An Original, Feature-Length Screenplay by Mark Barkawitz

Genre: Action/Adventure Dramady

Budget: Low-Medium to Medium

Logline: Gangs and cops chase a high school runaway out of L.A. and on a coming-of-age quest to find his estranged father in Zen.

Synopsis:
"Huck Finn" meets "Taxi Driver" in this ultra-contemporary, coming-of-age tale. Edward Huck is a sixteen-year-old, functionally-illiterate, high school runaway, who must overcome pursuit by gang-bangers, cops, the FBI, and henchmen in his quest to reach the supposed safety of his father's remote home in mythical Zen, Oregon. Eddie's childhood is dysfuctional: raised by his mother--a self-absorbed, aspiring actress and overweight dancer, who is falling in love with her parish priest--and estranged from his survivalist father--their only communication for the past ten years are the Christmas and birthday cards sent twice yearly from "Dad." Things only get worse in high school, where bad grades and gang-bangers torment Eddie. Julie Love, who sits behind him in Biology class, Driver's Ed, and a possible spot on the track team are his only reasons for attending. But when a high speed chase in Mom's borrowed car results in a series of events which force him to flee L.A., Eddie must leave the behind the girl he loves. From bus depot to hitching rides on street corners, the mayhem only worsens on his road trip north, when he bears witness to murder and saves a young woman's life, momentarily. Upon reaching Zen, he finds his father, crazy as Hamlet, living in a paramilitary retreat on a remote mountain side. When opposing forces meet in a conflagration of gunfire, Eddie's life-- and his family-- are changed forever. But in the end-- live or die-- F.O.G. is a tale of redemption.

Why make this movie?
Because Eddie Huck is the quintessential underdog, imperiled on all sides by mortal forces of good and evil. Audiences love to root for the underdog, especially an unwitting adolescent, in whom we see ourselves at a time of innocence and promise.

Because the teenagers who fill the movie theatres each weekend want to see actors their own age and will empathize with an alienated mock-hero of similar ilk.

Because the soundtrack to Eddie’s world is cutting-edge rap and alternative rock: Eminem, Dr. Dre, Linkin Park, R.E.M., Nirvana, Bush, Limp Bizkit. Teenagers and young adults buy more CDs than any other age group. This is their music.

Because the story works by weaving action into character development—not separate from it.

Because the characters—a misunderstood, angst-ridden teenage runner, his sweet would-be girlfriend, camelion-like actor-dancer-model-whatever mother, survivalist father, well-intentioned good guys, murderous bad guys—and the storyline—beat ‘em up/shoot ‘em up encounters with sneaker-thieving gang-bangers and well-armed henchmen, high speed car chases and crashes, fleeing L.A. and eluding capture by confused cops and federal agents, hitching rides with helpful (and not so helpful) strangers, all to achieve the ultimate goals of safe harbor in Zen (after a final shoot-out, of course) and earning a high school diploma—would make a compelling, action-packed video game, too.
First 10 pages .