Lesson 7

[Gila Zalon]

Gila’s Query Letter.

“Son of a bitch deserved to die” …or did he? Did any of them?

Socio-political/Crime genre.

TITLE: The Rife Machine

Can a cancer-curing machine find a place in the world despite the murderous intentions of a heinous drug lobby? This is what Police Chief Anthony DiMucci wants to know as he chases down the killers of an Alternative Doctor, a doctor who used the machine—a Rife Machine— to help save lives.

Discovering that the drug lobby wants to get hold of the machine, which they believe is competition for a new cancer drug about to be released, DiMucci nonetheless uses the machine to cure his own wife’s cancer. Which leads to the death of two innocent people and almost to his own demise.

But it is David fighting Goliath, and DiMucci has rubbed enough people the wrong way. He is unceremoniously fired from the police force. Yet the machine takes on a life of its own and hints of continuous development reach DiMucci. It will live on without his help.

There are thousands of people around the world that use Rife Machines. They are a built-in audience for this movie. And with the proliferation of drugs that have led to addiction and suicide, the theme of this movie would gain recognition around the world.

SCREENPLAY CREDITS: The screenplay was a semifinalist in all competitions in which it was entered, including most recently the ISA Suspense Competition.

PRESENT STATUS: The screenplay received a very high mark on SLATED and both Made to Order Movies and Buffalo Eight are interested in participating in its production.
If you like the concept of The Rife Machine, I’d be happy to send you the script.

WRITERS CREDITS: I have had four short films and one feature length film produced. My feature had worldwide distribution. One of my short films won Best Film and Best Writer in the NJ International Film Festival, and was accepted at many other film festivals, including the California International Film Festival.

Another of my scripts received a Certificate of Merit from the American Screenwriters Association and Writers Digest. And yet another screenplay is under consideration for production by a newly formed production company.

What I learned doing this assignment? That I must work on a shorter more “hook-y” synopsis. This will take time.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by  Gila Zalon.

[Gila Zalon]

Gila’s Pitch Fest Pitch. LESSON 8
I’ve learned that being short and concise is what I have to learn. I will definitely carry this over to my other scripts. Even though the chances of my attending a pitch-fest are not very likely, this will help me in approaching producers either by phone or even email.
I’ve had one full-length and two short films produced and won awards for all. I also produced a full-length award-winning movie. One of my scripts is under consideration by Euldora Productions.
2. Tell us your genre and title.
Title: The Rife Machine
Genre: Political Crime Thriller
3. What is your one or two sentence hook?
Police Chief Anthony DiMucci is up against a murderous Drug Lobby which is going after a means of curing cancer that could wipe out their business. Trouble is DiMucci has the machine and wants it to cure his wife’s cancer… which leads to the deaths of innocent people. Problem: Is it worth it?
4. Please give your one or two sentence answer to each of these questions:
What is the budget range?
$4M to $7M

What actors do you like for the lead roles?
George Clooney or Brian Cranston. Right age. Interested in movies with socio/political overtones.

Give me the acts of the story.
Act I: The murder of an Alternative Doctor in a small town starts Police Chief Anthony DiMucci on a quest to find the murderer. What he discovers is a cancer-curing machine that is being sought by a murderous Drug Lobby.
Act II: DiMucci decides to use the machine to cure his wife’s cancer. The Drug Lobby finds out and in trying to retrieve the machine from DiMucci, innocent people are murdered. Defying the Lobby, DiMucci fosters an interest in and developement of the machine, but discovers that some politicians may also be involved with the Lobby. Including law enforcement mucky-mucks.
Act III: His work comes to the attention of his higher-ups and he is fired and is unable to continue any furtherance of his connection to the machine. But though the Lobby has won this round, DiMucci discovers that others are secretly continuing the work, and he vows to do what he can to help.