Hopefully I won't be decapitated

Semester complete. This is the last bit of work I have left for James Dolph's screenwriting class. I have to say...this was quite an experience. Four months ago I had never done a creative writing piece in my life, and now I have thirty pages of a screenplay turned in for grading. There are parts of the script that I am happy with and other parts that I would still like to work on a bit more. The addition of more self-reflexive attributes would need to play up, but I was trying to remove this notion of origination. Obviously, an unknown source of zombies ties in with the existing mythology, and by giving the viral-like attributes an origin, it really limits the scope of how grand the entire film could be.

My favorite part of the script comes within the last fifteen pages or so. This is where the zombies actually come out and begin wreaking havoc. There is very little dialogue in these pages because there is a lot of build-up with the scenery and a lot more action. The first half of the first act lacks this action.

The opening dorm room scene still needs a lot of work. I just can't get it right in my head right at this minute. I polished the dialogue a bit more in the scene, but the flow is still off especially with the addition of the cut-scenes to black screen with the narrator.

All in all, however, I can say that this class has been quite a journey, and I plan on continuing to work on the script. Who knows? Someday, I might even get it made.

Horror Classics

Perhaps now is a better time than any to discuss some of my inspiration. Those that have known me for quite some time recognize that I have always been influenced by the visual arts. My likings tend to be of the more obscure artists usually centered around Surrealism and Dadaism. For some reason, works in these styles have peaked my interest because interpretation is key to enjoyment of the piece. Regardless of authorial intention, a viewer can place any number of meanings on such works. Even while teaching Freshman Composition classes, the importance remains to be a key part of many of my lessons. I guess in my creative writing practices this is much the same way. Writing a horror film may not have been my first choice for a screenplay, but it is what I know the best. The genre is often overlooked because of simple entertainment quality, but I have always enjoyed taking it a bit further with that. Regardless of what spin I put on the script, someone else will walk away with a completely different experience than what I had originally intended. So some of the films that inspire me write horror would include _The Exorcist III_, any Romero film, the early work of Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson and the exploitation-style films of Tobe Hooper from the mid-1970s.

I seen so many of these films multiple times, and still to this day, I am able to walk away with a different understanding. For instance if they are put in the contexts of contemporary popular culture, the interpretation of the text completely changes. I think that this desire to understand multiple meanings has put a fire under my hearth of knowledge when it comes to cinema.

Revamping the zombies...I guess this pun doesn't really work unless there are vampires involved (damn)

After reworking the beginning of the script, I have decided that the whole script needs to change. It is very sad that such an epiphany comes to me so close to my deadline for class. For one-after reading through my classmates' work, I know that not many others are attempting this completely self-referential style of film. I find myself intrigued by taking a genre that was reformed in 1968 and attempting to put my own spin on it. Not only that but I also feel that being able to reference other works that have come before will be beneficial because it is going to make the material accessible to a range of audiences. At first, my target audience might have been too narrow. My perceived audience would have been someone like me-a horror fanatic. Someone that appreciates the importance of exposition and finds gore utterly distasteful, but perhaps, appeasing a larger audience would find itself more beneficial. More on this. As you were, soldier.

Mutations can be freaky...especially when they begin

Here is the revamped opening of the script:

SERIES OF SHOTS:
1. VOLCANE ERUPTING
2. LANDSLIDE
3. HURRICANE

NARRATOR (V.O)
(Over series of shots)
For years, man has dealt with great struggles. Man versus Nature. Man versus Man. Each time, Mankind has proven itself to rise against the odds regardless of how grim the circumstances may be.

SERIES OF SHOTS:
1. ARMIES MARCHING IN NAZI GERMANY
2. MULTIPLE IMAGES OF CONCENTRATION CAMPS
3. IMAGES OF THE VIETNAM WAR

NARRATOR (V.O.)
(CONT’D)
Even through these struggles, man’s greatest threat is his own person. Can one man rise from the ashes and prove to be a hero? Can one man rise up to defeat mankind’s greatest foe? It’s former remnants.


SERIES OF SHOTS
1. LONG SHOT OF A GRAVEYARD
2. LONG SHOT OF A VOODOO CEREMONY

FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN
We see a dark room with a spotlight. Within the spotlight, a young man (aged 24 wearing a white t-shirt and scrub pants) walks into the spotlight. The camera circles the young man as he stands still.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
(CONT’D)
Say hello to Josh Carpenter. Josh does not yet know that his entire world will collapse around him. He is a normal enough young man, still in college, wants to
become a nurse, and is still unsure of his abilities with women.

SERIES OF SHOTS:
1. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
2. MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS
3. CIVIL UNREST

NARRATOR (V.O.)
(CONT’D)
Josh will have to decide if he will rise to the occasion and become the savior of mankind, or will he fall under the pressure. We will soon find out.

FADE TO BLACK

Frightful beginnings

The beginning of my screenplay began originally with a significant origin. This comes in opposition to other filmic representations of zombies. After careful consideration, perhaps this is not the best opening. If I want this film to be accepted into the mythology of the contemporary zombie, the beginning of the zombie apocalypse needs to remain ambiguous. It is difficult to really rethink this sub-genre of horror that has been so defined since the late 1960s. Thanks, George A. Romero. I guess I should really reconsider whether I want to view this as a completely isolated incident or a global apocalypse. Maybe I will try this to see if it reads better.

Now it gets really frightening

With less than two week remaining in the semester, it begins to look bleak. After three weeks, we finally read through the screenplay, and the consensus was that not many enjoyed the delayed point of attack. I still don't feel as though I am completely sold on this. Other zombie films (including the apex of NOTLD) tend to shove the zombies right down the throat of the audience, and the other problem was the gore factor. Maybe I'm too old school for the gore. Contemporary audiences have grown accustomed to an excess of gore to substitute for actual fear. This is painful for me to witness. I am just not a fan of films such as the _Saw_ franchise. There are not enough subtle horror films out there. Who knows, I might give into the calls of the class, but I might just stick up for a dying art of horror construction.

When the dead finally come back...

After turning in my first draft of Act I, this was my favorite part:

SAM turns and leaves the morgue.

DR. JOHNSON laughs to himself and takes his seat behind the desk. He turns on his desk lamp, causing a spotlight effect on the desk. He picks up the papers and the desk and begins to sort them out.

A noise of rustling sheets can be heard in the background. DR. JOHNSON looks up from the desk toward the doors to see if another gurney is going to be brought in. The camera pans to the door, sits there for a couple of seconds and goes back to DR. JOHNSON. He looks back down on the desk when the sound comes again.

The camera takes a long shot of DR. JOHNSON at the desk with a corpse in the foreground. The rustling noise is heard again. DR. JOHNSON stands up this time to take a look around. The corpse in the foreground of the shot begins to move.

DR. JOHNSON picks up his clipboard and looks around the morgue. He takes a breath and goes over to one of the bodies, lifts the sheets and begins writing on his clipboard.

A hand falls onto his shoulder. He turns around scared and ready to swing.

NURSE #3

(Jumping back a bit)

S…sorry, Dr. Johnson.

DR. JOHNSON

Whew…you can’t sneak up on an old man like that. I could keel over at any minute.

NURSE #3

I didn’t mean to scare you. Where do you want me to put that one.

DR. JOHNSON looks at yet another gurney.

DR. JOHNSON

You can just leave it there, I will wheel it where I need it.

NURSE #3

Okay, Doc. (Jokingly) It is kind of creepy down here.

DR. JOHNSON

You get used to it. Be careful up there.

NURSE #3 leaves the morgue.

DR. JOHNSON goes back to checking on the bodies. He walks toward the back of the room. He walks up to a gurney to find that there is no body there with the sheets.

DR. JOHNSON

What the fu…

A charred corpse latches onto DR. JOHNSON and takes a bite out of his neck. DR. JOHNSON screams in agony as blood begins pouring out his neck. The zombie begins to tear pieces of flesh off and chewing with bits of skin falling out of his mouth. DR. JOHNSON gargles and falls. The zombie follows the body down the ground and begins feasting.

As the fog spreads across the desered street...

So...I guess it has been some time since I last put something up on here. Not too good, seeing how there needs to be multiple entries. Well...here's #3.

I think that I am really making progress from where I was since the last time I put something up on here. I have moved from only a few lines of dialogue to a full sixteen pages. I have even made some changes to the opening scene (let me be more clear with that...I've completely revamped what the opening scene will be). What was originally the opening scene now moves to a bit later in the script because the flow is much more sedated than what is necessary to bring the audience into the story.

I submit for your edification, the new opening scene:

EXT: PANTHEON CHEMICAL COMPANY – EARLY EVENING

Establishing shot of chemical plant. A sunset can be seen in the sky.

CUT TO INT: PANTHEON CHEMICAL COMPANY

Two chemical workers, male aged mid- to late- 30s, are sitting at a table in the middle of the break room. The room is rundown with dim lighting. A coffee pot is on the counter. One of the workers gets up to get another cup of coffee.

WORKER #1

This is the third extra shift I pulled this week.

WORKER #2

(Turning around from the coffee pot)

Those suits are working us into nothing. I was supposed to take Cindy and the kids to go see Bob the Builder Live the other night.

Worker #2 turns back around to the coffee pot and fills his cup with coffee.

WORKER #1

I got called in over Christmas for a leak on the main valve. Sometimes it seems like this place is going to be the death of me.

WORKER #2

You want more coffee?

WORKER #1

Yeah…sure.

Worker #2 grabs another Styrofoam cup, fills it. He walks back to the table and give Worker #1 another cup of coffee.

WORKER #1

Thanks, man. Sorry, I just needed to vent. I just get tired sometimes…especially when half of my life is spent here.

WORKER #2

That’s completely understandable. Hopefully, things will get better.

An alarm begins to sound off over the PA system, and a red light on the wall begins to flash. A woman’s voice begins to speak over the PA.

WOMAN’S VOICE (V.O.)

We need emergency response to Level 2.

Repeat. We need emergency response to Level 2.

WORKER #1

What were you saying about it getting better?

WORKER #2

Shoulda known better, I guess.

As they scramble to the door, they grab their hard hats and begin running down the corridor.

CUT TO: INT: PANTHEON CHEMCIAL PLANT-LEVEL 2-MOMENTS LATER

WORKER #3

Get your asses over here! She’s gonna blow!

Workers 1 and 2 run over to help Worker 3

WORKER #2

You know this isn’t really a good idea to open this door.

WORKER #3

Listen pal, the only way to relieve the pressure is to open this door because the valve is in this room! If we don’t open it, the whole damn thing will pop like a zit!

WORKER #1

Okay, okay! Let’s get this door open then…

The three pry at the door, and it slowly opens. As they peer in, the pressure valve begins to shake and blows off. The pressure valve explodes as chemicals begin to spew out.

ALL

Oh shit!

The chemicals cover the three workers. As others rush over to help, they are sprayed with the chemical as well. The flow of chemical catches flame, and it begins to spread to the other workers. All of those covered in chemical and flame scream and writhe in pain.

EXT: PANTHEON CHEMICAL PLANT – MOMENTS LATER

The plant looks peaceful, as the sun has gone completely out of the sky. It seems calm until a mushroom cloud rises over the plant. The fallout takes out the company’s sign and the frame is filled with flames

Perhaps a film should be scary...

With my feet still barely testing the temp of the water that is screenwriting, I have come to a conclusion (with the help of a few friends). I have decided that I will write a....wait for it...still waiting...zombie script. Oh-Ah! Big shocker. After reading through Robert McKee's Story, what would honestly be better for me to do. McKee states that we should write something that is familiar to us, and honestly, what do I know better than zombie films. Because of this type of knowledge, I should be able to construct the story in the manner in which I best see fit.

I am not going to approach this in a manner of thinking that I am going to create something that George A. Romero has not been able to do yet. I am not seeking to create a perfect zombie movie...I am seeking to create a zombie that is completely aware of itself being a zombie film. As I can see it in my head, the dialogue will be full of horror movie quotes including the all-so popular, "They're coming to get you, Barbra." I can't wait. I have been watching Shaun of the Dead at least twice a week since the beginning of this semester, and I am shaping my script to be a comedy film that happens to include zombies.

In addition to knowing zombies, I know what it is like to be a college student. Wow...there we go with the age group of my characters. For the characters, I do know that for the main group there needs to be a horror movie buff, a techie, the cute nerdy girl, the popular girl and the frat guy. These all seem like obvious choices and even so far as stereotypical, but I want this film to use these stereotypes as another level of comedy. I am having difficulty coming up with names though, so if anyone happens to read this...let me know of some ideas (I much more enjoy brainstorming in a group rather than by myself).

I do know that the beginning of the zombie apocalypse is going to be caused by a tanker truck accident on the freeway, and the bodies of those injured and deceased will be taken to the university hospital. From there the mayhem will begin.

I am working up on the opening scene right now and moving into the transition to the university hospital to witness the "rebirth". I do not have dialogue down completely yet, but there are a few lines in there to reaffirm characterization. I am concentrating right now on creating my world...funny if you think about it...I create it just to destroy it in the end.

The Beginnings of Something Absolutely Frightening

Intimidation...it haunts me completely. I begin this blog stating this upfront and in your face. This begins a new chapter in my life in a field with which I am totally unfamiliar. I have never done actual creative writing (that is besides those I Hate My Life poems I'm sure most have dabbled with at one time or another). Maybe I see this a challenge to create something that I have grown so fond of. Which leads me to the creation of an idea.

Way back when (okay, just about three years ago), my brother and I decided that one day we were going to write a comedy. I figured that this would a good idea seeing how both of us grew up around competitive drama, and each of us had one our respective awards for our comedic acting. As an undergraduate in English and Art, I figured that perhaps this would not be too difficult. Fast forward to now...no script. Nothing. So perhaps for a potential screenplay, I have considered tossing around the idea of two brothers attempting to make it in the world of screenwriting and following the conflicts that arise between the two.

I think that this is somewhat an interesting approach for me to choose to write a drama of two brothers attempting to better their lives. Why, you ask? I have become to be known as the "horror film guy". All of my academic studies at the graduate level have centered on writing about some aspect of horror/horror films. I don't know why...it's just something I like to do.

With all of that aside, I am going to plow through this with fear standing right behind me reminding me that this is new and unfamiliar. Damn you, fear.