Over on the Unproduced scripts page are twelve original scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are seven original scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Over on the Unproduced scripts page are ten scripts, unproduced and original for your reading pleasure.
– Don

Over on the Original scripts page are fourteen scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

THE GAMBLER
(5-page short drama)
by Gary Howell

A man diagnosed with a terminal illness makes a drastic choice.

What would you do if you discovered you only had a couple of weeks to live? The Gambler by Gary Howell asks its main character just that question as 35-year-old Joe Ferguson receives the news that nobody wants to hear:

       DR. WILLISTON
The cancer you have is almost
undetectable until it’s too late.

Would your answer change if you lived just minutes from the famed Las Vegas Strip—if you could literally see it from your kitchen window? That’s the entirety of the setup that Howell creates for The Gambler. A lonely, obviously risk-averse man faces a terminal illness in a city known for taking big shots.

How do we know that Joe is risk-averse? Howell deftly sets things up with several simple clues: He describes Joe’s Las Vegas home as “threadbare, sparsely decorated.” Big-spender Joe eats a bowl of cereal for dinner, sorting through a steady parade of bills. And, we soon find out, Joe is sitting on a pile of cash. Add it all up: Joe is a saver, reluctant even to spend his money on his own bills.

That’s the heart of The Gambler, as we watch one piece of information—imminent death—transform someone into a completely new person. The Saver instantly becomes The Gambler.

What’s particularly interesting, though, is how Howell sets up Joe’s mindset for the big moment through a simple exchange with a friend.

       JOE
What am I going to do, go to Paris?
I’ll be in hospice before you know it,
and that’ll be fully covered by my
medical insurance.

       BUCK
And if you win?

Joe finally stops, faces Buck.

       JOE
This is Vegas, Buck. Nobody wins
in Vegas except the house.

Joe knows he’s going to lose. So, why does he want to risk all of his money on one round of blackjack? Is it truly only that he has nothing to lose? Maybe. It’s open for interpretation, but I see the moment as Joe saying to death: “You can’t take everything from me if I take it from me first.” Whatever his motivation, he’s plowing straight ahead. 

Soon, he’s sitting at the table.

       DEALER
Cards coming out.

The first card comes to Joe face down, then the dealer deals himself a card down.

The next card to Joe comes face up. An eight. Joe frowns, but not nearly as hard as he does when the dealer’s next card comes up — an ace.

       BUCK
Shit.

Joe flips his under card over. It’s another eight.

       DEALER
Sixteen.

       JOE
Welp. Maybe this wasn’t such a
good idea after all.

He drums his fingers on the table. After what seems like an eternity considering it:

It’s the moment Howell has been setting up from page one: the choice. How far will Joe take this? Well, I’m not going to leave you hanging. Yet.

       JOE
Hit me.

The dealer takes the next card, flips it over and slides it in front of Joe.

Joe sucks in what seems like all the oxygen in the room. It’s a three.

       DEALER
Nineteen.

Joe waves his hand over the cards. Gets up from his chair and as the dealer flips over his hole card, we– 

SMASH CUT TO: 

EXT. BELLAGIO HOTEL – AFTERNOON 

Now I’m going to leave you hanging! But, don’t fret, it could be worse. I’ll let Howell explain: “I had toyed with the idea of a ‘Sopranos’ type ending where you think you know what happened, but aren’t necessarily sure because it would cut to black after Joe steps out of the casino. In giving it more consideration, I thought that in a 5-page script like this one, the reader (and ultimately, the viewer of the film) really wants to have a resolution, and I think the way it ended tied things up, but also allows the reader to imagine what happens with the character afterward.”

Of course, I’m going to make you read the script itself to know what Howell decided. Anything else wouldn’t be as fun. And, in the end, that’s what Howell’s script is: fun. Yes, it’s a drama. Yes, there are heavy themes. But, anybody familiar with Howell’s previous work knows, he writes from the heart, and with a certain, very personal, style. He’s not afraid to write about tragedy or personal heartbreak, but when he does, there’s always another layer. Howell explained. “Being who I am, I’ve always tried to find some sort of positivity and humor in all situations and will try to inject that into my scripts.” The Gambler has that extra layer. It’s well worth the read and definitely worthy of production.

Production Notes: At first glance, the production challenges look daunting for a short: Las Vegas, Bellagio, the fountains…unless you’re looking for an excuse to write off a trip to Vegas, it might seem too much. Howell wants you to look closer, “I think this can actually be filmed using a lot of stock footage of Vegas—it doesn’t have to be big budget. At its heart, this is a character-driven story and can be shot in a minimalistic way.” 

Locations: A doctor’s office, a sparse residence, Las Vegas strip, Bellagio exterior and interior.

**The Gambler by Gary Howell received the Writer’s Choice Award in SimplyScripts’ September ’23 One Week Challenge.

Read the Script and talk about it on the Discussion Board

About the Writer: Gary Howell is a native Texan, yet still doesn’t own a cowboy hat. He practiced law for 17 years before finally scratching a life-long itch and started writing short and feature films. He’s had four of his short films produced, one feature optioned and has worked with producer Matthew George (“LBJ”, “Wind River”). Coverfly featured his TV pilot “Bounty” in a recent live virtual table read.

About the Reviewer: Paul Knauer is a produced screenwriter with two features in early development. His main focus is thrillers and slightly absurdist comedy with heart. But, Paul believes becoming a better writer requires pushing personal boundaries, so you’ll notice a thorough mix of genres in his portfolio. Much of his work has universal appeal, evidenced by successful productions in the UK, UAE, and US–and options in Australia, Russia, India, Canada, and Thailand. A recent feature of his was named a 2022 Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist.

Find more scripts available for production

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

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are 20 original scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are twelve scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Over on the Unproduced scripts page are nine scripts for your reading pleasure. And check out the Halloween OWC’s Writers’ Choice (and who wrote what)

TEARS IN HEAVEN
6 page short drama in pdf format
by Matthew Taylor

Sometimes anguish is too much to bear.

Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven? Fans of Eric Clapton certainly recognize the iconic, haunting lines from his hit song Tears In Heaven. Lines that also serve as the inspiration for Matthew Taylor’s emotional short, dealing with the same issue that led Clapton to write the original: a father’s lament at the loss of his son. “I want their heartstrings tugged so hard that their eyes leak. But most of all I want the audience to relate to it,” said Taylor. “I don’t think there are many people on the planet who haven’t lost someone close to them and battled with thoughts of an afterlife, so I’m hoping everyone can connect with it in some way.”

Written as part of SimplyScript’s One Week Challenge series, themed around an inspirational song, Tears In Heaven, the short, uses only 6 pages to weave a deeply moving tale of grief. Despite the challenge-limited page count, Taylor takes his time with the setup, establishing an otherworldly tone from the start as a character simply named KEEPER, dressed in white, guards a village hall:

Like a statue, Keeper watches the horizon until something grabs his attention, he leans forward for a better look at…

RICHARD (27) dashing towards him in a black suit and tie.

Richard nears the hall when Keeper glides preternaturally towards him and blocks his path.

                  KEEPER
             How did you get here?

Richard quickly changes course and walks around him, heads for the hall—

–Keeper appears in front of him again. Richard stops.

                  KEEPER
             You shouldn’t be here.

Richard wants inside the hall—NEEDS inside the hall—but Keeper has a job to do. 

                  KEEPER
             Forbidden.

Richard’s agony is evident, and Keeper not without heart.

                  KEEPER
             How did you get here?

Keeper looks down. A steady flow of blood trickles from under Richard’s sleeve, drips from his fingertips.

Keeper closes his eyes, pain etched on his face. He opens them, a tear trickles down his cheek.

He steps aside, gestures for Richard to go ahead.

Inside the hall, we discover the source of Richard’s pain, and how he’s forced to confront the reality: He can’t stay here, no matter his desire. The scenes and visuals that follow are powerful as Taylor expertly spins his story. “I didn’t want to write a script about the story that inspired the song, but wanted to convey the sorrow/torment (also acceptance) that lies in Clapton’s masterful lyrics. On a personal level, and I’m sure it is the same for most parents, but the thought of losing a child is my biggest fear, which is why the song hits so hard whenever I hear it, and I wanted to manifest that fear into the script.”

It’s not an overtly religious script, but Taylor explains that there are religious underpinnings. “I tried to include some biblical elements. Such as Richard’s black clothes in contrast to Keeper’s white (suffering, death, and sin Vs purity and forgiveness)” Taylor adds, “Isaiah 1:18 ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’ was another contrast I liked, with the dripping blood against the Keeper’s white clothes to symbolize forgiveness.”

You’ll have to read the script to see how masterfully Taylor wraps the story, but a clue can be found in one more biblical reference. “The end was inspired by the verse: Psalm 30:11. ‘You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.’”

It’s a gut punch of an ending that will leave you smiling through tears.

Production Notes: Tears In Heaven is a challenging, yet, relatively modest short to produce, with a small cast, including several extras and one child actor, aged 4.

Locations: As described, the script opens outside a “Village Hall” situated in the middle of a vast field. The interior Village Hall shots intentionally don’t match the exteriors: a large child’s birthday party (generic enough for shooting simplicity.) The remaining location is a church interior, set up for a child’s funeral.

Read the Script and talk about it on the Discussion Board

About the Writer: Matthew Taylor is an amateur screenwriter trying to bring interesting stories and characters to the world. His focus is mainly on Sci-fi and fantastical stories, usually with some dark undertones. He has sold a few short scripts with a couple of productions and is now looking to move on to features and pilots.

About the Reviewer: Paul Knauer is a produced screenwriter with two features in early development. His main focus is thrillers and slightly absurdist comedy with heart. But, Paul believes becoming a better writer requires pushing personal boundaries, so you’ll notice a thorough mix of genres in his portfolio. Much of his work has universal appeal, evidenced by successful productions in the UK, UAE, and the US–and options in Australia, Russia, India, Canada, and Thailand. A recent feature of his was named a 2022 Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist.