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A serial killer who turns his victims bodies into works of art becomesfixated on a little girl. She has dreams of him and thinks he is her angel, her mother pays little attention to it until the girl makes a model of the murderer.
It’s a supernatural thriller slasher film where a new killer has come to wreak havoc and mystery in a quiet town by placing atrocious “totems” around. The story soon discovers that a single-mother and her child have some sort of connection to this killer; but why and in what way? As they scramble to unravel the mystery, the killer himself is dealing with his own EXISTENTIAL QUANDARY as to his own purpose.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I feel as if this particular story is unique in its set up and its layout, and hasn’t ever really been done. I like to think I take influence from Wes Craven and revitalizing and breathing new life into what is known as a drawn out subject matter. When I write, I try to imagine a film I haven’t seen, or a film I would want to see as a full fledged idea. This is why I feel a new, original (in my eyes) story is one to be seen.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
Slowly intensifying.
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Quite a few: probably Nightmare on Elm Street (original) over 25-30 times, Scream about 20+, and Hocus Pocus about 40+ times since 1993.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I started the first draft in my screenwriting class in Dec ’13, and it has slowly evolved over the years little by little-it still isn’t even fully complete.
6. How many stories have you written?
I’ve written about 5-7 short scripts, and 2-3 partial full features. Also, I’ve written quite a few short stories, not scripts, for various fiction/creative writing classes and 3/4ths of a novella.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
It actually came to me as I was reading a comic book that involved a former serial killer helping to analyze new crime scenes to help the police, yet he slowly starts to slip back to his ways—I’ll keep the title out to avoid copyrights. And I wanted to, in a sense, explore the psychological aspects of serial killings.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Still current. I was able to write the first 10 pages fairly quickly, but I am now only up to about 47 pages and haven’t finished.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Film studies/analyzing films. Or just general film viewing and collecting.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I’ve always been curious as to the start of this since it does involve dark subject matter and a child and her mother, so when I came across this festival through one of my many script sources I wanted to see if I was heading in a possible right direction and wasn’t too taboo or obscene. I was interested in grabbing the reader quick and taking a thrill ride through a killer’s psyche.
At first I was shocked that they actually understood where I was taking this and that I did a great job to convey the feeling of the story and leave questions for the reader to be wanting more. It felt good to know the script that is my most questionable actually is off to a great start.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Keep at it; collect stories, watch the world, write what you know and write what you want, not want the majority wants. Know what your specific audience you are writing for will be and don’t try to cater to everyone. Find your voice.
****
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Synopsis: A rebellious New Yorker suspects his warehouse retail employer is controlling the minds of it’s staff and causing them to commit suicide. CAST LIST:
RORSCHACH, by Federico Franchi, Filippo Pierangelini
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: TV series pilot, sitcom
Lawrence Maietti, 22 years old, is in serious troubles and now has to quickly find some money. Unable to find work, he has an idea: trying to get the government subsidy by reason of insanity.
RORSCHACH, by Federico Franchi, Filippo Pierangelini
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: TV series pilot, sitcom
Lawrence Maietti, 22 years old, is in serious troubles and now has to quickly find some money. Unable to find work, he has an idea: trying to get the government subsidy by reason of insanity.
Get to know writers Federico Franchi, Filippo Pierangelini:
1. What is your screenplay about?
FF: The screenplay is about a guy who struggles to achieve his results. To do that, he takes questionable choices that led him in kind of a different world, a brand new mental hospital, Here, he’ll learn something about himself.
FP: Is the story of a young man that, for necessity, finds himself in something bigger than him and, through that, he grows.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?
FF: We think that this story could work very well as a TV Series because it’s funny and the characters can be seen in many different circumstances that will make people laugh. A lot. But the most important thing about it, is that there is an actual story behind the laughing, and is about decisions, growth and, in some ways, social, common, issues.
FP: Our idea is to do 20-25 minutes length episodes because we have so much material and there are so many potentialities that a movie would be too short.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
FF: Funny, crazy.
FP: Fresh, strong.
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
FF: Star Wars Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi, no doubt about that!
FP: Robin Hood: Men in Tights
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
FF: We’ve been working for three weeks to write this first scene and to create the whole concept of the series.
FP: Yes, three weeks.
6. How many stories have you written?
FF: This is my third story, but there are many more in my mind.
FP: Is my very first time writing something.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
FF: I think that I really wanted to see how far this story could go and how the characters would react in all the situations, because I think that, even if is written as a comedy, this story is deeper than it may seem at a first look.
FP: Curiosity in first place, but also the fact that, even if it started as a thing just for fun, word after word it became more interesting and I see the potential of that story growing.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
FF: We didn’t wanted to write down just some sketches, we wanted an actual story. And to make that we had to think about the motivations of the characters and how to make the events funny but also real.
FP: The fact that we had a beginning, a triggering event, and a sort of ending but we didn’t have any idea of how to connect these two parts.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
FF: I love music and sports, but most of all I read a lot. I’m always looking for good stories.
FP: Rugby, reading and politics.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
FF: We wanted a feedback, because we really believe in this project but you never know how really good it is.
FP: We discovered the festival casually and we wanted to try.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
FF: I suggest to study as much as possible, read every script and to always believe in themselves. Be humble, but aware of their own abilities.
FP: Don’t be afraid of telling every story that pops up in your mind. I think that you’ll grow up through this job, whatever happens.
The screenplay is about one’s redemption and the dynamics of a broken family’s relationship through the guise of a haunting thriller that touches on many genres through the protagonist’s hellish journey.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The screenplay deals with issues that concern us all in one way or another, and sometimes without us realising it. It makes a connection to the way we deal with relationships via modern technology, either good or bad. So the subject matters in this screenplay will touch a nerve with the audience who will be able to make a connection with it, and also open their eyes to an unknown World right under their noses.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
FORGIVENESS. REDEMPTION.
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
As a child I was crazy about STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. But as an adult, I keep revisiting these movies that help me to understand the language of cinema; THE SEVEN SAMURAI, TAXI DRIVER, ALL THAT JAZZ and APOCALYPSE NOW.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I’ve been at this script on and off for about ten years. And I still think I’ve got another ten years to go. But one can keep on writing the same script forever. It takes a great writer to know when to stop and accept their limitations. I’m almost fifty and a late starter, so I’m still learning the craft.
6. How many stories have you written?
Since my early childhood I’ve written over twenty screenplays, but nothing seriously. It’s only in the last five years (now that my children have grown and left home) that I’ve decided to improve on my writing craft and start revisiting these old scripts that have been hidden away.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
My motivation was based on a challenge, to see if a could write a genre screenplay that also deals with social issues such as a dysfunctional family and how the internet influences our lives. But you would always find that you may go in different directions as you write, and the challenge is to discipline yourself and maintain your purpose and goal.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
The length of the script was a main concern. In the end I had to break the script into two parts and then found that the first half had no real ending as such. So I decided to create myself a challenge and began the story midway through the original script. So now I have a script for a prequel, delving back to the roots of the cause that the protagonist finds himself in this script.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love my music. I collect vinyl (the LP 33rpm record kind), and sometimes create my own movie-influenced music under the guise of D’bach which you can find on Soundcloud. I have created tracks that pay homage to filmmakers and movies. It is mostly experimental music, with a few attempts of dance music, but I get as kick out of it.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
Sooner or later I had to let the script go and I thought this festival would be a perfect way to showcase it. And to have it read by a group of actors is a bonus and a pleasure.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Watch as many diverse films as you can, and read all about the craft. Most importantly, understand the powerful language of film. And don’t be scared to be a ruthless editor of your own script!
First Scene Screenplay Festival 