Ivy
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Assignment 6
I learnt about adding changes, connecting events to make changes, building character arc and story structure.
Old Ways: Careful, Cautious, trusts no one, unemotional, unattached, rigid, business minded, goal orientated, sellout, jaded, hard on herself, live by the book, impatient, disconnected.
New Ways: Carefree, creative, open, accepting, finds her true self, lets others in, vulnerable, emotionally connected, finds relationships with others and herself.
From Impatient, plan & live for the future to live in the moment.
From living in a box and system to living freely.
From alone to having companies.
From emotional handicap to feeling things again.
From unattached, emotionally disconnected to vulnerable and open up.
From doubtful to trust. From careless to care and sharing info.
From denying her creative talents, selling out to be an artist.
From hard on herself to letting go.
From finding her wants to her needs.
Act 1:
Opening – A Chinese grad student comes back to her apartment and her ex left her. Her apt is no longer a home. She fails to land a job because she is a foreigner. She sells everything to pay rent.
Inciting Incident – She’s desperate and drunk alone on 4th of July at the rooftop. She passes out…
Turning Point – She married someone.
Act 2:
New plan – A year later, she works at a financial firm as a portfolio manager. She works very hard, and is doing very well. She is a loner. She doesn’t associate with her colleagues.
Plan in action – She flies to Texas and meets with Mike. They have a week to prepare for the INS interview. Road trip back to LA, they realize they are so different, and not easy to get along.
Midpoint Turning Point – They decide not to follow her plan. Mike shows her around, the nature, and his history and his family, etc. They start sharing things in their life. They start learning about each other, traveling to places ( home town, high school, cemetery, watch sunset) . They take pictures, and build real memories.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – When it comes to certain things, they are still very reserved as they’re hiding something from each other. They worry if the truth comes out, they would fail the mission.
New plan – They are getting more connected, more feeling. They have found ways to get more out of each other. Is Moon acting? Are they both acting?
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – They discover their inner demons.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – INS interview. A lot of unexpected questions, but they show deep connections.
Resolution: She quits her job. Sometime in the future, they meet again.
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Concept – A foreigner married to a stranger to get her green card. On a journey of getting to know each other, they discover each other’s inner demons and the truth. At the end, they give each other a second chance to relive their lives.
Main Conflict – Two strangers get on a journey to finish a mission. She wants to get her freedom and live, but is a living dead. He wants to give up life, but lives everyday to the fullest.
Old Ways – She has trust issues, not letting people in, independent, jaded, rigid, unattached, unemotional, goal getter, not being true to others and herself.
New Ways – vulnerable, open up, free, creative and fun, live.
Act 1:
Opening – A Chinese grad student faces financial issues and her ex just left her. She fails to land a job because she didn’t have a work permit or green card. She sells everything to pay rent.
Inciting Incident – She’s desperate and drunk alone on 4th of July at the rooftop. She meets a stranger.
Turning Point – They get married to solve her immediate problem. He goes back to Texas.
Act 2:
New plan – A year later, she works at a financial firm as a portfolio manager. She works very hard, and is doing very well. She is a loner. She doesn’t associate with her colleagues.
Plan in action – She flies to Texas and meets with Mike for the INS interview.
Midpoint Turning Point – They drive back to LA in his old RV (home) They get to know each other and to create memories. Everything seems very robotic, she handles things like business. He can’t remember the details between them.
Act 3:
Rethink everything – Forcing information into their heads is not working. They really don’t know each other that well and they already have discrepancies. They worry that they would fail the mission.
New plan – They decide to take it easy and take a natural approach and not to be so pressed for time. They start being themselves, and more natural. They start more connecting, more feeling.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – They start learning about each other, traveling to places, establishing real memories. She discovers the reason he married her. He wants to give up his life soon after the mission is over.
Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – INS interview. A lot of unexpected questions, but they show deep connections.
Resolution: She quits her job. Sometime in the future, Moon and Mike meet again.
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Ivy’s characters:
I learn to develop my characters and listen to my characters by doing this assignment.
PROTAGONIST:
Tell me about yourself.
I was a foreign student. After I graduated with two college degrees. I failed to get a job without a green card. I needed a green card to get a job but I needed a job in order to apply for a green card. It’s a catch 22.
Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?
As a foreigner, it’s very challenging to obtain my rights and freedom to live in the US. On my journey to get what I wanted, I lost who I was. I met a stranger who helped me through the journey unconditionally. And why me? It’s a story based on true events, I went through the challenges & conflicts myself.
You are up against . What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?
I’m hiding the truth from everyone, but in order for me to succeed, I needed to let someone in, to care for someone else, and be truthful to myself.
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’m afraid of letting someone in my life, especially the antagonist. However, I needed to be emotionally connected with him and my own self in order to do the journey and complete the mission.
What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of? Letting go of my old self, my old way of thinking, and being able to trust others, and to build relationships with others and myself. It’s okay to be myself.
What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back? Abandonment, loss of loved ones, rejections, failures.
What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist? Cultural, social status, education, freedom, value, security, laws, and POV.
What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know? My private life, broken relationship, failure experiences, her insecurity, and not being good enough.
What do you think of ? I was struggling with secrets internally for so long. It moulds me into someone else, now there is someone to bring them out, like bring the truth out.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. I didn’t want people to know about me. I’m unattached, not good at building human connections. I also kept a distance from Mike, but we needed to know each other to make the journey work. What does it do for your life if you succeed here? I will be happy, and free. It takes more than that, I needed to follow my deepest desires, let go of my old self, and be true to myself.
ANTAGONIST:
Tell me about yourself.
I’m Mike, a Texan, a veteran with an invisible disability and some minor mental issues. I’m physically fit, exercise is important to me. I live a simple life, well read, very frugal. I talk to my therapist. I’m a dog lover, natural lover.
Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
He is an American Veteran, I have certain values and I’m strong willed. I’m not a booksmart, I like to share my knowledge with others. I’m helpful, good hearted, but also disable. I have a quick temper, easily frustrated and changed my mind the last min. I don’t like rules. I think lots of rules are very inefficient and get in people’s way. I don’t like the city, traffic and work.
Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?
I’m working with her, to get her to where she wants to be. Along the journey together, we both faced our inner demons, and challenges. When we both did this journey together, it sort of against our wills. It was good timing.
What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition? I can see her succeed before I’m gone.
What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death? I’m not afraid of helping her or anyone. I’m not afraid of the unknown or if we failed, but I don’t want to screw up her plans and my plan either.
What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?
She didn’t know why I was doing it for her, so willingly and voluntarily. She found out later while we were already on the mission. I’m willing to help her to get her freedom, but I also don’t want her to stop my plan.
Compared to other people like you, what makes you special? Most people want to live, I want free will. I don’t live by the books, or in a box.
What do you think of ? Just hang in there a little bit longer to see her succeed.
Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story. I don’t know if I can actually help her, I think I could. I don’t know if I will live to see the outcome.
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Ivy’s Character Profile Part 2
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learn about my characters’ inner world more in detail, and how they interact with each other, how the outside world looks at them. It helps me present the characters better and think about the conversations they will have.
Fill in Part 2 of the character Profile for your two lead characters.
Moon:
What draws us to this character?
An immigrant who strives for freedom and rights, independent and success. On her journey to get her freedom, she’s already lost a big part of her true self.
Traits: Goal getter, risk taker, business mind, insecure, self doubt
Subtext: Secretive, lonely, hidden from the truth.
Flaw: Insecure, self doubt, unattached, unemotional, disconnected, not open.
Values: Freedom, social status, financial security, Independent
Irony: She wants to get her freedom but she is the one trapping herself in.
What makes this the right character for this role?
Moon is an educated immigrant, who wants to live freely. During the journey, she realizes she hasn’t been true to herself, and she has moulded herself into someone else that’s more acceptable by social standards.
What draws us to this character?
Mike is an American veteran, physically fit and healthy looking, he is free spirited, down to earth, a bit rugged, always helpful to others unconditionally. His hidden pains can cause temper issues.
Traits: Healthy, frugal, deep thinker, uncalculated, simple.
Subtext: Doesn’t live for the future, sincere.
Flaw: Anger issues
Values: Simple, nature, non-materialistic
Irony: Mike has a positive outlook and life wisdom, but wants to give up his life.
What makes this the right character for this role?
He is a veteran, unselfish, helpful. He wants to see her succeed and get what she wants or needs.
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Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learn more about characters and how to define themselves.
Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Explorer – Moon is a goal getter, risk taker, freedom seeker. In a journal of getting her green card, she learns to face her inner demon and set herself free.
Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role.
Change Agent – He is a free spirit American Veteran, helping her to get her freedom to live in the US, while dealing with his life choice.
Pick your genre.
Drama.
Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story:Age range and Description:
Moon and Mike, both in their early 30s, physically fit, natural good looks.
Moon is a Chinese, hardworking, financial manager married to a stranger to get her green card.
Mike is a Texan, an American Veteran , free spirit, helps her unconditionally.
Internal Journey:
She is insecure about her status in the US, fear of losing her rights and freedom to live to set herself free.
He is about to give up his life to give his life a second chance.
External Journey:
During a journey together, they must learn about each other, they discover each other’s inner demons and give each other a second chance to relive their lives.
Motivation:
To gain her rights and freedom to live in the US and lead a successful life.
To help her before he gives up his life.
Wound:
Her abandonment, loss of loved ones.
His hidden disability, mental health, not being valuable to others.
Mission/Agenda:
Her mission is to get her green card.
His mission is to help her to accomplish her goals and then he can check out.
Secrets:
A simple marriage arrangement has made them face each other’s differences and dealt with their demons.
What makes them special?<div>
Two main characters with different cultures and backgrounds enter a complicated journey together. She wants to live but is a living dead. He wants to give up life but lives everyday as if his last day on earth. Their different life approaches end up giving hope to each other.
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Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
I learn about my character’s changes, and dig deeper into her mind and soul, wants and needs.
Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
Moon, a Chinese immigrant strives for success, rights and freedom in the US. During the journey of getting her green card, she realizes she must face her own demon, let go of her old self in order to set free.
Internal Journey: From unemotional to open and vulnerable, from lost to find herself.
External Journey: From a finance broker living in a rat race city life to a free-spirited artist in a creative open space.
What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old ways: Business minded, career, success driven, unemotional, city woman, loner, rigid, live in other people’s dreams & expectations.
New ways: Open, true to herself, vulnerable, rediscover her own value and mission, living in her dreams and new hopes.
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1. Name? Ivy Lee
2. How many scripts you’ve written? May be more than 10 scripts ( A few are in Chinese, a few are in English, a few are written with writing parters)
3. What you hope to get out of the class? I want to rewrite this drama script, and focus more on the characters’ internal conflict. It will be great to finish another draft in 30 days.
4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you?
I’m originally from Hong Kong, English is my second language. I write stories because I want to direct. I’d directed a few shorts/ proof of concepts. My favourite genre is usually supernatural horror and comedy. Now, I’m taking this class to help me to finish a drama script.
Nice to e-meet everyone here!