Brown Water (8 pages in pdf format) by Dena McKinnon

What if the only thing you were scared of was the only thing that could save you?

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Brown Water is a fascinating little tale set in a rural place near a swamp. Something is up with the swamp that gives little Tadpole a sickening fear of water. Her mother used to say the brown water is not cursed, but blessed and it takes the evil away. Day after day Tadpole comes to the swamp and watches the water in attempt to understand what evil her mother was talking about.

Characters – 2 main, 4 episodically, a few extras
Locations – 4 – swamp, church, cabin, road.
Prop – canoe

About the writer: Dena McKinnon is a talented writer with a number of produced shorts under her belt. Check out Dena’s IMDB credits and website at DenaMcKinnon.com.

About the reviewer: Khamanna Iskandarova is a dedicated mother and wife. She was born and raised in Azerbaijan, a small country at the shores of the Caspian Sea, but she has been living in the US for the most part of her life. She has several features completed, as well as a dozen shorts, some of which were produced by independent productions. Khamanna can be reached at khamanna “AT” hotmail. Check out her IMDB Creds

The October 2017 One Week Challenge is a short screenwriting exercise wherein writers are given a week to write a short script on the theme and genre provided. These are quickly done and may be a little rough around the edges considering the short time frame in which they are written.

Note: This audio recording is released under a Creative Commons, attribution, noncommercial, no derivatives 3.0 license. You can share the audio recording in its entirety, but you can’t change it or sell it.

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

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

Also, Who Wrote What for the October One Week Challenge.

Writer’s Choice will be announced at a later time.

– Don

Man’s Best Friend by Steven Clark

Three days after a couple’s beloved dog goes missing, a phone call arrives that will change the game. Forever.

Put aside whether you’re a dog person or cat person just for a moment and focus on the incomparable talents of Man’s Best Friend, and why mutts have earned this most eminent title.

Ready…?

Guide dogs, guard dogs, sniffer dogs, therapy dogs, herding, hunting, tracking and cadaver dogs, bomb, drug, and chemical detection dogs; dogs of war, dogs who can sniff out cancer – dogs who rescue their owners from burning buildings and rolling rapids… And that’s just to name a few of their talents. Add to that, unconditional loyalty and love, goopy grins, sloppy kisses and perennially wagging tails, and really – the ‘elegant tramp’, (as one of my friends labels felines), is really not much competition, now is it?

From Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie to the memorably cute but a lil’ fugly Verdell in As Good As It Gets, it’s no wonder dogs have an illustrious celluloid history, in both leading roles and as sidekicks.

Okay, now picture this:

You’re wandering down the street, minding your own business, and you look up to see MISSING, LOST DOG, or REWARD, stamped across a poster and nailed to a telegraph pole. Typically a photo of said AWOL pooch looks dolefully and adorably into the camera. Aww, so sad, and guaranteed to tug at the ol’ heartstrings.

This is also the opening scene of Steven Clark’s screenplay, Man’s Best Friend.

But hang on now, cause if you’re thinking this is going to be a cute fluffy-dog piece think again. Curt and Cassie, a couple in their thirties (he’s a cop btw) have just received a rather ominous telephone call and discovered there’s a bounty to be paid on Ranger, their missing ‘family member’ – and a rather hefty ransom demand.

            MAN (V.O.)
We have your dog. …
He’s got nice teeth. But I’ve got
pliers. … $10,000 dollars for the
mutt. Cash. Or I start playing dentist.

Eww! Marathon Dog, anyone?

To say anything further would spoil the fun, the suspense, and the very, very, dark twists and turns of this piece. Suffice to say this tail (sorry, tale) is less for lovers of Marley And Me , and more for fans of teeth baring, and snarling Cujo, and Seven Psychopaths.

Dare I say, if you’ve got a nose for talent you can call off your search right now cause with Man’s Best Friend you’ll definitely be barking up the right tree.

Budget: Low. Just – make sure you do this one right… every beat!

About the writer: Based in upstate, NY, Steven Clark is the writer of over 30 short scripts, several of which are under option, in pre-production, or have already been made into films. On A Clear Night, a family Christmas feature aimed at a Hallmark Channel-type audience, is currently in the works. Steven can be reached at Steamroller138 (a) gmail.

Read Man’s Best Friend (10 pages in PDF format)

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.

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.

Over on the Original Scripts page are fifteen original works for your reading pleasure.

What of the One Week Challenge? Stand by. Tallying the votes. Who wrote what and Writer’s Choice will be revealed soon-ish. I’m shooting for Halloween, but it may be after halloween.

In the mean time, to put you into the Halloween spirit:

Bleecker Street has two up for award consideration…

Breathe – August 18 2016 Double White Revisions script by William Nicholson – hosted by: Bleecker Street – in pdf format

When Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of Diana’s twin brothers and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor Teddy Hall, Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together – raising their young son, traveling and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

The Man Who Invented Christmas – January 8, 2017 Yellow Revisions script by Susan Coyne (Based on the book: The Man Who Invented Christmas By Les Standiford) – hosted by: Bleecker Street – in pdf format

The Man Who Invented Christmas tells of the journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters from “A Christmas Carol.” The film shows how Charles Dickens mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Read more on the Scripts studios are posting for award consideration page.

Violent Domestic by Kirk White

While hiding out from a double-crossing son of a bitch, an outlaw couple faces their greatest fear…waiting for the results of a home pregnancy test.

“If that test is positive, then I’m scared shitless because this is the part that terrifies me… no… not the ‘is it gonna work’ because I can’t control that… but the ‘how does one raise a human being’ aspect which is one hundred percent in our court. That, my love, is the kick in the nuts that keeps me up at night.”

As a father of three I can relate to this dialogue, spoken in Violent Domestic by protagonist Ted. It’s a sentiment voiced by many men, moments after their wife pees on a stick. It’s one of those defining moments in a man’s life – the potential beginning of his legacy. Damned nerved wracking, is what it is – the entirety of one’s future resting on whether there’s one or two lines on that gizmo bought at CVS. If you’ve never found yourself teetering on that particular line of insanity, you have no idea what you’re missing.

And our hero Ted’s in those sniper-sights. As the script opens, Helen’s holed up in a hotel bathroom.

As the obligatory three minutes count down, the couple debate the issue pro and con. A nervous Ted distracts himself with busy work, pulling C-4, guns and money from a bag. Yeah, that’s right. I said C-4. ‘Cause there’s one last detail:

Our lovebirds are two badass thieves, hot off a job gone askew. It’s Kill Bill meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith – with a dose of Parenthood! Like a real life Billy Joe and Bobby Sue*, they’re planning on taking the money and run: a modern day Bonnie and Clyde!

Only it’s not Frank Hamer they’re hiding from. Nope, there’s a particular “Grease Stain in a Suit” named Conn outside. He’s come to collect his cut, no matter what price the couple must pay. Ted negotiates through the window with Conn… stalling until he can hear Helen’s news. Ted and Helen are the ultimate bad “nice guys” – a helluva more sympathetic than Conn. They’re a pair you can’t help but cheer for. And the danger and stakes are sky-high.

A master of his craft, Kirk White weaves Domestic’s dialogue seamlessly. A touch of humor – lots of danger, and protagonists that really breathe. It’s one of those scripts that make you want to know what happens next. Because you love these guys. That’s what happens when a script’s done right. It takes a lot of practice to get to that stage. But when a writer does – the story truly comes alive. (Question is, will Ted and Helen make it out in one piece?)

Brass Tax: this script’s got the goods. Low on budget. High on character. A feel-good action piece with minimal logistics. You want a short that audiences will remember and talk about? Then this is the short for you.

*If you listen to the Steve Miller Band while reading this short, your proposal email to the author will write itself.

About the writer: Kirk White is an independent film maker, web sen”sation” and figure of note in the world of global logistics. He is currently in pre-production on his second feature, The Soul Garden, which will basically be the art-house version of Re-Animator. Kirk can be reached emailed at quitefilm “AT” gmail to request a copy of his work.

Budget: Moderate. Get a hotel room, two damned good actors, and a few props. The rest will handle itself.

Read Domestic Violence (pdf format)

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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.

About the reviewer: Rod Thompson is an award winning screenwriter of both features and shorts. His feature, “The Squire” won Best Drama for the 2014 Table Read My Screenplay contest, and he has placed numerous times for his shorts at MoviePoet.com. His short scripts “Gimme Shelter” and “A Memory in Winter” have both been optioned through their exposure on SimplyScripts.com. He is also “the most humble man alive.”

This from Damien

[T]he Screenplay you featured “Sons & Broken Noses” has been optioned and filming will begin in December… It also won the Best Neo Noir screenplay at the recent Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Miami.

If you wish to contribute to funding to get this made, I’m sure every bit will help.

Below is the review of Sons & Broken Noses written by LC

SONS & BROKEN NOSES

Nobody ever tells you there will be days like this.

Ah, the Emerald Isle, land of saints, scholars, and born story tellers. Resplendent in all its greenery and rich with its history of literary giants – James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, to name a few.

No big surprise then that Ireland also boasts its unique brand of inimitable screenwriters and filmmakers. Classics such as: In The Name Of The Father, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, My Left Foot, and crowd pleasers: The Commitments, The Guard, In Bruges, Once.

2016 was a bumper year for the Irish Film Industry and screenwriters continue to make an indelible mark, particularly writers of hard-boiled crime, with an edge and flair for black comedy. You could say they’re making a killing.

Damien Michael Aulsberry continues this tradition in fine form with his short screenplay: Sons & Broken Noses. Opening with a shot of a car boot slamming and a bloodied hand, this ominous sign sets the tone for what’s to follow.

We meet JAKE KELLY and SEAN BARRY, two bumbling wannabe bank robbers peeling down a lonely country road, one of them with a bullet wound sustained at the hand of the other. You guessed it, things have not gone according to plan. In fact they’ve gone quite a bit pear shaped.

Who thwarted their plans for the perfect bank heist? None other than: skinny runt, seventeen year old, GABRIEL, on work experience with said bank. With the cops now hot on their heels and running around the arse-end of nowhere, the heat’s just been turned up to red-hot for these two after discovering the lad they’ve just hurled into the back of the boot is none other than the son of Irish mob-boss, MICK RONAN.

Oh, dear. An apology is definitely in order, wouldn’t you say?

Followed by some heavy duty groveling, and bargaining for their lives, especially when one of them has broken the young lad’s nose, or more aptly: spread his nose all over his face.

Seems one of these guys is going to have to take the fall.

            SEAN
We messed up Mick. And we’re sorry.
       (beat)
What if I kneecap him? Paramilitary
style, no fucking around.

            MICK (V.O.)
Won’t work Sean. Sets a precedent.
Then everyone will be looking to
get kneecapped instead of whacked.
We’d have complete fucking chaos.
Lads hobbling round all over the
place.

Then there’s that little dilemma of returning mob-boss’s son to the fold and getting away unscathed.

With its great visuals, bang on dialogue, and perfectly balanced humour,  Sons & Broken Noses is a quirky, comedically irreverent crime drama.

Filmmakers: You don’t need the luck of the Irish to make a good fist of this one. At the time of writing this review, Sons & Broken Noses had already reached the Finals of the Southern California Screenplay contest, so it’s already got winner written all over it.

Our advice: Put down that pint of Guinness, get down from your bar stool, and head for the nearest camera, before some other lucky lads beat you to it.

There’s no denying, this one’s good craic.

Be a crime not to do it justice.

Production: Low to Medium Budget: Three hard-faced crim types with talent to match, a plucky ‘teen’ willing to have his nose broken (just kidding, Method acting is not required), and a couple of intimidating heavies (no dialogue) to complete the background.

Borrow a car, if you don’t have your own, mix up some faux blood, hit the road and film some blokes out in the middle of nowhere. Add a couple of other locations – barn, diner, and house, and you’re good to go.

About the Writer: “I write for therapeutic reasons. If I didn’t get all the mad shit out of me head, I’d be a lunatic… Currently in Post-Production of a short I wrote called “Family Business”. Directed by Oisin Woods and starring Bosco Hogan, Paul Ronan, Karl Shiels, Anthony Morris and Bern Deegan. This short, “Sons and Broken Noses”, was a Finalist and Honorable Mention in The South California Screenplay Competition 2017.”

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.

Read Sons & Broken Noses (22 pages in pdf format)

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.

The Lost City of Z – October 25, 2015 buff revised draft script by James Gray (Based on the book by David Grann) – hosted by: Amazon – in pdf format

The Lost City of Z tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as “savages,” the determined Fawcett – supported by his devoted wife, son and aide de camp returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Brad’s Status – September 29, 2016 pink revised draft script by Mike White – hosted by: Amazon – in pdf format

A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life’s choices.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Visit the scripst studios are posting for award consideration page for all the award season scripts as they come online.

– Don

Amazon Studios is next out of the gate…

…with scripts studios are posting for award consideration.

The Big Sick – Undated, unspecified draft script by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani – hosted by: Amazon – in pdf format

Kumail, in the middle of becoming a budding stand-up comedian, meets Emily. Meanwhile, a sudden illness sets in forcing Emily to be put into a medically-induced coma. Kumail must navigate being a comedian, dealing with tragic illness, and placating his family’s desire to let them fix him up with a spouse, while contemplating and figuring out who he really is and what he truly believes

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Stay tuned this channel for more scripts studios are posting for award consideration