The 2009 Black List is out. Thanks Pia for the heads up and “Niles” for firing the first salvo on The Black List on the Discussion Board

For those of you who don’t know, The Black List is an annual list of Hollywood’s most liked unproduced screenplays. It started in 2004 when Franklin Leonard, a development executive for Appian Way, asked folks in the business to send in their list of top 10 unproduced screenplays. Those lists were complied into The Black List (which now as a site entirely devoted to The Black List).

Previous Black List scripts include “The Queen” , “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Juno”.

This year’s list is topped by THE MUPPET MAN by Christopher Weekes The life story and tragic early death of Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.” and THE SOCIAL NETWORK by Aaron Sorkin The story of the founders of the social networking

Read, Elizabeth Currid’s excellent opinion piece, The Black List: what it can, and cannot, do for Hollywood filmmaking

It can’t be emphasized enough, however, that The Black List is a compilation of most liked, not best. This is clearly evident based on Mystery Man on Film’s August, 2009 review of one of The Black List scripts, Balls Out (in pdf format hosted by The Robotard 8000). The script was written by Tim Talbott and Malcolm Spellman under the psudonym The Robotard 8000. When insurance salesman Jim Simmers has a near death experience, he decides that nothing matters except getting a promotion, a new car, and the hot girl from work. Jim’s new attitude alienates his friends and co-workers, and he must figure out how to live his new life without losing his old one.

MMoF begins his review, “I found this script to be a vile, degenerate, 107-page piece of shit, about as witty as a maggot-infested corpse but only half as intelligent… Read the rest of the review, it only gets better. – Don

Thanks to Rope of Silicon for the delightful shout out. They have a fabulous site of all things related to the Race to the the Oscars.

Fox Searchlight has tossed in three scripts, 500 Days of Summer, Crazy Heart and The Fantastic Mr. Fox for award contention. The webmaster over at Fox Searchlight still needs to get the coding straightened out on the script links, however if you follow the links below, you’ll be good to go.

On another note, Paramount has their “For Your Consideration” site up, but according to Chelsey, “Our movies have not been released wide in the US at this time and that is why we have chosen to not post them at this time.”. So, heads up folks, Star Trek and Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen are coming soon to your home town…

500 Days of Summer - April 16, 2008 unspecified draft script by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – hosted by: Fox Searchlight – in pdf format

After it looks as if she’s left his life for good this time, Tom Hansen reflects back on the just over one year that he knew Summer Finn. Despite being physically average in almost every respect, Summer had always attracted the attention of men, Tom included. For Tom, it was love at first sight when she walked into the greeting card company where he worked, she the new administrative assistant. Soon, Tom knew that Summer was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Although Summer did not believe in relationships or boyfriends – in her assertion, real life will always ultimately get in the way – Tom and Summer became more than just friends.

Information courtesy of imdb.com
The Fantastic Mr. Fox - June 1, 2009 unspecified draft script by Wes Anderson (based on the book by Roald Dahl) – hosted by: Fox Searchlight – in pdf format

It is the story of one Mr. Fox and his wild-ways of hen heckling, turkey taking and cider sipping, nocturnal, instinctive adventures. He has to put his wild days behind him and do what fathers do best: be responsible. He is too rebellious. He is too wild. He is going to try “just one more raid” on the three nastiest, meanest farmers that are Boggis, Bunce and Bean. It is a tale of crossing the line of family responsibilities and midnight adventure and the friendships and awakenings of this country life that is inhabited by Fantastic Mr. Fox and his friends.

Information courtesy of imdb.com
Crazy Heart - August 7, 2008 revised draft script by Scott Cooper (based on the novel Crazy Heart by Thomas Cobb) – hosted by: Fox Searchlight – in pdf format

Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks João for the heads up on another Warner Bros script posted for 2009 award consideration. This is a much later draft of Where The Wild Things Are than what has been floating around.

Where The Wild Things Are - November 21, 2008 revised draft script by Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers (Based on Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak) – hosted by: WarnerBros – in pdf format

An adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world–a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler. You can read the first half of the novelization at New Yorker

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Another script up for 2009 script award consideration. This one from Universal Pictures.

It’s Complicated - undated, unspecified draft script by Nancy Meyers – hosted by: Universal Pictures – in pdf format

First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. And then… Divorced… with benefits.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Read other scripts posted by studios for 2009 script award consideration.

Thanks to João for the heads up on another studio posted script up for award consideration
The Blind Side - April 28, 2009 revised draft script by John Lee Hancock (based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis) – hosted by: WarnerBros – in pdf format

“The Blind Side” depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher’s presence in the Touhys’ lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Read other scripts studios are posting for 2009 script award consideration.

Soulshadows II is a weekly supernatural anthology series. Join Tanis, each week, as she highlights an item from her collection – each one containing the shadow of a very special soul.

Next up is My Soul To Take by Jordan Wiebe (theboywhocouldfly), Tanis by Robert Newcomer.

During the heat of battle a young soldier must face the pain of his past. 33 pages (pdf format).

Rated R for language
Listen to the Script – read by iScript.com

 

 Soulshadows II: My Soul To Take by Jordan Wiebe [27:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (192)

Discuss this script on the Discussion Board

George Willson’s No Kind of Life (pdf format) has been filmed.

One night, Jeff decided to kill himself. When his four friends show up the following day to deal with his loss, they learn that he had invited each of them over before he died to tell them all how their lives were going wrong and encourage them to live a little better without telling them of his plan to die. Confused by this impulsive decision to anger each of them before his untimely death, they work to decipher the reasoning behind this course of action and determine what was really happening in his life. — DVD also includes the short presentation “No Better Loved Than Lost”

The movie is available from Amazon.com. If you want to get a copy of it with a discount, and can handle CreateSpace, you can use discount code H63WMLZU at CreateSpace to get 15% off the purchase price

Discuss and Comment on the Discussion Board.

The The Weinstein Company has posted their scripts for 2009 award consideration.

Nine - November 11, 2009 final draft script by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella – in pdf format

Famous film director Guido Contini struggles to find harmony in his professional and personal lives, as he engages in dramatic relationships with his wife, his mistress, his muse, his agent, and his mother. |

Information courtesy of imdb.com
Inglourious Basterds - undated, unspecified draft script by Quentin Tarantino – in pdf format

In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.

Information courtesy of imdb.com
The Road - undated, unspecified draft script by Joe Penhall (based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy) – in pdf format

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind and water. It is cold enough to crack stones, and, when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the warmer south, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing: just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless cannibalistic bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a rusting shopping cart of scavenged food–and each other.

Information courtesy of imdb.com
A Single Man - undated, unspecified draft script by Tom Ford and David Scearce (based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood) – in pdf format

A story that centers on an English professor who, after the sudden death of his partner tries to go about his typical day in Los Angeles.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Read all the the scripts the studios are posting for award consideration. – Don

Announcing the 2010 BlueCat Screenplay Competition where every screenplay receives written script analysis.

This year, BlueCat has created two new awards for international screenwriters, expanded early analysis deadlines and for fun, decided to have a best title contest to further support and find the new writer.

PRIZES

Winner receives $10,000

Four Finalists receive $1,500 each.

NEW! The best screenplay outside the USA, Canada and the UK will be awarded the Joplin Award and receive $2500.

NEW! The screenplay with the best title submitted in November and December, as voted by the public, will receive $1000.

NEW! The screenplay with the best title submitted in November and December, as voted by the public, will receive $1000.

SCRIPT ANALYSIS DEADLINE SCHEDULE

January 20 – receive analysis by February 1
Feb 1 – receive analysis by March 1
March 1 – receive analysis by March 20

COMPETITION DEADLINE

Title contest: December 31
Regular: March 1 ($50 entry fee)
Late: April 1 ($60 entry fee)

Any screenplay submitted early and having received our early analysis can be resubmitted by April 1, 2010 for the reduced fee of $35.

SUBMIT YOUR SCREENPLAY: www.bluecatscreenplay.com