Create three stories using the 7 steps discussed in class as your guide.

Each of your three story creations should have an appropriate title followed by the armature you've chosen and 7 sentences that start with the following:

ONCE UPON A TIME ...
AND EVERY DAY...
UNTIL ONE DAY ...
AND BECAUSE OF THIS ...
AND BECAUSE OF THIS ...
UNTIL FINALLY ...
AND EVER SINCE THAT DAY ...

Here are your three armatures. You will write one story (using seven steps) to support each of these armatures.

1. What is most truly valuable is often underrated.
2. Acquaintance softens prejudices.
3. Necessity knows no law.

In writing your stories we'd like you to include a character who has a goal (who wants something) and an obstacle that is keeping him/her from that goal. Try your best to have each one of the seven steps for all stories flow logically to the next. Try designing from step 1-7 and also from 7-1 to see what might be logically out of order. Also be careful to include all seven steps. Try telling your stories to friends and family and ask them for feedback. If they get lost ask them to identify which part of the story left them confused and try to improve your seven steps. Adjust your story until you feel comfortable that it is as clear and simple as you can make it while also keeping your audience engaged and intrigued.

Your story creation limitations: You cannot include more than three characters in total and you must have at least one. Your characters must be human. Please consider that you are designing for an animated short and therefore you can exaggerate (reality). You will also be expected to use only one set for your story (no stories with both inside and outside sets). Beware of stories that are too long and hard to tell (convoluted) stories with characters and sets that are on an epic scale - no cities and no cast of thousands. Otherwise, let your imagination run away with you and enjoy the assignment. Try to design a story with heart. Consider that you want to move your audience on an emotional level and teach them or remind them of something important.

You will be emailing Assignment #1 (the stories) to the staff mail alias (cse456-staff [at] cs.washington.edu) by 5 PM Monday July 7th.

*Obtain a copy of David Mamet's "On Directing Film" and begin reading. This is a short book and will help you tremendously. Also you can download Brian McDonald's books at booktrope.com, or find an older version of Invisible Ink here: pt1, pt2, pt3.