The Creep Tapes – Elliot

Avid birdwatcher Elliot (David Nordstrom) is out on a special mission: to find the American Avocet. Thanks to a person online named SkySharkMark who provided the coordinates, Elliot is out seeking the rare bird when he comes across an opened parachute on the ground…and a shoe. Going to investigate, Elliot finds that there is nothing underneath the chute. Suddenly, a strange man (Mark Duplass) appears out of nowhere and runs up to Elliot. As he is unable to speak and hyperventilating, the man then finds a plastic bag and begins to use it to breathe. Finally calmed down, the man takes a moment to sit down with Elliot and collect himself. Seeing Elliot’s camera, the man then offers Elliot $1,000 for some help.

As the recording starts, the man begins to go on about a disastrous experience with skydiving….explaining the chute on the ground. Recalling how he just wanted to fly and that the skydiving school he went through were negligent and almost caused his demise. While the man continues to talk about his experience, he begins to ask Elliot about his reason for being out in the field. Elliot explains how he was given the coordinates to find the American Avocet. Claiming that he saw the bird, the man takes possession of Elliot’s car keys and drives them both to the location where he saw the bird.

On the way, Elliot shares with the stranger his love of filming birds, something that the man completely understands. While the man continues to pry into Elliot’s love of birds and ask if he baits them, Elliot denies that he does….and then tells the man to stop the car as he believes he may have seen the Avocet. Unfortunately, he does not see it and walks back to the car. Seeing that the car is empty, Elliot becomes confused and tries to call out for the man before getting back into his car. Inside the car, the man spooks him, and Elliot runs out of the car. Once the man catches up to him, Elliot’s lies are discovered as the man produces a bag of bird seed. In order to make up for his lie, the man asks Elliot to make a video with him as he felt a connection through their love of film.

Filming an “American Beauty” style video with a plastic bag, the man goes on about their connection. However, Elliot is still determined to find his American Avocet. During their filming, the man swears that he sees the very bird that Elliot is seeking….but asks him to make a choice to either spend time with him or pursue the Avocet. Picking the Avocet, Elliot goes take a peek of the rare bird. However, that turns out to be a bad choice for Elliot as the man walks up behind him with the plastic bag, suffocating him to death.