Just got my notes from the Slamdance Screenplay Competition for my survival horror script Myrmecia (about a post-apocalyptic tribe battling bioluminescent ants). The feedback was thoughtful, encouraging, and gave me a few great reminders — especially about keeping action lines tight, focusing subtext in dialogue, and making sure the protagonist’s arc stays central.
These are great notes for any script, honestly.
I'm feeling energized to dive into the next draft and grateful to be learning and improving with each project.
If anyone else got Slamdance notes, I’d love to hear your takeaways too!
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Please tell me Myrmecia was inspired by one-hit wonder (literally, he only directed one film in his career) Saul Bass' 1974 absolute masterpiece Phase IV
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Congrats. Hope it helps you keep going.
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Rossi Kaufman I've never heard of Phase IV, but will check it out! Myrmecia was inspired by Them (1954 classic creature feature). I wanted a "what if the ants won" story, and Myrmecia evolved from there.
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@Bill Albert Thank you, I'm feeling the momentum lately. Last night I wrote 8 pages in my third feature screenplay and am about halfway done.
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I just read the Phase IV IMDb page. There are a few parallels, especially the hyper intelligence of the ants. I'll have to watch the film to learn more. Thanks for calling it out! (There's also Empire of the Ants, though again it only shares a few ingredients).
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That is awesome Patrick Koepke and wish you the bst of luck with your amazing 50-70s style horror film. Need more like this!
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Thank you Mark Deuce . I'm an old soul so a lot of what I grew up with are from the decades you mention.
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Same here my friend! I grew up at a young age with much older men at my dad´s gas station who taught me about life as we worked the front. Great memories.