Ch6 Pg 11
EXT, CASTLE GARDEN - NIGHT
Garerit, still cloaked in his enchanted invisibility cloak, crouches in the moonlit garden. He gazes up at the towering structure, where a single window remains lit- the Princess's chamber. Garerit clenches a small pouch in his the magic beans he had taken earlier.
Garerit inspects the small, shimmering bean in his palm. It pulses with a faint golden glow, humming softly with hidden energy.
Garerit (Thinking): "If these beans truly hold magic, then this should do the trick.”
Garerit kneels by the tower's edge and presses the bean deep into the soft earth. He quickly covers it and steps back.
A faint tremor ripples through the earth. Tiny cracks form in the soil. Garerit stumbles back, eyes wide.
With a sudden burst, a thick, twisting vine shoots out of the ground, spiraling and twisting upward along the tower wall! Its leaves spread wide, forming natural footholds. The beanstalk stretches higher and higher, wrapping itself around the side of the tower. It stops just below the Princess's window.
Garerit grips the vine and begins his ascent, carefully stepping on the thick leaves. The tower walls are too smooth to climb otherwise—this is his only way up. A cool night breeze sways the beanstalk slightly as he climbs higher.
Ch6 Pg 12
EXT, CASTLE GARDEN - NIGHT
Under the pale moonlight, Garerit climbs a thick vine that has sprouted from the magic bean he planted below. The vine coils around the stone tower, reaching the window outside Princess Elaine's room. Garerit moves with practiced ease, careful not to make noise.
Garerit crouches on the window ledge, his magic cloak draped over his shoulders. The moonlight streams through the window, illuminating the chamber's elegant yet lonely decor.
Princess Elaine, a young woman with sorrowful eyes, sits on a luxurious, ornate bed under the moonlight, gazing at the night sky. Her long, flowing silver hair drapes over her shoulders as she absentmindedly touches her flowing white gown. A small candle flickers on a nearby table, casting a warm glow alongside a gilded mirror. Her expression is distant and pensive. Garerit observes her with awe.
Garerit (Whispering): "Princess Elaine?”
INT, ELAINE"S ROOM - NIGHT
She turns her head toward the window as the sound of rustling leaves reaches her, eyes narrowing. She looks at the dark figure in surprise.
Elaine: "GASP! Who's there?”
Garerit (VO): "A friend.”
Garerit peeks through the windowsill with a mischievous grin. Elaine stood up quickly, startled by his sudden appearance.
Elaine (Softly): "Who are you? How did you find your way up here?”
Garerit (Grinning): "I'm Garerit, just a simple tailor, but a clever one. I used a little bit of magic."
Garerit steps down from the windowsill with a graceful bow. Elaine, though startled, watches him carefully, unsure of his intentions, but curiosity flickers in her gaze.
Garerit: "I heard a tale of a princess cursed to live as a white deer. Thought I'd see if it was true and meet her myself.”
2 people like this
Michael Dzurak I really like the way you describe it as a “pool” of story material — that feels very accurate.
For me, lived experience is only one layer. What resonates just as strongly are things we...
Expand commentMichael Dzurak I really like the way you describe it as a “pool” of story material — that feels very accurate.
For me, lived experience is only one layer. What resonates just as strongly are things we absorb: stories we hear, moments we observe, emotions we recognize even if we haven’t lived them directly.
Sometimes those second-hand experiences feel strangely more cinematic, because they’re already filtered through imagination and empathy.
Do you find that those borrowed experiences ever reveal something personal about you anyway, even when they didn’t originate from your own life?
3 people like this
Koby Nguyen This resonates deeply with me — especially the idea that a story feels most alive when it’s revealed rather than written.
I recognize that blur you describe, where the boundary between the...
Expand commentKoby Nguyen This resonates deeply with me — especially the idea that a story feels most alive when it’s revealed rather than written.
I recognize that blur you describe, where the boundary between the self and the story dissolves. When I can clearly tell “this is me” and “this is the character,” the work often feels safer… and flatter.
I’m very drawn to what you said about tension:
control giving the story shape, surrender giving it life.
That balance feels essential, especially in psychological or gothic work, where the most truthful moments often arrive uninvited.
I also appreciate your question — honest or indulgent. That distinction feels like an ethical compass for writing, not just an artistic one.
Thank you for articulating this so precisely. It’s rare to see it put into words so clearly.
3 people like this
I really like this way of putting it.
There’s something reassuring in the idea that once the intentions are set, the characters take over.
I relate to that feeling — when the characters are...
Expand commentJack Vincent
I really like this way of putting it.
There’s something reassuring in the idea that once the intentions are set, the characters take over.
I relate to that feeling — when the characters are clear enough, the story stops feeling constructed and starts unfolding on its own.
At that point, it doesn’t feel fictional anymore either — it feels observed.
3 people like this
I really appreciate this perspective, especially the distinction between discomfort that serves the story and discomfort for its own sake.
That question — do you want to make the audience...
Expand commentDavid Taylor
I really appreciate this perspective, especially the distinction between discomfort that serves the story and discomfort for its own sake.
That question — do you want to make the audience uncomfortable, and do you truly mean it — is something I think writers don’t ask themselves enough.
Your example of Schindler’s List is very telling. The film is devastating, but never manipulative. The discomfort comes from truth, not intention to provoke.
I also find your point about being mistaken for your characters important. When something feels real, people often assume it must be autobiographical — which can be both a compliment and a misunderstanding.
For me, the challenge is letting characters be honest without turning the story into a confession, and letting the audience feel deeply without forcing them into discomfort.
Thank you for this reminder — it’s grounding.
2 people like this
David Taylor, I can relate to your comments. I adapted my unpublished novel HELL AT 30 BELOW into a screenplay. A compelling, romantic (60s-70s era) drama based on a true events in my past, in the tow...
Expand commentDavid Taylor, I can relate to your comments. I adapted my unpublished novel HELL AT 30 BELOW into a screenplay. A compelling, romantic (60s-70s era) drama based on a true events in my past, in the town of Duluth, Minnesota. A town notorious for its cold winters. It was emotionally hard to expose the truth, but as they say, "The Truth Will Set You Free..."
In the winter of 1972, before there were shelters or support for women in crisis, an emotionally broken, injured, young woman, ROSE, entangled in a turbulent love triangle with two brothers, commits herself to a state mental hospital, to escape her abusive husband, DYLAN. In her bizarre surroundings, she must find the courage to leave her abusive husband and, eventually, find her way back to the man she never stopped loving; Dylan’s older brother, TROY, who holds the key to Rose’s passion, her heart, and the future.
The story centers on an abused woman, but covers a lot of ground, about her life. A story about one woman’s loss of innocence, love and heartbreak, troubled teen years, drug addiction, passion, betrayal, redemption, and the strength to overcome what seems impossible odds, as she bravely faces the ultimate battle for her life and her dangerous escape to freedom.
More information (not the script) on my web page for HELL AT 30 BELOW www.angelfire.com/film2/kinsman