Bad Elf (Feature, Novel - Holiday Adventure)
A Goth-elf steals the Naughty List to track down his Christmas demon idol--Krampus--but then he must charge into the underworld on Christmas Eve to rescue Santa, his sorta-girlfriend, and all the Naughty children Krampus has kidnapped.
A Goth-elf who dyes his hair black, wears make-up and torn clothes, antagonizes Santa, and hates making toys, Jack feels like he doesn’t belong at The Pole. Heck, he even believes that Santa hates him…because every Christmas, elves get a single wish, and Santa never comes through for Jack. His wish? To meet his idol, Krampus, a Christmas demon who punishes naughty kids. Feeling like maybe he belongs on a darker side of the holiday, Jack plans to run away and live with Krampus. But his plan for running away Christmas Eve is ruined when Santa cancels Christmas after suffering an injury. Santa laments that he feels old and is ready to pass on the reins, but has nobody to pass them to.
Desperate to get Christmas un-cancelled, Jack does so with his sorta-girlfriend, Candi, a stereotypical, happy elf (at least on the outside) who waffles between helping Jack run away so that he can be happy, and sabotaging his plans in order to keep him close. She launches a “Ride for Santa” contest that excites all the elves, and while Santa protests that “Christmas isn’t happening,” Jack instigates an uprising on the toy factory floor. “Un. Can. Cel!” they shout, and Santa finally concedes, but on his terms.
Elves will work Christmas Eve in teams of two--Flyers and Helpers. Flyers will deliver presents while their Helpers remain at The Pole, helping to guide and track. The first training session is also the tryout, and Candi sabotages Jack by clearing him for launch too early. The fallout causes a swarm of reindeer teams, with Jack knocking his nemesis Feliz out of the sky. The only thing that saves Jack from getting booted from the team is that he not only rescues Feliz, but also saves Feliz’s reindeer from crashing into the mountainside.
Jack steals the Naughty List to track down Krampus Christmas Eve, and he quickly finds that “Santa” is not an easy job. He crashes his reindeer into the living room of a house, and then they stampede, the kid wakes up, and then the parents…and then the dog and cat attack. But using a team of very naughty Goth-kids as bait, he finally does meet Krampus—only to find he is far more sinister than Jack imagined.
Oh…and Jack is on Krampus’ Naughty List.
As he chases Jack, Candi arrives to the rescue...only to get herself dragged to the underworld. Jack chases after, but the portal is shut. He needs Santa’s help to open the doorway. Santa arrives, and they bicker like dad and son—with Jack finally confronting Santa about why he hates him—while Santa hijacks the rescue and tells Jack to stay put. But soon after Santa steps through the portal, Jack’s impatience overcomes him. He charges Rudolf through the portal to find Candi and the naughty children captive in a jail, while Santa and Krampus do battle. Jack rescues Candi and the children just as Krampus throws Santa over a cliff. Santa tumbles down. Jack leaps onto a passing reingoyle and dives for Santa and then races for the portal, safely locking Krampus behind…for another year.
While Jack and Santa rush to get the children home before sunrise, Santa confesses he is looking for a successor and, hesitant, asks Jack to consider.
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Semi-finalist, Screencraft Family-Friendly Screenplay Contest