LOG LINE
Using her PHD in Psychology, combined with her telepathic communication skills, a para-psychologist shifts her practice from treating humans to aiding ghosts, who are trapped on earth, better understand their situation with the hope of helping them cross over.
My “PITCH” for Adventures of the Ghost Doctor Season I – Episode I
Never before in the history of “FILM” has there been a story pairing a psychologist, who uses telepathic communication skills, to aid ghosts, or the spirits of those who did not yet cross-over. This unique story will take you on a journey into the unknown territory of the ‘world of ghosts’ in a very real way. This creative work offers many aspects of what a great series should be, beginning with DOCTOR SARAH CASSIDY’S opening encounter with the spirit of SUSAN, who remains trapped on earth and continues to dwell in the home she once occupied with her husband. Susan, we discover, whose husband is a prominent attorney, murdered her years ago yet this case turned cold until Dr. Cassidy makes a connection with the ghost of Susan who helps solve this cold case after Dr. Cassidy testifies in court regarding her findings of facts. Susan’s husband pleads guilty to the crime following Dr. Cassidy’s convincing testimony and the audio/video evidence.
In the year 2000 I learned the craft of writing a great 3-act STORY from legendary Robert McKee at one of his on-site classes at UCLA. I then engaged myself in learning the art of writing a script from many study books, then wrote my first screenplay, Message From The Mob, a crime-murder mystery, which Paramount Pictures entertained optioning in 2002. I still have the Fed Ex receipt in my possession for proof of that delivery. I optioned my 2nd script, Memoria, a psychological thriller, to an Australian Production company in 2008.
McKee taught many great principals to be remembered. But one, I continue to practice. He said, “Write a great one-liner that people will remember and put that in your screenplay.”
Well, my script has several great one-liners.
In order to help me when writing my new script, Adventures of the Ghost Doctor, I first learned about animal communication from Bonnie Norton, author of ‘Keiko Speaks’, a story about her personal involvement with the killer whale who starred in Free Willy. She hired me in 2010 to assist her with writing a screenplay based on her book. I also learned much about ghosts from two magazines titled, Ghost Hunting, not including hours of restless research. The rest is simply my imagination at work.
The truth is, my new character-driven script, Adventures of the Ghost Doctor, is NOT just a story about a PHD Psychologist using her telepathic communication skills to help one ghost cross over, but many ghosts. In fact, several ghosts are very famous people who died. For example, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated while standing on a 2nd floor balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. A ghost is seen walking the balcony and management wants to know who the ghost is, so they hire ‘the ghost doctor’, Dr. Sarah Cassidy. Dr. King communicates with Dr. Cassidy on the balcony during her stay at the Lorraine Motel and they have a very eye-opening conversation.
Then we have Lt. Kevin Pfeiffer, the firefighter who was one of the first to climb the stairs of the north tower on 9/11, saving hundreds of lives, before the building crashed to the ground, killing everyone inside. His spirit lingers at Firehouse #10 for no apparent purpose other than his desire to help those who need rescuing. His ghost was seen by his peers at the Firehouse. Their Chief hires ‘the ghost doctor’. Dr. Cassidy’s communication with Lt. Pfeiffer is such that she convinces him to move on and find peace, since being a ghost the Lt. cannot physically assist anyone as he once did in an emergency situation, like carrying someone to safety, or breaking a door down with an axe, or hauling a hose up a ladder.
Other ghosts in this story are not so well known, yet their personal stories are presented in a very interesting and realistic way. This script is simply a collage of original ghost encounters, each one very different from the other and each one is presented in a very real way, that is well suited in the field of psychology. In all, I created four distinct ghost encounters for this first episode of many ghost doctor episodes.
I must warn you, however, as you read the completed Pilot I was not able to follow the typical 5-act Script, made for TV. Why you may be asking? Simply because this entire story isn’t about one ghost encounter that continues for 60 pages until we see the climax. Each encounter has its own structure.
In conclusion, there are several instances in the script where it was suggested by people to Dr. Sarah that she should write a book about her unusual adventures. She first admitted writing her book, Adventures of the Ghost Doctor, during her taped interview with Jane Hudson of 60 Minutes. So, at, or near the conclusion of Episode II (not completed just yet), humor erupts when Ellen DeGeneres has Oprah on her show and confronts ‘O’ with the question, “What Is the next “Must Read” book, ‘O’? The audience then explodes with clapping and taunts ‘O’ for her answer.
Ghost sightings, including ghost hunting, and ghost related films are a very hot commodity worldwide. Always has been, always will be. And, for some odd reason people are intrigued with ghosts and stories of ghosts. In Savannah, GA, the ghost capital of the world for example, Ghost Tours are fully booked, every day of the week.
I know this is not exactly what you expected to hear regarding my pilot script but I believe, if you take the time to read all 61 pages of Season I – Episode I you may discover this one may very well be the most brilliant story you’ve read in a long time. By the time the third or fourth episode to this saga is released, ‘Adventures of the Ghost Doctor in Europe’, this story will have created a huge following by then making it an instant success. I’ve had over a dozen people read my script and they all said the exact same thing, “This story is open ended and can go on and on and on.”
It would be my honor to have you read my pilot script and would like to thank you in advance for any feedback you may graciously be willing to provide. If you prefer a printed copy, over a PDF file, please email your request to [email protected].
Michael M Kloian (cell) 912-547-2416