Susannah Farrow
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Susannah’s Scary-As-Hell Scene
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s possible to break down a scene even more in order to get the most out of the emotional response from viewers.Create a Horror Map for your scene and then write the scene.
1. Use the Scary-As-Hell scene process to create the Horror Map.
A. Start with a Horror Situation.
The final battle. The killer is making his final advance on the remaining heroes.B. Sequence the emotions, starting with the beginning and ending emotion.
From panic to hysteria.
Panic, fear, shock, hysteria.C. Give a physical action that could cause each emotion.
Panic: The remaining heroes run from the pursuing killer.
Fear: There is nowhere left to hide or run, they need to face the killer.
Shock: The killer is revealed to be inhuman – a snake hybrid.
Hysteria: One of the heroes is killed with fire and the snake man gets closer to the last two survivors.D. Add in Scares and Releases.
Panic: The remaining heroes run from the pursuing killer.
Fear: There is nowhere left to hide or run, they need to face the killer.
Release: The sound of the approaching killer is actually the return of their friend they thought was dead.
Shock: The killer is revealed to be inhuman – a snake hybrid.
Hysteria: One of the heroes is killed with fire and the snake man gets closer to the last two survivors.2. Once you have the Horror Map, write the scene.
INT. BOATHOUSE – NIGHT
Bonnie and Magnolia run across the boathouse and look around for a way out.MAGNOLIA
There’s no way out!BONNIE
Wait. What’s that?
They both look towards the door they just entered.
The moonlight reveals a shadow stretching along the wall.
Waylon appears.MAGNOLIA
Waylon! You’re okay!WAYLON
It’ll take more than that to keep me down. Come on, let’s find a way out of this place.
Waylon moves to the end of the boathouse and starts removing boards covering an old window.
WAYLON (cont.)
We can get out through here.BONNIE
He’s here.
Behind them, the killer appears.
Waylon rips a board off the window and holds it up like a baseball bat, ready to fight.WAYLON
Get behind me.
Bonnie and Magnolia step out of the way.
WAYLON (cont.)
Take this you son of a…
He swings the board at the killer and the two engage in a battle to the death.
At one point it looks like Waylon is winning. He hits the killer in the head and knocks his mask off his head. It is revealed that the killer has snake-like eyes that almost glow in the darkened boathouse.
The killer drinks from a flask and then lights a match. He spits the liquid into the flame, setting Waylon alight. Waylon screams spins in circles, then finally falls to the floor, setting the side wall on fire.
Magnolia, screaming, finishes ripping the last planks off the window and climbs through. Bonnie follows her. -
Susannah’s Scares, Releases, and Creepy moments!
4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
What I learned doing this assignment is how scary moments can be implemented in the script rather than just writing them on the fly.2. Create an OUTLINE of that scene and build in a scare, release, and a creepy moment.
Following the killer’s initial assault on the townspeople, a group of vigilantes take the fight to the killer. They shoot at him but miss every time as the killer ducks and weaves between bullets and hiding behind structures. The killer uses smoke bombs to hide his approach and one by one he kills the vigilantes and the hope they ignited in each member of the search party. It is during this time the search party must traverse through the smoke, only for one of them to be attacked. Thinking she is safe, a snake slithers over Magnolia’s feet.3. Write the scene.
INT. GENERAL STORE – DAYWAYLON
Look. Some of the guys are going after him.ZOE
What?BONNIE
Who is it?ELIJAH
They’re going to get themselves killed.EXT. TOWN CENTRE – DAY
A small group of men, young and old, carry their firearms with purpose as they enter the town centre.GUNMAN
There he is! Kill him!
The group of vigilantes start firing at the killer.
The killer hides behind a building and throws smoke bombs to conceal himself.
Lost in the smoke, the vigilantes are reluctant to fire.
Then one of them is killed from behind.
Then another.
The killer picks them off one by one.
One of the vigilantes, panicking, shoots one of his comrades by mistake before being killed by the masked killer.INT. GENERAL STORE – DAY
Some of the smoke clears and the search party sees the bodies of the vigilantes on the ground through the window.ZOE
Oh, my God.ELIJAH
Damn it.HORACE
They were our only chance! Now he’ll come after us!ZOE
Quiet. Here he comes.Everyone stops moving and hides from the window as the killer walks by.
WAYLON
(whispering)
He’s gone. We should move.
BONNIE
Good idea.The search party carefully walk through the smoke. They hide behind a building and look around.
A snake slithers over Magnolia’s feet. She’s about the scream when Zoe covers her mouth with her palm. -
Susannah’s Level 3 Horror Emotion Scene
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is, again, the same as last week as this is an exercise that I am building upon.2. Brainstorm the scene to emphasize the Level 3 emotions and write it.
INT. BOATHOUSE – LATE NIGHT
Bonnie and Magnolia back away from the approaching killer, his mask now gone and revealing his snake-like face.
MAGNOLIA
What do we do? What do we do?BONNIE
I don’t know.
The killer gets closer.
Suddenly, Waylon appears behind the killer with a shovel in hand.WAYLON
Hey! Thought you were done with me? You guys get out of here. I’ll deal with this fucker.
Magnolia and Bonnie make their way through the boathouse and enter the swamp.
Waylon battles with the killer.It looks like Waylon is about to win until the killer spits in his face. They break apart, then the killer drinks something from a flask and strikes a match. He spits the flask’s contents into the match, causing the fire to grow and consume Waylon who burns to death.
Magnolia turned her head to witness Waylon’s death, which spurs her to move faster.BONNIE
Wait.MAGNOLIA
What? Why?
Bonnie pins Magnolia to a tree with her hands.BONNIE
Over here!
The killer hears Bonnie’s call and treads through the swamp water towards them.MAGNOLIA
What are you doing?
The killer stands beside them and raises his knife.BONNIE
No. Let me do it.
Bonnie takes the knife from the killer.MAGNOLIA
Why? What did I do?BONNIE
Nothing. You did nothing when you should have done something. You’re as bad as the others.
Bonnie stabs Magnolia in the stomach and throws her into the swamp water.
BONNIE (Cont.)
Let’s go. There’s more work to do.
The killer and Bonnie leave.EXT. TOWN – EARLY MORNING
Bonnie and the killer get into a car and drive away.
Magnolia, still alive, crawls out of the swamp. She watches as they drive away.
She cries. Then she laughs. Then she stands up with hatred burning in her eyes. -
Susannah’s Level 2 Horror Emotion Scene
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is the same as what I learned last lesson as this is further work on the same idea.2. Brainstorm the scene to emphasize the Level 2 emotions and write it.
EXT. SWAMP / OUTSIDE – DAY
The search party runs into a nearby store and watches through the window as the killer cuts throats and stabs hearts left and right.INT. GENERAL STORE – DAY
HORACE
What the hell is going on?ELIJAH
This is something different.WAYLON
What are you talking about, old man? There’s a psycho out there killing everyone.HORACE
What do we? What do we do?BONNIE
Calm down. We need to calm down and think about this.ZOE
He’s gone.MAGNOLIA
What?ZOE
He’s gone. Look, he’s not there anymore.Outside there is a pile of bodies but the killer has disappeared.
MAGNOLIA
We should go.WAYLON
Wait. Don’t go out there He could be anywhere.
The search party look around and a moment of uneasy silence passes.
A sudden knock on the door makes them all jump.TOWNSPERSON
Please, let me in.
Waylon reaches for the handle.MAGNOLIA
No, don’t. It might be him.BONNIE
You can’t leave him out there. Let him in.
Waylon glances at each member of the search party and eventually opens the door, letting the townsperson inside. -
Susannah’s Level 1 Horror Emotion Scene
4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is how to refine a scene to make its intention and purpose clear.1. Pick a scene that you could write from the first Act of your story.
The scene I have chosen involves the main characters finding the body of the missing man. They have formed their search party and come across his remains, with a voodoo spell also found near the body. They return to the town to report their find only to witness the cop’s murder.2. Create an outline of the scene that includes each of these emotions — apprehension/anxiety, surprise, and shock.
There is apprehension while the town searches for a potentially injured/dead man. It is unusual for anyone to go missing. The feeling lingers until the main characters find the man’s corpse. They are surprised that he is in fact dead and that they were the ones to find him. They report back to the town cop and they are shocked when the killer appears and kills the cop.3. Write the scene as a first draft.
The search party head in the direction they were told to search. It isn’t long before they are in swampland among various swamp critters. The pressure of their duty and the potential of finding an injured man is evident on their faces.EXT. SWAMP / OUTSIDE – DAY
BONNIE
Let’s head this way.
WAYLON
You seem to know where you’re going. Come here often?
BONNIE
Shut up.
MAGNOLIA
(speaking in a whisper)
Do…Do we have to go much further?
WAYLON
What?
MAGNOLIA
Do we have to go much further? Into the swamp, I mean.
WAYLON
You’re asking how much further?
(shrugs)
As far as we can.
BONNIE
Keep up. You okay, old man?
ELIJAH
Don’t worry about me. It’s you I’m worried about.
WAYLON
Oh? Why’s that?
ELIJAH
I don’t know. I’ve got a bad feeling.
(looking around)
A kind I haven’t felt in a long time.
HORACE
Look! Over there.
Horace points to something near the water. There’s a half-consumed body by the swamp. Bonnie and Waylon rush towards it, only they are too late.
ZOE
Is he… Is he dead?
BONNIE
Yeah. Look.
The corpse is bloody, cut up. It’s clear that he was murdered.
HORACE
What are those cuts?
WAYLON
Did an animal get him?
ELIJAH
Those wounds weren’t made by animals.
ZOE
What are you saying?
ELIJAH
They were made by a knife or a machete. Someone did this to him.
BONNIE
We should get back and get help.
WAYLON
Right.
The team start to head back but Magnolia stays.
ZOE
What is it?
MAGNOLIA
There, on that tree. That’s a s-spell.
ZOE
A spell? You mean that voodoo stuff you’re into?
She steps closer to the tree for a closer look.
ZOE (cont.)
Oh yeah, that’s a doll all right. Weird. Come on, let’s go.
The search party returns to the town centre where the sheriff is waiting.
EXT. TOWN CENTRE – DAY
The sheriff is waiting at a table where he has established a base of operations for the search parties. There are a few other townspeople here and there, but he is alone at the table.
SHERIFF OWENS
Find anything?
BONNIE
We found Henry.
WAYLON
Well, his body at least. He’s dead.
SHERIFF OWENS
Dead? Where is he?
The killer springs up behind the sheriff, comes out of nowhere, and slices his throat open from behind.
Everyone screams, gasps, or recoils.
The killer keeps slicing until the sheriff’s head comes off completely and his body drops to the ground. -
Susannah’s Horror Outline Version 1
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is how merging outlines can become the base of a script.EXT – SWAMP / OUTSIDE – DAY
There is a fire, there are screams, there are gunshots. These are Bonnie’s memories that she’s remembering as she sits on the ground facing the endless, watery swamp that surrounds her hometown.
Time to get to work, she says. She stands and heads to the centre of town where people have gathered to search for a missing man. She is uncomfortable being there.
A town drunk, who they think fell into the swamp during a drunken stupor, is missing. Though not a very productive member of the community, the drunk is one of their own and is therefore valuable.
No one believes anything harmful has happened to him, with Bonnie saying there is nothing to be worried about at all. They deny anything more serious has happened.
One of the townspeople, Elijah, suggests they should all leave the town and abandon it – it has nothing but woe to offer and is a remnant of the past. The main characters argue against this, saying it is their home.
Horace tells the old man to leave them alone and starts searching for the drunk. Horace is certain nothing happened to drunk, as nothing happens in the town.
The local cop suggests the drunk could be dead and search efforts could become retrieval efforts after finding one of his belongings shredded and covered in blood. Our main group of characters find the drunk – murdered.
It looks like he’s been cut to ribbons with a sharp knife. Some of the townspeople think one of their own must have done it. Bonnie tries to keep everyone calm. Horace desperately makes plans to leave town.
One of the group, Waylon says there is no killer, but an animal must have got him and so tries to rally the group. Elijah says none of them are safe, but won’t confirm why, other than to say he suspects there is more going on than a simple murder.
There is a voodoo doll near the body, which makes Magnolia more afraid than the others. She wants to leave the group and go home, but she is pressured into staying with them.
The group heads back to the centre of town where everyone else is waiting. During a short speech, the local cop is decapitated in front of everyone, destroying the town’s beacon of safety. The killer’s features are hidden by his dark clothes and mask, but the killing is enough to make everyone panic. -
Susannah’s Character Journey Track
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is how easy it can be to flesh out characters asking these simple yet key questions. The questions are to the point and fill in the gaps.A. What is their Character Profile?
Bonnie
Role: leader
Traits: convincing, deceptive
Fears: nothing
Wants/Needs: wants to remain hidden. Needs to help killer
Likability / Rooting factors: Seemingly is the main hero
How they react under stress: calm, she feigns fear
Relationship with other characters: it’s a close community, she knows them well but has hidden resentment and hatred for themB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: is overlooking the swamp, deep in thought before finally getting up to join others
Denial: says there is nothing at all to be worried about
Their reaction at first horror: tries to keep everyone calm, still denying
Relation to group after first horror: she becomes their leader, guides them through events
How they fight back: guides others but for nefarious reasons
End Point: leaves town with killer, seemingly gets away with it
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Her morals gave her a different life pathWaylon
Role: Rescuer
Traits: First to take action, eager to prove himself
Fears: fears failure, letting others down
Wants/Needs: wants to be the hero, needs to find his place in the world
Likability / Rooting factors: he is heroic, considerate and kind
How they react under stress: he is initially scared, but quickly steps up
Relationship with other characters: he is very supportive, gets on with all except Zoe sometimesB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Calls to Bonnie from a short distance, telling her to join the search party
Denial: is certain there’s nothing big going on, no killer
Their reaction at first horror: attempts to rally town
Relation to group after first horror: doesn’t become the team’s leader but settles for second in command
How they fight back: he tries to use makeshift weapons against the killer
End Point: he dies trying to be the hero
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Heroes often die without winningHorace
Role: Complainer
Traits: anxious, a downer
Fears: most things, living his life the way it is
Wants/Needs: wants to leave town and start his life over, needs to forget the past
Likability / Rooting factors: he’s honest, tries his best
How they react under stress: he is fearful
Relationship with other characters: he doesn’t have friendships, it’s all businessB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: seen in background of gathered townspeople, part of search party
Denial: is certain nothing happened to drunk as nothing happens in the town
Their reaction at first horror: desperately makes plans to leave town
Relation to group after first horror: he annoys the group but they rely on him as much as the others
How they fight back: he tries to run
End Point: dies trying to flee
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? You cannot run from your problemsZoe
Role: Rebel
Traits: Cold, sarcastic
Fears: she’ll die in this town one way or the other
Wants/Needs: wants to leave town for good, needs to broaden her horizons
Likability / Rooting factors: she’s tough, she’s good inside
How they react under stress: gets angry, confronts the aggressor
Relationship with other characters: she’s well-liked and she actually likes the townspeople despite her coldnessB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: Zoe is part of the search party
Denial: thinks the drunk will turn up eventually
Their reaction at first horror: thinks the drunk is hurt but not dead, must keep searching
Relation to group after first horror: she stays with the group for survival, wants to leave
How they fight back: she tries to sneak away
End Point: she dies after leaving the group in anger
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Rash decisions could be your lastElijah
Role: Moral one
Traits: philosophical, questions everything
Fears: that the town is doomed, deserves to die
Wants/Needs: wants others to know they did wrong and must make up for it, needs to find good in people worthy of living
Likability / Rooting factors: he holds others responsible, tries to do the good thing
How they react under stress: he is mostly calm, uses logic and reason to understand the situation
Relationship with other characters: he is liked but not respected as much as he should beB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: is seen speaking to the lead cop about what could possibly be happening in their town, but the cop dismisses him
Denial: he denies some outside force is at work, denies anyone is safe
Their reaction at first horror: he suspects there is more going on than a simple murder
Relation to group after first horror: they wont listen to what he has to say, his theory is foolish to them
How they fight back: he gathers evidence for his theory in an attempt to reason with the killer
End Point: he is proven to be right, but he dies in the process
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Moral reflection is necessary to liveMagnolia
Role: loner
Traits: fearful, quiet, keeps to self
Fears: people and the bad things they can do
Wants/Needs: to be left alone, to find some measure of peace within herself
Likability / Rooting factors: she’s innocent
How they react under stress: is easily scared, runs
Relationship with other characters: most don’t understand her, most don’t want to, some fear herB. What is their Character Journey for this story?
Character Intro: is last to arrive for search party, is told off for being late
Denial: doesn’t want to stay with the group but feels pressured to
Their reaction at first horror: wants to go home
Relation to group after first horror: the group pressures her to stay with them
How they fight back: eventually she uses her voodoo skills to learn killer’s weakness
End Point: she almost defeats the killer but Bonnie’s betrayal stops her
What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Bonnie and the killer think she is dead, but she crawls out from the swamp with a mission to make them pay -
Susannah’s Monster Reveal Track
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is similar to what I learned last time. Breaking the script down this way is a good way to flesh out the script, making it better.1. A. Who is your monster and what is their terror? Louis, a human-snake killer with supernatural powers, is hellbent on getting revenge on the town that killed his mother
Powers? Voodoo, superior strength and toughness, variety of weapons and killing abilities
Limitations? Cannot blend into society, almost instantly regarded as a threat by others
Weaknesses? Voodoo
Plan/Purpose/Appetite? He wants to kill the entire townB. Sequence the reveals.
During first act: foreshadowing the killer’s presence, intentions, and killing method, find voodoo doll stuck to tree – alarming Magnolia
During first act: surprise reveal when killing the head cop, dressed in dark clothing hiding his features
First half of second act: still dressed in black while killing townspeople. During first main character death we see that he is wearing a mask
Midpoint: the main characters watch from afar as the killer takes on some of the townspeople who decide to fight back
Second half of second act: Two more main characters are killed, though little is revealed other than his carnival-related skills. However, it is during this time when the main characters find the killer’s lair and learn he is using voodoo. Before his death, and after finding his lair, Elijah tells the story of the carnival that was destroyed by the town some years ago
Act three: it is revealed during the fight between the main characters and the killer that he is not entirely human – his mask falls and reveals his snake eyes. It is revealed the main characters ran the killer out of town when they were children, which is why he has it in for them
Resolution: the killer, who is still alive, and the main character who was in league with him the whole time, leave the burning town together. The sole survivor crawls out of the swamp, determined to use her voodoo skills to bring them to justiceC. Create Demand for each clue/reveal.
During first act: foreshadowing the killer’s presence, intentions, and killing method, find voodoo doll stuck to tree – alarming Magnolia.
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through terror.During first act: surprise reveal when killing the head cop, dressed in dark clothing hiding his features
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through conflict.First half of second act: still dressed in black while killing townspeople. During first main character death we see that he is wearing a mask
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through curiosity.Midpoint: the main characters watch from afar as the killer takes on some of the townspeople who decide to fight back
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through characters trying to figure out the mystery.Second half of second act: Two more main characters are killed, though little is revealed other than his carnival-related skills. However, it is during this time when the main characters find the killer’s lair and learn he is using voodoo. Before his death, and after finding his lair, Elijah tells the story of the carnival that was destroyed by the town some years ago.
Give us hope that we might be able to solve this with the new information.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through putting together the pieces.Act three: it is revealed during the fight between the main characters and the killer that he is not entirely human – his mask falls and reveals his snake eyes. It is revealed the main characters ran the killer out of town when they were children, which is why he has it in for them.
Escalate the terror, danger, and violence.
Create interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through discovery.Resolution: the killer, who is still alive, and the main character who was in league with him the whole time leave the burning town together. The sole survivor crawls out of the swamp, determined to use her voodoo skills to bring them to justice
Give us hope that we might be able to solve this with the new information.2. Lay that over your current outline and fill in each clue/reveal using the tag “Monster Reveal:.”
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established:
The film opens with a silhouetted scene of carnage – there is a fire, there are screams, there are gunshots. The image is only brief before we cut to our main character, staring off into the swamp. She is obviously upset.
Horror Situation: The memory shows things aren’t as peaceful as they seem.
Reaction: The main character is uncomfortable being in town.
• Connect with the characters:
The main social group of characters have gathered with other members of the community to search for a missing person – a town drunk who they think fell into the swamp during a drunken stupor. Though not a very productive member of the community, the drunk is one of their own and is therefore valuable.
Horror Situation: One of their people is missing.
Reaction: They deny anything more serious has happened.
• The characters are warned not to do it:
One of the townspeople suggests they should all leave the town and abandon it – it has nothing but woe to offer and is a remnant of the past. The main characters argue against this, saying it is their home.
Horror Situation: An ominous cloud befalls the town; there is something in the air.
Reaction: More denial about anything worse going on than just bad vibes.
• Denial of Horror:
The local cop/sheriff suggests the drunk could be dead and search efforts could become retrieval efforts after finding his one of his belongings shredded and covered in blood.
Horror Situation: The prospect of death becomes real.
Reaction: The main characters are worried and afraid they’ll come across a dead body.
• Safety taken away:
The drunk is found – murdered. The kill is deliberate and violent. Some of the townspeople think one of their own must have done it.
Horror Situation: The main characters find the body.
Reaction: They are sickened by the man’s remains.
• Character Death 1: Town Drunk (off screen)
• Why: Sets up the horror that is to come
• How: Stabbed and slashed dozens of timesMonster Reveal:
During first act: foreshadowing the killer’s presence, intentions, and killing method, find voodoo doll stuck to tree – alarming Magnolia
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through terror.• Monster: The nature of the beast:
The killer murders the local cop, destroying the town’s beacon of authority and safety.
Horror Situation: They witness the murder firsthand.
Reaction: They run.
• Character Death 2: Lead cop/sheriff
• Why: He is the town’s authority figure and beacon of safety and stability – he needs to go in order to stir chaos
• How: Surprise attack, decapitation with strange-looking knifeMonster Reveal:
During first act: surprise reveal when killing the head cop, dressed in dark clothing hiding his features
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through conflict.ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The road out of the town and all of the town’s boats are blown up, trapping the townspeople.
Horror Situation: Explosions. Flames. People screaming and running.
• Reaction: They panic – there’s too much going on at once.
• Character Death 3: Random townspeople
• Why: The killer’s time to shine is now, they must all die
• How: The killer uses his knife to slash and stab those within reachMonster Reveal:
First half of second act: still dressed in black while killing townspeople. During first main character death we see that he is wearing a mask
Escalates the terror, danger, and violence.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through curiosity.• One of us killed:
One of the main characters, along with several townspeople, are killed in a surprise attack.
Horror Situation: In the confusion, one of the main characters is killed.
Reaction: The others, witnesses to his death, make a narrow escape.
• Character Death 4: Horace
• Why: The others count on his strength and size to help them
• How: He is beaten and then the killer slams a sledgehammer down onto his faceMIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer:
The killer attacks any and all, breaking into people’s homes or killing them outside. No one knows how to handle it and even a group of gun-toting vigilantes can’t stop him.
Horror Situation: Gunshots ring out, enhancing anxieties.
Reaction: Hope is damaged when the vigilantes are killed.
• Terrorized:
The main characters attempt to hide and find another way out of town – but it seems like everyone is dying. Throughout their efforts, they are killed one by one.
Horror Situation: Screams fill the air and bodies litter the streets.
Reaction: They are forced to think outside the box in order to hide and figure a way out of town.Monster Reveal:
Midpoint: the main characters watch from afar as the killer takes on some of the townspeople who decide to fight back
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through characters trying to figure out the mystery.• Character Death 5: Zoe
• Why: She leaves the group in an attempt to survive alone -she feels she doesn’t need help
• How: The killer knocks her unconscious, ties her to a wall, arms and legs spread out, and he throws knives as he juggles them, the first knives terrorise while the last few kill
• Character Death 6: Elijah
• Why: His wisdom has gone unheeded and he feels like a failure, in this moment of weakness he is killed
• How: He is lifted into the air and his spine is bent backwards in a U shape like a metal rodMonster Reveal:
Second half of second act: Two more main characters are killed, though little is revealed other than his carnival-related skills. However, it is during this time when the main characters find the killer’s lair and learn he is using voodoo. Before his death, and after finding his lair, Elijah tells the story of the carnival that was destroyed by the town some years ago
Give us hope that we might be able to solve this with the new information.
Creates interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through putting together the pieces.ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death:
The remaining main characters, namely a young man who is one of the main social group, decides to take the fight to the killer.
Horror Situation: The killer seems determined to kill this group of individuals.
Reaction: In response, one of them takes the fight to the killer.
• Character Death 7: Waylon (first death – he survives this encounter)
• Why: He decides to fight the killer
• How: The killer cuts Waylon to ribbons using a bullwhip and then strangles him with it• Hysteria:
They lose the fight, the young man is killed, and all hope is lost.
Horror Situation: They are alone, their friend is dead, and they are separated from any other townspeople.
Reaction: They run. All hope is lost.
• The thrilling escape from death:
The remaining heroes escape the killer a couple of times as they struggle to put distance between them and him.
Horror Situation: The killer is right on their heels.
Reaction: They run. Death hasn’t been closer.
• Death returns to take one or more.
The young man makes a surprise return, teaming up with the last two survivors to battle the killer one last time. They are about to be successful when the main character reveals herself to be in league with the killer.
Horror Situation: They are forced to fight the killer.
Reaction: It’s all or nothing.
• Character Death 8: Waylon (second, actual death)
• Why: He fights the killer once more, trying to save any survivors from him
• How: The killer uses his fire breathing skills to set him alightMonster Reveal:
Act three: it is revealed during the fight between the main characters and the killer that he is not entirely human – his mask falls and reveals his snake eyes. It is revealed the main characters ran the killer out of town when they were children, which is why he has it in for them
Escalate the terror, danger, and violence.
Create interest and/or a need to get this piece of the puzzle through discovery.• Resolution:
The young man dies his final death, the main character and the killer leave. However, one of the other main characters survives and crawls out of the swamp – alive but traumatised.
Horror Situation: The lose the fight, the bad guys win.
Reaction: The last survivor is barely alive. She crawls away.Monster Reveal:
Resolution: the killer, who is still alive, and the main character who was in league with him the whole time leave the burning town together. The sole survivor crawls out of the swamp, determined to use her voodoo skills to bring them to justice
Give us hope that we might be able to solve this with the new information. -
Susannah’s Characters for Horror
4. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is that giving characters titles such as Leader or Rebel helps develop their overall character, actions, and worldview1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
A supernatural masked killer gets revenge on a small town. I have chosen C, Social Group.2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
I have chosen A, to put six to eight characters through the ordeal and kill them off one by one and leaving only one survivor.3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
Leader: Bonnie – the person who can be considered the closest thing to a final girl, the twenty-year-old steers her group of friends and other locals in the direction she wants by taking charge of the situation and remaining calm.
Rescuer: Waylon – a young man eager to prove himself. He agrees with Bonnie most of the time and does his best to keep others safe.
Complainer: Horace – a man in his late thirties and the local mechanic, disappointed with his life and his life choices, he thinks dying like the others is unfair.
Rebel: Zoe – a girl in her late twenties, she wants nothing else than to escape her hometown like so many others and make a life for herself elsewhere. She goes along with the group for safety’s sake but eventually goes out on her own.
Moral One: Elijah – an old timer who tries to use his local knowledge to escape and to even figure out who is killing the townspeople. He tries to have the younger ones look inside themselves to find the answers.
Loner: Magnolia – a woman of indeterminant age is quiet, shy, but familiar with voodoo. She is afraid but finds it difficult to ask for help or even rely on others. -
Susannah’s Character Death Track
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is how important character deaths are to the structure of the plot and how they are more than just gruesome death scenes.1. Give us the order your characters die in.
• Character Death 1: Town Drunk (off screen)
• Why: Sets up the horror that is to come
• How: Stabbed and slashed dozens of times• Character Death 2: Lead cop/sheriff
• Why: He is the town’s authority figure and beacon of safety and stability – he needs to go in order to stir chaos
• How: Surprise attack, decapitation with strange-looking knife• Character Death 3: Random townspeople
• Why: The killer’s time to shine is now, they must all die
• How: The killer uses his knife to slash and stab those within reach• Character Death 4: Horace
• Why: The others count on his strength and size to help them
• How: He is beaten and then the killer slams a sledgehammer down onto his face• Character Death 5: Zoe
• Why: She leaves the group in an attempt to survive alone -she feels she doesn’t need help
• How: The killer knocks her unconscious, ties her to a wall, arms and legs spread out, and he throws knives as he juggles them, the first knives terrorise while the last few kill• Character Death 6: Elijah
• Why: His wisdom has gone unheeded and he feels like a failure, in this moment of weakness he is killed
• How: He is lifted into the air and his spine is bent backwards in a U shape like a metal rod• Character Death 7: Waylon (first death – he survives this encounter)
• Why: He decides to fight the killer
• How: The killer cuts Waylon to ribbons using a bullwhip and then strangles him with it• Character Death 8: Waylon (second, actual death)
• Why: He fights the killer once more, trying to save any survivors from him
• How: The killer uses his fire breathing skills to set him alight2. Build the answers into your outline:
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established:
The film opens with a silhouetted scene of carnage – there is a fire, there are screams, there are gunshots. The image is only brief before we cut to our main character, staring off into the swamp. She is obviously upset.
Horror Situation: The memory shows things aren’t as peaceful as they seem.
Reaction: The main character is uncomfortable being in town.
• Connect with the characters:
The main social group of characters have gathered with other members of the community to search for a missing person – a town drunk who they think fell into the swamp during a drunken stupor. Though not a very productive member of the community, the drunk is one of their own and is therefore valuable.
Horror Situation: One of their people is missing.
Reaction: They deny anything more serious has happened.
• The characters are warned not to do it:
One of the townspeople suggests they should all leave the town and abandon it – it has nothing but woe to offer and is a remnant of the past. The main characters argue against this, saying it is their home.
Horror Situation: An ominous cloud befalls the town; there is something in the air.
Reaction: More denial about anything worse going on than just bad vibes.
• Denial of Horror:
The local cop/sheriff suggests the drunk could be dead and search efforts could become retrieval efforts after finding his one of his belongings shredded and covered in blood.
Horror Situation: The prospect of death becomes real.
Reaction: The main characters are worried and afraid they’ll come across a dead body.
• Safety taken away:
The drunk is found – murdered. The kill is deliberate and violent. Some of the townspeople think one of their own must have done it.
Horror Situation: The main characters find the body.
Reaction: They are sickened by the man’s remains.
• Character Death 1: Town Drunk (off screen)
• Why: Sets up the horror that is to come
• How: Stabbed and slashed dozens of times• Monster: The nature of the beast:
The killer murders the local cop, destroying the town’s beacon of authority and safety.
Horror Situation: They witness the murder firsthand.
Reaction: They run.
• Character Death 2: Lead cop/sheriff
• Why: He is the town’s authority figure and beacon of safety and stability – he needs to go in order to stir chaos
• How: Surprise attack, decapitation with strange-looking knifeACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The road out of the town and all of the town’s boats are blown up, trapping the townspeople.
Horror Situation: Explosions. Flames. People screaming and running.
• Reaction: They panic – there’s too much going on at once.
• Character Death 3: Random townspeople
• Why: The killer’s time to shine is now, they must all die
• How: The killer uses his knife to slash and stab those within reach• One of us killed:
One of the main characters, along with several townspeople, are killed in a surprise attack.
Horror Situation: In the confusion, one of the main characters is killed.
Reaction: The others, witnesses to his death, make a narrow escape.
• Character Death 4: Horace
• Why: The others count on his strength and size to help them
• How: He is beaten and then the killer slams a sledgehammer down onto his faceMIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer:
The killer attacks any and all, breaking into people’s homes or killing them outside. No one knows how to handle it and even a group of gun-toting vigilantes can’t stop him.
Horror Situation: Gunshots ring out, enhancing anxieties.
Reaction: Hope is damaged when the vigilantes are killed.
• Terrorized:
The main characters attempt to hide and find another way out of town – but it seems like everyone is dying. Throughout their efforts, they are killed one by one.
Horror Situation: Screams fill the air and bodies litter the streets.
Reaction: They are forced to think outside the box in order to hide and figure a way out of town.
• Character Death 5: Zoe
• Why: She leaves the group in an attempt to survive alone -she feels she doesn’t need help
• How: The killer knocks her unconscious, ties her to a wall, arms and legs spread out, and he throws knives as he juggles them, the first knives terrorise while the last few kill
• Character Death 6: Elijah
• Why: His wisdom has gone unheeded and he feels like a failure, in this moment of weakness he is killed
• How: He is lifted into the air and his spine is bent backwards in a U shape like a metal rodACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death:
The remaining main characters, namely a young man who is one of the main social group, decides to take the fight to the killer.
Horror Situation: The killer seems determined to kill this group of individuals.
Reaction: In response, one of them takes the fight to the killer.
• Character Death 7: Waylon (first death – he survives this encounter)
• Why: He decides to fight the killer
• How: The killer cuts Waylon to ribbons using a bullwhip and then strangles him with it• Hysteria:
They lose the fight, the young man is killed, and all hope is lost.
Horror Situation: They are alone, their friend is dead, and they are separated from any other townspeople.
Reaction: They run. All hope is lost.
• The thrilling escape from death:
The remaining heroes escape the killer a couple of times as they struggle to put distance between them and him.
Horror Situation: The killer is right on their heels.
Reaction: They run. Death hasn’t been closer.
• Death returns to take one or more.
The young man makes a surprise return, teaming up with the last two survivors to battle the killer one last time. They are about to be successful when the main character reveals herself to be in league with the killer.
Horror Situation: They are forced to fight the killer.
Reaction: It’s all or nothing.
• Character Death 8: Waylon (second, actual death)
• Why: He fights the killer once more, trying to save any survivors from him
• How: The killer uses his fire breathing skills to set him alight• Resolution:
The young man dies his final death, the main character and the killer leave. However, one of the other main characters survives and crawls out of the swamp – alive but traumatised.
Horror Situation: The lose the fight, the bad guys win.
Reaction: The last survivor is barely alive. She crawls away. -
Susannah’s Horror Situation Track
2. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is this entire method. I haven’t thought of including situations and reactions this way.1. Build horror situations into your plot by taking the following steps:
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established:
The film opens with a silhouetted scene of carnage – there is a fire, there are screams, there are gunshots. The image is only brief before we cut to our main character, staring off into the swamp. She is obviously upset.
Horror Situation: The memory shows things aren’t as peaceful as they seem.
Reaction: The main character is uncomfortable being in town.
• Connect with the characters:
The main social group of characters have gathered with other members of the community to search for a missing person – a town drunk who they think fell into the swamp during a drunken stupor. Though not a very productive member of the community, the drunk is one of their own and is therefore valuable.
Horror Situation: One of their people is missing.
Reaction: They deny anything more serious has happened.
• The characters are warned not to do it:
One of the townspeople suggests they should all leave the town and abandon it – it has nothing but woe to offer and is a remnant of the past. The main characters argue against this, saying it is their home.
Horror Situation: An ominous cloud befalls the town; there is something in the air.
Reaction: More denial about anything worse going on than just bad vibes.
• Denial of Horror:
The local cop/sheriff suggests the drunk could be dead and search efforts could become retrieval efforts after finding his one of his belongings shredded and covered in blood.
Horror Situation: The prospect of death becomes real.
Reaction: The main characters are worried and afraid they’ll come across a dead body.
• Safety taken away:
The drunk is found – murdered. The kill is deliberate and violent. Some of the townspeople think one of their own must have done it.
Horror Situation: The main characters find the body.
Reaction: They are sickened by the man’s remains.
• Monster: The nature of the beast:
The killer murders the local cop, destroying the town’s beacon of authority and safety.
Horror Situation: They witness the murder firsthand.
Reaction: They run.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The road out of the town and all of the town’s boats are blown up, trapping the townspeople.
Horror Situation: Explosions. Flames. People screaming and running.
Reaction: They panic – there’s too much going on at once.
• One of us killed:
One of the main characters, along with several townspeople, are killed in a surprise attack.
Horror Situation: In the confusion, one of the main characters is killed.
Reaction: The others, witnesses to his death, make a narrow escape.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer:
The killer attacks any and all, breaking into people’s homes or killing them outside. No one knows how to handle it and even a group of gun-toting vigilantes can’t stop him.
Horror Situation: Gunshots ring out, enhancing anxieties.
Reaction: Hope is damaged when the vigilantes are killed.
• Terrorized:
The main characters attempt to hide and find another way out of town – but it seems like everyone is dying. Throughout their efforts, they are killed one by one.
Horror Situation: Screams fill the air and bodies litter the streets.
Reaction: They are forced to think outside the box in order to hide and figure a way out of town.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death:
The remaining main characters, namely a young man who is one of the main social group, decides to take the fight to the killer.
Horror Situation: The killer seems determined to kill this group of individuals.
Reaction: In response, one of them takes the fight to the killer.
• Hysteria:
They lose the fight, the young man is killed, and all hope is lost.
Horror Situation: They are alone, their friend is dead, and they are separated from any other townspeople.
Reaction: They run. All hope is lost.
• The thrilling escape from death:
The remaining heroes escape the killer a couple of times as they struggle to put distance between them and him.
Horror Situation: The killer is right on their heels.
Reaction: They run. Death hasn’t been closer.
• Death returns to take one or more.
The young man makes a surprise return, teaming up with the last two survivors to battle the killer one last time. They are about to be successful when the main character reveals herself to be in league with the killer.
Horror Situation: They are forced to fight the killer.
Reaction: It’s all or nothing.
• Resolution:
The young man dies his final death, the main character and the killer leave. However, one of the other main characters survives and crawls out of the swamp – alive but traumatised.
Horror Situation: The lose the fight, the bad guys win.
Reaction: The last survivor is barely alive. She crawls away. -
2. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is that this template is such an easy way to get down the plot without getting lost or distracted. The prompts to fill out have really helped to straighten out the story in broad strokes.1. Knowing your concept, fill in one or two sentences for each of the plot points.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
• Atmosphere of Evil established:
The film opens with a silhouetted scene of carnage – there is a fire, there are screams, there are gunshots. The image is only brief before we cut to our main character, staring off into the swamp. She is obviously upset.
• Connect with the characters:
The main social group of characters are gathered with other members of the community to search for a missing person – a town drunk who they think fell into the swamp during a drunken stupor.
• The characters are warned not to do it:
One of the townspeople suggests they should all leave the town and abandon it – it has nothing but woe to offer and is a remnant of the past. The main characters argue against this, saying it is their home.
• Denial of Horror:
The local cop/sheriff suggests the drunk could be dead and search efforts could become retrieval efforts after finding his one of his belongings covered in blood and shredded.
• Safety taken away:
The drunk is found – murdered. The kill is deliberate and violent. One of the townspeople did it.
• Monster: The nature of the beast:
The killer murders the local cop, destroying the town’s beacon of authority and safety.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted:
The road out of the town and all of the town’s boats are blown up, trapping the townspeople.
• One of us killed:
One of the main characters, along with several townspeople, are killed in a surprise attack.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
• Full pursuit by the killer:
The killer attacks any and all, breaking into people’s homes or killing them outside. No one knows how to handle it and even a group of gun-toting vigilantes can’t stop him.
• Terrorized:
The main characters attempt to hide and find another way out of town – but it seems like everyone is dying. Throughout their efforts, they are killed one by one.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
• Fight to the death:
The remaining main characters, namely a young man who is one of the main social group, decides to take the fight to the killer.
• Hysteria:
They lose the fight, the young man is killed, and all hope is lost.
• The thrilling escape from death:
The remaining heroes escape the killer a couple of times as they struggle to get distance from him.
• Death returns to take one or more.
The young man makes a surprise return, teaming up with the last two survivors to battle the killer one last time. They are about to be successful when the main character reveals herself to be in league with the killer.
• Resolution:
The young man dies his final death, the main character and the killer leave. However, one of the main characters survives and crawls out of the swamp – alive but traumatised. -
Susannah’s Terrifying Monster
3. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” and put it at the top of your work.
What I learned doing this assignment is the intricacies of nailing down the elements of terror. The questions presented made me think and I feel my work is better for it.1. Tell us what or who your monster is.
The monster is a masked slasher who was turned into a creature when his mother cast a voodoo spell on him in utero. He was born a creature who is half man and half snake.2. Give us a few sentences for each of the following for your monster:
Their Terror:
The monster sneaks into guarded places or attacks from the swamp. Its actions incite distrust and unease among the locals of the town. No one knows who it is or why it is killing the townspeople.
Using the swamp as its base, it sneaks up on its victims.
The town’s leaders are killed first, then the only safe way out of town is destroyed.
It kills everyone.
Sneaks up on people, often when they are alone, to kill.
The town’s authorities are killed first, the road out of town is blown up, and the boats are sunk.Their Mystery:
An impossible killer is in town. What is the killer? It doesn’t seem human. How does it hunt them. Why is it killing them? What does it want? How will they survive? Is it human? What is it?Their Fear Provoking Appearance:
It is a human/snake hybrid.
It wears a mask to conceal its identity and its snake-like features.
It uses a variety of weapons based on carnival implements.
A human with snake eyes dressed in dark attire.Their Rules:
The monster does not forgive anyone and will not be deterred. It has a mission and will see it through.
It desires to kill an entire town, not just one or several people. The town has a population of 200 people.
It is extremely tough and could even have strong scales on parts of its body. Being born from voodoo has given it extreme toughness.
It appears the monster is killed before the reveal of the final girl’s twist, then it is revealed he is not dead at all.
The only thing that can kill it is voodoo, as he uses voodoo to protect himself from things such as firearms and is even a product of powerful magic.Their Mythology:
The killer’s mother was a snake dancer/charmer in a travelling carnival. She used voodoo to give birth to a human/snake hybrid due to her love of snakes and fear of people. The carnival came to this town and were terrorised, then killed. The carnival was burned and ditched in the swamp, leading to the local legend of the missing carnival. The young snake-man fled the carnage, vowing to come back one day and have his revenge. The people of the town terrorised the mother because they found out about her ability to practice voodoo. -
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Horror Conventions
Title: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
Terrorise the Characters:
A cannibalistic family tortures and murders a group of friends that stumbled into their home.Isolation:
The friends are kept in a house in rural Texas, surrounded by empty country.Death:
Sledgehammers, meat hooks, knives and a chainsaw are used to bash skulls, impale, and eviscerate.Monster:
A family of four main offenders, including the iconic chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.High Tension:
An unstable and violent hitchhiker terrorises their drive. Friends go missing one at a time while looking for petrol and find the murderous family’s house. Chase main girl with chainsaw. Keep her captive. Being prepared to be eaten.Departure from Reality:
Realistic characters, the group of friends, go about their business until confronted by the extreme horrors and violence committed by the cannibalistic family, which is unreal to the group of friends. This is an unreal situation for the group of friends.Moral Statement:
Their naivety, unworldliness and even arrogance leads them into a violent situation. The moral statement is: not everybody adheres to your beliefs or worldview, so don’t think they do or you might end up in trouble.3. Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great horror film?
This film helped established some of the conventions of the genre, such as the final girl convention.5. Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
What I learned doing this assignment is how to analyse a film for its moral statement. This is an important component that I try to implement in my own work, so watching another film closely for its moral statement has been a good skill-building exercise.4. With your concept, fill in each of these Conventions for your story.
Concept:
Serpent; a masked killer gets revenge on a small town.Terrorize The Characters:
A masked killer preys upon the locals of a small town, using a variety of killing methods to kill them, which makes the townspeople afraid to leave their homes.Isolation:
The town is located in the deep south, near the swamps of Louisiana. Dangerous swampland surrounds the town for miles.Death:
The killer uses a variety of weapons and methods to kill his victims, all of which are inspired by the skills and talents of carnival performers.Monster/Villain:
The masked killer is a snake-like man with incredible strength and toughness. He uses the skills he learned as a child in the carnival to torture and kill his victims.High Tension:
The identity of the killer is unknown, causing distrust and fear among the locals. It seems no one is safe.Departure from Reality:
The killer has some supernatural heritage. He is not entirely human. The entire town is his target.Moral Statement:
Don’t ostracise people based on superficial things. Don’t jump on the bandwagon – be moral. Basically, don’t judge a book by its cover. -
1. Name: Susannah
2. How many scripts you’ve written? A lot.
3. What you hope to get out of the class? To learn the specifics of the genre.
4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? I lost an eye in a knife throwing accident.-
This reply was modified 1 year ago by Susannah Farrow.
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This reply was modified 1 year ago by
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Name: Susannah
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