Screenplay Finalists

“Matador” – By Bruce Dellis

(read full script)

LOGLINE: A new employee learns why nobody talks about the CEO: he’s an unhinged bullfighter.

GENRE: Restrained Comedy (but played as drama)

SYNOPSIS: Jeff is nervous about his first group meeting with the company’s CEO, Dennis. The other employees never talk about Dennis, as this is strictly forbidden. Though a friendly co-worker tries to allay Jeff’s fears, the mariachi band in the conference room portends something unusual. Indeed, when Dennis enters the meeting, Jeff realizes why no one talks about the CEO: Dennis is an unstable — but proud — bullfighter.   

CHARACTERS: 

• JEFF – mid-20s. New employee attending his first official meeting; bright, eager to impress, and a bit apprehensive.
• DAVE – early 40s. Veteran employee; knows the ropes; unconcerned with Jeff’s apprehension.
• DENNIS – 50ish. CEO; proud, confident and insane; takes bullfighting very seriously; looks suspiciously like local actor Steve Briscoe.
•  GLADYS – 60s. Old-school secretary; dull, monotone, seen-it-all attitude

RESOURCES:

• Nice, spangly hat*
• Another nice, spangly hat**

 *sometimes known as a “sombrero”**see explanation above about the “sombrero”

“Rent is Due” – by Aaron Kyle Miles

(read full script)

LOGLINE: Two roommates are at the bank getting rent when a bank robbery occurs.

GENRE: Comedy.

SYNOPSIS: Nick and Will are two roommates who are on opposite ends of the success ladder of life.  As they argue over rent at the bank, a robbery occurs, sending these two spiraling into a series of events that will change their lives.

CHARACTERS:

• Nick – Average white guy with no aspirations or goals.
• Will – Successful black guy who just landed a possible promotion.
• Robber – Crazy, with unclear intentions.
• News Reporter – Professional, and wants to get all the details on the robbery.
• Billy – Nerdy and shy, but an unlikely hero.

RESOURCES:Access to any type of weaponry and clothing related to robber.

“The Loop” – by Matthew Himlin

(read full script)

LOGLINE:Two scientists test a time machine, but are they prepared for the deadly implications of time travel?

GENRE: Sci-Fi/Thriller

SYNOPSIS:Dr. Phil Zeitz and Dr. Bob Turing preform the first successful test of their time machine.  They discuss their next steps with Bob pushing to test a paradox and Phil insisting that they cannot exist.  However, their celebration is short lived as a note from the future appears in the machine. They argue over who sent it and what it means.  Phil wants to stop everything, but Bob wants to push forward at all costs.  Before they finish their argument, another item arrives from the future: Bob’s dead body!  Bob, convinced that Phil will kill him to prevent a paradox, attacks Phil and attempts to go into the past to prevent his death.   Phil struggles to stop him and in the ensuing fight Bob is killed.  Phil sends Bob’s corpse back in time to prevent the paradox, then enters the machine himself in a last desperate attempt at saving them both.

CHARACTERS:

• DR. PHIL ZEITZ (30-40 year old man): Phil is a brilliant theoretical physicist about run an experiment that is the culmination of his life’s work.   He is methodical and cautious (perhaps overly so) and his concern about the chance of failure overshadows what should be a joyous event.

• BOB TURING (25-35 year old man): Bob is an electrical engineer and has created the machinery to convert Phil’s theories to reality.  He attributes his engineering success to his willingness to take risks and push boundaries, and when something does fail his unwavering optimism has kept him going strong.  This optimism will be sorely tested. 

“Crank” – by Matthew Himlin

(read full script)

LOGLINE:Lou is such a cranky son of a bitch that he’s going to a wake to settle a score with a corpse.

GENRE: Comedy/Drama

SYNOPSIS: Lou is a cranky S.O.B. on a good day.  Today is not a good day.  Gabe, his grandson, drives him to Al’s wake.  Lou has some unfinished business to attend to with Al.  Gabe worries about the trouble Lou will get himself into and tries to talk him out of going, but Lou insists.  At the empty funeral parlor Lou confronts Al’s corpse.  He starts to curse Al out, but the rant soon reveals that Al was his best and only friend.  Having said his goodbyes in his own unique way, Lou returns to his grandson a friendlier (though no less foul-mouthed) man.

CHARACTERS:

• LOU (male, 70′s): Lou is a cranky Korean war vet.  On his best days he can be difficult, but today he must confront the death of his best friend.
• GABE(male, teens-early 20′s): Gabe is a wiry teen still figuring out what kind of man he’ll become.  He finds his grandfather’s bluster amusing and knows that despite the harsh tone, his grandfather is a caring man.
• FUNERAL DIRECTOR(male): He’s surprised to see anyone show up for Al’s wake, and even more surprised by what the visitor has to say.

“Team Work” – by Matthew Himlin

(read full script)

LOGLINE:Some teams just aren’t meant to work together.

GENRE: Comedy 

SYNOPSIS: Paul starts a team building seminar for Charlie and his team that soon spins out of control.  Charlie twists the workshop exercises into sadistic fantasies about torturing his team.  At first they plead with Paul for help, but Paul soon finds that they are all as crazy as their boss.  Paul finally gives up and storms out revealing the true genius of the team - getting out of a four hour Friday afternoon team building seminar in fifteen minutes.

CHARACTERS:

• CHARLIE (male, 30′s-40′s): Manager that seemingly rules his team with the detached malevolence of a dictator.
• SUE (female,30′s- 40′s): Always has something to say (though it’s rarely relevant or appropriate).
• MIKE (male, 30′s-40′s): The team geek and main target of the team’s abuse.
• JENNIFER (female, 20′s-30′s): Her charming looks can’t hide the fact that she is the craziest one all.
• PAUL (male, 30′s-40′s): Eager corporate trainer looking to make team building fun and exciting.

“The Chosen One” – by Dennis Ragsdale

(read full script)

LOGLINE:When the corporate intranet goes down, one down-and-out cubicle worker embarks on a quest to restore the network and defeat the evil forces of middle management.

GENRE: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Comedy 

SYNOPSIS:“The Chosen One” is a humorous and fantasy-filled spin on the plight of the modern day cubicle worker. The story is set in a white collar office of corporate America. Dan is an over-worked and underpaid cubicle drone under the malevolent supervision of his boss, Jameson. After stepping away from his desk to use the restroom, Dan returns to find the office transformed into a post-apocalyptic wasteland

CHARACTERS:

• Dan/The Chosen One: Protagonist. Dan is a downtrodden cubicle worker. He pulls long hours in a thankless job under the unsypathetic supervision of Jameson, his boss. When the network goes down, he unwillingly becomes The Chosen One, who is destined to quest to the server room and restore the network.
• Jameson/The Dark Wizard: Antagonist. Jameson is Dan’s boss. Malevolent. Uncaring. After the network outage he becomes The Dark Wizard, who Dan, The Chosen One, must defeat to restore the network. 
• Mike: Dan’s coworker and fellow carpool buddy. Maintains the cubicle fortress and sets Dan on his quest.
• Alice: Mentally unstable coworker who seeks refuge with Mike in the cubicle fortress.
• Kim/The Princess: The office intern/eye candy. She won’t give Dan the time of day but would gladly drop to her knees for the boss, Jameson. After the network outage, she becomes The Princess and gives Dan her full affection after saving her from The Dark Wizard.
• Random coworker: Gives Dan a vital message before collapsing down the stairwell.

 ”Lookout Mountian” – by Glendon McCarthy 

(read full script)

LOGLINE:

A sick young boy learns unexpected lessons in life and death during his fight to reach the summit of Lookout Mountain. 

GENRE: Drama

SYNOPSIS:

Six-year-old Henry is a fighter.  He has fought every hour of every day since the day he was born to stay alive, to breathe.  But when his progressive lung disease prevents him from accompanying friends even on a short day hike, he takes matters into his own hands and sets out to climb Lookout Mountain on his own.  Little does he know that he will learn poignant lessons in life, and death, during his fight to reach the summit.

CHARACTERS:

• Henry – The only visible things belying the fact that he is unlike other six-year-old boys are his slight paleness and the fact that he somehow seems to be both wiser and more innocent than his peers. 
• Sarah – A young woman, late twenties to early thirties, who has given up everything to keep her child alive.  Her attractiveness is not hid by the fact that she no longer has time to put much thought into what she wears or how she looks – or by the fact that she is very tired.  
• Man – A fit, successful, middle aged man, hair only slightly graying.  Too young to be dying on the side of a mountain. 
• Jack Kaiser – Typical thirty-something, soccer dad.

RESOURCES:

• Residence as scripted.
• Medical equipment as scripted.

“One Final Wish” – by Jeffrey Newman & Judd Lynn

(read full script)

Details Forthcoming

Screenplay Prizes

Why are there no cash prizes here?  Because submission fees are put towards a production budget to be awarded to the filmmaker to produce one grand prize winning screenplay!