Running with Jack Scissors
American Hometown Entertainment Fund / The Slate
Feature film · In development
Learning to run, love,
and live with hope.
A summer of hard miles, unexpected laughter, and a connection Megan Turner never saw coming. An unlikely training partner becomes someone worth opening her heart to.
The story
She wasn’t looking for love.
Then Jack ran into her life.
Family drama / Coming of age
Based on the novel by DJ Hellman
Megan Turner heads to the trail to escape the hurt she carries. What she finds is Jack Scissors—a charmingly unconventional runner whose humor, heart, and unmistakable 1970s style make him impossible to ignore.
As they train for the end-of-summer 5K, their daily runs become something neither can measure in miles. Between teasing exchanges, hard-earned confidence, and moments of unexpected honesty, a training partnership begins to bloom into romance.
But letting someone in means facing the loss Megan has tried to outrun. With Jack beside her, she begins to rediscover the courage to love, reconnect with her mother, and believe that her story still has room for joy.
“Some things have to be believed to be seen.”
— Jack Scissors
Megan & Jack
Two runners.
One unexpected connection.
She keeps her heart guarded. He wears his on his sleeve. One summer on the trail brings them closer, one mile at a time.
Learning to let love in
Megan Turner
After losing her father, Megan keeps the world at a distance. Jack’s unfiltered humor and unwavering encouragement challenge her defenses—and give her a reason to look forward to the next run.
All heart. No filter.
Jack Scissors
A red headband, long tube socks, and an irresistible belief in what is possible. Jack is an unlikely training partner who makes Megan laugh, pushes her to believe in herself, and hopes she might fall for him.
Family, memory & hope
The love she carries with her.
Amy Turner
Megan’s mother is carrying her own grief. Beneath the silence and hurt, a mother and daughter must find a way back to one another.
Megan’s Father
Remembered through moments of warmth and joy, his love remains part of Megan’s life as she finds the courage to open her heart again.
Hero and character images are illustrative concept artwork, not cast announcements.
Discover the novel
Before the screen,
there was the story.
Running with Jack Scissors
Meet Megan and Jack on the page. Discover the novel behind the feature film in development—a story of an unexpected connection and the courage to run, love, and live with hope.
More about the novel and its author at Storypop Studios.
The filmmakers
From the page. To the screen.
Meet the storytellers behind Running with Jack Scissors.
Writer & creator / Storypop Studios
Dan Hellman
Writing as DJ Hellman, Dan is the author of Running with Jack Scissors and the writer of its screenplay. His work includes young-adult and children’s books, with Storypop Studios providing a home for bringing those stories to the screen.
He founded Storypop to create films that uplift, inspire, and bring people together—inviting audiences to be part of the journey from the beginning.
Directors
The Boylan Sisters
Alexandra Boylan & Andrea Polnaszek
Alexandra Boylan and Andrea Polnaszek are confirmed to direct Running with Jack Scissors. The Boylan Sisters bring a background in independent features and young-adult storytelling to Megan and Jack’s journey.
Their selected work includes Catching Faith, Catching Faith 2, Wish for Christmas, Switched, The Greatest Inheritance, and Identity Crisis.
Hometown stories. Heartland impact.
Be part of the stories
that bring us together.
Connect with the American Hometown Entertainment Guild, or explore the Fund to learn about the broader slate of films and series.
Guild membership and Fund investment are separate.