The first draft of a shooting script for my group's A2 Media Studies Horror Film trailer - 'Regression'. Written 2013 by Adam Thornton

1. ’Regression’ Trailer screenplay 1
By
Adam Thornton
©ACT Productions 2013

2. FADE IN:
(V.O)
Breathe in... Breathe out... You’re
in a deep sleep.
INT. ALISON’S ROOM - DAY
We PULL IN ON a hypnotherapy table in a room. On it lies
KATIE JOHNSON, the protagonist. By her side, the medium
ALISON. KATIE suddenly wakes up with a jolt.
KATIE (V.O)
I’ve been having them nightmares
again...
CUT TO:
INT. DARK ROOM - NIGHT
Someone is sat in a pentacle comprised of thin candles. They
wait patiently, obsessively.
JAMES (V.O)
The same ones?
CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL GATES - DAY
Afternoon. KATIE and her best friend JAMES HARGEAVES are
exiting school, talking.
KATIE
The same ones.
JAMES
That doesn’t mean anything, does
it?
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ROAD - DAY
KATIE, JAMES and the rest of their friends - DARREN, CHRIS,
KELLY and MARIA - are gathered. They joke and laugh.
KATIE (V.O)
I don’t know.
KELLY
Stop worrying about it, Katie! It’s
nothing, seriously.
(CONTINUED)

3. CONTINUED: 2.
DARREN
(looks to CHRIS)
There’s Chris’ party coming up.
That’s creepy enough as it is!
CHRIS
Shut your face.
KATIE (V.O)
No one but you believes me.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN - DAY
We are watching KATIE through the driver’s-side window of a
typical VAN. A plainly-dressed MAN, tall, 30’s, sits in the
seat. His face not visible.
KATIE (V.O)
I can’t explain it. Someone’s
watching me.
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - DAY
KATIE is sat on her bed, her mobile phone pressed to her
ear. Distress on her face.
KATIE (V.O)
They’ve been phoning me up at home.
JAMES (V.O)
Me too!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. JAMES’ ROOM - DAY
DISSOLVE TO JAMES on the phone himself. He is listening to
something.
JAMES (V.O)
They were just breathing all weird.
CUT TO:

4. 3.
EXT. SCHOOL GATES - DAY
KATIE continues talking to JAMES.
JAMES
Some loser if you ask me.
KATIE
What the hell do they want with us?
INSERT:
TITLE CARD:
HE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE...
CUT TO:
EXT. ALISON’S HOUSE - DAY
A worn-down looking home, more of a shelter than a house.
Greenery around it. ALISON, drably dressed, is at the front
door. She looks ahead towards us.
KATIE and JAMES are walking past with their friends. KATIE
looks at ALISON, suspicious.
JAMES
That’s the spinster everyone knows
about.
KELLY
Yeah, apparently her two husbands
both killed themselves or
something.
DARREN
She lives with ten cats or
something now.
JAMES
Stop messing around!
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
KATIE is wrapped up in a warm bed. The room is poorly lit. A
SHAP can be seen in the doorway.
KATIE
Hello?
(CONTINUED)

5. CONTINUED: 4.
Silence. Suddenly, the figure pounces. SCREAMS. A struggle.
KATIE flails around in her duvet.
The light is flicked on. It is KATIE’S MUM by the door.
MUM
What’s wrong, sweetheart?
KATIE looks around, stunned. In the chaos, the man has
vanished.
INSERT:
CLOSE UP: RATION CARD
A RATION CARD from the 1940’s lies on the floor. KATIE picks
it up.
KATIE (V.O)
I swear someone was there in the
room with me.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Another girly bedroom. KELLY is talking to KATIE.
KELLY
He’s some weirdo, whoever he is.
CUT TO:
INT. KILLER’S ROOM - HIGH ANGLE - NIGHT
A creepy room. From a HIGH ANGLE we see the stalker sat on
the floor, cutting out headlines in a newspaper. Before him
is a large scrapbook and dozens of paper cutting littering
the carpet.
KATIE (V.O)
He’s been planning. He’s been
planning to attack me. I know it!
INSERT:
TITLE CARD:
HE KNOWS WHERE THEY LIVE...
CUT TO:

6. 5.
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - DAY
KATIE is sat, engrossed in searching the internet on her
laptop. She clicks on a news item on Google.
KATIE (V.O)
(cont’d)
I’ve been doing some searching.
INSERT:
CLOSE UP: HYPNOTHERAPY BOOK
KATIE flicks through a tattered book about hypnotherapy,
finding a highlighted chapter about PAST LIFE REGRESSION.
JAMES (V.O)
Maybe your nightmares are something
to do with a past life?
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
The gang all together, walking down a school corridor.
DARREN
Are you serious?
JAMES
I saw something on TV about it.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
MARIA is cowering by a tree, terrified. The SHAPE grabs hold
of her from behind, burly arms gripping her throat. MARIA
SCREAMS.
FLASH ON:
MONTAGE: MARIA HANGED
MARIA is murdered in a SERIES OF SHOTS. We see the girl’s
legs dangling from a tree.
CUT TO:

7. 6.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
CHRIS runs up to the friends on their way to school,
panting.
CHRIS
You heard what’s happened?
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - DAY
KATIE SCROLLS down the webpage onto a black and white IMAGE
of three teenagers who look very similar to herself and her
friends.
DISSOLVE TO:
MEDIUM: FRIENDS WALKING
Matching the line-up from the photograph, DARREN, KATIE and
JAMES walk down a forest road, alone.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - DAY
JAMES looks around the forest, isolated, alone. WE CIRLCE
HIM, distraught.
KATIE (V.O)
I told you he was following us!
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM - DAY
KATIE and KELLY.
KELLY
How’s that possible?
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - EVENING
Early evening. From someone’s POINT OF VIEW we chase KATIE
past tree after tree.
KATIE
Help me! Someone help me!
INSERT:
(CONTINUED)

8. CONTINUED: 7.
TITLE CARD:
HE KNOWS WHY THEY’LL DIE...
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
KATIE is being lectured by her MUM with detached concern.
KATIE’S MUM
You haven’t slept in days!
KATIE
I can’t, mum! I don’t know what’s
gonna happen if I do.
KATIE’S MUM
Nobody can hurt you, we’re here!
You’re safe.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROAD - DAY
DARREN is strolling along the pavement. The ominous VAN is
waiting for him...
CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL GATES - DAY
JAMES and KATIE.
KATIE
He’ll come for you next, James.
You’ve got to promise me you’ll
phone tonight, okay?
JAMES
Sure, sure, I promise.
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S HOUSE - DAY
KATIE patrols her empty home. There is a CREAK by the door.
She turns round the corner and WE PAN WITH HER...
INSERT:
POV: KATIE IN HALLWAY
(CONTINUED)

9. CONTINUED: 8.
Through the door, we watch KATIE as she stands fiercely.
HEAVY BREATHING overheard.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
CHRIS is drinking on a park bench late at night, on his own.
He looks around in fear, shivers. A scream occurs as WE CUT.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
The SCREAM crosses into the scene. KATIE runs up to DARREN
and JAMES, distraught.
KATIE
I found Chris! I found him!
INSERT:
WIDE: CHRIS’ CORPSE
The body of CHRIS lies beside the park bench.
KATIE (V.O)
He’s dead!
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
DARREN is running through the trees. He stumbles clumsily
and FALLS OVER...
CUT TO:
INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM - DAY
KATIE on the phone.
VOICE
You like playing games with me?
Let’s play one now.
KATIE
What?
VOICE
Who’s about to get their heart cut
out? Your boyfriend or your sister?
You decide.
(CONTINUED)

10. CONTINUED: 9.
KATIE
You’re sick!
INSERT:
MEDIUM CLOSE UP: KNIFE
The MAN fondles a knife in one hand, sat on a chair. We
cannot see their face.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
KELLY is tidying herself up in a toilet. Reflected in the
mirror is the SHAPE, wearing a mask.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ALISON’S ROOM - NIGHT
KATIE is being laid down on the hypnotherapy table. Candles
are lit. Incense and smoke fill the room. ALISON calms her.
KATIE (V.O)
Alison’s a medium. She can help.
ALISON
I’ll just put you to sleep my love,
and you’ll start feeling very calm.
KATIE shuts her eyes.
ALISON
Breathe in...
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES’ ROOM - DAY
JAMES is shouting on the phone loudly.
JAMES
Don’t answer the phone! Don’t open
the door! Just don’t go anywhere!
CUT TO:

11. 10.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Someone’s Point of View pounces at DARREN. He yells in fear.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
KELLY is attacked in her bathroom, screaming.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
KATIE runs past a tree and takes cover, looking exhausted
and beaten.
ALISON (V.O)
Breathe out...
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
JAMES bumps into a dark shape on a suburban street, late at
night.
CUT TO:
INT. ALISON’S ROOM - NIGHT
KATIE struggles on the hypnotherapy table, experiencing a
traumatic past life.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
DARREN is confessing to his surviving friends.
DARREN
(sarcastic)
Am I scared? I’m a bit more than
scared! Just a little bit!
INSERT:
EXTREME CLOSE UP: HANDS
A pair of gnarled hands are rinsed of blood under running
water, redness washing down the plughole.
CUT TO:

12. 11.
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
KELLY runs out of the bathroom screaming for help. A pair of
feet chase after her.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - EVENING
The SHAPE can be seen in the woods, raising a knife in a
taunt to someone out of shot.
ALISON (V.O)
Breathe in...
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES’ ROOM - DAY
JAMES on the phone.
VOICE
I will find you.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
KATIE is choked against a tree. She grapples for the
killer’s knife , dangling in their free hand.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM - DAY
The killer lurks among his notebook and smoking incense,
lighting the dark room. He shouts at a body whimpering in
the corner.
VOICE (V.O)
I will get you.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
CHRIS sits on his own and screams.
CHRIS
(sobbing)
Why?
CUT TO:

13. 12.
INT. ALISON’S ROOM - NIGHT
KATIE slowly gets up from the regression table after her
nightmare.
VOICE(V.O)
I will kill you.
She looks around.
KATIE
Alison?
From KATIE’S POINT OF VIEW the room is empty. She slowly
sits up and peers around the corner.
ALISON (V.O)
Breath out... You’re going into a
very deep sleep...
We see a figure creeping up behind her...
CUT TO:
SERIES OF SHOTS
We intercut quick scenes of the teens in a SERIES OF SHOTS
undergoing their torment; chases in the woods, screaming,
getting threatened by weapons, etc. FLASH ON KATIE as she
wakes up in bed, screaming.
INSERT:
TITLE CARD:
REGRESSION
CUT TO:
INT. ALISON’S ROOM - NIGHT
KATIE leas back on the table, exhausted. She sighs. There is
a GROAN and a pair of hands grab her. We see the KILLER for
an instant and she SCREAMS.