So, now I'm a producer
Anna's Dream of Flight
Anna's professor seduces her into marriage in exchange for achieving her dream, to master the piano, but Anna is crippled by guilt over his death - when she falls in love with his mistress.
Screenplay by Alexander Haythen & Ken Mora
I scored a Letter Of Intent to co-produce and co-finance for Inkas Film Productions, a Greek production entity, for the script Anna's Dream Of Flight, co-written by Alexander Haythen. They want me to attach talent with a reputations in the US to sweeten the package they take to other production entities, most likely French or US. Well, I'm taking it and running with it.
While all this is going on, I'm optioning a novel. To do that my entertainment attorney advised I form a production entity to whom the rights would be sold, so I formed Bella Fe Films. Yesterday we got the green light from the writer's agent to send the contract, in which I included a last-minute change; a right of first negotiation on the author's other novels in the series. Of course, since this makes me a producer, I'm using that to get Anna's Dream out there too. I contacted the best schmoozer I know. He's a real estate agent in Rhode Island now, but he's worked all kind of jobs where your livelihood is based on your ability to get people to like you, or at least deal with you. No, not the used car salesman type, his talent is in being genuine. Anyway, he somehow convinced John Malkovichs agent's assistant to take the script, which they got in time for last weekend's read. No guarantee it didn't end up in the 'circular file' mind you. Anyway, it was enough to put the invaluable 'Requested Material' label on the priority mail package. Now I have to follow up this week to make sure they 'got it okay' in other words that they didn't chuck it as unsolicited material.
Eva Green's representation, via her agent's assistant, insists that the company policy is not to consider anything that doesn't have an actually salary offer. It's a shame because she has the acting range, and can play the required age range (17-34), but I've got a few other ideas. A casting director friend who works at NBC Universal has been very generous with her assistants and advice (she was the one who suggested Eva Green) and now she'll be trying to line up a phone interview with Cillain Murphy's rep. That's one phone call I'll have to make myself, but what the hell, if I'm a producer these are the types of call I have to make. Actually, I'm looking forward to this one. I think Cillian is the next Johnny Depp.
I asked a French writer/producer friend to recommend an up and coming French actress who could play the role of Marie, Anna's true love, and her husband's mistress. He suggested Ludivine Sangier whose role in the film 'Swimming Pool' got her noticed, and who is now in a key supporting role in the film 'Moliere' so my attorney has queried her agent in Paris, still no response.