The Writer’s Dilemma

**2013 · 7:50 · written by William R. Coughlan · produced by Kenneth J. Coughlan & Mary Kay Coughlan · directed by Bjorn Munson**
Authors Libby Daricek and Mark LaSalle are each working to finish their respective novels — Mark’s being a crime thriller, and Libby’s an emotional drama. But as they describe scenes from their works (and propose changes to their pieces), their collaborative relationship is put to the test, especially as they learn they may be competing for the same goal.
Tohubohu returned to the 48 Hour Film Project in 2013 with Bjorn Munson in the director’s chair for “The Writer’s Dilemma,” a buddy film featuring a wide cast anchored by Tohubohu veterans Jennifer Massey and Nick DePinto. The film was created entirely across the weekend of May 3th through the 5th, 2013, and premiered at the AFI Silver Theatre on Saturday, May 11th. Frequent Tohubohu director William R. Coughlan took on scriptwriting duties (his first solo Tohubohu scriptwriting effort since 2004’s “Loose Ends.”

TOHUBOHU PRODUCTIONS presents a 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT “THE WRITER’S DILEMMA” starring JENNIFER MASSEY NICK DePINTO featuring ARIANA ALMAJAN ELIZABETH DARBY NELLO DeBLASIO RICHARD FISKE DYLAN HINTZ CAROL McCAFFREY JEAN HUDSON MILLER BROOKS TEGLER KEITH WATERS edited by WILLIAM R. COUGHLAN BRAD HARTLAND director of photography DAN FOSTER executive producer WILLIAM R. COUGHLAN written by WILLIAM R. COUGHLAN produced by KENNETH J. COUGHLAN & MARY KAY COUGHLAN directed by BJORN MUNSON

The Writer’s Dilemma — Full Movie

The Writer’s Dilemma — Original Trailer

http://www.tohubohu.tv/writers-dilemma SILVER AWARD: Editing: Fiction, Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Independent Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Directing: Fiction, Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Scriptwriting: Fiction • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Editing: Color Correction • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Narrative Short • IndieCapitol Awards 2014 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Editing • IndieCapitol Awards 2014 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Narrative • San Francisco Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • San Francisco, CA OFFICIAL SELECTION: Indiana Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • Indianapolis, IN OFFICIAL SELECTION: Ocean City Film Festival 2017 • Ocean City, MD OFFICIAL SELECTION: Art All Night - Trenton 2017 Film Festival • Trenton, NJ OFFICIAL SELECTION: Tampa Bay Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • Tampa, FL OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lanett City Film Festival 2017 • Lanett, AL SEMI-FINALIST: Marquee on Main Film Festival 2017 • Washington, NC Jennifer Massey and Nick DePinto star as Libby Daricek and Mark LaSalle, two authors each working to finish the latest chapters of their respective novels — Mark’s being a crime thriller, and Libby’s an emotional drama. But as they describe scenes from their works (and propose changes to their pieces), their collaborative relationship is put to the test, especially as they learn they may be competing for the same goal. Directed by Bjorn Munson Produced by Kenneth J. Coughlan & Mary Kay Coughlan Written by William R. Coughlan Starring Jennifer Massey, Nick DePinto Featuring Ariana Almajan, Elizabeth Darby, Nello DeBlasio, Richard Fiske, Dylan Hintz, Carol McCaffrey, Jean Hudson Miller, Brooks Tegler, Keith Waters Edited by William R. Coughlan, Brad Hartland Director of Photography Dan Foster Music by Brian Wilbur Grundstrom Executive Producer William R. Coughlan ©2013 Tohubohu Productions

The Writer’s Dilemma — Behind-the-Scenes Podcast Episode

http://www.tohubohu.tv/writers-dilemma SILVER AWARD: Editing: Fiction, Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Independent Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Directing: Fiction, Short • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Scriptwriting: Fiction • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 BRONZE AWARD: Editing: Color Correction • TIVA Peer Awards 2013 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Narrative Short • IndieCapitol Awards 2014 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Editing • IndieCapitol Awards 2014 OFFICIAL NOMINEE: Best Narrative • San Francisco Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • San Francisco, CA OFFICIAL SELECTION: Indiana Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • Indianapolis, IN OFFICIAL SELECTION: Ocean City Film Festival 2017 • Ocean City, MD OFFICIAL SELECTION: Art All Night - Trenton 2017 Film Festival • Trenton, NJ OFFICIAL SELECTION: Tampa Bay Comic Con Film Festival 2017 • Tampa, FL OFFICIAL SELECTION: Lanett City Film Festival 2017 • Lanett, AL OFFICIAL SELECTION: Movie Night at the Evening Star Cafe • February 2018 • Alexandria, VA SEMI-FINALIST: Marquee on Main Film Festival 2017 • Washington, NC Jennifer Massey and Nick DePinto star as Libby Daricek and Mark LaSalle, two authors each working to finish the latest chapters of their respective novels — Mark’s being a crime thriller, and Libby’s an emotional drama. But as they describe scenes from their works (and propose changes to their pieces), their collaborative relationship is put to the test, especially as they learn they may be competing for the same goal. Directed by Bjorn Munson Produced by Kenneth J. Coughlan & Mary Kay Coughlan Written by William R. Coughlan Starring Jennifer Massey, Nick DePinto Featuring Ariana Almajan, Elizabeth Darby, Nello DeBlasio, Richard Fiske, Dylan Hintz, Carol McCaffrey, Jean Hudson Miller, Brooks Tegler, Keith Waters Edited by William R. Coughlan, Brad Hartland Director of Photography Dan Foster Music by Brian Wilbur Grundstrom Executive Producer William R. Coughlan ©2013 Tohubohu Productions

“When we drew ‘Buddy Film’ as our 48 Hour Film Project assigned genre, screenwriter (and executive producer) William R. Coughlan and I discussed how many buddy films include ‘buddies’ who don’t get along — at least not initially. We also both share a love of film noir, so Bill proposed a gangland variant of The Prisoner’s Dilemma, that favorite problem of game theorists wherein two isolated prisoners decide whether to cooperate with or betray each other. We loved it, but in trying to break out the beats of the story, we found that we had too much telling and not enough showing within the constraints of a seven-minute short. By switching the framing device to one of writers at a similar impasse, we were still able to touch on the whole gangster story, but were not weighed down by it. And we added a whole other story in Libby Daricek’s drama. The resulting script was a delight to shoot, as was working with so many great actors. In a sense, we got to make multiple movies.”

— Bjorn Munson