Incident on I-95 (5 pages in PDF format) by Fred Perry

The arrival of an ominous stranger shatters the serenity of an idyllic American town.

It’s often thought Utopian societies are the way to go. In a time where the O-zone is depleted, terrorists could be living in the apartment below you, and there’s something scary on the news every day – it’s nice to imagine a world where peace, health, and tranquility reign.

One day – humanity dreams – the perfect world will exist. But is that truly possible? After all, one of the greatest contributors to Chaos is the nature of humanity itself. Humans – no matter how peaceful, clean, and healthy their environment – are at heart wild animals ready to strike. Especially when confronted with something they deem threatening.

The soul of Utopian SF is dark satire. And Fred Perry’s Incident on I-95’s got that. In spades.

Picture if you will: a man disembarks from a bus. A stranger out for an innocent walk, and on snowy peaceful night…

As Incident heads towards its crescendo, the man strolls casually through lanes and alleyways. Taking in the serenity of a small, perfect town. But his wanderings are about to take a turn for the worse – into the hands of a bloodthirsty, angry mob. As to what triggers the violence? Read the script. Because this is one satisfying twist you’ll never guess…

A simplistic story wrapped in rich, deep visuals, Incident on I-95 is a joy to read. All the way from its soothing beginnings, to the thought provoking climatic end!

Budget: Moderate. A quick shot of a bus, and small-town streets. Lots of extra for the crowd.

About the writer, Fred Perry: Fred Perry has worked as a screenwriter in Europe, Mexico and the U.S., co-authoring six feature films for Omega Entertainment, Athens, Greece, as well as collaborating on multiple projects with Alfonso Arau (director of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE and A WALK IN THE CLOUDS).

Fred’s screenplays have won numerous awards. His dark comedy short, FIVE DAYS IN CALCUTTA, won the Grand Prize in the 2014 Palm Street Films Screenplay Competition (shorts category), 1st Place at the 2014 Richmond International Film Festival (comedy screenplay genre), 1st Place, 2013 Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition (shorts), the Grand Prize, 2014 American Movie Awards (shorts), 1st, 2013 DC Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition, 1st, 82nd (2013) Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition (subsequently published), the Gold Prize in the 2013 Hollywood Screenplay Competition (shorts), and 1st in the 2012 PAGE International Screenplay Awards (shorts). The script will shoot this January, directed by Dawn Fields of Palm Street Films.

His feature sci-fi script, CROSSINGS won the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Screenplay at the 2014 Richmond International Film Festival, 1st at the 2014 Omaha Film Festival, 1st in the 9th annual Filmmakers International Screenplay Competition, 1st in the 2013 Holiday Screenplay Competition, and was a semifinalist in the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships.

He is a published playwright, his two-act, THE ASCENSION OF TWYLA POTTS, winning the 2013 London Film Festival (stage play category), and earning the Special Marquee Award at this year’s American Film Awards. Fred has also written and directed plays at the Colony Theatre in Los Angeles and the Carrollwood Players Theatre in Tampa Bay.

About the reviewer, Rod Thompson: I have been writing creatively since I learned how to write. There is just something about telling a story that I can never get over. Storytelling in itself is like an old flame that occasionally comes to me and just says, “Use me.” The ability to watch a movie through words, or to craft a world in such a manner is the closest to Godliness that man will ever come. True story. Contact Rod at RodThompson1980 “AT” gmail.com

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Hello (20 pages in PDF format) by Rick Hansberry

Interesting what you can find in used bookstores – and often there’s a reason it’s there.

The genre “drama”; as a classification, it tends to be simplistic. Because underneath that ever-so-wide umbrella are a multitude of shades and layers. Thriller dramas: dealing with mysteries, plot turns… the penultimate ticking clock. Sociopolitical dramas: shedding their unforgiving light on society’s often violent conflicts. Emotional crisis dramas: focusing on the impact of fate’s cruel slings and arrows – and the pain that inevitably results. Then there are Introspective dramas – examining the quirky details of Life. Hello belongs in this last category. A gentle, quiet indie script – offering a wry commentary on modern romance…

Young woman Lexi is looking for love. Her best friend is Will – a plugged in young guy, embroiled in a long-distance relationship himself. As the script opens, Lexi’s dragging Will into a used video/bookstore (the absolute last place he’d want to be.) And the last place a relationship might be kindled. But as Will flees to the store next door, Lexi reaches for a book. And finds herself face to face with Chase. A chance encounter. Is it fate?

It’s the perfect “meeting of souls”. But can it survive the cold light of reality? At first, Lexi and Chase’s relationship seems perfect. Until she senses a sea-change in his mood. Along with underlying character traits, not evident upon first meeting. Assisted by ever-supportive Chase, Lexi examines the dynamics of her new relationship. Different personalities. Different lives. A union perhaps not meant to be.

Let’s face it. Everyone’s been there. What can a girl do when faced with a relationship that clicked, then clacked? Can one ever expect a happy ending from a used bookstore called the Second Time Around? Or escape the impulses that make us love who and what we do?

Though firmly set in modern day, Hello reads like a remake of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” – enacted by the cast of Friends. Rest assured, that’s a compliment. Each character an actor’s dream role – endowed with depth and vitality. The dialog’s smart; oozing subtext like beer at a frat party.

In the hands of the right director, Hello has lots of indie potential. A short, eminantly affordable drama that awaits the proper quirky touch.

Budget: Very affordable. A handful of characters, and easily obtainable settings.

About the writer: Rick Hansberry has written/produced several short films, including the SAG Foundation award-winning “Branches.” He teaches screenwriting seminars and workshops in the Central Pennsylvania area and is presently available for hire for new story ideas, rewrites and adaptations. He can be reached at djrickhansberry – AT – msn, (cell phone 717-682-8618) and IMDB credits.

About the reviewer: Michael O’Farrell is a mathematician who worked on the Space Shuttle Program and now writes fiction.

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A Line in the Sand (6 pages in pdf format) by Tim Westland

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. – The Dalai Lama

“A Line in the Sand,” a short screenplay by award-winning screenwriter (and graphic novelist) Tim Westland, describes a gritty dystopian future, a civilization on the edge, at a crossroads — a dramatic, high-tension moment that could either rescue mankind from itself or cause our society to unravel completely.

The story takes place in 2037, and like all the best tales of futuristic dystopias (e.g. Blade Runner, The Matrix, etc.), “A Line in the Sand” is a masterful blend of two things: First, it’s a rockin’ good sci-fi story (complete with all the trimmings — UltraMarines, exo-suits, and high-tech weaponry) with a somber gloominess about it. This is one possible future that we hope never comes to pass. And secondly — it’s totally plausible. It could come to pass. “A Line in the Sand” pits religious fanaticism against nuclear madness. It’s like a headline from today’s news — projected twenty years into the future. Scary, to say the least.

There’s a third thing that ramps up the emotional impact of this script — more than anything else it’s a story about people. Specifically two people: two men, both warriors, but radically different nonetheless. One is a military man trying to save the world; the other a fanatical religious terrorist trying to tear it to shreds.

They meet on a California beach at sunset after the terrorist group has destroyed a nuclear reactor. It’s a horrific scene. As UltraMarine John Hawkins says, it’s “going to stain this coastline for the next ten thousand years.” While he combs through the rubble on the beach, he stumbles upon a lone survivor, one of the terrorists. The man is badly injured, “covered with festering radiation sores.” Hawkins could kill him right then and there. Why not? An eye for an eye and all that. Among the horror and the wreckage, what’s one more death?

But the damage is already done; one more death won’t make things right. And Hawkins is a compassionate man. So when the injured terrorist asks for a favor – the chance to enjoy one last sunset – Hawkins carries him to the beach and props him up against a rock at the water’s edge. As they listen to the waves crash against the shoreline and watch the sun touch the horizon, the two men share philosophies: one contemplating a grim future, the other with not much future left.

But which is which? And, the terrorist’s story-line isn’t quite yet. It turns out there’s still some life radiating within him.

Is the Dalai Lama right? Without compassion can humanity survive?

Maybe Hawkins should have killed him when he had the chance…

Budget: Moderate-to-high. Some futuristic scene setting may be required, but with some creativity (or some CGI), they could be simulated.

About the writer: The co-writer of the acclaimed graphic novel Chasing the Dead, Tim Westland received first place for Balls Out in the NNYM 15 page contest. A moderator at Moviepoet, he’s an outstanding writer with an eye for the details. His IMDB page can be found here.

About the reviewer: Helen Magellan (a pseudonym) is a successful screenwriter with several produced short scripts under her belt.

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Bullion (27 page short comedy in pdf format) by Josh Park

A stand-up comedian, in the midsts of a dramatic new life change that’s forcing him to grow up, finds Nazi gold in the backyard.

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Over on the Original Scripts page are thirty four original scripts for your reading pleasure.

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http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/dropbox-public-folders-will-soon-become-private-folders-for-basic-users-1638697

If you have less than five scripts impacted, you can resubmit via the Submit Your Script link. If you think you have more than five, Contact Me and I’ll shoot you a list of your scripts to update.

Written in haste,

Don

Milkshake (American Milkshake) – September 28, 2011 unspecified draft script by David Andalman & Mariko Munro – hosted by: GAGOOSH Entertainment – in pdf format

Jolie is an avid hip-hop fan who romanticizes the tough backgrounds of rappers like Tupac Shakur, dreams of being a rich basketball star, in order to support his African American girlfriend, Henrietta, who is pregnant with another man’s baby. He makes the team due to a large donation from his well-off father, and believes that he is one step closer to becoming the one thing that he is not: Black.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Sunrise – Undated, unspecified script by Alanna Smith – hosted by: Sunrise – in pdf format

An Egyptian vampire gifted with the ability to create fire, is torn away from his one true love when turned into a vampire.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Heartbeat (7 pages in pdf format) by Anthony Cawood

A florist is asked to help connect an unrequited lover with the object of his affection, with unexpected results.

A quiet day in a quiet florists finds store assistant, Maisy, counting her every heartbeat in a bid to alleviate the boredom.

Enter Derin, scruffy yet sincere, and – more importantly – in the market for flowers. For Derin it’s a special occasion; he’s got love on his mind. A certain kind of love that requires a certain kind of flower and Devin’s darned if he knows his Tulips from his Roses in matters of floral arrays.

If only there were someone to guide him…

As luck (and training) would have it Maisy has the answer to his quest – Daffodils. Unfortunately for Derin what she doesn’t have is Daffodils. They’re not in season and try as she might there’s no second best for Devin when it comes to affairs of the heart. Devin leaves empty handed. Maisy gets back to counting the minutes.

One quiet day rolls into another and as Maisy turns up the next day to open shop she makes a surprise discovery. A certain kind of discovery that sets her heart to racing faster than she can count.

But anything more would be spoiling the surprise.

Anthony Cawood’s Hearbeat offers a sweet tale of a young man’s first step on the road to love. The offbeat and understated style doesn’t so much as grab you by the hand and take you for a ride as much as smile and ask you to follow. Straightforward with minimal locations/characters and a few handy flowers as props. Great for a filmmaker looking for a heartfelt short to win an audience over.

Production: Florist shop. Three Actors.

About the writer: Anthony Cawood is an award-winning and produced screenwriter. He has sold/optioned four feature screenplays, and sold/optioned over forty short scripts, many of which have been filmed. Outside of his extensive screenwriting career, Anthony is also a published short story writer, interviewer and movie reviewer. Links to his films and details of his scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

About the reviewer: Steve Miles started writing scripts around five years ago after realizing that his social life was vastly overrated. He enjoys writing in a variety of genres but leans toward raw, grittier characters and the worlds they inhabit – from the deadly serious to the darkly comic. Drinks coffee, owns an unhealthy amount of plaid and uses a calculator for the most basic of sums. Check out more of his work at sjmilesscripts.webs.com

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Retrocausality (11 pages in pdf format) by Ian J. Courter

Scientists probe the past to find the source of radiation affecting the present only to discover the surprising cause.

From “Terminator” to “Time Bandits,” “Back To The Future” and “Planet Of The Apes,” the cinema has always been fascinated with the “what ifs” of time travel. Just as mankind is intrigued by what is to come, we’re equally enthralled by what could have been. It’s human nature to want to undo what’s been done. To rewrite what’s been written.

What screenwriter Ian J. Courter has written is an inventive twist on the genre. His short, “Retrocausality,” starts with overzealous scientists* who have cornered the market not only on time travel, but time sensing (the ability to peek back in time) as well. Their current project: a look back to ancient Mongolia. They’ve captured data on an unexplained nuclear reaction, and plan to open a real-time probe portal to investigate its origin.

In order to get the real-time data feed, scientist Jacobs (a “thin and geeky” brainiac) tells his pudgy counterpart Mabry they’ll need to boost the power of their generator to 112%. The request sets off big-time alarms in Mabry’s mind.

            MABRY
What?! You trying to fry us all?

            JACOBS
We’re good… as long as the coolant
flows. If it starts to over-clock
too much…

            MABRY
       (overlapping)
You mean “melt down.”

Jacobs spins his chair towards his colleague.

            JACOBS
Semantics

Semantics, indeed. But it’s too late to call off orders, and so the investigation proceeds. The portal to 1227 is opened and the probe slides through in daylight… at ground level, no less. Yet another high risk play.

            MABRY
The doorway is at ground level.
Stuff can get through.

            JACOBS
These are the coordinates they gave me.
Besides, as if birds couldn’t get through before.

Mabry opens his mouth to retort… And his worst fears are quickly proven right.

Within seconds, hundreds of Mongolian warriors spot the probe and race toward it, a hostile force. The scientists scramble to get the probe back through the portal – the primitive horde in hot pursuit. With the already steaming generator close to melt-down, the situation becomes a heart pounding race both for survival and time. Will the team close the portal before it’s breached? And even if they do… will there be a present day world left to save?

Are you a SF director in search of an intelligent time-travel tale…? One that’s unique, not cliché? Then give Retrocausality a scientific look. Yes, you’ll need a solid FX budget to do this one right. But it’s a story that audiences won’t soon forget!

* Arrogant scientists pushing the boundaries of nature…. what time travel story would be complete without some of them?!

About the writer: Ian J. Courter has an academic and technical-writing background, and is published in both fields, so a shift to another form of writing seemed natural. He strives to combine his writing skills with nearly two decades of military experience to develop screenplays with vivid locations and in-depth, realistic characters. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion. In only a few short years, he has written three feature-length screenplays and nine short scripts. He currently has several feature-length scripts in various stages of development and continually seeks inspiration for more. His email address is ian.j.courter (a) gmail.com.

About the reviewer: Zack Zupke is a writer in Los Angeles. He can be contacted via email at zzupke (a) yahoo

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