Dragon's Den Studios - A New Hollywood Mogul Dynasty!!!

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[mrskippy]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

Heh. I bounce around at times. This dynasty is not dead, just dormant.


-Anxiety

[sterlingice]

*pokes dynasty with a sharp, pointy stick*

SI

[StanGunner]

Maybe Kodos can give mouth to mouth.

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by StanGunner
Maybe Kodos can give mouth to mouth.

Or tentacle to... um.. there's no way this can go where it wouldn't be a bad place.

SI

[tucker342]

probably don't want to go there....

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"'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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Lokugh]

Cool. Glad to see you picing this back up.

Lokugh

[Abe Sargent]

Originally posted by Lokugh
Cool. Glad to see you picing this back up.

Lokugh

I definitely miss this and the EMU dynasty. I'd expect to see slightly more updates for them in the near future.


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[sterlingice]

Time to start reading this again

SI

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

Originally posted by sterlingice
Time to start reading this again

SI

I'd say so

-Anxiety

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by Anxiety
I'd say so

-Anxiety

Well, you did take a little time off

SI

[Abe Sargent]

Originally posted by sterlingice
Well, you did take a little time off

SI

What's nine months between old friends?


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"'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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[tucker342]

YAY! It's back!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by tucker342

YAY! It's back!

Your enthusiasm brightens my day.


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

"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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

The Academy Awards have begun:

Best Screenplay Adaptation. The envelope please.....

Chris Allen for Talent and Tenacity, Roehrig Studios!!!!!!!!


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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