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Lesson 3
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12 Replies
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Suzanne Frank’s Characters for Horror
B and a bit of D: Esoteric house party, everyone is same elevated socio-economic group and vaguely know each other. Gathered to open a black-market mummy case during the Egyptomania following Tut’s discovery in the 1920s.
A. Killed off one by one, until the hero/carrier and the innocent descend to the underworld (where the other guests continue to show up) to constrain Mot.
South African: Leader. He purchased the mummy and even though “Egyptology” now decrees being gentle with the artifacts, it’s HIS and he’ll do it HIS way … just like he’s done everything else, including run his mines. Feels competitive with English.
Belgian: Arrogant, quick to second guess leader, always sarcastic and trying to take the MOST out of the week’s experience. Pits people against each other, for fun. But he’s in business with leader.
Englishwoman: Innocent, only one who gets out alive (also complainer?) She has a dark secret and is more interested in the garden and the dancing than the mummy … but her family is in business with the Spaniard, so she is sent as a companion.
Spaniard: Judgey & removed. Dismissive of everything, but it’s her villa (a family trinket, because why go to Portugal, so backward!) and she is supposed to marry the SA. (Her duenna is here, too.)
Frenchman: Out of control. Has a vague moral compass that he drowns and has drowned with wine since a terrible choice lost his battalion in WWI … and he lied about how it happened. His family wealth is from the Panama Canal project.
American: Red herring, keeps quiet about his wealth and puts up with the derogatory comments about his nationality. Served with the Belgian in the Congo, even though he despises him.
Mystery woman: Rebel, only because she is the resurrected Egyptian priestess whose case it was, and her punishment in her own time (for losing the king to the Hyksos) was to “hold” Mot, hopefully for eternity. She remembers her former life AS the story unfolds.
What I learned during this assignment is … I need more women, more connections in my group.
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Assignment 3
Karen Crider’s Characters for Horror
What I learned:
Logline: A clock smith receives an antique clock with gears corroded in rust, not knowing it’s blood from the last victim– a clocksmith whose mortality ticks down after repairs.
TITLE: Killing Time
Concept: An obscure clocksmith receives a cursed, antique clock that determines his fate.
My killing fields are innocents, largely clock smiths and the clock’s owners. (Actually, they are the ones owned by the clock. I changed the killer from a watch to a clock that’s in control. Whoever obtains the clock is its next probable victim. The clock makes the rules. Those who break them, die. Time must be respected—no excuses.
Chron Chronsky—49, (Chron means time = Chronsky) A superstitious clock-smith, with a long beard, a piercing stare and an obsessive need to always be on time.
Connecting Character: His wife, Mable Chronsky: 43, A drab, devotion-less woman with a sharp tongue, who’s labelled a crone by others, and seldom on time for anything.
The Time Keeper- Hundreds of years old. A gaudy, grunting spirit, cursed, bent over, squat with a small head that swivels like an owl. After a kill, witnesses report they only hear the flap of wings drumming inside a wide expanse.
The clock itself: a ruthless, powerful, ticking time bomb, who only has one master– a vampire who took the clock with him when he disappeared.
This is all I have so far. Thanks.
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TOM’S CHARACTERS FOR HORROR
What I learned doing this assignment is creating characters with conventions that suit the genre helps me build my story; and form and advance my plot.
1. TITLE/CONCEPT: SUBHUMAN
GROUP?
A. TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS: The captain of an advanced stealth nuclear submarine and a crew of specialists on a top secret mission in the Sea of Japan at the nexus of North Korea and Russia are attacked by a shape-shifting monster.
You can’t scream when you’re silent running.
2. DYING PATTERNS?
A. Put 6 to 8 characters together and kill them off one by one.
3. WHO IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE THIS HORROR?<div>
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Leader<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>: Captain TAYLOR “TV” VANDERPOOL Captain Vanderpool is an overachiever. He suffers guilt over the death of his teenage son. His ex-wife blames his singular focus on career for the death of his son. In return, he pushes himself and the ship beyond the normal bounds, yet dreads casualties. He’s going to be among the first. VICTIM
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Rescuer: Chief Warrant Officer and Navy Seal ANGEL HILDAGO The only female to graduate Basic Underwater Buds and become a Navy Seal, she is strong and brave. She has a chip on her shoulder for the mostly male Navy. She and Ray Ray have a secret on again off again fling. SURVIVOR
Chief Petty Officer RAYMOND “RAY RAY” DELACOURT. Strong and resourceful, taciturn, he has a soft spot for secret lover Angel . SURVIVOR
Innocent/Sacrificial Lamb: Seaman First Class TOBY SCHEIN. Sweet and naïve, Toby is everyone’s pet, but becomes the creature’s first VICTIM.
Out of control / Obnoxious: Assistant Chief Petty Officer CONNOR MCCAFFERY. Wise guy, practical joker.SURVIVOR
Complainer/ Rebel / Rule Breaker: First Mate QUANTELL JEFFERSON. Works for Ray Ray but often diregards orders at his own peril. VICTIM
Introvert / Loner: Chief Engineer DAVE OSMOND. Try and hide as he might, he can’t escape or outsmart the creature. VICTIM
Moral Chracter: Seaman First Class MALLORY EWING A born again Christian, she believes if everyone just has faith, goodness will triumph over evil. Not if the devil’s a shape-shifter. VICTIM
The Carrier: Science Officer RANJIT PATEL As they pass the underwater UAP crash site, he requests permission to dry-locker an alien body floating near the crash. The skipper turns him down. Patel secretly does it anyway, bringing the shape shifter (and many gruesome deaths) aboard the sub. VICTIM
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Tom Freyer.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by
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Kevin Lobo’s Characters for Horror
What I learned doing this assignment is to think into a few minute details well ahead of writing, rather than making them up as I go. I learned to focus in on each character, even though they are smaller pieces in the puzzle and to give their characters a little more detail and some interesting perspective. It made me think of adding some subtext in terms of the inner dynamics of this group of teens that the audience will see die off one by one through the movie.
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
The resurrected evil spirit of a serial killer that killed teens is back. The teens of the town are its victims again.
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
The evil spirit crucifies the teens upside down, the death coming from the extreme physical trauma suffered from the physical assault suffered prior to the crucifixion.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
A group of 6 teens, from grade 12, all just 18 that initially played the dare game that resurrected the spirit.
Kimberly, the silent influencer of the group, who leads them into the graveyard and gets them to try the spell that has been anonymously mailed to her. The spell becomes an obsession. Kimberly is the last to be possessed but survives at the end of the movie.
The rest, Bradley, Jason, Glen, Sarah and Ruth.
Bradley is the boisterous, rich one who also ends up providing the alcohol, the secret meeting places and the wheels for the groups to move around.
Jason and Glen make up his silent followers, who look up to him for his wealth and smart looks.
Sarah has a silent crush on Bradley hence tags along with the group. She is too shy and timid to express her feelings and too scared to break away even when she knows its dangerous.
Ruth, is the wild one. She bring a sense of recklessness and a defiant attitude and pushes the group into breaking the norms of society.
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R Whitney Character
What I learned doing this assignment is: How the characters are to interact as they solve the problem.
Concept and the Group: Professionals, scientist, police, military
Dying Pattern: Innocent, rescuer, love interest, carrier
Carrier: a scientist that unknowingly spreads the insect into a populated area
Innocent: Population and militia ordered to surround and destroy menace
Rescuer: policeman saves scientist
Love interest: Policeman’s love interest in scientist but is killed by menace
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Assignment 3
Repeat of Karen Crider’s Characters for Horror
What I learned: I re-did this lesson to answer questions I didn’t answer before. Insight is not always present. Planning takes time, thus the repeat.
Logline: A clock smith receives an antique clock with gears corroded in rust, not knowing it’s blood from the last victim– a clock smith whose mortality ticks down after his repairs.
TITLE: Killing Time or The Time Keeper
Concept: An obscure clock smith receives a cursed, antique clock which determines his fate.
My killing fields are innocents, several clock smiths and clock owners. (Actually, they are the ones owned by the clock. I changed the killer from, a watch to a clock, that’s in control. Whoever obtains the clock is its next probable victim. The clock makes the rules. Those who break them, die. Time must be respected—no excuses.
The clock itself: Darkness was the vampires only master, until he got night mixed up with day and almost died. The clock is a remnant of the one who turned him into a vampire, but the clock became his safety valve and master after that.
Connecting character to the clock: ALEX EATTEN, 29, (The guy with the metal detector:) A dishonest, whiskery ball of greed who has retrieved the clock initially from the vampire’s coffin.
Chron Chronsky—49, (Chron- Latin for time = Chronsky) A superstitious clock-smith, with a long beard, a piercing stare and an obsessive need to always be on time. He receives a free pass from death as long as he keeps the clock ticking whenever he is open. Those before and after, died ‘cause they failed. The time keeper must find those who succeed.
GERB MEADOWS, 17, An intellectually challenged kid, a nephew who helps Chron around the shop: totally inept, loses tools, parts and breaks things, but honest.
<u style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Connecting Character: His wife, Mable Chronsky: 43, A drab, devotion-less woman with a sharp tongue, who’s labelled a crone and seldom on time for anything.
The Time Keeper– HAWK, a gaudy, grunting spirit, Hundreds of years old, cursed, bent over, squat with a hook-nose, curved like a hawk’s beak. After a kill, witnesses report they hear a loud scream and the flap of wings drumming inside a wide expanse.
The clock itself: Darkness is the vampires only master, until he mixed night up with day and almost died. The clock keeps him straight, but is a remnant of the one who turned him into a vampire.
The vampire: BARNABAS, ancient, eerie/ clothed in black, disappears when he chooses; wants his clock back, and is not happy about having his spirit disturbed. Wants a piece of Alex.
Dying Pattern: I won’t know for sure till I get into outline. But the majority of the clock smiths will die. Alex of course, Cronsky’s wife, Mabel; Gerb, the young kid. Hawk is the clock personified, and enjoys killing, but the clock emits the summoning and is not above killing itself.
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Mike’s Characters for Horror
What I learned doing this assignment is…?
There’s so many options to choose from and ways the story can go. The trouble lies in what decision to take but it’s fun and interesting to focus on just finding the kind of characters to “live” this story.
Feature-length script: Shade Among Trees: Social Event (friends hiking), Professional Team (scientist, Bigfoot researcher, hunter)
Dying Pattern: B. The characters experience the terror and survive together, but one or two die; or, C. No one dies, but the characters are brought to the very brink of death and/or insanity.
(Note: Though any could work for the story, “C” would require more psychological trauma whereas “B” can make it more real by having to deal with an actual death and how it could be any of them. Also, I can make the villain more rounded in not wanting to kill but willing to, if necessary. Just a thought).
Characters:
Social Group (Friends)
Leader: Sam Radcliffe – He feels the pull of friendship, the slipping away from the various directions many of them have gone, and wants to give them one last great experience that might not be the experience he’s hoping to have.
Skeptic: Megan Ford – She survives her freshman year and finds her stride and confidence in the direction of her learning. She will offer balance to the more fanciful imaginations of her friends.
Introvert/Fearful: Nate Sullivan – Likes to read and keep to himself, not a fan of crowds, can get on well in a social setting but prefers to do more singular activities most of the time.
Love interest: Maddy Jenkins – She likes adventure, to go places, to see things and enjoy the simple things of life. Hopefully, the others who like her, don’t clash when things get tense.
Conspiracy Theorist: Katie Bennet – Likes to consider a wide variety of viewpoints and prefers conspiracies and conspiracy-like ideas to what she considers ‘accepted’ facts. Can be real fun in uncertain situations. Nate really appreciates it.
Complainer/Obnoxious: Danny Patterson – He’s been with them since Kindergarten and not all bad, but tends to push them into situations that are less than ideal and say and do things that can make a regular encounter a bit awkward.
Team of Professionals
Scientist: Dr. Julian Grimm – Wants to capture, study and clone the creature to see what it’s biology and behaviour reveal; true intentions not exactly clear.
Bigfoot Researcher: Declan Caldwell – Hired by Dr. Julian to help him find the creature but struggles with his morals as a researcher to find, study, protect, and understand these creatures. Can’t quite resist the lure of the pay or prestige if they’re successful.
Hunter: Flint Maddox – In it for the money, and the bravado of bagging this elusive creature. He wants it as a trophy. Think Quint from “Jaws,” ‘cause they could be related.
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Subject line: Eve Williams’ Characters for Horror
What I learned doing this assignment is each character reacts differently to the increasing paranormal activity; their actions accelerate the story.
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
The chosen ones include Maria, pregnant woman; Jesus, her 5 year old son, the dog and the parrot.
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
Maria and Jesus will live, but be scared to death for much of the second half of the movie.
The dog’s gonna die.
The parrot will escape.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
Leader: Maria. A typical Mother, she will fiercely fight for her son and unborn baby. Initially overjoyed at her new house, she quickly realizes they are trapped.
Innocent: Jesus, who is a sensitive. Children are more receptive to the paranormal, and Jesus can see and sense things much quicker than his mother.
Out of Control/Obnoxious: The dog. Nippy and incontinent at the best of times, the dog triggers at any and all noises, and what appears to be nothing at all.
Monster Bait: The parrot. Lolita bird’s vocabulary includes a variety of foul Spanglish. She senses the evil in the house, and calls it “La Migra”.
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Brett Born’s Characters for Horror
What I learned doing this assignment is how to be more cognizant of each character’s specific role in the events of the story.
Concept: High school student with a secret seeks fame by creating a podcast to showcase her experiences at a haunted drive-in which has secrets of its own.
Group B: The employees attend a meet and greet at the drive-in the night before the grand reopening.
Dying Pattern A: Characters will be killed off one by one.
LEADER: Christine – Through her relationships and because of who she is, she joins efforts to reopen the drive-in to gain fame and build her personal brand.
RESCUER: Lauren – Single teen mom with strong maternal instincts that drive her to help others and stay alive so that she can see her baby again.
LONER: Alyxx – Christine is her only friend, and she will follow her friend anywhere.
MORAL ONE: Zoe – She brings the humanity to the situation and speaks her mind when she discovers truths.
LOVE INTEREST: Marcos – Christine’s bf who handles her betrayal of their relationship with grace and humility and never sees the threat coming until it’s too late.
REBEL: Hannah – She has no interest in working at the drive-in and is more interested in her role as a social influencer, but her rebelliousness will provide an opportunity to save them all.
OUT OF CONTROL/OBNOXIOUS: Shin – Always in everyone’s business, he owns the theatre and his disdain for his cousin is despicable as he uses her to help promote his business.
THE CARRIER: Jade – A victim of the events of the past, she has returned to the theater in an effort to reclaim her peace of mind, but her actions only invite the terror to return with her.
MONSTER BAIT: A double date looking to party in a secluded spot unleashes the ire of Buck, who doesn’t appreciate their presense.
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Tasha’s Characters for Horror
What I learned doing this assignment is that just naming the people in the group helps to shape the story.
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
Concept: What if a spirit had to use a serial killer to carry out her vengeance against the group of people responsible for her murder.
Group: Sinners/Social Group
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
Pattern A – Put 6 to 8 characters together and kill them off one by one.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
Leader: Quade – wannabe thug, sets the tone for his group of boys, too “hard” for his own good. He’s either the last one to die or he has the biggest arc and redeems himself enough to make it to the sequel, although what state he’ll be in is the question.
Complainer: Sunny – the star child of his family, smart, egotistical, unhealthy attitude towards women. Definitely second to last to go.
Obnoxious: Jean Tyrone – ladies man, at least he thinks so, handsome but offers not much else. Second of the guys to go. Almost gets taken out by the spirit before Quade chides him for letting the spirit’s “parlor” tricks get to him.
Rescuer: Ike – could be a nice guy if he wasn’t a mindless follower. If Quade doesn’t have a redeeming arc and survives, then Ike will be a survivor, if not soul survivor. But he becomes nice enough to matter to the audience, so the stakes are higher around his death.
Obnoxious: Targ – another follower, disaffected, makes fun of “try-hards”, ironically is the most superstitious. First of the guys to go. He’s a real jerk, so audiences might not be rooting for his survival. He might actually be killed by the spirit because he lets his fear get the better of him and he runs out in traffic.
The Innocent: Vivi – Jean Tyrone’s sweet little sister, the one woman Quade and his boys actually likes and protects. Her death is devastating, unless Quade has that redeeming arc and saves her.
Love Interest: Faye – Quade’s mean girl queen bee. Fayes is the second lady to be killed.
Moral One: Liv – Vivi and Jean Tyrone’s young, single mother. Liv is the first to be killed by the serial killer because she fits his M.O.
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Ryan’s Character Breakdown:
What I learned doing this assignment is how to assign a task for each character by giving them the identities.
movie.
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
CONCEPT: A gang of teenage boys used a member’s younger brother to lure pedophile into the woods, where they then beat and rob them. One day when this trick goes wrong, they are about to be forced to kill the pedophile, when a demon appears from the woods. The pedophile ends up saving the teenagers, but the demon has stolen the younger brother. The teens are then forced to band together to fight the evil and escape the woods.
GROUP: Gang of Teenage Boys
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
Still deciding but I think I’m going to go with option B:
The characters experience the terror and survive together, but one or two die.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
LEADER: Romeo – Older Brother; It was his idea and encouragement to offer his younger brother as bait to lure pedophiles into the woods to be robbed. He was already the leader of the group of teens, but now he is leading them on a mission to save his brother.
RESCUER: James – Romeo’s best friend; He saves Romeo from one of Lamia’s traps and is there when they arrive at her lair to save the younger brother.
INNOCENT: Racer – Younger Brother; Innocent younger brother that played along to help his older brother and was abducted by Lamia.
MORAL ONE: Tony – Friend; His protests against killing James leads to some of their demise but also the road to saving Racer.
OUT OF CONTROL / OBNOXIOUS: Max – Cousin; He is the most frightened and therefore unhinged as Lamia’s antics heightened. He runs away and leaves the group, but he meets the beautiful form of Lamia and is seduced and in her control. He tries to break the group a part.
REBEL/ RULE BREAKER: Gavin – Friend; All of the teens are technically rebels / rule breakers, but he is the most keen on it and it actually leads to unlocking clues to defeat Lamia.
COMPLAINER: Santi – Friend; Complains because he is hungry and scared, thinks they should go somewhere else for help, which is quickly shut down.
RED HERRING: Chase – The Pedophile; We first think that he is a pedophile and even suspicious that he has something to do with the disappearance and death of a few group members, but really he is under the spell of Lamia and bringing her children to feast on. It’s misleading that he is a pedophile. Lamia is the one toying with them in the woods, leading them to her lair to attack.
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Bent’s characters for horror
what I learned doing this assignment is this ………. these different characters move the story along. They hinder each other and they elevate each other. They all want something and that’s what creates the conflict.
Concept a serial killer author tests out dialogues between his victimes to help with his writing. He then murders to live it thinking it will write better in his books.
Dying pattern
characters will be
Innocent – this person is learning to read and is reading the authors book to help him get vocabulary knowledge. They solve the crime in the end.
Rescuer – they solve the crime first but get killed doing it.
Moral One – doesn’t like these filthy books being sold because they corrupt. This person gets killed.
Out of control/obnoxious – this person is the prime suspect. Cops know they solve the case after killing this person which leads to a false ending to the movie.
Love interest – a woman who falls in love with the author’s character and then the author himself and comes close to death.
Leader – this person tries to organize patrols to catch the killer and winds up dead. Author acknowledges them as a potential lead character for the next book.
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