[Brandi Housel]

Brandi’s Character Interviews

What I doing this assignment is…it is fun to have perspective evolve out of conversation. My character’s unique voices are already starting to emerge. Honestly–this was a lot of fun to do.

Violet (Protagonist)

1. Tell me about yourself: I have always had a love for books. I have always wanted those sort of fantastical adventures for myself, but been afraid to truly live and seek them. When I was a teenager I went through an Arthurian legend phase. And I am not entirely sure I ever out grew it. I have always been fascinated by the occult, but this is probably the first time that I have ever admitted that. I grew up in New York but finished my studies in Chicago. And just never left, even though I have always wanted to.

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?

Why not me I suppose? I always feel like I am walking this very thin line, high up on the cliffs, right near the precipice of this great change. But for some reason, I always take a step back. I never liked heights. Yet here I am, watching all of these people around me fall over the edge into this great unknown. I feel ready. I feel like I have nothing left to lose. I feel like if I wait any longer to take a chance, I will die.

3. Samuel is really beautiful. He is exactly the type of person with whom I am not qualified to be. He is so very beyond me. I cannot for the life of me understand whatever it is that he sees in me. I spend half of our time together wondering why he is wasting his time with a hideous disaster such as myself. It’s getting over myself that it is the problem. Its impossible to believe that this mythical creature could want me.

4/5. Oh god I don’t know. I feel like I won’t make it through to the other side sometimes. I am uncomfortable even thinking about having to accept the seemingly sincerely affections, of a known insincere man. But I want to. I know that I should not. I know it is is wrong. I know that every knows that he has a girlfriend. But I need to stop knowing. I need to step outside of the internal and external judgement, and accept that wrong is only in the eye of the beholder. It is ok to put yourself first. Truly this goes against everything I believe. But I just want him so badly. I just need to not think about this too much.

6. Ooooooo. I cannot shake my own securities. Why? Why does he want me? He could be with anyone. I see the way other women look at him. I have heard the stories. And I half suspect this is one very bad man in my midst. I really don’t want to do this again. I don’t want to be humiliated by this very gorgeous and enchanting man. I don’t want to be crushed. I carry this sense of inferiority around with me. I need to let this go.

7. I can rationalize his behavior. Just not my own. I am a closeted sentimentalist. To be that way, you have to be open to some form of continued heartache. Persistence. Logic. Ability to hide things deep down inside and keep a secret.

8. I know that Samuel has a girlfriend. And I am ok with it. I willingly hurt hurt to help myself.

9/10/11/12. The conflict goes beyond my willingness to overlook and ignore the fact that I am inflicting very real hurt on someone else. I am pregnant. And it is Sam’s. Of course. I know that I need to tell him. I know that he has a right to know. I know that this could disrupt his plans, his life, whatever it his that he has going on with this other woman. I also know that I cannot give this child up. Don’t want to. I am just really scared of what he will do and say when he finds out. When I tell him. I am truly afraid that that will be it. That he will not want either of us. I can support myself and do things alone. Nothing new there. But I do not know whether or not I can let go of Sam.

Antagonist: Samuel

1: I grew up in Chicago. Both of my parents are lawyers. Successful. My father is quite a bit older than my mother. Truth be told, I spent a lot of time with my mom–we do not make the best roommates. Things were smoother living with my father. I have a lot of older half siblings. But definitely am the light of my mother’s life. My parents have pretty much afforded my life style until know. I am a bout to make the move to LA. This girl and I have been together for the past 5 years. Its dead. Or dying. She knows I am planning on moving. I did not ask her to come with me. There is no need.

2. I am game for a good time. Women are great. I am not opposed to feeling deeply for them. I am, however, wary of being tied down at this point. I have the kind of personality and face that people love to love. I am not used to rejection.

3. Listen. Violet is great. She scares me. Smart, sometimes I am not even sure what she is talking about. And she doesn’t fall at my feet. I want her to. I feel like she wants to. That scares me, too. She falls…and then what? I just got out of five years of hell. Am I ready for more? Would it be hell or something else? Violet does know how much damn fun she is missing out on. I would like to show her.

4. If I win, truly win, I get one amazing attachment free good time before I move. Add that one to the experience bag and move on to the next great thing.

5. My career is just about to start. I am desperately attracted to this woman–physically, sexually, emotionally even, but I cannot let even the glimmer of strings form round my heart and mind. I need to feel free from distraction when I move.

6. Violet cannot know that I moving and that technically, Jess and I are still together. But she also cannot know, that I do have real feelings forming for her.

7/8/9. We met at a party. Mutual friend. She looked familiar but I couldn’t place how I knew her. She told me some story about going to see a tarot reader who told her that she was about to fall madly, deeply, in illicit love with the “devil.” She laughed. I kissed her. I don’t know why. She seemed so lonely standing there against the wall. I just wanted her in that moment and many times afterwards. So I took her for myself. I can’t keep her obviously. I am moving soon. But I cannot seem to let her go either. She needs to know about….things. I need to break this off. I am not ok with the way I think about her often or the way that she looks at or how she immediately pushes me away. Lately, she seems like there is something that she wants to tell me. I am not sure that I really want to know.

[Brandi Housel]

Brandi’s Character Profile Part 2

What I learned doing this assignment is…That through doing this, I am starting to see the natural differences between my two main characters and conflict is already inherent, without even having a single seen in place.

Violet:

What draws us to this character? The dichotomy that exists within her, of being intensely logical and smart, yet filled with huge dreams and superstition. Her ability to love unconditionally.

Traits: Intelligent, superstitious, lacking self worth, lives in fantasy

Subtext: Fear of rejection by Samuel. She doesn’t want him to know badly she wants him to stay and is often dispassionate towards him.

Flaw: Her lack of self esteem.

Values: Love, forgiveness, happiness

Irony: She is a very logical person, consistently making illogical choices based of this belief that some unknown force is directing her towards Sam.

What makes this character right for this role? She is imaginative enough to want to see where this takes her, and has been disappointed and hurt enough in the past to feel like throwing caution to the wind is her best option.

Samuel:

What draws us to this character? He is incredibly charismatic. Just the right amount of bad that you want to fix, feel you can fix, but never quite can correct. His chemistry with Violet is surprisingly sincere.

Traits: Charming, emotionally dangerous, sexual, selfish

Subtext: Fear of being tied down and losing out on success because of that. Feels very threatened by Violet’s appeal.

Flaw: His selfishness.

Values: Material and career success, fun, detachment

Irony: He wishes to remain unattached to Violet, but allows himself to become increasingly involved with her.

What makes this character right for this role? He is outwardly heroic and internally villainous at times, but his charisma makes you want him to make the right choice over and over.

[Brandi Housel]

Brandi’s Character Profiles Part 1

What I learned during this assignment is… don’t get bogged down in the details. Determine character first. If you don’t immediately have an answer come back to it later.

Genre: Drama

Violet

Role in the Story: Protagonist. Dreamer/Explorer. Lonely librarian, seeking to create a fantastic life and romance for herself, like the ones she is surrounded by. Insecure, highly imaginative woman burned one too many times by men.

Age Range and description: Late 20’s/Early thirties. Unconventional and semi etherial good looks, hidden behind the affects of her occupation and low self esteem.

Internal Journey: From feeling paralyzed by indecision and fear of loss, to being able to choose loss despite fear.

External Journey: From a single, isolated librarian, to a new mother with the tenacity to seek out a more fulfilling career.

Motivation: The desire for excitement and love.

Wound: Repeated unrequited love.

Secret: She is immoral and superstitious.

Mission/Agenda: To make Samuel choose her.

What makes her special: Her ability to love deeply over and over and over again.

Samuel Leavitt

Role in the Story: Antagonist. Change Agent/Villain? Up and coming actor on the brink of success, who begins an affair with Violet.

Age Range and description: Late 20’s/Early 30’s. Cursed with both charm and classic good looks and completely aware.

Internal Journey: From cavalier, hedonistic and selfish to accepting of consequence and responsibility.

External Journey: From a fledgling actor, longing to escape a dying long term relationship, to a new father, recently cast in a film role.

Motivation: To live without attachment. To be free to make it In LA.

Wound: Not sure yet.

Secret: He is still in a relationship when he begins pursuing Violet.

Mission/Agenda: To have fun before he moves to LA.

What makes him special: His charisma and ability to enchant.

Other Characters:

Rayma: Tarot Reader

Candy: Violet’s best friend

JSB: Violet’s most recent ex

Jess: Samuel’s current girlfriend

Mrs. Leavitt: Samuel’s mother

Mr. Leavitt: Samuel’s grandfather

[Brandi Housel]

Brandi’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment…is that it is important to have an end game driven by the arc and overall transformation of your character rather then a character and story informed by the details you wish to incorporate.

Who: Violet, a morally cautious woman in her late 20’s–librarian who always errors on the better side of right.

Violet–at the lowest point of her life, emotionally crippled by several failed, lack luster relationships and thereby incapable of making a decision for herself–seeks the metaphysical guidance of a tarot reader, who’s reading facilitates a self-indulgent, hedonistic relationship in which Violet becomes almost completely lost.

Internal Journey: From feeling worthless, uncertain and lost in her loveless life to having the tenacity to love herself first and foremost and who trusts herself enough to chose–even if its the wrong choice.

External Journey: From a shy, cautious librarian to confident, new mother and dramaturg.

Old Ways

*Always looking for signs

*Low self esteem

*Working a job she likes, but lacks passion for

*Single and alone

New Ways

*Makes decisions based off of intuition

*Self worth

*Confident enough to purse a career that excites her

*New, complicated relationship with baby and baby’s dad

[Brandi Housel]

1. Name: Brandi Housel

2. I have started many scripts, but finished none.

3. I hope to develop a level of commitment that allows me to finish projects.

4. I have 6 cats and grew up in a haunted house.