EVICTED

Two drug addled squatters receive an offer they can’t refuse.

Sexy Beast, Filth, Lock Stock:

Just a few select films from the small island across the pond in the crime and thriller genres. Each has made an indelible impression upon audiences worldwide.

British writers and filmmakers are masters at depicting their own special brand of crime. In his article for The Guardian earlier this year, Andrew Pulver examined the never ending popularity with audiences of Gangsters, geezers and guns and the booming low-budget crime-flick industry… both on the large and small screen.

Continuing with this tradition, and in his own inimitable fashion, STS is proud to showcase Dustin Bowcott’s short screenplay: Evicted.

We’re introduced to Steve and Baz, two down on their luck twenty-something lads who just happen to believe in that old adage: possession is nine-tenths of the law. If you’re wearing it, driving it, living in it, it’s yours – until proven otherwise. After all, home is where the heart is and when we first meet these two they are enjoying a nice quiet night in  – sitting back and relaxing amidst a little candlelight. Okay, that ambience is perhaps a little deceptive. There is candlelight but that’s because the power’s been cut off long ago. There’s also rats, broken glass and the general putridness and squalor associated with a ‘squat’.

What are these two up to? Well, they’re just about to partake in their first hit of heroin for the night – shared needle and all.  Just about to, when…

Will you look at what the wind just blew in – an unannounced visitor by the name of Gianni. In his forties, and in a whole other league to the boys. He’s well spoken, wearing high-end clobber – exquisite Italian leather shoes, tan crombie and black fedora with tan hatband. This is a man in charge.

So, what’s this hotshot want with two no-hopers?

Gianni’s got a few problems – or as he likes to put it, a few ‘most hated things’ that need fixin’. Which is where the lads come in. Contrary to what we first fear Gianni is not concerned with how this lot came to be here, nor what vices they may indulge in.  He’d rather take advantage of their less than altruistic attributes, in the form of a very tempting proposition.

Steve, being the brains of the outfit, (and I use that term loosely) is at first a little circumspect, despite his drug-induced haze. But when Gianni drops a bag of the good stuff at the boys’ feet with a few choice verbal reassurances and the promise of some cold hard cash, it’s an offer neither can refuse. After all, the job sounds like a piece of cake – no stealing, no violence – a little light stand-over is all. What could be simpler than scaring a few old people out of their homes so Gianni can recoup some of the money he’s owed.

An easy five hundred quid. Or, if you’re au fait with your cockney – easiest monkey ever.

Or, is it?

I’m not letting any more out of the bag on this one, suffice to say the denouement to this gritty crime thriller is not for no nancy-boys.

Filmmakers: So, you’re done with your RomComs and gentle slice of life dramas. Want to add seedy underbelly crime-thriller to your reel? Ready to tackle real hard men characters, dark humour, and dialogue that sings with authenticity – not to mention a liberal amount of gore to top it all off?

Alright then guvnor, don’t bovver with the rest, get on it. Now. You heard. That’s an order, son. Why are you still here?

Pages: 6

Budget: No problems at all here. A few ramshackle locations will do you fine; and some seedy characters to fill the space!

About the reviewer: Libby Chambers has been writing all her life. Over her career, she’s worked in the Features Department for ABC TV as a Program Assistant, trained as a FAD, and served professionally as a freelance web-content editor and proofreader. She lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia, and describes him as being both a good and a bad influence on her writing. You can contact Libby at libbych “AT” hotmail

About the writer: Dustin Bowcott is a self employed microbe retailer and father of four boys. He has enjoyed writing since the day he read his first novel. For Dustin, writing is something he has to do, when not writing, he’s thinking about writing and will absorb himself into multiple projects at one time. When he gets tired of writing one thing he moves onto another and has been known to work on three different stories in one day, writing for sometimes 12 hours straight and, on occasion, even longer. Dustin can turn his hand to any genre and has just finished first draft of a new children’s novel. Dustin is a BBC Writer’s Room finalist and a Shore Scripts finalist both in 2014. He is a produced and optioned writer, and has recently turned his hand to production, having produced his first short film with another in the pipeline that should be completed this year. Want to see what else he has in store? Give him a shout-out at dustin7375 “AT” gmail.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

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