David Bruno
Forum Replies Created
-
ACT 2: REACTION TO THE TURNING POINT
DAVID BRUNO
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS ASSIGNMENT: I’ve learned about sequential scene continuity.
1. ASSIGNMENT: Using your beat sheet, outline key scene 1. (Reaction to the Turning Point. The Old Ways are not enough.)
Beginning: Alistar wakes up with a hangover and answers the phone call from Max. He invites him to his dig in Egypt.
Middle: A knock at his door and the NSA asks questions about his field trip less than 24 hours later. Alistar knows there is something up.
End: Alistar goes to the NSA and is cagey. Leaving he is followed and loses them. They park outside his house.
2. Write the “Reaction to the Turning Point” scene.
INT. BEDROOM – DAY
Alistar wakes with a hangover to a phone call from Max. Max invites him to Egypt to see his discovery of artifacts. Alistar says he’ll think about it for now.
INT. FRONT DOOR – DAY
Alistar hears a knock at the front door. The NSA is there and begins to ask Alistar questions about his field trip. Alistar hedges and ask what this is about. The NSA agent hedges as well and invites Alistar to a meeting at the NSA office. Explains it’s not optional.
INT. ALISTAR’S HOME – DAY
Alistar calls his department head and wants to know why he’s being called on by the NSA. He explains that Alistar should cooperate fully in the NSA’s investigation, it’s a matter of national security. Alistar picks up and finishes the bottle of scotch.
INT. NSA OFFICE – DAY
Alistar appears for his appointment. He is asked several questions that are meant to dissuade him from believing that what he saw was real. Alistar placates them and stalls with any acceptance to their requests for videos of the incident.
EXT. STREETS – DAY
He leaves and finds himself being followed. He performs lane threading to lose the tail but picks up another one that follows him home and parks outside.
EXT. ALISTAR’S HOME – DAY
Walks to the parked black SUV and tries to talk to them. They only ignore his efforts.
-
ADDITIONAL SCENES ACT 1 (20% draft)
DAVID BRUNO
WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT: discovered an additional way to enhance the story with review and adding scenes.
Protagonist Opening: (beat)
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
ALISTAR is teaching a class on the ‘Fermi Paradox’.
Outline:
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
BEGINNING: ALISTAR enters and students hush completely.
MIDDLE: ALISTAR states the subject: FERMI PARADOX explanation.
END: A student remarks about the spelling of ALISTAR. ALISTAR retorts about the missing link being present in the lecture hall… even today.
———-
Antagonist Opening: (beat)
INT. NSA RESEARCH FACILITY – NIGHT
ANTAG gives order to execute alien
Outline:
BEGINNING: Alien is strapped to table, struggling.
MIDDLE: ANTAG enters chamber and prepares device, then gives order to execute alien.
END: Alien violently struggles in his death rattle, ANTAG call on phone, “It’s done.”
2. Write your Opening scene that introduces the characters.
PROTAGONIST OPENING SCENE:
EXT. MOTORCYCLE ON WOODED ROAD – DAY
ALISTAR rides to campus on a foggy winding road, heavily wooded. Exits bike, enters lecture hall.
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Noisy students wait for ALISTAR to enter hall. As he enters the students hush completely and suddenly as if falling from a cliff. The lecture is about the ‘FERMI PARADOX’. The students listen carefully and take notes. One student seems annoyed and scribbles for a distraction. The student attempts a snarky comment after the lecture and…
ALISTAR retort:
“There may still be missing links among us… even in this lecture hall.”
———-
ANTAGONIST OPENING SCENE:
INT. NSA RESEARCH FACILITY – NIGHT
Alien, in a sealed chamber, is strapped to a table, struggling. ANTAG enters room and reviews monitors. Hands clipboard to operator and gives the order to pull the lever. Packet of pellets drop into bucket below alien and give off cyanide gas. Alien struggles violently and her skin rapidly changes colors. Alien’s death rattle ends. ANTAG calls on phone and says: “It’s done.” He exits the room.
———————
(inciting incident)
Beginning: students travel to Mojave Desert to see the Nevada Triangle.
Middle: arrival at the Mojave Desert and see the environment.
End: An actual alien spacecraft is sighted.
-Key scene: (protagonist reacts emotionally)
Beginning: Varied reactions to the alien spacecraft sighting.
Middle: Alistar is overwhelmed with the sighting and so are the students. All are hysterical.
End: Returning to campus, different rationalization are asserted in an argumentative fashion, no one is at peace.
2. Write your Inciting Incident scene.
EXT. BOARDING VAN – DAY
THE FIELD TRIP GROUP WAITS TO BOARD THE VAN. ONE STUDENT OFFERS BROWNIES TO THE OTHERS. ALL PARTICIPATE.
EXT. TRAVELING TO MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
Alistar offers further insight into the FERMI PARADOX and students’ reactions are uniformly skeptical.
EXT. HWY TO MOJAVE – DAY
SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING TAKES IN THE SCENERY OF THE DESERT. VARIOUS REACTIONS TO A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT NEVER SEEN BEFORE BY STUDENTS ENHANCED BY THEIR INTOXICATED STATE. STUDENTS ARRIVE AT THE DESIGNATED LOCATION OF THE FIELD TRIP AND WANDER AROUND. SOME RELIEVE THEMSELVES, OTHER TAKE SPECIMENS. THE FIELD TRIP WANDERS INTO A NARROW CANYON SHADOWED FROM THE SUN.
EXT. MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
All at once the students see the bright flash of light coming from a spacecraft they cannot identify. Hovering over the students it pulsates and moves at incredible speeds and stops as fast. Maneuvering at 90 degree angles it beams a light on each of the students and shocks them in turn. Alistar is trying to cope with something out of his control and is at his wits end. The spacecraft exits vertically in an instance and disappears.
3. Write the scene for the Reaction to the Inciting Incident.
THE FIELD TRIP SCATTERS AND HIDE FROM PERCEIVED DANGER. ALISTAR BRINGS THEM ALL BACK TO THE VAN AND GIVES OUT WATER BOTTLES. THEY BOARD THE VAN AND LEAVE.
EXT. RETURNING TO CAMPUS – DAY
Alistar is without skill to calm the students hysteria and can hardly calm down himself. The students assert different arguments to explain their experience, none are similar in any way. Some express seeing colors, other say they heard voices from people in their past. Much confusion prevails.
———————–
Act 1 Turning Point.
EXT. CAMPUS – EVENING
The field trip comes to an end. The students hurry to their cars to leave the campus, heads down and struggling to cope.
Alistar: “Ok everyone, I expect all to be here in the morning to review our field…” Students barely acknowledge his words and can’t get out of there soon enough.
INT. FACULTY MEETING ROOM – DAY
Rumors of the events in the Mojave Desert murmur through out the Faculty. Alistar clears his throat and begins to speak explaining that they actually had a close encounter of the 3rd kind. The other professors retract and express disbelief and disappointment in his handling of the event. Uniformly, the faculty voice disapproval and declare he must go through a competence review of his teaching credentials. Alistar is shocked at their reaction and stands up and says, “I’ll prove what we saw was as we described”, and marches out of the room.
INT. LECTURE HALL – DAY
Meeting with half of the field trip students Alistar tells them what happened in the faculty meeting. The students are further discouraged, break up and leave the meeting.
INT. OFFICE – DAY
Alistar posts a notice of an immediate sabbatical and packs a box of his personal belongings.
INT. ALISTAR’S HOME – DAY
Alistar sets down a half finished bottle of Scotch and lays down on his bed.
INT. ALISTAR’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Alistar sleeping, suddenly awakes in terror. He remembers an experience he had at age 5 of an alien visitation… He is determined to discover the truth and submit evidence of it, no matter what.
-
TURNING POINT 1 SCENES
DAVID BRUNO
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” I learned the significance of the first turning point versus the inciting incident and how it locks them into the journey of the story arc.
ASSIGNMENT
1. Outline your Act 1 Turning Point.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Outline your Act 1 Turning Point.
Beginning: The field trip returns to campus, emotions run high and all are still visibly shaken.
Middle: Alistar goes to the faculty meeting and explains the experience the field trip had. Other professors react with strong skepticism and turn against Alistar.
End: Alistar returns home and falls asleep. He has a waking dream of his memories as a child when he first encountered a visitation of aliens. Is totally dismayed and decides to take a sabbatical to discover the truth about this experience and where did modern man come from.
2. Write your Act 1 Turning Point.
EXT. CAMPUS – EVENING
The field trip comes to an end. The students hurry to their cars to leave the campus, heads down and struggling to cope.
Alistar: “Ok everyone, I expect all to be here in the morning to review our field…” Students barely acknowledge his words and can’t get out of there soon enough.
INT. FACULTY MEETING ROOM – DAY
Rumors of the events in the Mojave Desert murmured through out the Faculty. Alistar clears his throat and begins to speak explaining that they actually had a close encounter of the 3rd kind. The other professors retract and express disbelief and disappointment in his handling of the event. Uniformly, the faculty voice disapproval and declare he must go through a competence review of his teaching credentials. Alistar is shocked at their reaction and stands up and says, “I’ll prove what we saw was as we described”, and marches out of the room.
INT. LECTURE HALL – DAY
Meeting with half of the field trip students Alistar tells them what happened in the faculty meeting. The students are further discouraged, break up and leave the meeting.
INT. OFFICE – DAY
Alistar posts a notice of an immediate sabbatical and packs a box of his personal belongings.
INT. ALISTAR’S HOME – DAY
Alistar sets down a half finished bottle of Scotch and lays down on his bed.
INT. ALISTAR’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Alistar sleeping, suddenly awakes in terror. He remembers an experience he had at age 5 of an alien visitation… He is determined to discover the truth and submit evidence of it, no matter what.
-
INCITING INCIDENT
DAVID BRUNO
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I realized how powerful an inciting incident can propel a story.
———–
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Outline key scenes 2 and 3 for act 1.
-Key scene: (inciting incident)
Beginning: students travel to Mojave Desert to see the Nevada Triangle.
Middle: arrival at the Mojave Desert and see the environment.
End: An actual alien spacecraft is sighted.
-Key scene: (protagonist reacts emotionally)
Beginning: Varied reactions to the alien spacecraft sighting.
Middle: Alistar is overwhelmed with the sighting and so are the students. All are hysterical.
End: Returning to campus, different rationalization are asserted in an argumentative fashion, no one is at peace.
2. Write your Inciting Incident scene.
EXT. TRAVELING TO MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
Alistar offers further insight into the FERMI PARADOX and students’ reactions are uniformly skeptical.
EXT. MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
All at once the students see the bright flash of light coming from a spacecraft they cannot identify. Hovering over the students it pulsates and moves at incredible speeds and stops as fast. Maneuvering at 90 degree angles it beams a light on each of the students and shocks them in turn. Alistar is trying to cope with something out of his control and is at his wits end. The spacecraft exist vertically in an instance and disappears.
3. Write the scene for the Reaction to the Inciting Incident.
EXT. RETURNING TO CAMPUS – DAY
Alistar is without skill to calm the students hysteria and can hardly calm down himself. The students assert different arguments to explain their experience, none are similar in any way. Some express seeing colors, other say they heard voices from people in their past. Much confusion prevails.
-
OPENING SCENES
DAVID BRUNO
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learned about outlining scenes and the structure of key scenes in acts.
1. ASSIGNMENT.
Go to your Beat Sheet and find the opening scene and a second lead character introduction. Create a simple outline for those scenes.
Protagonist Opening: (beat)
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
ALISTAR is teaching a class on the ‘Fermi Paradox’.
Outline:
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
BEGINNING: ALISTAR enters and students hush completely.
MIDDLE: ALISTAR states the subject: FERMI PARADOX explanation.
END: A student remarks about the spelling of ALISTAR. ALISTAR retorts about the missing link being present in the lecture hall… even today.
———-
Antagonist Opening: (beat)
INT. NSA RESEARCH FACILITY – NIGHT
ANTAG gives order to execute alien
Outline:
BEGINNING: Alien is strapped to table, struggling.
MIDDLE: ANTAG enters chamber and prepares device, then gives or to execute alien.
END: Alien violently struggles in his death rattle, ANTAG call on phone, “It’s done.”
2. Write your Opening scene that introduces the characters.
PROTAGONIST OPENING SCENE:
EXT. MOTORCYCLE ON WOODED ROAD – DAY
ALISTAR rides to campus on a foggy winding road, heavily wooded. Exits bike, enters lecture hall.
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Noisy students wait for ALISTAR to enter hall. As he enters the students hush completely and suddenly as if falling from a cliff. The lecture is about the ‘FERMI PARADOX’. The students listen carefully and take notes. One student seems annoyed and scribbles for a distraction. The student attempts a snarky comment after the lecture and…
ALISTAR retort:
“There may still be missing links among us… even in this lecture hall.”
———-
ANTAGONIST OPENING SCENE:
INT. NSA RESEARCH FACILITY – NIGHT
Alien, in a sealed chamber, is strapped to a table, struggling. ANTAG enters room and reviews monitors. Hands clipboard to operator and gives the order to pull the lever. Packet of pellets drop into bucket below alien and give off cyanide gas. Alien struggles violently and her skin rapidly changes colors. Alien’s death rattle ends. ANTAG calls on phone and says: “It’s done.” He exits the room.
-
High Speed Beat Sheet
David Bruno
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Learned many things about organizational structure.
4 ACT STRUCTURE BEAT SHEET
Act 1:
Opening:
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Alistar is teaching a class on the ‘Fermi Paradox’
THEME: TOUCHING ON HOW MISINFORMATION IS DEALT WITH ABOUT ALIENS.
Inciting Incident:
INT. NSA OFFICE – DAY
Antag is investigating Alistar’s field trip. He assigns a student to spy on Alistar.
THEME: THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRESSION OF ALISTAR’S INVESTIGATION.
EXT. MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
Field trip to the Mojave desert where the Nevada triangle exists. During the field trip an actual alien spacecraft is sighted.
THEME: THE THREAT OF REVELATION OF ALIEN PRESENCE ON EARTH.
Act 2:
The Plan:
EXT. CAMPUS GROUNDS – DAY
Alistar reasons with stunned students after ET encounter. Students refute his rationalization. Contends with his next step after the trip.
THEME: ALISTAR COOPERATES WITH THE CONVENTIONAL VIEWPOINT TO ALIENS ON EARTH.
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Alistar reviews other explanations but is again refuted.
THEME: THE REBELLION TO CONVENTIONAL VIEWPOINT.
INT. FACULTY OFFICE – DAY
Later, he is visited by the NSA and is interrogated concerning his experience and those of his students. Alistar placates the NSA official. Is given a faux pass. The NSA official is unconvinced and continues his investigation of Alistar. The cat and mouse chase begins.
THEME: THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRESSION OF ALISTAR’S INVESTIGATION ACTUALLY MANIFESTS.
Turning Point 2:
INT. FACULTY OFFICE – NIGHT
Alistar is now on alert about the NSA and no longer believes he is safe from harm if he continues his investigations. He seeks another method and determines a sabbatical is in order.
THEME: the extent that the government will go to coverup it’s deceit about any issue it want to keep secret is sensed by Alistar.
MIDPOINT:
PLACEHOLDER – Alistar reviews all his data concerning alien investigations and government misinformation in a brainstorming session that lasts into the night.
THEME: FURTHER ANALYSIS REVEALS DECEPTION OF GOVERNMENT COVERUP AND MISINFORMATION.
INT. HOME – DAY
He seeks to find out who is spying on him in his class. He concludes his class and issues top grades to all.
THEME: the hegemony feels threatened and moves to control Alistar.
After giving notice of sabbatical, he is packing for a trip to Egypt.
Placeholder: Alistar spots his suspected student at the airport in combat fatigues.
Act 3:
INT. JET PLANE – NIGHT
Alistar re-evaluates his information about government coverups and misinformation. He now realizes that the government agency, NSA, is at the heart of the concealment of the truth for whatever reason. He is more determined that ever, believing that forewarned is forearmed and continues his investigation into the presents of aliens on earth and the origins of the Homo-sapiens.
EXT. CAIRO AIRPORT – DAY
Alistar meets his archeologist friend, Max working on a dig in Egypt looking for alien artifacts.
EXT. ARCHEOLOGY DIG – DAY
At his dig Alistar briefs Max about recent events. Max tells Alistar that he is fearful they’re on the same path since they both believe homo-sapiens were brought here from another planet.
EXT. INSIDE THE DIG – (LATER) DAY
Max uncovers a piece of alien spacecraft he lifts up out of the dig, raises his arms in a victorious gesture. A shot rings out and Max is killed by a bullet. Alistar now knows how serious of a dilemma he is in.
THEME: THE DEADLY EXTENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT GOES TO PROTECT IT’S SECRETS.
EXT. DESERT SCENE – DAY
A Bedouin tribe attacks the sniper and Alistar escapes and returns to his home.
INT. SECRET NSA FACILITY – NIGHT
The antag outside of a chamber with alien strapped inside to a table. The antag nods his head to the operator. He pulls a level lowering a pellets into the bucket of acid release the poisonous gas, killing the alien. The antag verifies the that the alien has been dispatched. He lifts his phone and says, ‘It’s done’ and walks out of the facility.
THEME: THE DEADLY EXTENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT GOES TO PROTECT IT’S SECRETS.
Act 4:
EXT. FIELD TRIP LOCATION – DAY
Alistar walks for days to a ridge and sees an alien encampment miles away. Aliens scurry to hide. A thermobaric bomb explodes over encampment destroying both aliens and drone. Alistar records everything.
THEME: THE DEADLY EXTENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT GOES TO PROTECT IT’S SECRETS.
EXT. ALIEN ENCAMPMENT – SUNSET
Alistar assesses the damage and finds 1 alien alive. He asks the alien if homo-sapiens were from another planet. The alien chokes and replies, “Yes, we placed Homo-sapiens here as the population of a penal colony”. Alistar is shocked beyond belief and says “no, no, no. That can’t be”. The alien looks at him and says; “you’ve come a long way from bows and arrow… just look around you! And this is a small thing compared to thermonuclear… “ And the alien dies. Alistar hears in the distance the hum of drone propellers and takes cover… He walks out of the encampment in the cover of night back home to his office.
INT. CONGRESSIONAL HEARING – DAY
Alistar testifies to a subcommittee on government wrongdoing about what he witnessed to the NSA’s activity.
INT. HOME OFFICE OF NSA ANTAG – NIGHT
ANTAG puts gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger.
THEME: THE DEADLY EXTENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT GOES TO PROTECT IT’S SECRETS.
-
High Speed Beat Sheet
David Bruno
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Learned many things about organizational structure.
4 ACT STRUCTURE BEAT SHEET
Act 1:
Opening:
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Alistar is teaching a class on the ‘Fermi Paradox’
Inciting Incident:
INT. NSA OFFICE – DAY
Antag is investigating Alistar’s field trip. He assigns a student to spy on Alistar.
EXT. MOJAVE DESERT – DAY
Field trip to the Mojave desert where the Nevada triangle exists. During the field trip an actual alien spacecraft is sighted.
Act 2:
The Plan:
EXT. CAMPUS GROUNDS – DAY
Alistar reasons with stunned students after ET encounter. Students refute his rationalization. Contends with his next step after the trip.
INT. CAMPUS LECTURE HALL – DAY
Alistar reviews other explanations but is again refuted.
INT. FACULTY OFFICE – DAY
Later, he is visited by the NSA and is interrogated concerning his experience and those of his students. Alistar placates the NSA official. Is given a faux pass. The NSA official is unconvinced and continues his investigation of Alistar. The cat and mouse chase begins.
Turning Point 2:
INT. FACULTY OFFICE – NIGHT
Alistar is now on alert about the NSA and no longer believes he is safe from harm if he continues his investigations. He seeks another method and determines a sabbatical is in order.
MIDPOINT:
PLACEHOLDER – Alistar reviews all his data concerning alien investigations and government misinformation in a brainstorming session that lasts into the night.
INT. HOME – DAY
He seeks to find out who is spying on him in his class. He concludes his class and issues top grades to all.
After giving notice of sabbatical, he is packing for a trip to Egypt.
Placeholder: Alistar spots his suspected student at the airport in combat fatigues.
Act 3:
INT. JET PLANE – NIGHT
Alistar re-evaluates his information about government coverups and misinformation. He now realizes that the government agency, NSA, is at the heart of the concealment of the truth for whatever reason. He is more determined that ever, believing that forewarned is forearmed and continues his investigation into the presents of aliens on earth and the origins of the Homo-sapiens.
EXT. CAIRO AIRPORT – DAY
Alistar meets his archeologist friend, Max working on a dig in Egypt looking for alien artifacts.
EXT. ARCHEOLOGY DIG – DAY
At his dig Alistar briefs Max about recent events. Max tells Alistar that he is fearful they’re on the same path since they both believe homo-sapiens were brought here from another planet.
EXT. INSIDE THE DIG – (LATER) DAY
Max uncovers a piece of alien spacecraft he lifts up out of the dig, raises his arms in a victorious gesture. A shot rings out and Max is killed by a bullet. Alistar now knows how serious of a dilemma he is in.
EXT. DESERT SCENE – DAY
A Bedouin tribe attacks the sniper and Alistar escapes and returns to his home.
INT. SECRET NSA FACILITY – NIGHT
The antag outside of a chamber with alien strapped inside to a table. The antag nods his head to the operator. He pulls a level lowering a pellets into the bucket of acid release the poisonous gas, killing the alien. The antag verifies the that the alien has been dispatched. He lifts his phone and says, ‘It’s done’ and walks out of the facility.
Act 4: (Test the change in this character! Prove New Ways!)
EXT. FIELD TRIP LOCATION – DAY
Alistar walks for days to a ridge and sees an alien encampment miles away. Aliens scurry to hide. A thermobaric bomb explodes over encampment destroying both aliens and drone. Alistar records everything.
EXT. ALIEN ENCAMPMENT – SUNSET
Alistar assesses the damage and finds 1 alien alive. He asks the alien if homo-sapiens were from another planet. The alien chokes and replies, “Yes, we placed Homo-sapiens here as the population of a penal colony”. Alistar is shocked beyond belief and says “no, no, no. That can’t be”. The alien looks at him and says; “you’ve come a long way from bows and arrow… just look around you! And this is a small thing compared to thermonuclear… “ And the alien dies. Alistar hears in the distance the hum of drone propellers and takes cover… He walks out of the encampment in the cover of night back home to his office.
INT. CONGRESSIONAL HEARING – DAY
Alistar testifies to a subcommittee on government wrongdoing about what he witnessed to the NSA’s activity.
INT. HOME OFFICE OF NSA ANTAG – NIGHT
ANTAG puts gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger.
-
David Bruno.
Transformational Events
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I’ve learn to develop events that move the story forward.
ASSIGNMENT
Start with the Character Arc and the list of Old Ways and New Ways.
ANTAG: ARC, old ways: a paper pushing family man bureaucrat who just wants to make it to his pension with the NSA. He is coming up to automatic rotation for promotion and is reluctant. Coldly carries out his duties without regards to other people’s feelings or consequences. New ways: In a new position of authority and autonomy. His act of executing the alien in the gas chamber has impressed his betters. He now has a small group of special forces at his disposal to complete his assignments.
3. Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways).
ANTAG: 1. His employee review puts comes with greater status and salary, he is thrilled about it. 2. He meets with renegade aliens and is briefed about the galactic civilization. 3. He is assigned to dispatch the renegade alien and takes time to absorb the significance of it. 4. He executes the renegade alien with no remorse or emotional conflict, very coolly done. 5. He takes on a portfolio of cases and Alistar is the case of special interest to his superiors because of Alistar’s status in the academic world and potential exposure of the NSA nefarious activities regarding aliens. 6. When Alistar gets closer to the truth the NSA determines to dox him. 7. Doxing Alistar fails and he is put under pressure to dispatch him, but struggles with his commitment to protect the US vs killing a prominent citizen, Alistar. 8. The antag is confronted with his failure to end the Alistar case and is humiliated and demoted by management when Alistar testifies before a congressional committee. 9. He commits suicide.
PROTAG: ARC, Old ways: Alistar is a successful college professor yet is obsessed with the origins of the homo-sapiens arrival in the evolutionary timeline. He is unafraid of putting forth unusual theories about alien origins. His investigations into alien sightings intrigues him and he goes beyond what any other academic has taken it before. He is stymied by his career and his conventional desire for a path to tenure. Likes his life and the perks of interactions with co-eds. New ways: Becomes rebellious to academic conventional theories, seeks truth and pursues the unaddressed conflicts of facts that academia ignores. Takes a sabbatical to travel to Egypt to research artifacts with Friend, Max. Alistar discards the conventional theories of academia and investigates his own theory of the appearance of the homo-sapien species. Disconnects from the grid to hide from the NSA threats to his life. Goes to the Mojave Desert and Death Valley to alien sighting locations. Uses drones to investigate further into a MOA (Military Operation Area). Becomes highly skilled in stealth methods and technology to hide from NSA’s pursuits. Approaches an alien encampment to observe activities. Makes contact with aliens and learns of the massive coverup by the NSA and determines to expose them to congressmen who are concerned with government wrongdoing. Testifies before a congressional committee about aliens and the NSA activities.
Make a list of 6 – 8 changes or steps that need to happen for that character to go from who they are in the beginning (Old Ways) to who they are in the ending (New Ways). 1. Alistar argues with other faculty about aliens and the origins of homo-sapiens on earth. 2. Takes a field trip with students and sees alien spacecrafts. 3. Is confronted by NSA agent about his investigations and is warned to pursue other interest on to state secrets. 4. Takes a sabbatical to travel to Egypt and research artifacts. 5. Finds artifacts and his friend, Max, is assassinated by NSA sniper. 6. Travels to the Mojave Desert and disconnects from the grid. 7. Becomes highly skilled in stealth. 8. Contacts aliens and watches them being destroyed by a vacuum bomb. 9. Communicates with congressmen about aliens and NSA activities. Testifies before a congressional committee.
4. Sequence the steps from easiest to most difficult. This will imply the journey the character takes.
PROTAG:
1. Alistar argues with other faculty about aliens and the origins of homo-sapiens on earth.
2. Takes a field trip with students and sees alien spacecrafts.
3. Is confronted by NSA agent about his investigations and is warned to pursue other interest on to state secrets.
4. Takes a sabbatical to travel to Egypt and research artifacts.
5. Finds artifacts and his friend, Max, is assassinated by NSA sniper.
6. Travels to the Mojave Desert and disconnects from the grid.
7. Becomes highly skilled in stealth.
8. Contacts aliens and watches them being destroyed by a vacuum bomb.
9. Communicates with congressmen about aliens and NSA activities. Testifies before a congressional committee.
-
4 Act Transformational Structure
David Bruno
(“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.)
I’ve learned the flow of events in my story.
CREATING YOUR FOUR-ACT STRUCTURE
1.
List Concept
AN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST, OBSESSED WITH THE MISSING LINK THEORY, SPECULATES THAT MAN IS NOT OF THIS EARTH. AND WHILE DODGING GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO THWART HIS ATTEMPTS TO DISCOVER WHERE HOMO-SAPIENS CAME FROM, IT IS REVEALED TO HIM THAT ALIENS HAD PLACED MAN ON EARTH AS THE POPULATION OF A PENAL COLONY.
Main Conflict
Protag wants to discover the secrets about aliens on earth.
The antag wants to conceal it.
Old Ways:
Protag: A college professor teaching the science of evolutionary biology from the university approved textbooks and curriculum, grading papers, chumming it up with the fellow faculty and trying to not screw up his bid for tenure.
Antag: A career official at the NSA shuffles paper and redacts secret documents for the press. Carries out surveillance on those who would threaten national security, real or just politically imagined.
New Ways
Protag: after having an encounter of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd kind and the conflict with the NSA revealed, Alistar intensifies his search for the facts and truth that may lead to him confirming his theory of Homo-sapiens are from another planet put here by aliens.
Antag: because of Alistar’s investigations into aliens he is promoted and briefed on his new position and responsibilities and powers to act on intrusions into aliens on earth. He has been given license to dispatch those who are too close to the state secrets concerning aliens.
————————————————————
.2. Act 1: Set up and see Old Ways.
Opening: (Introduce us to the lead characters in action. Show us the Old Ways as their natural way of being.)
Alistar is teaching a class on the ‘Fermi Paradox’, i.e.,The FERMI PARADOX is the conflict between the lack of clear, obvious evidence for extraterrestrial life and various high estimates for their existence.
(Set us up for the journey that starts with the Inciting Incident.)
Many of Alistar’s students want to go to the location where the aliens have been sighted frequently. Alistar arranges a field trip to the Mojave desert where the Nevada triangle exists.
Inciting Incident: (This is the call to go on the journey. It creates the opportunity to live outside the box and take on the New Ways.)
During the field trip an actual alien spacecraft is sighted. Many students are skeptical but Alistar is taken in by it’s realism and unworldliness.
Turning Point: (Lock in the journey. There is no going back from here.)
THE TURNING POINT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT!
The antag is dealing with paperwork and secret docs to redact and is investigating Alistar’s field trip to the Mojave desert. He sends a student to spy on Alistar to gather data of his investigation.
3. Act 2:— Challenge the Old Ways.
Reaction: (They are now outside the box. It is uncomfortable, maybe unbearable. But the Hero can’t go back. They must move forward in some way.)
Alistar offers the students who saw the 1st kind of encounter that it may be experimental aircraft from Area 51 not to far from their location and that the area is a MOA, “Military Operation Area”. Yet, he is still unconvinced it is ‘not’ an alien spacecraft with advanced technology. He’s conflicted about pursuing this explanation that he gives to the student for the sake of their emotional stability, the conventional beliefs of the university, and their position on these issues concerning the Fermi Paradox.
The Plan: (He struggles, flails, and try’s the first plan that comes to mind… which will quickly fail.)
In his class after the field trip, he goes over other explanations taken from questionable resources with the class and is refuted by the students from their own experience.
(With every step, he uses the Old Ways, but they don’t work. Those Old Ways are challenged from lightly to heavily.)
He continues to offer the excuses that the university would approve but the students protest they feel they are being bullshitted. Later, he is visited by the NSA and is interrogated concerning his experience and those of his students. Typical style and method of the original interrogations of the local towns people that witnessed the first ‘weather balloon’ in 1947 only now the intrusive power of the NSA is much deeper and more comprehensive. Alistar placates the NSA official and is given a faux pass because of his status in the academic world. The NSA official is unconvinced of his cooperation and determines to continue his investigation of Alistar.
Remember, all it takes to challenge the Old Ways is to simply have them not work. You don’t need to have the characters lecture them or directly spell out their Old Ways in dialogue. For now, just create a list of attempts to solve the problem or to make themselves feel better… then have those actions fail or make things worse.
Turning Point 2: MIDPOINT: The journey is still moving in the same direction, but the meaning has changed in a big way that shifts the status quo.
Alistar is now on alert about the NSA and no longer believes he is safe from harm, either socially (his career), or otherwise (his life) if he continues his investigations.
4. Act 3: (With Midpoint change, Profound moments that give us new ways.)
Alistar pauses and re-evaluates his information about government coverups and misinformation. He now realizes that the government agency, NSA, is at the heart of the concealment of the truth for whatever reason. He is more determined that ever, believing that forewarned is forearmed. He disregards the interest of the students and continues his investigation into the presents of aliens on earth and the origins of the Homo-sapiens. He seeks to find out who is spying on him in his class.
(This could involve training sequences, bringing on new partners, or taking actions they never would have taken during the first half of the movie.)
Alistar contacts his long time and trusted friend, Max. An archeologist working on a dig in Egypt, looking for alien artifacts. They connect at his dig and Alistar briefs Max about recent events. Max tells Alistar that he is fearful for being on the same path since they both believe homo-sapiens were brought here from another planet. As Max uncovers a piece of alien spacecraft he lifts up out of a hole and raises his arms in a victorious stance. A shot rings out and Max’s chest cavity is eviscerated from a high powered bullet. Alistar now knows how serious of a dilemma he is in. He escapes with the help of a tribe of Bedouin and is returned to his home. The antag is in a facility with a lead chamber with an alien strapped to a exam table with a bucket of acid and cyanide pellets suspended about the bucket. The operator looks at the alien and then to the antag. The antag nods his head and the operator pulls a level lowering the pellets into the bucket of acid release the poisonous gas. The alien struggles desperately for several minutes, changing colors and crying out in the most shrill voice imaginable. The antag verifies the remote vital sign instrument that the alien has been dispatched. He lifts his phone and says, ‘It’s done’ and walks out of the facility.
5. Act 4: (Test the change in this character! Prove New Ways!)
Alistar returns to the location of the field trip and walks for days during a academic break. He hikes into several areas until he sees over a ridge an encampment of unusual space craft and sees aliens walking from place to place. He waits and observes from miles away. Suddenly, all of the aliens scurry as if to avoid an attack. A predator drone releases a thermobaric bomb that is the most powerful available also destroying the drone. Alistar is saved by his distance from the attack site. He has recorded the entire event on his camera. After several hours he ventures into the encampment to investigate. He finds an alien still alive and tries to comfort him. The alien is grateful. Alistar ask him the question he has been seeking to answer all his life… “is modern man from another planet?” The alien chokes at his question and replies, “Yes, we placed the Homo-sapiens here as the population of a penal colony”. Alistar is shocked beyond belief and says “no, no, no. That can’t be”. The alien looks at him and says; “you’ve come a long way from bows and arrow… just look around you! And this is a small thing compared to thermonuclear… “ And the alien dies. Alistar hears in the distance the hum of drone propellers and takes cover… He walks out of the encampment in the cover of night back home to his office.
-
Character Interviews.
David Bruno.
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I’ve become much more familiar with the protag and antag personal motivations.
ASSIGNMENT
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST
Tell me about yourself.
I teach Evolutionary Biology at a prestigious university, and believe the conventional theories of the origins of man are obsolete. I have some things I want to prove about that and I’m determined to discover the truth.
Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?
Simply, BALLS and BRAINS.
You are up against . What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?
They have resources and authority that can stop me at every turn if they suspect my investigations.
In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult?
To defeat this great agency, the most difficult will be to disappear from the grid.
What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?
The banality of the conventional American life style and the creature comforts.
What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?
A career path and a struggle to follow my father’s directions. Agoraphobia.
What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?
My profession and research of the issues makes me a leader in my field.
What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?
I don’t want them to know that I’d leave them behind to their lifestyle in order to succeed in this goal.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.
I’ve always had a healthy skepticism of academia/government because I was able outwit most of my professors and who asserted textbook theories in the face of conflicting facts. I will find the answer I seek.
What does it do for your life if you succeed here?
A great tension from conflicting with the norm will be lifted and I will be elevated to a more prestigious status in the world of academia and politics.
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST
Tell me about yourself.
I head up a department in the National Security Agency concerned with state secrets and the absolute privacy of them… even at the cost of human life when threatened by possible exposure. I’m a 30 year career staff and value it above all else. We do anything we have to.
Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
The strength of the NSA is at my disposal, and the weakness of government ineptitude in the initiative of any action with the exception of special forces and weapons.
Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail?
The secrets the protag seeks to uncover are of utmost importance to national security, if exposed, the country’s hegemony would undergo a paradigm shift not seen in centuries.
What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?
Maintaining the status quo is paramount. Discovering how this protag achieved as much as he has is needed data to reveal leaks in our security system.
What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?
Dedication as a simple soldier has been in place since I began, do or die…
What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?
The disposition of extraterrestrials and their existence must be hidden. I personally oversee the redaction of top secret documents that have been released to the press officially.
Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?
My ability to think clearly under stress and execute decisions in the shade of gray.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.
The world isn’t ready to know what is happening beyond their mundane lives. I am the keeper and watcher of that which would cause panic and anarchy. I will do, by any means necessary to preserve the status quo of our lifestyle.
-
CHARACTER PROFILE PART 2.
DAVID BRUNO
Answer the question,
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” This is an interesting probe into characters. Again, the questions bring out more depth into the antag’s and protag’s traits, flaws, etc. Love it!
ASSIGNMENT.
Fill in Part 2 of the character Profile for your two lead characters.
What draws us to this character?
Traits:
Tall, rugged individualistic appearance, Levi’s and a blue Dickie long sleeve denim work shirt, hiking boots. Talks with a curt expression. Always looks hard into the eyes of who he’s talking to. Dominating in mannerisms and social cues.
Subtext:
Gives questions that test knowledge for adequacy. Looks away from subject of interest to express boredom. Excitedly gives the impression of interest when the opposite is apparent.
Flaw:
Misses social cues. Insensitivity. Ignores priorities from superiors and colleagues not centered on his current obsession.
Values:
The protag is obsessed with truth and transparency of it. Wants to know the quintessential meaning of the issues he encounters, even if it’s not his place to know. Loves his close friends to a fault. Independence of thought and individualism are most important.
Irony:
Willing To trash his career in order to become a leader in his field of study. Never offers friendship without testing for a mirror of his values.
What makes this the right character for this role?
The entrenched opposition to his theories of the origins of the homo-sapien species will require a man who is persistent and willing to go the last mile to get at the truth of the matter.
-
Character Profiles Part 1
David Bruno
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Frankly, this method of developing characters is very enlightening and these questions pull out the story path and provide clarity to the script structure.
ASSIGNMENT.
2. Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Explorer
He will challenge the conventions of science to find the truth of history. Going to several sites, he investigates the established beliefs of his profession.
3. Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Authority.
He is the head of the NSA department of research and dogmatically defends the established ‘truths’ with deadly aggression and deceptions.
4. What other characters might be necessary?
Supporting characters:
A student is commissioned with a full scholarship and salary to spy on the protagonist and report to the NSA of the protag’s progress towards iconoclast.
Minor roles:
The love interest of the protag provides much relief of tensions and also provides a heart wrenching sacrifice to the story.
Background characters:
Many students comment on the teachings of the protag and provide background and exposition for campus life in academia.
5. Pick your genre.
Sci-Fi.
Big change threatens the status quo of the current world, with or without a clear Antagonist. The Protagonist helps herald in the new world.
6. Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story:
The protag is a associate professor in a prestigious university and teaches Evolutionary Biology but disputes the assumptions of the ‘Missing Link Theory’, believing there is another possible beginning to the Homo-Sapien on earth.
Age range and Description:
Mid 30’s to mid 40’s.
Internal Journey:
Fights against the conscription to the conventions of his scientific field and seeks a deeper truth and to debunk a flawed convention of his profession.
External Journey:
Travels to sites that are the source of these conventional perceptions until the truth is ferreted out and exposes the protective efforts of the current and past hegemony of academia.
Motivation:
The need to know the truth is upper most in his being to avoid the confusion of his past experiences. He needs this to feel safe and is his goal to bring about change in the world.
Wound:
A strong affliction of agoraphobia hinders him and is a personal challenge to his career. Dizziness and stomach acid reflux are the manifestation of the anxiety disorder.
Mission/Agenda:
The protag takes on an academically unpopular project at his university of the research into alien or extraterrestrial existence on earth. He sees this as a vehicle to find a possible alternative beginning of the homo-sapien species to challenge the conventional beliefs to the missing link theories.
Secret:
The protag has a rebellious streak that conflicts with his role in academia.
What makes them special?
The Protag is extremely independent and self-assured to the point of being anti-social.
-
1. David Bruno
2. The words “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.
-
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learnt how to create a character arc both internal and external.
ASSIGNMENT
You send a Hero on a journey that the audience gets to live.
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Internal Journey: The character’s IJ is going from curiosity to enlightenment, he discovers the deep meaning of what he is obsessed with.
External Journey: The protagonist goes from just another campus professor teaching from textbooks to an explorer who travels many places to get to the truth of his pursuit.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
OLD WAYS:
A college professor teaching the science of evolutionary biology from the university approved textbooks and curriculum, grading papers, chumming it up with the fellow faculty and trying to not screw up his bid for tenure.
NEW WAYS:
The hero is challenged by the flawed institution he labors under and seeks new methods of gaining the truth. He becomes bold and asks questions about established beliefs. He investigates highly credible reports and rejects compliance with authoritarian scientific ‘dogmas’. Goes to the source of information that is presented to him.
4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learnt how to create a character arc both internal and external.
-
Greetings!
My name is David Bruno
How many scripts you’ve written?
My screenwriting background is somewhat checkered with mostly attempts to bring about a sense of feasibility for the concept and marketability of my ideas. I’ve written at least 10 screenplays and completed 2 to first draft.
What you hope to get out of the class?
To get the the core fundamentals of writing a film script… quickly.
Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you?
Sole male survivor among my siblings.
-
DAVID BRUNO,
I agree to the terms of this release form.
-
<font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>Profound
writing lesson 4b, analysis of, Dead Poet Society</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>David
Bruno</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>What
I learned by doing this assignment?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>I’ve
gotten a better understanding of the elements of a profound movie.</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>We
are looking at this movie from the perspective of the change that
occurs for the lead character and the audience.</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>1.
What is the change this movie is about? What is the
Transformational Journey of this movie?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>This
movie is about the change our world went through in the 1960s from a
patriarchal to a matriarchal society. The transformational journey is
the students are enlivened to the fine arts and alternative
viewpoints.</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>2.
Lead characters:</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>-
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes
this the right character to cause the change?</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The change agent is
Mr. Keating. He is a liberal arts teacher with a passion for an
emotional lifestyle.</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>-
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and
what makes them the right character to deliver this profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>journey?</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>-
What is the Oppression?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
transformable characters are the students that became the dead poet
society. The group required an adherence to conforming to the arts
and the values of them. The oppression is the authoritarian attitude
of the administrator. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>3.
How are we lured into the profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>journey?
What causes us to connect with this story?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>I
don’t see it. I was repulsed by the eccentricity of the change
agent.</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>4.
Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is
the profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>journey?
From “old ways” to “new way of being.”</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>Identify
their old way:</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>old
ways are the strict discipline of the fathers that pay for the prep
school. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>Identify
their new way at the conclusion:</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
new ways of the DPS group was to rebel against the school
administrator to assert their free thinking.</font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>5.
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the
Transformational Character go through as they were changing?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>From
the first class the ‘unconventional’ was taught, through many steps
or exercises to become ‘non-conforming’. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>6.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are
challenged that cause a main character to shift their
perspective…and make the change?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
old way was to disregard the wishes of the father and pursue an
acting role. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>7.
What are the most profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>moments
of the movie?</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The administrator
harsh punishment of the paddle. The suicide of the son. </font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>8.
What are the most profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>lines
of the movie?</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>IDK</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>
</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>9.
How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
ending is the payoff to the entire movie when the DPS stands on the
desks to salute the change agent in defiance of the school
administrator.</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>10.
What is the Profound</font></font><font color=”#222222″> </font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>Truth
of this movie?</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”>The
movie asserts that to be a free thinker is more vital and important
than to be conforming. </font></font> -
<font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>David
Bruno</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>”What
I learned doing this assignment is…?”</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>I’ve
added the betraying character and the change agent to my story line.
Now I understand how the profound script class is better story line
than a documentary. </font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>ASSIGNMENT
1:</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”>
</font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>—————–</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>Even
if you are not completely sure about which characters are which, give
us your current GUESS about these four roles.</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>1.
Tell us your transformational journey log line.</font></font></font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>”An
Evolutionary Biologist obsessed with finding the origins of Modern
Man comes to discover that the human species, Homo Sapiens, were
exiled to earth by aliens as the population of a penal colony.”</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”>
</font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>2.
Tell us who you think might be your Change Agent and give a few
sentences about how that character fits the role. Also,
include:</font></font></font></font></font><font color=”#222222″>
</font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>-
Their vision:</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”>
</font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”>
</font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>-
Their past experience that fits that vision:</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
change agent for the transformable character are the students in his
university classroom. </font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>They
assert the belief that the possibilities of aliens among us is
feasible and real. One student claims to have been abducted by
aliens. </font></font></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”>
</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>3.
Tell us who you think might be your Transformable Character(s) and
give a few sentences about how that character or characters fit the
role.</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
transformable character is the Evolutionary Biologist that teaches
classes on a prestigious university campus. He is always
investigating evidence that is brought to him and has kept an open
mind as a scientist. He is obsessed with gap between modern man
(Homo-Sapiens) and previous hominids, IE; Homo-Erectus, that
conventional dogma asserts as the predecessor to modern man. It’s
like an annoying itch he can’t reach or accept. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>4.
Tell us who or what you think might be The Oppression and give a few
sentences about how The Oppression works in your story.</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
oppression is the dogma of the conventional beliefs of his
university, much like the school administrator of the movie; ‘dead
poet society’.</font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>5.
Tell us who you think might be your Betraying Character and give a
few sentences about how that character fits the role.</font></font></font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″><font color=”#222222″><font face=”Arial\, Helvetica\, sans-serif”><font size=”3″>The
Betraying Character is a student that only wants to graduate and get
a good paying job. He goes along to get along. </font></font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”></font></font></font>
-
<font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> </font></font>
<font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> David
Bruno, profound script class</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> What
I learned doing this assignment…</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> I
learned that the transformational journey is essential to a
profound script. The lead character must change and must
abandon the ‘old ways’ for the ‘new ways’.</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> </font></font>
<font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> DAY
3 LESSONS FOR A PROFOUND SCRIPT</font></font><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″> ASSIGNMENTS:
</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>Tell
us your log-line for the transformational journey.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> </font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”Arial, sans-serif”><font size=”4″>”An
Evolutionary Biologist obsessed with finding the origins of Modern
Man comes to discover that the human species, Homo Sapiens, were
exiled to earth by aliens as the population of a penal colony.”</font></font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> 2.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>
</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>Tell us
what you see as the Old Ways.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> The old ways come
from academic viewpoints of established conventions. Such as the
theory of evolution, limitation of known propulsion methods for
space travel, old attitudes of disbelief concerning aliens, the fermi
paradox, etc.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> 3.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>
</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>Tell us
what you see as the New Ways.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> The new ways are an
open mind to possibilities of space travel using technology unknown
to academia. A view of man’s limitation of intelligence to know the
unknown and the possibilities of new knowledge </font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> that contradict
established conventions. </font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”> <font face=”SF UI Text”> 4.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>
</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>Answer
the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” (place
at top of your work).</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”> 5.</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>
</font></font><font color=”#4d5c6d”><font face=”SF UI Text”>Post to
the forums at https://www.screenwritingclasses.com/forums/</font></font> -
David Bruno / March 26, 2022
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I learned what the profound truth is of my story and what is the profound truth I want to have my audience assimilate.
The profound truth is: Our earth is not the only planet in the galaxy that has intelligent life that is concerned with homo-sapiens.
The audience will have a change in their perspective about alien life and the guilt of man.
I’ll be using the metaphor entertainment vehicle for my story.
-
David Bruno
“I agree to the terms of this 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 reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by David Bruno.
-
This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by
-
I’m David Bruno. I’ve written multiple screenplays and working now on what I feel is my best concept in the Science Fiction genre. I hope to gain the ‘how to’ from this class to make, what is a profound idea, into a working script. FYI, the log line:
“An
Evolutionary Biologist obsessed with finding the origins of Modern
Man comes to discover that the human species, Homo Sapiens, were
exiled to earth by aliens as the population of a penal colony.”Needs work and that’s what I here for.
What is unique about me is that I’ve lived on a sailboat here in S. California since 2011.