I want to make a spell that would force the target into a bleedout animation until the effect expires.

I wrote this (largely copied from the Wiki):

Scriptname BleedSpellEffectScript extends activemagiceffect  actor victimEvent OnEffectStart(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster)        victim = akTarget    Debug.Trace("Magic effect was started on " + victim)    Debug.SendAnimationEvent(victim , "ActionBleedoutStart")endEventEvent OnEffectFinish(Actor akTarget, Actor akCaster)        Debug.Trace("Magic effect fades from " + victim)    Debug.SendAnimationEvent(victim, "ActionBleedoutStop")endEvent

The effect is added to a spell and it has duration greater than 0 seconds. However, I don't even receive the debug messages, the script doesn't even seem to fire. Any idea what could be messing me up?

Maybe you forgot to add a projectile? I do that all the time.

Thought so, and no, it's using Soul Trap's projectile. Projectile flies and hits.

I have had this happen when the MagicEffect Target and delivery dont match the spell definition target and delivery.