
Brad Wozny
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Brad’s Marketing Plan
What I learned doing this assignment is: Producers are always hungry for emerging writers who understand how to write and work with them. I’ve learned how to setup and execute several simple yet effective marketing strategies to target these Producers for Writing Assignments, and communicate with them in the best way possible.
Strategy 1
LinkedIN – Connect with 10 Producers in My Genre Daily
—> Send 5 to 10 Writing Assignment Requests (based on the amount that “Connect Back”)
Strategy 2
LinkedIN – Connect with 5 S/W Managers & Agents in my Genre Daily
—> Send 5 to 10 Writing Sample Requests (based on the amount that “Connect Back”)
Strategy 3
Build a fan of my writing on LinkedIN
Strategy 4
Research small producers on IMDbPro and connect to them.
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Brad’s Plan for Increasing Perceived Value!
What I learned from this assignment is the Dynamic Duo a Producer and Writer make in order to get a movie made. There is not one role that can do what the other can, and in this way, the pair must work together — the writer more especially so, being grounded, open-minded, without ego and collaborative — to achieve the Producer’s vision in a paid WA.
1. What is your speciality?
I specialize in writing high-powered, Action-Adventure stories that ignites the human spirit and makes audiences reel with emotion.
2. How many producers do you have in your LinkedIn Network?
0 in my network. Wow. Time to ramp up.
3. Looking at the list above titled “Increasing Your Perceived Value,” please tell us your plan for increasing your value in these three time frames:
A. Today
—> Complete Lesson 11 and dive into Lesson 12.
B. In the next 30 days
—> Build out my IMDb and LinkedIn Network as SWU describes in its lessons, execute the plan to contact producers and ProdCo’s using SWU’s templates & strategies. YEEHAW!
C. In the next 6 months
Complete at least two paid Writing Assignments, sell one of my scripts, sign on with an awesome Screenwriting Manager for more assignments, plus constantly build out my credentials + network!
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Brad Wozny is a Note Taking Professional!
What I learned is how important it is to be flexible in such an organic, ever-changing business.
RAISE THE FLAG – LOGLINE:
When the nation falls prey to a vicious EMP attack, a reluctant US Park Ranger on family vacation in Washington finds herself leading America’s resistance against enemy invaders, while protecting the nation’s first flag at all costs.
2. Tell us how you would honor each of the following requests:
Cut the budget in half.
—> To take the film from $50M to $25M, the location and sets, plus the large battle sequences can be pared down drastically to slash budget. Further, shrinking the amount of people in battle scenes will significantly reduce the need for Background Performers, HMUW, VFX, SFX, additional crew, transport, catering and crafty.
Write it for a different audience (quadrant).
—> I can minimize bloodshed and reduce the action to appeal to a YA or PG audience.
Double the conflict.
—> I’ll amp up the drama between the villain and heroine by having her family being taken prisoner, and the villain can use their lives as a way to break the heroine’s will to fulfill her mission.
Change the sex and age of the lead character.
—> I’ll switch the heroine to a male teenager.
Change the genre.
—> I’ll switch it from an Action Sci-Fi to an Action Drama which cuts costs.
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This reply was modified 4 years ago by
Brad Wozny.
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This reply was modified 4 years ago by
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Brad’s Decreased Budget
What I learned doing this assignment is: How to creatively brainstorm aspects of a story to scale back production costs while ensuring key elements remain intact to keep the audience engaged and highly entertained. It’s been a fun exercise!
1. At least 5 ways to decrease budget for AKLA-RA.
A) Locations – can trim down locations by at least 6 – so it is not global (travel and set), and instead use sound stages and areas in close proximity to Vancouver which are substituted for other worlds (example: Squamish, BC has been used for Jason Mamoa’s SEE, Chris Pine crash in STAR TREK, etc).
B) Characters – I can consolidate two pairs of characters.
C) # of pages – An Action-Fantasy isn’t considerably large at 125 pages where it stands now…however, there are three to five pages we can squeeze out while maintaining rhythm (remember, Avatar is 153 and Star Wars is well beyond 120).
D) Crowd Scenes – we can definitely use CGI to fill in crowd scenes, which also drops exterior locations allowing us to use green screen on a sound stage.
E) Stunts/Chase Scenes – we can reduce the number of battles in the story.
F) Costumes & Make-up – We can reduce the number of alien characters in the world to save costs on HMUW
2. High Budget Scene cut down: The INVASION
I am letting go of the invasion scene (think BEN HUR for armies marching into battle, and Star Trek/Star Wars for ships) — it is a major turning point scene which consists of hundreds of space ships, legions of troops, and various attack fighters and the ensuing battle of armies clashing.
Instead, I can pare this down to a few fragments of ships launching weapons, and army’s marching to invade, cutting the scene with a number of close-up’s of the main characters and long shots using CGI of army’s waging battle. These inserts with background war waging thanks to green screen save us on location, set space, pyrotechnics, HMUW, extras, stunts, crafty, and extra insurance…while at the same time shooting up close the conversation and action sequence of the main characters to maintain a heightened alert which is still beautifully channeled to the audience.
Here, we’re impressing upon our viewers the carnage the savage enemy unleashes and the great fear their surprise presence has upon our hero’s.
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Brad Wozny’s Rewrite of Lisa Define’s Treatment for RAISE THE FLAG
What I learned doing this assignment is: So much. Revisiting the treatment from Lesson 6, taking the stance as writer vs producer and ensuring as Hal & Cheryl I made sure to “Do not provide feedback” — allowed me to remain focussed on all of the essential elements of the story to draw out from Lisa (as the Producer) more information to re-assemble the first treatment of Raise the Flag from Lesson 6 into something far more structured and what I hope you’ll find even more thrilling now here in Lesson 8’s response.
Personally, to be a part of a story that started with broad strokes from “A female hero fights a bad force – either aliens or commies – which takes over America and has to raise a flag to unite the country” to what we generated in Lesson 6, Lisa refined in Lesson 7, and where we are now in Lesson 8 with this iteration…has been extremely EXCITING to no end!
Lisa, hope you don’t mind I filled in a number of the gaps and gave the story a villain we can see. I feel it will allow audiences to rally around our heroine with a primary villain who walks and talks…the Vader to our Skywalker if you will.
Alrighty, here we go…hope you enjoy!
RAISE THE FLAG
Treatment by Brad Wozny for Lisa Define
Yosemite National Park Ranger, Samantha “Sam” Gordon is on vacation…actually, it’s a temporary ‘forced leave’. This little reprieve was ‘granted’ at the behest of her Supervisor so the investigation as to why this mild-mannered, soft spoken Ranger drew her weapon on a trust fund kid…the same kid whose high-powered Manhattan-based lawyer is threatening a major lawsuit on the Park Service – a kid whom Sam says she caught red-handed about to poach deer in Yosemite, but his bow and arrows were thrown into the white water river before she could arrest him…literally ‘washing away’ the evidence to support her claim. Frustrated by these events of injustice, Sam finally relaxes when she arrives at her brother’s home near Annapolis, Maryland. As the Commander Air Group and a naval aviator on the newly minted aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, she joins his wife, Liz and her four-year old Niece, Sarah, in packing up and joining thousands of other service-member families who trek out to Norfolk, VA to bid farewell to him and his carrier strike group as they sail off in the sunset for a one year deployment.
Days later, she and her niece are treated to a private viewing of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian – given by Liz, who’s official cover is head curator, although she actually works for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Moments later in the private viewing chamber, an EMP attack rocks the East Coast, and Washington is showered with ICBM’s.
As air raid sirens wail and a wall collapses, Liz is trapped under debris…terminally wounded and unable to budge, she makes Sam promise she will always take care of, Sarah, and agree to take the Star-Spangled Banner in a secure case to NORAD HQ in Cheyenne, Wyoming because, she says, “what’s inside could literally save the nation from the anarchy that is sure to follow.”
Confused by the request but complying, another explosion rocks the building. With Sarah in one arm, and Old Glory in a case in the other, Sam flees the crumbling Smithsonian…as it crashes around them, they’re nearly trampled by waves of panicked tourists. Sarah is torn from her arms, and Sam frantically searches for her while clutching the oddly specialized briefcase with America’s original flag…as more missiles rain down, Liz is swept up into the surge of beltway survivors making for the safe harbor of Washington’s underground tunnels…
With the country plunged into chaos, Sam arrives with thousands of other survivors at a hastily resurrected FEMA shelter in a high school stadium. Old-school ham radio’s and eyewitness accounts report a foreign enemy invading the East and West Coast…while Sam with Old Glory in its case scurries from beleaguered FEMA official to medical tents searching for Sarah, alarms sound and sirens wail again as explosions and the grumbling of tanks grow close, until – enemy burst in, surrounding the tent city.
In Nazi-like fashion, the savage soldiers waste the FEMA reps, gun down medical staff, rip families apart, then line up military-aged men along one wall of the stadium and mow them down with .50 caliber machine guns. The women, children, and elderly are split into separate ranks. Those who resist are butt-whipped or shot in the head, and the rest stripped of all clothing except for undergarments, then loaded onto buses. When a soldier tries to yank Old Glory’s briefcase from Sam’s hand as she shuffles to a bus, with teary eyes and lips turned up in a snarl, Sam backhands the soldier – only to receive a brutal beating — then the soldier’s descend on her like hyenas, tearing her clothes off and about to commit gang rape until…CRACK! A lone gun shot snapes them all to attention.
A hulking figure emerges with Major’s bars on his combat uniform epaulettes. His nametag reads “Láng”. The scar-faced Major in command of the ground forces approaches, barking an order to the soldiers to get them back in line, telling them they’re on a timeline to clear more of the city. He leers at Sam then spins away on his heel. Battered and tattered, Sam staggers to her feet and shuffles onto one of the buses with the other women.
Days turn to weeks, and weeks into a month as Sam, now a prisoner and resigned to being a victim, is forced to work in a labor camp eighteen hours a day in all environmental conditions digging mass graves for the endless trucks of American bodies brought in for burial by enemy forces.
Three miserable, malnourished months pass for Sam in the labour camp along the South Dakota border — until on one cold and dreary November morning a trucks dumps the dead body of her four-year old Niece into a grave. First shock, then a waterfall of rage takes hold of Sam. Ridden with guilt at not protecting her niece, Sam futilely tries to beat down a guard…only to be subjected to electric torture, a hard beating, then tossed into solitary for 7 days with only a canteen of filthy rain water.
She catches glimpse of Major Láng arriving at the camp for a review – wordlessly but with an evil glare, he checks on her and others in solitary. Flashes of her niece’s body run through her head, and Sam channels her rage into organizing an escape with other prisoners – the escape barely succeeds, and with another prisoner named Jim, they come out a dredging ditch thinking they’re on their way to freedom yet only find they’re thrust into an Apocalyptic wasteland, and now hunted by enemy forces who vastly outnumber and outgun them.
Finding horses on the open plains, Sam mounts up to fulfill Liz’s request but Jim takes off in the other direction to search for his family, leaving Sam all alone. Strapped with a .45 Colt at her side, and M16 slung over her back, sets off to find her friend Kelly Clarkson, who managed a convenience store and now has turned it into a small sanctuary for disparate locals that enjoy shooting deer for food from its rooftop vantage point at twilight. Upon meeting Kelly, she meets a newfound compatriot, Cleveland…the former private investigator, amateur MMA fighter, and mercenary-like loner has gotten even harder after three months living off the land with her country under siege. So well, in fact, she has perfected the use of her Spanish “Bola” device with razor wire at the end. Thing is, she’s so quiet, it’s only later Sam finds out Cleveland is deaf, but has perfected the skill of lip reading.
Sam organizes a raid on an enemy compound with Kelly, Cleveland, and a few locals…determined to find out where the enemy may have Old Glory.
Together, the three women charm and cajole their way into the compound. Clearing the way for their friends outside to unleash a fury of rockets and RPGS recovered from a local Armory. The three women unleash a blood bath on the unsuspecting soldiers that would make Quentin Tarantino proud. Tapping into the enemy’s computer system, they discover Old Glory is being held at a nearby enemy base and commandeer enemy vehicles.
Falling back to Kelly’s convenience store, they barely need to rally a small band of American veterans to help them. These vets heard about Sam through ‘the local grapevine’…the mixed bag of male and female veterans young and old have ridden up to Kelly’s place on four-wheelers, motorcycles, beat-up RV’s, and various vehicles. Contraptions which more closer resemble cars from MAD MAX.
The vets share they were all once homeless, and although they’ve come together, felt lost until they heard about Sam’s escape from the labour camp, and to see if the myth regarding the original Star-Spangled banner being nearby was true….Sam greets each one with a firm handshake, realizing nearly all of these men and women of various ages sport a physical handicap of some kind….including Nick, a wild-haired and paraplegic Delta Operator with a degree in Engineering who falls in love with the stubborn Cleveland.
Cleveland carries an old Walkman wired to a jawbone conduction headset and plays a mixed tape of 1980’s songs…which whenever she is in a battle, she moves in sync to the beats of the music.
The next day before dawn, Sam’s newly formed Resistance have announced they’re calling themselves “Pariah’s Anarchy”, since one of them said “until yesterday, we were all a bunch of outcasts who can rain down hell if the call ever came…so what the fuck, might as well own it”. Own it, they do…with Sam at the tip of the spear leading PA with their battle plan, they storm the base.
The Pariah’s take massive casualties, but Sam and Kelly make it to the storage facility and find Old Glory…rests inside its impenetrable but now scratched up briefcase that the enemy were unsuccessful at opening. Cleveland leads another group to the Base Armory, and use some of the weapons to force back the soldiers so they can all escape.
As they begin exiting the base, the enemy counterattacks, levelling the town — and with it, the fuselage of high explosives and high-tech enemy drones with machine guns wipe out hundreds of locals and most of the veterans. Using the hills and natural terrain for cover, Sam questions her ability to lead, her idea to get Old Glory and take it to Cheyenne…and falls into temporary depression out of guilt for having caused the mass slaughter. It’s Kelly who rallies her to move on, and with Cleveland, Nick, and a few dozen others who have voted to follow her, they push Glory for Colorado.
With Old Glory safely stuffed in a saddle bag, against the backdrop of Mt. Rushmore, Sam’s backcountry guiding skills kick in.
The now battle-hardened and outspoken National Park Ranger leads her band of resistance misfits to Wyoming – tapping Nick for operational assistance, they organize scouting parties and recce ahead, meeting other bands of travellers safely housed on Reservation lands…in a turnabout, the local Chief of the PineRidge Reservation reveals they’ve been quietly helping local militias hide on their lands…he says to her, “My people are not here to support you with a flag for what it represented. The time of its representation to your people meant treason to their king, and would eventually kill off the wild buffalo then sweep the white man’s curse across the Continent like a nightmare we could never awake from. No, we will support you because of what this flag can represent. The unification of brothers and sisters of different bloods, but who hail from the same family Humanity.”
With this, the Chief offers a blessing, then using short-wave radios and carrier pigeons, alert other native reservations along the way. These tribes also join her cause once they learn who Sam is and the purpose of what it is they’re carrying. The almighty power of Old Glory becomes a rallying cry for everyone on their trek toward Colorado…
Meanwhile, Major Láng has been promoted to Field General.
He learns from his intelligence branch the impenetrable case protecting Old Glory holds more than just a few strands of cloth making up the first American flag – within its fibres is sewn nanotechnology which holds codes to activate America’s dormant, backup first-strike power reaction system…a solar enabled power grid spanning most of the Continent, built in secret during the 1990’s in the event a nuclear strike or solar flare crippled the country. Realizing this could turn the tides, Láng is personally tasked by the Chairman to recover it at all costs.
Unaware of the incredible capability hidden within Old Glory itself, Sam continues toward Colorado and her mission of making it to Cheyenne to fulfill her dying sister-in-law’s wish. However, Láng has spies in the Resistance, and sets up a trap to bring them altogether, recover the briefcase, and wipe out Pariah’s Anarchy all at once – then broadcast it throughout the country as a warning to others who may stand up to his military.
News of a potential double-cross reaches Sam moments before Láng springs his trap, and like a Secret Service detail, a group of ex-soldiers and law enforcement officers expertly race Sam, Kelly, and Cleveland to safety…only to have Nick fall behind, and perish in a rocket blast.
Hiding in a cave, a short-wave radio band broadcasts code for the Resistance…
The radio alerts Sam and her cohorts there is a Resistance movement calling themselves “Pariah’s Anarchists of California” or “The PAC” for short, growing and engaging in guerrilla hits with enemy. Sam’s scouts report back Cheyenne mountain was levelled with a low-grade atomic weapon. The scouts have also returned with a few survivor’s from the area, one announces her rank as Airman and says she was assigned to the digital security section of the Air Force. She reveals to Sam and her confidants what Láng already knew – that Old Glory held the keys to America’s backup power grid, and that a similar console which could read the nano tech within the fibres of the flag sat in a highly classified room sunk deep below the State Capitol building of California. Sam immediately redirects the PA toward California.
Láng doggedly pursues Sam and her resistance from Wyoming to California using satellites, air assets, HUMINT, and vehicles…
With his noose closing, Sam realizes she must throw off Láng’s scent and leverages lessons from before she was a Park Ranger. Organizing a large-scale Resistant movement outside of Salt Lake City, Láng is drawn to the intelligence like a moth to a flame, and arrives to the nearby labour camp, nearly walking his brigade into an ambush since it taken over by Pariah’s yet Sam nowhere to be found. Using enemy weapons, vehicles and attack helicopters, the thousand strong band of Pariah’s Anarchists under the leadership of Cleveland attack Láng’s army…Láng’s beaten back and must call in air support to level the camp. Sam has used the battle as a distraction for her and several others, leveraging the opportunity to go underground – and hitches a ride on the BORING machine tunnel recently finished by the founder of a successful space company who had plans to commercialize it.
Realizing he was deceived, Láng marshal’s his military assets on the Western seaboard to prepare for Sam’s arrival in California. They just don’t know where, and with the imprisoned citizens growing more restless by the day fueled by news of the Resistance, and The PAC probing enemy strongholds around San Francisco, LA, and San Diego, Láng’s occupational forces are stretched thin. Láng, realizing controlling a population growing ever restless is draining his military might, decides to purge most of California to stifle the threat, and orders imprisoned civilians to be slaughtered by the tens of thousands each day. Láng erects temporary video monitors around the city and in labor camps, sharing the despicable footage as a heavy-handed warning.
News of the atrocities reaches Sam’s ears.
Though she now is the figurehead of a national resistance movement, in private, Sam confides to Kelly how guilty she feels for everyone’s deaths. Ever the reluctant hero, the burden of leadership is heavy with Sam, and Kelly recounts the hope that Sam has given to them. Sam still waves off Kelly, slipping into depression when a message comes through a secure comm channel on the Resistance net.
Sam’s brother, Jake, is alive!
In fact, he leaves a message on the Resistance net just for her…and for all to hear. Jake’s broadcast message informs how proud he is of his little sister who used to run away from bullies in Idaho where they grew up, who would always people and animals…all the way to the smallest turtle get across the road by stopping traffic at the age of four on a busy July 4<sup>th</sup> afternoon – and who, very much like his young daughter, knows that there are other boys and girls who will get a chance to grow up and have children because Sam’s giving new meaning to Old Glory in the battle not just for America, but for the entire world.
Her brother’s message rouses Sam with new vigour.
Formulating a new plan with multi-pronged guerilla-style attacks in all three major cities, she throws Láng into chaos. Average citizens who have spent months hiding in the mountains and valley’s of California, descend on the cities and take up arms – swelling the ranks of Pariah’s Anarchists to hundreds of thousands strong.
Láng, facing ever-swelling peasant-like forces, orders his air force, army, and naval assets to bombard the cities. Flying in the face of his orders for him to stand down and preserve the structures as much as possible, he rages against the might Sam’s peasant army has unleashed – and for a time, nearly quell them all. Just in time, Láng’s R&D department announce they can bio-trace Sam’s genetic markers in the air from a nasal swab they had given each prisoner entering the labor camp. Láng turns on all the electronic ‘sniffers’ in the cities and hones in on Sam’s location…Sacramento! He orders his forces to divert their attention there, and boards his chopper at Alcatraz for the short flight to the State Capitol Building.
Sam, Kelly, Cleveland and dozens of PAC and American Special Forces units, fight their way toward the State Capitol Building.
A running gun battle rages as Sam, Kelly and Cleveland hustle the Cheyenne Mountain Airman with them into the Capitol Building. Surviving PAC soldiers provide cover fire as they all fight floor to floor, clearing rooms as Sam and her entourage make toward the special access elevator as Field General Láng lands on the roof, and his elite unit’s high tech weapons rain hell upon Sam’s special forces.
Sam and her entourage enter the elevator and make it to the sub-basement floor…but not before Láng and his elite troops rapel down and blow their way in.
Láng’s troops defeat Sam’s security forces, and close in on her while the Airman pops open the briefcase and tries uploading the information to the server…the Airman is shot and Cleveland is captured. Láng persuades Sam to stand down from touching the button or he’ll kill Cleveland – but Cleveland, in eyeshot of Sam, silent signals with sign language a quick distraction plan. While yelling to Lang she’ll comply with his request, she mouths to Cleveland her part of the plan. Kelly acknowledges and BOOM! Off they go!
In KILL BILL style, Cleveland whips out a Japanese hand sickle hidden in the folds of her clothes and guts the soldier holding her. Sam takes down multiple enemy like DOC HOLIDAY then drops to reload. Kelly hits the upload link on the console and connects the wires to Old Glory which electrifies! As blue energy sparks around Old Glory, Láng rages and lunges forward…only to be taken down by a roundhouse from Sam. Standing over him like her deadbeat dad used to do in a bar room brawl, she unleashes her fists of fury on Láng who smiles and laughs at her while she beats his face to a pulp.
With his dying breathe, Láng says, “You’ve lost. We have broken America’s back.”
Raising a gun to his forehead, Sam replies, “No. Actually, you’ve united us in a way no politician ever has. Guess I should thank you for that.” BLAM! She blows his head off, and wipes his brain matter off her gun on the name patch of his uniform. Kelly walks up and spits on him. With just one eyeball left in his half-blown open skull, Cleveland walks up and signs “This is for Nick” then kicks the corpse in the balls. Twirling her bloody sickle in hand and Balo in the other, we think she’s going to gut the corpse…then, to Sam and Kelly’s shock, she leans over to Láng’s ear, opens her mouth, and for the first time hear her use her voice. Cleveland recites a line from the national anthem, “Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation” then turns and walks away…
Simultaneously, the electrified blue light from Old Glory dies off.
Sam looks at Kelly who shrugs her shoulders. They uncouple the wired leads, carefully placing it back in its briefcase. A sound behind them causes the three of them to turn around, only to find the Airman, badly wounded, trying to stand. Kelly and Cleveland put their arms around her, and the Airman says, “Well let’s not stand around all day…let’s show everyone what we’re made of.” She points to a nearby locker, and Sam withdraws a perfectly crisp, American flag. Together the four women ride the elevator back to the main floor, head past the carnage, and ascend the rotunda.
In a FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS moment, like the soldiers did on the beaches of Iwo Jima, Sam attaches the flag to the end of the now blown off flag pole.
Behind them on the streets below, and completely unaware as they’re singly focussed on the flag, fellow Americans are amassing on the streets, excitedly pointing up at the women. With one final heave and with some difficulty, the women raise the flag then stand back and salute it. To their surprise, a thunderous cheer rises up from the streets around the Capitol Building. Fellow American’s of all ages and colours unite arm in arm, swaying, and cheering on Sam. Hoisting her arms in victory, they cheer harder.
Moments later, the women come down to the excited crowd, chanting “Sam! Sam! Sam! Sam!”. In the excited cacophony, a radio operator with The PAC resistance runs through and says there’s an urgent message for her she needs to hear. Heading off to a quiet room in the Capitol Building with Kelly and Cleveland, Sam answers the radio call to hear her brother, Jake, on the other end.
Jake informs her his Carrier Strike Group is at her service, and asks if she wants them to steam to Europe or back to the States. Confused, she asks him why he wouldn’t come back to the States. It’s then when Sam learns from him all of Europe has fallen to the same enemy…as well NATO and most of the US Navy…Jake lays it out for Sam – for months, Canada and Europe have endured the same savage brutality and occupation as America.
Mortified, Sam tells him there’s nothing she can do in Sacramento to help them.
Her brother cuts her off quickly and tells her, “Yes, Sam, you can. Because you’re the only one with the flag who can save us all.” He proceeds to tell her there are backup power grids NATO installed throughout its European installations in the 90’s as well. With the East Coast locked down, for now, Old Glory is the only key to freedom for all of Europe and Sam must take it overseas to make it happen.
We close on this moment of temporary celebration in the background — knowing full well Samantha Gordon will have to brace for what’s sure to become an all out global war in the upcoming sequel.
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Brad’s Fantastic Treatment
What I learned doing this assignment:
Consolidating the entire story down to several paragraphs following the key beats and characters is necessary to give Producer’s a ‘30,000 foot view’ of the essential elements to a film or show.Title: Spirit Horse – A Tale of Two Souls
Genre: Western, Drama
Logline: A dying girl in Big Sky Country races to save her brother from a fascist regime bent on exploiting indigenous lands for profit.
In this fast-paced action-fantasy thriller Inspired by true events, young and brave KARA TAYLOR, plagued by a mysterious illness, is determined to enjoy her last 7 days on earth in Big Sky Country. Her family resides on a small homestead nestled within lands held sacred to the local indigenous people. Their ancient ways of harmonious living has dwindled to spiritual silhouettes amidst the contempt of a modern society ruled over by THE PARTY’S regime and its regional head, JUDGE JACKSON.
The vast plains and rich mountain forests surrounding Kara’s humble ranch – a home her parents are barely holding onto given her mounting medical bills – conceal the besieging nature of Jackson’s morally corrupt political organization aided by ruthless security forces and discreet corporate financiers. While Jackson claims to support the restoration of a government for all people, she has secretly been orchestrating an ongoing criminal exploitation of the region’s critical natural resources, removing anyone and anything standing in the way of her lust for power and profit.
In their latest land grab, Jackson has nullified the treaty held most sacred by the region’s peaceful native tribe. It is a place from which they draw their tribal identity, their spiritual powers; and it remains the final place on Earth the ancient Spirit Horses still roam as horses worldwide are now extinct. Jackson’s plans to exterminate them affront the aboriginal legends who treasure the herd protected on their sacred sanctuary.
When an orphaned Colt, “CATCH”, from the herd wanders onto Kara’s ranch, her condition visibly improves in his presence. In his eyes, Kara recognizes the reincarnated soul of her twin brother who died at birth. The revelation that her brother’s soul has returned is dismissed by her parents as make-believe, chalking it up to her ailing imagination. Only the native Shaman woman – deeply connected to the ways of the Spirit World – believes Kara.
Only Kara and the matriarchal Shaman leader of the indigenous people, who refers to Kara as little Natánik, know that erasing the last traces of horses on the planet would snowball into events beyond humanity’s control: propelling all life on earth beyond the brink of destruction.
Discovering nature’s powerful interconnectivity of a Soul Bond tying humans to horses, Kara hopes to conjure a mystical magic as she races to beat her own ticking death-clock, and rally the complacent townspeople save these last Spirit Horses by standing up against the Party’s injustices.
Seeing the potential
But nobody listens…
Taking matters into her own hands, and barely alive after an emergency surgery which cripples her, Kara’s family smuggles her out of the hospital against a legal order instituted by Jackson who tries to make Kara a ward of the State.
Kara’s soul cries out to be with Catch…and her state visibly improves in his presence even though his dwindles. The alarm bells sounded, State Police, Sherriff’s, privately militarized Draycon Exploration security forces — under Jackson’s direction — chase Kara and her family onto indigenous lands.
The chase is broadcast by a few tribal teens on social media, and several of the once-complacent town-folk who feared Jackson’s murderous rule, are outraged by the her actions and rally others to Kara’s cause..to free Kara, and return her to her family. A standoff ensues…only to be broken by the mystical intervention of Catch’s herd — as he and Kara lay together, near death.
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Brad’s Producer Interview Experience
What I learned doing this assignment was the creative clarity that leaps out from the line of questioning.
My partner, Lisa Define, has a brilliant story idea and through the interaction following the proposed format, we’ve enhanced what I feel to be a wonderful story with a powerful female-driven character (think MAD MAX with Charlize Theron).
The assignment has been a gift — and while I’m late in posting this to the forums, we conducted this and our follow on Lesson 7 assignment in late May. Since then additional ideas to shape this powerful feature have come up and I’m excited to see what path it may take for development into something we can all enjoy on the silver screen!
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Hello, I’ve posted the assignment here and look forward to feedback.
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This sequence is at the mid-point of the 2nd Act in AKLA-RA, THE QUEST FOR THE CAPRA CRYSTAL, a four-time awarded and nominated Action-Fantasy script in Hollywood.
The Council of Colonies at Crystal City is under bombardment — its leaders struggling to determine who sabotaged their defence systems.
Meanwhile, their survival rests deep within earth’s bowels — in the hands of a mishappen teen, Kaal Koda, the Capra Crystal Carrier. His Soul is the only one capable of harnessing the crystal…An almighty power source which, if discovered and returned to Crystal City, would prevent all out war.
Having arrived at a dead end, Kaal, his sister, and quest crew assembled for his protection, find themselves cutoff from the surface and bracing for attack — heavily outnumbered by a vicious ghoul army sent to capture Kaal and feast on the rest.
Thing is, Kaal has another problem — if he engages in battle to fight protect his newfound friends, his pure Soul’s karma will be tarnished…and with it, dashing all hope to save his civilization.
LOW ORBIT – ABOVE AKLARIA
SCRONK! The Command Ship clears the StarGate when — KA-KAM!
INT. SYTHEREA TOWER – WAR ROOM – DAY
The place TREMBLES from explosions in the City. Debris falls.
AIDE TO CHIEF KARTH
Chief! Saboteurs have blown our–
FWA-BOOM! A blast outside cuts him off.
AKLARIAN GENERAL
(staring in disbelief)
How did Letharian Cruisers pass the galactic barrier undetected and materialize in our atmosphere?
COUNCILLOR MOREA’S PROJECTION (O.S.)
Aklaria, Srivansar and Kranon Colonies…are all under attack!?
The HOLO-CONFERENCE goes berserk with warnings, as —
EXT. SYTHEREA TOWER
Air defense batteries keep THUD-THUD-THUDDING away. More EXPLOSIONS rock Crystal City…and if all hell wasn’t breaking loose before, it is now.
INT. SYTHEREA TOWER – WAR ROOM
Chief Karth carefully absorbs the information.
AKLARIAN GENERAL
Aklaria’s energy coils are —
QUEEN MORA
(matter-of-factly)
— Being targeted to dismantle our communication and support systems.
Mora grabs Karth’s hand. Amid the chaos, she is focussed and charismatic. As if there’s something she needs…
QUEEN MORA
(almost pleading)
Husband, if there’s any hope to save all of Aklaria…
(her eyes implore him)
We must deploy The Weapon.
She caresses Karth’s cheek…KA-KUNG! More blasts. Furious, he SNAPS the AKLARIAN ANKH AMULET from his neck.
Staring at Mora, tapping the AMULET to his CALIBRATION KEY, shooting out a translucent RIPPLE WAVE from each.
CHIEF KARTH
By my order and station, I am activating Aklaria’s Crystalline Solar Ray!
PRE-LAP: KA-DA, KA-DA, DUM! KA-DA, KA-DA, DUM!
EXT. AKLARIAN BOUNDARY – TOP OF MOUNT GAIA – DUSK
KA-DA, KA-DA, DUM! Battle drums echo across the valley…
Like the tongues of hell, spires of smoke and flames roil skyward around Crystal City…Armageddon has arrived.
As the dark band of night slips across Aklaria —
WHIRPHASH! A sound SHATTERS the air. The VIOLET LIGHT RAY fires from the Great Pyramid to the Crystal Moon, where it deflects over the horizon, RIPPING onward to…
EXT. SRIVANSAR TAMIL TEMPLE – DAY
Hand to hand combat. SRIVASNAR SHIPS stream into the fray. Temple Doors burst open. Troops clash with Raptors. Ground Silos slide back. ARCHERS rise and loose arrows.
EXT. EARTH’S ORBIT – ABOVE SRIVANSAR TEMPLE – DAY
The Ray GLINTS. Like a pinprick of light slashing across the sky, it grows bigger. Homing in on its target —
EXT. SRIVANSAR TEMPLE – DAY
SHRILL! A HIGH PITCH pierces the air, when — Ships and Sky Bikes spiral to Earth…FLASH — PHA-WHAKOOM!. A MUSHROOM CLOUD’S rings fan out, swallowing everything in its wake.
Drowning at the CRIES of millions of souls, scorching the earth for hundreds of miles in either direction…
Damage done, the RAY retracts over the horizon.
INT. INNER EARTH CAVERN – SENTRA LAKESHORE
Unaware of the tragedy unfolding on the surface, in the dim torchlight, Kaal follows his new friends and Spec Ops security team as they scramble across the black beach…
Fleeing from danger in the water.
INT. INNER EARTH – A MASSIVE CAVERN
SHRIEKS from Ghouls at the lake…
KAAL
Hurry! They’re catching up!
They hit a dead end. Job scowls —
JOB
Give me two minutes and two troops. I’ll set a diversion over by —
RANGER
No. We are outnumbered and outgunned. Defensive perimeter! Use the boulders! Everyone, get ready.
JOB
Don’t like it. We’re too exposed.
Kaal reaches for Ranger’s gun but the wise warrior tries calming Kaal’s determination —
RANGER
You know the Prophecy’s Perils. Your purpose is too great, Kaal…
KAAL
I’m not hiding while all of you battle for our safety! Getting the Capra Crystal is my destiny. So it’s my fight too, Ranger.
MARTINA
Listen to Ranger. We depend on it.
SCRAWK! GHOUL CRIES! Panawei points to a crevice for him to hide. Ranger nods agreement —
RANGER
Martina, take this. Keep Kaal safe.
Scared, she palms the NEUTRINO BALL in her hand. Summoning all the courage a Head Nurse of Aklaria should have…
Ranger leaps, SOARING to a precipice, calling back —
RANGER
If they swarm, twist, throw and run…fast.
With that, Martina motions her fuming brother back into —
INT. CREVICE
KA-BUM! Kaal spies a Company of Letharian High Guards, their PULSE RIFLES at the ready, escort the gruesome Ghoul Army. Hunched over and dozens deep. Some scurry up walls like cockroaches. Waiting to strike —
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
Job coolly drops his bulging weapons satchel, while Roku, the five-strong Spec Ops squad, Martina and Panawei draw arms.
RANGER
(lifting Sword and Staff)
For Aklaria!
SCRAAWWWK! The Ghouls close ranks and charge —
I/E. CREVICE
Kaal HUFFS. PHWISH! Panawei looses arrows of white light —
ALL AT ONCE
And for the world!
Her arrows skewer Ghouls to the ceiling. SCREECH! Several writhe and fall. CRUSHING some of their comrades below…
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
Martina and Roku BLAST away with harmonic pistols — PHHZT! They vaporize targets — Teeth GNASH, Ghouls SCREECH, Guards FIRE, Ranger’s blade SLASHES, Arrows FLY, and —
Maniacal Ghouls SWARM when — The sound of a JET TURBINE spools up, drowning out their BATTLE CRIES.
Then, a massive VOLLEY OF FIRE erupts in response —
INT. CREVICE
Ghouls flash past Kaal’s hiding place as he watches Job work the PLASMA THRESHER CANNON.
Its silver, cigar-shaped fuselage with portals splash blue liquid as its White Ray vaporizes the ghastly beasts —
JOB
(heckling)
Come on! Come on!
Kaal sees a Guard belly-crawling to Job in his blind spot —
KAAL
By your left–
Job spin-fires, zapping it. He slaps Roku’s back, grins at Kaal and pulls out two Blue Crystal Balls. Off Kaal’s look —
JOB
It’s not the size that counts…
(geniunely)
Now, let’s turn the tides.
Ghouls SCREECH and SNAP, only a few meters away now…
KAAL
Job, throw them! Now!
He throws and — KA-THUD! The fighting halts for a moment.
Everything in ten meters is held in a White-Blue Jelly Dome.
KAAL
Gigantic…Stasis balls…?
In suspension, a Marauder’s eyes track Job fist-pump the air.
JOB
I’ve got the finest around!
KAAL
Can I get a pair?
JOB
They’re one of a kind my friend.
ROKU
Ahem. Gentlemen?
BANG! Ranger lands on another ledge. Enemy follow him, and —
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN – LEDGE ABOVE BOULDERS
Ranger expertly fends off a pair of Guards and Ghouls.
KAAL
Ranger, let me help!
WHAP! THOCK! Martina shoots a High Guard climbing toward him, as — A Ghoul leaps down onto Panawei, but Job ELBOWS it —
JOB
Unhh!!!
Its large FANGS sink deep into his shoulder, before —
THWAK! Panawei Spears its eye with her bow. Job drops, bleeding…Three Ghouls SMASH FIST Panawei. Recovering, she — THWIFF! THWIFF! THWIFF! Sends three arrows into their hearts.
INT. INNER EARTH – OPPOSITE CAVE LEDGE
CRACK! Three Spec Ops pour fire onto enemy — FWAP! KUNK!
JONROK
Sergeant! We’re pinned — UNH!
Jonrok’s Sergeant kneels. Firing one-handed, he checks over the fist-sized hole, now steaming from his Captain’s torso…
SPEC OPS SERGEANT (INTO COMMS)
Alpha here. Captain’s hit!
JONROK (INTO COMMS)
Bravo…Split off….to cover —
BRAVO CORPORAL (OVER COMMS)
On our way!
The Sergeant Dual-Wields Jonrok’s rifle, MOWING down enemy.
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
KAKA-KONG! Letharian Rifle Shells EXPLODE, sending the Bravo team flying. AIYEEE! Ghouls quickly tear into the squad.
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN – NEAR KAAL
Enemy Lasers strafe between Kaal, Roku, and Martina.
KAAL
(re: Job)
Martina!
Nurse skills kicking in, she runs over in the fray. Job struggles, FIRING at the demons drawing near…blood gushing.
WHA-THUM, WHA-THUM, WHA-THUM! The ground TREMBLES…
INT. INNER EARTH – SENTRA LAKESHORE
Eclipsing the Army, shadowy shapes the size of Mangrian homes appear and stop. They unleash a ghastly ROAR — MARAUDERS!
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
The monstrous, humanoid beasts with recessed white eyes set in oversized skulls, and four muscular arms swinging boulders from Kangrian chains, advance like a rolling THUNDER…
RANGER
(wide-eyed, leaping down)
Everyone! Peel back!
Ranger’s Staff SMASHES down, activating PINK LIGHT from its Crystal. Sweeping it like an axe, he BLOWS them back, as —
INT. CREVICE
Kaal leaps out, resolved to help, and —
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
WHAMO! A chain wraps around Kaal’s legs and KUNK! He FALLS. SHUNK! A Ghoul’s clawed talons sink deep into his thigh….
KAAL
YARGH!
CRUNCH! Roku spaps its neck. Kaal frees himself from the chains as the Marauder raises its foot to squash him…SPLAT! Its head explodes, courtesy of a pulse blast from Martina —
KAAL
Thanks, ‘sis. Ungh! The hell…?
His ankle is pinched in a rock. As he tries freeing it —
MARTINA (O.S.)
ACK! NO! Kaal! Help!!
Kaal’s head snaps up to see —
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN – CLEARING IN BOULDERS
HISS! Salivating Ghouls encircle Martina and Job. A group shreds his Thresher Cannon to pieces…
SNAP! One clamps down on Martina’s leg, YANKING her back!
MARTINA
No! Job!! Kaal!!! Help!!!!
Job picks some off, but dozens more Ghouls descend on Martina, knocking HER GUN away. It SKITTERS off the rocks.
YIPPING and SCREECHING, they drag her off like wild dogs.
Panawei looses a FURY of arrows, barely making a dent, as —
Kaal reaches for Martina’s gun, when — Roku arm blocks Kaal.
ROKU
You cannot, Carrier. You must not.
KAAL
Are you crazy!?! We need to save —
Roku holds Kaal at bay, nonchalantly picking off targets. Panawei swoops in. She NOCKS an arrow in her bow, aiming —
MARTINA
(under a pile of Ghouls)
Kaal! Help! Help Me!
ARGH! Painfully, Job thrusts Martina’s gun into Kaal’s hand. His eyes bore into Kaal as Martina’s SCREAMS ring out–
JOB
Prophecy be damned! Use this now!
Kaal starts, then hesitates. Oracle warned him not to engage.
KAAL
(furious and conflicted)
Ahhh! I can’t!
Job, GASPING, stuffs it in his WAIST BAND and shoots Ghouls. They’re being overrun —
KAAL
Panawei! Go after Martina!
Panawei cranks around and her sword BLURS, HACKING hordes of enemy as she carves a path to Martina —
RANGER
YEEAARGGH!
Above, two Marauders SMACK Ranger against a wall. His Crystal fades as the hope of everyone’s survival dims with it, but —
Job swiftly extends a silver tube from his satchel…TONE LOCK! He JAMS the button glyph and, PHA-WOOSH! Off it goes —
Martina’s SCREAM is joined with those of the remaining Spec Ops members…being devoured under a sea of Ghouls.
KAAL
Noooo!
RROAARRRK! Two Marauders guarding the Ghouls with Martina, beat their chests like a gorilla, when —
Job’s HEEM ROCKET blows off ones face, sending it cartwheeling —
Ranger Lung Pao leaps, veins GLOWING, and POWER SMASHES the other Marauder’s jaw, but —
It bear hugs Ranger, and they topple to the ground —
Job and Roku FIRE — WHACK! WHACK! Down the Ghouls go, when —
Kaal’s eye MIRRORS Ranger headbutted with CRUSHING force.
Job slaps a patch on his wound as — Ranger SLAMS his Staff’s Energy Ball. A blinding FLASH! Ghouls and Marauders SHRIEK, temporarily stunned —
RANGER
Everyone retreat! I’ll get Marti–
RROOAARRWWLL! He’s cutoff by a horrific roar. Ghouls and Marauders stop and part ranks.
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN – A LARGE BOULDER
The Ghoul Leader drags a brutally battered and bloody Martina by the hair to the top…she’s not moving. Kaal starts over —
KAAL
Careful! Don’t shoot!
GHOUL LEADER
(slithery)
Surrender!
Surrounded by his legion, the Leader’s eyes fix on Kaal, don’t test me…He JERKS Martina’s head and slowly licks her neck with a forked tongue.
Staring at Kaal, his single fang taps her jugular…blood runs out. Martina YELPS! It’s too much for Kaal —
KAAL
Wait! It’s me you want! Wait!
Martina SQUIRMS, cringing as the vile thing laps her blood.
KAAL
I am the Capra Crystal Carrier. Just let her go! Trade her life for glory…
GHOUL LEADER
(raspy)
We’ve not gorged on tender surface flesh for some time…
KAAL
I swear on my Soul’s bond to Aklaria. You–you can have all the power you want! Take me! Just spare her and my friends.
GHOUL LEADER
(looks around, cackling)
Your fate is not a path you can fight!
The others, revolted by the scene, brace for battle…
PANAWEI – TELEPATHICALLY
Kaal, remember! No matter the cost–
KAAL
Get out of my head, Panawei!
(to Ghoul Leader)
I’ll comply! It’s much easier if I cooperate…Imagine the power–
The Leader SNIFFS Martina’s blood, then lifts her by the neck…GURGLING, she kicks futilely in the air.
KAAL
No, wait. It doesn’t have to be —
The Leader vaunts his arms as if to woe an arena crowd —
GHOUL LEADER
Look at this paltry child! The sole hope for almighty Aklaria rests on
(puffs chest to Kaal)
A weak! Puny! Incompetent boy!
KAAL
Please! Love is the Only Reality…
SHUDDERING, Martina’s bloodied eyes lock on Kaal… The swaggering Leader makes a “slice” motion across his neck —
GHOUL LEADER
(hissing)
Time for dinner, boy!
Martina’s eyes flutter open. To Kaal across the expanse–
MARTINA
(recounting Kaal’s ethos)
W-w-we are One! No One is Separate.
Calculating, she draws the Light Ball, blinking recognition.
KAAL
No. Martina! No don’t!
Confused, the Leader turns to her. Realization dawns —
GHOUL LEADER
What’s this?! No! It cannot be!
MARTINA
(lovingly)
I am proud of you, little brother.
Kaal’s mouth opens to scream, but…she twists the Ball —
MARTINA
(whispering)
For Aklaria, Kaal. I love y-
FWACKA-BOOM! A blinding flash and — BAM! They’re violently blown back.
INT. INNER EARTH – CAVERN
Time SLOWS for Kaal. His ears RING, and a bloodcurdling CRY escapes from his mouth…
KAAL
No!!!
Shattered, TREMBLING, he stares at the smouldering space she’d been. Ghoul survivors SCREECH. Warily, Kaal notices the GUN in Job’s belt —
ROKU
(shaking him and firing)
Kaal! Come on!
KAAL
(delirious, not budging)
They’re all dead because of me…
As Job & Roku blast away, he slides the gun into his tunic…
EXT. KRANON – A SUMMER’S MEADOW – DAY – FLASHBACK
YOUNG KAAL, 4, sits crosslegged on the grass. He winces up at Manus’ wise face. But it’s in shadow, the sun is at his back.
KAAL
Martina and Ra-Eki said there’s wolves fighting inside me, Papa.
MANUS
(tussling Kaal’s hair)
Hmm. What else did they say, Kaal?
KAAL
That my tummy will burst! Do I have wolves inside me, Papa?
Manus leans forward into the sunlight.
MANUS
Your sisters told you a metaphor, son. The White Wolf is connected to the Creator of All Things. She represents Love, Compassion, Joy, and Abundance. She, empowers you.
KAAL
And the other one?
MANUS
Ahh….The Black Wolf. Our Ego. He represents Greed, Envy, Fear, Hate, Revenge. He, consumes you.
KAAL
Then…who wins the fight?
Manus draws back in shadow again.
MANUS
Whichever Wolf you feed, son.
END FLASHBACK
INT. INNER EARTH – PASSAGE
Alarmed, Ranger DRAGS Kaal through the tight passage, opened wider by the explosion.
RANGER
(to Everyone)
Up ahead! To the light — quickly!
Panawei nudges Kaal, and they crab crawl through an opening —
EXT. INNER EARTH – LAVA CHAMBER – CONTINUOUS
RIVERS OF LAVA finger out. PISHHT! Steam fissures flash.
Three tracking Ghouls squeeze through. PHZT! PHZT! Roku and Panawei drop two, mortally wounding the other.
ROKU
They will not follow. The light and heat is simply too great.
Staring at the creature, Kaal, SNARLING, wipes blood from his chin. It’s now or never, and if looks could kill…
As if in trance, he walks to the wounded Ghoul. It HISSES and Kaal SNAPS! WHACK! Kaal CRASHES down on its eyes with both legs. HOWL! The Ghoul lashes out in pain —
KAAL
You’re going to pay for everything!
Kaal’s mouth FOAMS as he satisfyingly pistol WHIPS the Ghoul with one hand, PUMMELLING its face with the other.
IN KAAL’S HEAD, GLIMPSES of — his father, beheaded. His mother, slaughtered. Kaal’s little sister wailing, “Mommy!”. Martina, sacrificing herself.
ROKU (O.S.)
Kaal, no! Stop at once!
SQUAWK! Blood flies —
KAAL
I can’t save them! I can never save them! You took them all from me!!!
The Ghoul is barely alive….Ranger grabs Kaal mid-swing.
RANGER
Kaal!
His VOICE rocks Kaal back. Kaal’s shoulders slump. PANTING and straddling the Ghoul, its defiant glare fades as it dies.
Panawei shares a grave look with Ranger.
ROKU (O.S.)
(softly)
Ranger, Job needs you.
Behind her, Job crumples from blood loss.
PANAWEI
Go Roku, comfort the Carrier.
(sees Roku hesitate)
I have enough strength…
In the lava’s RED LIGHT, Kaal stares at his bloodied hands —
KAAL
(distant)
I never wanted this…If it didn’t, she’d still be alive and we —
Roku touches his shoulder. Her way of saying “I’m sorry”.
ROKU
…Would be helpless to save the Aklaria your family loved, and for which they have sacrificed so much.
KAAL
Did they train all the emotion out of you, Roku!?
Roku, unpracticed, hugs him and finds she’s fumbling with feelings about Kaal and her identity.
ROKU
We…We are your family now, Kaal.
Kaal hugs her back, exposing a comfort desperately needed.
Their eyes meet, and WHISPS OF DARK SMOKE SWHIRL in his!
ROKU
(recoiling)
Kaal! The Perils of the Prophecy! Your Karma! It is stained by the —
JOB (O.S.)
— Let the boy be, Roku…
Job limps over as Kaal looks at everyone in shame.
The gravity of his actions sinking in —
KAAL
(wrestling with it)
I…I’ve…jeopardized everything.
The smoke in his eyes has vanished, but the damage is done.
The Carrier’s purity is gone forever…and with it, all hope for Aklaria’s survival.
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Brad’s Key Business Decisions
What I learned during this assignment is the wherewithal a writer must have in order to understand the critical business components the story they create has upon the financing and box office success of their film. This critical knowledge allows me as a writer to better converse with the producer, and align their goals with the story in order to make it as easy as possible to be financed, attach talent, shoot, and market. As they say, “teamwork makes the dreamwork” and a clearer understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and critical needs of the producer helps make everything flow that more easily.
1. Give us the decisions that are in your current High Budget script:
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Title: AKLA-RA, The Quest for the Capra Crystal
Concept: When the leader of an evil alien army slaughters our helpless hero’s family, our hero must find and activate an all-powerful crystal to repel the ruthless forces terrorizing his world.
Audience: Four Quadrant
Budget: $100MM
Lead Characters: Kaal Koda, The Prince
Journey / Character Arc: In this coming of age story, Kaal is the reluctant hero taken from a selfish teen interested in exploring other worlds for himself, to making the ultimate sacrifice in order to save his galaxy.
Opening / Ending: We open upon the Creation of the Universes, watching Earth take its form among the Cosmos, and learn of the Spiritual belief systems embraced by the multi-ethnic civilizations living in this world. We end with a celebration of all the civilizations coming together, living in harmony, singing a Universal song, praising the peace bestowed upon the galaxy.
2. Tell us which of those decisions you could improve to make your script more marketable.
With exception to pairing down shooting locations around the globe, and instead use a green screen, I’m certainly having difficulty with this one as it requires a degree of CGI in order to take us into a new world with various characters and hybrid life forms. In the indie world we can 3D print and paint costumes for a fraction of the cost a big studio can, and literally pull off the same effect on camera. What’s more, we can erect on a sound stage multiple sets to save location shoots, and with Set Dec encapsulate the feel of the location, while simultaneously with various camera angles shoot it to feel wider in scope and grandeur than being on location in a massive national park or the Grand Canyon.
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Brad’s Specialty- Action
What I learned doing this assignment is I was entirely unaware of the specific conventions of each genre, and how to maintain those front and centre. The clarity is awesome. Maintaining this awareness helps sharpen my analytical approach to other films in this genre, and similarly maintain an awareness on my own writings to insure cohesiveness.
MOVIE 1 – Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Title: Star Wars – A New Hope
How it delivered on the genre conventions: This first movie in the Star Wars Universe (the fourth chronologically) swept away the conventions of action given the intergalactic struggle between rebel forces, our young teen protagonist, Luke SkyWalker, and the almighty Empire led by Darth Vader, and his superior, Grand Moff Tarkin.
Outline of the movie, highlighting the parts that fulfill the genre:
This coming of age story shows Luke Skywalker, a teen protagonist, initially yearn for adventure, then in classic Hero’s Journey style, discovers he’s the Chosen One – a son of a Jedi Knight – who can harness the power of The Force and leverage it to turn the tide of events and help defeat The Empire’s planet-destroying weapon, the Death Star. Throughout the film a series of escalating challenges – being searched for by The Empire, engaging in battles, and attempting to overcome his own greatest fears and anger at the slaughter of his family (at the hands of the Empire) – all while attempting to become the Jedi Knight he was destined to while helping fight for freedom.
MOVIE 2 – Genre: Action, Thriller
Title: SkyFall
How it delivered on the genre conventions:
This is the 23rd film in the Bond franchise which won two Oscars, two BAFTA’s, and two Grammy’s. It is the first in the Bond franchise to break $1Billion at the worldwide box office, and first feature ever to break $1Billion at the UK box office.
Outline of the movie, highlighting the parts that fulfill the genre:
We’re immediately thrust into Bond’s world with an action-packed beginning as he chases a terrorist whose stolen NATO’s NOC list of all undercover operatives that have infiltrated terrorist organizations across the world. The first ten minutes end with Bond being shot by his own agent upon M’s orders, and turning up later to be seen battling alcoholism, misuse of prescription drugs, and spiralling downwards.
He returns to MI6 after its headquarters are blown in a terrorist attacked. Surprised as they’d presumed him dead, Bond is forced to take the qualification tests to return to active duty, fuelled by rage for not having completed his original mission — and seeing public executions of the undercover agents broadcast on the web. Bond is physically unfit for duty, yet M covers for him, and sends him on to track down the terrorist responsible for stealing the NATO NOC list and the attack on MI6.
Meanwhile, Bond continually finds himself recovering much slower than normal, with subtext arranged throughout the film as to his ability to carry out his mission as an ‘old dog’ in a ‘new age’ world (Bond meets Q, the new QuarterMaster, who tells him he can do more harm in his pyjamas with his laptop in his kitchen before drinking his first morning cup of Earl Gray than Bond can do in the field with a gun). This storyline continues to be woven through the film, casting Bond’s breed of spy as a relic no longer suited to the new world of terrorism and modern-day threats against Great Britain.
Bond proves them all wrong, showing his brains, braun, fast-acting wit, and decisive action are exactly what’s required when legions of mercenaries and the villain himself chase him across the world, into the heart of London, and finally ending at SkyFall — the Scottish Manor where Bond grew up…the home where his parents where killed, he was raised as an orphan…
Ultimately, it is where Bond’s matriarchal figure in his life, M, meets her death – dying in his arms, giving him the forgiveness he needs. Yet it sets Bond on a resolved course to continue to serve his country and we meet the new M, the former Chairman of the Intelligence Committee whom at the beginning had tried to have Bond and the “Double-O” program scuttled.
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Brad’s LinkedIN Profile is Amazing!
Hi everyone, What I’ve learned during this assignment is the exact breakdown of how to align your profile to Producer’s needs which make them feel at ease with your capability to possibly work with them in their genre.
I’ve updated my LinkedIN as much as possible at the moment and reached out to folks to provide written endorsements and recommendations..
Quick question: How can we add ScreenwritingU to the Education field?
It only shows for me “Western Colorado University” to add…
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Brad’s Credibility is Going Up!
In the next 30 days I’ll add 100 targeted producers and multiple screenwriting managers in my genre to my profile, plus complete this course and go to market to gain Paid Writing Assignments and Representation by a Screenwriting Manager.
What I’ve learned is more critical steps to the overall self-marketing approach using front-facing tools and tactics to uptick my credibility before approaching the industry.
CREDIBILITY CHECKLIST
1. My Writing Sample
‘Recommend’ from Coverage
—> NOT RECEIVED
Delivers on the genre in a strong way
—> YES
Delivers on the business decisions
—> UNCERTAIN HOW TO ANSWER THIS ? –
2. Screenwriting Accomplishments
– Contest wins
—> 1 FINALIST AND 6 SEMI TO QUARTERFINALIST PLACEMENTS
– Smaller deals (options, sales, writing assignments)
—> 2 SCRIPTS OPTIONED TO AN OSCAR & EMMY WINNING PRODUCTION COMPANY
– Larger deals
—> NO
– Movies produced
—> NONE
3. The Google factor
Google your name. How many of items on the first page show you as a professional screenwriter?
—> THREE – IMDB, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN
Buzz posts, interviews, news reports, etc..
—> NONE YET
4. Your Network
How many producers are in your network?
—> FEW – THAT WILL CHANGE
How many Connections do you have who are connected to producers?
—> FEW – THAT WILL CHANGE
5. Education specific to screenwriting
– Degree in film or screenwriting
—> BATCHELOR OF ARTS
– Master Screenwriter Certificate program at ScreenwritingU
—> NO
6. Borrowed Credibility
– Represented by an agent or manager
—> NO
– Working with a producer
—> YES
– Connected to a star
—> NO
– Connected to a funding source
—> NO
7. IMDB CREDITS
—> YES, OVER A DOZEN IMDB FILM CREDITS
Go to [url=”http://imdb.com/”]http://IMDB.com[/url] and search your name.
What credits show up there for you?
8. Other forms of credibility that is related to screenwriting:
– Novels published
—> NONE
– Producer or director experience
—> YES
– Experience working with agencies, production companies, film festivals, etc..
—> NO
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
Brad Wozny.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
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Hello from Vancouver, BC everyone!
Brad Wozny here, I’ve written 4 feature scripts and in the middle of outlining a short and co-writing a treatment for a feature with another writer…
I’m currently “moonlighting” as an Assistant Director (Full-time LOL to pay the bills) up here in Hollywood North, shooting films ‘for others’ until landing paid writing gigs which – hey! This is all about! Whoohoo!!
(Definitely an unusual path for sure, right!)
I’ve done some indie film directing as well (wearing all the hats from prepping, shooting, editing and scoring)…directing is something I’m uber passionate about – hence my desire to combine writing & directing as my long-term profession.
During this class, I look forward to contributing insights to others’ projects, and refining my personal writing pitch to elevate myself in this industry to be a highly paid, award-winning screenwriter & Directorwhose projects elevate humanity.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Cheers,
Brad-
This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
Brad Wozny.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
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Brad Wozny’s Projects & Insights
Hello everybody,
The two projects I’m bringing to the class are:
1) AKLA-RA: The Quest for the Capra Crystal – When a helpless teen on ancient earth sees his parents murdered, he searches for a powerful crystal to conquer the evil leader of an invading army terrorizing his peaceful world.
This is a $100MM budget with IP in the works…I’ve received several nominations and awards for this script, plan to use it as a writing sample to put forward.
2) SPIRIT HORSE: A Tale of Two Souls – Inspired by True Events: A dying girl in Big Sky Country races to save her brother from a fascist regime bent on exploiting indigenous lands for profit.
This is a $5M-$10M budget film, cast dependent. The script’s received a nomination already, and I plan to present this as a writing sample as well.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
Brad Wozny.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
Brad Wozny.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by
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Lisa you’re too generous with the accolades – I THANK YOU for the creative insights and well conceived ideas you’ve manifested into this iteration of the treatment!
Wonderful, wonderful work and deeply appreciated!!!!
Cheers,
Brad
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Thank you thank you thank you!!:-)
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Same question as well…interested if/when there is an answer.
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