FIRST OUTLINE I MADE FOR "THE FATHER"

I'm basically a screenwriter so I attack a novel as I would a screenplay. I spent weeks or months trying to figure out a concept, then longer figuring out what is it really about. Then I list the major beats before I go to THE BOARD. Once THE BOARD is complete I begin to actually write. I follow a mix between Joseph Campbell and "Save The Cat" that I have developed into my own method. I'll explain my method in a later post.

Here is the outline for "The Father". This collection of sentence fragments and misspelled words is the fruit of months of painstaking work. Hopefully it will provide some insight. Once again, please follow the blog and comment. I will answer any and all question posted in the comment section. 

Thanks for visiting.

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Hospital Escuela Day- Henry almost saves michael's life. 

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Church USA- Inter cut with surgery. Dawn teaches catechism class to downs kids. Luke see's 

something and says Michael's name/ 

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(((THEME))) Bar HN- Henry has drinks, speak of local lure of Mass on American Soil, “ 

Demon's Don't exist 

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EXT House HN- Henry returns home (threshold guardian) a kid warms him about entering the 

house.

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CHURCH- Dawn leaves mass, Luke gets lost on roof, She talk to Henry about getting help . 

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INT House Dawn interview maid's, She hires Suyapa, and elderly Central American Woman 

who is curious about her husband. 

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(((CATALYST))) Henry has a Panic attack. He finally falls asleep but is awaken by a group of 

kids in the yard performing a ritual. A beautiful woman temps him to enter an old house on the 

property. He closes his eyes and when he opens them they are gone and he is just waking up. 

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Psychiatrist Office- It's jus a panic attack, He should go back to home. Henry refuses. 

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House. Henry feels he his being held to the bed. The kids preform the same ritual. The woman 

appears and henry follows her across a lake of snakes into the house. He see's Michael reaching 

for him not to go in but he enters the house. He awakens in a pool of sweat. It was just a 

dream.? 

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Hospital- Carlos believes someone has been following him. He givs Henry a book about the 

house and its area. THE SYMBOL FROM THE RITUAL. Carlos goes out into the street and 

struck by a ca. He dies in Henry's arms while urging Henry to GO HOME. Henry decides to go 

home. 

SECOND ACT BREAK 

1. 

Henry returns home to his wife and Luke. Luke cries when Henry tries to hold him and the pets 

go crazy as henry enters the house. 

2. 

Bedroom- Henry tries to have sex with Daw. She refuses, he gets overly angry and storms out 

of the room 

B Story Begins (HENRY AND SUYAPA) 

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Henry walks in on Suyapa who is praying. She closes a notebook fast as Henry enters. He 

thanks her for looking after his family in his absents. Nervious he goes into his office and 

closes the door. 

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Grocery. Henry and Dawn Shop with Luke. Luke goes missing in the store and they split to 

find him. Henry find him unresponsive staring. Henry notice that he is staring at a boy who 

resembles the boy from the house in Honduras. Henry follows the boy out into the street but 

then he is gone. 

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House- Henry tells Dawn that something happened in Honduras, Dawn leaves for Mass, She 

wants Henry to go with: She is upset when he refuses. They fight. 

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Kitchen- Henry asks Suyapa about the symbol. She encourages him to treat his wife gently. 

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Bedroom- Luke is awoken and hears something by the pool. Dawn awakes by a raven tapping 

on the window. Luke stares into the pool, Dawn get him. 

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Office- Henry reads about the House in Honduras: Suyapa makes him an herbal tea to calm 

him. She encourage him to seduce Dawn, “Making love cures everything.” 

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Kitchen- Suyapa encourages Dawn to reconcile with Henry as Luke swims in the pools. 

Something seems to pull Luke under. Mom saves him. 

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Office- The book on the desk calls Henry. He feels something behind him. A Spanish Soldier 

hanging. The crosses flip upside down. The door locks. He screams. Dawn talk to his through 

the door; It wont open. The raven flys into the house. The door opens and and Henry is in Fetal 

psition; The office is torn apart.He sees the of the house iin Honduras around them. “Leave us 

alone” Dawn holds him. A scream from upstairs. They run to find Luke terrified in his own 

urine. 

MIDPOINT 

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Outside House- Dawn want henry to see a priest he refuses. She gets angry. Suyapa sees this 

and gives Henry advice to listen to his wife. 

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CHURCH- The priest is afraid when henry visits, They have drinks then Henry see's into the 

priest and confronts him in Latin. 

BAD GUYS CLOSE IN: 

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HOUSE- Henry returns home to a great family day. They are a happy family again, the visit 

with the priest is what he needed.. He is energized . They cook dinner and flirt. Suyapa makes 

them a “special” herbal tea. 

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CHURCH- The Priest is on his knees confessing before God. 

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BEDROOM- Henry and Dawn begin to make love. It's gentle and pure love but then turns 

violent. Henry sees his demon in the mirror raping his wife. 

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INTERCUT WITH SEX: Priest Office- The priest hangs himself. 

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PORCH OF THE HOUSE- They are awoken by someone banging on the door, It's a nun from 

the church she tells Dawn; The Priest has hung himself. Henry is Bathing Luke who slip under 

the water. And begins to panic. Luke screams. Dawn and the nun run to the bathroom. The nuns 

see's henry and is struck by fear and instantly vomits as she runs from the house. Dawn is on to 

Henry. 

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BATHROOM- Dawn takes a pregnancy test. Positive: She wraps it into toilet paper and throws 

it away into the waste basket then she takes out the trash. Suyapa is listening. 

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EXT HOUSE- The Trash can tips over and Henry see's the pregnancy test. A fight ensues, 

Henry goes into his office. 

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BATHROOMDARK 

NIGHT OF THE SOUL 

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Dawn talk to Henry at the door. If he wand to have the child she will but only if he goes to get 

help at the hospital. 

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HOSPITAL STUFF Henry tricking the system he is devising a plan. 

DAWN SLEEPS OR ALMOST SLEEPS WITH WITH YOUNG PRIEST. 

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A very Pregnant Dawn discusses Henry's return with Suyapa. 

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Pool 

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Henry returns home to a welcome home party. He is healthy and looks great, He has the priest 

bless the pool. 

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KITCHEN- Suyapa gives Henry a tea, he fake to drink it but throws it away. 

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BEDROOM- Dawn is asleep, Henry is in the shed preparing surgical tools. 

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STAIRS TO BEDROOM- Henry creeps while the voice of the demon is with him. He begins to 

read himself the rite of exorcism. 

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BEDROOM- Henry gets to the room but Dawn is gone running. She jumps from the balcony 

and he sees her running into the cane field. The demon trys to hold him down. Henry jumps 

from the window into the blessed pool. The holy water has the demon weakened. Henry gives 

chase. He finally catches Dawn. Drags her to the pool and slashes open her pregnant belly the 

slits her thought. He pulls out a gun and finishes the rites of exorcism “ return to Hell” and 

shoots himself in the head and falls into the pool. 

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Luke walks down the stairs and into the bloody scene. A baby begins to cry and he sees Suyapa 

lifting a baby boy from his mother's womb. The lifts the crying baby to the sky and Hails Satan. 

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Suyapa takes Luke's hand and the three walk off into the smokey darkness. 

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