’Til Death (pdf format) by Rick Hansberry

A marital tiff erupts to epic proportions…

Married couples can find s-o-o-o many things to bicker about. Toilet seat up, toilet seat down, stop hogging the covers, I-don’t-like-the-panties-drying-on-the-rod*. You know, that sort of thing.

For Paul and Jenna, it’s the fancy towels — specifically, how could Paul have had the audacity to actually use them, when he knows damn well they were Jenna’s favorite wedding gift!

In this wildly humorous short, award winning screenwriter Rick Hansberry zeroes in on just how crazy domestic skirmishes can get. As the battle lines in this tale are drawn, Paul and Jenna find every possible way to push each others’ buttons: power tools, flushing the toilet while the shower’s being used, and multiple viewings of Sex and the City (oh, the Humanity!) Reminiscent of Woody Allen or Neil Simon, the snarky, quick witted dialogue escalates to def-con four quickly. It begins with a raging thunderstorm – and ends with a wild-west shootout. Including cleavage. And power tools.

A sneering, jeering bundle of fun, ‘Til Death is totally character driven, and super simple to produce. Did we mention relatable? Well, for some of us it is… 🙂

Pages: 5

Budget: Micro.

About the writer: Rick Hansberry has written/produced several short films, including the SAG Foundation award-winning Branches. He teaches screenwriting seminars and workshops in the Central Pennsylvania area and is presently available for hire for new story ideas, rewrites and adaptations. He can be reached at djrickhansberry – AT – msn, (cell phone 717-682-8618). IMDB credits.

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 “AT” comcast.net

* Especially during that time of month, when my friends are coming over for the game.

Read ‘Til Death (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.

Amazon Studios is next out the gate with:

Manchester By The Sea – March 10, 2015 final draft script by Kenneth Lonergan

Love and Friendship – May 22, 2015 Partially conformed shooting script by Whit Stillman (adapted from Jane Austen’s Love & Friendship -or- The Spirit of Jealousy & Perversity of Malice)

You will find these and more on the Scripts Studios are Posting for 2016 – 2017 Script Award Consideration page.

Christmas Story by Sean Chipman

To be filmed as Christmas Eve between December 2nd through December 14th.

Christmas Story (pdf) started out as a 7 Week Challenge Script* written by Sean & Robert Chipman

A botched Christmas Eve liquor store robbery leads down a destructive path for a cop trying to reconcile with his estranged mother, an alcoholic mall Santa, a mentally unhinged man, his vindictive fiancé and her secret lover.

A few years later it was revised as Christmas Story (pdf)

Be sure and like the Facebook page and talk about it on the Discussion Board

*The 7 Week Challenge is a writing challenge wherein writers come up with a feature script in 7 weeks.

Award Season Continues…

We continue posting links to the scripts that the studios are posting for award consideration. Award season continues with Disney Studios.

Zootopia – June 21, 2016 unspecified draft script by Jared Bush & Phil Johnston

You will find this and more on the Scripts Studios are Posting for 2016 – 2017 Script Award Consideration page.

Mendelevium (pdf format) by Erich VonHeeder

A “Battle of the Bands” helps two lead singers find love.

Mendelevium. It’s a synthetic element on the Periodic Table. Atomic Number: 101.

Don’t let the title lead you astray. There’s little science in Erich Von Heeder’s script, Mendelevium.

But tons of chemistry.

Incredibly engaging, Mendelevium is totally character-driven: an interview of Delores and Levi, two lead singers in rival punk rock bands.

When the couple first meet, it’s hate at first sight – an animosity of biblical proportions. As Delores articulates: “I was overcome with hatred for him. Like deep, blinding…” A helpful Levi completes the thought: “Murderous. Murderous hatred.”

…a hatred which escalates to an on-stage scuffle, after Delores throws a pound of cocaine at Levi. Followed by a night in jail. Talk about auspicious first dates!

“Where did you get a pound of cocaine?” their puzzled interviewer queries.

“Where do fish get scales?” Delores replies. “I don’t know. I’m a rock star, dude.”

Holding hands, the couple reminisce about their whirlwind romance, shortly after making bail. Delores: “We were hotter than a pequin pepper. A rare pepper that grows in the remote Andes Mountains of Chile, and if you even touch it to your mouth you die.”

Levi rolls his eyes. “Doesn’t exist,” he confides to the camera.

Imagine a punk rock reboot of When Harry Met Sally… that’s Mendelevium in a nutshell. Packed with witty dialogue, the script is funny, fresh – a standout vignette of two non-conformists in love. As Levi says, “Love’s a jester, man.” And a script like this is bound to shine.

Pages: 5

Budget: Low-medium. All that’s needed is an interview room, an indie rock “stage”, a handful of crowd extras – and a couple with great chemistry.

About the writer: A humble denizen of Seattle (home of some amazing rock bands) talented writer Erich VonHeeder can be reached at erich_vonheeder(a)yahoo.com

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

Read Mendelevium (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.

Original Script Sunday are the scripts of the October One Week Challenge wherein writers were challenge to write a 6 to 10 page script on the theme of:

Horrific Tales of my Childhood

Retell your favorite childhood fairy tale (story, poem or song) as a horror story. Please include the source. Here is a list of fairy tales for inspiration.

Genre: Horror (or any subgenere thereof)
Rating: Children / Young Adult / Adult
Budget: Open

The scripts are submitted anonymously. In a week or two, the writers will be revealed.

Check Them Out!

Home Field (pdf format) by Rod Thompson

Two brothers play an innocent game of baseball – unaware that life as they know it is about to end…

The best war films aren’t about war. At least not completely. As with all good drama, such tales are really about people. War may provide the backdrop – but highlighting the human experience is the true content. The good, the bad, the ugly. The heroic.

On the surface, Home Field displays the gritty trappings of war. But the beating, bleeding heart of it is a testament to the indomitable spirit of man. In this case, two brothers. Richie and younger brother Jamie.

When we first meet them, they’re just boys – facing off in a heated game of little league baseball. Jamie knocks Richie’s best pitch deep into the outfield…. Then their friendly rivalry’s interrupted in the worst possible way. A missile streaks overhead like a comet, and explodes nearby.

War has come. Their childhood ended.

Eight years later, the two are veteran soldiers; fighting a bloody ground war on home soil. Richie drags his wounded brother away from battle – ironically across the same baseball field. Jamie’s been wounded critically; he’s unable to even stand. As the two debate their next move, they recall the last time they were on that field. The smell of the grass. The crack of the bat… all memories that they (and upcoming generations) may never experience again. War is hell for a great many reasons; and one of the victims is innocence. Being on the field slams the message painfully home. But there’s no time for weeping. But perhaps there is time for one souvenir.

Bowing to his brother’s wish, Richie retrieves a precious object from the field. Then – as Jamie protests – he jams a syringe into his brother’s leg. Slings him over his shoulder and slogs away.

After all, one can’t live in a memory. And there’s a war to fight.

Pages: 5

Budget: Low – Moderate; depending on how much wartime FX you choose to incorporate. Missiles. Explosions. Shots of planes. Much of which could be implied.

About the writer, Rod Thompson: I have been writing creatively since I learned how to write. There is just something about telling a story that I can never get over. Storytelling in itself is like an old flame that occasionally comes to me and just says, “Use me.” The ability to watch a movie through words, or to craft a world in such a manner is the closest to Godliness that man will ever come. True story. Contact Rod at RodThompson1980 (a) gmail.com

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 (a) comcast.net

Read Home Field (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.

A Woman Scorned (pdf format) by Marnie Mitchell

A detective investigating a serial killer prostitute finds his fidelity tempted… again.

Murder mysteries have evolved over the years. They’re darker. More violent. Yet certain constants persevere. Whether one’s tastes run to Murder on the Orient Express or Se7en, nothing beats a twisty plot…

…but colorful characters come damned close.   Sure, the question “Whodunnit” will always rein supreme. But “Whydunnit’s” the icing on the cake. The better murder yarns ask both questions. And the best ones answer them.

A Woman Scorned does all that – in a wonderfully gritty fashion.

The script opens on protagonist Dan – a worn out, veteran police detective desperate for transfer from Vice Squad. He and rookie partner John have been called in to assist on a homicide. The victim: a man strapped to the blood stained bed, suffocated with duct tape. Short a left ring finger and wedding band. The digit’s been chopped off with shears. Clearly, this is one hooker with an axe to grind against married men. Fortunately for the cops, she left a clue: a few strands of long black hair.

Following the evidence, Dan journeys to the seedy side of town to interrogate possible suspects. Along the way, he runs into Rebecca – a raven haired prostitute he has history with. History that almost destroyed his marriage. Like an addict weaned from the needle, Dan’s clearly not over Rebecca or his philandering ways. Will Dan crack the case before he drowns in old bad habits – and before other victims die?

Smoothly written, A Woman Scorned features complex characters and a nifty mystery. Custom made for a director of modern noir.

Page Count: 9

Budget: Low to medium. Four main cast members and extras. There are three main locations, including a hotel/motel room, police vehicle; and minor blood effects.

About the Writer: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell’s website is available at BrainFluffs.com. Marnie’s had 5 shorts produced (so far) and placed Semi-final with her features in BlueCat. Marnie can be contacted via her website.

About the reviewer: Zach Jansen is an award-winning and produced screenwriter from Saint Paul, Minnesota.  He enjoys spending time with his kids, anything movies, and sitting at his desk pounding out his next script.  If for some reason you want to learn more about him – which of course you DO! – you can check out his IMDb page or quasi-frequently updated blog. He can be reached at Zach.Jansen (a) mail.com

Read A Woman Scorned (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.