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Day 4 Assignment
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Armand Hooks
What I learned…
What hooks do? They create story questions that must be answered. They demand that we search the story for more information. They suck us into the movie.
“There are three basic building blocks to build a story with and they are not all created equally.
New info. The weakest dramatically which is why it is often used early.
A deeper understanding of known info.
A reversal of known info. The strongest dramatically.
Conflict is the most dramatic way of using the above building blocks and by using a few of them in every scene you keep advancing the story in the strongest most dramatic way. This is how you create a hook but a hook alone is not enough to get the audience to bite, so you need to bait it. The best bait is stakes, something at stake for your character or the people they care about. So every hook needs to raise the stakes or it won’t work on the audience.”
Name: TYLER, THE GHOST
Traits: Arrogant, Sarcastic, Immature, Romantic
Subtext: Scared, in Denial
Character Logline: Tyler is the ghost of an entitled college jerk who was murdered 20 years ago by a masked serial killer, and now has to overcome his hidden guilt and fears to save a new group of college kids from suffering the same grisly faith as him.
Name: MADDIE, THE FINAL GIRL 20 YEARS LATER
Traits: Brave, Tough, Stubborn
Subtext: Paranoid
Character Logline: Maddie is the sole survivor of the original massacre who is obsessed with the return of the masked killer who was never caught and sets out to stop the killer at any cost now that the killer’s back.
Name: CHARLES, THE MASKED KILLER WHO WAS NEVER CAUGHT
Traits: Nerdy, Rational, Sadistic
Subtext: Concealing, Nice Exterior
Character Logline: Charles is Tyler’s nice and nerdy half-brother (only seen briefly in the opening scene) who wants to fulfill his secret urge to murder people and getting away with it, but now has to face off with the ghost of his brother and the final girl (Tyler’s girlfriend) he’s always loved.
LEX, THE GOTH HIGH SCHOOL GIRL
Traits: Prickly, Sarcastic, Intelligent, Resourceful
Subtext: Lonely
Character Logline: Lex is a brilliant high-school goth obsessed with true crime and grisly murder mysteries who (secretly) came to the manor with her college-aged sister (and her party friends) to attempt communicating with Tyler’s ghost.
DALLAS, LEX’S COLLEGE-AGE HALF-SISTER
Trait: Vapid, Romantic
Subtext: Insecure
Character Logline: Dallas is a superficial but deep down kind college girl peer-pressured into hosting a weekend party at the manor (just purchased by her rich dad), and just wants to fit in.
After the seance that made Tyler visible to all:
INT. LIBRARY – MANOR – NIGHT
Maddie enters and locks the door behind her, She’s freaking out. Tyler comes in through the wall.
Maddie screams as she sees Tyler.
MADDIE
You’re dead!
TYLER
Yep.
MADDIE
You’re dead. A ghost! And I’m talking to you!
TYLER
I’ve thought about you every single day.
MADDIE
Stay away from me!
TYLER
We have to stop the killer.
MADDIE
Like you did last time.
TYLER
I— I made a mistake. Maddie—
She grabs a book and throws it at Tyler as he approaches her. The book hits Tyler!
TYLER
Ouch. I ouched! Do it again.
Maddie is confused.
TYLER
Do it!
Maddie throws book after book at Tyler. They hit him all over.
TYLER
I can feel it. I can touch things. How?
Tyler walks to the wall, slamming his face against it and dropping backwards.
MADDIE
Are you okay?
He laughs. Stands up, leaving Maddie baffled.
TYLER
I can feel. I got hurt.
(his smile disappears)
I can get hurt. The killer is gonna get me! Again!
Maddie SLAPS HIM hard. She realizes the Tyler from that night 20 years ago is really in front of her.
MADDIE
I can’t believe this.
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Budinscak Hooks
Day 4
What I learned doing this assignment:
o Subtle way to create questions in your story that push the reader/audience to search for an answer.
o Hooks remind me of setups/payoffs.
Character Names:
Jack – slick/street smart, selfish, condescending, generous
Subtext – Conniving
Logline – Jack isn’t a role model, nor does he want to be, but … when presented with a captive audience – his nephews, Puck & Sal – he will present whatever version of his facts as he sees fit.
Cat – demanding, curt, gullible, focused
Subtext – threatening
Logline – Cat’s ‘ready, fire, aim’ style scares everyone in her family, but the longtime Carmine’s employee is well loved by the customers.
Setup:
We’re in the middle of Act 1. Last night, Jack has committed to deliver a package for Don Vito. This morning he’s dropped his Cadillac off at the funeral home for modifications and Jack’s crossing the parking lot to the restaurant.
INT. CARMINE’S – DAY
The restaurant is busy, people wait in line. In the first booth, Sal and Puck sit – Puck wears a backpack. Aunt Cat approaches and the boys sit at attention as Jack enters the restaurant.
JACK
We running a babysitting service now?
CAT
Nah, I’ve got these two tonight. We’re going to have fun, right?
Both boys nod when Cat looks their way.
JACK
Nice backpack, Puck.
PUCK
Thanks.
Sal snickers and Puck kicks him under the table.
PUCK
Stop it, Sal.
Jack walks behind the counter and disappears. Cat turns to her sister, Betty.
CAT
Betty, is it hot in here or is it me?
BETTY
It’s you.
CAT
Where is she?
Betty looks at the thermostat.
BETTY
It says it’s 72 in here.
CAT
I don’t believe it. What does she say?
Cat walks behind the counter directly to a picture of New York City. Underneath the picture is a Statue of Liberty thermometer. Cat studies it.
CAT
76, I knew it. My girl is never wrong. It’s the only thing I trust in here.
JACK (OS)
How about me?
CAT
Like I said, it’s the only thing I trust in here.
Jack walks from behind the counter over to his nephews.
JACK
You two gonna eat?
The boys shake their head no.
JACK
Then get up. We got customers waiting.
Jack pulls both boys out of the booth and walks them to a wall containing pictures of family events held at Carmine’s over the years. Cat walks over and laughs as she points to a picture – Jack is all smiles as Sal and Puck munch on ice cream cones next to his Cadillac.
CAT
The bank ride.
PUCK
It wasn’t funny.
Cat laughs harder. A very large MAN enters the restaurant and hangs by the cash register.
CAT
Jack, your crazy friend, Chick’s here.
SAL
Chick?
Jack waves his friend over and they walk to a table in the back.
SAL
Aunt Cat, that big guy’s name is Chick?
CAT
You gotta ask your uncle about that.
Jack directs Chick to the office in the back while he walks over to Cat.
JACK
I gonna be away for a few days. Just wanted to let you know.
CAT
Where you going?
JACK
Atlantic City.
CAT
I’m not cooking?
JACK
I’ll only be gone for a few days.
CAT
Jack, I’m not going to be responsible for cooking. I don’t want to cook.
JACK
And none of our customers want you to cook either. Tommy said he’d do it. So relax, Cat.
Jack turns, Cat stops him.
CAT
Why you going there?
JACK
I’m doing someone a favor.
CAT
It better not be the old man. Jack, it’s not Don Vito, is it?
JACK
What?
Puck walks by and Jack grabs his backpack causing Puck to stumble, but he keeps going and doesn’t say a thing.
CAT
Jack, leave him alone.
JACK
Leave him alone? He needs me. I’m the only one who can help him grow cajones.
CAT
And what about Sal?
JACK
I’m trying to decide between federal or state prison for him.
SAL
Federal. It’s less work.
JACK
Smart boy.
CAT
That’s like the rat calling the weasel a jerk.
SAL
Huh?
CAT
Don’t sass me, Sal.
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