A young ambitious sailor sets out to circumnavigate the globe, but her adventure becomes a nightmare after saving a drowning woman who looks exactly like herself.
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anyone else find themselves rooting for Olivia one moment, Abby the next? Don’t remember flip-flopping between characters so often since Heat. Would love to hear from the author on how much of this is by design - or if the two characters have so much in common that they cancel each other out at times.
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Good call. Something about this, better yet, everything about this is Psychological triggering…It begs the question, what’s real and what’s not. Like Shutter Island, is there mental mirage building an illusion through fatigue or is this really happening? Such a mindfuck as the climax builds on.
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I think that, for me, was a bit of what was wrong with the script. I mean, it was really good writing. The story is strong. But, in the end, I wanted to be left with a clear answer. Shutter Island, great movie, great script, left you feeling satisfied because when you hit FADE OUT, you knew exactly the world you had been in. As it sits, MERIDIAN left me (excuse the phrase) in a fog. What were the octopus references about? The Japanese sailors? The suction cups on her tongue? The coral growing from her skull? I needed to understand…to be driven to watch/read a second time with the mind-opening new knowledge gained from a clear ending.
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This felt so much like Robert Egger’s LIGHTHOUSE to me. Once the hysteria of the protagonist’s sea-mania sets in, I felt as warped as the protagonist but never thematically confused.
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I hear you on this Paul, there’s certainly a lot that’s left ambiguous. A few more answers could make this a wee bit more satisfying without tying everything up with a bow. Looking at something like The Shining there’s a lot of huh? moments but there’s also sufficient clues to formulate your own theories. For me, Abby succumbed to insanity in a place with no features, so sailors, sea creatures, etc - was all her mind could conjure from the depths.
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I try to account for personal preference when reading. I like neat bows. Doesn’t mean everyone else does. But, yes, there is a fine line between leaving some work for the audience and leaving the audience unsatisfied. (Not commenting on this script specifically…just in general.) There’s definitely fun in the wondering. I do think you’re probably right…Meridian is about insanity. If the head injury would have occurred earlier, I would say everything was a result of the sickness that advanced from that moment. Since it didn’t, I think your interpretation is probably the intended interpretation.
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Your assessment is sound, Paul, I understand wanting to feel like you’re rewarded with answers when you’ve committed time and effort into a screenplay. Have you read other screenplays from the competition this year, and is there anything you’d recommend?
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I’ve got more reading to do. I’ve read more treatments than scripts, so my script reading list is growing too fast for the number of reading days remaining. But, I’ll do my best. (Gotta work in your podcast, too. 
)
I’ve also read Cooperville (wow!), Bitchin’ (fun ride) and Mob Mentality (also fun.) The level of quality of everything I’m reading (treatments and scripts) is really top notch. As a writer, I’m motivated by the strength of the concepts I’m seeing. It reminds me how important it is to start a new project with a locked down, high-level concept.
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I have time to read one more and want to read a thriller. Should I read Cooperville or Meridian?
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I’d recommend Cooperville. But, you can’t go wrong.
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I agree, both have strengths. Cooperville for more of a Jordan Peele sort of film, Meridian for more of an A24 psychological horror vibe. Read both if at all possible!
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I was thinking the same thing! Normally this could be a challenge for an audience, but the fact that they’d have to use the same actress (or twins) for both roles, means this would really work great on screen. The audience doesn’t have to make a huge leap to switch allegiances.
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I’ve been thinking more about this script. I’ve decided it’s not about insanity. It’s intended to be about the overlapping of two worlds. The tell: the writer shows us both sides of the story…a different view from each character’s perspective. That, to me, suggests they both exist.
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You’re dead right, I really like the back and forth. I think if you gave me an elevator pitch, I wouldn’t be totally sold, but reading the actual script - I love it.
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Interesting take, Paul. It’s definitely a literal overlapping of worlds, but I think there’s still an angle on insanity in here - there’s an arm wrestle between (seemingly) two aspects of the same person, which feels like an allegory for a mental struggle. I think it can be both; two worlds coinciding is a great trigger for insanity. Have you ever seen Villeneuve’s Enemy?
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I’ll put Enemy on my list! Interesting idea that it could be both. I’m looking forward to the writer’s take…all will be answered. :)
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Love seeing you here, Danny!
Welcome to the community, Jordan!
Hi Mveron, please see the link attached - Screenplay Competitions | Kinolime. Audience voting is paused for this round while the judges’ panel whittles the top 10 screenplays (as voted by the public) down to a top 3. They’ll then produce table reads of the top 3 so that folks can read or watch the final three, and the ball will be back in the public court to decide on the winner.
If you have read something, I believe it should maintain your progress, and should Meridian (or whichsoever screenplay you’re referencing) make the top 3, you will be able to vote for it in 20 days time when this round concludes. Sorry to hear you’re frustrated, I hope this clears things up. If you have any questions, just reach out!
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