Screenwriting

Captions!!!

Hi Maurice, will try to see if I can find a picture. May try to adopt a real estate technique & see if I have any from younger days. I am curious about AI because of the massive speed & productivity increase from analytic writing doing in days, that would have taken months. So we'll see if there is any help with screenwriting. AI seems to work best in a back & forth, not on it's own, & the back & forth is super fast with results in seconds where a human could take days, if not longer.

Couldn't do too much in terms of writing without my laptop(stuck at Geeksquad lol). But I DID build my network this week lol

At the moment, I’m editing and translating my script, a historical and war drama, and then I’m planning to break it down into episodes.

Wishing all writers good luck and inspiration with your projects.

I’m treating every day like the general meeting is already on the calendar. My “one step” right now is knowing my story inside and out — rereading the script, tightening the pitch, and living with the characters until I can talk about them from the macro (theme and arc) down to the microscopic (why they choose each action). Basically: breathe, eat, sleep the story so I’m ready when the room opens.

I submitted a pilot entitled, Specter. Logline: Vincent Specter, the black sheep of a legendary family of private investigators, struggles to live up to his legacy—until he inherits four ghosts that help him become a "Guardian of Goodwill"

The screenplay/script that I submitted is for a series that I believe would fit on either a streaming service or network. ZON is a character-driven, politically charged prestige sci-fi drama built for today’s global audiences series that blends scale, emotion, and cultural depth. The series picks up in the year 2045, Twenty years after the mysterious abductions of 130,000 humans who have return aboard a fleet of alien starships carrying a dire warning: the Dvora, a ruthless and ancient enemy, are coming. Representing the powerful Ylatchee Imperium, Archduke Nathan Kilmer must navigate a fractured Earth splintered by nationalism, corporate dominance, and mistrust to unite humanity before it’s too late.

What begins as a moment of awe quickly becomes a geopolitical struggle for survival. Nations race to interpret the Imperium’s message, control advanced technologies, and claim power. Families are reunited with loved ones who have been changed physically, culturally, and spiritually. As Earth grapples with its own divisions, the abductees must prove they are humanity’s best chance at survival and not its greatest threat.

• Identity, belonging, and cultural hybridity

• The moral cost of power and political ambition

• What it means to be human in an age of transformation

• How we navigate truth in a world drowning in misinformation

It tackles these themes through the lens of spectacle, emotion, and character similar in spirit to The Expanse, Arrival, and House of Cards, but with a deeply personal core.

For me, as a Black LGBT creator who grew up loving science fiction but rarely seeing heroes who reflected my identity, ZON is not just a series it’s a reclamation. It’s a chance to build a universe where representation is not an afterthought, but a foundation.

The Ylatchee Imperium

A powerful interstellar alliance composed of multiple species each with unique cultures, technologies, and politics led by an emperor and a ducal council. This includes:

• Ylatchee – honor-bound reptilian humanoids with advanced tech

• Ukak – engineers who designed the hyper-gates

• Xolden – avian traders and negotiators

• Agi – energy-generating species once enslaved

• Micor – insectoid masters of biotech

• Olani – spiritual healers

• Dvora – breakaway, genocidal predators and the central threat

This lore is meticulously crafted and functions as the mythological and political backbone of the entire franchise.

• Pilot Script — A prestige, high-concept thriller with emotional stakes

Refined through extensive story development, character integration, and worldbuilding.

• Season Bible / Episode Breakdown

Featuring character arcs, cold opens, thematic evolution, and political structures.

• Proof-of-Concept Footage

Shot to capture tone, scale, visual identity, and emotional resonance.

• Concept Art & Pitch Deck

Featuring designs, ship concepts, planetary cultures, and dramatic key frames.

• Two Companion Comic Series

Exploring parallel perspectives within the ZON universe.

• Tabletop Strategy Game — “ZON: Cosmic Warfare”

A deck-building game that expands the lore and deepens audience engagement.

Every piece is designed to position ZON not simply as a TV show, but as a flagship sci-fi franchise with multi-year narrative potential.

With ZON, I’m building the kind of universe I wish I had growing up: inclusive, ambitious, and unapologetically rooted in representation. A universe where the future belongs to all of us.

Under my banner, Draconem Ignem Entertainment, I’ve spent over a decade creating content across TV, film, comics, and music videos. My career in production script to screen, cinematography to post has shaped my understanding of how to craft emotionally grounded, visually compelling stories. ZON is the culmination of that experience.

This isn’t just a pitch.

It’s a calling.

A belief that new worlds can help us better understand our own.

Pat, I turned in a comedy-drama-mystery called "Down to One."

Here's the logline: A single juror's painstaking caution forces her otherwise-preoccupied, totally-entrenched colleagues to carefully consider the evidence for a highly-informed decision in a murder trial in modern-day Charlotte, NC.

If you're an American and you've voted, chances are you've gone to a courthouse and sat on a jury. (My time came in the middle 1990s.)

Back in high school, the English Lit book our sophomore class read (1970-71) had Reginald Rose's "Twelve Angry Men" teleplay in it. Man, was I impressed!

Years later, I saw a rerun of the 1954 teleplay (originally on CBS' "Studio One") and the 1957 theatrical movie when TCM ran it. And when I first got into screenwriting and TV writing, I wanted to cook up a spoof.

And I wanted that spoof to feature an America that really looks like America.

A couple of years ago, I found out when North Carolina's Mecklenburg County decided to build a new courthouse, county officials turned to rank-and-file citizens for answers on how to get more people there fired up to serve on juries.

One major result: If you serve on a jury in the Charlotte area, they treat you to...free popcorn.

With all of that in mind, I set out to write something that can be described as "'Twelve Angry Men' meets 'Airplane!'"

I hope "Down to One" gets the job done...I had a ball writing it and submitting it. (Erika, I hope you enjoyed reading it!)

Hello!

My name is Shahara Marie Ruth.

I am a retired English Language Arts and Social Studies Educator. My work is a reflection of past and present experiences and observations regarding the complications of race and ethnicity in the United States Deep South and family connections.

I am excited to submit Redemption Song (A Town Explodes), a gripping and socially resonant drama that explores themes of love, identity, and the painful truths of a racially divided community. Based on true events and inspired by my family’s hidden history, this film weaves courtroom intensity with personal transformation to create a thought-provoking and emotionally charged narrative that exposes the hypocrisy of racism and the courage it takes to confront it.

Logline

In the racially divided town of Raidersville, Georgia, a shocking trial uncovers hidden truths about love, identity, and the tangled legacies of hate, forcing the community to confront its deepest prejudices. Amidst the chaos, a young interracial couple fights to protect their forbidden love and unborn child from a world determined to tear them apart.

Set in Raidersville, Georgia—a town where racial tensions are deeply rooted—Redemption Song follows Carter and Tiffany, an interracial teen couple whose love and unborn child become a flashpoint during a high-profile trial. When Bobby Lee Hall, an undercover member of the Ku Klux Klan, is charged with a violent crime, the proceedings unravel generations of hate, culminating in the revelation that the Klan’s leader, Colonel Whitaker, is descended from an African American slave. As secrets surface and the community fractures, Carter and Tiffany must fight to protect each other and the life they’re creating.

This emotionally charged story, reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, A Time to Kill, and Just Mercy, is built around rich character development, layered storytelling, and shocking revelations. It is designed to resonate with audiences who are drawn to stories that challenge societal norms and uplift historically silenced voices. My own background as a Southerner, DNA researcher, and eyewitness to many of the real-life events depicted gives this story an authenticity and urgency that is both timely and necessary.

I believe Redemption Song (A Town Explodes) is an essential addition to the canon of socially conscious cinema—one that will spark meaningful conversations about race, legacy, and our shared humanity. I would be honored to explore how this project can be brought to the screen in collaboration with your team.

My previous work includes collaborations with the late Tommy Ford (Martin) and Charmin Lee (Girlfriends, The Chi) on my feature The Ancestors Live Here. You can view the sizzle reel for that project here:

https://youtu.be/2Pae_1VfL-A?si=HeSh1sirjnJf43j8

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the opportunity to speak further about Redemption Song (A Town Explodes) and its potential to make a lasting impact.

Warm regards,

Shahara M. Ruth, M.Ed.

Hi. I'm Cecile George from Trinidad and Tobago, and I entered my feature script After 12.

After 12 is a female-driven psychological feature with magic realism and adult situations, sort of Promising Young Woman meets Pan’s Labyrinth. The title comes from a local saying by pedophiles that “after 12 is lunch”, meaning that a female is fair game for sexual advances once she turns 12.

A sexually abused teen summons an African protector deity to help stop her incestuous uncle who’s grooming her naive younger sister for prostitution.

14-year-old AYLANA REESE has been repeatedly raped for almost two years by her mother’s half-brother BLUES, whose bar Aylana reluctantly helps out at under her mother’s orders. Blues tries to reduce in his gambling debts by prostituting her to his creditor who also has an affinity for underage girls. But the MOKO JUMBIE, who is Aylana’s African ancestral spiritual protector, helps her to escape and she vows never to let Blues near her again.

Struggling to overcome her trauma, Aylana rejoins her late father’s indigenous martial arts troupe, now run by AMIT DAS, a concerned former student of her father. Amit turns out to be the only other person who can see Aylana’s Moko, but societal conventions and his own caution restrict what help he can fully offer. Aylana is also desperate to keep her needy pre-teen sister LISETTE away from Blues, afraid that he will start preying on her as well once she turns twelve in a couple of weeks. Like their mother, Lisette adores her Uncle Blues and won’t hear anything against him, even from Aylana.

But when their mother's impending migration requires her to leave the girls in Blues’ guardianship, Aylana has to make some hard decisions. And after a huge fight that drives Lisette into Blues’ clutches, Aylana is forced to again seek the Moko’s help to save her sister.

After 12 was a quarterfinalist in both the 2023 Nicholl Fellowship and the WeScreenplay Labs Competitions, a top 7% discoverable project on the now-defunct Coverfly.com, and has received a double-recommend from Stage32.

I personally know many people who were sexually abused as children. Since I work in Trinidad's heritage industry, I wanted to use local culture and folklore to illustrate the terrible things that can happen when people are consistently denied agency over their own bodies, and how folklore, properly purposed can help our youth battle against the darker aspects of society.

I'm excited about bringing After 12 to the screen because I think it's a film everyone needs to see, especially teenagers. Wishing everyone the best of luck!

Luis García, Yes. It's time to wake up. The Matrix isn't a fairy tale...

Vaccines are a forbidden topic

....

Luis García im currently developing a short script about a transgendered woman who must grapple with reappearing as her male identity after she learns that hormone treatment will no longer be covered by her insurance. it’s titled TRANSitioned.

I write about unsolved problems, like the Doomsday Clock, health reform, police violence, etc. that are not morally "taboo" but psychologically "taboo" from human denial and tribal silos causing those subjects to be avoided & remain unsolved. So my characters try to deal with them, often blended with dark humor to try to break through denial.

There are quite a few paid pitching services available on this platform.

What I usually do is turn my entire screenplay or story into a pitch first, and then share it with the people around me—my friends, family members, or even cinema-loving folks in my circle. If I notice that they’re genuinely engaged, asking for the next line after hearing just a few, or showing excitement, that’s when I take it as a sign that my writing is moving in the right direction.

Hey, Ryan Wilford! Hope your week’s going smoothly too! Congratulations on getting close to finishing your 3rd pass!

"How do you know when your script is truly "pitch-ready"?" It's a gut feeling for me, and feedback helps.

Stage 32's Pitch Sessions can help you improve your pitch. The written Pitch Sessions helped me. And the main purpose of the Pitch Sessions is to get feedback to improve your pitch, but sometimes the executives, managers, etc. will request scripts, sign writers, etc. (www.stage32.com/scriptservices/success-stories).

Stage 32 has two written pitch examples (one for a movie and the other for a show). Stage 32 also has a verbal feature pitch beat sheet and a verbal TV pitch beat sheet. You can get them by emailing success@stage32.com.

Here's three Lounge posts with pitch advice:

www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Pitch-Advice

www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Pitching-44

www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Why-Pitching-Matters-And-How-to-Mak...

The Pitch Practice in the Writers’ Room is the best pitching resource in my opinion. Pitch Practice is every Thursday night at 5:30 P.M. PST/8:30 P.M. EST. You can sit in and listen to members practice their projects and give them feedback. You can pitch your project too, but you have to sign up. The hosts, Noel Thompson and John Mezes, take names during Pitch Practice for people to pitch the following week. You have to sit in and listen at the practice one or two times before you can pitch. You can sign up for your first month of the Writers’ Room free here: www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip

The Pitch Tank in the Writers’ Room is an incredible pitching resource too. The Pitch Tank is where you pitch your script to an executive and get feedback. The Pitch Tank is once a month.

Stage 32 has a free webinar called "How to Create a 2 Page Pitch For Your Feature Film" (www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-create-a-2-page-pitch-for-your...).

Stage 32 has a free webinar called "How to Write a 2 Page Pitch for Your Television Series" (www.stage32.com/education/products/free-stage-32-webinar-how-to-write-at...).

Stage 32 also has a free pitch webinar: www.stage32.com/education/products/pitching-tips-from-the-pros-your-blue...

"What are your preferred pitching approaches?" I prefer to pitch with email query letters (mainly to producers). And something I do to pitch my scripts is post pages in Stage 32's Your Stage Lounge, on Twitter/X, and on Instagram, like First Page Friday, Third Page Thursday, and Sneak Peek Sunday. I post loglines and script posters with the pages. And sometimes I post short pitches (like two-word pitches and three-word pitches) on social media.

"What's the best way to find and pitch to filmmakers (directors) who are looking for their next project?" Network/build relationships on Stage 32, on other platforms, and in person. Stage 32 has free in-person Meetups (www.stage32.com/meetups). If you don't see a Meetup in your area, keep an eye on that page for new Meetups. And you're welcome to start your own Meetup.

Congratulations on your script making the Finals and getting offered a Literary Purchase Agreement, GJ Harvey!

Hi, Michael McDermott. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Acting Lounge to the Screenwriting Lounge since it fits better here. Let me know if you have any questions.

I've been getting script ideas by combining movies.

You're welcome, Ryan Wilford. Rewriting as I go helps me come up with ideas. Scene ideas, dialogue, twists, tech for my characters, etc.

John Fife Thanks for the congrats on the final pass, John!

That's really interesting—I've never heard of the "Save the Cat" storyboard program for inputting and arranging beats. It sounds like a powerful way to visually structure the pacing before you commit to the script.

It’s fascinating how, as writers, our processes are so different, and how we find such unique tools that work for our personal way of seeing a story. Thanks so much for sharing your method and taking the time! Good luck on your journey!

You're welcome Ryan. Great program and has helped me a lot with my writing. There is a great book out there called "Save the Cat, The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need" By Blake Snyder. Short book but really lays out a template how a screenplay should be structured and organized so it flows the Hollywood way,

I get all my beats in there first. It's known as pre-writing and usually comes in the form of what's known as a scriptment.

Pace is a very tonal thing and subject to voice. There's not really a right or wrong.

I love this, thanks for sharing your process! I'm still learning how to pace my beats. CJ Walley

This is great, Tony—your character work is strong, and that shows. The “main story spine” you’re talking about is honestly where a lot of writers hit the wall, even with fully built worlds. Something that’s helped me is stepping back and identifying the one central question the whole story is trying to answer. Once that’s clear, everything else starts clicking into place.

You’ve clearly got the world and the characters—now it’s just about finding the thread that ties them all together. Keep going. You’ve got something special here.

— Christine

You're welcome, Tony Sterago. Ok, great.

@Tony definitely try to stay married haha! Happy spouse happy house.

absolutely

Tony Sterago maybe a major conflict that affects all of them could possibly tie the characters together.

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. I just created a Word fact sheet with the help of AI about characters and stories new to me. Let me know if you want me to share. I tossed in a few that we all know too.

As a previous development exec, I spent years training myself to watch as many on-air shows as possible, and now it’s such a habit that I can’t break the routine even if I try. Part of the job was making sure I always knew what was already out there, what audiences were responding to or rejecting, and, maybe most importantly, having my own thoughts on why something worked or didn’t work. That awareness often helped me position our projects for buyers, spot shifts in audience trends, and keep an eye on rising writers, directors, and actors who might be perfect for something we were developing.

I also make myself watch across genres, even when something isn’t naturally my taste. Prestige dramas, procedurals, sitcoms, YA, limited series, absurd comedies, genre pieces, thrillers, international projects, animation, anime, even unscripted, I try to study all of it. And even when I don’t like something, or I’m not the obvious audience for it, I still look for what does work and why it resonates for so many people. That mindset has ended up being one of the most valuable parts of my toolkit.

Because of that, I’ve collected a long list of favorites over the years. Some of the shows I think are exceptionally well written include: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Band of Brothers, The OA, Orphan Black, Arcane: League of Legends, Attack on Titan, Dark, Battlestar Galactica (2000s remake), The Haunting of Hill House, Halt and Catch Fire, Lost, Money Heist, Silo, From, Watchmen, Hannibal, Dark Matter, For All Mankind, Never Have I Ever, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Outer Banks, Malcolm in the Middle, and Boy Meets World.

That's a great question, and Black Sails is a perfect example of stellar writing. It's impossible to watch everything, but studying a few shows for their specific strengths is incredibly valuable.

Shirley Collier Cat is my favorite but every character is pretty perfect in RedDwarf

Ashley Renee Smith that's a nice list! I agree watching and learning is always worth the time. I also watch some reality shows. I can't bring myself to watch some of them though lol...

Hey! I just finished reading your script, and first of all I want to say this: you clearly understand the fundamentals of screenwriting. The formatting, pacing, scene descriptions, and transitions show that you’ve already got a solid grasp of the craft — especially considering this is your first screenplay.

That alone is something to be proud of.

As for the story itself, I’ll be honest in a friendly way: this isn’t the type of genre or tone I usually write, so I’m seeing it from an outside perspective. Because of that, I found it a bit hard to understand exactly what emotional tone or thematic direction you’re aiming for in the long run.

Right now, the family dynamic feels warm and wholesome, but the characters’ personalities aren’t fully defined yet — they feel a bit neutral, like they're waiting to show who they really are. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially in an early draft; it just means there’s a lot of room to deepen them and make their voices more distinct.

But again, the foundation is definitely there. You have structure, atmosphere, clear action, and you build tension effectively — that moment where everything goes quiet after the bang works really well. I genuinely think you’re off to a strong start, especially for a first script.

If you ever want to exchange loglines, concepts, or even pages later on, I’d be happy to. No pressure at all — just good writer-to-writer conversation. : )

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments, I did end up posting the full pilot screenplay. It has a few mistakes in it, but those will be improved :)

You're welcome, Shay Booth.

Shay Booth it's a nice script

Shay Booth You have more confidence than you give yourself credit for since you were brave enough to put yourself out there with this post. that took guts. You are doing a fine job!

where can the contest page be located?

Here's the link, Abram Christian: www.stage32.com/happy-writers/contests/Stage-32-%20-Pathfinder-Film-and-...

Thank you

You're welcome, Abram Christian.

Gotta love those anonymous sources Pat Alexander. It adds to that belief that repeating a lie over and over makes it a truth.

This is a great thread Leonardo Ramirez 2 I write sci-fi/fantasy, and for something completely different recently completed a psychological thriller. I always look for the light and the joy that can come from surviving difficult experiences. I'm sure there's a part of me in every character I write, but they are mostly composites of people I know, have met, even briefly, and character traits I admire, or despise. My observations of how people behave and relate to each other in different environments also feeds in to building a rounded character.

My thriller, Darke Manor, was a different experience as it was inspired by my own life, growing up with a narcissistic mother who groomed me from childhood to do exactly what she wanted. After her death early last year, writing the script was cathartic as it helped me process what had happened to me and to think about how to move forward to become the writer I've always wanted to be!

Lew Hunter told me to, “write what you know.” Including bits of me and my family histories creates nuances that make each character intriguing, unique, and relatable.

Thanks so much Ingrid Wren. It's funny because there have been times where I'll post something and it just gets buried (I'm sure that happens to everyone) so when I posted this, I honestly thought very few people would read it so I'm honored you stopped by. I absolutely love how you said "I always look for the light and the joy that can come from surviving difficult circumstances" - I SO resonate with that because I feel it's my "calling" to raise hope through story. I'm so sorry that you had to deal with a narcissistic mother - for some reason, I've had a ton of narcissistic persons show up in my life at one point or another. As odd as it is to say, it's actually helped me to grow in being able to resist the arrogant mindset with thicker skin. Thank you so much Ingrid.

You're so right Nancy Wilkinson - and interesting how much we learn from our family dynamics. Some make us stronger through growth while others we learn "what not to be". I'm grateful you stopped by to share.