[Susan Barber]

Breakthrough: identifying the different backgrounds my characters are coming from and why conflict will be inevitable.

What I learned is the importance of setting the correct, intimate moment when two characters are introduced to the audience. Understanding where each character is coming from (from pain, distrust or supreme confidence, for example) allows the writer to introduce the strengths and frailties of the characters.

[Susan Barber]

Insights: This scene literally showed what Sarah’s future will be. It taught me that I need to clarify/solidify my character’s future. In so doing it will be easier to identify the obstacles and fears that stand in the way.

The ease with which Sarah and Kyle share their understanding of the situation is masterful. I’m not normally drawn to sci-fi pictures because they strain my imagination, yet this scene seems perfectly rational. Kyle projects a prepared, reliable, sincere messenger. Sarah a skeptical, confused, frustrated, yet willing participant in a completely unique situation. The interpaly between the now (Kyle’s injury) and the future (how did you get here) seems like something I might say or do in a similar situation.😀

[Susan Barber]

Learned I don’t have well defined traits for my protagonist. It was much easier to provide traits for the antagonist. The Living into their Future and Wound parts of the profile provided several interesting ideas/breaktrhoughs for my opening scene and interaction between the two primary women of my story.

While I didn’t rewrite a scene, this clip showed me how powerful the right dialogue can be to show so much about a character. Without personally recognizing any of the quotes Will used he was, in this ‘conversation’, standing up for his friend, putting down the bully, engaging the women he came to impress and giving us an insight to his depth of knowledge. Skyler’s reactions showed she was impressed with Will and with few words irritated with Clark. Her demeanor turned from giggles at the obvious non-students to being engaged with Will. Chuckie, well, he is just Chuckie. Overconfident and putting himself into a situation he wasn’t capable of handling, somehow knowing that Will would be there to save him. As a viewer I’m immediately as taken with Will as Skylar is.

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by  Susan Barber.

[Susan Barber]

Hi, I’m Susan Barber. I have dreamed of writing a novel or script about a story which is very personal to me.

My hobby is genealogy. I never knew either of my grandfathers so have always had questions about my family history. Hopefully, this class will help me develop the people I have come to know through research into characters that will tell their extraordinary story.

Looking forward to the coming weeks with all of you.

[Susan Barber]

Susan Barber

I agree to the terms of this release form.