Lesson 1

[Joan Beesley]

Hello Cheryl,

I am trying to paste my Lesson 1 assignment from Word but no success. Do we have to type everything directly into this space?

Thank you!

[Layla O'Shea]

Layla O’Shea / SPLIT DECISIONS – PREQUEL / PRODUCERS

1. Feature Drama, SPLIT DECISIONS – PREQUEL, Alternate present-day, political dystopian America which strictly enforces morality laws to combat crumbling marriage and falsified population rates.

2. This feature script is the prequel to my grand-prize winning pilot script. It is becoming more and more relevant to today’s struggles with far right laws being passed suppressing our citizens’ individual rights and freedoms.

3. I already have a manager, so I want to compile a strong list of viable production companies.

4. What I learned today is that my pitch is likely the “book report” Hal mentioned to avoid. 😛

[Richard Senne]

Joan, I always copy and paste with no problem.

[Joan Beesley]

Richard,

I’m in!

Thanks!🙂

[Rachael Migler]

I’ve got the next Miss Congeniality and it’s inspired by a real-life FBI sting widely covered in the news. OFF TRACK is an action comedy about a semi-feral farm girl who goes undercover with the FBI as a posh thoroughbred owner to bust open a sophisticated racehorse doping ring.

What’s most attractive about this story is that it’s has three juicy starring roles, is inspired by a fascinating real-life sting and is in the action comedy genre which is popular again, as evidenced by The Lost City grossing $192 million.

I’m targeting producers and actors’ prodcos because I don’t have any film credits to snag a manager.

What I learned from Lesson 1 is that everything flows from having a great hook; don’t market to anyone until you have one.

[Richard Senne]

Richard Senne Project: PRECISE STRIKE Market: Producers

Genre: Action Title: PRECISE STRIKE Concept: What would happen if a deadly gas attack had no effect on the genetically altered survivor, who was then hunted for their blood?

Precise Strike is a fast paced action story with a trusting, yet lethal protagonist, who overcomes overwhelming odds with her sisters.

I will target producers first, mainly because I never thought about actor’s production companies. – I picked producers because I want to establish some credit by selling, and making a movie before approaching a manager.

What I learned today is… there is a huge difference between concept and logline, and that difference bleeds over into the “book report” of the pitch.

[Joan Beesley]

Joan Beesley The Junkman of Brooklyn

#1.Genre:

Historical Fiction/Magic Realism

Title:

“40 Shades of Green: The Junkman of Brooklyn”

Concept:

Inter-generational story set in Ireland’s famine years and early Brooklyn. Young deal-making Irishman rises through Tammany Hall, focused on his talent, wealth and insulating his family from poverty. He fails to pass on his expertise to his sons, who are untrained to salvage his huge scrap-metal empire in the 1940’s. (Did his company really put the windows in the Chrysler Building??) The patriarch intervenes in his own biography and finally the author’s life.

#2. This screenplay is a hybrid of Gangs of New York and Somewhere in Time. The connectivity, or lack hereof, between fathers and sons, across this time-span, plus the omnipresence of the patriarch, are most interesting.

#3. I would choose producers, then actors. The work of these producers is the magic I would like to see in my film. A producer, I imagine, would have the best expertise to film and market the screenplay. Below are my choices:

Producers:

The Dig

Producer: Carolyn Marks Blackwood, Gabrielle Tanner/Production Company: Magnolia Mae Films/British Drama Film, limited release followed by streaming on Netflex

Somewhere in Time

Producer: Stephen Deutsch/Production Company: Rastar

The Godfather

Producer: Albert S. Ruddy/Production Company: Paramount Pictures

Meet Joe Black

Producer: Martin Brest/Production Company: City Light Films

Forever Young

Producer: Bruce Davey/Production Company: Icon Productions

Actors:

Next, I would approach these actors as leads in my screenplay as their characterizations of Michael Flynn would be perfect.

Tom Cruise, Actor/Producer, Far and Away, lead role of younger Michael Flynn

Pierce Brosnan, Actor, lead role of mid-life Michael Flynn

Actor/Producer, formed Irish Dreamtime with my in-law Beau St. Claire (deceased), wife of academy-award winner producer Lloyd Phillips (deceased)

Robert Duvall, Actor, lead role of elder Michael Flynn

#4. Today I learned how to hopefully narrow the search for my market.

P.S.

Below is information I may use from Chat GPT:

1. Production Companies:

· Scott Free Productions: Known for producing character-driven dramas, historical pieces, and Ridley Scott’s involvement could be a plus.

· Imagine Entertainment: Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s company often explores family-oriented stories and has a diverse portfolio.

· Anonymous Content: Recognized for producing quality dramas and character-driven projects.

2. Directors:

· Lenny Abrahamson: Known for “Room” and “Normal People,” Abrahamson has a talent for intimate character studies.

· Jim Sheridan: An Irish director with a strong focus on family and immigrant stories (“In America,” “Brothers”).

· John Crowley: Director of “Brooklyn,” Crowley has experience with immigrant narratives.

3. Streaming Platforms:

· Netflix: Has a diverse range of content and has shown interest in historical dramas and family sagas.

· Amazon Studios: Known for producing high-quality original content, including historical and family-themed series.

[John Orlock]

John Orlock – THE END-OF-SUMMER GUEST

Genre: historical/ biographical

August 1939. A French aviator’s chance weekend visit to the home of an international hero – a home and marriage consumed with grief over the murder of their infant son – leads the Frenchman to an unexpected love, and his writing one of the most beloved books of all time – The Little Prince.

The critical moral importance of coming to the rescue to sustain one’s integrity, one’s country, one’s marriage, one’s life. Politically, the Media is afire with the need for “coming to the rescue”: Ukraine, Middle East, etc.

“The Little Prince” is consistently ranked among the top three bestselling books of all time – over 140 million copies sold.

Targeting: producers.

What I learned today: the rationale behind an effective concept pitch vs a logline pitch.

[Jenna Ryan]

STEALING BUDDHA’S DINNER (dramedy; marketing to producers who have relationships at studios/streamers)

Based on Bich Minh Nguyen’s award-winning coming-of-age memoir, STEALING BUDDHA’S DINNER is a dramatic comedy about an Asian refugee who’s trying to survive high school in the Midwest during the awesome 80’s. Through junk food and pop culture, it chronicles an awkward yellow girl’s quest to become a normal American teen when the kids are all white.

What I learned today is alternative ways of thinking about “rejection” and tips for staying empowered.

[Joan Beesley]

Cheryl,

FYI. Am all set up now!

[Nick Walsh]

Nick Walsh /Project and Market

Genre: Drama

Title: The Rogue of Connemara

Concept: 1847 Ireland. A wanted murder fugitive disguises himself as a priest to escape a hanging.

My story is about a desperate man’s flight to freedom using his charm and wit to adapt to any situation as he confounds the enemy by posing as a priest and other masquerades.

The interesting thing about my story is that it about the Irish diaspora to North America during the Great Famine of the mid-19th century as it is told over time through one man’s eyes on his quest for freedom, and a lost love in America. An Irish version of Roots.

I will first target an actor production company because I have a specific Irish actor or two in mind, then producers (Irish first), while concurrently looking for a literary agent.

What I learned (again) today is to be concise and specific, not detailed. Just get the BIG picture across.

[Aurora AURORA Harris HARRIS]

Aurora’s Project and Market

1.My series is a first century historical drama called Insurrection!

Concept/Logline:

Renown for loyalty, a Roman Centurion sent to Galilee to find a prophesied Insurrectionist, struggles with rebellion in Jews and Romans, slaves and politicians, realizing he is himself an insurrectionist.

2. The attractive part: The story depicts the fictitious backstories of a number of lesser known mysterious historical/biblical personalities, revealing their character journeys. Quite a fan base loves all things Roman, and the personal life and history of this Roman soldier is especially unique and intriguing as he discovers he is half Jewish and related to his beloved but unruly household slaves. The story examines racial tensions, between Romans, Jews and Cushites (Africans) and long term close relationships between masters and slaves. Since the theme is both loyalty and insurrection, the story is not only about love, submission, forgiveness, but fraught with continual conflicts, deceptions, manipulations and betrayals. Finally it is ironic that the protagonist discovers, that despite being proud of his own loyalty, he is as rebellious as the Insurrectionist he is sent to capture.

3. I plan to target producers who have already successfully produced a film that is a faith based historical drama. Such a person would already have experience with the existing market of potential investors and know already exists an audience for such a project.

4. I learned today it is hard to quickly and succintly summarize high points of a thirteen part series. But its crucial to be able to do so. Good to be prepared in advance.