Focus Features is next out the gate with:

Edit Focus Features pulled Nocturnal Animals and A Monster Calls

Kubo … And The Two Strings – January 5, 2016 unspecified draft script by Marc Haimes & Chris Butler (Story by Shannon Tindle & Marc Haimes) – hosted by: Focus Features – in pdf format

Kubo lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village until a spirit from the past turns his life upside down by re-igniting an age-old vendetta. This causes all sorts of havoc as gods and monsters chase Kubo who, in order to survive, must locate a magical suit of armor once worn by his late father, a legendary Samurai warrior.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Loving – August 25, 2015 unspecified draft script by Jeff Nichols – hosted by: Focus Features – in pdf format

Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple, are sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for getting married.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

You will find these and more on the Scripts Studios are Posting for 2016 – 2017 Script Award Consideration page.

Trapped* (pdf format) by Chris Keaton

Searching for a bit of the past, a survivor of an apocalypse finds himself trapped.

Spoiler alert: you’re going to die.

It could be quick – a sneaky brain aneurysm that shuts you off like a light switch. Or maybe it’ll be the slow torture of terminal illness. Or a sudden, tragic accident. But whatever the fates hold in store, you’ll have to face it. Eventually. That’s one of the reasons horror is such a beloved genre. It’s our morbid fascination of watching the human animal in its death throes… and wondering how we ourselves will fare.

Written by talented screenwriter Chris Keaton, Trapped is just such a tale. Bleak. Grim. Depressing. And you won’t be able to turn your eyes away.

In the indeterminate future, society’s collapsed. Dave’s been struggling to survive ever since. Wandering through desolate terrain. Scavaging. Surviving by any means necessary. Which has worked… at least, until now. In a lightening quick moment of lousy luck, he finds himself trapped in an abandoned garage; pinned under an engine block at the bottom of a pit. Unless a miracle happens, Dave’s reached The End.

There’s no chance of medical care. Wild dogs prowl outside. And he hasn’t seen another human being in months. But when a small group of travelers discover Dave’s predicament, it looks like he might be saved! But is it the help he was praying for? Or something else entirely?

Much like The Walking Dead (and other post-apocalyptic tales), Trapped is framed against the death of society. But the story itself is far more personal. Surprisingly uplifting in certain ways, it’s about facing your own mortality. And appreciating the small joys of life… while you can.

Horror and thriller indie directors take note: the potential for great performances in this one is vast. A small cast – no FX. All that’s needed is someone with the vision to bring it to screen. Grab this little gem while you can.

Or you can ignore it. It’s your funeral.

Pages: 7

Budget: Mid-range. Set in an automotive garage, there are a few “equipment” requirements. But nothing that would break the bank. (Especially if you’re pals with a local mechanic!)

About the writer: Chris Keaton is an Air Force veteran living with his family in sunny Arizona. He’s primarily a screenwriter, but he does love diving into prose. He has had several short screenplays produced and go on to win awards. He’s optioned a few features screenplays and currently has a thriller feature in post-production. A young-adult novel based on one of his screenplays is soon to be released. You can see some of his projects on his website, Chris-Keaton.com or follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/ChrisKeaton.

About the reviewer: Pete Barry is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright, actor, director and musician. His short plays have been published in numerous collections. He’s also a cofounder of the Porch Room, a film and theater production company, website available at http://www.porchroom.com/. Please feel free to reach out to him with script requests at petebarry27 (a) Hotmail.

Read Trapped* (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.

*Fixed the broken link

Run (pdf format) by Victor Miranda

A running athlete has all the motivation he needs to win a race.

This story is particularly resonant in light of the ever increasing refugee crisis.

Our protagonist Mondon, the son of an African farmer, is a runner. But a runner out of necessity when his village is pillaged by mercenaries. He saves the life of an orphaned little girl who is later able to repay the kindness when her circumstances change.

Fleeing his village he lands in a refugee camp where, despite compromised circumstances, he is still able to train. A gift from the little girl he saved gives him the tools to escape and run to something better.

This is a powerful, visceral, and poignant story.

Pages: 4 pages

Budget: Medium Budget. Stock stadium crowd footage, running track, creativity needed with mercenaries. Oh, and a few runners and a little girl.

About the Writer: Victor Miranda hails from Mexico and has a degree in International Relations. He’s written 4 short films and 2 features ones. Next year he plans to submit one of his features to the Black List. Victor can be reached at: vmmr.87 (a) gmail.com

Read Run (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.

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are twenty four original scripts for your reading pleasure.

– Don

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – 1919 german silent film transcript by Hans Janowitz & Carl Mayer – hosted by: Classic Movie Scripts – in html format

A man named Francis relates a story about his best friend Alan and his fiancée Jane. Alan takes him to a fair where they meet Dr. Caligari, who exhibits a somnambulist, Cesare, that can predict the future. When Alan asks how long he has to live, Cesare says he has until dawn. The prophecy comes to pass, as Alan is murdered, and Cesare is a prime suspect. Cesare creeps into Jane’s bedroom and abducts her, running from the townspeople and finally dying of exhaustion. Meanwhile, the police discover a dummy in Cesare’s cabinet, while Caligari flees. Francis tracks Caligari to a mental asylum. He is the director! Or is he?

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Sony Pictures Classics is next out the gate with:

The Hollars – Undated, unspecified draft script by James C. Strouse
I Saw The Light – Undated, unspecified draft script by Marc Abraham
Julieta – Undated, unspecified draft script by Pedro Almodóvar
Maggie’s Plan – Undated, unspecified draft script by Rebecca Miller (Based on a story by Karen Rinaldi)
The Meddler – April 1, 2015, unspecified draft script by Lorene Scafaria
Miles Ahead – Undated, unspecified draft script by Steven Baigelman & Don Cheadle

You will find these and more on the Scripts Studios are Posting for 2016 – 2017 Script Award Consideration page.

Waterfall (pdf format) by Marnie Mitchell

A couple’s constant arguing during a marathon has dire consequences.

Where do story ideas come from? Everywhere. A “what if” idea, a haunting song, a passing image in a mirror. Fleeting memories from childhood… When you’re a writer, everything is game. All you need is a fun idea, and a unique twist to make it fresh…

The inspiration for Waterfall comes from a bit of Americana we all share (and no, STS ain’t gonna tell.) That, and an element most of us can relate to: petty fighting and relationships.

…a couple struggle up a hillside; the last two in a long line. It’s a Warrior Dash type marathon, and neither one is doing well. On top of that, they’re bickering – the barbs getting more heated with every step. She’s thirsty. He dropped their water bottle and broke it. And now he’s slowing them both down. It’s her negative attitude, he replies. He’s tired of the constant bitching…

The fighting escalates to fever pitch. Then, finally, something gives.

A rock – under her feet. Plunging them both into peril. Especially when he loses his footing as well….

Is Waterfall a survivalist drama? Not exactly. More like a tongue in cheek homage. Once the situation escalates, the inspiration comes clear – driven home by the final line before Fade Out.

If you’re a director that enjoys puns in visual form, Waterfall’s likely to be your cup of tea – a twinkling star of a comedy sketch, bringing a smile to the face of jaded readers…

Pages: 3

Budget: Minimal. Locate a hill, and a fit couple willing to do some physical activity. Not a monumental challenge.

About the Writer: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell’s website is available at BrainFluffs.com. Marnie’s had 5 shorts produced (so far) and placed Semi-final with her features in BlueCat. Marnie can be contacted via her website.

About the reviewer: California uber reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature and maybe an update to her bio?

Read Waterfall (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.

It’s a book – The Mosaic by Chris Keaton

Chris has written a book. It’s ok. He’ll come back to screenwriting. It’s an experimental thing. Nothing to get freaked out about. Take a look at the ‘blurb. Maybe it’s your thing. Or not. It’s cool.

Secrets. It all started while looking for secret passages. Chloe Tozier’s impulsive twin, Zoe, insisted that all old mansions had them. Grandma denied the existence of any here. Except for the boarded-up service elevator that she conveniently forgot to mention before the girls discovered it, the elevator that didn’t seem to go anywhere. They had been living in this private museum with their grandparents since the death of their parents during an archaeology trip to Egypt.

Mysteries. Why have a museum in a tiny town in the middle of Kansas when what’s on display is nothing unusual? Sometimes packages arrived wrapped in plain brown paper that the girls never saw again. Grandpa disappeared overnight and they haven’t heard from him since. And before going to Egypt their parents had mentioned something about a mysterious mosaic. Maybe Zoe was right about family secrets. Maybe it was time to dig further.