[Heather Estay]

I, Heather Estay, agree to the following terms:
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.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class

[Heather Estay]

Hi, I’m Heather Estay. I’ve completed 5 scripts so far and have several others that are half-baked. I’d like to use this class to get myself back into writing for myself (my job is ghostwriting books for others). Something memorable? My latest hobby is making up recipes for popsicles!

[Heather Estay]

Day 5: Heather Esty’s Villain Plan

What I learned: In brainstorming, it feels like there are a number of roads the villain could take to get to his goal. So far, I’ve chosen the one where he seems to be a good guy through most of the plot (maybe using a Red Herring as the seeming villain? Maybe setting him up as if he’s a love interest?) It also seems like a number of things (maybe smaller incidents?) need to happen throughout to get tension going from the start (maybe the villain needs to be under a deadline or have more pressure from the outside?)

1. What is the end goal?

Cover up the problem with his company’s latest environmentally-green product so he can remain the darling of the environmental movement, retain his wealth and power, and run for political office.

2. How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way?

Doctor the original study results and files.

Eliminate anyone who is aware of the problem.

3. How can they cover it up?

Arrange for his whistle-blower and Julia’s husband to die in apparent accidents.

Stage a burglary at Julia’s to get her husband’s computer.

Become friends with Julia to find out what she knows.

Send “CIA” after her when she runs.

4. Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.

Kill whistle-blower via apparent suicide.

Kill Julia’s husband in apparent car accident.

Offer his condolences at funeral and “support” her.

Be the “hero” that saves her from the burglars.

Help her rehabilitate to gain her trust.

Try to split her from her family.

Plant evidence that Julia wanted her husband killed (insurance policy?)

Send assassins after her when she runs.

[Heather Estay]

Heather Estay’s World and Characters

What I learned: I found it difficult to come up with an intriguing world on the corporate side. Might need to bring more politics into it.

Logline: A suspicious car accident leaves her husband dead and her in a wheelchair. Now she must figure out who’s responsible and why before they take her life too.

The Big Mystery: Why was Julia’s husband killed and who did it?

The Big Intrigue: To protect his billion-dollar investment, Tyler must hide the fact that his “green” drink cups actually react with sugar and cause liver damage with daily exposure.

The Big Suspense: Will Julia be exterminated before she can expose the truth?

The Intriguing World: The world of corporations that claim to be “green” and political power pitted against the intrinsic/mystical power of the Navajo .

Heroine: Julia

Mystery: How can she use her research skills and Navaho background to find out what’s going on?

Intrigue: Despite her scientific training and family issues, she is still drawn to her childhood upbringing of the Navajo tradition and shamanism.

Suspense: Despite her current disability and her at-risk pregnancy, she is determined to find out why her husband was killed which puts her life and that of her unborn child in jeopardy.

Villain: Tyler

Mystery: Is he really a bad guy or the environmental protectionist he’s built his reputation on?

Intrigue: He’s lost his soul and has been seduced by the power his reputation and wealth bring. He was (and maybe still is) in love with Julia.

Suspense: Will Tyler get outed by Julia or will he kill her first?

Red Herring: Conrad (not sure I’ll use this character)

Mystery: As a Senator who is known for his environmental passion, what did he know about Julia’s husband’s work and death?

Intrigue: He’s a ruthless politician who uses environmental concerns as a convenience to boost his popularity.

Suspense: Will Conrad be able to find Julia and stop her using the resources of the federal government?

[Heather Estay]

What I learned doing this assignment: The most thrilling thriller I’ve ever seen was the old Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn. I realized that part of the tension is that Hero is blind. Her vulnerability made everything more tense! So I added that to my Hero.

LOGLINE: A suspicious car accident leaves her husband dead and her in a wheelchair. Now she must figure out who’s responsible and why before they take her life too.

1. What are the conventions of your story?

<div>
Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Julia, an FDA researcher; recently injured in the car crash that killed
her husband </div><div>

Dangerous
Villain: Tyler, founder of Sustainable Universe products

Red
Herring: Julia’s Navajo father (maybe)

High stakes: Tyler’s empire is
threatened by information Julia may or may not have; Julia has to figure
out who killed her husband and who is after her and why

Life and death situations: Julia’s
life is threatened as well as that of her unborn child; her home is ransacked, she is chased through the mountains of her Navajo reservation; her in-laws want to claim her baby

</div>

· This story is thrilling because? It pits a young injured pregnant woman against a ruthless businessman with unlimited resources

2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?

<div>
Big
Mystery: Why did they kill Julia’s husband and what are they looking for
now?</div><div>

Big Intrigue: To protect his
billion-dollar investment, Tyler must hide the fact that his “green” drink
cups actually react with sugar and cause liver damage with daily exposure.

Big Suspense: Will Julia be murdered
before she can expose the truth?

</div>

[Heather Estay]

“Mr and Mrs Smith” Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment is that I don’t think just having a lot of nail-biting action scenes makes a thriller. To me, though I thought it made a fun action comedy, Mr and Mrs Smith didn’t seem to have a lot of mystery or intrigue.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, first individually as they try to kill one another
(though Jane seems more serious about killing John) then as a couple as
they battle the joined forces of their employers

Dangerous Villain: Initially,
they are both “villains” but after they join forces, it’s the joint forces
of their employers

Red Herring: Not sure there
really is one except for a brief time when Eddie (John’s buddy) might be
the one ordering their deaths

High stakes: First, one or the
other must die; then they are both the target and must die

Life and death situations: First,
they’re supposed to kill each other (and neither of them really want to
kill the other); Then they have no where to hide and will die unless they
defeat the armies of their employers

This movie is thrilling
because? Their lives are constantly on the line

Big Mystery: At first, the
mystery is that both are assassins but neither know about the other.
Later, the “mystery” is who wants to kill them; the plant (Tank) at the
end

Big Intrigue: Do they love each
other? Will they be able to stay together now that they know what they
know?

Big Suspense: Will they kill
each other? And later, will they both get killed?

Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller? I’m not sure it was a great thriller. I chose it because it’s supposed to be a comedy thriller but I think it was more of an action comedy. We find out early on what both of them do and there’s not much mystery about who wants the two of them dead.

[Heather Estay]

Hi, everyone,

I’m Heather Estay. I’ve written 5 scripts. My genre is typically comedy so I’m hoping to figure out how to do thrillers with a comedy touch. Something memorable? I’m a ghostwriter and have written around 40 books under other people’s names ;o)

[Heather Estay]

I, Heather Estay agree to the following:

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.

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 5: Heather’s 4 Act Transformational Structure

What I learned: I’m very fuzzy on this story but came up with some fun potential angles just by plowing through it!

• Concept: A timid insurance salesman and his manicurist wife mistakenly end up on Euthanasia Island where people go to have their perfect deaths. Now they have to get themselves off the island and away from the island’s creepy Mr. Roarke before it’s their turn!

• Main Conflict: They have to work together and George has to step up if they’re going to survive.

• Old Ways: George and Rochelle bicker constantly. He will avoid anything uncomfortable and she is ready to take on the world.

• New Ways: They work together, each using their strengths to get off the island.

Act 1:

• Opening: George and Rochelle are arguing, coming back from a “romantic getaway” that didn’t go so well. OR, they are just heading off to this romantic getaway and George is griping.

• Inciting Incident: George and Rochelle get on the wrong chartered flight and think they’ve stumbled into a luxury vacation.

• Turning Point: After being on the island for a few days pretending to be another couple, they see their first Perfect Death and realize what Euthanasia is all about.

Act 2:

• New plan: They decide to come clean and ask to be let off the island. They explain to the island director that it was a mistake and they aren’t ready to die.

• Plan in action: The director is not convinced. He tells them it might be fate, not a mistake. They watch more “perfect deaths” of people who really want to die.

• Midpoint Turning Point: George starts to believe that it’s not worth living. Rochelle snaps him out of it by telling him she’s pregnant.

Act 3:

• Rethink everything: George now wants to live. He decides to use his skills as a life insurance salesman.

• New plan: To get off the island, they make a presentation about why life is worth living.

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: George and Rochelle make their pitch but it falls flat. They are put under house arrest until “their turn.”

Act 4:

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: George decides he’ll risk his life to save Rochelle and their baby. He comes up with a scheme to cause a huge disruption while Rochelle escapes. Once she is safe, he flings himself into the water. “I won’t live but I’ll die a hero!”

• Resolution: Turns out, the island is only 1 mile from Tampa. George floats upon to the beach where Rochelle is waiting. OR, this is a ruse that Rochelle planned to get George to come back to himself.

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 4: Heather’s Character Interviews

What I learned: I’m having to push myself to just keep going because so far, my characters seem so trite! But it helps to just use the questions and wing it for now. I did come up with a couple of character aspects I hadn’t expected.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST: George

1. Tell me about yourself. I’m just a regular guy. I just want to get by and I don’t think I’ll do much better. I can’t seem to catch a break so why try anymore?

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you? I wasn’t called. I was shanghaied!

3. You are up against Euthanasia Isle and your wife. What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you? She wants me to be a hero and I’m just not. And actually, I’m not crazy about life anyway so why fight it? But I don’t want her to have to die.

4. 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 guess I’m going to have to step up and be the hero. I guess I’ll have to remember who I was before I gave up on life.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of? The world really is a bummer but I’ll have to find things worth living for. I don’t like confrontation or a lot of risk but I’m going to have to step up and take charge if we’re going to get out of this.

6. What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back? I try but never seem to make it. Everyone else we went to high school with has made it big or at least bigger. I didn’t get into college and so can’t get the good jobs. I think Rochelle would be better off without me. I feel like I hold her back but she’s such a dreamer.

7. What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist? I can usually stay in the background and not be noticed. When I finally do get angry, I’m like the Incredible Hulk. I lose it and actually that might help in this situation.

8. What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know? My Incredible Hulk self. How much I really love Rochelle. How disappointed I am in myself that I haven’t been successful.

9. What do you think of Rochelle? She’s a dreamer and unrealistic but it’s kinda sweet as well as really annoying. She’s not dumb but she doesn’t know her (our) limits.

10. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. So we ended up on this island (her cousin’s fault) and it wasn’t what we thought. I thought we could just lay low and sneak out but Rochelle got it into her head to take some others with us. She got caught and so I had to figure out how to save her.

11. What does it do for your life is you succeed here? Our life will be totally different. I’ll be the hero in her eyes and, more importantly, in my own. I won’t have to take crap from anyone any more.

12. Ask any other questions about their character profile that will help you.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST: Rochelle

1. Tell me about yourself. I am very enthusiastic and have big plans. I’m street smart (though I don’t have much schooling) and I know I can make things happen if I get a little support. I am a positive thinker.

2. Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses? I am determined. I can figure out things and see stuff other people can’t. But I’m not super-physically strong. I don’t know how to convince George to get on board help me. I don’t think I can do this alone.

3. Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change? I really love George. I remember who he was before he started shutting down and I believe in him. But he needs to step up or I need to leave him—and I really don’t want to.

4. What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition? I get my husband back.

5. What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death? I never give up. I know I can succeed and “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The problem is that George isn’t starting out with much will.

6. What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity? I may have to leave George.

7. Compared to other people like you, what makes you special? I’m never discouraged.

8. What do you think of George ? There’s so much to him that he won’t let out. He thinks he’s a failure and that the world is a horrible place. But I know he could turn it around and see the possibilities.

9. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. By mistake, we ended up on this island that gives people their perfect death. I guess that’ okay for them but I have no intention of dying. We’ll have to overcome the staff here because they never allow people off the island. George thinks we’ll be able to weasel out of this but I know we’re in for a fight.

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 3: Heather’s Character Profile Part 2

What I learned from this lesson: by asking the questions and just “making it up” freely, I seem to get farther along than when I try to understand everything about a character from the start.

George

• What draws us to this character? He is clever in his biting sarcasm. We can relate to all the negativity that he sees in the world and how he feels stuck, unappreciated and disrespected.

• Traits: Cautious, suspicious, self-protective, vulnerable (but hides it)

• Subtext: He uses sarcasm as a defense to hide his feelings.

• Flaw: He gives up too easily on what he wants, avoids facing issues and problems.

• Values: Security, being respected,

• Irony: He feels very deeply but acts as if he doesn’t care.

• What makes this the right character for this role? Pushed to the edge, he lets his ferocious hero-self out.

Rochelle

What draws us to this character? She’s a dreamer with big ambitions. She’s gregarious and every stranger is a friend. She’s loyal to George even when he demeans her.

• Traits: Naïve, people-pleaser, inventive, persistent

• Subtext: She pretends not to understand George’s sarcasm and deflects it with Pollyanna-type positivity.

• Flaw: She’s afraid to leave George even though he brings her down.

• Values: Love, creativity, becoming a better person

• Irony: She’s naïve yet very smart at the same time.

• What makes this the right character for this role? She will never give up. She sees things others don’t see. She is the beauty shop version of Macgyver.

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 2: Heather’s Character Profiles Part 1

What I learned: I found these characters interesting even though they are “ordinary” in many ways. Though I’ve got George as the protagonist and Rochelle as the antagonist, I almost want the two of them as a couple to be the protagonist and the danger they’re facing as the antagonist, but I wasn’t sure that’s kosher. We’ll see how it goes as the story develops.

Protagonist: George

Role: George is the reluctant hero. He would love to run away from this situation, but it’s literally life and death, they’re on an island and it isn’t possible. His life as an accountant has turned out to be tedious and disappointing but he gave up on seeking more long ago.

Age range and Description: George is nearly 40, out of shape and cynical. He hates everything about his life but hasn’t had the will to change it.

Internal Journey: He moves from avoiding life and being cynical about it to appreciating his life (especially his wife) and fighting for it.

External Journey: He moves from trying to ignore the problem (“maybe it will go away”) to actively fighting to save them.

Motivation: He wants to save himself and his wife and show her he can be the man he always intended to be.

Wound: He didn’t get into the colleges he applied for and has felt like a loser ever since.

Mission/Agenda: To save them from Euthanasia Isle.

Secret: He’s jealous of Vinnie.

Special: He’s slow to anger but when he hits it, he’s ferocious and unstoppable.

Antagonist: Rochelle

Rochelle is the change agent. She’s always trying to expand and grow (despite George’s cynicism). She’s just about given up on the marriage and is tired of being put down.

Age range and Description: Rochelle is 35, a manicurist with big dreams to have a product on QVC and make it big in the world.

Internal Journey: Rochelle moves from being hurt and angry to appreciating, supporting and loving George again.

External Journey: Rochelle moves from

Motivation: Rochelle wants to save them both and to have the children she’s always wanted.

Wound: She feels like she doesn’t measure up because she never went to college, that people look down on her as a manicurist.

Mission/Agenda: To save them both from Euthanasia Isle.

Secret: She stole George from her best friend by sabotaging their relationship.

Special: Rochelle is a very inventive Macgyver-type person.

Other Characters:

Supporting: The head of Euthanasia Isle (kinda like an evil Mr. Roarke); elderly couple who befriend George and Rochelle

Minor: Other euthanasia candidates; staff

Background: airport travelers and staff; etc.

Genre: Rom/Com

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 1: Heather’s Transformational Journey

What I learned: As soon as a stumbled on the identity of my characters, the rough draft transformational journey came pretty easily.

Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?

The hero is George.

Internal Journey: George goes from cynical, disappointed in how
his life is turning out, and passive to falling in love again, being
creative to save himself and his wife, and being the hero in his own story.

External Journey: George moves from “don’t get involved” to
taking charge of the situation.

What are the Old Ways and New Ways? George’s old ways were to complain about everything, find fault (especially with his wife), and avoid getting involved in anything. His new ways are to appreciate life, fall in love with his wife again, and outsmart the bad guys in their own game.

[Heather Estay]

I’m Heather Estay. I’ve written 5 scripts and had a few optioned. I see this class as my opportunity to get re-inspired and to work on some new and old script ideas. I haven’t actually completed a new script for over two years and I want to get back into the rhythm of writing. Something unique? My day job is as a ghostwriter and I’ve written nearly 40 books.

[Heather Estay]

I agree.

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.

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 7

What I learned: Doing this exercise made me more aware of ongoing themes throughout a show. Even though individual episodes can be very dramatic, it seems that the big picture themes are what drive the show and make the characters compelling.

ASSIGNMENT 1:

1. Watch the next episode of your Example Show and focus on the Empathy/Distress that shows up in this episode and throughout the season so far.

2. Notice the difference between Big Picture Empathy/Distress and detail-oriented Empathy/Distress. Big Picture will have an impact across multiple episodes.

Scandal:

Empathy/Distress Olivia:

Undeserved Misfortune: BIG: The man she loves is married and President (so he either gets to be “normal” with her or “great” as a leader) EPISODE: Quinn is at the scene of a murder and Olivia has to remove the crime evidence (meaning the police won’t find the real killer) to protect her

External Character conflicts: BIG: With Cyrus (he was her mentor but he’s willing to destroy people to protect the president); EPISODE: With David (they like each other but have to cross each other to do their jobs)

Plot Intruding on Life: BIG: Someone has a tape of Olivia and the President; EPISODE: Olivia has protected Quinn through anonymity but now has to figure out how to defend her from her old life

Moral Dilemmas: BIG: The President needs her but he’s married; she can’t be with him and she can’t be without him; EPISODE: How to protect Quinn without letting the killer (Billy) get away

Forced Decisions They’d Never Make: BIG: To stay away from the President; EPISODE: To clean the murder scene

Deadline: 24 hours

ASSIGNMENT 2:

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

Abigail:

A.
Undeserved misfortune. She was not elected herself but had to work through
her husband
B.
External Character conflicts. With the old white guys in power for putting
their ambitions in front of governing the country
C.
Plot intruding on life. Wali shows up and is very smart and doesn’t
discount them as suspects
D.
Moral dilemmas. She’s killing men she’s known for decades.
E.
Forced decisions they’d never make. Since the men refuse to put country
before themselves and are locked into office, the only way to get them out
is to kill them.

Wali:

A.
Undeserved misfortune. She’s a Muslim woman working with men who discount
her and even sabotage her.
B.
External Character conflicts. With her Captain and her partner (and most
of the men on the force)
C.
Plot intruding on life. She wants to get promoted but if she pursues this
case, she’ll be in trouble
D.
Moral dilemmas. She actually agrees that getting rid of the old white guys
in power is a good thing but she’s the law.
E.
Forced decisions they’d never make. To go against her boss’s orders to
pursue the case.

Rose:

A.
Undeserved misfortune. She was born at a time when Black women were openly
snubbed in DC society
B.
External Character conflicts. With her friends over whether they should
kill or not; With the law when they come after her friends
C.
Plot intruding on life. She wants to be a righteous church lady, but
D.
Moral dilemmas. She knows that the old white guys need to be offed to get
the country on track but she believes in Thou Shalt Not Kill
E.
Forced decisions they’d never make. To join her friends when they get into
trouble during one of the murders

[Heather Estay]

This is Assignment 1 (Scandal) I did assignment 2 but i don’t have the time to cut and paste it all from the tables.

Olivia President

Surface Does “fixer” work for him

Common Ground Their love of the country? Wanting to do the right thing?

Conflict He’s married and she can’t be with him because of that

History Fell in love with him on the campaign

Subtext She loves him but is having trouble trusting him now

Relationship Arc So far, from being in love with him but staying apart to trying to help him then finding out he had a lover then realizing he was set up//

Quinn

Surface Her protégé; mentors her

Common Ground They both care a LOT about the people they represent

Conflict Quinn is naïve but often sees the truth first

History Unclear; Olivia seems to know that Quinn is not who she says she is

Subtext Olivia is protecting Quin from something (not sure what)

Relationship Arc So far, from Quinn playing just “the witness” to Olivia trusting her with more important things

Olivia Billy

Surface Colleagues; different political agendas

Common Ground They were technically on the same team but now not so much

Conflict His boss versus her prior “boss” the President

History He tried to undermine her on the campaign trail, but she came out the winner

Subtext He’s nosey; she might be suspicious of him?

Relationship Arc I think it will be from campaign trail adversaries to colleagues to enemies

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 6

What I learned: I’m finding that the deeper I get into these assignments with my concept, the more serious and less humorous it seems! I’ve started watching some comedies (along with my BWTV example) to look for these same qualities and see how they can be funnier.

Oh! And what I just also learned is that it won’t let you copy and paste the tables into this! Anyone have a solution for this?

Assignment 1

Assignment 2

[Heather Estay]

Heather Estay’s Character Emotions

What I learned: Somehow, this seemed easier than the prior assignment. Still feel like I need to go deeper but the process doesn’t have to stop on the first round. I’m feeling like this will be very useful for all of my characters in various scripts going forward.

ASSIGNMENT 1: Example Show

Olivia

A. Situational: Hope: She’s doing the right thing / Fear: Her intuition is off and she’s making bad calls

B. Motivation: Want: To be the hero / Need: To be right

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Fear, weakness / Public Mask: Tough and confident

D. Weaknesses: Feels the pain of her clients, sometimes too much

E. Triggers: Being deceived, especially by the president

F. Coping Mechanism: Fights back, toughens up

Quinn

A. Situational: Hope: That she’ll measure up / Fear: That she’s not good enough

B. Motivation: Want: To be part of the team / Need: To feel accepted

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Insecurity / Public Mask: Eager to be challenged

D. Weaknesses: Feels pain of the clients, feels sorry for them

E. Triggers: When she thinks there’s an injustice; when she screws up

F. Coping Mechanism: Seeks help; Seeks comforting

President (he’s showing up as more of a main character now)

A. Situational: Hope: That he can save the country; that he can still have Olivia / Fear: That he’ll fail and is being played; that he can’t have it all, including Olivia

B. Motivation: Want: Olivia / Need: to be loved

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Needy / Public Mask: World leader

D. Weaknesses: Gets “lonely” without a lover

E. Triggers: Feeling constrained; that he’s being played

F. Coping Mechanism: Run to Olivia (or another woman?)

ASSIGNMENT 2: Your Show

Abigail

A. Situational: Hope: That by killing these old guys, the world will move forward positively / Fear: That it won’t be enough and she’ll fail

B. Motivation: Want: Power, domination / Need: Acknowledgement, respect

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Resentful, furious that “lesser beings” wield the power / Public Mask: Playing the Washington power game

D. Weaknesses: Cannot be wrong

E. Triggers: Stupidity, ignorance

F. Coping Mechanism: Sarcasm

Rose

A. Situational: Hope: That eliminating a certain Senator will put her son in office / Fear: That the group will get caught

B. Motivation: Want: To be moral / Need: To get justice

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Revenge / Public Mask: Highly moral

D. Weaknesses: Unforgiveness; won’t let her guard down

E. Triggers: Being snubbed, racism

F. Coping Mechanism: Appearing calm and unflappable

Wali

A. Situational: Hope: To catch the killers and get promoted / Fear: She’ll fail and be stuck where she is

B. Motivation: Want: To be promoted / Need: To be respected

C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion: Frustration, impatience / Public Mask: Calm, competent

D. Weaknesses: Sense of superiority

E. Triggers: Being patronized

F. Coping Mechanism: Keeps to herself; goes off on her own investigations

[Heather Estay]

ASSIGNMENT 1:

What I learned doing this assignment: I can totally see these qualities and characteristics in almost all of the Scandal characters. I’m not feeling very creative about my own characters yet. What seems to be hanging me up still is that I want this to be comedic and not too dark (more Arsenic and Old Lace rather than The Black List). I’m not yet tuning into the funnier hidden agendas, conspiracies, wounds, etc.

My Example show is Scandal:

1, Think about your Example Show. Make a list of the places you’ve already seen Character Intrigue in the previous episodes. Yikes! All of the episodes and almost all of the characters are filled with character intrigue! So, I’ll just name a few…

Olivia:

· Hidden agendas: Wants to protect the President but can’t if he’s guilty

· Competition: Competing with President’s wife and his Chief of Staff (Cyrus) for President’s soul

· Conspiracies: She conspires with her team constantly to find the “win” in their cases

· Secrets: That she’s in love with the president

· Deception: She presents a tough exterior but is very emotional

· Wound: She doesn’t know if the president just used her

· Secret Identity: Flawed heroine

Quinn:

· Hidden agendas: To become the next Olivia Pope

· Competition: The others on the team who are more experienced

· Conspiracies: She forms an alliance with the reporter

· Secrets: Not known; she apparently didn’t exist before college (or law school?)

· Deception: That she’s sleeping with the enemy (the reporter)

· Wound: Not known yet

· Secret Identity: She’s a gladiator who hasn’t found her armor

Cyrus:

· Hidden agendas: Get the policies and laws he wants passed no matter what

· Competition: He’s competing against the President’s humanity

· Conspiracies: Against Olivia and her team

· Secrets: He has people killed to protect his agenda

· Deception: That he cares about the President

· Wound: He’s a gay man who cannot be President himself

· Secret Identity: A King maker

Amanda (okay, she died in this episode, but they still gave her all the character intrigue!)

· Hidden agendas: For an unknown reason, she wants to take the President down

· Competition: With Olivia and her agenda?

· Conspiracies: With someone on the other end of the phone that she tells “I can’t do this anymore”

· Secrets: Whose baby she’s carrying

· Deception: That she’s an innocent victim

· Wound: On the surface, that the President won’t even talk to her now

· Secret Identity: Shill set up to take the President down

ASSIGNMENT 2

1. For your Inner Circle characters, fill in any of the Intrigue items that apply.

Character Name: Abigail

· Role: Leader of the pack

· Hidden agendas: Once they’ve begun, she doesn’t want to stop with just “old white guys in power”

· Competition: Competing with Rose for the “moral high ground”

· Conspiracies: Conspiring with the group to do the murders

· Secrets: She was the power behind the throne when her husband was alive—and he never acknowledged it

· Deception: She plays the Washington power game but they can’t see that she’s trying to destroy them

· Wound: That she was never acknowledged (elected) despite her intelligence, savvy, and skills

· Secret Identity: Senator Abigail XXX

Character
Name: Rose

· Role: Conscience of the group

· Hidden agendas: To get payback for being shunned when her husband was elected

· Competition: With Abigail for the “moral high ground”

· Conspiracies: Conspiring with group to off old white guys in power

· Secrets: She wants her sone to take the place of a Senator on the hit list

· Deception: She’s not as opposed to the assassinations as she claims

· Wound: Washington society didn’t accept her when her husband was elected; husband died after losing an election to an old white guy

· Secret Identity: Avenging Angel

Character
Name: Wali

· Role: Detective tracking them down

· Hidden agendas: She wants to prove herself and get promoted

· Competition: With her patronizing counterpart—and every other male colleague—to be recognized

· Conspiracies: She goes against department directive and keeps working on the case

· Secrets: She’s in love with someone her family would never accept

· Deception: She’s actually rooting for the assassins as she’s trying to catch them

· Wound: Her family doesn’t accept her occupation

· Secret Identity: Genius detective (aka Sherlock Holmes)

[Heather Estay]

What I learned doing these assignments: The assignment forced me to give up on “knowing” the answers and got me guessing and brainstorming, even when it came to the example show. I feel like it was a way of exploring without committing yet. When I’d been thinking about this concept as a feature comedy, I had a cast of quirky characters. This has pushed me to add more depth. I think I can still blend in humor but I think I have to start with a more serious undercurrent to make the story and characters more intriguing.

Assignment #1:

The show I’m watching is Scandal

1^st Lead: Olivia

A.
Role in the show: Boss and brilliant fixer
B.
Unique Purpose / Expertise: Fixes scandals of powerful people (esp. the
President)
C.
Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She’s in love with the
President
D.
Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? She exploits people’s weaknesses and
bullies them to get them to back off; in this episode, she asks a few of
her team members to cross a line they shouldn’t (e.g. CIA guy who has
given up torture uses it to find Amanda)
E.
Unpredictable: What will they do next? She emotional and trusts her gut so
sometimes she pivots without warning; she is creative with tactics as
situations evolve
F.
Empathetic: Why do we care? We know she’s trying to do good; she screws up
and feels horrible about it; she’s trying to disentangle from the
president but it’s painful for her

2^nd Lead: Quinn (I chose Quinn because she’s our “eyes” into what’s going on)

A.
Role in the show: newbie; smart but innocent
B.
Unique Purpose / Expertise: Does Olivia’s bidding without knowing the
reason for what she’s doing; she’s put in the position of witness
C.
Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She had some “difficult
times” but it hasn’t been revealed yet
D.
Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? She does things that
don’t seem quite right to her (seducing the reporter, convincing Amanda to
work with Olivia, etc.)
E.
Unpredictable: What will they do next? She’s star struck and prone to
screw up
F.
Empathetic: Why do we care? She wants to do good as well; she’s out of her
depth but hangs in there

Assignment # 2:

The Journey: The journey begins when the club of Senate wives and widows decide to kill the first old white guy in power. They find that they are good at it and in some ways enjoy the results they’re getting—which becomes the dilemma: Where do they stop?

The Characters to Sell the Show: Best guess at this point: Abigail (the oldest and most powerful politically); Rose (the only Black Senate widow); Wali (the 30-something detective

Answer these questions for each of those characters.

1^st Lead Abigail:

A.
Role in the show: The leader of the group; When Abigail talks, everyone
listens
B.
Unique Purpose / Expertise: She knows Washington and how to pull strings
in that world
C.
Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She pulled some strings
decades ago that led to disaster (only the club knows her role in it)
D.
Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? She is killing off
old white men in power…for a good cause
E.
Unpredictable: What will they do next? She’s very pragmatic and will turn
on a dime if she thinks there’s a better angle to work
F.
Empathetic: Why do we care? She is very patriotic and wants the best for
her country and its people; she isn’t nice sometimes but she’s kind and
defends the underdog

2^nd Lead: Rose (I just made her up so not totally sure)

A.
Role in the show: Rose is one of the widows; she loves Abigail but will
stand up to her and question her motives
B.
Unique Purpose / Expertise: She’s the moral compass for the group; she
makes sure they face what they are doing
C.
Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She was always the brains
behind her husband??
D.
Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? She’s killing old
white guys in power—and is terrified that she’s enjoying it too much
E.
Unpredictable: What will they do next?
F.
Empathetic: Why do we care? Of all of them, she has suffered the most at
the hands of old white guys in power;

3^rd Lead: Wali

<div>
A.
Role in the show: The detective tracking down who is killing the old white
guys in power
B.
Unique Purpose / Expertise: She’s smart and intuitive and, unlike her
counterparts, she knows that little old ladies can be deadly
C.
Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She has fantasies of offing
her patronizing counterparts in the department???
D.
Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? She defies her
Captain’s orders and investigates the club; she ends up covering up for
them
E.
Unpredictable: What will they do next? She wants promotion and respect, and
we don’t know how far she’ll go to get it
</div><div>

F.
Empathetic: Why do we care? She’s held back by the old boys network of the
police culture; she’s smarter than others but can’t get acknowledged

</div>

[Heather Estay]

Assignment 1

My example show is Scandal.

A. Main Characters Circle: Olivia, Abby, Stephen, Harrison, Huck, Quinn

B. Connected Circle: President, President’s Chief of Staff, US Attorney David, President’s wife?, Reporter; Amanda?

C. Environment Circle: White House guards, staff, etc.; police;

Assignment 2

What I learned: I know that I need to have fewer “main characters” but I’m not sure where the cut-off is yet. I’ve got 8 folks in the bridge club, and they all participate in offing old white men in power. But I’m not sure which 4 or 5 should be the most important and which one should be the lead. Hoping this becomes clear as we move forward! I liked the 3 circle idea. I think it will help organize how “present” each character needs to be.

Create the three circles of characters for your show.

A. Main Characters Circle: Abigail,
Phyllis, Dottie, Jane, Margaret, Becky, Ellie, Leonard, Detective Wali
B. Connected Circle: Det. Carson, Susan
(obnoxious lobbyist), Leonard’s wife, William (hotel manager), Senators on
the hit list?, wives of Senators on hit list
C. Environment Circle: Senators and their
staffs; hotel staff and guests, police, guests at funerals

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

Abigail: (Christine Baranski; blunt, sarcastic, says whatever comes to mind; older than the rest (90’s?) and uses a walker; highly respected ;when Abigail talks, everyone listens; her husband’s been dead for decades

Phyllis: (Jane Fonda); widow of Senator from Texas; runs his oil company with a steel hand; (60s)

Dottie: (Mary Kay Place); Wife of Senator from Montana; conservatively dressed; soft-spoken, somewhat beaten-down, people pleaser but ferocious in defending her kids or friends; her husband is the first they off; (mid-70s)

Jane: (Jamie Lee Curtis); Widow of Senator from Virginia; professor of pathology; whip-smart, no-nonsense (late 60s)

Margaret: (Sally Fields) Widow of Senator from NY; terminally ill with cancer; wears a wig then discards it; somewhat embittered but sense of humor; (60s)

Becky: (Catherine O’Hara); Wife of Senator from Florida; flamboyant, sexy; dripping with Southern charm when she wants something (early 60s); tends to malapropisms that are true

Ellie (Goldie Hawn); wife of Senator from seems clueless but street smart; unenthusiastic grandma;

Leonard: the only man in the club; husband of long-time Senator from Maine; gentle and charming; humorous; well-dressed; his wife (a Senator) is dying; (70s)

Wali: female DC detective; Black muslim; smart and knows it; patronized by her male colleagues; suspicious of old ladies; impatient and argumentative; not afraid to stand up and step on toes; sleeps in her clothes; hates politics (30s)

[Heather Estay]

Lesson 1 Mod 1

What I learned: One thing that caught my attention was that the characters were brilliant, yet their flaws were what made them attractive and made me eager to see how they dealt with them. The plot lines were sophisticated but not complicated. The complications were more relationship-oriented.

Example Show: Scandal

Make a list of the 5 Star Points for that show.

Big Picture
Hooks
<div>
A group of whip-smart “gladiators in suits” are the good guys who are
willing to fight dirty.
</div><div>

Amazing and
Intriguing Character

</div><div>
Olivia Pope: she inspires awe; she worked for the White House; she doesn’t
look tough but is totally unbeatable when she “negotiates”; she cares
about her employees’ love life; she had an affair with the President (he’s
still after her and she’s still in love with him); she gathers “strays” on
her team who need fixing; she relies on her gut and “her gut is never
wrong”—except when it is
</div><div>

</div><div>

Empathy /
Distress

</div><div>
Her affair with the President: she’s heart-broken and tried to do the
right thing but she still falls for his BS; Olivia is also distressed
because she handled a young woman harshly because she trusted the
President
</div><div>

Layers / Open
Loops

</div><div>
Olivia’s affair with the president; how the newbie Quinn will fit in and
what needs fixing in her; Abby is in love with Steve who just got engaged;
Steve is worried because he was a philanderer
</div><div>

Inviting
Obsession

</div>
I want to see Olivia break loose from the president! I care about the
characters and what happens to them; the world of DC and power brokers is
interesting;

3. Watch the same first episode A SECOND TIME while looking at your 5 Star Point analysis. This time, your purpose is to see beyond the obvious answers. Assume there is more to learn and discover it!

Added above

[Heather Estay]

Hi! I’m Heather Estay.

I’ve completed 5 feature length scripts. I’m intending to write a mini-series for this class based on a feature-length concept I had started. Something unique? I work full-time as a ghost-writer, doing books for clients on everything from dog training to psychology to making a fortune in industrial hemp!

[Heather Estay]

I agree to the terms of this confidentiality agreement.

Heather Estay

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.