It’s A…

Life Goes On – Even When the World’s Reached Its End

Man, the apocalypse is rough. For the X-Men – and everyone.

Especially if you’re pregnant. Never getting to see your child run, play, live… that’s hard news to swallow with little notice. Let alone fully accept.

This is the exact dilemma Anne and Sarah face in Anthony Cawood’s wrenching drama, It’s A…

Anne’s pregnant and about to pop. Sarah’s expecting too – though not so far along.

The news breaks while they’re in a hospital: the meteor is on its way, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. Needless to say, Sarah and Anne find themselves powerless. And alone.
What do they say? What do they do?

How to accept that everything’s ending… demolishing their cherished plans…

Whiling away the time, Anne asks Sarah questions about the future they both know won’t come.

Things like: Did you want your baby to be a boy? A girl? A dancer? A singer? At first, Sarah is reluctant to answer. She never thought about the gender – she just wanted her child to be healthy. A dream that’s now turned into a nightmare.

Refusing to lay down and die, Anne promises Sarah they can find out the sex of the baby together – one last moment of joy before the end.

A rare contained apocalypse story, It’s A... is brimming with emotions; perfect for two up-and-coming actresses and a director looking to show what talent and drama they have inside.

Remember, the world doesn’t have to end with a whimper. Maybe just a lie.

Pages: 4

Budget: Low. Two actresses, one setting and few props. You might need some old news footage, but a clever director could stage that him/herself.

About the reviewer: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter whose website http://mitchsmithscripts.wix.com/scripts offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. You can also reach him at Mitch.SmithScripts “AT” gmail and follow Mitch at twitter.com/MitchScripts.

About the writer: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Read READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

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.

As we’re always proud to declare, there’s tons of fun stuff on the way…

Anthony Cawood’s romantic elevator short Fairy Tale has been officially optioned by RAMSTAR Studios.  No, we’re not surprised. At all.

If you’re looking for anything else to shoot – here are a few more Cawood scripts on the market – at least for now!

Glitch (SF/Thriller/Horror) – A desperate wife resorts to extreme measures to ensure her husband gets the lifesaving operation he needs. Winner of the Nashville Film Festival Short Script Award!

All My Love (aka Stuffed) (Horror/Drama) – A wronged woman takes a scorched earth approach to her revenge.

I-Robot (SF, Comedy) – It’s Man Vs. Roomba when Octogenarian Roy receives a surprise present from his daughter

Love Locked (Horror) – Two teenagers discover romantically painted padlocks on a bridge. Are they Valentines from a love-struck Romeo… or something more sinister?

About Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Time Lines
Sometimes, it’s best to let life pass you by…

Remember the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day? If not, shame on you. But here’s the classic tale you’ve somehow let slip away:

Groundhog’s a film about a dude forced to relive the same day over and over and over – until…. well, that would be a spoiler. So we’ll leave the final scene blank for now.

Time Lines, written by versatile scribe John Hunter, is Groundhog Day for 2016. That is, if Groundhog Day was gorier, bloodier and much… gooier, as well.

That’s no knock on the story. In fact, it’s a compliment. Only four pages long, Time Lines nails a darkly comedic tone and keeps you guessing through each scene, as you race.

Here’s the basic premise; young protagonist James goes about his daily routine – resulting in an extremely unusual (and disturbing) day. Our narrative begins as James drives to work. He runs a red light and… gets demolished by a truck. Seconds later, time seems to rewind. James misses the truck and makes it to work. That’s encouraging, right? But then he steps out of his car… and gets flattened by a speeding van. So on and so forth: the tragedies keep unfolding and reversing. Will his miserable day never end?

Which leads to the true mystery of this script: what’s the secret behind what’s happening? Time Lines’ll keep you guessing until the end. Even after you read the final words, somethings remain “open to interpretation”, as they say…

Take our recommendation to heart: if you’re an experienced director looking to make your mark, Time Lines is a special tale. One that could potentially play great on the festival circuit – especially with the right cast/crew. Grab this one while it lasts. Remember, you only live once! (Unless you’re Bill Murray, then you live 12,403 times. A special thank you to Obsessed With Film for the precise number of days Bill Murray suffered through in Groundhog Day).

Budget: Moderate to high: a couple of car accidents, one tragic equipment failure (make of that what you will). Also to be depicted: an assault rifle attack (a weapon of any sort could probably be substituted here.). But don’t let that stop you, or James – remember, there are many ways to make effects work on a budget. Don’t ask me how, I’m just a writer – but stock footage and magic may suffice. You’ll also need lots of fake blood: this one’s messy (in a good way!). As for actors, there’s only one major role. And you can probably get by with just two extras (one man and one woman) on the side.

Settings – A highway, a parking lot, an elevator, and an office building/break room.

Pages: 3

About the reviewer: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter whose website (http://mitchsmithscripts.wix.com/scripts) offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. You can also reach him at Mitch.SmithScripts “AT” gmail and follow Mitch at https://twitter.com/MitchScripts.

About the writer, John Hunter: I am an award-winning and produced writer. Please visit http://www.networkisa.org/profile/1001989/John-Hunter to see a short bio and list of my scripts available for production. My email is x32792 (AT) yahoo.com

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

I Robot

It’s Man Vs. Roomba when Octogenarian Roy receives a surprise present from his daughter

The ever widening dangers and potentials of technology. A common theme in both literature and film, the topic spans the gamut of genres. SF/Horror: Hal in 2001. Short Circuit (Comedy). Even Romance – Spike Jonze’s acclaimed SF film Her.

And cantankerous old people? No script writer can go wrong with that! Geezers aways make for colorful characters. Betty White in Lake Placid. The entire cast of Cocoon…

Put those two factors into a short. Add a touch of dark humor, and the result is guaranteed to be memorable.

As iRobot opens, so does old man Roy’s door. Cranky and frail, he harasses the poor teen Postman relentlessly. He asks the kid a million questions. Insists on getting I.D. Eventually, Roy pulls the package from his hands. Slams the door in the kid’s face.

Back in his kitchen, Roy opens the box: it’s a surprise present from daughter Wendy. A fully automated Roomba style vaccuum cleaner; designed to help around the house. Though perpetually unimpressed, Roy turns the device on. He sets it down and gives it a spin.

…but the new-fangled gizmo does more than spin. It whirrs and clicks. And starts to clean. Mesmorized, Roy watches the bot “do its thing.” After conducting an initial patrol across the floor, the robot circles back – and slams into Roy’s ankle. Before you can yell “that tears it!” the war is on. A cat and mouse game ensues between Roy and his mechnanical nemesis. It may not be a Terminator, but this is one Roomba that’s ready to rock and roll. And not necessarily in a good way…

Easy to shoot, iRobot can be played several ways. Horror. Or tongue in cheek satire. But turn it on and give it your spin. It’s a fun tale of Man vs. Machine, with a lighthearted combination of genres.

About Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Pages: 10

Budget: Very low budget. Three actors and a roomba’s all you need.

Read iRobot

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.

Will the hits ever stop coming?  Not if your name is Anthony Cawood.

Anthony Cawood’s Glitch (which is currently available for production) has just been announced as WINNER of the Nashville Film Festival in the Short Thriller/Horror category. Wow – that’s one we’d love to see…

And – there’s more news in store!  Recently, Visceral Films optioned Anthony’s feature length horror, “Dr. Psycho’s Terror Night”, with plans to produce in 2017.  A marvelous title (and concept)!

Until Dr. Psycho hits the silver screen, we suggest that readers check out Anthony’s other scripts.  Quick… before directors grab ’em, and they’re gone!

Glitch (SF/Thriller/Horror) – A desperate wife resorts to extreme measures to ensure her husband gets the lifesaving operation he needs.

All My Love (aka Stuffed) (Horror/Drama) – A wronged woman takes a scorched earth approach to her revenge.

I-Robot (SF, Comedy) – It’s Man Vs. Roomba when Octogenarian Roy receives a surprise present from his daughter

Love Locked (Horror) – Two teenagers discover romantically painted padlocks on a bridge. Are they Valentines from a love-struck Romeo… or something more sinister?

About Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Please join STS in congratulating writer Rick Hansberry.  Not once, but several times…

1) His recently reviewed short, Last Dance, has been picked up for student production by Megan McPherson.

Other directors take note: Last Dance is still available for professional use, as are several more Rick-flavored scripts!

Cards (drama) –  A pair of copyrighters continue their career-long battle long after retirement.

Over the Lump (drama) – Objects in the mind’s mirror may appear larger than they are.

Freak (drama) – A simple wave and smile alters the life of a teenager.

By the Power Vested in Me (drama) – Will a power outage serve as a sign that a wedding shouldn’t happen?

Hello (drama) – Interesting what you can find in used bookstores – and often there’s a reason it’s there.

‘Til Death (Comedy) – A marital tiff erupts to epic proportions….

Burn the Ships (drama) – Life lessons alter the courses taken by a teacher and his student.

Taking the Reins (drama FEATURE) – A reckless equestrian struggles through personal and professional setbacks to try to make history as the youngest winner of the elite Rolex championship, but his destructive personality poses the biggest obstacle to claiming the title.

2) Rick’s SF feature length, Alienate, is now available for purchase!  Take a gander at the DVD review here!

The Buyer

When it comes to empty houses, sometimes buyers should beware….

As Rod Serling used to say each week, “You unlock this door with the key of imagination.” And so it is with the best of scripts. Before you begin reading this one, take a moment, close your eyes, and imagine the theme music from The Twilight Zone. Then (after a short commercial break) start reading, because this story is definitely Serling-esque. In the best possible way.

It all begins in a picture-perfect living room, with dust gently drifting through rays of sunshine. Two women – one a realtor, the other a prospective buyer – move slowly through the space. There’s subtle tension in the air…

…and an eerie dynamic lurking just outside our awareness, involving the two women and the house. Stay alert to pick up details. Why does the cell phone signal fail at certain times? Whose overturned picture lies on the shelf? Most importantly, who (or what) is the mysterious woman seen briefly in the hallways?

Could it be a ghost? We’ll never tell. But we will paint a picture for you. Imagine The Others meets The Uninvited. Weaved together with poetic skill.

If you’re in search of a low-budget spine tingler with a humdinger of a twist, this script could be what you’re looking for. One location – an empty house. All interior. No special effects. And meaty roles for three 30-something actresses. What more could a director ask for?

About the writer: I’ve been writing for about four years now. I always loved it but managed to get constantly side-tracked by silly things like: finding a real job, getting married, having kids, a mortgage… I finally decided to stop making excuses (not completely) and write “for real”. I made it to the quarter-finals of the Nicholls Fellowship last year, the semi-finals of the Screencraft Fellowship earlier this year, and am currently in the finals of the Industry Insider competition featuring Sheldon Turner. I’m still pretty wet behind the ears, but for the first time in a long time, I actually refer to myself as a writer. I can always be reached at kostak “AT” kostak.com

Pages: 7

Budget: Very affordable. One house, three actresses – and you’re set.

About the reviewer: Scott Merrow co-writes screenplays with his wife Paula. Since 2006, they’ve written over 50 short screenplays, several of which have been produced. They tend toward family-friendly scripts, but they’ve written a little bit of everything: horror, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy… the whole nine yards.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

BETTER TIMES

A desperate young couple are faced with a stark choice in exchange for the promise of a better future.

The Hunger Games, Mad Max-Fury Road, Interstellar, Tomorrowland, The Maze Runner, Insurgent, The Giver, Looper, Elysium, The Purge, Snowpiercer, Dredd — Ooh, I’m running out of breath… These films make up a partial tally of the last few years of movie releases in the Sci-Fi/Dystopian genre. No guessing then that the popularity of this genre is at an all time high, and with box-office gold almost guaranteed, the demand for quality stories is on the increase.

Dystopia, as the name suggests, features worlds where the setting is bleak, oppressed, threatened. In the extreme – impending nuclear fall-out and zombie apocalypses. At the other end of the spectrum – a dying earth, societal breakdown, hard-core surveillance. One thing’s for sure, there’s always a fight for survival. Second thing is, audiences appear to have an insatiable appetite for these future worlds of bedlam, mayhem and decay.

Up and coming filmmakers will be interested to know that quite a few esteemed directors transitioned from the short format with Dystopian fiction, to feature film success.

Spielberg’s Minority Report was originally a short story by Phillip K. Dick; James Cameron made Xenogenesis – a short film featuring a female heroine, cyborgs and a giant robot inspiring Terminator; George Lucas made his dystopian short film, Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB and its later incarnation THX 1138, a ‘short’ which put him on the map. More recently Neil Blomkamp with collaborator Sharlto Copley shot Alive In Joburg, expanding upon that same source material to eventually produce District 9.

Want to scale the same heights as the aforementioned film luminaries? Recall me mentioning quality stories?

STS is pleased to present Steve Miles’ short screenplay, ‘Better Times’.  Set in the not too distant future of 2078, Better Times is a cautionary tale of a world run by big business and ruled by corporate hegemony.  Sebastian and Eileen Cade, a couple in their 30s with a baby on the way, are facing the biggest decision of their lives. Sebastian has just agreed to the ultimate sacrifice – all he has to do is sign on the dotted line. Question is, will he be signing his life away in a deal with the Devil, or will this most noble act result in the couple’s salvation?

Better Times is a flawlessly written and atmospheric tale of two ordinary people trying to survive in a most extraordinary world… with a chilling revelation in the final act that you won’t see coming.

Do you have your eye on a bright future in the film world? Then look no further than: Better Times. 

Budget: Not bad at all. A tiny bit of Tech-FX, but just to add that extra flair.

Pages: 9

About the Reviewer: Libby 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 has also worked professionally as a freelance web-content editor and proofreader. She is thrilled her first ever entry (Simpatico) into a Screenplay Comp – The LA Comedy Festival ‘Short’ screenplay division took out Top 3 Finalist and hopes the high placing will be a continuing trend. 🙂 Libby would love to see her words come to life on screen.   She lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia, and describes him as being both a good and a bad influence on her writing. You can contact Libby at libbych “AT” hotmail

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

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

Hmmm… quite a double entendre there. Is it not?

For The Love of God: we urge all STS fans to read this post!

It is hereby announced that Tim Westland’s spectacular short For The Love of God has now been optioned. Just imagine – a writer capable of tackling a mix of sensitive subjects: with a splendid blend of style, humor and humanitarian sensibility as well.

That’s what we’d shoot for at STS, when in search of a stand-out script to film.

Sure enough – one lucky director did. We’ll keep you apprised as this one develops. All the way to the silver indie screen.

In the meantime, we highly suggest you look over Tim’s other work. The man writes in a variety of genres – each intelligently nuanced, and available for production as we speak:

Shorts

Better Be Good – (Holiday Fantasy Short) – When a young boy finds Santa’s lost bag of toys in a nearby forest, his first thought is to return it. His big brother has other ideas though, which might prove life changing for both of them. https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/better-be-good-short-script-for-review-available-for-production/ NOTE: CHRISTMAS THEME – grab this before Santa (or Krampus) rips it away!

Balls Out (comedy) – Legendary Surfing Pioneer, Mick “Balls Out” Shelly, hasn’t hit the waves in five decades. But an opportunity to reclaim the spotlight takes Mick and people from his past on a trip down memory lane that none are likely to forget. https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/23/balls-out/

Careful What You Wish For (comedy/fantasy) – Magic genies and bottles. Such things never end well.  Or DO they? https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/careful-what-you-wish-for-short-script-review-available-for-production/

A Line in the Sand (Hard Political SF/Drama) – Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/a-line-in-the-sand-short-script-review-available-for-production/

TV Series

Loose Screws (TV Pilot/Drama/Thriller with writer John Robbins) – A successful psychiatrist finds himself losing his grip on reality – and turns to an old patient – a girl with a mysterious mathematical talent, that he used and betrayed years ago. https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/loose-screws-featured-television-pilot-review-available-for-option/

(in) Equality (SF – In development. Treatment available) – A collaboration with writer John Robbins and J.E. Clarke – a hard SF TV series in the speculative vein of Orphan Black.

Features

Hunted/Stitched (Feature Horror with writer Rod Thompson) – After accidentally shooting a girl in the mysterious Ozark mountains, five hunting buddies must battle for their lives and their souls when a backwoods hillbilly taxidermist invokes ancient supernatural powers to bring his monstrous patchwork creations to life to exact his revenge.  Note to Directors who focus on contest winners… Stitched has been wowing the big ones.  Quite well! https://simplyscriptsreviews.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/hunted-feature-length-script-review-available-for-production/

About Tim himself: Tim Westland, co-writer of the acclaimed graphic novel Chasing the Dead, received first place for Balls Out in the NNYM 15 page contest. An outstanding writer with an eye for the details, his IMDB page can be found here. And he can be reached here (when not subsumed in writing throes): timwestland “AT” hotmail