“Don’t Eat Paper!” script reviewed in a YouTube podcast

So, this was a surprise to me: a YouTube podcast reviewing my script, “Don’t Eat Paper!”. The Portland Comedy Film Festival just put this out yesterday. What’s cool is that the other reviews are for some of the films that will be shown at the festival but so far, I’m the only script that’s gotten talked about on the channel. (Click on the picture)

Portland Comedy Film Festival YouTube podcast link

(It’s 99% percent positive but the one negative is actually moot now. They got an earlier version of the script so the current version is 7 pages shorter which should address any questions of pace.)

“DON’T EAT PAPER!” named Best Comedy Screenplay at Film Crash, currently a Finalist at Austin Comedy Film Festival and an Official Selection at San Pedro

Film Crash has been around for nearly 40 years, starting in NYC and currently held in Los Angeles (at the Royale Theater), while the San Pedro International Film Festival is at the gorgeous old Warner Grand in that Los Angeles harbor neighborhood.




Austin Comedy Film Festival – both “Limping Towards Babylon” and “Don’t Eat Paper!” are Official Selections

Just got notified that my screenplays “Don’t Eat Paper!” and “Limping Towards Babylon” are Official Selections of the Austin Comedy Film Festival. Also “…Paper!” is an Official Selection of the San Pedro International Film Festival (located in Los Angeles).



2024 DON’T EAT PAPER! successes at screenplay competitions (so far)

Amongst many strong reader feedback’s:
– Blue Cat Screenplay Awards 1st reader analysis: “Despite dealing with ghosts (and the chilly physics of the air around them), this script is full of warmth, a big-hearted and earnest read with endearing characters and a clever, original setup from the first scene. Joanie and Roy never wear out their welcome individually, but their dynamic together is fresh, compelling, and constantly changing — the writer smartly uses Roy’s neurotic transference to illuminate and twist the relationship between the two, as they shift from therapist and client to friends to near-partners to an almost mother-and-child kinship (which is healthier than the real mother-and-child relationship between Dottie and Roy). I appreciated that the script quickly inverts the predictability of Roy’s unrequited love for Joanie into a more complex journey for both of them, as he moves toward self-discovery and freedom while she moves toward commitment and purpose. The rules and details of the ghost world are fun to learn about as they unfold, but they never overwhelm the story, and the wonderful supporting character of Lyuba acts as an exceedingly funny tool for exposition as well as an emotional, bruised soul in her own right.”

– 2024 – First Prize Comedy Feature Screenplay – Film Crash (40th year)

– 2024 – Best Comedy Screenplay – Woods Hole Film Festival (32nd year)

– 2024 – Finalist – Catalina Film Festival

Screenshot
– 2024 – Finalist – Houston Comedy Film Festival

– 2024 – Finalist – Northeast Film Festival

– 2024 – Semi-Finalist – Table Read My Screenplay (Hollywood)

– 2024 – Best Screenplay, 3rd place – Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival

– 2024 – Best Fantasy Romance Screenplay – Golden State Film Festival (at the Chinese
Theatre in LA)

– 2024 – Semi-Finalist – Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition

– 2024 – Semi-Finalist – Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival

– 2024 – Semi-Finalist – Los Angeles Comedy Film Festival

– 2024 – Quarter Finalist – Richmond International Film Festival

– 2024 – Quarter Finalist – Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition

– 2024 – Honorable Mention, The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival / Screenplay Contest

– 2024 – Official Selection – Austin Comedy Film Festival

– 2024 – Official Selection – Portland Comedy Film Festival

– 2024 – Official Selection – San Pedro International Film Festival

– 2024 – Official Selection – Hollywood International Indie Screenplay Awards

– 2024 – Official Selection – Berlin International Screenplay Festival

“THE LOST TREASURE OF THE MAYANS” named a Quarter-Finalist in the 2024 ScreenCraft Feature Competition

Here’s some short feedback from the competition:

“The genre elements truly shine here, ensuring the project’s commercial appeal comes across on the page. The historical context and physical location of ancient Mayan ruins provide an exciting backdrop for the drama and action. You write visual spectacle so well: Mick and Kabah’s underwater struggle against the skeletons, for example, the Jaguar War Goddess’s dark ritual, and the thrilling showdown with the giant mythical serpent. Beats like these make for an entertaining and visually compelling read.”

“LIMPING TOWARDS BABYLON” 2024 coverage (reader feedback)

Here’s some recent feedback I’ve received on my screenplay “LIMPING TOWARDS BABYLON”:

Slamdance Screenplay Competition short feedback:
“The script has really clever dialogue, and the relationships between these characters are incredibly well-thought-out and dimensional.

ScreenCraft Feature Competition short coverage:
“One of the things that really elevates “Limping Towards Babylon” is the layering of the characterization. The group all have distinct motivations and each acts with consistent agency. These are all smart and highly educated characters and yet we also see their more lizard brain impulses that sit below the surface. The contrast between what is verbalised and the subtext beneath it lends the character dynamics a great tension that sustains reader interest across the narrative.”

The Golden Script Competition Coverage
“The beginning of the story hooks you right in with a strong setup, introducing Marcus and Thomas right off the bat. It hints at their comedic tone through their dialogue and actions, making it easy for audiences to relate to them. As the plot unfolds, it skillfully delves into their individual journeys, blending their career ambitions with personal obstacles.
The screenplay is packed with vibrant character dynamics and hilarious exchanges. It really captures the essence of living together, highlighting all the quirks and complexities that come with it. Each housemate, from Marcus and Thomas to E and Adam, brings something unique to the table, drawing audiences in with a blend of novelty and familiarity. Following their lives, from initial interviews to everyday interactions in shared spaces, adds layers to the story and keeps viewers hooked. It’s like reliving those college days in a whole new light….”