30-Second Screenplays

Hello.  I recently saw your Craigslist ad seeking a writer for 30-60 second screenplays that featured a mid-20s female character.  You said you would pay $100 per accepted script and I think this could be a fantastic arrangement for both of us.

I’ve enclosed a few scripts that I was able to quickly write up for your review.  I think they could serve as great material for an actress demo tape.  Here’s the first one, a thriller, which I call Growing Tension.

INT. FAMILY LIVING ROOM – DAY

We see JAMIE sitting at her dining room table, with her back to the family room.  She’s a young mom currently focusing on her laptop computer, its lid facing us.  Behind her, a boy and a girl play rambunctiously.  Her brow furrows in concentration.

JAMIE

Kids?

No response.  She continues typing on her computer, haltingly, as she pauses to watch the screen.  The kids begin a pillow fight and their banter grows louder.

JAMIE

(slightly louder)

Kids...

The kids are still oblivious to her.  They have abandoned the small pillows and are hitting each other quite hard with large couch cushions.  Swinging wildly they hit furniture, shelves, and the window blinds as much as each other.

Their play is having an obvious effect on Jamie’s concentration, but she still looks only at her computer screen.

JAMIE

(louder still)

Kids...

Still no reaction from the kids, who now toss away the couch cushions and start circling each other like cage fighters.  Jamie continues working at the computer but raises a questioning eyebrow.  Her voice is losing its mother tone.

JAMIE

Kids.

The children charge and we see little more than a flurry of tiny fists, feet, and rumpled clothing.  Cries of pain are mixed with their angry shouts. 

Jamie's fingers continue pounding at the computer.  Her keystrokes match pace with the violent fighting in the background.  The look on her face shows us she’s nearing her breaking point.

JAMIE

Kids!

The boy flips his sister over his shoulder and she tumbles half way across the room.  The girl lands with a painful thud near the fireplace.  Slowly picking herself up, we notice her right hand now grips the fireplace poker.  She smiles a terrible smile at her brother and advances towards him as scared pleas escape his mouth. 

Jamie’s typing and clicking finally comes to a sudden halt.

JAMIE

That’s the end for you little fuckers!

The CAMERA changes to Jamie’s point of view where we see that she has been working on a computer simulation of cancer this whole time.  The words “CURE FOUND” blink on her screen.  She’s found the cure for cancer!  Her outburst was directed at the infected cells.

We hear small hands clapping in the background as the scene FADES TO BLACK.

I already have a great sequel idea where the woman is driving her mini-van with the kids arguing in the back as she texts instructions to the president on disarming a nuclear bomb.

I like to think of this next script as Man on Wire meets Soul Surfer.  It’s an action adventure with heart called Don’t Go Riding Waterfalls.

EXT. NIAGRA FALLS - DAY

The falls present a beautiful sight –- blue water cascades over the curving edge to a rolling river shrouded in mist.  But then our perspective jumps to the base of the falls and their raw power is no longer hidden by beauty.  Here we can almost feel the force of the water as it endlessly roars down upon the rocks.

We withdraw to the safety of an observation deck where we see a middle-aged man at the railing.  CLARK strains against the safety barrier, eyes scanning the top of the falls.

Now we notice Clark is clutching a faded and worn Polaroid picture taken just a few minutes earlier.  The photo shows a smiling woman, his daughter ALEXIS, climbing into a large barrel.  It’s the old wooden wine cask variety.

Back on Clark we see him catch sight of something at the top of the falls.  The CAMERA zooms until we see it is that very same barrel containing Alexis.  It bobs up and down in the rapids, often submerging completely as it is drawn down the river. 

Right as her barrel is about to topple over the edge of the falls it inexplicably EXPLODES in a massive fireball.

We turn back to see Clark with one arm up shielding his face from the blast.  His expression is a mixture of anguish and disbelief.  After a moment he turns away from the water and slowly shuffles into the gift shop.

     FADE OUT.

The best part about that script is you don’t have to pay travel expenses for your actress to be on location!  Take the picture of her climbing into the barrel next to any local river.

Ok, one more for now.  This script is a romantic comedy I’ve named The Neural Food Network.

INT. FUTURISTIC SPACESHIP – NIGHT

TOUCHSCREEN WALL WITH LIGHTS

Most of the wall lights have taken on an amber hue as they gently pulse their status or function.  We hear soft FOOTSTEPS as a man comes into view.  JAYAN is wearing a lightweight jumpsuit covered in pockets with miscellaneous small tools and papers poking out. 

He smiles and touches one of the lighted spots next to a microwave-like door in the middle of the wall.

JAYAN

Good morning Replicook. 

The feminine but computerized voice of REPLICOOK emerges from speakers in the wall.

REPLICOOK

Replicook awaits your command.

Jayan stretches out his arms and tries to stifle a yawn.

JAYAN

I slept like a baby.  How was your night?

REPLICOOK

Operational records indicate no Replicook faults between the 2200 and 0600 hours.

JAYAN

Would it kill you to just say "fine" for once?

REPLICOOK

Negative. Altering the content of Replicook’s verbal output would not trigger a catastrophic system failure.

JAYAN

(chuckling)

Oh Replicook, you are such a kidder.  Hey, how about whipping me up Nutriration #17?

REPLICOOK

Nutriration #17 would exceed your recommended caloric meal allotment.

JAYAN

What?  Are you saying I’m too fat?

REPLICOOK

Replicook is not programmed to issue a medical diagnosis. However, sensors indicate that your mass has increased by 7% over the past month.

Jayan affectionately pats the wall console.

JAYAN

That’s only because somebody cooks me such delicious meals!  Come on, I promise I’ll do an extra set on the Yogacizer later.

All is silent for a moment, then the wall lights shift to a deeper shade of red.

REPLICOOK

Commencing preparation of Nutriration #17.

JAYAN

That’s my girl!

We hear HUMMING as the replicator works.  Jayan smiles tenderly at the wall, in no particular hurry.

FADE OUT.

These three scripts give you good variety to start showcasing an actress’s range.  Just be prepared for the Oscar nominations to roll in!  You can send me a check for the $300 or transfer it to me via PayPal.  Let me know when you’re ready for me to write more!