Steven Patterson
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Steve’s High Speed Beat Sheet
What I learned doing this assignment is – planning and preparation saves time.
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BEDROOM – DAY
OPENING: STACEY is stuck in bed because BRITNEY, her new caregiver, is outside arguing with her mother on the phone. Stacey is disabled due to cerebral palsy – she only has use of one arm, the rest of her body constricted by muscle tightness. And her speech is very slurred, making it difficult to understand her unless she speaks painstakingly slowly.
We see just how dependent Stacey is – she can’t even get out of bed by herself and she REALLY has to pee.
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BATHROOM – DAY
Stacey and Britney have a heart-to-heart about the help with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) that Stacey needs. Stacey is totally dependent on the help of her caregivers. We also learn through their interaction just how difficult it is to understand Stacey’s speech. Britney keeps repeating what Stacey says – in the form of a question – to make sure she understands what Stacey said. Stacey finds this very annoying.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Stacey’s married boyfriend, MATEO, calls her on the phone to say he’d like to drop by for “a date” (meaning “sex”). Stacey has to explain her complicated relationship with Mateo to Britney.
As a devoted caregiver Britney leaps into action – helping Stacey get ready by doing her hair and makeup, etc.
TURNING POINT: HARRY and JOAN, Stacey’s father and mother, stop by unexpectedly – just before Mateo is supposed to arrive.
==== Act 2 ====
EXT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 1: Mateo arrives … and immediately turns to leave when he sees Stacey’s parents are there. But Stacey insists that he stay. Normally she’d just give up and be disappointed, but this time she asserts herself.
Harry and Joan recognize Mateo – he used to be one of Stacey’s caregivers, which is how they met. He is now working as an EMT.
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BEDROOM – DAY
TE 2: Stacey pulls Britney into the bathroom with her under the guise of “needing help.” She tells Britney to find a way to get her mom and dad out of the house so she can have “alone time” with Mateo. It’s a first step for Stacey – asserting herself – but she passively insists someone else (Britney) should do the work for her. She wants to manipulate things behind the scenes so she doesn’t have to do it directly.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
Tense small talk in the living room amongst the group. Harry and Joan remember Mateo well from when he was one of Stacey’s caregivers. They spend some time catching up. Harry remembers that Mateo was training to become an EMT when he worked with Stacey. How is that going? Does he like being an EMT?
TE 3: And then the pointed question from Harry – why is Mateo here now?
Mateo is flustered and tries to come up with an explanation – he was just in the area and thought he’d stop by. Stacey tries to explain too.
Their explanations seem contrived, and it makes Harry suspicious that something is going on that he doesn’t know about. And Harry doesn’t like when things are happening that he doesn’t know about.
During all this Stacey continues to be treated basically as a non-entity – Harry, her father, wants to make all decisions for her.
Harry mentions that he has been having problems with their wheelchair-accessible van. Mateo offers to take a look – he used to work in the service department of an auto dealership.
EXT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 4: A game of cat and mouse ensues. Harry is sure that something is going on and he wants to get to the bottom of it. As Mateo works to figure out what’s wrong with the van Harry attempts to be nonchalant as he questions Mateo about his home life, his job as an EMT … and how often he is in touch with Stacey.
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 5: Stacey and her mother talk inside the apartment while Harry and Mateo continue their verbal joust outside. Stacey reveals what’s really going on. Joan is not surprised. She had known about Stacey’s relationship with Mateo. She wasn’t happy about it but she tolerated it, knowing how lonely Stacey was for a romantic relationship. Joan thought it had ended when Mateo completed his training and took the job as an EMT. Meanwhile Britney listens to all this, trying to understand the family dynamics at play here.
Continue cutting back and forth between the conversations inside and outside the apartment.
Turning Point (MIDPOINT): Harry finally figures out what is going on between Stacey and Mateo.
==== Act 3 ====
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
A big confrontation ensues. Harry tells Stacey he knows what’s going on between her and Mateo. What was she thinking? Why is she involved with a married man?
TE 6: Joan steps forward to defend Stacey. Why is this any of their business? Stacey has her own life to lead.
Harry becomes irate. Did Joan know about this? How could she let it continue?
TE 7: Stacey refuses to give up her relationship with Mateo.
Turning Point (All is Lost Moment): Harry tells Stacey that if she continues seeing Mateo he will walk away from her. She’ll be on her own.
==== Act 4 ====
Climax: Stacey holds firm, challenging Harry to abandon her if he feels that is the right thing for him to do.
Joan stands up for Stacey too. Harry will have to walk away from her as well.
Harry walks out to the driveway of the apartment. After a few moments Stacey follows him out there. They have an emotional heart to heart conversation.
Resolution: Harry backs down. There is no way he could turn away from his daughter forever.
TE 8: Stacey decides to end her sexual relationship with Mateo. They have always been friends … and she hopes they can remain friends. But she doesn’t want to risk their relationship being discovered by his wife and ruining his marriage. And she needs to reach out into the world to find a real-world, full-time relationship.
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Steven Patterson’s High Speed Beat Sheet
What I Learned from this Lesson: I’ve known about screenplay structure for a long time. Adding carefully planned Transformational Events into the structure really helps a lot with pacing.
Lesson 7 – Beat Sheet and High Speed Writing
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BEDROOM – DAY
OPENING: STACEY is stuck in bed because BRITNEY, her new caregiver, is outside arguing with her mother on the phone. Stacey is disabled due to cerebral palsy – she only has use of one arm, the rest of her body constricted by muscle tightness. And her speech is very slurred, making it difficult to understand her unless she speaks painstakingly slowly.
We see just how dependent Stacey is – she can’t even get out of bed by herself and she REALLY has to pee.
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BATHROOM – DAY
Stacey and Britney have a heart-to-heart about the help with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) that Stacey needs. Stacey is totally dependent on the help of her caregivers. We also learn through their interaction just how difficult it is to understand Stacey’s speech. Britney keeps repeating what Stacey says – in the form of a question – to make sure she understands what Stacey said. Stacey finds this very annoying.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
INCITING INCIDENT: Stacey’s married boyfriend, MATEO, calls her on the phone to say he’d like to drop by for “a date” (meaning “sex”). Stacey has to explain her complicated relationship with Mateo to Britney.
As a devoted caregiver Britney leaps into action – helping Stacey get ready by doing her hair and makeup, etc.
TURNING POINT: HARRY and JOAN, Stacey’s father and mother, stop by unexpectedly – just before Mateo is supposed to arrive.
==== Act 2 ====
EXT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 1: Mateo arrives … and immediately turns to leave when he sees Stacey’s parents are there. But Stacey insists that he stay. Normally she’d just give up and be disappointed, but this time she asserts herself.
Harry and Joan recognize Mateo – he used to be one of Stacey’s caregivers, which is how they met. He is now working as an EMT.
INT. APARTMENT – STACEY’S BEDROOM – DAY
TE 2: Stacey pulls Britney into the bathroom with her under the guise of “needing help.” She tells Britney to find a way to get her mom and dad out of the house so she can have “alone time” with Mateo. It’s a first step for Stacey – asserting herself – but she passively insists someone else (Britney) should do the work for her. She wants to manipulate things behind the scenes so she doesn’t have to do it directly.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
Tense small talk in the living room amongst the group. Harry and Joan remember Mateo well from when he was one of Stacey’s caregivers. They spend some time catching up. Harry remembers that Mateo was training to become an EMT when he worked with Stacey. How is that going? Does he like being an EMT?
TE 3: And then the pointed question from Harry – why is Mateo here now?
Mateo is flustered and tries to come up with an explanation – he was just in the area and thought he’d stop by. Stacey tries to explain too.
Their explanations seem contrived, and it makes Harry suspicious that something is going on that he doesn’t know about. And Harry doesn’t like when things are happening that he doesn’t know about.
During all this Stacey continues to be treated basically as a non-entity – Harry, her father, wants to make all decisions for her.
Harry mentions that he has been having problems with their wheelchair-accessible van. Mateo offers to take a look – he used to work in the service department of an auto dealership.
EXT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 4: A game of cat and mouse ensues. Harry is sure that something is going on and he wants to get to the bottom of it. As Mateo works to figure out what’s wrong with the van Harry attempts to be nonchalant as he questions Mateo about his home life, his job as an EMT … and how often he is in touch with Stacey.
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
TE 5: Stacey and her mother talk inside the apartment while Harry and Mateo continue their verbal joust outside. Stacey reveals what’s really going on. Joan is not surprised. She had known about Stacey’s relationship with Mateo. She wasn’t happy about it but she tolerated it, knowing how lonely Stacey was for a romantic relationship. Joan thought it had ended when Mateo completed his training and took the job as an EMT. Meanwhile Britney listens to all this, trying to understand the family dynamics at play here.
Continue cutting back and forth between the conversations inside and outside the apartment.
Turning Point (MIDPOINT): Harry finally figures out what is going on between Stacey and Mateo.
==== Act 3 ====
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
A big confrontation ensues. Harry tells Stacey he knows what’s going on between her and Mateo. What was she thinking? Why is she involved with a married man?
TE 6: Joan steps forward to defend Stacey. Why is this any of their business? Stacey has her own life to lead.
Harry becomes irate. Did Joan know about this? How could she let it continue?
TE 7: Stacey refuses to give up her relationship with Mateo.
Turning Point (All is Lost Moment): Harry tells Stacey that if she continues seeing Mateo he will walk away from her. She’ll be on her own.
==== Act 4 ====
Climax: Stacey holds firm, challenging Harry to abandon her if he feels that is the right thing for him to do.
Joan stands up for Stacey too. Harry will have to walk away from her as well.
Harry walks out to the driveway of the apartment. After a few moments Stacey follows him out there. They have an emotional heart to heart conversation.
Resolution: Harry backs down. There is no way he could turn away from his daughter forever.
TE 8: Stacey decides to end her sexual relationship with Mateo. They have always been friends … and she hopes they can remain friends. But she doesn’t want to risk their relationship being discovered by his wife and ruining his marriage. And she needs to reach out into the world to find a real-world, full-time relationship.
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Steve Patterson’s Transformational Events
What I learned doing this assignment is that even minor conflicts in a character drama can have a major impact on the characters in the story.
1. Mateo arrives … and immediately turns to leave when he sees Stacey’s parents are there. But Stacey insists that he stay. Normally she’d just give up and be disappointed, but this time she insists he stay.
2. Stacey tells Britney, her caregiver, to find a way to get rid of her parents. Stacey wants to manipulate things behind the scenes so she doesn’t have to do it directly.
3. Stacey has to use the bathroom. It’s Britney’s job as her caregiver to take Stacey to the bathroom, but Harry insists on doing it. Stacey flatly refuses. It might seem like a small thing but it’s a big deal for Stacey to stand up to her father.
4. A cat and mouse game ensues. Harry is suspicious that something is going on while Stacey finds reasons to get them out of the house.
5. Harry finally figures out what is going on between Stacey and Mateo. He demands that Mateo get out the house. Stacey refuses to let Mateo leave.
6. Harry says he’ll disown Stacey if she continues to see Mateo. She calls his bluff. She has other caregivers. She can live without him if he can’t learn to allow her an independent life.
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Steven Patterson’s 4-Act Transformational Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is: structure matters. Even when you just have the bare outline of it.
1. Give us the following:
Concept – STACEY WALKER, a woman with severe cerebral palsy, wants control of her life despite her dependence on her family and caregivers.
Main Conflict – Stacey’s father, HARRY, wants to control every aspect of her life to keep her healthy and safe. She wants her independence.
Stacey’s Old Ways – She defers to whatever her father thinks is best for her.
She goes along with whatever her caregivers want her to do so she doesn’t lose their support.
Stacey’s New Ways – She becomes increasingly assertive.
She demands independence and privacy despite her medical condition.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1.
Opening: Stacey is stuck in bed because BRITNEY, her caregiver for the day, is outside arguing with someone on the phone. We see just how dependent Stacey is. She can’t even get out of bed by herself and she REALLY has to pee.
Inciting Incident: Her married boyfriend, Mateo, calls to say he’d like to drop by for “a date” (meaning “sex”).
Turning Point: Stacey’s mother and father stop by unexpectedly before Mateo gets there.
Act 2
Reaction: Stacey has to get rid of her mom and dad so she can have “alone time” with Mateo.
The Plan: Stacey allows Britney to take over for her. Britney knows about Mateo and creates an elaborate explanation for what Mateo is doing there. Stacey let’s Britney take care of things for her … again, not taking control over her own life.
She continues to be treated as a non-entity – Harry, her father, wants to make all decisions for her.
Turning Point (MIDPOINT): Harry figures out what’s really going on between Stacey and Mateo.
Act 3
New plan: Stacey has to step forward and take control of her life. She wants to be with Mateo, and she has to go head-to-head with her father over it.
Turning Point (“all is lost moment”): Harry tells Stacey that if she continues seeing Mateo he will walk away from her. She’ll be on her own.
Act 4
Climax: Stacey holds firm.
Resolution: Harry backs down. There is no way he could turn away from his daughter forever.
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Steve’s Character Interviews:
What I learned from this assignment: This has been great! I tried to answer in the “voice” of my characters, and it really helped! This has been the best assignment so far! I think I worked out more details about my character, which are helping to shape the overall story in my head.
Protagonist / Stacey
Question: Tell me about yourself.
Answer: Well … I’m 35 years old. Still single. I’m hoping to find someone who cares about the “me” inside. I have cerebral palsy and my speech is affected and some people can’t see beyond my CP. I’ve been called “retarded” because of my speech problems, and that both infuriates me and makes me want to cry. I’m me. I’m in here.
Question: Why do you think you were drawn to this journey? Why you?
Answer: I think anyone who has the physical issues I have struggle with independence. I don’t want to depend on others my whole life. I want to be my own person …. I’m just not sure how to make that happen.
Question: You are up against your father, Harry. What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?
Answer: I love my dad. He does everything for me. The problem is – HE DOES EVERYTHING FOR ME. How can I ever have any independence at all if he refuses to allow me to live my own life?
Question: In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult?
Answer: I don’t know. I just don’t know. I’ve never had any independence. I’m terrified. I guess I have to learn as I go. I hope the people I love who have been taking care of me don’t just abandon me completely.
Question: What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?
Answer: I have to give up the idea that someone will always be there to catch me if I fall – literally and figuratively. I have to learn to take care of myself.
Question: What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?
Answer: I’m so afraid to do this. I want independence, but I’ve never had it.
Question: What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?
Answer: I don’t think I have any. But I know I’m smart and I can learn.
Question: What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?
Answer: How afraid I am.
Question: What do you think of your father, Harry?
Answer: I love my dad. I owe him my life and everything I have. I just have to find a way to make him see I need to be my own person.
Question: Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.
Answer: It’s all I’ve ever known. I have no privacy. I can’t make any decisions for my own life. But I need to take control of my life.
Question: What does it do for your life if you succeed here?
Answer: Hopefully it’ll be a brand new life – where I have independence and make my own decisions … but the loved ones who have helped me are still there for me. I don’t want to lose them.
Antagonist / Harry
Question: Tell me about yourself.
Answer: I’m a salesman – I was, anyhow. I retired from that about ten years ago. I sold medical diagnostic equipment. I was the highest earner in the company every year I worked there except for one. But more importantly I’m Stacey’s dad. She has had cerebral palsy since birth. She is basically helpless from a physical standpoint. She needs help with all of her ADLs. Oh, that means “Activities of Daily Living,” by the way. I got licensed as a caregiver five years ago so I now I get paid for it. I’d do it for free, of course, but the extra money helps.
Question: Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
Answer: I take care of myself and my family. I’m dependable and steadfast. I work hard. I’d do anything for my daughter.
Question: Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?
Answer: I’m not trying to make my daughter fail – or change. I want to make sure she stays safe and healthy and well, the way I always have. I don’t want anything to change.
Question: What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?
Answer: I “win” by keeping my daughter healthy and safe. That’s a stupid question.
Question: What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?
Answer: Look, my daughter has had cerebral palsy since birth. She has had to endure a lot. I want to help her, take care of her, and give her the best life possible. I’d give my life for her.
Question: What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?
Answer: Well. The only thing I’m afraid of … is … what is Stacey going to do when I’m too old and feeble to care for her?
Question: Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?
Answer: I really care. Some of these other caregivers are just in it for the money. They’re irresponsible. They don’t show up. They fall asleep when they’re supposed to be working. It drives me nuts.
Question: What do you think of Stacey?
Answer: I am so proud of her. I think she’s a miracle.
Question: Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.
Answer: There’s no conflict! These are stupid questions! I take care of my daughter, she depends on me, and she appreciates it! End of story!
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What I learned doing this assignment is: I can already tell that thinking through these character traits and motivations is going to save me time when I sit down to write.
Protagonist / Stacey
What draws us to this character? She is a likable mixture of bravado and shyness – depending on the situation. She has an outgoing personality stuck in a body that doesn’t cooperate.
Traits: Very vulnerable but funny, ironic, and likable. Her speech problems don’t dissuade her from being talkative and outgoing. She has bravado but is terrified underneath all that.
Subtext: She is afraid of losing the people she depends on, so she usually backs down in any kind of conflict.
Flaw: Her dependence and submissiveness.
Values: She values family. Faithfulness. Devotion.
Irony: She has been having an affair with a married man. She is endangering his family.
What makes this the right character for this role? She’s like a caterpillar desperate to emerge as a butterfly.
Antagonist / Harry
What draws us to this character? He wants to do the right thing for his daughter. He loves her dearly and wants her to have a fulfilling life.
Traits: He’s loud, boisterous, assertive.
Subtext: He is afraid of what will happen to Stacey when he is too feeble to care for her.
Flaw: He wants everyone to know he is Stacey’s savior and protector. She is totally dependent on him and he likes that.
Values: Hard work and self-sufficiency. Stacey realizes this; it makes her feel even more worthless.
Irony: He is the one who is keeping Stacey dependent.
What makes this the right character for this role? He is a mixture of admirable traits – he cares for his daughter and does everything for her. But in his effort to care for her he is keeping her from growing as a person.
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Steven Patterson – Assignment 2 – Who We are Traveling With
What I learned doing this assignment is – it saves a lot of time to figure out all these motivations before starting the actual scriptwriting.
>> Pick the type of role your Protagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role: Victim.
Stacey Walker begins the story as a person with cerebral palsy who feels helpless. She is dependent on her parents and her caregivers for all her activities of daily living – preparing her food, going to the bathroom, getting in and out of bed, etc.
>> Pick the type of role your Antagonist will play and give us a few sentences on how they will fulfill that role: Authority.
Harry Walker is Stacey’s father. He loves Stacey dearly but he has taken care of her for so long he has basically taken over her life. He cares for her in a programmed, practical way to get “the job” done quickly. He’s efficient but not very empathetic to her needs or what she is going through. He’s not malevolent or evil; he has just fallen into a pattern of “doing the job” of taking care of his “invalid” daughter.
>> What other characters might be necessary?
Supporting characters:
Brittany – Stacey’s social work caregiver.
Joan – Stacey’s mother.
Mateo – Stacey’s married lover.
Minor Roles:
Cindy – Brittany’s overbearing mother
Cara – Brittany’s younger sister
>> Pick your genre: Drama
>> Fill in whatever answers come to you about your lead character profiles.
Role in the story: Stacey, the Protagonist
Age range and Description: Stacey is in her early 40s. She has severe cerebral palsy. Her speech is difficult to understand, she is a wheelchair user, and has extremely limited mobility.
Internal Journey: Stacey goes from feeling powerless to believing she can control her own life.
External Journey: She goes from total dependence on others to establishing boundaries and a sense of independence.
Motivation: To live her own life.
Wound: not sure of this yet
Mission/Agenda: To at last have a meaningful relationship.
Secret: She has had an ongoing sexual relationship with a married man for several years.
What makes them special? Despite her disabilities she is kind, thoughtful, and resilient.
Role in the story: Harry, the Antagonist
Age range and Description: Harry is Stacey’s father. He is in his 70s. Because of Stacey’s disability he got trained to be a licensed caregiver so he could support his daughter and get paid for it. He is well intentioned but domineering. He makes all of Stacey’s decisions for her.
Internal Journey: He goes from being totally controlling to relaxing his grip.
External Journey: Same as the Internal Journey.
Motivation: To be seen as a wonderful, caring, perfect father.
Wound: He is in no way responsible for Stacey’s condition; nevertheless he feels that her disability is his fault. Something in his genes, maybe. It makes no sense but nevertheless he feels that way.
Mission/Agenda: To care for and protect Stacey.
Secret: not sure about this yet
What makes them special? Despite being so overbearing and controlling, he is doing what many men would not – devoting himself to caring for his daughter. But he’s going about it in a much too aggressive way.
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What I learned from this assignment:
I learned that it’s okay to feel confident when I start writing something new. I usually spend too much time doubting myself – and it has a crippling effect on creativity. It feels good to have confidence – even if you’re talking yourself into it!
2. Who is your Hero and what is their Character Arc that represents a transformation?
The hero of the story is Stacey Walker. She is in her mid-40s, very pretty, very smart, but severely disabled with cerebral palsy. She is a wheelchair user – a motorized wheelchair. She only has use of her right arm and hand. Her left arm and her legs are usually cramped and rigid.
Internal Journey: She has been dependent on her parents, then her social work caregivers in addition to her parents, all her life. She has no confidence; anything she needs someone has to give her. She is terribly afraid of offending someone and being abandoned.
External Journey: Over the course of the story, circumstances will demand that she assert herself if she’s ever going to find love and have the kind of life she dreams of. This means pushing herself to demand what she needs, and learning to do more for herself.
3. What are the Old Ways and New Ways?
Old Ways:
Allow other people to do everything for her
Give in to the needs of others rather than demand her own needs be met
Taking whatever scraps of friendship people offer her
New Ways:
Asserting herself
Demanding that her needs be met
Actively seek out a meaningful romantic relationship