Oleg yells for her to wait until they uncouple the reactors.
111. INT ENGINEERING
Killing the array feedbacks into the reactor patch and an electrical surge blows Nico off the control panel and knocks her unconscious onto the floor. Oleg races to her side.
112. INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly’s arm gets stuck pulling out the fusion reactor fuel cell, Skyler saves her.
113. INT MED BAY
Nico is on the med-bed unconscious as Chase, Tara, and Oleg watch. Tara and Oleg discover Chase and Nico are in a relationship.
114. EXT MOONBASE
Reilly and Skyler see a mining rig headed for the earth return rocket; their ride home.
115. INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck sees the miner heading for the earth return rocket. He types commands into his keyboard.
116. INTERCUT BRIDGE, COMMAND MODULE & ENGINEERING
Chase counts down from 5 and the team engages the thrusters 30 to complete the sling-shot.
117. EXT MOON/ EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly and Skyler struggle to get the reactor into the ship as the miner is approaching them.
We see the earth return rocket about to be destroyed by the miner as a satellite impacts and destroys the miner in a giant explosion.
119. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
The explosion rocks the ship violently. Reilly hits the launch button and the ship’s rockets fire lifting them into space.
Buck breathes a giant sigh of relief as we see on his monitor that he redirected the path of the satellite to collide with the miner, saving Reilly and Skyler.
++ Second turning point at end of Act 2
Tara, in the copilot’s seat, confirms the radar lock-on Reilly’s rocket as Chase radios Oleg to open the shuttle door and stand by for rendezvous.
122. INT SHUTTLE BAY
Oleg in his spacesuit hits a button. The shuttle bay decompresses, and the large door opens, revealing a retreating moon behind them.
123. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly sees the Reliant ahead. Reilly applies full foreword thrusters to slow them down. She explains this ship was designed for earth return, not docking.
124. INT BRIDGE
Tara tells Chase they need to speed up now or Reilly’s ship will but them like a torpedo.
Oleg gives Chase the OK to use fusion drive for a short burst. Chase engages the drive and pushes the throttle wide-open.
125. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly calls “out of fuel” for thrusters as they zoom toward the shuttle bay. Suddenly, the Reliant bolts ahead with the fusion thrusters wide-open.
126. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves quickly ahead with Reilly’s ship about to impact the shuttle bay. Its speed is just enough for Reilly’s ship to enter the shuttle bay.
127. INT BRIDGE
Oleg reports overheat indications on the fusion reactor. Chase calls out engine shut down as he pulls back the throttles.
128. INT SHUTTLE BAY
A catch net stops the ship inches from Oleg.
129. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Skyler is taking a hit-off doc’s inhaler. Reilly asks if she’s OK. Skyler replies that it’s nothing a change of underwear won’t fix.
130. INT BRIDGE
Chase and Tara share a look of relief. On the radio: tells Reilly she just set the record for the most crash landings in space in one day.
131. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly radios to everyone to get ready for anti-matter drive firing to head back to earth. Chase tells her about Nico’s injury and their inability to fire it without her.
132. INT MED BAY
Nico is weak from her injuries, however, refuses to stay put and will fire off the anti-matter drive.
133. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg stands by Nico, a little shaky on her feet, as she fires up the anti-matter drive.
134. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant on the 3D display with Quinn and Skyler watching.
135. INT BRIDGE
Chase counts down ignition from 5 seconds. Reilly hit the ignition button and throttles the anti-matter drive up.
136. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg’s fingers dance across their keyboard balancing the of firing the anti-matter drive engine.
137. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant’s 3D projection trajectory toward the earth. When they reach 25,000 mph she calls for engine shutdown.
138. INT BRIDGE
Chase cuts the throttles; however, nothing happens. She radios Nico.
139. INT ENGINEERING
Chase radios they are going to miss earth, Oleg picks up a large pipe, walks over to the coupler, and hits it as hard as he can. There is a large clunk and the engine shuts down.
The crew is updated by Buck about chaos on earth and then they review the plan for deploying the modified Tesla shield.
141. MONTAGE: COMMAND MODULE/ENGINEERING/BRIDGE
MONTAGE:
BRIDGE – Reilly and Chase work on programming the Reliant for the braking maneuver and pin-point positioning for firing the shield
ENGINEERING – Oleg and Nico secure the additional reactor and run jumper cables to the main power junction box assisted by Skyler.
COMMAND MODULE – Tara is having problems with the frequency generator.
INT MED LAB – Quinn pulls a vial out of a torsion field generation device. The liquid inside is electroluminescent.
142. INT CREW MESS
Quinn injects crew with anti-radiation serum. Tara confides to Reilly that she still has not found the resonate frequency to make the expanded shield work.
143. MONTAGE: CREW QUARTERS
MED BAY- Quinn looks at his last vid com with his family.
ENGINEERING – Oleg looks down at the swirling vortex the fusion reactor is creating in its plasma containment chamber as he looks at a picture of his wife and daughter.
OBSERVATION DECK – Chase and Nico hold hands and then kiss against the starscape swirling around them.
INT CREW QUARTERS – Skyler is playing back the video journal has been making of their journey. The editing scenes with music are powerful and emotional. Tears unexpectedly run down her face.
INT BRIDGE – Reilly talks with Buck on the ham radio expressing her misgivings about what they are attempting – Buck comforts her with the fact all is not determined by random acts but by the hand of a divine creator and He does not make mistakes.
COMMAND MODULE- Tara is at her wit’s end trying to figure out the new frequency for the extended shield. She puts her head back in her chair and drifts into a fitful sleep…dreams.
FLASHBACK – Tara, 8 yrs old, throws a rock into a pond. It creates a series of waves that expand from small to very large.
PRESENT: Tara’s head snaps off the headrest back into the present. The dream is the answer to the resonant frequency generator.
The ship begins to rotate 180 degrees. THE CAMERA stays with the rear of the ship as the anti-matter drive fires.
145. INT COMMAND MODULE
Quinn sits next to Tara with the 3D representation of the Reliant, earth, and the approaching earth-killing coronal mass ejection. She radios to the crew they are T-30 mins to impact.
146. INT ENGINEERING
Reilly calls for an anti-matter drive shut down. Nico pulls back on the anti-matter drive power, while Oleg preps the fusion reactors for the shield.
147. INT BRIDGE
Reilly initiates the 180-degree roll of the Reliant to face the approaching CME, Skyler watches from behind them. As soon as the roll is completed, Reilly calls for Tara to deploy the Tesla mast.
+++ Crisis
148. INT COMMAND MODULE
The Tesla mast won’t deploy. Chase didn’t check it when it was stressed in sling-shot maneuver and he blames himself.
149. INT SHUTTLE HANGAR
Chase moves quickly to the space tug near the hanger door and gets inside. The hangar door opens the engine’s fire and he off.
150. EXT RELIANT -BRIDGE/ MAST MODULE
The space tug flies over the top of the reliant, does an inside loop, and stops in front of the stuck mast. Chase deploys the grappling arms and wraps them around the three-foot ball at the top of the mast.
151. INT SPACE TUG
Chase fires the engines full throttle and the mast begins to jerk and barely move.
152. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew discovers Chase is deploying mast with the space tug. There won’t be time for him to return before CME hits. Reilly and Nico beg him to return.
Chase tells him that will only save themselves, not the earth. That is the mission and it’s his fault for not testing the mast earlier.
+++ Climax
154. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Oleg to fire up the fusion reactors to full power. This is a death sentence for Chase. Tara call out 30 seconds to impact. Oleg brings the reactors up to full power.
155. EXT SPACE TUG
The mast finally locks it into position as the tug runs out of fuel.
156. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly’s hand hovers over the large red shield deployment button. Nico takes the choice from her and presses the button as she looks into Chase’s eyes on the monitor.
157. EXT RELIANT
The space tug is engulfed in a blast of white light followed by the Tesla shield deploying like a giant umbrella around the ship. It’s width wide enough to cover the earth.
158. INT COMMAND MODULE
At this moment the Coronal Mass Ejection hits the ship. Tara struggles with the frequency modulator to reinforce the shield. Nico fires up the anti-matter drive routes power to the shield against Oleg’s complaint it has never been tested.
159. EXT RELIANT
The shield is white-hot and is beginning to buckle.
160. INT COMMAND MODULE
At first, it seems to be making things worst, then the entire ship vibrates and the shield expands against the opposing force and holds: the anti-matter drive is working.
161. EXT RELIANT
The shield extends into the CME and then it is over.
162. INT COMMAND MODULE
As quickly as it started the CME is passed. Reilly calls for a shutdown of the shield and Tara, Oleg and Nico work to bring down the power levels.
163. EXT RELIANT
The shield disappears as the end of the mast glows white-hot.
165. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew looks out the window at the shattered space tug that holds Chase’s lifeless body.
+++ Resolution
A space tug emerges from the back of the Reliant and quickly makes its way to Chases, grabs the disabled tug, and takes it to the rear of the Reliant.
The crew in spacesuits, place their flight wings on Chase’s space pod and launch him into space.
Jack Stone and Buck are on the vidscreen showing the crew the world celebration of being saved by them. It will be several months before a rescue ship with a replacement crew will be able to relieve them.
The crew looks out into space and decides the best way to honor Chase’s sacrifice is to use the months they have to explore deep space.
The counter-rotating rings of the Reliant glow bright blue, the anti-matter engines fire a long tongue of blue plasma, and the Reliant speeds off toward the distant planets ahead of it.
THE END
-
Arthur’s Pass 10: Essence Only Outline
What I learned is:
Boiling each scene down to its essential elements allows you to see the overall structure of your story and allows easy access to making enhancements to the film.
A. Your logline.
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying coronal mass ejection just days away.
B. Dramatic Question.
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
C. Main Conflict.
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
D. Dilemma.
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive the necessary equipment, they need from earth to adapt their untested Tesla shield, Capt. Reilly Ryan must lead her crew on an unplanned hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve a fusion reactor from an unmanned mining moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, in just 48 hours.
E. Theme.
Humanity as a group is larger than the sum of its parts.
F. The entire outline showing ALL of your scenes in the movie.
SOLAR STORM
+ ++ Opening
1. EXT SPACE
Looking at the earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter-rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of the frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Reliant’s crew. Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship. Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Ph.D. Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Ph.D. Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. Ph.D. Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. Ph.D. Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, Ph.D.
3. INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
Capt. Reilly explains to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off.
+++ Inciting Incident
4. INT COMMAND MODULE
The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, informs the crew of a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun is going to hit the earth with devastating effects in less than six hours. Another larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. Orders them to abandon ship.
+++ By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The crew wants to stay on the ship and try out the Tesla shield.
Reilly has a flashback of her shuttle crash 4 years ago.
Reilly tells the crew to talk it over with families and come back to vote on whether to stay or not.
9. INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister.
Oleg talks with his wife and daughter.
11. INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her stepparents at their vineyard.
12. INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife, son, and daughter.
13. INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon-to-be ex-husband news anchor.
14. INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck.
15. INT COMMAND MODULE
Crew votes to stay and use the shield. Skyler will be sent to earth.
NASA and Reilly approve Skyler staying on board after her impassioned plea.
17. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg, Nico & Tara scramble to bring the fusion generator up to full power.
18. INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power.
19. EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant.
20. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at workstations 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection: 3 minutes to hit.
21. EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the sun.
22. INT BRIDGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head-on strike by the CME.
23. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg tells them he’s ready to test-fire the shield.
24. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
25. EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella-like structure on the front of the mast shielding the ship 360 degrees.
26. INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
27. EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
28. INT ENGINEERING
Klaxon begin to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
29. INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
30. INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the Reliant facing the CME. Reilly is going to use the shuttle’s engines to keep them in alignment.
31. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
32. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly uses the shuttle’s main engine to push the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME.
33. EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelope in a burst of rainbow colors.
34. MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Russia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics.
35. INT BRIDGE
Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler.
36. EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
37. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fusion reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
38. INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
39. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the engines just as the CME is passing.
40. EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
41. INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ships systems.
42. EXT BUCKS SILO
As soon as the electrical storm has passed a circular metal hatch opens and antenna mast extends 30 feet into the air.
+++ First turning point at end of Act 1
43. INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg brings power back up as Tara reports all coms with NASA and other earth stations have been lost. A staticy transmission is heard….it’s Buck!
44. INTERCUT: BUCK’S SILO & COMMAND MODULE
Buck tells Reilly though no help from earth a fusion reactor is on the moon base.
45. EXT RELIANT
The ship passes through FRAME over the darkened earth.
46. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew comes up with a plan to go to the moon to retrieve the fusion reactor.
47. INT ENGINEERING
Skyler approaches Oleg and Nico about the odds of moon mission success.
48. INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn tells Reilly and Tara he may be able to make a serum of stem cell replicators that will mitigate the shields radiation output.
49. INT BRIDGE
Chase argues with Reilly that he should be the one to take the shuttle to the moon base.
50. INT ENGINEERING
Nico preps the anti-matter drive, Oleg hits the coms button to confirm the drive is ready to go.
51. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders everyone to prepare to launch as she heads to the bridge.
52. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg buckle up in their seats overlooking the engine control panels.
53. INT BRIDGE
Reilly counts down from 5 and then hits the thrusters.
54. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant flies through the left side of FRAME the four anti-matter drive thrusters glow red and the ship darts out of FRAME into the distant black illuminated by the moon.
55. INTERCUT: BRIDGE,COMMAND MODULE, ENGINEERING
INTERCUT: among the crew as the ship accelerates with increasing G-force.
56. INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out the speed 15…17….20,000 mph. Reilly cuts the power. Reilly calls out to crew 11.9 hours to shuttle launch.
57. INT SILO
Buck taps a few keys and brings up a satellite orbiting the moon, he sees a problem.
58. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves toward the moon.
59. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew reviews a 3d rendering of the mission to the moon. Buck informs them mining machines are destroying the moon base.
60. INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn gives Skyler something for her nerves.
61. INT CAFETERIA
The crew shares funny stories about each other from their year of training together.
62. INT OBSERVATION DECK
We discover Chase and Nico have a relationship.
63. INT CREW QUARTERS
Reilly & Tara share a moment to reflect on how their mission has changed.
The Reliant rotates 180 degrees and the Anti-Matter Drive engages to begin braking.
65. INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out completion of the turn
66. INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico confirms anti-matter drive thrust is nominal. Oleg confirms the fusion reactor is stable.
67. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara looks at the 3D Projection of the slingshot orbit and confirms they are on the right track and the shuttle launch is a go. She begins a 10-second countdown.
68. INT SHUTTLE
Skyler takes a hit off the inhaler doc gave her. The countdown hits zero. Reilly hits a series of switches, and the shuttle undocks from the Reliant.
69. EXT RELIANT
The shuttle pulls away from the Reliant. As it clears the mother ship the main engines fire to slow its descent.
70. INT BRIDGE
Chase looks out the window to see the shuttle braking hard with its engines at full thrust.
71. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly calls out over the comm that number three is running hot, pulling 7 G’s in the deceleration.
72. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
She orders the co-pilot to jettison the solid boosters as she shuts down the main engine. She tells everyone to hold on as she rolls the shuttle inverted.
73. EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
It performs a 180-degree arc heading back toward the Florida space base.
74. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly drops the gear and deploys the speed brakes to slow down but there’s just not enough time.
75. EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The Shuttle stalls and hits the water hard, with the left wing down it cartwheels across the water.
76. INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The shuttle occupants are tossed around in the violent cartwheel. A warning Klaxon goes off…..
77. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly snaps back to the present day and sees the overheat light on number three. She shuts it down.
78. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tells Reilly she will have to burn the other two engines longer to slow down and will have less time to rotate the ship 180 for the crash landing.
79. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly hears Chase calling out the countdown of engine shut down. At zero she cuts the engines and hits the thrusters for rotation.
The shuttle, approaching the moon stern first, flips over on its back and then rotates 180 degrees the moon rapidly approaching below.
81. INT COMMAND MODULE
Chase has joined Tara and Quinn at the 3D display. He tells Reilly she’s still going too fast.
82. INT SHUTTLE
Reilly hits the forward thrusters, drops the landing gear, and uses the rear thrusters to drag the rear wheels across the smooth, previously mined, moon surface
83. EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The rear wheels slam into the surface of the moon and plow two deep grooves in its surface.
84. INT SHUTTLE
Skyler screams as the vibration is twice as bad as the braking maneuver. Reilly holds the forward braking thrusters at full power until the nose suddenly slams to the ground.
85. EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The front and rear landing gear collapse. The shuttle continues to slide until it impacts and penetrates one of the dome-shaped structures disappearing inside.
86. INT COMMAND MODULE
All the crew sees is a massive dust cloud engulfing the entire base. And no answering call to their transmissions to the shuttle.
87. EXT SHUTTLE
An enormous mining machine with a rock-crushing grinder chews its way into the building. Reilly grabs Skyler and they barely escape the destructive grinding of the machine.
88. INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck looks sees that Reilly made it to the moon base.
89. INT RELIANT COMMAND MODULE
Tara calls to Nico, now in the engine room with Oleg, that they are not braking hard enough with the anti-matter drive.
90. INT BRIDGE
Chase is monitoring their path and determines they have 15 minutes to correct the problem, or they will blow past any way to sling-shot for the return to earth.
91. INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico tells the team the anti-matter drive was designed for long periods of acceleration, not short-term full power sprints, it’s losing power.
92. INT MOONBASE MINING FACILITY
Reilly and Skyler dodge car-sized ore carriers moving empty and full through the corridor leading to the reactor.
93. EXT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
The door is locked, Reilly pulls out an electronic box and runs it over the lock. It opens and they enter.
94. INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly and Skyler discover AI-bot running reactors, it attacks Skyler, Reilly saves her.
95. INT MED BAY
Quinn gets an idea that magnetic pull could help their deceleration problem. Magnets!
96. INT BRIDGE
Magnets. Chase gets the idea and asks Tara if the frequency generation array is able to attract as well as repel.
97. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara reconfigures the frequency array as she asks Oleg what they may use for power?
98. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg tells the team the fusion reactor is only able to run at 40% of capacity, they need 50% to power the array.
99. INT BRIDGE
Chase asks about daisy-chaining the small fusion reactor in the explorer satellite.
100. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg and Nico splice the satellite reactor into the fusion drive.
101. EXT RELIANT
The frequency projection disk pans to the right aiming directly at the moon.
102. INT BRIDGE
Chase transmits they are 2 minutes away from the point of no return.
103. INT LAUNCH BAY
Nico makes the final connection and engages the power transfer on the control panel.
104. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg plugs in the final patch relay and hits the transfer switch. It works.
105. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara jams the array button and the entire ship begins to vibrate.
106. INT BRIDGE
Chase monitors the ship’s systems. Alarms begin to go off indicating in red parts of the ship that are experiencing overload stresses.
107. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg work the controls to keep both reactors in sync.
108. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tweaks the array as the 3D red arc slowly merges and disappears into the green arc.
109. INT BRIDGE
Chase watches the tracks emerge. Then yells for them to kill the array.
110. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara kills the array as Oleg yells for her to wait until they uncouple the reactors.
111. INT ENGINEERING
Killing the array feedbacks into the reactor patch and an electrical surge blows Nico off the control panel and knocks her unconscious onto the floor. Oleg races to her side.
112. INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly’s arm gets stuck pulling out the fusion reactor fuel cell, Skyler saves her.
113. INT MED BAY
Nico is on the med-bed unconscious as Chase, Tara, and Oleg watch. They discover Chase and Nico are in a relationship.
114. EXT MOONBASE
Reilly and Skyler see a mining rig headed for the earth return rocket; their ride home.
115. INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck sees the miner heading for the earth return rocket. He types commands into the keyboard.
116. INTERCUT BRIDGE, COMMAND MODULE & ENGINEERING
Chase counts down from 5 and the team engages the fusion drive for 30 seconds to complete the sling-shot.
117. EXT MOON/ EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly and Skyler struggle to get the reactor into the ship as the miner is approaching them.
We see the earth return rocket about to be destroyed by the miner as a satellite impacts and destroys the miner in a giant explosion.
119. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
The explosion rocks the ship violently. Reilly hits the launch button and the ship’s rockets fire lifting them into space.
Buck breathes a giant sigh of relief as we see on his screen he redirected the path of the satellite to collide with the miner, saving Reilly and Skyler.
++ Second turning point at end of Act 2
Tara, in the copilot’s seat, confirms the radar lock-on Reilly’s rocket as Chase radios Oleg to open the shuttle door and stand by for rendezvous.
122. INT SHUTTLE BAY
Oleg in his spacesuit hits a button. The shuttle bay decompresses, and the large door opens, revealing a retreating moon behind them.
123. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly sees the Reliant ahead. Reilly applies full foreword thrusters to slow them down. She explains this ship was designed for earth return, not docking.
124. INT BRIDGE
Tara tells Chase they need to speed up now or Reilly’s ship will but them like a torpedo.
Chase hits a button engaging the thrusters and pushes the throttle wide-open.
125. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly calls “out of fuel” for thrusters as they zoom toward the shuttle bay. Suddenly, the Reliant bolts ahead with the fusion thrusters wide-open.
126. EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves quickly ahead with Reilly’s ship about to impact the shuttle bay. Its speed is just enough for Reilly’s ship to enter the shuttle bay.
127. INT BRIDGE
Tara reports overheat indications on the fusion reactor. Chase calls out engine shut down as he pulls back the throttles.
128. INT SHUTTLE BAY
A catch net stops the ship inches from Oleg. Oleg radios Reilly she just set the record for the most space crash landings in one day.
129. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Skyler is taking a hit-off doc’s inhaler. Reilly asks if she’s OK. Skyler replies that it’s nothing a change of underwear won’t fix.
130. INT BRIDGE
Chase and Tara share a look of relief. On the radio: tells Reilly she just set the record for the most crash landings in space in one day.
131. INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly radios to everyone to get ready for anti-matter drive firing to head back to earth. Chase tells her about Nico’s injury and their inability to fire it without her.
132. INT MED BAY
Nico is weak from her injuries, however, refuses to stay put and will fire off the anti-matter drive.
133. INT ENGINEERING
Oleg stands by Nico, a little shaky on her feet, as she fires up the anti-matter drive.
134. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant on the 3D display with Quinn and Skyler watching.
135. INT BRIDGE
Chase counts down ignition from 5 seconds. Reilly hit the ignition button and throttles the anti-matter drive up.
136. INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg’s fingers dance across their keyboard balancing the of firing the anti-matter drive engine.
137. INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant’s 3D projection trajectory toward the earth. When they reach 25,000 mph she calls for engine shutdown.
138. INT BRIDGE
Chase cuts the throttles; however, nothing happens. She radios Nico.
139. INT ENGINEERING
Chase radios they are going to miss earth, Oleg picks up a large pipe, walks over to the coupler, and hits it as hard as he can. There is a large clunk and the engine shuts down.
The crew is updated by Buck about chaos on earth and then they review the plan for deploying the modified Tesla shield.
141. MONTAGE: COMMAND MODULE/ENGINEERING/BRIDGE
MONTAGE:
BRIDGE – Reilly and Chase work on programming the Reliant for the braking maneuver and pin-point positioning for firing the shield
ENGINEERING – Oleg and Nico secure the additional reactor and run jumper cables to the main power junction box assisted by Skyler.
COMMAND MODULE – Tara is having problems with the frequency generator.
INT MED LAB – Quinn pulls a vial out of a torsion field generation device. The liquid inside is electroluminescent.
142. INT CREW MESS
Quinn injects crew with anti-radiation serum. Tara confides to Reilly that she still has not found the resonate frequency to make the expanded shield work.
143. MONTAGE: CREW QUARTERS
MED BAY- Quinn looks at his last vid com with his family.
ENGINEERING – Oleg looks down at the swirling vortex the fusion reactor is creating in its plasma containment chamber as he looks at a picture of his wife and daughter.
OBSERVATION DECK – Chase and Nico hold hands and then kiss against the star scape swirling around them.
INT CREW QUARTERS – Skyler is playing back the video journal has been making of their journey. The editing scenes with music are powerful and emotional. Tears unexpectedly run down her face.
INT BRIDGE – Reilly talks with Buck on the ham radio expressing her misgivings about what they are attempting – Buck comforts her with the fact all is not determined by random acts but by the hand of a divine creator and He does not make mistakes.
COMMAND MODULE- Tara is at her wit’s end trying to figure out the new frequency for the extended shield. She puts her head back in her chair and drifts into a fitful sleep…dreams.
FLASHBACK – Tara, 8 yrs old, throws a rock into a pond. It creates a series of waves that expand from small to very large.
PRESENT: Tara’s head snaps off the headrest back into the present. The dream is the answer to the resonant frequency generator.
The ship begins to rotate 180 degrees. THE CAMERA stays with the rear of the ship as the anti-matter drive fires.
145. INT COMMAND MODULE
Quinn sits next to Tara with the 3D representation of the Reliant, earth, and the approaching earth-killing coronal mass ejection. She radios to the crew they are T-30 mins to impact.
146. INT ENGINEERING
Reilly calls for an anti-matter drive shut down. Nico pulls back on the anti-matter drive power, while Oleg preps the fusion reactors for the shield.
147. INT BRIDGE
Reilly initiates the 180-degree roll of the Reliant to face the approaching CME, Skyler watches from behind them. As soon as the roll is completed, Reilly calls for Tara to deploy the Tesla mast.
148. INT COMMAND MODULE
The Tesla mast won’t deploy. Chase didn’t check it when it was stressed in sling-shot maneuver and he blames himself.
+++ Crisis
149. INT SHUTTLE HANGAR
Chase moves quickly to the space tug near the hanger door and gets inside. The hangar door opens the engine’s fire and he off.
150. EXT RELIANT -BRIDGE/ MAST MODULE
The space tug flies over the top of the reliant, does an inside loop, and stops in front of the stuck mast. Chase deploys the grappling arms and wraps them around the three-foot ball at the top of the mast.
151. INT SPACE TUG
Chase fires the engines full throttle and the mast begins to jerk and barely move.
152. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew discovers Chase is deploying mast with the space tug. There won’t be time for him to return before CME hits. Reilly begs him to return.
+++ Climax
Chase tells him that will only save themselves, not the earth. That is the mission and it’s his fault for not testing the mast earlier.
154. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Oleg to fire up the fusion reactors to full power. This is a death sentence for Chase. Tara call out 2 minutes to impact. Oleg brings the reactors up to full power.
155. EXT SPACE TUG
The mast but finally locks it into position as the tug runs out of fuel.
156. INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly’s hand hovers over the large red shield deployment button. Nico takes the choice from her and presses the button.
157. EXT RELIANT
The space tug is engulfed in a blast of white light followed by the Tesla shield deploying like a giant umbrella around the ship. It’s width wide enough to cover the earth.
158. INT COMMAND MODULE
At this moment the Coronal Mass Ejection hits the ship. Tara struggles with the frequency modulator to reinforce the shield. Nico fires up the anti-matter drive routes power to the shield.
159. EXT RELIANT
The shield is white-hot and is beginning to buckle.
160. INT COMMAND MODULE
At first, it seems to be making things worst, then the entire ship vibrates and the shield expands against the opposing force and holds: the anti-matter drive is working.
161. EXT RELIANT
The shield extends into the CME and then it is over.
162. INT COMMAND MODULE
As quickly as it started the CME is passed. Reilly calls for a shutdown of the shield and Tara, Oleg and Nico work to bring down the power levels.
163. EXT RELIANT
The shield disappears as the end of the mast glows white-hot.
165. INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew looks out the window at the shattered space tug that holds Chase’s lifeless body.
+++ Resolution
A space tug emerges from the back of the Reliant and quickly makes its way to Chases, grabs the disabled tug, and takes it to the rear of the Reliant.
The crew in spacesuits, place their flight wings on Chase’s space pod and launch him into space.
Jack Stone and Buck are on the vidscreen showing the crew the world celebration of being saved by them. It will be several months before a rescue ship with a replacement crew will be able to relieve them.
The crew looks out into space and decides to use the months they have to explore deep space.
The counter-rotating rings of the Reliant glow bright blue, the anti-matter engines fire a long tongue of blue plasma, and the Reliant speeds off toward the distant planets ahead of it.
THE END
-
Arthur’s Pass 9: Flag Scenes to Elevate
What I learned doing this is? Identifying problems in your story in the outline phase will improve the script dramatically.
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
EXT SPACE
Looking at the earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter-rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of the frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Reliant’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving froward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, PhD – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, PhD.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, PhD.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. PhD.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, PhD
(Improve this scene by establishing each character’s unique quality in being part of the crew)
INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explains to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the spacecraft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blindsides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the captain and only survivor of a five-man crew in an aborted takeoff less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CME arrives.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with a six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own workstation. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3D projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew of a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit the earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
INT COMMAND MODULE
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion-dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails, they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Diego reminds them if they go to earth, they will live but it will be like being in the 1800s with no electricity or electronic devices.
FLASHBACK SPACE SHUTTLE
Reilly in pilots seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragment into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort check list and frantically hi switches and pull levers as they other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to he present moment: “Reilly!”
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous, or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico, and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. Reilly tells the crew to go to their quarters, talk it over with their families, then they will vote. Skyler asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod.
(Create more conflict among the characters in this scene to raise the stakes at the choice between life and death)
INT NICO’S QUARTERS
Her parents praise her for her contribution and willingness to stay aboard the Reliant. It is evident that they are not used to expressing emotions, however, Nico cannot stop the tears from rolling down her face.
(Enhance the subtext of this scene that her whole life has been about achievement when her true desire has been personal interaction and emotional expression)
INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister who have been brought to the underground bunker at NASA for the CME event. They are concerned he didn’t come back to earth but understand his reasons. ( Make an undertone in this scene that there is something in his personal life he would like to tell them but is unable to)
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg talks with his wife and daughter who are in an underground bunker in Moscow. The big bear of a man reveals his soft side while talking with his daughter.
INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her stepparents at their vineyard. It’s an emotional exchange as her parents assure her, they will be fine in their underground cask aging room.
INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife, son, and daughter who are in a bunker outside Washington, DC. He encourages his kids to think of this as a great adventure and to help their mom who can’t suppress her tears.
INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon-to-be ex-husband news anchor who tells her the reason she can’t reach her parents is that they are being relocated to a bunker in Colorado. He is going to stay on the air as long as possible during the CME. Skyler tells Jim she is staying with the ship. Their conversation exposes unfulfilled expectations and regrets.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck. She laughs that everyone at JPL thought he was crazy when he retired as a top engineer and converted an old Atlas missile silo into a house, but now it looks like was smarter than all of them. He reminds her to try and contact him on the ham frequency after the CME as everything else will be down. An alert on the console ends their chat and Reilly calls everyone back to their stations.
(Intent of this scene is to show the human side of Reilly, her dad is one of the few people who can read her and cut to the underlying issues)
EXT BUCK’S SILO
Buck exits his silo and looks up to the sky. He pushes a button on the remote he is holding and the blast doors to his silo begin closing as he heads inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly calls for a vote. Everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti-matter drives.
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg scrambles to bring the fusion generator up to full power as Nico works with the AI computer to calculate the energy output necessary for the shield generation. Tara confers with both as she aligns the frequency generator. It’s organized chaos.
INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power with her AI video bot documenting the process.
EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant. As it reaches its full extension a web shape in the form of an umbrella unfolds at the top of the mast.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at workstations with screens deployed from the tabletop with Skyler moving around behind them videoing their actions. A 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection is projected above the center of the table. They talk with Chase at the helm and Oleg in engineering over the com system. The countdown to impact on the screen reads 3 minutes.
EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the sun.
INT BRIDGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head-on strike by the CME.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg moves quickly among all the fission reactor controls, tweaking them for maximum output. Tells them he’s ready to test-fire the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella-like structure on the front of the mast and then extends in an oblong shape connecting to the mast at the rear of the ship covering the shielding the ship 360 degrees.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
INT ENGINEERING
Klaxon begin to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the Reliant facing the CME. Reilly joins him on the controls and tells Oleg they need more power from the thrusters. The weakest part of the shield is its sides. Reilly tells Chase to do his best, she has an idea. She is going to use the shuttle’s engines to keep them in alignment.
Reilly moves through the module and climbs the ladder to the shuttle dock. Skyler follows her as Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge to share data and adjustments to the shield. Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly jumps into the command seat buckles up and starts up the instrument panel. She sees Skyler tell her to buckle up and then fires the shuttle’s main engines without undocking from the Reliant. Using the main engine and thrusters she pushes the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME.
EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelope in a burst of rainbow colors.
MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Russia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics.
INT BRIDGE
Warning indicators flash, Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler. Reilly asks Tara how much longer the CME will last. Tara indicates only a few more seconds.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
INT ENGINEERING
There is a flash in the engine room and Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fission reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the engines just as the CME is passing.
EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Emergency lights engage with the power blackout. Reilly and Skyler emerge from the shuttle dock, joining Tara, Nico, Quinn. Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ship’s systems. With no help from earth they need another reactor. Reilly orders a full systems check out to see what has been damaged and needs repair.
EXT BUCKS SILO
The last remnants of the CME blast across the landscape of Buck’s silo. Electricity dances across the electrical wires and transformers explode in a gigantic fireworks display. As soon as the electrical storm has passed a circular metal hatch opens and the antenna mast extends 30 feet into the air.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield has saved the Reliant and crew from the CME, however, the fusion reactor powering the shield has been damaged and will only power the systems on the ship, not the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The normal lighting pops back on as Oleg has completed repairs in engineering. Tara reports all coms with NASA and other earth stations have been lost. Skyler reports that there is no response to her network down link. Reilly asks Tara to try the 160-meter band. A staticy transmission is heard….it’s Buck!
INTERCUT: BUCK’S SILO & COMMAND MODULE
Reilly tells Buck their situation with the damaged reactor that can’t be repaired. The next CME in 48 hours will kill them and the earth. Buck reminds her she doesn’t need one from the earth when there is one on the remote-controlled mining station on the moon that JPL helped set up two years ago.
EXT RELIANT
The ship passes through FRAME over the darkened earth.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly questions the crew regarding the trip to the moon to retrieve the fusion reactor, modifying it to shield earth and making it back in 36 hours. Nico says anti-matter drive is made for near light speed but could be pulsed at low power to get them there in 12 hours. Chase says the problem is slowing down enough to sling-shot around the moon and back to earth. Oleg adds they will just turn 180 and use the engines as brakes. Tara asks how the shuttle will land on the moon? Reilly responds that she will crash land the shuttle on the moon, acquire the reactor and then we’ll use the earth return rocket to rendezvous with the Reliant. Skyler asks who we is? Reilly tells her, you and me. Everyone else is crucial to modifying the ship for the improved shield.
(Improve this scene so that Skyler going to the moon to help out is in some way her idea: or she is hesitant to go and has to overcome her fear for the success of the mission)
INT ENGINEERING
Skyler approaches Oleg and Nico trying to configure the anti-matter drive for the moon mission. Skyler asks them what they think their chances are. Oleg pulls out a bottle of Vodka and hands it to her as he explains they are re-engineering systems that would normally take years into just a few hours. It will either work or they will blow up like an exploding star. Skyler takes a big hit from the bottle.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Tara, Quinn, and Reilly discuss a problem. Tara tells the two that with her calculations of the “super shield” they are making, the electromagnetic radiation will far exceed the shielding of the ship to protect the crew. Quinn tells them he may be able to make a serum of stem cell replicators that will mitigate the damage.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is using the 3D Quantum computer to program Reliant’s voyage to the moon when Reilly enters. An argument ensues about why Chase is not taking the shuttle to the moon. Reilly tells him he’s wanted this command over her. Now is his time to prove he is capable. Chase believes she is trying to save the crew by risking her life instead of his due to her previous loss of her entire shuttle crew. Skyler, just out of sight overhears the exchange.
(Improve this scene by enhancing the conflict between Reilly and Chase)
INT ENGINEERING
Nico taps a final command into her iPad and the two countering rotating rings around the Reliant light up with blue plasma discharges. Oleg pats her on the back as they marvel at the sight. Oleg hits the coms button to confirm the anti-matter drive is ready to go.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly and Skyler are looking at Tara’s 3D projection when they hear Oleg’s call. Reilly orders everyone to prepare to launch as she heads to the bridge. Quinn joins the group as they buckle up in their seats.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg buckle up in their seats overlooking the engine control panels.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly counts down from 5 and then hits the thrusters.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant flies through the left side of FRAME the four anti-matter drive thrusters glow red and the ship darts out of FRAME into the distant black illuminated by the moon.
INTERCUT: BRIDGE,COMMAND MODULE, ENGINEERING
INTERCUT: among the crew as the ship accelerates with increasing G-force.
INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out the speed 15…17….20,000 mph. Reilly cuts the power. Reilly calls out to crew 11.9 hours to shuttle launch.
INT SILO
Numerous display screens with readouts in front of Bucks console. He taps a few keys and brings up a satellite orbiting the moon. As it passes the moon mining base his eyebrows go up and he reaches for the ham radio.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves toward the moon.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The entire crew is there. Reilly brings up a video image Buck relayed to them. The remote mining machines have been affected by the CME and are mining at random, some crashing into the base. Chase brings up a 3D model of their lunar mission: Reliant turning 180 brakings, the shuttle breaking off from Reliant, braking with its engines, crash landing on the moon, the earth return rocket rendezvousing with the Reliant after it slingshots around the moon. Skyler comments: with all that what could go wrong. Reilly orders the crew to take a food and rest break – they are going to need it.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn is working on his serum when Skyler enters. She wants the doc to give her something to take for her nerves right before the shuttle launch. He is hesitant then gets an idea. He gives her an inhaler and tells her to take a hit whenever she gets nervous. Quinn smiles as she leaves.
INT CAFETERIA
The crew is finishing eating. The crew tells funny stories about each other from their year of training together: how they viewed each other then…and how they view each other now.
INT OBSERVATION DECK
Nico is alone starring at the approaching moon. Chase approaches and stands beside her. Two colleagues, then she takes his hand and squeezes it. We discover the reason Chase doesn’t have a girlfriend on earth is that for a year he has had a secret relationship with Nico.
INT CREW QUARTERS
Reilly walks past the sleeping crew and into the Command Module where Tara is working on a 3D Model of the enhanced shield. They share a quiet moment to reflect on the past 12 hours and how their mission went from advancing space travel to saving the world. Tara pulls out a bottle of French wine as they enjoy their last chance to decompress
EXT RELIANT
FADE IN
The Reliant rotates 180 degrees and the Anti-Matter Drive engages to begin braking.
INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out completion of the turn
INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico confirms anti-matter drive thrust is nominal. Oleg confirms the fusion reactor is stable.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara looks at the 3D Projection of the slingshot orbit and confirms they are on the right track and the shuttle launch is go. She begins a 10-second countdown. Dr. Quinn monitors the vitals of Capt Reilly and Skyler on the suttle. Skyler heart rate is spiking, he tells her to take some deep breaths.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly at the helm, Skyler in the co-pilot seat. Both in full spacesuits. Skyler takes a hit off the inhaler doc gave her. The countdown hits zero. Reilly hits a series of switches, and the shuttle undocks from the Reliant.
EXT RELIANT
The shuttle pulls away from the Reliant. As it clears the mother ship the main engines fire to slow its descent.
INT BRIDGE
Chase looks out the window to see the shuttle braking hard with its engines at full thrust.
INT SHUTTLE
The vibration is intense as the two women are pulling 7 G’s in the deceleration. Skyler’s eyes are wide in fear. Reilly focuses on the engine readouts. She calls out over the comm that number three is running hot.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly is in the pilot’s seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragments into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort checklist and frantically hit switches and pull levers as the other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. She orders the co-pilot to jettisons the solid boosters as she shuts down the main engine. She tells everyone to hold on as she rolls the shuttle inverted.
EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The solid boosters roll off each side of the shuttle as it rolls inverted with the engines off but on fire. It performs a 180-degree arc heading back toward the Florida space base.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly fights the damaged controls and orders the copilot to use the forward thrusters to help get the nose up. Through the windshield, the ground is approaching fast…too fast… and they aren’t going to make the runway. Reilly drops the gear and deploys the speed brakes to slow down but there’s just not enough time.
EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The Shuttle flares over the ocean. The ground effect balloons the shuttle into the air it stalls and hits the water hard, With the left-wing down it cartwheels across the water.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The shuttle occupants are tossed around in the violent cartwheel. A warning Klaxon goes off…..
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly snaps back to the present day and sees the overheat light on number three. She shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
As Tara looks at Reilly’s 3D moon entry telemetry go red, she relays to Reilly she will have to burn the other two engines longer to slow down and will have less time to rotate the ship 180 for the crash landing.
INT SHUTTLE
Skyler asks Reilly why the computer can’t fly them in. Reilly tells her the shuttle was not designed to do what they are asking of it. She hears Chase calling out the countdown of engine shut down. At zero she cuts the engines and hits the thrusters for rotation.
EXT SHUTTLE
The shuttle, approaching the moon stern first, flips over on its back and then rotates 180 degrees the moon rapidly approaching below.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Chase has joined Tara and Quinn at the 3D display. He tells Reilly she’s still going too fast.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly looks out the windshield and sees the mining base rapidly approaching. She hits the forward thrusters, drops the landing gear, and uses the rear thrusters to drag the rear wheels across the smooth, previous mined, moon surface.
EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The rear wheels slam into the moon’s surface and plow two deep grooves in it.
INT SHUTTLE
Skyler screams as the vibration is twice as bad as the braking maneuver. Reilly holds the forward braking thrusters at full power until the nose suddenly slams to the ground.
EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
As nose of the shuttle slams to the ground and the front and rear landing gear collapse. The shuttle continues to slide until it impacts and penetrates one of the dome-shaped structures disappearing inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg and Nico have joined the group. Tara switches from the 3D view to a satellite overhead view of the mining base. All they see is a massive dust cloud engulfing the entire base. And no answering call to their transmissions to the shuttle. They lose visual as they begin their slingshot part of their orbit around the back of the moon.
EXT SHUTTLE
The door opens and Reilly exits with a bag of equipment followed by a shell-shocked Skyler. Reilly looks at a vid screen on her arm with a layout of the mining base. As she begins to move forward a gigantic shock wave knocks her and Skyler to their feet. An enormous mining machine with a rock-crushing grinder chews its way into the building. Reilly grabs Skyler and they barely escape the destructive grinding of the machine.
INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck looks at the same video image the crew of the Reliant saw; the mining base obscured by a cloud of moon dust. He hits a couple of buttons switching to infrared and sees the hot image of the shuttle inside the domed structure and two hot images moving away from it. He breathes a sigh of relief.
INT RELIANT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant’s telemetry as red line flashes indicating their deviation from the green arc they should be on. She calls to Nico, now in the engine room with Oleg, that they are not braking hard enough with the anti-matter drive.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is monitoring their path and determines they have 10 minutes to correct the problem or they will blow past any way to sling-shot for the return to earth.
INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico tells the team the anti-matter drive was designed for long periods of acceleration, not short-term full power sprints, it’s losing power.
INT MOONBASE MINING FACILITY
Reilly and Skyler dodge car-sized ore carriers moving empty and full through the corridor leading to the reactor.
EXT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
The door is locked, Reilly pulls out an electronic box and runs it over the lock. It opens and they enter.
INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
They enter and see four blue pulsing fusion reactors and an AI-bot running the control panel. The bot sees them and stands in an offensive posture. Reilly and Skyler look at each other. This is unexpected. The bot moves toward them with its claws extended. Reilly tells Skyler to run to the left. As the bot follows her, Reilly pulls out a plasma welder out of the tool bag and charges toward the back of the bot. The bot traps Skyler in a corner and is about to kill her with its claw when the center of its chest melts as the plasma welder cuts through its core. The two women share a sigh of relief.
INT MED BAY
Quinn looks up from the work on his serum. He suspends an advanced polymer in a clear paneled electron accelerator. He hits the coms button. Magnets!
INT BRIDGE
Magnets. Chase gets the idea and asks Tara if the frequency generation array is able to attract as well as repel.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Yes, it can! The array may be used as a giant electromagnet pointed at the moon to slow their speed. She hammers away at the keyboard as she asks Oleg what they may use for power?
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg looks to Nico and shrugs his shoulders. He hits the com and tells the team the fusion reactor is only able to run at 40% of capacity. They would need at least 50% to power the array.
INT BRIDGE
Chase thinks…an idea. What about daisy-chaining the small fusion reactor in the explorer satellite they were to launch on their first mission.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg and Nico race to the launch bay where the satellite is housed. Oleg begins ripping open access panels on the satellite as Nico pulls cables out of the bay control panel.
EXT RELIANT
The frequency projection disk pans to the right aiming directly at the moon.
INT BRIDGE
Chase transmits they are 2 minutes away from the point of no return.
INT LAUNCH BAY
Nico makes the final connection and engages the power transfer on the control panel. She yells to Oleg to try it.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg plugs in the final patch relay and hits the transfer switch. A humming noise emits from the panel and the blue plasma discharge from the fusion reactor glows brightly with the power reading rising to 51%. Oleg tells Tara to go!
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara jams the array button and the entire ship begins to vibrate. She watches the 3D display to see if there is any change.
INT BRIDGE
Chase monitors the ship’s systems. Alarms begin to go off indicating in red parts of the ship that are experiencing overload stresses. The Tesla mast housing is showing extreme stress.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico is now with Oleg. It takes both of them to work the controls to keep both reactors in sync.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tweaks the array as the 3D red arc slowly merges and disappears into the green arc.
INT BRIDGE
Chase watches the tracks emerge. Then yells for them to kill the array.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara kills the array as Oleg yells for her to wait until they uncouple the reactors.
INT ENGINEERING
Killing the array feedbacks into the reactor patch and an electrical surge blows Nico off the control panel and knocks her unconscious onto the floor. Oleg races to her side.
INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly tells Skyler to hold the release bar as she pulls the fusion reactor cell out of the distro unit. The cell pops out of the unit and Reilly barely catches it before it hits the floor. They are both sweating. Let’s get the hell out of here.
(Improve the action here by having Reilly get stuck pulling out the reactor cell and Skyler has to improvise to save her)
INT MED BAY
Nico is on the med-bed unconscious as Chase, Tara, and Oleg watch. Her vitals are stable. Doc tells them it will take some time to see if there is any brain damage. Chase walks over to her whispers something into her ear and kisses her on the cheek. The others share a look among themselves that these two keep their secret live well hidden. Chase rises and tells the crew to prepare to rendezvous with Reilly and Skyler.
EXT MOONBASE
Reilly and Skyler emerge from the moon base and head toward the earth return rocket as the mining machines continue to wreak havoc destroying the base. In the distance, they see a mining rig headed for the earth return rocket!
INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck is waiting for the satellite to come over the horizon to see the moon base. As it does, he sees the miner heading for the earth return rocket. He gets busy typing commands into the keyboard.
INTERCUT BRIDGE, COMMAND MODULE & ENGINEERING
Chase counts down from 5 and engages the fusion thrusters to complete the sling-shot around the moon. The rest of the crew monitors their areas of the ship.
EXT MOON/ EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly and Skyler struggle to get the reactor into the ship as the miner is approaching them. Reilly jumps into the pilot’s seat and runs through the start-up procedure. Skyler looks out the window and tells Reilly the miner is almost on them. Reilly yells at her to buckle up and stand by for launch.
THE CAMERA MOVES FROM SPACE TOWARDS THE MINER AND EARTH RETURN ROCKET ON THE MOON. A satellite MOVES INTO FRAME, thrusters wide open, and we follow it to the moon. We see the earth return about to be destroyed by the miner as the satellite impacts and destroys the miner in a giant explosion.
INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
The explosion rocks the ship violently. Reilly hits the launch button and the ship’s rockets fire lifting them into space.
He stares intently at the screen which displays a huge plume of dust. The earth return rocket suddenly appears out of the cloud heading into space. Buck breaths a giant sigh of relief as we see on his screen he redirected the path of the satellite to collide with the miner, saving Reilly and Skyler.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base.
They discovered that the AI-controlled moon mining machines have been damaged by the CME and are destroying the base. They acquire the fusion reactor and launch back to the ship just as a mining machine strikes their spacecraft. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant.
INT BRIDGE
Chase in the pilot’s seat and Tara in the co-pilot seat. Tara confirms the radar lock-on Reilly’s rocket. Chase radios Oleg to open the shuttle door and stand by for rendezvous.
INT SHUTTLE BAY
Oleg in his spacesuit hits a button. The shuttle bay decompresses, and the large door opens, revealing a retreating moon behind them.
INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly sees the Reliant ahead. Skyler observes they are approaching too fast. Reilly confirms that as she is applying full foreword thrusters to slow them down. She explains this ship was designed for earth return, not docking.
INT BRIDGE
Tara tells Chase they need to speed up now or Reilly’s ship will hit them like a torpedo. Chase asks Oleg if he may use the fusion reactor for a short burst. Hey yells yes…but quick!
Chase hits a button engaging the thrusters and pushes the throttle wide-open.
INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly calls out of fuel for the thrusters as they zoom toward the shuttle bay. Suddenly, the Reliant bolts ahead with the fusion engines wide-open.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves quickly ahead with Reilly’s ship about to impact the shuttle bay. Its speed is just enough for Reilly’s ship to enter the shuttle bay.
INT BRIDGE.
Tara reports overheat indications on the fusion reactor. Chase calls out engine shut down as he pulls back the throttles.
INT SHUTTLE BAY
Oleg has extended a catch net near the rear third of the bay. Reilly’s ship approaches and does a controlled crash landing in the bay. The catch net stops the ship inches from Oleg. Oleg radios Reilly she just set the record for the most space crash landings in one day. He closes the bay doors and heads toward the cargo hatch of the rocket.
INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Skyler is taking a hit-off doc’s inhaler. Reilly asks if she’s OK. Skyler replies that it’s nothing a change of underwear won’t fix.
INT BRIDGE
Chase and Tara share a look of relief. On the radio: Tells Reilly she just set the record for the most crash landings in space in one day.
INT EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly radios to everyone to get ready for anti-matter drive firing to head back to earth. Chase tells her about Nico’s injury and their inability to fire it without her.
INT MED BAY
Quinn monitors Nico in a light wave modulation chamber with pulsing light frequencies healing her wounds. Reilly, Chase, and Skyler enter. Nico looks at them and smiles. She felt their arrival. Reilly asks if she can get up long enough to fire the anti-matter drive. Quinn protests but Nico rises and is ready to go.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg stands by Nico, a little shaky on her feet, as she fires up the anti-matter drive.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant on the 3D display with Quinn and Skyler watching.
INT BRIDGE
Chase counts down ignition from 5 seconds. Reilly hit the ignition button and throttles the anti-matter drive up.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico, a little unsteady on her feet, and Oleg’s fingers dance across their keyboard balancing the of firing the anti-matter drive engine.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant’s 3D projection trajectory toward the earth. When they reach 25,000 mph she calls for engine shutdown.
INT BRIDGE
Chase cuts the throttles; however, nothing happens. She radios Nico.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico scrambles to find out what the problem is. Skyler comes in to document what is happening. Nico discovers it’s the coupler between the two counter-rotating disks circling the ship. Nothing she tries works. Tara on coms says if they don’t shut down in the next twenty seconds they will miss the earth. Oleg picks up a large pipe, walks over to the coupler, and hits it as hard as he can. There is a large clunk and the engine shuts down. Oleg looks at Nico and Skyler and smiles: brut force is sometimes the best way to make electronics behave.
INT COMMAND MODULE
All the crew is gathered around the 3D projection of the earth with the Reliant moving toward it. On the screen behind them, Tara has patched in a rough video image of Buck in his bunker. He updates him that the CME has knocked out a majority of the power and electronics of the earth. He plays images HAM radio operators have sent him of riots and looting around the planet. After he signs off, the group focuses on the timeline to get the new fusion reactor patched into the shield and prepare it for deployment. It is going to be tight. Reilly tells the crew all engineering controls need to be transferred and activated from the command module as it is the best-shielded compartment to protect them from the electromagnetic radiation they will be generating.
MONTAGE: COMMAND MODULE/ENGINEERING/BRIDGE
MONTAGE:
BRIDGE – Reilly and Chase work on programming the Reliant for the braking maneuver and pin-point positioning for firing the shield
ENGINEERING – Oleg and Nico secure the additional reactor and run jumper cables to the main power junction box assisted by Skyler who documents what they are doing to her bot flying around them. Oleg scolds her, less chat with bot more work.
COMMAND MODULE – Tara works on 3D projections of the expanded Tesla shield, using her frequency modulator she tries different frequencies and power levels to keep it stable. Her projections so far show the shield exploding. She’s concerned. Is this going to work?!!
INT MED LAB – Quinn pulls a vial out of a torsion field generation device. The liquid inside is electroluminescent.
INT CREW MESS
The exhausted crew gathers for a meal. The new fusion reactor is installed and ready. The tole of the last 32 hours has caught up to them. Quinn enters with an injection gun and explains to the crew they must take their shots now to give the serum enough time to activate before they deploy the shield. Chase volunteers to go first, doc injects him and Chase crashes to the floor as if dead. Doc rushes to him and Chase jumps up…he was kidding…everyone burst into needed laughter.
Reilly tells the crew to get a few hours rest before they perform the braking maneuver.
Tara confides to Reilly that she still has not found the resonate frequency to make the expanded shield work.
MONTAGE: CREW QUARTERS
MED BAY- Quinn looks at his last vid com with his family.
ENGINEERING – Oleg looks down at the swirling vortex the fusion reactor is creating in its plasma containment chamber as he looks at a picture of his wife and daughter.
OBSERVATION DECK – Chase and Nico hold hands and then kiss against the starscape swirling around them.
INT CREW QUARTERS – Skyler is playing back the video journal has been making of their journey. The editing scenes with music are powerful and emotional. Tears unexpectedly run down her face.
INT BRIDGE – Reilly talks with Buck on the ham radio expressing her misgivings about what they are attempting – Buck comforts her with the fact all is not determined by random acts but by the hand of a divine creator and He does not make mistakes.
COMMAND MODULE- Tara is at her wit’s end trying to figure out the new frequency for the extended shield. She puts her head back in her chair and drifts into a fitful sleep…dreams.
FLASHBACK – she is running through the grapevines. Laughing, not a care in the world.
She runs out onto the edge of a dock, grabs a large rock, and throws it far into the pond. It creates a series of waves that expand from small to very large.
Tara’s head snaps off the headrest back into the present. Her fingers dance across the keyboard and a new 3D Image pops up before her. This time the resonant frequency generator pulses the frequency waves in concentric circles radiating from the mask to the outer areas of the shield…and it is stable! She lets out a scream of joy! The recorder bot flies into the room to investigate the noise as Tara celebrates.
EXT RELIANT
The ship passes RIGHT TO LEFT toward the earth the sun directly off the bow. The ship begins to rotate 180 degrees. THE CAMERA stays with the rear of the ship as the anti-matter drive fires.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Quinn sits next to Tara with the 3D representation of the Reliant, earth, and the approaching earth-killing coronal mass ejection. She radios to the crew they are T-30 mins to impact.
INT ENGINEERING
Reilly calls for an anti-matter drive shut down. Nico pulls back on the anti-matter drive power, while Oleg preps the fusion reactors for the shield.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly initiates the 180-degree roll of the Reliant to face the approaching CME, Skyler watches from behind them. As soon as the roll is completed, Reilly calls for Tara to deploy the Tesla mast.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara attempts to deploy the mast, however, it won’t budge. All hands gather from the other modules This is a major problem. Reilly asks for any suggestions. Chase says this was his fault. He saw the mast module was under extreme pressure in the moon braking maneuver but didn’t think to check it out afterward. Reilly says too late to worry about water under the bridge how do they fix it. Oleg brings up the engineering diagram and they all gather around to look at it. Chase pauses has an idea and then moves quickly out the rear hatch.
7. Crisis
The new fusion reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
INT SHUTTLE HANGAR
Chase moves quickly to the space tug near the hanger door and gets inside. The hangar door opens the engine’s fire and he off.
EXT RELIANT -BRIDGE/ MAST MODULE
The space tug flies over the top of the reliant, does an inside loop, and stops in front of the stuck mast. Chase deploys the grappling arms and wraps them around the three-foot ball at the top of the mast.
INT SPACE TUG
Chase fires the engines full throttle, and the mast begins to jerk and barely move.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The ship lurches forward. They all look at each other. Reilly begins to ask Chase what that was but Chase is not there. Tara brings up the external cameras on the wall display screen and we see the space tug pulling on the mask. It finally gives with an ear-splitting squealing sound and it begins to move out of its sheath. Reilly asks for time to impact. Tara tells her five minutes, at the rate Chase is deploying the shield he won’t make it back on the ship in time. Reilly tells Chase to get back in the ship immediately they deploy the shield with what they’ve got.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. Nico joins her and pushes her hand off the activation button. She tells Chase she loves him and presses the button. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
INT SPACE TUG
Chase tells him that will only save themselves, not the earth. That is the mission and it’s his fault for not testing the mast earlier.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico implores him to return without success. Reilly orders Oleg to fire up the fusion reactors to full power. They all share a moment. This is a death sentence for Chase. Tara 2 minutes to impact. Oleg brings the reactors up to full power.
EXT SPACE TUG
It struggles at full power with the mast but finally locks it into position as the tug runs out of fuel. Chase radios, well that answers that question. I wouldn’t have had enough fuel to get back anyway.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara reports the mast is in position and the shield is ready to deploy. The crew looks at each other and then at Chase on the monitor. He salutes them: “It has been an honor to serve with you all”
Chase’s hand hovers over the large red shield deployment button. She cannot make her hand go down on the button. Tara calls 30 seconds to impact. Chase begs her to push the button. Nico moves beside her, puts her hand under Reilly’s, looks to Chase, salutes him, and then puts her hand over her heart and pushes the deploy button.
EXT RELIANT
The space tug disappears in a blast of white light followed by the Tesla shield deploying like a giant umbrella around the ship. It’s width wide enough to cover the earth.
INT COMMAND MODULE
At this moment the Coronal Mass Ejection hits the ship. The force causes the lights to blink on and off as the 3D projection shows the mass of electrons trying to burn through the shield. Tara struggles with the frequency modulator to reinforce the shield. She asks Oleg if he has any more power. He bumps the reactors up to 120%; it is red-ling. The shield is weakening.
Nico wipes her tears away and fires up the anti-matter drive and tells Oleg she is though it may blow them up she is going to transfer power through the coupler and into the shield.
EXT RELIANT
The shield is white-hot and is beginning to buckle.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico wipes her tears away and fires up the anti-matter drive and tells Oleg though it’s not been tested, she is going to transfer power through the coupler and into the shield.
Reilly tells her to go for it. At first, it seems to be making things worst, then the entire ship vibrates, and the shield expands against the opposing force and holds.
(Have Nico ask Reilly to get her something from the moon base, she transfers the image to Reilly’s wrist screen. Reilly grabs it just before she leaves the reactor room on the moon base. Nico installs this piece of equipment without Oleg knowing – it saves the day)
EXT RELIANT
The shield extends into the CME and then it is over.
INT COMMAND MODULE
As quickly as it started the CME is passed. Reilly calls for a shutdown of the shield and Tara, Oleg and Nico work to bring down the power levels.
EXT RELIANT
The shield disappears as the end of the mast glows white-hot.
INT COMMAND MODULE
As the reactor spool down Reilly and Nico walk over to the viewing window to look out where the scorched space tug is latched onto the front ball of the mast. There is nothing to say. Reilly put her arm around a tearful Nico. The rest of the crew comes up behind them. They didn’t just lose a co-worker; they lost a brother.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
EXT RELIANT
A space tug emerges from the back of the Reliant and quickly makes its way to Chases, grabs the disabled tug, and takes it to the rear of the Reliant.
INT HANGER BAY
FADE IN:
The entire crew in their spacesuits with the hanger bay door open. A white pod with Chase’s body is located near the end of the open hanger. Chase says a few words over him. Nico approaches the pod, pulls a small handle, a small thruster ignites and propels Chase out into space. The tearful crew watches his exit into eternity. An alert goes off on Reilly’s vid-screen on her sleeve. NASA is trying to raise them.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The crew is gathered as Tara brings the NASA video transmission up on the big screen. Jack Stone’s image appears on the screen being broadcast from Cheyenne mountain. He tells the crew the world owes them a debt that may never be repaid. They were able to follow the crew’s mission the entire time thanks to Skyler’s live broadcasts, however, they were not able to transmit due to antenna damage from the first CME. The crew looks among themselves wondering what was transmitted live. Buck pops up on a screen beside him and Jack thanks his friend from JPL for his assistance. Jack tells the crew it will be several months before they will be able to send a replacement crew to relieve them. He ends by showing them scenes from around the world of people celebrating their salvation by the Reliant.
INT OBSERVATION DECK
The crew is gathered looking out at the earth with the moon and sun behind it. The question arises as to what they should do for the next several months. Reilly asks, now that the shield and anti-matter drive work is anyone up for a trip outside the solar system to complete their original mission. The crew looks among themselves and smiles. They look to Skyler to see her reaction: “I’m good to go as long as I don’t have to leave the ship.” Laughter erupts among them.
EXT RELIANT
With the earth on the LEFT SIDE OF FRAME and the Reliant on the RIGHT SIDE OF FRAME. The counter-rotating rings of the Reliant glow bright blue, the anti-matter engines fire a long tongue of blue plasma, and the Reliant speeds off toward the distant planets ahead of it.
-
Arthur’s Pass #8: Clichè Busting!
WHAT I LEARNED: Like brainstorming concepts earlier in the course, you may use this same technique to work around Clichés in your film.
CHOSEN SCENE: Int Bridge Scene
PURPOSE: Keep the subtext that Capt Reilly doesn’t trust Chase to take the shuttle to the moon with Skyler’s life in the balance.
IDEAS:
A. She appeals to his ego that he is the only one capable of reprogramming the Reliant’s sling-shot maneuver around the moon and back to earth.
B. Tara comes into the scene and helps Reilly by telling Chase she needs his help with her frequency generator calculations for the adapted Tesla Shield.
C. Nico overhears the conversation and comes in to enlist Chase’s aid in timing the necessary anti-matter braking formula for the sling-shot around the moon.
D. Reilly brings up a video file of Chase’s failure in a crash-landing scenario at NASA. A video that was suppressed by NASA.
E. Reilly enlists Dr. Quinn’s aid that he needs Chase to stay on the ship and be his test subject for the anti-radiation serum.
-
Arthur’s Pass 7: Setup/Payoff Chains
What I learned doing this is: Setup/payoff chains helps make an emotional connection between the characters and the audience and adds a more complete resolution to the story.
1. List ALL of the setup/payoff chains (SP Chains) from your story — One or two sentences per setup/payoff.
SP CHAIN 1: (Describe the chain in one sentence)
Setup: The Reliant crew is about to test an untested technology for deep space travel when they discover a coronal mass ejection is headed for them.
Payoff 1: The crew uses the Tesla Shield to save their ship from the CME
Payoff 2: The crew uses an expanded version of the shield to save the earth.
Etc.
SP CHAIN 2: (Describe the chain in one sentence)
Setup: Chase and Nico work together as professionals until Nico is hurt and their secret relationship is discovered.
Payoff 1: When Reilly has to activate the shield to save earth which will kill Chase, Nico steps in to push the button.
SP CHAIN 3:
Setup: Due to her past loss of a crew on a failed shuttle mission, Reilly is hesitant to put the crew’s life in danger on a treacherous journey to the moon.
Pay off 1: The crew votes to go on the mission
Payoff 2: The crew works together at the end to save the earth
SP CHAIN 4:
Setup: Skyler asks the doc to give her something to calm her nerves.
Payoff: At the end of the mission doc tells her the inhaler she has been using only contained water – she had the power to calm herself the entire time.
2. Select a setup/payoff chain you want to make stronger.
The setup and payoff between Reilly and Buck need to be stronger.
How can you make the setup more interesting or effective?
I’m going to put in some scenes on the return trip from the moon and aftermath to do this.
How can you make the payoffs more emotional or meaningful?
By making an emotional connection between the characters and the audience
3. Tell us what difference this has made for your outline and if it hasn’t, find another setup/payoff chain to improve.
It has made the story have more depth and a stronger emotional connection between he characters and the audienc.
4. Post your current outline with the improved setup/payoff chain(s) in it.
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
EXT SPACE
Looking at earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Relaint’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving froward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, PhD – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Phd.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Phd.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. PhD.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, PhD.
INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explaining to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the space craft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blind-sides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the Captain and only survivor of a five man crew in an aborted take off less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the Captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with a six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own workstation. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3d projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew of a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit the earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
INT COMMAND MODULE
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion-dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Diego reminds them if they go to earth they will live but it will be like being in the 1800s with no electricity or electronic devices.
FLASHBACK SPACE SHUTTLE
Reilly in pilot’s seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragment into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort check list and frantically hi switches and pull levers as they other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to he present moment: “Reilly!”
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. Reilly tells the crew to go to their quarters, talk it over with their families, then they will vote. Skyler asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod.
INT NICO’S QUARTERS
Her parents praise her for her contribution and willingness to stay aboard the Reliant. It is evident that they are not used to expressing emotions, however, Nico cannot stop the tears from rolling down her face.
INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister who have been brought to the underground bunker at NASA for the CME event. They are concerned he didn’t come back to earth but understand his reasons.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg talks with his wife and daughter who are in an underground bunker in Moscow. The big bear of a man reveals his soft side while talking with his daughter.
INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her stepparents at their vineyard. It’s an emotional exchange as her parents assure her they will be fine in their underground cask aging room.
INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife, son, and daughter who are in a bunker outside Washington, DC. He encourages his kids to think of this as a great adventure and to help out their mom who can’t suppress her tears.
INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon-to-be ex-husband news anchor who tells her the reason she can’t reach her parents is that they are being relocated to a bunker in Colorado. He is going to stay on the air as long as possible during the CME. Skyler tells Jim she is staying with the ship. Their conversation exposes fulfilled expectations and regrets.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck. She laughs that everyone at NASA thought he was crazy when he retired as a top engineer and converted an old Atlas missile silo into a house, but now it looks like was smarter than all of them. He reminds her to try and contact him on the ham frequency after the CME as everything else will be down. An alert on the console ends their chat and Reilly calls everyone back to their stations.
EXT BUCK’S SILO
Buck exits his silo and looks up to the sky. He pushes a button on the remote he is holding and the blast doors to his silo begin closing as he heads inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly calls for a vote. Everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti-matter drives.
INT RELIANT BRIDGE
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg scrambles to bring the fission generator up to full power as Nico works with the AI computer to calculate the energy output necessary for the shield generation. Tara confers with both as she aligns the frequency generator. It’s organized chaos.
INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power.
EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant. As it reaches its full extension a web shape in the form of an umbrella unfolds at the top of the mast.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at work stations with screens deployed from the tabletop with Skyler moving around behind them videoing their actions. A 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection is projected above the center of the table. They talk with Chase at the helm and Oleg in engineering over the com system. The countdown to impact on the screen reads 3 minutes.
EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the sun.
INT BRIDGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head-on strike by the CME.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg moves quickly among all the fission reactor controls, tweaking them for maximum output. Tells them he’s ready to test-fire the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella-like structure on the front of the mast and then extends in an oblong shape connecting to the mast at the rear of the ship covering the shielding the ship 360 degrees.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
INT ENGINEERING
Klaxon begins to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the reliant facing the CME. Reilly joins him on the controls and tells Oleg they need more power from the thrusters. The weakest part of the shield is its sides.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly tells Chase to do his best she has an idea. She is going to use the shuttle’s engines to keep them in alignment.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly moves through the module and climbs the ladder to the shuttle dock. Skyler follows her as Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge to share data and adjustments to the shield. Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly jumps into the command seat buckles up and starts up the instrument panel. She sees Skyler tell her to buckle up and then fires the shuttle’s main engines without undocking from the Reliant. Using the main engine and thrusters she pushes the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME.
EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelope in a burst of rainbow colors.
MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Russia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics.
INT BRIDGE
Warning indicators flash, Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler. Reilly asks Tara how much longer the CME will last. Tara indicates on a few more seconds.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
INT ENGINEERING
There is a flash in the engine room and Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fission reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the engines just as the CME is passing.
EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Emergency lights engage with the power blackout. Reilly and Skyler emerge from the shuttle dock, joining Tara, Nico, Quinn. Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ship’s systems. With no help from earth they need another reactor. Reilly orders a full systems check out to see what has been damaged and needs repair.
EXT BUCKS SILO
The last remnants of the CME blast across the landscape of Buck’s silo. Electricity dances across the electrical wires and transformers explode in a gigantic fireworks display. As soon as the electrical storm has passed a circular metal hatch opens and antenna mast extends 30 feet into the air.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield has saved the Reliant and crew from the CME, however the fusion reactor powering the shield has been damaged and will only power the systems on the ship, not the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The normal lighting pops back on as Oleg has completed repairs in engineering. Tara reports all coms with NASA and other earth stations have been lost. Sklyer reports that there is no response to her network downlink. Reilly asks Tara to try the 160 meter band. A staticy transmission is heard….it’s Buck!
INTERCUT: BUCK’S SILO & COMMAND MODULE
Reilly tells Buck their situation with the damaged reactor that can’t be repaired. The next CME in 48 hours will kill them and the earth. Buck reminds her she doesn’t need one from earth when there is one on the remote controlled mining station on the moon.
EXT RELIANT
The ship passes through FRAME over the darkened earth.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly questions the crew regarding trip to moon to retrieve fusion reactor, modifying it to shield earth and making it back in 36 hours. Nico says anti-matter drive is made for near light speed but could be pulsed at low power to get them there in 12 hours. Chase says the problem is slowing down enough to sling-shot around moon and back to earth. Oleg adds they will just turn 180 and use the engines as brakes. Tara asks how the shuttle will land on the moon? Reilly responds that she crash land the shuttle on the moon, acquire the reactor and then we’ll use the earth return rocket to rendezvous with the Reliant. Skyler asks who we is? Reilly tells her, you and me. Everyone else is crucial to modifying the ship for the improved shield.
INT ENGINEERING
Skyler approaches Oleg and Nico trying to configure the anti-matter drive for the moon mission. Skyler asks them what they think their chances are. Oleg pulls out a bottle of Vodka and hands it too her as he explains they are re-engineering systems that would normally take years into just a few hours. It will either work or they will blow up like an exploding star. Skyler takes a big hit from the bottle.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Tara, Quinn, and Reilly discuss a problem. Tara tells the two that with her calculations of the “super shield” they are making, the electromagnetic radiation will far exceed the shielding of the ship to protect the crew. Quinn tells them he may be able to make a serum of stem cell replicators that will mitigate the damage.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is using the 3D Quantum computer to program the Reliant’s voyage to the moon, when Reilly enters. An argument ensues about why Chase is not taking the shuttle to the moon. Reilly tells him he’s wanted this command over her. Now is his time to prove he is capable. Chase believes she is trying to save the crew by risking her life instead of his due to her previous loss of her entire shuttle crew. Skyler, just out of sight overhears the exchange.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico taps a final command into her ipad and the two countering rotating rings around the Reliant light up with blue plasma discharges. Oleg pats her on the back as they marvel at the sight. Oleg hits the comms button to confirm the anti-matter drive is ready to go.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly and Skyler are looking at Tara’s 3D projection when they hear Oleg’s call. Reilly orders everyone to prepare to launch as she heads to the bridge. Quinn joins the group as they buckle up in their seats.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg buckle up in their seats overlooking the engine control panels.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly counts down from 5 and then hits the thrusters.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant flies through the left side of FRAME the four anti-matter drive thrusters glow red and the ship darts out of FRAME into the distant black illuminated by the moon.
INTERCUT: BRIDGE,COMMAND MODULE, ENGINEERING
INTERCUT: among the crew as the ship accelerates with increasing G-force.
INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out the speed 15…17….20,000 mph. Reilly cuts the power. Reilly calls out to crew 11.9 hours to shuttle launch.
INT SILO
Numerous display screens with readouts in front of Bucks console. He taps a few keys and brings up a satellite orbiting the moon. As it passes the moon mining base his eyebrows go up and he reaches for the ham radio.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves toward the moon.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The entire crew is there. Reilly brings up a video image Buck relayed to them. The remote mining machines have been effected by the CME and are mining at random, some crashing into the base. Chase brings up a 3D model of their lunar mission: Reliant turning 180 braking, the shuttle breaking off from Reliant, braking with its engines, crash landing on moon, the earth return rocket rendezvousing with the Reliant after it slingshots around the moon. Skyler comments: with all that what could go wrong. Reilly orders the crew to take a food and rest brake – they are going to need it.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn is working on his serum when Skyler enters. She wants doc to give her something to take for her nerves right before the shuttle launch. He is hesitant then gets an idea. He gives her an inhaler and tells her to take a hit whenever she gets nervous. Quinn smiles as she leaves.
INT CAFETERIA
The crew is finishing eating. The crew tell funny stories about each other from their year of training together: how they viewed each other then…and how they view each other now.
INT OBSERVATION DECK
Nico is alone starring at the approaching moon. Chase approaches and stands beside her. Two colleagues, then she takes his hand and squeezes it. We discover the reason Chase doesn’t have a girlfriend on earth is because for a year he has had a secret relationship with Nico.
INT CREW QUARTERS
Reilly walks past the sleeping crew and into the Command Module where Tara is working on a 3D Model of the enhanced shield. They share a quiet moment to reflect on the past 12 hours and how their mission went from advancing space travel to saving the world. Tara pulls out a bottle of French Wine as they enjoy their last chance to decompress
EXT RELIANT
FADE IN:
The Reliant rotates 180 degrees and the Anti-Matter Drive engages to begin braking.
INT BRIDGE
Chase calls out completion of the turn
INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico confirms anti-matter drive thrust is nominal. Oleg confirms the fusion reactor is stable.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara looks at the 3D Projection of the slingshot orbit and confirms they are on the right track and shuttle launch is go. She begins a 10 second countdown. Dr. Quinn monitors the vitals of Capt Reilly and Skyler. Skyler hear rate is spiking, he tells her to take some deep breaths.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly at the helm, Skyler in the co-pilots seat. Both in full space suits. Skyler takes a hit off the inhaler doc gave her. The count down hits zero. Reilly hits a series of switches and the shuttle undocks from the Reliant.
EXT RELIANT
The shuttle pulls away from the Reliant. As it clears the mother ship the main engines fire to slow its descent.
INT BRIDGE
Chase looks out the window to see the shuttle braking hard with its engines at full thrust.
INT SHUTTLE
The vibration is intense as the two women are pulling 7 G’s in the deceleration. Skyler’s eyes are wide in fear. Reilly focuses on the engine readouts. She calls out over the comm that number three is running hot.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly in pilots seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragment into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort check list and frantically hits switches and pull levers as the other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. She orders the co-pilot to jettisons the solid boosters as she shuts down the main engine. She tells everyone to hold on as she rolls the shuttle inverted.
EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The solid boosters roll off each side of the shuttle as it rolls inverted with the engines off but on fire. It the performs a 180 degree arc heading back toward the Florida space base.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly fights the damaged controls and orders the copilot to use the forward thrusters to help get the nose up. Through the windshield the ground is approaching fast…too fast… and they aren’t going to make the runway. Reilly drops the gear and deploys the speed brakes to slow down but there’s just not enough time.
EXT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The Shuttle flares over the ocean. The ground effect balloons ther shuttle into the air it stalls and hit the water hard, With the left wing down it cartwheels across the water.
INT SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
The shuttle occupants are tossed around in the violent cartwheel. A warning Klaxon goes off…..
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly snaps back to present day and sees the overheat light on number three. She shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
As Tara looks at Reilly’s 3D moon entry telemetry go red, she relays to Reilly she will have to burn the other two engines longer to slow down and will have less time to rotate the ship 180 for the crash landing.
INT SHUTTLE
Skyler asks Reilly why the computer can’t fly them in. Reilly tells her the shuttle was not designed to do what they are asking of it. She hears Chase calling out the countdown of engine shut down. At zero she cuts the engines and hits the thrusters for roatation.
EXT SHUTTLE
The shuttle, approaching the moon stern first, flips over on its back and then rotates 180 degrees the moon rapidly approaching below.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Chase has joined Tara and Quinn at the 3D display. He tells Reilly she’s still going too fast.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly looks out the windshield and sees the mining base rapidly approaching. She hits the forward thrusters, drops the landing gear and uses the rear thrusters to drag the rear wheels across the smooth, previous mined, moon surface
EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The rear wheels slam into the moons surface and plow tow deep grooves in its surface.
INT SHUTTLE
Skyler screams as the vibration is twice as bad as the braking maneuver. Reilly holds the forward braking thrusters at full power until the nose suddenly slams to the ground.
EXT MOON/ SHUTTLE
The nose of the shuttle slams to the ground and the front and rear landing gear collapse. The shuttle continues to slide until it impacts and penetrates one of the dome shaped structures disappearing inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Oleg and Nico have joined the group. Tara switches from the 3D view to a satellite overhead view of the mining base. All they see is a massive dust cloud engulfing the entire base. And no answering call to their transmissions to the shuttle. They lose visual as they begin their slingshot part of their orbit.
EXT SHUTTLE
The door opens and Reilly exits with a bag of equipment followed by a shell-shocked Skyler. Reilly looks at a vid screen on her arm with a layout of the mining base. As she begins to move forward a gigantic shock wave knocks she and Skyler to their feet. An enormous mining machine with a rock crushing grinder chews its way into the building. Reilly grabs Skyler and the barely escape the destructive grinding of the machine.
INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck looks at the same video image the crew of the Reliant saw; the mining base obscured by a cloud of moon dust. He hits a couple of buttons switching to infrared and sees the hot image of the shuttle inside the domed structure and two hot images moving away from it. He breaths a sigh of relief.
INT RELIANT COMMAND MODULE
Tara monitors the Reliant’s telemetry as red line flashes indicating their deviation from the green arc they should be on. She calls to Nico, now in the engine room with Oleg, that they are not braking hard enough with the anti-matter drive.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is monitoring their path and determines they have 15 mintues to correct the problem or they will blow past any way to sling-shot for the return to earth.
INT ENGINE ROOM
Nico tells the team the anti-matter drive was designed for long periods of acceleration not short term full power sprints, it’s losing power.
INT MOON BASE MINING FACILITY
Reilly and Skyler dodge car sized ore carriers moving empty and full through the corridor leading to the reactor.
EXT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
The door is locked, Reilly pulls out an electronic box and runs it over the lock. It opens and they enter.
INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
They enter and see four blue pulsing fusion reactors and an auto-bot running the control panel. The bot sees them and stands in an offensive posture. Reilly and Skyler look at each other. This is unexpected. The bot moves toward them with its claws extended. Reilly tells Skyler to run to the left. As the bot follows her, Reilly pulls out a plasma welder out of the tool bag and charges tow the back of the bot. The bot traps Skyler in a corner and is about to kill her with its claw when the center of its chest melts as the plasma welder cuts through its core. The two women share a sigh of relief.
INT MED BAY
Quinn looks up from the work on his serum. He suspends an advanced polymer in a clear paneled electron accelerator. He hits the coms button. Magnets!
INT BRIDGE
Magnets. Chase gets the idea and asks Tara if the frequency generation array is able to attract as well as repel.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Yes it can! The array may be used as a giant electro magnet pointed at the moon to slow their speed. She hammers away at the keyboard as she asks Oleg what they may use for power?
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg looks to Nico and shrugs his shoulders. He hits the com and tells the team the fusion reactor is only able to run at 40% of capacity. They would need at least 50% to power the array. –
INT BRIDGE
Chase thinks…an idea. What about daisy chaining the small fusion reactor in the explorer satellite they were to launch on their first mission.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg and Nico race to the launch bay where the satellite is housed. Oleg begins ripping open access panels on the satellite as Nico pulls cables out of the bay control panel.
EXT RELIANT
The frequency projection disk pans to the right aiming directly at the moon.
INT BRIDGE
Chase transmits they are 2 minutes away from the point of no return.
INT LAUNCH BAY
Nico makes the final connection and engages the power transfer on the control panel. She yells to Oleg to try it.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg plugs in the final patch relay and hits the transfer switch. A humming noise emits from the panel and the blue plasma discharge from the fusion reactor glows bright with the power reading rising to 51%. Oleg tells Tara to go!
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara jams the array button and the entire ship begins to vibrate. She watches the 3D display to see if there is any change.
INT BRIDGE
Chase monitors the ships systems. Alarms begin to go off indicating in red parts of the ship that are experiences overload stresses.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico is now with Oleg. It takes both of them to work the controls to keep both reactor in sync.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara tweaks the array as the 3D red arc slowly merges and disappears into the green arc.
INT BRIDGE
Chase watches the tracks emerge. Then yells for them to kill the array.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Tara kiils the array as Oleg yells for her to wait until they uncouple the reactors.
INT ENGINEERING
Killing the array feedbacks into the reactor patch and an electrical surge blows Nico off the control panel and knock her unconscious onto the floor. Oleg races to her side.
INT MOON BASE REACTOR ROOM
Reilly tells Skyler to hold the release bar as she pulls the fusion reactor cell out of the distro unit. The cell pops out of the unit and Reilly barely catches it before it hits the floor. They are both sweating. Let’s get the hell out of here.
INT MED BAY
Nico on the med-bed unconscious as Chase, Tara and Oleg watch. Her vitals are stable. Doc tells them it will take some time to see if their is any brain damage. Chase walks over to her whispers something into her ear and kisses her on the cheek. The others share a look among themselves that these two keep their secret live well hidden. Chase rises and tells the crew to prepare to reengage the anti-matter drive to head back to the moon..
EXT MOONBASE
Reilly and Skyler emerge from the moon base and head toward the earth return rocket as the mining machines continue to reek havoc destroying the base. In the distance they see a mining rig headed for the earth return rocket!
INT BUCK’S SILO
Buck is waiting for the satellite to come over the horizon to see the moon base. As it does he sees the miner heading for the earth return rocket. He gets busy typing commands into the keyboard.
INTERCUT BRIDGE, COMMAND MODULE & ENGINEERING
Chase counts down from 5 and the team engages the anti-matter drive for 30 seconds to complete the sling-shot.
EXT MOON/ EARTH RETURN ROCKET
Reilly and Skyler struggle to get the reactor into the ship as the miner is approaching them. Reilly jumps into the pilots seat and runs through the start up procedure. Skyler looks out the window and tells Reilly the miner is almost on them. Reilly yells at her to buckle up and stand by for launch.
EXT MOON/ POV FROM SPACE
THE CAMERA MOVES FROM SPACE TOWARDS THE MINER AND EARTH RETURN ROCKET ON THE MOON. A satellite MOVES INTO FRAME and we follow it all the way to the moon. We see the earth return about to be destroyed by the miner as the satellite impacts and destroys the miner in a giant explosion.
EXT MOON/ EARTH RETURN ROCKET
The explosion rocks the ship violently. Reilly hits the launch button and the ship’s rockets fire lifting them into space.
INT BUCK’S SILO
He breaths a giant sigh of relief as we see on his screen he redirected the path of the satellite to collide with the miner, saving Reilly and Skyler.
(OUTLINE TO BE CONTINUED FROM HERE)
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base.
They discovered that the AI controlled moon mining machines have been damaged by the CME and are destroying the base. They acquire the fusion reactor and launch back to the ship just as a mining machine strikes their spacecraft. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new fusion reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. Nico joins her and pushes her had off the activation button. She tells Chase she loves him and presses the button. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
Arthur’s Pass #6: Subplots with Meaning
“What I’ve learned doing this assignment:
Subplots add dimension and emotional connectivity between the characters, the story, and the audience.
1. Identify the subplots that have naturally emerged in your story and tell us the beginning, middle, and end of each, like I did above with the English Bob subplot.
Chase and Nico seem to have only professional interaction at the beginning of the film. In the second act, we learn that they have been having a secret relationship. In act three when Reilly has to make the decision to activate the shield which will kill Chase, Nico is the one who puts her hand over Reilly’s and pushes it down to engage the shield.
Or if you don’t have any subplots, look at your supporting characters and identify how they might interact with your lead characters in a meaningful/emotional way to improve your story.
2. Pick one subplot (or more) you’d like to improve and answer the question, “How can I make this more meaningful or emotional for my lead character?”
A lead character in the midst of conflict has an action they must take — and that action involves a supporting character. Skyler, the reporter, is going to be a character I will build a subplot around. She starts out as just a reporter but then is thrown into a position of having to become involved in her story to save humanity. Along this journey, it is her naivety in working with Reilly that establishes a big sister little sister bond that makes an emotional connection to the audience and propels the story forward.
3. Rewrite the beats of that subplot to add in the new emotion or meaning.
3. Add the improvements to your outline.
BLACKOUT: SOLAR STORM
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
EXT SPACE
Looking at earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Relaint’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving froward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, PhD – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Phd.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Phd.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. PhD.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, PhD.
INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explaining to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the space craft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blind-sides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the Captain and only survivor of a five man crew in an aborted take off less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the Captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with an six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own work station. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3d projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
INT COMMAND MODULE
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Diego reminds them if they go to earth they will live but it will be like being in the 1800’s with no electricity or electronic devices.
FLASHBACK SPACE SHUTTLE
Reilly in pilots seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragment into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort check list and frantically hi switches and pull levers as they other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to he present moment: “Reilly!”
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. Reilly tells the crew to go to their quarters, talk it over with their families, then they will vote. Skyler asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod.
INT NICO’S QUARTERS
Her parents praise her for her contribution and willingness to stay aboard the Reliant. It is evident that they are not use to expressing emotions, however, Nico cannot stop the tears from rolling down her face.
INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister who have been brought to the underground bunker at NASA for the CME event. They are concerned he didn’t come back to earth but understand his reasons.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg talks with his wife and daughter who are in an underground bunker in Moscow. The big bear of a man reveals his soft side while talking with his daughter.
INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her step parents at their vineyard. It’s an emotional exchange as her parents assure her they will be fine in their underground cask aging room.
INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife, son and daughter who are in a bunker outside Washington, DC. He encourages his kids to think of this as a great adventure and to help out their mom who can’t suppress her tears.
INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon to be ex-husband news anchor who tells her the reason she can’t reach her parents is that they are being relocated to a bunker in Colorado. He is going to stay on the air as long as possible during the CME. Skyler tells Jim she is staying with the ship. Their conversation exposes fulfilled expectations and regrets.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck. She laughs that everyone at NASA thought he was crazy when he retired as a top engineer and converted an old Atlas missile silo into a house, but now it looks like was smarter than all of them. He reminds her to try and contact him on the ham frequency after the CME as everything else will be down. An alert on the console ends their chat and Reilly calls everyone back to their stations.
EXT BUCK’S SILO
Buck exits his silo and looks up to the sky. He pushes a button on the remote he is holding and the blast doors to his silo begin closing as he heads inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly calls for a vote. Everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti-matter drives.
INT RELIANT BRIDGE
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg scrambles to bring the fission generator up to full power as Nico works with the AI computer to calculate the energy output necessary for the shield generation. Tara confers with both as she aligns the frequency generator. It’s organized chaos.
INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power.
EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant. As it reaches its full extension a web shape in the form of an umbrella unfolds at the top of the mast.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at work stations with screens deployed from the table top with Skyler moving around behind them videoing their actions. A 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection is projected above the center of the table. They talk with Chase at the helm and Oleg in engineering over the com system. The countdown to impact on the screen reads 3 minutes.
EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the sun.
INT BRDIGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head on strike by the CME.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg moves quickly among all the fission reactor controls, tweaking them for maximum output. Tells them he’s ready to test fire the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella like structure on the front of the mast and then extends in an oblong shape connecting to the mast at the rear of the ship covering the shielding the ship 360 degrees.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
INT ENGINEERING
Klaxon begin to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the reliant facing the CME. Reilly joins him on the controls and tells Oleg they need more power to the thrusters. The weakest part of the shield is it’s sides.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly tells Chase to do his best she has an idea. She is going to use the shuttles engines to keep them in alignment.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly moves through the module and climbs the ladder to the shuttle dock. Skyler follows her as Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge share data and adjustments to the shield. Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly jumps into the command seat buckles up and starts up the instrument panel. She sees Skyler tell her to buckle up and then fires the shuttles main engines without undocking from the Reliant. Using the main engine and thrusters she pushes the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME.
EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelop in a burst of rainbow colors.
MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Russia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics.
INT BRIDGE
Warning indicators flash, Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler. Reilly ask Tara how much longer the CME will last. Tara indicates on a few more seconds.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
INT ENGINEERING
There is a flash in the engine room and Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fission reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the engines just as the CME is passing.
EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Emergency lights engage with the power blackout. Reilly and Skyler emerge from the shuttle dock, joining Tara, Nico, Quinn. Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ships systems. With no help from earth they need another reactor. Reilly orders a full systems check out to see what has been damaged and needs repair.
EXT BUCKS SILO
The last remnants of the CME blast across the landscape of Buck’s silo. Electricity dances across the electrical wires and transformers explode in a gigantic fireworks display. As soon as the electrical storm has passed a circular metal hatch opens and antenna mast extends 30 feet into the air.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield has saved the Reliant and crew from the CME, however the fusion reactor powering the shield has been damaged and will only power the systems on the ship, not the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The normal lighting pops back on as Oleg has completed repairs in engineering. Tara reports all coms with NASA and other earth stations have been lost. Sklyer reports that there is no response to her network downlink. Reilly asks Tara to try the 160 meter band. A staticy transmission is heard….it’s Buck!
INTERCUT: BUCK’S SILO & COMMAND MODULE
Reilly tells Buck their situation with the damaged reactor that can’t be repaired. The next CME in 48 hours will kill them and the earth. Buck reminds her she doesn’t need one from earth when there is one on the remote controlled mining station on the moon.
EXT RELIANT
The ship passes through FRAME over the darkened earth.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly questions the crew regarding trip to moon to retrieve fusion reactor, modifying it to shield earth and making it back in 36 hours. Nico says anti-matter drive is made for near light speed but could be pulsed at low power to get them there in 12 hours. Chase says the problem is slowing down enough to sling-shot around moon and back to earth. Oleg adds they will just turn 180 and use the engines as brakes. Tara asks how the shuttle will land on the moon? Reilly responds that she crash land the shuttle on the moon, acquire the reactor and then we’ll use the earth return rocket to rendezvous with the Reliant. Skyler asks who we is? Reilly tells her, you and me. Everyone else is crucial to modifying the ship for the improved shield.
INT ENGINEERING
Skyler approaches Oleg and Nico trying to configure the anti-matter drive for the moon mission. Skyler asks them what they think their chances are. Oleg pulls out a bottle of Vodka and hands it too her as he explains they are re-engineering systems that would normally take years into just a few hours. It will either work or they will blow up like an exploding star. Skyler takes a big hit from the bottle.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Tara, Quinn, and Reilly discuss a problem. Tara tells the two that with her calculations of the “super shield” they are making, the electromagnetic radiation will far exceed the shielding of the ship to protect the crew. Quinn tells them he may be able to make a serum of stem cell replicators that will mitigate the damage.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is using the 3D Quantum computer to program the Reliant’s voyage to the moon, when Reilly enters. An argument ensues about why Chase is not taking the shuttle to the moon. Reilly tells him he’s wanted this command over her. Now is his time to prove he is capable. Chase believes she is trying to save the crew by risking her life instead of his due to her previous loss of her entire shuttle crew. Skyler, just out of sight overhears the exchange.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico taps a final command into her ipad and the two countering rotating rings around the Reliant light up with blue plasma discharges. Oleg pats her on the back as they marvel at the sight. Oleg hits the comms button to confirm the anti-matter drive is ready to go.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly and Skyler are looking at Tara’s 3D projection when they hear Oleg’s call. Reilly orders everyone to prepare to launch as she heads to the bridge. Quinn joins the group as they buckle up in their seats.
INT ENGINEERING
Nico and Oleg buckle up in their seats overlooking the engine control panels.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly counts down from 5 and then hits the thrusters.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant flies through the left side of FRAME the four anti-matter drive thrusters glow red and the ship darts out of FRAME into the distant black illuminated by the moon.
INTERCUT: BRIDGE,COMMAND MODULE, ENGINEERING
INTERCUT: among the crew as the ship accelerates with increasing G-force.
THE BRIDGE
Chase calls out the speed 15…17….20,000 mph. Reilly cuts the power. Reilly calls out to crew 11.9 hours to shuttle launch.
INT SILO
Numerous display screens with readouts in front of Bucks console. He taps a few keys and brings up a satellite orbiting the moon. As it passes the moon mining base his eyebrows go up and he reaches for the ham radio.
EXT RELIANT
The Reliant moves toward the moon.
INT COMMAND MODULE
The entire crew is there. Reilly brings up a video image Buck relayed to them. The remote mining machines have been effected by the CME and are mining at random, some crashing into the base. Chase brings up a 3D model of their lunar mission: Reliant turning 180 braking, the shuttle breaking off from Reliant, braking with its engines, crash landing on moon, the earth return rocket rendezvousing with the Reliant after it slingshots around the moon. Skyler comments: with all that what could go wrong. Reilly orders the crew to take a food and rest brake – they are going to need it.
INT MEDICAL BAY
Quinn is working on his serum when Skyler enters. She wants doc to give her something to take for her nerves right before the shuttle launch. He is hesitant then gets an idea. He gives her an inhaler and tells her to take a hit whenever she gets nervous. Quinn smiles as she leaves.
INT CAFETERIA
The crew is finishing eating. The crew tell funny stories about each other from their year of training together: how they viewed each other then…and how they view each other now.
INT OBSERVATION DECK
Nico is alone starring at the approaching moon. Chase approaches and stands beside her. Two colleagues, then she takes his hand and squeezes it. We discover the reason Chase doesn’t have a girlfriend on earth is because for a year he has had a secret relationship with Nico.
INT CREW QUARTERS
Reilly walks past the sleeping crew and into the Command Module where Tara is working on a 3D Model of the enhanced shield. They share a quiet moment to reflect on the past 12 hours and how their mission went from advancing space travel to saving the world. Tara pulls out a bottle of French Wine as they enjoy their last chance to decompress
EXT RELIANT
FADE IN:
The Reliant rotates 180 degrees and the Anti-Matter Drive engages to begin braking.
(Outline to Be Continued From Here)
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base.
They discovered that the AI-controlled moon mining machines have been damaged by the CME and are destroying the base. They acquire the fusion reactor and launch back to the ship just as a mining machine strikes their spacecraft. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new fusion reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. Nico joins her and pushes her hand off the activation button. Nico tells Chase she loves him and presses the button. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
Arthur’s Pass #5: Action / Reaction
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is: Since my antagonist is man/woman versus nature, creating an Action/Reaction Events Chart and tracking the protagonist’s emotional moments in the script help build the tension in the script.
1. Tell us the following:
– Concept:
1. Tell us your concept.
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
– Protagonist Goal:
Accomplish the mission of saving the earth from the coronal mass ejection while keeping her crew safe.
– Protagonist Character Arc:
Starts by assuming responsibility for everyone’s lives to letting her crew determine their own fate.
– Main Conflict:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
2. Create the Action/Reaction Events chart for your story.
and list it.
Reilly wants the crew to abandon ship – Crew wants to stay on mission
Reilly decides to take the shuttle to the moon can’t spare crew – Skyler, the reporter volunteers to help
Reilly must sacrifice Chase to save earth – Crew joins with her on decision
3. Make a list of the emotional moments the Protagonist will go
through that will cause him or her to face the change they need
to make.
Reilly has a flashback of her previous crash and loss of crew – must move forward as crew decides to stay on mission and not return to earth to save the earth.
Reilly must overcome her fears of her former accident and crash land the shuttle on the moon base.
Reilly realizes she must sacrifice Chase to save the earth. The crew won’t let her make the decision alone and joins her in firing off the shield that sacrifices Chase.
4. Place the actions you like from #2 and emotional moments
from #3 in your current outline — and list the outline.
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
EXT SPACE
Looking at the earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter-rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of FRAME. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Relaint’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving froward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, PhD – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Phd.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Phd.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. PhD.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, PhD.
INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explaining to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the space craft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blind-sides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the Captain and only survivor of a five man crew in an aborted take off less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the Captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with an six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own work station. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3d projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion-dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails, they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Quinn reminds them if they go to earth they will live but it will be like being in the 1800s with no electricity or electronic devices.
INT SPACE SHUTTLE (FLASHBACK)
Reilly is in the pilot’s seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragments into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort checklist and frantically hit switches and pull levers as the other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to the present moment: “Reilly!”
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. Reilly tells the crew to go to their quarters, talk it over with their families, then they will vote. Skyler asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod.
INT NICO’S QUARTERS
Her parents praise her for her contribution and willingness to stay aboard the Reliant. It is evident that they are not used to expressing emotions, however, Nico cannot stop the tears from rolling down her face.
INT CHASE’S QUARTERS
Chase talks with his mom, dad, and sister who have been brought to the underground bunker at NASA for the CME event. They are concerned he didn’t come back to earth but understand his reasons.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg talks with his wife and daughter who are in an underground bunker in Moscow. The big bear of a man reveals his soft side while talking with his daughter.
INT TARA’S QUARTERS
Tara talks with her stepparents at their vineyard. It’s an emotional exchange as her parents assure her, they will be fine in their underground cask aging room.
INT DR. QUINN’S QUARTERS
Dr. Quinn talks with his wife, son, and daughter who are in a bunker outside Washington, DC. He encourages his kids to think of this as a great adventure and to help out their mom who can’t suppress her tears.
INT SKYLER’S QUARTERS
Skyler talks with her soon-to-be ex-husband news anchor who tells her the reason she can’t reach her parents is that they are being relocated to a bunker in Colorado. He is going to stay on the air as long as possible during the CME. Skyler tells Jim she is staying with the ship. Their conversation exposes unfulfilled expectations and regrets.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly talks to the only remaining member of her family: her dad, Buck. She laughs that everyone at NASA thought he was crazy when he retired as a top engineer and converted an old Atlas missile silo into a house, but now it looks like was smarter than all of them. He reminds her to try and contact him on the ham frequency after the CME as everything else will be down. An alert on the console ends their chat and Reilly calls everyone back to their stations.
EXT BUCK’S SILO
Buck exits his silo and looks up to the sky. He pushes a button on the remote he is holding and the blast doors to his silo begin closing as he heads inside.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly calls for a vote. Everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti-matter drives.
INT RELIANT BRIDGE
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg scrambles to bring the fission generator up to full power as Nico works with the AI computer to calculate the energy output necessary for the shield generation. Tara confers with both as she aligns the frequency generator. It’s organized chaos.
INT RELIANT (MONTAGE)
Skyler moves among the crew as they scramble to bring the Tesla Shield up to full power.
EXT RELIANT
A large mast begins to extend from the front and rear of the Reliant. As it reaches its full extension a web shape in the form of an umbrella unfolds at the top of the mast.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly, Tara, Nico, and Quinn sit at workstations with screens deployed from the table top with Skyler moving around behind them videoing their actions. A 3D presentation of the ship earth and the approaching Coronal Mass Ejection is projected above the center of the table. They talk with Chase at the helm and Oleg in engineering over the com system. The countdown to impact on the screen reads 3 minutes.
EXT RELIANT
Thrusters fire slowly turning the ship to face the sun.
INT BRIDGE
Chase confirms that he has maneuvered the ship for a head-on strike by the CME.
INT ENGINEERING
Oleg moves quickly among all the fission reactor controls, tweaking them for maximum output. Tells them he’s ready to energize fire the shield.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly orders Tara to fire the shield.
EXT RELIANT
A burst of blue plasma engulfs the umbrella-like structure on the front of the mast and then extends in an oblong shape connecting to the mast at the rear of the ship covering the shielding the ship 360 degrees.
INT COMMAND MODULE
A sigh of relief and cheers go up from the crew at the successful test. At that moment the countdown hits Zero.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection hits the Tesla Shield and blossoms around the shield in a fiery arc trailing miles behind it.
INT ENGINEERING
Klaxon begins to blare overload warnings as Oleg struggles to maintain maximum power output.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge.
INT BRIDGE
Chase is having trouble keeping the Reliant facing the CME. Reilly joins him on the controls and tells Oleg they need more power from the thrusters. The weakest part of the shield is its sides.
INT BRIDGE
Reilly tells Chase to do his best she has an idea. She is going to use the shuttle’s engines to keep them in alignment.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly moves through the module and climbs the ladder to the shuttle dock. Skyler follows her as Nico and Tara struggle to keep the Shield power and frequency modulation in alignment as Reilly moves to the bridge they share data and make adjustments to the shield. Tara tells everyone they are taking too much side stress on the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly jumps into the command seat buckles up and starts up the instrument panel. She sees Skyler following and tells her to buckle up. She fires the shuttle’s main engines without undocking from the Reliant. Using the main engine and thrusters she pushes the Reliant back into a head-on alignment with the CME.
EXT EARTH
The Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the earth’s atmosphere pushing deeply into the protective envelope in a burst of rainbow colors.
MONTAGE: CME HITS MAJOR CITIES
MONTAGE: As CME hits major cities in Europe, Russia, the US. The electromagnetic pulse knocks out power, explodes transformers, and destroys all unshielded electronics.
INT BRIDGE
Warning indicators flash, Chase tells Reilly she is overstraining the shuttle docking coupler. Reilly asks Tara how much longer the CME will last. Tara indicates on a few more seconds.
EXT RELIANT
The coronal mass ejection flares in one last push against the Tesla Shield.
INT ENGINEERING
There is a flash in the engine room and Oleg dives behind the control panel as thousands of volts of electricity arc throughout the engine room as the fusion reactor safety circuitry shuts it down.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Nico yells that they are losing the shield.
INT SHUTTLE
Reilly kills the shuttle engines just as the CME is passing.
EXT RELIANT
The last remnants of the CME arc across the Reliant, knocking out all the electrical systems. The CME has passed leaving the Reliant adrift.
INT COMMAND MODULE
Emergency lights engage with the power blackout. Reilly and Skyler emerge from the shuttle dock, joining Tara, Nico, Quinn. Oleg calls in and tells them the fusion reactor is damaged and will not produce enough power to use the shield again, only enough to power the ship’s systems. With no help from earth, they need another reactor.
EXT BUCKS SILO
The last remnants of the CME blast across the landscape of Buck’s silo. Electricity dances across the electrical wires and transformers explode in a gigantic fireworks display.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield has saved the Reliant and crew from the CME, however, the fusion reactor powering the shield has been damaged and will only power the systems on the ship, not the shield.
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base.
They discovered that the AI controlled moon mining machines have been damaged by the CME and are destroying the base. They acquire the fusion reactor and launch back to the ship just as a mining machine strikes their spacecraft. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new fusion reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
ASSIGNMENT
——————–
Arthur’s NQ 3 and 4
“What I’ve learned doing this assignment:
Weaving the emotional dilemma and the theme into the outline help dimensional the characters in the film.Apply Necessary Questions 3 and 4 to your outline.
1. Tell us your concept.
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
2. Tell us your Emotional Dilemma and the answers to these questions:A. How does the Emotional Dilemma first show up?
The international pool reporter , Skyler asks Capt. Reilly if she was really the right choice for this mission given the fact she was the Captain, pilot, and the only survivor of an aborted launch and crash of a shuttle just three years ago at the end of the live broadcast.B. How are both sides of the issue built up?
Capt. Reilly’s drive is to explore space with out loss of life. However, this mission has life and death risks that are exponentially increased with the threat of the Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun.C. When does the protagonist make the choice?
When NASA orders the crew to abandon the Reliant and head home, the crew votes to stay and use the untested Tesla shield to save the ship and their mission.D. What do they lose in making that choice?
The ability to ensure her crew survives the Coronal Mass Ejection by using the shuttle to return to earth.3. Tell us your Theme and the answers to these questions:
Humanity as a group is larger than the sum of its parts.
A. What are both sides of your theme?
Side 1: Each crew member has their own vested interest in their specialty in the mission.
Side 2: The threat of an external destructive force causes the crew to put aside their personal and professional differences to save each other and the earth.B. How will both sides show up throughout your story?
In the opening live broadcast, Skyler reveals the specialties of each crew member. Each crew member explaining how their expertise is the most crucial aspect of the missions success.C. How does the climax of the story demand your message?
Each crew member has had to blend their special skill sets to combine with each other to adapt the Tesla Shield to save the world from the Coronal Mass Ejection.4. In the current version of your outline, fill in the events you’ve discovered during this process. List out your outline as you did in Day 7, with slug lines and the essence for each scene.
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.EXT SPACE
Looking at earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of frame. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Relaint’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving froward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, PhD – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Phd.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Phd.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. PhD.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, PhD.INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explaining to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the space craft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blind-sides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the Captain and only survivor of a five man crew in an aborted take off less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with a six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own work station. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3d projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.INT COMMAND MODULE
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Diego reminds them if they go to earth they will live but it will be like being in the 1800’s with no electricity or electronic devices.FLASHBACK SPACE SHUTTLE
Reilly in pilots seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragment into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort check list and frantically hi switches and pull levers as they other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to he present moment: “Reilly!”INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. With that they all vote, everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti- matter drives.INT RELIANT BRIDGE
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CME heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CME damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CMJ is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CMJ strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CME.7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by earth.9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss. -
Arthur’s 3rd Pass — NQ 1 and 2.
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is:
Going through the beats of answering the dramatic question and main conflict in the story sparks new ideas on different ways to express them in the script.
Apply the first two questions to your outline.
1. Tell us your concept.
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
2. Tell us your Dramatic Question and the answers to these questions:
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
A. Where does the Dramatic Question first get established and how?
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in six hours with an even larger earth-destroying CME 48 hours behind that one. All space stations are evacuating to earth. Capt. Reilly orders the crew to prepare for evacuation, however, the Reliant crew votes to stay with the ship and try the untested Tesla shield to save the ship.
B. How is the Dramatic Question increased in intensity?
As the crew struggles with the damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the mining base. They discover the AI-controlled mining equipment has been damaged by the CME and is destroying the base. Barely staying ahead of the crushing mining machines, they find and load the fission reactor onto the lunar return ship. They blast off just as the AI miner hits their ship. Reilly struggles with the damaged ship to rendezvous with the Reliant.
C. Where does the Dramatic Question finally get answered?
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
3. Tell us your Main Conflict and the answers to these questions:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
A. When does the Main Conflict first show up?
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need another fission reactor to power the modified shield. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned autonomous mining moon base to retrieve the additional reactor.
B. How many ways can you express the Main Conflict throughout the story?
Nico must recalibrate the anti-matter collider to be in balance with the fission reactors to generate a torsion field large enough to protect the earth.
Oleg must find a way to mount the additional fission reactor in the ship to generate enough power to project the enlarged shield.
With the physics involved in expanding the shields field, Tara must develop a new harmonic frequency generator to ensure the torsion field Nico is generating is balanced with Oleg’s increased power output.
Reilly and Chase must figure out how to pulse the anti-matter engines, which were designed for interstellar travel over long distances, in short bursts so they may make a short sprint to the moon, slow down to launch the shuttle, then sprint back to earth without tearing the ship apart.
Doctor Quinn is faced with the enormous task of developing a serum to inject the crew with to protect them from the trillion gigawatts the Tesla shield will be generating when they fire it up to protect the earth.
Skyler becomes the intermediary who shuttles materials and information among the crew.
C. What brings the Main Conflict to a boiling point in the 3rd Act?
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him.
D. How is the Main Conflict resolved?
Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
4. In the current version of your outline, fill in the events you’ve discovered during this process. List out your outline as you did in Day 7.
9 Beat Plot Structure
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in six hours with an even larger earth-destroying CME 48 hours behind that one. All space stations are evacuating to earth. Capt. Reilly orders the crew to prepare for evacuation, however, the Reliant crew votes to stay with the ship and try the untested Tesla shield to save the ship.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
In a process that would normally take twelve hours, the crew scrambles to fire up the Tesla shield in six.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need another fission reactor to power the modified shield. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned autonomous mining moon base to retrieve the additional reactor.
5. Mid-Point
With the other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the mining base and then using the earth return lunar payload spacecraft at the base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with the damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the mining base. They discover the AI-controlled mining equipment has been damaged by the CME and is destroying the base. Barely staying ahead of the crushing mining machines, they find and load the fission reactor onto the lunar return ship. They blast off just as the AI miner hits their ship. Reilly struggles with the damaged ship to rendezvous with the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
[PS81] Arthur’s SLW Version 2
1. List the following key components of your story:
A. Concept: (Revised)
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
B. Plot Choice:
Plot Choice #9 – Underdog (Revised)
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CME approaching in 48 hours. Captain Reilly Ryan must lead her international crew to adapt and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. With no help from earth available, they are forced to journey to the unmanned autonomous mining moon base to retrieve the fission reactor necessary for the modification. Damaged by the CME, the crew discovers the AI mining equipment destroying the base. Barely escaping destruction by a lunar miner, the damaged lunar ship rendezvous with the Reliant. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CME strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity; but at the cost of one of the crew.
C. Character Structure:
With this international group of characters forced to work in a confined environment, the professional veneer of working together on a professional and personal level will be tested and refined in the crucible of making life-threatening decisions that not only affect themselves but the future of humanity on the planet. Cultural and personal differences will be pushed to their limits, forcing the arc of their characters to be changed for a purpose that is greater than themselves.
D. Lead Characters (*Name* is an *identity* who *does X in the story*.)
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain of the International Research Spaceship Reliant and nuclear physicist, PhD. Reilly worked her way up through the ranks the hard way and now must use all her skill-sets to bring together an international crew to solve one of the most difficult problems anyone has ever encountered to save humanity. As the pilot and only survivor of a five-crew aborted launch and ocean crash landing four years ago, Reilly must overcome the scars from her last mission to lead a new international crew on a hazardous journey to save the earth.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD. Passed over for command on this mission. He is a former Navy Top Gun fighter pilot who is smart, talented, and sometimes too ambitious. His ego sometimes leads him into conflict with his superiors. His ability to fly-anything will be key to making the unplanned hazardous journey to the moon and back.
Tara Cooper – French black female scalar and Quantum physicist, PhD. An only child who worked her way through college, master’s, and her Ph.D. by working in a winery. She patented a frequency modulation device that reduced the aging time of the vintner’s now international best-selling wine in half which made her a small fortune. She is here because she loves her work not because she needs the money. Her knowledge of quantum and scalar physics will be crucial to using a combination of energy, frequency and vibration to modify the capabilities of the Tesla Shield to protect the earth from the CME.
Diego Quinn – Hispanic male life science specialist. MD., PhD. He is not really enamored with working in space and is more surprised than anyone that he is on this mission. His invention of an implant that monitors the body’s vitals and reactions to radiation and magnetic fields sealed the deal. He views this as a short-term assignment that will leapfrog his career in research ahead by decades. He will be called upon to some up with a serum to protect the crew from the massive electromagnetic fields they will be generating.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, PhD. She competed against thousands of candidates for this position which left little time for emotional interaction with other people. There is no one smarter in this field or lonelier because of it than her. As the top anti-matter specialist in her field, Nico’s knowledge will be stretched to it’s outer limits as she is forced to reconfigure the anti-matter generator from powering the ship to near light speed to powering an untested global shield.
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – Oleg would not have made it past all the political appointees vying for his spot if he had not designed the antimatter containment field that powers the ship. He grew up in the tough mafia-controlled neighborhoods of Moscow and does not suffer incompetence or fools. Oleg will have to devise a mechanical link between Tara’s scalar and Nico’s anti-matter theoretical models to power the adapted Tesla Shield without blowing the ship apart.
Skyler Hardwick – British female pool reporter chosen to broadcast special reports on the maiden voyage of the trillion-dollar international research spacecraft, Reliant, as it goes through its earth orbit testing. She used every political, financial, and bordering on blackmail of the Royal Family influence to get this assignment. She’s digging for a story deeper than the Reliant mission to propel her career to an anchor desk. She becomes part of the crews mission when she must assist the Captain on retrieving the components they need from the surface of the unmanned moon base.
E. Dramatic Question:
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
F. Main Conflict:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
G. Dilemma:
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive any help from NASA to adapt their untested Tesla shield, Capt. Reilly Ryan must lead her crew on an unplanned hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve the necessary components from an unmanned moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, in just 48 hours.
H. Theme:
Individuals working together with a common goal are more effective than individuals working alone.
I. Character Arc of Lead Character:
Captain Reilly Ryan learns that some decisions must be made for the greater good no matter what the consequences.
2. Post the current version of your outline in the forums
9 Beat Plot Structure
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident ( Revised)
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in six hours with an even larger earth-destroying CME 48 hours behind that one. All space stations are evacuating to earth. Capt. Reilly orders the crew to prepare for evacuation, however, the Reliant crew votes to stay with the ship and try the untested Tesla shield to save the ship.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about. (Revised)
In a process that would normally take twelve hours, the crew scrambles to fire up the Tesla shield in six.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1 (Revised)
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need another fission reactor to power the modified shield. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned autonomous mining moon base to retrieve the additional reactor.
5. Mid-Point (Revised)
With the other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the mining base and then using the earth return lunar payload spacecraft at the base to rendezvous with the Reliant.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2 (Revised)
As the crew struggles with the damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the mining base. They discover the AI controlled mining equipment has been damaged by the CME and is destroying the base. Barely staying ahead of the crushing mining machines, they find and load fission reactor onto the lunar return ship. They blast off just as the AI miner hits their ship. Reilly struggles with the damaged ship to rendezvous with the Reliant.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
[PS81] Arthur’s SLW Version 1
1. List the following key components of your story:
A. Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
B. Plot Choice:
Plot Choice #9 – Underdog
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CME approaching in 48 hours. Captain Reilly Ryan must lead her international crew to adapt and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. With no way to get the elements they need from the earth to upgrade their shield; the crew uses the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the unmanned moon base to acquire a fission generator. A CME, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both crafts but not without damage. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CME strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity; but at the cost of one of the crew.
C. Character Structure:
With this international group of characters forced to work in a confined environment, the professional veneer of working together on a professional and personal level will be tested and refined in the crucible of making life-threatening decisions that not only affect themselves but the future of humanity on the planet. Cultural and personal differences will be pushed to their limits, forcing the arc of their characters to be changed for a purpose that is greater than themselves.
Protagonist: Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain of the International Research Spaceship Reliant and nuclear physicist, PhD.
Antagonist: The approaching earth-destroying solar storm.D. Lead Characters (*Name* is an *identity* who *does X in the story*.)
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain of the International Research Spaceship Reliant and nuclear physicist, PhD. Reilly worked her way up through the ranks the hard way and now must use all her skill-sets to bring together an international crew to solve one of the most difficult problems anyone has ever encountered to save humanity. As the pilot and only survivor of a five-crew aborted launch and ocean crash landing four years ago, Reilly must overcome the scars from her last mission to lead a new international crew on a hazardous journey to save the earth.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD. Passed over for command on this mission. He is a former Navy Top Gun fighter pilot who is smart, talented, and sometimes too ambitious. His ego sometimes leads him into conflict with his superiors. His ability to fly-anything will be key to making the unplanned hazardous journey to the moon and back.
Tara Cooper – French black female scalar and Quantum physicist, PhD. An only child who worked her way through college, master’s, and her Ph.D. by working in a winery. She patented a frequency modulation device that reduced the aging time of the vintner’s now international best-selling wine in half which made her a small fortune. She is here because she loves her work not because she needs the money. Her knowledge of quantum and scalar physics will be crucial to using a combination of energy, frequency and vibration to modify the capabilities of the Tesla Shield to protect the earth from the CME.
Diego Quinn – Hispanic male life science specialist. MD., PhD. He is not really enamored with working in space and is more surprised than anyone that he is on this mission. His invention of an implant that monitors the body’s vitals and reactions to radiation and magnetic fields sealed the deal. He views this as a short-term assignment that will leapfrog his career in research ahead by decades. He will be called upon to some up with a serum to protect the crew from the massive electromagnetic fields they will be generating.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, PhD. She competed against thousands of candidates for this position which left little time for emotional interaction with other people. There is no one smarter in this field or lonelier because of it than her. As the top anti-matter specialist in her field, Nico’s knowledge will be stretched to it’s outer limits as she is forced to reconfigure the anti-matter generator from powering the ship to near light speed to powering an untested global shield.
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – Oleg would not have made it past all the political appointees vying for his spot if he had not designed the antimatter containment field that powers the ship. He grew up in the tough mafia-controlled neighborhoods of Moscow and does not suffer incompetence or fools. Oleg will have to devise a mechanical link between Tara’s scalar and Nico’s anti-matter theoretical models to power the adapted Tesla Shield without blowing the ship apart.
Skyler Hardwick – British female pool reporter chosen to broadcast special reports on the maiden voyage of the trillion-dollar international research spacecraft, Reliant, as it goes through its earth orbit testing. She used every political, financial, and bordering on blackmail of the Royal Family influence to get this assignment. She’s digging for a story deeper than the Reliant mission to propel her career to an anchor desk. She becomes part of the crews mission when she must assist the Captain on retrieving the components they need from the surface of the unmanned moon base.
E. Dramatic Question:
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
F. Main Conflict:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
G. Dilemma:
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive any help from NASA to adapt their untested Tesla shield, Capt. Reilly Ryan must lead her crew on an unplanned hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve the necessary components from an unmanned moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, in just 48 hours.
H. Theme:
Individuals working together with a common goal are more effective than individuals working alone.
I. Character Arc of Lead Character:
Captain Reilly Ryan learns that some decisions must be made for the greater good no matter what the consequences.
2. Post the current version of your outline in the forums
9 Beat Plot Structure
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CME arrives.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CME heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CME damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CME is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CME strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CME.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
Arthur’s Pass 2: Story Logic Web
1. What I learned doing this assignment is:
Before getting too deep into your outline, it is a good idea to step back and take a moment to see if your story logic works.
2. BEFORE:
Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
Lead Characters:
Protagonist: Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain of the International Research Spaceship Reliant and nuclear physicist, PhD.
Antagonist: The approaching earth-destroying solar storm.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD.
Tara Cooper – French black female scalar and Quantum physicist, PhD.
Diego Quinn – Hispanic male life science specialist. MD., PhD.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, PhD.
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Skyler Hardwick – English white female international pool reporter
Plot/Structure:
Plot Choice #9 – Underdog
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CME approaching in 48 hours. Captain Reilly Ryan must lead her international crew to adapt and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. With no way to get the elements they need from the earth to upgrade their shield; the crew uses the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the unmanned moon base to acquire a fission generator. A CME, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both crafts but not without damage. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CME strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity; but at the cost of one of the crew.
9 Beat Plot Structure
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CME arrives.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CME heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CME damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CME is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CME strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CME.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
Character Arc: Captain Ryan overcomes her fear of losing a crew member due to her actions.
Dramatic Question:
Will Captain Ryan be able to lead the crew of the Reliant to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
Main Conflict:
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun within 48 hours.
Dilemma of the main character:
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive the necessary equipment, they need from earth to adapt their untested Tesla shield, Capt. Reilly Ryan must lead her crew on an unplanned hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve a fission reactor from an unmanned moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, in just 48 hours.
Theme: Humanity as a group is larger than the sum of its parts.
3. DISCOVERIES and IMPROVEMENTS:
After bouncing all the elements against each other I realized that with the antagonist in this film being a natural disaster, its impending arrival creates tension among the international characters that reveal their true nature through the crucible of disastrous situations they face and overcome. Their various weaknesses and strengths bond them together as a cohesive unit.
4. AFTER:
Lead Characters:
Captain Reilly Ryan and 1st Officer Chase Douglas are going to be at odds with each other over her decision-making process creating dramatic tension woven into the backdrop of the disastrous situation they are facing.
Character Arc: Captain Reilly Ryan learns that some decisions must be made for the greater good no matter what the consequences.
Theme: Individuals working together with a common goal are more effective than individuals working alone.
-
[PS81] Arthur’s 1st Pass
What I learned doing this assignment:
Establishing your lead character’s arc is crucial to the development of your outline.
1) Concept/Logine:
When a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CME just days away.
2) Plot Choice – Underdog
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CME approaching in 48 hours. The crew must adapt and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. With no way to get the elements they need from the earth to upgrade their shield; the crew uses the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the unmanned moon base to acquire an anti-matter generator. A CME, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both crafts but not without damage and the loss of one astronaut. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CME strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity.
3) 9 Beats of the structure:
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.
2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CME arrives.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CME is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CME heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CME damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CME is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CME strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CME.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CME safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
4) Part to be changed: Captain Reilly Ryan does not want to be responsible for more crew deaths like she experienced in her last mission.
Biggest Fear: Having to make a decision that costs the life of one of her crew.
Completion of Arc: The crew helps her when she has to sacrifice Chase to save the earth from the Coronal Mass Ejection.
—————————————
5) Plot Structure
1. Opening
EXT SPACE
Looking at the earth with the moon in the background as a massive spaceship with two counter-rotating rings at its center ENTERS from the left side of FRAME. The name Reliant is prominent on its bow.
INT RELIANT
International pool reporter, Skyler Hardwick takes us through the spacecraft, introducing the live audience to the Reliant’s crew. From the rear of the ship moving forward we meet the following personnel as each gives her a brief on the job on the mission:
Oleg Ryakin – Russian male Mechanical engineer, Ph.D. – designer of the antimatter containment field that powers the ship.
Nico Lee – Chinese female anti-matter propulsion physicist, Ph.D.
Tara Cooper – black French female scalar wave and Quantum physicist, Ph.D.
Diego Quinn – male Hispanic life science specialist. MD. Ph.D.
Chase Douglas – US black male 1st Officer and celestial navigation specialist. PhD
Reilly Ryan – US white female Captain and nuclear physicist, Ph.D.
INT RELIANT – BRIDGE
The interview concludes with Capt. Reilly explaining to Skyler that this mission is to test the new Tesla Shield that is necessary to protect the spacecraft from objects it cannot maneuver to avoid as it travels near the speed of light. Reilly blindsides her by asking if she feels she is the right person to lead this mission having been the Captain and only survivor of a five-man crew in an aborted takeoff less than four years ago. At this moment an emergency klaxon goes off. Skyler concludes the broadcast as Chase calls for the Captain to join him in the Command Module.
2. Inciting Incident
INT COMMAND MODULE
A circular module with a six-foot diameter table at its center. Chase is sitting at one of the six chairs surrounding the table, each with its own workstation. As the rest of the crew enters Chase displays a 3d projection above the table. The NASA Flight Director, Jack Stone, appears on the screen and informs the crew of a Coronal Mass ejection from the sun that is to pass by the earth in moments masked a larger CME that is going to hit the earth with devastating effect in less than six hours. He projects a 3D model of the CME hitting and destroying satellites, the space station, and the Reliant as it penetrates the earth’s magnetic field destroying all modern electronics. He shows another projection of an even larger earth-destroying CME hitting in 48 hours. He tells the crew that all manned space stations are being evacuated to earth, including the Reliant.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
INT COMMAND MODULE
With barely enough time to travel back to earth before the CME hits, Captain Reilly orders the crew to prepare to abandon the ship in the shuttle. Tara stops them all by bringing up a 3D representation of the ship and asks why they can’t save the trillion-dollar ship by using the Tesla Shield. She plays the 3D rendering from NASA but adds the Tesla Shield protecting the ship. Reilly reminds her they are under orders, the shield has never been tested, and if it fails they’ll all be killed. Chase argues that if they don’t try it the CME will have killed the space program for decades. Oleg weighs in that he’s for trying the shield and Nico agrees it should work. Diego reminds them if they go to earth they will live but it will be like being in the 1800s with no electricity or electronic devices.
FLASHBACK SPACE SHUTTLE
Reilly in the pilot’s seat as the shuttle roars toward space, the control panel suddenly flashes red as one of the three main engines blows up sending fragments into the other two. She and the copilot run through the abort checklist and frantically hi switches and pull levers as the other four crew members watch helplessly from their seats. Someone calling her name brings her back to the present moment: “Reilly!”
INT COMMAND MODULE
Reilly snaps back to the present and tells them that she cannot order anyone to do this. It has to be unanimous or they all go home. She asks Tara, Nico, and Oleg what are the odds. Tara 60/40, Oleg 70/30, Nico 50/50. With that they all vote, everyone raises their hand except for Reilly and Skyler, who asks if she gets a vote. Reilly tells Skyler no; she is being sent home in an escape pod. Then Reilly raises her hand to make it unanimous. She orders Chase to prep Skyler for evacuation and the rest of the crew to prep the shield. Skyler asks Chase why they can’t just use the engines on the ship to move out of the way? Chase tells her it would take 12 hours to spin up the anti-matter drives.
INT RELIANT BRIDGE
Reilly video calls Jack to let him know what the crew has decided to do and Skyler is being sent home in an escape pod. Skyler enters the bridge and asks both of them to let her stay. Someone needs to document what happens. They give her the OK.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CME heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CME damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CME is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CME strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CME.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CME is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CME slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout the Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
[PS81] Arthur Anderson’s Basic Structure
What I learned doing this assignment:
Like charting out a trip on a map to a location you have never been to, outlining your film makes sure you arrive at the correct destination.
BLACKOUT
SOLAR STORMLogline:
When a coronal mass ejection (CMJ) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla Shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CMJ just days away.
1. Opening
Pool reporter Skyler Hardwick’s live broadcast introduces the crew of the International
Deep Space Research Spacecraft Reliant and their mission to test a new Tesla Space Shield for interstellar travel. The broadcast is interrupted by an emergency transmission from NASA.2. Inciting Incident
NASA informs the Reliant a Coronal Mass Ejection that was thought to be bypassing earth, masked a larger one behind it that will hit the earth and the Reliant in minutes. With no time to use the shuttle to return to earth before the CMJ hits, Captain Reilly and the crew determine that using the untested Tesla Shield is their only hope of surviving. A scramble begins to initiate the shield before the CMJ arrives.
3. By page 10, you know what the movie is about.
The Tesla Shield saves the crew of the Reliant, however, the electronics on earth have been knocked out. Analyzing a solar observation satellite, the crew discovers an extinction-level CMJ is headed to earth in 48 Hours. They determine the Tesla Shield may be modified to save the earth but they need a lot more power. With no help from earth available, they will have to journey to the unmanned moon base to retrieve a nuclear reactor.
4. First turning point at end of Act 1
As the crew prepares the Reliant to travel to the moon, a large satellite damaged by the CMJ heads directly for them. With the anti-matter engine not yet ready to fire and the Tesla Shield down from CMJ damage. The crew is forced to use a plasma cannon to destroy the satellite. The shock wave from the resulting explosion of the satellite causes the Reliant to spin out of control. With great effort and some injuries to the crew, the Reliant is stabilized and the journey to the moon begins with less than full power from engine damage from the explosion.
5. Mid-Point
With other members of the crew needed to maneuver the Reliant in a sling-shot orbit around the moon. Captain Reilly must enlist the aid of the pool reporter, Skyler, to help her retrieve the reactor from the moon base. Skyler is shocked to learn the only way to get to the moon base is by crash landing the shuttle near the base and then using the earth return lunar spacecraft at the moon base to rendezvous with the Reliant. A new solar update indicates a CMJ is headed toward the moon. If Reilly and Skyler are caught in the open on the moon, they will be obliterated.
6. Second turning point at end of Act 2
As the crew struggles with its damaged systems of the Reliant to keep it on a sling-shot orbit around the moon, Captain Reilly and Skyler crash land the shuttle by the moon base. With difficulty, they retrieve the reactor and load it onto the earth return lunar spacecraft. However, it will not launch! A quick workaround by Oleg, the mechanical engineer, allows them to lift off just as the CMJ strikes the moon destroying the base, its destructive path following Reilly and Skyler. Reilly struggles with the spacecraft, not designed for what they are making it do, and barely makes it to the Reliant in time for the repaired Tesla Shield to protect them from the CMJ.
7. Crisis
The new reactor is barely installed as the Reliant takes a position to defend the earth. However, the Tesla mask which must be extended for the shield to work is damaged and will not deploy. With every possibility explored and failed, Chase Douglas, the first officer, sneaks off to the cargo bay, suits up, and exits on the space tug.
8. Climax
The crew discovers Chase attaching the space tug to the Tesla mask. Against their vociferous protest, Chase uses the tug to extend the mask just as the CMJ is about to hit. With no time for him to return to the ship, he begs Reilly to engage the shield: a death sentence for him. Tearfully, Reilly puts her hand on the large red engage button. The other members of the crew put their hands over hers and they all push together. The shield spreads like a lotus blossom as Chase disappears in a flash of light. The CMJ slams into the shield which deflects its destructive power away from the earth. The Reliant is buffeted as its systems alarms blare with overload warnings but the Tesla Shield holds and the CMJ safely passes by the earth.
9. Resolution
A saddened crew is surprised when NASA contacts them from Cheyenne mountain in Colorado. They have been receiving Skyler’s broadcasts throughout Reliant’s entire adventure. NASA and the world owe them a debt of gratitude that may never be repaid. A crew will be launched within 90 days to relieve them. The crew of the reliant are no longer professional co-workers from individual countries. They are also more than friends bound together by the crucible of near-death experiences and the bonds of mutual commitment, sacrifice, and loss.
-
[PS81] Arthur Anderson’s Necessary Questions
What I learned doing the assignment:
Answering the four questions is essential as they guide every decision you make in writing your script.
a) Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection (CMJ) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla shield technology that saved their spacecraft to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CMJ just days away.
b) What is the Dramatic Question of the story?
Will the crew of the Reliant be able to save the earth from the approaching extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun?
c) What is the main conflict of the story?
The crew of the Reliant must adapt an untested Tesla shield technology to save the earth from extinction-level Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun.
d) What is the dilemma of the main character?
With no way for the crew of the Reliant to receive the necessary equipment they need from earth to adapt their untested Tesla shield, they must make a hazardous journey to the moon to retrieve a nuclear reactor from an unmanned moon base, adapt their Tesla shield on their return journey, and get into position to defend earth before the next Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun arrives, just days away.
e) What is the theme of the story?
Humanity as a group is larger than the sum of its parts.
The film explores how each of the crew members from different nations can contribute to and learn from the process of working together in face of a humanity-ending disaster.
-
Arthur’s Dramatic Plots 2
What I learned doing this assignment: Using the 20 film plots allows you to look at your story and characters from different perspectives, allowing you to choose the plot you think will work best for your film.
Original Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection (CMJ) from the sun destroys all electronic technology on earth, casting civilization back to the 1800s, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft Reliant must adapt the experimental Tesla technology that saved their station to shield humanity from a larger earth-destroying CMJ just days away.
12. Transformation
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CMJ approaching in 48 hours. The crew must make an all-in or all-out decision: use the shuttle to save themselves and head back to earth or risk their lives by adapting and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. An upgrade that will force them to undertake a journey to the unmanned moon base to get the supplies they need. With their decision made, the crew uses the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the moon base to acquire an anti-matter generator. A CMJ, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both crafts but not without damage and the loss of one astronaut. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CMJ strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity.
16. Sacrifice
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CMJ approaching in 48 hours. The crew must make an all-in or all-out decision: use the shuttle to save themselves and head back to earth or risk their lives by adapting and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. An upgrade that will force them to undertake a journey to the unmanned moon base to get the supplies they need. Four years prior, Captain Reilly Ryan was the only survivor of a failed launch and is reticent to endanger another crew. The crew makes their decision; they use the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the moon base to acquire an anti-matter generator. A CMJ, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both craft but not without damage and the loss of one astronaut. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CMJ strikes, one astronaut is going to have to use the shuttle to extend the shield in front of the Reliant to cover it and the earth. With the CMJ approaching this is a suicide mission. Captain Reilly Ryan takes on the task, sacrificing herself for her crew and humanity.
I’ll be using the “Underdog” plot for my screenplay.
-
Subject: Arthur’s Dramatic Plots 1
What I learned doing this assignment: There are 20 basic film plots. Choosing among these will aid in finding the focus of your film.
5. Escape
The crew of the USS Reliant is trapped on their disabled and falling out of orbit research spacecraft due to deliberate sabotage by North Korean hackers taking control of their ship. An attempt to scrub and reboot the onboard computer systems fails. Undaunted, the crew shuts down all the computer systems and attempts to control the craft with manual inputs. This leads to a near disaster as the thrusters begin to fire randomly almost ripping the ship apart. Just as the spacecraft is entering the earth’s atmosphere, the crew shuts down the ship’s computer and uses a jerry-rigged interface with the attached disabled shuttle, and regain control of the spacecraft.
9. Underdog
When a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys most of the earth’s electronics, casting civilization back to the 1800s, the international research spacecraft Reliant is earth’s only hope against the next larger CMJ approaching in 48 hours. The crew must adapt and super-size the electromagnetic Tesla shield that saved their craft to protect the earth from the next earth-destroying solar storm. With no way to get the elements they need from the earth to upgrade their shield; the crew uses the untested near-light-speed engine to travel to the unmanned moon base to acquire an anti-matter generator. A CMJ, that misses earth, hits the moon just as their shuttle lifts off from the base to dock with the Reliant. The Reliant’s shield protects both crafts but not without damage and the loss of one astronaut. Arriving back in earth orbit just moments before the next CMJ strikes, the crew activates the Tesla Shield averting disaster for humanity.
-
What I learned doing this assignment: Before beginning the outlining process, it is best to identify all the main characters in the script.
Concept:
When a coronal mass ejection (CMJ) from the sun threatens to destroy all electronic technology on earth, six astronauts and one reporter on the international research spacecraft, Reliant, must adapt the experimental Tesla technology they are developing for deep space travel to shield humanity from the cataclysmic CMJ just days away.
Character Structure: #5 – Ensemble Cast
Reilly Ryan is a US female captain, pilot, of the international research spacecraft Reliant. Reilly worked her way up through the ranks the hard way and now must use all her skillsets to bring together an international crew to solve one of the most difficult problems anyone has ever encountered to save humanity. As the pilot and only survivor of a five-crew aborted launch and ocean crash landing four years ago, she still bears the physical as well as the emotional scars of survivor’s guilt.
Chase Douglas is a US black male first officer, co-pilot, and celestial navigation specialist. Passed over for command on this mission. He is a former Navy Top Gun fighter pilot who is smart, talented, and sometimes too ambitious. His passion for space flight is sometimes challenged by his love of pleasure.
Nico Lee is a Chinese female anti-matter propulsion specialist, Ph.D. She competed against thousands of candidates for this position which left little time for emotional interaction with other people. There is no one smarter in this field or lonelier because of it than her.
Tara Cooper is a French black female specializing in scalar wave and torsion field physics, Ph.D. An only child who worked her way through college, master’s, and her Ph.D. by working in a winery. She patented a frequency modulation device that reduced the aging time of the vintner’s now international best-selling wine in half which made her a small fortune. She is here because she loves her work not because she needs the money.
Diego Quinn is a Latino male life science specialist and MD, Ph.D. He is not really enamored with working in space and is more surprised than anyone that he is on this mission. His invention of an implant that monitors the body’s vitals and reactions to radiation and magnetic fields sealed the deal. He views this as a short-term assignment that will leapfrog his career in research ahead by decades.
Oleg Raykin is a Russian male mechanical engineering specialist; Ph.D. Oleg would not have made it past all the political appointees vying for his spot if he had not invented the plasma field generator. It is the only known device that can contain anti-matter generation which propels the research spacecraft to near light speed. He grew up in the tough mafia-controlled neighborhoods of Moscow and does not suffer incompetence or fools.
Skyler Hardwick is a British female pool reporter chosen to broadcast special reports on the maiden voyage of the trillion-dollar international research spacecraft, Reliant, as it goes through its earth orbit testing. She used every political, financial, and bordering on blackmail of the Royal Family influence to get this assignment. She’s digging for a story deeper than the Reliant mission to propel her career to an anchor desk….and boy does she get it!
Ensemble Character Structure:
With this international group of characters forced to work in a confined environment, the professional veneer of working together on a professional and personal level will be tested and refined in the crucible of making life-threatening decisions that not only affect themselves but the future of humanity on the planet. Cultural and personal differences will be pushed to their limits, forcing the arc of their characters to be changed for a purpose that is greater than themselves.
-
Hey. My name is Arthur.
I’ve written three feature scripts and one TV Pilot. I’ve done uncredited rewrites on three produced feature films and written one episode on a ½ TV series.
I’m taking this course because most of my work is the production end of features and TV shows and I want to improve my writing skill set.
In college, I did stand-up comedy and produced, wrote, and directed comedy commercials for local ad agencies.
-
Hey June:
I love the concept of two older people with major character flaws getting together and having to figure out how to make their relationship work. I think you have done a great job with these two characters seeing the world not as it is but through the lenses of their wounds.
Trying to look at this story from an angle other people have not brought up, it might help invest the audience a little more emotionally in the plight of these characters to see a few flashbacks showing how they developed the instabilities they now manifest.
Another idea to reveal their inner workings. Do Roy and Kim try going to a rehab group at the beginning of the film and it goes horribly wrong but pays off later in the film when they both realize they are not going to make it together without some outside help. Does Marilyn arrange that help for them?
In 71: Do Roy and Kim set her brother up to have him committed to a psyche ward?
I love the ending where they find mutual joy by helping a dying woman enjoy her last days.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey June:
Would you like to exchange critiques?
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Dev:
Thanks for your thoughts!
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey June:
Thank you for the notes!
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Dev:
I’ll wait for the new version.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Cameron:
Thanks for the review. A lot of good insights for me to look at.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Cameron:
I really like your story of the father and son trapped in an enclosed environment: no air outside, aliens inside. The emotion and action of Sully trying to save his son are great. I also think you have a good structure for the story.
Since Sully is a builder, is it possible that he builds the greenhouses on the colony that gives him some special knowledge of horticulture and gives him some special incites on fighting the parasites? What applies to small parasites could be supersized to fight the large ones: electrocuting them with electric grids he improvises, Molotov cocktails to burn them, salt which makes them shrink up, etc.
I was also thinking that Isaiah’s special need could be a strong asset in the fight against the parasites. With his hyper-sensitivity, he may be able to sense their location and aid in their escape.
In the medical bay scene where they are attempting to remove the parasites by surgery, I was wondering if there is a more efficient way to remove them. ie. Some ideas (1) He has Isaiah lay face down and uses the defibrillator on his back. Since they are susceptible to electricity, Isaiah is able to cough them out (2) Maybe the parasites are sensitive to audio frequencies, and he uses a frequency modulator to drive them out (3) he uses a nebulizer and has him inhale a substance that kills microbes from his studies in horticulture: colloidal silver.
Good Resolution. Markus saves Sully & Isaiah. Is there anything that Sully could pass onto him to help Markus that he has learned fighting the parasites?
Keep up the good work!
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Dev:
Would you like to exchange critiques?
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Cameron:
Would you like to exchange critiques?
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Matthew. Thanks for your thoughts. When you are in the woods cutting down the trees sometimes you lose the overview of the forest.
Best,
Arthur
-
Thanks for the input Kate. It’s great to have a fresh set of eyes look at the film.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Matthew:
I really like your 2<sup>nd</sup> concept. Alicia being a criminal gives her arc a much more interesting path to cover over the course of the film.
I think one thing that might give the audience a stronger emotional connection to her is to reveal why she became a hardened criminal. Perhaps Jocelyn reminds her of her little sister (flashback) who was killed in gang violence. Her desire for revenge against them led her to become a hardened criminal. Perhaps she runs into them in the game and is conflicted on whether to take revenge on them or save Jocelyn.
You have a great story here with a lot of room to explore the characters.
Keep up the good work.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Kate:
I really like the concept you have chosen of Nia coming back to her hometown to discover her roots and the plot choice of maturation.
I think you have a good opportunity to explore and reveal the backstory of what led Nia to leave the small town and chose to be an actress. The scenario in the third act where the acting troupe helps her pull off a sting on her father is great.
I was a little confused about how her dad stole the land from her family. Was it stolen from her mother? Was he instrumental in causing her death? Was he responsible for sending Nia off to live with another relative when she was a baby? I’m sure these are elements that will be revealed as you expand the story.
This is something totally from left field, but would it be too much of a twist at the end to discover that Darrough is not her real dad and that’s why he sent her away. Does she discover another man in town is her dad, one of the townspeople she has been working with against Darrough’s plan the whole time? Then Darrough could truly get what he deserves. Just a thought.
Keep up the good work.
Best,
Arthur
-
Hey Mathew. Yes. Let’s exchange feedback.
Arthur
-
Yes. Let’s exchange Kate.
Arthur