LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY
IS
A comedy of lost privilege and redemption.
Class warfare under one roof
Home Alone without the home.
Capital Fund Screenplay Competition's Hot 100 for 2016 (#52)
Quarterfinalist, Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship 2022
Semifinalist Scriptmatix Fellowship Contest 2024
Travis Kingsley, A silver-spooned millennial is forced out of his luxurious lifestyle, after his frustrated parents lock up the family home and leave town. Travis must navigate reality outside the mansion with help from a familiar working class couple.
We meet Travis at birth, he's a happy baby, perhaps he suspects he's been born into privilege. Six months later, he starts to cry and he doesn't stop. His parents try anything they can think of, finally his mother takes a silver spoon from her spoon collection and hands it to him. That works!
Twenty-four years later, Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley are in therapy, it seems they created an entitled monster, by giving him whatever he wanted. The spoon was replaced with stuff. Their efforts to course correct and turn Travis into a productive member of society, fell on deaf ears.
One morning, Travis comes home from a typical night of partying and finds his home, a luxurious mansion locked and his parents gone. He tries to gain entry, with no success. Fortunately he still has his car, it's low on gas. Attempting to fill up, he realizes that not one of his dozen credit cards works. Luckily he encounters his girlfriend, Stacy, she fills his tank and takes him in. Unfortunately a verbal slip up during an intimate moment of roleplay with has Travis running for safety.
Totally desperate, Travis breaks a window and regains entry to his home, unaware he set off a silent alarm. While home, he discovers all his things are gone. He has only what he is wearing, a loin cloth, Army boots and dog tags. He was playing an Army man home on leave, catching up with sexy nurse girlfriend, Stacy, who really is a nurse.
Travis gets bailed out by his best friend Chazz, a working man, he finds great delight in Travis' trouble because Travis asserts that "He's never had a day of trouble in his whole life." After a failed attempt to locate his parents at their downtown office of Kingsley Capital, Travis assumes he can stay with Chazz, just one problem, Imelda, Chazz's girlfriend. She's not fond of Travis' easy life. Imelda lays out ironclad ground rules for him to follow, if he is to stay with them, first being, get a job, having no choice, he agrees.
Things go begin to go wrong, Imelda discovers that Travis has not been applying to realistic jobs like video game tester or brew master. Also, Travis' presence puts Chazz and Imelda's relationship in turmoil and he is kicked out. He manages to get hired as a dishwasher at the same restaurant Chazz and Imelda work at. He heard them mention that their boss was looking to hire, but not keen on interviewing. Perfect because Travis isn't keen on being interviewed and this encounter gets Travis hired.
He is reunited with his parents, who were keeping tabs on him the whole time. Travis begins working at Kingsley Capital too and tries to win back Stacey.
Life Is Not Always Easy
Writer(s)
James M. Denton
Scriptmatix Fellowship Overview 2024:
Travis Kingsley, accustomed to life's luxuries, faces a harsh awakening when his parents cut him off, thrusting him into a world of uncertainty. Stripped of privilege, Travis grapples with menial jobs and the looming threat of homelessness, his journey sees him battling job rejections and sleeping in his car, resistant to help until encounters with an insightful elder and a stint in jail prompt introspection.
Landing a dishwashing job marks a pivotal moment, steering Travis towards redemption. Travis's resilience pays off as he earns respect, finds steady employment, and reconciles with Stella. His parents, recognizing his growth, downsize to a modest life, embracing Travis's newfound maturity.
The strongest element in the narrative is indeed the exploration of redemption as a personal experience and process. Travis Kingsley's journey from privilege to hardship, his struggle to find his footing, and eventual growth highlight the transformative power of redemption. Through his challenges, introspection, and eventual acceptance of responsibility, Travis undergoes a profound personal transformation, demonstrating that redemption is not only about seeking forgiveness from others but also about confronting one's own mistakes, taking accountability, and striving to become a better person. This theme resonates deeply, offering readers a poignant reflection on the complexities of human nature and the potential for positive change.
Hope to see more of your work in the future, James. All the best!
IS
A comedy of lost privilege and redemption.
Class warfare under one roof
Home Alone without the home.
Capital Fund Screenplay Competition's Hot 100 for 2016 (#52)
Quarterfinalist, Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship 2022
Semifinalist Scriptmatix Fellowship Contest 2024
Travis Kingsley, A silver-spooned millennial is forced out of his luxurious lifestyle, after his frustrated parents lock up the family home and leave town. Travis must navigate reality outside the mansion with help from a familiar working class couple.
We meet Travis at birth, he's a happy baby, perhaps he suspects he's been born into privilege. Six months later, he starts to cry and he doesn't stop. His parents try anything they can think of, finally his mother takes a silver spoon from her spoon collection and hands it to him. That works!
Twenty-four years later, Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley are in therapy, it seems they created an entitled monster, by giving him whatever he wanted. The spoon was replaced with stuff. Their efforts to course correct and turn Travis into a productive member of society, fell on deaf ears.
One morning, Travis comes home from a typical night of partying and finds his home, a luxurious mansion locked and his parents gone. He tries to gain entry, with no success. Fortunately he still has his car, it's low on gas. Attempting to fill up, he realizes that not one of his dozen credit cards works. Luckily he encounters his girlfriend, Stacy, she fills his tank and takes him in. Unfortunately a verbal slip up during an intimate moment of roleplay with has Travis running for safety.
Totally desperate, Travis breaks a window and regains entry to his home, unaware he set off a silent alarm. While home, he discovers all his things are gone. He has only what he is wearing, a loin cloth, Army boots and dog tags. He was playing an Army man home on leave, catching up with sexy nurse girlfriend, Stacy, who really is a nurse.
Travis gets bailed out by his best friend Chazz, a working man, he finds great delight in Travis' trouble because Travis asserts that "He's never had a day of trouble in his whole life." After a failed attempt to locate his parents at their downtown office of Kingsley Capital, Travis assumes he can stay with Chazz, just one problem, Imelda, Chazz's girlfriend. She's not fond of Travis' easy life. Imelda lays out ironclad ground rules for him to follow, if he is to stay with them, first being, get a job, having no choice, he agrees.
Things go begin to go wrong, Imelda discovers that Travis has not been applying to realistic jobs like video game tester or brew master. Also, Travis' presence puts Chazz and Imelda's relationship in turmoil and he is kicked out. He manages to get hired as a dishwasher at the same restaurant Chazz and Imelda work at. He heard them mention that their boss was looking to hire, but not keen on interviewing. Perfect because Travis isn't keen on being interviewed and this encounter gets Travis hired.
He is reunited with his parents, who were keeping tabs on him the whole time. Travis begins working at Kingsley Capital too and tries to win back Stacey.
Life Is Not Always Easy
Writer(s)
James M. Denton
Scriptmatix Fellowship Overview 2024:
Travis Kingsley, accustomed to life's luxuries, faces a harsh awakening when his parents cut him off, thrusting him into a world of uncertainty. Stripped of privilege, Travis grapples with menial jobs and the looming threat of homelessness, his journey sees him battling job rejections and sleeping in his car, resistant to help until encounters with an insightful elder and a stint in jail prompt introspection.
Landing a dishwashing job marks a pivotal moment, steering Travis towards redemption. Travis's resilience pays off as he earns respect, finds steady employment, and reconciles with Stella. His parents, recognizing his growth, downsize to a modest life, embracing Travis's newfound maturity.
The strongest element in the narrative is indeed the exploration of redemption as a personal experience and process. Travis Kingsley's journey from privilege to hardship, his struggle to find his footing, and eventual growth highlight the transformative power of redemption. Through his challenges, introspection, and eventual acceptance of responsibility, Travis undergoes a profound personal transformation, demonstrating that redemption is not only about seeking forgiveness from others but also about confronting one's own mistakes, taking accountability, and striving to become a better person. This theme resonates deeply, offering readers a poignant reflection on the complexities of human nature and the potential for positive change.
Hope to see more of your work in the future, James. All the best!
