Watch the best scene reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/horror-festival-1st-scene-reading-grad-nite-by-sion-raize-interview

While enjoying an overnight celebration at a regional theme park, a group of graduating high school students are targeted by a vicious killer wearing a dragon mask.

What is your screenplay about?

Grad Nite centers around a group of high school seniors on an overnight field trip to a theme park where mutilated bodies begin to pile up.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

This is a slasher, a horror slasher, with a dash of coming-of-age for depth.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Slashers as a horror subgenre are unique in that nostalgia and familiar beats are expected and celebrated just as much as originality. It's the originality in Grad Nite that is unlike any other slasher you've ever read or seen. These are characters that are sidelined in other stories, taking center stage here, with a unique tone and energy that is patented me (Sion-Raize).

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

Tweets by wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk8FWeuRhTA

A young man navigates the weeds of dating apps while tending to his makeshift compost pile.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
My goal was to parellel new age dating with, kind of, urban farming or composting. With dating apps, intentions are often vague and can result in so many failed attempts. Often times you can find what you’re looking for without even lookingm in a more natural way. I tried to equate that to something that actually happened to me, when tomatoes started growing out of my own compost pile. Seemed like a fun little juxtaposition.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
I guess romance and a little bit of comedy? I’d like to expand on this at some point and include more drama.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think a lot of people would be able to relate given the oversaturation of dating apps and the dissociation that can accompany that, when the next person is just a swipe away.

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

Tweets by wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2VAxv7qARQ

Lee is hired to bring the seducer of a young woman to daddy for his particular vengeance. Daddy is an Arizona drug baron. The seducer works for daddy’s Mexican partner. Then too many people with guns and the wrong ideas intrude. And the job just got complicated.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

I will place the logline here for reference:

A down-on-his-luck enforcer is hired to bring a young woman’s seducer back to Daddy for a particular vengeance. Daddy is an Arizona drug baron. Seducer works for Daddy’s Mexican partner. Then too many people with guns jump to half-baked conclusions. And the job just got complicated.

And now, what is the story really about. And that is that people often draw the conclusions they want to, and will not be dissuaded by facts. They will rely on preconceptions and assumptions, and jump to the most comfortable, palatable conclusions. The cliche line would be “go with your gut”, the $20 version would say “cognitive bias”.

Advertisement

A secondary idea is the danger of mixing personal beefs with business (especially when the action is based on those faulty assumptions).

Our protagonist, Lee, the above-mentioned enforcer, tries to figure out what is really going on while others are going off half-cocked (with loaded guns).

Those are the ideas that underpin the story. Or we can just enjoy the action, the guys, the gals, the guns, the big old cars, and maybe even spot the hommage à Peckinpah – think The Getaway meets Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (the vibe, not the plot points).

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

a) Action

b) Crime, in the sense that all the characters are involved in crime or related to criminals, and law enforcement

c) Contemporary western, in its setting, and the number of wannabe gunfighters

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because, if done right, it would be a fun 110 mins, with enjoyable characters in a crazy action-packed situation.

And those who choose can ponder the deeper meanings of the film.

—-

Subscribe to the podcast:

Tweets by wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz6Xi_bkTbE

When a troubled teen’s wish to make everyone disappear comes true, she risks losing them permanently and must rely on an unlikely ally to save her town – the school bully.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

It’s about a teenage girl who gets bullied at school and is in a very dark place at the beginning of the story. She gets in a fight with her mother and in the heat of the moment, she wishes everyone would disappear. Little does she know that her wish instantly becomes true. She has to navigate through her new world and come to terms with herself and the other people in her life before she can move on.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

coming of age, fantasy, drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think a lot of young people can relate to the feelings of isolationism, grief, and trauma early in life that this movie presents. The lead character also deals with a lot of loneliness. Sometimes that loneliness is desired and wanted and sometimes it makes her wish for someone to be with her. It shows that our feelings are changing on a daily basis and don’t evolve in a neat linear pattern. I think ultimately what this movie expresses is that having these feelings is normal and takes time to sort out. Hope is around the corner even in our darkest hour.

————

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6h3AqETajg

Inspired by the Great Fire of Chicago 1871 following the investigation of Mrs O’Leary, a woman the newspapers blamed for starting the fire that spread all the way to Lincoln Park.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about Catherine O’Leary, the Irish milkmaid unjustly accused of starting Chicago’s “Great Fire” of 1871. As she fights to clear her name, she discovers the true culprit of the fire and faces an agonizing choice.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Historical fiction; thriller.

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

“Mrs. O’Leary” should be made into a movie because it’s about a 19th-century “cancel culture” that 21st-century audiences would recognize. The story transcends region and period. “Mrs. O’Leary” is set 155 years ago, and yet the Chicago world of 1871 isn’t so diffrent from our own — a world where vulnerable people are “othered” due to their homeland or accent and where they can wither under stronger forces that are determined to cast blame for a social problem.

----

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c35q4I1NZss

When an unnamed virus begins to kill off human males, a family takes refuge on a sailboat in hopes they can escape the virus.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

This story, like all of the stories I seem to write, is about my daily agony knowing one day I will have to say goodbye to my only Son, and figuring out how to make the most of the little things in life that bond us and my family.

The story itself is about an unnamed, new virus that is causing a mass die-off of human males. A father takes his wife and young daughter to his own father’s sailboat on the Atlantic Ocean to try and evade the virus.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

If I can pull this film off, it has the potential to be visually stunning, relying on the simplicity of a sailboat, human drama, moments of levity, grief, and elation. My attached actors, the stellar and criminally underutilized John Conway and a fantastic tiny powerhouse of an actress, Mila Rose, have the ability to push you far into the reaches of emotion. I am looking forward to working with a very intriguing, talented actor, Heidi Danea Crane who is also signed on.

——-

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttk712qLnB0

When a bitter nobody becomes convinced that Tom Hanks is the cosmic reason his life sucks, he drags a new friend on a chaotic cross-country mission to confront destiny-and maybe punch America’s dad in the face.

Conversation with Evan Neill on screenwriting, and the art of storytelling.

——-

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch script reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/in-the-house-that-elle-built

Elizabeth has her hands full with her two foster kids, a roommate and a new love interest that she's not sure can handle her lifestyle.

https://www.instagram.com/lbe.hackney/

——

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ATnlU8JqBA

The vicious attack that almost killed her erased all that she was. But not what she did. Elyse Tysoni s shocked to learn her taped confessions remove any hope of escaping her nightmare. Desperate for a lifeline, her only option is to be studied by Doctor Steve Bennett, a psychologist who specializes in psychopaths, to prove she is no longer a threat. But as the study progresses, it’sclearthere’smore to herstory than anyone knew.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

ORIGIN STORY is about a woman, Elyse Tyson, who wakes from a coma to find herself in prison with no memory. Everything that made her who she was is gone; her life turned into a living nightmare. And she’s still responsible for what she did. She’s a serial killer. Or at least she was. We follow Elyse as she tries to piece together who she is now by delving into her past, even if that means losing herself again.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Psychological Thriller

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Beyond immersing the audience in a thrilling journey into the dark recesses of the human mind, ORIGIN STORY explores what makes us who we are and the meaning of justice. By putting those concepts to the test in a scenario that is an extreme contrast to what most of us experience, it makes difficult subjects easier to digest and provokes discussion.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Relentless suspense

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

It’s a toss-up between Terminator 2 and The Princess Bride.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the Best Scene Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl_qNRmmZSs

A grizzly bear and a polar bear mate as a result of climate change and in an attempt to find food for their “grolar bear” cub the male polar bear must leave the safety of their ice cave to hunt and find sustenance for his new family in a harsh and increasingly difficult environment. He encounters humans and gets himself into a bit of trouble while simply trying to survive and provide for his family.

https://www.instagram.com/planetaeric

Get to know the writer:

It is a story about the Canary in the coal mine of climate change – Grolar bears. Grolar bears are a new hybrid species, a mutation resulting from the union of a polar bear and a grizzly due to habitat overlap caused by climate change.
This is a comical, yet heartfelt story of one father’s mission to feed his young grolar bear cub or face starvation. His nightmare begins when he encounters humans. Will he survive a nightmare lost among humans and get back safely to his family and save his cub? Or will his family be another casualty of our greed and exploitation of our planet’s resources?

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://youtu.be/biuPP3yLUY4

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

A gunslinger is hired to rescue and return a young person to their family despite all outlaws, odds, and attire.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Western, Action, Drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I believe, especially now, that understanding, listening, and accepting are something we need to get back to doing. Whatever form/medium necessary to push that, might be helpful.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDHl6jdZ3M4

Blue (formerly Logan) is a gifted transgender surgical nurse whose life spirals after a violent romance exposes her truth. Surviving a suicide attempt, she’s sent to an off-grid trauma retreat, where healing begins amid a web of broken souls, betrayal, and revelation. Returning home to confront family and memory, Logan reclaims his identity—detransitioning not in retreat, but in power. Blue Idaho is a raw, redemptive journey of self-forgiveness, queer identity, and the quiet strength it takes to choose yourself.

What is your screenplay about?

This screenplay is a bold, soul-stirring exploration of identity, redemption, and the courage to love one’s true self. At its heart is Blue (also known as Logan) — a precise, compassionate, and quietly suffering OR nurse who identifies as a trans woman. Behind her composed exterior lies a turbulent past: a childhood marred by neglect, abuse, and rejection. She inflicts harm on herself not for attention, but as a tragic ritual — a conversation with the inner child who was never allowed to speak.

Based on real memories, true events, and lived characters, this story is an emotional autopsy of shame, survival, and transformation. When Blue opens her heart to Connor, a young doctor who genuinely sees her, it shatters the rule she swore to live by: never mix vulnerability with proximity. When Connor uncovers her truth, the rejection that follows is brutal — familiar — and almost final.

Blue’s near-death suicide attempt leads her to an unconventional retreat, where healing unfolds in messy, unexpected ways. There, she finds not only herself, but also her voice — as Logan.

This story is not about being trans. It’s about being human in the aftermath of trauma. It’s about reclaiming dignity when the world has tried to erase it. It’s about survival — and the raw, beautiful work of learning to live again.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama and Coming-of-Age, with powerful psychological and emotional undercurrents that resonate universally.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it tells a story that has rarely — if ever — been told with such honesty, depth, and compassion.

Blue/Logan is a protagonist we haven’t seen before: a trans woman, a detransitioner, a medical caregiver, a wounded survivor, a human being whose experiences speak across lines of gender, politics, or identity. This is not a culture-war film. It’s a human story, and that is its power.

The screenplay holds a mirror up to all of us who have felt unworthy of love, who carry an injured inner child, who have learned to survive by shrinking. It dares to say: you are still here — and that matters. It is intimate yet universal, deeply personal yet painfully relatable.

This is not just an LGBTQIA+ story. It’s a redemptive character journey that speaks the emotional language of anyone who’s felt voiceless, invisible, or broken — and longs to heal.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

After being embedded with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, which ends in tragedy, a journalist heads to rural Maine to fully recover and finds herself on the frontlines of another battle, between a family of wolves and the ruthless land developer who wants them hunted down.

After a comrade dies in a horrific incident on the frontlines in Afghanistan, a war correspondent, forced to take time off, travels to Maine, only to stumble upon a exotic-animal hunting resort that threatens the local wolf population. When two wolf pups come under her care, she risks everything to stop the corruption and return the wolves to their pack.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

This script is about a war reporter experiences the death of a close friend, she thinks she never known a tougher battle until she inherits his dog and they witnesses the murder of a wolf, then a brutal land developer set his sights on them when she informs his his land
belongs to the Penobscot Tribe, now with the two wolf pups they’ve rescued as she wages the biggest battle of her life to save them and absolve herself of her friends death.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

My screenplay is an action/ adventure/thriller with a kick-ass female lead.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

This screenplay is about a woman stepping outside of herself to do something for the greater good in a world she knows nothing about. We have become so detached from nature and what the true meaning of what balance is and how important it is, I know this- you won’t find any true meaning to life buried in your phone. This movie will remind everyone who sees it what it feels like to be connected to something bigger than your
little world when you experience nature through the eyes and hearts of animals.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Redemption. Love.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

Watch the script reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8dO89qOZRk

An adventure seeking young girl comes of age, joins the Peace Corps, gets posted in the Congo and takes a wild ride through culture clashes and love affairs.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about an adventure seeking young woman who joins the Peace Corps to advance her career, gets posted in the Congo, and ends up falling in love with two fellow volunteers.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

The genre is Romantic Drama.

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

This movie needs to be made because there has never been a Peace Corps movie made before, and the Congo is the 4th world that Americans need to see.

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

In two words: compelling and original.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnOurfvF21E

Sci-Fi/Political/Action – A popular President’s re-election campaign is beset by a relentless, brutal Assassin with whom he shares a dark, shocking history.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

The fundamental story of Justice and the Machine is about one of the most popular presidents in US History, William B. Justice, becoming the target of a brutal assassin during his run for re-election. Calling himself “the Machine”, the assassin unpredictably succeeds in killing the President’s innermost cabinet. His loyal wife gets kidnapped by the Machine, and he soon reveals that he has a secret history with her husband that goes beyond anything she understood to be reality.

Much to her disbelief, she comes to accept the truth that her husband, the President of the United States, is an alien from another planet with murderous intentions to conquer the planet. The Machine is, in fact, his sworn enemy, and whenever they meet, they are obligated to duel to the death.

So, on its surface, there’s a lot of fun action and sci-fi sort of genre bending elements, but at its core is a story of deception and betrayal and the discovery that completely changes one woman’s world view.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

I used to enjoy calling it: My Sci-Fi/Political/Action/Thriller – so, depending on which page you turn, it’s one or more of those.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Are you freaking kidding me!? This is a franchise starter baby, come on! I’ve got the sequel and a follow up if they wanna go for three – I know how to meet a deadline, let’s write up that deal!

How would you describe this script in two words?

Crazy Politics

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLrcCUBi10A

Facing death due to different illnesses, three patients find themselves playing a made up game called The Mortality Game to experience life one last time risking it all.

www.instagram.com/thevelamonster

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
It’s about 116 pages! Sorry, I just had to get one “Dad Joke” in, even though I’m NOT a Dad (that I know of). “The Mortality Game’ is in essence a story of life as seen through the lens of impending death. It’s about how we as humans face the “final act” of the stage play of our lives. In the case of my three headed lead: Schubert, Halada and Tugger face it in their own differing, yet quirky ways. Ultimately deciding to take a final road trip across the country while playing a game where they do dangerous things to challenge and defy death, since they have nothing to lose.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Character Driven Dramedy for the most part, as it has elements of Comedy and Drama, with a bit of Coming of Age mixed in for good measure.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Because the characters are as diverse in age and attitude as they are strong in development and memorability. Because the story, about how we face death is an important one to tell, since that is a situation that none of us can avoid. Because it explores letting go as well as fighting back, finding the joy in the dreaded, and allowing yourself to feel what you feel facing the end, whether it’s understandable or not, expected or not, appropriate or not.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

Watch best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1057hMo7JU

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

High Ground is a dramatic, near-future story set in climate-ravaged Miami. Gloria Tejeda, a brilliant, physically disabled architect, becomes an unexpected hero. As rising seas and political polarization threaten lives and values, her fight against societal judgment, and radical extremists transforms her from a misunderstood figure into a national symbol of strength, vulnerability, and moral courage.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama, with elements of Science Fiction, Social Commentary, and Thriller. It delves into abstruse disability issues and touches on Romance and Political Satire.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

High Ground is a blend of personal and planetary crisis, addressing timely issues of climate change, misinformation, overcoming disabilities, and extremism. Gloria is emotionally insecure and physically limited, yet her internal and external challenges bring out inner strength. Her journey is inspiring, cinematic, and relevant. The story delivers suspense, emotional weight, visual spectacle, and a message of hope in a divided world. It is a story that needs to be told.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundp

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QDNj491w8Q

James Stuart Donovan Hastings, Earl of Billingswood, has had one headache after another. First his home is in disrepair, his nephew is too young for his own good, his best friend thinks he’s gone round the bend and now someone just tried to kill him. If it wasn’t for the angel with strawberry blonde hair and amethyst eyes, he might well be dead. Blasted horse, thinks he knows more than the master!

What is your screenplay about?

James Stuart Donovan Hastings, Earl of Billingswood, has a potentially deadly encounter on his way to Sandringham. He is rescued by a beautiful angel. His horse decides it is his right to make choices for the master. Can there be a happy ending?

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

With the success of other Historical Fiction/Romances such as Bridgerton allowing for viewers the chance to escape their day to day experiences, allowing them to immerse themselves in an era that has been romanticized.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Captivating drama

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

Princess Bride

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Couple of months

How many stories have you written?

Seven novellas

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0mBY_JoZVo

When a young, broke librarian buys an abandoned house on the outskirts of a British Columbian town, he starts to uncover the house’s secrets as unexplained incidents occur.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

The script follows a young programmer who moves into a haunted house in the Interior of British Columbia due to (widespread) financial difficulties.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

It is a horror picture.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

The story derives it’s chills n’ thrills from mood more so than sudden frights, which an audience will resonate with. The origin of the evil spectre which haunts the house and surrounding area is also relevant to issues of concern today.

How would you describe this script in two words?

‘Definite Appeal’.

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

By my recollection, either ‘Jaws’ or ‘The Maltese Falcon’.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJaOxm5dyWk

Mark Tyler gets out of prison after twelve years for a robbery gone awry. The loot is still out there. A corrupt cop, a local grifter, a femme fatale and the partner he left for dead all come marching out of his past to come for it.

Get to know the writers:

What is your screenplay about?
Jeremy Hogan: To me it’s about time. Lost time, how we spend our time, the futility of trying to catch up or outrun it.

Aaron Krygier… Lost people looking for something to fulfill that emptiness. Whether it’s something tangible or not. Love, revenge, greed.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
JH: Neo-noir or crime thriller
AK the same

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
JH: I’m biased, but I think it’s well written. Meaty characters that actors might relish playing, and it’s true to its genre, while subverting conventions and expectations in interesting or surprising ways.

AK it wears its influences on its sleeve and its simplicity offers a ton of options for outlandish Ness.

How would you describe this script in two words?
JH: uncertain redemption
AK… Evoking humanity.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
JH: Probably a tie between “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” or “Miller’s Crossing,” though “Adaptation” is catching up.

AK… Heat, Blade Runner, Alien, Se7en are all contenders.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod