-
Day 11 Assignments
Reply to post your assignment.
-
6 Replies
-
Eric Humble’s Level 2 Horror Emotions
What I learned from this assignment is: that I can create a significantly more intense horror scene using the level 2 emotions. It was interesting how I could take a horror situation at the same level as the others in my outline and significantly ramp up the horror simply by the emotions I built into the scene. This was more intense and more fitting to the second act, and I was able to achieve that atmosphere by generating the Level 2 emotions. I can’t wait to see how the final set of emotions impacts the writing!
INT. MACHINE ROOM – NIGHT
The Wino ties Bremmer to a machine’s conveyor. It shuffles around activating the machine. It won’t start. Frustratedly, it shambles over to another set of power switches and throws them. The machine hums to life. Bremmer struggles to free himself from the ropes, but they hold fast.
The Wino returns, switching on a rusty rotary saw at the end of the long conveyor belt. It goes to a bank of buttons, about to press one that will operate the conveyor belt.
But CLANK! Footsteps shuffle around in the dark.
The Wino whips its head toward the sound. Crosses around the machine to peer out at the factory floor.
INT. FACTORY FLOOR – NIGHT
Rachel, Mac, Noah, and Roach slink through the shadows, halt at the sound of the machine revving up.
MAC
What is that?
Mac and Rachel peer around a compartmented section of equipment, spy the machine. Bremmer is struggling to free himself but can’t. The Wino is nowhere to be seen.
RACHEL
My God. Bremmer…
Noah starts toward him. Rachel holds him back.
NOAH
We can’t just leave him there –
RACHEL
Where’s the wino?
ROACH
Maybe it’s there and we’re just not drunk enough to see it.
Roach extends the bottle. Rachel takes it from him… but hesitates to drink.
RACHEL
Or maybe it’s just somewhere else.
ROACH
Are you going to drink it or not?
RACHEL
There’s only a little left. There’s still a lot of building between us and the street. I’m still plenty tipsy. We keep drinking, we’ll stumble right into it out there –
Roach reaches to get the bottle back. Rachel grips it firm. Suddenly, Bremmer screams… because something has been pressed on the machine. The conveyor belt is moving him slowly, inexorably toward the saw.
INT. MACHINE – NIGHT
Bremmer writhes… works his wrist against the rope. It burns his skin. But he’s loosening the bond. He’s coming up to the saw. It’s set to go right between his legs and split him directly up the middle.
The Wino is still nowhere to be seen. The belt moves Bremmer along, coming up now on a broom handle and some old tools propped against the machine. Farther along, the bank of buttons that activated the belt. And then the saw.
He yanks his hand at the rope. It loosens. But not enough. He grits his teeth, pulls his hand through, tearing skin, drawing blood. But his hand is free…
…except the tools are whipping past him as the belt suddenly speeds up. He reaches with all he’s got… and grabs the broom handle!
Next up is the bank of buttons. He extends the handle. It’s just long enough to press the button to stop this thing… except the world is shimmery through his drunken eyes. He reaches to push the button. Can’t fixate on it.
BREMMER
Shit! Sober up, goddamn it!
He takes another try. Can’t focus. The stick is missing the button by a mile.
INT. FACTORY FLOOR – NIGHT
Rachel slinks into the open. Sees what’s happening. The bank of buttons is ahead of her, across an open expanse of floor.
She watches Bremmer struggling to hit the button as the belt Carrie’s him past it. Another second and it’ll be out of reach of the broomstick.
Mac and Noah follow behind her. Roach freezes in his tracks, sniffing something foul on the air.
ROACH
(hisses)
Guys!
They don’t hear him. Sensing its presence, Roach ducks out of the way behind some machinery. Suddenly, The Wino charges out of the shadows behind him! Moves silently past where he just was.
The Wino approaches the others like a wraith. Comes up right behind Noah… raises the jagged bottle to strike…
…when from the conveyor belt –
BREMMER
BEHIND YOU!
They scatter… Rachel dives for cover. Noah bolts across the room to hide. Mac, frozen in panic a moment, scrabbles into one of the compartments.
INT. OPERATOR’S COMPARTMENT – NIGHT
Mac fumbles in the dark for a lock. Finds it, bolts it shut. Settles into the operator’s chair. Now, notices that the roof hatch is open, leaving her exposed.
INT. FACTORY FLOOR – NIGHT
The Wino runs for them… then stops, scans the factory floor, searching…
…positioning itself right in the open area Rachel would need to cross to get to the bank of buttons. Meanwhile, Bremmer, screaming, is proceeding toward the saw.
INT. OPERATOR’S COMPARTMENT – NIGHT
Mac inches up to shut the roof panel. The rusty hinge CREAKS. Won’t let it close.
INT. FACTORY FLOOR – NIGHT
The Wino darts its head. Thunders off toward the compartment. Leaps like a gymnast…
INT. OPERATOR’S COMPARTMENT – NIGHT
THUD! Mac ducks back down, hears it land. Above, the Wino crouches over the series of operator’s compartments. Head tilted, listening. Two of the compartments, side-by-side, have open roofs.
It crosses to the first. Opens its ratty, patched trenchcoat. Unzips its fly. Pisses down inside it, the urine thick and curdled.
Inside the second compartment, where Mac is tensed to be as quiet as possible, she stifles dry-heaves at the smell.
INT. FACTORY FLOOR – NIGHT
Rachel sees her opportunity while The Wino is occupied… but is frozen, torn. Can’t leave Mac like this either. Suddenly, a HAND grips her. She startles…
But it’s just Noah. He holds up an aerosol canister he’s found.
NOAH
Do you still have the lighter?
RACHEL
No, I…
She looks to the compartment where Mac is trapped. Remembering she gave it to Mac.
The Wino has finished peeing. Staggers, significantly slower. Shaking with DTs as it moves on toward Mac’s compartment, markedly more cautious and less energetic.
RACHEL
Look… it’s sick.
NOAH
I don’t give a fuck what it is. What are we going to do?
RACHEL
It has a fast metabolism. It’s shaking. DTs. It’s only strong after it’s consumed…
(looks to the bottle in her hand)
…alcohol.
She opens the bottle, empties the last into a puddle. Moves clear of it, Noah following. Bremmer is almost at the saw. The Wino is now standing directly over Mac’s open compartment.
The Wino lifts the mask. What’s underneath is shadowed, but it’s clear that it is opening its mouth wide…
Rachel and Noah watch. The puddle of alcohol sits there. Bait not taken.
NOAH
What the hell’s it doing?
RACHEL
Why isn’t going for the alcohol?
The answer finally comes… as The Wino takes two fingers… sticks them down its throat. Prepares to vomit down into the compartment right on Mac.
INT. OPERATOR’S COMPARTMENT – NIGHT
Mac recoils, braces herself as The Wino GAGS…
…fumbles for the door lock…
When suddenly, The Wino’s head WHIPS UP. He stops gagging himself and turns toward…
…the puddle of alcohol, which a rat is lapping up. The Wino heaves itself to the floor. Hits the ground hard, its joints cracking. It moves silently, breathing stertorously, as it eyes the rat…
…now snatches the rat. Lifts its mask and bites into the rat, spraying rat-blood, devours it whole.
-
Cameron Martin’s Level 2 Horror Emotion Scene
What I learned doing this assignment is…Again, I felt like I already had a good grasp of these emotions and how to communicate them when coming into this lesson. But, in looking for the breakthroughs, I decided to read the script for IT to get a better understanding. It does an amazing job with its emotional description. There’re a number of notes that can’t necessarily be shot, but it strikes an eerie and horrifying tone. Again, I avoided horror movies prior to this course, and the opening with Georgie being devoured by the clown is one of the most horrifying things I’ve read in a script. Reading the line “George takes one last fatal step forward,” made me want to scream at the pages and have a talk with my son about saying “no” to strangers. And that one line came before anything was truly revealed. While the ramifications of that step won’t be known when watching the shot of it on film, the dramatic irony felt by the audience is palpable; we know clowns don’t live in the sewer, and we know this little boy doesn’t know better. We’re just watching him, helpless, as he walks to his slaughter like the sheep in the following scene.
I’ve also been watching some of “Filmento’s” takes on different horror movies as well, particularly the ones he says “failed.” In tying in the lessons from those YouTube video essays with this assignment, I realized there were a couple of ways to elevate some of the emotions I already had, and really capture those senses of suspense, dread, and fear. For example, one of the through lines for much of the suspense in the story relies on the dramatic irony of the audience knowing something bad happened in the bunker, while the protagonist isn’t aware. However, the protagonist’s complete ignorance doesn’t invite us to feel the dread or suspense he feels. In other words, while I believe in the greater structure of my story and how it utilizes these emotions, when we get into the nitty gritty, the emotions that play on a micro level still need to be present and frequently used to take my audience on a journey worth a $30+ trip to the movie theater. This is especially true for any story taking place in a world that we don’t know all of the rules to, like the future. The audience has to be clued in on the inherent risks through character conflict and description, like the scene from ALIEN where Ripley argues with the Nostromo crew about whether or not to bring in an infected member of the crew. We’re presented with stakes and invited to engage in that argument. Compare that with IT, where we do understand 1980’s America, and there wasn’t a sudden uprising of sewer clowns back then, which is part of why that opening and later appearances of Pennyworth work so well, because we can easily compare what should happen with what’s happening before our very eyes. If the Level 1 emotions were about setting a tone and curating an environment of the lethal unknown, then Level 2 emotions are about shining a light on that unknown and making the characters (by extension, us) answer life and death questions as a consequence.
INT. HANGAR
MARKUS waits his turn in line. A MOTHER and CHILD stand in front of a desk with a SOLDIER behind it. A long 3-D printer runs the length of the desk, with a feeder of materials sitting on the floor next to the desk.
MOTHER
This is a mistake! This is my son!
The soldier refuses to make eye contact with the mother.
SOLDIER
Mam, we’ve been through this. He is not your son.
MOTHER
He is! So what if he’s adopted!?
The child starts to cry.
CHILD
Mamma, what does adopted mean?
SOLDIER
Only biological parents are exempt. Now get out of line and report to your post.
MOTHER
He’s my son! I’ve raised him from birth! You have all of the papers!
Two other soldiers come to the line. They pry the child from his mother.
CHILD
Mamma! Mamma!
The mother is dragged away by one soldier, as the other soldier takes the kicking and screaming child.
MOTHER
You can’t do this!
SOLDIER
Next!
Markus, wide eyed, steps forward.
SOLDIER
Name and bunk number?
Markus
What’ll happen to them?
SOLDIER
Your name and bunk number, civilian.
MARKUS
Markus Smirnov. Bunk–
SOLDIER
And your bunk number?
MARKUS
Bunk 67A.
The soldier scans his book, makes a couple notes and stamps several documents.
MARKUS
Excuse me, I’m a holy man.
SOLDIER
Do you have a ‘biological’ child, or are you disabled?
Markus opens his mouth to answer.
SOLDIER
Adopted children will not be identified as your own.
MARKUS
No.
SOLDIER
No what?
MARKUS
No. No kids, and–
SOLDIER
And, you’re obviously not disabled. You’re on exterminator duty.
What looks like a double-barrel shotgun, with an axe blade on the butt of the gun and a handle running the length of the barrel finishes printing from the 3-D printer and slides out toward Markus on a moving shelf.
SOLDIER
This is a short range pulse blaster. You will not refer to it by any other name.
Markus, a priest, takes the weapon carefully, as though it may actually bite him. Prays – Dear GOD, what am I doing?
MARKUS
Isn’t this illegal?
SOLDIER
No. Guns are illegal. This is a short range pulse blaster.
MARKUS
I swore an oath.
SOLDIER
(ignoring)
You kill aliens with it. Keep it pointed at the ground at all times. If you see an alien, get up close and make sure you don’t shoot your comrades.
The Soldier waves for Markus to step up to a yellow line. A torn up dummy stands about a yard away.
SOLDIER
Remember to keep it pointed at the ground. From the line to the dummy is how close you want to be before taking aim. Aim down the sights.
Markus aims down the sights of the gun.
SOLDIER
You have one shot. You will not be equipped with more until the moment you’re deployed. Now, fire.
Markus pulls the trigger.
The shotgun kicks back and almost knocks Markus on his ass.
A plume of rock and smoke explodes from the dummy.
SOLDIER
Congratulations. You’ve been adequately trained to fight aliens.
A tactical space suit finishes printing on the Soldier’s desk. The Soldier takes out the space suit from the printer and an ear piece from a cardboard box under the desk and hands both to Markus.
SOLDIER
Place the ear piece in now.
Markus obeys.
SOLDIER
Please no sudden moves as the ear piece calibrates.
VOICE (O.S.)
(in the earpiece)
You’re one to follow instructions well.
Markus freezes.
The soldier nods, knowing.
SOLDIER
Please report to section 43-Alpha.
Markus walks away, stunned.
In the background, other conversations are overheard similar to the one Markus just encountered, with other titles being given, including exterminator, weapon printer, cleaner, and exempt from civic duty.
VOICE (O.S.)
You would do well to follow these next instructions. You have been given one more shot in your short range pulse blaster. Be on the lookout for mutineers. Your earpiece has a camera on it. We will know if you come into contact with a mutineer. We will know if you do not do your civic duty and retaliate against a mutineer.
Markus sees Apollo, blaster strapped over his back, in the section he’s shuffling toward.
VOICE (O.S.)
If you catch any dissenters, we expect you to continue to do the right thing.
APOLLO
Markus.
Markus makes a motion, keeping his hands low, hoping Apollo catches it.
APOLLO
Over here.
MARKUS
Apollo, I’m glad to see you.
APOLLO
Same.
(whispering)
Listen—
MARKUS
I’ve been meaning to tell you, I had this dream. I know we don’t usually dream in cryo sleep. It’s supposed to be impossible. Doesn’t matter. You know what happened?
APOLLO
Keep your voice down.
MARKUS
There were two brothers and a king.
APOLLO
Markus, listen—
MARKUS
The king would execute both brothers, unless one was willing to…to, um…
APOLLO
Yeah, but that’s not how the fuckin’ story ends, innit?
MARKUS
Excuse me?
Apollo grabs Markus by the shoulders.
APOLLO
The two brothers caved the fuckin’ king’s head in for their troubles.
MARKUS
GOD, tell me what to do.
APOLLO
Listen. I’m your fuckin’ prophet, and we’re gonna cap these tyrannical bastards before we fight for them.
VOICE (O.S.)
You know what to do.
The drone of the room is interrupted by gunshots and screams coming from another section.
APOLLO
It’s not time?
Markus catches a glimpse of a soldier holding an earpiece to his ear. The soldier starts walking toward him and Apollo.
Markus pushes Apollo out of the crowd.
APOLLO
What’re you doing?
MARKUS
(forcing the words out of his mouth)
You…You’re a mutineer.
Realization washes over Apollo’s face, his eyes screaming in horror.
Markus tries raising the blaster, which feels like it weighs five times heavier in his hands than when he first received it.
Apollo makes a reach for the blaster…
And tries to rip it out of Markus’ hands.
APOLLO
Let it go, Markus.
MARKUS
(fighting to hold onto the blaster)
You’re a mutineer.
Apollo trips up Markus, sending him to the ground.
APOLLO
(mounting Markus)
What’re you talking about? I was just—
KERPLOW!!
Apollo lands a few feet away with an ugly flop.
Markus leaps to his feet, and upon seeing the body, drops the blaster to the ground. His hands fold into a prayer as his eyes will the gaping, cauterized hole in Apollo’s chest closed, but to no avail. The body that was once Apollo lays still and dead.
The SOLDIER walks up and hands the blaster back to Markus.
SOLDIER
Very good.
Markus accepts the blaster without thinking, his eyes still transfixed on the man he murdered.
-
Scott Kaplan’s Level 2 Horror Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment was that fear,suspense, and dread bridge the gap between apprehension/anxiety, surprise, shock in Act 1 …and anguish, panic, terror, and hysteria in Act 3. It’s been challenging due to the fact that all of the horror emotions can appear at any juncture in the chaos of horror movies. I used as much of lesson five’s horror situation track to connect the timeline of my story. I mainly used scene(s) from Act 2, to set up the 3rd and final act.
INT. SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT – NIGHT
Despite his objections, Dick Sheriff’s is coerced into enforcing a town lockdown. If he refuses, Piper and Clen threaten to kill his family.
EXT. TOWN – NIGHT
Soon after the imposed lockdown, the town has a claustrophbic atmosphere. The people of this small town no longer feel secure. Every neighbor within this two square mile radius is terrified that they will be next. They live in FEAR associated with the impending doom.
INT. MAX’S HOUSE -SAME
A meeting is held with the townies looking for a way out. Shwin is by his side; a plan is devised as they break into groups, known as The Rescuers.
EXT. SEMINOLE STREET – LATER THAT NIGHT
Members of the the Rescuers attempt to close off the sewer/canals to no avail. … they become dazed and confused, unable to think clearly, as the tide rolls in on Seminole Street. These images create UNCERTAINTY.
INT. ABANDONED SHACK – MIDDLE OF NIGHT
After members of the Rescuers are slaughtered, Max and Shwin take cover in a smaller shack. The pastor, Father Bob, was suppposed to meet them after his reluctant attempt at an exorcism. There is a knock at the door … Max motions to Shwin to open the door, as he holds a sawed off shotgun.
EXT. SHACK -SAME (POV FROM OUTSDIE)
Shwin opens the door. A few Rescuers from the revolt against the cult remain, barely alive. Their flesh is mangled, missing limbs. Before Max or Shwin can help pull them inside, sharp claws rip them away. Neither Max nor Shwin know if they are still alive. They bolt he door shut.
INT. SHACK
Shwin confides that the original settlers are ancestors of hers. She holds up a finger, marks a circle on the wall. Flashing lights as she shows Max the horrific truth …
FLASHBACK … show that the ancestors of the cult are responsible for the extinction of the Marsapeaques — 154 years ago. Max sees the builders blowing up American Indians.
IMAGES of decaying flesh of the innocent Native Americans, whom were enslavened by the cult’s ancestors. This atrocity overcomes Max with a feeling of DREAD.
-
Alfred’s Level 2 Horror Emotions
What I learned doing this assignment is to focus on other emotions and to rethink scenes using them.
EXT. UPSCALE APARTMENT COMPLEX – DAY
A light blue Volvo pulls into an assigned parking spot.
RIANNA (30’s) exits the car. She’s clad in nurse’s scrubs, she’s getting home from a sixteen hour day. She’s exhausted.
Barely awake, she stumbles towards her front door. Fumbles with the keys. They drop.
RIANNA: “Fuck.”
She picks them up and opens her front door.
INT. RIANNA’S APARTMENT – SAME
She opens and closes her front door. Drops her keys and bag on the table and marches towards the bathroom.
She marches past the OPEN SLIDING DOOR.
BATHROOM
Rianna stares in the mirror, studying the bags under her eyes. Starts the shower.
POV
Something watches her.
BATHROOM
Rianna sees something in the reflection. Goes to the door of the bathroom. Sees…nothing.
Goes back to the shower. Puts her hand in the water. Just right. She strips and steps into the shower. The hot water steams up the bathroom.
She closes her eyes and goes under the stream of water.
Through the frosted glass of the shower we see a dark form rise.
She rubs shampoo in her hands and massages it her hair.
The dark form moves closer to the window. Demonic eyes watch Rianna as she showers.
She turns off the water and exits. The form is gone.
BEDROOM
Rianna, clad in pajamas, climbs into bed. She clicks on the television. After a few minutes she drifts off to sleep. The television flickers and turns off.
TURNS BACK ON SUPER LOUD!
She wakes up and stares at the television. She flicks it off with the remote control. Lays back down. It turns back on.
She sits back up. Rubs her eyes. What the fuck?
She gets up and turns it off. Waits a few seconds. Nothing. Goes back to bed.
Drifts off to sleep.
A HAND WITH A HOLE IN IT GRABS HER MOUTH!
From under the bed another hand punches through her chest. Flesh and blood shower her as she struggles to free herself. A fleshy appendage full of teeth reach over the head board and slither down towards her head.
CHOMP!
Her struggles stop. Hands fall dead to her side as we hear wet, chewing sounds.
-
Marc KOENIG’s Level 2 Horror emotions
What I’ve learned doing this assignment is to make dosage in the terror. Paradoxically, more constraints lead to more – or better – creativity. Knowing where I’m going and why I’m going there makes it easier to find many ways to reach my goal.
Here is a scene from ACT II :
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
Jennifer lies unconscious, tied up on a white table, surrounded by sophisticated machines covered in wires and hydraulic tubes. At the end of the table, a wide metallic ring hangs on a rail that runs above Jennifer’s body.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Trevor stares at Jennifer through a wide window.
Irina and Bill are seated at a control panel. Standing behind them, Sally nervously chews her nails.
BILL
Her level of radiation remains high.
I would recommend —TREVOR
— Shut up and switch that on. Now.
Bill hesitates. He gazes at Sally. Irina reaches out to the commands and pushes a button.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
The ring lights up and diffuses an intense neon light. It starts to move along Jennifer’s body with a humming noise. A transversal bright line shows its progression from Jennifer’s head down to her chest.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
An image of Jennifer’s skull gradually shows on the screen. Sally points at the image of her head.
SALLY
Is that foreign material?
BILL
Looks like it’s migrating inside her body.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
As the light line moves down her chest, Jennifer’s body suddenly arches, and her limbs quiver.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Bill stops the ring.
TREVOR
Keep going!
BILL
She’s convulsing. The electromagnetic
field probably interferes with…
whatever’s inside.Trevor draws a gun and points it at Bill.
TREVOR
Spare me your scientific shit and
KEEP GOING!Irina reaches out to the button but Bill presses it before.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
The ring moves again. Jennifer’s whole body quivers. A small tip forms on her belly, and something suddenly shoots out through the teeshirt, leaving a hole and a blood spot. It hits the ring with a high-pitched metallic sound.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
TREVOR
What was that?
IRINA
Did it come from under her skin?
One more metallic hit sounds from the scanning room. Bill looks closer at the screen.
BILL
Oh my God! It’s from her stomach!
Bill throws his hand to a red button but Trevor catches his wrist and points the gun at his face. Irina instantly jumps from her seat and hits the button.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – INSIDE SCANNER – NIGHT
Lights turn off. Two nails fall on Jennifer’s teeshirt stained with blood. Her body relaxes and the buzz lowers.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Trevor brutally releases Bill and points his gun at Irina.
IRINA
Shrapnels were piercing through
her abdominal wall. Will you shoot me for
saving her life?Trevor presses the barrel of his gun against Irina’s forehead. Irina closes her eyes and winces with anguish.
TREVOR
I decide whether we keep her alive or not. There’s a much
bigger threat in there. I will not hesitate to shoot any of you
who gets off my ass. Got that?Irina nods yes. Her chin quivers.
Standing in his back, Julia slowly reaches out to a paperweight – a fist-size ball of glass. Bill gazes at her with a terrified glance. Trevor does a double-take and cocks the hammer, pointing the gun at Julia’s face.
TREVOR
Need an experiment to support this hypothesis?
Julia releases the paperweight. Trevor uncocks the gun.
TREVOR
Good girl. Now Bill, would you turn this fucking scanner on again, please?
BILL
You’d better look at this, first.
Trevor leans over the screen where Bill points his finger.
BILL
Looks like a tumor in her abdomen.
The image on the screen shows a black spot down Jennifer’s belly, surrounded by smaller spots of various sizes.
SALLY
She ingested iron and glass splinters, and they seem
to converge to the tumor.IRINA
Jennifer’s sister described the same thing on
the skeleton where the metal was found.TREVOR
If they could confine it three thousand years ago,
why wouldn’t we?Trevor taps the barrel of his gun onto the screen.
TREVOR
Show me the head.
Bill drives a mouse to make a zoom of Jennifer’s skull.
Rows of tiny black needles draw paths to three regions of Jennifer’s brain, where they assemble in small pellets.
BILL
What the hell is that?
JENNIFER (O.S.)
Help me…
Everyone is startled and looks through the window.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
Jennifer stares at them. An expression of deep pain distorts her features and tears run down her face.
JENNIFER
Help me, please… It burns…
Jennifer breaks down in tears.
INT. MRI CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
They all turn to Trevor who still holds his gun.
BILL
We can’t leave her —
TREVOR
— SHUT THE FUCK UP!
SALLY
She’s in pain!
Trevor points his gun at the window.
TREVOR
She’s a fucking threat!
JULIA
Look who’s talking.
Trevor glares at Julia.
BILL
If we could anesthetize her, that would
relieve the pain while keeping her harmless.SALLY
Good idea.
TREVOR
How can you do that?
SALLY
We could use a mix of gas. Irina, you said
you worked in a hospital in Africa?IRINA
It was a bush hospital.
SALLY
What do you need to make a knockout gas?
IRINA
Nitrogen oxide… Oxygen…
Sally turns to Bill, who nods.
BILL
We’ve got all kinds of stuff.
Sally gazes at Trevor.
TREVOR
Okay, let’s try this.
SALLY
Bill, take Irina with you. Make the mix and bring it in
a two liters bottle. Julia, help me make a makeshift
inhaler from the protective equipment. We’ve got
masks and tubes.Bill and Irina rush out of the room. Julia walks past Trevor who grabs her arm to stop her.
TREVOR
Don’t be smart. I’m keeping an eye on you.
JULIA
Try to keep it above my ass for once.
INT. MRI SCANNING ROOM – NIGHT
Jennifer’s limbs shake, she keeps crying and moaning in pain.
Her five colleagues stare at her from a distance inside the room.
Sally holds a makeshift inhaler connected with a small bottle of gas. She turns a tap at the top of it. A hiss sounds.
SALLY
I’m ready.
Trevor points his gun at Jennifer’s body.
TREVOR
Okay. I cover you. Bill, hold her head.
Bill puts on thick gloves and moves to the edge of the table. Sally follows him with the inhaler while the others deploy around the table.
As Bill puts his hands on each side of Jennifer’s head, she opens bloodshot eyes all of a sudden. They share a look.
JENNIFER
Bill… darling… help me… You say
you love me…Sally freezes. She gazes at Bill, who avoids her eyes.
TREVOR
You’ll sort out your sex stories later.
Knock her out.Jennifer cries her eyes out and speaks with a whiny voice.
JENNIFER
Bill… My love… It hurts so much.
I need you.BILL
Shh. You’ll be fine, Jen.
JENNIFER
Swear that you love me…
Sally leans over Jennifer’s face with the inhaler while giving Bill a furious gaze.
SALLY
You son of a bi —
JENNIFER
— RHAAAAA!
Jennifer raises her head and in a sudden terrifying roar, expels a cloud of black dust straight to Sally’s face.
Sally shrieks and staggers backward. She drops the inhaler. Puts her face in her hands. They are all startled.
Bill backpedals and stumbles over a stool.
Jennifer bucks and screams like a fury on the table. Her ties weaken.
TREVOR
HOLD HER! HOLD HER!
Sally rushes out of the room.
The inhaler rolls on the floor, bouncing and spinning around as its loose tube throws gas with a hiss. Irina grabs it.
IRINA
Got it!
Bill tries to put his hands again on Jennifer’s head, but she bites his gloves. She bucks harder.
TREVOR
BACK OFF! I’M GONNA SHOOT!
Trevor walks toward Jennifer, gun at the ready.
Bill ducks down.
Jennifer’s leg suddenly gets loose and kicks Trevor’s arm. The gun goes off and is knocked out of Trevor’s hand.
The shot hits Irina, who falls backward.
The gun slides to the floor. Trevor rushes to pick it up.
Jennifer breaks a second tie, getting one hand loose. She tries to reach out to Bill who screams with fear.
Trevor raises the gun, aims at Jennifer’s face and —
— BANG! The bottle of gas hits Jennifer’s skull from behind. Jennifer crumbles on the table, knocked out.
Irina stands behind her, panting. Her shoulder bleeds.
She and Trevor share a gaze. She throws the bottle of gas at him. He dodges it. The object hits the wall and bounces on the floor.
Irina clenches her teeth.
IRINA
She’s out. Drop your fucking gun!
INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT
Sally leans over a sink, panting and shaking. She splashes her face frantically. The water gets black. Small needles fall in the sink and are washed out with black dust.
Sally stares at her reflection in the mirror.
SALLY
Holy shit!…
Tiny needles are sticking into her cheeks and forehead.
She looks closer. One needle is sticking into her eye.
SALLY
Oh no… no!
She tries to pinch a needle from her cheek but all suddenly imbed into her skin, and the one into her eye too. She rubs her eye in a panic and splashes water in it.
SALLY
NO! GOD NO!
-
Brandon’s Level 2 Horror Emotion Scene
What I learned: I could incorporate a checklist of horror emotions with every scene.
EXT. PARK – NIGHT
Julian and Sofia bolt into a thick fog bank, practically disappearing.
They sprint past a row of Revolutionary-era cannons when Julian HEARS MORE VOICES —
Julian stops, paralyzed. Hyperventilating.
Unaware, Sofia glances behind her. Jogging backward now —
SOFIA
JULIAN! We have to keep going!
Julian bends over, squinting. Trying to stop the voices. Finally, getting a grip, he nods. Starting up a sprint again–
— he approaches steep and narrow cement stairs.
Suddenly, A BASEBALL bounces down the steps and rolls, almost hitting his shoe.
Julian picks up the ball, recognizing the autograph.
JULIAN
Peyton?
Meanwhile, Sofia runs for her life, way ahead of him.
Julian approaches the stairs. Looks up. It leads into a tree-covered shroud of darkness.
JULIAN (CONT’D)
Peyton?
Resolute, Julian exhales. And slowly ascends.
Meanwhile, Sofia glances back again. She stops this time, watching Julian disappear into the darkness.
SOFIA
JULIAN!
As Julian reaches the top of the stairs… it’s quiet.
JULIAN
Peyton?
Too quiet.
He pans the scene — a slide and a simple swing set. Then —
THE HORSEMEN
lunges from the shadows. And swings.
Julian ducks.
ACROSS THE FIELD
Sofia hears JULIAN’S CRY.
SOFIA
OH GOD!!! OH NO! NOOOO!!
SOFIA’S POV
A beat. Then, in the distance —
A BRUNETTE HEAD
topples down the staircase, looking a lot like Julian.
Sofia SCREAMS.
TOP OF STAIRS
The Horsemen jerks.
SOFIA’S POV
As she watches THE HORSEMAN stagger down the steps.
Wiping away tears and mucous, she runs.
In no hurry, the Horseman picks up the head, stuffing it in his pouch.
Log in to reply.