[L M]

Leslie McGriff

What I Learned from this assignment: is how to go deep into characters and give them depth and make them multilayered and how to tie that in to the hook and premise and conflict.

Manager – Internal Character Depth-

Motivation

Want- to have the group and the diva record a hit album

Need – to regain his self esteem and his sense of self worth by orchestrating a success

Secret – That he has taken the money to pay off his debts and not the studio and weekend expenses

Wound – he lost the home he inherited from his father and his family had to go and live with extended family for six months

Subtext – he is hiding that he didn’t pay for the studio but used the money elsewhere

Layers – that he is also representing the diva, that he had an affair with her while she was married to one of the musicians

Manager Character to character

Conflict – he is in conflict with the band and the diva as they have different agendas and needs

Hidden Agenda – to get an advance from the label to pay for the weekend

Conspiracy – He is conspiring with the diva to have her use the group to record the album and then to dump them for a younger up and coming group once the executives give the green light to her project

Intrigue – His plan to have the diva record, get a green light and then dump the group is hidden under the surface

Character Situation

His dilemma – does he offer more support to the group’s agenda or the diva’s – who is going to give him a better future

Secret Identity – Not applicable

Diva Internal Character Depth

Motivation – wants to make a comeback and get back to the top of her career

Secret – That she has a throat tumor that may cause her to have to stop singing altogether

Wound – Blowing a major audition with a superstar producer because she was frightened and got drunk and the video of that audition went out to the public

Subtext – She is hiding her medical diagnosis

Layers – she betrayed others in a girl group back in the day and locked them out of an opportunity by lying to a producer about their desire for a career

Character to character

Conflict – she is in conflict as she wants to record her old hits and is afraid to stretch her voice into something new, the group wants to record their new music

Hidden Agenda – to use the group and then dump them .

Conspiracy – with the manager .

Intrigue – wants emotional support from her ex and it doesn’t matter that he is married

Character Situation

Dilemma – does she sing and possibly ruin her voice forever wait months and see how the operation leaves her

Secret Identity – Not applicable

Keyboardists Internal Character Depth

Motivation –

Want – to record a hit album of his and his songwriting partner’s songs

Need – to prove to his family that he is not a loser

Secret – that he is trying to use his past relationship with the diva to convince her to record his songs

Wound – the diva cheating on him and ruining their marriage

Subtext – hiding from his wife what he is doing

Layers – the history of what happened with the diva and how he supported her in a way that he doesn’t support his current wife

Character to character

Conflict – between him and the group, manager and diva over the music and what to record

Hidden Agenda – Getting close to the diva without telling his wife what he is doing

Conspiracy – He and his songwriting partner agree that he should try to his past to get close to the diva.

Intrigue – What he is doing with the diva that is against his marriage

Character Situation

Dilemma – should he go further with the diva, does his future lie with her and not his current wife?

Secret Identity – Doesn’t apply

[L M]

Leslie’s Right Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that once the hook and the characters are right, the rest flows easily. I learned that creating a strong hook that has conflict in it makes the whole project open up organically for me.

List your Concept Hook and Contained Setting.

HOOK: A failing r and b group’s last chance at making it big depends on a washed up, selfish egotistical diva who is their former lead singer

CONTAINED SETTING: Remote mansion/recording studio

1. With each of your main characters, ask how can they uniquely fit with the Hook?

Manager – trying to make the group’s success happen and also please the diva. He is managing them both.

Diva’s ex husband –(keyboardist) – is part of the group and is desperate to make it again as he is dead broke

Diva’s brother – a leech who wants to suck away her money and success and wants to make sure that no one gets too close so he is trying to make the arrangement work for his own benefit

Guitarist – wants his music to be recorded

Bassist – thinks the group should fire the manager and let him manage the group

Drummer- has been in love with the diva for years but hiding it, wants to please her and will go against the group if need be

Back up singer – the keyboardist’s wife wants her husband to regain his self esteem and artistic drive.

2 Thinking about the conflict that hook creates, how does each main character enhance that conflict?

Manager – he is caught between looking out for the group and the diva

Diva’s ex husband – want to use his past with the diva to convince her creating conflict with his wife and the rest of the group

Diva’s brother – is in conflict with the group and the manager as he is trying to manipulate his sister to do what will benefit him

Guitarist – opposes what ever decision is made against recording his music

Bassist – created conflict over the manager and the whole deal

Drummer – will make decision that will bring him closer to the diva and keep everyone else at a distance

Back up singer – in conflict with the entire idea

3. How can these characters create conflict for each other?

This is answered above.

Each has agreed to the deal of recording with the diva, but each has their own personal agenda in addition to the group goal. The past of the keyboardist and the diva bring them into conflict as there are unresolved issues. Now he is married and is wife is standing by his side but he is also interested in using his past close relationship with the diva to get her to allow them to record their music that she will sing, and his wife is not sure of how far he will go to make that happen. The drummer is in conflict with the group since he’s there for love fundamentally and the back up singer is in conflict with the diva, the manager and her husband.

4. Tell us what makes these characters the “right ones” for this story?

They are all in the right place – the recording studio which forces them to confront each other, their shared past, their triumphs and the decisions that led them to failure. The manager is torn between the group and the former diva so he is perfect as he has innate tension in his goal.

The diva and her brother have their own dynamic and is echoed in the conflict between her and the group about money and power.

The musicians are holding onto their dreams again after having let go, but are caught between being responsible for their own futures and handing it over to an egocentric diva who cares only for herself. Or a manager who is also trying to make a comeback.

They are right because they have a deep and rich history, there is a current conflict and a lot at stake for each character.

[L M]

Leslie McGriff – Lesson Two

I learned how to challenge myself and move out of the way I usually think and approach my scripts and stories. These are new ways of starting and developing an idea and it puts more tool in the tool box.

6. Answer the question “A. How did this process work for you?

It was great as it opened me up to a multitude of possibilities.

It wasn’t easy and I like that it was and is challenging as I’m still working on it.

[L M]

Subject Line – Leslie’s Assignment for A River Runs Through It

What I learned doing this assignment:

I learned how to create and reduce movie ideas into one location without taking away the scope and depth of the idea.

My experience evaluating the five ideas:

I evaluated the ideas with a contained location and limited characters from the beginning. It was easy once I had the container. The rest of the guidelines followed easily.

2. Movie Outside the Covid Guidelines

TITLE: A River Runs Through It

AS THEY DID IT:

A. People – Multiple characters

B. Stunts -none, fights

C. Extras – minimal

D. Wardrobe – minimal

E. Hair and Make Up – natural

F. Kids and Animals – none

G. Quarantine – easy to achieve

COVID GUIDELINE VERSION:

A. People – main characters

B. Stunts – none

C. Extras – none

D. Wardrobe- any clothing from 50 or so years ago

E. Hair and Make Up- appropriate to the time

F. Kids and Animals – none

G. Quarantine – easy to achieve

[L M]

Leslie McGriff

I agree to the terms of this release form.

f you agree to the terms of the release form, then you can post your assignments into the group and your cohort can give feedback on them.

Also, if you don’t agree to this group confidentiality agreement, you’ll still need to sign an agreement that says you will keep the strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential.

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.

[L M]

I’m glad you’ve joined us for the class.

To start the class out, please introduce yourself below. That will give you a chance to be part of this group and learn how the forums work.

Tell us the following:

1. Name? – Leslie McGriff- (my writer name is Leslie Dianne)

2. How many scripts you’ve written? – Three feature length and about 16 hour long or shorter scripts

3. What you hope to get out of the class?- knowledge on how to craft a contained screenplay

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? – I am also a poet, playwright and performer. Always excited to learn something new and to meet new people with a similar writing goals

We look forward to working with you all!