YOUR ASSIGNMENT... SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT...
By Susan Dansby

Thanks to everyone who attended the webinar. I'm glad we got to at least give a nod to most of your ideas. (For those who weren't able to make it, you can listen to the audio and look at the slides at: http://yougetthatjob.com/2010/10/05/six-scenes-audio-and-slides/)

However, I felt so rushed at the end, my instructions about the assignment were about as clear as mud. So here's the assignment for the next session.

Write a breakdown of the Prologue scene that takes place at Lily and Holden's Family Room with Terrace.

Your cast of characters: Faith, Holden, Lily, Lucinda and Luke.

The facts that must be established/action that must take place in the scene are as follows:

• Somehow make it clear that Luke is working on the board of his foundation, and helping Lucinda write her widely anticipated memoirs, and still involved with Grimaldi Shipping.

• Establish that Noah told Luke there would always be a place for him in Los Angeles (this can be done in a short flashback).

• Access (perhaps through conversation with Lily, Lucinda, Holden or Faith) that Luke wants to go to Noah; but he has confusing feelings about it. He's not sure if Noah is still waiting for him as he'd said he would; and/or Luke's afraid Noah might get the wrong impression and think Luke's just lonely.

• Lily and Holden have been dating for a while and are talking about getting remarried. Faith and Parker are together. Lucinda and John are still together. Luke is surrounded by couples and is wondering if he is ever meant to have that again.

• The tag of the scene is Luke getting a one-way call that Noah has been taken to the hospital after a car accident. Noah's been shot.

Take a stab at writing a breakdown (synopsis) of what happens in this Prologue scene: how the beats flow together, and a general idea of who says what to whom. As an example, it should read something like this if the scene were happening in LA instead of Oakdale:

"Open in Noah's Hospital Room. He opens his eyes and quickly sits up, immediately reeling in pain. A police detective instructs Noah to lie down, asks him if he remembers anything. Noah replies that he knows who he is. He thinks somebody shot at him. The detective confirms, asks Noah if he's heard from his father lately. Noah's thrown. His dad's in prison. The detective informs Noah that his father's escaped and Noah immediately starts looking for his clothes. Where's his phone?! The detective tries to get Noah to calm down, but Noah insists that his boyfriend – his ex-boyfriend – could be in danger. The detective asks if that's (checking his notes) Luke Snyder. Noah's horrified. Has something happened to Luke? The detective explains that this Snyder guy was listed as Noah's next of kin. They called him, and he's on his way to LA. Noah says the detective might have just put a bullet in Luke's head."

Yes, I know that's overly dramatic and covers a lot less ground that you've got in front of you, but it gives you an idea of format. If a good line occurs to you, put it in the breakdown. Otherwise, keep it general. Your goal is to include the bullet points above in some sort of cohesive order that also happens to be dramatic.

If you have any questions, put a comment here or on my website and I'll get to it as soon as possible. I'm traveling the next couple of days, but I will get to it.

Again, I'm thrilled at your interest, and I've been impressed, surprised and enjoyed reading your ideas. Get just the breakdown for this scene done; and for our next session, I'll get into more of the nuts and bolts of dealing with the challenges of keeping it interesting, making the transitions seamless, etc.

To sign up for the webinar if you haven't already (if you signed up for the first session, you are automatically signed up for them all), go to: http://yougetthatjob.com/2010/09/17/sign-up-six-scenes/