Screenplay Spotlight- Jan 2022
The Utah Film Festival award ceremony was held last week and was well represented by talented screenwriters worldwide. Here are the nominated screenplays. If you are interested in contacting any of these screenwriters, please reach out to us and we will send the screenwriters your contact information.
Title: Bad Memories
Screenplay by: Martin Richmond
Pages: 73
Genre: Horror
Synopsis: Interviewing elderly residents at a care home for a magazine article, David discovers some very disturbing past feelings still linger on, while other alarming tales reveal that a bad memory can also be downright evil.
Review: Martin Richmond is a genius when it comes to the screenplay; he has numerous awards under his belt that is why I am so lucky to have read his work entitled “Bad Memories”. Reading the story gives me a real feeling of creepiness. That is how effective the presentation of the piece that Richmond has given us is. The characters led by David, the location, and the mind-boggling flash-back memories give me the cringe as I go and continue reading it per scene. The thriller continues going to the climax and I am amazed how this piece can keep you entertained without the temptation of leaving it even just for a second. Richmond’s work is a treasure in the industry, we need more of this kind of quality output, something that entertains people and gives them the reason to ask for more.
2022 Utah Film Festival WINNER for Best Feature Screenplay
Title: Cindy
Screenplay by: Bradford James Jackson
Pages: 103
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Synopsis: It’s a post-apocalyptic world, just over a year into nuclear fallout. A lonely simple minded man navigates the pitfalls and challenges of the landscape while clinging to the only thing that can help absolve him from his tortured past. A stuffed teddy bear. As he searches for direction toward the necessities of life he comes across several characters that bare emotional resemblance to his own PTSD. Through these interactions he discovers the courage to face his past and seek redemption.
Review: PTSD is a situation that is full of challenges, and you need to be tough to move forward in life. Bradford James Jackson the creator of “Cindy” a screenplay about a man who is battling PTSD after a post-apocalyptic world. To overcome the situation, the man has a stuffed bear and that is the only thing helping him with the journey that he is into. Interesting scenes kept coming and it pleased me to continue reading due to the thrilling content it got. The representation of the bear in this story plays a big role in real life because if we are on the same road as the man then we need our stuffed bear to overcome PTSD or other tough circumstances that we had. Facing challenges, nightmares, and having something or someone to guide and give you strength is a big factor in winning it in life. I like how Jackson has executed the whole story, it is well detailed and the quality of it can be leveled to some of the best in the mainstream of the industry. I like to see more of Bradford James’ work in the coming years!
Title: Circle of Confusion
Screenplay by: Leif Eric Johnson
Pages: 114
Genre: Horror
Synopsis: A lesbian army veteran with PTSD moves to a suburban cul-de-sac to reinvent herself as a wedding photographer. Paranoia overtakes her as she discovers a dark inhumanity oozing behind the polite smiles of her hyper-conservative neighbors, and soon she must take extreme measures to protect the woman she loves.
Review: Leif Eric Johnson’s screenplay entitled “Circle of Confusion” is a good balance piece of work that tackles different real-life situations but with a twist of horror and thriller. Petra who is a retired veteran that reinvents herself as a wedding photographer in a suburban area must protect her love one from all the over-conservative neighbor’s in the area. As I read along the way, the smiles from the people who are being photographed are spine-chilling and that is where the story gets more interesting until it reaches the apex of the scene. They say, a picture shows a million reasons behind all the angles and smiles that come with it, and this screenplay depicts the best definition of how people are showing themselves when they are in front of the camera.
Title: Dancing in Place
Screenplay by: Jeanne Dukes
Pages: 112
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Escalating mutual interest between middle-aged neighbors gets complicated when he suddenly remembers their brief and awkward teen summer romance, but she doesn’t recognize him. As he devises a plan to stir her memory, painful secrets from the past threaten to keep them apart.
Review: A story of restoration, rediscovery, and recreation. Jeanne Dukes once again graces us with a creative and award-winning piece titled “Dancing in Place” The story is heart-warming and inventively created with life-twisting moments that had me captivated reading. It tells how time and perfect timing sometimes don’t act together, and how some things fall apart for better things to fall together. The story is more than a love story of two couples whose stars align for destiny, but a greater purpose of commitment to love and life. Overall the screenplay is beautiful, inspiring, and good for the soul, can’t wait to see this on film!
Title: Forgive Not
Screenplay by: Rion Martell
Pages: 107
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Synopsis: A mentally unstable man is unable to forgive those who do him wrong.
Review: Rion Martell’s screenplay “Forgive Not” is breathtaking, there is always an element of surprise and it elevates to the next level going to the peak. The story is about a good boy who grew up in violence because of being bullied in life. Cody, the main character, try everything to turn his life around into good a bad situation always happens. I love how the twist of the story came before it reaches the climax, it got a direct connection to me as a reader and I was hooked to it. Forgiveness and revenge are the main values that we can learn here, it is something that will open our eyes to a different perspective because the truth is that our society nowadays is unfair. In the end, I hope Rion Martell will do more screenplays like this one which is outstanding and very satisfying.
2022 Utah Film Festival Winner for Best Short Screenplay
Title: Is He Safe?
Screenplay by: Robert James Salisbury
Pages: 12
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Synopsis: Serving as a metaphor of a Special Needs parents fears’: A father-son campout ends with Sam and his autistic son, Jimmy, stranded in a mountain pass, miles from help, and surrounded by hungry monsters. Though injured, Sam is determined to get Jimmy to safety, even at the cost of his own life.
Review: Robert James Salisbury’s screenplay “Is He Safe” is one of the shorts in the season that I enjoyed reading. It is deep and has a straight connection to parents like me, who have a special child. The story is about a father and son who try to go camping in the mountains. Sam would go to any length for his son Jimmy in order to provide him with the love and attention he requires. In the course of their outing, an unforeseen circumstance happens and they are stranded in the wild. To survive, Sam will do everything for Jimmy so that he will be safe from the hungry monster. This screenplay made me cry. I have seen the sacrifice of a parent to their child who has special needs. It shows that the love of a father or mother is endless. We see children or people with special needs as something different, but this piece will teach us that they are just the same as everyone; we just need to accept them and show them that they belong. I salute Robert James for having the courage to write an extraordinary screenplay, a work that will open the eyes of many people.
Title: Mortal Path Series: Bound By Blood TV Pilot
Screenplay by: Dakota Banks
Pages: 58
Genre: Fantasy, Thriller
Synopsis: Bound by Blood is an action-thriller TV Pilot with strong mythological elements in which a Colonial woman unjustly burned as a witch struggles to reclaim her soul from the Sumerian demon who saved her from the flames and used her as his Ageless assassin for over 300 years. Adapted from an award-winning book series by the same author.
Review: Reading “Mortal Path Series: Bound By Blood TV Pilot” is outstanding. It makes me want to see the film in the future and watch it all over again. This is also similar to the award-winning movie “The Old Guard”, the story is about a colonial woman named Susannah from the past, and The Lord of the Underworld gave her the task of being an assassin. She is ageless, and the action and drama per scene are breathtaking. Dakota Banks, the writer has made sure that her works on this one don’t run out of surprises and people like me would ask for more. I can already see if this piece becomes a film, the VFX will be a blast. I imagine this one to go against those successful in the mainstream because it is a complete package, a loaded one that will give satisfaction to all.
Title: One Who Knows
Screenplay by: Shiloh Nyce
Pages: 23
Genre: Thriller, Adventure, Spiritual, Horror
Synopsis: A young indigenous woman mysteriously wakes up in a creek on the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada. While in the wilderness, she follows the guidance of an old Shaman to complete a series of dangerous quests where she must face her deepest fears. The monsters await. Will she live to tell her tale?
Review: A story filled with extraordinary adventures bound to life’s true calling, Shiloh Nyce’s short screenplay titled “One Who Knows” entails the daring journey of Du’qwela, a young indigenous Haisla woman as she rises through rocks and mountains, dives through the deepest falls, and conquer the amongst the meanest and scariest monsters. Reading through the screenplay was such an extreme experience, but other than that, I love how the story shares a remarkable journey of resiliency and courage. That even though Du’qwela did not know what lies ahead of her after the journey, she always finds the spirit to move forward. All in all, it was very well written and it made my mind create an incredible movie. Amazing work!
Title: Pilot: Life After Death
Screenplay by: Miriam S Russell
Pages: 71
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A former Miss America contender, married for 30 years, is suddenly single and must compose a new life, but encounters a series of cringe-worthy dates as well as a new family member.
Review: “Life after Death” by Miriam Russel is phenomenal, something that would easily capture any reader’s heart. The story evolves with a widowed former Miss America, Monica is set to journey to the new chapter of her life by being single again. To cope up with the loss of her husband, she tried dating again but end up having some creepy men not her taste. She also tried to pursue another career by going back to school. For me this is special, for the reason, it was created with life experience and twisted with the right content to spice things up. The creation of Russel to this screenplay is above average, for I want to read more of her work, the other episodes and eventually would wish to see it as television series in the future. This is a complete package, a success, and a work of a genius. I cannot wait for it to hit the mainstream of the industry.
Title:Remote Witness
Screenplay by: Amy Nicholls
Pages: 101
Genre: Sci-Fi
Synopsis: A retired Operations Manager is reluctantly brought in to oversee a covert military program created to train test subjects to successfully partake in the practice of remote viewing in order to further their own secret government agendas.
Review: When reading a good and quality story, one thing I notice is that every writer has a distinct style that they incorporate to the best of their ability in order to have a phenomenal output. Reading Remote Witness by Amy Nicholls let me see things from a different perspective, and one thing I love about it is the twists and turns of the story. Every scene has been thoroughly crafted and written to the highest level wherein readers like me can easily imagine how the story would run as if it were in a film. Another thing I love about this piece is the characters. They are fun, or should I say exciting because they are different and have an impact on the audience. When reaching the climax, I can say that Amy Nicholls exceeded my expectations with her screenplay because it really hit and connected directly to my emotions. I can say that if this screenplay can be turned into a full feature film, I am sure that it will be a big hit and could turn into a blockbuster for the mainstream. This is the kind of piece that I would keep asking for more. Kudos to Amy Nicholls!
Title: Swimming in the Rain
Screenplay by: A.J. Moss
Pages: 100
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Kaleb, a noble young teenager with a terrible fear of thunderstorms and a supernatural connection to them, falls for a teenage girl who can miraculously play the violin in the rain but only comes out when it storms.
Review: Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. And in A.J Moss’s feature screenplay, he creatively exhibits how one can get past fear and trauma by the flow of rhythm and water. It is titled “Swimming in the Rain”, a story about a teenage boy trying to conquer his fear with the help of a mysterious girl who herself is trying to break free from a supernatural being. The story had me feeling like in different weather because of the various kinds of emotions and energy that the phases of the story bring. I loved reading this story. It is unique and with a gripping drama, I’d surely want to see on the big screen.
Title: The Curb
Screenplay by: Justin Moodie
Pages: 18
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A young woman grieving over a loss experiences a violent panic attack while sitting on a seemingly ordinary curb. The attack triggers looks into her memories and some of her most intimate moments.
Review: Once in our lifetime, we are like Willow and Sam, the main characters in the screenplay entitled “Curb” by Justin Moodie. There are instances that we cannot help but reminisce incidents in our life, some may be good and others are bad, but as we move, it all becomes part of who we are at the present. The story of for me is a bit common, I can say it because in the sense that people always have something to remember from the past. I also would like to acknowledge that it is special because of the genuine connection and direct-to-heart scenes that will pinch to every reader’s heart as it did to me. Pure love is something that we rarely see nowadays, and lucky are the people who are with each other forever. The kind of writing in this piece is something that can be taken to the next level, a good one that will always be remembered by the reading public due to the gratification it has.
Title: The Midwife’s Case Notes in a Time of Contagion
Screenplay by: James Fitzmaurice, Sara Read
Pages: 10
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: During the year 1695, negotiations in a printer’s office give way to flashbacks of the plague some thirty years earlier, flashbacks focused on a difficult childbirth, a young midwife dealing with her first dangerous delivery, and an aging midwife finding new and renewing vocation in writing.
Review: “The Midwife’s Case Notes in a Time of Contagion” by Sara Read novel and adapted by James Fitzmaurice is a good one to read. It is a story about Lucie Smith, the main character, who is a midwife who experiences a hard delivery during her time. The experience she got in her career is something that she wants the world to know through publishing it, and this is the time when the story got more interesting and intense. This piece also shows that the women of yesterday also want an equal fair share of exposure to society, which can help the future generation.
Title: The Top (or Killing Detroit)
Screenplay by: Christopher Hood
Pages: 30
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A 70s radical black power group uncovers a government organized plot to sell drugs in black communities. The group is destroyed by the F.B.I. Thirty two years later, two of the group’s members are put on trial for a hate crime.
Review: Reading the work of Christopher Hood entitled The Top has open my eyes to the reality that is happening to the other side of the community in Detroit. Imagine the kind of racism that the black community has been dealing with since back then until the time today when George Floyd was killed. Our African American brothers and sisters have endured the pain for so long and they are hoping to be fully accepted to the society that they serve and loved with their whole life. The story will allow each reader to digest the hard reality that until now our society is facing. I commended this kind of work by Christopher Hood, something that can teach the new generation of the truth we are facing today.
Title: You Were Just Here
Screenplay by: Dania Denise
Pages: 100
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: After the tragic, sudden loss of her father, Sam, Vanessa takes his ashes on a cross-country train trip to fulfill one of the items on his bucket list. With an unexpected “plus one” joining her, Vanessa struggles to process her grief, as well as new information about her father that makes her realize she didn’t really know Sam at all.
Review: Dania Denise, the genius behind “You Were Just Here” literally made me shed a tear after reading twice her screenplay. Yes, this is an exceptional masterpiece; it is something that we can all relate from especially in this of pandemic wherein people pass away too fast. The respect, importance and good relationship of Sam as parent and father to his daughter Vanessa are something that all people can relate from. It is also shown here that the children’s love for their parents can also be overflowing even after death. Vanessa has made sure to fulfil her father’s bucket list item which is to go cross – country train trip and it is also one way to process her grief. This scene and other more awaits Dania’s audience and I can say that they will not be disappointed and probably ask for more with this kind of piece. The discovery, mystery and drama make this screenplay a deserving turnaround of becoming a movie. This is something that I will be waiting in the future.
Title: Zeda the Hunter
Screenplay by: Alexandru Ranta Gheorghe
Pages: 15
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Winter 2047. Dave climbs the mountains to hunt in a restricted area. Following a wolf in the depths of forest he discovers an ancient ruin, a few menhirs which form a gate. Fascinated, Dave walks throught the gate and enters a mysterious land. Here he will face his alter-ego: an old man named Zeda, a hunter from an ancient time. From hunter Dave becomes hunted …and he will receive a new identity. Dave starts a new life in the wilderness of mountains.
Review: It’s been a long time since I have read a fiction screenplay that is jam packed with exciting scenes. The story of Zeda The Hunter by Alexandru Ranta Gheorghe is a piece that I can describe as phenomenal in this season. The quest adventure that Dave, the main character, has taken is considered one of the hardest I have seen compare to other movies or books that I have read or watched. From a hunter then being the hunted is the twist that makes this screenplay a must read by everyone. The whole concept, the characters and other more has an equally levelled contribution that gives its audience like me the satisfaction to ask for more. I could not wait for this piece to become a movie and I know it will be a blockbuster to the industry.
