SCRIPT FINALIST
reading on wednesday, september 25th
2:30pm at Maison140 (140 Lusky Drive, Beverly Hills)
BATTLE CRIES
by Karen M. Walker
Karen M. Walker is a well decorated retired Marine Corps Officer with 3 combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She completed her PhD while still on active duty in 2008. Dr. Karen Walker is an advocate for change and a subject matter expert in leadership, gender issues, and workplace psychometrics. She is a published author (www.leadingbymyponytail.com), has been involved in various public speaking engagements, co-hosts the Empowering Your Pink Podcast (http://empoweringyourpink.libsyn.com/) and has competed for over 10 years in All-Marine basketball across the Nation.
As a Marine Reserve Officer, she has been dedicated to diversity and inclusion events including engagement recruiting activities for female and minority officers. Her Federal service has spanned the Department of the Navy, Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service, Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 2018, Dr. Karen launched her own business, KW Productions, an expansive organization offering a library of innovative tools that predict the future. The tools are proprietary to KW Productions, although certification and licensure for consultants who work in management consulting and similar fields are offered. KW Productions offers assessments in the area of: leadership development, organizational behaviors, climate assessments, personality measurement, and much more that enable workforce practices to be more fair, equitable, and legally defensible. www.kw-productions.com
Dr. Karen also gives her time to many non-profit organizations that engage and enrich veteran women or the youth communities. In 2017, she started a professional development program for women veterans called Combat Boots to Heels through Synergy Learning Institute, a nonprofit vocational college. The program helps women veterans in any stage of their transition from the military measuring where they are and helping them build a confident path towards where they want to be. http://www.synergylearninginstitute.org/combat-boots-to-heels/
Dr Walker resides in Maryland with her spouse and 3 children.
To reach Dr. Karen M. Walker, LtCol, USMCR, please email: DrCombatPink@gmail.com
SYNOPSIS
A powerful coming of age true story tribute of a military veteran who uses her love of the game to rise above tragedy and political pitfalls finding herself leading Marines on the battlefront once again.
Character Breakdown
Leads:
Stephanie – female lead, spans in age throughout the movie from (22) college to Mid-career (28), smooth olive skin (multi/bi-racial), sporty yet feminine build, resilient to her own demise.
Melanie – a therapist, (40s), awkwardly persistent at times, wittingly intelligent yet conservative and purposefully committed.
Taylor – late 30s, a tall, lean Naval Officer, charming and personable lawyer (prosecutor). He knows the right balance of connecting with people and the law that makes you find it hard not to like him.
Doc – mid 20’s, female, a very attractive sporty, fit, personal trainer and sports therapist with a pure heart to heal.
Iraq Officers and Marines:
Huffman – late twenties, male Marine officer (LT or Captain) is picture perfect in uniform and overly playful to cover up his insecurities.
Grant – mid-twenties, a strong white country boy, awkward, overly eager, anxious, and easily panicked in times of stress. He is an enlisted Marine (Sergeant) that relies on his knowledge rather than his physique.
Johnson – 23, a serious bodybuilder squeezed into uniform, he is really overly concerned with his appearance.
Diego – late thirties, a male, enlisted Marine (reservist Sergeant), he is much older than his peers, doesn’t fit the part around other Male Marines looking generally out of place physically, which makes him come across somewhat shy.
Commander – early 40s, white male with OCD about cleanliness, overly concerned with what others think to the point of covering up if necessary.
Sergeant Major – late 40s, white male, awkward and robotic.
Bello – early thirties, male with medium build, enlisted Marine (Sergeant) who is hardened to the world and doesn’t owe the world anything.
Marine Figure Shadow – Dark shadow voice in the night.
Indistinct voices- Marines in the cafeteria.
Stephanie’s (lead) family/close:
Pop – (mid 40s) a lighter skinned black man in great athletic shape, lean military build and haircut, strict and orderly.
Mom – mid 40s, heavier frame, white pretty woman with a limp (disabled).
Riley – short hair, olive skin tone, androgynous female, military officer, age spans throughout feature early to late twenties. Often heard over the phone.
College Basketball Instructor and Friends:
Coach Jackson – (34) women’s basketball coach, black, male, with a stocky build and is often sarcastic as he is clearly uncomfortable, perhaps resentful coaching women.
Natasha – (20) six-foot blonde hair power forward is goofy and awkward at her size but fun and friendly in personality.
Autumn - (22) shooting guard stature and beautiful smile. A transfer student that is a little more seasoned and comfortable making wisecracks than others.
Ms. Smith – mid 30’s, a frail yet energetic woman with blonde hair is a college speech (public speaking) professor.
Classmate – early 20s, neutral female college classmate volunteering to help her professor at the Marine Corps Base.
Kiana – (21) black, female friend, somewhat pessimistic, at college dorms.
College and Pre-Iraq Marines:
Barratta – mid 30s, shorter Hispanic woman, with amazing physique, longer dark hair (one long braid), a knowledgeable senior enlisted mentor.
Moore – late 40s, male, senior ranking Marine enlisted (Master Gunnery Sergeant), charismatic and recruitment minded.
Williams – mid 40s, senior ranking Marine enlisted (Master Gunnery Sergeant) black woman in prestigious shape, chiseled yet feminine frame, with French manicure and distinctive red lipstick.
Captain Robertson – (31), energetic and confident, voice on the phone of officer in charge of the Marine Corps officer recruitment office.
Oso Assistant – (39), burly office assistant with little patience.
Instructor Chaw – barely (20), a strapping, overly energetic, young man chewing on a mouthful of dip with a spare can in his pocket in case he needs to reload.
Male Opponent – mid to late 20s, 6 feet tall, goofy, with arms covered in hair.
Enlisted Marine Instructor – (21), scrawny but strong southern male.
Drill Instructors voices – male Marine Corps drill instructors call out drill movements.
Marine Basketball:
Coach Stewart – over 50, a salty southern black man with a thick accent/speech impediment, senior enlisted (Master Sergeant).
Torres – early 20s, Puerto Rican female enlisted Marine cocky basketball player with a New Jersey accent.
Jones – early thirties, a taller black woman, senior enlisted (Staff Sergeant), jovial and good at impressions.
Miles – early twenties, a stocky female Marine (Corporal), with a point guard build has a go with the flow attitude and is light hearted despite her hard exterior.
Little Girl #1– under 12, a little girl eager to meet female basketball players.
Little Girl #2– under 12, a little girl eager to meet female basketball players.
Team- All Marine Team shouts motivating chants together before plays in the game.
Army Team together- All Army Team sings motivating songs together before games.
Post Iraq and Courtroom:
Grants Defense Attorney – late 30s, male Marine officer lawyer, stiff personality with glasses.
Teen Boy – teenage, boy, black, curious and somewhat timid except when he is skateboarding or something piques his interest.
Friend – late 20s, friends voice heard over the phone.
Judge – 50s, male military judge, experienced and pompous.
Bailiff – 30s, male, security officer.
Marines Post Courtroom:
Running Marine – 21, male enlisted Marine with exalting energy and in great shape calling cadence running from the side of the platoon.
Company First Sergeant – 50s, male senior enlisted Marine (First Seargeant) time has taken a toll on his knees, yet he is strong and respected.
Neighbor - early 40s, female retired Marine officer, motivated and dedicated to the Corps.
Platoon – a platoon of Marines are running and singing cadence as part of company formation run.