Synopsis/Details
SHORT SYNOPSIS:
Louis Taylor, a haunted federal agent, receives word of the sudden death of his old mentor, Alex Cobb. But Cobb’s passing unearths a box filled with cryptic case files, photos of notorious killers, and one name scrawled across the top: Melville.
Soon, Louis finds himself face-to-face with Melville—a sharply dressed, pipe-smoking specter who dispenses old-school retribution to the wicked. Speaking like a 1930s gangster and slipping in and out of shadows, Melville claims to be Cobb’s longtime “partner”—one who ensures the guilty get more than prison. When the justice system fails, Melville ensures consequence. And now, he wants Louis to join him.
As Louis peels back layers of memory and trauma, including the childhood murder of his family, he realizes Melville has been there all along—haunting him, saving him, and waiting for the moment he’d be ready. That time has come.
KEY CHARACTERS:
- Louis Taylor – A sardonic, broken agent haunted by the past.
- Melville – A spectral figure who walks between justice and vengeance. Think Jimmy Stewart by way of the Grim Reaper.
- Bill Carter – A grotesque serial killer who murders elderly women in tribute to his abusive grandmother.
- Alex Cobb – Louis’ deceased mentor and the last man to work alongside Melville.
- Chris & Andy – Two thrill-killing suburban predators who discover evil has its own predator.
THEMES:
Justice vs. Vengeance. Memory. Corruption. Legacy. The thin line between good and evil—and the darker line between human and something else.
VISUAL STYLE & INFLUENCES:
- Sin City’s stark chiaroscuro aesthetics
- The Sixth Sense’s quiet supernatural dread
- The Crow meets L.A. Confidential
- Noir sensibility with pulp horror undertones
- Whistling “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as a haunting refrain
WHY NOW?
MELVILLE offers a genre-bending, morally complex take on vigilantism in an era where audiences crave nuance, redemption, and mythic justice. It’s a compact but cinematic short with franchise or anthology potential—a dark angel tale for a cynical age.
All Accolades & Coverage
Creative World Awards, Short Screenplay Category, Semi-Finalist
http://www.creativeworldawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-CWA-S...
Hollyshorts Screenplay Contest, 2nd Place - www.hollyshorts.com/screenplay-selections-2018
Zed Fest, Finalist, Short Screenplay Competition - http://zedfest.org/
Shore Scripts Annual Screenplay Contest, Short Screenplay category – Quarter-Finalist - https://www.shorescripts.com/2017screenplaycontestwinners/
Beverly Hills Screenwriting Contest, Short Screenplay Category -Finalist <https://beverlyhillsscreenplaycontest.com/awards/2017-official-finalists>
Oregon Short Film Festival, Official Selection and Best Screenplay Award Nomination
https://filmfestivalcircuit.com/events/oregon-short-film-festival/osff-2...
International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, Short Screenplay Contest - Official Finalist
http://www.horrorscifi.com/blog?category=Contests
Austin Micro Shorts, Official Finalist
https://filmfestivalcircuit.com/events/austin-micro-short-film-festival/...
Bluecat Screenplay Contest, Reader Feedback: (HIGHLIGHTS)
"This is a harrowing, hallucinatory, intense psychological noir thriller about a world where a supernatural force takes shape as a Shadow Man who hunts evil people who are able to subvert the law (“You see, killing has consequences... some worldly, some other.”). The script brilliantly pieces together the distant memories of Louis to unravel his connection to the Shadow Man, peeling back the layers like an onion. The ending is up for interpretation – either the Shadow Man is a figment of Louis’ damaged imagination, or he’s a real force that teams up with mortal men to combat evil. Either way, what we have here is an intensely satisfying portrait of true justice – a world where there are forces working behind what the normal eye can see to make sure that those who cause suffering get what they deserve, and that those who suffer have guardian angels watching out for them.
The dialogue here is so good – like listening to wine and chocolate ooze out of each character’s mouth. There’s not one throwaway line here, not one line that doesn’t have some tinge of creativity and character."
