"Deus Ex Machine" Outline Challenge

[yeehi]

Hello!

I thought it would be good practice (and good fun) to work on outlining, and read some outlines by other people. Deus Ex Machine has made some great posts on this subject.

Rules:

1
Go to the random logline generator linked below and generate a workable random logline.

http://www.lifeformz.com/cgi-bin/idea/idea.cgi

2
Using the randomly generated logline as your base, provide an outline for a script with a 3 Act structure.

3 The outline should be broken into the following 15 parts, as described by Deus Ex:

ACT I

i Set Up
ii Catalyst
iii Opportunity/Problem
iv Incitement
v Turning Point

ACT II

vi Progress
vii Metaphor
viii Point Of No Return (PONR)
ix Post Point Of No Return (PPONR)
x Complication
xi Culmination
xii Defeat

ACT III

xiii Plan B
xiv Confrontation
xv Denoument


4 Copy/Paste the format indicated above with a line or two, perhaps a paragraph, for each section indicating what happens.

5 Upload a picture that could be used as the basis for a poster for your movie outline

6 The Challenge will close at the end of October.

7 I am excerpting brief definitions of the phrases used from the thread linked below, where you can find a worked example. The numbers refer to page numbers in a typical script where the various sections would likely be found:

http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/showthread.php?t=24081


Good Luck! :)

Guidance on Outline Terms:


ACT ONE
THE CONDITION OF THE ACTION
SETUP: CHARACTER WITH A PROBLEM (1-12)
Establishes who the main character is and what the character’s internal and external problems are. Also establishes the setting, period, tone, style and point of view of the story.

CATALYST (3)
The SETUP: CHARACTER WITH A PROBLEM sequence usually contains the CATALYST which is the first hint of what the main dilemma will be because of the first, usually innocuous, moment where the plot begins to act on the character and launch the story.

NEW OPPORTUNITY / PREDICAMENT (12-17)
Establishes a new problem which steers the story in a new direction and hints at bigger obstacles to come as the hero struggles to deal with the new disruption to his life.

INCITING INCIDENT (17)
The NEW OPPORTUNITY / PREDICAMENT sequence usually contains the INCITING INCIDENT which is the first significant event where the plot overtly acts on the character and completely disrupts and alters the characters life. The Inciting Incident contains the roots of the cause of the action.


CAUSE OF THE ACTION

TURNING POINT: POINT OF ATTACK (17-30)
An event caused by the antagonist that forces the character to take new action to "attack the problem" that defines the hero’s general wants/needs into a specific goal and sends the story in a new direction. The CAUSE OF THE ACTION is an action taken by the hero which raises the Major Dramatic Question that is the primary concern of the plot.


ACT TWO

THE ACTION
PROGRESS: NEW HIGHER OBSTACLES (30–60)
The hero makes progress toward their goal. There are new conflicts and higher obstacles introduced that places the character’s success in doubt.

Each beat puts the MDQ in doubt

MOVING FORWARD METAPHOR: ARC DEFINITION (45)
The PROGRESS: NEW HIGHER OBSTACLES sequence usually contains the MOVING FORWARD METAPHOR: ARC DEFINITION which contains overtones about the character’s growth and hints at the outcome of the story.


POINT OF NO RETURN: LOW POINT (60)
The POINT OF NO RETURN is a point in the story where the hero is confronted with an obstacle that is so large that if he continues he will risk so much that he will be unable to go back to the relative safety he was in before and must follow his new path to its inevitable conclusion. It’s a point of decision and action that defines a very low point in the story where any hope of success for the character seems small and the answer to the MDQ is in doubt.

POST POINT OF NO RETURN (60+)
A beat immediately after the POINT OF NO RETURN that doesn’t necessarily advance the story but it does illustrate the character’s change because of the PONR. This beat is usually an up beat to contrast the down beat of the PONR.


COMPLICATIONS, HIGHER STAKES AND SUBPLOTS (60-75)
The goal is harder to achieve than the hero thought and is tested more than he ever expected. Subplots develop and further complicate the hero’s path to his goals and raise the stakes.


CULMINATION TOWARD THE MAIN PLOT (75-90)
The conclusion of one dramatic tension and the start of a new one. The hero moves inexorably closer to his goal and discovers new info and better understanding of the nature of the opposition before him. The antagonist is aware of the hero’s actions and takes actions to prevent the hero from learning the truth about the conflict and obstacles the hero is trying to overcome. The focus shifts from subplots to the main plot.


APPARENT DEFEAT (90)
The greatest set back of the story for the hero. It appears as if achieving the goal is impossible but the hero has no choice but to try because he will have an even worse fate should he abandon his quest now. The hero’s internal needs/flaws are confronted defining the hero’s arc.

ACT THREE
RESULT OF THE ACTION
NEW PLAN (90-109)
The hero discovers a hidden truth about the nature of the obstacle and conflict to his goal which sets a new path for the hero that will lead to an inevitable conclusion and answer the MDQ.

FINAL CONFRONTATION (109-115)
The hero has reached the end of the path that has brought him to his goal. The only thing standing in his way is one obstacle that is greater and unlike any faced before. In this moment the hero must finally confront his internal flaws/needs and be changed in order to achieve the external goals and finally answer the MDQ.

DENOUEMENT AND RESOLUTION (115)
The final outcome of the story and how the hero’s life has been changed because of it.

[Biohazard]

Tall therapists resolve their differences.

"He's taller than me!"
"Sit down. We can work this out!"

Damn. This is going to be hard.

[dpaterso]

When I exercise, I expect to break sweat. This exercise wants me to run a 22-mile marathon. Kinda complicated. It seems to boil down to "write a screenplay" rather than just "work on outlining."

-Derek
My Web Page - shameless vampyre fiction & other shameless writings. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
So, you got plans later, or are ya just gonna go down to the docks and wait for the fleet to come in?

[yeehi]

This exercise wants me to run a 22-mile marathon. Kinda complicated.

I hope you enter, dpaterso.
Only 15 sentences are needed.
Guess I will have to go first now!

Logline:
Polygamist monks are involved in industrial espionage at the movies.


Title:
House of Flying Bullet Proof Monks of Heaven
(thanks for the great idea for a title, dpaterso!)

ACT I

i Set Up
The remotest opium growing hills on the borders of 1920s Siam. Monks of the Temple of Heaven are practicing flying through the air. Bullets fired at them by their furious, bigamised wives bounce off their robes. A drugged out mess of a director, Murnau, is stumbling their way.

ii Catalyst
Out of opium for his pipe, Murnau approaches the Temple, which has curious black poppy flowers growing in its shadow.

iii Opportunity/Problem
After gathering and then smoking a supply from the mysterious poppies, Murnau feels himself drifting skyward, and believes he can see inside the temple. Yet it is no pipe dream, and unfortunately the Monks have spotted the scrapings he took from their flowers.

iv Incitement
Waking up in the rooves of the temple, Murnau realizes it has been no dream. He becomes obsessed. Secretly filming the flying bullet proof monks of heaven, whilst he too learns to fly and tries to control an increasingly unruly addiction, it is only a matter of time before he becomes discovered.

v Turning Point
Senses dulled by the strange opium, and taking increasingly greater risks to his secrecy, Murnau plunges into the quarters of a stunningly beautiful girl, betrothed to the most powerful fighting monk in the temple. Unaware of the fascination she has aroused, Murnau films Misty Morning in all her nakedness. Murnau cannot let her proceed to the bigamous marriage without providing a warning. He is discovered and must flee for his life, pursued through land, air and over water by murderous monks, intent on recovering the honour of their temple, the rolls of film in Murnau’s bag, and the life of the man that breached the sanctity of their temple walls. Murnau must reach Bangkok and flee across the sea from these strange Monks, to save his life and to show his film to the world!


ACT II

vi Progress
Blundering into a Laotion market, and with monks hot on his heels, Murnau mugs a trader in sex-slaves, assumes his identity and clothes as disguise, and sets off downstream on a river-boat full of half naked, highly-trained courtesans. There is much to film. But now Laoation Triads are chasing him, too.

vii Metaphor
Murnau’s stash of the unusual opium is still large, but diminishing. He cannot flee his pursuers forever, and at Bangkok he will surely die unless he can find passage on a ship bound for Europe or America. Without any means of paying, he turns to the sex-slaves. He offers freedom, if they can earn him enough to pay his passage. They agree to help, but insist on travelling with him out of the country so that their freedom is secure. Great risks are taken stopping at towns on the river to acquire silks, perfumes, gems and jewelry for their enterprise in Bangkok and future life abroad. There is no one but Murnau on whom to practice their arts before reaching port.

viii Point Of No Return (PONR)
Murnau and the girls set up shop, but their first customers are the unwitting Monks that had been pursuing them. The girls are enchanted flying through the air as they make love with the monks. That is, until they begin flying back to the temple in the remote hills, and Murnau is captured and taken with them. In desperation, Murnau bids to become one of the Monks of Heaven himself, on the grounds of his considerable capacity for the strange opium, flying ability and knowledge of the outer world.

ix Post Point Of No Return (PPONR)
Murnau must bigamously marry the sex-slaves to save his life. Seeing Misty Morning again, he wishes to marry her, too, and dresses her like a prostitute to confuse the monks, whilst one of his female companions slips out of the temple to gather more opium and persuade elephant herders to help their plight.

x Complication
For the ordination, it is required that his new wives shoot at him while he flys through the air. Taking inordinate risk, Murnau teaches Misty Morning the secrets of the moving picture camera and prepares her to film the arcane ceremony. Unfortunately, the Triads with whom the Monks of Heaven have been trading, learn the whereabouts of their missing sex-slaves.

xi Culmination
Murnau learns that the silk used for the monks’ robes is from worms fed on mulberry leaves laced with opium from the strange poppy. The silk is stronger than hardened steel. Murnau is ordained, and swears loyalty to the temple.

xii Defeat
Murnau’s rolls of film are found. Taking misty morning to a great height, the fighting monk threatens to drop her, unless she teaches him the ways of the camera. The monks see their ceremonies and life projected onto the clouds above the temple, and fists of fury fly. With reels of film in a sack about his neck, and a roll of silk on his back, Murnau takes the hands of the best prostitute and Misty Morning, now his wives, and leaps onto the back of an elephant that he had been feeding opium. They fly off into the night sky. Monks on floating fire lanterns are on their tail, and below are the demonic Triads! Losing altitude, he must make a choice between keeping all his prizes and being caught, or saving himself. He looks at misty morning, takes a deep puff on his pipe, blows into her mouth and kicks her off the flying elephant. He hopes the fighting monk will not bother to keep after him.


ACT III

xiii Plan B
Bangkok. To make money for passage to Europe, Murnau uses the silk for a screen and sets up an impromptu Bankok cinema. A crowd is wild to see his picture, after he flys around their heads on an elephant blowing smoke out of its trunk. The coins mount up, but time is against him, and the monks hear word of the show.

xiv Confrontation
Triads and monks descend upon the show, both intent on killing Murnau. Mistaking each other for Murnau’s guards, they begin fighting. In the confusion, Murnau takes his assistant and the final reel that she had been filming, and dashes to the docks, to board ship for Bremen.

xv Denoument
Murnau is smiling beautifully, with a sack full of opium in his cabin, a pipe in his mouth, the reels safely in the hold and a beautiful girl with him in his bed. The courtesan easily seduces Murnau into being tattooed by a voluptuous, chinese artiste. Unknown to Murnau, the ink-base is made from the strange opium he has been carrying. The pictures and symbols the chinese beauty paints upon his body begin to take on a life of their own...

Poster (http://www.dechen.org/content/images/general/Monk-Flying.jpg)

[gesztenye]

Three hot dog sellers disguise themselves as each other.

swell.

but I somehow like this one:
A serial killer and a linguist form a rock band.

[ylekot43]

It took me a couple clicks but it finally generated:

A patient, a superficial father, and a sword-fighting cult leader go on a date in a whorehouse. :eek:

[Biohazard]

It took me a couple clicks but it finally generated:

A patient, a superficial father, and a sword-fighting cult leader go on a date in a whorehouse. :eek:

I'd stand in line to see that.

And...it would make a great movie.



I just got this one, and could not stop laughing:

A barbarian has a major breakdown in an emergency room.

[ihavebiglips]

In Middle Ages Chicago, traffic cops plot to kill a dentist on a starship.
This has summer blockbuster written all over it. :bounce:

Middle Ages Chicago... priceless.

[dpaterso]

"Four stoned mimes break into a computer."

Now that's what I call an exciting incident.

yeehi, I totally deny legal responsibility for any mental damage caused by your title or your story outline.

-Derek
My Web Page - shameless vampyre fiction & other shameless writings. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
You. All of you. Why couldn't you be dealing drugs like normal people?

[Jcorona]

A grandmother quietly reads the dictionary to herself at the dining room table.

It's a thriller.

Corona

[Fortean]

A grandmother quietly reads the dictionary to herself at the dining room table.

It's a thriller.Too wordy!

[Jcorona]

Too wordy!

:rolling:

Corona

[M4estro]

A passive-aggressive hippy, a soldier, and a superstitious jewel thief find they have nothing in common in a small airport.

This movie ends after the first Act. :)

[dpaterso]

I'm just saying, 'cause sometimes I visit for fun, there are slightly more complex Story idea generators (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-writ.php) at the Seventh Sanctum site (and many other sites if you search for 'em). Just for example's sake:

Quick Story Idea Generator (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=quickstory) - For writing challenges, inspirations, and boredom relief. Comes up with basic story ideas.

The theme of this story: allegorical caper. The main character: generous heroine. The start of the story: training. The end of the story: birth.

The theme of this story: allegorical crime. The main character: enduring sailor. The start of the story: travel. The end of the story: inheritance.

The theme of this story: psychological character study. The main character: humble airline pilot. The major event of the story: destruction.

The theme of this story: satirical conflict. The main characters: cowardly corporate official and generous psychologist. The start of the story: conspiracy. The end of the story: getting lost.

The theme of this story: satirical slice-of-life. The main characters: serious bandit and kind prospector. The start of the story: infiltration. The end of the story: surrender.

Quick Story Theme Generator (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=quicktheme) - To give you a quick idea for a theme/setting for a story.

Setting: cyberpunk/post-apocalypse. Theme: psychological solitude story

Setting: dystopia. Theme:mystery/tragedy story

Setting: pirate/utopia. Theme:religious conversion story

Setting: splatterpunk. Theme:metaphor/search-for-identity story

Setting: utopia/dystopia. Theme:story-of-substance-addiction/family drama story

Story Generator (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=storygen) - Produces detailed story ideas for a variety of settings. Includes possibilities for themes, settings, characters and events.

The story is about an optimistic teacher and an absent-minded barber. It starts in an outpost. International adoption plays a major role in this story.

This is a deconstruction of a classic legend. The story is about a smooth video game addict and a zoologist. It starts in a drug plantation. The generation gap plays a major part in this story.

The story is about a religious repairman, a cooperative farmer, a hockey player, and a committed movie producer. It starts in a port city in North America. The story climaxes with someone changing clothes.

This is a tale about romance. The story is about a miserable hero who is best friends with a clinging biologist. It takes place in a port city. The issue of global warming plays a major role in this story.

The story is about a humble outlaw, an antisocial construction worker, and a businessperson. It takes place in an outpost in Saudi Arabia. The story climaxes with someone doing laundry.

Writing Challenge Generator (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=writechallenge) - Need to push your imagination or come up with a challenge for your fellow writers? Try this generator to see if it gets your mind moving!

The story starts during a business meeting. During the story, there is a birth. A character uses a tool, and the action has far better results than expected.

The story is set during a thunderstorm. The story takes place a century into the future. During the story, there is an assassination.

The story takes place in mid-summer. The story must have a businessperson at the beginning. During the story, a character is killed.

The story starts in a lost city. The story takes place in the early evening. During the story, there is a need to ask directions.

The story must have a gazelle in it. The story must involve a pick in it. A character is deceptive throughout most of the story.

Romance Story Generator (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=romance) - Generates a romance-oriented plot and pairing for your writing needs and inspiration, complete with extra details and plot complications!

This story takes place in an intergalactic commonwealth. In it, an athletic surgeon ends up on the run with a servant needing a friend. What starts as friendship soon turns into love - all thanks to a tragedy.

This story takes place in a manufacturing city in Australia. In it, a noisy outlaw falls in love with a bitter psychiatrist - all thanks to growth.

This story takes place in Moscow. In it, a reporter who suffers from a chronic disease falls madly in love with a clueless football player. Yet, how can a comic tear them apart?

In this story, a gentle peasant falls madly in love with a plucky treasure-hunter - all thanks to a critical injury. Yet, how can an actor who has annoyed the gods tear them apart?

In this story, a nostalgic philosopher attends a social event and meets a homely hockey player. What starts as friendship soon turns into love - all thanks to an advice.

There's also Character name generators (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php) if you're looking for exotic names for your characters.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

[pstudios]

:eek: Could be worse guess I was lucky with this one.

Six nurses start a homeless shelter in prison.

[pstudios]

:eek: Could be worse guess I was lucky with this one.

Six nurses start a homeless shelter in prison.
:angel: OK here it is in a rough version. May change this later. We'll see.

I have to confess here that I didn't use the outline structure that was posted for this exercise. I've been studieing "Save the Cat" book and I figured I'd get more out of this if I used the one in the book.

Would love feedback on this outline and story.

Jennifer

Six nurses start a homeless shelter in a prison. One of them leads the team to help save prisoners who’ve fallen under the reign of a tyrannical warden.

PROJECT TITLE: Homeless Inmates
GENRE: Drama (institutionalized)

1. Opening Image (1): Street by hospital. Homeless man on street. Nurse walks past him, into hospital.

2. Theme Stated (5): Nurses in ER. Nurse Mona wants to make a difference and wants to help people.

3. Set-up (1-10): Meet the 6 nurses (Mona and Lisa). They volunteer at shelter. They find that inmates are released and become homeless. Desire to help homeless, as well as others.

4. Catalyst (12): The shelter, where Mona volunteers, loses its space.

5. Debate (12-25): Mona learns of space in prison, convinces proper authorities that they should use the prison space as a new homeless shelter.

6. Break into 2 (25): Mona and other nurses open the shelter.

7. B Story (30): Mona becomes close with homeless man Webster, as well as the other homeless, and becomes friendly with the warden and some of the prisoners. Lisa and the warden show some interest in each other.

8. Fun and Games (30-55): Mona gives Webster a makeover. Webster helps the prisoners in all ways. The warden softens. Lisa does it with the warden. Certain prisoners even get legal help.

9. Midpoint (55): Warden seems to soften and one of the prisoners is innocent and will get released soon. Mona thinks she has been helping and then finds out about Lisa’s affair with the warden.

10. Bad Guys Close In (55-75): Warden tries to stop release of prisoner, starts to try to evict the shelter and uses media to tarnish image of the shelter. Shelter funds dry up.

11. All Is Lost (75): There is a court order to evict shelter. Warden locks down the prison and kills the prisoner just before his release. Warden threatens Webster both with legal action and his life.

12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-85): Mona decides to pull together nurse team and homeless to help and one device could be a media presentation.

13. Break into 3 (85): Mona starts on this and gets media and community backing and appeals the eviction.

14. Finale (85-110): They win and get to keep shelter. Warden resigns and faces legal charges. Two wrongly charged prisoners are freed. Webster is made shelter coordinator.

15. Final Image (110): Car with Mona and Webster has "Just Married" sign on window leave their wedding that was held at the prison shelter. The car drives out the gates.