I’m not sure I’ve mentioned here that I entered some scripts in the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition this year, and did okay — three scripts (two features and a short) made it to second round.
Earlier this year I did some posts about The Black List website, blcklst.com. I talked about the random luck of finding the right reader, and posted a mixed blcklst.com review of a script Paul and I wrote called, My Zombie Parents. (I’ll try to find the link and post it here upcoming.)
For comparison purposes (and maybe as an incredibly late and pointless defense against readers of who read the blcklst review and concluded I’m just a bad writer) here’s a more positive review by our second round Austin Reader:
Reader #3 (Second Round reader)
My Zombie Parents
Concept: A great concept that results in a story which is funny, captivating, and ultimately very touching. The concept and vibe evoke all manner of films and books such as the works of Roald Dahl, Harry Potter, a Series of Unfortunate Events… but this script is entirely unique and fresh. Absolutely loved it!
Plot: All feels very natural and progresses in an authentic and compelling way. There are moments when I thought I could predict certain developments, but the script constantly surprised me.
Structure: Clean, efficient structure that doesn’t draw attention to itself but ensures that everything is on point. There is a clear sense of beginning, middle, and end. Great sense of pacing throughout.
Characters: Evocative characterizations that are very nicely written. For all the humor and outrageousness of the script, the characters seem very grounded and genuine. It’s actually really touching. Even the soft toy and the cat are well-written characters, and even more minor stock-ish characters like Bully have nuance.
Dialogue: Provides a great sense of character and source humor. Always feels appropriate and authentic.
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this script. Everything is on point: the story and the characters are down. There are some wacky moments of pure randomness, but it all absolutely works. Really loved this script!!!
One thought on “My Zombie Parents, the Austin Film Fest Feedback”