The Midnight Son

Feature length screenplay /
Drama series pilot

Era: 1990s     Locations: Anchorage, Alaska   
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama, Coming-of-Age

Logline: A boy from a broken home comes of age amidst sex, drugs, and crime in Alaska. Growing up in a town full of dark secrets means grappling with his family demons, both figurative and literal.

Golden Palm Award, BEST SCREENPLAY, Beverly Hills Film Festival, 2017

BRONZE AWARD, American Movie Awards, 2017

SEMI-FINALIST, Shore Scripts International Competition, 2016

JACK RYDER, 13, is haunted by night terrors. He lives in the city of Anchorage, Alaska with his mother, MJ, who survives by keeping secret the traumatic events that tore their family apart when he was a baby. Jack’s estranged father, BILLY RAY, is now a smooth-talking, born-again Baptist pastor who Jack visits in remote Alaska. Jack adores his eccentric father, but is torn between fear and admiration when he discovers his half-sister, HOPE, has secrets about Dad she won’t tell him.

Set in the 1990’s when Alaska was home to the highest rate of violent crime, substance and sexual abuse in America, Jack begins a journey trying to reconcile the violent parts of his father and himself with his “normal” life in Anchorage. Billy warns Jack that the monster in his dreams is a literal demon that haunts him as well. Back home, Jack faces a real-life monster in his mentor, a charismatic theater teacher, who grooms his friends for sex. Jack searches for his sanity between the bloody violence of his father’s world and the quiet violence of coming-of-age. Boasting unforgettable characters and dialog, THE MIDNIGHT SON features a truly exceptional sense of time and place, with specificity and moody detail that make for a powerfully immersive read.  

" A smart, cinematic and deeply human script, demonstrating a writer who knows how to build complex characters and visually stunning scenes. The premise is pure gold, a coming-of-age story layered with the nostalgia of the 1990's and an Alaskan setting that feels fresh." -review from Blacklist, 2017

“THE MIDNIGHT SON wrings every drop of drama and comedy out of the premise as possible. There are several moments that feel fresh and new to the Coming-of-Age genre, which is no small achievement!” - review from Beverly Hills Screenplay Competition, 2016

“A lot of very disturbing,  nightmarish moments even outside of the supernatural element,  and that really  ties  in  well  with  the  theme  of  monsters  and  demons… From the borderline religious zealotry, to the burnout-­deadbeat lifestyle and the crazy violent streak, there's  never  a  lull.” -review from WESCREENPLAY, 2016

“THE MIDNIGHT SON is a promising coming-of-age tale that boasts a unique, dynamic setting.... The writer has done a superb job of capturing the camaraderie and neuroses of adolescent boys... The frank attitude toward burgeoning sexuality, abuse, and violence is refreshing in its candor and often effectively disturbing in its darker moments, and the integration of mixed media works well to deepen and destabilize the narrative.” -review from Blacklist, 2016

NEWS: We are proud to announce THE MIDNIGHT SON has won the Golden Palm Award for Best Screenplay at the 17th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival!

http://beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com/2017-screenplay-official-selection/

NEWS: THE MIDNIGHT SON takes the BRONZE for best screenplay at American Movie Awards!

https://americanmovieawards.com/past-winners/2017

NEWS: THE MIDNIGHT SON achieved semi-finalist in the Shore Scripts 2016 International Competition where it was read by judges in the industry such as actor Jeremy Irons, producer Scott Marder of IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA and BOJACK HORSEMAN, screen writers Tony Grisoni, FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, and Jeffrey Caine, GOLDENEYE and THE CONSTANT GARDENER. It is a huge honor to have our script read by such tremendous talent and make it to the final round of consideration!

http://www.shorescripts.com/2016s-winners/

Catch an illuminating sneak peak of the real life inspirations behind the Midnight Son characters in our Docudrama miniseries. Click here!