Allured (pdf format) by Pii (Π) Anttonen

An eerie castle, dribbling candles, a lost officer and a bunch of ghosts. You know… the usual stuff.

“What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again?” – From Guillermo Del Torro’s “El Espinazo Del Diablo”

There’s something truly tragic about Ghosts. More than zombies, monsters and human serial kllers, ghosts feed on a viewer’s empathy. Phantasms that were once human… now condemned to suffer in eternity. When faced with a creature such as this, how can one not feel sympathy?

Especially with classic ghost tales, like Allured. Set in an Austrian castle, the script opens as Sergeant Franz stumbles to the door, battle beaten and weary. Although Franz is a stranger to the household, old servant Frederich lets him in – offering shelter from the war. The caretaker leads Franz towards an upstairs bedroom. He’s watching it for his master’s return, he tells his guest. They’re the sole inhabitants of the castle: Franz is sure to get some uninterrupted sleep.

Or will he?

Shortly after turning in for the night, Franz encounters a strange woman in his bed.* When he attempts to wake her, his hand goes through her body! He races to Frederich’s quarters to inform him of the intruder. But Frederich insists it was a dream – and implores the sergeant to go back to sleep. Needless to say, sleep proves to be… elusive. When Franz returns to his room, the woman is gone. But children’s footsteps echo in the hall. And then there are the sounds downstairs. Almost like a – party? Franz heads for the dining room to confront his fears, unsure what he’ll find…

Though once a staple of the horror genre, ghost stories have become a rare breed. Stylishly written with a touch of humor, Allured harkens back to a classier time in movies. When films were shot in black and white… and curtains blowing in the breeze brought a tingle to one’s spine. Perhaps that time has come again: in a cinematic world filled with slasher and torture porn shorts, Allured would be sure to stand out in festivals!

* Sleeping. That’s it! This is a classic ghost tale, folks – get your minds out of the gutter!

Pages: 8

Budget: Not quite as impossible as it seems. While the castle location, costumes and extras may seem daunting for production purposes, there are plenty of possible “cheats.” If skillfully applied, stock footage, generic “stone wall” spaces and just a touch of camera tricks could be all the set you need!

About the writer: Pii Anttonen (first name pronounced like Π, not like the bathroom activity) was previously known by some other name and while being being busy with that, edited the Voice Over online scriptwriting magazine, worked on several virtual shows, won a Simply Scripts One Week Challenge once and had some shorts produced. These days her writing duties consist mainly of writing on commission for production companies and groups, knowing full well that it’s unlikely that anything will see the light of day, but accepts that that kind of is what the scriptwriting job is. She can be reached at pii.anttonen (a) gmail.com!

About the reviewer: A film and video aficionado based in Mumbai, Rustom Irani works as a freelance editor and screenwriter for projects ranging from narratives, commercials, and documentaries to corporate and music videos. His website is available at PlanetRusty.com, and he can be reached at rustyirani “AT” gmail.com!

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Xolotl’s Curse (pdf format) by Chris Keaton

Some lessons are learned the hard way…

Ah. Lessons taught by the horror genre. No matter how often they splatter across the silver screen, so rarely are they taken to heart. Don’t go on that isolated camping trip with your friends. Don’t answer that phone call while babysitting. Don’t open the creaky closet door. Leave that creepy-ass looking doll alone.

And don’t play with artifacts hidden under your grandpa’s bed. Well, we guess some folks will never learn…

Case in point: Xolotl’s Curse.

Billy’s Grandpa is a foul-mouthed, misogynistic bully who constantly berates Billy’s mom and emasculates his dad. In other words, he’s your usual relative. Now he’s moving in. And he has secrets.

See, Grandpa’s an old archaeologist – pushing 100, although he doesn’t look a day over 75. He’s keeping an ancient Aztec box locked up in his room that may belong to Xolotl, god of the dead and bad luck. Billy tries again and again to get his hands on the box. But Grandpa is always one step ahead of him. But some secrets are better left buried…

Chris Keaton – an old hand at clever macabre stories – sets this tale of terror in the day-to-day life of suburbia, with a keen ear for the trash-talking dialogue between a 12-year old and an old man who may as well be squabbling kid brothers. Despite the topic, this script’s got a slow, subtle (and often funny) burn – building to a chilling conclusion.

What happens next? Well, we’re keeping this review short and sweet. No spoilers for you lazy folks out there. Crack this one open far before Halloween arrives, and savor its bloody twist for yourself.

Xolotl’s Curse. A perfect script for either a seasoned horror director or any up-and-coming filmmaker who wants to dabble in the genre.

Pages: 14

Budget: The script is light on the special effects budget, but you’ll want a good makeup artist who does their best work with some fake blood and a nail gun. Sets include one car scene and one house, and a multi-generational family of four – mom, dad, little Billy, and Grandpa.

About the writer: Chris Keaton is an Air Force veteran living with his family in sunny Arizona. He’s primarily a screenwriter, but he does love diving into prose. He has had several short screenplays produced and go on to win awards. He’s optioned a few features screenplays and currently has a thriller feature in post-production. A young-adult novel based on one of his screenplays is soon to be released. You can see some of his projects on his website, Chris-Keaton.com or follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/ChrisKeaton.

About the reviewer: Pete Barry is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright, actor, director and musician. His short plays have been published in numerous collections. He’s also a cofounder of the Porch Room, a film and theater production company, website available at http://www.porchroom.com/. Please feel free to reach out to him with script requests at petebarry27 (a) Hotmail.

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Twisted, Freaky, One-Page HORROR ALERT!

Don’t hesitate with this one as it won’t be on the shelf long. This is an Anthony Cawood short and a one-pager to boot!

Anthony’s slick writing style lulls the reader into a false sense of security as he opens with two teenage siblings sitting in their bedroom at home, as they are wont to do, checking out the internet to learn stuff. It gets a little weird when we discover that they are brother and sister, and that the brother is actually checking out images and videos on how to kiss properly.

Don’t worry…………………………………………………………………………….. it gets weirder!

As the brother turns to his sister, pleased that he was correct all along – that people do use tongues when kissing – we discover that all is not well with his sister.

Ew. Just, ew. It made me shiver. It’s shockingly sick and done without any special effects, violence or anything overtly sexual. What sells this short to me is how subtly it’s done. The viewer is left to fill in the obvious gaps themselves.

This will be a breeze to film. Just two young actors. Indoors. Single location. With some good preparation, a small crew could film this in a day – maybe even during a break period while filming something else.

If this is something you can see yourself producing or directing, then contact the writer using his email on the front page of the script. You better be quick.

Review by Ingrid Short

Black SUV
A secret service agent is forced to question her morality when she realizes the mysterious man she’s assigned to protect is pure evil.

“Many lick before they bite.”

Such is the epigraph of the gritty and quirky Black SUV, written by CJ Walley.

And if that quote doesn’t sound mysterious to you, you’ve gotta check out the script itself. Not to mention, check to see what’s up with you!

Going by the name of (surprise!) Mr. Black, we’re introduced to the titular character very much enjoying himself in the boot of his shadowy vehicle; parked not-so-innocently in the club district of New Orleans.

Dressed like a VIP and loving life at 50, the man’s got a few “errands” to run before the evening’s pleasures end.

However, he’s not gonna be driving this night.

No, Mr. Black has his own chauffeur and bodyguard, Eris. As sharply dressed as her enigmatic passenger, it’s Eris’ first time behind Black’s wheel.

As you’d expect a good boss to do, Mr. Black quickly segueways from professional instruction to a candid conversation with his new employee. Almost too candid, in fact.

And as Mr. Black engages in bizarre encounters with local down-and-outs, it becomes ever clearer that he doesn’t really need a bodyguard. At all.

Even so, Eris is constantly aware of her duties: “obedience and vigilance”, above all else.

Her willingness to fulfill those duties will be tested to the limits as she shuttles Mr. Black to his final errand; before their confusing night comes to a close…

With an unresolved cliffhanger and one of the most unforgettable pairs of characters you’ll likely ever see in a short, Black SUV takes an initially familiar story – and twists it into a gripping, original, one-of-a-kind premise.

It’s your duty to read this brilliant script. Like Eris soon discovers, it’s usually best to “do one’s job.”

Pages: 9

Budget: Reasonable. Rent an SUV, some believable actors and you’re set.

About the Reviewer: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp “AT” gmail.com. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

About the writer, C.J. Walley: I began writing in 2012 and I’m pleased to say it’s been very exciting so far. I have been fortunate enough to have a short produced by a director in London and Amazon Studios have spotlighted one of my features as a notable project. My scripts place within the top 10% of various major screenwriting competitions and, as I continue to write new specs, I am remotely collaborating with a producers, directors, and actors in LA, NYC, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington DC, Zurich, Amsterdam, Sydney, and Dallas while occasionally blogging for Stage 32. If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, then I’d love to join forces with you whatever the scale, do not hesitate to reach out and drop me a line. (CJ “AT” CJwalley DOT COM; http://www.cjwalley.com

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Wide O

Lock your doors.

Anticipation is vital to horror stories. Remember how you felt watching Marion step into the shower in Psycho, Brody toss chum off the boat in Jaws, or bag boy Norm walk outside the supermarket in The Mist? That little niggle inside telling you that something doesn’t feel quite right. Something’s about to happen. Like a coiled rattlesnake ready to strike!

In the short script Wide O, that uneasy feeling is present as well – from the moment Ms. All American Mom shuts off a news program, being watched by her two pajama-clad youngsters. It’s a story about a brutal suburban massacre. Definitely unfit for innocent eyes.

The kids protest the action. They can’t sleep – it’s too cold. Mom realizes the house is drafty, and promises to make them hot chocolate. She heads to the kitchen, and discovers the source of that chill…

In most horrors these days, the violence slaps audiences in the face. Wide O is bloodless. But supremely effective: a little one page gem that nurses that itch of terror inside you – making the hairs stand up on the back of your neck…

Horror directors take note: Wide O’s not likely to be on the market long. No blood, no mess. One location. Just an intelligent script with a strong ending. Best to snap it up before it’s gone.

About the writer: Robert Newcomer recently received his first IMDB credit for another short, Them That’s Dead.  An intelligent writer, he has several other shorts and a horror feature length available for consideration. (IMDB credits listed here.) Other shorts of Robert’s (both horror) reviewed at STS include:

A Mighty Fire

Someplace Nice and Dark

Pages: 1

Budget: Extremely low. A living room and kitchen’s all you need. And a handful of actors (including extras for the “news” broadcast.)

About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature. KP’s work is available at moviepoet.com!

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The Bridge
There are over 600,000 bridges in the U.S. alone.
Four friends discover the horror that lurks beneath one of them.

We all remember that day in high school when your first friend obtained their driving license. All the locked doors of the world opened up wide for you and your gang. Leaving… no limits where you could go.

Well, unless the car stops working.

In The Bridge, this unwelcome situation is exactly where our four teenage adventurers find themselves: Billy (the driver), Shawn, Mark, and Katie.

As Fate would have it, they’ve broken down at the end of a rusty, metallic bridge. On a wet, cold night. It’s a bad situation, to say the least.

As it turns out, the mechanical illness that’s befallen their vehicle isn’t easily curable. All four tires are flat. Immediately, confusion reigns:

MARK
What’d you run over?

BILLY
Nothing! This is bullshit!

Requiring relief (both physically and mentally), Mark separates himself from the group, and finds an ideal spot over a railing in the center of the bridge.

Little does he know that’s the last time he’ll ever pee.

Thanks to the lack of lighting, the others don’t even know Mark’s disappeared. At least, until Katie realizes the sound of liquid has stopped.

So she goes over to the same spot.

And suffers the same fate as Mark.

Meanwhile, an oblivious Billy and Shawn argue over what their next course of action should be. When they finally reach a consensus, and call out to the others, they find silence. No answer comes.

So they walk across the bridge to find…

Will Billy and Shawn be the next victims? Can they escape a watery, bloody fate? What’s the actual danger that lurks in the dark? You’ll have to read this one and see.

Don’t let the single setting fool you. The sheer simplicity of this script offers horror directors endless creative possibilities. Pick this one up, and Bridge the gap between yourself and your next festival award!

Pages: 7

Budget: As with many horrors, directors have a choice to go for lots of FX, or imply things with atmosphere and shadows. The result: different possible budgets. It just depends where one wants to go.

About the Reviewer: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp “AT” gmail.com. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

About the Writer: Jordan became addicted to writing in 1995, when as a wee lad, his work garnered recognition among his professors. Since that time, he’s written several short scripts that have been received as “life changing”, “prophetic”, and “orgasmic”. As a finalist in the 72 Hour Script Fest, his words gave birth to the award winning film, Made For Each Other. Jordan doesn’t usually refer to himself in the third person, but when he does, he tends to embellish as evidenced above. He does however encourage people to make the world a better place by educating them through his writing, photography, and filmmaking. Please contact him at JLScripts79 at gmail dot com.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

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Jessica’s Window
What secrets lie in the attic?

From a dusty and barren attic, thirteen-year-old Jessica Campell watches as her father packs their belongings into a U-Haul van. Tears stream down her face.

Her father, Mark Campell, is obviously no stranger to heartache himself. The dark circles under his eyes reveal he has spent many a night awake, nursing a hidden pain.

As Mark and his wife Laura make final preparations to depart, Jessica pounds relentlessly on the attic window, calling desperately to her parents. But no matter how hard she pounds or loud she cries, her parents can’t or won’t listen. Slowly, they drive away.

But despite being imprisoned, Jessica soon discovers she’s not alone. In the shadows of the attic, she’s met by eleven-year-old Sarah Meyers, a waif of a girl who assures Jessica things will get better. The two of them – she claims – will be good friends. But Sarah’s words are less than reassuring. As police cars and a news crew gather outside, Jessica’s concerns continue to grow.

What could have made Jessica’s parents leave her behind? Soon after the two meet, an eerie presence starts to stir… Just what is happening? Are these children even alone?

A surreal emotion-driven supernatural narrative in the vein of The Others and The Lovely Bones, Jessica’s Window is a suspenseful, masterfully-written drama. The script manages to land an array of emotional punches, each one landing harder than the first. All of which culminates in a surprise final twist that will leave audiences speechless.

Audiences and critics will be hooked from the get-go. It’s exactly the kind of impassioned, poignant, character-driven drama that reaps gold on the festival circuit.

So directors – act fast. This one won’t be gathering dust in the attic for long.

Pages: 5

Budget: Medium. Suburban setting, police cars, and a news crew.

About the Reviewer: Dane Whipple something, something Danger Zone. He is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (AT) live.com

About the writer, Marnie Mitchell Lister: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell Lister’s website is available at brainfluffs.com. Marnie’s had multiple shorts produced and placed Semi-final with her features in BlueCat.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

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All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

Someplace Nice and Dark

A young delivery boy calls on a strange old man harboring a shadowy secret.

Finding a good horror short with something fresh to say can be difficult, to say the least.  Everyone’s seen the proliferation of vampire, slasher, exorcism and zombie scripts ad nauseum.  Is there anything left in this field to explore?

Well, here’s a short that does have something new, creepy and gothic.  Set in a trailer, “Someplace Nice and Dark” revolves around only two characters – Pinto, the urban delivery boy… and a old man who seems to have a strange aversion to the light.  (No, kiddies, this isn’t what you’re thinking.)  Done with the right actors and atmosphere, this is one script that could win some lucky director a horror festival.

About the writer:  Robert Newcomer recently received his first IMDB credit for another short, Them That’s Dead.  An intelligent writer, he has several other shorts and a horror feature length available for consideration. (IMDB credits listed here.)

Budget: Low

Primary Genre: Horror

Page Length: 9 pages

READ THIS SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!

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