What’s Next?

Posted: November 17, 2010 in News on The Knot, Trailer
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Thanks to all of you who participated in this 56 day experiment. Posting a scene (or scenes) everyday was a great experience and something I will never forget. I’ve consistently had about 40-100 people a day reading along and for that I am ridiculously appreciative. I’ve had a lot of great feedback from readers both publicly on this site and privately with me. The general consensus is that this screenplay needs to be made into a feature film. So with that energy and motivation here’s what my plan is moving forward.

1. I’ll be releasing a movie trailer for The Knot in the next couple of weeks – maybe sooner. When that is made public I would really appreciate you sharing it on social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc. I’ll post more details on that when the time comes.

2. I have engaged the interest from some members of the news media on my story about this story. I’m really hoping for some coverage to appear in the next couple of weeks. Optimistic as always. With all of those pitches, I am most likely going to try to tie in the movie trailer.

3. I’m in the process of gathering contact names of people in the industry. Writers agents, producers, directors, anyone with a clue on how to make this dream a reality. If you know someone, tell them about this, or better yet, please introduce me to them. What other movies does this one remind you of? If you have related films, suggestions, etc. That will help me in my efforts on reaching the right types of people.

Lastly, getting back into creative writing for myself has been one of the best things I’ve done all year. Recently, I’ve started working on another screenplay with a good friend of mine. It’s a comedy and certainly a little more lighthearted than The Knot. It’s keeping my creativite level on high. More info on that project when I have it.

In the meantime, I plan on maintaining this Web site to document updates or share anecdotes about the screenplay.  You can also find information on The Knot Facebook group here. Tomorrow I’ll be posting the inspiration for The Knot and give some insight into the true story that inspired my work.

Thank you again for taking this ride with me and for any help you are willing to offer. I am forever in your debt.

Lastly. The short story. A lot of people have asked me about the idea for The Knot. If you see at the end of Scene 1, the super reads: Inspired by true events.

The Knot – Scene 56

Posted: November 16, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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INT. HANNAH’S MOVING CAR – NIGHT
HANNAH is driving; OLIVIA is in a car seat in the back of the car. HANNAH’s face is blank, her eyes determined.

OLIVIA
Mommy, where are we going?

HANNAH
We’re going to Mexico, Liv.

On the front passenger seat sits wads of cash, the picture and the broken picture frame of Victor Sanz and his young daughter, Hannah.

 

CUT TO:
INT. PRISON HALLWAY – NIGHT
SAM is being led into the bathroom crime scene by JAIL GUARDS and some guy in a suit who looks like a PRISON WARDEN. They are walking through the hallway.

SAM
Been meaning to ask, how is it that a whackjob like Sanz ends up in a minimum security prison like Winslow anyways?

WARDEN
Guess someone thought 30 years of penance deserved some reward, even if it comes on the heels of ten months of sheer evil.

They all enter the prison bathroom and SAM sees the bodies of DEVIN and MITCH lay on the floor. SAM is stunned.

PRISON WARDEN
When Parks and Gibbons went missing we thought they had escaped.

SAM hears the PRISON WARDEN but he isn’t really paying attention. He’s trying to process what’s occurred here.

CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH’S MOVING CAR – NIGHT
HANNAH is driving; OLIVIA is in a car seat in the back of the car.

OLIVIA
Mexico? Why are we going to Mexico?

Hannah utters a similar line to what STAN told DAVE about Mexico in an earlier scene. She delivers it in the same manner STAN did as if she’s heard from him herself.

HANNAH
You know I’ve always wanted to live in Mexico. Maybe a little fishing village. Something simple.

CUT TO:
INT: PRISON BATHROOM – NIGHT

PRISON WARDEN
We found this in the trashcan.

PRISON WARDEN hands SAM a wadded up note in a woman’s handwriting that reads: DEVIN PARKS & MITCH GIBBONS. SAM read the the note and closes his eyes. The PRISON WARDEN continues talking to SAM but SAM is still paying him no mind. SAM looks like he’s going to be sick.

PRISON WARDEN (CON’T)
Surveillance videos show VICTOR SANZ leaving the bathroom. Some inmate told us about the bodies.

SAM looks at the WARDEN with unwarranted disgust.

PRISON WARDEN
SANZ has been a model citizen for the last thirty years. He’s in isolation now, but I gotta ask, what kind of beef does SANZ have with these two?

SAM reads the note again as he walks out of the bathroom defeated. The other guards are confused and look at each other for answers that none of them have. These guys have no idea about the significance this moment has for SAM.

CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH’S MOVING CAR – NIGHT
HANNAH is driving; OLIVIA is in a car seat in the back of the car.

OLIVIA
Is Dave going to be in Mexico?

OLIVIA is confused.

HANNAH
No, honey.

OLIVIA
Mommy?

HANNAH
Yeah sweetie?

OLIVIA
What happened to Dave?

Without missing a beat Hannah answers.

HANNAH
The bad people got him, honey. (Beat) The bad people got him.

Camera on Oliva as Hannah narrates. OLIVIA cries without making any noise and pulls a black raincoat on top of her shoulder like a blanket.

HANNAH – NARRATING
Most movies end with a hero kind of moment. You know, against all odds the unlikely hero prevails. (Beat) I guess this aint that kind of movie.

FADE OUT

THE END

The Knot – Scene 55

Posted: November 15, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – NIGHT
SAM is questioning HANNAH.

SAM
Why did you visit your father today?

HANNAH
It was Dave’s idea. He told me I had to face my fears and move on with my life. He said the internal demons I had about my father and about Artie killing himself would make me free.

Hannah starts crying.

HANNAH
Oh thank God, you showed up when you did. He was going to kill me like he killed that poor woman. I can’t believe that Dave would set me up.

SAM
You know, I can’t I blame him. He was out of options if you ask me.

HANNAH begins crying and shaking her head no. Her hands folded as if in prayer.

SAM
HANNAH, your husband didn’t kill himself.

HANNAH
What?

SAM
Dave Holton killed your husband.

HANNAH
What?

HANNAH starts crying and sobbing, she is crushed.

SAM
I’m sorry; did you not put that together?

HANNAH
Why? Why did he do this to us?

SAM
Well Ms. Aguilar, from what I can gather, your husband was doing business with Dave. The two of them were going to sell some drugs or something, and well, something went terribly wrong along the way.

HANNAH
(Looking to the heavens) Oh, Artie. You fool! Drugs? Selling drugs? Times were tough but I never.

SAM
Look, you’ve been through a lot today. I’ll come by your apartment in a few days to get a further statement and see how you’re doing. I’m sure Olivia wants to be with her mom.

HANNAH nods and cries.

SAM (CON’T)
I’m really sorry about this, HANNAH. You know, I feel like I’ve gotten to know you over the last month, with your husband’s death, and now this. If I can do anything, please give me a call. Consider me a friend.

HANNAH nods.

HANNAH
(Overly dramatic) Thank you!

The Knot – Scene 54

Posted: November 14, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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NIGHT – CABIN KITCHEN – NIGHT
Hannah walks to the stove and moves it revealing the money that VICTOR had told her about. She puts the money in a brown paper bag. On the way to the door she picks up the broken picture frame of her as a child with her father. She exits the room and leaves the door open.

Focus on the open door. 10 seconds pass. A car door slams. 10 seconds pass. HANNAH enters the cabin and starts taking off the raincoat and gloves as she walks towards the camera.

INT. – CABIN BACK ROOM – NIGHT
Close up of DAVE awakening and restrained in the dental chair. Hannah has dressed Dave in the black hooded raincoat and black gloves. HANNAH is holding a gun against SARA’s head. SARA is hog-tied and gagged on the floor, her screaming muffled.

HANNAH
Where’s my money, Dave?

DAVE slowly comes to. His expression changes as he realizes what has happened and that HANNAH is THE KILLER. He has a hard time visually processing this.

DAVE – NARRATING
Remember that person who broke your heart so bad that you lost sleep, you didn’t eat, you became physically ill? When you’re looking at death in the face you can’t even remember that bitch’s name.

DAVE
It was you?

HANNAH
You shouldn’t take things that don’t belong to you, Dave. (Beat) Now where’s my fucking money?

DAVE
I tried to make it right. I gave you a place to stay.

HANNAH
The money, Dave.

DAVE
We talked, you and I, err, connected, I thought you loved…

HANNAH
You thought I loved you? (LAUGHS)

DAVE is confused and can’t believe what he is seeing.

HANNAH (CON’T)
I used your dumb ass to figure this shit out.

Hannah indicates to SARA who is still hog tied on the ground and crying. Hannah kicks her on the word “slut.”

HANNAH (CON’T)
Then you go and complicate everything with this waitress slut.

Sara whimpers.

DAVE
Wait a minute. I didn’t know that…

HANNAH
If I loved you Dave, would I do this?

HANNAH points the gun at SARA.

DAVE
Oh God no, why? Not her Hannah, not her. Take me instead. Please God! No!

HANNAH shoots SARA in the head and she dies instantly.

HANNAH
The money, Dave. Where is it?

DAVE breaks down, trying to recover from SARA being killed.

HANNAH (CON”T)
The money, DAVE!

DAVE’s responses are barely understandable because he’s so upset.

DAVE
Sloppy had it. Maybe I can get it for you.

HANNAH
Sloppy’s dead, Dave. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.

DAVE
Devin and Mitch hid my share.

HANNAH smiles devilishly.

HANNAH
Devin and Mitch have been taken care of. You think I visit prisons for sport? You’re running out of reasons to live, Dave, where’s my money?

HANNAH puts the gun on the dental table and turns her back on Dave. Dave works to struggle free with some small success. He realizes he is strong enough to break free, but it will take time. Hannah picks up the propane torch from a table on the side of the room. She turns the torch on and studies it, then studies Dave.

HANNAH (CON’T)
Genetics are a funny thing, Dave. (Beat) You cry just like your Dad did when he was in that chair. Sweet story about Stan. He was all ready to go to Mexico and everything. Didn’t count on you fucking that up for him though did he?

HANNAH turns to the wall, her back to DAVE

CUT TO: INT. CABIN MAIN ROOM – NIGHT
SAM and the cops are creeping through the house. OLIVIA emerges from the bedroom half awake. SAM sees OLIVIA and turns to another cop.

SAM
(Whispering) Get her out of here.

The cabin wooden floor creeks as they walk.

CUT TO HANNAH (CON’T)
What was that?

DAVE is outraged. He is shaking so much that the dental chair starts to shake as well and DAVE breaks the hand restraints.  Both HANNAH and DAVE reach for the gun. DAVE grabs the gun first and they wrestle on the floor. DAVE pins HANNAH and puts his shoe on her neck as HANNAH lies on the ground. DAVE aims the gun at HANNAH’s face.

HANNAH
(Panicked) You can’t do this. Olivia is here. Think about Olivia.

DAVE
(Furious) Get in the chair!

DAVE lets his foot off HANNAH’s neck and slowly backs away still aiming the gun at her.

HANNAH
Dave, don’t.

DAVE
Get in the chair, you fucking bitch!

HANNAH moves to the chair without hesitation.

DAVE
How does it feel, Hannah. How do you like this?

DAVE is still pointing the gun and grabs the propone torch turning it on and moving it towards HANNAH’s face.

HANNAH
I didn’t know what to do. Artie fucked up. He fucked up bad. This was supposed to be easy. We were going to triple our money, I had it all worked out. Then you went and found the box.

DAVE
You killed my father! My friends? Sara! Oh, sweet Sara,

Dave is crying and angry all at the same time. He is sad yet filled with rage. He’s overcome with emotion.

DAVE
God damn you, Sara was so good for me. You tortured everyone I cared for in this world. I should kill you right now. You don’t deserve to live. Gimme one reason…

HANNAH
Olivia, Olivia, Dave, Olivia needs her mommy.

DAVE
Yeah, and aren’t you quite the prize.

DAVE – NARRATING
Stop.

Movement stops as we freeze on DAVE looking possessed.

DAVE – NARRATING (CON’T)
You may wonder how a fat ass wimpy white bread like me could be in this predicament.

Camera moves to a bloodied dead body on the floor.

DAVE – NARRATING (CON’T)
That can’t instill confidence either.

Victim’s POV. Still frozen on DAVE. Camera pans over DAVE’s shoulder and through the wall behind him to a bunch of cops also frozen in running movement, about to charge through, guns drawn.

DAVE – NARRATING (CON’T)
Most movies start out with a save the cat kind of moment. You know, the unlikely hero does something remarkable that makes you root for him throughout the film. (BEAT) I guess this aint that kind of movie.

DAVE is still pointing the gun at HANNAH’s head and holding the propane torch as SAM and several cops have moved the wall and burst into the room with guns drawn.

OLIVIA is crying and being held back by another police officer. Olivia is carried out of view of the scene. DAVE whirls around to see who is behind him and inadvertently points the gun at SAM as he turns. SAM fires at DAVE who falls to the floor. The propane torch falls to ground and lands next to SARA catching her cloths on fire. Camera back on Dave, who gasps for a last breath and dies.

HANNAH gets up from the chair and runs towards SAM.

HANNAH
(Frantic relief) Oh, thank you thank you thank you! He was going to kill me! You came just in time! Where’s Olivia? Olivia!!!?

Hannah rushes to the main room of the cabin and finds Olivia with another police officer. Olivia runs to her mother and hugs her as the police stand and watch. Hannah is sobbing hysterically as is Olivia. The propane torch has set SARA’s dead body and the dental chair ablaze and the flames build. The police hurry HANNAH and OLIVIA out of the cabin. From outside in the back of a police car, HANNAH and OLIVIA watch as the entire cabin is engulfed in flames.

The Knot – Scene 53

Posted: November 13, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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EXT. BLACKBIRD ROOST APARTMENTS PARKING LOT – DUSK
SAM is contemplating, the wheels are turning as the cops expecting to make an arrest of DAVE are scattering about the parking lot.

SWAT TEAM GUY
It’s clear. No one’s here, detective.

SAM waves off the SWAT TEAM GUY and an uninterested nod.

SWAT TEAM GUY
The leasing office is clear too. Looks like Holton’s been gone for some time.

SAM again is uninterested and brushes off the SWAT TEAM GUY’s comments like he knew Holton wouldn’t be here all along. SAM stands completely still, his eyes searching his forehead for an idea. He has one. Moving swiftly to the his car, SAM gets in and grabs a file off of the dashboard.  The file reads: VICTOR SANZ. SAM jumps out of his car and waves to a couple of OTHER DETECTIVES to join him.

SAM
Sanz, Sanz, Sanz… Why is Dave Holton copying the Sanz murders?

DETECTIVE 1
Maybe he admired him? I mean, he’s from the area.

SAM is pursuing the file running his finger up and down the pages.

SAM
Next of kin, next of kin…. Hannah Sanz. Married name… Aguilar. Hannah Aguilar?

SAM takes his view away from the file and looks towards the Blackbird Roost Apartments. He focuses squarely Apartment 104B, the apartment where Artie Aguilar was killed.

DETECTIVE 2
The same Hannah Aguilar?

SAM
That’s the one.

SAM looks up to the heavens as if to thank the Gods for a break and then goes immediately back to the file. Sam’s phone rings and he answers.

SAM
What?

VOICE ON THE PHONE
You wanted some information on Victor Sanz?

SAM
Go.

VOICE ON THE PHONE
He had a visitor a few hours ago.

Sam’s eyes widen.

SAM
Let me guess, Dave Holton?

VOICE ON THE PHONE
No. (Beat) Hannah Aguilar.

SAM
You’re shitting me. (Beat) Thanks.

SAM moves to hang up.

VOICE ON THE PHONE
There’s more.

SAM
I’m here.

VOICE ON THE PHONE
Surveillance cameras showed DAVE HOLTON sitting in the parking lot after Hannah Aguilar left today. There was a young girl in the backseat with them.

SAM
Olivia. (Beat) Which direction did they head?

VOICE ON THE PHONE
Cameras saw them go Westbound on I-40 but after that….

SAM
Thanks.

SAM hangs up.

SAM
(To Detectives) Holton and Aguilar are together. They’re westbound on I-40. Ride with me, and look in that file for any locations related to Sanz.

The Knot – Scene 52

Posted: November 12, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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INT. CABIN – DUSK
DAVE peers out the window and nervously moves to the kitchen and fumbles through kitchen cabinet drawers. He grabs a large carving knife.

DAVE hears the sounds of moaning and muffled yelling coming from the back of the cabin. With the carving knife in hand, DAVE checks on OLIVIA, who is still asleep. DAVE walks around the cabin, looking in various rooms and finds nothing. The moaning continues. A light shines from under a wall. Dave looks for a way into the room. There is none. DAVE taps the wall and hears a hollow sound and the moaning gets louder. DAVE pushes the wall to the left and slides the wall open.

DAVE discovers a dark concrete room with an old rusty dentist chair in the middle of the room. SARA is sitting in the dentist chair with restraining belts attached to her arms and legs; her mouth is gagged. Her fingertips have been burned off, her face is bruised, and blood has dried on her chin.

DAVE – NARRATING
Welcome to the worst thing you can imagine.

The walls and floor are splattered with blood; the floor has human tissue on it. There are jars with teeth in them on a shelf. Pliers, a propane torch and other dental tools sit on a dental chair table and the dental light is on.

SARA should be happy to see Dave, but she’s not. Her eyes widen. As DAVE rushes towards her he is hit in the back of the head by a wrench. DAVE drops to his knees, puts his hands on the floor, leans into the ground, and passes out.

The Knot – Scene 51

Posted: November 11, 2010 in Scenes 51-56
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INT. PRISON BATHROOM – NIGHT
The 70—year-old VICTOR in his orange prison attire walks to a sink and cleans a blood-covered shiv. He puts down the shiv and washes blood off his hands. VICTOR tucks the shiv into the back of his pants. VICTOR opens the note that HANNAH gave him which reads: DEVIN PARKS & MITCH GIBBONS.

VICTOR wads up the paper and throws it into a distant trashcan as if he’s playing basketball.

Next to the trashcan are the bodies of DEVIN and MITCH; both of their throats have been cut. VICTOR whistles the chorus of Billy Idol’s Eyes Without a Face as he walks out.

The Knot – Scene 50

Posted: November 10, 2010 in Scenes 41-50
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EXT. DAVE’S APARTMENT DOOR – DAY
SAM is in the Blackbird Roost parking lot with twenty police cars. SAM and several swat team members break into Dave, Mitch and Devin’s apartment guns drawn. They search.

SAM
(Into radio from inside the apartment) He’s not here! Search the grounds!

SAM looks like he’s figured something out.

SAM
(Into the radio) Put out an APB on a white male, five-eleven, 250 pounds, 25-30.

VOICE ON RADIO
Confirming, Sam, that’s a white male, five-eleven, approximately 250 pounds, 25 – 30 years old. Do you have a name for the suspect?

SAM
Holton. (Beat) Dave Holton.

Read Scene 51

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The Knot – Scene 49

Posted: November 9, 2010 in Scenes 41-50
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INT. DRIVEWAY OF CABIN – DUSK
HANNAH pulls the car into the wooded area that surrounds the cabin. She parks the car.

OLIVIA
(Waking up, tired) Mommy, what are we doing here?

HANNAH
You can go back to sleep inside.

HANNAH carries OLIVIA into the cabin. DAVE follows. HANNAH puts OLIVIA in a bedroom and emerges into the main room.

DAVE
This place is great. Hidden way out here? You must love the peace and quiet.

HANNAH
Yeah, it’s nice. My parents took me here when I was a kid. We’d go hiking, fishing, that kind of stuff. My best times used to be here. (Beat) Make yourself at home. It’s about a 20 minute walk to the grave site. I’ll be back in about an hour or so.

DAVE
No problem.

HANNAH walks out the front door. DAVE watches her through the window as she walks out of view in the woods. DAVE checks on OLIVIA who is sound asleep. DAVE turns on the TV. He flips channels and then stops as the sketch picture of Sloppy is shown on the screen.

FEMALE NEWS REPORTER
(On TV screen) Local authorities have just confirmed this breaking news story. (Beat) A serial killer is on the loose in Northern Arizona and authorities believe the death toll is now at three. The bodies have yet to be identified but authorities say that the slayings are similar to the 1984 Victor Sanz murders.

A 1984 photo of VICTOR is shown on TV. Video footage of his arrest in 1984 appears on TV as the reporter speaks.

FEMALE NEWS REPORTER (CON’T)
Sanz became known as “The Dentists” because of his trademark for removing the teeth of his victims. Sanz also burned off the fingertips from his victims to make them harder to identify. Sanz pleaded no contest during his trial in 1986 and is serving a life sentence at the Winslow State Penitentiary.

A 1984 photo of VICTOR is shown again on the screen. DAVE sees a picture frame on the wall near the TV of a young blond girl and VICTOR SANZ in the early 80s.

FEMALE NEWS REPORTER (CON’T)
Authorities warn citizens to stay inside after dark and are issuing a 10 p.m. curfew for all Boone County residents.

DAVE picks up the frame and pulls the back of the frame off of the picture. The back of the picture reads: “HANNAH SANZ, 7 years old.” Dave looks at the TV and drops the frame.

Read Scene 50

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The Knot – Scene 48

Posted: November 8, 2010 in Scenes 41-50
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INT. HANNAH’S MOVING CAR – LATE AFTERNOON
HANNAH is driving, DAVE is riding shotgun and OLIVIA is in the back seat sleeping. HANNAH is emotional.

DAVE
Wanna talk about it?

HANNAH
Not really.

HANNAH looks over her shoulder and sees OLIVIA sleeping.

DAVE
She’s a great kid, you know.

HANNAH smiles sadly.

HANNAH
It was good to see him. He (Beat) was kind.

DAVE (CON’T)
You ok?

HANNAH
Yeah. I made my dad a promise, though. Wasn’t expecting that.

DAVE
What kind of promise?

HANNAH
He asked me to visit my mother’s grave. She’s buried near our family cabin.

DAVE
Family cabin?

HANNAH
Yeah, I spent summers there before mom died and my dad freaked out. It’s near the Purple Heart Trail. Not too far from here. I feel like I need to do it today. I can drop you off if it you want.

DAVE
Are you sure that’s something you want to do by yourself?

HANNAH
Huh?

DAVE
You know, visiting your mom’s grave, you just saw your dad. Been quite a day.

DAVE smiles looking for reassurance that HANNAH is alright.

HANNAH
You want to come with me?

DAVE
Sure.

HANNAH
I mean, I’d like to go to the grave alone, but it’d be nice to have you watch Liv at the cabin while I’m gone.

DAVE
Sure, I’d love to see where you grew up. Sounds cool. You know I love hanging out with Liv.

HANNAH
Thanks, Dave. You’re so sweet. I’m sorry, I’m sure you’ve had enough of this, enough of all of this, enough of me.

DAVE
You know that’s not true. I’m here for you. (Beat) I’ll always be here for you.

HANNAH grabs DAVE’S hand and looks at him and smiles pensively. Hannah’s eyes quickly shift away from DAVE’s glance and out the driver side window. She looks at the San Francisco peaks of Flagstaff, her plotting eyes unseen by DAVE.

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