PRE-COGNITION follows humanity’s future trajectory, expanding on the greatest hopes and fears of coming technologies. Lensed through Josie Porter, a scientist working to save her twin sister from a decade-old coma. Meanwhile her husband Mitch is caught in a corporate conspiracy to monopolize the world’s food supply. Setting them both on a course that will change humanity forever.
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While the story focuses on the Porter family, the universe of COGNITION supplies twists and turns and technology as we’ve never thought of it before.
(note, this campaign is for PRE-COGNITION, the prequel to my script COGNITION)
1) PRE-COGNITION (Book 1): Scientist Josie Porter works to save her twin sister from a coma while her husband Mitch uncovers a conspiracy to monopolize the world’s food supply.
2) COGNITION (Book 2): Josie and Mitch face even greater odds as a future they’ve helped create spins out of control. Directly based on my successfully received screenplay.
3) The rest of the COGNITION universe is a secret... For now. Big surprises are in store.
This is a perfect fit for fans of The Expanse, Game of Thrones, Blade Runner, The Terminator...
I have always envisioned COGNITION as a universe of books, a large arcing series varying in themes and stages of time. Not unlike Iain Bank’s Culture series or Isaac Asimov’s Foundation. I am both terrified of future technology and at the same time I can’t wait to see where it will take us next. That is the place where I draw COGNITION from.
My writing is fast, character-driven, cerebral, and fun - like James S.A. Corey of The Expanse (yes I know that’s actually two authors...!) Or Brandon Sanderson. (Yes I really do read a lot of sci fi and fantasy...!)
Building COGNITION as a series of books, I started by writing the screenplay first because I knew I could do it very quickly. The screenplay is in fact "part 2" of the universe. PRE-COGNITION is the genesis.
First I uploaded the script to the Black List screenplay review site. COGNITION placed #3 in science fiction and #5 in Action Adventure from 60,000 unique scripts uploaded that last year.
In September 2016 I was one of 15 people contacted to submit statements to compete for the Black List Screenwriting Lab (featuring such mentors as Eric Heisserer writer of THE ARRIVAL)
But I was only a finalist. I didn’t get in.
I believe that means I must work harder than ever to, as Neil Gaimain says, ’Make good art.’
BLACK LIST SCREEENWRITER LAB - Finalist
BLACK LIST BROCKMAN FELLOWSHIP FOR UNIQUE PORTRAYAL OF ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE - Runner Up
LIFT OFF FILM FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL SELECTION FOR BEST SCREENPLAY
SCREEN CRAFT SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP - Quarterfinalist
SCREEN CRAFT SCI-FI CONTEST - Quarterfinalist (ongoing)
CREATIVE WORLDS SCREENPLAY CONTEST - Quarterfinalist
I hope you consider joining me on this journey, our first stop is PRE-COGNITION and then onward to the COGNITION future.
Thank you,
Robert Trusardi