MATE-ING (11-page short comedy screenplay) Written by Robert Spence

Two twenty-something friends, Mark and Nat, maneuver their way through the contemporary dating scene with disastrous results.

I, for one, was never a fan of the single life. The awkward dates, the insecurity of even approaching someone, the weak pick-up lines, getting shut down, the online dating horror stories you hear… it’s just not for me. But, if there ever was a silver lining, it was having entertaining stories to tell your friends after a bad date.

In Robert Spence’s hilariously raunchy dating comedy, Mark and Nat (Natalie) are both single twenty-somethings who happen to be platonic friends. And both have their share of dating disasters, which they enjoy sharing with each other.

The story opens with Nat having a clumsy and weird sexual soiree with a man named Brad. As the writer hilariously describes, they’re “having something that resembles sex”.On top of the awkward and labored dirty talk, Brad ends up having a bit of an accident: let’s just call it a case of premature evacuation – bowel evacuation.

But Nat, the sweet girl she is, tries to make Brad as comfortable as possible, helping him change the sheets after his poo incident. Nevertheless, it doesn’t look like they’ll be having another date.

Meanwhile, Mark is a brash and confident playboy who gets around. He has his own set of rules that he likes to follow on dates. Especially after his most recent farce of a sexual encounter with a raging cocaine addict who ends up having an overdose – at the same time the fire alarm is pulled and everyone has to evacuate outside. Talk about bad timing. Luckily, it turns out the girl was okay. It was more of her just passing out than an actual overdose. However, unluckily, Mark left his wallet in the girl’s hotel room. And he later finds out that she used the card, spending $600 – talk about an expensive date.

Now, this was written as a pilot, but it can stand alone as a short film. That being said, I really think, as a show, it has plenty of potential for some really funny episodes with interesting story lines. The writer already sets up a nice “will they, won’t they” subplot with the platonic friends who may or may not have a history of their own.

Carried by smart, funny, yet raunchy dialogue, “Mate-Ing” has a lot of potential with likable and relatable leads – highly recommended to any filmmakers looking to tickle some funny bones.

BUDGET: Low. Common, easy-to-shoot locations, four actors (two leads).

ABOUT THE WRITER: Robert Spence is a Scottish writer who currently resides in Perth, Australia. He graduated from the Screen Academy for Scotland in 2012 with a Masters in screenwriting and has written a variety of short scripts, pilot episodes and feature scripts. Robert’s goal is to improve upon his craft and hopefully have some of his work produced in the near future. Robert can be reached at rspence1989 (a) gmail.

Read: MATE-ING (11-page short comedy screenplay)

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*This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

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Shout out to Matthew Dressel long time contributor to SimplyScripts.

Joel David Moore, Bob Saget, Jason Jones, Carly Chaikin & Mary Lynn Rajskub To Star In Comedy ‘Blue Iguana’, First In 3-Pic Cayman Islands Deal — EFM

Blue Iguana will shoot on the island of Grand Cayman starting March 8. Directed by Canadian filmmaker Jeremy LaLonde (James vs. His Future Self), the pic is scripted by Matthew Dressel (You Tube comedy series The Pilot is Dead).

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Thanks Bob and SW for the heads up:

Over The Moon – July 30, 2020 draft script by Audrey Wells – hosted by: Deadline Hollywood – in pdf format

Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Over on the Unproduced scripts page are fourteen original scripts for your reading pleasure. Read ’em and talk about ’em on the Discussion Board.

– Don

Thanks Bob, SW and Barksid for the heads up on this scripts up for award consideration.

Minari – Undated, unspecified draft script by Lee Isaac Chung – hosted by: Deadline Hollywood – in pdf format

Yearning to own a small patch of land and be more than a chicken sexer, the ambitious paterfamilias, Jacob Yi, relocates his Korean-American family, sceptical wife, Monica, and their children, David and Anne, from California to 1980s rural Arkansas, to start afresh and capture the elusive American Dream. However, new beginnings are always challenging, and to find out what is best for the family, let alone start a 50-acre farm to grow and sell Korean fruits and vegetables, is easier said than done. But, amid sincere promises, cultural unease, fleeting hopes, and the ever-present threat of financial disaster, Jacob is convinced that he has found their own slice of Eden in the rich, dark soil of Arkansas. Can grandma Soon-ja’s humble but resilient minari help the Yi family figure out their place in the world?

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks Richie for the heads up on this script up for award consideration.

The United States vs Billie Holiday – Undated, final picture draft script by Suzan-Lori Parks (Based on the Book, “Chasing the Scream” by Johann Hari) – hosted by: Deadline Hollywood – in pdf format

Follows Holiday during her career as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she had a tumultuous affair.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Our own Steven Clark sat down with Saint Frances scribe, Kelly O’Sullivan to talk about her work.

For Saint Frances scribe, it’s about acceptance

With a lifetime of acting experience to draw from, Kelly O’Sullivan knew the winds of change were blowing. She wanted to write a screenplay. Spurred on by creative forces such as Greta Gerwig and Olivia Wilde, Kelly strongly felt it was her turn to say something important. That this was her time.

However, a problem existed.

“I didn’t know how to do it,” she admits. “I’d never taken a writing class, and I literally didn’t know how to write in screenplay format. I didn’t even know what on spec meant. I guess it means writing it for free, not knowing if it’ll ever get made?”

Saint Frances (now streaming on Amazon) picks up the trail of Bridget (O’Sullivan — she stars in the movie, too), a 34 year-old waitress, trudging through a middling existence, until she takes a job as a nanny for Frances, an energetic six-year-old. Throughout, Bridget navigates a younger lover, an abortion, menstruation, post-partum depression, and Frances’ mixed race lesbian parents.

Seems like some weighty issues for a first-time writer to tackle.

“I always knew I was going to write about those topics realistically and unapologetically. A huge intention of the film was to normalize experiences that might have been othered previously. Before I got my abortion, I didn’t know a medication abortion was possible or even legal. It made me angry that most of the TV and film I’d seen that depicted abortion made it seem scary and mysterious. So, starting from that place of lived experience, I knew I was going to show what that experience was like for me.”

To say Saint Frances removes the societal stigma/confusion associated with these topics is an understatement. O’Sullivan’s casual presentation makes them feel more akin to a fresh Spring breeze as opposed to ripping off a Band-Aid.

“There’s a cool sort of magic trick the movie plays where, if an audience member is saying ‘why’s there so much blood?’ or ‘why are the parents gay?’ it says far more about that audience member’s point of view about what should be onscreen.”

Still, the success and beauty of the film is it doesn’t emphasize these issues at all. Saint Frances relies more upon a theme of acceptance and, ultimately, perseverance. It’s Bridget’s journey from 34-year-old underachiever to, well, 34-year-old underachiever, albeit with a more enlightened perspective than she had going in. It’s something that resonates with its writer/star.

“Self-acceptance is something I’m constantly working on, in the context of be your best self and hurry culture. If we’re truly trying, I think we all need to cut ourselves some slack.”

An actor since the age of six, Kelly’s first role was one of the Hummel children in a production of Little Women at the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theater. From there, it was game on.

“I loved the drama of it. Hanging out in the greenroom with a bunch of kids and adults who loved the same nerdy things I did. Dreams!”

Her parents, though supportive, were understandably skeptical. “My parents were incredibly supportive of acting being my favorite hobby, although they worried when I chose acting as a career. Which I totally get. But they never tried to totally dissuade me. They still travel to see every play I’m in, and they’ve been so supportive of the movie. I’m incredibly lucky to have them.”

That’s not to say everything has been colored bubbles.

“Through rejection and lack of agency, I’ve had my heart broken about a million times. I’ve spent tons of time “in between” projects (unemployed) as an actor, but I never truly wanted to leave it. I just wanted more of a voice and control. Writing this screenplay was my first big departure from acting. I realize the irony in that since I wrote myself a starring part in the film, but writing was a way to expand on what I love while bypassing what I didn’t like about acting.”

Having received a fair amount of Oscar buzz, as well as being named an IndieWire Critics Pick and garnering O’Sullivan a Gotham nod, Saint Frances remains a work that “felt true to me,” she states, while fully aware of what it took to make it happen.

“I had an acting manager a few years ago who told me this: You’ve got a few more years left where this is either going to happen or it’s not. And I just thought – how can anybody in this industry or culture feel good about themselves if they’re staring down that very limiting and pressurized mindset?

“So, I left that manager and wrote something that felt true to me, not having any idea if audiences would respond to it. I think that is a kind of self-acceptance. To walk away from others’ expectations and follow your gut, letting that be enough.”

They have, and it is.

About The Interviewer: Based in upstate, NY, Steven Clark is the writer of over 30 short scripts, several of which are under option, in pre-production, or have already been made into films. On A Clear Night, a family Christmas feature aimed at a Hallmark Channel-type audience, is currently in the works. Steven can be reached at Steamroller138 (a) gmail. You can tweet @SACScreenwriter and check out his work on his website.