ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Monday, March 24, 2008

Life

It was a very quiet weekend.

For some reason, reading work hasn't really picked up all that much since the end of the strike; it may be a combination of fear of an actor's strike this summer and the fact that the economy sucks.

As it is, it was a good thing I didn't have much work this weekend (maybe even arranged, for those who believe in a higher power). Because my wife has been sick, with a very painful "women's problem" that has demanded a string of doctor's visits, including another one this afternoon.

So I've been free to ferry her around, and cook for her, and help her out, and play Scrabble with her, and rub her back. Which is always a good thing.

Though a little work will help. Hopefully she'll be well enough to go back to work in a few days, and the God of Spousal Responsibility will then grant me a pile of stuff to read.

I do have a meeting Tuesday afternoon with a company that looks like they are going to start giving me work, which will be nice.

Meanwhile, I've been wrestling with the low-budget thriller that I thought was finished, until last month's actor read made me see that it really wasn't.

So I'm doing some major fleshing out of some of the story elements, and it all seems to be getting better, more intricate, and even more surprising, all of which suits this piece well. And the slowed-down pace and lack of other people's scripts to think about has freed my brain to chew over the script at random moments, leading to some interesting thoughts as well.

So things aren't all bad. But if we're friends and you haven't heard from me for a while, apologies, it has been a long month or two.

Let's do brunch.

******

Over the weekend, MEET THE BROWNS made about $20 million, pretty close to what I expected. SHUTTER did $10.7 and DRILLBIT TAYLOR did $10.2, well under what I predicted; I'm not sure what I was thinking.

UNDER THE SAME MOON made $2.6 million (in only 266 theaters), a record opening weekend for a Spanish-language release.

7 Comments:

At 1:37 PM, Blogger Team Brindle said...

I read about half of DRILLBIT TAYLOR last week. No desire to finish it. Not especially funny or original. Reminded me a lot-- A LOT-- of SUPERBAD.

Maybe people sniffed a retread and that's why it underperformed.

 
At 2:32 PM, Blogger Scott the Reader said...

My bro saw Drillbit and hoped it would be like Superbad, but he said it was aimed toward young teens (and was PG-13) and that's why it didn't thrill him.

I don't think people would have minded a retread, I just think they aimed too young.

 
At 5:48 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Sorry to hear about your wife, Scott. Glad to hear you're such a loving husband. Will try to get the new rom-com I'm working on to you ASAP when it's done. It may go to the Nicholls before it reaches your desk -- BUT you, and another other pretty lady I offered it to, will get it as soon as it's ready to show.

Didn't see any movies this weekend, but I did fall in love with a man named Matt. Meet him at a Northwest Screenwriting Guild event. He's tall, dark, and handsome -- AND he's got a keen mind too! So am I talkin' "Brokeback Mountain" kinda love? The kind where two men with one sleeping bag go up the hill, and trot trot back down then next day hand-in-hand singing, "Skip, skip. Skip to my loo. Skip, skip. Skip to my loo, my darlin?" Naw, it's nothin' like that. I like him, but based on how my pitch went I don't think the feeling's mutal. But that won't keep this boy from dreaming...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 11:39 AM, Blogger LHOOQtius ov Borg said...

Sorry to hear about your wife, hope she gets well soon. Being sick sucks.

And good luck with your horror rewrite.

From the trailer I saw, "Under The Same Moon" looks like it could be quite good. If one of the 266 theaters is in your area, it may be worth a look. I'm going to see if it's playing here in the Bay Area, though I still need to see "The Counterfeiters," and I know where that's playing, so that'll come first. Another limited release film I highly recommend is "The Band's Visit."

 
At 1:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love you two, E.C.

I will watch you're toothbrush for you until you visit again.

P.S. Scott should paid you royaltys.

Cowboy Matt

 
At 6:36 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Thanks for the love, Matt

Will be sending you a follow-up thank you letter and CANDY so be watching your mail. On that will be an E.C. Henry original drawing which fuses your tastes AND what you had to endure on Saturday -- in a creative way. Originally I drew the picture I'm going to send you for a query letter to Lynda Obst. (Hope that sparks your curiosity)

AND I agree, Scott is worth his weight in gold.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 10:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hahhahahhaha @ Anonymous number one!

 

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