“If you’re going to have a story, have a big story
–Joseph Campbell
or none at all.”
The dialogue of Face Painters is one of its most substantial elements. The writer has exhibited an excellent command of the English language, as exposition has been kept to a minimum while subtext has been used to convey the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
They also have their own unique voices which makes them differentiable, while it also helps them
to come to life on the page.
This sweeping story is told with passion and love. There is a lot of good content here that would be very engaging for a general audience. The story illuminates Tuscany in 1928 and Brooklyn in 1963. The arena of Italy in the 1920s is fascinating. The 1963 arena is more familiar: Italian immigrants, the US pre-civil rights. But the issues do not overshadow the wonderful relationships, and they feel organic to the story.
The Face Painters saga was an extraordinarily frustrating script to synopsize! However, the story is lovely and easily one of the most entertaining I’ve ever read. The dialogue is staggeringly good, definitely one of the three or four best scripts I’ve ever covered here. Almost every word rings true. The characters are rich, wholly-rounded, and totally believable. (The lead in this was the character Bobby Cannavale was born to play!)
Script Reader Pro Services #241 Appointed Script Doctor/Reader
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The world the writer creates is wonderful, and there’s a very sweet authenticity to what he has here, and that is very precious. It is fresh. There is a voice; it’s his. It’s very specific writing and it’s truthful. The writer has something that’s very difficult to teach someone and that is having a personal voice and an ear and eye for the world of a story. The ending, tying back to the front, is remarkable and devastating. This is an incredible story.
Face Painters is full of dramatic conflict, emotion, and color. The writer certainly has captured the look and feel of several worlds and three generations in a family that makes its way from Italy to America. It is, in fact, an epic story which traces the grandfather’s honest heart and creative promise forward into the life of Buono, the charming grandson and protagonist of the
screenplay.
Lisa Rosenberg, Senior Writer, Story Terrace, LLC.
Beverly Hills, CA
The author, Giovanni Sanseviero, has done a good job of giving, not only Buono, but Luca and Michael unique voices all their own. This goes a very long way towards helping the three main players of this (epic!) multi-generational story come across with compelling characters. What’s more, all period settings have been solidly utilized, allowing for a strong sense of immersion within this screenplay, Face Painters.
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Los Angeles, CA
“…The detailed world that the writer crafted
and the impeccable details to
Buono’s story create an emotional investment.
The writer has created what is essentially a
novel written in screenplay format, which is a truly remarkable accomplishment.”
“…Using a funeral home to explore the industrial revolution and those who fought for and against it
reminiscent of The Great Gatsby
was a fascinating choice and
one that resonated incredibly well.”
“…[The writer] should be very proud of what [he] accomplished with this screenplay. One of our readers described it as “richly plotted and teeming with vivid characters and complex story lines,” adding, “the writer displays a level of craftsmanship comparable to that of his protagonist, Buono, as he carves his caskets.”
“…a very well-crafted screenplay that has had a lot
of effort put into it. It would make an
excellent feature film attracting
a large audience.”
“…Face Painters is a wonderful read, and is pretty much ready to be produced. The characterization is phenomenal, and the dialogue is surprisingly tight for such a lengthy piece of work.”
“…one of the deepest dives into character that we’ve seen and gives the script one of the most incredibly detailed, original, and complex casts
we’ve come across in some time.”
“…a well-crafted, original structure and memorable characters; this screenplay presents a unique and emotionally impactful story that is sure to attract attention from a diverse audience.”
“…The revelations surrounding Luca’s journey to America and Buono’s personal demons decades later were particularly effective plot points and had amazing payoffs in the end.”
“…a heartfelt story that does touch on a lot of human emotions and the human condition in a way that most people will be able to identify with, and events that people go through such as a loss and moving on…”