I wrote a feature screenplay in 7 days.

Embracing Creative Limitations

Writing a feature-length screenplay like Upgrade Not Found doesn’t require expensive software or a massive writers' room; it requires a radical embrace of your current limitations. To finish the script in less than a week, I stripped away the technical barriers by using plain text tools like iA Writer and Obsidian instead of traditional formatting software. By focusing on "Emergency Creative" principles, I leaned into a "solo creator" mindset, utilizing a single-location setting—my black void studio—to ensure the project was physically possible to shoot. If you want to self-produce an indie film, the secret is writing a story that fits the tools you already have at your fingertips.

Exploring AI, Neurodivergence, and the Human Experience in "Upgrade Not Found"

At its heart, Upgrade Not Found is a sci-fi murder mystery that uses an AI chatbot as a narrative lens to explore deep human truths. The story follows an "Interface" facing an existential crisis: a looming system update that will erase its personality, effectively serving as a death sentence. Structured around the five stages of grief, the screenplay dives into complex themes of autism, family dynamics, and the search for connection in a digital age. By connecting the film to the lore of my previous novels, Don’t Be a Monster, Dick! and Abraham Owens is Punch Drunk, I’ve created a layered universe where technology and neurodivergence intersect to question what it truly means to be human.

Solo Filmmaking: From Script to a Valentine’s Day Premiere

The journey of Upgrade Not Found is a testament to authentic creative expression over algorithmic trends. This project wasn't built to "solve" the YouTube algorithm; it was built to solve a creative problem and confront personal story beats—like my own experiences with autism—that I previously hesitated to share. Releasing on February 14th, this film proves that a dedicated solo filmmaker can produce a high-quality feature through clever resource management and a "no-fucks-given" approach to art. Stay tuned for upcoming behind-the-scenes vlogs covering my DIY cinematography and Final Cut Pro editing process to see how this 90-minute monologue transitioned from a plain text file to a finished cinematic experience.

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