CREEPERS
By Jerrod D. Brito

GENRE: Independent, Horror

LOGLINE:

When a Halloween prank on their tormentors goes too far, two troubled teens-turned-kidnappers document their struggle to evade suspicion and ultimately determine the fate of their captive. 

• Official Selection: The Mile High Horror Film Festival 2020

SYNOPSIS:

"Creepers" is written along the lines of such films as "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," with elements inspired by true crime cases native to its Colorado setting. In this POV/"found footage" thriller, two aspiring horror filmmakers, ROB and AARON document their lives through YouTube vlogs and self-produced horror movies to a non-existent audience and almost no viewership. Their course is altered, however, when an opportunity to seek revenge on their bullies and help return Halloween to its terrifying roots, ends with disastrous consequences. Rob and Aaron crash their bullies' Halloween party and rig a homemade bomb to terrorize its guests. But, though the bomb ruins the party with no casualties, an unexpected turn of events causes Rob to kidnap a witness, NICOLE, the most popular girl in the school, and keep her hidden in his homemade special effects workshop. While the community fears for Nicole's life and safety, Rob and Aaron debate their next move; planting a bomb is one thing, but kidnapping is another entirely. Rob manipulates Aaron into keeping his mouth shut for the time being; they're getting everything they wanted from the community: fear, and proof. Rob believes that his twisted video documentation will be hailed as the first in a new movie genre: reality horror. Rob proposes that they keep Nicole prisoner until after Halloween, at which time they will free Nicole and remove any evidence that they were ever her captors... But, once Nicole discovers their identities, Rob crosses a line that the boys can never come back from. Bridge Wood's most underestimated "creepers" must then decide Nicole's fate and to destroy any evidence linking them to the crime. Now, with time running out, Rob must convince Aaron that Nicole must die, or else Rob, Aaron, and Aaron's naive mother, CAROL, their false alibi for the night Nicole went missing, will all suffer the consequences. Aaron is forced to make a choice. He can either free Nicole and suffer Rob's deadly wrath, or follow Rob's lead as he's done since childhood, and dispose of all evidence before he, Rob, and Carol can be identified and arrested. "Creepers" has a gripping 'ripped from the headlines' feel while also illustrating how bullying, gun laws, parenting, and mental health can realistically contribute to the evolution of two middle class public high school kids into the monsters next door.