Title: BIRTH OF DANIEL Author: Bruce Reisman & Kris Black

Genre: Drama
Date: 07/23/17 Reader: Nicholas Spriggs

Logline: Incarcerated, a petty thief and small-town preacher develop a bond over the course of their respective
prison sentences.

Synopsis:

DANNY BRADEN drinks alone at a bar, before him lays an eviction notice. The bartender, CLARENCE, notices
the paper and offers Danny his sympathies. Danny finishes his drink, gets up and walks out to his car. Half
conscious, he drives himself home. Once inside, he drunkenly greets his wife, COLLEEN, in the kitchen. Danny can
see his drunkenness is upsetting her so he tosses a wad of money onto the table. To his surprise, though, she gets
upset and demands to know where it came from. The two begin to argue but are interrupted by their seven-year-old
boy, DANNY JR. Danny tells Colleen he has to go for a while and that she needs to hide the money while he’s gone.
Tearfully, and reluctantly, she agrees.

Danny races down the road as fast as he can, making sure to get as much distance between him and his family as
possible. The police come to the Braden residence and interrogate Colleen. One of the officers, DONNER, asks
about the money but Colleen remembers her husband’s instructions and lies.

The police eventually catch up to Danny and a chase ensues. Officer Donner leads the charge and tries to trap Danny
in roadblock. Danny, however, sees through the ploy and charges through the other squad cars like they’re nothing.
Nevertheless, the chase comes to an abrupt conclusion when Danny loses control of the car and crashes into a tree.

Elsewhere. Evangelical pastor, Mick Callum stands before his congregation and leads them in a closing prayer. As
the service ends he greets several of the families and the audience is introduced to his wife, SARAH, and daughter
MOLLY. One of the churchgoers asks about Mick’s father to which he replied, “he’s hanging in there.”

Danny meets with his attorney JOHN ERICKSON who lists off all the charges he’s facing. It’s clear that Danny will
be going away for a long time. Mick visits his father’s hospital and discusses his condition with DR.GINSBURG.
Ginsburg tells him that his father’s condition has deteriorated beyond repair and that they should prepare for the
worst.

Colleen and Danny Jr. visit Danny at the prison. Colleen confronts her now incarcerated husband and tells him this
is the last time he’ll see their son. Meanwhile, Mick and his father, HENRY, sit in the hospital room and discuss the
future Henry’s made peace with his condition but Mick seems optimistic.

Danny enters the courtroom to receive his sentence. The judge reviews his case and, against the wishes of the DA,
sentences Danny to thirty years in a state penitentiary. Danny is transported to the penitentiary and escorted to his
cell by a prison guard named WEXLER. Danny’s mother visits him in prison and he tells her about Colleen. Danny
begs her to make sure Danny Jr. doesn’t end up like him. Meanwhile, Mick and Henry go fishing in a nearby lake.
The two have a candid conversation about the future and Henry begs Mick to spare him any further suffering.

Danny gets into a small altercation with Wexler on the way to dinner. He recovers and continues to the mess hall.
There he befriends FRANK HILLER and REGGIE TULL, a pair of older inmates. TOMMY SCHMIDT (40)
approaches them and steals a piece of food off Danny’s plate. Danny retaliates and Schmidt swears vengeance.
Meanwhile in the Callum home, Mick tries his best to make Henry comfortable but he can tell it isn’t doing much
good. Reluctantly, he bids his father farewell and unplugs his life-support machine. Back at the prison, Danny is
fighting for his life and is nearly sexually assaulted by Schmidt and his gang.

Mick and his family gather at the cemetery for Henry’s funeral, it’s a relatively private affair but police cruisers are
seen in the distance. When the service ends Mick escorts himself into one of the police vehicles, much to the
confusion of his family. Several weeks later, Mick is brought to court to stand trial for the mercy killing of his father.
Despite much support in favor of Mick’s actions, the judge sentences him to two years in a state penitentiary.
Wexler escorts Mick into the prison and leads him to his cell. Mick enters and meets his bunkmate: Danny Braden.
The two size each other up but neither reveals too much to the other. Danny’s curiosity about the preacher leads him
to taking Mick under his wing and defending him against Schmidt and his men. Sarah Callum pleads with her
attorney to appeal Mick’s case but he is hesitant given the length and expense of the appeal process. Frustrated, she
fires him.

Mick and Danny begin to bond. Mick encourages Danny to get his GED and teaches him chess while Danny teaches
Mick self-defense. In just a few weeks, the two have become inseparable, something many of the other inmates have
taken note of, especially Schmidt. The two get drunk one night and it becomes clear their feelings for one another
are more than just platonic.

Sarah visits Mick and tells him how the appeal process has put a strain on their finances. Mick is overwhelmed and
tells Sarah not spend another cent on him or his case. Danny offers Mick money to help with the situation but Mick
refuses.

Mick goes before the parole board and, as a result of his good behavior, is given the stamp of approval. However,
the next day, Schmidt stabs Mick on his way to the dinning hall. A riot breaks out and Danny rushes to Mick’s side.
Wexler arrives on the scene and assumes Danny is just another rioter. Wexler tries to pull Danny away but he resist.
The two fight. Danny wins but at the cost of Wexler’s life. Mick is dragged away by the paramedics and Danny is
put in solitary. Mick recovers a tried to visit Danny before he leaves the prison.

Danny is tried in court for the murder of Wexler and is subsequently sentenced to death. Mick tries to testify on his
behalf but its to no avail. Danny is escorted to death row and Mick returns home feeling helpless. Mick meets with
an attorney named LINDA PETERSON who agrees to represent Danny in his case.

While at dinner with his family Mick receives a phone call. It’s from Danny. Colleen is dead and he needs to see
Mick immediately to discuss the fate of his son. They meet and Mick tells Danny about the lawyer. Danny
appreciates Mick’s optimism but all he really wants is a home for his boy. Mick agrees and swears to look out for
Danny Jr. It’s the day of the appeal hearing and tensions are high. Linda and Danny present their case and await the
judge’s verdict. But once again the judge rules in favor of the death penalty.

Danny and Mick sit together one last time. They confess their love for one another and Mick baptizes Danny,
proclaiming him “Daniel”. The guards enter and lead Danny to his execution. Mick watches, helplessly, from the
observatory as his love’s eyes shut one final time.

Comments:

This is a very well structured narrative that masterfully follows through on the three-act formula. The story builds
naturally and allows enough room to develop both protagonists before they even meet one another. Whereas most
stories approach the relationship between homosexuality and Christianity in a hostile and contradictory fashion, this
script consistently portrays both sides equally and fairly. Moreover, in spite of how prominent the protagonists’
relationship is it doesn’t overshadow the actual point of the story.

Birth of Daniel, like all great prison films, is a story about redemption. Cast out from normal society, Danny and
Mick are forced to confront the actions that led to their incarceration and overcome past flaws. From page one its
clear that Danny has always been a lone wolf incapable of thinking of thinking in the long term. Behind the “family
man” rationalization he uses to justify his crimes is a man that just wants to make a quick buck. His friendship, and
subsequent relationship, with Mick is likely the first time he’s ever done something purely for someone else’s
wellbeing. In a different vain, Mick’s obsession with helping others and commitment to family are the very thing
that got him put in prison. His redemption comes from allowing others to help him rather than face a difficult
situation alone, as best seen by his hiring of Linda Peterson to assist in Danny’s appeal process rather than
confronting the judge alone.

The only real criticism against this script is in its portrayal of the prison system. While the instances of sexual
assault and guard brutality are more than realistic the script still feels very oblivious to certain aspects of prison life.
Characters go from constantly being on their guard to playfully wrestling and getting their GED far too easily.
Unlike “Shawshank Redemption” or other prison films of a similar caliber, this script always comes off like a
screenwriter’s view of the American prison system rather than an actual representation of one. However, given the
minimal rewrites required to fix this mistake the script is still a solid RECOMMEND.

STORYLINE: 8
DIALOGUE: 6
CHARACTERIZATION: 8
WRITER'S POTENTIAL: 7

CONTENT CONCERNS:

One of the characters is nearly sexually assaulted and there are several sexually charged scenes between the two
male leads.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This project will appeal to the 20-35 with the core audience being millennial and members of the LGBT community.