[Reported on April 27, 1998 by Jerry Witt]

 

Here's what's new:

Over the last two weeks we've had a bunch of feedback on the script for "Double Down." Two companies have expressed interest in becoming involved in the project to varying degrees. Another was a rejection.

I don't want to talk about the "interested" parties just yet. I don't want to jinx things. The rejection was the most positive rejection I have ever had.

The development person said, "First off I have to tell you how very sorry I am that I have to pass on your project." He proceeded to tell me how much he enjoyed the script, how much he respected our plan, and how he was impressed at how tight the budget was. Unfortunately, the project didn't fit the profile of what they were looking for.

Their company is primarily looking for kid's films for their low-budget side and bigger budget action films. His feeling is that a crime/thriller would not do well with foreign sales."The marketplace is over saturated with those sort of films," was his note.

Although I spent some time detailing how "Double Down" was different, a "No" is still a "No."

That's okay, though. I felt that the door was definitely left open for future projects that fit their profile better. I also got some information on how better to approach agents.

It forced me to focus on how better to pitch our project. I now mention that no one has done a hugely successful artistic crime thriller since the Cohen brothers "Blood Simple." Where "Blood Simple" used many interesting in-camera effects, "Double Down" will make use of our digital special effects to get inside the characters heads or heighten reality.

Several of these effects sequences are hinted at in the script. I'm not sure that readers are "seeing" the possibilities. I'm not even sure one could be expected to see them based on the terse style of the screenplay. The trick, I guess, is to convey the style without dwelling on it. A set of storyboards or a video short might be our next order of business.