Telling stories through film and conversation.
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WILDsound's The Film Podcast

In each episode, the C.E.O. of WILDsound, Matthew Toffolo, chats about all things storytelling and film. Conversations with talented individual from all around the world.

Posts in Screenplay Writing
EP. 1342 - Screenwriter Mary Oleske (THE LAWS OF THE GODS)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E12uUF6vTZM

LGBTQ+ Drama

This is a study in gender rights and the rights of all humankind. What truly makes one female or male?

A female attorney is assigned to represent a transgendering inmate seeking a transfer from a male to a female prison. This is a study in the struggle for the balance of rights: personal, political and global. A glance into our past suggests nothing has changed in 3,000 years. Insight comes from an unexpected source.

Get to know the writer:
A female attorney is assigned to represent a transgendering inmate seeking a transfer from a male to a female prison.

This is a study in gender rights and the rights of all humankind. What truly makes one female or male? Portrayed is the struggle for the balance of rights: personal, societal, and global and, how amazingly, this struggle has existed and been depicted in literature and theater for over 3,000 years.

The screenplay deals with where we are now, what should be guiding our actions, what rules or laws should govern us – especially when those rules conflict: the laws of man (US constitution), personal conscience, or God (whose god by the way).

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EP. 1341 - Screenwriter E. Wendell, R. M. Olivier (MINA PLAYS THE GAME)

Watcth the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsW9eL6aqck

A woman plays a poker game for a second shot at life, but what are the stakes and what is the real prize?

(NOTE: Podcast stopped abruptly due to a power outage.)

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EP. 1340 - Screenwriter Clifford Evan (DELIVERED)

Watch the screenplay reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi_5ae85L-M

An artistically-gifted pizza delivery boy, caught up in a criminal enterprise that funds his creative pursuits, confronts otherworldly and possibly dangerous forces when a mysterious girl sprung from his dreams appears at his next drop.

Get to know the writer:

The story centers around Jesse, a gifted artist, who delivers both pizzas and cash for the illicit gambling ring his boss Angelo runs. Shady turns spooky when a girl from Jesse’s drawings manifests in the flesh at one of his cash drops. Only the girl, mysterious and beautiful Taria, is very much real and powerfully psychic. Cryptically, she warns that working for Angelo, the father Jesse’s never had, will have dire consequences. That his true life path is to embrace his calling as an artist. If only Jesse believed Taria really can see the future.

Soon after Taria disappears, broken-hearted Jesse is haunted by a series of strange, even supernatural, encounters, forcing him to make harrowing choices if he ever wants his girl back. If he even wants to live. Only after Angelo is beaten inches from death, and the ring’s big boss is murdered, does Jesse take a life-altering mindf*ck of a journey to the nearly unfathomable truth.

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EP. 1336 - Screenwriter Mel Masry (SHADOWS OF STARDOM)

Watch Best Scene Screenplay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX2e0_LBGVI

“Shadows of Stardom” (Inspired by True Events) is a screenplay that follows the journey of Jack, a middle-aged man with unfulfilled dreams of acting and dancing. The story delves into the stark contrast between Jack’s vivid dream sequences, where he experiences success and fulfillment, and the harsh realities of his daily life in his dimly lit living room. Through a series of poignant scenes, Jack grapples with perseverance, resilience, and the pursuit of his passions as he navigates the challenges of pursuing his artistic ambitions. The screenplay explores themes of longing, disappointment, and determination, offering a character-driven narrative that resonates with the complexities of human experience.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay, Shadows of Stardom, is inspired by true events and explores the intense pressures and hidden struggles of an up-and-coming actor in the entertainment industry. It delves into themes of ambition, identity, and the cost of fame, as the protagonist navigates the fine line between personal integrity and the seductive allure of stardom.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Shadows of Stardom offers a fresh and poignant look at the entertainment industry, providing an introspective and authentic portrayal of the challenges faced by actors behind the scenes. It speaks to universal themes of ambition, self-discovery, and the human cost of success, making it a story that resonates with a wide audience. Additionally, the script’s blend of drama and psychological tension, grounded in real-life experiences, makes it a compelling piece for the big screen.

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EP. 1321 - Screenwriter Beckett Van Stralen (ENGINE OF EVIL)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9umcIT1JMg

A sixteen year old receives an old car as a birthday gift from his stepfather. When he drives it for the first time, he realizes it isn’t powered by conventional gasoline – but instead, an engine of pure evil.

http://www.vanstralenwrites.com/

https://twitter.com/vanstral

Get to know the writer:

Engine of Evil is about a belligerent 16 year old who receives a car for his birthday. Only instead of being ecstatic like most 16 year olds would be to receive such a gift, he doesn’t appreciate it. Little does he know that what powers the car is anything but ordinary – instead, it’s an engine powered by pure evil.

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EP. 1318 - Screenwriter Rebecca Day Robinson (TAMARA’S ESCAPE)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/tamaras-escape-pilot

In 2052 after the dissolution of the United States 30 years earlier, a young woman, 17 year-old Tamara O’Neal, is smuggled out of the Confederacy to New Albion, liberal bastion based in the Colorado Rockies, to what her father thinks is safety. After a difficult transition to life in New Albion and multiple threats from mysterious forces, Tamara becomes radicalized and vows, with the help of her new friends, to burn down the system.

http://www.amoreperfectunion.co/
https://Moreperfectunion@facebook.com/
https://www.facebook.com/louisaluxentertainment/

Get to know the screenwriter:
Tamara’s Escape is the first part of my larger story, More Perfect Union, which jumps between 2020 and 2052 in a post-Civil War North America. Tamara’s Escape, set in 2052, is how a spoiled, entitled young woman, Tamara O’Neal, is smuggled out of ConFed or the Confederacy by her parents, who, after the tragic death of Tamara’s sister, realize that her future safety is imperiled and send her to New Albion, the utopian Colorado-based country that was carved out of the United States at the end of the Civil War in 2020.

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EP. 1317 - Screenwriter Raed Hojiej (HAUNTED LAMENT)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19tLE4O0mEk

https://www.shadowhorsetheatre.com/dark-pony-radio

Get to know the screenwriter:
A couple who are dealing with a loss, and purchase their first home. Only to experience an unforgettable first night where memories, dreams, and nightmares mix and come to life.

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EP. 1302 - Screenwriter Steve Mikals (SPEAK MONKEY SPEAK)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJHrGLMF19w

Will two chimps type Shakespeare? A pot smoking visionary enlists a struggling book shop owner in a screw-loose plan to jumpstart Evolution. Against long odds and a couple of Mob loan sharks, the rewards are higher consciousness, human speech, and a Nobel Prize for Literature.


Get to know the writer:

It’s a comedy about a hare-brained plan to jump-start Evolution. I began with that old probability teaser, How long would it take one hundred monkeys to type Shakespeare? The answer? Exactly two chimpanzees, in a surprisingly short time! Heaven has a vested interest here in correcting our course of planetary and self-destruction, too. A crazy, maybe dark, premise. But the comedy comes from the characters involved: a hapless bookseller and a pot-smoking visionary, their more stable, sensible wives, two Mob loan sharks, and two chimpanzees, Dick and TOOP.

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EP. 1299 - Screenwriter Frank Borne (NO WORDS)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2NTuJ462gA

With the exception of Grace Hart, students of Lexington Academy perform tunes at a fall concert. When she’s suspended, her divorced parents, Adam and Emma, squabble over the cause of her mutism. The Harts have attempted to put their divorce behind them, each with younger lovers, Emma with hunky Owen, Adam with law school student Dennis. However, Emma’s depression over the divorce persists, while Adam, committed to Dennis, has difficulty expressing affection for him in public.


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EP. 1288 - Screenwriter Cory David Bortnicker (MY NAME IS JONAS)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWx2x_ogn58

A young gay songwriter in the grip of meth addiction must face his past when he learns he is actually a prophet who must save New York City from Judgement Day.

Get to know the writer:

My Name Is Jonas tells the story of a young gay songwriter in the throes of crystal meth addiction who gets a second chance at life when he meets God and learns that he’s actually a prophet. It’s a modern retelling of the Book of Jonah based on my own experiences as a person in recovery. The pilot episode introduces us to Jonas on his first day in rehab where he tries to convince his counselors that he’s a prophet who has been sent on a mission from God to save New York City from Judgment Day.

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EP. 1278 - Screenwriter Susannah Roberts (DEPRAVED)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ4sVMUQHho

Depraved is a slasher that takes place at a college campus. A serial killer stalks the campus mutilating their victims while two detectives work tirelessly to try and identify the culprit. More and more bodies mount up until we end with a shocking twist that no one will see coming.

Get to know the writer:

Depraved should be produced because it is different to other slasher movies out there. The film moves away from the stereotypical ‘serial killer identity’ and takes us in a new direction that is rarely seen in the horror genre. It explores themes that while present in the real world are rarely shown on screen. It also breaks a number of the trends and clichés seen in most slashers. Depraved is a fresh new take on the genre and will appeal to lovers of horrors as well as being more inclusive of groups who seldom have pivotal roles within the slasher genre. The script has already garnered interest within the industry with people reaching out to me about it.

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EP. 1276 - Screenwriter Sami Garcia (LIGHT EM’ UP)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzIUindvgrg

Based on the best-selling book about Officer Sam Harris, a bomb squad leader, and her team of experts as they race against the clock to save innocent live from a serial bomber, including their own. Our lead also happens to be a lesbian , navigating her way through a male dominant culture, inspired by the author’s real life experience as a lesbian in law enforcement.


https://srichey147387.wixsite.com/inspirationaldreamer
https://www.facebook.com/garcia.lightemup.9
https://mobile.twitter.com/samkat429
https://www.instagram.com/samkat429/

Get to know the writer:

This one- hour serialized action thriller, based on the bestselling book, Light ‘Em Up, Officer Sam Harris, a bomb squad leader, and her team of expert’s race against the clock to save innocent lives from a serial bomber, including their own. Our lead also happens to be a lesbian, navigating her way through a male dominant culture, inspired by the author’s real life experience as a lesbian in law enforcement.

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EP. 1267 - Screenwriter Kristine Spindler Denton (WHAT ARE BEST FRIENDS FOR?)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG9Sloz1fUg

A woman who ran away from her past discovers that you can’t, as it catches up to her and drops off a 5 year old on her doorstep which forces her to grow up, face her past and move forward more honestly.


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EP. 1263 - Screenwriter Batoul Shay Mourad (AJNABIYEH)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRNU8SevZIE

As Israel occupies her home in 90s Lebanon, a stubborn teenage girl and her family who have returned to the homeland after growing up in Australia struggle just to get by socially as they brave the real danger around them, their judgemental peers. In this show, the scariest thing about The Middle East may very well be their teenage girls.

Get to know the writer:

Ajnabiyeh is a comedy series focused on a 15-year-old girl and her family and friends living in Lebanon during the Israeli occupation in 1998. It’s based on my mom’s experience being born in Australia then moving to Lebanon in her adolescence. I thought the kind of reverse fish out of water model was interesting. The characters are in a space that is technically their home, but they feel like foreigners or outsiders anyway. I think despite the specific premise, the feeling of outsider status is quite universal to any immigrants or children of immigrants.

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EP. 1257 - Screenwriter Bethany Yoder (BOB’S BURGERS spec)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wva5vodSs0

Title: Boby’s Burgers: Word to the Pennywise

After Louise trades 1000 Pennies for a $10 bill, she discovers that rare pennies can be very valuable. She enlists Gene and Tina to hunt down her traded pennies, but finds something more valuable than money. Meanwhile Bob and Teddy challenge the notion “you are what you wear.”

Get to know the writer:
Word to the Pennywise is a spec script set in the Bob’s Burgers’ Universe. The episode largely follows Louise, Gene, and Tina as they run around Wonder Wharf trying to find “Mr. Penny Man,” someone that Louise believes is in possession of a very rare penny. During this episode, Bob and Teddy also start questioning their clothing (and ultimately life) choices.

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EP. 1242 - Screenwriter Thomas Anthony Brannagan (PATHFINDER DOWN)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eKEkCgFa-I

She’s an emotionally damaged agent with a dilemma. Find a downed airman behind enemy lines, then decide whether to become his saviour or his assassin.


Get to know the writer:
Pathfinder Down is about the horrors of Totalitarianism, regardless of what political or religious dogma it cloaks itself in. It is also about the futility of war…even the victors emerge damaged.

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EP. 1222 - Screenwriter Jessie S. Hymowitz (DOCTOR WHO “The Prodigal Heist”)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKxzQH6JMdY

In this episode of Doctor Who, The Doctor and her friends are caught in the middle of a museum heist, but the perpetrator is a familiar face to the Thirteenth Doctor. But who is she?


Get to know the writer:

My screenplay is about The Thirteenth Doctor and The “Fam” are caught in the middle of a museum heist on the planet Prodigal. The Doctor seems to recognize the perpetrator, but she is unsure from where. This screenplay is mostly about the mystery of the criminal and the secrets of Prodigal.

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EP. 1218 - Screenwriter Nate Lewinski (THE ANSWER)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKapX4h4I98

A film student makes a call, the answer changes his life.


Get to know the writer:

This one page script The Answer is about the moment I received the phone call that my father had died while I was at film school in New York. I wasn’t told at the moment he had committed suicide, but that was the moment I knew that the only real parent I had passed away.

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EP. 1209 - Writer William Rush (SWEETENER)

Watch the full screenplay reaidng of SWEETENER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD429vBrBAo

https://www.instagram.com/OriginalCinematic
https://ogcinpro.com/

A woman home for college break must outwit a very dangerous intruder.

Cassie, a young woman returning home during a college break makes plans with her hometown boyfriend for him to come visit her at her parents’ house while they are away for a concert.

She is waiting with anticipation for her visitor to arrive when he makes his entrance. However, this is not the visitor she expected.

Now Cassie must fight for her life to escape this unwelcome intruder, isolated and on her own, with no means of escape.

Can she fend him off until help arrives, or will she be his latest victim.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

EP. 1206 - Screenwriter Christine Oliva (YOU ARE WHAT YOU LOVE)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPET-r-NMA

Set against the backdrop of the OxyContin crisis, ‘Leah’s Choice’ unravels the true tale of Leah, a young woman entangled in a poignant queer love triangle. Caught between her soulmate and her best friend amidst her struggle with addiction, Leah’s journey is a harrowing blend of deep love and intense pain. Her story poses a thought-provoking dilemma: In the transformative journey of life, is it the profound depths of suffering or the overwhelming force of love that shapes us more? Or, ultimately, are they one and the same?

Get to know the writer:

“You Are What You Love” delves into the life of Leah, a young woman battling opioid addiction amidst a complex queer love triangle involving her soulmate Junie and best friend Maggie. Set against the backdrop of the opioid crisis, the story navigates through themes of love, betrayal, and the search for identity. It’s a poignant exploration of how deep emotional connections and personal struggles shape our journeys towards self-discovery and healing.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.