Dear David (2023) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A public storytelling project becomes a supernatural cycle of retaliation, possession, and apparent escape.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Ghost Enters The Feed

The story introduces David's history of retaliation and the lethal rule surrounding his chat room. A workplace content project brings the haunting into the protagonist's life.

Key Events

• David Is Bullied — In 1996, David is bullied over a crude drawing shared through instant messaging. Characters: Dear David Location: An online messaging space
• David Retaliates — David retaliates against the people who bullied him. Characters: Dear David Location: An online messaging space
• The Third Question — Teenagers troll David and ask a third question about their future deaths. Characters: Dear David Location: David's chat room
• A Troll Is Killed — One teenager is killed later that night after provoking David. Characters: Dear David Location: A teenager's home
• Viral Content Begins — Bryce asks the protagonist to create authentic original content, beginning the public Dear David thread. Characters: Bryce Location: BuzzFeed
• The Chair Moves — The rocking chair moves on its own, followed by a hallucination of David sitting in it. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's apartment

Hallucinations Upstairs

The protagonist experiences an autonomous rocking chair, visions, dreams, and David's cryptic claim that he is just a follower. Moving upstairs fails to stop the supernatural activity.

Key Events

• The Chair Moves — The rocking chair moves on its own, followed by a hallucination of David sitting in it. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's apartment
• David's Past Appears — The protagonist sees visions of David and David's past life. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's apartment
• The Follower's Answer — In a dream, David is asked who he is and answers that he is just a follower. Characters: Dear David Location: A dream
• The Upstairs Move — The protagonist moves upstairs within the same complex, but David's hallucinations continue. Characters: Dear David Location: An upstairs apartment unit
• The Exorcism Vote — Bryce requests multimedia, and the audience votes for an exorcism if David appears again. Characters: Bryce Location: BuzzFeed

The Haunting Goes Public

The Dear David thread becomes successful and is expanded with multimedia and audience voting. Public trolling and David's attacks make the protagonist's private fear increasingly visible.

Key Events

• The Exorcism Vote — Bryce requests multimedia, and the audience votes for an exorcism if David appears again. Characters: Bryce Location: BuzzFeed
• The Typewriter Attack — David slams a typewriter into the protagonist's face, leaving him with a nosebleed. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's apartment
• The Caller Answers — An unknown caller answers in the protagonist's own voice after he initially ignores the call. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's apartment
• Disturbing Photos — David drags the protagonist to a location and shows him disturbing photographs. Characters: Dear David Location: A supernatural vision
• Linda Kills David — Linda appears in the revealed backstory and kills David. Characters: Linda, Dear David Location: A supernatural vision
• The Half Head Drawing — A representation of David is drawn with half of his head missing. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's workplace

Linda's Buried Connection

The investigation reveals that Linda killed David and connects the haunting to another possession case. Missing records and Linda's hanging body deepen the mystery.

Key Events

• The Half Head Drawing — A representation of David is drawn with half of his head missing. Characters: Dear David Location: The protagonist's workplace
• Worldwide Expansion — Bryce proposes expanding Dear David worldwide, and the protagonist reluctantly agrees. Characters: Bryce Location: BuzzFeed
• The Connected Case — Phyllis cites the Loopy Linda case, and the protagonist recognizes similarities to David's apparent possession. Characters: Phyllis, Linda, Dear David Location: Phyllis's place
• The Missing Body — The protagonist finds David's hospital file and discovers that David's body is missing, then finds Linda hanging by the stairs. Characters: Linda, Dear David Location: A hospital and a doctor's home

Fire And False Resolution

The apartment complex burns as the protagonist confronts and kills David while escaping with Evelyn. Their reconciliation is undercut when Chloe becomes possessed afterward.

Key Events

• The Complex Burns — The apartment complex catches fire while Evelyn comes to check on the protagonist. Characters: Evelyn, Dear David Location: The burning apartment complex
• David Is Destroyed — The protagonist kills David while escaping the burning complex with Evelyn. Characters: Evelyn, Dear David Location: The burning apartment complex
• An Apologetic Escape — Evelyn acknowledges that she dismissed the haunting, and the protagonist promises to communicate more openly. Characters: Evelyn Location: Outside the apartment complex
• Chloe Becomes Possessed — Chloe becomes possessed and repeatedly smashes her head against a table. Characters: Chloe, Dear David Location: Chloe's home

Story Breakdown

• David's Violent Origin — David's past establishes the retaliatory pattern that later governs the chat room.
  • Online Bullying — David is bullied over a crude drawing shared through instant messaging.
  • Retaliatory Pattern — David responds to bullying and later kills a troll after a third question.
• The Chat Room Curse — A late David chat room exposes teenagers to a lethal supernatural rule.
  • Trolling Encounter — Teenagers enter the chat room and provoke David.
  • Third Question — A question about future death precedes a teenager's killing.
• The Story Goes Viral — Workplace pressure turns the haunting into a public multimedia phenomenon.
  • Original Content — Bryce requests authentic content and supports the Dear David thread.
  • Audience Exorcism — A public vote selects an exorcism if David appears again.
• Haunting Escalates — David moves from hallucinations and dreams to direct physical attacks.
  • Moving Chair — A rocking chair moves independently and displays David in a hallucination.
  • Typewriter Assault — David attacks the protagonist with a typewriter and causes a nosebleed.
• Linda's Hidden History — The investigation uncovers the past connection between Linda and David.
  • Past Killing — Linda is revealed to have killed David years earlier.
  • Possession Evidence — Phyllis links the haunting to the connected Loopy Linda case.
• Missing Body Mystery — Hospital research and a disturbing discovery suggest that David's death did not end the threat.
  • Hospital File — The protagonist secretly searches for David's hospital records.
  • Hanging Discovery — Linda's body is found hanging by the stairs in a doctor's home.
• Fire And Confrontation — The supernatural conflict reaches its physical climax inside the burning apartment complex.
  • Complex Fire — The apartment complex burns while the protagonist remains unreachable.
  • David Destroyed — The protagonist kills David while escaping with Evelyn.
• Possession Continues — The apparent victory fails to end David's influence.
  • Evelyn's Apology — Evelyn apologizes for dismissing the haunting, and the protagonist promises openness.
  • Chloe's Breakdown — Chloe becomes possessed and repeatedly smashes her head against a table.

Directed by

John McPhail

Key Cast

• Augustus Prew — Adam Ellis
• Rachel Wilson — Linda
• Justin Long — Bryce
• Andrea Bang — Evelyn
• René Escobar Jr. — Kyle Sanchez