Suggestions and advice on 'Haunted house' movie
 

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a bit of feedback if you'd be so kind. I am currently in the throws of putting together an independant horror movie with a friend that we are looking to shoot. I have written the script and we have sent it to a professional script reading service for comments etc. Overall the feedback was very good (which is encouraging) however they did raise some valuble points, and some points which we disagreed with. There is one comment however that got me thinking and I would appreciate other people's take on this matter to help me decide on what to do.
Basically the story is about a haunted house (well, there's more to it than that but thats the setting). Obviously with a haunted house there are going to be ghosts. One of the things that happnes in the script (it happens a few times) is that the telephone will ring and the protagonist will answer. There will be a sound of static and then a voice will come through (one of the ghosts) to give him warnings/threats. The people who read the script had an issue with this saying "it seems a little beyond their ghost powers to make phone calls". I initially dismissed this comment but I'm beginning to doubt myself now for some reason. For me it seemed perfectly reasonable and, if done right, could make for some very creepy scenes. I mean it's not as if they are actually picking up the phone and making a call, their voices are just coming through the line.

What do you guys think? Is it too far fetched (within the perameters of a ghost story)?

Thanks for the help.

what type of phone?

Sorry, I should have made that clear. It's a land line, not a cell phone.

It doesn's seem so far fetched to me.

Look at movies such as White Noise. It's slightly different, but come on, it's a movie!

Land line would be more believable in my opinion than a cell phone. Much creepier too.

Keep in touch, I'm interested in seeing this when you get it completed.

I don´t see a problem with that at all.

I mean, if the "phone" scares works, the audience wont think twice about it, i´m sure. It´s a horror movie for christ sake. Not EVERYTHING has to make perfect sense.

Do it man, do it!!

Thanks for the input VampiricClown, that was basically my thinking too. I just wanted a second opinion to make sure I wasnt being ignorant.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on how things are going. Just finished the script re-write and I think its just about there now.

We're working on a website which is coming along nicely. When its launched I'll post the link.

Haha, thanks Angra, I think you're right. Scary phone calls it is!!!!

assuming that the people in the house haven't been using the phone, on the last phone call they suddenly realise that the phone was never in working order




or is that too obvious??

One advice though.

DON´T, and i mean DON´T let the house talk (Amityville horror), coz THAT´s lame...:mad:

Hmmmm..... Isn´t that kind of cliche?:rolleyes:

so you can spell that can you :mad:

Zwoti - The phone is in working order as it is used earlier in the script.

Angra - Yeah, I agree, talking houses can really ruin a story. Don't worry though, the house is a mute!

Thanks for the help everyone, it's been a real help. I'm gonna head for slumberland now and hopefully coem up with a few idea's for more scary scenes. I'll catch up with you later.

Cut me some slack please. Not everybody in here writes japanese as well as you do, doc.;)

Well..it seems like a good idea..
hasn't this been done before?
Also ..how often does this happen in the script.?
The ppl you sent the script too..
how professional are they to a point of respecting what they had to say.?
Without actually reading ..would be hard to offer an honest opinion.
..as to the lead up to the ph calls..etc..

Good luck on this ..
it sounds neat.

Hey, don´t forget us now. Don´t forget that WE made you a millionaire.

And please remember to come back and spam your movie when it´s done, so we can give you a decent flaming. Coz that´s what we´re here for.:cool:

Good luck.

that comment about it being "a little beyond their ghost powers to make telephone calls"...

Well, this is a movie, and in the movies, ghosts can often do a flipping lot of stuff--kill people, make the walls breathe and bleed, turn everything topsy turvy, manifest all varieties of strange and unnatural sights and sounds...

Sure they can make a phone call. I would expect them to AT LEAST do that if they're gonna be out all night!

I ditto the others on the phone idea...it's fine.