[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s credibility is going up!

What I learned doing this assignment is to honor what I have achieved in my past. It adds cred to my rep.

In the next 30 days I will enter one of my completed screenplays into a contest. And as for the future, I will continue to do this action.

I will update my IMDB

I am starting an Onion type online paper based on my hometown.

assignment 2

education. graduated from Chicago Second City Writing Program. A BA in TV and Film Production with a senior thesis in screenwriting. Studied sketch writing at Improv Olympic in Chicago.

Featured Background for the tv show Real Husbands of Hollywood.

a history of performing stand up comedy around the country in clubs and some colleges. I write for myself.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s linkedin profile is amazing

what I learned doing this assignment is I have selling points about myself. They should all be front and center. I am missing the accomplishments I earned in the stand up comedy world. This will be included.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s projects and insights.

I am bringing in my feature Santa Vs Krampus 10 mil and That Other Club Scene 1 mil

SANTA VS KRAMPUS is a high budget thrill ride with emotional stories throughout. A young elf with a fear of the outside world is assigned to ride with the present delivering sleighs. He backs out so his adventurous little sister takes his place without permission. Krampus kidnaps her which forces the young protagonist to get a sleigh to search for her in the big world. In the end, he is forced to decide whether he saves Santa or his sister from the deathly attack by Krampus.

THAT OTHER CLUB SCENE is a low budget dark comedy about a serial killer in the swinger’s scene. A young couple married too early in life and the husband cheats. His wife insists she is allowed to get even by them attending a swinger’s night. With reluctance he agrees. They get caught up with a charming angry murderer which leads to the husband arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. The wife must investigate and locate the real killer that her husband took the fall for.

The idea I am creating is a thriller about an antagonist who moves into a mentally weak man’s apartment with the idea of creating a film company. He gets the protagonist’s hopes up of succeeding in Hollywood. His true intention is using the apartment as a half way point of bringing heroin to Oregon from Mexico where it is legal in small amounts.

My finished script is That Other Club Scene

What I learned listening to the call is this. As a writer taking assignments, there are several hats worn throughout the process. Flexibility is mandatory. The people with the money are the last word so I must accept that. One thing changed can alter several points after that so I must look at a script like a game of chess and plan ahead. (A true chessmaster can plan moves 7 moves ahead) I think this is a statement worthy of being applied.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent Hanlen (he)

4 features and 2 tv pilots, one of those is co authored with another writer.

I love writing. I’ve given most of my life to writing comedy and performing stand up.

I am here to improve myself and receive this type of work. It’s my goal to write a script in one month and make it a habit.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent Hanlen

I agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Bent Hanlen]

Bent’s character profile part 2

What I learned doing this assignment is I am creating characteristics portrayed by the antagonist and the protagonist and they conflict when those two are together. So I am focusing on traits that will lead to abrupt conflict that seems to have no resolve between the two.

Protagonist

What draws us to this
character? He has innocence and is
gullible. Just too nice.
Traits: imaginative, calculating, no confidence
Subtext: when he writes his scripts he is the
person he wishes he was .
Flaw: easily persuaded , allows people to walk on him
Values: wants success.
Irony: Despite being walked on, he still tries
to not lose his place as his apartment is getting invaded.
What makes this the right
character for this role? He is
unwillingly pulled into situations. As if people want to act out their
deepest

Antagonist

What draws us to this
character? He wants his own empire
and is ambitious
Traits: conniving , sneaky, user
Subtext: loud vocally no matter what he says to
stay commanding.
Flaw: rushing for success.
Values: anything self
serving. Uses people
Irony: uses people and even pulls that on the
cartel which backfires.
What makes this the right
character for this role? He is
ambitious for all the wrong reasons.
He is a hunter of the weak and takes advantage of them.

[Bent Hanlen]

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT IS I’ve picked out specific character description and this gives me a framework to stay within.

Role of protagonist – victim

Role of antagonist – predator

Supporting characters: Mexican cartel girlfriend , victim’s mom
Minor roles: police investigator
Background characters:
cartel, police officers,

Genre – thriller

Role in the story: protagonist- a story writer who is a
struggling screenwriter in Hollywood.

Age range and Description: in
his 30’s and a normal schlub. Not exciting.

Internal Journey: is without confidence and learns he is
more that what he thinks he is.
External Journey: he lives a quiet life that gets upturned
and tries to get back to normal

Motivation: to help form the
movie company that the antagonist claims he wants to form.
Wound: Has been single for most
of his life and lacks the confidence that love can bring.

Mission/Agenda: To find out
what the antagonist is actually about because there is a lot of negative
energy coming into the apartment.

Secret: He lacks a story and ability to tell so
he wants help and falls for the antagonist’s idea of forming a movie
company.

What makes them special? They have hopes and dreams and kindness
and a good heart.

[Bent Hanlen]

30 day screenplay assignment 1

What I learned doing this assignment is what I begin with and what I end with. This keeps me on track. What I am doing is listing the essentials of my character so I don’t deviate and lose their focus.

Internal journey – from letting people walk all over him to finally getting a backbone and taking leadership.

External journey – from a weak male who can’t stand up for himself to a man ready to break down the door and reclaim his life that was stolen from him.

Old ways

Shy.

Lived in his stories.

Wasn’t social.

Not wanting to interact much with anyone.

Allowed himself to be walked on.

New ways

Powered with the need to be vindictive

No longer allowing himself to be a victim.

Doesn’t let an opportunity go by.

Realizes he must be a lone wolf instead of being a follower.

[Bent Hanlen]

Hi my name is Bent Hanlen. I’ve written 5 so far and still occasionally tweak my first ever script that was my senior thesis in college.

What I hope to get out of this is a rhythm established on my end so that when I do writing assignments I will be aware of what must be completed to meet deadlines.

I love comedy writing mostly. I am stepping into the thriller horror genre now because I enjoy watching the work of others in that pool.

[Bent Hanlen]

wonderful! Good to meet you.