The Skinny Samaritan by Mark Lyons

After a local hero is released from the hospital for being on a hunger strike, people at a nearby bus stop discuss the events that made him a legend, and possibly a martyr.

Though they claim to unite us, titans of politics and civil rights movements divide opinion regularly.

From Christ to Churchill to Clinton, public figures who preach their values and views often stir up as much conflict as they aim to quell.

In Mark Lyons’ The Skinny Samaritan, Kenneth – the titular character – may not be running for commander in chief or world savior. But his recent release from a hospital provokes heated debate among commuters, anyway.

You see, Kenneth’s earned his nickname by going on a hunger strike. As far as his motivation goes, not everyone thinks he’s justified.

He should be punished, exclaims Rosalie. He should be praised, retorts Greg. As these two bus stop regulars bicker, Jarvis – the new guy in town – asks “what’s up with Kenneth?”

Boy – did he step in it with that one!

What exactly is Kenneth’s cause? What has he done to nudge it along? And which “side” is more sympathetic in your eyes? You’ll have to read The Skinny Samaritan yourself (and ponder the question) to decide.

No matter one’s political leanings, one constant remains true: audiences hunger for films that make them think. If you’re a director that craves intelligent drama, Samaritan’s a tasty offering. One you shouldn’t push away.

Budget: Pretty low – all that’s needed is a decent cast, and a bus.

About the writer: Mark Lyons is a four-time award-winning screenwriter from Youngstown, Ohio. He’s written several scripts, including The Ephesian, which won Best Drama at the 2015 Austin Revolution Film Festival (which also garnered him a Best Screenplay nomination), and was selected Best Drama for the Cinema Constant 2015. He also penned Best Film award-winner “God’s Empty Acre”, which was filmed as Girl(s) at the 2013 Winter Shorts Film Festival and Best Drama at the 2013 World Independent Film Expo. He was also nominated for a Best Screenplay award at the 2016 Action on Film Festival. Check out his author page on Amazon and his other scripts. He can be reached at markielyons1107 (a) gmail

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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.

Our Time Deserves a Love Song by Marnie Mitchell-Lister

An aging musician relives his first love when someone asks what inspired him to write a particular love song.

Fact: The worlds oldest song, an Ancient Egyptian melody in 1400BC, was a love song; a tribute from a man to his wife.

And judging by the current charts, the magic of love has and continues to perennially create thousands of spellbinding sounds for our ears to enjoy, many based on personal experiences of the artist.

Our Time Deserves A Love Song delves into the backstory of “Love Song”, an unreleased track by acoustic legend Adam Stern. Asked by a superfan on a chat-show TV interview about the origins of the tune, we’re whisked back over 3 decades to his teenage years in Cape Cod.

At first, there’s not even a note of love in the sea air. His parents are divorced, and his middle-aged Dad’s driving him to his former other half. Also in the car is Father’s new girl, a beauty half his age. Of course, Adam’s parents end up relishing the chance to insult each other when they arrive.

But adults aren’t the only ones insulting one another – Adam’s non-conforming music taste and fashion sense sees him ostracized by the local cool kids.

Yet it’s at this point when the first verse begins:

            GIRL (O.S.)
Don’t sweat them retahds.

Sure, it ain’t the most romantic sentence, but this girl, Mary, turns out to be perfectly in tune with Adam.

As they bond through their love of music and having family problems, it’s clear these two go together like guitar and drum, complimenting one another perfectly.

Sadly, as with all good songs, this one ends suddenly and far too soon. So Adam does the only thing he can do: compose a tribute to this brief romance that’s so beautiful the audience cannot help but applaud loudly when he performs it.

And if you show this film at festivals, real life audiences will have a similar reaction!

In fact, this is one script that’s already proven it’s appeal: As an August 2009 One Week Challenge selected script. And it’s been successfully table read as well. You can listen to that here:

Our Time Deserves A Love Song by Marnie Mitchell [ 13:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6027)

Budget: Moderate. Though, get a good tune for this one!

About the writer: An award winning writer and photographer, Marnie Mitchell-Lister’s website is available at BrainFluffs.com/. Marnie’s had multiple shorts produced and placed Semi-final with her features in BlueCat.

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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.

A Cure for Loneliness by Richard Russell

A psychiatrist searches for a way to connect his lonely patients.

Loneliness. One of the paradoxes of our time. We’re more “connected” to others in the world than ever thanks to technology, but no-one seems to be willing to connect in reality. Why bother to talk about the relative dullness of life when there’s eons of excitement available at your fingertips?

Our protagonist in A Cure for Loneliness, Joel, has both verbal and observational evidence to prove this point. As a psychiatrist, many of his patients confess their feelings of isolation to him in the office. And outside of work, his commute features the all too familiar sight of people addicted to the bleeps of their new iSurface Pro 7, and conversations between fellow residents of his high-rise flats are trite and depressingly short:

     JOEL pulls his mail from his box. Next to him, a WOMAN, professional,
     attractive stops to get her mail.

            Joel
Hello.
            WOMAN
Hello.

Truly Shakespearean stuff. But neither person has any motivation to continue talking – they don’t know each other.

However, the motivation in arrives in the form of a sudden crime wave in Joel’s high-rise block. At first, it’s only a few break-ins, but as the offences escalate in seriousness, the community response escalates too. Locals begin to monitor the floors and organise fundraisers to upgrade security. Town hall meetings, usually emptier than a Donald Trump rally in Mexico become more packed than most trains at rush hour. Copious community cooperation returns. But at a price.

And will this price increase? Will the crime spree continue? Who’s behind the nefarious activities, and why?

Warning! A Cure for Loneliness has multiple side effects, like forcing your hands to applaud when the dose is fully digested. It also induces your brain into asking unpleasant questions. Why does it take negative events to bring people together? Do we need to rethink our relationship with technology? You’ll certainly have your own personal questions to ask after reading this script, so challenge yourself and delve right in to this one!

Budget: Low to moderate. A few settings and good actors is all you need.

About the writer: Richard Russell lives in North Carolina where he plays golf and writes. He has been writing since college when his short stories appeared in the university literary magazine. He loves writing screenplays, and THE CALL, written with his partner, Felice Bassuk, is one of their best. They have written an award-winning feature, THE KOI KEEPER, which they hope to see on the screen in the not too distant future. Richard has a trove of shorts and feature length screenplays and continues to add to the inventory. Writing remains the sole source of sanity in Richard’s chaotic world. Write to Richard at wordmstr007 (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.

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.

Daddy by Marty Chartrand

An assassin’s last act is to prove to his daughter and wife that he is not a bad man.

     A RED DOT
     Dances upon a MAN’S forehead until THUMP. The man’s head rips backwards.

            Annie (V.O.)
I’m sorry that when you woke up, we
were gone. You must have been so
scared.

This is where we meet Tyler, a hard bitten killer on the opening gambit of his latest job.

We follow Tyler as he dispenses judgment with a grace and skill honed by the years; working his way to the top of the dirtbag food chain goon by goon. It isn’t about the money – not this time. That was the old Tyler. This is a killer searching for change. The odds are against him, but Tyler finds strength in the words of his young daughter, Annie, as her innocence guides him to a reward far greater than he’s ever known: redemption.

Marty Chartrand’s Daddy shines light into the dark soul of a hired gun struggling to make his peace through one last selfless act. It’s not for a first-timer, but for a filmmaker looking to push their craft this 7 page thrill ride gives you the opportunity to craft a fast-paced action piece underpinned by the most emotive of bonds: a father’s love for his daughter.

About the Writer: “My life began with a FADE IN and it will surely end with a FADE OUT. What’s written in between is what I make out of it. As a lifelong lover of movies, it was only natural that someday I would want to create some of my own. These are my stories …”

Marty Chartrand can be reached at martyc1028 (a) yahoo.com

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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

Touché (12 pages in pdf format) by David Lambertson

A young man discovers that the only cure for his phobia is vengeance.

Averse to being touched, Nathan lives his life, avoiding people. He manages fine, all before he falls in love. Now, Nathan is looking for a cure. The treatment lies in forgiveness, his doctor tells him. To be cured, Nathan has to find a way to forgive the one who gave him the scare of being touched.

Characters – 1 main, 3 episodical
Location – 4 – trailer park, trailer, church, Burger-King joint, church.

About the writer: David Lambertson is an multi-award-winning writer who can be reached at dlambertson (a) hotmail.com. Check out his screenwriting works on his website. Dave also pisses excellence.

This is an October 2017 One Week Challenge is a short. The OWC is a screenwriting exercise wherein writers are given a week to write a short script on the theme and genre provided. These are quickly done and may be a little rough around the edges considering the short time frame in which they are written.

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: Azerbaijani mother and wife, Khamanna Iskandarova has been living in the US for most of her life. She has several features completed, as well as a dozen shorts, some of which have been independently produced. Khamanna can be reached at khamanna (a) hotmail. Check out her IMDB Creds

Brown Water (8 pages in pdf format) by Dena McKinnon

What if the only thing you were scared of was the only thing that could save you?

Brown Water by Dena McKinnon Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2515)

Brown Water is a fascinating little tale set in a rural place near a swamp. Something is up with the swamp that gives little Tadpole a sickening fear of water. Her mother used to say the brown water is not cursed, but blessed and it takes the evil away. Day after day Tadpole comes to the swamp and watches the water in attempt to understand what evil her mother was talking about.

Characters – 2 main, 4 episodically, a few extras
Locations – 4 – swamp, church, cabin, road.
Prop – canoe

About the writer: Dena McKinnon is a talented writer with a number of produced shorts under her belt. Check out Dena’s IMDB credits and website at DenaMcKinnon.com.

About the reviewer: Khamanna Iskandarova is a dedicated mother and wife. She was born and raised in Azerbaijan, a small country at the shores of the Caspian Sea, but she has been living in the US for the most part of her life. She has several features completed, as well as a dozen shorts, some of which were produced by independent productions. Khamanna can be reached at khamanna “AT” hotmail. Check out her IMDB Creds

The October 2017 One Week Challenge is a short screenwriting exercise wherein writers are given a week to write a short script on the theme and genre provided. These are quickly done and may be a little rough around the edges considering the short time frame in which they are written.

Note: This audio recording is released under a Creative Commons, attribution, noncommercial, no derivatives 3.0 license. You can share the audio recording in its entirety, but you can’t change it or sell it.

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

Man’s Best Friend by Steven Clark

Three days after a couple’s beloved dog goes missing, a phone call arrives that will change the game. Forever.

Put aside whether you’re a dog person or cat person just for a moment and focus on the incomparable talents of Man’s Best Friend, and why mutts have earned this most eminent title.

Ready…?

Guide dogs, guard dogs, sniffer dogs, therapy dogs, herding, hunting, tracking and cadaver dogs, bomb, drug, and chemical detection dogs; dogs of war, dogs who can sniff out cancer – dogs who rescue their owners from burning buildings and rolling rapids… And that’s just to name a few of their talents. Add to that, unconditional loyalty and love, goopy grins, sloppy kisses and perennially wagging tails, and really – the ‘elegant tramp’, (as one of my friends labels felines), is really not much competition, now is it?

From Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie to the memorably cute but a lil’ fugly Verdell in As Good As It Gets, it’s no wonder dogs have an illustrious celluloid history, in both leading roles and as sidekicks.

Okay, now picture this:

You’re wandering down the street, minding your own business, and you look up to see MISSING, LOST DOG, or REWARD, stamped across a poster and nailed to a telegraph pole. Typically a photo of said AWOL pooch looks dolefully and adorably into the camera. Aww, so sad, and guaranteed to tug at the ol’ heartstrings.

This is also the opening scene of Steven Clark’s screenplay, Man’s Best Friend.

But hang on now, cause if you’re thinking this is going to be a cute fluffy-dog piece think again. Curt and Cassie, a couple in their thirties (he’s a cop btw) have just received a rather ominous telephone call and discovered there’s a bounty to be paid on Ranger, their missing ‘family member’ – and a rather hefty ransom demand.

            MAN (V.O.)
We have your dog. …
He’s got nice teeth. But I’ve got
pliers. … $10,000 dollars for the
mutt. Cash. Or I start playing dentist.

Eww! Marathon Dog, anyone?

To say anything further would spoil the fun, the suspense, and the very, very, dark twists and turns of this piece. Suffice to say this tail (sorry, tale) is less for lovers of Marley And Me , and more for fans of teeth baring, and snarling Cujo, and Seven Psychopaths.

Dare I say, if you’ve got a nose for talent you can call off your search right now cause with Man’s Best Friend you’ll definitely be barking up the right tree.

Budget: Low. Just – make sure you do this one right… every beat!

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.

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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: L. Chambers has been writing all her life – especially in her head, and on scraps of paper. It’s only in the last few years she began to get serious about screen-writing. Prior to this she worked in the Features Department for ABC TV as a Program Assistant, and trained as a FAD. She currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

Violent Domestic by Kirk White

While hiding out from a double-crossing son of a bitch, an outlaw couple faces their greatest fear…waiting for the results of a home pregnancy test.

“If that test is positive, then I’m scared shitless because this is the part that terrifies me… no… not the ‘is it gonna work’ because I can’t control that… but the ‘how does one raise a human being’ aspect which is one hundred percent in our court. That, my love, is the kick in the nuts that keeps me up at night.”

As a father of three I can relate to this dialogue, spoken in Violent Domestic by protagonist Ted. It’s a sentiment voiced by many men, moments after their wife pees on a stick. It’s one of those defining moments in a man’s life – the potential beginning of his legacy. Damned nerved wracking, is what it is – the entirety of one’s future resting on whether there’s one or two lines on that gizmo bought at CVS. If you’ve never found yourself teetering on that particular line of insanity, you have no idea what you’re missing.

And our hero Ted’s in those sniper-sights. As the script opens, Helen’s holed up in a hotel bathroom.

As the obligatory three minutes count down, the couple debate the issue pro and con. A nervous Ted distracts himself with busy work, pulling C-4, guns and money from a bag. Yeah, that’s right. I said C-4. ‘Cause there’s one last detail:

Our lovebirds are two badass thieves, hot off a job gone askew. It’s Kill Bill meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith – with a dose of Parenthood! Like a real life Billy Joe and Bobby Sue*, they’re planning on taking the money and run: a modern day Bonnie and Clyde!

Only it’s not Frank Hamer they’re hiding from. Nope, there’s a particular “Grease Stain in a Suit” named Conn outside. He’s come to collect his cut, no matter what price the couple must pay. Ted negotiates through the window with Conn… stalling until he can hear Helen’s news. Ted and Helen are the ultimate bad “nice guys” – a helluva more sympathetic than Conn. They’re a pair you can’t help but cheer for. And the danger and stakes are sky-high.

A master of his craft, Kirk White weaves Domestic’s dialogue seamlessly. A touch of humor – lots of danger, and protagonists that really breathe. It’s one of those scripts that make you want to know what happens next. Because you love these guys. That’s what happens when a script’s done right. It takes a lot of practice to get to that stage. But when a writer does – the story truly comes alive. (Question is, will Ted and Helen make it out in one piece?)

Brass Tax: this script’s got the goods. Low on budget. High on character. A feel-good action piece with minimal logistics. You want a short that audiences will remember and talk about? Then this is the short for you.

*If you listen to the Steve Miller Band while reading this short, your proposal email to the author will write itself.

About the writer: Kirk White is an independent film maker, web sen”sation” and figure of note in the world of global logistics. He is currently in pre-production on his second feature, The Soul Garden, which will basically be the art-house version of Re-Animator. Kirk can be reached emailed at quitefilm “AT” gmail to request a copy of his work.

Budget: Moderate. Get a hotel room, two damned good actors, and a few props. The rest will handle itself.

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About the reviewer: Rod Thompson is an award winning screenwriter of both features and shorts. His feature, “The Squire” won Best Drama for the 2014 Table Read My Screenplay contest, and he has placed numerous times for his shorts at MoviePoet.com. His short scripts “Gimme Shelter” and “A Memory in Winter” have both been optioned through their exposure on SimplyScripts.com. He is also “the most humble man alive.”

This from Damien

[T]he Screenplay you featured “Sons & Broken Noses” has been optioned and filming will begin in December… It also won the Best Neo Noir screenplay at the recent Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Miami.

If you wish to contribute to funding to get this made, I’m sure every bit will help.

Below is the review of Sons & Broken Noses written by LC

SONS & BROKEN NOSES

Nobody ever tells you there will be days like this.

Ah, the Emerald Isle, land of saints, scholars, and born story tellers. Resplendent in all its greenery and rich with its history of literary giants – James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, to name a few.

No big surprise then that Ireland also boasts its unique brand of inimitable screenwriters and filmmakers. Classics such as: In The Name Of The Father, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, My Left Foot, and crowd pleasers: The Commitments, The Guard, In Bruges, Once.

2016 was a bumper year for the Irish Film Industry and screenwriters continue to make an indelible mark, particularly writers of hard-boiled crime, with an edge and flair for black comedy. You could say they’re making a killing.

Damien Michael Aulsberry continues this tradition in fine form with his short screenplay: Sons & Broken Noses. Opening with a shot of a car boot slamming and a bloodied hand, this ominous sign sets the tone for what’s to follow.

We meet JAKE KELLY and SEAN BARRY, two bumbling wannabe bank robbers peeling down a lonely country road, one of them with a bullet wound sustained at the hand of the other. You guessed it, things have not gone according to plan. In fact they’ve gone quite a bit pear shaped.

Who thwarted their plans for the perfect bank heist? None other than: skinny runt, seventeen year old, GABRIEL, on work experience with said bank. With the cops now hot on their heels and running around the arse-end of nowhere, the heat’s just been turned up to red-hot for these two after discovering the lad they’ve just hurled into the back of the boot is none other than the son of Irish mob-boss, MICK RONAN.

Oh, dear. An apology is definitely in order, wouldn’t you say?

Followed by some heavy duty groveling, and bargaining for their lives, especially when one of them has broken the young lad’s nose, or more aptly: spread his nose all over his face.

Seems one of these guys is going to have to take the fall.

            SEAN
We messed up Mick. And we’re sorry.
       (beat)
What if I kneecap him? Paramilitary
style, no fucking around.

            MICK (V.O.)
Won’t work Sean. Sets a precedent.
Then everyone will be looking to
get kneecapped instead of whacked.
We’d have complete fucking chaos.
Lads hobbling round all over the
place.

Then there’s that little dilemma of returning mob-boss’s son to the fold and getting away unscathed.

With its great visuals, bang on dialogue, and perfectly balanced humour,  Sons & Broken Noses is a quirky, comedically irreverent crime drama.

Filmmakers: You don’t need the luck of the Irish to make a good fist of this one. At the time of writing this review, Sons & Broken Noses had already reached the Finals of the Southern California Screenplay contest, so it’s already got winner written all over it.

Our advice: Put down that pint of Guinness, get down from your bar stool, and head for the nearest camera, before some other lucky lads beat you to it.

There’s no denying, this one’s good craic.

Be a crime not to do it justice.

Production: Low to Medium Budget: Three hard-faced crim types with talent to match, a plucky ‘teen’ willing to have his nose broken (just kidding, Method acting is not required), and a couple of intimidating heavies (no dialogue) to complete the background.

Borrow a car, if you don’t have your own, mix up some faux blood, hit the road and film some blokes out in the middle of nowhere. Add a couple of other locations – barn, diner, and house, and you’re good to go.

About the Writer: “I write for therapeutic reasons. If I didn’t get all the mad shit out of me head, I’d be a lunatic… Currently in Post-Production of a short I wrote called “Family Business”. Directed by Oisin Woods and starring Bosco Hogan, Paul Ronan, Karl Shiels, Anthony Morris and Bern Deegan. This short, “Sons and Broken Noses”, was a Finalist and Honorable Mention in The South California Screenplay Competition 2017.”

About the Reviewer: L. Chambers has been writing all her life – especially in her head, and on scraps of paper. It’s only in the last few years she began to get serious about screen-writing. Prior to this she worked in the Features Department for ABC TV as a Program Assistant, and trained as a FAD. She currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

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