So the search for directors turned back to New Zealand. We tried Taika Waititi (Eagle vs Shark) but he never returned our calls (check your messages Taika).Then Tim Sanders, in the midst of shooting Perfect Creature, started a conversation with Brad McGann. Brad was doing post on In My Father's Den. He had a meet in London with Tim, and with Pip Piper and Rob Taylor - the UK producers of Moon. The initial encounter seemed good, and Brad was interested.
We arranged a meeting in Auckland between Brad, Tim and moi (the humble screenwriter). Things did not go as well as we hoped. It soon became evident that Brad had a completely different storyline in mind than the one which had inspired my novel and screenplay. We got on fine, but there was a significant difference in creative vision for the project. After a couple of hours of trying to reconcile our differences, we parted company - both of us realising that this was something that was never going to happen.
When I saw In My Father's Den some time later, I marvelled at my audacity in passing up Brad. But I had no doubt it was the right thing to do. A scriptwriter must always live and die for their story.
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Brad would have been an interesting choice, and perhaps the biggest issue is the choice between getting YOUR script done, and getting the movie made. From my understanding of it, scriptwriters seldom get THEIR movie made unless they literally make it (direct it) themselves. You might be up against a moviemaking brick wall here?
ReplyDeleteYou're right that screenwriters are often the lowest in the hierarchy. But the story is the only thing a film has going for it. If you're not prepared to fight for the story, it probably didn't mean much to you...
ReplyDeleteLet me quote our director, Gillies Mackinnon:
"Stick to your guns is what a writer friend of mine always says...
I am now deep in bullshit which reminds me of the process... from dream to bullshit and (hopefully) back to dream again.
It's a great story. Don't water it down to salve the doubts of those who know fuck all really. They will overwhelm you with mediocrity and you will buckle in complaining defeat.
This is not just film, it's life too..."
Wise words, from someone who tried Hollywood and left it behind when all the doors were open.