305-535-3000
Valentine owns all the rights to his screenplays, stories and characters. Most have never been shopped.
Writing samples in the form of ACT I of each script are on this site. Likewise the 1st part of 2 books that would adapt well to the screen. Valentine can properly submit any property you wish to consider through his entertainment attorney or publicist, but is looking for major agency representation in all of his areas of talent: screenwriting, writing, acting, singing, modeling, and the selling of his recently completed feature documentary Paparazzi which features over 300 stars.
For commissioned first drafts, Valentine has had great success writing and re-writing ACT I until his client likes it, and agreeing on the rest of the story’s plot points and story beats in the scene play, before writing the rest of the screenplay. Establishing the tone and characters on the page in ACT I allows the character choices and through-line to be more fully realized. Knowing how and where (s)he is going, the confident writer is then free to create a more natural story flow, real dialogue and compelling actions in imaginative settings at a stimulating pace with fewer story interruptions. This approach is faster, cheaper and easier, and avoids the frustration, delay and expense of clumsy Frankensteined rewrites which invariably have characters doing things out of character, taxing both the writer’s pen and the viewer’s suspension of belief.
COLLAPSE
Screenplay
– genre: topical disaster action, ages: 14 to 80, pages: 120 –
The actors in this all-star cast disaster film will only have to shoot 3 to 10 days, all within a short driving distance of their LA homes. It’s an easy paycheck covering an issue they support in an entertaining movie with great box office potential.
The wide-demographic all-star cast broadens the story’s impact, maximizes audience reach, and ensures box office receipts. Filling certain demographics early will require filling other demographics later in the casting process. There is a wide latitude of age, race and type for every role, but the specific demographic filled by the available bankable stars cast early will require supporting role demographics to conform, like the age of a lead’s wife, or the race of a lead’s brother. It will requiring some juggling in packaging and give the casting director a variable puzzle to solve.
Although it’s a wild entertaining ride, Collapse is also an involving drama with an all walks of life cast going through heart pounding, heart warming and heart breaking moments. It’s presented in a believable, not sensational manner, to create an authentic connection, and affect the viewer in the gut. With real implications for viewers’ lives, the timely subject matter will likely stimulate quite a bit of public discussion and free publicity..
Although it stands alone, Collapse is set up to be the 1st in a franchise or series. This first script covers only the first 24 hours of the collapse of our society, leaving viewers anxious for what’s to come in the sequels covering the days and months that follow, especially since the scenario played out in this story is not only possible but likely.
The sequel, franchise or series, series, covering only the first 24 hours of the collapse of our society, leaving viewers anxious for what’s to come in the sequels covering the days and months that follow, especially since the scenario played out in this story is not only possible but likely.
The sequel, franchise or series would continue our cast’s escape from LA on Jack’s huge luxury sailing yacht to Dust’s well-built commune above a cove on the Northern California coast. Land and sea and mountains and coastline will provide rich sources of material. Exciting survival and defense, dramatic regrets and hopes, ingenious resourcefulness and pragmatism, exposure of strengths and weaknesses, amorous liaisons and new friendships, all will challenge disparate desperate characters learning to get along.
un-EARTHED
Screenplay
– genre: intriguing high concept journey, ages: 10 to 80, pages: 100 –
This subject matter has mainstream, worldwide appeal. The original Planet of The Apes and Close Encounters have nothing on this story. It’s masterfully written and a real crowd pleaser with compelling characters and great supporting nobodies including a crowd at the end that reacts as one character to several big reveals.
The first of a trilogy, unEARTHED has sequels that take us to even more intriguing revelations as 4 fascinating disciplines are brilliantly and uniquely connected. Based in fact and verifiable, the controversial material will undoubtedly stir up plenty of pre want to see, great word of mouth, and departing want for more.
The movie increasingly draws the viewer in but saves the big reveals for the very end which will leave audiences excitedly discussing the spooky plausibility of what they just saw and hungry for the many more reveals and further explanations contained in the 2 sequels.
This high concept movie will want to be experienced and have to be watched to be in the loop. A simultaneous massive worldwide release on all mediums will avoid spoilers and maximize the full social effect.
ROMANTIC SCHEMER
Screenplay
– genre: romantic comedy, ages: 12 to 80, pages: 90 –
Romantic Schemer is an enticing romantic comedy concept for actors from 20 to 50 looking for something different than the standard rom-com formula. In fact Romantic Schemer is an inexhaustible formula all its own.
Romantic Schemer is set up as the 1st of a franchise or series, or a pilot, and allows the leading couple to return episodically or age linearly at any interval: weekly, monthly, annually, biennially, triennially or many years later.
The franchise or series could pick up the leads/couple 2, 5, 10, etc years later, as their schedules permit filming.
The couple will comically conspire to present themselves as a variety of characters in a variety of costumes and situations ripe with entertaining possibilities: as a couple, brother-sister, niece-uncle, boss-assistant, business partners, mutual antagonists and so on. The material is endless and portends a long and lucrative run.
The couple could have a son and daughter who could follow in their footsteps to either expand the demographic with a B story, or to replace the aging leads and elongate the run, or both.
Supporting cast members could be fresh each sequel or episode since a repeating supporting cast is not required, while that option is available.
Not exploited in this first screenplay, the theater where Rick stages his plays is another rich option for additional material, or a nestled or frame story, or spin off. The story allows for many setting and location options both here and abroad.
The completed Romantic Schemer movie may serve as a filmed storyboard of this draft allowing the director or producer to more easily visualize their vision for the property. The current screenplay/movie has the distinction of having only two actors in the entire film.
PLAYED
Screenplay
– genre: topical romantic thriller with action, ages: 18 to 49, pages: 112 –
Set in LA this screen property is perfect for young talent looking for their first movie breakthrough.
It’s an easy commute, with minimal disruption in their lives, and allows their agents and managers to keep track of their work while allowing the ingenues to continue to audition and train.
Played is not conducive to a sequel, franchise or series.
ANGEL’S PLAYGROUND
Screenplay
– genre: dramatic adventure comedy, ages: 16-80, pages: 120 –
Angel’s Playground’s 3 tour-de-force leading roles are precisely the kinds of rare characterizations stars long for. Casting options are infinite across age, race and type. All of the roles are suitable for older actors, up to 65, and would make full use of their experience. Principal and supporting roles, and/or guest appearance roles, may be filled by distinct types to widen or target demographics.
Angel’s Playground is set up as the 1st of a franchise or series. Viewers rooting for our desperate leading trio will want to see how things pan out as their shortcuts become long cuts and their original or new guardian, always named Angel, shows up to teach them the lessons of patience.
For example, the 1st sequel may show the characters going through more trials and tribulations together on the last leg of their journey to Las Vegas, then separate to pursue the pressing plans that motivate their disastrous shortcuts, then cross paths again when forced to rely on each other to complete their respective business and fulfill their respective dreams while their comical interactions again test and advance their unlikely, endearing friendships.
Angel’s Playground’s primary Southwest desert locations allow the production to be comfortably based out of LA or Las Vegas or anywhere else in the region, while sequel scenes set in Las Vegas may provide numerous product placement and cross-promotional opportunities.
ALL’S NOT FAIR
in LOVE and WAR
Screenplay
– genre: romantic drama with action and suspense, ages: 21 to 60, pages: 100 –
Both male and female viewers will be captivated when a smart female operative is presented with both romantic and professional options as 2 unacquainted male operatives proceed on a collision course with high stakes consequences for all three.
All’s Not Fair reveals the inside workings of a traditionally male profession as a sexy skillful female is tossed into the mix. The female lead’s characterization exposes men to the inner workings of a capable feminine woman.
Competing tensions build throughout the story since we’re not even sure who’s side each character is on until a diabolical yet practical plan is pursued.
The completed All’s Not Fair movie may serve as a filmed storyboard of this draft allowing the director or producer to better visualize their vision for the property.
ESPERANCE
Novel
(available for screen adaption)
– genre: sweeping historical drama, ages: 18 to 80 –
It is the age of the writing that informs this story, its characters, the dialogue, and style, all so appropriately befitting its 1885-1900 Chicago period settings. Esperance’s sensibilities would be almost impossible to reproduce today by even the most accomplished writer, and will be of irreplaceable benefit to the director. I recommend the adaptation plagiarize as much as possible to maintain the style that endears the charm of this unique property.
The sweep of the story, the authenticity of the characterizations, and the realism of the dialogue make for enticing roles. Mrs. Bonne, the beneficent lady at its center, offers an older eminent actress the opportunity for a tour de force performance in 2 important roles as both the affluent Mrs. Bonne and her elderly widowed mother.
All rights are available for this unadapted 270 page manuscript written by an undiscoverable author perhaps around 1930. My search yielded no evidence of the existence of the author or title or a copyright for the work. The author’s name is probably a nom de plume, a custom of the time which usually contained parts of the author’s real name, especially among women masquerading as men in order to get published. A comprehensive title search is in order. It is proofed and formatted for print and eBook but remains unpublished.
SPORTSCAR STORIES
Autobiography
(available for screen adaption)
– genre: contemporary autobiography, ages: 18 to 80 –
A 70,000 word, 250 page, non-fiction book that reads like fiction, Sportscar Stories is the 1st volume of an 8 volume autobiography, Valentine’s Life & Times. This volume, # 5, was written out of sequence. The other 7 volumes have yet to be written, each covering a different stage of Valentine’s life. Sportscar Stories covers from age 28 to 35.
The writing is fluid and concise, and the pacing, relentless. Pages pass by like telephone poles at high speed with fond memories in the rear view mirror and good times ahead. It’s reads as fast and easy and sexy as the yellow 1965 Corvette Stingray Coupe the author’s driving at high speed when all these shenanigans take place.
The audience is anyone, anyone dying to escape, anyone dying to read well written prose, anyone dying for a fun distraction, anyone dying for tight rich composition, anyone dying to chuckle through a book, anyone dying to read a new talented style. So it’s a toss up, between mind candy escapists and serious wordsmith enthusiasts. If the personality of the vintner can be tasted in their wine, then the writer’s, in their prose, hence Valentine’s direct perceptive enchanting personality with a style much the same.