[Ymani Boatright]

What I learned from this assignment: My character lavender needs some work. I had a hard time getting to the core of that character. This is a great way to really discover what I need to work on with my characters. I have also found the things I love about my characters.

Logline:

When a desperate and controlling woman and her meek husband try for a baby girl to only find out she suffers from infertility. The couple tries for years as their relationship gets test. When finally pregnant the baby is born a boy. The new borns gender is changed shortly after birth while the mother tries to keep the surgery a secret from the child and the world.

1. Character Name: Mia Allen / White

Role: Wife / Mother

Core Character Traits

Desperate

Controlling

Selfish

Bossy

Dishonest

Character Subtext Logline: Mia is a middle aged woman suffering from infertility but wants her baby girl by any means necessary.

Flaw: Mia hates herself because she feels less than a human because she can’t have a baby. She wants her way and doesn’t care who she hurts.

Want: To be a mother to a daughter.

MIssion/ Agenda: To keep Olivia’s surgery a secret. Keep her daughter close.

2. Character Name: Shaun Allen

Role: Husband / Brother / Father

Core Character Traits

Meek

Confused

Laid back

Selfish

Character Subtext Logline: Shaun is a meek husband who wants a family and to be happy.

Flaw: He left Olivia because he didn’t want to deal with Mia.

Want: A relationship with his child.

3. Character Name: Deborah Allen

Role in the story: Leads sister.

Core Character Traits:

Schizophrenic

Oblivious

Bipolar

Innocent

Honest

Character Subtext Traits: Deborah is a disabled senior who lives with her brother.

MIssion / Agenda: To tell Olivia the truth about her surgery.

Identity: An adult with a child’s mind.

What makes this character unique?: Deborah is innocent but her disorder causes her to imagine things that aren’t there. She says whatever she is thinking.

4. Character Name: Olivia White

Role in the story: Daughter

Core Character Traits:

Confused

Insecure

Loyal

Brave

Character Subtext Logline: Olivia is a teenager trying to find herself.

Want: Her mothers love and approval. To be accepted.

Identity: Olivia was born a boy but is now a girl. Has to figure out what gender she wants to pursue.

5. Character Name Lavender

Role in the story: Girl friend to Lead.

Core Character Traits:

Loving

Supportive

Gentle

Loyal

Character Subtext Logline: Lavender is a supporting girlfriend that wants what is best for Olivia.

Wants: Olivia to be happy.

My character Lavender needs work because it was hard for me to get to the core of this character.

[Ymani Boatright]

Beat Sheet

What I’ve learned from this: What a beat sheet was. And how to use it. It also taught me how to organize my script where I can find a scene a lot easier than looking over the entire script.

Logline:

When a desperate and controlling woman and her meek husband try for a baby girl to only find out she suffers from infertility. The couple tries for years as their relationship gets test. When finally pregnant the baby is born a boy. The new borns gender is changed shortly after birth while the mother tries to keep the surgery a secret from the child and the world.

INT. THE ALLEN BEDROOM- MORNING

Mia and Shaun getting ready for baby shower. Mia changes her mind about going she suffers from infertility so she doesn’t want to be in that atmosphere. Shaun is trying to change her mind but she won’t so he leaves her.

2. EXT. JOGGING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD- MOMENTS LATER

Mia gets a pregnancy test from the store.

3. IN THE HOUSE- LATER

Mia is in the house making her food. She’s talking to her friend Wren about her fertility cleanse and diet. Wren convinces Mia to take the pregnancy test with her on the phone instead of waiting on Shaun to get home. Mia promises Wren she wont look at the test; she gets off the phone to use the restroom in private.

4. INT. STEPHANIE’S BABY SHOWER- SAME NIGHT

The baby shower is over. Shaun is helping clean up the house. Shaun gets a text message and after reading it he has to leave.

5. INT. THE BEDROOM- SAME NIGHT

Mia is in the kitchen cleaning her dishes when Wren calls her. Mia’s test is positive. Mia is crying and celebrating with Wren. Mia decides not to tell Shaun just yet because she feels if he was concerned about the results he’d be at home.

6. INT/EXT. HOLLYWOOD MOTEL – SAME NIGHT

Shaun arrives at his destination. He goes in the hotel with ruby. He discovers that Ruby has chlamydia. Shaun is furious because she’s gave him chlamydia before already. He takes her medication and leaves.

7. INT. THE HOUSE- MORNING

Shaun wakes up Mia isn’t there. He finds her in the nursery room looking for cribs on Pinterest. He’s confused why’d she do that if she wasn’t pregnant. Mia tells Shaun the news but he is upset she took the test without him. He let it go and Mia became upset because he referred to the baby as boy or girl. Shaun gets Mia orange juice and crushes up the chlamydia pill and mixes it in.

8. INT. DR.RASSI’S DOCTOR’S OFFICE -DAY

Shaun and Mia are in the doctor’s office for a 27 week check up. Shaun and Mia are having an argument about finding out the gender of the baby. Mia is determined not to find out the gender because she says she already knows it’s a girl. Mia is not changing her mind so Shaun gives up. While the doctor is talking to the two of them Shaun gets a call and steps out. Shaun’s mom Gracie calls and tells Shaun his sister can’t live with her any longer. Instead of sending her to a care facility Shaun insist she come live with him and Mia.

9. INT. IN THE CAR- MOMENTS LATER

Mia and Shaun are driving home. Shaun tells Mia about Deborah coming to live with them and Mia is furious because they have a baby on the way and Shaun didn’t discuss it with her first.

10.EXT/INT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE- NIGHT

Shaun and Deborah are bringing her things in the house. Shaun takes Deborah to her room. Shaun is going to get Deborah food and Deborah is concerned about his safety because people are always dying . She gives her story.

11. INT. THE BEDROOM- SAME NIGHT

Mia is talking on the phone in the bedroom. Shaun gets back with Deborah’s food . Mia is secretly listening. Shaun is talking to Deborah about behaving and the baby how they have a baby coming soon.

12. INT. THE KITCHEN- MORNING

Mia goes to check on Deborah. She’s in the room flickering the light on and off. Mia gets frustrated because she had to tell Deborah to stop playing with the lights. Mia over hears Deborah talking to herself about Shaun, the baby and herself.

13. EXT. THE PARK. MORNING

Mia and Jasmin are walking to help Mia go into labor. They are both complaining about their men. Mia is also complaining about Deborah being schizophrenic.

14. INT. IN THE CAR- MOMENTS LATER

Mia gets out of the car and when she goes in the house Deborah is in the bathroom talking to herself again. Mia is eavesdropping. Deborah is saying how she doesn’t like babies; how Mia doesn’t know what the baby is until it gets here and how it isn’t a girl. Mia has a contraction so Deborah heres her and stops talking. Mia tells Deborah to call Shaun and tell him she’s contacting a lot.

15. INT. THE BEDROOM- AFTERNOON

Shaun walks in and Mia is in the closet contracting trying to pack her hospital bag. They are having a disagreement because Mia feels he hasn’t been involved in her pregnancy. She’s also bother by the things Deborah said earlier.

16. INT. THE BEDROOM- MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

Mia and Shaun are in bed sleep. Mia heres a noise. Shaun doesn’t believe her until he hears his sister screaming . Shaun grabs his bat and runs downstairs to find Deborah screaming to herself in the kitchen with a knife in her hand. Imagining two men in the house saying their going to kill her so she has to kill them. Shaun calms Deborah down and gets the knife. Shaun stake her back in her room.

17. INT. THE BEDROOM- CONTINUOUS

Shaun walks in the room with Mia and she’s furious. She wants Deborah gone tonight. Shaun’s in disbelief that she’d even say that but Mia’s water breaks in the middle of the conversation.

18. INT. HOSPITAL- AFTERNOON

Mia is in labor. The babies heart rate starts dropping when Mia begins pushing. They have to get the baby out immediately. She pushes again and the baby comes out but the baby isn’t crying. The baby cry and the nurses congratulate them on their healthy baby boy. Mia is in angry scream for her baby. Mia unsaddles the baby to check the genitals. Mia wants nothing to do with the baby boy. Mia blames her body for having a boy.

19. INT. LIVING ROOM- DAY

Mia is in the living room calling the baby Olivia and dressing him in girls clothes. Shaun is completely turned off by her actions. They are arguing about the babies name and the way Mia’s acting. Shaun isn’t signing the birth certificate if the baby is named Olivia but Mia doesn’t care.

20. INT. THE KITCHEN- LATER

Shaun and Mia haven’t talked since the argument. Shaun tries to have small talk with Mia while she is cooking. Mia’s phone rings and Shaun answers it. The Doctors office calls Mia to follow up with her on her upcoming surgery for sex reassignment surgery for her son. Shaun is very upset and tells the doctor he is the father and his son can not have surgery. He doesn’t consent the surgery. Shaun and Mia have an intense argument saying things they mean and don’t mean. Shaun tells Mia he is leaving for the night and will be back for the rest of his things in the morning. Shaun and Deborah leave Mia with the new born.

21.EXT/ INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE- NIGHT

Mia is in New York at the doctors office. The place is a small dirty rundown building. Paulo introduces himself, he’s the one doing the surgery. He doesn’t have a license but he is highly trained. Paulo has Mia sign all the paperwork and gives her the medication needed after the surgery.

22. EXT. SAN DIEGO – MORNING

TITLE: ALMOST 16 YEARS LATER. FEBRUARY 25, 2021. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

23. INT. OLIVIA’S BEDROOM. MORNING

Olivia gets off the phone with her girl friend Lavender and goes in the bathroom to take her medication. Olivia goes downstairs to Mia. Olivia wants to go to a new arcade she begs her mom for money to go with Lavender. Olivia jokes about not taking her medicine and Mia ask her if she wants to flare up. Olivia tells her its a joke but Mia doesn’t think its funny.

24. INT. OLIVIA’S HIGH SCHOOL – DAY

Olivia and Lavender get invited to a birthday party on Saturday. They want to go until they shortly realize their periods come around the same time and they’ll be menstrating Saturday. Olivia is uncomfortable about the situation because she doesn’t have a period but is lying saying she does.

25. INT. IN THE CAR – DAY

Lavender is driving and Olivia is in the passenger seat. Lavender can tell that something is wrong with Olivia. Olivia states she just feels like she doesn’t fit in and how unhappy she feels. He mother doesn’t lover her for her because sheShe can’t be herself because her mom speaks down on LGBTQ community. The tire pops while they are driving and get into a car accident.

26. INT. THE HOSPITAL- NIGHT

Mia is trying to find out what happen to Olivia but they can’t figure out what rooms she is in. While Mia is waiting Shaun and Deborah walk in and he ask for Olivia. Mia wants them to leave but he won’t. The receptionist gives them the room number to go see Olivia.

27. INT. ELEVATOR – MOMENTS LATER

As they are exiting the elevator Shaun’s wife Naomi calls. While they are having a conversation Mia is in the hospital room with Olivia and Deborah is sitting in the chair outside of the hospital room. Deborah goes in the hospital room. Mia tells her to go back out with Shaun. Deborah tells Shaun how his son isn’t in their its a girl. Shaun goes in the room and is in utter shock. Shaun begins yelling while Olivia is in a medically induced coma. Mia doesn’t want to Olivia to hear so they go outside to talk. Shaun finds out that Olivia doesn’t know about her surgery and that she was born a boy. The short conversation ends when Naomi calls again. Shaun and Deborah leave.

28. INT. ALL THE TIMES MIA GOT A NEGATIVE PREGNANCY TEST –

Flashbacks of the many different times Mia saw a negative pregnancy test and was crying about the results.

29. INT OLIVIA’S HOSPITAL ROOM- DAY

Mia is kneeling down on the side of Olivia’s bed holding Olivia’s hand begging her to get up.

30. TITLE: THREE DAYS LATER.

31. INT. THE HOSPITAL- NIGHT

Mia and Shaun are at the hospital waiting for Olivia to wake up because the doctors were taking her off the medication so she can wake up. Mia see’s Olivia do a slight movement and insist that Shaun leave. Shaun doesn’t want to leave but Mia tells Shaun she doesn’t want to upset Olivia with Shaun being there after all those years away. Shaun agrees to leave if Mia calls him when its a better time. They agree and he leaves. Shortly after Olivia wakes up.

32. SHAUN’S HOTEL ROOM – AFTERNOON

Shaun’s at the hotel getting ready to leave and go to the hospital unannounced because its been days and he hasn’t heard back from Mia. Mia and Shaun have a talk about keeping his cool and having a relationship with Olivia when Shaun is keeping such a big secret from her.

33. INT. THE HOSPITAL – DAY

Shaun and Deborah are in Olivia’s empty hospital room. The nurse and Olivia come back and Olivia wants nothing to do with Shaun because ehe abandon her. Deborah keeps calling Olivia a boy. Olivia gets upset and tells her she’s a girl and Mia calls Deborah schizophrenic, bipolar and says she doesn’t know better. Shaun is upset by the way Mia is talking to Olivia. Shaun and Mia are going back and forth. Olivia tells Shaun she wants him to leave on his way out he told Olivia to ask more about why he left and call him if she’s still lying to her.

34. INT. BRINGING OLIVIA HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL – EVENING

Olivia and Mia just pull up to the house and are getting out of the car. Mia can tell that Olivia is being very standoff. Mia offers to make Olivia’s favorite dish and Olivia decides the offer. Mia ask her whats going on but she says nothing.

35. INT. WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY TO OLIVIA’S ROOM – MOMENTS LATER

Mia is takes Olivia her sandwich she mad her and she can notice how jittery she is. Olivia goes in her moms room and ask why Shaun left and the big secret that she was hiding from her. Mia and Olivia have a minor argument because Olivia knows Mia is lying . Olivia calls Shaun but Deborah answers it and it hangs up before Shaun can get on the phone.

36. INT SHAU’S CAR – MOMENTS LATER

Shaun is driving to Olivia and Mia’s house.He has a box in the car with him that says to “To:Liv”. When Shaun goes to the door Mia answers and tells him to leave or she’s calling the police. Olivia over hears and comes downstairs. Shaun gives Olivia the box. This is where Olivia finds out she was born a boy. Olivia is confused and furious at the same time. Olivia storms out the house while telling Mia if she follows her she will tell the police what she did to her. Mia blames Shaun for everything.

37. INT. OLIVIA’S CAR- NIGHT

Olivia is parked in a neighborhood crying. Mia and Lavender and constantly calling her phone and she is ignoring the calls.

38.INT. RANDOM RESTAURANT – SAME NIGHT

Olivia goes in a restaurant crying and the waitress see’s her and tells her to go in the bathroom and pull herself together. Sal whose transgender goes to the bathroom with Olivia and tries to comfort her but Olivia feels like she wouldn’t understand what she’s feeling. Sal tells Olivia about herself and Olivia opens up a little about her situation. Sal assures Olivia she’s not the only one struggling and pulls out a bottle of pills and

39. INT. KAY PHARMACY – AFTERNOON FLASHBACK

Olivia is 8 at the store with Mia and her cousin Kaleb. Kaleb is recording off Mia’s phone a prank he’s doing on Olivia. He pulls her pants down in the middle of the store. To find out that Olivia has on his underwear. Mia screams screams at Olivia for wearing boy underwear.

40. INT. RANDOM RESTAURANT – NIGHT

Olivia is sitting at a booth in the restaurant with a hamburger. Sal scares her because she’s staring off into space. Sal tells Olivia she can come with her to a get together leave her car there. Olivia is unsure but still goes.

41. INT. SAL’S FRIEND HOUSE- NIGHT

Sal and Olivia arrive at Ms. Ava’s house. Ms. Ava informs Olivia how this is a safe place. There are 4 other people their who are all on drugs listening to music. Sal offers Olivia Xanax . Olivia turns it down and Sal insures her she won’t die so she takes it.

42. INT. MS. AVA’S COUCH – MOMENTS LATER

Olivia is high on the couch. Ms. Ava’s alarm goes off and she says it’s time to take her spironolactone. Olivia takes spironolactone too and she ask Ms. Ava if she has ADHD. Ms. Ava tells her no it is for her testosterone blocker. Olivia instantly realizes what her mom has been doing for all these years and the lies she has told her.

43. EXT/ INT. MIA’S HOUSE – MORNING FLASHBACK

Olivia is 8 in the third grade. The front desk calls Olivia over the intercom to come to the office. Mia is in the office and takes Olivia to the bathroom and gives her her medication because she didn’t take it this morning. Olivia is sad because she says she just wants to be a regular kid that doesn’t have to take medicine.

44. INT. MS. AVA’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Olivia is sitting o the couch angry thinking about everything that’s happened in her life and the way she has felt over the years. She is very high but gets up and falls down the stairs. She goes outside the apartment building.

45. EXT. WALKING DOWN THE STREET – SAME NIGHT

As Olivia is walking down the street looking for Berenie’s Cafe so she can get back to her car. She walks in a liquor store and ask them and an old man follows her out. She is too high to realize but a lady notice and screams at him. The lady tries to check on Olivia and make sure she’s ok but Olivia screams at her that she doesn’t need any help.

46. INT. OLIVIA’S BEDROOM – DAY (2013). FLASHBACK

Olivia is in her room playing with her dolls. She has the two girl dolls kissing when Mia screams out breakfast is ready. Olivia throws the dolls and goes to eat.

47. EXT. THE BUS STOP – THE NEXT MORNING

It the next morning and Olivia wakes up at the bus stop. She makes a call and a car pulls up she gets in a drives off.

48. INT. SHAUN’S HOTEL ROOM – MOMENTS LATER

Olivia and Shaun are in the living room of the hotel room. They are discussing everything that has happened between them in the past few days. Olivia ask him why he decided to tell her now. He told her how he couldn’t build a relationship with you if it was based off of a lie. Shaun tells her how everyone makes bad decisions even her mom and everyone deserves a second chance. Olivia said she isn’t ready to talk to her yet she tells him how she made her feel wrong about a lot of things in her life when she isn’t wrong. For example liking women.Olivia decided to see Mia is Shaun will come with her.

49. EXT. IN FRONT OF OLIVIA’S HOUSE – AFTERNOON

Shuan and Olivia get to the house. Olivia is nervous but still goes inside the house. Olivia calls her moms name but she doesn’t answer. The look all around the house and she’s not there. Olivia gets nervous, Shaun calls her and she doesn’t answer. Shaun finds a note in Olivia’s room on her bed.

50. INT. LOS ANGELES – MORNING

A view of the city of Los Angeles.

TITLE: ONE YEAR LATER. LOS ANGELES, CA

Mia voice over of her reading the letter.

51. INT/ EXT. THERAPIST OFFICE- EVENING

Mia’s voice over of her reading the letter while Olivia is leaving her therapist appointment. Getting in the car with Lavender driving to the house. Olivia gets out of the car goes in the house reads the letter her mom left her and starts crying. Music starts playing in the back and Olivia puts the letter in her drawer hugs her family and drives away. Mia is on the opposite side of the street watching her and follows behind Olivia.

[Ymani Boatright]

Main Conflict: A desperate wife and her husband try for a baby girl but suffer from infertility. The wife is determined to have a child and for it to be a girl.

Opening: Shaun and Mia are getting ready to go to his sisters baby shower. Mika cancel last minute because it will be too hard for her to attend.

Inciting incident: Mia finds out she is pregnant.
By page 10, you know what the movie is about: If Mia will have a baby or miscarriage and if the baby will be a girl.

First turning point at end of Act 1: Mia has the baby and finds out the baby is a boy. Shaun is happy because they had been trying to have a baby for 7 years and they’ve finally got what they asked for. He is disappointed in Mia because she is angry at herself for having a boy.

Mid point: Mia is calling the baby boy Olivia and dressing him in girl clothes. Mia and Shaun are barely speaking to one another.
Second turning point at end of Act 2: Shaun finds out that Mia is planning a sex reassignment surgery for the baby. Shaun disagree’s. Shaun leaves for the night after an argument. Mia takes the baby to get the surgery anyways and moves with the baby.

Crisis: Olivia gets in a car accident and is unconscious. Mia does not answer the phone when the hospital calls her so they call next to kin and that is Shaun. Shaun shows up at the hospital and Olivia wants nothing to do with him but Shaun is ready for a relationship.

Climax: Olivia finds out about the surgery. Discovering that she was born a boy. She ends up in a bad situation doing drugs with a group of transgenders trying to figure out herself.

Resolution: Olivia goes to speak with Mia. Mia disappears and leaves only a letter behind for Olivia. A year later Olivia is living back in La with her dad, step mom and half siblings.

I am having a hard time decide what should be elevated. Can someone help me out with some ideas.

[Ymani Boatright]

What I’ve learned doing this assignment is what a longline is. I’d never heard of a longline until this assignment.

Essence of Betrayal and Deception

Logline:

When a desperate and controlling woman and her meek husband try for a baby girl to only find out she suffers from infertility. The couple tries for years as their relationship gets test. When finally pregnant the baby is born a boy. The new borns gender is changed shortly after birth while the mother tries to keep the surgery a secret from the child and the world.

One page:

Mia White a 34 year old, middle class white woman who met her husband Shaun White at the age of 24. The couple has been married for 10 years and trying to conceive a child for seven of those years. Not only is the couple faced with relationship issues but the struggle of trying to conceive a little girl. After many years of disappointment, miscarriages, tubal pregnancies, surgeries and more Mia is finally pregnant. Mia has always known that she’d be a girl mom. Due to so much hurt and pain with the relationship and infertility it causes lots of damage between the couple. They were hopeful the baby would bring the two back together but it did the complete opposite. Mia was so sure of the gender she did not allow anyone to kn ow the gender of the b baby because she was positive it was a girl. When the baby was born she received some shocking and devastating news. Mia delivered a happy baby boy. Mia was still referring the the baby as a girl and calling him Olivia. This caused even more conflict for the couple because Shaun did not like what Mia was doing. Mia and Shaun shortly after got in a huge fight because Mia went behind Shauns back and Scheduled the baby an illegal sex reassignment surgery. Shaun was so furious by the way Mia was acting so him and his sister who lived with them packed an overnight back and left. Mia went through with the surgery and. Moved to another state where she raised her daughter Olivia. When Olivia was 16 she got into a car accident where she was knocked unconscious. When the hospital called Mia she did not answer so they called Shaun next. Shaun showed up at the hospital ready for a relationship with his child. When he arrived he soon found out Mia went through with the surgery. Shaun wanted to tell Olivia about the surgery but Olivia did not have anything to say to Shaun because he missed the first 16 years old her life. Shaun and Olivia got into a small altercation and as he was leaving try hospital he said to Olivia ask your mom the truth. Olivia didn’t know what the meant but what he said never left her head. Shaun and Olivia eventually met up and Shaun gifted Olivia with a box. Inside the box was a paper that told her she was born a boy. Shaun told Olivia what her mother did and Olivia stormed out of the house and drove away. She met a transgender lady while she was out. She went out and took drugs. While she was out she discovered that the medicine she was taking that she was told was for ADHD was actually a hormone blocker. The next morning after sobering up Olivia was not ready to speak to her mother so she called Shaun to pick her up because she left her car at a restaurant. Shaun took her home where she discovered her mother left. She wrote her a note telling her she did not want to go to jail and felt she ruined her life enough so it was best she leave.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by  Ymani Boatright.

[Ymani Boatright]

I Ymani Boatright agree to the terms of this release form.

[Ymani Boatright]

Hi Everyone, my name is Ymani Boatright. I have written one script. I have another one that is still in progress. I want to learn more about screenwriting. How to better my writing and how to write even when I feel stuck. Something unique about me is I can watch something one time an memorize it.