Wide O
Lock your doors.
Anticipation is vital to horror stories. Remember how you felt watching Marion step into the shower in Psycho, Brody toss chum off the boat in Jaws, or bag boy Norm walk outside the supermarket in The Mist? That little niggle inside telling you that something doesn’t feel quite right. Something’s about to happen. Like a coiled rattlesnake ready to strike!
In the short script Wide O, that uneasy feeling is present as well – from the moment Ms. All American Mom shuts off a news program, being watched by her two pajama-clad youngsters. It’s a story about a brutal suburban massacre. Definitely unfit for innocent eyes.
The kids protest the action. They can’t sleep – it’s too cold. Mom realizes the house is drafty, and promises to make them hot chocolate. She heads to the kitchen, and discovers the source of that chill…
In most horrors these days, the violence slaps audiences in the face. Wide O is bloodless. But supremely effective: a little one page gem that nurses that itch of terror inside you – making the hairs stand up on the back of your neck…
Horror directors take note: Wide O’s not likely to be on the market long. No blood, no mess. One location. Just an intelligent script with a strong ending. Best to snap it up before it’s gone.
About the writer: Robert Newcomer recently received his first IMDB credit for another short, Them That’s Dead. An intelligent writer, he has several other shorts and a horror feature length available for consideration. (IMDB credits listed here.) Other shorts of Robert’s (both horror) reviewed at STS include:
Pages: 1
Budget: Extremely low. A living room and kitchen’s all you need. And a handful of actors (including extras for the “news” broadcast.)
About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature. KP’s work is available at moviepoet.com!
READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!
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7 Comments so far
1.
Gary Rowlands
October 13th, 2014 at 5:50 pm
An excellent review of a cracking little short!
2.
Rob Wright
September 19th, 2016 at 8:35 pm
Good work! Really liked this. 🙂
3.
Matthew
October 19th, 2016 at 12:37 am
Hi, how much would you sell this script for?
4.
bert
October 19th, 2016 at 5:25 pm
Hi Matthew,
The author here.
This work is an adaptation of a (very) short story by Elsin Ann Perry. A story I’ve enjoyed for many years.
As such, I’ve no monetary claims on the materials — I cannot “sell” it to you — though I did obtain her permission to write it for fun. If you wish to purchase rights to the story, I would suggest tracking her down (she is easy enough to find). If you are filming as a NON-profit student project or something of that sort, however, feel free to this adaptation, and please let me know how it turns out. I’d love to see it. But again, if there’s any cash involved, please contact Elsin. Cheers.
5.
Matthew
October 19th, 2016 at 10:56 pm
Thanks, I’m still a student and I was browsing the web looking for really short shorts to shoot. Would I need to contact Elsin if I wanted to submit this to a local film festival?
6.
Don
October 19th, 2016 at 11:46 pm
Matthew,
Regardless of use, I would reach out to Elsin and explain how you are going to use the work – as a non-profit student project. If it is truly for educational purposes (won’t show up on YouTube or sites that contain advertising), I’m sure the author would have no problems you using her work (and Bert’s adaptation).
– Don
7.
Matthew
October 19th, 2016 at 11:55 pm
Thanks for the advice!