[Zachary Hunchar]

What I learned doing with this assignment was… that I need clues. I’ll confess I found the explanation on the Demand side to be unclear.

**1.** Create each part of this model:
**A.** Who is your monster, and what is their terror? |
* Powers? Slash has a near-skin-tight battle suit and cyber technology implanted in him. He is strong, fast, and able to heal acceleratedly. His AI-controlled system gives him a lot of information. There are weapons systems built into the suit, including flame-throwers, missile launchers, and nano-blades.
* Limitations? Because of the effects of time travel, he cannot remove the suit. Any exposure to the time stream causes him massive trauma. The suit can heal but it can only heal so much. Also, AI only knows some things and provides less than reliable data. His two jumps have damaged a lot of the ways it can communicate. The damaged system causes him to move strangely and make strange noises.
* Weaknesses? With significant damage, he could be defeated. Mostly through exposure to the time stream. Also, an EMP could disrupt enough systems to be lethal.
* Plan/Purpose/Appetite? Find the parents of the future God Emperor and kill them before they can procreate. This weekend is the only reference to the parents.

⠀**B.** Sequence the reveals
1. See Slash looking at his hands in prayer.
2. He watches them move about town and interact.
3. Slash encounters an elderly lady still living in the area. He studies her for a bit before leaving her and her dog alone.
4. The caretaker talks about the slaughter that happened 35 years ago. How he saw Slash walk through a hole in the air. The cars looked very much like they did now. And he waited all this time.
5. The old lady warns them to behave and not fornicate.
6. He destroys the electricity grid.
7. He damages the car.
8. He watches them party. There is a precise moment where he could kill them all, but he doesn’t.
9. He hunts all of them except Trevor. However, he does defend himself against Trevor.
10. There is a strange movement by slash.
11. Strange noises happen as he hunts.
12. Flashback showing Slash standing still at a party 35 years ago. After some time, he suddenly begins killing. During the battle, he stops and continues to take damage. Then he opens the portal and steps through, killing one more.
* **C.** Create Demand for each clue/reveal.
* 1. Slash looking at his hands. Friends will think he is a religious fanatic. The reality is his AI interface; the only way to see information is through a hologram. Only he can see sensors in his hand project that.
2. Slash watching them interact with what’s left of the town. Reveal is that he’s trying to figure out who might be the possible parents of the ultimate evil. Looking for bad people and people who are sexually active.
3. Encounter with the old lady. Reveals that he thinks she’s familiar but can be dismissed as she’s too old to be the mother.
4. Caretaker story. The reveal is that he was right but dismissed as a crank.
5. Old Lady warning against fornication. Reveals that she was the last soldier sent to kill the parents but got sent back too far. Her equipment is more advanced/reliable.
6. Destroying power. The reveal is that Slash tried repowering his suit but overloaded the electric system. Everyone will assume it was to cut them off.
7. Damaging the cars. Reveal is he’s looking for parts to repair the suit. Friends assume it was to isolate them.
8. Watching the party. He’s trying to figure out who might be the parents based on behavior. He’d been warned by his AI that too many unnecessary deaths could mess up the timeline.
9. Trevor. He quickly figures that Trevor isn’t getting any action, and it seems unlikely.
10. Slash’s weird movement. His suit is malfunctioning, and he moves in and out of the time stream. It’s why he disappears and reappears suddenly.
11. Strange noises. The suit continues to malfunction, and the noises they hear are of him entering and leaving the timestream.
12. Late 80s party. His suit took him to the wrong time. It took a few moments to realize where he went.

[Zachary Hunchar]

What I learned doing this assignment is kill! KILL! KILL! No, seriously, there has to be peril and death ratchets that up.

Character Death 1 & 2:** Rebecca Kramer % Dr. Charles Curfman
* Why: April accidentally frees a restrained serial killer at the hospital where she’s doing an internship. She’s sloppy, but it works out as Kramer and Curfman were going to get her kicked out of the program.
* How: Jane Smith kills both of them with a scalpel. She is subdued before she can get to April.
* **Character Death 3 & 4:** Dr. Klara Maying-Purnell & Dr. Heathcliff Purnell
* Why: Early 40s in age, and together. It is an obvious choice for the parents of the future dictator. This should be confusing.
* How: They’re packing their station wagon, and Slash shoves it off a cliff with them in it/or strapped to the roof.
* **Character Death 3:** Jeff McKinney
* Why: Flirting heavily with several of the friends in the group. Also, he can fix their vehicles, which means they can escape.
* How: Slash throws the BMW into the house they’re in, and the car lands on him.
* **Character Death 4:** Valerie Burns
* Why: Has sex with several people on the trip. Also, vanity is an issue for her.
* How: A nearby explosion sets her on fire, and it melts her outfit over her.
* **Character Death 5:** Reggie Smith
* Why: Finally proven right about Slash. Also, he found people to carry on his work. And, lastly, he wasn’t as good at his traps as he thought he was.
* How: Killed by several traps Slash didn’t activate as Reggie was trying to escape.
* **Character Death 6:** Lance Nash
* Why: Engages Slash to buy the friends more time. Ultimately, she didn’t pick up on April’s bad behavior and tried to save her without knowing she would gladly sacrifice him for herself. Also, he had sex.
* How: Crushed with a running snowblower, which also mangles him.
* **Character Death 7:** Father Juan Casillas
* Why: Finally, put to rest the question of whether he is Slash.
* How: He pleads with them that he’s not Slash. He ends up being in the way when Slash arrives for the final confrontation and is accidentally killed with the front end of a snow plow.
* **Character Death 8:** Cody Kendrick
* Why: He’s an asshole who almost survives. We can’t have that. Also, he had sex.
* How: He mocks a mortally wounded Slash, who is still formidable. Slash finally gets one of his weapons to work. It doesn’t work properly, instead destroying a support column in the building, impaling him.
* **Character Deaths 9 – 18:** Holiday Party in 1989
* Why: Slash went to the wrong time. Kills many partygoers. He also kills several who fight him. Reggie describes this before he dies.
* How: Mostly with his weapon systems. Explosions. Fires. Death rays. Blades. One dies when the time-travel portal closes, cutting him in half.

[Zachary Hunchar]

What I learned doing this assignment is how this process makes a lot of sense and it already tightening up my idea.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR |
* The atmosphere of Evil established – April’s Psychology residency at a psychiatric institution. She accidentally frees a serial killer and barely escapes murder at the killer’s hands.
* **HORROR SITUATION** – Serial Killer Advances on Potential Victim.
* **REACTION** – April hides and hopes someone stops the killer.
* Connect with the characters – Friends from college on a winter break trip to a ski resort. It’s dry and almost deserted, but they’re trying to have fun.
* The characters are warned not to do it. – When they get to town, they split up. Some encounter an older handyman who warns them that this place is dangerous.
* **HORROR SITUATION** – Crazy old man warns them to behave.
* **REACTION** – They laugh at him.
* Denial of Horror – One of them sees a strange-looking priest praying. The person is scary looking. The friends choose to stay, and they party at their Airbnb.
* **HORROR SITUATION** – The one friend sees the monster but assumes it’s just some religious zealot.
* **REACTION** – Laughs it off, maybe even makes some religious joke.
* Safety taken away -The van they came up in is having an engine problem. One of the friends is a mechanic who tries to fix it.
* Monster: The nature of the beast. – Local business owners, clearly intimate encounter the priest. When they engage it, he tears them apart.
* **HORROR SITUATION** – The monster stalks several locals and kills them.
* **REACTION** -friends are unaware that the town doctor and pharmacist are dead, and they could use their help. It is brutal as their house is brought down with a small explosion.

⠀ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
* Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – That evening, a blizzard hits before the van can be repaired, stranding them there.
* One of us killed – The mechanic friend comes in, and he says he thinks he’s fixed it. And he found tire chains. If they leave, now, he thinks they can make it. At that moment, the van isn’t even running but the monster throws it through the wall, and it kills the mechanic.
**HORROR SITUATION** – The monster throws a van at the mechanic.
**REACTION** – Friends scream and dive for cover.
⠀MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
* Full pursuit by the killer -The monster enters, and some of them engage it. They barely affect it.
**HORROR SITUATION** – The monster arrives with a crowbar and chains. **REACTION** – The friends run into the snowstorm and can’t see more than a few feet.
* Terrorized – they run into the snowstorm, most are barely dressed, and they have no idea where they’re going.
**HORROR SITUATION** – The Friends realize that the roads are unpassable. **REACTION** – Decide to split up and look for resources
**HORROR SITUATION** – The friends realize they don’t have enough vehicles to escape anyway.
**REACTION** – Break into other houses looking for vehicles. Reconnect when this fails, though they have warmer clothing (old grandparent clothing) and tools to make traps.

⠀ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
* Fight to the death -the group is getting smaller, as they try to stop it, but nothing seems to work.
**HORROR SITUATION** – The monster chases them as a group.
**REACTION** – They run, and one gets lost from the group.
* Hysteria – April and her friends are freaking out and are at the edge of their sanity.
* **HORROR SITUATION** – The monster chases them individually.
**REACTION** – He turns to fight. He does some damage but is killed in the process, being thrown into a burning car, shards of the frame impale him.
* The thrilling escape from death – the group leader devises a plan to make a trap for the monster.
**HORROR SITUATION** – The friends build a trap and lead the monster into it. **REACTION** – It works. The creature is dying and there is relief
* Death returns to take one or more. -More die before the trap goes off, but it works. As the creature is dying, the friends realize what it wants.
**HORROR SITUATION** – He shows them the future. There are enough details to help them figure out that the mother is April. The survivors think that she needs to die.
**REACTION** – April causes the leader to die seemingly.
* Resolution -They turn on each other, and April’s true colors are revealed.
**HORROR SITUATION** – She seems to embrace the idea of being powerful and influential.
**REACTION** – Other Survivors are terrified of her.

[Zachary Hunchar]

A question here is the Purge examples were a few sentences. I wonder if I need more detail.

What I learned doing this assignment is that I have too much plot.

ACT 1 — SET UP FOR HORROR |
* The atmosphere of Evil established – April’s Psychology residency at a psychiatric institution. She accidentally frees a serial killer and barely escapes murder at the killer’s hands.
* Connect with the characters – Friends from college on a winter break trip to a ski resort. It’s dry and almost deserted, but they’re trying to have fun.
* The characters are warned not to do it. – When they get to town, they split up. Some encounter an older handyman who warns them that this place is dangerous.
* Denial of Horror – One of them sees a strange-looking priest praying. The person is scary looking. The friends choose to stay, and they party at their Airbnb.
* Safety taken away -The van they came up in is having an engine problem. One of the friends is a mechanic who tries to fix it.
* Monster: The nature of the beast. – Local business owners, clearly intimate encounter the priest. When they engage it, he tears them apart.

⠀ACT 2 — THE POINT OF NO RETURN
* Isolated / Trapped / Abducted – That evening, a blizzard hits before the van can be repaired, stranding them there.
* One of us killed – The mechanic friend comes in, and he says he thinks he’s fixed it. And he found tire chains. If they leave, now, he thinks they can make it. At that moment, the van isn’t even running but the monster throws it through the wall, and it kills the mechanic.

⠀MIDPOINT: The monster is worse than we thought!
* Full pursuit by the killer -The monster enters, and some of them engage it. They barely affect it.
* Terrorized – they run into the snowstorm, most are barely dressed, and they have no idea where they’re going.

⠀ACT 3 — FULL OUT HORROR
* Fight to the death -the group is getting smaller, as they try to stop it, but nothing seems to work.
* Hysteria – April and her friends are freaking out and are at the edge of their sanity.
* The thrilling escape from death – the group leader devises a plan to make a trap for the monster.
* Death returns to take one or more. -More die before the trap goes off, but it works. As the creature is dying, the friends realize what it wants.
* Resolution -They turn on each other, and April’s true colors are revealed.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by  Zachary Hunchar.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Zachary’s Characters for Horror

What I learned doing this assignment is that I’d love to learn more about these tiny nuggets presented.
1. Concept and the Group. THRILL SEEKERS – Friends looking to blow off steam at a near-abandoned ski resort.
2. Tell us the Dying Pattern of this movie. – 8 Friends who are quickly getting killed.
3. Give us an Identity and a sentence for each character that makes up your group.
1. The Carrier: April Wagner is the trip organizer. Her life is out of control because she is sloppy, and her world is crashing down. She’s not the nicest person but puts on a fake smile.
2. Leader: Essie Bishop is an extremely intelligent astrophysicist engineer about to make a major career change—everyone’s big sister.
3. Innocent: Trevor Willis is the youngest of the bunch and as smart as Essie but shy. Crushing on her, but too scared to say anything.
4. Obnoxious: Cody Kendrick is a trust-fund attorney who thinks he’s better than EVERYONE. Unbelievably obnoxious and self-centered.
5. Introvert: Jeff McKinney is the only group member without a college degree. Mechanic. He hides his sexuality and buries himself in cars.
6. Conplainer: Ian Stewart is an openly gay and struggling actor who can be charming but also very loud.
7. Rebel: Valerie Burns is Cody’s girlfriend and is in medical residency. Used to the lifestyle Cody provides but doesn’t want to be married or mother to the philanderer. Being pulled into family practice, but wants to be a plastic surgeon.
8. Love Interest: Lance Nash is April’s boyfriend, though he’s losing interest because of her poor choices. He is an all-American athlete type and works for his father’s investment firm.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Zachary Hunchar’s Terrifying Monster
1. The monster is called Slash.
2. Monster Info:
1. Their Terror – Slash often appears out of nowhere. Sometimes, Slash uses things around to kill (chains, vehicles, fire), and other times uses brute strength. Slash seems able to be harmed, but the damage has little effect and heals quickly. There are times when Slash’s hands are held up as if in prayer.
2. Their Mystery – Early in the story, Slash simply watches them, and the victims dismiss him as some religious pervert. As the story progresses, Slash begins to hunt and kill. Not everyone is being hunted, which confuses the victims.
3. Their Fear-Provoking Appearance – Slash’s exterior is head-to-toe in black nanofiber armor. There is a white cross streaking the face and neck. Slash’s body is large and muscular. There is a jerky movement as Slash moves. Sometimes Slash just vanishes.
4. Their Rules – Slash seems to focus on characters that are younger and sexually active. Slash says nothing, often staring at the victims. There are times Slash’s hands are held up in prayer. When Slash kills, though, it is vicious and quick with more attention given to speed than style.
5. Their Mythology –
3. What I learned doing the assignment is that I had all of this worked out already, but it is useful to sum it up.

[Zachary Hunchar]

My name is Zachary Hunchar.

This will be my first film script. I’ve written a number of comic book scripts.

I want to be able to write something scary. Everything I’ve written tends to be strange or funny.

I’m trying to approach Hollywood differently after 2+ decades at studios in distribution. I’ve spent so much time helping others tell their stories and I want to tell my own.

[Zachary Hunchar]

What I learned doing this assignment is that my idea may be a bit ambitious with the low-budget idea. However, the audio intro mentioned there would be suggestions on how to keep it low(er)-budget so I don’t feel so bad. Also, mayhem is important.

* Title / Concept: Freaky. A serial killer and a nerdy teenage girls switch bodies. Mayhem ensues.
* Terrorize The Characters: The serial killer is now inside nerdy girl and kills people, which is unexpected and scary. The nerdy girl is in massive serial killer and that scares people, even though she’s nice.
* Isolation: The situation is crazy and most people don’t believe the nerdy girl. There is a section where a cell phone out of power, and isolating. The core group keeps splitting up.
* Death: One girl is frozen to death is a freezer. A sadistic shop teacher is stabbed with a screw driver and cut in half with a table saw. One jock is killed with a chainsaw.
* Monster/Villain: A maniacal serial killer is inhabiting a teenage girl’s body, but still wants to kill.
* High Tension: Killer stalking their victims, they don’t know where he is as he hunts them
* Departure from Reality: An ancient curse dagger that switches souls is a sacrifice isn’t completed.
* Moral Statement: Only you can save yourself

Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great horror film – the mixture of horror and silliness made it manageable. Also, the bad people get their comeuppance which is refreshing.

With your concept, fill in each of these Conventions for your story. |
* Concept: A killer stalks college students trying to relax at a snowless ski resort. Mayhem ensues. You have to have mayhem.
* Terrorize The Characters: A bizarre priest-like killer hunts the victims through a snow-storm.
* Isolation: The characters are snowed in at an almost abandoned ski resort town.
* Death: One person is killed with a snowplow. One if killed with a ski lift. Another is cut in half. Another is killed with a tow-truck chain.
* Monster/Villain: A being all in black, with a cross on his face killing people partying.
* High Tension: The characters don’t know why they’re being targeted, and have almost no resources.
* Departure from Reality: A virtually unstoppable killer.
* Moral Statement: Sex leads to death.

[Zachary Hunchar]

1. Zachary Hunchar
2. I agree to the terms of this release form.
3. 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.

[Zachary Hunchar]

I got all jammed up with this assignment. It revealed the problem I’ve been missing: I think my story is more horror than Thriller. My villain is less a villain and more of an antagonist. That’s caused me to realize that the mystery is with the Red Herring. I mean, I guess the villain has a mystery, but the mystery is about her and not driven by her. Though, I suppose, she adds to it.

The best I could come up with is something that just doesn’t seem compelling other than through interpersonal drama. Even then, it seems like it will be too omnipresent and just slow things down. So, I’m going back to the drawing board. I have another project, and I’m going to apply these to it. Sorry in advance for multiple posts in these boards.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Subject Line: Zachary’s Villain Has a Great Plan!

What I Learned is that I had a lot of conflict and mayhem, but I never really understood my villain. I knew what she was doing but not why. It’s such a simple idea: what do they want? And I couldn’t answer it until I went through this. I’m not 100% I fully have these answered as well as I would like, but I definitely am closer. And things make more sense. There was instantly a significant increase in subtext as a result.

To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:

1. What is the end goal? Longing for control in a chaotic life, April finally has a plan to get the kind of control–the power–she craves. Her thesis project for her master’s degree in Political Science was on the merits of autocracy in capitalism. Her goal is to use her friends in her experiment as a way of impressing her professor. The experiment will be to see how much control she can exert over her friends in a controlled setting (ski trip) and show how everyone should be looking to her for leadership instead of Ellie. Ultimately, it will allow her to get revenge on some for perceived slights. The ultimate goal, even she doesn’t realize, is that Ellie is the thing she needs to crush to feel better about herself.

2. How can the Villain accomplish that in a devious way? Mentions a school project to see how things might go if one person made all the choices—a science experiment. She asks if everyone will go along, and they agree. Deliberately invited a large group where not everyone gets along or wants the same thing.

3. How can they cover it up? Everything is set up where they abdicate control to her, and her usual demeanor is sweet and friendly, which is confusing when she pushes them forward on things.

4. Sequence it to make it as intriguing as possible.

-She is pushing for this getaway as a way to get them in a controlled setting for some time to conduct her experiment.

-Asking them moral and philosophical questions to see who is more susceptible to her influence.

-Dismisses Ellie’s suggestions about being safer and more sensible by encouraging fun and spontaneity.

-Presenting a lot of options and having solutions that make everyone happy

-Presents an option where she’ll make the big decisions to keep things moving

-Manipulates some of them through sex.

-Encourages drug and alcohol use to make them more pliant.

-She is guilting them into helping her project when they push back.

-She was regularly dismissing Ellie’s concerns.

-Show them what a great time they had, especially since the didn’t listen to Ellie.

-Learn little secrets about each of them to manipulate further/control them.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Zachary Hunchar.

[Zachary Hunchar]

@Liz Jack did say she was the top of their class. I suspect he was trying something different to get through. In the end, they both manipulate her.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Zachary’s BI Stacking Suspense

What I learned is that having well thought-out suspense stacking (coupled with top-notch filmmaking) helps hides the flaws in this script and the completely non-compelling characters and the sleazy old-school style of film exploitation.

Zachary’s SOTL Stacking Suspense

What I learned is that you might not be able to check every box in each beat, but you should be able to check some of them. So check them! Do it now! Also, Clarice’s suspense is all tied to actions by the three main male characters in this story. She turns the page only when she stops listening to them.

[Zachary Hunchar]

@Karen that’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed about this class. We get so caught up in the hero’s drama that we don’t give the Villain (and the Red Herring’s) stuff. It’s exciting when you start thinking about them, more story ideas open up.

Overall, pretty cool idea!

[Zachary Hunchar]

Remind us of your CONCEPT and the Big M.I.S. of your story.

Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? Why is Slash stalking and killing members of the group?

Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? April manipulates others for her enjoyment and then puts them in harm’s way so she doesn’t get hurt.

Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Ellie relies on April to help her stop Slash, but April is working against her.

Tell us the Intriguing World you have selected for this story. A fight for survival by a group of friends at a ski resort against and nearly unstoppable killer.

With your top 2 or 3 characters, tell us the role they play and then answer these three questions:

HERO – Ellie

What is the mystery of this character? What is going on in her life that is preventing her from enjoying herself on this trip?

What is the suspense of this character? How does she keep everyone else alive?

What is the intrigue of this character? What is the secret project she’s working on for JPL?

RED HERRING – SLASH

What is the mystery of this character? Who is the parent(s) of the future despot? Are they merely the parent(s)?

What is the suspense of this character? He must stop the correct person, as other deaths might disrupt the timeline? His protective gear will only allow him so much time in the present.

What is the intrigue of this character? Who is the correct target?

VILLAIN – April

What is the mystery of this character? How does she become the future despot? Why is she suspicious of Ellie’s actions?

What is the suspense of this character? Why are her friends getting killed off for her?

What is the intrigue of this character? What is behind all of her actions?

[Zachary Hunchar]

@LizJansen Do you see your title having a double meaning with some show-down in a hedge-maze given he business?

[Zachary Hunchar]

@RebeccaSulke That sounds cool! Sort of like a thriller version of The Bodyguard! I bet your soundtrack will rock.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Zachary Hunchar’s Big M.I.S.

What I learned doing this assignment is that I need to understand what my characters want as a way to build M.I.S. Plot isn’t enough.

Logline – A scientist and her friends travel to a ski resort to cut loose and get into a lot of trouble. Their debauchery is interrupted by an unstoppable killer, and their fight for survival mirrors a potential path to a dark future.

1. What are the conventions of your story?

• Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Ellie Bishop is a relativistic astrophysicist who is far too cautious about her career and life, preventing her from enjoying her life. When she stops trying to be perfect, she can finally live.

• Dangerous Villain: April Wagner is an unsuccessful PR/Marketing who is jealous of everyone she’s close to and tries to sabotage them. As an unstoppable killing machine (Slash) rampages through her vacation, she’ll do anything possible to survive, including putting her friends in danger.

• High stakes: The world’s future is at stake if Slash fails to find the correct target.

• Life and death situations: If the hero fails to figure out Slash’s goal and stop him, she and her friends might die.

• This story is thrilling because? Slash is a virtually unstoppable threat, and nothing seems to be slowing him down, no matter what they throw at him.

2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?

• Big Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us wondering throughout the story? Why is Slash stalking and killing members of the group?

• Big Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live under the surface for most of the movie? April manipulates others for her enjoyment and then puts them in harm’s way so she doesn’t get hurt.

• Big Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to escalate throughout the script? Ellie relies on April to help her stop Slash, but April is working against her.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Rebecca gets extra points for being able to understand Tenet.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Zachary Hunchar

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.

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Zachary Hunchar]

SPEED – THRILLER CONVENTIONS

What I learned doing this assignment is the basics of what a thriller is. Deep-down I knew what it was, but this stated it very cleanly.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Jack is an LAPD officer, who stops a criminal and believes him dead. The villain is back, and had rigged a bus to blow up with it slows down.

Dangerous Villain: A former cop who’s initial plans at extortion failed, has an even more dangerous plan.

High stakes: Jack first saves an evelator full of people. Then, a bus full of people. Then a train full of people!

Life and death situations: Jack has to protect civilians even if it costs him his life.

This movie is thrilling because? The problems get more complicated and the loss of life could get bigger with each event.

Big Mystery: How does he stop each of these dangerous situations?

Big Intrigue: Why is the madman doing this?

Big Suspense: Each time, Jack is in enormous danger that he could avoid, but innocents would die.

[Zachary Hunchar]

My name is Zachary Hunchar. Libra. Fan of whiskies.

I’ve never written a feature script—plenty of comic book scripts and a few manuscripts.

I want to get better at Thrillers, in general. Though I do have a feature idea I’m trying to work out.

My full name Zachary Charles Hunchar has “char” in it three times.

I’m looking forward to working with you!

[Zachary Hunchar]

Pot holes! That’s clever.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Knicknames are what keep people alive in this story!

[Zachary Hunchar]

An Alcatragedy!

[Zachary Hunchar]

A Fright At The Museum! I love that the one who survives is blind. However, I guess she creates through touch. Or maybe she has terrible eyesight, and her glasses get destroyed early.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Already, I want to watch this.

[Zachary Hunchar]

Be safe!

[Zachary Hunchar]

Me too! I hope it doesn’t make the cost too high by having “snow.”