Birch Ave by Richard Santiago - Short, Drama - A man in search of his missing son, meets an elder man. They share their tragic stories, but the elder man has a secret.  21 pages - pdf, format

Hey Richard,

First of all, I want point out that your script is absolutely rife with spelling and grammatical errors, I almost stopped reading a few pages in because of this.
Your dialogue, though a bit on the nose and cheesy in places, was what kept me reading. Not a big fan of the thick 'Murican patriotism elements either, but I know that Americans lap that stuff up, so you're good on that, I guess.

The conversation between the two men isn't very original but, as I said, it kept me reading. As I was doing so, though, I couldn't help but wonder how it could've been much more interesting if the old man suggested to Derek to go out and look for his son. Maybe, in some nearby wood where he's been known to play. This way it's not just two men talking in a room.

I was expecting the twist at the end, but I really wished you hadn't gone there. First of all, it doesn't jibe at all with the tone of the rest of your story, and it makes absolutely no sense for an old war hero to have done that. Or maybe it does, but you give zero motive.

In fact, the entire missing son angle made very little sense because it was so underused. I suppose his son has been missing for quite a while, otherwise the police would be looking and not the father. But you never explain any of it.
So, why not change it to a missing dog instead? It would make more sense for the two men to go out and look for a dog, and this way you can keep Derek's past pretty much the same (or maybe his wife died along with his son?). Not to mention that it will allow you to leave out the ludicrous ending. Instead, the men could stumble upon the dog at the end. Up to you whether it's dead or alive, or if they don't find it at all of course.

Anyhoo, these are just my two pennies. Take 'em or leave 'em. Good luck.


Sandro

Richard

Comments are not regimented.

I'll echo Sandro.  This one is not well written.  Errors and other problems.  You would do well to read more screenplays and find a mentor who can help you with the writing issues.

As far as the story goes, it's far too  much.  You can cut more than half and still tell the story.  We don't need all the stuff which only clutters up the story.  Cut and cut some more.

best
Richard

As others noted, way too many spelling and other rudimentary errors.  I barely made it through.

Throughout and especially on the first page, you use MAN, ELDERLY MAN and man interchangeably.  Why keep William's name hidden for so long?  Why not name him and move on?

You describe the house as dinjy/dingy yet the old man gets a compliment on the decorating?

If my son were lost, I wouldn't be listening to war stories with a nameless neighbor.

Just a thought: you could've created suspense by periodic O.C. noises (cf Tell Tale Heart) from the basement so the dad has a WTF moment and rescues his son.  Or occasionally shift the POV to the basement.

Hi Richard,

I also echo the comments above, but I'll add.

1) What was the point of the first scene? I don't see how it fits into the rest of the plot.

2) Cut out camera directions, you can still direct the readers attention without it.

3) Also cut out "we".

4) It's good that the characters have backgrounds but if it doesn't contribute to the plot it's not relevant enough to be included.

5) I didn't like the reveal in the end, but if you're going to have one, plant hints early on. For example, you emphasis a lot with the drinking between the two so I was expecting there was something fishy about it, even though William drinks it too.