On The Page - "No One Will Save You"

Breaking down scripts from your favorite movies and TV shows

I love seeing how other writers write. In screenwriting, we call that putting your voice on the page. In my “On The Page” series, I check out scripts from TV shows and movies that have a clear, unique voice. It’s officially spooky season, so I’ll be focusing on horror movie pages for the next couple of weeks.

In NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU, screenwriter Brian Duffield proved that his voice is, above all, unique! This page from his script, about a young woman, alienated from her community, and also attacked by actual aliens, made the rounds on social media recently.

The action lines are sparse, bolded, and surrounded by the repeating phrase “she can’t move.” Writers on Screenwriting Twitter were divided… what do you think?

SPOILER ALERT!

This scene takes place after a massive cat and mouse chase. Finally, the alien, or as Duffield calls it, “The Grey,” has our protagonist basically glued to her ceiling by some sort of electronic force field. She’s paralyzed, unable to move, and forced to watch in horror as The Grey transfers a very weird, very wiggly amoeba-like organism from his mouth to hers. 

I think what this page accomplishes most is conveying the tone of this “All Is Lost” moment. Our protagonist is trapped. Claustrophobic in her own body. The situation is dire. The end is nigh!

And that feeling is conveyed on the page. Reading this, it makes your blood pressure spike a little. Your breath gets shallow. The fear and anticipation of what is going to happen is revved all the way up.

All of those emotions, those stakes, are conveyed on this page. Which is really freaking cool!  

Now, in my opinion, if the entire script looked like this… it’s too much. I would get a migraine after page 10. But, for this very specific, high stakes scene of the movie… I’m in!

Are there any other TV shows or movies that you would like to see “On The Page?”