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#Paramount, #Netflix, #ThunderRoadFilms, #SkydanceMedia, #martykatz, #steveschklair, #ericschwab, #stephanierogers, #amygiaquinto, #giaquintoproductionsllc, #screenwriting, #makingmovies, #Jackryan, #jackreacher, #Bruised, #missionimpossible, #startrekbeyond, #Johnwick, #Sicario, #BasilIwanyk, #davidellison, #larryellision, #oracle, #COVID, #screenwriting, #hollywood, #Theonlywayout
August 2022
When we last left off, Marty Katz and Steve Schklair, the producers on my film, THE ONLY WAY OUT, and Eric Schwab, our newly attached director, had scored a meeting with Netflix. Not only that, but Marty's agent had given the script to someone at Paramount.
I was flipping out! Literally. I was so, incredibly excited. Energy was coursing through my body day and night. Could this finally be it? I was flying high and couldn't sleep. My mind was reeling. Never before had success felt so close. Never before had I felt as though I was finally going to achieve this crazy dream, one that I'd worked my entire life to achieve.
As I waited to hear back from Stephanie (my manager), I began to think seriously, a lot more seriously than I'd ever allowed myself to think before. What in the world was I going to do if Netflix or Paramount optioned the script and gave us a deal? I was going to explode, that's what. Seriously EXPLODE! And, oh, wouldn't it be amazing if that deal happened to come on or around my 45th birthday?
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The excitement of it all was amazing, but so was the anxiety of it all. It was hard to go about my daily routine as though nothing big was happening. It was summer vacation for the kids, so I was spending my days bouncing on the trampoline with them, swimming with them, making food for them, shopping, doing dishes, cleaning, educating, arranging playdates, going on hikes and bike rides, etc. I was so glad to have the kids home during this time, so glad to have a break from my incessant thoughts that were swinging minute-by-minute from elation and hope to negativity and despair.
I was on pins and needles, waiting for an email, a phone call, anything. With my phone, I never turn my ringer on because I hate the distraction/noises phones make, but I made an exception during this time. Every time the phone rang, since I knew it might be Stephanie or Marty, adrenaline would shoot into my stomach turning it, and my body, into a jiggly-as-Jell-O mess...
Every time the phone rang, I'd hold my breath, check the caller-ID with shaky fingers, and then let out a huge sigh of relief that was ironically coupled with a huge feeling of disappointment coupled with another shot of anxiety, you know, for good measure.
I'd been on this roller coaster before and while I wanted news, I was also enjoying the thought that we'd actually move forward in the process of getting my film made. If Stephanie or Marty didn't call me, then my wild fantasy could continue.
However, if they did call, I knew that the odds, even with Eric Schwab attached as a director, probably weren't in our favor. COVID had trashed the industry and studios were slashing projects, and budgets, and personnel all in the name of survival.
I tried to forget about the meeting Marty, Steve and Eric were going to have with Netflix, tried to forget my script was at Paramount, but I failed, miserably. I was thinking, no obsessing about it every, single moment of every, single day, well, when I wasn't focused on the kids. Oh, thank God for my kids! They kept me grounded by keeping me busy and limiting the time I had alone inside my own head.
One evening, I had just settled in to watch my daughter's soccer game beside a group of enthusiastic parents when Stephanie called. My heart leapt into my throat. Unable to hear her, I sprang up from my spot in the grass. As I sprinted to a quieter place to take the call, I fumbled a pen out of my purse and promptly realized I didn't have anything to write on (for some reason, my notebook never made it back into my purse). Of course! Crap!
I found a somewhat quiet place mostly away from enthusiastically loud parents and shrill whistle blows, a spot of grass where I could still watch my daughter play while talking to Stephanie. Breathless, I plopped down, put the pen on the back of my left hand, which would serve as a makeshift notepad, then braced for the worst.
Stephanie said that Marty, Steve and Eric's meeting at Netflix went really well, and everyone was impressed by Eric and his take on the script. They also reiterated how much they had LOVED the THE ONLY WAY OUT BUT... They didn't have the budget to produce it. Due to declining revenue and decreasing stock prices, they were given a three-picture ultimatum for the year, and those films had already been chosen.
My heart sank. Dang it! But Stephanie wasn't finished. She told me that Netflix proposed a really unique deal, a once-in-her lifetime offer that she'd never heard of before. They asked for permission to shop the script to two additional production companies, Thunder Road Films and Skydance Media, explaining they wanted to keep some skin in the game that would ensure they were first in line for streaming rights. Stephanie was very excited. She'd never encountered anything like this in her decades-long career.
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I was happy to give Netflix permission to shop the script to Thunder Road Films and Skydance Media. These are huge production companies responsible for some of the coolest movies around. JOHN WICK and SICARIO were produced by Thunder Road Films while the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films (a couple of which our director, Eric Schwab had worked on), the JACK RYAN TV series, STAR TREK BEYOND, and the JACK REACHER films were all produced by Skydance Media.
Now this was exciting news! I frantically scribbled everything down on my left hand and arm. Stephanie talked about how she knows Larry Ellison (yes, that Larry Ellison, the co-founder of the Oracle Corporation), and how the head of Skydance Media happens to be his son, David Ellison. She also said she knew Basil Iwanyk at Thunder Road Films and had a good relationship with him based on previous projects. We talked about how both of these companies and all of these men had the means necessary to get THE ONLY WAY OUT off the ground.
Once again, this was exciting news. Although it hadn't worked out as expected with Netflix, their willingness to shop the script to Skydance Media and Thunder Road Films was an unbelievable stroke of luck! Not only that, but we were still waiting to hear back from Paramount.
I hung up with Stephanie, jogged back to my daughter's soccer field and cheered as my daughter helped her team win the game. I was ecstatic! Once again, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction and, because of my call with Stephanie and the fact my daughter won her soccer game (which I, of course, interpreted as a sign of good luck), I was 80% convinced that my upcoming birthday was going to be the most epic birthday, EVER!