darryl brant
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darryl’s Horror Plot
What I learned doing this assignment is that I need a better outline to get from Act I to Act III. I know how I want it to end. I just don’t know how I am going to get there yet.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
· Atmosphere of Evil established
I’m torn between a girl crying, then pleading, then screaming in terror over black OR a youngish girl playing with friends in the backyard when she, through some contrivance, inadvertently stumbles upon the buried body of another girl who looks very much like her.
· Connect with the characters
We meet Petra as a young girl and her terrible father.
· The characters are warned not to do it.
Her father could warn her not to meddle in other people’s business or perhaps locals warn her not to enter forbidden areas when traveling.
· Denial of Horror
There’s no way her father could possibly be living abroad because he’s dead.
· Safety taken away
Petra thought there’s no safer place from her father than the other side of the world when she meets her father’s doppelganger.
· Monster: The nature of the beast.
Inevitable flashbacks to Petra’s horrible childhood unless I can think of a better way to do it.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
· Isolated / Trapped / Abducted
Petra cannot leave the country perhaps due to committing a crime while on foreign soil.
· One of us killed
No one is killed.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
· Full pursuit by the killer
I haven’t worked out the mid point yet. Does Petra get what the revenge she wants? Does Petra get away from the doppelganger?
· Terrorized
If Petra gets the revenge she wants, then she terrorizes the doppelganger of her father. Or does the mere sight of her father’s doppelganger causes her to go insane. Authorities search for Petra leaving her desperate.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
· Fight to the death
Petra and the doppelganger fight.
· Hysteria
Petra loses all sense of reality.
· The thrilling escape from death
Perhaps the doppelganger convinces Petra that he knows of somewhere safe where she could get away.
· Death returns to take one or more.
Not sure yet.
· Resolution
Petra is tied to a hospital bed in a decommissioned hospital in an overgrown compound. She screams for help but no one can hear her. We don’t know if she dies so the myth could feasibly live on.
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darryl’s Characters for horror
What I learned doing this assignment is the more relatable a character is, the more the fear seems real and (hopefully) the scarier the film.
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
The concept is a psychologically lost twenty something who ventures to the other side of the world to escape a violent past only to stumble upon a doppelganger who resembles the very person she is trying to escape from.
The group is just one person who is considered an OUTSIDER pushed by society to the margins by her victimization and for being a stranger living in a strange land.
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
In this concept, the character does not die, at least on screen, though she is left to suffer to die tied to a bed in a decommissioned hospital inside an overgrown compound.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
It is essentially a two-hander with the father figure who assumes a few roles. One as the leader at least in a father/daughter dynamic. He could also be considered out of control. And finally, he is the one who brings the horror to Petra. Petra, is the loner/introvert who has moved to a foreign land where she doesn’t know anyone and more importantly, no one knows her. She can be considered innocent, at least initially for being a victim of abuse. But the doppelganger could be considered innocent for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He could also be deemed a sacrificial lamb allowing Petra to exact revenge on the father who died.
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What I learned doing this assignment is a monster does not have to be a monstrous, grotesque entity. It can be someone we think we know very well whose very presence creates fear in us.
CREATING THE MONSTER
Their Terror: The doppelganger terrorizes by not letting Petra forget about her past when she was viciously abused as a little girl. What makes it inescapable is that Petra moved to the other side of the world to get away from the past of her terrible father only to find his doppelganger. The monster ‘pursues’ by never letting her forget.
Their Mystery: Petra has a fear what will never go away like many protagonists in Japanese horror films who live in constant fear from a ghost or vengeful spirit. But I want the supernatural so the fear to be real. This part is tricky because we need to understand Petra’s fear. Is it rational?
Their Fear Provoking Appearance: The sight of her father paralyses Petra in fear because he is the very person she moved abroad to get away from. For the viewer, perhaps the horrendous actions of Petra’s father would provoke fear.
Their Rules: Haven’t figured out the rules yet but I realize they are important at least to establish a weakness.
Their Mythology: Petra comes from a broken, abusive family which is a common element of Japanese horror films. So perhaps that violent streak is inherited.
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<font face=”sans-serif”>“What I learned doing this assignment is</font> conventions exist and have existed for a reason and if you want to play the game, you have to understand the rules<font face=”sans-serif”>”</font>
1. BARBARIAN
Directed by Zach Cregger
2. CONVENTIONS OF HORROR
TERRORIZE THE CHARACTERS: First is a basement, second is a soiled mattress with a video camera and bucket for feces, third is an underground dungeon replete with animal cages, four is claustrophobia, five is total darkness, and finally, it shows all the things that could possibly go wrong when booking somewhere to stay through airb’n’b.
ISOLATION: An airb’n’b rental situated in the middle of an abandoned, derelict, rundown neighbourhood with burnt out houses and no people in sight, otherwise known as Detroit.
DEATH: One character has head repeatedly smashed against a wall until it becomes pulp. Others are caged like animals left to die.
MONSTER/VILLAIN: A naked, hideous, human-like creature who lives in the basement that wants to ‘mother’ her victims.
HIGH TENSION: This is where it goes off the rails due to stupid decisions. The main character does not need to go down to the basement and certainly not a second or third time but she does where she gets trapped, inevitably.
DEPARTURE FROM REALITY: Nearly getting killed at an airb’n’b rental could feasibly happen but the way it happens in the film is outside normal life when our protagonist is forced to see heinous things and do unspeakable things to avoid getting killed by a monster with super-human strength.
MORAL STATEMENT: I’m dubious about lessons to be learned in horror films but I guess it could be ‘if you sense something is amiss, it likely is’
3. What I liked about Barbarian is that it while it does adhere to the tropes as above, it also subverts your expectations at each turn keeping you guessing until the end.
4. Title: Dad?
Concept: The last thing Petra expected to find while living abroad is her abusive father. Especially because he’s dead.
Terrorize The Characters: Trying to get away from a horrific past only to have the past catch up to you in the unlikeliest of places.
Isolation: Living abroad without knowing anyone or speaking the language
Death: Left to die on an old hospital bed in an abandoned hospital that has become overgrown far from civilization.
Monster/Villain: The abusive father.
High Tension: Character is forced to confront the past. Admittedly I’m a bit confused between the difference between High Tension and Terrorize the Characters.
Departure from Reality: Doppelgangers don’t exist but if a person who looks exactly like your dead father isn’t a doppelganger, then who is it? The victim has a chance to live out a revenge scenario on a person who looks exactly like her abusive father, but is not her abusive father because he’s dead.
Moral Statement: I really don’t know.
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darryl brant
I agree to the terms of this release form.
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hello class
1. darryl
2. I’ve completed various drafts of 7 scripts. each one a little better than the last but still not good enough.
3. I feel more confident writing comedy/drama which is what I usually watch. so I want to learn how to expand what I can confidently write.
4. I am based in Hanoi.
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DAY 11 Final Assignment
darryl brant’s Favourite Comedy
What I’ve learned is to use all the techniques covered in the course to make scenes funnier and more memorable.
EXT. RODNEY’S BACKYARD – DAY
PAULIE, late 20’s, suit jacket covering a band shirt, sips a drink next to the WEDDING BAND playing typical wedding songs in a rustic wedding setting.
PAULIE
Can you play Free Bird?
The band ignore him. Paulie notices the wedding name board with the names CLAIRE, late 20’s, bride and RODNEY, early 50’s, groom, spelled out in Scrabble pieces.
Rodney suddenly grabs Paulie’s arm to shake his hand.
RODNEY
Claire warned me you might come. I’m Rodney. Soon to be Mr. Claire.
Paulie pulls away from the handshake.
PAULIE
Will you also be giving her away?
RODNEY
You are welcome to stay. But if you so much as …
Paulie catches sight of Claire in the bedroom window.
RODNEY
… limb by limb I will cut you down.
Paulie points to the window where Claire was standing.
PAULIE
Boobs!
Rodney turns quickly to look. Paulie disappears into the throng of wedding guests.
Paulie rearranges the letters on the name board from ‘Claire + Rodney’ to ‘A Noel Cryer’.
130.
CLAIRE (O.S.)
Psst.
Paulie looks around for the source of the sound.
CLAIRE (O.S.)
Paulie.
Hidden behind a large man and large dog with a white dog collar, Claire beckons Paulie to come over.
CLAIRE
What are you doing here?
PAULIE
I should ask you the same thing.
CLAIRE
You weren’t invited. Go home.
PAULIE
He’s twice your age.
CLAIRE
At least he acts his age.
PAULIE
You get the senior discount on the decorations?
CLAIRE
I have to finish my vows. You better not be here when it starts.
Claire sneaks away unnoticed.
Paulie walks up to the wedding band.
PAULIE
Can you play ‘Father Figure’ by George Michael?
INT. RODNEY’S LIVING ROOM – DAY
Paulie looks at many framed photos of Rodney with different girls the same age as Claire. A laptop sits nearby.
A young MINISTER reads some notes.
PAULIE
Hello father.
131.
MINISTER
Hello young man.
PAULIE
Will you be officiating?
MINISTER
Yes. Actually it’s my first.
PAULIE
Father if you don’t mind, how much is it to hire a pastor these days?
MINISTER
Our church would be happy to give you a quote for our services.
PAULIE
If the couple are non-believers?
MINISTER
There are many options available. I do believe one can get ordained online now.
The minister goes back to his notes.
PAULIE
Tell me father.
The minister looks up annoyed.
MINISTER
Yes?
PAULIE
What does the church say about divorce?
MINISTER
Divorce? What do you ask? Are you experiencing marital strife?
PAULIE
Oh no. Well not really. Though I did have a burrito for lunch.
The minister returns to his notes.
PAULIE
So the church recognizes divorce?
The minister gets angry.
132.
MINISTER
Look son. If you don’t mind. I really must prepare.
INT. RODNEY’S WASHROOM – DAY
Paulie opens the medicine cabinet. Dozens of bottles of medication stare back at him.
Paulie grabs a glass. Fills it with water. Crushes up some random pills. Drops them into the water.
INT. RODNEY’S HOUSE – DAY
Paulie walks back to the minister.
PAULIE
Excuse me father.
MINISTER
For the love of …
PAULIE
Here’s some water.
MONTAGE – PAULIE GETS ORDAINED
–Paulie opens the laptop
–Finds website to get ordained
–Types in credit card details
–Scrolls the text
–Prints the certificate
END MONTAGE
INT. RODNEY’S BATHROOM – DAY
Sitting on the toilet, Paulie writes something on napkins.
EXT. RODNEY’S BACKYARD – DAY
Claire and Rodney look deep into each other’s eyes as the minister officiates between them. Claire is flanked by her MAID OF HONOUR, Rodney by his BEST MAN.
133.
The letters on the name board now say ‘Cold Rear’.
The minister sweats profusely. Struggles to stand.
Paulie makes out with an ELDERLY WOMAN out of spite.
MINISTER
(slurring his words)
If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.
Claire grits her teeth. Rodney looks at her nervously.
The minister reaches out to hold onto something.
The whole wedding party waits in anticipation.
PAULIE (O.S.)
I object!
RODNEY
For fuck’s sake.
CLAIRE
Where did you get the pitchfork?
Paulie stands on a chair holding a pitchfork. He tosses it away. Someone off-screen screams as if they were impaled.
RODNEY
Sit down!
PAULIE
But I object.
RODNEY
It’s a rhetorical question.
CLAIRE
Paulie sit down.
PAULIE
Claire I can’t sit here and watch this minister marry you two.
CLAIRE
Why not?
PAULIE
Cause he’s laying on the ground.
134.
The minister lays between Claire and Rodney.
PAULIE
Luckily I’m ordained.
CLAIRE
What?
Paulie hands them the ordination certificate. Claire and Rodney look it over.
RODNEY
Looks legit.
CLAIRE
You expect him to officiate our wedding?
RODNEY
Well he can’t do it.
The manager sleeps with half his body off the stage.
CLAIRE
But he is your pastor.
Paulie whistles the dog over. Undoes the dog’s collar.
PAULIE
I can wear this.
CLAIRE
You can’t be serious.
PAULIE
Claire bear can we hurry this up? I have two more weddings to officiate later. Final exams are coming up.
Claire and Rodney talk in quiet.
Paulie turns to the maid of honour and best man.
PAULIE
You have the vows? May I see them?
The maid of honour and best man reluctantly hand over the vows.
PAULIE
Look! Asians!
135.
The maid of honour and best man turn to look. Paulie tosses the vows away.
PAULIE
Now if we could proceed with the ceremony. I understand you have prepared your own vows?
Claire and Rodney nod in agreement. Claire and Rodney turn to the maid of honour and best man, respectively. They both point at Paulie.
PAULIE
No worry. I happen to have some stock vows on me.
Paulie pulls out the napkins.
PAULIE
Claire bear here’s yours. And here’s yours teach.
The bride and groom take the vows reluctantly.
PAULIE
(to Rodney)
Just insert Claire’s name here, here, here, and well wherever there’s a blank.
RODNEY
Claire.
Rodney holds Claire’s hand. On the name board, the letters have been rearranged to read ‘An Old Liar.’
RODNEY
Claire. I, Rodney, take you, Claire for my awful wife, to have and to be told from you this day forward, for better, for most likely worse, for richer, for poorer, inevitable sickness and in declining health, until my death do us … what the fuck is this?
A gasp from the wedding guests.
PAULIE
Now Claire bear, since you are nondenominational.
136.
CLAIRE
From this day forward I promise you these things. I will laugh at you in brief times of joy and you comfort me in my times of sorrow.
I will let you support me to achieve my goals. I will try to remain faithful to you, more or less, in times of sickness and declining …
Claire tears the vows into pieces.
The wedding guests boo, spew vitriol and hurl whatever they can at Paulie.
Paulie ducks as a wedding chair goes sailing past his head hitting the name board sending Scrabble pieces everywhere.
Paulie covers his head as he jumps off the stage and heads toward the exit.
Then the drums kick in. The band plays ‘Hot For Teacher’ by Van Halen. Paulie salutes the band. They salute back.
EXT. RODNEY’S DRIVEWAY – DAY
Paulie barrels down the driveway. The wedding party and guests give chase.
Paulie jumps into Rodney’s V-W beetle wedding car. The license plate reads ‘Hot Rod.’
Pulls out keys from the glove box.
Speeds away just as the party converge on him.
Paulie immediately loses control of the car.
Smashes into a telephone pole.
As Paulie sails through the air, the band plays ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ by R. Kelly.
Paulie lands with a thud on the ground. Everything goes black.
Paulie opens his eyes to Claire looking down at him.
CLAIRE
Rodney’s pissed about the car.
137.
PAULIE
Claire don’t marry him. I love you. I have always loved you. Will you marry me?
Paulie lunges up and kisses Claire passionately.
Claire pushes his off.
CLAIRE
Yuck. You taste like Werthers.
PAULIE
Did you hear me?
CLAIRE
I heard you. You’re too late.
Claire holds up her wedding ring.
CLAIRE
The minister came to. He was able to perform the wedding. You’ve been out like two hours.
Rodney stumbles over carrying a champagne bottle.
RODNEY
Serves you right. This Beetle here’s got five hundred horsepower and a rear spoiler. And you are going to pay to have it fixed. Come on Claire bear. Let’s consummate this thing.
CLAIRE
Again?
Rodney and Claire kiss passionately as Paulie is forced to watch.
ELDERLY WOMAN (O.S.)
There you are.
The elderly woman suddenly appears between Claire and Rodney.
She climbs on top of Paulie.
FADE OUT
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DAY 9 darryl brant Action/Props
What I learned from this exercise is humour is not limited to just dialogue, but can also be found in props, visual gags and physical action.
Outline: Paulie arrives uninvited to the wedding of his ex-girlfriend, Claire, who is marrying a man twice her age, Rodney and who is also her teacher. At first, Paulie and Rodney are cordial, almost friendly. But when Paulie catches sight of Claire prior to the ceremony, he realizes he still loves her. In an attempt to sabotage the wedding, Paulie’s actions start from subtle by performing with the band and singing songs about the considerable age difference to rearranging the letters of their backdrop to changing Claire and Rodney’s wedding vows to making out with Rodney’s mother to finally standing up and vehemently opposing the union by inappropriately and explicitly retelling the sordid details of Paulie and Claire’s past relationship to all those in attendance embarrassing everyone while reinforcing Claire and Rodney’s marriage.
The main incongruence is that Paulie only realizes that he still loves his ex-gf when he is attending her wedding to someone else.
Physical Action: Paulie acting as singer in wedding band
Incongruity: Instead of singing typical wedding songs, he sings famous songs about old men with younger women
Prop: Certificate of Ordination and Minister’s collar
Incongruity: Paulie will ‘officiate’ the ceremony for the girl he loves to another man
Prop: Wedding Vows
Incongruity: Paulie has secretly written wedding vows for the bride and groom and switched them with their actual vows
Prop: Name Board
Incongruity: Paulie keeps changing the names on the name board to read bizarre messages
Physical Action: Paulie making out with mother of groom
Incongruity: To protest the age difference between bride and groom, Paulie makes out with the oldest person attending the wedding.
Physical Action: Paulie escaping for his life after the whole wedding party turns on him
Incongruity: He went there to attend the wedding but ended up ruining the entire thing
Prop: Wedding car
Incongruity: During his getaway, Paulie steals the wedding car only to smash it into a telephone pole
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DAY 8 darryl brant Toppers Outline
I’m not sure if I did this exercise correctly but it did get me thinking about how to make the scene funnier so I guess that’s the point.
What I learned from this exercise is that scenes are more memorable when there are more laughs and that each successive joke should be funnier than the last. I also learned that running gags can provide some sort of continuity for your script.
Outline (from Day7): Paulie arrives uninvited to the wedding of his ex-girlfriend, Claire, who is marrying a man twice her age, Rodney and who is also her teacher. At first, Paulie and Rodney are cordial, almost friendly. But when Paulie catches sight of Claire prior to the ceremony, he realizes he still loves her. In an attempt to sabotage the wedding, Paulie’s actions start from subtle by performing with the band and singing songs about the considerable age difference to rearranging the letters of their backdrop to changing Claire and Rodney’s wedding vows to making out with Rodney’s mother to finally standing up and vehemently opposing the union by inappropriately and explicitly retelling the sordid details of Paulie and Claire’s past relationship to all those in attendance embarrassing everyone while reinforcing Claire and Rodney’s marriage.
The scenes below are numbered in sequence from somewhat amusing to funniest. Admittedly I haven’t thought of dialogue yet because it feels a bit forced at this point.
2. Paulie steals the mic from the band and quietly sings ‘Hot for Teacher’ by Van Halen, topped by ‘Father Figure’ by George Michael, then topped by Gary Glitter. Could be running gag starting with ‘Don’t Stop so close to me’ by The Police to the more obvious ‘Jailbait’ by Aerosmith but maybe ending with R. Kelly ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ instead of Gary Glitter – running gag that gets topped by each successive song – singing the songs is both a metaphor for the relationship and an exaggeration.
5. When asked if anyone opposes the union, Paulie stands up and declares his love then Paulie reveals sordid details of their past sex life – each story tops the previous in terms of outlandishness and depravity. Paulie could insult either the bride or groom here.
3. Paulie flirts with Rodney’s daughter out who is the same age as the bride but he doesn’t get the reaction he wanted so he moves onto the mother of Rodney – starts with sitting next to her, then close talking, then making out, then going down on her – parody
4. Paulie quickly becomes ordained online and officiates the wedding -montage starting with finding the website, paying the fee, scrolling the text, printing the certificate, finding a collar and then taking the stage. This would involve incapacitating the current minister and then switching the vows which he previously wrote but eventually the minister comes to
1. Paulie writes ‘vows’ for both Rodney and Claire – the vows start from normal but slowly change to reveal deep insecurities. The vows could include insults and renaming.
Running Gag – rearranges the letters in the CLAIRE/RODNEY wedding sign to read CYLINDER AERO -then throws some of the rearranged letters away but it keeps changing to A NOEL CRYER TO COLD REAR TO OLD LIAR – Running Gag
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DAY 7 darryl brant Brainstorming session
What I learned from this exercise is not settle on the first idea you think of. Now armed with knowledge of various comedic situations as well as different figures of speech, I need to brainstorm to write the funniest scene possible.
1. Scene Outline: Young man goes to the wedding of an ex-girlfriend marrying a considerably older man who is also her teacher.
Comic situations:
Misinterpretation – young man is led to believe that bride and groom are getting married for one reason but it is in fact another
Comedic Surprise – young man declares love for groom
Wildly Inappropriate Response – young man steals the mic from the band and starts singing ‘Hot for Teacher’ by Van Halen, then ‘Father Figure’ by George Michael, then Gary Glitter.
Forced union of incompatibles – the young man and groom are forced together somehow and have to converse
Embarrassment – young man declares his undying love for the bride while highlighting sordid details of their past life together
Comedic tragedy – young man has to endure terrible wedding music while watching love of his life profess her love for a man who is far better match than he would have ever been and has to accept it2. PAULIE – young man who is still in love with Claire
RODNEY – old groom about to marry Claire
CLAIRE – young bride who has moved on from Paulie to marry Rodney … or has she?
3. Embarrassment – young man declares his undying love for the bride while highlighting sordid details of their past life together as well as the wildly inappropriate response.
-When asked if anyone opposes the union, Paulie stands up and declares his love
-Prior to the ceremony, Paulie sings the above songs
-Paulie asks Rodney’s daughter out who is roughly the same age as the bride
-Paulie reveals sordid details of their past sex life
-accuses Claire of marrying Rodney only for her career.
-starts making out with the mother of Rodney/mother of Claire
-quickly becomes ordained online and officiates the wedding
-writes ‘vows’ for both Rodney and Claire
-spikes Rodney’s drink with ecstasy or spikes the minister’s drink so he cannot do the wedding
-parades out Rodney’s former students who’ve had a relationship with him
-plays guitar disrupting the ceremony at key moments
-dresses up as the bride
-rearranges the letters in CLAIRE/RODNEY to read CYLINDER AERO
-threatens to destroy the USB that contains Claire’s thesis
4. See above
5. Outline: Paulie arrives uninvited to the wedding of his ex-girlfriend, Claire, who is marrying a man twice her age, Rodney and who is also her teacher. At first, Paulie and Rodney are cordial, almost friendly. But when Paulie catches sight of Claire prior to the ceremony, he realizes he still loves her. In an attempt to sabotage the wedding, Paulie’s actions start from subtle by performing with the band and singing songs about the considerable age difference to rearranging the letters of their backdrop to changing Claire and Rodney’s wedding vows to making out with Rodney’s mother to finally standing up and vehemently opposing the union by inappropriately and explicitly retelling the sordid details of Paulie and Claire’s past relationship to all those in attendance embarrassing everyone while reinforcing Claire and Rodney’s marriage.
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Day 5 Assignment
darryl brant – JELLY’S Log line
I don’t usually write character descriptions other than age. I never thought it necessary. However, what I learned from this assignment I can create some expectation for a character right from the get-go.
JELLY: A misogynistic, womanizing lady’s man who is hiding the fact that he is actually gay.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Paulie and Jelly play video games.
JELLY
You shoulda seen this chick last night. She had tits out to here.
Jelly uses only one hand to show the size.
Paulie lets his controller hang.
JELLY
Pick up your dick.
PAULIE
Don’t you get sick of fucking different girls every night? Why don’t you just pick one?
JELLY
Don’t you get sick of listening to different music every day. Why don’t you just pick one? Like classic rockabilly goat fucking. Or cock rock ‘n’ roll ’em high octane.
17.
PAULIE
I don’t understand how you get so many girls.
JELLY
You gotta show em who’s boss. I’ll tell em if they wanna be my lover, they have got to give cause taking is too easy. Fuck that’s just the way it is.
PAULIE
Isn’t that Spice Girls?
JELLY
I tell them I’m hot, sticky sweet, from my head to my feet. Yeah!
PAULIE
Is that Def Leppard?
JELLY
They accept me for the hot cock boy I am. Not like you.
PAULIE
I accept you. How many chicks you bang has nothing to do with me putting down plastic on the furniture before you come over.
JELLY
I accept you homo. Now pick up the controller or I’ll label your ass.
PAULIE
I can’t. I gotta get ready for the show.
JELLY
Whatever homo. It’s just some stupid band playing shit music that six people know.
PAULIE
Those are the best bands.
JELLY
Are you bringing Liz?
PAULIE
Why the fuck would I bring Liz?
JELLY
She brought you to her thing.
PAULIE
Yeah and that fucking sucked.
JELLY
So bringing her would be payback.
Paulie kicks Jelly. He kicks back. They wrestle. It is clear Jelly is considerably stronger than Paulie.
PAULIE
Get off me you Neanderthal.
18.
JELLY
Yeah you’d like me to get off.
Paulie tries to push him off but he is too strong. Jelly holds him down. Squats on top of him. Farts in his face.
PAULIE
You asshole —
JELLY
That’s where it came from.
Jelly lets Paulie up.
JELLY
I gotta get ready too. Tonight at the bar it’s free Rohypnol night.
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Day 6 Assignment
darryl brant – punchlines
What I learned from this at times arduous task is that there are so many possible avenues to find the best possible punchline which in turn creates even more comedic possibilities.
In this scene, Ruth is telling a war story about her father Grady.
EXT. FIELD – DAY – FLASHBACK
Grady crouches behind a bale of hay with the ginger and blonde cadet. In front is nothing but the Canadian prairies.
RUTH (V.O.)
Dad was on a secret mission.
GINGER RECRUIT
We’re sitting ducks here. You can see for miles.
GRADY
There’s some movement in the distance.
RUTH (V.O.)
Daddy spotted some movement in the distance.
GINGER RECRUIT
You hear an echo?
The blonde recruit grabs the binoculars around Grady’s neck.
BLONDE RECRUIT
There’s the enemy.
GINGER RECRUIT
You sure?
BLONDE RECRUIT
They’re wearing red.
GINGER RECRUIT
Why would an army uniform be red?
BLONDE RECRUIT
Camouflage.
GINGER RECRUIT
From what?
BLONDE RECRUIT
Their sand you idiot.
The blonde recruit checks the binoculars again.
41.
BLONDE RECRUIT
They’re headed this way.
GINGER RECRUIT
What should we do?
GRADY
Fight. Face ’em like men.
Grady snatches the grenade from the blonde boy. Pulls the pin. Tosses it toward the oncoming soldiers.
As the grenade sails through the air, a large Canadian bird swoops down and catches the grenade in its beak.
The cadets watch waiting for the bird to explode.
The bird changes direction. Heads back toward the cadets. The unexploded grenade still clenched in its beak.
The large bird flies directly over the cadets.
Opens it beak.
Drops the grenade in front of them.
The cadets are too scared to move.
Except Grady. In one motion, Grady scoops the grenade. Turns two hundred and seventy degrees and hurls the grenade out of harm’s way.
BLONDE RECRUIT
Are we dead?
GINGER RECRUIT
I feel dead.
GRADY
I threw it away.
BLONDE RECRUIT
Where?
GRADY
Over there.
42.
The cadets turn to find a small school with a classroom adorned with kids’ paintings and a Canadian flag.
GINGER RECRUIT
You threw it into a school?
RUTH (V.O.)
Yes he threw the grenade into a school.
BLONDE RECRUIT
There’s that echo again.
Grady stares dumbfounded at the school that has no business being in the middle of the Canadian prairies.
BLONDE RECRUIT
Was that school always there?
GINGER RECRUIT
Why didn’t we just hide in there?
BLONDE RECRUIT
Did it explode yet?
Just then, the door to the school building opens. Several SCHOOLCHILDREN and a TEACHER march out one by one.
TEACHER
Single file children. When we hurry, we make mistakes.
The children form a single file line. The TEACHER exits the building. Locks the door. Leads the children out of sight.
GINGER RECRUIT
There were kids in there!
The blonde recruit grabs Grady by the scruff of his uniform.
43.
BLONDE RECRUIT
Why did you throw a grenade into a school?
ABSURD REQUEST: Why didn’t you throw it at the bird?
COMPARISON: Cause I couldn’t throw it into a government building.
EXAGGERATION: Cause I only had the one.
INSULT: Cause you were too chickenshit to do anything.
METAPHOR: That’s how us Americans deal with problems.
MISINTERPRETATION: It’s cheaper than reupholstering.
PARODY: (mimicking in a high voice) Why did you throw a grenade into a school?
RENAME: Sorry blondie. What would you have done?
REVERSAL: I didn’t know the school was there. I thought it was over there. BEST
UNDERSTATEMENT: Oops.
Then there’s an explosion in the classroom. The teacher watches in horror as the school is reduced to rubble. The students cheer behind her.
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DAY 4 Assignment
More of darryl brant’s funny situations in film.
What I learned from this assignment is that some of the funniest and best films I have ever seen have used at least one of the 6 techniques we’ve covered. And learning about these techniques has given me more confidence as a writer.
This attached scene has two friends attending their first Slayer concert.
INT. ARENA – NIGHT
Paulie in a white AC/DC shirt and Chandresh in a lovely pastel three piece suit stick out in a sea of black cladded VIOLENT SLAYER FANS.
CHANDRESH
I thought you said there was no dress code.
PAULIE
At least I have a band tee.
VIOLENT FAN
AC/DC sucks!
The violent fan pushes Paulie on the ground as the lights go down.
PAULIE
Chandresh! Help me up.
The stage has been lit aflame. Two large crosses adorn the stage. Throngs of concert goers stampede knocking Chandresh on the ground.
The glow of the flames provides faint light as Paulie and Chandresh are stepped on and pushed.
PAULIE
My hand. Chandresh!
CHANDRESH
Ow. My neck. Paulie. Over here.
The flames are extinguished. The arena is dark save for the house black lights which make Paulie’s white shirt glow.
CHANDRESH
I’m coming.
Chandresh crawls through the legs toward Paulie.
The flames shoot up again. The fans go crazy.
SLAYER take the stage. The fans go apeshit crazy yelling out their name with their hands up in the air.
PAULIE
Chandresh put your hands in the air.
Chandresh tries to raise his arms but the sheer density of the crowd makes it impossible.
CHANDRESH
I can’t.
PAULIE
Put your hands up.
CHANDRESH
I’m trying.
A RABID FAN notices Chandresh without his hands up.
RABID FAN
You show respect.
Chandresh tries desperately to free his arms. He finally frees one. But instead of making devil horns, he makes a peace sign.
RABID FAN
Always war always! Ending bitter peace!
The rabid fan launches Chandresh into the air on top on the crowd.
CHANDRESH
Paulie. I’m surfing.
Paulie manages to get a hand on Chandresh. Tries to pull him down.
Then suddenly Paulie is on top of the crowd with Chandresh.
Concert goers toss Paulie and Chandresh around like rag dolls. Chandresh’s suit is torn.
CHANDRESH
This is a Paul Smith suit. Paulie why did you bring me to a Slayer show?
PAULIE
I thought it’d be fun.
Fans dump beer all over Paulie and Chandresh.
CHANDRESH
This never happens at a Cure concert.
PAULIE
Nothing happens at a Cure concert.
Paulie and Chandresh are being directed toward the stage.
PAULIE
I think someone took my wallet.
CHANDRESH
I think someone took my spleen.
A spleen is being held over by the crowd. Chandresh tends to his fresh wound.
PAULIE
Chandresh!
Chandresh feels weak. Drifts in and out of consciousness.
PAULIE
Chandresh!
Chandresh snaps back to reality.
CHANDRESH
Yeah?
PAULIE
I’m sorry. I didn’t expect this to happen.
CHANDRESH
You didn’t expect a brown guy to get killed at a Slayer show?
The music suddenly stops. The house lights go on. Slayer lead singer TOM ARAYA looks into the crowd.
TOM ARAYA
Who said that?
Everyone points to Chandresh.
VIOLENT FAN
Hey man that’s not cool.
RABID FAN
Yeah man. Slayer fans might be fervent devotees, we might be loud, sometimes violent, maybe even cannibalistic ….
A FEMALE FAN takes a bite out of Chandresh’s removed spleen.
RABID FAN
But we are not racist.
CHANDRESH
Then why are you torturing me?
RABID FAN
We’re not torturing you because of the colour of your skin. We’re sacrificing you to our gods.
The lights go out again. The fans yell ‘Slayer.’ The band starts playing.
The fan continue shepherding Paulie and Chandresh toward the two big crosses.
PAULIE
This might be it for us.
CHANDRESH
I never thought I’d die this way. Especially since I’m Hindu.
The music stops again. The house lights go on again. The lead singer looks directly at Chandresh.
TOM ARAYA
Someone tell this motherfucker.
The female fan wipes blood from her mouth.
FEMALE FAN
Slayer doesn’t care about your religion. Slayer accepts us for who we are, and encourages us to live peacefully and love one another. The crosses aren’t meant for worship. They are used for sacrifice.
VIOLENT FAN
Yeah lighten up already.
The lights go out again. The flames rise up. The music starts. The crowd in a frenzy.
Paulie and Chandresh are carried toward their respective crosses. Both are strung up using pulling mechanisms on all their limbs.
Together they hang vulnerably.
The ropes tied around their limbs are thrown into the crowd.
PAULIE
Never thought I’d go out like this.
CHANDRESH
Yeah. I figured I would immolate myself. Or get crushed at a Smiths reunion show.
PAULIE
Chandresh before we get torn apart limb by limb, I want to say one thing.
CHANDRESH
It’s okay man. I know. No need to say.
PAULIE
I have to. I want them to be my last words.
CHANDRESH
Wait let me think of my last words.
PAULIE
You are my best friend. I don’t want to die, but if I have to die, I am happy it is with you.
RADID FAN
That was so beautiful.
CHANDRESH
Wait wait. I got it. I need help though.
The fans start pulling their ropes. Paulie and Chandresh look like puppets.
PAULIE
Hurry up man. My leg is starting to tear away.
CHANDRESH
Okay okay. I just want to say …
A leg is passed over the crowd.
PAULIE
Hurry. Not many limbs left.
CHANDRESH
I just want to tell you that you are the only …
Two fans sword fight using arms as swords.
PAULIE
I can’t hold on much long …
CHANDRESH
Paulie you are the only … wait. Slayer can you play ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ by The Smiths.
Slayer denies his request. The fans go ballistic. They yank on the ropes.
Paulie and Chandresh’s screams are drowned out as the fans yell out ‘Slayer!’
The crosses are empty save for some blood smears.
The fans suddenly part as the severed heads of Paulie and Chandresh roll toward each other.
PAULIE
Best concert ever!
CHANDRESH
Slayer!
Chandresh head bangs causing his head to spin around in a circle.
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hello writers
I am darryl brant
I’ve written 4 features. But they are not good enough.
I hope to learn how to make my writing funnier.
I cannot pronounce the word ‘anonymity.’
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DAY 3 assignment
darryl brant – Funny Situations
Inappropriate Response
What I learned from this assignment is comedy can come from a variety of situations. Buck conventions and put your characters into comedic situations to see where the scene goes.
For this scene Ruth is a masseuse at work and Ribbon is her mother.
INT. MASSAGE PARLOR – DAY
Ruth massages the athletic body of a MALE CLIENT.
Soothing music plays. A fountain cascades water. The lighting is warm. It is all very relaxing.
CLIENT
Does she need to be here?
Ribbon sits in a chair in the corner ogling the client.
RUTH
Sorry sir. No she doesn’t. I’m not sure why she is here.
Ribbon edges the chair closer to the massage table.
RUTH
Here, these will help.
Ruth puts some headphones on the client.
RIBBON
Get him to turn over. I want to see his —
RUTH
You know you can’t be in here.
The client lifts his head.
RIBBON
He’s so handsome.
RUTH
Yeah, he is.
RIBBON
Many muscles.
RUTH
Yes.
RIBBON
Hair too.
RUTH
Yes.
RIBBON
Handsome, muscles and hair. The holy trinity.
The client gets annoyed.
CLIENT
I can still hear you.
RUTH
Sorry. One moment.
Ruth storms to the corner.
RUTH
Mom I’m at work. I’m doing my job. You know you can’t be in here. But you don’t listen. You never listen. I’m sick of repeating —
RIBBON
Why don’t you date men like him?
RUTH
I do.
RIBBON
Your last boyfriend had a boyfriend.
RUTH
Mom! Shh!
The half-naked client throws the headphones. Hurriedly gets dressed. Ruth licks her lips.
RIBBON
I could eat that for dinner.
RUTH
Sir she was just leaving.
RIBBON
Lap it up with those manly —
CLIENT
I want a refund.
The client storms out of the massage room.
The MANAGER is in immediately after.
MANAGER
Ruth that’s your second warning.
Ribbon not so secretly hands Ruth a small bag of weed.
RIBBON
(whispering)
Here’s the weed you asked for.
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Day 2 darryl brant
Comedy Plots
What I learned from this assignment is comedy can from a wide variety of plots outrageous as some of them may seem and to explore every possible avenue for your idea and your character.
PREMISE
A recluse woman is turned into a zombie after a bite from her infected, beloved dog.
1. Fish out of water –A woman is turned into a zombie after a bite from her undead dog but doesn’t realize she’s a zombie.
2. Incongruent pairings –
A recently turned zombie who has a distaste for human blood with a man bleeding out.
3. Hilarious purpose –A new zombie has to find how to ‘survive’ as she doesn’t like the taste of blood.
CHARACTER
An overly patriotic man who only loves his country.
1. Fish out of water –
A patriotic man finds himself in a foreign land that doesn’t like his home country.
2. Incongruent pairings –
A patriotic man finds himself falling for an Asian woman.
3. Hilarious purpose –
A man tries to ‘Americanize’ a foreign culture.
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DAY 1 Assignment
darryl brant Funny Scene
Film: Airplane!
What I learned from this assignment is in order to get a laugh from the audience, a scriptwriter needs to generate a certain amount of expectation (SET-UP) and then give the audience what they don’t expect (PUNHCLINE). In Airplane!, the writers use plays-on-words and visual gags to the point of absurdity to achieve this ‘incongruity’.
A I R P L A N E !
Written by
Jim Abrahams
David Zucker
Jerry Zucker
SHOOTING SCRIPT
June 11, 1979
Revised 6/15/79
INT. COCKPIT – NIGHT
Striker enters.
STRIKER
(to Rumack and Randy)
The stewardess said…
STRIKER’S POV
Empty pilot’s seat and inflated automatic pilot.
STRIKER
Both pilots!
DR. RUMACK
Can you fly this airplane and land it?
STRIKER
Surely you can’t be serious.
NOTE: SET-UP Striker doesn’t believe what he is being asked
DR. RUMACK
I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley! What flying experience have you had?
NOTE: PUNCHLINE Dr. Rumack misinterprets the homonym ‘surely’ for a girl’s name ‘Shirley’.
STRIKER
Well, I flew single-engine fighters in the Air Force, but this plane has four engines. It’s an entirely different kind of flying…altogether!!!
NOTE: SET-UP Striker highlights the difference between aircrafts.
RANDY/RUMACK
(all together)
It’s an entirely different kind of flying.
NOTE: PUNCHLINE Similar to the previous joke, Randy/Dr. Rumack misinterpret altogether and utter the phrase in unison.
STRIKER
Besides, I haven’t touched any kind of plane in six years.
DR. RUMACK
Mister Striker. I know nothing about flying. All I know is this: you’re the only person on this plane who can possibly fly it. You’re the only chance we’ve got.
DRAMATIC MUSIC as Striker turns to face the controls.
STRIKER’S POV
CAMERA PANS controls.
NOTE: SET-UP Camera focuses on the complexity of piloting a plane.
CAMERA KEEPS PANNING and PANNING as WE SEE more and more controls ad absurdum.
NOTE: PUNCHLINE The camera continues to pan revealing a ridiculous amount of controls, knobs and switches to the point of sheer absurdity.
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William – your scene is a fun read. quite enjoyed the funny, snappy interchange with layers of subtext. can easily picture it playing out. though admittedly I am Eagles fan.