Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Recent Posts
Some recent posts have been entered under old headings.
To make sure those posts are seen, copy & paste them here.
EDUCATION
In a Debate with the GOV.
BB--"Look, if you teach a woman to cook she'll bring you fish for dinner, but if you teach a woman to get her a education then she'll use that education to buy a boat. If elected Gov. I vow to have all of the woman's in my prison to get their high school's diplomacy."
Gov Attack Ad "Clearly BB lacks the education he's stands for."
BB lets it slip that he doesn't have a high school diploma. (could happen over a loudspeaker or at a press conference.)
Charlie has a good thing going with moving goods in and out of the prison (we learn how it's done as...) the prisoner's move, tampons, champagne, an ipod through the prison system.
BB fakes a high school diploma.
BB is suspended because he doesn't have a high school diploma.
BB tries to make Daisy look inept but has no power. The doors slams in his face like Diane Keaton in the Godfather.
Charlie convinces Daisy she was born to be the Warden. "Women in charge."
Daisy reluctantly takes the office. She is timid as she walks through BB's office touching his things. As soon as her butt hits the chair she is filled with the power of the position.
The prison now operates at full capacity on time. Daisy is like Mussolini and the trains. Or Goebbles and his propaganda. The prison is a well oiled machine under Daisy's tutelage and now that she's had a taste, she's not giving it up for nothing.
Charlie's plan backfires. She can't smuggle in goods and now the other prisoner's are coming down hard on her. There's infighting and rigamarole all the live long day.
We see the depletion in the quality of the goods, tan bark, pruno, half a broken record.
BB has to attend sensitivity training to graduate from high school and finally get his diploma.
His task, he won't do it, he can't do it--it's home ec. and he refuses to take over a woman's station.
Daisy is mad with power and control. She gradually becomes Hillary Clinton. Her hair begins to change, and she starts donning pant suits as she struts around the office. She even laughs like Hillary.
BB flips out. He is unteachable. Daisy provokes BB, taunts him mercilessly, BB breaks down and cries. His breakdown is caught on film and turned into another ATTACK AD for the GOV.
With Daisy as Warden Charlie starts to loose her cred.
Charlie calls in a favor and has a diploma forged for BB so that he can become warden BB again.
BB retakes his thrown as Daisy is usurped. BB relaxes as everything returns to how it once was.
November 2, 2010 12:49 AM
To make sure those posts are seen, copy & paste them here.
EDUCATION
In a Debate with the GOV.
BB--"Look, if you teach a woman to cook she'll bring you fish for dinner, but if you teach a woman to get her a education then she'll use that education to buy a boat. If elected Gov. I vow to have all of the woman's in my prison to get their high school's diplomacy."
Gov Attack Ad "Clearly BB lacks the education he's stands for."
BB lets it slip that he doesn't have a high school diploma. (could happen over a loudspeaker or at a press conference.)
Charlie has a good thing going with moving goods in and out of the prison (we learn how it's done as...) the prisoner's move, tampons, champagne, an ipod through the prison system.
BB fakes a high school diploma.
BB is suspended because he doesn't have a high school diploma.
BB tries to make Daisy look inept but has no power. The doors slams in his face like Diane Keaton in the Godfather.
Charlie convinces Daisy she was born to be the Warden. "Women in charge."
Daisy reluctantly takes the office. She is timid as she walks through BB's office touching his things. As soon as her butt hits the chair she is filled with the power of the position.
The prison now operates at full capacity on time. Daisy is like Mussolini and the trains. Or Goebbles and his propaganda. The prison is a well oiled machine under Daisy's tutelage and now that she's had a taste, she's not giving it up for nothing.
Charlie's plan backfires. She can't smuggle in goods and now the other prisoner's are coming down hard on her. There's infighting and rigamarole all the live long day.
We see the depletion in the quality of the goods, tan bark, pruno, half a broken record.
BB has to attend sensitivity training to graduate from high school and finally get his diploma.
His task, he won't do it, he can't do it--it's home ec. and he refuses to take over a woman's station.
Daisy is mad with power and control. She gradually becomes Hillary Clinton. Her hair begins to change, and she starts donning pant suits as she struts around the office. She even laughs like Hillary.
BB flips out. He is unteachable. Daisy provokes BB, taunts him mercilessly, BB breaks down and cries. His breakdown is caught on film and turned into another ATTACK AD for the GOV.
With Daisy as Warden Charlie starts to loose her cred.
Charlie calls in a favor and has a diploma forged for BB so that he can become warden BB again.
BB retakes his thrown as Daisy is usurped. BB relaxes as everything returns to how it once was.
November 2, 2010 12:49 AM
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Class Email List
Airto Jackson 2848films@gmail.com
Sara Casale scasale6@gmail.com
Kara Frias karafrias@comcast.net
David Greene DavidGreeneFilms@gmail.com
Stefany James stefanyjames@gmail.com
Michael Legato orion87956@yahoo.com
Jesse Linn jplinn@gmail.com
Mayra Monroy BTVS637@att.net
Michael Rawley michaeljohnrawley@gmail.com
Benito Selim selimflix@gmail.com
Joe Singleton thesingleton86@yahoo.com
Mia Sumichan mia.sumichan@gmail.com
David Thompson dlthompsonvbc@hotmail.com
Michael Williams kinochef@gmail.com
Sara Casale scasale6@gmail.com
Kara Frias karafrias@comcast.net
David Greene DavidGreeneFilms@gmail.com
Stefany James stefanyjames@gmail.com
Michael Legato orion87956@yahoo.com
Jesse Linn jplinn@gmail.com
Mayra Monroy BTVS637@att.net
Michael Rawley michaeljohnrawley@gmail.com
Benito Selim selimflix@gmail.com
Joe Singleton thesingleton86@yahoo.com
Mia Sumichan mia.sumichan@gmail.com
David Thompson dlthompsonvbc@hotmail.com
Michael Williams kinochef@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK
Everyone must bring to class hard copies of 3 fully developed stories - a separate page for each webisode.
HOLLYWOOD STAR WANTS THE RIGHTS TO CHARLIE'S LIFE
Have this webisode fully developed by Wednesday.
Post the story here, and feed off each other's ideas.
Post the story here, and feed off each other's ideas.
GUN CONTROL
Let's make sure all the beats in the outline are fully developed.
If you have anything to add that will help strengthen the story, write it here.
If you have anything to add that will help strengthen the story, write it here.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
PILOT - (to help establish the tone of the show)
It's very important to establish the tone of the show - especially since comedy can take us in so many different directions. To help us all get on the same page, I've provided an outline that should help us break other stories faster.
PILOT
WARDEN B.B. WARREN, running for governor, stands in front of a sea of American flags during the filming of a campaign ad.
SUPERIMPOSE: Warden B.B. Warren
Off-camera, the PRODUCER asks, “Would you run the state like you run this prison?”
BB talks about how tough he is.
BB: I run a tight ship here. I meet challenges head-on. You’ll never see me passing the buck. People have to take pride in their work, take responsibility for their actions, and hold themselves accountable when things go wrong. And when I’m governor…
Sirens blare, interrupting the governor.
DAISY rushes in and immediately gets smothered by the material from all the flags, not expecting to see them there. She accidentally knocks over the flags, revealing the warden’s office – filled with signage from corporate sponsors.
She tells BB that Charlie escaped.
Realizing he’s still on camera, BB immediately goes into political rationalization mode, saying if he were governor this would have never happened.
Producer (off-camera): This happened on your watch, warden. What happened to being accountable?
BB goes ballistic.
BB: Turn that camera off! Turn that fucking thing off!
Producer (off-camera): It’s off.
But they’re still rolling.
BB wants the footage. The crew won’t hand it over. He bribes them, offering them a position in his administration when he’s elected – which, of course, they have on film. Still, they won’t give it up.
Producer (to Daisy): What can you tell me about Charlie?
Daisy: Well, put it this way: She was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List and People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People at the same time.
The crew interviews an INMATE who’s pissed that Charlie escaped because Charlie was going to get her a Faberge egg. The inmate explains to the producer that Charlie can get the inmates anything. She’s the “go-to chick” in the contraband pipeline. She’s completely connected to the outside.
CUT TO: People on the outside who were victimized by Charlie. Through interviews, we build the legend of Charlie. For example:
VICTIM: She passed herself off as a math tutor, stole my identity, then bilked me for $80,000. Although she did help my kid ace trigonometry.
SUPERIMPOSE: 3 WEEKS LATER
We see the glow from the TV as we HEAR the newscaster say, with each day that’s passed since Charlie’s escape, BB’s poll numbers have gone down.
BB is upset. Feet up on his desk and holding a deck of cards, he tosses them, one card at a time, trying to get them into a hat, missing every time…when Daisy enters with a delivery. It’s BB’s campaign bumper stickers. They read: “BB Warden: The Next Best Choice”.
BB goes ballistic, yelling at Daisy that they were supposed to read: “The Best Next Choice”.
In his fury, he throws the rest of the deck at the hat and yells that he specifically told her exactly how the bumper stickers were supposed to read, and she fucked it up.
While berating Daisy, the phone rings. BB is told that Charlie’s been captured.
BB is so thrilled about the news that she plants a huge kiss on Daisy, who gets weak in the knees, then moves her out of the way, like she were a bag of golf clubs, and heads out the door.
CUT TO: Interviews with people who are pissed that Charlie got caught. For example:
GROUPIE (who was in the courtroom gallery every day of the trial and sends daily love letters to Charlie): I love her, and I’m gonna marry her. And that son-of-a-bitch warden takes her off the market? You think I’m gonna vote for that home wrecker? That sick bastard. He’s the one who should be doing time.
Back at the warden’s office…BB learns in a TV report that after news of Charlie’s capture, BB’s poll numbers went down again. BB is stunned. He can’t figure out how his poll numbers can go down when she escapes, and go lower when she’s caught.
(STOCK FOOTAGE) Streets are blocked off as a police escort leads Charlie back to prison in an unmarked van. “CHARLIE FANS” line the streets, watching the van go by, cheering her on. Police helicopters fly overhead, making sure there are no incidents along the route.
The van arrives at the prison. The film crew is there to capture the moment.
As Charlie steps out of the van, we see her for the first time – gorgeous, sexy, and shackled.
The INMATES step to either side, forming a path from Charlie to the warden.
As Charlie, escorted by Daisy, makes the walk to the warden, Charlie hands an inmate the Faberge egg she asked for.
Charlie and the warden stand face-to-face. BB tells Daisy to take her to “the hole”. Charlie gets 30 days in solitary confinement.
The film crew interviews Charlie through the slot in the door of solitary confinement.
Producer: Was it worth it?
Charlie: If my 30 days save you from four years of that clown being governor, how would you answer that?
Producer: With a “thank you”.
Charlie’s hand comes through the slot, holding an empty champagne flute.
Charlie: You want to hit me up again?
A GUARD pours champagne into the glass as we…FADE OUT.
PILOT
WARDEN B.B. WARREN, running for governor, stands in front of a sea of American flags during the filming of a campaign ad.
SUPERIMPOSE: Warden B.B. Warren
Off-camera, the PRODUCER asks, “Would you run the state like you run this prison?”
BB talks about how tough he is.
BB: I run a tight ship here. I meet challenges head-on. You’ll never see me passing the buck. People have to take pride in their work, take responsibility for their actions, and hold themselves accountable when things go wrong. And when I’m governor…
Sirens blare, interrupting the governor.
DAISY rushes in and immediately gets smothered by the material from all the flags, not expecting to see them there. She accidentally knocks over the flags, revealing the warden’s office – filled with signage from corporate sponsors.
She tells BB that Charlie escaped.
Realizing he’s still on camera, BB immediately goes into political rationalization mode, saying if he were governor this would have never happened.
Producer (off-camera): This happened on your watch, warden. What happened to being accountable?
BB goes ballistic.
BB: Turn that camera off! Turn that fucking thing off!
Producer (off-camera): It’s off.
But they’re still rolling.
BB wants the footage. The crew won’t hand it over. He bribes them, offering them a position in his administration when he’s elected – which, of course, they have on film. Still, they won’t give it up.
Producer (to Daisy): What can you tell me about Charlie?
Daisy: Well, put it this way: She was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List and People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People at the same time.
The crew interviews an INMATE who’s pissed that Charlie escaped because Charlie was going to get her a Faberge egg. The inmate explains to the producer that Charlie can get the inmates anything. She’s the “go-to chick” in the contraband pipeline. She’s completely connected to the outside.
CUT TO: People on the outside who were victimized by Charlie. Through interviews, we build the legend of Charlie. For example:
VICTIM: She passed herself off as a math tutor, stole my identity, then bilked me for $80,000. Although she did help my kid ace trigonometry.
SUPERIMPOSE: 3 WEEKS LATER
We see the glow from the TV as we HEAR the newscaster say, with each day that’s passed since Charlie’s escape, BB’s poll numbers have gone down.
BB is upset. Feet up on his desk and holding a deck of cards, he tosses them, one card at a time, trying to get them into a hat, missing every time…when Daisy enters with a delivery. It’s BB’s campaign bumper stickers. They read: “BB Warden: The Next Best Choice”.
BB goes ballistic, yelling at Daisy that they were supposed to read: “The Best Next Choice”.
In his fury, he throws the rest of the deck at the hat and yells that he specifically told her exactly how the bumper stickers were supposed to read, and she fucked it up.
While berating Daisy, the phone rings. BB is told that Charlie’s been captured.
BB is so thrilled about the news that she plants a huge kiss on Daisy, who gets weak in the knees, then moves her out of the way, like she were a bag of golf clubs, and heads out the door.
CUT TO: Interviews with people who are pissed that Charlie got caught. For example:
GROUPIE (who was in the courtroom gallery every day of the trial and sends daily love letters to Charlie): I love her, and I’m gonna marry her. And that son-of-a-bitch warden takes her off the market? You think I’m gonna vote for that home wrecker? That sick bastard. He’s the one who should be doing time.
Back at the warden’s office…BB learns in a TV report that after news of Charlie’s capture, BB’s poll numbers went down again. BB is stunned. He can’t figure out how his poll numbers can go down when she escapes, and go lower when she’s caught.
(STOCK FOOTAGE) Streets are blocked off as a police escort leads Charlie back to prison in an unmarked van. “CHARLIE FANS” line the streets, watching the van go by, cheering her on. Police helicopters fly overhead, making sure there are no incidents along the route.
The van arrives at the prison. The film crew is there to capture the moment.
As Charlie steps out of the van, we see her for the first time – gorgeous, sexy, and shackled.
The INMATES step to either side, forming a path from Charlie to the warden.
As Charlie, escorted by Daisy, makes the walk to the warden, Charlie hands an inmate the Faberge egg she asked for.
Charlie and the warden stand face-to-face. BB tells Daisy to take her to “the hole”. Charlie gets 30 days in solitary confinement.
The film crew interviews Charlie through the slot in the door of solitary confinement.
Producer: Was it worth it?
Charlie: If my 30 days save you from four years of that clown being governor, how would you answer that?
Producer: With a “thank you”.
Charlie’s hand comes through the slot, holding an empty champagne flute.
Charlie: You want to hit me up again?
A GUARD pours champagne into the glass as we…FADE OUT.
"B.B. AND THE PRIEST" (Family Values Webisode)
Again, to help establish the tone...
“B.B. AND THE PRIEST”
BB is against same sex marriage. He gets endorsed by an influential priest…who turns out to be gay.
THE STORY:
BB gets a political endorsement from a priest who has big problems with the governor (who’s currently under investigation for all kinds of ethics violations).
During a photo shoot in the warden’s office, BB and the PRIEST show their solidarity – shaking hands, arms around each other, joining hands held high…when Charlie barges in, pissed.
Two inmates, (Butch and Rocky), serving life sentences, want to get married, and Charlie just heard that BB refused to allow it. He’s against same sex marriage.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates, Charlie thinks Butch and Rocky make a lovely couple and that they should have the right to do life as wife and wife.
BB won’t budge from his position. The priest agrees with BB – that such a union would be a sin in the eyes of the Lord. BB is smug. He’s got a priest on his side.
When the photos of the priest endorsing BB are all over the news, a story hits that the priest has been molesting altar boys for years.
BB: I was endorsed by a child molester?
CUT TO: interviews with ADULTS who were abused by the priest. They were undecided about how they were going to vote, but, after the endorsement, all of them are now going to vote for the governor. They don’t care that he took bribes, did coke, and used public funds for personal vacations. At least, he’s not using an endorsement from a child molester to try to get elected.
BB asks Daisy what she thinks he should do. She thinks he should kill himself.
When that suggestion doesn’t go over well, she tells him he should step down as warden.
When that suggestion doesn’t go over well, BB pulls a gun on Daisy and tells her to get out of his office. He tells her to bring Charlie into his office. She’ll know what to do.
Charlie enters, and BB tells her he needs help spinning this story. He needs to distance himself from the priest. Charlie tells BB to be careful not to lose the gay vote.
BB says he doesn’t have the gay vote. She tells him he can’t get elected without it.
She tells him to move the focus away from the priest’s history of child molestation and put the focus on gay rights – to put the spotlight on the ill effects of a society that shames people into hiding their sexual preference. If the priest would have felt more comfortable about coming out of the closet when he was younger, maybe he would have chosen a completely different career path.
Charlie convinces BB that it would be a good political move to support gay rights.
Charlie: It’ll help you get more campaign contributions from most of Hollywood and all of San Francisco.
The idea of more money pouring into his campaign is much more appealing than staying true to his own political beliefs. He’ll say anything to get elected.
Charlie tells BB that saying it isn’t enough. He has to prove it that he’s accepting of same sex marriage. Charlie convinces him let Butch and Rocky get married.
One of Charlie’s identities is as an ordained minister in the Church of All Faiths. It gives her the authority to perform weddings, so she does the ceremony.
BUTCH and ROCKY’s wedding is filmed by the crew – and it was Charlie who made it all happen.
“B.B. AND THE PRIEST”
BB is against same sex marriage. He gets endorsed by an influential priest…who turns out to be gay.
THE STORY:
BB gets a political endorsement from a priest who has big problems with the governor (who’s currently under investigation for all kinds of ethics violations).
During a photo shoot in the warden’s office, BB and the PRIEST show their solidarity – shaking hands, arms around each other, joining hands held high…when Charlie barges in, pissed.
Two inmates, (Butch and Rocky), serving life sentences, want to get married, and Charlie just heard that BB refused to allow it. He’s against same sex marriage.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates, Charlie thinks Butch and Rocky make a lovely couple and that they should have the right to do life as wife and wife.
BB won’t budge from his position. The priest agrees with BB – that such a union would be a sin in the eyes of the Lord. BB is smug. He’s got a priest on his side.
When the photos of the priest endorsing BB are all over the news, a story hits that the priest has been molesting altar boys for years.
BB: I was endorsed by a child molester?
CUT TO: interviews with ADULTS who were abused by the priest. They were undecided about how they were going to vote, but, after the endorsement, all of them are now going to vote for the governor. They don’t care that he took bribes, did coke, and used public funds for personal vacations. At least, he’s not using an endorsement from a child molester to try to get elected.
BB asks Daisy what she thinks he should do. She thinks he should kill himself.
When that suggestion doesn’t go over well, she tells him he should step down as warden.
When that suggestion doesn’t go over well, BB pulls a gun on Daisy and tells her to get out of his office. He tells her to bring Charlie into his office. She’ll know what to do.
Charlie enters, and BB tells her he needs help spinning this story. He needs to distance himself from the priest. Charlie tells BB to be careful not to lose the gay vote.
BB says he doesn’t have the gay vote. She tells him he can’t get elected without it.
She tells him to move the focus away from the priest’s history of child molestation and put the focus on gay rights – to put the spotlight on the ill effects of a society that shames people into hiding their sexual preference. If the priest would have felt more comfortable about coming out of the closet when he was younger, maybe he would have chosen a completely different career path.
Charlie convinces BB that it would be a good political move to support gay rights.
Charlie: It’ll help you get more campaign contributions from most of Hollywood and all of San Francisco.
The idea of more money pouring into his campaign is much more appealing than staying true to his own political beliefs. He’ll say anything to get elected.
Charlie tells BB that saying it isn’t enough. He has to prove it that he’s accepting of same sex marriage. Charlie convinces him let Butch and Rocky get married.
One of Charlie’s identities is as an ordained minister in the Church of All Faiths. It gives her the authority to perform weddings, so she does the ceremony.
BUTCH and ROCKY’s wedding is filmed by the crew – and it was Charlie who made it all happen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Campaign Issues
What's Warden Warren's position on the issues?
1. Add to the list of issues.
2. Pick the areas you spark to and generate stories (beginning, middle, and end) based on those issues.
1. Crime - (in Pilot, he says he's tough on crime; runs a tight ship; Charlie escapes)
2. Family Values
3. Drugs
4. Women's Rights
5. The Death Penalty
6. Gun Control
7. Immigration
8. Education
9. Health Care
10. Abortion
1. Add to the list of issues.
2. Pick the areas you spark to and generate stories (beginning, middle, and end) based on those issues.
1. Crime - (in Pilot, he says he's tough on crime; runs a tight ship; Charlie escapes)
2. Family Values
3. Drugs
4. Women's Rights
5. The Death Penalty
6. Gun Control
7. Immigration
8. Education
9. Health Care
10. Abortion
Monday, October 4, 2010
Webisode Ideas - LET'S DO THIS...
You must have 3 webisode ideas posted on the blog. Don't wait till the end of the week to start posting.
Read the blog each day and see what ideas your classmates are posting. If something about the webisode strikes you, ADD TO IT. Contribute to someone else's story. Pose story possibilities by asking a question that starts with "What if..." See where that takes the story.Keep bouncing ideas off each other.
You're the writing staff of this show. The staff has to meet every day, not once a week.
On your 3 webisode ideas - instead of just posting a beginning middle, and end - WORK OUT THE WHOLE STORY.
We will still continue to make the story as strong as possible when we break it down in class, but we need to do more work up front to get more use out of the class time.
In each episode, what's the character's problem? What conflict does it create with the other characters?
Read the blog each day and see what ideas your classmates are posting. If something about the webisode strikes you, ADD TO IT. Contribute to someone else's story. Pose story possibilities by asking a question that starts with "What if..." See where that takes the story.Keep bouncing ideas off each other.
You're the writing staff of this show. The staff has to meet every day, not once a week.
On your 3 webisode ideas - instead of just posting a beginning middle, and end - WORK OUT THE WHOLE STORY.
We will still continue to make the story as strong as possible when we break it down in class, but we need to do more work up front to get more use out of the class time.
In each episode, what's the character's problem? What conflict does it create with the other characters?
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Make Up Class Reminder!
Remember, we are making up the class we missed (due to Labor Day) by going an hour later for the next three weeks.
Monday, October 4: Class will go from 7pm - 10:50pm.
Monday, October 11: Class will go from 7pm - 10:50pm.
Monday, October 18: Class will go from 7pm - 10:40pm.
Monday, October 4: Class will go from 7pm - 10:50pm.
Monday, October 11: Class will go from 7pm - 10:50pm.
Monday, October 18: Class will go from 7pm - 10:40pm.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Daisy de Bulle (Prison Guard)
The opportunist.
He wants the warden's job.
What is his attitude?
Explore the conflicts.
He wants the warden's job.
What is his attitude?
Explore the conflicts.
Documentary Filmmaker - (Sound Man)
What's his attitude?
How is it different from his camera operator/producer?
How is it different from his camera operator/producer?
Documentary Filmmaker - Camera Operator (Female)
What's her attitude?
How does it differ from the sound man?
How does it differ from the sound man?
Charlie (Escaped Convict) - (Archetype: Pink)
What's her crime?
What's her attitude?
Explore the conflict between Pink and Baldwin.
What's her attitude?
Explore the conflict between Pink and Baldwin.
Warden B.B. Warren - (Archetype: Alec Baldwin)
Write your brilliant take on this media whore, women's prison warden with a huge sense of entitlement running for governor.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Welcome to the Fall 2010 Writers' Room blog
This is where you can post ideas and feedback between classes.
Check in daily to see if anything new has been posted.
Check in daily to see if anything new has been posted.
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