Day 9 Assignments

[Ted Tronsen]

Ted Tronsen’s Horror Outline Version 1 for Shadow Mountain (Part 1)

What I learned from doing this assignment is how to use my outline to create scenes and action sequences while writing my screenplay. By using a slug line and then describing the action in detail in sets the stage for the story to unfold. Here I am including scenes from the Screenplay that I have already written for Act 1.

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR (from previous outline)

Atmosphere of Evil established – In the Prologue/Opening Scene Vincent attempts suicide by jumping off the roof of an apartment building in SOHO. He survives the fall and then checks into a Therapeutic Community Residence in a remote part of Oregon 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 rooftop and falling several stories landing on a roof below, but he miraculously survives with relatively minor injuries (broken legs).

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/client having a flashback is visibly overcome with emotion.

HORROR OUTLINE VERSION 1

ACT I

INT. ARTIST’S LOFT, SOHO, NY – NIGHT

Inside a spacious artist’s loft, VINCENT paces back and forth surrounded by large abstract paintings on the wall. Sirens wail on the street far below. He goes to the counter and snorts a line of ketamine through a straw. His pupils dilate.

The room begins to change and contort around him as the ketamine kicks in. The walls seem to close in around him. He rips a painting off the wall and smashes it. He begins splashing paint all over the paintings on the wall.

He goes on a rampage trashing the loft and everything in it. In a fit of rage, he yells and curses.

In a destructive frenzy he rips paintings off the wall one by one smashing the frames and ripping the canvas. He sucks red oil paint out of the container, and it drips out of his mouth like blood. He smashes furniture, destroys everything.

He goes out the door into the hallway to the elevator and then goes to the roof of the building. He goes to the edge of the roof and climbs up on top of the precipice overlooking a rooftop below. Bright New York City lights surround him.

He closes his eyes and imagines a bird in flight. A hawk can be seen with spread wings soaring in a blue sky. With arms outstretched he jumps and freefalls for several stories then lands hard on his feet breaking both of his legs instantly.

Unable to get up but still conscious he screams in pain. Someone overlooking the rooftop he landed on notices and calls 911. The fire department and an ambulance rush to the scene. Paramedics give him a shot and he passes out.

Sirens blare as an ambulance rushes Vincent to the hospital. He is in critical condition, but appears to still be alive.

INT. HEARTH ROOM – EVENING

After the meal all of the seekers gather in the hearth room by the wood stove. Victoria leaves and Bethany walks her out to her car. TODD, a tall, thin, middle aged man with short dark hair enters the room and introduces himself.

Todd grabs a stack of poetry books and begins passing them out. Each seeker takes a book and looks for a poem to read. They go around the room each reading a poem, then Todd introduces the theme for the evening: Death.

After reading a poem Todd pauses for a few seconds and looks around the room at each seeker for a moment that seems like an eternity. He passes out pieces of paper and pens and then sits back down with a mischievous smile on his face.

The seekers look at each other with strange glances as if they don’t know what to do, and then begin writing. There is an expression on Dji Dji’s face as if she suddenly gets it, like I light bulb went off in her head and then a flashback.

INT. DJI DJI’S ROOM – NIGHT

Dji Dji sits on her bed listening to dark wave electronic music. She’s writing in her diary. On the bedsheets around her she is surrounded by razor blades. She picks up one of the razor blades and cuts her wrist bleeding over the page.

The blood drips on her diary and she smudges it with her thumb then tastes it with her tongue. She cuts herself again. As her blood covers the page she brings her wrist to her mouth and begins sucking the blood. She licks her red lips.

She places a razor blade in her mouth, and then another one. She begins chewing on the razor blades and the blood leaks out of the corners of her mouth onto the white bed sheets. She puts a few more razor blades in her mouth then swallows.

She chokes on her own blood as she tries to cough up the razor blades. She vomits blood and it splatter over the white bed sheets. She loses consciousness and has convulsions.

INT. HEARTH ROOM -EVENING

Now, back in the present moment, the seekers are all writing profusely as they sit in a circle. Todd glances at Dji Dji as she writes in red ink on the white piece of paper. She is a sexy young woman with long dark hair and smooth tan skin.

Then, Todd notices Hideki beginning to cry. He breaks down and begins sobbing. Everyone stops writing a looks at him.

INT. HACHIKO TRAIN STATION, SHIBUYA, TOKYO, JAPAN – DAY

Hideki has a flashback. He is in downtown Shibuya, Tokyo at the train station near Hachiko Square. Throngs of people like ants cross the busiest intersection in the world. Hideki is carrying a briefcase, rushes quickly into the train station.

As a train approaches, Hideki jumps down on the tracks in front of it. The train slams on its brakes and a loud air horn sounds. People gather around and look down and watch as a bystander jumps down and pull him off the subway tracks.

INT. HEARTH ROOM – EVENING

Back to the present moment, Todd gets up and approaches Hideki on the couch. He gently touches his shoulder then begins rubbing his back. Hideki covers his face in his hands trying to suppress his sobbing. The seekers watch in silence.

Hideki lifts up his head and looks around the room at the other seekers. He wipes his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. The other seekers look at him with compassion. Todd hands Hideki a Kleenex and he blows his nose. Then dead silence.

The seekers begin writing again while Todd observes them. He notices Elise’s hand beginning to shake as she writes. Elise is having a flashback.

INT. ELISE’S ATTIC – NIGHT

Elise is in the attic of her house. There is a single bright light bulb buzzing in the center of the attic above a chair in the middle of the room. A rope with a noose is dangling from the rafters above. Elise slowly gets up onto the chair.

Elise dangles the noose around her neck. She has a hopeless look on her face and her eyes are wide open. Her pupils are dilated and she doesn’t blink. She just stares straight ahead and then after a long pause, steps off the chair and dangles.

She kicks over the chair. With both feet far off the floor she spins as she kicks her legs and reaches up with both hands trying to grab hold of the rope. Her husband runs up the stairs and grabs her in his arms alleviating the tension.

He reaches up and is able to loosen the rope around her neck. He removes the noose and carries her in his arms. Her eyes are still wide open and she looks as if she’s in shock. He sits down on a large couch in the corner holding her close.

Elise stands up and walks out of the room to go to the bathroom. Todd looks at Emily as she writes frantically scrawling words across the page. She closes her eyes and has a flashback.

INT. EMILY’S CAR – NIGHT

Emily is driving down a winding dirt road at night along a meandering river. She holds an open bottle of Vodka in her lap with one hand as she grabs the steering wheel with her other hand. Suddenly, the car plunges off the shoulder.

The headlights beam through the fog as she plunges over the embankment towards the river. The car flips over on the roof and slides down the steep slope with Emily hanging upside down wearing her seat belt. The car plummets into the river.

The car comes to abrupt halt as water begins to pour into the car from the open windows. Emily releases the seat belt and frees herself. She swims underwater to the top of the river then swims ashore beneath a full moon near a covered bridge.

INT. HEARTH ROOM – EVENING

Todd looks around the room and it appears as if everyone is done writing.

INT. ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING CALLED THE HIVE – DAY

Bethany is accompanied by an older woman with gray hair named KAREN. The seekers sit in a circle around a small room.

They are in a study group studying the work of Hermann Thielemann, a German philosopher who wrote The Unforgettable Fire and founded the Astoria School.

The seekers compliantly open their books to the designated page and take turns reading aloud.

Vincent is visibly disturbed and feels uncomfortable after the reading. A few of the seekers giggle. Karen looks at them with a stern look of disapproval and they quickly stop laughing. She speaks in an authoritative voice to regain control of the study group.

I will post more scenes to complete Outline Version 1 later…

[anna harper]

Anna Harper’s LESSON 9 Make your Outline Readable

What I learned from the assignment. The method made my work clearer. Thanks

THE LONG DARK a Screenplay by Anna Harper based on some true events.

ACT 1

ESTABLISHING

EXT.YUKON FOREST/EARLY WINTER/DAY/DARK

Aerial view of the remote Yukon bushland. ISOLATED

Loud sounds of wolves howling EERIE

SOUNDS of distant traditional native drumming

INT/GRUNGY BAR/TRAILER/AFTERNOON/DARK

The neon sign is half burned out. Cigarette smoke fills the sir and the smell of stale beer/vomit and piss.

Tennesse Whisky is playing on the jukebox.

A lone Caucasian man (Smiley Ford) is sitting at a table in the corner, drinking beer. He is middle-aged, with thinning and receding hair, (a comb-over.) A large snake tattoo is visible on his forearm. He is scruffily dressed, contrasted with an expensive-looking gold chain around his neck, and well-worn but expensive cowboy boots. He has a bunch of keys, suspended by a chain, hanging from his belt.

Two men, Norman and Francis Smith two brothers, indigenous young men, dirty T-shirts, and jeans, tall and skinny, they are already intoxicated. The men stumble into the bar, giving each other a punch as they enter.

SMILEY eyes the men up as they approach the bar.

SMILEY

Hey, barman, give these guys a beer on me.

FRANCIS

Thanks. Do we know you?

SMILEY

Nope, better make me some friends. My first time on this rez.

NORMAN

Do ya mind if we sit at your table then?

SMILEY

Lights himself a cigarette. Blows the smoke out slowly.

What do you do for fun around here? Looks pretty dead, even for A bush rez.

FRANCIS

Play a little pool, get drunk, fight. Wait for the next welfare check.

NORMAN

We do some hunting when the mood takes us.

SMILEY

Oh yeah. I was thinking of doing a little hunting myself while I was up here.

NORMAN

Where you from then?

SMILEY

The city, sometimes. I go where there is opportunity. Don’t stick around too long. I get bored, which is bad. Makes me angry and restless, then it’s time to move on. Know what I mean?

FRANCIS

So what kinda huntin’ you want to do? Maybe we can help you out. We got the guns and the knives. We even got us a ski-doo, though the snow is only just a startin’, so we won’t be needing those yet.

SMILEY

Well, maybe you could be of some help. I fancy a little deer hunting. How’s 100 bucks to be my guide. And other 100 to keep your mouths shut.

NORMAN

No license eh? No worries. How about another beer then?

SMILEY

Let’s go talk in my truck.

EXT.PARKING AREA/DARK AFTERNOON

SMILEY’S truck is a late model one ton. The paint looks new, and the tires and hub caps look fancy though there is road dirt halfway up the box. The men pile in, one sits in the rear of the cab.

SMILEY reaches under the seat and pulls out a half of vodka, and passes it to the men.

FRANCIS

Who Hoo good times.

SMILEY

Where is everyone? Thee’s no one out and about and it’s still early.

NORMAN

Drinks from the bottle.

It’s bingo night, everyone’s at the bingo in the Church.

SMILEY

Jeezus! Where are the girls? Do you want to do a little deer hunting, my way?

FRANCIS

What’s that then?

SMILEY

First, we need us an old truck with a canopy. We can boost one if there’s one parked up somewhere.

NORMAN

Then what?

SMILEY

I found a small cabin about 10 miles out when I came up here on the old bush road.

FRANCIS Then what?

SMILEY

We go get us a deer. The two-legged kind.

The men are silent while their intoxicated brains and confused expressions process the information.

FRANCIS

Do you mean you want to take a woman up there? We could ask around, and see who is interested.

SMILEY

That’s no fun. No, we are going hunting.

There are a few rules for this hunting expedition.

Rule number 1, I go first, got it!

Rule number 2 keep your mouths shut.

SMILEY takes a pistol from an underarm holster. The men’s eyes widen. Then he takes out a handful of bills and throws them over his shoulder to the back seat where NORMAN is sitting.

NORMAN

What did you say your name was?

SMILEY

I don’t know your name, and you don’t know my name. And now let’s go get us some deer meat!

EXT.DEEP FOREST BUSH ROAD/EVENING

An old canopied truck is parked on the bush road.

SMILEY FORD, FRANCIS SMITH, AND NORMAN SMITH are wearing ski masks.

Laughing and cursing they get out of the truck, then drag a girl (Willow Summer out of the back of the truck canopy.)

She is kicking, screaming, and yelling at them that her father and brothers will kill them. She begs them to let her go.

SMILEY

Get her over to the cabin as quickly as you can. Shut the fuck up or I’ll give you something to scream about.

You ‘r goin- a -be screaming pretty quick here anyways!

The men laugh and drag her, holding her by her hair to the broken-down cabin.

SMILEY

Fetches the gas can out of the truck.

We’ll be disposin’ of our evidence. No need to tell the cops what we’ve been doing a little sport eh, boys?

A murder of crows are making their loud noisy calls near the cabin.

NORMAN

The men note the HUGE BEAR claw marks

on the cabin door and laugh.

NORMAN

Looks like a big ol’ bear came a-visiting already!

The men tie WILLOW with ropes to various pieces of furniture.

SMILEY

Remember rule number 1 boys, I always go first! pass me the booze. You make yourselves comfortable and have some beers.

WILLOW

is screaming/cursing trying to pull herself free.

SMILEY

Picks up the gasoline can and pours gas on her legs and arms.

If you don’t want to be burned alive, shut the fuck up!

EXT. AERIAL VIEW OF CABIN AND FOREST/NIGHT

TERRIBLE SCREAMS from the cabin can be heard throughout the woods.

INT.CABIN/NIGHT

The men continued 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, screaming down the road in the truck.

EXT.CABIN/NIGHT

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

NORMAN opens the door, runs, and is ripped to pieces, eaten alive by A LARGER THAN LIFE GRIZZLY BEAR bear (spirit animal)

FRANCIS wakes and notices the girl is gone, hears his brother screaming,

GRIZZLY BEAR NO 2 sticks his head in the cabin facing FRANCIS for ONE BEAT

FRANCIS is HYSTERICAL/SCREAMING

BEAR MAKES THE SOUNDS OF ATTACK: HUFFING LEAPS FORWARD ONTO SCREAMING FRANCIS and drags him outside

GRIZZLY BEAR NO 2 rips FRANCIS limb from limb.

SMILEY FORD Slithers along the wall of the cabin and then runs like hell through the bush.

MUSIC UP DREMEKA Choir Heavy Metal Britney Spears Song) TOXIC

REACTION SCREAMING/LIMBS FLYING/BLOOD AND GORE

GIANT GRIZZLY BEAR continues to maul and eats FRANCIS alive,

DISSOLVE TO

EXT.REZ.HELICOPTER LANDING AREA/DAY

HELICOPTER IS ALREADY LANDED, DUST WIND, BLADES SLOW AND STOP.

HELICOPTER SIGNAGE READS WILD BIL COPTERS

LILLY CARR exits the helicopter.

LILLY

Wow, that was some ride! It looks beautiful here.

BILL

This is one of the most notorious reserves in the whole of the God-forsaken bush. It’s very dangerous Lilly. If you need to get out fast, you can call me. You’ve got my satellite phone number. How long is your government project going for?

LILLY

Eight weeks. Then I am off to Cabo for sun, Pina Coladas, and swimming in a warm ocean.

BILL

I will be dropping off supplies here in about a week. How about I check in with you then and see how you are doing, make sure you are OK? What is it you are doing here anyhow?

LILLY

You never quite know how these projects are going to turn out, what I am supposed to do is help the local women sell their crafts in art stores down south.

BILL

Well, good luck see you in a week or so and don’t forget what I said if you need to get out of here fast call me.

LILLY

LILLY makes eye contact with Bill, and smiles, she likes him. Bill is easy on the eye.

Thanks, Bill I am sure everything will be just fine. And I’m really excited about having the Yukon experience. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come this far north, see wildlife and you know, take part in First Nations ceremonies and the like.

FORBODING

Eerie music emphasizes aloneness

EXT.CABIN/DAY

LILLY is in her cabin and decides to leave her cabin and 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

LILLY 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.

LILLY calls one of her work contacts on the rez, GEORGE, an elder, and healer. She asks to see him.

LILLY takes the traditional tea as a gift to GEORGE She tells him what happened, he sits there in silence for a while, AS IS THE CUSTOM. 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 and the remains of the two bodies found on a backroad.

She is VISIBLY HORRIFIED. LILLY 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 women sell their crafts.

GEORGE

Again gives her a dire warning, telling her that there may be one of the men in the community and to be very careful. GEORGE walks her back home, and tells her to call him if she needs anything, lock her doors and use the bear window to check before leaving her cabin.

GEORGE goes home and calls his sponsor, he is very stressed and thinking about booze.

ACT 2

INT.COMMUNITY BUILDING/NIGHT

The band CHIEF FRANKY MANYSTREAMS

calls a meeting and talks about what has happened at the cabin, THE MAULED BODY PARTS on the bush road

and the appearance of SASQUATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER in the Community. He tells the assembled band members that SASQUATCH is hunting them, co-operating with GRIZZLY BEARS

The Chief tells the community that they have to mend their ways. SASQUATCH may come back if they do not change.

Most of the residents at the community meeting are upset, talking amongst themselves, concerned frightened. BUT

some of the badass/rebellious people ridicule the Chief in front of the group.

JOHN, TIFFANY, BUDDY disrupt the meeting saying CHIEF FRANK MANYSTREAMS is too old and this stuff has no meaning for them.

They disperse from the meeting. The guys and the 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, the truck rolls over into the ditch. They all get out, drunk, dazed but alive. They walk over to the road to check on the coyote, he has disappeared, with no traces of blood. The girl says the COYOTE IS A SHAPESHIFTER and that’s why there is no blood. 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 a screaming BUDDY WEASELFOOT and takes him into the bush to eat him. LIMBS FLYING, HIGH PITCHED SCREAMS

A murder of CROWS is on the side of the road, the crows are talking.

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 group and just disappear, with more screaming from the group.

INT.COMMUNITY BUILDING/NIGHT

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, LILLY 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.

EXT/VILLAGE HIGH STREET/DAY

The village is in an emotional meltdown. A group of locals are standing and talking/crying.

EXT.VILLAGE/DAY

The Mounties or State Police, go door to door, reassure people, and give them safety information. It’s no use people are frantic.

EXT.POLICe STATION

MOUNTIES/STATE POLICE go out on snowmobiles to check the bush with the local trappers, accompanying them. No result.

EXT.CHIEFMANYSTREAMS CABIN/NIGHT

That night more Sasquatch howls. CHIEF FRANKY MANYSTREAMS is taking his garbage out of his cabin, he picks up some logs of wood from his stack and walks back to the cabin.

A GIANT GRIZZLY SPIRIT BEAR spontaneously appears outside the cabin.

The Chief drops the firewood and then 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 SPIRIT ANIMAL walks around SMILEY snarling. Terrorizing him. SMILEY wets himself. The COUGAR 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, though he is still alive, moaning, trying to move/crawling. The GIANT COUGAR stands back as the gas suddenly spontaneously bursts into flames killing Smiley, burning him alive amid screams.

INT.COFFEE SHOP/DAY

A conversation between the local police and some of the residents 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 with the SNAKE TATTOO and say they had him in sight as a suspect of the rape crime.

CONCLUSION

INT.COMMUNITY BUILDING/DAY

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. People in the village discuss the sounds of the SASQUATCH’S NIGHT TIME BLOOD CURDLING HOWLING has stopped.

CHIEF FRANKY MANYSTREAMS says they should build a LONG HOUSE to practice the traditional ways and pay respect to their ancestors and heal the community.

MONTAGE

INT.COMMUNITY BUILDING/NIGHT

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 WHICH IS HALF-LIGHT, SNOW FALLING SASQUATCH HOWLING IN THE DISTANCE.

MUSIC UP HEARTBEAT DRUMMING ONLY

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  anna harper.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  anna harper.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  anna harper.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  anna harper.

[Jeremy Cooke]

What I learned is that it’s best to do the outline on index cards

Jeremy Cooke’s Horror Outline Version 1

The Famine Pit

ACT 1

INT. LABORATORY – EVENING
Septimius and Victoria are working in their laboratory on the corpse of an man executed that morning. It is a large room with sheeted cadavers laid out in trolleys. Septimius finishes his task and bends straight and asks Victoria to pass him his”slasher”. Victoria Passes him an Indian Talwar which he uses to disfigure the corpse. “That’s enough I think. That poor devil has enough for one day”. Septimius then calls to Billy, the Porter, to take the corpse to the “purification chamber” and Billy grumbles as he wheels the corpse away.
The doors crash open and two policemen reverse in with a corpse on a stretcher. They call out a cheery hello and dump the corpse on an empty trolley. Inspector Finn presents his compliments and would the Doctor cast his eye over the corpse of a vagrant?
Billy Undresses the corpse and covers it with a sheet.
Septimius casts an eye over the corpse and remarks that the teeth have been filed to razor sharpness. Victoria intervenes and reminds Septimius that they are dining with her parents this evening. Septimius reluctantly rinses his hands. Tomorrow will be soon enough.

INT. LABORATORY – MORNING
They are standing looking at chaos. Billy remarks that that vagrant has “up and disappeared on them”. On examination several bodies have been disturbed and their livers are missing.
Inspector Finn arrives and asks if this is the way Septimius and Victoria are running their experiments. Billy grumbles.
Septimius points out that if they can proves Monsieur Pasteur’s theories on purification that he, Inspector Finn, may be grateful some day. Victoria intercedes and asks Inspector Finn how his family are – they must come to supper some day.
Septimius explains what has happened and Inspector Finn tells us he has suspected a gang of thieves and grave robbers are operating from the old graveyard.
“It’s happened before, many times, but the authorities have been keeping it secret”.

“I have tried but they are leery for Protestant police to tread upon a Catholic burial ground after the recent disturbances”

“Well then you must prevail on the Magistrates to bring in the Military since they are better thought off in the round”

Inspector Finn introduces P.C. Little who will keep a special watch on the laboratory on his nightly patrols.

Billy is going through the missing corpse’s effects when he finds what looks like a mask. Inspector Finn is puzzled at large bat-like flaps over the ears but Septimius identifies it as made of human skin. He has seen similar during the Indian Rebellion when they had stormed heathen temples but the ears? Victoria suggests they would improve hearing.

And the metal claws strapped to the vagrant’s forearms?

Inspector Finn suggests that they hold a press conference to put pressure on the Magistrates.

INT. LABORATORY – MORNING
The correspondents from several local news letters are present. Septimius explains to the press what his research is about, how he assists the police as a surgeon, and about the stolen body and the missing livers.
Inspector Finn Show them the mask and the claws and tells them his theory about a gang operating from the graveyard. How other bodies have been found in the area.
The press demand why no action has been taken and Inspector Finn tells them that is not his to command.

EXT. STREET – EVENING
Septimius and Victoria are making their way home when they are accosted by a rough man warning them to mind their own business and keep away form the graveyard. P.C. Little intervenes and the man walks off.

INT. LABORATORY – MORNING
Inspector Finn arrives P.C. Little has told him about them being approached in the street. He is stationing a police guard outside their house until this matter is resolved.
Septimius and Victoria reveal they are both armed but nevertheless Inspector Finn insists on a guard for now.
Inspector Finn asks if these creatures are even human, he had heard of such creatures in his youth. Septimius and Victoria both laugh and assure his the vagrant’s corpse bled and stank like any other.

INT. FINN’S HOUSE – EVENING
Inspector Finn returns home to find the cannibals holding his wife and children prisoner. They harvest their livers in front of him while they are still alive, then tear him to pieces as a warning to others.

They sever his C-Spine to render Finn quadriplegic then place him in a chair to watch them kill his family. It’s how they keep meat fresh.

They cut out his tongue then feast.

They use the claws to rip gobs of flesh off then feast while he is still alive.

They write a warning in blood telling Septimius to keep away from the graveyard.

INT. LABORATORY – LATER
Septimius and Victoria are working late when a policeman bursts in. Something dreadful has happened and the Chief Constable sends his compliments and would Septimius examine the bodies with the upmost dispatch.

Inspector Finn and his family are brought to the lab and Septimius greets his old friend before starting the examination.

Septimius asks P.C. Little to escort Victoria home while he completes the examination.

INT. STREET – EVENING
P.C. Little and Victoria are walking when a rough gang surround them. P.C. Little draws his baton and puts Victoria behind him. “You wait here Miss. Now you wait until I’ve started giving this lot a taste of their own and you get yourself away as quick as you can”. “Now don’t you worry about me Miss. I’ve handled worse many a time”.
“Right you lot! Come on and take your chances”.
Victoria runs away as P.C. Little and the gang fight.

ACT 2
EXT. GRAVEYARD – MORNING
Victoria is missing. The body of P.C. Little is found out side the graveyard.
Septimius examines the graveyard and finds Victoria’s glove.
The police are still not convinced. Finn was killed to settle a grudge, and Little interrupted a gang bent on robbing Victoria.
Septimius demands that the police search the graveyard but the police say that they have sought and been denied permission for the clergy and threatened that any entry by the police into the graveyard will be resisted.
INT. Laboratory – evenING
Septimius examines P.C. Little’s remains.
Septimius finds claw marks and again the liver is missing. We see movement behind him.
Septimius is attacked but he seizes the talwar and kills two of his opponents.
Police whistles sound as the approach the laboratory. Septimius’s attackers melt away.
The police chase the attackers to the graveyard.

EXT. STREET – EVENING
A young flower girl shivers in the street. She is chased from the shelter of a porch before entering the graveyard.

EXT. GRAVEYARD -EVENING
The door of a Crypt is ajar and she pushes it open and enters.

INT. CRYPT – EVENING
The flower girl hears noises. She strikes a match and says she’s doing no harm. If only she can shelter here tonight she’ll move on in the morning.
Faces appear in the dark of the crypt. The flower girl is attacked and pinned to the ground as she calls for mercy, for help.
The claws descend on the flower girl and her attackers feed.

INT. LABORATORY – MORNING
Septimius is insisting that they search the graveyard for Victoria.

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.

EXT. GRAVEYARD – AFTERNOON
Septimius, the police and military assemble at the graveyard gates but a mob, led by religious figures, gathers inside and oppose their entry.

The police are unsure and await further orders. Dusk falls and torch lights are lit.

Act 3
EXT. GRAVEYARD – EVENING
A religious ceremony is held to cleanse the graveyard of evil.

We see the cannibals gathering.
The cannibals attack the people in the graveyard. Priests, nuns, the lot are butchered with many burnt to death.
The police and military burst through the gates and join the fight. It is dark now and some want to return in the morning to assault the crypt but Septimius cries out that Victoria may still be alive and they should move now.

INT. CRYPT – EVENING
Septimius and the police enter the crypt but find no trace of Victoria. They move past the flower-girl’s body and enter a tunnel.

Bones litter the floor. Septimius notes they are human.
When accompanying the police through the tunnels in the Crypt Septimius is cut off and lost. He is pursued through the tunnels by the cannibals until he comes to a barred dead-end though which he can see light.
Septimius hears the cannibals approaching through the tunnel as the scratch their metal claws against the sides.
He calls for help and the police dig him out just in time.
The Crypt is set alight and the police and Septimius pile in more fuel as we watch it burn.
Burning Cannibals flee and the police and military shoot them down.

INT. CRYPT – LATER
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 Victoria’s clothes from the back.

Police guards are surprised and their throats cut.

INT. LABORATORY – NIGHT
Septimius is working in the lab. It is late. He asks Victoria to pass him an instrument then stops. He pauses for a moment then returns to his work.

INT. ELSEWHERE – EVENING
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.