Teresa Rodriguez
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Fascinating Scene Outlines!
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected, sought-after, and influential writer/producer with a successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
TITLE: “LILY WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS”
GENRE: Dramedy/Fantasy
THEME: Self-acceptance
HIGH CONCEPT: Snow White’s granddaughter, Lily White, runs away from her royal life to escape her perfectionist fairytale world.
What I learned doing this assignment is how to up intrigue into every scene.
ACT ONE:
Scene 1.
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Beginning: (Uncomfortable Moment) The Mirror tells the Queen that her daughter, Lilian, will overtake her title as the “fairest of them all.”
Middle: (Intrigue) The Evil Stepfather tells the Queen that it’s because her beauty is fading, and she should be worried about losing her popularity and her subject’s loyalty if she’s no longer the “fairest of them all.”
End: (Major Twist) The Queen is found dead with a bottle of poison in her hand. The Stepfather blames her demise on Lily. He declares Lilian isn’t good enough and vows never to let her rule the kingdom.
Scene 2.
EXT. WOODS – DAY
(TEN YEARS LATER, STEPFATHER IS RULING AS THE KING)
Beginning: (Mislead) A lowly young woman in tattered clothes screams and runs from fierce animals in the woods. She stops, turns, tickles them, and they fall over laughing.
Middle: (Reveal) The animals are teaching her their survival skills, then throw her a surprise birthday party, giving her a gift to remind her of how her Mom taught her to be strong and courageous.
End: (Suspense) Trumpets blare, the girl freezes, she’s late for her job at the castle, and her boss, the perfectionist King, will be enraged if he caught her looking anything less than perfect. (Surprise) She grabs her tiara off a toadstool, it’s Lilian the princess, and she runs towards the castle as fast as she can.
Scene 3
INT. CASTLE – DAY
Beginning: (Interesting Setting) Lily crawls through a dark tunnel and emerges into a creepy room filled with potion bottles and black magic items. Moaning comes from behind a wooden door, creeped out, she rushes past it to a door that leads to the outer grand courtyard.
Middle: (Uncertainty) She sneaks past the paparazzi setting up to broadcast the royal ball on live Fairy-TV; a reporter catches her but mistakes her for a servant.
End: (Uncomfortable Moment) A guard grabs Lily and is about to throw her into the river for being an “undesirable,” but a palace official snatches her away to take her to the dungeon.
Scene 4
INT. LILY’S ROOM – DAY
Beginning: (Character Changes Radically) The Palace Official is actually Lilian’s friend and safely takes the princess to her room so she can get ready for the royal ball being held to celebrate her 21st birthday.
Middle: (Interesting Setting) Lily’s room is magical, it comes alive with fairies all rushing to help her get dressed, and do her hair and makeup. They are under orders from the King to make Lilian look flawless, no small feat in their eyes.
End: (Suspense) The fairies inform Lilian that it’s the big night when she’ll meet the Prince that she is betrothed to marry. They turn her into a picture-perfect princess, then leave, but Lilian goes to the bathroom then exits her room with the back of her dress tucked into her panties.
Scene 5
EXT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Beginning: (Suspense) Guests arrive in luxurious carriages, including legendary fairytale royalty like Cinderella’s Granddaughter, Sleeping Beauty’s Granddaughter, Belle & The Beast’s Grandson, Jasmine’s twin Granddaughter & Grandson, etc. But they are all met by an intimidating “perfection patrol.”
Middle: (Uncertainty) By orders of the King, every guest must be inspected for perfection before being allowed into the royal ball. Those that pass inspection enter by a red carpet, and are greeted by exuberant paparazzi.
End: (Surprise) Those deemed “undesirable” are branded with a “U” and thrown off castle property, including The Beast’s Grandson for being “too hairy” and shedding too much.
Scene 6
INT. PALACE BALLROOM – NIGHT
Beginning: (Uncertainty) Lilian makes her grand entrance, then they announce the entrance for her Prince, but he doesn’t show up, and she’s devastated in front of the large crowd and on live Fairyland TV.
Middle: (Uncomfortable Moment) She must finish her grand entrance without her Prince, walking down a tall staircase as the paparazzi bombard her with questions about why her betrothed didn’t show. They laugh at her when they discover her panties are showing.
End: (Surprise) Mortified, Lilian slips down the stairs, crashing into the other princesses and breaking Jasmine’s Granddaughter’s leg. The King rises, everyone goes silent, and he announces that Princess Lilian is an embarrassment to his entire “impeccable” kingdom. Lilian runs away in shame as the crowd “boos” her.
Scene 7
INT. KING’S CHAMBERS – NIGHT
Beginning: (Betrayal) The King thanks his Assistant for getting rid of the Prince and waxing the stairs to set Lilian up for her fall.
Middle: (Suspense/Reveal) The King orders his Assistant to kill Lilian and make it look like a suicide, just as they did with The Queen.
End: (Major Twist) The King devises a plan to ensure his youthful appearance and keep the title of “fairest of them all” by stealing the “youth essence” from village youngsters. One of Lilian’s animal friends, a weasel, overhears the King’s evil plans.
Scene 8
INT. LILY’S ROOM – NIGHT
Beginning: (Betrayal Revealed) The Weasel tells Lilian that the King wants her dead because she doesn’t fit into his perfect kingdom and tells her of plans to harm the village youngsters.
Middle: (Internal Dilemma) Lily tries to decide if she should stay and fight to keep her mother’s legacy alive or flee the perfectionist life she hates.
End: (Intrigue) Lily fakes her own death, making it look like a suicide jump out her window into their alligator-filled moat.
Scene 9
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Beginning: (Suspense) Guards are posted outside Lily’s door, and the King’s assistant is headed to Lily’s room to kill her.
Middle: (Uncertainty) Lily is trapped in her room and must find a way out, so she follows the weasel and climbs up her chimney shaft.
End: (Uncertainty) Guards catch Lily, think she’s an “undesirable” covered in soot, who snuck into the castle, but the weasel helps her escape.
ACT TWO:
Scene 10
EXT. WOODS – NIGHT
Beginning: (Interesting Setting) Guards chase Lily into the deep, dark woods, she loses them, but eerie sounds bombard her.
Middle: (Superior Position) The audience sees many sets of frightening red eyes up ahead of Lily’s path. Scary human forms chase her. (the “undesirables” can only come out at night)
End: (Suspense/Hope) Lily’s animal friends hear and recognize her screams, come to the rescue, and lead her safely to the Dwarf’s farm.
Scene 11
INT. DWARF’S HOME – NIGHT
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Hope) Lily goes inside the Dwarf’s home, and sees pictures of her great-grandmother, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs. Relieved, she makes herself at home.
Middle: (Misinterpretation) Dwarfs come inside from the barn, see Lily still covered in soot, think she’s a creature from the woods, and capture her.
End: (Surprise) Lily reveals that she’s Snow’s granddaughter and that she needs them to help her stop The King, but instead of welcoming her, the Dwarves kick her out because they hate the royal family. (Subtext: The Evil Stepfather mistreated the Dwarves because they aren’t perfect.)
Scene 12
EXT. DWARF’S BARN – NIGHT
Beginning: (Interesting Setting) Lily sneaks into the barn, and the animals freak out and attack her.
Middle: (Uncertainty/Hope) To the animal’s surprise, Lily starts talking to them; she’s an animal whisperer.
End: (Uncertainty/Hope) The animals let her sleep in the barn. One animal protests but is outvoted; it stays up all night watching Lily.
Scene 13
INT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
Beginning: (Betrayal) Lily is fast asleep; one of the animals is about to tell the Dwarfs about her but gets stopped by the other animals.
Middle: (Internal Dilemma) Lily awakes, struggles with self-esteem issues about not being perfect like all fairytale princesses, and fears others will recognize her and reject her like the Dwarfs. So, she cuts and dies her hair, so no one will know she’s Princess Lilian so from this point forward, she’ll go by Lily.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) Animals alert Lily that the Dwarves are on their way to the barn; she must escape without them catching her.
Scene 14
EXT. VILLAGE – DAY
Beginning: (Interesting Setting) Lily walks into the village; everyone and everything is perfectly perfect.
Middle: (Intrigue) As Lily walks around, people start to stare at her and point.
End: (Fear) Fearing that she’s been recognized, she runs into a shop to hide.
Scene 15
INT. STORE – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily hides from villagers inside a grocery store.
Middle: (Superior Position) As the shop owner watches her closely, Lily smells the wonderful food, grabs everything she wants, and starts to eat it without paying; she’s never had to pay for anything in her life.
End: (Suspense) Shop owner calls the police on the “undesirable” who is stealing.
Scene 16
EXT. VILLAGE STREETS – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Fear) Police show up to arrest Lily, the “undesirable” who’s stealing.
Middle: (Suspense) Lily leads them on a chase through the village.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) Police arrest Lily, and cuff her.
ACT THREE
Scene 17
INT. COURTROOM – DAY
Beginning: (Uncomfortable Moment) Police march Lily in front of a Judge, he belittles her for being an “undesirable” and stealing, ruining their perfect kingdom. Reminds her that under The King’s rules, “Undesirables” are only allowed to come out at night when no perfect people have to look at them.
Middle: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily tries to explain and ask for help to stop The King from hurting the village youngsters.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) Judge doesn’t believe Lily’s story and sentences her to live in a homeless shelter with other “undesirables” for the rest of her life and do community service. Judge also sends a Messager to warn The King about this “undesirable” and her claim against him.
Scene 18
INT. HOMELESS SHELTER – DAY
Beginning: (Interesting Setting) Lily arrives at the homeless shelter and meets other “undesirables,” normal-looking, kind people, some with kids, and her heart goes out to them. A child tries to share her apple with Lily, but she freaks out at the sight of the apple.
Middle: (Uncertainty/Hope) Lily sees a mirror that looks a lot like The Mirror in the castle and sneaks over to try to talk to it and get help to stop The King.
End: (Misinterpretation) Other “undesirables” spy on her and think she’s crazy for talking to mirrors and being afraid of apples, so some shun her, triggering Lily’s low self-esteem.
Scene 19
INT. SHELTER KITCHEN – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Hope) Lily is assigned kitchen duty at the homeless shelter.
Middle: (Uncomfortable Moment) As Lily is rushing around trying to finish cutting potatoes before her deadline, she turns and accidentally cuts another worker’s hand; he disarms her with his Krav Maga skills. They fall to the floor, face to face.
End: (Uncomfortable Moment) Lily is mortified at her mistake; she jumps up and gets him a bandage; as she’s wrapping his hand, we see the “U” stamped on the backside; she asks about it, but he lies and says it’s an unfinished tattoo, “U” reminds him to be “unusual,” “unique,” “unafraid,” “unrivaled,” “unbound.”
Scene 20
EXT. DWARF’S FARM – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily is assigned community service at the Dwarf’s farm.
Middle: (Uncomfortable Moment) Dwarfs are suspicious of Lily; they don’t like strangers, but she looks familiar, and they assign her the worst job of picking up poop.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) The animals recognize her, including the one that doesn’t like her, and is about to expose her when the other animals stop it, then Lily impresses the Dwarfs by taming their worst-behaving animals, so they accept her.
Scene 21
INT. CASTLE – DAY
Beginning: (Intrigue) Messager tells The King that an “undesirable” claims he’s going to hurt the villagers, show him a picture, and The King realizes Lily is still alive.
Middle: (Suspense) The King bakes a peach tart and hides pieces of a poisoned apple in it.
End: (Reveal) He got the recipe from his great-grandmother, the Evil Queen, that tried to kill Snow White.
Scene 22
INT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
Beginning: (Suspense) Lily is alone working in the barn when The King, dressed as a poor Baker, shows up.
Middle: (Betrayal) The animals sense something is wrong, but Lily disregards them, then, The King/Baker guilts Lily into eating his peach/apple tart.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily takes a bite and falls to the ground. The animals chase The King/Baker away and go get the Dwarfs.
Scene 23
INT. CASTLE – DAY
Beginning: (Misinterpretation) The King arrives back at the castle and celebrates killing Lily.
Middle: (Intrigue) The King orders his assistant to get him more “fairest essence” to help him stay good-looking but is told that his “experiment subject” is almost out, almost dead.
End: (Suspense) The King begins his plans to steal the youth essence from the villagers.
Scene 24
EXT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
Beginning: (Misinterpretation) The Dwarfs and animals arrive back at the barn to save Lily but she is gone.
Middle: (Misinterpretation) They all start to cry, thinking The King took her away.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) They plan to go to the homeless shelter to get help to go save Lily from The King.
Scene 25
INT. HOMELESS SHELTER – DAY
Beginning: (Surprise/Uncomfortable Moment) The Dwarfs rush in but are surprised to see Prince teaching Lily Krav Maga skills. Prince and Lily are beginning to like each other. Prince reveals that he is already engaged.
Middle: (Hope) The Dwarfs are relieved but want to know why someone would want to kill her. She lies and says she worked for him and knows his secret plans.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear) The Weasel returns to tell Lily that The King is planning a big party and inviting the village youngsters to hurt them. Prince talks about how he hates arrogant royalty and liars; Lily feels convicted, but they all agree to try to stop The King.
Scene 26
EXT. DWARF’S FARM – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Fear) They all go back to the Dwarf’s home, and Prince sees musical instruments in the corner; the Dwarfs play, he sings, and they decide to make up a band for the party; Lily will get them into the castle, she knows the King’s party planner.
Middle: Lily says she can get her friend on the inside of the castle to hire them as the band. She sends the Weasel back to the castle with a note for her friend.
End: Prince and the Dwarfs begin practicing songs.
Scene 27
INT. CASTLE – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Hope) The Weasel arrives with the note for Lily’s friend.
Middle: (Superior Position) We see elaborate preparations being made for the party. Invitations go out to the villagers, who are so excited.
End: (Suspense) The King is excited about the cages he’ll put the villagers into.
Scene 28 (DAY OF THE PARTY)
EXT. CASTLE – DAY
Beginning: (Suspense/Uncomfortable Moment) Villagers arrive at the party, as usual, the perfect police are on patrol, they stop the Prince, the Dwarfs, and Lily, but Lily’s friend shows up to say they are the band, so they get let in.
Middle: (Suspense) The King welcomes his guests, the party starts, Prince and The Dwarfs play a song, villagers start to dance, then the staff starts to pass out the poisoned peach tarts, they tell everyone not to eat them, then they rush the crowd to stomp on the tarts and when they do the tarts burst into flames, the crowd screams and runs out.
End: (Character Changes Radically) The King rages, orders the guards out, and they capture Dwarfs, Prince helps Lily get away, but he’s captured. The King exposes Lily’s true identity and offers a reward for her capture. Prince and Dwarfs are shocked that she’s the princess, and feel betrayed. Prince then slips into a coma from his injuries.
ACT FOUR
Scene 29
INT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
Beginning: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily is hiding in fear, and “undesirables” show up to support her, tell her The King says she can either save Prince or the Dwarfs, trying to get all the kingdom to hate her.
Middle: The animals and “undesirables” convince Lily to fight, so she comes up with a plan. They show her how they can go storm the castle at night using their night goggles they used in the woods the night she ran away.
End: Lily begins training the “undesirables” Krav Maga moves that Prince taught her.
Scene 30
EXT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Beginning: (Suspense) The castle is quiet, everyone is asleep, Lily and her friends storm the castle.
Middle: (Uncertainty/Fear) They fight and defeat the guards, and find where Prince and Dwarfs are being held.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear/Reveal) Prince is still in a coma; dwarfs convince Lily to give him a kiss, she’s fearful she’s not good enough to save him, but to her surprise, Prince awakens. His Mother, a queen shows up; she got word he’s in trouble, and she announces that they are engaged to each other. Prince and Lily both lied about being royalty, they forgive each other; Prince encourages Lily to go fight The King and get her kingdom back.
Scene 31
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Beginning: (Superior Position) The King is ready to ambush Lily and the animals as they rush through the castle to get him.
Middle: (Suspense/Surprise) The King’s guards are winning when villagers show up to help Lily, they are grateful she saved their kids from harm.
End: (Uncertainty/Fear/Hope) The King hides, but Lily finds him, and the stars give him away. Lily and The King fight; she wins, he turns back into an “undesirable”, pleads with Lily not to kill him, and reveals that her Mother, The Queen, is still barely alive. Lily agrees to spare his life if he tells her where to find her mother.
Scene 32
INT. HIDDEN ROOM – NIGHT
Beginning: (Suspense) Lily rushes through the castle to the dark potions room; the groaning behind the door is faint, then stops.
Middle: (Uncertainty/Fear) Lily struggles to get the door open; when she does, her mother is lying on the floor, lifeless, Lily sobs and kisses her mother.
End: (Surprise) That kiss brings The Queen back to life.
Scene 33
INT. CASTLE BALLROOM – DAY
Beginning: The Queen is back in power.
Middle: The Queen sentences the Evil Stepfather/King to ______ (somehow serve all the undesirables he mistreated), making the Dwarves his boss. The Queen shuts down the homeless shelter, no one is labeled “undesirable” anymore, and everyone is now welcome in their kingdom.
End: The Mirror names Lily “fairest of them all” because inner beauty trumps outer beauty every time. But Lily’s newfound confidence makes her radiate, and she is a hero to all. She and Prince decide to hold off any marriage plans, they want to date first.
• Subtext: You’re only ugly if you’re mean to people. You are beautiful when you care for others and accept yourself.
• Hope/fear: We hope they will all live happily ever after whether they marry or not.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Scene Requirements
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected, sought-after, and influential writer/producer with a successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
TITLE: “LILY WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS”
GENRE: Dramedy/Fantasy
THEME: Self-acceptance
What I learned doing this assignment is it makes for a stronger script to have every scene requirement in every scene.
ACT ONE:
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
Scene Arc: The Mirror confirms the Queen as the “fairest of them all”; she kills herself.
• Essence: The Mirror tells Queen she’s starting to lose her “fairest of them all” title to her daughter; Queen kills herself.
• Conflict: Stepfather tries to make Queen feel bad about herself.
• Subtext: Stepfather is trying to steal the throne.
• Hope/fear: We hope she sees the Stepfather’s schemes. We fear she’s dead.
Scene Arc: Lily sneaks into the palace and then escapes it.
EXT. WOODS – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily starts in the woods playing, then sneaks into the palace.
• Essence: Lily plays with her animal friends. They throw her a birthday party and give her a gift that reminds her of how her Mom taught her to be strong.
• Conflict: She can’t let Stepfather see her looking imperfect.
• Subtext: Lily is not the perfect princess that her Stepfather expects her to be.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily gets in undetected. We fear she’ll get caught.
INT. CASTLE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily sneaks past guards and paparazzi setting up for the party.
• Essence: Lily sneaks around the castle undetected.
• Conflict: If Lily gets caught, she’ll be in big trouble.
• Subtext: Lily fears her Stepfather.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily gets in undetected. We fear she’ll get caught.
INT. LILY’S ROOM – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily enters looking homeless, and maids transform her into a perfect fairytale princess.
• Essence: Maids and fairies turn Lily into what a perfect princess should look like.
• Conflict: Lily’s Stepfather requires her to be perfect, but she’s not.
• Subtext: Lily has low self-esteem and doesn’t fit into her role as a perfect princess.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily will like how she looks. We fear she’ll embarrass herself at the ball.
EXT. CASTLE – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Party guests arrive at the castle, but guards throw the imperfect ones out, some into the raging river.
• Essence: Only perfect people are allowed to enter the party.
• Conflict: The Evil Stepfather hates imperfect people and never wants to see them.
• Subtext: Evil Stepfather is imperfect but wants to be one of the perfect people.
• Hope/fear: We hope everyone gets into the party. We fear people will be killed getting thrown into the river.
INT. PALACE BALLROOM – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily, picture perfect, ready to make her grand entrance, then runs away in shame.
• Essence: The Evil Stepfather sets Lily up to fail and prevents her prince from showing up.
• Conflict: Evil Stepfather embarrasses Lily in front of the entire kingdom.
• Subtext: Evil Stepfather is trying to crush Lily and take over the kingdom.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily meets her true love. We fear she’s heartbroken.
INT. BACK ROOM – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Evil Stepfather orders guards to kill Lily and starts his plan to harm the village youngsters.
• Essence: The Evil Stepfather starts his plan to take over the kingdom from Lily, but she overhears.
• Conflict: Evil Stepfather orders guards to kill Lily and starts his evil plan to harm village youngsters for their “youth essence.”
• Subtext: He wants to take the kingdom from Lily.
• Hope/fear: We fear for Lily’s life. We also fear for the village youngsters.
INT. LILY’S ROOM – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily hides in her room and fakes her death.
• Essence: Lily needs a plan to escape, so she fakes a suicide; Mirror tells her where to go. (mirror image can go from Queen’s room to Lily’s room)
• Conflict: Lily is torn between staying loyal to her kingdom or setting herself free.
• Subtext: Lily doesn’t feel loved, and she hates her life at the castle.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily’s plan works. We fear she’ll get killed.
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily eludes guards; she escapes into the night.
• Essence: Lily escapes the castle to save her life.
• Conflict: If the guards catch her, they’ll kill her.
• Subtext: Lily is a threat to the Stepfather.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily can escape. We fear she’ll get killed.
ACT TWO:
EXT. WOODS – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily is lost in the woods and ends up at the Dwarf’s home.
• Essence: Lily is homeless and looks for a place to stay.
• Conflict: She encounters scary characters in the woods. (These are “undesirables” who can only go out at night)
• Subtext: She’s relieved to be free but scared to be on her own.
• Hope/fear: We hope she will make it to safety. We fear she’ll be killed in the woods.
INT. DWARF’S HOME – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily makes herself at home as Snow White did, but the Dwarves kick her out.
• Essence: The Dwarves don’t want anything to do with Lily, nor will they help her fight her Stepfather.
• Conflict: The Dwarves hate the royal family, unlike in Snow White’s day.
• Subtext: The Evil Stepfather hates the Dwarves because they aren’t perfect.
• Hope/fear: We hope the Dwarves will let Lily stay. We fear that Lily will be homeless.
EXT. DWARF’S FARM – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily is homeless and afraid; she sneaks into the Dwarf’s barn to sleep.
• Essence: Lily finds a place to sleep in the barn and finds comfort with animals.
• Conflict: Lily has nowhere to go, can’t let Dwarves find her.
• Subtext: Lily loves animals because they don’t care that she’s not perfect.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily will find a place to stay. We fear she’ll always be homeless.
INT. DWARF’S BARN – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily enters the barn and changes her identity/looks.
• Essence: Lily gets a new identity.
• Conflict: She doesn’t like herself, and people don’t like her heritage.
• Subtext: Lily doesn’t like herself.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily will find a place to sleep. We fear the Dwarves will find her and kick her out.
EXT. VILLAGE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily wakes up in Dwarf’s barn and goes to the village.
• Essence: Lily starts her new life.
• Conflict: Villagers cannot know who she really is, and no one will help her. (her princess name is Lilian no one knows her by Lily)
• Subtext: She thinks people won’t like her because she’s not perfect.
• Hope/fear: We hope villagers will accept her. We fear villagers will reject her.
INT. STORE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily goes for food and hides from the police.
• Essence: Lily doesn’t know how the real world works.
• Conflict: Shop owner wants Lily arrested for stealing.
• Subtext: Lily is too naïve to live in the real world yet.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily gets food to survive. We fear she’ll get arrested.
EXT. VILLAGE STREETS – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily runs from the police and gets arrested.
• Essence: Lily runs from the police but gets arrested.
• Conflict: Police want to arrest her for stealing.
• Subtext: Lily lived a sheltered life and doesn’t know how the real world works.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily gets away. We fear she’ll get arrested.
ACT THREE
INT. POLICE STATION – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily gets fingerprinted and thrown into a cell.
• Essence: Lily gets booked into jail for stealing, and no one believes her about her Stepfather’s plans (she can’t tell them how she knows).
• Conflict: Fairytale Police hate thieves ruining their perfect kingdom.
• Subtext: Everyone is expected to be perfect in fairytales, but no one is.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily gets out of jail. We fear they will keep her in jail.
INT. COURTROOM – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily goes before a judge and ends up in a homeless shelter.
• Essence: The Judge follows Stepfather’s rules for getting rid of imperfect people and won’t listen to Lily about Stepfather’s plans either.
• Conflict: Judge is angry at Lily for stealing in their perfect village.
• Subtext: Everyone follows the Stepfather’s rules for a perfect village.
• Hope/fear: We hope the judge will be kind to Lily. We fear he’ll keep her in jail.
INT. HOMELESS SHELTER – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily arrives at the shelter; gets roommates.
• Essence: Lily meets other “undesirables”, imperfect people.
• Conflict: Lily’s roommates think she’s crazy for talking to mirrors.
• Subtext: No one is perfect; we shouldn’t judge each other.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily will make friends. We fear she will be recognized and rejected again.
INT. SHELTER KITCHEN – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily starts a job in the shelter kitchen, and she meets a guy.
• Essence: This is Lily and Prince’s “cute meet”.
• Conflict: Lily turns and almost stabs him; he disarms her with Krav Maga skills.
• Subtext: Lily is too insecure to connect with him; she doesn’t like herself.
• Hope/fear: We hope this will be Lily’s new friend. We fear he’ll recognize her and reject her too.
EXT. DWARF’S FARM – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily does community service at Dwarf’s farm, and she wins them over.
• Essence: The Dwarfs are impressed that Lily communicates with animals but don’t realize she’s the princess.
• Conflict: The Dwarfs don’t like strangers.
• Subtext: The Dwarfs are suspicious of Lily.
• Hope/fear: We hope the Dwarfs will like Lily. We fear they will discover her identity and tell the authorities.
INT. CASTLE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Evil Stepfather is angry Lily is still alive; bakes an apple tart to kill her.
• Essence: The Evil Stepfather plans to kill Lily with a poison apple tart.
• Conflict: Evil Stepfather wants to kill Lily, so she won’t return and take the throne.
• Subtext: His Great-great Grandmother was the Evil Queen who poisoned Snow White.
• Hope/fear: We hope his recipe won’t work. We fear he’ll kill Lily.
INT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily is alone helping animals; attacked by Stepfather.
• Essence: Evil Stepfather, disguised as a poor baker, tries to kill Lily with an apple tart.
• Conflict: Evil Stepfather wants to kill Lily.
• Subtext: The Evil Stepfather fears Lily will try to take the throne back.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily realizes the danger. We fear she’ll die.
EXT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
• Scene Arc: Dwarf’s chase Baker/Evil Stepfather away, try to save Lily.
• Essence: The Dwarves try to save Lily.
• Conflict: Lily feels bad that she’s lying to them about her identity.
• Subtext: Lily feels loved for the first since her mom died.
• Hope/fear: We fear Lily is dead. We fear they will hate her if they find out who she really is.
INT. CASTLE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Evil Stepfather celebrates killing Lily and begins planning to steal “youth essence” from village youngsters.
• Essence: Evil Stepfather thinks Lily is dead and plans a party to steal “youth essence”.
• Conflict: He plans to harm dozens of youngsters.
• Subtext: Stepfather has low self-esteem and wants to stay young looking.
• Hope/fear: We hope someone will stop him. We fear his evil plan will succeed.
INT. HOMELESS SHELTER – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily tells Prince about the attack; Prince teaches her self-defense.
• Essence: Lily and Prince connect; he teaches her Krav Maga skills.
• Conflict: Lily is lying to Prince about who she is; he hates liars.
• Subtext: Lily doesn’t think anyone could love her or that she’s strong enough.
• Hope/fear: We hope they fall in love. We fear Prince will hate her for lying.
EXT. HOMELESS SHELTER – DAY.
• Scene Arc: Lily’s animal friend tells her of her Stepfather’s party to steal “youth essence” from village youngsters.
• Essence: Lily asks Prince to help her stop The King/Stepfather.
• Conflict: They must stop the Evil Stepfather.
• Subtext: Lily and Prince are beginning to like each other.
• Hope/fear: We hope they can stop the Stepfather and fall in love. We fear they will get hurt.
EXT. DWARF’S FARM – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily and Prince go to Dwarf’s farm for help, and devise a plan to stop the Evil Stepfather.
• Essence: They devise a Plan: Lily will get them into the castle, and Prince and Dwarfs will pretend to be the band for the party. (Lily sends an animal with a note to the castle telling her trusted maid to put them on the list as the band.)
• Conflict: They must stop the Evil Stepfather, or the youngsters could die.
• Subtext: Lily is learning to trust people and accept their help and love for her.
• Hope/fear: We hope their plan will work. We fear someone will die.
INT. DWARF’S HOUSE – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily, Prince, and Dwarfs work on a plan and prepare to invade the castle.
• Essence: Prince and the Dwarfs practice songs together.
• Conflict: They must stop the Evil Stepfather.
• Subtext: Everyone is scared they won’t get out of the castle alive.
• Hope/fear: We hope their plan works. We fear someone will die.
EXT. CASTLE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily, Prince, and Dwarves get into the castle but get captured.
• Essence: They save the youngsters, but Prince and the Dwarfs get captured. Lily escapes.
• Conflict: The Evil Stepfather tells everyone who Lily really is, Prince and the Dwarfs are mad she lied to them. Prince slips into a coma.
• Subtext: Lily’s fear is coming true; they hate her.
• Hope/fear: We hope they can save the day. We fear someone will get killed.
ACT FOUR
INT. CASTLE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Evil Stepfather puts out a reward for Lily’s capture, and she hides.
• Essence: Stepfather is determined to kill Lily and turns the kingdom against her.
• Conflict: Stepfather gives Lily a public dilemma; she can either save the Dwarfs or Prince. He’s trying to set the public against her.
• Subtext: Stepfather is trying to get everyone to hate Lily too and capture her.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily can stay safe. We fear someone will kill her.
INT. DWARF’S HOUSE – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily hides scared and gets ready to storm the castle.
• Essence: Lily gained confidence while fighting and escaping and devises a new plan to save her friends.
• Conflict: Lily must decide who to save The Dwarfs or Prince.
• Subtext: She loves them all; how could she possibly choose? She’s scared.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily can save them all. We fear they will all die.
INT. DWARF’S BARN – DAY
• Scene Arc: Lily plans to save her friends and heads to the castle.
• Essence: Lily trains animals and “undesirables” to help her save Prince and the Dwarfs.
• Conflict: She must save them, or the Evil Stepfather will kill them all.
• Subtext: Lily’s not sure she can save anyone, including herself. Must be strong like her Mom always told her to be.
• Hope/fear: We hope her plan works. We fear someone will die.
EXT. CASTLE – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily, animals, and “undesirables” storm the castle; they save the day.
• Essence: Lily’s plan works; they save the Dwarves and Prince.
• Conflict: Prince is still in a coma.
• Subtext: Lily doesn’t think she’s good enough to save Prince.
• Hope/fear: We hope everyone gets saved. We fear Lily can’t save Prince.
INT. CASTLE CELL – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily finds Prince and saves him with a kiss.
• Essence: Lily saves Prince, and his Mom shows up to explain they are engaged to each other. Prince encourages Lily to go fight her Stepfather.
• Conflict: Prince must forgive Lily for lying. They both lied about being royalty.
• Subtext: They both don’t like the confines of being a prince and princess.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily’s kiss saves Prince. We fear it won’t.
INT. CASTLE – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily finds her Stepfather, fights him, and wins.
• Essence: In the big battle to the death, Lily wins, but Stepfather’s injuries reveal that he’s really an “undesirable” too. He barters for his life by giving info that the Queen is still alive.
• Conflict: Only one can win. The Stepfather saves himself by telling Lily that her mother is alive and where to find her.
• Subtext: Lily is a new person, strong, brave, and confident.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily wins. We fear she’ll die.
INT. HIDDEN ROOM – NIGHT
• Scene Arc: Lily races through the castle, finds her mother, and saves her life.
• Essence: Lily saves her dying mother just in time.
• Conflict: Lily only has minutes to find and save her mother from dying.
• Subtext: Lily is afraid she’s not smart or brave enough to find her mother in time.
• Hope/fear: We hope Lily saves her mother. We fear she’ll be too late.
INT. CASTLE BALLROOM – DAY
• Scene Arc: The Queen is back in power, and Lily is named “fairest of them all.”
• Essence: The Mirror names Lily “fairest of them all” because inner beauty trumps outer beauty every time. But Lily’s newfound confidence makes her radiate, and she is a hero to all.
• Conflict: The Queen sentences the Evil Stepfather to do _______.
• Subtext: You’re only ugly if you’re mean to people. You are beautiful when you care for others and accept yourself.
• Hope/fear: We hope they will all live happily ever after.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Intriguing Moments
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected, sought-after, and influential writer/producer with a successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
THEME: Self-acceptance
What I learned going this assignment is intriguing moments in every act make my screenplay more exciting and marketable.
ACT 1
Hidden Identity: We watch a girl in ragged clothes elude guards and sneak into the castle; she’s the princess!
Intrigue: It’s Lily’s big, televised moment to meet the Prince she is betrothed to marry, but he doesn’t show up for his grand entrance.
Scheme/Superior Position: The Evil Stepfather had the stairs waxed, setting up Lily to fall during her big entrance on national TV.
Intrigue/Scheme: The Evil Stepfather tells Lily what a failure she is, and he enjoys seeing her crumble, but why?
Scheme/Superior Position: We see the Evil Stepfather order guards to kill Lily.
Cover Up/Superior Position: We see Lily fake her own death, elude guards, and escape the castle.
ACT 2:
MYSTERY: Lily tries to take refuge at the Dwarf’s farm, but they throw her out for being royalty.
HIDDEN IDENTITY/COVER UP: Lily cuts and dies her hair to disguise her true identity.
SUPERIOR POSITION: We watch as Cops are called on Lily while she’s stealing food to survive; she runs but can’t escape, and they arrest her.
ACT 3
HIDDEN IDENTITY/SUPERIOR POSITION: We watch Lily get thrown into a homeless shelter with other imperfect people. They don’t know who she is and think she’s crazy for talking to mirrors.
HIDDEN IDENTITY/MYSTERY: Lily meets Prince, but we wonder who he really is, and what’s his full story.
HIDDEN IDENTITY/SUPERIOR POSITION: Lily, in disguise, does community service at the Dwarf’s farm and befriends them.
HIDDEN IDENTITY/COVERT AGENDA: The Evil Stepfather disguises himself as a poor baker and tries to poison Lily by hiding pieces of poisoned apple inside a peach tart.
COVER UP/SUPERIOR POSITION: We see Lily fake eating the tart and fake her death.
CONSPIRACY: Lily, Prince, and The Dwarfs devise a plan to save villagers from the Evil Stepfather’s plan to steal their “youth essence.”
ACT 4:
SCHEME/SUPERIOR POSITION: We see The Evil Stepfather plan to trap Lily when she tries to free The Dwarfs and Prince.
CONSPIRACY/SUPERIOR POSITION: We see Lily devise a plan to storm the castle with the help of villagers and animals to save The Dwarfs and Prince.
HIDDEN IDENTITY: Lily kisses Prince to try and save him, and his mother shows up to announce they are engaged to each other.
HIDDEN IDENTITY: The Evil Stepfather loses in a fight with Lily, and we see him lose his powers revealing that he is an “undesirable” the very people he banned.
SCHEME: To save his life, The Evil Stepfather reveals Lily’s mother is still but barely alive and tells Lily where to find her mother.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Emotional Moments
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected, sought-after, and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
THEME: Self-acceptance
LILY’S WOUND: she’s not perfect/not good enough
What I learned from doing this assignment is…that it makes my story so much richer to have at least two emotional moments per act.
ACT ONE:
Bonding/Love: Animals throw Lily a birthday party in the woods. They give her special gifts; one is a memento from her dead mother, who also liked to play in the woods.
Courage/Surprise: Lily eludes menacing palace guards to get into the castle; surprise, she’s the princess.
Excitement: Maids get Lily ready for her big 21st birthday bash as tons of infamous fairytale celebrities arrive and paparazzi swarm.
Distress/Wound: For the first time, Lily will meet the prince her parents betrothed her to marry in a big, televised moment, but he doesn’t show up. It’s a hugely embarrassing moment that the media plays up. So, she must make her grand entrance alone. Traumatized and distressed by the “no show,” Lily slips down the stairs taking out several VIP guests. THE “NO SHOW” TRIGGERS LILY’S WOUND THAT SHE’S NOT PERFECT, NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Betrayal: Her Evil Stepfather had the stairs waxed, setting her up to fail on live TV.
Wound/Distress: Stepfather tells Lily that even her dead mother would be embarrassed by her; she’s such a mess that no wonder the prince didn’t show, and she’ll never make a good ruler. —MAKE THIS SCENE INTENSE; IT TRIGGERS HER WOUND
Betrayal: The Evil Stepfather orders guards to kill Lily. He also plans to harm the villagers.
Courage/Sacrifice: Lily makes an emotional apology to her dead mother for giving up her crown, fakes her own death, escapees the castle, and leaves her royal life behind.
ACT TWO:
Courage/Love: Lily runs into the dark forest alone; the animals lovingly and courageously rescue her and take her to a farm for shelter. MAKE THE ANIMAL RESCUE OF LILY HEARTWARMING
Wound/Betrayal: The farm belongs to the Dwarfs, but they kick her out into the cold dark night because the Evil Stepfather betrayed them, so they no longer like or trust royalty. MAKE THE DWARF’S REJECTION VERY EMOTIONAL FOR LILY; IT TRIGGERS HER WOUND
Distress/Courage: Alone for the first time, Lily must figure out how to survive in the real world. She says goodbye to the old Lily and cuts and dies her hair to disguise herself.
Distress: Lily steals some food, the police are called, and after an intense chase scene, Lily is put in handcuffs. MAKE THE CHASE SCENE INTENSE AND HUMILIATING
ACT THREE:
Distress/Wound: Lily is labeled an “undesirable” and sent to live with other imperfect people in a homeless shelter; she’s alone and scared. The other residents reject her. They think she’s crazy because she talks to the mirrors and is deadly afraid of apples. THE REJECTION TRIGGERS LILY’S WOUND
Bonding: She meets “Prince” it’s an emotional connection, but he tells her that he is already engaged. He teaches her Krav Maga to boost her self-esteem. MAKE THE “CUTE MEET” INTENSELY EMOTIONAL AND UNEXPECTED
Bonding/Courage: Lily is sentenced to do community service at the Dwarf’s farm, and she empresses them by taming and emotionally bonding with their wildest animals, animals that have been wounded by people. MAKE THIS ANIMAL BONDING SCENE EMOTIONAL
Distress/Courage: The Evil Stepfather discovers Lilly is still alive, disguises himself, and tries to poison her. She takes a bite of apple disguised inside a peach tart and collapses. Feeling triumphant, the Stepfather leaves. But Lily jumps up; she faked it all.
Courage/Bonding: Lily, Prince, and The Dwarfs come up with a plan to stop the Evil Stepfather/Duke from stealing the “youth essence” from villagers.
Success/Distress/Wound: They save the villagers, but Prince and The Dwarfs all are captured. Lily makes a mistake that causes Prince to get hurt, and he slips into a coma. THE VILLAGERS BLAME LILY FOR PRINCE’S INJURIES, TRIGGERING HER WOUND
ACT FOUR:
Emotional Dilemma/Wound: The Evil Stepfather gives Lily a public dilemma on national TV; save Prince or The Dwarfs. THIS TRIGGERS LILY’S WOUND
Courage/Success/Winning: Lily recruits the villagers and animals to help her storm the castle and save Prince and The Dwarfs.
Love/Surprise: Although he’s engaged, Lily kisses Prince, and to her surprise, he awakes; she is his true love! Then his mother shows up to explain that they are engaged to each other.
Courage/Success/Winning: Prince encourages Lily to fight her Evil Stepfather, it’s a fight to the death, and she wins. THE STEPFATHER TRIGGERS LILY’S WOUND TO WEAKEN HER DURING THE FIGHT
Surprise: The Evil Stepfather is really an “undesirable.” He barters for his life by telling Lily that her mother is barely alive and where to find her.
Love: Lily saves the Queen’s life in the nick of time. THIS IS AN INTENSE AND EMOTIONAL REUNION
Success: The Mirror proclaims Lily as “the fairest of them all” because she has the purest heart, most courage, and the most inner beauty, which outshines all outer beauty. She is a hero to all the little girls in the kingdom. THIS DEMOLISHES LILY’S WOUND FOR GOOD
Love: Lily and Prince decide to date first before THEY decide if they want to get engaged.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Reveals!
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
THEME: Self-acceptance
What I learned from doing this assignment is: that it makes the story much more intriguing to have reveals in every act.
ACT 1:
SETUP: Lily, a clumsy, homeless looking girl in ragged, dirty clothes plays with wild animals in the forest.
REVEAL: The palace horns blare signaling the beginning of the royal ball of the century. It alerts Lily, she grabs her diamond tiara off a toadstool and races back towards the castle. She’s the princess.
SETUP: Her maids and fairies all swarm around, getting Lily ready for her nationally televised, big debut, birthday bash. She looks perfect.
REVEAL: Before she steps out to make her grand appearance, she rushes to the bathroom to pee but also throws up from the nerves; when she walks out, the back of her dress is tucked into her panties. She’s not the typical “perfect” fairytale princess.
SETUP: Lily’s stepfather is throwing her the biggest birthday bash in kingdom history; everything is perfect, including all the celebrity guests from other famous fairytales and the prince she is arranged to marry; however, he doesn’t show up. Then Lily slips, coming down the grand entrance stairs, taking out numerous VIP guests.
REVEAL: Her stepfather set her up to fail by having the stairs freshly waxed to set Lily up for a fall.
SETUP: The Stepfather tells Lily she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom, no wonder the prince didn’t show, and that she’ll never make a good ruler.
REVEAL: The stepfather plans to steal the kingdom and orders the guards to kill Lily but wants it to look like a suicide. He also plans to rule forever by stealing the youth “essence” from village youngsters.
ACT 2:
SETUP: Alone and lost in the forest the animals hear her cries and take her to a farm for shelter. It’s the Dwarf’s home, but they kick her out for being a royal.
REVEAL: The Evil Stepfather banned the Dwarfs from the castle for not being perfect; now they hate all royalty. It’s their wound.
SETUP: Lily changes her look to disguise herself.
REVEAL: She has low self-esteem for not being a “perfect princess” in her Stepfather’s eyes. It is her wound. So, the disguise gives Lily a new lease on life.
ACT 3:
SETUP: The Evil Stepfather finalizes plans to steal “youth essence” from village youngsters.
REVEAL: Stepfather faked the Queen’s suicide. He is actually stealing the Queen’s “essence” since she was the “fairest of them all.” However, her essence is almost all gone, and she is dying.
ACT 4:
SETUP: Prince gets hurt and slips into a coma.
REVEAL: Lily hesitates to kiss him since he is already engaged. The Dwarfs talk her into kissing him; he awakens; she is his true love!
REVEAL FROM ACT ONE: Prince’s Mother shows up, relieved that Prince and Lily are in love since they are also promised to each other. Prince is really a prince! He didn’t get let into Lily’s birthday bash because he was thrown out for being imperfect.
SETUP: Lily fights and defeats the Evil Stepfather.
REVEAL: His “essence” drains out of his body, revealing that he is an “undesirable” too.
SETUP: Lily finds her mom, also saves her with a kiss.
REVEAL: The Mirror deems Lily the “fairest one of all” because she has the purest heart which makes her the most beautiful. Inner beauty shines to become outer beauty. OR, inner beauty outshines inner beauty.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Teresa Rodriguez.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Teresa Rodriguez.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Character Action Tracks!
VISION: I will become a sought-after, respected, successful screenwriter/producer with my own highly profitable production company that I will leave as a blessing to my daughters and many generations to come!
THEME: Self-acceptance
What I learned from doing this assignment is it’s important to focus on each character’s profile to fill out their actions.
GENRE: Fantasy/Dramedy
ACT 1: Evil Stepfather tries to get rid of Princess Lily.
Lily PJ 1: Lily is enjoying the birthday party her animal friends throw her in the forest. Action: Intro, she’s screaming while being chased by wild animals. Looks like she’s afraid for her life but then turns, tickles, and hugs them. They are playing games for her birthday. The animals are also teaching her their survival skills, i.e., climbing a tree, playing dead, farting like a skunk, sensing danger/vibrations, sensing signs of fear/nervousness, and throwing quills.
Evil Stepfather AJ 1: The Evil Stepfather throws Lily the biggest fairytale birthday bash the kingdom has ever seen, with only “perfect people” on the guest list. (Incorporate other famous fairytale characters at the party) Action, Stepfather orders his “perfection” police to throw any “undesirables” into the river.
Lily PJ 2: Lily is late to her own birthday bash. Action: Lily rushes to get dressed, her maids swarm to do her hair and makeup. When they finish and leave, Lily rushes to the bathroom and then out to the party, not realizing the back of her dress is tucked into her panties.
Deeper Layer: Lily does everything to avoid her perfectionist fairytale life.
INCITING INCIDENT: Action: Clumsy Lily slips down the grand entrance stairs taking out several VIP guests, and accidentally breaks her diamond tiara on Live TV. Stepfather tells her she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather had the stairs waxed, setting Lily up to fail as the entire kingdom watches. He wants to permanently damage her already low self-esteem, so he gets more “devotees” than her.
Evil Stepfather AJ 2: Action, pretends to help Lily up but whispers in her ear that she’s a failure and wishes her mom had a boy instead.
Lily PJ 3: Action: Lily sobbing, gathers pieces of her tiara, hugs and apologizes to the VIP’s then rushes out of the ball in great shame, dress still tucked into her panties.
Evil Stepfather AJ 3: Action, secretly orders guards to kill Lily, but he wants it to look like a suicide. He’s jealous because the Mirror has deemed her “the fairest of them all.”
Deeper Layer: Stepfather wants to take over the kingdom. He also made the Queen’s disappearance look like a suicide. He is secretly holding her in a dungeon, stealing her “essence” because she was the “fairest one of all” before Lily came of age.
TURNING POINT: Action, Lily fakes her own death; leaves a “goodbye” note, tiara, and pieces of her dress to look like she jumped off a castle wall into a raging river. She then secretly escapes the palace, eluding all the guards.
Act 2: Lily is free of her perfectionist palace prison but not her internal prison.
Lily PJ 4: Action, Lily, runs scared through the dark forest escaping scary creatures; her animal friends hear her cries and lead her to the Dwarf’s farm, she tries to take refuge, but they find her and throw her out for being royalty.
Deeper Layer: Lily has low self-esteem because she’s not the traditional size zero fairytale princess like Snow White. She’s never been able to stand up for herself.
Lily PJ 5: Action, she cuts and dies her hair to disguise herself. Takes out colored contacts Stepfather forced her to wear to make her less attractive/dull looking. Steals ragged clothes from a clothesline, hat from a scarecrow.
TURNING POINT 2/ MIDPOINT: Action, Lily goes into a store, steals food, then runs from the police but gets arrested.
Act 3: Lily’s new life begins.
Lily PJ 6: Action, Lily sobs as a Judge sends her away to live in a homeless shelter with other imperfect “undesirables”; they are the scary creatures she encountered in the forest and assumed they were bad. While chopping veggies for her kitchen duties, she turns around with a knife and almost stabs “Prince,” their “cute meet.”
Prince 1: Action, he disarms Lily with his Krav Maga skills.
Lily PJ 7: The judge also orders Lily to do “community service” at the Dwarf’s animal farm sanctuary. Action: She impresses the Dwarfs by charming some of their wildest animals.
Lily PJ 8: Lily tells Prince and Dwarfs that she’s an orphan from another kingdom. She lies because they hate royalty.
Prince 2: Action: Prince teaches Lily Krav Maga.
Lily PJ 9: Action: Lily learns Krav; she’s good and it boosts her self-confidence.
Evil Stepfather AJ 4: Mirror tells him that Lily is still alive. Action, He uses magic to make a poison apple, bakes it into a tart hiding the apples under peach slices, disguises himself to look like a poor old baker, goes to the Dwarf’s farm when all the men are away, convinces Lily to take a bite.
Lily PJ 10: Action, Lily, sensing danger/nervousness like she learned from the animals, realizes she’s being tricked; she takes a bite anyway, collapses, faking her death. Then when the baker/stepfather leaves, she spits the tart out into the fire, and it explodes.
Evil Stepfather AJ 5: Action, orders his bakers to make more apple/peach tarts but this time using a paralyzing potion on the kingdom’s youngsters to steal their “youth essence”.
Deeper Layer: The Queen’s “essence” is running out, and she’ll soon die.
Prince 3: Action, comes up with a plan to stop the Stepfather’s evil plot using help from the Dwarfs.
Lily PJ 11: Lily leads them into the castle. Action: Lily, scared, disarms a couple of guards using her new Krav skills, gains some confidence, and decides to take out a few more guards for fun.
Evil Stepfather AJ 6: Action, He captures the Dwarfs and Prince. Reveals that Lily is the princess.
Lily PJ 12: Lily tries to apologize to Prince and Dwarfs for lying.
Prince 3: He shuns Lily for lying to him.
TURNING POINT 3: Action, Stepfather gives Lily a dilemma; she can either save the Dwarfs or Prince.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather plans to frame Lily for killing the Dwarfs and Prince. While captive, Prince realizes his deep love for Lily.
Act 4 Climax: Lily becomes a hero.
Lily PJ 13: Action, Lily recruits and teaches other “undesirables” self-defense. Together with the animals, they try to rescue the Dwarfs and Prince.
Prince 4: Action, he steps in front of a ___ headed towards Lily, gets hurt, and falls into a deep coma.
Lily PJ 14: Action, Lily blames herself for Prince getting hurt; she reluctantly kisses him, she still doesn’t think she’s enough, but to her surprise, it saves his life.
Lily PJ 15: Action, with new self-confidence, Lily fights her Evil Stepfather and wins on Live TV, becoming a national hero.
Evil Stepfather AJ 7: Action, His “youth essence” wears off on Live TV; he shrivels like a prune to “reveal” he’s really an “undesirable.” His demise breaks the spell he has over Mirror.
Resolution: Mirror tells Lily her mother is alive, but barely, and where to find her. Lily saves the Queen with a true love kiss. The mirror reveals that Lily is “the fairest of them all” because she has the most beautiful/purist heart. The Queen rules the kingdom again and dissolves all “perfectionist” rules. She forces the Evil Stepfather to do what he forced others to do _____ (maybe wash feet, he hates feet).
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Teresa Rodriguez’s New Outline Beats!
VISION: I will become a sought-after, respected, successful screenwriter/producer with my own highly profitable production company that I will leave as a blessing to my daughters and many generations to come!
GENRE: Fantasy/Dramedy
ACT 1: Evil Stepfather tries to get rid of Princess Lily.
Lily PJ 1: Lily’s enjoying the birthday party her animal friends throw her in the forest.
Evil Stepfather AJ 1: The Evil Stepfather throws Lily the biggest fairytale birthday bash the kingdom has ever seen, with only “perfect people” on the guest list. (Incorporate other famous fairytale characters at the party)
Lily PJ 2: Lily is late to her own birthday bash.
Deeper Layer: Lily does everything to avoid her perfectionist fairytale life.
INCITING INCIDENT: Lily ___________ on Live TV. Stepfather tells her she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather sets Lily up to fail at the party, trying to permanently damage her already low self-esteem, so he gets more “devotees” than her.
Evil Stepfather AJ 2: Tells Lily she’s a failure and wishes her mom had a boy instead.
Lily PJ 3: Lily leaves the ball in great shame.
Evil Stepfather AJ 3: Orders guards to kill Lily but to make it look like a suicide.
Deeper Layer: Stepfather wants to take over the kingdom. He also made the Queen’s disappearance look like a suicide. He secretly holds her in a dungeon, stealing her “essence” because she is the “fairest one of all.”
TURNING POINT: Lily fakes her own death, Mirror tells her where to run, and she secretly escapes the palace.
Act 2: Lily is free of her palace prison but not her own prison.
Lily PJ 4: Lily, following the Mirror’s directions, arrives at the Dwarf’s farm, and tries to take refuge, but they throw her out for being royalty.
Deeper Layer: Lily has low self-esteem because she’s not the traditional size zero fairytale princess. She can never stand up for herself.
Lily PJ 5: She changes her look to disguise herself. Pretends to be an orphan.
TURNING POINT 2/ MIDPOINT: Lily steals food to survive, and gets arrested.
Act 3: Lily’s new life begins.
Lily PJ 6: The judge sends Lily to live in a homeless shelter with other imperfect “undesirables” and meets “Prince.” She’s also ordered to do “community service” at the Dwarf’s farm.
Lily PJ 7: Lily lies to Prince and Dwarfs about who she really is because they hate royalty.
Lily PJ 8: Prince teaches Lily self-defense to give her self-confidence.
Evil Stepfather AJ 4: He finds out Lily is still alive and tries to poison her.
Lily PJ 9: Lily collapses and fakes her own death.
Evil Stepfather AJ 5: Plans to steal “youth essence” from the kingdom’s youngsters.
Deeper Layer: The Queen’s “essence” is running out, and she’ll soon die.
Lily PJ 10: Lily, along with the Dwarfs and Prince, stop the Stepfather’s evil plot.
Evil Stepfather AJ 6: He captures the Dwarfs and Prince. Reveals that Lily is the princess.
Lily PJ 11: Lily tries to apologize to Prince and Dwarfs for lying, but they shun her.
TURNING POINT 3: Stepfather gives Lily a dilemma, she can either save the Dwarfs or Prince.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather plans to frame Lily for killing the Dwarfs and Prince. While captive, Prince realizes his deep love for Lily.
Act 4 Climax: Lily becomes a hero.
Lily PJ 12: Lily recruits and teaches other “undesirables” self-defense. Together with the animals, they rescue the Dwarfs and Prince. However, Prince gets hurt, and falls into a deep coma. Lily blames herself.
Lily PJ 13: Lily reluctantly kisses Prince, she still doesn’t think she’s enough, but to her surprise, it saves his life.
Lily PJ 14: With new self-confidence, Lily fights her Evil Stepfather and wins on Live TV. She becomes a national hero.
Evil Stepfather AJ 7: His “youth essence” wears off on Live TV to “reveal” he’s really an “undesirable” it also breaks the spell he has over Mirror.
Resolution: Mirror tells Lily where to find her mother, who’s barely alive; Lily saves her with a true love kiss; the Queen rules the kingdom again and dissolves all “perfectionist” rules. She forces the Evil Stepfather to do what he forced others to do _____ (maybe wash feet, he hates feet).
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Beat Sheet – Draft 1
What I learned from doing this assignment is that writing a Beat Sheet helps to give clarity to my script.
VISION: I will become a sought-after, respected, successful screenwriter/producer with my own highly profitable production company that I will leave as a blessing to my daughters and many generations to come!
GENRE: Fantasy/Dramedy
ACT 1: Evil Stepfather tries to get rid of Princess Lily.
Lily PJ 1: Lily’s animal friends throw her a simple birthday party in the forest.
Evil Stepfather AJ 1: The Evil Stepfather throws Lily the biggest fairytale birthday bash the kingdom has ever seen, with only “perfect people” on the guest list. (Incorporate other famous fairytale characters at the party)
Lily PJ 2: Lily is late to her own birthday bash.
Deeper Layer: Lily does everything to avoid her perfectionist fairytale life.
INCITING INCIDENT: Lily ___________ on Live TV. Stepfather tells her she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather sets Lily up to fail at the party, trying to permanently damage her already low self-esteem, so he gets more “devotees” than her.
Evil Stepfather AJ 2: Tells Lily she’s a failure and wishes her mom had a boy instead.
Lily PJ 3: Lily leaves the ball in great shame.
Evil Stepfather AJ 3: Orders guards to kill Lily but to make it look like a suicide.
Deeper Layer: Stepfather wants to take over the kingdom. He also made the Queen’s disappearance look like a suicide. He secretly holds her in a dungeon, stealing her “essence” because she is the “fairest one of all.”
TURNING POINT: Lily fakes her own death, consults the Mirror on where to run, and secretly escapes the palace.
Act 2: Lily is free of her palace prison but not her own prison.
Lily PJ 4: Lily, following the Mirror’s directions, arrives at the Dwarf’s farm and tries to take refuge, but they throw her out for being royalty.
Deeper Layer: Lily has low self-esteem because she’s not the traditional size zero fairytale princess. She can never stand up for herself.
Lily PJ 5: She changes her look to disguise herself. Pretends to be an orphan.
TURNING POINT 2/ MIDPOINT: Lily steals food to survive and gets arrested.
Act 3: Lily’s new life begins.
Lily PJ 6: A Judge sends Lily to live in a homeless shelter with other imperfect “undesirables” and meets “Prince.” She’s also ordered to do “community service” at the Dwarf’s farm.
Lily PJ 7: Lily lies to Prince and Dwarfs about who she really is because they hate royalty.
Lily PJ 8: Prince teaches Lily self-defense to give her self-confidence.
Evil Stepfather AJ 4: He finds out Lily is still alive and tries to poison her.
Lily PJ 9: Lily collapses and fakes her own death.
Evil Stepfather AJ 5: Plans to steal “youth essence” from the kingdom’s youngsters.
Deeper Layer: The Queen’s “essence” is running out, and she’ll soon die.
Lily PJ 10: Lily, along with the Dwarfs and Prince, stop the Stepfather’s evil plot.
Evil Stepfather AJ 6: He captures the Dwarfs and Prince. Reveals that Lily is the princess.
Lily PJ 11: Lily tries to apologize to Prince and Dwarfs for lying, but they shun her.
TURNING POINT 3: Stepfather gives Lily a dilemma, she can either save the Dwarfs or Prince.
Deeper Layer: The Stepfather plans to frame Lily for killing the Dwarfs and Prince. While captive, Prince realizes his deep love for Lily.
Act 4 Climax: Lily becomes a hero.
Lily PJ 12: Lily recruits and teaches other “undesirables” self-defense. Together with the animals, they rescue the Dwarfs and Prince. However, Prince gets hurt, and falls into a deep coma.
Lily PJ 13: Lily reluctantly kisses Prince, she still doesn’t think she’s enough, but to her surprise, it saves his life.
Lily PJ 14: With new self-confidence, Lily fights her Evil Stepfather and wins on Live TV. Becomes a national hero.
Evil Stepfather AJ 7: His “youth essence” wears off on Live TV to “reveal” he’s really an “undesirable,” breaking the spell he has over Mirror.
Resolution: Mirror tells Lily where to find her mother, who’s barely alive; Lily saves her with a true love kiss; the Queen rules the kingdom again and dissolves all “perfectionist” rules. She forces the Evil Stepfather to do what he forced others to do _____ (maybe wash feet, he hates feet).
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Deeper Layer!
VISION: I will become a respected, sought-after, and successful screenwriter and producer with my own highly profitable production company that I will leave as a blessing to my girls and many generations to come!
What I learned from doing this assignment is…. that it’s fun and challenging to find the deeper layer to my story. Now my script is even better!
• Surface Layer: The Evil Stepfather insists their fairytale kingdom is perfect in every way, making the unperfect Princess Lily miserable.
• Deeper Layer: The Evil Stepfather is an unperfect “undesirable” trying to hide his true identity because he wants to be the “fairest one of all.”…but he is NOT feminine.
• Major Reveal: He has been stealing the “beauty essence” from the Queen, who was the “fairest one of all,” but it runs out, and the Evil Stepfather turns into an unperfect “undesirable.”
• Influences Surface Story: Evil Stepfather can’t be out past ten o’clock because his looks change, essence runs out daily.
• Hints: Stepfather shuts the birthday ball down early, makes a law that no parties past 10 pm, during the big fight with Lily, the palace clock is broken he doesn’t realize it’s almost 10, he turns into an “undesirable” on live TV, his nightmare come true.
• Changes Reality: Evil Stepfather has been trying to hide his identity and low self-esteem by stealing others’ beauty & youth to get the most followers and stroke his shallow ego.
• Beginning: Evil Stepfather sets Lily up by throwing the perfect fairytale birthday bash, trying to crush her already low self-esteem.
• Inciting Incident: Lily falls at her birthday party on Live TV; her Stepfather tells her she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom and shuts down the party right before 10 pm.
• Turning Point 1: Stepfather orders Lily to be killed, so he stays the “fairest one of all,” but Lily fakes her own death and escapes the palace and the perfectionist life she hates.
• Act 2: He appoints himself King, makes the perfectionist rules even more strict, and orders everything shut down by 10 pm.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Stepfather discovers that Lily is still alive, fearing she’ll take over his perfect kingdom and the people will like her more, he tries to poison her.
• Act 3: Lily is deemed an “undesirable” and sent to live with the others in a homeless shelter (no one will hire them orders from the King); meanwhile, the Stepfather plots to steal the “youth essence” from all the village youth.
• Turning Point 3: Stepfather captures the Dwarfs, and “Prince” plans to kill them and frame Lily so no one will like her anymore.
• Act 4 Climax: All the “undesirables,” the imperfect people, save the kingdom, making all the villagers see their inner beauty; they were ready to die to help the very people who hated them.
• Resolution: The Stepfather’s true, “undesirable” identity is revealed, and villagers shun him. Lily finds her mother alive, and The Queen dissolves all the “perfectionist” rules in the kingdom, and no more “social media,”….and they all lived “happily ever after!”
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Character Structure
VISION: I will become a highly respected, sought-after, and successful screenwriter and producer with my own highly profitable production company that I will leave as a blessing to my daughters and many generations to come!
What I learned from doing this assignment is some pieces of the puzzle only comes when you move on filling in other sections of the puzzle first.
Protagonist: Lily White
• Beginning: In her birthday suit, Princess Lily is in the woods with animal friends at the birthday party they throw her.
• Inciting Incident: Later, at her big palace birthday bash, she falls down the stairs in front of a large crowd and paparazzi on live TV. Stepfather tells her she’s an embarrassment to his perfect kingdom.
• Turning Point 1: Narrowly escaping palace guards, Lily fakes her own death and leaves behind a dreadful perfect fairytale life.
• Act 2: Lily comes across the Dwarf’s rundown farm, but they kick her out, mistaking her for perfectionist royalty.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: Lily changes her look to disguise her identity, steals food to survive, then gets arrested.
• Act 3: Lily is sent to live in a homeless shelter with other unperfect “undesirables” and meets “Prince.”
• Turning Point 3: Stepfather tries to kill Lily. She survives and foils his plan to steal “youth essence” from village youngsters, but the Dwarfs and “Prince” get captured. Lily is given a dilemma; choose to save the Dwarfs or her “Prince.”
• Act 4 Climax: Lily leads an army of animals and other “undesirables” to defeat her Stepfather.
• Resolution: Lily rules the kingdom and dissolves all “perfectionist” rules.
Antagonist: Evil Stepfather, The Duke/The King
• Beginning: Married Lily’s mom The Queen takes over as ruler when Queen dies. Makes a law that everything and everyone in the kingdom must be perfect.
• Inciting Incident: Lily is set to “come of age” on her 21st Birthday and take over the kingdom.
• Turning Point 1: The Duke sets Lily up to fail at her nationally televised 21st birthday party, then orders her to be killed.
• Act 2: He appoints himself as The King and rules the kingdom.
• Turning Point 2 / Midpoint: He discovers Lily is alive, so he poisons her.
• Act 3: He plots to steal the “youth essence” from all the kingdom’s youngsters.
• Turning Point 3: Lily, Dwarfs, and “Prince” foil The King’s evil plot, so he captures the Dwarfs and “Prince.” Plans to frame Lily for killing them.
• Act 4 Climax: The King fights Lily and loses to his unperfect “undesirables.”
• Resolution: His “perfection spell” dies off on live TV, revealing that he’s an “undesirable” …it’s his biggest nightmare. (he’s forced to clean toilets and wash people’s feet, he hates feet)????
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Supporting Characters
VISION: I will become a highly respected, influential, and successful screenwriter and producer with my own highly profitable production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come!
What I learned from doing this assignment is to limit supporting characters and make sure they have a purpose in my script.
• Supporting Characters: Seven Dwarfs, Duke’s Assistant, The Queen
• Background Characters: Castle Staff, Townspeople, Prince’s Mother, Police
Support 1:
• Name: “Owl”
• Role: Dwarf #1, Head Dwarf
• Main purpose: He is the wise leader.
• Value: Helps Lily devise a plan to save the kingdom from her Evil Stepfather. His pet owl will help them in the fight when the lights go out.
Support 2:
• Name: “Sly”
• Role: Dwarf #2, Sneaky Dwarf
• Main purpose: He is sly and comes up with a sneaky attack to help Lily.
• Value: His pet snake creates tension and fear.
Support 3:
• Name: “Stripe”
• Role: Dwarf #3, Introvert Dwarf.
• Main purpose: He and his skunk know how to clear a room.
• Value: They will provide defense, holding off palace guards.
Support 4:
• Name: “Speedy”
• Role: Dwarf #4: A fast runner with a pet Cheeta.
• Main purpose: Will provide speed in a battle.
• Value: Will outrun the Duke’s chariots.
Support 5:
• Name: Dwarf #5, “Hammer”
• Role: DWARF #5: He’s a builder and fixer.
• Main purpose: He builds and fixes anything in the house.
• Value: Has a “hammer” personality, he speaks out anything he’s thinking, with no filters.
Support 6:
• Name: “Jester”
• Role: Dwarf #6 is the Funny dwarf
• Main purpose: He loves to make everyone laugh.
• Value: Provides comic relief in every situation.
Support 7:
• Name: “Elle”
• Role: Dwarf #7, The only female Dwarf.
• Main purpose: She provides a female brute strength and has a pet elephant.
• Value: Elle and her pet elephant will provide brute force to plow down castle doors. Also, provides some sisterhood compassion for Lily.
Support 8:
• Name: Winston
• Role: Evil Stepfather/Duke’s Assistant
• Main purpose: Helps the Duke carry out his evil plans.
• Value: Helps us see how the Duke is plotting and fulfilling his evil plans, creating tension and helping to escalate the stakes for the protagonist, Lily.
Support 9:
• Name: The Queen
• Role: Lily’s Mother
• Main purpose: She is the rightful ruler of the kingdom.
• Value: She relieved the secret mirror to The Duke starting his evil plots.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Character Profiles Part 2
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential screenwriter/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment is it is wise to develop multi-dimensional characters to attract top actors.
• LILY:
• The High Concept: lives in perfect fairytale land but hates perfectionism so she runs away.
• This Character’s Journey: runs away from her perfect fairytale life and becomes an imperfect hero to millions of young women.
• The Actor Attractors for this Character: goes from imperfect and unconfident princess to imperfect heroine adored by millions.
• Character Subtext: hiding her royal identity for fear of rejection.
• Character Intrigue: Unspoked wound: doesn’t feel like she’s good enough
• Flaw: low self-esteem, self-sabotages by doing or saying something wrong.
• Values: freedom, family, duty, loyalty
• Character Dilemma: please others versus being independent
EVIL STEPFATHER/DUKE
The High Concept is the evil “perfectionist” who rules the kingdom.
This Character’s Journey: tries to take over the kingdom from Lily & the Queen, tries to steal “youth essence” from his young subjects.
The Actor Attractors for this Character: Narcissist Larger than Life Stepfather, who’s trying to steal the kingdom.
Character Subtext: lying to try to take over the kingdom and steal “youth essence”.
Character Intrigue: Hidden Agenda, to steal the kingdom from Lily.
Flaw: low self-esteem, goes overboard to get others’ approval like IG followers.
Values: fame, winning
Character Dilemma: Wanting external admiration versus loving yourself.
PRINCE
The High Concept: a commoner who hates perfectionist royals & fairytales, a liberal feminist
This Character’s Journey: grew up poor, looked down on by upper-class
The Actor Attractors for this Character: a social activist that teaches Lily how to be strong and conquer her fears.
Character Subtext: sometimes feels unconfident so he speaks up for others that are bullied.
Character Intrigue: Unspoked wound, looked down on for growing up poor, and his scar/disfigurement????
Flaw: wants respect, overconfident, no filters
Values: respect, honesty, and loyalty
Character Dilemma: Wanting respect versus loving yourself.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Character Profiles Part 1
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment is how to fit each character into the story.
LILY:
• A. The High Concept: lives in perfect fairytale land but hates perfectionism, not a perfect size zero
• B. This character’s journey: runs away from her perfect fairytale life and becomes an imperfect hero to millions of young women.
• C. The Actor Attractors for this character: goes from imperfect and unconfident princess to imperfect heroine
3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
7. Role in the Story: The Protag who lives in a perfect fairytale land but is not perfect and hates perfectionism. She runs away seeking a normal life. In the end, defeats her evil stepfather and becomes an imperfect hero.
8. Age range and Description: in her early 20’s, not the typical perfect princess, she has some curves.
9. Core Traits: Awkward, Adventurous, Low Self-esteem, hates Perfectionism
10. Motivation WANTS: to live on her own terms. NEEDS: to feel accepted for herself/flawed.
11. Wound: knows that her stepfather wants a boy
12. Likability, Relatability, Empathy: she’s compassionate, not a perfect size zero, low self-esteem because she’s not perfect
EVIL STEPFATHER:
• A. The High Concept: is the “perfectionist” who rules the kingdom.
• B. This character’s journey: tries to take over the kingdom from Lily & the Queen, tries to steal “youth essence” from his young subjects.
• C. The Actor Attractors for this character: Narcissist Stepfather, who’s trying to steal the kingdom.
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3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
13. Role in the Story: Antagonist who strives for perfection and shuns anyone who’s not perfect.
14. Age range and Description: 50’s, over botoxed, average height
15. Core Traits: Perfectionist, Narcissist, Power-Hungry, Manipulator
16. Motivation; WANTS: to rule the kingdom, NEEDS: to be accepted
17. Wound: bullied as a kid for being chubby with a bad complexion
18. Likability, Relatability, Empathy: can be charming when manipulating people, low self-esteem getting older/wrinkles, was bullied as a kid.
PRINCE:
• A. The High Concept: a commoner who hates perfectionist royals & fairytales, a liberal feminist
• B. This character’s journey: grew up poor, looked down on by upper-class
• C. The Actor Attractors for this character.
3. Brainstorm the first 6 parts of the profile for each of your lead characters.
19. Role in the Story: helps Lily gain confidence in herself, Antag to Evil Stepfather
20. Age range and Description: 20’s average looking, average build.
21. Core Traits: feminist, headstrong, wise
22. Motivation; Wants to expose royalty for being fake. Needs: to be respected.
23. Wound: saw the Kind embarrass his mother for not being perfect.
24. Likability: he sticks up for the little guy, and hates bullies. Relatability: grew up poor, with a single-parent Mom. Empathy: has a physical flaw/scar inherited from his mother that scares people.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Likability/Relatability/Empathy
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned doing this assignment is making your characters likable, and relatable, and creating empathy for them is the key to drawing in the audience.
Protagonist: Lily White
– Likability: she’s kind and even helps the servants in the castle
– Relatability: not a perfect size zero, low self-esteem
– Empathy: her father wanted a boy
Antagonist: Moody
– Likability: he’s charming
– Relatability: has a secret crush on Lily
– Empathy: literally looked down on, the king doesn’t think he’s good enough for his daughter.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Character Intrigue
• MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that bad is good. It’s good to make the good characters a little bad.
• Character Name: Lily White
• Role: Imperfect Princess who runs away to America to escape her perfectionist fairytale upbringing.
• Hidden agendas: Wants to live a normal life, give up the throne.
• Unspoken Wound: She knows her father wanted a boy.
• Secret Identity: Pretends she’s an orphan who came to America to live the dream.
3. Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie.
Lily: secret wound effects everything she does, low self-esteem, will sabotage a relationship if anyone tries to get too close to her.
• Character Name: Moody
• Role: King’s top knight and defender
• Hidden agendas: Wants to take over the throne.
• Competition: Lily and her co-worker/boyfriend
• Conspiracies: His great-great-grandpa was Grumpy.
• Secrets: Dwarf coerced the king into promising that if he finds Lily, he can have her hand in marriage.
• Deception: Dwarf will convince Lily that the handsome co-working is trying to kidnap her for the reward money
• Unspoken Wound: bitter because King denied him a chance to marry Lily
• Secret Identity: Poses as a business owner who agrees to let Lily do community time at his business, so he can play her.
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• 3. Give us an idea of how that character’s subtext might show up in your movie
• Moody has a victim mentality but covers it by being a charming perfectionist and when triggered, he becomes overly critical.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Subtext Characters
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment is it’s powerful to figure out your lead character’s subtext, which will make my screenplay so much stronger.
• Movie Title: “LILY WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS”
• Character Name: Lily White
• Subtext Identity: An unperfect princess, covert identity an orphan from another country who has low self-esteem, self-sabotages, acceptance wound.
• Subtext Trait: positive/upbeat, clumsy, overly complementary to get people to like her, secretive.
• Subtext Logline: Lily has an acceptance wound (fear of rejection) (fear of not being good /perfect enough) and covers it by being overly positive, but when triggered she self-sabotages.
• Possible Areas of Subtext: Opening Scene: she dreads going to her father’s perfect party so she’s late, self-sabotaging. Inciting Incident: her fear of rejection causes her to run away. Act Two: Lily is kind/positive to everyone (even some thugs) and is taken advantage of, her stuff stolen. Mid-Turning Point: Police arrest her, she freaks at having her picture taken because she looks terrible, she’s positive wants them to like her which gives her favor, and they take her to a homeless shelter instead of keeping her in jail. Act Three: Lily tries to make friends at the homeless shelter using her positive traits, but when some people think she’s crazy for talking to the mirrors and reject her friendship, she self-sabotages and acts crazy on purpose. The charming commoner sees right through her and helps her get a job (something where you have to look perfect, maybe intern at a wellness center doing social media where everything has to be perfect OR PLASTIC SURGEON) She has to do community service to make up for her stealing and she gets a job doing social media for a fake company run by the dwarf. She suspects the commoner/friend is starting to like her so she self-sabotages by doing something he hates. Act Four: Lily is frantic about having to choose between saving dwarfs or friends she doesn’t want anyone to feel rejected, so she comes up with an overly ambitious plan to save everyone, but when she can’t save the friend, she freaks out that she’s not good enough fulfilling one of her biggest fears. When she has the chance to save him with a kiss, she fears her kiss won’t be good enough.
3. For your two leads, brainstorm these answers:
• Character Name: “Moody”
• Subtext Identity: Dwarf who wants to marry Lily to take over her kingdom. Starts as a hero but is really a villain. OR IS HE THE KING’S REJECTED SON, FOR NOT BEING PERFECT????
• Subtext Trait: manipulative, controlling, short temper, sees himself as a victim of circumstance, bitter because King denied him a chance to marry Lily, power-hungry, charming bully, impatient, trying to take the throne. Manipulative – Secretive – Evil – Tricky
• Subtext Logline: Moody has a victim mentality but covers it by being a charming perfectionist and when triggered, he becomes overly critical.
• Possible Areas of Subtext: Opening, is the King’s “perfectionist police”, who loves to criticize people who seem better than him, and cuts them down to his size. Inciting Incident/Turning Point, uses it to manipulate the King and stay close to the throne. Act Two, in disguise he uses his charms to manipulate other dwarfs and Lily. Act Three, tries to charm Lily but beat out by the handsome commoner so Moody hires thugs to beat him up but the attempt fails. Act Four: desperate, Moody attempts to control and kidnap Lily trying to be the hero/manipulate and charm her but it fails when she discovers who he really is.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Actor Attractors
My Vision: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment are better ways to make my lead characters unique.
Lead Character Name: LILY
Role: (Protagonist)
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it? Has a strong transformational journey from an unconfident princess to an unperfect heroine.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story? She has the strength to leave a perfectionist fairytale life behind for a world where she can be herself, not perfect but a good example to other young women.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script? Resists the pressure of being “perfect” in a world of heavily filtered, perfectionist social media campaigns. Stands up to her perfectionist father the king.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor? While people are scrambling for a chance to get inside the castle, she’s out outside the walls living and letting all her flaws show.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range? Goes from an unconfident fish-out-of-water to a strong, confident hero.
6. What subtext can the actor play? Emotional wounds of not being perfect enough for her father, the king.
7. What are the most interesting relationships this character can have? With her co-worker/commoner who helps her love herself, warts and all.
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented? She rebukes the common social media practice of looking perfect and having the perfect life in order to be successful and happy.
9. What could make this character special and unique? She’s not the perfect size zero princess with flawless skin. She’s normal, and has flaws but learns to love herself “warts and all”.
Lead Character Name: Grumpy
Role: (Antagonist)
1. What about this role would cause an actor to want to be known for it? Lead Dwarf, a badass warrior who’s trying to steal the kingdom.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in your story? Plays two roles, a loyal subject to the king and a manipulator who’s trying to steal the throne.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead could take in the script? He is a skilled warrior and master manipulator.
4. How can you introduce this role in a way that could sell it to an actor? He’s on the battlefield defeating men twice his size.
5. What could be this character’s emotional range? Confident, angry, and insecure, to afraid when Lily conquers him.
6. What subtext can the actor play? He’s really trying to steal the throne but acts like a loyal subject/knight to the king. Insecure.
7. What are the most interesting relationships this character can have? With his own demons, as he fights inner thoughts of being inadequate. Thinks it’s because of his size that he’s never had a girlfriend. He has to find and recruit other dwarfs to help pull off his scheme on Lily.
8. How will this character’s unique voice be presented? Through the contract of acting like a loyal knight while really being a villain trying to steal Lily’s heart and the kingdom.
9. What could make this character special and unique? He has charisma and is a badass warrior.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Actor Actractors for “FROZEN”.
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned doing this assignment is that there are a number of unique and intriguing ways to get a top actor to sign onto your project.
ACTOR ATTRACTORS
Movie Title: “FROZEN”
Lead Character Name: Elsa & Anna
1. Why would an actor WANT to be known for this role? Elsa: magical, great songs. Anna: the hero that saves her sister and the day. Hans: nice guy who is really evil.
2. What makes this character one of the most interesting characters in the movie? Elsa: magical young queen. Anna: unconfident but stubborn enough to be brave, face her sister, and saves the day. Hans: secretly manipulates Anna and almost gets away with taking over the kingdom.
3. What are the most interesting actions the Lead takes in the movie? Elsa: runs away, makes an ice palace and gets free from what everyone thinks of her. Anna: brave enough to go after her sister when everyone else is afraid of her. Hans: locks Anna away to die then goes after Elsa.
4. How is this character introduced that could sell it to an actor? Elsa surprises us with her amazing magical powers and makes it snow inside the castle. Anna is a fun, happy, go-lucky little sister. Hans is the handsome, charming prince who almost runs over Anna.
5. What is this character’s emotional range? Elsa: scared, cold, strong, moody, angry, brave, loving. Anna: fun, sad, lonely, confused, goofy, unconfident, awkward to brave hero. Hans is kind, goofy, loving, evil, and cunning.
6. What subtext can the actor play? Elsa: afraid she’ll hurt someone. Anna: lonely and unconfident. “I’m completely ordinary.” Hans wants to take over the kingdom.
7. What are the most interesting relationships this character has? Elsa and Anna love each other but are afraid to show it, confused about their relationship and how to love each other. Anna and Christof dislike each other at first but go on an adventure to find Elsa, and fall in love although they don’t admit it until the very end. Hans: with Anna, he gets her to fall in love with him in just one day.
8. How is this character’s unique voice presented? Elsa: is told to be a “good girl” but just wants to be herself and be free from all the rules and fears. Anna: wants to be loved, not alone anymore. Hans appears to be kind but is really a manipulator.
9. What makes this character special and unique? Elsa: magical, powerful but scared. Anna: feisty, never gives up, optimistic. Hans is handsome, and charming but evil.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Genre Conventions
MY VISION: I WILL BECOME A HIGHLY RESPECTED AND INFLUENTIAL WRITER/PRODUCER WITH MY OWN SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT I CAN LEAVE AS A BLESSING TO MY CHILDREN AND MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
What I learned doing this assignment is a great way to build in genre conventions into my script and be seen as a pro by producers.
Title: “LILY WHITE AND THE SEVEN LITTLE PEOPLE”
Concept: Snow White’s great-great-granddaughter, Lily White, runs away to America to escape her perfectionist fairytale life.
Genre: Adventure/Comedy
Adventure Conventions:
Purpose: a wanderlust/need for a thrilling excursion
Demand for Adventure:
Mission:
Escalating Action/Adventure:
Hero:
Antagonist:
Comedy Conventions:
Purpose: Entertain, packed with laughter-inducing moments
Incongruence:
Mechanics of Comedy
Comedic Protagonist
Strong Story
Act 1:
Opening: An extravagant birthday party is thrown for Princess Lily complete with red-carpet entrances of the rich and famous some in ridiculously outrageous/funny outfits posing for a barrage of paparazzi while circus acts thrill the party-goers. Everything and everyone must pass a “perfection inspection” before being allowed into the party.
We get a taste of the King’s enormous wealth and meet Princess Lily who is supposed to be getting ready for her grand entrance but appears to be running for her life in the woods chased by snarling animals. However, in reality, she’s playing survival games with her animal friends as they throw her their own minimalist birthday party. They thrill her with funny animal tricks and jokes about humans.
Inciting Incident: Princess Lily is late for her grand entrance and the King is furious. When she does arrive, she trips down the stairs ripping her expensive designer dress and exposing her undies. The King tells her what an embarrassment she is to his perfect kingdom, that she’ll never make a good ruler and he wishes he had a boy instead.
• Turning Point: Lily, knowing she will never be perfect enough to fit into her father’s kingdom, escapes the castle guards, fakes her own death, and runs away headed to America.
(But one of the King’s dwarfs sees what Lily did, tells her father, and the father orders the dwarf to follow Lily and protect her.)
Act 2:
• New plan: She arrives in America, free and on her own for the first time.
• Plan in action: Lily is in the imperfect, real-world with no money, nowhere to go, and no one she can count on. She asks the cab driver to take her to the most “real” part of town, so he drops her off in a rough Brooklyn neighborhood. Her luggage gets stolen, then her purse. She meets the Dwarf, now in disguise. He’s gruff so she thinks he must be related to Grumpy. He has befriended other dwarfs to pretend to be his family/friends, but she can’t remember their real names so gives them adjectives nicknames similar to “Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, Doc, Dopey. Lily goes into a store and freaks out at the large display of apples, she’s deadly afraid of apples, then she gets blown away by all the types of ice cream. She takes whatever she wants because she’s never had to pay for anything before.
Midpoint Turning Point: A store employee catches Lily stealing and calls the police. Lily runs from the cops and almost gets away until they catch and arrest her.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: Lily must live in a homeless shelter where she meets a handsome commoner. The other residents think she’s crazy when she tries to talk to the mirrors and expects them to talk back.
• New plan: The handsome commoner helps her get her first job to survive, it’s a demeaning job for a princess but she loves it. She learns to stand up for herself for the first time. He teaches her Krav skills to build her confidence. She uses those combat skills to help him fight off some thugs who were sent by the Dwarf to get rid of the handsome commoner.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: There is a threat to kidnap Lily. She recruits the dwarf and his friends to help her. She makes a plan using the new combat skills she learned along with tricks from her animal friends and escapes the kidnapper. However, the dwarfs and handsome commoner are all kidnapped.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: The kidnapper gives Lily an impossible dilemma. She must choose to either save the dwarfs or the handsome commoner.
• Resolution: Lily figures out that the kidnapper is the Dwarf and the two have an extensive fight. Using her new skills, she prevails while accidentally tearing off his mask to reveal his true identity. She saves the dwarfs however the commoner is in a coma, but she saves him with a sloppy kiss, it’s her first kiss. The King arrives and is impressed with Lily’s new skills and confidence as she stands up to him for the first time. He apologizes for always wanting a boy, tells her he is very proud of her, and that she will make an excellent ruler someday.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Teresa Rodriguez.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by
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Teresa Rodriguez’s 4 Act Transformational Structure
MY VISION: I WILL BECOME A HIGHLY RESPECTED AND INFLUENTIAL WRITER/PRODUCER WITH MY OWN SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT I CAN LEAVE AS A BLESSING TO MY CHILDREN AND MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s a great idea to go through the structure to build in the Protagonist and then go back through for the Antagonist’s storyline.
Concept: Snow White’s great, great-granddaughter, Lily White, runs away to America to escape her perfectionist fairytale life.
Main Conflict: When a mysterious villain plots to kidnap Lily she enlists the help of seven “little people” but when things go wrong Lily must choose whether to save the lives of her little friends or her true love.
Main Theme: True beauty comes from within; Lily is not the typical “perfect” fairytale princess but her heart is perfectly pure. The talking mirror is the only one that encourages her, tells her that she is like her great-great-grandmother and that she is indeed “the fairest of them all” although Lily doesn’t believe it.
• Old Ways:
• – Ignorant of life outside of perfect fairytale land
• – Afraid, timid
• – Unconfident
• – Lets her dad, the King, intimidate her
– New Ways:
– Can survive in a new world
– Courageous
– Wise/Skilled
– Fights and saves her friends
Act 1:
Opening: An extravagant birthday party is thrown for Princess Lily complete with red-carpet entrances of the rich and famous, a barrage of paparazzi, and circus acts that thrill the party-goers. Everything and everyone must pass a “perfection inspection” before being allowed into the party.
We get a taste of the King’s enormous wealth and meet Princess Lily who is supposed to be getting ready for her grand entrance but she’s in the woods playing with her animal friends as they throw her their own minimalist birthday party.
Inciting Incident: Princess Lily is late for her grand entrance and the King is furious. When she does arrive, she trips down the stairs causing her dress to rip open exposing her undies. The King tells her what an embarrassment she is to his perfect kingdom, that she’ll never make a good ruler and he wishes he had a boy instead.
•
•
• Turning Point: Lily, knowing she will never be perfect enough, she fakes her own death, and runs away headed to America.
(But one of the King’s dwarfs sees what Lily did, and tells her father and the father tells the dwarf to follow her and protect her.)
Act 2:
• New plan: She gets to America, free and on her own for the first time.
•
• Plan in action: Lily is in the unperfect, real-world with no money, nowhere to go, and no one she can count on. Her luggage gets stolen, then her purse. She meets the Dwarf, now in disguise. He has befriended other dwarfs to play his family/friends. She goes into a store and takes whatever she wants, she’s never had to pay for anything before.
•
• Midpoint Turning Point: Lily gets arrested.
•
•
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: Lily has to live in a homeless shelter where she meets a handsome commoner.
• New plan: He helps her get her first job in order to survive. She learns to stand up for herself for the first time. He teaches her Krav skills to build her confidence. She uses those combat skills to help him fight off some thugs, sent by the Dwarf to take the co-worker out.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: There is a threat to kidnap Lily. She recruits the dwarf and his friends to help her. She makes a plan using the new combat skills she learned along with tricks from her animal friends and escapes the kidnapper. However, the dwarfs and handsome co-worker are all taken away.
Act 4:
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: The kidnapper tells Lily she must choose to either save the dwarfs or the handsome co-worker.
• Resolution: Lily figures out the kidnapper is the Dwarf and fights him. Using her new skills, she prevails accidentally tearing off his mask to reveal his identity. She saves the dwarfs however the co-worker is in a coma, but she saves him with a kiss. The King arrives and is impressed with Lily’s new skills and confidence as she stands up to him for the first time. He apologizes for always wanting a boy, tells her he is very proud of her, and that she will make an excellent ruler someday. (Does Lily decide to stay in America???)
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• MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
• What I learned from doing this assignment is writing subtext can be fun! It used to be so complex for me that I would get a headache trying to figure out a good subtext for my script. But Hal’s formulas are brilliant making subtext so easy to do that I was able to write more subtext than I needed!
CONCEPT: Snow White’s great, great-granddaughter, Lily White, runs away to America to escape her perfectionist fairytale life.
Scheme and Investigation: The head Dwarf is scheming to marry Lily and take over the throne. Lily’s boyfriend doesn’t trust the Dwarf and investigates him.
Layering: The Boyfriend hates royalty so Lily never tells her who she really is. He also hates people who lie. In the end, we find out that he too is a royal, a prince from a neighboring country who also wanted to run away from the perfectionist fairytale life. He saw the same story on America that Lily read and it also sparked his passion to run away, ending up in the same place they read about. Their parents always wanted them to meet but they refused to get set up. Only saw pictures of each other when they were little. Lily dies her hair when she comes to America, he cuts his hair, so they don’t look the same.
Someone Hides Who They Are: The head Dwarf is on a mission from the King to find and protect Princess Lily. Instead, he disguises himself and befriends Lily in order to get her to fall in love with him and marry him so he can take over the throne.
The Fish Out of Water: Princess Lily is used to the royal treatment so when she comes to America she’s completely lost. She never had to pay for anything, her first trip inside a grocery store blows her away she never knew there were so many different types of ice cream, but people think she’s crazy when she talks to mirrors and is deadly afraid of apples. She’s naïve and gets her purse stolen, so she’s broke and must live in a homeless shelter, and get her first job. After experiencing how the real world works she starts to question everything about her fairytale upbringing.
Superior Position: the audience knows that the head Dwarf is disguising himself to trick Lily into marrying him, when the boyfriend finds out the Dwarf attempts to get rid of him by putting him in a coma.
A Major Cover-Up: The head Dwarf puts the boyfriend in a coma to get rid of him, then he frames the boyfriend and convinces Lily that the boyfriend was the one trying to kidnap her. Lily is lonely and confused so the dwarf family talks her into accepting the head Dwarf’s marriage proposal so they can all be together as a family and live their happily ever after.
Competitive Agendas: The boyfriend and the Dwarf act friendly towards each other in front of Lily but they secretly hate each other, constantly try to make each other look bad in front of Lily, and compete for her love.
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(Teresa Rodriguez’) Transformational Journey
-MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
-What I learned from doing this assignment is to focus on one piece of the puzzle at a time and it won’t be so overwhelming.
• Arc Beginning: A weak, reluctant princess
• Arc Ending: Confident, princess warrior/hero
• Internal Journey: From weak/reluctant princess to confident and fearless
• External Journey: From awkward princess to princess warrior/hero
• Old Ways:
• – Ignorant of life outside of perfect fairytale land
• – Afraid, timid
• – Unconfident
• – Let her dad/the King intimidate her
• New Ways:
– Can survive in a new world
– Courageous
– Wise/Skilled
– Fights and Saves her friends
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(Teresa Rodriguez’) Intentional Lead Characters
MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations to come.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I must carefully craft the characters to fit the concept and be unique.
Character: Princess Lily
Logline: My protagonist is a reluctant princess who runs away from her perfectionist fairytale life to live a “normal” life.
Unique: She doesn’t look or act like a typical princess, not a size 0 and she’s not all “girly” she likes to sneak into combat classes with the boys.
Character: Lead Dwarf
Logline: My antagonist is the main dwarf Lily recruits to help save her from kidnapping attempts.
Unique: He is also the mysterious villain who plots to kidnap Lily.
Character: A Charming Commoner
Logline: Lily’s love interest who is also her co-worker who’ll put his life on the line for her.
Unique: He doesn’t trust the dwarfs and has a great disdain for all royalty.
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Teresa Rodriguez’s Title, Concept, and Character Structure!
– MY VISION: I will become a highly respected and influential writer/producer with my own successful production company that I can leave as a blessing to my children and many generations.
– What I learned from doing this assignment is that it is wise to choose your character structure and do an outline before starting the script.
– Title: Lily White and the Seven Dwarfs
– Concept: Snow White’s great, great-granddaughter, Lily White, runs away to America to escape her perfectionist fairytale life.
– Character Structure: Dramatic Triangle
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My name is Teresa Rodriguez.
I’ve written one screenplay and two TV scripts so far. I specialize in writing profound stories that encourage and inspire, featuring diverse casts.
I hope to get a phenomenal fourth script out of this class that will help me get a manager and a script deal.
I’m a former TV News Producer/Anchor/Reporter. I’ve written multiple news stories and projects for ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS.
I finished the Master Screenwriting class earlier this year. It’s an honor to take another class at ScreenwritingU.
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1. I, Teresa Rodriguez “I agree to the terms of this release form.”
GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of Writing Incredible Movies, 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, through social media, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, videos, 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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Sounds very interesting Eclipse! : )