Staton Rabin
www.ScreenplayMuse.com
Screenwriter, Script Consultant and Story Analyst
West Hartford, Connecticut
August 2019
today
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About Staton
I'm a working screenwriter and Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalist ("The Girl From Krakow") and PAGE Awards/Bronze Prize-winner ("Saving Mark Twain")-- as well as freelance script analyst/consultant for other writers at all levels of experience. I get hired by feature film and TV producers to adapt IP and true stories into scripts. ISA has named me one of the Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2023. Recently, I wrote a screenplay adaptation of THE GIRL FROM KRAKOW, an epic WWII Adventure/LGBTQ romance based on a novel by Alex Rosenberg, and a TV pilot script based on a psychological thriller, INSTRUMENTS OF NIGHT (by Edgar Award-winning mystery novelist Thomas H. Cook)-- both on assignment for Afterglow Pictures and Two Jacks Productions. And I've just completed a TV pilot script, pitch deck, and series bible, "Black Ranger", based on Timothy Ashby's Historical Adventure novel with a Black hero, RANGER. Currently, I'm writing a Domestic Thriller script, "Red Leaves" for Two Jacks Productions, based on Thomas H. Cook's novel, and am about to start writing a screen adaptation of a novel by Louis Sachar (whose previous book, HOLES, was made into a movie)-- also for Two Jacks Productions. My spec script "Saving Mark Twain" is the #10 Historical script of the past year on Coverfly's Red List, has won a number of screenwriting contests, and was chosen by Coverfly and by the Vail Film Festival (where it won "Best Feature Script") for a live script reading. My screenplay "Betsy and the Emperor", which I wrote based on my award-winning YA novel for Simon & Schuster published in 15 languages globally, was at one time optioned and in development with Al Pacino attached to star, as reported in "Variety" (film/TV/theater rights currently available). It's the winner of "Best Unproduced Feature Script" at the Montreal Independent Film Festival Screenwriting Competition and also won the Festival Napoleon in Paris. My TV pilot script for "Betsy and the Emperor" is a Finalist in the Dallas Independent Film Festival and in the Vail Film Festival. Film and TV rights to the novel and scripts are available. Three scripts currently on Coverfly's Red List.
Other awards for my screenplays include: Genre Winner, ISA Fast Track Fellowship, Winner of the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival Screenwriting Competition, Finalist in WeScreenplay Feature Screenwriting Competition (for "Saving Mark Twain"), Top Ten Finalist in the Historical/Bio Genre for the Table Read My Screenplay Competition (for "Saving Mark Twain"), Semifinalist in the 2024 Stage 32 Grown Up Movies Screenplay Contest ("Saving Mark Twain") and the Stage 32 Feature Drama Writing Contest, Finalist in SWN Screenplay Competition, Top 5 Finalist in Mystic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition, Semifinalist in PAGE Awards, Semifinalist in ScreenCraft Fellowship, Semifinalist in ScreenCraft Drama Feature contest, and a Second Round Script at the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition in both the drama and comedy categories; etc.
I was previously a freelance reader for Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, and the former William Morris Agency. I evaluate screenplays for writers, and also advise screenwriters at any stage of their story, career, or process, from concept to tips for marketing the finished script. I was also one of the readers for Final Draft, Inc.'s Big Break Screenwriting Contest every year, and have written many "how to" screenwriting articles for "Script" magazine. I have a BFA in Film, have taught screenwriting, and was a frequent guest speaker for screenwriting classes at NYU.
Unique traits: A pro screenwriter experienced in adapting IP and true stories on assignment for film and TV producers. I have a background as a film industry screenplay analyst, and an award-winning YA novelist for Simon & Schuster with a global audience.
Badges
2024-11-05
Writers' Room Member
Certifications
Links
Loglines
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"The Girl From Krakow" Budget: $10M - $30M | War ⋄ Romance WWII. While on the run from the Nazis, a beautiful young Jewish housewife on a desperate search for her kidnapped child finds herself falling passionately in love for the first time-- with a woman from the Polish resistance. Based on the book by Alex Rosenberg, inspired by true events. Afterglow Pictures/Two Jacks attached; seeking co-producers, financing partners, other attachments, etc. "The Girl From Krakow" is an Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalist and is on Coverfly's Red List.
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SAVING MARK TWAIN Budget: $10M - $30M | Comedy ⋄ Biography Mark Twain has a whopping case of writer’s block, is nearly bankrupt, and fears his Muse is gone forever. But could an infuriating star-struck fan, Rudyard Kipling (23)-- an unknown newspaper reporter from India who invades his life and steals his teenage daughter’s heart-- unlock the famous author’s biggest secret, restore his confidence, and save Mark Twain? Inspired by a true events.
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BETSY AND THE EMPEROR Budget: $10M - $30M | Drama ⋄ Adventure A rebellious teenage English girl befriends the most feared man on earth-- Napoleon Bonaparte-- while he's being held prisoner by the British on the remote island of St. Helena, grows to love him, and risks her life on a dangerous scheme to help him escape. Based on my award-winning YA novel from Simon & Schuster; foreign book publishing rights sold in 15 languages.
Awards
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ISA Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch
(2023) -
BRONZE AWARD— PAGE Awards ("Saving Mark Twain")
(2023) -
Austin Film Festival - Semifinalist (Feature Drama script) - "The Girl From Krakow"
(2023) -
Finalist, WeScreenplay Feature Screenwriting Competition
(2022) -
Semifinalist, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices
(2022) -
Semifinalist, Stage 32 Feature Drama Screenwriting Contest (Betsy and the Emperor)
(2022) -
Semifinalist, Stage 32 True Story/Biopic Screenwriting Contest (Betsy and the Emperor TV pilot)
(2022) -
Quarterfinalist Stage32 Comedy Screenwriting Contest ("Saving Mark Twain")
(2021) -
Top 10 Finalist in the Genre, Table Read My Screenplay Competition
(2021) -
Finalist, SWN Screenwriting Competition
(2021) -
Second Round Script (Comedy), Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition
(2021) -
Best Unproduced Screenplay, Montreal Independent Film Festival
(2021) -
Top 3 Finalist, Dallas International Film Festival Screenwriting Competition
(2021) -
Winner (Betsy and the Emperor), Festival Napoleon, Paris
(2021) -
Genre Winner ISA Fast Track Fellowship
(2020) -
Winner, Ridgefield Independent Film Festival Screenplay Competition
(2020) -
Top 5 Finalist, Mystic Film Festival Screenplay Competition
(2020) -
Semi-Finalist, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
(2019) -
Semi-Finalist ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship
(2019) -
Finalist, Big Apple Film Festival Screenwriting Contest
Education
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NYU/Tisch School of the Arts
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