Keeping it Fresh (6 pages in pdf format) by Rick Hansberry

Ken and Ruth have done it all. Except this.

What are you willing to do to keep things fresh? That’s a question many couples in their 60s dare to ask, and Ken and Ruth do their best to answer.

Does Fresh mean honest? Or just exciting? And when the stakes are ‘whatever needs to be done to share one’s life’, how can a couple truly know?

As veteran writer Rick Hansberry’s script opens, we meet Ken and Ruth in their well worn family car; tersely discussing their “action plan.” Ruth’s awash with nerves – her hands playing with a folded piece of paper. Ken tries to be sensitive to her concerns, but fails miserably at every attempt.

Where is this duo going? And why?

Their destination – a grocery store. What on Earth could be nerve racking there?

Soon, we discover Ken and Ruth are in… a race. Of what kind? The truth’s unclear. But what unfolds next is a comedy of errors – a wondrous blend of anxiety and charm. Imagine the slapstick as Ken and Ruth dodge obstacles, friends, enemies, wet floors, and – of course – time.

What will the finish line reveal? We won’t spoil the surprise (or the produce). But you will find a warm, sophisticated comedy – ala a young June Squibb or Seymour Cassell.

This is a script with tons of buy-one-get-two-free.  Including: a budget friendly tale, featuring characters of a “specific” (and underrepresented) age. All of which makes this story stand out – and write it’s way into even old and jaded hearts.

Need some older actors? Consider giving your parents’ “cool” friends something to do for a day. But regardless of who you cast, you’ll charm your way into festivals with this Fresh, young-at-heart gem!

Budget: All that’s needed are two good actors, and access to a deli or supermarket – at least a few aisles.

About the writer: Rick Hansberry is a screenwriter, producer and director with more than 20 years of industry experience. His SAG Foundation award-winning Branches features narration by Daniel Stern and garnered international festival awards. In 2017 his thriller/horror film, Evil In Her was released on Amazon Video and Vimeo On Demand. His most recent short, inspired by true events, has won praise for its portrayal of one girl’s positive approach to handling her Type 1 Diabetes. You can view It’s Not Permanent free on YouTube. Rick has two shorts playing in the festival circuit now and has several other shorts and features available here 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 available here.

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About the reviewer: Rachel Kate Miller is a veteran of the feature animation industry, having worked on several Oscar winning films, bringing stories to life. In 2012, she left animation to move to Chicago and run the design department for President Obama’s reelection campaign. She is now living in New York, writing, consulting on various projects and creating an educational animated series for elementary students focused on engaging kids in science. Want to drop Rachel line? She can be reached at rachelkate.miller (a) gmail.

A Face To Die For (6 pages in pdf format) by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau

A man with the ability to make people laugh with a funny face finds his gift his worst nightmare when his loved ones suffer the consequences…

In A Face To Die For, Jeff has a secret weapon. A unique skill: His face is funny. Not just funny “ha ha”. Seriously funny – you could literally die laughing when Jeff pulls ‘his special face’ on you.

Which may sound dire… but it’s a skill that gets Jeff out of any scrape:

• Can’t pay the rent? Pull the face.
• Is a cop approaching your vehicle – speeding ticket in his hand? No problem. Pull the face.
• Didn’t finish your work? Performance evaluations are due. And the dreaded Boss is on your case? Easy peasy. Pull the face.

You get the idea. Jeff gets what he wants, when he wants. All due to that simple, secret gift.

But what does Jeff want most? To make his girlfriend Yhanna and her young daughter Betty happy all the time. So Jeff pulls ‘the face’ every day, in order to keep them amused… until one terrible day when tragedy strikes. Leaving Jeff to realize: power is no laughing matter. Not when lives are at stake.

Which leaves Jeff to make hard decisions in his life. What should he do to protect himself? And the ones he loves most of all?

Written by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau, A Face to Die For has an awesome hook. Wow, is this a doozy! If you know – or consider yourself – a young Jim Carrey, imagine the possibilities! A talented actor could bring brilliance to this performance – and the script itself is razor sharp. So don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Get to reading A Face to Die For. Now!

Production: Minimal. 4 main speaking parts (and extras for the montage).

About the Writer: Jean-Pierre Chapoteau started writing feature-length scripts in 2005, then focused on shorts in 2009. Since then he’s had three scripts produced and two more optioned. He has won several awards for his shorts and has become a moderator at the site MoviePoet, who specialize in the craft of the short scripts. Jean-Pierre was a finalist in the RAW TALENT Competition for his faith-based feature-length script: ‘Far From Perfect.’ And was also a semi-finalist in the SLAMDANCE teleplay competition and a finalist in the OBSWRITER teleplay contest for his adapted teleplay, Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Guardian. You can contact Jean-Pierre Chapoteau at: jeanpierre425 (a) gmail.com

Read A Face To Die For (6 pages in pdf format)

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About the Reviewer: Elaine Clayton is a London-based screenwriter, who has written several well-received shorts and is currently working on her first feature length scripts. Comfortable in a broad range of genres, Elaine has an innate sense of structure and arc development. Contact her at Elaine_clayton (AT) Hotmail(.)co(.)uk

How to Talk to Women (pdf format) by Marnie Mitchell-Lister

When an old trunk is unearthed at his construction site, a lonely guy’s life takes a turn for the better.

Bradley Taylor is a lovely guy: kind heart, good job, real nice home. The problem is: it’s a home that’s empty. What Bradley’s missing is a lady love. Someone to share his life with. Sure, Bradley’s got a personality that makes him a keeper: but he gets tongue-tied each time a prospect comes along.

Still, Bradley’s being proactive – doing his best to improve his chances and skills. Including reading a self-help book – unimaginatively titled: How to Talk to Women.

A no-brainer, easy-fix.

Or is it too simplified? After all, the best laid plans of Mice and Men are often complicated by real Life.

Especially when Bradley finally meets the girl of his dreams: Agent Dana Parker. The setting: a construction site. The situation: the discovery of a dead body which may – or may not – be Jimmy Hoffa.

Almost immediately, Bradley sets out to impress Dana. But he’s busy being anyone but himself, and messing up… big time. Even funnier is the other side of the equation: that Dana’s perusing a self-help book herself: ‘ Be Irresistible to Men’. And she’s diligently following all the steps.

Even if that results in giving Bradley the world’s worst massage, in an awkward attempt to flirt:

     Vinny approaches as Taylor tries to stand.

            TAYLOR
You gotta help me. I don’t want
her to know she hurt me.

Ironic isn’t it? Kindred spirits and crossed wires. Two would-be lovers trying soooooo hard to connect that wrong signals and mixed messages whistle like missiles through the air.

In the end, neither knows where they stand. Or in Bradley’s case, how to stand.

Will these two losers in love end up winning hearts? Or at least score a first date?

Get this page turner under construction as soon as you can. Sure, the setting’s so unromantic it hurts. But if you wanna push boundaries on genres, then Marnie Mitchell-Lister’s your gal. With this short film, you’re building something meant to last. Think Two Weeks Notice – and hammer your way to festival success!

Budget: The setting’s really up to you and how much of a construction site you want. It’s easy to keep it real simple with the focus on the two main characters.

Marnie Mitchell-Lister has creative A.D.D. Some of her writing can be read here: BrainFluffs.com. Some of her photography can be seen here: marnzart.wordpress.com.

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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.

About the reviewer: Elaine Clayton is a London-based screenwriter, who has written several well received shorts and is currently doing a Masters in Playwriting and Scriptwriting. Comfortable in a broad range of genres, Elaine has an innate sense of structure and arc development. Contact her at Elaine_clayton (a) hotmail(.)co(.)uk

Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow (7 pages in pdf format) by Dave Lambertson

A bad marriage can turn some people into monsters…

Ever wonder how the most famous couples in fiction made it work after happily ever after? Couples like Tarzan and Jane, Anna and Kristoff, or… Frankenstein and his bride? Well, it might not be as blissful as you’d imagine.

That’s just where we meet Frankenstein and his bride in Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow: in marriage counseling, years after Mary Shelley’s story. Hey, even monsters have problems. He’s distant and literally emotionless, she’s tired of doing the same old things and just wants to go on a killer date (pun intended).

One thing they do agree on: they might be unhappy, but they’re not ready to be separated. “We were literally made for each other” Frankenstein pleads. So the marriage counselor dives in and a really monstrous couples therapy session begins.

As the truth comes out and secrets are revealed, the monster and his bride near a breakthrough… but it seems that every step forward leads to the couple taking two steps back. Will they make it? Not to spoil anything, but this story ends with a nice surprise… and this script is a bloody good time.

Characters: 3 – Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, marriage counselor

Budget: Low to Mid. Really only two locations, three actors, but you may have to increase the makeup budget to make sure your Stein’s look appropriately gory. That being said, an experienced director with a great crew can make this one look hideous (in the best possible way!)

About the Writer, Dave Lambertson: I took up writing rather late in life having already been retired before I put pen to paper (okay – finger to computer key) for the first time. My favorite genres to read and write are dramedies and romantic comedies.

In addition to this short, I have written four features; “The Last Statesman” (a 2015 PAGE finalist and a Nicholl’s and BlueCat quarterfinalist), “The Beginning of The End and The End” (a PAGE Semi-Finalist). Taking Stock (a drama) and a new comedy – “Screw You Tube”. Want to learn more? Reach Dave at dlambertson “AT” hotmail! And visit his website.

Read Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow (7 pages in pdf format)

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: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter who offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. Reach him at his website, follow him on twitter @MitchScripts, or email him at Mitch.SmithScripts (a) gmail.

Slacker’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse by James Barron

Life after the zombie apocalypse is harsh and uncompromising. But for two stoners holed up in an apartment with a lifetime supply of weed, it’s more like an inconvenience.

Remember when Seth Rogen and Co. faced the biblical apocalypse in This Is the End? A few of them stumbled successfully through doomsday, but how would they fare if they were faced with a zombie apocalypse instead? This is the very question asked by James Barron’s The Slacker’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.

The answer? Not too well. Not at all.

Faced with Z Day and barricaded in their dorm, three friends (Mark, Steve and Liam) find themselves in a terrible pickle when their food runs out, leaving them starving and trapped – or worse. They intensely debate what to do: Steve and Liam vote to hold out one more day… aided by hits from their favorite bong. But Mark, the sensible non-stoner, insists they need to send someone outside to gather supplies and do recon. But who should be the lucky one?

Borrowing a cue from This Is the End, the trio draw toothpicks: he who pulleth the shortest stick is doomed to venture into the great unknown. Unfortunately for Mark, he’s inevitably chosen to leave for the munchie run – through a terrifying, zombified world.

What happens next? Well, without spoiling the finish, things go about as well as can be expected. And definitely not as planned.

A fun, chuckle-a-minute script, Slacker’s Guide has lots of things: stoner humor, Millennial appeal – and zombie action (no kidding). Scoop this up now… or wait until you take another hit from your bong for creative inspiration.

Fair warning though: act fast. This script might be picked up faster than a bag of Doritos in a stoner’s dorm.

Budget: Mid to high. A few locations (dorm room, hallway, stairway, food store). Lots of zombies, three good buddies and some props. Although, if you’re packing weed, you’ve got one of the major props covered already.

About the writer, James Barron: James can be reached at jbarron021 “AT” gmail

Read Slacker’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (14 pages in PDF format)

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: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter who offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. Reach him at his website, follow him on twitter @MitchScripts, or email him at Mitch.SmithScripts (a) gmail.

Outcall by Chris Beadnell

An elderly man gets a visit from a new home health aide – one with added benefits!

First impressions count. Especially at the start of a new job. It’s a chance to let your professionalism shine, and prove why you were hired in the first place – while demonstrating your top notch skill-set first hand.

This is the situation young Bambi finds herself in at the beginning of Chris Beadnell’s comedy short, Outcall.

A new girl at her agency, Bambi’s got to impress her boss, and satisfy her clients – totally. As we join her in her new venture, she’s preparing to meet a new customer. Is the girl dressed properly? Check. Does she know what her task entails? Double check.

But when she arrives at the address, confusion rears it’s ugly head. Because this locale isn’t your usual meet for Bambi’s line of work. And not a typical client either.

It’s not often you get an 82-year-old man named John requesting the following from a 20-something girl:

            BAMBI
So I have a shave, a back wash
and a massage. That’s what we’re
doing?

Then Bambi realises something else: the senile senior… stinks on ice! So she adds a quick shower to the list of on –the-job services, and gives the octogenarian a wet scrubbing. In the shower. Buck naked. An experience John relishes. Ah, customer service at its best!

But halfway through the shaving routine, two major twists run this train right off its tracks:

   Bambi’s phone rings.
   There’s a hurried knock at the door.

Maybe that’s coincidence. Or these events are connected. But if so – how? Only one person knows for sure, and that won’t be you…until you read the script!

This certainly ain’t a family friendly short, but it’s audience-friendly all the way. That ridiculous shower scene is a total gem: providing a mix of amusing/mature entertainment… with clever plot revelations along the way. It’s not often you see those two adjectives in the same sentence, but Outcall weds them instantly. Now, all it needs is the perfect Minister (um, “Director”) to finish the job… even if Bambi can’t.

Pick this one up, and you’ll be called in to many award ceremonies! With satisfied “clients” all the way!

Budget: Pretty low. Your primary priority: two great actors… with great comedic timing and chemistry!

About the writer, Chris Beadnell: With a 30+ year paramedic career, bearing witness to the complete spectrum of human emotion, I would use the creativity of writing as an escape from the reality of such a high pressure occupation. Most of my writing was never seen by anyone except a very select group of family and friends, and sometimes not even them. However, a serious eye injury in 2015 had me off work for months and the boredom of not working gave me the time and desire to learn the craft of script writing, and the stories locked in my mind finally had an avenue to flow. Chris can be reached out Cbeadnell (a) ymail.com or ChrisBeadnell.wordpress.com. Check out his other works.

Read Outcall (7 pages in pdf format)

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: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

Chef Musto by Steven Clark

What’s for dinner? That’s always the question when guests arrive…

Dinner parties: a chance to impress friends in more ways than one. While the overall vibe of the occasion is important, it’s the food that will be most remembered by patrons when all’s said and down – especially if a speciality dish is served…

In Steve Clark’s Chef Musto, the kitchen is just one of many rooms contained within an eloquent British mansion. This lavishness is particularly flaunted in the dining room, where a grand table is prepared to welcome soon-to-be-arriving dinner guests.

Unfortunately, the kitchen staff are anything but prepared. The Sous Chef is late, and exasperated Musto blames diminutive butler Radford for the mess. Musto’s assistant Hispanic Mi-Mi speaks no English, and stays out of the argument as it threatens to boil over the top. Steam is avoided when missing maestro Chris finally turns up, at the precise time he was instructed to arrive.

Fortunately, the wait proves worth it. If Chris was a soldier, he’d be covered in medals. Though new to the gig, his culinary experience shines through as the team speed their way through preparing the main dish’s sides.

And soon after Radford turns up the heat:

            RADFORD
The Davenport’s phoned.
Estimated time of arrival in five minutes.

While Davenport is only the party host, Musto knows all-too-well they’re behind schedule. As is common in Kitchen Nightmares, some shortcuts must inevitably be taken for the main course. Some rookie mistakes will surely be made – ones that lead to the hosts seeing the entrée before it should be unveiled…

Take a pinch of flavorsome dialogue, a drop of juicy plot twist, and sprinkle some spicy characters on top. Whip that all together ‘til it foams, and you’ve got a concoction of comedic incongruence called Chef Musto: Bon Appetite!

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned director, this culinary classic is sure to have guests heaping praise upon the chef. So cook this tantalizing script until it’s well done, and your audience will be demanding seconds – we guarantee!

Budget: Pretty low: give this just a little green, you’ll be cooking fine!

About the writer: 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. Check out his website BadRepScript.weebly.com and his other screenplays.

Read Chef Musto (8 pages in PDF format)

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: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

Yardwork by Marnie Mitchell-Lister

Sometimes, you just can’t take the nagging anymore…

No-one likes doing yardwork.

If someone claims to enjoy it, they’re most likely lying. It’s dull, tedious, and stressful. In other words, it’s no fun.

But then there’s Yardwork – a one-page script by Marnie Mitchell-Lister. A fun, fascinating read, Yard’s as short and brutal as they come.

The premise: a woman’s been gruesomely done-in by her husband. What’s the murder weapon, you ask? A weed-wacker, apparently.

But Sargeant Russo and Officer Jennings are on the case. If anyone’s going to “dig up” the truth, it’s them.

Just imagine all the clues: gory violence. Dark humor. And the most morbid of twists. Even if you’re no fan of the great outdoors, it’s safe to say filming Yardwork would be summer fun.

So put down the Strimmer and pick up a winner. And “grow” your next film project today!

Pages: One. Yes – one!

Budget: Minimal.

About the Writer: Marnie Mitchell-Lister has creative A.D.D. Some of her writing can be read here: BrainFluffs.com. Some of her photography can be seen here: marnzart.wordpress.com.

Read Yardwork (one page in pdf format)

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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.

About the reviewer: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

Avoidance (10 pages in pdf format) by James Barron

A socially awkward man goes to epic lengths to avoid having a conversation

Someone is following you. You hear the pitter patter of footsteps directly behind you. What to do? Quickly, you move into a crowd. Did you lose them? Nope, they’re still on your tail. The panic begins to set in. Is it a serial killer? A monster? Worse… it’s an annoying girl you used to know in high school!

This is the situation that Drew and his best friend Pat face in Avoidance, a great bro-comedy written by talented scribe James Barron. But they’re not being chased by just any girl, as Drew says:

            DREW
She’s hunting us. She’s the Predator.

            PAT
Stop saying she’s the Predator!

She may not be the Predator, but there’s seemingly no escape. After Drew spies Lidia, the somebody that he used to know (musical reference for ya), he freaks out and drags Pat along for the ride. Everywhere they try to hide (restaurant, crowd, alleyway), Lidia magically follows. What does she want? Has she seen them? Will Drew be forced to have an actual conversation with her? (gasp!)

Laugh out loud dialogue with a great ending punch, this one is perfect for a director looking to make a humorous Hangover-esque short about something we’ve all experienced: the attempt to avoid an uncomfortable (or boring, as the case may be) rendezvous.

Budget: Medium – only two actors with dialogue, but you need a Lidia to follow them, so three actors total. Several locations (restaurant, alleyway, streets) and several crowd scenes. A cunning director with an eye on the budget could probably make this on the cheap, but, as written, it may take a little cash to tell this story right.

About the writer: James loves to write comedy and action along with the occasional horror short. You can reach him at jbarron021 (a) gmail.

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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: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter who offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. Follow him on twitter @MitchScripts, or email him at Mitch.SmithScripts (a) gmail.