Hello Garrick,
Of the hundred or so replies I have so far sifted through, yours showed the most professionalism and, if I may say, character.
You understand our situation well, and you most likely know we're winging it -- although that's solely with respect to the shoot itself. We have done our homework re: making accounts receivable deals. I'll get into them soon enough.
Because your e-mail was strong, I decided to go into more detail.
First things first -- the core group.
Me, Daniel Christoff aka D. Victor Christoff: Writer/Producer .I've sold seven theatrical release screenplays to producers like Ilya Salkind (Superman: The Movie, The four Musketeers, et.al.) and the Lupo brothers. Currently teaching screenwriting, fiction and poetry at TCL, I have written a nat'l radio show and served as editor-in-chief for a nat'l newspaper and nat'l magazine. I have fiction and poetry published and have won some awards here and there.
Steven (last name omiited for now): Producer. Has made dozens of films and HBO half hours. Wrote a best seller. Ran the HH Repetory Company. At least half a dozen awards.
Packager: Tom (last name omitted for now). Former president of the MPPA. Produced a short- lived TV series. Ran NBC's music devleopment for 25 years. Connected to the top.
We are currently going over the last three selections for director, so I can't fill you in there.
I could say more here, but that's our center.
After reading your e-mail, I forwarded it to Steven, who is an exceptionally sharp and exacting producer. He even went so far as to run an IMDB on you. I hope you're not offended. You shouldn't be. Steven put you on the list of eight artists under consideration, and agreed to my stipulation that we talk to you first.
Your b.g. was key. See, we're doubling and trippling up on roles, and you would fit in a lot of ways.
The business end? I've made a deal with distributors, and we're looking at anywhere from 300 to 500 screens per state.
Yeah. You can see where the money's coming from and estimate how much.
As well, just the other day, I put together a tentative foreign distribution deal that will enable our film to show in Germany, Italy, France and Belgium.
Our packager comes from the school that says: "You can shoot a blank screen, but if you know what you're doing, it's going gold."
He's right. You probably know it. Connections are the milk and honey of this industry.
Tomorrow, Steven and I will meet with some friends. This mostly has to do with the SC Film Board, with which we have an in, finalizing locations and occupying our newly acquired warehouse. We're also going to track the shooting script and call in some favors.
But we'll be discussing you, too.
At this point, be confident is all I can say. You're up against some pros, but I intuit you're hungrier and, generally, more solid. That you know theory, for example, goes a long way with me, and I hope to go over some when we talk.
You scored more points since you've done LA and UCLA -- by the by, did you get a chance to meet my old friend, Lew Hunter? He asked me to teach screenwriting there and I almost did. In fact, I've been asked to teach at the Sorbonne, too and...
Enough of my ego.
Here's how it will work. After narrowing the list further, I'll give you a call (say, Monday @ about 8PM? Let me know.). Please note: Gotta be simpatico. You'll be working with veterans, while still dusting the ears of recent film school grads. Sure, we appreciate suggestions and points of view, but at the same time, we need a man who, like me, can just zip it at times.
After we talk, you talk to Steven.
We make the final choices and I both meet and give you the treatment. You'll have to sign a non-disclosure and non-compete.
Then you decide if the project's right for you. Now, I fully realize artists will always say the project's right for them. But the artist who can articulate why is the one I look at long and hard.
After all, we're risking our reps and we need a real and up front.
If you're selected, the script and meetings with the DP, Steven, myself and others follow. This means we discuss your contract, as per your involvement. You could get more than Guild, depending. This also means you will come here -- to Beaufort. We put you up and feed you.
Then we go shoot.
No one sees the shine off a dime until we screen.
How's this all sound to you?
Send me an e-mail and we'll see where we are.
Until then...
Best,
Daniel
MY RESPONSE TO HIM
Thanks Daniel for the in depth email. I see you are very passionate about what "people like us do." Before we start trading our family trees, I have a couple of questions myself. Only because I have found myself in a business "boom" of my own and have to make sure this project is worth taking some time off.
First off:
1) If you have DP and Producer and all the Above The Line, What would you need me for?
2)Would I be using my own gear or would you guys be "borrowing" it for the shoot?
3)What is the shooting schedule, (day wise,)?
4)And when would the shoot start?
You talk a good game. I know this business and know I want receive a penny of compensation if it's not upfront WHICH IS FINE in some cases but if I'm considered would like to sign the agreement and read the script as soon as possible. The writing will obviously let me decide if it's justifiable for me to go M.I.A to Beaufort, SC for the set amount of time of shoot on my own buck.
Points mean nothing.
Deferred Payment is as likely as Master card relieving me of my debt because of my good looks.
If it's great cinema and something I'd be proud to be a part of,then it means cutting my testacles off to be there, pay or not, even if it means fetching the seventh pizza pie of the seventh day of shooting. I'm in if you can inspire me. If you cannot, let's just say, I will never EVER forget this email. May be the best response I have ever received from a Craigslist Employer. Call me on Monday night at 8pm. I'd love to talk to you.
Sincerely,
Garrick Lane
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