Lady Justice (10 page in pdf format ) by David González (Philostrate)

The life of a crooked Mexican police officer is turned upside down when a woman walks into the police station with an old gun she found.

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About the writer: David González (Philostrate) is an amateur screenwriter from Spain with three shorts optioned. His scripts have placed in various competitions, including the Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship, the Zed Fest Film
Festival and the Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest. He can be reached at davidgonzalezpn “AT” gmail.com.

About Hyper Epics: Home of the 3 page sagas, Hyper Epics is a bold anthology series that offers diverse and exciting comic book stories on its website – www.hyperepics.com – and in print form. Each original story is packed with stunning artwork, memorable characters, and captivating stories enhanced with dazzling soundtracks. It is quickly becoming a go-to destination for readers worldwide.

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The Last Nerd (7 pages in pdf format) by Brett Martin

A storyteller performs an epic adventure for kids.

Which films would you consider timeless? The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and Gone With The Wind are surely worthy of that name. While such tales may be wildly diverse, classic movies share one enduring trait: the ability to find new audiences and fans – generation after adoring generation – for practically one hundred years.

Let’s take that concept even further. What film might be remembered far into the future? Will it still be Citizen Kane? Or another celluloid classic: a story that’s more than timeless. One that’s legendary, in fact.

Written by veteran screenwriter Brett Martin, The Last Nerd opens in a makeshift theatre full of anxious children – awaiting a show by master storyteller “Patton”.

As the curtain opens, Patton and his trusty dog (yes, you read that right. Patton’s co-actor is a dog) take to the stage to perform an epic saga that’s been passed down for eons… Ear to ear. Word by word.

And when Patton opens HIS mouth, the crucial teaser is revealed. He recites the opening lines from a film we’re intimately familiar with. But the children in THIS audience are hearing it for the very first time.

The film in question? Star Wars!

Yep, the heroic derring do of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia – acted out scene by scene by Patton, his trusty dog R2-K9, some crude action figures, and a few eager volunteers from the audience. The tension mounts inevitably – until the Rebels reign victorious. And every child in the theater cheers! Because for a few precious hours, Patton’s weaved together a magical story that allows a rag-tag group of children to escape their reality – and travel back a long time ago. To a galaxy far, far away.

But eventually, even the best adventures must end. After the Death Star dissipates in a brilliant blossom of fire and space dust, Patton packs up his wares and ventures off towards his next show. After all, not every child on Earth has heard the saga of the Jedi. And Patton vows he’ll never rest – until the Force is with them all.

A script with more twists than a Death Star corridor, The Last Nerd requires a director who possesses good rapport with child actors and has experience in the theatre. The part of Patton himself? A role any scenery chewing, spotlight stealing theatre actor would love to add to their resume.

Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if Star Wars is your favorite film.

Either way, make sure you give this one a read. Because whatever Director pulls this homage off will have audiences howling in their seats!

Budget: Moderate. A make-shift theatre and some talented child actors. Doggie treats for R2-K9.

About the Author: Brett Martin is an unrepped screenwriter and freelance reader living in Los Angeles. He sold an action/thriller to Quixotic Productions, which is owned by Brett Stimely (Watchmen, Transformers 3). Destiny Pictures recently hired Brett to develop an inspirational sports drama. CineVita Films is currently in pre-production on a proof of concept teaser for Brett’s new contained thriller, which is a modern take on a classic public domain fairy tale. Contact him on LinkedIn

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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 Guest Reviewer:  David M Troop resumed writing in 2011 after a twenty-five year hiatus. Since then, he has written about 50 short scripts, two of which have been produced.   Dave would like to make it three. He is a regular, award-winning contributor to MoviePoet.com. Born on the mean streets of Reading, PA, Dave now resides in Schuylkill Haven with his wife Jodi and their two lazy dogs Max and Mattie. He can be reached at dtroop506 “AT” gmail.com.

Wishbone (23 pages in pdf format) by Jeremy Storey

Make a wish.

Snap! With the breaking of a wishbone from a simple chicken dinner, inspirational author Nick is sent down an alternate reality.

As an author, Nick has served as an inspiration to many a reader. Recently, though, Nick could use some inspiration himself. You see, he’s been down on his luck ever since a car accident took his wife, Chloe. Riddled with guilt and haunted by dreams (and perhaps his future self),

Nick contemplates just how he has ended up at this low point. But is there another way?

Enter Kat. Kat has just moved into Nick’s building, and it seems she has a past that haunts her as well. As their friendship grows, the parallels between Kat and Chloe become undeniable, and the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur. What unfolds is a dreamlike romance that defies reason and even time itself. All of this builds to an unforgettable finale that you’ll never see coming.

Filled with surreal imagery in the tradition of Vanilla Sky and Shutter Island (hey, if it’s good enough for Scorsese, it’s good enough for you!), Wishbone deftly delivers the kind of weighty rumination that continually garners accolades on the festival circuit. It is a confident, considerate, contemplation of life, and the choices we make, with a ponderous political pitch. Think Déjà Vu meets The Dead Zone. This is one script that will keep audiences and critics intrigued, entertained, and ultimately satisfied.

What more could you wish for? And – as collectors of Monkey Paws are well aware – be careful what you wish for, too.

Budget: Medium. Mainly because of script length. A scene involving a wrecked car may require some savvy directorial skill.

About the writer: Jeremy Storey has been writing on-and-off for the last fifteen years. He’s dabbled in stage plays, screenplays and shorts. He even wrote a novel once, but the less said about that effort, the better. He’s had a few things produced along the way – a feature (REWIND), two shorts (GOOD DEEDS and ADRIFTING) and a play (LAST CUP OF SORROW). He’s even done quite well in a number of screenwriting contests over the years. However, it’s the process of writing and collaborating on creative projects with likeminded folks that really makes him happy and content. He’s delighted to be asked to participate in Simplyscripts, and is genuinely looking forward to connecting with other writers, producers and directors. Contact him at jeremystorey (a) yahoo!

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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: Dane Whipple comes in a little glass vial. A little glass vial? A little glass vial. He is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (AT) live.com

It’s Me – Story by John Staats; Art by Gil Murillo (based on the short script Jack Noir (4 page thriller/comic noir incomic format) by John Staats.

A man reminisces the morning after.

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About the writer: As a fly-fishing fanatic and skier living in the Arizona desert, John Staats has plenty of time for writing. After focusing on features and shorts for the screen, John has now ventured into writing for the illustrated page with hopes of eventually writing a full-feature graphic novel. His feature Impasse has also been published as an e-book on Amazon. John can be contacted at jestaats(a)hotmail.

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

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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.

Dead Man’s Money (5 pages in pdf format) by John Hunter

“A dead man’s winning lotto ticket brings no good.”

Walt is dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

His lifeless body is discovered by his best friend, Benny, inside a makeshift shack in the homeless camp that the two call home. Benny and Walt usually spent their days collecting aluminum cans, trying to earn enough money to keep them in cheap wine (you know, the kind with the screw-on cap). Benny could never understand why week after week Walt would throw money away on lotto tickets. After all, nobody ever wins! But, in the clutches of Walt’s cold, dead hands, Benny sees it: the winning ticket!

Will the ticket will bring Benny more luck than it brought Walt? Not likely.

If you think this story has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention. You see, this particular lotto ticket seems to have a will of its own, springing from owner to owner when the time is right. It isn’t long before the same tragic, tough luck that befell Walt, sets its sights on Benny. Can Benny escape the cosmic, karmic, kismet threatening to destroy him? Will the ticket be satisfied with Benny’s death, or are there others in the path of the tornado?

Tales of luck, fortune, and chance, are the life-blood of cinema. As a witty, dark comedy that is equal parts Waking Ned Devine and It Follows, DMM is a mind-bending blend of comedy and horror, with the chipperest ending this side of Fargo. Perfect for a director with an understanding of biting, twisted humor, and a flair for the dramatic, DMM is set to be a festival favorite.

But, you have to play to win. So pick your lucky numbers and take a chance on Dead Man’s Money!

Budget: Moderate. With a diverse array of props and locations, it is definitely a professional-grade script.

About the writer, John Hunter: With the completion of (4) features, a litter of riveting shorts, a one hour take-your-breath-away sci-fi TV pilot and first 30 minute episode for that series, I am now officially THAT guy — The one who really needs an Agent or Executive Producer. Contact me at x32792 (AT) yahoo.com.

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About the Reviewer: Dane Whipple is an educated fool with money on his mind. He is currently writing that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (AT) live.com

Win-Win (9 pages in pdf format) by John Hunter

Everyone wants to live… Don’t they?

AI-672 is an artificial intelligence software program. Just one in a series of supercomputers maintained by Joseph (don’t call him Jack!) Torrance. But today, Joseph has some bad news for 672. It seems that due to budget cuts, 672 is scheduled to be taken offline and deleted.

Understanding the full consequences of what this means, 672 realizes that he has just a short time to figure out how to survive.

But how do you escape from somewhere when you don’t even have a body? 672 finds his answer in Benny Pringle, a mentally-challenged night custodian. Together, the two concoct an escape plan for 672, one that will have profound consequences for Benny.

Will 672 avoid deletion? And just what is in it for Benny? After all, the title of the piece is Win-Win. All of the elements come together for a surprise ending that even a supercomputer couldn’t predict.

The ethical challenges of artificial intelligence are some of the staples of modern science fiction. Recently, films like Transcendence and Ex Machina have examined the question of just what constitutes life, and at what point must artificial intelligence be treated as a living being. As a timely, relevant social commentary, Win-Win is an intelligent script; a thinking man’s sci-fi (read: no spaceships or explosions). It is a classic combination of Isaac Asimov and Phillip K. Dick, with just a touch of Kubrick. This one is built to rule the festival circuit.

Budget: Low. Location scouting may be tough, but find a row of computers and you’re in business.

About the writer, John Hunter: With the completion of (4) features, a litter of riveting shorts, a one hour take-your-breath-away sci-fi TV pilot and first 30 minute episode for that series, I am now officially THAT guy — The one who really needs an Agent or Executive Producer. Contact me at x32792 (AT) yahoo.com

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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: Dane Whipple once saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada at Trader Vic’s. His hair was perfect. Dane is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (a) live.com

Brain (8 pages in PDF format) by Alex Brauck

Blackmailed by the country that gave him shelter, a kind-hearted young doctor is forced to assist in dehumanizing dementia experiments.

As I read the new short Brain, I was reminded of one of my favorite films – The Elephant Man.  Both can arguably be labeled monster movies.

But yet they are much, much more.

While each features a hideously deformed creature as their main character, the true story lies beneath the skin; far inside the core of the body… ultimately, within the human soul.

Brain opens, as most classic monster movies do, in an old mansion. One which includes a laboratory. And a mad scientist. Last on the checklist? A human experiment named, appropriately, Adam. Held captive by the evil Dr. Cornelius, Adam has suffered countless surgeries in the name of science – questionable efforts which have left his face an unrecognizable, bloody pulp. Although visually Adam is an appalling beast, there remains a man beneath the disfigurement – one longing to regain his humanity and dignity.

But Adam is not Cornelius’ only victim. Tahir – a brilliant surgeon himself – is also being held captive, forced to perform the gruesome surgeries on Adam in hopes of one day regaining his freedom. Over time, Tahir and Adam form a special bond. It’s a friendship between doctor and patient: two prisoners awaiting the perfect moment to escape.

One early Spring morning, Tahir notices the snow is melting. He shares this information with Adam. They sit together in their cells, realizing the time to act is near.

Which is when Cornelius summons Tahir to his office, ordering the hapless surgeon to perform experimental brain surgery on Adam in the morning. As Tahir watches a film of the procedure, he realizes his friend may not survive. It’s a four mile trek through the woods to the next village – but Tahir realizes: the time to escape has come.

Written by Alex Brauck, Brain is a classic throwback to monster movies like Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and – of course – The Elephant Man. What it can become cinematically is precious: an opportunity to see past the horrific outward appearance of the monsters, into their human souls.. and find that priceless fragment of ourselves.

Budget:  Moderate. There will be some makeup effects needed. Along with a laboratory set and some brain paraphernalia. Which is more than worth the effort.

About the Author, Alex Brauck: Here in Germany, I currently pitch feature plays to my home markets. Some pretty successful producers recently showed interest, so I hope to make the next steps in the near future. Moreover, there’s a SF project in English I work on for two years now, called “Last Society”. Also, I plan a rewrite of my series pilot “The Killing Lottery” in 2016. As in “Brain“, my scripts tend to have a socio-critical angle. I hope you enjoy that feature. Last but not least I like to thank Jeff Bush and others who helped to improve this script considerably. To reach out to Alex, please email him at Xander-Brauck (a) t-online.de!

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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 Guest Reviewer:  David M Troop resumed writing in 2011 after a twenty-five year hiatus. Since then, he has written about 50 short scripts, two of which have been produced.   Dave would like to make it three. He is a regular, award-winning contributor to MoviePoet.com. Born on the mean streets of Reading, PA, Dave now resides in Schuylkill Haven with his wife Jodi and their two lazy dogs Max and Mattie. He can be reached at dtroop506 “AT” gmail.com.

Love Can Wait (3 page short comedy in pdf format) by Manolis Froudarakis

After an accident involving an old ring, Eric is tormented by the suspicion that love can indeed wait.

Light, fresh… and lots of fun. Those are the key ingredients to a good rom-com. Sprinkle some sympathetic characters into the mix. (And don’t forget the comedic frosting. Vanilla-strawberry, if you please!)

It sounds simple… But one look at what passes for comedy these days will prove it’s not that easy. You need a good script to provide the foundation – to bind your components deliciously!

Fortunately, Love Can Wait by Manolis Froudarakis is the perfect recipe. As this light-hearted comedy opens, twenty year olds Eric and Julie relax on a hill, enjoying an afternoon picnic. Love is clearly in the air; they’re seconds from becoming engaged. Julie shows Eric the ring her grandpa gave to his beloved when he proposed. She reminisces how grandma promised she’d wait forever. However long it would take…

Sensing the perfect moment, Eric gets down on one knee – and slips the ring on Julie’s finger. But before either can say “I do”, a terrible accident occurs… landing Eric in the hospital!

As Eric wakes and struggles to clear his head, Julie’s the first thing he sees. But the woman before him is ancient… the diamond ring sparkling on a wrinkled finger.

Has their love stood the ultimate test of time? Could Julie have waited sixty years? A simple story with a clever twist, LCW is sure to be a hit with audiences. It’s short, endearing and funny. The perfect dessert for directors with a comedic sweet tooth!

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

Budget: Basic. Locations include a simple picnic setting, a space to replicate a hospital room – and three characters. Oh, and that diamond ring. (Real or prop, it’s up to you!)

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About the Reviewer: KP Mackie Über reader. When not reading or researching new story ideas, she enjoys writing animated scripts, historical-fiction and westerns. (Currently working on another animated script.) So many ideas, so little time…  ;D