Safe Keeping
The host of a reality show discovers some storage units should never be opened.

TV and film eras are defined by trends. Westerns, crime investigation, and more recently, superheroes have been shoved down the throats of viewers without a care for the potential of oversaturation. Reality TV is no exception. A current craze is storage shows, where overly colorful people bid for the contents of units that house almost anything you could think of in the hope that they can make a tidy profit from whatever lies within. Storage Hunters, Auction Hunters, Storage Wars, and countless other shows have sprung up to cash in on this newest fad.

Mitch Smith’s Safe Keeping adds another show to that ever-growing list. Rico and Jackson are two veterans of the storage circuit, and the hosts of Storage Seeker, a show in which they document their adventures at auctions. At today’s auction, the expertise is shining through. They’re winning bins that look good, pulling tricks to take them from the unsuspecting at the last minute, and avoiding the duds, leaving them to the suckers. To Jackson, it’s just:

JACKSON
(to camera)
Another day, another dollar.

But then they come to the final bin of the day, where they’re thrown off course as both struggle to figure out exactly what is in the most mysterious unit they’ve seen in a while. After the most intense bidding war of the day, our hosts come out on top, and Jackson is jubilant at winning one of those units that has the potential to house something unexpected and valuable.

Unfortunately, the contents can only be described as one of those two words, and as the seekers explore their winnings further, they discover clues and objects that hint to something sick and sinister being hidden at this storage facility. Jackson is skeptical and disinterested; if it’s not worth $, he doesn’t care, but Rico’s curiosity gets the better of Jackson’s doubt and they embark on a hunt that could take Storage Seeker off the air…for good.

Can the duo unlock the secrets that the facility hides behind certain doors and return for another season? Or will this be the dramatic finale that wraps up the show and ties up all loose ends? As a script that hilariously parodies “trash TV” tropes yet has a bitterly frightening and ironic twist, it’s safe to say that Safe Keeping is a great unit for any potential director to win. Get your bids in for this one fast!

Budget: Hey, this is Found Footage! Spend enough to make this a quality production – but keep that wonderful gritty look.

Pages: 13

About the reviewer: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp “AT” gmail.com. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

About the writer: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter whose website (http://mitchsmithscripts.wix.com/scripts) offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. You can also reach him at Mitch.SmithScripts “AT” gmail and follow Mitch at https://twitter.com/MitchScripts.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

The Dule Tree

A troubled young girl befriends a man condemned to death.

It’s hard to do a period piece right. Sadly, it usually ends up with powdered wigs, Halloween costume clothes, and far too many “yee olds” for modern comfort. But Odd Couple scripts? There’s an ingredient that works! Oscar and Felix. George and Lennie (Of Mice and Men, you heathens!). And – if you must be more current, Arya Stark and the Hound from Game of Thrones.

Speaking of gritty medieval stories… The Dule Tree is one script that has a distinctive George RR Martin vibe. Imagine a world so real you smell the festering dirt that lingers in the air. Come with us as you’re transported back 400 years to a lonely English field. Where a certain man’s life hangs by a thread…

The story opens on little Rose – a seven year old study in innocence. While wandering through the fields, she runs across convict Galle – imprisoned in a gibbet for some unspoken, heinous crime. (For those of you unclear of what a gibbet is, it’s a cage suspended from a tree. Don’t feel bad. Some of us at STS didn’t know, either.) Galle’s wounded, weak, starving – and tortured by passing children throwing rocks. After a few cautious words, Rose and Galle strike up an uneasy friendship. Over the next few days, Rose asks Galle questions and brings him bread. But what Galle really needs is to be free. Can he convince the girl to help him escape? And can he be trusted?

No matter the genre, the heart of all scripts is character. Is there chemistry? Will your audience care? Subtly written, the growing bond between Rose and Galle stands with the best of them. The Dule Tree is an effective dark short with tons of potential… sure to leave no dry eye in the house!

About the writer: Steve Miles decided to get serious about writing around three years ago. Since then he’s concentrated on putting together a collection of shorts with a goal of finishing up a feature or two by years end.  Oh, and giving George RR Martin a run for his money! Email him at stevemiles80 “AT” yahoo.co.uk

Pages: 9

Budget: Moderate. A field. Two characters. And a gibbet. Now that we know exactly what that is… J

About the reviewer: Anthony Cawood is an aspiring screenwriter from the UK with a number of scripts in various stages of production, two of which have just wrapped shooting. His script, A Certain Romance, recently won in the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition (short script category). You can find out more at http://www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE

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.

Ribbeck Von Ribbeck
A rhyming, lyrical fable about an aging squire who teaches us how to cultivate a legacy: by passing-on the things most important to us.

Germany. A country that has a fascinating, yet bitterly haunting history. The literary past of the country does not stray from this statement: from the cautionary fairy tales of the Grimm brothers to the vindictive characters omnipresent in Sturm and Drang stories, it appears that the prominent German novels, short stories, and even films all have a very sinister coating around the meat of the story.

Which is why you’ll be cheered up by Dane Whipple’s adaptation of Herr von Ribbeck auf Ribbeck im Havelland, a 19th century traditional Teutonic Poem with a brighter touch, although still jam-packed with meaning. So much of it, in fact, that the poem is still taught in German schools today.

The poem is about a simple concept: Ribbeck is an old, well respected man who owns a pear tree, and he interacts with the young children of his village, Havelland by generously donating the offspring of his pride and joy. But when he passes away, the connection between the succulent pears and the appreciative children appears to have been severed…or has it?

Thankfully, Whipple has truncated the lengthy title to just “Ribbeck von Ribbeck”, and while the screenplay itself may seem similarly austere at just 4 pages, the expertly crafted interlocking of narration of the poem verbatim (don’t worry, it’s been translated to English) and action means you get a lot of plot for your page; every line adds new understanding to the story, as it should always be.

Despite the deceptively straightforward story, choosing to take on the task of directing this European classic will be a challenge, albeit an enjoyable one. A narrator with (or who can put on) a suitably powerful, yet tender German voice (and no, Arnie is Austrian) would be the icing on the cake. Actually, it’d be the fruit on the branches.

A faithful yet unique adaptation of a German classic, this short and delicate script is a must have for anyone looking to add some international flavour to their filmography. Capture the spirit of Ribbeck, and your film will stand out at festivals – far and wide!

And of course, there’s one question that needs to be answered: Does the dying man have one final trick up his sleeve to ensure fruity prosperity continues after he’s gone or will it all go pear-shaped for the kids of Havelland?

Pages: 4

Budget: A tranquil and beautiful location is best for this one. But is that a bank buster? In no way. Just a matter of cinematic taste.

About the reviewer: Hamish Porter is a writer who, if he was granted one wish, would ask for the skill of being able to write dialogue like Tarantino. Or maybe the ability to teleport. Nah, that’s nothing compared to the former. A lover of philosophy, he’s working on several shorts and a sporting comedy that can only be described as “quintessentially British”. If you want to contact him, he can be emailed: hamishdonaldp “AT” gmail.com. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

About the writer: Dane Whipple is a highly-successful legal drafter, currently working as a senior construction defects attorney for a billion-dollar skyscraper and concert hall in Hamburg, Germany. As an award-winning author, he has written and produced several shorts, done punch-up work for various television projects, and is in the process of finishing his first feature: The Wild Age. A culmination of a full year of primary document research, the script is a music bio-pic with a kick. Think Ed Wood meets Eraserhead…with music. Dane is open to criticism (positive and negative) and collaboration. Contact him at dane.whipple (AT) live.com

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

Will the hits ever stop coming?  Not if your name is Anthony Cawood.

Anthony Cawood’s Glitch (which is currently available for production) has just been announced as WINNER of the Nashville Film Festival in the Short Thriller/Horror category. Wow – that’s one we’d love to see…

And – there’s more news in store!  Recently, Visceral Films optioned Anthony’s feature length horror, “Dr. Psycho’s Terror Night”, with plans to produce in 2017.  A marvelous title (and concept)!

Until Dr. Psycho hits the silver screen, we suggest that readers check out Anthony’s other scripts.  Quick… before directors grab ’em, and they’re gone!

Glitch (SF/Thriller/Horror) – A desperate wife resorts to extreme measures to ensure her husband gets the lifesaving operation he needs.

All My Love (aka Stuffed) (Horror/Drama) – A wronged woman takes a scorched earth approach to her revenge.

I-Robot (SF, Comedy) – It’s Man Vs. Roomba when Octogenarian Roy receives a surprise present from his daughter

Love Locked (Horror) – Two teenagers discover romantically painted padlocks on a bridge. Are they Valentines from a love-struck Romeo… or something more sinister?

About Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

Please join STS in congratulating writer Rick Hansberry.  Not once, but several times…

1) His recently reviewed short, Last Dance, has been picked up for student production by Megan McPherson.

Other directors take note: Last Dance is still available for professional use, as are several more Rick-flavored scripts!

Cards (drama) –  A pair of copyrighters continue their career-long battle long after retirement.

Over the Lump (drama) – Objects in the mind’s mirror may appear larger than they are.

Freak (drama) – A simple wave and smile alters the life of a teenager.

By the Power Vested in Me (drama) – Will a power outage serve as a sign that a wedding shouldn’t happen?

Hello (drama) – Interesting what you can find in used bookstores – and often there’s a reason it’s there.

‘Til Death (Comedy) – A marital tiff erupts to epic proportions….

Burn the Ships (drama) – Life lessons alter the courses taken by a teacher and his student.

Taking the Reins (drama FEATURE) – A reckless equestrian struggles through personal and professional setbacks to try to make history as the youngest winner of the elite Rolex championship, but his destructive personality poses the biggest obstacle to claiming the title.

2) Rick’s SF feature length, Alienate, is now available for purchase!  Take a gander at the DVD review here!

STS is thrilled to announce John Cowdell’s thriller short, Seven Hours, has now officially been sold! The prize goes to 10AM Productions, and we have no doubt we’ll be seeing a wonderful finished product for the festivals soon…!

Needless to say, we’ve got several more Cowdell scripts in the queue… In the meantime, consider shooting John an email now (ommi80 “AT” yahoo.co.uk), and see what else he’s got in store!

About the writer: John Cowdell has been writing and making short films for over ten years as well as creating videos for the internet. During his time at college, where he studied Media Production, he made his first short film with a fellow student. The short film “City Road” reached the finals of a competition in 2000 and was shown at a local cinema. Most recently, John has been reviewing films and producing video content for Squabblebox.co.uk. His main passion is filmmaking and he hopes to write and direct feature films in the near future. Feel free to drop him a line at iommi80 “AT” yahoo.co.uk!

Tick Tock Toe

An elderly man plays tic tic toe with his granddaughter resulting in an unexpected outcome

Life isn’t a game you win or lose.

Rose is a born loser. An awkward, angsty, acne-ridden 14-year-old. After a long day of being ridiculed by the popular kids at school, she stops by the nursing care center to visit her grandfather, Sidney.

Sidney is a born winner. Or at least he was, until he got put out to pasture here at the old folks home. Here, his winning days exist only as faded photographs of yesteryear. Nowadays, Sidney is a bit of a curmudgeon. He calls things like he sees them, and what he sees is that Rose could use some life lessons.

To kill some time, Sidney and Rose decide to play a good old game of Tick Tac Toe. Sidney plays to win. Rose plays not to lose.

Naturally, game after game ends in a draw. What’s the point of a game you can’t win?

As the two trade moves on the board, they swap stories, as well. Sidney’s time in the war has given him a unique perspective on life, and some advice for Rose on how to live it. Following draw after draw, Rose begins to adopt a new and positive outlook, and Sidney realizes that perhaps it is time for him to try a new approach to the game of life. He knows all too well that if you kill enough time, it may just kill you right back.

In the tradition of Gran Torino and Little Miss Sunshine, Tick Tock Toe is a classic mentor/mentee character-driven drama, examining what the young can learn from the old and vice versa. There is also an element of life mirroring the game ala Searching for Bobby Fisher. The script offers a profound meditation on the nature of life, death, and everything in between. The kind of weighty rumination that would make Terrence Malick proud, TTT is surely set to be a standout on the festival and awards circuits.

If you are looking for a real winner, play a game of Tick Tock Toe!

Pages: 13

Budget: Medium. One central location, the nursing home, with a short school scene and a (spoiler) casket shot.

About the Reviewer: Dane Whipple is living in a powder keg and giving off sparks. He is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (a) live.com

About the writer: An award winning writer, Bill Sarre has had scripts place both finalist and quarter finalist with Page and Bluecat. Another short of his, The Grieving Spell, was recently grand prize winner of the London Film Awards. Bill can be reached at Bill.sarre (a) gmail.com

Read Tick Tock Toe

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 Buyer

When it comes to empty houses, sometimes buyers should beware….

As Rod Serling used to say each week, “You unlock this door with the key of imagination.” And so it is with the best of scripts. Before you begin reading this one, take a moment, close your eyes, and imagine the theme music from The Twilight Zone. Then (after a short commercial break) start reading, because this story is definitely Serling-esque. In the best possible way.

It all begins in a picture-perfect living room, with dust gently drifting through rays of sunshine. Two women – one a realtor, the other a prospective buyer – move slowly through the space. There’s subtle tension in the air…

…and an eerie dynamic lurking just outside our awareness, involving the two women and the house. Stay alert to pick up details. Why does the cell phone signal fail at certain times? Whose overturned picture lies on the shelf? Most importantly, who (or what) is the mysterious woman seen briefly in the hallways?

Could it be a ghost? We’ll never tell. But we will paint a picture for you. Imagine The Others meets The Uninvited. Weaved together with poetic skill.

If you’re in search of a low-budget spine tingler with a humdinger of a twist, this script could be what you’re looking for. One location – an empty house. All interior. No special effects. And meaty roles for three 30-something actresses. What more could a director ask for?

About the writer: I’ve been writing for about four years now. I always loved it but managed to get constantly side-tracked by silly things like: finding a real job, getting married, having kids, a mortgage… I finally decided to stop making excuses (not completely) and write “for real”. I made it to the quarter-finals of the Nicholls Fellowship last year, the semi-finals of the Screencraft Fellowship earlier this year, and am currently in the finals of the Industry Insider competition featuring Sheldon Turner. I’m still pretty wet behind the ears, but for the first time in a long time, I actually refer to myself as a writer. I can always be reached at kostak “AT” kostak.com

Pages: 7

Budget: Very affordable. One house, three actresses – and you’re set.

About the reviewer: Scott Merrow co-writes screenplays with his wife Paula. Since 2006, they’ve written over 50 short screenplays, several of which have been produced. They tend toward family-friendly scripts, but they’ve written a little bit of everything: horror, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy… the whole nine yards.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.

Mucho Congratulations to Breanne Mattson!

Reviewed on STS back in March 2014 , her script A Day With Death was subsequently discovered by Asurf Oluseyi and Asurf Films, Ltd. The film was shot in Lagos, Nigeria – bringing terrific cultural flavor to an already charming script.

As of today’s writing, Day has been officially nominated for Best Short Film for the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards!  (AMVC).  Not bad at all – fully deserved! For yet more information, the film’s Facebook page is available here:  https://www.facebook.com/adaywithdeath

*******

Oh – and then there’s Breanne’s OTHER amazing news…  Her feature length thriller Warning Shot has now officially cast Hollywood fav Bruce Dern in a pivotal role.  Here’s what the press has to say: The character-driven drama/thriller Warning Shot starts filming in Los Angeles in early 2016 with Bruce Dern heading its cast. The project was brought to Dern by veteran Casting Director John Jackson, known for his work on the award winning films The Descendants and Nebraska. Dern, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the film Nebraska, can also be seen this December in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. In Warning Shot, Dern will play a dying businessman whose legacy is in jeopardy.

The story centers on a single mother and her young daughter struggling to make ends meet until they inherit a farmhouse. When a family business rival sends armed men to take the water rights to the farm’s creek by force, the situation spirals out of control.

Written by Breanne Mattson, the script was a Nicholl quarterfinalist in 2011. Dustin Fairbanks will make his feature debut as director with Ross Otterman (Gutshot Straight, Excision) producing. Executive Producing is DJ Dodd, whose film 10,000 Saints premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

But WAIT – THERE’S MORE!  (Oh so much, much more…) Directors in search of their next big thing should be aware that Breanne’s got more shorts available. Reposted for your consideration, please find The End in Sight – a gritty crime thriller by Ms. Mattson that’s just aching for the right producer to see it, er, visualized…

The End in Sight

A hired killer tries to finish one last job before going blind.

A bad guy with a soft spot – looking to do something right after a lifetime of mistakes…  What the heck is it about characters like this that captures the imagination?  Because they do. Every time.  They’re just so… more interesting than vanilla good guys. Hit men especially.  Watch the Professional or In Bruges, and dare to disagree.

The End in Sight is a short script that “hits” that exact note perfectly.  Enter Hugo – the consummate hit man.  He’s killed efficiently all his life. Now – unfortunately – he’s going blind.  Which, one could imagine, is really bad ju-ju for a man who relies on visual acuity…

Hugo’s trying to finish one last job before he retires: kill a gangster, and return a wayward prostitute, Winter, to a rival pimp named Skarda.  Needless to say – things get emotionally complicated and go horribly wrong.  Given the setup, this could have been a cliche script.  But The End in Sight does things right; pulling out twists and character beats that make the whole trip worthwhile. So if crime and thrillers are your forte, crack this one open. It’s got a killer ending…

About the writer: Breanne Mattson is no stranger to accolades.  Her feature lengths have made Nicholl Quarterfinalist three times (yeah, that’s three times, beeyotch!) She’s also made semi-finalist in Bluecat, Final Draft and honorable mention in TrackingB.  She’s also received a “worth the read” from Scriptshadow.  Her website can be viewed at www.breannemattson.com (IMDB credits here.)

Pages: 35

Budget: Okay. This one’s no “newbie” script.  Thirty five pages long, it features plenty o’ squibs and bullet hits,  stunt car driving, and both inside and outside locations.  But in experienced hands, this script could be amazing.

READ THE SCRIPT HERE – AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

All screenplays are copyrighted to their respective authors. All rights reserved. The screenplays may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.