Tara Cowell-Plain
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As a member of this group, I, Tara Cowell-Plain, 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.
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Hi All,
I’m Tara. I’ve written a couple of scripts but have left it for a while. I have to edit a pilot script that kind of works, but isn’t as good as it could be so hoping this course will guide some much needed depth to help me get it there.
Quirky? I’m a bit of an eccentric, a rebel at heart for the collective welfare.
Let’s have fun!
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I learned that tools make a huge difference in writing, understanding the intention behind every piece of the script is liberating.
OPENING:
INT. MOTHER’S HOUSE – DAY
KAYLA (38), beautiful in a hearty, simple way, on the phone as she pulls a roast out of the oven.
KAYLA
Bob, I understand and I know how busy you are, I wouldn’t ask .. But it’s for my Mom.
MOM (V.O.)
Kayla!
KAYLA
Oh, I gotta go
(listens)
Thank you!! I so appreciate it. Ok have a great night.
The door bell rings.
KAYLA
(to bedroom)
Coming!
Kayla races to the door, it’s FATHER REGAN, (70’s), sweet, wise eyes and calm demeanor, big smile.
KAYLA
Hi Father, come in. How are you?
FATHER REGAN
Fine, lovely Kayla, how are you?
KAYLA
I’m great, come in. Mom called out, follow me.
She walks toward the bedroom, the father follows.
FATHER REGAN
How is your beautiful mother?
KAYLA
Today is a good day.
INT. BEDROOM – CONTINUOUS
CATHERINE, 70, lies in a hospital bed, all the vanity of a true beauty in her day.
CATHERINE
Father Regan, how wonderful to see you!
FATHER REGAN
And you Catherine! You’re looking as fine as a peach.
CATHERINE
(big laugh)
Finally, someone to flirt with!
FATHER REGAN
Watch my heart, I’m an old man now.
CATHERINE
Would you like some tea? Kayla?
KAYLA
Sure, and you, Mom?
CATHERINE
Thank you my darling girl. Father, I would be lost without my Kayla. She is truly heaven sent.
Catherine suddenly looks teary.
FATHER REGAN
That she is.
Kayla laps up the praise, smiles beautifically.
KAYLA
I’ll get the tea.
EXT. MOTHER’S HOUSE – LATER
Father Regan stands by his car.
FATHER REGAN
I wish you’d let me call the driving club, really Kayla.
Reveal Kayla standing up, greasy, with a tire iron in hand.
KAYLA
That’s ok Father.. They take so long and I’m handy.
FATHER REGAN
I see that. Thank you!!
KAYLA
You’re most welcome. I so appreciate your visits. Mom is so uplifted by them.
FATHER REGAN
Your mother has always been irrepressible.
Kayla smiles sadly.
FATHER REGAN
How are you doing my dear?
KAYLA
Me? I’m fine.
FATHER REGAN
Have you considered what you’ll do after .. afterward?
KAYLA
Afterward?
FATHER REGAN
Life is for the living sweet Kayla. The time will come you know and I worry about you when it does.
KAYLA
I can’t think about that Father.
Kayla’s eyes are big as saucers.
FATHER REGAN
I’m here for you too.
He gives her a big hug.
ANTAGONIST INTRO:
INT. JAIL – WARDEN’S OFFICE – DAY
Kayla sits in a low chair facing the massive, antique oak desk of WARDEN BOX, 50’s, ex-football player, ever ready to tackle.
WARDEN BOX
So, you got your degree online?
KAYLA
Yes, I had to look after my Mom, so it worked out.
WARDEN BOX
The father is a good friend but this is a tough place. Think you can handle it?
KAYLA
I’m willing to try.
Warden humpfs.
WARDEN BOX
We just started hiring social workers. You’re the second.
KAYLA
Ah.
WARDEN BOX
I don’t like ‘em.
KAYLA
Why is that?
WARDEN BOX
If jail starts feeling like a resort, where’s the deterrent?
KAYLA
Right.
WARDEN BOX
Consequences. That’s what the law is all about. Are you going to be some long lost mother to these guys? I want them desperate to get out and never come back.
KAYLA
I’m-
WARDEN BOX
Don’t sweet talk me. And don’t sweet talk them either. Life is hard, and much harder if you don’t play by the rules, that’s the social work I want you to do. Got me?
KAYLA
I think so.
JOHN, 40’s, the first social worker hired, and been here too long, enters.
WARDEN BOX
John, meet Kayla. Newbie, show her the ropes.
JOHN
Will do.
WARDEN BOX
She’s scary innocent. Make sure she doesnt’ get killed.
Kayla laughs. The warden and John stare at her.
WARDEN BOX
I mean it, don’t get killed.
KAYLA
Yes sir.
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I learned that layering is a process, and emerges fairly naturally. My ideas keep shifting but also narrowing in on character and story. I’m also learning that I don’t actually need much time for actual writing, thinking happens passively and then writing happens quickly once I sit down to do it.
Tara’s Beat Sheet -Pass #2
Act 1
Opening:
INT. KAYLA’S MOM’S HOUSE – DAY
Meet Kayla looking after her very ill Mom
Priest comes in to help Mom, pushes Kayla to face reality of her death, Kayla in denial.
Kayla final chat with Mom, heartfelt
Theme – Kayla looks after her Mom, caters to her, we see she doesn’t think of herself at all.
Priest tells her that her life is her own, she is in denial (Priest shows us the ending – freedom)
Inciting incident:
EXT. FUNERAL – DAY
Mom’s funeral
Kayla tries to crawl into grave with her Mom – theme
Priest consoles her
EXT KAYLA’S HOUSE – DAY
Priest helps Kayla with a job and apt in the city.
Theme – Kayla tries to cater to him
EXT. DRIVING – DAY
Kayla drives to city
INT. APT. – NIGHT
Landlady shows Kayla the place, she moves in
Landlady is florida wannabe retired golfer living in her own fantasy – freedom
EXT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla drives up, it’s intimidating
Theme – our personal imprisonment
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla meets warden, he scares her. Meets other social worker, he’s awful
Warden: This is going to be hard, you’ll probably fail
Social worker: this place sucks, you will fail
INT. APT. BUILDING – DAY
Kayla meets neighbor, funny, embarrassing interaction
Nieghbor: she is the embodiment of Kayla’s future, assertive, strong, self determined
EXT APT. BUILDING – ROOF – NIGHT
Turning Point: Kayla is lonely and wants to run, ideates suicide. Neighbor intervenes, suggests 10 dates, Kayla reluctantly agrees.
Neighbor saves her from herself.
INT. NEIGHBOR’S APT – NIGHT (?)
Neighbor helps Kay with profile
Act 2
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla meets some inmate / clients
Inmate 1 – Tries to borrow money
Inmate 2 – Tries to seduce her
Inmate 3 – super angry, chases her around the room, all chained up
INT. KAYLA’S APT. – NIGHT
Neighbor and Kayla go over date responses. Writes back to 9.
IINT. JAIL – DAY
Warden gives her pep talk.
Basically, he’s trapped in his life, ends up telling her his problems. Just don’t get killed.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Date 1 – Kayla cries on her date, doesn’t work
Date goes to bathroom, doesn’t come back
INT. JAIL – DAY
inmates pull a fast one on her, she’s embarrassed. The guards laugh at her too. Kayla brought in cookies for inmates.
Inmate 1 – I’m innocent, Kayla makes notes, wants to help
Inmate 2 – I’m innocent, my family, Kayla makes notes
Kayla brings innocent stories to warden, guards mimick inmates stories, make fun of her innocence and cookies.. Kayla finds feces in her office.
INT. WINE BAR – NIGHT
Date 2 – Kayla is desperate, doesn’t work.
Date is overwhelmed , goes to the bathroom, doesn’t come back.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla tries to mediate between 2 inmates, comically bad
Inmates dump on her instead
Kayla working hard on inmates cases
EXT. STREET – DAY
Date 4 – Kayla date with indifferent guy, motorcycle that she is terrified of and freezes on, and they can’t talk.
Date is unable to look at her, she tries to console him, he erupts on her and speeds away.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Neighbor pep talk and laughs, girl’s night out.
Neighbor advice
Kayla obsesses over helping the inmates
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla meets with Inmate 1, makes a connection – small
Inmate New – helps her understand truth in some profound way.
EXT. RES TAURANT – NIGHT
Date 5 – Kayla meets with someone like her, not interested.
Date seems to like her, he has 5 kids, widowed, cries all over her. She agrees to help with kids.
EXT. BASEBALL GAME – DAY
Kayla with the dates kids, he shows up but leaves them with her, they are awful.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla approaches warden wanting to help inmates, gets cold shoulder, ends up writing a bunch of reports for the warden and his asst.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla is manipulated by an inmate, ends up running a drug errand on the outside, almost gets herself killed.
EXT. BOAT – NIGHT
Date 6 – Kayla meets an avoidant narcissist – she’s interested.
Date is super self-involved and highly critical, fits with her self image.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Neighbor tells her to walk away, she agrees but secretly not. She texts him.
INT. GYM – DAY
Neighbor takes Kayla to a self-defence course, Kayla struggles miserably.
Intimidated by instructor
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Narc guy calls back, they go out, she sleeps with him.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Warden approaches Kayla with mor paperwork, she does it. Dad guy calls with another babysitting thing. She agrees.
INT. KAYLA’S – NIGHT
Narc guy calls again for sex, it’s humiliating but she’s into him.
INT JAIL – DAY
Turning Point 2: Narc date ghosts her, warden suspends her when he finds out she helped an inmate on outside. She finds out her Mom left everything to the church.
Act 3
EXT. KAYLA’S APT – ROOF – DAY
Neighbor and friend #2 come to help her
INT. CAFÉ – NIGHT
Date 7 – Kayla goes out with indifferent guy, she confronts him. She leaves in the middle.
EXT. CEMETARY – DAY
Kayla visits her Mom’s grave, heart to heart, puts it behind her.
Faces some facts, angry at her, then forgives her.
EXT. BAR – NIGHT
Kayla has fun with neighbor and friend
She’s getting freer
EXT LUNCH PLACE – DAY
Date 8 – Kayla meets a much older guy, lied about his age. His wife finds out about the date and confronts them, tries to shame her, she fights back.
EXT. PARK – DAY
Narc calls her, she gets together with him, he apologizes profusely, they sleep together.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla goes back to work, meets with inmate 1, discuss his anger issues, Kayla tries to help. They help each other.
Kayla tells another inmate she can’t help him.
And same for warden
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Kayla dates Narc, going weirdly but he’s calling at least
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla gets positive movement with inmate 1 and other inmates seem to be responding
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Date 9 – Kayla meets up with guy, tell shim she’s seeing someone and sorry. He flips out on her. She holds her own.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Kayla tells Narc she loves him, he soaks it up, doesn’t respond back.
INT. GYM – DAY
Kayla is getting more confident, back at self defense, feeling stronger
EXT. NARC’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Turning point A: Kayla finds narc with another woman
At first she’s apologetic, then finally stands up to him.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Turning point b: Riot breaks out in prison, Inmate 1 is killed, wife is devastated, warden blames her and fires her.
Kayla feels like she wrong all along
Act 4
INT. KAYLA’S – DAY
Neighbor and friend try to help Kayla, Friend tells Kayla she’s moving, the apt is being renovated, they all have to go.
EXT. KAYLA’S – ROOF – DAY
Kayla does soul searching. Spends time alone. Faces her suicidal fears.
INT. KAYLA’S – NIGHT
Narc tries to get back with Kayla, she dumps him.
Kayla gets message from guy who wants to date, Neigbor reminds her 10 dates, she agrees, he’s the last.
EXT. CAFÉ – NIGHT
Meets Date 10 / just friends.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Says good bye to neighbor. Not sure what she’s going to do. Soul searching.
INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Applies for job in kindergarten
EXT. SOMETHING FUN – DAY
Date 10 again – going well.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Warden comes over and apologizes, asks if she wants her job back, she says no.
INT. INMATES WIFE’S HOUSE – DAY
Kayla meets with wife of dead inmate, strikes up a friendship.
INT. GUY’S HOUSE – DAY
Date 10 again – this could be something. He gets her.
INT. NEW APT. – DAY
Moves into her new apt. She’s on her own and happy.
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I learned that I can move quickly if I don’t let myself get stuck, if I just keep working and don’t think too hard, it will come.
Tara’s – Beat Sheet
Act 1
Opening:
INT. KAYLA’S MOM’S HOUSE – DAY
Meet Kayla looking after her very ill Mom
Priest comes in to help Mom, pushes Kayla to face reality of her death, Kayla in denial.
Kayla final chat with Mom, heartfelt
Inciting incident:
EXT. FUNERAL – DAY
Mom’s funeral
Kayla tries to crawl into grave with her Mom
Priest consoles her
EXT KAYLA’S HOUSE – DAY
Priest helps Kayla with a job and apt in the city.
EXT. DRIVING – DAY
Kayla drives to city
INT. APT. – NIGHT
Landlady shows Kayla the place, she moves in
EXT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla drives up, it’s intimidating
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla meets warden, he scares her. Meets other social worker, he’s awful
INT. APT. BUILDING – DAY
Kayla meets neighbor, funny, embarrassing interaction
EXT APT. BUILDING – ROOF – NIGHT
Turning Point: Kayla is lonely and wants to run, ideates suicide. Neighbor intervenes, suggests 10 dates, Kayla reluctantly agrees.
INT. NEIGHBOR’S APT – NIGHT (?)
Neighbor helps Kay with profile
Act 2
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla tries to mother inmates, they hate her.
INT. KAYLA’S APT. – NIGHT
Neighbor and Kayla go over date responses. Writes back to 9.
IINT. JAIL – DAY
Warden gives her pep talk.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Date 1 – Kayla cries on her date, doesn’t work
INT. JAIL – DAY
inmates pull a fast one on her, she’s embarrassed. The guards laugh at her too.
INT. WINE BAR – NIGHT
Date 2 – Kayla is desperate, doesn’t work.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla tries to mediate between 2 inmates, comically bad
EXT. STREET – DAY
Date 4 – Kayla date with indifferent guy, motorcycle that she is terrified of and freezes on, and they can’t talk.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Neighbor pep talk and laughs, girls night out.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla meets with Inmate 1, makes a connection – small
EXT. RES TAURANT – NIGHT
Date 5 – Kayla meets with someone like her, not interested.
EXT. BASEBALL GAME – DAY
Date 6 – A transman shows up.. Kayla is flustered, not her thing, let’s be friends.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla counsels an inmate on family issues, has nothing to offer.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla is manipulated by an inmate, ends up running a drug errand on the outside, almost gets herself killed.
EXT. BOAT – NIGHT
Date 7 – Kayla meets an avoidant narcissist – she’s interested.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Neighbor tells her to walk away, she agrees but secretly not. She texts him.
INT. GYM – DAY
Neighbor takes Kayla to a self-defence course, Kayla fails miserably.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Narc guy calls back, they go out, she sleeps with him.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Warden is uninterested in ideas Kayla has to improve things, her co-worker is awful.
INT. KAYLA’S – NIGHT
Narc guy calls again for sex, it’s humiliating but she’s into him.
INT JAIL – DAY
Turning Point: Narc date ghosts her, warden suspends her when he finds out she helped an inmate on outside. She finds out her Mom left everything to the church.
Act 3
EXT. KAYLA’S APT – ROOF – DAY
Neighbor and friend #2 come to help her
INT. CAFÉ – NIGHT
Date 8 – Kayla goes out with indifferent guy, she confronts him
EXT. CEMETARY – DAY
Kayla visits her Mom’s grave, heart to heart, puts it behind her.
EXT. BAR – NIGHT
Kayla has fun with neighbor and friend
EXT LUNCH PLACE – DAY
Date 9 – Kayla meets a nice guy, has 4 kids, looking for a mother. She’s out.
EXT. PARK – DAY
Narc calls her, she gets together with him, he apologizes profusely, they sleep together.
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla goes back to work, meets with inmate 1, he has anger issues, Kayla tries to help.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Kayla dates Narc, going weirdly but he’s calling at least
INT. JAIL – DAY
Kayla gets positive movement with inmate 1 and other inmates seem to be responding
INT. KAYLA’S APT – NIGHT
Kayla tells Narc she loves him, he soaks it up
INT. GYM – DAY
Kayla is getting more confident, back at self defense, feeling stronger
EXT. NARC’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Turning point a: Kayla finds narc with another woman
INT. JAIL – DAY
Turning point b: Riot breaks out in prison, Inmate 1 is killed, wife is devastated, warden blames her and fires her.
Act 4
INT. KAYLA’S APT. – DAY
Neighbor and friend try to help Kayla, Friend tells Kayla she’s moving, the apt is being renovated, they all have to go.
EXT. KAYLA’S – ROOF – DAY
Kayla does soul searching. Spends time alone. Faces her suicidal fears.
INT. KAYLA’S APT. – NIGHT
Narc tries to get back with Kayla, she dumps him.
EXT. CAFÉ – NIGHT
Meets Date 10 / just friends
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Says good bye to neighbor.
INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Applies for job in kindergarten
EXT. SOMETHING FUN – DAY
Date 10 again – going well.
INT. KAYLA’S APT – DAY
Warden comes over and apologizes, asks if she wants her job back, she says no.
INT. INMATES WIFE’S HOUSE – DAY
Kayla meets with wife of dead inmate, strikes up a friendship.
INT. GUY’S HOUSE – DAY
Date 10 again – this could be something. He gets her.
INT. NEW APT. – DAY
Resolution: Moves into her new apt. She’s on her own and happy.
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I learned that writing a story can be broken down into essential, easy to understand components and I can have confidence by applying the system, it’s surprisingly easy, with the 30% rule top of mind.
Protagonist – Kayla
Old ways – Fearful, co-dependent, low self esteem, lonely, depressed, controlling
New Ways – Assertive, self possessed, honest, energized
List of steps:
1. Recognize that she is alone now, the past is gone
2. Steps into new city, new job, new apt.
3. Struggles mercilessly with job, making friends, dating.
4. Realizes death isn’t an answer, she wants to live, let’s go.
5. Gives up her fear and tries honesty and courage.
6. Sees some success with clients and dating, friends
7. Faces her worst fears and survives
8. Finds herself, then love and work that could fulfill her
Tests/Examples:
1. Tries to crawl into grave with her mother. Minister helps her with job and apt in city.
2. Faces awful experiences at job with clients, tries to quit but is unable to. Embarrassing attempts to make friends.
3. Makes a friend of her neighbor.
4. Decorates her apt., agrees to 10 online dates.
5. Finds attraction with man, starts to date. Progress with a few inmate/clients.
6. Faces reality when date cheats/dumps her and a prison riot erupts and a client his killed.
7. Fights for change at prison, quits.
8. 10th date / new job. New self.
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I learned it’s a work in progress and can shift all over the place and I can still track it and keep improving. The process is way more fluid than I realize and it’s ok.
Concept: A lonely, small town woman loses her mother after a long illness and moves to the city to reinvent herself and find her dreams .. or bust.
Main conflict: Kayla struggles to overcome her sense of loneliness and despair and find out what makes life worth living.
Old Ways: Naive, co-dependent, people pleaser, no sense of self, depressed, nurturer, self deprecating, low self esteem, fearful, suicidal
New Ways: Assertive, strong, self possessed, honest, energized, strong sense of self, risk taker
Act 1
Opening: Meet Kayla looking after her mother, who is highly critical. Kayla is dutiful but spineless and depressed.
Inciting incident: Kayla’s Mother dies, funeral
Turning Point: Kayla moves to the city, gets a job at a prison, gets an apt, meets her neighbor and possible new friend.
Act 2
New Plan: Kayla dives into her job and making friends, looks for love.
Plan in Action: Job is spectacularly hard, Kayla is too desperate for love and has real difficulty making friends. She’s back to feeling lonely and depressed. Neighbor suggests online dating.
Mid-point: Kayla ideates suicide and scares herself.
Act 3
Rethink everything: Kayla faces some truths in herself and reconciles that if things don’t get better in 3 months she will take her life.
New Plan: She agrees to try 10 online dates, and approaches her work in new ways. Kayla meets someone on a date, it seems to be going well and the job is improving, she makes progress with a couple of inmates.
Turning Point/Huge failure: The date cheats on her and the prison erupts in a riot where the inmate she was closest to is killed trying her approach to solving problems.
Act 4
Climax: Kayla goes on last date but holds out no hope, she’s moving past the need to find someone but they fight for her. The prison warden mistakenly blames her for the riot violence and she quits. Kayla does things she loves, alone.
Resolution: The last date starts to win her over and the warden realizes his mistake and apologizes. She did good and feels strong in herself now.
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I learned today that my characters are changing, in fact, my story is changing. I felt frustration for half the day and wanted to run away as fast as possible from this assignment but the feeling passes and I can make progress, no matter how small, by being open and willing. Big reminder not to judge, just flow and see what happens.
Protagonist – KAYLA
Kayla is afraid of entering the work force, she hasn’t had a job like this before and feels a lot of pressure to live up to what she perceives the demands to be. She has an imposter syndrome about the job. She has ben hiding in her life looking after her mother, scared to spread her wings, even as she blames her mother for her holding her back. She’s afraid she’s not good enough to have dreams or love fulfilled. She chose social work because it felt like the closest thing to what she was already doing, looking after someone else’s problems and could keep hiding within that. It felt safe but now she’s facing the reality and just wants to go and hide from it all. She is terrified of most things.. especially being alone.
Main Antagonist – MR. BOX
Mr. Box has morphed into a Lou Grant type character, gruff and cynical, endlessly irritated and impatient with Kayla. He sees her caring personality as weakness and he hates weakness. He is no longer corrupt, he’s tough because jail is a tough place but underneath he is afraid of Kayla’s vulnerability, a reflection fo his own, and so he craps all over her to toughen her up. He is motivated by order and consequences. He fears that others will see he is kind and take advantage of him, so he shuts down all positive emotional expression.
Alternative Antagonists – DATES / INMATES
1) There are a series of men that Kayla dates online. Change agents for Kayla on her journey to self respect and defining her truth in love.
2) There are also a series of male clients that Kayla tries to help. Change agents to reflect her journey to stand up for herself and face change, they force her to adapt to survive.
I have work to do on this element ..
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I learned today that I can have multiple ideas about a character and to allow that to be ok while I feel the out more before deciding on a final approach.
KAYLA – Protagonist
Draw: a kind idealist who emotionally engages us because she’s thrust into some frightening situations at work and obtuse situations in love.
Traits: Vulnerable, nurturing, at risk, optimist, courageous, naive
Subtext: Overwhelmed, nurtures to deflect from her own lack of self awareness, deeply affected by others pain as a way to avoid facing her own problems, an empath
Flaw: Fear
Values: compassion, generosity, courage, love
Irony: Her boundary-less compassion is the thing that creates most of her problems. She must learn to lie to catch the warden and understand true love.
Right character: She grew up wth a highly manipulative and difficult mother and survived. She is more resourced and smarter than she realizes. She poses no threat to power so it reveals itself to her.
MR. BOX – Antagonist
Draw: The epitome of modern, youthful success. A hipster who portrays himself as a disruptor to save the system. Smart and savvy, excellent manipulator
Traits: Arrogant, gas lighter, powerful, narcissist, manipulator
Subtext: Always looking for the advantage in every interaction
Flaw: Arrogance
Values: Power
Irony: His total lack of respect for Kayla makes him blind to her power take him down. and that he is the impetus for her to finally find herself.
Right Character: His character is the perfect catalyst for Kayla’s rage at her mother and he unleashes it.
INMATES / DATES
This is a group of men collectively that are change agents for Kayla, they reflect her struggles and progress as she maneouvers around their various issues and relationships with her.
Adjust pt 1 profiles / bring together:
I’m still working on this…
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Tara’s Journey
Today I learned that just by doing the work, lots of ideas emerge in the process that can move way beyond what I was trying to accomplish. I learned that I can feel really good about the process, that stress is not necessary.
Tara’s Character Profiles Part 1
2. Protaganist – KAYLA
Dreamer / Victim
Kayla has led a sheltered life looking after her very ill mother in a small town. She has dreamed of falling in love and making a difference in the lives of others. She is co-dependent, self deprecating and convinced that everyone wants to do their best and the right thing. She doesn’t have a strong sense of self, and is easily manipulated by those around her.
3. Antagonist – a) MR. BOX, b) Men at prison and Online dates
a) Predator / Change Agent
Mr. Box is a wall street wanna be stuck in a prison who dreams of more. He is ruthless in working the system to amass his fortune. He profits off corporate kickbacks from companies servicing the prison and those companies that employ the prisoners. He punishers prisoners by denying family visits and educational resources.
b) Change Agents / Villains / Predators
Add’l protagonists will be the men that Kayla faces as clients in prison and those she dates before finding her love.
4. Supporting roles – Kayla has 2 female friends, Char, early 40’s, psychologist and her neighbor, Gail, late 20’s. Both street wise and smart. They assist Kayla in dealing with her job and encourage her to start online dating, they also provide a view into her progress. Kayla has a friend in prison inmate, Bob, who assists her in taking down the warden. Kayla has her true love who is the last of her online dates.
5. Genre – Rom-Com
6. Antagonist – KAYLA
– Role: Small town do-good, social worker dreaming of love, moves to the city and is in for a rude awakening working at a men’s max prison and online dating. Prisoner to her ideals, and co-dependent, she thinks everyone is trying their best.. and wants her help
– Age: 38, attractive but not overly, dresses like a secretary but looks uncomfortable on her. She is upright and attentive. Big smile, often at inappropriate times.
– Internal journey: From an innocent, fantasy/ideal based sense of the world to having the strength to stand up for what she deeply believes in and discover her true self.
– External journey: From a wimpy, people pleaser afraid of her life to a confident force for positive change with her clients, taking down the prison warden and finding love.
– Motivation: To save people and fall in love
– Wound: Low self worth, co-dependency, anxiety, compromised center
– Mission / Agenda: To make a difference in the world, to take down the warden
– Secret: Her identity is tied up with care-giving her mother, otherwise she feels helpless in the world.
– Specialness: Her strength to face all challenges with optimism and a deeply held belief in truth and justice.
6b. Protagonist – Mr. Box
– Role: Mr. Box is a corrupt prison warden who profits off the system and enjoys a sadistic power over the inmates. He takes pleasure in dismissing and manipulating Kayla.
– Age: early 30’s, arrogant, narcissist, well dressed, sees himself above everyone else.
– Internal journey: None, bad to the bone, to the end.
– External journey: From the prison warden to convict.
– Motivation: To get rich and feed his endless ego.
– Wound: Parents hated him
– Mission / Agenda: To exert and prove his power, the get to Wall Street
– Secret: A mass of properties in his sisters name, but she’s in a mental institution with severe catatonia
– Specialness: His uncanny sense of others weaknesses
6b – Protagonists – Jail Men and Online dates
These are a variety of male and female characters that will come into Kayla’s life to represent and challenge different blind spots for Kayla, spurring her to greater self awareness and growth leading her to find her truth and love.
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Tara’s transformational journey
I learned that confidence is easy to find and hold onto, and that I can have fun with my ideas just by letting go of needing anything specific from my writing other than to enjoy it and entertain myself.
1. My hero is a 38 yr old woman, Kayla, from a small town who has recently moved to the city and has a new career working as a social worker at a jail. She longs for love.
Internal journey: From naive and insecure to confident and strong
External journey: Small town innocent looking for love without a defined self to a strong, self assured woman with the love of her life.
2. Old Ways: Insecure, people pleaser, boundary-less, naive, fantasy based
New Ways: Confident, wise, boundaried, reality based, secure
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Hi Everyone,
I’m Tara Cowell-Plain. I’ve written 2 long and several short scripts. I struggle with confidence and procrastination. I get lots of good ideas but then get bogged down in the process. I have one I’m working on that is driving me batty with frustration. I decided to start with a fresh idea for this course, to keep it fun, with a searching eye back to the other. I’m hoping this course will give me some needed tools to work with.
I’m deeply envious of Rachel’s teeny tiny goat life, I foster rescue kitties when I can but am often on the road these days so unable to offer a furever home. In another dimension, I have a farm for injured critters of all shapes and sizes…
Excited to join!
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Tara Cowell-Plain
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.