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Post Day 6 Assignment Here
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JAYE’S CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
What I learned is that how people die is important and this really made me consider moral statements more. I also decided that whatever plan I thought I already had for death, ultimately, everyone will die from inability to breathe, strangulation, drowning, suffocating, etc. Lack of air is how the children were killed, which is how the house will then bring death.
Give us the order your characters die in.
PROLOGUE DEATH: Johnny’s father will be killed / Johnny maimed.
Before I continue, I just wanted to say that the monster kills simply because of the trespassing. It would kill regardless of moral statement. However, due to the script’s religious undertones, I thought moral statements would add to the intrigue.
Character Death 1: OLIVIA (innocent/introvert)
Why: She is afraid of the house. She wants to leave her friends. The house doesn’t like judgement and desertion.
How: Surprised / Blindsided. As she leaves, she will be pulled into the water and drowned.Character Death 2: ROBERT (rule breaker)
Why: He is pleasuring himself in plain sight while two of the girls make out in front of him. The house doesn’t like self-indulgence.
How: Trapped. He will be smoking a blunt. The smoke will fill his lungs and not allow him to exhale. He will choke to death.Character Death 3: JOSH (obnoxious)
Why: He wanted to graffiti the house in the beginning and goes missing. The house doesn’t like vandals.
How: Charged blindly into action. He is trapped in the basement. With his struggling last breaths, he calls for Sarah and Karen after their little romp. They find him and see his chest is ripped wide open.Character Death 4: SARAH (sacrificial lamb)
Why: She was offered up by Karen, an easy grab. She lags behind, and Karen pushes her down the stairs.
Also the house doesn’t like her sexual “perversion” with Karen.
How: Betrayed / Thrown into the monster. We don’t see. We only hear the moans and ripping, and guttural sounds in the dark basement.Character Death 5: Karen (complainer)
Why: She threw Sarah to her death to save herself. The house doesn’t like betrayal.
Also the house doesn’t like her sexual “perversion” with Sarah.
How: Escape attempt takes her into it. She will fall through a stair that breaks and get hung.Character Death 6: DAVID (leader)
Why: David, Whitney, and Marcus have escaped to a room with many of the house’s secrets. David tells Whitney the house wants her, and they need to get her out. The house doesn’t like snoops and snitches.
How: Surprised / Blindsided. Olivia returns! But it’s not her! She crushes him with something. Whitney and Marcus are unable to help.Character Death 7: JOHNNY (crazy man from the beginning)
Why: He comes back to help. The house has opened the door to let him in. The house let him get away the first time.
How: Charged blindly into action. “Olivia” paralyzes him with a hallucination from the past and Marcus murders him out of fear (this will be the only non-suffocation type of death)Character Death 8: MARCUS (asshole)
Why: Marcus has broken up with Whitney after learning she is pregnant. He has made jokes about the urban legend tied to the house. He has murdered Johnny, robbing the house of the pleasure. And he leaves Whitney behind, with Olivia. The house doesn’t like assholes.
How: Escape attempt takes him into it. The house will leave the door open for Marcus to leave. But the tree and the creek will murder him in the worst ways.Character Spared (for now…) 9: Whitney (moral one)
Why: Whitney reveals she is pregnant, in her third trimester. Senior year is nearing its end and she wants to marry Marcus, her boyfriend for the last 3 years and have a family with him. Marcus breaks her heart and she contemplates giving the baby up. The house doesn’t want the baby to die.
How: Captured / Death delayed. The house spares her life and Olivia will take care of her until her baby is born. -
1. CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
FRANK’S CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
What I learned doing this assignment… I know there is no right or wrong response. But following this assignment, I was able to better flush out character motivation and goals, and relationships with other characters. It strengthened my focus and left me with some pretty good scenes to elevate my concept and create internal conflict.
“CODZILLA”
THE SURVIVOR: Estranged Daughter (alternative ending – happy)
At the heart of theme in this story, she represents the personal experience within today’s fragmented families torn apart by politics, self-righteousness, selfishness, greed, and power. Hurting the Ones we are supposed to love is a sin, and in this case, punishable by revenge to emphasize that we reap what we sow in this life.
While all other family members fall victim to this sin and the insanity it brings, the estranged daughter reconciles her sin and changes for the better.
Character Death 1: The tour boat owner and his boat. The Innocent 1.
Why: He refuses to run drugs for his family of fishermen. To start the horror.
How: He is killed and set afire in his boat to make it look like an accident.
Character Death 2: Town sheriff.
Why: He made a bad moral decision to turn his back when the tour boat owner was killed. He thought it best to sacrifice one life for the life of his bankrupt town’s financial future… as a drug drop. His death introduces the monster. A tease of something supernatural and vengeful. (A shark as decoy?)
How: Guilt motivates his return to the burial at sea where something destroys his boat and tears his body apart to be found the next morning.
Character Death 3: Hapless Deckhand who works for the family.
Why: To escalate the horror and reveal more of the monster’s identity. The deckhand first introduced the dangerous rules of superstition when he warned the family off their burial at sea. Now the only person who knows the truth becomes a victim of his own prophesy, leaving the family uncertain how to confront the monster. He is also last in the food chain of revenge.
How: Blindsided when he charged into action at the sight of a strange phenomena of swirling water and thick fog. The monster powerboat not only strikes in the ocean but can attack you out of the water. It grabs the deckhand from the family fishing boat and tears him apart to bleed out. And doing so, reveals that it can think and reason and strategize: the deckhand was gripping the communications radar when his arms are torn away, leaving the family with no way to call for help. Thus, isolating them at sea.
Character Death 4: Apparent death of the Sacrificial Lamb Daughter.
Why: To escalate tension after the Deckhand is killed. It creates a high after a low when the family takes time to consider their friend’s gruesome death. Could it be another accident after the Sheriff… a great white (decoy)? Denial of something supernatural? When…
How: BAM!! Everyone is surprised. She is deliberately singled out by the monster powerboat to show its deadly reach at any time and its ability to strategize. It allows the Estranged Daughter to save her from certain death. And gives the guilt ridden, Sacrificial Lamb Daughter cause to tell the Estranged Daughter the truth that her family killed her father. The monster boat is taunting them, playing chess.
Character Death 5: Sacrificial Lamb Daughter.
Why: Because we never expect her to die after she was just saved by the Estranged Daughter. Set up & Payoff: The monster boat has set up fear and the beginning of hysteria within the family nucleus. A chess play, knowing they will eventually turn on each other. Just like they turned on the owner of the tour boat. They will sow what the reaped. And hoping it will be enough payment for their sins to leave them alone…
How: The Insane Older Son sacrifices his sister by throwing her overboard to the monster powerboat… which slowly grinds her body to pulp with its propellers.
Character Death 6: The Insane Older Brother.
Why: To escalate the hysteria within the family nucleus and fortify the monster powerboat’s plan of the family turning on each other just like they turned on the owner of the tour boat. And increase the horror within the family.
How: The Young Moral Son has a hand-to-hand fight with his Older Insane Brother when the older brother attempts to throw the Estranged Daughter overboard next. The Monster Powerboat floats idly by observing him stab his brother to death on the deck and releases a long blast of its air horn taunting approval and warning the family of impending doom.
Character Death 7: The Young Moral Son.
Why: To punish the Lover, Stepbrother Dad and drive a steak through the immoral affair he has been having with the Leader Wife of the dead Tour Boat Owner. To increase the horror within the family unit and prove that the innocent are also victims of another’s crime.
How: As the Estranged Daughter sparks a blowout argument between the Loner, Stepbrother Dad and her Leader Mom, the Young Moral Son backs away from his insane family and dead older brother on deck. Just then the monster powerboat after blasting its air horn smashes into the family boat causing the Young Moral Son to fall backward into the ocean. It proceeds to target him with its bow and drive him deep under the water and drowned.
Character Death 8 and 9: Leader Mom and her Lover Brother-in-law.
Why: Moving up the chain of most important guilty to kill, these two near the top of the list. As the matriarch and patriarch of their family unit, they are forced by the monster powerboat to watch in horror as their family is destroyed from within. Poet justice for the spirit of the murdered tour boat owner. And they get to experience the same demise as he. They are victims of their own character flaw.
How: The last blow to the family boat is the most serious causing a fire. Flames spread from the engine room to the deck and overcome the forecastle where the Leader Mom and Lover Brother-in-law command the boat… and fight. A loud blast of an air horn turns their attention and vitriol to the monster boat. Consumed by their hate and power…. They charge blindly into action and steer what is left of their boat full ahead into the path of the oncoming, monster powerboat. With flames engulfing the forecastle and screams of pain and hate, the two forces collide into a huge explosion.
Character Death 9: Estranged Daughter (alternative ending – sad)
Why: In this alternative ending, everyone in the family dies. The Estranged Daughter is the last and most guilty of all because she abandoned her Dad, the Tour Boat Owner, when he needed her most. She left town after her brother died from a drug overdose and the family fell into disrepair. To the monster powerboat, hers is the greatest sin of all.
How: Their attempt to destroy the monster powerboat fails. The Estranged Daughter is holding on to an ocean buoy for dear life attempting to reconciliate with her dad’s spirit. Her efforts fail. As she slips in and out of consciousness, the monster powerboat inches closer until dragging her defeated body down into the deep ocean.
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ROB’S CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
What I learned: I learned that you want each death to serve your story and to deliver on your concept in a compelling way.
Character Death 1: Hospice Nurse
Why: The Hospice Nurse rudely makes Old Man Scheckla go to bed before he’s ready.
How: The Hospice Nurse’s body is bent, broken and twisted. Her body is later discovered as a trophy in the kill room.Character Death 2: Barbara Scheckla
Why: Old Man Scheckla learns that Barbara is an alcoholic and may have cheated on his son.
How: Barbara is lured away from the group and burned with fire from the inside out. Her body is not found till the finale.Character Death 3: Pamela Scheckla – First Kill (flashback)
Why: She cheated on Old Man Scheckla.
How: With his hands. The kill is unplanned, sloppy and brutal.Character Death 4: The Dragging Man – Second Kill (flashback)
Why: He was sleeping with Old Man Scheckla’s wife.
How: He was cut in half and the lower half of his body was destroyed. His upper body is made into a trophy and kept in the kill room basement. Revealed in finale.Character Death 5: The Headless Woman – Third Kill (flashback)
Why: Old Man Scheckla has developed a taste for murder. He likes it.
How: Shotgun blast to the face. Her body is made into a trophy and kept in the kill room.Character Death 6: The Jigsaw Lady – Fourth Kill (flashback)
Why: She was a married woman looking to cheat on her husband.
How: Her body is cut to pieces then put back together again. Her body is kept as a trophy in the kill room.Character Death 7: Porcelain Doll Lady – Fifth Kill (flashback)
Why: She’s lured to the house by the Old Man. She has a love for porcelain dolls, like his wife.
How: She’s hung and slowly drained of blood. Her body is made into a Porcelain Doll and kept as a trophy in the kill room.Character Death 8: Old Man Scheckla
Why: His son, Al learns of his crimes and that he had a hand in helping his father hide his mother’s body when he was a kid.
How: He’s smothered with a pillow. -
NADIA’S CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
(Title: “GRAHAMSTOWN”)
What I learned from this assignment: That when killing off a character the ‘why’ is as important as the ‘how’ to give substance to the story otherwise it’s just random killing. I think it is even more important to focus on who dies first and who survives and why; whoever gets ‘in the way’ in between may be secondary characters to the story.
Character death 1: JOANNA
· Why: she is the one in the group who suspects there is some form of evil amongst the elderly; she represents a threat which needs to be eliminated when she starts sending clues to a newspaper.
· How: she is blindsided, fooled by the homeless guy who follows her and she takes him as a threat, walking straight into the safety of her favourite bakery where she’ll be poisoned with her favourite cake.
Character death 2: MIA
· Why: it’s her 21<sup>st</sup> and she believes to be untouchable because of her father’s wealth; the fact that she has a bodyguard won’t save her.
· How: the monster will impersonate her bodyguard and penetrate in the safety of her home. She’ll try to escape and jump through a window, plummeting to her death.
Character death 3: JAMES
· Why: because, with Naomi, he represents the ‘sinfulness of sin’ as they disobey the rules by meeting outside at night and to have sex without being married.
· How: James will be tortured to death in front of Naomi who will have to watch him, both stark naked.
Character death 4: NAOMI
· Why: just like James, she has sinned in the eyes of the monster. She’ll have to endure mental torture by having to watch her lover die.
· How: she’ll go insane and even though the monster releases her (still naked), she’ll wonder aimlessly on the road at night in a daze and get hit by a truck.
Character death 5: STEPHEN
· Why: wanting to save Anna from the elderly in the old age home surrounding her.
· How: he is the sacrificed lamb; the audience need to see a character willing to die for love and to the premise of Anna’s special ‘connection’ to the monster.
Character death 6: ANDREW
· Why: the audience needs to get a glimpse of hope by seeing the strongest character save the day; then their hope gets crushed as he falls and gets caught.
· How: when the group has taken refuge in the church and surrounded, he’ll create a diversion to allow them to escape but will fall into a bear trap running into the woods and the elderly will close in on him; the audience will think he died but he’ll escape… only to be killed later by ANNA!!!
Character death 6: MATTHIAS ???
Not sure if Matthias must die in the hands of Anna or be spared as she drives him at the edge of town to safety, while she returns to the town to warn other generations… FOR THE SEQUEL!!!
ACT 1—SET UP THE HORROR:
· Atmosphere of evil established: Press articles with graphic photos on a computer screen showing gruesome young people murdered or vanished; the number 21 comes back again and again on the screen, at the end, a town’s name appears – GRAHAMSTOWN. The computer screen reflects the strained face of a young woman and, in the background, we see the reflection of candles burning on a birthday cake on a table then we see the terror in her wide bulging eyes followed by her shrilling scream as someone keeps knocking, harder and harder, at the door in the background while humming in faint frail and soft voice “happy birthday to you”!
Horror situation: monster trying to get to you – a girl is spending her birthday quietly, all alone and in the dark; in front of her on the table, a cake with 2 candles forming the number 21. A little knock at the door, she is holding her breath and as the knock gets louder we see her eyes widening with fear.
Reaction – she quietly blows the candles and closes her eyes.
Horror situation: lost – a character takes a short cut through the park and gets lost.
Reaction – He starts panicking then is relieved when he sees a sign, not knowing it’s a trap.
· Connect with the characters: A group of new students; we discover each character, their personalities, their struggle, their attempts to fit in, in a college where other students behave strangely and in a town with a secret.
· The characters are warned not to do it: The new students to the college are told to never go out alone after dark and if they must then to stay in pack and never to mix with the friendly old people.
· Denial of horror: The new students will brush off the advice as plain silly and paranoid and mean; they are young and strong, why should they be afraid of some old folks even if they are the only ones walking in the dark streets of the small town!
· Safety taken away: When young people are stranded as cars strangely break down, buses don’t show and taxis don’t stop, being home before dark becomes an impossible mission.
Horror situation: forced into a dangerous environment – when Matthias’ car breaks down and he has to walk back into the rain, he arrives into the town at night and walks into a bar to call a tow car, only to find that the bar is packed with old people only.
Reaction – he is surprised then senses (his journalist instincts!) that something is not quite right in that setting.
· Monster- the nature of the beast: With old people infiltrated in all areas of the small town’s life, knowing who the monster is and whom to trust is a matter of life and death.
Horror situation: not knowing who is possessed – the characters don’t know which ones of the elderly are monsters.
Reaction – they don’t know who to trust and are suspicious of everyone around, feeling even more isolated.
Horror situation: unknown motive – the group hasn’t a clue why some young people vanish or get killed.
Reaction – Some take action and decide to investigate (Matthias, Andrew), while some will go in total denial (Anna, Naomi, James).
Horror situation: menacing stranger – JOANNA followed by an old homeless guy, scaring her by shouting that her end is near and to be careful of ‘the smiling ones’!
Reaction – she gets scared, thinks he is just scary why he was trying to warn her, and warns straight into what the arms of the monster, thinking she’ll be safe.
Character death 1: JOANNA
· Why: she is the one in the group who suspects there is some form of evil amongst the elderly; she represents a threat which needs to be eliminated when she starts sending clues to a newspaper.
· How: she is blindsided, fooled by the homeless guy who follows her and she takes him as a threat, walking straight into the safety of her favourite bakery where she’ll be poisoned with her favourite cake.
ACT 2—THE POINT OF NO RETURN:
· Isolated/trapped/abducted: Young people are no longer even safe in doors as the monsters try to break in or to lure them outside in desperation to get what they need.
Horror situation: attacked – a character will be attacked by the monster.
Reaction – total disbelief, then shock at the strength of the attacker.
Horror situation: chased – a character will be chased by the monster.
Reaction – fear mixed with disbelief.
Horror situation: mentally tortures – Mia will keep receiving anonymous phone calls before her 21<sup>st</sup>, counting down the number of days she has left to live.
Reaction – she’ll go through different stage of emotions as the date of her birthday gets closer and strange deaths occur: from annoyance, to anger to dread and finally hysteria.
Character death 2: MIA
· Why: it’s her 21<sup>st</sup> and she believes to be untouchable because of her father’s wealth; the fact that she has a bodyguard won’t save her.
· How: the monster will impersonate her bodyguard and penetrate in the safety of her home. She’ll try to escape and jump through a window, plummeting to her death.
Horror situation: environment changing around them – A couple of drinking buddies are at the local bar at night, suddenly one of them shouts “cheers, birthday boy, happy 21<sup>st</sup>!”; then the bar goes dead silent for a few seconds, all eyes on them, and the sound resume but the atmosphere has changed.
Reaction – a few young people will discretely leave the bar while some elderly will get closer to the drinking buddies offering to buy a round to the birthday boy.
· One of us killed: Naomi and James – the lovers – will be the first to go. Lust and romance will led them outside after dark and cause their death.
Horror situation: lured into danger – the monster is cunning and lures the lovers into a meeting after dark with the promise of intimacy.
Reaction – When the couple realizes that the message didn’t come from one of them and that they are out at night in an isolated place, they start experiencing an overwhelming fear.
Character death 3: JAMES
· Why: because, with Naomi, he represents the ‘sinfulness of sin’ as they disobey the rules by meeting outside at night and to have sex without being married.
· How: James will be tortured to death in front of Naomi who will have to watch him, both stark naked.
Character death 4: NAOMI
· Why: just like James, she has sinned in the eyes of the monster. She’ll have to endure mental torture by having to watch her lover die.
· How: she’ll go insane and even though the monster releases her (still naked), she’ll wonder aimlessly on the road at night in a daze and get hit by a truck.
MIDPOINT—THE MONSTER IS WORSE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT:
· Full pursuit by the killer: They must now do whatever they can to protect themselves at night from the monsters who try to break in and become increasingly aggressive and cunning.
Horror situation: threatened– at the old age home, some elderly start showing signs of increasing strange behaviour and unusual strength.
Reaction – the staff will ignore the signs, not seeing imminent danger.
Horror situation: walking into a trap – at the old age home, a surprise birthday party has been organised for ANNA, who is turning 21.
Reaction – she is overwhelmed by the elderly kindness, then starts sensing something are not quite right and as fear start to increase she’ll feel trapped.
Character death 5: STEPHEN
· Why: wanting to save Anna from the elderly in the old age home surrounding her.
· How: he is the sacrificed lamb; the audience need to see a character willing to die for love and to the premise of Anna’s special ‘connection’ to the monster.
· Terrorized: The characters find themselves increasingly isolated, unable to leave town, and terrified as night falls.
ACT 3—FULL OUT HORROR:
· Fight to the death: Some of the characters won’t make it and will be massacred; some will sacrifice themselves to save others. The monsters are now seen for who they are and no longer underestimated: there’s nothing vulnerable, friendly or innocent about them anymore, they are wolves in lambs’ clothing!
Horror situation: wounded – one of the characters is wounded by a blow on the head with a walking stick.
Reaction – he is stunned, shocked and looks in total dismay at the blood pouring profusely from his forehead while the monster looks at him with a sweet smile.
Horror situation: face to face with the monster –the monster shows his true face to Anna by killing STEPHEN in front of her own eyes.
Reaction – she unsettled the monster by calmly getting down on her knees and starting to pray.
· Hysteria: It’s now a war between the young terrified desperate to survive characters against the old determined to get what they need (blood & flesh) to regain their youth.
Horror situation: see another killed – Naomi will see watch her boyfriend, James, get tortured and killed before her eyes.
Reaction – she freezes and watch in horror then throws up.
Horror situation: another character loses it – Mia will get hysterical when she finds out the nature of the meals the monsters are sharing.
Reaction – she’ll scream and finally pass out.
· The thrilling escape from death: Some will manage to escape, to find momentary safety in one of the many churches… only to realize they have stepped in the belly of the beast!
Horror situation: trapped – some characters seek refuge in a church at night, only to realize this may not be a safe place after all.
Reaction – they start panicking, looking for somewhere to hide or an escape route.
Horror situation: dilemma- who to save – Andrew (the strong as an ox guy) finds out that a group of students are trapped in the church and surrounded by the monster(s); he can either create a diversion and risk being captured and killed or watch them being taken and killed.
Reaction – he takes a deep breath and makes a choice.
Horror situation: a character becomes a liability – Andrew will be seriously injured by the monster and, when trying to escape through the woods, will slow down his friends’ escape and jeopardize their only chance of making it through the woods to reach the edge of the town limits.
Reaction – he will pretend to take a rest break, letting his friends get a bit ahead, then will take off in the opposite direction shouting at the monsters to create a diversion and save his friends, sacrificing his own life.
Character “ near” death 6: ANDREW
· Why: the audience needs to get a glimpse of hope by seeing the strongest character save the day; then their hope gets crushed as he falls and gets caught.
· How: when the group has taken refuge in the church and surrounded, he’ll create a diversion to allow them to escape but will fall into a bear trap running into the woods and the elderly will close in on him; the audience will think he died but he’ll escape… only to be sacrificed later by ANNA!!!
· Death returns to take one or more: More will need to die before they can unify and overcome the monsters.
Horror situation: escape route cut off – the only road out of town is blocked by the monster(s), preventing the car with a group of characters to escape.
Reaction – MATTHIAS urges ANNA to step on the gas and run over the monster(s) but the driver is not willing to do so, as she still can’t face the idea that the harmless looking creatures on the road are monster(s).
Horror situation: character refuses to take action – Anna is reluctant to run over the monster, she is forced to make a choice between risking killing innocent people in the process of running over the elderly blocking the road or risking the lives of the people in the car with her (Andrew and Matthias).
Reaction – she’ll choose to sacrifice Andrew, he’ll understand that it’s their only chance and will not leave Matthias (who is against seeing his friend going to a certain death) a choice in the matter.
Character death 7: ANDREW
· Why: the audience needs to understand that this character’s role is to save the day (twice!) but also that he is doomed.
· How: he’ll be killed by the pack when he charges upon them with a baseball bat, making a breach for the car with Anna and Matthias to squeeze in and drive to the outskirts of town, and pull over just after the town limit indicating they are no longer in GRAHAMSTOWN!
· Resolution: When Anna’s deep unshakable faith and innocence bring her to the ultimate decision: to leave Matthias (whom she has fallen in love with and is pregnant from, which he doesn’t know) and choses what she sees as her calling; she chooses to go back to Grahamstown to make sure evil never returns to the elderly and that the words of God are never again misused for evil purposes.
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Deborah’s Horror Plot Track
What I learned is that in deciding who dies when and why I was able to hone in on who I wanted my characters to be–their personality traits and now have ideas on how that might play out during the story. This is fun.
ACT ONE – SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established:
Horror Situation: A man is running through a forest with something big chasing him. We don’t see what it is, but the man is terrorized.
Reaction Escape: He hides in the hollow of a tree, pulling branches in front of the opening. He tries to quiet her breathing, listening as hard as she can for the monster.
Horror Situation: Suddenly the tree is sheared off.
Character Death: He is torn apart.
Why: Foreshadow horror.
Connect with Characters
Our characters are on a spacebus headed for a hollow asteroid, where a handful of scientists and military men are already stationed. We get to know each character and why they are headed to the asteroid.
The military men are concerned because there is no response from the asteroid.
Denial of Horror
The pilot says communications have been funky and that it’s nothing to be worried about. The military aren’t convinced, but the pilot takes them closer in all confidence.
Safety Taken Away
Horror Situation: Suddenly something hits them, and they are sucked inside.
Reaction-Escape: our hero works with hero pilot to bring the ship to a crash landing, preventing it from being taken wherever it was supposed to be.
Horror Situation: They find the remains of some kind of alien beast.
Reaction-Denial: With the robot leading, they hiked through the forest to base camp where they will find help.
Monster: The nature of the beast
Horror Situation: The group finds the base. There is obvious evidence of horrors that took place here. Some blood. Barricaded room that has been broken into, etc. There are no bodies.
Reaction: The military set watches, the rest try to sleep, but are haunted by what went down here and what it means to them.
Act 2 – THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated/Trapped/Abducted:
Horror Situation: Pilot finds a shuttle that could take them all away. He and the father get it working, then he takes it for a test run.
Death: The pilot hits a force field, and his ship breaks into pieces. They run to the ship but can’t find his body.
Why: Establish isolation, danger and intelligence behind what is happening to them.
Reaction: They discuss the fact that they have all missed checking in with earth forces and that they will be coming to rescue them. They need to find a way to stay safe from whatever got the others.
Horror Situation: A huge screen appears on the roof of the asteroid, giving our cast a glimpse of the sky. Then suddenly the stars are moving in a blur—the asteroid is leaving orbit, leaving the solar system.
Reaction: Panic. They are trapped with no help coming. The senator becomes is obnoxious and thinks he should be in charge.
One of us is killed.
Horror Situation: The monster shows up. It is a hybrid alien beast with the head of the woman in the teaser. This is Mae’s husband, and she is so terrorized by this that she can’t run, can’t do anything.
Death: Mae is scooped up by a claw and taken away.
Why: Frozen by terror and horror seeing her husband in this way. Enhances Horror.
Reaction: The others escape.
ACT THREE – FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death
Horror Situation: The monster finds them again. They fight and are able to kill it.
Reaction: They are relieved, the monster is dead.
Horror Situation: But Wait! Another monster appears made out of parts of the pilot they all know! This monster is smarter, more deadly.
Death of Character: The senator is torn apart.
Why: A character flaw. He’s so deeply in denial, he tries to negotiate with the intelligence to get them to stop the monster. He thinks he too important to kill.
Andre shoots him before he can be taken away, to save Ian from facing the horror of his father becoming a monster.
The fight to the death of the pilot now happens.
Hysteria
Reaction: Eboni tries to comfort a disconsolate Ian. Sabina has a complete breakdown. Pen tries to comfort her. The military set up a perimeter. The robot disappears and the military now suspect he is infected or is a turncoat and is otherwise bad. Sabrina fights for it.
The thrilling escape from death:
Horror Situation: Eboni gets separated from the group and is attacked by a monster made from Mae. But this monster seems conflicted but forced to kill. Eboni uses her brain to bring put up a flare for her father and the others to follow. They come.
Character Death: Sly, who sacrifices himself to save Ian. The monster would take him, but Andre kills him, and the monster drops him and retreats.
Why: It increases the Horror. Plus, he’s a beloved character.
Character Death: Sabina. She backs into a second monster, made from all alien parts and is taken away.
Why: She makes a bad decision by choosing to photograph the interaction with the monster and Sly’s sacrifice.
Reaction: Robot returns with news she has found the intelligence behind the hybrids. People don’t want to trust her. He talks about experiments human conduct on animals. That’s going on here except they are the animals. Stop the scientist and you stop the hybrid monsters.
They follow the robot into a part of the asteroid that actually looks like a ship. There are computers, etc. Sabrina helps the robot to jack into the ship and she begins to shut down life support for the reptilian aliens.
Horror Situation: They find where the monsters were created and see pieces of humans still alive. They kill them all. Then there’s a fight for control of the ship.
Death returns to take one more.
Horror Situation:
Death: The formidable female Reptilian slashes at Eboni’s neck, then escapes in the equivalent of an alien shuttle.
Why: She is the most beloved character, and it is unexpected. The death of innocence.
Resolution:
Reaction: Andre, Pen and Ian survive along with the Robot. They are hurtling through space on the way to who knows where.
Resurrection of character: The robot downloaded Eboni into itself. In essence, Eboni survived. However, she and the robot’s consciousness are merging into one.
Horror Situation:
Eboni and the robot are also plugged into the alien technology, which changes them more. While it seems the essence of Eboni has stayed the same, there is an alien intelligence awake. It finds hidden creatures and sets them free into the world outside the bunker. Is this mercy, or a continuation of the experience?
Why: Bring hope and tension to the end of the story.
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BOB KIELY’S CHARACTER DEATH TRACK
What I learned doing this assignment is that is helped flesh out plot points and think more about character profiles.
Atmosphere of Evil established:
Cold Open with old witch as only attendee to a funeral in a creepy “potters field” cemetery. Cheap tombstone marker dates the burial as 1860.
Horror Situation: Foggy, creepy graveyard situation.
Reaction: Witch in black shroud with red eyes.
ACT 1
Current time. Zoning board meeting where approval is given to a developer to build upon the site of the cemetery with some restrictions. Developer takes shortcuts including the bulldozing of six gravesites that were scheduled to be relocated. The operator of the bulldozer shuts off the vehicle and urinates on what was a gravesite. He is pulled down into the marshy ground as the first victim and portent of things to come.
Horror Situation: Bulldozer operator gets pulled down not the grave.
Reaction: Total fear on his face as his head submerges into the quicksand-like muck.
Character Death 1: Bulldozer operator
Why: Desecrates grave by urinating on it.
How: Gets suck down into the mucky ground.
Connect with the characters:
Open house at the new condo. Developer gives his pitch to the assembled buyers.
The characters are warned not to do it:
The same witch who is now sitting in the back of the room warns the buyers that “nothing good will come of this.” The developer dismisses her to the buying prospects as a crazy old fool.
Horror Situation: Deception. Innocent buyers being lured into shoddy cursed project.
Reaction: Denial of warning. Condescension.
Denial of Horror:
Six of the new buyers on the same floor have a housewarming party where they toast to the ridiculousness of the witch’s warning.
Horror Situation: Subconscious impending doom.
Reaction: Buyers still in denial, but one is taking the warning more seriously.
Safety taken away:
Scary, unexplained phenomena happen throughout the building. The building inspector, who got paid off by the developer comes in response to some of the physical building complaints.
Horror Situation: Spooky situation as building inspector goes into the inner rooms in the basement.
Reaction: Try to solve building issues in shoddy construction.
Monster: The nature of the beast.
He examines the faulty foundations and is killed. But we don’t see the actual killing yet, just the evidence.
Horror Situation: Monster approaching.
Reaction: Tries to escape.
Character Death 2: Building inspector
Why: He colluded with corrupt developer and got paid off.
How: He gets squashed by falling support beam.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The inspector does not return from his inspection in the basement. Two of the men go down to investigate his disappearance. They see the head of the bulldozer operator’s head on a pike, and a trail of blood leading down a tunnel.
Horror Situation: Pursued. Forced into life threatening situation.
Reaction: Try to solve by investigation absence of inspector.
One of us killed:
One of the men foolishly investigates and is killed by the witch.
Horror Situation: Isolation.
Reaction: Other man gets lost getting out.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by killer:
Through witchcraft and powerful evil forces, she basically encapsulates the building making it impenetrable from the outside and sealed on the inside.
Terrorized –
Monster takes 2 more lives, leaving only first couple with cat left. But she needs one more victim to make up for the six desecrated graves.
Horror Situation: Isolated in condo as witch encapsulates it.
Reaction: Couple try to escape. Don’t make it out.
Character death 3: Developer
How: Gets head sliced off by the witch (if she is exposed yet)
Character death 4: Gay guy.
Why: He stupidly disregards the danger they are in and goes off into the tunnels beneath the building (the witches world)
How: We don’t know exactly but hear his screams. Maybe find later.
Character death 5: The lawyer husband
Why: He conducts a mock trial in witch’s world. Doesn’t go well for him.
How: Taken away and has head scythed off.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death:
Couple have plan of escape but the cat runs down to the basement and wife won’t leave without the cat, so she and hubby go down into the bowels of the building. Cats directs them to the portal to the killing fields under the building and its yards.
Horror Situation: Isolation and tortured mentally as the remaining couple can’t get out.
Reaction: Escape. They try to find way out in the tunnels.
Hysteria:
Husband goes into tunnel to retrieve the cat. While he is gone, the wife is petrified, is grabbed from behind. It turns out to be a homeless squatter who lives, unknowingly to the witch, in her domain, and knows the way out. The husband returns with the cat with the witch in pursuit.
Horror Situation: Isolation. Wife left alone after husband goes looking for runaway cat.
Reaction: Fight. Wife grabbed from behind. Struggles with attacker.
The thrilling escape from death:
The homeless man guides them to an escape hatch.
Horror Situation: Pursued by witch.
Reaction: Escape as witch gets closer.
Death returns to take one or more.
The homeless man lets the couple go first and pays the price with his life.
Horror Situation: Tormented. Homeless squatter can’t make it out.
Reaction: Sees there is no escape. Smiles at couple as they manage to get out.
Character death 6: Homeless squatter
Why: Basically sacrifices himself for couple one’s husband.
How: Gets pulled down from escape hole.
Resolution:
Now out of the grounds, the couple with their cats stand on a hill with the townspeople looking at an emergency response team leading others from the building before it spectacularly goes up in flames and collapses into the ground.
Horror Situation: Tormented at seeing their friends and home destroyed. Figure of witch in inferno not burning.
Reaction: Fear of her return.
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Pamela’s Character Death Track
What I learned doing this assignment is…?
Sorting out reasons why a character dies is an important exercise in building the terror and defining the horror in a way that moves the story along and makes me think about my own choices and if those choices truly serve the story I want to tell.
The order the characters will die in:
Character
Death 1: Marie Slope <div>Why: In
denial – To initiate the terror and she complained a lot, very annoyingHow: nailed
to a wall<div>
Character
Death 2: Jacob ThibodeauxWhy: Poor
choices – came to the school to steal during the hurricane, used drugs
prior to getting there so judgment was impaired, neglectful parents to
their daughterHow: Eyes
gone, intestines mixed with herbs, amulets, and sac cloth stitched doll
held between him and his wife JillCharacter
Death 3: Jill ThibodeauxWhy: Poor
choices – came to the school to steal during the hurricane, used drugs
prior to getting there so judgment was impaired, neglectful parents to
their daughterHow: Eyes
gone, intestines mixed with herbs, amulets, and sac cloth stitched doll
held between her and her husband, Jacob<div>
Character
Death 4: ClaraWhy: Moral
anchor – Clara represents the moral compass and her compassion to keep the
children safeHow: She
steps in front of the children and is her head is severed by a physic
swipe from the Terrance monster<div>
Character
Death 5: PotterWhy: Potter tries to do the right thing even though he is scared out of his mind.
How: Potter
makes a last effort to stab the Terrance monster with a crowbar but is
tossed from the roof </div>Character
Death 6: OgilvyWhy: Ogilvy
is the earthly form of Carras the entire time and the Care Center sent
Terrance to kill him to put a stop to his bad behavior after he made a
poor choice to be involved with a mortal then determine he needed to kill
the mortal Sybil to cover up his behavior. Terrance did not mean to kill
Clara – she moved in front of the children but didn’t realize Ogilvy/Carras
had regained consciousness and was using the children as a shieldHow:
The Care Center destroyed him and sent him to a fiery hell</div></div></div>
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Robert R. Smith’s Character Death Track.
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” To use detailing in making clear the order of death. It is fun.
ASSIGNMENT
1. Give us the order your characters die in.
With each character tell us the why and how.
Character Death 1: Lost goat of the Arab goat-herding
brothers Hassan
and HusseinWhy: To start the Horror with an innocent who is killed.
How: Mysteriously mutilated.
Character Death 2: Hussein.
Why: To sustain the horror by a second innocent death
How: Struck by lightning coming from within the cave/tomb.
Character Death 3: Hassan.
Why: Sustain the horror. Hassan is another innocent and it seems right that he join his
brother (Hussein) in death.
How: Suicide by gunshot. Azazel (who has possessed the skull) summons an apparition
of Hussein who, in turn, summons his brother to join him in the Afterlife. Hassan grabs a gun from Bob Barton. Ned tries to talk him out of suicide, saying, that the apparition he sees is not his brother Hussein but a demonic angel conjured up by Azazel who is the leader of the demonic angels. The proof is that no spirit of Hussein would want you to kill yourself.
Character Death 4: Dr. Colin Kendrick, leader of the archaeological expedition.
Why: He made the bad decision of proceeding with the expedition which put
them all in harm’s way with a monster who already has killed a goat kid,
Hussein and Hassan. Hassan rebukes Kendrick for doing as much before Hassan dies (see above).
How: Azazel has erected bullet proof invisible shields around the cave/tomb so when
Bob Barton shoots at the skull, the bullets ricochet and one of them strikes
Kendrick and wounds him fatally.
Character Death 5: Ned Garner, the protagonist.
Why: The ultimate horror, (the protagonist) fighter against the demon Azazel is killed by
him but resurrects him possessed by Azazel – thus increasing the horror that the demon triumphs. This also happens to set up a sequel.
How: Ned had just crushed the Azazel-possessed mummy of Cushan with a boulder, but
the last act of Azazel is to possess Ned whom he resurrects from the collapse of
the cave/tomb, thus, snatching Ned’s hero’s victory from him and possessing Ned.
In other words, Ned is now possessed by the demon Azazel.
2. Build the answers into your outline.
THE OUTLINE
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere
of Evil establishedWhile on an unrelated archaeological expedition, Dr. Colin Kendrick, head of the Archaeology Dept at Buckridge University in the USA, is approached by two Arab goat-herding brothers, whom he knows, Hassan and Hussein, who, while searching for a lost goat, had discovered, in the sand, an ancient gold nameplate engraved with the demonic name Azazel – a desert demon of Jewish and Arabic lore. Kendrick insists they take him to the place where they found it which they reluctantly do. The place is called the Hill of the Two Devils where they had found their lost goat dead and mutilated mysteriously. REACTION: Hussein wants to escape because he is afraid that the confluence of this place named “two devils” where his goat was mutilated, plus, the demonic nameplate can only mean impending evil. However, like the academic he is, Kendrick tries to solve the mystery,(1.) citing that in antiquity on the Day of Atonement a scapegoat was sent away into the desert to Azazel – the demonic name on the nameplate. Rationally speaking, Kendrick says, most likely, a wolf or jackal killed the goat. This only further terrifies Hussein for whom the wolf and the jackal have evil associations ,(1.).
The killing and mutilating of the small goat (an innocent, loved by Hassan and Hussein) starts the horror and reveals the loving character of Hassan and Hussein in contrast with the unseen evil entitity who killed the goat that is further given exposition by Kendrick.
Hussein loses all trust of Kendrick and fears for his safety (6) when Kendrick leads him and Hassan to just above where they had found the Azazel nameplate they find a a cave entrance that was sealed up by the last expedition that explored it – a French expedition led by Prof. Clement Leroux, who even left a warning sign in French, English, Arabic and Hebrew: “WARNING: CAVE IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE. Already excavated – nothing within. Date: 27/6/1992 signed by Clement Leroux” When Kendrick removes one brick from the cave entrance, a streak of lightning from the cave kills Hussein.
Character Death 2: Hussein.
Why: To sustain the horror by a second innocent person’s killing.
How: Struck by lightning coming from within the cave/tomb.
Hassan, fearing more evil to come, begs Kendrick to do nothing further (6). Kenrick tries to reassure Hassan, with explanations, but to no avail (6). Kendrick relents and climbs back down the hill with Hassan. But he vows he will return with an expedition from Buckridge U., where he teaches, the following year to open the cave which he believes is a tomb with Neolithic skulls similar to what Kenyon discovered in the 1950’s a short distance away – a major archaeological discovery. Kendrick believes he will make a major discovery like Kenyon’s. Kendrick takes the Azazel nameplate with him.
Connect
with the charactersWe have connected with Dr Colin Kendrick, and Hassan already. We are now introduced to three aspiring archaeologists: Ned Garner, Bob Barton, and Kaitlyn Randolph. Ned is a chess enthusiast that Bob says shows his killer instinct as Ned defeats Bob at Chess with a Royal Fork move. Ned is still shy about joining Kendrick’s dig but Kaitlyn (Ned’s love interest) coaxes him, as she is going on the dig itself.
The
characters are warned not to do it.Kendrick calls Prof. Clement Leroux in Paris, who was leader of the French expedition to the Hill of the Two Devils in 1992 who sealed the cave and posted the warning sign. Leroux states that the Azazel nameplate, now in Kendricks possession, he had thrown away because of its supernatural power. He urges Kendrick not to go to the Hill of the Two Devils! Two of his party died, or were murdered and Leroux felt he was responsible for putting them in harm’s way at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen. (4) He further states that the traumatic experience required him to have psychiatric treatment as he suffered a nervous breakdown and still has PTSD (2). He also tells Kendrick that the Azazel nameplate in his possession he had thrown away as soon as they had sealed the cave because it had “uncanny powers.”
Leroux: You should have left that plate in the sand where I threw it.
Now I wish that now that I had buried it. Dr. Kendrick! Get rid of that plate at once!
Kendrick is unfazed. Ned visits Kendrick in his office and is welcomed by him to the expedition with enthusiasm as Ned is a gifted linguist in ancient Near Eastern languages. Kendrick tells Ned everything that happened at Tel Ash-Shaytaneen, the previous year. Kendrick even shows him the Azazel gold nameplate, which on the table, ominously vibrates like a cell phone – a warning that there is a malevolent supernatural presence connected with the Azazel nameplate and the cave on the Hill of the Two Devils. Kendrick wants to share these details only with Ned, but Ned wants to tell the others as they should be told.
Denial
of Horror (8)
Accordingly, Kendrick calls a meeting of the team (Ned,
Bob, and Kaitlyn and tells them also the whole story of Tel
Esh-Shaytaneen. Bob Barton, the
comic relief of the film, betrays some superstitious proclivities and now
considers pulling out of the expedition (8), but in the end science prevails especially after Kendrick
tells them that the site is not far from ancient Jericho where Kenyon in
the 50’s discovered cultic skulls from the Neolithic era which assures
Kendrick that they will make a similar discovery, perhaps of Teraphim (sing.
Toreph, i.e., skulls used as household gods for necromancy and divination
in Biblical times and quotes the Bible and other traditions as evidence in
support. He shows them the Azazel
nameplate, which he claims, in antiquity, was inserted into the mouths of
the skulls by necromancers, so that they could speak to the
necromancer. Bottom line: All the team wants to proceed with the
expedition and make the bad decision of doing so as they believe they
will make a major discovery in Near Eastern Archaeology. Bottom line: The horror is denied. (8)Safety
taken awayIn the cave at Tel Esh-Shaytaneen the team is joined by Hassan who is there to convince Kendrick and his party to abandon the site for their own good. But Kendrick directs the team to remove the warning sign and stones from the cave entrance that were left by Leroux. While he stops from the task to catch his breath, Bob Barton asks Kendrick a question that further deepens the mystery of Tel Esh-Shaytaneen:
Barton: Hey, the words mean “Hill of the Two Devils.” Well, if Azazel
of the nameplate is Demon One. Who is Demon Two?
Ned: An excellent question.
Kendrick: Well, lets pull down these stones and get inside where we
might find an excellent answer.
When the stones left by the French expedition are removed and they enter the cave tomb, they discover a clay Egyptian style anthropoid sarcophagus marked King Cushan. They realize they have found the tomb of the Biblical villain, Cushan Rishathaim, Cushan the Doubly-Evil of the Book of Judges, chapter 8. An historic discovery!
Kendrick: There you are, Mister Barton. There’s your Demon Number
Two and we have made a historic discovery.
His mummy is headless and a sword is beside him in the sarcophagus. In another chamber they find a mummified skull, a Toreph (singular of Teraphim) – obviously the skull of Cushan the Doubly-Evil but on the skull is written the name of the demon “Azazel.” . Kendrick inserts the Azazel nameplate into the skull’s mouth. At that instant an invisible shield descends over the entrance to the cave. They are trapped inside with the Toreph that now begins to speak – according to the traditions about skulls being used for divination and necromancy. (9)
Monster:
The nature of the beast.The Toreph speaks and knows each person by name.(8)
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated
/ Trapped / AbductedThe Archaeology team is trapped in the cave/tomb. (9)
One
of us killedThe Toreph (Azazel) tells Hassan that his brother is calling him to go join him.
Hassan: He calls me from Jinnah?
Toreph: No, not from the Garden of Paradise. From the fire of Hell. See for
yourself.
The Toreph (Azazel) conujures up an apparition of Hussein which beckons for Hassan to come with him. Hassan grabs a gun from Bob Barton and puts it to his head.
Ned: Don’t listen to the Toreph, Hassan. He is Azazel, the deceiver of the
human race and the leader of the demonic angels. What you see is not
your brother but a demon. Would your brother want you to kill yourself?
Hassan: My brother needs me. (Hassan shoots himself.)
The apparition of Hussein vanishes.
Before Hassan dies, like his brother before him, Hassan rebukes Kendrick for bringing them into harm’s way.(4) This sets up the next death, i.e., Dr. Kendrick.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full
pursuit by the killer AND terrorizedBob pulls his gun Hassan’s dead hand and then fires it at the skull, but the bullet ricochets off an invisible barrier that protects the Toreph. The ricocheting bullet mortally wounds Kendrick.
Toreph: I am Azazel, I taught humanity the use of weapons. Of course, I would
protect myself from weapons first. Serves you right that the evil you intended for me would come back to you.
Before Kendrick dies, he expresses regret for putting all of them in harm’s way(4), and tells Ned, weapons are useless. You must extract the Azazel nameplate from his mouth.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight
to the deathWith no weapon, Ned can pass unobstructed through the protective invisible shield around the Toreph,
Toreph (Azazel): Trying to play Chess with me? This is no Chess game.
Ned: We’ll see about that.
Ned grabs the Toreph and pulls the Azazel nameplate out of his mouth. Azazel no longer possesses the skull, all the invisible barriers he erected are eliminated. Not seen by Bob and Kaitlyn is that Ned pockets the Azazel nameplate. Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn return the skull to the clay sarcophagus with the headless mummy of King Cushan, whose skull it is.
Hysteria
As they walk away from the sarcophagus, the mummy of Cushan explodes out of the sarcophagus assailing them with his sword. The mummy of Cushan is possessed by Azazel, who speaks: “Now, I have found his entire body in which to dwell”(3).
The
thrilling escape from deathWith the invisible barriers gone, Ned, Bob, and Kaitlyn escape. Ned and Kaitlyn exit the cave/tomb. Ned directs Bob and Kaitlyn to join him as they climb up above the cave entrance and push a bolder down on the mummy of Cushan, crushing him.
Ned: You see, it is a chess game. Royal Fork on you Azazel.
Bob and Kaitlyn climb down from above the cave entrance leaving Ned on top.
Death
returns to take one or more.
Azazel speaking through Cushan’s mummy says to
Ned: “Fork you!” As Azazel/Cushan points to Ned and dies,
a seismic event happens, the cave/tomb collapses, taking Ned with it (9). Supposedly, the cave-in it kills Ned as
it also further crushes Azazel/Cushan who dies..
ResolutionKaitlyn mourns Ned, comforted by Bob. When Ned suddenly pulls himself out of the rubble, Ned is now possessed by Azazel which Bob and Kaitlyn sense but then they react with denial. Ned shows Bob and Kaitlyn that he has the Azazel nameplate (3) (5).
Kaitlyn: Why did you save that thing? It started all our problems..
Ned: In the name of science, it is the only artefact from this site that
survives.
This is the final horror: That Azazel will still operate through a friend and love whom he has possessed. (3)
Why must Ned die? Because it is the ultimate horror: The protagonist fighter against the demon loses even though he has killed the mummy Azazel possesses. Azazel has won after all. He kills Ned but resurrects him in order to possess him, thus increasing the horror that the demon snatches triumph from the hero-protagonist by killing him and then resurrecting him and possessing him.
How: Ned had just crushed the Azazel-possessed mummy of Cushan with a boulder, but
the last act of Azazel is to possess Ned whom he kills by collapsing the cave and then resurrects from the collapse of the cave/tomb, thus, snatching Ned’s hero’s victory from him and possessing Ned.
In other words, Ned is now possessed by the demon Azazel.
It also sets up a sequel.
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Hi Cheryl,
Where can I post assignment 7 ?!
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Patrick Malone Character Death Track <b align=”center”>
What I learned was to vary the way the monster inflicts death and if possible give a moral reason for the deaths. Amaruga kills to protect the hidden gold and to feast on humans.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
CHARACTER DEATH 1 VICTOR LENNOX
WHY: the member of Grant’s group who stole the map from Clark.
HOW: Clarks’ group come across Victor’s remains. They have no idea what did this.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
CHARACTER DEATH 2: FRED DICKSON
WHY: terrorized by the strange twister that leveled Grant’s camp, Fred makes bad decision to run into forest.
HOW: his screams are heard, then his body parts are flung at Grant’s men.
CHARACTER DEATH 3 Clark Grady
WHY: ashamed of his earlier fear, he wants to prove himself by finding Tammy. The monster is revealed to his team.
HOW: It impales him with a long claw and begins to eat him.
APPARENT DEATH: Tammy Marshall <div>
WHY: She is captured by Grant’s group.
HOW: In an attempt to save themselves from attack by gators,
they throw Tammy to the creatures.CHARACTER DEATH 4 Grant Fairfield
WHY: arrogant and demanding, he believes he is entitled to the gold.
HOW: he has found the hidden gold, but Amaruga has found him. It creates a twister that tears the skin from Grant and rips at him with its claws.
CHARACTER DEATH 5 Max Sedgwick
WHY: he attempts to shoot Ollie. The gunshot attracts Amaruga.
HOW: Amaruga impales him with its claw and dives into the swamp to drown Max.
</div>
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This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Patrick Malone.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by
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Subject line: Tony McBride’s Character Death Track
What I learned doing this assignment is picking character deaths is fun and easy.
Lesson 6: ASSIGNMENT
1. Give us the order your characters die in.
With each character tell us the why and how.
• Character Death 1: Husband
• Why: They made a bad decision
• How: Attempt something that fails
• Character Death 2: Man/Sacrificial Lamb
• Why: It increases the horror
• How: Back into it
• Character Death 3: Woman/Complainer
• Why: A character flaw that compels them to take the wrong action.
• How: Give Up
• Character Death 4: Man/Rescuer
• Why: The character is in denial.
• How: Sacrificed
Etc.
• Build the answers into your outline.
Create your plot.
• Knowing your concept, fill in one or two sentences for each of the plot points.
o The college friends arrive at the manor.
o The monster kills the first friend.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Horror Situation: Haunted House – Denial
• Character Death 2: Man/Sacrificial Lamb
• Why: It increases the horror
• How: Back into it
• Atmosphere of Evil established: A haunted mansion is shown.
• Connect with the characters: College friends shown reuniting.
• Denial of Horror: The husband assures the family that this is going to be a fun adventure.
• Safety taken away: The friends experience accidents one-by-one.
• Monster: Annabella.
• Character Death 1: Husband
• Why: They made a bad decision
• How: Attempt something that fails
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Horror Situation: Lost – Escape
Horror Situation: Hallucinating – Denial
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The friends are faced with moments from their past then some are killed by accident. Some of the friends go into town to find help and answers.
• One of us killed: The husband is killed by being crushed.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Horror Situation: Monster Approaching – Fight/ Escape
Horror Situation: See Another Killed – Hide/ Try to Solve It
• Character Death 3: Woman/Complainer
• Why: A character flaw that compels them to take the wrong action.
• How: Give Up
• Terrorized
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Horror Situation: See Another Killed – Hide/ Try to Solve It
Horror Situation: Chased – Escape/ Fight
• Character Death 4: Man/Rescuer
• Why: The character is in denial.
• How: Sacrificed
• Full pursuit by the killer: Annabelle pursues the friends with various weapons but doesn’t manage to kill anyone.
• Fight to the death: The friends gather weapons of their own and fight to the death.
• Hysteria: The friends are running throughout the house trying to avoid all traps and turns.
• The thrilling escape from death: Annabelle corners one of the friends but the other splashes her with oil.
• Death returns to take one or more.: Annabelle takes the life of the hippie.
• Resolution: The friends unite instead of bickering to defeat Annabelle.
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
4. Post your assignment in the forums at https://www.screenwritingclasses.com/forums/
Deadline: 48 hours
Log in to reply.