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Day 6 Assignments
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Jamie Stegner – Death track
What I learned: The opening of the ribcage and feasting of the cats is repetitious. The Heart must still be Beating, but exposed; the victim cannot be killed. therefore, Variety is in the victim’s circumstances. The villain (EJ) is the main character. In this sense it’s different in that we don’t follow the victims thru the story, the victims are not related to each other.
Concept: Ezmyalda Jenkins, a shape-shifting sweet old lady, must feed her 9 cats. And they want Beating Hearts. Any beating heart will do. You have one – come by for tea and cookies. Come alone.
Opening scene. EJ, surrounded by her 9 cats, is watching TV News about the disappearances and found dead bodies half eaten. Police officer, 6’2” strong fit young and handsome, is going door-to-door asking for information about these recent occurrences. EJ is welcoming. Suddenly, she shape-shifts to her large strong self (Larston) and throws the police officer off the back deck, high and wide, into the over-grown ravine. On impact his ribcage breaks open, exposing his Beating Heart. The 9 cats rush to the crash site and devour the Beating Heart. Why does he die? The cats are hungry and he doesn’t like cats.
The pizza delivery man: Larston tears open his ribcage exposing his beating heart. The cats feast. He dies because the cats are hungry, he came alone and revealed that he is off on vacation and won’t be missed for 2 weeks.
Cathy is going door-to-door selling raffle tickets to raise money for her school band. Larston tears open her ribcage and the cats feast. She dies because the cats are hungry, she came alone. She doesn’t have any relation to EJ so she can be disposed of without drawing suspicion to EJ.
A burglar breaks into EJ’s house. Larston breaks open his ribcage and the cats feasts. He dies because the cats are hungry and he can be disposed of without drawing suspicion to EJ.
EJ asks the mailman to stop again on his way back to his truck because EJ is finishing a letter that needs to go out today. Laston rips open his ribcage and the cats feed on the Beating Heart. He dies because the cats are hungry, he’s alone, and he finished his route and returned to EJ, so that no suspicion will fall on her.
Halloween: Six boys think they will have fun harassing a home alone old woman (EJ). She puts up with them for a while, then Larston emerges and they run off, except one. He dies because the cats are hungry and he’s a menace to society.
A pair of religious zealots is particularly annoying. EJ violates her rule of using only those who come alone by locking one in the closet for tomorrow’s meal. Larston rips open the ribcage of the other one for the cats’ dinner. EJ continues to distribute the zealots’ flyers to the rest of her neighborhood to deflect suspicion. While she’s gone the one in the closet escapes and runs. EJ’s Eagle entity pursues her, hunting by extraordinary sight and sound. Escapee makes it to the police station, but they don’t believe her and throw her out. Eagle catches her and hauls her home. She tries to argue and negotiate, but her fate is sealed: tomorrow she’s cat food! With this victim the mythology is revealed.
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Ted Tronsen’s Character Death Track (Total of 11):
What I learned from listing the character death track is that there must be a reason why each character is killed. Also, you should mix it up and have each character killed in a unique way.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – In the Prologue/Opening Scene Vincent attempts suicide by jumping off the roof of an apartment building in Brooklyn. He survives the fall and then checks into a Therapeutic Community Residence to recover. As a new seeker Vincent is introduced to the philosophy behind the TCR where he has just arrived, it seems 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!
Horror Situation: Vincent attempts suicide by jumping off a roof.
Reaction: Fear, Panic, Shock.
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 and razor blades 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 – In the Inciting Incident 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 TCR).
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.
Character Death 1: Svetlana
Why? She is the least likely to die as she just completed the program.
How? Her wrists are sliced open by stained glass.
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. This is the Act 1 Turning Point or the plot point leading to Act 2.
Horror Situations: There are two more apparent suicides. Dji Dji is found hanging from a sheet in her room, but she has apparently been raped first. Hideki has died of an apparent drug overdose.
Reaction: The seekers and staff are in shock and disbelief and begin to question if the victims committed suicide or were murdered?
Character Death 2: Dji Dji
Why? She is the prettiest and most vulnerable.
How? She is found hanging from a sheet in her room.
Character Death 3: Hideki
Why? He is the one who was most likely to figure out the killer.
How? He dies of an apparent drug overdose but was actually killed.
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 a machete. 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 by a masked killer wielding a machete in the woods.
Reaction: The audience experiences fear, disgust and dread.
Character Death 4: Jessica
Why? She wandered off in the woods to go to the bathroom.
How? She is murdered by being shredded by a machete.
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) and a seeker (Bobby) have mysteriously disappeared.
Horror Situation: Another seeker is murdered by a masked killer by being hacked to pieces by an axe.
Reaction: The audience experiences more fear, disgust, and dread.
Character Death 5: Tanivé
Why? She leaves the group to go get water to put out the fire.
How? She is hacked to pieces by an axe.
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 mutilated 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 (Emily) is suddenly shot in the head by an arrow. The group panics and run blindly away. The masked killer attacks another 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) Emily 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.
Character Death 6: Emily
Why? She is one of the slower ones of the group.
How? She is shot in the head with an arrow.
Character Death 7: Brock
Why? He sprains his ankle and falls behind.
How? He is stabbed to death with a hunting knife.
Hysteria – Hysteria ensues when the group runs off the trail and realize they are now lost in the woods. Another seeker (Christian) is shot in the chest by an arrow as he stops, turns around and looks behind him. The killer is picking them off one by one with a crossbow.
Horror Situation: Lost in the woods, Christian is killed by an arrow.
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria.
Character Death 8: Christian
Why? He stops, turns around and looks behind him.
How? Shot in the chest with an arrow.
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 (Vincent) is killed by an arrow.
Horror Situations: Michael and Vincent are killed by arrows.
Reaction: Fear, panic, dread, and hysteria.
Character Death 9: Michael
Why? He is in the rear of the group trying to shield the seekers.
How? Shot in the back with an arrow.
Character Death 10:
Why? He is the last one and falls behind.
How? Shot through the neck with an arrow.
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.
Character Death 11: Todd
Why? He is starting the van to get away and save Elise.
How? He is shot in the side of the head with an arrow.
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 and removes 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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Anna Harper Death Track Day 5
What I learned from this exercise; this methodology is very gratifying. It helped me a great deal with developing the story web.
THE LONG DARK screenplay by Anna Harper
1. LIST OF CHARACTERS WITH THEIR HOW AND WHY.
Character Death 1
Criminal 1 Francis Smith
WHY a moral settling of accounts with spirit animals SASQUATCH AND GRIZZLY BEAR
HOW The men are coming back to consciousness in the shack where they attacked the girl. They are woken by a rank stench, and then the screams of SASQUATCH He opens the door to run and is ripped to pieces, eaten alive by A LARGER THAN LIFE GRIZZLY BEAR bear (spirit animal)
Character Death 2
Criminal 2 Norman Smith
WHY a moral settling of accounts with a spirit animal
HOW They are woken by a rank stench, and then the screams of SASQUATCH
SPIRIT BEAR No. 2 reaches in the door, drags him out, and is ripped to pieces, eaten alive by the larger-than-life, GRIZZLY BEAR (spirit animal)
Character Death 3
A passenger in the truck John Wolverine
WHY: the group ridiculed the Chief’s warning.
HOW: multiple spirit animal attacks. SASQUATCH appears to terrify them, an omen of what’s to come next.
A GIANT GRIZZLY BEAR SPIRIT ANIMAL comes up out of the ditch, mauls John and rips him to pieces, and then disappears/morphs into a cloud of talking CROWS
Character death 4
A nursing station orderly Horton Smalleyes
WHY a wife and child beater
HOW Stalked along the road from the nursing station to the village by SASQUATCH
Tries to run through the bush, gets caught in a trap line. Ripped to shreds by the GIANT GRIZZLY BEAR SPIRIT ANIMAL
Character death 5
Yvonne Brownwolf
WHY a child beater
HOW SASQUATCH appears to freak her out on the way home from the meeting, then disappears.
A full-grown bull Elk confronts her on the road, gores her to death, and then drags the body to the road in front of the town grocery store.
Character death 6
Smiley Ford
WHY Perpetrator of torture and rape of a girl in the opening scene.
HOW Attacked by a cougar and burned alive.
MUSIC UP Traditional drumming and singing
PART 2 OF THE ASSIGNMENT
ACT 1
Aerial view of the remoted Yukon bushland. ISOLATED
Loud 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,
Several men drag a girl from the truck.
The men are all wearing ski masks. The arms of one man are visible, he is a white man. He appears to be the major instigator (HAS A SNAKE TATTOO ON HIS ARM)
They drag the girl screaming and kicking, out of the truck towards a broken-down cabin.
A murder of crows are making their loud noisy calls near the cabin
The men note the HUGE BEAR claw marks
on the cabin door and laugh.
SHE IS TIED WITH ROPES She is tied with ropes to various pieces of furniture.
They brutally rape her and pour gasoline over her threatening to burn her alive.
TERRIBLE SCREAMS from the cabin can be heard throughout the woods.
The men continue to drink throughout their evil assault, and eventually, pass out.
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 GIANT GRIZZLY BEARS
The men are coming back to consciousness in the shack where they attacked the girl. They are woken by a rank stench, and then the screams of SASQUATCH He opens the door to run and is ripped to pieces, eaten alive by A LARGER THAN LIFE GRIZZLY BEAR bear (spirit animal)
One of the men wakes and notices the girl is gone, he opens the door to be ripped out of the cabin by his arm.
MUSIC UP DREMEKA Choir (SCARE The AGT Judges With Heavy Metal Britney Spears Song) TOXIC
REACTION SCREAMING/LIMBS FLYING/BLOOD AND GORE The bear continues to maul and eat him alive,
GIANT GRIZZLY SPIRIT BEAR No 2 sticks his head in the cabin facing one of the other men for
ONE BEAT t
The man is HYSTERICAL/SCREAMING
BEAR MAKES THE SOUNDS OF ATTACK: HUFFING LEAPS FORWARD ONTO THE SCREAMING MAN and drags him outside
screaming as he is ripped limb from limb.
SMILEY FORD slides out of the cabin and runs like hell for the bush.
INCITING INCIDENT
An outsider arrives by helicopter at the rez.(RESERVATION/HAMLET) She is an art instructor, here to help indigenous women sell their crafts.
The pilot, an attractive man likes 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 SPIRITI 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
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?
She hears a BLOOD-CURDLING HOWL not a wolf/cougar.
She begins to get scared, panics, and tries to hurry back along the path, her feet getting stuck in branches
.
She stops suddenly, her breath gasping. In the distance at the end of the path part of a strange animal 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 steps toward the beast,
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 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.
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.
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.
Most of the residents are upset, concerned frightened. BUT
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 SHAPESHIFTER runs in front of the truck, stops, and looks directly at them.
The truck kills the COYOTE SHAPESHIFTER and 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. 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. LIMBS 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.
SITUATION
One by one several bands (reservation) people who have committed terrible crimes are targeted by SASQUATCHand the GRIZZLY BEARS
A nursing station orderly Horton Smalleyes
WHY a wife and child beater
HOW Stalked along the road from the nursing station to the village by SASQUATCH
Tries to run through the bush, gets caught in a trap line. Ripped to shreds by the GIANT GRIZZLY BEAR SPIRIT ANIMAL
Character death 5
Yvonne Brownwolf
WHY a child beater
HOW SASQUATCH appears to freak her out on the way home from the meeting, then disappears.
A full-grown bull Elk confronts her on the road, gores her to death, and then drags the body to the road in front of the town grocery store.
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. The Chief explains that SASQUATCH is intelligent, WORKING TOGETHER with other SPIRIT ANIMALS stalking, hunting them, and killing in retribution. CHIEF EXPLAINS THAT SASQUATCH knows what they have done. 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.
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.
That night the entire village hears the HOWL OF SASQUATCH.
Every household is terrified, and taking protected actions such as boarding doors, etc.,
Yvonne Brownwolf, from the group, is walking home along the edge of the woods. A full-grown bull Elk comes out of the bush
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 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.
It’s morning and still Yukon dark. Smiley Ford, (snake tattoo visible) the one who attacked the girl in the opening scene, is walking from the gas station with a gas can in hand. Without any warning, a COUGAR jumps down from a tree, behind Smiley, a MUCH larger than usual cougar.
The cougar walks around the man snarling. Terrorizing him. He jumps on him, rolling him on the ground while Smiley screams, the GIANT COUGAR gets him face down and bites his neck. The man is still alive as the gas can spillS on the road, ALL AROUND HIM. SMILEY has many terrible injuries. The GIANT COUGAR stands back as the gas suddenly spontaneously bursts into flames killing Smiley./ 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.
CONCLUSION
People in the village discuss the sounds of the SASQUATCH’S NIGHT BLOOD CURDLING 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.
MONTAGE
POV INDIVIDUAL WOMEN’S WORK.
A group of women doing their handicrafts and TALKING INTO A CAMERA TELLING THE STORIES OF THEIR LIVES
FINAL SHOT
A VIEW OF THE VILLAGE IN YUKON GREY IS HALF-LIGHT, SNOW FALLING SASQUATCH HOWLING IN THE DISTANCE.
MUSIC UP HEARTBEAT DRUMMING ONLY
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by
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</div><div>I learnt Identifying horror situations and building a number ready to slot into the plot is a valuable exercise
Title: The Famine Pit Concept: A. The monster/villain. A gang of cannibals B. The interesting terror. Hunt and devour people An isolated and horrific environment. “A University lab and a disused graveyard” D. The people who will be terrorized. “The heroes police public”
Type: Feature Film Group: S&V “Finn & Little other police” Members of public Cannibals
Genre: Horror Dying Pattern: “The characters experience the terror and survive together but one or two die.”
Monster: Cannibals Mythology: “You threw us into the famine pits as though we were cattle indifferent to whether we were alive or dead. Our parents clawed their way out and found both refuge and sustenance in this place. But you have stopped using this place stopped bringing us fresh food so now we have to hunt further afield.”
THE HORROR PLOT TRACK HORROR SITUATIONS TRACK CHARACTER DEATH TRACK MONSTER REVEAL TRACK Character Journey Track CHARACTER JOURNEY TRACK
ACT 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 fulfils 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 butchered with the liver and kidneys missing. 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. “Who: prisoner
How: hanging
Why: life is hard” “S pulls the vagrants mouth open and cuts himself – the teeth have been filed to a razor sharpness. “Prevalent amongst the Bantu I believe”He is wearing a mask with accentuated bat-shaped ears.”
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 Inspector Belfast Borough Police and friend of S&V.
“Well then you must prevail on the magistrates to bring in the Military”
“I have tried but they are leery to tread upon a Catholic burial ground after the recent disturbances”
“It’s happened before many times but the authorities have been keeping it secret”.
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.” “The mask left behind was made from a human face.
Metal claws?”
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 cozy living room. He has been torn apart as though by wild animals and the liver is missing. “Who: Finn
How: torn apart with claws and liver removed
Why: to protect his family”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 the liver is missing. There are teeth-marks similar to the murder of Finn.
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. “Who: Constable Little
How: as Finn
Why: he is surrounded when alone on the beat. He draws his baton (cutlass?) and urges them to try their luck.”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 Magistrate now takes S seriously and calls out the Constabulary and Military to carry out 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 mob gather at the gates of the graveyard led by religious figures. The police are trying to hold them back but the mob are pressing forward. They push through the police lines and eventually the police stand aside.
The religious ceremony is held to cleanse the graveyard of evil.” We see the cannibals gathering.
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. “The cannibals attack the lab and are driven off but Victoria is missing.
The cannibals attack the people in the graveyard.” “Priests nuns – the lot are butchered in the graveyard.” 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 but find no trace 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. They seem to have a prisoner we see a flash of V’s clothes from the back.” 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 worshiping the figure of a man with the head of a goat. It turns and looks directly at us.”
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ASSIGNMENT
Rich’s Character Death Track:
What I learned doing this assignment is that the peppering in of the deaths is important to the story flow.
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.
• Character Death 1: Priest
• Why: To show how vicious Drochchodladh Hamaa is. The “plan” is gone. So is hope.
◦ How: Indiana Jones… Demon Style: Drochchodladh Hamaa manifests in full for the first time, pulls his heart out and eats it in front of the group. Then rips his head off and tosses it to them.
• 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.
• Character Death 2: Mikey
• Why: Panics/Freaks out. Runs. I’m outta here! Bad choice probie. Bad choice. Dead!
◦ How: Panics and runs off. Hides in storage unit. Demon reanimates stored remains who rip him to shreds and then demon devours him.
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
• Character Death 3: Smitty
• Why: To show everybody’s vulnerable.
◦ How: Apparent death: Drowned/eaten in rooftop water tank swamp-sludge after being deceived into trying to save another victim. Actual Death: Comes back in the end to help friends fight their way out. Killed by Demon’s minions as he kills them. Goes down swinging. Demon devours his soul.
• Character Death 4: Kyle
• Why: Kyle keeps telling anyone and everyone that he’s sure he’s gonna dine. Turns out, he was correct. By Klye!
◦ How: Crushed from the feet up like toothpaste as the Demon taunts, then devours him
• Hysteria
◦ The dwindling team realize they’re in over their heads and that this is a no win situation.
• Character Death 5: Emma
• Why: Her overly reckless nature finally catches up with her. Sorry kid.
◦ How: Fear of dogs (mild phobia) – eaten by horde of little hell hound puppies after rushing into situation and getting trapped. Demon devours her soul.
◦ Horror Situation: Finally find kids in demon’s chamber. Seat of demon’s power. Demon attacks them directly
◦ Reaction: Overcome with Fear.hopelessness.
• 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.
• Character Death 6: Benjamin
• Why: Sacrifices himself so that Sam and the kids can escape.
◦ How: Samantha is forced to cut him in half to save the children and escape.
• Character Death 7: Noah
• Why: Killed on the run to save Olivia as they’re just about to escape So close!
◦ How: Caught by the demon from the shadows right as they’re about to make it out the door. Taken back to table and devoured as planned. #Heartbreaking
• 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.
• Character Death 8:Samantha
• Why: Sacrifices herself to save Olivia and stop Drochchodladh Hamaa once and for all.
◦ How: Magnesium flare and axe to gas main pipe. Final BOOM!
• 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.
• Survivor: Olivia
• Why: First victim. Most traumatized. Still screwed over by minions after survival.
◦ How: Walk away – signature ding as she’s put into backseat of car.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Rich Hynes.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
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