Iv become enamored with the idea of making a short thriller. Not a slash-em up, but the chase kind.
So what are some key plot points that thrillers normally have?
The story will focus on a couple being hunted by bad guys after the couple witnesses the "murder" of their friend.
O’Black Mountain Road
Treatment Story Idea
Jake, Jim and Linda are off for an all day hike to a little accessed high mountain lake. Jake and Jim are brothers and Linda is Jim's girlfriend. They park the truck at the locked gate and set out on foot, Jim is moody. As they walk Jim accuses Jake of having a thing for Linda, they tussle as brother often do, they break it up, and the three argue some more, eventually, Jim gets mad and stomps off down the road. Jake and Linda bicker as they walk, trailing behind Jim by about 50 yards. Jim rounds a corner, Linda runs to catch up. Just as Linda rounds the bend out of sight of Jake who is still dragging his feet, a gun shot cracks the quite mountain air!
Jake runs forward and Linda is running back towards him, eyes wide in terror, she grabs his arm and without speaking the two run into the woods, duck behind a stump. Jake tries to ask her what’s going on but she shushes him.. Jim hears the car cruising down the gravel, its stops near where they are hiding and black uniformed, professional looking soldier types, climb out of the vehicle and using hand signals only, start an organized search.
Linda tries to bolt; Jake grabs her arm, holding her down. The men get closer; one stands within feet of the stump, suddenly the men turn and jog back to the car, they climb in and drive away having never said a word.
Linda, shaking with fear bursts out crying unable to tell Jake what she saw. Jake pulls her to her feet and the two cautiously walk towards the corner where it all happened. As they round the corner Jake looks over his shoulder in time to see one of the soldiers step out on to the road near the spot where they were hiding and speak into a radio. Jake grabs Linda’s hand and they run! Shielded by the corner Jake hurriedly stops to survey the crime screen, there is no body! They see Jims blood soaked back pack on the ground near the side of the road; they hear the roaring of the car engine and panic! Hand in hand the run towards the woods, Jake stops, runs back and grabs the blood soaked back pack, and they run deeper into the woods. As they run, they decide that Jims body must be in the car with the gunmen!
The car skids to a halt, the men get out of the car. Expecting to find Jims body where they left it, the leader presumes the gunmen failed and executes him on the spot.
Jim huddles in culvert beneath the road near where the gunmen stand.
... (cont)...
Eventually Jake and Linda admit their love, discover the plot of the bad guys, reunite with Jim and save the day.
20 mins long.
Does this sound thrilling? What are the obligatory elements?
I got this inspiration while jogging a 4 mile loop on some gated and locked logging roads near my home.
(edit: take my idea, go ahead, Im not worried about it. Ideas are cheap, execution is everything!)
(edit: I just updated with a bit more treatment)
So what are some key plot points that thrillers normally have?
The story will focus on a couple being hunted by bad guys after the couple witnesses the "murder" of their friend.
O’Black Mountain Road
Treatment Story Idea
Jake, Jim and Linda are off for an all day hike to a little accessed high mountain lake. Jake and Jim are brothers and Linda is Jim's girlfriend. They park the truck at the locked gate and set out on foot, Jim is moody. As they walk Jim accuses Jake of having a thing for Linda, they tussle as brother often do, they break it up, and the three argue some more, eventually, Jim gets mad and stomps off down the road. Jake and Linda bicker as they walk, trailing behind Jim by about 50 yards. Jim rounds a corner, Linda runs to catch up. Just as Linda rounds the bend out of sight of Jake who is still dragging his feet, a gun shot cracks the quite mountain air!
Jake runs forward and Linda is running back towards him, eyes wide in terror, she grabs his arm and without speaking the two run into the woods, duck behind a stump. Jake tries to ask her what’s going on but she shushes him.. Jim hears the car cruising down the gravel, its stops near where they are hiding and black uniformed, professional looking soldier types, climb out of the vehicle and using hand signals only, start an organized search.
Linda tries to bolt; Jake grabs her arm, holding her down. The men get closer; one stands within feet of the stump, suddenly the men turn and jog back to the car, they climb in and drive away having never said a word.
Linda, shaking with fear bursts out crying unable to tell Jake what she saw. Jake pulls her to her feet and the two cautiously walk towards the corner where it all happened. As they round the corner Jake looks over his shoulder in time to see one of the soldiers step out on to the road near the spot where they were hiding and speak into a radio. Jake grabs Linda’s hand and they run! Shielded by the corner Jake hurriedly stops to survey the crime screen, there is no body! They see Jims blood soaked back pack on the ground near the side of the road; they hear the roaring of the car engine and panic! Hand in hand the run towards the woods, Jake stops, runs back and grabs the blood soaked back pack, and they run deeper into the woods. As they run, they decide that Jims body must be in the car with the gunmen!
The car skids to a halt, the men get out of the car. Expecting to find Jims body where they left it, the leader presumes the gunmen failed and executes him on the spot.
Jim huddles in culvert beneath the road near where the gunmen stand.
... (cont)...
Eventually Jake and Linda admit their love, discover the plot of the bad guys, reunite with Jim and save the day.
20 mins long.
Does this sound thrilling? What are the obligatory elements?
I got this inspiration while jogging a 4 mile loop on some gated and locked logging roads near my home.
(edit: take my idea, go ahead, Im not worried about it. Ideas are cheap, execution is everything!)
(edit: I just updated with a bit more treatment)
Last edited:
I love it. but I want to keep it simple..