Jane Smythe – Actor Performing at April 26th Screenplay Festival
Tag Archives: Jane Smythe
Jane Smythe – January 21, 2018 ACTOR
Best Scene from PORT SUDAN Screenplay by Jack Sherry
Best Scene from PORT SUDAN Screenplay
SYNOPSIS:
Genre: Drama
An argument between the French and the English.
CAST LIST:
NARRATOR – Becky Shrimpton
RON – Hugh Ritchie
JEAN CLAUDE – Percy Alexander Harris
SIMBA – Benjamin Camenzuli
FATHER GRIBALDI – Paul Whitaker
LAURA – Jane Smythe
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Port Sudan is about a CIA Agent who gets in over her head when she discovers uranium smuggling along the Congo Trail.
What genres does your screenplay under?
Action Adventure
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
How would you describe this script in two words?
Action adventure
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Back to the Future
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Four years
How many stories have you written?
I have completed two short stories, two novels and four screenplays.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I produced four documentaries for Discovery Channel called Wild Destinations. In these programs, a four-man crew traveled to remote locations and shot stories about what was going on. I used this four-man team as a basis for two of my screenplays, including Port Sudan. Basically the team goes into a location, gets into a scrap and has to extricate itself. Part of this idea was used for the screenplay from which this scene came.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Since this screenplay is based on a true story, I faced obstacles in telling too much about what is really going on out there.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Golf
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Think about who your characters are – where do they come from? What was their education? What formed their personality?
***
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
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
WILDsound Performer: JANE SMYTHE
See the 100s of actors who performed at the Writing Festival in 2015:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/wildsound_performers.html
JANE SMYTHE: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/jane_smythe.html
Jane performed at the Writing Festival in October and December 2015.
Best Scene SCRIPT – Comic Cons October 2015 Reading
Written by Peter Harmon and Larry Postel
FEATURE SCRIPT – Death Don’t Us Part October 2015 Reading
Written by Olaf Baumann
Best Scene SCRIPT – Capstone Lost & Found October 2015 Reading
Written by Pamela Green
SHORT SCRIPT – Symposium October 2015 Reading
Written by Tom Grady
FEATURE SCRIPT – A Ghost Story of Christmas December 2015 Reading
Written by Eddie Yaroch
TV PILOT – I Heart My Demons December 2015 Reading
Written by Rebecca Scott
TV SPEC – Modern Family December 2015 Reading
Written by Debi Calabro
Watch TV Spec of Modern Family by Debi Calabro
The Modern Family SPEC is a December 2015 TV Screenplay Winner.
Watch MODERN FAMILY by Debi Calabro:
CAST LIST:
NARRATOR – Sean Kaufmann
GLORIA – Jane Hailes
CLAIRE – Jane Smythe
PHIL/MITCHELL – Kari-Michael Helava
CAMERON/LUKE/MANNY – Robert Notman
LILY – Antosia Fiedur
JAY – Sean Ballantyne
Get to know writer Debi Calabro:
1. What is your spec for the Modern Family TV show about?
This episode it about the ups and the downs of parenthood but ultimately it’s all good in the end.
2. Why does this spec fit into the context of the show?
The spec shows the same tone and humor as the other episodes. All the characters have a chance to make themselves heard as individuals and also how they contribute to the family unit.
3. This story has a lot going for it. How would you describe this script in two words?
Endearing, funny.
4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
Moonstruck
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Two weeks
6. How many stories have you written?
At least 15 features, two 1hour pilots, one sit-com pilot and this spec script
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I love the show.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
With this screenplay I didn’t face any obstacles. I know and love the characters so well it was an easy one to write.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Horse racing
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I’ve been working with Wildsound on another project and they were very helpful with their feedback so I entered this one into the contest which won first time out.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
If you are really passionate and love writing, never give up. As long as you love it, it’s worth the journey.
Watch TV PILOT of I HEART MY DEMONS by Rebecca Scott
Watch the December 2015 winning TV Pilot Screenplay.
I HEART MY DEMONS by Rebecca Scott
CAST LIST:Â
NARRATOR – Sean Kaufmann
EVAN – Robert Notman
ROCKY – Antosia Fiedur
RENE/CLAUDIA – Jane Smythe
CLEMANTINE/JUDITH – Jane Hailes
MATTHEW/FRED/BUSTER – Kari-Michael Helava
ANDREWS/JOE/THE KOREAN – Sean Ballantyne
Get to know writer Rebecca Scott:
1. What is your TV PILOT about?
My TV pilot is about the plight of being human, having desires, urges and needs – that contradict society, health, convention, and common sense. Basically a young near-do well wakes up one morning to find his personal demons have come to life and are moving into make his life hell.
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?
I believe this screenplay should be made into a TV show because it’s audacious, provocative, and funny as hell. Most people can relate to a flawed anti hero protagonist, but having his struggles anthropomorphized by a cast of witty devious anti guardian angels is unique and a new spin on the dark comedy, internal life genre.
3. This story has a lot going for it. How would you describe this script in two words?
In two words – Audacious and hilarious.
4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
A Clockwork Orange.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I wrote it in one day, and rewrote it for a year.
6. How many stories have you written?
How many script have I written? Good ones? LOL – hundreds, but most are not fit for human consumption. I’m proud of about a dozen of my screenplays and pilots.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I was motivated to write this screenplay by the idea of morals, vs self. I Love watching a main character struggle to be “a good person” and “Make healthy choices” – when everything fun in life tends to arise from some kind of vice. Evan is surrounded by temptation, and must battle that to fix his life. I can relate to those struggles and dig seeing them manifested in TV.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
What obstacles did I face to finish this screenplay? None. I wrote it in one day in the lobby of a Florida hotel when my ex boyfriend got mad at me and kicked me out of our suite.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Aside from writing, I am passionate about directing, production design (my day job) my family, friends, current “Non kicking me out of hotel rooms, boy friend”, travel, food and having a bloody good time in life – while possibly doing a bit of good along the way. The good is optional, as long as there’s fun.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I entered this festival a few years ago with a short script I’d written and I won and it was very exciting, so I thought why not go back for more. Plus I feel the adjudicators have very good taste and thoughtful, insightful feedback. I regret not doing much of a rewrite based on their notes, but I fully intend to as they were smart and useful.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
My advice to other writers, is write every day even if it’s crap. Don’t put off putting down details and stories – you may think you’ll remember them but they’re never as fresh as in the moment. And fuck up. Fuck up hard. Life is never more interesting than when you’re looking at it from the bottom. People who aren’t out there living it, have no business writing about it.
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