THE GIFT OF GIVING (6-page short drama screenplay) Written by John Staats

An elderly man and his dog enjoy another memorable Christmas Eve.

In our December, holiday-themed OWC, there were some really heartwarming, touching tales that really captured the spirit of the holidays and explored the importance of family and togetherness during this time of year. However, this 3rd place OWC winner, a mind-bending tearjerker, explores another common feeling many people experience during the holidays – loneliness. All while bending our perception of reality with unique storytelling and structure.

The tale starts off like many holiday-themed tales: Charley and his wife, June – an elderly couple – prepare a nice Christmas dinner, waiting for family to arrive. Charley sits in front of fireplace, looking over a gift box as his spry, energetic golden terrier, Sam, sits by his feet.

Soon their son, Bill, daughter-in-law, Mary and four-year-old grandson, Phillip arrive bearing gifts. Unfortunately, there’s a pretty bad snowstorm in progress outside and they need to get going before the roads get too bad.

But, before they leave, Charley’s son, Bill, gives him a Christmas gift he picked up from Romania while on business – a very unique crystal ball ornament.

And before we know it, Bill, Mary and Phillip leave. The abruptness of their stay and the way they leave, it almost feels like a dream, but in a very subtle way. But things truly get strange when Charley notices that his once-energetic dog, Sam, is suddenly walking with a limp, for reasons unknown. What is going on here, exactly?

I won’t give away the gut-punch of an ending. But I encourage you to check out this script and I highly recommend this to filmmakers. It really does tug at the heartstrings, but not in a conventional way. It carries a sadness to it in the way we see in Charlie Kaufman projects such as, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and, most recently, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” on Netflix (though easier to follow).

BUDGET: Low. Minimal cast, one location (a house).

ABOUT THE WRITER: As a fly-fishing fanatic and skier living in the Arizona desert, John Staats finds plenty of time for writing. His feature Impasse was a 2019 Filmmatic Season 4 Drama Screenplay Finalist and has been published as an e-book on Amazon. In addition to features and shorts for the screen, John has found a niche writing for the illustrated page (comics!). John can be contacted at jestaats (a) hotmail.

Read: THE GIFT OF GIVING (6-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.

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For January 24th, there are ten original scripts on the Unproduced Scripts page for your reading pleasure.

– Don

Thanks Richie for the heads up:

Prom – Undated, unspecified draft script by Bob Mrtin & Chad Beguelin (based on the Broadway musical by Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin and Matthew Sklar) – hosted by: Netflix – in pdf format

A troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theater stars swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks Bob and Richie for the heads up.

Palm Springs – April 6, 2019 production draft script by Andy Siara – hosted by: Deadline – in pdf format

When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated as they are unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

Thanks Toby Harvard for Come To Dady which is out on VOD on places like Amazon Prime and others. Check it out!

Come to Daddy – undated, unspecified draft script by Toby Harvard – hosted by: SimplyScripts – in pdf format

A man in his thirties travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father.

Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2019

Information courtesy of IMDb

Thanks, Bob!

Another script studios are posting for award consideration!

French Exit – November 9, 2019 Yellow Locked draft script by Patrick deWitt – hosted by: Sony Classics – in pdf format

An aging Manhattan socialite living on what’s barely left of her inheritance moves to a small apartment in Paris with her son and cat.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

TO THE MOON & BACK (7-page short romance/thriller screenplay ) Written by L.Chambers

A widowed mother and her young daughter receive an unexpected and potentially deadly visit on Christmas Eve when her past comes back to haunt them.

Do you like your Christmas stories to have a little romance in them? How about some thrills? Well, this December OWC 2nd-place winner has all that and then some, including a little Christmas magic to give you a spiritual pick-me-up to kick off 2021.

We open the story on Christmas Eve in the mean streets of Dublin, Ireland. Or, as we see in the story’s opening on-screen text: “Otherwise known as the arse-end of nowhere”.

It’s here where a single mother named Claire lives in a crumbling inner-city flat with her five-year-old daughter Molly. A sad-looking Christmas tree with no decorations pretty much encapsulates Claire and Molly’s situation. But as a dispirited Claire looks closer, she sees one, single Christmas ornament hanging from the tree, hung there by Molly. Unfortunately, this ornament brings back some painful memories for Claire.

Through flashback, we learn the origins of the Christmas bauble as Claire spends a romantic afternoon picnicking with her former love, Sean six years ago. They talk about their promising future together, running off to Australia and raising a family… once Sean gets enough money together.

That haunting request has resonated with Claire all these years – not too long after that afternoon, Sean was shot and killed during a bank robbery where 2 million dollars was taken during the caper… and never found.

Unfortunately for Claire, Sean’s partner in the crime, Michael “Spike” Flanagan, has just been released from prison six years after the botched heist. And she knows that Michael will stop at nothing to find that money…

This is, indeed, a different kind of Christmas story. And that’s why I highly recommend this to any filmmakers who want to create a holiday film that will surely stand-out and make an impact on the film festival circuit. This is one that will be in high demand, so pick it up before it’s too late!

BUDGET: Low. Two primary locations (a flat and a park) and four actors.

ABOUT THE WRITER: 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: TO THE MOON & BACK(7-page short romance/thriller screenplay )

Discuss 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.

Subscribe to Michael’s YouTube Channel.

Thanks Bob, SW, and Richie and Barksid for the heads up on this:

On The Rocks – Unattributed July 1, 2019 Green Revised draft script by Sofia Coppola – hosted by: Deadline Hollywood – in pdf format

A young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

Information courtesy of imdb.com

thanks to Riley for the heads up on Judas and the Black Messiah and The Little Things. and Barksid for the heads up on Kajillionaire

Check out other scripts studios are posting for award consideration.

WB Pulled Judas and the Black Messiah and The Little Things – The fuckers.

Kajillionaire – June 2, 2018 canary draft script by Miranda July – hosted by: Focus Features – in pdf format

A woman’s life is turned upside down when her criminal parents invite an outsider to join them on a major heist they’re planning.

Information courtesy of imdb.com