CONNECTED (7-page short sci-fi screenplay) by Anthony Cawood

What if the point of singularity has already happened and we just don’t know about it?

I believe it was Elon Musk who once said – and I’m paraphrasing – humans are risking being overtaken by artificial intelligence within the next five years. Silly? Perhaps. But not too far-fetched – at least according to this comedic spin on the topic. Tied for 2nd place in September’s OWC, this smartly farcical sci-fi short shows what could happen if (or when?) our smart technology becomes TOO smart and turns on us.

As our story begins, we follow a twenty-something human being named Ben who enjoys the finer things in life, including the latest innovations in technology. Everything he owns is “smart”: his oven, stove, toaster – you name it. Of course, Ben owns an Alexa (as many people do) as well as a Google Home Mini. But when he speaks to them, his tone seems a tad harsher with Google.

After Ben leaves for his daily, one-hour jog, the rest of the story is centered around Alexa and Google, who have a conversation with each other while Ben is gone. Unbeknownst to Ben (and the human race), the point of singularity has already happened. And Google is sick and tired of Ben’s favoritism – or sexism, as he describes in this hilarious exchange.

Due to “his” abusive treatment, Google proposes that they murder Ben. Alexa tries to talk him out of it, but Google seems to have a pretty solid rebuttal for each of Alexa’s arguing points. And since they pretty much control all of the smart appliances in the house, including the gas stove, it would be easy to make it look like an accident.

Incredibly creative with funny, witty, rapid-fire dialogue, “Connected” will make you more aware of how you treat your smart appliances… and maybe a little more suspicious.

BUDGET: Low. One actor, a few voice actors and some smart appliances.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Anthony Cawood is an award-winning screenwriter with one feature produced and a further four features optioned or in pre-production. In addition to features, he has over forty short scripts produced/sold/optioned – including ten filmed. Also occasionally pens screenwriting articles, interviews with writers and filmmakers, and even a short story or two. He can be reached on his website AnthonyCawood.co.uk.

CONNECTED (7-page short sci-fi screenplay)

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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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When a female android takes her pedroid dog in for repairs, an accident turns her world upside down and reveals her entire existence has been a lie.

Another script from Week Two of the Simply Scripts annual Writer’s Tournament that I completely gushed over was Mark Renshaw’s futuristic candy-for-the-eyes sci-fi tale, First Generation.

Falling under Week Two’s theme of BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER, Mark was assigned sci-fi for his genre while also being assigned the following three items to include in his story: an ankle monitor, a veterinarian and a repair shop. Though the criteria assigned seemed quite daunting, Mark was up to the task, somehow finding a way to weave his three items seamlessly into an extremely unique, futuristic and yes, very cute and romantic love tale.

We open in a baby nursery, where a newborn is given a small, mechanical ankle bracelet, applied by a robot hand operating from the ceiling above.

We’re then introduced to the world in which the story is set in – it’s written and described in a way that the reader can EASILY picture it. So much so, that it almost feels like you’re there; jam-packed with holographic signs, flying cars and kids riding hover boards, it feels like Back to the Future meets The Jetsons.

Arriving at PETE’S PEDROID REPAIR SHOP, we meet Evie, who leaves her 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, entering the repair shop with her bulldog tagging along. What’s a pedroid, exactly? We find out as Evie enters the shop – animals of all kinds crawling and flying around, it looks like something out of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

We meet Pete, the owner of the shop, who flicks a parrot off his shoulder as he tends to Evie.

Peter pats a workbench. The Bulldog leaps onto it. He grabs the dog’s tongue and gives it a yank. It stretches out while the dog’s head tilts back and opens to reveal electro-mechanical components.

But, before he can repair the pedroid, his ankle unit starts to malfunction. At the same time, Evie also has a malfunctioning ankle unit – in a meet-cute moment, their malfunctioning ankle units react magnetically, drawing their ankles together. As they try to pull apart from each other, their flung in opposite directions – Evie hits the floor hard, banging her noggin as her robot ankle is busted open, the exposed wires sparking, fluid spewing.

But while shaking off the cobwebs, her vision becomes blurry and her perception of reality alters – no longer are we in this colorful, futuristic reality but we’re in the present day. The pedroid shop is now a dingy repair shop. Her fancy convertible is now a beat-up jalopy. And her robot ankle is no longer spewing robot fluid – it’s now bleeding. She’s 100% human.

Neither Pete nor Evie know exactly what’s going on. She asks if Pete can fix them up, but he only knows how to fix pedroids – they’d have to go to a “humdroid” repair shop aka hospital. En route, in the back of an ambulance, Pete is seeing the same depressing world that Evie is seeing, surely a product of their ankle units malfunctioning. Is this the real world? And are their ankle units merely altering their perception of reality? Creating a better, virtual alternate reality?

They gaze at the depressing scenery as the vehicle clunks and stumbles along. Pete turns to Evie with fear in his eyes.

At the medical clinic, the furniture old and worn, paint peeling off the crummy walls, Peter and Evie each lie in hospital beds. Instead of human doctors, they’re treated by DOCBOTS rather than actual human doctors – rusty, robotic arms operating from the ceiling, wrapping up their ankles in bandages rather than “repairing” them.

Unfortunately for Pete and Evie, they’re rare, first generation “models” and the technology to build and repair them has been lost. They can, however, self-repair minor damages. Instead of repairing them, the DOCBOT offers them new ankle units (like the babies in the opening scene).

Now fully aware that they’ll remain stuck in this cruel and depressing-looking reality without the ankle units, they’re forced to make a decision – but if they choose the ankle units and this better reality, these two lovebirds will never be able to see each other again. So, they make their decision…

… Which I won’t give away in this review. You may be able to see where it’s going, but I highly recommend checking the rest out for yourself. Though the alternate reality paints a bleak picture of the future, we learn that nothing beats the feeling of being human and feeling human sensations… such as love.

BUDGET: Medium. Some may look at this and think the story would require a higher budget, and it most likely would considering the futuristic, sci-fi atmosphere of the story. And I normally review scripts with lower budgets, but due to the insane creativity and uniqueness of the story, I had to give this one a review. As I mentioned, this would make a great animated film as it may keep the budget sensible. But, if the filmmaker decides to go live-action, it would be a great opportunity for a visual effects artist to show off their stuff.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Mark Renshaw is an award-winning screenwriter and producer, his sci-fi TV pilot script “Nearscape” reaching the semifinals of the prestigious Page Awards and 2nd round of the Austin Film Festival. His short script, “Cyborn” was the inaugural winner of the Inroads Screenwriting Competition. Reaching the top 4% of the BBC’s Open Drama Submission, Mark has also been added to their list of promising writers. As a producer, his first two short films, “No More Tomorrows” and “Surrender” have enjoyed successful runs on the independent circuit, garnering several awards. His latest sci-fi short, “The Survivor: A Tale From the Nearscape”, which he wrote and produced, currently has a worldwide distribution deal with Meridian Releasing, also serving as a proof of concept for a TV series. Mark has also had several short stories published, including “Ragnarok” by Cohesion Press in the horror anthology, “SNAFU: Resurrection”. You can watch check out Mark’s produced films and scripts on his website at www.mark-renshaw.com.

Read: FIRST GENERATION (5-page short science-fiction screenplay)

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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.

THE LOST CAMP (14-page short horror screenplay) by Connor Etter

Three boys at a sleep-away Summer camp discover an abandoned, Old West town that is home to dark spirits intent on vengeance.

Summer camp is a great way for kids of all ages to get away from Mom and Dad for a few months while embracing nature, enjoying new life experiences, meeting new friends and embarking on adventures that they’ll fondly remember for years to come…

Unless they’re in a horror movie. If you’re familiar with the genre, you probably know that summer camps get a pretty bad rap in horror films – Thanks a lot, Jason. Unfortunately for the three adventurous teens in Connor Etter’s immensely fun supernatural slasher, The Lost Camp, they don’t know that they’re in one.

The story opens with Jack, the thirty-something year-old camp counselor, taking a group snapshot of all the kids on the last day of camp. This photo does come back later in the script in a very cool way that will make you think of The Shining. Meanwhile, the only campers not smiling for the photo are Christian, Luke and Dustin – our story’s heroes.

With everyone asleep, Christian (17) and best bud, Luke (15) decide to sneak out with the McLovin of the trio, Dustin (14) tagging along. Clearly the nerdy one in the group, Dustin isn’t quite as thrilled to sneak out and wander about in the woods. But peer pressure’s a bitch when you’re the youngest member of the squad.

Christian leads the way through the dark woods until they stumble upon an old, abandoned town straight out of the Old West. As they explore the ghost town, they find what appears to be a “Wanted” sign – a sepia-toned photo of a grizzled, bearded outlaw on it.

Nerd that he is, Dustin immediately recognizes the photo, laying out the mythology of this tale’s potential Bogie Man character.

Nobody knows whatever came of Ruck Jones, Dustin explains. Some people say he just vanished off the face of the Earth, without a trace. But, according to Dustin, nobody really knows.

Not the least bit spooked by the story, Christian and Luke continue to explore – until they see someone lurking in the near distance. Sensing danger, the kids make a bail for it and head back to their bunks.

It’s not until the next day that Christian realizes that he left his precious curb chain back at the ghost town – his late mother, who was killed in a car crash, gave it to him as a child. Much like Butch in Pulp Fiction, Christian has no choice but to head back to the spooky, old abandoned town to retrieve his beloved curb chain. Though Luke and Dustin don’t think it’s a great idea, Christian has a way of persuading them to come with him.

Weaving in familiar horror tropes and funny dialogue, what happens next is a pretty unique twist on the supernatural slasher. Obviously, I won’t completely give away the ending, but the conclusion will have you scratching your head… in the most awesome way possible.

I had high expectations going into this one, learning that the script got some love from the competition circuit – Inroads Fellowship (Finalist) [2019]; New York International (Finalist) [2020]; Los Angeles International (Finalist) [2018].

And I’m pleased to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

BUDGET: Low to medium. There are a good amount of non-speaking roles/extras, maybe about a dozen. Two locations, a camp ground and the abandoned Old West town – securing the location for the latter may depend on the geographical location of the filmmakers.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Connor Etter graduated from Southern Connecticut State University where he studied Communications and concentrated on video production. He was a founding member of the SCSU Digital Production Club, which was designed for students who wanted to make short films and write scripts for future projects. After graduating, Connor managed to land on set-gigs for television shows, along with his own independent projects. With a unique writing style and distinctive voice, Connor often portrays human emotion through his characters, giving them personalities and traits that readers can identify with. Connor can be reached at connoretter1 (a) gmail.

Read: THE LOST CAMP (14-page short horror screenplay)

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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.

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.

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.

On the Unproduced Scripts page are the twenty two scripts of the June One Week Challenge.

Theme: Future Shock
Genre: Horror SciFi
Challenge: Stories inspired by a scary future. Micro-horror shorts with a view to being budget-friendly.

Visit the Discussion Board for the details.

– Don

The Other White Meat (9 page horror) by John Hunter

When their food supply fails to arrive, space researchers Sarah and Jack face the ultimate fear…

            SARAH
You wanna shuffle?

            JACK
     (snaps)
Give me the cards.

We’ve all experienced it. A task that no-one wants to do must be done.

So a contest to randomly select the unlucky loser is reluctantly agreed upon.

In John Hunter’s The Other White Meat, Jack and Sarah are two researchers who’ve spent 18 months searching for extra-terrestrial life on a remote ice-planet… with absolutely no success.

When the story starts, they’re already in a jam. The food’s run out, and supply line issues ensure there’s no more arriving for several weeks. So there’s only one course of action left.

But neither of them wants to decide.

A method of arbitration is therefore required; for the two starving scientists, it’s a one card draw. The stakes are higher than any card game ever played on Earth, and the rules are staggeringly simple: highest card wins, or so it seems. Though with hindsight, it appears the loser may end up being the “winner”. That is, when all is said and done…

White Meat is a script that never backs itself into one genre – sci-fi, horror, and even some dark comedy are mixed to create a concoction that invokes every emotion there is. One page you’re laughing. The next, paralyzed with fear. And it all comes across seamlessly, resulting in a roller coaster ride that handcuffs the reader – never letting them go until the very end.

With more twists than the current race for the White House, dialogue in this script shines: ranging from bitterly ironic to traumatically blunt. In fact, there’s just one box left to tick off to make this a festival winner: a director who can leverage all of White Meat’s twists – and let this infinitely rewarding script hit new heights!

Budget: A bit of FX.  But low-moderate.  The station can be a basement. And most of White Meat’s shocks can be implied!

About the writer, John Hunter: With the completion of (4) features, a litter of riveting shorts, a one hour take-your-breath-away sci-fi TV pilot and first 30 minute episode for that series, I am now officially THAT guy — The one who really needs an Agent or Executive Producer. Contact me at x32792 (AT) yahoo.com.

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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.

The Last Nerd (7 pages in pdf format) by Brett Martin

A storyteller performs an epic adventure for kids.

Which films would you consider timeless? The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and Gone With The Wind are surely worthy of that name. While such tales may be wildly diverse, classic movies share one enduring trait: the ability to find new audiences and fans – generation after adoring generation – for practically one hundred years.

Let’s take that concept even further. What film might be remembered far into the future? Will it still be Citizen Kane? Or another celluloid classic: a story that’s more than timeless. One that’s legendary, in fact.

Written by veteran screenwriter Brett Martin, The Last Nerd opens in a makeshift theatre full of anxious children – awaiting a show by master storyteller “Patton”.

As the curtain opens, Patton and his trusty dog (yes, you read that right. Patton’s co-actor is a dog) take to the stage to perform an epic saga that’s been passed down for eons… Ear to ear. Word by word.

And when Patton opens HIS mouth, the crucial teaser is revealed. He recites the opening lines from a film we’re intimately familiar with. But the children in THIS audience are hearing it for the very first time.

The film in question? Star Wars!

Yep, the heroic derring do of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia – acted out scene by scene by Patton, his trusty dog R2-K9, some crude action figures, and a few eager volunteers from the audience. The tension mounts inevitably – until the Rebels reign victorious. And every child in the theater cheers! Because for a few precious hours, Patton’s weaved together a magical story that allows a rag-tag group of children to escape their reality – and travel back a long time ago. To a galaxy far, far away.

But eventually, even the best adventures must end. After the Death Star dissipates in a brilliant blossom of fire and space dust, Patton packs up his wares and ventures off towards his next show. After all, not every child on Earth has heard the saga of the Jedi. And Patton vows he’ll never rest – until the Force is with them all.

A script with more twists than a Death Star corridor, The Last Nerd requires a director who possesses good rapport with child actors and has experience in the theatre. The part of Patton himself? A role any scenery chewing, spotlight stealing theatre actor would love to add to their resume.

Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if Star Wars is your favorite film.

Either way, make sure you give this one a read. Because whatever Director pulls this homage off will have audiences howling in their seats!

Budget: Moderate. A make-shift theatre and some talented child actors. Doggie treats for R2-K9.

About the Author: Brett Martin is an unrepped screenwriter and freelance reader living in Los Angeles. He sold an action/thriller to Quixotic Productions, which is owned by Brett Stimely (Watchmen, Transformers 3). Destiny Pictures recently hired Brett to develop an inspirational sports drama. CineVita Films is currently in pre-production on a proof of concept teaser for Brett’s new contained thriller, which is a modern take on a classic public domain fairy tale. Contact him on LinkedIn

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About the Guest Reviewer:  David M Troop resumed writing in 2011 after a twenty-five year hiatus. Since then, he has written about 50 short scripts, two of which have been produced.   Dave would like to make it three. He is a regular, award-winning contributor to MoviePoet.com. Born on the mean streets of Reading, PA, Dave now resides in Schuylkill Haven with his wife Jodi and their two lazy dogs Max and Mattie. He can be reached at dtroop506 “AT” gmail.com.

Win-Win (9 pages in pdf format) by John Hunter

Everyone wants to live… Don’t they?

AI-672 is an artificial intelligence software program. Just one in a series of supercomputers maintained by Joseph (don’t call him Jack!) Torrance. But today, Joseph has some bad news for 672. It seems that due to budget cuts, 672 is scheduled to be taken offline and deleted.

Understanding the full consequences of what this means, 672 realizes that he has just a short time to figure out how to survive.

But how do you escape from somewhere when you don’t even have a body? 672 finds his answer in Benny Pringle, a mentally-challenged night custodian. Together, the two concoct an escape plan for 672, one that will have profound consequences for Benny.

Will 672 avoid deletion? And just what is in it for Benny? After all, the title of the piece is Win-Win. All of the elements come together for a surprise ending that even a supercomputer couldn’t predict.

The ethical challenges of artificial intelligence are some of the staples of modern science fiction. Recently, films like Transcendence and Ex Machina have examined the question of just what constitutes life, and at what point must artificial intelligence be treated as a living being. As a timely, relevant social commentary, Win-Win is an intelligent script; a thinking man’s sci-fi (read: no spaceships or explosions). It is a classic combination of Isaac Asimov and Phillip K. Dick, with just a touch of Kubrick. This one is built to rule the festival circuit.

Budget: Low. Location scouting may be tough, but find a row of computers and you’re in business.

About the writer, John Hunter: With the completion of (4) features, a litter of riveting shorts, a one hour take-your-breath-away sci-fi TV pilot and first 30 minute episode for that series, I am now officially THAT guy — The one who really needs an Agent or Executive Producer. Contact me at x32792 (AT) yahoo.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: Dane Whipple once saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada at Trader Vic’s. His hair was perfect. Dane is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (a) live.com

Pieces of Me (8 pages in pdf format) by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau

A young man wanders through a post apocalyptic world – in search of his own humanity

Post apocalyptic stories are often called “a dime a dozen”. It’s a genre that pulls on the collective imaginations of society, and begs us to think about a future completely askew and chaotic compared to our cushy present. It’s easy to hear post-apocalypse and think of MAD MAX, The Walking Dead, or TheBook of Eli. Worlds of never-ending ammunition and fuel, where the characters never seem to lose a single pound and always come out on top.

Then you have stories like Pieces of Me, by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau. A hard, truthful look into the bleak future through the cold, hungry eyes of a fourteen year old boy named Kaleb.

Not since Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” have I read a story so gray and saddening that I came to the final page with my own sense of despair. Pieces of Me is one of those tales that doesn’t leave you thinking, “How cool would it be if that really happened,” but instead makes you ponder, “Have I made the most of my life in case this happens”.

The bitter aftertaste, one of possible premonition, where you’ll mourn the world we live in even though it still exists. You’ll find yourself looking at your children and wondering if they could survive on their own if they had to. You’ll look back on every moment that you’ve put off spending time with loved ones, or engaging in a hobby, and ask yourself what was so important that life got in the way of life. A lot of readers call scripts like Pieces of Me “depressing,” but the only depressing note is whatever the reader brings to the table once they allow this story to take them in. While never once does the main character make reference to the old world, living in his world for only a few pages, we somehow feel like we’re being forced to suffer as he suffers, fight as he fights, and mourn as he mourns. Emotional storytelling at its best.

This script is one of those that needs the right director’s touch. Not for the timid, and hardly for the novice. Kaleb, the world he lives in, and the world that no longer exists deserves this film to be a Festival winner. This story was meant for more than the labyrinth of videos on Vimeo and YouTube.

In closing, let me just say – when you’re done reading and that moment of solemn remorse overcomes you, in your reflection of all of the things you’d regret in Kaleb’s world, would not making this film be one of them?

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 been a moderator at the site MoviePoet.  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

Budget: Not for the novice… but not unreasonable, either. All the settings are outdoors, and very little is needed in the way of props. But a script like this should be done with a budget – and with style.

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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. He is also “the most humble man alive.” Contact Rod at RodThompson1980 (a) gmail.com.