2010-03-15
The Zombie Movie Outline.
We went to see the remake of The Crazies yesterday, and I'm now relatively certain that, with a little help, I could make a decent "zombie" movie.
At the last Mortified! at which I read, I met a fellow reader who was working on a script for an ABC Family Channel movie. She explained that you're essentially given an outline that you need to stick to, and you flesh it out with your characters and dialogue.
After chewing on this for a second, I said, "In a way, I would think that takes a lot of pressure off."
"Oh, totally," she replied.
So I think I could "flesh out" (pun intended) the Standard Zombie Outline in fairly short order.
I Establish scene
- A) Nice town
- B) Nice folks
II Meanwhile, in undisclosed, vaguely-governmental-looking nearby location...
- A) Bumbling contractor inadvertently knocks over sealed container, or
- B) Local juvenile delinquents break into said location, wreak havoc, get naked, and inadvertently knock over sealed container
III Introduce suspicious character and/or behavior
- A) Local "eccentric" becomes even more so, or
- B) stranger lurches around town, unresponsive until directly approached, whereupon becomes quite violent
- C) Eccentric/stranger is shot by member of local law enforcement
IV Member of local law enforcement is awakened from sound sleep by ringing phone.
- A) Someone else in town is acting strange, or
- B) Someone else in town has been found partially devoured
V Repeat IV.A and/or IV.B until only remaining townspeople are:
- A) member of local law enforcement
- B) curmudgeonly local business owner (who has been hiding in his establishment and only very reluctantly agrees to let remaining townspeople into said)
- C) juvenile delinquent (see II.B) or similar ne'er-do-well
- D) hysterical teenage girl
VI Survivors begin journey to nearest large city, only to discover government involvement in what is happening.
VII Struggle with zombie results in curmudgeonly local business owner being bitten. Moment of redemption occurs when business owner puts himself in line of fire of hazmat-wearing government employees, telling the others to run, because "I'm a goner anyway."
VIII Juvenile delinquent killed by now-zombie football captain boyfriend of hysterical teenage girl in attempt to protect her. Hysterical teenage girl, sobbing, shoots zombie boyfriend in head.
IX Member of local law enforcement and now battleworn, jaded teenage girl find themselves at the city limits, where they discover:
- A) more zombies
- B) more government workers in hazmat suits
- C) zombie government workers in hazmat suits
I think I've covered it. I'm sure my filmmaker cousin will correct me if I've missed any salient points.
lisamcc at 12:56 p.m.
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