Jeff Barker
A traumatized and desperate psychologist dives into the heinous New Orleans occult and works with a malevolent deity to save her fiancé from terminal cancer.
A 65-year-old philosophy professor, tormented by a botched suicide pact, teams up with a rising stand-up comic to confront the sinister force haunting her, as they face a twisted path of pain and redemption.
Trapped in a violent marriage to a ruthless Santa Claus, a determined woman must risk everything to end his deadly reign of terror before his winter journey begins.
A small southern town descends into bloody terror when a traveling evangelist manipulates a vulnerable teen into becoming the vessel for her dead daughter’s tormented spirit.
Commercial Psychological Horror
Themes of madness and desperation
“The main character will attract top-tier talent, boosting BAPHOMET’s commercial potential. She is a deeply complicated character who goes through a massive transition during the story. The dialog is the highlight of the screenplay, with some cutting lines and every character speaking from a unique perspective.”
- The Black List
*Top 10% 2024 Austin Film Festival
*Top 3% on Coverfly
*Finalist 2024 Stage 32 New Blood Screenwriting Competition
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Vail Film Festival
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Big Apple Film Festival
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Outstanding Screenplay
Southern Occult Psychological Horror
Themes of nihilism and forgiveness
“Reminiscent in very real ways of early Haneke, late Friedkin, and the weirdest Lynch, CHOKED OUT is outstanding. These pages are as smart as they are horrifying. Equal parts disturbing and transcendent, this is a reminder of what the horror genre can accomplish. The horror genre is ready for something this innovative.”
- The Black List
*8s on The Black List
*Top 12% on Coverfly
*Quarterfinalist 2025 ScreenCraft Horror Comp.
Commercial Psychological Horror
Themes of corruption, rebellion, sacrifice, identity, feminism, redemption, exploitation, and hope.
Southern Gothic Psychological Horror
Themes of guilt, exploitation, redemption, manipulation, identity, repression, intergenerational trauma, and hypocrisy.
Horror screenplays
Join us as we analyze one screenplay at a time, celebrating its stand-alone beauty as a unique literary device, independent of the final film. From exploring tone and theme to dissecting structure and unforgettable characters, we break down what makes each script sizzle. Dive into the rich imagery and clever narrative devices that create a sensory experience on the page. Hosted by Jeff Barker, this storytelling podcast offers a deep dive into the creativity and precision of screenwriting.
Jeff Barker
Jeff Barker is a screenwriter and author.
He hosts the weekly podcast: The Screenplay Lab.
His screenplays have been honored at film festivals and writing contests, including a top 10% finish at the Austin Film Festival and a finalist for Stage 32's Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest.
Jeff has been published in over a dozen literary journals and anthologies including Hobart, The Broadkill Review, Flora Fiction, Crack the Spine Literary Magazine, Hello Horror, Clover Leaf Quarterly, Literally Stories, Jolly Horror Press. He has appeared in DON’T CRY TO MAMMA (2019), ACCURSED (2019), and KEEP TEXAS SALTY (2020).
His short stories have been performed live in Ashton Hayes Theatre Club in Cheshire, UK; and the KGB Bar in New York.
Previous to his full-time writing career, Jeff spent many years working as a provider in the field of psychiatry. Before that, he had a nine-year career as an award-winning television news anchor and reporter. He has been featured on NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Weather Channel, and CNBC.
Two of his children work in the film industry. Curry Barker is an admired director, actor, and comedian. Riley Barker is a cinematographer.