Stolen property. Revenge. A hit man. Screenwriter Colin Sharp’s latest short has all the makings of a suspense-filled thriller. Only… well, that title: Dracul-Stein. It’s absurd, right? And, that’s just what Sharp delivers with this hilarious, most-definitely absurd comedy.

Sharp takes his time setting up his world—a world where perhaps the worst script in the history of movie-making has just taken the Oscar. How can this be? Everyone wants to know. (Sharp hints, but never answers the question—is it because of the writer’s strike?)

One problem: Mikey Lewis believes the script, HIS script, Dracul-Stein, was stolen—from the original idea down to FADE OUT, and he’s definitely NOT happy about it. He’s determined. The Oscar-winning thief, Billy Villin, needs to pay for his misdeed.

So, Mikey does what any angry screenwriter would do. He hires a hit man. (Well, maybe not ANY screenwriter.) It’s here that we meet Shivers—shady, smartly dressed, and, of course, Italian.

            MIKEY
Shivers?

Yes. Stipulations. And, this stipulation is a doozy—one that’s responsible for a laugh-filled race to the finish: for Mikey to get full revenge, Shivers must complete the hit dressed as Dracul-Stein, the half-Dracula, half-Frankenstein character from the stolen script.

It’s here that Sharp’s script really takes off, with visuals that—well, I won’t spoil the finish, except to say, Sharp has you torn between laughter and empathy as poor Shivers, the most sympathetic hit man you’ll ever meet attempts to do the deed, in full costume, while reading provided lines, mere feet from Billy’s swimming pool.

Dracul-Stein is 10 pages of fun, the perfect project for a time when audiences are looking for an escape from a world seemingly on fire. It’s an easy shoot, relatively inexpensive, with a small cast, few locations and just enough small challenges to make it interesting. And, bonus, there’s simply no way you can’t have fun bringing poor Shivers to life.

Production Notes: Script includes light gunplay.

Locations: (residential interior, bar, street, exterior residential w/ pool, police interview room) could be shot as is, or minimized for simplified shooting.

Dream sequence includes audience shots (could be stock.)

Character costumes – easy to find or DIY.

Small cast. Additional Actor/Extras.

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*Dracul-Stein debuted as an entry in the August 2023 One Week Writer’s Challenge here on SimplyScripts.

About the Writer: Colin Sharp is an aspiring screenwriter whose lifelong love of film led him on to the road to writing his own stories. Whilst a fan of all genres of film, Colin primarily enjoys writing comedic tales but is also a sucker for romance and anything that will “scare the bejesus out of him.”

About the Reviewer: Paul Knauer is a produced screenwriter with two features in early development. His main focus is thrillers and slightly absurdist comedy with heart. But, Paul believes becoming a better writer requires pushing personal boundaries, so you’ll notice a thorough mix of genres in his portfolio. Much of his work has universal appeal, evidenced by successful productions in the UK, UAE and US–and options in Australia, Russia, India, Canada and Thailand. A recent feature of his was named a 2022 Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist.

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*This is not in the public domain. You must reach out to the screenwriter for permission to film. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.