Watch the September 2016 Winning Short Screenplay.
| BLAME GAME Written by Sonny Dyon
SYNOPSIS: Genre: Comedy, Action. It is about giving it all to be with the one you love. CAST LIST: NARRATOR – Julian Ford
|
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
It’s about miscommunication and the “blame game” couples play when they fight.
What genres does your 1pg. short fall under?
Action Comedy.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I’d love to see a full-scale version of this story, kind of a Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibe, I think it would be a blast!
How would you describe this script in two words?
MisCommunication
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Fight Club? Maybe Caddyshack? I’ve seen Chinatown a dozen times at least.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
It was based on a work I did a long time ago. Then I kind of put it down and reformatted it to fit the one page. Which was a lot more complicated than I thought it’d be!
How many stories have you written?
I have 10 feature scripts completed, I’ve written 7 shorts, two of which I’ve shot and produced and another that I’m going to produce shortly. I’ve also written an animated pilot that I was able to attract some great name talent to participate in it with me (Mark Hamill, Gary Anthony Williams, Jon Heder, Michael Dorn, Kevin Conroy, etc.)
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
Initially, I just liked the story—I’ve been married for over 20 years and I can’t tell you how many times my wife and I have had a fight over something really stupid that turned into something really big. Obviously not with stakes as high as this, but nonetheless I’ve experienced miscommunication and I thought it’d be fun to explore through metaphor.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
It was based on a longer work so, truncating it and making it fit in this format was definitely difficult. It’s like the Blaise Pascal quote, “If I had more time, I’d have written you a shorter letter”.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I’m a Producer/Director as well, so I really love making films. I enjoy all of the process and am incredibly passionate about storytelling.
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
ABW. Always. Be. Writing. I’m always working on something. If I get stuck on one project, I put it down and pick something else up until whatever is blocking me is removed. Also, if you don’t outline or beatsheet or note card or whatever to get your major beats out before you write, you should start immediately. The note card process works like a champ for me and it’s made my writing so much more focused and helps me to not only fit the formula but to slip in and out of it while still being industry standard.
****
Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Editor: John Johnson
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Los Angeles feedback film festival 