[Lincoln Hoppe]

Assignment 2

Lincoln’s Old Ways Challenge Chart

What I learned doing this assignment: belief systems power our actions. So a character makes choices based on their belief systems, which is why the changing belief system can so entirely bring a change to our main character.

Old ways –

Angelo thinks life will be better if he keeps his head down and stays in line

New Ways – you can’t get what you want that way

Old way

Don’t mess with dad

New Way

What I want is valid and worth following my own path

Old way

Dad is right

New Way

Dad is right for dad, not for me

Old Way

I have a pre-set path to follow

New Way

I can create my own path

Old way

I am weak

New Way

I am powerful when I choose to use my strengths

Old way

Living to please others

New way

Live and choose to do the most good

Old way

What’s good for the world is not good for me

New Way

I can do good for the world by using my gifts

Old Way for Devin

If we keep someone in line, we get what we want

New way

If we push someone, we can push them into their own choice and action which can backfire

Old Way

Choice is scary

New Way

Choice is exciting

Old way

Risk is scary

New way

Risk is exciting

Old way

I can’t get things I want

New way

I am powerful enough to pursue what I want

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s 12 Angry Men Analysis

What I learned from this lesson is the gradual and shifting levels that can happen over the course of the film that can take us from certainlty to doubt or one way to a new way in believable fashion by not having it happen all at once. Also, the polar opposites are dramatic and make us feel like we’ve made a journey

Old Ways, New Ways

He’s guilty – The evidence is irrefutable -new ways reasonable doubt, is it possible he didn’t do it

They’re all the same – Those who come from the slums are trash – New way – Not everyone is the same – I came from the slums, I’m not trash

Certainty of guilt – new way – too clean ‘ Everyone seemed so positive I began to feel funny. Nothing is that positive

Certainty of guilt – the 2 witnesses were the entire case, they could be wrong. People make mistakes.

The DA had no evidence to defend him – Why didn’t the kid’s lawyer bring it up. New Way – I thought the lawyer wasn’t doing his job. He was missing things.

He’s guilty – New way – I put myself in the boys place

Evidence – The knife is unique and iron clad evidence – New ways – here’s the same knife! Possiblitly of reasonable doubt

Prejudice – I know his kind – New way – put yourself in the boys place

Certainty – He’s guilty! I can feel the knife going in – New way – He’s not your son, another man is on trial… not your son

He’s guilty – the witnesses are irrefutable – New way – poking holes in the witnesses one by one

Shut and closed case – New way – looking at the smaller pieces to examine and cross examine them

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Profound Ending

What I learned doing this assignment is to work both forward and backward to set up and payoff the profound ending. Working everything from that profound ending is key to making this a streamlined and entertaining delivery system for the profound truth!

Profound Truth:

You must choose how to use your gifts and lead from them

(yes, it keeps shifting a bit. But we’re getting there)

My lead characters end:

Angelo – by acting on his goal, Angelo embodies his choices by being brave, courageous, and pursuing what he wanted. He goes from being terrified to step out of line, to leading and breaking down his walls with his gifts

Juliet- she has guided Angelo as the change agent for him to choose for himself, but also getting what she wants in Angelo

Sets/ups and Payoffs

Angelo’s timid and caged in nature (scene with little girl at the begining, talking with his dad, being timid meeting Juliet, getting his legs and standing up) shows how far he’s come when he takes charge and breaks out

scene with little girl at the beginning – paid off with ending and reveal of who the girl is

Scene with his dad – from can’t even talk to him, to facing him head on

Meeting Juliet – knows what he likes, but is hiding, to winning her at the end

Angelo doesn’t fit in at first, and he wasn’t meant to. But when he chooses to lead with his gifts, he can create his own life and make things better for himself and others

Inevitable but surprising

Standing up to his father is inevitable – but how he does it is suprising

He doesn’t have a private meeting – but calls out his father in full view of everyone – a far cry from where he starts – using his voice

Angelo’s taking charge of his own life is inevitable, but comes as a surprise it was orchestrated or coached meticulously by Juliet

Surprising also as we realize Angelo’s dark power as pointed out by his father

Surprise that Angelo’s choices have been his own, and he has had to make them, but they were promoted by Juliet’s plan and agenda.

Parting Image/Parting line

One image is Angelo and Juliet facing each other in sihlouette, both as opening image and closing image… but not sure how that shows the profound truth

Maybe if we use the TEST metaphor, and the two of them standing together is helping each other through the test… which is exactly what happens.

Juliet’s ‘graduating test’ is to not directly interfere with choice. While Angelo’s test is to make the best choices of his own will

So maybe this test metaphor is about testing the true you, and you do that best with another person? It’s clunky, but I think there’s something there to be refined.

“A real test isn’t about the test. It’s is always about the person taking the test. Your real test is about you.”

There’s something in there to be refined as well

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Three Gradients

What I learned doing this assignment is this concept of the 3 gradients. And the value of looking at the gradients through 3 different angles. There’s a lot of overlap, but that’s good! Again, taking things through the model is really helpful, and can feel like cheating in a way! A good way! ahahaha! These gradients truly make everything seem earned and believable. Like going from point A to point G, you need to pass through B, C, D, E and F… and the gradients help us spell those out!

Emotional gradient I’ll use;

Desired change

Excitement

Doubt

Hope

Discouragement

Courage

Triumph (or loss)

Excitement: Angelo pursues her enough to put himself out there/seize the day and he is encouraged

Challenge

Needing to step higher than he has before. Weakness: lack of experience under pressure

Doubt

Attempts to woo her- it doesn’t go well… he’s not yet equipped for this

He tries to lend a date – not enough effort or wow for her tastes to give in (after all she’s secretly challenging him to rise up

Challenge

She’s making him work, his bravery and social skills are not up to the level needed

Hope

He secures a date. This brings out some of his natural charm amid the pestilences added by father

Challenge – trying to win her over

Weakness – self doubt, or believing he’s too weak for the challenge

Discouragement

Juliet’s old boyfriend comes back –

Or

Dad throws major challenge in the road

Challenge – must win her back weakness- on paper and in person, he’s perfect

Aunt Godfrey even intervenes

Lose or take all decision

Courage

Angelo puts everything on the line to win her

He challenges ex boyfriend which leads to direct confrontation with his father

Triumph

Angelo wins the challenge because of his loving heart aka who he truly is inside and who he has been all along, but not tried enough to be able to wield it

Challenge

Fights dad

W: he is afraid of nothing more than his father his heart and fighting his dad, fighting and standing up is against his nature? Or is it?!

He learns how to stand up for right from who he is

In the challenge with his father, he must see the end he desires in his head to power his transformation and give him the strength to see him through

What if this final challenge is his dad putting him through his greatest fears in his mind and Angelo facing them all with his goal visualization getting bigger to meet each challenge

Maybe final challenge is him VW his dad, and he pulls up an image of his own child with Juliet, and showing his own child love and protection and choice that heals him fully and gives him what he needs

Maybe Angelo starts with a lack of imagination- or impaired ability to visualize goals and outcomes – being told to keep his head out of the clouds. Maybe he was an artist as a child or a dreamer and this was frightened out of him – maybe he even had an experience when his visualization manifested and the power terrified him and he forgot it until he confronts it at the end

Maybe he even flogged his father after the initial scene of the movie and he repressed it until he’s ready to take it back up again

As the one who can manifest

Maybe in the last stand-off scene his father asks angelo questions to help him remember to see his true nature.

He sees and is destroyed.

Juliet reminds him it is not his nature that was revealed but his true power, and he choose how to use and wield it!!!

At which point he uses the power to see his positive truth moving forward, his child in a similar setting, but Angelo teaches him the lesson, thereby teaching his own self the truth

Angelo is the one

The greatest power in life is to change your own path

Or to create your own destiny/path

That’s so cute! You’re like Romeo and Juliet!

That’s a terrible comparison! We would both die!!! We would die pointlessly! It’s stupid! We are not Romeo and Juliet!

(People keep comparing them)

There’s a dark shadow following Angelo.

A haunting specter and possibly blocked memory of the dark power he is capable of

It can show up in little dreams and symbols darkening his days… and it is ultimately the truth his father reminds him of.

It is the truth that seals him in his inmost cave with his most feared enemy, himself.

His father is trying to keep him in fear and remind him of danger or accessing our power

Juliet walks him through it with words only, helping him to make his own decision to face his greatest fear and change.

His greatest fear was not his father, but his own power – be it dark or light or flexible

He uses his creative power to create a new vision- his life with Juliet, and a family, including a son a lot like himself. He guides his son to do the right thing.

All this seems to take place in Angelo’s head while passed out in the office with people around him (that is frecealed when he wakes)

Like trinity talking to dead Neo on the matrix – but Juliet can do it in her mind

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Transformational Structure

What I learned doing this assignment is the mini movie structure and the value of breaking a beast down into smaller parts! How much easier it is to tackle a small piece at a time. Also I see the value of using the model and structure to program in the desired result of the transformational structure! It’s awesome!

Mm 1

Angelo is a cowed and neutered drone living by someone else’s rules thinking it’s the only way until he meets a girl, Juliet, who must rise above these old ways to pursue<div>

Mm 2

Angelo’ station and old ways are tightened as his father puts him back in line. But this only shows him how clearly he must step out of line to get who he wants. He locks in as he takes a step into the new world to get her or contact her

Mm3

Both sides discourage the pursuit and begin to actively keep them apart. Including Godfrey and Devin meeting to block them

Mm4

They go out on a date, but sources combine with minor plagues to keep them apart. The date ends in apparent disaster. Angelo is sure Juliet will read this as a sign against them and thinks he’s failed

But Juliet believes signs have the meaning WE give them! She’s all about creation, Angelo’s old ways are all about staying in line

Mm5

Decision to change. Juliet previously tells him he shouldn’t give up so easy, so he makes the decision to dig in and openly defy his father and the old ways

Mm6

Angelo takes on Devin and his company in an open challenge (maybe even a challenge to run the business- even if it’s just to get everyone’s attention

Devin beats him down by revealing Angelo is the one with the dark powers that scare everyone.

This realization is the inmost cave, the ultimate failure

Mm7

Juliet whispers or communicates with Angelo her message again, our life is what we make it. Not what we assume is true or proper

Angelo reaches in and imagines his life with Juliet… and then a child. This terrifies him because he believes he will be a father like his dad.

But he converses with his imaginary son and heals himself and creates a new goal

Thereby creating a new path for himself and snapping the chains of the old ways

Mm8

Devin attempts to pull rank and have his minions enforce a law that can no longer hold Angelo.

Godfrey steps in and calls it enough. Devin relents.

Godfrey reveals he was only helping Angelo and Juliet by applying pressure with Devin, and Godfrey knew it all along

Juliet expresses her love and reveals she is the one he met in the first scene as a child, and she has been orchestrating this transformation all along. But HE stepped up as it was the only way. She could only line up the pieces, Angelo had to make the change that she knew he was capable of

</div>

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s connection with the audience

What I learned doing this assignment is how simple the answers to some of these questions can be, and how asking all four of these questions helps round out the connection with the audience to the character.

I love the model of making creativity simple and tangible by taking yourself through a process or structure. Inspiration comes when you look for it, and specific inspiration comes when you look for it specifically!

1

Transformable character – Angelo<div>

And change agent, Juliet

<div>

2

Relatability

Angelo

he’s stuck in a job he doesn’t love and can’t get out of it

His job feels like a betrayal of who he is

He is bound by family (his father) to follow a life path he doesn’t want

He’s not able to fill be himself

Juliet

She’s a rebel in all the right ways

She cares about angelo

She wants more than what she’s got

Intrigue

Angelo

What will Angelo do about Juliet?

What will he do to be himself

Will he give up with these incredible opposing forces or see it through?

Juliet

After meeting her, Who is she? And why is she sneaking around the wrong place (We find out 1/3 of the way in)

What does she really want? Is she toying with Angelo or does she really like him?

She’s constantly mysterious

Empathy

Angelo

He’s not free and wants to be

He’s stuck in a job he can’t get out of

He can’t express himself to his father

He wants to be more but doesn’t know how

He’s in danger when he sees Juliet and hides from her- doesn’t know who she is

Wants something (Juliet and a better life) that it looks like he’ll never get

He’s in love! And must discover how to win her!

He’s finding his way through a new relationship, with pain and joys

Juliet

She’s caught in a place (work and station) that isn’t the best fit for her

She finding her way through a new relationship

Likability

Angelo

He tries to help a little girl

He tries to stand up to his dad to do the right thing

He wants to do the right thing

He seems like a geniunily good person stuck in a place intent on doing bad

He’s funny

He’s earnest and sincere

Juliet

She’s funny

She’s bold and blunt, but I’m a helpful way

She knows what she wants

She likes Angelo for who he really isLincoln’s connection with the audience

</div></div>

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Part B of assignments – Analysis of Dead Poet’s Society

What is the change this movie is about?

From follower to ‘seizing the day’ in your own unique way

From loathing fear of your inner voice, to yawping out your voice to make the world better

Lead Characters

Change Agent

Mr Keating

Transformable Character

Todd Anderson (main transformable character)

Also, Charlie and Knox.

Neal seems to be a Betrayer along with Cameron

Oppression

The school (administration and philosophy) (and the 4 pillars of rigid scholarship)

How are we lured into the profound journey?

Following the profound teachings of Mr. Keating and the comedy mixed in.

Characters Changed most:

Todd

From shy and voiceless, to brave with his voice, and willing to make a stand for what’s right

Knox

From male school conformist to relentlessly pursuing and getting the girl

Charlie/Newanda

From one of the crowd, to non-conformist

Gradient of change: Foxussig on Todd Anderson only

Super shy

Carpe diem Speech seems to land on him then he writes it in his notebook later, but rips it up

Refuses invitation to study group

Genuinely smiles when hearing about dead poets society and poetry dripping from their tongues

He refuses invitation to go to Dps because he doesn’t want to take a turn in the spotlight

He actually goes to the meeting with promise of no reading aloud

Joins I’m the dancing and fun though quietly

Can’t answer mr Keating out loud in class

He’s the last person to step on the desk, setting the change being the Frist in the last scene

Writing poetry

Neal accuses him of not mixing things up, and refuses to let him off the hook when he refuses

Then he joins the chase game in the room from bed to bed, a first step in mixing things up

Is excited about his poem and then rips it up

He gets pushed into a breakthrough with his improvised poem

Todd is flattened by Neal’s death – his better in his mind and a betrayer of the new ways

Todd speaks out for the first time in defense of mr keating

Todd can’t stand up for Mr Keaton at his interrogation under pressure of school and parents

First Todd can’t make eye contact with mr Keaton… Then he blurts they made us sign

Then he takes his final stand, in the face of threat, and is the leader of this movement

Old way

Keep your head down don’t stand out

Is challenged when Mr. Keating forces him to find his voice in class, and proves he has one worth listening to

Is challenged by injustices happening to good people, and he must speak up

Profound moments

Neal getting told off by his father with no ability stand up for himself up

First carpe diem speech

Words and passion speech after ripping out Pritchard intro

Step on the desk and find your voice scene

Mr anderson thinks that everything in him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn’t that right Todd, that’s your worst fear

Getting pushed into delivering his improvised poem about the sweaty toothed madman

Knocks Calls possible girlfriend invoking Carpe diem (each boys has their own gradient)

Walking lesson

Making his desk set fly

Newanda keeps his name after being paddled and threatened

Neil’s delivering pick speach to his father and audience

Todd standing up in protest putting all the lessons together in one act of voice and defiance.

Profound lines

You guys are just as bad

Carpe diem boys. Sieze the day.. make your lives extraordinary

This is a battle, a war and the casualties could be your hearts and souls

Whatever anyone tells you words and ideas can change the world

Poetry romance Beaty love , this is what we stay alive for

That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse

You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin the less likely you are to find it as well

Newandas challenge- are we just talking here or do we mean what we say?

Then you’re acting for him too. You’re playing the part of the dutiful son

O captain my Captain at the end

It seems like every lesson Mr Keating sets up in a lesson is paid off in the final act of Todd and the boys standing up and saying o captatin my captain.

His lessons are paid off in smaller installments as each boy challenges their fear and chooses to sieze the day!

Profound truth

We each have a voice that must be sounded to the world (for our benefit and for the world’s). Sieze the day and use it!

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Lead Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is these pieces are nicely moveable and changeable and provide a nice template for seeing how my story fits into this model. I can see the value of the betrayal character as someone who tries or starts to make the change… but chickens out in the end. That betrayal act shows how great a journey and how hard it was for the transformable character to make.

Tell us your transformational journey logline.

Angelo is a timid soul living miserably by his father (and boss)’s rules until starts to fall in love with a forbidden woman for whom he must step out of his comfort zone only to discover his true talents and power.

Tell us who you think might be your Change Agent and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role. Also, include: – Their vision: – Their past experience that fits that vision:

Juliet, Angelo’s love interest, is the change agent.

She has a vision of what he truly is and how it’s being masked by the oppression conforming life he’s trying to live

Tell us who you think might be your Transformable Character(s) and give a few sentences about how that character or characters fit the role.

Angelo is my transformable character. His old ways need changing and his new ways are where he will find true happiness and power

Tell us who or what you think might be The Oppression and give a few sentences about how The Oppression works in your story.

The oppression is characterized by Angelo’s dad. The CEO of his corporation that he insists Angelo take over one day… a corporation that Angelo can’t stomach or believe in, but he’s stuck and not ready to stand up.

The oppression is also the roles of Angelo’s birth. He’s born into the ‘dark side’ but that is simply not in his nature… but social pressures keep him firmly lodged where he’s at.

Tell us who you think might be your Betraying Character and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role.

A betraying character could be Angelo’s friend/confidant, or the janitor at the company where he works. I like the idea of the janitor becoming his friend and urging him on, but then not strong enough to make the change on his own. They could be seen as paralell characters to the oppression… though Angleo is at the top of the food chain, and the janitor at the bottom.

This could also be the uncle character I had thought about at one time… who could be in the same boat, but can’t change

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is just in the process of following the simple steps things fell into place easily. I can see how this blueprint will be very helpful as we continue on, and am glad to know it can be changed and adjusted as much as needed to get where we are going! Its liberating, and great to have an early start on this!

Tell us your logline for the transformational journey.

Angelo is a timid soul living miserably by his father (and boss)’s rules until starts to fall in love with a forbidden woman for whom he must step out of his comfort zone only to discover his true talents and power.

Tell us what you see as the Old Ways.

Timid, fearful

Living in fear

Careful

Cow towed

Second fiddle

Trying stay in line, keeping his head down

Living in father’s shadow

-Trying to fit into the wrong box

Living a lie

Lopsided – living to please others

Tell us what you see as the New Ways.

Bold, brave

Fiercely engaged in championing the right/or high priorities

Interested in Truth

Guided by internal compass

Willing to

Claimed his own power

Balanced

Self assured

Powerful and talented

[Lincoln Hoppe]

Lincoln’s First Three Decisions

What I learned doing this assignment is to continue asking questions to dig to find the truth, and to allow myself to refine those truths as time goes on. There are lots of colors of these possibilities, and exploring them is important as they will be the blueprint for future work.

What is your profound truth?

You can do more good than you may think possible when you step up operate from your strengths

(option b) Accepting yourself is the first place to claim your real power

What is the change your movie will cause with an audience?

Invite people to look at where we’re not fully showing up, and see new ways to meet challenges from their strengths

(option b) Inspire people accept their unique strengths, talents and weaknesses to get things done!

What is your Entertainment Vehicle that you will tell this story through?

Love story in an unusual metaphorical world set in an office mirroring life

[Lincoln Hoppe]

What I learned doing this assignment is that the journey taken is so well planned and laid out. And hits us in a deeply emotional way even though its such a fun and impossible movie. I came up with several variations on the change… and they all play in. The reason this comedy movie sticks with us and stands the test of time is because of this profound transformational journey.

What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?

–Selfish to selfless

Valuing every minute

Valuing every day

Valuing other people/life

Living in harmony with the world

Live each day like there is no tomorrow

Lead characters:

Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?

Rita

Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?

Bill Murray, Phil Connors
Totally self absorbed and selfish
“egocentric”

What is the Oppression?

Groundhog day time loop

How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?

Comedy!
Great twist with the intrigue of the time loop
Wanting to see Phil get his due/come uppance
Even though phil’s a jerk, he’s still a bit relatable

Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:

From selfish to valuing each day and helping others

What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?

Every day a new gradient and change!
Confusion
Testing
Manipulating to his advantage
Going too far/crazy
Giving up
Trying to kill hinself
Thinks he’s a God – tells the truth
She believes him
He’s honest with her
He does good things for people – less selfish
He opens up honsetly and vulnerably
He lets what happens, happen

How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?

At first he’s just using his knowledge to get what he wants still selfishly… but it only goes so far
He’s stuck and doesn’t like what he gets
Even manipulating people gets old

What are the most profound moments of the movie?

His face getting locked in jail, waking up in bed exuberant
When he doesn’t step in the puddle and someone else does. He has learned.
Picks up on girl – setup
When he plans the robbery
Him adjusting the approach to Rita in the Bar
When Phil stands up and drives the car to the railroad tracks to test life
Keeps getting slapped – because he hasn’t really changed yet
His depression Attempting to kill himself
When he tells her what he knows about her with such love. A side we haven’t seen of him yet.
Trying to save the homeless – guy – just passed away – realizes he can do nothing – “sometimes people just die.” Not today.
His touching speech on the news
The day where he’s helping people – Errands –
When they spend the day together with honesty, and he truly cares for.
Chases off Ned Ryerson with love ahahaha
His confession of love and happiness
When he wakes up and things have changed

What are the most profound lines of the movie?

Ned – get out there and sieze opportunity by the horns
What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today!
That was a pretty good day. Why couldn’t I get that day over and over and over?
What would you do if you were stuck in one place, and every day was the same, and nothing you did mattered?
What if there were no tomorrow? No consequences, we could do whatever we wanted?
Sometimes you just have to take the big chances
You make choices and you live with them
I don’t worry about anything anymore. That’s exactly what makes me so special
“The wretch, concentered all in self, Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.”
If you only had one day to live, what would you do with it? What do you want out of life?
I’m amazed how you can start a day off with one opinion…
I could never love anyone like you because you’re only in love with yourself. -Rita That’s not true, I don’t even like myself. -Phil
It’s cold out there today. I’ts cold out there everyday
Maybe the real God uses tricks. Or maybe he’s just been around so long he knows everything
Maybe it’s not a curse. Depends on how you look at it.
Only God can make a tree
Winter is just another step in the cycle of life. I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter
No matter what happens tomorrow or for the rest of my life, I’m happy now because I love you.
Do you know what today is? Today is tomorrow.
Is there anything I can do for you… today?
This is so beautiful. Let’s live here.

How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?

His complete conciet and selfishness gives way to a caring, adjusted, and agile person who values others

What is the Profound Truth of this movie?

We can be happy right where we are by looking outwards and living life to the fullest