Over on the Original Scripts page are sixteen original scripts for your reading pleasure.

Submit to The Lab at the Athena Film Festival

The Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab is designed for female writers who have not yet had a feature-length fictional script produced. The lab is a two day intensive devoted to script development.

Screenplays must include one or more strong female characters in a leadership role at the center of the story and must be feature-length narratives.

Submissions are open September 6-November 7th, after which eight to ten finalists will be chosen by a committee. Four winners will be notified in January 2019.

Visit: Film Freeway to submit.

Any current (as of 9/7/2018 ) member of the discussion board who meets the criteria and submits to this will be reimbursed the cost of the submission ($65) by SimplyScripts. Just forward the submission confirmation email to webmaster @ simplyscripts.com.

Every movie script ever written started with an idea or a concept.  They’re not the same thing, by the way.  An idea is just a short fragment of the larger picture.  “Guys capture ghosts” is an idea for “Ghostbusters”, but beyond that, it doesn’t tell you what the story is about. “A girl gets transported by a tornado to a magical land, but the only way to return home is to kill a wicked witch” is more of a concept (and turned out to be a great movie!).  This article, if you’re interested in the differences, gives you more details about what constitutes an idea and what makes up a concept: The Ten Greatest Movie Concepts of All Time.

In this case, Rick Hansberry and I shared ideas and concepts, and in some cases, full outlines, to try and land on a story that we would both buy into.  After some back and forth, we settled on what we have started calling “Lake Regret.”

“Lake Regret” started as an idea I had a few months back.  It was a crazy idea, one that would probably be laughed out of any pitch session.  Basically, I wondered if you could create a movie that could be filmed entirely in one day.  Craziness, I know, but it arose from a second viewing of “Birdman”, the Michael Keaton film. The original thought was, could you come up with a script that could be filmed in one continuous shot in one location, almost like you were watching a play.  The trick would be in making it interesting enough that it would hold your attention, as well as not be entirely dialogue driven.  Some other factors playing into my idea were doing something on a shoestring budget — i.e., it I had to film it myself, could I make it happen easily and quickly (I can hear you all vigorously shaking your head “NO, YOU CAN’T”).

With that as my guideline, I started generating places where this could happen.  I had some general locales I played with — a courtroom, a radio station, a bowling alley, and then I settled on a house, looking out over a this beautiful lake.  Nice, peaceful and picture perfect, located in a small town where parents would love to raise their kids.

Hold on, you say, what’s so interesting about that?  Well, that’s a post for another day. Read the link above, and in the next post, we’ll talk about how Rick and I are going to try and find something compelling in this little part of the world.

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The further adventures of the screenwriting and marketing process of Lake Regret wherein Gary Howell documents his and Rick Hansberry’s screenwriting adventures from concept, to the writing, to how they handle disagreements, to marketing the script. Reproduced with permission

… on a Sunday!

Over on the Original Scripts page are twenty five original scripts for your reading pleasure.

If you have a chance and are interested in the screenwriting and marketing process, take a look at LakeRegretMovie.com wherein Gary Howell documents his and Rick Hansberry’s screenwriting adventures from concept, to the writing, to how they handle disagreements, to marketing the script.

– Don

Well, this is going to be interesting.  And exasperating.  And educational.

Rick Hansberry and I have spent time writing screenplays together, and we’ve had success in getting both our joint and individual screenplay projects optioned.  So we know a little bit about writing for the screen, and the business of what it takes to get the film pitched, marketed, optioned, and (fingers crossed) produced.

We recently decided we wanted to write another script together, and we begin discussing how in this brave new social media world, you need to do more than just write the script.  You have to be adept at marketing, not just in making a pitch to producers, but also in using Instagram and Twitter and other platforms (like this blog) to start generating buzz about (and interest in) the script.

We thought it would be interesting for those of you out there who are interested in the entire process to see how we tackle it, from concept, to the writing, to how we handle disagreements, to marketing the script.

The idea is to provide encouragement and education to those of you out there who haven’t been through this process before:  Maybe you’ve written a screenplay, but you’re not sure what to do with it, maybe you’ve never written before and you’re curious how it all works.

Let’s take this journey together.

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The further adventures of the screenwriting and marketing process of Lake Regret wherein Gary Howell documents his and Rick Hansberry’s screenwriting adventures from concept, to the writing, to how they handle disagreements, to marketing the script. Reproduced with permission

Christmas in Leningrad by Dustin Bowcott

A man, starving during the siege of Leningrad, goes to extreme measures to put food on the table.

Discuss on the Discussion Board

Creak and Shriek (8 pages in pdf format) by Rob Herzog

An eight-year-old boy struggles for answers when his horror sound effects record starts playing on its own in the middle of the night.

Today is a very special day: today is Noah’s 8th birthday.

Only the party didn’t quite go to plan.  No one showed – no one all that important anyway.  Mom’s taken it personally.  Not that she needed much of an excuse to get a head start on her nightly tipple.  Despite it all, Noah’s holding up, distracted by his brand new ‘Scary Sounds of the Night’ recording.

It’s an odd gift, but by all accounts Auntie W. lives far from normality.  She’s the distant kind of aunt that talks to skunks and lives alone in the woods.  The kind that always forgets a birthday… until now.

            MOM (O.S.)
Gonna give yourself nightmares, kid.

Howling winds and pounding hearts are one thing, but groaning ghouls prove too much for young Noah and he calls it a night. Maybe Mom was right, why would anyone want to listen to a soundtrack filled with nothing but scary sounds?

Better yet, what type of person would send such a gift to a child?

As it turns out, the crazy type that lives off-grid on a diet of daisies and roadkill.  Scary Sounds of the Night is more than a recording; it’s a 12” vinyl nightmare that refuses to be put on mute.

…And it knows your name.

Rob Herzog’s Creak and Shriek delivers a strikingly simple yet effective horror short.  Two characters, one room and some well placed sound FX could bring this horror short to the screen with a minimal budget.  Any filmmaker looking to get their hands on a fun Twilight Zone style chiller would be remiss not to check this short script out.

About the writer: Rob Herzog of Chicago teaches American literature and moderates a high school yearbook. He has also coached freshmen wrestling. He will soon earn a master’s degree in English composition from Northeastern Illinois University. He has written six short scripts and one feature screenplay. His shorts have won prize money in two small contests and awards in some others. He can be reached at: robherzogr (a) hotmail (dot) com

Read Creak and Shriek (8 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.

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

Where The Bad Kids Go by Sean Elwood

Like mother, like son

It’s been sixteen years since Jesse was taken away from his abusive, alcoholic mother after she had tried to kill him. When he hears of the news that she committed suicide, he returns to his childhood house for preparation to sell it, as well as confront his dark past once and for all. He soon discovers that something evil lurks within the depths of the house, and after all these years, it’s been waiting for him to return.

Where the Bad Kids Go begins with the BANG of a crawlspace door and doesn’t let go.

The entire script is packed with foreboding and slowly, over the course of events, fills with dread and tension in a cataclysmic finale.

The story delves into the mind of a man whose past comes back to haunt him, literally, and ends with a powerful finale that will both scare you and make you cry.

With moments of absolute terror, a wide character dynamic, and a haunting message, Where the Bad Kids Go can be the next big movie for this generation. Imagine The Babadook meets Hereditary, both successful horror movies that were also truly terrifying.

Production: This film can be made on a low to medium budget, apart from the big finale. There are three main characters (and eight smaller roles) and is the perfect character piece for up-and-coming actors. Male actor – Jesse at 8, 11 and mid twenties; Male actor – Marco at 11 and mid twenties; Helen – Mother – late 20s to mid forties; Other actors – Police, shitty boyfriend/father, and other minor roles. One primary location – dilapidated house and basement (and crawlspace!), with six locations total.

About the writer: Sean Elwood is well known for his knack of horror and suspense, creating a sense of dread and terror in the genre-specific screenplays he’s written. He has all the internets here: Website; IMDb; Twitter; Instagram; YouTube; SimplyScripts. He has written an anthology of short horror stories, AfterLife AfterDeath: Stories for the Dark, some of which have been turned into screenplays, including The Tooth Fairy and Emerald. Sean has previously been nominated and selected for his feature script I’m Still Here including a full script reading. He is currently working on a new feature, FLYTRAP, about six friends who take a trip to the mountains, only to find that the house they’re staying in is alive, and it needs to feed. Sean currently resides in Colorado with his dog, Henny; cat, Kit Kat; snakes, Lady Mondegreen and Noodle; and tarantulas, Felicia and Pumpkin.

Read Where The Bad Kids Go (98 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.

Script Contests: Horror Film & Screenplay Competition – Official Selection; WILDsound FEEDBACK Film and Screenplay Festival – Official Selection; Shriekfest – Quarter Finalist; Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest – Finalist

Watch and Listen to the first scene.

All Things Blue (8 pages in pdf format) by Steve Miles

A fleeting moment of friendship leads a lonely young girl to a devastating truth.

In an everyday neighborhood, could be yours, there is danger, and it could come from a myriad of sources — a stranger, an errant vehicle or something as simple as a scraped knee.

But for six-year-old Iza and her mother, Adel, something fierce hides among the clouds. Something ready to pounce at any moment. It keeps them indoors, glued to the radio, with a heavy supply of bottled water and rations at the ready.

Adel says it’s a Dragon, with claws like icicles and eyes big enough to see anything that moves. That’s why Daddy had to go away and fight it. And this is what Iza believes.

But we know better.

The tension is palpable, as Adel struggles about her day, keeping up this charade. Something’s got to give, and it will happen sooner rather than later.

Stifled by being locked away from the world, Iza roams outside to a park across the street. There, she befriends a neighborhood boy, Ted, who’s not much older, but a world wiser. He, too, has grown tired of hiding indoors.

And for this one fleeting moment, they get to be kids again. Laughing. Giddy. Too lost in the moment to worry, they cheerfully take turns pushing one another on a roundabout.

It’s short-lived.

For as the Air Raid sirens scream in the distance, the children shoot a glance upwards to see the contrails of a warplane streaming across the sky.

This is Iza’s Dragon. But Ted knows the truth.

And so does Adel.

A coming of age tale at its core, screenwriter Steve Miles has weaved a heart wrenching narrative of a parent living in fear of the inevitable, coupled with the innocence of childhood on the verge of being lost forever.

If you’re a filmmaker, and you know your stuff, this is one you can read with your eyes closed. A festival ringer. A calling card of the highest order.

Production: The blueprint is meticulously laid out for you here. Two easy locations, and three good actors working on a small budget. Do this story justice, and it’ll do the same for you.

About the writer: 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

Read All Things Blue (8 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.

Find more scripts available for production.

About the reviewer: Based in upstate, NY, Steven Clark is the writer of over 30 short scripts, several of which are under option, in pre-production, or have already been made into films. On A Clear Night, a family Christmas feature aimed at a Hallmark Channel-type audience, is currently in the works. Steven can be reached at Steamroller138 (a) gmail. Check out his website BadRepScript.weebly.com and his other screenplays.

Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow (7 pages in pdf format) by Dave Lambertson

A bad marriage can turn some people into monsters…

Ever wonder how the most famous couples in fiction made it work after happily ever after? Couples like Tarzan and Jane, Anna and Kristoff, or… Frankenstein and his bride? Well, it might not be as blissful as you’d imagine.

That’s just where we meet Frankenstein and his bride in Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow: in marriage counseling, years after Mary Shelley’s story. Hey, even monsters have problems. He’s distant and literally emotionless, she’s tired of doing the same old things and just wants to go on a killer date (pun intended).

One thing they do agree on: they might be unhappy, but they’re not ready to be separated. “We were literally made for each other” Frankenstein pleads. So the marriage counselor dives in and a really monstrous couples therapy session begins.

As the truth comes out and secrets are revealed, the monster and his bride near a breakthrough… but it seems that every step forward leads to the couple taking two steps back. Will they make it? Not to spoil anything, but this story ends with a nice surprise… and this script is a bloody good time.

Characters: 3 – Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, marriage counselor

Budget: Low to Mid. Really only two locations, three actors, but you may have to increase the makeup budget to make sure your Stein’s look appropriately gory. That being said, an experienced director with a great crew can make this one look hideous (in the best possible way!)

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 visit his website.

Read Parts Are Such Sweet Sorrow (7 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.

Find more scripts available for production.

About the reviewer: Mitch Smith is an award winning screenwriter who offers notes, script editing and phone consultations. Reach him at his website, follow him on twitter @MitchScripts, or email him at Mitch.SmithScripts (a) gmail.