BLACK MAGICK MAN - TEMPLATE

LOGLINE - Black Herman a stage magician, is being groomed for an important position as a Magick Man but; must combat inner demons and escape the trap that felled his great ancestor before he can defeat a monstrous evil loosed upon the world of the Roaring Twenties and Harlem Renaissance.



                                  CAST


1) "Black Jack" Herman - 34 Tall, handsome, dapper - intelligent with a charitable spirit, he can be a holy terror if circumstances dictate.


2) Professor Maharajah - Aka Rajah, late 50's master stage magician and senior member of Magick society. Mentor to Black Herman - like the father he never had. Sometimes bumbling (Like Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson in the 1940's Sherlock Holmes movies) - he also has a serious side. Jamaican born with English accent.?


3) Colin Mackintosh - Antagonist -? early 30's Proud Scottish Magick man with an outspoken nature tragically killed by a celebrated demon with a checkered past. While loyal to his master [demon] is not completely comfortable with the tasks he must undertake. Devious,?deceitful, manipulative yet charismatic.??


4) Eva? 24 - Wife of Black Herman and star "psychic sensation" Overactive 'Woman's Intuition' helps her to anticipate and understand the trials her husband is undergoing, despite her empathetic nature she is unable to share his burden. Deeply in love, her goal is to help?him become the best.


5) Madame Deborah - Occult Spiritualist of the highest order - will admit to late 50's - adviser soothsayer, once had a relationship with Rajah.


6) Marcel Marchand 30's? - Frenchman - Practitioner of exotic magic and curator of magical objects. Lighthearted and effervescent, highly inquisitive. But not strong willed. Malleable.?


7) Marcus 40's - Streetwise community organizer, somewhat pompous cause celeb, motivational speaker, leader of the National Equality Party.?


8) Leah 30's- Wealthy socialite neighbor, patron of the arts. Stunning looker and dresser (like Carmen Ejogo in Fantastic Beasts) Everyone treats her like the queen she is.


9) Lilly 30-ish - Eva's BFF - Gregarious flirt; somewhat man crazy always looking for Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now. Irrepressible candor, type who always asks "How much did that cost."


? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ACT I


Black Herman a stage magician, is being groomed for an important position as a Magick Man but; must combat inner demons and escape the trap that felled his great ancestor before he can defeat a monstrous evil loosed upon the world of the Roaring Twenties and?Harlem Renaissance.


Scene zooms in on a New York City of the 1920's where the F W Woolworth building is tallest in the world. We move lower as we head uptown till people and "Tin Lizzies" (autos) become individually descernable. Making a hard right down a block we swoop into the?Savoy where a Mentalist Act is in progress. 

BLACK HERMAN works the crowd while EVA, his protegee, sits center-stage, blindfolded divining answers to queries: "Eva, what have I in my hand." /? "It is a gold coin. A Double Eagle." This standard boilerplate continues
for few minutes until Eva is overcome by an oppressive force declaring 'Mayhem in Manhattan' is on the way. 

At the townhouse Eva is overcome once more as she opens a telegram this time she passes out. She revives as Black Herman is informing that he has?
go to London. The death of a senior member of the secret magical society - Magick - has triggered a change. The Grimoire - compendium of magical knowledge - is to come to NYC for safekeeping. 

Upon arrival at the ancient English castle Herman is met by his mentor?
PROFESSOR MAHARAJAH? who advises of some consternation among the group. Inside, an accident occurs that leads to the death of COLIN Mackintosh an outspoken Scottish magician. Black Herman barely escapes with his life and the Grimoire. 

Returning to NYC?Black Herman and Rajah consult MADAME DEBORAH for advice. She informs Black Herman of his unknown magical lineage and warns that like his great ancestor - dark forces would be coming for him. 

Attending a socialite's ball [LEAH'S] Herman and Rajah are?introduced to MARCEL a magical anthropologist? who gives Rajah a clue as to a magical totem with which to combat the impending evil. Black Jack and Rajah find the item and in a wild graveyard scene with a DEMON acquire the item and return to NYC. Whereupon Madame Deborah warns them that the being they encountered may soon track them here.




? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?ACT II


While relaxing in his study Black Herman? is introduced to two variants of human personality commonly known as Better Angles (BA) and Temptation Demons (TD) of one's nature. TEMPTATION DEMON standing full size in the doorway exhorts Herman to use the power of?the Grimoire to become the greatest magician of all time. BETTER ANGEL appears pint-sized on his shoulder reminding him of his good works. Herman shoos them both violently from the room. 

Across the street at Leah's townhouse, Marcel is tinkering with a?magical mirror from antiquity? when overcome by a flash of green light. He is awoken by a well-dressed man [Colin] demanding to know where he is: "New York" Marcel replies. "New where?" then the next question. "What year is it?" Marcel's astonished "1925"?is?greeted by haughty laughter as the man exists.? 

Next day Black Herman has a visitor with amnesia who requests a crystal ball reading. Black Herman's strong sense of Deja Vu about the man has alerted Eva's intuition; she observes the session through a sliding panel.?


After the client leaves Herman confides to Eva, the man might be the being he encountered in the graveyard.?


Indeed, as the 'being' - the demon in the embodiment of Colin Mackenzie - recovers his memory he hears his master's voice and receives his marching orders to create Mayhem in Manhattan. 

Roughly the same time Madame Deborah awakens violently from an?afternoon nap with her cats to scream "He's here! He's here." 

Colin begins his mission preying on the wicked: Murdering a pimp who is mistreating one of his women. Then escalating, he befriends a blind man, and confesses misgivings before killing the man who?has guessed his true nature.? 

Black Jack and Eva upon leaving a performance at the Cotton Club are accosted by Colin who runs. Herman follows him down alleyway that fills with mist. A familiar place - the graveyard where they met - after a brief battle they talk.


Back at the townhouse an incredulous Eva listens as Herman tells of how Colin will show them a path to prosperity and riches for Harlemites. Eva's concern leaks through: "Isn't this the trap that felled your great ancestor?". "Don't worry things will be different this time."?he assures.

Having won Black Herman's confidence Colin takes over Leah's townhouse and sets his plan in motion with Marcel's grudging cooperation; to turn the magic mirror into a portal.


Herman now turns his attention to beginning Great Society plans with a war on the mob who plague the streets of Harlem. In Herman's Study two low level hoods are introduced to the darker side of magic and given a message for the boss; who promptly orders a hit on?Herman. 

Herman leaves no doubt as to the power of the Occult, unleashing a Blood Curse on the mob. They cease to be a problem. 

At a jubilant, packed, celebration at MARCUS' public hall Harlem residents are introduced to Colin, erstwhile banker who promises free?rent to all takers - If they sign on the bottom line. 

Suddenly it all goes south. Rajah and Madame Deborah burst into Black Herman's study - apparently the contracts thousands have signed have a 'Surrender your Soul' clause unbeknownst to Herman, who while startled?vows to make it right. 

Temptation Demon suggests Herman put the kibosh on Colin. 

Eva attempts to soothe her husband, inviting him come dance with her in the parlor. They argue and he storms out into the night. 

While his sour mood continues he does delight in?using his new found magical powers derived from glimpses inside the Grimoire. In one life-saving instance he turns bullets into butterflies. 

In a darkened alleyway he finds the answers: a tableau of a bygone era - a vision: It is his great ancestor reaching out to him.?

Suddenly he is there! Hundreds of years in the past, in the countryside as his great magical ancestor is manipulated by, and ultimately manipulates Lucifer's minion. Black Herman now Knows and understands what he must do.?


? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ACT III


Eva awakens distraught in the early morning at not finding her husband home. She calls LILLY her BFF and the pair decide to search for him. While they are looking for Black Herman someone is looking for them. 

Much to Colin's consternation Marcel has had little?success in opening a portal in the mirror - so Colin has decided to kidnap Eva to keep Black Herman off balance. He finds Eva and Lilly walking, disposes of Lilly and locks Eva away for leverage. 

Black Herman, who returned home in the wee hours - is distraught?when informed in a phone call from Madame Deborah that Lilly is in the hospital and Eva is missing. 

Herman receives a call from Marcus: "Colin is down here at the hall waving contracts about? - saying it's time to pay the piper." 

Herman arrives to find Colin has?turned the crowd into a raving mob with instructions to get Black Herman. Fighting his way out of the door he speeds away in his limo. 

He returns to follow Colin hoping this will lead him to Eva. Colin's minions turn the tables however and a car chase ensues?involving Tommy-guns vs magic wands. Colin gets away.?


Back in his study Herman is paid a surprise visit from Lucifer who arrives through the floor to inform Herman that he fears Colin has run amok. It is up to Herman to take him down, Lucifer informs that Herman has the necessary tools for the task and that Eva will be safe?for a while if Herman hurries. Herman asks incredulously, "How do you know?" Lucifer informs "I see everything." 

Black Herman summons Rajah and advises they have the tools to defeat Colin's plan, but they are flummoxed because the path is not clear. They call on?Madame Deborah who begins to perceive that the dark door she saw ajar is really a window or a portal in a magic mirror, the magic mirror at Leah's; and that opening the portal could be universally bad.?


The race is on between Black Jack and Rajah vs Colin and Marcel: Colin decides to question Eva find out exactly how much Herman knows. Eva shocks him with her in-depth understanding of his predicament. 

Once again Colin has a conversation with Lucifer who calls?his bluff. 

Marcel finds the way to open the portal and the Legion hordes pour into the room and up through the ceiling into the sky.? 

Rajah decrypts the needed spell, he and Herman streak toward Leah's townhouse but are stopped by hordes in the street which they?must fight with magic wands and fisticuffs. 

In the heat of battle they see a bright light dimming to visibility - within lies their salvation. Magically turning the tide they defeat the Legion, reverse the curse - enter Leah's, fighting their way upstairs they destroy the mirror and?wipe Marcel's mind. 

Colin they disarm, much the same way Black Herman's ancestor defeated the demon in antiquity and leave him to his fate. 

Herman rescues Eva and together they wall-up the Grimoire in a special vault in his study.?


The closing montage follows the characters progress. In an Easter Egg we learn the true extent of Eva's powers and set-up the sequel.??

        

WGA REGISTERED        

#Harlem Renaissance