Telling stories through film and conversation.
WSPodcast New Logo.png

WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

Posts tagged writing
EP. 1629: John M. O’Leary & John W. McMullen (THE TRIAL OF ROMAN WEINZAPFEL)

In Indiana in 1842, an unhappily married woman accuses a young, immigrant priest of raping her in the confessional. His vow to keep the Seal of Confession prevents him from speaking in his own defense. A climate of xenophobia and anti-Catholicism fuels a sensational trial and violent, shameful events that ultimately prove redemptive. Based on a true story.

Get to know the writers:

What is your screenplay about?

A young, German seminarian comes to America to finish his preparation for the priesthood and enter the mission field. Upon ordination, the bishop assigns him to assist a pastor in southwest Indiana. An anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant climate poses challenges to his ministry. These come to a head when an unhappily married woman accuses him or sexually assaulting her in the confessional booth. The screenplay essays the accusation, the resulting trial, his conviction, incarceration, and ultimately his pardon and release from prison.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Historical Drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

O’Leary: This is a fascinating true story of how xenophobia, religious bigotry, racism, and misogyny plant deep roots in America’s cultural fabric. These forces combine and erupt in a gross miscarriage of justice in antebellum Indiana—a state that less than a century later would become the stronghold of the KKK.

McMullen: It reveals an often forgotten era of 19th-century American history, making it a compelling series for a general audience, while also exploring the depths of religion, law, and society in early American history.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1606: Screenwriter Ama Adair (ORIGIN STORY)

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

EP. 1563: Screenwriter Darryl Mansel (ONCE UPON A TIME IN SPACE)

Watch Today’s Best Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNkD7_Fp8HI

Get to know writer Darryl Mansel:

What is your screenplay about?
Once Upon a Time in Space is about perseverance and struggle. It asks the question ‘how far are you willing to go to obtain something that you need?’

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Science fiction, action, adventure

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It should be made into a movie because adventure is sorely lacking these days. Plenty of action, very little adventure. The audience wants to go on a ride with characters, this will give them the means to do so while having the choice of which character they ultimately want to succeed.

How would you describe this script in two words?
WILD BUSINESS.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

How long have you been working on this screenplay?
2.5 years


Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1545: Screenwriter Brad Havens (JUSTICE AND THE MACHINE)

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


EP. 1518: Screenwriter Roberto Roy Nylund (BLOOD RED)

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

Summary: Researching transfusion therapy on different blood groups, something goes completely wrong when the test subjects start mutating and transforming into Zombie like creatures.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

A day in the life of a biotech firm takes center stage in Blood Red as we travel from floor to floor, department to department, meeting the teams that comprise Edgewater Laboratories and their sometimes adversarial motivations.

Edgewater’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Ruby Beck, is the inventor of a synthetic blood she’s named Ichor for the mythical golden fluid that ran in the veins of the gods. Ruby explains to an audience of investors gathered at the company’s headquarters that every two seconds, someone needs blood due to injury or disease.

Imagine a limitless supply of healthy blood in every hospital, school, military unit, and remote location. No more relying on donations. No more chance of contamination. No more delays in supply or delivery.

Three floors below, eight patients are halfway through the final trials of Ichor in the aftermath of a violent protest against the ethics of artificial blood that has put the entire company on edge. But today, something is different. Sabotage of the Ichor infusion is affecting each patient differently with horrifying results.

The day begins with routine patient observation and nerves around hosting the company’s first investor conference before spiraling out of control as we root for Ruby, fighting for her life from floor to floor while trying to unwind the conspiracy threatening her creation.

Ruby must reconcile if her creation is the pinnacle of healthcare or a threat to humanity.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Horror / Thriller

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Horror remains one of the few genres that’s arguably still best experienced in the theater with a crowd to share in the frights, jump scares, and wild reactions to what’s on the screen. Safety in numbers!

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1495: Screenwriter Olivier Ross-Parent (TAKE CARE)

Watch best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrexqrq7AIE

Something has happenned in Mady’s life. As an immigrant woman in America, she has achieved the American dream; A successful career as a doctor of psychology, a lavish home, nice car, and, most importantly a husband and two wonderful children, yet something is missing. Not knowing what it is, she goes looking for it in strange places and in ethically-questionable ways.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
It’s about an immigrant woman, who has embodied the American dream by becoming a successful psychologist, a wife, and a mother, yet has started living an increasingly destructive double life to escape her existential despair.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Thriller. Dark Comedy, maybe. Always find this question hard to answer.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Control and abandon.

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

It’s a tie between Eraserhead, and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.(1978)

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

2 years, on and off.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1493: Screenwriter Janna Jones (THE ART OF THE MATTER)

Watch the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_akiPTQU9g

Two strangers meet and sparks fly, but when he accidentally discovers forged paintings at her house, he leaves abruptly. That would be the end of their story except for the fact that he’s reported her to the FBI, and their children are marrying one another on Christmas day.

https://instagram.com/drjannajones

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

It’s about two successful fifty-somethings who have had good lives but have avoided relationships because of the pain they experienced when they were younger. Because they are forced to spend time together, due to their children marrying one another, they eventually have to come to terms with the fact that they are flawed humans who care for one another.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

The Art of the Matter is a romantic comedy and a holiday adventure.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it is an original take on the holiday movie, blending a Christmas romance with road trip adventure with heartfelt family drama.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Unconventionally conventional

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I’ve been working on it for almost a year. I did a zoom script reading with you some months ago, and the feedback I got from the actors inspired me. It seemed to mean a lot of them, but listening to it, it was clear I still had work to do on it, and you mentioned a few things that made me think I still had a bunch to think about and rework. I’ve revised it multiple times since the reading. It may be getting close considering that the script won at this festival.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1474: Screenwriter Kevin Barney (ROCK BOTTOM)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJinQjEWvf8

Summary: On the run from a job, Steph finds herself in danger and a target. She falls and lands under a Boulder which traps her for 2 days. While trying to survive as long as she can for help to arrive, she reaches an unpleasant realization.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

This single location thriller is about a woman named Steph who is forced to confront the choices she’s made in life – lying to her biological son about who his mother is, leading a life of crime because it was the easier path to follow – all while trapped under a rock as hired thugs try and find her.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Action. Thriller. Single location.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Not only is it a thriller, but I’m trying to say something as well about the decisions that we make as we move along in our life.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1472: Screenwriter Suzanne Birrell (PEARL FISHER)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj2UD32BCgI

When a precocious mixed-race five-year-old wanders into a fire station with only a backpack and a cryptic note about her missing mother, she has no idea it will set off a chain of events that will reshape her life. The little girl, who refuses to give her name, is sent into foster care and given the name Mariah Foster. Despite her resilience, she often runs away, gravitating toward the fire station where Fire Chief Teresa Cortez becomes a steadfast mentor.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Pearl Fisher” follows two parallel journeys of loss and ends in the same room.

A precocious 5-year-old girl, abandoned at a fire station by her pregnant mother fleeing abuse, enters foster care and is renamed Mariah Foster, though she continues awaiting her mother’s return.

In a parallel story, Kenny MacCayne, a newly-hired investigator, searches for a wealthy woman’s missing daughter who ran away years ago with Kenny’s previously unknown twin brother.

After Mariah survives an attack involving a cherished pendant, clues from a library volunteer and her distinctive swimming style reveal she might be the missing granddaughter. Skeptical at first, Mariah finally believes the truth when Kenny’s twin brother calls her by her birth name, “Pearl Fisher,” a secret known only to her mother.

. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Drama, Mystery

. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

“Pearl Fisher” is a story of hope and miracles, heartbreak and devastation, and ultimately the reunion of family and new beginnings.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1467: Screenwriter Michael Kezele (AFTERLIFE ANONYMOUS)

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

A gay ghost haunting a West Hollywood house, along with his dysfunctional Grim Reaper friend, help a straight cop solve crimes.


Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

It’s about a gay ghost haunting a West Hollywood home, inhabited by a psychic cop, in which the gay ghost and his dysfunctional grim reaper friend, helps solve crimes.

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

I wanted to enter the Toronto film festival because it’s one of the best out there. I was really surprised at my feedback. It was good. Even though I knew the script was good, you don’t expect it.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1459: Screenwriter Thad Alexander (THE SHADOW KILLER)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISexQ4GgQCo

In the heart of Bangkok, Detective Aran Chen, a defiant inspector haunted by his past, pursues the elusive “Shadow Killer,” a ruthless serial murderer. Armed with his sharp instincts and lethal martial arts skills, Aran battles through the city’s underworld, uncovering a chilling link between the killer’s motives and his own scars. As the lines between justice and revenge blur, Aran faces a deadly confrontation that will test his resolve and redefine his destiny.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
Shadow Killer is a grounded crime thriller set in Bangkok, following a police investigator haunted by his past as he hunts down a mysterious serial killer. As the body count rises, he relentlessly pursues the murderer, relying on sharp detective work and his martial arts skills. His past looms over him, threatening to cloud his judgment, but he pushes forward, determined to stop the killer. The chase builds to a brutal final confrontation, where his skills and resilience are put to the ultimate test.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Shadow Killer is a bold, high-impact reinvention of the action genre, fusing a gripping crime investigation with bone-crunching martial arts combat. In a world where thrillers often fall into predictable formulas, this film keeps audiences on edge with relentless action, shocking twists, and a hero who fights both a deadly killer and his own past.

With one or two game-changing twists leading to a high-stakes, brutal finale, Shadow Killer delivers exactly what modern audiences crave—an electrifying, no-nonsense action experience that’s as smart as it is thrilling. It’s a ride that never lets up, never holds back, and most importantly, never forgets to entertain.

This isn’t just another action movie, it’s the one that will leave audiences breathless.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1458: Screenwriter Jane Dafoe (REWIRING JADE)

A fierce forty-something woman tries to escape traumatic memories by participating in the Ironman triathlon, only to be diagnosed with CFS. As her life unravels, she clings to an unlikely friend who helps and then hinders her journey to recovery.

Get to know the writer;

What is your screenplay about?

This film is centered around the protagonist Jade, a 40-something newly single woman who is very driven in her work life and with her athletic pursuits.

On the surface she appears to be chasing her dreams, but in reality, she is running away from a nightmare.

This film explores themes of how people cope with trauma. We’ve all seen stories about people who dive into counselling, others who self-medicate or those who sink into depression. In this story, the character doubles-down on pursuing her goals. We know that society celebrates and admires driven people. In this story Jade’s drive causes her life to unravel, and she sinks into a state of self-loathing.

This film also deals with themes of identity. Jade struggles with the loss of her identity because she defines herself by the things she does, not who she is at the core. Rewiring Jade explores the complex relationships Jade has with unlikely friends who both help and hinder her journey.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I struggled with a chronic illness for a decade and my recovery felt transformational. When I came out the other side, I was not the same person as before. Writing this script allowed me to process and release the traumatic memories, making it a cathartic experience! Adding unexpected humour to the story helped me take my power back from an experience that almost destroyed me.

This film is not literally about me – rather it is inspired by what I went through. While the characters are fictional, a few are inspired by a combination of real people and imaginative elements.

While snippets of the story mirror real events, the main similarity that aligns with my experience is how Jade felt in certain situations. I have also tried to be as realistic as possible about the impact of CFS, but it has been toned down for the film.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1457: Screenwriter Nancy Lydia Kimmel ( JOSH’S EMPLOYMENT AGENCY OF BROOKLYN)

Watch the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFc5CPBmoUg

In the dilapidated streets of Brooklyn, Josh runs a failing employment agency that’s haunted by three ghosts. Josh is reluctantly recruited by them to help solve a series of murders. Of Course, Death’s AKA-Al curiosity is piqued and decides he’s in too.

Get to know the writer:

What’s the screenplay about?

It”s about a guy by the name of Josh, who runs or attempts to run an employment agency in the rough side of Booklyn. Josh’s demeanor on the outside is mild mannered, however, there is another side to him that is better left buried. He is able to see ghosts, for whatever reason, and there are 3 living upstairs who are his friends. Mary, his secretary, likes Josh and although Josh doesn’t show it, he likes her too. The three ghosts, Jazmine, George and Detective O’Shaughnessy, frustrated with their ghost boredom ask Josh’s if they can help somehow solve the crime of the young girls who have gone missing or have been murdered. Reluctantly Josh agrees . As it turns out, Mary can also see ghosts as well to her surprise when she stumble unpon Josh and the ghosts upstairs. To make a long story short, they all embark on plan to save the missing girls, and death, AKA, Al, catches wind and decides to help them as a change of pace. Their adventures begin, Mary winds up getting kidnapped and almost dying, death takes a liking to Jazmine, the Columbian rebels, living under immigrations radar in the area come to help them as well as the Brooklyn Police department. Does everyone live happily ever after? Maybe not, as it turns out Mary works for hell, let me rephrase that, she is the queen of hell, and it’s her job not to let the dogooders do too much good and upset the balance of good and evil. But no one knows Mary’s ulterior motives expect maybe death, AKA, Al.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1456: Screenwriter Tim Morell (HONG KONG)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orBQo7TcJY0

Caught between a suffocating marriage and a passionate affair, Anne Delbridge fights to find her own freedom, independence, and voiceamidst the turmoil surrounding the pro-democracy student uprising in Tiananmen Square, China.


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

Hard to say. I’ve seen Casablanca quite a few times, and The Apartment. I tend to binge watch films that attract my attention for one reason or another.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

When I first wrote it, it took me about a week to write the first 60 pages, and then about 4 months to write the next 30 because the script was taking me to a place I didn’t really want it to go. When I finally
stopped fighting it, I was able to finish the last act in about a week.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1450: Screenwriter Aleks Lyons (LIFESOURCE)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJ8KUPyDZ8

A young oceanographer discovers her gradfather’s plane – part of the Lost Patrol – and is thrust into an emotional journey with a rebellious reporter as the government tries to cover up what really happened that night in 1945. The duo uncovers an extraordinary truth of how water, our most precious resource, has a will and consciousness of its own and is an active, seemingly invisible, participant in its own survival from human destruction.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

In LIFESOURCE, well known historic events (the disappearance of 5 war planes we’ve come to call the lost patrol in 1945), a government cover-up, mysterious deaths and a romance, all come together when humanity’s killing of its life source (all of Earth’s water sources) reaches a tipping point and humanity and water are out of harmony.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It speaks to what humans are doing to the water sources on our planet and the value systems we’ve chosen to embrace and at the same time it stands on its own as a fun ride while creating awareness.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

Writer/Producer/Actor Dr. Greg McWhorter (SANGUINE DEPOSIT)

SANGUINE DEPOSIT, 15min., USA
Directed by Robert Del Campo
Mac is a violent, train hopping, drifter who has found himself wandering from small town to small town during the Great Depression. He is a sadist with no compunction about using robbery, or even murder, to survive. Although he seems happy-go-lucky, he can become annoyed or angered easily. To Mac, the world, and everything in it, are up for grabs to someone who is not afraid to use violence as a tool.

https://www.instagram.com/sanguine_deposit/

Get to know writer, executive producer, and lead actor (Mac), Dr. Greg McWhorter.

What motivated you to make this film?

Without getting into too much detail, I basically saw that I had an opportunity to work with a director to create my vision of a black-and-white, silent, horror, film, and I approached him with it and luckily, he agreed to work with me on it. I always wanted to make a silent horror film that would’ve been like the first slasher film ever made but also like a lost film from the 30s that we’re just discovering nowadays. And I wanted it to be violent, but also fitting with the times and I knew I had the chance to use a lot of great sets and I have an eye for buying the right pieces for the costumes and props. Basically this was in my head for years and I saw the opportunity to work with the right director to get this done.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was actually pleasantly impressed and excited by how much they seem to like the story and the acting, which was my doing. But I’m glad they also talked a lot about the cinematography which was my director’s doing. We made a good team and this film never would’ve been made if it wasn’t for both of us bringing our talents to it. I am always thrilled to learn when an audience likes our film as that is what it’s made for… Entertainment!

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1424: Writer Kimberly Lawton (THE SPECIALS)

Watch the stage play reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOvCadojSGY

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

Ultimately it’s about loneliness and how if can look different through grief or mental illness. Some people struggle with it and seem to function well (career, appearing ‘normal’) and others seems devastated emotionally and outwardly. Each of my main characters deal with it in different ways, but the fact is human beings need connection.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

This is a slice of life drama.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think resilience is always something that speaks to audiences. In spite of real challenges of grief and mental illness, it’s important to own your challenges and work through them.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Humanely complex

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

It’s a toss up between The Princess Bride, Casablanca and When Harry Met Sally. At different times in my life, I could recite each of them word for word.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1421: Screenwriter Cecil Harris (WHITE CHOCOLATE)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-wbuMLmLCQ

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
White Chocolate is about a female detective who, along with her male partner, has to solve the killing of a high school basketball prodigy in Yonkers, New York (near New York City). Detective Erika Gonzalez is a single mom and the daughter of a cop killed in the line of duty. Her son’s father, who proved unfaithful during their relationship, has been recently released from prison. The story focuses on Erika’s resilience in the face of personal and professional challenges, as well as the unwanted attention that comes to an attractive woman who simply wants to do her job.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama, Crime, Sports.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Erika is a character who faces so many challenges in a male-dominated profession and is constantly being tested, which makes her someone worth rooting for. Also, the basketball prodigy represents the hopes and dreams of many in a city not noted for producing famous people. Many in the community live vicariously through him, making his killing difficult for them to process. Fingers are pointed in many different directions. There’s a whodunit element to the story. Those who may be able to identify the killer before the detectives may be intrigued by the lengths to which the killer tries to avoid accountability.

How many stories have you written?
Two screenplays. The other is Iceman, which is about a Black hockey trailblazer in the 1995-96 National Hockey League season.
I’m also the author of four books: Breaking the Ice: The Black Experience in Professional Hockey (Insomniac Press, Toronto), the first book that told the unique stories of Black players in hockey; Call the Yankees My Daddy: Reflections on Baseball, Race, and Family; Charging the Net: A History of Blacks in Tennis from Althea Gibson and Arthur to the Williams Sisters; and Different Strokes: Serena, Venus, and the Unfinished Black Tennis Revolution. My books reside at the intersection of sports and sociology. I used to cover the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes for The News & Observer in Raleigh and the New York Rangers for Newsday in New York. The lead character in Iceman is based on Black NHL players I wrote about in Breaking the Ice.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1400: Screenwriter Amanda Minchin (MARY KAY & JOHNNY)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYF3iAqTGE

A newlywed couple takes on a one time gig to make ends meet and wind up creating America’s very first sitcom in the process… based on a true story.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

This is easily the hardest question – there’s so much to say about this!

This screenplay is a based on the true story of Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns, a couple of Broadway-bound newlyweds living in New York City during the dawn of the small screen. It’s an interesting time to be sure – post WWII, there are less TV sets in the U.S. than residents in all of of Manhattan. There’s more dead air than actual programming, and anything that does make it to air is done live. The pair manage to get their hands on 15 minutes of precious air-time, and are given carte blanch to make something great with it. They have no idea what they’re doing… but, then again, neither does anyone else! What they come up with is a show about their lives, featuring them as, well, themselves. In doing so, they accidentally create America’s very first sitcom, breaking barriers that would soon be too taboo to show on screen, from sharing a bed, to sharing a child years before I Love Lucy and The Munsters.

… And yet, nobody knows about it!

The reason for this is multifold. Some seasons weren’t recorded at all, or were recorded with lackluster equipment. Years later, company takeovers resulted in entire reels being thrown out. Of 300 episodes, only one remains.

What I’m proposing is a show about the making of this show. This screwball dramedy miniseries would follows the three season timeline of the original, and be in the vein of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but with the self-awareness of Kevin Can Fuck Himself.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod

EP. 1377 - Screenwriter Sarah Edmonds (KEVIN’S NOT DEAD)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcVED8gwsec

https://www.instagram.com/saraheedmonds/

G-man and Greg are just two guys trying to get through the day by doing the bare minimum. However, when a vampire hunter appears at their place of business, the pair start to suspect that their sunscreen-loving coworker Kevin is her target. After a few near-misses with the hunter’s traps, G-man and Greg decide to put their lives on the line to save Kevin from her murderous plot—even if he is undead.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

“Kevin’s Not Dead” is about two small town mechanics who are suddenly roped into helping a Romanian vampire hunter fulfill her quest for revenge. However, when her target turns out to be their strange but seemingly harmless coworker, they start to question whose side they’re really on.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

This screenplay is a horror comedy (emphasis on the comedy).

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I’m a bit biased, obviously, but I think the biggest draw for this screenplay in terms of production value is just that it’s fun! This screenplay offers a campy take on the vampire film that offers a nod to the classics while also keeping a more lighthearted contemporary tone throughout that I think works well for attracting both horror and non-horror fans alike. It’s a relatively self-contained script, as well, which is hopefully appealing in terms of set and budget demands. I think it strikes a good balance of being a low-budget option with a fairly broad audience appeal.


Subscribe to the podcast:

https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod