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 tagged writer
EP. 1399: Screenwriters Jamie Latta & Cristen Coppen (TRUTH FALLS)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX7enK7_XQU

Amidst holiday chaos, Gaby and Fitz embark on a road trip to a spiritualist commune to confront Gaby’s estranged Aunt Tibby, leading to family revelations, spiritual meltdowns awakenings, and unexpected bonding.

https://www.instagram.com/cristencoppen

https://www.instagram.com/jamielattaluv

Get to know the writers:

What is your screenplay about? Truth Falls is a holiday film about a family secret slowly and hilariously coming to light during the most wonderful time of the year. When Gaby loses her parents in an accident, she learns that her new-age, enlightened Aunt Tibby has been made the executor of her estate. Gaby and her best friend Fitz are forced to leave their swanky Chicago lifestyle for a spiritualist camp, Truth Falls, in Oklahoma to confront Tibby and demand her inheritance.Gaby gets more than she bargained for when she learns there’s way more to her family story than she was told. Like, WAY more… We learn that Tibby is Gaby’s birth mother. This secret has been buried for decades. This is a Film about what happens when a family secret slowly, painfully, and hilariously comes to light causing spiritual meltdowns and epic holiday awakenings.

. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Christmas Comedy

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? We wanted to write a movie that dug into what the holidays are really about – Family DRAMA. All great stories are about family. The inspiration for Truth Falls was to have a comedy that stems from your deepest secrets and wounds because those are the best stories people can see themselves in. We love a frothy, fun holiday movie and we thought – hey let’s do both. It can be fun, sad, tragic, and hilarious. Most holiday movies don’t look anything like what people experience. We all have family secrets – what better time to unwrap them than at Christmas? Truth Falls is an anti Hallmark Movie.

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EP. 1395 - Screenwriter Audrey Mosdell (MAGGIE MAY)

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7fvjESla-Q

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Maggie May is a story about falling in love with your best friend and the fallout of that experience. This theme is set to the background of a female fictional rock band.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Maggie May is a drama but could be considered as a coming of age sub genre. It can be considered a musical as well.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Whether or not you are queer, many people share the experience of falling in love with a best friend. Maybe that’s worked out, but often we have experiences with unrequited love. Additionally in these times, it’s more important than ever to highlight unabashedly queer stories.

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EP. 1390 - Writer/Producer/Actor Mia Bible (HONORABLE)

HONORABLE, 16min., USA
Directed by Zachary Scott Clark, Mariah L. Richardson
Two months after he denounces the Nation of Islam and nine months before his assassination, MALCOLM X SHABAZZ has a chance encounter with his estranged brother and mentee MUHAMMAD ALI.

https://linktr.ee/Honorablefilm
https://www.facebook.com/Honorablefilm
https://www.instagram.com/honorablefilm/

Get to know writer/producer/actor Mia Bible:

What motivated you to make this film?

My need to create for creation’s sake and grief. The idea of “Honorable” began as a 3-minute scene where Ali & Malcolm X would simply have a conversation. The plan was for me to write it and Jason Little who plays Malcolm X in the film and Zach Clark who portrays Muhammad Ali to star in it. All three of us just worked together on a play called “The Meeting,” and it was super successful so I was condent in what they could do. However, in the same year I was dreaming this up, I was also processing the death of my friend, who was also an actor, my first producing partner, and 27 when he passed. I knew nothing about Ali and Malcolm’s brotherhood, but once I began researching it, I came across Ali’s quote in his autobiography and it triggered deep sorrow and and a desire for Asa to have a second chance at life. I wrote to get it out.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your lm in the feedback video?

I stopped breathing. I cried then I thanked God.

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EP. 1389 - Screenwriters Drew Henriksen, Ken Hewski (BOZ: Bikers of Oz)

Watch the 1st scene script reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urypTjeGVRY

After a twister rips a biker bar from its foundation, two rival biker gangs crash land in the mythical land of L. Frank Baum’s tales. Thinking they know the story, the two foes quickly unite, but encounter forces that they don’t know as well as they thought. In this Adult Swim style animated show, think of Sons of Anarchy surviving the twisted land of Oz. May also be live action.


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EP. 1385 - Screenwriter Carlos Galinho (DOWNBURST)

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

Get to know the screenwriter:

What is your screenplay about?
The central topic is a wildfire that grows uncontrollably, generating its own micro-weather followed by a downburst, which spreads destructive and fast winds of fire, while different civil defense officers try to fight it and save lives. It is a multicharacter plot, focusing on different layers of drama. At the same time, it’s also a conspiracy thriller, as a journalist tries to uncover the causes behind it.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Action, thriller, drama

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
First if all, it’s full of action and drama, possibly the main “ingredients” of any Hollywood blockbuster. Then, it’s a genuine, dramatic and heroic story with uncommon elements: wildfires are rarely depicted in movies; and, the story, which may seem incredible and fictional, was actually based on true events that no one could ever predict. So, if I do say so myself, I think it would be a great movie, something between “Band of Brothers” and “Dante’s Peak”.

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EP. 1379 - Writer Jean-Sebastien Surena & Director Suswana Chowdhury (DARK CIRCLES)

DARK CIRCLES, 4min., USA
Directed by Suswana Chowdhury
“Dark Circles” is a surrealist short poetry film directed and produced by Suswana Chowdhury, and written by Jean-Sebastien Surena.

Get to know the writer Jean-Sebastien Surena & director Suswana Chowdhury:

What motivated you to make this film?

Jean: Sometimes I write poems that I feel beg to be consumed in a different medium. This is a piece I’ve very seldom read out loud, and have never published anywhere. The moment it was written, I knew I wanted to visualize it in some way. I sat on it for a long time, as I don’t like to rush into projects that extend to mediums I’m not as well versed in. But once I started collaborating with Suswana on other projects, and saw the care with which she handles my work, I knew it was only a matter of time until I’d finally be able to bring this work onto the screen.

Suswana: After Jean and I made our first poetry film together, “Unbroken,” we were ready to make more. I’ve always been interested in creating interdisciplinary art as I grew up creating in all these separate mediums – theater, film, poetry, dance, photography – and I wanted to explore where and how these forms can intersect. “Dark Circles” was an opportunity to translate Jean’s beautiful poetic language into cinematic language and push the visual and sonic artistry further than we did with our first project.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Jean: My first thought upon hearing the feedback was “they get it.” Which was so important to me, because I know my words will always make more sense in my head than on paper. One of the challenges of a poet is conveying at least some of what you’re thinking to a reader/listener. And I’m grateful to have had an audience that gets it, and was moved by not just the words, but the entirety of our presentation.

Suswana: To be completely honest, I started tearing up after hearing the first person speak about the film. To know that the intentions of the project really came through and resonated with the audience made me feel like okay, I’m not crazy. Well, I am crazy, but it’s good crazy.

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EP. 1370 - Screenwriter A. E. Guaake (TRUST ME)

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

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about the Hulder, a mystical human-like creature with a cow’s tail, famous from Norwegian folklore, who has to go to Earth on a dangerous mission to con an orphan teenage boy in order to save her young brother from dying.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Adventure/Fantasy (low fantasy)

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Because it is an action-packed story centred on making impossible choices, woven into a layered mystery where nothing is as it seems.

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EP. 1369 - Writer/Producer Graham John Lamb (TAINTED)

TAINTED, 11min,. Singapore
Directed by Ian Wee
In a world driven by corporate greed and unethical genetic experimentation, Darien, the pioneering human clone, finds himself obsolete against a superior 2nd Generation Clone, leading to his and his mentor’s targeting. Following his mentor’s death, Darien’s hidden hybrid nature—combining human and vampire DNA—surfaces during a critical confrontation, granting him unexpected survival. Marked as a “Tainted” failure yet possessing newfound powers, Darien faces an ambiguous future, embodying the narrative’s critique of ambition’s perils and the poignant fallout of manipulative sciences.

http://www.brightvoxelstudios.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551387412655
https://www.instagram.com/film_tainted/

Get to know writer/producer Graham John Lamb:

What motivated you to make this film?

I was Virtual Production Supervisor on a film in Singapore, when the IMDA (InfoComm Media Development Authority Singapore) announced that they were funding projects in this particular area. My producer, director and director of photography were at the time over in the UK at the National Film and Television School also attending a Virtual Production immersion program aimed at industry professionals to learn about this new way of film making. So excited with this new surge of enthusiasm I asked Jeffrey about joining this content creation initiative and we all got together and created Tainted.

What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Honestly I got a little teary, when I was looking at the reviews, I am greatly appreciative that the reviewers talk about the whole film in general from stunts, makeup, sound & music to performance and that really shows that the team was really the best – such a dynamic group all around and I have nothing but high praise for everyone involved.

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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. 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. 1313 - Writer/Producer Jony Yuwono (SHADOW OF THE LIGHT)

SHADOW OF THE LIGHT, 7min,. Indonesia

Directed by Tono Wisnu

This short film tells the journey of three generations traditional puppet master and his struggle to preserve the ancient craft of Wayang Kulit (Javanese traditional shadow puppetry).

Interview with writer/producer Jony Yuwono

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EP. 1307 - Screenwriter Alan David Pritchard (THE PEBBLE CHAMPION)

Watch best scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V89jjei3FHI

When a grieving teenage boy, sent to live with the father he’s never met, is haunted by memories and wrestling with his identity, it takes the magic of pebbles on water and the transformative power of kind friends to help him accept his past and welcome his future.

http://www.alandavidpritchard.com/

https://www.facebook.com/PoetryByAlanDavidPritchard/

Get to know the screenwriter:

The story centers around Chris, a 15-year-old who’s really struggling after his mother’s sudden death in a car accident. He’s forced to relocate to this quiet island off the south coast of England, where he has to begin a new relationship with his estranged father. He also ends up forming a close friendship with Thane, one of his new classmates. Thane becomes this kind of anchor for Chris as he tries to navigate this new, unfamiliar environment.


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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. 1295 - Screenwriter Carlos Gabriel Ruiz (Galentine's Day)

Watch the Screenplay Reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/galentines-day

After finding her fiance with another woman, Lisa and her friends all head on vacation together to celebrate Galentine's Day. However, they were not prepared for the dangers they came to face.

Get to know the writer:

Valentine's Day is etched in Lisa's memory as a day of betrayal. Four years ago, she embarked on a journey through a relentless snowstorm to surprise her fiancé, Jim, only to stumble upon a scene that shattered her – Jim with another woman.

In the wake of that devastating revelation, Lisa's friends — Debbie, Mandy, Jenny, and Katie — fashioned Galentine's Day, a cherished retreat where solidarity among the women reigns supreme. But nothing lasts forever. This is the final Galentine's Day because the women each have busy lives and romantic partners they'd rather spend Valentine's Day with. So the women get together for one last hurrah at a secluded lake house in the Ozarks.

Ultimately, Galentine's Day is about friendship, love, betrayal, and how people slowly grow apart and change, no matter how hard they try to stick together.

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EP. 1294 - Writer/Actor Irene Stepanenko (THE LETTER)

THE LETTER, 6min., USA
Directed by Ruben Rodas
A daughter comes to terms with the loss of her father with a heartfelt farewell letter …

http://skyframepictures.com/

https://www.instagram.com/irene_stepanenko/

Get to know writer/actor Irene Stepanenko:
My motivation to create this film stemmed from a deep desire to honor my father for the immense love, care, and unwavering support he provided me throughout my life.
The idea for the film came to me two months after my father’s passing on May 26, 2021. I wrote the script as a monologue on July 27, 2021—our shared birthday. That day, alone in a Dallas hotel, I began writing a heartfelt letter to him, which later became the script. I held onto the monologue for a couple of years. When I shared it with my dear friend Ruben, a talented producer and videographer, he immediately connected with my vision. Our collaborative efforts led us to shoot the film at a beautiful location by the end of last summer. Overall, the journey from concept to completion took about two years.

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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. 1283 - Actor/Producer/Writer Oliver de la Harpe (PARROT)

PARROT, 24min,. Canada
Directed by Cameron Faulkner
After forcibly being sold a parrot, Ollie is thrust into a surprise birthday party hosted by his roommates. The night spirals into chaos as he tries to regain control and sort his life out. Based on an unbelievable true story.

https://www.instagram.com/parrotfilmofficial/

Get to know Oliver de la Harpe:

Covid is the short answer. Charles (co-writer) and I were isolated across continents and in many FaceTime conversations we finally started to commit to a film project we had been talking about for a few years. It lived mainly as a script we would work on until Charles showed it to our director Cameron for notes. To which he signed on immediately and said he wanted to shoot. From there the only question was when.

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