So why am I bringing back an old story like this? Well the reason I stopped writing it was that I couldn't find a way of describing the creature in the way that I had it in my mind, until earlier this year. As you may know, there has been plans to make the next installment of the Jurrasic Park franchise, and one of the idea that came from the scriptwriters was a hybrid Dinosaur/Human. As soon as I saw the model, everything that I wanted Sasquatch to be was right there in a photograph - minus the hair, but that is a small point.

To the right is the photo that has inspired me to revamp the screenplay that I had left on the back-burner for so long.

Now you know what I have in mind, take a look at a draft of the first scene... enjoy!
SasquatchPhoto

FADE IN:

INT. MARION COUNTY - OREGON, WINNEBAGO - NIGHT

There is a portable television on the edge of the table. It is showing an old film and the volume is down on minimum.

GILLY HOLDING and JAMIE WALSH are eating their dinner. They are having sausage and beans.

GILLY finishes and gets up with her plate. She pops it into the sink, in the kitchen area, squeezes some washing up liquid into the sink and then pours the warm water from the kettle over the top.

JAMIE finishes his dinner, which was a lot larger than hers.

JAMIE

That was great.

GILLY walks over to the table and takes JAMIE's empty plate.

GILLY

It filled a hole.

JAMIE reaches forward and switches over the channel on the television. The football is on.

GILLY places JAMIE's dinner plate and cutlery he was using into the sink.

She fills the kettle up with fresh water and switches it on.

GILLY

What's the score?

JAMIE

Fifteen Eight.

GILLY

So no change?

JAMIE

I think they're pretty well

matched.

JAMIE turns up the volume and sits back to watch the match.

GILLY washes up the plates in the sink.

GILLY reaches over to the kettle, and with wet hands switches it on.

GILLY

Do you want another coffee?

JAMIE leans forward in turns of volume down on the television.

JAMIE

Sorry Hun?

GILLY

Do you want another drink?

JAMIE

Yeah, go on then.

Outside, there is a snarling sound. It sounds as though its come from a large cat, or maybe something similar.

JAMIE

What was that?

JAMIE sits up, and stretching behind him he pulls open the curtains so that he can look outside through the window.

GILLY peers out of the window just above the sink.

GILLY

I can't see anything!

There is a hissing sound, which definitely sounds like a cat, maybe a Jaguar or Cougar.

JAMIE sits back down on the seat, shuffles to the other side from where he was looking.

He swivels on his seat and opens the curtains fully so he can look out of the other window.

JAMIE

Wrong side, I'm sure it came from here.

JAMIE cups his hands around his eyes and squints through the window.

GILLY rushes over and joins JAMIE on the seat. She does the same with her hands shielding the light inside from her eyes.

GILLY

I can see something.

There is a loud howling noise outside.

GILLY reaches over to her camera, which is lying on the long seat beside her. She switches it on.

JAMIE

Put the flash on.

GILLY lifts the lens of the camera up and points it at the window.

GILLY clicks the shutter button and the internal flash flicks up.

GILLY

It is on.

Is there is the yowl from outside and the camper judders as a large animal smashes into the side of it.

GILLY's camera shutter clicks, and the flash goes off.

JAMIE

Jesus.

GILLY

Shit, what was that?

GILLY points the camera to the window, and reels off a few more quick succession shots.

JAMIE

I can't see properly, there's definitely something out there fighting.

JAMIE (CONT'D)

Where's the torch?

GILLY lowers the camera.

GILLY

You're not bloody going out there?

There is another deep snarl outside.

JAMIE gets up and walks towards the door. On the shelf beside the door is the torch. He picks up the torch.

JAMIE

I'm just going to have a look.

GILLY

You're crazy, don't do it. I'm scared.

JAMIE switches on the torch, which he has in one hand as he grabs the door handle with the other.

JAMIE

I'm just going to have a quick look.

JAMIE turns the handle, and slowly starts to open the Winnebago door.

Suddenly there is a thump, a squeal and then another loud thump as something hits the door from the other side, banging JAMIE's hand as it shuts hard.

JAMIE

Ouch! Shit!

GILLY looks shocked, she drops the camera, and rushes over to JAMIE.

GILLY

Bloody hell. Are you okay?

JAMIE shakes his hand.

JAMIE

Yeah. I'm okay.

GILLY

What in hell is that?

JAMIE

There's more than one. One of them though is definitely a cat.

GILLY grabs on to JAMIE's arm.

JAMIE (CONT'D)

I'm going to try another look.

JAMIE shrugs off GILLY's grasp.

GILLY

Please be careful.

JAMIE

I will, you just see if you can get some more photos.

Outside there is another snarl, it sounds further away.

JAMIE gingerly opens the Winnebago side door.

GILLY rushes back to the seat and picks up her camera. She starts taking photos at the window.

JAMIE can see the flashes of the camera outside, as each photo is taken.

JAMIE shines the torch light into the darkness.

GILLY (SHOUTING)

Can you see anything?

The light from JAMIE's torch finds something. Walking away, about thirty feet, is a large hairy figure. He guesses it's about almost seven feet tall, very muscular, and walking on two feet.

In the same pose as the famous 'Bigfoot' amateur movie by Roger Patterson that he took near Eureka in California back in 1967; the creature turns its head, and stares directly into the beam of light shining on it.

A second passes. The creatures eyes shine back a bright red as it slowly opens it's large mouth, displaying a set of huge, razor sharp looking teeth.

The creature drops down onto its front feet in an attack pose, similar to that of a cat just before its about to pounce. It rushes on all fours towards JAMIE, who backs up so that he is standing inside the Winnebago at the doorway, not taking his eyes off of the monster that's about to get him.

All the time, flashes from the camera at the window light up the scene.

There is a blood curdling cry from the creature, as it bounds towards JAMIE.

JAMIE

Shhhhhhhhhhiiiiiittttt!

JAMIE slams the Winnebago door, just in time as the creature crashes into it, denting it in.

FADE OUT.

CREDITS.

Why a screenplay when I like to write novels, I hear you ask? Well I often write my stories as screenplays so that I can get a feel as to whether the story is going somewhere. A screenplay is a lot more visual, and very quick to write in comparison with a novel of the same story. I can work out characters, add in sub-plots (although I'm not a great fan of sub-plots) and turning one of my screenplays into a novel is a lot easier because I know exactly what I want from the story, I just need to decribe it.

I hope you like what I've done so far, and hopefully by now you'll have an indication of what's in my mind.

SASQUATCH

editThis Christmas I have a decided to spend some time rewriting a screenplay that I came up with a few years ago. It's a twist on the old 'Bigfoot' legend and I think leans more towards King Kong genre.

Synopsis: When a couple are set up for the night in their Winnebago, they hear the sounds of two large animals fighting outside. While one of them takes a look outside, his partner takes photos from her camera. The view is of something that has never been seen so clearly, or photographed so well, Sasquatch.

When the photos appear in the press, the people at the Greater Boston Bigfoot Institute decide to get the photos analysed for authentisity. It is found that not only are the photos genuine, in the fact that they are not doctored in any way, but there is a slight reflection in one of the photos - a reflection that cannot have been faked. In the background there is a relection of the opposite window; when they enhance the relection, they can see another Sasquatch peering into it at the woman taking the photos - Creepy huh!

As a team from the Bigfoot Institute set off to investigate, they are unaware that a posse from the Los Angeles Zoo, who have seen visitor numbers declining, have plans to capture one of the creatures. Funded by an excentric billionaire, with the full resources of the money behind them, the possie from the Zoo manage to capture and display to the public one of these creatures. The zoo sees visitor numbers sour as they try to glimpse the new arrival.

After the capture, there are reports of farm animals going missing, or scenes where the carcases of cows and horses have been left, half eaten. When plotted on a map, the authorities can see that the trail of eaten animals is in a direct line from the area where the first Sasquatch was captured, and leading down to Los Angeles where it is being audienced.

As I'm hoping you can imagine, there is a confrontation between the best forces that mankind can offer against a group of forty Sasquatches, whom are hell bend on freeing one of their kind... I think that's enough to wet your appetite - let me know what you think.

Fred Deakin
Design Engineer / Author