[Johnathan Gorman]

What I have learned from the first assignment is how much structure can be utilized to develop a horror concept and screenplay. Being new to exploring the horror genre, I’ve started to watch horror films through a new lens.

I enjoyed watching A QUIET PLACE and I loved how simple the concept was and how it aligned with all 4 points shared in our first assignment:

A. The monster/villain: Alien
B. The interesting terror: Noise
C. An isolated and horrific environment: Farm
D. The people who will be terrorized: Family

I think I tend tp struggle to find simplicity in my ideas. During this class I want to work on not over complicating my concepts.

I’m playing with a concept that consists of a group of people on a haunted bus tour that is scheduled to make a few stops at legendary haunted castles. When the tour bus breaks down close to their final stop, the weather shifts dramatically which forces these haunted lovers to have to stay the night in a vacant monastery located on a remote seaside cliff. Through the evening they come to realize they are not alone, and now must choose to either face mother nature’s fierce wrath or keep themselves safe from this mysterious demon monk who is out to kill anyone enhabiting the dwelling.

A. The monster/villain: Demon Monk
B. The interesting terror: A demon monk that can only survive in darkness and will kill anyone they encounter.
C. An isolated and horrific environment: Vacant Monastery
D. The people who will be terrorized: Haunted Tour Guests

I’m sure this will be a work in progress but I’m excited to see if I can turn this story concept into a fun and scary feature film.

[Johnathan Gorman]

1. Johnathan Gorman
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.

[Johnathan Gorman]

1. Name? Johnathan Gorman
2. How many scripts you’ve written? A handful (4 or 5)
3. What you hope to get out of the class? I’m just venturing into horror, and I would like to understand how to bring a concept to life in a creative scary but original way.
4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? I don’t consider myself a writer at all! Actually far from it. When I write it’s all “gut” based much like everything I have achieved in the film industry. I recently bought a horror project to produce because I liked the idea/concept but not the script. I hired a writer to rewrite it, but they literally missed the mark. I felt like I spent money that became wasted. So, I took a stab at rewriting it. When I showed it to my team and the person who created the concept, everyone was shocked how creative I was with the draft… and to be honest, I really liked writing the crazy outlandish scenes. Horror is a genre I’m not very familiar with so I thought, hey, why not take a class to see if this is an area I can become comfortable with this space. .