John Kestner studied Film at Wright State University (Dayton) and Literature at Ohio University (Athens) before moving west, taking a job at an Arizona nuclear power plant for research (and staying for 30 years). He has published two novels, "Vegas Working Girl" and "Yesterday Rules," and won or placed in dozens of national and international screenplay competitions including such diverse festivals as Hollywood Horrorfest, Los Angeles Comedy Film & Screenplay Festival, Cannes Screenplay Contest, Zoetrope, KAIROS PRIZE, and the Boobs & Blood Int'l Film Festival.
  • Writer (40 Credits)
    Blood Will Have Blood
    Short Script
    Body Count
    Short Script
    Body of Flesh
    Screenplay
    Camp Rapture
    Screenplay
    Cross Examination (script)
    Short Script
    Damascus
    Short Script
    Dick's Pic
    Short Script
    Dunked
    Short Script
    Echoes of Ecstasy
    Short Script
    Extreme Measurements
    Short Script
    Four Skinwalkers Into A Bar
    Short Script
    Godless Heathen
    Screenplay
    Hanging Buddy (short script)
    Short Script
    Happy Camp Nine
    Screenplay
    Here to Stay
    Short Script
    Invaders from Reality
    Short Script
    Last Trance
    Short Script
    Late for Class
    Screenplay
    No Other Gods
    Screenplay
    Plague of the Sex Zombies
    Screenplay
    Powerball
    Screenplay
    Shady Mesa
    Screenplay
    Shut Eye Revival
    Screenplay
    Slaughter Lake
    Screenplay
    Snide Effects
    Screenplay
    The App
    Screenplay
    The Encore
    Short Script
    The Foxhole (feature screenplay)
    Screenplay
    The Foxhole (script)
    Short Script
    The Offside Kids
    Screenplay
    The Outlet
    Short Script
    Blood Will Have Blood2026
    Short
    The Independent2025
    Short
    Bark of Evil2024
    Short
    Cross Examination2024
    Short
    Housebroken 2023
    Short
    The Foxhole2023
    Short
    Beverly Ever After2022
    Short
    Hanging Buddy2022
    Short
    The Next to Last Supper2022
    Short
  • Director (10 Credits)
    Blood Will Have Blood2026
    Short
    The Independent2025
    Short
    Bark of Evil2024
    Short
    Cross Examination2024
    Short
    Housebroken 2023
    Short
    The Foxhole2023
    Short
    Beverly Ever After2022
    Short
    Hanging Buddy2022
    Short
    The Next to Last Supper2022
    Short
    The Mid-Life Crisis Guide to Strippers2012
    Short
  • Producer (4 Credits)
    Blood Will Have Blood2026
    Short
    The Independent2025
    Short
    Bark of Evil2024
    Short
    Beverly Ever After2022
    Short
Finalist
Here to Stay
Phoenix Film Festival Short Screenplay Competition
Phoenix, AZ
2018
Official Selection
Here to Stay
COPA Shorts Film Festival
Maricopa, AZ
2018
Semi-Finalist
Snide Effects
Circus Road Screenplay Contest
2017
2nd Place Winner
Snide Effects
Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival
Hollywood, CA
2017
Official Finalist (Comedy)
Snide Effects
Cannes Screenplay Contest
Cannes, France
2017
Final Round Nominee
Slaughter Lake
2017 i-Horror Awards Screenplay Competition
2017
Finalist
Slaughter Lake
2017 13Horror.com Film & Screenplay Contest
2017
2nd Place Winner
Happy Camp Nine
Hollywood Int'l Moving Pictures Film Festival
Hollywood, CA
2017
3rd Place Winner
Happy Camp Nine
Los Angeles Independent Film Festival
Los Angeles, CA
2017
Semi-Finalist
Happy Camp Nine
Austin Revolution Film Festival
Austin, TX
2017
Best Original Screenplay Award
Happy Camp Nine
London Independent Film Awards
London, England
2017
Official Finalist (Comedy)
Happy Camp Nine
Hollywood Screenplay Contest
Hollywood, CA
2017
Finalist
The App
FANtastic Horror Film Festival
San Diego, CA
2017
Semi-Finalist
The Offside Kids
11th Annual KAIROS PRIZE for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays
Camarillo, CA
2016
Semi-Finalist
Snide Effects
Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest
2016
Official Selection
The Offside Kids
Int'l Family Film Festival
Santa Clarita, CA
2014
Award Winner
Hanging Buddy (short script)
Los Angeles Comedy Film & Screenplay Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Best Comedy Screenplay
Hanging Buddy (short script)
7th Annual Top Shorts Film Festival
Best Dark Comedy Screenplay
Hanging Buddy (short script)
Summer in the South Film Festival
Award Winner: Honorable Mention
Hanging Buddy (short script)
Night of Comedy Shorts (Italy)
College
Wright State University
Film Major
19811982
College
Ohio University
Creative Writing
19821983
High School
Bloom Carroll High School
19771981
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