Doomscroller - Crowdfunding Campaign

I’m a writer. And of a certain age. All the whizz-bang multi-media presentations aren’t really my thing. So I’m just going to write.

It’s difficult asking people for money. Especially now. I know that. But here’s why.

I’ve written a horror screenplay a lot of people seem to like very much. Industry people whose opinions I value and trust.

To have a shot at getting that feature script made we first need to demonstrate we know what we’re doing. To that end I’ve written a self-contained short film – a proof of concept. Again, another script people seem to like very much.

We are shooting that short film over the Anzac Day long weekend. This is coming off the back of shooting another proof of concept short at the end of January which was a trial of fire for me and my creative collaborators which we passed with flying colours.

Except it means our resources are somewhat depleted. Not in the talent, goodwill, right way of going about things perspective. But in the dollars kind of way to look after our cast and crew and for any additional equipment we may need.

Why should you care if Richard gets to make a great short film to possibly get to make a feature film?

It’s a good question.

It feels like I’ve served a twenty-year apprenticeship and suddenly everything is happening all at once. Crazy things, wonderful things, exciting things.

I’d like to think that that over the journey I have been supportive of people with their own creative dreams and endeavours. Nobody owes me anything though.

But if you are able to spare a few dollars in a tax-deductible donation I’d love to be able to show you all what my creative talents and dreams are.

If you got this far, thank you for reading. To those people who have already donated, I cannot sufficiently express my enormous gratitude.

The link to make a donation is here.

Thank you for your consideration.

Richard

The Whirlwind

My head is spinning. It's like I've served a twenty year apprenticeship and now the universe has decided I actually know what I'm doing as a writer. This year has been nothing short of sensational so far. Not one but two feature screenplays in play with another feature project waiting in the wings. Not one but two proof of concept shorts with one already shot and close to being finished with the other being shot in less than a month.

I've been writing well for a sustained period. My key collaborators, Tim and Jaimee, have been spectacular. People are reaching out in amazing ways - new faces, old contacts, exciting opportunities.

I'm humbled and heartened by the response to my scripts from other writers, actors, crew, experienced practitioners whose opinion I value enormously, and the market. Tim, Jaimee, and I have been taking very positive meetings on Doomscroller while the Truth To Power feature is in for West Coast Visions, accompanied with a short I'm incredibly proud of.

More than that though, I've been able to assist people with their own projects; brokering introductions, providing feedback, and being an encouraging voice. My mantra is pretty simple - ‘when you get the chance, you do good things for good people’ so it's been a delight to help out where I can. It's also a joy to be surrounded by such positive creative talent.

Then there's the possibility of entering into a writing partnership that could be a dream scenario. Head. Spinning. Linda Blair style. Without the projectile vomit!

Yes, I know I'm an optimist and that a million things have to go right to get a film up but damn if we ain't poised nicely to, as my producer said on a film shoot recently, “turn this dream into a reality.”

And that's pretty damn exciting!

Introducing... Doomscroller!

On 15 June 2023, probably in the wee hours, I jotted down a story idea in the Notes application on my mobile. This was after I'd read a post on Twitter - when I was still on what would become the dumpster fire known as X - that asked why masters such as Scorsese and Spielberg only made ‘period pieces’ these days. The answer posited was that the smartphone had made it increasingly difficult to generate drama/tension with everybody being connected all the time. That's a discussion in and of itself but what it did do was sponsor an idea… 

The first line of my note to myself was: “If mobile phones in movies are a problem lean into it.”

From there the high concept horror film Doomscroller was born with the tagline:

“Being glued to your phone has never been so deadly.”

I'm going to be a little obtuse here as it's a relatively new project in development. However, it's one that seems to be gaining some traction.

That tagline turned into the One Liner:

“When six strangers, all with a dark online secret, wake up in a deserted house with a mobile phone glued to their hand a malevolent voice tells them that if the battery hits zero percent the phone will explode.”

I describe it as Se7en meets The Menu; the latter film giving me the inspiration for the second act turning point. Yes, this is a long way removed from Saw!

I did my usual development process, namely a detailed beat sheet before attempting a draft, and something a little unusual. I pitched it to my director Tim Dean who I normally work with on thrillers and political stories. I wasn't sure if horror was his thing so I was somewhat surprised and delighted when he loved it.

Then another surprise. The first draft came out quickly and relatively easy. Including the third act. I could see it so clearly. I was especially happy about the ending as I've worked on scripts before where I was constantly rewriting the third act and it's agony.

It's now up to fourth draft stage and yes, there is a proof of concept short taking a strand out of the feature and making it a self-contained story.

As producer Jaimee Peasley came on board to work with us, I sent off the short script initially to gauge her reaction. She loved it too and became instrumental in applying for a funding grant. We ultimately weren't successful even though the funding body apparently loved the short script. However, it was a great exercise for the three of us to work together as a creative team and introduce ourselves as such to Screenwest.

Meanwhile, on the feature front incredible things were happening that I can't talk about in detail at the moment. A memorable pitch of the concept that led to another pitch meeting. A meeting before Christmas that I pushed hard for to confirm whether the execution on the page met the promise of the concept. That 90 minute meeting validated my belief we had something very promising.

Now I wait for notes before the next rewrite. And some other things to fall into place.

I'm really excited about this one. It has commercial potential and a killer concept, pun fully intended.

Stay tuned!

The abuse of digital technology will no longer be tolerated. You have been warned #doomscroller

The Proof of Concept

Over the long weekend a short film script I'd written was filmed. A fictional whistleblower story in the style of the feature script it would take its name from - Truth To Power. We'll get to those four days shortly but first, a little background.

Previously on...

The feature film script Truth To Power had been shortlisted for a major production funding round in 2023. Unfortunately, we didn't get the $1.25 million which would have put us on the way to making that film. 

A lot has changed since then including some things I can't discuss yet. The elements I can discuss are these:

A new Perth-based producer, Jaimee Peasley, has come onboard joining producer/director Tim Dean, myself, and our Melbourne-based producer Erinn Stevenson.  

A concise note from a person whose opinion I trust means there will be new passes of the feature script for the first time in quite a while. I'm excited about this as what I'm attempting is risky but will elevate the script from being very good to hopefully something quite special. 

We will be resubmitting the project to the funding body for the 2025 production funding round, now $1.5 million as Screen Australia matches Screenwest's $750k. 

The project has also been submitted for development funding which, amongst other things, would mean I get to work with script editor Shayne Armstrong again if we're successful. 

A key part of the submission strategy for the feature included filming a proof of concept short. This is something Tim and I began to consider in March of last year. With Jaimee joining the creative team in May, development of the screenplay began in earnest. 

Early on Tim and I knew that we could not tell the real life Andrew Wilkie story in short form. The decision was therefore made to write a fictional whistleblower tale. The earliest note on my phone is dated 6 March 2024 and the basic idea has remained the same ever since. What changed over many drafts ended up being the necessity to replicate the tone and dramatic conceit of the feature, namely the inclusion of imagined scenes. This proved to be quite the task as I didn't have the same real estate to establish that device and the transitions in and out of those moments had to be precise. 

I also had another problem. To create a compelling whistleblower story you need a secret of sufficient weight to give the protagonist a moment of pause as they consider the ramifications of their actions. The feature script deals with the misuse of intelligence to falsely justify Australia's involvement in the Iraq War so I went back to the military well and chose AUKUS as a likely source of government shenanigans. Only to find that actual revelations were outstripping my supposedly manufactured ones. I had to keep pushing the core secret while still having it be credible. It would not surprise me if what I've concocted actually comes to pass.  

Fourteen drafts later - with feedback from writers I have enormous respect for - we had a finished script. A script that is one of the most difficult I've ever written and one I'm enormously proud of. I did have an advantage though - we were going to self-finance this short so I could write it how I liked without worrying about the niceties of funding submissions. As always, Tim kept me on the straight and narrow when I became a little too polemical or ranted on the page. I need that anger to write about how these courageous individuals are disgracefully persecuted for telling the truth. Tim helps me focus and modulate that rage with well-considered and dispassionate notes.

Then it came time to make it all happen. Jaimee's involvement became critical, both in letting Tim concentrate on directing and in putting together a sensational cast and crew for not only a self-financed short but any short film. 

Which brings us to the long weekend.  

Yes, I was easily the oldest person on set. However, the crew could not have been more respectful to me and the script with a really good vibe established right from the get go. I loved their expertise, the banter, and willingness to work hard. Jaimee set the tone and everyone followed. What a delight to be there every day. 

Then there is the cast:

Myles Pollard, Caroline Brazier, Jennah Bannear, Maitland Schnaars, Deep Sroa, and Oliver Clare. 

What an absolute joy to have your words and scenes come to life at the hands of such talented actors! During a moment on the morning of the last day when Myles and Caroline were going toe to toe I had to force myself to stay calm. They were crushing it! As did everybody involved. 

I can't wait to see an edit. I can't wait to see the finished film at a cast and crew screening. I can't wait to include that proof of concept short as part of our funding submission to show what we can do as a creative team. 

While I couldn't tell you what any of those four days looked like outside, what I can tell you is that it was a very good long weekend!