Monday, May 9, 2011

Got a story for a movie Part 2

Further to my blog Friday, once again, a friend of mine, Ted Bauman is looking for good ideas. Ted does movies for Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. You can imdb his credits at: 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0062185/

This is a departure from my regular blog but I thought maybe some of you might want to look at this. It's open to anyone, writers, non-writers, anyone who reads this blog. You might want to pass it on to others you think might be interested. 

And no, I don't get anything for this, just helping out a friend.

So here's what he's looking for.

What kind of stories:

Stories that are interesting and that could hold audience interest. Lifetime wants true stories "ripped from the headlines" and usually a woman in the lead role (but not always). They can come from books but not bestsellers as they are too expensive to buy. More obscure books and even out-of-print books are better. 

Holiday-themed stories are welcome, heart-felt themes and characters are in demand. 

The Main Character:

The main character usually has experienced some terrible event in her life, death, crime, infidelity, anything that allows her to overcome adversity to become a stronger individual. Teenagers or young adults can add to the story.

Finders Fee
 
A finder's fee of $3500 will be paid on 1st day of principal photography for true-life stories from newspapers or other sources and best efforts to give you an Associate Producer credit. Note that networks have ultimate veto power over screen credits.

A finder's fee  of $2000 for books and/or suggestions that lead to a movie. Credit can't be offered on these.

Keep in mind that TV movies for Lifetime and Hallmark are made for very little money, my Christmas movie was made for just under $1 million which 10 years ago would have been made for around $3.5 million. Networks pay anywhere from $350,000 to $750,000 for movies with occasional higher budgets.

You can email newspaper articles or links to stories directly to Ted at:

baumanent@gmail.com


5 comments:

  1. Jim,

    You didn't put the @ in the e-mail addy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jim, do you think he would be interested in my fictional story of a greenhouse owner roto-tilling his garden (in the same field that you tilled) and uncovering a gold nugget that was 9 feet long x 3 feet thick x 7 feet high ? The same story that you have poo-pooed to my face many many times ? Just wondering, that's all.

    me in SR.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SR... I don't know, it's just that that story's been done so many times.

    ReplyDelete
  4. One time, a long time ago, when Iran was still Persia, a man was told by his father to save all the money he earned and if he did this he would have a good life.
    So the man did this to the detriment of the other things in his life; he would wear very cheap home made shoes, old trousers and a smock, a very small covering for his head, in case it rained, and slept on a board at the back of his father's house.
    The day came when he had so much money that he needed to store it somewhere and his father told him about the banks in Switzerland; so the man set out on the long journey to open his secret bank account.
    When he returned to his father's house he was wearing a gold medal around his neck on a gold chain; the medal was plain except for a number – the number was the number of his un-named Swiss bank account.
    Also with him on the day of his return were two big strong men; these men looked after the man from then on and wouldn't let anybody near him; but everybody knew about the gold medal on the chain and knew what it stood for.
    One day when the man was travelling along a very rickety road near a torrential river he lost control of the vehicle he was travelling in with his henchmen and the cheap vehicle rolled down the hill and into the river.
    The river was so violent that as soon as the wooden vehicle went into the torrents it was smashed to pieces on the sharp rocks and nothing was seen of the man or his henchmen again; and nothing was seen of the infamous medal.
    But it was never forgotten.
    Over the years bits of the vehicle rose to the surface and maybe the odd bit of clothing and many people risked their lives diving into the violent waters and many did not survive.
    People came from all around the world to look for that medal till one day Jim Makichuk had an idea . . . .

    ReplyDelete