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| screenplay and small stack of notes |
Now that the screenplay is done and the client is happy and the all-important copyright has been registered, I can finally talk about that screenplay project with you.
It’s been a crazy ride and a steep learning curve, but I think we have something worthwhile. As if I would say anything else, of course. I put blood, sweat and tears into this project. It was hard not to get too attached to the characters and then have to change them completely. One week the lead character was a middle aged real estate millionaire, then a wealthy investment banker, next a young reporter, before finally settling as a young venture capitalist with a tech background looking to start a business in Detroit. And that was just one character!
But before I get too deeply into the screenplay story itself, let me tell you about my client and his reasons for hiring me to write this story with him. He’s an 80-year old self-made man, doesn’t look a day over 70, if that old, who made his fortune in Seattle real estate. And at times was quite ruthless about it too from what I can glean from his stories. He’s an old time gambler with hints of big games in Vegas in the old days. Most days he still plays a couple of hours of tennis and bridge whenever he can.
But none of that is leaving him feeling fully satisfied with life at this stage. He wants to leave a legacy for his kids and grandkids. And what better way than to see your name up in lights, as the old saying goes.
The idea for the screenplay first took root in his fertile imagination after seeing a documentary on the decline of Detroit, Detropia. As a real estate developer his first thoughts were on what he might do, if he had enough wealth, to revitalize a city teetering on the verge like that. Initially the story was fairly pedestrian in its premise, but it quickly became more than that.
Some of his deep down motives are fueled by a desire to leave a better planet for his offspring. One where we’re no longer using up every last crumb of the planet, where we’re not continuing to make more, consume more, pile up more trash and stomp on others who have less.
A tall order!
After many outlines and drafts and revisions we settled on electric transportation as the way to save a city. Borrowing from a future we both anticipate will come where electric batteries are more robust, not lithium-ion anymore, and able to power buses, trucks and cars with ease for significantly long distances. And, while we’re at it, why not make it an international effort bringing countries closer together and dramatically reducing pollution. But don’t worry, we didn’t make it sappy, we were sure to add in tension, conflict, history, and even a bit of a love story, oh, and we’re envisioning a Motown soundtrack.
Log Line for “Rescue Me”: Her technology fulfilled a promise to her grandfather, brought the two largest economies closer together and saved a city.
I will blog more about the screenplay and efforts to see it into production over the next few months, so stay tuned. Or contact me for more info using the comment section.
