[Elle Tracy]

ET’s vison: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lessons Learned: analyzing scenes using these lenses is profoundly useful … and may be employed in later passes, as the story improves.

Thank you!

[Elle Tracy]

ET Solved Character Problems
VISION: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
LESSON: Simply ‘looking’ at my characters in action — even to the extreme of this being a silent movie, totally lifts up the quality of the characters. Amazing.

More to come, b/c, as usual, most character dialog sounds exactly like me!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Finished Act 4 and wrote ‘FADE OUT.
ET’s vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lesson: Speed writing the first draft was bumpy, but I trusted the process, because 30% or whatever lesser than my best needs much improvement in subsequent passes.
I’m concerned about several subordinate but necessary characters — as in “…why pay the actor?…” but between a retirement community and a STEAM school, I do need subordinate characters.
Can;t wait to get into the voices passes — now all characters talk like me!
Sent myself a copy, so that — heaven forbid — something happens to my computer, there’s a copy in the cloud.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Start of Act IV Draft
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
I’ve written so much this week, I’m dizzy with creative juices. I like writing fast, counting on returning: that’s a great combo. (I wrote music the same way, duh — so I do already know how to do this, and now with writing.)
Bravo, bravo, me.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Completing of Act III
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lesson: Posted in previous lesson — really enjoying this process. I’m well into Act IV, and I can see the end of the first draft from here! Maybe not before tomorrow’s class, but I’m on my way.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s beginning Act IV/ End of Act III
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lesson: I’ve worked so quickly that I’m updating my Forum posts all at the same time. Well into Act IV now and truly enjoying building this first draft. …Typos and all! All 59 pages — so far.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Finish Act II
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lesson: Working at high speed with an outline really makes the writing a great combination of structure and free-form writing as I develop the action and dialog.
Bravo me!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Continuation of Writing Act II
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Lesson: No wordsmithing! Which is a very different process than most of the writing I’ve done in my adult life. Ha Ha, fun to just use the juicy, quick stuff — and move on!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Beginning Act II
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, even with money.
Lesson: writing quickly is becoming easier and easier. — and I trust that in future, there will be a way for me to catch all the typos I’ve introduced!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s completion of Ac
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, even with money.
Lesson Learned: — What a great, smart and useful way to learn how to build a new set of habits. The more I write, the more I write! Adding notes as I go along for additions to make on the next draft.
Pretty excellent process. Thx!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
From this lesson, I learned that writing a more structured scene: beginning/ middle/ end, with more informed– filled-out– characters, makes the scene potentially so much better.

I miss the ‘adventure’ of writing in a straight line to ‘see where the story goes’, but truly appreciate having the guidelines/ side rails around me in this script.

Thanx!

[Elle Tracy]

-ET’s First Draft
VISION: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
LESSON LEARNED: Writing from such a well-developed outline gives me the power to include nuance-able dialog and action in the first draft. I can start set-ups, character journeys and subtext elements from the get-go.

Who Ray! This is fabulous! thx.

[Elle Tracy]

Hello All,

ET's Outline Exchange ONE
Title: Senior STEAM
Written By: Elle Tracy
E-mail address: ReelCaviezel@gmail.com
Genre: Drama
Concept: Can residents of a retirement community work with neighboring STEAM teens to collaborate and work together?
Outline: 39 scenes

Thx! in advance. Please contact the e-mail above if interested — Messages on the Forum is way over my head!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by  Elle Tracy.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Emotional Moments
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
Learned: Wading through the outline, character by character, act by act really helps focus what might happen in scenes, to enrich them. Thx!

GENRE: Drama
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: Can people in a retirement community learn to live with their neighbors, a STEAM middle school full of teens, so they can work together and collaborate.

ACT I

1. Bee stands up to her boss at being fired. She argues about her innovative robotics design.
2. Bee unleashes her anger on a video game
3. She realizes she’s unhappy, and her cat comforts her.
4. Bee walks with hesitation, stooped over, and withdraws as the teens across the street mock her stride.
5. Bee becomes enthusiastic at the invitation to produce an art project for the City. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she feels a little bolstered.

ACT II
1. Tyler leads the teens into a peeping tom situation with GiGi – watching her exercise on her trampoline through the fence.
2. GiGi charms them and when she’s finished, she engages them, helping them overcome a sorta sticky situation.
3. Bee describes her mentor, describing her learning process to Tyler – who lights up with Bee’s story.
4. During a reveal, the audience has a superior position – how does Bee tell Tyler that it was his grandfather who fired her?
5. Bee bonds with Doc, as she discusses her dilemma with him.
6. Doc makes a play for GiGi as they observe the stars

ACT III
1. Tyler is in need of a mentor; Bee is perfect, and she begins teaching him as they improve the Rube Goldberg Machine, they’re building for the city’s art project.
2. Grandfather berates Bee and warns Tyler to stay away from her Claims he got even with her by keeping back her revolutionary design. “She’ll never work again.”
3. Tyler begins his journey to choose between his family legacy and being his own man.
4. Tyler confides in Doc and GiGi and opens up to them about making his choice.
5. Tyler decides to fashion a set of fingers for GiGi’s left hand on his 3D printer, so her glove fingers won’t look empty.
6. Rube Goldberg Machine assembled by seniors and STEAM students, and demonstrated – a gleeful celebration.
7. That night, a ferocious storm destroys the machine.
8. Bee has a mild stroke and is hospitalized.
9. Tyler confronts his grandfather about Bee’s design and its ownership.

ACT IV
1. Tyler visits Bee in hospital, she agrees to help my building robot for the state-wide contest.
2. Bee faces her design ownership dilemma with GiGi, who agrees to tend Bee’s cat in the meantime.
3. GiGi charms the city officer, defending the work of the seniors and the STEAM students. The officer is charmed – and considers
4. Tyler visits Bee in her garage, and she explains that her design is protected by her patent, which she received after being fired. The design is legally hers. She uses it to help Tyler design his competition robot.
5. Parks department announces that the Senior STEAM art project will be installed inside City Hall.
6. Bee and Tyler convince grandfather to license Bee’s design for his new factory, which he’ll build somewhere other than on the senior’s property.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Character Actions

Vision: To be recognized for my best with, even with money.

Lesson taught me — how to find holes in plot, enhance actions of characters to fill out the story with all four main characters. Thx!

GENR: Drama
CONCEPT: A retirement community next to a STEAM middle school: can the people learn h ow to get along and even collaborate?
TITLE: Senior STEAM

FADE IN:
[ACT I]
EXT. THREE MISTY MEADOWS PORCHES — DAY
Three residents sit in their robes drinking coffee and reviewing today’s headlines on their tablets They grunt, snicker and react to headlines, then all drink from their mugs in unison.
The three are Bee, Doc and GiGi.
The school bus pulls up across the street, and the students whoop and holler as they arrive
All three stand up at the noise and go into their homes.
INT: ATTACHED GARAGE — DAY
Walls covered with mechanical drawings, used as wallpaper. BEE F FINCH, 60s, tinkers with her gaming console. Bee experiences flashbacks of being fired.
She stands up to Tyler, Sr — we dono’t hear what she says, but their argument is clearly heated.
Bee talks to herself about eliminating character in the video game. Her stature is hunched over, as though to protect her torso.
To
Video game where she eliminates targets and curses an unknown enemy. She gives up the game to another player who is close behind her, who needs the win to move up the ranks.
Then
She stops and realizes she’s unhappy. Tears well up and she closes the game. Her cat sits nearby, and as Bee weeps, the cat rubs her leg. Bee picks up the cat.

EXT: MISTY MEADOWS PROPERTY — DAY
Seniors walk for exercise, a few with canes, one with a walker. Late to join them, and in the back of the group, Bee walks with hesitation.
EXT: H E FRIZELL MIDDLE SCHOOL — DAY
Students on the grounds. Sitting, talking, playing hoops, across the street from Misty Meadows. TYLER WILSON III, 15, mock’s Bee’s stride, earning laughs from his peers.
He’s clearly the leader of the pack.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUBHOUSE — DAY
Bee and several seniors review invitation from the City develop an art project for the local park with RECYCLE as the theme.
Bee confesses to being involved with the environment as a younger woman: she’s enthusiastic about the topic.
Bee is able to generate some enthusiasm among the seniors. They decide on a Rube Goldberg Machine to sort materials. Some seniors scoff, others join Bee in enthusiasm. Bee feels a little bolstered.
EXT: MISTY MEADOWS PROPERTY — DAY
Tyler III drives past with his grandfather as a passenger. His grandfather says “That’s it. That’s the one I want”

[ACT II]
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee and seniors brainstorm about the rube Goldberg Machine. She sketches basic designs, explains the six physical principles for the machine, they inspect recycled materials. Doc Jenkins is part of the group and helps Bee explain the more technical aspects of the physics involved.
During scene, Bee straightens her stature.
INT: CITY HALL, RECORDS ROOM — DAY
Tyler’s grandfather studies the plat map of the senior community, recalling how his failed company funded the development The developer walked away. The clerk notes that there are environmental issues with the property now, given a spring under one corner.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee and seniors begin building the machine, and students observe them through the windows. After a few minutes, Tyler leads them to a spying location behind GiGi’s home, where she exercises on her trampoline. The boys play peeping Tom at her.
EXT: GIGI’S BACKYARD — DAY
GiGi spots the boys and gives them a playful show of her vest moves. She approaches them, learns that they are STEAM students, and introduces herself to them.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
GiGi introduces Tyler to Bee, and they chat about the project and mechanical engineering. Tyler is clearly out of his element here, awestruck by Bee’s knowledge and ease in the knowledge/ expertise. He gets Bee to reveal her path to mechanical engineering; she describes her now-dead husband as mentor — which lights up Tyler’s face.
Bee Connects to his grandfather, but does not share this detail with Tyler.
Doc observes the situation and chats with Bee about it once Tyler leaves.
GiGi introduces other STEAM students to other seniors.
EXT: MISTY MEADOWS OUTDOOR AREA — NIGHT
Doc unscrews the light bulbs from the property lights nearby, erects his telescope and studies the stars. GiGi joins him and it’s clear that he has designs on her.
INT: REALTOR’S OFFICE — DAY
Tyler’s grandfather chats with the broker about buying up all the homes in the senior community. Based on market value, the amount is too high…for now.
[ACT III]
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee, Tyler a few seniors and a few STEAM students work to correct a few steps in the design — it’s outdoors and subject to weather, so a weather-resistant step is inserted.
Tyler is reluctant, standoff-ish, even arrogant at first, but soon comes around to realizing that this is a great spot for him.
INT: TYLER’S GRANDFATHER’S DINING ROOM — NIGHT
Tyler and his grandfather at supper. Uniformed cook serves. Grandfather learns of Bee and her influence on Tyler.
Flashback to Bee’s invention, which grandfather kept after he fired her: it’s a market leader design, revolutionizing robots
Grandfather muses about building a factory for Tyler, where the new design can be manufactured — increasing the wealth of the family and the company’s standing in the industry.
Grandfather struggles with facts: he doesn’t own the design.
INT/EXT: TYLER’S CAR — NIGHT
As Tyler drives home, he drives by Misty Meadows and spots Doc looking at the stars. He chats with Doc, about the pros and cons of growing up with family expectations, or following Bee’s lead and discovering himself and his innate mechanical engineering skills. GiGi joins them [offers wisdom’
Tyler and GiGi learn more about GiGi, and Tyler decides to print fingers for GiGi’s glove for her left hand.
Tyler wants Bee to mentor him, unsure about how to win her over given her history with his grandfather.
EXT: MEDIAN STRIP BETWEEN MISTY MEADOWS AND THE SCHOOL — DAY
Bee, Tyler, Doc, GiGi, seniors and STEAM students move the Rube Goldberg machine tout of doors and erect it. They demonstrate how it sorts recycle material. It’s a gleeful celebration by all.
Light changes and it’s night in the same scene.
Roaring wind and hail pelt the landscape, and the machine is torn to shreds.
INT: AMBULANCE — DAY
Bee is on a stretcher, being managed by an EMT. He tells her she’s had a minor stroke. She fell on her porch, Doc found her and called it in.
INT: TYLER’S GRANDFATHER’S DINING ROOM — NIGHT
Tyler and grandfather discuss Bee’s influence, kindness and Tyler confronts grandfather with his dilemma: honor grandfather or grow up to be his own man.
Grandfather admits firing her and blackballing her. Also admits keeping back her grande design for himself.
[ACT IV]
INT: HOSPITAL ROOM — DAY
Tyler and Bee reunite, he brings flowers. They agree to continue working together. Tyler tells Bee about state-wide robotics contest. Bee agrees to help him build a winning specimen.
To GiGi who visits her: Bee explains her dilemma: do I give up my design? Or do I pursue getting a prototype bilt, so I can earn from it for the rest of my life?
Gi Gi reminds Bee that she’ll take care of Bee’s cat while she’s hospitalized.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Doc takes over leadership of rebuilding the machine. Seniors and STEAM students help, including Tyler.
INT: CITY HALL OFFICE – DAY
GiGi visits with the parks debarment officer and explains the distruction of the machine. With drawings, she ngages the officer in the charm of the machine and explains that they may not be able to reconstruct it in time, given Bee’s health.
INT: ATTACHED GARAGE — DAY
Bee shows Tyler sheets of her revolutioniary device now as wallpaper in the garage. Tyler takes notes; Bee explains. Tyler figures out how to use a few ideas in his robot.
Bee’s copy clear market ‘Patent Pending’.
INT: CITY HALL FOYER – DAY
The parks department officer announces the winner of the art contest GiGi waits on the podium, looking for Tyler.
Tyler runs into the ceremony late, and when spotted, takes the podium. He describes the collaboration between the STEAM students and seniors.
The parks department officer requests that the Robe Goldberg Machine be erected in the City Hall Foyer, even though it wasn’t the contest winner.
INT: TYLER’S GRANDFATHER’S DINNER TABLE — NIGHT
Tyler and Bee propose to grandfather that Bee sign over ownership of her ground-breaking design to Tyler III, on the condition that grandfather build a new factory near the middle school, but not on the retirement community’s land.
Tyler supports Bee and helps bring his grandfather to their side. Grandfather agrees to work with Bee’s patent, so she’s financially secure and include the design in the new factory he builds for Tyler.

Thx for reading this far:

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Beat Sheet #1

Vision: to be recognized for my best work, including with money.
What I learned from this lesson is that seeing the whole story at this level keeps options option to adjusting everything – which is rather brilliant!

FADE IN:
[ACT I]
EXT. THREE MISTY MEADOWS PORCHES — DAY
Three residents sit in their robes drinking coffee and reviewing today’s headlines on their tablets They grunt, snicker and react to headlines, then all drink from their mugs in unison.
The three are Bee, Doc and GiGi.
The school bus pulls up across the street, and the students whoop and holler as they arrive
All three stand up at the noise and go into their homes.
INT: ATTACHED GARAGE — DAY
Walls covered with mechanical drawings, used as wallpaper. BEE F FINCH, 60s, tinkers with her gaming console. Bee experiences flashbacks of being fired.
Bee talks to herself about eliminating charactesr in the video game
To
Video game where she eliminats targets and curses an unknown enemy.
Then
She stops and realizes she’s unhappy. Tears well up and she closes the game.

EXT: MISTY MEADOWS PROPERTY — DAY
Seniors walk for exercise, a few with canes, one with a walker. Bee walks with hesitation.
EXT: H E FRIZELL MIDDLE SCHOOL — DAY
Students on the grounds. Sitting, talking, playing hoops, across the street from Misty Meadows. TYLER WILSON III, 15, mock’s Bee’s stride, earning laughs from his peers.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUBHOUSE — DAY
Bee and several seniors review invitation from the City develop an art project for the local park with RECYCLE as the theme.
Bee confesses to being involved with the environment as a younger woman: she’s enthusiastic about the topic.
Bee is able to generate some enthusiasm among the seniors. They decide on a Rube Goldberg Machine to sort materials. Some seniors scoff, others join Bee in enthusiasm. Bee feels a little bolstered.
EXT: MISTY MEADOWS PROPERTY — DAY
Tyler drives past with his grandfather as a passenger. His grandfather says “That’s it. That’s the one I want”

[ACT II]
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee and seniors brainstorm about the rube Goldberg Machine. She sketches basic designs, explains the six physical principles for the machine, they inspect recycled materials. Doc Jenkins is part of the group and helps Bee explain the more technical aspects of the physics involved.
INT: CITY HALL, RECORDS ROOM — DAY
Tyler’s grandfather studies the plat map of the senior community, recalling how his failed company funded the development The developer walked away. The clerk notes that there are environmental issues with the property now, given a spring under one side.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee and seniors begin building the machine, and students observe them through the windows. After a few minutes, Tyler leads them to a spying location behind GiGiGI’s home, where she exercises on her trampoline. The boys play peeping Tom at her.
EXT: GIGI’S BACKYARD — DAY
GiGi spots the boys and gives them a show of her vest moves. She approaches them, learns that they are STEAM students, and introduces herself to them.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
GiGi introduces Tyler to Bee, and they chat about the project and mechanical engineering.Bee Connects Tyler to his grandfather, but does not share this detail with Tyler.
Doc observes the situation and chats with Bee about it once Tyler leaves.
INT: REALTOR’S OFFICE — DAY
Tyler’s grandfather chats with the broker about buying up all the homes in the senior community. Based on market value, the amount is too high…for now.
[ACT III]
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Bee, Tyler a few seniors and a few STEAM students work to correct a few steps in the design — it’s outdoors and subject to weather, so a weather-resistant step is inserted.
INT: TYLER’S GRANDFATHER’S DIN\NING ROOM — NIGHT
Tyler and his grandfather at supper. Uniformed cook serves. Grandfather learns of Bee and her influence on Tyler.
Flashback to Bee’s invention, which grandfather kept after he fired her: it’s a market leader design, revolutionizing robots
Grandfather muses about building a factory for Tyler, where the new design can be manufactured — increasing the wealth of the family and the company’s standing in the industry.
Grandfather’s enthusiasm returns.
EXT: MEDIAN STRIP BETWEEN MISTY MEADOWS AND THE SCHOOL — DAY
Bee, Tyler, Doc, GiGi, seniors and STEAM students move the Rube Goldberg machine tout of doors and erect it. They demonstrate how it sorts recycle material. It’s a gleeful celebration by all.
Light changes and it’s night in the same scene.
Roaring wind and heil pelt the landscape, and the machine is torn to shreds.
INT: AMBULANCE — DAY
Bee is on a stretcher, being managed by an EMT. He tells her she’s had a minor stroke. She fell on her porch, Doc found her and called it in.
INT: TYLER’S GRANDFATHER’S DINING ROOM — NIGHT
Tyler and grandfather discuss Bee’s influence, kindness and Tyler confronts grandfather with his dilemma: honor grandfather or grow up to be his own man.
Grandfather admits firing her and blackballing her. Also admits keeping back her grande design for himself.
INT: HOSPITAL ROOM — DAY
Tyler and Bee reunite, he brings flowers. They agree to continue working together. Tyler tells Bee about state-wide robotics contest. Bee agrees to help him build a winning specimen.
INT: MISTY MEADOWS CLUB HOUSE — DAY
Doc has taken over leadership of rebuilding the machine. Seniors and STEAM students help, including Tyler.
INT: ATTACHED GARAGE — DAY
Bee shows Tyler sheets of her revolutioniary device now as wallpaper in the garage. Tyler takes notes; Bee explains. Tyler figures out how to use a few ideas in his robot.

NOTE: Thx for reading this far. I’m struggling with visual tools, so chose Final Draft for my beat sheet, and to include previous two lessons in this post. Also, pls forgive spelling errors … thx!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s characters’ journeys

Vision: To be recognized for my best work, even with money.

From this lesson, I learned that a character’s journey can help structure the script in ways that give the story engagement power and eliminate dry, dull stretches.

GENRE: dRAMS

TITLE: Senior STEAM

CONCEPT: How can residents of senior community work with STEAM students from a neighboring middle-school, and learn to collaborate with them?

Bee Finch

-Beginning-: Bee Finch is a retired mechanical engineer, burdened by the humiliation of being fired and blackballed from her previous job. She starts off hesitant and unsure of herself, mocked by STEAM students, feeling disconnected and disrespected.

-Turning Point-: Bee’s life takes a turn when the municipality announces an art project. Although initially struggling to find interest among the seniors, she finds personal reward in the brainstorming session, rekindling her passion and sense of purpose.

-Midpoint-: Bee’s work attracts Tyler Wilson III, who is genuinely interested in mechanical engineering. She discovers he is the grandson of the man who ruined her career but decides to withhold this information, creating an inner conflict.

-Turning Point-: The machine they are building gets destroyed in a windstorm, and Tyler’s grandfather admits to blackballing Bee. This revelation, combined with the stress, causes Bee to have a minor stroke, pushing her to confront her past more directly.

-Dilemma-: Bee must decide whether to continue working with Tyler and face the man who wronged her or give up on the project, losing the chance to redeem her career and her self-worth. Both choices are painful, but she stands to lose her newfound confidence and respect.

-Major Conflict-: Bee and Tyler confront Tyler’s grandfather, addressing the past wrongs and working through their personal conflicts. This confrontation is crucial for Bee’s emotional closure and professional redemption.

-Ending-: Bee’s world changes as she successfully collaborates with Tyler and the seniors to build a simpler machine. She gains mutual respect and designs a winning robot for Tyler’s contest, reaffirming her competence and regaining her dignity.

Tyler Wilson III

-Beginning-: Tyler is a curious and enthusiastic STEAM student but feels disconnected from the seniors and the project due to his grandfather’s influence and the generational gap.

-Turning Point-: Tyler becomes intrigued by Bee’s mechanical skills and decides to engage with her, despite his peers’ resistance and his grandfather’s warnings.

-Midpoint-: He forms a connection with Bee, learning and growing under her guidance. When he discovers his grandfather’s role in her past, he is torn between family loyalty and his respect for Bee.

-Turning Point-: The destruction of the machine and Bee’s hospitalization make Tyler realize the seriousness of his grandfather’s actions. He faces a moral crisis, questioning his grandfather’s integrity.

-Dilemma-: Tyler must choose between siding with his grandfather or standing up for Bee, risking his family relationship. Both choices have significant emotional consequences.

-Major Conflict-: Tyler decides to confront his grandfather with Bee, seeking to resolve the misunderstanding and clear Bee’s name. This confrontation tests his courage and values.

-Ending-: Tyler’s world changes as he builds a simpler machine with Bee and the seniors. Winning the robotics contest signifies his growth, maturity, and the strength of his new bond with Bee, bridging the generational divide.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Support and BG Characters
Vision: To earn recognition for my best work including with money.
What I learned from this lesson is to establish supporting and BG characters in the story, so that they can support the lead characters in their journey – yup, just like Hal said (and I hadn’t ever thought of them that way before!).
Support 1: GiGi Monroe, retired circus performer
• Name: GiGi Monroe
• Role: Entertainer
• Main purpose: Attracts STEAM teen boys to the retirement community
• Value: Adds the Art part of STEAM to the project
Support 2: Doc Jenkins, retired NASA PhD
• Name: Doc Jenkins
• Role: connector between Bee and Tyler
• Main purpose: Connects Bee and Tyler and Tyler’s grandfather, so that the rift between the Wilsons’ robotics factory and Bee can be mended.
• Value: Investigates what happened at the robotics factory. Plus, takes over Rube Goldberg project when Bee has a minor stroke.
BG Characters
• Retirement community members
• Teen STEAM students

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Character Profiles

Vision – to be recognized for my best work, including with money

What I learned – this is a substantive lesson, that helps round out my characters. It helps with their interactions as they all move the plot forward.

GENRE: Drama
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: Can the people in a retirement community figure out how to work with neighboring STEAM middle school teens – and collaborate?
### Bee Finch

1. **Role in the Story**: Protagonist
2. **Age range and Description**: 60s, Boomer, grown-up hippie, survivor, authentic
3. **Core Traits**: Ambitious, competent, competitive
4. **Motivation; Want/Need**:
– **Want**: To appear useful and regain her professional stature.
– **Need**: To recover from the emotional and professional blow of being fired and blackballed.
5. **Wound**: Ignored and dismissed because of being a woman throughout her professional career.
6. **Likability, Relatability, Empathy**: Her resilience and dedication make her likable and relatable. Her struggles with professional discrimination elicit empathy.
7. **Character Subtext**: Hides her bitterness and fear of being seen as obsolete and incompetent.
8. **Character Intrigue**: Conceals the fact that she was unjustly fired and blackballed, which fuels her determination to prove herself.
9. **Flaw**: Her competitiveness and need to prove herself can make her come off as overly intense and alienate others.
10. **Values**: Believes in hard work, equality, and the power of community.
11. **Character Dilemma**: Torn between her need for personal redemption and her fear of being seen as a failure again.

### Tyler Wilson III

1. **Role in the Story**: Antagonist
2. **Age range and Description**: Teenager, entitled, arrogant, intelligent STEAM student, budding adult
3. **Core Traits**: Elegant manners, conceited, arrogant, anxious
4. **Motivation; Want/Need**:
– **Want**: To live up to the expectations of being the heir to a legacy.
– **Need**: To figure out his own identity and values separate from his family’s expectations.
5. **Wound**: Tenuous relationship with his grandfather, whose respect and love mean everything to him.
6. **Likability, Relatability, Empathy**: His struggle with family pressure makes him relatable and his genuine interest in engineering adds a layer of empathy.
7. **Character Subtext**: Hides his insecurity and fear of disappointing his family.
8. **Character Intrigue**: Secretly seeks Bee’s mentorship to gain a sense of self-worth and direction.
9. **Flaw**: His arrogance and entitlement often blind him to the value of others’ contributions.
10. **Values**: Cares about excellence, recognition, and innovation.
11. **Character Dilemma**: Struggles between the pressure to conform to his family’s expectations and his desire to forge his own path.

### GiGi Monroe

1. **Role in the Story**: Entertainer
2. **Age range and Description**: 50s, Eastern European values, fit and trim, lost fingers from left hand, always ‘on’
3. **Core Traits**: Self-confident, defensive, energetic/enthusiastic
4. **Motivation; Want/Need**:
– **Want**: To keep living vibrantly and with purpose.
– **Need**: To forgive herself for the accident that ended her circus career.
5. **Wound**: Circus accident that took her partner and fingers from her left hand.
6. **Likability, Relatability, Empathy**: Her energy and resilience make her likable, while her struggle with past trauma makes her relatable and evokes empathy.
7. **Character Subtext**: Hides her guilt and pain from the accident, pretending to be always upbeat.
8. **Character Intrigue**: Uses her role as an entertainer to mask her deep-seated insecurities and guilt.
9. **Flaw**: Her defensiveness and refusal to show vulnerability can push people away.
10. **Values**: Believes in the power of performance, resilience, and living life to the fullest.
11. **Character Dilemma**: Conflicted between maintaining her lively persona and confronting her unresolved guilt and trauma.

### Doc Jenkins

1. **Role in the Story**: Connector between Bee and Tyler
2. **Age range and Description**: 60s, Top Gun persona, helpful, accepts his failures, wise
3. **Core Traits**: Peacemaker, visionary, kind
4. **Motivation; Want/Need**:
– **Want**: Recognition for his contributions and wisdom.
– **Need**: Honest feedback to validate his sense of worth.
5. **Wound**: Passed over for astronaut duty due to a political misunderstanding.
6. **Likability, Relatability, Empathy**: His wisdom and kindness make him likable, while his past disappointments make him relatable and empathetic.
7. **Character Subtext**: Hides his lingering regret over never becoming an astronaut.
8. **Character Intrigue**: Uses his role as a peacemaker to mask his own sense of unfulfilled potential.
9. **Flaw**: His need for validation can sometimes lead to overcompensation and reluctance to take risks.
10. **Values**: Believes in wisdom, cooperation, and the importance of constructive feedback.
11. **Character Dilemma**: Torn between accepting his past and continually seeking external validation to feel accomplished.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Character Profiles

Vision – to be recognized for my best work, including with money

What I learned – this is a substantive lesson, that helps round out my characters. It helps with their interactions as they all move the plot forward.

GENRE: Drama
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: Can the people in a retirement community figure out how to work with neighboring STEAM middle school teens – and collaborate?
Bee Finch
1. Role in the Story: — {Protag
2. Age range and Description: — 60s, Boomer, grown-up hippie, survivor, authentic
3. Core Traits: ambitious, competent, competitive
4. Motivation; Want/Need: — wants to appear useful/ needs to recover from being fired and blackballed
5. Wound: — ignored and dismissed because of being a woman throughout her professional career
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:

Tyler Wilson III
1. Role in the Story – Antag:
2. Age range and Description: — Beautiful teen, entitled, arrogant, Intelligent STEAM student, budding adult
3. Core Traits: — elegant manners, carriage, conceited, arrogant, anxious
4. Motivation; Want/Need: — pressured to live up to being heir while trying to figure out who he is
5. Wound: — tenuous relationship with his grandfather, whose respect and love means everything
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:

GiGi Monroe
1. Role in the Story: — Entertainer
2. Age range and Description: — 50s Eastern European values, fit and trim, lost fingers from left hand, always ‘on’
3. Core Traits: self-confident, defensive, energetic/ enthusiastic
4. Motivation; Want/Need:– wants to keep living, needs to forgive herself for the accident
5. Wound: — circus accident that took her partner and fingers from her left hand
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:

Doc Jenkins
1. Role in the Story: — connector between Bee and Tyler
2. Age range and Description: 60s, Top Gun persona, helpful, accepts his failures, wise
3. Core Traits: — peacemaker, visionary, kind
4. Motivation; Want/Need: — wants recognition, needs honest feedback
5. Wound: — passed over for astronaut duty, based on a political misunderstanding
6. Likability, Relatability, Empathy:

NOTE: The last entry for all characters available in previous post.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Likeability, Relatability, and Empathy for my characters
Vision: to be recognized for my best work, including with money.
What I learned – these traits in all characters go a long way in setting the tone for their action(s), and dialog, with room remaining for the plot. What interested me most is the recommendation from AI that all characters share their stories and practice active listening.

GENRE: Drama
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: Can people in a retirement community get along with STEAM students from a neighborhood middle school, and eventually collaborate?

Character – Bee Finch, Protag
• Likeability – as a champion gamer, Bee gives up her title to a less-experienced player who needs the win to move forward with his life (or so she believes)
• Relatability –Bee tells her work-history story, a solo woman often surrounded by men, and even when her ideas were the best, she didn’t earn the credit she deserved.
• Empathy – Bee listens to Tyler and helps him understand that this grandfather’s version of her work and its result, isn’t correct.
Character – Tyler Wilson III, Antag
• Likeability – Tyler is extremely well mannered and articulate, with a lively sense of humor, he’s a kind leader, helpful and generous with his time.
• Relatability – in his coming of age moments, he learns that his grandfather’s version of events surrounding Bee’s work aren’t quite true, and he learns to accept his grandfather’s position and respect him for making the decisions that he made.
• Empathy – Tyler becomes an active listener, and overcomes his distain for Bee and allows her to help him build his robot.
Character – GiGi Monroe, entertainment
• Likeability – GiGi entertains everyone; seniors who agree with the Rube Goldbert machine project, and those who do not. She flirts with the STEAM school boys, and shows them how normal their hormones can be at their age.
• Relatability – As engaging and demonstrative as she is, we learn more about her accident and how she’s surviving the PTSD related to the accident that took her partner and her fingers.
• Empathy – GiGi plays hard for Doc’s attention, by listening to his endless fantasies about becoming an astronaut.
Doc Jenkins – Strong personality
• Likeability – Doc helps his neighbors by delivering their groceries and meals on his motorcycle.
• Relatability – Doc maintains his Tob Gun persona, which may be common for some men as they age.
• Empathy – Doc discovers the facts around the accident in Tyler’s grandfather’s robotics factory, and helps Bee and Tyler understand what really happened. He also takes over the Rube Goldberg machine project after Bee’s minor stroke.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Elle Tracy.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Character intrigue

Vision: to earn recognition for my best work, including with money.

I learned from this assignment, that working through all the different ‘lenses’ g offers many ways to ‘see’ my characters, and fill them out, so they are not flat.

Genre: Drama
Title: Senior STEAM

concept: Can people in a retirement community get along with students from a neighboring STEAM meddle school, and learn to collaborate?

“Bee’ Finch — Hidden Agenda: While appearing to mentor Tyler out of goodwill, Bee secretly plans to use Ty\yler’s brilliance to exact revenge on those who wronged her.

Tyler Wilson III — Deception: Tyler hides his true intentions from both the seniors and his grandfather, manipulating situations to serve his own interests.
Secret Identity:** Despite his outward bravado, Tyler grapples with his identity outside of his family’s legacy, longing to forge his own path but feeling trapped by expectations.

GiGi Monroe — Unspoken Wound:** Despite her cheerful demeanor, GiGi struggles with survivor’s guilt and PTSD from the circus accident, haunted by memories she can’t share with others.

Doc — Conspiracy: Doc suspects there’s more to Bee’s firing than meets the eye and quietly investigates, uncovering hidden truths that could shake the community.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Sample Move Subtext

Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with Money.

What I learned from this lesson is this: had I don’t it properly that is by re-watching the sample movie with an eye out for subtext, then reported what I saw, it could have meant more as a learning experience.

Example Film ELIZABETH, THE VIRGIN QUEEN
Genre:** Drama

Concept: Can Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen, survive from princess to the throne amidst political intrigue and threats to her reign?

Characters:**

1. Elizabeth
– **Subtext Identity:** The Queen Who Masks Her Vulnerability
– **Subtext Trait:** Hiding her true emotions and fears beneath a facade of regal strength.
– **Subtext Logline:** Elizabeth is a monarch who conceals her vulnerabilities behind a mask of authority and composure.
– **Relationships:** She relies on Walsingham to navigate the treacherous waters of court politics.
– **Emotional Range:** Elizabeth oscillates between moments of doubt and moments of steely resolve, always mindful of the dangers that surround her.

Sir Francis Walsingham
– **Subtext Identity:** The Master Manipulator
– **Subtext Trait:** Manipulating situations and people to serve Elizabeth's interests, even if it means resorting to deceit and violence.
– **Subtext Logline:** Walsingham is a cunning strategist who operates in the shadows, orchestrating events to protect Elizabeth's reign.
– **Relationships:** He maintains a complex network of alliances and spies, exploiting the weaknesses of Elizabeth's enemies.
– **Emotional Range:** Walsingham exudes an aura of calculated charm and ruthlessness, concealing his true intentions behind a facade of loyalty.
– **Unique Voice:** His voice carries the weight of authority and cunning, commanding attention in pivotal moments of political intrigue.
– **Special Qualities:** Elizabeth trusts Walsingham implicitly, recognizing his unwavering loyalty amidst the treachery of court politics.

Scene:**

*Walsingham's Intrigue*

In a dimly lit chamber, Walsingham engages in a verbal duel with Mary of Guise, the Queen's formidable adversary. As Mary brandishes a sharp knife, Walsingham matches her every move with a sly smile, their banter laden with double entendre and hidden agendas. Though they appear to flirt, each word is carefully chosen to advance their own clandestine objectives. Amidst the tension, Walsingham subtly maneuvers the conversation, planting seeds of doubt in Mary's mind while reaffirming his allegiance to Elizabeth. As the scene unfolds, it becomes evident that Walsingham's loyalty is his deadliest weapon, poised to protect the Queen at any cost.

These are my characters.
ET’s Character Subtext
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including with money.
What I learned is this: I’m still learning about subtext, and how to write what I call ‘the underbelly’ of humanity – since that’s not in my wheelhouse of ‘write what you know’. I leaned on AI more with this lesson than I have with any other – so far.

GENRE: Drams
TITLE: Senior STEAM
CONCEPT: How can a senior community and neighboring middle-school STEAM characters get along and learn how to collaborate?

Character Subtext for Bee
– **Subtext Identity:** A survivor who conceals her vulnerability.
– **Subtext Trait:** Strategic manipulation for personal gain.
– **Subtext Logline:** Bee is a resilient fighter who strategically maneuvers through challenges to regain her sense of purpose.

Character Subtext for Tyler Wilson III:
– **Subtext Identity:** A conflicted youth torn between loyalty and self-discovery.
– **Subtext Trait:** Hiding his insecurities behind a facade of confidence.
– **Subtext Logline:** Tyler is a young leader navigating the complexities of loyalty and ambition while concealing his inner turmoil.

Character Subtext for GiGi:
– **Subtext Identity:** An entertainer masking her emotional scars.
– **Subtext Trait:** Using humor and charm to deflect from inner pain.
– **Subtext Logline:** GiGi is a resilient performer who uses humor and charm to hide her past traumas and maintain her cheerful facade.

Character Subtext for Doc:
– **Subtext Identity:** A wise advisor concealing personal vulnerabilities.
– **Subtext Trait:** Expressing empathy while keeping his own struggles private.
– **Subtext Logline:** Doc is a compassionate mentor who offers guidance to others while hiding his own emotional burdens.

These subtexts provide depth to the characters, adding layers to their personalities and motivations, which can enrich the storytelling and enhance the actors’ performances.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Elle Tracy.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Elle Tracy.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Elle Tracy.

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s reply
ET’s character – actor attractors
Vision: To be recognized for my best work, including being recognized with money.
What I learned from this lesson is: Even when most of what I’ve already done is suggested by AI, there are still nuggets to be gathered from the response to the AI query.

Lead Character Name: Roberta “Bee” Finch
Role: Protagonist – lead character
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
A secretive, depressed gaming senior grows into a leadership role after being personally wounded by being fired and blackballed?
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
She’s a solo character who reaches out with different approaches to each group she needs to influence; a true chameleon.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
Her fighting spirit shows up as she games, wins and punishes people who have wronged her, safely within the realm of the computer games. Then she demonstrates expertise and wisdom in her mechanical engineering approach to the Rube Goldberg machine the community is building.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
The initial view of this character, dressed in her PJ attire but wearing gaming devices, and swearing like a trucker.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range
She will move from depressed to engaged, to being debilitated by a stroke, then reaching out to the STEAM students as a coach and helper for their project.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
Everything to do with the differences between how she’s acting and what she’s really feeling.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
Her ability to appreciate GiGi’s femininity; accept Doc as a competent leader in her absence and to make it easy for the STEAM student, Tyler Wilson III to work with her on his project, against his grandfather’s wishes.
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
In her actions, dialog and a special character trait I haven’t developed yet. Some kind of character tag, recognizable even when she’s not there.
9. What could make this character special and unique
That she becomes a role model for others in her community – and to audience members.
Lead Character Name: Tyler Wilson III
Role: Antagonist, converted to collaborator
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
A young actor could demonstrate natural talent and become known for more than just being photogenic as a teen.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
He’s a smart teen conflicted between loyalty to his grandfather, who fired and blackballed Bee, and Bee, who he knows can teach him and help him win the statewide robotics contest. He’s torn between being an entitled heir apparent with family expectations and his passion for self-discovery.
What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
3. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
In his early scenes, his teen hormones really test his judgement – a credible teen dilemma. He’s the leader of the STEAM students, because he is a natural born leader.
4. What could be this character’s emotional range
He gets in touch with his self-doubt, learns the price of blind loyalty when adults don’t tell him the truth, he can revel in the enthusiasm of learning and mastering complex engineering concepts, and can feel the confidence of earning a win.
5. What subtext can the actor play?
Some of the time, he bluffs his way through situations with his carriage, able to hide his fear and shame.
6. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
His relationship with GiGi – he adores this older woman who kicks hs hormones into overdrive, and with Bee: their relationship may have the heart of this inspiration.
7. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
His actions and dialog will switch between teen/ child and budding adult. He engages byte his teen peers and the seniors.
8. What could make this character special and unique
That as a teen, he understands his grandfather’s self-protective position regarding Bee and her recommendations, and Bee’s side of the story. So he doesn’t have to choose loyalty t one or the other; he can remain dedicated to both.

Lead Character Name: Gloria “GiGi” Monroe
Role: Entertainer/ comic relief
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
She’s a gem of a role: retired circus performer who lost her partner and all the fingers from her left hand in a performance accident, but who has recovered both physically and mentally to be completely engaging.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
She’s present but not necessarily involved in the main plot line, though she does add color to plot situations. Her world continues to be to perform and entertain.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
She exercises on a trampoline and captures the hormones of many of the STEAM boys. She’s the reason the boys are willing to approach the seniors.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
She has early and likeable visibility early in the script, and offers a twist during the climax of the story.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range
Although she’s always upbeat around others, believing it to be her duty to elevate their moods, she does have a few moments of silence, contemplation and consternation about the accident that turned her life in an unknown direction.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
All the tricks a performer uses to boost their spirits before taking the stage.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
Her relationship with the STEAM boys, and Doc, whom she pursues.
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
Through her body language and heavily accented dialog
9. What could make this character special and unique?
She may ‘come down to earth’ and accept some of the mundane aspects of senior living.

Lead Harold “Doc” Jenkins
Role: Common sense/ wise advisor
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
Retired NASA Physics PhD with marvelous background stories to tell about how NASA rally works.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
Even when his place is firmly in the background, his pithy and spot-on comments/ observations help everybody understand what’s really going on.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
Tinkering with the Rube Goldbert machine, to correct elements so they work as required; adjust engineering thinking to practical limitations.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
Make him a storyteller, so the actor can discover interactions on the fly, based on who else is cast. We first see him gazing at the night sky through a telescope describing space, to GiGi’s admiration.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range
He has a deep sense of empathy for all the people involved, which he can mirror back to other characters, as necessary.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
All his own as he tells NASA stories, and the other reactionary or emotionally sympathetic responses to other characters.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
He works with Bee on the design aspects of the machine, and eneds up taking over the project when Bee has a minor stroke. He’s sorta clueless about GiGi’s play for him.
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
In his actions and dialog: he’s never lost that NASA swager.
9. What could make this character special and unique”
He becomes the sounding board for Tyler Wilson III’s dilemma over his grandfather’s and Bee’s fight.

[Elle Tracy]

Module 3 – Lesson

My Vision: My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.
What I learned from this lesson is that subtext and actions plus dialog really define a character, and make the character attractive to an actor … which is almost a ‘duh’ , except that it’s never really been presented like this before: extremely valuable, thx.

Genre: Drama
Movie Title: ELIZABETH (1998)
Lead Character Name: Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen (Cate Blanchett)
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role?
In this period piece, she’s the titular historical character whose words and actions drive the entire plot of the story.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie?
The development of Elizabeth from Princess, banished to her own castle during the reign of her half-sister, through all the politics of being Queen – including all the political machinations of marriage, to her final statement “I’m married to England. – is riveting to watch, given the constant vigilance required to survive, even with her life.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie?
Sorting through every situation for the motivation of other characters in the scene, especially after starting the scene with a care-free attitude.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor?
The title might be one clue … and her introduction as an innocent simply enjoying life with her attendants and with Sir Robert Dudley. She’s foreshadowed by several other characters, spoken of as a danger, a threat (to the throne), and our first glimpse of her is that of a young woman full of joy and happiness.
5. What is this character’s emotional range?
Her range is almost as broad as humanly possible, from innocence to warrior, to believing she is a divine spirit personified ready to replace the virgin Mary in people’s hearts. She has moments of intense doubt and insecurity, empathy for others, true and well-earned disdain – all before becoming supremely self-confident and quite regal.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
There’s subtext in every scene, based on what she sees, observes, and knows – all of which can be different.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has?
She is shadowed by Walsingham, her secretary/ ‘spy master’, who deduced all manner of treachery against her in advance of any act taking place. She listens to him, but does not acknowledge him.
Of course, her lover and paramour, Sir Robert Dudley, is the most complex: she does love him, and he her, but he’s already married … it seems, which she discovers quite late. She commands him and loves him at the same time.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented?
Through her regal carriage and dialog, even as she struggles with issues such as war and religion.
9. What makes this character special and unique?
This interpretation of Elizabeth, as the working daughter of Henry VIII (and Ann Boleyn) as she develops from a rather innocent young woman into a queen offers one insight into what could have been sorta true in history. (A gift for an Anglophile.)
10. (Fill in a scene that shows the character fulfilling much of the Actor Attractor model.)
She ‘runs her lines’ in preparation for sitting before Parliament to solidify the church of England over the Pope’s Holy Roman (Catholic) Empire. She has five or six tries at rehearsing her version of telling the men that she’s requesting their vote for the good of her people.

______
Character: Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth’s private secretary (Geoffrey Rush)
Movie Title ELIZABETH, The Virgin Queen
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role?
The role gives gravitas to Elizabeth, as he protects her physically and in her best interests – including murder of Elizabeth’s enemies.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie?
He gets away with everything, and snakes his way into plans, conspiracies, and all forms of political intrigue that we don’t often learn about until he acts based on what he knows that we don’t but understand once he’s ‘done the deed.’.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie?
In his first scene, he blithely slits the throat of a youthful traitor (maybe a homosexual lover?); otherwise, he’s generally a firm occupant of the close background, so that we know he’s doing what he does.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor?
See the scene description in #3.
5. What is this character’s emotional range?
He demonstrates, but may not feel, curiosity, power, support and loyalty (played as a non-religious person, Walsingham was a Protestant, like Elizabeth), politically light-footed – chameleon-like.
6. What subtext can the actor play?
All manner of subtext, mostly leveling the dynamic with other characters in scenes where he is simply spying. His flirtatious subtext with (Elizabeth’s enemy) Mary of Guise (whom he also murders, a historical inaccuracy) is quite different from his subtext with Elizabeth’s ladies and with the young traitor he murders.
7. What’s the most interesting relationships this character has?
He ‘reads’ the court players’ true intentions even though they don’t often really display them.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented?
He appears at key pivotal points, both in Elizabeth’s development and in the political machinations of the court. He serves to help us understand the plot.
9. What makes this character special and unique?
Elizabeth knows that his service is truly dedicated to her, not to court plotters or to her counsel of advisors, or to any religious figure. He is trustworthy for her – a rarity in her court.
10. (Fill in a scene that shows the character fulfilling much of the Actor Attractor model.)
Walsingham flirts with Mary of Guise, as she plays with a sharp knife. She’s a political match for him, and their banter is engaging especially knowing the true intention of each character – she to de-throne Elizabeth; he to do whatever it takes to keep Elixabeth as Queen.

NOTES: ELIZABETH stars Cate Blanchette, who, like most of her actor-sisters works in a rich mix of projects. Whether it’s M Streep or S Fields, nearly any female actor you can name shows their magnificent talents and full ranges in most everything they do. I wonder if the first question is more for male actors than female actors?
ANOTHER NOTE: Regardless of which 3:10 movie you watch, it’s easy from Hal’s analysis to see why both Glenn Ford and Russell Crowe chose to take the part of Ben Wade.

[Elle Tracy]

It’s actually ET — sorry the auto populate field didn’t get both initials.

[Elle Tracy]

And I’m sorry about the formatting. (!)

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Genre Convention Built Into the Four-act Struccture
TITLE: Senior STEAM
GENRE: Drama
HIGH CONCEPT: A 55+ community struggles with their neighbors: a middle school of STEAM students.
Four Act Structure that includes elements required for DRAMA
Act 1:
• Opening: Introduce the Senior Community and the STEAM school, showcasing the mutual distaste between them due to noise and aging disabilities. Bee Finch is mocked by STEAM students as she walks with hesitation, led to Tyler Wilson III..

• Inciting Incident: Municipality outreach for a recycle-based art project for a public park. Bee struggles to find a few seniors interested in brainstorming ideas. Bee still carries wounds from being fired and blackballed from a local robotics factory. The brainstorming session is rewarding to her.

• Turning Point: Seniors decide to build a Rube Goldberg machine from recycled materials. Some of Bee’s fellow seniors scoff at the idea of this community producing anything but aches and pains. Bee’s enthusiasm click in and she bows her head in passionate pursuit of this chance to regain her stature as a competent professional.
•
Act 2:
• New Plan: Bee enrolls enthusiastic seniors in developing and building the machine, overcoming community disdain. Bee begins to regain confidence in her leadership skills and mechanical engineering expertise, as her neighbors comment on her positive energy and enthusiasm for the project

• Plan in Action: Seniors start building the machine while STEAM students visually engage but resist physically engaging. Tyler Wilson III is especially interested, watching Bee use mechanical engineering tools
• Midpoint Turning Point: Tyler Wilson III introduces himself to Bee and expresses interest in mechanical engineering, forming a connection. Hearing his name, Bee instantly realizes that his grandfather is the man who fired her and blackballed her, ending her career. She withholds this fact from him.
Act 3:
• Rethink Everything: Bee and Tyler find flaws in the machine’s design, which they correct with the help of STEAM students. Other seniors help Bee and the students make progress on the machine.
• New Plan: Adjust the machine building and materials to make it work. Together they move the machine onto the median in the street between them. Tyler’s grandfather warns him to stay away from that woman: she cost me millions!
• Turning Point: Huge Failure/Major Shift: The machine is destroyed by a nighttime windstorm, and Tyler’s grandfather admits to blackballing Bee. Bee has a minor stroke and is taken away to hospital.

Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: Tyler and Bee work together to resolve the misunderstanding between Bee and Tyler’s grandfather. They confront the past and find a way to collaborate.
• Resolution: Seniors and STEAM students collaborate to build a simpler machine. Tyler and Bee design a winning robot for Tyler’s state-wide robotics contest, showcasing their newfound partnership and mutual respect.

Thanks for reading this far!

[Elle Tracy]

ET’s Four-Act Structure
• My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.
• What I learned from this lesson is two-fold: first there are times when AI is not necessary in a process; I did figure out most of this on my own; and second: sleeping on an idea always works to clarify its backbone
_____
Act 1:
• Opening = Senior community and STEAM school are across the street from each other, natural and mutual distaste for each other – teen noise and senior’s aging disabilities
• Inciting Incident = Municipality outreach for a recycle-based art project for a public park
• Turning Point = seniors decide to build Rube Goldberg machine from recycled materials
Act 2:
• New plan = Overcoming senior community disdain for the ‘art project’, Bee enrolls enthusiastic seniors in developing and building the machine.
• Plan in action = As seniors build the machine, STEAM students become visually engaged, but resist physically engaging the seniors.
• Midpoint Turning Point = STEAM student Tyler Wilson III introduces himself to Bee, and wants to bring peers to learn more about mechanical engineering steps involved in building a Rube Goldberg machine:
Act 3
• Rethink everything = Bee and Tyler find fatal flaws in the machine’s design, which they corr3ect with the help of the STEAM students
• New plan = Adjusts machine building and material to make the machine work.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift = Nighttime windstorm destroys the machine and Tyler’s grandfather admits to having blackballed Bee from his robotics factory.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict = Tyler and Bee work out how to work together, resolving grandfather’s misunderstanding of Bee’s work over which he blackballed her.
• Resolution = Seniors and STEAM students build a less complex machine. Tyler and Bee design a winning robot for Tyler’s state-wide robotics contest.

[Elle Tracy]

ET's what's beneath the surface

My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.
What I learned from this lesson is to figure out early how to create interest and engagement in a story, instead of just letting it happen as I write/ draft. Certainly avoids several re-writes!

Genre: Drama
ET’s Subtext in Senior STEAM
A Retirement community and private STEAM school share a revamped shopping mall — can they figure out how to work together?

Doc could be hiding his relationship to The Village – his wife, a lottery winner, purchased it for about $18M, and pumped more than triple that to win over the county council for zoning, address the EQ stability issues in the building, build out utilities and basics for interiors, and worked with the private school to open its STEAM doors in the facility. This isn’t revealed until the final scene.

Bee is hiding her disagreement with Tyler’s grandfather, her ex-employer. As an engineer in his factory, she designed the robotic assembly line, and included double redundant safety elements to protect humans from mechanical harm. Tyler’s grandfather fired Bee and blackballed her, professionally. He still smolders over Bee’s involvement – she turned whistle-blower on him; he removed one layer of safety switches, and one employee was killed in the line, because the safety switch wasn’t working in that spot. As soon as Bee hears Tyler’s name, she knows exactly who he is, and we do, too.

Gigi tells Bee how she lost her fingers, and Bee understands instantly, based on her experience at the robotics factory. Gigi lost her fingers in a trapeze accident, where her partner died.

Tyler is secretly enamored of Gigi – being 15; he’s genuinely speechless when he’s around her. But as he develops a relationship with Bee, he learns how to engage Gigi.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Elle Tracy. Reason: All for matting is lost, no spaces, paragraphs -- yikes! can't fix!

[Elle Tracy]

Vision: My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.

What I learned from doing this assignment is this: The whole process of working through the concept, the three-act structure, settling on a title – (Mod 1) makes sooooo much sense – what a gift as a way to grow an idea from a seed into a full-grown specimen!

Title: Senior STEAM

Character Structure: Buddy Movie

High Concept: Seniors in a retirement community, dismissed by society, become mentors to STEAM students, sparking an unexpected alliance that redefines collaboration and innovation.

[Elle Tracy]

Vision: My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.

What I learned from this lesson is that thinking through the transformational journey of each character helps give them magnetism, to draw in audience members, instead of being flat. The journey may also be interesting to actors. Thx!

Journey of Roberta “Bee” Finch, a retired mechanical engineer.

Arc beginning undervalued, overlooked, frustrated, dismissed by society,.

Arc ending: Respected leader and mentor in her community, finds fulfillment in empowering others

Internal journey: From inadequate, useless, purposeless, self-doubt
to self-confident in her skills, believes in herself, and in her passion in innovation.

External journey: From fidgeting in boredom and sadness
to community leader in building the machine and overcoming obstacles, completing the machine and influencing the STEAM students with her enthusiasm for engineering.

Old ways

· Bored, plays computer games

· Watches too much TV

· Sits too much

· Doesn’t clean house

New ways

· Walks in the neighborhood

· Computer researches to learn

· Engages with other seniors

· Becomes useful to others

[Elle Tracy]

My vision:

My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.

What I learned from this lesson: This is a radical and completely wonderful way to structure a character early in the process – a useful ‘stake in the ground’ upon which to build out a character. Thanks!

My intentional characters: for Senior STEAM, a buddy drama movie.

Character: Gladys “Gigi” Monroe

Logline — Former circus performer turned retiree, known for her acrobatic skills and infectious enthusiasm: she’s energetic, charismatic, and adventurous. Gigi has a natural flair for entertainment and thrives on camaraderie.

Unique: Eastern European, handsome for her age, magnetic.

Character: Dr. Harold “Doc” Jenkins

Logline — Retired NASA physicist, known for his insatiable curiosity and love of learning: he’s analytical, patient, and deeply knowledgeable. Doc approaches problems with a scientific mindset and values precision

Unique: .A secret comedian, widowed and uses his selective hearing effectively.

Character: Tyler Wilson III

Logline — A tech-savvy middle school student with a passion for robotics: he’s curious, inventive, and eager to learn.

Unique: Initially snobby and youthfully arrogant

Roberta “Bee” Finch

Role: Retired mechanical engineer: she’s sharp-witted, resourceful, and fiercely independent. She possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience in engineering

Unique: Rube Goldberg design genius, robotics engineering expertise

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  cheryl croasmun. Reason: Removed code from post

[Elle Tracy]

From ET

Vision: My vision includes recognition for my best work, including money.

What I learned from doing this assignment is this: The whole process of working through the concept, the three-act structure, settling on a title – (Mod 1) makes sooooo much sense – what a gift as a way to grow an idea from a seed into a full-grown specimen!

Title: Senior STEAM

High Concept: Seniors in a retirement community, dismissed by society, become mentors to STEAM students, sparking an unexpected alliance that redefines collaboration and innovation.

Character Structure: Buddy Movie

[Elle Tracy]

Chris — there is a character lots like this one in L A CONFIDENTIAL, — the Kevin spacey character.

But you’re correct, this story stands alone.