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January 2005
I spend 3.5 mill on promotional expenses for the Academy. Challenges of the Heart has completed production and is ready for release. Rated R and testing at 91%, I authorize an edit that hurts the movie and knocks it to 89%. I set the release date for next month, and authorize another edit which should make it ready in time for the release. The Call of Cthulhu has finished filming. SEALs 2 has begun filming. The following scripts are back: Dungeon, The Journal, and Crapshoot. Dunegon is sent back out for an entire dialogue rewrite. It’s currently abysmal. The Journal is as good as I can make it. It’s not great, but it has no major weaknesses. Crapshhot was completely unable to be improved. I send it back out for a polish to see if that helps. I purchase the script to State of Emergency, an Action Adventure where the President of the US declares war. It’s a three star screenplay for 3.4 mill. I send it out for a rewrite. -Anxiety |
I greenlight The Journal.
We will film in DC on location with elaborate set construction. The physical budget is 51 million, 1.5 mill pyro effects, 1.5 mill stunts, no robotics and 10 mill state of the art effects. M. Night Shyamalan has agreed to do the sequel. I set him up as the producer and he is mine for 1.35 mill. I send the script to Brad Pitt but he is now demanding 25 mill and 11% of gross. I decide to go for it and cast him as the leading man. The additional costs for Pitt are 2 mill, so for a total of 11% of gross and 25 mill, he is my leading man. Now I need an actor to star across from Pitt. Every male actor in Hollywood appears to be interested in The Journal. After some searching for a good actor, I decide on Mel Gibson for 13.5 mill and 10% of gross. For the supporting cast I sign Tea Leoni (1 mill), James Earl Jones (600k), and Helen Hunt (2.2 mill). A List character actors are used for the entire minor cast. The movie cost – just negatives, is 125.4 mill, and I greenlight the movie. I go ahead and authorize 20 mill TV, 15 mill print and 2.5 mill radio ads. -Anxiety |
I also greenlight The Empty Chair.
We film in Washington DC with elaborate set construction. The physical costs for the project are 51 mill, 2.5 mill pyro, 1 mill stunts, no robotics, and 12 mill groundbreaking effects. I hire Mimi Leder to be the director. Let’s see how she fares with a more traditionally male movie. For 800k, she’s my director. I need a producer for her – her budget skills could use some work. I hire Guy Scott to be my producer for 400k. Branden Fraser and Samuel Jackson have both mentioned that they are interested in the project. I am waffling on my lead, so I decide to check the supporting cast. I sign John Rhys-Davies to be a supporting actor for 1 mill. Kristen Cloke has agreed to be my supporting actress for 500k. The supporting cast was easy to cast. I also hire B List character actors for the four minor roles. I hire Angelina Jolie to be my leading lady for 5 million and 5% of gross. Now I need that leading man. Most of the top flight male and female talent are average actors at best. The male talent is better, however. I ultimately decide to cast Samuel Jackson for 5.2 mill and 5% of gross. The negative cost for this project is 90 mill and I authorize it. I budget 20 mill in TV, 12 million print, and 2.5 mill in radio for the project. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘Beast’
Samuel Oblenstein New York Post Entertainment Section I am not exactly a fan of the horror genre. I think the whole genre is stale. And this is a very un-Dragon’s Den Studios project. As such, it reminds me of some many other horror flicks out there. Maybe Dragon’s Den has run out of ideas for freshness in just one year. Directed by Frank Darabont and starring Christian Slater and Heather Graham, this is not a movie meant to change the genre or make you think. The screenplay benefits from great pacing, good arc character development, and an amazing understanding of what it takes to make a horror movie tick. Having said that, the plot is predictable, the dialogue average and the intelligence is non-existent. This is not a smart movie. The basic premise of the movie, like all horror movies, is that something outlandish happens and people start dying. In this movie, an unholy force is unleashed on New York City and it has to be stopped. Go team…. Christian Slater plays a local cop who first discovers the horror and tries to stop the fore. It’s about time someone gave Christian another starting role, but this was not it, as his acting is average at best. Heather Graham gives a much better performance as Christian’s love interest. Rodney Rowland is averae and Jennifer Love Hewitt is just awful. Frank Darabont did a good job directing and producing the movie, but overall, this is one horrible film, and wholly forgettable. Pass it by. One and a half stars out of four.” -Anxiety |
Beast, Horror
Christian Slater, Heather Graham Frank Darabont Negative Cost: 47.351 mill Total P&A: 50.75 mill Total Cost: 98.101 mill Domestic Gross: 5.069 mill Foreign Gross: 3.158 mill Total Net Revenue: -86.14 mill Overall: **** Frank, Director: **** Frank, Producer: **** Christian Slater: *** Heather Graham: **** Rodney Rowland: *** Jennifer Love Hewitt: * Oh my God….. -Anxiety |
The Academy has nominated the following Dragon’s Den Studio films for awards:
Best Picture: The Diary and Don’t Be Afraid Best Director: M. Night Shyamalan (The Diary) and John Hughes (One Last Chance) Best Actor: Brad Pitt (The Diary) and Matt Damon (Short of Breath) Best Actress: Nicole Kidman (Tearoom) and Kirsten Dunst (Gone Hollywood) Best Supporting Actor: James Earl Jones (Don’t Be Afraid) Best Supporting Actress: Leelee Sobieski (Tearoom) Best Original Screenplay: William Cast (Don’t Be Afraid) and Barbara Worthington (Short of Breath) -Anxiety |
February 2005
I order 5 million spent on promotional expenses for my nominated films. Challenges of the Heart has finished editing. Eyes of Rage is ready for release. SEALs 2 is behind on its budget. I authorize an additional 5 mill. It is now ready for post-production. In The Night needs an additional 10 mill for sets. I authorize the money. Spielberg is now ready to start filming the movie. The following scripts have returned: Say You Love Me, The Prisoner, Crapshoot We are now officially back in the red and cannot purchase anymore projects. Our edit of Challenges of the Heart has made it a little better than the original but not by much. I decide to not edit the film anymore. I look at Eyes of Rage. Rated PG13 after major overhauls of the script, it is testing at 89%. I authorize a quick edit. Which barely changes the screening, although a lot more people like the ending now. I slate the film for a March release. Say You Love Me had its character arc improved. This is still a really bad script. I send it out for more modifications, but to a minor writer, just to see if one can stumble onto the right formula. The Prisoner, after just one rewrite, is starting to come together as a script. I send it out for a polish and a shine. Crapshoot looks a little better than previously, so I send it back out for another rewrite – this time of its genre elements. I send the following scripts out: Deep Cut to Steve LeMaux for a first draft; She Was an Empty Place for a genre polish; Star Gazer for a rewrite; and Indictment for a rewrite of arc and pace. -Anxiety |
I greenlight The Second Face.
We shoot in the Big City Street backlot and will do sound on sound stage 12 with significant set construction. I authorize 31 mill physical costs, 1 mill pyro effects, and 1 mill stunts. I sign David Lynch as my director for 900k. Oscar Highland, for 400k, is my producer. He appears to be very talented. Both do their best work in mystery films. I sign Matt Damon quickly for 5 mill and 5% of gross. He’s my leading man. Nicole Kidman quickly agrees to be my leading lady for 11 mill and 10% of gross. Elijah Wood (3 mill) and Kate Winslet (1 mill) are my supporting cast. I hire a cross section of up and comers, A List, B List, and fresh faces for the 15 minor roles. With a total negative cost of 68 mill, I give a go signal. I authorize 12 mill TV, 6 mill print, and 1 mill radio advertising. That brings domestic P&A and the negative cost to 87 mill total. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘Challenges of the Heart’
Jeffrey O’Neal Entertainment Weekly In the up and down world of Dragon’s Den Studios, I wonder if the title “Challenges of the Heart” deals with the founder and CEO Abe Sargent? After all, he has had two major busts, and some major scores as well, including last year’s hit “The Diary.” DDS, in just it’s first year, has a nominee in every category for the Oscars except for Adapted Screenplay. So, maybe this is just the normal growing pains of a new studio. Find out what works and what doesn’t. And so I sit comfortably down in a chair to watch the tear jerking drama “Challenges of the Heart,” with much anticipation. What am I going to get? I could have a great movie on my hands. Or I could have something, well, less stellar. What I do know, while waiting for the opening credits to finish, is that this is a Marten Scorsese film, so that may bring some credentials to the film. In this movie, a woman, played by Susan Sarandon, must face the fears of her childhood to save her own child’s life. Her child is played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, of “Third Rock From the Sun” fame. Brendan Fraser stars as the cruel father of Susan as a child in countless flashback scenes. And Julia Stiles plays the part of a younger Sarandon. There are a variety of new roles for people here, especially for Fraser. The script is a good one, with fantastic arc, an amazing plot, good pacing and a excellent command of tears through the genre elements. The dialogue and character development do not get in the way, but this is a very emotional film, not an intellectual one at all. So, does it work? Is this a good film, or one of those pieces of trash that many studios put out, and, we have come to find, Dragon’s Den Studios is not immune to? Well, there are a lot of things to like about this movie. Martin does a great job, as always, with the film. Susan does a good, though not overpowering job as an actress. Actually, Julia Stiles out-acts her. Brendan is adequate, as is Joseph. So, I guess the question is whether you are in the mood to have your emotions pulled. A lot. If so, check this thing out. B" -Anxiety |
Challenges of the Heart, Drama
Susan Sarandon, Brendan Fraser Martin Scorsese Negative Cost: 56.472 mill Total P&A: 54.25 mill Total Cost: 110.722 mill Domestic Gross: 19.937 mill Foreign Gross: 39.388 mill Total Net Revenue: -25.294 mill Overall: **** Martin, Director: ***** Martin, Producer: **** Susan Sarandon: **** Brendan Fraser: *** Joseph Gordon-Levitt: **** Julia Stiles: ***** While the movie had amazing ancillary markets, considering its initial theatrical failures, still, the movie has to be considered a disappointment. Might get nominated for some awards next year, however. -Anxiety |
The 2004 Academy Award Ceremony has arrived and with it Dragon’s Den Studios step into a new era.
We begin with best Screenplay Adaptation. And the winner is….. Tom Richardson for Seascape from Hails Studios. Next up is Best Original Screenplay. Up for nomination are two Dragon’s Den Studios screenplays. And the winner is….. Syd Cashton for Red Glow from Reckert Pictures. -Anxiety |
And now the supporting cast awards. The first is Best Supporting Actress. And the winner is…..
Leelee Sobieski for Tearoom from Dragon’s Den Studios!!!! Best Supporting Actor is next. The Oscar goes to…. James Earl Jones for Don’t Be Afraid from Dragon’s Den Studios!!!!! So we swept the supporting awards with only one nomination in each category. -Anxiety |
Now the lead awards begin. Best Actress goes to…..
Nicole Kidman for Tearoom from Dragon’s Den Studios!!!!!! The Best Actor award presenters are at the podium. They’ve read the nominees names including Brad Pitt and Matt Damon from DDS films. They are opening the envelope… Matt Damon for Short of Breath from Dragon’s Den Studios!!!!!!! And now we’ve swept the acting awards. Wow. -Anxiety |
The last two awards are Best Picture and Best Director. We start with Best Director. The award goes to….
Michael Xa for Striving for Perfection from Roehrig Studios. The last award of the evening is for Best Picture. The award goes to: Abe Sargent for The Diary from Dragon’s Den Studios!!! Best picture and all four acting awards! Nice. -Anxiety |
My acceptance speech for the 2004 Academy Award for The Diary:
“First of all, let me just say, wow! The love and support that you have shown all of us at Dragon’s Den Studios has just blown me away. You have show nothing but kindness towards our fledgling enterprise the whole year. For the first movie produced from a small studio to be recognized as the Best Picture last year is just overwhelming. I would like to thank the Director’s Cadre for believing in our vision, and to M Night for taking a risk on our first venture from an unproven company. Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman – you agreed to star, not just in a movie, but to headline the opening stanza from a studio that, I am not ashamed to say, will play many more tunes before our time is done. Once again thank you!” -Anxiety |
“My List of Awards
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun This is my list of awards. This is not a prediction, but just who I think should win: Best Picture: “The Diary” Not only was it actually the best movie last year, but it was also a tremendous effort from a small studio. Best Director: M. Night Shymalan for “The Diary” for pretty much the reasons above. Everybody knew the guy had talent and he proved it in a major way with this film. Best Actor: Brad Pitt for “The Diary.” This is the last award I give to “The Diary” for the year, but Brad Pitt was absolutely amazing in his role. There was no way any actor could have pulled off the role like he did, and he has solidified his case as Hollywood’s premier actor. Best Actress: Julia Roberts for “Red Glow.” An amazingly complex character was pulled off to perfection by Ms. Roberts and she deserves the win for her ability to pull off a half crazy, half genius, all brains character. Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney for “A New Appetite.” James Earl Jones will probably win as a sort of career award, and he did an acting job worthy of a nomination. But there was no individual acting performance worth this award more than Clooney. Best Supporting Actress: Leelee Sobieski for “Tearoom.” This was such a good movie to have bombed at the box office, that I am disappointed. Maybe Nicole Kidman and Leelee’s nominations for awards will give it some credibility. And, in fact, I honestly believe that Leelee pulled in the best performance of any female for any part this year. She hit all of the notes of this tune to an exact pitch. Best Adapted Screenplay: “Tearoom” It was not nominated because, quite frankly, it was a dud commercially. But the play was transformed into an amazing film. Best Original Screenplay: Syd Cashton for Red Glow. This was just one of the best screenplays in the business for a while, and it definitely deserves tremendous recognition. So, those are the awards that I would hand out. What would you award from this year? E-mail me at [email protected] and let me know.” -Anxiety |
March 2005
88 million dollars have been added from the awards as a result of increased interest in our movies. Especially Tearoom, which did poorly at the box office but won two acting awards. The Call of Cthulhu needs an additional 11.25 mill for special effects. I approve the amount. The Journal needs an additional 10.2 mill for sets, which I also approve. In The Night needs another 3 mill to stay on schedule. Again, I certify the amounts. In The Night has finished filming. Wishy-Washy has begun filming. The following scripts have returned: She Was an Empty Place, Dungeon, The Prisoner, State of Emergency I take a look at some scripts: We were unable to improve She Was an Empty Place. Quite unfortunate. The same is true of Dungeon, which has horrendous dialogue. The Prisoner has had it pace polished, but still needs work in some other areas. I send it to Stephen King for a polish. Lastly, State of Emergency, just back from King, is already a four star script and ready for release. Excellent! I send out The Eye of the Storm for a rewrite of arc, pace, and plot. -Anxiety |
PRESS RELEASE – Dragon’s Den Studios
Dragon’s Den Studios today has announced that they have partnered with the very successful Half-Life computer game from Sierra to create a movie based on the game. “The plot of the game was very original, very fresh. We thought it would make an amazing movie,” said Abe Sargent, founder and CEO of Dragon’s Den Studios. The movie idea will be sent out for a first draft later this week. It has the following logline: A research doctor finds himself behind enemy lines when an explosion opens a portal to another world. “We have high hopes for this film,” Sargent continued. “I expect that it could change the way action movies are made.” With such high hopes for the film, the studio is very pleased to have secured the exclusive movie rights for the game. Dragon’s Den Studios is dedicated to bringing quality movies to the big screen. Half-life will be another in a line of thought provoking and intelligent movies. PRESS RELEASE – Dragon’s Den Studios -Anxiety |
I put the following restrictions on Half-Life. Is it Sci-Fi or Action Adventure? I choose Action Adventure as the genre. It will be less of a hindrance when it comes to casting people. I need one actor to star, 2 actors and an actress in support, and 5 minor characters. I cast 50 extras for 5 days on the set. We’ll have graphic violence and foul language. I send it off for a first draft.
I greenlight State of Emergency. We go to DC to film, shooting sound on location, with elaborate set construction. I authorize 51 mill physical costs, 2 mill pyro, 1.5 mill stunts, and 10 mill state of the art effects. Since Tom Cruise has finished filming for SEALs 2, I see if he’s interested in another project. He is. For 16 mill and 10% of gross, Tom is my star. With Tom under wraps, I start looking for a director who wants a high budget vehicle with Tom Cruise as the star. Since he did a good job with the last script, I bring Frank Darabont on board as the director for 330k. Ross Grayson Bell will be my producer for 700k. Now I need an actress to play across from Cruise. I bring on Halle Berry for 7.1 mill and 5% of gross. I sign William Fichtner (2 mill), Michael Clarke Duncan (500k), and Kate Capshaw (250k) as my supporting cast. The twelve minor roles are evenly split between B List, Up and Comers, and Fresh New Faces. The total anticipated negative cost is 95.7 mill. I go ahead and authorize 20 mill TV, 12 mill print, and 2.5 mil radio advertising. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘Eyes of Rage’
Ann Drysden San Francisco Chronicle, Arts Section This John Hughes film stars Mel Gibson as a man who goes after the two men who raped and murdered his wife. The film is rated PG13 but it is not for the weak of heart, even then. How do you accurately portray the grief, anger, depression, and righteousness of a man whose wife has been raped and murdered? Furthermore, how do you take that portrayal and move it into action? That is Mel Gibson’s task. He hunts down the men, played by Christopher Walken and Guy Pearce, who took out his wife. His journey is one fraught with danger and confusion. Let me tell you, this is one story without the classic Hollywood ending. And while we are on the subject of the script, the script is marvelous in son many places. It has amazing dialogue, pace, intelligence and genre elements, plus good arc. Having said that, the plot can be predictable (except for the end) and the character development, despite Mel’s acting, is simply poor. Of course, this is a movie based on action and drama, not on character, but still, it would have been nice to see Mel have more to play with. As such, Mel’s acting job is acceptable, but nothing amazing. Walken, on the other hand, is amazing. And Guy is really convincing as well. Katie Holmes, as the daughter, is significantly less so. However, she doesn’t detract from the film. And John Hughes has turned in another spectacularly directed movie. Could this be another nomination for him as director? The film is good, you don’t want to miss it. However, despite its PG13 rating, don’t take the kids. B+” -Anxiety |
Eyes of Rage, Drama
Mel Gibson John Hughes Negative Cost: 59.852 mill Total P&A: 60 mill Total Cost: 119.852 mill Domestic Gross: 41.326 mill Foreign Gross: 65.698 mill Total Net Revenue: 38.638 mill Overall: **** John, Director: ***** John, Producer: **** Mel Gibson: *** Christopher Walken: ***** Guy Pearce: **** Katie Holmes: *** Mel Gibson took home a little over two million. Definitely a good movie, and our first movie in a while to actually make money. The domestic video sales and pay-per-view was through the roof. 51 million total in revenue from those two sources – 72.4 million total from domestic ancillary markets. That was the bread and butter of the flick. -Anxiety |
April 2005
The Call of Cthulhu is ready for release. Rated PG13 and screening at 97%, I slate its release for next month – May. Wishy-Washy needs an additional million which I easily authorize. It has now finished filming. The following scripts have returned: Star Gazer, Say You Love Me, Dungeon, The Prisoner, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Crapshoot, Indictment I take a gander at some scripts: Star Gazer: Still light years away from being a good script. I send it to Stephen King for a rewrite in all three areas of King’s specialty. Say You Love Me: After five attempts, this script is still poor. I’ve spent a total of 13.8 mill on the script and I can’t get it any better. I toss it in a drawer, most likely for good. Dungeon: Sent out for a quick touchup, We finally got the dialogue to be a little better. I send it back out for another touchup. Hopefully we can work the script in little bite size pieces as opposed to the chunks we were trying before. The Prisoner: The script is lacking power. I send it out for a polish with character development. The script, simply, needs a lot of polishing but is coming along. Dragons of Autumn Twilight: The new first draft is better than the old version. It has five star plot and four star intelligence. Now to get the other things up. I send it out for a rewrite. Crapshoot: Almost ready but sent for a professional polish in pace and genre elements. Indictment: The original version and rewrite are identical in their elements. Marina was unable to better the script. I send it back out, but this time just for a touchup of its pace. To see what happens. -Anxiety |
May 2005
The Journal, The Second Face and The Empty Chair have started filming. SEALs 2 is ready for release. Rated PG13 and screening at 99% across the board, I have extremely high hopes for the film. I slate it for release in June. The following scripts are back: Dungeon, The Eye of the Storm, The Prisoner, Crapshoot, Indictment Dungeon was not improved, leading me to suspect that last month’s improvement was merely a lucky one. I may or may not greenlight Dungeon, I’ll have to think about it. The Eye of the Storm is looking nice and the polish really worked. But the movie still needs a touchup here and there, so I dispatch it for another script polish. The Prisoner is stuck in a rut with no improvement recently. To combat that, I’ve sent it out to a professional rewriter to polish the arc and character development. Indictment did not improve at all from the previous version. I use the same strategy as before – send it to a professional, but this time, for a solid rewrite not just a polish. I send out the novel A Choice of Words for a first screenplay. -Anxiety |
I greenlight Crapshoot.
Filming in Las Vegas and shooting on location will require complex set construction in this story of love and fury. I budget 41 mill in physical costs and 500k pyro effects. Several people have called expressing interest in this project. I send this to Christopher Nolan of the Director’s Cadre. He agrees to be my director for a little over 200k. I hire Walter Preston as the producer for the film (500k). I get the supporting cast done quickly. Natalie Portman (1 mill) and John Cleese (700k). George Clooney is interested so I offer him the part and her agrees to be my star for 12 million and 10% of gross. Now I need a leading lady for the film. I find the pairing of Meg Ryan and George Clooney to be attractive, so I offer her the position. For 5.8 mill and 5% of gross, she is my leading actress. I greenlight the movie with a negative cost of 75.285 mill. I slate 16 mill TV, 10 mill print, and 2 mill radio for ads. That brings the total projected project cost for domestic advertising and negative costs to 103.285 mill. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘The Call of Cthulhu’
Susan Dobbs Entertainment Weekly Sometimes you come out of a theater and you just have to wonder about the movie. Was it good? Was it bad? You have absolutely no idea, but you feel the need to find out, so you turn around and plop down another $8.25 and get in line to see it again. “The Call of Cthulhu” is that movie. There are a few properties in our collective consciousness that are so well known that they have defined us. Vampires and Dracula, for example. King Arthur and Camelot is another. While the Cthulhu Mythos is a lesser known property, you have to wonder at why it has taken so long for a Lovecraft story to see print. Oh, I know about “Reanimator,” which deviated tremendously from Lovecraft’s script. Yet, until now, “Reanimator” was the closest thing we had to a good Lovecraft adaptation. Maybe his works are just to ethereal, to intellectual, to exotic for the screen. However, when today’s horror movies include films that are so mind-numbing, maybe we need a little more Lovecraft. Obviously Dragon’s Den Studios thinks so, having taken a huge chance on “The Call of Cthulhu.” No highly intellectual horror property has ever had this much support from a theater. They believe in this project just as surely as Peter Jackson and New Line believed in “The Lord of the Rings.” You have to ask yourself, though, will it carry out even one tenth as well. Sam Raimi brings us this tale of a New England academic, played by John Cusack, who stumbles across clues of a great evil. Slowly we track the man’s descent into madness as his obsession with this evil grows. He starts to reveal greater and greater madness, not in himself, but in the world around him, until we follow him on a trip across the ocean to the sunken city of R’Yleh and the slumbering evil that lies beneath the lapping waves. This is not your typical horror movie with slashers garbed in Halloween masks attacking young beautiful women who are protected by some young buck. Instead, this is a psychological thriller that chills you to the very core of your being. It is a very true adaptation of Lovecraft’s story, and carries with it an entire sense of hopelessness. Jason Lee, James Earl Jones, and Christina Ricci provide a rich background as the supporting cast for the film. And the film has a great script. The character development and descent into madness sis breathtakingly realistic. Both the arc and development are amazing. The plot, dialogue, pace and intelligence are all excellent, although the genre elements are a bit average. The script simply hums with care. John Cusack is simply amazing in this role. He has a great script to work with, but if you were thinking that the studios miscast him, you are simply and completely wrong. This is an oscar-worthy performance. James Earl Jones turns in a similarily scintillating performance, and again, you have to wonder if he had just completely revitalized his career. Jason is good, although Christina Ricci is a bit below average. The real disappointment is Sam Raimi and Walter Hill who do not really convey the project well. Maybe Sam has done too many normal horror movies and I think DDS needs a new director to continue the series, which they have said that they have every intention of continuing to do. Having the opening credits in Greek and Arabic, instead of English, is a nice touch. This is a great script, good story, amazing acting from John, and it even has some breathtaking and groundbreaking special effects. Just wait until you see Cthulhu on screen. You’ll be absolutely amazed. This is definitely one of the year’s best movies so far. A” -Anxiety |
The Call of Cthulhu, Horror
John Cusack Sam Raimi Negative Cost: 105.593 mill Total P&A: 115 mill Total Cost: 220.593 mill Domestic Gross: 225.549 mill Foreign Gross: 498.575 mill Total Net Revenue: 462.717 mill Overall: ***** Sam Raimi: *** Walter Hill: ** John Cusack: ***** Jason Lee: **** James Earl Jones: ***** Christina Ricci: ** The number two domestic grossing movie of all time and the top grossing movie internationally of all time!!! Wow. John took home a cool 24.35 mill but we still came out massively ahead. This is definitely a nice shot in the arm for a studio that had several major clunkers. -Anxiety |
“Cthulhu Buries Hobbits
Samuel Oblenstein New York Post Entertainment Section If you think that people went crazy over cute little Hobbits, then you have seen nothing. Move over tiny little weaklings because a new power is in town. A slimy, nasty godlike creature who has the power to crush us with its mile-long tentacles. Cute is no longer in. Cthulhu is. Cthulhu ultimately came in second to last year’s smash hit “The Diary” in all time national gross at the theaters. However, worldwide, people dig the slimy agent of the macabre so much that “The Diary” was knocked off it perch. So, a small short story that has lain about neglected by the movie industry for 80 years has finally been made into a movie and the rest is history. What is it about “The Call of Cthulhu” that has brought people into theaters en masse? I think it is the overwhelming sense of cosmic indifference that pervades the film from beginning to end. Beginning with the a mutual dream that many share, John Cusack investigates deeper and deeper finding a carves piece of wood, a story about a pirate, an island, and ultimately, a power go dark in its intent that to be calling it evil or satanic would be insulting its intelligence and malevolence. Freddy and Jason are not horror. They are bad mimes in Central Park. Cthulhu is horror. And the movie made millions. A simple story.” -Anxiety |
June 2005
We are back in the black with 93.831 million dollars. The Second Face, The Empty Chair and The Journal have finished shooting. State of Emergency has begun shooting. In The Night is ready for release. Rated PG13 and screening at 97%, I slate the Spielberg flick for July. I bump the radio ads by a million and the TV ads by two million. Crapshoot needs 8.2 mill for additional sets which I authorize. The following scripts have returned: Star Gazer, Deep Cut, The Eye of the Storm, The Prisoner, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Tom Cruise wants to take a meeting with me, and I agree. He pitches me a movie he calls, “Shut Up”, I Tell You. It’s a romantic comedy about a couple struggling through marriage counseling. Tome is a great actor but a lousy screenwriter. I would consider Tom, but not with this script, not without being able to send it off for rewrites a-go-go. So, I tell him no thanks. I go shopping since this is the first time we’ve been financially solvent for a while. But there is nothing out there that tweaks my interest. I authorize a sequel for The Call of Cthulhu, which we had planned all along. Lovecraft’s stories do not follow a set timeline or even set characters. Therefore I am looking for another story. We are debating here on “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward,” “The Dunwich Horror,” and “Dreams in the With-House.” We decide, after much deliberation, to go with “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.” The logline for the new film is: “A visiting grad student trapped in Innsmouth begins to unravel secrets untold for generations.” It is a horror flick with one lead actor, 2 supporting actors and two supporting actresses, two minor characters and 30 extras for 4 days on the set. This movie comes with violence and a few love scenes. I send it off to be written. Other scripts: Star Gazer, although improved slightly, still is a poor script, and I throw it back into a drawer. The first draft of Deep Cut is rather good. I send it back out for a rewrite, but it looks nice. The Eye of the Storm looks good, but could be improved slightly. The Prisoner is stuck and I decide to sit on it for a while and see what happens. Lastly, Dragons is looking better than it first did, but of course, it still needs major work. I fire it off to a writer. I decide, after looking at my scripts, to film The Prisoner, which is stuck and send off The Eye of the Storm for one last polish. -Anxiety |
For the Prisoner I decide to film in Hawaii and shoot sound on location with elaborate set construction. I budget 51 million in physical costs, 2 mill pyro, 2.5 mill stunts, 2 mill robotics and 12 mill state of the art effects.
Several people have mentioned interest in the project. I hire Chris Columbus as my director for 400k and Erica Barret as my producer. 27 million and 11% of gross lands me Brad Pitt again. He’ll play the part of Number Six, the leading man. Now I need a Number Two, the main antagonist. The most popular Number Two in the series was Leo Kern, a large jovial fellow. I decide to follow that lead and cast a fairly likeable but also deadly Pierce Brosnan, not as Number Six, the retiring secret agent, but as his antagonist. I think that’s an interesting play on things. Brosnan is mine for 3 mill and 5% of gross. I cast Famke Janssen as the likeable Number 42 who Number Six is attracted to and is ultimately the tool of Number Two. Lastly, John Rhys-Davies will play another Number Two after Pierce’s Number Two is sent away near the end of the movie. Davies is secured for a million and Famke for 600k. A List actors for the 5 minor roles. With major actors and a large budget, I budget for 20 mill TV ads, 12 mill print ads and 2.5 mill radio ads. The total project cost is, well, staggering. I notice, by the way, that John Cusack is now demanding a lot more money for his films. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘SEALs 2’
Ann Drysden San Francisco Chronicle, Arts Section Can a studio have two major blockbuster movies in back-to-back months? The top grossing movie of all time is last month’s “The Call of Cthulhu” which raked in 1.4 billion dollars gross. Number three all time, by the way, is “SEALs.” And now the sequel, aptly named “SEALs 2” has arrived. Can in meet the standards of its papa? Dragon’s Den Studios thinks so. The film, directed by Peter Jackson, features Tom Cruise and Vin Diesel as its stars. Michael Clarke Duncan, Famke Janssen and Gillian Anderson round out the supporting cast. The premise is, again, simple. America’s elite SEALs team fights off terrorism. The studio certainly hopes it can strike gold twice within weeks. A lot of money was spent to do so. The Script is pretty good. Excellent intelligence and genre elements and really strong character development, plot and pace highlight a screenplay with no weaknesses. So, what is the movie like? Very, very good. No better than that. How many sequels out there are better than the original? Terminator 2? Godfather 2? Peter Jackson is good, Tom Cruise is good, Michael Clarke Duncan and Famke Janssen are good. Vin Diesel, however, is not good. Nevertheless, the movie’s elements come together to make an extraordinary adventure movie. This is definitely one you want to go see. A-“ -Anxiety |
SEALs 2, Action Adventure
Tom Cruise, Vin Diesel Peter Jackson Negative Cost: 120.319 mill Total P&A: 112.5 mill Total Cost: 232.819 mill Domestic Gross: 335.827 mill Foreign Gross: 339.297 mill Total Net Revenue: 361.436 mill Overall: ***** Peter Jackson: **** Brad Weaver: **** Tom Cruise: **** Vin Diesel: ** Michael Clarke Duncan: **** Famke Jannsen: **** Gillian Anderson: *** Number Two grossing movie domestically, knocking The Call of Cthulhu down a spot. And Number Two internationally as well, where Cthulhu is still number one. Tom Cruise made a cool 45 mill from gross while Vin and Peter each took home 22.6 mill. A nice pair of movies like that can really shoot the studio in the arm financially. -Anxiety |
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That awesome: just try visualizing it. I don't have a very good visual imagination (in fact, it's downright awful and saves me more often than not from some of the people around me and their twisted thoughts)- so I just use the image of Cthulhu from the cartoon Freakazoid with a shovel. Anyways, enough ramblings. SI |
Keep it going. Very good writeups.
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For reference, here is Lovecraft's description of Cthulhu from "The Call of Cthulhu," first published in 1926 and freely available on the web:
"Everyone listened, and everyone was listening still when It lumbered slobberingly into sight and gropingly squeezed Its gelatinous green immensity through the black doorway into the tainted outside air of that poison city of madness. Poor Johansen's handwriting almost gave out when he wrote of this. Of the six men who never reached the ship, he thinks two perished of pure fright in that accursed instant. The Thing cannot be described - there is no language for such abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy, such eldritch contradictions of all matter, force, and cosmic order. A mountain walked or stumbled. God! What wonder that across the earth a great architect went mad, and poor Wilcox raved with fever in that telepathic instant? The Thing of the idols, the green, sticky spawn of the stars, had awaked to claim his own. The stars were right again, and what an age-old cult had failed to do by design, a band of innocent sailors had done by accident. After vigintillions of years great Cthulhu was loose again, and ravening for delight." -Anxiety |
July 2005
The Empty Chair needs an additional 9 mill for special effects, which I certify. State of Emergency has finished filming. Wishy-Washy is ready for release. Rated PG13 and screening at 92%, I slate the romantic comedy for a release in August. The following scripts have returned: The Eye of the Storm, Indictment, Half-Life There are no projects available for purchase that I wish to buy. We are looking to be in the black for a while now, with 481.67 mill available. The Eye of the Storm did not improve, but it is good enough to be greenlighted this month. Indictment is looking hella better. I send it out for a touchup. Half-Life’s rough draft is back and it is quirt rough. However, my writer, Andrea Towlan, gave it five star plot and dialogue. That’s good. Now we need to seriously work on other elements and I send it out for a rewrite in three areas. I send out the novel Cleopatra’s Ghost for a first draft. It is pulled out of a drawer for Andrea Towlan to work on, since she did a decent job with Half-Life. -Anxiety |
PRESS RELEASE – Dragon’s Den Studios
Dragon’s Den Studios announced today a new project, having purchased the exclusive movie rights for the novel, “The Mote in God’s Eye” originally written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Originally published in the 70’s, “The Mote” is one of the premier science fiction novels. Dealing with a classic science fiction conundrum, Niven and Pournelle portray society more accurately than a sociologist. The novel is both stirring and evocative. Dragon’s Den Studios is proud to be bringing this classic book to the screen. The logline for the new movie is: “A young ship captain must spearhead a voyage into a nebula to initiate first contact.” The script will be sent out later this week. As always, Dragon’s Den Studios continues to look forward to making only the best and most thought provoking movies possible. This new project fits in perfectly with our mission. PRESS RELEASE – Dragon’s Den Studios -Anxiety |
The Mote in God’s Eye is slated as a science fiction film. Two actors will star with two females and two males supporting. 13 speaking minor roles are written in, and 50 extras will be needed for 3 days.
There will be a little violence and a few love scenes. I send it off to Michael Crichton to see what he can do with the script. -Anxiety |
I greenlight The Eye of the Storm.
We film in Hawaii and shoot sound on location with elaborate set construction. I budget 51 million physical costs, 1 million robotics, and 5 million state of the art special effects for the film. John Hughes has asked to do the film. I decide to let him have it as producer and director for 600k. I would like a fine dramatic actor and actress for my leads. After the success of SEALs 2, Cruise now demands 22 mill and eleven percent of gross while Diesel wants 16 mill. Since Diesel stunk up the place, I don’t think that I’ll be hiring him anytime soon. I send the script to Cusack, but he doesn’t like the character arc. Neither does Mel Gibson. Leonardo likes it, though. As does Tom Hanks. I’d rather work with Tom than Leonardo, because he demands 5% less gross. So I offer the spot to Tom Hanks. For 7.15 mill and 5% of gross, Tom Hanks is my leading actor. The problem with finding a leading actress in Hollywood to highlight a film is that most of the top talent is not oriented towards drama. Of the top 10 actresses in Hollywood by star power, only three can claim to lean towards drama, and two of thgose are numbers 9 and 10 on the list. I try to send out the script to some good candidates. I start with Jodie Foster, but she doesn’t like the arc. The best I can do is Elizabeth Shue, if I want somebody whose best work is drama. And I do. So, for 2.2 mill, she is my leading lady. And now I need some support. 1 million for Ed Harris and 500k for Julia Stiles sets me up for a well acted film. I cast four A List actors, four B List, and five Up and Comers for the film. With a total negative cost of 82.758 million, I authorize the film. 15 mill has been set aside for TV ads, 10 mill for print and 1.5 mill for radio. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘In The Night’
Sybil Hallond E! Online This is a movie that some people have been awaiting for some time now. Ever since Steven Spielberg and Dragon’s Den Studios announced that they were doing a project together, you had to wonder how it would turn out. Would two strong wills collide? Or would we get one of the best films in a while? “In The Night” is a science fiction feature about an airplane crash, where the survivors played by George Clooney, Madeleine Stowe, Julia Stiles, John Lithgow and Jeremy Piven, are aided by a mysterious being. Trash or treasure? Well, the foundation of the movie is great, with a strong screenplay. Character development, plot and pace are all top notch. And there are no holes in the script. Everything you would expect from a DDS film. Now, a foundation is hardly everything. Which is fine, because Steven Spielberg turns in a marvelous job as the producer and director of the film. The movie is just so beautiful and touching with all of the humanity that Steven pours into his projects. George Clooney, on the other hand, is average. None of the other actors are, however. Madeleine and Julia are really good, and John and Jeremy are just perfect in their roles. So overall, the movie is solid, and its good for the entire family, rated PG13 for the intensity of the airplane crash scene, which was done realistically. Otherwise, kids will love it, and it’s definitely stimulating enough for adults as well. Good film, and a good pairing. A” -Anxiety |
In The Night, Science Fiction
George Clooney, Madeleine Stowe Steven Spielberg Negative Cost: 108.839 mill Total P&A: 103.75 mill Total Cost: 212.589 mill Domestic Gross: 227.903 mill Foreign Gross: 506.249 mill Total Net Revenue: 370.732 mill Overall: ***** Steven, Director: ***** Steven, Producer: ***** George Clooney: *** Madeleine Stowe: **** Julia Stiles: **** John Lithgow: ***** Jeremy Piven: ***** Number four all time domestically and the top international movie of all time!!!! That’s three mega-hits in a row for DDS. Spielberg took home 74 mill and Clooney 49.4 mill. We are just raking in money! -Anxiety |
“Rewriting History
Jeffrey O’Neal Entertainment Weekly Take a look at the movie landscape for the past few months and see the swath of destruction left in Hollywood after the wake of three consecutive releases by Dragon’s Den Studios broke massive records. Here are the records as they stand currently: Most Grossing Domestic Movies of All Time: The Diary – 396.664 mill SEALs 2 – 335.827 mill Tolzar Lives - 250 mill In The Night - 227.903 mill The Call of Cthulhu - 225.549 mill Most Grossing Movies in Foreign Markets of All Time: In The Night – 506.249 mill The Call of Cthulhu – 498.575 mill The Diary – 397.109 mill SEALs 2 – 339.297 mill Tolzar Lives – 200 mill Total Revenue The Call of Cthulhu – 1.406234 bill SEALs 2 – 1.399519 bill In The Night – 1.381119 bill The Diary – 1.083894 bill SEALs – 890.201 mill So, of the Top Five movies in each category, what do you see? Four Dragon’s Den Studio films. But that’s not all. When you see that The Call of Cthulhu, SEALs 2 and In The Night were all released this summer – well, you see that a massive change has brewed. Dragon’s Den Studios has a film being released in August. I wonder what it will be like?” -Anxiety |
August 2005
Crapshoot has started shooting. Heh. The following scripts have returned: Deep Cut, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Indictment Deep Cut’s screenplay is coming along nicely. I send it out for another rewrite, hoping that this is the last. Dragons of Autumn Twilight is also improving nicely. I send it out for a polish and a shine. I purchase the screenplay for “Martyr Highway” a drama about a lonely stretch of road challenging a man’s belief in his fellow man. It’s mine for 3.5 mill. I send it off for a rewrite. There are some quality novels available, but they are all mystery, and I am just not in a mystery mood this month. I do purchase “Once Is a Lonely Game,” a four star novel, for 5.85 mill, for when I feel like mystery later. -Anxiety |
I greenlight Indictment.
Damn mysteries. We film in LA and shoot sound on location with complex set construction. 41 mill in physical costs and 1.2 stunts are allocated to the film. I spend some time looking for a director before I decide on Kevin Smith. It will be a new direction for him, and I’m eager to see how he performs. He’s my director for 400k. Justin Ratcher, for 500k, is my producer. John Cusack is interested in being my star, and I’m interested in giving him another role. For 15 mill and 5% of gross, John is my leading man. 11 mill and 10% of gross nets me Hollywood’s premier leading lady with Nicole Kidman. Nicole Kidman and John Cusack. Intriguing. For supporting cast, I have Christian Slater (2 mill), Thora Birch (1.2 mill), Helena Bonham Carter (1 mill) and Leelee Sobieski (700k). A nice selection I’d say. All minor roles are given to B List character actors. 16 mill TV, 10 mill print and 2 mill radio is authorized for advertising. Total project cost with domestic P&A and negative costs is 188.574 mill. -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘Wishy-Washy’
Samuel Oblenstein New York Post Entertainment Section “Wishy-Washy” is a cute romantic comedy starring Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts. It doesn’t really sound like a Dragon’s Den Studios film, which has given us heady and weighty fare recently. And now, we get to see more of the side of the studio that put out flicks like “Hamburger,” “Gone Hollywood,” and “Tearoom” from last year. Spike Jonze was a found member of the Director’s Cadre of Dragon’s Den Studios, but this was his first project in that cadre. He may get overlooked as members like Sam Raimi, M Night Shyamalan, Kevin Smith and John Hughes get the major project and the glory. Now we get a chance to see how he does. The basic plot of the movie is simple. You have a woman (Julia Roberts) who has two suitors that have proposed to her (Jim Carrey and Christian Slater). She has a friend (Ali Larter) whoi has never been proposed to, and now is so jealous that she tries and sabotages her relationship between the two guys. Only she doesn’t know which is the one Julia will choose. Chevy Chase also is cast as the lovable father who can’t give any advice, but who enjoys listening to everyone’s problems. Everybody trusts the father, evens the boyfriends, so they all come to him and confide in him in a very Catholic manner. So, it sounds like typical fare, and for the most part, it is. With a solid script, Spike Jonze directs an incredible movie. Julia and Jim both bounce off each other so well, you’d swear they were connected at birth. Chevy Chase turns in an expected great performance, and only Christian and Ali, who are okay, mar an otherwise perfect acting and producing job. The talent for the film is just great. So, this is a good movie. Watch it for its acting, directing, and producing. The quality of the work is outstanding. Not original, but a lot of fun. B+” -Anxiety |
Wishy-Washy, Romantic Comedy
Julia Roberts, Jim Carrey Spike Jonze Negative Cost: 59.677 mill Total P&A: 65 mill Total Cost: 124.677 mill Domestic Gross: 74.636 Foreign Gross: 37.737 Total Net Revenue: -29.022 mill Overall: ***** Spike Jonze: ***** Susan Anne Therese: ***** Julia Roberts: ***** Jim Carrey: ***** Ali Larter: *** Christian Slater: *** Chevy Chase: ***** A very disappointing international showing is disappointing considering its decent domestic attendance. As such, we lost money because the foreign market could not hold its end of the bargain. Even the foreign ancillaries were awful. Only 7.647 mill for foreign TV Sales and Video Sales combined! Now, the domestic was decent, more than enough to turn a profit for us if the international people hadn’t tanked. Ah well, after three blockbuster films, one small loss is hardly disappointing from a big picture standpoint. -Anxiety |
September 2005
The Second Face, The Journal, and The Empty Chair are all ready for release! Crapshoot needs a mill due to shooting delays. I approve it. It now moves into post production. The following scripts have returned: A Choice of Words, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Half-Life Rated PG13, The Second Face is test screening at 92%. I slate it for release next month in October. The Empty Chair is another political action adventure that I have high hopes for. This movie is also rated PG13 and is screening at 94%. I schedule it for a November release. Slated for a December release is my major vechicle – The Journal. The sequel to our first blockbuster, my hopes are riding on the back of this movie. Also rated PG13, the film is screening at 97%. Excellent. A Choice of Words did not come back as the best rough draft ever, although it does have five star genre elements. I send it back out for a rewrite. Dragons of Autumn Twilight is progressing well and may be approved soon. However, before that happens, it needs some seriously massive work on its genre elements. I send it off for one last rewrite. Lastly, Half-Life is back. The script looks much better than it did before. I send it out for another rewrite, and maybe the last one it will need. I pull The Bobby-Soxers out of a drawer and brush it off. I decide to send it back out and see what time has done. -Anxiety |
October 2005
State of Emergency is ready for release. Like most of my films, rated PG13, State of Emergency is screening at an amazing 99% across the board! I set it for release in January and I authorize an increase of 2 mill for radio ads. The Prisoner has begun shooting. The following scripts have returned: Deep Cut, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Martyr Highway Julianne Moore wants to meet with me to discuss a project. I agree to take a meeting with her. She pitches a movie entitled “Potty Trained” about a gardener whose life is thrown into chaos when he inherits a toddler. The script is woefully bad, and I tell thanks but no thanks. I need to get back to work, so Julianne is dismissed by my secretary. Deep Cut is beginning to look like a real script. I fire it off for a polish, but it’s about done. Martyr Highway is likewise almost done, just needing a tuneup. I ship it off for a rewrite of arc and genre elements in my attempt to get a perfect script. Steve LeMaux did an outstanding job with the first draft of The Shadow Over Innsmouth. It actually looks like it’s been through four or five permutations. It has five star plot, dialogue and intelligence with four star pace and three star character development. I have never seen a first draft this complete before. I fire it off for a rewrite – probably the only one the screenplay will get. I purchase the screenplay to “Twice on Sunday” – a drama where a football widow realizes the new season offers many new possibilities. For 3.9 mill this four star script is mine. I send it off for a polish. -Anxiety |
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I once had a pictured I'd poured $180 million into (including ads and the cost of prints) that got 99% ratings. The total gross was $28 million. I quit playing for a month after that :-) Lokugh |
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Well, we'll just have to see how this one does, eh? -Anxiety |
“Review of ‘The Second Face’
Jeffrey O’Neal Entertainment Weekly This is our last movie from Dragon’s Den Studios before three consecutive political thrillers are released. As such, we get a chance to see a mystery with calm and entertaining overtones, before guns, explosions and death awaits in the next three months. “The Second Face” is a mystery about police trying to salve the murder of a college grad student. The movie stars Matt Damon and Nicole Kidman as a tagteam of detectives and partners working to solve the crime. Suspects/witnesses include Elijah Wood and Kate Winslet, who both play grad students as well. The movie’s script is decently done. For example, despite a bit of sexual tension between our two detectives, there is never any kissing, groping, or intimation that they are a couple. It’s a nice play, and I like a film where the guy and girl don’t blatently hook up due to stressful situations. Nevertheless, the plot is still fairly predictable. Not predictable is the arc, pace, dialogue, development and genre elements – which keep you entertained and watching. This is another attempt by David Lynch to direct a mystery for Dragon’s Den Studios. Unfortunately, his direction is uneven – sometimes good, sometimes poor. Ultimately he gives us an average picture. Matt and Nicole are both pretty good in their roles, as is Elijah. Kate is amazingly good. So the acting for the movie is definitely above par. Still, I was ultimately left with a sense of nothing as the movie ended. I wasn’t really happy or sad. The movie seemed like a large amount of “Blah.” Ultimate Grade: B-“ -Anxiety |
The Second Face, Mystery
Matt Damon, Nicole Kidman David Lynch Negative Cost: 63.828 mill Total P&A: 60 mill Total Cost: 123.828 mill Domestic Gross: 25.333 mill Foreign Gross: 46.58 mill Total Net Revenue: 18.886 mill Overall: **** David Lynch: *** Oscar Highland: *** Matt Damon: **** Nicole Kidman: **** Elijah Wood: **** Kate Winslet: ***** Not exactly a winning gross or anything. The international market is so inconsistent. However, we had scintillating domestic ancillaries. As such, our revenue loss was minor. -Anxiety |
November 2005
Indictment and The Eye of the Storm have started shooting, while The Prisoner has finished shooting. The following scripts were returned: Deep Cut, A Choice of Words, The Bobby-Soxors, Cleopatra’s Ghost, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Half-Life, The Mote in God’s Eye, Twice on Sunday I purchase the screenplay for Historical Epic “San Francisco” a four star script about the settling of San Francisco. It is literally ready to be greenlighted right now, but I decide to send out the 4.1 mill purchase to a writer for a polish. Deep Cut – The historical epic about the Panama Canal is now a four star script ready for release. A Choice of Words – This dramatization of the novel is about a writer changing the life of a woman with his pen. It’s poorly written right now, and I send it off for a major rewrite. The Bobby-Soxors – This dark comedy about two catholic school girls on a murder rampage is now a four star script. It is publishable, but also still polishable. Cleopatra’s Ghost – A horror flick based on the novel, the first draft of the script has five star character development and four star arc and pace. I send it out for a rewrite, but it’s one of the best first drafts I’ve seen. Dragons of Autumn Twilight – Currently on the 6th draft, the script is still only three stars and it has a way to go. Still, I have faith in the project and send it back out for a quick polish. It’ll come back and still need work on genre elements. Half-Life – With a script that is coming along much more quickly than Dragons, Half-Life could easily see production first if this next rewrite is a good one. The Mote in God’s Eye – Michael Crichton’s first draft is pretty good, with five star dialogue, pace and genre elements. I now send it off for a rewrite of several elements. Twice on Sunday – The script needs polish, but no major revisions. I send it back out for another polish. -Anxiety |
What the heck happened? I was enjoying this and all the sudden ... bam ... it ends. :(
I was just getting some inspiration for my own dynasty. |
Heh. I bounce around at times. This dynasty is not dead, just dormant.
-Anxiety |
*pokes dynasty with a sharp, pointy stick*
SI |
Maybe Kodos can give mouth to mouth.
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Or tentacle to... um.. there's no way this can go where it wouldn't be a bad place. SI |
probably don't want to go there....
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I head inti script land to see what I can find. I look through novels, stage plays and original screenplays but I come up empty. Alas.
I decide to open up another of the scripts that I am sitting on. I like Deep Cut's current script enough to take a look at talent and a budget. As a reminder, Deep Cut is a historical epic about the building of the Panama Canal. I set up the shooting in Panama City. We'll do sound on location. I decide on complex set construction. I set the physical costs at 40 million, pyro at 2 million and stunts at 500k. We'll have a few robotic effects, and I set a budget of 1.5 million for that. I plug in 12 million for state of the art effects. Our total initial budget is 56 million. I hand the production to Polk Atter, a solid producer who's best work is historical epics. It costs me 400k. For my director, I hand the film to Steven Soderbergh for 2 million base plus 500k ancillary stuff. Now, my stars. I decide to go with my leading man - Brad Pitt. He likes the script. He'll cost 27 mill plus 11%. But I sign him. I like Jeremy Piven for the other starring role. 1.5 million and he is mine. I want a bit of latino flair for the film, so I sign Penelope Cruz for one of our supporting roles. 900k all expenses and she is assigned to the project. Piven can also be latino so that gives me a couple of latino characters. I have two more supporting actor roles. I go for Michael Clarke Duncan and I decide to give Seann William Scott a role in a serious film. Let's see what he can do with it. We have 14 minor roles. I assign some to A List, some B List, and a few Fresh New Faces. 1.26 for our 14 minor roles. With actors and production costs of 104,242,000, I greenlight the film. -Anxiety |
"Review of 'The Empty Chair'
Jeffrey O’Neal Entertainment Weekly The first of three consecutive political thrillers from Dragon's Den Studios. The Empty Chair stars Angelina Jolie and Samuel Jackson. The movie starts out in a similar style to Deep Impact, which shouldn't be much of a surprise. Deep Impact was directed by Mimi Leder as is The Empty Chair. Deep Impact starred Morgan Freeman as the President, a black man, while The Empty Chair has Samuel Jackson as the vice president who takes over command of the nation on the eve of a nuclear attack. The President suffers a heart attack just before midnight. Samuel Jackson, who was selected as the VP because he was black, and that would bring in voters, has to assume command. The following day, America is under attack and nuclear drama begins. Angelina Jolie stars as Captain Jessica Reid, the foremost nuclear intelligence officer in the Air Force, and therefore the new President's main advisor. Also appearing as supporting roles are John Rhys-Davies as the Secretary of State and Kristen Cloke as the Press Secretary. Mimi Leder directs the movie similarly to Deep Impact, as is mentioned earlier. This leads to a lot of political wrangling and, to be frank, there is a lot of discussion and talk in this movie, very little action. However, Mimi spreads out enough action scenes and disaster sequences to keep you on the edge of your chair. Samuel Jackson is pedestrian as the VP-turned-President. To be honest, Angelina Jolie acted the pants off Jackson, and that is something that I'd never have thought I'd say. But Jolie is solid in the role. John turns in an uneven performance, sometimes good, sometimes lacking panache. Kristen Cloke, however, is just outstanding. Possibly an academy award nominee for Best Supporting Actress is in the works for this one. Her character is often the soul of the ensemble. To be frank, the script is acceptable, the acting is fine. What makes this movie good is the obvious flair in direction from Mimi Leder. She makes this movie what it is. As such, B+" -Anxiety |
The Empty Chair,
Samuel L Jackson, Angelina Jolie Mimi Leder Negative Cost: 99.15 mill Total P&A: 103.8 mill Total Cost: 202.907 mill Domestic Gross: 249.405 mill Foreign Gross: 251.73 mill Total Net Revenue: 325.359 mill Overall: **** Mimi Leder: ***** Guy Scott, Producer: **** Samuel Jackson: *** Angelina Jolie: **** John Rhys-Davies: *** Kristen Cloke: ***** 325 million in the bank!?!?! Wow. -Anxiety |
"'The Empty Chair' has Crowded Seats
Steve Burgess New York Times Life Section In yet another victory for Dragon's Den Studios, their 20th released film had an interesting spin. Just like their blockbuster first movie, "The Diary" their 20th film is also a political thriller. And just like The Diary, people drove in flocks to see The Empty Chair. Domestically, The Empty Chair is the fourth highest grossing movie of all time. Pretty good. Foreign gross was also pretty snazzy picking up number five all time. All told, The Empty Chair is the fourth highest grossing movie of all time - 1.137 billion dollars. Behind In the Night, The Call of Cthulhu and SEALs 2. In case you were wondering, despite The Diary being a bigger hit in theaters, in terms of total revenue, The Empty Chair edged out The Diary - 1.137 billion for The Empty Chair, 1.038 for The Diary. In fact, Dragon's Den Studios, with its 20th movie, continues a run of impressive releases. Of the Top 10 movies domestically, Dragon's Den has five. Fully half. Of the Top 10 movies internationally, DDs has Six. Of all time revenue makers, DDS has six, including all of the top five. Dragon's Den Studios is apparently turning political thrillers into its bread and butter film genre, with two more major releases in the next two months, including the highly anticipated sequal to The Diary, "The Journal." They'll need to hope that audiences aren't dried out of money for political thrillers." -Anxiety |
December 2005:
The following scripts have returned: The Bobby-Soxors, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Martyr Highway, Twice on Sunday and San Francisco. Indictment and The Eye of the Storm are heading into post-production. Crapshoot has completed production. It is rated PG13 and screening at 90+%. I do not edit it, and instead set a release date of February. I take a gander at our returned scripts. San Francisco is very impressive with just two writes, it appears ready to go. Every element is at least 4 stars. Twice on Sunday has finished a third writing and there are still too many three star problems with it for my tastes, but all 1 and 2 star issuers have been cleared up. I send it out again for a polish to Barbara Worthington, one of the better polishers in the business. Martyr Highway is already a four star script, but I want to clean up a few dangling issues. The Shadow Over Innsmouth has some serious lingering issues with its arc and genre elements. I dispatch it for a rewrite of these two elements to one of the best in the biz. Dragons of Autumn Twilight has had seven revisions. I decide to try once more. I decide to try baby steps. The genre elements are awful, so I send it out for a quick genre polish, and let's see what happens. The Bobby-Soxors is up to a four star script and may finally see the light of day. I head to the market and find a nice original screenplay - Scandal Street "A reporter covers the topless bar scene to catch a Senator looking for erotic kicks." I purchase the screenplay for 3.4 million. I send it out for a quick rewrite. Hopefully, that will be all that we need to do. -Anxiety |
Cool. Glad to see you picing this back up.
Lokugh |
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I definitely miss this and the EMU dynasty. I'd expect to see slightly more updates for them in the near future. -Anxiety |
I decide to move ahead with The Bobby-Soxors. We'll film in LA with Sound Stage 13 doing internal sets but with significant set construction.
I head to the budget and set aside 15 million for physical costs, 1 mill pyro and 500k stunts. No robotics. 7 million in industry standard special effects to round out our total. This is a perfect Director's Cadre movie. I send the movie to Spike Jonze and he likes it. I also bring him on as the producer. I need two starring ladies and four supporting ladies. I think Reese Witherspoon would be perfect for this role and I cast her for 1 million and 5%. I sign Kirsten Dunst as the other star. Four supporting ladies. All young, by the way. I pick up Tara Reid, Katie Holmes, Leelee Sobieski and Mena Suvari. I select have of my minor roles to be up and comers and half to be fresh new faces. I greenlight the movie. I budget 10 million for TV, 10 mill for print and 2 mill for radio ads. The total expenditures for actors, director, advertising, print cost, sets, effects, and the like is 62.892 million, one of our lowest budget films in recent memory. -Anxiety |
"Review of 'The Journal'
Samuel Oblenstein New York Post Entertainment Section First of all, this was an expensive movie. Dragon's Den Studios made this movie banking a lot of dough that they could strike with lightning twice. Ever since the studio's debut film, "The Diary," broke a lot of records, the studio has anticipated this day. In case you live ina broom closet under the stairs, you have heard of The Diary. As such, you've also probably heard of The Journal, the sequal. In this installment, a Pentagon journal is uncovered by a tabloid, and again, the President's man has to intervene. Brad Pitt reprises his role as the Presidents "troubleshooter." New to the film story are Pentagon man Mel Gibson and reporter Helen Hunt. Jeremy Piven was so good in the role of the reporter in the first installment, but they chose to go in a different direction with a new character. As mentione dbefore, this was an expensive movie to make. The negative alone cost 135.7 million dollars! Add in the costs of advertising and print costs, and DDS could be looking at 250 million before all is said and done. That's a lot of money to put down on a sequal. So, the big question is - Will The Journal be half as good as The Diary? Will it be a financial flop? When M Night Shyamalan debuted as a Hollywood director with The Sixth Sense, a lot of critics said that he would be a great one someday. He busted all expectations with his direction of The Diary. And in this installment, he is just as good. The script is a bit more poor, to be perfectly honest. But M Night is amazing as both the director and producer. Brad Pitt remains scintilating, as always. Mel Gibson is really good, very convincing, in what may be remembered as one of his better acting roles. Heleh Hunt is similarly good. James Earl Jones continues to restablish his acting career and its good that Brad Pitt is in this film, because otherwise James would have blown the pants off of any other actor on screen. Tea Leoni was acceptable, though nothing to write home about. With superb acting throughout the film, with great direction, and with amazing special effects, you don't worry as much about the script. To be honest, it's not a great script, but it is certainly good enough. Go watch this movie, it's one of the best films of the year. In a year when Dragon's Den Studios has had a lot of major hits, this one seems just as good. If not better. Four out of four stars" -Anxiety |
The Journal, Suspense Thriller
Brad Pitt, Mel Gibson M Night Shyamalan Negative Cost: 135.69 mill Total P&A: 111.8 mill Total Cost: 202.907 mill Domestic Gross: 407.391 mill Foreign Gross: 203.89 mill Total Net Revenue: 150.438 mill Overall: ***** M Night Shyamalan, Director: **** M Night Shyamalan, Producer: ***** Brad Pitt: ***** Mel Gibson: **** Helen Hunt: **** Tea Leoni: *** James Earl Jones: ***** Highest grossing domestic movie, #6 internationally, #7 total revenue. Brad Pitt made another 20 million and Mel took home some dough as well. -Anxiety |
Time to start reading this again :)
SI |
To the Academy:
We would like to ask for your consideration for the following awards: Best Picture: The Call of Cthulhu In the Night The Journal SEALs 2 Wishy-Washy Challenges of the Heart Eyes of Rage Beast The Empty Chair The Second Face Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Challenges of the Heart John Hughes, Eyes of Rage Mimi Leder, The Empty Chair Steven Spielberg, In The Night Spike Jonze, Wishy-Washy Frank Darabont, Beast M Night Shyamalan, The Journal Peter Jackson, SEALs 2 Best Actor: John Cusack, The Call of Cthulhu Brad Pitt, The Journal Jim Carrey, Wishy-Washy Matt Damon, The Second Face Tom Cruise, SEALs 2 Best Actress: Julis Roberts, Wishy-Washy Susan Saradon, Challenges of the Heart Heather Graham, Beast Angelina Jolie, The Empty Chair Nicole Kidman, The Second Face Madeleine Stowe, In The Night Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Walken, Eyes of Rage John Lithgow, In The Night Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Challenges of the Heart Jason Lee, The Call of Cthulhu Elijah Wood, The Second Face Michael Clarke Duncan, SEALs 2 Best Supporting Actress: Julia Stiles, Challenges of the Heart Kate Winslet, The Second Face Kristen Cloke, The Empty Chair Helen Hunt, The Journal Famke Janssen, SEALs 2 Julia Stiles, In The Night Best Screenplay: Ginny Eckert, The Call of Cthulhu Barbara Worthington, Wishy-Washy Best Adaptation: Randy Peller, The Journal Movies of ours that have a lot of nominations that we are really leaning on come Oscar time. Challenges of the Heart, The Call of Cthulhu, The Journal, SEALs 2, In The Night, and Wishy-Washy. Of those, I feel that our best Oscar vehicles are Wishy-Washy, The Call of Cthulhu and possibly In The Night. I will be spending 7 million in promoptional expenses of behalf of Dragon's Den Studios movies. -Anxiety |
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I'd say so ;) -Anxiety |
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Well, you did take a little time off :) SI |
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What's nine months between old friends? -Anxiety |
January 2006
The following scripts have returned: A Choice of Words, Cleopatra's Ghost, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Half-Life, The Mote in God's Eye, Martyr Highway and Twice on Sunday Actor Paul Newman has died this month. Actress Helen Hunt would like to discuss a project with me. I agree to a meeting. The name of her movie is Touchdown. The logline is "Man's first landing on Mars turns out to be a threat to Earth." Helen wants 5 million, a production budget of 40 million, and a source cost of 2.8 million. The problem is that she wants to use the original script, which sucks. Bad arc, bad character development, horrendous dialgoue and everything is merely average. I suggest that she have a better script, and then I'll consider it. I take a look at the scripts that have come in: Twice on Sunday is ready for production. Martyr Highway is very close, but we could release it as is if necessary. The Mote in God's Eye needs some reworking. I ship it back out. Like Martyr Highway, Half-Life is just about ready, needing only a bit of polish, but we could release it now if neccesary. Dragons did not have its genre elements improved. I decide to stick it in a drawer for now. Cleo's Ghost needs more work. I send out the script again. A Choice of Words still needs serious work. I stick it in a drawer. -Anxiety |
I decide to go with Twice on Sunday. We're going to go to Vancouver to film it and we'll shoot sound on location with significant set contruction.
I budget 20 million in physical costs, no pyro or robotics efects, 2 million in stunt work and 2 million industry standard special effects. This is a decent cadre movie, so I take a look and see who is available. I give it to Christopher Nolan since he's interested. I sign Walter Preston as the producer. I need a wifey actress. I decide to send the script to Michelle Pfeiffer. Seems like her sort of role. 1 million makes her mine. I need a believable husband sports player. Ideally, I'd try to get Michael Clarke Duncan, thus creating an interesting inter-racial dynamic. Unfortunately, he's currently working on Deep Cut, which is just about to enter filiming in a month or so. I don't want to hold up this project for MCD. My next best option is Joaquin Phoenix, and that's just no good. So I go to cast the supporting actors and actresses, that should be easy enough. I cast James Earl Jones as the supporting actor/coach. We've put him back on the acting map and he is demanding 1.6 million these days, but I like him as a football coach a lot. I have a star in mind for another supporting role (I added him to the talent file and shame on them for not including him). I send a script over to Cuba Gooding, Jr for the role of a best friend wide receiver. He accepts. That leaves me a leading actor and supporting actress. I quickly sign Hillary Swank as a reporter on the team and friend of Michelle's. A-List Character Actors are cast for the six minor roles. And then I put the project on hold until Michael Clarke Duncan is through with The Deep Cut. It may take a few months, but after viewing the dearth of talent at the level that I demand, that MCD is the way to go. -Anxiety |
After a very heated meeting, I decide to greenlight Dragons of Autumn Twilight:
I decide to film it in Charleston, West Virginia. We'll need a lot of rural sets with woods and hills, so the Applachian Mountains are a perfect area to set up. We will shoot sound on location and use elaborate set construction. I budget 50 million in physical costs, 3 million pyro, 3 million stunts and 3 million robotics. I want groundbreaking special effects, so 20 million is budgeted here. With 20 million in TV Ads, 20 mill print ads, 3 million radio ads and 7 million in the print cost of the film, I expect that the costs to make this movie will exceed 140 million prior to hiring people. Every project begins with a top notch director. Ideally, we'd sign Spielberg. He's great with sci-fi movies, has strong credentials, and costs less than a lot of hollywood talent. However, is this truly a Spielberg flick? So, how about Peter Jackson? I send the script to him and he wants to see a screenplay rewrite. Wow. I send the script to Spielberg and he does as well. I try M Night, my main man, and he want s arewrite as well. Picky picky. I send the script out for work one last time. I swear. -Anxiety |
I need to start working on a movie this month, so I move to Martyr Highway.
We'll film in a studio backlot using sound stage 14 and average set construction. Jus 15 million in physical costs, no pyro, stunts, robotics or special effects. Just plain movie making, I sign Sam Mendes as my director and Miles Quill as my producer. I need a lead actor, a supporting actor and actress and 6 minor roles. I cast B List actors for the minor roles. There are only 7 actors in Hollywood who have the acting chops to play this part, according to my search of the talent. I go straight for Johnny Depp. 3 million and 5% make him my leading man. Guy Pearce and Famke Janssen agree to be my supporting cast. I green light the film with a total expected negative cost of around 31 million. -Anxiety |
I authorize another sequal of The Call of Cthulhu. The Dunwich Horror will be sent out to create an original script based on the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same title. The Shadow Over Innsmouth, one current sequal where the script is beng worked on appears to be close to ready, so I would like to begin the next installment now.
I use 1 actor to star, 2 actors and one actress to support. 9 speaking roles of various townsfolk and 50 extras needed for only 3 days shooting town scenes and the like. I select no nudity, violence, a little foul language, and no love scenes. I ship the script off to Melody Brook to see what she can do with it. -Anxiety |
"Review of 'State of Emergency'
Royce Jackson E! Online With two political thrillers under their belts in as many months, Dragon's Den Studios hopes to have bottled lightning again with their newest flim, 'State of Emergency.' It's interesting to me that while some studios specialize in action films, or chick flicks, and so forth, political thrillers are quickly becoming the bread and butter of Dragon's Den Studios. So we enter into the third movie a little dry. The first two both shattered a lot of hopes and records, but this film seems a bit lighter. From Tom Cruise to Steven King's script, this movie has a much lighter tone. It's essential, when you think about it. The previous two movies were much more dark. This is a great movie and a fun joyride. Tom Cruise is perfectly acceptbable, although Michael Clarke Duncan continues to steal the show from others. Frank Darabont's direction is simply kingly, and this is a great ride to start the year with. King's script is marvelous and the movie treats you to a blast from beginning. I wish that I could give in five stars, but for all of its greatness, it does have a few blemishes. Halle Berry, for one, is adequate. Ross Grayson Bell's production is spotty. But, for its few faults, this is still the best of the three Dragon's Den Studios political thrillers. Less suspense and more action. Lots of action. A+" -Anxiety |
State of Emergency, Action Adventure
Tom Cruise, Halle Berry Stephen King Negative Cost: 95.72 mill Total P&A: 106.25 mill Total Cost: 200.424 mill Domestic Gross: 864.231 mill Foreign Gross: 1,514.355 mill (or, 1.514 BILLION) Total Net Revenue: 1,217.952 mill (or, 1.217 BILLION) Overall: ***** Frank Darabont: ***** Ross Grayson Bell: *** Tom Cruise: **** Halle Berry: *** William Fichtner: **** Michael Clarke Duncan: ***** Kate Capshaw: **** HOLY CRIPES!!!!!! Talent took home over 200k, and it still was great. -Anxiety |
"'State' Causes 'Emergency' at Boxoffice
'State of Emergency' simply obliterated all previous records this month. Domestic Gross, #1 of all time, $864,231,000. Foreign Gross? No problem, #1 of all time, $1,514,355,000 Total Revenue? Simple. #1 all time - $3,739,685,000 Those numbers are simply incredible. The previous best for total revenue was The Call of Cthulhu from last summer, with 1.4 billion. And this had over 3.7 billion? Foreign Gross was previously led by In The Night at 506 million. State of Emergency nearly tripled that. Nearly tripled. The previous best domestic gross was The Journal, and State almost doubled it. This simply doesn't happen. Not just in Hollywood, but in anything. Over 52% of domestic tickets and over 56% of international tickets were purchased by people who went to see State of Emergency. That simply doesn't happen. How does a mere mortal studio compete with such numbers? Compete with such complete ownership? For once, this reporter is literally speechless." -Anxiety |
The Oscar Nominees have been announced! Here areour nominees:
Best Picture: The Journal Wishy-Washy Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Challenges of the Heart John Hughes, Eyes of Rage Mimi Leder, The Empty Chair Steven Spielberg, In The Night Best Actor: John Cusack, The Call of Cthulhu Brad Pitt, The Journal Best Actress: Julia Roberts, Wishy-Washy Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Walken, Eyes of Rage John Lithgow, In The Night Best Supporting Actress: Julia Stiles, Challenges of the Heart Kate Winslet, The Second Face Best Original Screenplay: Ginny Eckert, The Call of Cthulhu Best Screenplay Adaptation: No nominees We have a lot of nominees including four of the five directorial nominees. Good luck to all Dragon's Den Studios Nominees!!!!! -Anxiety |
February 2006:
I spend 7 million on the academy awards publicity. Deep Cut has begun filming. The Prisoner has finished post-production and is ready for release. I receive drafts of: The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Scandal Sheet Director Robert Altman died this month. The Prisoner is screening at about 88%. I do not authorize an edit and slate its relese for March, 2006. I send out Scandal Sheet for a rewrite. -Anxiety |
YAY! It's back!:D
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Your enthusiasm brightens my day. -Anxiety |
I head to the script market and find the rights for a nice stage play available for sale. The play is entitled "Rembrandt" and it is a biography on the artist. I am unsure exactly how much commercial appeal is wrapped inside this sort of movie, but the script is just so good that I absolutely have to buy it.
I send the script to Lora Wadsworth and hope for the best. For order's sake, I decide to sort all of our current properties by genre, so that I can take an account of where we are currently at: Drama - Crapshoot, Las Vegas Love Story, set to open this month She Was an Empty Place, 3 star script, lovestory, in a drawer A Choice of Words, 2 star script, writer changes life of woman through writings, in a drawer Lovers, screenplay property, two lovers seeking self-truth, waiting 1st draft The Eye of the Storm, Hurricane story, in post-production Martyr Highway, Stretch of Road challenges man's faith, in pre-production Twice on Sunday, Football wife seeks possibilities, awaiting greenlight Rembrandt, biography of artist, sent out for first draft Action Adventure: The Prisoner, Retiring Secret Agent Captured, slated for release next month Half-Life, Scientist Forced into Battle, waiting for budget Science Fiction: Shocker, 3 star script, LA Earthquake, in a drawer Star Gazer, 2 star script, Mysterious Stranger, in a drawer Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragonlance Trilogy, 3 star script, script rewrite The Mote in God's Eye, Story of First Contact, 3 star script, script rewrite Comedy: Heavenly, 2 star script, Man meets dream Girl in Heaven, in a drawer Romantic Comedy: Say You Love Me, Woman Needs Boy to Say Love, 2 star script, in a drawer Historical Epic: Deep Cut, Panama Canal Story, in production San Francisco, Founding of City, waiting for a budget Comedy Dark: The Bobby-Soxors, Catholic School Girls Kill, in pre-production Horror: Be Gone, B'Gosh, 3 star script, Dead Wakened by Aliens, in a drawer Dead or Deader, Vampire in New York, awaiting first draft Cleopatra's Ghost, 3 star script, Discovery and Curse on Nile, script rewrite The Shadow Over Innsmouth, New England Town in Trouble, waiting for budget The Dunwich Horror, New England Witchcraft, getting first draft Musical: Stand Up and Dance, Recovering Alcoholic finds Dance, needs first draft Love Story: Marvelous, 1 star script, Oil Tycoon finds Love, in a drawer Suspense Thriller: Dungeon, 3 star script, Psychopath Kidnaps Women, in a drawer Scandal Sheet, 4 star script, Senator at Strip Club, script rewrite Mystery: Indictment, Grand Jury Takes Out Man, in post production Once is a Lonely Game, Classic Mystery Tale, needs first draft -Anxiety |
I decide to move on Half-Life.
I I set the filming to take place here in LA with sound done on Sound Stage #12. We'll need elaborate set construction, however, to portray the alien world super-imposing itself onto our own. I budget 50 million in physical costs, 5 mill pyro, 5 mill stunts and 5 mill robotics. I further plug in 20 million in ground breaking special effects. Several directors and actors want to get in on this project. Oddly enough, Sylvester Stallone wants to be our star. No thanks Sly, you are past these sorts of movies. For my director, Cameron Crowe, Roman Polanski, Luc Besson and Robert Rodriguez want the opportunity to direct this film. Interesting... I have no desire to have Luc or Robert even touch the script, let alone direct it. I take a look at our current and regular crop of directors: Mimi Leder is available, and I like working with her. Frank Darabont is also available and he is very talented as well. I decide to go with Mimi. I head over to look for a producer. I choose my first guy, Ross Grayson Bell. And now I need a lead actor. Someone believable as both an action star and a scientist. Hmmm. George Clooney? He's expensive, but we need top-flight talent. I offer to pay the 24 million and 11% of profit that he demands. Now it's a matter of casting a few supporting roles that were written into the script. I cast Rob Lowe, Martin Short, and Carrie Fisher. I cast Fresh New Faces for the 5 minor roles. I greenlight a movie slated to cost 123.757 million for the negative. -Anxiety |
I had a huge post about casting and the like for The Shadow Over Innsmouth but the new board screwed it up and did not accept it. I spent 25 minutes writing up comparisions for the different ways that I could go with my lead actor. The short version is that I have M Night Shyamalan directing Elijah Wood. My long list of reasonings, who was available, and the like are all gone. All Gone.
-Anxiety |
"Review of 'Crapshoot'
Jeffrey O’Neal Entertainment Weekly We leave behind the sordid Washington affairs that have dominated box offices all over the country for the past three months. This month's fare from Dragon's Den Studios is a lighter flick set against the landscape of Vegas. Here people make love and war and the stakes couldn't be higher. Christopher Nolan directs Meg Ryan and George Clooney in this movie that features Natalie Portman and John Cleese in supporting roles. That's an interesting group of actors. You can certainly see George and Meg in a romantic comedy, George and Natalie in some hip, Tarantino-wannabe film, or George and John in a bouncy comedy. But to see all of them together? That's unusual. So, how do these various actors do in their roles? Unevenly. George Clooney is average as is Meg Ryan. John Cleese is, at best, poor. Natalie Portman is the saving grace of the picture and is scintilating as always. At the top, Christopher Nolan and Walter Preston do a great job with th e film. Pacing, cimenatography, it's a great film. But the acting is simply uneven and spotty. That creates problems. You have a great script, a great director, and a great producer. Slide Natalie Portman to Meg's role and find a new star. Then you'd have a good movie. This movie wastes potential by its casting. B-" -Anxiety |
Crapshoot, Drama
George Clooney, Meg Ryan Christopher Nolan Negative Cost: 78.485 mill Total P&A: 85 mill Total Cost: 163.485 mill Domestic Gross: 106.513 mill Foreign Gross: 76.647 mill Total Net Revenue: -11.109 mill Overall: ***** Christopher Nolan: ***** Walter Preston: ***** George Clooney: *** Meg Ryan: *** John Cleese: ** Natalie Portman: ***** We lost a bit on the film, but nothing major. The international market, both in theaters and the ancillary market, left a lot to be desired or else we would have at least broken even. -Anxiety |
The Academy Awards have begun:
Best Screenplay Adaptation. The envelope please..... Chris Allen for Talent and Tenacity, Roehrig Studios!!!!!!!! -Anxiety |
The nominees for Best Screenplay are:
Susan Eglisio for Fight from Hails Studios Sally Sanders for All Due Respect from Roehrig Studios Ginny Eckert for The Call of Cthulhu from Dragon's Den Studios Winter April for Deadly Sky from Reckert Pictures and Shorty Winters for The Transaction of Love from Reckert Pictures. And the winner is.... .... Sally Sanders for All Due Respect -Anxiety |
The next award is for the Best Supporting Actress. The Nominees are:
Roxie Darlington, The View From the Park of Reckert Pictures. Julia Stiles for Challenges of the Heart, from Dragon's Den Studios Kate Winslet for The Second Face, also from Dragon's Den Cassandra Black for Riding, also from Reckert and Evelyn Horror for Way Down Deep, from Wheeler Studios Can I have the envelope please? It's a bit stuck. Ah, the winner is... ...... ..... Roxie Darlington from The View From The Park -Anxiety |
The next award of the evening is the category of Best Supporting Actor.
The nominees for this year's award are: Christopher Walken, for Eyes of Rage from Dragon's Den Studios Chuck Edwards from The Lonely Laugh from Reckert Pictures Will Rhinelander for Troubled Waters, from Roehrig Studios John Lithgow for In The Night, from Dragon's Den Studios and Tolzar Dennis from Hardened Spirit, also by Reckert Pictures. And the winner is..... ...... ...... ..... John Lithgow, from In The Night!!!!! -Anxiety |
The next award goes to the best female actors of the year. The five nominees are:
Julia Roberts for Wishy-Washy, from Dragon's Den Studios Anna Preston of Fearful Nights, from Wheeler Studios Elizabeth Friday for The Long Lie from Cinema Veronica Angela London for Fearful Hearts, also from Cinema Veronica and Darcy Bressel of One Last Chance, again, from Cinema Veronica The winner is...... ..... ..... ..... ..... Elizabeth Friday for The Long Lie -Anxiety |
The men who stole are hearts this year have been whittle ddown to five nominees for Best Actor. The nominees are:
Brent Fall for Wild Heart, from Wheeler Studios John Cusack for The Call of Cthulhu, from Dragon's Den Studios Brad Pitt for The Journal, from Dragon's Den as well Richard Blue for Green Walls from Reckert Pictures and Brett Drake for Broken Life from Wheeler Studios. The envelope is opened and this years Best Actor is..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... John Cusack from The Call of Cthulhu!!!!!!!!!! -Anxiety |
Who made the best films in 2005? We have the five top nominees for the year with:
Martin Scorsese for Challenges of the Heart, from Dragon's Den Studios John Hughes for Eyes of Rage, from Dragon's Den Mimi Leder for The Empty Chair, also from Dragon's Den Sherman Pillman for Endeavor's Forture, from Wheeler Studios and Steven Spielberg for In The Night, another Dragon's Den Studios Nominee I have the envelope here with the name and its..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... John Hughes for Eyes of Rage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Anxiety |
This year saw a lot of major movies getting made. Many movies broke into the all time record lists. Choosing just five nominees was rough, but they are:
The Journal, from Dragon's Den Studios Dusty, from Burbage Pictures Wishy-Washy, from Dragon's Den Studios Growing Up, from Hails Studio and Forgotten Glory, from Cinema Veronica Who is the best of the best? Well the envelope syas that the winner is..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... Dusty, from Burbage Pictures. -Anxiety |
Well, we won Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor - three of the eight categories against five major competetors, so I can't complain to much. Still, I feel like this year we hit our artistic stride, yet we won less awards.
Hmpf. We brought in an additional 36 million in revenue from movies that created an Academy buzz getting additional rentals, purchases, and movie tickets. -Anxiety |
March 2006:
Shooting Delays in Deep Cut will require an additional 2 million in money to complete production. I authorize the expenditure. Indictment and The Eye of the Storm are ready for release and have been rated. Deep Cut moved to post-production following that. The Bobby-Soxors has completed its preliminary work and moved into shooting the film. The following scripts are back: Cleo's Ghost, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, The Mote in God's Eye, and Scandal Sheet. The Eye of the Storm is rated PG13 and screening at about 95%. I don't authorize an edit, instead slating the movie to release next month. Indictment, however, is rated R. And screening at 99% across the board. I take a look at the script, because I hadn't expected the R rating. The script called for nudity, and I had forgotten that. Keep the R rating or cut it to PG13 and try to bring in a wider audience? I decide to keep it at R this time, and we'll see how it goes. I do not edit it at all. I set a May release for the film. I greenlight Twice on Sunday this month because Deep Cut finished filming and Michael Clarke Duncan can begin work. Looking at the screenplay market I find anohter four star stage play - Babbling Brooke, a Musical Comedy where "She loves to talk and talk and talk. But he doesn't like to listen and listen and listen." I purchase the property for 6.6 million. I hire Steve LeMaux to work on the first script. -Anxiety |
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