Writers' Room Workshop with AJZ (Feb 2021) - GROUP 2 : Homework by J.L. Reed

Hey J.L. I watched the OZARK pilot last night. I also found and read a PDF of the pilot screenplay. I'll probably choose an episode from the next season to watch next.

It is incredible.

Hey there. We were in the middle of re-watching Breaking Bad when this class started, so we figured, we'd just watch the next episode and break it down. The episode were getting ready to watch is Season 3 Episode 5.

I watched the pilot of Ozark, as assigned, and I guess I just don't see how it's any different from Breaking Bad and the Sopranos. It feels like the same dude, the same wife, the same family. Yes they are all well acted. I did start watching "Mr. Robot" because of this class and I am enjoying it. I started "Underground" after enjoying "Lovecraft Country" so much and I'm going to re-watch "Watchmen".

I hear what you are saying Heidi DuBose about Marty = Tony = Walter. I suppose with Miss Piggy needing to pay back what Jim Henson's Inc owed the mob, she needs to feel threatened in some way. I still don't see why she would hop into action to get the "band back together" to pay back her deceased owner's debt.

Yeah, it will be interesting to see how Amanda develops the third piece of the recipe as "The Stakes" were never really presented in class or maybe it was just assumed - they earn the money back by doing the same variety show they've always done. Seems more like the "Mob" would use them, like prostitute them out, or make them assassins or make them ONLY perform in their Casino? I think it'd be interesting if the Muppets aren't independent beings. What if they are still technically owned by the Henson's estate? What if this show used the Muppets as a metaphor for DREAMERS, how exploited those workers are by their employers or peeled back the curtain showing how hard it is to get US citizenship and your own social security number.

Yeah, Dan who presented the pitch, answered my question in the chat about that. That they are still technically owned by the Henson's Estate. But, I think you are right that they should be used by the Mob...make them assassins...and have them revolt against the mob...rather than have them be disbanded and make a comeback in order to pay back $ owed.

Were you all able to view the Miro board Amanda created? It definitely answered the stakes/emotional journey question!

No! I haven't gotten to see anything. For some reason I haven't been getting any of the emails so I was lost last class when she was talking about an Atlantic article? I wrote the stage 32 people but haven't had any luck. Any chance you could share links with me?

https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lR4z-1I=/

Here is Group 2: https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lSbqGFw=/

Hi class! I was swamped the past few days, so thank you for bearing with me as I am just getting the email off to you with homework for this week's final class now! I continue to be so impressed with the work you guys have been doing, and I took all of Saturday's great pitches and sort of metabolized them into one story or us to be working with. It's not particularly well-written nor written in stone. Think of it as written in very light pencil -- a jumping off point for each group to erase and change as they see fit. Anyone can VIEW the board I created HERE I made duplicates of the board for each group to edit themselves. You should each be able to create a free Miro account to access and edit your group boards. Please note: I did not create passwords for any of these boards (to make it easier for everyone to access), but that also means that each of you can access each group's board. Feel free to peek around but please don't edit each other's boards without permission, because that's just rude. Without further ado, here are each of the links-- GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4 What I'd love for you guys to do in your individual groups is take what I've started, flesh it out, and make it way better! Change what you hate. Seriously. There are some things I want to change that I hate, I just didn't have a better idea yet and wanted to get this email off to you. (For any bakers out there, breaking story is like making a pie. You know when you've realized you're going to have to clump that dough back together and then roll it out again because you misestimated the size of the pie pan? Well, that happens about 17 times when you're breaking an episode. Or what feels like 50,000 times when you're in development on something.) I haven't moved anything over into "notecards" for beats yet, just because I don't think we're quite there, but if you start to get the stories into a place where things are really gelling and want to take (what might be) a (premature) whack at it, please go ahead! Or if you just want to focus on breaking some sort of a B Story for what Meadow Spaghetti is up to, that works too. We'll all be able to see and reference each other's boards in class! I'm excited to reconvene on Saturday! And here with any questions or try to help with any (Miro-related) tech issues in the meantime! CLASS SCHEDULE FOR 3/6/2021 10 AM to 10:55 AM - Each group will take us through their (home)work on the pilot 10:50 to 11 AM - BREAK 11 AM to 12 PM - We'll continue to break the pilot together; I'll act as showrunner. 12 to 12:10 PM - BREAK 12:10 PM to 12:30 PM - Q and A (optional!) As ever, AJZ p.s. Here's that link I mentioned last week that includes links to download 50 great pilots -- https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/best-tv-scripts/ -- a bunch of which have ACTS delineated including THE AMERICANS, SCANDAL, etc.

If anyone needs the 6 act structure set up :)

Teaser

Act 1 -> Set up and ordinary world

Act 2 -> Conflict

Act 3 -> The build up everyone gets together.

Act 4 -> Climax

Act 5 -> The resolution

Act 6 -> the turn/plot twist.

(I took this from the first class we had)

Brett Pels THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Thoughts or contributions anyone has for the pilot? Plot points? I'll admit that I've struggled with engaging on this particular idea/story, but that's part of the writer challenge--to find some thing(s) that will inspire.

I had a few ideas…

For Act 1: Meadow breaks into Miss piggy's apartment and is waiting for her to get home.

Miss Piggy doesn’t believe Meadow at first until she pulls the gun.

“What do you expect me to do? I haven’t spoken to any of them in years”

“Your a smart piggy you’ll figure it out”

And an Idea I had for the climax...How about meadow spaghetti paying gonzo off. I don’t know how dark we are going to take but maybe Meadow promised gonzo the 100,000. But instead of giving Gonzo the money she kills him.

To be honest I feel like 100k is a little low to kidnap someone for…

Also I rewatched the 2011 muppets movie yesterday...it's almost the same plot lol.

I like Meadow breaking into her townhouse in the valley and pulling a gun. Maybe she recites - with the gun on her 4 hooves and then to her head- “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none and this little piggy …” her head, voice rising to falsetto, “… cried wee wee wee how am i gonna get the muppets back together??" Figure it out!

I was thinking we could all just start filling in the pieces, what if we do "AND THEN" like in improv and just build off of everyone's points. Jump in write stuff in, choose a color, it's already Thursday night so no idea is a bad idea. JUST WRITE and try to fill in every hole we can from top to bottom in 24 hours.

J.L. Reed I hear you on this struggle, it's the same for me and these "types" of stories. Maybe try to attach yourself to one character and develop our B or C or D story? Do you like writing a good misunderstood Villain? How do we make Meadow not a total stereotypical mob boss? What about Gonzo having Stockholm syndrome? Or Gonzo falls in love with someone in Meadow's mob crew?

Or just focus on that ONE scene where they are all in the same room together - WHY do they hate each other now? What are all the reasons that bands break up? Did they hate all the attention Kermit got? Could the Swedish Chef speak English this whole damn time?

See if you can find one place that is intriguing and put your magic there?

Using the Cards might make it easier to organize then trying to write everything on the side... Maybe once everyone has written something everyone can make a little tick to the one they want to add, to the cards.

Thanks Heidi DuBose! And that's what I'm hoping to find, a B or C story element to latch onto. Do we all add wherever makes sense or should one person take charge of adding notes for the group?

And great ideas so far!

I think one person taking charge and putting on the cards is a good idea! (Not me, tho! Abigail? Heidi? I tried to use the cards using the app on my phone. Terrible idea) i will add some ideas later today on a computer.

-maybe we shoot for cards for 9:30am tomorrow?

What if we show that Piggy and the gang have no idea who kidnapped Gonzo in the pilot? And what if the B story follows Meadow trying to get better acts to her casino and really lay on the empathy for her as a character and then reveal at the end of the episode that Meadow was the kidnapper? Everything we show with Meadow in the pilot takes place in the recent past (compared to Piggy and the gang) before she had the brilliant idea of how to get the Muppets to play her casino aka bring them back together.

So they would be parallel stories - each following a protagonist - that don't intersect until the end? I like that!

I too Like the parallel story Idea... I won't be able to make it too the class live tmrw, but I hope it goes well! I have a production meeting that is running the same time. I'm happy to help piece things together :)

Yes, that is exactly what we were thinking.

Thomas Hardwick & Charlie your Meadow idea is fantastic! and J.L. Reed I think you should jump in and share whatever you are inspired by. It's our last class so lets go out swinging! I've been pretty quiet so that's why I made myself go put stuff in BUT I'm happy for ANYONE to jump in and modify whatever I write. I just wanted to start getting the ball rolling. Abigail Elliott you will be missed thank you for all your amazing contributions!

Brett Pels I never told you how hard I laughed at your "this little piggy" lines! so much fun!

when AJZ says this "I haven't moved anything over into "notecards" for beats yet, just because I don't think we're quite there, but if you start to get the stories into a place where things are really gelling and want to take (what might be) a (premature) whack at it, please go ahead!"

I gotta say I don't quite get "the notecards" - will they end up being beats that we've all agreed on? how detailed do they get? When do we move them from the LEFT idea world to the right notecard world?

I really wish I could see what a Final product of one of these Miro/notecard sessions looks like...

• meadow's story...maybe it is revealed in a flashback that she was kidnapped as a kid...she has that deep wound...and it's like a lightbulb that goes off for her when she is trying to figure out how to be a boss of the casino and the west coast mob