Development
"TURNING TWO"
TURNING TWO MOVIE, LLC
Directors: James Malone
Screenwriter: James Malone
Genre: Drama
LOGLINE:
A small-time street hustler reluctantly shepherds an orphaned toddler through his sordid
world.
TAGLINE:
Two nickels? Nope. But life can still turn on a dime.
SYNOPSIS:
Jesse Finch is pretty much an asshole. He’d probably tell you that himself, or you could just ask anyone who’s known him more than a minute. His mom is tired of being hustled by her grown son for money and shelter. His brother is sick of bailing him out of jams. Even his pseudo-girlfriend seems to be actively shopping for greener pastures. But when Jesse almost runs over an orphaned toddler while driving a stolen car, he finds himself stepping up to the unexpected role of caretaker as he and the child navigate the often hostile world around them. A series of collisions with indifferent social workers, vigilante store owners, and violent street hustlers - coupled with Jesse’s growing awareness of his own failings - begins to rekindle a spark of humanity within him. And when the kid gets snatched and Jesse realizes that he’s been taken into one of the most depraved corners of the city, he must abandon his usual path of self-preservation in order to save the kid - and to salvage this tenuous new sense of himself.
Project Highlights:
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Emmy Award-winning casting director Judy Henderson (Showtime’s Homeland) is attached and poised to bring top talent aboard (Note: Cast in trailer on website is not final casting)
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Original screenplay was grand prize winner of the 2012 ‘Set in Philadelphia’ Screenwriting Contest
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Proposed modified low budget maximizes resources while minimizing investor exposure.
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Goodwill social mission strategy developed to increase exposure and attract talent.
"BLACK HAT"
Directors: Robbie Bryan
Screenwriter: Robbie Bryan
Genre: Drama
Desperate to get to an anime convention halfway across the country, a quirky teen artist "borrows" her sister's car, kidnaps her wily, black sheep grandfather and together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.
DANDI is a high school-outcast; into death metal and influenced by dark Japanese anime. She wants nothing more than to submit her drawings to a contest in Louisiana called, “Cajun Anime-tion”, an event dedicated to turning emerging artists’ comic books into a feature film directed by the famous Japanese director, SHINICHIRO WATANABE. The only people that seem to relate to Dandi are her friends, the nerdy FASSBENDER and popular but secretly haunted ASHLEIGH. Not even Dandi’s sister VANESSA supports her creativity. After Fassbender takes his life from excessive bullying, a long-time family friend decides it’s time that Dandi meets her estranged grandfather, HARRY. She tells Dandi they have a lot in common but leaves it at that.
Dandi the friend’s advice and seeks out Harry at his nursing home but her plan involves stealing her sister’s car and kidnapping Harry to take him with her on a road trip to “Cajun Anime-tion”. At first, Harry is taken aback but soon they grow much closer, especially after Dandi expresses her true passion about animation. It soon becomes clear to Harry it was suggested they meet. Harry opens up to Dandi and explains that he used to be a lead character in a comic strip called “Stalwart” and that his success, despite making him famous, lead to his eventual downfall, i.e. booze, women, etc. Harry confesses that his career took a pinnacle dive when he was accused of sexually abusing a girl. What Dandi and Harry come to realize is that they have a lot in common in terms of hiding secrets.
Dandi admits to Harry that, like him, she is an outcast; the “black sheep” of her family. She tells Harry that she believes he’s innocent of the crime he was accused of because she’s seen real evil in the eyes of her best friend’s father who beats her. She’s failed to detect that same evil in Harry’s eyes. But Dandi’s and Harry’s bond is shattered when Harry falls victim to his old vices and sells Dandi’s prized tickets to the convention for booze and strip club money.
With all hope lost, Harry convinces Dandi to continue the trip. Upon arrival to “Cajun Anime- ation”, Harry manages to redeem himself by finagling tickets after meeting an old colleague from his comic book heydays. After finally gaining access into the convention, Dandi gets the opportunity to meet face-to-face with Watanabe (the Director) to pitch her idea but she realizes she’s her precious drawings have been stolen; the ones she’s been working on the entire trip. But excited nonetheless and inspired by Harry not to give up this once and a life time opportunity, Dandi pitches Watanabe-san her story idea which he finds engaging. Dandi, realizes her dream.
GOOD TO BE SEEN FILMS
FEATURE: "EL PASO"
Screenwriter: Brock Harris & Creed Garnick
Genre: Drama
TAGLINE:
Two outlaws seek refuge in nature, only to discover the nature in death...
SYNOPSIS:
Caleb, a young wanderer lost and alone in a mysterious wood, equipped with a single pack of belongings, sits by a campfire. Ian, a woodsman is drawn to the smoke. Recognizing Caleb’s need for a “place to be,” Ian offers him a ride. They travel through the woods to Ian’s truck where they begin their journey to El Paso, or “The Pass,” a place lost in time, a rhinestone cowboy’s pipe-dream. They are initially welcomed by the Iron Caballos, a biker gang, where they butt heads with the dangerous Lazareth. Caleb and Ian’s brush with danger seems imminent, but is sidestepped, and they enter the town. Ian drops Caleb off at a run down inn, “The Cactus,” and rents a room from a comically foul clerk. Caleb finds himself at the local cantina/brothel, “Rosa’s,” run by the tough but kind-hearted woman of the same name. It is here that Caleb meets Faleena, Rosa’s “Mexican Maiden” and most popular girl. They are immediately drawn to one another, and a passionate romance blossoms between them. Meanwhile, a handsome and mysterious stranger by the name of Cody rolls into town and enters a rodeo competition. Cody’s arrival in El Paso is soon followed by Grant. This dark-driven ranger is trailing Cody, infamously known as “Texas Red,” an outlaw wanted for multiple murders across the southwest. Caleb is living his ideal desperado life, complete with his girl and a newly purchased pistol. One night he makes his way down to Rosa’s to declare his love to Faleena. His “cloud nine” happiness is shattered upon arrival. His love is in the arms of another man, a handsome Caballo named Diego. In a jealous rage, Caleb draws and shoots the man dead. The gang members quickly respond in kind with a barrage of gunfire aimed at Caleb. Caleb escapes Rosa’s and flees to the woods. The Iron Caballos pursue him hotly. Caleb awakens to find himself wounded and in the care of the outlaw Cody. Back in El Paso, Caleb’s life would be worthless. If he returned to Faleena he would be gunned down. Reluctantly, he decides to stay with Cody. As the days slowly pass, Cody leads Caleb on a series of adventures and unorthodox teachings, aided by a hallucinogenic substance called “sun tobacco.” The relationship between the two grow from one of apprenticeship to a bond of brothers. Meanwhile, Lazareth and his men have revenge in mind, and are on the hunt for the young drifter who killed one of their own. Grant joins forces with the gang to bring the two outlaws to justice. With the ranger and biker gang closing in on the outlaws, Caleb and Cody are both resolved with newfound intentions; Realizing his love is stronger than his fear of death, Caleb sets out to “make the pass” and reunite with Faleena, while Cody comes face to face with Grant for one final encounter. With both men’s lives on the line, each of them makes a dauntless move to meet their fate.