Yes, you read that correctly. Don't call the cops. Allow me to explain. I'm currently writing my first horror script and I have a scene playing out where a character commits suicide via hanging with the use of a belt and door. My guess is that he would have to be on his knees in order to perform this. There's a specific reason why he chooses this method. It's not a very violent scene, but remains downright CrEePy.......I decided to reach out to my fine, S-32 scribe friends for some info as opposed to searching for it online. Would hate for my friends and family to search my computer history, only to discover-- "OMG! HE WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF!!! So, please rest assured that I love me way too much to want to end me way too much. Anyway, there have been some famous celebrities who, tragically, have gone this route as last exit, yet the details remain a mystery as to what specific steps are taken in order to successfully achieve "Kicking bucket / Buying farm / Saying Goodbye to Oxygen" status. I totally understand how morbid this may seem, but I certainly don't want the action to appear vague on the page. Example: "Oh, then Larry grabs a belt, tightens it around his neck, then reaches for a fistful of Post-It notes and tapes them to the end of the belt and attaches it to the doorknob."
Lame. That won't work.
Thanks, everyone, in advance, for taking the time to stick your neck out in helping me solve this.
Sincerely,
A Very Happy, Living, Breathing Bill Brock
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I have not googled this, but I'm going to assume that the character would indeed need to be on their knees to perform this and they'd have to be pressing away from the door.
The thing used to strangle them would need to have enough force on the windpipe to block air and the thing would wrap under their jaw/under their ear which would do a pretty good job of blocking the carotid from flowing properly.
I could be wrong...but based on anatomy, I think that makes sense.
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Actually, thinking about it, you could do this by pulling your body away from the door and trying to lay down too. It'd be really hard to get up from there, so an accidental death can be explained that way too if it was less intentional in the screenplay.
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They used this on The Wire tv series. But the cops had evidence it was a murder than suicide by hanging on door knob
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I search all of the crazy stuff on Yahoo for my screenwriting and feel somewhat better.
Thank you, for your comments, Audrey-Rose. I have a visual in my head of how I want the scene to play out, I just need specifics on how the belt would be attached to the door knob or possibly between the door's hinges.
Hahahahahaaaha, Anthony! Very funny! I love your approach!
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Thanks, Dan MaxXx, for "THE WIRE' reference. Perhaps, I can track down the scene on YouTube and go from there.
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There must be a social account out there somewhere that's just the search history of writers. If not, there should be!
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Bill Brock The way I understand it, it's the blood-flow restriction that actually kills someone who hangs themselves. And most have their feet on the floor when they are found. When the blood-flow of the Carotid arteries is cut off there's no deciding after the fact that you really don't want to do that.
Good hangin' with you.
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Bill Brock Oh, shoot, yeah, okay..I'm not sure about the belt then...I'd say attach one end and throw the loop over your head so when you press down it just tightens, but pretty sure the weight would force the other end of the belt to loosen on the knob and it'd fail...Unless you had a real long belt that you could double-knot...
Honestly, I wouldn't go into the detail in the script. I feel like that's probably someone else's job to google the details when they have to make it happen on set.
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I am not sure how to respond - but what I like is the fact that you felt comfortable enough to ask the question - and that I LOVE. If I had an answer I would be more than happy to give it but I don't. Again, if I did, I would. I love Stage 32 for this reason - it's a forum where we are ALL in this together - you if you have a TOUGH question to ask - WE ARE HERE TO HELP!!! I hope you get the answer you are looking for BILL. (see Ron Horton's response - best so far)
I will say this though from a filmmaker's POV - sometimes less is more and by that I mean let the audience "imagine" - it might be scarier - you as a writer write it in such a way that we see it in our mind's eye but we don't have to see it on the screen. Think Alfred Hitchcock - we never saw the knife in PSYCHO "kill" or make contact - that was left up to the audience - We only saw the knife in a downward motion and the blood going down the drain. What are the elements that are necessary to convey what it is you are trying to say - i.e. IMPLY - don't be so graphic, it might work to your advantage.
Example - through a SERIES OF SHOTS - the belt around the neck, the door knob, the chair, the door knob, the chair, the feet.
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@Brian Bull. Thanks for your stellar comments, Brian. Super-Special-Ginormous Bonus Points for your mention of PSYCHO.... definitely in my All-Time Top 10!! I know it's a strange question. I"m just trying to understand HOW the process is done. You know, some suicides have used belts (example: Robin Williams) but I don't understand how the belt would be connected to the door. I may have to ask my law enforcement buddy! I understand your rationale for less is more, BUT.... there IS another person in the room and our hanging "victim" is extremely inebriated, so this will be a murder masked as a suicide. It's a slow death, very creepy.... as our murderer takes a seat and becomes a spectator. I'm a completely sane, happy, and stable individual, so I don't know how I come up with this stuff.... but I do!! : )
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@M Lavoie Agreed, M. That's my next logical step. I have a friend in law enforcement who spent 20 years in NYC. He's seen everything, so I'm sure this will be a walk in the park for him!
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If you Google Michael Hutchence from the Aussie rock band INXS you'll find all sorts of information about this method of suicide. The other reference I'd suggest is to watch German series "Dark" which has a character doing a similar thing, albeit from a rafter in his studio. The mystery and creepiness around it is extremely well done. I agree with Brian, sometimes less is more.
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Oh, and I think you're over thinking this a bit. All writers have weird internet histories!
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I don't know. I think Bill has established himself online in the Writer's Room as weird. And I love and appreciate his weirdness!!
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I did research for one story on how terrorists would plant nuclear weapons inside the United States. I was a bit worried the Feds would come knocking on my door. Especially cause I work nights and sleep days.
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If you'd rather not look it up yourself thats fine, but even looking up stuff when reviewing projects the old browser history gets very weird very quickly! I've learned more about Jack the Ripper from checking inaccuracies in scripts about him than from any personal interest in the subject. My Waterstones book store account must have gotten confused when I suddenly did a lot of research into AI for a project I was helping develop!
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Hey Bill - you come up with these "things" because you are a writer and you are pushing your characters to the EXTREME!!! - that's just a sign of a good writer becoming a GREAT WRITER!!! KNOW NO BOUNDARIES!!!
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@Deborah Jennings Not weird, Deb. Just all part of my fake, online persona. Everyone''s has one. I'm actually quite boring. Like REALLY boring. Example: Last week I built a life-sized mannequin out of popsicle sticks, then stared at it for 6 hours straight.
Didn't blink once.
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"BUT.... there IS another person in the room and our hanging "victim" is extremely inebriated, so this will be a murder masked as a suicide." Bill Brock That's similar to the scene in "The Wire" Dan MaxXx mentioned.
https://youtu.be/DTBphEp3bHE
https://youtu.be/jHuCn34NMl8
There's also a scene where the police investigate the suicide, but I wasn't able to find it.
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@Brian Bull. Thanks, Brian! I had a writer friend once challenge me to go 'really dark.' Just write a feature with scenes that make you uncomfortable. "Really push yourself,'" he said. The result was WHERE'S GRACE?
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@Brian Bull. Looks like the "really dark" approach seemed to work!
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Hey crazy Bill Brock - my son got a degree in Radio, TV and Film from Northwestern U. and is still a starving stand-up comic at 50! You bring the comedy and levity to this group that I think we all need!
Hey, Maurice. Thanks for sharing those videos. As I mentioned to Dan, I've never seen THE WIRE. I was aware of the show back in the day and heard it was AMAZING, but had never watched it until now. WOW! Great ACTING and SCRIPT! Thanks so much for sharing because this is what I was looking for-- The technique of how the belt can be attached to the door knob. My scene differs greatly. Can't share the details. Prying eyes, ya know? ; )
Deborah, make up your mind-- crazy or weird? Pick one. Oh, and enjoy the comedy now, 'cause I'm outta here in October. I promised I'd give it a year to see how things shake out. Come Pumpkin Month, my lease is up in The Writers' Room. I just don't like to stick around in one place for too long. It ain't easy outrunning the feds.
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Why pick one? It sounds like you have multiple personas. Your presence and personas will be missed.