Unorthodox

I am very excited for the opportunity to share Unorthodox with you. This work represents the culmination of all the skills that I have learned, over the past two decades of being a writer. The many writing classes, the countless hours spent pouring over peer and professional reviews of my screenplays, and the experience of watching my work be filmed, and seeing, first hand, how the page translates to the camera, have given me the tools needed to develop a story that I am very proud of. My goal in writing Unorthodox, was to create an exorcism screenplay that breaks the mold that nearly every other movie in the genre has stuck to, while toying with people’s assumptions and stereotypes, and sending a message to parents to stay true to their intuitions, and address their children’s inner demons, before they cause disastrous repercussions.

Most exorcism films, I have found to be quite formulaic; person is possessed, knows it before it really onsets, the priest comes in, fights with the evil entity, until the person is eventually released from their bond with the demon. Or, the priest is called in to perform an exorcism on a person whom the audience knows is possessed. In my story, a girl is possessed, but has no idea. Her mother is a religious fanatic who recognizes it, and fights with her daughter to do something about it, however, throughout the entire story, the audience is led to believe that the poor girl is just being incessantly harassed by her insane mother, until we discover, in the end, the girl really is possessed, and the only one who can save her is her devoted mother.

In life, we tend to take other people’s beliefs for granted, if they don’t align with our own. We then cast those people into a group, and stereotype their actions. People view the world in different ways, and unfortunately, in our society, it has become the norm to throw people, who have a different way of observing the world, into groups, and label them as insane, or fanatical. The ways that some people put their beliefs into practice are often labeled “excessive’, but it’s important to realize that some situations in life are excessive, and in these cases, only something excessive can remedy the situation. So, I took these concepts, (in this case I specifically addressed religion), and cast a person’s obsession, although justified, in a light where, although these practices may be normal to some, those outside of those beliefs, find them excessive, and even insane. On top of that, I played with the notion of teenage angst, and used it as a tool to disguise what is really going on. As my protagonist’s actions get darker and darker, the audience is constantly reinforced with the idea that this is simply an extreme case of teenage rebellion, as she is an angry, displaced, teenage girl, stuck in the middle of nowhere, and her behavior is something to be expected.

In today’s society, people are so pressured to portray themselves as good parents that they, all too often, rely on advice from others, instead of raising their kids their own way. That’s if they even talk to their children about the issues that they’re dealing with, and the feelings they have., in the first place. I see a modern problem where parents are afraid to discuss issues with their children, and discuss their true feelings with them, both out of fear of their own failure as parents, and out of concern about what others may think about the way that they handle their children. All too often, a parent is observed going the extra mile, scolding, punishing, caring, and they are judged, and labeled as abusive, by people who have no idea what situation the parent may be dealing with. This story’s subtext is about the demons people have inside. It’s about how someone can care for someone, so much, that they see something evil in that person, that nobody else can see, and will do anything to get it out, regardless of how crazy everyone thinks they are. Unorthodox is essentially a call to action. It’s about a person, lost in depression, looking for a way out, and the devil that grows inside of all of us, as we confront situations like this, in our lives. It’s about going the extra mile, to care about someone so much, that you will go to any lengths, and risk everything to save them, no matter what anyone thinks about you.

I wrote Unorthodox in the light of K.I.S.S., as in it can be filmed in anyway, anywhere, with solid talent, for anything from a micro-budget to a studio project. The films success will bank on four things; genre, the story, the characters, and the message. Those are the most important aspects of this film. Whether we film it in the middle of nowhere, with no name, talented actors, and a solid indie crew, or we shoot on a stage, with celebrity talent, and a large production staff, as long as we ensure that those four things are solid, I believe the film will be a success. We are in the development stages, and I am the Producer, Writer, and Director, so I am not requesting to be paid. The funding that we receive would go completely on the screen. We would use it to secure an amazing DP, and the best talent we can attach, withholding a small amount, to help ensure a proper marketing campaign can be done, once the film is completed.

Thank you very much for this opportunity. I am incredibly proud of Unorthodox, and I really appreciate your consideration. My team and I are incredibly excited about this project, and it is my sincere hope that, after reading it, you will share our excitement. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
Judah Ray
Writer of Unorthodox