[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna’s Character Depth

What I learned doing this assignment is the more depth and flaws that characters have in their past and present, the more conflict they will have with other characters.

Character 1: Andrew

Internal Character Depth

Motivation: Respect. To make his family proud of him.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Secret: He didn’t qualify for this job, his parents bought his
way in.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Wound: His parents were always gone and all he wants from
them is time, love.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subtext: He became an alcoholic and went to rehab without
others knowing.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Layers: He was kicked out of his ivy league school for
fighting. He’s close to siblings.

Character to character

Conflict: Spoiled and arrogant, he doesn’t think he needs the
job, does minimum.

Hidden
Agenda: To take all the credit for his
teams discoveries.

Conspiracy: Between him and his boss that he paid off, that he
will get credit for discoveries made.

Intrigue:
He’s physically and emotionally
strong. Tough and not emotional.

Character Situation

Dilemma: Quitting versus sticking it out when things get hard.

Secret
Identity: Someone who always does what
is expected, not his dreams.

Character 2: Jessica

Internal Character Depth

Motivation: To make the world a better place.

Secret:
She was attacked by her old
boss and fired when she fought back.

Wound:
She needs this job and money to
support her son.

Subtext:
She has imposter syndrome.

Layers:
She has worked hard for
everything she has, she’s smart and talented.

Character to character

Conflict:
Wants to expose the truth when
the team finds a cover-up.

Hidden
Agenda: Sabotage her teammate when she
finds out he went to school with her old boss.

Conspiracy: Between her and Rider, to be the last two standing.

Intrigue:
She is a science nerd, smart
and a survivor.

Character Situation

Dilemma:
Leave to get back home or help
the others get out of a trap.

Secret
Identity: A mom who will do anything to
protect her child.

Character 3: Rider

Internal Character Depth

Motivation: To be successful and rich.

Secret:
He used to be a hacker, he went
to jail for hacking government documents.

Wound: His best friend sold him out to the cops.

Subtext:
He pretends not to care but has
a soft spot for the underdog.

Layers:
He doesn’t trust easily, he was
burned. Hates authority. He wants love.

Character to character

Conflict:
He doesn’t play be the rules or
play well with others.

Hidden
Agenda: To make a deal for himself
(hidden from team).

Conspiracy:
To destroy the group findings
to clean his record.

Intrigue:
Can hack into just about
anything.

Character Situation

Dilemma:
Betray the team or risk going
down with them for telling the truth.

Secret
Identity: A relative of one of the people
who were killed.

Character 4: Agent Pierce

Internal Character Depth

Motivation: To stop the truth from getting out to the public.

Secret: He made a mistake years ago that caused deaths.

Wound:
His wife divorced him because
of his job.

Subtext:
His loneliness, he hides it by
working nonstop.

Layers:
He wanted a family and kids.

Character to character

Conflict:
He will do almost anything to
keep his past in the past.

Hidden
Agenda: To retire a hero and get his ex-wife
back.

Conspiracy:
Between him and his agency, to
get rid of the scientists.

Intrigue:
He has years of experience,
good at his job.

Character Situation

Dilemma:
Kill innocent people or watch
his secret come out.

Secret
Identity: the ultimate
professional, his life is his work, he always delivers.

Conflicts that Emerge:

– Andrew thinks he’s better that his coworkers, tries to take credit for their collective work.

– Jessica gets out of traps but has to choose to either go home to her son or help her coworkers get out of situations safely.

– Rider is manipulative and looks out for himself.

– Agent Pierce is desperate to keep his secret and will kill to keep it that way.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna’s Right Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that for a contained movie to be successful, the characters need to have a lot of conflict with each other and opposing views to keep the tension high throughout the film.

Think
about your Concept Hook and Contained Setting.

Characters are a team of scientists and a government agent.

With
each of your main characters, how can they uniquely fit with the Hook?

Scientist #1 is a carefree ivy league grad.

Scientist #2 is a single mother with a young son, her parents are babysitting him.

Scientist #3 is a tough loner who doesn’t like to follow the rules.

Government agent is stern and determined.

Thinking
about the conflict that hook creates, how does each main character enhance
or cause that conflict?

Scientist #1 is always curious and must solve the mysteries they meet.

Scientist #2 wants to make the world a better place for her son, she acts on emotions.

Scientist #3 has a strong sense of self preservation over helping the group.

Government agent is the ultimate professional, his life is his work, he always delivers.

Tell
us what makes these characters the “right ones” for this story?

Scientist #1 is hard wired for science and riddles. They like to be mentally stimulated and get bored when others aren’t as intelligent. They come from a rich family and they have had every advantage in life.

Scientist #2 is watchful resourceful. She has worked hard for everything that she has and wants to make the most of her opportunities.

Scientist #3 is prone to betrayal if it serves their own interest. They got through life by stepping on and manipulating others.

Government agent has no real family, no home, he is a nomad who goes where he is needed to complete his assignments. He takes great pride in being the best at his job. He comes from a military family of disciplinarians who moved around a lot.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna’s Great Hooks

A. The process worked well for me. I wrote all five concepts in contained locations with a few characters. I presented all five ideas to family and friends, and many of them liked two concepts. I have found that three of them will work best, and I picked the concept with the majority vote. I will try to circle back and develop the other two concepts at a later date.

B. I learned that exchanging a few component in a movie idea can generate totally different concept ideas.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna’s Guidelines for LEGALLY BLONDE

What I learned doing this assignment is that many locations, cast, crew and extras can greatly decrease a film’s budget if certain scenes are cut down or eliminated.

Part 1

I chose the story idea with just over a handful of people because it would require the least amount of actors. The large location would offer a lot of space and a variety of rooms. The film would require very little hair and make-up, with practically no extras as well.

I can write a pitch about it since it is a simple story with just a few characters. The setting and backstory of the area will be the unique part of the film.

Part 2

TITLE: Legally Blonde

AS THEY DID IT:

A. People – Elle and her boyfriend, her sorority sisters, Elle’s parents, Harvard law department students, Harvard orientation students, courtroom defendant, professors, nail shop employees.

B. Stunts – Nail shop dance.

C. Extras – Law students in around campus and in classrooms, sorority sisters that lived in the house and helped Elle study, Harvard admissions team, retail employees, courtroom attendees.

D. Wardrobe – extensive outfits for Elle (both relaxed and conservative designer looks), preppy looks for students, business looks for professors, admissions committee and courtroom attendees, designer looks for sorority sisters.

E. Hair and Make Up – Polished hair, nails and make up looks for sorority girls, especially Elle.

F. Kids and Animals – Elle’s dog (who had his own wardrobe).

G. Quarantine- Had many extras in restaurant break up scene, school orientation day, classrooms, courtroom, sorority house and nail shop.

COVID GUIDELINE VERSION:

A. People – Instead of a sorority, have Elle be a struggling cosmetology student with one good friend, she gets admissions letter in the mail. The program is exclusive and offers independent study with only 5 other students. Small claims court case with just a judge, lawyers and closed to most other people.

B. Stunts – None

C. Extras – Cut out costume party scene and orientation day and restaurant break up scene. Nail shop business struggles with virtually no customers and two employees. Elle talks to her parents over video chat.

D. Wardrobe – Elle dresses nicely but the clothes are far from designer.

E. Hair and Make Up – Elle does her own hair and make up flawlessly.

F. Kids and Animals – No dog in the movie.

G. Quarantine – Turning the school into a small program limits the need for students. Removing part, restaurant scene, nail shop employees, sorority house and courtroom limits the extras and locations.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Hi, I’m Breyanna. I have written 3 scripts so far and outlined a 4th that I hope to write in the next few months. Something unique about me, I’m in grad school for electrical engineering, but I try to take one film class every semester. I hope to learn the structure of writing contained films in this class and leave with an outline for a thriller.

[Breyanna Tolbert]

Breyanna Tolbert

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