By: Tom Goldberg, Instructional Paraprofessional/Substitute Teacher
Students at OA got the chance to create their own original screenplays. Students were first given a lesson on proper screenplay formatting and the five essential components of a screenplay: Slug Line, Action, Character Names, Dialogue, and Parentheticals. The class then broke into groups and were each assigned a different genre that they needed to incorporate into their original screenplay. These genres were randomly assigned, with one group being assigned Science Fiction, the next group Mystery, and the final group Action/Adventure. In addition to the groups incorporating an assigned genre, each screenplay needed to contain at least one element of teamwork between the characters in the story.
This was a great opportunity for students to work creatively while also developing their own teamwork skills, as groups had to bounce ideas off of one another and form one cohesive story. The titles that the groups came up with were “The Bloody Islands”, “The Shadowmancer”, and “La Pesadilla Del Centro Comercial”, and each story really showcased the students’ abilities to transfer their ideas into written form in creative and often humorous ways.
Student Screenplays
La Pesadilla Del Centro Comercial
An original screenplay by
Zach
Ethan
Aliyah
INT. RAY LEWIS HOUSE- DAYTIME
Ray Lewis, a retired NFL football player from the Ravens, now scientist, is watching the news. He is wearing red shorts, a Gucci necklace, and Nike Air Command Force sneakers. He sees there is a radiation leakage in a mall and everybody has to get out. Just then, Dr. Mickey Paluso, a Penn State graduate with a masters degree in science, computer science and engineering barges in the front door to discuss the mall situation.
MICKEY PALUSO
(enthusiastically)
Ray! The nuclear power generator in the mall failed and created the opposite of what it was supposed to and as a result a creature has been created!
RAY
(DEEP VOICE)
I know! I’ve heard about it on the news! Let’s go to the lab!
Ray and Mickey run to the lab downstairs.
END SCENE
INT. LAB-DAY
Dr. Mickey and Ray are running lab tests when Mickey remembers that his daughter is at the mall.
MICKEY
(panicked)
My Daughter is at the mall!
Dr. Mickey calls his daughter on the phone.
CUTSCENE
INT. MALL NOON (12:00)
Mariah is at the mall shopping looking for jordan’s and her phone is on vibrate and while her dad is calling and she misses the call and continues shopping.
CUT BACK TO LAB
INT. LAB-DAY
Dr. Mickey hangs up the phone after his call goes to voicemail.
DR.MICKEY
(stressed)
SHE DIDN’T ANSWER!
RAY
(sternly)
OK LET’S GO GET HER CAUSE SHE IS AT THAT MALL!
Dr. Mickey and Ray run out of the room.
End Scene
INT. MALL BASEMENT GENERATOR.
Ray lewis and Mickey Paluso are running all over trying to find Mariah. Suddenly they hear a screaming noise coming from downstairs.
MARIAH
(Screaming)
AHHHHHHHH!!!!
They start to follow the screaming and find Mariah and also find out there is a monster.
Then they hear the scream.
MARIAH
(screaming dreadfully)
Dad i am right here, help me!
They notice that she is hung on the wall by goop.
Ray Lewis tries to distract the monster by running the opposite way up to the store part of the mall while Mickey tries to get her down.
Mickey successfully gets her down.
Ray Lewis comes back from the store part of the mall with some fireworks from the firework store and uses them to kill the monster and save Mariah and the mall.
THE END
The Bloody Islands
an original screenplay by
Shakim and Elisha
EXT. JAMAICAN Resort – DAY
Martin and Gina are an outgoing and funny couple, and they are relaxing on the resort having much needed together time. Tom and Pam are also a couple but they are more mature. They are in the beach house together. Bon qui-qui is the wild and a goofy friend of the bunch. She is in the resort lounge having her fun. Carl is not really bright and the loud type. He is always all over the place and no one is ever really sure what he’s doing or where he could be. He is in the water struggling to swim but thinks going farther into the water is a good idea. After the group unpacks they all come together to go on their planned hiking trip through the mountains of Jamaica.
MARTIN
(to Gina affectionately)
Oh, Gina how grand it is to finally be here with you. I know all week we were fighting so this is my present to you. (Soft face)
GINA
Oh, Martin thank you s… (Interruption)
CARL
(to Gina and Martin loudly)
HAYYY! GINA
GINA
Oh hey, Carl when did you come?
MARTIN
Yea when did you come? (Annoyed)
CARL
I just walked here
Tom and Pam arrive
TOM
What upppp! Martin
Hey Gina
MARTIN AND GINA
(Even more annoyed)
Hay
PAM
Hey Gina where is Bon Qui-Qui?
BON QUI-QUI
(yelling)
AAAAA I’M HERE!
NOW LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!
The group of friends start walking through the beginning of the hiking area and stop at a certain place.
MARTIN
Let’s split up into two’s.
Me and Gina
Pam and Tom
Carl and Bon qui-qui
Let’s head out!
ALL CHARACTERS
OK!
All of the characters begin hiking in different directions with their partners.
BON QUI-QUI
(yelling)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
No Carl NOOOOO!
All run to Bon Qui-Qui
MARTIN
What happened!
BON QUI-QUI
Carl fell off the cliff.
PAM AND TOM
Where were you?
BON QUI-QUI
(loudly)
I WAS PEEING!
Everyone is scared. Their palms are sweaty they grow weary over the loss of their friend but they are afraid for their own lives
MARTIN
(Wearily)
Bon Qui-Qui go back to the resort and send help from the boss
BON QUI QUI
I will
Bon qui qui leaves the group but walks in a different direction. Their friends think nothing of it.
A piercing cry that belongs to a woman is heard. Everyone starts to panic and run to find what’s wrong!
They find Pam’s body lying out in the grass
GINA
(Yelling)
Martin, there is a murderer on the loose! We need to find out who it is before we become one of the next victims!
MARTIN
(Frustrated)
But who could it be?
GINA
(Softly)
It can be anybody there are many people out here hiking..
we just have to keep a very keen eye.
Gina see’s Bon qui-qui trying to kill Tom
GINA
(yelling)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It was you!
Bon Qui-Qui tries to attack Gina. Gina dodges Bon Qui-Qui.. Martin subdues Bon Qui-Qui.
MARTIN
(yelling)
TOM CALL 911!
Tom calls 911 but it does not work. Bon Qui-Qui tries again but falls and Gina chases her and Bon Qui-Qui runs but to her surprise someone had called a private investigator because she was showing weird behaviour before she got out of psych hold.
GINA
See you in the hot place!
THE END!
The Shadowmancer
an original screenplay by
Dylan & Daniel
EXT.-DARK DUNGEON-NIGHT
Shadowmancer Dylan is outside the dungeon pacing. His black cloak is swaying faintly in the wind, the metal restraints that bind his hands, and his more sadistic tendencies, seemed aged with rust, and his dagger is giving off a faint gray glow. He is wondering when the next hero, searching for the treasure held deep within the dungeon’s halls, will show up to be slain by his blade.
DYLAN
(Annoyed and slightly tired)
Uhg. How much longer must I wait for a hero to appear.
Suddenly Daniel and his trusty knight, Darwin, enter the fray, their weapons drawn.
DANIEL
(Pointing at Dylan)
Stop right there shadowmancer! You have committed atrocities against the people of this land.
DARWIN
(Authoritative yell)
In the name of our town and it’s people. We shall stop you!
Daniel charges first, uttering a bellowing battle cry. Darwin is following close by, ready to assist him. Daniel swings his battle axe at Dylan with a surprising amount of haste. But Dylan parys the blade with his own, almost as if it were just a simple stick, and quickly ripostes with a quick soul burst from his hand.
DANIEL
(In pain)
Ahhhh!
Daniel is blown into the air and back a few feet from Dylan’s counter attack. Darwin moves to catch him and succeeds and then they both fall back. They pick themselves up and dust themselves off.
DYLAN
(Mockingly)
Would you like to end this pitiful display now “proud warrior”? Or do you wish to continue on and die along with that pathetic partner of yours?
DANIEL
(Bravely)
Neither! As long as me or him stand we have a chance!
The shadowmancer summons his shadows. Darwin charges forward, powering through them and stabs Dylan in the heart. Dylan chuckles slightly as though it was just a scrape.
DYLAN
Oh I’m afraid you’ll have to do more than tha-
Daniel suddenly rushes in, bellowing a fierce yell, and finishes the shadowmancer off with a powerful strike that takes his head clean off. The shadows surrounding them disappear and their summoner’s corpse slides off Darwin’s blade and onto the ground.
DANIEL
(Prideful)
I guess even a shadowmancer isn’t immune to beheadings.
Daniel and Darwin proceed into the dungeon. Ready to find it’s hidden treasures.
THE END