The Bribe (6 page short, comedy) by Logan McDonald

When a man tries to bribe a cop, things get… awkward.

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Inspiration pdf format by Richard Russell

An Air Force pilot hunts down the person who sent her a Christmas greeting many years before.

A soldier’s mail is precious. There’s notes from friends always good for a laugh. Letters from family making you ache for home. Messages from a lover, hidden from prying eyes.

But for Lori Wells, a young air force pilot, no such mail arrived.

Only a card from a young student (Billy) she’s never met, thanking her for her service. And a kid’s cherubic smile beaming out from a photograph. A testament to a families love. A sense of belonging Lori can’t shake and can’t bring herself to throw away.

So, she carries the good luck charm with her through an entire career. Now Lori’s on her way to finally meet her seraph in the flesh.

Only problem is, grown Billy’s not quite the same happy boy. There are no loving parents. And Lori can’t shake a feeling of ineluctable dread. As the lies and doubts pile up, she’ll have to confront a brutal truth before it’s too late.

If you’re looking for inspired drama, be sure to check out this tale of shattered perceptions and false idols by the talented Richard Russell.

Production: One adult male and female role along with a few extras. A house, a backyard, and a couple other interior locations.

About the writer: Richard Russell A writer should never pen his own bio. What seems important to a writer will no doubt bore most readers. Yet, writers do create their own bios, to the chagrin of everyone. My bio must be short and to the point as I have few literary successes to boast of. It seems I have been writing all my life, and indeed, if pages of print equal success, then I am as successful as anyone. Pages alone, though, doesn’t connote fame or success, just pages. I live in North Carolina, and I write whenever and however I can. The mere act of writing produces a joy that I find in no other endeavor. Whether or not my writing becomes known to many means little to me. Oh, I would love to be a household name, but that is not my goal. My goal is to write stories that compel the reader to finish. My goal is to create tales that will not let me quit them in mid-sentence. I am a dreamer and a procrastinator, and those traits are not ingredients for success. I also suffer from reverse paranoia. I think people are plotting to make me happy.

About the reviewer: James Barron is a former law student turned screenwriter who loves to write comedy along with the occasional horror/thriller. Contact James 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.

Look Behind You (8 pages pdf format) by Michael Joseph Kospiah

Brandon sees strange images after he finds out about an escaped serial killer on the loose in his town.

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Over on the Original Scripts page are twenty two unproduced scripts for your reading pleasure. One, pique your interest? Reach out to the writer.

– Don

Over on the Unproduced Scripts page are the twenty two original short scripts on the theme of the Journal of the Plague Year One Week challenge. Most of these scripts are easily film-able with minimal sets and characters.

Directors and aspiring film makers if you are looking for a quick film, please check out the scripts and reach out to the writers.

– Don

Hair 18 pages in PDF format by James Barron

A family man struggling to keep his life from falling apart becomes obsessed with impending baldness.

Have you ever had one of those days? The job is stabbing you in the eyeballs, your child wants to stab you in the eyeballs and your spouse, who is so severely/constantly let down by you, can barely look you in the, um, eyeballs? These types of days have turned into years for salesman Ted Donovan.

But meaningless career and a challenging home life are nothing compared to his REAL problem: male pattern baldness.

James Barron’s “Hair” is a witty romp through a day in a suburban man’s life; a life beginning to fall apart – and fall out.

The story starts with confirmation from his physician – Ted’s hair or, unhair, doctor.

            DR. GREEN
Mr. Donovan, have you been under
any undue stress lately? At work
perhaps?

The problems mount at work, where Ted used to be an Amway selling “machine.” But now he’s locked in cold-call hell, unable to engage potential customers for more than greetings followed by dismal dial tones.

His much-younger boss – who happens to be his old boss’s son – doesn’t help matters, reminding Ted of better day’s gone by.

            TED
It’s been a little slow this month.

Ted is not fine. In fact, this is a decisive turning point in his life. And he literally meets it head-on in the form of a nearly-fatal accident behind the wheel as he checks his hair in the mirror. Knocked unconscious, he dreams of his boss Neal, who tells him “you must make a statement…. a statement shall set you free.”

This free advice amounts to Ted’s moment of clarity, leading him to do the unthinkable. And so his journey to happiness begins anew, with wife and daughter in tow. And Amway and the old Ted in his rear-view mirror – for good.

Ted’s big adventure is a warm, charming “Office Space” meets “Horrible Bosses” meets Paul Giamatti. It’s an extremely low-budget film requiring just a few locations and handful of actors – one of which may need to be willing to shave a little off his ego to make the film a “growing” success.

Budget: Just a few locations and a handful of actors. We’re happy to say that’s all you need.

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

Read Hair (19 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: Zack Zupke is a writer in Los Angeles. Zack was a latch-key kid whose best friend was a 19-inch color television. 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 (a) yahoo.

Trust Me by P.H. Cook

Without parents to protect her, a little girl trusts a police officer for help.

Children are such vulnerable creatures. In a perfect world, it’s the parent’s, and/or their extended family’s job to protect and nurture them. But as we well know, the world isn’t a perfect place. Occasionally a child is left alone, their safety dependent on the kindness of strangers.

Five-year-old, Emma is one of those children. We first see her walking down the street, hand in hand with Joe (30), both in tattered clothes. She tells him she’s hungry. As they head toward a burger joint, Joe tells her not to speak to anyone. Keeping to themselves, neither realizes they’re being followed.

Obviously, something isn’t right here. Naturally we’re nervous for Emma. She asks Joe, “Am I gonna go home soon?”. Through binoculars, Warren watches their every move. When Emma gets up to go to the restroom, Warren grabs his badge and gun and enters the restaurant. We’re relieved. Warren must be there to save Emma, right?

“Trust Me”, is a suspenseful short story that will keep you wondering who is good, and who is bad. You’ll be invested in the outcome, just wanting Emma to be okay… but sometimes the world isn’t a perfect place.

This short is very low budget and would make a great project for first time filmmakers. I don’t think this gem will be available for long, so act quickly!

About the writer: Born and raised in Sweden, P.H. Cook is director of the short film Them That’s Dead and writer of produced feature films Finders Keepers: The Root of All Evil and Blackout. She started writing screenplays in 2006 and has written over sixty short screenplays and ten features. She can be reached at gatortales – “AT” – 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: Marnie Mitchell-Lister has creative A.D.D. Some of her writing can be read here: BrainFluffs.com. Some of her photography can be seen here: marnzart.wordpress.com.

GERIATRICKS (13 page comedy script) by Mark Renshaw

On a whim and in need of healthcare, a group of geriatrics attempt a bank heist. With no experience, no clue and no bowel control, their chances are slim, especially when they encounter an off-duty cop.

Hey, all you young whippersnappers out there! I’m sure you’ve all heard this before – always respect your elders. They’ve seen it all and done it all, collecting years of wisdom and experience we can only be so lucky to accrue if we’re fortunate to live that long. They’ve helped shape the world, molding us into the responsible, respectful adults that we are today. And as the cruel aging process takes its toll, we feel it’s only right that we help them with the everyday things that they’re no longer able to do on their own – helping them cross the street, open jars, lift heavy things, etc.

But it’s because of this that we sometimes tend to underestimate them a bit. And that’s exactly what the small town folks at a local bank find out in Mark Renshaw’s hilarious ode to the elderly, “Geriatricks”, about a gang of geriatric bank robbers pulling off one, final job.

The story opens with cute, old Mister Jay as he shuffles over to the bank teller, Daisy, to make a withdrawal.

Mister J passes her a slip of paper. She reads it, raises an eyebrow

            DAISY
Are you for real?

Mister J nods.

            DAISY
Fifties and hundreds?

Mister J nods again, he places a backpack on the counter.

            DAISY
How old are you?

She thinks its a joke – until the sweet old man reveals a micro 9mm handgun.

But Mister Jay has a slight issue – he has trouble remembering things, often forgetting where he is and why he has a gun. Luckily, he’s not alone – meet Miss B, the foul-mouthed, shotgun-toting enforcer of the group with bowel control problems; Casanova, the ladies man guarding the door; and then there’s the lookout guy, Eagle Eye, who, ironically, happens to be going blind.

All members of this ragtag group have one thing in common (outside of being 80+ years old) – they need money. And boy, do they mean business.

But, despite the guns, their manners haven’t escaped them, making the bank robbery somewhat of a cute and pleasant experience for everybody in the bank, including an off-duty police officer, who tries to talk some sense into the elderly bandits.

            COP
What are you doing robbing a
bank at your age?

She hobbles over to Mister J who’s completely lost and pats his arm.

            MISS B
Exactly. Our age. We’re broken
and don’t have the cash for
repairs. He needs drugs for his
Alzheimer’s, I need back surgery,
Eagle Eye needs to pay off the
loan he took out for his guide dog.

As their plan breaks down, Miss B and her gang of senior citizens capture the hearts of everybody witnessing the robbery, including the off-duty cop and bank teller, Daisy.

            DAISY
Who here thinks we should pretend
none of this happened?

Everyone raises their hand.

            COP
Gosh darn it! Okay!

But as the title suggests, these senior citizens might have an ace or two up their sleeves…

A cross of “Grumpy Old Men” meets “Ocean’s 11”, Mark Renshaw’s “Geriatricks” is a cleverly written knee-slapper full of hilarious dialogue, lovable characters and, something that too many films are missing these days… heart. This deserves to be on the screen!

BUDGET: Low. One location.

ABOUT THE WRITER: by Mark Renshaw is an award-winning screenwriter and producer, his sci-fi TV pilot script “Nearscape” reaching the semifinals of the prestigious Page Awards and 2nd round of the Austin Film Festival. His short script, “Cyborn” was the inaugural winner of the Inroads Screenwriting Competition. Reaching the top 4% of the BBC’s Open Drama Submission, Mark has also been added to their list of promising writers. As a producer, his first two short films, “No More Tomorrows” and “Surrender” have enjoyed successful runs on the independent circuit, garnering several awards. His latest sci-fi short, “The Survivor: A Tale From the Nearscape”, which he wrote and produced, currently has a worldwide distribution deal with Meridian Releasing, also serving as a proof of concept for a TV series. Mark has also had several short stories published, including “Ragnarok” by Cohesion Press in the horror anthology, “SNAFU: Resurrection”. You can watch check out Mark’s produced films and scripts on his website at www.mark-renshaw.com.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

Not My Son by Glenn Doyle

After the death of her husband, a mother is convinced her son has been replaced after an accident leaves him paralyzed.

Nothing tests the human spirit like the loss of a loved one.

Martha’s just lost her husband. But life doesn’t wait for gaping hearts to heal. There’s bills to pay, a house to clean. And, thankfully, her son Sean. Her stalwart against the storm.

Then tragedy strikes again — Sean sprawled out, motionless, beneath his favorite climbing tree.

Everything happening in a blur.

Martha pacing hospital corridors, Doctors offering condolences, her only son slumped in a wheelchair.

How could this be? Her son, lifeless, unrecognizable. Her Sean could run and smile and light up a room. Her Sean didn’t need food shoveled in his mouth. No, this thing is not her son.

But the Doctors won’t listen. They tell her she’s not thinking clearly. She needs rest, and pills.

If only she could stop the squirming thoughts in her brain. Then a solution arrives. In the form of a mysterious woman, dressed in all black, with a very important message:

            THE DARK LADY
     (loud whisper)
It is not your child. Kill it.

Is this a case of a fragile mind broken? Or are there forces at work beyond our comprehension? Time is running out for Martha to make a decision. One that could have devastating consequences for everyone involved.

Production: One adult female, one male child, and a few extras. A house, a front/back yard, a sidewalk, maybe one other interior location.

About the writer: Glenn Doyle is a 27 year old from Dublin, Ireland. He grew up writing short stories and studied film at Dublin Business School. To date, he’s written close to twenty shorts and one feature. You can check out his IMDB page here.

About the reviewer: James Barron is a former law student turned screenwriter who loves to write comedy along with the occasional horror/thriller. Contact James at jbarron021 (a) gmail.

Read Not My Son (8 page short horror 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.