Andy Silverman
Forum Replies Created
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I learned that the audience is living their emotions throughout he eyes of our protagonist. When they have built an emotional attachment to them you can manipulate the audience as well as your characters.
INT: BARN
ANGUISH. Turducken Monster ties Ellie on the wooden rack. He gets up close. Drool drips onto her face.
The chicken beak pecks at her eyes.
Suddenly Midge cries out from the storm cellar. The monster looks away. Turns his attention to the little girl. She shuts the door but the turducken grabs the handle with its claw.
HORROR Ellie witnesses this. She’s helpless to do anything as she’s affixed to the rack.
Just the Raj staggers into the barn. Bleeding and wounded.
He shoots the Turducken who lets go of the door and turns his attention to Raj.
Raj shoots again and again then the gun runs out of bullets.
The animal cackles and flutters over to Raj. It knocks him to the ground and sits on him.
Raj tries to fight back.
Turducken man rips Raj to shreds in full sight of Ellie still on the rack.
HYSTERIA Ellie freaks out and struggles like mad. Finally releases her ropes and falls off the rack.
The monster comes after her.
PANIC She scurries over to the storm door. Climbs in and locks it.
INT: STORM CELLAR
Ellie hugs Midge tight. She sobs uncontrollably.
Midge is unfazed.
MIDGE
It’s okay. That’s my grandpa. He won’t hurt me.
ELLIE
It’s not your grandpa. It’s a monster that took over his body. We have to get out of here. Is there a way out of the cellar?
MIDGE
Yes. Follow me.
They crawl though a darkened passageway.
They arrive at a door and Ellie throws it open. There stands the turducken.
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I learned that it’s important to have action reactions and different levels of horror to make the story reach different emotions from the audience.
EXT: DRIVEWAY – DAY
The car pulls up to the Tomkins farm. A confederate flag waves in the breeze. Racist signs telling people of color to leave the country line the grounds.
RAJ 40s Indian American sits in the driver seat.
RAJ
Can you believe this shit?
SON 30s Asian American rides in the passenger seat.
SON
This isn’t good.
In the backseat, ELLIE, 30s black gapes out the window.
ELLIE
I’m not going in there. Call Joe. Tell him what’s going on.
SON
I can get a signal.
ELLIE
Then let’s go.
Raj parks the car in front of the gate.
ELLIE
What are you doing?
RAJ
I’m busting these assholes.
ELLIE
Let’s come back with the police.
RAJ
Fuck that.
Raj jumps out of the car.
On the porch of the farmhouse. JONAH 30s, GRANNY 60s, RUTH, 20s and MIDGE 7 stare out at the vehicle.
RAJ
Hey! Were from the US Department of Agriculture. Here for an inspection.
Granny climbs down the stairs and walks toward them with purpose.
GRANNY
Get the hell out of here before I-
Jonah catches up to her and grabs her.
She smacks Jonah.
JONAH
I got this mom.
GRANNY
Don’t you let them in here.
Ellie and Son get out of the car.
ELLIE
Raj. Get back in the car.
RAJ
I’m not gonna let them intimidate me.
Raj defiantly stands by the gate.
Jonah has a gap toothed smile as he approaches.
JONAH
What can I do fer you?
RAJ
We’ve found abnormalities with the poultry coming out of this farm. We’re here to inspect.
JONAH
Was it the turkeys the chickens or the ducks?
SON
The chickens.
JONAH
Danged chickens. Always getting us in trouble.
RAJ
But we need to check on everything.
Son holds up the papers.
SON
Here. If you want to see our orders.
JONAH
No that’s okay. We’ve got nothing to hide. Come on in. Welcome to the Tomkins farm.
He again smiles a wide mouthed grin.
Raj walks in. Son hesitates but follows Raj. Ellie stays back.
ELLIE
You guys go. I’ll stay in the car.
JONAH
What are you afraid of Missy?
Ellie looks around the farm.
JONAH
Don’t need you’re type in here anyway.
Ellie glares at Jonah. Follows Son and Raj into the farm.
Jonah kicks the gate shut and locks it. The perimeter is lined by barbed wire. There’s no clear way out.
JONAH
Welcome to the Tomkins farm.
Jonah leads them toward the house.
Ruth stands on the porch with a shotgun aimed at them.
ELLIE
Oh shit.
Ruth squeezes the trigger. BLAM!
Raj, Son ands Ellie hit the dirt.
Jonah laughs.
JONAH
She’s a deadeye.
Jonah picks up a dead groundhog a few feet away. Holds it up.
JONAH
You planning on staying for dinner. Stew tonight.
They get up.
RAJ
No. Let us do our jobs. We’ll be out of your hair soon.
He leads the down to the barn.
Opens the barn and lets them in.
They step in.
They gasp and hold their noses as they see animal carcasses butchered and bloodied on the ground by the door. Flies buzz around.
Son bends down to inspect them. Takes pictures.
SON
This is not going to-
Suddenly the barn door slams. They’re locked in.
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I learned it’s good to plot the whole story out no matter how rough to get the situations set up
EXT. TOMKINS FARM – DAY
ELLIE, RAJ, and SON stare at the farm they were sent to inspect. Racist signs out front. On the porch of the farmhouse Jonah a ornery looking man wields a shotgun.
Raj is unmoved and goes to the gate while Ellie gets back in the car. Son calls the office for help but gets no signal. He sends a text.
Raj yells to Jonah to let them in. Jonah takes a shot near Raj. Kills a gopher. Laughs.
Raj says they have orders to inspect their farm.
Jonah says they have nothing to hide so he lets them in.
Ellie is coaxed out of the car.
They’re let in the farm and the gate clanks shut behind them.
Ellie tries to get out but the gate is locked.
EXT: IN THE FARM GROUNDS – DAY
MIDGE (8) is pulled roughly into the house by GRANNY (65) as the inspectors approach the farmhouse.
The inspectors tell Jonah the chickens they’ve been selling have been flagged. There are some abnormalities.
Jonah takes them to the barn.
They go inside and Jonah slams the door shut and locks them in the barn.
INT: BARN – DAY
They try and get out but there’s no escape. Raj tries kicking the door open but it’s no use. Son tries to call the police again but still has no signal.
Ellie sees a dead animal carcass hanging on a meathook. She screams.
After calming her down Son sees a storm door and thinks it may be the way out. It’s got a lock on it. He figures out the way to break the lock Then he climbs down into the cellar.
Raj and Ellie wait to see. There is silence. They call down. Nothing. Maybe he got out.
Suddenly Son shouts in fear. Help me!
Raj grabs a shovel and goes down the cellar. He rushes back up fear on his face. He slams the door shut and locks it.
It was horrible. I couldn’t rescue Son. He’s gone.
Ellie sobs.
INT: BARN – LATER
The barn door opens and Kate slips in.
Sorry Jonah locked you in here.
They tell her Son has been killed in the cellar. She says no. Don’t worry. He’s not dead. I know what’s going on.
She reveals that Granny has been experimenting with poultry. There are just weird birds down there.
She goes over and opens the door to the cellar.
Son’s detached head flies out. Kate gasps. Faints.
The monster is coming out.
They slam the door shut just in time.
They revive Kate and they run to the house as the door to the cellar strains.
INT: FARMHOUSE – DAY
The three of them get to the house. The place is a mess. Eli is drunk, Midge is playing with a makeshift doll. Kate tells them that there’s a monster in the barn. Granny says nonsense. That’s Henry. Ruth says you’ve still been experimenting haven’t you. Granny says shut your face. Turns out Granny has been cross breeding eggs with duck turkey and chicken sperm.
Suddenly the door burst open. Henry peeks his head in.
He’s glassy eyed and can barely keep his eyes open. Eli staggers over to him. You need a drink.
He staggers in and then we see the Turducken who claws Eli’s face and pecks him to death.
Jonah shoots at it. Blasts the chickens head off and it falls.
He thinks he’s killed it. But the chicken head regenerates.
Granny yells at the monster telling it to get back in the barn.
It comes at Granny but Jonah shoots it again.
The monster turns to Jonah. Grabs the gun from him and kills Jonah
Ellie grabs Midge and runs upstairs.
Raj, Ruth Kate and Granny follow them up. They all crowd in a bedroom as the monster climbs the stairs.
INT. UPSTAIRS BEDROOM – DAY
The monster breaks in. Raj fights with it as the others go out the window.
The monster slashes Raj.
Ruth blares loud music and the monster stops.
Monster runs off to the barn.
INT: DOWNSTAIRS – LATER
The remaining people regroup. Raj is wounded badly.
We need to get him help.
They keep the music blaring to keep the Turducken at bay.
The power is cut off and the music stops. It goes dark.
They hide in the dark.
EXT. OUTSIDE – LATER
The monster is out there. They can hear it.
Ruth goes out on the roof thinking it’s safe. The turducken flutters up and kills her.
Crams her body parts in the chimney and drops them into the house.
The turducken is on the roof.
Granny explains what the turducken is. The only way to kill it is to separate all three heads at once. The only way is to get the turducken to hang upside down. They will fall asleep and we can cut off the heads.
There’s a contraption in the barn. A rack. If we get the turducken on the rack we can turn it upside down
Kate tries to reason with it while Ellie and Midge run for the barn.
INT: BARN – DAY
Ellie gets Midge to hide in the storm cellar. Wait here and don’t come out until someone comes to get you.
INT: FARMHOUSE –
The turducken breaks into the house. Granny throws a lantern at it and the house goes up in flames. They run out leaving Raj to burn.
The turducken chases Granny and Kate to the barn.
The monster kills Granny.
INT: BARN – DAY
Kate gets safely in the barn. The turducken approaches.
He comes in. Has Ellie and Kate penned it. It looks like a certain death when Raj appears out of nowhere and shoots the turducken.
The turducken turns and kills Raj giving Kate and Ellie a chance to escape.
Ellie tries to send Kate into the cellar with Midge. But the monster is in the way.
They try a rope trap to hang the monster upside down.
It works for a moment until the rope breaks and the monster falls.
Ellie goes on the rack. The monster sinks his claws into her. Now! Kate turns the rack.
It turns the monster upside down. The heads fall asleep. Ellie pulls a knife out and slices off the three heads.
The monster falls to the ground.
Kate gets Ellie down from the rack. The celebrate the killing. Then Henry’s eyes finally pop open. They cut all the extraneous limbs off. Now it’s just Henry.
Thank god. I’m safe. What happened. You killed everyone but us. Even Midge?
No. She’s safe.
Let me see her.
They let Midge out of the cellar.
Henry hugs her. Reunited at last.
They a claw springs from Henry’s side and clutches Midge by the throat.
Ellie takes an ax and chops off Henry’s head. Dead for good.
The police pull up to the house.
Kate and Ellie and Midge are taken away.
Ellie says goodby to Midge.
Midge hugs her tight we see a claw emerge from Midge’s side as she hugs her.
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I learned that knowing who the characters are and how they are going to react to the monster will help define what happens during the intense parts of the screenplay which will make the film more engaging.
ELLIE
Traits: Protective, fair and just <div>
Fears: More people will die from disease.
Wants/Needs : To shut down unsanitary farms
Likability / Rooting factors: Her son died from e coli. Sympathetic to her
How they react under stress: Run away
Relationship with other characters: Relates well
RAJ
Traits: Self Righteous, bullheaded </div><div>
Fears: Being thought of as weak
Wants/Needs : To be worshipped.
Likability / Rooting factors: Heroic, brave
How they react under stress: Fight back
Relationship with other characters: Relates well with colleagues only
SON
Traits: Inquisitive, methodical </div><div>
Fears: Making mistakes
Wants/Needs : To be appreciated for his smarts
Likability / Rooting factors: Funny, quirky
How they react under stress: Levelheaded. Figure best way to proceed
Relationship with other characters: Well liked
JOE
Traits: Feckless </div><div>
Fears: Conflict
Wants/Needs : Others to solve problems.
Likability / Rooting factors: Unlikable
How they react under stress: Bury head in sand
Relationship with other characters: No relationship
GRANNY
Traits: Rebellious, Lawless </div><div>
Fears: Government interference in her life
Wants/Needs : To create new breed of poultry
Likability / Rooting factors: Unlikable Ornery
How they react under stress: Fight back
Relationship with other characters: Controlling
HENRY
Traits: Loyal to Family </div><div>
Fears: Harm to Granny
Wants/Needs : Love from Granny
Likability / Rooting factors: Granny likes him.
How they react under stress: Protect Granny at all costs
Relationship with other characters:
JONAH
Traits: Hotheaded </div><div>
Fears: Intruders and minorities
Wants/Needs : To inflict pain on others to prove his masculinity
Likability / Rooting factors: Unlikable. Mean and sadistic
How they react under stress: Cautious. Self preservationist
Relationship with other characters: Family respects him
ELI
Traits: Alcoholic, fearful </div><div>
Fears: growing up
Wants/Needs : To stay drunk
Likability / Rooting factors: Annoying but funny
How they react under stress: Hide
Relationship with other characters: annoyance.
KATHY
Traits: Thrill seeker, Rash </div><div>
Fears: Boredom
Wants/Needs : To leave farm and see the world
Likability / Rooting factors: Dangerous but interesting
How they react under stress: Bring it. Loves chaos
Relationship with other characters:
RUTH
Traits: Calm, enabler, mediator </div><div>
Fears: Conflict destroying family
Wants/Needs : Peace
Likability / Rooting factors: GoodheartedHow they react under stress: Try to diffuse conflict
Relationship with other characters: Liked by all but Granny
MIDGE
Traits: Innocent, naive </div><div>
Fears: Animals
Wants/Needs : Safety
Likability / Rooting factors: Loveable, cute, smartHow they react under stress: Cries
Relationship with other characters: They are protective but mean to her.
What is their Character Journey for this story?
ELLIE
Character Intro: We learn she lost a son to salmonella poisoning. </div><div>
Denial: Not going to let dangerous conditions stop her from investigating
Their reaction at first horror: Let’s call for back up.
Relation to group after first horror: Argue with others to leave. Outvoted
How they fight back: She attacks Monster with butcher knife
End Point: Survival
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Shows how to defeat it. Saves child.
RAJ
Character Intro: Running point on farm raid. </div><div>
Denial: We’re government officials. They’re not going to shoot us.
Reaction at first horror: Anger. Wants to get even.
Relation to group after first horror: Annoyed with Ellie.
How they fight back: Guns.
End Point: He dies saving Ellie.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Supplies Ellie with weapon and time to fight monster.
SON
Character Intro: Documenting everything </div><div>
Denial: They’re just trying to scare us.
Their reaction at first horror: Figuring a way out.
Relation to group after first horror: On par with Raj. Not on Ellie’s side.
How they fight back: He doesn’t as he gets killed right away.
End Point: In storm door in barn
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Let’s people know there’s a monster they’re dealing with.
JOE
Character Intro: Tries to talk Ellie out of investigating </div><div>
Denial: They’ve already been cited. Let them be.
Their reaction at first horror: Thinks its a joke
Relation to group after first horror: Not falling for it. They hate him
How they fight back: Call police
End Point: No change
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
GRANNY
Character Intro: On porch with shotgun </div><div>
Denial: It can’t be.
Their reaction at first horror: Let the monster do what it wants.
Relation to group after first horror: Anyone blame me and they die.
How they fight back: Fake like she’s shooting monster but not.
End Point: Raj realizes she’s on the monsters side he kills her.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?
-She created monster and wants it alive.
HENRY
Character Intro: Runs to the barn when inspectors come. </div><div>
Denial: This can’t be happening. I’m hallucinating
Their reaction at first horror: Passes out.
Relation to group after first horror: None
How they fight back: Doesn’t.
End Point: Head chopped off with an ax by Ellie.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Monster wasn’t killed the way they thought
JONAH
Character Intro: Grabs Midge and drags her inside. </div><div>
Denial: It was a machine accident. Not monster.
Their reaction at first horror: Hesitant
Relation to group after first horror: They hate him
How they fight back: Finally shoots monster
End Point: Monster rips him apart
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Shows that monster has weakness.
ELI
Character Intro: Drinking beer laughing like a loon </div><div>
Denial: I must have drank too much.
Their reaction at first horror: Throw up.
Relation to group after first horror: Needs them to protect him.
How they fight back: Curls into a ball.
End Point: Monster claws and pecks him to death.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? – Monster will kill family.
KATHY
Character Intro: Climbing on roof with a crossbow </div><div>
Denial: Someone made a costume.
Their reaction at first horror: Blow up the monster.
Relation to group after first horror: They think she’s crazy
How they fight back: Frantic. Daring
End Point: Monster pecks her to death
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Shows it’s afraid of noise.
RUTH
Character Intro: Trying to diffuse the situation by yelling at her kin. </div><div>
Denial: It’s her Dad and won’t harm them.
Their reaction at first horror: Blames granny.
Relation to group after first horror: On the outs with her family
How they fight back: Reasoning with monster.
End Point: Survives but is wounded badly.
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?- There’s someone still alive to take care of Midge
MIDGE
Character Intro: Playing with dolls on porch. </div>
Denial: Someone’s dressed for Halloween
Their reaction at first horror: Laughs. Thinks it’s a game.
Relation to group after first horror: Protected
How they fight back: Relies on others to protect her
End Point: Survives but she may become the next monster
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience?- Ellie’s goal to save a child from harm is fulfilled.
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I learned that each monster beat should reveal the monster’s powers or weaknesses and deliver clues on how to defeat it.
Turducken Monster
POWERS – Combined strength of turkey, duck chicken and human. Regenerates and gets stronger when one head is killed.
LIMITATIONS – It’s ungainly and does not move quickly.
WEAKNESSES – It’s afraid of loud noise and smoke.
PURPOSE – To kill all humans that eat meat.
SEQUENCE THE REVEALS –
Genetically altered egg discovered in supermarket-
Dead mutilated squirrels in barn
Something strong is below heavy storm door
Raj’s head ripped off.
We see the monster and what it’s capable of.
The monster can fly and has super night vision.
When one head is killed it loses strength
It regenerates head after a few minutes and gets stronger
It’s afraid of loud noises and smoke.
Uses claws and beaks to kill.
If all heads are removed before they can regenerate the monster will die.
DEMAND – Curiosity? Where are these strange eggs coming from?
MONSTER REVEAL – The Tomkins farm is responsible. What’s going on?
DEMAND – The farm has been cited before for an ecoli outbreak. The inspectors arrive there.
MONSTER REVEAL – Secluded location. Hateful racist farm family toting shotguns greet them
DEMAND – They are welcomed in. Something doesn’t seem right.
MONSTER REVEAL – Mutilated squirrels in the barn. Who’s killing them?
DEMAND – They are locked in the barn.
MONSTER REVEAL – Loud mysterious noises come from the storm door.
DEMAND – Thinking it’s a way out of the barn Son goes to investigate.
MONSTER REVEAL – Son’s head comes bouncing out of the storm door.
DEMAND – They slam the door shut.
MONSTER REVEAL – Something big and heavy bangs against it trying to get out. It’s powerful and strong. Superhuman.
DEMAND – Ellie and Raj escape from the barn. They head for the house in darkness.
MONSTER REVEAL – The monster can fly and flutters above them chasing them to the house.
DEMAND – Raj shoots at the monster. It hits the chicken head.
MONSTER REVEAL – Falls to the ground. Weakened. Is it dead?
DEMAND – Thinking they may have killed it. Jonah goes to check on it. The chicken head regenerates bigger than before and the monster kills Jonah.
DEMAND – They hole up in the house.
MONSTER REVEAL – The monster breaks in the door. We see it in its entirety.
DEMAND – The monster attacks Kurt.
MONSTER REVEAL – It kills with its poultry heads. The human head is unconscious. Is the human head the key to taking down the monster?
DEMAND – They try and wake up the human head by making noise.
MONSTER REVEAL – The monster is afraid of noise and backs away. But the human head remains unconscious.
DEMAND – They blare loud music.
MONSTER REVEAL – The monster retreats from the house.
DEMAND – With loud music blaring they discuss how to defeat the monster with the information they have gleaned.
MONSTER REVEAL -The monster cuts the power and the loud music stops.
DEMAND – The monster gets back in the house. Kills with a vengeance.
MONSTER REVEAL – They shoot off the turkey head. Then the Chicken head. The wounded creature flutters into the cellar.
DEMAND – If they kill the third head before the other two regenerate they can kill the beast.
MONSTER REVEAL – The monster can see in the dark and is able to stay hidden while it regenerates stronger.
DEMAND – The monster bursts out from the cellar. Ellie takes the little girl and runs to the barn. Raj stays and fights.
MONSTER REVEAL – Monster claws Raj’s face. Flies after Ellie and the girl.
DEMAND – They to the barn. Ellie puts the girl in the storm door.
MONSTER REVEAL – Monster grabs Ellie hangs her on meat hook.
DEMAND – Monster about to kill Ellie but Raj comes back and shoots the duck head. It backs away. Then Raj runs out of ammo.
MONSTER REVEAL – Monster attacks Raj. Kills him.
DEMAND – Ellie pulls a butcher’s knife from her clothes.
MONSTER REVEAL – Hacks the chicken head from the monster then the turkey head. The monster falls down dead. Human head wakes up.
DEMAND – Human wants to know if his granddaughter is safe?
MONSTER REVEAL – Weeps tears of joy when he rescues her from the cellar.
DEMAND – Ellie thrilled she saved the girl.
MONSTER REVEAL – A claw appears from the man and grabs the girl by the throat.
DEMAND – Ellie chops off the man’s head with an ax.
MONSTER REVEAL – Killing the monster for good. She incinerates him.
DEMAND – The police drive up to the house.
MONSTER REVEAL – The little girl grows a claw hand and quacks.
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Andy Silverman “Turducken!” Character Death Track
I learned that each killing should be different and each one have a reason that would engage the audience and elevate the horror.
Son –
WHY- Son is the leader and seems to be making all the calls.
HOW – Dies going into storm cellar thinking it’s the way out of the barn
His head is ripped off and eyes pecked out.
Jonah
WHY – To show what Turducken man is capable of and how he would kill his own son.
HOW – He tries to reason with his father and throw Inspectors to be killed. Turducken man claws and pecks him to death.
Eli
WHY – Eli mistreats the animals on the farm. He tries to kill monster with a tractor.
HOW – Monster throws him off and runs him over.
Kate –
WHY – Kate feeds farm animals cheap feed. She begs not to be killed.
HOW – Monster force feeds her til she chokes and dies.
Raj –
WHY – Seemingly dead from an earlier attack, Raj Sacrifices himself saving Ellie and Sally from the Turducken.
HOW – He’s put on a meathook and methodically pecked to death in a torturous way by the monster.
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Turducken!
I learned that various types of situations and deaths keep the story interesting and tense. And that reactions to the horror help drive the plot forward.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – The inspectors have to inspect the poultry on a run down farm. <div>
HORROR SITUATION Jonah shoots gun at possum. Terribly close to the inspectors.
REACTION – Son calls his boss for advice. Raj yells at Jonah aggressively. Ellie jumps back in the car.
Connect with the characters – Ellie, Raj, and Son sit in the car contemplating next move. They discuss the situation and their lives.
The characters are warned not to do it.– They are told not to go in until they get police backup.
Denial of Horror –HORROR SITUATION – JONAH A big angry man sends the girl inside. Comes menacingly out to the gate then greets them warmly. Invites them in.
REACTION – They decide it’s safe to go in and inspect the poultry.
Safety taken away – They get out of the car and are let in to the compound.
HORROR SITUATION – The gate closes behind them and locks.
REACTION – They try the gate to get out it’s locked tight. Barbed wire everywhere. Ellie panics. Jonah explains it’s on a time lock Son and Raj calm Ellie down.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Monster: Jonah leads them to a barn. They go in. Jonah shoves them inside and locks the barn.
HORROR SITUATION – Dead bodies hang on hooks in the barn faces clawed off. Turkey legs are stuffed in their mouths. Wishbones rammed in their eye sockets. Are they next? –
REACTION – They freak and try to get out of the barn no luck.ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – </div><div>
HORROR SITUATION – Jonah laughs like a maniac outside.
REACTION – Raj says the police are on their way. Ellie cowers and covers her head. Son consoles her.
They try phones but no coverage. They look around and see odd colored eggs incubating. Son finds a storm door on the ground locked.HORROR SITUATION – Son climbs down in the storm door to see if it leads out. We hear clucking quacking and gobbling.
REACTION – Son laughs. Thinks it’s where the poultry spawn.
HORROR SITUATION – Son goes into the cellar. We hear screams and pained sounds. Then silence.
REACTION – Raj wants to go save him. Ellie says no and locks the storm door back up.
HORROR SITUATION – A body slams against the door just as she locks the door. The door bends but holds.
REACTION Both Raj and Ellie step away. Fear in their faces. They pile heavy things on the door.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by the killer – KATE opens the barn door. Steps in. Apologizes for Jonah locking them in. Asks where Son is. They point to the storm door. Tell her he’s been killed. She laughs. No he’s okay. </div><div>
HORROR SITUATION – She goes to the storm door to open it.
REACTION – Trepidation. Is Son alive? Or is she unlocking the gates to hell.
Kate opens the door. They peek in.HORROR SITUATION – Son’s head is tossed out from the cellar. Kate runs.
REACTION – Raj and Ellie run too.
Terrorized – They run into the farmhouse. It’s a mess. LIBBY, and MARK glassy eyed watch TV. Kate takes Eva upstairs.
HORROR SITUATION – Turducken man comes out of the barn and heads toward the house.
REACTION – Raj shoots at it. Ellie runs upstairs with Kate and Eva.ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death – Turducken breaks into the house </div>
HORROR SITUATION – goes on a killing rampage. Seemingly kills Raj
REACTION- Chaos. Ellie grabs Eva and hides upstairs.
Hysteria –
HORROR SITUATION Monster track people down. Tears them apart-REACTION – Search for anywhere safe.
The thrilling escape from death – Ellie grabs Eva and runs out of the house to the barn.
HORROR SITUATION – Monster chases them.REACTION – they throw things and shoot at it but it doesn’t slow it down.
HORROR SITUATION- The run into the barn. Turducken breaks in
REACTION – Ellie shuts Eva in the cellar.
HORROR SITUATION Turducken man catches Ellie. Hangs her on the hook.
REACTION Ellie tries to fight back but it’s no use.
HORROR SITUATION – Monster binds her arms with baler wire. drools in her face.
REACTION Gives up. Accepts certain death
Raj burst into the barn. Shoots the monster. It backs off.
Raj takes Ellie off the hook. Frees her hands and gives her the knife to cut herself free.Death returns to take one or more.
HORROR SITUATION – Turducken Man claws Raj’s head off.
REACTION – Ellie charges the Turducken. Cuts off the duck head.
The monster recoils. She expertly carves off the chicken head and the turkey head. The man’s head is left now alone on the body. He thanks her for saving him and his grand daughter.
He goes in the cellar and reunites with Eva. Hugs her.Resolution.
HORROR SITUATION – Suddenly his hand turns into a turkey claw and he squeezes Eva’s throat.
REACTION – Ellie swings an ax and severs the man’s head off. The body spasms and walks around for a few seconds then falls to the ground dead.
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Turducken!
I learned that by following these steps I was able to lay out a plot that would increase tension and create horror situations and will make it easier to write the screenplay.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – Overview of the Tomkins poultry farm – Secluded, seedy, barbed wire around the perimeter. Gravestones. Little girl with grubby clothes and dirty playing dolls on the porch.
Connect with the characters – Ellie, Raj, and Son. Black, Indian, and Korean sit in the car looking in at the free range birds. They discuss the situation and their lives.
The characters are warned not to do it.– They call to the office. Don’t go in. We’ll get a warrant and police backup.
Denial of Horror – JONAH A big angry man sends the girl inside. Comes out to the gate. Greets them warmly. They explain why they’re there. Come in. Do what you go to do. Raj says it can’t be that bad. There are three of us.
Safety taken away – They get out of the car and are let in to the compound. The gate closes behind them and locks.
Monster: Jonah brings them into the compound. Leads them to a barn. They go in. Jonah shoves them inside and locks the barn. Dead bodies hang on hooks in the barn faces clawed off. Turkey legs are stuffed in their mouths. Wishbones rammed in their eye sockets.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – They try phones but no coverage. They look around and see eggs incubating. They look for an escape. Son finds a storm door on the ground locked. This is the way out. He unlocks it. Goes in. Gets killed.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought! – We hear horrible quacking/gobbling/clucking sounds coming from the storm door followed by Son’s screams of terror.
Full pursuit by the killer – The Turducken Man is unleashed- He bursts out of the barn and tears off into the house.
Terrorized – One by one the family in the house is killed by the monster until only Ellie, Raj and the little girl remain.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death – Turducken man goes on a killing rampage.
Hysteria – No one knows where to run and hide. No one is safe
The thrilling escape from death – Turducken man catches Ellie. Hangs her on the hook. Leaves her there when Raj shoots the monster.
Death returns to take one or more. The monster is not dead It goes after Raj and tracks him down. Pecks and claws his face off.
Resolution. Ellie uses her butchering skills to cut the bird heads off of the body thus killing the monster.
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I learned that each of the victims serve important functions and create deeper levels of tension. Plus I learned that there is a clear pattern as to how the killings happen
The purge group in Turducken are the USDA inspectors and the family of the monster who notified the inspectors about the genetic altering of the poultry at the farm
The 8 characters die one by one until only two remain.
Characters:
Leader – USDA inspector in charge of investigation. A rigid by the book bureaucrat.
Innocent – Protagonist Violet USDA inspector who instigated the inspection. A former meat handler who was fired and recently started working at the USDA. Her curiosity gets her in dangerous situations.
Out of Control – Jeb – brother of Turducken Man who is a loose cannon. Hothead who wanted inspectors to throw Eli in jail before he died so he could take over the farm.
Complainer. Third USDA inspector Oliver who is not the brightest bulb. Never wanted to investigate the farm and blames others for the situation they’ve gotten into.
The red herring – Rhoda sister of Eli. She disappears before the monster kills its first victim. Her body shows up later.
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I learned that answering these questions helped me to created a much more deeper layered monster and enabled me to come up with story points that will help me when writing the first draft. <div>
1. Tell us what or who your monster is. The Turducken
2. Give us a few sentences for each of the following for your monster:
Their Terror: This is a fused together Chicken, Turkey, Duck and Human that claws and pecks its victims to death. It will kill anyone who sets foot on the farm.</div>
Their Mystery: The birds have combined together with its host and have gained superhuman strength. The only way to defeat it is to separate the parts of the Turducken and kill them one by one.
Their Fear Provoking Appearance: The combination of the heads, arms, wings and claws on a human body is grotesque. It drools and makes a cacophony of sounds combining squawking clucking and quacking which will further gross out the audience.
Their Rules: The Turducken is angry and violent because it is fused together with the man who created it. The birds are able to communicate through the man. He is angry at USDA inspectors and bureaucracy in general and blames them for his death and wants revenge.
Mythology: The man was covering up his genetic altering of poultry from the inspectors and swallowed an egg to hide the evidence. He died and the birds gestated inside his stomach. When his family buried him on the farm he fused together and rose upon from the grave as Turducken Man.
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Assignment #1
1) Watched Black Phone.
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2) Conventions
Title – Black Phone
Terrorize – Children being abducted and missing.
Isolation – They’re put in a basement cell.
Death – The grabber kills them when they “misbehave”. (Try to escape)
Villain – The Grabber.
High Tension – When Finn finally misbehaves we know the grabber is about to kill him.
Departure from reality – Phone calls from dead people giving steps to escape.
Moral Statement – You need to stop being a victim and stand up for yourself.
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3) What made this film stand out was the clues given to Finn over the phone and how it helped him escape even though he had no idea why.
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4) My project:
Title/Concept – Turducken – Poultry farmer becomes a mixed breed bird monster and seeks revenge on USDA Inspectors that shut him down.
Terrorize the characters – After seeing pecked and clawed human remains they hear the Turducken Man approaching making horrible sounds.
Isolation – They get locked inside a poultry farm with electric fences and no way out and no weapons.
Death – Characters die in horrible ways with heads clawed off and eyes pecked out.
Villain – Turducken Man
High Tension – Protagonist caught in a trap as the enraged Turducken Man approaches. Impending doom.
Departure from reality – Man becomes hybrid with a turkey, duck and chicken.
Moral Statement – Genetically altering animals is wrong.
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5) What I learned.
The more layered the story the better impact the resolution has. For instance, all the people killed in the past spoke to Finn on the phone and their stories deepened the emotional escape scene.
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My name is Andy Silverman. I’ve written over 20 screenplays and currently have a horror comedy film I co-wrote and produced called Cyst playing in theaters in Japan and is available in the US VOD and on Amazon.
I hope to elevate the horror aspect of the current screenplays I’m working on.
I used to design board games and had an agent and an interview with Milton Bradley.
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Andy Silverman
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