Wynona Bice-Stephens
Forum Replies Created
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I, Wynona Bice-Stephens, agree to the terms of this Confidentiality Agreement.
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I, Wynona Bice-Stephens, agree to the Confidentiality Agreement:
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.
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Hi, I’m Wynona. I’ve written five or so feature scripts, and hope to use this class structure to elevate my current project. Something unusual about me? I have ten kids, with only the youngest still at home—so it’s time to change writing from a hobby to a second career!
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I, Wynona Bice-Stephens, 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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Bice-Stephens’ Intriguing Moments
What I learned: my intriguing moments needed balance.
Act 1
Unsolvable problem: Brandy is mentally disturbed.
Hidden identity: she is the daughter of a murderer.
Intrigue: she appears totally normal.
Mystery: how did she get so screwed up?
Intrigue: how will she manipulate Alex?
Act 2
Covert agenda: Brandy fakes pregnancy.
Intrigue: can she really fool everyone?
Scheme: Brandy has a plan to trap Alex.
Cover-up: Brandy appears to be getting ready for motherhood.
Intrigue: what lengths will she go to in order to pull this charade off?
Act 3
Hidden identity: Brandy is receiving child support for 3 children.
Covert agenda: milk the system, trap the guys.
Intrigue: where are other kids?
Covert agenda: Brandy looks for a baby to kidnap.
Scheme: how to find a baby and get it home.
Intrigue: how will she get away with kidnapping?
Act 4
Cover up: Brandy lies Yo Alex about being the father.
Mystery: Alex doesn’t remember hooking up with Brandy.
Intrigue: where did baby come from?
Secret: what made baby sick enough to almost die?
Cover up: what makes Alex keep passing out?
Intrigue: will Alex live long enough to take the fall for kidnapping?
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Bice-Stephens’ Emotional Moments
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: this is a very enjoyable and thought provoking exercise.
Act 1:
Surprise: Brandy has covered her wall with pictures of couples.
Success: Brandy and Alex meet accidentally.
Bonding: Brandy and Alex go on a date.
Act 2
Distress: Brandy reads about her father killing her mother, whom she found dead.
Betrayal: Brandy gets dumped by Alex.
Surprise: Brandy’s an expert stalker.
Act 3
Surprise: Brandy’s faking a pregnancy.
Distress: Brandy kidnaps a baby.
Courage: Alex steps up to his role of fatherhood, though Brandy drugs him.
Act 4
Betrayal: Brandy would rather see Alex dead than with anyone but her.
Betrayal: Brandy dumps Alex at the ER with the kidnapped baby.
Surprise: Brandy takes her lost children to see her dead mother.
Love: Alex ‘s biological mother shows up when he’s alone and needs someone.
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Bice-Stephens Reveals
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: another very valuable piece of the puzzle has fallen into place!
Baby Dearest Outline
Log line-How do you let go of something you’ve never had?
Concept-A psychotic young woman kidnaps her way to motherhood to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Surface Layer-Brandy and Alex are desperate to have their own families—Brandy because she lost hers and Alex because he never believed he had a real one.
Deeper Layer-Brandy and Alex are total opposites with the same goal.
Opening-Brandy wants a husband and baby. She is angry to the point of madness–takes a knife and slashes smiles off the pictures of couples she taped on her walls. Writes madly all night. When morning comes, there are wads of paper covering the floor and the walls are a wreck. She goes out trolling for a partner and runs into Alex.
Beginning-Alex crosses paths with Brandy, a person he never knew in high school. He’s busy studying for law school. She acts like they were great friends, flirts with him, gives him her number, and wants him to call her. He brushes her off, gets right back to the books.
Beginning-Brandy is very excited to see a former upperclassman, Alex, whom everyone idolized and she had a massive crush on. The timing is perfect—she’s looking for a guy to reel in. Suddenly she has a cheerful, bubbly personality and she uses it to entice Alex. She hides the book she’s getting ready to check out about how to get your GED, says she’s in college like Alex.
New Plan-The stalking begins. Brandy isn’t going to let Alex out of her latches. It’s on! She cuts his pictures out of her well-bookmarked yearbook (every page he was on), and while putting the book away she finds news clippings from her mother’s death. Her father murdered her mother to get the insurance money and Brandy found her body when she was 14. Her mother is buried in Detroit, but Brandy acts like she’s still alive. Brandy’s father remains in prison for life without parole, but Brandy acts like he’s dead. At least Brandy got the huge insurance payout because she’s an only child, though she mentions having a brother and sister when it’s convenient.
Inciting Incident- Alex breaks up with his long-time girlfriend, Angela. He goes out just trying to have a good time, gets drunk and ends up spending a night with Brandy. He passed out and doesn’t even remember having sex, but does remember Brandy saying she can’t get pregnant (and he believed her).
Inciting Incident-Brandy can’t believe she actually has the most popular guy in school in her bed! What a catch!
Inciting Incident-Brandy takes pictures of Alex while he’s sleeping nude. She’s going to savor every minute of this moment. Her manipulative mind knows photos may come in handy if she needs leverage. She also goes through his wallet, getting all of the information she can.
Turning Point 1- Alex finds out that Angela is pregnant. They get back together and he blocks all contact with Brandy—he thinks.
Turning Point 1-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks her and she can’t reach him. She can’t cope with it and has a major fit. She starts following them on social media, using fake names.
Turning Point 1-Brandy refuses to let Alex ditch her for another woman, at any cost. She starts plotting revenge and a plan to hook him.
Act 2- Alex starts building a great life with Angela. They plan their wedding. He’s so happy he’s going to have a “real” family like he always wanted.
Act 2-Brandy is going to get even with Alex for dumping her. She just lost her chance to get a new family to replace the one she lost.
Act 2-New Plan-Brandy connives a way to replace Alex’s girlfriend. Otherwise, she may need to get rid of her completely.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint- Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and told his BFF he’s the only possible father. When Angela accidently discovers this, she takes their new baby girl, Sophia, and goes back to her parents.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy has been wearing progressively larger pregnancy pillows all winter to match Angela’s growth month-by-month, as stalked on social media. To fulfill her fantasy, Brandy kidnaps a baby in the spring, right after Alex’s baby daughter is born.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-The kidnapped infant is a girl, so Brandy disguises her as a boy. She lightens the baby’s hair with bleach to match Alex’s baby pictures so he will believe the baby is his. Brandy displays no conscience as she reads news headlines about the kidnapping and reward. She is delighted when her old, very Catholic neighbor lady dubs the little one “Baby Dearest” and gives him (her) a beautiful pastel blue rosary to hang in the nursery. Brandy calls the little one Baby Dearest from then on.
Act 3-Alex starts to visit his son at Brandy’s, like a dutiful father should. The baby doesn’t look a thing like him, and his heart’s not in it. Brandy keeps trying unsuccessfully to seduce him. Alex passes out twice when he visits Brandy’s apartment, but he doesn’t know why. His once happy life has turned to shit.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and the baby. He wants only the loves of his life, Angela and Sophia. This greatly infuriates Brandy. She wants Alex to forget about them. Brandy drugs Alex and increases the dose. If she can’t have him, she’s not going to let anyone else have him either. She files for child support through DSHS to pin Alex, and she is already getting child support for two children, Macy and Mason.
Act 3-Rethink everything-Brandy is totally, batshit, certifiably crazy. There’s no way to predict what she will do next. Her motus operandum is “Til death us do part”-on steroids!
New Plan-Brandy increases her drug supply and studies up on how to raise drug levels from sedation to lethal overdose without getting caught. Brandy is going to do whatever it takes so that pesky girlfriend, Angela, doesn’t keep Alex any longer.
Turning Point 3-Baby Dearest gets very sick, poisoned from his (her) skin absorbing the hypochlorite in bleach that Brandy has been using to lighten the baby’s hair. Alex goes with Brandy to take the baby to the ER and is very surprised when Brandy struggles to remember where he was born. She also stumbles when the nurse asks his birth date and weight.
Turning Point 3-Brandy realizes she’s about to get arrested for kidnapping. She says she needs to catch a cigarette break outside and quickly dumps Alex and their baby at the ER. When the diaper comes off, the medical team soon surmise Jack is actually the kidnapped infant girl everyone’s been looking for.
Turning Point-Brandy has to disappear fast. She rushes to her apartment to grab a few things, including little Mason jars from the cradles in the closet. They are revealed to contain the embryos of twins she lost, which she’s been mothering with love.
Act 4/Climax-The authorities soon locate Alex. He is arrested for kidnapping, attempted murder from poisoning the baby, and breaking into Brandy’s apartment to confront her.
Act 4/Climax-Brandy acts totally sane and innocent and lies her way out of everything. She makes Alex take the whole fall so the police haul him away.
Act 4-Climax- Brandy destroys evidence of any crime, including the saved kidnapping headlines which she burns in the sink. She remembers to grab her mother’s obituary on the way out.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother.
She reveals she was forced to give him up when she was a young clerk and became pregnant by a powerful judge, Alex’s biological and adoptive father. Both of his adoptive parents are deceased, so it’s finally safe for her to come forward.
Resolution-Brandy gets on a plane, heads to Detroit to see her mother. She does not acknowledge her death and can’t wait for her to meet Mason and Macy.
Brandy starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephens’ Character Action Tracks!
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: Action is a delicate balance that carries a lot of the movie message.
Baby Dearest Outline
Log line-How do you let go of something you’ve never had?
Concept-A deranged young woman kidnaps her way to motherhood to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Surface Layer-Brandy and Alex are desperate to have their own families—Brandy because she lost hers and Alex because he never believed he had a real one.
Deeper Layer-Brandy and Alex are total opposites with the same goal.
Opening-Brandy wants a husband and baby. She is angry to the point of madness–takes a knife and slashes smiles off the pictures of couples she taped on her walls. Writes madly all night. When morning comes, there are wads of paper covering the floor and the walls are a wreck. She goes out trolling for a partner and runs into Alex.
Beginning-Alex crosses paths with Brandy, a person he barely remembers from high school. He’s busy studying for law school. She acts like they were great friends, flirts with him, gives him her number, and wants him to call her. He brushes her off, gets right back to the books.
Beginning-Brandy is very excited to see a former upperclassman, Alex, whom everyone idolized, and she had a massive crush on. The timing is perfect—she’s looking for a guy to reel in. Suddenly she has a cheerful, bubbly personality and she uses it to entice Alex.
New Plan-The stalking begins. Brandy isn’t going to let Alex out of her latches. It’s on! She cuts his pictures out of her well-bookmarked yearbook (every page he was on), and while putting the book away she finds news clippings from her mother’s death. Her father murdered her mother to get the insurance money and Brandy found her body when she was 15. Her mother is buried in Detroit, but Brandy never accepts her demise. Brandy’s father remains in prison for life without parole. At least Brandy got the huge insurance payout.
Inciting Incident- Alex breaks up with his long-time girlfriend. He goes out just trying to have a good time, gets drunk and ends up spending a night with Brandy. He passed out and doesn’t even remember having sex.
Inciting Incident-Brandy can’t believe she actually has the most popular guy in school in her bed! What a catch!
Inciting Incident-Brandy takes pictures of Alex while he’s sleeping nude. She’s going to savor every minute of this moment. Her manipulative mind knows photos may come in handy if she needs leverage.
Turning Point 1- Alex and his girlfriend find out they’re pregnant. They get back together and he blocks all contact with Brandy.
Turning Point 1-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks her and she can’t reach him. She can’t cope with it and has a major fit.
Turning Point 1-Brandy refuses to let Alex ditch her for another woman, at any cost. She starts plotting revenge and a plan to hook him.
Act 2- Alex starts building a great life with his girlfriend. They plan their wedding. He’s so happy he’s going to have a “real” family like he always wanted.
Act 2-Brandy is going to get even with Alex for dumping her. She just lost her chance to get a new family to replace the one she lost.
Act 2-New Plan-Brandy connives a way to replace Alex’s girlfriend. Otherwise, she may need to get rid of her completely.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint- Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and told his BFF he’s the only possible father. When his girlfriend accidently discovers this, she takes their new baby girl and goes back to her parents.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy has been wearing progressively larger pregnancy pillows all winter to match Alex’s girlfriend’s growth month-by-month, as stalked on social media. To fulfill her fantasy, she kidnaps a baby in the spring, right after Alex’s baby daughter is born.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-The kidnapped infant is a girl, so Brandy disguises her as a boy. She lightens the baby’s hair with bleach to match Alex’s baby picture so he will think the baby is his. Brandy displays no conscience as she reads news headlines about the kidnapping and reward. She is delighted when her old, very Catholic neighbor lady dubs the little one “Baby Dearest” and gives him (her) a beautiful pastel blue rosary to hang in the nursery.
Act 3-Alex starts to visit his son at Brandy’s, like a dutiful father should. The baby doesn’t look a thing like him, and his heart’s not in it. Brandy keeps trying unsuccessfully to seduce him. Alex passes out twice when he visits Brandy’s apartment, but he doesn’t know why. His once happy life has turned to shit.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and the baby. He wants only his real girlfriend and baby daughter, which infuriates Brandy. She wants Alex to forget about them. Brandy keeps drugging Alex, increasing the dose. If she can’t have him, she’s not going to let anyone else have him either.
Act 3-Rethink everything-Brandy is totally, batshit, certifiably crazy. There’s no way to predict what she will do next. Her motus operandum is “Til death us do part”-on steroids!
New Plan-Brandy increases her drug supply and studies up on how to raise drug levels from sedation to lethal overdose. Brandy is going to do whatever it takes so that pesky girlfriend doesn’t keep Alex any longer.
Turning Point 3-Baby Dearest gets very sick, poisoned from his (her) skin absorbing the hypochlorite in bleach that Brandy has been using to lighten the baby’s hair. Alex goes with Brandy to take the baby to the ER and is very surprised when Brandy struggles to remember where he was born. She also stumbles when the nurse asks his birth date and weight.
Turning Point 3-Brandy realizes she’s about to get arrested for kidnapping. She says she needs to catch a quick cigarette outside and quickly dumps Alex and their baby at the ER. When the diaper comes off, the medical team soon surmise Jack is actually the kidnapped infant girl everyone’s been looking for.
Turning Point-Brandy has to disappear fast. She rushes to her apartment to grab a few things, including the little cradles in the closet. They are revealed to be embryos in little Mason jars, Mason and Macy. She’s been mothering them with love.
Act 4/Climax-The authorities soon locate Alex. He is arrested for kidnapping, attempted murder from poisoning the baby, and breaking into Brandy’s apartment to confront her.
Act 4/Climax-Brandy acts totally sane and innocent and lies her way out of everything. She makes Alex take the whole fall so the police haul him away.
Act 4-Climax- Brandy destroys evidence of any crime, including the kidnapping headlines which she burns in the sink. She does grab her mother’s obituary on the way out.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother. She reveals she was forced to give him up when she was a young clerk and became pregnant by a powerful judge, Alex’s biological and adoptive father. Both of his adoptive parents are deceased, so it’s finally safe for her to come forward.
Resolution-Brandy gets on a plane, heads to Detroit to see her mother. She does not acknowledge her death and can’t wait for her to meet Mason and Macy. Brandy starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephens’ New Outline Beats!
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned is how important it is the pieces fit together.
Baby Dearest Outline
Log line-How do you let go of something you’ve never had?
Concept-A deranged young woman kidnaps her way to motherhood to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Surface Layer-Brandy and Alex are desperate to have their own families—Brandy because she lost hers and Alex because he never believed he had a real one.
Deeper Layer-Brandy and Alex are total opposites with the same goal.
Opening-Brandy wants a husband and baby. She is angry to the point of madness–takes a knife and slashes smiles off the pictures of couples she taped on her walls. Writes madly all night. When morning comes, there are wads of paper covering the floor and the walls are a wreck. She goes out trolling for a partner and runs into Alex.
Beginning-Alex crosses paths with Brandy, a person he barely remembers from high school. She acts like they were great friends, flirts with him, gives him her number, and wants him to call her.
Beginning-Brandy is very excited to see a former upperclassman, Alex, whom everyone idolized and she had a massive crush on. The timing is perfect—she’s looking for a guy to reel in. Suddenly she has a cheerful, bubbly personality.
New Plan-The stalking begins. Brandy isn’t going to let Alex out of her sight. It’s on! She cuts his pictures out of her well-bookmarked yearbook (every page he was on), and while putting the book away she finds news clippings from her mother’s death. Her father murdered her mother to get the insurance money and Brandy found her body when she was 15. Her mother is buried in Detroit but Brandy never accepts her demise. Brandy’s father remains in prison for life without parole. At least Brandy got the huge insurance payout.
Inciting Incident- Alex breaks up with his long-time girlfriend. He goes out just trying to have a good time, ends up spending a drunken night with Brandy. He passed out and doesn’t even remember having sex.
Inciting Incident-Brandy can’t believe she actually has the most popular guy in school in her bed! What a catch!
Inciting Incident-Brandy takes pictures of Alex while he’s sleeping nude. She’s not going to let go of the memories from this moment. And photos may come in handy if she needs leverage.
Turning Point 1- Alex and his girlfriend find out they’re pregnant. They get back together and he blocks all contact with Brandy.
Turning Point 1-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks her and she can’t reach him. She can’t cope with it.
Turning Point 1-Brandy refuses to let Alex ditch her for another woman, at any cost. She starts plotting revenge and a plan to capture him.
Act 2- Alex starts building a great life with his girlfriend. They plan their wedding. He’s so happy he’s going to have a “real” family like he always wanted.
Act 2-Brandy is going to get even with Alex for dumping her. She just lost her chance to get a new family to replace the one she lost.
Act 2-New Plan-Brandy connives a way to compete with Alex’s girlfriend. Otherwise, she may need to get rid of her completely.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint- Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and told his BFF he’s the only possible father. When his girlfriend accidently discovers this, she takes their new baby girl and goes back to her parents.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy has been wearing progressively larger pregnancy pillows all winter to match Alex’s girlfriend’s growth month-by-month, as stalked on social media. To fulfill her fantasy, she kidnaps a baby in the spring, right after Alex’s baby daughter is born.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-The kidnapped infant is a girl, so Brandy disguises her as a boy. She lightens the baby’s hair with bleach to match Alex’s baby picture. Brandy displays no conscience as she reads news headlines about the kidnapping and reward. She is delighted when her old, very Catholic neighbor lady dubs the little one “Baby Dearest” and gives him (her) a beautiful pastel blue rosary.
Act 3-Alex starts to visit his son at Brandy’s, like a dutiful father should. The baby doesn’t look a thing like him, and his heart’s not in it. He keeps passing out when he visits Brandy’s apartment, but he doesn’t know why. Brandy keeps trying unsuccessfully to seduce him.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and her baby son. He wants only his real girlfriend and baby daughter, which infuriates Brandy. She wants Alex to forget about them so she can replace them. Brandy ultimately drugs Alex and practices increasing the dose. If she can’t have him, she’s not going to let anyone else have him either.
Act 3-Rethink everything-Brandy is totally, batshit, certifiably crazy. There’s no way to know what she will do next. Her motus operandum is “Til death us do part”-on steroids!
New Plan-Brandy studies up on how to raise drugs from sedation levels to lethal overdose. She increases her drug supply. Brandy is going to do whatever it takes so that pesky girlfriend doesn’t keep Alex any longer.
Turning Point 3-Baby Dearest Jack gets very sick, poisoned from his (her) skin absorbing the hypochlorite in bleach that Brandy has been using to lighten the baby’s hair. Alex goes with Brandy to take Jack to the ER and is very surprised when Brandy can’t remember the baby’s birth date, birth weight, or hospital he was born in.
Turning Point 3-Brandy quickly dumps Alex and the baby at the ER when she realizes she’s about to get caught for her crime. She leaves Alex alone with his baby boy, but when the diaper comes off, the medical team soon surmise Jack is actually the kidnapped infant girl everyone’s been looking for.
Turning Point-Brandy realizes she has to disappear fast. She rushes to her apartment to grab her important belongings, including the dolls from the little cradles in the closet. They are revealed to be embryos in little jars, Mason and Macy, that she’s been carrying around and mothering.
Act 4/Climax-The authorities soon locate Alex. He is arrested for kidnapping, poisoning the baby, and breaking into Brandy’s apartment.
Act 4/Climax-Brandy acts all sane and innocent and lies her way out of everything. She makes Alex take the whole fall.
Act 4-Climax- Brandy destroys evidence of any crime, including the kidnapping headlines which she burns in the sink. She does grab her mother’s obituary on the way out.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother. She reveals she was forced to give him up when she was a young clerk and became pregnant by a powerful judge, Alex’s biological and now deceased adoptive father.
Resolution-Brandy gets on a plane, heads to Detroit to see her mother. She does not acknowledge her death and can’t wait for her to meet Mason and Macy. Brandy starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephens Beat Sheet-Draft 1
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned-Every component fits together like a puzzle.
Baby Dearest Outline
Log line-How do you let go of something you’ve never had?
Concept-A deranged young woman kidnaps her way to motherhood to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Surface Layer-Brandy and Alex are desperate to have their own families—Brandy because she lost hers and Alex because he never believed he had a real one.
Deeper Layer-Brandy and Alex are total opposites with the same goal.
Opening-Brandy wants a husband and baby. She is angry to the point of madness–takes a knife and slashes smiles off the pictures of couples she taped on her walls. Writes madly all night.
Beginning-Alex crosses paths with Brandy, a person he barely remembers. She gives him her number, wants him to call her.
Beginning-Brandy is very excited to see a former upperclassman, Alex, whom everyone admired and she had a massive crush on.
New Plan-The stalking begins.
Inciting Incident- Alex breaks up with his girlfriend, goes out for a good time, has a one-night stand with Brandy.
Inciting Incident-Brandy can’t believe she actually has the most popular guy in school in her bed!
Inciting Incident-Brandy takes pictures of Alex while he’s sleeping nude.
Turning Point 1- Alex gets back with his girlfriend when they find out she’s pregnant. Blocks all contact with Brandy.
Turning Point 1-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks her from his life. She can’t cope with it.
Turning Point 1-Brandy refuses to let Alex ditch her for another woman, at any cost.
Act 2- Alex starts building a great life with his girlfriend. They plan their wedding.
Act 2-Brandy starts plotting revenge because Alex dumped her.
Act 2-New Plan-Brandy connives a way to replace Alex’s girlfriend. She may need to get rid of her completely.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint- Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and told his BFF he’s the only possible father. When his girlfriend accidently discovers this, she leaves with their new baby girl.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy has been faking a pregnancy and kidnaps a baby to fulfill her fantasy.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-The kidnapped infant is a girl, Brandy disguises her as a boy. Reads news about kidnapping and reward, no conscience.
Act 3-Alex goes to Brandy’s to visit his son like a dutiful father, but he keeps passing out there and doesn’t know why. Brandy keeps trying to seduce him, but he rejects her over and over.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and her baby son. He wants only his real girlfriend and baby daughter, which infuriates Brandy. She drugs him and plots his death. If she can’t have him, no one else can either.
Act 3-Rethink everything-Brandy is totally, batshit crazy. There’s no way to know what she will do next. “Til death us do part” on steroids.
New Plan-Results to drugs to control Alex, sedation to overdose. Whatever it takes so another woman doesn’t get to have him.
Turning Point 3-Alex goes with Brandy to take Jack to the ER when he gets very sick.
Turning Point 3-Brandy dumps Alex and the baby at the ER, leaving Alex and the authorities to find out his baby boy is actually a kidnapped infant girl.
Turning Point-Brandy acts totally sane and innocent, but realizes she has to disappear fast.
Act 4/Climax-Alex is arrested for kidnapping and breaking into Brandy’s apartment.
Act 4/Climax-Brandy lies her way out of everything, makes Alex take the fall.
Act 4-Climax- Brandy destroys evidence of any crime, including the kidnapping headlines which she burns in the sink.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother. She was forced to give him up when she was a young clerk and became pregnant by a powerful judge, Alex’s biological and now deceased adoptive father.
Resolution-B gets on a plane and starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephens’s Deeper Layers
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—I love this process!
Surface Layer-Brandy and Alex are desperate to have their own families—Brandy because her’s was taken away and Alex because he never thought he had a “real” one.
Deeper Layer—Brandy uses a baby to manipulate and guilt trip Alex into not walking away from his baby, but in reality she never slept with Alex and his supposed baby is kidnapped.
Major Reveal-At the ER, “Baby Dearest Jack” is discovered to be a missing infant girl.
Influences Surface Story-Alex could never understand why his mother gave him away. Brandy found her mother murdered by her dad and she refused to accept her death.
Hints-Brandy has a beautiful baby nursery with two empty-looking doll cradles she talks to. She also gets DSHS child support for two unseen children. Alex has never gotten over being bullied for being “different “ and a judge’s son. Jacob stepped up as his protector at a young age and still has his back now.
Changes Reality-Discovering that Brandy still cares for her lost babies and takes them to meet her dead mother in Detroit after she loses the baby she kidnapped. Finding out Alex was the biological son of his adopted father who had an affair with his young clerk, Alex’s biological mother, who is now a lawyer and can finally be in his life since his powerful father died.
Protagonist-Alex
Beginning-Alex runs into an old classmate, Brandy, he barely remembers. She gives him her number, wants him to call her.
Inciting Incident-Alex breaks up with his girlfriend, gets drunk and has a one night stand with Brandy.
Turning Point 1-Alex gets back with his girlfriend when they find out she’s pregnant. Blocks all contact with Brandy.
Act 2-Alex starts building a great life with his girlfriend. They plan their wedding.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and says he’s the only possible father. When his girlfriend hears this, she leaves with their new baby girl.
Act 3-Alex goes to Brandy’s to visit his son like a dutiful father, but keeps passing out there. She keeps trying to entice him. He rejects her over and over.
Turning Point 3-Alex goes with Brandy to take Jack to the ER when he gets very sick. She dumps them there, leaving Alex with the kidnapped baby.
Act 4/Climax-Alex is arrested for kidnapping and breaking into Brandy’s apartment. She lies her way out of everything.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother.
Antagonist Brandy
Beginning-Brandy is angry to the point of madness. She wants a husband and baby.
Inciting Incident-Brandy runs into Alex, who she used to idolize. Comes onto him.
Turning Point 1-Brandy offers to take Alex home when he gets drunk. They spend the night together.
Act 2-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks contact with him. She starts plotting revenge.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy fakes a pregnancy and kidnaps a baby to fulfill her motherhood.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and son Jack. He fiends her away and wants only his real girlfriend, which infuriates Brandy.
Turning Point 3-Brandy drugs Alex, plots his death. If she can’t have him, no one else can either.
Act 4 /Climax-Brandy gets Alex to go the hospital with her and the sick baby. She dumps them there, so he will take the fall for kidnapping the infant.
Resolution-Alex is arrested and Brandy lies her way out. She gets on a plane and starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephen’s Character Structure
2022 is my year to break through!
Protagonist-Alex
Beginning-Alex runs into an old classmate, Brandy, he barely remembers. She gives him her number, wants him to call her.
Inciting Incident-Alex breaks up with his girlfriend, gets drunk and has a one night stand with Brandy.
Turning Point 1-Alex gets back with his girlfriend when they find out she’s pregnant. Blocks all contact with Brandy.
Act 2-Alex starts building a great life with his girlfriend. They plan their wedding.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Alex learns Brandy just had a baby boy and says he’s the only possible father. When his girlfriend hears this, she leaves with their new baby girl.
Act 3-Alex goes to Brandy’s to visit his son like a dutiful father, but keeps passing out there. She keeps trying to entice him. He rejects her over and over.
Turning Point 3-Alex goes with Brandy to take Jack to the ER when he gets very sick. She dumps them there, leaving Alex with the kidnapped baby.
Act 4/Climax-Alex is arrested for kidnapping and breaking into Brandy’s apartment. She lies her way out of everything.
Resolution-Alex sits helplessly in jail. An unknown lady lawyer comes to help him. It’s his biological mother.
Antagonist Brandy
Beginning-Brandy is angry to the point of madness. She wants a husband and baby.
Inciting Incident-Brandy runs into Alex, who she used to idolize. Comes onto him.
Turning Point 1-Brandy offers to take Alex home when he gets drunk. They spend the night together.
Act 2-Brandy is furious when Alex blocks contact with him. She starts plotting revenge.
Turning Point 2/Midpoint-Brandy fakes a pregnancy and kidnaps a baby to fulfill her motherhood.
Act 3-Brandy tries desperately to manipulate Alex into being with her and son Jack. He fiends her away and wants only his real girlfriend, which infuriates Brandy.
Turning Point 3-Brandy drugs Alex, plots his death. If she can’t have him, no one else can either.
Act 4 /Climax-Brandy gets Alex to go the hospital with her and the sick baby. She dumps them there, so he will take the fall for kidnapping the infant.
Resolution-Alex is arrested and Brandy lies her way out. She gets on a plane and starts flirting with the guy seated next to her. She has met her next victim.
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Bice-Stephens Supporting Characters
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: This lesson is adding very important pieces to the puzzle.
Profiles:
Supporting 1
Name—Jacob
Role—BFF of Alex
Main Purpose—Portrays normal guy friends, going out for a good time, in college together, saved Alex from bullies in grade school and have been best friends ever since.
Value—Loyal no matter what, always has Alex’s back
Supporting 2
Name—Jack
Role—Kidnapped baby girl portrayed as infant boy
Main Purpose—Show how desperate Brandy is to get a baby and trick Alex into being with her to be the parent he didn’t have
Value—Brandy’s focus is around using little “Baby Dearest” to manipulate Alex
Background Characters
Names—Mason and Macy
Role—Unborn Embryos
Main Purpose—Demonstrate Brandy’s psychopathic attachment to motherhood
Value—Show how mentally deranged Brandy really is
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Bice-Stephen’s Character Profiles Part 2
2022 is my year to break through
What I learned—How incredibly important this preparation is.
Lead Character—Brandy
High Concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Character Journey—Normal to Trashy to crime queen
Actor attractors—No boundaries personality, but actually very damaged psych for a reason
Profile:
1. Role in story—Antagonist, an ex who won’t let go
2. Age range—20s, looks like any girl on the street
3. Core Traits—Mentally unbalanced, narcissistic, selfish, broken
4. Motivation—Wants her own family at any cost/Needs to replace the family she lost
5. Wound—Dad killed her mother, lost 2 babies
6. Likability—At first seems like a normal girlfriend who just wants a guy
Relatability—None of us have complete control over what happens to us
Empathy—She is broken from a damaged life
7. Character Subtext—Hiding her real life while luring Alex
8. Character Intrigue—Hidden agenda of trapping a guy no matter what the cost
9. Flaw—Overconfident that she can get away with anything because she’s absolutely special and convinced she’s above everyone
10. Values—Family and Winning
11. Character Dilemma—Wants to be legitimately loved but will resort to criminality if needed to get the guy she wants
Lead Character—Alex
High concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Character Journey—Happy go lucky to ultimately destroyed
Actor Attractors—Forrest Gump II, the friend we would all like to have
Profile:
1. Role in story—Protagonist, the ex being manipulated
2. Age range, description—20s, Clean cut law student, smiley
3. Core traits—nice guy, cheerful, intelligent, vulnerable
4. Motivation—Wants to have his own family/Needs to make up for being abandoned as a baby
5. Wound—Thinks if his parents didn’t want him nobody will
6. Likability—Best friend ever to everyone, just wants to have a good time
Relatability—His situation could happen to anyone
Empathy—He can’t see how Brandy is breaking him
7. Character Subtext—Hiding that he’s not really so happy inside
8. Character Intrigue—Unspoken wound of being abandoned as a baby makes him want to be liked by everyone
9. Flaw—Overcompensates to get approval from everyone
10. Values—Family and Duty
11. Character Dilemma—Intent on being the parent he wanted to have but can’t be bound to two moms at the same time
Viewing 1 – 28 of 28 replies
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Bice-Stephens Character Profile Part 1
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—it’s so much smarter to develop the characters before the script.
Lead Character—Brandy
High Concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Character Journey—Normal to Trashy to crime queen
Actor attractors—No boundaries personality, but actually very damaged psych for a reason
Profile:
Role in story—Antagonist, an ex who won’t let go
Age range—20s, looks like any girl on the street
Core Traits—Mentally unbalanced, narcissistic, selfish, broken
Motivation—Wants her own family at any cost, Needs to replace the family she lost
Wound—Dad killed her mother, lost 2 babies
Likability—At first seems like a normal girlfriend who just wants a guy
Relatability—None of us have complete control over what happens to us
Empathy—She is broken from a damaged life
Lead Character—Alex
High concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her
Character Journey—Happy go lucky to ultimately destroyed
Actor Attractors—Forrest Gump II, the friend we would all like to have
Profile:
Role in story—Protagonist, the ex being manipulated
Age range, description—20s, Clean cut college student, smiley
Core traits—nice guy, cheerful, smart, vulnerable
Motivation—Wants to have his own family, Needs to make up for being abandoned as a baby
Wound—Thinks if his parents didn’t want him nobody could
Likability—Best friend ever to everyone, just wants to have a good time
Relatability—His situation could happen to anyone
Empathy—He can’t see how Brandy is breaking him
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Viewing 1 – 28 of 28 replies
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Bice-Stephens Character Profile Part 1
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—it’s so much smarter to develop the characters before the script.
Lead Character—Brandy
High Concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Character Journey—Normal to Trashy to crime queen
Actor attractors—No boundaries personality, but actually very damaged psych for a reason
Profile:
Role in story—Antagonist, an ex who won’t let go
Age range—20s, looks like any girl on the street
Core Traits—Mentally unbalanced, narcissistic, selfish, broken
Motivation—Wants her own family at any cost, Needs to replace the family she lost
Wound—Dad killed her mother, lost 2 babies
Likability—At first seems like a normal girlfriend who just wants a guy
Relatability—None of us have complete control over what happens to us
Empathy—She is broken from a damaged life
Lead Character—Alex
High concept—A young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her
Character Journey—Happy go lucky to ultimately destroyed
Actor Attractors—Forrest Gump II, the friend we would all like to have
Profile:
Role in story—Protagonist, the ex being manipulated
Age range, description—20s, Clean cut college student, smiley
Core traits—nice guy, cheerful, smart, vulnerable
Motivation—Wants to have his own family, Needs to make up for being abandoned as a baby
Wound—Thinks if his parents didn’t want him nobody could
Likability—Best friend ever to everyone, just wants to have a good time
Relatability—His situation could happen to anyone
Empathy—He can’t see how Brandy is breaking him
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Bice-Stephen’s’ Likability/Relatability/Empathy
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: We’re building the info step by step.
Protagonist—Alex
Likability—Smiling all the time, easy going, everyone’s best friend
Relatability—Girl trouble, struggling through school, just wants to have a good time
Empathy—Constantly kicked around, loses girlfriend and baby, suckered by another girl, wrongfully accused and jailed by cops
Antagonist—Brandy
Likability—Totally sweet at first, seems so innocent, giggles to babies
Relatability—Overwhelmingly lonely, alone and on her own, can’t catch guy she wants, looks like normal single in city
Empathy—Lost mom, dad in prison, lost 2 babies, desperate for love, desperate for guy she wants, longs for her own family
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Bice-Stephens’ Character Intrigue
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: this exercise is very valuable.
Title—Baby Dearest
Character name—Brandy
Role—Antagonist
Hidden agendas—Would rather see Alex dead than with someone else
Competition—Alex’s true love Emma
Conspiracies—Manipulating with kidnapped baby
Secrets—Baby is not hers
Deception—Baby is a girl, not a boy
Unspoken wound—Child of a murdered mother
Secret identity—Daughter of a killer
Character subtext in movie—Drugging Alex’s drinks, buying gun, dressing kidnapped baby girl as boy, faking pregnancy
Character Name—Alex
Role—Protagonist, male, 20s
Hidden agenda—Desperate to build a “real” family
Competition—with Jacob just trying to have a good time
Conspiracies—Hiding Brandy and baby from Emma
Secrets—Wants to find his birth mother, having hard time fathering surprise baby
Deception—Doesn’t tell Emma about Brandy
Unspoken wound—Always felt unwanted because biological mom gave him up
Secret identity—Son of a lawyer
Character subtext in movie—helping homeless, kind to kids, bouncing others’ babies, carrying bugs out of house instead of killing them
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Bice-Stephen’s’ Subtext Characters
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—This is a great way to deeen characters.
1. Title—Baby Dearest
2. Character:
Name—Brandy
Role—Antagonist, Female, 20s
Subtext identity—A psychopath who desperately wants a family
Subtext traits—Controlling, manipulative, liar
Subtext Logline—Brandy is crazy and has a wound from finding her mother murdered by her estranged dad, so she follows his lead trying to murder the ex who likewise rejected her.
Possible areas of subtext—
Pictures of families everywhere, fake pregnancy, fake paternity, kidnapped baby to manipulate ex, dresses girl baby as boy
Character:
Name—Alex
Role—Protagonist, male, 20s
Subtext identity—Adoption wound, never got over his mother giving him away
Subtext traits—kind and caring to everyone, especially kids
Subtext Logline—Alex has an adoption wound that causes him to overcompensate
Possible areas of subtext:
Volunteers at shelter, accepts father role without question, consistently taken advantage of, helps everyone
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Bice-Stephens’ Actor Attractors
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: need to define Protagonist character more to interest an actor.
Protagonist—Alex, 20s male
Antagonist—Brandy, 20s female
1. Actors want to be known for?
Alex—being the nice guy everybody loves and roots for
Brandy—portraying a truly damaged person who could be your neighbor next door—you definitely pass on the street
2. What makes most interesting?
Alex—just out for a good time snd lost everything, could happen to any of us
Brandy—no filters, no boundaries, no conscious, never know she will do next
3. Most interesting actions?
Alex—accepting a baby as his without question because he’s supposed to be upstanding and responsible
Brandy—talking to embryos
4. Introducing role to sell to actor?
Alex—bright college student, full of life
Brandy—scribbling all night, walls covered with taped-up papers and floor littered with wads of paper by morning
5. Characters’ emotional range?
Alex—winner to loser
Brandy—damaged victim to victimizing others
6. Subtext actors can play?
Alex—smiling to sobbing
Brandy—broken heart to no heart
7. Most interesting relationships!
Alex—friendship with party boy, Jacob, who always escapes consequences in contrast to Alex’s one night stand that ruined his life
Brandy—mothering lifeless babies in the closet
8. Unique voices presented?
Alex—nice to everyone so always picks up Needies
Brandy—acts out her desperate loneliness in crazy sad ways
9. Characters special and unique?
Alex—Forrest Gump nice without his luck
Brandy—her father murdered her mother but she never accepted the death
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Bice-Stephens: Actor Attractors for “Fatal Attraction”
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: learning by example is great!
Lead Characters:
Glenn Close and Michael Douglas
1. Want to be known for:
Glenn—Glamorous single with the appearance of a normal life but with badly damaged psych underneath (Became typecast from role though)
Michael—Successful lawyer living a perfect life who falls fast
2. One of most interesting:
Glenn—Out manipulates Michael at every turn
Michael—Smart man who gets outsmarted over and over
3. Interesting actions:
Glenn—Boils pet rabbit! Boils pet rabbit!!
Boils pet rabbit!!!
Michael—Tries to maintain composure in front of wife when Glenn stops by to see the house
4. Character introduction:
Glenn—at party is happy, charming, attractive, free with no strings
Michael—at party, handsome, debonair, happy family man
5. Character emotional range:
Glenn—top of the world life and job to crazy as possible, cutting, clingy, delusional
Michael—just out for a good time to desperately losing control
6. Subtext actor plays:
Glenn—manipulate, plot, control, repeat
Michael—trapped with no legal way out, constantly out maneuvered
7. Interesting relationships:
Glenn—tries to befriend wife, takes daughter to park as if totally normal to pick up from school
Michael—lawyer friends disapprove but go easy on him
8. Unique voices presented:
Glenn—control by erratic delusions
Michael—exploited and has to cover
9. Characters special and unique:
Glenn—father died in front of her and never overcame loss
Michael—had the perfect family but it wasn’t enough
10. Scene fulfilling model:
When Glenn slits her wrists to keep Michael from leaving, he realizes he’s in deep with no way out.
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Bice-Stephens Thriller Genre Conventions
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: Brainstorming is very valuable.
1. Concept: A criminally insane young psychopath kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
2. Genre: Thriller
3. Thriller Conventions:
Purpose—high stakes, plot twists, suspense until climax
Life and death—danger at every step, physically, emotionally, mentally—either in danger or implied
Mystery/intrigue/suspense—mystery to be solved to survive, intrigue is underhanded and covert, suspense from danger hero faces
Hero—unknowing, unwitting, resourceful
Villain—dangerous, devious, unrelenting, committed to destroying anyone who gets in their way
Main emotions—suspense, intrigue, mystery, tension, anticipation, uncertainty, surprise
Adding conventions to structure lesson 5:
Act 1–Opening—Brandy takes a knife and slashes smiles off the pictures taped on walls.
Inciting incident—Brandy takes pictures of Alex while he’s sleeping, including nudes, deliberates how to best use them.
Turning point—Brandy refuses to let Alex ditch her for another woman, at any cost.
Act 2–New plan— Brandy connives a way to replace Emma; she may need to get rid of her completely.
Plan in action—Brandy starts searching gun info on line, stalks Alex and Emma.
Midpoint turning point—Brandy kidnaps an infant girl and disguises her as a boy. Reads news about kidnapping and reward. No shame or conscience, goes out and about flaunting baby.
Act 3—Rethink everything—Brandy is totally crazy. Convinces DSHS she has 3 kids for child support, guilt trips Alex at every turn.
New plan—Results to drugs to control Alex, sedation to planned overdose. Whatever it takes so the other woman doesn’t get to keep him.
Turning point—With Emma suddenly out of the picture, Brandy can gleefully have a practice wedding with herself. Til death us do part on steroids.
Act 4—Climax—Brandy destroys evidence of any crime, including the kidnapping headlines which she burns with a candle. Blames Alex for everything, acts totally sane and innocent. Then sets out to find another victim just looking for a good time—and with a big smile she finds him.
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Bice-Stephen’s-4 Act Transformational Structure
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—this is a great recipe!
Concept: A criminally insane young mother kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Main conflict: A psychotic young woman pursues her first crush, who ultimately rejects her. She would rather see him dead than with someone else, giving real meaning to “Til death do us part.”
Old ways:
Protagonist Alex—Looking for a good time, carefree, cheerful, has the world by the tail
Antagonist Brandy—Desperate, lonely, delusional, damaged
New ways:
Protagonist Alex—Solemn, withdrawn, quiet, cautious of others, damaged
Antagonist Brandy—Domineering, demanding, in control, has the world by the tail
Act 1
Opening: Brandy sees couples all over TV, computer screen, magazines—everywhere she looks. She’s left out and flips out. She scribbles, wads papers up and tosses on floor from night to dawn. Zoom out: it’s sunrise, floor is covered with wads of paper, walls are covered with pictures of couples.
Inciting incident: Brandy runs into her first crush, Alex, at the city library. He is researching a college paper, she is checking out a book on his she can get her GED. They soon hook up.
Turning point: Soon after, Alex tells Brandy (email) he’s back together with his true love, Emma, who they just learned is pregnant. Then he blocks her. Brandy is livid.
Act 2
New plan: Brandy orders a positive pregnancy test, progressive pregnancy pillows, wigs, makeup.
Plan in action: Brandy trolls the city streets, looking at babies. Starts wearing wigs and pregnancy pillows, tries to find Alex. At home she’s thin and does crazy things, like planning her wedding to him. Meanwhile Alex is oblivious to her and very happy planning his wedding to Emma.
Midpoint Turning Point: Brandy kidnaps a tiny baby girl.
Act 3
Rethink everything: Brandy names the baby Jack, dresses her in boys clothes, files DSHS for child support from Alex, fakes birth certificate.
New Plan: Tries to reel Alex in, guilt trips, lingerie, all she can think of. When nothing works, she drugs him and tries to overdose him.
Turning Point: Emma finds out about Brandy’s baby, believes Alex is the dad, takes baby Sophia and leaves. Alex is devastated, blind-sided, hopeless. Continues to visit Brandy to see “his son” like a good father should.
Act 4
Climax: Baby gets sick, Alex and Brandy take to ER. She says she needs a cigarette break and disappears, leaving Alex to discover with the nurse that his son is a girl. Meanwhile Brandy is packing.
Alex goes to look for her. Finds Brandy is furious that her plan got botched, blames him and holds at gunpoint. Cops arrive and accuse Alex of kidnapping and breaking into Brandy’s house, and she adds attempted murder but she was “able to grab his gun.”
Cops haul Alex to jail. Brandy heads for the airport to see her (dead) mother with 2 miscarried embryos in her diaper bag. Says they need a dad, too.
She sits down by a somewhat shy young guy traveling alone who looks very happy to meet her and seems quite flattered with her obvious advances. She becomes very animated and enticing.
Meanwhile Alex sits in jail. He gets a poem from Brandy, opens the seal carefully, mutters to himself “got ya.” He puts the letter under his mattress and asks the guard if he can call his lawyer. Alex is last seen, standing with his hands on the bars waiting for a guard to help him.
A plane flies overhead in the background.
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(Bice-Stephen’s) Subtext Plot
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned—my Antagonistic is stealing the show!
Concept: A criminally insane young mother secretly kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Subtext Plots:
1. Layering
2. Someone hides who they are
1. Layering: The lead characters, Alex and Brandy, seem like old high-school friends, but they barely knew each other. Brandy’s life is a total lie and naive Alex just falls for it. He suffers greatly step by step as she tries to reel him in, can’t catch him so might as well kill him, can’t kill him so just get him locked up so nobody else can have him either. But he just wanted to have a good time!
2. Someone hides who they are: Alex is so naively upfront and such a nice guy —it’s almost painful. He’s not hiding anything. Brandy is his absolute opposite. She can’t tell the truth and has no conscious. She pathologically lies about being in college when she dropped out of high school; says she hasn’t dated before when she’s had two miscarriages; assures Alex she can’t get pregnant (we’ll see about that); says she has a brother and sister when she’s an only child; kidnaps a baby girl and dresses her as a boy; says no need for child support while sending DSHS to collect—and on and on.
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(Bice-Stephens) Transformational Journey-Protagonist
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned-my protagonist, Alex, isn’t exciting enough, he’s just an all around nice guy. Going to add some secrets. Need to reevaluate—his character arc goes down while Antagonist goes up, should we save him from her at the end? Or let her win this time for a sequel?
Character Arc:
Beginning-Happy go lucky young immature student
End-Serious, scapegoated man
Internal/External Journey
Internal-Forced to mature by the minute
External-Free, fun-loving kid to defeated, imprisoned man
Old Ways vs New Ways
Old-Laughing, independent, trusting everyone
New-Quiet, withdrawn, cautious of everything
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(Bice-Stephens) Intentional Lead Characters
2022 is my year to break through!
What I learned: This is a serious approach to getting things right.
Protagonist
Character: Alex
Logline: A likable young guy just out for a good time
Unique: A carefree young student who goes out for a good time and almost pays for it with his life
Antagonist
Character: Brandy
Logline: A psychotic, manipulative control freak
Unique: A psychotic, delusional bitch who would rather kill her ex than take no for an answer
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Subject: (Bice-Stephens) Title, Concept, & Character Structure
What I learned: Usually it’s easiest to outline in my head, but paper is more permanent.
Vision: 2022 is my year to break through!
Title: Baby Dearest
Concept: A criminally insane young mother secretly kidnaps a baby to manipulate the ex who rejected her.
Character Structure: Protagonist vs Antagonist
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Hal’s opening provided a LOT of valuable information. I especially appreciated his real life examples, like the author who starts writing at 9 every day, takes a lunch break, hits it again in the afternoon, then quits for the day. I learned my writing could be way more successful if approached as a regular job instead of a hobby as time allows. And luckily this is the first time in my life I’m able to do that.
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1. My name is Wynona Bice-Stephens.
2. I agree to the terms of this release form.
3. I agree to the entire Group Release Form as posted below:
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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Hi everyone, my name is Nona, have written 4-5 scripts, completed the ProSeries and Master Class and some of the shorter sessions. I am very grateful to be in Writing Incredible Movies and hope to complete a draft thriller from start to finish. Something unique about me—my family is currently living a real life ex Fatal Attraction scenario—hoping to embellish it and turn something bad into something good!
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Hi! My name is Wynona, residing in Hawaii. I have written around six scripts. Hopefully this class will help open connections. Something unusual—our houses are almost always haunted.🙃