COMEDY 1st Scene Script Reading of THE WRECKERS, by Kristy Leigh Lussier & Lee Vander Boegh

 

Genre: Comedy, Romance

They’re paid to turn weddings into disasters, and now are hired to plan a fake one. But when thrown into a job out of their element, this unbreakable duo quickly discover the only disaster they’ve created is the one between themselves.

CAST LIST: 
Narrator: Carina Cojeen
Ellen: Carly Tisdall
Trevor: Christopher Huron
Groom: Peter Nelson
Pastor: David Occhipinti
Bride: Kiran Friesen

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?
 
Professional wedding “wreckers” Ellen and Trevor travel the country ruining weddings for a living  — and have a reputation for being the best in the business. No job is too big, no vows are too sacred.

When a new client, Brad, offers them the paycheck of a lifetime, the duo face their greatest challenge yet: Throwing a fake wedding. Brad, a closet gay man, can’t receive his inheritance until he marries a wife, and his only hope is that Ellen and Trevor can pull off the most elaborate, convincing fake ceremony ever. But between drunk chauffeurs, Brad’s crazy & overly religious family and only 60 days to plan, Ellen and Trevor begin to unravel, which leads them to recognize there’s something real between the two of them. When they finally reveal the true feelings they have always had for each other, one last surprise guest arrives who could destroy the wedding, and their relationship, forever.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Comedy:  Either Rom-Com or Buddy Comedy

2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

The Wreckers will appeal to both the Millennial and Gen X male/female audience. Fans of awkward, zany comedy will appreciate the over-the-top, raunchy humor beats, while romantic comedy fans will enjoy the underlying elements of defining love in the 21st century.

Along with the absurdity of their chosen profession, both lead characters have unconventional views on intimacy and relationships, yet maintain a strong sense of confidence in their environmental surroundings. They represent a piece of all of us in today’s heavily influenced social media world as the film explores the question of where do fake identities end and real “people” begin?

The premise is funny, high concept and original, there are some fantastic comedic beats throughout the narrative and it’s very easy to see this on screen!

3. How would you describe this script in two words?

Hilarious Disaster 🙂

4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

“Jaws” — it goes back years in my family, and was shot & filmed where I was born in New England. 🙂  My partner will say “The Big Lebowski”– hands down.  Cause, why not??

5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Six years.  Three years were spent just researching, brainstorming and working on a plot outline. First draft was finally penned a few years ago, and we have been re-working, editing, polishing…etc ever since.

6. How many stories have you written?

Too many to count.  Honestly.  I have been writing since I was ten years old.  My partner, Lee, has a journalism and news reporting background, and just recently stepped into screenwriting the last 5 years.

7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

In my daily life (right now) I have a background in Event Coordinating, including Wedding planning. Lee just basically hates weddings  (haha) and one night while driving to a wedding event, he briefly mentioned the idea of someone making a wedding more memorable when something really BAD happens.  After a moment, we both looked at each other and said “We should write that. People who make weddings bad.”  And it just went from there.

8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Working with a writing partner can be a challenge on it’s own. Though we are a perfect match, it was many, many nights of going back and fourth about plot points, character development and comedic beats.

Plus we really did want to spend a few years talking to people about their wedding experiences and try to mold some real life things into the script. So to finally get a full draft out took awhile.

9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

We are both filmmakers in general…. we both have a strong Acting background, and Lee is an EMMY Award winning Producer/Director. We do a lot of short horror films too,
and have made the rounds in the festival circuit the last few years with our shorts.

10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I kept hearing about this festival and about Wild Sound. Many friends and contacts have participated and loved the experience. Honestly, this was our first submission ever of the script to any contest/festival.

We didn’t expect to get the amazing feedback that we did (only because we are hyper critical of ourselves).  The feedback was SO helpful and gave us a great insight into some things we had not really brushed on. With the feedback we got, we were able to make another good edit on the script and re-submit to a few other contests, which we ended up placing as Finalists in both.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE Film Freeway!  I find it very user friendly, really well organized and easy to search out different festivals and contests specific for what you want. I’ve had nothing but great experience with Film Freeway. 🙂

****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

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1st Scene Screenplay Reading of AMERICAN SNAKE PIT, by Dan Tomasulo

Genre: Drama, Crime, Mystery

Based on a true story a young doctor takes over an experimental program the government is trying to shut down to help save the most troubled patients out of Willowbrook, the worst asylum in American history

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR: Rachel Rain Packota

Kate: Vanessa Burns
Dr. Dan: Isaiah Kolundzic
Mrs. Grimp: Stephanie Haines
Jack: Jason Gray

Get to know the writer: 

  1. What is your screenplay about?

Based on a true story of a young doctor who takes over and attempts to save a group home comprised of the most troubled patients from Willowbrook, the worst asylum in American history

 

 

  1. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Historical / Drama (Although it recently won the category for best comedy / drama)

 

 

 

  1. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

American Snake Pit is in the vein of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.  The true story aspect makes this the first movie of its kind concerning the treatment of psychologically-disturbed patients coming from the infamous Willowbrook Institute, a hell on earth Bobby Kennedy called a “snake pit” in 1965. The movie is a heart-warming and surprisingly funny story of patients not just surviving, but flourishing for the first time in their lives, proving the resilience and hope of the human spirit.

 

 

 

  1. How would you describe this script in two words?   

Disturbingly hopeful.

 

 

  1. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

All of Me

 

 

  1. How long have you been working on this screenplay? 

One year—but the memoir it is based on—10 years.

 

 

 

  1. How many stories have you written?

Over 50.  A little over half of them have been published.

 

 

  1. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Born in the USA.  I live in Jersey.  I live in Asbury Park—You got a problem with that? J

 

 

 

  1. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Moving from the book toward the screen required changes.  I originally thought it would be more documentary style—but ends up it is more “inspired by” as these changes were introduced.

 

 

  1. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? I am a psychologist and teach at UPenn in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program (MAPP) and designed and teach the Optimal Well-being program at Columbia’s Spirituality Mind Body Institute. My deep interest is the intersection of positive psychology and storytelling as an agent means

 

****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

Watch the October 2017 1st Scene Script Winners

Submit your First Scene to the Festival: http://firstscenescreenplay.com

Watch the October 2017 1st Scene Script Winners:

 

ACTORADVENTURE 1st SCENE Screenplay – THE MONSTER HUNTERS CODE
October 2017 Reading
by Ryan Brannan

ACTORFAMILY 1st SCENE Screenplay – MY ATARI CHRISTMAS
October 2017 Reading
by Chris Parrish

ACTOR1st SCENE Screenplay – DEFYING THE TIDE
October 2017 Reading
by Anna Bamberger

ACTORTHRILLER 1st Scene Screenplay – BUNNYMAN BRIDGE
October 2017 Reading
by Colin K. Stewart

 

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Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

Winning 1st Scene of DEFYING THE TIDE, by Anna Bamberger

Watch the October 2017 Winning 1st Scene Screenplay.

A gripping history of a young Jewish mother and her baby desperately hiding from Hitler, and a courageous German woman who offered her help.

Genre: History, Drama

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Laura Kyswaty
Meyer Fromm: Brandon Knox
Frieda: Premika Leo
Ruth Abraham: Julie McCarthy
Ruth’s Rabbi: James Boutcher
Old Man: Luke Robinson
Walter Abraham: Rob Notman
Housekeeper: Lindsay Rolland Mills

****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

 

 

1st Scene Screenplay – THE LEGEND OF JAMESTOWN by Sherwin Allen

Genre: Drama, History, Sci-FI

When a white slave owner suddenly turns black, and becomes enslaved, as he fights for his life and freedom, he learns that one cannot be judged by the color of their skin alone.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Val Cole
Martha: Mandy May Cheetham
Oliver James: Ryan Yusep
Knox: Allan Michael Brunet
Betsy Walker: Angelica Alejandro

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

The Legend of Jamestown is about a white slave owner in America during the 1800s, who turns black mysteriously, and in turn becomes a victim of his once profitable situation.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama and Sci-fi

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

This screen play should be made into a movie, because right now America is going thru a very racial period, with movements like Black Lives Matter and White Supremacy groups that are marching in the street, and in reality its sometimes hard for one person to understand another person’s struggle until they are in that person shoes, and this screen play reflects heavily on that.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Racial Awareness

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Saving Private Ryan.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

7 months.

How many stories have you written?

7 screenplays.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

The racial tension in America at present.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Focusing on only this script, I tend to write multiple scripts at a time.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about directing movies, I love being on a film set and being able to create imaginary worlds.

You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

FilmFreeway is a great platform I use them for all of my screen plays and movies. It’s user friendly and if I have any issues they get back to me quickly.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I was influenced to enter this festival because I love to see actors reading the script it helps me to see which lines actually work and which lines don’t work. I was excited to see a project with a very tense subject matter, received well by the festival. It can be a tender process writing about real life matters and getting a negative feedback, so it was nice to get good feedback on such a screenplay.

****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

1st Scene Screenplay – THE GATE by Della Vance Greenawalt

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

The Gate is an action/adventure about two boat rental operators who go hunting for their missing boat and get sucked through a magical gate and must find their way out before the predators there eat them.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Val Cole
Brian: Ryan Yusep
Hiram: Peter Mark Raphael
Officer Dees: Allan Michael Brunet

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Two regular guys get sucked under a sandstone arch that is actually a time gate. They land 150,000 years ago in Pleistocene North America where they must stop the maniac who rented their boat from wiping out our hominid ancestors.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Fantasy and Action/Adventure.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It is such a fun movie, entertaining and funny, along the lines of Indiana Jones meets Jurassic Park (although it is after the dinosaur extinction when mammals became giants and man first appeared.)

How would you describe this script in two words?

Prehistoric safari!

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Probably the Princess Bride.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

About a year. Many revisions later…

How many stories have you written?

Lots. More than I can count.

What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

It has changed directions with suggestions from the writers’ workshop I am in, 5150 at The Academy of Film Writing. Peer reviews have been invaluable.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I volunteer at an animal shelter rescuing dogs. I have three at home presently.

You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

FilmFreeway is such a great way to enter contests, so easy and they let the writer know the status of each entry!

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I had never heard of a first scenes festival and was immediately interested. I like the idea that you must hook your audience in the first 10 minutes.

****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox

1st SCENE Script Reading of GRAVITY’S PULL, by Robert Sivigny

Genre: Drama, Crime

An excellent séance fraudster evades police capture by faking his death.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Dr. Johnson: Geoff Mays
Maria: Ariel Brooker
Roy: Hugh Ritchie
Rosemary: Julie Burris
Voice of Dead Child: Pip Dwyer

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

An out of luck carnival medium tries for one last big score on a desperate widow, and discovers his act might not be a con after all.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama, horror.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

A story about the final scam of a carnival con man who claims to be able to speak with the dead: who wouldn’t be intrigued?

How would you describe this script in two words?

Gravity’s Pull.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

A few years.

How many stories have you written?

50 or so.

What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Moritat (Sonny Rollins)

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Always finding the time, and then the distance to read it objectively.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Not much.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

This script had some success in various contests, but little else. After putting it aside for a year, I decided to try another draft, and wanted to get some feedback on the first scene. I enjoyed your contest, and the feedback was worth the entry fee. The first scene and its aftermath become increasingly central to this story as it unfolds, so it was important for me to see if it worked, as odd visuals are quickly introduced. And the central question of whether you want to spend more time with this character.

*****

Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Camera Operator: Kierston Drier

Editor: John Johnson

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

Winning 1st Scene Reading of AVES, by Daniel L Burke

Winning Screenplay – AVES
Written by Daniel L. Burke

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Julian Ford
ALFRED – Mandip Brar
GRAMPS – Allan Brunet
DR. BLACK – Sean Ballantyne
CHRISTINE – Amanda Quach
MARVIN – Zake O’Connor
DR. OHNO – Kayla Lakhani

SYNOPSIS:

Genre: Thriller, Horror

Mankind fights birds for control of planet Earth in an Apocalyptic battle of Armageddon.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

In the year 1980 residents of an Ohio town are rounded up and executed for the takeover of their land.

Now.

From the deepest part of space, a lost space probe filled with lethal alien radiation returns to earth. The President orders a strike of nuclear missiles.

On vacation, a horrified family watches the missile attack. They stare haplessly as the radiation from the destroyed probe encircles the planet. Filled with anxiety; the family attempts to returns home with the mother and son carrying a deep secret.

The alien radiation encircling the earth transforms the planet’s billions of birds to instruments of death and destruction. They are stronger, and more intelligent, and realize that man must die. Soon the Aves of the world join forces and attack.

In multiple battles, the fleeing family fights the violent birds on their quest to safety. Of the six-member family only two survive, the mother and daughter. The two finally reach their destination; a military bunker sitting deep in the Ohio hillside. In the fortified structure, the mother reveals her plan for world domination with her lover, the President’s leading General. The daughter realizes that she is the only one who can stop the insanity. It’s a fight between daughter, mother, the General and birds for rule of the planet. In the supreme battle inside the bunker, only the daughter survives. The finger of God saves the world as a massive solar flare cleans the atmosphere of the alien radiation.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Horror, Sci-fi, Drama, Suspense, Thriller, Action, Fantasy, Adventure

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Two reasons. The world needs quality entertainment. Second, it opens the door to my world of films.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Surpassing splendor

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

That’s a good question and I really don’t think I can answer it. And that’s because I watch my new movies until I wear out the grooves. Then I don’t watch them for awhile. But if I was on a deserted island with one movie; it would be “West Side Story.”

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

To be perfectly honest, it only takes me about a month to write the raw draft, another half month for the refined script. The problem isn’t the script but the research. It consumes all the time and can take weeks.

How many stories have you written?

If you include manuscripts I will say about thirty-five. If you want to just want to know about my screenplays including musicals I would say, twenty.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

Shooting photography I saw a chorus line of birds sitting on electrical wires and that was it.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

None really unless you count researching the subject, I wrote “Aves” and “Looking For Love” back to back and they both flowed like water. It took about three and a half months. I missed October, November, December and the first part of January.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Photography and music. Those are my two main passions after writing. I have photographs on my FaceBook page and Deviant Art. Also, I have pieces of music that I composed on some of the music sites.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I had entered your Logline Contest and figured I would give it a shot. Man I was mad because the mistakes were minor but major to the script.


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*****

Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Kierston Drier

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

Winning 1st Scene – Sandstorm by Neil Chase

Winning Screenplay – SANDSTORM
Written by Neil Chase

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Cora Matheson
MITCH – Daniel Chung
ROY – John Fray

SYNOPSIS:

Genre: Action, Thriller

Sandstorm is a disaster film about a single mom and her deadbeat ex who race to save their daughter as a massive sandstorm devastates their hometown.


Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Sandstorm is a disaster film about a single mom and her deadbeat ex who race to save their daughter as a massive sandstorm devastates their hometown.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Action, thriller.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It’s unlike other disaster films in that it’s written with a smaller budget in mind, and centers around the relationships and dysfunctional family dynamics of our lead characters more than on the spectacle of the devastation. That said, there’s something here for everyone – action, comedy, drama, and most of all, heart.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Fun ride.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Star Wars.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

The first draft took two weeks. Then a few months more for feedback and rewrites.

How many stories have you written?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, so it’s hard to say how many short stories there have been. That said, I’ve written thirteen feature screenplays, numerous short screenplays, and my debut novel is about to get published.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I always wanted to write a disaster film. So I picked one that I haven’t seen before.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

None that I can think of. It was a fun experience from start to finish.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

My other passion is acting, which actually helps me to be a better screenwriter, as I’ve learned where to focus in terms of dialogue, action lines, and so on. I try to write the kinds of scripts I would want to read as an actor.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

The First Scene Screenplay Festival seemed like a great way to test the waters with this script. I’m grateful for the win.

TV CONTESTSUBMIT your Best Scene Screenplay or TV SPEC Script
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FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed
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*****

Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Camera Operator: Kierston Drier

Editor: John Johnson

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne


TV CONTESTSUBMIT your Best Scene Screenplay or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.
Screenplay CONTESTSUBMIT your Best Scene Screenplay or FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed
Screenplay CONTESTFIRST SCENE (first 10pgs) Screenplay CONTEST
Submit the first stages of your film and get full feedback!

1st SCENE Reading of THE DEBT, by Michelle Patkowski

Winning Screenplay – THE DEBT
Written by Michelle Patkowski

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Elizabeth Morriss
SARAFINA – Georgia Grant
ANIELA – Cora Matheson

SYNOPSIS:

Genre: Romance, Drama

One soul, two life times, do we reincarnate into similar circumstances until we deal with the life we are born into and the choices we make, which determine our karmic debts.


Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My script, “The Debt” is based on my own history with sexual abuse and my parent’s past in Poland. Its core premise is based on a Tibetan Buddhism philosophy called Lenchak, which is translated as Karmic debt.

My story spans two generations so that I can illustrate the importance of solving our “issues” now – in our current life – so that we can avoid similar circumstances in our next life.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It has a powerful message about the challenges that people with mental illness face and how you can choose to handle what circumstances you have been dealt in life, and ultimately a mental illness does not need to define you or the future quality of life you have, it can be managed with hard work.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Powerful, confronting.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Sixteen Candles and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Since 2015.

How many stories have you written?

Eight screenplays, but I have only sent two out into the world to competitions and agents/producers.

What motivated you to write this screenplay

The catalyst was an emotional break down I went through.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

None, it poured out of me, when I was in recovery, it was a cathartic experience, that helped me heal.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Horses, I have studied and worked with and healed them for over twenty years now.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

Getting an actual table read of the first scene is an honour, but also gives life to written words. I’m always open to all kinds of feedback, when you finish a script you have to let it go to some extent and other people’s perspectives and feedback can make your re-writes more productive making the script better, my initial feelings were very positive.

*****

Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Camera Operator: Kierston Drier

Editor: John Johnson

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

TV CONTESTSUBMIT your Best Scene Screenplay or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.
Screenplay CONTESTSUBMIT your Best Scene Screenplay or FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed
Screenplay CONTESTFIRST SCENE (first 10pgs) Screenplay CONTEST
Submit the first stages of your film and get full feedback!