Genre: DramaPremise: After the wife of a missionary is killed, we jump back and explore the couple’s life together. About: Every Friday, I review a script from the readers of the site. If you’re interested in submitting your script for an Amateur Review, send it in PDF form, along with your title, genre, logline, and [...]
The thing that keeps every screenwriter up at night is the fear of boring the reader, the fear of writing a screenplay that isn’t any good. And here’s the terrifying reality. We’re all capable of writing horrible screenplays. From the guy who’s just starting out to the famous writer-director who pulls in 10 million a [...]
Genre: Drama/ZombiePremise: A high school girl has been contaminated with the zombie virus. However, in this treatment of the zombie dilemma, the change takes months to complete. About: Zombie spec script “Maggie” drummed up a lot of excitement a few weeks back when a bidding war erupted for the original screenplay and was eventually won [...]
Genre: ActionPremise: A man with an unusual job gets stuck trying to escape from a secret black ops prison. About: Mixed rumors on this one. Bruce Willis is supposedly attached. But Arnold Schwarzeneggar is also said to have taken an interest in Exit Plan. Either way, it looks like Antoine Fuqua is going to direct. [...]
Genre: DramaPremise: A woman forces her husband into couples therapy to save their marriage.About: This script originally made the 2008 Black List under the title, “Untitled Vanessa Taylor Project.” It more recently gained the “Great Hope Springs” title when it secured heavyweights Steve Carell and Meryl Streep in the cast. Actors rumored to be playing [...]
It’s Comedy Theme Week everyone. For a detailed rundown of what that means, head back to Monday’s post, where you’ll get a glimpse of our first review, Dumb and Dumber. Tuesday, I took on the best sports comedy ever (yeah, I said it), Happy Gilmore. Wednesday was Grouuuuuundhog Day. Thursday, Wedding Crashers. And for our [...]
It’s Comedy Theme Week everyone. For a detailed rundown of what that means, head back to Monday’s post, where you’ll get a glimpse of our first review, Dumb and Dumber. Tuesday, I took on the best sports comedy ever (yeah, I said it), Happy Gilmore. Wednesday was Grouuuuuundhog Day. And today, grab your invites cause [...]
It’s Comedy Theme Week everyone. For a detailed rundown of what that means, head back to Monday’s post, where you’ll get a glimpse of our first review, Dumb and Dumber. Yesterday, I took on the best sports comedy ever (yeah, I said it), Happy Gilmore. And today, I dissect a classic, Groundhog Day. Genre: Comedy [...]
It’s Comedy Theme Week everyone. For a detailed rundown of what that means, head back to Monday’s post, where you’ll get a glimpse of our first review, Dumb and Dumber. Today, I’m taking on the best sports comedy ever made, Happy Gilmore. Genre: Comedy Premise: A failed hockey player is forced to join the pro [...]
So the other day I did an amateur review of “Bass Champion,” a comedy about a Twilight-like actor who becomes a bass fisherman to win a movie role. I liked it quite a bit. The response to the script, however, was divided. Some people liked it. Others hated it. That response got me thinking. Why [...]
Genre: HorrorPremise: A group of paranormal researchers move in to the most haunted mansion in the world to try and prove the existence of ghosts. About: One of our longtime commenters has thrown his hat into the ring. Very excited to finally be reviewing Andrew Mullen’s script! — Every Friday, I review a script from [...]
So you want to write an Oscar-winning screenplay. Well, I thought I’d have a little fun this week and look back at the last 25 Oscar winners in the best Original Screenplay category and see if I can’t lock down a pattern or two as to what kind of script wins this most prestigious of [...]
Genre: Drama/ComedyPremise: A New Yorker heads back to the small liberal arts college he attended to give a speech for a retiring professor and ends up falling for one of the students while he’s there. About: Radnor is the writer-director of one of my favorite scripts, which used to be on my Top 25, Happy [...]
Genre: Drama/ComedyPremise: A New Yorker heads back to the small liberal arts college he attended to give a speech for a retiring professor and ends up falling for one of the students while he’s there. About: Radnor is the writer-director of one of my favorite scripts, which used to be on my Top 25, Happy [...]
Genre: Action/Sci-fiPremise: Special Agent David Marsh is recruited by a shadowy corporation to test a new game-changing computer generated amusement park. About: Amusements is an early script written by AICN contributor Drew McWeeny (aka Moriarty) and his writing partner Scott Swan. While the script didn’t sell, it did help McWeeny and his partner start their [...]
Genre: ComedyPremise: A high school girl getting ready for the biggest party of the year is tasked with taking her young brother on a quick trick or treating run. But when he goes missing, the entire night is thrown into disarray.About: Fun Size made the bottom half of the 2010 Black List and is being [...]
Genre: ComedyPremise: A Twilight-like actor becomes the face of Bass Fishing in a desperate attempt to get an audition for Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Old Man And The Sea.About: Every Friday, I review a script from the readers of the site. If you’re interested in submitting your script for an Amateur Review, send it [...]
Am I upset that Source Code only made 15 million dollars on opening weekend and finished behind an irritating poorly animated bunny? Of course! I wanted the movie to make a bajillion dollars and prove to Hollywood that spec scripts can make good movies too, especially spec scripts as good as this one. It didn’t [...]
Genre: Black ComedyPremise: After a high school kid finally lands the girl of his dreams, she becomes severely crippled in an accident, and fully expects him to continue with his boyfriend duties.About: Head Injury made the lower half of the 2006 Black List. I don’t know much about the writers though, other than they have [...]
Info: The Beaver won the prestigious top spot on this year’s Black List and will supposedly be starring Steve Carrel in the title role.Writer: Kyle Killen When a friend brought up not too long ago that scripts get bought all the time for reasons other than their quality (starring vehicle, trend, etc.) I hadn’t yet [...]
