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
*GRAND PRIZE WINNER 2025 Fade In Horror Awards
*8s on The Black List
*2025 The Red List
*Top 1% on Coverfly
*Top 15% 2024 Austin Film Festival
*Finalist 2024 Stage 32 New Blood Screenwriting Competition
*Finalist 2025 FILMMATIC Horror Screenplay Awards
*Finalist 2024 New York Horror Night Film Festival
*Semifinalist 2024 Southwest Thriller/Horror Film Festival
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Vail Film Festival
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Los Angeles International Awards
*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
*Semifinalist 2024 New York Horror Nights Film Festival
*Quarterfinalist 2025 ScreenCraft Horror Competition
Commercial Psychological Horror
Themes of corruption, rebellion, sacrifice, identity, feminism, redemption, exploitation, and hope.
*Finalist 2024 Seattle Splatter Horror Fest
*Quarterfinalist 2024 Los Angeles International Film Festival
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.
Two of his children work in the film industry. Curry Barker is an admired director, actor, and comedian. Riley Barker is a cinematographer.
He is the GRAND PRIZE Winner of FADE IN's 2025 Horror Screenwriting Competition.
His screenplays have been honored at numerous other film festivals and writing contests, including the Austin Film Festival, Stage 32, FILMMATIC, The Red List, Los Angeles International, New York Horror Nights, ScreenCraft, Vail, and Big Apple.
Jeff has been published in over a dozen literary journals and anthologies. 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.
