WINDOW CREEP – by Rob Herzog
short, horror script

A nine-year old boy tries to outwit the visitor who scratches at his window screen in the middle of the night.

Are you afraid of the dark?

Since time immemorial most of us have felt that most primitive of fears – being afraid of things that we cannot see and of things that go bump in the night.

Remember being a kid? Most of us can recall waking in the middle of the night listening out for another creak of the floorboards, or startled by the groan of a wardrobe-door yawing open of its own accord. Covers pulled up and over our heads we would lie in wait, dreading the moment when something might pounce from the closet, or jump out from underneath the bed… Terrified that there was something evil lurking under the cover of darkness.

In Rob Herzog’s chilling horror, Window Creep, we meet Eddie, a plucky nine-year old kid who we sense is somewhat used to fending for himself. Amidst the backdrop of an ordinary pre-teen bedroom – posters of superheroes and monsters adorning the walls – Eddie’s enjoying his usual bedtime ritual. He’s up late, playing with his toy soldiers. The lights are out and the gleam of Eddie’s flashlight bounces off the walls, when all of a sudden –

At this point Eddie’s going to do what every petrified kid will do under the circumstances, and that is scream and call out for his Mom.

But it’s also at this point that writer, Rob Herzog cleverly ramps up the tension and suspense even more than before, because…

Mama’s not answering. In the bedroom down the hall it appears she’s out cold which means Eddie is now all alone and at the mercy of whatever this Creep is and whatever it wants.

So, what does Eddie do next? Well, there’s one trick in Eddie’s arsenal and it’s the same ploy he uses with his toy soldiers when they’re not behaving. He attempts to hypnotize it in the hope that –

But… toys are just toys and Eddie’s about to learn that whatever this Creep is, it’s very real, it’s very evil, and it won’t be fooled by childish games.

And then…

Well, I can’t spoil the fun and the scares can I?

Suffice to say you will not guess the sting in the tail of this cleverly written part monster, part parable tale following in the tradition of such horror gems as Lights Out, Bedfellows, The Babadook, and Don’t Breathe.

Rob Herzog’s Window Creep might well be the stuff of nightmares, but for you filmmakers out there it could be the perfect calling-card for your dreams.

But don’t go hiding under the bed. Better burst out and into the light. The only thing scarier than not getting your claws into this one would be missing out on it altogether. And you really don’t want that… lest the lost opportunity haunt you for the rest of your life.

BUDGET: Low. Self-contained one location, one plucky kid, one Mom, one Creep’s hand with some light SFX.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Rob Herzog is a Chicago screenwriter. He has sold two short scripts and won prize money in two small screenwriting contests. His short horror script Creak and Shriek was produced in 2019 by Mad Dreamer Entertainment and can be viewed on various platforms like Amazon Prime, YouTube and Vimeo. He has a master’s degree in English composition from Northeastern Illinois University. Rob can be reached at: robherzogr (a) hotmail.

About the Reviewer: L.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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia. L. Chambers can be reached at: libbych (a) hotmail.

Read WINDOW CREEP (short, horror script)

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.

THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF
(6 page short comedy in pdf format)

A suburban family goes through the five stages of grief during the pandemic.

Imagine if you will, some of film’s famous comedic families – The Griswolds, The Fockers, and The Simpsons holed up in isolation. Scary thought… but also ripe for comedy gold.

Now we can add to that list with Dave Lambertson’s fictional family in The Five Stages Of Grief as he takes us on a comedic journey of a family in lockdown. Cleverly utilizing a series of emotions – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance he chronicles one family’s time in isolation to terrific comedic effect.

The story opens on a typical nuclear family – Dad – John, Mom – Jane, and their cute as
can be kids, Annabelle and Tommy.

Jane and the kids are huddled in front of the TV squabbling over what movie to watch when a news flash interrupts family time –

And so begins…

DAY ONE – DENIAL

And the hilarity that ensues from each day forward…

As the family battles the perils of too much togetherness and negotiates the division of chores, shopping, cooking, homeschooling, and a house that rapidly starts to look like a bomb’s hit it, we discover lockdown is not for the faint of heart.

John’s a head-in-the-clouds kind of guy, while Jane has her feet firmly planted on the ground. While John sees lockdown as an opportunity to try his hand at inventing the next big thing (a see-through toaster), he also dreams of finishing (starting would be nice) his screenplay opus. Jane just wants some order through all the chaos. The kids are running wild, Dad’s battling to flatten a curve of a different kind (too much home-baking will do that to you) and there’s all manner of heckling from all sides. It’s not long before all four members of this household start climbing the walls.

The Five Stages Of Grief is a hilarious slice of life comedy about the ups and downs of family-fun in quarantine, or more aptly a cautionary tale that asks the question: how much togetherness is too much? With its clever comedic one-liners, acerbic wit, and touching observations of family life The Five Stages Of Grief will have you laughing out loud.

FILMMAKERS: Don’t deny yourself me-time. With lockdown soon to be a distant memory you’re going to want to re-emerge from self-isolation with a sure-fire crowd pleaser on your hands. Snap this one up and your acceptance speech may well be on the cards.

* The Five Stages of Grief placed firm favourite: Writer’s Choice, Simply Scripts May, 2020 challenge – The Journal Of the Plague Year – stories real and imagined/inspired by the current pandemic.

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 The Five Stages of Grief (6 page short comedy in pdf format)

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: L.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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

I’LL BE SEEING YOU
(five page short drama)

A man vows to bring his wife home from a nursing home in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

After reading Gary Howell’s script, I’ll Be Seeing You I was instantly reminded of this unforgettable line from a very well known and loved film…

I am nothing special… There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived. I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me this has always been enough. — Duke/Noah Calhoun – The Notebook (2004)

The same beautiful sentiment shines through Gary Howell’s I’ll Be Seeing You, an unforgettable tale of love in the time of lock-down.

We open on a grizzled Henry, recently separated from his one true love, Annie.

At first glance we don’t know the reason for the couple’s separation but then we quickly discover Annie is gravely ill and in a nursing home.

One thing’s for sure though. Henry’s devotion to Annie is dogged. He’s certainly not going to let something like a virus come between him and the woman he loves.

His shoulders droop and he shuffles back to the car. He contemplates driving away, but then gets out and opens the trunk.

So, what’s Henry going to do?

First lock-down and now locked out from the love of his life?

What I will tell you is that this is a beautiful timeless love story. With its clever narrative running parallel to Henry serenading Annie with: I’ll Be Seeing You (a song made famous by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holliday, and the indomitable Jimmie Durante) writer Gary Howell knows exactly how to pull at an audience’s heartstrings, combining the perfect blend of sentimentality with realism in a tear-jerker that will stay with you long after reading.

Following in the tradition of such classics as: The Notebook, An Affair To Remember, Up, and The Fault In Our Stars, and for anyone who has ever fallen deeply in love, I’ll Be Seeing You tells a tale of the indefatigable power of enduring love.

Filmmakers: You’re going to swoon over this one. Just don’t let it be the one that got away.

I’ll Be Seeing You tied for First Place, Writer’s Choice, Simply Scripts May, 2020 challenge – The Journal Of the Plague Year – stories real and imagined/inspired by the current pandemic.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Gary Howell is an attorney by trade, but a writer at heart. He has written several shorts, three of which have been produced, Country Road 12 that stars Dee Wallace (“E.T.”, “Poltergeist”), “Skip,” and “Study Date,” and was executive producer on another short film, “Clean Slate.” He has also co-written with Rick Hansberry a dramedy, “According to Plan”, that was optioned with Josh Monkarsh of Traffic City Productions, and is in development. He has had a manager reach out regarding representation after a drama pilot, “Bounty,” has performed well in several competitions.

Gary enjoys writing both comedy and drama, and leans towards indie-themed pieces that are character driven. He enjoys reviewing scripts and providing advice and constructive criticism to other writers, and would welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with any producers/directors looking to work with him on any type of project. Gary can be reached at: GaryMHowell (a) gmail.

Read I’LL BE SEEING YOU (five page short drama in pdf format)

Discuss this 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: L.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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

PACKAGING (6 page short horror script in pdf format) by Rob Barkan

A young couple’s stopover at an isolated mini-mart grows more mysterious-and-dangerous-with each passing minute.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Halloween… Tis the season to indulge in all things spooky, scary, spine-tingling, and out of this world.

Cue one essential horror trope that I’m a big fan of: The road trip gone wrong. Oh, the perils of being on the open road, off the beaten track and far far away from the safety of home. Flat tires, busted windscreens, an overheated engine? Those things are nothing compared to the terrors that can befall characters in horror movies.

Just look at the rather aptly titled: Wrong Turn; fill up the tank and stop off for a cuppa in The Vanishing, follow the mind bending puzzle of In Fear, hitch an ill-fated ride in Wolf Creek, or, if you dare, get out of the car and follow the trail of a demonic flesh eating creature to his lair in Jeepers Creepers.

Which leads us to: Taking a wrong turn, and the dreaded road trip pit-stop. Two things that should be avoided at all costs.

The characters in Packaging really should have heeded that advice and stayed in the car. But, a wayward GPS, the loss of cell-phone signal, and an ill-advised but much needed trip to the rest-room forces their hand. It’s a split-second decision that could lead to a detour to hell for one young man and his very pregnant wife.

Writer Rob Barkan, knows how to craft horror so subtle it creeps up on you, and then shocks you when you realize exactly what you’re looking at. With an opening scene of deftly choreographed visuals and an unsettling sense of foreboding and fear, if you’re anything like me you’ll at first be not quite sure what you’re looking at or what you’re afraid of… And then it’ll hit you. And you’ll just know, it ain’t going to end well.

We open on a close-up shot of a large spider spinning its web then segue seamlessly to a surreal scene in a parking lot:

A small, run-down mini-mart tucked against the flank of a dark mountainside. Shreds of fog settle over gas pumps. A row of parked cars and SUVs line the storefront,
lights on, engines (still) running.

In the distance … Headlights bathe the deserted highway. The purr of a Volvo’s engine as it pulls into the lot and parks next to the other vehicles.

Rob Barkan knows how to spin a yarn where nothing is as it first appears to be, where horror masquerades in the ordinary, where further inspection of the finer details reveals the true horrors that lie beneath – where two innocent characters are lured into a web of unsuspecting terror.

Filmmakers: Here’s your chance to take the right road, no detours along the way. Rob Barkan’s Packaging could be your big ticket out of town. Your ultimate destination: success.

Production: Cast of two adults – male & female early 20s. Mostly one location/one room cafe/store int & ext, plus minimal on-road footage. Some minor SFX, blood & gore.

About the Writer: Rob Barkan has been writing horror, fantasy and science fiction since the age of seven. He has placed several short tales in small press and online magazines like Lovecraft’s Weird Mysteries, Dark Planet and Strange Fire. A more extensive collection appeared on his award-winning Deathlife Gravesite. He has taken a deep plunge into screenplay writing for the past few years, totally enjoying mastering the art of visual writing. He recently scripted segments for a Hollywood director’s horror anthology project, showing a great ability working under time pressure to make required changes. His short scripts have all gotten favorable reviews.

Rob resides in the Arizona mountains with the three loves of his life: a beautiful poet-artist wife and two adorable poochies. He can be reached at robbybarkan (at) yahoo.com.

Read and talk about Packaging (6 page short horror script in pdf format) 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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

Speaking Test (9 pages in pdf format) by Manolis Froudarakis

Granted, Safeer’s English “not good”, but neither is his examiner.

The job interview has a long history with filmmakers. There’s terrific raw material to be mined especially in the comedy genre. Just take a look at Owen Wilson hamming it up in You, Me And Dupree, Monty Python’s skit The Lion Tamer with John Cleese and Michael Palin; Big Keith’s Appraisal in The Office, and Kevin Spacey’s turn in American Beauty – ‘would you like smiley-fries with that’?

In reality, job interviews are seldom easy and always challenging. Preparation is essential, as are nerves of steel. It’s essential to put your best foot forward. After all this is high-stakes stuff – this is your life, your future. More often than not you get one chance to make that all important first impression.

In Speaking Test, Manolis Froudarakis’ main character, Safeer, is determined to impress. A foreign national from an undisclosed country he has an extra challenge to overcome – English is evidently not his first language. Safeer’s applying for a job as a private investigator. He’s worked at the job successfully in his own country for the past four years. Now all he has to do is pass a test for ‘oral proficiency’ or rather, overcome the language barrier and convince the powers that be that he is indeed the man for the job.

This is no easy feat, especially when The Examiner is a man named Colton – a condescending, obnoxious, prejudiced and racist upstart who does little to disguise his disdain for Safeer by reacting to his test answers with a series of smirks, sneers and guffaws. He continues by stereotyping Safeer and ultimately rejecting his application.

            SAFEER
     (baffled)
My English good?

With those final words the interview is over and Safeer is shown the door. Little does Colton know however that by ignorantly equating Safeer’s broken English with stupidity he is the one who’s just made a big mistake. Safeer is nobody’s fool and he’s about to prove it by utilizing the very talents for which he’s just been passed over. Oh, such sweet irony.

Filmmakers: Want a cleverly plotted comedy with an equally powerful message? One that delivers with a terrific punchline guaranteed to have your audiences laughing in the aisles?

Well, don’t delay. Apply now! We predict this one will have applicants lined up around the block.

* We also recommend you read this imagining the role of Safeer being played by the late great Peter Sellers, the author’s inspiration for the character. Alternately, Sacha Baron Cohen would also do the trick. J

Budget: Minimal: yet more reason to interview and “hire” this one!

About the writer: Manolis Froudarakis has won two awards in short screenplay competitions. His main focus is comedy – preferably, comedy with a little edge. You can contact him at: mfroudarakis (a) yahoo.gr

Read Speaking Test (pdf format)

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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

Terms of Engagement (10 pages in pdf format) by David Lambertson

Sometimes a break-up is the first step towards an engagement.

Man walks into a bar…

Typically to drown his sorrows over a woman.

David Lambertson’s, Terms Of Engagement opens with just this scenario.

The place is Sullivan’s Bar. Tending bar is Tina.

The date: Valentine’s Day.

The aforementioned Man seeking to drown his sorrows is James, replete with a box of chocolates, a dozen red roses, a red heart-shaped pillow and a sullen expression.

     Head bowed, muttering to himself, he lumbers to the bar.

When the roses are quickly dunked into a pitcher of beer and James slams back a shot of tequila we know Cupid’s arrow must have overshot its target. When James proceeds to bang his head into the pillow over and over we know there’s been trouble in paradise. What kind of trouble you might ask? Well, it seems Amy, James beloved, wanted something special this Valentine’s Day and James failed to deliver.

Hmm, something special… Yes, sometimes we girls speak in code. How fortuitous then that Tina is on hand, not only to offer a friendly ear and a kind word, but to also unravel that code for James.

Tina sets about telling James where he’s gone wrong –

            TINA
The pillow’s bout five bucks. The
roses are bound by a rubber band.
any florist worth their weight
would’ve bound them in a ribbon.
     (points at roses)
Those scream retail.
     (taps the box)
But those are the dead give-away.

James is about to discover that a heart-shaped pillow ‘made in China’ is not at all classy, that drug-store flowers don’t cut it, and that chocolates are a far more complicated purchase than he ever would have guessed.

            TINA
…You got your Godiva chocolates.
For my money, the best… but they aren’t
going to be on the shelf of your local grocery.
After that, you have your Sees Candies.
Not real expensive, but you have to actually
drive to a Sees store to get them. You know,
Make an effort. And then…
     (picks up the box)
You got your Whitman’s Samplers.

     No good, asks James?

     Only if you’re broke or if you’re twelve, says Tina.

And so proceeds James’ education in the art of love and all things special.

With its clever twist in the final act Terms Of Engagement is a delightfully funny RomCom in the style of How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, and with the comedic insights of What Women Want.

FILMMAKERS: We trust you’ll know what you want especially when it’s right in front of your eyes. Best save the date pronto with the writer of this one though, lest it be booked out.

About the Writer, David 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”. Want to learn more? Reach Dave at dlambertson (at) hotmail! And visit his website.

Read Terms of Engagement (10 pages in pdf format)

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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

The Perfect Pair (10 pages in pdf format) by Mark Moore

An improbable pair meet their match.

As the old saying goes: We can’t choose our family… But we can definitely choose who we fall in love with. Or can we? Perhaps it boils down to simple relationship chemistry, that special connection and instant spark, but attraction is definitely in the eye of the beholder and can mean many different things to different people.

What happens if the object of your affection is not of the warm-blooded variety? In Spike Jonz’ movie, Her, Theodore falls in love with Samantha, a computer operating system. In Lars And The Real Girl, the impossibly shy Lars teams up with a lifelike plastic doll named Bianca. In Blade Runner, Rick Deckard has a dalliance with a beautiful droid named Rachael, and in TED, a bromance develops between John and his foulmouthed childhood teddy bear come to life.

In similar fashion Mark Moore’s The Perfect Pair examines the relationship between Kevin, a big lug of a guy in his twenties and his very unconventional relationship with girlfriend, Nicole. Kevin is what we’d call a late bloomer and in true Millennial form he is yet to leave the nest.

The dilemma facing long-suffering parents, Frank and Peggy, is not simply what do you do when your adult kid won’t cut the apron strings, but what do you do when the object of your son’s affection is a sock-puppet named Nicole? They’ve been open-minded and patient up until now, allowing Nicole to share their home, their dinner table, even allowing Nicole to share Kevin’s bed, but they’re at their tipping point – Frank’s taken to hyperventilating over the whole affair and something drastic has to be done.

Frank and Peggy take the ‘tough love’ route issuing Kevin with an ultimatum: Either he finds ‘an actual woman of the human kind’ or he’s out.

So, what’s a guy like Kev to do? Go to an Internet dating site of course, rustle up a good sort with shared interests (in this case sock-puppets) and hope and pray for compatibility.

But, what of fiery red-head, Nicole? She’s not going to go easy. And she’s definitely not the sharing type.

Talk about a bizarre love triangle.

Filmmakers: Do you like the comedy in your RomCom veering into absurd, screwball, and laugh-out-loud whilst maintaining sweet and sentimental on the romantic side?

Reminiscent of Lars And The Real Girl and Something About Mary and with an hilarious montage that’ll have your audience laughing out loud, The Perfect Pair could be your perfect debut.

About the Writer: Mark Moore is an aspiring screenwriter originally from Ireland, currently residing in Upstate New York. He has had multiple shorts produced, including one award winner and currently have another on option. He typically enjoys writing comedy and can be reached at mmrem24 (a) yahoo.com

Read The Perfect Pair (10 pages in pdf format)

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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

For Now (8 pages in pdf format) by Paul Knauer

A year after losing her husband, a widow struggles with whether to date again.

February, (along with all things Saint Valentine) may technically be coming to a close, but for all of you hopeless and hopeful romantic filmmakers out there we’re continuing along the RomCom theme with another pearl of a script just waiting to be picked up.

The Bridges Of Madison County, Harold & Maude, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Hope Springs, (to name a few) are films with what in common? All are proof that just as Frankie (Sinatra) sang way back in 1965: Love Isn’t Just For The Young. Proof also that there’s a demographic you may not have thought of tapping into but that it’s one highly in demand.

And so, the spotlight for today shines on Paul Knauer’s romantic comedy, For Now.

The opening scene of For Now finds us in a retirement community with Adel, a widowed lady in her seventies sitting alone and nursing a cup of coffee. A very nervous Warren, also in his seventies, slides into the seat across from her…

It’s February 14th, and Warren has just summoned up the courage to ask Adel out on a date. Only trouble is Adel’s a hard sell. She feels blessed enough to have known her soul mate in life and she’s not looking for a replacement. No-one could possibly fill the shoes of her beloved Jimmy.

            WARREN
… Listen… I was wondering
if – maybe – you might want to go to
the Olive Garden tonight? With me.
Endless breadsticks.

            ADEL
     (shakes her head)
It’s Valentine’s Day.

     That’s kinda the point, says Warren.

            WARREN
… See, when a guy – that’s me
likes a gal – that’s you – sometimes
they eat breadsticks together. And,
sometimes, they do it on Valentine’s
Day.

At which point we discover that although Warren has eyes only for Adel he’s hot property amongst the other ladies in the retirement community. In fact a long line of eligible women are queued up outside his door all clamouring for his affections and they come bearing Valentine’s gifts.

As Jimmy says to Adel:

            JIMMY
This guy’s more popular
than a chocolate fountain at a
Kansas City brunch.

Huh? Now Jimmy’s talking to Adel? Who is this guy? Has Warren got competition from a dead man? But he dropped off the peg a year ago, right? Then again, maybe he’s alive. A huge bouquet of roses were just delivered to Adel and the name on the card reads: Jimmy.

Hmm, what’s going on? Well, you’re just going to have to delve into the script to find out.

Suffice to say, For Now is a heartwarming and touching romantic comedy sprinkled with whimsical dialogue gems and astute observations about love and loss, and finding love again when you least expect it.

Filmmakers: Want your own feel-good start to the year? Better get on it then, now!

For Now (previous title: Blessing) placed Writer’s Choice runner-up in the SimplyScripts Romantic Comedy challenge.

About the Writer Paul Knauer is an optioned screenwriter working from the Kansas City area. His primary focus is slightly absurdist comedy (features and pilots), but his portfolio also includes several thriller features, along with shorts in multiple genres. His first script, OH, BROTHER!, placed second in the Fresh Voices sitcom category and was subsequently optioned. You can see more of Paul’s work at PaulKWrites.com.

Read For Now (9 pages in pdf format)

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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.

Crazy in Love (9 pages in pdf format) by Warren Duncan

A woman battling mental health issues learns to let her guard down with the help of a quirky patient in a similar position.

February is the month synonymous with Valentine’s Day. Hearts, flowers, chocolates, and of course sitting down to that old movie favourite, the Romantic Comedy.

Now, before you blokes out there switch off and decide RomComs are chick-flicks, only to be indulged to get into the good books of your significant other, it might pay to bear in mind two things: the first is that despite the plethora of action, shoot ’em up and CGI movies, the overwhelming popularity of the RomCom is enjoying a resurgence. Thanks to the success of romance channels like Hallmark, Passionflix and Lifetime and with Netflix Originals hot on their heels there’s a inbuilt audience ready for filmmakers to tap into.

Another important fact to note is that romantic movies don’t always have to feature sugar-coated storylines of boy meets girl with their gorgeous airbrushed lead actors.

Do you prefer your RomComs with a little less saccharine and a bit more edge? Less You’ve Got Mail and Love Actually, and more Silver Linings Playbook, and The Big Sick? Well, writer Warren Duncan, has artfully created the perfect antidote to too much sugar with his dark Romantic Comedy: Crazy In Love.

We open on Henry, a handsome young guy wearing a white-lab coat and roaming the halls of a psych ward. At first we don’t know what to make of him. Is he doctor, patient? Through some very clever voice-over we become privy to Henry’s thoughts, his self deprecating humour, his witty asides and one liners, and his often face-palming and clumsy overtures in his quest to win over Ruby.

Ruby’s the new kid on the block. To say Henry’s instantly smitten is an understatement. As with all good romantic stories however, the road to true love may be paved with obstacles and Ruby’s damaged veneer indicates she may well be a hard nut to crack.

Crazy In Love is a cleverly constructed and out of the box love story. It’s a touching tale about the human condition and about finding love in unexpected places whilst bearing the literal scars of life. With its carefully balanced mix of nuanced humour and its underlying message of hope and love triumphing over adversity this is one love story you don’t want to pass up.

Filmmakers: Feeling any creative woes over which path to take? Well, we have just the remedy. Dare I say, you’re gonna’ need your head read if you don’t snatch this one up fast.

Crazy In Love placed first as Writer’s Choice in the SimplyScripts Romantic Comedy challenge.

About the Writer Warren Duncan is an aspiring screenwriter from Australia who has had multiple shorts produced. He typically enjoy writing in the darker genres like horror, thriller, or drama. Please feel free to contact him at warren_duncan (a) hotmail.com.

Read Crazy in Love (10 pages in pdf format)

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: L. 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 currently works as a freelance web-content editor and lives with her husband (also a screenwriter) in Sydney, Australia.