[Kitty Hopper]

Hello Everyone..hope I’m doing this correctly.

My name is KittyHopper and I’m in Chicago.

I’ve completed two scripts that didn’t go anywhere, but I like them both, so looking to improve them.

I was terrified to think about Ai but once I got into it I was pretty amazed, and I know I will become a much better ‘scripter’.

Unusual? Well, I have the only endangered insect living in my back yard..the Rusty Patch Bumble Bee…and many years ago I was a character (under a different name) in ‘Superman’ comics..who beat up on Superman.

I take the classes when I can and always learn an amazing amount…about myself as well.

Enjoy being among all he talent that posted!!!

[Kitty Hopper]

My name is Kitty Hopper and I agree to honor the ‘confidentiality agreement’ in full. Thank you for allowing me in this class.

[Kitty Hopper]

S1-E6-“Big Little Lies’-51 mins.

Character 1 Character 2 Character 3 Character 4

Madeline Jane Celeste Renata

Surface: Lead Mom New Friend Best Friend Foes

CommonGround: Town Defends son Shares talk Kids play

Conflict: Losing herself Looking for rapist Not revealing abuse Butt hds

History: Long time lead Quickly friends Shows perfect life 1-up

Subtext: Hidden affair Hidden life Afraid of losing it all jealous

Relationship Working thru Listens for advice Wants to reveal Gets back

[Kitty Hopper]

Lesson 5: Depth of Emotion

Big Little Lies-S1 E5 51 mins.

Assignment Example Show

Joan

A: Situational: Hope/Fear

Her child Ziggy is really ok/ Ziggy is damaged and dangerous

B. Motivation: Want/Need

That she is recovering emotional from the rape that became the pregnancy/ find and get revenge on the rapist

C: Mask: Base negative emotion/Public Mask

She is not doing well mentally/she is fine

D: Weakness

Shy, secretive, not making friends easy, not having a job

E: Triggers

Ziggy be accused of violent acts at school; nightmares about rape

F: Coping mechanism

Running along the ocean, target practice with gun, taking good care of Ziggy

Celeste

A: Situation: Hope/Fear

That they as a couple can work thru the violent nature of their love making and he will stop abusing her/That she will be really physical hurt or killed by him

B: Motivation: Wants/Need

To return to her practice of law

To be able to tell husband that she wants to return to work

C: Mask: Base Negative Emotion/ Public

Fear she will be hurt more or killed by husband

That they are the perfect couple

D: Weakness

Not able to speak up to her husband

Worried he will take the twins away from her

E: Triggers

Any comment to her husband caused violence on his part

F: Coping Mechanism

Denies real problem to therapist, doesn’t speak her mind to her husband to make ‘peace’

Assignment 2: Your show.

With the audio introduction and the first 2 pre-course assignments, it became clear to me that the script I was basing this class on was flawed in so many ways..esp. learning about the ‘circle of characters’, and what we have learned so far. I need more characters, more depth, more situations.

Yet I do think, once I learn from the class, the basic idea of this project may be a good one!

I also understood that it could be used as a ‘base’ but was not necessarily a ‘streamer’..and my script is DEFINITELY lacking on all levels.

Only recently familiar with the concept fo ‘binge watching’, with the knowledge I am gaining, I will need to completely re-work my ‘idea’ and put it in better form.

I had actually thought, up to this point, that ‘your show’ meant the ‘example show’, so did Assignment 2 for the lesson in a duplicate form.

That being said, I now realize I should have been working on ‘My Show’..but it isn’t there.

What I now need to do is continue with the lessons and Assignment #1 and when we have a ‘break’, use all that I have learn to re-write the concept that I have…and then I should go thru every lesson again.. with Assignment 2.

Sorry for the confusion…and I know I will ‘catch-up’ when I have a viable project.

Thank you for your time.

.

[Kitty Hopper]

Lesson 4: Layers fo the Character Intrigue

Assignment 1

1) List places you’ve already seen character intrigue.

(I think I took this literally to mean ‘places’, i.e locations)

Each characters home, front of school, coffee shop, children b’day party, ocean shore line, on phone while driving, work out studio

2)Big Little Lies S1-E4 “Push Comes to Shove” 51 mins

Watch episode and see how Character intrigue is being used to create the need to see more episodes.

Flash back (or forward) to Jane running to the very edge of a cliff before she stops; also she jumps (dream or in her mind?)

Showing Celeste looking and her view holding on a knife block

Jane talks about moving back to her mom’s

“We all have baggage”

Is someone hurting little Annabella…and is it Ziggy?

(And the music selection that plays in the episodes gives ‘hints’)

Assignment 2

“What I learned doing this assignment is:”

That your inner circle characters would do well having most or all of the ‘intrigue items’ and of handled well, would not get in the way’ but would add depth to each character.

Character Name ..Madeline Jane Celeste Renata

Role ‘lead’ mom mystery mom best friend mimesis

Hidden Agenda trying to stay top gun practice return to law wants to be liked

Competition Renata the town husband Madeline

Conspiracies besting people hidden life living own life bettering Madeline

Secrets ‘may be losing self’ dangerous son unhappy not into sex

Deception affair is she normal hiding bruises not being happy

Wound abandoned by father raped-child husband not liked

Secret Identity Not a good mom murderer? power lawyer corp not enough

[Kitty Hopper]

Engaging Main Characters – Assigment #2

What I learned from this assignment is: The 3rd episode seems perfect for ‘fleshing out’ the main character circle (other than the lead-which is ‘circled back to thruout’)

Big Little Lies-S1 E3 “Living the Dream”

1) Journey of the Show

The ‘mothers’ take a stand and the ‘war’ is on.

When Jane’s Ziggy is not invited to Renata’s daughter’s b’day part..the only one in the class..Madeline buys ‘Disney on Ice’ tickets for the same time as the party and ‘party bus’s’ away the popular class people and moms. The group is now in different ‘camps’.

We discover more about the different moms, including Madeline.

2) Main characters: Madeline, Jane , Celeste, Renata

A: Role in the show

Madeline- Main mom and friend to most

Jane- Mystery mom just arrive in the town

Celeste- Friend but is she ‘caught’ in this marriage?

Renata- Wants to take Madeline’s place in the mom’s group.

B: Unique Purpose/Expertise

Madeline- Friend to most with her own way

Jane-mystery and hiding what it is

Celeste- Is she caught in an abusive marriage?

Renata- Wants to take Madeline ‘place’

C: Intrique

Madeline:Her life is not all it seems

Jane: Something is very wrong…and son Ziggy is part of it

Celeste: Could she lose her adored twin sons?

Renata: Will her money buy her what she wants?

D: Moral Issue

Madeline: Is she having an affair?

Jane: Why does she have a gun under her pillow?

C:Is the marriage enough to put her in physical danger?
Renata: Is she lying to herself?

E: Unpredictable:

Madeline: Just what will she do next?

Jane: Will she reveal herself and stay?

Celeste: Will she return to work as a lawyer and risk her marriage?

Renata: What will she do to get ahead?

F: Empathetic

Madeline: We like her and are on her side.

Jane: So likable and we want to help her.

Celeste: We don’t want her hurt..or lose her twins.

Renata: Can she help the way she is?

[Kitty Hopper]

Assignment Two Big Little Lies S1-E2

What I learned from doing this assignment is:

While the ‘pilot’ episode centers primarily around the main character , but shows the Main Character Circle, little is know about the other characters in the main character circle..and this is a good beginning to develop them more and also use this episode as an additional ‘hook’ while keeping ‘in touch’ with our main character.

One sentence description of each of the Main Characters:

Madeline: This is primarily her story and we are watching her dealing with trying to stay ‘top mom’, while experiencing doubt about her life choices.

Jane: Mysterious newcomer mom Madeline has befriended and brought into the group.

Celeste: Beautiful wife married to much younger man with escalating physical abuse situation.

Renata: Corporate working mom with jealous issue of Madeline and problems with herself.

3 Circles of characters:

A. Main Character Circle: 4 Moms

B: Connected Circle: Their children, Madeline’s x-husband and next wife, Nannies, school personnel, Little Theater director

C. Environmental Circle: School, Coffee shop, driving cars

[Kitty Hopper]

Lesson 3: Engaging Main Characters That Sell Your Show.

Big Little Lies: S1E3 “Living the Dream”

Jane Chapman-this episode started and ended with her scene

A: Role in the Show

New young secretive mother arrives in this very upscale beach community with no job…and no background… with her somewhat strange son Ziggy, the same age of the children of all the mothers involved and the children are all in the same grade.

Madeline (lead mother) befriends her when Janes stops her car to help Madeline when she has stopped HER car and then twists her ankle on the way to the first day of school for both children-Chloe and Ziggy. Madeline accepts the ride and when arriving, introduces her to all the friend and other mothers, and Chloe, the ‘it’ of the class, befriends Ziggy.

B: Unique purpose/Expertise

Jane adds the mystery to this town were everyone knows everyone, but maybe not all the secrets. Also, gives Madeline someone ‘under her wing’.

Expertise: Raising her son with no father/husband and is taking great care of both.

C: Intrigue

In this episode we see her explode. We have seen ‘flashback’s of her in a torn blue dress running by the ocean water and then into the ocean. Also following shoe prints in the sand..that stop suddenly.

D: Moral Issues:

No father contact..no family close…no reason to have moved here with no job..what is she hiding?..and is something very wrong with Ziggy?

E: Unpredictable:

What is she running from..or to? Will she explode again? What isn’t she revealing? What happened to her in the past…and to Ziggy. Will she leave again?

F: Empathetic:

Likable and troubled, she reveals to Madeline that she was brutally raped on a first date and couldn’t stop it..as she thought ‘he would kill her’. Never seeing him again, she has only a name. We see that she sleeps with a loaded gun under her pillow every night.Also, she really loves her son Ziggy and cares for him, wanting to ‘make the best possible life for him’.

Thank you for allowing me to post.

[Kitty Hopper]

BIG LITTLE LIES:S-1 E-2

What I learned from this assignment: There may be 3 ‘circles’ but they all circles go back (and sometimes quickly) to the main character, and support the structure of the ‘streamer’ and as a viewer, you want that.

A) Main Character Circle:

Madeline-This is her story. While the other mothers may have high level jobs…or have ‘retired’ from one, Madeline is proud she is ‘a mother only’, but fears becoming an ’empty nester’ and is in constant motion to ‘stay on top’ as well as not afraid to win arguments or ‘get even’.

Jane- Just moved her with her troubled? son Ziggy but isn’t revealing ‘why’ the move, her past, or her present life.

Celeste- Beautiful wife of a much younger husband, adores her twin boys and ‘retired’ from the law and in a physical abuse relationship that she feeds on.

Renata- Power house working mother who feels she ‘isn’t liked’ but works to remain on top of everything-including ‘besting’ Madeline.

B) Connected Circle: their children, their husbands (except for Jane),Bonnie and Nathan (Madeline’s x-husband and his 2nd wife), school principal, director of Little Theater only Madeline is involved in.

C) Their homes, school, the ocean they see from their windows (except Jane), driving in their cars on the way to school, coffee shop, and Little Theater

Thank you for letting me post.

[Kitty Hopper]

BIG LITTLE LIES – S1-E1- “Someone’s Dead”

What I learned from this assignment is….Being fairly new to ‘streamers’, I learned that the pilot does not have to be linear. That the viewer can be ‘dropped’ into a situation not know anything and that ‘flashback’s and ‘flash forwards’ work and people can talk to the camera without knowing who or what or why..as long as the audience discovers..and usually in ‘quick’ dialogue to keep it current, the characters and situations make you want to come back…and back again.

Characters are introduced driving children to their first day of school, though you only see angle of mothers but the full faces of the children riding in back.

No sound but breathing as people at a costume party as police enter and speak of a murder.

Police interviews (short) with minor characters talking mainly about: Madeline Mackenzie, who we now see driving daughter Chloe to 1st grade and first day of school and ‘the’ mother in town

Stops in traffic, she is stop in traffic by driver in front car-teen-txting on phone and driving.. Confrontation with teen driver and discovered her teen daughter in back, who won’t leave the car.

She trips and another car stops to help. Jane Chapman-new to town-driving son Ziggy-and she drives them to the school and the friendship begins. Chloe: “My mom is an active talker’

Madeline greets friends and introduces Jane. Rich, successful business woman Renata Klein and daughter Emma, Celeste and her twin boys and x-husband Nathan & new wife Bonnie with their daughter Sky.

Police interviews @ murder and flash backs thruout. Towns people giving a couple sentence of insight to Madeline…and the others.

At pick up time, teachers tells parents Emma has been choked with neck mark and Ziggy is pointed out but Jane believes him when he says ‘no’. Renata threatens Ziggy.

Dinner family time for Madeline is contentious w/teen daughter Abigail and husband Ed tries to smooth things, though she complains @ her x-husband and fears ’empty nesting’.

Secrets are everywhere;Jane Chapman sleeps with a gun under her pillow; Renata feels ‘disliked’, Celeste is alternating being praised and abuse by her much younger husband..

And why do we keep seeing a woman in a blue dress, show prints on the beach, and the ocean?

1) Big Hook: murder?-who, when , how, why.

2) Characters: nice homes on the water but all are unsettled and problems to find

3)Empathy/Distress: All interesting characters and dealing with situations and the children and husbands..

4) Layers/Open Loops: Why did Jane move to this town? Something very strange about Ziggy?What is with the ‘blue dress’ and the ocean/water? Who got murdered and how did it happen at a splashy event? What ‘blow up’ is going to happen now?

5)Inviting obsession: Caught in these women’s lives…and this town…and what is going on..

AND who was murdered…how and who did it??

Thank you for letting me post late…

[Kitty Hopper]

May i still post my 1 Assignment? I would appreciate it so I may catch up.

Thank you ..

Kitty Hopper

[Kitty Hopper]

Hello! Kitty Hopper

I’ve written 2 1/2 scripts and more not on paper.

I hope to get the knowledge I need to continue and complete and learn what I’m missing.

I think everyone is unique in their own way..and I’m probably as ‘strange’ as the next person.

[Kitty Hopper]

Kitty Hopper

I agree to the terms of this release form.

[Kitty Hopper]

Oh Brian…I’m so jealous of your working with Vincent Price. I saw him speak once and held my friend’s cook book that he wrote in my lap the whole time telling her I would get him to autograph it, but I was too smitten to go up and ask him in front of the crowd.

I also am front the film industry but when people ask me my favorite actors that I’ve worked with, I say “The Pillsbury Dough Boy’ and Morris the Cat’..because both ‘hit their mark every time…

Good luck in this great class!