Watch the Screenplay Reading:

When a petty car thief gets into a Monte Carlo he finds abandoned and running, he doesn’t realize he’s also getting into a $500,000 drug deal gone wrong. Will he be the hero of someone else’s story, or will everyone be brought down by his hidden past?

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Val Cole
Business Man: Andy Camp

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Rev is about accountability. It’s a story about someone who couldn’t handle their own story, so they drove out of it and into someone else’s. You know when you’re watching a movie and it’s so easy to say “why doesn’t she just talk to him?” or “no – don’t go in there!” That’s basically where Rev is at the start of the screenplay – life is something over there that he isn’t a part of and can pass quick judgement on. He’s trying to prove to himself and the world that nothing matters, that he can get away with anything. It’s only when he starts to care about the story he found himself in that Rev realizes there are consequences to his actions, and if he’s ever going to be where he wants to be in life he needs to accept that instead of running from it. It’s about accepting yourself, helping others, responsibility, and moving on.

It’s also about stealing cars and selling drugs.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

On the surface this is definitely a crime drama. There’s some humor to it and it starts off fairly lighthearted, but truly it’s more of a character study than anything else.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think Rev would make a great movie because it tells a lot of familiar stories in new ways with new characters. It’s a ride a lot of people will enjoy taking, and will likely also leave them with some things to think about after they get out of the car.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

I’ve had some readers call it “Competence Porn” and others say “Too Long.” I think of Rev as “Karmic Justice” (but I’d spell “karma” with a “c”).

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

This is impossible to answer. There are some movies I have definitely seen upwards of a dozen (or dozens) of times, and I haven’t kept track of all of them. I can tell you that Max Payne (2008) and Inception (2010) are tied for ‘movie I saw in the theater most times’ at an even eight each.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I started writing Rev in 2022, but I had been working on the core ideas, characters, and plot for much longer. By the time I say down to write, I basically already had the whole movie in my head – it was just a process of getting it out and making sure it all fit. What’s been hardest is letting go of ideas I’ve had for a decade that didn’t quite fit. They’ll probably end up in the sequel if there is one.

7. How many stories have you written?

This is also hard to answer. Rev is the first feature screenplay I have completed by myself (not counting indispensable insights from readers and fellow writers), but I’ve co-written other features and solo written shorts. But if we’re talking stories in any medium at any level of completion? No idea. I’ve got quite a few to tell.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

I’ll give you four: Steal My Sunshine by Len, Savior by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and I’m Good, I’m Gone by 3oh!3 are my three personal favorites, but Rollin’ Balls by Vents was probably what I listened to most while working on this screenplay.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Having the discipline to work on my very rare time off – that was a struggle. It’s hard to make time for yourself and your projects. Once I was actually writing, it was pretty easy. The hardest part really has been making cuts after thinking I was “done.” Killing your darlings, as they say, is never fun.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about film-making as a total gestalt experience – I don’t want to limit myself to just being a writer when there are so many other parts to telling a story I want to be involved in.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

I’ve been using FilmFreeway since 2016, and have yet to have an issue with any of the services. I have submitted three feature films to dozens of film festivals and competitions through FF, and all of them have screened at a few venues. I also buy my event passes for festival screenings there. The search function is very good at finding the kinds of competitions you’re more likely to see success with, and the ticket vending is efficient and easy to use. I have yet to utilize any of the networking capabilities of the site, so I can’t speak to that, but I’ve been pleased with everything I have used.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

It sounded like the right competition for my screenplay, and so far it seems like it is.

My first response to the initial feedback was the same as it always is for any competition: I didn’t want to read it! I get so nervous, and I really need to set aside time and sit with the responses for a while to read line by line several times through to process it. I have to get to a state of complete detachment in order to turn the feedback into actionable notes in my mind. It’s really easy to hear analysis and critique and just get defensive about everything, but then your work never improves. When I was able to go through it, I was surprised to see how well my reader really understood the story’s themes and appreciated my style. The general point of their notes was that I needed to drop my page count if I ever wanted a producer to read it, which was hard to hear but also not unexpected. I’ve been hard at work trying to slim off 20 pages since, and I can tell you that the screenplay has only benefited from it.