Followers

Blog Archive

Inching Closer . . .

Posted by 2 Dollar Productions Monday, November 19, 2007

I got semi-good news this weekend as I spoke to the film producer who now has a comedy script - "Monkey Business" - written by my brother and I resting in his hands.


{Editor's Note: Unfortunately, there are no actual monkeys in the screenplay.}

As a quick recap, this started about a month ago with a random introduction to the producer followed by:

* The producer asking for a script treatment to read
* Me frantically writing a treatment which totaled about 12 pages
* A coffee shop meeting where we discussed his thoughts on the treatment.
* He liked the premise and the characters and asked for the full script
* We mailed the script and celebrated a very minor victory with a couple of pitchers

These past few weeks, we have wondered how our actual script has been holding up, and after calling the producer to find out, we discovered that so far the feedback is still positive.

On the phone, he said that he had already read the script once, then silence. This felt ominous so I said, "Well, I hoped you laughed a few times."

He said "Yes, I did." Then more silence.

"So, what are your impressions so far?" I asked.

This time he went into a bit of length, and stated that he still really liked the premise, the story structure and the comedy. The main changes he saw right now was adding more depth to the characters to juxtapose the comedic situations with something more firmly rooted in reality.

Fair enough. I can add depth any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I'll just splice in a few scenes with main characters pontificating slowly about life set against some background that's highly symbolic - like a rotted-out dumpster or more to the point, the broken-down dumpster of life.


Well, maybe something else, but it is a reasonable fix and far easier than blowing up the structure or adding characters.

The call ended with the producer telling me that he wanted to read the script a second time before we met again to discuss his thoughts in more depth. So, we now have plans to sit down the week after Thanksgiving or the first week of December, depending upon the projects that he's working on.

But regardless, it was certainly good news that our finished screenplay held up under his initial examination. It sounds like round of celebratory pints are in order to me as every little step is a small victory when you're coming out of nowhere.

-BDS

18 comments

  1. Anonymous Says:
  2. So, there are no monkeys in 'Monkey Business.' What a ripoff! Gotta stick a monkey in there somewhere.

    Good to hear the good news, but I'm still disappointed in the lack of monkey.

     
  3. JLee Says:
  4. That's great news! Just a little spit and polish is all it needs. A little depth never hurt anyone, right?

     
  5. WhatIgot - I know. But maybe that's another problem this guy has with the script, and if so, there will be monkeys galore.

    Jlee - Thanks, and more depth (or more spit and polish) never hurt anyone. Ha.

     
  6. Heff Says:
  7. I must agree with "WhatIgot"...You can't go wrong with moneys.

     
  8. Heff Says:
  9. Uh, "monkeys".

     
  10. Heff - Both. In my book, you can never have too many of either.

     
  11. Miss Ash Says:
  12. Congrats!!

    Ugh oh, a few pitchers means a bathing viking beauty photo and drunk thoughts are on the way haha!!

     
  13. Hey, good news! Time to bring out a few more pitchers.

    If the film producer's comments were negative my comment would have read:

    Sorry about the bad news. Time to bring out a few more pitchers.

     
  14. Miss Ash - Thanks, and you're likely right which means we all get to celebrate, right? Ha. At least that's my story.

    Idig - Yep. It's amazing how often the celebration and the drowning sorrows coincide like that. I always think of the Simpson's epidsode as well where Homer says something like "alcohol the cause of and solution to all of life's problems." Or something like that.

     
  15. Oh, man, I am so keeping my stubby little fingers crossed for you. This is a hell of a lot further than most people get in this biz and I hope it keeps going.

     
  16. nobich Says:
  17. Sounds like great news! definite finger crossing & pitcher drinking in your honor. Bottoms up!! Ha!

     
  18. Wendy - I appreciate it as I do likewise for yr. novel. I think it's good karma at the very least, and writers (this is a broad term I know - ha) should pull for each other. At least, most of the time.

    Nobich - Thanks, and enjoy as I plan to as soon as I can finish up work today. Why not? It's a short holiday week anyway.

     
  19. BostonPobble Says:
  20. "when you're coming out of nowhere"...this is HUGE under those circumstances. lift several pints. my next coffee is in your honor. maybe you can have monkeys wander through a scene or something.

     
  21. Hermes Says:
  22. Not in front of a dumpster, in front of the monkey exhibit at the zoo! Sure is a good thing I don't write screenplays.
    Congratulations!

     
  23. I would also like to put in my vote for some monkeys!! I think it would be a nice added touch and without them the whole thing is a rip off. Hahahahaha

    But seriously, good luck and my fingers are also crossed for you.

     
  24. Bostonpobble - I really appreciate it, and strangely enough, my brother and I did discuss monkeys wandering through scenes last night (while having a few pints). Ha. You never know.

    Getoffmylawn - True. There is no zoo scene in the film, but maybe I could tie something in there. A zoo date? A zoo chase? Lots of possibilities.

    Trinabeingtrina - Thanks a lot, and you are in the majority as everybody seems to want monkeys. Ha. And I don't blame them. Not one bit.

     
  25. idobcool Says:
  26. A monkey in people clothing and old people fighting is always funny!

     
  27. True. Very, very true. Maybe combining them would be comedy gold? I'll think on that one.

     

About Me


Contact Us

You can reach us by email at twodollarproductions@live.com