The Women in My Family – Short Script Review (Available for Production)

The Women in My Family

“On a blistering day in 1871, a young Mexican girl witnesses the death of her family… and her birth as a killer.”

A tarnished gold ring, a silver coin, and a brass button… The devil’s in the details. Sometimes, it’s the little things that cause the most damage, and make or break a master plan. As for writers: details make a story breathe. Rendered in full richness, they can mean everything.

In writer and filmmaker Kirk White’s western, The Women in My Family, details are a matter of life and death. At least, for young Ofelia (8). It’s 1871 in Nogales, Arizona. Ofelia’s family farm is invaded by two outlaws, in search of her father. Her father flees, leaving behind a gold ring he hopes will buy Mother, Ofelia, and 10 year old brother Alejandro precious time. Instead, Mother hands the ring to Alejandro and forces the children to hide under a bed. Along with strict instructions to stay put. Then she departs to bargain with the two intuders, savage monsters named Hawk and Wolf.

But Alejandro has a plan of his own; and a silver coin he has found. Arguing with Ofelia, he insists he can save the family, using the ring and coin as barter. He races out to help Mother, but it’s too late. Mother and Alejandro are attacked and killed – in brutal, ugly ways. Armed with a kitchen knife, Ofelia attempts to intervene. One of the deranged creatures turns on the girl. His boot spur slashes her face, and she drops next to her dead brother. She awakes later – the only survivor. And discovers a brass button ripped from Hawk’s coat in Alejandro’s now cold hand.

Ten years later, a changed Ofelia will use the ring, the coin, and brass button to exact her impassioned revenge…

For filmmakers dedicated to the best in storytelling, TWIMF provides a treasure trove of vivid detail: a desert location in the old west, two hideous intruders, three round, symbolic objects. Even the jagged scar stretching from Ofelia’s mouth to her ear provides potential for gorgeous cinematography. The devil is certainly present in these details. And for this purpose, he’s quite welcome.

Any director who enjoys the challenge of elevated genres is in for a treat with TWIMF. It’s a riveting combination of revenge story/western in sheep’s – er- hawk’s and wolf’s clothing.

About the Writer:  Kirk White is an independent film maker, web sen”sation” and figure of note in the world of global logistics.  He is currently in pre-production on his second feature, The Soul Garden, which will basically be the art-house version of Re-Animator.  Kirk can be emailed at kirkwhitewrites “AT” gmail!!

Pages: 5

Budget: Moderate. A stand-in for a western town. Father, Mother, Alejandro, Ofelia, Hawk, Wolf and Blacksmith characters will need appropriate 1871/1881 time-period clothing.

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

CONTACT KIRK AT KIRKWHITEWRITES “AT” GMAIL FOR THE SCRIPT!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SCRIPTREVOLUTION.COM!

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.

Raise Them Up – Short Script Review (Available for Production)

Raise Them Up

From James Bond to John Wayne, violence surrounds the definition of masculinity in the world of film. Are our heroes doing more than just entertain?

“That was then, this is now,” would be an apt title for this script. Written by award-winning screenwriter Jean-Pierre Chapoteau, Raise Them Up offers its readers two parallel lives of crime – separated by 131 years. And radically different realities.

Lamont lives in present day – a run-down ghetto populated by drug dealers and gang bangers. A dark, demoralizing life. Scratch the surface, and he seems like a decent guy. But he’s supporting a wife and young toddler Ted. With few other options, he turns to armed robbery.

On the other end of the spectrum is Randy – the “charming all-American cowboy.” Living circa 1880, his wild-west life is markedly different than Lamont’s – stuffed chock full of “atta boys”, and “howdy partners” (complete with the genteel tip of his dusty hat.) Randy, too, supports a wife and a young son. They live in a seedy hotel above a saloon – a world filled with raucous piano music and drunken brawls. But he does have one thing in common with Lamont. He’s an armed robber, too.

But that’s where the similarities in these stories ends.

Lamont robs a convenience store. Randy knocks over the local bank. Randy charms the teller with his boyish smile, and survives a scuffle with patron – with nary a drop of blood spilled. Lamont’s ventures don’t go half as well. Racing from the scene, he’s cornered in an alley. He turns around to surrender…

Who will ride into the sunset? And who will face a tragic end? Popular culture tends to have a schizophrenic view of crime; glorifying “bad boys” on one hand, while turning a blind side to reality. Raise Them Up shows the flip sides of this tarnished coin. Poignant without being preachy, the script offers hard hitting insights into the devolution of American society that readers (and festival audiences) will not soon forget.

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 and has become a moderator at the site MoviePoet, who specialize in the craft of the short scripts.  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:  Jeanpierre_4_25 “AT” msn(dot) com

Pages: 6

Budget: Moderate. A handful of locations (both Western and Urban), and some extras will be required. That and a few prop guns.

About the reviewers: 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!!

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SCRIPTREVOLUTION.COM

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.

 

A Ghost in the Embers – Short Script Review (Available for Production)

A Ghost in the Embers

It’s 1883. A lone cowboy beds down out on the open prairie and watches as the smoke from his campfire morphs into a ghostly shape. And not just any ghost — Billy the Kid!

There’s nothing more classic than a Western. Just picture it: a lonely cowboy out on the prairie, accompanied by his horse and howling coyotes. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, scenes like that just have style. Pair those elements with a ghost story told around a crackling campfire? That’s one heck of a pairing; kind of like marshmellows and chocolate. Or – if you’re the protagonist of Ghost – a tasty can of beans…

…. maybe that’s not as good as S’mores, but it keeps a fella’s belly full. When Ghost in the Embers opens, our hero (the Cowpoke) has just settled down in his bedroll. Just him, his horse “Dastardly” and the vast open sky.

As the campfire crackles, a strange smoke rises from it – forming the ghostly shape of a man. Billy the Kid! For a dead guy, Billy looks good. And surprisingly active, too. Before our narrator can rub the sleep from his eyes, Billy’s dropped down into gunfighter pose. The Cowpoke “dead” in his sights.

A stand-off ensues… between an ancient cowboy, and the fastest draw in the West (even if he has been cold in his grave for two years.)

When the ghostly bullets fly, who will win?

Whoever snaps up this short. Western campfire tales have always been an audience pleaser. Paired with a dash of supernatural suspense, this is one mixed genre script that hits the bulls-eye.

About the writer: 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.

Pages: 7

Budget: Relatively low. Two main characters, a horse, and one location outdoors. The ghost effects are easily done in post.

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

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

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.

 

Private Property – Short Script Review (Available for Production!)

Private Property

A young man ends up on the run when he tries to protect his mother from a crazed land owner.

In the 1800s American author Horace Greeley proclaimed, “Go West, young man.” And so they did. Young men and old men, good men and, in particular, bad men. Women and children followed. The old west in the drama “Private Property” is raw, and lawless. The rough — and the tough — are on a collison course here, proving that blood, sweat, and tears doesn’t just refer to the work ethic.

Bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound, 17 year-old Levi is on the run from notorious all-around bad guy, Cash Carson. Levi takes refuge in a barn, where he’s discovered by 16 year-old Maddie. It’s a tense stand-off. At first Levi’s got the upper hand, and his gun trained on Maddie. But in a daring move, she grabs the gun and turns the tables. Maddie’s freedom is short-lived, however, when Cash arrives and corners the two teens.

The tears? Likely a bucket-load have been shed by both Maddie and Levi, for they each share a dark secret with the despicable Cash. There’s a powerful twist at the end. Not surprising, since this is the wild west where resolution isn’t always a ride off into the sunset.

A professionally written script, “Private Property” earns raves for its blood, sweat, and tears depiction of two young people whose “good” lives collide with the “bad and ugly” of a cruel west Horace Greeley never could have imagined.

Westerns as a genre are making a fast comeback; Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West”, and Tommy Lee Jones’ “The Homesman” to name just two. So grab this script now… and get in on the coming goldrush!

About the writer: An award winning writer AND photographer, Marnie Mitchell Lister’s website is available at http://www.marnzart.com. Marnie’s had 5 shorts produced (so far) and placed Semi-final with her features in Bluecat.

Page Count: 5.5

Budget: Mid-range. Head for the hills for the outdoor locations. A boarding facility could sub as a barn, and maybe provide the requisite equine or two who’ll work for hay.

About the guest reviewer for “Private Property”: California uber reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working hard on another animated feature. Now, if only she knew when John Lasseter was going to be in that elevator so she could pitch her winning story… KP’s work is available for viewing at http://www.moviepoet.com!

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

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

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 Patch-Up Kid – Short Script Review (Available for Production)

The Patch-Up Kid

Scavenging dead bodies and fixing people was all that the Patch-up Kid knew, but a cowboy in Nino Sangre has one more test for him.

When you’re twelve years old and you live in a dusty, wild west town called Niño Sangre (Child Blood) you need skills. Plenty of ‘em.

Meet the Patch-Up Kid. He’s twelve. And sure enough – he’s got skills. Like plugging up bloody bullet holes in gunfighters’ bellies. Or yanking the gold teeth from the mouths of the other guys – the still-warm losers who didn’t walk away from the gunfight. Assisted by friends Fingers, Squeak and Mule, the Kid does the dirty deeds that others twice his age won’t do…

A kid’s gotta make a living, right?

Yep, the Patch-Up Kid’s a survivor. Y’gotta be when you’re half-white, half-Native American, and grotesquely scarred with only one good eye (the result of a grizzly bear attack, or a drunken father – depending on who’s telling the tale.)

And speaking of tales… imagine a gritty portrait of a street kid – told old west style. Expertly painted by screenwriter Rustom Irani, TP-UK is a poignant story about a hard-luck kid with True Grit, with light-heart touches of humor crusting the dusty edges.

This particular script focuses on the Kid’s run in with big n’ burly Dawson – a wounded desperado who blackmails the young gang to dig a bullet out of his chest (and arrange for a quick get-away outta town.) Just five pages long, it’s a colorful intro to the character.

But ambitious directors take note. This is one world that has plenty left to explore. The Patch-Up Kid works beautifully as a stand-alone story. But it’s also ideal as the intro for a feature length movie. Or TV series for the right producer! So grab the opportunity while you can. ‘Cause nothing stays still in the Wild West for too long…

About the writer: A film and video aficionado based in Mumbai, Rustom Irani works as a freelance editor and screenwriter for projects ranging from narratives, commercials, and documentaries to corporate and music videos. His website is available at www.planetrusty.com, and he can be reached at rustyirani “AT” gmail.com!

Pages: 5

Budget: Low to moderate. We would have said low, but it’s a period piece – which might drive the cost up a touch. (All those six-shooters and Stetsons, y’know?)

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.

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

FOR YET MORE SCRIPTS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION:

PLEASE SEARCH SIMPLYSCRIPTS.COM 

OR THE BLOG VERSION OF STS HERE.

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.

Hearty congratulations to Rustom Irani – Glued Optioned!

STS sends a resounding round of congratulations to writer Rustom Irani.  His riveting (and sticky) script Glued has now been optioned by Eric D. Seals (http://digife.com/ ).

Fortunately for indie directors out there, Rustom’s got more worthy scripts in his queue.  For instance, take a gander at another short of his reviewed at STS: ’cause westerns don’t get better than this!

The Patch-Up Kid (western short) – Scavenging dead bodies and fixing people was all that the Patch-up Kid knew, but a cowboy in Nino Sangre has one more test for him.