[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska Lesson 8: What I learned doing this assignment was stating the theme and learning more about the antagonist (who is also a protagonist as it is a rom-com) and how his journey weaves into the other characters journey.

Add Theme and Antagonist/Protagonist Journey

1. What is the story really about?

Finding love can lead to finding your real self.

Building the Antagonist into the beat sheet:

1. Everett makes a point of getting Margaret alone and extracting info.

2.He starts to romance her and ends up actually having feelings for her.

3. He realizes she isn’t a threat. He gets bored? She was much more exciting when she was a possible threat.

4. When they’re trapped by the blizzard, she thinks it’s romantic. He blows her off and packs his gear, thinking he could get helicoptered out.

5. He can’t get helicoptered out for a while. He has to wait and make nice with the other guests and Margaret. He doesn’t realize some of them have issues with the government and know about him.

6. The criminal who wanted revenge shows up as the generator repairman, follows him to his room and tries to take him out.

7. Margaret and Josh save his life and he realizes how much he cares for Margaret and likes the guests. He is not going to turn anyone in. His boss finally sent him a background check on the other guests. Anita and Larry resolve their respective issues with the government.

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska Lesson 7

What I learned doing this assignment: How to add the Slug lines and placeholders.

BEAT SHEET FOR MOVIE “THE SNOWBANK HOTEL”

ACT I

INT./GOVERNMENT OFFICE/DAY

OPENING: Everett James called into boss’s office and given assignment. Boss hands him folder with info on Margaret Strong. He informs Everett that she was a member of a writer’s group where one of the members had a book published divulging some government secrets. All members of the group have been investigated so far except Margaret. The idea is to prevent this from happening again. Inside folder are photos and roundtrip tickets, hotel reservation and a brochure on the Snowbank Hotel. After discussing Margaret, they talk about Everett’s upcoming retirement. Then the boss informs Everett that a criminal he put away many years ago is coming up for parole.

INT./CONDO/DAY

Neighbor bangs on Margaret’s door. She tells her that she has to forfeit her yearly trip to the Snowbank Hotel as a relative just died and she has to go out East for the funeral. She offers Margaret the roundtrip tickets and hotel room which are all paid for.

INT./AIRPLANE/DAY

Margaret is on the plane and happens to be sitting next to Everett James. In the seat behind them is the ex-convict in disguise. Neither of them notice the passenger behind them.

INT./SNOWBANK HOTEL LOBBY/LATE AFTERNOON

All the guests are arriving in the main lobby, getting situated and are told dinner is at 5:00 pm in main dining room. Everybody gets introduced: Margaret Strong, Everett James, Larry Fox, Camille Hudson, Josh Cunningham. Uncle Stash (who runs the place) is very funny and it’s an interesting dinner. (The ex-convict is nowhere to be seen. He is not a guest at the hotel and he disappears for a while.)

PLACEHOLDER: Everett chatting up Margaret and getting her drunk.

ACT II

INT./DINING ROOM/NIGHT

The guests are all discussing the eminent snowstorm that was predicted – the biggest in years. Everett is chatting up Margaret. Larry Fox and Camille are developing a relationship. Anita and Josh are flirting.

PLACEHOLDER: Everett and Margaret are sitting in front of the fireplace having drinks. It gets later and later and he walks her to her room. She says good night and goes to sleep realizing she is falling in love. Besides that, he makes a great prototype for the hero she is writing in her new romance.

INT./DINING ROOM/MORNING

Snowstorm. Huge blizzard sets in. Guests are watching it rage at the breakfast table. Hotel is completely isolated by the fierce and intense storm. Despite the storm, ex-convict is keeping an eye on Everett, waiting for an opportunity. Every now and then you see his face pressed against the window looking in.

INT./HOTEL KITCHEN/DAY

Anita has found out that Everett is an investigator. She is telling Stash. She is freaked out because she is an illegal alien. Camille comes into the kitchen for more coffee. She tells Camille. Camille tells Larry Fox and finds out Larry Fox owes the government millions of dollars in unpaid taxes. No one says anything to Margaret as they think she needs the attention Everett is giving her.

INT./MARGARET’S ROOM/DAY

Anita is in Margaret’s room freshening up the linens. They are chatting about the weather and the subject turns to Everett. She tells Margaret that Everett is an investigator.

PLACEHOLDER: Scene where Margaret confronts Everett about being investigator.

INT./KITCHEN/DAY

The generator for the hotel is fluctuating and Stash is on the phone. He manages to get through to the village and ask for a repairman to come up and fix it. The ex-convict who is in the basement and hears the conversation shows up in disguise.

ACT III

INT./HOTEL/EVENING

The lights go out. Stash finds candles for everyone and hands them out, assuring everybody that the repairman to fix the generator is working on it now. Anita tells Josh she is illegal over candlelight. Camille yells at Larry about his unpaid taxes. Margaret knocks on Everett’s door to give him candles.

INT./EVERETT’S ROOM/EVENING

Everett is packing his suitcase and trying to arrange a helicopter to lift him out of the hotel as Margaret has proved not to be a serious threat (at least to the government). She sees his gun in the suitcase. The door was open. It shuts quickly, blowing out their candles. There’s a scuffle. There’s enough light from the snow and a full moon to see the metal of the gun in the suitcase. Margaret is shocked to see the man punching Everett is the man who was supposed to fix the generator. She picks up the gun. Everett punches the convict who falls on the ground. Then Margaret grabs the gun and shoots him as he lunges toward Everett. She wounds him.

INT./HOTEL STAIRS/EVENING

Josh hears the shot, has grabbed his rifle and is running up the stairs to Everett’s room. He sees the convict lunging again toward Everett and shoots him. He falls over dead. Margaret is freaking out. All the guests and Stash are making their way toward the sound of the gun and Everett’s room. Suddenly there’s a huge bang on the lobby door. The big door blows open. It’s the real generator repairman. He fixes the generator.

INT./HOTEL LOBBY/DAY

The helicopter shows up. Margaret, Everett, police and dead body leave. All guests are gradually leaving, being helicoptered out. Josh stays and proposes to Anita. Camille and Larry on helicopter following Margaret and Everett’s. She says she’ll pay Larry’s taxes if he marries her. They make a deal.

Everett is pretty beat up by the ex-con and Margaret offers to take care of him at her condo until he’s better. He accepts her offer.

LAST SCENE

INT./CONDO LIVING ROOM/DAY

Everett is watching football game on Margaret’s couch all bandaged up while she is at her computer finishing her novel.

Credits run with pictures of Margaret’s book on New York Times bestseller list. Also postcards of Camille and Larry on honeymoon, a wedding invitation from Mexico to Anita and Josh’s official Catholic wedding (they were married first at the Justice of the Peace). Also a new brochure from Stash featuring the updated menu at the Snowbank Hotel and inviting them back.

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska Act 1. Opening Scenes

What I learned doing this assignment is the importance of an effective intro to the characters that hooks the viewer. It was a great way to show the contrast of the protagonist/antagonist.

Act I.

INT./GOVERNMENT OFFICE/DAY

BEGINNING: Everett James called into office and given assignment to investigate Margaret Strong. Boss hands him folder on her.

MIDDLE: There are roundtrip tickets, a brochure on the Snowbank Hotel and a room reservation. This leads to the discussion of Everett’s past career and that this will probably be his last assignment as he’s retiring. His boss comments that it’s a great place to relax and even if she’s guilty, don’t worry about it. He’ll tell him how to handle her.

END: Boss also informs him that a criminal he put away many years ago is now up for paroll.

2. INT./CONDO/DAY

BEGINNING: Neighbor bangs on Margaret’s door. She tells her that she has to go out East for a funeral and offers Margaret roundtrip tickets and a hotel room which are all paid for to the Snowbank Hotel.

END: Margaret graciously accepts.

3. INT./AIRPLANE/DAY

Margaret is on the plane and happens to be sitting next to Everett James.

He knows who she is and starts chatting her up.

In the seat behind them is the ex convict laying low.

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska

Transformational Events – what I learned doing this assignment is how Margaret has a big epiphany about her life and how all the events of her life helped to maker her the person who had the guts to defend the man she’s in love with.

Margaret Strong

Old Ways: insecure, afraid of failure, afraid of men, wants to be known as “nice”, uses the vehicle of romance writing because she doesn’t have a life

New Ways: Sees going to the Snowbank Hotel as an adventure

-makes a point of hitting on Everett

-makes an effort to project herself as interesting, intellectual and attractive

-because of everyone’s kindness and interest in her and because of Everett’s attentions toward her, her confidence soars.

-courageous, can step out of the box comfortably without embarrassment

-because she defends Everett she has a big insight of how the events of her life prepared her for this

Dramatic Events:

Everett makes a point of following her everywhere and getting her drunk in order to figure her out and get information

-They sit in front of the fireplace after dinner. He gets her drunk and they end up in bed together.

-She learns from Anita that Everett is really a G-man investigator. Anita warns her to be careful.

-The blizzard hits and the hotel is snowed in. Margaret is holed up in her room hacking away at her book thinking of Everett.

-When the generator quits and the lights go out she goes to Everett’s room with candles to make sure he’s okay.

-Everett is being attacked in his room by the ex-con who was posing as the man to fix the generator.

-Margaret sees the gun in his suitcase, grabs it and shoots the con. She wounds him and he falls to the floor.

-The shot echoes through the hotel and Josh grabs his rifle and makes his way to Everett’s room. The con is trying to get up off the floor and attack Everett again but Josh shoots him dead.

-They are helicoptered out of the hotel (with the dead body) and Margaret offers to take care of Everett at her condo while he’s recovering (cracked ribs, possible broken nose, etc.)

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska Lesson 5:

What I learned doing this assignment…Trying to keep all the turning points interesting

1. Concept

Protagonist Margaret Strong and Everett James (antagonist) are on vacation in a remote mountain resort with a few others. Huge blizzard traps them all in the hotel. Antagonist was assigned by government to investigate Margaret. She belonged to a writers group where one of the members leaked government secrets in their novel. They suspect she may do likewise. Other guests at the hotel have issues with the government like being an illegal alien and not paying their taxes and owing the government a considerable amount of money.

The antagonist, Everett James, the G-man is being followed by an ex-convict who was recently paroled and wants revenge. He is totally unaware of this though he was informed by his boss that the criminal was paroled.

Old ways: Investigating Margaret and friends at the hotel.

New ways: Margaret and the friends at the hotel turn it around and capture the convict before he kills Everett.

Act I.

Opening

Everett is in government office with boss being given assignment.

Next door neighbor to Margaret gives her the prepaid round trip ticket and hotel room to the Snowbank Hotel. Neighbor can’t go as she has to go to a funeral.

Everett and Margaret sit next to each other on the plane. In the seat behind them is the ex-convict.

Everyone meeting in hotel lobby and intro to other characters. There’s a big dinner in the dining room where everyone is introduced.

Inciting Incident:

They all find out Everett is an investigator and wonder if he is after them.

THE SNOWSTORM HITS!!

Act II.

New plan:

They find out he is there to investigate Margaret.

Plan in action:

Everett circles in on Margaret. He finds nothing.

Act III.

The lights go out. Generator is busted.

New Plan:

Uncle Stash calls the village and gets someone to fix generator.

Turning Point:

Ex-con shows up acting as the repair man.

Act IV.

Climax:

Fight in Everett’s room. Margaret picks up gun in Everett’s suitcase and shoots convict.

Resolution:

She kills him. The real repair man shows up and fixes generator. They’re helicoptered out of the hotel. She volunteers to take care of Everett at her condo as the con beat him up pretty badly.

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska

Lesson 4: Character Interviews

What I learned doing this assignment:

Interview with Margaret Strong, protagonist

She and the antagonist, Everett James are both people who observe things and make note of them for their work. I am dealing with two personalities who are like the pickled beets I put in my salad–the jar is hard to open until you smack the lid against the counter a few times. Pop! Then they open up. I am going to have to create some “pops” so they can open up, especially to each other. Everett’s self-contained personality may prompt Margaret to do a few things that she would consider “outrageous” to bring him out, especially since she’s attracted to him.

Interview with Everett James, antagonist

He sat in the corner with his arms folded. He grudgingly admitted to being attracted to Margaret. I will have to interview him again when he’s more comfortable with the ideas I presented.

Margaret is relieved.

[ML Palidofska]

Lesson 3: ML Palidofska

What I learned…Creating texture with characters…seeing similarities and opposite traits

Margaret Strong

What draws us to this character? Humble, likeable, could be your sister or the girl next door.

Insightful, good listener, feels like an instant friend, someone you could trust

Subtext: She is willing to step out of her box and try things that maybe she shouldn’t

Flaw: Not enough belief in herself

Values: Clear sense of right and wrong, the over all power of love and hard work

Irony: Her innocence makes her wise

What makes her right for role? Innocent, looking for love and driven to be successful

Antagonist: Everett James

What draws us to this character? Handsome, obviously empowered as he has the government behind him. Has had a long career as an investigator and we’re wondering if he will honestly investigate Margaret or set her up.

Traits: Distant, contained, sophisticated, more so than any of the other characters

Subtext: Everything he says or does has the underlying intent of discovering information that people offer or unwittingly expose about themselves

Flaw: Would like to go into retirement with a splashy, solved case

Irony: Would never be involved with any of these “characters” if he had a choice. Finds himself liking them and enjoying their company even if they’re what he considers nuts.

What makes him the right character for this role? His conservatism and role of authority makes a good contrast to the others.

[ML Palidofska]

Day 2 Assignment: ML Palidofska

What I learned doing this assignment is clarification of roles

Protagonist: Dreamer/Hero

Margaret Strong dreams of becoming a successful Romance book writer. She has had her first book published and has an agent. It was moderately successful but her agent is pushing her to write something flashier, more commercial.

Antagonist: Authority: Cop/Detective

Everett James is a government investigator/cop and is assigned to investigate Margaret Strong. She was a member of a writer’s group that included one Sydney Fink who wrote a novel exposing some government secrets which they had to go to some lengths to cover up. Everyone in the group was investigated and Margaret is last on the list. They were afraid the group was full of writers who were as bad as Sydney Fink or worse.

Supporting characters: Camille Harrison – sitcom actress who lost 180 lbs. and is at the Snow Bank Hotel to recover after having her skin tucked. African American, stunningly beautiful, paranoid, insecure, longing to be loved. Age: 30s. She was known as the fat, funny girl. Now has to redefine herself. Change her name? Become a serious actress?

Josh Cunningham – On unemployment. Borrows his friend’s hunting rifle and makes arrangement with his friend’s uncle to stay at his hotel in the mountains for free as long as when he goes hunting half of the kill goes to the hotel. Age: 30s. Looks like he escaped from an Eddy Bauer catalog. Handsome, charming, no ambition. Wants to keep his unemployment going.

Stanley Puchinsky (known as Uncle Stash) – Owner and head chef of the Snowbank Hotel. Has thick Polish accent. Became a certified chef in Switzerland. Certificates are all framed and hang on wall of dining room (in case anybody questions his cooking). Hotel is known for beauty, isolation, good food and friendly Uncle Stash. Age: 50s.

Anita Gonzalez – Head housekeeper for the Snowbank Hotel. Very pretty, young, energetic, nosey. Makes it her business to find out about all the guests. She is an illegal alien from Mexico and keeps this a secret. All of her info she finds out goes to Stash.

Larry Fox – Famous for his paintings of “happy little landscapes” with “happy little trees”. Found his technique while working for a painting company where he learned how to use sponges and the edges of special brushes. He tried it out painting landscapes of the scenery around the hotel and his work sold like crazy. He made TV deal with one of the guests and his life took off from there. Age: 40s and wears jeans and shirts artistically spattered with paint, as if he had lunch with Jackson Pollack. A friend told him he didn’t have to pay taxes so he stopped paying taxes and owes the government a considerable amount of money.

Type of story: This is a Rom-com and a contained screenplay.

Lead Characters: MARGARET STRONG

Has just started writing Romance novels for a living. Her agent sold her first effort which was moderately successful. She is now working on her follow-up novel and is feeling the pressure. She feels blocked and scared. She brought 2 laptops to the Snowbank Hotel and wants to be left alone to write her successful 2nd novel. Finds herself very attracted to Everett James. Fantasizes about having an affair with him. Age: Late 30’s, Early 40s. Wears glasses. Thin, attractive, pretty when she tries. She decides to use Everett as a male prototype for the love interest of her novel. This gives her more courage and carte blanche to approach him.

EVERETT JAMES

Self-professed businessman who claims he needs peace and quiet to work on project. This is all a ruse as he is really an undercover G-man who was sent there to investigate Margaret Strong. Age: middle 40s, early 50s. Dark-haired and moderately handsome. Wears beautifully cut expensive clothes even when he’s casual. He is a James Bond wannabe. Travels with his favorite James Bond DVD, his badge, handcuffs and a gun hidden in a secret compartment in his briefcase. He’s facing retirement and this is his last assignment. He is ambivalent about women as he went through a nasty divorce many years ago and feels it’s better not to get involved with anybody, especially with the type of work he does. He has socked away a lot of money and wants to buy a condo in the Bahamas.

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska

What I learned doing this assignment is that Margaret Strong was the Hero not Everett James, and she makes the biggest transformation. Her transformation pushes his–not vice versa.

My hero is Margaret Strong.

–Internal Journey: finding her voice, being confident in herself and her dealings with other people. Coming out of her shell.

Transformation: Character gains in confidence and in her relationships with men.

Arc Beginning: Insecure, fearful, she should be more confident considering she’s had some success.

Arc ending: Very confident, shoots the killer who would have killed the Antagonist. Her 2nd novel is reviewed in the New York Times Book Review to rave reviews. Invites Antagonist to stay with her.

New Ways: Confident, more attractive, voices her opinions more, is in love

[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska

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[ML Palidofska]

ML Palidofska

Greetings. I’m ML Palidofska. I’ve taken screenwriting classes in the past and written a couple scripts. Took some time out to work on a novella, which I just finished. Graduate of Columbia and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. Am a visual artist as well as a writer. Listened to the recording of the “Contained Screenplay” and was intrigued and challenged to write with all those restrictions. The piece I am working on for this class is a contained screenplay.