Gregory Fitzgerald
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Gregory’s Beat Sheet Draft 2
What I learned doing this assignment is… I really need to think through the antagonist storyline. I’ve focused so heavily on my protagonist that I really don’t seem to have enough of the antagonist’s story at this point.
Act 1:
EXT. CITY STREET – DAY
Opening – Spud is on location doing yet another report about a bad pothole in a city street that a viewer has complained about. He acts like he cares about the story, but he’s so over this beat.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Spud gets assigned press conference at DOT
INT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – announcement of new bridge project paid with federal funds
INT. BATHROOM – DAY
Inciting Incident – Spud overhears a couple DOT officials talking about an embezzlement scheme.
EXT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Spud jumps in the van and urges the guy to go
INT. NEWS DIRECTOR OFFICE – DAY
TE 1 – He runs back to the station to pitch the story to the News Director, but she rejects the idea.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
Turning Point – Spud decides to look into the matter unofficially in between shooting his segments.
PLACEHOLDER – a confrontation with members of the I-team, Spud relents
INT. LT. GOVERNOR OFFICE – DAY
Gets a call letting him know that someone in the press might be on to his plan.
Act 2:
INT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
New plan – Spud is tired of not getting the opportunity to do some real investigative reporting. He visits the DOT press rep, whom he has a crush.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
Plan in action – Spud’s field producer gets fed up with him going missing constantly and when she finds him hanging out at the DOT, she reports it to the News Director.
INT. NEWS DIRECTOR OFFICE – DAY
Midpoint Turning Point – The News Director instructs Spud to drop the story or he’ll be fired.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Field Producer urges Spud to go after the story
Act 3:
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
TE 2 – Spud decides to defy his boss and pursue it anyway.
EXT. TV STATION – DAY
Rethink everything – Spud realizes that he must risk his job to prove his worth as an investigative reporter. And he’ll need some help doing so.
New plan – Spud recruits his field producer to help him along with the DOT press rep.
INT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
The DOT officials discuss details and tell a couple cronies to keep an eye on the press rep.
PLACEHOLDER – scenes investigating the DOT
INT. NEWS VAN – DAY
TE 3 – Spud’s field producer dictates every move until her plan about how to get a certain bit of information regarding the bridge project makes Spud speak up and point out a serious flaw in her plan.
PLACEHOLDER – Field Producer tells Spud she really wants to be a reporter.
INT. BALLROOM – NIGHT
TE 4 – Spud comes face-to-face with the Lt. Governor and tells him that he knows what he and the DOT are up to and that he’s going to expose them.
PLACEHOLDER – News Director and Lt. Governor are in cahoots. They want to run away and buy an island together.
EXT. SPUD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Spud’s digging around gets the attention of the corrupt DOT officials and Lt. Governor who have guys kidnap the DOT press rep and attempt to kill Spud.
Act 4:
EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Spud exposes the corruption at a press conference and saves the DOT press rep from being blown up.
EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
TE 5 – Spud, having just saved the DOT press rep, tells her he really likes her and would like to take her out sometime.
Resolution – Spud gets the job with the I-team and a date with the DOT press rep.
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Gregory’s High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is… by allowing myself to not get it all right, I am able to accomplish so much more in a short amount of time.
Act 1:
EXT. CITY STREET – DAY
Opening – Spud is on location doing yet another report about a bad pothole in a city street that a viewer has complained about. He acts like he cares about the story, but he’s so over this beat.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Spud gets assigned press conference at DOT
INT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – announcement of new bridge project paid with federal funds
INT. BATHROOM – DAY
Inciting Incident – Spud overhears a couple DOT officials talking about an embezzlement scheme.
EXT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Spud jumps in the van and urges the guy to go
INT. NEWS DIRECTOR OFFICE – DAY
TE 1 – He runs back to the station to pitch the story to the News Director, but she rejects the idea.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
Turning Point – Spud decides to look into the matter unofficially in between shooting his segments.
PLACEHOLDER – a confrontation with members of the I-team, Spud relents
Act 2:
INT. DOT OFFICES – DAY
New plan – Spud is tired of not getting the opportunity to do some real investigative reporting. He visits the DOT press rep, whom he has a crush.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
Plan in action – Spud’s field producer gets fed up with him going missing constantly and when she finds him hanging out at the DOT, she reports it to the News Director.
INT. NEWS DIRECTOR OFFICE – DAY
Midpoint Turning Point – The News Director instructs Spud to drop the story or he’ll be fired.
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
PLACEHOLDER – Field Producer urges Spud to go after the story
Act 3:
INT. NEWSROOM – DAY
TE 2 – Spud decides to defy his boss and pursue it anyway.
EXT. TV STATION – DAY
Rethink everything – Spud realizes that he must risk his job to prove his worth as an investigative reporter. And he’ll need some help doing so.
New plan – Spud recruits his field producer to help him along with the DOT press rep.
PLACEHOLDER – scenes investigating the DOT
INT. NEWS VAN – DAY
TE 3 – Spud’s field producer dictates every move until her plan about how to get a certain bit of information regarding the bridge project makes Spud speak up and point out a serious flaw in her plan.
INT. BALLROOM – NIGHT
TE 4 – Spud comes face-to-face with the Lt. Governor and tells him that he knows what he and the DOT are up to and that he’s going to expose them.
EXT. SPUD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Spud’s digging around gets the attention of the corrupt DOT officials and Lt. Governor who have guys kidnap the DOT press rep and attempt to kill Spud.
Act 4:
EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Spud exposes the corruption at a press conference and saves the DOT press rep from being blown up.
EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
TE 5 – Spud, having just saved the DOT press rep, tells her he really likes her and would like to take her out sometime.
Resolution – Spud gets the job with the I-team and a date with the DOT press rep.
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Gregory’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is… defining those specific events that must occur for the main character to transform truly helps further shape the story and plot.
Spud’s Old Ways – Works the traffic beat, does what he’s told, doesn’t speak up for himself to his boss, avoids confrontation, afraid to pursue what he really wants
Spud’s New Ways – Investigative reporter, dictates what stories he does, speaks up for himself, not afraid of a fight, confident to pursue what he wants
Changes or Steps Spud has to take to transform from the old ways to the new ways:
Take on an investigative story without the boss’ permission
Disobey the boss’ orders
Learn to speak up for himself
Learn to face adversity head-on
Find his own confidence
Tell the DOT press rep how he really feels about her
Transformation Events for Spud:
Spud stumbles upon a story involving corruption in the DOT and governor’s office and pursues it despite the News Director telling him to stick to his own beat.
After the News Director busts him and tells him directly not to pursue the story, Spud decides to defy his boss and pursue it anyway.
Spud’s field producer dictates every move until her plan about how to get a certain bit of information regarding the bridge project makes Spud speak up and point out a serious flaw in her plan.
Spud comes face-to-face with the Lt. Governor and tells him that he knows what he and the DOT are up to and that he’s going to expose them.
Spud puts his own life at risk to stop their plan to blow up the bridge and rescue the DOT press rep from the bad guys.
Spud, having just saved the DOT press rep, tells her he really likes her and would like to take her out sometime.
Act 1:
Opening – Spud is on location doing yet another report about a bad pothole in a city street that a viewer has complained about. He acts like he cares about the story, but he’s so over this beat.
Inciting Incident – Spud overhears a couple DOT officials talking about an embezzlement scheme. He runs back to the station to pitch the story to the News Director, but she rejects the idea.
Turning Point – Spud decides to look into the matter unofficially in between shooting his segments.
Act 2:
New plan – Spud is tired of not getting the opportunity to do some real investigative reporting. He visits the DOT press rep, whom he has a crush.
Plan in action – Spud’s field producer gets fed up with him going missing constantly and when she finds him hanging out at the DOT, she reports it to the News Director.
Midpoint Turning Point – The News Director instructs Spud to drop the story or he’ll be fired.
Act 3:
After the News Director busts him and tells him directly not to pursue the story, Spud decides to defy his boss and pursue it anyway.
Rethink everything – Spud realizes that he must risk his job to prove his worth as an investigative reporter. And he’ll need some help doing so.
New plan – Spud recruits his field producer to help him along with the DOT press rep.
Spud’s field producer dictates every move until her plan about how to get a certain bit of information regarding the bridge project makes Spud speak up and point out a serious flaw in her plan.
Spud comes face-to-face with the Lt. Governor and tells him that he knows what he and the DOT are up to and that he’s going to expose them.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Spud’s digging around gets the attention of the corrupt DOT officials and Lt. Governor who have guys kidnap the DOT press rep and attempt to kill Spud.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Spud exposes the corruption at a press conference and saves the DOT press rep from being blown up.
Spud, having just saved the DOT press rep, tells her he really likes her and would like to take her out sometime.
Resolution – Spud gets the job with the I-team and a date with the DOT press rep.
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Gregory’s 4 Act Transformational Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is… how helpful it is to get the big broad strokes down first before getting into the details of scenes and beats.
Concept – Having stumbled upon a corruption scandal involving the governor’s office and the DOT, Spud decides to go against his boss’ orders and pursue the story with the hope of proving his worth as an investigative reporter.
Main Conflict – The News Director wants to keep Spud on his traffic beat, and goes so far as to tell Spud not to pursue a story about possible corruption and stick to what he does best. Spud defies the order and goes after the story.
Spud’s Old Ways – Works the traffic beat, does what he’s told, doesn’t speak up for himself to his boss, avoids confrontation, afraid to pursue what he really wants
Spud’s New Ways – Investigative reporter, dictates what stories he does, speaks up for himself, not afraid of a fight, confident to pursue what he wants
Act 1:
Opening – Spud is on location doing yet another report about a bad pothole in a city street that a viewer has complained about. He acts like he cares about the story, but he’s so over this beat.
Inciting Incident – Spud overhears a couple DOT officials talking about an embezzlement scheme. He runs back to the station to pitch the story to the News Director, but she rejects the idea.
Turning Point – Spud decides to look into the matter unofficially in between shooting his segments.
Act 2:
New plan – Spud is tired of not getting the opportunity to do some real investigative reporting. He visits the DOT press rep, whom he has a crush.
Plan in action – Spud’s field producer gets fed up with him going missing constantly and when she finds him hanging out at the DOT, she reports it to the News Director.
Midpoint Turning Point – The News Director instructs Spud to drop the story or he’ll be fired.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Spud realizes that he must risk his job to prove his worth as an investigative reporter. And he’ll need some help doing so.
New plan – Spud recruits his field producer to help him along with the DOT press rep.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – Spud’s digging around gets the attention of the corrupt DOT officials and Lt. Governor who have guys kidnap the DOT press rep and attempt to kill Spud.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Spud exposes the corruption at a press conference and saves the DOT press rep from being blown up.
Resolution – Spud gets the job with the I-team and a date with the DOT press rep.
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Gregory Fitzgerald
I agree to the terms of this release form.
GROUP RELEASE FORM FOR “THE 30 DAY SCREENPLAY”
As a member of this group, I agree to the following:
1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, communications, lessons, and models of the 30 Day Screenplay 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, communications, lessons, and models of the 30 Day Screenplay 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.
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Gregory’s Character Interviews
What I learned doing this assignment is… this exercise really helped me begin to find the voice for each of these characters.
Interview with Spud Bickman
Tell me about yourself. Ok…. What do you want to know?
Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you? Wow, not even an easy one to warm up first, huh? Just right out of the gate… ok. Ummm, I think this is the moment I was born to face. I’ve always wanted to be an investigative reporter, really dig into a story and get to the details. Of course, having this opportunity to prove myself is like a present handed down by God, or a god… you know, whatever you believe.
You are up against the News Director. What is it about her that makes this journey even more difficult for you? She’s the only one that can give me my dream. She has the power to say yes to putting me on the I-team. Granted, she won’t even give me the opportunity to show that I’m capable of such a position. I don’t think she believes in me enough to do what I want to do in this business. She just wants me on pothole patrol.
In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult? I have to find it deep with myself, the confidence to see it through. To get the story… and maybe get the girl… woman actually. She works at the DOT. I sort of “like” her. You know like, “like like” her. But I don’t know. She’s probably not interested anyway.
What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of? I’ve been told most of my life that I’m not good enough, or smart enough, or just lacking in some way that I’ve grown to pretty much believe it myself. I want to do great things, but a voice deep inside me says I’m not worthy nor capable of such things. I’ll have to learn to drown out that voice and develop positive thinking.
What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back? I hold pretty much everything inside. I’m not good with feelings… sharing them, I mean. I figure most people don’t care and the rest will just find a way to use it against me. I’m afraid I’ll prove my boss right. If that happens, I’m stuck for life.
What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist? I’m an experienced journalist. I may not have a lot to show for it at this point, but I believe I possess the skills to get this story to air. Granted, I have to do so without the permission of my boss, but perhaps that’s the only way.
What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know? As I said before, I haven’t told the DOT press rep how I feel about her. I want her to know, but I’m afraid to find out how she feels.
What do you think of the News Director? She’s an ok boss. I just wish she would have the insight to see my talents. But who knows, maybe she’s right. She has been doing this a while and she runs a really great newsroom.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. I know it isn’t cool to use company resources for something that I’m not sanctioned to do, but if you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you go for it? Besides, somebody has to expose those corrupt bastards in the governor’s office and the DOT.
What does it do for your life is you succeed here? I have the confidence to do anything. My dreams come true, both professionally and personally.
Interview with News Director
Tell me about yourself. I’m a professional with over 3 decades in the TV news industry, the last 12 years right here as news director. I’ve been married twice, divorced twice. No kids, no pets… who has time for that? I have expensive tastes and I need to keep my job in order to pay for it.
Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses? I’m a great boss and very encouraging of my staff, including Spud. I like to think that I have a good eye for talent, but I have missed the mark a time or two.
Why are you committed to making Spud fail? I’m not committed to making him fail. If anything I’m protecting him from failing. And protecting my job at the same time.
What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition? I keep my newsroom intact and running like the well oiled machine that it already is.
What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death? My job is to get ratings. And to get ratings you have to put out the best newscast every day. Day after day after day. That’s what drives me.
What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity? You can’t tell anyone this. I’m serious, if people found out… it could destroy me. When I was a young segment producer at CBS, I had a little fun at the Christmas party one year and… I may have slept with a certain anchorman. No! not Walter Cronkite! Good God, I wasn’t THAT drunk. No it was… Dan Rather. You ever repeat that to anyone, I’ll destroy you.
Compared to other people like you, what makes you special? Most women bosses are typically considered bitches. And I suppose I’m no different in that way, but I’m a nice bitch. I don’t overcompensate to try to get respect from my people. I’m like their mother. I’m firm, but I’m fair.
What do you think of Spud? He’s a decent reporter. Really like what he’s done with those pothole stories. He really connects with the people out there.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. Look, I know Spud really wants to be an investigative reporter, but right now I need him where he shines. Every person in that newsroom is placed where they can best shine and deliver the best ratings for our station. Which allows me to keep my job. The ratings slip… and I’m out. That’s why I can’t take a chance on Spud like that.
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Gregory’s Character Profile Part 2
What I learned doing this assignment is… I’m getting a better sense of who my main character is, but the antagonist(s) is still a bit hazy for me at this point.
Spud Bickman
Role in the story: Fighter/Dreamer. A TV reporter assigned to the traffic beat, but yearns to be a serious investigative reporter
Age range and Description: Male, 40’s, still fairly slender, not very confident when it comes to going after what he wants
Internal Journey: Find the courage and self confidence to get the job he really wants
External Journey: Grab hold of a story that will expose corruption in the DOT and the governor’s office
Motivation: To become a member of the I-team
Wound: Being told for so long that he’s not good enough
Mission/Agenda: To get to the bottom of the corruption case and break the story
Secret: He has feelings for the DOT press rep
What makes Spud special? His ability to, despite the odds, stand up to the bad guys and save the girl while getting the story
What draws us to this character? He’s an underdog who has the capacity to get what he wants, he just needs to realize it for himself.
Traits: lacks confidence, hard working, loyal, trustworthy
Subtext: Tends to avoid eye contact when talking to anyone he has feelings for, uses sarcasm to conceal vulnerability
Flaw: Very guarded, doesn’t typically let people in to see his vulnerability
Values: integrity, loyalty, ethical journalism, trust
Irony: He must risk his loyalty and trustworthiness to pursue the story that could prove he’s worthy of being an investigative reporter
What makes this the right character for this role? Spud isn’t looking for fame or a seat on the anchor desk. He loves being a reporter. He just wants to be taken seriously as a journalist and work on stories that involve lots of research and investigative skills.
News Director
Role in the story: Authority. Spud’s boss, doesn’t believe Spud has what it takes to be an investigative reporter
Age range and Description: Female, 50’s, takes good care of herself and it shows, a no nonsense take charge type, not afraid to get her hands dirty
Internal Journey: Eventually Sees Spud’s value as a reporter
External Journey: No real change
Motivation: Put out the best newscast possible
Wound: She’s lonely, put her career before relationships
Mission/Agenda: To keep the ratings up enough to keep her job
Secret: She had a one night stand with Dan Rather in the mid 90’s
What makes her special? Her leadership in the newsroom and her ability to admit when she’s made a mistake
What draws us to this character? She’s a tough boss in a male dominated profession.
Traits: no nonsense, authoritative, strong leadership
Subtext: She uses encouragement and pep talk to disguise bad news
Flaw: Only knows how to interact with people as the boss
Values: hard work, dedication, sacrifice for the greater good
Irony: it’s her hard work and dedication that have made her so lonely
What makes this the right character for this role? She wants Spud to be successful, but on her terms so as to keep up the ratings.
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Gregory’s Character Profiles Part 1
What I learned doing this assignment is… I’m having trouble knowing who exactly is my antagonist.
The type of role my Protagonist, Spud Bickman will play is Fighter/Dreamer. He’s always wanted to be an investigative reporter, but never gotten the chance to prove himself to the boss. He takes it upon himself to uncover corruption at the DOT and the governor’s office to finally prove he’s worthy of his dream gig, while fending off the bad guys and save the woman who he’s secretly got a crush on.
The type of role my Antagonist(s) will play:
Change Agent – the Lt. Governor who’s behind the corruption that forces Spud to action<div>
Authority – the News Director, she’s the boss… period. What she says goes. And she says Spud stays on his present traffic beat
Other characters
Supporting characters: News Director, Spud’s field producer, DOT press rep (the crush), camera man</div><div>
Minor roles: other reporters and newsroom staff, reporters “in the field”, guys who work for the DOT
Background characters: government employees, TV station employees, construction workers
My genre: Comedy (with some action)
Lead character profiles.
Spud Bickman
Role in the story: Fighter/Dreamer. A TV reporter assigned to the traffic beat, but yearns to be a serious investigative reporter</div><div>
Age range and Description: Male, 40’s, still fairly slender, not very confident when it comes to going after what he wants
Internal Journey: Find the courage and self confidence to get the job he really wants
External Journey: Grab hold of a story that will expose corruption in the DOT and the governor’s office
Motivation: To become a member of the I-team
Wound: Being told for so long that he’s not good enough
Mission/Agenda: To get to the bottom of the corruption case and break the story
Secret: He has feelings for the DOT press rep
What makes Spud special? His ability to, despite the odds, stand up to the bad guys and save the girl while getting the story
News Director
Role in the story: Authority. Spud’s boss, doesn’t believe Spud has what it takes to be an investigative reporter</div>
Age range and Description: Female, 50’s, takes good care of herself and it shows, a no nonsense take charge type, not afraid to get her hands dirty
Internal Journey: Eventually Sees Spud’s value as a reporter
External Journey: No real change
Motivation: Put out the best newscast possible
Wound: Being told for so long that he’s not good enough
Mission/Agenda: To keep the ratings up enough to keep her job
Secret: She had a one night stand with Dan Rather in the 1993
What makes her special? Her leadership in the newsroom and her ability to admit when she’s made a mistake
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Gregory’s Transformational Journey
What I learned doing this assignment is… the importance of defining the character’s journey before delving into the plot.
Spud Bickman’s Character Arc that represents a transformation:
Internal Journey: Find the courage and self confidence to get the job he really wants (a member of the I-team, investigative reporters)External Journey: Grab hold of a story that will expose corruption in the DOT and the governor’s office
Spud’s Old Ways
Works the traffic beat, does what he’s told, doesn’t speak up for himself to his boss, avoids confrontation, afraid to pursue what he really wants
Spud’s New Ways
Investigative reporter, dictates what stories he does, speaks up for himself, not afraid of a fight, confident to pursue what he wants
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Hi, I’m Gregory Fitzgerald.
I’ve written a number of short plays and a few short screenplays. Most of my writing experience is in sketch comedy (25+ years) and my first jobs out of college were in TV news as a reporter.
What I hope to get out of this class is a finished draft of a full length screenplay. I’ve done a lot of short form, but never seem to finish anything that’s feature length. I want to change that over the course of this transformational journey.
Something special about me… I’m a creative jack of all trades for the stage and screen having done just about every job there is in some capacity. I’m also the Artistic Director of a local theater company.
Let’s get this thing started!