So Close You Can Taste It

Another day, another email from Producer Dude saying we're close.

Actually, to give credit where credit is due, Producer Dude has been on the same timeline for some time now- money arrives beginning of March. It's just that the beginning of March is getting closer and closer. And he's not moving on that date, so the closer we get, the more likely that it's real.

But we won't know until it hits and things roll or they don't roll.

In a spark of giddiness, Charlie and I considered giving Producer Dude the script. They want to get into Pre-Production ASAP, still hoping to shoot in April, the earlier they have the script, know what they're working on, the better.

But in the end we held fast to our cojones (is that spelled right?) and didn't give him the script. And the fact that Producer Dude specifically said to us "DON'T GIVE ME THE SCRIPT UNTIL I GIVE YOU MONEY" earlier today was only PART of the reason we held firm.

After all of this, what will we do if it actually happens? Money arrives, checks don't bounce, film is made. Then what? Do we make another? If you listen to Producer Dude, he speaks of funding many pics a year, larger and larger budgets meaning larger and larger payouts to us literary knock-off types. It sounds sweet. It sounds nice.

But then it's Producer Dude. And he has the tongue of honey.

On the other hand, he HAS already made three films. Siege would be film #4. He's creating a track record, no doubt. So there's some truth in them thar hills.

It's one thing to say "We're gonna write the next movie for ourselves. Shop it around. Sell it for real money." But do you know HOW HARD THAT IS? There are THOUSANDS of scripts, scratch that, MILLIONS, floating around. It's who you know. And right now, Charlie has some contacts, and I know... Producer Dude. And Producer Dude makes my films.

All is moot, for the moment. But if March arrives and brings cash-cash, the sky's the limit.