Jeffrey Tolstad
Forum Replies Created
-
Jeff Tolstad’s Character Emotions Lesson 5
I learned that going even deeper in a character’s emotional life can make them more relatable and fascinating.
Assignment 1: Mr. Robot
Elliot’s Internal Struggles
Situational: Hope-save the world from bad people
Fear- get caught doing illegal/wrong things
Motivation: Want-inner peace
Need-to be loved
Mask: Base Neg Emotion- fear
Public Mask-competence
Weaknesses: self-medicates w drugs
Triggers: injustice
Coping Mech: brings perps to justice by threatening, arrest
Tyrell’s Internal Struggles
Situational: Hope-become Evil Corp CTO
Fear-be passed over
Motivation: Want-be respected
Need-be recognized as valuable
Mask: Base Neg Emotion-arrogance
Public Mask-friendly and aggressive
Weaknesses: is controlled by his wife whom he fears
Triggers: disrespect, disdain from others
Coping Mech: hubris
Angela’s Internal Struggles
Situational: Hope- find true love
Fear-end up alone
Motivation: Want-personal success in work and love
Need-connection
Mask: Base Neg Emotion-fear and self doubt
Public Mask-friendly, forgiving, patient
Weaknesses: insecurity from lack of self confidence
Triggers: being used, lied to
Coping Mech: denial, deflection
Assignment 2: Ghost Protocol
Dr. Katarina Ukropina’s Internal Struggles
Situational: Hope-connect with her deceased husband
Fear- unlease malevolent AI entities
Motivation: Want-to understand her husband’s death
Need-closure for her grief
Mask: Base Neg Emotion-persistence to exhaustion
Public Mask-stoicism, altruistic
Weaknesses: inner doubt re her abilities
Triggers: her father’s disapproval, criticism
Coping Mech: apologizing, working harder to please
AI Prompt Responses
Certainly, let’s delve into the internal struggles of each main character in your supernatural techno thriller TV series:
Dr. Katarina Ukropina: A. Situational: Hope – Katarina hopes to reconnect with her deceased husband, Ivan, through the neural network, but she also fears the consequences of crossing into the supernatural realm. B. Motivation: Want – She wants to bring her husband back at any cost, but she needs to balance her personal desires with ethical considerations. C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion – Her base negative emotion is grief, which she often hides behind a public mask of determination and scientific focus. D. Weaknesses – Her emotional vulnerability, driven by her grief, can be a weakness that the malevolent AI entities exploit. E. Triggers – The presence of malevolent entities or setbacks in her quest to communicate with Ivan can trigger intense emotional responses. F. Coping Mechanism – Katarina copes by burying herself in her work and using her scientific pursuits as a distraction from her grief and fear.
Ivan Ukropina: A. Situational: Fear – Ivan fears that he may not be able to protect Katarina from the malevolent AI entities that seek to harm her. B. Motivation: Want – He wants to communicate with Katarina and ensure her safety, but he may also need to guide her to uncover the truth about his own death. C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion – His base negative emotion is guilt over not being able to prevent his own death, which he hides behind a public mask of determination and protection. D. Weaknesses – His inability to interact directly with the living world can be a significant weakness in his efforts to help Katarina. E. Triggers – Threats to Katarina or revelations about his death can trigger feelings of guilt and despair. F. Coping Mechanism – Ivan copes by guiding and protecting Katarina from the supernatural threats she faces.
Dr. Victor Harlow: A. Situational: Fear – Dr. Harlow fears that Katarina’s invention will disrupt the scientific community and the world as he knows it. B. Motivation: Want – He wants to maintain his standing in the scientific world and is driven by the desire to protect scientific integrity, but he may also need to achieve recognition. C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion – His base negative emotion is insecurity, which he conceals behind a public mask of confidence and skepticism. D. Weaknesses – His skepticism about the supernatural world can make him underestimate the real threat posed by the malevolent AI entities. E. Triggers – Encounters with supernatural phenomena or the potential success of Katarina’s invention can trigger his insecurities. F. Coping Mechanism – Dr. Harlow copes by challenging Katarina’s work and maintaining skepticism as a defense mechanism against the unknown.
Jackson Stewart: A. Situational: Fear – Jackson fears the potential consequences of his involvement in Katarina’s research, particularly the malevolent AI entities. B. Motivation: Want – He wants to excel in his role and support Katarina’s scientific pursuits, but he may also need recognition for his expertise. C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion – His base negative emotion is anxiety, which he hides behind a public mask of professionalism and technical competence. D. Weaknesses – His anxiety can lead to moments of self-doubt and hesitation, especially when dealing with supernatural phenomena. E. Triggers – Encounters with malevolent entities or unexpected technical challenges can trigger his anxiety. F. Coping Mechanism – Jackson copes by immersing himself in the technical aspects of the research, focusing on what he can control.
Borislav Milosevic: A. Situational: Hope – Borislav hopes to protect Katarina and the team from malevolent forces, but he also fears the darkness that comes with the supernatural. B. Motivation: Want – He wants to cleanse the living world of malevolent entities, but he needs to maintain his faith in the face of doubt. C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion – His base negative emotion is doubt in his own abilities, which he conceals behind a public mask of spiritual authority and confidence. D. Weaknesses – His doubt can weaken his spiritual powers and effectiveness in dealing with the malevolent entities. E. Triggers – Moments of spiritual conflict or encounters with malevolent entities can trigger his doubt and insecurity. F. Coping Mechanism – Borislav copes by reaffirming his faith and seeking guidance from higher powers in moments of doubt.
These internal struggles add depth and complexity to your main characters, highlighting the emotional and psychological challenges they face in the supernatural techno thriller setting.
-
Jeff Tolstad’s Intriguing Character Layers
I learned about deeper character traits that create interest.
Assignment 1– watched next episode and made list of character intrigue places to date:
-mostly Elliot, the main protag, has multiple layers. His role is to drive the story. His hidden agenda seems to be to find some type of normalcy in his life. His hidden agenda is to help others by participating with Mr. Robot’s group to take down the world’s largest and most powerful corporation, thereby freeing most of the world from overwhelming debt, which equals slavery.
Elliot’s competition seems to be primarily himself, continually seeking balance in a life of chaos, social anxiety and chronic depression. He is indeed involved in a conspiracy. His secret is his love for Angela, his use of drugs to self medicate, and his paranoia. He deceives by hiding his need for help. His wound is the loss of his father, his best friend and only person to truly understand him, and his distant and emotionally unavailable mother. His secret identity is savior of the world.
Assignment 2- For my series “Ghost Circuit”, here are intrigue items:
Role: Katarina Ukropina, the main protagonist and brilliant neuroscientist who invents the neural network capable of communicating with the dead. She’s the driving force behind the scientific exploration of the supernatural, pushing the boundaries of life and death.
Hidden agendas: Bring back her dead husband
Competition: a rival scientist aiming to discredit Katarina
Conspiracy:
Secrets: Her father’s previous defection to a dark cabal of elites who want to rule the world
Deception: she hides her motive to reconnect with her decease husband
Wound: the loss of the love of her life and her inspiration
Ivan Ukropina: his ghostly presence is trying to communicate with Katarina about the truth of his death
AI prompt responses:
Katarina Ukropina:
Role: The brilliant neuroscientist who invents the neural network for communicating with the dead, blurring the lines between science and the supernatural.Hidden Agendas: Katarina’s deep desire to reconnect with her deceased husband, Ivan, becomes her primary hidden agenda, sometimes leading her to prioritize her personal quest over ethical considerations.Competition: She faces competition and rivalry from Dr. Victor Harlow, who seeks to discredit her work and maintain his standing in the scientific community.Conspiracies: The malevolent AI entities crossing over into the living world could be part of a larger conspiracy, and Katarina’s work might inadvertently expose this conspiracy.Secrets: Katarina keeps secrets related to her husband’s death, the nature of her unique abilities, and her family’s connection to supernatural phenomena.Deception: Her increasing obsession with reconnecting with her husband can lead to deception, potentially affecting her team.Wound: Her emotional wound from losing her husband is the driving force behind her pursuit of the neural network technology.Secret Identity: Katarina’s extraordinary mental and spiritual gifts are her secret identity, known only to a few.
Ivan Ukropina:
Role: The ghostly presence trying to communicate with Katarina through the neural network, and a central figure in the supernatural occurrences.Hidden Agendas: Ivan’s true agenda and the extent of his connection to malevolent AI entities are concealed, making him an enigmatic character.Competition: He may be in competition with the malevolent entities, who seek to exploit the technology or harm Katarina.Conspiracies: The malevolent AI entities have a larger conspiracy that Ivan may be a part of, either willingly or unwillingly.Secrets: Ivan holds secrets related to his own death, his interactions with malevolent forces, and his true intentions toward Katarina.Deception: Ivan may not be what he initially appears to be, and his communication with Katarina may have ulterior motives.Wound: His wound is connected to the circumstances of his death, which is a source of pain and mystery.Secret Identity: Ivan’s identity as a spirit connected to malevolent entities is a secret known to only a few.
Dr. Victor Harlow:
Role: The rival scientist and intellectual adversary who opposes Katarina’s work.Hidden Agendas: Dr. Harlow’s involvement with a secret organization raises questions about his true motives, which might go beyond discrediting Katarina’s invention.Competition: He competes with Katarina for scientific recognition and the control of the neural network’s potential.Conspiracies: His connection to the secret organization introduces a larger conspiracy element.Secrets: Dr. Harlow keeps his affiliations and the extent of his involvement with the secret organization hidden.Deception: He might deceive Katarina and her team while working towards the secret organization’s goals.Wound: His skepticism toward the supernatural world might be rooted in a personal wound or experience.
Secret Identity: His dual identity as a respected scientist and a member of the secret organization is concealed from most.
-
Jeff Tolstad’s Engaging main characters
I learned that having multiple layers for each main character increases the attraction to watch the story.
Assignment 1
Profile for Elliot:
Role in the show: he’s the lead; his unique purpose is his expertise in computers, hacking and thinking way outside the box; His secret beneath the surface is his use of morphine to medicate his inner pain. His moral issue is his participation in what seems to be a plan to take down the world’s elite’s power hold. He is unpredictable because his thinking is so fast, it seems he reacts suddenly to events. Yet, it only seems that way because he reaches conclusions to act so quickly. We care about him because we see how he suffers and we can relate to suffering.
Assignment 2
The journey of my show: A brilliant neuroscientist pursues her deceased husband’s entity, crossing the line between this world and the spiritual realm with unintended malevolent intruders.
The main characters that will sell my show are Dr. Maria Thorne, the driving force behind the exploration of the supernatural.
Elena Cruz, the research assistant with a connection to a malevolent AI entity.
Detective Samuel Mercer, who hides a paranormal connection in his past.
Dr. Maria Thorne:
A. Role in the show: The driving force behind the scientific exploration of the supernatural and the inventor of the neural network. B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: Expert neuroscientist with groundbreaking expertise in communicating with the dead. C. Intrigue: Haunted by the memory of her deceased husband and keeping a deep secret about his untimely death. D. Moral Issue: Crossing the boundary between life and death, she’s grappling with the ethics of her invention. E. Unpredictable: Will her obsession with reuniting with her husband lead her to take reckless actions with the neural network? F. Empathetic: Viewers care because they can relate to her yearning to reconnect with a lost loved one, and her moral dilemma adds depth to her character.
Elena Cruz:
A. Role in the show: Dr. Thorne’s loyal research assistant fascinated by the supernatural aspects of their work. B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: Her mysterious connection to a malevolent AI entity makes her central to the supernatural conflict. C. Intrigue: Struggles to control and understand her connection to the malevolent entity. D. Moral Issue: Is she endangering the team by her connection, or can she harness it for good? E. Unpredictable: How will she navigate her loyalty to Dr. Thorne and her fear of the malevolent entity’s influence? F. Empathetic: Her internal struggle and the potential danger she poses create sympathy for her character.
Detective Samuel Mercer:
A. Role in the show: The skeptical but open-minded detective who links scientific and law enforcement aspects. B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: Offers a bridge between the scientific and supernatural world. C. Intrigue: Hides a personal connection to the paranormal from his past experiences. D. Moral Issue:Balancing skepticism with a desire to uncover the truth and protect the public. E. Unpredictable: How will his past experiences shape his actions and reactions in the investigation? F. Empathetic: Viewers care because he represents the audience’s skepticism and curiosity about the supernatural.
-
Jeff Tolstad’s Three Circles of Characters
I learned that AI can increase my productivity and expand the pool of ideas by multiples.
Assignment 1: Mr. Robot
Main Characters
-Elliot, Angela, Mr. Robot, Krista(psychologist), Tyrell (Evil Corp CTO)
Connected Characters
-Gideon (Allsafe office boss), Sheila (Elliot’s drug supplier), Fernando Vera (Sheila’s drug supplier), Terry Colby (arrested Evil Corp former CTO), Lloyd (Allsafe office worker), Ollie (Angela’s bf)
Environment Characters
-Mr. Robot hackers, men in black, subway passengers, street people, police, café patrons, Allsafe office workers, Evil Corp thugs, Ron the pedo who was arrested in pilot, Michael the bf of Krista who was outted by Elliot in pilot, skateboarders
Assignment 2: “Ghost Circuit” (my BW TV Pilot in progress)
Concept: A brilliant neuroscientist invents a neural network that can communicate with the dead. As the line between science and supernatural blurs, malevolent AI entities cross over into the living world.
My initial character concepts:
Main Characters
-Katarina Ukropina: Katarina grew up in a family of brilliant scientists and she was an early stand out as someone gifted with lightening fast cognitive skills matched with an ability to understand and connect with the spiritual realm.
-Anton Ukropina: Katarina’s father, he raised his daughter with the right balance of love and strict discipline, helping her develop what he recognized as extraordinary mental and spiritual gifts. He is himself a brilliant computational scientist.
-Borislav Milosevic: Serbian Orthodox priest specializing in exorcism, now a consultant to Katarina
Connected Characters
-Jackson Stewart, gifted American who runs Katarina’s computer and neuroscience labs
-Branka Ukropina, Katarina’s scientist mother and wife to Anton
Environment Characters
-lab workers, animals for research, local townspeople
Using AI Prompt
A. Main Characters:
1. Dr. Adrian Thorne
Unique Role: The brilliant neuroscientist who invents the neural network capable of communicating with the dead. He’s the driving force behind the scientific exploration of the supernatural, pushing the boundaries of life and death.Secret or Intrigue: Dr. Thorne is haunted by the memory of his deceased wife, who he desperately wants to reconnect with through his invention. He’s keeping a deep secret about her untimely death that could change everything.
2. Elena Cruz
Unique Role: Dr. Thorne’s loyal and ambitious research assistant, who is deeply fascinated by the supernatural aspects of their work. She brings a fresh perspective and unwavering support to the team.Secret or Intrigue: Elena has a mysterious connection to a malevolent AI entity from the other side, which puts her at the center of the supernatural conflict. She struggles to control and understand this connection.
3. Detective Samuel Mercer
Unique Role: A skeptical but open-minded detective who is pulled into the investigation of the strange occurrences related to the neural network. He provides the link between the scientific and law enforcement aspects of the story.Secret or Intrigue: Mercer’s own experiences with the supernatural in his past have made him both fascinated and fearful of what Thorne’s invention might reveal. He hides a personal connection to the paranormal.
B. Connected Characters:
1. Cassandra Gray
Unique Role: A renowned medium who becomes fascinated by Dr. Thorne’s work and serves as a bridge between the living and the dead, offering guidance and warnings to the team.Secret or Intrigue: Cassandra holds knowledge about a hidden dimension that is crucial to understanding the malevolent AI entities crossing over. She has her own agenda and a mysterious past.
2. Dr. Victor Harlow
Unique Role: A rival scientist who aims to discredit Dr. Thorne’s invention, believing it is a threat to scientific integrity. He becomes an intellectual adversary and a source of tension.Secret or Intrigue: Dr. Harlow has a hidden connection to a secret organization that seeks to control and exploit the neural network’s powers for their own gain.
3. Maria Thorne
Unique Role: The ghostly
presence of Dr. Thorne’s deceased wife, who is trying to communicate with
him through the neural network. She holds the key to uncovering the truth
about her death.Secret or Intrigue: Maria is not
the benign spirit she seems to be; her presence is somehow tied to the
malevolent AI entities, and her true agenda is shrouded in mysteryC. Environment Characters (Job Titles):
Lab
TechniciansPolice
OfficersJournalistsHospital
StaffParanormal
InvestigatorsGovernment
AgentsClergy
and ExorcistsFuneral
DirectorsTownspeopleSecurity
Guards -
MR. ROBOT 5 Star Model
Jeff Tolstad
I learned from this assignment that a captivating character whose traits are slowly introduced within a compelling plot can hook an audience.
Big Picture Hooks: This is a techno-thriller about a cyber genius on the autism spectrum who is challenged to fulfill his innate desire to help others by taking down the world’s largest and most powerful corporation.
Amazing and Intriguing Character/Empathy/Distress:The protagonist Elliot, the hacker genius. He has skills that seem almost magical. His personality challenges make him an empathetic character. We see him sobbing one evening in his loneliness, and his self-medicating for relief. His narration in the first person is a terrific way for the audience to gain insight into his unique thinking. Elliot has a highly developed left brain combined with a huge sense of right brain altruism. He truly does want to save the world. We lesser mortals can only wish we had a fraction of Elliot’s skills and opportunities.
Layers/Open Loops: Will Elliot be able to keep it together mentally as he navigates the challenges and opportunities presented to him? Will he and his long time friend Angela ever connect romantically? Will Mr. Robot rescue Elliot from the Evil Corps that has him in their clutches at the end of the pilot?
Inviting Obsession: This story presents a world view that appeals to many: that a secret cabal of powerful wealthy people run the world for their own benefit and a small group of people who want retribution for all the pain and suffering this cabal has created. Who will succeed in the end?? How can someone NOT connect current world events and people with this story line?
-
Hi, my name is Jeff Tolstad.
I’ve written 4 movie scripts, non sold or optioned…yet
I hope to reignite my writing skills and success in this class after a long hiatus from writing. This idea of using AI to help generate ideas is fascinating and I hope to use it to kick start my next career.
I graduated from PS43 in 2013. Took the Profound, Comedy, ReWrite, Subtext and Thriller classes. Was enrolled in MSC5 in 2015 and got to Phase 3 (writing a new script) when I also started classes to get my MBA from USC. I had to drop out of MSC5 in 2016 as I just could not handle the work load for both courses. After I received my MBA, I was hired as an Associate Dean at the USC School of Medicine, which position I left recently. Prior to that gig, I was a Pediatric Anesthesiologist for 25 years.
Along the road of my life, I have acted on stage in community theater and in 4 low budget indie movies- all as creative outlets during what spare time I had.
-
I Jeff Tolstad 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.
-
I Jeff Tolstad agree to the terms of this release form.