Advertisements
Hugh Ritchie
SHORT Screenplay Reading – EVERYONE HAS THEIR DEMONS, by Dustin Prince
Watch the August 2017 Winning Short Screenplay.
Genre: Thriller, Comedy
The willpower of a recovering alcoholic is put to the test when he takes shelter from the apocalypse in a sports bar.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Hugh Ritchie
John: Nick Wicht
Luke: David Occhipinti
Pop Star: Michael Lake
Business Woman: Alicia Payne
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
One man’s struggle to stay sober against all odds.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Comedy/sci-fi
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
All characters has a strong presence.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Risk/Reward
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
The Punisher
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Two days to write and one to revise.
How many stories have you written?
Nine.
What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Arctic Monkeys- when the sun goes down
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Finding the proper ending.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Sometimes passionate with my wife….if I’m lucky.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
To receive proper and helpful feedback that we actually put to good use. Thank you!
****
Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Camera Operator: Mary Cox
Best Scene from PARADISE AT MAIN AND ELM Screenplay by Barry Brennessel
Genre: Drama
Adrian Stockwell and Ezra Cherevin both battle the fallout from their broken families. The written word becomes their therapy, their escape. With this shared passion, they learn to navigate a sea of challenges.
CAST LIST:
NARRATOR – Becky Shrimpton
EZRA – Hugh Ritchie
HARTWICKE – Percy Alexander Harris
ADRIAN – Benjamin Camenzuli
DR. DURSCHLAG – Paul Whitaker
STUDENT – Cass Van Wyck
WAITRESS – SECOND WOMAN WOMAN – Jane Smythe
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Two college students damaged by their upbringing develop a relationship through a shared passion for literature, and help each other navigate a sea of challenges.
What genres does your screenplay under?
Drama
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The story is one of hope and survival, and it explores not only physical abuse, but verbal as well, and the lasting effects. And, wow, these characters. The tales they have to tell….
How would you describe this script in two words?
Grit. Solace.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, which might be tied with Fargo, with Cocteau’s Orphee close behind.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
About 6 months.
How many stories have you written?
Approximately a dozen screenplays, 4 novels, and 3 short story collections. And a few radio ads. 🙂
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
It actually grew from a short story I wrote in college about a woman whose life begins to unravel when her safeguards vanish.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Since I adapted this from my novel, it was tough to figure out how to stay true to the book but make sure the story was told cinematically, as opposed to an hours-long “filmed novel”
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Travel, gardening, history, languages, and chocolate.
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Read, read, read, and write daily.
***
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Short Screenplay: THE TEACHER by Josh Goodman
Watch the October 2016 Winning Short Screenplay.
THE TEACHER
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: Drama
A young man confronts his teacher from high school
CAST LIST:
NARRATOR – Hugh Ritchie
YOUNG MAN – Benjamin Camenzuli
MISS PATTERSON – Becky Shrimpton
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
A young man confronts his teacher from high school.
What genres does your screenplay under?
Drama
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
To get people talking about mental health and the voting system.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Dramatic confrontation
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Reservoir Dogs
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
2 Months
How many stories have you written?
5 Short films 5 Feature scripts
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
People I know and don’t know with mental health issues
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Putting myself in another person’s shoes to write believable dialogue
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Filmmaking, art, people
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Get other people to read your stuff and use their feedback.
***
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Best Scene from LOVE IS NOT LOVE Screenplay by Stephen Keep Mills
| Best Scene from LOVE IS NOT LOVE Screenplay CAST LIST:NARRATOR – Sean Ballantyne FIRST MAN – Benjamin Camenzuli FRANK – Paul Whitaker CW1 – Percy Alexander Harris CW2 – Hugh Ritchie FIRST WOMAN – Cass Van Wyck JOELLE – Becky Shrimpton SECOND WOMAN WOMAN – Jane Smythe |
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: Drama, Romance
It’s all the gray that makes the glue.
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
It’s about love and my story takes a different look at it. We all know the romances and the quest for perfection—but in my view, Love is made from all the parts we don’t even notice. My logline: “It’s all the grey that makes the glue.” There are no formulas, only the unseen exchange of vulnerabilities.
What genres does your screenplay under?
It’s a love story. A romance. Narrative Fiction.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The images are good and it’s a fable and I think film is the best medium for story-telling.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Satiric. Sexy.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Oddly enough, A Man for all Seasons and that’s because Paul Scofield’s performance is one of a kind. That was a long time ago, now I watch everything with Jeanne Moreau.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Much too long. I had a first reading of it 5 years ago. The script never seemed right to me and I’ve hammered and hacked away at it, getting rid of characters, adding others, removing entire scenes. I have to make this now because time’s running out and there has to be a statute of limitations on re-writes.
How many stories have you written?
Around 50.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
Desire. At 69, I’m surprised how alive I still am and at the same time how much of my life is behind me. I wrote this to find a perspective for both the loss of and quest for Life that I feel with aging.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I just had to get the script right for myself. That took a while and in that meantime, the hope always is that at some point you’ll get to where you have the confidence to make it happen.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Red Wine.
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Writers who are dramatists, ie. not novelists, need to know the nature of scene-making—what can the actor’s performance bring, what can the editor do, what music is needed—you can’t just write, you have to create a piece that can be furthered by the brilliance of others. And don’t forget to be entertaining.
***
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Advertisements
