Justina Mitchell
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Justina Mitchell’s Subtext and Loglines
What I learned doing this assignment is that I don’t think I understand subtext very well, but it is getting a little clearer. Also, including some of the traits into the character’s logline does seem to give the character a little more depth.
CHARACTER NAME:
Richard G. Fulton alias Edward Gray
BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Self-confident, Adventurous, Shrewd/Secretive, Self-absorbed
SUBTEXT:
Shrewd/Secretive
CHARACTER LOGLINE:
Richard is a self-absorbed billionaire who shrewdly investigates his distant cousins to see if any of them would make a good heir, but he finds unforeseen relationships can complicate the best laid plans.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF SUBTEXT:
Lies to everyone about his identity to gain their trust.
Judges others actions while trying to help them.
His lies increase to keep from being discovered.
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SECOND CHARACTER NAME:
Margaret “Maggie” Hill
BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Nurturing, Wise, Positive, Manipulative
SUBTEXT:
Manipulative
CHARACTER LOGLINE:
Maggie is a nurturer who everyone depends upon for being helpful and level-headed, but when Richard moves into her Bed and Breakfast she is surprised when he also moves into her heart.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF SUBTEXT:
She does reverse psychology on her father.
She distracts people away from areas she doesn’t want them to go.
She skillfully gets people to want to do what she wants them to do.
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THIRD CHARACTER NAME:
Cynthia Ann Moody
BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Flirtatious, Naive, Submissive, Longing
SUBTEXT:
Longing
CHARACTER LOGLINE:
Cynthia Hill is a naive and submissive 18 year-old woman who is dominated by her mother and must learn to stand up to her mother if she is ever going to be able to enjoy the things she longs for.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF SUBTEXT:
She flirts with every man keeping them all confused as to her real intentions.
She is sweet to her mother’s face but makes disparaging remarks behind her back.
She goes into fine boutiques and tries on clothes she isn’t allowed to buy.
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Justina Mitchell’s Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that the protagonist and antagonist are deeper characters than the others in the story. I also learned that by asking the right questions I can bring more depth to my characters.
FIRST CHARACTER NAME:
Richard G. Fulton alias Edward Gray
1. BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Self-confident
Adventurous
Shrewd
Self-absorbed
2. WANT/NEED:
Wants to find an heir to leave his money to so that he’ll have done good for someone.
Needs to be loved for himself not his money.
3. PARADOXES (WARRING ELEMENTS):
Self-absorbed but Cares About How Others Will Remember Him
4. SECRET:
The false persona that he has willingly taken on so as to spy on his cousins.
5. FLAW:
He doesn’t see the need for personal relationships unless they serve a business purpose.
6. SPECIAL:
He is one of the wealthiest men in the United States.
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SECOND CHARACTER NAME:
Margaret “Maggie” Hill
1. BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Nurturing
Wise
Positive
Hard-Working but also Fun-Loving
2. WANT/NEED:
She wants to help everyone else with their troubles.
She needs to have someone take care of her as much as she takes care of everyone else.
3. PARADOXES (WARRING ELEMENTS):
– Self-sacrificing for others but Wants her own success.
4. SECRET:
– She has inherited money that she doesn’t want Edward to know about because he may be intimidated by a wealthy woman because he is so poor.
5. FLAW:
– She secretly resents that she has always had to give up her dreams to help her family.
6. SPECIAL:
– She is extremely adept at manipulating people to do what she wants them to do, but she only uses it for good.
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THIRD CHARACTER NAME:
Cynthia Moody
1. BASIC CHARACTER TRAITS:
Flirtatious
Naive
Obedient
2. WANT/NEED:
She wants to have things when she wants to have them.
She needs to get out from under her mother’s dominance.
3. PARADOXES (WARRING ELEMENTS):
She longs for freedom but She is obedient and submissive
4. SECRET:
She is secretly in love with someone her mother doesn’t approve of.
5. FLAW:
She is self-absorbed.
6. SPECIAL:
She has remarkable musical talent.
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Justina Mitchell’s Outline Version 1
REQUEST FOR EXCHANGE: I know I am about 20 days late in posting this, but if anyone would like to exchange critiques, please reply to this post.
A. CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
B. PLOT CHOICE:
Metamorphosis:
Richard has “all the money in the world” but no love in his life, nor does he see a need for it, but he does need an heir. He goes and lives among his distant cousins incognito where he sees a side of love he never saw before, and finds he is much wealthier when he embraces it.
C. CHARACTER STRUCTURE: Rom-Com
D. LEAD CHARACTERS:
Protagonist: Richard G. Fulton/Edward Gray – an ultra-wealthy, self-contained man who is in search of who to will his money to, so he spies on his cousins to see if any of them are up to the task of handling immense wealth.
Antagonist: Maggie Hill – a close relation to the cousins Richard is observing who is the self-sacrificing, self-effacing, positive and wise bearer of everyone’s burdens who will inspire Richard with her love for everyone.
E. DRAMATIC QUESTION:
Once getting to know his distant cousins, will Richard be able to choose which to give his money to, and will he then be able to walk away?
F. MAIN CONFLICT:
Richard thinks he can move in and out of his relatives lives without becoming attached to them emotionally.
G. DILEMMA:
When Richard realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her and the rest of the family for their entire relationship.
H. THEME:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
I. CHARACTER ARC:
Part to be changed: Richard doesn’t have any intimately close relationships.
Biggest fear: Richard fears his bequeathed money will ruin the people that he meant to help with it.
Completion of arc: Richard falls in love with a generous, giving woman who will help his money help others.
J. 9 BEAT SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE:
OPENING:
We see Richard in his opulent yet rather isolated life in 1978.
INCITING INCIDENT:
Richard nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
BY PAGE 10, YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT:
Richard has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live incognito among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
FIRST TURNING POINT AT THE END OF ACT 1:
Richard arrives in Lake Saranac in disguise, stays at Maggie’s Bed and Breakfast, and gets acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
MID-POINT:
The $1.5M that Richard arranged to have delivered to each of his cousins arrives via his lawyer.
SECOND TURNING POINT AT THE END OF ACT 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
CRISIS:
As Richard and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Richard realizes he is in love with her.
CLIMAX:
Richard has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling that she can’t trust him.
RESOLUTION:
Maggie forgives Richard, they get engaged, and they devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
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ESSENCE OUTLINE VERSION 1:
INT – RICHARD’S SAN FRANCISCO OFFICES – NIGHT
Richard Fulton leaves his office. We see that he is respected by his staff, but not overly friendly with them.
EXT – SAN FRANCISCO CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Richard encounters an acquaintance that inherited money. The man is given to excess in lifestyle and is being taken advantage of by a gold digger.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT
Richard returns home to a solo dinner prepared by his chef/housekeeper who mentions his heartburn then leaves for the night.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Richard climbs the grand staircase, turns to get his antacid medicine, and falls down the entire flight knocking himself out.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT
Richard comes to, picks himself and his papers up. He nearly falls down again upon seeing his bloodied reflection.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – DAY
A doctor is examining and treating Richard’s injuries, while Richard talks to Nedra, his friend and lawyer. He tells her his concerns about who should inherit his money.
EXT – RICHARD’S PRIVATE AIRPLANE – DAY
Richard is flying his only passenger, Nedra, to lunch in San Simeon. Richard lays out his plan to her on how he is going to go observe his distant cousins to find out which would handle inheriting his wealth best.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY – DAY
We hear Richard’s plan in voice over as we see him embark on his solo trip around the world.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT AT A TROPICAL ISLAND – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard’s boat is hurriedly met by a Polynesian family that hide his boat in a covered cove/boathouse. Richard disembark’s with a full beard.
EXT – POLYNESIAN FAMILY’S BOAT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard is traveling toward another island with a small airport.
INT – SMALL ISLAND AIRPORT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard is being addressed by his false identity, Edward Gray, and is leaving by plane.
EXT – ALBANY, NEW YORK, AIRPORT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard/Edward exits and hails a cab. He is dropped off at a car dealership where he buys a VW Diesel Rabbit with cash.
EXT – ROADS OF ALBANY & UPSTATE NEW YORK – DAY
Voice over continues as Edward drives to Saranac Lake, New York.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward arrives in town, is put off by the hotels, sees Maggie’s Bed and Breakfast, and meets Father Hill on the front porch.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward meets Maggie and finagles staying long-term at her bed and breakfast despite it not being open yet. He states his purpose is to get a good history of the area in order to write a book before the 1980 Winter Olympics.
EXT – JAMES MOODY’S HOME – DAY
Edward meets his Moody cousins, (Frank, James, and Carol), and their families during a fancy family dinner. He also finds out that they have an older step-sister, Maggie.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S GROCERY STORE – NIGHT
Edward is introduced to Frank’s lovely daughter, Cynthia, 18. Edward gets a firm insight into how Donna’s, (Frank’s wife), extreme frugality is a hardship for her family, especially for Cynthia.
INT – CAROL MOODY’S HOME – DAY
Edward visits Carol, his spinster cousin, who is a wealth of family photos and information. She shows him a picture of their ultra-wealthy, distant cousin Richard Fulton. She also tells him that lots of the town history is at Maggie’s since Father Hill was the town historian when the town hall started renovations.
INT – MARTIN’S PHARMACY – NIGHT
Edward buys antacids and a five pound box of chocolates. He finds James moonlighting there to make ends meet because James’ wife, Patty, wants to live beyond their income.
EXT – LAKE SARANAC HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Edward runs into Cynthia coming out of rehearsal and gives her the box of chocolates which she delighted about.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward asks Maggie about the town records and she shows him a room full of them. She then gives him a work table in the living room to work at.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward while at his work table witnesses a montage of people coming to Maggie for help while offering her little in return. Edward helps Maggie with some of the renovations.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Maggie suggests Edward visit some of the local sights, and he enlists her as his guide with Father Hill’s blessing.
EXT – FOREST – DAY
Maggie and Edward hike to the rustic family cabin on a lake where they have lunch.
INT – GRAND OLD HOTEL – RAINY DAY – CONTINUOUS
Maggie tells Edward about the history of the area. He talks to her about the family taking advantage of her which she discounts.
EXT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – RAINY DAY – CONTINUOUS
Maggie and Edward see Cythina walking home from school in the rain and give her a ride. She tells them that her mother insisted on rationing the chocolates out to her.
EXT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – RAINY DAY – CONTINUOUS
Carol is arriving at Frank’s house with great excitement and tells Maggie, Edward, and Cynthia to follow her inside.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – RAINY DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward, Maggie, and Cynthia enter to find all the cousins gathered because they just found out that they have each been bequeathed $1.5M from their distant, missing, cousin Richard Fulton.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward and Maggie discuss the money and her not being included as they work in the garden.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Donna, a beggar, and Patty come by showing different takes on the money.
INT – JAMES AND PATTY’S NEW MANSION – NIGHT
An elaborate house party shows how the money is affecting the whole family. Maggie thinks Edward is flirting with Cynthia.
EXT – JAMES AND PATTY’S NEW MANSION – NIGHT
Edward and Maggie leave the party and discuss some of it. She tells him about her worries over Cynthia dating the rich young men in town.
EXT – HIKING TRAIL – DAY
Edward runs into Stevie, (James’ youngest), who is running away from home because he doesn’t want to go to boarding school. Edward convinces him to return home. Stevie mentions how much Aunt Maggie abhors lying.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
James comes in with urgency and asks Edward to drive him somewhere.
INT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – NIGHT
Edward takes James to Albany to get money to his oldest son, David, before he is discovered as a thief of his college fraternity’s funds which he stole to pay gambling debts.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward returns to find Maggie worried about him and pretending not to be. Father Hill dies.
EXT – CEMETARY – DAY
Edward along with the rest of family comforts Maggie at the funeral.
EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
The beggar tells Edward how Maggie got him a job. Edward discovers Cynthia with a good young man, Christopher, that Donna doesn’t approve of because he isn’t rich. Donna sees them all and Edward lies to protect Cynthia.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – NIGHT
Edward and Christopher visit and find the rich, young suitors there for Cynthia. Edward finagles to put Christopher and Cynthia together while Edward keeps Donna from intervening.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Maggie gets a startling letter from a law firm, but won’t tell Edward what it is about. Carol arrives to talk about the letters she has been getting from beggars, and Edward volunteers to be her secretary to stop the problem.
EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie catches Edward monopolizing Cynthia’s attention away from the rich young men who are vying for her attention. Maggie gets jealous.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Donna comes to tell Maggie about losing 40% of their money, and that the rich young men have been called off dating Cynthia by their parents in response to that loss.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
A lawyer comes to meet with Maggie, but she won’t tell Edward why. Edward finds out that Maggie thought he was interested in Cynthia romantically. He realizes that he is interested in Maggie romantically.
INT – MUSEUM – DAY
Carol tells Edward of a young woman who needs a place to recuperate. He suggests that she could provide such a place.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
After finding out that James’ family is moving out of town to get a new start for David, Maggie and Edward talk about how the different people responded to the bequeathed money.
EXT – THE SARANAC LAKE WINTER CARNIVAL – NIGHT
Edward finds out that Maggie has researched Richard Fulton and she thinks he is selfish. Edward sort-of states that he is Richard, and then proposes to Maggie. She doesn’t catch that he is Richard, but she accepts the proposal enthusiastically.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Edward makes clear to Maggie that he is Richard and she becomes infuriated and kicks him out.
INT – CAROLS NEW HOME – DAY
Carol tells Maggie about her respite care plan for women who need but can’t afford a vacation. She gives Edward the credit for the idea.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Maggie arrives home just as a blizzard hits. Patty calls because they can’t find Stevie. Maggie calls Edward at the hotel to see if he knows where Stevie is.
EXT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – NIGHT
Edward drives Maggie around looking for Stevie. He explains to her why he lied to everyone about his true identity.
INT – MOODY’S RUSTIC FAMILY CABIN – NIGHT
Edward and Maggie arrive at the cabin and find Stevie there. Stevie offers words of wisdom to Maggie about Edward.
INT – MOODY’S RUSTIC CABIN – LATER
Maggie forgives Edward and confesses to him about the money she has inherited. They snuggle and discuss how to tell the family about his true identity.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
At a small going away party with the family, lose ends are tied up. Maggie and Edward say goodbye forever.
EXT – REMOTE TROPICAL ISLAND – DAY
Edward/Richard arrives to reclaim his boat. Richard sails away after paying the family for keeping his secret.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT – DAY
Clean shaven Richard is sailing under the Golden Gate. He docks, disembarks, and is met by Nedra and her house guest, Maggie Hill.
POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
Newspaper and magazine headlines talk of Richard and Maggie dating, getting engaged, and their upcoming wedding in her hometown of Lake Saranac, New York.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #10: Essence Only
What I learned doing this assignment is that it isn’t necessarily easy to melt away the excess from each scene to get to its essence, but I can see where it will make it much easier to work with it by so doing.
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
DRAMATIC QUESTION:
Once getting to know his distant cousins, will Richard be able to choose which to give his money to, and will he then be able to walk away?
MAIN CONFLICT:
Richard thinks he can move in and out of his relatives lives without becoming attached to them emotionally.
DILEMMA:
When Richard realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her and the rest of the family for their entire relationship.
THEME:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
ESSENCE ONLY OUTLINE:
INT – RICHARD’S SAN FRANCISCO OFFICES – NIGHT
Richard Fulton leaves his office. We see that he is respected by his staff, but not overly friendly with them.
EXT – SAN FRANCISCO CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Richard encounters an acquaintance that inherited money. The man is given to excess in lifestyle and is being taken advantage of by a gold digger.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT
Richard returns home to a solo dinner prepared by his chef/housekeeper who mentions his heartburn then leaves for the night.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Richard climbs the grand staircase, turns to get his antacid medicine, and falls down the entire flight knocking himself out.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – NIGHT
Richard comes to, picks himself and his papers up. He nearly falls down again upon seeing his bloodied reflection.
INT – RICHARD’S MANSION – DAY
A doctor is examining and treating Richard’s injuries, while Richard talks to Nedra, his friend and lawyer. He tells her his concerns about who should inherit his money.
EXT – RICHARD’S PRIVATE AIRPLANE – DAY
Richard is flying his only passenger, Nedra, to lunch in San Simeon. Richard lays out his plan to her on how he is going to go observe his distant cousins to find out which would handle inheriting his wealth best.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY – DAY
We hear Richard’s plan in voice over as we see him embark on his solo trip around the world. He sails out the Golden Gate then into the open ocean.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT AT A TROPICAL ISLAND – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard’s boat is hurriedly met by a Polynesian family that hide his boat in a covered cove/boathouse. Richard disembark’s with a full beard.
EXT – POLYNESIAN FAMILY’S BOAT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard is traveling toward a city on another island.
INT – SMALL AIRPORT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard is being addressed by his false identity, Edward Gray, and is leaving by plane.
EXT – ALBANY, NEW YORK AIRPORT – DAY
Voice over continues as Richard/Edward exits and hails a cab. He is dropped off at a car dealership where he buys a VW Diesel Rabbit with cash.
EXT – ROADS OF ALBANY & UPSTATE NEW YORK – DAY
Voice over continues as Edward drives to Saranac Lake, New York.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward arrives and meets Father Hill on the front porch.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward introduces himself to Maggie and finagles staying long-term at her bed and breakfast despite it not being open yet. He states his purpose is to get a good history of the area in order to write a book before the 1980 Winter Olympics.
EXT – JAMES MOODY’S HOME – DAY
Edward introduces himself to his Moody cousins, (Frank, James, and Carol) and their families during a fancy family dinner. He gets a small insight into how they look at wealth. He also finds out that they have an older step-sister, Maggie.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S GROCERY STORE – NIGHT
Edward is introduced to Frank’s lovely daughter, Cynthia, 18. Carl Fowler comes in to ask Cynthia to a movie. Richard overhears Donna’s extreme frugality while she is talking to Cynthia. He also learns that Cynthia would love her own chocolates if only they could afford them.
INT – CAROL MOODY’S HOME – DAY
Edward visits Carol, the spinster cousin, who is a wealth of family photos and information. She shows him a picture of their ultra-wealthy, distant cousin Richard Fulton. She also tells him that lots of the town history is at Maggie’s since Father Hill was the town historian when the town hall started renovations.
INT – MARTIN’S PHARMACY – NIGHT
Edward buys antacids and a five pound box of chocolates. He finds James moonlighting there to make ends meet. Edward shares his antacids with him.
EXT – LAKE SARANAC HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Edward runs into Cynthia coming out of rehearsal and gives her the box of chocolates which she delighted about.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Cynthia tells her mother about the chocolates. Donna rations them out to her because they are expensive, and she mistrusts Edward for giving them to her.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward asks Maggie about the town records and she shows him a room full of them. She then gives him a work table in the living room to work at. Edward starts working on the records.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward while at his work table witnesses a montage of people coming to Maggie for help while offering her little in return. Edward helps Maggie with some of the renovations.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Maggie, Father Hill, and Edward enjoy dinner together. Maggie mentions that Carl Fowler’s mother has told him to stop dating Cynthia because of their different economic class. Maggie suggests Edward visit some of the local sights, and he enlists her as his guide with Father Hill’s blessing.
EXT – FOREST – DAY
Maggie and Edward go hiking. She takes him to the rustic family cabin on a lake where they have lunch.
INT – GRAND OLD HOTEL – RAINY DAY
Maggie tells Edward about the history of the area. He talks to her about the family taking advantage of her which she discounts.
EXT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – RAINY DAY
Maggie and Edward see Cythina walking home from school in the rain. He gives her a ride home and she tells him about the chocolate rationing. They see Carol running in the rain to Frank’s house and she tells them to follow her.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – RAINY DAY – CONTINUOUS
Edward, Maggie, and Cynthia enter to find all the cousins gathered because they just found out that they have each been bequeathed $1.5M from their distant, missing, cousin Richard Fulton. Edward is surprised and touched by their different reactions.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward and Maggie discuss the money and her not being included as they work in the garden.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Donna, a beggar, and Patty come by showing different takes on the money.
INT – JAMES AND PATTY’S NEW MANSION – NIGHT
An elaborate house party shows how the money is effecting the whole family. Maggie thinks Edward is flirting with Cynthia.
EXT – JAMES AND PATTY’S NEW MANSION – NIGHT
Edward and Maggie leave the party and discuss some of it. She tells him about her worries over Cynthia dating the rich young men.
EXT – HIKING TRAIL – DAY
Edward runs into Stevie who is running away from home till Edward convinces him not to. Stevie mentions how much Maggie abhors lying.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
James comes in with urgency and asks Edward to drive him somewhere.
INT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – NIGHT
Edward takes James to Albany to get money to his son, David, before he is discovered as a thief of his college fraternity’s funds which he stole to pay gambling debts.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Edward returns to find Maggie worried about him and pretending not to be. Father Hill dies.
EXT – CEMETARY – DAY
Edward along with the rest of family comforts Maggie at the funeral.
EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
The beggar tells Edward how Maggie got him a job. Edward discovers Cynthia with a good young man, Christopher, that Donna doesn’t approve of because he isn’t rich. Donna sees them all and Edward lies to protect Cynthia.
INT – FRANK MOODY’S HOME – NIGHT
Edward and Christopher visit and find the rich, young suitors there for Cynthia. Edward finagles to put Christopher and Cynthia together while Edward keeping Donna from interfering.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
Maggie gets a startling letter from a law firm, but won’t tell Edward what it is about. Carol arrives to talk about the letters she has been getting from beggars, and Edward volunteers to be her secretary.
EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie catches Edward monopolizing Cynthia’s attention away from the rich young men who are vying for her attention. Maggie gets jealous.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Donna comes to tell Maggie about losing 40% of their money, and that rich young men have been called off dating Cynthia by their parents in response to that loss.
EXT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
A lawyer comes to meet with Maggie, but she won’t tell Edward why. Edward does find out that Maggie thought he was interested in Cynthia romantically. He realizes that he is interested in Maggie romantically.
INT – MUSEUM – DAY
Carol tells Edward of a young woman who needs a place to recuperate. He suggests that she could provide such a place.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
After finding out that James’ family is moving out of town, Maggie and Edward talk about the different family’s response to the money they inherited.
EXT – THE SARANAC LAKE WINTER CARNIVAL – NIGHT
Edward finds out that Maggie has researched Richard Fulton and she thinks he is selfish. They kiss for the first time.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Edward sort-of states that he is Richard, and then proposes to Maggie. She doesn’t catch that he is Richard, but she accepts the proposal enthusiastically. Edward makes clear that he is Richard and she becomes infuriated and kicks him out.
INT – CAROLS NEW HOME – DAY
Carol tells Maggie about her respite care plan. She gives Edward the credit for the idea.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – NIGHT
Maggie arrives home just as a blizzard hits. Patty calls because they can’t find Stevie. Maggie calls Edward at the hotel to see if he knows where Stevie is.
EXT – EDWARD’S VW RABBIT – NIGHT
Edward drives Maggie around looking for Stevie. He explains to her why he lied to everyone about who he was.
INT – MOODY’S RUSTIC FAMILY CABIN – NIGHT
Edward and Maggie arrive at the cabin and find Stevie there. Stevie offers words of wisdom to Maggie about Edward.
INT – MOODY’S RUSTIC CABIN – LATER
Maggie forgives Edward and confesses about the money she has inherited. They snuggle and discuss how to tell the family about his true identity.
INT – MAGGIE’S BED AND BREAKFAST – DAY
At a small going away party with the family, lose ends are tied up. Maggie and Edward say goodbye forever.
EXT – REMOTE TROPICAL ISLAND – DAY
Edward/Richard arrives to reclaim his boat. Richard leaves after paying the family for keeping his secret.
EXT – RICHARD’S OPULENT SAILBOAT – DAY
Clean shaven Richard is sailing under the Golden Gate. He docks, disembarks, and is met by Nedra and her house guest, Maggie Hill.
POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
Newspaper and magazine headlines talk of Richard and Maggie dating, getting engaged, and their upcoming wedding in her hometown of Lake Saranac, New York.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #9: Flag Scenes to Elevate
What I learned doing this assignment is that the saying, “A writer is done writing when the pen is taken out of their cold, dead hand,” is a truism. It seems that every scene could be improved, and will be. The problem scenes are easier to narrow down. I got badly waylaid by this lesson, so I am moving past it without fulfilling it; at least not at this time.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #8: Cliche Busting!
What I learned doing this assignment is that cliches are a little hard to spot since it seems everything has been written at least once before. That being said, on this pass I finally got the inspiration I've been needing to solve outstanding problems. I now know when and where my movie takes place. I also know what Stanley's pretense occupation is and why he is hanging around Maggie's place so much. Phew! I basically had to rewrite the whole outline to get everything congruent.Chosen Scene:
Makeup Scene at the End
Purpose:
Maggie forgives Stanley and re-accepts his proposal
Brainstorm Options:
Maggie’s car crashes into the lake and Stanley saves her so she forgives him.
Stanley’s car crashes into the lake and Maggie saves him so she forgives him.
A paparazzi photographer thinks he recognizes Stanley at the ice festival, but Maggie saves him and forgives him.
Stevie gets lost in a blizzard and Stanley joins the search to find him. He and Maggie find him at the same time and she promises to forgive him if they survive.
Stanley calls his famous friends to come stay Maggie’s B&B and she forgives him.
My Selection:
Stevie gets lost in a blizzard and Stanley joins the search to find him. He and Maggie find him at the same time and she promises to forgive him if they survive.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #7: Setup/Payoff Chains
What I learned doing this assignment is that I don’t think I wholly understand setup payoff chains, but I can see where they are important. I also believe I insert them into my writing intuitively, but now, being made more aware of their importance, I hope it will make my writing more powerful.
1 – SETUP/PAYOFF CHAINS – in no particular order of importance
S/P CHAIN 1:
Stanley has chronic heartburn that diminishes overtime while those who have inherited the fortunes develop heartburn; this later decreases once they have returned to their old lives.
Setup –
Stanley G. Fulton has acid indigestion from his solitary, business oriented life.
Payoff 1 –
Stanley/John Smith is buying antacids when he catches James at his night job. He shares his antacid with James. Jane also says something very judgmental when she learns that John needs antacids, like it is a weakness of character.
Payoff 2 –
At the big party, John and James share antacid again, but with John taking noticeably less than James
Payoff 3 –
After boarding with Maggie for awhile, John realizes he no longer needs antacids, but shares his supply with those who have received the money, including Jane.
Payoff 4 –
When John says goodbye to the family, they all turn down the offer of his remaining antacids.
S/P CHAIN 2: (rewritten below)
Stanley’s plan to just be a guilt-free observer of the family and nothing more becomes impossible as he comes to care for them, and especially when he falls in love with Maggie.
Setup –
Stanley lays out his plan to Ned to be only an observer of the family in order to discern the best heir for his wealth.
Payoff 1 –
Stanley/John feels a twinge of guilt when he is asked if he is a relation to the family.
Payoff 2 –
John feels a moment of panic and guilt when Flora shows him a picture of Stanley.
Payoff 3 –
John is in a quandary of guilt and having to fess up to his deception when he realizes he is in love with Maggie.
Payoff 4 –
John has to face Maggie’s wrath when he confesses to her that he is really Stanley.
Payoff 5 –
After the engagement, John and Maggie have to figure out how to get married and tell the family about his true identity without causing heartache and anger.
S/P CHAIN 3:
Maggie has inherited money, but she doesn’t want to tell John because she knows he is poor, and she doesn’t want to intimidate him out of their relationship.
Setup –
John brings in the mail and notices a letter from a law office for Maggie.
Payoff 1 –
John observes Maggie open the letter, act startled, and tears flow down her cheeks.
Payoff 2 –
John sees a lawyer come to the house, but Maggie talks to him out of earshot of John.
Payoff 3 –
John asks Maggie if she is having financial problems, but she assures him she isn’t, although she looks to be stressed and withholding information.
Payoff 4 –
Maggie tells John, after they are engaged, that she didn’t want to tell him that she had inherited a lot of money because she was worried he would not feel comfortable proposing to her then because she thought he was so poor.
S/P CHAIN 4:
Maggie is usually generous, but sometimes appears not to be; it is then that she is making changes behind the scenes to help those in need.
Setup –
The family always talks about Poor Maggie and how she suffers. Maggie, however, shows no signs of suffering.
Payoff 1 –
Jane brings mending to Maggie because she won’t charge Jane like Flora would. Maggie passes on the mending to Flora and pays her to do it because Flora needs the income.
Payoff 2 –
Maggie doesn’t give a beggar very much, but then gets the man his job back.
Payoff 3 –
Hattie won’t take the embroidery she needs done to her distant family who needs income because the wealthy don’t have family that do that kind of work. Maggie goes to the wealthiest family in town and gets embroidery work for the distant family to do and get paid well for it.
S/P CHAIN 5:
Jane always says she would give money if she had any money to give, but then when she has money, she still isn’t generous.
Setup –
When John meets Jane, she remarks a couple times about how she would give if she had, but she doesn’t have.
Payoff 1 –
Flora tells John how Jane’s extreme frugality has made Mellicent sad all her life.
Payoff 2 –
John tells Ned that he is sure that because Jane is always saying how she would give if she had, that after the fortune comes, he is sure that at least Jane will share the wealth with Maggie.
Payoff 3 –
After Jane gets the fortune, she offers her old rug to Maggie which Maggie declines.
Payoff 4 –
Jane bemoans the fact that the needy won’t accept her used items even though they still have plenty of use in them.
2 – THE S/P CHAIN I WANT TO MAKE STRONGER:
Stanley’s plan to just be a guilt-free observer of the family and nothing more becomes impossible as he comes to care for them, and especially when he falls in love with Maggie.
S/P CHAIN 2:
Setup Revision –
Stanley lays out his plan to Ned to be only an observer of the family. He lightly but undeniably notes that those country cousins of his won’t be any the wiser that he misrepresented himself. Ned notes that that might not be the only thing to be concerned about in regards to his deception-filled plan.
Payoff 1 –
Stanley/John feels a twinge of guilt when he is asked if he is a relation to the family.
Payoff 2 –
John feels a moment of panic and guilt when Flora shows him a picture of Stanley.
Payoff Addition –
John catches Benny doing something dishonest and as he admonishes the child to be honest, he is pierced by his own guilt because Benny questions John about his own honesty. Benny also assures John that Maggie is extremely honest and doesn’t abide any dishonesty.
Payoff 3 –
John is in a quandary of guilt and having to fess up to his deception when he realizes he is in love with Maggie.
Payoff 4 –
John has to face Maggie’s wrath when he confesses to her that he is really Stanley.
Payoff 5 –
After the engagement, John and Maggie have to figure out how to get married and tell the family about his true identity without causing heartache and anger for the family.
3 – This process has brought more emotion and cohesiveness into my outline. It is a good improvement.
4 – My current outline with the improved setup/payoff chains included in it:
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Clean shaven Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. There are no signs of anything other than business in Stanley’s office. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. Before she leaves, she admonishes Stanley not to overdo it on the spicy sauce because of his indigestion. She also points out to him the bottle of antacids she picked up for him that day. He eats his dinner with plenty of spicy sauce by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase and lets out an uncomfortable belch, the kind that indicates heartburn. As he turns to descend the staircase to get the antacids, his feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in a mirror, he is so startled he falls down the stairs again with the papers flying once again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable MRI machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also says he isn’t the marrying kind, and doesn’t want the woman that would marry him just to marry his money. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him which he shares with Ned in Voice Over as he implements the travel plan to Hillerton. He insinuates that his country cousins will not be able to discover his deception; he’ll get the information he needs and will get away clean. Ned notes that being discovered might not be the only thing to be concerned about in regards to his deception-filled plan.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
6a. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
Clean shaven Stanley goes into the jungle with a small group of local guides. 2 Months later, bearded John Smith/Stanley emerges from the jungle with a different small group of local guides.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley/John gets off a train wearing a trimmed beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
John is walking down the residential streets of the small town.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. They ask and he tells them that he is a distant relative of theirs through his mother’s line. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite, but Mrs. James, Hattie, can’t consider taking a boarder since the wealthy never do; her husband wouldn’t have minded the income. They send John to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Benny, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house. He finds out that basically Benny hates that his mother is all about appearances now that they have recently moved to the rich side of town. He also learns that Mrs. Frank, Jane, is a tight wad.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store. He shows an immediate interest upon meeting Mellicent, Frank’s eighteen year-old daughter; attraction borders on romantic, but it is compassion. He is also encouraged that Jane is all about giving to others if only they had enough money to give. Jane also says something very judgmental when she learns that John needs antacids, like it is a weakness of character.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls. She is a whirl of youthful energy, kindness, and positivity.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. He finds out that Mellicent has always been denied her heart’s desire due to her mother’s extreme frugality. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs. Stanley feels slightly guilty about deceiving her. Flora also tells him about the simple things she wishes she could do if she had enough money – go to a restaurant and order without looking at the prices, buy a phonograph, and visit Niagra Falls.
13a. INT – BRINKLEY’S PHARMACY – NIGHT
John comes to buy some antacids and finds James working there doing the books. James asks John not to tell anyone or Hattie would “die” of embarrassment. John also buys a five pound box of chocolates.
13b. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – NIGHT
John comes in and quietly gives Mellicent the box of chocolates, which she is delighted about, but her mother catches them. Jane, her mother, refuses to let Mellicent have the chocolates without rationing it out to her because it is such an expensive indulgence; she also looks at John suspiciously.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man. Jane brings mending to Maggie because she won’t charge Jane like Flora would. Maggie passes on the mending to Flora and pays her to do it because Flora needs the income. John tells Ned, perhaps in voice over, that he is sure that because Jane is always saying how she would give if she had, that after the fortune comes, he is sure that at least Jane will share the wealth with Maggie.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. This kindness Maggie shows toward everyone, especially the family, is contagious and makes it hard for John to stay aloof. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money. He also learns that Carl Pennock’s family doesn’t approve of his courting Mellicent due to her lower economic class.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited. John reacts with shock that even with this most exciting news, some of the cousins find reasons to distrust it, while others have declared that their benefactor is dead. John feels a bit frustrated about their initial reactions to the fortune. He is touched when he sees James’ reaction to the money; telling his son that what he wants to do with the money is to get to know his children.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John. John gratefully accepts the change of address as Maggie’s home is much more comfortable for him. Jane also offers her old rug to Maggie which Maggie declines. Maggie talks to a beggar and asks him a lot of questions about why he is begging, but she only gives him a sandwich. Hattie comes by and mentions that she won’t take the embroidery she needs done to her distant relative who needs income because the wealthy don’t have family that do that kind of work.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth. Hattie and Bessie are trying to keep up with Gaylords, the millionaires in town. James is just happy to have money to buy books and time to read them with his sons. James and John chuckle about not needing so many antacids now. Fred, is starting in with the questionable Gaylord crowd. Mellicent is flirting with everyone including Mr. Smith. Jane thinks the party and dresses are a frightful waste of money. Frank can hardly think outside of the grocery business. Flora is in mourning for their benefactor, Stanley, who they assume is probably dead. Stanley feels frustratedly guilty because Flora is in mourning for him instead of enjoying her fortune.
18a. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
As they are leaving the party the richest woman in town thanks Maggie for introducing her to the distant relative who did such beautiful embroidery for her.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
18b. EXT – TOWN CEMETERY – DAY
John, while in the cemetery recording headstones, happens to see Benny walking down the railroad tracks with a small suitcase. John finds out that Benny is running away from home because he doesn’t want to go back to the boarding school. John convinces him to come home with him and to be honest with his parents; honesty is the best policy. Benny asks John how honest he is which cuts John to the core. Benny also tells John that he is happy it is him who found him and not Aunt Maggie because she would have punished him severely for lying about where he was going with his suitcase.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
James asks John to travel with him to get Fred out of a bad situation that he got himself into; he “borrowed” money from the club he was treasurer for because of his gambling debts, and it is about to be discovered. John sees James’ anguish over what the money has done to Fred. James asks John if he has any antacids. John is troubled that his financial gift has lead James to sorrow over Fred falling in with a bad, upper-crust influence – the Gaylord and Pennock young men.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
The beggar from earlier runs into John and tells him how Maggie got him his job back. John finds Mellicent with a young man she loves, Douglas Gray, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. When Jane happens upon the three of them, John says he was out with Mellicent, and that Douglas is his protege. Maggie’s concern for Mellicent inspires John to intervene more in the family’s lives.
20a. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – EVENING
John arrives with Douglas to find two questionable but rich young men there to vie for Mellicent. John finagles for Mellicent and Douglas to play piano and violin together while John distracts Jane from intervening and the two young men get annoyed. Jane bemoans the fact that the needy won’t accept her used items even though they still have plenty of use in them.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Maggie gets a letter from a law office that startles her and brings tears to her eyes, but she won’t tell John what it is about; he assumes it is telling her that she has lost most of her money. Flora comes to talk about the beggars that she has been sending money to. John takes on the role of her secretary to get her away from the scoundrels.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
While Maggie is walking through the park she sees the young rich men playing tennis and Mellicent being monopolized by John instead of watching them play. Maggie gets jealous and disappointed in John. Someone mentions that it must almost be time for John to be moving away, and she cries.
22a. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Jane comes to tell Maggie that she has lost about 40% of their money to an investment that went bad. In response to that, the Gaylords and Pennocks have told their sons to leave Mellicent alone. Jane belches with heartburn and John overs her antacids which she first refuses then accepts.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
A lawyer comes to the house, but Maggie won’t tell Stanley why. John asks Maggie if she is having financial problems, but she assures him she isn’t, although she looks to be stressed and withholding information. John finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
23a. EXT – PARK – DAY
Flora runs into John and tells him of a young woman from town who has been working in the city who is not well and needs a place to stay. She suggests that Maggie might be able to take the young woman in. John suggests that Flora should take the young woman in. Flora had never thought of that. They see Mellicent with Donald and Flora tells him how Jane is okay with that and happy to welcome Donald into their lives as Mellicent’s good and proper suitor especially after those horrid rich young men treated her.
23b. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOUSE – DAY
Hattie comes to say how the money has made them miserable and that they are moving to a different town. She is a changed woman, no longer wanting anything to do with the Gaylords or the like. Stanley is completely frustrated and almost angry when it seems the money has brought no one happiness. After she leaves John questions whether the money did any good. He and Maggie talk about the different relationships the family had with the money; it wasn’t the money’s fault. Stanley is enlightened by Maggie’s take on the family’s response to the money.
23b. EXT – CLOSED FACTORY – DAY
John and Maggie are walking past the factory. They start talking about Stanley Fulton. Maggie reveals that she has been trying to learn about the man; she gives her opinion of him to John. John/Stanley wants Maggie’s approval so much that he sort-of tells her that he is Stanley as he proposes to her. Stanley admits to Maggie that he has been selfish and self-contained and that he needs her in his life forever. She doesn’t catch that he is Stanley, but enthusiastically accepts the proposal. He then ask her if she would like him to reopen the factory – one of her civic dreams. She is confused as to how poor John could do that. He then makes it clear that he is Stanley Fulton. She is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley to the curb.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Benny asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Benny gets upset because he never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie runs into Flora and Flora tells her that she has decided to offer a respite to girls like her border who need a place to stay while they recuperate from life’s stresses. She tells Maggie how wonderful John was to suggest it. Maggie and John make up and get engaged again. Maggie tells John, after they are engaged, that she didn’t want to tell him that she had inherited a lot of money because she was worried he would not feel comfortable proposing to her then because she thought he was so poor. Maggie loves him, not his money, so he no longer needs an heir. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family. It looks like they have said goodbye forever.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off. James tells John that he is working again at the branch office of his old primary job and that Fred is working with him with good prospects for advancement for both of them. John offers his remaining supply of antacids, to the family, but they say they don’t need them. Mrs. Gaylord belches nearby and John kindly offers the antacids to her.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – STEAMSHIP LEAVING SOUTH AMERICA – DAY
Stanley boards a ship with the crates.
30. EXT – STEAMSHIP ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley disembarks into a throng of reporters, (he may well trip coming down the gangplank, a callback from falling down the stairs – or maybe this time he catches himself). He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff.
31. POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement. The whole family is invited to the small private wedding; this signifies that Stanley is willing to admit to the family about his deception in order to make Maggie happy.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #6: Subplots with Meaning
What I learned doing this assignment is that subplots add to the richness of the story and must, for the most part, revolve around the main characters. At the very least, they must address the Necessary Questions. And, too many subplots can be just as bad as not enough of them; 2-4 per movie is great.
MY SUBPLOTS:
Mellicent and John Smith and Donald Gray’s Relationship
Beginning:
Upon meeting Mellicent, John is immediately drawn to her in a compassionate way that looks almost like a romantic way. John learns that Mellicent has always been sad because of all the things her mother has not let her have due to the pretense of not having enough money.
Middle:
John works to give Mellicent the things she wants that her mother doesn’t approve of – chocolates, fashionable clothes, Donald Gray.
End:
John has kept the undesirable young men which Mellicent’s mother approved of away from Mellicent so that Donald Gray and Mellicent have happily ended up together.
Flora and John Smith’s Relationship
Beginning:
John sees how his financial gift will greatly improve Flora’s existence.
Middle:
Flora’s trusting nature leads her to be taken advantage of by scoundrels, and John intervenes on her behalf.
End:
Flora finds a way to meaningfully share her wealth – perhaps instigated by John.
How can I make this subplot more meaningful or emotional for my lead character?
Have John suggest to Flora to open her home to help young women who need a respite.
End:
John suggests that Flora take in a young woman for rest and recuperation instead of Maggie doing so. This helps Flora find a meaningful, ongoing purpose and companionship for her life as she decides to offer her hospitality on a rotating basis so many young women will be benefited.
James and John Smith’s Relationship
Beginning:
James is working two jobs to support the lifestyle his wife desires. John is sympathetic.
Middle:
When the money comes, John learns that James just wants to spend time with his children. The money gives James the gift of time which touches John deeply.
End:
James is happy to return to just one regular job, and still have time for his family.
How can I make this subplot more meaningful or emotional for my lead character?
John can interact and help James more closely than just observing.
Beginning:
John encounters James working his night job which James is embarrassed by.
Middle:
John witnesses Jame’s thankfulness at receiving the money, and being able to spend time getting to know his children. John will later accompany James as he goes to clear Fred’s name before Fred’s foolishness ruins Fred’s life.
End:
John learns before he leaves and that James and Fred are working together and are both happy doing honest work and having time with family.
Maggie Receives an Inheritance
Beginning:
Maggie manages to be happy despite having limited financial resources.
Middle:
Maggie receives communications from a law firm that makes John worry that her finances are in trouble, but she won’t tell him what is going on.
End:
Maggie finally tells John that she didn’t lose money but that she inherited money. She didn’t want to tell him, because she knew he was poor, and she was worried it would get in the way of his possibly proposing to her.
OUTLINE WITH SUBPLOT IMPROVEMENTS:
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Clean shaven Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. There are no signs of anything other than business in Stanley’s office. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. He eats his dinner by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase when he, forgetting something, turns to descend the staircase. His feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in a mirror, he is so startled he falls down the stairs again with the papers flying once again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable MRI machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also says he isn’t the marrying kind, and doesn’t want the woman that would marry him just to marry his money. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him which he shares with Ned in Voice Over as implements the travel plan to Hillerton. Stanley feels slightly uncomfortable when Ned suggests his exit from his deception might not be easy.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
6a. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
Clean shaven Stanley goes into the jungle with a small group of local guides. 2 Months later, bearded John Smith/Stanley emerges from the jungle with a different small group of local guides.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley/John gets off a train wearing a trimmed beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
John is walking down the residential streets of the small town.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite, but Mrs. James, Hattie, can’t consider taking a boarder since the wealthy never do; her husband wouldn’t have minded the income. They send John to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Benny, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house. He finds out that basically Benny hates that his mother is all about appearances now that they have recently moved to the rich side of town. He also learns that Mrs. Frank, Jane, is a tight wad.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store. He shows an immediate interest upon meeting Mellicent, Frank’s eighteen year-old daughter; attraction borders on romantic, but it is compassion. He is also encouraged that Jane is all about giving to others if only they had enough money to give.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls. She is a whirl of youthful energy, kindness, and positivity.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. He finds out that Mellicent has always been denied her heart’s desire due to her mother’s extreme frugality. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs. Stanley feels slightly guilty about deceiving her. Flora also tells him about the simple things she wishes she could do if she had enough money – go to a restaurant and order without looking at the prices, buy a phonograph, and visit Niagra Falls.
13a. INT – BRINKLEY’S PHARMACY – NIGHT
John comes to buy some antacids and finds James working there doing the books. James asks John not to tell anyone or Hattie would “die” of embarrassment. John also buys a five pound box of chocolates.
13b. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – NIGHT
John comes in and quietly gives Mellicent the box of chocolates, which she is delighted about, but her mother catches them. Jane, her mother, refuses to let Mellicent have without rationing it out to her because it is such an expensive indulgence; she also looks at John suspiciously.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. This kindness Maggie shows toward everyone, especially the family, is contagious and makes it hard for John to stay aloof. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money. He also learns that Carl Pennock’s family doesn’t approve of his courting Mellicent due to her lower economic class.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited. John reacts with shock that even with this most exciting news, some of the cousins find reasons to distrust it, while others have declared that their benefactor is dead. John feels a bit frustrated about their initial reactions to the fortune. He is touched when he sees James’ reaction to the money; telling his son that what he wants to do with the money is to get to know his children.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John. John gratefully accepts the change of address as Maggie’s home is much more comfortable for him.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth. Hattie and Bessie are trying to keep up with Gaylords, the millionaires in town. James is just happy to have money to buy books and time to read them with his sons. Fred, is starting in with the questionable Gaylord crowd. Mellicent is flirting with everyone including Mr. Smith. Jane thinks the party and dresses are a frightful waste of money. Frank can hardly think outside of the grocery business. Flora is in mourning for their benefactor, Stanley, who they assume is probably dead. Stanley feels frustratedly guilty because Flora is in mourning for him instead of enjoying her fortune.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
James asks John to travel with him to get Fred out of a bad situation that he got himself into; he “borrowed” money from the club he was treasurer for because of his gambling debts, and it is about to be discovered. John sees James’ anguish over what the money has done to Fred. John is troubled that his financial gift has lead James to sorrow over Fred falling in with a bad, upper-crust influence – the Gaylord and Pennock young men.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
John finds Mellicent with a young man she loves, Douglas Gray, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. When Jane happens upon the three of them, John says he was out with Mellicent, and that Douglas is his protege. Maggie’s concern for Mellicent inspires John to intervene more in the family’s lives.
20a. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – EVENING
John arrives with Douglas to find two questionable but rich young men there to vie for Mellicent. John finagles for Mellicent and Douglas to play piano and violin together while John distracts Jane from intervening and the two young men get annoyed.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Maggie gets a letter from a law office that brings tears to her eyes, but she won’t tell John what it is about; he assumes it is telling her that she has lost most of her money. Flora comes to talk about the beggars that she has been sending money to. John takes on the role of her secretary to get her away from the scoundrels.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
While Maggie is walking through the park she sees the young rich men playing tennis and Mellicent being monopolized by John instead of watching them play. Maggie gets jealous and disappointed in John. Someone mentions that it must almost be time for John to be moving away, and she cries.
22a. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Jane comes to tell Maggie that she has lost about 40% of their money to an investment that went bad. In response to that, the Gaylords and Pennocks have told their sons to leave Mellicent alone. Jane and Mellicent are okay with that and happy to welcome Donald into their lives as Mellicent’s good and proper suitor.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
A lawyer comes to the house, but Maggie won’t tell Stanley why. Stanley finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
23a. EXT – PARK – DAY
Flora runs into John and tells him of a young woman from town who has been working in the city who is not well and needs a place to stay. She suggests that Maggie might be able to take the young woman in. John suggests that Flora should take the young woman in. Flora had never thought of that.
23b. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOUSE – DAY
Hattie comes to say how the money has made them miserable and that they are moving to a different town. She is a changed woman, no longer wanting anything to do with the Gaylords or the like. Stanley is completely frustrated and almost angry when it seems the money has brought no one happiness. After she leaves John questions whether the money did any good. He and Maggie talk about the different relationships the family had with the money; it wasn’t the money’s fault. Stanley is enlightened by Maggie’s take on the family’s response to the money.
23b. EXT – CLOSED FACTORY – DAY
John and Maggie are walking past the factory. They start talking about Stanley Fulton. Maggie reveals that she has been trying to learn about the man; she gives her opinion of him to John. John/Stanley wants Maggie’s approval so much that he sort-of tells her that he is Stanley as he proposes to her. Stanley admits to Maggie that he has been selfish and self-contained and that he needs her in his life forever. She doesn’t catch that he is Stanley, but enthusiastically accepts the proposal. He then ask her if she would like him to reopen the factory – one of her civic dreams. She is confused as to how poor John could do that. He then makes it clear that he is Stanley Fulton. She is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley to the curb.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Benny asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Benny gets upset because he never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie runs into Flora and Flora tells her that she has decided to offer a respite to girls like her border who need a place to stay while they recuperate from life’s stresses. She tells Maggie how wonderful John was to suggest it. Maggie and John make up and get engaged again. She tells him that she inherited $1,000,000 from her father’s side of the family; that was why the lawyer had come. Maggie loves him, not his money, so he no longer needs an heir. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family. It looks like they have said goodbye forever.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off. James tells John that he is working again at the branch office of his old primary job and that Fred is working with him with good prospects for advancement for both of them.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – STEAMSHIP LEAVING SOUTH AMERICA – DAY
Stanley boards a ship with the crates.
30. EXT – STEAMSHIP ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley disembarks into a throng of reporters, (he may well trip coming down the gangplank, a callback from falling down the stairs – or maybe this time he catches himself). He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff.
31. POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement. The whole family is invited to the small private wedding; this signifies that Stanley is willing to admit to the family about his deception in order to make Maggie happy.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass #5: Action/Reaction
What I learned doing this assignment is that again, asking the right questions add to the depth of the screenplay. It was hard for me to come up with reasons that the love interest was in opposition to the goal, but after thinking about it, I could see where someone who is loving and captivating could really complicate the life of someone who is not interested in building relationships and is only interested in completing their quest.
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out which one would handle a massive fortune best, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
PROTAGONIST GOAL:
Stanley’s goal is to find out who would be the best person to leave his wealth to.
PROTAGONIST CHARACTER ARC:
Part to be changed: Stanley doesn’t have any intimately close relationships.
Biggest fear: Stanley fears his bequeathed money will ruin the people that he meant to help with it.
Completion of arc: Stanley falls in love with a generous, giving woman who will help his money help others, and gains an extended family as well.
MAIN CONFLICT:
Stanley thinks he can move in and out of his relatives’ lives without becoming attached to them emotionally.
ACTION/REACTION EVENTS CHART:
Live with the Family
Maggie has a more welcoming home than the familyAloofly Observe Family Before Fortune
He is on the front row to observe Maggie’s love & kindness toward the familyAloofly Observe Family After Fortune
Maggie charms him into helping the family with their problemsDecide Who Will be His Heir
Maggie loves him, not his money, so he no longer needs an heirPROTAGONIST’S EMOTIONAL MOMENTS:
Stanley feels slightly uncomfortable when Ned suggests his exit from his deception might not be easy.
Stanley feels slightly guilty when he starts deceiving the family about who he really is.
Stanley feels a bit frustrated when the family doesn’t react to the fortune as cleanly as he thought they would.
Stanley feels frustratedly guilty when Flora goes into mourning for him instead of enjoy her fortune.
Stanley is confused and frustrated when some members of the family are not wholly happy about the fortune.
Stanley is completely frustrated and almost angry when it seems the money has brought no one happiness.
Stanley is enlightened by Maggie’s take on the family’s response to the money.
Stanley admits to Maggie that he has been selfish and self-contained and that he needs her in his life forever.
Stanley is willing to admit to the family about his deception in order to make Maggie happy.
UPDATED OUTLINE:
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Clean shaven Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. There are no signs of anything other than business in Stanley’s office. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. He eats his dinner by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase when he, forgetting something, turns to descend the staircase. His feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in a mirror, he is so startled he falls down the stairs again with the papers flying once again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable MRI machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also says he isn’t the marrying kind, and doesn’t want the woman that would marry him just to marry his money. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him which he shares with Ned in Voice Over as implements the travel plan to Hillerton. Stanley feels slightly uncomfortable when Ned suggests his exit from his deception might not be easy.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
6a. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
Clean shaven Stanley goes into the jungle with a small group of local guides. 2 Months later, bearded John Smith/Stanley emerges from the jungle with a different small group of local guides.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley/John gets off a train wearing a trimmed beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
John is walking down the residential streets of the small town.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite, but Mrs. James, Hattie, can’t consider taking a boarder since the wealthy never do; her husband wouldn’t have minded the income. They send John to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Benny, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house. He finds out that basically Benny hates that his mother is all about appearances now that they have recently moved to the rich side of town. He also learns that Mrs. Frank, Jane, is a tight wad.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store. He shows an immediate interest upon meeting Mellicent, Frank’s eighteen year-old daughter. He is also encouraged that Jane is all about giving to others if only they had enough money to give.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls. She is a whirl of youthful energy, kindness, and positivity.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs. Stanley feels slightly guilty about deceiving her.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. This kindness Maggie shows toward everyone, especially the family, is contagious and makes it hard for John to stay aloof. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited. John reacts with shock that even with this most exciting news, some of the cousins find reasons to distrust it, while others have declared that their benefactor is dead. Stanley feels a bit frustrated about their initial reactions to the fortune.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John. John gratefully accepts the change of address as Maggie’s home is much more comfortable for him.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth. Hattie and Bessie are trying to keep up with Gaylords, the millionaires in town. James is just happy to have money to buy books and time to read them with his sons. Fred, is starting in with the questionable Gaylord crowd. Mellicent is flirting with everyone including Mr. Smith. Jane thinks the party and dresses are a frightful waste of money. Frank can hardly think outside of the grocery business. Flora is in mourning for their benefactor, Stanley, who they assume is probably dead. Stanley feels frustratedly guilty because Flora is in mourning for him instead of enjoying her fortune.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
John goes with Maggie to bail Frank junior out of jail and gives him words of wisdom to straighten up his act. Stanley is confused and frustrated when some members of the family are not wholly happy about the fortune.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
John finds Mellicent with a young man she loves, Douglas Gray, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. When Jane happens upon the three of them, John says he was out with Mellicent, and that Douglas is his protege. Maggie’s concern for Mellicent inspires John to intervene more in the family’s lives.
20a. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – EVENING
John arrives with Douglas to find two questionable but rich young men there to vie for Mellicent. John finagles for Mellicent and Douglas to play piano and violin together while John distracts Jane from intervening and the two young men get annoyed.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Maggie gets a letter from a law office that brings tears to her eyes, but she won’t tell John what it is about; he assumes it is telling her that she has lost most of her money. Flora comes to talk about the beggars that she has been sending money to. John takes on the role of her secretary to get her away from the scoundrels.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
While Maggie is walking through the park she sees the young rich men playing tennis and Mellicent being monopolized by John instead of watching them play. Maggie gets jealous and disappointed in John. Someone mentions that it must almost be time for John to be moving away, and she cries.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
A lawyer comes to the house, but Maggie won’t tell Stanley why. Stanley finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
23a. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOUSE – DAY
Hattie comes to say how the money has made them miserable and that they are moving to a different town. She is a changed woman, no longer wanting anything to do with the Gaylords or the like. Stanley is completely frustrated and almost angry when it seems the money has brought no one happiness. After she leaves John questions whether the money did any good. They talk about the different relationships the family had with the money; it wasn’t the money’s fault. Stanley is enlightened by Maggie’s take on the family’s response to the money.
23b. EXT – CLOSED FACTORY – DAY
John and Maggie are walking past the factory. They start talking about Stanley Fulton. Maggie reveals that she has been trying to learn about the man; she gives her opinion of him to John. John/Stanley wants Maggie’s approval so much that he sort-of tells her that he is Stanley as he proposes to her. Stanley admits to Maggie that he has been selfish and self-contained and that he needs her in his life forever. She doesn’t catch that he is Stanley, but enthusiastically accepts the proposal. He then ask her if she would like him to reopen the factory – one of her civic dreams. She is confused as to how poor John could do that. He then makes it clear that he is Stanley Fulton. She is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley to the curb.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Benny asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Benny gets upset because he never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie and John make up and get engaged again. She tells him that she inherited $1,000,000 from her father’s side of the family; that was why the lawyer had come. Maggie loves him, not his money, so he no longer needs an heir. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family. It looks like they have said goodbye forever.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – STEAMSHIP LEAVING SOUTH AMERICA – DAY
Stanley boards a ship with the crates.
30. EXT – STEAMSHIP ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley disembarks into a throng of reporters, (he may well trip coming down the gangplank, a callback from falling down the stairs – or maybe this time he catches himself). He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff.
31. POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement. The whole family is invited to the small private wedding; this signifies that Stanley is willing to admit to the family about his deception in order to make Maggie happy.
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Justina Mitchell’s 4th Pass — NQ 3 and 4
What I learned doing this assignment is that the more questions I ask, the more depth comes to the screenplay. (But I still can’t decide what time-frame to place it in, ugh!)
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out which one would handle a massive fortune best, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
3. THE EMOTIONAL DILEMMA:
When Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her and the rest of the family for their entire relationship.
A. How does the Emotional Dilemma first show up?
Ned first brings up the idea of an emotional dilemma when Stanley first tells him his incognito plan. Stanley pooh-poohs the concern hinting that it isn’t a concern for him; he is above that kind of emotional involvement.
B. How are both sides of the issue built up?
Stanley is at first just an observer of the family. He is doing research. He even tells Ned that he feels like a boy at a keyhole watching the family. He dodges any hint that he might be associated with his true identity.
Stanley starts to care about the family beginning with Mellicent’s sad eyes. He is touched and feels a bit guilty when Flora goes into mourning for him. He jumps in to help Flora and Fred out of their predicaments. He is at first impressed with Maggie and then he realizes he has fallen in love with her.
C. When does the protagonist make the choice?
When Maggie talks about Stanley G. Fulton as a self-centered man despite his generosity. Stanley so wants to obtain her approval that he accidentally tells her his true identity before he meant to, then decides to go all the way and he asks her to marry him.
D. What do they lose in making that choice?
Stanley loses being the comfortable John Smith and risks losing Maggie’s and the rest of the family’s trust and affection.
4. THE THEME:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
A. What are both sides of your theme?
Side 1: Money can buy happiness.
Side 2: Money can’t buy happiness. Love brings happiness.
B. How will both sides show up throughout your story?
Stanley isn’t happy even though he has all the money in the world. He is all alone with no close relationships.
Hattie never has enough money to be happy, (even though she really does have enough), because she is always trying to keep up with the Jones’s. Her relationship with money makes her family miserable.
Jane doesn’t let herself enjoy the money she has because she might lose it, (even though she really does have enough to enjoy some of it). Her relationship with money makes her family miserable.
Flora is intimidated by money and feels guilty when she gets it.
Maggie doesn’t have much money at all, but she enjoys life and makes everyone around her happier with her generosity of spirit and love.
C. How does the climax of the story demand your message?
Maggie enthusiastically accepts poor John’s proposal not realizing that he is really rich Stanley. When she realizes who he really is, she confesses to him that she didn’t need his money and was keeping her inherited money a secret from John so that he wouldn’t be put off proposing to a wealthy woman.
UPDATED OUTLINE:
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Clean shaven Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. There are no signs of anything other than business in Stanley’s office. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. He eats his dinner by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase when he, forgetting something, turns to descend the staircase. His feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in a mirror, he is so startled he falls down the stairs again with the papers flying once again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable MRI machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also says he isn’t the marrying kind, and doesn’t want the woman that would marry him just to marry his money. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him which he shares with Ned in Voice Over as implements the travel plan to Hillerton.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
6a. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
Clean shaven Stanley goes into the jungle with a small group of local guides. 2 Months later, bearded John Smith/Stanley emerges from the jungle with a different small group of local guides.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley/John gets off a train wearing a trimmed beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
John is walking down the residential streets of the small town.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite, but Mrs. James, Hattie, can’t consider taking a boarder since the wealthy never do; her husband wouldn’t have minded the income. They send John to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Benny, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house. He finds out that basically Benny hates that his mother is all about appearances now that they have recently moved to the rich side of town. He also learns that Mrs. Frank, Jane, is a tight wad.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store. He shows an immediate interest upon meeting Mellicent, Frank’s eighteen year-old daughter. He is also encouraged that Jane is all about giving to others if only they had enough money to give.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls. She is a whirl of youthful energy, kindness, and positivity.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited. John reacts with shock that even with this most exciting news, some of the cousins find reasons to distrust it, while others have declared that their benefactor is dead.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John. John gratefully accepts the change of address.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth. Hattie and Bessie are trying to keep up with Gaylords, the millionaires in town. James is just happy to have money to buy books and time to read them with his sons. Fred, is starting in with the questionable Gaylord crowd. Mellicent is flirting with everyone including Mr. Smith. Jane thinks the party and dresses are a frightful waste of money. Frank can hardly think outside of the grocery business. Flora is in mourning for their benefactor who they assume is probably dead.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
John and Maggie bail Frank junior out of jail and gives him words of wisdom to straighten up his act.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
John finds Mellicent with a young man she loves, Douglas Gray, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. When Jane happens upon the three of them, John says he was out with Mellicent, and that Douglas is his protege.
20a. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – EVENING
John arrives with Douglas to find two questionable but rich young men there to vie for Mellicent. John finagles for Mellicent and Douglas to play piano and violin together while John distracts Jane from intervening and the two young men get annoyed.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Maggie gets a letter from a law office that brings tears to her eyes, but she won’t tell John what it is about; he assumes it is telling her that she has lost most of her money. Flora comes to talk about the beggars that she has been sending money to. John takes on the role of her secretary to get her away from the scoundrels.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
While Maggie is walking through the park she sees the young rich men playing tennis and Mellicent being monopolized by John instead of watching them play. Maggie gets jealous and disappointed in John. Someone mentions that it must almost be time for John to be moving away, and she cries.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
A lawyer comes to the house, but Maggie won’t tell Stanley why. Stanley finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
23a. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOUSE – DAY
Hattie comes to say how the money has made them miserable and that they are moving to a different town. She is a changed woman, no longer wanting anything to do with the Gaylord’s or the like. After she leaves John questions whether the money did any good. They talk about the different relationships the family had with the money; it wasn’t the money’s fault.
23a. EXT – CLOSED FACTORY – DAY
John and Maggie are walking past the factory. They start talking about Stanley Fulton. Maggie reveals that she has been trying to learn about the man; she gives her opinion of him to John. John/Stanley wants Maggie’s approval so much that he sort of tells her that he is Stanley as he proposes to her. She doesn’t catch that he is Stanley, but enthusiastically accepts the proposal. He then ask her if she would like him to reopen the factory – one of her civic dreams. She is confused as to how poor John could do that. He then makes it clear that he is Stanley Fulton. She is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley to the curb.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Benny asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Benny gets upset because he never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie and John make up and get engaged again. She tells him that she inherited $1,000,000 from her father’s side of the family; that was why the lawyer had come. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – STEAMSHIP LEAVING SOUTH AMERICA – DAY
Stanley boards a ship with the crates.
30. EXT – STEAMSHIP ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley disembarks into a throng of reporters. He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff.
31. POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement. The whole family is invited to the small private wedding.
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Justina Mitchell’s 3rd Pass — NQ 1 and 2
What I learned doing this assignment is that asking the right questions helps to fill in and enhance the storyline.
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how which one would handle a massive fortune best, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
Dramatic Question:
Once getting to know his distant cousins, will Stanley be able to choose which to give his money to, and will he then be able to walk away?
A. The DQ is first established when Stanley lays out his plan to Ned.
B. The DQ increases when Stanley:
– starts to care about his cousins children
– meets Maggie, the children’s step-aunt
– observes the different ways the cousins deal with money
– observes how the cousins deal with a lot of money
– observes how the money ends up making them all happy and all miserable in one way or another
C. The DQ gets answered when he proposes to Maggie, and they talk about all the good that can be done with his wealth.
Main conflict:
Stanley thinks he can move in and out of his relatives lives without becoming attached to them emotionally.
A. The MC first shows up when Ned questions Stanley about it upon hearing Stanley’s plan to just strictly observe the cousins.
B. The MC can be shown in how Stanley:
– cares for Millicent as soon as he sees her
– is interested in Maggie as soon as he meets her
– reacts when some of the cousins are distressed upon receiving the money
– reacts to how the cousins spend and don’t spend the money
– intervenes in Millicent’s love life to save her from a bad match
– intervenes in the problem with the beggars plaguing Flora
– realizes he is in love with Maggie
– realizes that he has to tell Maggie he has been deceiving her all this time
Main Conflict Boiling Point
Stanley finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
Main Conflict Resolution
When Stanley and Maggie get engaged and invite the whole family out to the private wedding; thus revealing to the family that Stanley and John are one in the same person.
UPDATED OUTLINE:
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. He eats his dinner by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase when he, forgetting something, turns to descend the staircase. His feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in the mirror, he is so startled he throws the papers in the air as he runs away from the reflection and knocks himself out again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable x-ray machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also says he isn’t the marrying kind, and doesn’t want the woman that would marry him just to marry his money. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley gets off a train wearing a full beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
Stanley is walking down the residential streets of the small town with two rolling suitcases.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite, but Mrs. James, Hattie, can’t consider taking a boarder since the wealthy never do; her husband wouldn’t have minded the income. They send John to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Benny, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house. He finds out that basically Benny hates that his mother is all about appearances now that they have recently moved to the rich side of town. He also learns that Mrs. Frank, Jane, is a tight wad.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store. He shows an immediate interest upon meeting Mellicent, Frank’s eighteen year-old daughter. He is also encouraged that Jane is all about giving to others if only they had money to give.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls. She is a whirl of youthful energy, kindness, and positivity.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited. John reacts with shock that even with this most exciting news, some of the cousins find reasons to distrust it, while others have declared that their benefactor is dead.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John. John gratefully accepts the change of address.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth. Hattie and Bessie are trying to keep up with Gaylords, the millionaires in town. James is just happy to have money to buy books and time to read them with his sons. Fred, is starting in with a questionable Gaylord crowd. Mellicent is flirting with everyone including Mr. Smith. Jane thinks it frightfully expensive to dress so. Frank can hardly think outside of the grocery business. Flora is in mourning for their benefactor who they assume is probably dead.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
John and Maggie bail Frank junior out of jail and gives him words of wisdom to straighten up his act.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
John finds Mellicent with a young man she loves, Douglas Gray, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. When Jane happens upon the three of them, John says he was out with Mellicent, and that Douglas is his protege.
20a. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – EVENING
John arrives with Douglas to find two questionable but rich young men there to vie for Mellicent. John finagles for Mellicent and Douglas to play piano and violin together while John distracts Jane from intervening and the two young men get annoyed.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
A Maggie gets a letter that brings tears to her eyes, but she won’t tell John what it is about; although he assumes it is about money, and that she has lost it. Flora comes to talk about the beggars that she has been sending money to. John takes on the role of her secretary to get her away from the scoundrels.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
While Maggie is walking through the park she sees the young rich men playing tennis and Mellicent being monopolized by John instead of watching them play. Maggie gets jealous and disappointed in John. Someone mentions that it must almost be time for John to be moving away, and she cries.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
A lawyer comes to the house, but Maggie won’t tell Stanley why. Stanley finds out that Maggie thought that he was interested in Mellicent romantically. He goes to say that is absurd because he has never seen a woman yet he would want to marry, but as he does so, he looks at Maggie and realizes she is just such a woman.
23a. EXT – CLOSED FACTORY – DAY
John asks Maggie if she would like him to reopen the factory – one of her civic dreams. He tells her who he really is, and she is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley out of her home.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Benny asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Benny gets upset because he never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie and John make up and get engaged. She tells him that she inherited $1,000,000 from her father’s side of the family; that was why the lawyer had come. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – STEAMSHIP LEAVING SOUTH AMERICA – DAY
Stanley boards a ship with crates.
30. EXT – STEAMSHIP ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley disembarks into a throng of reporters. He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff.
31. POSTSCRIPT HEADLINES
News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement. The whole family is invited to the small private wedding.
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Justina Mitchell’s Pass 2: Story Logic Web
What I learned doing this assignment is that going through these processes can bring more congruence to the overall story. I was surprised to see the Plot Structure shift when it seemed like such an obvious choice previously.
BEFORE:
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
LEAD CHARACTERS:
Protagonist: Stanley G. Fulton/John Smith – an ultra-wealthy man in search of who to will his money to
Antagonist: Maggie Duff – a close relation to the cousins Stanley is observing who is the self-sacrificing, self-effacing, positive and wise bearer of everyone’s burdens
PLOT/STRUCTURE:
#1 Quest
Opening:
We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life; he chokes on a sausage or absent-mindedly cartwheels down the grand staircase or something like that.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer/friend.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling like she can’t trust him.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
CHARACTER ARC:
Part to be changed: Stanley doesn’t have any intimately close relationships.
Biggest fear: Stanley fears his bequeathed money will ruin the people that he meant to help with it.
Completion of arc: Stanley falls in love with a generous, giving woman who will help his money help others.
MAIN CONFLICT, DRAMATIC QUESTION, DILEMMA:
Main conflict:
Each of the possible heirs have good points and bad points in how they relate to money and with each other.
Dramatic Question:
Who will Stanley end up choosing as an heir to his massive fortune?
Dilemma:
When Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her for their entire relationship.
Theme:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
DISCOVERIES and IMPROVEMENTS:
Plot Structure:
Metamorphosis (#11) is very possibly a good alternative to the Quest (#1) structure. It seems the Quest is only the back drop for the Metamorphosis that takes place.
Main Conflict:
The main conflict seems out of place. Although it feeds into the Dramatic Question, it isn’t the Main Conflict. The Main Conflict is in Stanley thinking he can move in and out of his relatives lives without becoming part of their lives as well as they becoming part of his.
Dramatic Question:
Dramatic Question should be: Is Stanley going to be able to closely observe his distant cousins without becoming emotionally invested in their lives? But then again, that isn’t a very dramatic question. Perhaps a better question is: Once getting to know his distant cousins, will Stanley be able to choose which to give his money to, and will he just be able to walk away?
AFTER:
CONCEPT:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
LEAD CHARACTERS:
Protagonist: Stanley G. Fulton/John Smith – an ultra-wealthy, self-contained man who is in search of who to will his money to
Antagonist: Maggie Duff – a close relation to the cousins Stanley is observing who is the self-sacrificing, self-effacing, positive and wise bearer of everyone’s burdens
PLOT/STRUCTURE:
#11 Metamorphosis
Opening:
We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life; he chokes on a sausage or absent-mindedly cartwheels down the grand staircase or something like that.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer/friend.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling like she can’t trust him.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
CHARACTER ARC:
Part to be changed: Stanley doesn’t have any intimately close relationships.
Biggest fear: Stanley fears his bequeathed money will ruin the people that he meant to help with it.
Completion of arc: Stanley falls in love with a generous, giving woman who will help his money help others.
MAIN CONFLICT, DRAMATIC QUESTION, DILEMMA:
Main conflict:
Stanley thinks he can move in and out of his relatives lives without becoming attached to them emotionally.
Dramatic Question:
Once getting to know his distant cousins, will Stanley be able to choose which to give his money to, and will he just be able to walk away?
Dilemma:
When Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her for their entire relationship.
Theme:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
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Justina Mitchell’s 1st Pass
What I learned doing this assignment is that even though I know a lot about how this story goes, I still need to make a couple very big decisions about it’s setting – time & place – and what pretense my protagonist is going to use to explain his being there – genealogist, computer something, town savior, writer, painter????
Concept:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
Plot Selection:
Quest –
Stanley, who keeps to himself, goes incognito to find who should be the heir to his wealth. As he observes the different way his distant relatives handle money, he begins to question his own way of handling money. He is also reminded that the best people aren’t always the richest, including himself. In the end, he finds love with one of those best people which notion he was diametrically opposed to at the outset.
9 Structure Beats:
Opening:
We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life; he chokes on a sausage or absent-mindedly cartwheels down the grand staircase or something like that.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only know relatives in order to pick one.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer/friend.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling like she can’t trust him.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
Character Arc of your protagonist:
Part to be changed: Stanley doesn’t have any intimately close relationships.
Biggest fear: Stanley fears his bequeathed money will ruin the people that he meant to help with it.
Completion of arc: Stanley falls in love with a generous, giving woman who will help his money help others.
PLOT IN STRUCTURE:
Opening:
We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.
1. INT – STANLEY’S NEW YORK OFFICES – NIGHT
Stanley Fulton is leaving his opulent office while staff members cordially tell him goodnight. As soon as he is gone the staff members look relieved.
2. EXT – CITY STREET – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
Stanley comes out of the office building and a well-dressed couple who are acquaintances of his stop and chat with him for a minute. The unattractive man is a bit drunk, and the woman is insincerely devoted to him; both circumstances, Stanley picks up on disapprovingly.
3. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is cordial, but not close with his cook/housekeeper who leaves for the night. He eats his dinner by himself as he focuses on business.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life.
4. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT
Stanley is climbing the grand staircase when he, forgetting something, turns to descend the staircase. His feet get tangled and he has a humorously horrific tumble down the entire flight of stairs. The papers that were in his hands go flying. He lays at the bottom in a heap.
5. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – NIGHT – LATER
Stanley awakens at the bottom of the staircase. In a daze, he starts picking up his papers. When he sees his bloodied reflection in the mirror, he is so startled he throws the papers in the air as he runs away from the reflection and knocks himself out again.
6. INT – STANLEY’S MANSION – DAY
A concierge doctor is attending to Stanley’s injuries; portable MRI machine and all. Stanley’s friend and lawyer, Ned, is also there. Stanley reveals to Ned that he is concerned about what to do with his money when he dies. He talks about how inherited money ruined the man he ran into the night before. He also states that he, Stanley, doesn’t want a gold-digging woman like that man had. He also dismisses giving the money to colleges or charities. Ned mentions relatives, and Stanley has a brilliant idea come to him.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only known relatives in order to pick one.
7. EXT – HILLERTON TRAIN STATION – DAY
Stanley gets off a train wearing a full beard and mustache and respectable but inexpensive clothing.
8. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY
Stanley is walking down the residential streets of the small town with two rolling suitcases.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
9. EXT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
At their expansive and expensive rented house, Stanley introduces himself to the Driscoll family as John Smith, a respectable, trustworthy genealogist who is researching a book on the Driscoll family. He provides a letter of introduction from a respected banker in town. He asks if they might be interested in his boarding with them. They are polite but send him to their brother Frank’s house for boarding.
10. EXT – STREETS OF HILLERTON – DAY – CONTINUOUS
Stanley, who is now John Smith, has an informative walk with Jackie, the youngest Driscoll, across town to Frank’s house.
11. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY – CONTINUOUS
John Smith arranges to stay in the modest and plastic covered apartment of his cousin’s family above their grocery store.
12. EXT – JIM DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John goes to ask Hattie Driscoll, Jim’s wife, about family history. While there he meets Maggie Duff, the older step-sister of the Driscolls.
13. INT – FLORA DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John is visiting with Flora Driscoll, his spinster cousin. She shows him a family album that contains a magazine photo of him as Stanley. She sees the resemblance, but then chalks it up to his also being a distant cousin of theirs.
14. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John goes to Maggie’s home because the family records are kept there. He meets Father Duff, and sees how deftly Maggie handles the cantankerous old man.
15. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME- DAY
John sits at a table and works his way through the family records. He sees many family members come and go asking for advise and taking advantage of Maggie, which she handles with love and wisdom. He also gets a good feel as to how the family members currently handle/regard money.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer, Ned.
16. INT – FRANK DRISCOLL’S HOME – DAY
John arrives home to find all the Driscolls gathered in the living room. They learn that they each have been given $2,000,000 from their famous, distant cousin, the ultra-wealthy Stanley Fulton. They are very excited.
17. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
John and Maggie discuss her not being in the bequeath and how the others are handling the money. Jane comes by to ask Maggie if she could now board John.
18. INT – JAMES DRISCOLL’S NEW HOME – NIGHT
At an elaborate party we see how the different members of the family are responding to having wealth.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
19. INT – TOWN JAIL – NIGHT
John and Maggie bail Frank junior out of jail and gives him words of wisdom to straighten up his act.
20. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
John and Maggie find Bessie with a young man she loves, but who isn’t rich so her mother doesn’t approve of him. They give her comfort and strive to come up with a solution for her.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
21. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
A man comes to see Maggie, and she is very secretive about who he is. As jealousy wells up in John, he realizes he doesn’t want to be without Maggie, ever.
22. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Someone asks John if his research is over and if he’ll be leaving soon. Maggie realizes she loves John.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds angrily and feels that she can’t trust him.
23. INT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – NIGHT
The deadline for the second letter to be read is nearly up and John/Stanley has to come clean to Maggie about who he really is. She is furious that he has been lying to the entire family this whole time. She kicks Stanley out of her home.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
24. EXT – MAGGIE DUFF’S HOME – DAY
Jackie asks for John, and Maggie tells her that John is staying at the motel. Jackie cries because she never saw Maggie so happy as when John was around. Maggie agrees and searches out John.
25. EXT – TOWN PARK – DAY
Maggie and John make up. She tells him that she inherited $1,000,000 from her father’s side of the family; that was who the mysterious stranger was. They discuss how they will tell the rest of the family.
26. EXT – TRAIN STATION – DAY
John leaves town and several of the family members see him off.
27. EXT – REMOTE EDGE OF A SOUTH AMERICAN JUNGLE – DAY
John goes into the jungle with a small group. Stanley Fulton emerges from the jungle with a different small group carrying lots of crates.
28. INT – SOUTH AMERICAN HOTEL – DAY
Stanley checks into the hotel under his real name which catches the attention of the locals.
29. EXT – LARGE PRIVATE JET – DAY
Stanley boards a private jet with the crates.
30. EXT – LARGE PRIVATE JET ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY – DAY
Stanley deplanes into a throng of reporters. He is welcomed by Ned and his family, including their house guest who Stanley is “introduced” to, Miss Maggie Duff. News headlines reveal that Stanley is dating Maggie Duff and then announces their engagement.
THE END
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Justina Mitchell’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is that a good movie flows easily from one scene to another; repeatedly I had to rewind because the film had gone through two or three scenes without my noting them. I also learned that the answers to the necessary questions aren’t always easy to pin down.
Title: Overboard – 1987 Version
Dramatic Question:
Will Dean and Joanna end up as a couple or will he end up in trouble for tricking her?
Main Conflict:
Dean is using Joanna, but she senses that she doesn’t belong in his family’s life and keeps looking for the truth.
Dilemma:
Dean can be honest with Joanna to clear his conscience or keep the free childcare that he desperately needs.
Theme:
Love can change a person’s world.
Outline
Slugline:
EXT – ESTABLISHING SHOTS – OCEAN/SEASIDE TOWN/ELABORATE PRIVATE YACHT – DAY
Essence:
This film will take place in a seaside community, Elk Cove, Oregon, and on a large private yacht, The Immaculata.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
The opulent, frivolous lifestyle of the boat owners begins to be established. The distant, placating nature of the owner’s marriage is also established. Dean Proffitt is introduced as a congenial handyman on assignment to work on the yacht.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA LIVING ROOM & BEDROOM – DAY
Essence:
Joanna, the wife, is revealed to have an unappreciative, excessively smug, unfriendly, suspicious personality. The excessive opulence of Joanna’s lifestyle is also firmly established.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Joanna’s excessive wealth is established when she instructs a bid for $1.7 million for a painting. Dean overhears this from inside. Grant, the husband, is annoying and ignoring Joanna when she ask him to be quiet as he is shooting skeet.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA BEDROOM – DAY
Essence:
While Dean is taking a break, Joanna comes in to the room, and he sees a birthmark high on her buttocks because of her high-cut bathing suit.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Grant is target practicing with suction cup arrows, (a possible symbolism that frustration with his sex life has driven him to often shoot other projectiles). Joanna says that Dean is listening to their conversation.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA BEDROOM CLOSET – DAY
Essence:
Although Dean created a great solution for Joanna’s closet, she is unappreciative because it isn’t made of cedar, even though she didn’t ask for cedar. He confirms to her that he overheard her demeaning remarks about him while she was on the deck.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Showdown between Joanna and Dean. He enthusiastically tells her that her life is frivolous and empty.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA ENGINE ROOM & KITCHEN – DAY
Essence:
The yacht’s crew overhears Dean’s tirade at Joanna and applauds.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
The end of the showdown between Joanna and Dean. She thinks he is going to sexually assault her, and when he says he is not interested in doing that, she literally throws him and his tools overboard.
Slugline:
EXT – BILLY PRATT’S HANDYMAN SERVICE – DAY
Essence:
Dean confirms he lost all his tools and that he needs a steady job. There is also mention of a miniature golf course dream.
Slugline:
INT – EDITH MINTZ’S NEW YORK BEDROOM & IMMACULATA BEDROOM – DAY
Essence:
Joanna is on the phone telling her mother, Edith Mintz, about Dean’s tirade. She also tells her that Grant wants a baby. We see that Edith is the archetype that Joanna is emulating in the way of opulent self-centeredness.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Dean arrives home to find that the school principle has met his four unsupervised, monster sons. She threatens to call child protective services if Dean doesn’t get them supervision.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA BEDROOM – NIGHT
Essence:
Joanna and Grant’s marriage bed is a cold one. When she notices that she left her wedding ring on deck, he refuses to go get it for her. She goes to get I herself.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – NIGHT
Essence:
Joanna, in high heel slippers, attempts to pick up her ring, but because the man at the wheel is asleep, the boat is unsteady and she falls overboard. Although she screams the two men that barely hear her, disregard the sound of her shrill voice – they hear it too often.
Slugline:
INT – KRAB NEWS STUDIO – DAY
Essence:
The news anchor is reporting on the discovery of a mystery woman with amnesia that was picked up by a garbage scow.
Slugline:
EXT – GARBAGE SCOW – DAY
Essence:
Rose, a reporter and wife of the anchor man, interviews the garbage scow captain.
Slugline:
INT – JOANNA’S IMMACULATA BEDROOM – DAY
Essence:
The news report on the television awakens Grant. He sees that the amnesic woman is Joanna.
Slugline:
INT – ELK COVE HOSPITAL – DAY
Essence:
Grant goes to retrieve Joanna from the hospital, and then decides not to as she is showing her usual unpleasant personality. She is put in the psyche ward.
Slugline:
INT – BOWLING ALLEY – DAY
Essence:
Dean is working at the bowling alley when he sees the news report about Joanna and her husband leaving her in the hospital. He gets a crazy idea, and enlists Billy to help him carry it out.
Slugline:
INT – ELK COVE HOSPITAL – DAY
Essence:
Dean claims Joanna, who he now calls Annie, as his wife. He verifies their intimate relationship by telling them all about her birthmark that he saw on the boat.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S PICK UP TRUCK – DAY
Essence:
Dean is taking Joanna/Annie to his home. She sits in the back while the dogs are inside the cab.
Slugline:
EXT/INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Dean introduces Annie to the house and their four monster boys. Annie faints. After she recovers, he tells her distressing things about her personal and family history.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – NIGHT
Essence:
Annie tries to cook dinner with disastrous results. Dean leaves her alone with the children which she dreads.
Slugline:
INT – BOWLING ALLEY – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean tells Billy that he intends to keep Annie for just over a month to pay off the money she owes him, but that he won’t sleep with her.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean has fun with Annie then sends her to sleep on the couch where she has a terrible night sleep.
Slugline:
INT/EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – MONTAGE – DAY
Essence:
After everyone leaves for the day, Annie tackles her domestic duties in a variety of ways and is very bad at them.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie nearly has a mental break because of the strain. She demands photographic evidence she belongs there. She has a flash of memory of Dean on the yacht. He distracts her but looks worried.
Slugline:
EXT – BILLY PRATT’S HANDYMAN SERVICE – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean ask Billy to make fake photographic evidence for Annie.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Dean goes over the photographic evidence with Annie; her mug shots from the day she was rescued “photo-shopped” into Dean’s photos of him and his wife. Given the evidence, she reluctantly accepts that she belongs.
Slugline:
EXT/INT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA & EDITH MINTZ’S NEW YORK HOME – DAY
Essence:
Grant is living decadently when Edith calls for Joanna; she is brushed off.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
The home reflects better housekeeping, and Annie is trying to make the most of her lot. After the boys play two tricks on her, Annie calls out Dean for being a bad parent. She later stands up for herself by spraying everyone with water; she has changed into one of them.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie is starting to be accepted by the boys as she takes on motherly duties better.
Slugline:
INT – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – DAY
Essence:
The boys are disciplined for being inattentive during placement tests. Annie arrives and upon realizing the boys are suffering from poison oak, she rips into the principle for her attitude toward the family. Dean eavesdrops to hear all of this from the hallway.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – NIGHT
Essence:
Annie treats the boys’ rashes and finds out the youngest can’t read. She calls out Dean on his lack of parenting again. He leaves, and when he returns, he realizes she has done a lot to improve their home and tells her so. They share a tender moment together where they both start seeing each other in a slightly romantic way.
Slugline:
EXT – PARK – DAY
Essence:
The family is spending time with friends and considering what theme to use for the miniature golf course they want to build. Annie provides the theme of the Wonders of the World. She also discovers she knows how to speak French, but justifies it as part of her fictional history that Dean told her.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie is drawing up pictures of the Wonders of the World. She finds out from the boys that Dean lied about where he has been going at night.
Slugline:
EXT/INT – BOWLING ALLEY/FISH PLANT – NIGHT
Essence:
Annie has gone in search of Dean and finds him working at the fish plant, doing grunt work.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie tenderly sends Dean off to his meeting with the investors.
Slugline:
INT – CRABS R US RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean and Billy present their idea for the miniature golf course to the investors.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean tells Annie that they got the investment money and they hug enthusiastically.
Slugline:
INT/EXT – MONTAGE – DAY
Essence:
Scenes of Dean building the miniature golf course, and Annie being a supportive wife and mother.
Slugline:
EXT – MINATURE GOLF COURSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION – DAY
Essence:
Dean tells Billy he wants to confess the truth to Annie.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Dean comes home to find a scene of domestic tranquility. He attempts to confess to Annie the truth, but ends up telling her that he forgot her birthday.
Slugline:
INT/EXT – DANCE BAR – NIGHT
Essence:
Dean and Annie have fun dancing at the bar to celebrate her birthday. He tells her the romantic story of why the fishermen honk three times when returning to port. They kiss passionately.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – NIGHT/MORNING
Essence:
Dean and Annie make love. Dean has her woken up to find that he has bought her a new washing machine.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA & EDITH MINTZ’S NEW YORK HOME – DAY
Essence:
A phone conversation between Grant and Edith while Grant is living his decadent lifestyle, and Edith is having her portrait painted. What Edith says inspires Grant to return to Elk Cove to retrieve Joanna.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
The family is getting ready to go to the opening of the miniature golf course.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S PICK-UP TRUCK – DAY
Essence:
While straightening the cab of the pick-up, Annie finds her panties from when she was picked up by the garbage scow, but thinks they belong to another woman.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie accuses Dean of being unfaithful to her. He confesses the truth to her about who she is, but she doesn’t believe him. He asks the kids to back him up, but they refuse to. Billy also refuses to back him up.
Slugline:
EXT – COMPLETED MINIATURE GOLF COURSE – DAY
Essence:
The grand opening of the miniature golf course is in full-swing, and everyone is enjoying it.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Andrew, the butler, is trying to obtain a limousine in Elk Cove; they will be arriving soon.
Slugline:
EXT – MINIATURE GOLF COURSE – DAY
Essence:
Dean publicly declares his love for Annie, and gives her a “replacement” wedding ring.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S PICK-UP TRUCK – DAY
Essence:
Happiness and contentment reign in the cab as the family comes home from the grand opening.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Upon arriving home, the family finds Grant in a limousine there. Annie/Joanna’s memory suddenly comes back. At first she is elated but then she is devastated that Dean lied to her.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Annie comes into the house, which is much improved because of her, looks around sadly then exits.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME – DAY
Essence:
Dean thanks Annie and she leaves with Grant. The boys run after and pound on the limousine trying to get Joanna to stay. Dean and the children go into the house heartbroken.
Slugline:
INT – LIMOUSINE – DAY
Essence:
Inside the limousine it is clear to see that Annie is heartbroken and not actually “with” Grant at all.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – EVENING
Essence:
Joanna looks all put together in her expensive attire but still heartbroken as the yacht pulls away from Elk Cove.
Slugline:
EXT – DOCK AREA – EVENING
Essence:
Dean looks out to sea as he misses Annie.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – NIGHT
Essence:
Grant and Edith have Dr. Korman onboard, Joanna’s high-priced psychologist, and ask him about Joanna’s ability to return to her old self. A roll of the eyes indicates that Grant would prefer that she doesn’t return to her old self. Joanna enters looking like a softer version of her old self, but doesn’t act like her old self much at all.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S RAMSHACKLE HOME/SHED – NIGHT
Essence:
The boys want to go get Joanna back, but Dean assures them that she isn’t coming back.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – NIGHT
Essence:
Grant is drunkenly missing his decadent lifestyle. Joanna connects with and apologizes to the staff. Words of wisdom she receives from Andrew inspire her to turn the yacht back around to return to Elk Cove, Dean, and the boys.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Grant awakens to see that the yacht has turned around and he swears he will correct it.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Grant confronts Joanna and she tells him she wants Dean instead of him.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Grant takes control of the yacht and turns it about.
Slugline:
INT – DEAN’S PICK-UP TRUCK – DAY
Essence:
Dean supposedly sees the Immaculata offshore.
Slugline:
EXT – DEAN’S SHED – DAY
Essence:
Dean tells the boys they are going to go get Joanna back with the help of the coast guard.
Slugline:
EXT – COAST GUARD VESSEL – DAY
Essence:
Dean and the boys are topside looking for the Immaculata. The officers onboard are trying to justify this errand of love.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Joanna tells Grant she is leaving him. Grant accidentally lets her know that he left her in the psych ward in Elk Cove. Although doctor Korman was called up by Grant to deal with Joanna, she gets him to occupy Grant instead. Below deck, Joanna stops the boat then becomes aware that Dean has come to get her as she hears a ship’s horn blow three times.
Slugline:
INT – COAST GUARD VESSEL – DAY
Essence:
The boys use the loud speaker to announce their arrival to get their mom back.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA & THE COAST GUARD VESSEL – DAY
Essence:
Joanna and the family make visual contact through binoculars.
Slugline:
INT – IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Joanna grabs her macaroni necklace that Joey gave her and honks the yacht’s horn to reply to Dean.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Joanna goes out on deck to prepare for the family’s arrival. Andrew tries to assist her.
Slugline:
EXT – COAST GUARD VESSEL – DAY
Essence:
The officers receive news that trumps their current mission and they turn the boat around just before it gets to the yacht. Dean dives off the vessel. The vessel has to come about to pick him up.
Slugline:
EXT – DECK OF THE IMMACULATA – DAY
Essence:
Joanna goes to jump in the water, but Andrew stops her to get her in a life-jacket. Joanna jumps into the ocean. Grant goes to shoot her with a suction cup arrow, but Andrew pushes Grant overboard.
Slugline:
EXT – OCEAN – DAY
Essence:
Dean and Annie swim to each other on the open ocean, embrace, declare their love, and kiss. Grant is pulled onboard the Immaculata. Dean and Annie are retrieved by the coast guard rescue boat. Annie reveals to Dean that the wealth is hers.
Slugline:
EXT – COAST GUARD VESSEL – DAY
Essence:
After a loving reunion with the boys, Dean asks Annie what could he ever give her that she doesn’t already have. She replies, “A little girl,” thus indicating she is in this relationship forever.
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Justina Mitchell’s Basic Structure!
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that some of the beats are very closely intertwined and some are spread further apart.
Concept:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
Opening:
We see Stanley in his opulent yet rather isolated life.
Inciting Incident:
Stanley nearly dies in a funny but frightening way within the framework of his everyday life; he chokes on a sausage or absent-mindedly cartwheels down the grand staircase or something like that.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about:
Stanley has determined that he needs an heir and has devised a plan to go live among his only know relatives in order to pick one.
First Turning Point at the end of Act 1:
Stanley arrives in Hillerton in beard and modestly priced garb and begins boarding with one of his cousins. He becomes acquainted with his cousins and their current way of life.
Mid-Point:
The small fortune that was to be given to the cousins arrives via Stanley’s lawyer/friend.
Second turning point at the end of Act 2:
All the happiness and joy of the cousins is dwindling as the complications of having a small fortune and what they have done with it is starting to hit home.
Crisis:
As Stanley and Maggie are trying to help the cousins with their money complications, they grow closer and suddenly Stanley realizes he is in love with her.
Climax:
Stanley has to confess to Maggie that he has been lying to her this whole time about who he is, and she responds by feeling like she can’t trust him.
Resolution:
Maggie decides that it wasn’t such a terrible lie, and she forgives Stanley. They then devise a plan to break the news to the rest of the family.
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Justina Mitchell’s Necessary Questions
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that some questions about a screenplay are easier to answer than other questions.
Concept:
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a massive fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
Dramatic Question:
Who will Stanley end up choosing as an heir to his massive fortune?
Main conflict:
Each of the possible heirs have good points and bad points in how they relate to money and with each other.
Dilemma:
When Stanley realizes he has fallen in love with Maggie, he knows he has to continue living the persona he created or risk losing her by telling her that he has been dishonest with her for their entire relationship.
Theme:
Money doesn’t buy happiness; love does.
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Justina’s Dramatic Plots 2
What I learned doing this assignment is that it is very difficult to decide which plot structure you want to work with. Two structures battled it out, but in the end I realized one was the greater portion; mostly because I like it better, and I think it will be easier to write. I chose the Quest.
Concept: A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they will handle a fortune, he decides to give each of them a small fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their handling of it.
Plot Selection:
11 – Metamorphosis:
Stanley has “all the money in the world” but no love in his life, nor does he see a need for it. As he lives among his cousins incognito, he sees a side of love he never saw before, and finds he is much wealthier when he embraces it.
12 – Transformation:
Stanley feels he is nearing the end of his life and needs to find an heir, but when he goes in search of one, he finds his youth as well.
Plot Selection from Day 2:
1 – Quest: This is the plot I’ll be using in this Outlining module.
Stanley, who keeps to himself, goes incognito to find who should be the heir to his wealth. As he observes the different way his distant relatives handle money, he begins to question his own way of handling money. He is also reminded that the best people aren’t always the richest, including himself. In the end, he finds love with one of those best people which notion he was diametrically opposed to at the outset.
2 – Adventure:
Big city Stanley travels to a small, quaint town to live incognito for a time among his distant cousins as he searches for an heir. He experiences new things that his posh city life would never afford him. He also sees how different kinds of people handle money in a far different way than he is use to seeing among his social set. In the end, love finds him which wasn’t on his agenda at all.
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Justina’s Dramatic Plots 1
What I learned doing this assignment is that even if you know the story, where you put the emphasis in the plot can make a huge difference in how it is experienced. Also choosing a plot structure can help the creativity process along immensely.
Plot Selection:
1 – Quest:
Stanley, who keeps to himself, goes incognito to find who should be the heir to his wealth. As he observes the different way his distant relatives handle money, he begins to question his own way of handling money. He is also reminded that the best people aren’t always the richest, including himself. In the end, he finds love with one of those best people which notion he was diametrically opposed to at the outset.
2 – Adventure:
Big city Stanley travels to a small, quaint town to live incognito for a time among his distant cousins as he searches for an heir. He experiences new things that his posh city life would never afford him. He also sees how different kinds of people handle wealth in a far different way than he is use to seeing among his social set. In the end, love finds him which wasn’t on his agenda at all.
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<font color=”#000000″><font face=”Times New Roman, serif”><font size=”3″>What
I learned doing this assignment is that even when you know how
the story unfolds, deciding what character structure to take in its
unfolding is a crucial first step and will have a great influence on
the overall feel of the screenplay. </font></font></font><u style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”>Concept:<u style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”>
A very wealthy man who has no heirs considers leaving his money
to one of three distant, unfamiliar cousins, but to find out how they
will handle a fortune, he decides to give each of them a small
fortune while he lives among them incognito and observes their
handling of it.<u style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”>Character
Structure:<u style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”> Rom-Com or Buddy Movie with Two Characters
Owning the Story<u style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”>Lead
Characters:<font color=”#000000″><font face=”Times New Roman, serif”><font size=”3″>My
protagonist is Stanley G. Fulton who is coming incognito into the
lives of his distant cousins to see which of them would be best
suited to inherit his money. </font></font></font>My
antagonist is Margaret “Poor Maggie” Duff who is the spinster
step-sister to the cousins who has a heart of gold that everyone goes
to for help with all their problems.<b style=”font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);”>Character
Structure Plays Out:<font color=”#000000″><font face=”Times New Roman, serif”><font size=”3″>Stanley
G. Fulton is a famous, very wealthy man in his fifties who is
concerned about what he should do with his money after his death. He
comes upon the notion of living among his only known relatives, (three
distant cousins who are siblings), incognito and “willing” them a
wonderful amount of money to see what they do with that money. By
observing their relationship with money before and after they receive
the money he hopes to learn which of them would be the best choice to
be his heir. </font></font></font>When
incognito, Stanley arrives in town, he is introduced to Poor Maggie,
the step-sister of his cousins. She is the long-suffering, hard
working, caregiver for her grumpy father. She is also the
intelligent, patient, level-headed member of the family that the rest
of the family goes to when they need help with anything from
unpleasant duties to a shoulder to cry on. She is also the woman who
Stanley falls in love with despite his best efforts not to. -
Hello, future friends!
My name is Justina Mitchell.
I’ve written four full-length screenplays, one short, and three short stage plays.
One of my scripts won the Virginia Screenwriting Competition in 2019, and another became a finalist in the same competition in 2021. I imagined that producers would seek me out after my winning screenplay, but not even an email did I receive from aloof Hollywood. From this class I hope to learn how to turn my screenplays into catnip for those Hollywood cats and gain the confidence to deliver those screenplays into their paws.
Something unusual about me is that I have shed 120 pounds in the past couple years using the Bright Line Eating program. Oh, and I have a Russian Blue cat who occasionally assists me in my writing.
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<div>Justina J. D. Mitchell</div>
I 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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What I learned from this opening call is covered beautifully by those who have posted before me. Probably the most important things for me personally are stated in the Keys to Success section: Follow the program; Do every assignment regardless of quality; Focus on learning; and Use the easy way of intervals. Permission to write badly is probably going to prove very helpful as well. Lastly, I felt like I learned a magic trick by the concept of giving my creative mind assignments, “In the morning I’ll know how to fix this problem.” Exciting!
This is daunting, but doable. I can be a success story, but I have to earn it by doing the work. I look forward to the confidence I’ll gain from this course, and of course, the resulting sales I’ll make.