Summary: Researching transfusion therapy on different blood groups, something goes completely wrong when the test subjects start mutating and transforming into Zombie like creatures.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Steve Rizzo
Marv: Geoff Mays
Ruby: Val Cole

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?

A day in the life of a biotech firm takes center stage in Blood Red as we travel from floor to floor, department to department, meeting the teams that comprise Edgewater Laboratories and their sometimes adversarial motivations.

Edgewater's Chief Science Officer, Dr. Ruby Beck, is the inventor of a synthetic blood she's named Ichor for the mythical golden fluid that ran in the veins of the gods. Ruby explains to an audience of investors gathered at the company's headquarters that every two seconds, someone needs blood due to injury or disease.

Imagine a limitless supply of healthy blood in every hospital, school, military unit, and remote location. No more relying on donations. No more chance of contamination. No more delays in supply or delivery.

Three floors below, eight patients are halfway through the final trials of Ichor in the aftermath of a violent protest against the ethics of artificial blood that has put the entire company on edge. But today, something is different. Sabotage of the Ichor infusion is affecting each patient differently with horrifying results.

The day begins with routine patient observation and nerves around hosting the company's first investor conference before spiraling out of control as we root for Ruby, fighting for her life from floor to floor while trying to unwind the conspiracy threatening her creation.

Ruby must reconcile if her creation is the pinnacle of healthcare or a threat to humanity.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Horror / Thriller

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Horror remains one of the few genres that's arguably still best experienced in the theater with a crowd to share in the frights, jump scares, and wild reactions to what's on the screen. Safety in numbers!

How would you describe this script in two words?

Menacing & Plausible

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

My favorite movies are usually the ones that are so rewatchable, you just can't help yourself. From Tremors, 48 HRS., and Serenity to Grease, Shawshank Redemption, and Groundhog Day, it's hard to say.

But I think the record must go to Caddyshack because growing up it was my father's favorite movie to put on and relax to, but it's a movie he never finished because my brother and I believe he never made it to the end before nodding off!

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I began writing Blood Red in December 2024 and had a first draft in about six weeks. It's now been through several revisions but the story structure has remained largely the same.

How many stories have you written?

I'm currently pitching two completed features (the other is an action/adventure ensemble) and two completed pilots, one is an R-rate high school comedy limited series and the other is an animated series.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

One part fascination with technological breakthroughs and learning about the dozen aspects of replicating human blood that medical science can't overcome, and one part disgust over the despicable ways healthcare is managed in a for-profit system.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Answering the question of what journey does our hero take was challenging. She's almost larger than life in her abilities to pioneer ground-breaking science, provide patient care, and feel just as comfortable holding a syringe as she is a firearm.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Animal welfare, great music to drive to, and comedic timing.

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I appreciated that your festival is obsessed with horror and gets that the genre takes many forms. I'm overjoyed and extremely encouraged that Blood Red resonated with you!