After a decade in software development—a career I absolutely hated and would love to put behind me—I finally decided to pursue what I’m passionate about: screenwriting. I enrolled in an MA/MFA program this past year to hone my craft, after working independently on screenplays since the early 2020s (or maybe a bit sooner). Much like my scripts, I’m still a work in progress—but I’m thrilled to say I have about half a dozen ideas written through the first Act.
Balancing school and my ongoing work as a software developer has been a challenge, but I finally feel stable enough to dedicate a large portion of my free time to honing my craft.
I’m here to meet other screenwriters, collaborate, and grow creatively. I tend to gravitate toward psychological thrillers and horror, but I don't mind jumping into the absurd or comedic. I love exploring human stories, and horror, in particular, allows you to bend the rules in ways you can’t in other genres.
Of course, I’d love to pitch my work someday, but for now, I’ll leave you with a few loglines of projects I’m developing:
Logline 1: When a UFO crashes into a lake near a sleepy Pennsylvania town, a relentless journalist defies government orders, determined to expose the secrets lurking at the bottom of the lake.
Logline 2: When his family is sentenced to a debtors’ colony orbiting Earth—where every breath and movement is monitored—a rebellious young man sparks an uprising that could either free the enslaved or condemn them all to execution.
I’m eager for feedback (please, tear me to pieces, that’s why I’m here) and excited to connect with fellow writers. Looking forward to collaborating and sharing ideas with some of you soon!
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Hey, Jonathan Cesari. Welcome to the community. I mainly write Horror scripts and Action scripts.
Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world. Writers, producers, directors, executives, actors, and more. www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...
Here's the link to Stage 32’s August Community Open House (www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-s-august-community-open-house). It's free to watch. It'll also help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros.
Unique concepts! I think your second logline is solid, but I suggest adding the stakes to your first logline.
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Wow Maurice Vaughan , thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction in terms of navigating the community! I'm really glad to be here.
And thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it, and I agree with you. The first logline is currently a bit generic and needs a bit more developing to raise the stakes. I made the mistake in the past of starting to write without fully thinking through a logline, often developing a beat board as I went along to figure out where I was going in the story. I've learned since starting the MFA program how crucial a strong logline is prior to writing.
Thank you for the feedback and the links!
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You're welcome, Jonathan Cesari. And here's a blog for up-and-coming screenwriters I suggest checking out: www.stage32.com/blog/the-questions-up-and-coming-screenwriters-need-to-a...
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Hey! Welcome!
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you’re welcome Jonathan Cesari
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Welcome! Your loglines are really intriguing — can’t wait to see your stories develop!