Later that night: three studies in horror

Abstract

To write a successful screenplay is to form a blueprint, a set of dramatic instructions; a structural plan to be executed at a later date by film artists and technicians. It is vital not to become attached to the details; components such as character names and place settings will often change as a project undergoes different stages of development. Above all else, what must remain on the page is the story's dramatic structure, its intention. If this is accomplished, the integrity of the screenplay is intact, and the writer is in control. Later that Night: Three Studies in Horror is a compilation of three short screenplays, each showcasing a popular horror subgenre. The screenplays follow Anna and Gabriel, a pair of con-artists, as they try to maneuver their way through the back roads of Nebraska on one fateful summer night. In In Sight, the pair is wrapping up a con job when an unexpected guest turns up on the front porch in need of help, with surprising consequences. In Pit Stop, a routine fill-up at a local gas station takes a bloody turn for the worse when two men attempt a hold-up. Finally, in Overnight Guest, Anna's freedom from Gabriel is cut short when his spirit refuses to grant her peace. These three screenplays are written as stand-alone pieces that can be viewed in chronological order to form a continuous storyline. The purpose of this structure is to highlight specific subgenres of horror in each of the three scripts and to create an understanding of how each functions as a storytelling genre. In Sight is a psychological thriller, focusing on feelings of unease and impending action. Pit Stop is a "gore script", highlighting gratuitous amounts of blood and death. Overnight Guest is a story of the supernatural, with the protagonist's life being directly affected by an angry spirit.