Butler's Script Sale of the Week...
May 28th, 2001
Not a terribly exciting week in the world of script sales, but there were a few gems, including THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND, HELTER SKELTER, and the remake of Hitchcock's SUSPICION.
For my pick of the week I was torn between the rewrite of Robert Crais's (I'm a huge fan) DEMOLITION ANGEL and the announcement by Miramax that they've bought THE UPGRADE, by Matt Burch, a finalist script in the Project Greenlight competition.
I decided to go with THE UPGRADE simply because when a talented young writer with no connections gets a shot at the big time we have to make a big deal out of it. It's something that happens far too infrequently.
THE UPGRADE is a drama that concerns the plight of two jewelry store security guards who unknowingly get caught up in the store owner's scam to rip off his own shop. I haven't read the script (I intend to), but it can't be half bad if Harvey and Bob coughed up six figures for it and if Matt and Ben are willing to produce it via their Live Planet shingle.
The screenwriter, Matt Burch, is a 28 year old complete unknown from Virginia who was working as a corporate compliance hotline operator (don't ask, I don't know). I'm sure he'll find his job as Hollywood scribe of the month much more satisfying.
In a perfect world, the stories of Burch and Pete Jones (who won the Project Greenlight competition with STOLEN SUMMER, which Miramax is currently producing) would wake Hollywood producers up to the fact that there is a wealth of writing talent out there just waiting to be discovered - original voices not yet diluted or jaded by the Hollywood crapola machine.
Chances are, however, that most producers will continue to use the same tired old connected hacks that they've always used in their ongoing efforts to
churn out the most mundane and generic cinematic drivel that their creatively challenged brains can muster.
We need much more STOLEN SUMMERs and THE UPGRADEs and far less PEARL HARBORs.
Good luck, Matt, make us proud ...
-- Edward Butler
For my pick of the week I was torn between the rewrite of Robert Crais's (I'm a huge fan) DEMOLITION ANGEL and the announcement by Miramax that they've bought THE UPGRADE, by Matt Burch, a finalist script in the Project Greenlight competition.
I decided to go with THE UPGRADE simply because when a talented young writer with no connections gets a shot at the big time we have to make a big deal out of it. It's something that happens far too infrequently.
THE UPGRADE is a drama that concerns the plight of two jewelry store security guards who unknowingly get caught up in the store owner's scam to rip off his own shop. I haven't read the script (I intend to), but it can't be half bad if Harvey and Bob coughed up six figures for it and if Matt and Ben are willing to produce it via their Live Planet shingle.
The screenwriter, Matt Burch, is a 28 year old complete unknown from Virginia who was working as a corporate compliance hotline operator (don't ask, I don't know). I'm sure he'll find his job as Hollywood scribe of the month much more satisfying.
In a perfect world, the stories of Burch and Pete Jones (who won the Project Greenlight competition with STOLEN SUMMER, which Miramax is currently producing) would wake Hollywood producers up to the fact that there is a wealth of writing talent out there just waiting to be discovered - original voices not yet diluted or jaded by the Hollywood crapola machine.
Chances are, however, that most producers will continue to use the same tired old connected hacks that they've always used in their ongoing efforts to
churn out the most mundane and generic cinematic drivel that their creatively challenged brains can muster.
We need much more STOLEN SUMMERs and THE UPGRADEs and far less PEARL HARBORs.
Good luck, Matt, make us proud ...
-- Edward Butler
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