The Kiss by Kosta

Saying goodbye is the hardest part. Or is it, really…?

Children go through many firsts in their initial years of life: First word. First day at school. First dentist appointment. And much more.

While some are natural human developments, others require bravery. Especially for a vulnerable child placed in a terrifying situation; one they’re not mature enough to understand.

In The Kiss, young Billy’s been asked by mother Shelley to kiss Godmother Norma: an old woman in her sixties with thick makeup. Who lies cold in her casket. Dead.

As you’d imagine, ‘first kiss of a corpse’ isn’t an accomplishment Billy’s eager to add to his resume.

From the start, the boy finds himself quite hesitant about the whole funeral experience. He’s particularly unable to grasp how friend Sam can eat with a corpse nearby – “festering” just across the room.

As it turns out, Sam’s an expert in the business of death. Able to handle his food under grisly conditions, Sam entertains Billy with graphic descriptions of what will happen to Norma’s body… after all’s been said and done.

And Sam cautions Billy about one horrific thing:

            SAM
There’s a point nine nine nine nine
nine… nine percent that… they
come back no matter what.

Needless to say, this information doesn’t convince Billy to comply with his mom’s request. So when she returns to his side, Billy’s still fighting what he’s gotta do.

Then Shelley manages to make Billy even more nervous – telling her son certain tall tales that raise the stakes even higher than before!

Riddled with witty fun dialogue, The Kiss is one of those magical scripts that refuses to obey genre rules. It’s a story that’ll align you with Billy from the first few lines – and raise questions along the way:

Will Billy kiss the corpse? What will happen if he fails? And what about that nine nine nine nine nine percent chance of bringing a monstrous horror to life?

Do you want to direct this? The answer should be a dead-sure “yes.” The Kiss is a clear festival favorite. And you don’t have to smooch a corpse to see it through…

Budget: Moderate. Yes, you’ll need a casket and access to a “church”. But most of the rest is easy to accomplish. Almost as easy as kissing… a dead relative?

About the writer: Kosta learned how to draw before he can write. This background in graphic design and illustration comes through in his writing as his work exudes an unmistakable visual style.

His work has placed in the finals of numerous screenplay competitions including the Nicholl’s and Screencraft fellowships as well as the Industry Insider screenwriting competition featuring Sheldon Turner.

Kosta is currently working on another feature and developing a project for television. He lives in perpetual rush hour traffic in Montreal, Canada and can always be reached at kostak@kostak.com.

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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 (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

Cassandra by George Ding

A young woman hires a company that claims it can show her future with her boyfriend. But when she discovers a future infidelity, she must decide whether to let the visions dictate her choices in the present.

Cassandra: a tragic figure in Greek mythology who had the ability to foresee future dangers, but as she was cursed, no-one believed her warnings. The term “Cassandra complex” comes from this tale and is still a popular idiom today.

George Ding’s Cassandra takes this myth and spins it into an enthralling piece of dramatic sci-fi. Greece is replaced with near-future Bejing, and Cassandra the prophet is now Cassandra the corporation, offering young couples a glimpse of how their romance will likely unfold. And our lead characters are no heroes, but Xiaoyu and Yi, two people in Cassandra’s target demographic.

Like so many lovers, this duo don’t know if they’re ready to tie the knot and become one. But Amy, Xiaoyu’s dear friend and a newlywed, proclaims that Cassandra erased all her doubts about her boyfriend. In fact, Amy’s such a friend that she wants the same thing to happen to Xiaoyu and Yi.

So Xiaoyu gets booked in for an appointment with Cassandra by Amy. But that’s where the similarities end. Her glimpse doesn’t erase her doubts, it expands them. Worse still, the doubts are self-inflicted; her future behaviour sows the seeds for them, not Yi’s. And while she hints at what she sees to Yi, he doesn’t believe she’d do such a thing…or will she?

Will Xiaoyu accept Cassandra’s caution as the inevitable truth, or will she try to alter the course of the future through her actions in the present?

By combining an ancient legend with a futuristic yet believable setting, Cassandra provides a vision not just for couples, but for budding directors too. It predicts many award wins, but be quick – blink and this glimpse will end up belonging to someone else!

Budget: Moderate. A few different scenes and settings – but despite this being SF, there’s no need for crazy FX!

About the writer: George Ding was born in Beijing and moved to the lush, yuppie suburbs of Washington D.C. at the age of four. He received a B.A. in Film Production with a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Southern California. After graduation, George took a two-month trip to Beijing and has lived there ever since. He currently works as a freelance writer and filmmaker. His writing has appeared in VICE, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Contact George at GeorgeDing.Com

Read Cassandra (22 pages in pdf format)

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: 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 (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

A New Night by Tom Zarnowski

Memories don’t always die…

We often refer to holidays as getaways for good reason. They’re a chance to “get away” from the omnipresent stress of working life and recharge the batteries. The downtime also provides us with a golden opportunity to introspect our inner lives.

But in A New Night, the getaway that former parents Emmett and Dawn take to heal deep personal wounds turns out to be nothing more than a placebo.

Or worse.

Heading to a remote log cabin to cleanse themselves of memories of their dead daughters, Dawn struggles to accept the events of the past and mournfully realizes that no matter how hard her partner tries, her family feels incomplete without her girls:

            DAWN
They’re still with us, Emmett.

This weakness is made all the more evident when – during their first night in the cabin – Dawn spies a speck of white in the pitch black darkness. Artificial shouts of “happiness” penetrate the silent forest night.

Intrigued, Dawn follows the sounds – into the dark, and through the woods.

Waking and finding his wife gone, Emmett exits the cabin and follows her trail – until he stumbles onto a sight so incomprehensible that he loses all physical control.

When it returns, Dawn has vanished. She and her companions? Nowhere at all to be found.

Intent on saving his wife, Emmett returns to the cabin. Even from the outside, it’s obvious that someone’s… been there.

Grabbing his axe, Emmett heads inside to confront whoever’s responsible for this mess… But what exactly will he find?

Why has the cabin been ransacked? Where’s Dawn? And who’s with her?

Even more pressingly, when will you read this script and discover the answers to these questions – and more?

A New Night offers ticks all the classic horror boxes: Isolated location, troubled characters, and mystery. Yet it never succumbs to clichés; the organic mixture of psychological/physical horror enables this script to appeal to fans of many horror genres. All combined into one huge scare.

Directors looking to frighten audiences both mentally and visually need to add this one to their collection of scripts to film.

You’ll end up with your own family… of festival awards, that is!

Budget: Relatively low. Get a cabin in the woods, and run from there!

About the writer: Tom Zarnowski is a screenwriter from Chicago with a variety of features and shorts written. He previously worked for Veluvana Pictures writing and developing features from start to finish. His screenplay ‘Stages’ recently placed as a finalist at the Beverly Hills Film Festival. Before partnering with Veluvana, he worked as a script consultant for Road 28 Pictures. Did New Night scare the “daylights” out of you? Then send him an email at tzarnowski (a) gmail.

Read A New Night (8 pages 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.

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 (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

THE TOOTH FAIRY by James Barron

An enthusiastic young girl is about to learn the Tooth Fairy always exacts a price.

Childhood can be a magical time. Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny are the obvious standouts, but that special little nocturnal sprite we know as The Tooth Fairy, must also be given honourable mention.

Tinsel, fairy-dust, and chocolate eggs aside, it’s just a little bit creepy when you consider all three of these magical creatures come at night while we are sleeping.

Tradition has it when you lose your milk teeth as a child you should place the tooth under your pillow just before you nod off to sleep. In the morning, if you’re lucky, and you’ve been a good little girl or boy, you will wake to discover a delightful gift, usually one of the monetary kind – a small token symbolizing the beginning of your rite of passage from childhood into adulthood, courtesy of The Tooth Fairy.

Throughout history Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are depicted in pretty consistent good-guy fashion. The Tooth Fairy however can appear in many different guises – as male, female, with wings or wand, as pixie, dragon, ballerina, bat or rat, and commonly mouse – even, (according to Wiki,) as a ‘potbellied flying man smoking a cigar’! Huh?

Now, that’s really creepy.

Not nearly as creepy and macabre however, as the depiction of the titular character in James Barron’s one-page horror thriller – The Tooth Fairy.

One-page scripts are no easy task for writers but James Barron manages to skillfully weave a fully rounded tale with a shocking twist all in one page.

We open on Minka Avery, an excitable six year old girl (with a gap-toothed smile) waving a twenty-dollar note in front of her parent’s faces.

Look what the Tooth Fairy left! She exclaims.

The astonished looks on both parent’s faces tell us neither one of them left such a gift.

They stare at each other a moment, confused.

So what’s going on here? Where did this little windfall come from?

And why are Dad’s new pliers missing?

Filmmakers, are you looking for a micro-short in the horror genre with a denouement that will make your audience’s toes curl? Perhaps an entry for Shriekfest or Screamfest or one of the many other horror festivals going around? Well, look no further than James Barron’s, ‘The Tooth Fairy’. This is one tale you can definitely sink your teeth into.

Specs: One location, a nice house in the burbs. Four players – Mum, Dad, and a six year old exuberant little actress, and of course The Tooth Fairy – 50s, male.

About the writer: James loves to write comedy and action along with the occasional horror short. You can reach him at jbarron021 (a) gmail.

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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: 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.

Cherry Blossom (14 pages in pdf format) by Cameron Dueker

With the Trinity Test failed, two US Marines and two Japanese schoolgirls fight to survive Operation Olympic, the American invasion of Japan.

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Cherry Blossom by Cameron Dueker [ 20:56 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1973)

About the writer: Cameron Dueker is an ambitious amateur screenwriter by night and high school history teacher by day. He is currently writing shorts for the YouTube cartoon series Car City and developing a graphic novel based on his passion project, a western script entitled, No Beans In The Wheel. When he is not writing he enjoys reading about military history, surfing, day dreaming about improbable new business ideas and sharing his geekier hobbies with his younger daughter. He can be reached at CameronDueker (a) gmail.

The January 2018 Two Week Challenge was a short screenwriting exercise wherein writers are given two weeks to write a short script on the theme and genre provided. These are quickly done and may be a little rough around the edges considering the short time frame in which they are written.

Note: This audio recording is released under a Creative Commons, attribution, noncommercial, no derivatives 3.0 license. You can share the audio recording in its entirety, but you can’t change it or sell it.

This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.

SATNAV by Anthony Cawood

 A woman’s infidelity takes her on an unexpected journey.

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned is how the old adage goes, but the latest research indicates men may in fact be sorer losers when it comes to love and war. Add twenty-first century technology into the mix as the latest weapon of revenge and things can get very dicey indeed.

In Anthony Cawood’s one-page thriller, Satnav, we open on 30-something, Sarah, driving along a deserted patch of road alone and late at night. Sarah’s just punched her location and presumably her destination into a high-tech device some of us like to call a Satnav – otherwise known as a GPS, or navigation assistant.

The question is: will she reach her destination?

She’s just received a text message from her husband, David, and he’s not happy.  Certain revelations regarding Sarah’s extra-curricular behaviour have come to light and it appears she has not been the model of a loving and faithful partner. As the text messages continue to come thick and fast and the Satnav guides Sarah on her journey we wonder will she make it to where she wants to go in one piece?

It’s no easy task to build suspense and create a fully fledged story in one-page but Anthony Cawood negotiates the twists and turns with skill and expertise in this tight micro-short thriller that’ll resonate and pack a punch with audiences.

Filmmakers: We know you have the drive and you’re dying to move off the starting blocks. All you need now is the vehicle. And here it is! Cut and polish in your own inimitable style and Satnav could be your short-cut to guaranteed success.

Specs: One talented 30-something female with a driver’s licence and attitude. A car, a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. A SatNav and accompanying V.O.

About the writer: Anthony Cawood is an award winning screenwriter from the UK with 4 short films produced and another 10 or so scripts optioned and/or purchased. Links to his films and details of his scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

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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: 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.

An Angel Whispers by Jeremy Storey

“A cynical reporter investigates a small-town supernatural tale, that can only be believed to be seen.”

Ben is a veteran journalist chasing a story in the heartlands of rural USA. Folk in these parts like to talk of a miracle. The kind that hard-nosed reporters like Ben prefer to avoid. Yet as the investigation leads him from one witness to another it becomes clear that something out of the ordinary happened here.

And while no-one can say for sure what they saw, all are certain of one thing: that what they heard that night was to change their lives forever.

As Ben’s search leads him closer to the truth, he’s forced to accept this story isn’t over. This is more than copy; this is a test of faith. And in order to come to terms with events, Ben must confront the guilt of his own shattered past.

Only then can he believe that a tragedy playing out half the world away has the power to bring about redemption.

Jeremy Storey’s An Angel Whispers is a low budget treat for a director looking to make their mark through a dialogue driven story with real heart and soul. Featuring a handful of key players and a solid mystery at its core, this is a beautifully realized short script with universal appeal and the ideal fare for short film festivals.

About the Writer: Jeremy Storey, originally hails from the United Kingdom, but now resides in Seattle, WA. He first discovered the joys of writing at school, penning short stories and collaborating on comic books with his friends. Coming from a writerly family, it was clearly in his DNA to tell stories. However, it wasn’t until he graduated University, that he started to dabble in film and stage.

Since then, he’s written feature length screenplays (The Immaculate Secret, Rewind, Pink Slip Party), as well as award-winning short screenplays (Cat & Mouse, Wishbone, Tower of Strength) and award-winning stage plays (Last Cup of Sorrow, Wolves at the Door). For Jeremy, writing is a form of catharsis. His stories clearly reflect his love of exploring emotions, characters, and worlds that only reside in the deepest recess of the imagination. In turn, he hopes what he writes, readers and viewers will find entertaining, compelling and authentic. He can be reached at: jeremystorey at yahoo.

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About the reviewer: Steve Miles started writing scripts around five years ago after realizing that his social life was vastly overrated. He enjoys writing in a variety of genres but leans toward raw, grittier characters and the worlds they inhabit – from the deadly serious to the darkly comic. Drinks coffee, owns an unhealthy amount of plaid and uses a calculator for the most basic of sums. Check out more of his work at sjmilesscripts.webs.com

Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secure by Anthony Cawood

A man discovers his fears could be a blessing when a night cab ride goes horribly wrong.

For many metropolitan workers, their daily commute is damned from the moment they walk out the door.

Overcrowded buses and delayed subway trains are daily demons one can’t escape. Mundane monsters which delight in tormenting travelers – making their day Hell from the start.

But getting a comfortable taxi ride isn’t all that bad – right?

Not if you’re Gareth, the protagonist in Anthony Cawood’s “Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured.” Upper-middle class and entitled, Gareth’s arrogant – in some ways. But it just takes a small red light to extinguish all that confidence in a puff of smoke.

You see, Gareth suffers from Cleithrophobia – the fear of being locked in. And when his cab starts rolling, the doors lock. A red light indicates the doors are secured, and Gareth’s phobia kicks in – fast.

Cruising along dark streets, Gareth’s cab starts and stops at every traffic light, lengthening the trip and causing yet more concern. And Gareth’s anxieties certainly aren’t helped by unexpected hazards – like idiots who try to reach into the moving car. Or stand clueless in the road.

There’s something not quite right about these “idiots”. Maybe they’re all drunk and celebrating. Or perhaps it’s something more. A danger that’ll make Gareth feel relieved that he’s locked in.

Unless things get even worse…

Budget: Moderate. Just rent a cab for the day. And a few extras as well….!

About the writer: Anthony Cawood is an award-winning and produced screenwriter. He has sold/optioned four feature screenplays, and sold/optioned over forty short scripts, many of which have been filmed. Outside of his extensive screenwriting career, Anthony is also a published short story writer, interviewer and movie reviewer. Links to his films and details of his scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

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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: 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 (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.

Requiem by Sylvia Dahlby

A mentally-impaired teen mourns the death of a murdered classmate.

Churches hold a unique role in society: setting the final scene for births and deaths. Those attending such events experience a wild range of emotions – from ebullience to dark distress.

For the characters in Requiem, it’s sadly the blackest of nights. 14 year-old Rose lies motionless in her casket at church. Though now (presumably) at peace, Rose is the victim of a murderous assailant; not yet identified – much less caught. Her only companion in these last hours: developmentally delayed teen boy Elvin, his world rocked by the loss of his closest friend.

When others enter the vestibule, Elvin bolts away.

It’s his mother and the local Father, conversing nervously amongst themselves. About how Elvin’s been reported missing. In fact, he’s disappeared without a trace!

Not long after Elvin’s mother leaves, Rose’s father arrives. A grieving parent on the verge, Peter asks the Father to hear his confession. But when he collapses in the booth – a different voice filters through the screen.

Elvin’s there. Hiding. Ready to admit to certain “sins”:

            ELVIN
     (stuttering)
I did-didn’t me-mean to kill her.

Rose’s father storms out, intent on wreaking his revenge. But can a boy as troubled as Elvin tell the truth – or is he just saying what others want to hear?

Read the story to find out. Offering high drama on a low budget, Requiem is the “holy grail of scripts”: a tale of grief, redemption and revenge. One that – unlike Elvin (and perhaps others) – has absolutely nothing to hide!

Budget: Low. Just some high quality actors (and a church) is all.

About the Writer: I’m a one time advertising copywriter who has fallen in love with screenwriting. I’ve written a handful of features, one has been produced as a Role Playing Game (RPG) and made its debut at CarnageCon. I enjoy writing short scripts since it’s a fun exercise for sharpening my skills; so far one of my shorts has been produced as a student film project, and I welcome the opportunity to have more of my work produced via participation on SimplyScripts. Sylvia can be reached at sylviedahl (a) AOL.

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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: 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 (a) gmail. If you’d like to contact him and be subjected to incoherent ramblings, follow him on Twitter @HamishP95.