2020 Walter Hines Page Screenplay Award Winner
Brandon Johnston
A man struggling with his direction in life is forced to search his soul while presenting to his son’s class for Career Day.
Brandon grew up in Acworth, Ga., and studied Mass Communication at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga. While there, he began writing his first short-form scripts. He would go on to produce several of his scripts into short films throughout his college tenure, three of which went on to win awards in various film festivals. Johnston wrote this script at a time in his life when he was uncertain of where he was going with his passion for film. He hopes it connects with others who have questioned their own directions and decisions in life.
About the Cast
Doug Simpson (Shawn)
Doug is excited to participate in Beyond Film Festival’s reading of “Career Day.” As a part-time actor and author, the script really resonated with him. Doug has appeared in plays with both Cary Players and Stageworks of Holly Springs. He has also authored two novels (Maxim Ultra and Great Big World) with a third on the way in the coming months.
Samuel Jones (Mike)
Samuel Jones graduated from UNCG with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama. His work has been focused largely on stage performance with some directing and writing projects, as well. Currently he is training to work at an esports facility in Cary, but he still loves to do theater in his free time.
Gus Allen (Dave)
Gus Allen hails from the great state of Minnesota, but is proud to call North Carolina home. He is an instructor at Back to One Acting Studio in Raleigh and regularly performs all over the Triangle. Favorite roles include George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play, Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, Pastor Gunderson in Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas, Actor Two in Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and Patches in The Death of the Oldest Dog in the World.
Adrian Branson (Andy)
Adrian Branson was born in North Carolina. He is the youngest of two children. Adrian is an actor whose combination of desire, talent, and training led him to branching out into theater, film and television. At 5 years-old, Adrian booked a recurring role on a sitcom which led to additional supporting and main roles in the industry. His charismatic charm and ability to adapt to different situations enables him to produce quality and believable characters. In his free time, Adrian enjoys the outdoors. He is an avid frog catcher, enjoys fishing, dancing in the rain and climbing trees.
Heather Shore (Gale)
Heather Shore is delighted to be part of Beyond The Cary Film Festival! A veteran of stage and film, Heather is a regular player at Moonlight Stage Company and can be spotted in various local film projects and commercials. In these challenging times it is a blessing to be creating, thank you for joining us at the festival!
Dan Bain (Mr. Monroe)
A writer from Knightdale, Dan Bain has acted in and worked crew for numerous Cary Players and Raleigh Little Theatre productions. He is also a board member with Cary Players.
Natalie Di Grazia (Mrs. Suzanne)
Natalie Di Grazia received her BFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin in the spring of 2020. Favorite plays include Annie, The Little Mermaid, A-Peeling, A Singularity, and Milton MI. She has also branched out into film playing Julie in A Time for a Champion (2017) and Abby in Inconvenient (2020). Favorite cartoon voices include the one eyed alien, a speak of dust, sassy cow, and crying baby.
2020 Screenplay Award Sponsors
Prizes are provided by InkTip, where producers go for scripts and writers. Winners of the Walter Hines Page Screenplay Award receive an InkTip Script Listing to promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip’s network of producers, managers, and agents. Producers have made more than 350 films from scripts and writers found through InkTip, with members that include: ABC, Anonymous Content, APA, CBS Films, HBO Films, ICM, Paradigm, Paramount Pictures, Hallmark Channel, FX, Universal, WME, Echo Lake, Zero Gravity, Bad Robot, 20th Century Fox, and many more.
BEYOND is also proud to have the support of Slated, which provides script and financial analysis for filmmakers and producers. Slated is transforming the way content creators bring their projects together, and the way investors assess project risks and potential. Each of BEYOND’s winning filmmakers and our screenplay winner receive analysis services to help make their next project happen!
Script University offers multi-week online courses with instructor feedback not found by simply watching YouTube. Whether you’re completely new, or you’re an experienced screenwriter looking to add a new skill, SU has a course for you. Use code CARYFF10 to save 10% on your first course.
