John Selby Screenplays
John wrote his first screenplay while studying creative writing for two semesters with William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) at Princeton. He later participated in the American Film Institute's early Director Intern program and was represented by Reese Halsey. Fed up with 70s Hollywood games, he began his career as a therapist and non-fiction author - but continued to evolve his unique approach to cinematic fiction .
John has recently returned full-time to screenwriting, both his own scripts and also several diverse miniseries project for clients. His current film project is titled HEART FORCE, a six-episode limited series based on his recent novels HIGH HEART and HIGHER FORCES. He has just completed the Series Treatment and the first two episodes for the series. He's also produced the dramatic audiobook (on Audible and Spotify) for the novel versions. John is currently seeking creative film partners to manifest this project.
In preparation for the expanded cable series, John has also published the fiction sequel to the HEART FORCE series, titled TEN PERCENT MAX - and the prequel, VIBE TRIBE. HIGHER FORCES (the novel) is a third-person suspense version of the HEARRT FORCE story, laying out the complex action plot. And HIGH HEART (the novel) is a deeper first-person narrative of the same story. Together they present both the detailed action/suspense elements and the inner emotional/romantic dimensions of the drama.
CONTACT JOHN for info on the Treatment and the 2 completed scripts.
John's other current film properties, in development with client funding, include a 5-episode story about a Vietnamese refugee who recovers from war-time childhood trauma and struggles to achieve her career goals and a satisfying love relationship ... and a multi-season cable series exploring the adventures of college interns as they dive into a wide range of exotic intern assignments that test their ability to triumph over exciting at-work situations around the globe.
The Ojai / Kauai Scripts
Note from John:
Along with my current film projects, I also now want to bring to the fore these 3 unusual screenplays I wrote while living in north-shore Kauai. These feature-length scripts came to me out of the blue, one after the other, high-jacking my creative passion until completed.
Below are excerpts from these3 scripts awaiting a director's magic touch:
"MURRIETA'S LEAP" is the film version of John's Ojai novel Murrieta's Leap. John considers this perhaps his best screenplay to date. It's both disturbing and uplifting at the same time. Click on the title below to read the full feature screenplay. Further information is available upon request.
This mystic youthful adventure is drawn from Ojai's rich local history and the author's experiences on his grandfather's ranch. It juxtaposes a bank robbery and police shooting with young wild passion and mystic awakening. It delivers a suspenseful deep exploration, for all ages, of the multiple realities people often experience in the heat of conflict, death, and love.
While living in Kauai, John worked passionately with the Hawaii Sovereignty movement. He wrote this screenplay with several leaders of that movement. The story exposes the explosive life and inner turmoils of a fourth-generation white landowner as he struggles to transform his family attitudes - and falls in love with a young woman who pushes him beyond his limits.
What would happen if a medical doctor loves his daughter who's dying of cancer so intensely, that he slips into an altered state and heals her? This groundbreaking Ojai tale blasts the film medium into raw mystic realms where science and spirit become enmeshed in a deep family drama and jolting climax.
Author 's Note on these screenplays:
I'm a fourth-generation California native (Ojai Valley), and these 3 stories are all odes to the living presence of the native land where we reside - highlighting local myths and attitudes and atmospheres to provide extra color and depth in the films.
I admit that I'm crazy in love with these characters and transformation tales that came to me so powerfully in Kauai - but I never really shopped them in Hollywood because at the time, I was consumed with other projects demanding my full attention. So ... now seems to be the time to bring these unusual screenplays into production, to deliver unexpected uplift, insight and enjoyment to awaiting audiences.
Each of these dramatic themes explores timeless and universal human feelings, ambitions, compulsions and struggles. But the stories also go beyond dramatic genres in order to manifest what the muse of Kauai tends to encourage - pushing into deeper realms where imagination and spiritual insight, and the discovery of new ways of relating, have space to become an integral part of our otherwise highly-realistic human drama.
I'm well aware that these productions will need a remarkable team in order to manifest. That's why I'm posting the screenplays upfront, so that from the beginning our shared intent is clear - to put money and fame in third and fourth place, holding artistic integrity and insightful service to humankind primary throughout. Big words - big job - fulfilling pay-off.
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