Alba (5 pages in pdf foramt) by Robert G. Newcomer

Art…or abomination?

Alba, a short little screenplay, is a touching story of Science. Art. And a touch of magic.

On top of that, it’s mostly true…

Alba is a glowing bunny. Literally. Alba’s DNA has been spliced with phosphorescent jellyfish – giving her a greenish glow. (Especially when bathed in black light.) A case of science gone mad, you say? More like an art experiment – assisted by genetist “Ivan”. Unveiled to the world by artist “Dimitri” at the turn of the 21^st century, Alba’s green glow was broadcast everywhere.

Needless say, not all were pleased. Angry demonstrations ensued, protesting the reduction of the “genome to a playground.” During the ensuring maelstrom of press, Ivan was almost fired. And Alba’s exhibit was cancelled – the bunny removed from her emerald spotlight.

As time passed, the headlines died away. Eventually Alba passed, as well. Over time, memory of the experiment faded – remembered only by a select few. Ivan. And his young daughter, Meghan. Too young to contemplate the greater issues, Meghan experienced Alba through innocent eyes – as the gentle (and glowing) creature she was.

Now grown, Meghan now tells the tale to her daughter, 7 year old Kelly. Giving it her own whimsical spin, Meghan tells Kelly of the sweet bunny… misunderstood by the entire world. Fortunately, there’s a secret grandpa’s been keeping. And a happy ending to Alba’s “tail”…

The truth is often stranger than fiction. In an industry where “dark and twisted” rules supreme, Alba is a stand out short. A touch of SF and fantasy – mixed with a huge helping of whimsy. A director can never go wrong with that!!

Budget: Low – medium. A few actors, minimal settings. Some glowing-bunny FX required!

About the writer: Robert Newcomer recently received his first IMDB credit for another short, Them That’s Dead. An intelligent writer, he has several other shorts and a horror feature length available for consideration. Bert’s IMDB credits are listed here.

About the reviewers: Scott & Paula Merrow are a husband and wife screenwriting team. 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. They’re reachable at scott-paula (a) comcast.net.

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The Grieving Spell (13 pages in pdf format) by Bill Sarre

A grieving man uses a special magic to relieve the pain he feels following the death of his wife.

It’s a paradox – so many really good stories revolve around a character’s bad decisions. This is definitely one of them.

Written by screenwriter Bill Sarre, The Grieving Spell tells the eerie tale of a man’s crumbling emotions after the loss of his wife Helen in a car crash… and his relentless quest to find relief from the pain chipping away at his psyche. So he makes a bad decision.

He turns to witchcraft.

Inspired by his departed wife’s interest in Wicca, Lawrence pays a visit to Astrid Dove – the High Priestess of the New Dawn Centre. “I need your magic to take the pain away – allow me to heal on the inside,” he tells her. Though he swears he’s not looking for an easy fix, Astrid has reservations. “I’m not sure this is the right approach for you.”

Talk about an understatement.

The bereaved widower persists: he desperately needs to move on. But what Astrid doesn’t know is that there’s more to Lawrence’s emotional crisis than loss and grief. There’s jealousy. And rage. And more than a touch of guilt.

A reluctant Astrid gives him a “grieving spell”, to be performed around a large fire. The priestess counsels as she writes it down: “Magic’s a subtle art. It’s not easy to predict.”

Understatement (and bad decision) part two.

As Lawrence performs the spell on a beach one starry night, a hazy figure emerges from the embers. Lawrence’s bad decisions have come back to haunt him. And finally set things right…

The Grand Prize Winner of the London Film Awards, The Grieving Spell is classic Monkey’s Paw horror. Watch out what you wish for… unless it’s a script like this, of course!

Budget: A few locations (car, beach, diner and office.) Four main characters… and some minor FX that can easily be done in post.

About the writer: An award winning writer, Bill Sarre has had scripts place both finalist and quarter finalist with Page and Bluecat. Bill can be reached at Bill.sarre (a) gmail

About the reviewers: Scott & Paula Merrow are a husband and wife screenwriting team. 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. They’re reachable at scott-paula (a) comcast.net

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The Gifted Photographer (pdf format) Ian J. Courter

A photographer pays a house-call to shoot a family portrait where his true talent becomes apparent.

Photographs, those treasured mementos of our lives – they can chart a life from birth through to adulthood, and beyond. We keep photos in our wallets, in lockets around our necks, in photo-frames by our bedside tables. Photographs allow us to freeze moments – to travel back in time.

The Gifted Photographer is set towards the end of the Victorian era. At first glance it conjures Great Britain, but America had its own Gilded Age, most notably in the regions of New England and the Deep South. Think Gothic Architecture, the Women’s Suffragette Movement, Republican domination, and literary greats such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. This was also a period characterized by high society and strict morality.

Ian J. Courter manages beautifully to evoke the images of the time – the cobblestone streets, horse drawn carriages and top-hats.

Photography at this time was in its infancy – there was no such thing as the ‘Selfie’ and no such thing as Instagram or Snapchat. The taking of photographs, in particular portraits, was only ever done for special occasions.

The story opens on Michael Houtman, the titular photographer of the piece. Herbert and Margaret Jaffe have requested his services for a very special family portrait with their daughter, Linda. Michael strikes up a conversation with Linda and discovers this sweet young woman suffered a nasty spill on the ice a few months ago. The accident has left her sickly and confined to a wheelchair, but this morning she wakes to a perfect Spring day feeling better than she has in a long time – and she’s ready for her close-up.

But this is no ordinary day, no ordinary photo-shoot, and no ordinary photographer…

Far be it for me to shed too much light, or bring into focus the darker themes and rich cultural history explored in The Gifted Photographer, suffice to say the Latin phrases Ars moriendi and Memento mori both give clues into a not so well known practice explored in this unique tale.

Of course, all you have to do to find out more is read the script. You’ll not only discover the secret talent The Gifted Photographer possesses, but will also uncover the talent of writer Ian J. Courter.  

With an ending that will stay with you long after the lights come up (we recommend reading it at night) and a final sting in the tail you won’t see coming, we advise you to get The Gifted Photographer in the can quick as a flash, before somebody else snaps it up.

Pages: 8

Budget: A little will be needed to make this one period.  But given what you get in the return, it’s definitely worth it!

About the writer: Ian J. Courter has an academic and technical-writing background, and is published in both fields, so a shift to another form of writing seemed natural. He strives to combine his writing skills with nearly two decades of military experience to develop screenplays with vivid locations and in-depth, realistic characters. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion.  In only a few short years, he has written three feature-length screenplays and nine short scripts.  He currently has several feature-length scripts in various stages of development and continually seeks inspiration for more. His email address is ian.j.courter “at” gmail.com.

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.

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Fangs (pdf format) by Jean-Pierre Chapoteau

A vampire offers his services to a slave for the exchange of food.

Adversaries. They’re the essential ingredient for conflict. Protagonist vs. Antagonist: equally strong and well defined. To create a compelling tale, one needs that Yin and Yang. Characters that need something from each other. Unwilling to stop until that urge is satisfied…

It’s a lust that works, every time. Especially in Jean-Pierre Chapoteau’s short script, Fangs.

As the story opens, slave fieldworker Mogey heads to a dark and dismal storm cellar. There he encounters Aldazo – an ancient vampire in extreme distress. Having lost his way while hunting at night, Aldazo’s been separated from his “minions”. With daylight beckoning, the creature’s taken shelter in the cellar. Vulnerable, and mortally weak from hunger, Aldazo’s in a terrible bind. He offers the human a deal he can’t refuse: bring him some needed “prey” – and Aldazo will grant Mogey his greatest wish.

At first, the skeptical slave resists. Why negotiate with a “rank, deadin’ bloodsucker.” Especially a creature as shifty and evil as Aldazo seems?

But Aldazo insists. Wielding a wiley persistence honed throughout the centuries, the vampire hammers out an agreement. Mogey will fetch Aldazo a young slave girl to feed on. In return, the vampire will call in a few favors. From creatures even more old and powerful than he.

Mogey takes down names and leaves, setting out to fulfill his end of the deal. But can the vampire be trusted? And are Mogey and Aldazo being kept in the dark… in far more ways than one? The two are headed for deadly conflict. From which only one can emerge victorious….

More than than your run-of-the-mill vampire tale, Fangs is filled with rich history and dialogue. It’s a smart story, awaiting a smart director. And so we ask: are you the chosen one?

Pages: 5

Budget: Manageable. Stairs and a basement could represent a cellar. Both the male protagonist and male antagonist are distinctive and deserve special attention. We’ll leave it up to the director to reveal which is which. 🙂

About the Writer: Jean-Pierre Chapoteau started writing feature-length scripts in 2005, then focused on shorts in 2009. Since then he’s had three scripts produced and two more optioned. He has won several awards for his shorts. Jean-Pierre was a finalist in the RAW TALENT Competition for his faith-based feature-length script: ‘Far From Perfect.’ And was also a semi-finalist in the SLAMDANCE teleplay competition and a finalist in the OBSWRITER teleplay contest for his adapted teleplay, Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Guardian. You can contact Jean-Pierre Chapoteau at: jeanpierre425 (a) gmail.com

About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature.

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Turn Me On Dead Man (pdf format) David Clarke Lambertson

Three band mates cover up the death of their famous bassist.

When someone asks you to name an urban legend, Bigfoot might come to mind. If not that hairy beast, then perhaps Bloody Mary. Or that creepy stalker guy – with a steel hook for a hand. One that probably won’t occur to you is “Billy Shears.” But if that name doesn’t ring a bell, don’t worry. Your mother would know. ‘Cause she was born a long, long time ago…

Based off the legend of a world famous doppelganger, Turn Me On Dead Man tells a tale of a man plucked from obscurity and transformed into a music icon.

With a little help from his friends.

Those of you old enough to have once been called “hippies” are probably catching on right about now.

Imagine – a tongue-in-cheek retelling of the infamous “Paul is dead” hoax.

That is, unless it’s really true…

The script opens after Paul McCartney’s fatal car accident. A stunned John, George and Ringo come together to conspire – hatching a plot to replace their friend with a look-alike, and keep the Beatles’ dream alive. As luck would have it, they discover a dead ringer. The one and only Billy Shears.

But can Billy and the lads Fool the World? Or will the band inevitably leave a trail of musical crumbs that point their loyal fans towards the truth?

A fab mixture of folklore and fantasy, Turn Me On Dead Man is chock full of enough jokes to fill Albert Hall. See if you can spot all the Beatle lyrics hidden in the dialogue… beginning with the title, all the way to the horrifying end.

And if you don’t know what we’re talking about by now? Get thee to Pandora. Immediately!

Pages: 8

Budget: Moderate. Locations include a recording studio and a concert backstage area. Costumes require Beatle suits and wigs. If you’re lucky, you might even convince Ringo to play himself. All he has to do is act naturally.

About the writer: David Clarke Lambertson took up writing rather late in life having already been retired before he put pen to paper (okay – finger to computer key) for the first time. His favorite genres to read and write are dramedies and romantic comedies. He has written three features; The Last Statesman (a Nicholl’s and BlueCat quarterfinalist), The Beginning of The End and The End (a Nicholl’s quarterfinalist and PAGE Awards semi-finalist) and has recently completed a new comedy – Screw You Tube.

About the 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.

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End Point (pdf format) by Chris Keaton

A lone astronaut must save the Earth from colliding with a black hole.

Space. The final frontier. A place where no one can hear you scream.

Since 1902’s “A Trip to the Moon,” the movies have been fascinated with our vast and mysterious solar system. Whether we’re battling steel-fanged aliens on distant planets, experiencing close encounters here on Earth, or helping a lost E.T. find his way home, the possibilities are as endless as space itself.

In Chris Keaton’s science fiction drama “End Point,” we find the Earth (once again) facing certain doom. It seems our beloved planet is on a collision course with a black hole.

How can the Earth escape being sucked into a vacuum of nothingness, you ask?

Captain Bradley Rev answers the call and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the human race.

As we join our hero, he is interviewed (presumably for the last time) about his mission. In an emotional scene, Captain Rev addresses the world and has a final conversation with his own grandson as the countdown begins.

WARNING! WARNING! The collison detectors sound the alarm. Can Captain Rev deploy the quantum accelerator in time and save humanity from certain destruction?

Like “2001 A Space Odyssey” and “Gravity,” “End Point” explores the subject of the lone astronaut drifting in space, facing the end. Captain Rev is a hero we all aspire to be and one all actors dream of portraying.

Directors who were raised on science fiction films and are technologically savvy would be encouraged to apply. It’s a chance to film your own “2001” and an opportunity to reveal your secret “if I could build my own spaceship” blueprints.

Pages: 6

Budget: Moderate. You’ll need a convincing set. This is no “Plan Nine from Outer Space.” You don’t have to go crazy, but you’ll want some detail to give your film the right atmosphere. Also, there’s some FX at the end which could be tricky. Of course, if you have green screen capability, you’re good to go.

About the writer: Chris Keaton is an Air Force veteran living with his family in sunny Arizona. He’s primarily a screenwriter, but he does love diving into prose. He has had several short screenplays produced and go on to win awards. He’s optioned a few features screenplays and currently has a thriller feature in post-production. A young-adult novel based on one of his screenplays is soon to be released. You can see some of his projects on his website, Chris-Keaton.com or follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/ChrisKeaton.

About the 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.

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North Star (pdf format) by P.J. Palmer

A rancher on a secluded mountain ranch makes life-changing sacrifices to take care of his ailing wife.

Films that explore devastating illnesses fall in and out of favor… and aren’t to every moviegoer’s taste. Are they “entertaining”? No. But best of them (for instance, Still Alice or The Theory of Everything) strike to the heart of what makes drama great. Exposing what it means to be human, and vulnerable. To have one’s life – or a loved one’s – altered by a twist of fate. Stories that deal with such topics may never draw the popcorn crowd, but their impact will persevere – long after the latest blockbuster spectacle fades away.

In his poignant short North Star, writer P.J. Palmer shines a narrative light on a stroke victim’s family. Specifically, on the difficult decisions required of a loving husband… and caregiver.

Steve and his wife Cheryl (50s) live on a secluded mountain ranch. At first glance, Steve’s daily routine seems mundane. He rises before dawn, shaves, dresses – and patters about their bedroom quietly so as not to wake Cheryl. In the kitchen, he fires up the coffee and lights the stove. Then, accompanied by two rambunctious dogs, Steve heads outside to do chores.

Once back, Steve returns to the bedroom and opens the curtains to wake his wife.

…but with daylight come realities. For Cheryl is thin and frail – and completely dependent on Steve for her needs. Bathing, dressing, feeding. Everything. But through his actions, Steve’s dedication to his wife is clear. His love: unconditional.

The situation’s heart-wrenching… and ultimately unsustainable. As their daughter Erin laments: “We all wish it were different. Just gonna do what we have to, to make it through.” But there are some hard decisions ahead – even for the most devoted family.

There’s no sugarcoating North Star’s theme, but its psalm to humanity rings true throughout. Vivid descriptions, and touching moments – contrasted with harsh reality. Are you a drama director in search of a substantial story that resonates? Be assured, you’ve got one here.

Pages: 11

Budget: Relatively low. Only four actors, all of whom have meaty roles. Steve, Cheryl and Eric (and neighbor rancher Mike.) A couple of dogs and a cat are optional. A horse is a necessity – but no riding required.

About the Writer: P.J. Palmer has worked on 20+ short films, web series, music videos, documentary projects and commercials as a director, producer and/or writer. He began his career at Warner Brothers Studio working on the set of the TV series ‘ER’. Palmer is now alumni to the 2013 Edinburgh Film Festival Talent Lab. He was also an artist in residence with 2014 Steinbeck Festival where he premiered his documentary: ‘GRAPES OF WRATH’ (Director / Producer) starring James Franco and Lois Smith. That same year Palmer won the CLIO for best commercial for producing Srixon’s ‘JOURNEY TO BETTER’ broadcast campaign. Palmer’s comedy pilot project ‘SLACKLY MANOR’ (Producer) won the 2013 LA Comedy Script Festival. Recently, Palmer guided the ground-breaking, dramatic web series ‘ANYONE BUT ME’ (Series Producer) through three seasons in NYC to dozens of top industry awards including Best Web Series and Best Drama. His short film “GOOD LUCK” (Director) was picked up for distribution by Fox Digital Studios and accepted into several festivals. Another short film of his, ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ (director) is out to festivals. Previously, in making his first documentary, Palmer was on the ground during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as a disaster relief volunteer while filming the documentary ‘AMERICAN RED CROSS: KATRINA RELIEF’ (Co-Director / Producer). Palmer is now in production directing the feature length documentary ‘FOR ED RICKETTS’, exploring the lasting influences of John Steinbeck, Joseph Campbell and Ed Ricketts, set to debut in the spring of 2016. Currently, Palmer is in active development on the Scottish feature script ‘PULL NO PUNCHES’ as his narrative feature directorial debut. IMDB: Portfolio

About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on an animated feature.

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Mollycoddled (pdf format) by L. Chambers

After they’re turfed out, one man and his dog discover there might be trouble and strife at home, but out in the big wide world the Nanny state has gone haywire.

‘NO DRINKING. NO SMOKING. NO LITTERING. NO SKATEBOARDING. NO BIKES… NO DOGS.’

Rules are everywhere we go: airplanes, school, driving, work, relationships. And while some rules can be annoying, Brad now finds it harder than most to avoid all of them. Mollycoddled explores that line between fighting the rules, or embracing them.

Accompanied by his shaggy pup, Brad looks to take a break from the doghouse after being kicked out by his girlfriend. However, everywhere he goes—by the beach, at the park, on the bus—the law of the land beckons, and Brad learns that not every punishment fits its crime. As the offenses become more and more excessive, he isn’t even sure if pulling out his hair would warrant a fine.

At the crossroad of his comedic journey, will Brad choose to obey or rebel? Can he overcome the rules? Or are some rules worth it?

Pages: 12

Budget: Low

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. You can contact L Chambers at libbych “AT” hotmail

About the reviewer: John Robbins is a screenwriter from Milwaukee, WI.

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Along the Roadside (pdf format) by Brian Wind

A murderous drifter meets his match along a desolate stretch of rural road.

Gotta love any script that manages to intertwine a geriatric crocheting in the back seat of a sedan with serial killer butcherings…

Which is exactly what Along the Roadside, from Brian Wind, manages to great comedic effect. Of course that’s comedy as black as the La Brea Tar Pits!

Let’s join sweet old couple Parker and Taylor as they take a leisurely drive down a rural road. A figure in the distance waves them down, so they stop to offer the stranger a lift. That lonely figure is Yancy – the kind of hitcher the geriatric couple should leave stranded at the curbside, choking on their diesel dust. But hey – they’re old, naive and trusting. Just what Yancy’s counting on.

Did I mention that Yancy kills people who pick him up? Yep – that’s his standard M.O.

In fact, he mentions that detail to his over friendly benefactors, who seem to take it far too well (beyond a Waltons-esque exclamation or two). Even Yancy is puzzled. For awhile.

You can probably work out the twist by now. Or at least part of it. But there’s an Easter egg or two in this one, pertaining to Taylor’s name…

A great example of less being more, Along the Roadside packs a hell of a lot into five pages and limited characters. With an overload of dark humor.

Pages: 5

Budget: A very affordable shoot: limited location – small cast. We’ve only got one warning: budget for a quick trip to the grocery store.

About the writer: Brian Wind can be contacted at bwind22 “at” yahoo!

About the reviewer: Anthony Cawood is an award winning screenwriter from the UK with four shorts produced, two in post production and another 10 short scripts optioned/sold. You can find out more at AnthonyCawood.Co.Uk

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