Ideas for a film in a old farm house?

Question

So, my town has this old house that might be torn down soon (at least thats what I hear). Its a beautiful, old farm house. I want to do a short film (10 min. to 30 min.) in it. Preferably horror, but I'm not picky. I have the resource of actors from the ages of 14-18. Most shooting would be inside, unless at night. Any ideas to start me off? I am completely lost. I want to make a film here so bad, but can't think of a thing.

Heres what it looks like:

Unfurnished, abandoned. The kitchen's floor is completely torn out, revealing about a foot to the dirt ground of under the house. Most of the windows are broken. the bathroom is filthy and small, but super classy. The washroom is creepy. Two small downstairs bedrooms, both with closets. The upstairs has a small bedroom and a master with a creepy, tiny door in the corner that leads to the attic, both have closets. The upstairs also has a creepy, attic-like room. Dark, unstable, probably don't want to use it much. Holes on the walls all the way up the stairs.

Answer 1

Here's my idea, the biggest problem is the ages of the characters (but since there are only three characters you might be able to work around this)

Rich, Wall St. type white male is driving down a deserted country road after visiting his dying mother. His business is being investigated, he's facing criminal charges, and he's on the phone trying to straighten things out while racing back to civilization as fast as his sports car will go. Of course, cell phones and driving do not mix, he loses control and totals the car and his phone. With no way to contact help, one leg broken, and an approaching thunderstorm he spies an abandoned farm house. Dragging himself inside, he collapses on the floor.

Later that night, as the rain has picked up to near tornado force, a wet, obviously homeless African American stumbles into the farmhouse. The two start conversing; however, the Wall St. guy is obviously terrified.

The black homeless guy is perceptive enough to notice this and, in a manner reminiscent of the whisky priest's encounter with the mestizo in Graham Greene's _The Power and the Glory_, he calls the richer man out on his discomfort.

At the same time, the homeless guy begins to recognize the white guy; the corporate embezzlement case has been big news for a while, and the white guy has had his picture in the paper. Vaguely aware of the hypocrisy of a white collar thief's prejudice and fear of a potential thief, the white guy gets more and more upset; afraid that the black guy will connect his face to the embezzlement story.

As this is going on, it gets later and later and it becomes apparent that the white guy does not plan on going to sleep before the black guy. The black guy, in his menacingly open style, points this out. Left with little choice, the white guy goes to sleep.

Much later that night, he is woken up. Panicked, he pretends to be asleep and looks around. Between flashes of lightning, he notices the black guy approaching him slowly. Fearing imminent death, he catches a glimpse of salvation lying at his side in the form of a rusty crowbar. When the black guy enters striking distance, the white guy attacks him with the crowbar and smashes his head in.

He tries to sleep, but the presence of the body distracts him. while trying to remove the body, a notepad and cellphone fall out of the pockets. Using the light from a flashlight he found in his car trunk, he reads the notes, and discovers that the black man was in fact a journalist/author investigating life as a homeless man in rural America. Next, he checks the phone and discovers that the last call made was 911. It is now almost dawn and, hobbling outside, he is confronted by a sheriff. Last line is "we got your call last night... would have come out here sooner but the storm washed out half the road..."

(c) Henry T. 8-23-2008

Answer 2

I'm not sure what to shoot but it sounds pretty cool. I would love to see it when your done.

Good Luck....

Answer 3

someone walks in and goes, wow, this is suckish. its a dump. i cant believe old man phillips still owns it. they find somethin, and their mind goes into a rats body. they hav to liv their life dodging weird animals and survive the destrucion of the barn... lol, idk.