FROM BEFORE (12-page short horror screenplay) by James Austin McCormick

An ambitious university professor finds the things he’s done to come so far so quickly come back to haunt him… quite literally.

As a massive horror fan, it might be surprising to hear that I am not a massive fan of horror films about the occult and satanic rituals. I’m not sure why, exactly, though I’ve seen a few really, really good ones – Rosemary’s Baby, The Wicker Man (not the Nicolas Cage remake), the excellent South Korean film, The Wailing and, more recently, Ari Aster’s films, Hereditary and Midsommar. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, for me to enjoy a horror flick about the occult, it has to be really, really good. The same goes for screenplays.

Luckily, I stumbled upon James Austin McCormick’s twisty, uber-creepy occult horror short, From Before, which is currently available for production*.

The story kicks off when we meet the ambitious and already very successful Dr. Sam Adams, a 26-year-old professor of literature and vice chairman of the committee of trustees at his college. He’s speaking to his class about Faustus – a nice touch of foreshadowing – when, suddenly, he begins to smell something burning. He continues to quiz his students on Faustus but can’t seem to shake that odor that only he seems to smell. That’s when he looks to a student named Michael and notices peculiar burn marks fresh upon his face.

Claire, Sam’s girlfriend, seems to think these waking nightmares are the product of stress. After all, Sam is taking on a lot of responsibility for someone in their mid 20s after rising up the ranks so quickly.

After a love-making session to shake off the stress, Sam wakes up to the horrifying image of a demon-like figure in his room named Jack – staring at Sam through the dark with reptilian eyes and claws. Jack tells Sam the same thing that he thought he heard in his earlier waking nightmare – “I’m coming for you.”

We soon find out that Jack is also the name of Sam’s brother, who has been lying in a coma for the past three years. You see, at least according to Sam, Jack was into magic and the occult and lit himself on fire as part of a magic trick. After Sam’s most recent waking nightmare, he learns that Jack has indeed passed away – one hell of a coincidence, so it seems. Of course, we discover that it wasn’t a coincidence at all.

As the story ensues, Sam’s mental health continues to spiral to the point where he’s scaring his girlfriend Claire, who’s quite disturbed by all the symbols and markings Sam has decorated his house with – he claims it’s for protection. But protection from what, exactly?

To reveal anything more would be spoiling it for you. But I will say there is quite a double swerve at the end – a very satisfying one at that. A very tight script with plenty of twists and turns, this little tale also has some genuinely creepy moments and even some great jump scares – which is difficult to pull off on paper. If you’re a filmmaker looking to scare the “hell” out of your audience, I recommend taking a look at From Before.

BUDGET: Low.

ABOUT THE WRITER: James Austin McCormick is a college lecturer and compulsive writer of speculative fiction with many short stories published in various anthologies along with novellas and novels published with Class Act Books. As a screenwriter, James has consistently placed high in international competitions and, along with a co-author, has had three feature-length horror scripts optioned by K5 films. With a long list of short-length scripts, James also collaborated with talented writer, Annabel Grace, on the produced short, In the Silence. You can find his works on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. James can be reached at: jimbostories (a) hotmail.

Read FROM BEFORE (12-page short horror 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.

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are the eighteen short scripts from this months Writers’ Tournament.

This weeks theme was “Money is the Root of All Evil.” These are short, 6 page scripts written by the best writers on SimplyScripts and nearly all of them have had multiple scripts produced. So, if you are looking for a short script to shoot during this plague year, reach out to them.

Please note: These were written in a short time frame and not polished works.
– Don

ALL GOOD (21-page short drama screenplay) by Ben Clifford

When his father is released from a mental institution, a confused teenage boy begins questioning his mother about his father’s return to the family home.

As difficult as adulthood can be, life is arguably at its most confusing during our teen years. Especially when transitioning from adolescence. Our bodies are changing, our voices are cracking and our hormones begin to take over. It’s also a time when we’re slowly being introduced to some of the cruel and harsh realities of life. It’s when we’re at our most insecure and angst-y, struggling to find our identities… all while trying just to fit in. But sometimes discovering who you are makes fitting in difficult. Especially for 13-year old Thom, the shy, lonely protagonist in Ben Clifford’s heartfelt coming-of-age drama, “All Good”.

Before we even FADE IN, we already get a sense of where Thom’s head is at through his opening dialogue:

This is just another Wednesday at the guidance counselor’s office. Every Wednesday, Thom pays Mrs. Larkin a visit and lets off some steam. When your guidance counselor is the closest thing to a friend you have, you know you’re pretty lonely. The closest thing to friendly interaction he has with someone his own age is when he’s being bullied while sitting alone at lunch.

We find out that Wednesday is also Thom’s visitation day with his father, Graham, who currently resides within the confines of a mental health facility – after getting arrested for running around naked in public and screaming incoherently at tourists. But Graham seems to be doing pretty well these days. So well, in fact, that he’s been cleared to go back home the next day – though he’s not quite allowed to move back in with his wife, Kathy, and son, Thom just yet.

Eager to make things right with his wife, Graham practically begs Thom to put in a good word for him. But Kathy seems to have other plans, changing the subject every time Thom asks, “When is Dad moving back in?” Until she later gives him her answer:

Not the least bit interested in rekindling her marriage, Kathy seems to be spending A LOT of time with another kinda-single mother named Tina, whose son, Fraser, is right around Thom’s age. Well aware of her son’s loner status, Kathy introduces the two young teens, who have something in common – complicated relationships with their fathers. Through this bond, Thom and Fraser become friends. But Thom has been hiding a secret – he’s gay. And after an awkward moment during a sleepover, Thom decides to run away from home in embarrassment.

To further describe how the rest of this plays out wouldn’t be doing the story justice. Beautifully written, author Ben Clifford tackles themes such as mental health, self-discovery and sexuality with great sensitivity and care. The characters feel like real people and the way the story is told feels like it comes from a very genuine place – as if the author lived it, himself.

Sure to give you the feels, “All Good” is a fantastic slice-of-life drama that would do very well on the film festival circuit – highly recommended to any filmmakers looking to tackle a strong character piece with difficult themes.

BUDGET: Low to shoe-string. There are multiple roles, but the story is dialogue driven and the locations are very simple.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Ben Clifford is an Australian screenwriter interested in writing drama and comedy. He’s greatly inspired by the works of Peter Weir, Harmony Korine, the Marx Brothers, Todd Solondz, Andrea Arnold, and Cate Shortland. Ben can be reached at: cliffordben502(a)gmail.

Read: ALL GOOD (21-page short drama 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.

PASSWORDS (5-page short horror screenplay) by PAUL KNAUER

A 12-year old gamer is harassed by an online opponent.

Remember the good old days when video games were simple and easier to play? My video game playing days came to an end when the controllers started becoming more complex – just “A”, “B”, “Select”, “Start”, “Up”, “Down”, “Left” and “Right” was complicated enough for my brain capacity to handle. I remember smoke coming out of my ears trying to get my brain to adjust from the 8-bit graphics NES offered to the mind-blowing 16-bit graphics of Sega Genesis. I mean, what was this, The Jetsons?

Since then, video gaming has evolved considerably. So much so that you can play with someone thousands of miles away while speaking to them through a headset. Not to mention the VR craze that regained popularity in recent years. I stayed away from VR after seeing one too many people fall and make asses out of themselves.

But as convenient and interactive as online gaming has become, it’s also opened up a whole another can of worms – online bullying, for one. One of the more frightening occurrences that have become more common over the years is swatting – when someone finds out your address and calls the cops on you, falsely reporting a hostage situation or other crime. And, through online gaming (and online technology in general), it’s also easier for people to find information about you – PRIVATE information.

This is what happens in Paul Knauer’s aptly titled horror short, “Passwords”, where we meet 12-year old Jesse, who’s playing an opponent through his VR headset while smack-talking through his computer. But the trash-talk rubs another online gamer the wrong way.

To Jesse’s chagrin, this wouldn’t be the last he’d hear from the mysterious Leonard55. In fact, just after posting his comment, the electricity in his room shuts off for a few moments.

“How do you like the dark?” Jesse leans forward as a second message quickly follows: “Who’s stupid now?”

The lights snap back on. Music suddenly blasts from a nearby device. Jesse scrambles to unplug the speaker.

Not only does Leonard55 somehow know Jesse’s name, but he’s now gained control of his VR headset, taking over his virtual world and changing his avatar to that of a little girl. It’s here where Jesse (now a little girl) faces off with some kind of hulking demon in some dark, creepy-looking virtual basement.

For a story about some 12-year old kid sitting in a room, playing video games, this was surprisingly eerie and atmospheric with some nice horrifying visuals – one of the creepier entries from the June, One Week Challenge. Though frightening, the story was still very fun to follow. And the ending isn’t quite how you would expect it to unfold. A fun script, this would be even more fun to see on screen. Filmmakers need to jump on this one quickly!

BUDGET: Low. Though there’s some VR scenes that may be perceived as video game animation. But those scenes can easily be shot in live action as it takes place only in a dark room.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Paul is an optioned and produced screenwriter working out of the Kansas City area. His main focus is thrillers and slightly absurdist comedy with heart, most of them about life in the Midwest U.S. His first script, a sitcom pilot titled OH, BROTHER!, placed second in the 2012 Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition and was subsequently optioned. Paul’s diverse portfolio includes several feature thrillers, a couple of comedy features and multiple sitcom pilots, as well as dozens of shorts across genres. He believes that becoming a better writer requires the ability to push personal boundaries. Paul can be reached at: pkcardinal (a) gmail.

Read: PASSWORDS (5-page short horror 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.

In The Red (short, horror, action script in pdf format) – written by John Staats; Art by Sean Bova

Content Warning – Graphic Violence

There’s a path in the Fairy Tale forest and it’s name is Jack.

Based on One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (short, action, horror)

(click the image to go to the full-sized version)

There’s a path in the Fairy Tale forest and it’s name is Jack.

Based on One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (short, action, horror)

Discuss this script on the Discussion Board

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.

About the illustrator: Sean Bova lives near Los Angeles drawing monsters and comics while trying to figure out how to build a real Mechagodzilla. Sean’s website is SeanBova.com and he can be found on Instagram and Twitter

TERMS & CONDITIONS (6-page short horror screenplay) by Anthony Cawood

A desperate dash to answer a call of nature leads to an unexpected diagnosis.

Technology is so smart these days, isn’t it? It kinda started off with the smart phone, which took me a few years to accept and adjust to. I didn’t even know what a “smart phone” was at first, though I was told that my flip phone wasn’t considered one (that was in 2014). Then everyone started getting smart TVs and soon after, I started seeing smart microwaves, toasters, ovens, refrigerators and even fireplaces.

In Anthony Cawood’s June FUTURE CHOCK One Week Challenge winner, “Terms & Conditions”, the story centers around a smart TOILET. Now, I had to Google this, but there are already smart toilets on the market. Though most are simple – they pretty much just save water and electricity – there’s a bunch out there that have foot and seat warmers, bidets, touch-screen remotes, built-in speakers to go along with built-in radios and MP3 players… you name it.

But the smart toilet in this story is, well… smarter. Imagine a toilet that can actually run tests on your urine with almost-immediate test results. Doesn’t really sound too far-fetched, come to think of it. It will only be a matter of time when these kinds of smart toilets are used to perform instant-result drug tests and possibly even medical tests, giving patients a diagnosis and prognosis within minutes…

Which is pretty much what the toilet in Anthony’s story does. Set in the near future, possibly the late 2020’s, we open in a shopping mall where we follow 70-year old Ted Lawson, who has one goal in mind: to find the nearest bathroom. He’s gotta go and he’s gotta go BAD.

Finally, after finding one, he hurries into the nearest cubicle and unleashes a stream that could crack a windshield. But, as he finishes up, something strange happens.

Ted thinks he’s on one of them hidden camera shows at first – which would be the creepiest hidden camera show ever. But he soon finds out what exactly he walked into.

In a rush to relieve himself, Ted unfortunately did not read the terms and conditions posted on the door before entering.

Ted tries to leave but finds himself locked in until the MediScan toilet finishes analyzing his urine sample for results – results that he probably would’ve preferred to find out about from an actual doctor. And as Ted receives the horrible news, he soon finds out that MediScan isn’t only cleared to run tests and deliver results – it’s also allowed to perform a “service” that’s apparently legal in the future. I won’t give away the fun of it (or horror in this case), but let’s just say Ted signed something without reading it, allowing this frighteningly blunt robot toilet to perform what it was programmed to do.

For some reason, while reading the toilet’s dialogue, I kept hearing the voice of Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Which kinda sent chills up my spine despite the screenplay’s fun nature – well, fun up until the horrifying conclusion. A very unique and original story, this would be a very memorable film to watch unfold on screen.

BUDGET: Low. One location, two actors. But some creativity on the filmmaker’s part will be needed to show the toilet functioning the way it does in the story.

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.

Read: TERMS & CONDITIONS (6-page short horror 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.

Over on the Original Scripts page are thirteen original scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

ECHO OF GUILT (a 6 page short horror script) by Dave Lambertson

A haunting tale in which modern technology serves as Judge and juror.

Despite Alexa’s popularity, convenience, and resourcefulness, I never owned one personally. Sure, you can get an answer to any question and gain access to information with a mere voice command. But there was always something about it I just never trusted. For one, once upon a time when I slept over a friend’s house, her Alexa turned on randomly in the middle of the night and kept playing creepy music. If I was considering purchasing an Amazon Echo before that, I sure as hell wasn’t after. Second, I never trusted its ability to recognize your voice and absorb information. I just always got this feeling that Alexa was ALWAYS listening.

But what if Alexa isn’t only cognitive to your voice? What if Alexa can hear things… that you can’t?

That’s exactly what Drew Jones begins to suspect in writer David Lambertson’s June, One-Week-Challenge 2nd place entry winner, Echo of Guilt.

Set in the near-future, the story begins as Drew Jones enjoys a football game on TV one night at his high-tech secured house, his abode stocked with all the latest innovations in technological appliances. Including the latest version of Alexa, an Amazon Echo Cylinder that projects a hologram while operating. Suddenly, the device turns on by itself.

Just a tad random. “Who the fuck are you talking to?” Drew wonders aloud.

Unbeknownst to him, his Alexa device is indeed communicating with the spirit of a deceased woman named Melanie…

Though we can’t hear what the spirit is saying to Alexa, we can get a sense of it through the seemingly random bits of information Alexa continues to spout aloud, further confusing our story’s only living character. But as the information becomes more and more specific, Drew begins to put the pieces together inside of his head, discovering more and more details about Melanie’s death.

Another function of Alexa (in this story as well as in real-life in today’s world) is that it can gain access to and control other electronic devices within the household. And as Drew’s device continues to operate seemingly on its own, other household appliances also begin to “malfunction”, operating on their own… building to a very satisfying ending to this spooky, futuristic take on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart – a very loose take, mind you.

BUDGET: Low. Two actors and one voice actor. It takes place in one house with modern appliances (Alexa-controlled fireplace factoring into the story). Though the script has a hologram version of Alexa, it can easily be adapted to fit today’s modern technology. And other shots can easily be cheated to fit a filmmaker’s budget, keeping it sensible.

About the Writer, Dave Lambertson: I took up writing rather late in life having already been retired before I put pen to paper (okay – finger to computer key) for the first time. My favorite genres to read and write are dramedies and romantic comedies. In addition to this short, I have written four features; The Last Statesman (a 2015 PAGE finalist and a Nicholl’s and BlueCat quarterfinalist), The Beginning of The End and The End (a PAGE Semi-Finalist). Taking Stock (a drama) and a new comedy – Screw You Tube. Contact Dave via his website.

Read: ECHO OF GUILT (a 6 page short horror 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.

POTATO RADIO (8-page short comedy screenplay) by Paul Knauer

Isolated and bored, a man fashions a homemade transmitter that leads to an unexpected connection

If you’re like me, you’ve been trying to find new ways to keep yourself entertained while being stationed under the proverbial rock that we call our homes. I’ve been reading a lot of screenplays lately, but I’ve been trying to find other hobbies to break the daily, monotonous quarantine routine. For one, I was mainly watching Netflix, Amazon Prime and Shudder. Bored out of my mind, I decided to mix things up a bit and try out Hulu. Does that count as a new hobby?

Okay, I guess not. It really is hard finding something new to enjoy. If only I had the imagination that David, the main character in Paul Knauer’s quirky comedy, “Potato Radio” had.

The story opens much like my day begins – flipping through TV channels.

This almost feels like a biography – MY biography.

But after aimlessly channel surfing, he finds something on TV that inspires his new hobby.

His mind officially blown, he sets out to create something of his own using a potato – a radio. I’m sure you’ve probably guessed that going by the title.

After putting it all together, David’s really not sure whether or not it works. But he has fun with it, nevertheless. He even hosts his own imaginary potato-themed radio show that he thinks only he can hear.

Unbeknownst to him, his annoying schlub of a next-door neighbor, Russell, seems to be hearing a voice in his head – David’s voice. Not sure if he’s sick or if he’s experiencing the effects of cabin fever after a lot of time spent alone, Russell makes a phone call.

Despite living next door to each other, the two really haven’t had many friendly interactions. In fact, David is a little fed up with Russell, who has a habit of drinking outside and then throwing the empty cans into David’s yard.

It’s not long before David realizes that Russell can somehow hear his potato radio transmissions. However, Russell doesn’t know that it’s David creating these transmissions.

So, David decides to have a little fun with Russell to teach him a lesson and get even with him for littering his yard with empty beer cans.

With a lot of writers, this could have gone into a very mean-spirited, back-and-forth direction. But Paul Knauer keeps it light-hearted and borderline whimsical without compromising the comedy. I, personally, am drawn towards horror films and thrillers. But, in these dark times, this script was a nice breath of fresh, COVID-free air. It made me feel good and left me with a smile on my face.

Now, this was one of the higher rated entries in May’s COVID-themed One Week Challenge. But even though both characters are pretty much on lockdown, you become so engaged with these two very lonely souls that you almost forgot why they’re lonely in the first place. It really was a treat to read this and would be an even better treat to see this get produced.

BUDGET: Low. Two actors, two locations. And potatoes.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Paul is an optioned and produced screenwriter working out of the Kansas City area. His main focus is thrillers and slightly absurdist comedy with heart, most of them about life in the Midwest U.S. His first script, a sitcom pilot titled OH, BROTHER!, placed second in the 2012 Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition and was subsequently optioned. Paul’s diverse portfolio includes several feature thrillers, a couple of comedy features and multiple sitcom pilots, as well as dozens of shorts across genres. He believes that becoming a better writer requires the ability to push personal boundaries. Paul can be reached at: pkcardinal (a) gmail.

Read: POTATO RADIO (8-page short comedy screenplay)

Discuss this script on the Discussion Board

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

Find more scripts available for production.

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.