The Drowning of August
On the last official day of summer, Leo discovers that the strange, tide-worn object he found isn't just rock. As the annual Equinox bonfire preparations begin, the 'stone' starts to hum, and the sea level begins an unnatural, steady rise.
# The Drowning of August
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
In a small coastal town facing an unnaturally rising tide, a withdrawn teenager discovers an ancient artifact that may be the only thing holding back the sea, forcing him to confront a forgotten local legend that everyone else has dismissed as folklore.
## Themes
* **Modern Skepticism vs. Ancient Folklore:** The conflict between the rational, modern world that dismisses old stories and the encroaching, undeniable power of a forgotten myth.
* **The Burden of Solitary Knowledge:** The isolation and weight of being the only person who understands a looming, invisible threat while surrounded by blissful ignorance.
* **Nature's Forgotten Power:** An exploration of humanity's broken pact with the natural world and the quiet, inexorable consequences of that severance.
## Stakes
The entire town of Port Blossom is at risk of being silently and inexorably swallowed by the sea.
## Synopsis
On a late August afternoon in the fading coastal town of Port Blossom, LEO, a quiet teenager, finds a strange, heavy object on the beach. It's smooth, warm, and hums faintly in the wind. He is immediately captivated by it, sensing it is more than just a rock. His older sister, SAFF, dismisses his find and his growing concern about the unnaturally high tide, embodying the town's general apathy and desire to move on from its past.
Driven by a sense of unease, Leo takes the object to MR. HENDERSON, the elderly owner of a dusty local bookshop. Henderson identifies it as a "Tide Stone," an object from local legend said to be part of an ancient treaty between the first settlers and the sea itself—an anchor to tell the ocean where the land began. He initially dismisses it as a "piece of nonsense," but when the stone emits a powerful hum that shakes the entire shop, his skepticism is shattered. He can offer no explanation for how the "treaty" works, leaving Leo with a terrifying legend that now feels real.
That evening, the entire town gathers for the annual end-of-summer bonfire. As they celebrate, oblivious, Leo watches in horror as the sea continues its silent, relentless climb, consuming the entire beach and beginning to slosh over the promenade wall. The water isn't stormy; it is unnervingly calm, simply rising. As the bonfire roars, Leo stands alone at the water's edge, the stone now hot and pulsing rhythmically in his hand. He is the sole witness to the impending disaster, holding the only key, a burden no one else understands or is even aware of.
## Character Breakdown
* **LEO (16):** Quiet, observant, and disconnected from his peers. He finds more solace in the rhythms of the sea than in social interaction. He is a natural caretaker, though he doesn't yet know it.
* **Psychological Arc:** Leo begins as a passive and curious observer, alienated from his community by his quiet nature. By the end, he is forced to shed his uncertainty and accept an immense, solitary responsibility, transforming into the town's unwitting and unrecognized protector against a supernatural threat.
* **SAFF (17):** Leo’s older sister. Pragmatic, sharp-tongued, and deeply cynical about their small town. She represents the voice of modern reason and skepticism, her only goal being to escape Port Blossom for a bigger, more exciting world.
* **MR. HENDERSON (70s):** The keeper of the town’s history and lore. He is a man of books and stories who lives in the past but has learned to couch its magic in dismissive, academic terms. He is the bridge between folklore and reality, and his fear confirms Leo’s own.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE DISCOVERY:** On the breakwater, Leo finds the strange, warm stone. He notices the tide is unnaturally high, a quiet but ominous sign.
2. **A SISTER'S SKEPTICISM:** Saff interrupts Leo, dismissing his concerns and his "pet rock." She represents the town's ignorance of the danger.
3. **THE KEEPER OF LORE:** Leo visits Mr. Henderson's bookshop. The legend of the "Tide Stone" and the broken treaty with the sea is revealed.
4. **THE WARNING SIGN:** Henderson dismisses the story, but the stone suddenly hums with power, shaking the shop and validating the myth.
5. **THE LAST BONFIRE:** The town celebrates, oblivious, as the sea silently consumes the beach and begins to flood the promenade. The scene is one of stark contrast: joyous celebration against a silent, encroaching doom.
6. **A SOLITARY BURDEN:** Leo stands alone at the water's edge, the stone pulsing in his hand. He looks from the oblivious townsfolk to the rising water, accepting the terrifying weight of his discovery.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style will be grounded and naturalistic, emphasizing the textures of the coastal environment. The color palette will be desaturated and cool—dominated by sea-greys, misty whites, and the muted greens of algae—to create a sense of oppressive atmosphere. This will contrast sharply with the vibrant, dangerous orange and red of the bonfire in the final act. Camera work will be intimate and often handheld, keeping the perspective tightly bound to Leo's quiet observation and growing dread.
The tone is one of creeping, atmospheric folk-horror. It eschews jump scares for a slow-burn tension, building a sense of inevitability and dread. The sound design is critical, contrasting the normal sounds of the town with the unsettling silence of the rising water and the low, supernatural thrum of the stone. The tone aligns with the atmospheric dread of modern folk-horror like *The Third Day*, but with the intimate, small-town mystery feel of a Stephen King novella.
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
In a small coastal town facing an unnaturally rising tide, a withdrawn teenager discovers an ancient artifact that may be the only thing holding back the sea, forcing him to confront a forgotten local legend that everyone else has dismissed as folklore.
## Themes
* **Modern Skepticism vs. Ancient Folklore:** The conflict between the rational, modern world that dismisses old stories and the encroaching, undeniable power of a forgotten myth.
* **The Burden of Solitary Knowledge:** The isolation and weight of being the only person who understands a looming, invisible threat while surrounded by blissful ignorance.
* **Nature's Forgotten Power:** An exploration of humanity's broken pact with the natural world and the quiet, inexorable consequences of that severance.
## Stakes
The entire town of Port Blossom is at risk of being silently and inexorably swallowed by the sea.
## Synopsis
On a late August afternoon in the fading coastal town of Port Blossom, LEO, a quiet teenager, finds a strange, heavy object on the beach. It's smooth, warm, and hums faintly in the wind. He is immediately captivated by it, sensing it is more than just a rock. His older sister, SAFF, dismisses his find and his growing concern about the unnaturally high tide, embodying the town's general apathy and desire to move on from its past.
Driven by a sense of unease, Leo takes the object to MR. HENDERSON, the elderly owner of a dusty local bookshop. Henderson identifies it as a "Tide Stone," an object from local legend said to be part of an ancient treaty between the first settlers and the sea itself—an anchor to tell the ocean where the land began. He initially dismisses it as a "piece of nonsense," but when the stone emits a powerful hum that shakes the entire shop, his skepticism is shattered. He can offer no explanation for how the "treaty" works, leaving Leo with a terrifying legend that now feels real.
That evening, the entire town gathers for the annual end-of-summer bonfire. As they celebrate, oblivious, Leo watches in horror as the sea continues its silent, relentless climb, consuming the entire beach and beginning to slosh over the promenade wall. The water isn't stormy; it is unnervingly calm, simply rising. As the bonfire roars, Leo stands alone at the water's edge, the stone now hot and pulsing rhythmically in his hand. He is the sole witness to the impending disaster, holding the only key, a burden no one else understands or is even aware of.
## Character Breakdown
* **LEO (16):** Quiet, observant, and disconnected from his peers. He finds more solace in the rhythms of the sea than in social interaction. He is a natural caretaker, though he doesn't yet know it.
* **Psychological Arc:** Leo begins as a passive and curious observer, alienated from his community by his quiet nature. By the end, he is forced to shed his uncertainty and accept an immense, solitary responsibility, transforming into the town's unwitting and unrecognized protector against a supernatural threat.
* **SAFF (17):** Leo’s older sister. Pragmatic, sharp-tongued, and deeply cynical about their small town. She represents the voice of modern reason and skepticism, her only goal being to escape Port Blossom for a bigger, more exciting world.
* **MR. HENDERSON (70s):** The keeper of the town’s history and lore. He is a man of books and stories who lives in the past but has learned to couch its magic in dismissive, academic terms. He is the bridge between folklore and reality, and his fear confirms Leo’s own.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE DISCOVERY:** On the breakwater, Leo finds the strange, warm stone. He notices the tide is unnaturally high, a quiet but ominous sign.
2. **A SISTER'S SKEPTICISM:** Saff interrupts Leo, dismissing his concerns and his "pet rock." She represents the town's ignorance of the danger.
3. **THE KEEPER OF LORE:** Leo visits Mr. Henderson's bookshop. The legend of the "Tide Stone" and the broken treaty with the sea is revealed.
4. **THE WARNING SIGN:** Henderson dismisses the story, but the stone suddenly hums with power, shaking the shop and validating the myth.
5. **THE LAST BONFIRE:** The town celebrates, oblivious, as the sea silently consumes the beach and begins to flood the promenade. The scene is one of stark contrast: joyous celebration against a silent, encroaching doom.
6. **A SOLITARY BURDEN:** Leo stands alone at the water's edge, the stone pulsing in his hand. He looks from the oblivious townsfolk to the rising water, accepting the terrifying weight of his discovery.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style will be grounded and naturalistic, emphasizing the textures of the coastal environment. The color palette will be desaturated and cool—dominated by sea-greys, misty whites, and the muted greens of algae—to create a sense of oppressive atmosphere. This will contrast sharply with the vibrant, dangerous orange and red of the bonfire in the final act. Camera work will be intimate and often handheld, keeping the perspective tightly bound to Leo's quiet observation and growing dread.
The tone is one of creeping, atmospheric folk-horror. It eschews jump scares for a slow-burn tension, building a sense of inevitability and dread. The sound design is critical, contrasting the normal sounds of the town with the unsettling silence of the rising water and the low, supernatural thrum of the stone. The tone aligns with the atmospheric dread of modern folk-horror like *The Third Day*, but with the intimate, small-town mystery feel of a Stephen King novella.