[Mitch Haraguchi]

Assignment 2

Mitch Builds Meaning with Dialogue

What I learned doing this assignment is that this is THE toughest assignment in this course but I found it an interesting technique, which has been used by so many movies and yet I did not notice it until I took this course.

Instruction 1: Select three (3) lines (from your script or lines you make up) that you want to build deep meaning around.
Instruction 2: Create an arc for each line — Beginning meaning to ending meaning.
Instruction 3: With each line, look through your script to find opportunities to build the line into at least three scenes that work for the arc.
Instruction 4: For each one, tell us the line, the arc, and the different meaning you gave the line in the scenes it appeared.

(1) “Katie, you’re my girl”

At the beginning, Russell delivers this line to convince his daughter Katie to go to church again. In a sense, it’s an order by a father to his daughter. “Katie, let’s go to church. You’re my girl.”

In the middle, Russell says this line to show his trust toward Katie who has never helped her daddy’s work. “Order” shifts to “trust”.

At the end, Russell says this line to cheer up Katie (and probably himself) who has gone through an emotional roller coaster ride with the Asian man. “Truust” shifts to “empathy.”

(2) “I hate this place (this world)”

At the beginning, the punk who attacks the Asian man delivers this line to express his feeling to the town in which this story takes place.

In the middle, when Katie is taking care of the Asian man who is still in amnesia, she says this line to explain about her feeling to her father and the town itself.

At the end, after recovering his memory, Taiki (the Asian man) confesses Katie how much he hated his hometown and family and that is why he was hitch-hiking in the Midwest. He also tells her that no matter where you go, you end up with another issue. Escaping from the place you live in would not necessarily solve your problem.

Thus, in my film, the three scenes may not work for the arc. Instead, three characters are somehow connected by delivering the same/similar line in different contexts.

(3) “I’m just doing my job”

At the beginning, Russell delivers this line to answer the question from his wife Jenny who believes that Russell is working too hard at the sacrifice of his private life.
Jenny: You never missed Sunday Mass.
Russell: I had to take care of this guy.
Jenny: But he’s no longer in danger and you’re not a doctor. I think you’re a little too into it.
Russell: Well, I’m just doing my job.

In the middle, the Filipino woman questions the way Russell conducts the investigation, which does not seem to be efficient mainly because of his ignorance about Asian people. Russell delivers this line to excuse himself.

At the end, Russell says this line to Taiki (Asian man) when Taiki is about to leave for Japan and expresses his appreciation to Russell.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Assignment 1

Mitch Height of the Emotion

What I learned doing this assignment is brainstorming alternative dialogues is fun and also you can discover not only new lines, but also new storylines.

Instruction 1. Make a list of the 5 most emotional moments in your screenplay.

1) Russell tries to convince his daughter to go to church
2) Russell argues with a Filipino woman
3) Russell discovers a photo (or video) of Katie cosplaying
4) Katie emotionally collapses when the Asian man recovers his memory
5) Taiki (Asian man) talks back to his mother for the first time in his life

Instructions 2 &3. With each of those scenes, go to the height of the emotion and brainstorm lines that can deliver the deeper meaning of the scene. Give us a quick explanation of the emotion and meaning of the scene, then the new line that you are going to place there.

1) Russell is a conservative father. Katie is a shy 14-year-old girl who lives in the two-dimensional world of anime/manga. Russell tries to convince her to go to church.
<Original line>
Russell: You know, me, my daddy and his daddy, all would go to church on Sundays.
Katie: That doesn’t mean that I have do the same thing.
Russell: True. But I bet you will appreciate what I mean someday and thank me.
<New line>
Katie: Dad, give my cell phone back to me.
Russell: Nope. You violated the house rule. So I’ll keep it for three more days.
Katie: (rolls her eyes) That’s ridiculous.
Russell: Why did you stop going to church?
Katie: What?
Russell: Does it have anything to do with the grandpa’s funeral?
Katie: …..
Russell: Honey, going to church is one great way to connect with your grandpa.

2) Russell brings a Filipino woman to help him identify the ethnicity of the Asian man but does not understand why she is not cooperative.
<Original line>
Russell: Look. I’m not asking you to solve a math problem that no one solved in the past century.
Filipino woman: I told you. It won’t work.
Russell: Why?
Filipino woman: Because he doesn’t look like Filipino.
Russell: How can you say that? Give it a try, will ya?
<New line>
Filipino woman: It won’t work, Sir.
Russell: How do you know? You haven’t even tried.
Filipino woman: Do you like Chinese food?
Russell: Yeah, why?
Filipino woman: How about sushi?
Russell: I don’t eat raw fish, but my wife likes it.
Filipino woman: Speaking Tagalog to this man is like serving Chinese food in a sushi restaurant.
Russell: What do you mean?
Filipino woman: Mismatch. It just doesn’t work.

3) Russell happens to find a photo (or video uploaded on social media) where Katie in a provocative outfit enjoys cosplaying. Russell is shocked.
<Original line>
Russell: Uh…I know you like Halloween, but you don’t have to celebrate it during summer.
Katie: Dad, what are you talking about?
<New line>
Russell: How was school today?
Katie: The school is closed for summer.
Russell: Oops. You’re right…. Honey, you’re a beautiful girl. Did you know that?
Katie: What? Dad, you’re funny.
Russell: You don’t have to impress people with this….skimpy clothes.
Katie: Jesus. Did you snoop on my phone?

4) The Asian man’s memory returns. However, his short-term memories during amnesia appear to have been lost.
<Original line>
Katie: Don’t you remember me?
Asian man: I’m sorry, girl. No.
Katie: Nothing? We had a good time together. You don’t remember it?
Asian man: Sorry.
Katie collapses and starts crying.
<New line>
Katie: Look I’m Katie. You said that you like me. You even saved my life from those punks.
The Asian man keeps staring at Katie.
Katie: We had such a good time. You gotta remember it. Please say something!
Asian man: Have we met?
A drop of tears runs down Katie’s face. She rushes out of the room.

5) Taiki talks to his mother Misako who comes to the US to take him back to Japan. The following conversation is spoken in Japanese.
<Old line>
Misako: I don’t like this place.
Taiki: Why?
Misako: It’s filthy. Food is bad. And… (glances at a black cleaning lady) It doesn’t fee safe. Your father also worries about you.
Taiki: I will stay a little longer.
Misako: No way. Doctor said that you are fine and can travel.
Taiki: It’s not about my health. I have someone that I must see before leaving.
<New line>
Misako: I don’t like this place.
Taiki: Why?
Misako: It’s filthy. Food is bad. And… (glances at a black cleaning lady) It doesn’t feel safe.
Taiki: Come on, we’re in the hospital.
Misako: Your father also worries about you.
Taiki snorts.
Misako: What’s funny?
Taiki: He doesn’t worry about me.
Misako: Of course, he does.
Taiki: Not me. He always worries about himself, his reputation as a politician.
Misako: Don’t say that. Anyway, you should leave here as soon as possible. The doctor said that you can travel now. I already got a plane ticket back home.
Taiki: I won’t leave now.
Misako: Why?
Taiki: I have some business to finish.
Misako: What business?
Taiki: It’s none of your business, mom.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Mitch Delivers Irony!

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming about irony opens a door to a new storyline that I have never thought about. Also, creating irony is a great way to “show” the story, as opposed to explaining it by words (dialogues).

Assignment: Come up with at least five (5) different ways you can create IRONY in your screenplay and deliver an insight.

1) INSGHT: Food of your native land is one of essential elements that constitute your identity. You should not underestimate the power of food.

IRONY: You usually find a thing you have searched for when you give up searching.
The Asian man refuses eating food offered by Dr. Foreman. Russell enters to the patient room.
Russell: Again?
Foreman: (shakes her head) The day before yesterday, it was pizza. Yesterday, hamburger. Today, we offered Chinese food. Nothing worked.
Russell: Maybe, he is not hungry.
Foreman: Without having food for 3 days?
Russell: Well….
Foreman: He may suffer from anorexia, but I’m not sure if that’s the case…..
The Asian man goes to sleep again. Russell leaves the patient room. Dr. Foreman steps out and comes back to the room with her lunch, a sushi box. As Dr. Foreman starts eating sushi, the Asian man awakens and stares at her eating.
Foreman: Hi. (picks up a piece of sushi) Do you want to have this?
The Asian man tries to reach out the sushi held by Dr. Foreman.

2) INSIGHT: For Russell, a religious and conservative father, his status quo begins to end.

IRONY: Russell teaches his daughter Katie the importance of faith in religion, while bragging about his Mass attendance that he has never failed for the past 30 years. Katie is by no means religious. Russell tells her to go to church together next Sunday. Katie refuses but finally gives in. However, on Sunday, Russell does not show up in the church.
Katie: Where is Daddy?
Jenny (her mother): Well… You know what happened the other day?
Katie: Yeah.
Jenny: Daddy has to take care of him.
Katie: 30 years of no absence, huh?

3) INSIGHT: Identify the ethnic background of the Asian man requires some knowledge about the ethnic group.

IRONY: This investigation is performed by a person (Russell) who has the least knowledge of Asian ethnicity.

4) INSIGHT: When a boy meets a girl, anything could happen.

IRONY: By having her help his job, Russell tries to educate Katie who tends to escape from reality by watching anime or reading manga. Katie reluctantly helps her daddy’s investigation but falls in love with the Asian man at first sight.

5) INSGHT: Sometimes reality is too harsh to face.

IRONY: Katie likes the Asian man and enjoys being with him. One day the Asian man runs away from the hospital as if a person with dementia does. After a desperate search, Katie happens to find him, which makes her believe that it was meant to be. Katie almost decides to spend the rest of her life with him.
However, when his memory is back, the Asian man doesn’t remember Katie. Rather, he gives her a hard time, which breaks Katie’s heart.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Mitch Delivers Insights Through Conflicts

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming conflicts is equivalent to brainstorming scenes. If you come up with a new conflict that works, you can create a new scene that you otherwise would never thought about.

Q: Come up with at least five (5) “different” ways you can use conflict to express “an insight.”

1) INSIGHT: For many Asian people, food is not only a source of nutrients, but it is an essential element that constitutes their ethnic identity.
CONFLICT: Investigation

The Asian man, who lost his memory, has not eaten anything for the past few days, which worries Dr. Foreman. Russell, local sherif, tries to force him to eat but fails.

Foreman: Jesus. Don’t do that.
Russell: Sorry, Doc. I just thought that he needs more nutrients to get better.
Foreman: True, but you shouldn’t force him to eat.
Russell: Why he doesn’t eat it. (bites a potato chip) It’s not that bad.
Foreman: Maybe, it’s not taste he refuses.
Russell: Then what?

2) INSIGHT: Russell’s status quo is beginning to end.
CONFLICT: Loss

Russell takes a phone call early in the morning. After finishing the call, Russell keeps staring at the air.
Jenny (wife): What’s wrong?
Russell: It’s from Doc. The guy woke up. I gotta go.
Jenny: Okay.
Russell stands still and silent.
Jenny: Don’t you need to go?
Russell: Today’s Sunday.
Jenny: So?
Russell: I will miss Mass… I’ve never missed it for the past 30 years…

3) INSIGHT: Russell learns the diversity of Asians.
CONFLICT: Plan goes wrong

Russell and a Filipino woman are sitting in the room where the Asian man is hospitalized.

Filipino woman: I don’t think I can help you?
Russell: Excuse me?
Filipino woman: I can’t help you.
Russell: How come you know it. You don’t’ even try.
Filipino woman: ‘Cause he doesn’t look like a Filipino.
Russell: Then, what does he look like?
Filipino woman: East Asian. Chinese or Korean, maybe.
A few days later, Russell brings in a Chinese man.
Chinese man: Aw, he doesn’t look like Chinese.
Russell: What?

4) INSGHT: Russell learns that Katie is no longer a little child.
CONFLICT: Emotion issue

The Asian man goes missing from the hospital. Katie insists that she can find him on her own.

Russell: No, you should stay here.
Katie: Why? I can help you.
Russell: How? You can’t even drive. Also, it’s a little late. I don’t want to have two people missing.
Katie: Look, I’m fine.
Russell stares at his daughter for some time.
Katie: What?
Russell: What’s your problem?
Katie: ……

5) INSIGHT: Katie finds the Asian man and finds her true feeling.
CONFLICT: Struggle

Midnight. At an empty parking lot, Katie finally finds the Asian man who went missing from the hospital.

Katie: I know why you ran away from the hospital. They are going to make you a vegetable. That’s a horrible thing. I know it. I’ve watched an old movie. Aw, poor my dear…. I’ve got a good idea. I’m going with you. Then, we can live together. In a place where no one knows us. Actually, that’s a great idea. I’m only 14, but in a few years, I can legally get married….

A group of punks appear in the parking lot and approach to this odd couple.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Assignment 2

Mitch turns insights into actions.

What I learned doing this assignment is that this is the toughest assignment so far, but brainstorming the New Ways to find profound moments helps clarify the theme of the movie.

Q: Create a list of the New Ways and Insights you’d like audiences to experience when they watch your movie. With that list, brainstorm ways to turn the New Ways / Insights into Action. Come up with at least five (5) New Ways and the Action that will express them.

1) ACTION: Russell almost gives up identifying the ethnicity of the Asian man (Taiki) who does not utter a word since he lost his memory. Accidentally, a Japanese food helps recall his memory and he says a few words, which surprises Russell and Dr. Foreman.
INSIGHT: Food of your native land is one of essential elements that constitute your identity. You should not underestimate the power of food.

2) ACTION: When Russell goes to Antonia’s (the only coffee shop in town) as always, he is shocked to find the joint closed.
INSIGHT: His status quo is beginning to end.

3) ACTION: Russell is shocked to find a photo where his daughter Kaitie, a huge anime fan, is enjoying “cosplay.”
INSIGHT: Russell is forced to admit that Katie as he knows is no longer here.

4) ACTION: Katie ignores the warning from his dad and starts searching the Asian man who went missing.
INSGHT: Katie’s first step to become independent and explore the real world from the two-dimensional world of anime.

5) ACTION: When searching the Asian man, Russell finds Katie and learns that she was almost raped by punks but was saved by the Asian man. Russell does not scold Katie, and hugs her instead.
INSIGHT: Old Russell is no more.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.
• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Assignment 1

What I learned doing this assignment is a good movie is full of various profound moments that indicate a shift in characters or the time.

Q: Watch the movie SEABISCUIT. As you do, look for the Profound Moments (any moment in the story that seems profound to you). List the Profound Moments, then tell briefly what made them profound for you.

1. No more frontier
After freely travelling an open prairie riding on his horse, Tom Smith is forced to stop at a barbed-wire fence. This profound moment clearly shows that an old way of horse riding is being replaced by a new transportation, automobiles.

2. Being abandoned by your own family
In the horse-riding field, Red’s mother suddenly hugs Red without saying anything while sobbing. This profound moment tells that something bad has happened to Red and that there will be no more old way, which is confirmed by the statement (dialogue) of his father.

3. Giving a second chance
After having lost his son, Howard changed. When Red lies to Smith about the reason for his failure to win Santa Anita Handicap and later admits his partial blindness, Smith gets furious. The audience would expect that Red would be fired. However, Howard declares that Pollard will remain Seabiscuit's jockey. This Howard’s decision may be related to the loss of his child.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.
• This reply was modified 9 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 11_Living metaphor

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming about Old Ways and living metaphors that would challenge to the Old Ways is an effective way to develop the story.

5 Should Work, But Doesn’t challenges

1) Russell, local sheriff, brings a Filipino woman (she was the only Asian who was available for his investigation) so that she can talk to the Asian man (Taiki). However, the Filipino woman declares that it doesn’t work even before trying. Russell asks why. She says that he doesn’t look like Filipino. Russell’s intention (Old Way) fails.
2) Russell has attended a Mass every Sunday without fail for the past 30 years and he is proud of it (Old Way). However, one Sunday he fails to attend a Mass because of a phone call from the doctor’s office where the Asian man was taken into custody. Next Sunday, his attendance is interrupted again by a call from the hospital to which the Asian man was transferred.
3) During an everyday conversation with his assistant (or wife), Russell mocks nerdy anime fans who wear weird costumes even though it is not Halloween (Old Way). He is shocked to find out that his daughter is a huge anime fan who enjoys “cosplay.”
4) After his memory returns, Taiki asks his fiancé to come over to the US so that she can escort him back to Japan. She is excited to travel to the US for the first time (thinking about big cities like New York or LA) but is soon disappointed when visiting the local city where Taiki is hospitalized. She even shows some prejudice against other Asian people.
5) Russell has believed that he understood his daughter Katie pretty well (Old way) but that belief is challenged when Katie talks back to his dad for the first time and runs away with the Asian man.

5 Living Metaphor challenges

1) All of Asian people including Filipino woman, Chinese man and Taiki (Japanese) are living metaphors in this film. They challenge the knowledge (and ignorance) Russell has toward Asian people.
2) Phone calls that Russell receives every Sunday morning are living metaphors. They challenge the peaceful yet boring lifestyle that Russell enjoys.
3) The anime fandom in the US. It challenges Russell’s depreciation against anime and subcultures in general.
4) Taiki’s Japanese fiancé who is naïve and somewhat ignorant about racial issues. Her behaviors and actions suggest the prejudice that Japanese people may have against other Asians.
5) A photo where Katie enjoys “cosplay.” It challenges Russell’s belief that he knows everything about his daughter.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming old ways and their counterexamples is an effective way to deepen the characters, in particular, main characters.

5 Question Challenges to an Old Way

1) Questioning the prejudice toward Asians by mainstream Americans. Local people including Sheriff Russell Davidson believe that all Asians are similar and there are not much difference between Chinese and Japanese for example.
2) Questioning the peaceful but conservative lifestyle. A lifestyle that is NOT subject to change is actually a good thing for a human being?
3) Questioning the prejudice to people who love the subculture of anime/manga. Anime fans (those who love Japanese animation) are often viewed as a “nerd” and are not appreciated by people who are not familiar with anime/manga. Russell is one of those people.
4) Questioning the prejudice that a man from an Asian country has to a man from another Asian country. There are prejudices even among Asians as well.
5) Questioning the belief that a teenage girl should go out with a boy of the same age.

5 Counterexamples to an Old Way.

1) Counterexample by dialogue
Russell: Don’t they [Chinese and Japanese] speak the same language?
Asian woman: Just because sharing some characters, doesn’t mean they speak the same language. Look at European countries. Most countries use alphabet.
2) Counterexample by experience
Russell’s ultraconservative and yet peaceful life is disturbed by an Asian man (Taiki) who was found in the middle of nowhere.
3) Counterexample by character
Russell’s daughter, Katie, is a typical counterexample to her father.
4) Counterexample by character
Dr. Foreman takes care of the Asian man who was transferred to the hospital. She is young and more free-minded person who sympathizes with Katie and is a counterexample to Russell.
5) Counterexample by experience
The discovery of a photo where Katie enjoys “cosplay” shocks Russell who believed that he understood her daughter pretty well.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 9_Assignment 2

What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming old ways and challenges would help deepen the characters, which leads to new scenes and sequences in the story.

Q: Using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for your story — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. for your story. Fill in any ideas you have for ways to challenge each of the Old Ways.

Old Ways: Russell, a local sheriff, is an excentric, ultraconservative man who does the same thing at the same time every day, which makes him comfortable.
Challenges: The investigation of the Asian man (Taiki) who was found in the middle of nowhere disturbs the peaceful life of Russell.

Old Ways: Russell’s grandfather was killed by Japanese during the World War II and thus, he has a negative feeling toward Japanese people.
Challenges: Taiki saves Katie from getting hurt (raped), while other Americans fail to do so.

Old Ways: Russell is ignorant about (and thus has prejudice against) Asian people in general.
Challenges: Russell is forced to identify the ethnic background of Taiki (the Asian man).

Old Ways: Katie is a shy and a little nerdy girl who lives in the two-dimensional world of anime and manga.
Challenges: Katie is forced to take care of Taiki who has bleeding through a fall.

Old Ways: Russell does not appreciate (and is inground about) the culture of anime. He cannot even distinguish manga from cartoons.
Challenges: Russell is shocked to find a social media posting where Kaite enjoys cosplay (dressing up as an anime character).

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 9_Assignment 1

What I learned doing this assignment is that people are covered by many layers of Old Ways and they are not even aware of it.

Q. Watch the movie 12 ANGRY MEN. As you do, fill in the Old Ways you see; using the chart, make a list of Old Ways for the movie — habits, assumptions, filters of perception, beliefs, social values, rules, etc. – and the Challenges presented to those Old Ways.

Old Ways: Assuming that a boy from a slum is dangerous.
Challenges: Juror 5, who seems to be a decent man, reveals that he also grew up in a slum.

Old Ways: Jury duty is a tedious job and it’s not worth it to busy men.
Challenges: A human’s life depends on their decision and it’s worth it.

Old Ways: A testimony should be accurate.
Challenge 1: The noise of the passing train may jeopardize the statement of the witness.
Challenge 2: Your memory is not as accurate as you think (you can’t remember the name of the film and casts even without stress).
Challenge 3: A sighting may be questionable especially when witnessed by a nearsighted woman at midnight when people usually don’t wear glasses.

Old Ways: There should be no coincidence (having an identical knife is “one-in-million”).
Challenges: Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) presents the same knife he bought in a very dramatic manner.

Old Ways: The direction of stabbing the knife to a tall man (father) by a short man (son) is always downward.
Challenges: Juror 5 shows that when using a “switch knife”, the direction should be upwards.

Old Ways: Make your decision based on the majority’s opinion.
Challenges: Juror 11 challenges Juror 7 who changes his opinion without deeply considering and demands his reason for the change.

Old Ways: When people are having a personal issue, they tend to reach an easy decision without deliberately thinking it as seen in Juror 3.
Challenges: When no one listens to your argument and everyone seems to be against you, you may realize that you are in a wrong position.

• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Day 8_Answers
What I learned doing this assignment is that brainstorming the ending would help create new structures and plots earlier in the story,

1. What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?
My profound truth is “No matter how different look we have, we are the same and connected each other at the deep level.” “Your life begins at the end of the comfort zone.” I am still working on the way to powerfully deliver these messages.

2. How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?
In the Old Ways, Russell sees the Asian man as an alien, who brings anything but annoyance to his peaceful world and thus, tries everything to get rid of him from his world/community. Through his journey, Russell changes and begins to treat the Asian man as a friend who saves him from a devastating relationship with his daughter Katie.

3. What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?
In the Old Ways, Katie lives in the two-dimensional world and cares about only those characters on the screen or paper, which increases her isolation from the real world. At the end, Katie is forced to depart from the Asian man (Taiki). Katie enters her bedroom alone, then starts tearing off the anime posters and deleting anime sites from her cell phone/laptop. Katie hesitates whether or not she should delete the video with Taiki. She finally does it, farewell to the two-dimensional comfort zone.

4. How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?
When Russell finds Katie together with Taiki who ran away from the hospital, the audience expects that Russell scolds Katie. However, he does not do it, and consoles her instead. When his memory comes back, Taiki becomes a man who is completely different from the one Katie knows. Katie gets shocked and depressed. She screams “I don’t wanna see him again anymore.” However, Katie shows up in the airport and kisses Taiki to say goodbye and thank you.

5. What is the Parting Image/Line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?
Katie lost Taiki, her first love. Russell tells Katie to forget about him since “he doesn’t remember you after all.” However, Katie cannot leave Taiki behind and goes to the airport on her own while bicycling 30 miles. She shows up at the airport and kisses Taiki to say goodbye and thank you (=Surprise). After seeing the airplane take off, Katie goes home, which is another 30-mile trip by bike. Russell shows up out of the blue and loads her bike onto his pickup truck without words. The pickup truck recedes into the expansive Great Plains.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is that considering the connection with the audiences provides the characters with depth and sometimes makes them more attractive.

1. Tell us which characters you are going to INTENTIONALLY create a connection with the audience.
Russell, a local sheriff
Katie, his teenage daughter
Taiki, a Japanese man who was found in the middle of nowhere

2. With each character, tell us how you’ll use each of the four ways of connecting with the audience in the first 30 minutes of the movie. A. Relatability B. Intrigue C. Empathy D. Likability

Russell
A. Relatability: He is a family man who values every day’s routine more than anything else. He does the same thing at the same time every day, which makes him comfortable. He loves his boring and yet peaceful rural life.
B. Intrigue: He has a very peculiar routine of drinking coffee sitting on the same stool in a café at the same time. People think that he is a little excentric man but he does not care.
C. Empathy: He has a communication issue with his teenage daughter Katie.
D. Likability: He cares for his local people and thus, he is loved by his community, which is conservative and exclusive.

Katie
A. Relatability: She is a shy, sensitive and a little nerdy girl. You can find at least one who looks like her in your class.
B. Intrigue: She is a rabid Japanese anime fan who daydreams the characters of an anime.
C. Empathy: Because of her nerdy persona, she is isolated and does not have many friends.
D. Likability: She is an artistic girl with very good drawing skills that are appreciated only by a10-year-old boy neighbor.

Taiki
A. Relatability: He is a change agent. His relatability is INTENTIONALLY sealed in the first 30 minutes and his identity/persona is not revealed until later part of the movie. Accordingly, the audience, unless he or she is Asian, may not be emotionally connected with this guy in the beginning.
B. Intrigue: He appears to be a foreigner, but his identity is unknown.
C. Empathy: He is attacked and loses his memory.
D. Likability: Just like “Relatability,” the audience may not be connected with him in the first 30 minutes.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is placing your story in the Mini-Movie structure may help you create new story lines that you did not even imagine.

1. Tell us your Transformational Logline.
A local sheriff, ultraconservative, redneck and authoritative, living in a remote town in the Midwest, is forced to deal with a young Asian man who was found in the middle of nowhere and changes gradually as his 14-year-old daughter blindly falls in love with the Asian man.

2. Tell us who the main character will be: Change Agent: Transformational Character(s):
Change Agent: Asina man
Transformational Characters: Russell, 45 (local sherif), Katie, 14 (his daughter)
Oppression: Exclusive community, Amnesia

3. List out your Mini-Movie structure, (or whatever structure you’ve chosen) for your story.

MM#1 Status Quo and Call to Adventure: The peaceful life of a local sheriff, Russell Davidson, is disrupted when a young Asian man was found in the middle of nowhere. To make things worse, the Asian man lost his memory, and nobody knows if he is a tourist, illegal immigrant, or even terrorist.

MM#2 Denial or Conflict: Russell faces the first challenge: identifying the Asian man who barely speaks. In the meantime, Russell’s routine is also disturbed, e.g., missing a Mass in the church for the first time in 30 years.

MM#3 First attempt to solve problem that fails: Russell attempts to solve this incident on his own but every attempt fails and he soon runs into a wall. He simply does not have resources and knowledge to handle this incident.

MM#4 New/Bigger plan: Now Russell gives up solving himself and starts looking for help. Russell transfers the Asian man to the hospital in the city. During this process, Russell, who is a solo law-enforcement in town, asks his daughter Kaite to help take care of the man. Russell is having an issue with this typical teenage girl. Katie, who is a rabid Japanese anime fan, is also having her own issue; few friends due to her shyness and nerdy persona.

MM#5 Hero needs to change: Russell discovers that while he has taken a good care of his local people (and they like him), he has not paid enough attention to his daughter, which formed an emotional gap between him and Katie. Now Russell has to change his overbearing attitude in order to get a cooperation from Katie.

MM#6 New plan and ultimate failure: During the process of taking care of the Asian man in the hospital, Katie begins to be emotionally connected to him, who reminds her of one of her anime heroes. Although he is still unable to speak any language and to recall any memories, the Asian man’s physical condition is getting better. He also seems to enjoy spending time with Katie. Russell does not want her to be close to this mysterious man.

MM#7 Crisis & Climax: One night, the Asian man disappears from the hospital. Katie goes nuts and rushes out of the hospital, while ignoring Russell’s warning: “You stay here, I will take care of it.” For Katie, the Asian man is the first and only friend to whom she is truly connected from the bottom of her heart. Russell gets upset when he learns that Katie was out searching for the man. In the meantime, Katie finds the Asian man being in trouble with local punks. Katie bravely tries to break it up but she becomes the new target of the punks. When Katie is almost about to be raped, the Asian man charges and beats the crap out of the punks using some martial arts technique.

MM#8 New status quo: The Asian man recovers his lost memory. He is a Japanese man who was travelling alone in the US by hitch-hiking. The fact that he has a fiancé in Japan breaks Katie’s heart. Russell consoles her, feeling that his emotional distance from her has shortened a little bit.

• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.
• This reply was modified 10 months ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is that by putting your story into a certain structure (e.g., emotional gradient), you may find something new that you never thought about even if that structure does not seem to be relevant to your story. In other words, it could be a source of new idea(s).

1. What is the Emotional Gradient you’ll use?
I will use an emotional gradient based on “forced change” which consists of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.

2. For each emotion of that gradient, tell us the following: A. Emotion: B. Action: C. Challenge / Weakness: A. Emotion: B. Action: C. Challenge / Weakness: A. Emotion: B. Action: C. Challenge / Weakness: Etc..

A. Denial: B. Russell’s peaceful life is suddenly disturbed by an Asian man who was found in the middle of nowhere while temporally losing his memory (amnesia). Russell fails to attend a mass in the church which he has never missed for the last 30 years. C. Challenge: Russell is no longer able to do his routine due to the Asian man. Weakness: Insular and ultraconservative.

A. Anger. B. Russell gets upset to find out that his daughter Katie falls in love with the Asian man. C. Challenge: Katie does not listen to his dad and becomes attracted to the Asian man. Weakness: Russell is too overbearing and old-fashioned for Katie. He cannot control his own daughter.

A. Bargaining. B. Russell attempts to convince Katie to stay away from the Asian man. His every attempt fails. C. Challenge. The compassion and emotion Kaite has with the Asian man is stronger than Russell imagined. Weakness. Russell is unable to rationally explain his opposition to Katie and to himself.

A. Depression. B. Russell gets shocked when Katie and the Asian man run away from the hospital. C. Challege. Russell searches for his runaway daughter. Weakness. Russell discovers an emotional gap between him and Katie.

A. Acceptance. B. Russell finally finds Katie and the Asian man. He does not scold Katie and forgives her instead. The Asian man’s memory comes back, which breaks Katie’s heart. C. Challenge. It is a big challenge for Russell to forgive Katie. Weakness. Vulnerability

• This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Lesson 4A:

What I learned doing this assignment is that thinking of the change agent, transferable characters, oppression and betraying characters helps organize your idea about characters and sometimes even helps create new character(s).

1. 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.
>An Asian man who went missing is the change agent. He causes a stir in a peaceful remote village of Midwest and changes the family of a local sheriff dwelling there. :

2. 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.
>The local sheriff is the character who changes the most. His super-conservative, unwillingness to make a change would fit this role.

3. 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 conservative people in the village may be an oppression against accepting the Asian man, who represents unfamiliarity, an outsider and foreigner.

4. Tell us who you think might be your Betraying Character and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role.
>The sheriff’s father or wife may be a betraying character who cannot abandon their prejudice against outsiders/foreigners.

Lesson 4B

1. What is the change this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
The change is about the high school boys’ attitude and philosophy toward life, which transforms through their encounter and relationship with Mr. Keaton.

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 and Neil. Mr. Keaton’s position as a teacher and his unorthodox teaching style makes him the right character for change. Neil is also a change agent. His influence on other boys (especially on Todds) makes him the right character for change.

Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
>Todd Anderson. He is the character who changed the most. His shyness and reluctance to get involved with others makes him the right character to deliver the profound journey. Neil is also a transformable character as well as a change agent. However, unlike Todd, Neil appears to change himself, only enhanced/catalyzed by Mr. Keating.

What is the Oppression?
>The headmaster and the school system. Also, their parents. In other words, all adults except Mr. Keating.

3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
Everyone, not only boarding school kids, is oppressed by somebody or something above them in their lives. Thus, the boys’ journey from oppression connects us with the story.

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:
As mentioned above, Todd changed the most. His old ways include being shy and unwilling to share things with others. His new ways include being the first to stand on the desk to support Mr. Keating, which represents the rebel against authority.

5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Todd is the transformational character. His first change comes after meeting Mr. Keating, which is shown by putting down “carpe diem” on his notebook (then ripping it off). His second change can be seen through his involvement with the Dead Poet Society. His third and final change occurs after the death of Neil.

6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
Todd’s shyness changes after living with Neil who is honest to himself and openly expresses his emotion.

7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
The moment Todd gets on the desk.

8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
Mr. Keating: “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.”
Todd: (Standing on the snowy field) “It’s so beautiful” (then he vomits)

9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
At the ending, the students read the chapter of the book they ripped off at the beginning of the movie. At the beginning, Mr. Keating have students stand on the desk so that they can get a “different” view. At the end, the students stand on the desk on their own.

10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
You have to live your life on your own. Nobody forces you to live a life of theirs.

• This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.
• This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is the power of transformation as a means that makes your story interesting and drives it forward.

1. Tell us your logline for the transformational journey.
While a super-conservative, redneck, authoritative local sheriff in the Midwest is forced to deal with a young Asian man who was found in the middle of nowhere, his exclusive attitude toward outsiders gradually changes through his 14-year-old daughter who blindly falls in love with the Asian man.

2. Tell us what you see as the Old Ways.
The local sheriff, 45, is a super-conservative man who believes in jinxes. He loves his local people as much as he hates outsiders. He does not want his peaceful life to be disturbed by others. He would fight against anything that challenges his lifestyle. In short, he is quite happy with the status quo.

3. Tell us what you see as the New Ways.
The sheriff for the first time in his life discovers a value of being inclusive, rather than exclusive.

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

What I learned doing this assignment is that your initial idea easily can change if you think about it deeply and profoundly.

1. WHAT IS YOUR PROFOUND TRUTH?
Dealing with a person with a different background would make you uncomfortable and instantly lead to hate. However, hate typically comes from ignorance. Or hate is another form of rejection to change. Don’t be afraid to change!
No matter how different he or she looks, people are essentially the same.
Don’t be exclusive, be inclusive.

2. WHAT IS THE CHANGE YOU WANT AN AUDIENCE TO MAKE?
By experiencing what the main character goes through, I want the audience to change from being indifferent to others to caring for others. However, this type of change is difficult or impossible if you are happy with the status quo and have no intention to go out of your comfort zone.

3. WHAT ENTERTAINMENT VEHICLE WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Road trip. I love the genre of “road movie.” My screenplay is a road movie that takes place deep in the Midwest.

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

1. What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
This movie is about the inner journey of the main character Phil. He changes internally through a series of strange experiences.

2. Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
I don’t know if there is anyone who may have changed Phil. Rita is the only character that is written deeply enough to cause the change, but to me, she does not seem to cause the change. Rather, the change agent is a particular event that happens to Phil.

Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
It is Phil. He is the right character because he is selfish and doesn't care about anyone. Also, he does not appear to appreciate anything in his life.

What is the Oppression?
The parallel world where Phil is stuck.

3. How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
;The first 15 minutes of the movie was spent to introduce the persona of Phil (character development) and it is very boring. Nothing interesting happens. Probably, it was intended to be boring. However, once Groundhog Day repeats, the story starts rolling and the movie got me hooked.

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:
Actually Phil is the only one who changed. He changes from an egocentric man to someone who cares about others (this transformation reminds me of classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Christmas Carol”).

5. What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
The repeated similar, but slightly different experiences and people Phil meets are the gradients.

6. How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
Before “transformation,” he was egocentric and paid no attention to others. He was simply not interested in others including his colleague Rita. Then, through those inevitable events that repeat forever, Phil was forced to learn other people’s lives, which he gradually appreciates. For example, if you meet a person (e.g., old man) just once, you can just ignore him/her. However, if you repeatedly (literally every day) meet the same people, you are forced to know these people. You cannot simply ignore them any more.

7. What are the most profound moments of the movie?
The moment when Phil realized that he was completely helpless, being even unable to kill himself.

8. What are the most profound lines of the movie?
”Today is tomorrow.”

9. How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Phil decided to live in a town he used to hate with a person he used to pay no interest to.

10. What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
People can endure the hardship of today because tomorrow always comes. However, you should not take it for granted. Some people (like Phil) can’t appreciate today and embrace life, until they are robbed of their future (tomorrow).

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

Hi everyone,
My name is Mitch. I'm living and working in New York.

Up until now, I have completed three feature length screenplays and a number of shorts. I also have finished a 200-page novel. Yes, I like writing. My favorite authors include Haruki Murakami and Raymond Carver. I have too many favorite film directors to mention, but Stanley Kubrick is definitely one of them. Although I'm currently working in the legal industry, I used to be a TV director/producer for a tiny production company a while ago. I still have passion in making films and telling stories. That is why I took this course. Hope I will be able to enhance and deepen my feature script that I am working on right now. By the way, I was born and raised in Japan. So, my ethnic background plays a crucial role in my creation.

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Mitch Haraguchi.

[Mitch Haraguchi]

I am Mitch H. and “I agree to the terms of this release form.”

GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of this group, I agree to the following:
1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.