Text and Photos by Daniel Corey

It was just over a year ago that I had this idea to write a script about a lone woman in a car, speeding down a desolate highway, a psychotic killer in pursuit. Sound fun? Well, it was fun to write! And since I started to submit the screenplay to film festivals, people all over the world have enjoyed reading it; so much so that, as of today, DELTA has won 20 first-place accolades in 10 different countries!

I especially enjoyed this quote and graphic that Filmhaus Berlin created to commemorate DELTA’s win as Best Action Drama Feature.

The action of the story is simple, though the characters are complex. Here’s the breakdown that you’ll find at the script’s profile on FilmFreeway:

After killing her dealer husband and stealing a suitcase full of heroin, violence and mayhem follow Martha Cooper as she makes a highway escape across the Salt Flats of Utah. A merciless killer in her rearview and miles of danger ahead, Martha struggles to free herself from the tyranny that a family of career criminals has held on her life.

DELTA is best described as having the roots-infused noir of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN combined with the high-octane intensity of DUEL.

As Martha speeds toward Delta, she plays a game of cat and mouse with Samuel, a killer-for-hire with a penchant for flamboyance and grandeur. Martha is met with challenges both physical and spiritual, and will ultimately use her stolen goods to gain access to Uncle Alpheus, the man with whom she seeks to settle her ultimate score.

In addition to its 20 wins, DELTA has received Official Selection, Finalist and Semifinalist accolades at an additional 40 film festivals around the world.

A few of the awards that I am particularly proud of are my two most recent, Best Screenplay at the 8 & Halfilm Awards (named for the legendary film by Italian auteur Federico Fellini), and the Outstanding Achievement Award for Feature Screenwriting at the Luis Buñuel Memorial Awards. I am quite honored to be a part of the legacy of such amazing filmmakers!

Check out this one-sheet pitch deck that sums up the core of DELTA…

Along for the ride has been my great friend Alexx Calise, who is guitar and vox for internationally renowned modern rock duo Batfarm. I needed to make a spec poster for FilmFreeway and festival submissions, so Alexx kindly agreed to be my Martha. And what an amazing job she has done! In return, Alexx photographed me as Samuel, the villain of the story, so that I could have more images to publicize DELTA’s many wins with.

Also, make note of the excellent title font by Chris Fenoglio, an amazing comic artist that I have worked with on my comic projects RED CITY and BLOODWORTH.

Photography on the following images are by me and Alexx, and all edits are by me. This first poster is an award winner, having won Best Poster at the Cult Critic Film Awards.

Here is a small pitch video that I recorded for the Malta Film Festival…

What’s next for DELTA? I can’t say, at this point! But I am looking forward to the day when the film is made! Knowing what you know about the story, what stars would YOU see playing the main roles?

Thanks for stopping by, DangerKatts! Now, go watch your favorite crime movie!

• Daniel Corey