Diane Lorene Phelps
Forum Replies Created
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Diane Phelps’ Profound Ending
What I learned doing this assignment is that I’ve got a long way to go to get this story to a profound ending.
1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending? Love always wins.
2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?
Sami (Transformable Characters)= able to accept her new life and allow love in her life
Justin (change agent)= open his heart and let someone in. allow love in his life.
3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?
Set up – that sami is forced to change her whole life
Pay off – that sami finds happiness in the new world.
4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?
TBD – I need to do more brainstorming on this on.
5. What is the Parting Image/Line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?
Love always wins. For now, I will let this marinate and come up with a better ending line.
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Diane Phelps Connection with Audience
Intentionally created connection characters are going to be the two leads. First Sami, she is the ballerina with a broken ankle. And Justin the love interest who is antique dealer and new head of the historic preservation society.
Sami
A. Relatability = show someone who has worked hard for a dream and then have it taken away.
B. Intrigue = TBD
C. Empathy = the broken ankle
D. Likability = have her be nice to animals
Justin
A. Relatability = Just an average guy selling antiques
B. Intrigue = what secret is he hiding?
C. Empathy = he’s heart broken, lonely, grieving??
D. Likability = he is kind to his customers and townspeople
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SWUPSP – Assignment #6
Diane Phelps’ Transformational Structure
What I learned doing this assignment. Allow the process to unfold and follow the steps the story will shape up. Skipping ahead to get caught up. So I’m posting what I have so far and I’ll come around to add the layers.
Tell us your Transformational Logline.
Logline: A dance prodigy returns home after a devastating injury that sidelines her dreams, while running her dads coffee shop she has to fight the for the soul of the town and save the towns dance hall from demolition and she falls in love with the antique dealer as she plans the Christmas dance event.
The main character is Samantha (Sami) the prima donna ballerina that has broken ankle.
The change agent is the historical society (TBD)
The transformable characters are the bank and property developers.
The oppression in my story is the need to put on a Christmas show and save the towns’ dancehall from destruction.
Betraying Character: The real estate sales people, in it for the money.
MM #1 – Pages 1 – 15 – Our hero’s status quo, his ordinary world, ends with an inciting incident or “call to adventure,” introducing the story’s main tension.
Boston ballet Prima Donna ballerina, Samantha (Sami) Stone suffers a devastating injury and is forever sidelined and forced to leave Boston and move to her family’s Florida vacation rental.
Turning Point: Call to Adventure.
MM #2 – Pages 15 – 30 – Our hero’s denial of the call, and his gradually being “locked into” the conflict brought on by this call.
Sami denies that this is permeant move for her. She is just waiting to heal.
Turning Point: Locked in.
MM #3 – Pages 30 – 45 – Our hero’s first attempts to solve his problem, the first things that anyone with this problem would try, appealing to outside authority to help him. Ends when all these avenues are shut to our hero.
Sami tries to get a dancing job but has not recovered to her former performance level.
Turning Point: Standard ways fail.
MM #4 – Pages 45 — 60 – Our hero spawns a bigger plan. He prepares for it, gathers what materials and allies he may need, then puts the plan into action — only to have it go horribly wrong, usually due to certain vital information the hero lacked about the forces of antagonism allied against him.
She decided to make the holiday party a dance party and that way she can show off her talent.
Turning Point: Plan backfires.
MM #5 – Pages 60 — 75 – Having created his plan to solve his problem WITHOUT changing, our hero is confronted by his need to change, eyes now open to his own weaknesses, driven by the antagonist to change or die. He retreats to lick his wounds.
The dance hall is being sold and now closed and won’t be open for the holidays.
Turning Point: The decision to change.
MM #6
– Pages 75 – 90 – Our hero spawns a new plan, but now he’s ready to change. He puts this plan into action…and is very nearly destroyed by it. And then…a revelation.
The dance hall is historic they have to save it.
Turning Point: The ultimate failure.
MM #7 – Pages 90 – 105 – The revelation allows our hero to see victory, and he rejoins the battle with a new fervor, finally turning the tables on his antagonist and arriving at apparent victory. And then the tables turn one more time!
Campaigns to save the dance hall and recruit people for holiday event.
Turning Point: Apparent victory.
MM #8 – Pages 105 – 120 – The hero puts down the antagonist’s last attempt to defeat him, wraps up his story and any sub-plots, and moves into the new world he and his story have created.
The newly formed Historic Society comes through with a historical designation for the building and now it will be saved forever. The dance party is a big success.
Turning Point: New status quo.
1. What is the Emotional Gradient you’ll use?
Forced Change
A. Emotion: B. Action: C. Challenge / Weakness:
Emo: Denial –
Action: Sami breaks her ankle.
C: forced to stop doing what she loves.
W: has no backup plan. All her eggs in the I’m a famous dancer basket.
Emo: Anger
Action: Sami returns home defeated
C: Anger that she has to come home.
W: only good at being a diva, a prima donna.
Emo: Bargaining
Action: Sami forced to plan the holiday dance.
C: Painful memories and depression relapse.
W: Never going to be happy again.
Emo: Depression
Action: Sami dances alone.
C: Painful memories and depression relapse
W: tbd
Emo: Acceptance
Action: Sami falls in love and the holiday dance is a success.
C: Find peace with new life
W: let her dream die to grow another one.
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Diane Phelps’ Three Gradients
What I learned doing this assignment is the deliberate placement of these emotional steps will emotionally trigger the audience to go on this emotional journey with my character. That I need to spend more time working on the inside, soggy middle of my story, that has not been fleshed out just yet.
1. What is the Emotional Gradient you’ll use?
Forced Change
A. Emotion: B. Action: C. Challenge / Weakness:
Emo: Denial –
Action: Sami breaks her ankle.
C: forced to stop doing what she loves.
W: has no backup plan. All her eggs in the I’m a famous dancer basket.
Emo: Anger
Action: Sami returns home defeated
C: Anger that she has to come home.
W: only good at being a diva, a prima donna.
Emo: Bargaining
Action: Sami forced to plan the holiday dance.
C: Painful memories and depression relapse.
W: Never going to be happy again.
Emo: Depression
Action: Sami dances alone.
C: Painful memories and depression relapse
W: tbd
Emo: Acceptance
Action: Sami falls in love and the holiday dance is a success.
C: Find peace with new life
W: let her dream die to grow another one.
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Diane Phelps’ Lead Characters
Tell us your transformational journey logline.
Logline: A dance prodigy returns home after a devastating injury that sidelines her dreams, while running her dads coffee shop she has to fight the for the soul of the town and save the towns dance hall from demolition and she falls in love with the antique dealer as she plans the Christmas dance event.
What I learned doing this assignment is the planning of these key figures will develop a solid basis for conflict and generate a believable entertaining story.
1. Tell us who you think might be your Change Agent and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role. Also, include: – Their vision: – Their past experience that fits that vision:
The change agent is the historical society (TBD)
2. 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.
The transformable characters are the bank and property developers.
3. Tell us who or what you think might be The Oppression and give a few sentences about how The Oppression works in your story.
The oppression in my story is the need to put on a Christmas show and save the towns’ dancehall from destruction.
4. Tell us who you think might be your Betraying Character and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role.
The real estate sales people, in it for the money.
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SWUPSP – assign#3
Diane Phelps’ Transformational Journey
Tell us your logline for the transformational journey.
What I learned doing this assignment: I learned that I’m not sure about a few things of my character and I will need to develop the story ideas more.
Logline: A dance prodigy returns home after a injury that sidelines her dreams she becomes a hermit while running her dads coffee shop falls in love with the antique dealer as she plans the Christmas dance event.
Lead character with an issue; Sami 30s, A dance prodigy with a bright future life in the big city and the world is her oyster.
Journey; looking and Learn for and about love through helping others learn to express themselves with dance.
Transformation; Okay to not see your dream and start over in a small town, with people who love you.
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SWUPSP assignment #2
1. What is your profound truth?
Love is all you need. All you need is love.
2. What is the change your movie will cause with an audience?
Freedom of expression
3. What is your Entertainment Vehicle that you will tell this story through?
DANCE and Romance, Love and Dance like no one is watching
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Subject: Diane Phelps Analysis of Groundhog Day
1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
This movie focuses on Phil the main characters’ flaws. His journey is moving from narcissist to genuine caring person.
2. Lead characters:
o Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
o The change agent is the Rita character.
o Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
The main character Phil is the transformable character.
o What is the Oppression?
The oppression is being stuck in the time loop and repeating the same day over and over till he figures his way out of it.
3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
For the me the face slapping sequences are fun way to show the attempts Phill tries to seduce Rita, and the ongoing struggle he has to win her over.
4. Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:
The new way of being is finally achieved at the end by him presenting a humble accomplished unselfish person ready to be loved.
5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
This is a great example of showing the gradients of the transformation journey, with the old way being completely self-absorbed, then he makes his way around the town being selfish and doing things what were self serving. Then the next step trying to kill himself, then trying to better himself. Then doing things for other people, then just improving his own character.
6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
Phil, was stuck in the old way and was forced to change with knowing it.
7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
Several memorable scenes come to mind, the slapping scene, the gobblers knob speech, the saving the kid and people.
8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
Well here is a list from the somewhere on the internet….
1. “Okay campers, rise, and shine, and don’t forget your booties ‘cause it’s cold out there… it’s cold out there every day.”- Phil Connors
2. “I’m a god — I’m not the God, I don’t think.”- Phil Connors
3. “I think people place too much emphasis on their careers. I wish we could all live in the mountains at high altitude. That’s where I see myself in five years. How about you?”- Phil Connors
4. “You want a prediction about the weather? You’re asking the wrong Phil. I’m going to give you a prediction about this winter? It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey and it’s going to last you for the rest of your lives!”- Phil Connors
5. “There is no way that this winter is ever going to end as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don’t see any other way out. He’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop him.”- Phil Connors
6. “This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”- Phil Connors
7. “Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today.”- Phil Connors
8. “Don’t drive angry! Don’t drive angry!”- Phil Connors (talking to the groundhog)
9. “Rita: Why would anyone wanna steal a Groundhog?
Larry: I can think of a couple of reasons, Pervert.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
10. “E.R. Nurse: Sometimes people just die…Phil Connors: Not today…”- ‘Groundhog Day’
11. “Phil: Do you ever have déjà vu, Mrs. Lancaster?
Mrs. Lancaster: I don’t think so, but I could check with the kitchen.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
12. “I’m betting he’s going to swerve first.”- Phil Connors
13. “That was a pretty good day. Why couldn’t I get that day over, and over, and over…”- Phil Connors
14. “Phil: You wanna throw up here, or you wanna throw up in the car?Ralph: I think…both.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
‘Groundhog Day’ Quotes On Rita And Phil’s Love
The romance in the movie blossoms when Phil Connors tries to woo his co-worker Rita Hanson. Some of the most romantic ‘Groundhog Day’ movie quotes have been compiled in this section. 15. “Phil: Can I be serious with you for a minute? Rita: I don’t know. Can you?”- ‘Groundhog Day’ 16. “Well maybe the real God uses tricks, you know? Maybe he’s not omnipotent. He’s just been around so long he knows everything.”- Phil Connors 17. “Rita: I like to see a man of advancing years throwing caution to the wind. It’s inspiring in a way.Phil: My years are not advancing as fast as you might think.”- ‘Groundhog Day’18. “Rita: Phil, why weren’t you like this last night? You just fell asleep. Phil: It was the end of a VERY long day.” – ‘Groundhog Day’ 19. “Rita: It’s beautiful. I don’t know what to say. Phil: I do. Whatever happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now… because I love you.” – ‘Groundhog Day’ 20. “Phil: Do you know what today is? Rita: No, what? Phil: Today is tomorrow. It happened.” – ‘Groundhog Day’ 21. “Phil: Something is… different. Rita: Good or bad? Phil: Anything different is good.- ‘Groundhog Day’ 22. “Sometimes I wish I had a thousand lifetimes. I don’t know, Phil. Maybe it’s not a curse. Just depends on how you look at it.” -Rita Hanson 23. “Whew! Watch out for that first step. It’s a doozy!” -Ned Ryerson 24. “Phil? Phil Connors? Phil Connors, I thought that was you! Now, don’t you tell me you don’t remember me because I sure as heckfire remember you.” -Ned Ryerson 25. “I peg you as a glass half empty kinda guy.”- Gus 26. “You know, people like blood sausage, too. People are morons.”- Phil Connors
27. “Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same and nothing that you did, mattered?
Ralph: That about sums it up for me.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
28. “Ned, I would love to stay here and talk with you…but I’m not going to.”- Phil Connors
29. “Ned: Phil? Phil: Ned? [punches Ned in the face]”
– ‘Groundhog Day’
30. “Felix’s Wife: Dr. Connors. I want to thank you for fixing Felix’s back. He can even help around the house again. Phil: I’m sorry to hear that, Felix.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
31. “Piano Teacher: Not bad… Mr. Connors, you say this is your first lesson? Phil: Yes, but my father was a piano mover, so…”- ‘Groundhog Day’
32. “Phil: It’s the same thing your whole life: ‘Clean up your room. Stand up straight. Pick up your feet. Take it like a man. Be nice to your sister. Don’t mix beer and wine, ever.’ Oh yeah: ‘Don’t drive on the railroad track.’ Gus: Well, Phil, that’s one I happen to agree with.”- ‘Groundhog Day’
33. “This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype! Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You’re hypocrites, all of you!”- Phil Connors
34. “When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.”- Phil Connors
35. “What a waste of time! I mean, for someone else that would be an incredible waste of time. It’s so bold of you to choose that.”- Phil Connors
These are some of the most rememberable and some used to set up the next payoff.
9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
The ending is still a happy surprise because he finally gets what he wants, Rita to be in love with him and to wake up in his bed.
10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
That even a bad person can become good.
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Diane Phelps, 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.
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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.
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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.
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