Character Relationship Map: My Science Project

Characters

• Michael Harlan (played by John Stockwell) — protagonist

  A high school senior obsessed with muscle cars who accidentally finds an alien device, gets his teacher disappeared, and teams up with his friend to stop a catastrophic time warp while trying to prove...

• Ellie Sawyer (played by Danielle von Zerneck) — protagonist

  Michael's studious friend who assists him in retrieving the alien device from the school during the time vortex crisis, ultimately helping to save it from destruction.

• Vince Latello (played by Fisher Stevens) — supporting

  Michael's loyal friend who helps him experiment with the alien device, assist in blowing up power lines to stop a time wave, and battle temporal anomalies to rescue Ellie.

• Sherman (played by Raphael Sbarge) — supporting

  An obnoxious school nerd who accidentally reactivates the alien device, triggering a massive time warp that consumes the school and endangers Ellie.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Vince Latello → Sherman (Conflict Adversary) — Vince opposes the consequences of Sherman's reckless intervention.

  Vince is forced to enter the vortex with Michael after Sherman reactivates the gizmo and destabilizes the school.

• Ellie Sawyer → Sherman (Conflict Endangered Opponents) — Sherman's actions directly endanger Ellie, even though he later helps identify the threat.

  Sherman's activation of the gizmo creates the vortex, and he warns Michael and Vince that Ellie is in danger.

• Ellie Sawyer → Vince Latello (Alliance Rescue Teammate) — Their separate actions support the same effort to contain the temporal crisis.

  Ellie retrieves the gizmo for Michael, while Vince joins Michael in returning to the school and reaching Ellie.

• Michael Harlan → Sherman (Conflict Adversary) — Sherman's reckless action places Michael and the others in immediate danger.

  Sherman reconnects the gizmo to an outlet, causing the time warp that forces Michael into a dangerous rescue mission.

• Michael Harlan → Vince Latello (Social Loyal Friend) — Vince is Michael's dependable companion throughout the escalating crisis.

  Vince is identified as Michael's loyal friend and repeatedly stays with him during the device experiments and escape.

• Michael Harlan → Ellie Sawyer (Social Friend) — They maintain a close friendship that becomes essential during the time-warp crisis.

  Ellie is described as Michael's bookworm friend, and he calls her for help retrieving the gizmo from the school.

Story Analysis

A careless school project becomes a dangerous time crisis that forces Michael to value responsibility and human connection over machines.

Plot Progression

1. The Hidden Machine — Michael searches for a science project and discovers a glowing device inside a government shelter. His attempt to take it away begins an escalating chain of unexplained events.
2. Experiments Gone Wrong — Michael and Vince experiment with the device at school, producing an ancient vase and losing two hours. Their teacher interprets the machine as a portal to another dimension.
3. Blackout Escape — The teacher disappears after activating the device, forcing Michael and Vince to destroy a power tower. Their success causes a blackout but also leads to their arrest.
4. The School Vortex — Ellie retrieves the gizmo, but Sherman reconnects it to power and transforms the school into a temporal vortex. Michael, Vince, and Sherman fight through dangerous intrusions from other eras.
5. Time Restored — The group reaches Ellie and deactivates the gizmo, restoring normal time. Michael receives his grade, returns the machine, and abandons his former devotion to his car.