[Gary Sheehan]

I look forward to getting to know everyone

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.

[Gary Sheehan]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Gary Sheehan. I wrote five chapters of a historical novel that led to my first screenplay. That work evolved into the TV crime drama I am currently working, titled Impossible Dream. I was reluctant to attempt what seemed a claustrophobic format, but already am learning so much more than I could have anticipated.

My wife and I have three adult children, they challenge me beyond my capability and I write in part to make them believe I am sane.

I have five existing ideas, and a new one from this morning, to explore on this journey with all of you.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.

[Gary Sheehan]

CONTAINED SHOW IDEAS – Gary Sheehan – Feb 16, 2022

WHAT I LEARNED – I felt an aversion to boxing existing ideas into a claustrophobic format, yet the assignment inspired thoughts and possibilities.

PRINCE OF THE PAUPERS

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: Small village in 18th-century Hungary and surrounding landscape.

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: Villagers including the chieftain and his daughter, and Ferenc II Rakoczi, the reluctant deposed Prince of Transylvania, and the spirited ragtag band who will be the army to fight Rakoczi’s War for Independence.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: Villagers are under constant danger of attack by enemy forces as Rakoczi recovers from a serious wound.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: Prince Rakoczi has been mortally wounded and Mary, the chieftain’s daughter, attempts to nurse his wound and save his life.

ICE GAMES

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: – Desolate outpost in the Pleistocene (Ice Age).

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: The village chieftain and his down-to-earth daughter, and the impetuous and unproven orphan dwelling in a household of powerful girls.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: Disruption as outlanders arrive daily to watch and gamble on a new game, the village’s temporary prosperity, and devastation as the ice begins to melt.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: Living isolated in the far north during the Ice Age.

HAVE ONE HEART

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: The catacombs beneath the Castle Carcassonne in 19th-century France, and a farm in the Pyrenees to the west.

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: A young orphan boy from the catacombs, a crippled inventor in the foothills, a well to do couple and their ravishing daughter on holiday.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: An orphan boy searching for his mother in the depths of the catacombs is captured and fostered into the employ of a demanding and crippled rural inventor.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: An orphan is sent to help an old man on his remote farm.

APOLONIA

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: A 19th-century Hungarian village and the nearby district of Lake Balaton.

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: A young maiden from a tiny 19th-century village in Hungary, her five haughty sisters, and the schoolmate the older sisters despise and ridicule.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: The maiden is forced into servitude while sought as a wife by the older and despised schoolmate.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: Small village dominated by older sisters.

BUTTERFLY CREEK

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: A depressed town in the ravaged hills of Pennsylvania.

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: The disenfranchised, including an enterprising boy with a new vision no one believes in.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: The town hospital is to be shut down at month’s end, a final blow to the boy’s dream of bringing back his lost love.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: A former coal town’s trout waters ruined by acid mine drainage.

DOUBLE DEALERS

A. CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT: A TV studio.

B. CONTAINED CHARACTERS: Four unpredictable panelists on a new reality TV show to rival Shark Tank.

C. DIFFICULT SITUATION: The panelists have to pick the winner while the audience heckles relentlessly.

D. REASON FOR THE CONTAINMENT: Reality TV show.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Gary Sheehan.

[Gary Sheehan]

Gary Sheehan

GROUP RELEASE FORM

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.

2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.

I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.

3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.

4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.

6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

[Gary Sheehan]

CIRCLE OF CHARACTERS

What I learned in this assignment is to organize your character world to support your main characters and never lose sight of the desire of the hero and the journey they are about to embark upon.

Assignment 1 – The Americans

A. Main Characters Circle:

Elizabeth Jennings, Phillip Jennings, Paige Jennings, Henry Jennings

Stan Beeman

B. Connected Circle:

Chris Amador, Nina Sergeevna Krilova, Sandra Beeman, Frank Gaad, Martha Hanson, Arkady Ivanovich Zotov, Oleg Igorevich Burov, Claudia

C. Environment Circle:

KGB agents and thugs, FBI agents, operatives and administrative staff, various community members.

Assignment 2 – Impossible Dream

What I learned in this assignment is to organize your character world to support your main characters and never lose sight of the journey they are about to embark upon.

1. Create the three circles of characters for your show.

A. Main Character Circle

Gabriel Lancer, Frank Mayer, Detective Gerry Lindley, Sister Joseta, Police Cadet Marlene Bausman, ATF Agent William Marsden (deceased), Johnny Randanella

B. Connected Circle

Anna Milligan, Officer Tom Milligan, Dick Lancer, Loretta Lancer, Tommy Milligan Jr., Jimmy Clark, Noodle Dog, Mrs. Mayer, Marty Scanlon, Mickey Scanlon, , Baxter Peoples, Leslie Peoples, Father Farry, Sadie Brandt, Lou Brandt, Little Bobby Brandt, Betty Sanchez, Jose Sanchez, Billy Storms, Little Johnny Randanella, Florence Randanella, Deputy Commissioner Martin, Sister Laucelatte, Sister Frances Veronica, Freida Vogel, Isaac Vogel

C. Environment Circle:

Coroner William Wishart, Officer Wayne Hopkins, Andrew Jardel, Ladies at Totchermann’s Bakery, Bartenders and Patrons, Officer Myers, Mr. Junker, Officer Joe Young, Officer Myers, various petty criminals, Students at Presentation BVM, Mother Superior, Nuns and Teachers, Philadelphia and Cheltenham Policemen and Policewomen, small time south Jersey mobsters (the Randanella family)

2. Give us a one sentence description of each of the Main Characters:

Gabriel Lancer – Almost orphan, insatiably curious bookmaker’s protege

Detective Gerry Lindley – Brilliantly nuanced and personally flawed detective

Officer Tom Milligan – Philandering corrupt cop, Gabriel’s grandfather

Frank Mayer – Two-bit bookie and secret stock mogul

Sister Joseta – Nun raised as an orphan in the convent

Marlene Bausman – Stunning first female police cadet

William Marsden – Deceased ATF agent, Gabriel’s uncle

Johnny Randanella – Small time authoritarian mob boss, Gabriel’s uncle

[Gary Sheehan]

The Americans – 5 Star Model

What I learned doing this assignment is that true human passion and depth of character are more compelling than political or societal roles, and that passionate violence grips attention.

Big Picture Hooks – Two KGB agents pose as an American couple during the cold war in 1980’s Washington D.C.

Amazing and Intriguing Character – Assigned to a false life by the KGB, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings struggle with love for one another and allegiance to job and country.

Empathy / Distress – Philip and Elizabeth must balance past demons, present danger and protection of their family while carrying out their KGB assignment.

Layers / Open Loops – The pilot creates the need to know if they will survive, as KGB agents and as a couple, or will they flip together or apart.

Inviting Obsession – We identify and become obsessed with a perilous love story.