LA LGBTQ+ Best Scene Reading: SHRINK, by Teddy Andrews (interview)
BEST SCENE SCREENPLAY READINGS
•
5m 23s
A young man attends the final session of his compensated work therapy program. The therapist remains ever oblivious as his lies begins to swallow the room whole.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Shawn Devlin
Ashton: Sean Ballantyne
Therapist: Hannah Ehman
Get to know the screenwriter;
1. What is your screenplay about?
- Shrink is an original story about a young man (Ashton) attending his
final therapy session through his employer's Employee Assistance Program.
As the session progresses, his lies about his trauma to protect his abuser
begins to bleed into his own perception of reality. He can only sit and
watch as the space around him shifts before his very eyes, as his therapist
remains ever oblivious to the changes in the room, and the changes in
Ashton.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
- Thriller / Drama
3. Why should this screenplay be produced?
- Shrink provides a distinct voice from the tragic perspective of an abused
victim who experienced having their gender fetishized. This voice also
sheds light on the inner fears and mindset of a victim who tries to protect
their abuser, and how those lies can consume a person whole. Shrink
provides an experience that many young, impressionable adults who fall into
abusive relationships can relate to, highlighting themes like over
empathy/rationalizing abuser behavior, brushing off their true problems,
and the pain of trying therapy and realizing the therapist isn't really
connected to you. Logistically, producing Shrink would require minimal
location scouting, requires a max of only 3 characters, and very achievable
set designs.
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