How to Nail the Ending of Your Horror Screenplay
Hosted by Karina Wilson
$49
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
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Hosted by Karina Wilson
$49
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Webinar hosted by: Karina Wilson
Story and Development Analyst at Worked for IM Global & Blumhouse
Karina Wilson is an independent story and development consultant with a specific focus in horror and thriller who has worked on many films including SECRET IN THEIR EYES with Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts, 13 SINS, and THE CIRCLE with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. As a story consultant, Karina has helped to shape narratives in every genre, from independent documentaries to Netflix animated series. Previously the in-house story consultant at IM Global, she is currently developing a series of Thrillers for British TV. Karina is considered an expert in the horror genre and her analysis of horror trends through the decades has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on NPR, in medical textbooks and in documentaries alongside luminaries such as Jason Blum, Joe Dante, and Andy Muschietti. Karina is also the lead screenplay judge for niche indie horror festival, Shriekfest, and has been picking winners for them since 2007. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn From A Top Horror Film Story Expert
The third act of your horror movie should be an electrifying climax, delivering visceral and emotional punches and paying off all your sneaky set ups. It should thrill your audience and represent their reward for sitting through—very possibly—a lot of pain, suffering, and gross stuff. Unfortunately, too many horror screenplays fail to deliver. It’s a problem across the genre: filmmakers work hard on the set-up of their narrative ye it all falls apart in the third act of the script. If you want your horror screenplay to stand out from the crowd, then it’s time to learn how to craft an original and compelling ending that leaves your reader breathless and wanting more.
It’s easy to write a creepy first act for a horror movie. A mysterious and/or bloody teaser at the top, the entry of a vulnerable protagonist into a danger zone, a few genre tropes like unresolved past traumas, dying cell phones, a gathering storm, and grizzled locals warning the main characters to “stay away” — it practically writes itself. That’s why there are a lot of horror screenplays out there with intriguing first acts. However, by the time many screenwriters get to the third act they have —literally— lost the plot. In order to write a good ending you have to know the genre, acknowledge the tropes, and understand some of the psychological mechanisms that drive human fear. Also, you may have to rethink that suspiciously easy-to-write opening. Let's explore how to make this happen.
Karina Wilson is an independent story and development consultant with a specific focus in horror who has worked on many films including SECRET IN THEIR EYES with Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts, 13 SINS, and THE CIRCLE with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. As a story consultant, Karina has helped to shape narratives in every genre, from independent documentaries to Netflix animated series. Previously the in-house story consultant at IM Global, she is currently developing a series of Thrillers for British TV. Karina is considered an expert in the horror genre and her analysis of horror trends through the decades has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on NPR, in medical textbooks and in documentaries alongside luminaries such as Jason Blum, Joe Dante, and Andy Muschietti. Karina is also the lead screenplay judge for niche indie horror festival, Shriekfest, and has been picking winners for them since 2007. Along with Rob Zombie, John Carpenter, Sid Haig, Tom Savini and many others, Karina can currently be seen on screen discussing horror in the documentary THE HISTORY OF METAL AND HORROR, doing the rounds of film festivals this fall.
Exclusively for Stage 32 in this on-demand webinar, Karina will teach you the elements of a successful horror film ending and what you can do to make sure your own horror project has an effective and memorable third act. She’ll begin by explaining how to see your screenplay through the lens of audience expectations before going over the main types of horror endings seen in feature films. She’ll delve into upping up your story stakes and show you how to find a resolution that makes sense. Karina will also discuss how you should be reworking your first and second act in order for the third act to work better. Karina will accompany her slew of tools and strategies with notable case studies and examples of notable horror films.
If you’ve been struggling to find an ending to your horror film, if you’re looking for a way to tie everything up, or if you need a way to make your script better stand out and get attention with reps, producers and execs, you’re going to want to hear what Karina has to say.
What You'll Learn
- Audience Expectations
- The pact between horror filmmakers and audience
- Human psychology and enjoyment of horror
- The Gift of Fear
- Know Your Endings
- Victory? Defeat? At What Cost?
- Defeating the Monster Without
- Embracing the Monster Within
- Living to Fight Another Day
- Passing The Torch
- Deliberately ambiguous vs. Huh?
- Twist Endings/Final Kickers
- Examples of great (and not so great) endings
- Story Stakes and Ultimate Resolution
- Whose story is this? Antagonist or Protagonist?
- Reaching the ‘Boss Monster’ Level in your storytelling
- Setting up and paying off
- Catharsis
- Why a deus ex machina is a bad thing
- Finding the Emotional Spine to your Story
- Who are we rooting for and what are their goals?
- Who makes a good ‘Final Girl’?
- How do horror movie denouements differ from other genres?
- Fixing Act Three by Reworking Act One and Act Two
- Gratifying Set ups and Pay Offs
- Red herrings
- Resolving subplots
- Mid-point reversals
- Audience omniscience
- Going Out With A Bang
- Crystallizing your message
- Mano a mano final conflict
- Compromising your protagonist’s values
- Setting up a potential sequel (if you really have to)
- Q&A with Karina
About Your Instructor
Karina Wilson
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