Chronicles 19 - Megastar's agent calls me!!!

At 1:40 a.m. in the morning!!!

Mmmh...yesterday was...intense, to say the least. Read on....

Remember that producer I told you about who was enthusiastic about coming on board? Well, seems like his business partner didn't quite share his enthusiasm, so, even though they see the commercial potential of the project...I'm afraid it's not something...blah blah blah...anyway, they pass.

Having faced so much "rejection" over the years I find my ability to "get over it" is evolving. Rejections like this would have depressed me for about a week 10 years ago but now I just think. Next! Move on buddy!

In the evening I speak to the casting director and ask him if he would help get the script to a UK actor. A good actor who the director likes but whose pre-sellability might not be a slam dunk. Anyway, he says no problem, he'll speak to the agent. Great. I send him some info via email later on that night.

Then things get interesting...

About 1:00 a.m. I speak to the director and we discuss my conversations with the casting director. Then I call my entertainment lawyer in LA and check to see if he's heard anything back from mega comedy star's agent. He hasn't, but, he suggests that I touch base with a casting director contact of his who, for a nominal fee, will try and attach talent to a project. Okay, why not. He sets up a conference call there and then.

By this time it's 1:30 a.m. in the morning. The first thing she says is, "I hear you're going after Mr. mega comedy star?". I say, yes. She then begins to reel off the multi-million fees of his recent movies. His fee for his last movie was 1.5 times the total below-the-line production costs for my movie. In so many words she was saying that I didn't have a snowball's chance in a baker's oven to get this guy, and I kond of agreed with her. IN THAT SAME MOMENT - my phone rings - at 1:40 a.m. in the morning! I thought my wife was stuck on a motorway or something. I pick up.

Who is it? None other than the mega star's agent's assistant phoning from a big 5 agency in LA. She says that she has the agent for me. I tell her to hold because I'm on the other line.

On the other line? At 1:40 a.m. in the morning!! Jeez, what sort of sad life do I lead? Anyway, I tell the agent and casting director that I have to call them back.

The agent gets on the phone and asks me how much time I need for a response on the script. I ask her how long she needs. She says she'll give me an answer in 2 days. She asks me about the finances. I give her the blurb or "selective revelation of the truth" as I like it to call it - and the call ends.

I get back on the phone with the lawyer and US casting agent and tell them the story. They're blown away. They say that that is extremely rare that an agent of that level would give me such a response time and that it normally takes months! The casting director says, "I tell you what. You must have an amzing script for this to happen". Who knows? I don't know anything anymore.

I ask her if she thinks the star will now read over the weekend. She said "definitely". I go to bed all pumped up full of adrenaline, can't sleep for 2 hours and sit there projecting all the possibilities of having this dude attached to my flick. Of course, I've been here before, (See Chronicles 1-18 ;-)). Nowadays I take a more, "I'll believe it when I'm eating the popcorn" point of view. Still, something went right yesterday even if it fizzles out. My director things that I must have had excellent coverage, (feedback from one of their readers), and since the offer's time limit had lapsed they might not have wanted to miss out on a good vehicle for said mega star. Let's see. If anything, it's one more for the anecdote box.

Watch this space. Good night and good luck :-) See Chronicles 18