[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is adding in the four horror emotions completely elevates the scene to intense terror

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

CARRIE is manacled to the wall. On the table, just out of reach is a gun. DYLAN has JAMES at gunpoint and walks him into the room. James is also holding a gun. ALESSANDRA and CHUCK are hiding under the kitchen table, looking at everyone’s ankles.

DYLAN
This is your big scene James. All you have to do is rescue the love of your life. Just act like a hero and this will all be over. But we have to make it a fair fight.

DYLAN gestures towards CARRIE.

DYLAN
Unlock one of her manacles and give her the gun from the table.

ALESSANDRA and CHUCK hold their breath as the feet get closer to them.

JAMES
What do you want me to do? The script says I kill her.

DYLAN
Get into character. She’s evil. She’s been stalking everyone without mercy. If you don’t, your girlfriend is going to kill everyone here. But you love her. You do love her don’t you, James?

JAMES doesn’t respond.

CARRIE (whisper)
Please, James. Please. I love you. I always loved you.

DYLAN
This is your choice. Play your part. Kill your girlfriend or I will fucking end you right now.

JAMES
I’m… I… Carrie. I’m sorry.

JAMES fires the gun. CARRIE’S head droops as a stray bullet fires from her gun. It bounces near ALESSANDRA and she has to cover her mouth to keep from screaming as blood drips from her arm.

DYLAN
That was disappointing. I guess you didn’t understand what being a hero means.

DYLAN shoots JAMES and his body drops to the floor. His dead eyes stare directly at ALESSANDRA.

DYLAN hesitates near the body for a moment and then he walks the other way. CHUCK and ALESSANDRA are still shaking with terror when they finally get the courage to come out from under the table.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is this is the most fun part of the movie for me. I like trying to ratchet up these emotions. My scene needs work but it feels like these emotions will definitely make this section better.

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

DYLAN
Action!

AMANDA walks toward the cupboard and a bear trap, hidden under dust and debris snaps into her leg. AMANDA screams. Blood gushes. If this is acting, AMANDA is knocking it out of the park. She falls to the floor. DYLAN follows with the camera.

DYLAN
Use that! Use the pain.

AMANDA
Stop rolling and get me the fuck out of here you asshole!

ALESSANDRA walks in. She’s horrified to see the carnage. She turns to leave but before she does, she sees DYLAN grab a knife from the kitchen knife block.

DYLAN
Show me more. I need to see the pain. The true pain, deep down. Show it to me and I’ll let you out.

AMANDA, already crying, whispers.

AMANDA
Please.

DYLAN
Close. So close. I just need a little more.

DYLAN slices into Amanda’s wounded leg with the knife. AMANDA screams.

DYLAN
That’s it! Keep that going.

ALESSANDRA sneaks away before DYLAN sees her.

INT – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

RAVI, CHUCK and CARRIE are gathered on the couch. ALESSANDRA rushes in.

ALESSANDRA
He’s lost it. He’s going to murder Amanda. We have to get out of here.

RAVI laughs. CHUCK gets up and heads for the nearest door. The door closes with a loud bang. A lock clicking into place sounds. CHUCK grabs the door.

CHUCK
Ow, fuck, the handle’s hot.

The screams from the kitchen stop. From the other side of the door there is a loud thump.

Beat

Another loud thump.

Beat

The door unlocks

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this lesson is getting the emotions in there is important. I found it a little hard to do and I definitely know this scene will need a rewrite but I was able to get the emotions to show up at least.

Pick a scene –

EXT – DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

It’s dark and the roads get blocked by downed trees, rain is constant. Dylan tells the union guys and car service to make sure they don’t come back until morning. Chuck overhears this but thinks this is just part of Dylan’s method.
Chuck passes on what he just saw to the others. Most of them agree with Chuck, it’s just how Dylan is. But, Virginia and Alessandra are skeptical.

Ravi who has worked with Dylan talks about how ultimately it was a good experience

Create an outline of the scene that includes each of these emotions — apprehension/anxiety, surprise, and shock.

Apprehension – Union worker comes up to Dylan. He mentions the rain is getting bad, the time is near where they need to leave, and the roads may become impassable. Dylan instructs the union guy to get everyone together as quickly as possible and get out of there.

Anxiety – Chuck watches on as this happens. He tells the actors what he overhears.

Surprise – As the actors finish speaking to one another, Dylan shows up in the mask of the killer and the actors jump in surprise.

Shock – Going through the props, Chuck discovers a severed finger. It’s super realistic, almost as if it could be a real finger.

Write the scene as a first draft

EXT – DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

Rain is constant, lightning and thunder in the background

DYLAN waves to UNION WORKER who is packing up gear and equipment.

DYLAN

I need you out of here. Five more minutes and we hit overtime.

UNION WORKER

Packing up now boss. You sure you want to stay here? Roads are impassable if the creek gets backed up.

DYLAN

It adds to the atmosphere. We’re not going anywhere tonight. Don’t return until I call you. Not a goddamn minute of overtime, got it?

UNION WORKER

Got it boss.

The worker leaves. As he walks away, we see CHUCK has been watching the conversation.

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

CHUCK walks in to see RAVI, ALESSANDRA, and VIRGINIA rehearsing dialogue.

CHUCK

We’re trapped for the night. No escape.

RAVI

Dylan always works this way.

VIRGINIA

It’s going to be a long night

JAMES and CARRIE enter suddenly, laughing, making lots of noise, surprising ALESSANDRA. The group laughs it off.
DYLAN comes in, wearing a terrifying mask and stands there silently. The room goes cold and everyone turns to the menacing figure.

After a beat DYLAN takes off the mask. RAVI wraps his arm around DYLAN’S shoulders.

RAVI

What a guy. Already getting us in the mood.

DYLAN sets the mask on a table filled with props and quietly leaves the room.

CHUCK goes to inspect the mask and picks up a severed finger prop.

CHUCK

Damn this thing looks real.

ALESSANDRA takes a look.

ALESSANDRA

That’s no prop.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned is I have more of an outline than I thought but I feel like it’s still missing a lot. I’m hoping adding in the horror emotions will really help.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

INT – FILM SET – DAY

Dylan, a director, is pushing the boundaries of Amanda, an actress who has had a recent scandal, telling her to do things that cross ethical lines and putting her in physical danger. When she pushes back he reminds her of the paycheck she has waiting for her.

Dylan has a frank meeting with the actors to tell them he wants everyone to be in method, and react to what they hear but understand that everything is fiction. They are in a situation where there is a killer on the loose and they are to play their parts.

The actors agree to the conditions although several are skeptical of both method acting and Dylan’s demands. But they play along because Dylan has a legendary reputation of being a difficult genius.

INT – LIVING ROOM – DAY

The actors are shown rehearsing dialogue, practicing their screams, putting makeup on etc. Amanda makes snide comments to Virginia who retorts about the recent scandal Amanda has had. Alessandra tries to make peace. Chuck prays and makes the sign of the cross. Ravi cracks jokes.

Amanda tells the other actors how difficult Dylan is being and says they should all walk out in protest. But these are young actors who want stardom and fame and know they are working with a legendary director so they decide to stay, even though there will be no car service for the remainder of the night.

EXT – DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

It’s dark and the roads get blocked by downed trees, rain is constant. Dylan tells the union guys and car service to make sure they don’t come back until morning. Chuck overhears this but thinks this is just part of Dylan’s method.

Chuck passes on what he just saw to the others. Most of them agree with Chuck, it’s just how Dylan is. But, Virginia and Alessandra are skeptical.

Ravi who has worked with Dylan talks about how ultimately it was a good experience for Dylan to push him to his limits and that Dylan knows what the rules are.

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

Dylan purposely injures an actor to elevate their performance to make it more believable.

Several actors disperse and try to get their thoughts together. They try to decide if Dylan is just pushing boundaries or if he is going too far.

Dylan passes the whole thing off as not meaning much and demands better performances from the actors.

INT – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Union workers leave due to regulations, the car service that takes actors to the woods leaves, and Dylan says he will take over camera and directing duties.

Chuck is warned away from Dylan as a director by union workers and/or drivers. He wants to stay to further his career. Chuck is sure things will work out.

The union worker reveals a little story about Dylan and how one of the actors he worked with quit acting completely because she was so traumatized.

Chuck is beginning to have an understanding of how far this could go.

INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT

After Virginia goes to shoot a scene, she doesn’t come back. Dylan insists she just went somewhere to be alone but there is blood on Dylan’s clothes. He says it’s just makeup. Alessandra is a full time nurse and realizes that if the blood is makeup, it’s very realistic.

The remaining actors make a plan to look for Virginia.

We see Dylan locking the door to the room Virginia was last seen in.

Some of the actors think Dylan has to have done something bad to Virginia. But a makeup person went into the room as well, so it could be nothing, Dylan, or the makeup person.

INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT

Virginia is stabbed over and over but the other actors think she’s just acting and they only hear her screams. Most of them are surprised at how real her screams sound.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

EXT – DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

The actors are told the rest of the scenes will be filmed inside the house and so they all need to go in to get ready for their scenes. But once inside, the doors and windows automatically lock.

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

Dylan gets Amanda locked into a bear trap and refuses to let her out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor.

The actors attempt to find ways out of the house but the house is trapped.

Amanda – The obnoxious one dies off screen when Dylan takes her to do a scene and stabs her to death. She is overconfident in her acting abilities because of her fame but Dylan knows she’s a terrible actress.

Despite the previous incidents, Dylan knows how to charm an actor. He uses that against Amanda, showing he is extremely persuasive.

INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT

While looking for ways out of the house, Jim and Carrie stumble upon the dead body of Virginia, her throat slit.

Dylan isolates pairs of actors but tells the others what doom is in store for each set of actors.

Some actors try to figure ways out of the trap while others decide to look for weapons.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

Ravi sets off a trap and instead of helping, Dylan just keeps encouraging him to act like someone in the situation would. Dylan refuses to let him out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor. Alessandra has to watch.

Dylan knows how to push the buttons of Alessandra and knows hurting her is less painful for her than watching someone else get hurt.

INT – HOUSE – DAY

Dylan takes glee in chasing actors around, setting off traps, and stabbing whoever he can corner. Dylan cuts the throat of Ravi right in front of the others. There is no denying he is actually killing people at this point.

The remaining actors can’t believe this is real and think Ravi is just pulling off some major acting.

Anyone who was still denying the situation is now confronted with the awful truth: there is a psychotic killer who controls their environment and is in hot pursuit of them.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

INT – KITCHEN – NIGHT

The remaining male actors decide they can take Dylan down if they team up. Dylan cuts them down in the attempt but they survive, injured and weakened.

Dylan has the lovers trapped. Their only escape is to sacrifice the other or die.

Some fight Dylan and lose, while others try to get out but die in traps.

Carrie dies when her boyfriend chooses to stab her rather than die himself. James is killed by Dylan with a knife immediately after he kills Carrie.

Dylan only wants to see the deaths on film. When James breaks Dylan’s camera he snaps back to normal momentarily. But he finds a cell phone to use for footage and is right back to being a psychopath.

Dylan is telling the remaining characters what a wonderful film they are making as he cuts into them.

As the actors are quietly whispering to one another, trying to figure out what to do, Dylan pumps extremely loud music through the house, making it impossible to communicate verbally.

Chuck figures out how to cut the sound to the speakers.

While Dylan has control of the environment, he seems to forget actors have agency and can think outside of their assigned roles. The systems Dylan has in place can be overridden.

The actors who are left try to flee only to find more trapped rooms. But, they maneuver around so Dylan himself falls into the trap.

Alessandra and Chuck are the only ones left. Chuck goes to pray at a cross when the floor gives way. Alessandra tries to save him but is hit from behind by Dylan.

Chuck dives through the hole in the floor to get away from Dylan.

Chuck figures out how to open the doors to the house but when he presses the button to release the doors, a fatal electric shock is delivered.

Alessandra is the last one remaining after Dylan has killed everyone else.

Chuck dies in the attempt to escape but Alessandra, who Dylan thought was dead, regains consciousness. She stabs Dylan to death.

Dylan regrets what he’s done once the cameras are off.

EXT – DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

The last surviving member is in hysterics as she leaves the house to find the union workers and car service have returned and she is given treatment and asked to tell what happened.

We see some found footage of the film Dylan was making.

Alessandra is in shocked disbelief over what happened.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is going through each character’s path started to give me a bigger picture of the movie as a whole.

Amanda

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Out of Control/Obnoxious. Amanda, a highly paid actress who had a recent scandal and looks down on everyone in the group.
2. Traits: Attention seeking, scandalous, stuck up
3. Fears: Being forgotten or ostracized
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to recover her reputation/needs to acknowledge her past mistakes
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Not exactly likable but is willing to apologize when she has made a mistake
6. How they react under stress: Utter panic and unleashed anger
7. Relationship with other characters: Looks down on them. Feels she is owed praise and attention from them.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: Walks past a gaggle of reporters demanding to know if rumors about scandal are true. She smiles for the cameras but says nothing.
2. Denial: Thinks she is too famous an actor to come to harm.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Ignores it completely thinking it has nothing to do with her.
4. Relation to group after first horror: Becomes even more distant, thinks they are out to get her.
5. How they fight back: With surprise and outrage
6. End Point: Stabbed by Dylan
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? She’s the second actress to go missing. Something is clearly wrong with the situation at this point.

Chuck

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Moral one. Chuck, a religious man driven by his faith with a strong sense of right and wrong.
2. Traits: Driven by faith. Thinks no matter what happens, God meant for it to be that way.
3. Fears: Going to Hell
4. Wants/Needs: For others to buy into his religion. Needs to survive Dylan
5. Likability / Rooting factors: While he is religious, he doesn’t push it on others and he accepts people for who they are.
6. How they react under stress: Prayer. Believes God will protect him.
7. Relationship with other characters: Kind and outgoing.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: While others are rehearsing lines, Chuck is reading the Bible
2. Denial: Doesn’t believe Dylan has it in him to be evil
3. Their reaction at first horror: Prayer
4. Relation to group after first horror: Becomes a bit of a leader but is not trusted by all of the actors because Chuck keeps saying God will protect them.
5. How they fight back: First by prayer but then tries to bring the group together to fight
6. End Point: Electrocuted through one of Dylan’s traps
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Even after his death, Dylan can still kill.

Ravi

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Rebel/Rulebreaker. Ravi, never wants to follow the script, always playing pranks, and possibly a red herring as well.
2. Traits: Uses humor to make friends. Hates structure
3. Fears: Starving to death
4. Wants/Needs : Wants to get his acting career going. Needs to please Dylan to do so
5. Likability / Rooting factors: He’s funny and entertaining
6. How they react under stress: Cracks jokes
7. Relationship with other characters: Hated by Chuck but the rest of the group enjoys his antics

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: Ravi is cracking jokes about the character he’ll be playing in the movie
2. Denial: Thinks Dylan is going for something cathartic and it will make them all stronger actors
3. Their reaction at first horror: Complete disbelief. Is sure it’s all been staged somehow.
4. Relation to group after first horror: Goes from being liked to being disliked when he makes jokes no one is asking for.
5. How they fight back: Expects others to take charge but is willing to do whatever they say.
6. End Point: Caught in a trap by Dylan, is forced to put on the best performance of his life and then is ended right in front of Alessandra
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Dylan is out of control and has no bounds, except, he will not kill if the cameras are not rolling.

Virginia

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Innocent. Virginia, was called in at the last minute to be part of the project and has no idea what is going on.
2. Traits: Sweet, kind, naive and nervous
3. Fears: Public speaking
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to do a good job and go home. Needs to escape the death trap Dylan has devised
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Isn’t here for herself. Not a trained actor and really is just trying to help someone out.
6. How they react under stress: Confusion
7. Relationship with other characters: Tries to get to know them but they don’t want much to do with her

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: Virginia has to introduce herself to everyone and explain why she’s there in the first place
2. Denial: At first thinks everything is how things are supposed to go on a movie set.
3. Their reaction at first horror: Tries to go along with Dylan but ends up dying.
4. Relation to group after first horror: The first victim
5. How they fight back: Loud screaming
6. End Point: First to die when Dylan stabs her away from the view of the rest of the actors
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? It starts the horror and begins the mystery of why someone might be killing actors

Alessandra

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: The rescuer. Alessandra, a struggling actress who is also an on-call nurse and is one of the first to realize people are getting hurt.
2. Traits: Takes charge, not afraid of blood, and knows how to heal injuries
3. Fears: Other people dying when she can’t save them
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to be a star. Needs to dedicate her life to healing others
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Is a healer and a helper. Takes charge but in a way that is not insulting.
6. How they react under stress: Doesn’t worry for herself but is very concerned how things are affecting the rest of the group
7. Relationship with other characters: Everyone in the group likes her

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: Alessandra changes out of her scrubs into her costume
2. Denial: Mildly suspicious at first but when she sees blood on Dylan she knows it’s real
3. Their reaction at first horror: Anger. Takes charge immediately
4. Relation to group after first horror: Becomes the de facto leader
5. How they fight back: From a distance. Gathers information and weapons, directs others
6. End Point: Alessandra kills the killer
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Alessandra is a survivor, highly traumatized, not as much from her being in the situation as from seeing all the others die in front of her when she couldn’t help.

Carrie

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Lover. Carrie, who is only agreeing to do this film for her boyfriend James
2. Traits: Madly in love with James but is actually a great actress
3. Fears: Losing James
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to please James. Needs to dump James
5. Likability / Rooting factors: Is deeply in love. Is willing to go far to fight for that love
6. How they react under stress: Checks to see how James reacts
7. Relationship with other characters: Most of them try to tell her to dump James

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: Carrie tells James he owes her big time for coming to the shoot
2. Denial: Is pretty sure things are normal on the set
3. Their reaction at first horror: Grabs James
4. Relation to group after first horror: Most of them ignore her but she doesn’t care as long as James is still there.
5. How they fight back: Believes James will save her
6. End Point: Dies when James has to choose between his own life and hers
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Bargaining with Dylan is not going to work

James

A. What is their Character Profile?

1. Role: Love interest. James who only says he cares about Carrie. He is actually only interested in sleeping with as many people as he can.
2. Traits: Flirtatious and unfaithful
3. Fears: Someone will expose him for the fraud he is
4. Wants/Needs: Wants to sleep with as many people as he can. Needs to put someone else above himself for once.
5. Likability / Rooting factors: He is a smooth talker
6. How they react under stress: Laughs it off
7. Relationship with other characters: Carrie is obsessed with him. Amanda wants to sleep with him. Everyone else thinks he’s a jerk.

B. What is their Character Journey for this story?

1. Character Intro: James is having a fight with Carrie over his infidelity
2. Denial: James thinks it’s all some kind of joke
3. Their reaction at first horror: Worried he won’t get to hook up with Amanda.
4. Relation to group after first horror: Only Carrie and Amanda like him at all and after the first horror, Amanda hates him too.
5. How they fight back: Looks out for himself but does team up with other guys when he thinks they have a shot at winning.
6. End Point: Chooses to sacrifice Carrie to save his own life and is immediately killed for it by Dylan
7. What insight do their deaths or survival bring to the others/audience? Dylan is relentless about how he wants the movie to go. If actors don’t play their roles, they die.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is this was one of the harder parts for me. I'm not sure if I have too many monster reveals or am not creating enough interest but this part is one that I am sure I will come back to and most likely redo.

A. Who is your monster and what is their terror? Dylan Craft, a filmmaker who wants to capture the moment of death on film.

• What are its powers? Extremely charismatic, has a trusted reputation, is able to get to the emotional core of actors, and controls the environment.
• What are its limitations? Will only kill when cameras are rolling.
• What are its weaknesses? Is human so can be killed by normal means.
• What is its Plan/Purpose/Appetite? Plan is to lure unsuspecting actors to their deaths, in order to capture the moment on film to satisfy appetite for real emotion and artistry.

B. Sequence the reveals

• Dylan is shown to be a harsh director, who has a reputation for taking actors to the edge, but is considered a genius.
• Dylan tells the union guys and car service to make sure they don’t come back until morning.
• Dylan passes the whole thing off as not meaning much and demands better performances from the actors.
• The union worker reveals a little story about Dylan and how one of the actors he worked with quit acting completely because she was so traumatized.
• We see Dylan locking the door to the room Virginia was last seen in.
• Dylan shows what he’s capable of and it’s up to and past the point of death.
• Despite the previous incidents, Dylan knows how to charm an actor. He uses that against Amanda, showing he is extremely persuasive.
• Dylan not only controls the actors, he controls the environment.
• Dylan is not only vicious to those he is filming, he’s cruel to those watching him work.
• Dylan really is a psychopath, not some genius director.
• Dylan only wants to see the deaths on film. When James breaks Dylan’s camera he snaps back to normal momentarily. But he finds a cell phone to use for footage and is right back to being a psychopath.
• While Dylan has control of the environment, he seems to forget actors have agency and can think outside of their assigned roles.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR</P

Atmosphere of Evil established: Dylan is on a movie set and he is pushing the boundaries of Amanda, an actress who has had a recent scandal, telling her to do things that cross ethical lines and putting her in physical danger. When she pushes back he reminds her of the paycheck she has waiting for her.

Horror situation: Dylan has a frank meeting with the actors at the beginning to tell them he wants everyone to be in method, and react to what they hear but understand that everything is fiction. Only, it is not fiction.

Reaction: Denial. The actors understand they will be challenged but also believe they are in a safe situation.

Monster Reveal: Dylan is shown to be a harsh director, who has a reputation for taking actors to the edge, but is considered a genius.

Create interest: Through conflict with the director.

Connect with the characters: The actors are shown rehearsing dialogue, practicing their screams, putting makeup on etc.

Horror situation: There are some actors who are more famous than others and the more famous ones look down on the newcomers.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The peacemakers among the group, Chuck, Alessandra and Virgina try to cool down the tension.

The characters are warned not to do it.: Amanda tells the other actors how difficult Dylan is being and says they should all walk out in protest. But these are young actors who want stardom and fame and know they are working with a legendary director so they decide to stay, even though there will be no car service for the remainder of the night.

Horror situation: It gets dark, the roads get blocked by downed trees, and rain is constant.

Monster reveal: Dylan tells the union guys and car service to make sure they don’t come back until morning.

Create interest: Through discovery. One of the actors overhears the exchange and finds it odd.

Reaction: Escape. Some of the actors look for ways to leave, just in case.

Denial of Horror: Ravi who has worked with Dylan talks about how ultimately it was a good experience for Dylan to push him to his limits and that Dylan knows what the rules are.

Horror situation: Dylan purposely injures an actor to elevate their performance to make it more believable.

Reaction: Hide. Several actors disperse and try to get their thoughts together.

Monster reveal: Dylan passes the whole thing off as not meaning much and demands better performances from the actors.

Create interest: Through terror. This action scares some of the actors into rethinking what they are doing.

Safety taken away: Union workers leave due to regulations, the car service that takes actors to the woods leaves, and Dylan says he will take over camera and directing duties.

Horror situation: Chuck is warned away from Dylan as a director by union workers and/or drivers. He wants to stay to further his career.

Reaction: Denial. Chuck is sure things will work out.

Monster Reveal: The union worker reveals a little story about Dylan and how one of the actors he worked with quit acting completely because she was so traumatized.

Create interest: Through putting together the pieces. Chuck is beginning to have an understanding of how far this could go.

Monster: The nature of the beast.: After Virginia goes to shoot a scene, she doesn’t come back. Dylan insists she just went somewhere to be alone but there is blood on Dylan’s clothes. He says it’s just makeup.

Horror situation: Virginia is taken by Dylan to do a scene and locked away.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The remaining actors try to look for Virginia.

Monster reveal: We see Dylan locking the door to the room Virginia was last seen in.

Create interest: Through characters trying to figure out the mystery. Some of them think Dylan has to have done something bad to Virginia. But a makeup person went into the room as well, so it could be nothing, Dylan, or the makeup person.

Character Death 1: Virginia, the innocent one is stabbed over and over but the other actors think she’s just acting and they only hear her screams.

Why? It starts the horror

How? Surprised/blindsided

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The actors are told the rest of the scenes will be filmed inside the house and so they all need to go in to get ready for their scenes. But once inside, the doors and windows automatically lock.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a bear trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor.

Reaction: Escape. The actors attempt to find ways out of the house but the house is trapped.

Monster reveal: Dylan shows what he’s capable of and it’s up to and past the point of death.

Create interest: Through terror. Dylan has everyone at a fear level that he wants for his movie now.

Character Death 2: Amanda – The obnoxious one dies off screen when Dylan takes her to do a scene and stabs her to death.

Why? She is overconfident in her acting abilities because of her fame but Dylan knows she’s a terrible actress.

How? Betrayed by Dylan

Monster reveal: Despite the previous incidents, Dylan knows how to charm an actor. He uses that against Amanda, showing he is extremely persuasive.

Create interest: Through curiosity. What won’t Dylan do?

One of us killed: While looking for ways out of the house, an actor stumbles upon the dead body of Virginia from the first death, her throat slit.

Horror situation: Dylan isolates pairs of actors but tells the others what doom is in store for each set of actors.

Reaction: Try to solve it/fight. Some actors try to figure ways out of the trap while others decide to look for weapons.

Monster reveal: Dylan not only controls the actors, he controls the environment.

Create interest: Through terror. Dylan has everyone off balance here.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer: Ravi sets off a trap in a room and instead of helping, Dylan just keeps encouraging him to act like someone in the situation would.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor. Alessandra has to watch.

Reaction: Hide/fight. Some hide while others fight.

Monster reveal: Dylan is not only vicious to those he is filming, he’s cruel to those watching him work.

Create interest: Through terror. Dylan knows how to push the buttons of Alessandra and knows hurting her is less painful for her than watching someone else get hurt.

Terrorized: Dylan takes glee in chasing actors around, setting off traps, and stabbing whoever he can corner.

Horror situation: Dylan cuts the throat of an actor right in front of the others. There is no denying he is actually killing people at this point.

Reaction: Denial. The remaining actors can’t believe this is real and think Ravi is just pulling off some major acting.

Character death 3: Ravi – The rule breaker dies when his throat is slit in front of the other actors

Why? It increases the horror and shows Dylan willing to go to extremes in front of everyone.

How? Charge blindly into action

Monster reveal: Dylan really is a psychopath, not some genius director.

Create interest: Through terror. Anyone who was still denying the situation is now confronted with the awful truth: there is a psychotic killer who controls their environment and is in hot pursuit of them.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death: The remaining male actors decide they can take Dylan down if they team up. Dylan cuts them down in the attempt but they survive, injured and weakened.

Horror situation: Dylan has the lovers trapped. Their only escape is to sacrifice the other or die.

Reaction: Fight/Escape. Some fight Dylan and lose, while others try to get out but die in traps.

Character death 4: Carrie – One of the lovers dies when her boyfriend chooses to stab her rather than die himself

Why? She’s confident James loves her and will not kill her.

How? Sacrificed/Betrayed

Character death 5: James – Is killed by Dylan with a knife immediately after he kills Carrie

Why? Dylan punishes James for not acting how a hero in a movie would act

How? Surprised/Blindsided

Monster reveal: Dylan only wants to see the deaths on film. When James breaks Dylan’s camera he snaps back to normal momentarily. But he finds a cell phone to use for footage and is right back to being a psychopath.

Create interest: Through discovery. Dylan is obsessed with the camera and without it, he has less power.

Hysteria: Dylan is telling the remaining characters what a wonderful film they are making as he cuts into them.

Horror situation: As the actors are quietly whispering to one another, trying to figure out what to do, Dylan pumps extremely loud music through the house, making it impossible to communicate verbally.

Reaction: Try to solve it. Chuck figures out how to cut the sound to the speakers.

Monster reveal: While Dylan has control of the environment, he seems to forget actors have agency and can think outside of their assigned roles.

Create interest: Through discovery. The systems Dylan has in place can be overridden.

The thrilling escape from death: The actors who are left try to flee only to find more trapped rooms. But, they maneuver around so Dylan himself falls into the trap.

Horror situation: Alessandra and Chuck are the only ones left. Chuck goes to pray at a cross when the floor gives way. Alessandra tries to save him but is hit from behind by Dylan.

Reaction: Escape. Chuck dives through the hole in the floor to get away from Dylan.

Death returns to take one or more.: Chuck figures out how to open the doors to the house but when he presses the button to release the doors, a fatal electric shock is delivered.

Character death 6: Chuck – The moral one dies when he is electrocuted trying to escape instead of helping Alessandra

Why? To show Dylan has power even after he is dead.

How? Escape attempt takes them into it

Horror situation: Alessandra is the last one remaining after Dylan has killed everyone else.

Reaction: Escape/Fight. Chuck dies in the attempt to escape but Alessandra, who Dylan thought was dead, regains consciousness. She stabs Dylan to death.

Monster reveal: Dylan regrets what he’s done once the cameras are off.

Create interest: Through discovery. This scene may give a bit of Dylan’s background.

Character death 7: Dylan, the monster is defeated by Alessandra who catches him in a moment he is distracted.

Why? To kill the monster and resolve the conflict

How? Surprised

Resolution: The last surviving member is in hysterics as she leaves the house to find the union workers and car service have returned and she is given treatment and asked to tell what happened.

Horror situation: We see some found footage of the film Dylan was making.

Reaction: Denial. Alessandra is in shocked disbelief over what happened.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Adam Wright.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is there were a few things I had to rearrange to make the character deaths makes sense. I think there will still be more tweaking needed but I think it’s making more sense now. Also, I really enjoyed figuring out which character will die when.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established: Dylan is on a movie set and he is pushing the boundaries of Amanda, an actress who has had a recent scandal, telling her to do things that cross ethical lines and putting her in physical danger. When she pushes back he reminds her of the paycheck she has waiting for her.

Horror situation: Dylan has a frank meeting with the actors at the beginning to tell them he wants everyone to be in method, and react to what they hear but understand that everything is fiction. Only, it is not fiction.

Reaction: Denial. The actors understand they will be challenged but also believe they are in a safe situation.

Connect with the characters: The actors are shown rehearsing dialogue, practicing their screams, putting makeup on etc.

Horror situation: There are some actors who are more famous than others and the more famous ones look down on the newcomers.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The peacemakers among the group, Chuck, Alessandra and Virgina try to cool down the tension.

The characters are warned not to do it.: Amanda tells the other actors how difficult Dylan is being and says they should all walk out in protest. But these are young actors who want stardom and fame and know they are working with a legendary director so they decide to stay, even though there will be no car service for the remainder of the night.

Horror situation: It gets dark, the roads get blocked by downed trees, and rain is constant.

Reaction: Escape. Some of the actors look for ways to leave, just in case.

Denial of Horror: Ravi who has worked with Dylan talks about how ultimately it was a good experience for Dylan to push him to his limits and that Dylan knows what the rules are.

Horror situation: Dylan purposely injures an actor to elevate their performance to make it more believable.

Reaction: Hide. Several actors disperse and try to get their thoughts together.

Safety taken away: Union workers leave due to regulations, the car service that takes actors to the woods leaves, and Dylan says he will take over camera and directing duties.

Horror situation: Chuck is warned away from Dylan as a director by union workers and/or drivers. He wants to stay to further his career.

Reaction: Denial. Chuck is sure things will work out.

Monster: The nature of the beast.: After Virginia goes to shoot a scene, she doesn’t come back. Dylan insists she just went somewhere to be alone but there is blood on Dylan’s clothes. He says it’s just makeup.

Horror situation: Virginia is taken by Dylan to do a scene and locked away.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The remaining actors try to look for Virginia.

Character Death 1: Virginia, the innocent one is stabbed over and over but the other actors think she’s just acting and they only hear her screams.

Why? It starts the horror.

How? Surprised/blindsided

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The actors are told the rest of the scenes will be filmed inside the house and so they all need to go in to get ready for their scenes. But once inside, the doors and windows automatically lock.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a bear trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor.

Reaction: Escape. The actors attempt to find ways out of the house but the house is trapped.

Character Death 2: Amanda – The obnoxious one dies off screen when Dylan takes her to do a scene and stabs her to death

Why? She is overconfident in her acting abilities because of her fame but Dylan knows she’s a terrible actress.

How? Betrayed by Dylan

One of us killed: While looking for ways out of the house, an actor stumbles upon the dead body of Virginia from the first death, her throat slit.

Horror situation: Dylan isolates pairs of actors but tells the others what doom is in store for each set of actors.

Reaction: Try to solve it/fight. Some actors try to figure ways out of the trap while others decide to look for weapons.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer: Ravi sets off a trap in a room and instead of helping, Dylan just keeps encouraging him to act like someone in the situation would.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a bear trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor. Alessandra has to watch.

Reaction: Hide/fight. Some hide while others fight.

Terrorized: Dylan takes glee in chasing actors around, setting off traps, and stabbing whoever he can corner.

Horror situation: Dylan cuts the throat of an actor right in front of the others. There is no denying he is actually killing people at this point.

Reaction: Denial. The remaining actors can’t believe this is real and think Ravi is just pulling off some major acting.

Character death 3: Ravi – The rule breaker dies when his throat is slit in front of the other actors.

Why? It increases the horror and shows Dylan willing to go to extremes in front of everyone.

How? Charge blindly into action

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death: The remaining male actors decide they can take Dylan down if they team up. Dylan cuts them down in the attempt but they survive, injured and weakened.

Horror situation: Dylan has the lovers trapped. Their only escape is to sacrifice the other or die.

Reaction: Fight/Escape. Some fight Dylan and lose, while others try to get out but die in traps.

Character death 4: Carrie – One of the lovers dies when her boyfriend chooses to stab her rather than die himself.

Why? She’s confident James loves her and will not kill her.

How? Sacrificed/Betrayed

Character death 5: James – Is killed by Dylan with a knife immediately after he kills Carrie.

Why? Dylan punishes James for not acting how a hero in a movie would act.

How? Surprised/Blindsided

Hysteria: Dylan is telling the remaining characters what a wonderful film they are making as he cuts into them.

Horror situation: As the actors are quietly whispering to one another, trying to figure out what to do, Dylan pumps extremely loud music through the house, making it impossible to communicate verbally.

Reaction: Try to solve it. Chuck figures out how to cut the sound to the speakers.

The thrilling escape from death: The actors who are left try to flee only to find more trapped rooms. But, they maneuver around so Dylan himself falls into the trap.

Horror situation: Alessandra and Chuck are the only ones left. Chuck goes to pray at a cross when the floor gives way. Alessandra tries to save him but is hit from behind by Dylan.

Reaction: Escape. Chuck dives through the hole in the floor to get away from Dylan.

Death returns to take one or more.: Chuck figures out how to open the doors to the house but when he presses the button to release the doors, a fatal electric shock is delivered.

Character death 6: Chuck – The moral one dies when he is electrocuted trying to escape instead of helping Alessandra.

Why? To show Dylan has power even after he is dead.

How? Escape attempt takes them into it

Horror situation: Alessandra is the last one remaining after Dylan has killed everyone else.

Reaction: Escape/Fight. Chuck dies in the attempt to escape but Alessandra, who Dylan thought was dead, regains consciousness. She stabs Dylan to death.

Character death 7: Dylan, the monster is defeated by Alessandra who catches him in a moment he is distracted.

Why? To kill the monster and resolve the conflict.

How? Surprised

Resolution: The last surviving member is in hysterics as she leaves the house to find the union workers and car service have returned and she is given treatment and asked to tell what happened.

Horror situation: We see some found footage of the film Dylan was making.

Reaction: Denial. Alessandra is in shocked disbelief over what happened.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is it’s difficult for me to come up with horror situations without repeating myself. I’m hoping I can clean this up a bit in the future.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

Atmosphere of Evil established: Dylan is on a movie set and he is pushing the boundaries of Amanda, an actress who has had a recent scandal, telling her to do things that cross ethical lines and putting her in physical danger. When she pushes back he reminds her of the paycheck she has waiting for her.

Horror situation: Dylan has a frank meeting with the actors at the beginning to tell them he wants everyone to be in method, and react to what they hear but understand that everything is fiction. Only, it is not fiction.

Reaction: Denial. The actors understand they will be challenged but also believe they are in a safe situation.

Connect with the characters: The actors are shown rehearsing dialogue, practicing their screams, putting makeup on etc.

Horror situation: There are some actors who are more famous than others and the more famous ones look down on the newcomers.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The peacemakers among the group, Chuck, Alessandra and Virgina try to cool down the tension.

The characters are warned not to do it.: Amanda tells the other actors how difficult Dylan is being and says they should all walk out in protest. But these are young actors who want stardom and fame and know they are working with a legendary director so they decide to stay, even though there will be no car service for the remainder of the night.

Horror situation: It gets dark, the roads get blocked by downed trees, and rain is constant.

Reaction: Escape. Some of the actors look for ways to leave, just in case.

Denial of Horror: Ravi who has worked with Dylan talks about how ultimately it was a good experience for Dylan to push him to his limits and that Dylan knows what the rules are.

Horror situation: Dylan purposely injures an actor to elevate their performance to make it more believable.

Reaction: Hide. Several actors disperse and try to get their thoughts together.

Safety taken away: Union workers leave due to regulations, the car service that takes actors to the woods leaves, and Dylan says he will take over camera and directing duties.

Horror situation: Chuck is warned away from Dylan as a director by union workers and/or drivers. He wants to stay to further his career.

Reaction: Denial. Chuck is sure things will work out.

Monster: The nature of the beast.: After Virginia goes to shoot a scene, she doesn’t come back. Dylan insists she just went somewhere to be alone but there is blood on Dylan’s clothes. He says it’s just makeup.

Horror situation: Virginia is taken by Dylan to do a scene and locked away.

Reaction: Try to solve it. The remaining actors try to look for Virginia.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The actors are told the rest of the scenes will be filmed inside the house and so they all need to go in to get ready for their scenes. But once inside, the doors and windows automatically lock.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a bear trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor.

Reaction: Escape. The actors attempt to find ways out of the house but the house is trapped.

One of us killed: While looking for ways out of the house, an actor stumbles upon the dead body of Amanda from the first scene, her throat slit.

Horror situation: Dylan isolates pairs of actors but tells the others what doom is in store for each set of actors.

Reaction: Try to solve it/fight. Some actors try to figure ways out of the trap while others decide to look for weapons.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

Full pursuit by the killer: Ravi sets off a trap in a room and instead of helping, Dylan just keeps encouraging him to act like someone in the situation would.

Horror situation: Dylan gets an actor locked into a bear trap and refuses to let them out. He keeps rolling the camera and takes a knife and stabs into the actor. Alessandra has to watch.

Reaction: Hide/fight. Some hide while others fight.

Terrorized: Dylan takes glee in chasing actors around, setting off traps, and stabbing whoever he can corner.

Horror situation: Dylan cuts the throat of an actor right in front of the others. There is no denying he is actually killing people at this point.

Reaction: Denial. The remaining actors can’t believe this is real and think Ravi is just pulling off some major acting.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

Fight to the death: The remaining male actors decide they can take Dylan down if they team up. Dylan cuts them down in the attempt.

Horror situation: Dylan has the lovers trapped. Their only escape is to sacrifice the other or die.

Reaction: Fight/Escape. Some fight Dylan and lose, while others try to get out but die in traps.

Hysteria: Dylan is telling the remaining characters what a wonderful film they are making as he cuts into them.

Horror situation: As the actors are quietly whispering to one another, trying to figure out what to do, Dylan pumps extremely loud music through the house, making it impossible to communicate verbally.

Reaction: Try to solve it. Chuck figures out how to cut the sound to the speakers.

The thrilling escape from death: The actors who are left try to flee only to find more trapped rooms. But, they maneuver around so Dylan himself falls into the trap.

Horror situation: Alessandra and Chuck are the only ones left. Chuck goes to pray at a cross when the floor gives way. Alessandra tries to save him but is hit from behind by Dylan.

Reaction: Escape. Chuck dives through the hole in the floor to get away from Dylan.

Death returns to take one or more.: Chuck figures out how to open the doors to the house but when he presses the button to release the doors, a fatal electric shock is delivered.

Horror situation: Alessandra is the last one remaining after Dylan has killed everyone else.

Reaction: Escape/Fight. Chuck dies in the attempt to escape but Alessandra, who Dylan thought was dead, regains consciousness. She stabs Dylan to death.

Resolution: The last surviving member is in hysterics as she leaves the house to find the union workers and car service have returned and she is given treatment and asked to tell what happened.

Horror situation: We see some found footage of the film Dylan was making.

Reaction: Denial. Alessandra is in shocked disbelief over what happened.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is it’s really fun to go through the method here and it’s giving me lots of ideas for the script!

Concept: A filmmaker kills actors in a found footage film to make it more believable.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR

• Atmosphere of Evil established: Dylan is on a movie set and he is pushing the boundaries of an actress, telling her to do things that cross ethical lines and putting her in physical danger. When she pushes back he reminds her of the paycheck she has waiting for her.
• Connect with the characters: The actors are shown rehearsing dialogue, practicing their screams, putting makeup on etc.
• The characters are warned not to do it.: The actress from the first scene tells the other actors how difficult Dylan is being and says they should all walk out in protest. But these are young actors who want stardom and fame and know they are working with a legendary director so they decide to stay, even though there will be no car service for the remainder of the night.
• Denial of Horror: One of the actors who works with the director talks about how ultimately it was a good experience for Dylan to push him to his limits and that Dylan knows what the rules are.
• Safety taken away: Union workers leave due to regulations, the car service that takes actors to the woods leaves, and Dylan says he will take over camera and directing duties.
• Monster: The nature of the beast.: After one of the actresses goes to shoot a scene, she doesn’t come back. Dylan insists she just went somewhere to be alone but there is blood on Dylan’s clothes. He says it’s just makeup.

ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN

• Isolated / Trapped / Abducted: The actors are told the rest of the scenes will be filmed inside the house and so they all need to go in to get ready for their scenes. But once inside, the doors and windows automatically lock.
• One of us killed: While looking for ways out of the house, an actor stumbles upon the dead body of the actress from the first scene, her throat slit.

MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!

• Full pursuit by the killer: One of our actors sets off a trap in a room and instead of helping, Dylan just keeps encouraging him to act like someone in the situation would.
• Terrorized: Dylan takes glee in chasing actors around, setting off traps, and stabbing whoever he can corner.

ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR

• Fight to the death: The remaining male actors decide they can take Dylan down if they team up. Dylan cuts them down in the attempt.
• Hysteria: Dylan is telling the remaining characters what a wonderful film they are making as he cuts into them.
• The thrilling escape from death: The actors who are left try to flee only to find more trapped rooms. But, they maneuver around so Dylan himself falls into the trap.
• Death returns to take one or more.: The actors figure out how to open the doors to the house but when they press the button to release the doors, a fatal electric shock is delivered.
• Resolution: The last surviving member is in hysterics as she leaves the house to find the union workers and car service have returned and she is given treatment and asked to tell what happened.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is it was a lot easier to start picturing in my mind how things will play out once I had the identities chosen for my characters.

Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen. A filmmaker kills actors in a found footage film to make it more believable. The group is a team of professionals. In this case, actors.
Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie. The dying pattern is pattern A, 6-8 characters killed off one by one.
Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.

Out of control/Obnoxious – Amanda, a highly paid actress who had a recent scandal and looks down on everyone in the group.
Moral one- Chuck, a religious man driven by his faith with a strong sense of right and wrong.
Rebel/Rulebreaker- Ravi, never wants to follow the script, always playing pranks, and possibly a red herring as well.
Innocent- Virginia, was called in at the last minute to be part of the project and has no idea what is going on.
Rescuer – Alessandra, a struggling actress who is also an on-call nurse and is one of the first to realize people are getting hurt.
The Carrier- Dylan Craft, the director who is also the killer.
Lovers- Carrie, who is only agreeing to do this film for her boyfriend James.
Love interest- James who only says he cares about Carrie. He is actually only interested in sleeping with as many people as he can.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Adam Wright.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Laree Griffith. Reason: Removed HTML tags so others can post

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is it is tricky to figure out how to make the monster have an iconic look when he's someone with a more or less normal job.

Create an early version of your monster.

1. Tell us what or who your monster is. Dylan Craft, noted filmmaker and auteur who is known for making actors go through a rigorous and realistic process to bring out the deepest emotions on film.

2. Give us a few sentences for each of the following for your monster:

• Their Terror: Dylan terrorizes by putting unsuspecting people in dangerous situations and surprising them with pain and death.
• He pursues by mapping out every inch of his controlled set and sending people into the most dangerous areas.
• He isolates by telling everyone else on the set he is not to be disturbed while he is filming a scene and that they should ignore any screams or sounds of pain because that is part of his “method.”
• The terrible thing Dylan does is kill people when they least expect it to get the maximum amount of surprise and true emotions on film.
• He causes death by playing into horror film tropes and then actually committing the horror.
• This is inescapable because he has a closed set in an isolated area where everyone knows a horror film is being made so no one will believe anyone is actually getting hurt.
• Their Mystery: How can the actors survive the night with a crazed director out to kill them? The only thing that might speak to Dylan is appealing to his sense of art.
• Their Fear Provoking Appearance: A plastic mask decorated for the film, meant to depict a Michael Myers type of villain.
• Their Rules: As long as cameras are rolling, anything goes, including and up to death. The minute the cameras stop, Dylan is a normal person again.
• Their Mythology: Dylan’s first exposure to film was watching a snuff film and he has wanted to recreate that feeling ever since.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Adam Wright.

[Adam Wright]

What I learned doing this assignment is Hal was spot on with the elements of a horror film. They all definitely showed up in the movie I watched.

• Title / Concept: X / A group of filmmakers rent a ranch to make an adult film but are terrorized by the owners of the ranch

– Terrorize The Characters: When the group arrives they are threatened with a shotgun and told to use discretion around the elderly woman. The couple renting out the barn do not know why the filmmakers are there.
– Isolation: A lonely farm in Texas in the 1970’s
– Death: Car crash, dead cow, throat slash, nail in the head, death by shotgun, death by alligator, heart attack
– Monster/Villain: An elderly woman
– High Tension: Impending doom, people watching from the shadows, deadly alligator in the lake, creepy, darkened rooms, unwanted sexual advances, locked in basement, stepped on rusty nail, bodies in basement,
– Departure from Reality: The killer has a supernatural amount of strength for an elderly woman
– Moral Statement: If you choose to live a life outside the norm, there will be consequences coming from hypocrites
– Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great horror film? It subverted a good amount of horror tropes and did an excellent job of quietly ratcheting up the tension and horror. There was also a surprising twist at the end about who the survivor was.

My Concept
– Concept: A filmmaker kills actors in a found footage film to make it more believable
– Terrorize The Characters: The actors are put in situations they think are fake but are actually deadly
– Isolation: A remote vacation house miles from any neighbors
– Death: Stabbing death, elaborate death traps
– Monster/Villain: The film director
– High Tension: As actors die and go missing, they become suspicious they are trapped
– Departure from Reality: Actors are rarely put in situations which cause actual pain/death
– Moral Statement: You have to sacrifice everything for art

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Adam Wright.

[Adam Wright]

1. Adam Wright
2. I agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM
As a member of this group, I agree to the following:
1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Adam Wright]

Hi everyone! My name is Adam. I have not yet written any scripts. I’m hoping to get a good understanding of how to structure a horror screenplay and complete a script. Something unusual about me is that I have completed the San Francisco marathon twice!