Submission Samples from the Family Genre

Title: Apps

Logline: A dysfunctional family trapped in the Apps store learns to love again.

Synopsis: James has a crappy life. He's bullied in school, rejected by the girl of his dreams and to make his life really complete, has to take care of his younger sister. His parents should never have had kids and do their best to prove the point by never being around. James finds he can escape into the App store on his phone and have fantastic fun and adventures. The perfect escape especially because Ella, the beautiful girl he meets in the App store, has the hots for him. He decides to stay in the App store. Why not? The why not becomes apparent when Ella reveals her evil side, trapping James and his family in apps that will certainly kill them. Will James save himself and his family or die in the App world? Who is Ella and why does she need to kill them? Wouldn't you like to know?

Title: PARADISE

Logline: A heartwarming family drama with rich characters about a man overcoming himself and his environment, transforming his selfish, commercialized view of Hawaii and helping to create prosperity for all.

Synopsis: The hero's new real estate development proposal is defeated. His son has a fight with a Hawaiian kid at school. And we find that his own reputation within the community blocks all further progress. Inspired by a local Hawaiian woman, he sees a different possible path to success. Repackaging his ideas with the buzzwords of our day--wellness, sustainability, eco-tourism--he presents them anew to the community. And he suffers another crushing defeat of his proposal. He has missed the lesson. There is much more to the Hawaiian healing culture than he can see from the surface. Only his son's "miraculous" cure from juvenile diabetes opens his eyes to the genuine power of the island and its people. With eyes newly open, the protagonist at last begins making his genuine connection. And he discovers that he can truly empower his community in a whole new way...if only they will accept it! Packed with roles for native Hawaiians, other minorities, women, children and the elderly.

Title: The Kingdom of Shanti: Twin Curse

Logline: The evil Sorcerer bares the same curse as the teenage girls who must defeat him and his mystical creatures while they save the Kingdom by finding their own magic without succumbing to the Twin Curse.

Synopsis: The twins learn that their enemies live when a kidnapping separates them on their 17th birthday. Their identities switched, and the wrong girl taken the secret begins to unravel. Through dreams, the sisters find each other and a rescue takes place. Then the real battle begins as strange powers rise within each and the destiny of the Twin Curse reveals itself. The Kingdom of Shanti has been called "highly imaginative and original work" by Producer Lee Levinson. There is a sequel in the works and a book on this film. Ranelle has completed various children's books, screenplays, freelance poetry and musical lyrics. Ranelle has produced and directed numerous theatrical productions. Her debut screenplay "Saying Goodbye to Joy" or "The Killing of Joy" inspired by a real-life story of a family member was called "heart wrenching" by a Producer. Ranelle truly loves her craft.

Title: FAMILY MOVES

Logline: Life is a road. Drive it. Caution: Enjoy sudden turns.

Synopsis: A positive-thinking, 30-something couple faces a modern America and a final mortgage payment about to bounce. Out of options, the two decide resolutely over a messy pancake breakfast that they have to move across the country for a job opportunity in a distant Los Angeles. Our parental heroes are convinced this move is right, but the real work comes in wrangling their independent 14-year-old daughter who lives a double life that just keeps getting more bizarre; while, avoiding the aggressiveness of their overgrown 11-year-old son whose sudden menacing presence forces his father to try and bond with the boy in an attempt to survive the weeklong trip; made more difficult by the sprite-hearted roaming grandmother; and getting them All to the other side of the country in 2 two-seater moving vans, leaving the teenage heroin to battle on the floor and hold a tiny obsessive dog, who often "gets away". Families are funny...in a real kinda way.

Title: I'm Broken!

Logline: Henry Pepperknopf, hospital maintenance man, content, quiet, nearly crippled, ready to retire is befriended by an eight year old patient, Bailey. who shatters his world with a request. Will you fix me

Synopsis: Henry Pepperknopf is befriended by a orphaned hospital patient, eight year old Bailey, who is terminally ill. Henry begins to read to her and gifts her with one of his favorite books. The Little Princess. He reads to her every evening and is suddenly let go by a sinister boss that did not care for him. Furthermore, he is banned from the hospital. Henry makes it his final mission to see Bailey one last time so he spends a week writing a book for her. He sneaks into the hospital to give it to her only to find out that she is on life support. Henry begins to read at her at her bedside and they discover, that together, they can do anything. One adventure after another binds them as a father and a daughter. Then they both have to fight their final battle. At the moment all seems lost, Henry's past is revealed and Bailey learns that he once had a daughter much like her. She even gets to meet her. The hospital lets Henry adopt Bailey with a warm heartfelt ending.

Title: Ground Effects

Logline: Log Line: Six teenage friends compete against each other in a grand prix racing series.

Synopsis: Not many American born pilots (drivers) are given the opportunity to get a drive in Formula One. Brandon Wells and Paulo Gilberto are two who were destined to be there. They along with their good friends, Pierre Dumas, Marc Gagne, Jason Chang and Juan Sanchez are looking to make their dream a reality. Our young pilots are cautious, intelligent, dedicated, and courageous. The intense competition takes their time, energy, and patience. But never their friendship. This story was written for the families that sacrifice so much for their children's happiness. Registered with WGAE

Title: Play Dead

Logline: A butler's servitude is put to the test when the family fortune is given to the family dog.

Synopsis: Butler James James and the James family have always served others and he takes great pride in that. Abigail Hunter is a mean old matriarch who feels that others are out for her loot so she devises a scheme to test loyalties. After she "dies" it is determined that she has willed everything to her dog Shama and has appointed James to be the executor. Her three adult children and others promptly set out to put an end to Shama. James' loyalty is put to the test and he enlists his teen son JJ to help out. James and JJ do their best to keep Shama alive, but fail...or so it seems. All hell brakes loose when Shama is lost at sea and Abigail gets what she was after - evidence that she was surrounded by rats. Shama returns and James and JJ learn that they have been part of a sadistic play...play dead. Abigail informs James that he passed her test and can continue to be his servant, but James decides to stop being the dog. When he stands up to Abigail she strokes and he gets his reward.

Title: Last Chance

Logline: After a high dchool coach's secret, that he drafted an ineligible quarterback, is discovered, can that player help coach his team all the way against a team that plays by its own rules?

Synopsis: James Madison High School football Coach Romero will try anything when his team, the Tigers, continues to hold the record for the longest losing streak of any team in state history, even going so far as to give his players rabbits foots to carry around for good luck. The team's misfortune, however, finally turns around when he drafts Johnny Knight, a quarterback with a great arm - who happens to have already graduated from a high school in another state. When Johnny's secret is discovered and Coach Romero is unceremoniously fired, can Johnny take the Tigers all the way against a team that plays by its own rules? Using some unusual tactics of their own, they might just have shot at the championship.

Title: Cher Saved My Wedding

Logline: A young man gets in over his head when he marries into a traditional Armenian family.

Synopsis: Brian Culverson agrees to a traditional Armenian wedding only if it is a small, private, family affair. All the wedding plans quickly snowball out of control when the entire Armenian community of Southern California invites itself to the wedding of the girl who was once the Queen of the Tournament of Roses ...including Cher who wants to sing at the wedding.

Title: His Mine

Logline: A fantastic emerald inspires struggle, relationships and social breakthroughs among a handsome gemologist, a ravishing female mine owner, oppressed workers and others during Carnaval in Bahia, Brazil.

Synopsis: NY gemologist NIELSON goes to Bahia for the opening of his brother LEANDRO's photography exhibit & to survey local mines for a new gem to revive his career. He and ruthless mine owner ROBERTO discover a huge, dazzling emerald right before a mine tunnel collapses around it, killing Roberto. During the ensuing chaos, rebellious mine foreman GABRIEL runs off with the stone. He hides at Padre PAULO's church, claiming that the miners deserve it, to make up for their awful working conditions. Roberto's ambitious widow, RITA, gets the brothers to help find Gabriel & the stone. Nielson soon spots it in the church's gem-encrusted ceiling. In between Carnaval parties, Leandro & friends help Nielson extract it, but it turns out to be a decoy and Gabriel gets away with the real one. Finally, Paulo appeals to Rita's conscience and she yields, allowing Nielson's museum to buy the stone from Gabriel, who uses the proceeds to build a soccer stadium/safe haven for the miners' children.