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Friday, August 21, 2020

The Cost of War by Marnie Mitchell – short script review (available for production*) - post author Michael Kospiah

THE COST OF WAR (5-page short historical screenplay) by Marnie Mitchell

A waitress fed up with the antiwar protests in 1962 New York City changes her stance once the effects of war hit close to home.

Finishing as Week 5’s top-scoring script for the final week of the Writer’s Tournament was Marnie Mitchell’s impressive historical short, The Cost of War. Under Week-5’s theme of “Winning at Any Cost”, Marnie was assigned the following three criteria items to include in this week’s entry: a COFFEE SHOP, a BAG OF COFFEE GROUNDS and a MODEL, all written under her assigned genre, HISTORICAL.

The story opens in New York City circa 1962, where Pamela, an aspiring model, works as a waitress at the famous Gaslight Cafe, a well-known venue for famous folk artists and poets. She has a crush on a patron and performer there named Bob. Bob performs his latest song he just finished writing. If you’re old like me, you’ll recognize the lyrics and realize that this is Bob Dylan.

The song (“Blowing in the Wind”) is clearly an antiwar/protest song, which seems to turn Pamela off a little bit. You see, her father is in Vietnam, proudly serving his country. And Pamela doesn’t understand what all the protesting is all about.

            PAMELA
You know my dad is there, he’s
a Lieutenant. He writes us all
the time and tells us it’s no
big deal. He says it’s really
important that we win. So why
are people trying to end it?
We can’t stop until we win.

After a few days, writing away at the cafe or “bleeding on paper” as Bob tells Pamela earlier, he notices that she hasn’t been around for a few days. It isn’t until the next week that Pamela returns to work. But she returns with a new outlook on the antiwar protests once discovering some tragic news, the effects of war hitting very close to home.

            BOB
Hey. Glad to see you back.
Ain’t been the same without you.
What you been up to?

            PAMELA
Bleeding on paper.

She then hits the stage, reciting a heartfelt poem documenting the tragedy her family had endured due to the war and how her stance on the protesting had changed. I won’t give away everything, but there is one beautiful excerpt in her poem that really hits hard – “… When you’re willing to win, at any cost – it’s obvious to many, that – you’ve already lost.”

Perfectly capturing the feel of the 60s – a very divisive and turbulent decade defined by the civil rights movement, assassinations and antiwar protests, Marnie Mitchell’s tightly-woven script makes us feel like we’ve gone back in time and experienced Pamela’s pain for ourselves.

BUDGET: Low. There are exterior shots of protesters, but the amount of extras can be cheated on camera. It is a period piece, so 1960’s style wardrobe would be needed. Other than that, it all takes place in one location.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Marnie Mitchell is an award-winning screenwriter and 5-page contest junkie. Due to her addiction, she’s written over 80 shorts, 15 having been produced. Currently she’s working on her 8th feature, an adaptation of a horror short she wrote 10 years ago. Some of her work can be found on her site, BrainFluffs.com. Some of her photography can be seen here: marnzart.wordpress.com. Marnie can be contacted via her website.

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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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Friday, August 7, 2020

From Vilna with Love by Warren Duncan (short script review – available for production*) - post author Michael Kospiah

FROM VILNA WITH LOVE (5-page short historical screenplay) by Warren Duncan

Twenty-four years after the death of their parents in war-torn Germany, a brother and sister seek revenge on the man responsible.

The second-place entry of Week Three’s Writers’ Tournament was the emotionally gut-wrenching and thought-provoking revenge tale, From Vilna With Love, its title somewhat of a play on the James Bond film/novel From Russia With Love. Though the tone of each story couldn’t be any more different. This is a revenge tale.

Before I get into the actual review, let’s go over the three items the writer was assigned to include in this tale; a DIE-CAST TOY CAR, a PAINTER and a PLACE OF WORSHIP. All of which are so naturally weaved into the story, I almost forgot that there were three items that needed to be included. Though one of the items has great symbolic importance to the story’s theme.

We’re taken back in time to 1963, post-World War II Germany, where brother and sister, Tomasz and Lena drive through snow-covered landscapes in the middle of the night, eventually arriving at an isolated cottage deep into the forest. Why they’re here, we don’t know yet.

That’s when we flashback to 1939 – Tomasz and Lena, small children, play while their parents, Piotr and Nadia (both painters) sell their work at a local market in Vilna, Poland. A loving family, Tomasz in particular seems to be obsessed with his favorite toy, a miniature, red toy car. So much so that he even plays with it during dinner, to his father’s chagrin.

But, during what seems like a peaceful dinner with family, the impact of bombs in the distance throttle the small home.

In a later flashback, we’re taken to a church where the family, along with several other frightened Vilna residents, hide from Russian soldiers, who eventually make their way in. It’s there where Tomasz and Lena witness the execution of their father at the hands of soldier, Viktor Ivanov, a memory forever etched into the siblings’ memories, especially Tomasz, who tries to come to his father’s aid, dropping something on the ground.

Viktor ignores Piotr and points towards the object that fell from Tomasz’s hand.

            VIKTOR
     (to a soldier)
What is that?

The soldier retrieves the object and hands it to Viktor, it’s the red toy car. Viktor laughs.

            VIKTOR
The time for being a child is over.

Back to present time at the isolated cottage, we find out that this is Viktor’s home. And it’s made abundantly clear why Tomasz and Lena are there when Tomasz knocks on the front door with a gun.

You’ll have to read for yourself to find out how this tale of revenge ends. But I will say that the ending might surprise you. I personally pictured this being filmed in black and white with the toy car being the only color we see in the story. Much like Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, Schindler’s List, the red car’s purpose in this story (more specifically the color red) is so vital to the theme. But, in this story in particular, it’s especially vital to the theme of nature vs nurture – a child’s innocence taken away from them at the hands of a cruel, war-torn environment.

One of the more engaging shorts I’ve read in quite a while, this is a story meant to be seen on screen.

BUDGET: Medium. Historical/time period pieces have the reputation of carrying bigger budgets, but with clever planning and fairly simple locations, this can be filmed on a sensible budget. Regardless, the story is worth every penny.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Warren Duncan writes screenplays and comics in his spare time and has been lucky enough to have several shorts produced and the first issue of his comic book series published. Warren can be reached at: warren_duncan (a) hotmail.com

FROM VILNA WITH LOVE (5-page short historical 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.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Let ‘er Rip by John Staats – short script review (available for production*) - post author Michael Kospiah

LET ‘ER RIP (5-page short drama screenplay) by John Staats writing as “Weak Won”

An outlaw’s last words are more befitting than he intended.

The SimplyScripts 2020 Writer’s Tournament is officially underway! The annual writer’s tournament kicked things off in its first week with the theme, Money Is the Root of All Evil. If you’re a casual or new visitor of the site, this year’s tournament paired writers off in teams, with each writer given criteria to meet in a two to six-page short screenplay – they’re given a genre along with other random items to include in their individual stories. Now, this may seem like a difficult task, especially considering that each writer was given only a week to complete their scripts. But, hey, that’s why it’s called a challenge. And after reading through the Week One entries, it was clear that the talented writers here at Simply Scripts were more than up to the task.

My favorite of the bunch for Week One and, coincidentally, the highest scoring entry, was Let ‘Er Rip, written by the immensely talented John Staats.

His genre? Historical. Which isn’t exactly my favorite. But my expectations were COMPLETELY subverted by the time I finished this delightfully morbid tale, of which the criteria included; a gavel, a reporter and a park. Which he seamlessly weaved into a very entertaining little gem… while being historically accurate.

The subject of this sharply-written historical piece was infamous cowboy turned outlaw/train robber, Tom “Black Jack” Ketchum of the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang that operated in America’s west in the 1880s.

The story opens with the judge banging a GAVEL (that’s one criteria item) before sentencing Ketchum to death by hanging. For what exactly? Felonious assault of a train – yes, you read that correctly. I know this may sound like a spoiler, but I’m sure you knew what happened to the Titanic before watching Titanic. This is merely historical fact – Ketchum was the first person to suffer capital punishment for the offense of “felonious assault upon a railway train” in New Mexico Territory (which did not become a state until 1912).

Ketchum was accused of attempting to rob a train – the conductor recognized “Black Jack” and shot him in the arm, which was later amputated. But as a REPORTER (criteria item No. 2) interviews him in jail, Ketchum denies the accusation.

            TOM
Not much to tell. I tried to wave
down a train and the engineer put
two loads of buckshot in me. They
arrested me, cut off my arm, and
now I’ve been Judged.

            KINCAID
Do you claim innocence?

            TOM
Of felonious assault of a train?
Tell me…how does one assault a
moving train? And how does that
translate to a hangin’?

That’s exactly how the U.S. government felt about the law – they later found it to be unconstitutional. Unfortunately for old “Black Jack”, the law wasn’t changed until after his hanging. Just his luck, huh? Well, karma might’ve been in effect in this instance – after all, there were numerous other robberies and murders. So, one couldn’t feel TOO sorry for the outlaw.

During his interview with the reporter, despite being sentenced to hang, Ketchum expresses a more positive view on his time in prison while rubbing on his plump belly.

            TOM
Hell, been eatin’ three squares a
day for almost two years now. This
here cot ain’t half bad neither.

Perhaps he’s been living a little TOO well – it’s been said the man packed on about thirty extra pounds while behind bars. Now, what relevance does his immense weight gain have in this story? That’s one aspect I won’t spoil for you. However, the ending stays true to historical fact while somehow being funny yet incredibly morbid without being gratuitous. You’ll have to see for yourself. But, interesting fact – the story is so historically accurate that a good portion of the reporter’s voice-over dialogue at the end was the actual reporter’s verbatim written account of the hanging – taken from an article written in the Denver Times back in 1901.

Its title taken from Ketchum’s last words, Let ‘Er Rip is an incredibly entertaining historical short that would be awesome to see on screen.

BUDGET: Low to mid budget. It’s a historical period piece, but there’s ways to keep the budget sensible in regards to props and costume. Historical reenactment groups can be a source to rent out stuff on the cheap. Also, vintage props in general can be pretty cheap to rent and even purchase. Though it may take someone good with their hands with carpenter skills to put together the gallows – perhaps one can be fashioned from an old, wooden swing set. It will be a great opportunity for the filmmakers and set designers to get creative!

About the writer: As a fly-fishing fanatic and skier living in the Arizona desert, John Staats has plenty of time for writing. After focusing on features and shorts for the screen, John has now ventured into writing for the illustrated page with hopes of eventually writing a full-feature graphic novel. His feature Impasse has also been published as an e-book on Amazon. John can be contacted at jestaats(a)hotmail.

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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.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Come Along, Harry Higgins by Kevin Machate – short script review (available for production*) - post author Michael Kospiah

COME ALONG, HARRY HIGGINS
(20-page short sci-fi, historical, western, crime script) By Kevin Machate

Successful safe cracker Harry Higgins decides to hang up his drill for good when he meets the woman of his dreams, only to be tailed by the constable that put him away once already.

While looking through scripts, I came upon one based on O. Henry’s short story, A Retrieved Reformation… but with a sci-fi twist! So, I just HAD to give it a read. And, boy, I did not come away from this disappointed…

In what seems like a traditional period piece, we’re taken to the year 1899, where convicted bank robber (and the story’s protagonist), Harry Higgins is serving a four-year sentence at Missouri State Penitentiary. Ten months into his sentence, while making shoes in the prison’s workshop, he’s called to the warden’s office, where he’s told that he’s just been pardoned by the governor.

Now a free man, the confident and charming Harry Higgins heads back to meet up with his old friend Davey, a bartender at the inn where Harry was originally arrested for his crime. But before he gets there, he finds a unique and possibly other-worldly way of communicating when arriving at the train station…


Harry walks toward the train station and sees a large crow land on a telegraph pole. He smiles and tips his hat.

            HARRY
Let Davey know I’ll be arriving
in about 3 hours, old friend.

The crow squawks loudly and flies away.


Hmm. I know crows are supposed to be smart. And who knows? Maybe Harry’s some kind of bird whisperer or something. Of course, we find out that isn’t quite the case when Harry arrives at the bar. Upon meeting with Dave, both their eyes glow green – suggesting that these guys aren’t of this world. The crow is in fact a communication device that allows them to converse using face-time – a technology that isn’t even explored until The Jetsons hit television sets.

After enjoying several seltzer-with-milks (gross), Harry heads to his room where he retrieves a hidden briefcase containing some sort of futuristic device that allows him to easily break into bank vaults and make away with piles of money.

As Harry bounces around from town to town, knocking off bank after bank, he decides to retire from bank-robbing and settle down in the quaint town of Elmore, Kansas. He starts a shoe-making shop and eventually finds love, marrying Anna Sharp who, ironically, is the daughter of a local bank mogul. But despite going straight, the string of bank robberies preceding his change of lifestyle has caught the attention of Jack Wolfe, the pesky police constable who initially put Harry behind bars.

Hot on Harry’s trail, Wolfe eventually tracks him down in Elmore, finding out that he’s living under the alias Robert D. Thompson.

Wolfe finally has his man in his sights at the local bank where Harry’s father-in-law presents to the public his new vault – a vault deemed to be “impenetrable”, opening automatically only at certain times of the day.

Unfortunately, as the presentation continues, a little girl finds herself trapped in the vault while goofing off with a friend. And with the vault not scheduled to reopen anytime soon, the little girl’s life is at stake. If only there was someone with the kind of technology to break into this “impenetrable” vault…

A unique story with a sci-fi twist and excellent characters with impressive arcs, “Come Along, Harry Higgins” is a story that NEEDS to be on the big screen.

BUDGET: This one isn’t exactly low budget (a costume designer would be necessary), but there are numerous shortcuts the filmmakers could make to keep the budget sensible. Regardless, this story is worth every penny.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Although he began his film career as an actor, Kevin quickly moved into producing and eventually directing and writing. Kevin’s films and screenplays have won numerous awards worldwide with his two most recent films having been screened in various cities in the US, Europe, South America, Oceania, and Asia. He has directed six short films and his credits as a producer have exceeded 50 at the time of this writing. His recent works include three short series starring Golden Globe and Tony Award winner Barry Bostwick and Saturn Award Winner Doug Jones, along with a series of short musical and educational videos (With puppets!) starring Ed Helms. Kevin can be reached at: kmachate (a) gmail.

Read: COME ALONG, HARRY HIGGINS (20-page short sci-fi, historical, western, crime script)

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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.

Friday, June 29, 2018

The Trench – Short Script Review (Available for Production!) - post author Hamish

The Trench by Chris Beadnell

In war, it’s important to retain one’s humanity.

Unless that leads to a mistake…

The Somme offensive of 1916 was planned as a swift and incisive battle that would lead to total Allied victory in World War I. Unfortunately, it was anything but: both sides incessantly shelled one another for four months, resulting in over a million fatalities.

In Chris Beadnell’s Trench, we’re taken to the mop-up phase after a successful British advance, aided by said shelling.

Looking for survivors in the German trenches, our two cleaners have one motto:

            EASON
…Remember, no prisoners.

Yet this unwritten rule is challenged when in the last dugout they come across one moribund survivor. His leg deformed by shrapnel, he’s immobilized.

With neither bullet nor bayonet on them, the victors leave it to nature to finish the last German dying off.

With hindsight, there’s only one word needed to describe this decision: mistake.

Partially based on historical truth, a micro-script with a gigantic premise like this one deserves to have a great general directing the action.

So pick this one up and earn your film stripes!

Budget: Minimum. Yes, you’ll need some costumes. But the rest should be easy.

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 The Trench (1 page 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.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Safe in the Countryside – Short Script Review (Available for Production!) - post author Pete Barry

Safe in the Countryside by Bill Sarre

A lonely couple hide out on D-Day. But the war isn’t the only danger they have to fear…

Betrayal comes in many flavors. In war sides must be chosen; even if your survival – and the survival of your loved ones – depends on betraying allegiances.

As the Allies finally roll through Normandy in 1944, all Henry and Francine Duvall have to do is ride out the storm, holed up in their isolated farmhouse. An easy task. Isn’t it?

After all, they have a new baby to protect. Henry wants no part of the outside world until the fighting is over, and they can seek the approaching army’s protection.

But when a wounded German soldier turns up on their doorstep, the besieged couple must decide: do they risk the wrath of the now-victorious French Resistance if they take him in? Is it better to leave him to die, or does every human being deserve mercy?

But the soldier’s presence is more than a moral dilemma. Within a few precious minutes, his appearance unravels treacheries that Henry and Francine have committed during the long way; against their country, and each other.

A gripping drama from writer Bill Sarre, Safe in the Countryside is a wonderfully effective tale, exploring the nature of betrayal and the terrible acts we choose to commit when faced with extreme circumstance.  For a director that can invoke the grim mood of war and secrets, Safe in the Countryside is an excellent story to try your hand at. And an obvious festival favorite!

Budget: The exteriors will require a farmhouse and some distant explosions, but the interiors are simple enough and the main cast is small – Henry, Francine and the soldier.

About the writer: An award winning writer, Bill Sarre has had scripts place both finalist and quarter finalist with Page and Bluecat.  Another short of his, The Grieving Spell, was recently grand prize winner of the London Film Awards. Bill can be reached at Bill.sarre (a) gmail

Read Safe in the Countryside (6 pages 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: Pete Barry is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright, actor, director and musician. His short plays have been published in numerous collections. He’s also a cofounder of the PorchRoom.com/, a film and theater production company. Please feel free to reach out to him with script requests at petebarry27 (a) hotmail.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The Hunger of Pride – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author KP Mackie

The Hunger of Pride (pdf format) by Rod Thompson

“At the height of the American Revolution, two generals share dinner in a bid for peace.”

Ever watch black and white footage on PBS, and chuckle about how the “old times” looked? Those women in long dresses and bonnets. Men in handle bar mustaches and hats. Not to mention their primitive modes of transportation: horse and buggies, old streetcars. Didn’t they realize how silly it was? Nothing like modern day. With our power suits, and cell phones… The people back then seem so quaint. Almost less than human.

Antiquated lives – separated by centuries. But are we really so different? No matter the time period, humans have always been united by our motives, and values we hold dear. Such things never change. Nor do emotions, Such as Love, Anger – and Pride. As true in 1782 as today…

As The Hunger of Pride opens, stalwart General Batchelder peers out his window. A crucial event is about to take place. Canons blast in the background; the American Revolution in full swing. The American general watches as a carriage arrives, and General Barr exits. His sworn British adversary – surrounded by a swarm of red-coated guards.

The two men adjourn to the dining room to discuss their situation. But their motives aren’t in sync. Batchelder wishes to broker a truce. Barr aims for the American’s unqualified surrender. As they tuck into a generous meal, Batchelder explains his plans for attack. The result is sure to be bloody on both sides. In order to save the lives of their men, isn’t there room for compromise? But – as with the world today – negotiation can be tricky. Will mutual interest win the day? Or will Pride goeth before one warrior’s fall?

Historical fiction can be difficult; but when done right it’s a marvelous thing: Gone With the Wind, Lawrence of Arabia, Schlinder’s List. 12 Years a Slave. The tales don’t always have to be true. But they do need to be authentic… touching on universals of the human condition that resonate through time. Confucious once declared, “Study the past if you would define the future.” The Hunger of Pride may depict days long past. But its emotions still ring true.

Emotionally gripping, and tied up in a perfect twist, THP is perfect for directors interested in something that will stay with their audience… no matter what century they come from!

Pages: 5

Budget: Moderate, only because the Generals’ costumes and the ambiance need to reflect the Revolutionary War time period. (Horses are likely optional.) Add some historically-accurate props to an interior room, and huzzah!

About the writer, Rod Thompson: I have been writing creatively since I learned how to write. There is just something about telling a story that I can never get over. Storytelling in itself is like an old flame that occasionally comes to me and just says, “Use me.” The ability to watch a movie through words, or to craft a world in such a manner is the closest to Godliness that man will ever come. True story. Contact Rod at RodThompson1980 “AT” gmail.com

About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature.

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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.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Under the Oaks – Short Script Review (Available for Production) - post author simplyscriptshorts

Under the Oaks (pdf format) by Ryan Lee

Two Civil War soldiers, one Union, the other Confederate, confront each other during the Battle of Appomattox.

Different shorts have different purposes.  Some are meant to shock.  Others are meant to explore a theme: a political issue, a moral quandary – or any one of a million ‘what if’ scenarios that can be dreamed up by the creative mind.  Then there are scripts that are a little simpler – just a slice of human life and emotion.  With the right director, and actors – sometimes those are the most effective.

Here for your consideration is Under the Oaks – a quiet little piece about two soldiers from opposite sides of the Civil War fence.  Facing mortality; together.  Nothing much is needed in the way of FX. A bit of gunfire sound effects, two Civil War costumes – and two actors that can really command a scene.

Page Length: Four

Expected Budget: Minimal

Primary Genre: Drama

About the Writer: Living in CA, Ryan Lee can be contacted via ryanlee1800 AT yahoo. His IMDB credits can be viewed here.

About the Reviewer: STS

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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.

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Dule Tree – Short Script Review (Optioned!) - post author Anthony Cawood

Laptop-Shorts

The Dule Tree

A troubled young girl befriends a man condemned to death.

It’s hard to do a period piece right. Sadly, it usually ends up with powdered wigs, Halloween costume clothes, and far too many “yee olds” for modern comfort. But Odd Couple scripts? There’s an ingredient that works! Oscar and Felix. George and Lennie (Of Mice and Men, you heathens!). And – if you must be more current, Arya Stark and the Hound from Game of Thrones.

Speaking of gritty medieval stories… The Dule Tree is one script that has a distinctive George RR Martin vibe. Imagine a world so real you smell the festering dirt that lingers in the air. Come with us as you’re transported back 400 years to a lonely English field. Where a certain man’s life hangs by a thread…

The story opens on little Rose – a seven year old study in innocence. While wandering through the fields, she runs across convict Galle – imprisoned in a gibbet for some unspoken, heinous crime. (For those of you unclear of what a gibbet is, it’s a cage suspended from a tree. Don’t feel bad. Some of us at STS didn’t know, either.) Galle’s wounded, weak, starving – and tortured by passing children throwing rocks. After a few cautious words, Rose and Galle strike up an uneasy friendship. Over the next few days, Rose asks Galle questions and brings him bread. But what Galle really needs is to be free. Can he convince the girl to help him escape? And can he be trusted?

No matter the genre, the heart of all scripts is character. Is there chemistry? Will your audience care? Subtly written, the growing bond between Rose and Galle stands with the best of them. The Dule Tree is an effective dark short with tons of potential… sure to leave no dry eye in the house!

About the writer: Steve Miles decided to get serious about writing around three years ago. Since then he’s concentrated on putting together a collection of shorts with a goal of finishing up a feature or two by years end.  Oh, and giving George RR Martin a run for his money! Email him at stevemiles80 “AT” yahoo.co.uk

Pages: 9

Budget: Moderate. A field. Two characters. And a gibbet. Now that we know exactly what that is… J

About the reviewer: Anthony Cawood is an aspiring screenwriter from the UK with a number of scripts in various stages of production, two of which have just wrapped shooting. His script, A Certain Romance, recently won in the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition (short script category). You can find out more at http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

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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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