Saturday, August 9, 2008

NEVER KNOW

YOU NEVER KNOW where connections might lead. Although the Gloria film Festival was not a big event for our film (truth be told, it was mostly filmmakers, critics and a few aspiring writers), the Screenwriting Seminars I attended were quite helpful. They addressed STRUCTURE which I have never understood in a simple way, until now. Rob Tobin lays out a simple formula that can be at least a starting point if not the whole story on traditional screenwriting/storytelling structure.

In addition, I made a few filmmaker contacts who might help move some of our stories along from our Pow Wow. I discussed with Rob before I left Salt Lake that we were seeking distribution and he indicated he would talk to some folks he knew in LA. Then, out of the blue this morning, I get an email from Rob, who has also written a book called "The Screenwriting Formula". Copied below is the text of Rob's email

"Hey, Heather:

How’s my favorite redhead (sort of)? I just returned from the Gloria Film Festival in Utah where I gave a couple of lectures on screenwriting. I was treated extremely well by exec director Wayne Lee, and I saw some great films.

The film that impressed me the most was an absolutely BRILLIANT 71 minute documentary called "Six Man Texas" which looks at the phenomenon of disappearing small towns in Texas through the filter of six-man high school football. It's an amazing film and if any of you have the ability to help the film's producers sell/distribute that film, contact me at scripts@earthlink.net and I'll put you in touch with them. I get absolutely nothing out of this except the satisfaction of seeing an extremely worthy film reaching an audience.

Unrelated to this great little film, I'm also looking for funds and distribution for one of my own award-winning scripts, "The Life and Times of Lesbian Alien Opera Singers." I have more than a dozen independent film producers actively interested in the script but none have been able to come up with the full funding needed to produce it. The script and an executive summary are available upon request, with a budget of $10 million (the film can actually be shot for as little as $2 million below the line). I also have a Canadian company offering to fund half the budget in matching funds (in the form of government tax incentives, rebates, etc. -- I'm Canadian), and a European bank that has sent me a LOI (Letter of Interest) stating they're willing to supply 50% of a $10-$20 million budget in matching funds.

Thanks and good writing/filmmaking to all of you!

Rob Tobin
scripts@earthlink.net"

So you never know where things might lead. Heather has replied to Rob and wants to see a screener, so come Monday one more Six Man, Texas screener is headed to LA. Feed the beast and maybe either desire or indigestion will spit something good back our way.

YOU NEVER KNOW - ALAN