Avatar seven step outline

Karen Damiani, Teacher: Damien Pierce

3 Act Narrative: seven step outline – Avatar

1.  The set up

 

Set in the future Corporal Jake Sully is a marine war veteran who has become a paraplegic and appears depressed and ostracized by his disability. He has been frozen to be taken to another planet called Pandora which is inhabited by an alien race called Na’vi. Jakes twin brother has been killed and Jake is genetically compatible to take the place in his twin brother’s avatar. The avatar is a Na’vi-human hybrid body operated by genetically linked humans to conduct research on the planet and its inhabitants. Due to his military background he is also aligned to the private military force present to defend the project.  Also possibly to relocate or destroy the apparent inhumanely hostile Na’vi to allow an Earth mining company to take possession of valuable mineral deposits of unobtainium. He is motivated by the promise of having access to an expensive operation to have his mobility restored if he is successful in providing information and support to the General of the military force.

1.  Inciting Incident

After taking on the identity of his brothers avatar Jake learnt the value of the culture of the Na’vi and their relationship with the land, flora and fauna. He also became more aware of the exploitative intentions of the mining company and their propaganda strategies.

1. Act One Turning Point

Jake continues studying the Na’vi and grows close to Neytiri the daughter of the clan’s spiritual leader.  Jake is eventually initiated into the clan and falls in love with Neytiri forming a bond with her as mates.   She takes him to the clans ‘Tree of Life’ where he learns of the connection between Na’vi and the land. 

1. Mid- Point

They make love and fall asleep under the tree and are awakened by a bulldozer threatening to destroy the tree.  Jake changes his allegiance from the mining company to support the Na’vi and battles the bull dozer disabling it and being recognised in the process.

1. Act Two Turning Point

Jake is given one hour to convince the Na’vi to leave their ‘Home Tree’ which is going to be destroyed.  The clan learns of his original mission and Neytiri feels betrayed and takes Jakes and Graces avatars captive.

1. Act Three Turning Point

The General of the Military force declares war and working with the new clan leader he gains the trust brings together all of the different Pandora clans to repel the invaders.  With the new clan leader Jake leads the people of Pandora into battle and assists them with his military knowledge. He also brings in the help of the Tree of Life’ and so the creatures.

1. Resolution ( or denouncement)

The war is over and Pandora is saved.  The earth invaders are sent home, with some that have assisted Pandora being allowed to stay. The general locates where Jakes human body lies joined to his avatar and breaches Jakes protection from the Pandora atmosphere which is deadly for humans.  Neytiri kills the General, recognises Jake in his human form and reconfirms her love for him in any form.  She saves him and takes him to the Tree of Life where he is permanently transferred into his avatar Na’vi form. He learns that Grace is finally happy having become a part of the Tree of Life and he is given leadership of the Omaticaya.

Avatar Treatment

Avatar Treatment

Karen Damiani

Pandora is shown to be a lush green forest in the opening scene. Jake is seen to be woken from a large number of what appears to be cryogenically frozen humans. He is informed of his twin brother’s demise and accepts the opportunity to take his place with his avatar.

Jake arrives on Pandora in a space ship and is left to struggle to disembark and then face many hazards crossing from the ship to the briefing room.  A voice over tells us that he has an operable spinal injury but inadequate funds. 

In the briefing room Jake and other new soldiers are warned by Colonel Quaritch of the hostile nature and dangers of the Na ‘vi. Next in the science lab he meets members of the Avatar Program, biologist, Norm Spellman and Dr Max Patel.  Jake also gets to see his brothers avatar and learns that the program is to infiltrate and gain information to benefit their war effort. He learns that with their Avatar humans are able to breath Pandora’s air and he will be able to walk and run while in the body. 

Through Jake producing a video log we are told more about his experiences. One of which is the wakening of Dr Grace Augustine who leads the project and doesn’t like people and rejected Jake being in place of his brother.

Jake is successfully placed in his brothers Avatar and revels in his new found freedom. After this first experience he meets his pilot for the program, Trudy Chacon.

He meets again with Col. Quaritch who again warns him of dangers of the Na’vi and offers him the opportunity to get use of his legs back through an expensive operation in return for information and his alliance.

Once in his avatar Jake begins to explore Pandora and is separated from his team when Titanotheres chases him.  Although escaping he has lost his weapon and finds himself alone.  When fashioning a spear and then a torch he notices he is being watched.  His team is unable to stay searching for him overnight so he is left alone and thought to be unlikely to survive. That night he is attacked by Viper wolfs and is rescued by a female Na’vi, Neytiri.  He is accepted by her clan and she is directed to give him instruction in their culture. Through her he learns about the Na’vi’s relationship with their land and creatures and how to bond and interact with them.  He undergoes a Na’vi rite of passage to bond with a Mountain Banshee.  He then joins in an exciting ride with other Na’vi warriors also riding Mountain Banshees. He comes to believe more in the reality of his life as a Na’vi than his life as a human.

Jake is offered the opportunity to return to earth for his operation but chooses to remain to be initiated into the clan. He is accepted as a Na’vi and Neytiri takes him to the Tree of Life to join with the spiritual forces there.  They choose each other as mates and eventually fall asleep under the tree.  Neytiri is woken to the sound of a massive bulldozer attacking the tree but can’t wake Jake as he had disconnected from his avatar. When he does awake he takes out the camera system and disabling the bulldozer

, but in doing so is recognised by the general. Jake returns to the military base and himself and Grace are given 1 hour to clear Na’vi out of the Home Tree before it will be destroyed.  The Na’vi do not trust them and tie them up.  The military launch an attack on the Home Tree and many Omaticaya are slaughtered.  Grace and Jake are freed and asked for assistance. Neytiri’s father dies and tells her to look after their clan.  Jake and Grace are disconnected from their avatars by the military and arrested.

Trudy, the chopper pilot rescues them but Grace gets shot in the process so they head to the Tree of Life to attempt to save her.  On arrival the Omaticaya still mistrust them but try unsuccessfully to save Grace. Jake rallies the Omaticaya to gather all the clans to fight together and asks Eywa for help.  At the same time the military are planning a final attack to destroy the Tree of Life.

The battle commences between the humans and all of the Na’vi clans who are then joined by the creatures of Pandora sent by Eywa to help.  The Colonel seeks out and tries to kill the human Jake but Neytiri battles the Colonel. While Neytiri is temporarily out of action Jakes avatar arrives and continues the battle until he is captured.  The Colonel again seeks out the human Jake to kill him but Neytiri has released herself and kills the colonel.   Jakes oxygen is compromised Neytiri saves him from dying in the Pandora atmosphere.

The Omaticaya have won the war and are sending the human invaders back off Pandora, although some of the friendly humans are being allowed to stay.  Jake chooses to stay and transfers permanently into his Na’vi avatar form.