[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Intriguing Patterns

What I learned from this assignment that is, even though I got slightly wordier, it got more intriguing as I went along. I took my concept and went through all the questions.

Concept: A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat and tries to continue her environmental activism while doing her board duties but finds herself drawn into trying to change the corporation from within.

Concept: A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while trying to continue her environmental activism and attend board meetings, but finds herself sucked into representing the corporation to larger and larger audiences.

• A. Establish something shocking and point to the terrible things it could mean.

Concept: A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while trying to continue her environmental activism and attend board meetings, but finds herself sucked into representing the corporation to larger and larger audiences.

• B. Strong statement; question about something underhanded beneath the surface.

Concept: A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while continuing her environmental activism and attending board meetings, but is manipulated into representing the corporation to the public and the press.

• C. Question that points to hidden agendas, hidden identity, conspiracy, etc..

Concept: A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but is manipulated into representing the corporation to the public and the press.

• D. Character 1 is convinced/worried/wondering that Character 2 has done _____________.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but another board member discovers this and manipulates her into representing the corporation to the public and the press.

• E. But maybe it is all wrong.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and the press.

• F. A Pattern that Leads to Future Consequences

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but when another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and the press, she starts leaking details to the press.

• G. If he does ________________, that means ___Intrigue_____.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but when another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and the press, she starts searching for studies done on water quality. Why are there none?

• H. State the mystery.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but when another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and press, suddenly a long buried damaging scientific study about surface water appears in a local blog. Where did that come from?

• I. Should be/could be _______, but it is even worse.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but when another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and press, suddenly a long buried damaging scientific study about surface water appears in a local blog. Turns out people are getting cancer. And dying.

• J. Intense language.

A pious Quaker woman inherits shares of a fracking corporation and a board seat while attending protests incognito between board meetings, but when another board member discovers this and manipulates her into presenting corporate lies to the public and press, suddenly a long buried damaging scientific study about surface water appears in a local blog. The fracking operation is poisoning people!

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s TV Pitch Bible Investigation

What I learned doing this assignment is that it is possible to go back and rethink everything, but that you can quickly discard ideas that don’t work.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Show Summary

What I learned from this assignment is that I could choose hwo I wanted to do the summary and I choose the pilot.

QUAKER ON BOARD

A life-long Quaker, Lydia Parker is committed to saving the environment. She’s involved with her local Quaker meeting, but her major investment of time is eco-activism. And, as a Pennsylvanian, she’s committed to protesting the way the fracking industry is endangering people’s well being.

And yes, sometimes her activism ventures into civil disobedience. She’s been arrested more times than she can remember. She has her lawyer’s number at the top of her Favorites list.

But now it’s her lawyer calling her! She must come to his office right away. It’’s urgent.

She takes an Uber there, wondering whether the Allegheny Shale Company has gone beyond just making sure some protestors are arrested. Are they trying to sue her too?

The lawyer brings out a document. Glances over it. Tells Lydia her Uncle Benjamin has died. And left her something.

She’s relieved. No suit. Nothing to worry about. But what would he have left her? She hardly knew him and probably hadn’t seen him in 15 years.

It’s stock, the lawyer informs her. A lot of stock. In fact, the majority of shares in a corporation. The Allegheny Shale Company. Her mouth drops open. Own shares? In that kind of company. She could sell, right? It’s not quite that easy, her lawyer informs her.

But she couldn’t in all good conscience make money off of their devastation of the environment. No. But then comes another bombshell. By special arrangement with the board of directors of the corporation, her uncle arranged that she should inherit his seat on the board upon his death.

She can’t quite take this all in. On the board of a fracking company?

The lawyer has one more thing to say. She needs to get to Pittsburgh tomorrow. For the quarterly board meeting.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Episode Descriptions

What I learned from doing this assignment is that I really had a lot of stuff already there. But at the same time, I figured out some new things to add. Also, that my descriptions were way too involved.

EPISODE 1: “Inheritance & Quandaries” Arrested mid-protest, Lydia’s eco-warrior plans hit a snag—she inherits a fracking stockpile. Juggling moral dilemmas and a newfound board seat, she contemplates turning corporate shark or eco-hero.

EPISODE 2: “Family Ties & Locked Doors” Funeral awkwardness and a cold collide as Lydia’s family reunion unfolds. Her board debut? A comedy of errors, from locked doors to accidental entrances that make family reunions seem tame.

EPISODE 3: “Plastics & Unexpected Allies” Lydia’s plastic crusade fizzles, but her unexpected ally Martez turns out to be a reluctant eco-warrior. A failed presentation, flickering lights, and supportive texts set the stage for eco-comedy gold.

EPISODE 4: “Viral Videos & Unintended Consequences” Alonzo and Martez, Lydia’s social media saviors, unleash chaos online. Lydia’s eco-video goes viral, but it’s her unintentional fountain fire that sets the internet ablaze—with comments and comedic chaos.

EPISODE 5: “Exclusion & Unearthed Secrets” Locked out of the boardroom, Lydia uncovers corporate skeletons, but her ethics clash with Alonzo’s glee. It’s a comedy of errors as Lydia grapples with shady secrets while staying true to her eco-quirks.

EPISODE 6: “Choices & Ethical Dilemmas” Lydia’s solar proposal shines bright, but comedic chaos ensues as she faces a lucrative buyout and a Quaker intervention. Will millions tempt Lydia, or will her eco-heart prevail in this hilarious ethical dilemma?

EPISODE 7: “Responsibility & Unspoken Truths” Lydia’s tasked with corporate responsibility, leading to hilariously disastrous panel admissions. As her eco-truths spill, comedic silence reigns in interviews, leaving viewers in stitches.

EPISODE 8: “Disguises & High Stakes” Lydia’s protest disguise turns farcical as she’s caught, leading to a boardroom comedy of errors. Ousted and facing votes, a surprising proxy twist adds a sitcom touch to this high-stakes eco-comedy.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Five Seasons

What I learned from doing this assignment is…well, I was reluctant to let AI give me ideas. I first did my own version, and then I got AI’s version. And then my challenge is to figure out what I really want. AND I know that nothing about what AI comes up with is at all comedic. But not sure if my descriptions are either, although I see it that way. Here’s what I have:

Etta’s version:

SEASON ONE: AND WHY AM I HERE?

What happens when a sincere Quaker ends up on the corporate board of a fracking corporation?

Lydia’s been raised as a Quaker and has a commitment to taking care of the environment. In facts, she’s at a demonstration against fracking when the news comes—she’s inherited a major amount of shares in a fracking company from an uncle she hardly knew. Oh, and a seat on the corporate board. She’s totally out of place there, says little and is horrified when she learns of the inside working of the company. She’s ready to just back away from it all, when she gets a letter from her deceased uncle, encouraging her to bring her faith to the table. So she’ll stay on the board, and go to protests in disguise. And just as she starts to ask questions the board about the impact of fracking on their local communities, a video goes viral of her at a recent protest. The chairman of the board calls for security to have her removed, and as she is being escorted out of the company, fellow board member Martez grabs her hand and tries to pull her from the security guards. She’s got to stay!

SEASON TWO

TITLE: THEY ASKED ME TO

How can a Quaker woman bring her values to a corporation that seems totally opposed to what she is about?

Well she’s got a seat at the table. But not everyone at her Quaker meeting is happy with it. But she’s going to take advantage of it. Martez educates her about how to read corporate financials while her nephew Alonzo solves all her technology issues, and he sets up social media accounts for Lydia. She sure she’ll never need them. But when she gets the board okay to create a more eco-friendly corporate headquarters, she dives in, taking photos along the way. The Board and the senior officers of the company grudgingly accept the recycling and composting canisters that show up around the company, and eat on flatware made of potatoes. But when she has has the solar panels installed on the roof and posts those photos on Facebook—there’s a showdown when the CEO has them all taken down. She’s had it and complains a little on the Facebook group for her Quaker meeting and the next day, the local newspaper publishes and article about the disappearing solar panels, and she is told she endangers the net worth of the investors when she makes statements that are not run through the PR department of the company. She’s chastised. Silenced. And then a call comes. A producer from the Rachel Maddow show—will she come talk about being Quaker in a fracking company. What can she do?

SEASON THREE

TITLE

Is Lydia in over her head?

Suddenly, this woman who is used to a lot of silence and reflection, is getting requests for interviews. She’s getting attacked by the Chairman of the Board and the CEO of the company in the press. And then she’s noticing that money is disappearing from her accounts. Fortunately, Alonzo agrees to take care of that part of things, and Martez defends her in board meetings, and when she presents a plan to make this fracking company a totally green, renewable energy company in 15 years, she finds she’s getting a lot of attentions. From their members of Congress, senators, and she realizes the green energy PAC the corporation contributed to is anything but that. And the money is being used to fund private jet service to Senators and Congressmen to the luxurious mountain retreat of the Chairman of the board, when the board has a retreat there. And she joins Martez in wanting to remove the board president, and she is requested to testify in front of Congress on ways fossil fuel companies are trying to retro fit to renewal energy.

SEASON FOUR

TITLE IT’S YOU OR ME

Work or home—it’s no picnic. Lydia has to confront Alonzo and his mismanagement of her funds. Board meetings are no picnic, if they ever were, and it seems like it’s Lydia and Martez against the rest of them. The chairman presents evidence of Lydia’s mismanagement of funds (it’s all manufactured). Shareholders and the press are calling for her to be investigated. But she pulls ranks, orchestrates a vote against the Chairman of the Board, and wins his ouster. And an expose shows the chairman colluding with their Congressman to get special treatment and special allocations, in exchange for getting a DOJ investigation of Lydia. That falls through, and a Meet the Press interview gives her a chance to present her plan to create an earth friendly company and a transition plan for old fossil fuel companies to becoming eco-friendly company focusing on renewable energy. And just when she thinks things are settling down, she gets a call: the president Elect wants her on his transition team for phasing out fossil fuels.

SEASON FIVE

TITLE: BACK TO NORMAL?

Just when she thinks things are settling down, Lydia finally gets information on who her uncle really was. And this reveal comes at her Quaker meeting. She was adopted (she knew that) and he was her father (She didn’t know that). And even though she wants to step back from the company, Martez is mounting a campaign to be named CEO of the company and permanent Chairman of the Board. And suddenly there’s an attempt of a hostile takeover by a larger company. Thanks to Alonzo, who’s out of the money management business but seems to be excelling at hacking, she discovers an uncomfortable truth—the current VP is behind this offer and a whole campaign to discredit and silence her. And she ponders whether she should tell the president, but there seems no way of getting though to him. But a tour of one of their factories brings the two face to face, and he asks her questions—once that she must answer truthfully. But that’s that, she goes back to trying to revamp her company with Martez as the champion and voice of these changes. She prepares for a much lower profile and a quieter life, when she gets a call from the President. The VP is going to be resigning over corruption charges. Will Lydia take her spot?

AI’s version

AI 5 Seasons

Season 1: “Frack-tastic Beginnings”

<ul type=”disc”>

[Etta Worthington]

Testing, this is only a test. I have not been able to upload anything to lesson 1 the first or second thread, but I will see if this works

[Etta Worthington]

Etta is ready for Feedback

What I learned doing this process is that I am rather verbose and it has been a challenge whittling things down, but I have been able to do that some. I didn’t get the kind of help I wanted from AI to make it more concise but that’s probably because I am not asking questions the right way. I realize there is a little bit of perfectionism in me and I have been scared of not having it good enough to proceed. But I remind myself how confident I am at creating a really good framework (hands over heart). This has been a hard but very good exercise.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Creating Irony

What I learned from this assignment is that I think I am better at irony than AI is. Actually, the whole concept for my show is ironic. In fact , much of what I got from AI was too vague, or reinforced what I was already thinking about.

Here are some looks at irony in my show.

1. Lydia, well, she’s a devout Quaker committed to non-violence and simplicity, but now she’s in a position of power in a fracking corporation, which directly conflicts with her values.

2. Martez, the board member focused on making the best-dressed list, is in stark contrast to Lydia’s modest and simplistic lifestyle.

3. The fracking company expects Lydia to advocate for profit-driven decisions, while she’s determined to push for environmentally friendly practices.

4. Martez, aiming for superficial recognition, clashes with Lydia’s genuine pursuit of meaningful change.

5. Despite her aversion to technology, Lydia relies heavily on her nephew Alonzo for technical support. Her dependence on modern tech tools in a corporate setting is an ironic contrast to her traditional and simplistic Quaker lifestyle.

6. Martez’s attempts to engage Lydia in discussions about fashion or appearances within the corporate setting lead to comedic conflicts. His inability to understand Lydia’s focus on substance over style creates ironic situations where their priorities clash amusingly.

7. Alonzo, despite being younger and less experienced in corporate affairs, often finds himself advising Lydia on financial and technological matters related to her position on the fracking board. This ironic reversal of roles showcases Alonzo’s unexpected influence in guiding decisions within the corporate landscape.

8. Alonzo’s tech expertise becomes a tool to support Lydia’s environmental initiatives within the corporate space. The irony lies in his utilization of advanced technology to advance a cause often associated with traditional, low-tech methods.

9. Angela’s a pretty good driver but she’s a bit lost when it comes to using navigation programs and chooses to ignore them. Until they get lost. Lydia comes to her aid, with a little help from Alonzo on the phone.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Big picture Loops Assignment 1

What I learned from this assignment is that Scandal is so full of Big picture Open Loops–nearly in every scene.

Here are ones I noticed

Quinn–what problem has she had with relationships in past–stood up on blind dates

Who is this Olivia pope and how does she change lives, why is she the good guy

Why Does Olivia say FBI is sick of me

Why do her people stay so devoted to her when she is a dictator

Do not lie–her one rule. But how is she lying

How does she get away with being such a bully

I’m not normal. They are all not normal What are they?

Why do they all seem to not have relationships except for Steven

Everyone in this office needs fixing

She doesnt work for POTUS yet she comes running when asked. Why

Fitz and Olivia–Unresolved relationship for both of them

Why did Cyrus not know about the affair

Will Stephen go and be normal can he break free

Will olivia follow her heart

Will olivia forgive fitz for his indiscretion

Will she take it out on Fitz by taking Amanda as her client

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Show Mysteries

What I learned from this assignment is first, how extraordinarily well Shonda Rhimes incorporates mystery into her work, especially Scandal. And I feel like I am doing a little bit better as getting responses from AI, and it makes me think. I see the trajectory of my show changing somewhat with these responses from this exercise, but I haven’t totally figured it out, so I gave my answers and then some AI brainstorms.

The mysteries from Scandal

• Who is Quinn Perkins, how did she end up at Olivia Pope’s company, and what part did Olivia play in her new life?

• What does Olivia have on the judge in Quinn’s trial?

• What is the relationship with Fitz and Cyrus? How did Cyrus get involved and to what depths will he go to assure his agenda is carried out

• Who is Olivia and what is her story and how does she know so much stuff about so many people?

• Why does Fitz hate Millie?

For My Show

1. Shocking Event Mystery and tell us the WWWWW and H, along with the part withheld.

• A. Shocking Event: Lydia, the quiet unassuming Quaker woman inherits a major amount of stocks in a publicly held fracking corporation from a distant uncle and gets a place on a corporate board

• B. Secret: How did Lydia end up inheriting this money and position,

• C. Investigation: Alonso is so intrigued by this, he decides to try and figure it out.

• WWWWW and How:

• The uncle left Lydia the stock

• He was retired from the board but benefitted from stock position

• Lydia only remembers seeing him a few times

• It was at a holiday party when she was there with mother

• How did he find her when he had disappeared from family

• Part Withheld: Who the distant uncle was and why he selected her to get money

2. Create the Over Time Mystery and tell us the WWWWW and H, along with the part withheld.

• A. Cover up: that the distant uncle cared about Lydia

• B. Secret: he was actually her father

• C. Reveals: photos discovered in a photo album

• WWWWW and How:

• Uncle actually started the company

• He lobbied Congress to cover up report on how bad fracking was

• He used his money as influence and donated a lot to politicians

• He was the black sheep of the family–not a Quaker

• Part Withheld: why no one knew about this fatherhood, including Lydia

And this is what I got from a couple of times questioning AI, and I think they can work into things I had planned

Mystery 1: Opening Shocking Event Mystery

A. Shocking Event: During her Quaker meeting, Lydia’s peaceful world is disrupted by a loud, eccentric lawyer bursting in, announcing her estranged uncle’s passing. The shocker? He left her a fracking fortune! Lydia, with a raised eyebrow, wonders how the universe mistook her for a corporate tycoon.

B. Secret: Turns out, Uncle Quirkypants wasn’t just meditating in his mountain retreat; he was a fracking mogul with a heart of gold. His secret plan? Leave Lydia the reins to shake up the company’s fossilized ethics. The mystery unfolds as Lydia wrestles with the idea of being an accidental eco-warrior.

C. Investigation: Lydia, armed with her Quaker convictions and a questionable sense of humor, enlists her quirky team – the tech-savvy Alonso, the business-savvy Martez, and her wild-card driver Angela. Together, they embark on an investigation filled with unexpected twists, like Lydia infiltrating corporate meetings in her Quaker bonnet.

Mystery 2: Over-Time Mystery

A. Cover-up: The fracking company’s cover-up is more tangled than Lydia’s last knitting project. Toxic waste spills? They blame it on a rogue coffee machine. Shady deals? Disguised as charity bake sales. The gang discovers a corporate maze where every clue is as elusive as Alonso’s perfect selfie angle.

B. Secret: Lydia’s uncle wasn’t just sipping herbal tea; he was the puppet master pulling strings to expose corporate wrongdoing. His secret plan was a comedy of errors, relying on Lydia’s accidental inheritance to bring justice. The board, unaware of Lydia’s Quaker ninja skills, underestimated the chaos she’d unleash.

C. Reveals: As the team uncovers corporate shenanigans, Lydia juggles ethical dilemmas with a Quaker pacifist’s finesse. Martez, Alonso, and Angela add their own flair – like Alonso tweeting company secrets in Morse code, and Angela accidentally stumbling upon hidden files while searching for snacks. The reveals are as absurd as Lydia’s attempts at corporate sabotage, making for a hilarious yet heartwarming journey through the world of fracking and unlikely heroes.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Show Distress and Empathy

What I learned from this assignment. . .

I got some more ideas for the comedic side of things and started to understand more about some of the backstory about my characters and how they are acting. I think I did a slightly better job of getting stuff from AI that focuses a little on the comedic side of things.

1. Make a list of BIG PICTURE difficult situations and decisions your characters could make because of the main conflict of this series.

Just ask yourself: “Knowing the concept, what are the big picture Empathy/Distress situations that could occur?”

Lydia

Distress:

• A. Undeserved misfortune

When Lydia inherits major amount of shares of a company and coming with that is an obligation to be on the board–but it;s a company involved in fracking, which she is totally against

• B. External Character conflicts.

The chairman of the board is obnoxious and continually makes comments about having a little lady on the board

• C. Plot intruding on life

Lydia has been asked to take care of planning board retreat. She’s a pescatarian

• D. Moral dilemmas.

OMG. Every board meeting there are dilemmas, from how the minor serving staff is treated, to environmental issues that the board is fighting to ignore

• E. Forced decisions they’d never make

Lydia is sent to an environmental conference to represent the company. And defend it.

Martez

His face breaks out and the stuff he uses to control the acne permanently breeches his face in places. He’s like a spotted leopard.

Other board members are rather homophobic and a couple of them refuse to let him use the men’s bathroom and make crude comments.

His mother gets sick and he has to do some caretaking so he has to come to some of the board meetings by Zom

He discovers the profile of someone vaguely familiar on Grindr. Oh, it’s the CEO of the company.

Alonzo

Being kicked out of his home and cut off from money.

He doesn’t like the food that Lydia has in her house or the music that she plays

His old girlfriend comes back and he tries to have her live there without Lydia knowing even though that’s not supposed to happen. Because the girlfriend ius a drug dealer.

He sees an opportunity to make money for his aunt at a higher rate than she is typically making, and skim some off the top for himself. Should he?

His girlfriend asks him to drive her to another state. In the middle of the trip, he discovers she has added some compartments to hide drugs because she is delivering some.

Angela

She got sick, her ex took her daughter so she has no contact and no child support, and no job, so she ends up homeless. And tries sleeping out of her care, that she also drives for Uber, but it is stolen and she’d let her insurance lapse. She’s screwed.

Angela cannot stand male drivers with big assed SUVs who have to get in front of her and will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen

Angela’s ex drops off her daughter and says he can;t take care of her anymore.

Angela persuades Lydia to buy a new Tesla with driverless/autopilot capability, but doesn;t let Lydia know that, so she is driving while not really doing anything but listening to music. She feels guilty but it’s a real easy gig, which is so much better

Angela has to give up her fingernails–long, very decorated artificial nails, because she can;t do things with nails that long. Lydia insists that it’s unsafe while driving the car to have such long nails.

AI Suggestions

Lydia (Quaker Woman):

• Create distress: Lydia, with her strong environmental values, finds herself at board meetings facing absurdly contradictory situations, like having to discuss eco-friendly initiatives in the same breath as fracking. Her attempts to bring mindfulness and peace to corporate chaos lead to humorous misunderstandings.

• Create empathy: Lydia’s comedic side emerges as she navigates the corporate world with an unyielding commitment to her values. Her witty and unexpected responses to the company’s practices, combined with her genuine kindness, make her endearing to the audience.

Martez (Token Gay Black Board Member):

• Create distress: Martez encounters comically ignorant comments and stereotypes at board meetings. The contrast between his sophisticated business acumen and the board’s obliviousness becomes a recurring source of humor.

• Create empathy: Martez’s humor shines through his ability to cleverly address stereotypes, turning potentially offensive moments into comedy. His charm and wit become tools for navigating the challenges, making the audience root for his success.

Alonso (Lydia’s Disgraced Nephew):

• Create distress: Alonso’s attempts to balance genuine care for Lydia with his inclination to skim a bit off the top lead to hilarious misadventures. His misguided efforts to “help” Lydia with technology and social media become a running comedic theme.

• Create empathy: Alonso’s comedic side stems from his earnest but misguided attempts. Viewers empathize with his desire to support Lydia, even if his methods are comically flawed. His journey toward redemption is sprinkled with humor, making him a lovable character.

Angela (Homeless Woman and Lydia’s Driver):

• Create distress: Angela’s struggles with homelessness are addressed with a touch of humor, like Lydia unintentionally mistaking her for a chauffeur rather than a hired driver. Angela’s journey to rebuild her life is punctuated by comically unexpected hurdles.

• Create empathy: Angela’s humor lies in her resilience and the absurdity of her situations. Her candid and humorous conversations with Lydia during their drives create a strong bond. Viewers empathize with Angela’s determination while finding moments of laughter amid adversity.

In a comedy series, the characters’ distressing situations can be both a source of humor and a catalyst for building empathy. The key is to infuse their challenges with wit, satire, and comedic timing, making the audience connect with the characters on both an emotional and humorous level.

[Etta Worthington]

What I learned doing this assignment is…well, that this is very hard for me. It’s particularly very hard because I am working on a comedy and all of these triggers and ideas and explanations are based on serious shows.

ASSIGNMENT 1: Scandal

Olivia

• A. Situational: Hopes for a real love/family relationship / Fears she has missed that opportunity and will always be alone

• B. Motivation: Wants to always be in control / Needs to feel loved

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion fear of being weak / Public Mask totally on top of thins

• D. Weaknesses her heart

• E. Triggers when she makes a misjudgement

• F. Coping Mechanism scheme and connive to get back at

Fitz

• A. Situational: Hopes to be heroic and memorable / Fears everything could come crashing down on him and he’s be disgraced

• B. Motivation: Wants adulation / Needs to feel loved

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion that he;s a failure / Public Mask assured and in control

• D. Weaknesses hursts those he loves

• E. Triggers loss of control in relationships

• F. Coping Mechanism fights back

<hr>ASSIGNMENT 2: Your Show

1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:

Lydia

• A. Situational: Hopes she

• can make a difference in the planet / Fears she just too old to make a

difference

• B. Motivation: Wants to make

a difference / Needs to show that her life wasn’t a waste

• C. Mask: Base Negative

Emotion being ignored/ Public Mask she isn’t phased by anything

• D. Weaknesses sweet gooey desserts and enjoying them to the

fullest

• E. Triggers when people seems to look past her or ignore

her ideas

F. Coping Mechanism finding some gooey pastry to eat

Martez

• A. Situational: Hopes he

will make the best dressed list / Fears he is too fat

• B. Motivation: Wants

recognition / Needs to know he matters

• C. Mask: Base Negative

Emotion / Public Mask

D. Weaknesses very ego driven and self focused

E. Triggers being treated poorly or as less than

F. Coping Mechanism going inside himself

Alonzo

Situational: Hope / Fear

• Motivation:

Want / Need

• Mask: Base

Negative Emotion Greed / Public Mask Being very agreeable and helpful

Weaknesses get rich quick ideas

• Triggers reminders of how ignored and mistreated he

was in high school

Coping Mechanism scheming

Angela

• A. Situational: Hopes she will strike it rich / Fear she will never have a home again

• B. Motivation: Wants to be beautiful/ Needs to feel like she matters

• C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion Shame / Public Mask bit of a bully

• D. Weaknesses ignores others, even those who try and help her

• E. Triggers someone threatening her

• F. Coping Mechanism blame others

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned from this assignment is that there are so many layers to explore as you are building characters that have a lot of dimension and who may do unexpected things.

In Scandal, the fourth episode seems to bring all of character intrigue to a head with Olivia and all of her staff.

But our three main characters

Olivia is a fixer who has in the past worked very closely with Fritz and Cyrus,

Hidden agendas–now Olivia wants to get back at Fritz for having an affair with an intern

Competition–she competes with David some. She competes with Cyrus and Millie for Fitz’s attention

Conspiracies–she now wants to get back at Fritz for being unfairthful

Secrets–Olivia has hidden her affair with POTUS her staff

Deception–

Wound–well, she was wounded by the affair and that Fritz used language whe thought was reserved for her. Chooses power over love. Wishes she was happily married and had kids.

Secret Identity Wife of the president

Fritz is POTUS

Hidden agendas–he wants to be the greatest president

Competition–with Olivia

Conspiracies

Secrets–his affair with intern

Deception—hides his milandering

Wound

Secret Identity–

Cyrus is chief of staff to POTUS

Hidden agendas–wants to control Fritz, wants to know everything

Competition–always competing with Olivia although they have in the past been on a team

Conspiracies–he’s going to get back at Olivia for keeping him out of the loop and for being at war with Fritz; wants to be number 1 with Fritz

Secrets–he can be downright mean

Deception–tries to have people think he is on their side, when he’s really all about himself

Wound–never been quite as close to Fritz as Olivia was

Secret Identity

FOR MY SHOW

Lydia

● Role: A pious Quaker woman trying to live out her values while functioning as an unexpected corporate board member
● Hidden agendas: Lydia secretly wants to use her position on the board to change the corporation’s environmental policies and practices, even if it means going against her Quaker principles.

● Competition: a congresswoman that she worked hard but unsuccessfully to defeat ● Conspiracies: with activists works to make fracking illegal ● Secrets: she can’t resist gooey desserts AND she had a past as an environmental activist, something she has hidden from the board
● Deception: she wants to take the company out of the fracking business
● Wound: Her passion for environmental causes stems from a personal tragedy in her life related to a pollution incident, which she has never fully healed from.

● Secret Identity: Mother Theresa

Character Name: Martez
● Role: He’s black and gay, a token representation on the board of directors ● Hidden agendas: Martez, despite his progressive image, secretly wants to secure a high-paying position within the corporation, even if it means compromising his values. ● Competition:He competes with other board members for influence, attempting to become the favorite of the company’s conservative CEO, while downplaying his progressive ideas.
● Conspiracies: with newspaper reporter to uncover dirt on chair of board ● Secrets: he hates working out and will take any short come to get the desired result of a workout and Martez hides his true ambitions behind a facade of being a model of diversity and inclusivity, deceiving both his fellow board members and the CEO.
● Deception: Martez hides his true ambitions behind a facade of being a model of diversity and inclusivity, deceiving both his fellow board members and the CEO.

● Wound: his father and mother both ridiculed him for his effeminate traits ● Secret Identity: Martez maintains a second life as an underground artist, which he keeps hidden from the corporate world.

Character Name: Alonzo
● Role: Lydia’s nephew who’s on the outs with his family, and he’s become her tech expert and advisor
● Hidden agendas: he wants to be able to go back to his high school reunion as a big success and impress them all and Alonzo secretly plans to use his tech skills to expose the corporation’s wrongdoings and support Lydia’s mission without her knowledge.

● Competition: his brother, who seems to do everything right ● Conspiracies: with the bit coin company president to get both Lydia and the corporation to convert to bitcoin ● Secrets: he has helped the bit coin founder do some illegal things; and has illegally used Lydia’s funds for his own betterment and He hides the real reason behind his fallout with his family, which involves his refusal to work for the family business, including the fracking corporation.

● Deception: he wants Lydia to believe he has invested her money is socially responsible ways and believes as she does
● Wound: Alonzo’s estrangement from his family is a deep emotional wound he’s been nursing for years, which motivates him to help Lydia as a form of redemption.

● Secret Identity: the new Steve Jobs

Character Name: Angela
● Role: a homeless woman who is taken in by Lydia to be her driver ● Hidden agendas:She wants to have a be a fashion influencer and Angela secretly longs to reunite with her estranged children but fears revealing her true identity and past to Lydia.

● Competition: her case worker
● Conspiracies: with Martez and Alonzo to get Lydia in the public eye as fashion plate ● Secrets: she doesn’t know how to navigate very well or drive well and She conceals her reasons for being homeless, which are tied to a traumatic event from her past, and her determination to protect Lydia from discovering the truth.
● Deception: Angela pretends to be a carefree and cheerful driver

● Wound:Angela’s homelessness is a result of a devastating personal loss, and her time with Lydia triggers both hope and pain as she grapples with her past.

● Secret Identity: Hudda Kattan

[Etta Worthington]

Lesson 3 Assignments

What I learned from this lesson.

It takes a lot of work up front to build in the layers of intrigue that will make something bingeworthy.

Assignment 1

My show is Scandal

Engaging Profile is Olivia Pope

Role in the Show: She’s the main character. She is what everything revolves around.

Unique Purpose/Expertise

She’s been in the white house and has had access to everyone. As media consultant/expert, she knows everyone and everything.

Intrigue (secret beneath the surface)

OK, she’s been the president’s mistress, but even though that’s not on anymore, it;s still smoldering. And she’s pretty pissed that he;s had a meaningless affair with someone else.

Moral Issue (moral boundaries she crosses)

Olivia Pope crosses moral boundaries all the time. She will do anythign to anyone to get what she wants because she is always right. And she’s doing it for good reasons–or at least that is what she had gotten her staff to believe.

Unpredictable

If it wasn;t for her heart (or is it another body part), we’d figure out Olivia easily.. But the hard driving force that she is, suddenly is sabotaged by this thing with Fitz, And her jealously motivates how she interacts with him and how she uses Amanda to get back at him.

Empathic

She’s a crusader for all kinds of good things. She truly cares about people, or so it seems. We want to see her use her less than golden tactics to work for the good. We really do.

Assignment 2:

The journey of the show:

A modest,pious, low key Quaker woman suddenly is on a corporate board and has the opportunity to do something important for the planet.

Main Characters Wh0o Will Sell the Show

Lydia–the Quaker woman who lands on a corporate board

Lydia

A. Role in the show: She’s the main character

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Lydia cares about climate change. She cares about use of fossil fuels andwhat fracking is doing to the environment

Well, she’s kind of like Esther in the Bible–she’s there at an opportune time and has a special role to play. She’s tried activism before but never has she had much luck. Now she will hav empower and be able to effect how her company operates.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Well, she’s not all that sure that activism works anymore. Meaning she’s about to have given up. But she creates a fictitious profile on social media and uses that to get her message out, even at the expense of the company.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

Well, Lydia is so focused on a goal of working to reverse climate change, that she will do absolutely anything to make sure that happens, including divulge secrets

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

Well, she’s likely to turn up at board meetings with her markers and her portable

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

We care because she’s a lovely person trying to do good things. At Least we think so

Martez Token Board member

A. Role in the show: He knows he’s a token on the board. Actually two tokens—he’s black and gay, and hands down the best dresser on the board and will always be happy to go to high profile events to represent the board. His goal is to spice up the vibe and the wardrobe of the board members, and party whenever possible

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise: He’s there to look good, add spice for the boring board. His expertise in in party planning.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Martez was fat when he was younger and has worked hard to not be that way, but he can binge on occasion. So bulimia is a problem.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

He’s not above trying to ferret out closeted politically and financially influential men and do a bit of flirty, or more. He can learn a lot that way. He;’s got a list and he;s checking it twice.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

He’s willing to do outrageous things and thinks that Lydia may be a good partner for this, so he’s in to back her for whatever.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

He’s actually fun. He’s sincere on occasions and he can actually have real connections with people. Quite refreshing .

Alonzo, who is Lydia’s nephew.

A. Role in the show: Lydia’s nephew Alonzo—he sort of fell through the cracks in his family, his end being wealthier, and when he got into too much trouble, he was disowned and ended up on his aunt’s doorstep. She took him in with stipulations. He had to work..

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise: And technology came easy to him, so he manages all Lydia’s technology and has created a hi tech haven for her and even managed some of her money

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Oops, some of its in bitcoin. And then that blows up! Well, truth is, he used her money and her name to invest in bitcoin and becomes a big investor., D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

He lies. Regularly. He has no problem with that

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

Who knows? The company that he’s invested in for her is going to be involved in a court case and he must keep Lydia from finding out her name is in it.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

He’s a kid that got ignored, and she cared about him. He’s actually very bright and wants to help her.

Angela

And she persuades Lydia to buy a driverless car, but pretends that she is driving while endlessly listening to Podcasts. While she waits for in meetings she enters competitions to

A. Role in the show: Lydia’s driver—since Lydia is uncomfortable with anything to involve din technology, she ends up hiring a homeless woman to be her driver.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise: Kind of like a personal Uber driver. She knows how to get around the city in record time when needed.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She hallucinates sometimes. Tries to cover that up. And she has a daughter who was taken from her and lives with her aunt.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

Traffic laws fo not apply to her. Actually no laws apply to her if she can get away with things. She does not want to ever go to jail.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? She has a side hustle. She actually does some uber driving while Lydia is in meetings and has to cover that up

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? Homelessness was hard on her, and she wants to get in a situation where she can get her daughter back. Have a more regular life.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Three Circles of Characters

What I learned from this assignment is, first, that the backstories of your characters are important and they must be much more than one dimensional, and that the more developed you have them, the more their stories/lives may play out in a complex and rich bingeworthy series.

Assignment 1 From Scandal

Main Characters Circle

Olivia

Fritz (the President)

Cyrus (Chief of Staff for the President)

And maybe Abby and Stephen

Connected Characters

Harrison

Huck

Quinn

David

Millie

Environmental Characters

WH guard at gate

WH aides

Government officials

Journalists

Clients (Sully, Paige, the Madame, etc)

Characters connected to clients

Assignment 2

My TV series is a comedy about a pious Quaker lady who inherits major shares in a corporation involved in fracking and pressure pumping and drilling, and she ends up on the board of directors.

Main Characters: 3 – 5 key characters that the journey is about. Tell us the following:

Lydia—majority shareholder in company. She’s the daughter of 1960s radicals who spent time in prison and she grew up in a commune, cared for by others because her parents were in prison. She never got sweets in the commune, other than something made of honey, and is obsessed with fancy pastries and desserts, but tries to hide that. She’d really like to be a pastry chef.

Chairman of the board—he’s middle aged, seasoned corporate attorney and financier, and he dreams of taking over some of the big guys, with cutting edge technology. He loves comics and has a huge collection, and sees himself one day as being the subject for a best selling comic series as a super hero

Board member 1

He knows he’s a token on the board. Actually two tokens—he’s black and gay, and hands down the best dresser on the board and will always be happy to go to high profile events to represent the board. His goal is to spice up the vibe and the wardrobe of the board members, and party whenever possible

Lydia’s nephew—he sort of fell through the cracks in his family, his end being wealthier, and when he got into too much trouble, he was disowned and ended up on his aunt’s doorstep. She took him in with stipulations. He had to work. And technology came easy to him, so he manages all her technology and has created a hi tech haven for her and even managed some of her money. Oops, some of its in bitcoin. And then that blows up! Well, truth is, her used her money and her name to invest in bitcoin and becomes a big investor, and the company is going to be involved in a court case and he must keep Lydia from finding out her name is in it.

Lydia’s driver—since Lydia is uncomfortable with anything to involve din technology, she ends up hiring a homeless woman to be her driver. Kind of like a personal Uber driver. And she persuades Lydia to buy a driverless car, but pretends that she is driving while endlessly listening to Podcasts. While she waits for in meetings she enters competitions to try and win money. But always loses and needs more money.

Connected Characters: These are characters that the main characters interact with during the season. They play a part in the journey in some way and sometimes affect the main character’s actions.

Secretary who takes notes at meetings

Washroom attendant

Other board members

Corporate lawyer

Corporate PR person

Wife of board president

CEO of company

Geologist who is environmentalist

Environment Characters:

Other support staff in corporate headquarters

Doorman at building

Union president

Reporter

Senator

Congressperson

TV reporter

[Etta Worthington]

What I learned from this assignment (analyzing the Scandal pilot) is that Shonda Rhimes packs every bit of dialogue and action with so much meaning and intrigue, that I am exhausted when I watch an episode . . . but I want more.

I read the script as well as watched it (and I am quite familiar with the series and the pilot). I didn’t realize how tightly packed it was, how well engineered.

1. Big Picture Hooks

Olivia Pope, a DC fixer with ties to the White House, will do almost anything to solve her clients’ problems, with her team of over committed professionals who operate in morally questionable territory, just a hair away from being illegal.

2 Amazing and Intriguing Characters

Olivia Pope is fast talking, fearless, tough as nails. But is a hopeless romantic as well.

Abby emulates her boss but wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to Stephen

Harrison is cool, too cool. Believes he is a good guy, they all are. But seems too controlled

Huck is brilliant at what he does, but damaged goods.

Quinn is innocent and idealistic and wants to impress her new boss, but doesn’t have the tough outer shell. She’s not sure what she’s in for.

Stephen wants to be a real human being as well as being a Sherman tank like his boss, and doesn’t seem to have much sympathy for women he’s hooked up with. But he’s going to try marriage.

3 Empathy / Distress

What situations causes us to feel both empathy and distress for these characters?

· Olivia, obviously pining for Fitz, and shattered when he lies to her, but can’t let anyone know

· Quinn—realizing on the first day of work that being part of this team means crushing some of her ethics and ideals

· Huck-a gentle giant—I’m sure he has been damaged and worry about how that will come out

· Abby—obsessed with Stephen who doesn’t even notice

· Stephen who lets himself be bullied by Olivia, and I’m not sure why he does

· Harrison is just too cool, too much the company man, too perfect and I wonder will he crack at some point

4 Layers / Open Loops

· What will happen to Olivia’s relationship with Fitz and will it come out now that Cyrus knows

· Will Quinn make it or is this too tough of an environment for her

· Will Huck’s damaged side come out

· Will Harrison ever come out from behind his perfect mask

· Will Abby move on from her obsession with Stephen

· Will Fitz try to get back with Olivia and if so, will it still be a secret

5 Inviting Obsession

At the center is Olivia’s relationship with Fitz, and whether her passion for him and longing for some kind of normal love life will knock her off her game and threaten her effectiveness, or whether she can put that back in the bottle and seal it up and keep on being as bad assed as she is.

[Etta Worthington]

I’m Etta Worthington

Written 15 scripts, including 7 features (one produced), one TV series pilot, a couple of webseries, several shorts ( 2 produced), and a couple of documentaries (both produced)

I stopped writing late in 2016 to devote myself to activism. I am trying to find my creative self again and get back to writing.

I’m TheBumblingMixologist (yeah, on Instagram). Plus I am obsessed with gardening, and have taken over all my yard with garden and most of the parkways by my corner lot (let’s not talk about codes . . .)

I was in ProSeries 26, Binge Worthy TV back in 2017, and I was in the first iteration of Screenwriting Certificate class

I’m looking forward to getting to work and getting to know you all.

[Etta Worthington]

No, it was ProSeries 25

[Etta Worthington]

Etta Worthington

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.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Plot and Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is first, that I am getting slowly more comfortable working with AI

I also realized that all these exercises are opening up possibilities, instead of my usual way of coming up with some ideas, and very soon closing off other ideas.

PLOT LAYERS – Story beneath the story.

• Major scheme revealed–Lydia wants to take over the company so she can turn it into a company invested totally in creating renewable energy sources

• Mystery revealed–that Alonzo was actually her now deceased uncle’s illegitimate son

• Thought the story was one thing, but it is another–She wants to keep her Quaker values, she wants to make up for rebelling against her parents who were anti war hippies

• Major shift in Meaning–She wants to make up fir the past, for bad choices she made and for ways that kept her from strong family relationships

• Hidden history–Lydia has a complicated relationship with Alonzo and somehow it is related to her now deceased brother. Also, she turned her parents in and they ended up being arrested quite belatedly for their anti war activism.

• Hidden plan–She’s going to create a template for how to go from fossil fuel to renewable energy, in a profitable way

• Major betrayal–Alonzo is stealing money from her and investing it in fossil fuel companies

CHARACTER LAYERS – identity beneath the identity.

• Secret identity–Angela is an anonymous blogger writing secrets about the environmental scene, gossip on both sides

• Character Intrigue- Martez has been promised the chairmanship of the board when the current one steps down

• Hidden relationships and conspiracies–Lydia thinks she has an ally in Martez and they want to take the chairman down, and neither of them know the other wants to replace him

• Hidden Character history–Lydia was an FBI informer

3. Organize them each into a possible sequence of reveals.

Plot Surface:

• Layer 1: Lydia wants to keep her Quaker values while being on the board of a major fracking company

• Layer 2: Lydia wants to keep up doing her environmental activism but realizes she has to have a disguise to do that

• Layer 3:Lydia wants to make up for past mistakes with her family and take care of those who are vulnerable

• Layer 4: Lydia wants to take over the company

• Layer 5: L ydia wants to save the world and the environment

• Layer 6: Lydia discovers those she thought were her closest allies, all have hidden agendas that run counter to hers

Character Surface:

• Layer 1: Lydia is plucked from obscurity to become a board member

• Layer 2: Lydia adopts a disguise so she can find out what the environmental activists are doing against the company–with the blessings of Martez

• Layer 3: Lydia starts to let out secrets to both sides

• Layer 4: Lydia finds out things about Alonzo’s birth

• LAyer 5: Lydia plans her takeover of the company

• Layer 6: Lydia discovers somehow everyone is working against her and her objectives

Some AI generated Answers

Plot Layers:

1. Major scheme revealed: The fracking company’s “environmental initiatives” involve planting fake trees around their sites to give the illusion of being eco-friendly. However, these trees are just giant Wi-Fi routers disguised as foliage.

2. Mystery revealed: Lydia discovers that the “accidents” near the fracking sites were caused by a group of overly enthusiastic squirrels who mistook the equipment for acorn stashes, causing chaos.

3. Thought the story was one thing, but it is another: Lydia realizes her appointment was the result of a clerical error—the board mistook her for a famous environmentalist named Liddy Quackman. Now she has to navigate the corporate world despite being an accidental activist.

4. Major shift in Meaning: The company’s PR team wants Lydia to promote their fracking efforts through interpretive dance routines, believing it will make environmental destruction seem more “aesthetic.”

5. Hidden history: Turns out, the company’s founder had a secret passion for interpretive dance and once tried to sell fracking through a ballet performance titled “The Elegance of Extraction.”

6. Hidden plan: The company’s janitorial staff is actually a group of undercover comedians using their access to gather material for a satirical show about corporate absurdities.

Character Layers:

1. Secret identity: Martez’s fashion-forward persona is a cover for his alter ego: an eco-warrior who stages guerrilla-style fashion protests by using recycled materials to create avant-garde outfits.

2. Intrigue layers: Alonzo’s tech investigations inadvertently lead him to hack into the company’s systems, only to discover their hidden folder named “Top-Secret Frack-tastic Recipes,” which contains nothing but poorly written love poems.

3. Hidden relationships and conspiracies: Angela, Lydia’s driver, isn’t just homeless—she’s an ex-CEO who chose the driver gig to learn corporate secrets without the pressure of being in the boardroom.

4. Hidden Character history: Lydia’s Quaker demeanor conceals her past as a competitive extreme couponer who once staged a protest using coupons as confetti, causing a financial crisis for a supermarket chain.

5. Hidden Agenda: Alonzo’s relentless pursuit of truth about the company is motivated by a childhood grudge against the CEO for refusing to invest in his invention: a solar-powered toaster for camping.

Wound: Lydia’s guilt stems from accidentally sending a flash mob of nuns (who were supposed to protest peacefully) into a dance battle against construction workers, resulting in viral embarrassment for everyone involved.

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Big picture Loops Assignment 2

What I learned from this assignment is that considering the Open Loops is helping me brainstorm my characters from a different angle and changing a bit of what I thought the show was going to be,

Big Picture Loops for my as yet Untitled Show

Goals: Lydia aims to introduce environmentally friendly practices within the fracking company, but faces opposition from other board members.

Consequences: Lydia adopts and alter ego and a disguise to keep up her environmental activism, but alsways risks being discovered.

Solving Problems: Lydia struggles to keep her Quaker values intact while navigating the corporate world, leading to quirky ethical dilemmas.

Relationships

• In peril: Lydia’s attempts to bond with Martez result in hilariously awkward misunderstandings, escalating their conflict in ridiculous ways.

• New relationships: Angela becomes an unlikely confidante, providing offbeat advice that leads to comedic situations.

• Conflict inside relationships: Alonzo’s tech-savviness clashes with Lydia’s Luddite tendencies, leading to quirky family disputes.

• Changing relationships: Lydia’s interactions with the Quaker community involve humorous attempts to reconcile her corporate role with her spiritual values.

Danger: Lydia’s well-intentioned but misguided actions frequently get her in trouble one way or another

[Etta Worthington]

Etta’s Relationship Map

What I learned about this

This is hard, and it seems like it is harder because it is comedy

For Scandal

For my show

[Etta Worthington]

KZ, I’m glad there’s at least one other person writing comedy in the group. Looking forward to seeing what you are working on