And I call myself a writer
Just finished reading the screenplay my friend Damian sent off to New Line - titled "Aloha O'e." The story takes place in the 1920's during the sugar strikes. Hawaii - perhaps the most multi-ethnic place on earth, full of intrigue, Asian mysteries, and dying pagan gods. The murder of a haole (white) plantation owner is thought to be the work of an Asian immagrant. The case is taken by a Chinese detective in the otherwise racist Honolulu Police force. The detective, Chang, is a former paniolo (cowboy) who's only weapon is a Indy Jones style bullwhip. He's up against the Japanese, who even in 1920 have designs on Pearl Harbor, the Plantation Owners, and the U.S. Navy (which looks at Hawaii as its very own private property).
Damian's in very good shape to at least get this thing optioned, if not produced outright. Sara Richer, his benefactor over there, practically commissioned this piece and has been gently prodding him. I got to read her latest email, in which she tells him, "20 pages from the end. This is so good, I want to kill you." Originally penned to be a movie script (an agent suggested Jackie Chan, who's looking at doing more dramatic work in his old age), she looked at it and told him it made better sense to pitch it as a mini-series for pay cable, like "Deadwood." So Damian expanded the screenplay from 140 pages out to 230, or about 4-1/2 hours.
I helped with this project, in terms of fact checking and some story ideas. Unavoidable really, since Damian and I bounce ideas off of one another every time we see each other. So Damian told me that if I write something good, he would be happy to send it to Sara, who - because they have a relationship that goes back years and involves family - would READ it.
So naturally, I'm not writing a goddammed thing.
Damian's in very good shape to at least get this thing optioned, if not produced outright. Sara Richer, his benefactor over there, practically commissioned this piece and has been gently prodding him. I got to read her latest email, in which she tells him, "20 pages from the end. This is so good, I want to kill you." Originally penned to be a movie script (an agent suggested Jackie Chan, who's looking at doing more dramatic work in his old age), she looked at it and told him it made better sense to pitch it as a mini-series for pay cable, like "Deadwood." So Damian expanded the screenplay from 140 pages out to 230, or about 4-1/2 hours.
I helped with this project, in terms of fact checking and some story ideas. Unavoidable really, since Damian and I bounce ideas off of one another every time we see each other. So Damian told me that if I write something good, he would be happy to send it to Sara, who - because they have a relationship that goes back years and involves family - would READ it.
So naturally, I'm not writing a goddammed thing.