Written by Michael Goldstein for THE ARTISTS FORUM MAGAZINE
Edited by Amos White V for THE ARTISTS FORUM, INC
Photo: Michael Goldstein
REVIEWER RATING:
3.5 out of 5 stars
DAVID GIARDINA: WILL O’ THE WISP
NEW YORK, NY (May 9, 2015) Last night, David Giardina presented at Studios353 a special staged reading, rehearsing the screenplay for his future film, Will O’ The Wisp. The screenplay, albeit a first draft, definitely showcased qualities capable of hooking in any avid moviegoer. With a collection of friends, Giardina recites the dialogue-heavy narrative of an innocent, young boy who wants nothing more than the truth to everything he sees.
While it’s natural for a child to do just that, the parents, on the other hand, see it as a character flaw. Thus the screenplay’s first half, lathered with domestic drama, drives dangerously close to a commentary on the abuse and suppression of the individual, making it a pretty chilling and dramatic experience. Some folks might be turned off by the extensive amount of focus given to the domestic drama, thus taking a little longer for the plot to kick into gear. But rest assured, when it does, it takes on a few fable-like qualities with an ending you have to hear to believe.
It would be easy to dismiss the scriptwriter’s draft as being chunky with dialogue, but then again, this is only the first draft of what can potentially be a thrilling film, and there are sure to be a few changes with the feedback provided at the end of the reading. Though some may find the young protagonist to be a tad of a pain in the [expletive withheld], the self-righteousness balances itself with a few heartwarming scenes in which the leading character interacts with his estranged grandfather, though surely later drafts will be a bit more productive In this regard.
As it stands now, in my opinion, Will O’ The Wisp is quite the tear-riddled journey, even though there is plenty of room for improvement. Once the fine-tuning is complete and the story ascends to the silver screen, it may have that rare quality that creates the gravitational pull to theaters that every film producer hopes for.
For more information about David Giardina, visit: davidgiardina.com/news.htm
