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[ellaisskylar]

Script Analysis 4 - Skylar

Int State Theater - Night

Main Event - Skylar finds the lead to the 8 Ball.

Objective - Skylar is trying to gain sympathy from Kyle.  Although she has come to the theater to get information, her real objective is to see whether or not Kyle is on her side and will continue being her friend.  This plays into her wanting love because now that she seems to have lost her two sources of love, it is unsure whether or not she has any platonic love left.  This is furthered by the fact that although Skylar and Kyle were on friendly terms, they were not friends outside the context of Ella, so Skylar does not know whether or not Kyle will still be on her side.

Int 8 Ball - Night

Main Event - Ella confronts Reese

Objective - Skylar wants to get information about Ella, and at first is very resistant to talking to Reese.  When she begins to see that he might be telling the truth about what happened between them, however, Skylar is inclined to believe him, perhaps even against her better judgment, if not simply because he has been a trustworthy guy in the past, then because she desperately needs love with Ella gone, and Reese is pretty much the only option. Having someone on her side is something she desperately needs, and this is around the time that she really begins to believe that Ella is not who she said she was, so Reese in contrast becomes a more trustworthy person in Skylar's eyes. 

Int Ella's Room - Day

Main Event - Skylar finds proof that Ella has been doing cocaine; Skylar finds out that Ella's mom is not on her side anymore. 

Objective - Skylar's main objective is to find evidence to prove herself innocent as well as the next "clue" towards solving the mystery, because she is beginning to get to a point where while she wants the love of Ella back, she also wants to clear her name because she is feeling more and more secure in her independence and whether or not she gets the love from others back through solving the mystery, she will definitely continue to grow the love she has for herself.  This growing sense of independence is tempered when she realizes she has lost another source of love, Ella's mother.  Ella's mother had almost acted as a second mother while her own spent many nights working, so losing this source of love cuts in a different way than losing the love of Reese or Kyle did. 

[ellaisskylar]

Design Assignment 4 - Skylar

This post deals with 0:00-2:00

For me, this scene echoed the relationship between Skylar and Reese. Although the scene is different and the subject matter is different, the character relations are very similar. Troy in this scene is very much the burnout no one expects to do anything or be anyone, while Lelaina is the girl who has it all together, or seems to, and does her own thing.  In this scene specifically, although they are talking about her documentary, there is a lot of tension between the two characters, and a lot of things left unsaid.  This is very similar to how Skylar and Reese interact with each other.  They are trying to figure out how to be together or at least be near each other, and there is tension from what is going on around them being at odds with their romantic tension.

[ellaisskylar]

Scene Analysis - Skylar

Int Science Classroom - Later

Main Event - Ella is rushed to the hospital.

Objective - Skylar's objective here is to make sure her friend is okay. Her source of love is in danger of some sort and to her, that's all there is in that moment.  Skylar is not the person to let the momentary fight get in the way of her being there for Ella, especially when Ella is the main source of love for Skylar.  Especially in that moment of panic, nothing else matters. If Ella dies, in Skylar's mind she will be completely without love. Regardless of Evelyn, of Reese, of any of her other friends. It's all riding on Ella.

Int Intensive Care Unit - Night

Main Event - Skylar leaves the hospital not knowing what will happen to Ella.

Objective - Skylar's objective here is the same as in the last scene.  Her sense of loyalty is so strong she has not begun yet to think of possibilities of why or how or of anything other than Ella getting better and pulling out of whatever is wrong with her.  With so much at stake Skylar's mind is completely one track. Nothing matters but her and Ella in that moment, and their connection.

Int Skylar's House - Day

Main Event - Skylar is accused of poisoning Ella.

Objective - Skylar's objective, up until she is accused, is only to help Detective Parker find out what happened.  In Skylar's mind, if she finds out what happened, Ella will somehow become better.  Those two things are so inextricably linked in her mind that ideas of what other people are thinking or doing are completely out of her mind.  That is why when Detective Parker shows up her only thought is that he has come to give her bad news, and why she is trying so hard to help right up until she is accused.  When she s accused she immediately shuts down because Detective Parker goes from being an adult who can help her to another obstacle in the goal of finding out what happened to Ella and getting her love back.

- Ella

[ellaisskylar]

Design Assignment 3 - Skylar

I feel like Elliot Stabler from Law and Order SVU is a good example of how Detective Parker interacts with Skylar.  Although he is not overly harsh or intimidating, as some detectives can be, he is very straight-talking and tells it how it is.  He isn't giving Skylar any slack just because she's a young girl. He is a very talented detective who knows how to talk to Skylar without completely shutting her down, and is able to use many tactics to get the response he wants out of Skylar.  He also isn't afraid to give the situation the time it needs to be played out properly. He isn't rushing to get the easiest answer, he's trying to get the truth in the best way possible.  What I also really like about Stabler in relation to Skylar is that he is a father and tends to tone down his anger when dealing with young people, like in this scene.  Detective Parker is also able to be kind with Skylar without coddling her.  

This picture really resonated with me as Skylar's room because I see SKylar's room as the one place she can really be herself, especially since no one in her popular friend group really spends time in it, so she does not need it to be a stylized girly teenage room like that of Ella's. It is really just an explosion of ideas and concepts and things that make Skylar happy, and although it may not be that large, and may seem messy because of the abundance of things going on inside it, it is a place that makes Skylar feel calm and comfortable being herself.

-Ella

[ellaisskylar]

Main Events and Objectives - Skylar (Acting)

Ext Forest - Evening

Main Event - Kyle telling Ella he loves her (and the following reaction)

Objective - Reassure Skylar (in both what will happen after the next semester and in relation to her relationship with Kyle). This is challenging to Skylar because no matter how close she feels to Ella, there are still moments where Ella is a complete enigma to her, and this is one of those moments, which means it is difficult to reassure her. The idea of Ella leaving scares Skylar because Ella is Skylar's primary source of love, so in reassuring Ella Skylar is also able to keep her source of love stable in her mind for a little longer.  Ella's insistence on focusing on leaving and the negatives of her relationship make it much harder for Skylar to remain close to Ella and reassure her, playing the role of confidant.

Int High School - Morning

Main Event - Reese asking Skylar to the dance

Objective - Keep Reese at a distance.  This is difficult for Skylar because she does have feelings for Reese, but to pursue those feelings would mean the possibility of losing the love of Ella, and since being loved by Ella means the platonic love of many friends, trading that for the romantic love of one person is a difficult decision for Skylar, and a leap she is not prepared to make. 

Int Science Classroom - Day

Main Event - Telling Ella that Reese asked her to the dance

Objective - Gauge Ella's reaction to determine the next steps she is allowed to take.  This is important because no matter how blasé Skylar acts about the matter, it is important to her, and Ella's reaction will guide her through how she will deal with Reese in the future.  If possible Skylar would love to have both the love of Ella and the love of Reese, but due to past events and reactions to Reese Skylar already knows this is highly unlikely.  Not so unlikely that she won't try, however.

Int Darkroom 

Main Event - Skylar finds out about Reese and Ella

Objective - Objective while in the school - get out. While she processes these feelings, fleeing is the only possible option for the girl who spends more time listening than talking. However, this is a huge event for Skylar, and once she is safely away from judging eyes, aka outside, this is one event that is important enough for Skylar to explode and really let her feelings out for once. This is one time when Skylar gets to do the talking for once, and possesses the power.  This is one of the largest crisis moments for Skylar's spine because the love she thought she had from both Reese and Ella has come crashing down, and in dealing with these emotions (mainly hurt in the form of anger as a survival tactic) Skylar lashes out with the objective of spreading her hurt to both people, and making them understand what they have done to her.  At this point her spine has basically collapsed, because all of the love she was seeking is gone.

[ellaisskylar]

This post deals with 31:25 - 31:52

I really like this scene, as well as these two characters in Freaks and Geeks in general, for this scene in Everything All At Once.  The dynamic between the two characters, with James Franco's character being honest and upfront about his feelings and Linda Cardellini's character is hiding her feelings and putting others' feelings ahead of her own.  In addition, the contrast between Franco's grungy character and Cardellini's beginning-to-experiment character fits well with Reese and Skylar, especially because they fit together well even with their differences.

[ellaisskylar]

This post deals with 2:43-3:44

This scene from Girl, Interrupted really captures for me the intensity of the fight between Ella and Skylar.  Skylar, similar to Lisa, is at a breaking point with Ella and really digs in with a biting tone to cover up the feelings of hurt and betrayal she is feeling.  The changes in volume and tone are interesting to me as well in this scene because I see Skylar utilizing these rather unsettling changes in tone to attempt to gain hold of and express all of the emotions she is feeling at this moment.  If Reese were to catch up and be an active part of the scene I imagine she would treat him much the same because in her eyes both Ella and Reese purported to love her on some level, and she sees both of them as having portrayed her. I like this scene as a relation because it also captures the gravity of the situation that Skylar and Ella find themselves in, and the turning point that their relationship is at, as well as Skylar's relationship with Reese.  In addition, this scene captures the feeling that Ella might be trying to regain control over the relationship and the outcome of this scene but Skylar does not give her any control whatsoever, quickly changing the power dynamics of the friendship.

[ellaisskylar]

Spine of Skylar - To Be Loved

Skylar’s main objective throughout the script is to be loved. This is something she has struggled with for most of her life, which means even when she is shown love she has a hard time internalizing it.  The objective of being loved extends into every relationship and decision Skylar encounters throughout the script.

The first relationship where Skylar deals with her desire to be loved is her relationship with Ella.  To be loved by Ella opens up a lot of doors of being loved by other people, although this love might not be deep or long-lasting.  Many people love Ella, which means being loved by Ella is sufficient for other peers to love Skylar.  This love, however, means that Skylar may not necessarily be loved for who she is individually but rather who she is in relation to Ella.  This stands in contrast to the love given to Skylar by Ella, which is deep, real friendship.  This creates a conflict because the first person who loves Skylar unconditionally (outside of her mom) also creates circumstances in which Skylar is not loved in an authentic way by others, and she does not have the autonomy to seek that love.

One love she might seek, if given the opportunity, is that of Reese.  Reese may be one of the only people that loves Skylar for herself as an individual rather than a “popular” girl, but since he is not a popular student himself, accepting this love could possibly have the consequence of losing the shallow love of the “many”.  This presents Skylar with a conflict - the tradeoff of individual but deep and real love, or love of many people that is shallow and of questioning sincerity.  Accepting this love could also throw into question the love Skylar receives from Ella, which has been the most important platonic love she has received as an adolescent.  

When Ella is poisoned, this love by many is thrown into question, and it is uncertain whether or not Skylar will be loved for herself without the relation to Ella.  It is also in question whether Ella will be able to find adequate love within herself to sustain herself when it turns out that her peers turn on her when Ella is absent.

[ellaisskylar]

Backstory of Skylar

Through the original script, as well as with the more I'm learning about Skylar's personal style, I have gleaned or perhaps imagined some aspects of Skylar's possible backstory. 

Skylar grew up just outside of the suburbs in a lower income neighborhood.  These circumstances arose due to the fact that Skylar's mom, Evelyn, raised her without the help of Skylar's father.  Skylar's father left them when Skylar was 6, an event which Skylar initially blamed her mother for, especially due to the absence of any explosive (aka visible to Skylar) problems in their relationship.  Eventually, however, Skylar and her mom reconciled, creating a strong supportive bond between the two. However, the struggles of raising Skylar alone meant that Evelyn did not have much extra money or time to enroll Skylar in many after school activities or give her many of the tokens that signify "cool" throughout the early stages of adolescence.  This meant that Skylar was not considered cool and was somewhat of an outsider with no real close friends to speak of (no one to exchange "best friends forever" memorabilia with) until Ella came along.

With the friendship of Ella, who was indisputably cool without trying (although her family's money and status did help), Skylar also became cool. She followed the conventions of "cool" to the best of her ability, but retained the habit of observing people rather than being the center of attention that she developed before she met Ella.  Although Skylar followed the cool crowd and participated in their idea of "fun", she has never really felt comfortable with any of them besides Ella, who she views as the only person her age who really understands her.  Throughout high school she has begun to feel able to embrace interests that do not completely conform with what is seen as "cool", such as an affinity for the punk aesthetic and music other than pop, as well as an interest in the rebellious Reese.  However, this growing sense of agency does not permit her to actually act outside the norm of her social group in high school, and her loyalty to Ella would not permit her to explore other paths through adolescence either.

Skylar enjoys a wide variety of music that is not canon within a high school environment including harder rock as well as indie and experimental music.  She is interested in art, specifically drawing, and the power of color or lack thereof in various places (painting, graffiti, store displays, films, etc).  She enjoys being called Sky because it makes her feel special to warrant a nickname.

- Ella