The gods of Mt. Olympus awaken as human teenagers to struggle with the immortal bonds of kinship while reclaiming their rightful places as rulers of humankind.
Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?
As a high concept genre show that employs Greek mythology as a backdrop to tell human stories, Olympus Rising is highly marketable and will have no problems finding an audience. It is also set up to generate many seasons of adventure and potential spinoffs. With a diverse cast that speaks to the modern era, the characters of Olympus Rising will keep audiences hooked with their relatable struggles loosely veiled under a fantasy umbrella.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Trauma-informed fantasy
What TV show do you keep watching over and over again?
The Twilight Zone (the original)
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
As of fall 2016, Olympus Rising will be three years in the works.
How many stories have you written?
I wrote my first short story when I was nine years old. After that I lost count.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
In 2013 I crashed and burn on a major project that I had been preparing for for over six months. Frustrated and depressed, I shut myself away in my little apartment and binged on zinfandel, dark chocolate, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and Heroes. Then I decided to write my own TV pilot where the protagonist was a total loser. I wanted to do something that was fantasy but didn’t want vampires, werewolves, or witches. I decided to use Greek mythology because, even though it’s prevalent in storytelling, I hadn’t seen anything that really used it directly in a while. The line, “Olympus rising” just popped in my head, and I started to develop ideas from that. Within a few days I had an outline, and it took about two or three days to pound out the first draft.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Compared to other writing projects, Olympus Rising, has gone really smoothly. I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted from the beginning and have had tons of great feedback from people I trust. Every time I got feedback, I would take the time to rewrite it and tried to be flexible yet true to the characters and stories I had envisioned, and I didn’t worry about the time it would take me. I just set my own timelines by which I wanted to have this project polished.
One of the issues that kept coming up was making sure my protagonist was strong enough in the pilot to lead the whole show even though it has an ensemble cast, and in the pilot, Asher shares much of the main story with Micah. Plus Asher is supposed to be kind of a loser (by unfair societal standards), and it can be hard to make a loser engaging and strong.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love learning languages and practicing martial arts.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your
feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I wanted to start submitting my pilot to festivals just to get some initial feedback and see how it played out to give me a better idea of what to do next. I also wanted to start small and work my way up to bigger festivals. Fantasy Sci-fi seemed like a very supportive group that would enjoy reading a fantasy pilot. The feedback was encouraging.
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
I’m not a big fan of advice, especially from other people. Just do what works best for you, and don’t let other people (including me) tell you how it should be done.
Watch the August 2016 Winning Fantasy/Sci-FI Screenplay
FOR ALL MANKIND by Matthew O’Connell
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In this high concept, atomic-era, sci-fi adventure, a brilliant WWII veteran and his determined daughter lead a team of mercenaries across the globe in a race to recover a mysterious, supernatural artifact with the power to permanently alter the future of humanity.
For All Mankind follows a brilliant, British WWII veteran and his daughter during the height of the Cold War as they attempt to solve an ancient, supernatural mystery. They recruit an international team of mercenaries to travel to the ruins of Maya to recover a powerful artifact before their Russian nemesis can claim it.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
This movie was conceived as a large scale, big-screen adventure. It’s a classic action/adventure that mixes in plenty of levity, original sci-fi elements, and surprising story turns. It captures the spirit of films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, King Kong, Stargate, Jurassic Park, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Astronomic adventure.
What movie have you watched the most times in your life?
Back to the Future.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I’ve been working on this for a couple years. It’s been through a lot of drafts!
How many stories have you written?
From shorts to features, probably dozens. For polished, marketable work, I have a few award-winning features and a couple of pilots. There’s more info on those on my site: http://www.matthewgoconnell.com
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I wanted to write something that I would get excited about seeing in the theater. I wanted it to be a big, fun, exciting movie that was also intelligent and emotional. I also wanted to challenge myself to write something big, since most of my work is more contained.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
The first draft was over 160 pages and included a lot more mythology and locations and set pieces. I did a lot of research on the ancient civilizations mentioned in the script in order to make the mythology real and organic, and a lot more research on celestial and geographic events to make sure this story had a real, historical foundation. But I got consistent feedback that the deeper science and mythology were slowing the story down, so I had to cut a lot of it out. Maybe it’ll make the sequel!
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I have also produced and shot movies, so anything relevant to film/TV production is of interest to me. I’m interested in technology too, and write for a technology publishing company.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
The affordable entry rate and quick turnaround were appealing. But more than that, I appreciate how the festival supports a wide range of written work, including fan fiction, shorts, and more. It’s great to see that. And everyone involved has been genuinely interested in making the work better and increasing its exposure.
Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
The hardest part of writing is finishing the first draft. If you can do that, you can do the rest.
SHORT Story – THE QUANDARY
1st SCENE Screenplay – THE BURIED MOON AND HER DAUGHTER
TV PILOT BEST Scene Screenplay – ARMS OF MORPHEUS
SHORT Screenplay (Under 5pg.) – BRAZILIAN FANTASY
TV PILOT Screenplay – THE MYSTERIOUS LIFE OF MADELEINE
MIDNIGHT WALK, 4min., Australia, Thriller
TV PILOT Screenplay – CHILDREN OF CHAOS
SHORT Story – HILDA’S LAMENT
Novel Transcript – GUARDIAN
Novel Transcript – BECOMING HERO
Best Scene Screenplay – QUEST FOR MIHTE LUGH
1st Scene Screenplay – STARBOUND
FAN FICTION Screenplay – SPACE 2099 (based on Space 1999)
JACK IS PRETTY, 26min, USA, Fantasy/Family
TV PILOT Screenplay – WILD MAGIC
NOVEL Reading – ALEX THE INVENTOR
Best Scene Screenplay – FOR ALL MANKIND