Kris Kristensen
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Not sure I did this correctly. My outline is SUPER long.
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Kris’ Scary as Hell Scene
What I learned from this lesson is exactly why I wanted to take this workshop. I love the idea of building a scene from the emotions out. Scenes need to have flow, and I know they need be different by the end than they are at the beginning, but this is such a great way to approach it.
SET UP: The Quarterman has just lost one of his arms during an assault on the Sullivan home. Mrs. Boyle is still in shock and mourning the loss of her son Kieran who was found by the search party without his leg.
EXT. BOYLE HOUSE – NIGHT
Through the thinly veiled curtain, Mrs. Boyle eats alone at her dining table.
The Quarterman lumbers into her yard. He watches her through the window.INT. BOYLE HOUSE – CONT’D
A cooked ham atop the center of the table. A large carving knife rests in it.
A place setting where Kieran’s chair sits empty.
Mrs. Boyle knows she has to eat, but isn’t hungry.
She doesn’t notice that outside the curtains, the Quarterman’s silhouette is on the move.She takes one last bite. Pushes her plate aside, and lights up a cigarette. Stares out into space, lost in thought.
CRASH.
Mrs. Boyle turns toward the sound of a broken window from the other room.
She freezes mid-drag. Holds her breath.
Footsteps approaching from the other room.
One large.
One small.
Coming closer.
Large.
Small.
Closer.
Large.
Small.
Her cigarette ash grows longer as it smolders.
Her eyes shift from the doorway, to – –
THE CARVING KNIFE in the center of the ham. Can she reach it?
The Quarterman turns the corner, enters the room.
Mrs. Boyle tries to process what she sees.
Finally she exhales a lungful of cigarette smoke that she’s been holding.
The Quarterman steps toward her.
She grabs the knife from the ham, and defends herself with it.
The Quarterman advances, and then she sees – –
KIERAN’S LITTLE LEG as part of the Quarterman’s assemblage.
The tears stream from her eyes.
The Quarterman advances, and – –
Mrs. Boyle will give him no satisfaction as she draws the carving knife across her own throat severing her carotid artery.
Blood sprays across the sheer white curtains.
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Kris’ Scares, release, and creepy moments.
What I learned from this lesson is these beats will work even in a smaller scene where nothing horrible happens to any characters. Not only does it create tension within the scene, but it can be used as a building block to create an overall tension in the entirety of the film.
Pete has returned to the construction site to dispose of the human remains.
EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE – NIGHT
Pete’s Volvo bounces down the muddy road. He rolls to a stop, steps into the mud with his rubbers. He retrieves a flashlight from glove compartment, and trudges toward –
THE DISCOVERY SITE.
Rain spatters the tarp creating a machine gun of natural pops.
Pete reaches down to one corner of the tarp and rips it back revealing –
AN EMPTY HOLLOW
Where the human remains had been discovered only hours earlier.
Pete scans the grounds with his flashlight; is he in the right spot?
Rain trickles down his face, clouding his vision.
HOOT!
With a start, Pete wheels toward a sound in the night up above, aiming his flashlight beam at – –
AN OWL casting judgment on him from a limb high up in a tree.
Pete breathes a sigh of relief.
He steps down into –
THE DISCOVERY HOLLOW.
His foot immediately swallowed by mud. As he retreats, his boot doesn’t budge and he stumbles, plopping his stockinged foot down into the muck beside the boot.
PETE
Oh, for the love of God.He wobbles as he stabs his foot at the errant boot, but misses.
TWITCH!
A match ignites ten yards away.
Pete squints. Remembers he has a flashlight, and aims it at –
BRIGGS, lighting his pipe.
PETE
Who’s there?
Briggs approaches puffing on his pipe like a slow moving locomotive. He cradles a cracked open double barrel shotgun in one arm.
He looms over Pete who struggles to get back into his boot.
PETE
This is private property, no trespassing.
BRIGGS
What you looking for boy?
PETE
My dad can make life very difficult for you unless you state your business here.
BRIGGS
I know you are, young Sullivan. There’s nothing left your dad can take from me.
Pete finally manages to get his boot back on, acts like he now has the upper hand. Notices that Briggs is carrying a burlap satchel, not unlike the one where the human remains had been discovered in.
PETE
What’s in that satchel?
Briggs smirks, holds it open for Pete to reach into.
Pete is hesitant.
BRIGGS
Go on, boy… if you’re so curious.
Pete holds his breath. Inches his hand into the bag.
Whatever he’s landed upon has put a frown on his face.
He pulls out his hand, holding a dead fox. Pete flinches.
Briggs laughs. Takes his fox, and wanders into the dark, leaving Pete stuck in his hole.
PETE
(trying to act tough)
This is private property. No hunting allowed.
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Kris’ Level 3 Emotion Scene
What I learned from this, was really the lean into the Anguish. This scene is basically lifted from the latest draft of my script, but being aware of playing into the anguish is great. It’s kind of like that rule where, you don’t want to see your protagonist cry when they do something noble, but you want to cut to someone who is affected by their decision, and let the tear come from them.
Previously on THE QUARTERMAN… Pete thought he had buried the Quarterman in the sublevels of the family castle, but the creature escaped. He made his way back to Henry’s home, where when Henry was confronted by the monster, he seized the family sword from above the mantle, and severed the Quarterman’s head. Henry rewarded himself by tossing the head in the fireplace, and poured himself a drink. Unbeknownst to him, the creature stirred and reached for the sword.
EXT. HENRY’S HOUSE NIGHT
Fireplace glow.
Pete approaches the front door. He steps
INSIDE.
Henry sits in his high back chair facing away from the door. He is knitting something. Whiskey glass beside him.
Pete closes the door behind him and leans against. Exhausted. Safe.
The flesh has mostly burned off of the Quarterman’s head. All that remains is a skull in the fire.
PETE
(smells the air)
Ugh… What have you been cooking?
(gathers himself)
Dad, I love you, and I love that you want me to follow in your footsteps, but I don’t have construction in my blood. The kitchen is where I need to be. I’ll never be you, no matter how hard you try to make me you.
Henry says nothing.
The yarn ball keeps jerking on the floor beside his chair as he continues to just knit.
PETE (cont’d)
And now I see you trying to shape Liam into what you want, so for his protection I’m taking him back to Dublin. I’ll be making arrangements in the morning, and we’ll be out of here before the week is over.
Henry just knits.
The ice in the whisky glass shifts.
PETE (cont’d)
Dad, are you listening?!
One last tug on the yarn ball, and this time it rolls across the floor to Henry’s headless corpse near the fireplace.
Pete is confused.
What he presumed was Henry, now rises from the leather
chair.
The Quarterman has been sewing Henry’s head atop his previously vacant neck with the knitting yarn.
He is no longer the Quarterman, he is The QuarterHenry.
He hisses at Pete.
PETE (cont’d)
Dad…?
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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What I learned from this lesson… really digging these beats. I think I understood all of this inherently, but it’s really nice to be able to label the beats, and build them off of one another, having a stronger progression that what I already had in the last draft of my script. It’s also fun to rewrite these scenes without referring back to the last draft. They feel much richer to me, even as I rewrite them partially from memory, but not hanging on to the prior edition.
Officers Gleeson and Firth have been sent to the castle to look for any signs of “Monsters”.
INT./EXT. CASTLE RUINS – DAY
OFFICER GLEESON and OFFICER FIRTH wander the decaying ruins of the castle.
FIRTH
There’s nothin’ here, let’s head back.GLEESON
What’s this?He points toward the set of stairs that lead down underground.
FIRTH
Probably just a wine cellar. Let’s go.GLEESON
Ya ain’t scared, are ya?FIRTH
Scared? No.
(looking around nervously)
More like bored. C’mon.They hear a sound; something moving down below.
GLEESON
Ah, this is nuthin’ but a wild goose chase.They head back to their car, when a call comes in on their radio.
DISPATCH (o.s.)
Chief said to make sure and check out the underground while you’re there.GLEESON
Copy that.Reluctantly, he heads back toward the stairwell. Turns on his flashlight. Begins his descent, then realizes that Firth isn’t following.
GLEESON
Do you wanna go first?FIRTH
I don’t wanna go at all.GLEESON
I know. I was being sarcastic.FIRTH
Oh.
(beat)
I don’t wanna go first.GLEESON
Then get your arse in gear or I’ll have you written up.FIRTH
You can’t do that, you’re my partner.GLEESON
If you’re my partner, then you’re coming with me.Can’t argue with that logic, I guess. Firth flicks on his flashlight and follows Gleeson –
DOWN THE STAIRS.
GLEESON
Mr. Quarterman, are you down here?FIRTH
Pipe down.GLEESON
I thought you were bored, just trying to livin’ this up for ya.They reach –
THE BOTTOM OF THE STEPS.
An intersection.
GLEESON
You go left, I’ll go right.FIRTH
Maybe we should stick together.GLEESON
Just tryin’ to livin’ it up for you.Very funny.
They go their separate ways.
RIGHT TUNNEL
Pitch black. Gleeson can only see whatever’s directly in the lamp beam before him.
LEFT TUNNEL
Firth inches his way down the tunnel. He’s hardly progressed from where he started.
FIRTH
(into his radio)
I don’t think there’s anything down here.
(no response)
Gleeson, are you there?
(no response)
Gleeson?RIGHT TUNNEL
Gleeson continues on his path into the darkness, but isn’t receiving any radio signal.
LEFT TUNNEL
Firth is switching channels on his radio.
FIRTH
Gleeson, do you hear me? Gleeson, come in.From out of the darkness behind Firth, the Quarterman emerges, wraps his three arms around the policeman.
Firth drops his flashlight to the ground. He screams as he’s dragged into the black.
RIGHT TUNNEL
Gleeson turns toward the scream.
GLEESON
Firth?! FIRTH!Gleeson, bites his lip, afraid to move.
GLEESON
(dry mouth)
Firth…He creeps back toward –
THE JUNCTION.
He aims his flashlight down into –
THE LEFT TUNNEL.
Squints his eyes, peering into the blackness beyond the flashlight beam.
GLEESON
(into his radio)
Firth, are you alright?
Gleeson’s voice emits from Firth’s radio, just a little further down the tunnel.
GLEESON
Firth, let’s go up.
No response.
GLEESON
Damnit.He creeps down the tunnel toward, speaking into his radio.
GLEESON
C’mon, answer your radio, boy.
His words echoing louder from Firth’s radio.
GLEESON
Firth?
His flashlight beam lands on Firth’s discarded radio on the ground.
GLEESON
(into radio)
Dispatch, this is Officer Gleeson, I need backup. Officer missing, presumed down.
And as he turns toward the exit on these last few words, his flashlight beam lights up –
THE FACE OF THE QUARTERMAN who is hovering right behind him!
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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INT. EMERGENCY ROOM – ADMISSIONS DESK – NIGHT
NURSE O’LEARY (35) and NURSE CLYBORN (late 50s) chat as they fill out administrative work. O’Leary checks the time.
O’LEARY
Donna’s running late.CLYBORN
Don’t want to keep your hot bath waiting.O’LEARY
Not tonight.CLYBORN
Straight to bed?O’LEARY (giggles)
Maybe a drink or two first.CLYBORN (stops her work)
Mary O’Leary, what are you going on about?O’LEARY
Pete Sullivan’s back in town.CLYBORN
You don’t say.As the nurses gossip, they don’t notice that at –
THE END OF THE HALL
The automated doors open, and the Quarterman drags himself inside, pulling himself forward with his lone arm.
The nurses feel a gust of wind and turn toward the doors, but not before the Quarterman has disappeared down a hallway.
O’LEARY
Did someone come in? I was hoping it was Donna.CLYBORN (joking)
Must’ve been a ghost.Donna enters through the doors and sprints down the hall toward the admissions desk.
DONNA
Sorry, I’m late.O’Leary collects a tray of pills.
O’LEARY
Off to finish my rounds.INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR – MOMENTS LATER
O’Leary turns the corner with tray of pills, most of them now deposited in patients.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
O’Leary enters a room. Dark except for moonlight spilling in through the window. Two beds divided by a curtain, that wafts in the breeze from the cracked open window.
O’Leary walks past the empty bed, and quietly pulls back the curtain to reveal –
A second empty bed. Where’s her patient?
O’LEARY
Mr. Travis?MR. TRAVIS (80ish) exits the restroom right behind her, the door handle making a loud metal sound.
Startled, O’Leary drops her pill tray to the floor in a loud CLANG.
The pills scatter.
O’LEARY
Mr. Travis, you know you’re not supposed to leave your bed.MR. TRAVIS
Piss pot was full.O’Leary crouches down to collect her pills, as Mr. Travis shuffles back to bed.
The Quarterman watches her from under the empty bed.
O’Leary wipes his pills clean on her frock. Pours a glass of water for Mr. Travis.
O’LEARY
Open wide.She gives him his pills, followed by a sip of water.
MR. TRAVIS
How’s about a goodnight kiss?O’LEARY
Now, Mr. Travis, we’ve been over this…MR. TRAVIS
Then a goodnight story.O’LEARY
There once was a man from Green Hill
Who’d taken a nasty spill
He consulted a proctor
Who said “Go get a doctor”
And now he has to take pills..SNORE. The old man is sound asleep.
O’Leary gathers her things and turns toward the door. On her way out, she kicks an errant pill that skitters across the floor.
She pauses, searching for it in the dark.
There it is.
She stoops to pick it up.
Then continues on her merry way, when –
A chain, whips around her ankle, and yanks tight, sending her –
Headlong across the floor.
Her pill tray spills out into the hallway.
She lies on the floor. Eyes open. Motionless. Her cheek mashed against the floor.
Then she slides backwards.
Quarterman pulls the chain, inching O’Leary toward him under the bed.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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What I learned from this assignment is I came up with some new solutions to plot problems that I was struggling with.
My outline is 10 solid pages. I’m not going to bother you with it here.
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A little shameless self promotion since we’re using THE THING as a sample. My buddy and I just launched our commercial production company, and as spec piece we created this spot for Last Exit To Nowhere billing it as a sequel to THE THING.
If this is against group policy, I apologize, and feel free to remove… Just thought you might all get a kick out of it since we’re kind of on topic here.
https://www.dopeshoots.com/portfolio/project-one-ephnc-lxh2n
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Kris’ Monster Reveal
What I learned from this assignment is that even though I knew my ending and the Quarterman’s final destruction, I hadn’t set it up. Probably because his death is more symbolic of my protagonist’s growth as opposed to him knowing the monster’s weakness… personally, I think it works without setting it up, but seeing a similar conclusion in THE THING, it certainly doesn’t weaken the ending by having the audience in on HOW to destroy the beast, in fact, it will give them something to cheer for when the protagonist reaches for the solution to the problem.
POWER: How is the Quarterman alive, having survived in the peat for hundreds of years?
POWER: How did the Quarterman disappear on its own accord?
PURPOSE: Rumors that Quarterman has been uncovered, Liam asks “what’s the Quarterman?”, and he’s told the legend that he would come back to take his limbs from those who killed him.
LIMITATIONS: Quarterman drags himself to his first kill.
LIMITATIONS: Quarterman mobility has increased in that he now has an extra limb.
POWER: When Quarterman arrives to kill Kieran, he has fused Nurse O’Leary’s arm to himself so that he now has two arms, becoming a little more mobile.
POWER: When Pete is cornered by the Quarterman he drives a sharp branch through the creature’s heart, but it does nothing to harm him.
POWER: When Quarterman attacks Drake, he has fused Kieran’s leg to himself.
WEAKNESS: FIRE… freaks out when Drake lights a smoke?
PURPOSE: Lonergan reveals that Sullivans are part of Quarterman’s target after reading an ancient tome journaling the town’s history.
POWER: When Quarterman attacks Sullivan House, he now has fused Drake’s leg to himself.
LIMITATIONS: Technology, Quarterman wrests a shotgun from someone, and uses it as a club. It discharges, he freaks out.
LIMITATIONS: Quarterman sets foot in a bear trap, can’t escape.
WEAKNESS: FIRE… After the Quarterman is trapped, Henry uses his lighter to get a better look and the creature flinches away from the flames.
POWER: Quarterman escapes bear trap when the castle is crumbling around him, by severing his leg, and taking another one on the nearest victim (Briggs).
POWER: Henry severs the Quarterman’s head, but he still isn’t dead.
WEAKNESS: FIRE… Pete sets the Quarterman ablaze, purging him and the family from the legacy.
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Kris’ Character Death Track
What I learned from this assignment is that I needed to clarify Lonergan’s death. His is accidental, but realized that I could make it more gruesome by getting specific about it.
Character Death 1: Fergus Brody
Why: For crimes committed by his father
How: Drawn and Quartered by horses
Character Death 2: Nurse O’Leary
Why: Youngest living descendant O’Leary bloodline of Quarterman’s betrayers.
How: Strangled/dismembered.
Character Death 3: Kieran Boyle
Why: Youngest living descendant Boyle bloodline of Quarterman’s betrayers.
How: Strangled/dismembered.
Character Death 4: Charlie Drake
Why: Youngest living descendant Drake bloodline of Quarterman’s betrayers.
How: Strangled/dismembered.
Character Death 5: Lonergan
Why: Wrong place, wrong time.
How: Severed artery while being pulled through window.
Character Death 6: Mrs. Boyle
Why: Quarterman needs a new arm, and she is Youngest living descendant of Quarterman’s betrayers.
How: Strangled/dismembered.
Character Death 7: Officer 1
Why: Invading Quarterman’s space/threat to him
How: Strangled/dismembered
Character Death 8: Officer 2
Why: Invading Quarterman’s space/threat to him
How: Strangled/dismembered
Character Death 9: Briggs
Why: Threat to Quarterman’s escape
How: Strangled/dismembered.
Character Death 10: Henry
Why: Part of the Sullivan bloodline/threat to Quarterman’s survival.
How: Beheaded with family sword.
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Kris’ Horror Situation Track
What I learned doing this assignment Is that I have a lot of repetitive beats, but I love that I now have a large pallet of Horror Situations to pick from. This will allow me to go through my next draft and flesh out a lot of scenes with beats that I hadn’t even considered before.
<b role=”presentation”>ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – The Quarterman’s origin. Fergus Brody is drawn and quartered by conspirators; punishment for atrocities that Brody’s father committed.
HORROR SITUATION: Shackled, Physically Tortured, Menacing Stranger, Walking into a trap
REACTION: Escape
Connect with the characters – Present day, we meet the family; Pete, Liam, Henry, and Anne celebrating Liam’s 8th birthday at Anne’s pub.
The characters are warned not to do it. – Upon discovering the Quarterman’s human remains, one of Pete’s co-workers warns them to cover the remains back up, and leave them be.
HORROR SITUATION: Internal conflict in the group, A character refuses to take action, Another character loses it (hysterical)
REACTION: Denial
Denial of Horror – Pete argues that the Quarterman isn’t real, just an old wives tale to keep children in line.
Safety taken away – Pete covers the Quarterman with a tarp, rather than rebury it.
Monster: The nature of the beast. – While no one is watching, the Quarterman awakens, disappears, and begins his killing spree, starting with Nurse O’Leary.
Pete returns on Henry’s orders to dispose of the human remains, but the Quarterman has mysteriously disappeared, and confronted by Briggs – a poacher.
HORROR SITUATION: Menacing Stranger
REACTION: Denial
The Quarterman takes his first victim, Nurse O’Leary.
HORROR SITUATION: Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Impending doom, Injured, wounded, or debilitated, Walking into a trap
REACTION: Escape
<b role=”presentation”>ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Pete is the first to discover his friend Nurse O’Leary’s mutilated remains.
HORROR SITUATION: Lured into the horror, Unknown motive
REACTION: Solve it
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – Kieran, Liam’s schoolyard bully, is abducted, and later found murdered, one of his legs torn off.
HORROR SITUATION: Impending doom, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Doing something forbidden
REACTION: Hide
Kieran’s Mom discovers that he’s missing, and there’s foul play involved.
HORROR SITUATION: Being lured into danger, Impending doom, Mentally tortured, Friends in danger, Lured into the horror
REACTION: Solve It
Kieran’s remains are discovered by a search party.
HORROR SITUATION: Impending doom, Mentally tortured, Another character loses it (hysterical), Internal conflict in the group
REACTION: SOLVE IT
One of us killed – During the search for Kieran, Charlie Drake is isolated, and he comes face to face with the Quarterman… he is killed, and one of HIS legs is torn off.
HORROR SITUATION: Being lured into danger, The only one who sees the monster, Attacked or chased, Impending doom, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Injured, wounded, or debilitated, See another killed, Dilemma: Who to save: Them or me? Or Person A versus Person B?, Friends in danger, Face to face with the monster, Walking into a trap
REACTION: Denial/Fight
Pete discovers Drake’s body, and sees the Quarterman making its way into the darkened hillside on the outskirts of town. He follows. He stumbles down a hillside, injuring himself, the Quarterman confronts him, is about to kill him, but for some yet unknown reason lets him live.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, The only one who sees the monster, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Injured, wounded, or debilitated, Unknown motive, Fall through the floor, Face to face with the monster. Helping a good person and being attacked
REACTION: HIDE/ESCAPE/Solve
Having hired Briggs to pick up the Quarterman’s trail from where he had his last confrontation with him, Pete, Briggs and Lonergan enter the Quarterman’s lair, only to discover that he’s living in the old castle that Henry now owns.
HORROR SITUATION: Lost, Impending doom, Monster approaching, Friends in danger, Internal conflict in the group, Can not see (fog, being underwater), speak or yell, hear (too loud or too quiet), Walking into a trap
REACTION: SOLVE
<b role=”presentation”>MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by the killer – Having tracked the Quarterman back to his lair, Pete discovers that his family is the final link in the chain, and this his son Liam is the actual target.
Terrorized – An assault on Pete’s home, the Quarterman attempts to run off with Liam, but Pete fends him off for now, but not without a casualty; Dermot Lonergan, local folklorist (mentor) is killed by the monster.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, Attacked or chased, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Out of the frying pan and into the fire, See another killed, Friends in danger, Internal conflict in the group, A character refuses to take action, Face to face with the monster
REACTION: HIDE, ESCAPE, FIGHT
Finally, the police inspector sends two of his men out to inspect the castle. They’re trapped and killed by the Quarterman.
HORROR SITUATION: Lost, Being lured into danger, Attacked or chased, Forced into a dangerous environment, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you. See another killed, Dilemma: Who to save: Them or me? Or Person A versus Person B?, Friends in danger, Another character loses it (hysterical), Threatened, Face to face with the monster, Walking into a trap, Can not see (fog, being underwater), speak or yell, hear (too loud or too quiet)
REACTION: Escape
When Liam overhears Pete tell Anne that never wanted children, he runs away to hide in the castle. Pete follows him into the bowels, where they’re saved by Henry just as the Quarterman closes in on them.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, Attacked or chased, Forced into a dangerous environment, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, A character refuses to take action, Face to face with the monster, Can not see (fog, being underwater), speak or yell, hear (too loud or too quiet), Helping a good person and being attacked
REACTION: HIDE
After an argument with Henry, Pete finds himself mired down in the bog outside the castle.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, Forced into a dangerous environment, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Tricked, Internal conflict in the group, A character refuses to take action, Slimed, Environment changing around you, Walking into a trap
REACTION: Solve it
While watching guard as Pete buries the Quarterman inside it, Briggs is killed when the Quarterman secretly escapes out a back route.
HORROR SITUATION: Attacked or chased, Friends in danger, Face to face with the monster , Helping a good person and being attacked
REACTION: Fight it
<b role=”presentation”>ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
As Henry is collecting his gun at home to go back to the castle to dispatch of the Quarterman, he turns to find the behemoth in his living room.
HORROR SITUATION: The only one who sees the monster, Attacked or chased, Impending doom, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Threatened, Face to face with the monster
REACTION: FIGHT ITFight to the death – Thinking that he has buried the Quarterman in his castle, Pete returns home to discover that the Quarterman has now taken not only his father’s (Henry) life, but also his head.
Hysteria – Pete is horrified that he now must go head to head with his father, who is now the Quarterman, who also dons several arms from his victims like a Shiva.
The thrilling escape from death – Pete sets the Quarterman ablaze, along with his father’s house.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, The only one who sees the monster, Attacked or chased, No escape or their escape route has been cut off, Monster approaching, Monster trying to get to you, Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Injured, wounded, or debilitated, Transformed into something else (zombie, possessed, touched rotting monster), Tricked, Friends in danger, A character becomes a liability (physically), Face to face with the monster, Walking into a trap, Lured into the horror, Working with someone, then they become the evil one
REACTION: ESCAPE, FIGHT
Death returns to take one or more. – Pete returns into the home to save a precious gift that he promised to his son, but before he can make it out safely, the Quarterman wraps chain around Pete in a stranglehold, and he must escape not just the monster, but also the burning home.
Resolution – Pete severs the chain between himself and the Quarterman/Henry, traps the monster in the house as it burns up in smoke.
HORROR SITUATION: Trapped, Shackled, Attacked or chased, Forced into a dangerous environment, Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Injured, wounded, or debilitated, Possessed, Face to face with the monster, Environment changing around you, Helping a good person and being attacked
REACTION: FIGHT IT
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Kris’ Horror Plot
What I learned doing this assignment is… I’m debating whether or not to start in the past with the origin story. That was my initial instinct, and then I went away from it. I’m going back and forth on whether or not it works. The bigger point that I’m excited about is that I felt that I needed a “Death returns” moment but I didn’t have one – or so I thought – I actually did, I just had to switch a few beats around to make it happen. This feels better to me now.
ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR
Atmosphere of Evil established – The Quarterman’s origin. Fergus Brody is drawn and quartered by conspirators; punishment for atrocities that Brody’s father committed.
Connect with the characters – Present day, we meet the family; Pete, Liam, Henry, and Anne celebrating Liam’s 8th birthday at Anne’s pub.
The characters are warned not to do it. – Upon discovering the Quarterman’s human remains, one of Pete’s co-workers warns them to cover the remains back up, and leave them be.
Denial of Horror – Pete argues that the Quarterman isn’t real, just an old wives tale to keep children in line.
Safety taken away – Pete covers the Quarterman with a tarp, rather than rebury it.
Monster: The nature of the beast. – While no one is watching, the Quarterman awakens, disappears, and begins his killing spree, starting with Nurse O’Leary.
ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – Kieran, Liam’s schoolyard bully, is abducted, and later found murdered, one of his legs torn off.
One of us killed – During the search for Kieran, Charlie Drake is isolated, and he comes face to face with the Quarterman… he is killed, and one of HIS legs is torn off.
MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
Full pursuit by the killer – Having tracked the Quarterman back to his lair, Pete discovers that his family is the final link in the chain, and this his son Liam is the actual target.
Terrorized – An assault on Pete’s home, the Quarterman attempts to run off with Liam, but Pete fends him off for now, but not without a casualty; Dermot Lonergan, local folklorist (mentor) is killed by the monster.
ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
Fight to the death – Thinking that he has buried the Quarterman in his castle, Pete returns home to discover that the Quarterman has now taken not only his father’s (Henry) life, but also his head.
Hysteria – Pete is horrified that he now must go head to head with his father, who is now the Quarterman, who also dons several arms from his victims like a Shiva.
The thrilling escape from death – Pete sets the Quarterman ablaze, along with his father’s house.
Death returns to take one or more. – Pete returns into the home to save a precious gift that he promised to his son, but before he can make it out safely, the Quarterman wraps chain around Pete in a stranglehold, and he must escape not just the monster, but also the burning home.
Resolution – Pete severs the chain between himself and the Quarterman/Henry, traps the monster in the house as it burns up in smoke.
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Kris’ Characters for Horror
1. Tell us your Concept and the Group you have chosen.
The group is C. The social group – In the big picture, it’s the entire community of this village, but on the specific scale it’s the Sullivan family.
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie.
Speaking specifically of the Sullivan family, the dying pattern is B… the characters experience the terror together, but one of them dies. HOWEVER… other members of the community will also die.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
Pete Sullivan – Father to Liam, son of Henry. I guess he’s the rescuer, as he is the protagonist who ultimately saves his son from the Quarterman.
Henry Sullivan – Father to Pete and Anne, Grandfather to Liam. Leader, he’s the one everyone turns to for advice and direction, but he doesn’t believe in the myth, so he ignores the danger until he comes face to face with it. Does that make him “Out of Control” instead?
Liam Sullivan – Son to Pete, the Innocent. He is the ultimate target for the Quarterman, and it’s up to Pete to protect him. He represents Pete’s instincts, which he should learn to follow.
Anne Sullivan – Sister to Pete, Daughter of Henry. Rebel, but could also be the Moral one… She is Pete’s conscience – She knows it’s time for him to step up and be the leader in addition to the rescuer. She functions as his spiritual mentor, while he also has a wisdom mentor who teaches him about the Quarterman.
4. What I learned doing this assignment is… never had considered social groups and dying patterns before. I struggle with identities, because I believe characters can be nuanced, and may start as the rescuer, and become the leader, so not sure how to put that down in black and white.
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Kris’ Terrifying Monster
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
I’ve been kicking this project around for a few years so much of it has been pretty well thought out, but I’m discovering that the more I can hold back from the audience, and lean into the mystery, the better. Really let the audience get enough clues, and discover the answers along with our protagonist.
Their Terror: The Quarterman is launching an attack on the citizens of a small Irish town, the victims each have one of their limbs brutally torn or cut off. No one is safe, not even women and children. The Quarterman is hiding on the outskirts of town, but no one is exactly sure where. It strikes at different times and places, at your work, in the streets, in your home. It appears feeble at times as it’s evolving, but even the town’s biggest man is no match for it in its early stages. It collected a large chain from where he was uncovered, and will use it to snare its victims.
Their Mystery: How and why is it selecting its victims. It’s definitely targeting, because there are some citizens that he completely ignores, and even bypasses. How did it survive 1200 years in the peat bog, and reanimate when uncovered?
Their Fear Provoking Appearance: One of the things that I loved about ALIEN was that the xenomorph evolved. One of the things that drove me nuts about ALIEN was the WAY that the xenomorph evolved. Egg, Facehugger, chestburster… 7’ tall bi-pedal behemoth. Wait, I think we skipped a step. The Quarterman begins as a head, shoulder and arm. As it claims its victims it is reassembling itself from a woman (another arm and breast), a child’s tiny leg, and large man’s long leg. The limbs are held together through attached tissue, but he also uses the chain to tie himself together, so he is reminiscent of Jacob Marley (not to be confused with Bob Marley ;). He is lopsided, and during his evolution even looks vulnerable. His original head and arm look like old leather as they’ve been marinating in the peat for 1200 years. As victims get in his way, he takes an arm here and there and attaches them until the climax where he resembles an out of balance shiva. Some limbs are even backwards, or attached incoherently, a shoulder attached to another elbow, etc.
Their Rules: The Quarterman is out for revenge. It is not interested in hurting anyone outside of its main drive; kill the descendants of those who betrayed me. Furthermore, it kills the youngest in the chain first, because it wants the parents of the victims to feel the pain it has felt. While it takes no interest in killing anyone outside of the immediate legacy… if you get in its way, it won’t hesitate to dispatch you.
Their Mythology: The Quarterman (Fergus Brody) was the son of a Lord who practiced black magic in the 800s. He was a good man, but his father (the Lord) was hated by the village, because when he needed a sacrifice he wouldn’t hesitate to select one of them. When the Lord died, Fergus rode into town to tell the good news that his father’s reign of terror was over, however four conspirators lay in wait for him. They believed that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so they decided to nip this in the bud before Fergus picked up his father’s practice. As he was drawn and quartered, Fergus, who had learned a thing or two about black magic from his old man, swore vengeance upon their children’s children, just as he was being persecuted for crimes that he did not commit.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by
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Movie I watched:
THE FOG
Concept: Ghosts return for their gold, and to take six lives, one for each of the conspirators that lead their ship aground 100 years ago.
Terrorize the characters: People around town are randomly killed.
Isolation: A small fishing village on the west coast. San Antonio Bay. Within this, one of the main characters is isolated in her lighthouse which is the local radio station.
Death: 6 people must die.
Monster/Villain: 100 year old ghosts that travel via a fog bank that they can control.
High tension: The fog can move wherever it needs to go.
Departure from reality: Sentient fog. Fog causes shenanigans during the witching hour, lights flicker, dogs howl, car alarms go off, etc. Ghosts.
Moral statement: You can’t outrun the past.
What I learned: I have a resistance to jump scares, because I think they’re cheap, but I gotta admit – they can be your friend. Re: Departure from reality… the super natural events that enter the town before the story kicks into gear, really help set the tone.
My Script: THE QUARTERMAN
Concept: When 1200 year human remains are uncovered in an Irish peat bog, the Quarterman reassembles himself limb by limb from the descendants who conspired to kill him in the year 800.
Terrorize the characters: A series of gruesome murders about town put the townsfolk on edge. Who will be next.
Isolation: A quaint Irish village.
Death: Citizens being killed and limbs torn off.
Monster/Villain: The Quarterman, allegedly a fictitious bogeyman to keep children in line, turns out to be real. When first discovered, he’s only an arm and head, but slowly he puts himself limb by limb.
High Tension: Gruesome murders, that at first seem random. Eventually our protagonist discovers that his family is the final target.
Departure from Reality: Human remains having lain dormant in a peat bog for 1200 years come back to life when unearthed and go on a killing spree.
Moral Statement: The sins of the father are visited upon the son.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Kris Kristensen.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by
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Kris Kristensen
I agree to the terms of this 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.
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Kris Kristensen
I’ve written lots of scripts. Lost track.
I’ve had this horror script kicking around for a few years, but it was a puzzle to put together. This last draft I finally cracked it, but it’s out of balance (long act 1, short act 2, shorter act 3). A friend read it, really liked it and said “Now that you’ve got the story dialed in, lean into the horror.” Coincidentally this class landed in my inbox the next day, so here I am – ready to lean into the horror.
Something unique? I don’t know, aren’t we all unique… is that a cliche? You’ll have to ask my publicist to write this part 🤣
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Love the math between the first scene and the second scene. Really nice and simple. We put it all together in our heads. Great visual storytelling.
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Looking ahead it looks like we’re going to be sharing everything. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll be happy to share with you privately, Kenneth.
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Thanks, Kenneth. I had NOT thought of that. It’s a really interesting idea though, and it may actually buy me some time in the second half of act 2, so that makes it even more appealing to me 🤣. Really appreciate you reaching out with this suggestion, and will be giving it a lot of serious thought. Thanks agin.
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Thanks, Kenneth. Glad it’s resonating with you