
Cooper James
Forum Replies Created
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Cooper James
What I learned from doing this assignment is to look for situations/conflicts that aren’t obvious to find ideas that allow for comedy to occur naturally.
PREMISE: An environmental activist meets a beautiful fishing boat captain.
1. Fish out of water
A fishing boat caption hides a wanted environmental activist.
2. Incongruent pairings
Fishing boat caption and environmental activist in love.
3. Hilarious purpose
The activist tries to convince the fishing caption to give up fishing and become a poster child for the cause.
CHARACTER: An activist with a broken heart
1. Fish out of water
After being cheated on and divorced by his wife, he quits his job and becomes an activist to heal his heart.
2. Incongruent pairings
After a failed attack on a fishing boat and being rescued at sea, he falls for the beautiful fishing captain.
3. Hilarious purpose
The activist wants to hijack her fishing boat to gain notoriety for his cause and prove to his ex-wife that he can accomplish something worthwhile with his life.
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Cooper James
What I learned from this assignment is in comedy opposites attracting (being stuck together) makes everything much funnier.
Scene from 48 HRS.
A white cop and a black ex-con become stuck together to catch an escaped prisoner. They have opposite personalities and don’t trust or like each other. They either win together or lose together.
PROCESS ROOM - PRISON - DAY The GUARD leads Hammond to a steel cage. Harmnond's now wearing a beautifully tailored plaid suit. The Guard shouts to ANOTHER GUARD on the far side. GUARD Prisoner G21355 ... Hammond. SECOND GUARD Okay. Send him through. The gate slides open. The Guard geztures for Hairmond to enter. Hammond walks to the far side of the pen. The first gate closes, the second one opens. Hammond turns and walks over to Cates. The Guard comes up to Cates, double checks his orders then unlocks Hammond's cuffs. GUARD Gotta sign for him. CATES Sure thing... He looks over at Hammond who smiles at him. Then looks at Harmond's clothes... CATES (continuing) This prison gives out $400 suits? HAMMOND What are you talkin' about? This suit's mine. It cost $900.
JOKE ABOUT HAMMOND'S SUIT. HAMMOND Listen, it may be a little out of date. You know, I got a reputation for lookingreal sharp with the ladies...
SETUP Cates hands some papers to the Guard. GUARD He's all yours. The Guard walks away as Hammond feels Cates' lapel. HAMMOND We could change this for something good...Get you lookin' sharp for pussy.
JOKE ABOUT CATES CLOTHES Cates gives him a look. CATES I don't need to hear your jive. I already got that department taken care of...
SETUP HAMMOND You got a girl... shit... the generosity of women never ceases to amaze me.
JOKE ABOUT CATES GETTING WOMEN Cates slaps a cuff on Hammond's outstrethand, then puts the other on his own wrist. HAMMOND (continuing) Hey, no way. Take off the bracelets or no deal. CATES You just don't get it, do your Reggie? There isn't any deal. I own your ass.
SETUP HAMMOND No way to start a partnership.
JOKE CATES Get this. We ain't partners. We ain't brothers. We ain't friends. I'm puttin' you down and keepin' you down until Ganz is locked up or dead. And if Ganz gets away, you're gonna be sorry we ever met.
SETUP HAMMOND Shit. I'm already sorry.
JOKE Cates yanks on the cuffs. They move away. ? TRANSITION. OUTSIDE THE JAIL - DAY CATES LEADS HAMMOND OUT. THEY HEAD FOR CATES' BATTERED CADILLAC. HAMMOND This your car, man?
SETUP CATES Yeah. HAMMOND It looks like you bought it off one of the brothers.
JOKE As they approach the car... CATES Okay, let's get down to it. I did my part and got you out. So now you tell me where we're goin'? HAMMOND Don't worry, I got a move for ya. An awesome move. A guy named Luther. Ganz'll be paying him a visit. We go to him right away. CATES Luther was part of the gang? HAMMOND What gang you talkin' about, Jack?
SETUP CATES I can read a police file, shithead, and quit calling me Jack.
SETUP HAMMOND Just an expression man, don't mean nothin'. Cates gets behind the wheel and kicks the engine over. CATES I don't give a damn. It happens to be my name.
SETUP HAMMOND Then what're you complainin' about? At least nobody's calling you shithead....
JOKE CATES I may call you worse than that. Cates drives off. EXT. STREET - MISSION DISTRICT - DAY
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Hi, Cooper James here. I’ve written lots of scripts. I hope to improve on building more comedic moments into my scripts. There’s a science to getting the big laughs and I need to get those scenes on the page. The action comedies, family comedies, romantic comedies, all of them.
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Cooper James
I agree to the terms of this release form.
GROUP RELEASE FORM
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.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.
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Cooper James – Character Story Lines
What I learned from this assignment is you can always go deeper with your characters and the discoveries that come from doing the work.
(S) stands for Simone. (SG) stands for Senator Green.
ACT 1:
Essence: (Simone Opening) Simone is the single mother of twin boys dealing with the demands of a disagreeable, aging father.
(SG Opening) Senator Green is running in a close re-election campaign and sends a team of assassins to kill his former partner Simone who stands in the way of his building a promised new capital.
Turning Point: Her aging father demands that they sell Edgemont and move to Region 26 leaving behind the homeless kids to fend for themselves.
ACT 2:
Essence: Simone is invited by her father to a dinner meeting with a group of developers.
(S TP 1) Her father tells her he is selling Edgemont to back her son Roman for a run for Senator in Region 26. He wants power, not real estate.
Turning Point/Midpoint Simone realizes the developers are assassins sent by Senator Green to kill her. She kills several assassins and takes one prisoner.
ACT 3:
Essence: Simone tries to talk her son Roman out of running for Senator. He tells her he’s not scared or weak like her. He’s on his grandfather’s side and that he’s going to win.
Simone tells her other son, Remy, she needs him to stand with her. He agrees.
(S TP 1) Simone tells King they need to prepare for battle against Senator Green. King tells her there won’t be a battle if they sell, then mentions that he’s freed the prisoner.
(S Dilemma) After her father and Roman tell her they are against her, she must decide if she’s going after the prisoner by herself.
(SG TP 1) Senator Green learns that his re-election numbers are sliding.
(S TP 2) Remy tells her he overheard her conversation with his grandfather and that he will go with her to re-capture the prisoner.
(SG Dilemma) Must decide if he risks losing another team rescuing one man or sacrifice him for his re-election.
(S Major Conflict) She talks to the great spirit who tells her that Senator Green is planning to destroy one of the last power centers on this land. She must go capture his brother and use him to take down Senator Green if she wants to save her family.
Turning Point: Simone is shot by Senator Green’s rescue team as they track the same man.
ACT 4:
Essence: Simone teaches Remy how to remove a bullet from her arm and clean it with leaves.
(S Major Conflict) An injured Simone must choose whether to risk her son’s life going after the assassin or let her bargaining chip escape.
(S Ending) The rescue team attacks their position, she and Remy kill them.
Turning Point: During a Mexican standoff, Remy wants to kill the prisoner, but Simone stops him when she recognizes him as Senator Green’s younger brother.
ACT 5:
Essence: Simone tries to negotiate a deal with Senator Green for his brother. He tells her to kill him. He hates his brother, then he tells her he’s sending Region 26’s military to destroy her and Edgemont.
(SG Ending) Senator Green receives a visit from his mother. She tells him to bring her son home alive.
(S Ending) Simone has been shot. Her father and son Roman have turned against her. The great spirit told her she must save Edgemont to save her family.
Lock In/Turning Point: Simone’s pawn (Senator’s brother) won’t stop him from sending his military. Simone’s father and son have bigger plans and are against her. She must prepare the homeless kids for battle. This may be a losing battle but there is no going back.
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Cooper James – Pilot Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is every step makes building your pilot into a strong series… and if at any time you discover otherwise, you can always change it. This is the foundation and if something isn’t working you know where to go to fix it.
TEASER
Essence: Simone runs through the mountains. A spiritual voice speaks to her as she arrives in a mystical forest to sit and pray.
Turning Point: A pack of hungry wolves surrounds her. Suddenly, Simone jumps up and runs. The wolves chase her until she turns and gives them morsels of food. They’re old friends.
ACT 1:
Essence: Simone is the mother of twin boys dealing with the demands of an aging father.
Turning Point: Her aging father demands that they sell Edgemont and move to Region 26 leaving behind the homeless kids to fend for themselves.
ACT 2:
Essence: Simone is invited by her father to a dinner meeting with developers who want to buy Edgemont.
Turning Point/Midpoint: Simone realizes the developers are assassins sent by Senator Green to kill her. She kills several and takes one prisoner.
ACT 3:
Essence: Simone tells King they need to prepare for battle against Senator Green. King tells her he won’t and he frees the prisoner.
Turning Point: Simone and Remy track down the prisoner before he can escape Region 9. Right before Remy kills him, Simone recognizes him as Senator Green’s younger brother.
ACT 4:
Essence: Simone talks to her father about not selling Edgemont. He tells her he wants real power, not old real estate.
Turning Point: Her father tells her that he’s backing her son Roman for a run at becoming Senator in Region 26.
ACT 5:
Essence: Simone tries to negotiate a deal with Senator Green for his brother. He tells her to kill him. He hates his brother, then he tells her he’s sending Region 26’s military to destroy her and Edgemont.
LOCK-IN: Simone’s pawn (Senator’s brother) won’t stop him from sending his military. Simone’s father and son have other plans and are against her. The homeless kids aren’t prepared for battle.
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Cooper James
What I learned from doing this assignment is the BW process reveals its strengths at every turn. If you trust and stick to it, it gets easier. Painting by numbers. The amazing thing is that you can improve at any time. Just don’t get caught up in perfection… I got lost in it for one lesson, that wasn’t fun… painful.
Inciting Incident
Intriguing Concept: Simone is going to take down Senator Green to protect her family and save their only asset – Edgemont Hotel.
Act 1: Simone is presented as a mother, daughter who runs, prays, and hears a spiritual voice throughout the mystical mountains around Edgemont. The homeless kids that she plays “mother” to take her for granted. She feeds the wolves that watch over her as she talks to the voice.
Midpoint: Simone discovers the developers meeting over dinner to buy Edgemont are there to kill her so that King can sell Edgemont over her dead body.
Lock-In: After saving her life by killing several of the fake developers and taking one prisoner, Simone realizes she must return to being an assassin to kill Senator Green before it’s too late. She’s going to save her family and Edgemont by becoming the leader she’s always hated.
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Cooper James
Big Picture Components
I learned that the foundational work we’ve done with the BW Framework is the gift that keeps on giving… and it changes and gets better as you make “Big Picture” discoveries along the way.
SERIES INFO
– World: The dystopic dumping grounds of Region 9 where survival is day-to-day.
– Main Mystery: The history of Simone and Senator Green.
– Impossible Goal: Defeating Region 26’s military.
– Main Conflict: Simone must take down Senator Green before he takes down Edgemont.
– Second Mystery: How is Simone going to achieve this when she still loves Senator Green.
– Season 1 Arc: From single mother of twin boys and “mother” to all of the homeless kids to training and leading them as her militia to save them all.
– Season 1 Protagonist Internal Journey: From disjointed relationships with her father and son to seek their counsel.
PILOT INFO:
– Pilot Conflict: Simone doesn’t want her father to sell Edgemont and cast off the homeless kids living there.
– Main Characters Introduced: Simone, King, Roman, Remy, Senator Green, Mrs. Connors, Owens.
– Inciting Incident of Season 1: Simone must kill the developers to save Edgemont.
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Cooper James – TV Pitch Bible Investigation
What I learned doing this assignment is there are many layers to uncover. Some layers you don’t realize were laying right in front of your face. This is also a great way to prevent the process/journey from becoming boring. It’s a gym for your mind to enhance creativity.
I dug into my characters and found ways to create more intriguing and compelling engagement which lead me to dig into their storylines, wants, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. The possibilities are endless. The BW Framework was a great help with keeping me on task. I made some improvements to the BWF and will keep going back to make more. The investigation questions were great and kept me moving without feeling like I missed something… because I can always come back to add more flavor.
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What I learned doing this assignment is to keep building on what came before. You’ll make discoveries along the way which will lead to changes thus making your idea stronger. Trust the process.
EDGEMONT
Pilot as Inciting Incident.
(SET-UP) A former assassin, now single mother (EXPERTISE), Simone, deals with her twin son’s sibling rivalry. Her father, King is trying to sell off the family’s last asset… Edgemont and the mountain it sits on. Alone in the world and without companionship, Simone must fight to save her family by bringing them together. (EMPATHY/DISTRESS) But her father is determined to gain power by putting money behind his favorite grandson, Roman, to become Senator in Region 26. (INTRIGUE)
(TWIST/HOOK/SECRET IDENTITY) Why Region 26? After the United States broke apart, the states became regions with each run by one Senator. Region 26 is the most powerful region and King wants power. (INTRIGUING WORLD)
(SECRETS/DECEPTIONS) Many years ago, Simone was a secret partner of Senator Green that helped him into office by taking down the former Senator. (INTRIGUE) Now, Senator Green needs to destroy Region 9 and Edgemont to fulfill his re-election campaign promise of stopping disconnects from escaping to Region 9. (EXTERNAL CHARACTER CONFLICT, EMPATHY/DISTRESS) Against Simone’s wishes, her son, Remy, rescues a young disconnect from Region 26… Senator’s Green secret “love-child”. (SHOCKING EVENT/UNDESERVED MISFORTUNE) With no other option, Simone returns to being a ruthless assassin and trains the homeless kids living at Edgemont for battle against Region 26 and Senator Green. (FORCED DECISION THEY’D NEVER MAKE)
(TWIST/HOOK) But can Simone kill her former partner and lover, Senator Green?
(DECEPTION/LAYER UNCOVERED) Simone calls Senator Green’s wealthiest donor, Owens, for support. (MAJOR SCHEME REVEALED) Simone has rejected Owens’s romantic pursuit for years. (WOUND) To prove his commitment to her, Simone gets Owens to publicly speak harshly of Senator Green’s leadership and withdraw all support of him. (UNDESERVED MISFORTUNE/SHOCKING EVENT) Afterward, several of the homeless kids are ambushed and killed in Region 9 by Region 26’s military. (UNDERSERVED MISFORTUNE) Simone springs into action to track down and single-handedly kill Region 26’s covert military team. (FORCED DECISION)
(OPEN LOOPS) Senator Green suspects Simone is behind the military killings, forcing Simone to step up her combat training of the homeless kids (EMPATHY/DISTRESS) to prepare for the imminent attack she expects from Senator Green and Region 26. (IMPOSSIBLE GOAL)
(FINAL HOOK/EXTREME DRAMATIC QUESTION) How do you kill the man you still love, who might be the father of your kids, to protect your family and their fortune?
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What I learned doing this assignment is to keep building no matter what. Add, add, add, using all of your previous work. You’ll make discoveries and find answers along the way. If not now, then later, but keep building.
Ep. 1
Hook/Intrigue: Simone, out on her morning run through the mountains, hears a mysterious woman’s voice warning her of the danger that lies ahead and that she must be strong.
Main Character journey: Simone discovers that King, her father is trying to sell Edgemont behind her back and must stop him.
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone must spring into action against the developers to run them off and prevent the sale.
Action/Reaction: Simone and her son Remy interrupt King’s meeting with the developers with guns drawn.
Cliffhanger: The developers draw guns, but when backup in the form of several homeless kids living at Edgemont arrive, the developers back down, but threaten Simone by telling her they will be back with more firepower.
Ep. 2
Hook/Intrigue: King makes a deal with his grandson, Roman, to support him for a run as Senator if he can help him sell Edgemont.
Main Character journey: Roman must somehow get his mother, Simone, to agree to sell Edgemont.
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone tells Roman she isn’t selling Edgemont and she is against Roman running for Senator.
Action/Reaction: Roman agrees to join forces with King to gain power.
Cliffhanger: King tells Roman his plan to trick his mother into selling Edgemont.
Ep. 3
Hook/Intrigue: Remy returns with Johnny, a disconnect from Region 26.
Main Character journey: Simone tries to figure out what Johnny knows about Region 26 and if he’s a danger to her.
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone and Remy disagree about going into Region 26 rescuing disconnects.
Action/Reaction: Senator Green announces that it’s time to shut down more disconnects from escaping into Region 9.
Cliffhanger: Region 26 will mount an attack on Region 9.
Ep. 4
Hook/Intrigue: Senator Green makes a re-election campaign promise to take down Region 9 once and for all.
Main Character journey: Simone must come to terms that her ex-lover and partner, Senator Green, is going to try to kill her.
Major Challenge/Conflict: King tries to convince Simone that she can’t win against Region 26 and that they should sell Edgemont.
Action/Reaction: Simone and Remy must recruit and start training more kids to defend Edgemont.
Cliffhanger: The developers return with more firepower ready to attack.
Ep. 5
Hook/Intrigue: Simone takes her run through the mountains and the mysterious voice gives her advice on how to battle the developers.
Main Character journey: Simone must trust the voice and allow it to lead her to victory.
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone must convince Remy to buy into her new plan to defeat the developers.
Action/Reaction: Simone goes into the mountains and causes a rock slide that kills most of the developers.
Cliffhanger: Simone spots Region 29’s military heading up the mountain.
Ep. 6
Hook/Intrigue: Mrs. Conner helps Roman scheme to gain power through her boyfriend, King.
Main Character journey: Roman must decide if he is going to side with Mrs. Conners to betray King.
Major Challenger/Conflict: Roman is afraid to step into a role of power and has no one go-to for advice.
Action/Reaction: Mrs. Conners seduces Roman, they have sex and he agrees to go along with her scheme for power.
Cliffhanger: But Mrs. Conners calls an unknown accomplice to inform them the plan is a go.
Ep. 7
Hook/Intrigue: Remy goes into Region 26 to rescue his girlfriend and gets captured.
Main Character journey:
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone is conflicted about telling Senator Green her secret… that Remy might be his son.
Action/Reaction: Without any way to contact Senator Green, Simone risks her life when she disappears into Region 26 to rescue her son, Remy.
Cliffhanger: Simone rescues Remy and convinces her that now is the time to go after Senator Green – at the last second, Simone is unable to kill Senator Green, letting him escape.
Ep. 8
Hook.Intrigue: Simone returns to Region 9 and sends Remy back to Edgemont to wait for her return from the mountains where she listens to the mysterious voice.
Main Character journey: Simone realizes that she still has feelings for Senator Green but only one of them can win this battle.
Major Challenge/Conflict: Simone returns to Edgemont to find Region 26’s military forces moving in to launch their attack.
Action/Reaction: Against Simone’s wishes, Remy unleashes the Region 9 forces they have trained for this battle.
Cliffhanger: Outnumbered, with defeat in sight, what did Simone learn in the mountains that can save Edgemont and many lives?
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What I learned doing this episode is discoveries are never-ending on this journey and it gets better if you can stick with it. And by better, I mean, you can see your show getting stronger and although there are more moving parts, they work together whenever you get stuck.
EDGEMONT
1. Beginning: We drop down into this dystopian future where the inhabitants of Region 9 live without advanced technology. Region 9 is the dumping grounds for the other wealthier region’s garbage. King is trying to sell Edgemont Hotel so he can use the money to gain power in Region 26.
Ending: Senator Green sends his military from Region 26 to attack Region 9 to take Edgemont from King. His daughter, Simone, defends him and protects Edgemont. She decides to risk her life by going into Region 26 to assassinate Senator Green – her ex-lover and possible father of her twin sons.
2. Season 1 Mystery Set up: I Senator Green the father of Simone’s twin sons?
Mystery Solved: How will Simone get close enough to Senator Green to get his DNA?
Mystery 2: If not Senator Green, then who is the father?
Mystery 3: King is trying to sell Edgemont behind his daughter, Simone’s, back.
3. Journey begins with Simone trying to save Edgemont and ends with going back to being an assassin when she goes into Region 26 to kill Senator Green.
4. Layer: Simone running through the mountains with an unknown voiceover giving info about power.
Layer: King plans for Roman to run for Senator in Region 26.
Layer: Roman shares a toast with Mrs. Conners, they drink and this leads to them having sex for the first time.
Layer: Remy brings Johnny, a disconnect, from Region 26 to Edgemont in Region 9.
Layer: Simone trains the homeless kids living at Edgemont in combat.
Layers: Senator Green makes a re-election campaign promise to take down Region 9 once and for all.
Layers: Simone threatens the developers out buying Edgemont, but she knows they will return with force.
OTHER LAYERS:
Layer: Does Simone still love Senator Green?
Layer: Does King love Mrs. Conners?
Layer: Is Johnny a spy for Senator Green?
Layer: Can Simone train the kids in time to save Edgemont?
Layer: Will Remy follow his mother, Simone’s advice?
Layer: Will the power center that the mountain is, help in the battle for Edgemont?
5. Major Story Lines:
Episode 1: Simone discovers that King is trying to sell Edgemont and threaten the developers.
– Simone returns from her morning run to find King showing several unknown men around Edgemont.
– King refuses to tell Simone what the meeting is about.
– Her son Roman won’t tell her what’s going on, but Remy tells her King is selling Edgemont.
– Simone arrives in the meeting with Remy, guns drawn to break up the meeting.
– One of the developers draws a gun and is shot by Remy.
– The developers leave but threaten to return with more firepower.
– King and Simone are angry and stop speaking to each other.
Episode 2: King makes a deal to support his grandson, Roman, for a run at Senator in Region 26.
– King meets with Roman and tells him that he backs him running for Senator.
– Simone finds out and is against Roman running for Senator.
– Roman agrees to join forces with King to gain power.
– King tells Roman he needs his help selling Edgemont behind his mother’s back.
Episode 3: Remy returns with Johnny, a disconnect, from Region 26.
– Remy goes against Simone’s wishes and goes into Region 26.
– Roman tries to convince Simone that selling Edgemont is the best thing to do.
– Remy battles his way out of Region 26 with Johnny and arrives in Region 9.
Episode 4: Senator Green makes a re-election campaign promise to take down Region 9 once and for all.
– Senator is embarrassed on live TV when it’s announced that another citizen of Region 26 has escaped to Region 9.
– Simone gets word of Senator Green’s promise and is upset with Remy that he didn’t listen to her.
– King is happy as he believes this announcement by Senator Green with make Simone change her mind about selling Edgemont.
– Desperate, Simone and Remy recruit and prepare the homeless kids living at Edgemont to fight against Region 26.
Episode 5: Mrs. Conners and Roman become involved and scheme to gain power.
– Roman watches as King and Simone become more estranged.
– Mrs. Conners works both King and Roman as she schemes her way into a stronger position.
– Mrs. Conners uses sex to convince Roman to scheme against King and eventually take all the power.
Episode 6: The developers return and a battle ensues with Simone holding off the developers.
– A surprise attack by the developers catches Simone and Remy unprepared.
– Homeless kids are killed, but Simone lures the developers into a trap.
– The power of the mountain pushes against the developers when an avalanche occurs killing them all.
Episode 7: Expecting other developers to head up, Simone trains the homeless kids in the art of war in the mountains.
– Impressed by his daughter’s fighting and leadership, King tries to reconcile his relationship with Simone.
– Roman and Mrs. Conners, threatened by King and Simone’s possible reunion, try to kill Remy to weaken Simone’s power.
– Mrs. Conners double-crosses Roman by trying to get Remy to kill Roman.
Episode 8: Senator Green and his military attack Edgmont.
– Simone disappears into the mountains to listen to the mysterious voice.
– Senator Green moves his military into place to attack Region 9.
– Simone receives the warning that danger is near and that she must return to Edgemont immediately.
– King realizes he must stop Senator Green from destroying Edgemont before there’s nothing to sell.
– Remy returns with more fighters.
– A scared Roman and Mrs. Conners disappear.
– King is shot by a sniper. He is worked on and returned to his bed.
– King makes amends with Simone and gives her advice.
– King calls Remy to his room and tells him about a superweapon hidden by his father many years ago.
– …but Simone uses her superweapon — the river.
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5 Seasons – EDGEMONT
What I learned doing this assignment is patience and trust in the process. Keep stacking your ideas that work, edit and toss the ones that don’t. Either way keep writing as you can always add, edit and improve on your idea. Stay open!
1. Brainstorm to find the arc of the entire journey, from Season One to Five.
SEASON 1 START: Since this series is set in a dystopian future where the world is struggling for its survival and resources are scarce, the first season begins with Simone, a single mother, trying to save her family (aging father and twin sons) and their family fortune – Edgemont Hotel. When conflicts arise between Simone and her misguided father, King, and her power-hungry son, Roman, over cashing out by selling Edgemont to developers, Simone must return to her former trade – assassin, to keep the developers at bay. This leads to her estrangement with King and Roman who are up to their schemes. But her fearless and hot-headed son, Remy, joins her side when the developers bring in reinforcements – Region 26, where ruthless Senator Green, Simone’s ex-lover, would like nothing more than to take her down and gain control of Edgemont and their resources.
SEASON 5 END: Simone takes down Senator Green and becomes Senator of Region 26.
2. Brainstorming the Stair Step Model
Season 1: Conflict with King, Roman, developers, and Region 26.
Season 2: Going to battle against Region 26.
Season 3: Going to Region 26 to kill Senator Green
Season 4: Being captured, standing trial, and facing death for alleged crimes.
Season 5: Finally taking down Senator Green and becoming Senator of Region 26.
3. Building blocks for each season:
Season 1: Fool Me Once…
A. High concept or major hook of the season: Saving her family and their fortune – Edgemont.
B. Big Picture Arc/Journey: From single mother to leading her son, Remy, and a group of homeless kids against developers to save Edgemont.
C. Main conflict: Going against her father King and son, Roman’s plan to sell Edgemont.
D. Mystery/Open loops: Will Simone and Remy get killed saving Edgemont?
E. Cliffhanger: Can Simone recruit enough backup to save Edgemont and not be killed?
SEASON 2: Shame On You…
A. High Concept or major hook of the season: The developers hired the military from Region 26 to attack Edgemont.
B. Big PictureArc/Journey: Simone goes from hating her ex-lover, Senator Green to disco dring she still has feelings for him.
C. Main Conflict: Can Simone kill Senator Green to save her family and Edgemont.
D. Mystery/Opening loops: Is Senator Green the father of Simone’s twin sons? Will she fall under the Senator’s spell again?
E. Cliffhanger: Will Simone use her sexuality to get support from Owens to help fight Region 26?
Season 3: Fool Me Twice…
A. High concept or major hooks of the season: Simone reconciles with her father, King, and son, Roman which leads to their agreement not to sell Edgemont.
B. Big Picture Arc/Journey: Not being captured when she goes into Region 26 to build a powerful network to take down Senator Green.
C. Main Conflict: Simone has to get her son, Remy, to follow her directions and stop attacking Region 26’s military.
D. Mystery/Open loops: Can Simone trust King, Roman, and Owens to help her or will they sell her out.
E: Cliffhanger: Who revealed her location that allows Senator Green to track her whereabouts?
Season 4: Shame on Me…
A. High Concept or major hook: Simone is captured and faces the death penalty for the murder of the former Senator.
B. Big PictureArc/Journey: From single mother trying to save her family to political pawn in jail.
C. Main conflict: Proving her innocence and staying alive.
D. Mystery/open loops: Will Mrs. Conners be exposed as the real assassin of the former Senator or will King keep that info hidden?
E. Cliffhanger: Will Simone be found guilty and released from jail or will her son, Remy, rescue her first?
Season 5: Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
A. high Concept or major hook of the Season: Remy must deliver Mrs. Conners to Region 26 with evidence to save his mother’s life.
B. Big Picture Arc/Journey: Simone going from jailed and accused assassin to running for Senator.
C. Main Conflict: Simone fighting against her father King, son, Roman, and Senator Green.
D. Mystery/Open Loops: Can Simone stay alive long enough to win her senate race against her ex-lover Senator Green?
E. Cliihanger: With her back against the wall and everything on the line, will Simone finally be strong enough to kill Senator Green?
4. First Draft of Five Seasons
Season 1:
How does a single mother convince her father to save the family by not selling the family fortune, Edgemont, to developers?
After discovering her father’s plan to sell Edgemont, Simone must stop developers from closing the deal. Using her training as a former assassin, she trains a group of homeless kids living at Edgemont how to fight. This battle pits her against her father and son who have plans to use the money from the sale to gain power in Region 26. How will she gain the upper hand? She kills off the developers. As a single mother, she always trusted her father and raised her sons to be strong. As a defender of the family fortune, she returns to being an assassin.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by
Cooper James.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by
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What I learned from this assignment is the previous work helps you create compelling characters without tossing a bunch of info onto a page and hoping it sticks. Also using the previously created BW Framework gives you a resource to pull great info from and if the info sucks so will your characters, but you can always go back and fix them – as I have. 🙂
EDGEMONT
ROLE IN SHOW: SIMONE – A single mother caught in a battle defending her twin sons and aging father’s family fortune – Edgemont.
Noteworthy traits: Smart. Maternal. Assassin.
Intriguing history: She doesn’t know which Senator is the father of her twin sons.
Intrigue: She will risk her life to save Edgemont and her family’s fortune. Will she be killed?
Mystery: How does she not know who the father is of her twins.
Support or drive conflict with others: Going into battle with Region 26 against her father’s wishes.
Irony: She wants to protect her family but puts their lives in danger by going into battle.
Opposing agendas/etc: Simone is against her father, King, selling Edgemont. She disapproves of her son, Roman running for Senator in Region 26. She wants to bring down Senator Green.
Unpredictable: Risks everything by going into Region 26 to kill Senator Green.
Intriguing Relationships: King, Roman, Owens, and Senator Green.
START: A single mother determined to save her family and their future by bringing down the man who might be the father of her twin sons.
MIDDLE: She is willing to risk her life in battle against Region 26. She is willing to use her sexuality to win. Will she have to go against her father and son?
ENDING: She is outgunned in every way and risks too many lives to achieve her goal.
EDITED VERSION
A single mother wants to save her family and their future. But she must risk her life to take down the man who might be the father of her twin sons. She is an assassin who uses her sexuality when necessary.
When she learns Senator Green is up for re-election, she decides to take him down. To save her family and Edgemont she’ll risk her life and reopen the old wounds she’s worked hard to put behind her.
ROLE IN SHOW: KING Father and grandfather. Owner of Edgemont whose best days behind him.
Noteworthy traits: Strong understanding of politics.
Intriguing history: He gained Edgemont through marriage through his missing wife.
Intrigue: Willing to use his family to gain power. Will he be able to help Roman become Senator? Will he be killed?
Mystery: What happened to his wife, Simone’s mother?
Support or drive the conflict: Helping Roman become Senator against his mother Simone’s wishes. Selling Edgemont.
Irony: Drinks a lot when faced with challenges. Scheming to help Roman to become a Senator while being schemed on by Mrs. Conners.
Opposing Agendas/etc: Trying to sell Edgemont against Simone’s wishes.
Unpredictable: Will do anything to get power before he dies.
Intriguing relationship: Roman, Mrs. Conners, and Simone.
START: An aging father and grandfather willing to sell his family’s hotel to gain power in Region 26 by helping his grandson become Senator.
MIDDLE: He’s willing to sell out his daughter and use anyone who can help his grandson win.
ENDING: Outsmarts himself when he aligns himself with the wrong people.
REVISED VERSION
He’s a father and grandfather willing to sell out his family to get power in Region 26. But will his girlfriend, Mrs. Conners scheming ways cost him everything? He is a master politician and believes selling Edgemont will lead to the life he’s always wanted. His daughter disagrees and stands firmly in his way of achieving his life goal.
When he is offered three hundred million to sell Edgemont and the vast mountain it sits on, King’s dream of taking control of Region 26 becomes his only focus. He convinces his grandson to run for Senator in Region 26 and provides support. Using Mrs. Conners in his scheme, King will abandon his daughter, grandson, and homeless kids living in Edgemont.
ROLE IN SHOW: ROMAN The charming son and favorite grandson willing to backstab his way into power.
Noteworthy traits: Charismatic. Smart. Manipulative.
Intriguing History: Convinced his grandfather to back him for Senator in Region 26.
Intrigue: Willing to cross all moral boundaries. Willing to sell out his mother, sleep with his grandfather’s girlfriend, Mrs. Conners. Will his grandfather catch him?
Mystery: How did he become his grandfather’s favorite?
Support or Drive the conflict: Going against his mother’s wishes. Trying to undermind his brother, Remy.
Irony: Acts powerful but is weak. Wants to lead but is needs his mother’s approval.
Opposing agendas/etc.: Sleeping with Mrs. Conners behind his grandfather’s back. Wants to sell Edgmont against his mother’s wishes.
Unpredictable: Power-hungry and will do anything to get it.
Intriguing relationship: King, Mrs. Conner, and Remy.
START: A charismatic son with a desire for power will do anything to get it.
MIDDLE: Agrees to go along with his grandfather’s plan to run for Senator in Region 26. Will his grandfather catch him sleeping with Mrs. Conners?
ENDING: In over his head when it comes to politics.
REVISED VERSION
A charismatic son with a need for power agrees to his grandfather’s plan to make him Senator. But he must cross his mother and twin brother, Remy to keep his grandfather happy.
When Mrs. Conners seduces him into her bed they scheme against his grandfather for absolute power. To make his plan work he must play both sides without making any mistakes – and he’s good real good.
ROLE IN SHOW: Remy The favorite son helping his mother save Edgemont from being sold off the developers. One day he wants to run Edgemont.
Noteworthy traits: Fearless risk-taker. Weapons expert. Dedicated son.
Intriguing history: Rescues disconnects for Region 26. Doesn’t know who his father is.
Intrigue: Willing to risk his life to rescue people/disconnects from Region 26. Will he get caught or killed?
Mystery: Why does he risk his life to save others?
Support or Drive the conflict: Supports his mother against his grandfather and Roman. Rescues people from Region 26.
Irony: Protects his mother but refuses to follow her leadership which puts both of their lives in danger.
Opposing agendas/etc: Wants to save Edgemont but rescues people from Region 26 which causes them to attack Edgemont.
Unpredictable: He won’t take his mother’s advice. He has a short fuse.
Intriguing relationship: King, Roman, and his girl in Region 26.
START: A momma’s boy who helps his momma save the family and Edgemont. But he puts everyone’s lives in danger when he brings a disconnect, Johnny, from Region 26.
MIDDLE: Willing to become an assassin to bring down Regin 26. Will he be killed? Will he help his grandfather and brother win?
ENDING: In over his head, outgunned, and turns to vices to escape.
REVISED VERSION
A momma’s boy who won’t listen to his momma’s advice. Wanting to be a hero, his reckless behavior leads to Edgemont coming under attack when he brings Johnny, a disconnect to Edgemont. He is a ruthless fighter who doesn’t back down from a fight.
When Edgemont comes under attack by Region 26, Remy becomes a spy to take down Region 26 from the inside. Outgunned and outmanned he risks his life to help his mother save their family fortune – Edgemont. He might be that hero if he can stay away from his vices of sex and drugs.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by
Cooper James.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by
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What I learned doing this assignment is there are many steps to create a binge-worthy series and having an intriguing concept and world are very important. Tiny steps are good. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a great series. Trust the process and the results will reveal themselves at the right time.
Edgemont
Show Concept
A. A single mother becomes a ruthless assassin to save her twin sons and aging father’s home and family fortune…
B. …when they are attacked by dangerous forces…
C. …she discovers her full power…
D. …as she becomes a reluctant leader.
Show World
Unique Sub-World: The desperate and grimy world of a dystopian future.
Previously unexplored: How to gain power and control.
The unknown: How the outside forces/regions will respond.
The unseen: Her father’s betrayal and her son Roman’s run for Senator/Senator Green’s plan to capture Edgemont and turn it into his new headquarters.
Unheard of dangers: The outside forces/regions kill with impunity
Reson to explore it: The only way to say her family and their future.
EDGEMONT WORLD: The dystopian future where the powerful are few but mighty and those who challenge them do so at their peril.
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What I learned from this assignment is if you click the wrong button (post) after writing everything you have to write the whole assignment again. Insert curse word! I also learned characters and stories need irony to draw your audience in deeper. Irony makes everything more interesting. On that deep level, we know that we’re not perfect, we just hope no one finds out. Irony gives us more conflict and surprises. Twist and turns are good.
Assignment #1
June and her husband are trying to escape with their daughter, yet they waste precious time arguing and are captured.
June becomes Offred and was a faithful wife who has a relationship with Nick.
Commander Waterford pretends to live his life by the Bible but commits many sins.
Mrs. Waterford was a strong woman who helps create Gilead but becomes a subservient wife who takes orders from her husband.
Nick is an “eye” who breaks the rules when he has an affair with Offred behind Commander Waterford’s back.
The woman leader for South American presents herself as caring for women and how their treated but yet won’t protect Offred when told of the abuse.
Moira was a tough-as-nails gay woman who becomes a prostitute sleeping with men.
Offred pretends to go along with being a handmaid but escapes to find her daughter.
Mrs. Waterford criticizes another woman’s husband for bad behavior but turns a blind eye to her husband’s indiscretions so she can have a baby of her own.
Nick acts like he’s faithful to Commander Waterford but he helps Offred escape.
Assignment #2
Edgemont
Simone wants to save the parentless kids living at Edgemont but she sends them to battle the forces from Region 26.
King preaches family but secretly is trying to sell the family’s only asset to gain power for himself.
King wants to rebuild his relationship with his daughter Simone but betrays her by trying to sell Edgemont behind her back.
Remy wants to help his mother, Simone takedown Region 26 but hurts their cause by bringing Johnny to Region 26.
Senator presents himself as an honorable man but has a hidden love child, Johnny, his wife doesn’t know about.
Johnny becomes disconnected from Region 26’s grid to help bring down his father, the Senator, but is he a spy for his father seeking his love.
Roman wants his grandfather, King to help him become a powerful Senator but he sleeps with his grandfather’s girlfriend because he’s weak and easily manipulated.
Mrs. Conners caters to King’s every need and desire while scheming against him with his grandson, Roman.
Owen wants to help Simone gain power because he wants a relationship with her.
Remy wants to settle down with a family but puts his life in danger at every opportunity.
Remy tries to stop his brother Roman’s plan to gain power but is tricked and gives him more power.
Simone understands the power center that the mountain is and the energy she shouldn’t violate but to defeat her father and keep Edgemont she breaks rule after rule.
Roman misses his close relationship with his mother, Simone but goes against her every wish.
Senator tricked Simone into helping him become Senator, then blamed her for the assassination of the former Senator and took another wife.
Roman and Remy are twins pursuing two different dangerous goals.
Simone is an assassin unable to kill the man who stands in the way of her future.
King is a smart man that is easily manipulated by Mrs. Conners due to his ego.
Simone wants love but takes long runs through mountains to deal with her loneliness.
Roman follows his grandfather’s every instruction as he plans his demise with Mrs. Conners.
Simone hates politics but runs for Senator to take down her ex-lover.
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Cooper James – Plot and Character Layers
What I learned doing this assignment is that the plot and layers should work together to keep the audience engaged. Plot and character layers also help the writer by fill in their “toolbox” with necessary “tools” to keep an audience guessing until the end of each episode. and wanting to watch the next ep to find out what happens A lot of times you create interesting characters that aren’t connected to anything – just interesting characters. Audiences need more to keep them coming back.
Assignment #1
Handmaid’s Tale
The show opens on the shocking event with June, her husband, and her daughter trying to escape evil forces in the United States that have been taken over by fundamentalists. The audience is drawn into the mystery and tries to figure out what the hell is going on? June is captured and trained to be a handmaid to have babies for infertile couples who run Gilead. She has lost her family and her freedom. Will she ever regain either?
LAYER #1
Now renamed. Offred. because her “master’s” name is Fred, Offred is raped every month until she becomes pregnant. As she learns the rules in this new abusive society, she also learns who she can trust. Will she join the resistance to escape to find her daughter?
LAYER #2
Commander and Mrs. Waterford are Offred’s host family. At first, they appear to welcome Offred, but as we move through episodes they become more cruel and manipulative by the day. With physical abuse and sexual abuse on the rise, Offred teams up with Nick, the family driver for emotional companionship. But can she trust him, he’s an “eye” for the new government? When Offred doesn’t get pregnant, she is sent to a room where she finds messages from the previous handmaid. What happened to her? This is complicated by the fact the Commander Waterford has made Offred his sex toy behind his wife’s back.
LAYER #3
Meanwhile. the wife forces Offred to have sex with Nick behind her husband’s back to have the baby she desperately wants. Mrs. Waterford, Nick, and Offred know having sex with Nick will not end well if Commander Waterford finds out. Throughout all of this Offred is plotting her escape to find her daughter.
LAYER #4
Offred pretends to make friends with Commander Waterford, going as far as pretending to enjoy having sex with him behind Mrs. Waterford’s back at a hotel outside of Gilead. She learns that the leaders of the country don’t follow the Bible as they profess in public. She risks her life to help the resistance and grows more confident in her manipulations involving Commander Waterford and his wife.
LAYER #5
The mystery of what happened to the other handmaid is revealed. Offred feels take advantage of by Commander Waterford. Mrs. Waterford discovers Offred’s sex outings with her husband and forces Offed to take a pregnancy test. She’s pregnant. Mrs. Waterdord tells Command Waterford it’s not his baby to get back at him for humiliating her.
Assignment #2
EDGEMONT
Plot Surface – To secure the power King has always desired, he tries to sell the Edgemont to developers behind his daughter, Simone’s back to finance his grandson, Roman’s run for Senator in Region 26. Simone wants to keep Edgemont as not only is it her only home, but it’s also home to many homeless kids who have lost their parents fighting off the enemy region’s attempts to take over. Simone learned from her mother as a child that the mountain that Edgemont sits on is a power center and is a valuable asset to the other region’s survival as the world runs out of resources.
LAYER #1 Sabotage
Simone runs off any developers who travel up the mountain to by Edgemont.
LAYER #2 Scheme Revealed
King wants to sell Edgemont to finance his grandson, Roman’s run for Senator in Region 26. This will give King the power that has always escaped him.
LAYER #3 Hidden History
The current Senator used to be Simone’s lover and he betrayed her when he set her up to take the blame for the previous Senator’s assassination. Then he married someone else and Simone has been wanted in REgion 26 for her “crime” every since.
LAYER #4 Mystery
The mystery of who assassinated the previous Senator and the role Mrs. Conners played.
LAYER #5
Roman is having an affair with King’s girlfriend, Mrs. Conners, who has her schemes to gain power in Region 26.
LAYER #6 Future Consequences
With the help of her other son, Remy. Simone will finally gain the upper hand on the Senator when Remy rescues the Senator’s love child, Johnny, and bring him to Edgemont. But is Johnny a spy for his father, the Senator? Simone decides after many unsuccessful attempts to kill the Senator, she will defeat him by running against him for Senator. This also means she will run against her son, Roman, which causes major conflict with her father’s grand plan to gain power in Region 26.
Character Surface- Simone has trained a fierce army of kids to protect their home… Edgemont. They regard Simone as “Mother” and will protect her against anyone, including her father, King.
Layer #1 Hidden Agenda: Simone wants to keep the Edgemont and the mountain safe from the developers who would destroy this power center.
Layer #2 Hidden Character History: Simone had an affair with both Senators… one was fake, the other was real. One is the father of her twin sons.
Layer #3 Secret Identity: She is an assassin and has killed many people.
Layer #4 Wound: Her father, King, had something to do with her mother’s disappearance.
Layer #5 Competition: She plans to run for Senator against her son, Roman, to keep her father from gaining power in Region 26. She knows if her son becomes Senator he would die mysteriously and King would become Senator.
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This reply was modified 4 years ago by
Cooper James.
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This reply was modified 4 years ago by
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Cooper James – Big Picture open loops
What I learned doing this assignment is how the Big Picture open loops hook your audience and make future episodes more exciting to write. Big Picture allows the writer to create stories that build to that climactic final episode of the season. It keeps eyes coming back to a series to get answers about characters they are concerned about.
Assignment #1
Part 1
Handmaid’s Tale – Big Picture Open Loops
How will Offred escape to find her daughter?
Will Offred deliver a baby for the Waterfords?
Will Mrs. Waterford turn on her husband, Commander Waterford?
Who does Commander Waterford report to?
How long will it take for change to come to Gilead?
Will Offred be united with her husband, Luke again?
Part 2
Now that Offred is pregnant by Nick, will he help her escape?
What will Moira do now that she has escaped, again?
What will happen now that Mrs. Waterford knows about her husband enjoying Offred’s company?
What will Commander Waterford do after learning Offred is pregnant, but the baby isn’t his?
Will Commander Waterford learn that Nick is the father?
Will Nick turn in Commander Waterford for breaking the laws of Gilead?
Will Offred give birth to a baby or lose it?
Assignment #2
Edgemont – First Season Big Picture Open Loops
Will King sell Edgemont to the developers?
Will Remy be caught for rescuing Johnny from Region 26?
Will Roman get caught having a relationship with Mrs. Conners by her boyfriend and his grandfather, King?
What is Mrs. Conners’ plan for Roman?
Will Simone be able to fight off attacks from Region 26?
Will Roman and Remy find out who their father is?
Will Simone take down the Senator?
Who is Johnny and why is he at Edgemont?
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Cooper James – Show Mysteries
What I learned by doing this assignment is mysteries should draw the audience in deeper. Mysteries will make them talk and think about your show. It will also make them go on the journey to the end to discover the answers to the mysteries. Mysteries are an added layer, kind of like the special sauce one might add to make a burger tasty.
Assignment #1
Handmaid’s Tale
A. Shocking Event: As June (Offred) tries to escape with her husband and daughter, she is captured and forced to become a handmaid.
B. Secret: What happened to Hannah, June’s daughter?
C. Investigation: The audience has been set up to find out what happened to June’s (Offred) husband and daughter and they will ever unite again.
What: June discovers everything about her new world and her role in it.
When: She meets Commander Waterford and his wife.
Where: At the training center she learns what her future will be, then she is assigned to the Waterfords.
Why: There is a shortage of women giving birth so handmaids must fill in.
Who: Fertile Women must bear children for other families.
How: Fertile women live with families and have sex with other woman’s husbands to bear them a child.
A. Cover-up: The handmaids are indoctrinated into this idea of doing God’s work according to the Bible for these wonderful, happy families. However, the handmaids are beating and abused if they resist. The husbands rape the women in front of their wives who are unable to bear children. The wives are so desperate to have a baby they turn a blind eye to rape.
B. Secret: Offred plays the part of a handmaid, but she will do anything to escape and find her daughter.
C. Reveals: Offred is smart and becomes Commander Waterford’s mistress without Mrs. Waterford’s knowledge. And Mrs. Waterford forces Offred to have sex with Nick because she thinks her husband is the problem and not her.
Who: Who are the people that are in charge of Gilead?
When: Will Offred bear a child for the Waterfords.
Why: The previous handmaid committed suicide without bearing a child.
Where: Offred lives with the Waterfords until she bears them a child.
Part Withheld:
What: What will happen to Commander Waterford when he discovers Nick is sleeping with Offred. What will happen when Mrs. Waterford do when she discovers her husband’s sex on the side with Offred. Will Nick turn in the Commander for his violations?
How: How will Offred escape to find her daughter?
Assignment #2
A. Shocking Event: Remy rescues a kid, Johnny, from Region 26.
B. Secret: Who is Johnny and why did Remy choose him to rescue?
C. Investigation: The audience has been drawn in to search for who Johnny is.
What: Simone knows that to take down Region 26 she must first take down the Senator, so she sends her son, Remy to rescue Johnny.
When: For 13 years.
Where: In Region 26, Johnny is living with his mother, the Senator’s mistress.
How: Remy must rescue someone important from Region 26 to show how powerful he is.
Part Withheld:
Who: Johnny is the Senator’s secret love child.
Why: Simone knows sending Remy to rescue Johnny would deal a major blow to the Senator and throw him off his game.
Ultimate Reveal: Simone had an affair with the Senator.
Ultimate Reveal 2: Simone was involved in the assassination of the previous Senator which brought the current Senator to power.
A. Cover-up: Simone and Remy are presented as reckless as they go against King’s wishes by rescuing someone from Region 26. Simone knows this will prevent King from immediately selling Edgemont as the Senator will come after Johnny which will lead to a battle.
B. Secret: Edgemont was built on a mountain that is a power center. This is a place that needs no outside power to defend itself. Nature protects those who try to bring harm to its inhabitants. King doesn’t believe what his father shared with him about the mountain. He only sees money as power and wants to sell against Simone’s wishes.
C. Reveals: It starts with King scheming with Roman, his grandson, to run for Senator of Region 26, but first, he must help him sell Edgemont, which Roman agrees to. King wants real power, not some mystical mountain. Roman wants power, too, and turns on his mother, Simone, to get it. He also has a relationship with his grandfather’s younger girlfriend, Mrs. Conners, who has her schemes.
What: What is the reason King suddenly wants to sell Edgemont?
When: When does King tell Simone he’s backing Roman for Senator in Region 26?
Where: Where does the power come from for Edgemont?
How: How will Simone use the kids to save Edgemont from the developers.
Part Withheld:
Why: Why did Remy risk his life to rescue Johnny from Region 26
Who: Who killed the former Senator?
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What I learned doing this assignment is how to not accept anything less than creating the best show possible. When you think you have everything ready to go, there’s always more if you know where to look and how to connect the characters in such a way that the audience identifies and cares about outcomes.
Assignment #1
Handmaid’s Tale
A. Undeserved misfortune:
Luke has to flee with his family because America is taken over by a fundamentalist regime. He loses his family (wife, June, and daughter, Hannah). He is shot and almost dies.
June suffers torture, rape, and other abuses when she is captured and forced to be a Handmaid for Commander Waterford and his wife. She has no idea where her daughter is or if she’s still alive.
B. External Character Conflicts:
June is upset with Luke for not leaving for Canada sooner. This causes a conflict between them. The audience feels this conflict and knows June and Luke need to work together to save their daughter and escape.
Luke’s desire to go back to Boston is a conflict with a woman that is trying to save his life. As a result, this slows them from getting on the boat to escape to Canada. When they are attacked making their getaway she is killed by the new regime. Luke didn’t mean for her to die but his actions resulted in unintentional consequences.
Commander Waterford can’t get Offred pregnant, so Mrs. Waterford forces Offred to have sex with Nick. Because Offred doesn’t want to be alone, she has a love affair with Nick.
C. Plot Intruding On Life:
When Luke and June hide in a family friend’s house, a stranger arrives that warns them that their friend was killed down the road. June and Luke decide to leave but are ambushed on the road and forced to split up. Luke is shot and placed in an ambulance and heading to the hospital. Due to bad driving, the ambulance crashes, and Luke escapes. In freezing temperatures, he makes his way to an empty town where he passes out in an empty store. He is almost killed when he is kicked awake and mistaken for enemy forces because he is wearing their jacket. When he is on the bus with other escapees, he is threatened with a gun as he tries to leave the bus. Despite being shown bodies hanging in the church, he still tries to go back to Boston. When he arrives at the boat he has to give something as a fee to ride on the boat. So he gives up the medical supplies he uses for pain and that keeps him alive. Then, the fundamentalist police arrive to try to kill him as he boards the boat and disappears into the night.
D. Moral Dilemmas:
In Nick’s bedroom, Offred decides to keep sleeping with Nick even after she receives word that her husband, Luke is still alive.
F. Forced Decisions They’d Never Make:
Luke and June put their lives along with their daughter’s life in the hands of a stranger by getting into the trunk of their car to escape.
Offred having sex with Commander Waterford to give him and Mrs. Waterford a baby.
My show: Edgemont
A. Underserved Misfortune:
Simone raising twin sons by herself while trying to save the Edgemont.
B. External Character Conflicts:
Roman and Remy constantly go against each other to gain approval from either Simone (Mother) or King, (Grandfather).
C. Plot Intruding On Life:
Simone is nearing a deal to convince her father, King, not to sell the Edgemont to developers when her son Remy rescues another kid from Region 26. This angers the Senator from Region 26 and since it’s an election year, he pledges to destroy the Edgemont and kill everyone to rid himself of this growing threat to his power.
D. Moral Dilemmas:
In the woods, Roman’s dilemma about whether to have sex and with Mrs. Conner (his Grandfather’s younger girlfriend) and join her schemes which will give him greater power or not, knowing this could be the last opportunity to gain the upper hand on his mother and his brother.
E. Forced Decisions They’d Never Make:
Simone knows the only way to save Edgemont and her family is to betray both of her sons and run for Senator.
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Cooper James – Depth of Emotions
What I learned is to dig in deeper to find the most interesting and surprising character emotions that will fully engage your audience, and yourself. Attack character emotion from every possible angle and stay open to discovering the unexpected.
Assignment #1 – Handmaid’s Tale
Offred
A. Hope: to get pregnant / Fear: being sent to the colonies.
B. Want: to escape Gilead. / Need: to find her daughter
C. Base Negative Emotion: Anger / Public Mask: obedience
D. Weaknesses: Powerless
E. Triggers: Injustice
F. Coping Mechanism: fantasizing about killing Mrs. Waterford.
Mrs. Waterford
A. Hope: Offred gives her a baby. / Fear: Commander Waterford will find out about Nick and Offred having sex.
B. Want: Baby / Need: Love
C. Base negative Emotion: Worthless / Public Mask: Important person.
D. Weaknesses: Need to be desired.
E. Triggers: fear of never having a child.
F. Coping Mechanism: manipulation and she smokes.
My show: Edgemont
Simone
A. Hope: Save the Edgemont and the kids. / Fear: Her sons will be killed.
B. Want: Control / Needs: Approval
C. Base Negative Emotions: Victim / Mask: activist
D. Weaknesses: Powerless
E. Triggers: Negative treatment
F. Coping Mechanism: Shut down and running 50 miles alone through the mountains.
King
A. Hope: Sell the Edgemont / Fear: Dying
B. Want: Power / Fear: Being betrayed
C. Base Negative Emotions: worthless / Mask: Important person
D. Weaknesses: Hurts people he cares about.
E. Triggers: the stress of trying to sell the Edgemont.
F. Coping Mechanism: manipulation
Roman
A. Hope: To run the Edgemont / Fear: Being killed
B. Want: Power / Need: Self-esteem
C. Base Negative Emotions: Worthless / Mask: Important person
D. Weaknesses: Over-loyal
E. Triggers: Being bullied
F. Coping Mechanism: Shut down
Remy
A. Hope: Bring down Region 26 / Fear: being killed
B. Want: wants to win / Need: love and approval
C. Base Negative Emotions: Rage / Mask: Defender of what’s right
D. Weaknesses: ego-driven
E. Triggers: feeling threatened
F. Coping Mechanism: Alter his state – sex, drugs, and drinking.
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Cooper James – Intriguing Character Layers
What I learned is you gotta dig deep into the private spaces to create characters that will hold an audience and keep them watching. We all have secrets and it’s safer to watch others reveal, discover and engage in the outcomes of intrigue.
Example show: Handmaid’s Tale – Offred
Role: to give birth to a child for Mrs. Waterford who is unable to bear children
Hidden agendas: to survive and find her daughter
Competition: With Mrs. Waterford
Conspiracy: With other Handmaids
Secrets: building a close relationship with Commander Waterford and Nick, the driver.
Deception: Hiding that she’s becoming a part of the resistance.
Wound: Her husband was killed and she lost her daughter.
Secret Identity: She’s a fighter.
My show: Edgemont
Character Name: Simone
Role: mother of twin sons and faithful daughter
Hidden Agendas: to destroy the Senator
Competition:
Conspiracies: With her son Remy to take down Region 26. With Owens to get financial backing.
Secrets: the father of her twin sons.
Deception: that she is faithful to her father
Wound: Choose love over power.
Secret Identity: trained assassin
Character Name: KIng
Role: family patriarch, father of Simone, and owner of the Edgemont.
Hidden Agendas: sell the hotel
Competition: With Owens to influence his daughter, Simone.
Conspiracies: With his grandson, Roman.
Secrets: What happened to Simone’s mother.
Deception: That he cares about the kids living at the Edgemont.
Wound: His father didn’t love him.
Secret Identity: rapist
Character Name: Roman
Role: Son and grandfather’s favorite
Hidden Agendas: Prevent his mother and brother, Remy, from taking down the Senator.
Competition: his mother and brother, Remy.
Conspiracies: With his grandfather, King, and Mrs. Conners
Secrets: His affair with Mrs. Conners
Deception: Deceiving his mother, brother, and his grandfather, King.
Wound: that he’s not his mother’s favorite child.
Secret Identity: Con man
Character Name: Remy
Role: Son and mother’s favorite
Hidden Agendas: kidnap the Senator’s wife
Competition: his grandfather and brother, Roman.
Conspiracies: With Michael and several kids
Secrets: his love affair with a woman in Region 26
Deception: that he has never killed anyone.
Wound: not knowing his father.
Secret Identity: rescuing disconnects from Region 26
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Cooper James – Engaging Characters
Assignment #1 Handmaid’s Tale
A. Role in show: Offred – she must have a baby for Commander Waterford.
B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: Offred is able to have a baby
Purpose: to help populate the country
C. Intrigue: Offred is hiding that is becoming a part of the resistance.
D. Moral Issue: will Offred use her sexuality on the Commander’s Driver, Nick?
E. Unpredictable: Offred is willing to risk her safety to help others.
F. Empathetic: Offred discovers she is not pregnant and Mrs. Waterford will make life harder on her.
Assignment #2
EDGEMONT
The character SIMONE is going from being a “stay-at-home-mom” to a leader of a coup to save her twin sons, her father, and their fortune.
A. Role in show:
Simone: the reluctant hero who must save her family from almost certain demise.
King: her 70-year-old father who gets a second chance as a leader.
B. Unique Purpose/Expertise:
Simone: Expertise: an ultra-marathon runner, weapons expert, and ruthless fighter who in battle will do anything to win.
Purpose: to save her sons, father, and their family fortune.
King: Expertise: strong understanding of politics.
Purpose: to help his daughter at all costs.
C. Intrigue:
Simone: she is a trained killer leading an army of killers. She knows the Senator’s secrets and his weaknesses.
King: He secretly has political aspirations for his daughter.
D. Moral Issue:
Simone: Will kill and use her sexuality whenever necessary.
King: Secretly planning for his daughter to get into politics against her desires.
E. Unpredictable:
Simone: She ventures into Region 26 to take down the Senator before he can take her down.
King: Time is running out and he will do everything in his power to see his daughter become a Senator before he dies.
F. Empathetic:
Simone: Is raising her twin sons alone. She must teach them how to fight and lead them to victory to save the family’s fortune.
King: He is dying, but wants to help his daughter take down the Senator before he does.
I learned how to focus on the main characters and make them as interesting and intriguing as possible at this stage of developing them, knowing that it all might change.
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Cooper James – Three Circles of Character
MY Three Circles of Character for “Edgemont”
A. Simone (late 40s)- a strong woman in a dystopian future. Rebellious until she became a mother to twin sons, Roman and Remy. Now she must protect them and what’s left of her aging father’s family fortune… The Edgemont Hotel.
Roman (son, 20s) heir to the throne, smart and calm. He listens to his mother.
Remy (son, 20s) smart, but rebellious like his mother, which creates conflict and puts them at odds.
Mysterious Woman (60) heard by Simone only in voiceover.
King (Simone’s Father, 70s) once ruled supreme but has lost the fight. Often in conflict with his daughter, Simone. Will do anything for Remy. Ready to sell off the family fortune.
B. Mrs. Conners (60s), Senator (50s), Danielle – Senator’s new wife (30s) Johnny (13) a disconnect, Johnny’s father (also Senator’s brother) (40s) Owens (50s)
C. Kids from the town (7-20) remaining citizens in town, police, disconnects (people on the run) real estate developers (people trying to take control of the Edgemont)
What I learned doing this assignment was focusing on trimming a lot of distracting ideas that will probably get in the way and lead me all over God’s creation.
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Cooper James – 3 Circles of Characters
Show: Handmaid’s Tale
Assignment #1
A. Main Circle: Offred, Commander Waterford, Commander’s Wife – Serena, Ofglen, Commander’s Driver Nick
B. Connected Circle: Housekeeper, Ofwarren, Aunt Lydia
C. Environment Circle: Group of Handmaids, Guardians of Gilead, People of Gilead
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Hi Everyone!
I’m playing catch up here, but since I ran cross country, I know how to pace myself.
I’ve written numerous scripts.
I need to not only write the series idea that haunts me, but I need to make the series binge-worthy.
If nothing else, I’m determined so I’ll catch up to the group soon.
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<div>Cooper James</div>
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