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Day 8 Assignments
Reply to post your assignment.
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7 Replies
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What I learned was how to flesh out the characters themselves and give them far more depth, as well as build out their personal story, no matter how short it might be.
Justin
What is their Character Profile?
Role: leader and supposed hero of the film
Traits: he knows and loves the outdoors (he’s the only one who does)
Fears: Celine – she is bonkers
Wants/Needs : Wants Celine out of his life. Needs a calmer woman, like Brittany
Likability / Rooting factors: He is decent and is set up as the hero.
How they react under stress: He is calm, but never discovers the horror to come
Relationship with other characters: Loves Brittany, can’t stand Celine, is good friends with Bruno and Aubrey and has known Shania for years and likes her a lot.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: he is so enthusiastic about the trip when he and Brittany are shagging. And he is clearly a very capable guy.
Denial: Can’t believe Bruno has taken them the wrong way.
Their reaction at first horror: Death!
Relation to group after first horror: Disappeared.
How they fight back: He doesn’t.
End Point: First one to die.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? It seems to have been no accident, but is an omen of what is to come.
Brittany
What is their Character Profile?
Role: Rescuer.
Traits: She is one tough woman. Never stops, even when she snaps her arm and leg in half.
Fears: Celine, the outdoors, she HATES camping (it’s a cabin not a tent!). Seriously not going to come until Celine turns up and Justin begs her to come to protect him from her.
Wants/Needs: wants Justin so much, needs to get the hell out of this godforsaken place
Likability / Rooting factors: Very much so, she is ballsy and team-spirited
How they react under stress: Very well, she is a school teacher, so she is used to herding cats, she takes control naturally.
Relationship with other characters: HATES Celine and the feeling is mutual. Loves Justin, puts up with Bruno, likes Shania a lot but thinks she’s too good for Aubrey.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: She is shagging Justin and telling him she has decided not to go. The tiger jumps out at her and she doesn’t flinch. I love tigers.
Denial: Very little – Justin has gone for fuck’s sake, and there is too much blood for him to have gotten away by himself. She is the one who inspects the tires to find that they have been sliced apart (Bruno says they must have hit a rock, this was no rock).
Their reaction at first horror: Grief, real horror and suffering.
Relation to group after first horror: she takes over. Even though Bruno tries to be the new leader, she follows him to keep an eye on him.
How they fight back: With everything she can find – the harpoon gun, a large hunting knife. She never stops fighting, even when crippled, come on you bastard, I’ll tear your heart out with my fucking teeth!
End Point: She survives, just, with broken bones and by being wheeled to safety in a wheelbarrow.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The sheer bloody minded willpower and instinct we have to survive.
Bruno
What is their Character Profile?
Role: rule-breaker and also the carrier (he drives them into this mess and ignores the warning)
Traits: Reckless and feckless (irresponsible)
Fears: Nothing, which is a problem for everyone else
Wants/Needs: wants to get laid, needs to be admired, though this never happens
Likability / Rooting factors: He’s not a horrible person but he is a bit of a dick.
How they react under stress: Becomes even more macho, tries to come across as in control and in charge, but he is just winging it and bluffing his way through it.
Relationship with other characters: Affable and friendly with everyone. He knows Celine is using him and doesn’t care. Quite positive to the point of being stupidly so.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Shagging Celine, doesn’t care that she’s not into him, just likes shagging her. Clearly an easy-going guy with little else going on.
Denial: Doesn’t want to believe Justin could be dead, that’s for sure – he’s his best friend.
Their reaction at first horror: he tries to take charge but doesn’t have a plan. Just wants to do something to be seen to be taking the lead, but he’s not up to the task.
Relation to group after first horror: Tries to become the leader. But fails due to denial and stupidity.
How they fight back: Doesn’t really get the chance to – he is the first one to be killed in front of others.
End Point: His head is split in two by a swinging axe/pendulum.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? This is real – someone is definitely out to get them. That was no hunter’s trap.
Celine
What is their Character Profile?
Role: Out of control/obnoxious
Traits: jealous and somewhat unhinged.
Fears: Not much. Too self-obsessed.
Wants/Needs: Justin back. Needs to escape somehow, but is not friends with anyone and makes it harder for herself by hating on Brittany.
Likability / Rooting factors: NO! She tries to kill Brittany and is more concerned with bitching to and about Brittany for stealing Justin than actually helping everyone survive.
How they react under stress: Not bad, she is a stone cold-hearted woman, so she keeps her shit together and doesn’t fear the killer. And when she faces off against him she almost takes him down with a pair of tweezers.
Relationship with other characters: Not good. She hates Brittany, puts up with Bruno while he’s useful then drops him like a hot potato after Justin dies. She loves Justin but is like a creepy stalker now. Shania and Aubrey might as well not exist as far as she is concerned.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: She is having sex with Bruno, disinterested in him but pleased to have burnt 67 calories. Not a complete waste of time then (Oh babe, you say the nicest things!).
Denial: She does not want to believe that Justin is dead for sure, but isn’t as much in denial as Shania. After Bruno dies she knows they are up against it.
Their reaction at first horror: True grief – she really loved Justin, even if it was a very obsessive love. Bruno is not too impressed by such a show of love for someone other than him, but she tells him to shove it.
Relation to group after first horror: It goes totally downhill. Before Justin died she at least tried to have a pretense of getting along with them for the sake of getting back into Justin’s good books, but once he is gone, she shows that she doesn’t give a shit about any of them.
How they fight back: She is tough and feels like a pair of tweezers are all she needs. And she’s almost right.
End Point: After stabbing Lonnie in the eye with the tweezers, he pops them out of his eye and stabs her to death with her own tweezers.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? She sets it up so that Brittany and Shania have a better chance of killing Lonnie, by stabbing him in the eye.
Shania
What is their Character Profile?
Role: Innocent:
Traits: she is a really good person – she is very empathetic, tries to see everyone’s point of view, to the point of ignoring her own. Always looks for the good in people, including the maniac trying to kill them.
Fears: Losing Aubrey. He is far from perfect but he does love her in his own selfish way and is nice to her on the whole. She is deeply insecure and can’t imagine losing him.
Wants/Needs: She wants to enjoy being with Aubrey. She needs to toughen up and get real if she is going to survive.
Likability / Rooting factors: She is sweet and kind, so we do like her. She is a bit pathetic, but we pity her rather than get annoyed with her. She does grow as the film progresses, the extremity of their situation makes her toughen up.
How they react under stress: Initially she is in complete denial, but she eventually toughens up and fights back hard (it turns out she is the only one who is armed).
Relationship with other characters: She is nice to everyone. Would do anything for Aubrey (Brittany has to stop her from jumping into the snake pit to save Aubrey) and saves Celine’s life, even though Celine has been horrible to her. She also wheels Brittany to safety in a squeaky wheelbarrow.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: She is having sex with Aubrey, but it is very vanilla – they have been together a long time, clearly. When he comes she seems happy it’s over.
Denial: Simply cannot believe this is happening, it is way beyond the realm of her experience and imagination.
Their reaction at first horror: Total denial. She won’t even accept it’s happening after Bruno dies, instead preferring to believe these are just hunters’ traps.
Relation to group after first horror: She grows in stature, starts to take less shit from Celine, especially after Aubrey dies. She toughens up a lot – everyone loves her except for Celine who begrudgingly respects her after Shania saves her life.
How they fight back: She takes her very large handgun out of her bag along with ammo. She clearly knows how to use it. Way back when she was a teenager some men tried to rape her. Her mom came along just in time to save her by shooting two of them in the ass. Then she taught Shania how to shoot and she’s been packin’ ever since.
End Point: She survives, along with Brittany, She does get knocked out by Lonnie briefly, but she is able to wheelbarrow Brittany to safety.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Good does triumph over evil.
Aubrey
What is their Character Profile?
Role: The complainer
Traits: A princess. Not good in a crisis at all, not a leader, too smug and prissy to be of help to anyone. Narcissistic.
Fears: The outdoors
Wants/Needs: he wants to go home/never leave home. He needs to get his shit together if he is to survive and also be less selfish/self-centred.
Likability / Rooting factors: None whatsoever – we cheer when he dies.
How they react under stress: Badly, given that everything brings him stress. He is a liability, not a help.
Relationship with other characters: He is pleasant with Shania, on the whole, but tends to put himself before her (though he does love her in his own way). He is buddies with Justin and Bruno, not great with women other than Shania, and a bit of a moaning asshole to everyone.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: He is having bland sex with Shania, she doesn’t come and he doesn’t even notice.
Denial: He doesn’t want to believe any of this is happening, it is all so inconvenient. He just wants to go home, is that too much to ask? And did he mention that he fucking hates the outdoors?
Their reaction at first horror: It is an irritation, though he is really freaked out that Justin has disappeared, he does love him. He doesn’t really believe that Justin has gone for help, there is WAY too much blood.
Relation to group after first horror: He becomes increasingly irritating and complaining, especially after he gets injured.
How they fight back: Very half-heartedly. He wants others to sort this out, this is all way beyond him. His weapon of choice is a BB gun for crying out loud.
End Point: His death is poetic. He is a coward and runs away when the others are attacked, then when Shania desperately tries to save his life by telling him not to move, he becomes an arrogant asshole and won’t be told by her what to do, not realizing he is surrounded by snakes. He deserves it.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? He frees the women up to get on with it. We are just glad to see the back of him.
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Madeleine Vessel’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is that each track is a layer that fleshes out the plot of the story. I’m learning much more about my characters.
Leader
Rescuer
Innocent
Out of control / Obnoxious
Red Herring Love Interest or lovers
Complainer
Rebel / Rule Breaker
Introvert / Loner
Moral One
Monster Bait
The Carrier: The one who brings the horror to the group Sacrificial LambCharacter Profiles
Kathryn Abbott:
Her role is to take keep an eye on Mallory. She also is a psychic.
She is the moral one and fears the ruin of Mallory’s soul.
She wants peace. She needs to use her gifts to help the possessed.
She’s not popular with her peers because she sticks to the rules of her faith.
She’s kind, which makes her likable.
She is calm under stress.
Mallory Abbott:
Her role is to keep pushing her boundaries. She’s out of control and obnoxious.
She fears ghosts.
She wants to do whatever she wants, to be her own god.
She needs to realize that she is monster bait as long as she continues her selfish ways.
She is likable because she loves animals.
She gets hysterical under stress.
Max Brackett:
He’s a ghost brought into the house by Mallory when she picked up an item belonging to the dead boy.
He wants to depart for the afterlife.
He needs to let go of his grudge against his mother and stepfather.
Kathryn and Mallory’s mother – Grace Abbott
Kathryn and Mallory’s father – Frank Abbott
Old Lady Setter (Millie)
Max Breckett, ghost of dead boy, pocketknife.
Birthday Girl’s Mother – Lili Umbra
Kathryn’s Character Journey:
1. Character Intro: Kathryn is introduced at home while watching the news story of the boy found dead. She is sad to hear the news.<div>
<div>2. Denial: At first glance, Old Lady Setter’s house feels welcoming. But as he peeks in the window, she worries that there is danger there.
3. Their reaction at first horror: She wants to leave into the snow right away. She wants to put distance between her and Mallory and the house. But Mallory climbs through the window anyway. Kathryn follows because she feels responsible for Mallory. Once inside, after the window locks behind them, she tries not to believe the house is haunted. She runs around looking for a way out.
4. Relation to group after first horror: When she realizes they’re locked in and there may be no way out, she tries to comfort Mallory. “We’ll find a way out.”
5. How they fight back: She decides to trap the demon by letting herself become possessed.
6. End Point: She needs an exorcist.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Her possession makes Mallory realize the error of her ways.
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Mallory’s Character Journey:
1. Character Intro: Mallory is introduced at home while watching the news story of the boy found dead. She wants to know what happened. Her curiosity takes over.</div><div>2. Denial: When the window locks behind them after they enter, she is sure that they’ll find a way out. When it seems that there is no way out, she freaks out.
</div>3. Their reaction at first horror: Hysterical behavior:
4. Relation to group after first horror: She is not much use to Kathryn after that, complaining, crying, etc.
5. How they fight back: She ends up praying the rosary. When she has an opportunity to leave on her own, she stays by Kathryn’s side.
6. End Point: She insists that Kathryn be exorcised.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Kathryn realizes that Mallory does not need her anymore.
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Max’s Character Journey:
1. Character Intro: His body is seen on TV at the beginning of the story, a victim of a beating followed by hypothermia.
2. Denial. When he is carried to Old Lady Setter’s House in Mallory’s pocket, attached to his knife, he doesn’t realize he’s actually dead.
3. Their reaction at first horror: He’s scared of the other ghosts in the house, too.
4. Relation to group after first horror. He can only be seen and heard by Kathryn. Though Mallory can see him if his image appears in a mirror she’s looking into.
5. How they fight back: When told he’s dead, he remembers what happened and is angry toward his stepfather, who beat him and sent him out of the house to die. Dying with a grudge against his stepfather is preventing him from departing to the afterlife.
6. End point: He forgives his parents and departs for purgatory/or heaven.
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The story ends with his story of abuse exposed on TV news.
2. Character journeys added to the outline.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established:
Introduce Max; Demand #1 – Dead body of a boy named Max Brackett found in the snow. How did he die?
Monster Clue/Reveal #1 – TV news speculates the Max’s death was due to hypothermia.
Demand #2 – On the way to the birthday party, Kathryn and Mallory pass by the site of Max’s death on their way to a friend’s birthday party. Did he really die from hypothermia?
Monster Clue/Reveal #2 – Mallory finds a pocketknife she believes must have belonged to the boy. She pockets it to give to the boy’s family. Kathryn tries to convince Mallory to leave the knife behind. Later, it will be important as a reason for Mallory and Kathryn to visit the police station and give the investigating officer the knife.
Connect with the characters: Introduce Kathryn and Mallory. We meet Kathryn and Mallory and their parents, Grace and Frank Abbott. The girls are getting ready to go to a friend’s birthday party. Grace tells the girls she’ll pick them up at their friend’s house. She doesn’t want them to walk home in the dark. On the way out, Mallory pets the dog. She’s an animal lover.
Walking to the party, the girls pass by the site where Max’s body was found. Mallory is very curious about his death. Looking over the area, she finds a pocketknife. Kathryn tells her to leave it, it might be important to the police investigation. Mallory agrees, pretends to put the knife back where she found it, but then puts it into her pocket. Max’s ghost goes into her pocket linked to the knife.
The girls pass by Old Lady Setter’s house. They see her leaving the house with a suitcase.
A birthday party where twelve-year-old girls are given a Ouija Board to play with a Ouija Board.
Horror Situation 1: At the birthday party, the birthday girl’s mother, Lili Umbra, presents her daughter, Bedelia, with a Ouija Board. Kathryn is forbidden by her Catholic faith to play with it. She reminds Mallory of the rule.
Reaction: Denial: Mallory doesn’t believe in that taboo and refuses to heed Kathryn’s warning.
Horror Situation 2: All the girls except Kathryn are lured into playing with the Ouija Board.
Reaction: Solve it: Kathryn silently calls on St. Michael the Archangel to defend them from evil.
Horror Situation 3, Demand #3: Mallory takes her turn at the Ouija Board. She asks the Ouija Board, “When will I die?” The Board answers, “Before your 13<sup>th</sup> birthday.
Reaction: Mallory loses it.
Reaction: Monster Clue/Reveal #3: To solve the problem, Kathryn tries to calm Mallory down by telling her that the Ouija Board’s answer is nonsense. She tells her friend that it’s best that they leave. They head out into the dark and the snow. Kathryn prays the rosary as they go.
Horror Situation 4: On their way home, the girls get caught in blizzard conditions.
Reaction: Solve the problem. The girls look for shelter. They come to Old Lady Setter’s house.
Horror Situation 5: Though they girls have been warned not to go anywhere near Old Lady Setter’s house, Mallory is lured in by the friendly light on the old house’s backdoor.
Demand #4 – A light on the porch and one inside Old Lady Setter’s House welcomes the girls seeking shelter from a storm. They climb through a window which immediately locks behind them.
Reaction: Denial: At first, the girls take shelter on the porch, but when the wind blows snow into them, Mallory rationalizes that it will be okay to enter the house. She seeks and finds an unlatched window with its bars open. She crawls through the window.
Their reaction at first horror: Kathryn wants to keep moving toward home. There’s something about the house she doesn’t like. She wants to put distance between her and Mallory and the house, but she follows Mallory inside. She can’t leave her alone.
Once they’re inside, the window locks behind them.
Monster Clue/Reveal #4 – To solve the problem, Kathryn looks for another exit. All the doors and windows are securely locked. Old Lady Setter’s antiques are well protected.
Relation to group after first horror: When Kathryn realizes they’re locked in and there may be no way out, she tries to comfort Mallory. “We’ll find a way out.”
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Horror Situation 6: Once inside the house, the doors and barred windows lock, seemingly of their own accord. They are trapped. All escape routes seem cut off.
Mallory’s Denial: When the window locks behind them after they enter, she is sure that they’ll find a way out. When it seems that there is no way out, she freaks out.
Mallory’s reaction at first horror: Hysterical behavior.
Demand #5 – The girls look over some of Old Lady Setter’s antiques. As Kathryn touches different ones, she sees tragedy tied to them.
Monster Clue/Reveal #5 – She takes out her rosary. The visions go away.
Demand #6 – The lights go out.
Monster Clue/Reveal #6 – To solve the problem, Katheryn checks the circuit breaker box. None of the circuit breakers are blown.
Horror Situation 7: The lights won’t turn on.
Reaction: Try to solve the problem. The girls take out their cellphones.
Horror Situation 8: The girls try to phone for help on their cellphones, but they don’t work either.
Demand #7 – Kathryn tries to phone home to tell her parents where she is, but there’s no phone service. Mallory doesn’t have phone service either.
Monster Clue/Reveal #7 – Whatever is in the house can effect phone service.
Reaction: The girls split up and try to find candles and matches.
Death #1. A M1917 doughboy helmet, used by U. S. soldiers in World War I. This one belonged to a soldier killed by a bullet to the chest at Argonne in France. He was 19 years old and unlucky enough to be caught up in the deadliest battle of the war.
Death #2. Steering wheel from a 1922 Sunbeam that crashed during a pick-up road race, killing the driver, an adventurer and risk-taker, who died at the age of 23.
Death #3. A 1920 Steinway piano, passed down in a family to a young female prodigy, who died in 1967 of a drug overdose at a college party. One bad choice, and she was dead.
Mallory sits down at the Steinway and starts to play.
Mallory needs to go to the restroom.
But then they realize that there is someone else in the house.
Demand #8 – In the bathroom, Kathryn sees the ghost of a boy. He writes his name in the air: Max. Kathryn recognizes him as the boy on TV news who died of hypothermia in the snow.
Kathryn asks Max how he got into the house. He tells her he came in with Mallory. He acts like he’s still alive.
Horror Situation 9: Mallory doesn’t believe that Max is with them until she sees his reflection in the mirror.
Reaction: Mallory loses it.
Kathryn comforts Mallory. She finds the pocketknife in Mallory’s pocket and realizes that Max must have entered the house in Mallory’s pocket, linked to the pocketknife.
Kathryn explains to Max that he’s dead. He won’t believe her.
Monster Clue/Reveal #8 – The lights turn on in the basement.
Horror Situation 11: Urged on by Max, they go down into the basement.
Reaction: Try to solve the problem. The girls decide to trust Max. They go with him down into the basement and find that the lights are on.
Demand #9 – In the basement, there’s a horrible stink. Mallory backtracks.
Monster Clue/Reveal #9 – Max following, Kathryn searches the basement.
Kathryn takes out her cellphone, but it’s still out of service.
MIDPOINT: The malevolent ghost introduces himself and tells them they will die unless they can find his bones buried in the basement.
The stink is coming from a dark cloud.
Horror Situation 12: There’s someone else in the basement. This spirit is malevolent.
Reaction: Suddenly, Mallory can’t breathe in the basement.
Horror Situation 13: The malevolent spirit demands Kathryn start digging to find his bones.
Reaction: Mallory freaks out. She faints.
Kathryn keeps digging under the malevolent spirit’s supervision, but when she finds the bones, the spirit goes into a rage.
Reaction: Mallory falls ill. Kathryn tries to comfort her.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Kathryn starts a conversation with Max. She tells him he’s dead.
How they fight back: When told he’s dead, he remembers what happened and is angry toward his stepfather, who beat him and sent him out of the house to die. Dying with a grudge against his stepfather is preventing him from departing to the afterlife.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The story ends with his story of abuse exposed on TV news.
Mallory remembers what the Ouija Board said and is convinced she’s going to die. She loses it believing that she will die without her parents ever finding her.
She lies down and refuses to cooperate with anything Kathryn and Max want her to do.
Horror Situation 14: Other ghosts of other children appear out of the woodwork. They are all raging,
throwing things, threatening. Kathryn and Mallory huddle together terrified.
How they fight back: She decides to trap the demon by letting herself become possessed.
The malevolent ghost suddenly dives into Kathryn.
Demand #10 – The monster, a demon, has possessed Kathryn.
Monster Clue/Reveal #10 – Mallory is all alone with a ghost and a demon-possessed friend. Now she has to find out what will get rid of the demon. She starts praying the rosary.
Demand #9 – Katheryn senses someone else in the house. Maybe, help has arrived.
There’s a sound of a key in the front door. Old Lady Setter enters.
As if by magic, everything in the house is put to right.
Dilemma: Does Mallory leave without Kathryn when she has the chance.
Mallory ignores the fact that someone might be rescuing in favor of praying for Kathryn.
Max prays with Mallory.
Midnight chimes on a clock upstairs. It’s Mallory’s 13<sup>th</sup> birthday.
Mallory realizes that she’s not going to die just yet.
The malevolent ghost is exorcised.
Kathryn’s possession and exorcism makes Mallory realize the error of her ways.
Kathryn realizes that Mallory does not need her anymore.
Mrs. Setter doesn’t seem surprised to find Kathryn and Mallory in the house. She gives Mallory a box and tells her to give it to her mother.
The girls leave.
The ghosts of the boy and other children can be seen peering out the windows.
End point: He forgives his parents and departs for purgatory/or heaven.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The story ends with his story of abuse exposed on TV news.
End point: He forgives his parents and departs for purgatory/or heaven.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? The story ends with his story of abuse exposed on TV news.
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Ed’s Character Profiles & Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment, the more diverse the characters, the more options there are for action, drama , horror, and relationships between them and what they can show us (learn) about the monster.
Sooo, these were organized in tables, however, the tables don’t copy and paste in the original format. Character names are at the top. The profiles/journerys down the left. the Text for each are listed left to write.
CHARACTER PROFILES:
NAMES: TINA GENE SUSIE JAMES MICHAEL AVA MIKE LINDA
ROLE The Complainer Moral One The rescuer The couple The couple The carrier The Leader The Innocent
TRAITS Annoying, defensive Spiritual/ authoritative Competitive, meticulous Emotional & Insecure Sedeuctive, Charismatic Rebellious/overly stimulated Dependable, confident Protective/trusting
FEARS Being alone Evil Losing Rejection aging Unpopularity Powerlessness Betrayal
WANTS/NEEDS Better life/ a man. Believers/Followers Second chance/financial security Attention/confidence Sex/intimacy Friends / understanding Respect/Honesty A baby/being needed
LIKEABILTY/ROOTING Bar tender with sob stories – ironic Charismatic , big personality She’s a winner, gold metalist He’s Like a lost puppy, A true charmer Youthful exuberance with angyst, we’ve all been there What a great guy. Everyone’s mom. She so endearing
STRESS REACTION? World’s falling apart Believer in faith Cool head, focused Emotional Over reaction Keeping cool What’s stress? Let’s figure this this out and move on Reassuring everything will be alright
RELATIONSHIPS W/C Seeks protection The savior, stay behind me. Encourages to fight, be strong We’re all going to die Does this make you horny? You’re all so lame Listen to me. I have an answer I’ll take care of you.
DEATH ORDER 1 4 3 6 7 Survives 2 5
CHARACTER JOURNEYS:
NAMES: TINA GENE SUSIE JAMES MICHAEL AVA MIKE LINDA
INTRO Drunk people are fun people Faith is strength I’m the best, see my gold medal? Please like me. Who’s going to hit on me first? This is so boring. No cell service? I’ve accomplished a lot Is everyone warm enough?
DENIAL My life is shit Not surprised one bit Can’t beat me SOB Get me out of here It’s irrational but I like it What a prank Let’s not panic If were nice it will be okay
FIRST HORROR Why does this happen to me? I knew I was right I can beat this. Feeling expressing Helplessness Oddly sexy Feigned Ambivalence Take Charge Protects
GROUP Relation They find her annoying, Inspiration to some, annoying to others Strong, but a threat.She’ll survive at others expense He’s a sweetheart but he’s got to get a grip. Envied for his looks but over come by charm Overlooked, just another teen worried about her friends Look to for leadership and a solution Beloved for her carrying. Requires protection
Fight Back No fight I’ve lost anyway Defiance, reference ancient text on pagans Ski poles and determination Screams for mercy Make a deal. Escapes to ski lift shed Organize an attack. Kindness and protect others
END Point Throat cut by hedge trimmer Induces Acid Legs are broken, then arms Run over by snow groomer machine Poisoned by spiked champagne Escapes Shotgun blast to chest Suffocated by hand bag
Learning Life is expendable quickly ended Monster has weakness. Need to buy time Monster cruel streak. Killing gets personal Monster has mixed emotions about victims Can negotiate with monster but trusted? Monster rather continue killing than waste time on one getaway Work together does have results. No soft spot for double crossers.
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MICAH’S CHARACTER JOURNEY TRACK
What I learned doing this assignment is that forcing yourself to flesh out your characters like this helps bring them into focus and come up with scenes and sequences based solely on their personalities. It’s also important to make sure everyone serves a purpose and to question what insight everyone brings to the others/audience.
FELIX CLOVER
Profile
Role
(from Lesson 3): The Carrier
Traits
(main characteristics): Unlucky, frustrated, depressed, selfless
Fears
(Primal fears): impending death, threats to his daughter
Wants/Needs
(main motivations): wants to overcome his illness; needs to protect his
daughter5. Likability / Rooting factors: keeps a stiff upper lip despite being terminally ill; comically flustered
How
they react under stress: flustered, overwhelmed at first, increasingly
proactive
Relationship
with other characters: generally friendly, though mostly preoccupied with
his own issuesJourney
Character
Intro: montage of misfortunes ending with Felix being diagnosed with an
inoperable brain tumor
Denial:
initially dismisses all the small misfortunes as accidents; becomes
increasingly afraid as he starts to believe they might be his fault.
Their
reaction at first horror: incredulous, preoccupied with taking care of his
daughter
Relation
to group after first horror: focuses on keeping his daughter safe;
increasingly sees the others as people he has put in danger
How
they fight back: keep distant from others so as not to inflict the curse
on them, later attempt suicide
End
Point: dies giving his life to protect his daughter and end the curse
What
insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?: Felix
is the key to all the horrors, and his presence (up until his
self-sacrifice) puts others in dangerJUNE
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Lover/Rebel
2. Traits (main characteristics): rebellious, frightened, empathetic
Fears (Primal fears): losing
her loved ones
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants to be with her boyfriend; needs to feel loved
Likability / Rooting factors:
caring toward others, struggling with her parents’ divorce, hidden
sweetness
How they react under stress:
frightened, but increasingly heroic
Relationship with other
characters: friendly toward strangers, cold toward her parentsJourney
1. Character Intro: sitting angrily in car while her divorcing parents talk / expressing her grief to her boyfriend
Denial: doesn’t know the
accidents are the result of a curse
Their reaction at first horror:
flee into her boyfriend’s arms
Relation to group after first
horror: sympathetic to everyone’s unique plight
How they fight back: help
others, protect father, hope there’s a way to save him
End Point:
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?IVAR
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Lover
2. Traits (main characteristics): loving, protective, nervous, horny
Fears (Primal fears):
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants to have sex with June; needs to be accepted by her parents
Likability / Rooting factors:
is a gentleman to June; is respectful to and comically nervous around
Felix; is protective of June
How they react under stress:
gets flustered, but heroism shines through
Relationship with other
characters: loves June, is nervous toward Felix but stands up to himJourney
1. Character Intro: making out with June and listening to her problems
Denial: doesn’t realize that
the accidents are connected to Felix
Their reaction at first horror:
protect June
Relation to group after first
horror: focused solely on June, emboldened to stand up to Felix
How they fight back:
End Point: dies of freak
accident while getting June a blanket
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: demonstrates how suddenly and
lethally the Jinx can strikeCANDYCE VIVO
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Innocent / Lover
2. Traits (main characteristics): funny, girly, loving
Fears (Primal fears): harm
coming to her wife or baby
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
needs to get her unborn baby out of the hotel
Likability / Rooting factors:
funny, tries to keep things light, pregnant woman
How they react under stress:
makes jokes, tries to be a calming presence
Relationship with other
characters: loves Nico, kind to everyoneJourney
1. Character Intro: checking into the hotel with Nico, making a joke to the clerk
Denial: doesn’t realize that
the accidents are connected to Felix
Their reaction at first horror:
saddened, wants to help others
Relation to group after first
horror: motherly
How they fight back:
End Point: escapes the hotel and
is taken to the hospital to give birth
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: the Jinx is relentless, even
toward a pregnant womanNICO VIVO
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Aggressor / Lover
2. Traits (main characteristics): confrontational, action-oriented,
Fears (Primal fears): harm
coming to her wife or unborn child
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants to be a badass in front of Candyce / needs to protect Candyce and
unborn child at all costs
Likability / Rooting factors:
action-oriented, loved by Candyce, loving toward Candyce, comically grumpy
How they react under stress:
complain, get aggressive, try to solve the problem
Relationship with other characters:
devoted to Candyce, generally indifferent to othersJourney
1. Character Intro: checking into hotel, complaining
Denial: doesn’t know the
accidents are connected to Felix
Their reaction at first horror:
protective of Candyce, suspicious of all these accidents
Relation to group after first
horror: Candyce is the only one that matters
How they fight back: confront
Felix, bully him, try to kill him
End Point: escapes hotel with
Candyce
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?LILY
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Sacrifice
2. Traits (main characteristics): flustered, bewildered
Fears (Primal fears):
disapproval, getting in trouble, confrontation
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants her shift to be over / needs everything to be under control
Likability / Rooting factors:
innocent, pitiful, comically overwhelmed
How they react under stress:
freaks out, keeps her head down, tries to fix things
Relationship with other characters:
tries to please everyone but has no control over anythingJourney
1. Character Intro: checking people in at the front desk
Denial: insists that someone will
come save them and that everything will be fine
Their reaction at first horror:
freak out
Relation to group after first
horror: makes pitiful attempts to calm everyone and take control
How they fight back: leads the brigade
to fight the fire
End Point: killed by a
collapsing cabinet after helping to put out fire
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: emphasizes the futility of trying
to combat the JinxMR. ALFRED LAMB
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): red shirt
2. Traits (main characteristics): affable, avuncular, secretly sad, suicidal
Fears (Primal fears): living
without his wife
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants to be with his dead wife, needs people to be happy and appreciate
life
Likability / Rooting factors:
sweet old man, tragically lost his wife and wants to join her, tries to
make situations better
How they react under stress: acts
as a calming influence
Relationship with other characters:
kind to everyone but also speaks with the authority of ageJourney
8. Character Intro: checking into hotel, later looking at his wife’s picture in room and pulling out gun
Denial:
Their reaction at first horror:
panics, decides he doesn’t want to die
Relation to group after first
horror:
How they fight back:
End Point: dies of a heart
attack after his pacemaker fails
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: learn that the Jinx is able to
kill peoplePEARL
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Liability
2. Traits (main characteristics): paranoid, panicky, high
Fears (Primal fears):
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants sensation and forgetfulness, needs stability and control
Likability / Rooting factors:
pathetic, funny in his franticness
How they react under stress:
scatterbrained, panicky, talks a mile a minute
Relationship with other characters:
Autumn’s lover, indifferent to othersJourney
1. Character Intro: having sex with Autumn when his condom breaks
Denial:
Their reaction at first horror:
panics, can’t stand being trapped
Relation to group after first
horror: becomes suspicious that someone is being these happenings
How they fight back: vomit conspiracy
theories
End Point: dies of a fentanyl
overdose
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: demonstrates how the Jinx “chases”
victimsAUTUMN
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Sage
2. Traits (main characteristics): hippie, spiritual
Fears (Primal fears): karmic retribution
Wants/Needs (main motivations):Likability / Rooting factors: wise,
empathetic, loving and tolerant of Pearl
How they react under stress: stays
Zen (until she loses Pearl)
Relationship with other characters:
Pearl’s lover, slightly condescending toward othersJourney
1. Character Intro: having sex with Pearl when his condom breaks
Denial:
Their reaction at first horror:
suspects there must be a cause for it all
Relation to group after first
horror: provides insight, but all suspicious of who might be the cause of
it all
How they fight back: search for
knowledge
End Point: accidentally knocked
down the elevator shaft by Nico
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?: makes the first suggestion that
there is a spiritual force behind the incidentsMALLORY
Profile
1. Role (from Lesson 3): Medic
2. Traits (main characteristics): cool-headed, severe
Fears (Primal fears): seeing
others die
Wants/Needs (main motivations):
wants things to be calm, needs to keep others safe
Likability / Rooting factors:
aids others who are hurt, heroic, sensitive
How they react under stress:
goes into action mode, thinks clearly
Relationship with other characters:
de facto medicJourney
1. Character Intro: on the phone with mother, loses connection when Felix steps out of elevator
Denial:
Their reaction at first horror:
try to save Mr. Lamb
Relation to group after first
horror: protective
How they fight back: attempt to
prevent further death by attending to all injuries
End Point: falls through the
collapsing floor
What insight do their deaths or
survival bring to the others/audience?OUTLINE:
Atmosphere of Evil established: a boy follows his dog onto the property of an old hermit, and is nearly killed by a series of mishaps before one of the townsfolk shoots the hermit from afar.
MONSTER REVEAL: boy is warned not to go near the Hermit’s large, barren property. Hermit, in his home, is tormented by the presence of the wryneck bird. When the boy walks onto the property, everyone, including the hermit, becomes terrified and warn him to leave. A series of accidents place the boy in a mortal danger: his dog is led off by a rabbit, he breaks his leg in a gofer hole, wolves converge.
DEATH – HERMIT: shot by boy’s father from a distance
Why: establish the limitation of the Jinx’s powers, start the film off with a death
How: preventing a boy’s death
Connect with the characters: “Some people have all the luck montage” shows FELIX’S poor luck throughout his life, including the end of his marriage, concluding with his being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He makes the deal with the Jinx. Later, he sees minor improvements as people experience accidents around him.
MONSTER REVEAL: Felix gets messages in fortune cookies saying he can give his bad luck to someone else, and to answer the door. There’s a tiny peck at the door. Felix answers it. There’s a wryneck bird outside. Felix makes a deal with the bird and it scratches his face, though a moment later the scratch is gone.
HORROR SITUATION: (Spooky) Felix’s ordeal with the wryneck. Felix looks at the fortunes again and sees that they’re all normal.
REACTION: (Denial) Felix believes that his tumor is making him hallucinate
FELIX’S ex brings him divorce papers. Though she suspects something’s wrong, he doesn’t tell her about his diagnosis. They commiserate over their daughter’s behavior and their concerns about his boyfriend.
JUNE waits out in the car, texting with her boyfriend, unwilling to come inside.
The characters are warned not to do it: people near to Felix are injured
Denial of Horror: Felix dismisses all the strange occurrences as freak accidents
MONSTER REVEAL: There are a series of small accidents that establish that other people’s misfortunes are having a positive effect on Felix’s health. Additionally, it is established that the air is cold in a field around him, and that there is a limit to his field of influence.
Wife stops by to have divorce papers signed. She notes that it’s cold near Felix. Small accidents.
Felix leaves to see his doctor, and the mailman has a small accident.
Felix learns that his situation has slightly improved, and the doctor has a small accident. The doctor also notices it’s cold in his office.
Felix is speaking with neighbor who feels cold near Felix, though their partner on the other side of the fence doesn’t feel it. They witness a small boy nearly getting run over by his father backing out of the driveway, but the crisis is averted.
HORROR SITUATION: (Tormented) A car is about to back into a small boy in a driveway.
REACTION: (Solve It) Felix begins to react when the boy’s mother jumps behind the car and stops it.
JUNE tells her woes to IVAR. She’s upset about her parents divorce, and begs him never to leave her. The two sneak out together.
Connect with the characters II: the various characters arrive at the hotel for their own reasons.
LILY checks in MR. LAMB. The affable man insists on giving her a tip. When he gets to his room however, he stares sadly at his wife’s photo. There’s a gun in his suitcase.
CANDYCE and NICO check into the hotel. Nico is grumpy, Candyce lighthearted. Candyce makes a joke to Lily, who is confused by Candyce’s pregnancy.
Felix’s ex calls him to say she doesn’t know where June is. Felix checks the phone app and sees she’s gone to the hotel, and he fears she’s gone there with her older boyfriend.
MONSTER REVEAL: A much larger accident takes place when a big rig truck crashes, though no one is seriously hurt.
HORROR SITUATION: (Tortured) a big rig truck crashes near Felix on his way to the hotel, cutting off the intersection
REACTION: (Denial) Though startled, Felix does not believe it’s related to him
MONSTER REVEAL: The wryneck is seen outside the hotel as Felix enters.
MONSTER REVEAL: More misfortune’s occur as Felix moves through the hotel.
CANDYCE lights candles and tries to get NICO in a romantic room.
FELIX demands to know what room his daughter is in, threatening LILY with legal action if she doesn’t comply.
MALLORY is on the phone with her mother when Felix comes off the elevator and suddenly her connection dies. She freaks when she sees a cockroach.
PEARL and AUTUMN are having sex in their room. Felix mistakenly thinks it’s his June and Ivar. Their condom breaks and Autumn rushes to the bathroom.
FELIX finds JUNE in the hotel room with IVAR. While Ivar tries to appeal to him, Felix drags her away.
MR. LAMB reacts to all the shouting and tries to calm everyone.
PEARL snorts cocaine.
Safety taken away: Mr. Lamb’s pacemaker fails and he has a heart attack
HORROR SITUATION: (Tortured) Mr. Lamb has a heart attack and the road is blocked off, preventing an ambulance from arriving
REACTION: (Solve It) the characters choose to carry Mr. Lamb outside
MALLORY diagnoses what’s happening to Alfred and gives medical advice. She goes to retrieve something from her room, inadvertently dropping the naxolone under the bed
ALFRED panics, says he’s not ready to die after all, fears there’s nothing on the other side.
MONSTER REVEAL: The first death occurs.
DEATH – Alfred Lamb: pacemaker fails
Why: establish the lethal situation the characters are in
How: attempting to calm others
IVAR comforts a frightened JUNE, to her father’s chagrin. MALLORY takes it hard, as she does whenever somebody dies.
Monster: The nature of the beast: a series of accidents prevent the characters from being able to leave
MONSTER REVEAL: The characters become trapped in the hotel.
HORROR SITUATION: (Isolated) the elevator busts and the stairwell collapses, trapping everyone upstairs.
REACTION: (Solve It) characters call the police for help
NICO yells at LILY for the hotel’s unsafe state.
PEARL becomes panicky. NICO yells at him to be quiet. AUTUMN and CANDYCE calm their respective lovers.
MONSTER REVEAL: Characters note a drop in temperature around Felix.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The elevator is broken and the stairs are collapsed
When asked if she’s a doctor, MALLORY relates that she’s a former paramedic who quit because she got tired of seeing people die.
NICO calls the police, explaining the situation and emphasizing there’s a pregnant woman in the building.
AUTUMN talks about putting out positive vibes, to NICO’s annoyance.
HORROR SITUATION: (Isolated) the crashed big rig is preventing the fire truck from getting to the hotel
REACTION: (Solve It) The police drag it away with trucks, but it takes timeHORROR SITUATION: (Tormented) Felix witnesses his reflection start to become the Jinx
REACTION: (Hide) flees and tries to ignore what happened
JUNE becomes friendly with CANDYCE, and asks her about the baby. CANDYCE makes a joke about being impregnated by a Swedish bodybuilder.
One of us killed: June’s boyfriend Ivar is killed
DEATH – Ivar: trips and falls onto a sharp object
Why: establish the random/sudden nature of the Jinx; motivate characters to action
How: attempting to comfort June (getting her a blanket)
MALLORY tries to aid Ivar, to no avail. It upsets her deeply.
HORROR SITUATION: (Torment) June sees Ivar killed
REACTION: (Solve It) Felix comforts herJUNE rejects her father’s comfort.
PEARL babbles about conspiracy theories, suggesting they’re in some kind of controlled experiment. AUTUMN suggests a supernatural cause, which NICO balks at.
HORROR SITUATION: (Trapped) the elevator has stopped working and the stairs have collapsed
REACTION: (Solve It) they open the elevator shaft to see if they can climb down
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) while Pearl and Nico are inside the car, the cable snaps
REACTION: (Escape) characters are pulled to safety just before they fall to their doom
LILY advises against trying to climb down the elevator, siting regulations and insisting the police will be here soon.
PEARL starts to panic during the elevator sequence, and it looks for a moment like he might abandon NICO, but he’s just having a reaction to the fentanyl. He returns to help her.
AUTUMN plays with her tarot cards, secretly drawing cards for everyone. Every time she does, she pulls the death card for Felix. Keeping an eye on him, she’s the first to notice his twisting shadow.
HORROR SITUATION: (Spooky) Felix’s shadow twists and flops its head in front of everyone
REACTION: (Fight) Nico confronts Felix, thinking he’s deliberately harming everyone
PEARL freaks the fuck out. NICO threatens Felix. JUNE becomes defensive of her father.
MONSTER REVEAL: The characters note the cold surrounding Felix and that it only extends a certain distance.
MONSTER REVEAL: Throughout, the symptoms of Felix’s tumor (fatigue, difficulty speaking, headaches, nausea, imbalance) subside and he becomes stronger, quicker, and more focused.
MIDPOINT — THE MONSTER IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT
Full pursuit by the killer: accidents occur in rapid succession
To assuage everyone’s anxieties, FELIX agrees to withdraw into a room alone, but he insists June stay on the phone with him at all times.
HORROR SITUATION: (Spooky) Felix sees the wryneck, which is chirping in a way that sounds like laughing
REACTION: (Fight) Felix attacks the bird and kills it, only to find it has teleported elsewhere and is still laughing at him
HORROR SITUATION: (Spooky) Pearl is unaware that his shoes have come untied as he’s walking near to the elevator
REACTION: (Solve It) Autumn notices and tells him to tie his shoes
CANDYCE calms herself singing to her baby, and encourages JUNE to join in. NICO tells them to be quiet, but immediately becomes apologetic.
MONSTER REVEAL: Characters begin noticing the cold even though Felix is at a distance.
PEARL shows early signs of overdose. MALLORY questions him, but he just says he’s coming down from his high.
MONSTER REVEAL: June chokes on a piece of food even that she is at a far distance from Felix.
Terrorized: the range of the Jinx’s influence expands and the accidents become more intense
HORROR SITUATION: (Isolated/Danger) Felix is keeping his distance from everyone, communicating via phone when June begins choking on a piece of food
REACTION: (Fight) Felix comes to his daughter’s rescue and performs the Heimlich maneuver on herHORROR SITUATION: (Spooky/Isolated) the power in the building goes out
REACTION: (Solve It) group searches for means of lighting the hallways, including computers and phones
HORROR SITUATION: (Torture) Mallory is covered in cockroaches and, in her hysteria, nearly back into the open elevator shaft
REACTION: (Solve It) Autumn calms her, has her step away from the shaft, and then removes the cockroaches
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) a melting candle ignites the bed sheet in Nico/Candyce’s room and a fire breaks out
REACTION: (Fight) grab the fire extinguisher; create bucket brigade
LILY gets the fire extinguisher. PEARL chokes on the fumes and collapses. LILY goes to help him when the dresser collapses.
DEATH – Lily: burnt dresser collapses and crushes
Why: surprise!
How: killed trying to prevent more death
AUTUMN suggests using the cold to determine how far the Jinx can reach. FELIX goes to the far end of the hall, everyone else back slowly away.
HORROR SITUATION: (Torture) at a crucial moment, Pearl suffers an overdose from an earlier intake of cocaine laced with fentanyl.
REACTION: (Solve It) Mallory runs to get the naxolone from her room
HORROR SITUATION: Felix blocks the way to Mallory’s room
REACTION: (Solve It) Felix goes to find it instead
HORROR SITUATION: (Torture) the naxolone has fallen beneath the bed and Felix can’t find it
REACTION: (Solve It) Mallory throws caution to the wind and helps Felix find it (possibly others too)
HORROR SITUATION: (Torture) Mallory trips while rushing it to Pearl and it slides toward open elevator
REACTION: (Solve It) Autumn grabs it just before it goes over the lip
DEATH – Pearl: drug overdose
Why: establish active pursuit of the Jinx through a lengthy race (also, drugs are bad, mm’kay?)
How: being reckless
MALLORY becomes furious and begins kicking things.
AUTUMN becomes hysterical. CANDYCE tries to comfort her, but AUTUMN becomes belligerent. NICO steps between them, and the two begin shoving each other.
DEATH – Autumn: Falls down open elevator shaft
Why: surprise again!!
How: fighting with Nico
HORROR SITUATION: (Paranoia) Nico retrieves Mr. Lamb’s gun and tries to shoot Felix
REACTION: (Escape/Fight) June stops her; Nico accidentally shoots herself in the legHORROR SITUATION: (Torture) a ricochet from the gun grazes the artery in June’s throat
REACTION: (Solve It) Mallory stops the bleedingACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death: seeing his daughter nearly die, Felix takes up the gun; before he can make away with it, an earthquake hits and the building starts to collapse
HORROR SITUATION: an earthquake strikes and the structure of the building is compromised
REACTION: (Escape) everyone tries to avoid the destruction
FELIX tells the others to keep JUNE safe, then takes the fallen gun and retreats to the furthest room he can. JUNE doesn’t want to let him go, but the others draw her away.
DEATH – Mallory Weathers: falls through floor
Why: remove the only medical expert before Eve goes into labor
How: fleeing from danger
HORROR SITUATION: (Trapped) a portion of the ceiling caves in, preventing Felix from getting as far away from the others as he can
REACTION: (Solve It) everyone else moves to the furthest room in the building
HORROR SITUATION: (Tormented) Felix witnesses his reflection completely turn into the Jinx
REACTION: (Fight) Felix confronts the creature and learns about its motives and power
MONSTER REVEAL: Felix hears the Jinx’s voice in his head, learning that it wants to cause as much misfortune, suffering and death as possible. Felix has flashes of several historical accidents: the Great Fire of London, the Hindenburg Disaster, the Chernobyl meltdown, the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Hysteria: Candyce goes into labor; Felix locks himself in a room and attempts to kill himself; the Jinx prevents him and Felix ends up on the floor with a sprained back, unable to move
HORROR SITUATION: (Tormented) Candyce goes into labor
REACTION: (Escape) Candyce escapes from the building via police ladder
The thrilling escape from death: firefighters arrive to rescue the survivors via ladder; but there is no window in the room furthest from Felix, and so they must venture into the field of danger to be rescued.
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) survivors must get around the collapse in the floor to get to the fire ladder, including Candyce who is in labor
REACTION: (Solve It) they retrieve a shower rod; June makes it across, then she and firefighter use the rod to pull people to safety as they jump
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) The floor gives out beneath Candyce and she falls through the floor; June and firefight are nearly pulled down with her as the floor continues to collapse
REACTION: (Solve It) Nico leaps over the opening and helps pull everyone up
DEATH – Firefighter: slips and falls off the ladder as he’s helping others to safety.
Why: establish the danger of the ladder
How: trying to rescue others
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) it is raining when the survivors attempt to climb down the ladder, causing multiple slip and falls
REACTION: (Solve It) everyone moves cautiously, the firefighters and fellow survivors helping one another
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) lightning strikes a power line and the cable swings toward the ladder
REACTION: (Escape) characters leap from the ladder/try to avoid the swinging wire.
When it comes to JUNE’S turn to go down the later, she instead goes to rescue her father.
MONSTER REVEAL: June goes to retrieve her father, who is unable to move and tells her to leave him. He tells her it won’t let her die.
MONSTER REVEAL: June deduces that she can’t be harmed so long as she’s with her father, as the Jinx will protect him.
Death returns to take one or more: June returns to save her father. But the Jinx tries to separate them.
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) as June and Felix are about to climb down the fire ladder, lightning strikes the truck and the ladder falls
REACTION: (Escape) they look for another exit
HORROR SITUATION: (Pursued) as June and Felix attempt to escape, the building begins to collapse
REACTION: (Escape) they tie off a bed sheet to hand railing and climb down stairwell, escaping the building just as it collapses
Resolution: Once they make it outside, a flying piece of debris(?) comes flying at June. Felix throws himself in front of the debris at the last second, sacrificing himself for his daughter and defeating the Jinx.
DEATH – Felix Clover: sacrifices self to save daughter (killed by flying debris)
Why: redeem main character and stop the killings for good
How: self-sacrifice
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This lesson I learned that it helps to flesh out each character with details that can help drive their reactions, behaviors and choices and to underscore the themes of the horror.
Character Profiles
Osmond Deighton (50’s)
Role: Leader, CEO of Haven Development
Traits (main characteristics): Well educated and sophisticated
Fears (Primal fears): Fears he will lose power/control
Wants/Needs (main motivations):Enjoys power, influence and wealth.
Likability / Rooting factors: He is a typical business leader, inspires confidence and loyalty
How they react under stress: Unemotional and direct, always calculating and strategizing.
Relationship with other characters: Ultimately cares more about himself than those that work for him.
Character Intro: Leads everyone into the new offices, makes a toast
Denial: Dismisses the fact that the building is not up to code
Their reaction at first horror: Dismisses the severity
Relation to group after first horror: Tries to calm everyone
Reaction as horror increases: Loses control
How they fight back: Redeems and rises to the challenge to save the others
End Point: Sacrifices himself for the others
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Redemption through sacrificeAdrienne Tupper (40’s)
Role: Obnoxious, Senior Vice President at Haven Development.
Traits (main characteristics): Pretentious and phony, a name dropper
Fears (Primal fears): Afraid of being second fiddle, subpar or left out
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Always needs to be the most striking one in the room
Likability / Rooting factors: Feminine but holds her own with the “boys club.”
How they react under stress: She always believes she is right and knows what to do.
Relationship with other characters: Insulting and arrogant
Character Intro: Chugs her drink and mentions missing out on a celebrity event
Denial: Thinks its some sort of joke
Their reaction at first horror: Oblivious
Relation to group after first horror: Insists that its not dangerous and she knows what to do
Reaction as horror increases: Gets drunker
How they fight back: Defiance
End Point: Stays in the elevator and gets pulled out by the fire
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Being arrogant will get you killedJulian Fowler (30’s)
Role: Loner, Architect
Traits (main characteristics): Intelligent and nerdy with a dark sense of humor
Fears (Primal fears): Scared of not accomplishing anything
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Wants to be known for something, to be an “artist” or “genius”
Likability / Rooting factors: Knows his stuff when it comes to design and science,
How they react under stress: He uses logic and fact to solve problems
Relationship with other characters: Doesn’t like to impose his ideas on others, awkward socially
Character Intro: Admires the architectural detail of his design
Denial: Doesn’t want to believe his art could burn
Their reaction at first horror: Can figure it out by looking at blueprints
Relation to group after first horror: Thinks they should do what they want to do
Reaction as horror increases: Tries to find a logical escape
How they fight back: By compartmentalizing the fire
End Point: He is compartmentalized and trapped
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? A map alone won’t save you.Carina Hernandez (30’s)
Role: Complainer, Marketing Director at Haven Development
Traits (main characteristics): Saucy and brash
Fears (Primal fears): Scared of the truth and deep emotion
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Motivated and focused on doing her job
Likability / Rooting factors: Tells it like it is, Sarcastically funny
How they react under stress: She is always looking to put a spin on things
Relationship with other characters: Seems to have a negative opinion on most everything and loves to make her thoughts known
Character Intro: Reveals new marketing for the building
Denial: Dismisses it sarcastically
Their reaction at first horror: Tries to explain it away
Reaction as horror increases: Gets negative about escape
Relation to group after first horror: Tries to give them hope by spinning things
How they fight back: Uses a hose on the fire
End Point: Gets strangled and burned
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? No truth in advertising is unethicalDimitri Pierno (40’s)
Role: Rebel, Owner of Pierno Contracting, builder for Haven Development
Traits (main characteristics): Surly and unsophisticated
Fears (Primal fears): Being ignored, having to work forever
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Wants to make as much money as he can, but refuses to apply himself
Likability / Rooting factors: Looking for quick ways to succeed
How they react under stress: Utilizes shortcuts to get what he wants
Relationship with other characters: Always bucking trends
Character Intro: Working on last minute construction
Denial: Too lazy to check it out, assumes its no big deal
Their reaction at first horror: Looks for the quickest way out to protect himself
Relation to group after first horror: Doesn’t agree with their ideas and goes his own way
Reaction as horror increases: Tries to get out quickly
How they fight back: Kicks and struggles
End Point: Dies alone in an HVAC vent that collapses
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Shortcuts don’t work.Keelan Finn (30’s)
Role: Rescuer, Security Guard
Traits (main characteristics): Charming and respectful but strong-willed
Fears (Primal fears): Scared of being weak, not being masculine
Wants/Needs (main motivations): To help people, to be a hero
Likability / Rooting factors: He tends to easily trust people
How they react under stress: Brave but niave
Relationship with other characters: Always looking for ways to help others
Character Intro: Doing a check on the building
Denial: Can’t believe it would happen on his first day
Their reaction at first horror: Calls for help
Relation to group after first horror: Feels guilty about the mechanic
Reaction as horror increases: Wants to fight
How they fight back: Tries to extinguish the fire
End Point: Can’t escape the pain, so he takes his own life
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? If you can’t protect yourself, you cant protect othersStanislav Zitnik (20’s)
Role: Love Interest, Janitor
Traits (main characteristics): Handsome and rugged
Fears (Primal fears): Fear of being an outsider
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Dedicated to doing a good job
Likability / Rooting factors: Smart and easygoing with a strong sense of compassion and fairness
How they react under stress: Calm and measured
Relationship with other characters: Wants to make the world a better place
Character Intro: Cleaning the construction debris
Denial: Figures everything will be fine there are others to deal with it
Their reaction at first horror: Remains calm
Relation to group after first horror: Joins them for security
Reaction as horror increases: Protects Izumi
How they fight back: tries to destroy fire by creating a vaccuum
End Point: Tortured to death with burns after nearly stopping the fire
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Love cannot save you.Izumi Okumura (20’s)
Role: Moral One, Administrative Assistant
Traits (main characteristics): Unassuming, quiet and funny
Fears (Primal fears): Doesn’t want to be held back, fear of being a bad person
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Always trying to understand things and find meaning and lessons in them
Likability / Rooting factors: A desire to continually grow and improve herself
How they react under stress: Tries to analyze stress away
Relationship with other characters: Ethical and caring
Character Intro: Trying to please the CEO
Denial: Too busy to take notice
Their reaction at first horror: Wants details
Relation to group after first horror: Soothes everyone and insures them the CEO will lead them
Reaction as horror increases: Begins to mistrust the company
How they fight back: Works with Janitor to extinguish the fire, uses fire retardant material to fend off fire
End Point: Forced onto window ledge and spared
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Being ethical and caring will save you.Terance Cornett (30’s)
Role: Innocent, Building Mechanic
Traits (main characteristics): Serious but warm
Fears (Primal fears): Losing his family
Wants/Needs (main motivations): Wants to provide for his family
Likability / Rooting factors: Muscular build, strength
How they react under stress: Always trying to solve problems.
Relationship with other characters: Services others
Character Intro: Comes to help with elevator
Denial: Assumes he can fix it
Their reaction at first horror: Investigates it curiously
Relation to group after first horror: Dead
Reaction as horror increases: Caught unawares
How they fight back: Doesn’t have a chance
End Point: First to die, electrocuted and charred
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Innocent people are not safe-
This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Gregg Guest.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by
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Claire’s Character Journey Track
What I learned: I’ve been watching lots of horror movies and I find I like the ones that have good characters that I care about much more than the ones that do not. So this exercise of developing characters in my horror movie is important to me.
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? MAEVE
Role: Rescuer
Traits: intelligent, compassionate, insecure
Fears: her own power
Wants/Needs : wants everyone to like her. Needs to claim her own power
Likability / Rooting factors: She is kind and helps others. She finds her strength
How they react under stress: tries to figure out how to fix things, goes to intelligence. When that is not enough, finds her power.
Relationship with other characters: kind, loving, afraid to put herself out to people who disagree with her
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: In the car with Regina. Is kind and timid.
Denial: Nervously laughs at women who says farm is haunted because Regina poo poo the idea, but actually feels uncomfortable. Believes something is going on when she gets there and feels the energy, but doesn’t want to contradict Sybil. Tries to make peach between Sybil and Caitlin
Their reaction at first horror: Horrified, but tries to help woman who has been killed. Then tries to help Caitlin, but when she realizes Caitlin is possessed she runs.
Relation to group after first horror: Starts to put herself and her ideas forward because others are not handling this so well and their lives are at stake.
How they fight back: finding information to stop the spirit. Facing the spirit when it tries to possess her and fights it.
End Point: overpowers the spirit and then outwits it to save Regina.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – find your inner strength.
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? REGINA
Role: Complainer/Love Interest
Traits: funny, domineering, fearful
Fears: being ignored
Wants/Needs : wants to be the center of attention; needs to feel loved
Likability / Rooting factors: very funny
How they react under stress: freaks out
Relationship with other characters: tries to make people laugh, and tries to force her opinion on others
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: in the car with Maeve. She is loving yet domineering.
Denial: Does not believe anything about the farm being haunted
Their reaction at first horror: completely freaked out
Relation to group after first horror: wants to leave, doesn’t want to talk about it
How they fight back: doesn’t fight back. Tries to run.
End Point: Maeve rescues her and she appreciates Maeve.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Believe things that are right in your face
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? – SYBIL
Role: Leader
Traits: controlling, benevolent, intelligent
Fears: not being in control
Wants/Needs : everyone to do as she says; needs to allow others to contribute
Likability / Rooting factors: cares about the others and wants to save them
How they react under stress: freak out and then tries to fight
Relationship with other characters: bossy
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: In group introducing her plans for the retreat
Denial: dismisses the talk of the place being haunted as local folklore
Their reaction at first horror: horrified. Tries to stop it
Relation to group after first horror: blames Caitlin for being
How they fight back: tries to fight the possession
End Point: Encourages Maeve to claim her power
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Stop being a controlling bitch and your life will improve
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? – ALISON
Role: Red Herring
Traits: scheming, driven, humanitarian
Fears: not succeeding
Wants/Needs : success and admiration; needs to accept herself as she is
Likability / Rooting factors:
How they react under stress: freaks out, then tells the truth
Relationship with other characters: Distant but polite
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Lying to the group about the farm
Denial: doesn’t care about the stories she heard about farm being haunted
Their reaction at first horror: shocked, afraid and tells the truth
Relation to group after first horror: terrified and wants to run
How they fight back: she doesn’t. Wants to run.
End Point: Is killed.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Lying gets you killed by your own wife
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? CAITLIN
Role: Rebel/Rule Breaker/the Carrier
Traits: arrogant; intelligent, unbalanced
Fears:
Wants/Needs : to be the leader; needs to learn to follow
Likability / Rooting factors: smart, challenges Sybil
How they react under stress: falls apart
Relationship with other characters: confrontative
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: arguing about the haunting on the farm
Denial: is not in denial
Their reaction at first horror: falls apart
Relation to group after first horror: she is a mess and they have to care for her
How they fight back: doesn’t. wants to kill herself
End Point:
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? LIBBY
Role: Monster Bait
Traits: charming, obliging, appeaser
Fears: not being liked
Wants/Needs : everyone to like her; to learn who she is
Likability / Rooting factors: she kind and helpful and charming
How they react under stress: Freezes
Relationship with other characters: Wants to help everyone
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: at meeting where she tries to get everyone to get along
Denial: does not take the haunting seriously
Their reaction at first horror: she is dead
Relation to group after first horror: she is dead
How they fight back: she does not. Freezes and is killed
End Point: she is dead
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Stop trying to get people to like you and find and love yourself.
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? ZORA
Role: Moral One
Traits: fair-minded, empathetic, wise
Fears: being controlled by an unjust force
Wants/Needs : everything to be fair. She needs to accept things as they are
Likability / Rooting factors: her evenhandedness
How they react under stress: stay calm and try to figure things out
Relationship with other characters: helpful and kind
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: in the initial meeting is uncomfortable and tells Sybil.
Denial: Accepts Sybil’s version of reality
Their reaction at first horror: shock then trying to figure it out
Relation to group after first horror: trying to think it through with Maeve
How they fight back: intellectually
End Point: She kills Diana
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
Even someone as kind as Zora can be a killer.
1. With each of your Survivors and Victims, answer the following questions:
A. What is their Character Profile? DIANA
Role: Innocent
Traits: intellectual, levelheaded, skeptical
Fears: being out of control
Wants/Needs: wants to control others’ beliefs; she needs to listen
Likability / Rooting factors: caretaker, rescuer
How they react under stress: stays calm
Relationship with other characters: gets along well with others
B. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: doubts the place is haunted
Denial: doubts the place is haunted
Their reaction at first horror: shock, fight
Relation to group after first horror: protective
How they fight back: physically
End Point: Zora kills her
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
I don’t know.
Deadline: 3 Days
When you add the Character Journeys to your outline, you’ll have scenes where some characters believe in the monster and others are arguing that it can’t be real (denial).
Just fill in the outline with the journey of each character and see how it builds more character and depth into the story.
Once we’ve completed these outlines, we’ll show you exactly how to create the 10 most important Horror emotions.
This is getting exciting, isn’t it?
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Tom’s Character Journey Track
What I learned doing this assignment is each character must be unique but reflect a different aspect of the main concept.
Concept: A community of cannibals buys children from an orphanage and eats them during secret ceremonial rituals. Spencer leads the cannibals. M’Lord reluctantly negotiates deals purchasing children from Father Mike who runs the orphanage. Maria clerks in her parents’ cannibal flea market but hates the life. Her Uncle Larry, in denial about his cannibal family, has a job in the normal world but fears Spencer wants to eliminate him because he might expose the cannibals.
Character Profile: Spencer
Role: Leader / Survivor
Traits: Braggart – Know it all – Thrill Seeker
Fears: The others will find out he’s a phony
Wants / Needs: Wants to be respected, feared / Needs to be loved for who he really is
Likability / Rooting factors: Not easily liked / Others don’t root for him
How they react under stress: Surprisingly cool-headed
Relationship with other characters: He’s intimidating
Character Journey for this story:
Character Intro: Arrives late. Keeps the others waiting
Denial: Certain place isn’t haunted
Their reaction at first horror: Thinks this is brother’s idea of a joke
Relation to group after first horror: Scattered. They see he’s not a great leader.
How they fight back: Build a barricade
End Point: They kill the monster
What insight does this death or survival bring to the others / audience? We won’t survive if we don’t stick together
Character Profile: M’Lord
Role: Young lawyer who supplies cannibals with orphans
Traits: Salesmanship
Fears: Not enough “product” to supply the cannibals
Wants / Needs: Sell cannibals orphans / Get married and start a family
Likability / Rooting factors: Charmer / Problem solver
How they react under stress: First time he vomits
Relationship with other characters: Eager to please
Character Journey for this story:
Character Intro: Sales pitch to the cannibals
Denial: “You didn’t really eat that child, did you?” Nauseous first time he sold an orphan
Their reaction at first horror: Wonders if each one will get any easier
Relation to group after first horror: Fears the cannibals see him as a monster
How they fight back: He’s not sure he’ll continue to sell orphans to the cannibals
End Point: They’re hooked on his product. He can’t just retire at some point.
What insight does this death or survival bring to the others / audience? He fears if he doesn’t continue to supply them with orphans, he could become their next meal
Character Profile: Maria
Role: Reluctant cannibal
Traits: Clerks in her parents’ cannibal supplies shop
Fears: Her parents will be imprisoned for cannibalism and she’ll be cannibalized
Wants / Needs: Wants to help her parents / Needs to marry and have a family
Likability / Rooting factors: Liked, attractive. Some cannibals fancy eating her.
How they react under stress: She doesn’t want to think about what they do to the orphans
Relationship with other characters: Gets along well with oldsters, uncomfy with younger peers
Character Journey for this story:
Character Intro: Shows M’Lord around her parents’ shop of horrors
Denial: Wants to convince M’Lord the shop isn’t just for cannibals
Their reaction at first horror: In denial
Relation to group after first horror: Very uncomfortable
How they fight back: Puts in normal lines of clothing to make the shop appear “normal”
End Point: She fears she can never escape living among cannibals
What insight does death or survival bring to the others / audience? Fear she can’t escape
Character Profile: Uncle Larry
Role: A “normal” who survives despite the cannibal community
Traits: Chipper, positive, cheerful
Fears: He might be sucked back into the cannibal community
Wants / Needs: Wants to deny his family members are cannibals
Likability / Rooting factors: Likable, appears to outsiders he leads a “normal”
How they react under stress: He holds up well
Relationship with other characters: Tricky relationship with cannibals
Character Journey for this story:
Character Intro: Comes home from work at a “normal” business
Denial: Likes everyone to think his family is “normal” and not cannibals
Their reaction at first horror: In denial of the ceremonies his parents participate in
Relation to group after first horror: Standoffish, squeamish
How they fight back: He’s a strict vegetarian
End Point: Sacrifices himself so his niece Maria and M’Lord can escape the cannibal world
What insight does this death or survival bring to the others / audience? It’s possible to escape a world you hate.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Tom Wilson.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Tom Wilson.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Tom Wilson.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Tom Wilson.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by
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