At fourteen, I saw Casablanca for the first time. This led me to many older films that I previously would never have watched. I quickly became fascinated with the film noir genre, enjoying films like The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, Sunset Boulevard, A Place in the Sun, and Vertigo. The Third Man has influenced me more than anything else I have ever watched. My primary interest is screenwriting, and -- evidenced by what has influenced me -- my writing generally is tonally bleak.
In Progress
Contract
Feature Length Script
Contract is a noir about a former contract killer passing through a small town who runs into his old boss and must go back to work for him in order to help a woman in need of money.
The story follows Joe as he tries to move past what he has done in his life as a contract killer. He tries to settle down in a small town when he meets an intriguing and mysterious woman named Alida that he falls for, but then he finds out that his old boss, Kane, has also fled to this small town and wants Joe to kill three people for him. To make matters worse, Alida tells him that she is being blackmailed and needs money quickly. Joe agrees to go back to work for Kane, but Joe’s actions throw the town into chaos. This story has all the themes of a classic noir, as we encounter a femme fatale, a charismatic villain, and a rugged protagonist who has perhaps done much more harm than good in his life.
I am now two complete drafts into this script. This story is adapted from a short film which I wrote and directed that has nearly completed post-production. I plan to work on more backstory for the town and characters in order to bring more depth to the story as I continue into future drafts. I have considered experimenting with novel writing for this story as well, but I believe the story lends itself better to the screen. I plan to use my short film to shop this script around and ultimately get it made into the feature-length gritty noir that audiences would love.
Across The Sky
Feature Length Script
Across The Sky is a sci-fi war film about a human space traveler who must find his missing partner in the midst of a war between two alien species.
The story broaches themes of loneliness and isolation as we follow this human who falls in league with a species that are experts in replication but are incapable of innovating. They learn his language remarkably quickly and he helps them develop weapons and other resources for the war effort. The species they are at war with are more human-like in their innovation, and thus, the Replicators copy each new element they invent, causing the war to be in a standstill for generations. With the human’s presence and input, both species start evolving at alarming rates, all while the human continues to search for a trace of his missing partner.
I recently completed a first draft of this script. I plan to go back and work on backstory and history for this world that I am developing. I also plan to do a lot of research into the development of weapons and other war-time resources, because I need to know what natural substances need to be available in the landscape. I am also considering writing this in novel form in order to publish it as well as to help flesh out the backstory and finer details of the story and the world as a whole. I would then complete the script.
