Episode 1 Outline
Overview of Episode 1: Day 1
The sub-plot scene revolves around the Ghosts (and Mike) believing that the house is haunted by a U.I.G (unidentified invisible ghost), who seems to be more experienced at haunting than them. Plus, their over active imaginations are encouraged by a raging storm outside and the fact that there was a mysterious (presumed fatal) car accident that morning, outside Button House’s drive!
However, there are ‘No Ghosts…(Ghost!)’ only a traveller [Neon], who came across Button House whilst looking for somewhere to sit out the storm. Neon mistook it to be an empty house...how wrong they were!
Storm in a Mike-Mug
SCENE 1:
EXT Location ‘Outside Button House Drive’ – In a Car – Day 1 [afternoon 12:00 onwards]
Overview
There are storm clouds over head and the storm is pending.
Alison and Mike are about to turn into Button House driveway but they slow as they see a police cordon set up just after the Button House turning.
There had been a car accident and the police and ambulance were clearing up.
Alison:
​Looks like a storm's coming…
Mike:
Yeh… hope it doesn’t start raining before we reach the house!
Alison:
Well, we’re nearly there now.
Mike look!
Is that… is that an accident?!
[Car slows as they pass it and turns into Button House driveway, then stops gradually a little way down the driveway.]
​
Alison:
We should go out and check if they need anything?
Mike:
They’re the Police!
I’m sure they’ve got it.
Alison:
“Mike, the accident could have gone onto our land!
And as Land Owners now… surely it’s our responsibility, just to check?”
​
[Suddenly, a knock on the car’s front-passenger window.]
Barclay Beg-Chetwynde:
Michael! Annabel! Beastly weather?
Just heard about the slight bother you’re experiencing.
Thought I’d better come over, give a few words of advice.
Mike:
That’s very thoughtful of you… What do we…
Barclay:
Yes, well,
Got to keep an eye on that lot…
Don’t want them messing up your driveway do we?
It’s good to see you’re both on the ball, coming down here to see it for yourselves.
Anyway, better see what they’re up to, heard it was a fatal too!
Barclay starts to make his way towards the accident.
​
Mike:
Hang on!!
A fatal?!
Barclay over his shoulder:
Yes, Bunny thinks it’s got something to do with a curse on the House…
but you know Bunny!
Cheerio!
With that Barclay walks away without hesitation.
Mike:
No, no wait! [Barclay doesn’t stop]
Great, a curse, that’s all we need!
Scene Ends (1mins 33sec) – Cut to: Opening Credits + Music
1
SCENE 2:
INT + EXT Location Button House + Gardens - Day 1 [TIME: 12 noon until 8pm]
Following the Opening Credits, this ‘episode’ (unwritten as yet) begins with the following visual ‘prop’ phenomenon dispersed throughout the scenes:
From this point on, strange things start happening at Button House, however, it is only Mike and the Ghosts who experience these visual ‘Out of this World’ phenomenon.
For example: Strange sounds are heard, certain objects i.e Mike’s favourite mug, keeps going missing and turning up in different places throughout the episode and, sometimes, a shadowy figure is seen for the briefest second before disappearing again…
However, throughout the whole of the episode, nobody at Button House sees the intruder (Neon) at all - and Neon is also unaware that there is anyone in the house besides themselves.
Neon is not introduced as a new character in this episode, but mainly causes confusion and an element of spookiness to weave in and around the episode scenes
2
SCENE 3: INT – Drawing Room – Day 1 [TIME: 16:00]
Overview of Scene 3: ‘Process of Ghost Elimination’
This scene takes place from the middle to the end of the Episode.
There is a storm going on outside, however, there is no thunder and lightning…yet!
Previously in this episode the Ghosts have been trying to find out who is causing the phenomena and may even believe it is each other causing the anomalies - trying to ‘spook’ each other as a joke.
However, over time, they all begin to experience feelings + sightings of being haunted individually and as a group...leading to the distinct possibility, based on the Ghosts’ own superstitious beliefs, and via a process of: ‘Ghost Classification’ and ‘Ghost Elimination’, that they are being haunted…
by a Poltergeist - which may or may not be friendly!?
​
Kitty:
It could be a beautiful ORB?...we had one of those once and I wanted it to stay because I could play hide and seek with it....until Robin scared it away!
Robin scowling:
Hey! Me know it…
Captain:
What about one of those err...Funnel Ghosts?
Robin [throws eyes up]:
It’s a…
Thomas:
Are you absurd that would be obvious to spot? Funnel Ghosts are swirling vortexes with a vaporous Green mist....
Mary:
No, No.
GREEN Mist?
No.
That’s a ecto...ectopl...pla...PLASE..em...
PLASMIUM....
THE WORK OF THE DEVIL – THAT’S WHAT IT BE!’
[Everyone argues about the different classifications of ghosts, whilst Robin tries to interject]
Robin (loudly muttering):
UIG! Me say UIG,
Oh really, an UIGUAR?
NOoooo, UIG! Uh . Ih . G Huhhhhh!!
Lady Button:
What ARE you muttering about you filthy creature!
Robin [shouts]:
U.I.G!! Unidentified Invisible Ghost!
Julian:
Oh, this is ridiculous!
Well, y’know…
…there is one other possibility.
It could be a Poltergeist!
Yeah!
I’ll go check on Goggle....
3
Kitty stammers:
aAAA... pp.p.Polter Geist?...[pauses thinking]....Oooooh HOOOW EXCITING!!
[thinking...] Errrrr...what’s a Polter...Geist?
Julian:
Yes...well, I saw a particularly gory film about it once...
Where a Poltergeist invades a house causing strange occurrences... such as:
moving objects, silverware bending and strange sounds,
and if I remember correctly,
I believe there was a …
MARUADING MANIC MONKEY involving a Television...
…or was it a BAABY?...[pause]…[remembers]
…Then it steals that Freaky BaBy, opens up a portal and plunges the whole neighbourhood into an imploding graveyard...
FANTASTIC film!
​
[Camera zooms in on Kitty’s facial reactions (Julian is still talking in the background)]
​
Kitty:
Oh... we don’t want one of those!
Julian continues reminiscing – but no-one is listening:
Julian:
I remember first watching it in ’83, I think it was a Steven Spielburg production at the etc.....
Fanny [bristling]:
Bending MY silverware?
Opening up a WHAT!!
I don’t want THAT THING turning my house into a graveyard...Oommph...
OVER MY DEAD BODY!
Everyone turns to look at her, she looks around at them, twitching her head realising the absurdity of her last comment, turns on her heel and marches out.
Scene Ends (1mins 54sec) – Cut to: Next Scene 4 ‘The Poltergeist Hunt’
(not written yet)
​
​
Overview of Scene 4: ‘The Poltergeist Hunt’
This scene involves all the Ghosts tiptoeing around the house trying to find this unseen poltergeist.
Unfortunately they do not find the poltergeist; instead they end up bumping into each other, mistaking their ‘comrades’ for the intruder.
4
SCENE 5: INT – Drawing Room – Night [20:00]
Overview
Overview of Scene 5: ‘Ghosts Meet Poltergeist’
This situation of having lots of ghosts, people and Neon all in the same house with none of them knowing of each other’s existence comes to a head in the last few minutes of the episode, when the ghosts finally come face to face with their Poltergeist...
The ghosts have retired to the drawing room for the evening having exhausted their 'Poltergeist Hunt' of the house and after a ‘head count’, they find no extra ghost or poltergeist amongst them.
​
PAT:
There you go, there’s nothing to get worked up about, let’s settle down and I, for one,
am glad to put this behind us and to say that there is absolutely
No Ghosts...apart from us...obviously...whoopy!
Alison has set up the room with quiet activities such as books, chess, monopoly, computer.
Suddenly the door to the room is blown shut with a slam!
All the Ghosts stare at the door – then the door handle starts to rattle and then turn...
Mike enters the room looking around puzzled.
Mike:
Right, where’s that mug gone now?
THIS is the trouble with living in such a big, spooky house!
Mike walks into the room and begins to silently hunt around for his mug.
All is quiet, then Kitty, whose mind has been racing at the possibility of a poltergeist, suddenly sits bolt upright, wide eyed and pointing towards the window, with a shaking hand.
In turn, each ghost looks round to the direction of Kitty’s pointing finger.
The Poltergeist is present in the drawing room, looking out of the window at the stormy rain. Thunder and Lighting illuminates the Poltergeist’s shadow, revealing it’s back is facing the ghosts in the room.
There is an air of anticipation as everyone (Ghosts) are wondering what is going to happen when this Poltergeist turns round... but it doesn’t.
Instead it suddenly walks further down the room to the next window to look out, pausing to pick up an object on top of a table, all the while drinking from Mike’s favourite cup; the Ghosts remain ‘stock still’.
​
Robin, unaffected by the ‘presence’, creeps up behind the poltergeist and keeps close behind it, out of sight.
Finally, the poltergeist catches a sight of the ghosts in the reflection of a window and spins around...there’s an awkward pause, neither side not knowing what to do...before suddenly…
Robin [shouts]:
BOOOO!
Causing the poltergeist to disappear instantly, dropping Mike’s Mug!
Robin, who was quite pleased with himself, jumps back as Mike’s Mug falls to the floor. As it smashes there is a yell from behind the Ghosts. The Ghosts spins round with a yell and sees Mike standing, eyes bulging at his mug which he has just seen drop from midair and crash onto the floor.
Suddenly from behind Robin, the poltergeist reappears
​
Poltergeist [shouts]:
BOOOO!
All the Ghosts...and Mike…do a mad dash to get out...
The camera does a freeze frame on the mayhem!
​
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Episode Ends (1mins 47sec) – Cut to: End Credits
5
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Robin, unaffected by the ‘presence’, creeps up behind the poltergeist and keeps close behind it, out of sight.