# {PROJECT_NAME} — Plant & Payoff Plan

> Generated: {DATE}
> Seeds planted early bloom into powerful moments later. This document maps them.

> **At Promotion:** The Thread Distribution table from this document becomes the Thread Index in your production `episode_arc.md`. Ensure all threads have clear Plant → Payoff mapping before promotion.

---

## Plant/Payoff Principles

### The Rules

1. **Plant early, pay off late** — The best payoffs come from plants the audience forgot
2. **Three-beat rhythm** — Plant → Remind → Payoff (minimum)
3. **Escalating significance** — Each appearance carries more weight
4. **Organic integration** — Plants should feel natural in context, not obviously planted
5. **Thematic resonance** — The best payoffs connect to the theme

### Types of Threads

| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Object** | A physical item that recurs | A coin, a photograph, a weapon |
| **Phrase** | Words that gain meaning | A saying, a nickname, a promise |
| **Image** | A visual motif | A color, a gesture, a location |
| **Memory** | A referenced past event | Something that happened before the story |
| **Foreshadow** | A hint at what's coming | A warning, a dream, a throwaway line |
| **Callback** | Echo of an earlier moment | Same words, different meaning |

---

## Major Threads

### Thread 1: {THREAD_NAME}

**Type:** {TYPE}

**Description:** {DESCRIPTION}

**Thematic Connection:** {THEME_CONNECTION}

| Beat | Episode | Context | Significance |
|------|---------|---------|--------------|
| Plant | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | Introduced naturally |
| Remind | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | Audience recalls it exists |
| Deepen | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | New meaning added |
| Payoff | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | Full significance revealed |

**Why this works:** {ANALYSIS}

---

### Thread 2: {THREAD_NAME}

**Type:** {TYPE}

**Description:** {DESCRIPTION}

**Thematic Connection:** {THEME_CONNECTION}

| Beat | Episode | Context | Significance |
|------|---------|---------|--------------|
| Plant | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |
| Remind | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |
| Payoff | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |

---

### Thread 3: {THREAD_NAME}

**Type:** {TYPE}

**Description:** {DESCRIPTION}

**Thematic Connection:** {THEME_CONNECTION}

| Beat | Episode | Context | Significance |
|------|---------|---------|--------------|
| Plant | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |
| Remind | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |
| Payoff | Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {SIGNIFICANCE} |

---

## Recurring Images

Visual or sensory elements that create thematic resonance through repetition.

### Image 1: {IMAGE_NAME}

**What it is:** {DESCRIPTION}

**What it represents:** {MEANING}

**Appearances:**

| Episode | Context | Mood/Meaning |
|---------|---------|--------------|
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |

---

### Image 2: {IMAGE_NAME}

**What it is:** {DESCRIPTION}

**What it represents:** {MEANING}

**Appearances:**

| Episode | Context | Mood/Meaning |
|---------|---------|--------------|
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |
| Ep {N} | {CONTEXT} | {MOOD} |

---

## Echo Moments

Moments that deliberately mirror earlier scenes with transformed meaning.

### Echo 1: {NAME}

**Original (Ep {N}):**
> {ORIGINAL_DESCRIPTION}

**Echo (Ep {N}):**
> {ECHO_DESCRIPTION}

**What Changed:** {TRANSFORMATION}

**Thematic Punch:** {MEANING}

---

### Echo 2: {NAME}

**Original (Ep {N}):**
> {ORIGINAL_DESCRIPTION}

**Echo (Ep {N}):**
> {ECHO_DESCRIPTION}

**What Changed:** {TRANSFORMATION}

---

## Foreshadowing

Hints at major events before they happen.

### Foreshadow 1: {EVENT_BEING_FORESHADOWED}

**The Hint (Ep {N}):**
> {HINT_DESCRIPTION}

**The Event (Ep {N}):**
> {EVENT_DESCRIPTION}

**How Hint Connects:** {CONNECTION}

**On Rewatch:** {REWATCH_IMPACT}

---

### Foreshadow 2: {EVENT_BEING_FORESHADOWED}

**The Hint (Ep {N}):**
> {HINT_DESCRIPTION}

**The Event (Ep {N}):**
> {EVENT_DESCRIPTION}

---

## Dialogue Callbacks

Specific lines that recur with evolved meaning.

### Callback 1: "{THE_LINE}"

| Episode | Speaker | Context | Meaning |
|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| Ep {N} | {SPEAKER} | {CONTEXT} | {MEANING_1} |
| Ep {N} | {SPEAKER} | {CONTEXT} | {MEANING_2} |
| Ep {N} | {SPEAKER} | {CONTEXT} | {MEANING_3} |

---

### Callback 2: "{THE_LINE}"

| Episode | Speaker | Context | Meaning |
|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| Ep {N} | {SPEAKER} | {CONTEXT} | {MEANING_1} |
| Ep {N} | {SPEAKER} | {CONTEXT} | {MEANING_2} |

---

## Thread Distribution by Act

Ensure threads are balanced across the series:

| Thread | Act I (1-15) | Act II (16-45) | Act III (46-60) |
|--------|--------------|----------------|-----------------|
| {THREAD_1} | Plant | Remind, Deepen | Payoff |
| {THREAD_2} | Plant | Remind | Payoff |
| {THREAD_3} | — | Plant | Remind, Payoff |
| {IMAGE_1} | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓✓ |
| {IMAGE_2} | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |

---

## Thread Tracking

Update in `current_state.json` during generation:

```json
"threads": {
  "{thread_name}": {
    "type": "object/phrase/image/memory/foreshadow",
    "status": "planted/reminded/deepened/paid_off",
    "appearances": [
      {"episode": N, "context": "description"}
    ],
    "next_appearance": "Ep N (remind/deepen/payoff)"
  }
}
```

---

## Opportunity Identification

During development, identify:

### Natural Plant Opportunities

Moments where something could be introduced organically:

| Episode | Scene | Potential Plant | Payoff Window |
|---------|-------|-----------------|---------------|
| Ep {N} | {SCENE} | {PLANT_IDEA} | Ep {N-N} |
| Ep {N} | {SCENE} | {PLANT_IDEA} | Ep {N-N} |

### Existing Elements to Develop

Things already in the story that could become threads:

| Element | Current Use | Thread Potential | Payoff Idea |
|---------|-------------|------------------|-------------|
| {ELEMENT} | {CURRENT} | {POTENTIAL} | {PAYOFF} |
| {ELEMENT} | {CURRENT} | {POTENTIAL} | {PAYOFF} |

---

## Validation

Before promotion, verify:

- [ ] At least 3 major threads are mapped with plant → payoff structure
- [ ] Recurring images are defined with thematic meaning
- [ ] At least 2 echo moments are planned
- [ ] Foreshadowing doesn't telegraph too obviously
- [ ] Threads connect to the thematic spine
- [ ] Thread distribution is balanced across acts