Characters
I got this idea at the beginning of 2022 while I was watching a horror movie and thinking: no rational human being would go inside that house. Everyone knows the feeling, but for me this breaks immersion for a big part; I just can’t take the story seriously if they make these choices, which turns it comedic for me. There are only a handful of stories where the characters seem to make good choices (trying to preserve their own life).
One good example being The Conjuring 2 where something scary happens in the house and they actually all run out like everyone would. This was my make it or break it point for that movie.
I want to give these scenarios a spin by putting in a character who knows and recognizes the tropes, an avid horror movie fan; and has the tools to handle them in a different creative way, a cop who likes to be prepped for anything. Having a cop with a gun makes the line between Thriller and Horror small but I want to focus on the thriller/suspense part. While I do like the Resident Evil games, I don’t want someone going guns blazing. Eery, creepy suspense is way more effective but there will also be room for the occasional jump scare to keep the blood flowing.
In scary games I love the moment where you know something is coming, seeing it from a distance but still jump back when it actually happens. In a movie, you can only follow what the character does but in a game you have to make the choice to move forward. Here the written format can be a hybrid where you can actually hear the thinking the character goes through before taking a step, forward or backward.
A big groundbreaking storyline is not important, I want to put to focus on making it a fun ride. So I focused on one case, a story of a few hours where you join the cop for the entire ride. By coupling the case to a specific location, I can leave open the possibility to write more stories/cases.
Locations are always iconic in suspense stories, each bringing their own unique scares. An isolated farm was the first location that came to mind. Mostly from the game Resident Evil 4 but also from series like The Walking Dead or the movie A Quiet Place: Corn fields, pitchforks, scarecrows, bad service connection, a rocking chair, a big silo, pigs,… So many possibilities to exploit.
One good example being The Conjuring 2 where something scary happens in the house and they actually all run out like everyone would. This was my make it or break it point for that movie.
I want to give these scenarios a spin by putting in a character who knows and recognizes the tropes, an avid horror movie fan; and has the tools to handle them in a different creative way, a cop who likes to be prepped for anything. Having a cop with a gun makes the line between Thriller and Horror small but I want to focus on the thriller/suspense part. While I do like the Resident Evil games, I don’t want someone going guns blazing. Eery, creepy suspense is way more effective but there will also be room for the occasional jump scare to keep the blood flowing.
In scary games I love the moment where you know something is coming, seeing it from a distance but still jump back when it actually happens. In a movie, you can only follow what the character does but in a game you have to make the choice to move forward. Here the written format can be a hybrid where you can actually hear the thinking the character goes through before taking a step, forward or backward.
A big groundbreaking storyline is not important, I want to put to focus on making it a fun ride. So I focused on one case, a story of a few hours where you join the cop for the entire ride. By coupling the case to a specific location, I can leave open the possibility to write more stories/cases.
Locations are always iconic in suspense stories, each bringing their own unique scares. An isolated farm was the first location that came to mind. Mostly from the game Resident Evil 4 but also from series like The Walking Dead or the movie A Quiet Place: Corn fields, pitchforks, scarecrows, bad service connection, a rocking chair, a big silo, pigs,… So many possibilities to exploit.
Any feedback?
Part of the Creation process
Where did the idea for Kane's Cases originate from and what were its main sources of inspiration.
V1 - alpha