Well, here I am. Just 3 scenes away from closing shop on my very first horror feature screenplay, HORROR-FEST. Following painstakingly thoughtful consideration... and hours upon hours of continued cinematic research in the field of horror film history (Okay, that's a lie. My actual decision was based on the coin flip of a 1923 silver dollar that sits on my writing desk), I've definitely arrived on whether or not my Final Girl, LISA MARTINEZ, will LIVE............OR NOT LIVE!!!!!
She.....Will.....LIVE!!!!! (but just barely.)
Yeah. As much as I wanted to, I just couldn't kill her off. She's such a nice person. And pretty. And smart. Like one of those "Jeopardy!" eggheads, but without the chronic body odor.
So, couldn't do it. Trust me, I was seriously weighing in on having her do battle with the serial killer and just before the credits roll.... THEY KILL EACH OTHER!!!!
OMG! I actually wanted that ending so bad, I could taste it! And then, thought of the truly devastating results of having that version of the script produced and distributed to theaters nationwide. And on Opening Day, audiences would be FLOORED by what they've witnessed and completely trash the theater! These horrifically violent acts would spread to every theater in the country playing HORROR-FEST! Aisle carpets torn up, screens slashed and urinated on, fancy-schmancy light sconces ripped from walls and theater seats cut to shreds. Theater patrons would run up and down the aisles performing their own twisted versions of Kathy Bates from MISERY:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! LISA MARTINEZ CAN NOT DIE!!!! SHE....CAN'T.....BE....DEAD!!!!!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Everybody.
Brock out.
Long Live Lisa.
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Cool. She's a final girl, Bill Brock. One pro of her being a final girl is if audiences like her/relate to her in the first movie, they'll want to see her in the sequel(s)/she'll develop a fanbase. Think Laurie Strode from HALLOWEEN or Sidney Prescott from SCREAM.
Maurice Vaughan ......... Or Bill Brock in a wig from HORROR-FEST.
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Thats such a hard decision to make. it really comes down to what’s true to your story. The more gore and death the better I say (in screenplays not real life). Glad you found an ending your happy with.
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I'm not sure if you could pull that off, Bill Brock. Haha I think you could play the killer though.
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I would kill her. But not as a meaningless kill. I would make her death an outcome of her own action. Even better if it something she did early which is out of character, something we forget. Have her die by as an outcome of her actions and not at the killer.
Death of a great and nice person hits hard.
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Here’s what to keep in mind for a satisfying story.
A character tries to survive, learns a lesson along the way, has a positive arc? They live.
A character is confronted with reasons to change, but fail to do so, continue to make bad decisions? Deserving of punishment? They die.
I recommend watching Barbarian to see how they approach the arcs of the two main characters.
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Dont worry Brock, that aint your problem. Leave that to the next screenwriter. You just worry about Day 1 of production- cause that's the date the producers must pay the full amount of your screenplay sale! GL!
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Maurice Vaughan Pulling off a wig is easy. Just reach up and grab. : )
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Craig D Griffiths Damn you, Craig D Griffiths! Uggggggggh! Your brilliant insight on killing her off has me reassessing her fate! Dammit! Now I have to go back, knock her off with the killer standing over her and reaching into her pocket for that stick of chewing gum he declined earlier when offered.
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Mike Boas Thanks, Mike. I saw BARBARIAN at the theater last year and only remember bits and pieces. Looks like I'll have to give it a second look. Enjoyed it, but do recall hating the ending. Felt tacked on and not very original.
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Dan MaxXx Hahahhahahah, Dan! Leave it to you to provide me with a big laugh this morning, so thank you! You ALWAYS come up with great stuff, man! : ) Take care of yourself.
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A good breakdown of Barbarian on Writers/Blockbusters show here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Ktq4uryZ0
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I think it's completely ballsy to kill off your Final Girl! I had the same dilemma with my horror script, "Rotted Roots", with my 1st & and generation Final Girls (a mom/daughter duo). I went with killing off the mom in the final act as a sort of "passing the torch" to her daughter who survives and can continue in what I'm hoping will be a trilogy. I think you made the right decision if you were looking to continue on with the character :0).