Warmer
A curious toy designer picks a poor time to put his latest creation to the test

Dolls. Made as innocent friends to play with imaginary children, the typical fictional doll trope subverts this by adding a sinister, often fatal side to them. From Child’s Play to the evil Krusty in The Simpsons, dolls in fiction invariably are associated with horror.

However, there’s no “horror” in Steve Miles’ Warmer, at least from the audience’s perspective. There are no rogue dolls – just Heidi and Abby, twin blonde and brunette Barbiesque inventions by high-flying toy developer Chuck Dunker. Optimistic about his latest prototype(s), he’s ready to pitch them to the CEO of Morton’s Toys.

But just before the crucial dinner/demonstration, disaster strikes. An “accident” leads to Heidi’s head disappearing. Even worse, Heidi and Abby are an interactive hide and seek playing duo – without one, both are useless!

So the dinner/demonstration turns into dinner/description, without Heidi’s presence. Even so, when the daughter of Morton’s CEO brings out an Abby prototype and turns it on, Chuck starts acting awkwardly. Why?

Because Abby’s quest to find Heidi appears to be focused on Chuck – she won’t take her eyes off him!

Worse still, when Abby gets closer to Chuck, Heidi’s silence is broken, very much to Chuck’s discomfort…

HEIDI DOLL (O.S.)
(muffled)
You’re getting warmer!

Where’s Heidi hiding? And why is Chuck so anxious? Read the script and find out – the reveal of Heidi’s hiding place will warm up even the coldest of hearts in amusement!

Pages: 9

Budget: Moderate. Though you know – getting attractive dolls is key!

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: 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 year-end. Oh, and giving George RR Martin a run for his money! Email him at stevemiles80 “AT” yahoo.co.uk

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

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Dog Years
The barrier guards at the Large Hadron Collider make a strange discovery that makes them stop and wonder… just for a moment.

I never understood the whole “take your dog shopping with you” thing. Especially since most stores and restaurants don’t allow pets inside. (What’s wrong with places like that, anyway? The presence of dogs makes everything better, you ask me.)

“Hey, Sparky, let me take you from the comfy air conditioned house and lock you inside the sweltering Ford death box. That way, you can watch me eat a foot long tuna sub through the window at Subway. Doesn’t that sound like lotsa fun?”

In fact, whenever I see a dog alone in a parked car, I prefer to imagine he had an argument with his owner, stole the keys, and drove himself there. Maybe he gnawed on a bone until it calmed him down, then drove back home to wag his tail and apologize.

Highly doubtful, I realize, but it makes me feel better than the alternative.

By now, you’re probably wondering how this all ties in with the new short script Dog Years, by super scribe Anthony Cawood.

It does. Trust me. Because maybe there are MORE explanations for such things than meets the eye.

Pascal and Antoine are two security guards at the Hadron Collider, who stumble upon a dog locked inside a car. Pascal thinks it’s weird the car’s been there all day, but Antoine dismisses it as “just someone’s pet.”

Pascal just might let it go at that, if it weren’t for “the sign.” Attached to the dog’s collar, it actually reads FROM THE FUTURE. Explain that one, smart guy.

Still, Antoine blows it off as a practical joke. Or maybe it’s one of those hidden camera reality shows. Still – ultimately – it’s just a dog.

So a defeated Pascal mopes back to the guard’s station.

I won’t expose the ending, but what happens next is a bit – extreme.

A fun quirky script, Dog Years will make you chuckle (and think twice) the next time you see a poodle sitting behind the wheel of that rusty mini van in the Walmart parking lot.

Comedy directors – especially those with a fondness of dogs (and security guards) – should scoot across the lawn, and lap this script up. Quickly!

Pages: 4

Budget: Low. A small cast of only three, and one of them will literally work for kibble. As for the Hadron Collider?  Stock footage can be subbed in. Or just another sign!

Disclaimer: The reviewer wishes to express that no animals were harmed during the writing of this review.

About the Reviewer: David M Troop has been writing since he could hold a No. 2 pencil. His short scripts have been featured on MoviePoet.com, Simplyscripts, and this here one. Currently, Dave is writing this review, but plans to write feature films in the near future and take Hollywood by storm. Well, not really storm – more like a sprinkle. He lives in the comatose town of Schuylkill Haven, PA where he is a proud grandfather, a father of two, and a husband of one.

About the Writer, Anthony Cawood: 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.

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Lavender’s Blue

“A young thief finds compassion in the unlikely source of his arresting officer.”

Never underestimate the power of an effective film title. It’s the attention-getter. Titles can be quite literal (for instance Godzilla, The King’s Speech, or My Best Friend’s Wedding.) Or you may need to watch the movie to figure it out the reference: ala Enough Said, Jacob’s Ladder, and The Shawshank Redemption. Depending on who’s in control on movie night, sometimes the title is all an audience member knows going in. But – whichever direction you choose – the title needs to be relevant and stand out!

In Lavender’s Blue, the meaning of the title is subtle – emerging slowly as the drama enfolds. As the script opens, world-weary veteran Inspector Foster and young Sergeant Watts interrogate a sullen teen accused of stealing… of all things, a lavender scented gift pack of toiletries.

After a few grueling rounds of good cop/bad cop – and one rather sneaky maneuver on Foster’s part – they figure out the boy’s name: 17 year old Chris Turner. More digging uncovers the surprising reason for Chris’ theft. Foster and Watts find themselves faced with a decision: throw the book at the unlucky perp. Or take pity on the kid – bringing him (and his stolen loot) on an unexpected side trip…

An award winning tale, Lavender’s Blue is subtly written with multiple layers; perfect for any director looking to produce an emotionally complex drama that’ll stay with their audience long after credits roll.

About the writer: Boasting an MA in Scriptwriting for Film, Theatre, TV & Radio, MJ is an award winning writer, with shorts optioned and produced in countries as diverse as Croatia and Norway. Residing in sunny England, she is currently hard at work developing a series with the BBC Writersroom – as well as working on a number of features (including one low-budget horror and a fantasy adventure script.) Her website is available here: redcatwriter.wordpress.com/. MJ herself can be reached via mjhermanny – AT – gmail!

Pages: 5

Budget: Relatively low. Settings include an interrogation room and a “hospital” type setting. For your four main characters, make sure to get actors with a strong and nuanced emotional range. Because this script deserves to be done properly!

About the reviewer for Lavender’s Blue:California uber reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on her animated feature. KP’s work is available at moviepoet.com!

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

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The Bridge
There are over 600,000 bridges in the U.S. alone.
Four friends discover the horror that lurks beneath one of them.

We all remember that day in high school when your first friend obtained their driving license. All the locked doors of the world opened up wide for you and your gang. Leaving… no limits where you could go.

Well, unless the car stops working.

In The Bridge, this unwelcome situation is exactly where our four teenage adventurers find themselves: Billy (the driver), Shawn, Mark, and Katie.

As Fate would have it, they’ve broken down at the end of a rusty, metallic bridge. On a wet, cold night. It’s a bad situation, to say the least.

As it turns out, the mechanical illness that’s befallen their vehicle isn’t easily curable. All four tires are flat. Immediately, confusion reigns:

MARK
What’d you run over?

BILLY
Nothing! This is bullshit!

Requiring relief (both physically and mentally), Mark separates himself from the group, and finds an ideal spot over a railing in the center of the bridge.

Little does he know that’s the last time he’ll ever pee.

Thanks to the lack of lighting, the others don’t even know Mark’s disappeared. At least, until Katie realizes the sound of liquid has stopped.

So she goes over to the same spot.

And suffers the same fate as Mark.

Meanwhile, an oblivious Billy and Shawn argue over what their next course of action should be. When they finally reach a consensus, and call out to the others, they find silence. No answer comes.

So they walk across the bridge to find…

Will Billy and Shawn be the next victims? Can they escape a watery, bloody fate? What’s the actual danger that lurks in the dark? You’ll have to read this one and see.

Don’t let the single setting fool you. The sheer simplicity of this script offers horror directors endless creative possibilities. Pick this one up, and Bridge the gap between yourself and your next festival award!

Pages: 7

Budget: As with many horrors, directors have a choice to go for lots of FX, or imply things with atmosphere and shadows. The result: different possible budgets. It just depends where one wants to go.

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: Jordan became addicted to writing in 1995, when as a wee lad, his work garnered recognition among his professors. Since that time, he’s written several short scripts that have been received as “life changing”, “prophetic”, and “orgasmic”. As a finalist in the 72 Hour Script Fest, his words gave birth to the award winning film, Made For Each Other. Jordan doesn’t usually refer to himself in the third person, but when he does, he tends to embellish as evidenced above. He does however encourage people to make the world a better place by educating them through his writing, photography, and filmmaking. Please contact him at JLScripts79 at gmail dot com.

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

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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 Object Of My Infection
Warning: Adult Content
A CDC research scientist uses the only tools available to her to end an abusive relationship.

Richard Gere played one of the most menacing, hated police characters of all time in 1990’s “Internal Affairs.” With immense help from writer Henry Bean and director Mike Figgis, Gere crafted one of those rare performances where you actually sweat and squirm in your seat while you watch his slimy Dennis Peck lather in deceit, corruption and murder.

Writer David Lambertson has created a similar character in “The Object Of My Infection” with suspended police captain Drew Sanders, a foul creature with police badge tattoos on each bicep who “looks as though he belongs in a Deep South trailer park.”

Drew’s wife Emma is his opposite; a lab technician/scientist at the Center for Disease Control. From page one, the stage is brilliantly set with good (white coat and all) versus evil (a law man we surmise has twisted the law).

There’s no line Drew won’t cross or snort including infidelity, which he blames his wife for.

EMMA
She was here today? In our bed?

Drew doesn’t take his eyes off the television.

DREW
I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about?

EMMA
I can smell her! I can smell what you did!

Drew takes a long sip of beer.

DREW
(far too casual)
Well, maybe if you weren’t so catatonic in the sack, I wouldn’t
have to be chasing stray pussy.
(beat)
It’s like fucking a corpse with you.

Emma screams at her coked-up husband to leave, throws house keys at him, nicks his cheek – and pays an all-too-painful price. His brutality includes several backhands to Emma’s face before dragging her to the bedroom for their first-ever sodomy session.

Bruised and permanently battered, Emma’s determined to end the vicious cycle despite Drew’s day-after promises to stop using and abusing.

Dangling at the end of her frayed rope, Emma eventually brings home a special treat from work for “Dear Hubby” – in the form of a white powder he thinks is cocaine. Naked on their bed, the only thing she wears is a bump across her stomach and Drew can’t resist, the last in a long line of his mistakes.

There’s no mistaking the quality of storytelling in “The Object Of My Infection,” which would have minimal budget. The biggest hurdle may be finding a location to mimic the CDC.

And finding a brave enough actor to take on Emma’s role.

Pages: 12

Budget: Moderate – except for a lab scene, the other locations are simple… with only two main characters (that better have great emotional range.)

About the reviewer: Zack Zupke is a writer in Los Angeles. Zack was a latch-key kid (insert “awww” here) whose best friend was a 19-inch color television (horrific, he knows). His early education (1st grade on) included watching countless hours of shows like “M*A*S*H,” “Star Trek” and “The Odd Couple” and movies like “The Godfather,” “Rocky” and “Annie Hall.” Flash forward to present day and his short “The Confession” was recently produced by Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC. He’s currently working on a futuristic hitman thriller with a partner and refining a dramedy pilot perfect for the likes of FX. You can reach Zack at zzupke “at” yahoo.

About the writer, Dave Lambertson: I took up writing rather late in life having already been retired before I put pen to paper (okay – finger to computer key) for the first time. My favorite genres to read and write are dramedies and romantic comedies.

In addition to this short, I have written four features; “The Last Statesman” (a 2015 PAGE finalist and a Nicholl’s and BlueCat quarterfinalist), “The Beginning of The End and The End” (a PAGE Semi-Finalist). Taking Stock (a drama) and a new comedy – “Screw You Tube”. Want to learn more? Reach Dave at dlambertson “AT” hotmail! And check out his website for even for goodies HERE! (http://dlambertson.wix.com/scripts).

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

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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.

Jessica’s Window
What secrets lie in the attic?

From a dusty and barren attic, thirteen-year-old Jessica Campell watches as her father packs their belongings into a U-Haul van. Tears stream down her face.

Her father, Mark Campell, is obviously no stranger to heartache himself. The dark circles under his eyes reveal he has spent many a night awake, nursing a hidden pain.

As Mark and his wife Laura make final preparations to depart, Jessica pounds relentlessly on the attic window, calling desperately to her parents. But no matter how hard she pounds or loud she cries, her parents can’t or won’t listen. Slowly, they drive away.

But despite being imprisoned, Jessica soon discovers she’s not alone. In the shadows of the attic, she’s met by eleven-year-old Sarah Meyers, a waif of a girl who assures Jessica things will get better. The two of them – she claims – will be good friends. But Sarah’s words are less than reassuring. As police cars and a news crew gather outside, Jessica’s concerns continue to grow.

What could have made Jessica’s parents leave her behind? Soon after the two meet, an eerie presence starts to stir… Just what is happening? Are these children even alone?

A surreal emotion-driven supernatural narrative in the vein of The Others and The Lovely Bones, Jessica’s Window is a suspenseful, masterfully-written drama. The script manages to land an array of emotional punches, each one landing harder than the first. All of which culminates in a surprise final twist that will leave audiences speechless.

Audiences and critics will be hooked from the get-go. It’s exactly the kind of impassioned, poignant, character-driven drama that reaps gold on the festival circuit.

So directors – act fast. This one won’t be gathering dust in the attic for long.

Pages: 5

Budget: Medium. Suburban setting, police cars, and a news crew.

About the Reviewer: Dane Whipple something, something Danger Zone. He is currently working on that screenplay everybody keeps talking about: The Wild Age. Contact him at dane.whipple (AT) live.com

About the writer, Marnie Mitchell Lister: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell Lister’s website is available at brainfluffs.com. Marnie’s had multiple shorts produced and placed Semi-final with her features in BlueCat.

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

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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.

Saved My Bacon

It’s 1913 and a big city reporter travels out to the country to meet The World’s Greatest Pig.

 There will always be a place in storytelling for rural tall tales. Big Fish did it quite successfully. And it’s easy to see why.  There’s something about combining the honest simplicity of “down-home rural folk” with fanciful humorous stories that simply works.   (And really beats Deliverance when it comes to telling country stories by the campfire…)

Saved My Bacon comes straight from that pedigree (Big Fish… not Deliverance.)  Featuring only two main protags, it follows the story of Milo the Reporter who’s come to interview Farmer Davis… a simple man with an extraordinary pig.  The result is pure Mark Twain – a sweet narrative, with a very effective ending.

Running only 5 pages long, this is a perfect script for anyone interested in telling a solid, amusing tale.  As long as you have access to Wilbur for the shoot…

About the writer: Tim Westland, co-writer of the acclaimed graphic novel Chasing the Dead, received first place for Balls Out in the NNYM 15 page contest. A moderator at Moviepoet, he’s an outstanding writer with an eye for the details. His IMDB page can be found here.

Pages: 5

Budget: The vast majority of this script is low budget.  Two protags, one room and a single rural exterior shot. The one – er – stumbling point is that you have to get a pig – and do a little FX for its legs.  But when you get that, this one’s golden!

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

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Who Killed Rosa Maria Morales?

The man who knows the truth about a mysterious murder lies in an ambulance after a heart attack. Detective Sanchez needs to question him before it is too late.

If you’re old enough, you probably remember the phrase “Who Shot J.R.?” It was an American obsession during the summer of 1980, after the season finale of Dallas. An unknown assailant had shot the show’s conniving protagonist, J.R. Ewing. With eight months before the next episode, the entire nation was thrown into a tailspin…

Who Killed Rosa Maria Rosales channels the same sort of obsession. But this time it’s all focused on one man – gritty homicide Detective Sanchez. A heart attack victim lies prone on the floor, teetering on the precipice of death. As a frantic paramedic scrambles to resuscitate his patient, Detective Sanchez looms over the barely-conscious man – grilling him mercilessly.

You see, Rosa Maria Morales has been horribly murdered. And Detective Sanchez’s determined to find out who did the monstrous deed – before the secret’s taken to the grave.

As paddles shock and monitors beep, Detective Sanchez yells out a string of suspect names. The cheating lover? Rosa’s sister? The Taco Mogul? Sanchez mercilessly batters the stricken man with questions. This is one lawman not to be denied.

It’s down to the wire – with everything at stake. Will Detective Sanchez solve the case before his witness flat-lines? A better question perhaps might be… why does he want to know?

A sweet who-dunnit with a fun twist, the read for Rosa’s an absolute hoot. And perfect for mystery loving directors – tongue planted firmly in mid-cheek.

About the writer: Relatively new in screenwriting, 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@yahoo.gr

Pages: 5

Budget: Low (once you get your hands on some ambulance stock footage, and miscellaneous EMS equipment)

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. Wanna give them a shout out? They’re available at scott-paula “AT” comcast.net

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

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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.

Someplace Nice and Dark

A young delivery boy calls on a strange old man harboring a shadowy secret.

Finding a good horror short with something fresh to say can be difficult, to say the least.  Everyone’s seen the proliferation of vampire, slasher, exorcism and zombie scripts ad nauseum.  Is there anything left in this field to explore?

Well, here’s a short that does have something new, creepy and gothic.  Set in a trailer, “Someplace Nice and Dark” revolves around only two characters – Pinto, the urban delivery boy… and a old man who seems to have a strange aversion to the light.  (No, kiddies, this isn’t what you’re thinking.)  Done with the right actors and atmosphere, this is one script that could win some lucky director a horror festival.

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. (IMDB credits listed here.)

Budget: Low

Primary Genre: Horror

Page Length: 9 pages

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

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