Creative Writing on the Serial Killer Photographer

HOOK - Establish tone, rhythm, theme

The hook is the photographer going on a killing spree after the death of his wife.

The hooks question: What do the killings have to do with the death of his wife? The question covers the entire story since the presence of Lisa is all over the film despite her death when the film begins. The photographer is blinded by the affection that he had for his wife and hence focuses on killing.

ORDINARY WORLD - presents the protagonist with their problem

The photographer is driven by guilt in the sense that he was not emotionally available after his lost his job. Before the incidence, he led a normal life as a photography instructor in the university. His wife was also doing well and advancing in her career as a model before changes took place at her place of work which made her lose her job. The couple was also happy before Lisa lost her job.

INCITING INCIDENT

Big event that changes protagonists destiny

The death of his wife affects Bateman immensely than expected. Before the incident took place, he left for work at the university as usual, after engaging in a bad argument with his wife, only to be called by the police that he needed to rush home. Apparently, the wife had made the call to 911 to request for help. By the time the ambulance got there, she was dead.

THE DECISION Decision to accept quest (CLIMAX TO ACT 1)

The death of his wife devastates the photographer by which he chooses to isolate himself from the rest of the world. He is no longer jovial and friendly to his neighbors. He moves away to a new location with the hope that he may start his life afresh. However, the image of his wife lying on the bathroom floor with her hands grasping the knife on her stomach tightly and the bathroom floor covered with a lot of blood cannot seem to fade away. He gets nightmares which have resulted in sleepless nights. The more the image shows up, the angrier he gets. The photographer does not want to create any social life in his neighborhood and instead spends most of the time with his dog. He eventually becomes obsessed with the image of his wifes dead body lying on the bathroom floor such that he perceives the image of a dead body as an art that he can pursue. He sets up a workshop at his basement with the view that he will be training his students who want further training on how to become skilled photographers. He mostly targets sexy girls because of the image of his wifes body. He obsesses over women lying dead on the floor while dressed with bathrobes. He views killing as the only way that he can get away from the guilt and hence kills without empathy.

MINOR SUCCESS

His first killings are successful by which he targets the sexy girls in his class. The girls visit his workshop in secret by which they promise not to tell their visits to anyone as the photographer is working on a secret project. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the police to connect the murders.

MIDPOINT - MAJOR SUCCESS FOLLOWED BY MAJOR SETBACK (CLIMAX TO ACT 2A)

His last victim on his students list manages to get away which makes the police highly involved. They begin following his trails but the photographer is a bit clever such that they are police are unable to find evidence that prove that he is guilty.

NIGHTMARE COME TRUE

The photographer experiences another breakdown and plans to murder any lady who comes to him for assistance. In other words, he can no longer control his actions and hence killing becomes part of him.

MOMENT OF TRUTH (CLIMAX TO ACT 2B)

One of the detectives identifies a pattern from the time that the photographer lost his wife. He discovers that the victims were connected through their schooling and hence makes a plan to capture him.

THE FINAL CONFLICT (CLIMAX TO MOVIE)

The investigation by the police becomes intense such that the photographer becomes the main suspect. They detectives device a plan to capture him.

RESOLUTION - protagonist solved problem back in ordinary world. The photographer with a new identity moves to another state where he gets the job as a student counsellor. He hopes that he will be able to control himself such that he does not kill anyone else.

FINAL TWIST - button on the end, often sets up sequel. The movie ends with the photographer closing his door, with a huge grin on his face, after a female student comes to his home to seek advice