[David Gutosky]

Greeting everyone, it’s Better Late Than Never. You can call me Dave Gutosky.

I have finished 1 script, a fresh combo of Trilogy of Terror’s third act and its sequel.

I’m looking for anything that can help me sharpen my skills. I’ve been a horror fan for over 40 years and look forward to breaking down popular horror to see what’s underneath.

I’m 56 and am just starting my journey. Finding time to write is difficult working 10-12 hours a day in manufacturing. No excuse, right?

[David Gutosky]

Dave’s Hero Mission Track

What I learned doing this assignment is the more impossible the mission the more exciting it is to watch the hero succeed.

Mission track questions:

1. What is it about the hero that will have them go straight into the face of overwhelming odds? The hero is a highly trained Army Ranger whose love for friends and family only intensifies his belief in honor and duty.

2. What is the mission that would be an impossible goal? The hero must protect his friends and rescue his family while fending off relentless thugs and evade corrupt law enforcement.

3. What strong internal and external motivation could drive the hero? Internal:
His wife and daughter are kidnapped. External: Mobsters and law enforcement are trying to kill him.

4. Imagine this mission playing out across the story. What could naturally happen if this hero went on this mission against the villain? Finding and resuing his family, protecting his friends, fighting the Danallo crime family, and avoiding corrupt law enforcement all while avoiding death.

Mission Outline:

The Ranger’s clear mission – To make right his past by protecting his neighbor from an abusive relationship.

Motivation – The Ranger, attempting to move on from his past, goes too far while trying to protect a neighbor from an abusive relationship putting the victim, her son, and the Ranger’s family in peril.

Inciting Incident – The Ranger kills a “made man”.

First Action – The uncle of the “made man” sends thugs to return the favor. The Ranger easily dispatches them.

Escalation – The Ranger’s family is taken.

Overwhelming Odds – The mob boss sends several, more experienced thugs. The Ranger sends a message by incapacitating them all. He is told of his family’s situation.

New Mission: Find and rescue his family. Nothing will stand in his way.

Apparent Defeat: The Ranger lets his guard down and is taken captive (The Ranger is deceived by the woman he helped.)

Twist: A former Ranger shows up hired by Dino to take out the hero. (The Ranger tells his side of the story regarding his dishonorable discharge)

Escape: The Ranger disables his comrade and takes Dino’s niece and her child. (They are scared and reluctant but eventually realize they are better off far away from Dino.)

Apparent Success: Dino’s niece tells the Ranger where he can find his family. The Ranger kills the men holding his wife and daughter. They are all safe.

Escalation 2: The remote cabin is surrounded by Dino’s army.

Full out Action: The Ranger and his family fend off the attackers for as long as they can. There are only a few, highly trained adversaries left.

Apparent Defeat 2: Low on ammo and wounded the Ranger and his family prepare for the worst. Dino’s men close in.

Twist 2: The Ranger’s comrade arrives and takes out most of Dino’s men.

Success: Dino arrives expecting victory but finds carnage. The Rangers easily defeat his bodyguards and corner him. They decide to let him live after he gives them his word it is over. His niece knows better and kills him.

[David Gutosky]

Dave’s Hero and Villain

What I learned doing this assignment: I’ve read that the most memorable villains think they are in the right. My villain is very aware he is not. Building a backstory is very important and is one of my favorite things to do.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Concept:

A dishonorably discharged Army Ranger attempting to move on accidentally kills a connected man bringing down the full wrath of the Ranallo crime family.

Hero morally right: The Ranger is fighting off the mob to rescue his friends and family.

Villain morally wrong: Dino Ranallo will stop at nothing to kill the Ranger and everyone he cares about.

Hero:

Unique skillset: Platoon Sergeant of the 75^th Ranger Regiment. Excelling at hand-to-hand combat, demolitions, extraction, as well as being an expert marksman.

Motivation: To stay alive and protect his new friends while trying to find and rescue his family.

Secret or Wound: Wrongly dishonorably discharged resulting in the loss of his family, friends, and the respect of his fellow soldiers.

Villain:

Unbeatable: He has a vast collection of expendable thugs and goons, access to the most creative hitmen, and corrupt individuals at every level of law enforcement.

Plan/Goal: To kill The Ranger and everyone he cares about by any means necessary.

What they lose if the hero survives: Dino would lose all credibility and respect within the family. “Worst of all, he promised his brother he would take care of his nephew” He could also die if his plan goes too far.

Impossible Mission:

Puts hero in action: The Ranger needs to survive so he can protect his friends and rescue his family.

Demands they go beyond their best: Fight the Ranallo crime family, evade crooked cops, and rescue his family.

Destroy the villain: The Ranger takes down everyone Dino sends after him. He rescues his family while destroying Dino’s.

[David Gutosky]

Dave’s Conventions:

What did I learn? I
learned to just write, don’t let the details bog you down at the beginning.
Patience and polish will help refine the story.

Concept – A
dishonorably discharged Army Ranger attempting to move on finds himself having to
protect what he left behind by any means necessary.

Hero: The Army Ranger

Demand for Action: The most ruthless mob boss in New Jersey will stop at nothing to kill the Ranger and everyone he cares about.

Mission: Protect his friends and rescue his family.

Antagonist: A vengeful mob boss.

Escalating action: The number of enemies increases as does their skill level as the Ranger attempts to protect his new friends and find his kidnapped family.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by  David Gutosky.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by  David Gutosky.

[David Gutosky]

Hello, my name is David Gutosky.

I have 1 complete script and several in the works.

Knowledge, I am absorbing everything that I can.

In my previous job, I made a couple of custom guitars for legendary rocker Ted Nugent.

[David Gutosky]

Dave Gutosky

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 completes the Group Release Form for the class.