The following screenplays are the Top 50 Feature Screenplay Finalists and Official Selections for the 2023 FilmQuest Best Un-produced Screenplay Competition. If you are a producer or filmmaker, collaborating with these writers may produce your next film, so feel free to explore these great projects waiting to be made. Featured here are some of the best un-produced genre screenplays on the circuit today and one of these screenplays will become our eventual Best Un-produced Feature Screenplay Winner. If you would like to find out more about the screenplays, please feel free to reach out and we will put you in contact with the writers.
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A NICE PLACE TO VISIT
Written By: John Munn
Synopsis: A burned out psychic is convinced by a small town police force to come out of retirement and help them convict a serial killer who may have supernatural powers of his own.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Born, and raised, in Tacoma, Washington, John is the grandson of published fantasy writer H. Warner Munn. He is the proud father of two boys, Jack & Max, and has been lucky enough to have spent the last 20 Years of his life with his spouse, Sarah. He is actively seeking a mHe is actively seeking a anager to collaborate with and help him to share his stories.
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A STENCH IN THE NOSTRILS OF GOD
Written By: Michael Klug
Synopsis: Sheltered in his heavenly offices, God goes about his daily work routine, until an unplanned zombie outbreak erupts on Earth. Will God and his bumbling staff solve the mystery, locate a missing Jesus and save humanity?
Genre(s): Horror, Fantasy, Comedy, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Michael Klug was born and raised in South Dakota. He has been acting since he was 8 and writing since he was 10. He is now a screenwriter, filmmaker, actor, film critic, screenplay consultant and novelist. He resides in Los Angeles.
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ABYSSUS
Written By: Eric Hanson & Derek Stewart
Synopsis: The conflicted crew of an oil rig must united to survive when they ae targeted and attacked by a violent sea monster.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Derek Stewart is a visual artist and screenwriter based in Columbus, OH. Eric Hanson is a writer based out of Columbus, OH who graduated from OSU with a BFA in film studies. He currently writes reviews and essays for Screenhub Entertainment.
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ANGLER
Written By: Adam Baker & Jason Vod Godi
Synopsis: A family unknowingly fulfills an ancient prophecy that awakens a slew of Lovecraftian creatures trapped in the depths of a bottomless lake.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Jason Von Godi is a Dallas based writer and filmmaker. His first feature The Hoot Owl had it’s festival premier in October 2021 and is now available on BluRay. His feature screenplay Baby Girl won Third Place at FilmQuest for Best Unproduced Feature Screenplay in 2022.
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ASPHALT & LIPSTICK
Written By: Ryan Andrews & Katisha Shaw
Synopsis: A pool shark, with a bad attitude and misanthropic view of the world, spends her time hustling and refurbishing muscle cars. But after witnessing the brutal Gangland murder of the one man who gave her the chance to make something of herself, she will stop at nothing, to send his killers, straight to hell.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Growing up on slashers, classic Vincent Price movies and David Lynch’s art-house films, Ryan M. Andrews has become a fixture in the independent film world, focusing on the art of horror by creating character-driven stories of the macabre. Ryan attended Niagara College for Radio, TV & Film, where he graduated at the top of his class in 2000. Ryan has written and directed four feature films that have collectively played dozens of festivals, picked up multiple awards.
His films have been supported by Fangoria and aired on Fangoria TV as well as distributed throughout North America and overseas. These films include Save Yourself which Rue Morgue calls “an eerie and elegiac ode to classic horror filmmaking” and Art of Obsession which Horror Society says is “an astounding, stimulating and visually stunning piece of experimental art.” As a writer, Ryan has written an impressive list of spec screenplays that he is currently pitching and developing. His original screenplay, Through Kaleidescope Glass, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Richmond International Film Festival, and placed in the Top 10% of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2021 Nicholls Fellowship.
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BITER
Written By: Jennifer Trudrung
Synopsis: The patients of a dementia care facility suddenly regain their memories, only to discover a sinister, and potentially world ending, reason why.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Jennifer Trudrung’s love of horror stretches both in front of and behind the camera. As an actress she’s appeared in film and television series, including The Vampire Diaries, Goosebumps and Halloween Kills. As a screenwriter and producer, she’s built quite the filmography of short horror films, including the award winning short films Here There Be Tygers based on the Stephen King story and Unbearing.
Jennifer has also written several award-winning screenplays including Spectrum and Nighttime Is No Fun Anymore. Plus, she penned the feature film The Nest which is currently available everywhere on VOD. Jennifer is a life-long lover of horror books and films and she focuses on writing female-driven stories that delve into the themes of motherhood, aging, grief and parenting, and twists them into the macabre and horrific.
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BLOOD OF THE MOB
Written By: Johnny Giacalone
Synopsis: Growing up in the mob takes a twist when a lucrative heist is interrupted by a zombie bite that turns this Goodfellas homage into a Night of the Living Dead Mobster horror comedy.
Genre(s): Horror, Comedy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Johnny Giacalone was born in Middletown, NY, where his parents lived on a hippie commune. Communal living not being for him, he moved to Brooklyn at age 3. Johnny attended Poly Prep High School and Vassar College. He later studied at the National Theater Institute (Stratford-Upon-Avon/Eugene O’Neill Theater Center) and Improv Olympics West. In 2018 Johnny co-wrote, co-produced and co-starred in the independent comedy feature, 30 Nights of Sex to Save Your Marriage. 30 Nights… was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films for streaming on Amazon Prime. The film has received 60 points of distribution (streaming, VOD, DVD) in 14 countries. Johnny also co-wrote and co-produced the award-winning short films 30 Nights (which inspired the feature), Sleeping Dogs Lie (LA Comedy Festival) and recently the horror short, STATIC ( 9 “Official Selections” including Screamfest and Horrorfest International).
He is the author of several screenplays including Blood of the Mob, Our Boy Sally, optioned by Twisted Sisters Production Co., and co-author of the Gotham International Screenplay Competition Winner for Best Comedy Feature 2011, The Saturday Night Club. In addition, Johnny’s dark comedy teleplay Chapel of Love, has just been named a Quarterfinalist at Big Apple Film Festival . Johnny is a company member of New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre with a focus on new works development. He has participated in over 100 workshop presentations of new plays (and a handful of classics) at theaters including EST, McCarter Theater, NYTW, Guthrie Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Furious Theater, NY Dramatists, MTC and Cherry Lane. Johnny is a film buff, a baseball fanatic, dog lover, weekend softball warrior and an accomplished long distance runner. Johnny is currently working on his next script.
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BLUE
Written By: Adam Means & David McAbee
Synopsis: PPD becomes all to real for new mom, Amber, as she’s tormented by something in the attic. Is it her mind playing tricks on her, or something far more mysterious.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: David McAbee is an award winning writer, director and producer who has been working in TV and film since 2010. He got his start working for docu-reality shows on ABC, USA, The Travel Channel, The Food Network, Fox Sports and many others. In 2014 he executive produced an independent pilot starring Blake Heron, Steph DuVall & Art LaFleur. McAbee went on to write and direct the award winning horror short Night Terrors in 2016, starring scream queen legend Laurene Landon, punk rock icon Jack Grisham and Alexa Najera. The short won many awards, including Best Horror Short (LA Film Awards), Best Director (RIP Film Fest) and Best Short Screenplay (iHorror Film Fest).
In 2017, McAbee was hired to write and direct his first feature, For The Love of Jessee. It stars Randy Wayne, Mandahla Rose and Adrienne Barbeau. Distributed worldwide by BMG Global, the film has been seen by millions all over the world.
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BORDERLINE
Written By: Kieran Shea & David Osorio
Synopsis: A by-the-book Border Patrol Agent defies his superiors and follows a trail of grisly clues to find his missing fiancée only to discover that her vengeful spirit is leading him to her killer.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: KIERAN SHEA: A geneticist-turned filmmaker, Kieran graduated from the MFA Program at the Film School at Florida State University. Upon moving to LA after graduation, he dove headfirst into production. He worked on many indie films, primarily as a 2nd AD. His years behind the camera have afforded Kieran a more practical understanding of production that he uses to the benefit of his writing. To most people’s surprise, Kieran is half Paraguayan, speaks Spanish fluently, and lived in South America for a number of years.
DAVID OSORIO: Upon graduating from the MFA Program at the Film School at Florida State University, David co-wrote a horror screenplay with Eduardo Rodriguez titled SYMBIOSIS, which they sold to Miramax/Dimension. David later optioned another horror script called KAKUY to Cecil Chambers of Triumphant Pictures, also with Miramax/Dimension. Following this early collaboration, David partnered up with Kieran. Their first script, a dark comedy titled THE OUTCAST, was the Grand Prize winner of the American Screenwriting Competition. Not only do these two have a similar taste in the weird and fantastical and macabre, but also their shared Hispanic backgrounds and extensive travels infuse their stories with a very unique point of view and diversity of ideas.
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CHATEAU SAUVIGNON
Written By: David M. Night Mair & Adam T. Wolfe
Synopsis: As an isolated member of a reclusive vintner family, Nicolas is torn between honoring ancient household traditions and forging a new destiny for himself and his ailing kin.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Cosmopolitan in nature, David is an alumnus of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, earning his B.A. in Film & T.V. with a focus on Directing, and Minors in Producing and Psychology. This native Alpine’s passion for directing led him to pursue a Masters in Live Action Short Form at SVA under famed music video and commercial director Bob Giraldi, and later a Masters in Screenwriting for Television and Film from Royal Holloway’s University of London. He Co-Founded AireBedd, a banner under which he has garnered thousands of laurels and awards for his short films and music videos, as well as produced content for Louis Vuitton . Moet Hennessy, Red Bull and the Leslie-Lohman Museum, amongst others.
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CONSUMED
Written By: Don Stroud
Synopsis: Trapped beneath a collapsed building, a grieving wife struggles to protect her treacherous husband from a horde of parasitic monsters.
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: After a decade as an editor of horror movies and award-winning documentaries, Don decided it was time to tell his own stories, and made the decision to become a full-time screenwriter. Over the last two years he’s won several international screenplay competitions in both the science fiction and horror genres. Five of his scripts are ranked in the coveted Coverfly Top 10%. Don also writes a column about his favorite music for pop culture website Trouble.City.
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DEATH SENTENCE
Written By: Lee H. Ross
Synopsis: Anil’s life is thrown into chaos after a card game he brings to a party seems to drive a chain of suicides, and he must stop the curse before becoming its final victim.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Lee Ross‘s first movie Downloading Nancy went to Sundance with Maria Bello and Jason Patric dramatic selection… He has a produced screenwriter and previously toured as the lead clown with Cirque du Soleil overseas.
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DEEP DOWN
Written By: Dan Sullivan
Synopsis: A jaded therapist questioning her own mental health is summoned back to her family’s secluded cottage to confront the lake monster that spared her life two decades earlier.
Genre(s): Horror, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Just a Jersey boy who became a Brooklyn man after a 4-year pit stop at RIT’s School of Film and Animation. Upon my arrival to the Big Apple, I worked the streets for years (as a Production Assistant) before becoming a true boss (an Assistant Director), all while writing features and pilots in an attempt to boycott sleep altogether.
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DON HUSTLE
Written By: Josh Kirk
Synopsis: A beach bum repo man turns the tables on a real estate mogul plotting to have his ex wife murdered.
Genre(s): Comedy, Fantastic
Screenwriter’s Bio: Josh Kirk is a writer and director, with a diverse range of experience. Josh has made a name for himself with his films Hip Cat (2022) and Funny Business (2022). Josh has also won first prize for the New England Director’s award at the 2022 Rhode Island International Film Festival. In addition to his feature work, Josh has directed award-winning short films and music videos that have premiered on Vice Noisey, Impose Magazine, and at film festivals around the world.
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EJECT
Written By: David Yorke
Synopsis: After discovering a USB port in her wrist, Kate uncovers a world where she has the ability to change herself for the better. But she will slowly discover that greed will come at a cost.
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: David Yorke is a multi-award-winning writer/director specialising in the horror genre. His short films have gained great online and festival success, having been selected at BIFA, Bafta and Oscar accredited festivals. He has won many awards including ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Director’. His latest short film ERIC, screened at Frightfest and was featured on Heyuguys as one of the festivals best short films. In 2022 David was shortlisted out of 600 directors to pitch on the channel 4 series On the Edge.
After seeing his films Eject and Eric, 20th Century Studios and Disney invited him to pitch for their bite size horror scheme, whilst he also recently got selected on the New Blood scheme to pitch his feature script CRAVE. With over 15 years of experience in short films, music videos and broadcast television David also works as a lead creative at NBC Universal.
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EMMETT OF XENDIA
Written By: Michael Andrew Blomquist
Synopsis: Upset at how the human media has been portraying them, an adventure party of insecure magical creatures kidnaps a Manhattan teenager and takes him on a quest in hopes of showing him they aren’t losers.
Genre(s): Fantasy, Comedy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Michael Blomquist is a screenwriter, playwright, filmmaker and comedian from Indianapolis, Indiana and currently active in Los Angeles, California. He discovered and fostered a passion for storytelling from an early age, and his experiences in comedy writing and performance in college only furthered his resolve to spend his life making people think, laugh and feel. Blomquist, a 2016 graduate of Indiana University with Bachelor’s degrees in Telecommunications Design & Production and Scriptwriting, devotes most of his time as a writer to a growing cache of feature screenplays and television scripts. By day, he works as an Assistant Director, organizing schedules and wrangling talent for all sorts of film and video sets.
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FIRE LAKE
Written By: Mark Miller
Synopsis: N/A
Genre(s): N/A
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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FORSAKEN
Written By: Jeffrey Stackhouse & Wendy Lashbrook
Synopsis: A Confederate officer rides a hard trail alone when the shocking brutality of a family found slaughtered forces him into blood-soaked retribution, with only an adolescent Black girl as an ally.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Jeffrey has won 9 awards on 6 different screenplays including The PAGE and FilmQuest, has 34 Finalists, one current Option. He most often collaborates because he comes from a career of leading-character workshops in NYC and enjoys that process of making a cooperative vision shine, but his solo writing has garnered Awards as well. He has glowing BlackList, Nicholl & Contest feedback at shadowlandonline.net
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FRANKENSTEIN IN THE LAND OF OZ
Written By: Mike Mann
Synopsis: Classic characters combine forces to face old friends turned foes and learn about leadership.
Genre(s): Fantasy, Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Mike Mann is a Husband, Father, and Screenwriter. He makes it weird in each role.
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GREEN RIVER
Written By: Bryan Ricke
Synopsis: A young woman joins an all girl punk band in grunge era Seattle and befriends a creepy videographer who may or may not be the Green River Killer.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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HUNTER
Written By: Alan Sanchez
Synopsis: After a bank heist has gone awry, a group of six ex-military thieves find shelter in the woods overnight while en route to the Canadian border. Unfortunately in those woods, an invisible malicious spirit has begun a hunt… for them.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Alan “Poe” Sanchez is an up and coming Latinx Writer, Director, & Producer born and raised in San Bernardino, CA. He has graduated California State University Northridge with a BA in TV Production. Alan has been writing, filming, and directing short films since he was 14 years old. Alan also has experience working for numerous companies in the industry such as Captivate Entertainment, Angels & Airwaves, This is Just A Test Media, & Bunim-Murray Productions.
He also was an Associate Producer for the cult feature film “Beats of Rage” from Writer/Director Jason Trost. He his best known for his recent short film WATCHER released in 2022 which garnered attention from festivals such as FilmQuest, Catalina Film Festival and Kevin Smith’s Smodcastle Film Festival. Alan currently resides in San Bernardino with his pet pug Marty “McFly” Poe.
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INFINITY CANVAS
Written By: Jay Hodgkins
Synopsis: A father and daughter navigate surreal virtual worlds, the apocalyptic Philadelphia streets and a repressive tech corporation’s surveillance state to reunite years after he abandoned his family for a supposedly utopian metaverse.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: A book author and screenwriter, Jay cut his writing teeth as a journalist covering a seedy beach resort town. He is represented by literary manager Eric C. Jones of Tobias Literary Management. His urban fantasy feature Happy Jack won the Scriptwriters Network’s 2022 Hollywood Outreach Program. He is co-author of “Athlete Brands: How to Benefit from Your Name, Image & Likeness” from Darden Business Publishing.
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INHERITANCE
Written By: Michael Smallwood
Synopsis: Star Emperor Lear has decided to divide his galactic empire among his three daughters. From the royal family to a young woman with ties to the resistance, Lear’s decision will send shockwaves throughout the stars.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: Michael Smallwood is an award-winning writer, actor, and director. His plays have been produced in Atlanta, Charleston, DC, and New York City. His short films How Many Times and What a Beautiful Wedding have screened all over the world and won multiple awards. His tv pilots and features The Shallows, Inheritance, Tonight and Maybe Tomorrow, and The Blood of All have won or placed in multiple festivals.
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KROLIK
Written By: Rose Ann-Marie Norberg
Synopsis: N/A
Genre(s): N/A
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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MATRIARCH
Written By: Scott Alexander Naar & Sarah Naar
Synopsis: After her husband is brutally murdered, a clairvoyant painter travels to her hometown to care for her mentally infirm grandmother. But while caring for her, she discovers dark secrets about the nature of her grandmother’s sickness.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Scott and Sarah Naar are an LA based filmmaking duo with an extensive repertoire of feature scripts in the elevated horror genre. With Sarah producing and Scott directing, they have made more than ten short films together, and collaborate regularly as co-writers.
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MYSTERIES OF THE DESERT
Written By: Whitney Crowder & Adam Hardman
Synopsis: On August 6, 2024 Elicia received a distorted voicemail from her sister. Only four words were audible: “Bombay Beach,” and “help me.” Despite the warning of an oncoming sandstorm, Elicia travels to Bombay Beach in search of her missing sister.
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Adam Hardman is a director, writer, and full time art director currently residing in Long Beach, CA where he and co-writer/producer, Whitney Crowder, create quality genre pictures through their production company, GoodLuck Films. Recent projects include the short tech-noir thriller, “The Loop: Undeniable” (2023 FilmQuest Official Selection and 2023 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival Official Selection & Winner for Best Editing), as well as their horror short, “Mysteries of the Desert” (2023 Official Selection of Telluride Horror Show).
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NECESSARY PREDATORS
Written By: Nicholas Holland
Synopsis: Cameron, an Indigenous park ranger recently found innocent in a double homicide, becomes entangled in a cat and mouse game between a violent stranger and a mysterious woman kept in the trunk of the man’s car, one of which may possibly be involved in a recent string of brutal, animalistic murders.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: A film school drop out, Nicholas Holland wrote his first two features in between calls at his day job, working on an ambulance for the city of Detroit. He says that film, a passion since his earliest memories, serves as a positive outlet and distraction from the mundane and the horrific he sees there
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NRG
Written By: Andreas Petersen
Synopsis: After a mishap with a magnet-wielding anti-porno fanatic, video store clerks Tasha and Reggie stay late to clean up. However, something terrifying is happening inside one of the magnetically damaged aerobics tapes…
Genre(s): Horror, Comedy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Andreas Petersen is a screenwriter and director who works out of Salt Lake City, UT.
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QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
Written By: Lauren Pruitt
Synopsis: N/A
Genre(s): N/A
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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QUEST FOR HUMANITY: THE CHAMPION SEARCH
Written By: Lance B. Witmer
Synopsis: When darkness overtakes the realm of Humanity, a brooding swordsman with a mysterious past must find a champion who can rekindle a magic flame and drive off the powerful Shadow Mage.
Genre(s): Fantasy
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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ROUGH CUT
Written By: Mitchell V. Slan
Synopsis: On Halloween night, an isolated video editor/streamer is hired to cut together a horror movie made by a masked killer, only to discover that the cinematic “scenes” are real.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: My name is Mitchell V. Slan is a genre screenwriter/director with work featured on ALTER, Crypt TV, Omeletto, and Spirit Halloween.
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SETTLEMENT
Written By: Jason Sheedy
Synopsis: In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, two resilient young brothers find refuge in a thriving community, but after they discover that the town’s resources are tethered to an inescapable covenant with a hellish creature, they must break the curse on their souls before becoming the next sacrifice.
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Jason Sheedy is an independent film director, screenwriter, and editor who has created award-winning short films that have played in festivals all over the world and collected over a million views online. His screenplays have landed him various placements with FilmQuest, Killer Shorts, Screencraft, Stage 32, Film Empire, Scriptapalooza, Slamdance, and the Finish Line Script Competition.
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SHERIFF OF ROTTINGHAM
Written By: Anthony Ferraro
Synopsis: In a dystopian future, a self-proclaimed sheriff named Hel, battles Bonehead Zombies, Highwaymen, and the Believers to secure water for her people.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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SNATCHERS
Written By: Craig Alexander
Synopsis: A pair of life-long friends try to make a quick buck by selling the organs of a fresh corpse but get thrown a curveball when she wakes up on the operating table.
Genre(s): Comedy, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Craig Alexander is an actor, writer, film and theatre maker from Canberra, Australia. A father of four he somehow finds the time to tread the boards across the country whilst developing unique stories for the camera. Snatchers is his first feature and is currently set for production in 2024.
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THE BROKEN FELLOWSHIP
Written By: Samuel T. Weston
Synopsis: In their final days before college, three best friends clash in their Live Action Role Play game and confront their unspoken regrets. Kingdoms will burn and hearts will shatter.
Genre(s): Fantasy, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Sam is an award-winning autistic fantasy writer turned filmmaker. Raised in the woods and prairies of rural Minnesota, weaned on stories like “The Lord of the Rings,” “Eragon,” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and cutting his teeth in Duluth’s arthouse film community, Sam gained a unique perspective on what makes a good fantasy story. He learned early on that his writing style was too visual for books, so he founded Battlemage Films to tell his stories the way they were meant to be told. Sam has earned a reputation across Minnesota for his honesty, integrity, generosity, and fierce dedication to the craft.
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THE CIRCUIT BREAKER
Written By: David Ethan Sanders
Synopsis: N/A
Genre(s): N/A
Screenwriter’s Bio: N/A
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THE DEVIL HERSELF
Written By: Luke Wijaysinha-Gray
Synopsis: A journalist chronicles the life of a notorious female serial killer, uncovering dark secrets in both of their pasts.
Genre(s): Horror, Comedy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Luke Wijayasinha-Gray is an award winning director, writer and musician. His first feature film as co-writer and co-director YOUR LOVE IS MINE will be released internationally in 2023. Luke is a second generation Sri-Lankan Australian, and lives in Melbourne with his wife and their daughter.
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THE FERRYMAN
Written By: Mary Noel Hoffmann
Synopsis: A Navajo FBI agent, forced to confront her roots, uncovers mysterious disappearances inside her own village. Teens call him Ferry Man. The U.S. Government calls it something else… (Sequel to: Thing from Another World)
Genre(s): Horror, Sci-Fi, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: Specializing in voodoo, vile Intoxicants and strange women! Must involve horror, fantasy, thriller, psychological, game (story arcs)/adventure and all things strange. (Aliens and the unaccounted for A-Okay!)
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THE HAT MAN
Written By: Edward G. Lyons & Melissa P. Lyons
Synopsis: When a troubled orphan accepts a dare to impress her hostile foster sister and friends, she unwittingly unleashes the Hat Man, a demonic entity who is hell-bent on devouring their souls.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Edward graduated with degrees in acting at the Victorian College of the Arts, English at University, and Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology, Sydney. Edward’s first short film, Can I Call You premiered at the Academy Award Qualifying Chicago International Film Festival and was sold for distribution to Fangoria. He went on to write and direct the short films Delusion, Thylacoleo, and Puncture. The Australian Writers’ Guild honoured Edward with an AWGIE nomination for his short screenplay Drive-By. His previous short film.
Melissa graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in Creative Writing where she was awarded a scholarship by world- renowned horror author Stephen King. Melissa co-wrote and produced the short film Alfred J Hemlock which premiered at the Academy Award® accredited Bermuda International Film Festival and screened at over 80 international film festivals
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THE HOLLOW
Written By: Melissa Vitello
Synopsis: A woman at a turning point in her life secludes herself at an old, family home to discover a creature that will grant her anything she asks… for the cost of her flesh.
Genre(s): Horror, Fantasy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Melissa Vitello is an award winning screenwriter and director. Melissa won best original screenplay by the Pasadena International Film Festival, was a top 50 finalist for the ISA Fellowship, and recently won Best Director from the San Diego Consortium. Melissa has also been recognized for her writing and directing by festivals such as FilmQuest, Houston World Fest, Dances With Films, and Austin Revolution.
Melissa was mentored in screenwriting by Valerie Mayhew (writer and co-producer of Charmed, The X-Files) and Matt Greenberg (screenwriter for Stephen King’s 1408 and screen story of recent Pet Semetary). In Melissa’s time working with them, Valerie truly helped Melissa find her voice and style in writing intimate tragedies while Matt inspired her voice in the true nature of horror.
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THE MEMORY SPHERE
Written By: Kevin Sluder
Synopsis: In order to solve his wife’s murder, a reclusive scientist uses his experimental technology to dive into the memories of her accused killer.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: A genre screenwriter, based in LA, Kevin has placed in some cool contests and won some nifty awards, but NOTHING compares to that sweet, sweet Cthulhu he received at FilmQuest in 2018.
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THE MORBS
Written By: Greg Sisco
Synopsis: A jaded photographer shooting a cozy Christmas town for a clickbait article stumbles onto a conspiracy involving ritual sacrifice and an unhealthy obsession with cheer.
Genre(s): Horror, Comedy
Screenwriter’s Bio: Greg Sisco is a screenwriter, novelist, and standup comic residing in Boise, ID. He was featured on Austin Film Festivals “25 Screenwriters To Watch” list after winning the horror award from Austin Film Festival in 2018. He is represented by Schemers Entertainment.
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THE PLACE I BELONG
Written By: Bryant Karnes
Synopsis: An inexperienced and climate-conscious West Virginia high school student inherits the majority stake in the state’s biggest coal company, where at the crossroads of heritage and progress, her life suddenly hangs in the balance, as conspiracy and murderous supernatural forces threaten the future of the community.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Bryant Karnes is multi award-winning feature writer living in Boise, Idaho with his lovely wife Kylie and their rambunctious dog Jeffrey Lebow-wowski. His favorite actor is Kurt Russell and he stands firmly by the sentiment that San Dimas High School Football does in fact still rule.
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THE PRODIGAL
Written By: Thomas O’Malley
Synopsis: Receiving news of his estranged father’s death, Dermot Conneely, travels from Brooklyn with his pregnant wife to the remote island of Inis Manaanán off the coast of Ireland. As the pagan festival marking the darkest part of the year approaches Dermot begins to suspect that the Islanders may have a horrific reason for wanting them to stay.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Thomas O’Malley is an award-winning writer of novels and screenplays, including This Magnificent Desolation and The Drowned People. Raised in Ireland, he currently lives outside Boston and is the Director of Creative Writing at Dartmouth College.
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THE THIRD WIFE
Written By: Barrett Burgin & Daniel Yen Tu
Synopsis: 1877. Clara, the second wife in an isolated polygamous family, suffers a miscarriage and a crisis of faith. After the husband brings a third wife to their home, Clara begins to see satanic apparitions and suspects the third wife of harboring secrets or worse — a pact with the Devil himself.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Daniel Yen Tu is a Taiwanese writer and director from Melbourne, Australia. His collegiate short film Stickup Kid was nominated for five Emmy awards, winning three — including Best Screenplay. It premiered at the Boston Film Festival and played at the South East New England festival as well as Red Rock. He studied film at Brigham Young University where he won awards for screenwriting. In addition to The Third Wife, Daniel is currently writing a feature version of a Sundance short film in collaboration with Luis Fernando Puente. He currently resides in Utah.
Barrett Burgin is an award-winning writer and director from the rolling hills of Appalachia. Shortly after graduating college, he sold his first feature film CRYO (2022) to Saban Films, which he directed while still a student. CRYO was featured on ScreenRant and Comic Book Resources. It was selected and won multiple awards at notable genre festivals such as Cinequest, FilmQuest, Flickers’ Vortex, and Blood in the Snow. Barrett has a proclivity for thrillers and mind-benders, but often devotes special interest to the intersectionality of religious mythos and cinema, creating a distinct voice he’s become well-known for.
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THE TOOTH FAIRY
Written By: Tony Morales & Fer Zaragoza
Synopsis: A social worker must supervise the adoption of a young orphan by his maternal grandmother, who lives in a small Spanish town where there are no other children. But when the little orphan begins to be terrorized by a diabolical ghost willing to possess him, the social worker will be forced to fight against the curse that bewitches the town and save the life of the little boy.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Tony Morales and Fer Zaragoza wrote the horror short film “Abracitos” which had its World Premiere at the “Fantasia International Film Festival” and its American Premiere at the “Fantastic Fest”. It was selected in more than 50 festivals and won twenty awards, including best short film at “Fantasporto” and “Overlook Film Festival”. They have just released their new short film, “Alicia”, which will have its World Premiere at “ANOH (A Night of Horror International Film Festival)” and its American Premiere at “Screamfest” in LA.
Hada is the first script they have written together where they explore the universal legend of the Tooth Fairy, an evil being that causes nightmares for all children in the world when their first milk tooth falls out. The script is inspired by the multi-award winning short horror film “Hada” written and directed by Tony Morales.
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THRASH
Written By: Kieran Shea & David Osorio
Synopsis: In 2061, an information thief living on the fringes of a broken society is blackmailed into creating the ultimate spying device but accidentally creates the ultimate weapon which only he has any chance of defeating.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi, The Beyond
Screenwriter’s Bio: KIERAN SHEA: A geneticist-turned filmmaker, Kieran graduated from the MFA Program at the Film School at Florida State University. Upon moving to LA after graduation, he dove headfirst into production. He worked on many indie films, primarily as a 2nd AD. His years behind the camera have afforded Kieran a more practical understanding of production that he uses to the benefit of his writing. To most people’s surprise, Kieran is half Paraguayan, speaks Spanish fluently, and lived in South America for a number of years.
DAVID OSORIO: Upon graduating from the MFA Program at the Film School at Florida State University, David co-wrote a horror screenplay with Eduardo Rodriguez titled SYMBIOSIS, which they sold to Miramax/Dimension. David later optioned another horror script called KAKUY to Cecil Chambers of Triumphant Pictures, also with Miramax/Dimension. Following this early collaboration, David partnered up with Kieran. Their first script, a dark comedy titled THE OUTCAST, was the Grand Prize winner of the American Screenwriting Competition. Not only do these two have a similar taste in the weird and fantastical and macabre, but also their shared Hispanic backgrounds and extensive travels infuse their stories with a very unique point of view and diversity of ideas.
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TIME, SPACE, AND THE POET
Written By: John Turner
Synopsis: In the dystopian future when speaking, publishing, or distributing certain words is a crime, the poet John Thackeray uses poetry to wake up people to the evil plans of the international task force known as, The Organized Awareness Agency, installed to provide peace and security.
Genre(s): Sci-Fi
Screenwriter’s Bio: John Turner is an award-winning author and screenwriter. Growing up in Ohio in a small midwest town in poverty and at times without electricity, allowed his imagination to bloom as he’d sit in the dark. This light of creativity has given us, Time, Space, and the Poet, an award-winning screenplay that explores humanity, our commonality, and the current situation regarding our human condition.
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WICKED GRIN
Written By: Arran Crawley
Synopsis: A self-destructive photographer travels to the coast to reveal a dark childhood secret – only to be haunted by a ghostly doppelgänger of her younger self – that she must rescue from an evil trawlerman spirit.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Ever since I relocated to Canada in 2015 from the UK, I have worked with emerging filmmakers, film festivals and for the Calgary Film Centre. Somehow, I’ve ended up writing spooky stories. I have won screenplay awards at Ethereal Horror Fest, Oregon Screams and Austin After Dark. I would describe my writing as dark drama meets dreamlike horror.
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WISH IT AWAY
Written By: Gabe Martinez
Synopsis: Young parents summon a creature to barter for the soul of their newborn baby after their wish for her to be taken away is granted.
Genre(s): Horror
Screenwriter’s Bio: Gabe Martinez is the writer and co-director of the comedy feature, He’s Dead & So Am I. Although he’s a podcast host like everyone else, his podcast, Who Let You Watch That?!, is a true delight. Martinez has written for television, the web, and the silver screen, and directed a handful of commercials & music videos. His most baffling credit by far is being the creator of the strange web series, Blader High.
