Think of 3 interesting and intriguing "what if" questions. Write each one out in one or two sentences. Then pick the favorite of your "what if" scenarios. Write 3-4 paragraphs to tell us about the world it would be taking place in and the main character. Include illustrations or images for each paragraph.
1. What if a researcher accidentally boards a space craft with four astronauts venturing into space with a mission to look for another habitable planet for humans to live on?
2. What if an actor suddenly found out he had the ability to shape shift, taking his craft to the next level?
3. What if an author realized that her stories accurately predicted future events and people's fates?
Meet Ricardo Diaz. Ever since he was a young boy, he's always wanted to be on television as a famous actor. He grew up enamored with television and movies, hoping to one day be a part of the magic. Well, fast forward twenty five years and he has accomplished his wildest dreams. At 28 years-old, he's starred in several blockbuster films throughout his career, stealing the hearts of fans from all over. Not only has he achieved his dream of becoming a famous actor, he's also traveled around the world, attended the most luxurious events and owns some of the most expensive clothing and accessories. Our story takes place current day (Summer 2023) in vibrant New York City, the filming location for one of Ricardo's upcoming films that he's starring in. He's currently staying in a penthouse in the upper east side of Manhattan.'
Ricardo seems to have such an ideal life, however there's one big problem, he's unhappy. Ricardo blames his unhappiness on his lack of dynamic roles, tired of playing the same good guy archetype. However, Ricardo's unhappiness stems from something much deeper. He can't seem to make genuine relationships and connect with people. Most people adore him, but Ricardo feels that they love his characters, not him. And on top of that, fame makes it extremely difficult to trust anyone.
Plot: One day, while on set, Ricardo has a breakdown when things don't go his way. The patient director instructs Ricardo to take the week off and stay home to get some rest. But Ricardo knows that rest isn't what he needs, he craves change. So that night Ricardo goes to bed, trying to sleep while having a weird tingly feeling coursing through his body. He thinks nothing of it, but the next morning Ricardo goes to take a shower and finds something shocking. He sees a stranger's face staring back at him in the mirror. Ricardo is confused. He thinks he's dreaming, but then realizes that he's not. He figures out that he has the ability to shape shift! When he closes his eyes and thinks of someone he knows or has seen, he can turn into that person. At first Ricardo is horrified, but then he gets curious. He wants to test his new ability. So he decides to leaves his apartment and take a stroll through Central Park with a new face and body of an average Joe. Usually when Ricardo would leave his apartment, swarms of people would rush up to him begging for an autograph. But, as Joe, no one bats an eye. He's able to enjoy his walk in peace, something he's not used to.
Ricardo starts to embrace his new ability. Being a shapeshifter in New York City is like an actor's playground. Ricardo starts to shape shift into all kinds of people, having fun creating back stories and motives for his new characters. But something more important happens, he starts to make friendships. While being his go-to character Joe, he forms a relationship with an artist named Danny and a high-school teacher, Mya. Ricardo admires Danny's unconventional lifestyle and carefree attitude towards life. He also admires Mya's rejection of pop-culture and authenticity. He starts to make plans with these two regularly. But since Ricardo is spending so much more time as Joe, he misses important filming schedules and photo shoots. People start to worry and wonder where he is and what he's doing. On top of that, Ricardo realizes he's losing his ability to shape shift so easily. He realizes that his power is fading away, leaving him to decide whether or not to go back to his old life as Ricardo or start a new life as Joe.
