desert_hot_springs_v4 cover
Horror

desert_hot_springs_v4

by Kelci Loring

September 11, 2026Draft19 pages

A Venice Beach friend group’s weekend retreat turns into a nightmarish fight for survival in this darkly comic horror-thriller. When Kelci, Alex and free-spirited Sky hike to a fabled desert hot spring, they stumble into the lair of a machete-wielding hoarder who collects more than souvenirs—he collects people. Stranded with another missing friend and a dwindling supply of light, the trio must confront grief, toxic attachments, and a murderous stalker in a claustrophobic cave where the promise of healing clashes with blood-soaked obsession. Equal parts gory suspense and wry millennial banter, Desert Hot Springs blends brutal shocks with bittersweet catharsis.

Format & Technical

Short

Meet the creator

Kelci Loring profile

Kelci Loring

(Kelci Fargnoli-Peterson)

Actress, Writer, Producer, Director

Kelci Loring is a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker with a passion for creating original stories. She holds a B.S. in Musical Theatre and has trained with Jason Alexander, Lesly Kahn, Scott Sedita, and The Groundlings. As the executive producer of the monetized comedy web series Hot & Funny, Kelci creates and produces comedy that challenges the idea that women can't be both funny and attractive. Her acting work includes Love, InCall, and Fish Out of Water, for which she received a Best Actress nomination. She is also developing original projects, including Desert Hot Springs, a horror-comedy with the theme of letting go of the past. Beyond film and performance, Kelci has extensive experience in arts education, teaching acting, improvisation, filmmaking, and creative storytelling to young performers. She loves inspiring the next generation of artists of both stage, screen, and behind the scenes.

Screenplay Analysis

Analysis of Desert Hot Springs

Statistics

13Scenes
15Est. Pages
286Lines
3555Words

Characters (8)

Showing top characters
ALEX
“20's, male, fit, well groomed”
45 linesmale20s
KELCI
“20's, female, fair skinned, athleisure wear”
45 linesfemale20s
SKY
“20’s, female, long hair, probably smells like patchouli”
39 linesfemale20s
MACHETE MAN
“drawing his ire”
12 linesmale
HALL
“stylish, fit, well groomed”
7 lines
OATS
“all 20 somethings”
6 lines

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