Joe Leone is an American Screenwriter with over 125 film festival/screenplay competition selection/awards in more than 10 countries. His additional experience includes nearly 6 years as a Marketing Coordinator for Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Marketing Administration and as a Story Analyst for Prelude Pictures and Kamin & Howell Entertainment. While attending Chapman University in Orange, California, he produced an award winning student film, which was purchased and distributed by Pyramid Films (Santa Monica, CA). Screenwriter of COOP (FEATURE FILM SCREENPLAY) - selected in (26) Film Festival/Screenplay Competitions in the past 6 months, which include: (5) Award Wins, (8) Finalist Selections, (7) Semi-Finalist, and a Quarterfinalist Placement to date.
COOP - "A wonderful and moving story with great characters and deep emotional impact." - Storyteller's Cottage Annual Feature and Short Screenplay Contest (05/23/20)
Feedback received from the Austin Screenplay Awards - Analysis/Coverage (02/08/2020): Call me a sucker for dog stories, but COOP struck me as the type of narrative that’s made to tug at the emotions. The writer really does a great job of this without getting too heavy handed in the delivery. That’s not as easy a task as it sounds with a plot that has a career ending surgery, abused dogs, and the comeback story of a lifetime. All of these plot points beg for hokey speeches and cheesy dialogue, but the writer does a great job of presenting these plot points with grounded realism. The writer certainly embraces the dramatic elements, but doesn’t overplay them to the point of parody. It all amounts to a very touching story made of equal parts heartwarming healing journey and crushing loss. The dialogue really is one of the easiest aspects of the script to fall in love with because the writer is so great at imparting a sense of individuality to the characters.
There are a wide variety of personality types on display in this script, but the writer effortlessly flirts between different styles, verbal quirks, motivations, and manners of speech with ease. They also don’t shy away from conflict in dialogue, making what could otherwise be mundane conversations filled with tension. Watching the various combinations of characters interact was a genuine joy, as each maintained their motivations and backstories when speaking, not just gabbing away to deliver exposition or expedite the plot. Of course we do get exposition in the dialogue, but it’s masked with personality and proper character motivation, keeping the level of authenticity in the conversation high. In this script, dialogue is a tool for understanding character, not just developing the plot.
Overall, this script succeeds because it maximizes the drama inherent to the concept and setting. The writer has a great understanding of when to let moments breathe for maximal effect and when to inject the writing with energy, short sentences, and active word choice to convey tension and forward momentum. It all amounts to an engrossing tone that I could lose myself in. There’s a lot of complexity to this narrative, not always in the plot points, but in the character development and relationships. It makes the script feel dense and meaningful, worth another read even to parse through the heady questions it raises. Still the real entertainment is in Gabriel and Coop’s journey. This central relationship holds the whole script together.
Feedback received from the Chicago Screenplay Awards (12/07/2019) - Coop - (Final Analysis/Coverage) - There can be no doubt that this script pulls at the heart strings and demands audience investment thanks to an incredibly sympathetic lead and a truly inspiring concept. It’s really nice to see a script that all audiences can contend with, and the subject matter makes for a very marketable film. There’s athletics, and all the trials and tribulations that comes from intense competition. There’s a beating heart with the supporting cast including my personal favorite character in Coach Sanderson. And most importantly, there’s a great lead who undergoes real hardship, has an obvious goal, and must undergo real change in order to achieve this goal. Rarely is there a more clear cut case of the hero’s journey in action.
All of this is supported by some really great writing. Early on I worried that the lengthy action description depicting the opening race would be indicative of inefficient use of the page space. However, this scene turned out to be an example of how the writer is able to infuse an event everyone has scene and inject it with energy and distinction by paying focused attention to the moment. It’s a showcase for highly visual action description, although the entire stretching routine might have been a bit overkill.
In total though, the script has great pacing, delivering the highs and lows at the appropriate times. It really earns its bittersweet ending without feeling hackneyed, which can be tough for this type of story. This script just makes you feel good, and with realistic characters and a plot that keeps the pages turning, Coop stands out as a family film of note.
Feedback received from Barnstorm Media (11/25/19) - COOP - Strength(s): The dynamic between Coach Sanderson and Gabriel is well crafted. Strong beat: "You’ve changed me in so many ways. And, I am so close to fulfilling my Olympic dream...all because of you, Coop." This screenplay was a joy to discover. Thanks for sharing.
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