Monster Town: The Original Pilot Screenplay
Based on the Best Selling Novels of Nicholas Black by Nicholas Black & Brando Eaton
BONUS: We want to see how YOU and your FRIENDS can ACT OUT A SCENE or an ACT.
Step 1 - Read the Script
Step 2 - Act out a Scene or Act with you and your friends as the characters
Step 3 - Post it to YouTube and send us a link!
* * When you email us the link, we will send you the entire See Jack Die Series for FREE!
Email: nicholasblack60@gmail.com
What you are about to read is the actual Television Pilot Script for Monster Town. Reading a script is a much more engaging experience and we think you'll enjoy seeing the transition between novel and screenplay as it unfolds.
It's Important that we cover the bases as far as reading a Screenplay.
Reading a screenplay is not simply a "read", it is a re-read, or a creative act, it's engagement actively with the emotional life of these characters.
When you are reading a screenplay you have to try and experience the characters in their world. Sometimes the world itself is a character. Reading a screenplay is a visual experience, more so than a novel. To read a screenplay or script effectively you have to both see and hear the characters and keep your mind open and sensitive not just what they are doing and saying, but what is implied and suggested by their actions.
When you read from inside the story, rather than simply as an objective spectator, you can interact with the characters at nearly the same emotional level at which they are functioning. You are truly reading a script effectively when you are able to emotionally respond to the truth of the elements that comprise the main story.
When you are trying to understand the truth of a screenplay you need to separate your own personal truths, or those that we believe society (or the imagined society) of the writer. You only need to concern yourself with the truth of the script, immersing yourself in the details and beauty of the script without letting the outside world influence and color your thoughts.
Reading a screenplay is not only an art but it can be incredibly entertaining. You must be able to both here and see what is actually occurring intellectually, emotionally, and physically within the world created by the story and writers. You can't allow yourself to assume more or less than what is written about the characters and what they are doing. You have to get rid of any personal tendencies to judge the characters based on anything other than what is actually happening in the action and dialogue that you read.
Don't think, don't hope, don't assume... Leave your expectations and prejudices on the title page. Reading a screenplay is a lot like meditation in that it will naturally occur in front of you, surrounding you, and immersing you in a new world. Screenplays and scripts are incredibly interactive in the experience leaves you inside the most intricate details of our dynamic and thought-provoking new world.
I have included some basic reading tips for understanding the structure of a script. Generally speaking, a single page represents one minute of screen time. You'll find them a few pages down, just before the beginning of the script. Please let me know your thoughts, and for anyone who leaves a review I'll send you the PDF of SEE JACK DIE as a token of my Appreciation: ). Simply email me proof of your review and I'll send you the book nicholasblack60@gmail.com
About the Author: My name is Nicholas Black. I'm a novelist with about 40 books to my credit. One of the books that sells particularly well is See Jack Die, a novel I wrote about 5 or 6 years ago. There is also a sequel called See Jack Hunt.
Both novels seem to inspire a lot of interest with readers because the content is dark and fun, and very human. Since then I've written a bunch of very dark scripts and novels - Three Wise Men, The Messenger, Chasing Darkness (with Jill Falter), Chasing Daylight, etc.
Recently, a friend of mine, an actor named Brando Eaton (American Sniper, Dexter, MTV's Awkward, etc.) and I got together and decided to write the script for this idea I had been playing with about a town full of monsters that actually existed. A place so dark and creepy that it was always on the verge of chaos. So we did. The script took me about 2 weeks to write, and another two weeks for Brando and I to mess with until we were happy with it. We also has input from Phillip Schenkler (a producer for CBS and a writer with a history of great projects he's worked on). Between all of us, we got the script to a point where it was ready for the Televison world to start taking a glance. And so here we are, trying something other screenwriters have no desire - or stomach - to do . . . we are putting this script out there for everyone to see!
My background is in psychology, but I also spent many years fighting and bodyguarding. We chose the 1-hr format for the pilot and within about a month of arguing and craziness we had our pilot. Then we spent another few months going back and forth, second-guessing every detail. What we have is a really good script that tries to capture the essence of the books while keeping in line with the realities of television and the need for commercials in some cases.
If you're interested in learning more, please check out the Amazon.Studios page for the Script you're about to read and let us know what you think. The more positive reviews we receive, the better are the chances that this script will be produced by Amazon, which in my opinion is one of the most engaging and interesting platforms for film and TV production. They're definitely part of the "New School" of production, that's for sure.
Please, give us your thoughts when you're finished with the script! Amazon Studios - Monster Town (https: //studios.amazon.com/projects/93858)
