[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Level 1 Actions and emotions – Lesson 10

What I learned doing this assignment is how emotion fuels tension. By consciously using anxiety, fear, and relief in sequence, I created a more powerful and immersive scene. It’s not just about physical danger — it’s about anticipation and emotional pacing. Giving the audience permission to worry before the action, then feel real fear during it, and finally breathe a sigh of relief afterwards makes the scene more satisfying and cinematic.

Why this scene?
It’s a contained environment with emotional stakes — Rick thinks he’s found safety for Hank and Marge, but danger is coming. This makes it perfect for a slow burn of anxiety, a jolt of fear, and a breath of relief.

Scene Outline (With Emotional Beats)
1. Anxiety: Rick’s withdrawal symptoms are worsening — tremors, sweats, irritability. He triple-checks the locks. Marge offers him tea — he shakes it away. They all feel it: Something’s off. Outside, something stirs.
2. Fear: A sniper’s laser appears. Then a shot — window blown. Rick dives with Marge. His hands tremble as he loads his weapon. Is he too far gone to fight? Gunmen approach. The firefight erupts.
3. Relief: Rick pulls it together — barely. He uses Marge’s cellar tunnel to flank two of the gunmen. He shoots them, but doesn’t see a third man further back. The man is huge, fires but catches Rick’s arm. Rick uses his MMA skills to overcome the big man and kills him. Rick is still sweating — but alive, and in control…for now.

INT. MARGE’S CABIN – BEDROOM – NIGHT
Rick stands shirtless, dripping sweat. He leans over the sink, breathing hard. He splashes cold water on his face, stares into the mirror. Pupils dilated. Hands trembling.
He checks the hidden compartment in his bag – Four PILLS – He looks at them longingly. Decides against it, puts them back.
RICK
(whispers)
Not tonight. Not now.
He wipes his face. Heads out to the living room.
INT. CABIN LIVING AREA – NIGHT
Marge watches him as he enters – shaking, struggling.
MARGE
(offering him a mug)
Chamomile. Good for nerves.
RICK
(shaking her off)
I’m fine.
HANK
(grabbing his jacket)
That why you’re sweating bullets?
Rick walks to the door. Checks the lock. Checks it again.
RICK
Just need air.
He opens the front door cautiously.
EXT – CABIN –
Outside, the forest is still — too still. A faint hum rises.
MARGE
That sound?
Rick turns slowly. A flicker of RED LIGHT appears on the cabin wall. He FLIES to push Marge down.
RICK
Get down!

Glass EXPLODES as a bullet shatters the window. Rick fumbles with his weapon — his fingers twitching, hands slippery with sweat.
He fights his body — and wins. Just enough.
He shoves the kitchen table aside, revealing a trapdoor. Hank and Marge climb down to the cellar. Rick follows.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
Rick crawls silently. Grits his teeth. His muscles shake — is it fear, or withdrawal?
EXT. WOODS – SECONDS LATER
Rick emerges behind TWO of the attackers. He exhales. One slow breath.
Two shots. The bodies drop.
RELIEF. But we see behind the 3rd attacker. The others don’t see him creeping closer. He is a giant of a man.
Then the man fires but only wings Rick’s arm.
Rick turns to him. As if defying gravity Rick SURGES towards the man before he can get a second shot off. His gun scatters to the ground and the man rolls in the dust.
Marge and Hank watch wide-eyed as Rick’s hands and legs pummel the huge man as if he were a rag doll.
The man manages to get a fist to Rick’s jaw and momentarily Rick loses balance. The man clambers on top of him with his massive body and Rick seems trapped. Henk moves forward to help his son, but Marge holds him back.
As if possessing super-human strength, Rick lifts the man off of him, swivels and within a heartbeat he is on top of him, his fists moving so fast they seem almost invisible. The blood spraying from the man’s face is very visible as the life is pummeled out of him.
Henk pulls Rick off the large man.
HENK
Rick, he’s gone. He’s gone. We need to get inside.
It takes a moment for Rick to register that the man is dead, beneath him. He looks at his fists, drenched in blood.
MARGE
Come inside, Rick, let’s get his blood off you.
Almost trance-like, Rick lifts himself up, stares at the man’s bludgeoned face, and follows Marge and Henk.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Favorite Twists Class 9

What I Learned Doing This Assignment
What I learned doing this assignment is that adding twists isn’t just about being clever — it’s about controlling the audience’s emotional rhythm. By setting a predictable direction and then subverting it, I keep the story fresh and engaging. Twists generate tension, relief, shock, and even humor. I now see how small or big twists can elevate almost every scene — whether it’s a gunfight or a quiet conversation. This process helped me rethink scenes as opportunities to surprise.

REWORKED SCENES WITH TWISTS

SCENE: Nursing Home Ambush
Setup: Rick arrives to reconnect with Hank. They talk awkwardly, and Hank gives him an envelope with encrypted data. Rick doesn’t believe his story.
Twist 1 – Attacked – Protected: Suddenly, masked men burst in. Just as one aims to kill Hank—Marge shows up with a stun gun and zaps him, giving Rick just enough time to go full Marine.
Twist 2 – Lost Resource New Resource: Rick’s phone is smashed. But in Hank’s envelope is a burner phone preloaded with a journalist contact. Hank had prepared for this.

SCENE: Cabin Siege
Setup: Rick, Hank, and Marge hide out at Marge’s remote cabin. Rick believes it’s safe.
Twist 3 – Safety – Danger: A drone scans the area and relays their location. A sniper opens fire.
Twist 4 – Trap – Escape: The gang bursts in—but Marge’s hidden trap door leads them into an underground cellar. From below, Rick ambushes the attackers with surprise tactics.

SCENE: Journalist Meeting (Midpoint)
Setup: Rick goes to meet a trusted journalist at a train station café to leak the Keller evidence.
Twist 5 – Plan Fails: The journalist is already dead. Mendoza is there instead—waiting.
Twist 6 – It Just Got Worse: Mendoza says Keller has footage of Rick’s daughter — “She’s next.”
Twist 7 – Unexpected Weapon: Rick uses Marge’s stun gun – which he teased her about – to subdue Mendoza and escape onto the moving train.

SCENE: Mendoza’s Lair
Setup: Rick and Johnny break into Mendoza’s hideout to rescue Hank.
Twist 8 – Betrayal – Surprising Alliance: A gang member turns on Mendoza and helps Rick. It’s the brother of a vet Rick saved years ago.
Twist 9 – It Just Got Worse – It Just Got Better: Rick is nearly overwhelmed. Hank unexpectedly kills a guard, saving Rick’s life. It’s the first time Hank has killed in decades.

SCENE: Final Confrontation with Keller (Climax)
Setup: Rick infiltrates the press event where Keller will be appointed CIA head.
Twist 10 – Identity Hidden – Identity Exposed: Marge hacks the system and live-broadcasts Keller’s cartel confession to every news outlet mid-speech.
Twist 11 – Attacked – Protected: Keller pulls a gun, but Hank takes the shot meant for Rick, protecting his son.

MY FIVE FAVORITE TWISTS (SETUP – TWIST)
1. Safety – Danger: Cabin feels secure—until a sniper opens fire and drones expose them.
2. Plan Succeeds – Plan Fails: Meeting the journalist turns out to be a setup—he’s dead.
3. Betrayal – Surprising Alliance: A gang member secretly helps Rick due to shared military past.
4. Attacked – Protected: Hank sacrifices himself to protect Rick from Keller.
5. Trap – Escape: Marge’s underground cellar gives them a surprise advantage during the siege.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris Lesson 8 Likability Empathy Justification What I Learned Doing This Assignment

What I learned doing this assignment is how vital emotional connection is to a successful action story. Even if the hero causes chaos or violence, we’re still with them — as long as we care. By embedding likability, empathy, and clear justification early in the story, I can emotionally hook the audience and make their journey feel earned and cathartic. I now see this is not about “cool fights” — it’s about building the emotional foundation before the fight begins.

BRAINSTORMING RICK
LIKABILITY / LOVABILITY
1. Rick checks in on a homeless vet he served with, offering him food and cash.
2. He is struggling with guilt having ‘killed’ an opponent in an MMA fight. Guy was his best friend – Will discover later his friend was on drugs which caused his death. (Maybe even betting on the fight, he was drugged so he would lose and thus died. Bottom line – it wasn’t actually Rick’s fault. )
3. A child at the underground MMA gym sees Rick as a hero — Rick teaches the kid basic self-defense.
4. Marge tells Hank: “Rick’s a mess, but he’s got a good heart.”
5. Rick refuses to return to professional fighting because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone just for money.
6. Kind to Marge on first meeting — calls her “ma’am” and helps her carry a box.
7. Funny, dry humor — especially when dealing with Johnny, his loser friend.
8. Deep respect for his father, despite resentment. Refuses to abandon Hank when things get dangerous.

EMPATHY / DISTRESS
1. Suffering from PTSD — we see his panic attack after a victory in the ring.
2. Estranged from his daughter — he leaves her a voicemail he never sends.
3. Lives alone, sleeps with a gun beside his bed.
4. His father left him years ago to protect him from Keller. Rick never knew why — now it haunts him.
5. Ambushed at the nursing home while trying to reconcile with Hank.
6. Forced to relive war tactics to save innocent people (including Marge) when he’d rather leave violence behind.

JUSTIFICATION
1. Hank is almost killed by Keller’s men just for trying to expose the truth.
2. Rick is framed as a fugitive and falsely accused of killing federal agents.
3. Mendoza threatens Rick’s ex and daughter — Rick sees video surveillance of them followed home.
4. Hank admits he never gave up on Rick — just protected him from being murdered.
5. Keller tries to silence Rick permanently to bury the truth and get promoted to CIA head.

FIRST ACT – EMOTIONAL SETUP (LIKABILITY / EMPATHY / JUSTIFICATION)
OPENING SCENES (LIKABILITY/EMPATHY):
Rick fights in an illegal MMA match. He wins but doesn’t celebrate. Outside, he helps a homeless vet to his feet and gives him some cash. That night, he sits in his dark apartment, leaves an unsent voicemail to his daughter, then paces, overwhelmed by PTSD.
VISIT TO THE NURSING HOME (LIKABILITY):
Rick arrives, awkwardly trying to care for his estranged father. He chats with Marge kindly, helps her lift a box. He tries to hide his emotions but is rattled by how fragile Hank looks.
HANK’S WARNING (EMPATHY):
Hank cryptically says, “They’re coming. You need to be ready.” Rick rolls his eyes — another one of Hank’s paranoid delusions? But he takes the mysterious envelope Hank offers.
AMBUSH (JUSTIFICATION):
Later that night, masked men break into the nursing home. Rick fights savagely to protect Hank and Marge. He’s bloodied and breathless as the three of them escape in Hank’s old truck.
THE TRUTH (JUSTIFICATION/EMPATHY):
On the road, Hank finally confesses: he has evidence that could destroy a powerful man — Keller — who helped cover up murders for a cartel. Hank left Rick years ago to protect him. Keller had threatened to kill Rick if Hank didn’t disappear.
ESCAPE (EMPATHY):
Now the government is after them. Rick’s face is on the news, branded a fugitive. A father he never trusted is suddenly his responsibility. Rick is thrust into a war he never asked for.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris Lesson 7 Story MAP
What I Learned Doing This Assignment
What I learned doing this assignment is that combining structure with clear narrative tracks helps me see the story from multiple angles — the hero’s goals, the villain’s schemes, and the action moments. This makes the plot tighter and more dynamic, and shows where the stakes can rise. Even as a rough draft, this map shows how all the pieces fit together.
OPENING
* V 1: Chief Keller visits Hank at the retirement home, dropping veiled threats. Hank hides his fear, but afterward secures the flash drive with the incriminating intel.
* A 1: Rick in a low-level underground fight, barely winning. His PTSD flares. He leaves the venue and rejects a manager’s offer to return to pro fighting.
* M 1: Rick reluctantly visits his estranged father Hank after a call from the nursing home. Marge mentions something strange about a recent visitor (Keller).
* M 2: Hank tries to reconnect, hands Rick a mysterious envelope, but doesn’t reveal everything. Says cryptically, “They’ll come for me — maybe for you too.”

INCITING INCIDENT
* A 2: Armed men raid the nursing home at night. Rick protects Hank and Marge using improvised weapons and military skill. First real fight sequence.
* V 2: Keller orders the kill — he’s now exposed since Hank may leak intel. Mendoza, a violent gang leader Keller helped escape prison, is told to “clean up.”
* M 3: Rick grabs Hank and Marge and escapes in Hank’s old truck. Hank finally confesses: the drive contains proof Keller’s working with a cartel inside the DEA.
* M 4: Rick and crew drive to Marge’s remote cabin, off-grid. Hank warns they need to contact a journalist, but they need help retrieving the real backup file.

END OF ACT 1 – FIRST TURNING POINT
* A 3: At the cabin, Rick teaches Marge how to use a shotgun. A drone spots them. A sniper opens fire. The gang arrives — Rick leads a brutal counterattack.
* V 3: Keller escalates. He leaks a false story to police that Rick abducted a federal witness (Hank) and killed two agents. Now Rick is wanted.
* M 5: Rick’s loser friend Johnny helps them hack into an old contact’s network to set up a meeting with the journalist. He brings comic relief but proves useful.

MIDPOINT
* A 4: Rick and Hank go to meet the journalist. It’s an ambush — Mendoza and gang intercept them. Car chase, brutal hand-to-hand fight on a train track.
* V 4: Mendoza spares Rick — “Not yet. Keller wants your head personally.” Hank is captured. Rick barely survives.
* M 6: Rick returns to Marge and Johnny, injured. He makes a choice: go full warrior. He buries his fear and PTSD. It’s time to fight smart — and go after Keller.

SECOND TURNING POINT – END OF ACT 2
* A 5: Rick attacks Mendoza’s hideout, rescues Hank in a bloody, stealth-filled siege. Real John Wick energy. Hank kills a henchman — his first violent act in years.
* M 7: Hank gives Rick the full video confession — Keller, in uniform, talking cartel business. They must leak it online and stop Keller’s next move.
* V 5: Keller prepares for a press conference to announce his appointment as CIA head. His men guard the venue. He knows the video might get out — orders shoot-to-kill.

CRISIS
* M 8: Rick doubts he can finish this. PTSD memories surface. Hank gives a stirring speech — “I didn’t teach you to hide. I taught you to stand your ground.”
* A 6: Rick suits up, raids the venue. Epic infiltration scene. Meanwhile, Marge and Johnny handle the upload of the video.

CLIMAX
* A 7: Rick confronts Keller in a one-on-one brawl — brutal, emotional, personal. Rick wins, but refuses to kill Keller — until Keller goes for his gun.
* V 6: Keller dies — poetic justice. His downfall is broadcast in real time. Mendoza is arrested during a parallel bust.

RESOLUTION
* M 9: Rick and Hank reunite with Marge and Johnny. The journalist publishes the full exposé. Rick is cleared.
* A 8 (epilogue-style): Rick returns to the fight world, but now runs a program for vets with PTSD. Hank is seen working on his memoir. Marge finally returns to her cabin.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Action structure :
Here is my 3-Act Structure for No Clean Fight. This assignment helped me understand how action, structure, and character arcs must intertwine to create a story that delivers both spectacle and soul. That structure is not a formula—it’s a framework that guides emotional escalation, character growth, and rising tension. Every major moment forces the hero into action and reflection, which makes the plot feel purposeful and gripping. By tracking Rick’s external challenges alongside his internal arc, I see how action and emotion can advance together to deliver a powerful payoff.
ACTION STRUCTURE – No Clean Fight
1. OPENING
Rick, bloated and strung out, breaks into a pharmacy with Dez to score pills. It’s tense, sloppy, and ends with them barely escaping.
Purpose: Establish Rick’s rock bottom and survival-based living. Raise the question: What happened to this guy?

2. INCITING INCIDENT
Rick visits Hank at his retirement home, desperate for money or drugs. Hours later, Hank is attacked in the parking lot by Mendoza’s men. Rick instinctively fights them off, saving Hank’s life.
Purpose: Forces Rick into protector mode. Kicks off the mission. There’s no going back.

3. FIRST TURNING POINT (End of Act 1)
Rick, Hank, and Marge flee to her remote cabin. Hank confesses that he holds video evidence that could expose a powerful cop—Chief Keller.
Purpose: Rick learns the truth. He agrees to protect Hank, starting his training and committing to the fight. Now it’s a personal mission.

4. MIDPOINT
After weeks of detox and recovery, Rick fends off an ambush at the cabin—his first real fight back in shape. But in the aftermath, they realize Julia (his ex) has been taken.
Purpose: Journey continues, but meaning shifts—now it’s about protecting everyone he loves. The mission escalates emotionally.

5. SECOND TURNING POINT (End of Act 2)
Rick infiltrates Mendoza’s gang hideout and defeats him in a brutal MMA-style fight. Before dying, Mendoza reveals that Keller was the one who ordered it all—and Julia’s life still hangs in the balance.
Purpose: Rick realizes he hasn’t won. The real enemy is still out there. A darker, more powerful threat looms.

6. CRISIS
Keller gives Rick a choice: trade the incriminating drive for Julia and Hank’s lives—or watch them die.
Rick’s dilemma: Protect the ones he loves or expose the truth and risk everything.
Purpose: Emotional peak. Rick must choose between his past failures and a new identity as a protector and fighter for justice.

7. CLIMAX
Rick, Dez, and Marge storm Keller’s compound. Dez creates a diversion. Marge snipes guards. Rick finds Julia and uploads the incriminating video live. Keller confronts Rick. They fight. Rick wins—but Keller reaches for a gun.
Marge kills Keller from a distance.
Purpose: Full-out attack and resolution. Rick reclaims himself and takes down the true villain.

8. RESOLUTION
Keller is exposed. Hank and Julia recover. Dez starts working security at a gym. Rick returns to the MMA gym—not to fight, but to coach.
Final image: Rick in the ring, training a kid. Peaceful. Centered.
Purpose: Redemption. Justice. And the quiet power of a man who has finally found balance.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Action Track (6)

What I Learned Doing This Assignment Is…
That action works best when it reveals character, raises stakes, and evolves with the story. It’s not just cool sequences—it’s about watching Rick reclaim his strength, dignity, and purpose, step by painful step. Overcoming Jos drug problem and lack of self esteem – through the actions sequences. Building the action around emotional growth gave each scene weight and meaning, especially when balancing physical fights with internal battles and complex relationships. I was worried about the dual antagonists, but I think this lesson showed me how dual antagonists can create layered tension by escalating the hero’s journey from survival to revolution.

1. ACTION QUESTIONS
A. What action could naturally show up in this movie?
* Fistfights, improvised combat, and MMA-style takedowns (Rick’s specialty)
* Brutal close-range shootouts (Hank’s domain)
* Tactical escapes through rural or urban terrain
* Cabin ambushes, betrayal, vehicle chases, last-minute rescues
* Final siege into a corrupt stronghold, with Rick weaponizing his training and resolve
*
B. Considering the Mission and Villain Tracks, what action fits this track?
* Escape from the first gang attack
* Cabin ambush after being tracked
* Urban assault on Jax’s hideout
* Infiltration and full-blown assault on Keller’s base
* Final hand-to-hand battle to reclaim self and justice
*
C. How can the action start well, build in the 2nd act, and escalate to a climax?
* Start: Rick defends Hank with raw instincts (messy but heroic)
* Middle: Rick regains his edge—mounts strategic, emotionally charged attacks
* End: Rick stages full assault on enemy ground, combining MMA with firearms under Hank’s training

2. TYPES OF ACTION USED
✔ A. Chase/Pursuit
✔ B. Fight /MMA type as well as normal 
✔ C. Shootout
✔ D. Rescue
✔ E. Escape/Evade
✔ G. Dangerous Situations
✔ H. Interrogation
✔ I. Torture (psychological & threat-based more than graphic)

3. SEQUENCE OF ACTION SCENES + PURPOSE
1. Pharmacy Break-In (Escape/Evade)
Rick and Dez rob a pharmacy. They barely escape when police respond.
Purpose: Show Rick’s desperation, criminal lifestyle, and lack of control.

2. Retirement Home Parking Lot Fight (Fight)
Rick defends Hank from gang attackers. Brutal, untrained, MMA instinct kicks in.
Purpose: Reignites Rick’s fighter instinct; reveals Hank is being hunted.

3. Escape to the Cabin (Escape/Evade / Chase)
Rick, Hank, and Marge flee the city. They avoid a roadblock and ditch a tail.
Purpose: Establish trust among trio; show Keller’s growing reach.

4. Gun Training Sequence (Competition / Dangerous Situation)
Hank teaches Rick to shoot better. Rick has military training- but is rusty and Hank is an expert. Tense moment of failure, breakthrough, then connection.
Purpose: Show Rick learning to control violence; father-son healing begins.

5. Cabin Ambush (Shootout / Fight / Dangerous Situation)
The gang attacks. Rick uses new skills, traps. Hank is wounded.
Purpose: Test of growth. Rick saves lives but fails to stop Jax. Stakes rise.

6. Julia’s Kidnapping (Off-Screen Threat)
Julia is abducted and used as leverage. Rick sees video threat.
Purpose: Push Rick to his moral breaking point. Fuel Act III mission.

7. Rick vs. Jax Mendoza (Fight / Interrogation)
Rick invades Jax’s hideout. One-on-one brutal MMA fight. Rick wins.
Purpose: Closure of personal vendetta. Rick reclaims identity.

8. Infiltration of Keller’s Compound (Escape/Evade / Shootout / Rescue)
Rick and Dez sneak in. Marge snipes from afar. Rick finds Julia, plants live feed.
Purpose: Combo of physical/moral action. Turning point for public exposure.

9. Final Confrontation: Rick vs. Keller (Fight / Shootout)
Keller tries to kill Rick. They fight. Keller is shot by Hank.
Purpose: Justice delivered. System exposed. Rick finally wins without losing his soul.

10. Epilogue – Rick Walks Into the Gym (Symbolic Competition)
Rick returns to MMA gym—this time, not to fight but to coach. Help kids defend themselves.
Purpose: Resolution. New purpose. Quiet victory.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Villain Track

WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT IS…
That giving the villains distinct motivations, shifting tactics, and escalating decisions makes the story far more intense and believable. Each step they take forces the hero to evolve, and by building their plans with intelligence and menace, the villains become worthy obstacles to Rick’s redemption. Importantly, I learned that when the system itself is part of the villainy (as with Keller), the hero’s fight becomes about more than survival — it becomes moral.

1. VILLAIN TRACK QUESTIONS (my story has two villains)
A. What is the Villain’s plan to accomplish an evil outcome or annihilate the hero?
JAX MENDOZA’s plan:
* Sent by Keller to kill or retrieve Hank and destroy any evidence.
* Mendoza escapes prison with help from Keller, reassembles his old crew, and launches a targeted campaign to eliminate Hank, then Rick for Keller.
* Once Rick begins interfering and making him look incompetent in front of Keller, Jax makes it personal.
CHIEF KELLER’s plan:
* Remain hidden behind Jax and the gang violence.
* If Jax fails, use the police system and leverage (like capturing Julia) to silence Rick and recover the drive.
* Keller’s backup plan: destroy all loose ends and pin it on a “rogue gang.” – Frame Rick and Hank.

B. How many ways can the Villain attack or destroy the hero?
* Jax Mendoza:
* Sends gang members to kill Hank at the retirement home
* Ambush at the cabin
* Kidnaps Julia to force Rick to comply
* Sends waves of armed men to the final safe house
* Psychological torment: reveals Rick was the reason Hank never exposed Keller
* Chief Keller:
* Uses police intel to track Rick and Hank
* Freezes resources, frames Rick as a wanted junkie – He has picks from Ricks arrests for drugs
* Threatens Marge, has Julia abducted
* Publicly spins narrative as “Rick attacks police in drug-fueled rampage”
* Sends professional assassins, (cops) not just gangsters

C. What advantage does the Villain have and how can they exploit it?
* Jax Mendoza:
* Physically dominant, gang loyalty, military-style tactics
* Knows how to stay off-grid, tracks Rick with ex-con connections
* Has nothing to lose and no moral compass
* Chief Keller:
* Total institutional power — controls police comms, legal system, city media
* Reputation as a “hero cop” – No one would believe he is dirty
* Publicly untouchable
* Can act clean while others get dirty. (Need a weak spot for him – Maybe he has a daughter?)

D. What would be a “fitting end” for this Villain where they pay for what they’ve done?
* Jax Mendoza:
A brutal, bare-knuckle fight where Rick refuses to kill him with a gun. Instead, Rick reclaims his honor by defeating him with fists — the same tool that caused his original downfall. Rick leaves Mendoza broken and exposed before police arrive. (Maybe Keller kills Jax for failing him??)
* Chief Keller:
After Rick publicly exposes the footage, Keller tries to kill him anyway. Hank shoots him from a distance — poetic justice . The image of Keller, bleeding out in his crisp white shirt, exposed to the world, is a final unmasking of institutional rot.

2. VILLAIN PLAN STEPS — JAX MENDOZA & CHIEF KELLER
Villain: Jax Mendoza (Phase 1 Villain)
Label Set: ESCAPE – TARGET – DOMINATE – CRUMBLE
1. ESCAPE – Mendoza breaks out with Keller’s help. Kills two guards, rejoins his old crew.
2. TARGET – Tracks down Hank. Sends men to retirement home. Rick intervenes.
3. DOMINATE – Tracks Hank to the cabin. Ambushes. Wounds Hank. Julia kidnapped. Forces Rick to act.
4. CRUMBLE – Rick kills Mendoza in an MMA-style showdown. Bloody, personal, poetic.

Villain: Chief Keller (Phase 2 Villain)
Label Set: MANIPULATE – ESCALATE – COVER – DIE EXPOSED
1. MANIPULATE – Orchestrates Mendoza’s escape. Uses him as a deniable asset to silence Hank.
2. ESCALATE – After Mendoza fails, Keller orders Julia’s execution and frames Rick for multiple crimes.
3. COVER – Tries to destroy the flash drive, pressure Marge, and “suicide” Hank.
4. DIE EXPOSED – Rick live-streams the evidence. Keller shoots at Rick. Hank shoots Keller. His reputation dies before his body does.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by  Clive Morris.

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris – Hero’s mission track
What I learned doing this assignment:
When a hero has nothing left to lose—and finds something worth saving—he can become unstoppable. Also, how to get more action into the movie – which I probably would not have noticed before – and how to keep escalating things.
1. Mission Track Questions
A. What is it about this Hero that will have them go straight into the face of overwhelming odds?
Rick is a broken MMA fighter, once feared and now forgotten, riddled with guilt over the injury he caused his best friend in the ring. When his father is threatened and later captured, something primal wakes up. He fights not to prove he’s still strong—but to finally be useful again, to redeem the man he became.
B. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal?
To take on a heavily armed escaped prison gang and a corrupt police chief and his men, with few allies, while recovering from addiction, and save both his estranged father and ex-girlfriend—all while trying not to become the monster he used to be in the cage.
C. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero?
* Internal: Guilt. Wanting to prove to himself he’s not the man with the uncontrollable temper who walked away from everyone and then became a petty thief and slob .
* External: Protecting his father. Saving his ex-girlfriend, Julia. Exposing the corrupt police chief – Keller.
* Symbolic: Reclaiming his name—not as a champion, but as a man worth trusting.
D. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against this villain?
He would be outnumbered, overwhelmed, and forced to train, rebuild, and fight smarter. He would lose people. He would come close to relapse. He would uncover secrets about his father. In the end, he’d have to make a brutal choice between saving the person he loves or exposing a system that ruins lives.

2. Mission Steps
Clear Mission:
Save his dad, Hank, from the gang and expose Chief Keller’s corruption.

Motivation:
Rick’s life is a wreck. But when the man who abandoned him turns out to have always been protecting him—and now needs his protection—Rick finds something worth fighting for.

Inciting Incident:
Hank is attacked outside his retirement home. Rick intervenes, kills one attacker, and they both flee. Hank reveals he’s holding incriminating evidence that powerful men want destroyed.

First Action:
Rick brings Hank to a remote cabin (owned by Henk’s girlfriend – Marge). He begins physical and mental training to reclaim his strength, get off drugs – while Hank reveals the full truth about why these guys are after him.

Obstacle:
The gang tracks them down and attacks. Beating drugs is more difficult than he thought – Hank is wounded. They escap

Escalation:
Rick Gathers weapons. Calls in his petty thief buddy. Learns that Julia is being held as leverage. The gang wants the evidence. Keller wants everyone dead.

Overwhelming Odds:
Rick goes up against an army of gangsters and crooked cops—outgunned, outmanned, alone except for his wounded father, unreliable buddy and Marge, in her 70’s .

New Plan:
Instead of handing over the evidence, Rick decides to broadcast it publicly. He creates a diversion, storms the hideout, and goes after the gang leader and Keller directly.

Full-Out Attack:
Rick launches a one-man siege on Keller’s compound. Brutal MMA-style hand-to-hand combat with gang and their leader. Marge takes out gunmen from a distance. HIs buddy blows something up or distracts Keller’s men with a stolen vehicle.

Success:
Rick kills Gang leader and others and some run, wounds Keller, and uploads the video live. Police arrive. Julia and Hank survive. Rick finally stands up—not as a fighter, but as a man with something to live for.

[Clive Morris]

Hero & Villain
“What I learned doing this assignment – The hero and the villain have to both grow and become more dangerous to keep the action tight. Concept:
• Hero Morally Right: He wants to protect his dad
• Villain Morally Wrong: he wants to kill hero’s dad because he knows too much about him.
Hero
• A. Unique Skill Set – Ex MMA fighter – dad (ex cop) has taught him to use guns –
• B. Motivation – Save his father
• C. Secret or Wound – He killed his best friend in a fight, is depressed and lacks confidence – Let himself go.
Villain
• A. Unbeatable- Escapes Prison with 5 aggressive strong men who have gang power behind them
• B. Plan/Goal – Kill the old man and then our hero .
• C. What they lose if Hero survives – Their secret is out – Top cop and his corrupt cronies exposed
Impossible Mission
• A. Puts Hero in Action – Has to go get his dad
• B. Demands They Go Beyond Their Best: He is up against escaped convicts – the gang and finally the corrupt cops on the force.
• C. Destroy the Villain – Get the gang killed but then get through corrupt copts to the top cop –
2. If he doesn’t get himself fit again and regain his confidence, then how might he save his father?

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris
Convention!

What I learned – That one has to let go of perfectionism on the first rounds and just let the story flow – and grow. Amazing how doing that leads to so much more story developing.

Concept – An ex MMA champion who gave up fighting because he killed his best friend in a fight, becomes depressed, a loser, puts on weight and is now a slob. When his father, a retired cop, lands up in trouble after a vicious gang leader he put away years ago is escapes from prison with six vicious inmates, comes after him, and our hero has to get himself back in shape to protect his father. He will later find out who is behind the prison escape and the reason they are after his father.

Conventions

Hero: An out of shape ex MMA champion who has to regain his confidence, rebuild his body and mind to protect and then save his father.
Mission: To save his father when an imprisoned gang leader escapes and comes after him with six inmates with nothing to lose.
Demand for action: Protecting his father when he is attacked and then having to go and save his father when he is kidnapped by the gang.
Antagonist: The escaped gang leader – but the ante will go up when we realise that there is a corrupt top cop involved who is behind the escape and the attack on his dad.
Escalating Action: His father is kidnapped and our hero has to go in and save him, realizing too late that a top crooked cop is behind the escape and the kidnapping – and the twist comes when we find out that his dad is took something that that the cop and gang leader want back. Now he has the gang and a bunch of corrupt cops after him and is father

[Clive Morris]

agreed

[Clive Morris]

Hi, My name is Clive. Joining from South Africa

[Clive Morris]

Clive Morris

I agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM FOR “BINGE WORTHY TV” CLASS

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 Binge Worthy TV class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, teaching a class, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the Binge Worthy TV 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 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. The easiest solution if you have similar ideas is to either not look at each other’s work or to agree to take your shows in different directions.

If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

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

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

This completes the Group Release Form for the Binge Worthy TV class.

[Clive Morris]

Sorry to hear about surgery! Wish you speedy recovery.