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  • Changing Life
    By Lilian Carridine

  • Characters:
    Casey:
    Lillian:
    Jaime:
    Janet:

  • Act 1
    The room was completely empty except for the girl standing in the middle of it. The walls were peeling and the ceiling were leaking. The floor creaked as she stepped on it and the one window in the room was broken. It was Casey who stood in the broken doorway staring at the girl

    Casey: I used to live here, my mom came home too late to cook us dinner. Food either came from me or my father, he wasn’t meant to be in the kitchen. I had one younger brother, (Casey trailed off)

    Lillian: This is such a ran down place, it’s so sad. I’m sorry that this (Casey cuts Lillian off)

    Casey: It’s not your fault, you didn’t cause this. This place used to look a little better but I guess the owner of it after us didn’t really care. It used to be filled with happiness and family. We didn’t care that we would sleep on the floor or a couch. (Casey smiles and Grabs Lillian’s hand)

    Lillian: I bet it was wonderful, thank you for showing me. You really didn’t have to do that though.

    Casey: You want to go get something to eat, I know a wonderful pizzeria down the street (Casey walks to the door)

    Lillian: sounds great (both walk off stage in same direction)

  • Act 2
    Lillian, Casey, Janet, and Jaime all sat in a studio. It was a simple studio with a sound booth on one side and a comfy room on the other. the room has a couple couches and chairs set up around a table. The group sat in around the table talking to each other.
    Lillian:

  • Act III

    The Resolution

    The resolution of the story and its subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really are.

  • Opening Image

    page 1

    If you had to choose a photo to establish what “the world” is like before your story starts, this is it.

    Make it stand out, because first impressions matter. They set the tone and mood and scope, and hook the audience (or reader).

    If it’s a vast epic, the opening image should be grand. If it’s a small intricate family drama, the opening images are small and subdued.

  • Theme Stated

    page 5

    It might not be clear at first, but your story should have a theme.

    You can think of the theme as an argument, that the rest of the movie has to prove.

    Remember that a theme is there to guide you as a story writer, and provide a strong undercurrent to your story. It’s not a restriction, it’s a fountain for your imagination. If you ever get stuck, go back to your theme and you will find your answer there.

  • Set-up

    pgs 1-10

    By the first 10 pages (or 12 at most), you need to have set up your story.

    If you think of your story as a cannon shot, by page 10 the cannon needs to be loaded, aimed, and ready to be fired.

  • Catalyst

    pg 12

    Again, with the cannon analogy: Your cannon is aimed in pages 1-10, it needs to actually fire by page 12.

    Here again, the size and scope of the catalyst event must match the size of your story. If it’s a small drama, it could be a phone call announcing a death in the family, or it could be a breakup.

    If it’s a sprawling epic, it should be something grander. The outbreak of war, or the destruction of a planet.

  • Debate

    pgs 12-25

    If your hero starts moving towards his goal immediately, it’ll seem as though he’s just reacting to what happens around him.

    No one wants to see a hero react, they want to see him or her act.

    That’s what the debate section is for. This is where the hero shows that he/she knows that it’ll be a long road, but consciously decides to act.

  • Break into Two

    pg 25

    Once the hero decides to act, it’s time to step through a membrane, and enter the world of Act II.

    For example, in Star Wars, the catalyst is Luke’s parents being killed, but the Act II event occurs when they board Han’s ship, and the journey begins.

  • B Story

    pg 30

    The audience has been through a lot of turmoil to get to this point. Introduce a secondary story to give them a rest.

    This B story usually involves a romance, or a new friendship, or some other relationship with a character from the “new world” of Act II.

    It also serves two useful tools for you as a writer:

    1. It lets you have a second storyline to “cut to”, when needed. It’s like having a second camera to cut to when editing.
    2. It’s an avenue you can use to discuss the theme.

    This is where the B Story starts, but it runs throughout the rest of the movie.

  • Fun and Games

    pgs 30-55

    This is where you get to have fun (yes, even in a serious drama).

    With your logline, you asked a question: “What would happen if __?”
    This is where you answer that question.

    You’ve set up your story, your characters, and propelled them along in their journey. This is where you get to explore what happens.

    If there was a teaser for your movie, most scenes will come from this section.

  • Break Into Three

    pg 85

    Find the solution!

    Because of everything that’s happened so far, and with the help of B story characters, the hero finds his last best effort to find a solution.

    The idea for the solution is at hand.

  • Finale

    pgs 85-110

    Wrap it up.
    The climax must be the result of the entire chain of events leading up to this point. A chain that should be linked by the words “therefore” or “but”… it’s not enough for Y to follow X, Y must happen because of X.

    Your climax is the result of

    1. Who your hero is.
    2. How your hero has changed.
    3. The events leading up to this point.

    Dispatch all the bad guys (literal or figurative), in ascending order. At the end, a new world is born.

    Not only must the hero suceed, but he/she must change the world.

  • Final Image

    pg 110

    The opening image is your “before” shot, this is the “after”.

    The world must have changed, and the difference between the opening image and the closing is the proof of this change.

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This place used to look a little better but I guess the owner of it after us didn't really care. It used to be filled with happiness and family. We didn't care that we would sleep on the floor or a couch. (Casey smiles and Grabs Lillian's hand)\n\n**Lillian:** I bet it was wonderful, thank you for showing me. You really didn't have to do that though.\n\n**Casey:** You want to go get something to eat, I know a wonderful pizzeria down the street (Casey walks to the door)\n\n**Lillian:** sounds great (both walk off stage in same direction)"},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcea","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906866,"position":1,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":"### Opening Image\n###### page 1\nIf you had to choose a photo to establish what \"the world\" is like before your story starts, this is it.\n\nMake it stand out, because first impressions matter. They set the tone and mood and scope, and hook the audience (or reader).\n\nIf it's a vast epic, the opening image should be grand. If it's a small intricate family drama, the opening images are small and subdued."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bceb","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906867,"position":2,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":"### Theme Stated\n###### page 5\nIt might not be clear at first, but your story should have a theme.\n\nYou can think of the theme as an argument, that the rest of the movie has to prove.\n\nRemember that a theme is there to guide you as a story writer, and provide a strong undercurrent to your story. It's not a restriction, it's **a fountain** for your imagination. If you ever get stuck, go back to your theme and you will find your answer there."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcec","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906868,"position":3,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":"### Set-up\n###### pgs 1-10\n\nBy the first 10 pages (or 12 at most), you need to have set up your story.\n\nIf you think of your story as a cannon shot, by page 10 the cannon needs to be loaded, aimed, and ready to be fired."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bced","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906869,"position":4,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":"### Catalyst\n###### pg 12\nAgain, with the cannon analogy: Your cannon is aimed in pages 1-10, it needs to actually fire by page 12.\n\nHere again, the size and scope of the catalyst event must match the size of your story. If it's a small drama, it could be a phone call announcing a death in the family, or it could be a breakup.\n\nIf it's a sprawling epic, it should be something grander. The outbreak of war, or the destruction of a planet."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcee","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906870,"position":5,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":"### Debate\n###### pgs 12-25\nIf your hero starts moving towards his goal immediately, it'll seem as though he's just reacting to what happens around him.\n\nNo one wants to see a hero react, they want to see him or her *act*.\n\nThat's what the debate section is for. This is where the hero shows that he/she knows that it'll be a long road, but consciously decides to act.\n\n"},{"_id":"623f66443cf26a0c69000067","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5907484,"position":6,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce9","content":""},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcef","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5912976,"position":2,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce8","content":"**Act 2**\n*Lillian, Casey, Janet, and Jaime all sat in a studio. It was a simple studio with a sound booth on one side and a comfy room on the other. the room has a couple couches and chairs set up around a table. The group sat in around the table talking to each other.*\n**Lillian:** "},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf0","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906872,"position":1,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcef","content":"### Break into Two\n###### pg 25\nOnce the hero decides to act, it's time to step through a membrane, and enter the world of Act II.\n\nFor example, in *Star Wars*, the catalyst is Luke's parents being killed, but the Act II event occurs when they board Han's ship, and the journey begins."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf1","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906873,"position":2,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcef","content":"### B Story\n###### pg 30\nThe audience has been through a lot of turmoil to get to this point. Introduce a secondary story to give them a rest.\n\nThis B story usually involves a romance, or a new friendship, or some other relationship with a character from the \"new world\" of Act II.\n\nIt also serves two useful tools for you as a writer:\n1. It lets you have a second storyline to \"cut to\", when needed. It's like having a second camera to cut to when editing.\n2. It's an avenue you can use to discuss the theme.\n\nThis is where the B Story starts, but it runs throughout the rest of the movie."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf2","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906874,"position":3,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcef","content":"### Fun and Games\n###### pgs 30-55\nThis is where you get to have fun (yes, even in a serious drama).\n\nWith your logline, you asked a question: \"What would happen if ____?\"\nThis is where you answer that question.\n\nYou've set up your story, your characters, and propelled them along in their journey. This is where you get to explore what happens.\n\nIf there was a teaser for your movie, most scenes will come from this section.\n"},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf8","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906880,"position":4,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce8","content":"## Act III\n#### The Resolution\n\nThe resolution of the story and its subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who they really are."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf9","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906881,"position":1,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf8","content":"### Break Into Three\n###### pg 85\nFind the solution!\n\nBecause of everything that's happened so far, and with the help of B story characters, the hero finds his last best effort to find a solution.\n\nThe idea for the solution is at hand."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcfa","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906882,"position":2,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf8","content":"### Finale\n###### pgs 85-110\nWrap it up.\nThe climax must be the *result* of the entire chain of events leading up to this point. A chain that should be linked by the words \"therefore\" or \"but\"... it's not enough for Y to follow X, Y must happen because of X.\n\nYour climax is the result of\n\n1. Who your hero is.\n2. How your hero has changed.\n3. The events leading up to this point.\n\nDispatch all the bad guys (literal or figurative), in ascending order. At the end, a new world is born.\n\nNot only must the hero suceed, but he/she must change the world."},{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcfb","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5906883,"position":3,"parentId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bcf8","content":"### Final Image\n###### pg 110\nThe opening image is your \"before\" shot, this is the \"after\".\n\nThe world must have changed, and the difference between the opening image and the closing is the proof of this change."},{"_id":"623f67493cf26a0c69000068","treeId":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","seq":5909121,"position":3,"parentId":null,"content":"**Characters:**\n**Casey:**\n**Lillian:**\n**Jaime:**\n**Janet:**"}],"tree":{"_id":"569fee006b1f1cee1a44bce6","name":"Changing Life-Scene 1","publicUrl":"changing-life-scene-1"}}