Molly Gagnon
Forum Replies Created
-
Title Carrington Manor
Format/Genre ½ hour Comedy/ Serial
Concept: Gwenn, an Occupational Therapist , takes a job at Carrington Manor, a company who is under surveillance for medicare Fraud.
Main Character surface situation 1: Gwenn’s mother will not sign over her Power of Attorney, making it impossible for her to take care of her mother who only wears open kimonos, bathes her cat snickers and is in denial she has dementia.
But how does Gwenn stay positive while working in an old supply closet, her student loan company threatening to suspend her license, a boss who is unknowingly a lesbian, and co workers who thinks using plungers is best practice?
Episode Structure: She knows at any moment footage from security cameras could be pulled and medicare can see what really happens there. But it is the only job offer she has.
It’s a cross between scrubs and reality TV with black and white security cameras revealing one side of the truth and the main camera revealing the other.
Bio – Molly McNeal is a Script Writer and an Occupational Therapist who spent 10 years in Short term stay nursing homes.
Ok People! Let er rip!
-
Is there a hand out that goes with this? I was in the class and wrote notes but it would be nice to have a copy of what Hal was looking at. Thanks!
-
Molly McNeal Carrington Manor
4. Tell us any insights you had using the High Speed Writing Rules or writing Act 2.
So I have speed written through the entire pilot. I really want to send it to someone but I know I have more work to do. I am super excited about it.
I just love writing and I am loving it more and more. Where did the time go?????
-
Module 4 lesson 2
What I learned was that I already did act 1! YAY! It’s most likely terrible but completed. I also found this part very compelling. For clarity, here are the components:
A. Surface view of the Ordinary world or cover-up world.B. Experience of character that contrasts the upcoming Midpoint.C. Create relatability to this character so the audience will be on board for the journey.D. End with a Turning Point that sends us into the Act 2 conflict.
I am not sure if I have dove too deep, I am writing a comedy so it is a bit extreme, but I will find out! And I did stray from the outline to give the pilot a more dynamic feel. And I changed the characters after researching more shows just following my flow which has not slowed.
-
Module 4 lesson 1
What I learned during the high speed writing task was that it was really easy to just keep moving on. I wrote far more than I think I was required to and it was nice to feel like I could finally free write! Kind of, the outline was extremely helpful.
-
Complete Outline
Module 3 Lesson 12 Carrington Manor Molly McNeal
What I learned during this assignment is I was unsure of where my outline even is???? So I went off my beat sheet and empathy and distress and descriptions. I learned I was trying to do too much on the phone and that would not be very interesting for the watcher. So I changed it up and added Act 5.
Carrington Manor
Teaser:
INT. Gwenn’s mermaid bathroom day Intrigue
Description: Gwenn Brushing her hair pulling it up in a ponytail.
INT. Halls of Carrington Manor
Description: Black and white camera shot of uniformed feet running through narrow halls, Mystery
INT Gwenns Bathroom day Intrigue
Description: Gwenn brushing teeth
Gwenn brushing her teeth in tandem with the sound of beating feet connecting the two scenes.
INT Halls of Carrington Manor Floor: black and white cameras on police boots Mystery
Camera shoots back to seeing the feet of cops with guns pulled and some are kneeling. Words are heard, “you are under arrest, drop your weapon!” A plastic urinal is shown on another black and white camera dropping on the floor with a plastic, Ting ting ting sound.
INT Gwenns Bathroom floor Mystery
Description: Shot moves back to Gwenn in her mermaid bathroom. Gwenn bends over and drops the skeleton key out of her pocket, next to a collection bill for student loans and her OTA license that is about to expire.
Open Loop: What does Gwenn have to do with the police? What does the skeleton key have to do with it?
Mystery: Who is under arrest?
Empathy/Distress: People can relate to student loan debt and being a caretaker is stressful.
Payoff:
Irony: Is a plastic urinal really a weapon?
Setup: Collection bill, someone is under arrest.
Act 1
INT. Orientation room Intriguing World
Description Close up on movie playing of orientation of carrington Manor. Gwenn is sitting at a table in orientation watching a video of people from the 90’s describing a building with a beautiful skilled nursing facility in the background preaching about what good care they give their patients. Gwenn sees a squirrel run by and squeals because she thinks it’s a rat, Karly the HR rep shhhh’s her.
Open Loop: Why is Gwenn watching a dated movie of old people and a skilled nursing facility? Does she work there?
Mystery: Why would anyone work there?
Empathy/Distress: It’s an awful place where older people go, it’s stressful to work in a place so awful. She must be desperate.
Payoff: She has to to pay off student loans
Irony: The scene is talking about how great the place is but the description of it visually is awful in real life.
Setup: Red flags she should probably look for another place to work
INT. Hallway
Description: Terry Gwenns boss pops in the orientation and asks to see Gwenn. Terry lets her know that she has failed the drug test. If she has any prescription medications she has to bring them in or else they will have to let her go. Gwenn agrees to go home and grab the medications. Gwenn notices black and white security cameras in the corners of the halls moving towards her as she is speaking with Terry.
Open Loop: Will Carrington Manor still hire her after failing the drug test?
Mystery:Why did she fail the drug test? Is she an addict?
Empathy/Distress: Demoralizing to be there in the first place let alone find out she has FAILED a drug test.
Payoff:
Irony: This company is awful and she failed the drug test
Setup: Is someone following her?
Act 2
EXT Front of Carrington Manor
Description: Gwenn steps outside and pretends to be talking on the phone for her break. She calls her mother. Gwenn’s mom answers the phone with a “Yellow.” Gwenn goes right into a conversation about what all has happened at this place and this crazy orientation she is at. Gwenn’s mom starts asking her questions, “Where are you? Why are you there? You are here? She does not seem to remember why she moved to Portland. A bill collector calls on the other line she pushes decline. She tells her mom she has to run home.
Open Loop: Gwenn’s mom does not remember why she is there
Mystery: Why is a bill collector calling?
Empathy/Distress: It’s hard to talk with someone who does not remember.
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup: For how demented Gwenn’s mom really is
INT. Gwenn’s apartment Hidden agenda
Description: Gwenn collects her drugs and is surprised to see a birthday cake lumpy and toppled over on her coffee table and her mother splayed open nude on the couch in the open kimono. Gwenn is startled. She takes her mother home and returns to Carrington Manor.
Open Loop: How demented is her mother?
Mystery: Why is Gwenn taking so many drugs?
Empathy/Distress: Gwenn’s mother clearly has issues how bad is it?
Payoff: Its not just one drug its 7
Irony: Who would hire a drug addict?
Setup: This company looks awful
Act 3
INT. Darla’s Office Day Strange Behavior
Description: Gwenn awkwardly tells them she was having anxiety issues. Gwenn has just moved to Portland and she is trying to care for her demented mother. She also informs Darla that she is not taking all of the drugs at once. She is not sure which one did not pass if they could tell her. Darla looks at her blankly and takes all 6 bottles and slowly makes copies of each bottle. Loudly, Terry tells a story of how great Darla is and how HOT she used to look when they first met. Darla ignores Terry and tells Gwenn, “Congratulations, you are hired, welcome to Carrington Manor.” She sends Gwenn, who looks confused and bewildered, back to orientation.
Open Loop: Why is Terry so open about her sexuality?
Mystery: Why on earth would this company hire someone with so many drugs? Why does she have a missing drug? Who took it?
Empathy/Distress: She is obviously stressed over moving here for her mom, but is she a drug addict?
Payoff:
Irony: Why would any company hire her?
Setup: This is a bad place to work for
ACT 4
INT. Halls of Carrington Manor Unique Subworld
Description Karly shows the group the building and patients. The building has stains on the floors, cameras that follow them, and patients who are drooling and slumped over in their chairs. Karly ends the tour at the supply closet where the 10 or more therapists share seats and work. Karly is positive and reassuring that this is a wonderful company to work for. Gwenn notices Earl who is carrying a plunger in his hand. She starts up a conversation with him but is interrupted by a patient wearing a kimono with a prescription drug bottle in her chair. She tells Karly it’s her mother and steps out to talk to her.
Open Loop: How did her mother get to the facility?
Mystery: Why are the therapists in a supply closet?
Empathy/Distress: Patients in horrible shape in a skilled nursing facility/ Who would want to work there?
Payoff: The missing bottle of drugs
Irony: Her mother should probably be in a facility like this but is not/It’s so great the therapists work in a supply closet.
Setup: her mother is way more involved then she wants her to be.
INT Hall of Carrington Manor Deception
Description: Spirit stands up out of the chair and loudly begins accusing Gwenn of stealing her clothes. No one in the facility acts like this is a bizarre situation. Gwenn points out she quit wearing clothing 5 years ago and remember she is having problems with her memory, Gwenn is here to help and have her sign over her Power of Attorney.
Open Loop: Why is she not wearing clothes?
Mystery: How demented is Spirit?
Empathy/Distress: How mortifying would it be to have your demented mother show up at work and start accusing you of stealing?
Payoff:
Irony: This makes her look like a terrible care taker
Setup: For how demented her mother really is
INT HALLWAY CARRINGTON MANOR WOUND?
Description of scene
Gwenn asks her mother to please wait outside or return home so she can finish her tour and orientation with the facility. Spirit first agrees and then turns on her and states, “I remember now why you want me to sign over the POA, to take all the book money I have ever earned! I should just give it to your sister, I always liked her better.
Gwen: Which one?
Spirit: You know you were the only one I was unlucky enough to birth. Hurt those they love.
A patient wheels herself by awkwardly and says she is looking for Earl, the guy with the plunger they are supposed to meet in the gym. Spirit ties her tie to her Komono tight and says, I will take you, because I am someone who actually cares about people. The patient pulls out an applesauce packet and tries to open it with her feeble hands. Both Spirit and Gwenn try to help her open it without using their teeth. Finally Spirit dives in and punctures it with her teeth to prove she is strong enough to open it.
Gwenn: HA! I knew it! You do remember things. And no, I don’t want all of your money. I am here because Adult Protective Services has called me too many times and I want you to continue living on your own. I am just here to help. Now give me that patient and let the professional wheel her to her to get the help she needs. She jerks the patient over in the chair who is still trying to eat the applesauce as the spoon flies out of her hand. The patient gets mad and says, “Really?” Stands up and starts walking to the gym. Spirit offers to call her mom later and her mom huffs off and says, lose my number!
Open Loop: Are patients pretending to be ill but really they are fine?
Mystery: Is Spirit pretending to be demented to get her own way?
Empathy/Distress: No one has even noticed or blinked while this is going on in the facility, awful stuff like this may happen all the time.
Payoff: Gwenn catches her mom pretending to be demented
Irony: The patient who says they need help doesn’t
Setup: Things aren’t what they seem.
Act 5
INT Rehab gym Hidden Layer
Gwenn feeling hopeless watches Spirit walk away as Terry attempts to give her a walker and she pushes it out of the way while leaving the facility as her Komono unties and visitors gasp.
Gwenn sits down in the gym on the matt and meets Sally who cheers her up and appears the most normal out of the bunch. She is funny and clumsy. Gwenn looks at a text message on her phone from another company thanking her for her application and interview but they decided not to hire at this time, as it turns out her bankruptcy is an issue for getting hired. Terry pokes her head in search of Abigail. Sally and Gwenn say they haven’t seen her. Terry mumbles under her breath speaking about minutes and how she can’t trust pussie lickers.
Open Loop: Is this the only job she will be able to secure?
Mystery: Why is Sally so normal?
Empathy/Distress: How is she not fired or reprimanded with such an odd day?
Payoff: Companies who are shitty do this
Irony: Sally is normal
Setup: Does Terry hate gay people?
INT Hallway Deception
Both girls move outside towards Sally’s patient. Sally blatantly tells Gwenn she will have to lie about billing medicare minutes or lose her job. This is how the game is played. Sally leaves Gwenn to go help her patient. Sally sticks her head out of the room to ask Gwenn for help with her patient who slipped on dog poop. Gwenn ends up running out of the room being chased by the dog.
Open Loop: She has to bill fraudulently to keep her job?
Mystery: Why?
Empathy/Distress: She desperately needs this job but is she willing to risk her license to do so?
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup:
EXT OUTSIDE ENTRYWAY Carrington Manor Hidden Agenda
Description: Gwenn checks her pockets and realizes there is no phone, she turns to return to the building. On her way in and she sees a bill on the front entryway desk for cameras sent to Medicare stamped PAID.
Open Loop: Is this company in trouble with medicare?
Mystery: Why are there cameras?
Empathy/Distress: Gwenn is asked to be sneaky in front of cameras, how will she do it?
Payoff: She knows something is up
Irony: Camaras
Setup: Tricky situation
INT FRONT ENTRYWAY Unique subworld
Description: Gwenn sees the phone next to the snarling dog, and a squirrel runs by as the dog leaves Gwenn to chase the squirrel. Gwenn grabs phone and walks outside.
Open Loop: What kind of a place has squirrels and dogs?
Mystery:
Empathy/Distress: hard work
Payoff:
Irony:
Setup:
EXT OUTSIDE ENTRYWAY CM Imminent threat
She gets her phone, sits down on the sidewalk (out of breath) hears the message
Lock In: VO message on her phone from private loan company “My Rich Uncle” she needs to start paying back student loans or they will write a complaint to the licensing board (black mailing her) so she won’t be able to renew her license.
She looks at phone as APS calls. She declines it, stands up and starts to walk away.
Scene ends with the song from Alanis Morissette Ironic.
Open Loop: Will Gwenn have to take this job in order to keep her license?
Mystery: Why is APS calling now?
Empathy/Distress: Oh my she is in for a lot
Payoff: none
Irony: She works with the geriatric population but has not control over her mother
Setup: She has to keep working at this job…….
(OL) Is this the only job that Gwenn will be able to secure?
(M) Where else did she apply to?
Gwenn walks by a desk and sees a piece of paper that shows cameras have been installed in a note to Medicare Auditors.
(OL) Has this company been in trouble with Medicare?
Sally tells Gwenn about “billing minutes” and in order to keep the job she must participate. Gwenn will get fired if she doesnt. Gwenn is a bit perplexed.
(M) What does that mean?
(OL) Will Gwenn fraudulently bill medicare in order to keep a job?
Spirit calls Gwenn again and tells her she will never sign over the POA and why did she call? I am in the middle of bathing snickers.
Gwenn: But mom I did not call you, you called me and snickers is a cat and they bathe themselv……….. Cat sounds in background, Spirit hangs up the phone.
(M) How badly injured will Spirit be after attempting to bathe the cat?
(OL) WIll Spirit always be this annoying and needy?
Terry walks in looking irritated looking for Abigail (coworker). Sally and Gwenn have not seen her, she walks off cursing to herself that if that paperwork doesn’t change that will be the last of that Pussy licker! Betrayal?
(OL) What happened between Terry and Abigail?
(M) Why is she so mad about the paperwork being wrong?
(OL) Does Terry hate gay people?
Sally goes to help a patient with a call light that has slipped in dog poop and fell. She calls for Gwenn to help who cheerfully agrees to be useful.
(M) Why are their dogs in the facility?
Gwenn leaves running for the exit with a dog snarling at her heels.
Gwenn realizes she dropped her phone and has to go back in the building past the snarling dog to get her phone. The squirrel runs by and distracts the dog.
(M) Why is there a squirrel in the building?
She gets her phone, sits down on the sidewalk (out of breath) hears the message
Lock In: VO message on her phone from private loan company “My Rich Uncle” she needs to start paying back student loans or they will write a complaint to the licensing board (black mailing her) so she won’t be able to renew her license.
(OL) Will Gwenn have to take this job in order to keep her license?
She looks at phone as APS calls. She declines it, stands up and starts to walk away.
Scene ends with the song from Alanis Morissette Ironic.
-
What I learned during this assignment is that I apparently needed to do it for all scenes not just one. I read the instructions incorrectly. I also learned that what I thought would be the start is not going to be. I think I have a better intro after the teaser. I did Act 1 and I am hoping to complete a 22 minute show. So it’s shorter??
INT. LOCATION – DAY Orientation Room Carrington Manor
Start: Watching orientation on TV of beautiful facility
Challenging Situation: Looking around at a clearly awful place
Conflict: Gwenn fails drug test
Action:Gwenn brings in prescription drugs..
Finish: Gwenn is cheerfully hired
Simple Description of what is happening.
INT DAY ORIENTATION ROOM CARRINGTON MANOR
Close up to an old TV screen playing a VHS movie from 1995. A woman (Karly) with big dark hair is very well dressed and describing a beautiful building. The camera pans a dingy room with Gwenn trying to plug in her cell phone under the table. She finds a plug with a burn mark in it. She hears a THUD and parts of the ceiling fall on the table.
Gwenn takes a call from her soon to be boss Terry. She has failed the drug test. She sent off to go get any prescription drugs she has been taking to bring them in the office. She brings in 7 of them, Darla the office manager makes copies and tells her she is hired.
-
Molly McNeal Carrington Manor, Beat Sheet
What I learned during this assignment was I had some spots that visually would have been really boring. I was able to mix up camera shots and angles to make it more interesting.
Show Concept: Concept: An underhanded skilled nursing facility that neglects their patients joins forces with Gwenn, an Occupational Therapy Assistant who is in debt to her eyeballs in student loans.
Inciting Incident: Gwenn is a yes person who wants to please everyone but quickly finds her job will be almost possible to accomplish unless she fraudulently bills medicare. After discovering her student loan creditors have threatened to keep her from renewing her license to work in healthcare she is forced to start making payments towards her loans and start really kissing ass at her new job and at the same time, convince her demented mother to sign over her Power Of Attorney in the hopes that she can pay off her student loan debt.
A Story: Gwenn is working for Carrington Manor a corrupt skilled nursing facility that is asking their people to fraudulently bill medicare.
B Story: Gwenn’s mom Story is demented, Gwenn is trying to get her to sign over her Power of Attorney.
C Story: All the main characters are being introduced with all their quirkiness.
TEASER
INT. Gwenn’s mermaid bathroom day
Description: Gwenn Brushing her teeth
INT. Halls of Carrington Manor
Description Black and white camera shot of feet running
INT Gwenns Bathroom day
Description: Gwenn brushing teeth
INT Halls of Carrington Manor Floor: black and white cameras on police boots and plastic urinal is dropped.
INT Gwenns Bathroom floor
Close Up of skeleton key and bill for collections next to name badge
Description Orientation day
ACT 1
INT. Orientation room
Description Close up on movie playing
INT. Hallway
Description Gwenn answers phone call from Terry
INT. Gwenn’s apartment
Description Gwenn collects her drugs
INT. Darla’s Office Day
Description Darla makes copies of drugs and sends Gwenn back to orientation
ACT 2
INT. Halls of Carrignton Manor
Description Karly shows the group the building and patients
EXT Front of Carrington Manor
Description: Gwenn gets a call from her mother and steps outside to chat.
INT Therapy Office in old Supply closet
Description Gwenn is introduced to the staff.
INT Hallway
Description: Terry thanks everyone for their great work, super lovey dovey then she brings up her partner to thank. People are uncomfortable because they don’t know if it’s a guy or girl. (heck of a person eh?)
ACT 3
INT Spirit’s Condo
Description: Spirit calls to accuse her daughter of stealing her clothes. INT Supply Closet Office
Description: Terry comes in to see if Gwenn needs anything, and shows her pictures of her “partner”.
INT Spirits Condo
Description: Spirit looks at her phone and thinks she hangs up on Gwenn but accidently calls her back
INT Carrington Manor Gym
Description Another phone conversation with Spirit the audience is getting the idea she is still demented.
Act 4
INT Carrington Manor gym
Description: Gwenn gets the tour of the gym from Sally. Sally informs Gwenn that the only way to succeed is to fraudulently bill medicare.
INT Hallway
Gwenns mom calls again demented no Powe of Attonrey and she is bathing her cat.
INT GYM
Terry walks in looking for Abigail and mumbling under breath.
INT Hallway
Gwenn goes to help patient who slipped on dog poop. Gwenn ends up running out of the room being chased by the dog.
EXT OUTSIDE ENTRYWAY CM
Description: Gwenn checks her pockets and realizes there is no phone, she turns to return to the building.
INT FRONT ENTRYWAY
Description Gwenn sees the phone next to the snarling dog, and a squirrel runs by as the dog leaves Gwenn to chase the squirrel. Gwenn grabs phone and walks outside.
EXT OUTSIDE ENTRYWAY CM
Description: Gwenn listens to the message on Speaker phone as she sits on the sidewalk, APS calls and she hangs up on it and walks away.
Closing song
-
Molly McNeal Carrington Manor, Setting up the future
What I learned during this assignment is that the pilot actually sets up for the WHOLE show. Cool. And I think mine has everything set up?
Event: When Gwenn talks to Sally about the billable minutes she could mention the continuing education they have to do.
Spirit needs to sign over her POA and does not want to
Terry is married to a man or a woman as seen in the picture?
Terry likes to sexually harass people as she talks to nurses on the floor about their body parts.
Skeleton Key falls out of Gwenn’s pocket
The Key to success at Carrington Manor is every saying on the wall.
She is in debt from the phone calls and letters
The company has cameras installed due to something fraudulent happening with medicare.
The Dr is a slut according to the description of Sally.
Carrington Manor thinks it’s amazing and is obviously not.
Gwenn’s mom may or may not be demented according to their conversation.
-
Molly McNeal Empathy and Distress Carrington Manor
What I learned during this assignment is that I have to go outside my boundaries for what I think comedy should be in order to make this whole show work. It’s hard! I wanted it to be light but I know if I dig deeper I can always pull back. My color marked where I added the elements and did not show up on this copy and paste.
Carrington Manor
Teaser:
Police running through the halls on the black and white camera, someone is under arrest flashes from that scene to Gwenn brushing her teeth. Gwenn drops the skeleton key out of her pocket, next to a collection bill and her OTA license that is about to expire Crucible.
(M) Why is there police running down the hall? Who is under arrest?
(M) Why is there a close up of the skeleton key?
(M) Why is there a bill that has gone to collections?
(OL) What will happen to Gwenn and the police? What does the skeleton key have to do with it?
Act 1
Gwenn is sitting at a table in orientation watching a video of people from the 90’s describing a building and beautiful skilled nursing facility and what good care they give their patients.
(M) Why is Gwenn watching a dated movie of old people and a skilled nursing facility? Does she work there?
Gwenn sees a squirrel run by and squeals because she thinks its a rat, Karly the HR rep shhhh’s her.
(OL) What is Gwenn doing working for a place like this?
Turning Point: Gwenn gets a call from Terry that she has failed the drug test. If she has any prescription medications she has to bring them in or else they will have to let her go.Crucible
(OL) Will Carrington Manor hire her after failing the drug test?
(M)Was that a squirrel?
(OL) Is Karly in denial of this failing company?
(OL) How and why are there security cameras in a SNF?
Act 2
Karly White HR rep is representing a great company and a wonderful work environment! The whole therapy staff works in a converted supply closet. Earl the PT is holding a toilet plunger.
(M) What does Earl do with the toilet plunger?
(OL) How do these people work in such awful conditions?
Gwenn leaves to go home and grab all 7 of her prescription drugs she has been taking. She gives them to the office lady. The company hires her anyways
(M) Is she a drug addict?
(M) What kind of a company hires someone like this?
Gwenn takes a break and calls her mom to talk about this crazy orientation she is at. Gwenn’s mom does not seem to remember why she moved to Portland. A bill collector calls on the other line she pushes decline.
(M) Why does Gwenn’s mom not remember she has moved to Portland?
(OL) Why are bill collectors calling Gwenn?
Terry tells Gwenn that she is married, so no hitting on her!
(OL) Does Terry like Gwenn?
(OL) Who is Terry married to, a man or a woman?
Act 3
Spirit calls Gwenn back accusing her of stealing her clothes. Gwenn points out she quit wearing clothing 5 years ago and remember she is having problems with her memory, Gwenn is here to help and have her sign over her Power of Attorney.
(M) How demented is Spirit?
(OL) How come she is not wearing clothes?
Terry interrupts conversation to show Gwenn pictures of her partner all very indroginous and mystifying.
(OL) Is the partner male or female, so hard to tell
Spirit accidentally hangs up on Gwenn, looking at the phone confused and starts pushing buttons.
Spirit calls back to say, “I remember now why you wants me to sign over the POA, to take all the book money I have ever earned! I should just give it to your sister, I always liked her better.
Gwen: Which one?
Spirit: You know you were the only one I was unlucky enough to birth. Hurt those they love.
Gwenn: HA! I knew it! You do remember things. And no, I don’t want all of your money. I am here because Adult Protective Services has called me too many times and I want you to continue living on your own. I am just here to help.
(M) How could this woman have been an author?
(OL) How much money does she actually have?
Gwenn asks to call her mom back after her tour, Spirit says, lose my number. Hurt those they love
(OL) How long has APS been involved?
(M) WIll she ever sign over the power of attorney?
Act 4
Gwenn feeling hopeless meets Sally who cheers her up and appears the most normal out of the bunch. She is funny and clumsy.
Gwenn steps out in order to listen to a VM of another company thanking her for her application and interview but they decided not to hire at this time, her bankruptcy is an issue for hiring as well.. Exposed
(OL) Is this the only job that Gwenn will be able to secure?
(M) Where else did she apply to?
Gwenn walks by a desk and sees a piece of paper that shows cameras have been installed in a note to Medicare Auditors.
(OL) Has this company been in trouble with Medicare?
Sally tells Gwenn about “billing minutes” and in order to keep the job she must participate. Gwenn will get fired if she doesnt. Gwenn is a bit perplexed.
(M) What does that mean?
(OL) Will Gwenn fraudulently bill medicare in order to keep a job?
Spirit calls Gwenn again and tells her she will never sign over the POA and why did she call? I am in the middle of bathing snickers.
Gwenn: But mom I did not call you, you called me and snickers is a cat and they bathe themselv……….. Cat sounds in background, Spirit hangs up the phone.
(M) How badly injured will Spirit be after attempting to bathe the cat?
(OL) WIll Spirit always be this annoying and needy?
Terry walks in looking irritated looking for Abigail (coworker). Sally and Gwenn have not seen her, she walks off cursing to herself that if that paperwork doesn’t change that will be the last of that Pussy licker! Betrayal?
(OL) What happened between Terry and Abigail?
(M) Why is she so mad about the paperwork being wrong?
(OL) Does Terry hate gay people?
Sally goes to help a patient with a call light that has slipped in dog poop and fell. She calls for Gwenn to help who cheerfully agrees to be useful.
(M) Why are their dogs in the facility?
Gwenn leaves running for the exit with a dog snarling at her heels.
Gwenn realizes she dropped her phone and has to go back in the building past the snarling dog to get her phone. The squirrel runs by and distracts the dog.
(M) Why is there a squirrel in the building?
She gets her phone, sits down on the sidewalk (out of breath) hears the message
Lock In: VO message on her phone from private loan company she needs to start paying back student loans or they will write a complaint to the licensing board (black mailing her) so she won’t be able to renew her license.
-
Molly McNeal Carrington Manor
What I learned about this assignment is how to integrate my mysteries and open loops into my acts. I am not sure if that was the point of the assignment but I followed the structure of Ozark and this is what I came up with. I added more open loops as the scene became more clear. The main (OL) stayed the same but I can see where little open loops in other places will leave a place to continue in the future.
Carrington Manor
Teaser:
Police running through the halls on the black and white camera, someone is under arrest flashes from that scene to Gwenn brushing her teeth. Gwenn drops the skeleton key out of her pocket, next to a collection bill.
(M) Why is there police running down the hall? Who is under arrest?
(M) Why is there a close up of the skeleton key?
(M) Why is there a bill that has gone to collections?
(OL) What will happen to Gwenn and the police? What does the skeleton key have to do with it?
Act 1
Gwenn is sitting at a table in orientation watching a video of people from the 90’s describing a building and beautiful skilled nursing facility and what good care they give their patients.
(M) Why is Gwenn watching a dated movie of old people and a skilled nursing facility? Does she work there?
Gwenn sees a squirrel run by and squeals because she thinks its a rat, Karly the HR rep shhhh’s her.
(OL) What is Gwenn doing working for a place like this?
Turning Point: Gwenn gets a call from Terry that she has failed the drug test. If she has any prescription medications she has to bring them in.
(OL) Will Carrington Manor hire her after failing the drug test?
(M)Was that a squirrel?
(OL) Is Karly in denial of this failing company?
(OL) How and why are there security cameras in a SNF?
Act 2
Karly White HR rep is representing a great company and a wonderful work environment! The whole therapy staff works in a converted supply closet. Earl the PT is holding a toilet plunger.
(M) What does Earl do with the toilet plunger?
(OL) How do these people work in such awful conditions?
Gwenn leaves to go home and grab all 7 of her prescription drugs she has been taking. She gives them to the office lady. The company hires her anyways
(M) Is she a drug addict?
(M) What kind of a company hires someone like this?
Gwenn takes a break and calls her mom to talk about this crazy orientation she is at. Gwenn’s mom does not seem to remember why she moved to Portland. A bill collector calls on the other line she pushes decline.
(M) Why does Gwenn’s mom not remember she has moved to Portland?
(OL) Why are bill collectors calling Gwenn?
Terry tells Gwenn that she is married, so no hitting on her!
(OL) Does Terry like Gwenn?
(OL) Who is Terry married to, a man or a woman?
Act 3
Spirit calls Gwenn back accusing her of stealing her clothes. Gwenn points out she quit wearing clothing 5 years ago and remember she is having problems with her memory, Gwenn is here to help and have her sign over her Power of Attorney.
(M) How demented is Spirit?
(OL) How come she is not wearing clothes?
Terry interrupts conversation to show Gwenn pictures of her partner all very indroginous and mystifying.
(OL) Is the partner male or female, so hard to tell
Spirit accidentally hangs up on Gwenn, looking at the phone confused starts pushing buttons.
Spirit calls back to say she remembers now why she wants her to sign over the POA to take all the book money she has ever earned!
(M) How could this woman have been an author?
(OL) How much money does she actually have?
Gwenn replies back with no, it’s because Adult Protective Services have called her too many times and she wants her to continue living on her own she is just here to help.
Gwenn asks to call her mom back after her tour, Spirit agrees.
(OL) How long has APS been involved?
(M) WIll she ever sign over the power of attorney?
Act 4
Gwenn feeling hopeless meets Sally who cheers her up and appears the most normal out of the bunch. She is funny and clumsy.
Gwenn steps out in order to listen to a VM of another company thanking her for her application and interview but they decided not to hire at this time.
(OL) Is this the only job that Gwenn will be able to secure?
(M) Where else did she apply to?
Gwenn walks by a desk and sees a piece of paper that shows cameras have been installed in a note to Medicare Auditors.
(OL) Has this company been in trouble with Medicare?
Sally tells Gwenn about “billing minutes” and in order to keep the job she must participate. Gwenn is a bit perplexed.
(M) What does that mean?
(OL) Will Gwenn fraudulently bill medicare in order to keep a job?
Spirit calls Gwenn again and tells her she will never sign over the POA and why did she call? I am in the middle of bathing snickers.
Gwenn: But mom I did not call you, you called me and snickers is a cat and they bathe themselv……….. Cat sounds in background, Spirit hangs up the phone.
(M) How badly injured will Spirit be after attempting to bathe the cat?
(OL) WIl Spirit always be this annoying and needy?
Terry walks in looking irritated looking for Abigail (coworker). Sally and Gwenn have not seen her, she walks off cursing to herself that if that paperwork doesn’t change that will be the last of her!
(OL) What happened between Terry and Abigail?
(M) Why is she so mad about the paperwork being wrong?
Sally goes to help a patient with a call light that has slipped in dog poop and fell. She calls for Gwenn to help who cheerfully agrees to be useful.
(M) Why are their dogs in the facility?
Gwenn leaves running for the exit with a dog snarling at her heels.
Gwenn realizes she dropped her phone and has to go back in the building past the snarling dog to get her phone. The squirrel runs by and distracts the dog.
(M) Why is there a squirrel in the building?
She gets her phone, sits down on the sidewalk (out of breath) hears the message
Lock In: VO message on her phone from private loan company she needs to start paying back student loans or they will write a complaint to the licensing board (black mailing her) so she won’t be able to renew her license.
(OL) Will Gwenn have to keep this job in order to keep her license?
She looks at phone as APS calls. She declines it, stands up and starts to walk away.
Scene ends with the song from Alanis Morissette Ironic.
-
What I learned doing this assignment is, I keep thinking I have already done that. But then finding out, nope it’s just more in depth. So let’s see how much intrigue I can add to this comedy.
1. Make a list of your turning points.
Act 1
Ideas: Orientation tape showing happy beautiful people and surroundings, and lot’s of amenities.
Cameras are seen when she enters the building which raises suspicion.
Secret: Gwenn looks up ratings on glassdoor of the company to find one star.
Intriguing underworld: Old dusty awards are posted on the walls, with outstanding customer service award 1999.
Gwenn is looking around at a dilapidated building, mice poop, dingy, dark, sad.
Act 2
Accusation? Gwenn gets a call that she has failed the drug test and she needs to bring in any prescription drugs she is taking.
Deception: Flash back to smoking pot with a guy in a wheelchair with a police badge popping out.
Secret: Bill collectors call on her phone, she pushes decline.
Hidden Layer: Gwenn failed the drug test, She has to reveal how many drugs she is taking risking not getting hired
Act 3
Intriguing world: Gwenn calls her mom to complain about this company that is hiring her even though she failed the drug test.
Strange Behavior: Spirit does not remember she has moved to Portland.
Mother states she does not need her help and accuses her of trying to steal her money!
TP. Her mom shows she is really demented through revealing she does not remember having any conversation with Gwenn.
Act 4
Unique subworld: Gwenn becomes more hopeless after meeting the staff and patients.
Wound, Rejection: She steps out to listen to a VM, it is another company she had previously applied to stating they are not hiring at this time.
Gwenn sees a piece of paper on the desk that shows the cameras have been installed.Attached is a letter to the government. Is it a conspiracy with the government?
TP Sally tells her in a roundabout way (funny) she has to fraudulently bill in order to make it at this company
Act 5
Intriguing world: She is chased out of the facility dog barking at her heels towards an exit sign.
T.P Private loan company says she needs to pay or be turned into the board and have license suspended
-
Molly McNeal, Carrington Manor Layer and Reveal
What I learned doing this assignment is this makes it very concrete and specific. I also learned that I think I have the pilot done in my head but I am far from it, right now changing it to match what I have put below. I did not integrate it into the scenes as I did not understand how to accurately do it as things are shifting.
Teaser :Cops arrest someone for something,
Reveal the rest of the scene in the last episode (book end it).
Layer: The orientation video the Manor is presented as majestic as it was in the 90’s. (Maybe start with this scene of the old orientation movie going and Gwenn at the table?)
Reveal: Carrington Manor is an old falling apart building, and the patients are incapable of rehab
Layer: Terry shows up as gay by hitting on all of her employees
Reveal but portraying being married to her “partner.”
Layer: Spirit presents as capable intelligent and eccentric,
Reveal: Through phone calls from her and Adult Protective Services to Gwenn it is clear she is demented.
Layer:Gwenn is moving back to Portland to help her mother
Reveal: But is really in need of her mom’s book money to pay off student loan debt.
Layer: Abigail is an angel sent from God himself, well liked by the patients
Reveal: she is self centered, selfish and controlling, and hates Terry for a reason no one really knows.
Layer: Earl is all natural and does not subscribe to modern medicine which is what is used in the building he works at, he says
Reveal: he is helping patients by illegally sneaking them herbs and oils.
Layer: Sally is a single mom and totally grossed out by Dr Roger who is involved with every nurse in the unit
Reveal Sally takes home any man she can.
Layer:Roger is married
Reveal Roger is having affairs
Layer: Karly White has made her way up from CNA to HR Rep
Reveal: But is it because she is an illegal immigrant or because she is married to the administrator?
Mandy is the best nurse there
Reveal Mandy is clearly addicted to drugs.
Carrington Manor is all about helping patients
Reveal: (not really) and making their employees commit medicare fraud to do it through nagging about billable minutes with each patient.
I may come back and edit this! UGH!
-
I just posted and it didn’t work, trying again
-
Ok I will try again! Molly McNeal Carrington Manor
What I learned during this assignment is the importance of having it be compelling for selling the season. I am doing a comedy so I researched other comedy titles and found they did not really sound compelling so I tried to blend them.
Episode 1 Pilot
Episode 2 True Lies
Episode 3 Surveillance
Episode 4 Moral Dilemmas
Episode 5 Continuing Education
Episode 6 Can’t live without you!
Episode 7 Cross my heart
Episode 8 Keys Please
Episode 9 No good deed……..
-
-
Molly McNeal’s Intriguing patterns
What I learned is that I can take it one sentence at a time. And I think I did the first paragraph of my character description.
Portland, OR occupational Therapy Assistant Gwenn Forrester is hopeful that she will be hired at a neglectful skilled nursing facility in order to pay off her huge student loan debt, but will she risk her morals to get ahead? As a people pleaser Gwenn finds it hard to complete tasks she was told were illegal in school and put her patients lives at risk. Will her risky behavior put her and the company she works for in danger or in risk of going to jail? Or will she rat out the company she works for in order to do what is morally right? If she does it will put her career at risk and cause suspicion of elder abuse in accordance with the state making it even harder to get power of attorney of her mothers financials.
I am pretty sure it’s still terrible but better than I had before.
-
Molly Gagnon Carrington Manor TV Pitch Bible Investigation
What I learned during this assignment is that my TV Pitch bible is VERY ROUGH. But that’s ok, I am finding it gives me room to grow and stretch what I think is possible.
I have a problem with reading my story as I think it is all good and wonderful. UGH, I know it’s not but I am going to move on to the next lesson.
-
What I learned during this assignment is that I don’t have to do it perfect. I am going to put what I have and come back and tweak it.
Show Summary
Carrington Manor
Drama/Comedy
30 minute drama
Portland, OR occupational Therapy Assistant Gwenn Forrester is a hopeful and skilled Occupational Therapist Assistant who is excited to work with the geraitric population and move closer to her mother who is gradually becoming demented. Although her life as a new graduate is hopeful, her student loan debt is overwhelming from bad investments in Southern California real estate just before the crash of 2009.
Gwenn’s mother is a famous published author who prefers Komono’s over clothes and is in denial of her failing memory but she seems to have everyone fooled except Adult Protective Services who is constantly calling Gwenn due to the newest onset of accidents that have occured at her home.
Gwenn’s boss is a mystery mostly to herself. Her outwardly sexual comments and commons are considered normal if she only would admit she is a lesbian. Her coworkers are quirky and some carry around a plunger, while others jump at the chance to throw people under the bus, mostly ones under 70.
In the hopes she will talk her mother into signing over her Power of Attorney and finally get her out of debt, Gwenn finds it difficult to reason with her demeted mother, and in the midst of being let down takes on the care of her patients as her own. Her company is horrible, and she will do anything to save her patients even if it means the risk of going to jail.
So why does she continue to work at Carrington Manor? It’s not the pay, but her willingness to prove to herself and the world that she cares, that she is in control, and that she can save anyone.
-
Module 2 lesson 5
Molly McNeal/ Carrington Manor
What I learned during this assignment is that the outline really helps shape the episode so that it can be clearly communicated to other people. The vision begins to come together.
Rough Draft for Episodes
Episode 1
Shot of skeleton key on Gwenn’s key chain as she bends over and the keys fall out of her scrubs. Shot of black and white cameras filming FBI as they run through the halls of the skilled nursing facility.
One year prior Gwenn is getting orientated to the facility as she finds the building falling apart and the patients run down. The messages from the company are that everything is fine! This is the best possible care anyone can get!
Gwenn meets her coworkers who are quirky and interesting. Her boss is hard to read, is she straight or gay? Her mother is demented and clearly she is there to help her. Gwenn goes to help her coworker off the clock and is chased out of the building by a dog? Will she return to this awful work place?
Episode 2
Gwenn sees her first patient who appears dead. Gwenn realizes that rehabbing these patients is going to be harder than it looks, and it looks bad. She is faced with fraudulently billing medicare and medicaid in order to keep up with her work load, she is a people pleaser and desperate for money. She begins to justify her actions.
She asks her boss for advice who tells her if she doesn’t bill the minutes assigned they will replace her. She begins to justify her actions and fraudulently bill. Her mother calls her to come over and help, she is demented and Gwenn wants to take over her care. She says she will sign over the Power of Attorney, but instead gives her the will of her house cat. Gwenn answers a phone call later, it is an emergency, she must return to her mothers.
Episode 3
Gwenn is at her mothers house speaking to Adult Protective Services, they seem perplexed that this smart woman left her burner on and set down a book that caught the stove on fire! Gwenn let’s them know technically she can’t do anything she does not have the POA, but thanks for letting her know.
Gwenn returns to work and gets called into Terry’s office. She is offered a full time position at Carrington Manor. Gwenn, hopeless and desperate, accepts the job. Terry begins to sexually harras Gwenn in that uncomfortable, but you must be a lesbian way. While seeing a patient Gwenn overhears Dr Roger Rogers talking dirty to a nurse who is breathing heavily. Gwenn leaves uncomfortably, leaves to pick up her keys, they have a strange skeleton key on the key ring, she asks Terry what it is she doesn’t know so she puts the key in her bosses desk. Gwenn looks up to see a security camera following her.
Episode 4
Gwenn again confronts Terry about her schedule being too heavy, and she confesses she feels uncomfortable billing illegally. Terry tells her straight up either find a way to make it work or walk. And by the way you have a really nice ass to see walk away. Gwenn feels pressure from her co worker Abbigail who appears to be doing everything perfect but is miserable. She makes several attempts to make her happy, and in doing so, Gwenn becomes more unhappy.
Gwenn gets another call from APS, the ambulance was there because her mother is cut from head to toe, she attempted to bathe her cat. Gwenn goes to talk to her mother who doesn’t even remember she moved to Portland. Again they talk about the POA, her mother says she will look for it. Gwenn gets a call from Terry, she has continuing education to do, it is paid, but there is a bunch she hasn’t finished. Gwenn is perplexed and returns to work to find out.
Episode 5
Gwenn comes into work and gets fired. Apparently she did too much continuing education and the company claims she is taking advantage of them. She is shocked! She goes to Roger the Dr for comfort. She returns home with all of her stuff to find a certified letter stating she has been fired for completing too much continuing education work at a per diem status. ANGRY Gwenn loses it and bitches out Karly the HR rep since surely their math is wrong she is full time.
Gwenn cries and wants a new job but can’t find one.
Episode 6
Gwenn gets rehired, but written up for being too out of control with HR and her boss. She points out her paycheck has not even been correct since she started work 4 months ago. They promise to look into it but she is not allowed to behave like that anymore. Gwenn agrees she was out of hand and signs a promissory note to handle things more professionally. She leaves and sees a patient get dropped, because that is professional.
Gwenn gets a call from her mom she found the POA. She will get it notarized and right over to her. Gwenn shows up to pick it up and her mother is drunk with the notary her signature is not legible and neither of them remember who or why they are there. Gwenn leaves her mother hoping she again burns down her house.
Episode 7
Gwenn sees her failing patients and feels sorry for herself and the patients. She makes a vow to do the very best she can no matter what! Her first patient takes half the day and she ends up leaving him in a wheelchair with his own feces as she attempts to find a nurse. As Gwenn longs for a patient that can actually work with her she finally gets what she has asked for! She is assigned a patient Lyle with a working mind and muscles. She is reinspired to be the greatest therapist ever!
Terry confesses her confusing relationship to Terry, and Abigail makes Gwenn’s job harder as she feels like she is under the microscope with her coworker. Gwenn notices her coworker Earl having bizarre behavior with the patients. Gwenn finds a door with a lock that goes to a skeleton key.
Episode 8
Gwenn gets her key from Terry’s desk and puts it back on the key ring. She finds it goes to an underground corridor under the building to an exit in the back. She also notices another door and unlocks it to find the room where all the security cameras footage is on screens. But no one is actually in the room watching the footage. Although it looks like it’s being recorded.
Gwenn goes to get her patient Lyle and they go do a home visit with him to look and see what he may need for equipment when he gets home. She confidently feels like a real therapist again!
Episode 9
Gwenn is working with Lyle and gathering the supplies she needs to send him home with. She hears strange beating of feet like running down the hall and ignores it. She grabs her reacher and plastic urinal to give to the patient when she hears, “Everyone stand with your hands up! This is the FBI and you are under arrest! ” She is panicked and flashes back to smoking marijaunna with a patient outside, they make it clear they are there for Lyle.
Gwenn talks the FBI into letting her patient go to his room to collect some items he will need for jail. The FBI looks outside to see a patient in a wheelchair who looks like Lyle go down the street. They take off after him. Scene shows Gwenn grabbing the skeleton key, pulling her car around to the secret exit and giving the facility a middle finger and driving off with another passenger. Season ending…….. Cliff hanger!
-
Carrington Manor, Molly McNeal
What I learned during this assignment is that I am not as inspired with this process. It feels to me like doing the books for a business, versus being creative in the flow. BUT WOW! It really helps me to organize my thoughts and look at the overall picture. What a great way to do it, even if I am lazy in my mind about it.
Module 2 Lesson 4
THE CHEAT SHEET
1. Beginning……………………………………………………………………….Season End/Cliffhanger
Question A: What is the Beginning of the season and the End of the season?
Beginning of the first Season is Gwenn starting to work at Carrington Manor and ends with her rescuing her patient from the FBI, or so it looks.
Question B: What possible cliffhanger could be in that last scene of the season, thus demanding that we watch the next season? Did Gwenn really save this patient and what happened to him?
2. Season 1 Mystery Set up…………………………………..………………Season 1 Mystery Solved
Question A: What is the mystery? Will Gwenn get her mom to sign over the POA? Will Gwenn hook up with Roger? How much of the security cameras catch what’s really going on, and will Gwenn be able to get a hold of the evidence?
Question B: How could the mystery be set up? Gwenns mom’s dementia always leaves people confused, Roger will be a mystery that everyone talks about but no one has met his wife, and Abigail will constantly be testing Gwenn about what she is REALLY doing while working with patients.
What parts will be left out that must be solved? Rogers wife, The key and the security cameras who has access to them did Gwenn hide the evidence?
Question C: What it the ultimate solution that the characters must work to discover? The ultimate solution that the characters will discover how much people need them even though what they are doing is fraudulent.
3. Journey begins……………………………………………………….Journey peaks, but continues.
Question A: Where does the Lead Character journey begin and end for this season? Begins with her dedication to her mother and ends with disappointment there so all efforts are dedicated to saving her patients instead.
Question B: Think about where this character goes in future seasons. That might give you an idea also.
4. ……Layer….…Layer………Layer………Layer………Layer………Layer………Layer……Layer
Question A: What layers have you already discovered in your BW Framework? Roger and his wife, Abigail and her father in jail, Terry with her unsure of sexuality, Karly looking for the key, finding the key and what it goes to, everyone feeling a bit desperate and out of control in their lives trying to control just one thing, the patients, that can never be controlled. And Earl fighting cancer, will he beat it with his voodu ways?
Question B: Are there any other layers that you could think of? The security cameras black and white bring both humor and mystery.
5. Make a list of the Major Story Lines.
Question A: What main characters have story lines that affect everyone else?
Roger and Gwenn romance, Abigail and Terry hate each other, Terry loves Gwenn but doesn’t know she is gay, Sally is a sex addict who is disgusted with Gwenn falling for the married DrEarl, fighting cancer, begins to decline at the end and his work is questioned.
Question B: What are the most important story lines of this show? Gwenn and Terry, Gwenn and Roger building for season 2, and Gwenn and her mother miscommunicating building for season 4.
It is important to know that you don’t need all of these answered perfectly. If you have 60% of the questions answered, you can create an amazing show.
OUTLINING PROCESS
As you are doing this process, allow yourself to fill in the things that come to you, and don’t stress about the rest. Once you have some answers filled in, many of the others will just show up.
1. Use all the above questions to mine the BW Framework for possible episode ideas. List out your answers.
2. From that list, brainstorm possible ideas for episodes (without fleshing them out).
3. Sequence the episode ideas into 8 to 13 episodes. You know where the season begins and where it ends, so those will be your Episode 1 and Episode 8. Then look to see what episodes might emerge in between 1 and 8.
Episode 1: (One sentence explanation) First day orientation, Gwenn shows up to her new work as a fill-in per diem employee at a terrible and dilapidated skilled nursing facility.
Episode 2: (One sentence explanation) Gwenn finds out how hard it is to get the patients to actually work with her, at the same time struggling to get her mom on the same page with her for the POA.
Episode 3: (One sentence explanation) Gwenn gets hired full time!
Episode 4:Work work and more work, how many patients can you see?
Episode 5: Gwenn gets fired!
Episode 6: Genn finally get’s paid, mom commits to signing POA
Episode 7: Work heats up with Roger, Earl is sick.
Episode 8: The patient of my dreams
Episode 9: Ready to go home.
Example:
Episode 1:
Gwenn is disgusted by what she sees
Gwenn reveals she desperately needs money
Gwenn meets her coworkers
Gwenn’s mom is confused
Gwenn gets chased by a dog out of the facility
Episode 2:
Patients appear dead,
mom is confused and won’t sign POA
Gwenn gets nothing done
Gwenn sees her moral shortcomings
But she helps anyways
Episode 3:
Gwenn reluctantly takes the job and
grabs the skeleton key from the desk.
Runs on to Earl on the jiggy machine
Runs into Sam talking dirty to a nurse behind a curtain?
Avoids Terry’s overtly sexual come ons
Episode 4
Gwenn confronts Terry about her full schedule and moral boundaries
Gwenn attempts to make Abigail happy but fails miserably
Abigail pulls Gwenn aside to tell her past drama about Terry
Gwenn gets a call from APS, her mother is in trouble
Episode 5
Gwenn gets questioned about her continuing education work
Turns out she has done too much
Company thinks she is taking advantage of them
Gwenn gets fired
Episode 6
Gwenn gets paid and rehired
Gwenn’s mom agrees to sign POA
Gwenn talks herself into her job
Gwenn and Terry have a heart to heart about her marriage
Episode 7
Roger pulls Gwenn aside to let her know she is really like by the patient
Earl starts slipping up with patients
Gwenn longs for a good patient
Sally and Abigail get into it
Episode 8
Gwenn meets a patient that can actual work with her
Roger confesses his feelings for Gwenn
Terry breaks down and tells Gwenn she is getting a divorce
Gwenn’s mother bakes a cake and burns down half the house
Episode 9
Gwenn prepares to take patient home
FBI come in to arrest him
Gwenn smuggles patient out
Viewers are under the impression that FBI gets the patient
Gwenn’s face and middle finger reveals more as patient transfers into her car.
-
Molly McNeal Carrington Manor Character Descriptions
What I learned doing this assignment is how breaking down each of these aspects helps to build a better description of the character.
Gwenn Forrester
Who is the character? Role in the show?
Gwenn Forrester Occupational Therapy Assistant, main Character
Noteworthy traits: Hopeful, Vulnerable, Naive, financially untrustworthy, pleaser, codependent, dishonest
Intriguing history: Gwenn made poor financial decisions and invested in property in Southern California in 2009 using her student loans and the investment went bad now she has to pay back over 200K
Intrigue? Willing to commit a fraud to save patients and keep a job. Will she be turned in by Abigail the moral police? Or the Dr that catches her in the act? Mystery? How will she get her demented mother to sign over her POA so she can get the student loan department off her back, and the Adult Protective Services to stop calling her about her mother.
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Gwenn supports Terry in her requests to create miracles with patients through fraud and this upsets Abigail who refuses to lie on any paperwork. Gwenn begins to fall for the married Dr, and is in conflict with her demented mother who is in and out of reality.
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character. She has been a moral therapist until she had to lie to pay off her huge debt, and she realizes her patients may die of neglect if she does not just give them the basic care they need.
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters Gwenn’s agenda is to get her mother to sign over her financials to her so she can take her book money to pay off her loans, keep Abigail happy so she can keep fraudulently billing medicare, and save her one capable patient from going to jail.
Unpredictable? She gets more outrageous in attempts to save patients in order to justify her fraudulent behavior.
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters, Terry, her boss is in love with her, she is falling for the married Dr, She is beginning to see that Earl has more than one screw loose, she attempts to be civil with Karly in HR, her tireless attempts to keep Abigail happy as a person begin to naw at her hopeful spirit.
3. Organize the answers and choose which you are going to use in your description of that character.
4. Sequence the info and write a START, MIDDLE, and END. Write a ROUGH DRAFT of the character description.
Start – Gwenn, a hopeful therapist, comes out of school in the hopes to pay off her 200K student loan debt by becoming dishonest to both keep a job and save patients who are neglected at the facility.
Middle- Desperate to pay off her loans she attempts to get her mother who has dementia to help sign over her financial rights, she falls in love with a married Dr. and will do ANYTHING to save a patient even if it means committing crimes.
Ending – Being codependent she gets herself deeper into lies as she comically tries to get herself out of debt, and throws everything she has to save each patient to no avail.
Rough draft of character description GWENN FORRESTER
Gwenn is an attractive woman with thick long hair. She is a hopeful and down to earth Occupational Therapy Assistant who is Quirky and naive. Thrown into a job working at a disengaged skilled nursing facility with patients who are not capable of getting better. After several clear conversations with co workers and her boss she is told to fraudulently bill for her patients and in turn her co dependence with work and patients begin.
As she gets more and more desperate to pay off her 200k student loan debt from poor financial decisions, she proves herself more unstable and yet caring as the job continues. In order to stay ahead of the others in the facility she has to cover her tracks and attempt to save all her patients no matter how tough the case. Her reason for moving back to Portland is to help her mother who has been absent for most of her life. Gwenn is constantly dealing with Adult Protective Services as her mother is in denial of the severity of the dementia. Being codependent she gets herself deeper into dishonesty and deceit as she comically tries to get herself out of debt, and throws everything she has to save each patient to no avail.
Terry Henry
Who is the character? Role in the show? Gwenn’s Boss
Noteworthy traits: Loud, inappropriate, gay, not very bright but is a people pleaser
Intriguing history: No one knows if she is married to a man or a woman, she has worked for this company for 15 years
Intrigue? Mystery? Will she discover that she is gay? Will she tell Gwenn that she loves her? Will she threaten to turn Gwenn in for fraudulent billing?
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Gwenn is a “yes” model Employee for Terry but as Terry discovers her heart belongs to someone else it causes tension in the relationship and their dynamic changes.
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character She is gay and doesn’t know she is gay, like NO IDEA but it is obvious to everyone she works with due to her blunt way of hitting on all the woman.
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters. She is in conflict with Abigail because she refuses to fraudulently bill for her time, Terry wants her fired but can’t because she knows too much about her past. Earl is constantly rocking the boat through his all natural remedies on patients that are unwarranted and uncalled for .
Unpredictable? You never know what is going to come out of her mouth mostly if it’s profound and personally relatable.
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters. She is in love with Gwenn, Wanting to fire Abigail, and suspicious of the Dr’s motive overseeing the facility.
Terry Henry
Beginning – Terry is a fun loving people pleasing partier who is threatened by no one except Gwenn who she is secretly in love with. Terry is married to a man or woman which non of the characters can figure out, but is obviously over the top gay.
Middle- Terry’s sexual harrassment begins to heaviliy weigh on her rehab staff, and as she get’s more nervous about her true identity of a lesbian she begins to make more mistakes and appear even more incompetint.
End- After Terry comes out of the closet and goes through a horrible divorce she begins to become more focused on patient outcomes and work duties making it almost impossible to work with her.
Rough Draft Terry Henry
A wide shouldered butch looking woman is loud and inappropriate with her comments and professional conduct. She is fun loving and loves to party, loves her patients and sets her own path doing things, “my way.” Terry is married to a man or woman but no one can figure it out. Terry is pressured to get numbers in but as she emotionally falls apart so does her job. As she evolves into a lesbian her love for Gwenn gets to be stockerish, and manipulative to try to win her heart.
As Terry get’s closer with her staff and shares more of her personal life with them her sexual harrassment makes all of the employees uncomfortable. Terry lost her mom at a young age and realizes her love of women stems from her lack of one growing up. Terry has a mystery in her past with Abigail even though she can’t stand her and desperately wants to fire her but can’t due to their history. Will Terry win over the heart of Gwenn? Or her company as she shifts her focus from personal relationships to work, making it almost impossible to work for her.
Spirit Cain
Who is the character? Gwenn’s mom Role in the show? To be the antagonist to Gwenn.
Noteworthy traits: Lofty in her dreams and ambitions, free spirit, highly intelligent, published famous author, eccentric, hoarder, emotionally distant.
Intriguing history: She was a famous author and made lot’s of money from a best selling novel.
Intrigue? What is she trying to hide by not signing over her POA to Gwenn besides her dementa? Mystery? Who is the man that drops in to say hello, and does she have money?
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? She is so charming and eccentric that she lies to everyone about everything but not on purpose.
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character Highly intelligent/ suffers from dementia, Looks like her shit is together but she is broke and lost
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters, She does not want her freedoms to be taken away under the care of her daughter who has made terrible financial choices
Unpredictable? ALL THE TIME, She struggles to remember important details but yet remembers the most important ones that make her look competent to stay at home.
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters, With Gwenn and the Dr’s wife, they knew each other before the trauma.
Beginning – Spirit is a highly intelligent published author who only wears Kimonos not tied, and nothing else. She is strong willed and when she wants to be very well spoken. She does not show emotion as she is from Wyoming where you just rub dirt in it.
Middle – As she keeps putting herself at risk the authorities have to get more involved with her care. APS gets upset with Gwenn as she should know better, but they too get snowed by her on again off again memory.
End – She finally signs over her POA to Gwenn, or does she?
Spirit Cain Rough Draft Character description
Spirit walks around her house wearing only Kimonos because she states, “They are the most comfortable.” What she is hiding is that she does not remember how to put on clothes anymore but never let’s anyone know. Gwenn is on to her and so is APS as they go back and forth to her condo to turn off burners, put out fires, turn down the heat, and find out why she called 911 again???
Spirit was raised to show no emotion, she is eccentric in that she pretends to be artsy, but is really just a hoarder of books and things. She grew up poor and that makes her want to hang on to everything in case she needs it in the future. Her books are like living beings to her, she talks to them, addresses the author by name as if they are friends, and has many more delusions. She is the most witty character on the show, a comedic genius if nothing else.
Dr. Roger Rogers (OMG I LOVE IT!)
Who is the character? Dr. Rogers,Role in the show? The Dr who oversees the care of the patients at the facility.
Noteworthy traits: Ridiculously handsome, flirtatious, married, intelligent, big heart, Loves woman, Feels trapped at Carrington Manor but cannot leave
Intriguing history: Dr. Rogers got in some trouble with alcohol and has a deal with the administrator to stay there and do pee tests until probation is up.
Intrigue? Dr. Rogers is really there to watch over his wife.Mystery his wife is a patient at the facility,
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Hates Terry, doesn’t understand why she is so her, Abigail drives him nuts with her moral righteousness, he thinks Earl is strange, and Loves Gwenn.
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character He thinks Gwenn does too much for the patients but ends up going out of his way to to help Gwenn with a patient
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters/ Abigail is super Christian and Sam has a reputation for being a ladies man even though he is married.
Unpredictable? Never sure if he is going to make the move on Gwenn, Who is his wife?
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters. His wife who is a patient at the facility.
Beginning – Dr. Roger Rogers is in his late 30’s handsome bald Dr who is to oversee all the patients at Carrington Manor. He is a fish out of water. He is really caring for his patients but it is strange to see someone so young in this type of setting. He is whispered about by the nurses constantly and being hit on daily by all the women he works with. He reminds them constantly that he is married but rumors fly about him being with every single nurse there.
Middle – No one really knows why he is there? But Terry is in charge of giving him pee tests to check his blood alcohol levels. People feel sorry for him and his addiction issues but that does not stop anyone from both trusting his expertise and wanting to get him in the sack. He is a flirt with large biceps, he loves to work out and appears extremely healthy. His past is a mystery and his wife is an even bigger mystery.
End – He care deeply for the patients and ends up putting his license on the line to save one.
Dr. Roger Rogers Rough Draft Character description
Handsome tall and bald Dr. Rogers is the only normal physician who works at Carrington Manor. He is so normal he barely fits in. But rumors fly about his infidelity and his reputation for having every single nurse in the facility is huge. He is in his late 30’s -40’s and is a geriatric practicioner. He has disdain for Terry, he finds her borish and stupid, but has to pee in a cup weekly for her as he got in trouble with the physicians board for drinking on the job. No one knows why he is there, and no one has ever met his wife. He is funny and loves to joke around with Gwenn and the other Dr who works there. He has secrets from his past that will eventually be revealed. Will he fall in love with Gwenn? Or does his secret love for children draw him closer to Sally?
Who is the character? Abigail Neil Role in the show? Physical Therapy Assistant
Noteworthy traits: Holy roller, Rightous, hard worker, uptight, perfectionist, bully, Loves her patients, results driven, stuck, menopausal,
Intriguing history: Been with the company for 15 years
Intrigue? Has a strange past with Terry Mystery? Why is her father in jail?
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? No person, right about everything, bossy controlling
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character Holy roller but Dad is in Jail
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters She wants a raise but Terry hates her
Unpredictable? Every once in a while will go out of her way for a patient and seems really caring
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters, She is friends with no one really but pretends they are all friends.
Beginning – Abigail is all about…… Abigail. She is the most bossy and controlling therapist there. She is always sick or having a headache heart ache or something.
Middle – Every once in a while she shows a softer side to herself and helps a patient a great deal.
End – Begins to align with Earl to try to get rid of Terry.
Rough Draft Character Description Of Abigail
Abigail is in her 50’s and looks like an angel sent down from Heaven. She has flawless skin, blonde hair and big beautiful eyes. If there was ever a “no” person Abigail is it. She is righteous, bossy and consistently on everyone’s nerves. She is not a team player, she is narcissistic. Does not share the equipment and uses Gwenn’s niceness to get things her way. She is consistent with the patients and does not waiver on her treatments. She has no ability to be creative and is just black and white. Every once and a while she will have a really touching moment with a patient, you will just start to melt the ice and then she will be back to herself.
Her father is in jail, so she says. She is close to God and talks about right and wrongs a lot alluding to people who may not be telling the truth and perhaps, “God will judge thee when the time is right.” She thinks Terry is idiotic and can’t stand her but realizes she knows enough to throw her under the bus but never does. She is cunning, baffling and bitchy. But the patients LOVE her and respect her. Not so much for her coworkers. She gets along with Earl the best because they are around the same age.
Earl Brooks
Who is the character? Earl Brooks Role in the show? Physical Therapist
Noteworthy traits: Holy roller, Righteous, hard worker, non conformist, hippy conspiracy theorist, hard core Bush fan, intelligent, loving
Intriguing history: Been with the company for 25 years
Intrigue? He is almost into Vodoo Mystery? Why does he not brush his teeth? Why does he wear heals?
How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Tries to be a peace maker but gets very opinionated about politics and healthcare conspriicy
Irony — Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character Hippy conspiracy theorist
Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters Constantly pushing the envelop brings in oils, and weird stuff for his patients to drink, carries around a plunger, Smokes but is healthy
Unpredictable? He pretends to be the Dr in charge
Intriguing relationship with one or more characters, allies with Abigail,
Start – Physical Therapist with Cancer fights against modern medicine and only believes in alternative approaches for himself and the patients. Has one purpose to convert everyone to his POV
Middle – Fraudulently fills out his documentation to make himself look good, pushes his patients into uncomfortable situations, comes in high
End – Will do anything to keep his job to avoid his family and his cancer.
Rough Draft Character Description of Earl Brooks
Earl is in his late 50’s and has been a physical therapist with Superior Care Services for 25 years. He is tall and has hearing issues and looks like he has not brushed his teeth in 20 years. Intelligent and thoughtful he is willing to go out of his way to help his patients as long as they are willing to have lengthy discussions on alternative medicines and conspiracy theories. He is often seen carrying a plunger to work on peoples knees.
Behind the scenes he is dealing with prostate cancer, and is treating his symptoms alternatively. Known for being an animal hoarder he has filled up his farm with multitudes of animals that he has left his wife and daughters to take care of. As he neglects his family he pours everything he has into his patients that only get better when he “tells” the story.
WOW I may have over done it here!
-
ASSIGNMENT: Molly McNeal, Carrington Manor’s an underhanded skilled nursing facility who joins forces with Gwenn, an Occupational Therapy Assistant who is in debt to her eyeballs in student loans, to create a codependent relationship with a fraudulent company in order to save her patients from neglect.
What I learned during this assignment is that I just need to keep swimming! My work will not be perfect but it will be worked on.
Present your concept and world.
1. Present your Concept.
A. Engaging and highly proactive hero…
Gwenn is broke and forced to take a job at a corrupt skilled nursing facility.
B. …up against a major conflict…Company forces employees to complete medicare fraud and demented mom won’t sign over her POA to help Gwenn financially.
C. …goes on a unique transformational journey… As Gwenn is asked to bend her moral fibers she becomes more of a risk taker in helping her patients in order to justify her actions.
D. …Into an intriguing world Skilled Nursing Home with patients who never recover, it’s a battle to get the time in with the patients due to poor service, lack of tools, and a corrupt company.
2. Tell us the World of this show.
Unique Sub-World: A unethical and swindling skilled Nursing facility
Previously unexplored: Codependency with the corrupt company
The unknown: What will Gwenn do next to justify her actions?
The unseen: Married Dr, Lesbian boss, Criminal activity in the facility
Unheard of Dangers: Working with wanted criminals, getting investigated by medicare fraud team
Reason to explore it: Only way to pay off huge debt
-
I cannot get to certain assignments??? Is anyone else having this problem?
-
Carrington Manor Empathy/Distress
What I learned during this assignment is the importance of empathy and distress and the effect it has on the brains of the viewers. This is what grips people into watching the show.
A. Undeserved misfortune.
Gwenn can’t get her mother to come live with her, she has spent too much money on her college loans and needs this job desperately to begin to pay off her debts.
B. External Character conflicts.
Gwenn’s boss is in love with her, Gwenn falls for the married Dr. Abigail makes everyone’s life miserable at work, Gwenn is participating in medicare fraud in order to pay the bills.
C. Plot intruding on life.
Gwenn is going along with her job, attempting to save all the patients when she makes a horrible decision with a patient that pushes them too far.
D. Moral dilemmas.
Sleeping with the married Dr, rescuing the patient is wanted by the FBI,
. Forced decisions they’d never make.
Having so many problems with her mom and APS she is forced to forge her mothers signature on a document saying she is not of sound mind and Gwenn now has the power of attorney.
-
What I learned during this assignment is that I have a lot to learn about my characters. And that I can use these forms to work on the growth between characters.
Supergirl
Kara/SG Alex Cat Grant Hank H
Surface
Sister/protector
Boss/assistant
Boss/ coworker
Common Ground
Coworkers fighting aliens
Portraying SG in the media
Fighting aliens in a human world
Conflict
Physical Training
Knows that Kara likes James
Kara wants to save everyone and Hank wants to stick to his job
History
Grew up together and Alex knows of her super powers
Co workers
They both know Alex
Subtext
Collaborators
Tensile relationship for growth
Teacher for Kara
Relationship Arc
Distance to collaborators
Conflict/Resolution
Distrust to trust
Carrington Manor
Gwenn Terry Sally Tara
Surface
Boss
Coworker/Mentor/Friends
Mother daughter
Common Ground
People pleasers
Commiserating at a job they hate
Related
Conflict
Unreasonable expectations of Gwenn with Fraud and patients
Gwenn is judgmental of Sally’s use of sex to get her way.
Gwenn Watts her mom to go to a home and Tara does not want to go
History
Hiring manager
Mentor and new friend
Tara is a crazy mom and is defiant of her daughters direction
Subtext
Distrust to admiration
Collaborators
Confusion
Relationship Arc
Compliant/defiant/apathetic
Friends/enemies/friends
Compliant to dominant
I did the others but I can’t get it to format it correctly.
-
Molly McNeal’s Depth of character emotion
What I learned from this assignment is that every aspect of emotion my characters have makes them different on the set. I have been worried that my characters are sounding the same, and I can see by making their emotional reactions different that they can sound different.
Assignment 1 Supergirl
Situation: Hopes for normalcy and Love/ Fears her own powers and her secret identity being exploited
Motivation: Wants approval/ Needs love and acceptance
Mask: Base Negative Emotion Anger/ Public mask Do gooder
Weakness: Kryptonite *ha! Justice at all costs
Triggers: Injustice, Anger
Coping Mechanisms: Anything to make her feel normal, pushing herself into other people’s lives even as Kara to make a difference. All to make herself feel good and accepted.
1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
Gwenn Forrester
A. Situational: Hope to be accepted/ Fear to be rejected
B. Motivation: Wants praise/ Needs approval
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion turbulent/ Public Mask Bubbly
D. Weaknesses temptation, triumph, heroism
E. Triggers vulnerable populations or people
F. Coping Mechanism, Control
Terry Lacey
1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
A. Situational: Hope love and friendship/ Fear betrayal
B. Motivation: Wants friendship over leadership/ Need self acceptance
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion Fear / Public Mask Confidence
D. Weaknesses Women, lying to get her way or to seek approval
E. Triggers intimacy of any kind
F. Coping Mechanism boisterous and inappropriate
Sally Ridgewood
1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
A. Situational: Hope to be a great mom and support her kid/ Fear failing as a parent
B. Motivation: Consistency/ Needs excitement
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion Fear / Public Mask Helper
D. Weaknesses Sex
E. Triggers, Bad boys
F. Coping Mechanism, Sex, Men
Sam Rogers
1. For each of your main characters, brainstorm an Emotional Profile, filling in the following:
A. Situational: Hope to keep his wife alive / Fear she dies
B. Motivation: Want intimacy/ Needs authority
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion depressed/ Public Mask Control
D. Weaknesses patients that he works with, women
E. Triggers, victims
F. Coping Mechanism/ risk taking
-
Molly McNeal’s Intriguing Character Layers
What I learned during this assignment is to really look beyond the “good” qualities of my characters. I want her so badly to be nice but in order to make a fantastic show I need to dive beneath the surface. All those layers play an important key for not only the character but the whole show.
Assignment #1 For Supergirl Because it is family friendly and my girls are in LOVE with it now.
Character Name: Kara
Role: To come to the planet to help superman
Hidden Agendas: Wants to use her superpowers but can’t, is supergirl but wants a normal life too.
Competition: Against Superman to be a better superhero and Lucy Lane to compete for the affection of James, and any alien that is bad.
Conspiracies: She is knows Hanks true identity, she encourages Lucy taking the job with James even though she has feelings for him
Secrets: She is in love with James, She had super powers she was hiding, she is doing good for Cat Grant behind her back, she works with the DEO, Cat Grant no longer thinks she is SG.
Deception: Her aunt (who is her mom’s twin) deceives her and puts her in a place where she has to choose to believe her or her mother. She has to save her boss by giving up her aunt back to the evil aliens. She is pretending to not like James.
Wound: She is mad that her mom chose to send her back while she stayed behind to be destroyed.
Secret identity: Supergirl
Assignment #2 for Carrington Manor
Character Name: Gwenn
Role: To save all the patients at Carrington Manor, and her mother
Hidden agendas: To move in with her mother so she can help out financially, to keep her job no matter how much lying she has to do.
Competition: Against Abigail to be a better therapist
Conspiracies: She is in love with the married Dr, she finds she has a key that can get her to different parts of the building including the security camera room,
Secrets:
Deception:She is participating in Medicare fraud, Involved with married man, harbors a fugitive patient
Wound:She wants her mom’s love and approval and her mom is too mentally ill to give it to her
Secret Identity: Administrator at Carrington Manor
Character name: Terry
Role: Fearless Leader, cheer leader and do gooder for Superior Care Services
Hidden agendas: Has a crush on Gwenn, wants to promote her so they can work together
Competition: Abigail, is always putting her in her place and pointing out failings.
Conspiracies: She is working with HR to promote herself through the company
Secrets: She is a lesbian but is lying to herself about it
Deception: She is married to a man or woman no one knows? She is mentally ill
Wound: Her mother died when she was young and blames her sexual identity crisis on her dad.
Secret Identity: To get rich through inheritance of a patient
-
Module 1 Lesson 3 Assignment 1
What I learned while doing this assignment is that each layer brings together a better picture of the whole. It also adds to the depth of the characters.
SHOW SUPERGIRL
A. Role in the show:
Supergirl – Has always had super powers that she has suppressed by being normal but is now compelled to be the super hero she always was told she would be.
Alex Supergirl’s sister- To support her sister in fighting aliens and bad guys she was always told to protect her sister.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Supergirl Expertise – Has super powers and is nearly indestructible
Supergirl Purpose – to save the people of the city/ to be the hero she was told to be
Irony – To fight the bad guys that she brought onto the planet upon her arrival
Alex Expertise – How to fight aliens with the DEO
Alex’s purpose – to be supergirls partner fighting crime and to protect her.
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Alex has been working with the DEO because of living with her sister who is an alien. They find out Alex’s dad worked for the DEO too, Supergirl is pretending to be Kara the assistant to Cat Grant the head of the media company, hoping she won’t get caught.
D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Alex continues to disobey the rules of the DEO in order to keep people safe from criminals. Is it ok for Supergirl to lie to her boss to hide she truly is Supergirl?
E. Unpredictable:What will they do next?
Alex is not afraid to disobey orders to do the right thing.
Supergirl will take on bigger and bigger risks in order to prove her worth
F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Supergirl continues to want to live up to her supergirl power but struggles with living up to being a woman and a superhero, her confidence waivers and it is relatable.
Alex never feels good enough even though she is excellent at her job
Module 1 Lesson 3 Assignment 2
Molly’s show Carrington Manor
The journey of my show is to develop Gwenn from a naive hopeful therapist to a person who tries to save every patient from being mistreated at the facility in order to cover up her lack of ability to save herself financially and her own mother who is declining.
The main characters that will sell the show are
Gwenn
Terry
A. Role in the show:
Gwenn 33 year old therapist who has moved to take care of her mother is now stuck in the worst skilled nursing facility with patients who cannot get better.
Terry is the Director of rehab who is inappropriate in every way, she continues to be in incompetent but makes the corporation happy by hitting her numbers and getting her employees to comply.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Gwenn Expertise – making people happy and being codependent. (if I do everything right then everyone will be happy!)
Gwenn’s purpose – to save the patients that need help in the awful facility, to help her mother who shouldn’t be living alone and to get out of financial debt and hideous student loans.
The irony- Gwenn can’t even save her own mother who is senile and still living alone, Adult protective services are constantly being called and Gwenn is under scrutiny for being daughter who doesn’t take care of her mother but at work she is a hero.
Terry Expertise – Making people happy, especially her company. Although she attempts to make her employees happy because it is very important she is liked.
Terry’s Purpose – To make the company money and move up in the world of skilled nursing.
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Gwenn – Is falsifying medicare and medicaid records in order to look good in her facility and as a therapist but in reality is just doing the day to day to keep the patients alive and taken care of. Her financial insecurities drive her to get out of debt, even though she is breaking the law. She is secretly having an affair with the married Dr.
Terry – is hiding the fact that she knows Gwenn is lying on her records to make her look good. She is secretly in love with Gwenn.
D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Is Gwenn really ok with medicare fraud and adultery in order to keep her boss afloat and to save her patients and make herself look good?
Is Terry Ok with her staff falsifying records in order to make her look good? To constantly make her staff uncomfortable with her undiscovered sexuality? Will Gwenn or her other staff go to HR to get her written up for sexual harassment and for signing off on falsified patient records?
E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Gwenn is willing to take more risks in order to save her patients. By the end of the first season she saves one of her patients from being taken to jail by the FBI.
Terry is emotional, going through a divorce and sexual identity crisis. She does more and more to be true to her company no matter what they ask of her.
F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Gwenn really wants to do the right thing for everyone. She is a pleaser and will do what it takes so people get the right care, even if it means putting herself or her job at risk.
Terry is lost in her own sexuality, she is a good therapist who does care about the patients but has lost her way.
-
Subject Line (Molly Gagnon)
Three Circles of Characters
Module 1 Lesson 2 Assignment 1 Example Show Supergirl
Main Characters
Supergirl/Kara
Alex Danvers (Sister)
Hank Henshaw (Head of DOE)
Connected Circle
Whinn Scott (Friend)
Superman
Cat Boss
James Olsen Photographer (Friend/ Love interest)
Villains from Who attack superhero
Environmental Circle
DOE agents
Coworkers at CAT Comm
City of people who need help
Module 1 Lesson 2 Assignment 2
What I learned during this assignment is how these characters really support the hero in moving forward in her transformation. I could not see this before studying this.
Molly’s Script Carrington Manor MAIN CHARACTER CIRCLE
FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS
COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) Gwenn
Spirit (Gwenn’s Mom)
PTA (Physical Therapy Assistant) Sally
DOR (Director of Rehab) Terry
PT (Physical Therapist) Earl
CONNECTED CHARACTERS
Dr. Sam Rogers , (Gwenn’s love interest) Karly HR lady, Nurse Mandy, Norma OT, Abigail PT, Patient Pat, Patient Goldie
ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCLE
Employees of Carrington Manor, Visiting/Involved Family of Patients, Medicare Compliance team, Police, Adult Protective Services,
2.) Brief Description of each Character
Carrington Manor – (can I make an actual company a character?)In its heyday was an amazing facility but has fallen into the hands of corrupt management and is falling apart at every corner, involved in petty crimes and the constant talk of the town.
COTA Gwenn – Hopeful therapist who comes from a successful career in Skilled Nursing moves back to take care of her senile mom Spirit. She is desperate for work of any kind to get herself out of huge financial debts (student loans and bad investments).
Spirit (Gwenn’s Mom) – Senile woman wearing only Kamono’s attempting to fool everyone that she is totally sane and does not need help living alone in her 80’s, makes Gwenn’s life almost impossible.
PTA Sally – Gwenn’s main support for her carrying out her heroic actions, single mom, hard working, very resigned about her work environment but more intelligent then her boss who oversees her.
DOR Terry – Gwenn’s boss who is completely incompetent, loud, inappropriate and not sure of her sexuality, loves to sexually herass employees.
PT Earl – Japanese American, doubts the system and thinks every healthcare modality is a conspiracy, he is great with the patients and there to save the day when Gwenn gets over her head, but doubts Gwenn is competent or actually does her job.
Is anyone else having a hard time going back and forth between assignments and postings? It seems unclear to me, and I have to really dig into the program to figure out where I am at and what I am supposed to be doing.
-
TV SHOW 5 STAR MODEL
What I learned from this assignment?
I learned even more so the dynamics of writing and how one point of view is opposed by another. There is constant yin and yang for each character and action.
Five Star Points
Show – SuperGirl
Big Picture Hook
Supergirl is there to save the world not her brother
Intriguing Character
Cara Danverns is someone who is not living up to her potential and doesn’t make a difference for people. She knows she has superpowers but finds the people that surround her want her to play it safe and be normal, including herself. The world does not need another superhero.
Empathy / Distress
Supergirl is not very confident in her new powers but knows she is doing the right thing, what she was made for. The more she finds out about her past and the people involved with it the more danger she is in. She will have to learn quickly how to save the world. Apparently, it is in more danger than she thought. She desperately seeks approval for her unique super powers. Her sister appears to be against SuperGirl saving the world in order to hide her true job/identity and to keep her safe..
Layers / Open Loops
Cara finds out that her adopted sister actually works for the DEO, Department of Extraterrestrial Operations. She wants to gain praise but can’t share her secret with many people, She finds out the photographer that is hired knows her secret from Superman. Will she save the employees at her job? Will she be able to save the planet from the worst criminals in the galaxies known to her home planet that she brought to earth? They are planning something but what?
Inviting Obsession
Will SuperGirl be able to save the world and keep her identity hidden, while working at the media empire run by her DIRECT boss.
This font looks really big and I like it. No readers needed here.
-
Hi! My name is Molly McNeal and I live in Walla Walla, WA. If you have never been here, I invite you to visit! It is really beautiful and the wine is amazing.
I am going to be honest, this is the first TV Script I have ever attempted to write. In fact, I don’t even have experience with a blog. But I do say my Christmas letters are EPIC. I may have signed up for this class after taking 1 too many prozacs, but I am really glad I did! I have a lot to learn, and I am excited to be in the midst of such talented people. I am a little slow at following a time line, I am a stay at home “domestic engineer” with 21 animals that include a 6 year old and 8 year old. I come from a family of writers, my mother is a published author and so is my grandmother. Luckily we are all extremely funny and I find it easy to write comedy.
During COVID I became obsessed with writing about my experiences in Skilled Nursing. At the time I felt my life was dreary and really quite horrible. But as most things in life I looked back and found the entertainment in what happened, that apparently I must share with the world. Now that I am half way through my life, I have decided if I am not enjoying every moment and everyday then I am doing it wrong. Enjoying writing is not something I ever thought I would say, but I am a creative person, and I crack myself up often. I love working with people so please do not hesitate to reach out at any point in time to say hello.
Something interesting about me, besides becoming an animal hoarder, and no I do not kiss my chickens and have successfully avoided all salmonella outbreaks. Although, my children may be making out with chicks behind my back but I am too busy writing in order to avoid housework to actually know.
Let’s see, I have lived in 4 states in the last 10 years, ( I am shocked to be writing this), and I am surprisingly still married. We also bought a POS house in COVID and I a managed to be the general contractor and fix it up! And I am still married.
I promise to not be the most intelligent writer here, but if I get a chuckle from myself or from you, I say it’s a good day. I also can’t promise that if you have MADE it this far that you will get any of this time back! Reading this over I see lot’s of run-ons’ and my spelling is horrible. Bare with me!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Procrastinating is like masturbation: it may feel good at the time, but in the end you are just screwing yourself.” (I found this quote in my 84 year old mom’s purse.)
-
I Molly McNeal agree to the terms below.
GROUP RELEASE FORM FOR “BINGE WORTHY TV” CLASS
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 Binge Worthy TV class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, teaching a class, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the Binge Worthy TV 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 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. The easiest solution if you have similar ideas is to either not look at each other’s work or to agree to take your shows in different directions.
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 Binge Worthy TV class.
-
ALIENS’ EARTH
1 Hour Sci-fi Drama – Serial
NUTSHELL: Dune meets Godfather.
CONCEPT: Hidden from humans an unknown alien prophecy is about to rewrite Earth’s ancient history.
SUMMARY: 3 types of aliens have living sanctions from 2 key humans, and are disguised in caverns under the earth. A shared peace between these earth alien factions is maintained by an unknown and crucial shared prophecy.
But now, the delicate balance is tumbling over!
A rogue alien threatens the balance attempting to disrupt the prophecy scrolls, Planet X is parked next to the earth, hiding in plane site in surveillance as the aliens unknown allies.
A top secret human liaison is coveted to stop the rogue leader and expose planet X. To add to the chaos, they face a foe, the Grey’s, that could end everyones earthly experience.
Will the prophecy that unites earth alien factions hold fast? Is the prophecy even real?
When war breaks out over control of earth, will humanity and earth aliens unite to defeat the Greys?
EPISODE STRUCTURE: Each week, earth aliens must navigate clashes between their factions, work toward solving an ancient prophecy mystery, and move closer to mutual understanding.
Portrait episodes rotate through the main characters; exploring how each species came to earth and how the shared prophecy was formed.
The top secret human liaisons must manage the propaganda machine that keeps most of humanity in the dark.
I just took a STAB! And I could have butchered. Please note I am not an expert.
-
Hi Donna! Sorry I am late to the game! This is a very detailed story that has a great premise!
My question is how do you make it juicy, and concise? Still trying to figure this out myself.
Concept: A seemingly stable family is disrupted when the mother shows her daughter how to treat her boyfriend which turns into an affair (and elopement), and the husband looks for solace in prostitutes and murders his boss’ friend, only to find that she was a prostitute and her pimp decides to take advantage of his enjoyment of murder.
A mother has an affair with her daughters boyfriend, her husband turns to murder and prostitution for enjoyment and when looking in from the outside Leave it to Beaver lives here.
This is probably not right I am sure, but just an examples of what I am seeing is the concept. But Hal will scare us straight tonight!
-
I was able to contact customer service and now I am playing super catch up. Did you get this resolved????? GOOD LUCK!!!!
-
Thank you for leading the way! You are helping me immensely!
-
Ha Ha! Totally! But I am limping along. My quest to be perfect must be set aside, (luckily I only struggle with this when it comes to actually finishing/starting assignments.) I have decided to not look to deeply into it (the confusion can get me off track) and follow Meg’s lead. Hope this helps!
-
I too have been kicking around stand up, everyone I meet says I should. Funny thing, I told my mother that everyone says I should be a stand up comedian, her response was, “I have heard that my hole life honey.” I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Finance is not very funny…… you are in the right place!
-
Donna,
I am reading your synopsis of Betrayed, and wondering how on earth you are writing the story of my life? Minus the teenagers (thank God!). I also need a handy man, young and cute would be the top requirement. Not sure you need to change this yet. It is very relatable.
M.M.