Spec Script Sale: "Maggie"

[Tom & Jerry]

Bekmambetov Projects has acquired zombie spec script "Maggie" from writer John Scott III. Per Deadline:
Maggie is a 16-year old girl from a town in middle America who becomes infected by a zombie. Much the way that Danny Boyle changed the lumbering zombie stereotype by speeding up the undead in 28 Days Later, Maggie changes the lightning quick infection period evident in most zombie films, where victims become zombies in minutes. It will take six months for Maggie to turn, and the film tracks the transformation as she stays with her family.
Scott is a first-timer:
When he's not writing scripts, the writer programs satellite guidance systems for NASA. He works at the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, which takes photos of X-Ray photons in deep space.
Scott is repped by Verve.

By my count, this is the 22nd spec script to sell in 2011.

The 22nd spec script didn't sell last year until May 26th, so sales are up year-to-date.

[gointothestory.com]

[Sibo]

Smart move. Think like no one else.

[Pitchpatch]

Maggie changes the lightning quick infection period evident in most zombie films, where victims become zombies in minutes. It will take six months for Maggie to turn, and the film tracks the transformation as she stays with her family.

Intriguing, because with that premise my first thought is, Where's the Conflict?   Most would occur toward the end of those six months, you'd think.  I guess with the first half the conflict is more inward, her (and family's) internal struggle to come to terms with it, and the later half is more outward.  I dunno.  But reading the premise that's my first concern: that there's enough conflict in the first half to carry it.

[Sibo]

Good point well made. But think of the world that this personal tragedy is taking place in. What kind of zombie threat is this? Shuffling hordes? Fast running mobs? End of the world? Or localised outbreaks? Lot of conflict can be generated right there. And there's the parents dilemma. Is she dead or is she dying and going to be a zombie? What do the parents do? Cut off her head now or wait? How is Maggie coping with all this?  Man that's a truck load of conflict potential!

[Pitchpatch]

Anyone read the script?

[Tom & Jerry]

Not yet.. Actually I doubt I will.. Zombie doesn't do much for me..

[Tom & Jerry]

Deal fell through on this one.  It's back out on the market.

It was reported a few weeks back that Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov was set to produce John Scott 3‘s teen zombie spec script Maggie, with title sequence designer Henry Hobson directing. Apparently, that’s not quite the case. Bekmambetov never actually closed the deal, and Maggie is now back on the market.

Several bidders were interested when the spec was originally auctioned off, and multiple parties are said to be circling the project already, so it’s likely that a new producer will be picking up Maggie shorty. With its $5 million budget and trendy zombie subject, it’s got to be looking pretty good to potential producers.

[Jawbreaker]

Yeah, I'd love to read this -- it's basically a story about a girl with terminal cancer. Hopefully the execution matches the concept.

[Pitchpatch]

Reminded me of this fascinating zombie concept:

http://www.lostzombies.com/video/no-candles

Starts slow and builds to an interesting idea.

[Jawbreaker]

Make no mistake, this spec is in need of a rewrite -- in fact, the only thing being sold here is the concept.  Not good for a writer that wants a career.  Just WAY too much fucking dialogue and exposition...

Also, what the fuck does Maggie want?

It's a question that, I swear, despite how fucking obvious it is, new writers rarely ask themselves before jumping into their scripts.  Or, at least, they don't take the time to make sure that their answer to that question was a good one.  OR, in this case, the protagonist has goals but isn't acting on these goals by making decisions, taking action, and pushing the story forward.

So what's Maggie's answer?

Well, of course, she doesn't want to harm the ones she loves.

But yeah, it just sucks -- because, well, the writer never explores that aspect of the story in a meaningful way.  He never pushes the characters.  And it doesn't help that the cast design is particularly weak.

Basically, the story ended up being what Pitch was worried about.

[Pitchpatch]

Jawbreaker, you nailed it.

• What the character wants + what the character wants to avoid.  So: hope + fear/despair = dramatic tension (uncertainty, suspense). Dramatic tension = strong audience reaction.  Strong audience reaction (starting with readers) = selling your script.
• Characters reveal themselves through their decisions; their decisions propel the story forward.  Next time you see a shitty movie examine the main character's decisions.  None that spun the story in a new direction?  Passive main char = shitty movie.

So if that's lacking, yeah, they've got some work to do.

[Jawbreaker]

Really, there's not much to save.  I believe this would receive a page one rewrite -- there's only three scenes that might be saved.