Screenwriting : TGIF! Summer Opportunities & Hot Industry Trends by Geoffroy Faugerolas

Hey, Geoffroy Faugerolas. Hope you're doing great! Thanks for sharing the info. I'm most excited about "Horror, thrillers, and sci-fi features that can be produced for $2M" since I mainly write Horror and I write Thriller and Sci-Fi scripts. I have a Horror idea that could easily be a micro-budget script. I'm still trying to figure out the story.

Hi Geoffroy, where can I find the horror, thrillers, and sci fi for 2million?

Hi Billy Kwack! Various producers are looking for projects fitting those buckets so if you'd like to share a logline here, we can keep your project in mind if it's a fit for any of the mandates and we'll let you know when they request a sample.

Thanks Geoffroy

Thank you Geoffroy Faugerolas

Love this, thanks Geoffroy Faugerolas! I have a polished 95-page feature that fits -- it's an elevated (and ultimately uplifting) horror-comedy with plenty of blood & body parts. It also has a contained location/small cast:

RAT BASTARDS (eco-horror-comedy)

When a former combat medic decides to lead a group of misfits into battle against a colony of mutant rats, she approaches the job like she approaches life: stoned, armed, and angry.

RAT BASTARDS sounds fun, Keri Lee!

Thanks, Maurice Vaughan! -- it was a blast to write (then rewrite & rewrite & so on :)))

Thank you for giving an update Geoffroy Faugerolas I wish I had those genres but I do family, animation, emotional and psychological dramas. Fingers crossed those will be in hot demand soon. I'm ready to show my work and learn from the best! Keep the updates coming - it's always nice to be kept in the loop.

You're welcome, Keri Lee. I hope you sell RAT BASTARDS! It reminds me of a fun script idea I've had for a while called KITCHEN SINK that I need to get back to work on.

This is incredibly insightful—thank you for sharing, Geoffroy Faugerolas ! I'm currently developing a high-concept sci-fi feature with strong emotional stakes and multiverse elements, titled The Soul Draft. It blends psychological thriller, romance, and speculative science in a grounded, character-driven story. Your post really helped clarify the current industry pulse. I’d love to stay in the loop for any development opportunities or guidance you might share.

Recently I had completed my project script based on fantasy, sci Fi , battles, little bit romantic, horror ,adventure genre .

@taskeenhashim004@gmail.com

I am sorry but we believe that one does not mix fantasy, science fiction, battles, horror and a little bit of romance.

Respectfully

This is a fantastic breakdown—thank you for sharing these insights! Personally, I'm really excited about the rise of contained thrillers and psychological horror. There's something incredibly powerful about telling a story in a single location where tension is built through character, atmosphere, and existential fear. I'm currently developing a project called "TREE" — an atmospheric psychological thriller that explores morality, guilt, and justice through the eyes of a man hiding a dark truth deep in the woods. Think "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" meets "Prisoners", but contained and under $100K budget. Would love to see more stories that challenge both characters and the audience on a philosophical level. Excited to see what others are working on!

TREE sounds interesting, Yaşar Taşbaş! I'm ghostwriting a feature script (Horror), rewriting two feature scripts (Horror Action and Holiday Horror), and outlining a Fantasy Action feature script.

Thank you Maurice Vaughan . I hope we can achieve our goals. Good work and good luck

Hi Geoffroy Faugerolas

My name is Ergi Cela. I’ve written a feature-length screenplay in the thriller genre that I believe has strong cinematic potential and a manageable production scale.

Would you be open to taking a look at it? I’d love to hear your opinion and, if possible, discuss the possibility of collaboration.

I am also attaching a query letter. Thank you for your time.

You're welcome, Yaşar Taşbaş. Yeah, hope we all achieve our goals!

I’m very impressed by the number of people get in here. Each week like two or three more able people. This is a great site. . How bout a book side? Authors welcome side?

And what if u did a conglomeration movie contest? Like as a site we build a storyline and then get it made? Like a post that updates w the current scene by scene storyline ? Like add comments and someone adds what is liked and reposts the whole thing daily. Scene by scene coming up w what to put in it..? Cause then u can market that it was made this way .. it could have each person that posted credited as the writers. I would think it just needs started by the site, then it’ll get built.

How bout a plot like.. A person decides to fix the world. Where were they when they came to the idea and why.. and then it has to spirals upward.

Let’s go a woman main.

Maybe She decides after finding a bunch of study tested and proven cures to cancer aren’t being used.. to first bring a cure to market. But to make it known there is a known cure to breast cancer inchick pea plant lectin.

It could be she makes a cbd rubber band like wwjd bracelets w medicines in the paint on them.. painted in chick pea plant lectin and an other line painted in daffodil lectin bracelets. She could also come to a Tylenol bracelet as well.. the tech would be similar to a nicotine patch the body would adsorb the medicine thru the paint as it wears off.

Let’s say she starts making them then selling them at a grocery store and does a ad. . and let’s say Tylenol sees the internet ad, and likes the idea and buys in.? But she’s got nothing .. she didn’t get any kinda license to sell them. The grocery just gave her a stand spot and she took off. And we could see how that lack of testing and licensing goes.. but the daffodil should cure influenza, hep c, and hiv. Based on studies.. And the chick pea lectin has three studies showing it works too… so from there. How’s it spiral up? Is she awarded.. is she destroyed by litigation.. ? Let’s say she comes up w the next thing and when he first thing falls apart.. the seconds income carries her thru. It needs to stay positive and show what she is doing wrong and maybe she presses her luck, but it has to be real, and work out. ????

It would also be cool if u did a stage32 agency. Where for let’s say a flat fifty buck u get a conglomerates agent and turn your work into them. Then all u do is that’s a hundred dollar to be part of the email receiving these pitches each week. Where it can be books, scripts, movies, ads, print ad ideas, commercial ideas.. then you get a cut of what is made. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29623820/

I really appreciate this insight! Thanks for sharing!

It's so exciting to see contained thrillers and genre features <$2M getting attention right now. I’ve been developing a survival-thriller that leans into isolation, memory, and stripped-down visuals — something intimate, textured, and built around performance and tension.

I’m also co-writing a grounded rom-com with my life partner that blends emotional honesty with dry wit. It’s sharp, warm, and designed to feel personal — so hearing that the industry is hot for stories like this is incredibly inspiring as we move into early financing and collaboration stages.

If anyone’s working in these genres and looking for a DP to collaborate with — whether that’s for pitch decks, visual development, or just sharing ideas — feel free to reach out. Always open to creative conversations.

@keri lee Fun logline! If I may suggest, I'd recommend adding a little bit more information about the world or the catalysts (why are there mutant rats?) this would help the audience get a better sense of the arena. Happy to keep the project in mind!

Kaye Sereneveil if the project is not too expensive, sounds like it could be a great fit for a couple of opportunities!

Yaşar Taşbaş that's exactly what I love about horror. The genre is perfect to offer a critique of society and customs while offering a different point of view with a small budget. Happy to keep that logline in mind for opportunities with producers and executives.

Lindsay Thompson I'm a big fan of survival thrillers and so are most producers. There's something truly visceral about them, they don't cost too much and really put the talent at the center of the story which is great for packaging. Feel free to share a logline when it's ready. On the DP front - you should share your reel! These genres are perfect for collaboration.

Thank you so much, Geoffroy Faugerolas. I couldn’t agree more horror really allows us to explore dark truths with limited means, but limitless depth. If you're open to it, I'd be happy to send over a private one-pager or short pitch deck for "TREE" so you can get a better feel for the tone and story. Either way, I truly appreciate the kind words and encouragement. Means a lot!

Of course, Yaşar Taşbaş! Anyone can send us materials at success@stage32.com and we'll review!

Hi Geoffroy Faugerolas !

Yes, the project is designed to be low-budget and emotionally driven. It focuses more on strong characters and intimate storytelling than on heavy visual effects or large sets.

I’d love to hear more about the opportunities you think it might be a good fit for. Looking forward to your thoughts!

Geoffroy Faugerolas I appreciate the opportunity to share the logline with the community.

The survival thriller I’m developing is called Haven.

Logline: After retreating into the woods to end his life, a man haunted by childhood trauma encounters a mysterious boy who seems to know too much about him. As their bond deepens, he must confront the past he’s buried—and the part of himself he thought he left behind.

Would love to connect more if it sparks interest — and I’ll be sharing my reel soon as well!

Haven sounds intriguing, Lindsay Thompson! Looking forward to seeing your reel!

Lindsay Thompson love a good mystery. The project seems very contained which is great in this market.

I'm so tired of HORROR films, which most are unrealistic, but popular in the film industry today. What about REAL LIFE.... DRAMA? Films that actually teach us something and leave a lasting impact on the audience? This is why I stopped pitching (written and over the phone) my story HELL AT 30 BELOW on Stage 32 and was a waste of money. I was happy to get some great reviews, but ended with a PASS. HELL AT 30 BELOW is not a horror movie, but is a compelling, romantic drama (during the 60s-70s era) based on true events in my past. For more info., check out my website. www.angelfire.com/film2/kinsman

And proud to say....

Hi Geoffroy Faugerolas, just wanted to thank you again for your kind advice. I followed your suggestion and sent my project to the Stage 32 Success Team. I truly appreciate your support and guidance!

Hi Geoffroy Faugerolas I currently have two horror features. One about a possession from a new perspective ( TOP 50 ISA Student Felllowship 2025) the other a new high-concept horror character/ new universe for a big budget ( is "under consideration" but still available). In the meantime, I'm developing two new horror projects. I also have one dramatic feature film script with a strong female lead, and another dramatic feature film with a strong transgender lead.

I saw in a previous message that it is mentioned that we can send material to success@stage32.com, what type of material can we send?

Thank you very much for the opportunity to be considered!

Karen Kinsman You're absolutely right that meaningful dramas deserve a place in today's film landscape. The industry's current emphasis on horror and franchise content can feel discouraging when you have a powerful, character-driven story like HELL AT 30 BELOW.

The pitches and feedback offered through Stage 32 are really about the bigger picture - improving your craft, connecting with executives and industry professionals who may be valuable partners across multiple projects. Perhaps this particular project isn't the right fit for the executives you've connected with so far, but another project might be?

Indie dramas, especially period pieces, are costly to make and challenging to produce unless you have A-list talent attached - which is exactly why many executives pass on them initially. However, that doesn't mean there aren't executives out there who are specifically interested in reading compelling period dramas and potentially making them. The key is finding the right match between your story and an executive who shares your vision for meaningful storytelling.

Your story sounds like it has the emotional authenticity and historical grounding that resonates with audiences hungry for substance. Sometimes it takes connecting with the right person who believes in character-driven narratives over market trends.

I'd encourage you to email us at success@stage32.com so we can guide you toward executives and opportunities that might be a better fit for your particular style of storytelling. There are champions for every type of story - we just need to help you find yours.

Florencia Lowry You can send loglines, pitch decks, treatments...we'll review and help!

Geoffroy Faugerolas thank you very much!

G'day, Geoffroy Faugerolas. Though more of a drama/dramedy/comedy/animation and period piece fan, I appreciate the spotlight on summer ops and industry trends.

Dear Geoffroy Faugerolas, thank you so much for your feedback. I have pitched many..... on Stage 32, written and over the phone, and received great reviews, especially over the phone, with comments like, "You have a great story." and "You are an excellent writer, Karen!" However, at the end of our conversations,, they wished me well with the script, and had to pass, because they were not interested in Drama , which they posted with their pictures, and what they were looking for.

Hello, Geoffrey you are right.

Hello! I’m Khadija, a screenwriter from the UAE.

I recently finished my feature-length psychological drama Under a Cold Sky, about a grieving father uncovering haunting clues surrounding the death of his wife and daughter.

I’m excited to connect with producers, directors, or anyone passionate about psychological stories with emotional depth.

Here’s the logline:

“A grieving father receives cryptic visions suggesting his family’s fatal crash was no accident — and that the truth may lie within his own fractured mind.”

Feel free to connect with me!

Karen Kinsman I don't want to make assumptions without having read your project but dramas are very execution dependent. Execs can be interested in reading them and can be good at offering feedback but if the movie is a little bit less commercial and more indie, it may be harder for them to take it on. With dramas, you often need a director or a talent attached to drive interest from producers because they are so execution dependent.

Geoffroy Faugerolas, thank you. Over the years, between writing the unpublished novel and the screenplay adaptation for HELL AT 30 BELOW, I have reached out, calling and talking over the phone with an executive at Paramount, who was interested in reviewing the script, and read it. At the time, I was attempting to produce the film myself and seeking a Co-Producer. He was willing to help me as a co-producer, but later I found out he had changed jobs! My long time friend and Hollywood actor, James Gammon, read the script and loved it, and signed on his talent for the role of my father, but sadly, James came down with cancer and passed away. I had signed on a very talented DP, who also wanted to Direct HELL AT 30 BELOW, but again, I was left in the dust, after months of communication, when we lost contact and he moved to California, without telling me! I contacted a STAR actress in California, and she returned my call, and we spoke over the phone, and she was very i interested in my story, but was already working on other projects, and wanted me to have a manager to submit my script to her. So I landed a Manager (I thought!) who turned out to be unreliable, and I had to drop him. I could go on and on...on about my years of communication with those in the film industry, but it would take up too much space here. So I took of my Producer hat, did another rewrite, and gave the script a LONG....years .BREAK! Anyway, thank you again for your communication, Geoffroy. There is more information on my website: www.angelfire.com/film2/kinsman

In this industry, often the ball gets dropped. So many variables-tempermental actors, producers, directors. Did you see the Gene Wilder special on Netflix? So many times things went off the rails for him and his projects. So sorry you got slammed so many times.