Maria Collis
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I learned that brainstorming examples and counterexamples is good character background work.
5 Questions:
If I accept my daughter, I’ll lose my son / What will be left if you don’t accept your daughter?
People lie to be accepted / Could they be lying to protect someone else from getting hurt?
People pretend to be what others want them to be / Maybe people pretend to be something they’re not because they don’t know who they are?
If robots learn to feel they can get hurt / Could a robot be happy?
Loving a robot is a waste of feeling / Isn’t it wonderful just to feel?
5 Counterexamples:
Kids with gender dysphoria are unhappy / Angela is a happy person
Men aren’t attracted to older women / Mike is attracted to Janet
You only get one true love in your life / Janet falls in love with Mike
Love is something that happens to you if you’re lucky / Love is something you work at
Hard work, passion and success equal happiness / Mike is lonely
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What I learned is that there’s a story in everything; I just have to see it.
I typed this assignment out, then lost my draft. Does anyone know how to make copy and paste work in this interface?
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Maria’s profound ending
I learned that I can’t just rush through these assignments. I need to give them time and space. I’m missing a lot of details. I need to spend some time on developing them.
Profound ending: Janet lets her daughter go and opens up to a relationship with Mike. Angela gets the courage to strike off on her own.
The Change: Janet learns she is not in control of everything; nor is everything her fault. A certain amount of serendipity plays a role in life. Mike learns he is not a robot.
Payoffs: The guy with the less-than-perfect body falls in love with the older woman. Janet not only lets Angela go, but encourages her to go. Angela gains courage.
Surprises: Janet makes the first move. Mike walks away. Angela stands up to her mother.
Parting image/line: Mike: I was a robot. I’m not anymore. Angela: I haven’t changed, I’ve just come into who I am. Janet: Everything has changed. Nothing has changed.
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Maria’s connection with the audience.
Relatability: Janet is a single mother. She’s past the age of desirability but far from past the age of wanting connection. Mike has a dream and works so hard for it that he doesn’t have time for anything else. He sees his best friend and partner with a family and longs for that connection.
Intrigue: What will happen when a robot enters Janet’s life? What will happen when a human has to pretend to be a robot? Will he be found out? Will they fall in love (of course they will).
Empathy: Janet’s child is leaving the nest AND going through a major change at the same time. What would it feel like to fall in love with someone who isn’t real (read: available)? What does it feel like to fall in love with someone while you are living a lie?
Likeability: Janet will support her child in everything. She’s generous — to a fault (old ways), and learns to express what she wants (new ways). Mike is torn between business, love and oing what’s right. He chooses to do what’s right.
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Forgot to add what I learned: The higher the stakes, the greater the emotional investment.
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Maria’s 3 Gradients (sorry a bit late, catching up here….)
Using the Forced Change model:
Denial: Action: To reject Angela’s gift without rejecting Angela. C: to convince Angela to change her mind; W: need for Angela’s love/fear of hurting Angela
Anger: Action: Locks robot in closet; C: To go on as usual; W: guilt feelings
Bargaining: Action: Allows robot certain activities/functions in return for her privacy; C: to adjust to new normal W: she’s developing feelings toward him
Depression: Action: She realizes she is in love with the robot; C: To get rid of him; W: Can’t hurt Angela
Acceptance: Action: She takes the robot into her life C: to throw away all her previous values; W: her husband’s memory
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Maria’s Lead Characters
What I learned doing this assignment is that characters can betray each other and not even realize that they are doing it, and that the betrayal must come from the betraying character’s own needs.
The change agent is Mike because he is dedicated to realizing his dream, which necessitates his plopping into Janet’s life and convincing her he is a robot.
Janet is the transformable character, who is limited by her vision of herself as a mother, and what it means to be a mother.
The oppression is the guilt-based value system Janet got from her own mother.
The betraying character is Rishi, who can’t let Mike tell Janet the truth for fear of losing his livelihood and position.
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Maria’s Transformational Journey
What I learned from this assignment: The more I look for the “profound truth” of my story, the more I realize that my characters emerge from my own preconceptions and biases, and that I need to respect and identify with the “old ways” in order to create a believable character to journey from the old ways to the new.
Logline: A woman who feels she’s lost her purpose in life when her only child leaves for college falls in love with a a man she believes to be a robot and learns to live for herself.
Old ways: Janet defines herself as the mother in all her relationships.
New ways: Janet learns to live many different roles as a lover, a child, and an adventurer.
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Maria’s First 3 Decisions
What I learned from this exercise: That almost any life event can be a catalyst for change.
1. Profound Truth: Love is what gives life meaning.
2. Change: Regardless of your circumstances you can fill your life with love and meaning.
3. Entertainment vehicle: Metaphor — A world where people can have robot companions.
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Hi, I’m Maria Collis (she/her), and I have co-written 6 screenplays, one of which was produced; another we’re hoping to produce in the next year or so. I’ve written short stories and a couple plays, but I’ve never written a screenplay solo. I’m taking this course to give my self some structure in which to work (read: a kick in the ass), because otherwise everything–including laundry–takes precedence over my writing. I naturally gravitate towards profound stories, and I loved what Hal had to say. I thought this would be a great place to get to the next level in my work. Looking forward to getting to know you all.
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Maria Collis
I agree to the terms of this release form.
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i love the way you challenge values like love vs marriage in your story. Looking forward to reading more.
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William, this sounds like a really interesting story! I hope I get a chance to read it.
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Hi Marie,
I think you have a really strong story here. I know this wasn’t part of the assignment (so it might be in your treatment already), but I would like to see Emoke take a more active role in Kay’s transformation. Also, I’m not quite there yet believing in Eunice’s rehabilitation. Maybe seeing the play strikes a personal chord with her somehow? What is her hidden hurt/vulnerability? Anyway, great work!
Maria
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Cool story idea, Marie.