[Carl Maronich]

Carl Maronich’s Character Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is there is a high value in exploring the emotional make-up of characters to allow the story to have a more authentic feel when it comes to character behavior and motivations.

The Americans –

Elizabeth Jennings:

Hope: Help Mother Russia in the Cold War vs. the U.S./Fear: Husband Phillip with defect, her children will suffer.

Want: Success on mission/Need: Loyalty from those around her.

Base Negative Emotion: Inadequacy/Public Mask: Confident wife and mother.

Weakness: Righteousness

Trigger: Disloyalty

Coping Mechanism: Kids, indignation

Stan Beeman:

Hope: He will root out criminal espionage/Fear: Failure, loss of respect

Want: Advance in the FBI/Need: To be respected

Base Negative Emotion: Self-doubt/Public Mask: Tough, always in control

Weakness: Ambition, self-loathing

Trigger: Being lied to

Coping Mechanism: Infidelity, withdrawing

Paris, Illinois

Benny Jameson –

Hope: Get to Paris to paint/Fear: Will be killed

Want: Get out of mob/Need: Freedom

Base Negative Emotion: Inadequate/Public Mask: Cool, confident

Weakness: Lack of trust, emotionally stunted

Trigger: Prejudice, bullying

Coping Mechanism: Painting

Mickey O’Connor –

Hope: Grow mob empire/Fear: Failure, death

Want: Power, money/Need: Respect, loyalty

Base Negative Emotion: Prejudice, cowardice/Public Face: Powerful, dangerous

Weakness: Need for power

Trigger: Disloyalty

Coping Mechanism: Sex, bullying

Rosa Jimenez –

Hope: Make better life for son/Fear: Will lose son

Want: Stability/Need: Financial security

Base Negative Emotion: Fear/Public Mask: Self-confidence, control

Weakness: Lack of self-confidence

Trigger: Disrespect

Coping Mechanism: Thoughts of family, humor

[Carl Maronich]

Lesson Four –

Carl Maronich’s Intriguing Character Layers

ASSIGNMENT 1:

Example show – “The Americans”

Elizabeth – She was raped by a KBG official when she was a young cadet. This is both a wound and a secret she kept from her husband.

Elizabeth – She had an affair with a fellow agent, Gregory. A secret discovered by her husband.

Phillip – Knows Stan is suspicious of them. Phillip hid the garage while Stan snuck in and examined the trunk of their car. We saw Phillip was prepared to kill Stan.

Elizabeth – She kills a neighborhood security guard.

Stan – Wants to get a head at the FBI. She up competition with Chris.

Phillip – Seems to want to keep Stan close to see what he knows.

Elizabeth/Phillip – Both have secret lives from one another. Both involved in sex with others to get information, hide cover.

Robert – Fellow KGB agent had a secret wife and baby.

KGB – They discover they have a mole in the embassy.

Nina – Russian embassy worker begins having sex with boss to get information to give to Stan.

Stan – We see he is falling for Nina, He’s jealous about how she is getting information.

ASSIGNMENT TWO:

“Paris, Illinois” – Inner Circle Characters

Benny Jameson

Role – Mob second in charge to boss Mickey O’Connor

Hidden Agenda – Wants to get out of the life. Planning to kill Mickey to be able to make a clean break.

Conspiracies – Working with regional mob bosses Mitzy Toussaint (Davenport, Iowa) and Slicker Walsh (St. Louis, Missouri) to oust Mickey.

Secret – He’s a talented painter. Going to kill Mickey to get out of the business and move to Paris, France.

Wound – Blame’s self for little brother’s death when he was 10. Violent death of his father in the rail yard.

Secret Identity – While he’s gotten away labeling himself “dark Irish” his real name is Benito Jimenez. He’s Mexican but has hidden his true identity from his prejudice boss.

Mickey “The Mackerel” O’Connor

Role – Mob boss

Hidden agendas – Taking over the Heavy Henry Katz territory as well as some territory on the northside of Chicago, behind Benny’s back.

Competition – As he gets more reckless, he senses many feel Benny should be in charge. Starts to resent Benny.

Conspiracies – Using Bootsy (another) to spy on Benny.

Secrets – Considers Benny dispensable, although says different to Benny’s face.

Wound – When Mickey was a boy, his father, mother and sister were killed by Mexican banditos when his father took the family to Mexico to strike it rich in the silver mines. Mickey escaped death by killing one of the bandits. He was then found in the desert by Hanson O’Connor. O’Connor took Mickey back to Chicago and raised him. Mickey developed a strong hatred of Mexican, although he has a strong fondness for Mexican prostitutes.

Secret Identity – He’s not Irish as he claims. He was found by Hanson O’Connor and raised Irish, but his true background is not known.

Rosa Jimenez –

Role – Prostitute. Long-lost sister of Benney Jameson (Benito Jimenez).

Hidden agenda – Gets close to Mickey O’Connor and decides to rob him and use the money to get out of prostitution and take her son away to a better life.

Secrets – She’s the long-lost sister of Benny.

Deception – Planning to rob Mickey after he confides to her about a secret stash of money he’s got.

Wound – Loss of family after father was killed in the rail yard.

Secret Identity – Benny’s long-lost sister.

[Carl Maronich]

Carl Maronich: Engaging Main Characters

Assignment 1: Sample Show is “The Americans”

Character: Elizabeth Jennings

Role in the Show: Protagonist. KGB agent planted in America to spy for Russia.

Unique Purpose/Expertise: She is highly trained elite spy sent to the U.S. to spy for America’s biggest adversary.

Intrigue: She lives a double life. On the surface, she is a regular American wife and working mother, when in fact she is a spy for Russia who has been planted in the U.S. for the express purpose to establish a “normal” identity while carrying out espionage for the USSR. Even her children do not know her true identity and the double life she and their father are living. Also in this episode we, and her husband, learn she has been having an affair with another KGB operative.

Moral Issue: We do see the struggle she has with continuing to lie to her children and the concern about what will happen to them if they are discovered. While her marriage was arranged, she is also showing signs of remorse for the affair with the fellow agent. However, she is very committed to the mission and shows little moral distress about her espionage activity.

Unpredictable: The revelation about the affair was not something that most would have predicted. While the fact that she and Philip were arranged as a couple and their marriage was intended to serve as a cover does make the affair somewhat understandable, but at the same time, her dedication to the mission makes the distraction of her relationship with Gregory surprising.

Empathetic: Although she is an enemy of the state, we have empathy for Elizabeth for a couple reasons. We see her love and concern for her children and we understand how the circumstance of the arranged marriage could lead to a lonely feeling and open the door for a more passionate relationship. In episode #2 we also learned she has been raped by a KGB official which adds to our empathy for her.

Assignment 2: “Paris, Illinois”

Chicago, 1925. Mobster Benny Jameson wants to go straight. A gifted painter since he was a boy, he wants to live the life of the artist. However, he has seen too much to be allowed to just walk away. He knows he needs to overthrow his boss and mentor Mickey “The Mackerel” O’Connor if he’s ever to escape the life. Benny sets up a meeting well outside the city with those who can help him. But before Benny can trade his pistol for a paint brush there will come a day of reckoning in Paris, Illinois.

Benny Jameson:

A. Protagonist. Wants to be out of the Mob life.

B. A level-headed mobster, Benny serves as the right hand of Mob boss Mickey O’Connor and has the ability to get things done despite working for a man who is growing more and more reckless. Benny sees that Mickey’s increasing recklessness will get them all killed.

C. Born Benito Jimenez, Benny realized early that being Mexican in 1915 Chicago greatly limited his future. Able to speak English well, Benny was able to pass as what some called “Dark Irish” and he changed his name to Benny Jameson. He keeps his painting from his Mob brothers mainly because he knows that would not be respected, but keeping his Mexican heritage is a matter of survival. The fact he has kept that secret for so long would be seen as major disloyalty and something that would not be forgiven and would earn Benny a pair of pantuflas de cemento, cement slippers. Benny also secretly harbors guilt over the death of his younger brother. As children they were playing in the train yard and what Benny intended as a childhood prank turned tragic, killing his little brother.

D. Benny wrestles with the morality of the life he has lived. While less ruthless than many of his counterparts, his line of work forces him into situations where he needs to inflict violence on people. Most deserve what happens to them, but is also the occasional collateral damage to innocent bystanders. Even the killing of his mentor and the man who in many way has been like a father to him, causes Benny moral angst, despite the many horrible things Mickey has done.

E. Benny is a rather steady character. However, early in the show, we see him act out of character when a Mexican boxer is insulted. This also acts as a bit of foreshadowing about the secret Benny has been keeping about his ethnicity. I need to created more unpredictability around Benny.

F. We develop empathy for Benny as we see his interest in art and the beauty of the world despite the ugly business he finds himself in. There is more empathy as we learn of Benny upbringing and the tragedy of his youth.

Mickey “The Mackerel” O’Connor:

A. Antagonist. Reckless Mob boss with a fanatic’s sense of loyalty.

B. While a successful underworld businessman, his increasing delusions about his own power risk undermining all he has built, putting all aligned with him at risk as well.

C. When he was a boy, Mickey’s father took the family to try and strike it rich in the San Rafael gold and silver mines in northern Mexico. There, Mickey’s father was gunned down and one of his sister’s raped by Mexican banditos. That incident fueled his inner anger and racist views.

D. Mickey has little problem crossing moral boundaries. I do need to find some moral issue that is a surprising contradiction to what we know of him.

E. His erratic violent behavior becomes less unpredictable. As with his moral boundaries, I need to find a moment of compassion which now seems like an unpredictable moment in face of his growing reckless, dangerous violent behavior.

F. Empathy may come from the story of his youth and the tragic events that took his father. I will also need to show that prior to these events, he was a sweet kid with perhaps some musical talent that was squashed by the horrific incident. The banditos took or smashed the violin he loved dearly and with which he was showing great promise.

[Carl Maronich]

What I learned doing this assignment:

I learned about the importance of layering characters, from the main characters to the environmental support characters. Effective layering adds to the richness and authenticity of the script and makes for a more engaging experience for the audience.

ASSIGNMENT ONE –

“The Americans” – Episode #2:

Main Characters –

Elizabeth Jennings – KGB agent planted in America to blend in while carrying out espionage for Russia. Married to fellow agent Philip. She is unwavering in her loyalty to Russia. Although she exhibits some concern for her children who are completely unaware of their parents double life.

Philip Jennings – KGB agent planted in America to blend in while carrying out espionage for Russia. Married to Elizabeth. His dedication to the cause is weakening. He raises the idea of defection to Elizabeth, who will not hear of it.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Stan Beeman – FBI agent who moves in across the street from the Jennings. While this is apparently a coincidence, Stan has an FBI-man’s suspicion of the Jennings. Like Elizabeth, he is very committed to his work.

Connected Characters –

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Paige Jennings – Elizabeth and Philip’s 13-year-old daughter.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Henry Jennings – Elizabeth and Philip’s 10-year-old son.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Chris Amador – FBI agent and Stan’s partner.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Frank Gaad – Stan and Chris’ FBI boss.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Violet Johnson – Weinberger maid, coerced into planting a bug in Weinberger home.

Nina Sergeevna Krilova – Russian embassy employee coerced into becoming FBI informent.

Environmental Characters –

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Annalise Gerard – Philip’s informant.

Stereo Store Guy

Mrs. Weinberger

Viola’s Brother

Babysitter

Party-goers at Weinberger’s house

FBI agents on stakeout

Fruit Stand patrons

KGB office workers/Officials

ASSIGNMENT TWO –

“Paris, Illinois”

Main Characters –

Benny Jameson (aka. Benito Jimenez) – Mobster with a talent for painting, wants to get out of the business, but knows the only way he can do that is to get rid of the man who has been like a father to him.

<b style=”font-style: italic;”>Mickey “The Mackerel” O’Connor – Runs a very lucrative Chicago gang who has let success and wealth goes to his head and his delusions of grandeur have made his dangerously reckless.

Rosa Jimenez – Beautiful, strong-willed prostitute, and long-lost sister of Benny, who has developed a hard, cold disposition that belies the sensitive young woman who longs for the warmth of the family she remembers.

Connected Characters –

Bootsie Green

Mitzy Toussaint

Slicker Walsh

Clover Fox

Alvero Perez

David Jimenez

Enrique Jimenez

Ignacio “Hoppy” Velazquez

Grim O’Shaunessy

The Swede

Sadie McDaniels

Henry Katz

Red Grange

Environmental Characters –

Mob toughs

Prostitutes

Boxers

Gamblers

Musicians

Hotel guests

College students

Indigenous people of Central Illinois

Rail workers

Art museum patrons

[Carl Maronich]

1. Name?

My name is Carl Maronich. My friends call me Carl. Actually, most of my friends call me collect. (Remember when that was a thing?)

2. How many scripts you’ve written?

I have written three full-length plays and many short plays. Have had a few short plays produced. This is my first foray into TV/screenwriting.

3. What you hope to get out of the class?

Better understanding of how to write for TV and the tools to be successful at it, with a chance to get something made.

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you?

I can juggle a basketball, a baseball and a vitamin pill. At one time, in the not-too-distant past, I could recite every line to the film The Natural. “Max was right. You’re just a mystery.”

[Carl Maronich]

Sample show: The Americans

What I learned: How important it is to have several interesting plot points that raise questions in the viewers so they will want to return to the show.

Big Picture Hooks:

The idea of KGB agents living in suburban America, raising a family and going about what seems like every day, suburban American life while actively conducting espionage for Mother Russia is an intriguing concept.

Amazing and Intriguing Characters:

The main characters Elizabeth and Phillip were groomed from a young age to become “Americans” for the sole purpose of establishing themselves in the US and spying for Russia. This includes marrying, having kids and establishing a normal existence as a front. We see right away the complexity of this task from the lies to their children to the whatever-it-takes activity including sex with sources to curry favor and get the necessary information to accomplish the mission. The dynamic it creates within the relationship of the two protagonists is intriguing.

Empathy/Distress:

We discover the defected KGB general Elizabeth and Phillip kidnapped to return to Russia had raped Elizabeth when she was just a KGB cadet. This sets up an empathy/distress situation as we become empathetic to Elizabeth’s hatred of this man and her desire to kill him, yet will that emotion jeopardize the remote chance of completing the mission, or move her to a rash act that could blow their cover.

Layers/Open Loops:

<font face=”inherit”>The Americans’ pilot creates several interesting layers, and leaves many unanswered questions on the table. How will they resolve the botched mission? How will the dynamic of their relationship evolve? Will their new FBI neighbor discover their </font>identity? Will they have to kill the neighbor? Will their kids find out their life has been a lie? Will Phillip move toward defecting? Will Elizabeth have to kill him to prevent that?

Inviting Obsession:

The answer to how the show has created an invitation to obsession is answered by the questions above. Taking some characters that we are drawn to, and surrounding them with interesting questions as those above in a strong recipe for creating a show viewers will become obsessed with.

[Carl Maronich]

Carl Maronich

I agree to the terms of the Agreement.

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.

[Carl Maronich]

Carl Maronich

I agree to terms of the release form.