JD Angle
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JD’s Delivers Insights Through Conflict
I learned that starting at end of a scene – the desired insight – can help craft the best way to reveal it. And conflict is a powerful way to expose the truth.
Fear of water (secret) – During Jake’s first dive during training, he has a panic attack. He almost drowns because he starts doing everything wrong. When the trainer rescues him from the water, Jake goes on the offensive and starts claiming that the trainer prepared jake’s gear wrong. Jake gets argumentative and abusive. The trainer has to put Jake in his place and hits back, knocking jake to the floor of the boat. Trainer, “You know damn well that I prepped you properly! What the hell happened down there?” Jake, “I’m scared of the water.”
Value of treasure (perspective of reality) – Jake whittles a mermaid. Bartender, “That’s nice! You could sell that.” Jake, “It’s nothing. Just passing the time.” Bartender, “Nothing? One day, someone will find that on a deserted island and put it in a museum as an artifact.” Later… Jake begins to value his latest woodcarving – a mermaid like Lana. A young boy steals it. Jake is furious. He chases the boy until the chase is interrupted by the boy’s mother. The kid’s mother looks at the carving. “Why are you so upset over this piece of junk?” And throws it at Jake’s feet. Jake drops to his knees, picks up the carving and caresses it like it is the most valuable object in the world.
Same as a prostitute (true nature) – Jake is a gold digger, literally. Bartender, “These women at the bar are just like you. They give you sex, you give them money. You stop giving them money, then they don’t need you anymore.” (beat) “Your clients give you money, and you give them gold and treasures. They stop giving you money – now you don’t need them anymore.”
Value of self (emotional issue) – Lana, “You’re just a grave robber. You must be pretty proud of yourself, stealing from the dead.” Jake, “They don’t need it anymore!” Lana, “Don’t they? Maybe they don’t. But maybe their people do. Maybe it’s important to their people; to their history; to their memory; to their spirit.” Jake, “My dad left my mom when I was seven, and my mom died in a boating accident when I was eight. They didn’t leave me anything. No one ever gave me anything. I’ve always had to take it.”
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JD’s Turns Insights Into Action
I learned that action speaks louder than words. Identifying the insights I want to express to the audience helps keep my script focused. Figuring out ways to express those insights through actions is a great way to spark creativity. I also discovered that I can use the same technique on less important insights, but still need to be expressed with action.
Repatriation – In Act 1, Jake watches a newscast about an artifact being returned to the country where it was looted from. Jake jokes about it being an opportunity to steal it again. In Act 2, Lana accuses Jake of being a grave robber and tries to explain how the artifacts still have meaningful value to the rightful heirs.
Shoe on the other foot – Jake begins to value his latest woodcarving – a mermaid like Lana. A young boy steals it. Jake is furious. He chases the boy until the chase is interrupted by the boy’s mother. The kid’s mother looks at the carving. “Why are you so upset over this piece of junk?” And throws it at Jake’s feet. Jake drops to his knees, picks up the carving and caresses it like it is the most valuable object in the world.
Respect – After failing miserably to buy and coerce Lana’s affections, Jake gives up on trying so hard. He starts to listen to Lana and empathize with her situation. He honestly starts to respect her for who she is. Just as she starts falling for him, he realizes what he must do to ensure her safety.
Generosity – Lana gives Jake a handmade bracelet of mermaid’s hair and seashells. It is a symbol of cherishing the simple gift from the heart over the extravagant treasure. “No one has ever given me anything. I have always had to take it.”
Love and Compassion – In the end, Jake does not steal the treasure. In fact, he makes sure it stays hidden from the other treasure hunters. The satisfaction from doing the right thing swells Jake’s heart as emotions wash over his face. The deepest love can be seen in Lana’s eyes.
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JD’s Living Metaphors
What I learned doing this assignment is… how the gradients and clues are challenges to the old ways that need to be emphasized and reinforced throughout the story. For the ending to be more dramatic and profound, the challenges need to keep chiseling away at the old ways until the new way makes sense.
Should Work, But Doesn’t Work Challenges:
Jake tries to get the treasure on his own – but is forced to work with Calisto and the scuba diving trainer.
Jake tries to bully his way through an awkward situation – but it doesn’t end well for Jake.
Jake tries to buy the affections of Lana, because it worked on previous women – but she is not impressed and laughs at him.
Jake thinks he is so special that everyone can wait on him – but his sponsor hires another treasure hunter to take his place.
Jake tries to steal the treasure – but is attacked by the Sirens, only to be saved by Lana.
Living Metaphor Challenges:
Sunset = routine and comfort. Sunset has always been Jake’s cue to get to work. In Act 2, every attempt to steal the treasure at sunset has failed. In Act 3, he executes his new plan – to not steal the treasure – at sunrise.
Scuba gear = metaphor for trusting the right people. Jake fears losing control and drowning. He blames the gear. He’s paranoid of the scuba trainer. He doesn’t realize that trusting the trainer will get him that much closer to the treasure.
Wood carving = the perceived value of treasure. Value is based on perspective. Jake used to carve wood to pass the time. Until the shopkeeper pointed out that one day someone will find one of his woodcarvings and put it in a museum. Jake begins to believe they have value until he has an altercation with a young boy and his mother, and she calls the woodcarving ‘junk’.
Fishing trip = catch only what you need for tonight’s meal – throw the rest back. They are not sportfishing. No trophies will be brought back. Metaphor for taking things from where they belong.
The sunken treasure = metaphor for Jake’s values. He perceives a financial value in the treasure until he learns what it means to Lana.
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JD’s Counterexamples
I learned that questioning the Old Ways are like setups and payoffs. I need to use gradients, hints and clues to get my lead characters into the New Ways of Act 3.
OLD WAYS: Jake does not believe in ghost stories or fairy tales.
– Jake sees a mermaid.
OLD WAYS: Jake is a womanizer.
– Jake’s sexual advances do not work on Lana.
– Jake sits by himself watching a couple watch the sunset together.
OLD WAYS: Jake is egotistical.
– Jake finds out his sponsor has hired another treasure hunter.
OLD WAYS: Jake is a self-centered loner.
– “I think you need some new friends.”
OLD WAYS: Jake is materialistic and only sees the cash value of things.
– Jake whittles a mermaid. — “That’s nice! You could sell that.” — “It’s nothing. Just passing the time.” — “Nothing? One day, someone will find that on a deserted island and put it in a museum as an artifact.”
– Jake gets a gift from Lana — a treasure that he did not have to steal.
– Meets a craftsman making jewelry by hand — sees the value of the craftsman over the value of the jewelry.
– “You’re just a grave robber. You must be pretty proud of yourself, stealing from the dead.” — “They don’t need it anymore!” — “Don’t they? Maybe they don’t. But maybe their people do. Maybe it’s important to their people; to their history; to their memory; to their spirit.”
– “What’s your legacy?”
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JD’s Old Ways Challenge Chart
I learned that there is a lot of room in my script to add more challenges which will setup the ultimate New Ways I want to reveal.
Old Ways and Challenges
Jake is rugged and egotistical:
– Nervous about scuba diving
– Shook-up by mermaid sighting
– Starts getting paranoid
– Enjoys romance with Lana
– Taking too long to find the treasure
– Lana’s life in jeopardy is weighing on Jake’s new found conscious
Jake is womanizing:
– Lana is not an easy target
– Jake cannot stop thinking about Lana
– Jake and Lana are developing a relationship in private
– Exchanging gifts
– Falling in love
– Compassionate
– Changed man because of love
– Mermaid tattoo
Jake is self-centered:
– Takes on business partner
– Opens up to Old timer
– Wants to Lana happy
– Starts to value Lana’s needs over his own
Immature
– Has to take job because of cashflow issues
– Begins to value romance over sex
– Learns there is more to life than treasure and money
– Values gift given from Lana more than the treasure he has taken
– Does the mature and moral thing in the end
Finders Keepers:
– Feels compelled to give a gift to Lana
– Gives up some treasure to con the rival treasure hunters
– Once he finds the treasure, he decides not to keep it
Losers Weepers:
– Jake is forced to think about right and wrong — and rightful owners — when he realizes what the treasure trove really means to Lana
– Discovers the intrinsic value of artifacts over their cash value
– Returns artifacts to rightful owners
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JD’s 12 Angry Men Analysis
I learned that there is mid-ground and gradient between old ways and new ways. It is important to show why the old ways will not solve the problem at hand.
Challenges to Assumption of Guilt:
“Burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defendant doesn’t even have to open their mouth.”
Challenges to Just Want This Over:
“It’s only one night. A boy may die.”
Challenges to Not Caring:
“Don’t you have the guts to do what you think is right?”
Challenges to Prejudice:
“Only an ignorant man can believe that! Do you think you were born with a monopoly on the truth?”
“You believe the woman’s story, but you don’t believe the kid’s story. And she’s one of them, too.”
“You don’t care about this case. You just want to get the kid.”
(Action) Everyone getting up from the table after racist rant.
“Prejudice always obscures the truth.”
Challenges to Not Looking Beneath the Surface:
Questioning the old man’s motives for the testimony he gave.
Questioning if the kid panicked and forgot the knife, then how was he so calm to wipe off his prints.
Pointing out how easy it is to forget details of recent past events, even when not under pressure.
The last jury hold-out thinking about his own son and how that relationship is tainting his judgement.
Challenging Assumptions That the Evidence is Not Questionable:
(Action) Presenting the same exact knife.
Challenging Assumptions That the Witnesses Were Accurate:
Questioning whether the old man could hear the yelling over the noise of the passing L-train.
“How can you believe anything the old man said!” And realizing you just argued against your own argument.
Questioning the timing of the old man getting to his door to look out.
Questioning the lady across the tracks not wearing her glasses.
Challenging the Assumptions That the Defense Attorney Did His Job:
“I would have asked for another lawyer.”
“Maybe the case was not important to the court-appointed lawyer.”
Challenging Assumptions That the Case is Completely Logical:
“I’ll kill you!” – “You don’t really mean you’ll kill me. Do you?”
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JD’s Profound Ending
I learned that my story has a lot of plot holes. And I need to add more payoffs and setups.
Profound Truth (I have revised the Profound Truth from the one I wrote in earlier assignments): The real treasure is love and compassion. In the end, Jake will be happier than he has ever been throughout the story. Losing the treasure and helping Lana has truly filled his heart with happiness.
The Change: Jake goes from a hard, greedy, selfish, materialistic loner, to a compassionate man who found love and learned the value of doing the right thing.
Payoffs: Will Jake find the treasure? Will he take the treasure? Does he fall in love? Does he learn the value of compassion and protect Lana’s secrets?
Surprise Ending: The other treasure hunters are closing in on the treasure and are bound to find out about the mermaid. Jake has lost the trust of Lana. Jake’s sponsor has cut-off all funding; and Jake’s partner Calisto has sided with the other treasure hunters.
Despite the odds, Jake cons the other treasure hunters, and in an incredible act of love and compassion, he protects the treasure, and keeps Lana hidden from the outside world.
Parting Image/Line: Jake is working with a group of archaeologists on a legitimate historical dig for artifacts to be preserved.
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JD’s Connection with Audience
I learned the importance of the audience’s attachment to multi-dimensional characters.
I want to intentionally create a connection between the audience and: Jake as the Transformable Character; and, Lana as the Change Agent.
Relatability:
Jake has to go against his better judgement to take on a partner. Jake feels he has to take the job and a partner because his cash flow is tight.
Lana feels betrayed by the man she is falling in love with.
Intrigue:
What’s Jake doing with a strong box from the Nevada Assay Office? Do we get to hunt treasure in the Bahamas?
Are there really mermaids?
Empathy:
Jake is insecure about learning to scuba dive. When he starts gasping for air under water, we can feel him losing control and facing death.
Lana’s home and life are in jeopardy.
Likability:
Jake is a mysterious and rugged man, who drives cool cars and lives an adventurous life.
Lana is a beautiful mermaid who values home life and tradition.
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JD’s Transformational Structure
I learned a new story structure: the Mini-Movie structure. I had never heard of it before, so it is nice to add another tool to the toolbox.
MM #1
It’s the middle of the night, and Jake the treasurer hunter is digging up a cemetery plot from an abandoned mining town. He recovers a buried chest marked, Nevada Assay Office. He loads the chest into the back of his ’74 Ford Bronco. Jake is interrupted by a man claiming that Jake is on his land. They fight, but Jake gets the upper hand. Jumps in his Bronco and takes off. The landowner makes chase. A Park Ranger and a Sheriff join in the chase. Jake eludes everyone and disappears into a 4-wheel-drive Bronco Stampede.
Later, Jake is eating a steak in a dark booth of a quiet restaurant. He’s joined by a sponsor trying to enlist his help to recover pirate treasure in the Bahamas.
Transformational Journey: A solitary treasure hunter falls in love with a mermaid, but must sacrifice his treasure — and his love — to save the mermaid’s home.
Transformational Character: Jake the treasure hunter
Change Agent: Lana the mermaid
Old Ways: Jake is a rugged, confident, and womanizing treasure hunter who is out for himself and doesn’t really care who might lose out. He is a loner and also a little immature; “finders keepers, losers weepers.”
Emotional Gradient: Thrills, excitement, selfishness, greed
Challenge: Find and keep the treasure
Weakness: Disregard for right and wrong
Profound Truth: For Jake, “Finders keepers, losers weepers.”
Turning Point: Call to Adventure.
MM #2
Jake is hesitant. He does not know how to scuba dive, but more importantly, he does not know anything about Calisto, the new contact in Nassau. At first he declines, but after having trouble fencing the silver from his last job, he feels pressured into taking this new one.
New Ways: Taking in a partner to work with.
Emotional Gradient: Doubt, hesitation, anxiety
Challenge: Learn to scuba dive. Learn to trust Calisto.
Weakness: Paranoid
Turning Point: Locked in.
MM #3
Jake goes to Nassau. Meets Calisto. Researches the treasure. Hears a legend about evil sirens who rule the waters around the islands. Takes scuba diving lessons. Sees what he believes to be a mermaid. It startles him and he panics. Struggles to ascend. Scares him enough to almost give up. Calisto starts giving off bad vibes.
Emotional Gradient: Thrills, excitement, selfishness, greed, panic
Challenge: Figure out what is really go on around here.
Weakness: Insecurity
Turning Point: Standard ways fail.
MM #4
Befriends a local and starts hearing all the stories about lost treasures and islands haunted by sirens. Starts leaving Calisto out of his plans. Begins exploring various islands and cays. Meets Lana the mermaid. Becomes enamored. Spends more time being with Lana, rather than hunting for the treasure. Calisto and his sponsor back in the States start questioning his ability to find the treasure.
Vision: Who is this mermaid? I have to get to know her better.
Old Ways: Jake is a rugged, confident, and womanizing treasure hunter who is out for himself and doesn’t really care who might lose out. He is a loner and also a little immature; “finders keepers, losers weepers.”
Emotional Gradient: Lust. Excitement. Temptation.
Challenge: Learn more about Lana
Weakness: Lust
Profound Truth: Business can wait.
Turning Point: Plan backfires.
MM #5
Jake finds out another group of amateur treasure hunters have landed in the Bahamas. Jake accelerates his hunting activities. Jake finds an artifact. Then finds the treasure trove. Lana finds out what he is really doing in the Bahamas. She is furious. Explains it is her home. Explains the danger if the public finds out about the location of her treasure. Jake tries to buy time to conceal Lana and the treasure from Calisto.
New Ways: Confused. Still wants the treasure for himself but starts feeling conflicted because of his attraction to Lana.
Emotional Gradient: Confused. Conflicted. Love is starting to overpower lust.
Challenge: How to keep the girl AND keep the treasure.
Weakness: Greed and ego.
Turning Point: The decision to change.
MM #6
The other treasure hunters find some wreckage and figure they are close to finding the treasure trove. Jake devises a plan to throw them off the trail. He tells Lana he needs some treasure from her home. She tells him it is impossible, but he tries anyway, and is attacked by evil sirens.
Vision: If I get rid of the competition, I can make this all work out.
Emotional Gradient: Devious
Challenge: Throw the competition off the trail to the treasure.
Turning Point: The ultimate failure.
MM #7
Lana rescues Jake from the sirens. She brings some worthless items to the wreckage site and helps Jake bury it and cover their tracks. Jake cons Calisto into leading the other treasure hunters to the false treasure trove. They think they have beaten Jake. They salvage the treasure only to find out that it is worthless. The sponsor is fed up and cuts off any more funding to Jake or the other treasure hunters. The other treasure hunters go home empty handed. Jake knows he has to forget Lana, so he says goodbye and leaves the islands.
Vision: Jake’s treasure hunting is putting Lana at risk, so he must give up the treasure, and give up Lana.
Emotional Gradient: Loss. Despair, but hopeful.
Challenge: Make everyone forget about the treasure. And learn to love Lana from afar.
Weakness: Never felt this way before; but love is actually becoming his strength. Coming to terms with his new sense of compassion.
Profound Truth: Letting go is one way of saying, I love you.
Turning Point: Apparent victory.
MM #8
Six months later: Jake is working with a group of archeologists and a legitimate artifact recovery operation. He has a new mermaid tattoo.
Vision: Jake can enjoy working legitimately; and works to return lost artifacts to their rightful owners.
Old Ways: Jake is a rugged, confident, and womanizing treasure hunter who is out for himself and doesn’t really care who might lose out. He is a loner and also a little immature; “finders keepers, losers weepers.”
New Ways: He becomes compassionate and learns to return lost possessions to their rightful owners. Even after saying goodbye to his forever love, he learns to be sociable and enjoy the company of others.
Emotional Gradient: Compassionate and open
Profound Truth: Letting go is one way of saying, I love you.
Turning Point: New status quo.
Post-credits:
Back at the islands we see Calisto approaching Lana’s home and the real treasure trove. He is attacked by sirens and dragged into the darkness.
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JD’s Three Gradients
What I learned doing this assignment is that thinking about gradients in this way, is a good way to start outlining a new script. It made me think portions of the script I had not considered, yet.
The Desired Change emotional gradient:
Excitement:
Action: Jake gets a treasure map for a sunken treasure. Later, hears a legend about evil sirens who rule the water around the alleged treasure.
Challenge: Jake has to trust a new partner, Calisto.
Weakness: Always works alone, but sets the rule aside because of his greed.
Doubt:
Action: Jake loves the water, but has only snorkeled in the past. He has never had to dive using tanks. He begins to get cold feet. He thinks he sees a mermaid while doing a practice dive.
Challenge: Learn to scuba dive.
Weaknesses: Does not trust his partner. Does not trust his diving gear. Fear of drowning. Thinks his fear is clouding his thoughts and giving him hallucinations.
Hope:
Action: Jake gets better at scuba diving. Finds an artifact that proves he is close to finding the treasure. Meets Lana, the mermaid. Falls in love.
Challenges: How to recover the treasure and keep it all for himself.
Weaknesses: Selfishness and mistrust are making Jake paranoid.
Discouragement:
Action: Lana discovers what Jake is actually doing. Explains it is her home. Explains the danger if the public finds out about her or the treasure. Jake tries to buy time to conceal Lana and the treasure from Calisto.
Challenges: Hide treasure and Lana from Calisto and others. Still thinking he can finesse the treasure away from Lana.
Weaknesses: Jake never loved someone like this before — especially above treasure. His desires are at direct odds.
Courage:
Action: Jake comes up with a new plan to keep Calisto from finding the treasure and Lana. This could be a life or death situation.
Challenges: Give up the treasure. Say goodbye to Lana.
Weaknesses: Jake’s love for Lana is putting him in unfamiliar territory which becomes risky for his life.
Triumph:
Action: Jake cons Calisto into leaving without the treasure.
Challenges: It needs to be a convincing con so that Calisto never comes back.
Weaknesses: Jake is coming to terms with his new sense of compassion.
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JD’s Lead Characters
I came up with the idea for my script, just after starting this class, so it was a very rough and barren story. After the first three lessons, the story has really begun to take shape. The Betraying Character wasn’t even on my radar, but now, I really like how it is adding depth. My lesson learned is, keep adding depth.
Transformational Logline:
A solitary treasure hunter falls in love with a mermaid, but must sacrifice his treasure and his love, to save the mermaid’s home.
Change Agent:
At first, I was thinking my Change Agent would be a local townsperson who knows about the mermaid but has kept her secret for a long time. But now, I think my Change Agent is Lana, the mermaid herself. Her kindness will inspire Jake to be more compassionate. And her heritage and perspective on history will help change how Jake values his treasure.
Transformable Character:
Our protagonist, Jake the treasure hunter, is the Transformable Character. With help from Lana, Jake will find compassion and love. He will also alter the way he values artifacts and treasure.
The Oppression:
Greed and selfishness. Jake feels it. Jake’s treasure hunting associates feel it. Jake’s dream of fortune motivates his actions. His ruthless drive keeps him one step ahead of his competition — but it’s destroying the rest of his life.
Betraying Character:
Meet the newest character to my script: Calisto, a man Jake had to partner with to get the treasure map… and/or, to bankroll this treasure hunting trip (I am still still developing the connection). Calisto does not have the benefit of learning from Lana the mermaid, so he is only driven by greed. He seems to be coming around as Jake tries to help him come around, but in the end, betrays Jake and his new plan. (Woo-hoo! Sounds so exciting!)
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JD’s Transformational Journey
I learned that I really like the puzzle metaphor. The idea of solving the “easier” edges first makes complete sense to me. I also like that we have permission for our answers to evolve later.
Logline for Transformational Journey:
A solitary treasure hunter falls in love with a mermaid, but must sacrifice his treasure — and his love — to save the mermaid’s home.
Old Ways:
Jake is a rugged, confident, and womanizing treasure hunter who is out for himself and doesn’t really care who might lose out. He is a loner and also a little immature; “finders keepers, losers weepers.”
New Ways:
Jake falls deeply in love with the one; but to continue to love her, he must let her go, in order to save her mermaid home. He becomes compassionate and learns to return lost possessions to their rightful owners. Even after saying goodbye to his forever love, he learns to be sociable and enjoy the company of others.
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JD Angle’s first three decisions
I learned that I do not need to conquer the world, or answer the meaning-of-life question, in order for my movie to be profound.
Profound truth: Letting go is one way of saying, I love you.
Audience change: Learn to be compassionate for others who might not look like you.
Entertainment vehicle: Metaphor – Treasure hunter falls in love with a mermaid.
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Does anyone have any tips on formatting for these posts on this forum?
Some of your posts look beautifully formatted; while mine looks fragmented with broken sentences, random margins and messed up characters. I originally tried to copy/paste from OneNote and that wouldn’t even paste in the Forum. So I copied that to Word, fixed all the formatting problems, copy/paste again. It pasted but it was messed up. I fixed all the formatting before I hit send. When I hit send, all of the formatting messed up even worse.
I welcome any and all advice. Thanks! JD
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Subject: JD Angle’s Analysis of Groundhog Day
From doing this assignment, I learned that profound moments do not necessarily line up with the beats of the story structure. I also learned that I needed to distinguish between quotes that moved the story forward versus quotes that are really profound. I think I am still trying to differentiate the two.
1) What is the CHANGE this movie is
about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?– Go from being
egotistical and rude, to altruistic and kind. And to stop waiting for
tomorrow, and start being happy in the moment.2) Lead characters:
– Rita is the
change agent. She is kind and happy.– Phil is the
transformable character. He is so self-centered, it will be fun to see
how he tries to change.– What is the Oppression? Phil,
himself. He keeps getting into his own way preventing himself from
change.3) How are we lured into the profound
journey? What causes us to connect with this story?– Phil’s
cynicism is funny and entertaining. And as the audience, just like Phil,
we are trying to figure out what he can do that will stop the cycle of
groundhog day.4) Looking at the character(s) who are
changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new
way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the
conclusion:– Old Way: Phil
is the man, and the world revolves around him. Everyone should be
thankful for Phil, because he will be doing bigger and better things
tomorrow. He hates Punxsutawney.– New way: Phil
is thankful to be alive, living and happy with his life now. He is kind,
generous, and genuinely happy to make others happy. He might even like to
live in Punxsutawney.5) What is the gradient of change? What
steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?– Phil can’t
wait to get this miserable day over with.– Something is
wrong with me.– I can do
whatever I want without consequences.– Get money and
romance women — this is great!– Romance Rita.
– If I check
the right boxes, I can fool her into being with me.– This is
hopeless.– I am
hopeless.– I want to end
it all.– That didn’t
work either, let me at least try to learn new and interesting things to
pass my time.– I am enjoying
myself.– I like
helping others.– I am happy.
– People like
me because I am happy and kind.– Everyone
loves Phil.– Even Rita is
falling in love with Phil.– Phil,
“No matter what happens tomorrow or for the rest of my life, I’m
happy now.”6) How is the “old way” challenged?
What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their
perspective…and make the change?– Phil’s old
way is challenged every single day that he has to re-live groundhog day.7) What are the most profound moments
of the movie?– Giving his first Groundhog Day
broadcast and having Rita say, “Can we do it again without the
sarcasm?”– Realizing that all of the trickery
and manipulation is not getting Phil the results he wants.– Willing to risk it all, just to get
out of groundhog day hell, by stealing Punxsutawney Phil and killing both
of them.– Giving the beggar money. Only to
have him die another day. Then trying everything he can to save his life.– Lying next to Rita — the one he
loves — feeling loved and happy.8) What are the most profound lines of
the movie?– Rita “Can we do it again
without the sarcasm?”– Cop “You can go back to
Punxsutawney or you can go ahead and freeze to death. It’s your choice.
So what’s it going to be?” Phil “I’m thinking.”– Drunk at the bowling alley “I
peg you as a glass is half empty kind of guy. Am I right?” Phil,
“What would you do if you were stuck in one place, and every day was
exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?”– Rita “Is this what love is for
you?” Phil “This is real love.” Rita “I could never
love someone like you, because you’ll never love anyone but
yourself.”– Larry to the coroner, “He was
a great guy. I really liked him a lot.”– Rita “I don’t know, Phil,
maybe it’s not a curse.”– Ned, “This is the best day of
my life!” Phil, “Mine too.”– Phil “From the first time I
saw you, something happened to me I never told you about. I knew I wanted
to hold you as hard as I could. I don’t deserve someone like you.”– Phil “I don’t deserve someone
like you. But if I ever could, I swear I would love you for the rest of
my life.”– Phil, “No matter what happens
tomorrow or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now.”9) How does the ending payoff the
setups of this movie?– Live Report:
goes from routine, to dismissive, to amazing in a way that warms the
hearts of the whole community.– Strangers in
peril that he used to ignore, to helping everyone around him– Fred &
Debbie: from exposing that she’s having second thoughts, to “fanning
the flames of passion” to getting them married.– Ned
insurance: No interest, to insulting, to buying every policy he sold.
“This is the best day of my life.”– Rita’s
interest in Phil: from no interest, to “I could never love someone
like you”, to paying for an evening with Phil, to falling in love– Larry’s
relationship: from taken for granted and dismissive, to curiosity about
his life and asking for his approval.– Punxsutawney:
from not wanting to stay an extra second in Punxsutawney, to “Let’s
live here!”10) What is the Profound Truth of this
movie?– Be kind.
Happiness is a choice. -
Hi! I am JD Angle from Antioch, California.
I have written one script that sits on my shelf. I am currently trying to help a friend write a script for a story that is very dear to him. I have several concepts, outlines and bare ideas that I would love to flesh out and actually finish into completed scripts.
I have always been drawn to movies with deeper meaning, complex characters and compelling stories. I look forward to learning the skills to make my scripts more powerful and compelling. And to actually get more scripts finished with some accountability.
Currently, I am the full-time caregiver for my disabled mother. And for self-care, I love taking scenic drives along winding backroads, especially along a river or the Pacific Coast.
I am happy to be here! 😄
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I, JD Angle, agree to the terms of this release form.
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.
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This is a bit of a tangent from the lessons here, but your script seems like it would fit the “Save the Cat – Institutionalized” genre really well. It first crossed my mind reading your logline, and then again reading your Oppression.
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Piling on with Claudia’s point, maybe you can add some more or different adjectives to her “young teen” description which will add more depth. Such as young country girl, or small town teen, etc.
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Hi Marilynne! Mom can do the shorter rides along the river, so every now and then we get to ride together.
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Wow! Identifying Rita against the green screen as a free-spirited angel in the clouds, was a brilliant observation. I do not know if it was intended by the writers, but if it wasn’t, it should’ve been.