[Connie Diletti]

Connie’s Connection with Audience

What I learned doing this assignment is…these layers are the reason I love the fictional characters I do. While I may have intuitively built intentional connection aspects into the characters I’ve created before, it’s amazing to now have a systematic model to follow. The deeper we get into this profound model, the more I love it!

I will be intentionally creating a connection to the audience via Layla (Transformational Character), and her sister Millie (Change Agent).

Intentional connection will be created within the first 30-min in the following ways:

Layla (Transformational Character)

A. Relatability – she’s a Gen X’er who has dedicated over a decade to a company/her career; she’s an older sister, she’s been dumped and is heartbroken; she’s looking for love and opens up to a romantic connection again

B. Intrigue – she travels through time with her sister

C. Empathy – she gets restructured out of her job (relatable, and evokes empathy over her loss),

D. Likability – she’s funny, sarcastic, works hard/plays hard

Millie (Change Agent)

A. Relatability – younger sister, mother of two small kids, married, loves her small town life

B. Intrigue – travels through time with her sister

C. Empathy – she misses her kids, she is trying her best, trying to work with her sister even though her ideas are not getting attention

D. Likability – she’s grounded, has common sense, she’s kind and considerate

[Connie Diletti]

Connie’s Transformational Structure

What I learned doing this assignment is…my story is coming together quickly! This model is amazing =)

Transformational Logline.

After losing her high-flying corporate job and feeling like a total loser, 47-year old Layla time travels back to the 1800’s, finds herself on the brink of war, falls in love with a charming solider and herself amidst powdered wigs and waistcoats.

Change Agent: Millie, Layla’s younger sister. She has a young family, and encourages her sister to leave the big city for a few weeks, and acquaint herself with a small town, slower life as a way to distract herself.

Main Transformational Character: Layla, a single woman in her late 40’s, recently fired from a corporate role she was married to. Now, feeling worthless, she visits her sister in an effort to distract herself from her life – but instead, finds herself trapped in the 1800’s with no obvious way back to her modern life.

MMM STRUCTURE

MM #1 – Our hero’s status quo, her ordinary world, ends with an inciting incident or “call to adventure,” introducing the story’s main tension.

After leading a massive product launch for a company she’s been with for a decade, Layla believes she’s getting a huge raise and title change. Instead, she finds out she was thrown under the bus by her co-worker/lover and then comes to learn she is being restructured out of the company. Feeling lower than she’s ever felt, Layla heads out of the city to visit her sister in a quaint small town. Layla arrives during a historical re- enactment weekend, and in an effort to distract her sister, Millie encourages Layla to get dressed up and join in the local re-enactment. During a tour of a historical pioneer house, they stumble upon a mystical portal and are teleported to the 1800’s. They are in disbelief!

Turning Point: Call to Adventure

PROFOUND MODEL: The 3 Gradients: Forced Change

Emotional Gradient – Denial

Action Gradient – Layla cannot believe she has just been fired, she’s still in disbelief that her co-worker/lover threw her under the bus, and now, she’s been teleported back in time, and knows no way to get back. This can’t be happening!

Challenge Gradient: Layla is stuck in the grief of what was and she struggles to be in the present moment.

Weakness Gradient: Trying to put on a brave face, trying to solution or ignore the root of the problems that are arising; fear + total loss of control

MM #2 – Our hero’s denial of the call, and her gradually being “locked into” the conflict brought on by this call.

Despite the apparent evidence that they have time travelled and the need to fit in with 1800’s society to avoid detection, Layla remains skeptical. With no technology and no clear solution, Millie urges Layla to try to assimilate until they can find a way back. Luckily, they are dressed in re-enactment clothing.

Turning Point: Locked in.

PROFOUND MODEL:

Emotional Gradient – Anger

Action Gradient – Layla is angry as she is still processes her job loss and now accidental time travel (loss of life-as-she-knew-it); she’s sarcastic, gives her sister a hard time, has an aggressive attitude; she’s rebelling against a ‘man’s world’ now that she is in the 1800’s and women have very few rights.

Challenge Gradient – Stuck in her own anger, unable to see beyond her problems/sadness/grief and gives Millie a hard time about her solutions to their time travel problem; Layla is also recognizing how dependent she was on her work identify as her self-value; she’s now questioning everything.

Weakness Gradient – Victimhood

MM #3 – Our hero’s first attempts to solve her problem, the first things that anyone with this problem would try, appealing to outside authority to help her. Ends when all these avenues are shut to our hero.

While walking around the grounds of the house they were originally touring, Layla and Millie are mistaken for job applicants and are offered staff positions in the house. Despite her initial cynicism, Layla decides to blend in and accepts a job as a maid for the wealthy homeowner, Andrew. Meanwhile, Millie becomes an assistant to Robert, the head chef.

Striving to fit in, Layla befriends another maid who offers her a tarot reading; Layla accepts the offer out of desperation. The tarot reader provides her with sage advice, but it’s not what Layla wants to hear, leading her to dismiss it and feel worse than before.

Turning Point: Standard ways fail.

PROFOUND MODEL:

Emotional Gradient – Bargaining

Action Gradient – Trying to assimilate to life in the 1800’s, Layla and her sister work at jobs to fit into society, yet are desperate to return home to their century; they make friends but the lifestyle is very difficult and they miss their loved ones and their modern day items.

Challenge Gradient – Will they be stuck here forever? They are not blending in well and are trying every avenue possible to ascertain how to time travel back home.

Weakness Gradient – Fear of never returning back home.

MM #4 – Our hero spawns a bigger plan. She prepares for it, gathers what materials and allies she may need, then puts the plan into action — only to have it go horribly wrong, usually due to certain vital information the hero lacked about the forces of antagonism allied against her.

Layla impresses Andrew with her outstanding work and skills, receiving appreciation and compliments she had longed for at her previous workplace. Millie informs Layla of a local scientist experimenting with time travel, while Layla reveals that Andrew’s on-staff astrologer has offered to help her. Although Millie is suspicious of the astrologer, Layla is sure that this is the right route for them and insists on trusting him over the scientist. The astrologer turns out to be a fraud with ulterior motives and tries to seduce her; Andrew walks in on them and gets the wrong impression. Now, the scientist is skittish and refuses to meet, Millie is upset with Layla, and the sisters still have no way home.

Turning Point: Plan backfires.

PROFOUND MODEL:

Emotional Gradient – Depression

Action Gradient –Romance and friendships are fun, but there are little arguments brewing between Layla/Andrew, and Millie/Robert, highlighting differences between the eras, both women are missing home. Layla has an emotional breakdown after being tricked by the astrologer, and the sisters incur another failed attempt at leaving the 1800’s

Challenge Gradient – Everything is going wrong. No idea how to leave this era, this adventure had it’s moments of fun, but now, how do they leave?

Weakness Gradient – Grief, losing hope.

MM #5 – Having created her plan to solve her problem WITHOUT changing, our hero is confronted by her need to change, eyes now open to her own weaknesses, driven by the antagonist to change or die. She retreats to lick his wounds.

Layla realizes she was too pushy – and pushed away her sister, and their options to return back in time. She’s still trying to control the uncontrollable instead of responding and allowing, instead of surrendering and trusting. She realizes this is the same pushing she’s been doing for a decade and it’s gotten her nowhere.

Andrew checks in with Layla, she breaks down and shares the whole truth of who she is, where she’s from and how she needs to get home. With nothing more to lose, Layla leans into being vulnerable. Andrew is smitten.

Turning Point: The decision to change.

PROFOUND MODEL:

Emotional Gradient – Acceptance

Action Gradient – Feeling like she has no other choice, Layla opens up Andrew, tells him the whole story in the hopes that he can help. She risks it all by being vulnerable and sharing her true feelings.

Challenge Gradient – Everything is going wrong. No idea how to leave this era, Millie is upset. Layla realizes how she has been pushing and fighting for so much in life.

Weakness Gradient – Grief, losing hope.

MM #6 – Our hero spawns a new plan, but now she’s ready to change. She puts this plan into action…and is very nearly destroyed by it. And then…a revelation.

Layla apologizes to Millie and they move forward with drafting up another plan to leave the 1800’s. They head back to the scientist; he reluctantly agrees to let the sisters use his prototype machine. They are rushing him, he’s nervous, he makes a mistake and nearly destroys his machine, causing it to let out loud sounds and go up in flames. It’s at this moment that Layla’s memory gets triggered and she remembers the course of actions that cause them to time travel.

Turning Point: The ultimate failure.

MM #7 – The revelation allows our hero to see victory, and she rejoins the battle with a new fervor, finally turning the tables on her antagonist and arriving at apparent victory. And then the tables turn one more time!

Layla and Millie are ready to travel back, they remember how they got to the 1800’s and set themselves up to return, but not before asking Robert and Andrew if they want to come with them. They both agree but Andrew ultimately pulls out and almost ruins it for everyone, calling the local police to arrest Layla. Layla, Millie and Robert travel back to modern day in the knick of time.

Turning Point: Apparent victory.

MM #8 – The hero puts down the antagonist’s last attempt to defeat her, wraps up her story and any sub-plots, and moves into the new world she and his story have created.

Upon returning back, Layla has undergone a transformation – to someone less self-absorbed and in victimhood, now confident, empathetic and self-aware. She promises to be a more attentive sister and heads back to the big city in a convertible, reading to embark upon the next chapter of her life.

Turning Point: New status quo.

[Connie Diletti]

Connie’s Three Gradients

What I learned doing this assignment is…that to master profound story construction, one is consistently invited to observe and reflect the light and shadow of human nature and behavior.

1. What is the Emotional Gradient you’ll use?

Forced Change

2. For each emotion of that gradient, tell us the following:

A. Emotion: DENIAL

B. Action: Layla cannot believe that after a decade at her company, after all the work and energy she invested in her role, she was let go ‘just like that’; also after time traveling, she and her sister cannot believe that they have been teleported back to the 1800s

C. Challenge: (job-related) For Layla, the worst thing that could happen in life is to lose her job, as it’s so closely tied to her identity, now she feels misplaced in time and space; (time travel-related) Layla and her sister are stuck in a time warp, they have no access to all of their technology and/or the knowledge of how to get back

Weakness: Insecurity, lost identity

A. Emotion: ANGER

B. Action: Layla is angry as she processes her job loss via sarcasm, aggressive attitude towards men; her boss was a man, rebelling against a ‘man’s world’ now that she is in the 1800s and women are not in powerful positions, she adoptconstantly complaining about where they are and how she needs to get back and find a new job

C. Challenge: Stuck in her own anger, unable to see beyond her own problems/sadness/grief to tune into her sister; Layla is also recognizing how dependent she has become on technology now that there is none

Weakness: Victimhood

A. Emotion: BARGAINING

B. Action: Trying to assimilate to life in the 1800s, Layla and her sister work at jobs to fit into society, yet are desperate to return home to their century; they make friends but the lifestyle is very difficult and they miss their loved ones and their modern day items

C. Challenge: Will they be stuck here forever? They are not blending in well in the 1800s and are trying every avenue to ascertain how to time travel back home, yet still have no idea.

Weakness: Fear of loss and of losing control

A. Emotion: DEPRESSION

B. Action: Layla makes a mistake in her place of work and gets reprimanded, romance and friendships are fun, but there are little arguments brewing, highlighting differences between the eras, both women are missing home; Layla has an emotional breakdown, the sisters incur another failed attempt at leaving the 1800’s

C. Challenge: Everything is going wrong. No idea how to leave this era, romance and friendships are fun but what’s the point; this adventure had it’s moments of fun, but now, how do they leave?

Weakness: Grief, losing hope, nothing left to give

A. Emotion: ACCEPTANCE

B. Action: Layla stands up to her boss in the 1800s, she discovers a way for her and her sister to try to return back to their era and risks it all by sharing her true feelings with her love interest. Layla and her sister return home

C. Challenge: Accept the gifts of insight that living in the 1800s has provided; a new sense of self-value and self-worth based on recent experiences; a new identity for Layla, and self-belief…a chance to move on.

Weakness: Needs to learn to love self, value self and put self first in romantic relationships

[Connie Diletti]

4B – Connie’s Analysis of ‘Dead Poets Society’

1. What is the change this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?

The change in this movie is about transitioning from conformity to freethinking and seizing the day.

2. Lead characters:

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

Mr. Keating is the Change Agent; he is the right character to cause the change because of his position as a Teacher and influence with the boys. Through his theatrical and charismatic class lessons, he plants a variety of seeds: life is precious, stay curious, and be unique and flexible when it comes to your thinking. Mr. Keating is also the right character to cause the change because he himself went through the same change he is inviting the boys to take while he was a student at Welton.

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

The Transformable Characters are the boys; each of them makes a change in their own way, going from conformity and living from a place of being told what to do – to thinking on their own, and seizing the day in their own way.

What is the Oppression?

The oppression is the school/Mr. Nolan, archaic patriarchal ways of being, tradition; at Welton, they are all one in the same.

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

We are lured into the profound journey by immediately connecting with all of the boys in the student body as their headmaster/principal lectures to them, followed by their parents say their goodbyes, giving them pep talks and lectures before they leave. We understand what it was like to be that age, have a variety of adults lecturing to you about their expectations, and how we were trying to straddle the line of their expectations and self-discovery.

4. 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:

Some examples include:

Neil – goes from the ‘old way’ of being under Dad’s thumb and having to drop out of the paper (which was an outlet for his creativity) to his ‘new way’ of expressing his authentic creative self – ie. reinstating the Dead Poets Society, auditioning for and getting the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream to ending his own life.

Todd – goes from the ‘old way’ of existing as an introverted person, living in the shadow of his older brother to his ‘new way’ of speaking up, expressing himself and overcoming his big fear of public speaking and being seen for who he is, a talented poet in his own right.

Knox – going from the ‘old way’ of always ‘doing the right thing’ (ie. Going to dinner at the Danburry’s house because his parents asked him to) and in keeping his feelings about Chris to himself to his new way of expressing his love to her and taking a chance on love by going to her class and reading poetry aloud, and later asking her out to see Neil’s play.

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

Using Neil as an example, below are some steps of the gradient change he made as a Transformational Character in the movie:

– Upon drop off, Neil’s Dad makes a few things known – he has high expectations of his son (he even says “we expect great things from you this year”) – he expects Neil to stay focused on his courses, drop the extra curricular, so he can get into medical school. We also see early on that Neil’s Dad cares greatly about what others think of him (‘never dispute me in public’); we see Neil’s response to this – he is sad, disappointed, he shrinks down, he is very controlled by his father

– After a few of Mr. Keating’s classes, Neil starts to reconnect with his authentic self, he is moved by these free thinking exercises and influences; he reconnects with his creativity and passions

– Neil leads the reinstatement of the Dead Poets Society, even convinces Todd to reconsider his thoughts on joining; this goes against school rules, and would definitely go against his father’s wishes to stay focused on curriculum

– Neil decides to try out for A Midsummer Night’s Dream play (a creative endeavor, the opposite of what his father wants him to do, we can see that his father’s control is diminishing as Neil’s independent thought leads the way)

– Neil forges letters from Mr. Nolan and his father so he can star in the play; he’s gone from independent thinking without harm, to overtly breaking the law/school rules so he can support his creative passions (where there is a will, there is a way, no looking back!)

– Neil’s father catches on to the fact that he’s in the play, he pays a visit – Neil pleads with him to do the play, his father puts his foot down, saying no, back to feeling controlled again by Dad

– Mr. Keating asks Neil to speak with his Dad, encourages him to reason with him; Neil later lies, says he spoke with his father and that he gave his blessing; we can see at this point, Neil is putting his own need to express himself and be himself ahead of his fathers need to control him

– Neil performs in the play, he’s on cloud 9 while in his creative expression on stage; he is fully the captain of his own ship; simultaneously an act of rebellion against his father

– Neil’s Dad is in the audience; he pulls him away immediately following the play and drives him home; he scolds him, telling him that he is leaving Welton and he will be enrolling him in military school before he attends medical school; Neil is trying his best to stand up for himself and express his needs; father shuts him down

– Neil prepares to end his life – he opens all of the windows in his room, he caresses the crown he wore as Puck one last time, and then goes on to take his own life, showing his father that he has the final say, the final control over himself

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

– Pritchard’s ‘Understanding Poetry’ introduction was an ‘old way’ that was challenged by Mr. Keating’s invitation to rip Pritchard’s introduction out of the poetry text book

– All of Mr. Keating’s ‘unorthodox’ classes challenge the ‘old ways’ the school and it’s teachers teach their curriculum and how they control the students in their class through their 4 pillars

– Neil and the boys reinstate the Dead Poets Society by challenging the ‘old ways’ of following all the rules, and doing what they are told, etc.

– The ‘old way’ of following all of the rules is challenged by Knox when he kisses Chris’ forehead with Chet standing a few feet away

– Todd moves though his ‘old ways’ of being introverted and living in his brother’s shadow by joining the Dead Poets Society and participating as much as he comfortably can

– Todd’s ‘old way’ of playing small, and living like he is unworthy is challenged by Mr. Keating when he is encouraged and coached to speak/create a poem out-loud in his class

– Neil’s ‘old ways’ of having his extra curricular activities controlled by his father are challenged when he sees a flyer for a play he wants to audition for

– Neil’s ‘old way’s of following the rules/being controlled by his Dad are challenged when he needs written permission from his father and Mr. Nolan to participate in the play – which leads him to forging

– Neil’s ‘old ways’ of telling the truth, and putting his father’s needs ahead of his own are challenged when he lies to Mr. Keating about his father giving him permission (when Mr. Keating asks if he spoke with his Dad)

– Neil’s ‘old ways’ of being controlled by his father are challenged when he moves forward in playing Puck on stage, knowing that it’s the direct opposite of what his father would want him to do

– Knox’s ‘old ways’ of staying quiet and observing the ‘right thing’ (ie. observing that Chris is already in a relationship with Chet) is challenged when he asks Chris to go with him to the play

– Neil ‘old ways’ of having every aspect of his life controlled by his father is challenged when he takes his own life

– Todd’s ‘old ways’ of staying quiet is challenged when he speaks up as Mr. Keating is leaving for the last time; followed by leading the students in standing upon their desks

7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?

Some of the most profound moments in this movie include:

– All/each of Mr. Keating’s classes – whether tearing out pages, standing on desks, marching around in the quad or kicking the ball while reading passages – each of these cinematic moments are profound

– When the boys resume the Dead Poets Society for the first time in the cave

– When Todd creates a poem on the spot after being coached in real-time by Mr. Keating in front of the class

– When Knox shows up at Chris’ school, and when Chris shows up to Knox’s school

– When Neil is on stage playing Puck

– Neil’s final sequence of events

– Todd breaking down in the snow after learning about Neil

– Todd bursting out in the class as Mr. Keating was picking up his belongings; and then several students standing on their desks in solidarity with Mr. Keating

8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?

“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary’

“No matter what anyone tells you, your words, your ideas can change the world.”

“We read poetry because we are members of the human race….poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

“What will your verse be?”

“You take a big risk when you encourage them to be artists.”

“We must constantly look at things in a different way….just when you think you know something, you have to look at it in a different way….you must strive to find your own voice, because the longer you wait to being, he less likely you are to find it at all.”

“We all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique and your own.”

9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?

SETUP – This movie sets up the importance and power of freethinking and of living life to it’s fullest, and the consequences that come with creating your own way (vs following a path that is already carved out for you by someone else)

ENDING PAYOFF – Everyone experiences a change as a result of their freethinking and seizing the day….whether a tragic or triumphant transformation, collectively, all of the characters experience the fullest of life.

10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?

Along life’s finite journey think and feel for yourself or before you know it, you will be a collection of others’ beliefs and feelings. Claim your own life, carve your own path, seize the day and express yourself – live life to it’s fullest because you only have one!

[Connie Diletti]

Connie’s Lead Characters (4A)

What I learned from this assignment is…that the Betraying Character can be easier to come up with than I originally thought! Also, this activity has helped me lean into experimentation and possibilities! No need to be perfect at this point in the process 😍

1. TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY LOGLINE:

After losing her job and feeling uncertain about her future, Layla, a 40-year-old woman is unexpectedly transported back in time to the 1800s, where she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, falls in love with a charming soldier and herself.

2. WHO IS THE CHANGE AGENT? HOW DOES THE CHARACTER FIT THE ROLE?

Millie, Layla’s younger sister is the change agent, and fits the role perfectly as she has always been her older sister’s cheerleader. She helps Layla reconnect with her authentic self, the self she was before she entered the corporate world and assimilated to corporate expectations of a woman.

3. WHO MIGHT BE THE TRANSFORMABLE CHARACTER(S)? HOW DOES THAT CHARACTER(S) FIT THE ROLE ?

There are two transformable characters:

Layla – who transforms from a corporate woman with low self-esteem, burned out from work to a person who is realigned with their authentic selves, their purpose and the joy of life

Robert – Andrew’s brother, he transforms from a person who is playing small and is afraid to be seen, to someone who embraces his whole self, and takes chances.

4. WHO MIGHT BE THE OPPRESSION? HOW DOES THE OPPRESSION WORK IN THE STORY?

The oppression in this story is a combination of the corporate world and corporate expectations. Layla has adopted these oppressive aspects, and to this point all of her decisions have been made through this oppressive lens. Her journey truly begins once she recognizes that she has adopted these beliefs – they are not her own. As she realigns with her authentic self she sheds these oppressive influences.

5. WHO MIGHT BE THE BETRAYING CHARACTER? HOW DOES THAT CHARACTER FIT THE ROLE?

The Betraying Character might be Andrew, Layla’s 1800’s love interest. He fits the role because while he appears to have fallen in love with Layla and wants to join her in the future/Layla’s present, he decides to stay in the 1800’s at the last minute, betraying their plan to be together.

[Connie Diletti]

Connie Diletti – Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is…that a logline can become profound by adding the transformational journey to it

Logline for the transformational journey:

After losing her job and feeling uncertain about her future, a 40-year-old woman is unexpectedly transported back in time to the 1800s, where she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, falls in love with a charming soldier and herself.

What I see as the Old Ways:

– Insecure/Afraid

– Anxious

– Angry

– Resentful

– Unhappy

– Unfulfilled

– Sarcastic

– Feels stuck

– Hopeless

– Low self-worth (worth connected with status/job/externa)

– Self-centered

What I see as the New Ways:

– Confident

– Adventurous

– Self Aware

– High self-worth (connected with internal sense of being)

– Happy

– Authentic

– Fulfilled

– Compassionate

– Empathetic

– Giving/Generous

– Loves self and life

[Connie Diletti]

Connie Diletti – First Three Decisions

What I learned doing this assignment is…the more I am learning about the profound story model, the more open I am at re-discovering the core foundation of the story I am architecting for my next screenplay.

What is your profound truth?

Fate is real and that love transcends space and time.

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

The realization that what and who is meant for you will not pass you by and that love is eternal and everlasting.

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

Time-traveling romantic comedy.

[Connie Diletti]

Connie Diletti – Analysis of ‘Groundhog Day’

What I learned from doing this assignment is that when you stay open and ask the right questions, a movie you’ve seen many times can still surprise you! I literally watched Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day this year and wowsa, this movie is both profound and entertaining! What a great first assignment!

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

The change in this movie is about self-actualization.

The primary transformational journey follows Phil Connors as he transforms himself from someone who is stuck, resentful and stingy to someone who is living with a greater sense of authenticity, generosity and an open heart.

2. Lead characters:

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

Rita is the Change Agent who causes the change by being her authentic self. She effortlessly shows Phil that you can be kind, thoughtful and generous. It’s her authenticity and open heart that hold the space for Phil to transform himself into a better version of himself.

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

Phil Connors is the Transformable Character. He is the perfect character to deliver this profound journey as his ‘shadow’ self was primarily guiding him at the beginning of the story. When drawing a connection between Phil the man and Phil the groundhog, one of the diner patrons actually said to Phil – ‘look out for your shadow’. A wonderful and foreboding piece of wisdom for Phil!

c. What is the Oppression?

The oppression ranges from Phil’s childhood resentments (being told what to do, ‘be nice to your sister’, etc.) to more recent work-related resentments (ie. Having to cover the Groundhog Day event for four years in a row). He is stuck in the past; he’s built up his anger and morphed it into sarcasm…which has impaired his ability to see anything beyond himself/his own needs. He even becomes oppressed by the journey of his own self-actualization, in that at times it becomes too much work (ie. When he tries to take his own life).

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

We are lured into the profound journey by connecting with the relatable and funny Phil Connors; he’s a sarcastic weatherman on the local news (most people watch the news and have a soft-spot for the weather person), he’s feeling disgruntled about his job (most of us have been there), he feels stuck (again, a relatively universal experience at some point or another for most people) and he’s looking for love.

4. 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:

OLD WAYS – Phil’s old ways include being sarcastic, angry, emotionally closed off, pessimistic, resentful, avoiding connection, being very opportunistic, and acting mostly in a self-centred fashion.

NEW WAYS – Phil’s new ways include being generous with his words/money (with no expectation of getting something in return), taking the time to listen/learn, enjoying himself in life, connecting with others, being vulnerable, sharing, seeing the silver lining, and leading with an open heart/being emotionally available.

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

THE TRANSFORMATION: Phil must release the resentments of the past and be in the present moment to become ‘unstuck’ and move forward in life.

A. Feeling stuck, feeling oppressed by work, by life, by love, etc. and feeling like he didn’t matter

B. Literally being stuck in Groundhog Day, reliving the same day over again

C. Feeling like nothing he does affects anyone, or matters

D. Discovering that his actions do carry meaning and can shift his reality

E. Slightly shifting his actions to benefit himself, yet seeing that he is still not feeling happy or fulfilled

F. Phil tries changing himself to be Rita’s dream guy; this does not create happiness either and his inauthenticity pushes Rita further away

G. The dilemma – Phil admits he doesn’t even like himself; he’s been doing the same thing, expecting a different result; feels like he is going insane, tries to take his own life to end this cycle

H. Breaks the cycle by changing himself vs expecting the world around him to change

I. Starts sharing wealth, sharing feelings, starts really listening to others and following his own passion (authentic self) by learning how to play the piano and becoming an amazing musician

J. His heart opens up/leaning into living his life authentically; as he does more of what he loves, he opens up to Rita – shares how he feels without any expectations; reaches a new level of change

K. Wakes up to February 3rd and is ready to live life in a new way

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

Phil’s old ways of being opportunistic, pessimistic and manipulative are challenged by Rita when she is able to see through his ways, call him out and challenge him to be a better person. She leads by example, she is authentic and real and does not accept Phil’s attempts at manipulation….so he is influenced/encouraged to make his own changes to be his authentic self if he wants a chance at being with her.

7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?

A few profound moments include:

• At the diner, when a connection is made between Phil and Phil, the oppression of the groundhog and how human Phil feels oppressed

• Phil driving on the train tracks while going off about all of the resentments from his childhood

• Phil admitting that he doesn’t even like himself

• When Phil goes from ignoring the homeless man to feeding him in the diner, and trying to resuscitate him on the street

• When Phil brings coffees and pastries to his co-workers, remembering how they take their coffee

• When Phil expresses his true feelings to Rita when they are laying in bed together

8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?

• “Look out for your shadow”

• “If you only had one day to live…what do you do?”

• “What if there were no tomorrow?”

• “Sometimes in life you gotta take chances”

• “You make choices and you live with them.”

9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?

Determined to make a positive impact, Phil goes through Groundhog Day for the final time; he rushes to catch the boy falling out of the tree, he helps the women in their car with a flat tire, he performs the Heimlich manoeuvre on the Mayor, plays the piano with the band….

Rita wins a date with Phil during the auction and on that date, Phil is simply himself; he expresses his artistic self with the ice sculpture, he shares his genuine heartfelt feelings for Rita with no expectation or manipulation – just for the sheer gesture of sharing his love. They kiss and Rita can feel the authenticity of his words and actions. Then, they fall asleep…and when he wakes up, the spell has been broken, they embark upon a new day, February 3rd!

10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?

Live each day to the fullest. You have one life – live it like you mean it, appreciate it, be yourself, love yourself, you cannot escape life’s lessons, be grateful, you do matter, observe the ‘golden rule’, work on your shadow aspects or they will keep re-appearing until you learn the lesson, be kind in life, your actions have consequences and significance to yourself and others.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by  Connie Diletti.

[Connie Diletti]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Connie Diletti, I’ve written a handful of scripts (fiction feature, series, and non-fiction).

I hope to get a new storytelling tool for my toolkit and look forward to engaging with it to write my next script!

Fun Fact: in addition to working as a producer, I am also a psychic medium 😍

• This reply was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by  Connie Diletti.

[Connie Diletti]

I, Connie Diletti, 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.

[Connie Diletti]

I, Connie Diletti, 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.

[Connie Diletti]

Thank you so much @Bob!

[Connie Diletti]

Hi Bob, it could be a browser issue. I have found that the copy and paste does not work for me in Chrome, but does work for me in Safari 😁