contests

New year, new plans, and all that

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It all comes down to a two-part question:

What do you hope to accomplish in 2021, and what are you going to do to make it happen?

This year for me is primarily about one thing: getting better, writing-wise. My screenwriting game needs to be severely upped if I want to make any kind of headway in becoming a working (i.e. paid) writer.

Part of this also involves totally stepping away from entering contests. Many are nothing more than a money drain – I’ve already saved over $1200 in registration fees – and I’d rather work on improving my craft.

And if I’m not spending money on contests, I plan to redirect it into another long-gestating project. Part of my 2020 involved writing a short script which I’d really like to make myself. After talking with a few filmmaker chums (many of whom offered up their services and advice), it’s definitely doable.

Another thing I’d like to accomplish this year is to read more scripts; at least one a week. Two, if possible. The Black List, produced works, what have you. Of the handful I’ve already enjoyed, it’s already been most helpful.

I’ve started reading and giving notes on other writers’ scripts. Always nice to see what others are up to and check out some original material, and it also lets me develop my analytical skills.

My approach to this year will be a little more laid back than in years past. The drive and desire are still there, but I want to enjoy my time making the journey more than focusing solely on the destination.

There will no doubt be the usual ups and downs. While the ups will be enjoyed and celebrated, the downs will be endured to the best of my ability, and then viewed through the lens of “what can be learned from this so it yields a more positive outcome next time?”.

As always, I am extremely grateful to all of you who’ve enjoyed my posts over this year and those past, and hope you decide to stick around for this one. I wish all of you a 2021 filled with numerous good writing days, positive career news, TV shows and movies you enjoy, and at least one piece of your pie of choice; sharing it is optional.

A holiday Q & A with Heather Hughes & Kate Wharton

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Heather Hughes and Kate Wharton have been writing together for over 12 years and worked with Disney, Hallmark, and Lifetime, as well as a plethora of indie filmmakers.

They are both graduates of the TheFilmSchool in Seattle and studied with the late, great Blake Snyder.

They are represented by The Nethercott Agency in Los Angeles.

What was the last thing you read or watched you thought was incredibly well-
written?

Heather: I thought The Queen’s Gambit was extremely well-written. The characters were very real and they avoided all tropes. I really enjoyed the mother and that character defied all my expectations. We also just rewatched Breaking Bad, which is about as far away from Hallmark movies as you can get, but genius writing.

Follow-up: a Christmas movie, TV or feature, you think is well-written.

Heather: We detail the seven sub-genres of Hallmark movies in our book and we’re huge fans of the “fake boyfriend” sub-genre, which we call “The Christmas Fake Out” or “Rent-a-Boyfriend” and thought The Mistletoe Promise (2016) was quite well done.

We also like Mary Christmas, which has one of the most satisfying and unexpected endings of any Hallmark movie ever. It’s not The Usual Suspects, but for these movies it was a shocker!

Kate: Hallmark’s The Angel Tree is very nicely done. The plot setup involves good Hallmark-appropriate conflict and there are a couple of nice plot twists. I think it’s the best of 2020’s 40 new Hallmark movies.

How did you get your starts in the industry, and how did you get into writing Christmas TV movies?  

A producer requested our screenplay, which had done well in a contest.  He routinely asks the directors of the contest to send him the winning scripts.  When we started writing together, we were advised that some screenwriting contests were a way to get noticed. That proved to be true for us. We consider Austin, the Nicholl Fellowship, PAGE, Big Break and Kairos to be some of the best contests.

You refer to these films as Cozy Christmas Romances, or CCRs. Is romance a necessary component of the story template? 

Romance is a requirement for this genre. When we first started writing these movies we assumed that any wholesome content would appeal to these networks. We spent a lot of time pitching heartwarming stories that routinely got turned down. It wasn’t until we’d been at it awhile that we realized that these scripts had to be about—to steal from the late great Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat—two people who are better together than apart AND they needed to celebrate Christmas not just take place at Christmas. Or, as one producer told us, “It needs to be about Christmas, not just set at Christmas.”

There is an abundance of CCRs on several channels and streaming services, with new ones coming out each year. To what do you attribute the popularity of the CCR? 

There are several reasons they are so popular. These movies are predictable, safe, and uncontroversial. It’s a great escape! We like to call them the mac-and-cheese of movies. They’re familiar, warm and comforting. You won’t have nightmares after watching them and you can watch them with your 92-year-old grandma and your six-year-old niece. 

When we were researching the book, we actually found that a lot of military vets enjoy watching them because they can relax knowing that they won’t encounter any disturbing content.

What was your inspiration behind your book IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE HALLMARK! WRITING A MADE-FOR-TV CHRISTMAS MOVIE?

We learned these guidelines in dribs and drabs while we were working with and pitching to companies that make films for Hallmark. It would have been helpful to us if someone had written them down. For instance: we wrote a whole spec script featuring a couple in their 50s thinking it would be perfect for them. After we submitted it, we
learned the protagonist for that project needed to be 28 – yes, they actually said 28. We wish the production company had told us that at the start!

These specific guidelines change from year to year, but it’s helpful to know the basic framework for these movies.

How much research went into putting the book together? How many Christmas TV movies did you end up watching?

If you ask our husbands they would say thousands, but it was really more like hundreds. We also did extensive research with a ton of screenwriters, agents and producers. Some were eager to share, but wanted anonymity, especially when talking about money. After doing more and more interviews we began to see specific rules emerging. There are always exceptions to these rules, and we aren’t out to stifle creativity. But when we compiled our findings, we began to see them as a roadmap for writers who would like to write in this genre.

In the book, you list the 7 main types of CCRs. Obviously, that’s not all they’re limited to, but a majority tend to fall into one of those categories. If a writer comes up with something totally different from any of these but could still be considered a CCR, does that hurt their chances of getting it noticed?

We came up with the seven after watching many movies and reading all of the loglines. We’re sure there are more subgenres or ways to put these movies into buckets. We’d love to hear from your readers who identify others!

If a writer comes up with a new and original subgenre it could be great! But the companies seem to be buying similar content. If the idea strays too far from the conventions of the world (a Christmas town full of zombies, for example), it might hurt your chances of selling to Hallmark. Other networks might love it, though! 

Hallmark has honed its brand to the point where they know the 85 million viewers who tune in during November and December and what those viewers expect.

A few chapters involve the CCR beat sheet, along with filling in the blanks about the story. Some might say that there’s a certain predictability to these stories, so what advice would you give to writers striving to come up with something original?

We’ve noticed that many writers struggle with plot. They start writing with a lot of momentum, and then get stuck around page 50 because they don’t know what’s going to happen. The beat sheet is a fill-in-the-blank exercise to teach the writer a structure that is common to all these movies. If you’re great at plot without a beat sheet, then you probably won’t need this roadmap. 

These movies are intentionally predictable, but within that framework there is a lot of room for originality. If you want to write CCR movies, your original ideas will probably center on an unusual hero, and a unique romantic combination. For example: you could find a new reason the female character needs to leave the big city, an unusual job for the male character, or a unique Christmas activity to include in your montage.

You also go into “what to do after the script’s done”, i.e. queries, meetings, etc., and reference several non-professional writers who sold their scripts. While not every script is guaranteed to sell, is this something you would recommend for aspiring writers?

When you write a script, the goal is to get someone to buy it and make it into a movie—unless you want to film it yourself, which is a great option for aspiring filmmakers. After writing your script, the second hardest thing to do is to get people to read it. Our process of research and queries is a good system for getting people to read your script, regardless of your genre.

We think this is a good place for new writers who like these movies to break in simply because of the sheer number of CCRs made each year. In 2020, Hallmark made 40 new movies, Lifetime made 30 and UPtv made 5. There is never a guarantee that a script will be optioned, but there are many companies looking for content.

The two of you are about more than just writing Christmas TV movies. How can people find out more, as well as order the book?

We love teaching and writing together. Readers can contact us through our website writingtherom.com or on our Facebook page We Heart Rom Coms.  You can buy our book on Amazon, and we’d love to hear any thoughts your readers might have about it. Feel free to reach out!

Readers of this blog are more than familiar with my love/appreciation of pie. What’s your favorite kind?

We both adore pecan pie with a ton of lightly sweetened whipped cream! No wonder we’re such great writing partners!

If your pie preferences run a bit more savory, we also recommend Costco chicken pot pies. They’re amazing—flaky crust, delicious chunks of chicken, and a light creamy sauce. Find them in the back, by the rotisserie chickens—It’s a cost effective, delicious meal.

Arrivederci, contests! For now.

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waving goodbye
Normally, one would say “Don’t forget to write!”, but that seems a bit off in this scenario

Starting a few weeks ago, and continuing into the coming months, the results of numerous screenwriting contests will be made public.

For the most part, my scripts won’t be part of them. I’ve opted to skip the 2020-2021 season to focus on creating some new scripts and fine-tune some pre-existing ones.

Contests and I have had a rocky relationship. The primary reason I enter is for industry access (or at least the potential for it). As nice as a cash prize is, I’d much rather my award be my scripts shown to a manager or production company.

Naturally, even that’s not a guarantee of success. Somebody could read a script that’s done exceptionally well in a contest – even win it – and decide “I like it/It’s good, but not what I’m looking for.” This has happened to me, and even a few writers I know who’ve claimed a finalist spot in some prestigious contests still couldn’t make anything happen with it.

Them’s the breaks, and usually means it’s back to square one. But not this time.

I don’t have anything against contests. They can help motivate you to work towards beating a deadline. Some of them might lead to something, but many just mean you get a nice set of laurels. And no slight to smaller contests, but I’ve seen lots of comments from reps and prodcos that contests don’t really matter that much to them. What’s important is if they like the script and want to do something with it.

Additionally, those contests fees can get pretty steep. I try to keep things on the lower end (early bird deadlines, discount codes, etc) because the fees can really add up. And this isn’t even taking into account paying an additional cost for “notes” – something I don’t usually do anyway.

Added bonus for me – I also shell out some shekels for 6-8 half-marathons each year. You think screenwriting contests are expensive? Ha! Many of the races I’d signed up for for later this year have been cancelled or postponed until next year. So not having to pay for races or contests definitely works in my favor.

So that’s it for me and a temporary “so long”. At least until around this time next year. Until then, it’s all about the writing. My scripts are good, but I know they can be better.

Since deciding to step back, it’s kind of nice to be able to consistently delete the barrage of emails announcing “LAST CHANCE TO ENTER!” or “CLICK HERE FOR SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE!”, and then get right back to work. I won’t say it’s still tempting to want to enter, but it is getting easier to read an email from a contest, and then kill it without hesitating.

Interesting side note – it would seem I entered 2 of my scripts in a pair of contests several months ago. In fact, one was in October of 2019. Turns out each advanced through the contests’ respective first rounds.

Since I adhere to the “send it & forget it” rule with my scripts, guess my putting more emphasis on the latter half of that phrase really came into play. As one friend put it – “you seem to do better in contests you forgot you entered.” Can’t argue that.

So now that I don’t have contest deadlines or announcements to deal with, I can focus on these two new scripts. Both have been percolating for quite some time, and I figured lockdown and shelter-in-place were the ideal times to jump into both.

Would I have been able to dedicate so much time and effort if the world hadn’t changed? Possibly, but having the opportunity to do so has definitely worked in my favor.

The latest draft of one script is out with a batch of savvy readers, and the other is still in the outline phase. Feeling pretty confident about both.

I’m more than content to let the 2020-2021 contest season pass me by as I write and write, then rewrite, and then write some more.

For all you writers looking to enter contests in the coming year, you now have one less competitor to worry about.

Catch you on the flip side.

Presenting: Your Script!

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spotlight gif

This was all about giving writers a platform to showcase the script they feel is the best representation of their writing, and a chance to help everybody expand their own personal network of writing associates.

I offered to list one script per writer, and the responses were many.

Boy, were they.

A whopping 130 scripts for both film and TV are here, with genres of all kinds represented. Trust me when I say there is A LOT to choose from.

So have at it. Read. Enjoy.  If something about your script catches somebody’s eye and they want to contact you about reading it (or potentially more), that’s why the email addresses are included.

A very hearty thanks to everybody who sent in.

And if there’s any interest, I might do this again later this year.

(for all you newcomers, feel free to subscribe to/follow this blog)

 

FILM

8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD

Pricilla Devi Kumar

Dramatic biography

A young French wrestler uses his ailment of giantism to dominate the sport of American wrestling, becoming one of the most celebrated wrestlers of the franchise; a fated journey that leads to his premature and preventable death.

pricillakumar20@gmail.com

 

9 MONTHS

Kelly Tran

Dramedy, Coming of Age, Asian

A 23-year woman’s entire life changes in the span of 9 months, starting with her mother falling ill and then her own unexpected pregnancy. 

Screencraft Fellowship – quarterfinalist

Los Angeles International Screenplay – quarterfinalist

thatkellytran@gmail.com

 

ABSOLUTE CONTROL

Laika Lee

Psychological Thriller

This story is about Jane, a girl with persecutory delusion, and Ragen, a psychotic killer with OCD. Jane is abducted by Ragen and imprisoned in a small cabin deep in the mountains, who tortures her every day for fun. During their time together, Jane seemingly uncovers the other identity of the psychotic killer, which is a 6-year-old little girl named Sanja, and she realizes as long as she can control this little girl who comes out every night, she might just have the chance to escape…

7 on The Black List

laika.lee@hotmail.com

 

A CHRISTMAS CHEER

Clint Ford

Historical drama

Seven years after his redemption, old Ebenezer Scrooge passes away on Christmas Eve morning. When he learns the spirit of Jacob Marley – who helped to redeem him – still roams the earth shackled and chained, Scrooge chooses to put his own Eternal Reward at risk so to confront Marley’s Ghosts of Christmases Yet to Come, Present, and Past in an effort to return the favor to his friend.

Page Turner “First 15”  – quarterfinalist

American Zoetrope – Top-Rated Screenplays for February 2020 – first place

Dallas International Film Festival – semifinalist

Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards – semifinalist

Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship – finalist

theactualclintford@gmail.com

 

A LONG AWAITED DAY

Mary Kate Allen

Historical Drama

When a WW2 plane wreck is discovered, it unites a group of strangers who work together to bring home a missing person. Based on actual events.

Content Creators of Atlanta – Best Feature Screenplay

Women Who Write In Film International Screenplay Competition – winner

The Monthly Film Festival – semifinalist (pending)

Featured on Coverfly’s The Red List

Allen.mk7@gmail.com

 

ALPHA 8

Stephanie Elie

Sci-Fi Family Adventure

When your mom isn’t your mom but really looks like your mom – she just might be an alien. That’s what 12-year-old Daniel discovers. So he sets out on an adventure to get his “real” mom back with the help of his three siblings. And yes, the alien comes too.

seliecreative@gmail.com

 

AN UNBALANCED LINE

Kristy Leigh Lussier

Sports Drama

A female football prodigy makes history when she saves a failing program and becomes the first woman named Head Coach of a college football team.

Script Summit – Best Drama

Twin Falls Film Festival – Best Screenplay/Excellence in Screenwriting

Las Vegas International Screenplay – Best Sports Screenplay

West Texas Film Festival – Finalist, Best Screenplay

Filmmatic Drama – finalist

Screencraft Drama – semifinalist

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices – semifinalist

rockitmpc@gmail.com

 

AN UNDOCUMENTED RUMOR

Philip C. Sedgwick

Drama/Action-Adventure

A journalist for an US-based Arabian TV network heads to the Arizona border to sleuth out a rumor regarding a terrorist attack formulating in Mexico. When the rumor proves true, the reporter enlists a most unlikely team to intercept the attack and take on the even more unlikely forces behind the operation.

Burbank Film Festival – Best Feature Screenplay

San Antonio Film Festival – Best Feature Screenplay

StoryPros – finalist (2x)

Hollywood Screenplay – finalist

Richmond Film Festival – finalist

philip@philipcsedgwick.com

 

BARMAGEDDON

Jimmy George & Chris LaMartina

Horror Comedy

A faithless bar owner must rally a motley crew of patrons to defend her pub against the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

scriptbutcher@gmail.com

 

BARNSTORMING: A STORY OF SEX AND BASEBALL

Ronald J. Drescher

Historical Dramedy

In 1925, a hard drinking, rule bending English scandal reporter on the hunt in America to expose the lurid truth behind Babe Ruth’s worst slump must use all her wiles to save the Babe after discovering his true humanity and the sinister plot to destroy him.

Diverse Voices – finalist

Rondrescher@mac.com

 

BARRIO FIESTA

Donna Mae Foronda

Horror/Thriller

A young white man meets his Filipino girlfriend’s family for the first time and easily wins their approval, but in more ways than he ever could imagine.

donna.foronda@gmail.com

 

BLACKPILL

Ben Johnson & Jolie Noelle

Horror/Thriller

When a group of incels imprison several young women in an old fifties-era “dream home”, one woman must find a way to outwit her captors and escape their twisted fantasy.

Screencraft Horror – quarterfinalist

benjohnsonvideography@gmail.com

 

BOSTON LAWYER

Rhys Freeman

Drama

A determined, ‘no-nonsense’ lawyer looks for justice in a heart-breaking case. In his way stands the last man on earth you’d expect to be accused of such a crime, along with unexplainable questions. If justice does not prevail, closure for everyone will be hard to find.

Beverly Hills Screenplay – finalist

Hollywood Screenplay – finalist

rhysfreemanwriter@gmail.com

 

CARIBBEAN CRUISE VACATION

Jonathon Douglas

Comedy Adventure Parody

A white boomer must overcome his culture-centric dependence when he is forced to take a black teen on a family cruise in place of his estranged son and discovers the youth has the connections needed to bring his son aboard ship.

JonathonDDouglas@gmail.com

 

CHARLIE’S CHRISTMAS CAROLE

Diana Stout

Family Holiday

Christmas non-believer school principal Charlie Dickson must choose between keeping his job that removes the annual holiday pageant or his daughter who won the lead, his reunion with the play’s director, and an age-old reindeer with seemingly magical powers.

drdianastout@gmail.com

 

DARKNESS NEVER FADES

Gair Mcdonald

Horror-Supernatural/Thriller

A street-wise teen and her estranged mother, embarking on a road trip, are terrorised by a supernatural force, a cursed manifestation of family infidelity.

Next Generation Independent Film Festival – Winner, “Best Creature Feature”

Nicholl Fellowship – Honorable Mention

gairmcdonald123@btinternet.com

 

DARK OF THE MOON

Graham Holliday

Dramatic Thriller

At the climax of the next space race, an astronaut must decide what’s more important: landing on the moon first or revealing the hoax.

realgrahamholliday@yahoo.com

 

DREAM FILLER

Anat Golan

Science Fiction/Political Drama

After a nerdy medical researcher illegally impregnates a Dream Filler, a person who fulfills one’s desires, he must fight to save his unborn child and the Dream from termination by the hands of a ruthless government agent.

thewritescript@gmail.com

 

ELIMINATION AGENDA

Stuart Heimdal

Action-adventure

When a biological weapon to wipe out specific races is shopped on the black market, a CIA operative is tasked with locating it before it falls into the wrong hands.

Screencraft Action – quarterfinalist

heimdal@gmx.com

 

ELLSWORTH ’58

Graham Stone Johnson

Sci-Fi/Coming of Age

After aliens lay waste to a small town, a boy and his bully are all that remain. When the boy’s sister returns, aged 10 years overnight, she leads the trio on a perilous journey to locate the one thing that can save them.

grahamstonejohnson@gmail.com

 

EXODUS

Anthony Moore

Sci-Fi/Drama

A decorated FBI agent is assigned to find out why large groups of people are disappearing nation-wide and discovers that the answer is worse than he could have ever imagined, forcing him to question his own identity.

Black Screenplays and Stories Screenwriting Contest – grand prize

Filmmatic Drama – semifinalist

StoryPros – quarterfinalist

techrat@live.com

 

FAERIES: RISE OF THE SOUL EATERS

Chip Street & Sean Meehan

Horror Creature-feature

Four city-slickers lost in the wilderness are stalked by a pack hunting troupe of blood-thirsty faeries, and have to gamble on the erratic memory of an elderly local to find their way to the safety of a mountaintop ranger station before the creatures eviscerate them all.

Shriekfest – finalist

chip@chipstreet.com

 

FEVER DREAM

Jordan M. Horowitz

Timely Psychological Thriller

After being assaulted at an audition, a struggling actress lands the lead role in a film, but the further she delves into the dark mind of the character, the more her dream becomes a nightmare.

jordan@jordansfilms.com

 

FINDING CORA

Jalissa Cruz

Mystery/Suspense

A detective helps a victim link her past attempted kidnapping to a recent abduction, and with the help of her family and friends, they unmask a heinous small-town conspiracy.

yelissaaawrites@gmail.com

 

FLAT SQUIRREL

Fiona Ross

Animated comedy-adventure

When a determined but stranded flying squirrel joins a bunch of forest animals hooked on junk food, they battle the meanest-ever junk-food junkie who’ll kill them for the donut supply.

Florida Comedy Film Festival – Best Screenplay (Titanium)

Hollywood Screenplay Festival – Silver Award

fionafaithross@gmail.com

 

FOLLOW UP

Chris Watt

Drama

Over the course of an interview with a young music journalist, a broken and reclusive rock star reveals the secret behind his mysterious disappearance twelve years earlier, finding surprising inspiration for a possible comeback along the way.

Kosice International Film Festival – Honorable Mention, Feature Screenplay

British Independent Film Festival – official selection

New York City Independent Screenplay Festival – official selection

Rome Independent Prisma Awards – official selection

Austin Screenplay Awards – official selection

Indie Visions Film Festival – official selection

writeherewritenow80@gmail.com

 

FREEDOM FORT

Clint Williams

historic action-adventure

Two runaway slaves meet en route to a fort abandoned by the British following the War of 1812 and join a community of former slaves thriving under the protection of the fort’s cannons. But the growing village is threatened by a pending invasion by U.S. Army troops. Based on actual events.

Write LA  – grand prize winner

Nicholl – quarterfinalist

Final Draft Big Break – finalist; winner – historical/period/war

Black List score: 8

clintwilliams3@gmail.com

 

FULL MOON OVER THE NUDEY BAR

Daniel Bridges and Emily McGuiness

Horror-Comedy

Two vets head down South in search of their missing conspiracy theorist buddy only to find that he was “kinda right” and hiding in a seedy small town overrun by a pack of ’80s clad stripper werewolves.

Houston Comedy Film Festival – official selection

Portland Comedy Film Festival – official selection

Austin Comedy Film Festival – official selection

Screencraft Comedy – quarterfinalist

danielobridges@gmail.com

 

FUN AND GAMES

Ariel Relaford

Horror

Two adopted, teenage siblings receive a mysterious box. In order to save their own lives and the lives of others, they must race against the clock to solve the riddles it holds.

arielrelaford@gmail.com

 

HARBOR

Amina Divine

Suspense

A corrupted bed-and-breakfast owned by a Swedish couple hosted by a harbored African girl. Can she escape? Will she survive?

aminacarr@gmail.com

 

HOLY HARRY

Zach Witt

In the midst of a brewing revolution, the CEO of Heaven mysteriously vanishes, leaving a new arrival to keep the peace or face deportation to Hell.

Script 32 Comedy – quarterfinalist

zwitt87@gmail.com

 

IGOR AND FRANKIE

Jim Picariello

Animated family feature

Chaos abounds at the MIT women’s dorm when Igor mistakenly creates a serum that brings stuffed animals to life. When the formula’s stolen, she must team up with Frankie, her manic-inventor roommate-from-hell, to steal it back and subdue the resulting rampaging, fluffy abomination.

Nicholl Fellowship – top 10%

Austin Film Festival – second rounder

Stowe Story Labs Fellowship – finalist

jimpicariello@gmail.com

 

INCOMPLETE

Kenson Junicue

Drama

A self-depleted young black man lands an internship at a prestigious law firm and quickly becomes involved with his prejudiced boss.

Diverse Stories – semifinalist

International Independent Film Awards – finalist

New York Screenplay Film Awards – finalist

junicue@me.com

 

JACKSONVILLE

Jeffrey R. Field

Comedy/Thriller

A suicidal Army veteran rescues a mob princess from kidnappers, only to have her blackmail him into killing a key witness against her father. Of course, it’s Florida.

Screencraft Fellowship – winner

Nicholl Fellowship – top 50

jefffield88@yahoo.com

 

JUST MY IMAGINATION

Antonio Shorter

Short

One brother wants to be like the other, but the other brother wants him to be more and better than him.

antonioshorter.21@gmail.com

 

LAST DAY ‘TIL SUMMER

Jimmy Hurt

Slasher/College Drama

Seven sinful college students win a foreign internship lottery, only to be locked in the theatre by a cult of murderous professors on the last day of class.

jbirdsseets29@gmail.com 

 

LAWN BOYS

Steve Cleary

Comedy

An out-of-work ad man saves his buddy’s failing landscaping business by targeting lonely housewives but must become a champion of nature when a shifty artificial turf dealer shows up on the scene.

WildSound Festival For Comedy – table read

steve@stevecleary.com

 

LOCKDOWN AT ONKALO

S. H. Sadek

Sci-Fi/Psychological Thriller

In the distant future, a woman finds herself trapped in a nuclear waste repository for 20 years with a clone left there to protect it from the monsters outside.

s.hsadek.writes@gmail.com

 

LONELY BOY

Adam Argyrides

Queer Coming-of-Age Drama

A socially awkward loner struggles to realize his sexuality and personal potential amid the pressures and dramas of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

adamargyrides97@gmail.com

 

LOVE ME

Jordan Tate

Thriller

Traumatized and reclusive since a violent assault, a famed female screenwriter trying to return to her normal life accepts to write a screenplay for an independent and first time female producer who begins stalking her.

Jordantatescreenwriter@yahoo.com

 

MECHCRAFT

Brian Fitzpatrick

Science-fiction

A teen singularity is hunted by relentless enemies for his shape-shifting nanotech ability embedded in his DNA. The Matrix meets Harry Potter.

The Script Lab – quarterfinalist

Screencraft Sci-fi/Fantasy – quarterfinalist

Final Draft Big Break – quarterfinalist

PAGE International – quarterfinalist

brianfitzauthor@gmail.com

 

MIND BLOWN

Paul Jarnagin

Action-Thriller

A cybersecurity agent discovers a mind-control Trojan horse in a popular VR gadget and must stop the inventor’s wicked game plan to save her daughter’s life.

Vine Hill Productions Legendary Script – winner

StoryPros – Action/Adventure – 2nd place

milehiscribe@gmail.com

 

MINDSCAPE

Joao Alves

Film Noir/Horror

In 1941, two special agents must go inside the mind of a Navy sailor gone insane, to find who or what destroyed a naval base and left him as the sole survivor, re-living his memories and risking losing their own sanity in the process.

European Genre Forum – one of 10 scripts selected

joao.alves.anim@gmail.com

 

MOMOTAMI: RISING SON

Mista Martel, Mary Kate Allen, Samuel C. Connor & Steve E. Holbert

Historical Fiction

In 1918, a Japanese couple comes to the United States in search of a better life. After decades filled with prejudice, humiliation and human rights violations, when World War II ends, their son decides to run for President of the United States.

Content Creators of Atlanta – winner, Best Feature Screenplay

Black Film Festival Atlanta – finalist, Best Feature Screenplay

TMFF – The Monthly Film Festival – finalist, Best Feature Screenplay

Actormista@gmail.com

 

NANA AND JAKE

Ross Allaire

Family/Science-fiction

A retired first-grade teacher and her orphaned grandson must outwit an obsessed small-town sheriff in order to save who they think are refugee aliens on a doomed planet.

ross.rocknroll@gmail.com

 

NEURAL

Sarah Granger

Sci-Fi

An expert informant gets infected by an unusual cybernetic virus, giving her 24 hours to live. With nowhere else to turn, she goes to her ex, who recruits a team of hackers in a rush to find the viral code and take down the dark web boss who hurt her.

Fade In Sci-Fi – semifinalist

sarah (at) sarahgranger (dot) com

 

NICKED

Eileen Wilson

Short film

Santa, held up at the grotto, uses his magic to save a lost soul getting nicked.

Bloodstained Indie Film Festival – winner, Best Short Script

Top Indie Film Awards – nominee, Best Short Script

chorlton1and@gmail.com

 

NUMBER ONE

Rich Hammond

Drama

Afraid of losing everything, a fading rock star tries to save his career by faking his own death.

rich@richhammond.com

 

OH, MY LEO!

Jeff Naparstek

Dark Comedy

A man has the opportunity to spend twenty-four hours with his wife… three days after his funeral.

Georgia Shorts Film Festival – Best Feature Comedy

propwriter1@gmail.com

 

OLD WEST

John Henderson

Revenge/Thriller

An aging farmer saddles up to hunt down a Western outlaw and his gang after a shootout takes away the last of everything he holds dear.

johnmichaelhenderson@gmail.com

 

OPHIDIA (THE SNAKE)

Greg Tennant

Psychological Horror

A nightmare vision of a former activist getting over a bad breakup and becoming entangled with a woman who claims to be helping him but who threatens to feed him to a giant snake.

Oaxaca Film Fest – finalist

13Horror.com Film & Screenplay – finalist

Oregon Scream Horror Week Film Festival – official selection

Indie Suspense Horror Sci-Fi Film Festival – official selection

gjtennant@sbcglobal.net

 

OTHERSIDE

Marin Rymer

Sci-Fi/Thriller

A suicidal detective investigating a spate of missing persons becomes one herself when she’s apparently trapped inside a suspiciously perfect hotel run by a peculiar proprietor.

marin.rymer@yahoo.com

 

PIECES

Stephen Tronicek

Horror-drama

After accidentally causing the death of his brother, a renowned surgeon starts to cut pieces of himself off.

The Million Dollar Screenplay – semifinalist

Screencraft Horror – quarterfinalist

stephen.tronicek@gmail.com

 

RATIONAL PANIC

Robert Rhyne

Psychological Thriller

When a theater professor’s wife, who suffers a panic disorder, mysteriously disappears during Mardi Gras, the professor is sucked into a strange and deadly mind game with one of his students, who has written a play with an eerily similar character.
 

Horror Hotel – Best Horror/Thriller Script

Shriekfest – Best Thriller Feature Screenplay

StoryPros – finalist

Script Summit – finalist

We Screenplay – finalist

PAGE International – quarterfinalist

randprhyne@aol.com

 

REPRESSION

Minh-Anh Vo Dinh

Horror/Drama

While struggling with a dead end job to support his dysfunctional family, a young man begins to experience nightmare inducing sleep paralysis, in which malevolent forces and horrifying visions terrorize him.

Screencraft Horror – semifinalist

minhanhvodinh@gmail.com

 

ROUGH SURFACE

Tim Brennan

Drama

Based on actual events, a young reporter investigates the life and murder of a Lakota Sioux girl as the killer’s confession rock the foundations of a small town.  

Big Break Screenwriting – finalist

TSL Free Screenwriting Contest – finalist

tbrennan75@gmail.com

 

SANDHILLS, NE

Coral Rucker

Social Horror – short film

Isaac goes to Nebraska to visit his friend Luke. During his stay he experiences creepy and unnerving encounters with the townspeople of Sandhills.

coralaotw@gmail.com

 

SIMULATION THEORY

Mage Lanz

Drama/Sci-Fi/Mind-bending

A woman’s assumptions of reality are unraveled as she experiences different lives in different universes.

lanz.mage@gmail.com

 

SKIP TO MY LOU

P.J. Marino

comedy-drama

A man held prisoner in a futuristic desert penal colony befriends a soulful zombie hitchhiker, the last of many pets he names “Chrissy”, but Chrissy is jealous, and has a tendency to eat any new friend the man makes.

pjmarino@pjmarino.com

 

SLAYCAY

Bill Poore

Psychological Thriller

After discovering that her best friend is sleeping with her fiancé, an unstable Instagram influencer invites her cheating friend on an all-inclusive Jamaican vacation where she plans to take her revenge.

8 on the Black List

b.poore8@gmail.com

 

TERMINOUS 9

Stephen A. Rutkowski

Science Fiction

With the sun dying, a family joins an intergalactic mission to a new planet in hopes of restarting civilization. After an arduous journey that spans generations, they finally arrive at the new planet, Terminus 9, which has a healthy sun but may be uninhabitable for other, more sinister reasons.

s.a.rutkowski@gmail.com

 

THE FLASHLIGHT FARMER

Alison C. Wroblewski

Original Drama

A young widow must save her home and dairy farm with the help of her opioid-addicted father before the bank forecloses for a debt she didn’t know her dead husband accrued.

Richmond International Film Festival – finalist

Fresh Voices – semifinalist

The Black List x Women In Film Residency – semifinalist

Screencraft Fellowship – quarterfinalist

Screencraft Drama – quarterfinalist

Sundance Labs – second-rounder

alisoncrews@mac.com

 

THE INVADER

Phillip E. Hardy

Science Fiction/Film Noir

When several women are murdered in Texas, a small-town lawman suffering violent dreams and premonitions tries to prevent a growing body count, while hunting for what could be a serial killer from another world.

L.A. Neo Noir Festival – Winner, Best Iconic Neo Noir Screenplay

Mindfield Film Festival – Winner, Best Science Fiction Screenplay

Filmquest – Finalist, Best Script

Los Angeles Film Awards – Winner, Best Science Fiction Screenplay

Kapow Intergalactic Film Festival – Finalist, Best Screenplay

Shriekfest – Quarterfinalist, Best Screenplay

Hollywood Blood Horror Festival – Winner, Best Screenplay

phillip_hrdy@yahoo.com

 

THE IRON HORSE OF LUCY STEELE

Paul E. Zeidman

Western-Adventure

1874. A fiery train engineer relentlessly pursues the ruthless outlaw who has stolen her one-of-a-kind locomotive to pull off the biggest heist in U.S. history.

Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices – winner, western genre

Screencraft Action – top 10 finalist (2x)

Nicholl Fellowship – top 15% (2x)

Screencraft Fellowship – semifinalist

Tracking Board Launchpad – top 50

StoryPros – semifinalist, action/adventure

Worldfest Houston – Gold Remi – western screenplays

paul.zeidman@gmail.com

 

THE LAST TREE STANDING MOTEL

Howard Casner

Drama, Crime

After two hired killers murder someone at a remote motel, they receive a call from their boss telling them they can’t leave the motel until he gives them permission—but won’t tell them why; are their lives at stake, or is this some sort of sick joke. Whatever it is, tragedy is inevitable.

PAGE International – semifinalist

Austin Film Festival – semifinalist

All Access – semifinalist

London Screenplay – finalist

Glendale Screenplay – finalist

Beverly Hills Film Festival – official selection

hcasner@aol.com

 

THE MARIO PUZO STORY

M. J. Moore

Biopic/Drama

After his Depression-era youth in Hell’s Kitchen and his decades of postwar obscurity as a struggling novelist, author Mario Puzo triumphs in 1969 with “The Godfather,” which immediately became the fastest-selling novel in publishing history. 

michaeljamesmoore@yahoo.com
 

 

THE PENNY

Roxanne Marchand and Sheila Brothers

Family, Coming of Age

11-year-old Harry’s estranged grandfather finds him sneaking around in the forbidden attic and is none too happy but the smallest of treasures and Grampa’s nostalgic stories take them both back to see the lives that were touched by this special coin while unknowingly forging an unbreakable bond between the two.

The Penny was honored and published in short story form in the book “Family Movies Hollywood Didn’t Make, But Should” by Young Films and Publishing.

roxmarch@bellsouth.net

 

THE PODESTA

Vic Sammartano

Historical/Biographical Fiction

A career politician under Mussolini faces revenge when his fight against the fascist regime is no longer tolerated. To avoid certain death, he and his family escape from Sicily, secreted on a commercial fishing boat, destined for French Morocco.Two years later the Nazis occupy France in WWII, setting in motion a series of life-threatening events as the story of three generations of his family unfolds.

Seeking feedback

yvic@comcast.net

 

THE PORTENT

Esther Agulian Carr

Drama

A Scottish Highlander in the 1800’s haunted by a dark spirit, must find the woman whose destiny is mingled with his, and yet it will take more than their love to break the phantom’s curse.

Screencraft Drama – finalist

Screencraft Public Domain – finalist

esthercarr9@gmail.com

 

THERE’S BLOOD ON THE DISCO BALL

Brian Flaccus and Chadwick Hopson

Dark Comedy

Four friends in crumbling relationships set out for a night of party therapy while hunting a serial killer.

brian@theknightsyoung.com

 

THINGS KEPT HIDDEN

Christopher O’Bryant

Western/Horror/Thriller

After being hired to locate a young woman, a new Pinkerton and a mysterious bounty hunter each with their own secrets, set out to find her, only to discover a cult will stop at nothing to keep her for themselves.

Breaking Walls Thriller – finalist

Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival – semifinalist

Screencraft Fellowship – semifinalist

chris@obryant.ws

 

TILLIE

David Chester and Blake Pinter

Coming-of-Age/Period Drama

When her tyrannical father forces her to leave school to work on the family farm, a gifted girl secretly embarks on a life-changing journey to follow in the footsteps of her beloved teacher.

Pitch Now Screenplay Competition – finalist

Screencraft Public Domain Screenplay Contest – finalist

Vail Film Festival – finalist

davidhalchester@gmail.com

 

UNBURIED (based on the play UNBURIED)

Rebecca Norris – both play & screenplay

Dramedy

A wisecracking chronic hoarder must face her complicated past when authorities give her 72 hours to clean up her home or be put out on the street.

O’Neill Theater Center – National Playwright’s Conference – semifinalist

Austin Film Festival – 2nd rounder

Screencraft Playwriting – quarterfinalist

beckaroohoo@gmail.com

 

WHAT KIND OF WOMAN

Elizabeth  Block

Dramedy – short

A young woman’s life is flipped upside down by secrets from her mother and she is forced to become the parent instead of the child.

Screencraft Film Fund – quarterfinalist

SF Indie Fest Screenplay – finalist

screenblock@gmail.com

 

WINTERBURG

Owen Stidman

Drama

When their post-high school lives don’t turn out the way they’d hoped, five millennials return to their small Rust Belt hometown in hopes of finding personal fulfillment.

owenhstidman@gmail.com

 

YOUR MOVE

Danny Aviv and Jeff Haber

Romantic Comedy

A former photographer, nervous about #MeToo culture, gains a new perspective on life and love when he meets his ideal woman at the chess shop where he works.

j.r.haber@att.net

 

TELEVISION

4-F: OPERATION UNDERWORLD

Greg Beck

Historical Crime Drama Espionage

The New York Mafia of Lucky Luciano & Meyer Lansky work with Naval Intelligence in World War II to stop the Axis powers. Focus on Lansky underling with ALS & his handler a Sarah Lawrence graduate and a member of Women’s Reserve. Boardwalk Empire meets Sicario.

Austin Film Festival – AMC Pilot Script – Finalist

Scriptapalooza – 3rd place

gbeck86@gmail.com

 

A GENTLEMAN’S HEIST

Alex Konz

limited series – Action/Adventure

A crew of nine engages the FBI, Catholic Church, and the Cuban regime in a complicated game of cat and mouse across the globe while in pursuit of the remnants of a long lost king’s treasure. 

Coverfly’s The Red List – #15 Adventure Television of the Year

ark4497@gmail.com

 

AKITA ON PAROLE

Jordan SuperMan Taylor (RIH), Sire Eminence Zakkiyyiah, Stacci D. Great

Dramedy Sitcom

Akita, an accomplished, strong-willed, ball-busting attorney formulates an exit program to combat recidivism because she’s very arduous of the judicial system’s failing track record for rehabilitating repeat offenders. Little did she know that the implementation of this program would be like a punch to the throat.

WildSound February 2020 – winner

Catalina Filmfest – finalist

1greatproduction@gmail.com

 

AMATEURS

Dan Phillips and Chris Townsend

Sitcom

A small group of misfits find their place in local amateur dramatics where relationships grow in the strangest of ways, in the strangest of costumes. 

drphillips86@gmail.com

 

ANGELS OF WAR

Natalie G. Bergman and Victoria E. Rau

pilot – Drama, World War II history, Medical & Military – diverse cast led by female lead role ensemble

The untold true story of a group of American nurses trapped behind enemy lines for over three brutal years in the South Pacific during World War II. Follow their heroism, relationships, endurance and survival.

The Golden Script Competition – semifinalist

roseandpearlproductions@gmail.com

 

BOUNTY

Gary M. Howell

Drama

When a deep-sea explorer goes missing, his son must unravel a mystery embedded in his father’s will, and doing so will entangle him in a world of drug smugglers, murderers and backstabbers.

WeScreenplay – semifinalist

Screencraft Pilot Launch – finalist

Atlanta Film Festival – semifinalist

PAGE International – quarterfinalist

garymhowell@gmail.com

 

CHICAGO OVERCOAT

Abby LaMarre

pilot – Supernatural Drama

On the south side of Chicago at the helm of Prohibition, a horror writer finds herself torn between two worlds when she stumbles upon a speakeasy run by vampires.

Austin Film Festival – second rounder

Screencraft Pilot Launch – quarterfinalist

Screencraft Fellowship – finalist

James A. Michener Fellowship – awardee

lamarreabby@gmail.com

 

CLAIRVOYANT DETECTIVE

C.J. Knapp

Crime Thriller

Murders trigger a latent gift in a hard-nosed tenacious Asian detective. As she investigates the bizarre killings, she uncovers strange amulets linked to the Chinese Zodiac – and the world of demons.

Script Summit Screenplay – Official Selection (pilot)

Script Summit Screenplay – Official Selection (pitch bible)

Extreme Screenwriting – Recommend

cjknapp11@gmail.com

 

COUNTERINTELLIGENT

Natalie Sayth

Comedy

A clumsy FBI analyst must overcome self-doubts and a dysfunctional bureaucracy to locate a compromised informant and gain her boss’s trust.

natalie.sayth@gmail.com

 

CURTAIN CALL

Kate Harbert

Comedy

“Curtain Call” follows a touring company of a failing musical as they struggle with low ticket sales, insane crew members, and an unreliable cast.

Rome Independent Prisma – semifinalist

harbertekate@gmail.com

 

DICK DOCS

Marc Blitstein & Brian Rousso

30-minute single-cam comedy

A once-promising urologist who abandoned his profession, now this underachieving pool cleaner, is forced to start practicing medicine again to prevent his estranged broke father from ending up on his couch.

emailmarc@mac.com

 

DOWNTOWN

DeShawn Hill

Drama/Dark Comedy

A tightly-wound, bottom-tier business man is thrown into the underbelly of his mundane city after he witnesses the unthinkable on a night out.

Officialdeshawnhill@gmail.com

 

DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION

Jim Mercurio

1/2 hour Dramedy pilot

An orally fixated neurotic psychologist falls for an anally retentive businesswoman and all sex breaks loose. Will this modern couple be able to navigate through self-deception, projection, codependency and anger to find love or will their relationship become a dysfunction junction. In the vein of auteur-driven half-hour dramedies such as Fleabag, Girls, Better Things, and You’re the Worst.

Currently #1 for Drama Television (Half-hour)s of the year on the Red List

JimMercurio@gmail.com

 

FRANKENSTEIN UNLEASHED

Neal Wiser

Sci-Fi

Years after the virus he created killed his wife and millions of others, Vik Frankenstein and his brother have to harvest organs from the dead to keep Vik alive long enough to take down his old friend, the scientist who actually unleashed the virus.

Screencraft Fellowship – finalist (pending – winners announced in July)

WriteMovies Screenwriting – grand prize winner, Winter 2020

Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship – winner (top 10)

Stage 32 4th Annual TV Writing Contest – quarterfinalist

nwiser@gmail.com

 

GARYTOWN

Seth Nelson

Comedy, Mystery

A successful podcaster reunites with a job-hopping childhood friend and exposes his brother’s true identity.

snelson1076@me.com

 

GOING STEADY

Robyn Paris

1/2-hour single-cam Comedy

Ladies’ man widower Sid Shineman, the former owner of a high-end women’s boutique, moves in with his fashion designer daughter Abby after the death of his wife. Together, they navigate the world of online dating, while weeding through advice from their flamboyant live-in housekeeper, Wanda. COMPS: Grace and Frankie, The Kominksy Method

Stage 32 Pilot Competition – quarterfinalist

robynoparis@gmail.com

 

HADES

Michael Boaks

Medical/Crime Drama

When Australia’s top ER doctor is permanently struck off, his life spirals into chaos. Desperate, he takes a job as private doctor to a secretly unwell Croatian crime boss as gangland tensions rise.

michaelboaks@hotmail.com

 

HANDBASKET

Matthew J. Kaplan

Supernatural

When a drummer’s deal with the devil results in the disappearance of the singer, the remaining bandmates must face their own demons in order to break the deal before the next singer vanishes.

kapmatt@gmail.com

 

HOW HEATHER SURVIVED THE APOCALYPSE

Amanda Graham

pilot- Comedy

A smart-but-sneaky teen girl stuck in a crazy Baptist cult in 1986 discovers the world will definitely end in two years’ time.

Screencraft Comedy – quarterfinalist

amandagraham@gmail.com

 

HOW WE ROLL

Katey Clausen

1-hour Drama

Trapped under the boot of her father, a closeted young woman who comes to find herself, and her sexuality, through roller derby in 1984 California.

cynthiakclausen@gmail.com

 

HUNTING VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN

M. Pepper Langlinais

1-hour Drama – pilot

A newly dead man, a mortician, and a cop work together to seek the source of local zombie activity in small-town Kansas.

Fresh Voices – “worthy of network consideration”

Creative World Awards – semifinalist

methos@gmail.com

 

INFINITELY YOURS

Darci Faye

hour-long Drama (adapted from the author’s play of the same name)

Emily is forced to go home for her father’s funeral. When Emily crosses paths with her ex-boyfriend, she is not sure which scares her most – the fear that he hasn’t changed a bit … or the fact that she still has feelings for him. An explosive new drama about the hidden cycles of violence in rural Maine.

Planet Connections Theatre Festival – nominee, Outstanding Playwriting of a New Script

dcf@bu.edu

 

INVASION OF THE CUBECUMBERS

Brannon Hollingsworth

Animated Children/Family Comedy

When an overzealous boy applies too much fertilizer to his father’s crop of cubecumbers, he and his family scramble to put the abundant crop to good use.

brainypixelproductions@gmail.com

 

KISMET

Ashwini Prasad

Comedy & Drama

A South Asian woman leaves her sheltered family life in Vancouver, BC to New York City after a series of events lead her to a calling for a new life and a new career path as she embraces her autonomy and her sexuality. 

ashwini_prasad01@yahoo.com

 

KRIMPS

Michael Paul Caruso

Drama

In Portland, Oregon, 1889, an atypical vaudeville producer works to become a bold voice for justice to fight against a ruthless band of pirates who capture citizens and sell them to work on ships.

myshacaruso@gmail.com

 

MATCHMAKERS

Erin Felton

Sci-Fi Sitcom

A workplace comedy about a PR woman representing a company of matchmakers who genetically engineer women for love, even though gene therapy technology is still often defective. 

Austin Film Festival – second round

erinhollyfenton@gmail.com

 

MORNINGWOOD

T. Gordon Stanley

Dark comedy, mystery

A disgraced intelligence officer, who steals three million dollars, goes underground in a peculiar small town, but loses his leg while setting up an illicit operation to unveil international corruption.

Table Read My Screenplay – Park City – semifinalist

tgordonstanley@gmail.com

 

MYTHIC QUEST: MIDNIGHT KINGDOM

August Isles

Comedy

Mythic Quest’s newest expansion “Midnight Kingdom” has leaked to the public and it’s not well-received. Co-creative directors Ian and Poppy blame each other while Davis tries to deal with Montreal.

aiwritestv@gmail.com

 

NAMAHAGE

Travis Seppala

pilot – Horror

After her American husband is killed in an accident, a Japanese woman must save his children from a pack of mythological demons.

Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards – quarterfinalist

Austin Screenplay Awards – quarterfinalist

Scripts & Scribes Logline Madness – top 24

flannelmann@yahoo.com

 

NO THANK YOU

Brittany Suzanne Kelly

Comedy

Tawnie, a plus-size Caribbean woman living in LA fed up with her romantic connections not panning out, drunkenly places an explicit personal ad that gets over 500 replies. She decides to date those who responded in hopes of finding her true sexual match. 

brittany@striketwicecreative.com

 

OCCUPIED INTELLIGENCE

Collin Lieberg

Historical Drama

Inspired by the true story of two women in Occupied Europe who spy for Allied forces by rescuing downed soldiers and translating Nazi intelligence, only to be betrayed and captured.

collin.lieberg@gmail.com

 

PARKMONT

Brandon Hull

Comedy

Probation forces a twentysomething to find work or go to jail. He finally lands a job, unbeknownst to him it’s with South Florida’s largest gun and drug runner.

BHWrites24@gmail.com

 

PAX ALPHA

Kevin Ryan

Historical Fantasy

As the Roman Empire collapses, a vengeful grandmother protects her grandchildren while on a warpath to the magical rulers that murdered her husband and son.

kevinryan333@gmail.com

 

PUBLIC INTEGRITY

Shawn Decker

Crime drama

A new detective unit tasked with criminal justice reform faces obstruction when they investigate police corruption and brutality, starting with an officer-involved shooting of an unarmed Black celebrity.

shawndoc1996@gmail.com

 

REAPER

Kayona Ebony Brown

hour-long pilot – Drama, Crime, Fantasy

After being demoted from her job as the Grim Reaper, Death uses her unearthly powers to exact vigilante justice for the soon-to-be-dead.

Roadmap Writers Diversity Initiative – Winner/1st Place

kayona@kayonaeboynbrown.com

 

RESTING BITCH FACE

Dana Braziel-Solovy

1/2 hour comedy

When a people-pleasing starlet loses her ability to fake a smile, she must learn to embrace her inner bitch and rebuild her identity in a society that demonizes women who are not ready to make nice.

dana.braziel@gmail.com

 

‘SCRIPS

Craig Guerra and Jason Gardner (based on Craig Guerra’s memoir ALIVE and UNWELL)

pilot – Coming-of-age true crime drama

When his mother dies, a college student studying far from home struggles to reconcile with his estranged father while slipping deeper and deeper into the prescription drug trade.

craigguerra@gmail.com

 

SENIORS HIGH

Dave Goossen

1/2 hour pilot – Dramatic Comedy

After moving from Montana to North Carolina, a feisty octogenarian comes to terms (or not) with the “cliques” at his seniors home that parallel those of his grandson in his new high school and his daughter at her new job.

dave@davegoossen.com

 

SOUL SISTERS

Brandon Udy

Comedy

Ruth is psychic. Janine sees ghosts. Together, these middle-aged half sisters navigate LA life (and death), juggling relationships, careers, and the living and dead celebrities that frequent the city.

brendon.u@gmail.com

 

SOUTHERN FRIED

Guy Crawford

1/2-hour Dramedy

A prodigal daughter and her female fiancé return to her small southern hometown to take over the family diner, setting up a collision of worlds and values that leaves everyone trying to figure out how to coexist in the new normal.

guyc2_2000@yahoo.com

 

STAR DUCKS

Jake Lynch

Animated Sci-Fi Comedy – pilot (Quack Landing)

A crew of ducks crash their spaceship on an uncharted world under suspicious circumstances. Their lowest ranked crew member, reckless Sagittaria, sets out on an otherworldly journey to recover the missing ship pieces, find her missing crew and learn from the Scroops what it really means to be a true hero.

jakelynch25@gmail.com

 

SUBTERFUGE

Rich Andrew

Drama/Sci-Fi pilot

A scientist studying posthumanism goes on the hunt for a metaphysical artifact that could unlock a singular truth that’s been hidden from mankind by certain elites throughout history.

richandrew00@gmail.com

 

TEEN ZOMBIE SHOW

David Santo

half-hour pilot – Comedy

A small town girl with a razor sharp wit searches for the fairytale man of her dreams, but “happily ever after” gets tricky when her Prince Charming turns out to be a zombie, and her mother prohibits their illicit love.

Fresh Voices Screenwriting Competition – 1st place, TV 

Firereel Film Festival – 1st place

The Crime List – 1st place

Hollywood International Moving Pictures – 1st place

Worldfest Houston – 1st place

ScriptXpert coverage at The Writers Store – double recommend

davidsanto@hotmail.com

 

THE EXPLORER

Heidi Stangeland

Historical Drama/Thriller

When Vikings accidentally discover North America, it’s not only unfamiliar and hostile territory they have to conquer but the clash of old and new religion that causes conflict throughout the crew.

Script Summit Screenwriting Festival – Best Character Category

heidi@vegvisur.com

 

THE FAIRY KNIGHT

Sam Tracton

pilot – Supernatural/Fantasy

A man seeking to heal his dying aunt absorbs a stockpile of magical energy, embroiling him in an ancient fairy warrior’s hunt for revenge.

ratiyusarmor@gmail.com

 

THE IMAGINATION OF BILLY COULTER

Garison Ellsworth Piatt

Teen/Adventure/Drama

A young boy escapes his dysfunctional life through his overactive imagination, until his daydreams become real…and out of control.

writer@garisonpiatt.com

 

THE MAINELAND

Kelsey Kyle

pilot – Drama

In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, three estranged siblings must move in together after their mother’s suicide is ruled a homicide. 

kelseykyle1@gmail.com

 

THIS COVIDIEN LIFE

Emily Lozano

Comedy

In the midst of a global pandemic, six employees of a failing retailer decide to quarantine together in their abandoned offices. Will they save the company? Will they get caught? Or will they drive each other insane?

emily@emilylozano.com

 

THIS IS AMERICA

Jared V. Walker Jr.

Fantasy/Adventure

To escape his immoral past, an unexpected hero must deliver a powerful child to a mystical hidden city while fleeing a diabolical scientist who will stop at nothing to recover her experiment.

jarevwalkerjr@gmail.com

 

UNSOCIAL

Nick Coffman

1/2 hour Comedy pilot

Evicted from her luxurious, virtual lifestyle, an aggrieved woman returns to a real world run by droids and smart cars.

ncoff10@gmail.com

 

UNTIL THE RIOTS COME

Naja Rayne

one-hour Historical Drama

A Chicago newspaper publisher fights against the federal government’s efforts to censor the Black press during WW2.

Sundance Episodic Lab 2nd rounder 

najaraynewrites@gmail.com

 

VAMPI E.R.

Luke Zwanziger

Comedy-Horror

When a socially conscious OHSU doctor in Portland, OR is turned into a vampire, she is ethically compelled to help the sick and injured at a mismanaged hospital for mythical creatures and monsters.

WW FilmLabTV – finalist

LukeZwan@gmail.com

 

WANDERLUST

Alicia McLachlan & Paul Winters

pilot – one-hour Drama

In the isolated Australian Outback, an Aboriginal hostel clerk with an identity complex must decide whether to take over the struggling family business with her enigmatic best friend or leave town to pursue a life of her own.

https://twitter.com/AliciaMcLachlan

 

WENDIGO

Sandrene Matthews

Fantasy Drama

A selfish, supernatural flesh-eater struggles to maintain her free-spirited lifestyle when she is forced to lead the family hunt to protect them from their own barbaric desires and the humans who wish to eradicate them.

Screencraft Sci-Fi/Fantasy – semifinalist

sandrenehatesspam@gmail.com

 

WHITE PLAGUE

Michael A. Levine

Science Fiction/Horror

When an anthropologist returns to her home in Milwaukee, a worldwide pandemic breaks out – unlike any other because it can be energized by electronic transmissions like smartphones and wifi. She knows someone she believes has a cure – the traditional healer of the tribe she was studying in the Nicaraguan rain forest. But to get to her she will have to travel 3,300 miles through plague-infested areas without modern transportation and needs the help of the one person she detests the most – the man she holds responsible for the death of her brother.

Stage 32 Read My Screenplay – Consider

QuantumW@gmail.com

Q & A with Brooks Elms

Maximum Z conflict, consultants, contests, craft, excitement, filmmaking, hero, pie, screenplay, screenwriting, script, story, storytelling, structure, theme, UCLA, writing , , , , , , , , , ,

Brooks W Stripes

Brooks Elms is a WGA screenwriter of 25+ scripts with a specialty of crafting grounded personal characters and gut-punch story tension. He’s currently rewriting an Oscar-winning writer. Brooks also loves coaching fellow writers who have a burning ambition to deeply serve their audiences: www.BrooksElms.com

What’s the last thing you read or watched that you thought was incredibly well-written?

JOKER. Because it’s difficult to build empathy for protagonists with flaws that lead to violence against innocent people, especially with all the mass shootings these days. I have ethical questions about whether this was a worthy screenplay to produce because the film can’t help but celebrate what it’s also trying to condemn. And I suspect it will inspire as much (if not more) negative consequences as positive ones – but that makes the screenwriting all the more impressive and skillful. Because this was a very popular film and the bar was VERY high for that level of success.

How’d you get your start in the industry?

Making movies with my friends in high school, which led to NYU film school, then writing, directing and producing indie features. In the last decade, I’ve mostly focused on screenwriting. In between my writing assignments, I taught a screenwriting class at UCLA Extention for a while and now I coach other ambitious writers working at the intermediate to professional levels, as my own schedule allows.

Is recognizing good writing something you think can be taught or learned?

What’s the alternative theory – that people come out of the womb knowing how to write well? It’s a matter of defining what you love about other stories and getting familiar with the craft choices that lead to those results. I teach this to everybody from beginners to veteran writers so…. yup.

What do you consider the components of a good script?

It’s about the harmony between components. The craft is taking elements (premise, hero, goal, conflict, structure, relationships, setting, theme, tone, etc..) and adjusting aspects of them (size, shape, style, amount, etc..) until we find the right collective balance which allows something bigger to speak through the parts.

What are some of the most common screenwriting mistakes you see?

Losing touch with the delight of the process. And stopping because of that.

What story tropes are you just tired of seeing?

Every trope has the potential to be powerful if created with authenticity. It only feels cliche when there’s too much emotional distance from the truth of the intention.

What are some key rules/guidelines every writer should know?

I stay away from language choices like what “every writer should know X”. Those types of words can be a distraction from listening to the subtle impulses of your voice. Instead, I invite people to follow their passion. What excites us about our current story? How can we play with elements to unleash more of that excitement? When we share material for feedback, what’s blocking other people from deeper levels of excitement? “Confusion” is the most common blockage followed by “tepid goals and conflicts.”

Have you ever read a spec script that was an absolute, without-a-doubt “recommend”? If so, what were the reasons why?

The Duffer Brothers’ HIDDEN, which they wrote before STRANGER THINGS. It was a masterful display of milking tension using minimal assets in a scene. I used that script to teach myself how to make a huge impact on the way I write tension.

How do you feel about screenwriting contests? Worth it or not?

ALL the paths toward advancing your career have you pitted against the odds. So just pick the paths that speak to you and your budget. Contests can certainly be helpful so have fun playing that game, and detach from the outcomes. It’s about enjoying the journey and welcoming those that come along that happen to love your work as much as you do.

How can people find out more about you and the services you provide?

Check out www.BrooksElms.com

I run a few programs for writers looking to cross milestones as fast as humanly possible, in ways that are effortless and fun. One program is a deep dive 1:1 mentorship that’s very exclusive and competitive to get into. And I have other ways of helping writers too. So if writers enjoy the content they’ve seen from me online, I suggest they reach out because my team will be happy to help, in one way or another.

Readers of this blog are more than familiar with my love/appreciation of pie. What’s your favorite kind?

Now we’re getting to the essential question. The answer is pecan. It’s rich, heavenly and it shines beneath a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Shout out to banana cream for a close second place. It can be spectacular when it’s baked well, but breaks my heart when it’s often messed up.