[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn’s Lead Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is that I may need to change who my transformable character(s) and change agent are. I originally thought of the teacher as the transformable character but I think it may serve the story more to make the teacher a change agent and the students the transformable characters. I think that falls in line with the message I want the story to give. I may need to revisit the transformational journey logline.

Transformational journey logline:
A burned-out teacher who transfers to a new school slated to close is challenged by an underperforming class to be grateful for the present and believe in them and herself.

Change Agent:
The teacher. She is a former award-winning teacher who believes all students have potential. At her old school she became burned out from school politics and students who don’t want to learn. She is transferred to this school on the verge of closure and assigned the underperforming class.

Transformable Character(s):
The underperforming students. They have been told by many that they are bad students, which has caused the to believe this for themselves. No one wants to take the time or effort to pour in to them so they live out what has been spoken over them.

The Oppression:
The school environment. The school, including administration, teachers, and students look down down on this underperforming class. They are not taken seriously so they get less than other students/classes including attention. Money is tight so it and it’s impact in the school is not distributed evenly and the underperforming class is always left out.

Betraying Character:
School Principal. Excited by the possibilities with the new teacher but shifts priority from saving school to saving self and abandoning the teacher in the process.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by  Sharyn Grose.

[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn’s Transformational Journey

What I learned doing this assignment is it’s ok to start with an idea that is not fully formed because this is another step in the building process. This steered my focus from what is not right and perfect to fueling my brainstorming process and seeing the possibilities of creating a profound transformation with my character.

Logline for the transformational journey:
A burned-out teacher who transfers to a new school slated to close is challenged by an underperforming class to be grateful for the present and believe in them and herself.

The Old Ways:
Disengaged
Tries to get through the moments to the next
Doesn’t try to really know people
Doesn’t take accountability

The New Ways:
Encouraging and supportive
Looks for the good in people and moments
Engaged in life
Opens up and builds bonds with people

• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by  Sharyn Grose.

[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn’s First Three Decisions

What I learned doing this assignment is that I had not been going deep enough with the idea of change. I usually focused on the character and their change in the story, but had not necessarily focused as much on the change I wanted from the audience. I knew I wanted the story to impact them, but I never defined it from an audience perspective. By asking these three questions, I can make my stories more impactful.

1) What is your profound truth?
If you don’t tell yourself who you are, the world will tell you who you are

2) What is the change your movie will cause with an audience?
Don’t dismiss people without getting to really know them. Look for the good in people so that they can show their best self.

3) What is your Entertainment Vehicle that you will tell this story through?
Pick a World

• This reply was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by  Sharyn Grose.

[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn’s Analysis of Groundhog Day

What I learned doing this assignment is that the profound is informed by one’s experiences so what is profound may be different for everyone. Whatever that profound is, a moment, action, or line, connects the viewer to the story. The discovery and revelation of the profound is a journey in stages.

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

The CHANGE this movie is about is a narcissistic, callous, selfish weatherman who does not value others and he transforms into a generous, caring, and loving human being who is valued by others.

2) Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
The change agent is Rita. She is the right character to cause the change because Phil is interested in her and wants to pursue a romantic relationship but Rita is turned off by his inauthenticity, selfishness and lies.

Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
The transformable character is Phil. He is the right character to deliver this profound journey because he embodies the negative traits, which makes it easy to see his transformational journey into a likable person who truly cares about others and contributes to society.
What is the Oppression?
The oppression is Groundhog Day, living the same day over and over again.

3) How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
We are lured into the story and connect with it because Phil is:
Funny – the humor of his character keeps us entertained
An a–hole so we want to see what consequences he receives from his attitude and how he acts
Relatable in how he is attracted to someone who does not return the same feelings and most of us have experienced that.
Intriguing in how he is faced with living the same day over continuously and curiosity with how he will navigate that situation.

4) Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:

Old Ways: Obnoxious to people around him, feels superior and belittles people or ignores them, thinks only about himself, uses people

New Ways: genuine concern for people, take time really get to know people and build relationships, gives generously of himself including time, attention, resources, cherishes the moments

5) What is the gradient of the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Phil is a selfish person
Caught in repeating Groundhog Day
Takes advantage of knowledge gained from the day and lives in a hedonistic and reckless way
Realizes his enjoyment is only temporary and lacks fulfillment so he focuses on being more productive with his time like playing the piano and serving in the community
Phil tries to build a genuine relationship with Rita
Realizing he may be caught in this repeating day forever, he commits to changing to make life mean something
By committimg to the change and bettering himself, Phil is able to break out of the repeating Groundhog Day.

6) How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
He believes that he is better than everyone and so treats others beneath him. This belief is challenged when he thinks he knows enough to get Rita interested in him and she challenges his ways and doesn’t fall for his tactics.
Phil is selfish in his beliefs. He believes life is about getting what he wants and that is what will make him happy. This is challenged when he is caught in Groundhog day and thinks that he can do whatever he wants and he will be happy with that. After he steals, does reckless things like flee from cops and crash a car, gourge himself on his favored foods, and tries to engage in casual relations without regard for others, he finds his pleasures are momentary and has no real meaning.

7) What are the most profound moments of the movie?
When his enjoyment of learning he can do whatever he wants with no consequences wears off and he discover his life has no meaning and jumps from the building.
When he starts learning the piano
Phil steps off the curb and he doesn’t step in the puddle.
Phil falls in love with Rita, kisses her and breaks out of the repeating Groundhog day.

8) What are the most profound lines of the movie?
I’ll give you a winter prediction: It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life.
Today is tomorrow.
What would you do if you were stuck in one place…and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?
When Chekhov saw the long winter…he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney…and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts…I couldn’t imagine a better fate…than a long and lustrous winter.
Anything different is good…but this could be real good.

9) How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
One of the setups was Phil’s interest in Rita but on a physical superficial level. He was approaching a relationship in an inauthentic way but as he learned more he fell in love and was able to have a relationship by being authentic.

10) What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
A meaningful life is built through relationships, service and love.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by  Sharyn Grose.

[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn Grose
I agree to the terms of this release form.

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

[Sharyn Grose]

Sharyn Grose

I agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.

2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.

I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.

3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.

4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.

6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Sharyn Grose.