Laura Koons
Forum Replies Created
-
Laura Koons
I agree to the terms of this release form.
-
Laura Koons
“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.
-
Laura Koons’ Likability/Relatability/Empathy
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors.
What I learned from doing this assignment is making a real audience connection through my characters.
Protagonist: Heather
Likability: She is intelligent, respectful, grateful
Relatability: Understanding that family relationships can be complicated
Empathy: Wanting her to realize friends can be family too
Antagonist: Pandora
Likability: She is confident, has a softness toward animals
Relatability: She’s got unresolved issues
Empathy: Keeps trying to marry up but has the worst luck in relationships
-
Laura Koons’ Character Intrigue
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors.
What I learned from doing this assignment is to make my characters as interesting as humanly possible. Allow their flaws to be a part of who they are without apology.
Character Name: Heather
Role: Protagonist, architect, and best friend to Charles
Hidden agendas:
Competition: With her late father’s legendary architect drawings
Conspiracies:
Secrets: Never talks about the past as she is embarrassed by it
Deception:
Unspoken Wound: Abandonment issues due to her being dropped off at an orphanage by her own mother
Secret Identity:
Character Name: Decatur
Role: Protagonist, FBI Agent investigating Heather’s mother
Hidden agendas: Trying to use Heather to get to her mother
Competition:
Conspiracies:
Secrets: Can’t tell Heather what he really does for a living
Deception: Always pretending to be someone he’s not to get information
Unspoken Wound: Trust issues
Secret Identity: FBI Agent
Character Name: Pandora
Role: Antagonist, Heather’s mother
Hidden agendas: Manipulating
Competition: Always spending money to win the approval of others
Conspiracies: Pandora and her latest husband have been involved in serious insider trading
Secrets: Doesn’t have a penny to her name
Deception: Making others believe she is the owner of the lakehouse
Unspoken Wound: Runaway
Secret Identity: Cares deeply for animals. Volunteers at a local zoo
-
Laura Koons’ Subtext Characters
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors.
What I learned from doing this assignment is find the meaning behind their dialogue where maybe I could express their subtext through their facial expressions, body language, etc.
Example Movie:
Movie Title: THE JUDGE
Character Name: Hank Palmer
Subtext Identity: Know it all,
Subtext Trait: conniving, shady
Subtext Logline: Hank is a obnoxiously successful defense attorney who gets to see his life through the eyes of the one who judged him the harshest.
Possible Areas of Subtext: Being able to do whatever he wants, say whatever he feels without any remorse or thought. He doesn’t start reflecting on his own hurtful ways on others until the tables are turned.
My Two Leads:
Movie Title: LINCOLN LOGS
Character Name: Heather Harrington
Subtext Identity: perfectionist, guarded
Subtext Trait: secretive, the victim
Subtext Logline: Heather is trying to make up for lost love of her father and the approval of her mother.
Possible Areas of Subtext:
Act 1: a build of trust is lost
Act 2: dropped of at orphanage
Act 3: New love lost
Act 4: Rebuilt trust and love
Movie Title: LINCOLN LOGS
Character Name: Pandora
Subtext Identity: manipulative, immoral
Subtext Trait: the seducer
Subtext Logline: Pandora is transferring the deed to the lake property in her name unbeknownst to Heather.
Possible Areas of Subtext:
Act 1: married for money
Act 2: disposal of child liability
Act 3: remarrying for money
Act 4: manipulating documents to acquire stolen property to gain security she has always lacked
-
Laura Koons’ Actor Attractors!
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors.
What I learned from doing this assignment is really getting into character development by doing a deep dive into how I want their life to be portrayed.
Lead Character Name: Heather Harrington
Role: Protagonist
What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
Heather has a past that makes her unique. Being able to persevere after being dumped off at an orphanage by her own mother.
What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
Heather is a marketing genius who can persuade anyone into anything.
What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
Showing off her talent for philanthropy. They ability to easily get what her estranged mother has always desperately wanted… money.
How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
Her introduction as a child with her loving father and also as an adult with her best supporting friend.
What could be this character’s emotional range?
Range goes from numb, confusion, resentment, trust, love.
What subtext can the actor play?
Always seems like she is in control, a perfectionist, but inside she is a hot mess.
What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
Heather’s relationship with her childhood best friend Charles,
How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
Always in control, calm, and collected when it comes to architecture and real estate.
What could make this character special and unique?
Heather’s Cinderella backstory and her determination to make something of herself.
Lead Character Name: Decatur MacGill
Role: Protagonist
What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it?
He thinks outside the box. Uses his talents to create, build up, and is just an overall good guy.
What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story?
He restores not only antiques, but relationships too.
What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script?
For Decatur to be the man that Heather Harrington needs him to be.
How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor?
He drives his boat for target practice using buoys on a private lake and his pistol.
What could be this character’s emotional range?
From stoic to passionate.
What subtext can the actor play?
He is always calculating the people, the environment, on any potential dangers even though he acts nonchalant.
What’s the most interesting relationships this character can have?
His relationship with Heather Harrington and the young boy at the marina.
How will this character’s unique voice be presented?
Besides his Scottish accent, he is a type of renaissance man. Knows a lot and can do a lot making people confused on his profession.
What could make this character special and unique?
He lives on a sailboat and works to restore classic wooden Chris Craft boats.
Decatur can become an animal whisperer, as well.
-
Laura Koons’ Actor Attractors for THE JUDGE.
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors.
What I learned from doing this assignment is to simply write without restrictions in regards to budget or anything else out of the writers control. Only concentrating on intriguing characters that are multi-dimensional.
Movie Title: THE JUDGE
Lead Character Name: Hank Palmer (Robert Downey, Jr.)
Why would an actor WANT to be known for this
role?
Hank has the confidence and intelligence to outwit anyone in the courtroom.
What makes this character on of the most
interesting characters in the movie?
He’s the black sheep of the family.
What
are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie?He steps up to care for his sick father who he has learned to hate since his teenage years.
How
is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor?
Hank is introduced as a very successful big shot defense attorney in Chicago. He went to Law School at Northwestern University which is historically known to be one of the best in the country.
What
is the character’s emotional range?
The character gets to play a whole spectrum of emotions… from hostile, ashamed, hopeless, despair, confident, love, content, reflective.
What
subtext can the actor play?
He cares even though he his actions say otherwise.
What’s
the most interesting relationships this character has?
The most interesting relationships are with the amazing ensemble cast: Robert Duvall playing his father, Billy Bob Thornton playing the Prosecutor, Vera Farmiga playing his high school girlfriend, and Vincent D’Onofrio playing his older brother.
How
is the character’s unique voice presented?
Hank is ever present with his sharp wit which he brings everywhere… even to the bar with his brothers.
What
makes this character special and unique?
His ability to change after reflecting about the affects he has on others and his new found love for the town he grew up in. He’s become proud and no longer ashamed.
Fill in a scene that shows the character fulfilling much of the Actor Attractor model:
Hank puts his father on the stand and asks him to clarify why as a judge he was tougher on him than he was the kid who drowned the teenage girl. Powerful creative dialogue where the father says, ” When I looked at him, I saw you… and when I looked at you, I saw him”.
-
Laura Koons’ Genre Conventions
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
What I learned from doing this assignment is there is always room to elevate to meet the conventions of my genre.
Concept: A gifted architect longs to follow in the footsteps of her father who she lost at the age of twelve and subsequently found herself dumped on the doorsteps of an orphanage by her estranged mother.
Conventions of Drama
Purpose:
Character-Driven Journey: Heather meets Charles at the orphanage who needs a friend just as much as she does.
High Stakes Come From Within: Taking a risk to go after the very professional that took her father away.
Emotionally Resonates: The lakehouse is the only one constant in Heather’s life.
Challenging, Emotionally-Charged Situations: Heather’s estranged mother takes illegal possession of the lakehouse.
Real-Life Situations: Knowing who she can trust amidst the betrayal.
Main Conflict: Never feeling good enough from the moment her father died.
Old Ways: hiding from who she is, refusing to date, cuts off relationships, distant,
closed off, doesn’t believe in love, doesn’t feel confident to show her
workNew Ways: finding confidence in her profession and love life, learns to trust, open
to receive what she deservesAct 1:
Opening: Heather’s loving father dies
Inciting Incident: dropped off at orphanage by estranged mother
Turning Point: Estranged mother arranges the deed of Heather’s lakehouse property to
be put in her name.Act 2:
New plan: Heather starts sharing her accomplishments
Plan in action: Accepts the FBI Agents advances
Midpoint Turning Point: Estranged mother arrested for insider trading claiming she
has evidence that Heather is part of it. FBI Agent has an arrest warrant
for both.Act 3:
Rethink everything: sell the lakehouse property.
New plan: Trust no one.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift FBI Agent stops the sale. Heather’s best
friend supports it.Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Heather finds the original deed in her father’s
name with the help of the FBI Agent.Resolution: Mother is dying, resolves to do the right thing.
-
Laura Koons’ 4 Act Transformational Structure
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
What I learned from doing this assignment is to just roll with it. I can always go back and adjust.
Concept: A gifted architect longs to follow in the footsteps of her father who she lost at the age of twelve and subsequently found herself dumped on the doorsteps of an orphanage by her estranged mother.
Main
Conflict: Never feeling good enoughOld Ways:
hiding from who she is, refusing to date, cuts off relationships, distant,
closed off, doesn’t believe in love, doesn’t feel confident to show her
workNew Ways:
finding confidence in her profession and love life, learns to trust, open
to receive what she deservesAct 1:
Opening: Heather’s
loving father diesInciting
Incident: dropped off at orphanage by estranged motherTurning
Point: Estranged mother arranges the deed of Heather’s lakehouse property to
be put in her name.Act 2:
New plan: Heather
starts sharing her accomplishmentsPlan in action:
Accepts the FBI Agents advancesMidpoint
Turning Point: Estranged mother arrested for insider trading claiming she
has evidence that Heather is part of it. FBI Agent has an arrest warrant
for both.Act 3:
<div>Rethink
everything: sell the lakehouse property.
</div><div>New plan: Trust
no one.</div>
Turning
Point: Huge failure / Major shift FBI Agent stops the sale. Heather’s best
friend supports it.Act 4:
Climax/Ultimate
expression of the conflict: Heather finds the original deed in her father’s
name with the help of the FBI Agent.Resolution: Mother
is dying, resolves to do the right thing. -
Laura Koons’ Subtext Plot
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
What I learned from doing this assignment is learning to do a deep dive with my lead character.
Concept: A gifted architect longs to follow in the footsteps of her father who she lost at the age of twelve and subsequently found herself dumped on the doorsteps of an orphanage by her estranged mother.
Subtext plot:
Someone hides who they are: Heather’s best friend intends to bring out the best in her by helping her see the value of her past. She has always seen it as a weakness, something to be ashamed of. He not only shows her how it can be her superpower to elevate herself in her profession as an architect, but in her love life, as well.
-
Laura Koons’ Transformational Journey
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
<div>What I learned from doing
this assignment is by keeping the focus on my lead characters transformational journey allows continuity and intrigue for my audience to follow.</div><div>Protagonist: Heather Harrington
Arc Beginning: Is afraid to love
Arc Ending: Takes risks in her lovelife and profession.
Internal Journey: From scared, closed off to courageous
External Journey: From hiding her accomplishments to building an architectual empire
Old Ways: Refuses to date, cuts off relationships, distant, doesn’t believe in love
New Ways: Learns to trust, allows herself to be more feminine and open to receive blessings to flow to her.
</div>
-
Laura Koons’ Intentional Lead Characters
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
What I learned from this assignment is to focus on my characters’ real purpose in the story by making sure they support the concept.
Concept: A gifted architect longs to follow in her father’s footsteps who she lost at the age of twelve and subsequently found herself dumped on the doorsteps of an orphanage by her estranged mother.
Character: Heather Harrington
Logline: An architect has tough shoes to fill trying to follow in her father’s footsteps.
Unique: gifted architect
Character: Pandora Reynolds
Logline: Estranged mother is under investigation for insider trading.
Unique: estranged mother
Character: Decatur MacGill
Logline: FBI Agent is investigating the estranged mother which lead back to the architect.
Unique: FBI Agent in charge
-
Laura Koons’ Title, Concept, Character Structure!
My vision: I am an Oscar winning Screenwriter known to elevate the careers of A-list actors and directors. I am financially abundant and have the flexibility to write wherever and whenever I want.
What I learned from doing
this assignment is I am building the framework for my story.Title: Lincoln Logs
Concept: A gifted architect
longs to follow in the footsteps of her father who she lost at the age of
twelve and subsequently found herself dumped on the doorsteps of an
orphanage by her estranged mother.Character Structure: Rom-Com
-
Hello! My name is Laura Koons.
I have written many award winning short scripts. Never had the confidence to submit a feature screenplay due to my own dreaded perfection trap. Plan to overcome that by empowering myself to move forward.
My passion and hope is to be a full time paid screenwriter. Every class I have taken by Hal Croasmun has elevated my writing exponentially. WIM is going to be the best class yet!
Something unique… I had the incredible opportunity to play tennis with Sir Richard Branson at his BVI home on Necker Island. He’s a bit of a prankster, but his ace serves are no joke.
-
Laura Koons
I agree to the terms of this release form.
GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of Writing Incredible Movies, 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, through social media, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, videos, 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.
-
I Laura Koons agree to the terms of this release form.
GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of Writing Incredible Movies, 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, through social media, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, videos, 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.
-
Laura Koons – 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.
-
Hi Jamie,
I’m available to give you additional feedback for your story WITHOUT RECOURSE.
Please feel free to email: LadyLauraKoons@gmail.com
Thank you,
Laura Koons