Lesson 12

[David Wetzel]

Dave Wetzel’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

What I learned doing this assignment is that the art of creating emotional rollercoasters of anguish, panic, terror, and hysteria are one of the most rewarding aspects of horror screenwriting.

DIRE FALLS

Jennifer, Nearest and gang cautiously round the bend in the dark passageway to come upon the glowing yellow / orange portal to hell!

Cries of anguish and screams emanate from deep inside the portal, Marley clutches Terry by the arm.

Deacon Malum stands beside the portal, repeating his chants in Latin.

DEACOM MALUM
(Latin)

Come forward warrior! Serve the dark lord’s messenger!

The horrible figure of Yog-Formido appears at the portal and growls! GROWL!

It’s seven feet tall with long, slender limbs, huge claws and long fangs!

Jennifer and Marley scream and panic, Nearest pulls them behind him to protect them.

Nearest, his army service revolver in hand, motions to Terry and the guys to get ready.

Suddenly, Jennifer pulls Nearest by the arm, they retreat a few paces from the gang.

JENNIFER
(nervous)

We’re in charge of these kids, we should wait for the police.

NEAREST

We’re trapped here with the deacon and that thing; the cops won't get here for days.

If we don’t do something now, more people could die, we have to step up.

Jennier is still anxious but relents.

JENNIFER

If this is what’s it’s like to be a responsible adult, it’s overrated.

Nearest gives her a wink and a nod, Jennifer smiles weakly.

NEAREST

Don’t worry kiddo, I’ve led plenty of troops into firefights, I’ll take care of them.

Nearest moves back up to the front with the guys, Jennifer and Marley stay back.

NEAREST

I’ll take the point, you guys, back me up!

Terry and the guys form up, Renny looks ready for a fight.

Terry has a large, silver crucifix, Johnny has a glass vial of holy water, Renny wields the gold scepter with the image of Jesus Christ embossed on crown from earlier at the chapel.

RENNY

Let’s finish this monster!

Suddenly, Renny sprints past Nearest and charges towards the demon!

NEAREST
(panic)

I’m on point!

Too late, the gang all charge forward together!

The monster growls at the gang! GROWL!

Jennifer and Marley scream!

Ah! Ah!

The monster lunges forward with its claws open; Johnny throws his holy water on the demon!

The demon roars in agony as the blessed water burns its black hide, ROAR!

Renny strikes the demon’s side with the scepter, it staggers backwards!

Terry thrusts the crucifix at the demon and burns its skin, it roars again, ROAR!

The demon reels for a moment then gathers itself, Deacon Malum laughs manically HA! HA!

DEACON MALUM

Little trinkets from your failed God won’t defeat my champion!

Nearest charges ahead with his revolver and aims for the demon’s heart!

NEAREST

Oh yeah, how about some hot lead from Smith & Wesson!

Nearest shoots the demon square in the chest, the shot stuns the demon, it roars again, ROAR!

The bullet merely scratches the hide of the demon but ricochets off!

DEACON MALUM

Ah!

The bullet hits Deacon Malum in his stomach, he cries in pain again, Ah!

The demon roars and charges at the gang again, more terrifying than ever!

TERRY

We can’t kill it!

The demon swings its long arms and strikes Nearest hard and sends him flying ten feet!

JENNIFER

Nearest!

Deacon Malum is bleeding from his stomach and stumbles backwards towards the portal.

The demon swings its arm again and almost takes Terry’s head off!

JENNIFER

We have to get out of here!

The demon roars again, ROAR!

The gang gather themselves and help Nearest to his feet and hysterically sprint back up the dirt passageway!

The demon takes Deacon Malum under its arm and dives into the portal to disappear.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.
• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  David Wetzel.

[Allie Theiss]

Alison Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

INT. MUSEUM — GALLERY ROOM WITH THE PAINTING — NIGHT

Derek stands firm between Claire and the guard, his leg bleeding heavily, barely able to support himself. He knows he doesn’t have much time.

DEREK

Claire…go. Please. I’ll hold him off.

She reaches out toward him, tears running down her face.

CLAIRE

No! I’m not leaving you here.

She tries to pull him back, clutching at his arm, but he’s resolved. With a final, pained look, he presses her hand to his heart.

DEREK

I love you, Claire. I always have. Go… please.

As he pulls away, Claire lets out a strangled cry, her face contorted in anguish.

She watches, paralyzed, as Derek limps toward the guard, every step a painful act of defiance. He turns back one last time, his face a mixture of terror and love before the guard’s shadow engulfs him.

CLAIRE

Derek! Don’t… please… Don’t leave me!

The guard moves with calculated cruelty, letting Derek attempt a feeble defense before seizing him with a vice-like grip around his throat.

Claire backs away, her breathing rapid, her heart pounding so hard it’s deafening. Her eyes look around the room, searching desperately for anything to save him.

She grabs a wooden display stand and swings it at the guard, who barely flinches. The stand splinters uselessly in her hands.

CLAIRE

Let him go! Please, let him go!

He tilts his head toward her, tightening his grip on Derek, as if relishing her helplessness. Derek gasps for air, his face turning red, his eyes wide with terror as he looks at her one last time.

DEREK

Run, Claire… just run…

In an instant, the guard’s shadow stretches and twists around Derek, binding him like ropes.

Claire overwhelming with panic, frozen, torn between the instinct to flee and the horror of abandoning him.

As she watches in horror, Derek’s body begins to fade, pixelating into fragmented strokes, his features dissolving into the cursed painting.

Claire falls to her knees, mouth open in a silent scream, her body shaking uncontrollably as Derek’s image is slowly pulled into the artwork. His face becomes a grotesque, smeared brushstroke, his scream echoing faintly.

CLAIRE

This isn’t real… this can’t be happening…

Derek’s hand reaches out toward her one last time, fingers contorting and twisting as they blur into the brushstrokes. The final remnants of his face are frozen in a scream of agony, trapped forever in the painting.

Claire can’t tear her eyes away as Derek’s distorted figure merges into the dark canvas, his scream fading into silence.

Left alone in the dim, suffocating silence of the gallery, Claire’s mind starts to unravel. Her hands shake violently as she backs away from the painting, her breaths shallow and ragged.

Her gaze franticly moves around the room, desperate to escape, but the exits are hidden in the shadows. She clutches her head, fingers tangling in her hair, as if trying to claw her way out of the nightmare.

The guard begins to advance, his heavy footsteps echoing ominously, each step magnifying her terror. Claire lets out a broken laugh, her body trembling, as the reality of her situation sinks in.

CLAIRE

This can’t be real… it’s a nightmare… I just have to wake up…

The guard’s smile widens, his shadow stretching across the floor toward her like dark tendrils. She stumbles backward, her laughter dissolving into desperate, pleading sobs as she realizes there’s no escape.
Every corner of the room seems to close in, trapping her in an inescapable darkness.

Her hands grip her throat, as if suffocating herself to avoid the horror awaiting her. She screams, a raw, animalistic sound, her eyes wide with terror and madness.

CLAIRE

Please… someone… anyone… help me!

The guard raises a hand, motioning for her to step toward the painting, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Claire can’t resist — her body obeys, moving toward her doom, her mind fractured, unable to fight anymore.

As she steps closer, her gaze falls upon the faint, distorted image of Derek, his tortured face barely visible within the brushstrokes, frozen in eternal agony.

CLAIRE

I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…

She takes one final step forward, her body trembling, and the guard’s shadow wraps around her, pulling her into the painting, where her scream is swallowed by darkness.

[Dean Burkey]

LESSON 12 HOMEWORK:
Dean's Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene
What I learned doing this assignment is how to help counselors and therapists get more customers. ;oP
Scene: The Breaking Point
INT. VILLAGE HALL – NIGHT
The village hall would be in total darkness, save for the dim, flickering glow of an oil lamp. The few remaining survivors huddle together—Anna, Daniel, Marcus, Claire, Dr. Evelyn Hart, Sarah, and Caleb. The thick roaming Myst presses against the outer walls of the hall, its whispers growing louder.
Anguish:
Dr. Hart sits with her head in her hands, tears streaming down her face. They lost so many—George, taken by the Myst, and others who had simply vanished into the fog. Anna wallows beside her, her eyes filled with despair, her young son Caleb asleep next to her. The weight of their losses fills the room with an overwhelming sense of anguish. Marcus, sits on the floor, looks down at his hands, barely able to speak.
MARCUS
We should have done something sooner… we should have listened…
Panic:
Suddenly, a scraping noise echos from outside, louder than before. The survivors freeze, their eyes darting toward the door. Anna gasps, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts.
ANNA
It’s coming… it’s coming back.
The sounds outside grow louder—the scratching, the whispers, growing ever closer.
Horror:
A sudden gust of wind blows through the room. The survivors turn to see that the Myst found a way in—a crack in one of the windows.
The thick Myst begins to seep in, moving with purpose, almost alive. The shape of a face forms in the fog, twisted, smiling, with eyes filled with malice.
Marcus backs away, his eyes wide with horror. He stumbles over a chair, his heart pounding in his chest.
MARCUS
No… stay away!
The Myst moves faster, shadowy appendages reaching out for him. His screams are cut short as he becomes enveloped, disappearing into the Myst before the eyes of his horrified companions.
Hysteria:
Anna falls to her knees, her face contorted in despair.
ANNA
We’re all going to die!” she wailed, her voice rising to a hysterical pitch.
Her cries echo through the hall, filling the space with a palpable sense of doom. Claire, who had remained composed until now, snapped. She lunged at Dr. Hart, shaking her by the shoulders.
CLAIRE
What do we do? What do we do?! You’re supposed to know!
Dr. Hart tries to calm her, but Claire’s hysteria only grows, her voice breaking as she yells at everyone around her.
The Myst continues to seep in, the whispers growing louder, echoing their fears, their failures.
Anna's son Caleb wakes up and starts crying.
Everyone else glares at Claire.
DANIEL
Happy now? Crazy lady.
Anna hugs him and sways, trying to placate him.
ANNA
Shhhh. Shhhhhh. Everything's all right.
The others glare at her.
ANNA
I've got you, Caleb. Mama's got you.
Caleb crying subsides.
The others shrug, happy that worked to quiet him down.
CLAIRE
Lying. The unsung parenting skill. Maybe if our parents had lied to us more, this whole town would still be alive.
The other gasp in horror.
CLAIRE
Oh come on, we're all thinking it.
DANIEL
It's not your words. It's what's behind you.
Anna turns too late to see the thick Myst right as it envelopes her.
Her screams grow silent as quickly as they began.
As the others huddle together with greater intensity, the thick Myst backs away, leaving behind no sign of Anna.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Dean Burkey.

[Timothy Barley]

Tim's horror emotions #3

What I learned from doing this assignment is that my characters are going to suffer…

Scene Outline: Final Confrontation

Anguish:

Tyler and Lily are separated as their doppelgängers toy with them. Tyler hears Lily’s screams as she’s cornered, forced to watch from a distance as she fights back, helplessly experiencing anguish for her pain and fear.

Panic:

Tyler desperately searches for anything to protect them, realizing his options are running out. He tries to grab Lily, but his reflection blocks him at every turn. Their adrenaline spikes, and irrationality takes over as they try to escape the impending attack.

Horror:

They both witness their doppelgängers smirking and slowly advancing, mimicking their terror as though mocking them. Tyler’s doppelgänger grabs his arm, forcing him to look into the mirror’s dark depths where distorted, screaming faces writhe in agony.

Hysteria:

Tyler and Lily break down, screaming and laughing hysterically as they’re cornered, pushed far beyond their breaking points. In their desperation, Tyler fights his doppelgänger, who overpowers him with ease, as Lily is helplessly dragged into her own reflection.

Scene: Final Confrontation

INT. BASEMENT – DAWN

The storm rages outside, casting eerie, flickering shadows across the walls. Tyler and Lily stand back-to-back, panting and wild-eyed, each
watching a twisted version of themselves slowly emerge from the darkness.

LILY
(breathless)
Tyler… they’re coming. I can’t… I can’t do this…

Tyler’s eyes dart around, searching desperately for something, anything that can help them. His own reflection—an eerie, malicious twin—steps forward, mirroring his every movement but with a slow, mocking grin.

TYLER
(stammering)
Lily… don’t… don’t let them get too close. Just stay with me, we’ll—

But his words are drowned by a piercing scream as Lily’s doppelgänger grabs her arm, yanking her forward. Tyler reaches out to grab her, but his own doppelgänger blocks his path, gripping his shoulders in a cold, vice-like grip.

TYLER
(anguished)
No! Lily! Let her go!

He strains against the doppelgänger’s grip, his face twisted in horror as he watches Lily struggle. Her face contorts, her eyes pleading with him even as her doppelgänger mimics her fear with a twisted smile.

LILY
(sobbing)
Tyler, help me… please… I can’t—

Her words are cut short as her reflection leans close, whispering into her ear, making her convulse in terror. Tyler’s heart races, and his breaths come shallow and quick, panic overtaking him as he looks around desperately.

TYLER
(shouting)
Stop it! Leave her alone!

The basement walls seem to close in around them. Tyler tries to wrench free, but his doppelgänger presses his face into a shattered mirror, forcing him to look into the dark, distorted depths.

Inside the mirror, he sees endless faces staring back, each one twisted in silent screams, some familiar, others nightmarishly deformed. His own reflection grins, pressing harder.

TYLER
(horrified)
No… no, no, no…

The faces writhe, mouths open in silent agony as Tyler’s own face contorts in terror, forced to confront the horror directly. Lily’s screams echo in his ears, and his mind begins to fracture.

With a final burst of adrenaline, Tyler yanks free and lunges for Lily, but it’s too late. Her doppelgänger smiles, pulling her backward, dragging her body toward the mirror as Lily thrashes, her own laugh blending with a shrill, uncontrollable sob.

LILY
(hysterical)
Tyler! It’s me! I’m… still here…

But her doppelgänger drags her, laughing, and Lily’s voice shifts, breaking into a twisted laughter, blending with the reflection’s laughter, mocking her fear. Tyler stumbles forward, broken and overwhelmed, his face twisted in helpless agony.

TYLER
(laughing hysterically)
You can’t… this isn’t real… It’s not real!

The doppelgängers close in on him from all sides. Tyler collapses to his knees, his laughter turning into a gut-wrenching sob as his own doppelgänger places a hand on his shoulder, leaning close.

TYLER (DOPPELGÄNGER)
(whispering)
Oh, but it is, Tyler… It’s very real.

Tyler’s eyes widen as he stares into the eyes of his double, losing himself in a twisted reflection of his own fear. The reflection’s grin widens until it splits into a sickening, distorted smile, enveloping him as darkness closes in.

FADE TO BLACK.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Timothy Barley.

[Diane Keranen]

Diane’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene

What I learned doing this assignment is to increase the level of horror all the way to a climax of hero vs monster? Horror that is visible and palpable.

SCENE:

INT. ALCATRAZ ISLAND DEEP CAVERN — FLASHLIGHT LIGHTING

The remaining members of the group arrive at the cavern with the pond. They are wet, tattered, cold, and banged up.

TRAVIS
Hey! Look!

His voice echoes through the cavern and the water stirs up. Isabel encourages everyone to quiet down and the water calms once more.

Travis aims his light at bodies piled and lined up along the walls of the cavern. Blake, Frankie, Chester, and Vincent are lined up with older bodies and with older skeletons of four prisoners and beyond them are even older skeletons of pirates.

Scattered among them are weapons of pirates. The find swords, machetes, knives, and hatchets.

BONNIE
(sobbing)
Oh my god.

HAROLD
Those are the prisoners who escaped and were never seen again. I’m sure of it.

With the flashlights examining the bodies. Ghoulie notices something odd about the pond.

GHOULIE
(whispers)
Turn off your lights. Look.

From under the water, he can see the shimmer of a light shine from the depths.

GHOULIE
(shouts)
We made it! There’s a tunnel to the outside. We did guys. We did it! This is the way out! I’m gonna swim for it!

Without hesitation, Ghoulie takes a big breath and dives in the water.

The others gasp and call him back.

Suddenly there’s a deafening scream and the group ducks and hides behind rocks. The water blasts out of the pond and throws Ghoulie against the top of the cavern.

The water continues to blast his body against the rock with great force. The water turns red and bits of Ghoulie slam against the walls of the cavern. When the water calms, only Ghoulie’s body is torn and tattered with bones visible. His remains fall to the floor of the cavern.

The others shudder, wide-eyed at the horror and struggle to remain silent.

Bonnie, Harold, Travis, and Isobel remain of the original nine adventurers. Bonnie sobs silently. Harold sits on a large rock and holds his arms up around his head in anguish. Travis stares at the mess that was Ghoulie and shakes. Isobel, deep concentration on her face, shines her light around the cavern.

ISABEL
(quietly)
I know what to do.

The others slowly come out of their terror. Bonnie holds her hand over her mouth afraid she might make a sound. Harold raises his head, lowers his arms and pays attention to Isabel. Travis remains the same, shaking and staring at Ghoulie’s remains.

ISABEL
(quietly)
Slowly, silently, find a sword or something to use to fight.

Bonnie and Harold look around. Bonnie finds a rusted sword and picks it up. It loosens a rock that rattles. She stops. They all look at the water. It ripples then calms. Bonnie shakes, takes a deep breath and picks up the sword in silence.

Harold quietly picks up a sword in one hand and a machete in the other.

Isabel searches through the old bones and corpses searching for her weapon of choice.

ISABEL
We need to be ready to fight back against the water when it comes again.

Now Travis looks away from Ghoulie.

TRAVIS
Why would it come again? What does it want with us?

The others motion for Travis to quiet down. But it’s too late. The water swirls up. Travis screams as the water wraps around him. He strikes at it with his fists.

Bonnie and Harold join in and slash at the water. Travis fights to get free but is trapped.

Isabel hurries to find what she needs to fight.

Bonnie, Harold, and Travis fight the water. It drags Travis closer to the turbulent pond. Travis screams for help.

HAROLD
Stop screaming! Keep your breath!

Travis tries to control his fear.

Isabel is off to the side of the cavern crouched down and doing something with what she found.

Travis’ light shoots in all directions through the cavern as he fights to keep his feet.

Bonnie’s and Harold’s lights are set down and shine across the cavern.

Isabel’s light is out.

Travis is pulled to the edge of the pond. He’s now waist deep in the water and holds on to rocks at the edge of the pond.

BONNIE
Isabel! Where are you?

HAROLD
Help us fight it!

They hear Isabel say something. But she doesn’t answer them and she doesn’t join in the fight.

The water riles up as it gets out of reach of Bonnie and Harold. The water screams and takes Travis into the pond. They see his light fade under the water.

ISABEL
… where you long ago rose up. Ghyllana, go back to the depths from where you long ago rose up.

Isabel repeats the chant growing louder and louder with each repetition.
Isabel is nearly shouting her chant. She kneels on a flat rock. In front of her is the skull and crossbones arrangement with real bones.

She continues to chant. The water, no longer swirling in the cavern seems to be looking for Isabel. A column of water rises up and reaches toward Isabel.

Bonnie and Harold move toward it and wield their weapons. The water strikes the weapons from their hands and continues toward Isabel.

ISABEL
(shouting)
Down, down, down! Ghyllana!

Then louder she shouts with her hands raised, palms up and arms wide.

ISABEL
Ghyllana! Go down, go back to the depths from where you long ago rose up!

The water shrieks, rises up, and splashes down into the pond in a swirling, screaming roar.

Bonnie and Harold shine their lights at the pond and watch as the water calms down. Both are stunned.

Isabel steps up behind them. Bonnie jumps. Harold turns.

ISABEL

We can go now.

But then the water starts to churn.

All three look in at the water in bewilderment.

ISABEL
No. It can’t be.

Bonnie and Harold find their weapons and hold them up just as Travis’ head pops up through the surface.

Everyone freezes.

TRAVIS
Whoa! Ghoulie was right. There’s a tunnel that goes out to the Bay.

Bonnie, Harold, Isabel, and Travis all relax. Harold helps Travis out of the pond and laughs.

TRAVIS
It pulled me out through the tunnel and started going deep. Then it let me go. I saw it, black as night, go back into the tunnel. I thought it was coming for you. Then all of a sudden, the blackness just shot down into the deep water.

ISABEL
Okay. Now we can go.