Hi!

I'm looking for 1-2 beta readers for a short film script called The Purifier's Blade

Story Blurb: When Sister Marin discovers an ancient sword that can purge evil from the wicked, she believes she's finally found the power to protect the innocent. But the blade's gift comes with a terrible cost: those it "purifies" are left as hollow shells, stripped of everything that made them human. As Marin's crusade against evil grows more zealous, she must confront an impossible question. When does justice become annihilation? And can she put down the sword before she becomes the very monster she set out to destroy?

Genre: Dark Fantasy Screenplay
Length: 18 pages/ 3k words
Format: Standard screenplay format

Content Warnings: Violence, themes of religious extremism, body horror (people reduced to catatonic states), morally ambiguous protagonist

Feedback I'm looking for (Developmental/structural feedback):

  • Pacing and structure
  • Dialogue Exposition
  • Character motivation
  • Thematic clarity
  • Emotional impact
  • General reader reaction

Preferred turnaround: 3-4 weeks
I'm happy to receive feedback in chunks (by page or key scenes) or all at once. Whatever works best for your reading process.

Short Excerpt: 

EXT. VILLAGE OF THORNWOOD - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS


Marin strides back into the village. The black sword gleams
in the firelight.


Gareth sees her, laughs.


                         GARETH
             The little bird came back! Stupid an—


Marin MOVES, inhumanly fast. The sword cuts through the air.


It strikes Gareth's chest but doesn't draw blood. Instead,
BLACK SMOKE pours from his mouth and eyes. He screams as the
sword burns away something inside him. Every cruelty, every
sin, every evil act.


What remains collapses to its knees, Gareth, but hollowed
out. His eyes are vacant. Empty. He stares at his own hands
as if seeing them for the first time.


                         GARETH (cont'd)
                   (broken, childlike)


             What have I done? What have I... oh
             gods, what have I DONE?

You don't need to have experience with critiquing scripts. I just need developmental feedback, story-wise, and a general reader perspective.

If you're interested, please DM me or comment with your preferred format (PDF or Word) and your experience

Thank you for your time and consideration! I really appreciate it!

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  • Hi OP,

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