Need ideas for a spooky movie

Hi folks, I'm not really one to post in the General boards but I don't think I can get away with such a request on the Paranormal studies forum.

I'm currently shooting a film for fun and have shot 30 minutes out of 60. That 30 minutes (shot in Italy) has a contained story about passing into the afterlife, but I need a separate storyline for the remaining 30 minutes (to be shot in the UK over the next fortnight).

I had a story in place but sadly couldn't persue it so now I'm opening up the floor to hopefully read someones creative ideas and put it into a practical filming state.

Originally the "missing" story was going to be about a monster that emerged from the river and started killing people off, but it became apparent the effects side was going to be difficult, as the films budget is already used up.

Then I thought it'd be fun to play on the "Joanna Southcott" case and have person discover her "box of wonders" in a national crisis and...something. But I didn't get much further than "something"

So what I'm after now is any ideas, no matter how crazy that encompass the following into a spooky tale:

1. A story that focuses on one man, who will meet other people, briefly, throughout the telling of the story.

2. Something that doesn't require any major effects, ie a monster or entity that can't be seen. A bit like Jaws, you know whatever it is is around, but you cannot see it.

3. Anything that will not involve CGI.

4. Not necessarily a known "myth" or legend, but a completely unheard of terror (ie mobile phones killing people) - something that perhaps we don't connect with danger or horror but could occur in the film.

With that in mind, please, let me know. Even if you just have a short spooky tale please let me know (preferably one that is set in a forest, near a river or a city). You will get a credit in the film if I use your idea, or in fact, any part of it.

Many thanks

Mark L

reply to post by markymint


Ever since reading Oz's thread about a possible experience with Black Eyed Kids, and then researching the subject of Black Eyed Kids and the stories surrounding them - which were totally unknown to me until this thread, and I'm into this sort of stuff - I've been thinking how scary this phenomenon is.

They're easy to represent and can be inserted into any context; they don't do anything that requires special effects - they're just creepy; and the myth is almost totally unknown to the general public. If people follow up online, they won't find something that has the campy and comfortable quality of better known urban legends. They will find stories presented as true, and nothing too outrageous to be dismissed out of hand.

I would really like to see how the BEK meme grows or dies, because for whatever reason it strikes a cord with me. Perhaps it will with you, too, and you can take part in crafting people's concepts of the BEKs, and hopefully scare the crap out of them while your at it. I highly recommend you read Oz's thread, linked above.

Update this thread when the movie is finished and tell us about it!

How about a story about a man or woman who has discovered the secret to eternal life. Every generation he has to transfer his acquired wealth to a new identity to avoid being discovered. He has managed to do this successfully for over 1000 years, but in this modern era of globalization he is finding it more and more difficult.

To compound his problem, someone else has discovered a different route to immortality less than 100 years ago, and they see each other as potential threats. Can they co-exist, each going their separate ways? Can one expose the other without exposing themselves? How will they be able to continue living indefinately without being discovered? What exactly do you do with your life when your lifespan is unlimited?

OnceReturned: That is a creepy tale, thanks! I'll add that to the table. It would require black lenses and kids to follow that kind of story exactly, which won't be particularly easy - but I am definitely intrigued, and will be thinking of ways to play on that. Thanks for taking the time to share that spooky tale Let me know if you have any other ideas!

VictorVonDoom: Very deep! I need to think that one over, but great stuff - thanks for contributing!

How about a shaman shapeshifter that appears to an individual, as whatever the victims fears conjure up, rather it be a giant hairy beast, alien, ghost or just scary humanoid. The shaman's powers can momentarily reflect someone's thoughts and imagery by becoming that image.
Just thinkin'.....

Peace,
spec

Speculative: Very cool. And it wouldn't even be necessary to show these visions, til perhaps the end. Special FX aren't going to be easy, it will mostly be stunts. Another very likeable tale, one I need to think about a bit more, but thanks for your input!

Note to self: Guy infected with this shaman power and its inflicted on everyone he meets.

All the inspiration, ideas and creativity you need can be found in this thread here. You might want to ask permission from the other members first though if any one story interests you.

reply to post by markymint


I've written a few Horror scripts, I'd be quite intereasted in talking to you about some ideas if you like, I'm in the UK too.
Where abouts are you?

Yep, lots of good threads here to get inspiration from, but I've already read enough of that thread, and my post here includes a few guidelines for how I need a story to play out. So instead of me taking ideas and molding them to fit my criteria, people have kindly posted some ideas that keep my criteria in mind. But I don't deny there are some fascinating tales in that thread.

Dave: Thanks. I'm in Oxford. If you have any ideas or random old plots do post them here. We may do a days filming in London, not sure yet. But I really can't go too in depth with a storyline. I'm going to work from a basic idea and make it up as we go.

Just to let you know...thanks! Your ideas really helped improve the shoot today. And it was this thread which inspired it

If you have 30 minutes you can watch the original here!

And you can play the original game series here

Thanks again

We went with the possessed person causing trouble to other people. See for yourself a demo scene (with rough audio)

www.screen7.co.uk...

Safe! Thanks

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to show you the final trailer for this as you guys helped devise some ideas:

www.youtube.com...

Thanks again for all your spooky ideas. I will post the link when it's completed.

Story: A man begins to troll an internet forum with a wild, made-up conspiracy theory he pulled out of his imagination.

In the course of fleshing out his theory, he discovers that what he is making up is, in fact, true. The stranger the theory, the better.

Originally posted by silent thunder
Story: A man begins to troll an internet forum with a wild, made-up conspiracy theory he pulled out of his imagination.

In the course of fleshing out his theory, he discovers that what he is making up is, in fact, true. The stranger the theory, the better.

edit on 7/7/11 by silent thunder because: (no reason given)

ELEnin then

Thanks though. I'll be keeping all these ideas in mind for a future "case". Right now though it's all about getting this one bloody finished

how about a creepy story about..

BOB....

a being with no arms and baby like teeth...

who stalks young men who are paranoid...

into the woods...er..welll

you write the story..

ok...

Sorry to drag up an old thread but as the production was ATS inspired I thought I'd share the new promo trailer I made for fun as the thing is almost ready. Ben Jordan (Paranormal Investigator) must die! See what you think

Thanks again for all your suggestions. Although I didn't explore any of them fully, it was certainly thanks to your help that I was able to devise a secondary story to the production. Despite that, I really appreciate that you gave it some thought. I'd still like to try and adapt the ideas above into something workable (probably a new short web series).

For now though, here's the production as a work in progress, with about 2 mins missing footage, and all rough audio as there's still lots to do on it. The story is flimsy, don't expect much - but I've never shot a feature length film on my own so it's more of an experiment. It was all shot on a handycam, which is why there are sound issues, I had problems in Italy with SP & LP recording modes as I'd bought the camera from ebay about a week before leaving for Italy and hadn't checked it out properly.

Because this project has been a hobby rather than to deadlines or anything, it could still be a while before it's all finished up with the necessary dubbing, visual and sound enhancements. But if you're interested to watch a 77 minute attempt at budget movie making - I'd welcome you to watch Ben Jordan Must Die! (the work in progress )

If nothing else, it can stand as testament that anyone can go out with a handycam and grab a few mates to make something mildly entertaining. Thanks again ATS!

reply to post by markymint


how about the TRUTH?

looks like a low budget movie