[Nora B Anderson]

Their vulnerability and common ground in their creativity, or history of it, brings them together. Exposing their hearts, souls, to each other connects them. Chemistry, yes, but emotional connection cements them together. Plus original songs makes the connection more believable, the icing on the cake.

[Nora B Anderson]

What I love about this scene is their hurt and their history creates similarities between them – the same cutting wit, quick speech style. And although she’s angry, she warns him three times to leave, and in a protective way, not a cold way. The fact that he’s still wearing his wedding ring, beautifully forlorn. I would use this match of speech style to insinuate two characters are aligned or drawn to each other, or have history like these two have.

[Nora B Anderson]

My insight: the backstory/history to these characters is providing a believable power struggle – the backstory to Denzel’s character, the defense coaches, Gary, etc., had to have been researched/explored/worked over to get the most efficient dialogue, terse except for Denzel’s character. A case for creating backstories for my characters – something I really struggle with, get impatient.

[Nora B Anderson]

My insight about Green Book (and I know, I know, criminal that I have not seen the movie) – they are both fish out of water on this trip, in the environments they will be in, and with each other. Unlikely allies who have nothing in common except they would both rather stay home. Both characters are stereotypes turned inside out, turned on their heads.

[Nora B Anderson]

If this is Week 2, Day 2, Pt. 1 – for Tombstone – creating stronger worthy opponents by setting up two characters who are so similar but from opposite sides of the “mirror,” not extremely different but subtler, adds complexity and balance, and serious tension.

[Nora B Anderson]

My insight/BT for the Seabiscuit scene: the horse and the man’s actions reveal their trauma – same behavior coming from the same trauma. No need for exposition, as it’s revealed by their action. And a triangle of the trainer/manager Chris Cooper character with Red and Seabiscuit.

[Nora B Anderson]

So, for Week 2, Day 1, Part 1, Sleepless in Seattle scene and what I learned: the parallels of their environment – on the phone at home, the radio on the car and the invisible thread of Dr. Marsha drawing them together – only happened because of the catalyst or kismet of Jonah, the kid. It’s not quite Deus Ex Machina, but more the emotional need for these people to connect, through the airwaves and later in person, brought about through the kid’s actions. So it feels like it’s “ok” to have characters brought together, belong together through an outside catalyst. It’s also a triangle – J, S, and A, or you could say J, S, and Dr. Marsha. This isn’t quite reworking and application to my story, but it helps me consider breaking out of the stale 1:1 mindset in dialogue.

[Nora B Anderson]

Insight: Just for a second, Will lets his guard down, but Skylar's "wants" are demands to him. He tries second guessing her wants, but it backfires. Then her defensiveness and what he sees as pity echoes all the categorization and "therapy" that all therapists have tried, and his fight or flight kicks in – he does both. Do not box him in.
Possible breakthrough: This scene is a microcosm of Will's behavior on all the therapists' couches, just in a personal, romantic setting. He has learned to manipulate his way out of any 'treatment', and he doesn't know how to do anything but that manipulation, react the same way – get out, save yourself. His initial "Really?" to her is a glimmer that he could change but it gets shut down by his learned behavior/action.
So, I see how this microcosm within microcosm scene building starts with the character having consistency in their traits, but small changes to their traits makes a more believable character arc.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by  Nora B Anderson.

[Nora B Anderson]

So, first I have to admit I didn’t watch LOST, so I don’t if that helps or hinders. In any case, Kate is a mysterious woman who is wanted for several reasons and there are several views of her, which create dimension, the mystery being is she a bad guy or was the murder justified. If she’s in a triangle, is it because the two guys appeal to her noble and not so noble sides, like an angel and a demon. So we find out what she did, but from the second clip she seems to have accepted it, not wracked with guilt or gloating about it, either.
I don’t know if this is a breakthrough or not, but I realized establishing her character furthers the plot. Or am I just late to the party?

[Nora B Anderson]

I think the main insight for me is similar to the second insight from yesterday: following the characters’ arc, change in mood from – in the case of Junah -from dejection and distrust to awe, and for Bagger from so cheery and yet probing to a teacher’s confidence and gravity. It’s ironic, too, how Junah makes the comment about the dance, when the two of them have been dancing around the golf balls since the scene started. I will re-think my characters’ dialogue because the dialogue here is so beautifully interwoven.

[Nora B Anderson]

Again, I don’t think I have a breakthrough, but I got two insights to the scene: Sarah changes in the scene, from panicky to resigned, from self-absorbed to concerned about Reese – she has a character arc within the scene; the second insight is watching Reese lead at first, and then he becomes docile to her – they trade places, from leader to follower and vice-versa.
This makes me re-think my characters’ actions and dialogue, in that these changes in characters’ relationships is a dance. It’s about interweaving and creating a believable dance within the scene.

[Nora B Anderson]

OK, I don’t believe I have any Breakthroughs on this first go, first day of first week. I think I have 3 insights, but I think the Element of Surprise to bring to each character helps my characters become more “real,” i.e., believable…
Insight 1) these 3 characters have an accent, and at first they seem stereotypical (blue-collar Chuckie has a strong accent, Skylar’s English, and Will is Boston blue-collar like Chuckie) but Will’s accent is weaker as he does mental acrobatics around the Preppy Bully character – not equating accent with IQ, but it’s a surprise to the Harvard characters, even so.
Insight 2) Will appreciates Skylar’s defense of Chuckie, that she is not a stereotype herself, siding with her Harvard classmates, that she is not a snob.
Insight 3) These characters are staking their territory – the town, the school, the bar, who was there first, who is really the interloper, townies vs. school, education vs. brain power…
That’s all I have for tonight.

[Nora B Anderson]

I, Nora Butler Anderson, agree to the terms of this release form.

[Nora B Anderson]

Hello, my name is Nora, and I have written one script a long, long time ago…and have been working on and off with another script for YEARS. I signed up for this class because I am stymied by character development maybe even more than the third act JK, and I recently bought a bass guitar, to complete my return to two subjects – writing, and learning the bass – that I feel the need to conquer at this point in my life. Thank you.

[Nora B Anderson]

Hi, Judith: Thank you for asking about exchanging scenes. I’m actually not working on my script right now, and just concentrating on the lessons, even though that’s currently a part of the class. I don’t have the bandwidth right now to study scenes and write my script right now. Long story. I apologize but I appreciate the offer. Nora