Screenwriting
Cause my brain is weird and the world has to know.
While I tend to gravitate towards the horror and thriller genres (cause that’s what happens when you grow up on a spooky farm near the woods), I’m comfortable in just about any setting. Below are examples of some of my most recent work, highlighting my skills as someone who can consistently keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
HIGH MOON
In this western horror epic, a group of outlaws find refuge in a mysterious town run by a charismatic religious leader, only to discover that what they worship is far more dangerous than anything they're running from.
Genre: Horror/Western
Praise
“HIGH MOON is an effective and genuinely creepy Western Horror. The spectacle here is quite impressive on a visceral level, and that would be a selling point. The audience may not have seen monsters like these before, and certainly not in this genre. The script gets deep into moral philosophy and the religious mindset, giving us some thought-provoking material as well. To bring this world to life would require a decent budget, but it would be worth it, for an exhilarating horror movie of epic proportions.”
"HIGH MOON is a vivid and terrifying Western Horror with a fantastical spectacle and an unforgettable villain. The story is complex and nuanced, with a complicated cast of characters who can't always be shoe-horned into black and white. The moral layers here are fascinating and make for a resonant, engaging story where we can care about the people beyond potential victims and monsters.”
SEARCHERS
When a disillusioned journalist investigates a child's disappearance in Salton Sea, she uncovers a horrifying world just beyond our own.
Genre: Horror/Noir
Praise
“SEARCHERS' mythology showcases the author's wonderfully dark imagination, and the script's exceptional sense of place and atmosphere evoke a sustained, unsettling dread. It is difficult to overstate the shocking, brutal power of these pages' finale, and the writer's deft combination of real human cruelty with the supernatural is impressive in its avoidance of hollow spectacle."
“Something that stands out about the really well written SEARCHERS is how the writer handles the genre, implementing the various tenets of the genre in thought provoking and unnerving ways. The journey of alcoholic and haunted journalist Olivia as she investigates missing children in a town near a body of water in California is one that provides jump scares, bloody visuals and a pervasive atmosphere of dread which complement each other to create a fully immersive horror experience.”
NEGATIVE
A troubled photographer returns to his hometown after suffering a career-ending accident, but he quickly learns that a past he fought to leave behind has fought just as hard to find him.
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Praise
“Paced as quickly as it reads, this is an incredibly engaging script that keeps its air of mystery alive until the last scene. It slowly reveals its secrets; it doesn’t rely on dramatic outbursts nor unrealistic, exaggerated moments to tell Chris’ story. Instead, it seamlessly blends memories with hallucination, real life with fabrication. The non-linear spine works impressively well, and the transitions between moments are smooth and exciting. It keeps the world riveting, and it maintains a kinetic flow of energy within the structure of the narrative.”
“Popcorn flicks like this one thrive in cinema. It's mostly contained within a small town, with few locations. Though there are brief, bigger action sequences, these can be made within the confinements of a small budget. There's an opportunity to reap a significant box office revenue with the proper marketing, released at the right time. In a genre often saturated with sequels, remakes, and franchises that utilize the same storylines and characters, this script is a refreshing change of pace. it challenges its audience to think deeper. It doesn't rely solely on the effectiveness of jump scare moments. It's just as psychologically disturbing as it is visually.”