CAST LIST:

Narrator: Val Cole
Abby: Hannah Ehman
Dan: Steve Rizzo
Proseuction-Bot: Sean Ballantyne
Defense Bot: Andy Camp

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

It's a spec script of Night Court on NBC. The episode that I wrote is about Judge Abby Stone, a sympathetic arbitrator dealing with the arrival of AI-powered lawbots in her courtroom. Because Abby relies on her heart and faith in humanity to make decisions she is more than disturbed by the soulless robots. Abby's troubles are multiplied when she finds out that her Nightcourt cohorts actually like the robots. She fears that the justice system is losing its connection to humanity.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

30-minute Multi-Cam Comedy

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Well, I'm not sure if it can be made into a movie. At least not without the permission of NBC and the Night Court production. But in a hypothetical scenerio where they would consider it, I believe it could make a great movie. With the spec script, I explored the coming reality of AI, especially in the courtroom. Which already exists. And the research I did do about AI or law-bots, suggested that it could be a big help to people who can't afford legal representation. That being said, I'm far from being on Team-AI.

All this to say, I think the topic is significant to our times and audiences would be intrigued by a film about robots taking over a courtroom. If Night Court was to make a feature film, this could be a starting point. There's a lot of room to expand on the creation of the lawbots and how they function in a courtroom. Like in real life, there are a number of positive possibilities with AI and robots. I believe that makes them an interesting antagonistic force.

A feature film version of this spec would have to dive deeper into the protagonist, Abby Stone's conflicted relationship with the new technology. She's someone who unapologetically acts and judges with her heart. Robots don't have any hearts. But they're not always wrong. I think that dynamic would be a lot of fun to flesh out into a feature-length film.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Robot Lawyering

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

I'd say it's probably Back to the Future.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

It was an assignment for my TV Comedy writing class at Cal State LA with Professor Ligiah Villalobos. So I'd say I worked on it for 4 months.

7. How many stories have you written?

Gosh, I don't know the number or what counts as a story. I have written a lot of different types of scripts. Dozens of sketches. A couple of features. About 5 pilots. A few spec scripts as well. And hundreds of ideas copied down somewhere. Also, I've written a lot of poems that I've performed on stage. I consider those stories.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the

most times in your life?)

I love music. It's a big part of my life. This is a tough question. For the longest time I would say my favorite song is Jimi Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower. Sam Cooke is my favorite singer. The Beatles are my favorite band. Nowadays, I might say The Beatles's I Am The Walrus is my favorite song. Every time I hear it, it still has the potential to surprise me or sound like something I haven't heard before.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Deadlines and the coursework of other classes. When I wrote this in the Fall of 2023, I was taking more classes than I was supposed to and I was an intern at the New Filmmakers of LA. So finding the time to devote to the script was an obstacle. Also fitting in the B and C storylines was an obstacle. I like that obstacle but there were times when I was giving too much of the page to the C storyline and I had to cut down on that. I really enjoy writing for multicam and I hope I can find work in that TV format.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Sports, music and gardening. I'm a sports fanatic. I always have been. I'm a big Orioles, Bengals and Lakers fan. And improv, too! I perform improv for The Pack Theater house team, Pleather.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your

experiences working with the submission platform site?

I dig it. It's easy and it's user friendly. I like how organized it is. It's easy to find competitions and festivals. I like that it keeps your information on file for future use.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings

on the initial feedback you received?

Every couple of months or so I check out festivals for possible entries. I have never entered a spec script into a competition before so that really intrigued me. I know as writers, that's not too much we can do with a completed spec so that was a great opportunity to give it more legs. I loved the feedback! I appreciate anyone's opinion and notes about anything I write. I received feedback from classmates and my professor but they were around for the entire process. It was nice to hear notes from someone who was reading the script for the very first time.