Psychological Horror Screenwriting for Short Film
Budget / Salary$30–100
TypeFreelance project
LocationRemote
Posted2 hours ago
I’m looking for a screenwriter/co-writer to help turn a fairly developed psychological horror short into a polished, production-ready screenplay of approximately 18–22 pages.
I’m a film student/indie filmmaker in Kentucky, and this short is being produced for a competition later this month, so I need someone who can work quickly and communicate reliably. The basic story, characters, themes, and visual concepts, are already developed. I mainly need a strong writer to help turn my existing material into an effective screenplay, especially the dialogue.
The film is grounded relationship horror about Alex and Robin, a couple whose relationship gradually becomes emotionally and physically unsafe. Alex sometimes dissociates, which is represented visually through a glamorous, decaying cabaret/variety-show world in his mind. The external story remains realistic; the performance sequences are subjective cinematic imagery rather than a supernatural plot device.
Tonal influences include The Invisible Man (2020), Run, The Act, Obsession, and the visual/theatrical atmosphere of American Horror Story: Freak Show.
What I’m looking for:
* Strong, naturalistic dialogue
* Psychological horror and tension
* Complicated, believable relationship dynamics
* Characters who are flawed without becoming caricatures
* Proper screenplay formatting
* Approximately 18–22 pages
* One completed draft plus one light revision pass
Budget: $100 USD fixed (up to $150 if quality requires it). This is my absolute budget ceiling, so I want to be upfront about that from the beginning.
Credit: “Written by Jett & [Writer]”
The finished short is genuinely being produced, so this would be a produced screenplay credit rather than a speculative script.
Important: No generative AI may be used to write, rewrite, or generate any portion of the screenplay.
Additional Detail: Recorded covers of the actor set to play Alex singing “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Sing You Sinners,” “Button Up Your Overcoat,” and “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” are available for use in the film.
I’m a film student/indie filmmaker in Kentucky, and this short is being produced for a competition later this month, so I need someone who can work quickly and communicate reliably. The basic story, characters, themes, and visual concepts, are already developed. I mainly need a strong writer to help turn my existing material into an effective screenplay, especially the dialogue.
The film is grounded relationship horror about Alex and Robin, a couple whose relationship gradually becomes emotionally and physically unsafe. Alex sometimes dissociates, which is represented visually through a glamorous, decaying cabaret/variety-show world in his mind. The external story remains realistic; the performance sequences are subjective cinematic imagery rather than a supernatural plot device.
Tonal influences include The Invisible Man (2020), Run, The Act, Obsession, and the visual/theatrical atmosphere of American Horror Story: Freak Show.
What I’m looking for:
* Strong, naturalistic dialogue
* Psychological horror and tension
* Complicated, believable relationship dynamics
* Characters who are flawed without becoming caricatures
* Proper screenplay formatting
* Approximately 18–22 pages
* One completed draft plus one light revision pass
Budget: $100 USD fixed (up to $150 if quality requires it). This is my absolute budget ceiling, so I want to be upfront about that from the beginning.
Credit: “Written by Jett & [Writer]”
The finished short is genuinely being produced, so this would be a produced screenplay credit rather than a speculative script.
Important: No generative AI may be used to write, rewrite, or generate any portion of the screenplay.
Additional Detail: Recorded covers of the actor set to play Alex singing “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Sing You Sinners,” “Button Up Your Overcoat,” and “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” are available for use in the film.
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