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A plump Canadian gosling who can’t fly is abandoned by his family when they migrate south, so he decides to undertake the journey on webbed foot with two furry companions.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
This story explores the theme of what makes a family a family. I think many people can relate to the idea that blood does not always make someone family and that things like loyalty, friendship…
Three refugees, thrown together by chance, flee a modern-day civil war set in an unspecified country. Evading the army, rebels, bandits, gods, and demons, they head to the one place no one dares go – the Haunted City at the heart of the country. There they seek out the White Witch, who rules the City and who’s either their ticket out or their worst nightmare.
A teen romance thriller that takes place in a world in which everyone has nine lives. In this world of nine lives, an aspiring football player must risk all of his lives to rescue his girlfriend from the ruthless leader of a gambling syndicate who’s trying to fix the college football championship game.
It’s about a group of cunning high school seniors who try to outwit their wary principal in order to pull off the ultimate senior prank.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Whether we happen to be in high school or not, I think it speaks to the high school kid in all of us who secretly want to pull off the ultimate senior prank without having to face the consequences. It’s about rules and how some rules are meant to be broken sometimes. It reminds us that having good friends is important in life–even as we get older and you can never go wrong following your instinct.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
Funny and Original.
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Way too many to count. Titanic. I hate to admit it, but it’s true.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
About 2 years.
6. How many stories have you written?
About 5-6.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
The most impactful experiences in my life were in high school. My teachers and friends taught me a lot about life and how to be a good person. I wanted to give back, so I decided to volunteer my time and tutor students struggling in the high school I went to. This script came out my own positive experience in high school and tutoring the students.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I work full time as a physician and take classes part-time at Academy of Art to complete my MFA. I wrote this script on my own time, so I would say the biggest obstacle was time, but like anything in life, you find time for what you love to do.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Teaching. I really like teaching high school students. I don’t get paid for it, but it is a real treat to go back to my own high school and teach in the same classrooms to the new generation of students. I also love to run!
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
Like any writer, I go through extremes of what I think my script could become–the next oscar winning screenplay or the worst screenplay written…like ever. I entered to see if anyone else besides myself would actually like it! The feedback was really positive and motivating. It made me feel it could go somewhere. I started pitching it and got a request last week (which I know does not mean anything–the executive may not like it and then I’m back to sqaure one, but still it was fun to send it to him since I have never been able to get any of the scripts I have written in an executive’s hands…until now!)
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Everyone says write what you know, but I would say weave in what you know with what you want to see on the movie screen. Find a mentor and listen to him or her. Write as much as you can and read as many scripts as you can. Get coverage. Don’t ever send out your first draft. If you look at the success stories of many professional screenwriters, almost everyone has a unique journey which lead them to the big break. Professional screenwriters exist–so why can’t it be you? Life’s not a spectator sport–like my favorite high school teacher taught me–you have to go after what you want.
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Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Watch Table Reading of the July 2016 Winning First Scene Screenplay.
NINE SCARS by Kelly Crawford
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
A teen romance thriller that takes place in a world in which everyone has nine lives. In this world of nine lives, an aspiring football player must risk all of his lives to rescue his girlfriend from the ruthless leader of a gambling syndicate who’s trying to fix the college football championship game.
IN A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS NINE LIVES, AN ASPIRING FOOTBALL PLAYER MUST RISK ALL OF HIS LIVES TO RESCUE HIS GIRLFRIEND FROM THE RUTHLESS LEADER OF A GAMBLING SYNDICATE WHO’S TRYING TO FIX THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
IT’S ORIGINAL, WITH A COMPELLING REMINDER THAT WE HAVE ONLY ONE LIFE TO LIVE.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
ACTION PACKED!
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
ONE YEAR.
6. How many stories have you written?
TWO SO FAR.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
FIVE YEARS AGO I SURVIVED A BRAIN HEMORRHAGE AND BEGAN CONTEMPLATING MY MORTALITY. IN DOING SO I THOUGHT ABOUT A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS MULTIPLE LIVES AND THAT LED ME TO CREATE “NINE SCARS”.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
GETTING CONFLICTING FEEDBACK ON STORY IDEAS.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
SHARING THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
THE FEEDBACK WAS EXCELLENT. VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND HELPFUL. I ENTERED THE FESTIVAL BASED UPON THE NUMEROUS POSITIVE REVIEWS I READ ABOUT THE FESTIVAL.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
WRITING IS A CONTINUAL LEARNING PROCESS.
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Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Amusingly indulging in the sports and pastimes of England in the Victorian age, the American Wild West and the show business flavour of the era. This is the true story of how an impoverished 10 year old Irish cross-eyed boy escapes the coal mines, saves what’s left of his family and delivers retribution by taking on history’s most brutal and deadly wrestler to become the Heavyweight Catch Wrestling Champion of the World!
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It’s an amazing story that hits on many points of interest, which a wide audience would enjoy watching.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
Unbelievable entertainment.
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I watched Time Bandits many times as a teenager and have recently had the pleasure of watching it again with my wife and son, who’s 11.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I started with my first outline after I began researching the family history, 8 years ago.
6. How many stories have you written?
In writing, cutting and polishing, just this one screenplay, I have written countless short stories.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I thought of writing a film script after finding out Tom Connors, the cross-eyed, bow-legged, 5ft 6in and only 145lb wrestler, who managed to become the Heavy-weight Wrestling Champion of the World in 1887, was my great-grandfather.
But I was compelled to write when I discovered that he:
Worked the circus for P T Barnum.
Authored the first mail order wrestling/training instruction book.
Set up the “Tom Connors Athletic and Speciality Entertainment Company” which toured America, travelling from town to town, state to state and coast to coast, challenging any man of any size or weight to a wrestling match, offering $25 to anyone who could last just 15 minutes.
And that the entertainment included Farmer Burns, who before wrestling you, would drop 6 foot into the hangman’s noose and swing from the rope for 3 minutes whilst whistling “Yankee Doodle Dandy”. And the Glenroy brothers, a comedy boxing act whom Thomas Edison filmed in his earliest recordings.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Turning a rigid true story into an imaginative drama comedy, often meant running out of ideas and direction. Feedback has been an essential ingredient in keeping me on track.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
My helpful and supportive family, growing fruit and veg, fishing, travel and local history, especially the local myths and legends that abound where I live in Wales.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
The chance of having my script performed by professional actors, was an opportunity not to be missed. My initial feedback was to the point and very helpful in highlighting where improvement was needed.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Dive into your characters, leave yourself behind and try to be and act like that person, individual and if possible, unique.
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Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to film. These reproduced sounds can be anything from the swishing of clothing and footsteps to squeaky doors and breaking glass.
I was very fortunate to sit down with the brilliant and under appreciated Foley Artist Mark Costanzo. Marko has worked on over 500 productions and is a 2 time Emmy winner. (If the Academy had a category for Foley, Marko would have won more than a few Oscars.)
Andy Kennedy is easily one of the most skilled Sound Designers working today. He has worked on many landmark productions besides his two Emmy winning shows for Best Sound in “Band of Brothers” and “Generation Kill”. He has worked on “Game of Thrones”, “Batman Begins”, the recent “War & Peace” series, 5 of the “Harry Potter” films, and “The Imitation Game” to name a few.
It was a pleasure to chat with Andy about the art of Sound Design in film and his career.
Matthew Toffolo: You’ve worked on over 90 productions in the sound department in the last 35 years. Is there a job you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Andy Kennedy: Some of the early projects – It was a time of mixed technology and a challenge creatively. ‘The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb’ was made in Bristol by animators who worked with…
Synopsis: A Civil War true adventure tale of three Union soldiers, the first winners of a Congressional Medal of Honor, whose audacity and bravery trumped the superior lethal technology of the Confederate South in their daring raid into the heart of Dixie.
Martin Blinder: A true story about how, during the American Civil War, three daring Union soldiers, a suicidal fatalist, a reckless gambler and a morose obsessive-compulsive sneak into the Confederate South well behind enemy lines and there commit many successful acts of sabotage, all the while eluding almost an entire pursuing Confederate Army, and at war’s end are awarded this…
Matthew Toffolo: Out of all the amazing films you’ve worked on, is there one or two that stand out that you’re most proud of? 
First Scene Screenplay Festival 