Winning TV PILOT Screenplay – THE VISA by Conrad Haynes

Watch the October 2016 Winning TV PILOT Comedy Screenplay.

THE VISA TV Pilot
Written by Conrad Haynes

SYNOPSIS:

Genre: Animated Comedy

A goofball prince and a determined refugee team up to steal coveted travel visas out of their Kingdom and into New America.

CAST LIST:

NARRATOR – Erynn Brook
LEA – Viktoria Napoleonova
KHAN – Michael Lake
STEPHAN – Martin Huss
PRINCE – Brogan Caulfield
QUEEN – Michelle Alexander

Get to know the winning writer:

What is your TV series about?

Khan realizes being in line for the throne totally sucks, so he tries to escape to New America with his friend Lea, but first they’ll need a visa.

OR

A goofball prince and his best friend team up to steal coveted visas out of their kingdom and into New America!

Why should this screenplay be made into a TV show?

The Visa creates an engaging, original world that feels unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, the characters have a charming and hilarious friendship, and the story lays foundation for an interesting and enticing adventure.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Unlikely Friendship

What TV show do you keep watching over and over again?

I am addicted to Mr. Robot, Archer, and BoJack Horseman!

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Too long haha.

How many stories have you written?

I’ve written several short films and a few comedy pilots.

What motivated you to write this screenplay?

The Visa, at its inception, was written to be a reflection of my life experiences. I take elements from the racial climate in America, my relationship with ornery family members and bizarre friends, my obsession over pop culture, films, and irrelevant ‘macguffins’. They all influenced me in the creations of these engaging characters and fish out of water storyline. Also, I’m a huge animation fan!

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

The biggest obstacle I faced was finding the right balance between world building and character development. As the pilot takes place in a futuristic world with sea monsters, cellphones, and wizards, it wasn’t always the best to just drop the audience in mid-story. I had to work to build the characters and world first, and then let the story take over.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I have a passion for working at the intersection of art, technology, and storytelling! I act and I’m actually producing my first short film this month about ‘anxiety’ entitled HeadSpace.

I also really enjoy traveling and meeting new people, hearing their stories. I’m working to visit every state in America within the next year!

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I entered this festival because I love comedy and really enjoyed the idea of having my script performed by actors. Hearing my words come alive on screen definitely beats me creating terrible voices for all of the characters haha.

The initial feedback I received was extremely helpful in sharpening my scenes. The notes from this festival helped me to tighten my script and strengthen my ‘unique’ humor.

Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?

Write what makes you laugh. Chances are, it will make others laugh too.

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Director/Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

Editor: John Johnson