The Halloween One Week Challenge has begun

*photo credit PH Cook

Best Adapted Screenplay
Women Talking – August 16, 2021 revised draft script by Sarah Polley (Based on the book by Miriam Toews) – hosted by: United Artists – in pdf format

Do nothing. Stay and fight. Or leave.

In 2010, the women of an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith.

Information courtesy of IMDb

Best Original Screenplay
Everything Everywhere All At Once – November 20, 2022 ‘Evelyn’ shooting draft script by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – hosted by: No Film School – in pdf format

A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.

Information courtesy of IMDb

Everything Everywhere All At Once – December 18, 2017 ‘Jackie Chan’ draft script by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – hosted by: A24 – in pdf format

A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.

Information courtesy of IMDb

 
 
Read other 2023 Oscar nominated screenplays
Read winners through the years.

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page there are a few unproduced, original scripts for your reading pleasure.

On another note, I’ve gotten a lot of scripts in unusual formatting recently and while I applaud anyone who can churn out a good story, it really, really helps when the screenwriter uses industry format.

please make it easier for me to read your story by not asking me to adapt to your unusual formatting style.

I thought this article Best free Cloud-based Script writing Online Tools was useful information. Weigh in on what you’re using.

– Don

Mikey’s Discount Drive-In Ep 4: W/ Actor Asta Paredes

EP 2: MALT LIQUOR & WRITING (w/ writing/directing team Them Thorntons)

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).

Read the rest of the article.

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.

Check out Anthony’s insightful interview with Matthew J. Lawrence – Writer/Director of Coven of Evil. There is a lot of good info and lessons learned for up an coming writer/directors. Check it out!.

You can watch Coven of Evil on Amazon Prime!

Cherokee Nation Film Office (CNFO) looking to connect with Native American screenwriters.

CNFO works to increase the presence of Natives in every level of the film and TV industries. We have launched the first-ever all-Native directories of talent, crew, consultants and film-friendly business and support services that are within the Cherokee Nation and/or are Native. You can learn more about the native talent directories here. These directories are one-stop-shop for productions looking to hire Natives.

It is our goal to start a conversation with you to spread the word these directories exist and are open for all Natives to join. Would you be willing to share to your audience that CNFO directories are looking to register screenwriters?

To register, just log onto www.cherokee.film and sign up under our “Directories” tab.

Contact Preston Smith, Cherokee Nation Film Office Database Specialist with questions about submissions or any other information that is needed.