When a private detective goes missing, his gun comes to life with the task of finding him.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

A. I have a hard time answering this question deeper than the log line because I don't want to give away the ending. At it's most surface level, GUN is the story of a literal gun coming to life following the disappearance of the Private Investigator the firearm used to belong to. From a narrative perspective, GUN is both about obsession and reclamation. Both of these are explored between the absurdist character of Gun and his obsession with his own idea of Violet, the stereotypical femme fatale, and Violet's quest to escape her past and ultimately reclaim herself.

The film should feel like it starts deeply rooted in the narrative tropes of noir and neo-noir, but quickly escape from them.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
A. Noir, neo-noir, neon-noir.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
A. Noir films have always been written to reflect cultural anxieties of a given time, and as a trans woman, the major cultural anxieties of our current day often tend to be targeting our community's existence. I started writing GUN last year during one of the heights of anti-lgbt laws being introduced. The story is both a fun absurdist way for me to process my own emotions and anxiety on the receiving end of such laws, but also a way to flip the narrative on the old world tropes. I think this makes my script a very earnest and honest example of storytelling. Trans stories by trans people are necessary for our liberation, and I have yet to see anyone from our community write a script quite like mine let alone in a neon-noir styling. Additionally, this is a feature I plan to seek funding for as the first feature I direct, and so I believe that honesty will translate even more given the visual storytelling I plan on using.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?
A. Noir absurdity.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
A. I believe it's a tie between the 2008 Wachowskis' masterpiece 'Speed Racer,' and Casablanca.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
A. I started writing GUN in March of 2023. I don't think it'll be finished until we picture lock.

7. How many stories have you written?
A. I've written dozens of short films, and even more short stories. GUN is the third feature I've written, but importantly, it's the first good one.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
A. This is honestly the hardest question to answer. My music taste changes based on my mood, or other focuses in my life.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
A. I have never been paid for any of my writing. I work primarily on Non-union productions here in LA. For the bulk of the time I was writing GUN, film work was completely dried up with the strikes, so focusing on completing a creative piece was often on the back burner in favor of supporting myself.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
A. Blacksmithing and the history of metal work, particularly in the 13th and 14th century. I've been a blacksmith for 10 years, mostly for fun, but I've demonstrated for the last two years at the LA County Fair and a handful of historic sites around LA.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
A. I have nothing bad to say about the process.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
A. I originally submitted to the LA arm of this festival in my initial submission run. As my focus right now is on improving the story, I was pleased with the detailed feedback I received back.

To be frank I was disappointed with how short and surface level the feedback for this entry was in comparison to the feedback referenced above.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Sean Ballantyne
Gun: Steve Rizzo
Joanne: Hannah Ehman
Officer Mitch: Geoff Mays