Long time

Sorry to be gone for a while, again, some of it is French and taxes and the other stuff like my ex and making a screenplay out of it. I wasn't really sure to do that, it sounds like "Hey, I can write a screenplay all about my ex and me.

But I didn't really want to do it "all about", rather than I used pieces of some of my favorite movies like Two For the Road with Audrey Helpburn and Sleepless in Seattle with a young Tom Hanks.

And yes, sometimes writers take little pieces of other screenwriters.

Mine is similar and different as I haven't seen a movie about ex's meeting again after 30 yrs or so. Well, maybe one of those French movies.

Which leads to me and my French movie, which was supposed to be in the Mojave Desert outside of L.A. but it's now become a French movie with french everything, except me. It will be in French and also in U.S.

And now I've got to send a synopsis to my ex-agent/now agent/again. It's good for both of us as we're getting older and forgetful.

But coming up is the beginning of this blog 10 years ago.

Sorry for a small piece, might come up with more by the end of the day. Note

Thanks for hanging on.


 

Bits and pieces

This is an British band, the Dave Clark 5 in the 60's who was one of the British bands that walked over all of America except for Motown. I just thought to use the idea for what's going on in my busy work for an old guy.

Well, I got some money back, but not great. I was supposed to get 1500 euro which is close to almost .

Instead I got $1300! 

Nice, eh?

Well, it's not all bad. Actually I will get almost the real amount when it goes to my Canadian money. What happens is that since I am not working in France, and will take off my real Canadian tax amounts.

So it won't be that bad as Canadian taxes are far lower than France.

So, on to another item.

I had contacted my first agent, way back in 1990 and he was still in business and also ready to take me on again. 

And this is just the beginning. I got my $1300 rather than $3000 but most of that will come out from my taxes, in which I will get a Canadian part, which is, of course a lot better.

Life goes like that.

I also have to re-read my 45th screenplay (not a number but the title for my new screenplay. I've probably mentioned it to you, wherein I wrote a story about a young girl who discovered her mom's ex.

I wrote about this a while back.

And that it actually was my ex's daughter who discovered me from 40 years. Really!!
I don't really mention that, at least till anyone wants to ask me.

Brenda and me.  And we found each other again.

1971 --  How's that for a movie ending?

Bits and pieces.

Waiting for the money

You've been watching how long it takes to get money. In this case, quite a long time. They have been putting all of the movie slowly and slowly. In fact, this movie might not get finished this year.

From what I know, the story as we know now has changed drastically from the open scene in Los Angleles when our hero begins to chase someone he's not sure of. Not the best way to start a movie?

So now, I wait for the money, actually a piece of the money, sort of an option. Usually it would be very quick but crossing the ocean means conflicts. 

For example French taxes are incredibly high. Way higher than my North America taxes. However I will take taxes from my own country and avoid France. This way I get a better amount of $$$. 

There's another issue, as in signing with the French version of WGA. And I will have to join it and then lose it again and all within me stepping into France and out to Canada. It's all good.

I've worked in Europe a long time, working in Luxembourg and had a great time. I was there to clean up three screenplays from other writers. I would get credit for my work. The other writers didn't know but I did add some more money on these bits.

But now, I had a time with a Canadian producer who actually didn't pay me. Even with WGC.
It's a longer story but I'll use it this week.

I received a big package of tax stuff of which I rarely know. It required things that make it known that I live in Canada.

I really don't know but it has to go through a lot of French and English writing.  I am supposed to be clear by tomorrow.

Supposed to...

And remember it's only for the basic move. The movie is still and things are happening, mostly financing. In fact it could go down too. Hopefully not.

So let's see what taxes and governments and all that other stuff that is needed to make a movie..

Fun, huh?

Still waiting

So far I'm dealing in paper in order to get my first piece of European money on which that's basically good old money. However it's taken almost 2 months for the French company to put out 1500 in Euro's turns to Canadian in $2200.

A nice way to get more spending here. 

And this is a basic sort of money, "show money" as one can say. I can at least have some money just in case the production falls down. 

But the paper work is not very easily done, there's a lot of changing both the money and a lot of more information needed. Basically, though, it's easy for me because I'm not really in on the screenplay as my part has been already done.

That was my first screenplay, the one I wrote for the Mojave Desert, a short drive over the mountains, and a vast amount of bare land. I spent a lot of time in the Mojave and hope to come back soon.

And as I said, the director decided to make a few changes with my permission, mostly changed in French than English.

Here's the question; should there be more money?

Well, not really. He's going to make it, 

And I have no say?

Not really, but I don't really have much in the filming mostly because my French is not great. And besides that, it's his movie now. I will drop by for a few days and maybe get a car and drive around a big. But I'm not big on that for now.

So now I am waiting to get that first bag of money (sort of).

And we're still far away from shooting. We have a producer but we're not sure when we'll (actually "begin to shoot"). There's some trouble as the show is driving and the money might be next year. Yeah, long time. But I still get my money before everyone else.

Sorry that not much has changed, but we all have time.

Finally

Well, I'm still stuck with Chase due to a complicated issue with two French items companies that have something like WGA and WGC. However, this is where the issue causes conflict. There is one that wants me for their WGA-ish agreemen (similar to WGC also) and the other one has a company that looks for residuals to send to you.

With the rules, depending on what these people call rules, they want to be sure that each company can make some money thru residuals. But one of them is in Canada and does this work getting residuals.

And the other one, I really don't know.

This agreement has kept going for almost 2 months. They are both French companies and would like money by finding residual money. Complicated, huh?
 
 Then there's the issue for Canada's WGC company as what I use while in Canada. U.S. and Canada are both the real things. So why is there a company from Quebec for one of the French fellows above?

When I began this I called WGC in Canada and asked if I need to deal with them as a Canadian writer. But since the screenplay is now French (forgot to tell ya) WGC doesn't have anything to do. Same as WGA.

So, all of this rights and other rights and more continues today.

And I spent too much time dealing with the French companies. It's not all so bad and I do speak French, having lived in Canada, where French can be taken as a language although it has to be Canadian.

Got it?

And ya know what?

Today, Monday, I'm getting my first amount.

I think?

And the movie is beginning, with me and director.

But not yet financed.

... I think...

 

The beginning.




Finally the money is beginning to trinkle to the writer. Well, sort of. The movie was titled as Chase. Simple. The story takes three people in the magnificent Mojave Desert, one of my favorite places and I have taken people there and sometimes alone. It reminds me of a Mojave ranger who said that there are more deaths there than half of the whole country. 

And he wasn't talking hikers. 

So once again, here's the idea. An average guy driving in the valley sees something odd. A tough-looking guy who grabs a pretty girl off the street and throws her in his covered van. And slowly out watcher continues to follow the van and the two people out into the desert.

Well, it was.

First of all, someone wanted to make it and that lasted for about 6 years before it fell apart. And nothing happened at all.

Then, just this spring, that same person called and said "it's on."

But with a few changes.

Like it's going to be in France and it's all Frence. Not english. So we talked about it again but this time it looks like we're going to make it. I did want the Mojave but it ain't gonna it. It will be a French movie all around and even sort of a desert.

It appears there are rugged mountains in France (who knew?)

So, I mentioned this project earlier and finally it seems I'll get at least a bit of money, as in 2000 Euro meaning around $3000 in Cdn. Nice.

I'm not sure when they shoot, I think end of the year so don't hold on.

My assistant is helping below. Our new assistant. Burt.