Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

A boy, Lachlan, unknowingly stumbles into a magical world, outside of Dublin Ireland, where the father who had abandoned him as a child is king. He comes to find the king has been kidnapped, and it is up to him to save his father and marshal good against evil in this fight for all of humanity.

Narrator: Sean Ballantyne
Lachlan: Gabriel Darku
Ludlow/Kyros: Neil Bennett
Devlin/Atlas: David Schaap
Makani/Lynch: Noah Casey
Anya: Clare Blackwood

Get to know the writer:
 
What is your screenplay about?

“Legacy,” is a fantasy story rendering a teen’s initiation into a magical world, in order to find out the truth about his own origins. Lachlan is an outcast who
uses his journal to try and figure out why his father left him at such a young
age. After a horrible last day at school, Lachlan decides to go against his
mother’s wishes. He ventures to the ruins of an ancient castle by his home, to
write in his journal. On this day, Lachlan meets Atlas, the Centaur, after falling through a portal outside of the castle. Atlas will lead him on an adventure filled with magical, and mythological creatures. Lachlan will soon find out the truth about his own origins, which is that his father, Kyros, comes from an ancient, magical, royal family in a realm called “The Garden.” His father had gone to the human realm on a spiritual quest as all royals do on their eighteenth birthday. He fell in love with a human, Abigail, and they marry against Kyros’s parent’s wishes. Abigail then gave birth to Lachlan. Soon after, Kyros’s parents died leaving the kingdom of Gershwig situated in “The Garden” without a monarch. Atlas tells Lachlan that his father didn’t leave him by choice but rather to keep him safe. Upon the death of his parents, Kyros realized that an ancient prophecy about his son was beginning to come true. It was prophesied that, “A half human, half magical, royal child would be born. This child would be the only chance humanity and the magical creatures have of
stopping evil from enslaving them all.” Kyros tried to stop the prophecy by
returning to his kingdom, but he was to late. The die had already been cast.
Years later, Kyros gets kidnapped and disappears. This prompts Atlas to
retrieve the king’s son from the human realm, in order to save them all.

What genres does your screenplay fall under?

“Legacy” is the first screenplay in a big fantasy saga.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

“Legacy” is not just a typical fantasy story. What it’s really about, is
the impact that parents have on their children. It is also about
overcoming obstacles, staying true to yourself, being loyal and the
lasting power of integrity. This is a tale of love and sacrifice.

How would you describe this script in two words?

Magical adventure.

What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

I would have to go with “Harry Potter.” I read all the books, listened
to them on tape, and own all the movies. I think J.K. Rowling is the
Tolkien of our time.

How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I have been working on the idea of “Legacy” for about eight years. I
was first published in the sixth grade. I won a poetry writing contest
whose prize was having your work published. Later in life, I started
working on “Legacy.” It took me eight years for the screenplay
because I was unaware at the time that I had a rare auto-immune
disease. This disease gave me brain fog, along with other symptoms.
It made it very difficult to write, and to engage in day to day
activities. Instead of giving up, I forced myself to sit in front of the
computer and write a little something everyday. I figured my writers
block would eventually lift. I was right. When I finally received my
diagnosis, which was eight years later, and started my treatments,
the writers block lifted. I have been non stop screenwriting ever
since.

How many stories have you written?

I am currently on my fourth screenplay, which is a sequel to “Legacy.”

What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to
the most times in your life?)

I would have to say my favorite songs are either “Dancing Nancies”
from The Dave Matthews Band, or “I Want My MTV” by Dire Straits.

What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

I had a very large obstacle. A rare auto-immune disease that causes
the immune system to attack the nervous system. This led to brain
fog, writer’s block, and I became a prisoner in my own home as well.
One of the main themes I like to write about, is that obstacles aren’t
placed in your way to ruin you. Instead, they are placed there to
help you grow into the person you are meant to be. As long as you
have faith, trust your heart, and work hard, no obstacle can stop
you.

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I am extremely passionate about acting, and frankly just making
movies. I studied acting for over ten years, and after two years of
college, I decided to give acting a real try. I graduated from an
acting conservatory with a vocational degree in theatre. We spent
two years on script analysis and character breakdown. I feel it has
really helped me to create different character’s story arcs. When I
wasn’t acting, I was working with producers, directors, and
representation. I interned at Smart Entertainment, was the assistant
to the CEO at CFP Entertainment, and was a casting assistant on
location in Arizona for the film “Transamerica.”

You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been
your experiences working with the submission platform site?

FilmFreeway has been a game changer. It makes submitting so easy.
I just wish that they had a way to rank all the contests, not just the
top 50 and 100. For instance, a lot of screenwriting competitions
seem not to be ranked. If they had a separate ranking system for
screenwriting festivals, that would be a dream come true!

What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your
feelings on the initial feedback you received?

“Legacy” is “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” fan fiction. When I
saw that there was a festival for fan fiction on FilmFreeway, I felt like
it was meant to be. The feedback I received was very helpful. I may
not have agreed with it all, but it definitely made me re-think certain
parts of my story. I feel like the people at the Fan Fiction Film
Festival really want to help develop you into the best writer you can
be.

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Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson

Camera Operator: Mary Cox