The Black List Launches Private “Work In Progress” Screenplay Reading Series
Yet more innovative thinking from the Black List:
July 8, 2014 (Los Angeles) — Last night, the Black List launched a private screenplay reading series with Brian Duffield’s I AM GOING TO KILL EVERYONE. Cast by Deborah Aquila and Lisa Zagoria with actors from the Aquila Morong studio as all future readings will be, last night’s event was the first in a new series designed to allow working screenwriters to privately workshop in-progress original material with the benefit of hearing it performed by professional actors for an invite-only audience of their choice and at no cost to them.
I’M GOING TO KILL EVERYONE is a dark action comedy that answers the immortal question of what happens when a serial killer for hire (Joe Holt), a psychopath (Marianna Palka), a hipster (Elisha Yaffe), a robot (Joel Bryant) and a pig (no one, because it’s a pig) go on a road trip and listen to Tori Amos. Lots of people die, like the title warns you. Mandy May and Hal Ozsan rounded out the cast.
Duffield, screenwriter of upcoming films INSURGENT and JANE GOT A GUN, said of the experience, “In an industry where writers are often treated as disposable, Franklin and the Black List stand alone in cherishing the writer’s voice and work. I was honored to have been able to test-run a brand new script with Lisa and Deb’s perfectly cast actors, and I could not be happier with how it went. I left the table read eager to go home and write more scripts, which is perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay an already great organization and event.”
Lisa and Deb added, “We were so pleased to work together with the Black List again to celebrate great writing. Brian wrote a unique and fun script, that was even more hilarious and nuanced when coupled with stellar actors. Work shopping a script-in-progress is a great way for the writer to hear what works and what might not, and for actors to stretch their muscles and play around with different characters that they may not typically have the opportunity to play.”
The Black List is currently accepting submissions for the Works in Progress series. Scripts should be that which the writer has an eagerness to workshop with an eye toward an immediate rewrite. Any WGA members (East or West) interested in submitting their script for a potential read can do so by emailing WIP@blcklst.com with a brief description of the script, why the author wishes to have it read, and who they’d like in their audience to help workshop the script. Writers should also have at least one script listed in the Black List’s screenplay database (a free service for all WGAe, WGAw, and WGGB members).
“The Black List has always been about highlighting and supporting ambitious storytelling, and this is a particularly exciting platform where we’ll do it,” said Black List founder Franklin Leonard. “I’M GOING TO KILL EVERYONE is the kind of script that’s perfect for this. Unorthodox, challenging, and absolutely bursting with potential as a feature film. This is the first of many, and we look forward to hearing from writers about material to which they’d like to give similar treatment. Seriously, get in touch.”
Here’s a photo of the cast and screenwriter:
Can you guess which one is Brian Duffield? C’mon, he totally looks like a screenwriter!
So we can add this to other Black List initiatives launched in the last year or so:
Cassian Elwes / Sundance Film Festival — Black List
Hasty Pudding Institute Screenwriting Fellowship — Black List
Martin Katz/Toronto International Film Festival — Black List
TBS / TNT — Black List
Walt Disney Studios — Black List
Warner Bros. — Black List
WIGS — Black List
While we’re here, this is your last chance to pose questions to Franklin. As I noted here the other day, he has kindly agreed to respond to inquiries from GITS readers, so have at it.
For my recent interview with Brian Duffield, go here.
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