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Welcome to SimplyScripts A database of hundreds of downloadable scripts, movie scripts, screenplays, and transcripts of current, classic and maybe a few soon-to-be-released movies, television, anime, unproduced and radio shows. A screenwriter's resource. See below for what is new on the site or click on a script category! - Enjoy! I'm not ignoring you. You just need to check your spam folder. |
Over on the Original Scripts page are seventeen original scripts for your reading pleasure.
Note that script submissions are closed this week. If you are a member of the discussion board, I invite you to try your hand at the April One Week Challenge.
– Don
Whatever It Takes (Reader’s cautioned. 9 pages in pdf format) by Paul Clarke
To escape imprisonment, Tom is willing to do whatever it takes…
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. — Thomas A. Edison
True, Edison’s point was about the importance of hard work and perseverance, but the fact remains — one percent inspiration is essential. Especially for creative endeavors, inspiration can be the critical ingredient that makes all the difference – between the extraordinary and the mundane.
In Whatever It Takes, a short screenplay by Paul Clarke, protagonist Tom understands the importance of inspiration well. He’s a successful writer, hard at work on his latest novel. The reason Tom’s successful is that he lives (and dies) by Edison’s rule. When we first meet Tom, he’s locked in a dingy hotel room – writing hard enough to save his life; pouring ninety-nine percent perspiration onto the page.
Yet, Tom just can’t find that last little bit – the inspiration required to make his novel pop. But he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. How much?
We’ll soon find out.
For instance, Tom’s novel is set in a prison. So he gets down to role playing; hard core. From the get-go, he’s locked in his hotel room… barricaded from the outside. His agent has the key, there are bars on the window and Tom’s dressed in a prison jumpsuit – he hasn’t bathed in several days. A dedicated writer, he’s gone to great lengths to make it all seem real, including a primitive shiv hidden in his bed… not to mention, a make-shift noose.
Whatever it takes. So they say.
But even after a brush with death, Tom still can’t summon his muse.
Enter Katie (age 27), Tom’s girlfriend. And what a grand entrance she makes: “She rips the coat off revealing a Halloween-style slutty prison warden costume. Complete with thigh-high boots, and fishnet stockings.”
With a naked Katie, underneath. Which is when the story virtually explodes… into a funny, bawdy, high-energy romp, reminiscent of Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn. Or Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert. Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell; any classic couple you can name. If they’d been making films in the twenty-first century, that is. And summoned the spirit of Mae West…
A masterpiece of set-up and pay-off, Whatever it Takes is a lot of fun. The first half? Suspenseful. The second is a riot and a great pay-off. Are you a director who likes intelligent raunch mixed with drama, not to mention a riveting tale? Then let Whatever It Takes inspire you. Put in the perspiration to do this right, and it’ll be a film festival favorite!
Budget: Fairly low.
About the writer: Paul Clarke is an Australian based screenwriter who works as a cinema manager by day and paid coverage writer by night. His success so far has included a top 10 place in the Writer’s Store Industry Insider competition. And is currently working on a selection of short, feature, and pilot scripts. He can be reached at paul.clarke.scripts “AT” gmail
About the reviewer: Helen Magellan (a pseudonym) is a successful screenwriter with several produced short scripts under her belt.
Read Whatever It Takes (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.
Cards (5 pages in pdf format) by Rick Hansberry
A pair of copyrighters continue their career-long battle long after retirement.
There’s a lot to like about “Cards,” a short script by award-winning screenwriter Rick Hansberry. First of all, it’s so well-written that it’s a special treat for those of us who simply enjoy reading screenplays. If that’s you, go ahead and give it a read. The atmosphere is nearly perfect, vivid characters abound, and snappy dialogue almost leaps from the page. It’s a pleasure to read.
More importantly, though, “Cards” is a filmmaker’s dream. It tells a heart-warming story about life-long “frenemies” with a touch of humor and an element of suspense. There’s even a little romance in the air. All in five pages!
Fred and Jack, two curmudgeonly 70-somethings, have been friendly rivals for many years, in fact long before the portmanteau “frenemies” was coined. Every morning, they meet in the local greasy-spoon diner to needle each other — under the watchful eye of Ida, the waitress, who ensures their needling stays cordial. Without her scrutiny, there’s a good chance it might not. As the script tells us, “Ida dangles the coffee pot over their mugs. Her eyebrows arch, inferring that if they don’t behave, no refills.” They behave. Mostly.
And each morning as they munch their breakfast to the sound of golden oldies on the juke box, they have a friendly/not-so-friendly competition. They scribble feverishly on their paper napkins, and when they’re done, Ida judges the results. Her verdict this morning? “They’re both good,” she says. Rats!
But what do they scribble on those napkins every morning? That’s the real question. We don’t find out until the end of the script, but when we do we also learn a lot about Fred and Jack. And that’s the heart of the story.
“Cards” is a sweet slice of life, and it would be extremely simple to film. One location — a diner. Three very choice roles for some “seasoned” actors, and a few extras. This could easily be a film festival favorite.
Budget: Low
About the writer: Rick Hansberry is a screenwriter, producer and director with more than 20 years of industry experience. His SAG Foundation award-winning “Branches” features narration by Daniel Stern and garnered international festival awards. In 2017 his thriller/horror film, “Evil In Her” was released on Amazon Video and Vimeo On Demand. His most recent short, inspired by true events, has won praise for its portrayal of one girl’s positive approach to handling her Type 1 Diabetes. You can view It’s Not Permanent free. Rick has shorts and features available here and is presently available for hire for new story ideas, rewrites and adaptations. He can be reached at djrickhansberry – AT – msn, (cell phone 717-682-8618) and IMDB credits available here.
About the guest reviewer: Helen Magellan (a pseudonym) is a successful screenwriter with several produced short scripts under her belt.
Read Cards (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.
Lone Star Runner Hunnies (7 pages in pdf format) by C.J. Walley
Fleeing a drug deal gone wrong, four girls held up in a lonely Texas diner face the dilemma of capture vs saving a mortally wounded friend.
Roadside diners make great locations – for almost any genre you can mention. Comedy. Romance. Horror. And crime dramas are no exception. (Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, anyone?) But you need a talented writer to populate such a setting properly. With fresh, interesting characters.
Fortunately, Lone Star Runner Hunnies has a surplus. Enter Ameena, KJ and Scotty.
As the script opens, the girls burst into a rundown café, agitated and out of their depth. They’re clearly running away… from something or someone. Scotty and Ameena dash immediately towards the back, ignoring startled clientele. They’re heading towards the restrooms. And for whatever reason, it’s urgent. (Get your minds out of the gutter, folks. This is a crime script – not comedy.)
KJ plops down at the nearest table. She’s quickly approached by the cook, a down-home type named Jake. Though concerned, Jake does his best not to pry. He takes KJ’s order. She grills poor Jake about the soup. And uses the menu to hide her tears.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom – things are getting urgent. Ameena cleans up the blood as best she can, hands Scotty a syringe…
…and joins KJ outside, whispering across the table. What are they gonna do next? And is Scotty even gonna survive?
Which is when an unexpected visitor appears at the door. Throwing the mother of all spanners in the works…
What makes a good crime story great? Well, just like diner food – there are a few essential ingredients. Interesting personalities. Rich visuals. A ticking clock of some kind. Not to mention mystery.
An expert of this genre, writer CJ Walley breathes fiery life into his characters – and leaves plenty of questions between the lines. What happened before the diner? We never fully know. But we (and Scotty) are dying to find out. With Lone Star Runner Hunnies, Walley’s recipe is complete. Resulting in an expertly executed narrative that (unlike Scotty) deserves to be shot.
Budget: Relatively small – rent a diner and that’s it.
About the writer, C.J. Walley: I began writing in 2012 and I’m pleased to say it’s been very exciting so far. I have been fortunate enough to have a short produced by a director in London and Amazon Studios have spotlighted one of my features as a notable project. My scripts place within the top 10% of various major screenwriting competitions and, as I continue to write new specs, I am remotely collaborating with a producers, directors, and actors in LA, NYC, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington DC, Zurich, Amsterdam, Sydney, and Dallas while occasionally blogging for Stage 32. If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, then I’d love to join forces with you whatever the scale, do not hesitate to reach out and drop me a line. (CJ “AT” CJwalley DOT COM; http://www.cjwalley.com
About the reviewer: Anthony is an award winning screenwriter from the UK with 2 features optioned and over 30 short scripts optioned, or purchased, including 8 filmed. Outside of his screenwriting career, he’s a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to his films and details of his scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.
Read Lone Star Runner Hunnies (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.
Truth or Dare (pdf format) by P.H. Cook
A troubled couple, agree to babysit a boy with issues of his own.
Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are eighteen original scripts for your reading pleasure.
– Don
The Unlikely Temptations of Christ by (7 pages, pdf format) Mark Moore (irish eyes)
After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus is tempted by the devil, in the most unusual ways. (short, comedy)
Thanks to everyone who watched and liked the film!
Check out the trailer
Last Dance (5 pages in pdf format) by Rick Hansberry
As the seconds tick away on a song, so does one guy’s last chance with the girl that could become ‘The One’ or ‘The One That Got Away.’
“Last Dance,” a screenplay by Rick Hansberry, tells the story of a crumbling love affair — two people who had a chance at happiness but carelessly let it slip through their fingers.
The action takes place at a combination wedding reception/New Year’s Eve party, a celebration of joy and optimism and new beginnings. But this story isn’t about new beginnings — it’s about last chances, because the focus of this story isn’t on the joyful newlyweds, nor is it on party hats and champagne and New Year’s Eve merrymaking.
The focus is on John, the DJ.
As midnight approaches and John leads the crowd in the New Year’s countdown, Sara, his on-again/off-again girlfriend, arrives at the party, starting a countdown of another sort. Her appearance, “mired by storm clouds in her troubled expression,” lets John (and us) know that a moment of truth is looming. Sara has just come from a date, and her current beau has proposed marriage. John receives this news like “a verbal punch to the gut.” But he puts on his game face and continues playing party music as he and Sara face some music of their own.
It’s obvious to us, and probably to them, too, that these two people care deeply about each other. Subtle, subliminal clues — Sara’s fingers lightly brushing John’s last name on his business card, John’s hand lingering on hers as he takes the card from her — demonstrate their affection. The fact that Sara is even there with her startling news confirms it. And there’s a subtextual hopefulness in their conversation; they both seem to be seeking a favorable resolution.
But there’s also a deep resentment undermining their true feelings, and it just won’t go away. John seems to think Sara doesn’t appreciate the importance of his work, while Sara feels that John is afraid of commitment, and that he buries himself in work to avoid it. “Clever dodge,” she says. “Book yourself for so many weddings, you never have to worry about having one of your own.”
“We talked about it,” he replies.
“We danced around it,” she snaps back.
Finally, nothing resolved, a dejected Sara turns to leave. She’s made her decision. “I walk out that door tonight. When it shuts behind me I’m done.”
Now it’s decision time for John. Can he stop her? Should he? Or is he too late?
Budget: Low-to-moderate. A banquet hall, a crowd of extras, and some DJ equipment.
About the writer: Rick Hansberry is a screenwriter, producer and director with more than 20 years of industry experience. His SAG Foundation award-winning “Branches” features narration by Daniel Stern and garnered international festival awards. In 2017 his thriller/horror film, “Evil In Her” was released on Amazon Video and Vimeo On Demand. His most recent short, inspired by true events, has won praise for its portrayal of one girl’s positive approach to handling her Type 1 Diabetes. You can view It’s Not Permanent free. Rick has shorts and features available here and is presently available for hire for new story ideas, rewrites and adaptations. He can be reached at djrickhansberry – AT – msn, (cell phone 717-682-8618) and IMDB credits available here.
About the guest reviewer: Helen Magellan (a pseudonym) is a successful screenwriter with several produced short scripts under her belt.
Read Last Dance (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.
Careful What You Wish For (1 page in pdf format) by Tim Westland
Magic genies and bottles. Such things never end well. Or DO they?
We all know someone who rubs us the wrong way. A friend of a friend. A relative. Or, in some tragic cases… one’s own spouse. Things can get real ugly when two people don’t see eye to eye – especially when divorce looms on the horizon. When that’s the case – it’s no holds barred. War of the Roses. One up-manship – at any cost.
Fortunately, Karma has a way of exacting sweet revenge on those who test its limits. The only trouble with karma is; you never know when it’ll rear its head. But it does – it’s magical.
Which is the case with Tim Westland’s one-pager “Wish.” The script starts with brothers Steve and Bill walking the surf on a sunny Southern California beach. Normally – a pretty enjoyable experience, except for Bill’s sad state of affairs. As they walk, he tells his sibling of his woes: Bill’s wife is divorcing him for half of everything. Plus alimony. And she’s been cheating on him from day one. If ever there was a need to “insert karma here,” this here’s the perfect time.
Bill stubs his toe on something and yelps. What’s this? Bad fortune? Reverse karma?! Nope, it’s the tip of a lamp jutting from the sand. And Bill quickly discovers why it’s been placed in his path.
“I am yours to command,” intones a Genie after Bill gives the lamp a vigorous rub. “You have but one wish, and whatever you receive, your wife will receive twice over.”
Brother Steve advises caution. “Careful, these Genies are a tricky lot.”
Bill doesn’t hesitate. He knows exactly what to wish for. Riches? Perfect health? Unbelievable happiness? But if he gets those – his soon-to-be ex gets double.
So he takes a breath and wishes for… Well, read the script and find out!
Short and sweet, Careful What You Wish For is a great take on an old classic. Perfect for an indie director with imagination – and a humoristic one-two punch!
Budget: Pretty reasonable. A small amount of FX and costumes required.
About the Writer: Tim Westland is an award winning writer whose many scripts have consistently place in the Semi/Quarter finals in Page, Bluecat, and Screencraft. His screenplay, OBeast, co-authored with frequent writing partner Rod Thompson, finished in the Top 10 of ScreenCraft’s 2017 Horror contest. OBeast is also a 2017 iHorror.com finalist. Tim is also the co-author of the acclaimed horror comic/graphic novel (and screenplay), Chasing the Dead, published by IDW.
About the Reviewer: An LA based writer, Zach Zupke can be contacted via email at zzupke “AT” yahoo
Read Careful What You Wish For (1 page in 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.
