[Stuart Voytilla]

Very late but making valuable strides during the first half of the class. If anyone is interested in providing feedback — or exchanging (on your draft for this class or another project), please let me know. Here’s what I’m working on:

“A Giving Heart”

svoytilla@sdsu.edu

Genre: Drama (biopic)

Concept: Against the musical backdrop of ’50s-‘70s male R&B groups, a determined black singer overcomes racism, interracial love, group rivalry, and alcoholism, finding his true purpose as a soloist for an all-white church, using his powerful voice and spiritual leadership to foster an inclusive community.

Thematic elements explored: racism, faith, physical and emotional abuse.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Fascinating Scene Outlines!

What I learned from doing this assignment is…

This step of being aware of Interest Techniques in every scene was a huge help. Even though I moved to scenes that need the Interest infusion, awareness of existing interest is valuable as I look ahead toward the transition from outline to script. It allowed me to elevate low-interest scenes, and evaluate scene purpose (elevate the scene interest and dramatic purpose or cut it) as I continue to carve away and shape the script into a marketable length.

The Changes I Made:

I crafted more tension in the opening sequence, so the revelation of Wayne’s beautiful voice is a surprise (using “Character Changes Radically”, rather than the weaker “and, then” exposition in the older outline)

I elevated the scenes of Wayne/Marvin’s subplot, giving it more purpose in Act I, which in turn will give a deliver a stronger emotional payoff when they reunite in Act IV

I elevated Aunt Willie’s purpose in the Act I plot point.

I continue to give Donna more purpose and focus, and during this process sought ways to elevate the Interest in her scenes when she’s facing Wayne’s alcoholism and miraculous recovery. These greatly impacted her scenes with Wayne in Act III crisis sequence, and Act IV.

I elevated Terry’s purpose in Acts III and IV through his scenes.

I elevated the mystery that sets up Wayne’s transformation of the Bingo Hall.

I loved using Mislead/Reveals in Act IV, opening sequence, when he finds the church, giving his discovery more emotional impact.

I elevated Margaret’s role as an oppositional force in Act IV.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Lesson 8 Assignment:

Stuart Elevates Lead Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is the value of this iterative or cyclic process of revising from the outline level, being mindful of plot and character. It’s helped especially with the development of Donna’s character, and her relationship with Wayne.

A. Need Stronger Lead Characters

Gave more agency to Donna, and strengthened her role as antagonist in Acts III, IV

Revised and added scenes in Act IV to strengthen Wayne’s and Donna’s crisis/climax/resolution (and Donna and Terry’s subplot).

B. Need Stronger Intros

Strengthened (Adult) Wayne’s entrance at Act II in Air Force. I’ve revised the scene of Donna’s entrance giving it more fun dynamics, allowing her to playfully but cautiously test Wayne.

C. Playing it Too Safe.

Yes, I was much too safe in first draft’s Act III and Act IV. I’m intensifying Wayne’s drive, triggering his flaw, fueling conflict with Esonics. Revised scene of the break-up of Esonics.

Also safe in Act III and IV for Donna and Wayne. Their relationship is on the rocks, both are more desperate, more vulnerable.

D. Lead Characters Not Present

At least one lead characters in every scene. It is Wayne’s story told through his perspective.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart Solves Major Problems!

What I learned from doing this assignment is that my protagonist is primarily a catalyst character who is trying to change others. However, the conflict with other characters and pushing Wayne to question, deny, and tarnish the purity of the gift he was born. His journey is to reclaim that gift.

What I’ve changed:

Both big picture reframing and specific changes.

A. Need Stronger Transformational Journey

For Protagonist/Wayne:

• Arc: begins with a boy, with a giving heart, wanting to be a star singer. It ends with a man, with restored heart, singing to God and a global audience.

• Obstacles: increased obstacles, added new scene between Wayne and Donna. Revised his 2nd group’s relational obstacles and gave them a stronger climax.

• Structure: changed Wayne’s entrance into Act II so that finding song in the Air Force is unexpected. He’s out of his comfort zone because he’s in the Air Force, following orders. Entering Act III: I deleted major sequence and cut into Wayne’s insurance world – he’s assigned to manage a team of white racist agents. Entering Act IV, Wayne now has vision from God delivered when he’s praying for his own health. He needs to abandon himself to God. Wayne is most vulnerable in Act IV.

• Solution: Change. The first group, The Masters, is smooth, cut too short by Vietnam. The 2nd group, The Esonics, is rocky more obstacles that contribute to Wayne’s alcoholism; Act IV, most vulnerable, Wayne finds his rebirth.

For Antagonist/Donna:

• Arc: begins refusing love and skeptical of Wayne’s gifts; ends loving and devoted to Wayne’s gifts

• Obstacles: giving her a stronger wound that amps the obstacles and conflict between Donna and Wayne, and Donna and her son Terry.

• Structure: Act II coming from an abused first marriage, she enters a relationship with a young black man; Act IV she can’t believe Wayne’s visions and wants to end their marriage

• Solution: with her wound she needs to open her heart and faith in order to accept Wayne and Terry.

B. Need Stronger Conflict

Elevated Wayne/The Esonics and Church as the main conflict (will Wayne get his star spotlight). Increased conflicts within The Esonics, these intensify their crisis, climax (added) and resolution scenes.

Intensified Wayne/Donna conflict, as the relationship subplot, especially in Act IV with added scene.

C. Need Stronger Opening

Brainstormed several openings, these helped me tweak the opening to emphasize conflict between Wayne and Marvin and elevate Aunt Willie’s purpose

D. Need Stronger Ending

Revised ending emphasizes importance of relationship with Aunt Willie, and Wayne’s solo gift of voice – he’s earned his spotlight!

Revised Donna/Terry ending scene to show Donna’s acceptance of Terry’s queerness.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Outline Improvements

What I learned from this assignment was the value of the steps leading to this outline revision. They helped give me needed objectivity with big picture (pitch, genre, plot points) and character storyline evaluation. This allowed me to be more creative.

Improvements:

1. stronger opening hook

2. condensed, tightened Act I

3. gave my protagonist, Wayne, more agency with Act I plot point sequence

4. elevated the dramatic stakes in Act II and III while tightening the acts

5. elevated the drama with strengthened storylines for Donna/Terry (wife and step son)

6. gave needed breathing room in Act IV

Looking forward to the next steps!

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Story Lines

What I learned doing this assignment was my core characters want more agency in this story, and it was valuable to let them to reveal and explore it.

Wayne Reece’s Story Line

Beginning: Wayne reveals his giving heart and beautiful voice at 5 years old. He fights with his playground rival, Marvin, who doesn’t want Wayne’s white friends to play basketball. He distributes donated meat to a single mother, shunned by other kids.

Inciting Incident: Wayne (14) hustles a music recording producer in a poolhall. He wins a studio recording job, singing the female backup tracks for Elvis.

Turning Point 1: Wayne receives news J.T. is killed in action in Vietnam, killing Wayne’s first R&B group. He wants to follow his older brother into the Army, but Aunt Willie pushes him to enlist in the Air Force to survive the war.

Midpoint: The Esonics lose their contract. Wayne proposes to Donna and commits to civilian life in Life Insurance as the only black man. “I’ve got this!” He’s determined to support family and keep the music alive.

Turning Point 2: Wayne works himself to near-death – alcoholism has destroyed his liver and the doctors give him months to live. He and Aunt Willie pray him back to health.

Dilemma: Does he ignore God’s vision and appease his wife who won’t believe, or threaten his marriage by following God’s vision to find an all-white congregation for his voice?

Major Conflict: He confronts the Church’s board who won’t open their doors to marginalized, homeless – those who really need the church’s acceptance and God’s love.

Ending: At Aunt Willie’s deathbed, Wayne expresses his heart in a song he writes for her. He sings it at her funeral, and he shares it as a spiritual leader for a diverse church community.

Aunt Willie’s Story Line

Beginning: Aunt Willie lives on her own and works/manages Wash-o-Mat. She’s treated as her community’s maternal, spiritual leader, but her faith in God is strained. She sees Wayne fighting Marvin and realizes she can help Marvin.

Inciting Incident: She’s surprised to see Wayne deliver donated meat to a stranger’s home – a single-mother shunned by the children. And she’s doubly surprised and moved to hear Wayne singing alone with the radio.

Turning Point 1: After the divorce of Wayne’s parents, Aunt Willie takes care of Wayne’s father, Edward, and the children. Edward is an alcoholic as was Aunt Willie’s father.

Midpoint: With Edward Jr. serving in the Army, Aunt Willie pushes Wayne to leave Nashville; his voice is too important to remain silent.

Turning Point 2: Wayne drinks himself close to death, falling down the same path as her father and son. Aunt Willie joins him at his bedside.

Dilemma: Does she abandon faith and accept Wayne’s death, or does she commit to God and faith?

Major Conflict: Wayne’s miraculous recovery restores her faith in God. Now she needs Wayne to follow the path God shared with him (despite Donna’s protests).

Ending: Wayne’s resurrection has restored her faith. She’s now ready to leave this earth for Heaven.

Donna Barr’s Story Line

I’m giving Donna two tracks: with Wayne, and with her youngest son, Terry.

Beginning: Donna, white, is recently divorced, raising five children. Her pregnancy with her youngest, Terry, pushed the divorce. Her husband beat her when she revealed her pregnancy. Donna’s not seeking love – doesn’t know what it is now – as “love” took and her mother down the same path of abuse and pain.

For Terry: he’s a constant reminder of the divorce, and husband’s abuse.

Inciting Incident: She’s approached by Wayne, a handsome young black Airman with crazy vision that God set them up when he was a teen.

For Terry: Donna suspects Terry is gay and forces him to hang out with his older brother, Troy, rather than his sisters.

Turning Point 1: After Wayne gives the children dinner and he offers his car to her, Donna opens her heart to him.

For Terry: Troy refuses to associate with Terry, and Donna refuses to take Terry to school.

Midpoint: She accepts Wayne’s proposal and pushes him into Life Insurance to support her and her family.

For Terry: Fed up, she won’t interact with Terry, leaving him in Wayne’s hands. Terry refuses the family and leaves for college at SFSU to be himself.

Turning Point 2: Donna’s not religious, and reluctantly joins Aunt Willie in prayer for Wayne’s life.

For Terry: Terry has AIDS and wants to come back home to die. Donna refuses to see Terry at the hospice or to pray for him. “God cannot love a gay man.”

Dilemma: Does she deny God and get Wayne back in the office and on the road – or does she open her heart to God and trust her husband’s vision of finding the church.

For Terry: Does she continue to reject her son (and her husband/marriage) and protect her heart – or pray for her son and accept him –only to lose him and break her heart again?

Major Conflict: Donna confronts a racist board member – who was shocked to know Donna married a black man and is devoted to him and his vision.

For Terry: She refuses to go to the hospice, while accepting Wayne’s futile round-the-clock prayer vigil at his bedside.

Ending: She celebrates her husband’s gift to millions – this is bigger than any one human – this is a gift from a higher power. And this power has given her this man, and his love.

For Terry: Donna reopens the home and her heart to Terry. Donna realizes her pregnancy with Terry gave her strength to fight for the divorce and her children.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Profiles

What I learned doing this assignment is the feeling of empowerment I can have when I allow myself to be curious to dig deeper for a possible layer or trait/complexity within my character/relationships. I see this empowerment as a process of allowing myself the freedom to explore and be curious in order to discover, evaluate, and craft conflict/friction/complexity that fuels my story’s world and supports the vision.

My Strengthened Character Profiles:

A. Name: Wayne Reece

B. Role in the Story: Wayne is the protagonist who seeks a musical group for his spotlight to celebrate his gift from God.

C. Core Traits: Dreamer, Manipulative, Proud, Hard-working

D. Motivation: Want = his spotlight on Vegas stage. Need = to open his heart and voice to God’s plan.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = self-centered. Wound = The divorce of his parents due to his father’s alcoholism.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = he’s blessed with gifts from God: giving heart, glorious voice, and manifest visions. Hidden Agenda = he’s leading his musical cover group for his stardom, to prove others that race doesn’t matter, and to “best” the original artists.

G. Internal Dilemma: To manipulate others to showcase himself vs to give himself and his heart to a spiritual community and sing for God.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Wayne is the one blessed/cursed with his gifts, and he uses them in a self-centered way. He needs his journey to find his true service to God (family, community).

A. Name: Aunt Willie

B. Role in the Story: Wayne’s grandmother and spiritual guide; spiritual leader in the Nashville community

C. Core Traits: Forgiving, Controlling, Patient, Compassionate.

D. Motivation: Want = to guide others to be their best and open to God’s gifts. Need = to keep her family safe.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = controlling nature contributes to divorce of Wayne’s parents. Wound = she was unable to help her father with his alcoholism and anger.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = she witnessed a miracle as a girl, but ongoing civil rights issues are challenging her faith; Hidden Agenda = to guide Wayne to achieve God’s calling, and restore her faith in God

G. Internal Dilemma: to be patient with Wayne (and God) for him to fulfill God’s plan vs. her faith in God is strained.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? Wayne needs a spiritual guide to help him understand God’s gifts. His parents’ flaws (divorce, alcoholism) make them unreliable in Aunt Willie’s eyes.

A. Name: Donna Barr

B. Role in the Story: Donna is Wayne’s love and wife. Divorced, she has closed herself from love.

C. Core Traits: Practical, hard-working, self-sacrificing, impatient.

D. Motivation: Want = to care for her kids and secure her career. Need = to accept Terry and prove her love for him. To open her heart to Wayne and to God’s power.

E. Flaw/Wound: Flaw = she doesn’t believe in love or higher being. Wound = abused by her first husband, divorced.

F. Secret/Hidden Agenda: Secret = her mom accepted abuse in her marriage, as long as the children were safe; Donna’s husband abused her after he found out she was pregnant with their fifth child, Terry. Hidden Agenda = to raise her family in a beautiful home.

G. Internal Dilemma: she’s closed off her heart (she blames herself for her fate) vs. opening her heart to Wayne, Terry, and God.

H. What makes this character perfect for their role in this story? She had a painful first marriage – abuse, humiliation, deprecation. But Wayne’s vision of her as his love (God’s vision and plan), and his show of devotion to her and her children, challenges her heart and her connection with a higher power.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Genre Conventions:

What I learned doing this assignment is how my focus on genre, Drama, allowed me to evaluate my protagonist’s emotional decisions and stakes, and elevate his personal investment/engagement. This is evolving.

Title: A Giving Heart

Concept: Set against the musical backdrop of ‘50s-‘70s male R&B groups, a black singer defies racial barriers in his pursuit for fame as lead singer for an R&B band.

Genre: Drama

Genre Conventions for Drama:

• Purpose: To explore stories with emotional and interpersonal high stakes for their characters.

• Character-Driven Journey:

• High Stakes Come from Within:

• Emotionally Resonates:

• Challenging, Emotionally-Charged Situations:

• Real-Life Situations:

Structure Elevated by Genre

Act 1:

• Opening

Wayne fights Marvin because of Marvin’s racism; the fight is broken up by Aunt Willie. Wayne refuses Aunt Willie’s lesson to give Marvin a 2nd chance, and escapes to listen/sing to the radio.

• Inciting Incident

Wayne hustles a music studio producer in a pool hall. Excited by the kid’s singing voice, the producer offers Wayne a gig recording back-up vocals for Elvis Presley.

• Initial Plan

Wayne leads The Masters, a teen R&B cover group, accepting Marvin as member. He hustles them into the black-only New Era Club.

• Turning Point

With the Vietnam draft ending The Masters and the music, Wayne chooses to distance himself from Aunt Willie and Marvin, and he enlists in the Air Force.

Act 2:

• New plan

Survive the war and find his new path.

• Plan in action

Wayne creates and leads a 2nd R&B group, The Esonics, who light up the Officer’s Club. He’s surprised to meet Donna. He woos her, but Wayne is targeted by racist Captain Burgess.

• Midpoint Turning Point

As the Esonics prepare for civilian life, their off-base club severs their agreement. Wayne’s determined to keep the group going. He proposes to Donna.

Act 3:

• Rethink everything

Committed to support Donna and her family, Wayne enters a new profession, insurance, while also keeping the Esonics alive.

• New plan

The only black in insurance, Wayne hustles for success, but he’s sacrificing singing. To succeed, Wayne brings in an ignored demographic, black clients. To succeed and to cope, he’s drinking heavily. Wayne’s fighting to get the Esonics a new life. He’s giving and giving and frustrated he’s not getting back. He’s challenged as leader and Wayne leaves the group.

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift

Drinking himself near death, collapsing in an alley, Wayne is found by Pastor Walt. Wayne and Aunt Willie pray Wayne to full recovery. Major Shift: Wayne receives God’s vision to sing for an all-white congregation.

Act 4:

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict

Refusing to follow the church’s board to ignore the homeless at the church’s old grounds, Wayne does not show up to sing at the groundbreaking of Pastor Walt’s new church. Wayne delivers meals to the homeless at the old church grounds, opening the hearts of the congregation members, and the door of their new church.

• Resolution

Wayne prays with Aunt Willie at her passing, and he writes an original song for her. He sings it at her gravesite, shares that song at Pastor Walt’s new church, and broadcasts it for a global spiritual community.

Improvements based on Genre:

Act 1:

Opening focuses on dramatic triangle – Wayne’s challenges with Marvin are straining his relationship with Aunt Willie.

Turning Point pushes Wayne to accept music is dead. He closes his heart to family and friends to enlist in Air Force.

Act 2:

Plan in Action: Donna’s appearance is a surprise, and challenges Wayne (was his vision as a teen a gift from God?). He’s conflicted: is he wooing her because God says it will happen, or because they fall in love?

Midpoint Turning Point: Wayne refuses to let the music die again. He commits to the Esonics as well as Donna and her children.

Act 3:

New Plan: Wayne’s giving and giving and he’s getting frustrated he’s not getting back. The Esonics question his leadership, and he leaves the group.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s 4 Act Structure

What I learned doing this assignment… It’s invaluable and empowering for me to have distance/objectivity at this stage of rewriting, to give myself the freedom to step back to view, explore and strengthen the big picture structural elements. “Fill in the blanks”, “put together the puzzle”, and “looking beneath the surface” to strengthen structure have been valuable creative processes for me on this assignment.

• Title: A Giving Heart

• Genre: Drama

• Concept: Set against the musical backdrop of ‘50s-‘70s male R&B groups, a black singer defies racial barriers in his pursuit for fame as lead singer for an R&B band.

• Main Conflict: The challenges of racism, interracial love, group rivalry, and alcoholism push him to the brink of death.

Current Draft:

Act 1:

• Opening

Wayne fights Marvin because Marvin won’t let Wayne’s white friends play, the fight is broken up by Aunt Willie. Wayne and kids distribute leftover meat to the neighborhood families.

• Inciting Incident

Aunt Willie gives Marvin a second chance, as a lesson to Wayne to listen to and follow his “giving heart”.

• Initial Plan

Wayne leads The Masters, with Marvin as member, as a teen R&B group. He hustles them into the New Era Club.

• Turning Point

The Vietnam draft forces The Masters to break up, and they play their final performance in New Era Club.

Act 2:

• New plan

Wayne chooses to enlist in U.S. Air Force and serves stateside at Luke AFB to survive the war and create a new singing group.

• Plan in action

Wayne creates and leads The Esonics, airmen who perform in the Officer’s Club. He meets Donna, the woman he saw in God’s vision, and woos her.

• Midpoint Turning Point

As the Esonics enter civilian life, Stage Seven takes away their deal. Wayne marries Donna, an older white divorcee with a family of five.

Act 3:

• Rethink everything

Wayne commits to civilian life and family life by becoming an insurance agent.

• New plan

The only black in insurance, Wayne hustles for success, but he needs to sacrifice singing. To cope, he’s drinking.

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift

Drinking himself near death, collapsing in an alley, Wayne is found by the Pastor Walt. Wayne and Aunt Willie pray Wayne to full recovery. Major Shift: Wayne receives God’s vision to sing for an all-white congregation.

Act 4:

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict

He refuses to follow the church’s board to ignore the homeless in their new church, and delivers them food, opening the hearts of the congregation members, and the door of their church.

• Resolution

He sings his song for Aunt Willie at her gravesite and shares that song at Pastor Walt’s new church and for a global spiritual community.

Elevated Structure:

Act 1:

• Opening

Wayne fights Marvin because Marvin won’t let Wayne’s white friends play, the fight is broken up by Aunt Willie. Wayne and kids distribute leftover meat to the neighborhood families. A white racist father tosses Wayne’s donation of meat back at the boy.

• Inciting Incident

Wayne hustles a music studio producer in a pool hall. Excited by the kid’s singing voice, the producer offers Wayne a gig recording back-up vocals for Elvis Presley.

• Initial Plan

Wayne leads The Masters, a teen R&B cover group, with Marvin as member. He hustles them into the black-only New Era Club.

• Turning Point

Forced to break up due to Vietnam draft, The Masters play their final performance in New Era Club. Wayne sees a mysterious white woman sitting in the club (God’s vision) – but Marvin confirms this was Wayne’s imagination.

Act 2:

• New plan

Wayne chooses to enlist in U.S. Air Force and serves stateside at Luke AFB to survive the war, create a new R&B cover group, and find the woman in his vision.

• Plan in action

Wayne creates and leads The Esonics, who light up the Officer’s Club. He meets Donna, the woman he saw in God’s vision, and woos her. But Wayne is targeted by racist Captain Burgess.

• Midpoint Turning Point

(I’ve put two here just, both are important in this act transition. Still exploring which is the primary Midpoint TP)

Having baited Wayne into striking him, Captain Burgess orders Wayne’s deployment to Vietnam, but Wayne and his supervising officer manipulate the system to keep him stateside and alive.

As the Esonics prepare for civilian life, their off-base club severs their agreement, putting the future of the group in question.

Act 3:

• Rethink everything

Wayne marries Donna, an older white divorcee with a family of five. Wayne commits to civilian life selling insurance to support his family.

• New plan

The only black in insurance, Wayne hustles for success, but he’s sacrificing singing. To succeed, Wayne’s brings in an ignored demographic, black clients. To succeed and to cope, he’s drinking heavily. Wayne’s fighting to get the Esonics a new life, but he’s challenged by infighting and ego.

• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift

Drinking himself near death, collapsing in an alley, Wayne is found by the Pastor Walt. Wayne and Aunt Willie pray Wayne to full recovery. Major Shift: Wayne receives God’s vision to sing for an all-white congregation.

Act 4:

• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict

Refusing to follow the church’s board to ignore the homeless at the church’s old grounds, Wayne does not show up to sing at the groundbreaking of Pastor Walt’s new church. Wayne delivers meals to the homeless at the old church grounds, opening the hearts of the congregation members, and the door of their new church.

• Resolution

Wayne prays with Aunt Willie at her passing, and he writes an original song for her. He sings it at her gravesite, shares that song at Pastor Walt’s new church, and broadcasts it for a global spiritual community.

[Stuart Voytilla]

SUBJECT: Stuart’s Project Pitch

What I learned doing this assignment is to trust and celebrate the revision process. I have to keep reminding myself we are not writing for perfection, we’re writing drafts so we have freedom to revise.

A. Genre: Drama

B. Title: A Giving Heart

C. High Concept: Set against the musical backdrop of ‘50s-‘70s male R&B groups, a black singer defies racial barriers in his pursuit for fame as lead singer for an R&B band.

D. Main Conflict: The challenges of racism, interracial love, group rivalry, and alcoholism push him to the brink of death.

E. Transformational Journey: Wayne goes from self-centered, domineering to compassionate spiritual leader in an all-white church.

F. Opposition: It doesn’t have one central antagonist. Racism, interracial marriage/family, rivalry within musical group.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Hello, I’m Stuart Voytilla, and I’ve written over a dozen scripts in a variety of forms (feature, television, immersive/interactive). I’m excited to take this course to assist with bringing a 140-page drama into a tight, engaging 105 pages (target). And to continue to hone my craft with revision strategies as part of my toolbox. One of my previous career hats was working in public affairs for The Baltimore Sun newspapers, back when David Simon was working the city beat. I’m looking forward to working with you in this class and supporting your rewriting.

[Stuart Voytilla]

I, Stuart Voytilla, 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.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Episode List Rough Draft

What I learned doing this assignment is… The set of questions was extremely valuable, allowing me to brainstorm episode ideas, as I continue to go deeper into the development of the show and explore this initial draft of the pitch document. A helpful tool I brought into the mix, asking “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” This helped me discover episodes and an additional untapped storyline.

Episode One: King Goplik crashes the wedding of Lady Amelia and Prince Brann.

• Timken prepares Amelia for her dream wedding.
• Wedding ceremony, reception… delivery of the gift from neighboring Brattvia – in return, Lavinia presents Timken’s mysterious guardian, Mauriae – a traitor to Brattvia and in league with the murderers of King Raynor.
• Gift transforms to bloody death and chaos.
• Timken fails to defend Prince Brann/Lavinia – Timken is captured by Lord Asnar.

Episode Two: Princess Amelia is alive – and a slave to the king’s courtroom!

• Asnar examines Temkin, his “pet” – the spoils of war…
• Temkin mourns the death of Amelia and his family/country, plans to kill himself.
• Asnar and Goplik are lovers. Asnar teases about the spoils of war he’s eager to offer the king in his court.
• King and his ministers are presented news/spoils of the practical joke. Asnar presents Temkin – who’s humiliated and named “Hop-Frog”.
• Asnar presents Amelia – the dancing princess – surprising Hop-Frog! She stumbles, humiliated. The Minister of Hunger names her “Trippetta”. Hop-Frog takes stage to deflect attention from Trippetta.
• Alone, Trippetta rejects Hop-Frog – he wasn’t there to defend her prince.

Episode Three: The murder of Minister of Hunger.

• Hop-Frog prepares the entertainment, but missing Trippetta.
• Hop-Frog entreats Amelia to trust him to help her escape – but she’ll have nothing to do with Temkin.
• Hop-Frog presents the entertainment to the king — other oddities…with Trippetta the headliner.
• Minister of Hunger requests the private meeting with Trippetta. But Asnar is protective of his treasure.
• Asnar tests Trippetta’s skills at swordplay.
• Trippetta plots her revenge on Minister of Hunger, unawares that
• Hop-Frog plots vengeance upon Minister of Hunger…
• Hop-Frog and Trippetta cross paths – as Hop-Frog executes his plan – Minister’s demise in his kitchen; his corpse is prepared for the king’s meal.
• King’s banquet, all enjoy huge limbs of delicious tender meat.
• Hop-Frog and Trippetta become allies – determined to see the king fall.
• But Asnar (or Syrelle?) observes the two huddling, and suspects…

Episode Four: Trippetta seduces Lord Asnar, while King Goplik/Hop-Frog plot how to use Trippetta to bargain an alliance with Balog.

• Hop-Frog serves meat stew to the peasants, the generosity of the Minister of Hunger. The word of Hop-Frog’s celebrity spreads.
• Princess Syrelle meets Prince of Balog to negotiate allegiance/marriage. Prince of Balog concerned about treatment of Lavinia.
• Asnar duels Trippetta, training her with the sword. Trippetta uses the sparing to seduce him.
• Asnar and King Goplik make love, Asnar shares his suspicions of Trippetta’s advances – intriguing the King.
• King Goplik hatches plot (with Hop-Frog’s guidance) to use Trippetta to bargain an alliance with Balog.
• Asnar and Trippetta commit to seduction, and Hop-Frog witnesses.

Episode Five: Hop-Frog plays the Prince of Balog to secure Trippetta’s freedom.

• Prince of Balog arranges a meeting with Princess Syrelle at the Brattvian castle.
• Entertainment for the prince – he’s ribbed by Hop-Frog, captivated by Trippetta’s dance.
• Prince of Balog sneaks into the cells to find Trippetta and promises her rescue. Lord Asnar kills him.
• Dispose of the body in the crypt – sealing the corpse in a wall.
• Hop-Frog finds Mauriae still alive, prisoner of the Master of Ceremonies.

Episode Six: Trippetta and Hop-Frog manipulate Lord Asnar, and break their own trust.

• Hop-Frog gets the truth about the resistance from Mauriae.
• King of Balog demands the return of Prince of Balog.
• Hop-Frog proposes a grand party to celebrate the anniversary of Goplik’s coronation – a comedy roast of King Goplik, but he promises a delicious twist.
• The play of Lord Asnar gets more devious, Lord Asnar suspects Hop-Frog and uses Trippetta. And she reveals Hop-Frog’s plan.

Episode Seven: Planning the Roast for the King

• The Roast – with Balog and rivals mocking the King.
• Asnar realizes Hop-Frog’s deception – and challenges him.
• Hop-Frog and Trippetta trap Asnar.
• Hop-Frog takes over the Roast – allowing the entertainment, while the King and his ministers withdraw for their final gift.
• And Hop-Frog prepares the King and ministers for their practical joke – dressing up in their mysterious costuming.
• Princess Syrelle suspects the deception underfoot.

Episode Eight: Serving the King’s Roast (Trippetta and Hop-Frog exact vengeance.)

• Hop-Frog presents the Fool’s Play performed by the king – chaos erupts.
• The courtroom is surrounded by shadowy were-beasts – terrifying all. Exits blocked to contain the evil.
• Huge were-orangutans attack… (the king and his ministers in disguise). The fires threaten to roast the party-goers, Goplik’s rivals.
• Hop-Frog turns the tables on Goplik trapping him in the chains for the chandeliers – and revealing the beasts as threats to all – and the crowd rise to burn the were-beasts – roasting the king and his minions.
• All horrified. An empty throne.
• Hop-Frog wants to take Trippetta away, free, but she too is considering the throne.
• Something is quaking, rumbling within the crypt where King Raynor’s bones lay.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Five Seasons.

What I learned doing this assignment… wow, this was a fruitful, validating, deep dive, extremely valuable, but time consuming. Again, very valuable. The series I’m developing has been explored/positioned as as a horror-anthology – with Poe’s storyscape as the unifying style, theme, and a new Poe story for each season – but I wanted to challenge myself to see whether The Horror of Hop-Frog had legs as a stand-alone multi-season series. I feel it does, many thanks to this lesson’s guidance.

Season 1: Roast for King Goplik

At the celebration of the engagement of Lady Amelia to Prince Brann of Lavinia, a lavish gift from their neighboring ally, King Goplik of Brattvia, launches a brutal massacre of family and friends, igniting the scorch-earth usurpation of Lavinia. The two survivors, Amelia and her servant, the dwarf Temkin, are enslaved to entertain King Goplik and his Ministers. They are humiliated and named Trippetta the Dancer and Hop-Frog the Fool.

To protect his lady (and secret love), Hop-Frog plays by the king’s rules – facilitating the horrific practical jokes Goplik delivers for rule and punishment to his rivals. He wins the king’s trust in order to manipulate the king and his ministers and secretly plot their fall. Meanwhile, as court dancer, Trippetta pursues her own secret path toward vengeance, using her dance and charm to seduce Lord Asnar, the king’s military adviser and the murderer of her prince.

Hop-Frog’s and Trippetta’s individual paths for vengeance cross and they must learn to trust each other – but that trust fractures when Trippetta’s maneuvering of Lord Asnar turns into true seduction, crushing Hop-Frog’s heart. But Lord Asnar doesn’t realize this was part of Trippetta’s plot – to push Hop-Frog to hatch the final act.

Feeding Goplik’s paranoia of forces wanting to take the throne, Hop-Frog delights King Goplik with his most lavish practical joke – a Roast for King Goplik, a Mocking Tribute to celebrate the anniversary of his taking the throne. But the devious plot expected by Goplik to turn this into a literal roasting of his enemies is twisted by Hop-Frog with King Goplik facing the roasting fires.

With Goplik’s death and free of their servitude, Trippetta and Hop-Frog plan their return to Lavinia. But the empty throne beckons Trippetta. Several other forces are eager for their claim, including Goplik’s niece, Princess Syrelle, who’s riveted and charmed by Hop-Frog’s sacrifice.

However, likely the biggest force with rightful claim is rising from the crypts of Goplik’s castle… the supernatural remains of Goplik’s brother, King Raynor, seeking his own vengeance.

Season 2: Hell hath no fury like a Queen Mother Scorned

With the death of King Goplik, the Master of Ceremonies (Prime Minister of Fear) tries to maintain calm and stability, as he prepares to name the next King of Brattvia. The two rivals within the royal family are Princess Syrelle, the daughter of King Raynor, and Prince Botch, the doltish son of King Goplik. The Queen Mother forces the placement of Prince Botch – while supernatural forces in the dungeons are whispering the need for Syrelle to take her rightful seat in the throne. Meanwhile, Trippetta sees Botch as her way to the throne, and maneuvers herself as Botch’s military adviser and lover. This is further motivated when Princess Syrelle enlists Hop-Frog as her minister to maneuver Botch and his ministers into Syrelle’s web of control.

With favor toward the Queen Mother, the Master of Ceremonies must negotiate the crown against the increasing threat of evil in the dungeons that are transforming Goplik’s castle fun-house of practical jokes into a nightmarish phantasmagoria where few may survive. The MC and King Botch must also protect Brattvia from the encroaching threats from neighboring Balog… and the increasing validation of the marching victims of the plague.

Throughout, the MC fears Hop-Frog as his greatest threat and works to vanquish the dwarf – even enlisting Trippetta as an ally.

The final battle is played out between Princess Syrelle and King Botch; Trippetta and Hop-Frog; and the Queen Mother and the resurrected demon that was her first son, King Raynor.

King Botch falls, evil rises, and Syrelle must face her resurrected father, channeled through the Master of Ceremonies. Trippetta targets Syrelle for the throne but Hop-Frog intercepts in time. While both potential leaders survive, Hop-Frog has lost Trippetta, his secret love.

In the final moments, Hop-Frog realizes the Master of Ceremonies has been the puppet-master all along. He’s been in league with the spirits resurrecting King Raynor, intent on his position as Minister of Fear. Hop-Frog realizes the MC is the one who must fall.

Season 3 Master of Ceremonies – Minister of Fear

The Master of Ceremonies rules Brattvia through the evil forces that have resurrected King Raynor. This season is a mano a mano duel of strategy and growing magical abilities pitting Master of Ceremonies and Hop-Frog, who needs to win back the trust of Trippetta. This leads to potential love – Hop-Frog’s dream.

But the Master of Ceremonies is more Machiavelian and more practiced in Machiavelian tactics than Hop-Frog. He has the advantage and the upper hand.

Hop-Frog wins Trippetta’s trust, her allegiance, and potentially her love as the two defeat the Minister of Ceremonies. However, Hop-Frog has survived through his shadow and in the end of the season, he surprises all by taking the throne. He silences both Syrelle and Trippetta. Leaving us unsettled at season’s end. How will he rule, and what forces of opposition does he face?

Season 4 King Hop-Frog!

King Hop-Frog faces Trippetta, a prisoner to Brattvia. She’s locked up by this ruler who had secretly loved her.

In a Hop-Frog-warped way, he rules similarly to King Goplik – taking on the celebration of clever humor or a well-played practical joke to rule with fear. He executes a practical joke on a neighboring country, and in turn takes a prisoner whom he designates as his ‘Hop-Frog’, his court jester. But the spiritual remnants of King Raynor within the castle walls still linger and still seduce.

Now in power, and threatened by evil forces from rivals across borders, as well as from the supernatural forces within the castle walls, Hop-Frog’s paranoia grows – as did King Goplik’s. Meanwhile, Trippetta is determined to find the essence of Tempkin within King Hop-Frog. The essence she was falling in love with and that she desperately wants to save.

The dynamics of the season play on two layers – King Hop-Frog’s struggle for rule in light of outside threats, especially against the darkest force still residing in the castle’s crypt. And Hop-Frog’s navigating his relationship with Trippetta.

It ends tragically with Hop-Frog dying by Trippetta’s sword. The supernatural forces are still present, suggesting a rise of Hop-Frog and his vengeance against Trippetta.

Season 5 The Death of Hop-Frog and Trippetta

The funeral of Hop-Frog… a ceremony that memorializes his rule. He’s buried in the crypt of Goplik’s castle. But Queen Trippetta doesn’t believe Hop-Frog’s burial is complete. She fears powers that may resurrect him, as a force that threatens her rule. And there’s something stirring in the crypt…Trippetta may be right…

In memory of her family and Hop-Frog, Trippetta is rebuilding Lavinia, which is causing protests within her council of ministers and the people of Brattvia.

During this season, we celebrate a woman’s rule of the throne against forces that cannot accept that rule. They continue their trickery and practical jokes – as if Trippetta faces the spirits and their continuing efforts to silence her rule.

Within the realm of the supernatural, Hop-Frog wages his own struggle to survive and to reclaim his human desire for love – to return to his heart’s true desire – Trippetta. In the final clash, Hop-Frog rises to help Trippetta against her greatest foe. They win, but realize the sacrifices they’ve made for others now need to reside within the actions of others. They need to leave Brattvia, they need to leave their service, and their greed for power, to celebrate their love far away from the throne and court of power. Back to their homeland of Lavinia. At last, finding their happily-ever-after.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Descriptions

What I learned doing this assignment is…

The more challenging the writing of these descriptions, the more details I realized I needed for identity and a face for my characters. I have to make choices, and lock things in. These were extremely challenging, and the critical voice saying “this isn’t perfect!” was debilitating. Go away, critic. Let me explore, have fun, and discover.

Temkin / “Hop-Frog”

Meek, compassionate, Temkin Bloom desperately wants acceptance despite the disabilities he was born with. He serves in the manor of the Lord and Lady Midsommer of Lavinia. His only friend is their daughter, Amelia, soon-to-be engaged to Prince Brann. While others shun and avoid Temkin, Amelia cherishes Temkin as her favorite “pet”, unaware that he secretly loves her.

When the King of Brattvia crashes the royal engagement party turning it into a bloody massacre and signaling the usurpation of the country, Temkin finds himself one of two survivors. He’s presented before the conquering king and his ministers who gawk and chortle at the “deformed monstrosity” – Timkin’s dwarfish torso is disproportional to his disfigured legs – “froggy legs! I bet you hop with those legs.” “Hop-Frog you are!” proclaims King Goplik. And you are now my Court Jester.

As court fool, Hop-Frog’s willing to take the abuse and humiliation, to survive and find some means of escape. Until he realizes the second survivor and spoil for King Goplik’s demented amusement is Temkin’s secret love, Amelia. To protect Amelia, Hop-Frog’s now willing to play by the king’s rules – facilitating the horrific practical jokes he delivers for rule and punishment to his rivals — and winning the king’s trust and acceptance.

As Hop-Frog, Temkin discovers untapped aspects of himself – rage, vengeance, Machiavellian guile to manipulate the king, his ministers, and to subvert their practical jokes with horrific punchlines delivered by Hop-Frog. As Hop-Frog, Temkin’s willing to risk everything to win his secret love’s heart, and to show the king as the bigger fool. But who will survive in the end? Hop-Frog or Temkin?

Amelia / “Trippetta”

Naïve yet strong, opinionated, privileged, Amelia dreams of her happily-ever-after princess life with Prince Brann of Lavinia. When their engagement party becomes the massacre of family and love, Amelia is enslaved by the King of Brattvia. She’s forced to entertain with her enchanting dance – but Amelia is the most beautiful creature these men have seen – and they want more. Humiliated with the insulting moniker of “Trippetta” when she accidentally stumbles in court, Amelia silently vows revenge against the Minister of Hunger who renamed her.

The only other survivor of the massacre is her servant, Temkin. Her ill-faith of his abilities to help her are shattered when Temkin murders the Minister of Hunger before she gets the chance.

She may be treated as a spoil of war, a trophy, but she refuses to be broken. The King and his ministers may not realize the grit of this rare beyond compare possession. Instead of giving in, Amelia uses her dance and charm to seduce with promises of pleasure only to inflict pain and death upon her enemies. Her need to escape and survive becomes a quest for vengeance against King Goplik. But can she trust Temkin to help her dethrone King Goplik? But when Goplik is gone, doesn’t the throne become available to anyone? Including herself?

King Goplik of Brattvia

Vain, charming, the King of Brattvia rules with a dark passion to keep his people and court in control, and his inner circle of ministers loyal to him. Goplik’s morbid sense of humor is played out through the lavish horrific practical jokes he instigates for control of his own, or to deliver revenge against rivals. He and his cherished Master of Ceremonies, his Prime Minister of Fear, are masterminds behind his palace as funhouse of horror. Oh, how he delights when a good dark joke plays out.

His country longs for the return of King Raynor, Goplik’s older half-brother, who died mysteriously with his remains sealed in the palace’s underground crypt. To show his love for Raynor and support of country still in mourning, King Goplik is determined to root out all responsible for Raynor’s death. However, Goplik’s secretly using this to expunge an underground resistance force believing their beloved Raynor still lives. And if Raynor is indeed dead, the resistance is determined to use dark arts to resurrect and restore him to the throne. Their living champion is Raynor’s daughter, Princess Syrelle, who supports the current rule of her favorite uncle.

King Goplik must protect the truth – he plotted with Raynor’s Queen to murder his older brother, and to take his throne and his wife. The Queen Mother encouraged Goplik – who is her bastard by the better man – and her favorite son.

With the conspiracy of black arts to resurrect Raynor’s remains in the crypt, rumors of encroaching victims from the plagues of the northern shadows, and the growing unsettling and paranoia within his ministry, Goplik and his Master of Ceremonies, plot demented practical jokes to solidify his rule and destroy his rivals. But when the Master of Ceremonies is mysteriously murdered, Goplik must trust his new court jester, Hop-Frog, to deliver. Will he realize in time that Hop-Frog is determined to use Goplik’s practical jokes to unmask the king as the true fool in the end?

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Intriguing Concept and World

What I learned doing this assignment is the power of the questions to get deeper into my concept and world. The assignment’s deeper questions allowed me to have a stronger grasp of my show’s bingeworthy potential (especially the world). These have already offered strength and depth of these two important introductory hooks for my show’s evolving Framework and Bible. Great discoveries. Thank you, Hal (and your development team!)

1. My Show’s Concept:

The Horror of Hop-Frog

A. A meek, compassionate dwarf, enslaved as the court’s fool,

B. …for the tyrannical king who massacred his family and abuses his secret love

C. …transforms into a merciless angel of death

D. …as he deviously exacts vengeance upon the king and his ministers.

2. My Show’s World:

Unique Sub-World: the tyrannical king’s castle as funhouse of horror; infused by Poe’s nightmarish storyscape

Previously unexplored: king’s passion for horrific practical jokes; the disabled and abused as protagonist/hero; a castle as Gothic funhouse of horror

The unknown: the reality and threat of plague; reactions from neighboring countries; suspicions and mistrust within the court

The unseen: the resistance movement to restore king’s brother to throne; the plague; each uncharted chamber and corner of the castle funhouse; what lays in Raynor’s crypt?

Unheard of Dangers: rivals for throne; suspicions of many to reveal Trippetta’s/Hop-Frog’s deceptions; conspiracies that question trust and loyalty; sinful passions and rituals of the Master of Ceremonies and each minister.

Reason to explore it: to play the king as fool and get revenge within his funhouse

HORROR OF HOP-FROG WORLD: The royal castle of Brattvia is a Poe-infused funhouse of horror ruled by the tyrannical king and his ministers, where every shadowy corridor and locked chamber entices demented pleasures or diabolical torture. This throne of fear risks upheaval by threatened neighbors, the most-trusted minister within, or… perhaps…by what remains of the former king sealed in the dungeon.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart has completed the BW Framework!

What I learned doing this process… this has been a fantastic process of compiling all of the module’s development work, distilling, editing to make it more vivid and compelling. This takes a lot of time, and mental focus. The big discoveries involved giving balance amongst my three leads – and allowing a connected character to speak up for greater involvement. I wish we had three days for this before launching the next module… yikes. This will continue to evolve as I take it into the pitch bible development. Very excited for this next stage.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Creating Irony!

What I learned doing this exercise…Irony seems easy to understand and to see through analysis and example, but it was a challenge to implement. Brainstorming situational and character irony without censoring was liberating, allowing me to overcome the challenges.

American Horror Story’s Irony

Here’s how irony shows up in the show and the recent episode viewed:

Irony in the Show:

• The Harmons need a new life as a family (love, trust) in a house stigmatized as “murder house” with a negative energy that feeds on trauma and pain.
• Violet is seeking love and acceptance from Tate, but he committed a mass shooting of his classmates in high school.

Irony in Episode 11 “Birth”:

• Ben needs Violet to leave the house to help bring her mother home (life for mom and babies), but Violet cannot leave the house – she’s dead.
• Violet tries to convince dad, Ben, that she’s dead, but his science-grounded perspective refuses to believe.
• Vivien needs to leave the house, but she’s in labor and must give birth in the murder house.
• The first fetus is still-born, but Nora takes it – will it exist for her in the afterlife?
• The birth of the twins is delivered by ghosts – led by Dr. Charles Montgomery.
• With death, Vivien (mother) and Violet (daughter) find understanding and express love.

Hop-Frog’s Irony

Here’s situational and character irony that would serve my show:

Situational Irony:

• Hop-Frog is shunned as a disabled and useless servant; he becomes the very able and closest minister for King Goplik.
• The crypt of the dead awakens and the dead rise.
• A princess is enslaved to serve a King.
• Lord Asnar manipulates and seduces the “weak and helpless” Trippetta to reveal Hop-Frog’s plot, but she’s been using him for her own means to help Hop-Frog.
• A celebration of engagement/love becomes a massacre.
• The disabled dwarf defeats the perfection of athleticism and physique.
• The Minister of Hunger is consumed by his hungry peasants.

Character Irony:

• A fool becomes the king. And the king becomes the gullible fool.
• The dancer is clumsy – and named “Trippetta” by her captors.
• Valued as a pretty, ignorant possession, a princess becomes a cunning, warrior ruler.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Plot and Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment was the value of the sample series exploration to help me appreciate the power of layers for binge-watching intrigue, and for giving story value to your characters, not only your leads. This was a creatively liberating assignment allowing me to brainstorm and explore lots of possible rabbit holes for character and plot. It opened up the importance of my supporting characters. I found it challenging for the brainstorming and “what if” spitballing to remain solely on character or on plot. But I valued the individual examples under the two categories; they are very helpful to spark the “what if” to let the rabbit hunt begin. Good discoveries made. As I widen the exploration of character and cast, I’m eager to return to earlier lessons and questions to go further with character development.

American Horror Story’s Layers

The series supports a number of layers. Here are several key layers that had layers revealed in the latest episode:

Plot Surface: The Harmon family wants a new start (new life) and move in to the Murder House.

Layer 1: Hidden History – the previous owners died in a murder-suicide.

Layer 2: Hidden History – Larry warns Ben to leave or follow Larry’s evil fate – to murder his own family.

Layer 3: Thought it was one thing… – Moira, Tate are ghosts – anyone murdered on the grounds will haunt the grounds.

Layer 4: Hidden History – the history of murders goes back to the 1920s, and the original owners Charles and Nora Montgomery.

Layer 5: Mystery Revealed – The source of evil? Charles resurrected his dead child.

Layer 6: Major Scheme Revealed – the house doesn’t necessarily want the Harmons dead, it wants Vivien’s baby (the antiChrist).

Plot Surface: Vivien has a sexual encounter with someone dressed in the rubber suit. She believes it’s husband Ben.

Layer 1: Major Betrayal – We see it’s not Ben in the suit.

Layer 2: Major Shift in Meaning – Vivien is having twins – but there are two different fathers.

Layer 3: Mystery Revealed – Tate wore the rubber suit – and is the father of one of the twins.

Layer 4: Hidden Plan – Tate’s twin is the antiChrist, Constance needs to raise her grandchild.

Character Surface: Ben wants a new start for his family and marriage.

Layer 1: Hidden Relationships – Ben secretly maintains a relationship with Hayden and sees her in Boston.

Layer 2: Hidden Relationships – To cover up Larry’s murder of Hayden, Ben buries pregnant Hayden in back yard, and builds a gazebo atop her grave.

Layer 3: Secret Identity – Hayden visits Ben on Halloween, and Ben believes Hayden/Larry set him up.

Layer 4: Hidden relationships/conspiracies – Hayden is dead and has plans to keep Ben to herself.

Character Surface: Violet befriends Tate, one of her father’s patients.

Layer 1: Secret Identity – Tate is dead and cannot leave the house.

Layer 2: Hidden Character History – Tate killed classmates at high school and forced police to kill him.

Layer 3: Hidden Conspiracies – Vivien insists they leave the house, but Tate doesn’t want Violet to leave.

Layer 4: Secret Identity – Violet cannot leave the house because she’s dead (drug overdose)

Horror of Hop-Frog’s Layers

Plot Layers

Surface: King Goplik seeks the death to those involved in the murder of brother King Raynor.

Layer 1: Major Scheme Revealed – King Goplik is exposing those in alliance with Princess Syrelle (to return the blood of Raynor to the throne).

Layer 2: Major Betrayal – King Goplik conspired for the disappearance/murder of King Raynor.

Layer 3: Hidden History – The Queen Mother was behind the death of her son, Raynor, to favor her bastard son, Goplik.

Surface: Hop-Frog is enslaved to serve as the Court Jester.

Layer: Hidden History – MC had tortured Hop-Frog when we was young.

Layer: Major Scheme Revealed – Hop-Frog deceives King Goplik and Ministers for revenge.

Layer: Hidden Plan – Hop-Frog plans to depose King Goplik for Princess Syrelle

Layer: Major Betrayal – Hop-Frog double-crosses Princess Syrelle and Lord Asnar to hand throne to Trippetta.

Character Layers

Surface: Hop-Frog and Trippetta are enslaved to serve as court entertainers, their allegiance is based on survival.

Layer 1: Character Intrigue/Secret Identity – Hop-Frog murders the minister who embarrassed Trippetta.

Layer 2: Hidden Relationships and Conspiracies – Trippetta forges alliance with Hop-Frog for revenge.

Layer 3: Hidden Relationships and Conspiracies – Trippetta’s physical skills in dance/athletics/fencing entrances Lord Asnar (her captor) and they develop a relationship based on duels/physical competitions (withheld from Hop-Frog)

Layer 4: Hidden Relationships and Conspiracies – Trippetta agrees to work with Asnar for the throne, which exposes Hop-Frog’s plan for revenge.

Layer 5: Secret Identity – Trippetta double-crosses Asnar, exposing him to Hop-Frog.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Big Picture Open Loops

What I learned doing this assignment is… Moving ahead into this assignment with its focus on ongoing loops allowed breakthroughs in my mysteries, a stage that felt a bit stalled for me. Fascinating (and helpful), during the brainstorming, several of my early open loops (looking forward) were actually mysteries (looking back). I’m ingraining in my memory, mysteries engage us with investigations and questions about the past. Ongoing loops build expectations and questions about the future.

American Horror Story’s Open Loops

These were established early in the season:

• Will Ben and his family get their second chance?
• Will Vivien forgive Ben?
• Will Maria seduce Ben?
• What is Constance’s purpose with Ben?
• What is Constance planning for the Harmons?
• What does the Evil in the basement want with the Harmons?
• Will Hayden win back Ben?
• Will Violet and Tate connect?
• Who was the rubber man who seduced Vivien (and may be the baby-father)? What is the fate of Vivien’s pregnancy?
• Will Ben murder his family?

For episode nine, here’s how the open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes:

• Will Ben realize he’s wrong about Vivien’s infidelity, forgive her, and support her recovery?
• Is one of Vivien’s twins the anti-Christ?
• Why does Tate need Violet to stay in the house?
• Will Vivien trust Constance, and allow her to raise Tate’s baby (anti-Christ)?
• What does Hayden want from Ben?
• Will Moira help Ben and the Harmons to survive? To see things as they really are?
• Will Constance find out that Hayden killed her dog-walker lover? And what will Constance do to Hayden?

Assignment 2: Stuart’s Big Picture Open Loops:

A snapshot of the big picture open loops that could be in the pilot:

• Will Hop-Frog get vengeance and be the hero?
• Can Hop-Frog and Trippetta (handmaiden to the Princess) trust each other and work as allies as they plot and execute vengeance?
• Will the Princess survive slavery? And what does King Goplik plan for the Princess?
• Will the Master of Ceremonies discover Hop-Frog’s plan for revenge?
• Does King Raynor live, and what is the threat to King Goplik?
• What are the were-beasts from the northern shadows? And how dangerous is the threat of the plague/were-beasts to the southern countries, Brattvia?
• Will Hop-Frog reveal his heart to Trippetta and earn her heart in return?

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Mysteries

What I learned doing this assignment is that my mystery is still a bit of a mystery but becoming more realized. As a character, Hop-Frog is similar to Francis Underwood (House of Cards); he wants revenge and the audience sees that actively progress over the course of the show. We know his ‘why’ and we’re engaged in the ‘how’ it will play out. Rather than focusing on Hop-Frog for the show’s mystery, I’m finding the deeper mystery through the show’s antagonish, Goplik, within the shocking event/cover up.

Assignment 1:

American Horror Story’s Mysteries:

Shocking Mystery: The murder of the twins and the mystery of “what” resides in the basement of Murder House.

Over time mystery: What is the mystery of Murder House? What do they need from the Harmons? And why does “it” (the house evil, Nora) need Vivien’s babies? And what does Tate need from Violet?

Assignment 2:

Hop-Frog’s Mysteries:

The Shocking Event Mystery

Shocking Event: King Goplik’s army crashes Trippetta’s debutante’s party and massacres the people of Lavinia, abducts the princess.

Secret 1: King Goplik has murdered the Lavinian royal family and has taken in the future princess as a gift to negotiate alliance with Balog. (A cover-up: this is a ploy to disarm Balog, and usurp them).

Secret 2: To keep peace with Brattvia, the King of Lavinia allowed King Goplik’s army to imprison a rebel suspected of Raynor’s disappearance/death. MC demands their gift, the prisoner. But the King of Lavinia never expected this would be turned into a blood-bath and abduction of the princess.

Investigation:

In pilot we can see:

WHO: King Goplik’s army – the King’s Master of Ceremonies leading the party crashing.

WHAT: Goplik’s horrific practical joke becomes a massacre; Goplik’s MC/Army secures the rebel-prisoner and abducts the princess.

WHEN: A debutante’s ball, the formal announcement of engagement between Princess and Brann.

WHERE: The Royal Palace

HOW: Crashing a fairy tale party to enforce power and instill terror.

Part Withheld:

WHY: Goplik’s want to terrorize and control; to imprison/silence a rebel, leader of resistance, to control the resistance. To use the imprisoned Princess to control Balog.

The Over-Time Mystery

Cover up: After the disappearance/death of King Raynor, his young brother King Goplik is determined to uproot those responsible. His intelligence confirms Lavinia’s complicity, and will use them as an example to all who might be involved with Raynor’s disappearance.

Secret: King Goplik conspired with Raynor’s Queen to get rid of King Raynor to take the throne. He needs to destroy the growing resistance (which supports Princess Syrelle as true ruler) and squelch rumors that King Raynor still lives.

Reveals:

WHAT: Raynor’s disappearance/death. His remains are buried in the castle’s crypt.

WHEN: two years ago.

WHERE: Raynor was journeying in the northern lands.

Part Withheld:

WHO: Goplik and queen plotted the disappearance/murder of Raynor.

WHY: Raynor was seeking alliances; the Queen/Goplik sought control and power, not allegiance.

HOW: Goplik fuels distrust of neighboring countries, promoting conspiracy in the death of Raynor. Goplik/Queen set up the murder, but can’t confirm it was completed. Remains were delivered and buried.

The Over-Time Mystery 2

Cover up: A foreign ship wrecks on the shores of Balog – in the northern territories. And the ship’s crew are plague victims – humans transformed into were-beasts. All were killed and the remains of King Raynor were returned to Brattvia.

Secret: King Raynor may not have died, but escaped and now terrorizes the northern country as a were-beast seeking revenge upon his brother and Queen.

Reveals:

As Hop-Frog serves in the court he soon finds out….

WHO: Raynor’s fate. Remains have been buried. Dead or still alive. If alive, gathering an army of were-beasts for vengeance upon Goplik/Queen?

WHAT: remains are sealed in the crypt? Whose? And confirmation of cause of death?

WHEN: two years ago.

WHERE: Raynor’s death was in the northern territories, north of Balog. His remains are in the crypt.

Part Withheld:

WHY: Is there truth behind the plague/were-beasts? A conspiracy fueled by Balog? By the resistance to place Princess Syrelle on the throne? And/or by Hop-Frog to manipulate and terrorize King Goplik?

HOW: How did Raynor die? Has he died? Is Raynor preparing to take back the throne?

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Empathy/Distress

What I learned doing this assignment is the valuable mechanics and interweaving of episode and big picture empathy/distress elements in my sample show. I also found the most challenges with “Plot intruding on life” and distinguishing between Moral Dilemmas and Forced Decisions. When looking at the big picture examples of Breaking Bad, several could fit multiple categories. I found this in analyzing the American Horror Story episode as well as in the exploration of my show. The category’s big question to ask as well as the creative processes were a huge help, allowing me to break through this block of abiding by a definition. Most important is the creation of distressing situations that help build empathy.

Assignment 1: Observations about American Horror Story

This episode delivered significant big picture and episode Empathy/Distress. The episode establishes what’s at stake if the Harmon’s sell Murder House and move out. Big picture, Violet doesn’t want the family to move as it signals the “death of the family” (divorce of parents), and Tate’s happiness is due to Violet’s arrival in the house. But we also know Murder House is the residence for the ghosts who have died on these grounds – they rely on the physical house/grounds for their ghostly survival. If the house is destroyed, leveled, then so will the Evil and all connected to it. This sets up an ongoing level of distress for Constance, Tate, Moira, spirits of the house – building empathy for them. While also fueling our distress/empathy for the Harmons, stuck in the house and threatened by its evil.

1. Undeserved Misfortune:

Episode: Vivien is pregnant (with the Rubber Man) – but she/we are concerned for the state of the babies (twins!). Joe the Armenian is killed by Constance, Moira, Larry, to stop the sale of the house.

Big Picture: The Harmon family wasn’t aware of the long history of evil/murder connected with the Murder House. Harmons cannot sell the house because of its bloody history. Characters are connected to the Evil of the house – and need to play by its rules – to die on the grounds gives you existence as a ghost. Some face the consequences of their evil deeds (Nate, Moira) – others are victims (the twins, Beau).

2. External Character Conflicts:

Episode: Larry loves Constance, but she’s disgusted by him (and uses him); Constance murdered Moira because of infidelity but uses Moira to get rid of Joe; Joe determined to buy the house–Constance cannot let him have it.

Intentional: Constance wants to stop the sale of house to Joe; Tate helps protect Violet from the ghosts.

Unintentional: The murder of Joe ends the deal the Harmon’s expected to sell the house.

Big Picture:

Intentional: Constance uses her own to protect the house; Ben will not commit to Hayden; Constance and Moira fight each other, but need each other. Vivien is set to divorce Ben, but she fantasizes about him.

Unintentional: Ben’s affair with Hayden has threatened the marriage; Tate’s connection to the house has strengthened Violet’s determination to convince family not to move. Violet is depressed, self-cutting due to parents divorce. Constance’s determination to protect the house makes it difficult for the Harmon’s to move out.

3. Plot Intruding on Life:

Episode: Vivien and Real Estate agent have locked in the sale of the house, but they are derailed by Constance’s need to protect the house.

Big picture: Vivien wants to know the history of the house and share history with potential buyers, but recognizes Nora (in old family photo, and real presence visiting the house).

4. Moral dilemmas.

Episode: How much of the history of Murder House do you reveal to a potential buyer? Do you murder son Beau to make sure his spirit remains in Murder House with his mother, Constance?

Big Picture: Do the Harmons protect the house, stay and possibly perish – joining the ghostly residents, or do they sell it and possibly contribute to its destruction?

5. Forced decisions.

Episode: Tate’s reliance upon Violet for happiness pushes Violet’s confession of self-harm, depression to her parents to keep the house. Joe’s threat to buy the house leads to Constance’s decision to murder him.

Big Picture: Violet’s empathy for Tate pushes her to take actions for the family to remain in the house despite ghosts/evil. Larry’s murder of Hayden forces Ben’s allegiance with Larry. Larry’s love for Constance pushes him to do her bidding (break up with wife, murder Beau, murder Joe).

Assignment 2: My Show’s Empathy/Distress:

Lots in the big picture mix… exploring and discovering.

1. Undeserved misfortune.

• King Goplik’s attack/usurpation of Lavinia.
• Hop-Frog’s physical disabilities, based on torture/experimentation.
• Hop-Frog witnesses the massacre of his mother and his people.
• Trippetta treating Hop-Frog as servant.
• Trippetta witnesses the massacre of her family and her love Prince Brann.
• Lord Asnar’s abduction of Trippetta.
• Hop-Frog and Trippetta are caged, tortured, enslaved.
• The King’s and the minister’s abuse and ridicule of Hop-Frog.
• The King’s and the minister’s treatment (abuse/rape) of Trippetta.
• Hop-Frog witnessing the lustful leers, actions and remarks inflicted upon Trippetta.
• Hop-Frog’s guilt over the death of Prince Brann.
• Princess Syrelle dealing with disappearance/death of her father, King Raynor, and marriage of Goplik with her mother.

2. External Character conflicts.

Intentional:

• Hop-Frog and Trippetta need each other and conflict with each other for survival and revenge.
• Hop-Frog manipulates King Goplik without being discovered.
• Hop-Frog receives punishment from ministers as he tries to manipulate them.
• Hop-Frog must please King Goplik and ministers or be tortured.
• Hop-Frog and Lord Asnar are adversaries for Trippetta’s love.
• Trippetta adversarial/sexual relationship with Lord Asnar.

Unintentional:

• Consequences of Trippetta’s and Hop-Frog’s individual plans against each other.
• Impact on the King’s daughter, Princess Syrelle. And the Prince of Balog.
• The massacre of Lavinia upon the survivors.
• Impact of Goplik’s tyranny and control…. fear and pain upon the citizens of Brattvia and Balog.
• Impact of Goplik’s tyranny and control…. the rising resistance in support of Raynor and Syrelle.
• Impact of Goplik’s tyranny and control…. alliance of Syrelle with Prince of Balog.

3. Plot intruding on life.

• Hop-Frog and Trippetta working at cross-purposes, conflict with their duties in servitude to the king.
• Political agendas of Goplik’s ministers – to appease Goplik but also fulfill their selfish desires.
• King Goplik’s wants/desires for Trippetta, against Lord Asnar’s desires.
• Goplik’s tyranny and control face conflicts/complications by the building power within resistance supporting Raynor/Syrelle…
• …And the escalating tension between Balog and Brattvia.
• …And the political decisions made by King Queeg of Balog, Prince of Balog.
• The unleashing and spread of a plague whose victims are were-beasts.
• Rayor’s fate? Does he live, is he on the march to retake the throne… is he a were-beast?

4. Moral dilemmas.

• Hop-Frog and Trippetta needing to decide how far to go for revenge. (will they torture, maim, seduce, kill?)
• Deciding what they are willing to give up – to accept punishment/pain or to fight it?
• The choice between delivery of vengeance and the pain to their friend/co-conspirator (Trippetta, Hop-Frog, or another ally/co-conspirator?).

5. Forced decisions they’d never make.

• Their situation has thrown Hop-Frog and Trippetta into an upside-down, dark, demented fairy world – challenging each of them as they fight for survival, vengeance, and freedom.
• How far will Hop-Frog and Trippetta go to protect themselves (body, mind and soul) and each other?
• The series pushes the two to the decision they would never make…
• Hop-Frog is forced to sacrifice Trippetta to keep his plan secret (or deliver vengeance).
• Trippetta is forced to sacrifice Hop-Frog to keep her plan secret (or deliver vengeance).

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Relationship Map

(Unable to copy the chart format in a post.)

What I learned doing this assignment is…

The importance of relationships as the hook for viewers – in many ways more powerful than the individual characters. This encouraged me to broaden the character circles. Fascinating discoveries. Yes, answers are a bit long but I’ve uncovered fascinating layers with questions that I want to keep open for further exploration and discovery. This has been an eye-opening and creatively liberating assignment.

Assignment 1

TV Relationship Map

American Horror Story

Character: Ben Harmon

Relationship with Vivien

Surface: Married

Common Ground: Value of family, home, commitment to daughter Violet. Expecting a new baby.

Conflict: Ben’s infidelity and lies to cover up relationship with Hayden and pregnancy.

History: Vivien miscarried, and Ben used affair to cope with pain. Vivien caught them, but has agreed to give him a chance to start again with the move into Murder House.

Subtext: Ben believes the marriage will survive. Vivien can no longer trust Ben.

Relationship Arc: From working on a new start – to separation (Ben’s out of the house); however Ben needs house to maintain professional practice.

Relationship with Hayden

Surface: Instructor-Student

Common Ground: Sexually attracted to each other. Affair. Hayden’s pregnant.

Conflict: Ben’s committed to marriage; Hayden wants to break up marriage.

History: Had an affair and Vivien caught them. They continued the affair after Ben promised to end it. Hayden’s pregnant.

Subtext: Ben does not believe she’s dead and a ghost. Hayden believes Ben’s committed to her.

Relationship Arc: From breakup with Ben committing to family – to Hayden haunting Ben and ruining marriage. (Ben believing she’s alive.)

Relationship with Larry

Surface: Strangers

Common Ground: Both owners of Murder House. Both fathers. Larry murdered his family.

Conflict: Larry extorts Ben for $1000, and murders Hayden. Ben believes Larry was working with Hayden to stage her murder.

History: Larry’s murder of his own family – trapped in the history of Murder House. Ben refuses to believe supernatural.

Subtext: Ben may be fated to follow the actions of Larry and murder his family. Ben believes Larry is working with Hayden.

Relationship Arc: From a stranger warning Ben to leave – to Ben believing Larry/Hayden have set him up (and Ben’s threatened to kill Larry).

Assignment 2

Poe Forevermore: The Horror of Hop-Frog

Lead Character: Hop-Frog

Relationship with Trippetta

Surface: He serves/entertains his princess

Common Ground: love of nature, entertains her with his clockwork creations; their loved ones were massacred by King Goplik; both serve as entertainment to King Goplik and his court

Conflict: She believes Hop-Frog could have saved Prince Brann; her family is wealthy, privileged; he’s a servant; she sees him as physically disabled – unable to be the hero.

History: Friends since childhood, although she treats him as her “pet”, to serve her entertainment needs

Subtext: He loves Trippetta with his soul; he feels guilt over death of Prince Brann

Relationship Arc: From long time best friends to adversaries to conspirators in revenge to lovers?

Relationship with King Goplik

Surface: Court Jester and confidante to the King

Common Ground: Humor… especially wickedly dark humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta

Conflict: King Goplik massacred Hop-Frog’s family. And has placed Trippetta in servitude.

History: The King’s Master of Ceremonies tortured/disfigured Hop-Frog when he was young. King Goplik wants domination of his neighboring lands. By taking Hop-Frog’s country (Lavinia), King Goplik feels he can force Balog into compliance.

Subtext: Hop-Frog wants the king to fall – revenge. But needs to earn the king’s trust as adviser of the grand practical jokes to maintain his reign of terror (and set up his fall)

Relationship Arc: From servant/king to worthy conspirators and adversaries of the horrific practical joke to fool/humiliate the king – Hop-Frog clears the throne for the next ruler (Raynor? Syrelle? Trippetta? Hop-Frog?)

Relationship with Myria

Surface: Hop-Frog’s guardian

Common Ground: Creativity/mechanicals, love of nature, morality (a moral code)

Conflict: His low self-esteem; Myria wants him to find his strength, his special power, his secret sauce. He’s frustrated by her challenges (and her guidance to seek for answers – “just tell me.” (Hop-Frog’s impatience)

History: she raised him since the disappearance of his parents (abandonment, death…?); she’s connected with the resistance

Subtext: Myria is nurturing, she believes Hop-Frog serves a significant, powerful role – his service as slave/servant/fool is his pathway. Myria was Hop-Frog’s guardian when he had no one.

Relationship Arc: From nurturing, supportive to tragic – Hop-Frog witnesses her massacre at the hand of King Goplik’s army, led by Lord Asnar.

Lead Character: Trippetta

Relationship with Hop-Frog

Surface: Hop-Frog is her servant

Common Ground: love flowers and nature; she delights at his mechanicals; shared trauma of massacre of their families/country and now enslavement by King Goplik

Conflict: Hop-Frog is treated as a servant, from a lower class; why did he survive Goplik’s attack and Prince Brann died? Is Hop-Frog capable of helping her escape?

History: She’s known Hop-Frog as long as she can remember, felt sorry for his physical disabilities, took him in as a servant and friendship developed, a friend in need for entertainment (and counsel?)

Subtext: She’s superior to him; why did Hop-Frog survive? Is he capable of helping her? Can he be trusted?

Relationship Arc: From princess-servant to co-conspirators in revenge (and possible lovers)?

Relationship with King Goplik

Surface: Princess of usurped country, now serving as entertainment

Common Ground: Royalty; power, manipulation; passion for beautiful acquisitions

Conflict: Goplik is her captor, abuser. She wants vengeance.

History: Although aware of King Goplik as foreign leader, their history begins with the King’s attack and usurpation of her homeland on the day of her debutante’s party (and intended announcement of her engagement to Prince Brann).

Subtext: she’s determined to see him punished, and plans to take the throne

Relationship Arc: From slave to abused victim to vanquisher

Relationship with Lord Asnar

Surface: She’s the spoils of war; Asnar is her captor; sparring partners

Common Ground: physical combat skills, fencing, both self-taught

Conflict: she was the spoils of war that Asnar wanted for himself, but was forced to give to King Goplik; she wants revenge but she admires his combat skills and intelligence

History: Both have reputations – his heroism on the battlefield, her beauty and grace. History begins with the massacre of her family/Prince Brann.

Subtext: is she falling in love with her captor, or using him for her vengeance on King Goplik and his court?

Relationship Arc: From captor-spoils to lovers to… enemies?

Lead Character: King Goplik

Relationship with Hop-Frog

Surface: Hop-Frog serves as his Court Fool, and confidante

Common Ground: loves oddities; humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta. Both have had histories of being ridiculed.

Conflict: King Goplik’s army massacred Lavinia. Goplik needs Hop-Frog to maintain/direct Goplik’s tyrannical reign; can Hop-Frog be trusted?

History: Master of Ceremonies tortured/tormented Hop-Frog, when he was young. Hop-Frog is presented to Goplik as spoils of war.

Subtext: Can Hop-Frog be trusted as confidante and “minister”?

Relationship Arc: From King-slave to King-minister to vanquished-vanquisher.

Relationship with Lord Asnar

Surface: Asnar is Goplik’s Minister of War. Secret lovers.

Common Ground: power, military strategy, horror/torture, sexual exploration

Conflict: Asnar’s conflicts with King’s ministers; rivalry with Queen; King forced Asnar to give up Trippetta. Will Asnar take the fall for Raynor’s disappearance/death?

History: Asnar was the King’s page, a servant, and secret lover. Asnar taught Goplik his combat skills and helped plot the disappearance of King Raynor. Goplik rewarded Asnar as the king’s military adviser and hand of terror.

Subtext: Asnar wants Trippetta for his own, will she break up their allegiance? Asnar is treated as an outsider by the King’s ministers. Can they trust each other, and keep the truth of Raynor a secret?

Relationship Arc: From king-minister to adversaries (to allies?)

Relationship with Princess Syrelle

Surface: Uncle-Niece. Syrelle is Raynor’s only child.

Common Ground: Blood. Family history. Power. Political skullduggery. Worthy manipulators.

Conflict: Syrelle believes Goplik murdered her father, and wants the throne. Goplik needs to appease Syrelle (and resistance)

History: After King Raynor disappeared mysteriously, and Goplik took the throne (and the Queen’s hand and heart), Syrelle suspected her mother and uncle plotted the murder of Raynor. A growing Resistance supports Princess Syrelle as rightful Queen. Fueling belief that Raynor may still be alive.

Subtext: Goplik wants her dead. Syrelle wants Goplik and mother punished, and to take the throne.

Relationship Arc: From compliant Niece, to bloodthirsty adversary for throne.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment is…

This assignment helped me realize the importance of conflict/polarity in the breakdown of the elements within the Character’s Emotional Profile. Lots of fun exploring this for my characters – and exploring it within my sample show, American Horror Story. I’m challenged by distinguishing hope/fear and want/need – the four are important and the nuance between the pairings and amongst the four words deserves attention and exploration for my characters.

I’ve enjoyed getting deeper into the emotional profiles of my three main characters. There’s more exploration to come but below is my snapshot at the moment, so I can move forward and allow the ongoing processing in my creative mind.

Part 1: American Horror Story’s Character Emotions

Ben’s Emotional Profile:

A. Hope: the perfect family // Fear: death/pain to family, exposure of his sins

B. Want: to protect family and their new home // Need: to believe the supernatural evil and save family

C. Base Negative Emotion: coward, weak // Public Mask: trusting protector

D. Weaknesses: impulsive, refuses to acknowledge paranormal answers, selfish

E. Triggers: when he’s questioned, challenged

F. Coping Mechanism: lies, backtracks, anger, violence

Vivien’s Emotional Profile:

A. Hope: Home and family bliss // Fear: death/pain to family, self; divorce

B. Want: to sell the home, to get Ben out of house // Need: to protect Violet/family, to survive

C. Base Negative Emotion: pain, rage // Public Mask: in control, maternal

D. Weaknesses: need to control, gullible

E. Triggers: being manipulated, betrayal, threat to family/home

F. Coping Mechanism: taking care of self, home; withdrawing

Part 2: Stuart’s Character Emotions

Hop-Frog’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: a fairytale life shared with his love, Trippetta / Fear: Pain/death to Trippetta

B. Want: to be the hero / Need: acceptance

C. Base Negative Emotion: rage, self-loathing, loneliness / Public Mask: confidante, Foolish Servant

D. Weaknesses: coward, ignorant of ruling a country

E. Triggers: being bullied, wine, chaos, abuse to others

F. Coping Mechanism: withdraws and deflects, schemes, misdirects with humor

Trippetta’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: princess-romantic happily-ever-after, rule her kingdom / Fear: torture, rape

B. Want: vengeance / Need: love, respect, honor

C. Base Negative Emotion: broken, rage / Public Mask: naivete, nurturing

D. Weaknesses: naïve, sheltered, overly reliant on others

E. Triggers: being challenged, questioned, belittled

F. Coping Mechanism: strategizes, works on her physical skills, dancing, fencing, combat, seduction/sexuality

King Goplik’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: domination / Fear: humiliation, obscurity

B. Want: power, land, loyalty / Need: respect, love

C. Base Negative Emotion: selfish, lonely, abuser / Public Mask: gracious, generous king

D. Weaknesses: impotent, pompous, vain

E. Triggers: being challenged, betrayed

F. Coping Mechanism: lash out, belittle, bully, torture, humiliate, overindulge

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Intriguing Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

What I learned doing this assignment is that my main characters have been withholding information from me! It’s been valuable reviewing the creative processes and allowing myself to be open to any of these Intrigue Items, whether I believe they apply or not. I just let the creative exploring, brainstorming, and filling in the blanks take over.

Part 1:

American Horror Story: Murder House

Dr. Ben Harmon

Character Name: Dr. Ben Harmon

Role: Father, protector of family.

1. Hidden agendas: Seeking a new start for family, make the marriage work; however, is he being used to fulfill Evil’s plan?
2. Competition: For control of house. With Vivien, Constance, Addy, Larry, Real Estate agent, Chad. For family/marriage. With Hayden, Moira, Tate, Larry.
3. Conspiracies: with Real Estate agent (give Murder House a warm image), with Larry (murder of Hayden, gazebo and $1000 blackmail), Hayden (baby), Constance (his purpose), with Moira, with Patrick
4. Secrets: Hayden’s pregnancy, Hayden’s murder, Larry’s involvement, Moira’s advances, the purpose for making the gazebo, connection with Murder House/Evil/Constance, what happened to him when he was young? Hayden’s alive or a ghost?
5. Deception: Deceiving wife/daughter; as psychiatrist to Tate; Sleepwalking? Gazebo
6. Wound: infidelity (Vivien witnessed), the miscarriage, his past (trauma as a youth)
7. Secret Identity: unfaithful husband who doesn’t deserve a family. Doesn’t know/denial: his purpose for Murder House evil? Will he murder his family?

Part 2:

Here’s where my Inner Circle is heading at this stage of development:

Character: Hop-Frog

Role: King Goplik’s fool, his toy, and the ministers’ frog, serving their entertainment.

1. Hidden agendas: To take revenge on King Goplik and his ministers.
2. Competition: For revenge. With King Goplik, Master of Ceremonies, Ministers, Trippetta, Queen, Lord Asnar, Goplik’s son, Princess Syrelle/resistance. For Trippetta’s love. With Lord Asnar, Trippetta, Goplik, Ministers, Prince Brann, Balog’s prince.
3. Conspiracies: With Trippetta (for revenge); with ministers, King Goplik, Master of Ceremonies (winning allegiance and playing sides); with King Goplik, Lord Asnar (usurp rival Balog, maintain terror/control); with Princess Syrelle/resistance (Raynor?), Balog (to overthrow Goplik).
4. Secrets: The mystery of his disability, connection with Master of Ceremonies, the mystery of his parents (both dead to him), and his guardian (“Mother”). Could he have saved Prince Brann? His love for Trippetta.
5. Deception: Plays the fool to King, Ministers, Master of Ceremonies, plays the minister to earn the trust of the king, feeds the King’s need to terrorize (which in turn is a deception to bring the king down)
6. Wound: he’s physically disabled and is continually ridiculed; tortured by Master of Ceremonies; the massacre of family; Trippetta treats him as her “pet”.
7. Secret Identity: the minister of death delivering revenge; Trippetta’s handsome able lover/protector.

Character: Trippetta

Role: Princess of Lavinia, enslaved as the court dancer to serve the pleasures of King Goplik and his ministers.

1. Hidden agendas: To get revenge and to take the throne.
2. Competition: For revenge and throne. With Hop-Frog, Lord Asnar, Ministers, Queen, Master of Ceremonies, Princess Syrelle/resistance, Goplik’s son, and Balog’s prince.
3. Conspiracies: With Hop-Frog, Master of Ceremonies, Queen, Princess Syrelle, Goplik’s son, Balog’s prince.
4. Secrets: Does she want the throne? Her feelings for Hop-Frog.
5. Deception: She plays the dancer, entertainer for pleasure and fantasy. She hides her need for escape, vengeance, and power.
6. Wound: Her family and her love were massacred, humiliated by Goplik and Ministers.
7. Secret Identity: A warrior queen.

Character: King Goplik of Brattvia

Role: Tyrannical ruler, who terrifies and conquers through horrifying practical jokes.

1. Hidden agendas: To maintain the throne/his rule of terror, to quell the resistance, and usurp his enemies (Lavinia, Balog)
2. Competition: For the throne. With Princess Syrelle/resistance, King Queeg and Balog, Balog’s Prince, Lord Asnar, Ministers, King of Lavinia, Prince Brann of Lavinia, Trippetta, Hop-Frog.
3. Conspiracies: For rule of terror. With Ministers, Master of Ceremonies, Queen, Lord Asnar, Hop-Frog, Master of Ceremonies, Queen, Trippetta, Queen Mother.
4. Secrets: He instigated the disappearance/murder of his brother, the king.
5. Deception: His castle/court is a demented Fun House of terror to hide his insecurities. Promoting his great love for his brother, the former king, and determination to hang the murderer.
6. Wound: Backstory of his youth, relationship with brother/mother?
7. Secret Identity: An imposter king who murdered his brother.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Engaging Main Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

I had some great discoveries in this assignment, especially questioning unpredictability and exploring moral boundaries. I found great value going through the three main characters of the series (including the central antagonist/opposition). This helped me begin to see these characters, especially Trippetta, and appreciate/elevate them as main characters.

The Series Title: Poe Forevermore “Hop-Frog”

This is a seasonal anthology like American Horror Story with each season a re-imagining of one of Poe’s works. The first season is based on his dark fairy tale “Hop-Frog.”

The journey of your show:

Enslaved as the court jester, a kind-hearted dwarf transforms into merciless angel of death as he deviously exacts vengeance upon a tyrannical king and his ministers who usurped his land, massacred his family, and now abuse his secret love.

The main characters that will sell the show:

Hop-Frog:

A. Role in the Show: enslaved as the court jester serving tyrannical King Goplik

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: To turn the tables on King Goplik and his ministers and to use their horrific tactics against them to bring them down. Physically, he’s a curiosity to the King and thus given the name “hop-frog” and role as court jester.

Expertise: witty, master of creating magical theatricals/events with wondrous clockwork mechanicals

Irony: he manipulates his prey, so they use their own “swords” and sins to bring themselves down.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? He’s secretly in love with Trippetta; he deceives King Goplik and the ministers, and he manipulates them toward their own destruction. He’s a dwarf and physically disabled – when he was a boy by King Goplik’s Master of Ceremonies.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Deviously weaves his skills with the demented tactics of his prey. As he gets deeper into the heads of his targets, he becomes more dangerous.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? Hop-Frog is suddenly and tragically thrown into a subverted new world (physically and emotionally) of horrific, bloody darkness. This starkly unpredictable situation motivates unpredictable actions; however, Hop-Frog uses his skills to initially help him navigate the unpredictable situation, and then he’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? We’ve witnessed the massacre of his family, his townspeople, and enslavement of his secret love, Trippetta. Serving King Goplik, Hop-Frog is continually humiliated and ridiculed.

Trippetta:

A. Role in the Show: Enslaved as the court dancer to serve the pleasures of King Goplik and his ministers

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: To get revenge for the massacre of her betrothed and her family.

Expertise: athletic, dancer, fencer; innocence shattered, she discovers her power of seduction

Irony: she treated childhood friend Hop-Frog as a “pet” and now must trust him as her partner of vengeance.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? She wants King Goplik’s head and his throne.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Like Hop-Frog, Trippetta’s innocence is shattered; however, she uses her skills initially for survival and escape. Her moral boundaries are challenged as the stakes elevate – and her journey shifts to vengeance.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? Tragically thrown into horrific, bloody darkness, she uses her skills initially to navigate the unpredictable situation, and then she’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win in Goplik’s world.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? We’ve witnessed the massacre of her betrothed, family and her townspeople. She doesn’t deserve this situation, and we care whether she’ll survive and successfully get revenge.

King Goplik of Brattvia:

A. Role in the Show: Tyrannical ruler, who terrifies and conquers through horrifying practical jokes. He’s fighting to keep the throne against an underground resistance.

B. Unique Purpose/Expertise: to use his horrific practical jokes to finally bring down his rival, King Queeg of Balog, and to destroy the swelling resistance (enemies from within)

Expertise: passion for comedy and horror – especially when mixed into a delightfully demented practical joke – practical for Goplik’s gain.

Irony: he’ll seek the trust and ministerial advice from his fool

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface? Goplik uses fear and terror to hide his own weaknesses. He instigated the disappearance/murder of his brother, King Raynor, in order to seduce the queen and take the throne.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing? Goplik rules for power and there are no moral boundaries as long as he’s not the victim. The ends justify the terrifying means. He’s most loyal to his Queen, and his son. Hurting either of them would be a moral boundary difficult to cross.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next? As he’s feeling greater threats from enemies (from outside and within), and dealing with the growing complications from Hop-Frog, he becomes more desperate and more unpredictable.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care? His true love for the Queen (and hatred for his older brother, King Raynor)? I’m continuing to explore the “why”. It may be connected to his passion to rule by terror, and motivations for the demented and deadly practical jokes he develops. Queen Mother issues?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

American Horror Story Engaging Main Characters

Character: Dr. Ben Harmon

A. Role in the Show

Husband/Dad moving his family into the Murder House. The previous family’s father murdered his own family, will Ben serve that same role?

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Psychiatrist, seeing young man, Tate, who may be a ghost connected to murder house.

Diamond: He wants to protect his family, but as father of the family, could be targeted by Evil to murder his own family (as Larry did to his own). He is interacting with Larry (previous father/murdered), and sleepwalking (playing with fire).

C. Intrigue: What is the secret beneath the surface?

Is he being possessed by the evil in the basement and will that lead him to murder his family?

Can he keep the murder/disappearance of Hayden secret?

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

His backstory is infidelity, affair with Hayden. He’s struggling against carnal desires (fighting Moira’s repeated seductions, and ending affair with Hayden). He’s complicit with Larry’s murder of Hayden – burying the body under gazebo – and has deeper obligation to Larry.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

His sleepwalking and mysterious jumps feed unpredictability. His sudden trip to Boston to see Hayden questions how much he will continue to hide from Vivien. He’s swayed/controlled by Constance and others connected to Murder House. We question, is Ben in control?

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

This is a challenge for me as a viewer. I care for him because of his role as husband and father – I care more for Vivien and Violet and thereby want Ben to triumph over the evil spirits that are tempting and possessing him. He’s morally broken and I want him to rise up and earn redemption.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Assignment Part 1:

American Horror Story’s Three Circle of Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…

Using three circles of characters helps categorize and develop character purpose, in relationship to their service for the show’s central character, and the show.

Main Characters Circle: Ben, Vivien, Violet, Constance

Connected Circle: Addy, Moira, Nate, Larry Havey, Leah, the evil “Old Hag”, Hayden? Real Estate Agent? R. Franklin?

Environment Circle: High School Students/teachers; Leah’s clique; those obsessed with the Murder House; ghosts of Murder House victims.

Assignment Part 2:

Stuart’s Three Circles of Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…

This is a valuable framework to build the show’s cast. I also learned to see this as an evolving and developing cast, allowing me to throw possible characters/relationships in the mix, and let’s see how they test and serve the show’s main characters.

My Show’s Title: Poe Forevermore “The Horror of Hop-Frog”

This is a seasonal anthology like American Horror Story with each season a re-imagining of one of Poe’s works. The first season is based on his dark fairy tale “Hop-Frog.”

My Working Concept:

Enslaved as the court jester, a kind-hearted dwarf transforms into merciless angel of death as he deviously exacts vengeance upon a tyrannical king and his ministers who usurped his land, massacred his family, and abuse his secret love.

Three Circles of Characters

A. Main Characters Circle:

Hop-Frog: dwarf, enslaved as the court fool, uses his wit and his skills creating lavish events with clockwork mechanicals to become the minister of death against King Goplik and his ministers who destroyed his homeland, and enslaved his secret love, Trippetta.

Trippetta: her dreams of living a romantic princess’s life married to Prince Brann of Lavinia are tragically destroyed by King Goplik of Brattvia; enslaved/abused by King Goplik, Trippetta needs to survive her servitude using intelligence and athleticism (especially her seductive dance skills).

King Goplik of Brattvia: terrorizes and rules with a passion for horrific practical jokes. He usurped Hop-Frog’s and Trippetta’s homeland, massacred families, and enslaved the two for his pleasure.

B. Connected Circle:

Lord Asnar, leader of the Brattvian army and the king’s arm of destruction

Princess Syrelle, King Goplik’s niece, sees herself as legitimate heir to the throne, believes her father, the former king, still lives.

Queen of Brattvia, she seduced her brother-in-law, Goplik, and the two plotted the former king’s disappearance.

The King’s Ministers:

• The Prime Minister of Fear (the Castle’s Master of Ceremonies)
• Minister of Hunger
• Minister of Poverty
• Minister of Idiocy
• Minister of Disease

King Queeg of Balog, King Goplik’s and Brattvia’s neighbor and rival

King Queeg’s son, the prince who seeks Princess Syrelle’s hand (and control of Brattvia)

The Queen Mother

King Raynor, the departed (murdered?) former King of Brattvia

C. Environment Circle:

Servants of the King and his Ministers

Freaks and curiosities serving the Master of Ceremonies

Subjects, Lords of Brattvia

Trippetta’s family

Prince Brann, King and Queen of Lavinia

Hop-Frog’s mother, family

Citizens, lords, knights of neighboring Balog

Raynor Loyalists, resistance believing King Raynor lives

Were-creatures, victims of a plague

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

American Horror Story 5 Star Model

American Horror Story, Murder House (Season One), “Pilot”

What I learned doing this assignment:

First time through, seeing how many “invitations” of obsession can be packed into a pilot episode! So many!

Second time through, I appreciate the deeper discoveries/crafting, having watched it the first time. (the possum’s throat is cut – and soon so will Troy’s; Ben’s sleepwalking/fire-starting; Violet’s eager welcome of the basement at episode’s beginning and revulsion/fear of basement/Nate at episode’s end)

The Five Star Points:

The Big Picture Hooks:

An emotionally-broken family moves from Boston to LA into a 1920s Victorian house for a second chance. They are unaware that the house is haunted by an evil being and the ghosts of evil’s victims.

The series also pushed the boundaries of dark horror, psychological thriller, sexuality on cable (FX 2011).

Amazing and Intriguing Characters:

The ensemble of characters are fascinating, amazing, intriguing….

The Harmon Family:

• Dealing with pain of Vivien’s miscarriage and Ben’s infidelity (his way of coping with the pain)
• Vivien dealing with a late-term miscarriage of a still-born son, and her husband’s infidelity. Will their marriage survive? Growing connection to the house when she starts uncovering a mural hidden by the previous resident’s wallpaper, and through Moira.
• Ben, psychiatrist, tortured between love for his wife and carnal fulfillment (lust). One of his patients, Nate, may have ties to the house.
• Violet, daughter, who says she’s not afraid of anything – she makes the family decision to take the house after the real estate agent shared what happened in the basement – and she will face a bully’s punishment or cut herself to cope with the pain she feels in the family.

Other Key Characters:

• Constance, the intrusive neighbor, who seems obsessed with Vivian’s jewelry. The puppet master of horror? (telling Ben it’s not his time yet, and she killed Moira), or perhaps a prophet/seer?
• Adelaide (Addy) knows the house – and the dangers within. She has Down syndrome, and is marginalized by others with microaggressions or verbal/physical threats/abuse. She can see – and engages with the ghosts. She is “Cassandra” the prophet (warning the twins in the opening; warning Vivien she will die in this room, as Vivien is revealing parts of the mural).
• Moira O’Hara, the long-term housekeeper of the house. “They come, they go, I stay.”. But she was also murdered by Constance. And her younger identity seduces Ben.
• Larry Harvey, a previous resident who burned his family to death. He lives with most of his body scarred.

And Murder House:

• Moira: “It has a personality. Feelings. Mistreat it and you’ll regret it.”
• What/who is the evil that possesses the house (basement), the “old hag”…? What does it want/need?

Empathy/Distress

1. We’ve seen the dangers of living in the house with the opening hook, our distress is elevated knowing we have a new family moving in.
2. Vivian’s/Ben’s backstory – they’ve moved to LA after Vivien’s tragic miscarriage, still-born son; coping with the pain, Ben has an affair with a student. Will their marriage survive? This influences situations when Ben/Vivien are together, and alone, seduced by others (Vivien with “Ben” in the S&M suit; Ben with young Moira)
3. Ben wants to make the marriage work but is conflicted (love for wife, carnal desires)
4. Ben’s sleepwalking and fire-starting.
5. Violet (daughter) bullied at school; drawn in by Nate, Ben’s patient. She witnesses true evil in the basement.
6. Situations when Vivien is intruded upon by Addy and Constance – Addy seems to show up to warn when bad things will happen based on current characters actions. “You’re gonna regret it.”
7. The basement – anytime someone enters this space, we feel distress.

Layers / Open Loops

This episode is baked with layers/open loops that generate questions….

1. What does the mural (beneath wallpaper) represent and why was it covered up by the previous residents?
2. What inhabits the basement? Why is it there? What does it want/need? And how can it be vanquished?
3. Will Ben follow in the steps of Larry, and murder his family? (Will Ben listen and act on Larry’s warnings?)
4. Why is Moira seducing Ben?
5. Why did Constance kill Moira?
6. Will Violet survive school?
7. What will Leah (H.S. bully) do to Violet in retribution?
8. What is Constance’s role and agency in the horror?
9. Is Nate connected to the horror of the house?
10. Is Nate a danger to the school? To Violet?
11. Who was wearing the S&M suit – and therefore the father of Vivien’s baby?
12. What does Addy know, see, and foresee? And does her prophecy always play out? (Who will survive in the end?)
13. Will the Harmon family get the second chance, or will they regret it?

Inviting Obsession

The stakes are elevated so high in the pilot and the characters/relationships intertwined that we need to know the history of the house, the evil, and the fate of the Harmon family. Who will survive this horror house?

[Stuart Voytilla]

Hello fellow screenwriters!

I’m Stuart Voytilla and I’m based in San Diego, CA. I’ve finished a draft of my seventh? screenplay/teleplay.

For this course, I’m looking forward to developing a strong series and pilot — but more personally important — building my confidence with the pitch.

Something special… I was an extra on Raiders of the Lost Ark — our university was used to establish Indy’s university. We worked with Frank Marshall who directed two scenes outside our music conservatory. They used one for Raiders. Surprise, they used the second one in Indy IV.

Looking forward to working with all of you.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart Voytilla

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.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Intriguing Concept and World

What I learned doing this assignment is the power of the questions to get deeper into my concept and world. The assignment’s deeper questions allowed me to have a stronger grasp of my show’s bingeworthy potential (especially the world). These have already offered strength and depth of these two important introductory hooks for my show’s evolving Framework and Bible. Great discoveries. Thank you, Hal (and your development team!)

1. My Show’s Concept:

A. A kind-hearted crippled dwarf, enslaved as the court’s fool,

B. …for the tyrannical king who massacred his family and abuses his secret love

C. …transforms into a merciless angel of death

D. …as he deviously exacts vengeance upon the king and his ministers.

2. My Show’s World:

Unique Sub-World: Poe’s nightmarish story landscape; fool manipulates power-hungry king and ministers

Previously unexplored: king’s passion for horrific practical jokes; the disabled and abused as protagonist/hero

The unknown: ruthless king and ministers; fairy tale turned dark nightmare; shadows, deceptions, mistrust, conspiracies and pacts

The unseen: a conspiracy to resurrect the king’s murdered brother and restore him to power

Unheard of Dangers: suspicions of many to reveal Hop-Frog’s deception; question of trust between Hop-Frog and Trippetta

Reason to explore it: the king is played as the fool (the joke is on him); disabled and women claiming power and voice; exploding Poe into an anthology serial horror; current political climate (totalitarian rulers and their sycophants)

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart is ready for Feedback!

What I learned doing this process is how important this Framework helped me discover some of the missing pieces in earlier assignments. Valuable discoveries. While I feel compelled to explain within the framework using prose – I realize this framework is for my use – my quick guide to keep me on focused and on track as I take the series into further development.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Creating Irony!

What I learned doing this assignment is the freedom it allows me to go deeper into my potential characters and situations. It opened up new paths for the supporting storylines, and allowed me to expand the story landscape and value of the supporting characters. This is an important step as I plot out the political intrigue for this season’s story arc, and plot out Hop-Frog’s/Trippetta’s vengeance. It also allowed me to explore the horror genre and riff off Poe imagery and themes with ironic payoffs.

Assignment 1: Irony in Watchmen.

Irony was effectively crafted in the Watchmen series:

• The costumed adventurer – and the first of the Minutemen, “Hooded Justice” (Will Reeves) wears a hanging hood and noose. Also, Will wears whiteface to support the myth that he’s a white man.

• Will Reeves/Hooded Justice needs to hide behind a mask in order to fight for justice within his police precinct.

• By finding his voice and identity for justice hidden behind a mask he loses himself to his wife and son.

• In order for the god to become the human, the all-knowing Dr. Manhattan becomes the amnesiac Cal.

• FBI Agent Laurie Blake is hunting down masked vigilantes but becomes an ally for Angela/the masked-Sister Night.

• Wade, Looking Glass, becomes Blake’s ally.

• In Tulsa, the police need to wear masks to fight for justice.

• The musical Oklahoma offers several ironic elements – the use of songs, “Poor Judd is Dead” when Judd Crawford’s swaying body is revealed. And in the final episode’s closing moments, “Oh what a beautiful morning…”

Irony I’m exploring my series…

Character Irony:

• Prince Brann isn’t Trippetta’s prince charming but in league with Master of Ceremonies.

• The honor for dead King Raynor is assuaging Goplik’s guilt that he murdered his brother.

• The Minister of Hunger who ensures hunger to the subjects is a gourmet cook.

• The meek servant, Hop-Frog, transforms into the minister of death.

• The Minister of Fear is terrified by the ghosts of his ex-wives entombed in his bedchamber’s walls.

Situational Irony:

• The Fool delivers vengeance upon the king.

• Trippetta looking for romantic love but is sexually abused.

• The final celebration for King Goplik – a roast in the comedy world – is a literal roasting of the king delivered by his subjects.

• The Minister of Hunger meets his demise in his own kitchen is cooked/served to the king at the final celebration (a feast of fools).

• The dance of love veils a dance of death.

• The Minister of Disease is imprisoned in shit, disease, rats.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Plot and Character Layers

What I learned doing this assignment was the value of the sample series exploration to help me appreciate the power of layers for binge-watching intrigue, and for giving story value to your characters, not only your leads. This was a creatively liberating assignment allowing me to brainstorm and explore lots of possible rabbit holes for character and plot. It opened up the importance of my supporting characters. I found it challenging for the brainstorming and “what if” spitballing to remain solely on character or on plot. But I valued the individual examples under the two categories; they are very helpful to spark the “what if” to let the rabbit hunt begin. Good discoveries made. As I widen the exploration character and cast, I’m eager to return to earlier lessons and questions to go further with character development.

Assignment 1

Watchmen’s Intriguing Layers

I completed the 9-ep season with the previous assignment, so I re-watched Episode 6 “This Extraordinary Being” (Angela experiences Grandfather Will’s memories) to explore the use of layers…. And it was packed with layers. This was invaluable to see the plot and character layers – and weaving of layers amongst the characters. Just some of the unpacking…

The investigation of Judd Crawford’s hanging.

Surface: Police Chief Judd Crawford wants to shut down the 7th Kavalry

Layer: Judd Crawford is hanged – likely by 7th Kavalry.

Layer: William Reeves confesses to the hanging.

Layer: Will is Angela’s grandfather.

Layer: Judd kept his family’s KKK robe.

Layer: Judd’s wife is a member of the 7th Kavalry.

Will Reeves involvement in Judd’s hanging and need to shut down the 7th Kavalry:

Surface: Will Reeves in wheelchair brings Angela to Judd’s hanging, 7th Kavalry most likely suspect.

Layer: Will confesses he hanged Judd.

Layer: Will is Hooded Justice, the first Minutemen.

Layer: Will used mind control for Judd to hang himself.

Layer: William Reeves is working with Lady Trieu to heal Angela.

Layer: Will is aiding Lady Trieu. Lady Trieu uses the 7th Kavalry to steal Dr. Manhattan’s power.

Layer: Will uses Dr. Manhattan and Adrian Veidt to defeat Lady Trieu.

Senator Joe Keene as initial antagonist:

Surface: Senator Joe Keene investigates hanging of Police Chief Judd Crawford

Layer: Joe Keene leads the 7th Kavalry on course to restore white supremacy.

Layer: The 7th Kavalry plans to destroy Dr. Manhattan.

Layer: Joe Keene plans to take Dr. Manhattan’s power to become the new blue man.

Within the episode:

Character: Angela

Surface: Angela serves Tulsa PD as a masked vigilante to shut down the 7th Kavalry.

Layer: She withholds information to protect Will Reeves (ingesting his Nostalgia meds)

Layer: She is the granddaughter of “Hooded Justice”

Layer: He/she direct Judd to hang himself.

Character: Will

Surface: He graduates NY City Police Academy, happily married to June.

Layer: He’s warned of Cyclops.

Layer: His arrest, Fred, is released.

Layer: He’s beaten and hanged by white officers. He’s not allowed to serve justice.

Layer: He becomes Hooded Justice, in order to serve justice.

Layer: He’s welcomed as one of the Minutemen, but he’s accepted as a white man under the hood.

Layer: Has secret relationship with Captain Metropolis.

Layer: Cyclops in league with Fred (and Fred’s store is a secret Cyclops/KKK hideout)

Layer: Cyclops using mind control to fuel race riots.

Layer: Minutemen/Captain Metropolis refuse to help Hooded Justice to fight for racial justice.

Layer: He becomes costumed vigilante – alone, hiding beneath the mask.

Layer: He loses his son and wife, who don’t recognize him any longer.

Assignment 2

Stuart’s Plot and Character Layers

Here’s the snapshot of the current exploration and development.

Plot:

Surface: Trippetta attends her debutant’s ball.

Layer: Trippetta is sharing this coming out with other debutantes in their town.

Layer: The women are paraded as objects for the young men to woo and emotionally “bid” for, broker over.

Layer: Lord Krapp is smitten by Trippetta – as is Brann (the mayor’s son, prince?).

Layer: Trippetta longed for Brann as her suitor.

Layer: Lord Krapp and the Master of Ceremonies turn it into a bidding war for women.

Layer: The town fathers arrange the sale of their virgin daughters to appease the king.

Surface: King Goplik honors the memory of his brother, the former king

Layer: King Goplik is the bastard brother who stole the kingdom and the queen from his brother, Reynor.

Layer: Goplik’s brother disappeared and perished in the shadowlands.

Layer: Goplik’s brother is alive and returning for vengeance.

Layer: Hop-Frog assures King the story is fabrication.

Layer: King Goplik uses the threat of the encroaching monster to bolster his power.

Character:

Surface: Hop-Frog is a spoil of war, enslaved to the king.

Layer: Hop-Frog becomes his court jester.

Layer: Hop-Frog earns his role as confidante to King to deliver success of his rule.

Layer: Hop-Frog works to bring distrust.

Layer: Hop-Frog becomes Master of Ceremonies to celebrate the king.

Layer: Hop-Frog is determined to see his fall.

Surface: Trippetta is debutante seeking romantic happily ever after.

Layer: Sold as enslaved entertainer to Lord Krapp

Layer: Seduces Lord Krapp

Layer: Uses relationship with Krapp to fuel Hop-Frog’s vengeance

Layer: Wants to kill Krapp.

Layer: Wants to escape.

Layer: Wants the crown.

Surface: Hop-Frog and Trippetta as childhood friends but he is the servant.

Layer: Hop-Frog secretly loves Trippetta.

Layer: Hop-Frog rejects Trippetta because of her relationship with Lord Krapp.

Layer: Hop-Frog plots to free Trippetta to win her love.

Layer: Hop-Frog plots the death of Lord Krapp.

Surface: King’s daughter Princess Cyrrell needs to accept the marriage arrangement

Layer: needs to hide her true love.

Layer: needs to appease her father to win his acceptance

Layer: needs to sabotage the crown

Layer: needs to make move on the throne

Surface: Trippetta is debutante.

Layer: Trippetta becomes slave to the throne.

Layer: Trippetta serves to entertain the king and his pleasures.

Layer: Trippetta falls for Lord Krapp

Layer: Trippetta is using Lord Krapp to build distrust amongst the king and his ministry.

Layer: Trippetta seeks vengeance against Krapp.

Layer: Trippetta works to bring down the king.

Layer: Trippetta wants the throne.

Surface: King is fearful king to his neighbors.

Layer: He’s boastful of his command of his people and his ministry.

Layer: King is losing his stronghold – dissent amongst his kingdom.

Layer: King is playing the dead possum to draw in his rival.

Layer: King is cuckhold.

Layer: King is vengeful tyrant.

Layer: King is defiant but terrified child.

Surface: King is loving brother of departed King Reynor.

Layer: King is manipulator of Reynor and seducer of his wife.

Layer: King is murderer of Reynor.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Big Picture Open Loops

What I learned doing this assignment is… Moving ahead into this assignment with its focus on ongoing loops, allowed breakthroughs in my mysteries, a stage that felt a bit stalled for me. It broke me out of a “set” or right way, and allowed me to explore and investigate another right way. Ingraining in my memory, mysteries engage us with investigations and questions about the past. Ongoing loops build expectations and questions about the future.

Assignment 1:

Watchmen’s Big Picture Open Loops

Part 1: These were established early in the season:

Who killed Judd Crawford?

How will Angela Abar stop the Seventh Kavalry’s plan?

Why is the Seventh Kavalry stealing lithium watch batteries?

Will Angela accept Will Reeves is her grandfather?

Who’s causing the squid storms and why?

Will Angela and FBI Agent Laurie Blake trust each other and work together to solve the case?

Why is Adrian Veidt trying to escape his paradise?

In what ways does Adrian Veidt connect with Angela’s case to stop the Seventh Kavalry?

Who has abducted Will Reeves and why?

Part 2: Watch the next episode and see how those open loops are being used to create the need to see future episodes.

It’s Episode Nine. Yikes, the final episode!

Will Senator Joe Keene take Dr. Manhattan’s powers and become the new blue man?

Will Adrian Veidt accept Lady Trieu as his daughter?

Will Angela stop the destruction of Dr. Manhattan/Jon?

What is the purpose of Lady Trieu’s Millennium Clock?

Will Adrian Veidt and Dr. Manhattan stop Lady Trieu from stealing Dr. Manhattan’s power?

Who will survive the frozen squid storm?

Since this is the final episode of the season, many of these open loops were closed.

A few open loops remain or are established:

Will Adrian Veidt face charges for murdering 3 million people?

Will Angela’s son, Topher, live inspired by Angela’s vigilante and costume identity?

With FBI Agent Blake and Wade as partners, is there a place for costumed vigilantes?

Will Angela accept Will as her grandfather and family?

Has Dr. Manhattan/Jon successfully given his powers to Angela through an egg? (will she walk on water?)

Assignment 2: Stuart’s Big Picture Open Loops:

A snapshot of the big picture open loops that could be in the pilot:

How did Hop-Frog become a street urchin – and why was he physically punished?

What is Hop-Frog’s gift that Maestra protects?

What is the connection between Hop-Frog and Trippetta?

Who are the beasts from the shadowlands, and how dangerous is their march to the Kingdom of Brattvia?

Who was behind the uprising at the slave auction?

Will Trippetta survive servitude under Lord Krapp?

What is Hop-Frog’s punishment for killing King Goplik’s Master of Ceremonies?

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Mysteries

What I learned doing this assignment is my mystery is still a mystery. Hop-Frog is similar to Francis Underwood (House of Cards); he wants revenge and the audience sees that. We know his why and we’re engaged in the how it will play out. I’m exploring a deeper mystery to give it an additional layer. I’ve used creative processes to fill in some blanks for now. Still seeking, keeping it open, but I need to move forward and discover answers as I go. Looking forward to exploring other characters for additional mysteries and intrigue.

Assignment 1:

Watchmen’s Mysteries

Episode 8 focuses on the meeting of Angela and Dr. Manhattan/Cal and it interlaces several mysteries across different landscapes of time. Since Dr. Manhattan experiences time uniquely, the non-linear structure serves for the audience to experience (and empathize with?) Dr. Manhattan’s cross-temporal moments perspective in addition to Angela’s linear mortal experience. The time jumps weave/reference several shocking events – the Tulsa Massacre, the 11/2 Doomsday, the retreat of Dr. Manhattan to Mars (and decision to return to Earth), the hanging of Judd Crawford. Each could provide a shocking event mystery.

The pilot’s shocking event mystery: why was Judd Crawford hanged, and how does the young boy who survived the Tulsa Massacre connect?

The ongoing mystery: will the masked adventurers be vanquished and white supremacy be restored, and how does Angela connect?

The shocking event mystery for the episode: will the Seventh Kavalry destroy Dr. Manhattan.

Several mini-mysteries that engaged me in the episode. These provided engaging backstory that helped provide answers to Angela’s connection to the ongoing mystery.

How did Angela and Cal meet in Vietnam?

What was Cal’s accident giving him amnesia?

Why did Dr. Manhattan return to earth (and Tulsa)?

What is the connection between Dr. Manhattan and Angela?

Will Angela agree to have a dinner date with Dr. Manhattan? (this is the mystery that frames the episode)

Hop-Frog’s Mysteries

The Shocking Event Mystery:

A. Shocking Event: King Goplik’s army crashes Trippetta’s debutante’s party and massacres the people of Lavinia.

B. Secret: Secret 1: King Goplik’s Master of Ceremonies turned this practical joke into a bloodbath to please his king. Secret 2: To keep peace with Brattvia, the King of Lavinia has allowed King Goplik’s army to imprison a rebellious wizard but the king didn’t know it would turn into a blood-bath.

C. Investigation:

Part Withheld:

WHO: King Goplik’s army – the King’s Master of Ceremonies leading the party crashing.

WHAT: Goplik’s horrific practical joke becomes a massacre.

WHEN: Trippetta’s debutante’s ball.

WHERE: Trippetta’s family estate.

WHY: To terrorize and control; to imprison a monster-wizard (silence a rebel).

HOW: Crashing a fairy tale party to enforce power.

The Over-Time Mystery

A. Cover up: Hop-Frog: to survive, Hop-Frog serves as the King’s fool and becomes his confidante. King Goplik: arrange a royal wedding between his daughter and the prince of Balog. Believes he’s losing power. The World: fear of a plague that is turning people into were-beasts.

B. Secret: Hop-Frog: Hop-Frog seeks vengeance, and pits the king against his ministers. He becomes liberator. King Goplik: launches a grand practical joke to terrify his own people, and secure the alliance with Balog.

Reveals:

WHO: Hop-Frog becomes court jester and confidante to King.

WHAT: Hop-Frog creates mistrust and paranoia amongst King and his ministers. People are terrified by rumors of deadly plague.

WHEN: King Goplik’s masked ball.

WHERE: King Goplik’s castle, grand hall.

WHY: Hop-Frog: to kill King Goplik and his ministers, vengeance but then realizes he can liberate the people. King Goplik: to terrify his people into submission.

HOW: Hop-Frog convinces King Goplik to wear the costume of a were-beast to terrify his people. Hop-Frog twists the event into a public lynching/burning of the king.

Part withheld:

When and Where, ticking clock can be set early, but the How can be withheld.

Why: (Hop-Frog’s realization he can be liberator, revolutionary) may be discovered in the moment of vengeance delivered.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Empathy/Distress

What I learned doing this assignment is the valuable mechanics and interweaving of episode and big picture empathy/distress elements in my sample show. I also found the most challenges with “Plot intruding on life” and distinguishing between Moral Dilemmas and Forced Decisions. When looking at the big picture examples of Breaking Bad, several could fit multiple categories. I found this in analyzing the Watchmen episode as well as in the exploration of my show. The categories big question to ask as well as the creative processes were a huge help, allowing me to break through this block of abiding by a definition. Most important is the creation of distressing situations that help build empathy.

Assignment 1: Observations about Watchmen

Episode 7 was a significant episode considering Empathy/Distress and big picture vs episode levels. This episode delivered the situation that forced Angela to decide to extract Dr Manhattan from within her husband Cal’s skull. Since she had to decide between her family and the higher cause of protecting Dr. Manhattan from the 7th Kavalry, then the forced decision is moral dilemma as well.

The episode also focused on integrating important backstory of Angela while connecting her to Dr. Manhattan’s plan to hide in Tulsa disguised as a human, Cal.

1. Undeserved Misfortune:

Episode: Young Angela witnesses the terrorist bombing that kills her parents in Vietnam.

This builds empathy as we see her placed in the distressing situation of the orphanage, before finally connecting with Grandmother June who promises to take her to Tulsa. But before they can leave, Grandmother June dies. These Empathy/Distress elements within the episode build our empathy for Angela and allow us to understand her actions and tactics (solitary detective, protective of family, withholding information, anger and impulsive actions).

Big Picture: Angela finds mentor Judd Crawford hanged. This event sets the season in motion as Angela is determined to find the murderer and destroy the Seventh Kavalry.

2. External Character Conflicts:

Episode:

Intentional: Angela doesn’t trust FBI Agent Laurie Blake and won’t let her help her recover.

Unintentional: Angela’s ingestion of Will’s Nostalgia medication threatens Will’s memory.

Big Picture:

Intentional: Angela and FBI Agent Laurie Blake constantly fight and withhold information. They do not trust each other. Angela’s secretive tactics also challenge her professional relationship with Wade.

Unintentional: Angela’s relationship with Judd Crawford. Angela’s professional world impacts her relationships with Cal and children.

3. Plot Intruding on Life:

This episode’s big plot reveals are also big picture: Revelation of 7th Kavalry’s plan to use Dr. Manhattan to restore White Supremacy. Lady Trieu’s decision to use the Millennium Clock.

These push Angela to go home and sacrifice family for the high cause (protecting Dr. Manhattan).

Big picture: Placement of FBI Agent Blake in Judd Crawford’s position as temporary chief of Tulsa Police. Abduction of Will Reeves by Lady Trieu. FBI Agent Blake’s crackdown on masked vigilantes.

4. Moral dilemmas.

The episode’s big moral dilemma for Angela is also a big picture hook: Knowing Senator Joe Keene’s and the Seventh Kavalry’s plan to use Dr. Manhattan, Angela goes home to extract Dr. Manhattan from the skull of her husband Cal. She chooses between Dr. Manhattan and family.

Big Picture: she decides to take Will away from the scene of Judd’s hanging.

5. Forced decisions.

Episode: Angela’s choice to pull the tube facilitating her recovery. Her choice to leave the Millennium Center before the completion of her treatment.

Big Picture: Angela’s choice to swallow all of Will’s Nostalgia to protect him. Choice to protect Will and Judd by withholding evidence.

Assignment 2: My Show’s Empathy/Distress:

Lots in the big picture mix… exploring and discovering.

1. Undeserved misfortune.

King Goplik’s attack/usurpation of Lavinia.

Hop-Frog’s physical disabilities.

Hop-Frog witnesses the massacre of his mother and his people.

Trippetta witnesses the massacre of her family and her love Prince Brann.

Lord Krapp’s abduction of Trippetta.

Hop-Frog and Trippetta are caged and tortured.

The King’s and the minister’s abuse and ridicule of Hop-Frog.

The King’s and the minister’s treatment (abuse/rape) of Trippetta.

Hop-Frog witnessing the lustful leers, actions and remarks inflicted upon Trippetta.

2. External Character conflicts.

Intentional:

Hop-Frog and Trippetta need each other and conflict with each other for survival and revenge.

Hop-Frog manipulates King Goplik without being discovered.

Hop-Frog receives punishment from ministers as he tries to manipulate them.

Hop-Frog must please King Goplik and ministers or be tortured.

Hop-Frog and Lord Krapp are adversaries for Trippetta’s love.

Trippetta adversarial/sexual relationship with Lord Krapp.

Unintentional:

Consequences of Trippetta’s and Hop-Frog’s individual plans against each other.

Impact on the King’s daughter, Princess Cyrrell. And the Prince of Balog.

Fear and pain upon the citizens of Brattvia and Balog.

3. Plot intruding on life.

Hop-Frog and Trippetta working at cross-purposes.

Escalating tension between Balog and Brattvia.

Political decisions made by King Queeg of Balog.

King Goplik’s plans for a grand practical joke delivered on Balog.

The unleashing and spread of a plague whose victims are were-beasts.

4. Moral dilemmas.

Hop-Frog and Trippetta needing to decide how far to go for revenge. (will they torture, maim, seduce, kill?)

Deciding what they are willing to give up – to accept punishment/pain or to fight it?

The choice between delivery of vengeance and the pain to their friend/co-conspirator (Trippetta, Hop-Frog, or another ally/co-conspirator?).

5. Forced decisions they’d never make.

Their situation has thrown Hop-Frog and Trippetta into an upside-down, dark, demented fairy world – challenging each of them as they fight for survival, vengeance, and freedom.

How far will Hop-Frog and Trippetta go to protect themselves (body, mind and soul) and each other?

The series pushes the two to the decision they would never make…

Hop-Frog is forced to sacrifice Trippetta to keep his plan secret (or deliver vengeance).

Trippetta is forced to sacrifice Hop-Frog to keep her plan secret (or deliver vengeance).

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Show Relationship Map

What I learned doing this assignment is…The importance of relationships as the hook for viewers – in many ways more powerful than the individual characters. This encouraged me to broaden the character circles. Fascinating discoveries. Yes, answers are a bit long but I’ve uncovered fascinating layers with questions that I want to keep open for further exploration and discovery. This has been an eye-opening and creatively liberating assignment.

Assignment 1

Watchmen Relationship Map:

Character: Angela Abar

Relationship with Will Reeves:

Surface: Will is Angela’s grandfather.

Common Ground: Serve for the police, Angela for Tulsa, Will for NYC. Both serve as masked vigilantes.

Conflict: Will hasn’t been there for Angela. He’s a mystery. He killed Judd, Angela’s mentor.

History: History is very recent. He’s been a mysterious older man in a wheelchair hanging outside the site of bakery. And she found her at the site of Judd’s hanging.

Subtext: both served as vigilantes, dealing with conspiracies within the police force. Will dealing with Cyclops. Angela with 7th Kavalry.

Relationship Arc: From estranged to understanding (as of Episode 5).

Relationship with FBI Agent Laurie Blake

Surface: Professional relationship. Blake is Angela’s supervisor. Blake is an FBI agent, installed as leading the investigation against 7th Kavalry and murder of Chief Judd Crawford. Angela is masked vigilante assisting Tulsa Police Department.

Common Ground: Justice. Solving the case.

Conflict: Angela has been withholding evidence connected to Judd Crawford, and her grandfather, Will Reeves. Angela is the masked vigilante Sister Night. Blake has been unmasking and decommissioning the costumed adventurers.

History: Since the death of Judd Crawford. She was brought in by Senator Joe Keene.

Subtext: worthy adversaries; both are determined to seek justice, both are outsiders trying to find truth.

Relationship Arc: From adversaries to a level of bonding – Agent Blake wants to help Angela (Ep 5).

Relationship with Wade, Looking Glass:

Surface: both serve Tulsa PD, both friends/allies of Tulsa Police Chief Judd Crawford

Common Ground: See justice served to Judd’s murdered. Seeking the truth.

Conflict: Angela’s relationship with Will Reeves, her awareness of Will’s connection to Crawford’s hanging and truth.

History: Since the White Night. Angela was serving Tulsa PD and a target. Wade joined the Tulsa PD because of that night’s tragic turn on justice.

Subtext: Strong allies. Both protective of personal identity. Angela’s withholding forces Wade to give her up.

Relationship Arc: from colleagues to adversaries (as of Ep 5)

Relationship with Cal Abar:

Surface: Married

Common Ground: Protection of their family, children, and their community. Justice.

Conflict: Angela’s rebelliousness, to take things in her own hands

History: They met in Vietnam. Soon married, adopted the three children after the parents were massacred on the White Night.

Subtext: He’s accepting of her vigilantism, though it’s getting more strained. The question about Will Reeves and Angela’s background.

Relationship Arc: supportive married couple –their relationship is still strong at Ep 5. Though he’s struggling to awaken her from Nostalgia-induced coma.

Assignment 2

Lead Character #1: Hop-Frog

Hop-Frog’s Relationship with Trippetta:

Surface: friends since childhood

Common Ground: love of nature, entertains her with his clockwork creations, their loved ones were massacred by King Goplik, both serving as entertainment to King Goplik and his court.

Conflict: how to deal with trauma and revenge. Trippetta comes from the wealthy class. She’s enchantingly beautiful and physical. Hop-Frog has the stigma of his physical disability, though active and agile – and he creates beauty in his clockwork mechanicals.

History: as long as they can remember, they’ve been friends. Although, Trippetta has treated Hop-Frog as subservient, a plaything for her entertainment. He’s valued their friendship above all others.

Subtext: Conspirators. Hop-Frog is secretly in love with Trippetta. Prince Brann should have survived the massacre not Hop-Frog.

Relationship Arc: From long time best friends to adversaries to conspirators in revenge.

Hop-Frog’s Relationship with King Goplik:

Surface: Court fool serving the King. Hop-Frog is forced to serve as the court jester or face torture/death.

Common Ground: Humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta.

Conflict: King Goplik massacred Hop-Frog’s guardian and his family. And has placed Trippetta in servitude. To win the King’s ear and manipulate him to destroy himself and his court.

History: King Goplik wants domination of his neighboring lands. By taking Hop-Frog’s country (Lavinia), King Goplik feels he can force Balog into compliance. The history between Hop-Frog and the King begins with Goplik’s attack and usurpation of Lavinia, an attack delivered at Trippetta’s debutante’s party.

Subtext: adversaries while Hop-Frog earns the king’s trust as adviser of the grand practical joke against Balog

Relationship Arc: from servant/king to worthy conspirators and adversaries of the horrific practical joke. Fool humiliates the king – Hop-Frog clears the throne for the next ruler

Hop-Frog’s Relationship with his Guardian, Myria:

Surface: she raised him as his mother when he had no one

Common Ground: creativity, love a nature, morality

Conflict: she wanted him to find his strength, his special power, his secret sauce

History: she raised him since the disappearance of his parent (abandonment, death…?)

Subtext: nurturing, she’s aware of the curse inflicted upon him, but saw him as significant/powerful and not a servant/slave to others

Relationship Arc: nurturing, supportive to tragic – Hop-Frog witnesses her massacre at the hand of King Goplik’s army, led by Lord Krapp.

Lead Character #2: Trippetta

Trippetta’s relationship with Hop-Frog:

Surface: friends since childhood.

Common Ground: love flowers and nature, she delights at his mechanicals, shared trauma of massacre of their families/country and now enslavement by King Goplik.

Conflict: Hop-Frog is treated as a servant, from a lower class; why did he survive Goplik’s attack and her betrothed, Prince Brann, die? How to survive this trauma?

History: known each other for as long as she can remember, felt sorry for his physical disabilities, took him on as a friend and he’s kind of stuck, a friend in need for entertainment (and counsel?), Hop-Frog is the more devoted to the relationship and Trippetta’s needs

Subtext: conspirators, but she sees herself superior to him; why did Hop-Frog survive? He can’t possibly survive or help. Can he be trusted?

Relationship Arc: from friends to adversaries to conspirators

Trippetta’s relationship with King Goplik:

Surface: slave serving the king

Common Ground: power, manipulation, beautiful acquisitions

Conflict: survival of servitude

History: Although aware of King Goplik as foreign leader, their history begins with the King’s attack and usurpation of her homeland on the day of her debutante’s party (and intended announcement of her engagement to Prince Brann).

Subtext: she’s determined to see him punished, using King Goplik’s daughter against him?

Relationship Arc: from slave to abused victim to vanquisher

Trippetta’s relationship with Lord Krapp:

Surface: the spoils of war and her captor; sparring partners

Common Ground: physical combat skills, fencing, both self-taught

Conflict: she was the spoils of war that Krapp wanted for himself, but was forced to give to King Goplik, she wants revenge but she admires his combat skills and intelligence

History: their history begins with the massacre of Lavinia

Subtext: is she falling in love with her captor or using him for her vengeance on the King Goplik and his court?

Relationship Arc: adversaries to lovers to… enemies?

Lead Character #3: King Goplik

King Goplik’s relationship with Hop-Frog:

Surface: Hop-Frog serves as his Court Fool, and confidante

Common Ground: loves oddities; humor, grand events/parties, practical jokes; feelings for Trippetta. Both have had histories of being ridiculed.

Conflict: King Goplik’s army massacred Lavinia. Hop-Frog is his fool. Can he be trusted?

History: Hop-Frog is given to the king by Lord Krapp as spoils of war. Hop-Frog quickly delights the king and his ministers that he’s installed as his court fool.

Subtext: Can Hop-Frog be trusted as confidante and “minister”?

Relationship Arc: King-slave to King-minister to vanquished-vanquisher

King Goplik’s relationship with Lord Krapp:

Surface: Lord Krapp is loyal military command to his king, kingdom of Brattvia. Secret lovers.

Common Ground: power, military strategy, horror/torture, sexual exploration

Conflict: Lord Krapp’s conflicts with King’s ministers; King forced Krapp to give up Trippetta.

History: Krapp was the King’s page, a servant, and secret lovers. Krapp taught Goplik his combat skills. Goplik rewarded Krapp with military service, and Krapp rose to power, now serving as the king’s military adviser.

Subtext: Conspirators in the Goplik’s march for domination. Krapp wants Trippetta for his own, will she break up their allegiance? Krapp is treated as an outsider by the King’s ministers.

Relationship Arc: allegiance-lovers to adversaries to allegiance

King Goplik’s relationship with daughter, Princess Cyrrell:

Surface: father-daughter

Common Ground: royal family, power, political skullduggery, worthy manipulators

Conflict: Cyrrell isn’t male; Goplik may need to bow down to rival kingdom to broker an arranged marriage. Cyrrell won’t play that game.

History: devoted little girl but facing king-dad who needs an heir

Subtext: Princess Cyrrell is coming out

Relationship Arc: from filial obligation to adversarial

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Character Emotions

What I learned doing this assignment the importance of conflict/polarity in the breakdown of the elements within the Character’s Emotional Profile. Lots of fun exploring this for my characters – and exploring it within my sample show, Watchmen. I’m challenged by distinguishing hope/fear and want/need – the four are important and the nuance between the pairings and amongst the four words deserves attention and exploration for my characters.

I’ve enjoyed getting deeper into the emotional profiles of my three main characters. There’s more exploration to come but below is my snapshot at the moment, so I can move forward and allow the ongoing processing in my creative mind.

The assigned episode of my sample series, Watchmen, focused on Wade. So, I selected him for my focus as well. This elevates his significance as an inner circle character. It also makes me appreciate the depth, layers, and intrigue we can bring into the connected circle of characters.

Part 1: Watchmen’s Character Emotions

Wade’s Emotional Profile:

A. Hope: protection / Fear: psychic blasts, teleporting alien squids

B. Want: truth / Need: prevent another 11/2 Doomsday, acceptance

C. Base Negative Emotion: worthless, stupid / Public Mask: Looking Glass (officer of Tulsa PD), healed survivor of 11/2 (trauma support group)

D. Weaknesses: gullible

E. Triggers: when he’s questioned, or deceived

F. Coping Mechanism: withdrawing in his bunker, hiding behind reflectatine.

Angela’s Emotional Profile:

A. Hope: Protect her own / Fear: injury/death to her loved ones; isolation

B. Want: protect her own / Need: Justice

C. Base Negative Emotion: Rage / Public Mask: in control (unmasked), defender of law (masked Sister Night)

D. Weaknesses: impulsiveness, protective

E. Triggers: being manipulated, betrayal

F. Coping Mechanism: action, attack, withholding

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Part 2: Stuart’s Character Emotions

Hop-Frog’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: Control, Trippetta’s acceptance, love / Fear: Pain/death, exposure, chaos

B. Want: to break his curse and be the man he failed to be / Need: acceptance

C. Base Negative Emotion: rage, self-loathing, loneliness / Public Mask: confidante, Foolish Servant

D. Weaknesses: coward, ignorant of ruling a country

E. Triggers: being bullied, chaos

F. Coping Mechanism: withdraw to his clockworks shop, scheme, misdirect with humor

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Trippetta’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: revenge, power / Fear: torture, rape

B. Want: power / Need: love, respect

C. Base Negative Emotion: defiled, misery, loneliness / Public Mask: naivete, nurturing

D. Weaknesses: powerless, overly reliant on others, sheltered

E. Triggers: being challenged, belittled

F. Coping Mechanism: she withdraws and works on her physical skills, dancing, fending, combat

King Goplik’s Emotional Profile

A. Hope: control, impress / Fear: betrayal, obscurity

B. Want: domination / Need: to be remembered, respect

C. Base Negative Emotion: loneliness / Public Mask: gracious, generous king

D. Weaknesses: impotent, pompous, vain

E. Triggers: being challenged, betrayal

F. Coping Mechanism: lash out, torture, create chaos using practical jokes, overindulgence

[Stuart Voytilla]

I’ve reposted with both part of the assignment:

Stuart’s Intriguing Character Layers

Lesson 4, Assignment 1

Watchmen’s Intriguing Character Layers: Angela Abar

Detective Angela Abar

For each of the possible Intrigue categories, I’ve listed the big picture items based on Ep 1-3, and then added Ep 4 revelations.

Role: Vigilante detective determined to defeat the Seventh Kavalry

Hidden agendas: serving for Tulsa PD as a vigilante; investigating Chief Crawford’s murder to protect him; investigating Will Reeves, her grandfather; (Ep 4 withholding information from FBI Agent Laurie Blake)

Competition: with Wade/Looking Glass, Red Scare (Tulsa PD); FBI Agent Laurie Blake; Will Reeves (Ep 4 FBI Agent Laurie Blake elevated to primary competition; revealed to audience, greater competition may be Will Reeves and his obligation to Lady Trieu)

Conspiracies: Tulsa’s masked law to protect identity of police/families; Seventh Kavalry; Tulsa PD’s conspiracy to use Angela/Sister Night as vigilante detective; (Ep 4 Angela conspires with Wade to withhold evidence from FBI Agent Laurie Blake; Angela conspires with Cal to protect family secrets from Blake)

Secrets: Wears a mask to protect family and self; vigilante detective working outside Tulsa Police Department; Angela’s relationship with Judd Crawford; granddaughter of Will Reeves (suspect for Crawford’s hanging) (Ep 4 secret of how Angela and Cal met in Vietnam, and Cal’s accident, and the death of Angela’s parents)

Deception: hides Crawford’s KKK cloak and hood; withholding information she was first on the crime scene of Crawford’s hanging and confronting suspect Will Reeves (Ep 4 Angela gives Crawford’s cloak to Wade to hide, and gives him Will’s medicine for analysis)

Wound: victim of The White Night; Crawford was her mentor and friend

Secret Identity: Sister Night; the mask protects Angela as mother/wife

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Lesson 4, Assignment 2

What I learned doing this assignment is that my main characters have been withholding information from me! It’s been valuable reviewing the creative processes and allowing myself to be open to any of these Intrigue Items, whether I believe they apply or not. I just let the creative exploration, brainstorming, and fill in the blanks take over.

Here’s where my Inner Circle is heading at this stage of development:

Character: Hop-Frog

Role: King Goplik’s fool, his toy, and the ministers’ frog, serving their entertainment.

Hidden agendas: The Hidden Agenda transforms during the course of the season as Hop-Frog deals with the trauma of initial events. Hidden agenda goes from need to kill himself to survive for Trippetta to sacrifice for her safety to take revenge on King Goplik and his ministers.

Competition: With Trippetta, with King Goplik, with Trippetta’s love (Prince Brann), with the Ministers, with Lord Krapp, with rival country Balog’s prince who has his eye on Trippetta. Competition for King’s trust, competition for Trippetta’s heart, competition with King’s daughter (for King’s allegiance and Trippetta’s love?)

Conspiracies: Conspires with ministers to win allegiance to King Goplik; conspires with King Goplik to usurp the rival country, Balog; conspires with Trippetta; conspires with Lord Krapp; conspires with rival country’s court; conspires with servants within the King’s court

Secrets: Was he cursed as a babe? The mystery of his parents (both dead to him). His guardian (“mother”) is not his birth mother, but she is the only person to accept and love Hop-Frog as a “son”. He didn’t sacrifice himself to protect Trippetta’s betrothed, Prince Brann.

Deception: Plays the fool to King and Ministers, plays the minister to earn the trust of the king.

Wound: he’s physically disabled and is continually ridiculed – especially by King Goplik and his ministers. Emotional wound is the massacre of his mother. And his failure to defend and protect Trippetta’s betrothed.

Secret Identity: the fool/clown, to be the hero for Trippetta, he’s hiding his fear of being revealed as an imposter.

Character: Trippetta

Role: Enslaved as the court dancer to serve the pleasures of the king and his ministers.

Hidden agendas: Like Hop-Frog Trippetta’s hidden agenda transforms from to survive to find acceptance/love to get revenge to take the throne.

Competition: With Hop-Frog (to please the king and ministers, or be punished/executed), with Lord Krapp, with King Goplik’s daughter for the hand of King Queeg’s son.

Conspiracies: With Hop-Frog, with King Goplik’s daughter, with Lord Krapp, with King Queeg’s son, with servants within the Court of Brattvia.

Secrets: Does she want the throne? Her feelings for Hop-Frog.

Deception: She plays the dancer, entertainer for pleasure and fantasy. She hides her need for escape, vengeance, and power.

Wound: Her family and her love were massacred.

Secret Identity: A warrior in need of her cause and battlefield.

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• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Here’s my Lesson 3 Assignments Part 1 and 2:

Assignment 1:

Watchmen Engaging Main Characters

Character: Angela Abar

No, not a lot of screen time for Angela Abar in Episode 3 (interesting choice to focus episode on FBI agent Laurie Blake, Veidt, and Senator Keene)…but I’ve chosen to focus on Angela, the lead character I’ve been identifying with so far.

Role in the show:

Masked detective working undercover for Tulsa Police to defeat the Seventh Kavalry and solve the murder of Chief Judd Crawford.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Unique Purpose: she has a close relationship with Judd Crawford, and mysterious connection with her grandfather, the man in the wheelchair.

Expertise: Smart, strong instincts, physical abilities.

Flaw: she can lose her cool.

Diamond: the mystery of her connections to Judd and Will is very intriguing.

C. Intrigue: What is the secret beneath the surface?

What was her relationship with Judd? Why is she protecting him (hiding the KKK cloak she found hidden in his closet)? And what does she know about her heritage, her connection with grandfather Will Reeves? It’s a bigger secret she may not know.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

As a private detective, she’ll break police protocol to break her witness and get her lead.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

She reacts to a world that continues to expose more unpredictable events. Her moral compass on family and Cal is strong.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

Loving wife and mother and she sees the larger impact on the black community in Tulsa. She was a victim of the White Night. Crawford supported her during her recovery.

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Assignment 2

Stuart’s Engaging Main Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

I had some great discoveries in this assignment, especially questioning unpredictability and exploring moral boundaries. I found great value going through the three main characters of the series (including the central antagonist/opposition). This helped me begin to see these characters, especially Trippetta, and appreciate/elevate them as main characters.

The Series Title: Poe Forevermore “Hop-Frog”

This is a seasonal anthology like American Horror Story with each season a re-imagining of one of Poe’s works. The first season is based on his dark fairy tale “Hop-Frog.”

The journey of your show:

Serving as the court jester, a crippled dwarf “Hop-Frog” seeks revenge against the demented king and his ministers who have usurped his land, massacred his family, and enslaved his secret love.

The main characters that will sell the show:

Hop-Frog: a crippled dwarf, enslaved as the court fool, uses his wit and his skills creating lavish events with clockwork mechanicals to become the minister of death against King Goplik and his ministers.

Trippetta: unable to shake her romantic dream of being a princess, but fiercely independent, Trippetta needs to survive her servitude using intelligence and athleticism (especially her enchanting dance skills).

King Goplik of Brattvia: terrorizes and rules with a passion for horrific practical jokes. He usurped Hop-Frog’s and Trippetta’s homeland, massacred families, and has enslaved the two for his pleasure.

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A. Role in the show:

Hop-Frog: Enslaved as the court fool to serve King Goplik and his ministers.

Trippetta: Enslaved as the court dancer to serve the pleasures of the king and his ministers.

King Goplik: He wants to bring down his rival, King Queeg of Balog.

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B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:

Hop-Frog:

· Unique Purpose: to turn the tables on King Goplik and his ministers and to use their horrific tactics against them to bring them down.

· Expertise: mastery of creating magical theatricals/events with wondrous clockwork mechanicals

· Irony: he manipulates his prey, so they use their own “swords” and sins to bring themselves down.

Trippetta:

· Unique Purpose: to get revenge for the massacre of her betrothed and her family.

· Expertise: athletic, dancer, fencer; innocence shattered, she discovers her power of seduction

· Irony: she treated childhood friend Hop-Frog as a “pet” and now must trust him as her partner of vengeance.

King Goplik:

· Unique Purpose: to use his horrific practical jokes to finally bring down his rival, King Queeg of Balog

· Expertise: passion for comedy and horror – especially when mixed into a delightfully demented practical joke – practical for Goplik’s gain.

· Irony: he’ll seek the trust and ministerial advice from his fool

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C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?

Hop-Frog: he’s secretly in love with Trippetta; he deceives King Goplik and the ministers, and he manipulates them toward their own destruction. As he gets deeper into their heads, he becomes more dangerous.

Diamond: perhaps the most shocking, delightful secret revealed will be when King Goplik realizes he’s been manipulated, humiliated, and destroyed by his own fool.

Trippetta: has she fallen in love with Lord Krapp, the one who murdered her betrothed? Still exploring an answer.

Diamond: Like Daenerys in GOT, does Trippetta’s shattered innocence, and newly framed skills in athletics, seduction make her realize she wants to rule?

King Goplik: envious of King Queeg’s rule and especially his son, the fairest prince in the lands, he wants to destroy King Queeg, force the marriage of the prince with Goplik’s daughter.

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D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

Hop-Frog: he deviously weaves his skills with the demented tactics of his prey and gets himself deeper into bloody vengeance.

Trippetta: Like Hop-Frog, Trippetta is shattered; however, she uses her skills initially for survival and escape. Her moral boundaries are challenged as the stakes elevate – and her journey shifts from freedom to vengeance.

King Goplik: he rules for power and there are no moral boundaries as long as he’s not the victim.

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E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?

Hop-Frog: Hop-Frog is suddenly and tragically thrown into a subverted new world (physically and emotionally). The stakes have been elevated pushing him often toward unpredictable actions. His ordinary world had been colorful, uplifting “faery tale” but that’s been plunged into horrific, bloody darkness. This starkly unpredictable situation motivates unpredictable actions; however, Hop-Frog uses his skills to initially help him navigate the unpredictable situation, and then he’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win.

Trippetta: Like Hop-Frog she’s been tragically thrown into horrific, bloody darkness. She will use her skills initially to navigate the unpredictable situation, and then she’ll need to manipulate those skills to survive and win.

King Goplik: as his greater plan plays out and he’s dealing with the growing complications from Hop-Frog, he becomes more desperate and more unpredictable.

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F. Empathetic: Why do we care?

Hop-Frog: we’ve witnessed the massacre of his family, his town and enslavement of his secret love, Trippetta. Serving King Goplik, Hop-Frog is continually humiliated and ridiculed.

Trippetta: we’ve witnessed the massacre of her betrothed, family and her town. She doesn’t deserve this situation, and we care whether she’ll protect herself and how she’ll survive as a slave to the king and his ministers.

King Goplik: this is an interesting question. Yes, I’d like us to care, as needed. Still exploring the circumstances of the “why.”

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Lesson 3, Assignment 1:

Watchmen Engaging Main Characters

Character: Angela Abar

No, not a lot of screen time for Angela Abar in Episode 3 (interesting choice to focus episode on FBI agent Laurie Blake, Veidt, and Senator Keene)…but I’ve chosen to focus on Angela, the lead character I’ve been identifying with so far.

Role in
the show:

Masked detective working undercover for Tulsa Police to defeat the Seventh Kavalry and solve the murder of Chief Judd Crawford.

Unique
Purpose / Expertise:

Unique Purpose: she has a close relationship with Judd Crawford, and mysterious connection with her grandfather, the man in the wheelchair.

Expertise: Smart, strong instincts, physical abilities.

Flaw: she can lose her cool.

Diamond: the mystery of her connections to Judd and Will are very intriguing.

Intrigue:
What is the secret beneath the surface?

What was her relationship with Judd? Why is she protecting him (hiding the KKK cloak she found hidden in his closet)? And what does she know about her heritage, her connection with grandfather Will Reeves? It’s a bigger secret she may not know.

Moral
Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?

As a private detective, she’ll break police protocol to break her witness and get her lead.

Unpredictable:
What will they do next?

She reacts to a world that continues to expose more unpredictable events. Her moral compass on family and Cal is strong.

Again, that flaw… she can lose her cool.

Empathetic:
Why do we care?

Loving wife and mother and she senses the larger impact on the black community in Tulsa. She was a victim of the White Night. Crawford supported her during her recovery.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Stuart’s Three Circles of Characters

What I learned doing this assignment is…? This was quite helpful allowing me to make sure I focused the series on the Main Characters, and what they represent in the series development. Also, it helped me explore and expand a significant circle of characters, the “Connected Circle.” I’m finding the “Connected Circle” may be the most important circle of characters in series development. I also learned the challenge of distilling the main characters into a single sentence…. Continuing to work on it.

The Series Title: Poe Forevermore “Hop-Frog”

This is a seasonal anthology like American Horror Story with each season a re-imagining of one of Poe’s works. The first season is based on his dark fairy tale “Hop-Frog.”

My Working Plotline:

Serving as the court jester, a crippled dwarf “Hop-Frog” seeks revenge against the demented king and his ministers who have usurped his land, massacred his family, and enslaved his secret love.

Three Circles of Characters

A. Main Characters Circle:

Hop-Frog: a crippled dwarf, enslaved as the court fool, uses his wit and his skills creating lavish events with clockwork mechanicals to become the minister of death against King Goplik and his ministers who destroyed his homeland, and enslaved his secret love, Trippetta.

Trippetta: unable to shake her romantic dream of being a princess, but fiercely independent, Trippetta needs to survive her servitude using intelligence and athleticism (especially her enchanting dance skills). She had often treated her best friend, Hop-Frog, as her pet and now must trust him as an ally for vengeance and freedom.

King Goplik of Brattvia: terrorizes and rules with a passion for horrific practical jokes. He usurped Hop-Frog’s and Trippetta’s homeland, massacred families, and has enslaved the two for his pleasure.

B. Connected Circle:

Lord Krapp, leader of the Brattvian army and the king’s arm of destruction

Queen of Brattvia

The King’s Ministers:

· Prime Minister of Fear

· Minister of Hunger

· Minister of Poverty

· Minister of Idiocy

· Minister of Disease

King Queeg of Balog, King Goplik’s and Brattvia’s neighbor and rival

C. Environment Circle:

Servants of the King and his Ministers

Citizens of Brattvia

Trippetta’s family, massacred by King Goplik’s army

Prince Brann of Lavinia

King and Queen of Lavinia

Hop-Frog’s mother, family, massacred by King Goplik’s army

Citizens, lords, knights of neighboring Balog

Were-creatures, victims of a plague

[Stuart Voytilla]

Watchmen Circles of Characters

A. Main Characters Circle:

Angela Abar, Will Reeves (her grandfather)

Veidt (placed in this circle now because he leads his subplot, but hasn’t connected with Angela yet)

B. Connected Circle:

Primary colleagues in Tulsa Police Department: Wade/Looking Glass; Red Scare

Cal (Angela’s husband), Angela’s adopted children (Topher, Emma, Rosie)

Sheriff Crawford (deceased, and in flashbacks), Jane Crawford

Senator Joe Keene

O.B., Will’s father (flashback)

Relative seeking visitation of the children of Doyle and Ginny (Doyle was Angela’s partner; Doyle and Ginny murdered on The White Night)

Within the American Hero Story: Hooded Justice

Veidt’s World: “Mr. Philips”, Ms. Crookshanks<br style=”user-select: auto;”><br style=”user-select: auto;”>

C. Environment Circle:

U.S. Soldiers serving in Germany

Tulsa citizens, business people – a news stand owner, delivery guy, a customer

Fraulein Mueller (typist) and German Commandant who dictates the copy for the propaganda Will has.

Tulsa police officers, crime scene investigators

News reporters, photographers, news “moths”

Seventh Kavalry members, gunmen

Friends and colleagues of Crawfords

Greenwood Center for Cultural Heritage: customers, protestors, employees, U.S. Treasury Secretary “Skip” within interactive media station

Within the American Hero Story: Boston citizens, news reporters, police, paperboy, customers in general store, four robbers of general store, general store manager

Veidt’s World: stage hands, violinist

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Subject line: Watchmen 5 Star Model

What I learned doing this assignment is…?

Watching the episode twice was valuable. In addition to allowing me to outline/freewrite (1st screening) and then focus the 5 Stars (2nd screening), I had two additional takeaways from each viewing. For the first screening, I appreciated the integration and interweaving of time/clocks throughout the episode. This included: narrative elements (the ticktock threat from Seventh Kavalry, the mystery of the lithium watch batteries, a White Night event leading to hibernation of the racist force, the pocket watch given to Veidt); the choice of title “Watchmen” and the mystery of who the watchmen are; and the aesthetics (the overhead shot of the dining table and composition like a clock).

During the 2nd viewing, the takeaway was how the filmmakers immediately break stereotypes and derail audience expectations to open our eyes to Angela’s experience in this world. The black and white silent movie reveals the sheriff in white as the scoundrel (the threat of his lynching foreshadows Crawford’s shocking lynching), the shocking and visceral placement of viewer in the streets of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street under attack by armed KKK members (unmasked!) and airplanes dropping bombs.

Okay, third takeaway… the episode is laced with irony, especially with Judd Crawford and the production of a “Black Oklahoma”. While Judd played Curly the romantic lead when he performed Oklahoma, he dies tragically in the end of the episode (as we hear Curly’s song lamenting the death of Jud Fry, the villain in the musical).

Star 1: Big Picture Hooks

Ask this: What is the big hook of this show?

• In a sub-world where law and criminals don masks to protect personal identities, Detective Angela Abar takes on the white supremacist force, the Seventh Kavalry. Also, how does it connect back to a boy who survived the Tulsa Massacre in 1921?

Star 2: Amazing and Intriguing Character

Ask this: What makes these main characters intriguing and interesting?

• Detective Angela Abar’s double life as detective and baker – equal dedication to family/community and to serve justice. A victim of The White Night, Angela dons a mask to serve the Tulsa police (Chief Judd Crawford), and protect her family. She’s smart, dedicated and kicks ass.

Star 3: Empathy / Distress

Ask this: What situation causes us to feel both empathy and distress for this character?

• Angela survived the White Night and knows the threat personally, and to her family and Tulsa community with the rise of Seventh Kavalry. And she may now need to face the masked enemy alone when her mentor and friend Chief Judd Crawford is lynched.

Star 4: Layers / Open Loops

Ask this: What questions are created by this first episode that can only be answered by watching the entire season?

• Why has the Seventh Kavalry risen from hibernation and what is their mission? Why are they collecting synthetic lithium batteries? Will Angela find out who lynched Judd, and will she get justice? Is the man in the wheelchair the little boy who survived the 1921 Tulsa Massacre? Will Angela defeat the Seventh Kavalry? What will happen to the Tulsa police force now their chief has been lynched? Whom can Angela trust in a system of law and order where everyone needs to wear a mask for personal protection? What happened on White Night? How does Veidt connect to all of this? Why is it raining squids?

Star 5: Inviting Obsession

Ask this: How does this pilot create the need to see every single episode?

• Why has the Seventh Kavalry stirred this shit up again, and what is their endgame? And what will Angela do to bring them down, when she’s lost her strongest partner, Judd Crawford?

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by  Stuart Voytilla.

[Stuart Voytilla]

Hello, I’m Stuart. I’ve written about a dozen projects (specs for film/TV, marketing campaigns, plays, two books). I have several television series concepts in various stages of development, and frankly a bit stalled, and so I’m eager to dive into this Binge Worthy TV Bootcamp to target the one I’m most passionate about to write and to experience as an audience member. My secondary goal is to allow this experience (with lessons/techniques learned, and confidence to write faster) to open the creative floodgate to get the other series moving forward.

Interesting or unique…? I was a collegiate fencer (a southpaw sabre fencer), and I always appreciate a great cinematic fight sequence (regardless of weapon).

I’m very excited to share, learn, and grow with you over the next months.

[Stuart Voytilla]

I, Stuart Voytilla, agree to the terms of this 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 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.