Melissa L. White Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Author
Melissa L. White Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Author

Read the Loglines and Synopsis for Each Screenplay

If you would like to find out more about Melissa L. White’s screenplays, just read the loglines and synopsis for each one. You can download samples of them on the Screenplays page. If you like what you have read and would like to see more, please contact Melissa. Whether you simply enjoy her writing or you are interested in working with her, she would love to hear from you. She has plenty of other material on this page.

More Excellent Writing is on the Way

Several of Melissa L. White’s screenplays have either already been produced or are in production. In addition to her screenplays, she’s also written dozens of short stories, a few of which can be viewed on this website as excerpts. If you are a fan of the screenplays on this page, you are sure to enjoy her short stories. Please also check out her recently published collection, On the Green Earth Contemplating the Moon.

Coming Home Again

Log Line:

 

A man falls in love with an older woman who believes he is the reincarnation of her late husband, but he resists this idea and struggles to be loved for himself. When she’s diagnosed with cancer, she begs him to take a leap of faith before it’s too late, that will reunite them in her next life.

 

 

Synopsis:

 

George Taylor (27), is drawn to a beautiful young woman (Ellen Ashford) after seeing her photo in the newspaper as a donor to a local charity. He is so taken by her photo that he seeks her out at the fundraiser gala where he discovers that Ellen is actually a retired recluse close to 60 years old. When George meets Ellen they both share a moment of déjà vu.  They are instantly enamored with one another, and she comes to believe that he is the reincarnation of her late husband. He doesn’t believe in reincarnation and resists this idea. When Ellen is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she begs him to take all of the photos she has shot of him and open a Gallery in Galveston. She tells him that she will see these photos in her next life, and she will fall in love with him, the same way he fell in love with her when he first saw her photo in the newspaper. George is leery of this idea, but in the end, he does as she asks, he takes a leap of faith. And it works. Eighteen years later, a young woman named Sylvia walks into George’s gallery and wants to buy one of his photos. George is immediately struck by how much she reminds him of Ellen. They make plans to meet again and the story ends on an up note, with their timeless love coming full circle. As Ellen once said, they love each other so much, one lifetime isn’t enough.

 

Sadie Hawkins Day

Log Line:

 

A quirky teenage girl struggles with peer pressure and self-esteem when she has to choose between a date with the coolest kid in school and her budding romance with the class nerd in this heartfelt and humorous coming of age story.

 

Synopsis:

 

It’s Saturday night, December 1977, and Miranda Wilkes (15), is on her way to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. Although the cynical Pete (15), is her date, she has a wild crush on star athlete Jim (15), the coolest kid in school. But once she arrives at the dance, she rekindles her friendship with Edward Walker (15), the class nerd. Edward woos Miranda, and wows her with his cool dance moves, and they go on to win 1st place in the dance contest together. She starts to fall for Edward, even though everyone calls him “Space Geek” due to his obsession with rockets and his after-school job at NASA. In fact he has just won an academic scholarship to M.I.T. to study aerospace engineering. He’s graduating early and leaving the next day for M.I.T., so he has one night to win Miranda’s heart. And wouldn’t you know it, after having a crush on Jim for a whole year, Miranda finally sparks some interest from Jim after winning the dance contest with Edward. So Miranda is torn between a date with Jim and her budding romance with Space Geek. She struggles with peer pressure and self-esteem but finally listens to her heart and chooses Edward as a chance to find true love.

 

Described by an A-List producer / director as "American Graffiti" meets "Pretty in Pink," "Sadie Hawkins Day" was written as an homage to the classic film, "American Graffiti" and the indomitable spirit of American Youth and American Music.

 

Golden Gate Blues

Logline:

 

Set in Fan Francisco, this story’s ensemble cast of characters, led by LUKE LAWSON (52), navigates their way through their intertwining lives, dealing with everything from the death of the family matriarch, to the birth of a new adopted son in this story of redemption and new beginnings.

 

Synopsis:

 

Adapted from three different short stories in the collection also called “Golden Gate Blues,” this is a story of death and rebirth – of giving up old ways in favor of the new. After witnessing a stranger’s suicide, Luke Lawson (52) goes home and tells his wife Bridgette (44) that their pending adoption has finally been approved. They make plans for the arrival of their new son. Luke then loses his elderly mother to pancreatic cancer, so he hires Jessica Summerfield (32) as his personal assistant to help with the planning of his mother’s Memorial Service and to help Bridgette with the preparations for the new baby. Jessica has just arrived from New Orleans on her own personal odyssey of reinvention; starting over after suffering the loss of her mother and her ensuing battle with depression and bi-polar disorder. Luke’s extended family travels from Texas to the Bay Area for the funeral and the reading of the will, so that the grandchildren, Michelle (16) and Miranda (10) can be present to accept their inheritance. The next day, during their son’s delivery, Luke and Bridgette are present in the delivery room when the birth mother has a heart attack and dies. The baby nearly dies, but an emergency C-section on the deceased birth mother safely delivers the child. Although the doctors fear the baby may have sustained brain damage due to being oxygen deprived for several minutes after the birth mother’s death, the baby is saved, and appears healthy. Luke and Bridgette bring their son home the next day and Luke’s nieces, Michelle and Miranda come to visit and fall in love with their baby cousin. The story ends as Michelle and Miranda take turns holding the baby, each professing their undying love for him and their oath to always be there for him, especially years down the road, when his parents pass on and he is alone. So the story concludes on an up note, with the optimism of new life, coming full circle after the death of Luke’s mother, in this refreshing family tale where miracles happen and it’s never too late to seize the day, and make your life into what you want it to be, in the ongoing and intertwining circle of life.

Levi’s Dance

Logline:

 

In this coming of age story a teenage boy struggles to deal with his mother's cancer and his father's abandonment. When a teacher takes him under her wing and helps him overcome his alcohol addiction, he regains control of his life and learns to accept the hand life has dealt him so he can triumph in the end.

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Levi Armstrong (17) is in trouble. And he’s angry. His mother is dying from pancreatic cancer. He’s been kicked off the soccer team for missing practice in order to do a photo shoot on Zuma Beach. So his father, Adam, puts an end to Levi’s fledgling modeling career, the one thing that gives meaning to Levi’s troubled life. Now his alcohol and drug addictions force him into a downward spiral – culminating in a DWI conviction. All seems lost until one of Levi’s teachers, Sarah Wright (34) takes an interest in his welfare and helps him find a summer job. As their friendship blossoms, Levi misreads Sarah’s concern for him as a romantic interest and he makes inappropriate advances toward her. As Sarah struggles to keep Levi from ruining their friendship, she helps him deal with the stress of his mother’s terminal illness, and the abandonment and anger he feels toward his workaholic father. When Levi’s mother dies he hits rock bottom and gets arrested for public intoxication. Sara steps in and intervenes with Levi’s father, and encourages them to seek counseling. Adam takes Sarah’s advice and reaches out to Levi in order to rebuild their damaged relationship. Adam then helps Levi achieve his dream of becoming a model, imparting to his son valuable life lessons about following your passion, and refusing to take no for an answer.

 

 

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