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Day 5 Assignments
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6 Replies
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Ted Tronsen’s Horror Situations Track
What I learned from doing this assignment is that it’s very important to include enough horror situations in order to keep the plot moving and the audience entertained!
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – As a new seeker (Vincent) is introduced to the philosophy behind the Therapeutic Community Residence where he has just arrived, it begins to feel like some kind of strange spiritual cult. In a Poetry group the theme is “Death.” Then in a Study group they discuss the principles of Psychomagic which is Pagan in origin and based on the ancient practice of witchcraft or “black magic.” Early on the audience will begin to sense an “atmosphere of evil.” Something definitely seems off!
Connect with the characters – The characters have flashbacks of their suicide attempts as they are reading and writing poetry. Some of them share their traumatic life experiences with the group, but others are too traumatized to share.
Horror Situation: While writing poetry on the theme of death a few of the seekers experience flashbacks of their traumatic suicide attempts.
Reaction: Each seeker having a flashback is visibly overcome with emotion.
The characters are warned not to do it – The characters are warned to reach out for help if they are in crisis or having suicidal thoughts. All sharp objects are kept in a safe and only given to the seekers (clients) upon request and under close supervision.
Horror Situation: There are numerous knives that a seeker could use to self-harm, but they are kept in a safe.
Reaction: There is a false sense of security that the seekers are safe from harm because all sharps are locked in the safe.
Denial of Horror – When one of the seekers (Svetlana) apparently commits suicide by slicing her wrists with stained glass from a work of art she had created, the other seekers and staff cannot understand why she would kill herself. She had almost completed the program and was preparing to graduate. Also, she was supposed to attend her daughter’s wedding in a few weeks after leaving The Unforgettable Fire (the name of the Therapeutic Community Residence).
Horror Situation: A seeker (Svetlana) is found after apparently committing suicide.
Reaction: The remaining seekers are all shocked and the staff can’t understand why she would kill herself.
Safety taken away – The seekers seem to have a false sense of security as one of the strongest among them becomes the sacrificial lamb and apparently takes her own life.
Monster: The nature of the beast. – The killer’s presence will not be revealed until after 2 other apparent suicides: a hanging and a drug overdose. The seekers and staff begin to question the suicides and begin to wonder if maybe they are being murdered and that the suicides are being staged by the killer to cover up his crimes.
Horror Situation: There are two more apparent suicides.
Reaction: The seekers and staff are in shock and disbelief and begin to question if the victims committed suicide or were murdered?
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – The seekers go on a camping trip to a remote location in the wilderness with 3 guides (2 counselors Michael and Todd, and Jimmy the cook).
One of us killed – One of the seekers disappears and is killed in the woods by a masked killer with an axe. The audience does not know if the killer is a seeker, a guide or a total stranger.
Horror Situation: One of the seekers is murdered in the woods.
Reaction: The audience experiences fear and dread.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by the killer – the seekers go to sleep in their tents thinking that the fire will die out, however, they are awakened by a raging inferno. The killer has built up a huge bonfire in the middle of the campsite where the fire pit is. The seekers and guides try to extinguish the fire by shoveling dirt and pouring water on it. In the process of getting water from a nearby stream, another seeker disappears and is murdered with an axe by the masked killer. A guide (Jimmy the cook) has also mysteriously disappeared.
Horror Situation: Another seeker is murdered.
Reaction: The audience experiences more fear and dread.
Terrorized – With 2 seekers and one guide already missing, the remaining seekers and guides begin to search for them and find one of the seeker’s bodies which has been hacked to pieces by an axe murderer. This is when they realize that they are being hunted and that there is a serial killer stalking them in the darkness.
Horror Situation: They find the mutilated body of one of the seekers that was murdered in the woods.
Reaction: This is when the seekers and guides experience shock, dread, fear and panic.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death – The seekers and guides decide to make a run for it and take flight by hiking out of the wilderness in the middle of the night. They leave their tents and most of their gear behind. There is a full moon which helps to illuminate the trail, but they also rely on flashlights and a kerosene lantern to be able to stay on the trail. A seeker is suddenly shot in the head by an arrow. The group panics and run blindly away. The masked killer attacks a male seeker (Brock) who has fallen behind because of a sprained ankle. They fight to the death in hand-to-hand combat and the seeker is stabbed to death by the masked killer with a hunting knife.
Horror Situations: 1) One of the seekers is shot in the head with an arrow. 2) Brock is attacked by the killer and is stabbed to death.
Reaction: Fear, dread, panic, and hysteria.
Hysteria – Hysteria ensues when the group runs off the trail and realize they are now lost in the woods. Another seeker is killed by an arrow shot from somewhere in the darkness as they try to get their bearings. The killer is picking them off one by one with a crossbow.
Horror Situation: Lost in the woods, another seeker is killed by an arrow.
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria.
The thrilling escape from death – Guided by the North star the remaining seekers and guides head in the direction where they think there is a road. One of the guides (Michael) is killed by an arrow in the back. They find a road and begin following it back to where they think their van is parked. Another seeker is killed by an arrow.
Horror Situations: Another seeker and a guide are killed.
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria.
Death returns to take one or more – At this point there is only one seeker (Elise) and one guide (Todd) still alive. When they get back to the van the guide is killed by an arrow through the driver’s side window after turning the key in the ignition. With the motor running the hysterical seeker pushes the guide’s body out of the van and begins driving away.
Horror Situation: Another guide is killed when he is shot in the side of the head by an arrow.
Reaction: The only surviving seeker experiences, fear, panic and hysteria.
Resolution – As Elise drives away, she sees the masked killer standing in the middle of the road in front of her. He takes one last shot with his crossbow and the arrow smashes the windshield of the van but just barely misses Elise and she’s able to continue driving. She puts the petal to the metal and runs the killer over. She gets out of the van and thinking he’s dead she removes the killer’s mask. This finally reveals his identity: it’s Jimmy! Still alive, he suddenly grabs her by the ankle, and she falls down. They begin wrestling on the ground, but because his legs are broken, she’s able to break free. He slashes her Achille’s heal, but she’s able to limp back to the van. She backs over him then drives away in a veil of tears as the sun is just beginning to rise in the distant horizon.
Horror Situation: Elise hits the killer with the van and thinking he is dead gets out to remove his mask. He is still alive and attacks her. He slashes her, but she is able to get away. When she gets back in the van, she backs over him and drives over him again, then drives away.
Reaction: Elise, the lone survivor, is hysterical, but the audience feels relieved after she gets away and runs over the killer again. Is he dead yet?! No, there must be a sequel!
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Storm Area 51
ACT 1
Atmosphere of Evil established: As soldier runs, his limbs are torn from hit toned body one by one.
Horror Situation: Terrible screams come from inside a hanger 18
Reaction – Escape: Soldiers bolt to the hanger
Horror Situation: A tentacle squeezes a soldier’s next until he dies
Connect with the characters: A new girl in town, Paige arrives at her first period class. She meets a girl named Elle who Paige takes a liking. Upon Elle’s urging, Paige agrees to storm Area 51 with Elle’s brother.
The characters are warned not to do it: They aren’t that getting close to Area 51, they will get arrested or shot to death.
Denial of Horror: Group collectively decides that the soldiers can’t arrest or shoot at two million base storms. They get in a car and head out to Area 51.
Safety taken away: Upon getting arrested by the soldiers at the gate, their phones are taken away.
Horror Situation: The building they are held in violently shake due to attacks
Reaction – scared, they scream their demands to know the going-on from inside their holding cell.
Horror Situation: A half-burnt Dr. Pickering drops by their cell freaking them out.
Reaction – Denial: Refuse to believe the aliens’ attacks
Monster: The nature of the beast: Well trained alien soldiers terrorizing the base personnel and our heroes
Horror Situation: One of our heroes slips on a bloody pathway
Reaction: They treads carefully to get away from their preys
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: Since everything and everyone on the base is destroyed and killed, they have no means of escape.
Horror Situation: Once of them is killed, leaving Paige alone on the base. she is surrounded by her preys
Reaction: She finds a place to hide.
Horror Situation: The aliens find her.
Reaction: She fights back.
Horror Situation: She bolts, getting away from her preys.
Character Death: The get ripped into pieces by the alien tentacles
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by the killer – the panicking Paige looks for survivors who might able to help help her
Horror Situation: More personnel of the base are killed
Reaction: Paige becomes hysterical
Terrorized – She comes face to face with her prey
Horror Situation: The prey tries to rip Paige into pieces
Reaction: She fights back with her might
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death – After realizing the fight belongs to her prey, she looks for a way to get out of there with her life
Horror Situations: A soldier burns alive
Reaction: Fear, dread, panic, and hysteria – Paige thinks she’s next to die
Hysteria – all is lost – the preys encroach on her – she thinks she is about to die
Horror Situation: A captain comes to her rescue but he gets ripped up by a prey before her eyes
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria. She screams
The thrilling escape from death – Using her smarts, she finds a way to escape and bolts out for her life
Horror Situations: She encounters more preys
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria – She is about to give and lets the preys have at her.
Death returns to take one or more – The preys go after her
Resolution – She encounters a survivor who encourages Paige to take on the preys. Paige is given a special flying suit and a dagger from Son God Ra.
Horror Situation: Paige almost dies when a tentacle gets a hold of her next
Reaction: She uses the dagger to slash the tentacles and frees herself then defeats the preys
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Jamie Stegner. Horror situations track
What I learned doing this assignment: Let it be bad. It’ll work out. The new ideas come out of the ridiculous. I’ll get back to it later.
ASSIGNMENT
1. Build horror situations into your plot by taking the following steps:
STEP 1: Brainstorm 20 to 50 potential horror situations for your story.
Ezmyralda Jenkins watches the news with fascination, surrounded by her 9 cats.
Newscasts: Another half -eaten body has been discovered at Emerson Park. Again the heart seems to be the focus of the feeding. The police have no clues who or what could have ripped open the ribcage without harming the rest of the body. There are no clues and Detective Marcel believes the body was dumped here – that the victim died elsewhere.
Another body with claw and fang marks has been discovered. Something is eating the hearts. apparently, the body has been carried by talons, like by a large bird.
Missing persons: Sandra Jones has been missing for 3 days. She was last seen in Wilson as she went door to door selling her raffle tickets. Anyone with information please contact the Wilson police department.
Missing person: Jack Franklin has been missing for 4 days. He was last seen in Wilson, looking for yard work.
Visitors to Ezmyralda Jenkins’ house:
Police officer Howard Edwards, 6’.2” young and handsome, comes to EJ’s house to ask if she has any information about the dead or the missing persons. She’s sweet, agreeable. Suddenly the large strong person (Larston) emerges and throws Officer Edwards off the back deck into the overgrown ravine. His ribcage breaks open exposing his Beating Heart. The 9 cats rush to the crash site.
Halloween, a gang of 6 kids think they will harass EJ.- an old woman home alone. Knowing she can’t deal with all 6 at the same time, she lets them bother her for a while, but then Larston emerges and they run off. Next day they realize one of them didn’t get home. Meanwhile at EJ’s Larston has grabbed one of the gang and rips open his chest, exposing the Beating Heart for the 9 Cats. Later, before dawn, the Eagle entity hauls off the body and dumps it far from EJ’s house.
One night a burglar breaks into EJ’s house. Larston quickly disables him. Afterwards, the Eagle carries his body to the other side of town. And drops him on the mayor’s front lawn. The TV News report is gruesome.
The pizza delivery man volunteers that this is his last stop before going on a 2-week vacation. No one will miss him right away. He stays for dinner – 9 cats’ dinner. EJ moves his car and Eagle entity flies home.
One day EJ asks the mailman to stop again on his way back to his truck because she is almost finished with a letter that must go out today. He agrees. And since he has completed delivering the mail, no on suspects that he died at EJ’s house. EJ moves the mail van to the other end of his route. Eagle carries his body several blocks away. No one suspects EJ because he continued to deliver the mail after he left her house.
The piano tuner comes one day. She’s about to become a victim, but since she’s blind and can’t drive, she’s not alone. EJ realizes only at the last moment that her driver is waiting in the car. If she’d killed her, she would have been found out. Since she’s blind, he doesn’t realize how close to death she came.
EJ calls other repair people:
Plumber comes, but he has an apprentice with him. She can’t take one without the other.Electrician comes, but is a large person himself and capable of defending against Larston. maybe too heavy for Eagle to transport. Throwing off the back deck has been done and repeat would draw suspicion. So, he gets away.
Church zealots always come in pairs. EJ is getting desperate for victims. She locks one in the closet to save for tomorrow. And feeds the other to the 9 cats. She has one flyer they left, but she takes the rest of the flyers around to her neighbors and leaves in the door – Her report will be: “They came here and then went on to the next house.” It’ll appear from the left flyers that they finished their route.
The one in the closet escapes and runs. The Eagle pursues. It’s dark. Escapee has a chance. The Eagle hunts by sound and sight. Eventually the escapee makes it to the Wilson Police Station and goes in. The Eagle sees and waits. Inside, she tells that Sweet Old Lady is a killer. The police don’t believe her; she leaves; the Eagle grabs her and hauls her back to EJ’s house. She will be the meal next day. She tries to reason with EJ. But EJ must feed the 9 cats. It doesn’t really matter who – as long as the Heart is Beating. Escapee continues to struggle. Her fate is sealed. She’s cat food.
2. Reactions. (denial, solve it, hide, escape, or fight )
DENIAL: Most potential victims ignore the news as they don’t associate the missing persons or the found bodies with Wilson and EJ’s neighborhood. No one thinks it will happen to them.
HELPLESS: Larston attacks and opens the ribcage without warning. The terror is in the attack of the 9 cats in those who are still conscious. Most are unconscious from the shock.
FIGHT THE CATS: Victim response: The 9 cats gather around, yowling. They know this will be their supper. They encircle the victim. If the victim tries to pet the cats, some allow it, Some will scratch and hiss. The victim can’t leave once encircled; the cats jump up, claws out. The 9 cats encircle. They don’t have the means to kill. They have to wait for Larston and they get impatient, if it’s been more than 36 hours since their last meal. they’re hungry. Some victims get to the point of panic, esp if Larson is delayed.
ESCAPE: The one that EJ does lock in the closet to save for tomorrow escapes while she is out distributing the rest of their flyers. This results in a horrific hunt and escape. The escapee is clever but Eagle gets her and her fate is sealed.
SOLVE IT: Escapee tries to reason with EJ – offer alternatives, without success. But she does convince EJ that this method is not sustainable.
HIDE: Escapee tries to hide from Eagle. Eagle can’t give up.
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DAY 5 POST 5 Anna’s Horror Track
The Long Dark by Anna Harper
based on some true events
What I learned from this assignment; It was a stretch, however, sticking to the directions, it worked out.
I also learned something else, more philosophical. What is my story? The story or the act of storytelling is the story of all humans,
The story is the story. Making meaning, binding us together. The unknowable, the exotic, becomes personally experienced if the story is good. Maybe it is my job to be useful through storytelling.
1. Atmosphere of Evil established.
Aerial view of the remote Yukon bushland. ISOLATED
Sounds of wolves howling EERIE
An old canopied truck is parked on the bush road.
Several intoxicated men wearing masks, one of them is a white man.
HORROR SITUATION/MEN ARE THE MONSTERS
Several men drag a girl from the truck.
HORROR SITUATION ALONE/IMPRISONED/REMOTE
The men are all wearing ski masks. The arms of one man are visible, he is THE white man. He appears to be the major instigator (HAS A SNAKE TATTOO ON HIS ARM)
They drag the girl to a cabin.
REACTION screaming and kicking, out of the truck towards a broken-down cabin.
HORROR SITUATION/ ATTACKED/FORCED INTO A DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT/NO ESCAPE
A murder of crows are making their loud noisy calls near the cabin
SYMBOL/SHAPESHIFTER/WARNING
HORROR SITUATION
The men note the HUGE BEAR claw marks
on the cabin door and laugh.
REACTION /DENIAL OF THE TERRIBLE DANGER IN THE ENVIRONMENT
HORROR SITUATION
SHE IS TIED WITH ROPES to various pieces of furniture.
They brutally rape her and pour gasoline over her threatening to burn her alive.
HORROR SITUATION/PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY TORTURED
REACTION Screaming from the cabin can be heard throughout the woods.
ESCAPE They continue to drink throughout their evil assault, and eventually, pass out.
REACTION The girl is barely functioning she is traumatized, sobbing
She uses her last strength to undo the ropes, escapes, and takes off in the truck.
The crows outside of the cabin MORPH into grizzly bears.
HORROR SITUATION/ MONSTER ABOUT TO GET YOU
One of the men wakes and notices the girl is gone, he opens the door THE GRIZZLY BEAR rips the man out of the cabin by his arm.
REACTION SCREAMING/LIMBS FLYING/BLOOD AND GORE
The bear continues to maul and eat him alive,
HORROR SITUATION another bear sticks his head in the cabin facing one of the other men for
ONE BEAT
REACTION
the man is HYSTERICAL/SCREAMING
BEAR MAKES THE SOUNDS OF ATTACK: HUFFING AND THEN LEAPS FORWARD ONTO THE SCREAMING MAN and drags him outside
screaming as he is ripped limb from limb.
ESCAPE The white man slides out of the cabin and runs like hell for the bush.
INCITING INCIDENT
An outsider arrives by small plane at the rez. (RESERVATION/HAMLET) She is an art instructor, here to help indigenous women sell their crafts.
The pilot, an attractive man likes her and warns her she is about to land in one of the most notorious bush communities. He offers to take her back if she changes her mind
DENIAL She declines saying she is looking forward to the assignment and having the Yukon bush experience. After all, there are always a few bad apples, everywhere.
FORBODING
Eerie music emphasizes aloneness
The art instructor is in her cabin and decides to go for a walk on the game trail in the woods behind her cabin. SOUNDS of her breaking branches, the beginning of snow falling, SILENCE She is enjoying the walk, relaxed.
She finds a frog and talks to the frog, ASKING THE FROG
why he is not asleep yet?
She tells him she understands his SPECIAL SPIRIT ANIMAL MEANING which is to give her a message: she is to talk to many people.
She tells the frog she will take him to the water at the edge of the quarry in the woods. She wraps the frog in her scarf and carries him to the quarry deeper into the woods. The light, which is already grey begins to fade. She leaves the frog and starts to retrace her steps. DISTANT SOUND OF WOLVES HOWLING
HORROR SITUATION GROWING SENSE OF FORBODING
ART INSTRUCTOR IS BEGINNING TO FEEL ANXIOUS, which shows on her face/ STRUGGLES TO MOVE THROUGH THE BUSH WHICH SEEMS TO BE ENTRAPPING HER//HEAVY BREATHING. BIRDS SQUAWKING IN THE BUSH
To CALM HERSELF SHE BEGINS TO TALK OUT LOUD admires and talks about the plants/berries/trees. Suddenly, she notices an engulfing rank smell, and wonders what it is, dead wildlife?
HORROR SITUATION
She hears a BLOOD CURDELING HOWL not a wolf/cougar.
REACTION PANIC She begins to get scared and tries to hurry back along the path, feet getting stuck in branches
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She stops suddenly, her breath gasping. In the distance at the end of the path part of a STRANGE ANIMAL, HUMANOID CREATURE appears.
It is huge, a back view, something like a man, something like an ape, she doesn’t know what she is seeing, she is frozen with fear and lured with fascination. She takes a couple of slow steps toward the beast,
HORROR SITUATION tHE MONSTER MANIFESTS
The BEAST instantly VANISHES. She walks and runs the rest of the way towards her cabin, as she reaches the door, she hears the blood-curdling sound again, MUCH LOUDER AND CLOSER terrified she turns to see SASQUATCH. She freezes and looks directly at him. He disappears. before her eyes.
THE NATURE OF THE BEAST
The art instructor calls one of her work contacts on the rez, it’s George, an elder, and healer. She asks to see him.
The art instructor takes the traditional tea as a gift to George. She tells him what happened, he sits there in silence for a while. He explains that SASQUATCH is a spirit animal. His visit can have two meanings.
HORROR SITUATION MONSTER/SPIRIT ANIMAL AND UNRESOLVED CRIME
It can mean she is in the right place at the right time, or it can be a warning. George tells her about the girl who was attacked. That there may be one of the men in the community and to be very careful.
REACTION She is VISIBLY HORRIFIED. The art instructor declares the SASQUATCH was helping her,, it was a warning to be careful and that she is indeed meant to be at the rez to help the locals.
ACT 2
HORROR SITUATION THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS THREATENED
The band chief calls a meeting and talks about what has happened at the cabin and the appearance of the SASQUATCH The Chief tells the community that they have to mend their ways.
REACTION Most of the residents are upset, concerned frightened. BUT
DENIAL
Some of the badass people ridicule the Chief saying he is too old and this stuff has no meaning for them.
They disperse from the meeting, some of the guys and a girl assemble at one of the trucks and pass around a pop bottle of homemade white lightning.
The group takes off in the truck. ITS PITCH BLACK DARK AND SNOWING
A larger-than-life COYOTE runs in front of the truck, stops, and looks directly at them as the truck screams along and crashes into the coyote.
HORROR SITUATION TRUCK CRASH IN A REMOTE AREA APPEARANCE OF A SPIRIT ANIMAL COYOTE A SHAPESHIFTER
The truck kills the coyote. The truck rolls over into the ditch. They all get out, drunk, dazed but alive. They walk over to the road to check on the coyote, he has disappeared, with no traces of blood. The girl says the COYOTE IS A SHAPESHIFTER and that’s why there is no blood.
REACTION DENIAL The men laugh and then agree to get the hell outta here.
They start staggering down the road as the truck is undrivable. THEY NOTICE An ENGULFING RANK SMELL, THEY FREEZE, The girl screams “SASQUATCH!”
SASQUATCH APPEARS AHEAD OF THEM, scares the hell out of them, They are SCREAMING, BEGGING. and SUDDENLY SASQUATCH DISAPPEARS Into a mist.
The group starts to run down the highway when out of the ditch a TWICE THE SIZE OF A REGULAR GRIZZLY BEAR raises its head.
the GROUP IS SCREAMING AND CRYING.
The GIANT GRIZZLY grabs one of the screaming men and takes him into the bush to eat him. lIBS FLYING, HIGH PITCHED SCREAMS
A murder of crows are on the side of the road are talking.
REACTION The rest of the group runs /STAGGERS screaming into the dark towards the village. It starts to snow. The CROWS land/flutter down on the road in front of the groups and just disappear, with more screaming from the group.
FULL-OUT TERROR THE POINT OF NO RETURN
HORROR SITUATION
One by one several of the bands (reservation) people who have committed terrible crimes are HUNTED by Sasquatch and the grizzly bears.
REACTION S
The whole town, many of whom are drinking, gambling beating their wives and children, feel collective terror as to who is next.
Again the band Chief summons the residents and warns them again about their destructive ways. They hold a healing, cleansing ceremony.
At the ceremony, the art instructor asks to speak. She tells the women she is here to help them sell their crafts so they have more independence and invites them to her group. In private she is becoming more and more scared for her own safety and is considering leaving.
REACTION FUNCTIONAL MOVING TOWARD PROBLEM-SOLVING
The women come to the group, and as it is tradition hold a sweetgrass smoke cleansing ceremony to open the group meeting. They have brought some of their work with them. As they sit and begin to talk, they disclose why they want to be more independent. Most are suffering various kinds of abuse, as well as their children. The instructor asks them if they would like to make a movie, talking about their lives and their dreams. They agree.
HORROR SITUATION
That night the entire village hears the howls of Sasquatch.
REACTION Every household is TERRIFIED and taking protective actions such as boarding doors/windows
HORROR SITUATION
One of the women from the art group is walking home along the edge of the woods. A bull Elk with a gigantic RACK comes out of the bush
REACTION ATTEMPTS ESCAPE
SHE RUNS TO HER TRUCK and gets her rifle off the back of the truck. She shoots the elk point-blank it doesn’t have any effect. The next morning the gored woman’s body is found in the middle of the village road near the grocery store.
HORROR SITUATION COMMUNITY HYSTERIA
The village is in an emotional meltdown. The Mounties or State Police, try going door to door. They go out on snowmobiles to check the bush as do the local trappers. No result.
FORBODING
That night more Sasquatch howls. The band chief is taking his garbage out back of his cabin, he picks up some logs of wood from his stack and walks back to the cabin.
HORROR SITUATION The GIANT grizzly appears.
REACTION
The Chief talks to the bear in a calm voice.
‘I am not for you tonight brother, you will not eat me, now go brother.’
Grizzly leaves, Chief says the traditional blessing and gratitude ” Matsicho”. Goes inside and experiences chest pains. Calls the nursing station for help.
HORROR SITUATION
It’s morning and still Yukon dark. A white man, the one who attacked the girl in the opening scene, is walking from the gas station with a gas can in hand. his tattoo is visible. Without any warning, a COUGAR appears in front of him, a MUCH larger than usual cougar.
REACTION
The cougar walks around the man snarling. Terrorizing him. He jumps on him, rolling him on the ground while snake tattoo man screams, gets him face down, and bites his neck. The man is still alive as the gas can spills on the road, ALL AROUND HIM, he has many terrible injuries. The cougar stands back as the gas suddenly spontaneously bursts into flames killing the man./ burning him alive amid screams.
RESOLUTION
A conversation between the local police and the art instructor reveals the woman killed had beaten her young daughter almost to death with a belt. She had been convicted of attempted manslaughter and set free.
They talk about the burned body of the white man and say they had him in sight as a suspect of the rape crime.
People in the village discuss the sounds of the Sasquatch nightly howling has stopped.
Chief holds a feast and healing ceremony and gives a speech about right conduct according to the ancestors. Chief talks about the conspiracy of silence which permeates village life after a crime has been committed and admonishes all to speak out.
CONCLUSION
SHOT
A group of women doing their handicrafts and talking into a camera about their lives.
FINAL SHOT
A VIEW OF THE VILLAGE IN YUKON GREY IS HALF-LIGHT, SNOW FALLING SASQUATCH HOWLING IN THE DISTANCE.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by
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Title: The Famine Pit
Type: Feature Film
Genre: Horror
Monster: Cannibals
THE HORROR PLOT TRACK HORROR SITUATIONS TRACK CHARACTER DEATH TRACK MONSTER REVEAL TRACK Character Journey Track CHARACTER JOURNEY TRACKACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
1 Atmosphere of Evil established: “The movie opens with an experience of the horror to come. It could be a prologue or the actual start of the story but by having horror in the opening you start building apprehension from the opening scene. This also creates suspense while you introduce your characters. On top of that it fulfills the genre which makes it easier for a reader to say YES to your script. ” “We open with S&V working on the corpse of an executed man. we meet S&V both working for the police as part-time forensic scientists as they continue their research.
As they are doing so police deliver the body of a vagrant which is placed on a trolley. The corpse of the executed man is lowered into a vat of formaldehyde for attention tomorrow. They lock-up for the night.
Next morning when they enter the lab and find it in disarray. The body of the executed man from yesterday has been lifted from the vat and partly devoured. The lab is in chaos with several bodies strewn about who appear to have died from Formaldehyde poisoning. The body of the vagrant is missing ” “Horror situations in Prologue opening Inciting Incident and Act 1 Turning Point.” We see the execution then the body revealed in the lab. A prisoner
2 Connect with the characters: “We need characters that we have connected with in some way for this journey to have any meaning. That way every time they are threatened we as an audience are threatened. If you have a group you’ll need some kind of group activity or them preparing together for a trip to the “isolated location.” Each interaction should give us a snapshot of who the characters are and a possible indication of how they might deal with the upcoming horror. ” “Septimius Mulholland: a loner gentleman medical researcher in the Pathology department of The Queen’s University Belfast. Also works as a police examiner.
Victoria Mulholland nee Boyle His wife: a natural extrovert and leader fellow medical researcher.
S asks V to pass him an instrument which she does.
James Finn District Inspector RIC and friend of S&V.
Finn introduces PC Little a cheery soul who is on the local beat. Little promises to keep an eye on S&V as they make their way home.”
3 The characters are warned not to do it: “This is a natural expression of the situation. If you are about to do something dangerous people around you will feel that it is their responsibility to caution you. But it also indicates that the characters are making the first of a series of questionable decisions. From an overview you might say the rest of the movie is punishment for making this bad choice. ” “S&V and Finn decide to bluff about how much they know to see if that flushes out the gang.
S&V are in their lab. The press are there and photographs are taken. The story about the missing body is in the paper. The story is how the body has been stolen and how S&V are assisting the police.
Finn advises the press that S&V had already taken samples from the body and police were working on a line of inquiry that connected the missing body to reports of other deaths around the graveyard and a criminal gang operating in the area.
Septimius is stopped in the street by what appears to be a beggar and warned to stop investigating. PC Little intervenes and the beggar makes off.
The police warn him to take precautions and will station a guard outside his house.”
4 Denial of Horror: “In one way or another characters will deny the possibility of the horror to come. How could they go into this journey if they truly believed what they are about to face? ” “S&V argue over threat. Finn tells them to take it seriously as they have killed many people.
S&V reveal they are both armed?
Finn remarks they are dealing with monsters that are threatening them but S&V laugh and tell him the missing body looked perfectly normal on the slab.”
5 Safety taken away: “This is their first real indication that something bad is going to happen to them. They somehow lost the person thing map or escape route that they had depended upon for safety. ” “Finn is found dead in his home. Murdered in the same way with a warning written in blood telling them to keep away.
Finn is brought to the lab and S&V greets his old friend before starting the examination.
The police offer S&V protection but they deny any need claiming the beggar was a mere street robber.” “Horror situations in Prologue opening Inciting Incident and Act 1 Turning Point.” S examines the body of his friend the District Inspector in his cosy living room. He has been torn apart as though by wild animals DI Finn in his own home
6 Monster: The nature of the beast: “Now we see some version of what the monster can do. After the opening scene this is often the second reveal of the monster but we are only seeing a small part. We might see the result of a kill or some clues to something bad that happened in the past. ” “S&V are called to the scene of a murder near the graveyard. The corpse is of the missing policeman. It has been eviscerated and large parts are missing. There are teeth-marks similar to the murder of the Detective Inspector.
His notebook is missing.
S&V enter the graveyard to look around. They see traces of activity and take samples.” “Horror situations in Prologue opening Inciting Incident and Act 1 Turning Point.” PC Little who was on the beat near the murder is missing. Constable Little on the beat.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN Horror every 10 to 15 minutes
7 Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: “The isolation has increased in a big way. We are now at the point of “no escape.” This could be a kidnapping the escape route closed off being surrounded or a loved one taken by the monster. Somehow the characters are suffering from even more isolation than previously existed. ” Septimius is working late on one of the bodies when he is attacked. They both plunge into a formaldehyde vat and Septimius manages to kill his attacker horribly (decapitation?) before staggering to the emergency shower. “We see the PM of Little.We see the pursuit of a person passing the graveyard and their struggles as they are dismembered.”
8 One of us killed: The horror has now reached one of us. This is part of what takes it from a Thriller to a Horror movie. This takes us to the midpoint because we see that the monster is so much more terrifying. “Finn was killed by someone who had a grudge Little was killed because he witnessed the attackers.”
MIDPOINT — THE MONSTER IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT9 Full pursuit by the killer: “Now that the monster has exposed itself it goes after the characters with full impunity. We are seeing the monster in their full glory but there are still things we don’t know about this monster. ” “The history of the graveyard is revealed and stories about missing children etc. are found in old papers local historian.
The police now take S seriously and a full sweep of the area is carried out.” “Victoria is chased but escapes.
The leader of the cannibals warns S off.”
10 Terrorized: “The group has entered full terror. They are being chased trapped attacked and killed. ” “A religious ceremony is held to cleanse the graveyard of evil but it is attacked.
The police now accept that a gang has seized control of the graveyard for purposes of plundering it and they must be confronted and expelled.” “Priests nuns – the lot are butchered in the graveyard.”
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR Non-stop horror situations.
11 Fight to the death: There may be one or multiple fights to the death here. “A mob with torches push past the police and enter the graveyard.The cannibals attack the lab and are driven off but Victoria is missing.” The mob are attacked and many burnt to death.
12 Hysteria: “With death happening all around the characters they have lost control of their emotions. Screaming crying and shaking are natural responses to the horror that is raining down on them! ” “It is dark now and some want to return in the morning to assault the crypt but S points out that Victoria may still be alive and they should move now.
S and the police move into the graveyard and are attacked with many losses.”
13 The thrilling escape from death: “Just as exciting as the horror are the escapes and near-escapes. The characters may escape many times only to face the monster again. ” “Septimius and the police enter the crypt and find the remains of Victoria
The Crypt is set alight and the police & S pile in more fuel as we watch it burn.” The Crypt is strewn with bones and the stench of death. “Police and cannibals battle.
Cannibals run out burning and are shot down.”
14 Death returns to take one or more: “Even after they think they’ve killed the monster it will return to shock their reality once more. ” The leader of the cannibals leads the last members of his tribe to safety through the tunnels. Killing police guards.
15 Resolution: Someone has survived after an unbelievable horror gauntlet. But it isn’t a happy ending. They are very likely traumatized for life…but they are alive. “S is working in the lab. It is late. He asks V to pass him an instrument then stops. He pauses for a moment then returns to his work.
We see the surviving cannibals in a dark dank place. They are worshipping the figure of a man with the head of a goat. It turns and looks directly at us.”
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Rich’s Horror Situation Track:
What I learned doing this assignment is that this one was hard. It really made me reevaluate the monster/his abilities/the abilities of his minions and the effect the horror situations have on the natural flow of the story.
1. Knowing your concept, fill in one or two sentences for each of the plot points.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established
◦ A local townie pulls his truck to the side of the road, dumps his mattress and pulls away. Later, a cargo van picks up the mattress. It follows him home and kidnaps him. As the van pulls away, we see the storage company logo.
◦ Horror Situation: Townie is ambushed and kidnapped in his house off screen — horrendous shrieks/screams — then taken away.
◦ Reaction: Failed resistance. Taken away kicking and screaming.
• Connect with the characters
◦ The family starting their day at home. Daughter gets new mattress. Son tasked with taking old mattress to dump on way to concert with friends. Probie shows up to deliver lieutenant mom’s “lost” keys for thousandth time but with new GPS tag attached.
• The characters are warned not to do it.
◦ Friends want son to just dump mattress on side of road so they don’t have to go out of their way. One friend advises against it.
• Denial of Horror
◦ Daughter is kidnapped. Think it’s just a regular kidnapping. Priest shows up: a demon took your daughter. Dismiss him as crazy.
◦ Horror Situation: Daughter is stalked/tormented inside of house and then violently kidnapped.
◦ Reaction: Try to solve – Parents return home. Call police.
• Safety taken away
◦ Police contacted: No help. Reveal systemic demonic corruption. The parents are on their own.
• Monster: The nature of the beast.
◦ Parents return home to find grieving/guilty son has dumped mattress to become bait. Wants to be kidnapped to find sister. Swallowed GPS tag. Parents fight kidnappers but lose. The parents track the GPS to the storage facility.
◦ Horror Situation: Waiting to be taken. Parents discover son’s plan. Try to fight off demons. Fail
◦ Reaction: Try to solve – parents fight kidnapping demons
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted
◦ Firefighters and priest arrive at storage facility to help. The group storms the facility to rescue the kids. It’s immediately locked down, sealing them in. Now they can’t leave. It’s on.
◦ Horror Situation: Start searching “normal” storage facility. Psychological attacks amping everyone up. “Something is wrong here.”
◦ Reaction: Try to solve – Keep searching. Follow GPS.
• One of us killed
◦ Probie panics and is the first to go. Stupid probie.
◦ Horror Situation: Impending doom. Probie thinks he’s gonna die. Probie is correct.
◦ Reaction: Hide. Bad move. Eaten alive by hell hounds.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer/Terrorized
◦ The Demon torments the team, hunting them through the maze of the storage center. Toying with them. Enjoying the game.
◦ Horror Situation: Trapped. Return to exit to find it blocked. No escape.
◦ Reaction: Denial – must be another way out & Fight – fight our way to kids then out.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death
◦ The Demon and his minions start picking of the team.
◦ Horror Situation: Attacked/tormented by demon and staff
◦ Reaction: Fight/run/flee/go mad
• Hysteria
◦ The dwindling team realize they’re in over their heads and that this is a no win situation.
◦ Horror Situation: Finally find kids in demon’s chamber. Seat of demon’s power. Demon attacks them directly
◦ Reaction:
• The thrilling escape from death
◦ Parents manage to rescue one of both of the children. Dad sacrifices himself to get them out. Mom mom stays behind to keep them safe/destroy the monster.
◦ Horror Situation: Save father or kids
◦ Reaction: Sacrifice father,
• Death returns to take one or more.
◦ Mom sacrifices herself to destroy the demon.
◦ Horror Situation: Trapped. Not all making it out alive.
◦ Reaction: Fight. Sacrifice herself to give kid a chance.
• Resolution
◦ Kids found outside devastated storage center completely traumatized. City officials usher them off to be “taken care of”. Reveal that they’re part of the corrupt demon’s network.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Rich Hynes.
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