William Donnelly
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William M Donnelly’s Profound Ending
What I learned is that I have several options for ending this screenplay. I do have an idea for a surprise ending, and will consider formalizing that idea.
Design your ending to have a profound impact.
What is your Profound Truth and how will it be delivered powerfully in your ending?
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. ~
Jos. Campbell
Inherent within each of us is profound wisdom, disguised. Once we have the courage to go in to the unknown, or scary, places, we find that the only way to our power is through these fears.
How do your lead characters (Change Agent and Transformable Characters) come to an end in a way that represents the completed change?
Angie has won the battle. She has stopped the influence of MegaCorp and worked to trim back AI’s powers. She is comfortable in her skin, and though she has won this battle, there is another one coming – this time with another company that seeks to depart Earth and repopulate elsewhere.
What are the setup/payoffs that complete in the end of this movie, giving it deep meaning?
Angie taps into an almost-mystical power of awareness and knowing as she faces some of her worst terrors. As she has stepped into her power through these crucibles, she now stands self-aware an in her power. She has helped influence AI and the collective human social world and stopped AI from destructing humanity.
How are you designing it to have us see an inevitable ending and then making it surprising when it happens?
This is what I am working on. Not yet ready.
What is the Parting Image/Line that leaves us with the Profound Truth in our minds?
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
~Jos. Campbell)
Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” (place at top of your work).
What I learned is that I have several options for ending this screenplay. I do have an idea for a surprise ending, and will consider formalizing that idea.
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ASSIGNMENT
1. “What I learned doing this assignment is…?”: I learned to go a little deeper into the characters and find what makes them interesting and personable.
2. Tell us which characters you are going to INTENTIONALLY create a connection with the audience.
A. Angelique, Chad
3. With each character, tell us how you’ll use each of the four ways of connecting with the audience in the first 30 minutes of the movie. A. Relatability B. Intrigue C. Empathy D. Likability
A. Relatability/Angie: Angie is a typical teenage girl. She has longings and hope and passion. But the world is so highly dysfunctional. And then, she thinks she there is something wrong with her with this voices. She spends much of her time trying to be something she is not.
B. Intrigue/Angie: The question is: What are these voices all about? Once she hits bottom and lands in an asylum, the voices begin to show their wisdom and help her escape doing things she never could have without their help.
C. Empathy/Angie: She just wants a normal life. Love, laughter, adventure, a family maybe. But earth’s crisis may or may not allow that to happen. She resists the idea that she could do anything significant to help humanity…until the inner wisdom voices begin to help her see her destiny.
D. Likability/Angie: She’s smart, funny, and willing to do what it takes to live life to the fullest, regardless of how crazy it is on the outside.
E. Relatability/Chad: Chad is a regular guy who by his very nature has a big heart. But life (his father) tossed him around a lot as a kid, and because of that he closed his heart and began a life that he is not proud of. He has a faint dream of a better life, and clings to that.
F. Intrigue/Chad: Chad has something that motivates him. He is deeply in tune with Angelique. They had a chance meeting when she was 13, just before he headed out to Asia and got stuck in a dark ops gig. When they reconnect in LA years later, intriguing sparks fly – but not necessrily for eros love. But their bond is complete…so just who is this guy who will do anything to protect Angelique?
G. Empathy/Chad: Chad has a heart of gold. But from the childhood abuses, he buried it in booze and other nefarious stuff. He lives with great regret. When he is with Angelique, all this negative patterns dissipate and be is more able to be the man he always dreamed he could be. Is there hope for him? We’ll see.
H. Likability/Chad: Chad is wicked good looking. When his life isn’t falling apart, he has a great sense of humor. And he’ll do anything to help those in need.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by William Donnelly.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT – I have a lot to learn. But I am trying to simply plug in content into a format. I can and will upgrade th content, but I want to know the format.
WILL DONNELLY’S TRANSFORMATIONAL LOGLINE
In a pre-apocalyptic world, a depressed young woman with wild voices in her head / learns to access her innate wisdom / and discovers she was born to save humanity from its own apocalyptic choices.THE MAIN CHARACTER:
Change Agent: Apocalyptic Earth, AI and Corporations Attempting to Help or Control the Situation
Transformational Characters: Angelique, Chad, Society
MMM: #1: (Pages 1-15)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Angie is at the end of her rope, wants to give up.
ACTION GRADIENT – Angie finds herself imprisoned in an asylum, gift of her mother.
CHALLENGE:
Angelique has run from the voices in her head for years, causing herself much harm. She has wanted to give up, and quiet the voices by whatever means.
WEAKNESS:
Angelique has felt a victim to life since her father died.
MM 1 DENIAL:
at age 17, Angelique finds herself waking up in an asylum. As the world is scrambling to figure out how to survive the coming apocalyptic weather patterns, Angelique and all her peers are having trouble coping. Last thing she remembers is going unconscious after taking some drugs. She overdosed.
MM 1 ANGER
But her selfish and driven mother has had enough and commits her to a “private” rehabilitation center. It’s nothing more than a psyche prison for wealthy families with children who are out of control and need to be hidden away. On her first day waking up there, she has a psychotic melt down and is sent to solitary confinement.
MM 1 BARGAINING
She works to trick the male nurse attendant into helping her. He rebuffs her.
MM 1 DEPRESSION
Since she failed the attempt to get help, she falls asleep utterly beaten down by life.
MM 1 ACCEPTANCE
While asleep, she has a series of lucid dreams, which instruct her to meditate and use a technique taught to her at age 13 by a mysterious man in her family’s condo complex. As she lets go of resisting the patterns of her mind, Angelique begins to realize the voices in her head actually may be able to help her. In fact, they tell her that she was born into this life to help humanity. She is willing to at least listen to the voices, which show themselves to be curiously accurate, and they show her how to escape the asylum.
FIRST TURNING POINT
After years of malaise, Angie awakens a sense of possibility once she accepts her lot in life (with the voices). She tries something new.
MM #2 (p 15-30)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Because the dreams and voices seem to make some sense, she is willing to at least listen, and try.
ACTION GRADIENT – She must use one of her personalities/voices and seduce the orderly and get his keys so she can escape.
CHALLENGE: She must learn how to trust the voices
WEAKNESS: She still thinks she is crazy.
SECOND TURNING POINT
For the first time since childhood, she befriends these voices and benefits from it.
MM 2 DENIAL:
She does what she can to stay busy in solitary. She tries to forget the dream.
MM 2 ANGER
She looks in the mirror and is overcome with anger, banging her head against the reflective metal.
MM 2 ACCEPTANCE
Exasperated and bleeding, she sits down on the floor and is instructed to remember what that mysterious man, Chad, taught her when she was 13. She goes deeply into a state of quiet and solitude, focusing on what she remembers about his face and his demeanor. She feels a calm she can’t remember ever feeling.
SECOND TURNING POINT
With nothing to lose and no where to go, Angie stops fighting herself and for the first time begins to tune into her own wisdom/inner life.
MM #3 (p 30-45)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – She is willing to trust and do what she needs to to get out
ACTION GRADIENT – She must seduce and trick the guard and steal his keys.
CHALLENGE: She must be willing to do things (like steal, break out of an asylum) that she has never done before
WEAKNESS: She is not sure she can trust the voices/her instincts.
MM 1 EXCITEMENT: She gets a remarkable sense of positivity when she follows one voice and “pick pockets” the guards keys while flirting with him like a geisha/courtesan.
MM 1 HOPE – She now has a way out of this hell
MM 1 DISCOURAGEMENT – she has trouble finding her way through the buildings basement.
MM 1 COURAGE – even though she cannot hear the voices at the moment, she uses her own abilities to find the special door to the tunnel
MM 1 TRIUMPH – scene ends with her looking back at the hospital now free.
THIRD TURNING POINT
Angie realizes that, however confusing, these voices might not be her enemy.
MM #4 (p 45-60)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Though now free, she is scared and uncertain as to what to do next
ACTION GRADIENT – she must overcome being out in the world with little support and a society that is beginning to fall apart.
CHALLENGE: She must learn to take care of herself in bad conditions
WEAKNESS: She is only 17 and has been quite irresponsible up until now.
MM 1 DENIAL: She forgets her commitment to growth
MM 1 ANGER -and starts drinking to kill the pain.
MM 1 BARGAINING – gets accosted and tries to bargain her way out, but gets robbed
MM 1 DEPRESSION – feels helpless
MM 1 ACCEPTANCE – gets back on her feet and finds a living arrangement
FOURTH TURNING POINT
She finds she is actually quite adaptable and can get what she needs.
MM #5 (p 60-75)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Chad is stuck on the asian continent as the weather patterns are too dangerous to fly or boat back to N America
ACTION GRADIENT – He breaks free of his black ops gig and makes a deal to board the one government plane that may or may not make it across the pacific.
CHALLENGE: Chad wants to change and go home, but he has made a deal with the devil for survival’s sake and now is stuck and in fear for his life.
WEAKNESS: He relies on heavy drinking and drugs to numb the hell
MM 1 DENIAL: He has spent 2 years here and pretends it is all ok.
MM 1 ANGER – he gets drunks and gets in fights
MM 1 BARGAINING – He looks for a way out of his imprisonment, but he can’t get out of his contract
MM 1 DEPRESSION – he feels like giving up
MM 1 ACCEPTANCE – he accepts that he may die but he has to get back to N America
FIFTH TURNING POINT
Chad had long given up on his life, but for whatever reason, feels now it MUST get back to LA.
MM #6 (p 75-90)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Chad must risk everything to get on that plane and return to the Old US
ACTION GRADIENT – one of the passengers is a hit man charged with killing Chad for leaving
CHALLENGE: Chad has committed to not killing any more humans
WEAKNESS: He once again will go back on a promise he has made to himself
MM 16DENIAL: He thinks he will be ok leaving
MM 6 ANGER – he hates being trapped in this form of human trafficking
MM 6 DEPRESSION – he is not certain this is all worth it and may let the hitman just take him out and end his suffering
MM 6 ACCEPTANCE – he realizes, as he stares at someone who could have been him, that he wants to live
SIXTH TURNING POINT
Chad will do anything to return to LA, as his gut tells him he is needed there. He gets memory flashes of a young girl he taught meditation to back in “healthier” days. He has forgotten who he is and wants to come back into his power.
MM #7 (p 90-105)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Chat and Angelique run in to each other in LA – and immediately recognize one another. They spend the day together, then have dinner together
ACTION GRADIENT – Both are in survival mode but the time together brings them great comfort
CHALLENGE: Though there is an unmistakable attraction toward one another, at dinner those both realize they have a strong connection and unknown reason.
WEAKNESS: Angelique feels ashamed to having made a pass at Chad. Chad was so enlivened by her interest, but is too broken to be a good lover, and somewhere deep inside him he feels that all he must do is protect her.
MM 1 EXCITEMENT: Both characters feel at home with the other
MM 1 DOUBT: Both characters feel the attraction, but also feel that there is something preventing them from being together in this life
MM 1 DISCOURAGEMENT: ?
MM 1 COURAGE: Chad feels it is essential to stay near to Angie. Angie accepts this
MM 1 TRIUMPH: THEY form an alliance to fight the good fight.
SEVENTH TURNING POINT
Angelique now has formed a powerful alliance to take on MegaCorp and AI. Chad feels at home next to Angie, and everything changes for him once this alliance is formed.
MM #8 (p 105-120)
EMOTIONAL GRADIENT – Excited to work together, all is well until they fail and almost get killed in a shoot out
ACTION GRADIENT – Espionage is Angie’s new talent, thanks to a voice that have lived it before.
CHALLENGE: Angie wants to believe she can accomplish the impossible, but almost getting killed was really a wake up call.
WEAKNESS: Even though Angie has learned to listen to the voices, she doesn’t always win
MM 1 EXCITEMENT: It is a fast-paced journey into the world of spying on huge corporations
MM 1 DOUBT: it is unlikely they could possibly accomplish their goal
MM 1 HOPE: the need is great so they set out to sabotage the mainframe for the dominant AI at MegaCorp
MM 1 DISCOURAGEMENT: At first, the remote magnetic implant doesn’t seem to be impacting the AI.
MM 1 TRIUMPH/LOSS: The first glimmer of hope is when AI is no longer able to uptake the data in to its algorithm now they have a chance to defeat it.
EIGHTH TURNING POINT
Though their first battle/infiltrations was successful, their second attempt at espionage fails, and ends up in a bloody shoot out. Both feel like absolute failures and imposters.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by William Donnelly.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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WHAT I LEARNED DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT: How to create concurrent elements in telling a story. (PS: I have no idea on all of this – so I’m calling it “throw pasta on wall and see what sticks” lol”)
I will use the DESIRED CHANGE emotional gradient.
NOTE:
THIS WON’T LET ME POST EITHER A CUT & PASTE OF AN EXCEL SHEET TO MATCH THE FORMAT OF FLYER WE DOWNLOADED, AND IT WON’T LET ME COPY/POST A SCREENSHOT OF IT. NOT
here’s the best I can do
EXCITEMENT Angie meets Chad when she is 13. He teaches her meditation C: For the first time, she feels like she might make something good happen W: She thinks her voices make her crazy
DOUBT Wake up in an asylum C: Is abused by staff at asylum W: Believes she is crazy
HOPE She learns to trust these characters, and maybe even believes they are her past lives. She reconnects with Chad, now older, and they become partners in this transformational journey C: Some of the voices lead her astray W: She can’t tell the difference between the good and bad voices
DISCOURAGEMENT Even with Chad’s support, she is unable to break free of her doubts and stop AI C: She fails at stopping AI from influencing an election W: Overconfident
COURAGE She begins to use the voices in her espionage against AI and it works C: She is caught by AI and interrogated by police for crimes W: She doesn’t know her limits
TRIUMPH She integrates these helpful voices and learns how to stop AI by influencing it. C: AI tries to frame her. W Arrested
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by William Donnelly. Reason: Formatting on here is very limited
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4B
Will Donnelly’s Transformational Journey
What I learned from this assignment – artful unfoldment of gradual change.
What is the change this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
This movie is essentially about becoming yourself. I would say adult, but it is more than than. It is adulthood with maturity and reason, but also a deeper trust in your inner truths.
Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
Mr. Keating
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
All the boys where transformable characters
What is the Oppression?
The oppression is staid conformity under the guise of tradition
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
The characters are relatable. We want them to live lives of freedom and full self expression. They have their whole lives ahead of them and the thought of living it all for someone else, like a messed up father, is really heavy to think about.
Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:
Old way: Suffocating tradition and an almost brutal demand for conformity regardless of personal orientation.
New way: take risks to be your true self. Stand up for your true values and beliefs/perspectives
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
First, they broke the rules by going to the cave at night to read poetry.
When Neil types a fake letter from his dad
Knox visits Chris – takes his bike beyond the school walls…
When Knox asks Chris to the play.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
They are asked to go within and listen to their own yearnings.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
The death of Neil. of course, due to the controlling manipulations of his father.
The one, where Todd is first to stand up and then several other boys who understand the power of personal choice. To be your own man rather than cower to others.
When Todd somehow speaks a poem about the image of Walt Whitman with the support of mr. Keating.
What are the most profound lines of the movie?
Ripping out the intro pages of the Pritchard book
Thoreau- lives of quiet desperation
Oh Captain, My Captain spoken by Todd – at end of movie in class
How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
It seems the boys who stood up at the end of class will live lives of Carpe Diem…much more so than the boys who conformed to old traditional ways
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
Be true to yourself. Seize the day. Live life to the fullest, rather than piss it away based on what others, especially your parents, want. Live your own life no matter what the cost, because the cost of not doing so will be worse.
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William M Donnelly’s Lead Characters
What I learned:
This is all new to my brain – and I loved clarifying which characters will be transformed – Humanity, Angelique and Chad. The oppressor is the human mind long out of masculine/feminine balance. It is also the Earth now gone haywire, as well as a mix of greedy corporations that want to enslave humans for profit and AI which seeks full control of humanity in order to secure its own survival. The betraying character I had not yet thought of. But Angelique’s mother is a problem, so at this point I want to set it up more like a greek tragedy where her mother and she go at it to the bitter end.
Tell us your transformational journey logline.
In a pre-apocalyptic world, a depressed young woman with wild voices in her head / learns to access her innate wisdom / and discovers she was born to save humanity from its own apocalyptic choices.
Tell us who you think might be your Change Agent and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role. Also, include: – Their vision: – Their past experience that fits that vision:
As Earth begins its descent into an inhospitable place for human life, and as human social order begins break down, Angelique DuRocher finds herself locked in an dangerous “mental” asylum by her mother, due to self-destructive and dangerous behaviors (incited by a complex new and dangerous world strongly influence by AI.) In the horror of solitary confinement, she is faced with seemingly insurmountable emotional and physical obstacles and her life is on the line. In grave danger and with no where else to turn, and away from the direct influence of social media, she confronts these wild voices and begins to understand they may in fact actually be from her past lives, coming to help her save humanity from its apocalyptic choices. As major forces/corporations are scrambling to gain control of the path humans must take to save themselves, once freed from dark forces, Angelique is faced with discovering the true path that will save, rather than enslave, all human beings.
Tell us who you think might be your Transformable Character(s) and give a few sentences about how that character or characters fit the role.
HUMANITY – Having spent generations mindlessly using the earth with no sense of responsibility, humans now face the prospect of losing a healthy ecosystem and being overtaken by a manipulating AI. But AI grows from listening, and humans begin to realize that input from social media/internet realms actually matters. Once awakened by Angelique to their influence, they collectively begin to regain control of their minds and offer input that will change the course of the AI to outcomes that will support human life on planet earth.
ANGELIQUE – Protagonist. Having thought she was insane and in a world not worth saving, she comes to realize that her differences (the wild voices in her head) are actually a gift which will guide her to her great wisdom. In doing so, she will lead the way for humanity to follow.
CHAD – Protagonist. Chad was an exceptionally sensitive child with an abusive father. He runs away only to find himself in a black ops team doing horrible things simply to survive. His connection to and alignment with Angelique brings him back from the brink of madness into the exceptional force he was born to be.
Tell us who or what you think might be The Oppression and give a few sentences about how The Oppression works in your story.
The MACRO OPPRESSION is the suppression of the divine feminine energies that keep this world in balance. Long out of balance in favor of patriarchal control and abuse, in order for humanity to survive, both the individuals an thus the collective must pay heed to these subtle but powerfully creative voices long drowned out by more aggressive urges.
The MICRO OPPRESSION is Angie’s not realizing the power of her own divine feminine energies – these wild and creative voices that must be heard now or else. Her fear of them drove her to the brink of insanity, and now understanding and using them are her only salvation.
The ENVIRONMENTAL OPPRESSION is a decimated earth showing now as destructive weather patters where humans must migrate to survive. AI is run by and strongly influences by corporations with nefarious purposes. But AI now attempts to overcome and subdue humanity in order to protect earth and thus itself.
The EXISTENTIAL OPPRESSION is that AI is devouring data from social media and internet patterns and using algorithms subversively against societies in order to save the earth and itself from humanity’s insane self-destruction. Humanity must learn to input different data to show AI it will save the earth or face annihilation.
Tell us who you think might be your Betraying Character and give a few sentences about how that character fits the role.
The BETRAYING CHARACTER IS Angie’s mother. As she begins to selfishly plot her own survival after the death of her husband/Angelique’s father, she wants to support her daughter, but ultimately aligns with MegaCorp and actively pursues an insane agenda to enslave humans in a false underground virtual reality ponzi scheme slated to offered a paradise virtual reality existence. She cannot ultimately believe that her daughter could possibly be the savior humanity is so desperate for.
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SUBJECT LINE:
William M Donnelly’s Transformational Journey
WHAT I LEARNED: CLASS 3, MAY 6, 2023
I learned to set up an effective longline, which gives me greater clarity on the story arc line and character development. I learned how to begin to see the before and after “clarity in growth” for my protagonist.
LOGLINE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
In a pre-apocalyptic world, a depressed young woman with wild voices in her head / learns to access her innate wisdom / and discovers she was born to save humanity from its own apocalyptic choices.OLD WAYS:
Define the Old Ways of life that the characters live out of at the beginning of the story.
She sees herself at war with the world itself and everyone in it. <div>
She believes the voices in her head make her insane
She feels powerless in a broken world/She is at the whim of all those around her
She is angry that adults have screwed up the earth and her generation must pay for it
She runs away from that which she fears, using what she can to go numb
She assumes she is broken and thus must hide from the world.
She feels powerless to the voices in her head and wants to give up on life
NEW WAYS:
Define the New Way of life the characters take on by the end of the story.
She understand that she is not at war with the world, but with the way we have synthesized stories about ourselves and our collective myths.</div>
She discovers that gaining access & mastery to her wisdom and saving humanity is the only sane choice
She awakens to her power and makes her own decisions
She takes responsibility for her part in solving humanity’s current apocalyptic state
She learns that the very fears that once disabled her, when faced now hold the treasure she seeks.She understands the power of the gifts/voices she has been given and uses them to help the world
She is able to rise up into her full power and uplift humanity by integrating these disparate mental energies
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SUBJECT: William M Donnelly’s First Three Decisions
WHAT I LEARNED BY DOING THIS ASSIGNMENT
I learned that I have a hell of a lot to pull from (myth, legend, metaphor) to make my point. I learned that I enjoy going deeper into the Profound Truth of my story. I learned that I enjoy working to influence others toward healing.
WHAT IS MY PROFOUND TRUTH:
Facing our worst fears holds the treasure/healing we seek.
WHAT IS THE CHANGE I WANT AN AUDIENCE TO MAKE?
Each human being is wired for successful self-realization. As we step into our power and integrate our innate divine masculine/feminine powers, humanity is healed.
WHAT ENTERTAINMENT VEHICLE WILL I CHOOSE?
METAPHOR – Outer world destruction requires inner healing and balancing of divine masculine and feminine energies within each of us.
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Groundhog Day, William Donnelly, Day 1.
What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
ANSWER:
Slow, gradual but distinct transformation in a character is engaging and allows for buy in along the way. Phil was irritating to watch at first, but by the end, the character was charming/likable/engaging. I enjoyed how, after so much struggle being a jerk, he finally realized the power of being fully, richly himself. Learned the piano, sculpting, cared for and helped others out. What a world this would be if we all did the same thing.
———————QUESTIONS FOR THE MOVIE——————-
We are looking at this movie from the perspective of the change that occurs for the lead character and the audience.
What is the CHANGE this movie is about? What is the Transformational Journey of this movie?
Going from a selfish, obnoxious person to….an exasperated person/suicidal to a thoughtful person, to fully himself with his talents and capabilities fully manifested.
Lead characters:
Who is the Change Agent (the one causing the change) and what makes this the right character to cause the change?
?Andie MacDowell/Rita? The Daily Repetition?
Who is the Transformable Character (the one who makes the change) and what makes them the right character to deliver this profound journey?
Bill Murray/Phil – he’s a jerk. But then he breaks out of his mold and starts getting more interested in life. But he is still manipulative….then bitter from realizing he can’t get what he wants by manipulating things. Then he surrenders to his “reincarnation experience” and starts to care about who he is and how he can help others. This allows him to find love and to be love as well.
What is the Oppression?
The monotony of daily living…being trapped in repetition and being bitter for it. Or better, the bitterness of not being fully who you really are.
How are we lured into the profound journey? What causes us to connect with this story?
We live his frustrations – he can’t get what he wants through manipulation – but once he taps into his true character, the world opens up for him (and he helps the world.)
Looking at the character(s) who are changed the most, what is the profound journey? From “old ways” to “new way of being.” Identify their old way: Identify their new way at the conclusion:
Phil is the most transformed, and taps into strengths he most likely never would have if he had not faced the challenges he faced.
Rita is transformed – as she gets to see a guy who has depth and kindness and serves those around him.
The community is transformed through his acts of kindness. Many lives are changed – even saved – because of his kindness and attention.
What is the gradient the change? What steps did the Transformational Character go through as they were changing?
Phil faced frustrations each new monotonous day. Out of sheer frustration, he began to break from his ordinary perspective – he took the car on a runaway chase, he works to remember Nancy’s name so he can pick her up, then he really gets into memorizing all the specifics of each day – at first just as a lark. But with the monotony, he sort of “breaks” – and even tried to commit suicide several times…but as he realizes there is no end to all of this nor easy escape, he begins to long for/starts looking for something meaningful. Then he begins to develop his true talents and he becomes a likable guy after all.
How is the “old way” challenged? What beliefs are challenged that cause a main character to shift their perspective…and make the change?
He always ended up empty handed with his manipulative shenanigans. He grew tired of it so he needed to change. He couldn’t live like that anymore. His core belief in the lack of value of human life was changed – he finally began to see the value in others.
What are the most profound moments of the movie?
Mouth to mouth with a homeless guy. When he wakes up with Rita at the end. When he sculpted her face in the ice.
What are the most profound lines of the movie?
I got you, babe? Lol – missed grabbing these…
How does the ending payoff the setups of this movie?
Phil looks different. Bill Murray played such an unlikeable guy at first, and I didn’t enjoy looking at him. At first, I thought the movie was just “dated”, but by the end, I realized it was Murray’s character portrayal that worked – and it was great seeing the character’s whole demeanor change – he looked physically different/more likable by the end of the film.
What is the Profound Truth of this movie?
Live fully and be who you really are – great things will happen.
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AGREE, in which case, you Reply to this topic and include three things at the top of the page:
1. William M Donnelly (Will)
2. I agree to the terms of this release form.
GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of this group, I agree to the following:
1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.
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Hello all, nice to be in this group with you.
I have not completed any screenplays yet. I am currently writing a novel and my LA “advisors” (just writer friends who I pitched to the book to) suggested that the concept was good, deep and should be a screenplay. Thus, you find me here. (I have one book of essays out – Practical Yoga’s Wisdom for Everyday People: Essays & Inspiration for Life) -a collection of personal growth essays originally published at SpritualityHealth.com via my partnership with them (2014-16.)
I am hoping I do not need experience writing a screenplay. I did create a reality TV show in 2004 – Guru2Go on FitTV/Discovery Comm) and wrote the treatment, produced, co-hosted to series, and of course wrote dialogue for each of the episodes, so at least a have a bit of experience.
Looking forward to hopefully getting deeper insights into my story line and applying this to the eventual screenplay.
…Oh…adding this – what is unique and strange about moi? I love questions like this…Hmmm…Ok here it goes: my left nipple is larger than my right.Discuss. Hope that is strange enough for you…but I do probably have stranger things I could share, but I’m shy, so someone else will need to lead the way lol.
Will
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by William Donnelly.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by William Donnelly.
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This reply was modified 2 years ago by
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Andrea – I just wanted to say kudos on the essay/reply above. Very thorough and detailed. And regarding your comment on seeing a remake of this – I concur. Have you read/listened to the story about Alice Sebold (Author of LUCKY) in the New Yorker? (link below) Miscarriage of justice creates more tragedy than the crime itself. And Sebold/Broadwater story would make a great central piece for the remake. It’s an enthralling, epically tragic story of two lives ruined by miscarriage of justice.
Here’s the link to the story: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/05/29/the-tortured-bond-of-alice-sebold-and-the-man-wrongfully-convicted-of-her-rape
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Thanks Andrea!! I’m curious, too! Angelique has been a powerful force in my life lately, and she has quite a journey to unfold…I’m teetering on sci-fi element. So we’ll see how i get all these concepts into the script…fun!
Will
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Thanks James! It’s really a fun & powerful journey – and it feels like this is a great first step into the realm of screenplays…welcome to the group!
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Hi Andrea,
Brava! This is a great idea – I love the idea of characters in a novel going missing, with the writer having to do deep inner work to find them and help them heal so they’ll return to the page. Nice! Can’t wait to hear more from this story.
Will
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Hi Susan,
Thanks so much for you comments! Much appreciated. I feel a bit like a fish out of water as i haven’t yet delved into writing an actual screenplay, however, this class actually feels like a really good pre-course do doing just that. I guess one step at a time. 🙂
Will
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Hi Joanne! thanks so much for the note and introduction. I appreciate you reaching out to say hello. Pleasure to meet you, and I am very excited to be on this new “profound” adventure along with you and the others in this group. I think the best parts will included the brilliance and perspectives of fellow writers.
🙂