Next weekend, the 11th Annual Shriekfest Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival takes over Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Three days and screenings of dozens of genre feature films and shorts will culminate in an award ceremony crowning the best filmmakers, cast, and crew of the fest. Also being announced that night will be the winners of Shriekfest’s screenplay competition, which CreepyLA is proud to be sponsoring the trophy for.
After all, the one key element to any great horror film isn’t a single kill scene, cleverly designed killer, creepy gimmick, or poster art. It’s the screenplay.
The screenwriter is who manages to create and pull together enough insane concepts into a discernible storyline that will leave you with nightmares or clamoring for a sequel. Sure, the director need to find a way to translate what’s on the page to the screen, but no matter how much in the way of blood or boobs they capture on film, the written blueprint is what it all hinges upon.
A number of the finalists even made the argument that among genres, horror was the hardest to write effectively.
“I’ve heard if you ‘get’ horror then you can do anything else. If you can scare an audience then you can make them love, laugh or whatever,” said John McCauley (“Madness and the Dreamer) of Rogers, Arkansas. “Horror is the jump rope, the heavy bag and the mouth guard of cinema.”
Steven McCarthy (“The Glass Casket”) of Niagra Falls, NY explains that what make horror challenging is that, “atmosphere is essential to giving your reader that feeling of hair standing up on the back of their neck. For instance, the reason ‘The Shining’ is so frightening is not from blood or gore but from the tension and uneasiness the atmosphere of the movie purposely creates.”
“No matter the genre, you’ve got to write characters that feel genuine, that display genuine human emotion,” said T.J. Cimfel, co-writer of “Shut-In.” “But at the end of the day, I guess it’s more fun to kill them.”
Check our Shriekfest’s website for a complete schedule of films and to purchase tickets. For a complete list of screenplay finalists, including a story synopsis when available, continue reading…
“The Exchange Student” – Peter Podgursky (El Segundo, CA)
A seemingly idyllic suburban family takes in a Japanese exchange student, but are forced to fight for their lives when they discover that their guest is a sociopath intent on having the perfect family.
“Nightwalker” – Liz Strange (Kingston, Ontario)
While seeking revenge for the murder of his wife a Scottish clan leader turns to a local coven for help, who betrays him for their own gain. The coven has also crossed another supernatural being who is able to modify the spell cast on the clan leader, turning him into a Nightwalker, instead of allowing him to die. Together they move through the centuries tracking the witches down and slaying them. There’s sword-fighting, magic, gore and sex–all the great things a movie needs.
“Madness & The Dreamer” – John McCauley (Rogers, Arkansas)
A professional fighter must discover whether he’s gone insane or if the demons that chase him are real.
“The Glass Casket: Last Days of Edgar Allen Poe” – Steven McCarthy
The tragic and mysterious end to famed and troubled author Edgar Allen Poe’s life.
“Ore” – Chad Jones (Venice, CA)
Rescue workers rush to save miners trapped underground on a distant planet, but the situation escalates as something alien stalks them through the darkness. Ore is about making characters who are not afraid of going into the dark afraid of the dark.
“Gather Me Up” – Stephanie Jessop (Lake Jackson, TX)
Andrew is a man whose dream comes true when he meets and befriends a real-life vampire, Jonathan. But dreams don’t always turn out the way we imagine, and Andrew soon finds himself helpless to stop Jonathan from consuming, both figuratively and literally, everyone in his life.
“Cut” – Anthony Forzaglia (Los Angeles)
A troubled teenage girl who self-injures, and unwittingly unleashes a murderous alter ego.
“Time Wreck” – Larry Whatcott (Mission Viejo, CA)
In 1939 actress Rene Preston was killed in a car crash under the Hollywood sign. Last night stunt pilot Eric Ellis was killed in a car crash under the Hollywood sign. Their bodies were never found. Only Howard Hughes knows why. Two cops, one in 1939 and one in the present day both investigate the same traffic accident.
“Ravencraft” – William D. Prystauk (Easton, PA)
Rebecca Ravencraft is dead and her cherished Victorian home has been left to her only heirs, granddaughters Kerri and Tabitha. A stunning beauty for her entire life (even when she died at 113), Rebecca and the house she lived in inspired folklore – the most popular of which was that it was the final resting place of nearly 300 girls who mysteriously vanished nearby. It is this same myth that inspires Kerri to clear the family name while Tabitha tries to find proof of serial murder. This also brings aspiring documentarians Alex and Doug to the home to uncover the secrets of Rebecca Ravencraft and her fabled haunted house. When they all discover that the home is haunted by the living as well as the dead, their discovery will make the name Ravencraft truly legendary.
“The Art of Human Salvage” – Ted Dewberry (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
When the government makes “undesireables” vanish, a Salvage Officer is their last chance. When an officer tries to save the life of a condemned child, he finds that the ultimate act of treason is compassion.
“Lords of Chaos” – Edward E. Romero & Elias Matar (Los Angeles)
A tale of urban horror, set in a desolate section of Detroit. When locals start disappearing on their turf, The Latin Lords, a vicious street gang, comes face to face with Lovecraftian creature from the underworld. With the police hell-bent on taking the gang down, it’s a going to be a bloodbath to decide who or what will rule the streets.
“The Last Earth Girl Went to Space to Find God” – Stuart Creque (Moraga, CA) & Miriam Veiss-Creque (Sonoma, CA)
When a cloud of dark matter approaching the Sun signals the world’s doom, a young woman flies a space ship to the edge of the universe to ask God, “Why?”
“Shut In” – T.J. Cimfel & David White (Chicago, IL)
An agoraphobic woman who has to fend off a home invasion. She has some skeletons in her closet that she needs to protect, and before long, things turn violent.
Additional finalists:
“Relentless” – Matthew Nelson
“Unseen” – Matthew Nelson
“Isolation” – Mark Allen
“Betrayed” – Phil Ferriere
“Grimm Night” – Brandon Bestenheider & Allen Bey
“Seekers” – Michael Schoonveld
“God of Love” – Logan Harris
“Messiah” – Todd Ludy