Dead of Night
Logline: Seeking refuge from personal tragedy, a young couple discovers their new home isn’t haunted by ghosts, but is the focal point for a terrifying, reality-bending phenomenon tied to its dark past, forcing them to confront an unimaginable truth far stranger than any haunting.
Synopsis:
Dylan and Pepper Jones are trying to rebuild their lives after a devastating miscarriage. They purchase a seemingly idyllic house, hoping for a fresh start, but their peace is short-lived. Pepper begins experiencing escalating disturbances – unnerving sounds, flickering lights, chilling apparitions, and disturbing, physically manifesting nightmares. While Dylan initially attributes it to stress and grief, the strange occurrences intensify, straining their relationship.
They learn the house has a troubled history: twenty years prior, a family vanished, leaving only their disturbed young daughter, Shelby, behind. Local rumors swirl around murder and demonic pacts. As Pepper delves deeper, driven by fear and the unsettling parallels between Shelby’s past trauma and her own experiences, she uncovers a history of high tenant turnover and bizarre electrical issues. When Dylan also begins experiencing the phenomena, including a matching physical scar from a shared nightmare, they are forced to accept something deeply wrong is tied to the house itself.
Believing they face a supernatural entity, they enlist the help of exorcist Joshua and his assistant Sam. The tense ritual initially seems to confirm their fears, culminating in a terrifying demonic possession. However, this confrontation merely shatters the facade, revealing the horrifying source of the terror is not demonic, but something far more calculated and technologically advanced. The climax plunges Dylan and Pepper into a surreal, sterile environment where the true, horrifying nature of their “haunting” is revealed, forcing them into a desperate fight for survival against forces beyond their comprehension. “The Dead of Night” twists the familiar haunted house narrative into a chilling exploration of grief, perception, and the terrifying unknown that might be watching from beyond.
Genre: Horror (Haunted House, Psychological, Sci-Fi Horror)
Target Audience: Fans of elevated horror, psychological thrillers, and sci-fi horror crossovers (e.g., The Night House, His House, No One Will Save You, 10 Cloverfield Lane). Appeals to audiences seeking intelligent scares, atmospheric tension, relatable character drama, and unexpected narrative twists.
Concept Art
