Nora Ephron Julie & Julia, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle
Steven Spielberg
Vincent Ward
Julie Taymor, Frida
Charlie Kaufman Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (screenplay), Adaptation (screenplay) , Being John Malkovich (1999) (written by)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
What's Happen' with the Movie, Ruth?
How Do You Get Products & Service In The Five Rites Movie?
I'm thinking about having friends online with products for health, wealth, self care, baby boomers, five rites, yoga, marriage, relationship coaching, aging and seniors featured in the Five Rites movie or in the up coming Five Rites movie online community forum.
Put your name and email in the box below to learn more. Visit your email to get directions to pitch your product or service.
Thanks!
-Ruth
Ruth Anne Wood
Writer, Producer of Five Rites
ruth@scriptingforsuccess.com
Product Marketing & Advertising Media in Movies Hollywood Style from Ruth Anne Wood on Vimeo.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Get Products Featured in a Hollywood Movie
People have been asking me how they can get involved with the Five Rites movie. Their eyes light up when I tell them about the party I'm planning for friends, family and Hollywood.
What I need from my audience is the following:
-Products and services I'm excited to use in Five Rites movie
-Products and Services that can be used as give aways for premier Five Rite movie events
-Products and services perfect to recommend for my Five Rites online community
You see I'm building an online community that surpasses the life of Five Rites movie in the movie theaters. This will be a members forum where fans can network, build on the health, wealth and love conversations started in the movie.
I'm looking for experts with high content and high value products
with services focused on youth, beauty, health, adventure which emphasizes the awe inspiring story of 80 year old SOPHIE PETERSON who reverses the aging process through spiritual and health related activities.
We're featuring people with wealth building strategies, seminars, training that picks up far beyond the scope of a 90 minute movie where my billionaire business man CLYDE BENSON leaves off. It's a place where vendors can share products and services in line with the CLYDE and SOPHIE'S message of opulent living.
What I need from my audience is the following:
-Products and services I'm excited to use in Five Rites movie
-Products and Services that can be used as give aways for premier Five Rite movie events
-Products and services perfect to recommend for my Five Rites online community
You see I'm building an online community that surpasses the life of Five Rites movie in the movie theaters. This will be a members forum where fans can network, build on the health, wealth and love conversations started in the movie.
I'm looking for experts with high content and high value products
with services focused on youth, beauty, health, adventure which emphasizes the awe inspiring story of 80 year old SOPHIE PETERSON who reverses the aging process through spiritual and health related activities.
We're featuring people with wealth building strategies, seminars, training that picks up far beyond the scope of a 90 minute movie where my billionaire business man CLYDE BENSON leaves off. It's a place where vendors can share products and services in line with the CLYDE and SOPHIE'S message of opulent living.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I'd Like to Thanks The Academy...
I am truly blessed to be standing here today in front of my friends and peers in the movie business. Thank you for being a guide post for movie creation excellence. A key part of moving forward was being a sponge and watching your acceptance speeches over and over. I'd like to thank my family, friends and the seniors who I've met and served as a home care provider and massage therapist. I especially want to thank YouTube, Wikipedia and NPR for aiding in part of the research of my characters, setting and different time and places and the Hollywood success stories I choose to embrace and fully live. I'm also delighted that the producers observed the overwhelming demand for more Sophie and Clyde and have created "Sophie", a sitcom on the comical adventures of a couple inspiring the health and wealth of their community while balancing their older world values in a rapidly changing society.
Sophie's story was gifted to me shortly after a friend loaned me a copy of her book, _Ancient Secrets of the Fountain_ of Youth by Peter Kelder back in 2001. I started a log of how these five yoga exercised effected my health and well being and the rest is history... I'd like to thank the creators of Benjamin Buttons who notified me the world was ready to receive the story of how one woman used tools available to all healthy humans to improve her quality of life. I'd like to thank my brother Paul Dilley for writing the award winning score that seamlessly lead us through an emotionally fitting journey of the decades. I'd like to thank my producer. Thank you to Craig Kellem at hollywoodscripts.com. Thank you to my award winning husband, Jason Wood for giving me all the financial tools, time, love, encouragement this playwright needed to succeed at getting my dream out of my computer... and on a much bigger screen. This award is dedicated to my Tutu who instilled in me the love of world travel, adventure, writing and a strong female role model from Sophie's era...
INTERVIEW:
When Sophie started telling me her story a couple weeks into starting something called Tibetan Rites or Five Rites yoga exercises... she was a fully formed woman in her 70's born in 1919, enthusiastically feeding her life story to me... how she was a mother of five children, she loved her home in New Orleans and Cajun cooking and how her home care giver, Mary had begun teaching her these yoga exercises. It was almost like going to the theater... the days I did my yoga which offer a variety of stand alone benefits that seemed to offer relief for childhood Scoliosis I was told more of her story. As a story teller, winning yearly elementary school young author's contests and a playwright since high school it was massive entertainment and incentive to keep doing the yoga which was quite challenging at first.
Within five years I had filled a stack of 3x5 spiral notebooks. I was in no hury to rush the process. Sophie was my friend, mirror and emotional historian of my daily life including the conversations I had, interviews I heard on NPR and my own aspirations and challenges. I was able to get the lesson in the voices and actions of my characters in a meditative, eavesdropping way.
Then I started transferring her story to my computer. What I noticed most is while she was getting younger in appearance I was getting older... I would write about Sophie's husband which lead me to mine. Then I wrote about the forgotten ones and a secret society of homeless, lonely seniors and troubled citizens that got ushered into the care of Mary's community Opulas. That was in March of 2005 and in September my mom called me and said are you watching the news... your people in New Orleans are in trouble. I found myself dumbfounded and a bit like a deer in the headlights. I stopped writing for a while after that. Yet, many synchronicity occurred like that. I had lots of time to think and listen to Sophie's story while treating my massage clients. In that way I'm like Jane the sculptor.
When "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons" came out I was intrigued since I hadn't remembered hearing about F. Scott Fitzgerald short comic story. I sat in the theater on January 1, 2009 saying to my husband... that scene is in there... so is that one... mostly parallels were things that depicted the nature of the church and my imagined experiences growing up in the south. Also there were similar insights on getting younger while the people around Sophie and Benjamin got older. I had imagined CLYDE BENSON'S dad, T.J. a Forrest Gump in that he was there at the right time and things clicked in place for him. That's why I was also amused that Eric Roth's script was the one that was finally chosen during the project that spanned over ten years.
That week before seeing the Benjamin story, I heard a man give an inspiring talk the Sunday before Christmas which included his brush with death seven times. I immediately thought it would be cool to have Clyde have a similar story of dying multiple times while Sophie was avoiding aging and death. After watching Benjamin, where the man in the nursing home said, "I got struck by lightning ___ times. One time..." I let that idea fade away since my script was already very full. After seening the movie, part of me wanted my story to stay under the rock. Fortunately I was instead inspired to write a letter of intent to my mom, dad, brother, husband and grandmom that I'd finish the rough draft in 30 days by January 31, 2009. I didn't put a deadline on the final version but definitely got massive encouragement from my husband to wrap it up and send it to my script writing coach a.s.a.p.
I've toyed with the idea of having the Five Rites movie be filmed in one continuous take like "The Russian Ark". The reenactment of earlier scenes would be done at the Benson Estate. Everyone involved could flow from one scene or section of the yard or buildings till the whole story is told.
Sophie's story was gifted to me shortly after a friend loaned me a copy of her book, _Ancient Secrets of the Fountain_ of Youth by Peter Kelder back in 2001. I started a log of how these five yoga exercised effected my health and well being and the rest is history... I'd like to thank the creators of Benjamin Buttons who notified me the world was ready to receive the story of how one woman used tools available to all healthy humans to improve her quality of life. I'd like to thank my brother Paul Dilley for writing the award winning score that seamlessly lead us through an emotionally fitting journey of the decades. I'd like to thank my producer. Thank you to Craig Kellem at hollywoodscripts.com. Thank you to my award winning husband, Jason Wood for giving me all the financial tools, time, love, encouragement this playwright needed to succeed at getting my dream out of my computer... and on a much bigger screen. This award is dedicated to my Tutu who instilled in me the love of world travel, adventure, writing and a strong female role model from Sophie's era...
INTERVIEW:
When Sophie started telling me her story a couple weeks into starting something called Tibetan Rites or Five Rites yoga exercises... she was a fully formed woman in her 70's born in 1919, enthusiastically feeding her life story to me... how she was a mother of five children, she loved her home in New Orleans and Cajun cooking and how her home care giver, Mary had begun teaching her these yoga exercises. It was almost like going to the theater... the days I did my yoga which offer a variety of stand alone benefits that seemed to offer relief for childhood Scoliosis I was told more of her story. As a story teller, winning yearly elementary school young author's contests and a playwright since high school it was massive entertainment and incentive to keep doing the yoga which was quite challenging at first.
Within five years I had filled a stack of 3x5 spiral notebooks. I was in no hury to rush the process. Sophie was my friend, mirror and emotional historian of my daily life including the conversations I had, interviews I heard on NPR and my own aspirations and challenges. I was able to get the lesson in the voices and actions of my characters in a meditative, eavesdropping way.
Then I started transferring her story to my computer. What I noticed most is while she was getting younger in appearance I was getting older... I would write about Sophie's husband which lead me to mine. Then I wrote about the forgotten ones and a secret society of homeless, lonely seniors and troubled citizens that got ushered into the care of Mary's community Opulas. That was in March of 2005 and in September my mom called me and said are you watching the news... your people in New Orleans are in trouble. I found myself dumbfounded and a bit like a deer in the headlights. I stopped writing for a while after that. Yet, many synchronicity occurred like that. I had lots of time to think and listen to Sophie's story while treating my massage clients. In that way I'm like Jane the sculptor.
When "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons" came out I was intrigued since I hadn't remembered hearing about F. Scott Fitzgerald short comic story. I sat in the theater on January 1, 2009 saying to my husband... that scene is in there... so is that one... mostly parallels were things that depicted the nature of the church and my imagined experiences growing up in the south. Also there were similar insights on getting younger while the people around Sophie and Benjamin got older. I had imagined CLYDE BENSON'S dad, T.J. a Forrest Gump in that he was there at the right time and things clicked in place for him. That's why I was also amused that Eric Roth's script was the one that was finally chosen during the project that spanned over ten years.
That week before seeing the Benjamin story, I heard a man give an inspiring talk the Sunday before Christmas which included his brush with death seven times. I immediately thought it would be cool to have Clyde have a similar story of dying multiple times while Sophie was avoiding aging and death. After watching Benjamin, where the man in the nursing home said, "I got struck by lightning ___ times. One time..." I let that idea fade away since my script was already very full. After seening the movie, part of me wanted my story to stay under the rock. Fortunately I was instead inspired to write a letter of intent to my mom, dad, brother, husband and grandmom that I'd finish the rough draft in 30 days by January 31, 2009. I didn't put a deadline on the final version but definitely got massive encouragement from my husband to wrap it up and send it to my script writing coach a.s.a.p.
I've toyed with the idea of having the Five Rites movie be filmed in one continuous take like "The Russian Ark". The reenactment of earlier scenes would be done at the Benson Estate. Everyone involved could flow from one scene or section of the yard or buildings till the whole story is told.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Guest List for Five Rites Movie Party
People Invited to Five Rites Movie Party have played key roles in the creation of "Five Rites" Movie. I love and appreciate you and your contribution to the story.
Entertainment:
1) A Series of Five Rites Food Grazing
2) Theme Musical Performances
3) Clips
4) Movie Spoofs and Bloopers
5) Awards
6) Appreciation Ceremony
7) Vision Meditation
8) Dance Party
More Guests to Arrive Soon...
Alanis Morissette - Inspiration for Jane
Abraham-Hicks - My spiritual coach
Adam Sandler - For inspiration for Adam
Ali Brown - For your kick butt, Ruth you can do anything spirit guided pep talks
Alma Ludewig - Your beauty
Ben Affleck - Your movies inspired me to be a playwright
Beth Meininger - My first Dream Coach and co-author
Bill Gates - For your Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Billy Joel - Music to dream by and develop well rounded characters
Bon Jovi - "It's My Life" get back on the horse theme song
Brad Pitt - For Fight Club and Benjamin Buttons
Cass Forkin - For modeling charity and making wishes come true for seniors
Catherine Werth - Your love and support and birthing me
Chris Anderson - For your TED interview of Richard Branson
Craig Kellem - Your script consult
Cuba Gooding Jr - Inspiration for T.J. Benson
Dawn - For the canoe on the lake pep talk and how to get clear with my movie guides
Dezel Washington -For being and inspiration for Clyde Benson
Diablo Cody - Inspiration for Jane and rockn' Juno and Letterman Interview
Donald Trump - For being a model for Clyde Benson
Drew Berrymore - For your Inspiration for movie making
Don Miguel Ángel Ruiz - for helping me be impeccable with my word
Edith - Thanks for loaning me Peter Kelder's book that introduced me to Sophie and inspired the movie
Edie Moser - For your encouragement of my writing at and early age, dubbing me "Ruth the Poet"
Ellen Degeneres - for your humor and insight into your guests and oscars
Ester & Jerry Hicks - For your service with Abraham
George Lucas - For your Inspiration for movie making
Goldie Hawn - Your Brilliant rolls and spirituality
Graham Greene - For Dances w/ Wolves and inpiration for Graham
Harmony - For your clearing sessions
Hellen Hunt - Your role in Pay It Forward
Holly Berry - Profound presence and inspiration for Heather
Ivana Trunp - Your inspiring presence
Jack Canfield - For your Original Chicken Soup for the Soul cassette tape
Janelle Chambers - For your friendship and inner and outer strength
Jason Wood - For being my amazing supportive husband and inspiration for Mark
Jean Dilley - Inspiration for Sophie Peterson and your love of writing and travel
Jennifer Garner - Inspiration for Jane
Jesse Barth - For your introduction into the world of Oscar Hammerstein II
Jim Carrey - Comical inspiration for Gary
Joe Vitale - For the Secret and introducing me to Honopono
Joe Wiggley - For being my Mom's loving partner
Julianne Moore - Fiery red fodder and inspiration for Gail
Julia Roberts - For your Erin Brockavich acceptance speech I watched a few times
Keven Spacey - Your role in Pay It Forward
Kulbir Rangi - For your humor, insight and friendship
Lee Dilley - For being my Dad
Leonardo Di Caprio - For inspiring me in Titanic and Catch Me if You Can
Lynn Grabhorn - Thanks for kicking it off with _Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting_
M. Night Shyamalan - For the first screenplay I fully read - Sixth Sense
Mark Victor Hansen - for inspiring Abundant Magical Lives
Marianne Williamson - Inspiration for my first book Abundant Magical Lives
Max Freedman - Your call to action to finish script
Mayor of New Orleans - Your city inpired yet another historic, sci-fi epic
Meryl Streep - For being an inspiration for Sophie Peterson
Morgan Freeman - Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Napoleon Hill - For your Think and Grow Rich Sales Letter
Nelson Mandela - For your inspiration for the fountain of youth story
Oprah Winfrey - for teaching the importance of building from the inside out
Pat Kilgoganon - For your Success Coaching and emotional block clearing
Paul Dilley - For your brotherly support and award winning movie score
Paul & Sharon Stratton - Inspiration for Mark, Jane and Sheila
Peter Kelder - For Ancient Secrets of the Fountian of Youth which lite the spark
Phylicia Rashād - Inspiration for Mary
Queen Latefia - Inspiration for
Richard Branson - For your Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Ruth Anne Wood - for being a scribe, empowered playwright
Sandra Oh - For your inspiration for Kim
Sidney Poitier - Inspiration for Pop Valette and Clyde Benson
Stash Serafin - Reminding me the impossible is possible
Steve Martin - For so much including The Absent Minded Waiter - Loved It!
Steven Colbert - For your political, comedic awareness
Steven Speilberg - The first I thought of to direct five rites day one
Terri Gross - For your character inspiring interviews and carrot to be on your show
Thomas Gibson - For being an inspiration for Mark on Dharma and "Greg" (my husband)
Tom Hanks - Inspiration for Robin Peterson
Will Smith - For your talk on Alchemy and legacy and a model for Felix's dad T.J.
Entertainment:
1) A Series of Five Rites Food Grazing
2) Theme Musical Performances
3) Clips
4) Movie Spoofs and Bloopers
5) Awards
6) Appreciation Ceremony
7) Vision Meditation
8) Dance Party
More Guests to Arrive Soon...
Alanis Morissette - Inspiration for Jane
Abraham-Hicks - My spiritual coach
Adam Sandler - For inspiration for Adam
Ali Brown - For your kick butt, Ruth you can do anything spirit guided pep talks
Alma Ludewig - Your beauty
Ben Affleck - Your movies inspired me to be a playwright
Beth Meininger - My first Dream Coach and co-author
Bill Gates - For your Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Billy Joel - Music to dream by and develop well rounded characters
Bon Jovi - "It's My Life" get back on the horse theme song
Brad Pitt - For Fight Club and Benjamin Buttons
Cass Forkin - For modeling charity and making wishes come true for seniors
Catherine Werth - Your love and support and birthing me
Chris Anderson - For your TED interview of Richard Branson
Craig Kellem - Your script consult
Cuba Gooding Jr - Inspiration for T.J. Benson
Dawn - For the canoe on the lake pep talk and how to get clear with my movie guides
Dezel Washington -For being and inspiration for Clyde Benson
Diablo Cody - Inspiration for Jane and rockn' Juno and Letterman Interview
Donald Trump - For being a model for Clyde Benson
Drew Berrymore - For your Inspiration for movie making
Don Miguel Ángel Ruiz - for helping me be impeccable with my word
Edith - Thanks for loaning me Peter Kelder's book that introduced me to Sophie and inspired the movie
Edie Moser - For your encouragement of my writing at and early age, dubbing me "Ruth the Poet"
Ellen Degeneres - for your humor and insight into your guests and oscars
Ester & Jerry Hicks - For your service with Abraham
George Lucas - For your Inspiration for movie making
Goldie Hawn - Your Brilliant rolls and spirituality
Graham Greene - For Dances w/ Wolves and inpiration for Graham
Harmony - For your clearing sessions
Hellen Hunt - Your role in Pay It Forward
Holly Berry - Profound presence and inspiration for Heather
Ivana Trunp - Your inspiring presence
Jack Canfield - For your Original Chicken Soup for the Soul cassette tape
Janelle Chambers - For your friendship and inner and outer strength
Jason Wood - For being my amazing supportive husband and inspiration for Mark
Jean Dilley - Inspiration for Sophie Peterson and your love of writing and travel
Jennifer Garner - Inspiration for Jane
Jesse Barth - For your introduction into the world of Oscar Hammerstein II
Jim Carrey - Comical inspiration for Gary
Joe Vitale - For the Secret and introducing me to Honopono
Joe Wiggley - For being my Mom's loving partner
Julianne Moore - Fiery red fodder and inspiration for Gail
Julia Roberts - For your Erin Brockavich acceptance speech I watched a few times
Keven Spacey - Your role in Pay It Forward
Kulbir Rangi - For your humor, insight and friendship
Lee Dilley - For being my Dad
Leonardo Di Caprio - For inspiring me in Titanic and Catch Me if You Can
Lynn Grabhorn - Thanks for kicking it off with _Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting_
M. Night Shyamalan - For the first screenplay I fully read - Sixth Sense
Mark Victor Hansen - for inspiring Abundant Magical Lives
Marianne Williamson - Inspiration for my first book Abundant Magical Lives
Max Freedman - Your call to action to finish script
Mayor of New Orleans - Your city inpired yet another historic, sci-fi epic
Meryl Streep - For being an inspiration for Sophie Peterson
Morgan Freeman - Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Napoleon Hill - For your Think and Grow Rich Sales Letter
Nelson Mandela - For your inspiration for the fountain of youth story
Oprah Winfrey - for teaching the importance of building from the inside out
Pat Kilgoganon - For your Success Coaching and emotional block clearing
Paul Dilley - For your brotherly support and award winning movie score
Paul & Sharon Stratton - Inspiration for Mark, Jane and Sheila
Peter Kelder - For Ancient Secrets of the Fountian of Youth which lite the spark
Phylicia Rashād - Inspiration for Mary
Queen Latefia - Inspiration for
Richard Branson - For your Inspiration for Clyde Benson
Ruth Anne Wood - for being a scribe, empowered playwright
Sandra Oh - For your inspiration for Kim
Sidney Poitier - Inspiration for Pop Valette and Clyde Benson
Stash Serafin - Reminding me the impossible is possible
Steve Martin - For so much including The Absent Minded Waiter - Loved It!
Steven Colbert - For your political, comedic awareness
Steven Speilberg - The first I thought of to direct five rites day one
Terri Gross - For your character inspiring interviews and carrot to be on your show
Thomas Gibson - For being an inspiration for Mark on Dharma and "Greg" (my husband)
Tom Hanks - Inspiration for Robin Peterson
Will Smith - For your talk on Alchemy and legacy and a model for Felix's dad T.J.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Movie Time Line
X 8/9/09 Getting more inspiration from Julie & Julia
X 7/20/09 Having an inspiring conversation with Letterman staff
X 7/12/09 to date going back and writing out new story arcs, update synopsis and now working with Craig Kellem's daughter, Judy Kellem of http://hollywoodscripts.com
X 7/12/09 Finally!!! I sent my script off to hollywoodscript.com to get edits before it's sent to producer in LA! Time to celebrate! Wahoo!
X 5/20/09 Wrote my "Five Rites" movie manifesto
x 5/20/09 After listening to Goldstein about story arcs, I knew I had to reconnect with my script coach and tighten up my story arcs. :-)
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
X 7/20/09 Having an inspiring conversation with Letterman staff
X 7/12/09 to date going back and writing out new story arcs, update synopsis and now working with Craig Kellem's daughter, Judy Kellem of http://hollywoodscripts.com
X 7/12/09 Finally!!! I sent my script off to hollywoodscript.com to get edits before it's sent to producer in LA! Time to celebrate! Wahoo!
X 5/20/09 Wrote my "Five Rites" movie manifesto
x 5/20/09 After listening to Goldstein about story arcs, I knew I had to reconnect with my script coach and tighten up my story arcs. :-)
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
Friday, June 26, 2009
Character Desciptions
Disclaimer: These roles/actors are not set in stone
Sophie - Meryl Steep (4-90)
Leading Lady: Caucasian Woman (1919) who discovers a five rites yoga diet, exercise and mind set reverses the aging process so she looks/feels fabulous 30-40 in her 80's and 90's.
Clyde Benson – (5-91) Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman
Leading Man: Afro- American Man (1918) who is a billionaire business entrepreneur, investor who has stayed in shape since WWII doing the British Military Fitness
Mary Mariam- Phylicia Rashād (75-85)
Supporting Role: French Creole Woman (1925) who looks 50’s responsible for teaching Sophie Peterson the five rites yoga.
Jesse - (50) Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith D.D.
Mary's side kick, who helps Mary build her Five Rites community
Jessica Bates - Ali Brown (22-90)
Long time friend of Sophie
Jane Plain - Alanis Morissette or Jennifer Garner or even better Diablo Cody (30’s)
Supporting Role: Caucasian (1975) Narrator, fine sculptor, painter who is commissioned to document Sophie and Clyde’s fountain of youth and rags to riches story
Zoe – (1990) (8-25)
Supporting Role: Sophie’s precocious Caucasian grand daughter, Gail’s daughter
Mark Plain – Thomas Gibson or Ben Affleck (30)
Supporting Role: Caucasian, married to Jane Plain, loving supportive, chiropractor
Gayle – (1950) (40-80) Julianne Moore
Supporting Role: Caucasian, twin to Gary, widow, stressed single mom, nurse
Gary – (1950) (40) Jim Carrey
Supporting Role: Caucasian, twin to Gail, light hearted, comedian
Jessica Bates - (20-80) Ali Brown
Caucasian, bomshell blond and long time friend of Sophie
Heather- (40) Holly Berry
Cameo Role: Afro-American, Talented healer, clarinet and standup bass, heavily dressed street musician
T. J. (1890’s) – Cuba Gooding Jr or Will Smith
Supporting Role: Clyde Benson’s father
Sally Benson (1890’s) (35) - Oprah Windfry, Queen Latifah
Supporting Role: Clyde Benson’s mother, a healer, gardener, wise teacher, visionary
Karma Davids – (1890’s) (25)
Supporting Role: Sophie’s mother, French, seamstress
Patrick Davids – (1890’s) (30) Tom Hanks
Supporting Role: Sophie’s father - chemist, resourceful yet down on his luck after flood / 1930’s job change
Carl Davids - (1880’s) (30)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s strong, in the trades uncle
Pop Valette – (1840’s) (80) Sidney Poitier
Cameo Role: Grandpa who dispenses Mardi Gras wisdom and New Orleans history
Mrs. Boyle – (1880’s) (50)
Supporting Role: Intense, motherly church lady
Aunt Theresa – (1880’s)
Sophie’s stuffy, classy, Victorian proper aunt
Robin Peterson – (1917)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s late husband of 51 years, military man, tall, dark and handsome
Mrs. Peterson – (1870’s) (50)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s mother-in-law –big woman in wheelchair and joyous spirit
Jay Leno - Himself
Cameo Role:
Dennis Miller - Himself
Cameo Role:
Graham Greene - Himself
Cameo Role:
Adam Sandler – Himself
Cameo Role:
Kim – Sandra Oh (30)
Young, single mom, has a medical emergency and needs a huge fund raiser for surgery
Mitsu – (8)
Kim’s son, autistic, loving, loves yoga
Rachael- Alma Ludewig (30)
Jane’s Canadian, South American friend, gorgeous model, sweet
Seth- (19)
Troubled teen parent, diabetic in grey dirty hooded sweatshirt, who resorts to robberies
Sam- (19)
Cameo Role: Seth’s girl friend, former cheerleader, overweight mother
Baby Becca- (1)
Seth and Sam’s enfant
Chris- (8)
Sam’s violent, nerdy kid brother – looks like Ralphie on A Christmas Story
Kimberly- (25)
Cameo Role: Young bank teller
Charlie- (50)
Clyde Benson’s sharp investment partner, heavy, brick house of a man
Officer Gent (40)
Cameo Role:
Sophie - Meryl Steep (4-90)
Leading Lady: Caucasian Woman (1919) who discovers a five rites yoga diet, exercise and mind set reverses the aging process so she looks/feels fabulous 30-40 in her 80's and 90's.
Clyde Benson – (5-91) Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman
Leading Man: Afro- American Man (1918) who is a billionaire business entrepreneur, investor who has stayed in shape since WWII doing the British Military Fitness
Mary Mariam- Phylicia Rashād (75-85)
Supporting Role: French Creole Woman (1925) who looks 50’s responsible for teaching Sophie Peterson the five rites yoga.
Jesse - (50) Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith D.D.
Mary's side kick, who helps Mary build her Five Rites community
Jessica Bates - Ali Brown (22-90)
Long time friend of Sophie
Jane Plain - Alanis Morissette or Jennifer Garner or even better Diablo Cody (30’s)
Supporting Role: Caucasian (1975) Narrator, fine sculptor, painter who is commissioned to document Sophie and Clyde’s fountain of youth and rags to riches story
Zoe – (1990) (8-25)
Supporting Role: Sophie’s precocious Caucasian grand daughter, Gail’s daughter
Mark Plain – Thomas Gibson or Ben Affleck (30)
Supporting Role: Caucasian, married to Jane Plain, loving supportive, chiropractor
Gayle – (1950) (40-80) Julianne Moore
Supporting Role: Caucasian, twin to Gary, widow, stressed single mom, nurse
Gary – (1950) (40) Jim Carrey
Supporting Role: Caucasian, twin to Gail, light hearted, comedian
Jessica Bates - (20-80) Ali Brown
Caucasian, bomshell blond and long time friend of Sophie
Heather- (40) Holly Berry
Cameo Role: Afro-American, Talented healer, clarinet and standup bass, heavily dressed street musician
T. J. (1890’s) – Cuba Gooding Jr or Will Smith
Supporting Role: Clyde Benson’s father
Sally Benson (1890’s) (35) - Oprah Windfry, Queen Latifah
Supporting Role: Clyde Benson’s mother, a healer, gardener, wise teacher, visionary
Karma Davids – (1890’s) (25)
Supporting Role: Sophie’s mother, French, seamstress
Patrick Davids – (1890’s) (30) Tom Hanks
Supporting Role: Sophie’s father - chemist, resourceful yet down on his luck after flood / 1930’s job change
Carl Davids - (1880’s) (30)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s strong, in the trades uncle
Pop Valette – (1840’s) (80) Sidney Poitier
Cameo Role: Grandpa who dispenses Mardi Gras wisdom and New Orleans history
Mrs. Boyle – (1880’s) (50)
Supporting Role: Intense, motherly church lady
Aunt Theresa – (1880’s)
Sophie’s stuffy, classy, Victorian proper aunt
Robin Peterson – (1917)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s late husband of 51 years, military man, tall, dark and handsome
Mrs. Peterson – (1870’s) (50)
Cameo Role: Sophie’s mother-in-law –big woman in wheelchair and joyous spirit
Jay Leno - Himself
Cameo Role:
Dennis Miller - Himself
Cameo Role:
Graham Greene - Himself
Cameo Role:
Adam Sandler – Himself
Cameo Role:
Kim – Sandra Oh (30)
Young, single mom, has a medical emergency and needs a huge fund raiser for surgery
Mitsu – (8)
Kim’s son, autistic, loving, loves yoga
Rachael- Alma Ludewig (30)
Jane’s Canadian, South American friend, gorgeous model, sweet
Seth- (19)
Troubled teen parent, diabetic in grey dirty hooded sweatshirt, who resorts to robberies
Sam- (19)
Cameo Role: Seth’s girl friend, former cheerleader, overweight mother
Baby Becca- (1)
Seth and Sam’s enfant
Chris- (8)
Sam’s violent, nerdy kid brother – looks like Ralphie on A Christmas Story
Kimberly- (25)
Cameo Role: Young bank teller
Charlie- (50)
Clyde Benson’s sharp investment partner, heavy, brick house of a man
Officer Gent (40)
Cameo Role:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What are the 11 steps to get your book published and selling?
Ebay has a great guide that Twilight Wish and Thriving Artist Press created. It's a 30 minute audio with 11 time and money saving tips to write, market, publish and sell your book. Great for new and seasoned authors. If you want to review the book for your email subscribers request a free copy here.
Think And Grow Rich
Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Read It. One five minute mental/desire exercise made me $20,000 within three months when I was 22. Imagine if I had read the whole book over a decade ago. Doh! Become a facebook fan of Five Rites Movie and get the five minute exercise that helped me get an unexpected $20,000 within the time I requested..
Monday, June 15, 2009
Movie Research for Five Rites
Since 1/1/09 When I Committed to Finishing My Script...
Movies I've watched in its entirety on YouTube in between writing
E.T.
Pay It Forward
Highlander (My Dad's T.V. --- We don't own one)
When Harry Met Sally
Catch Me If You Can
Erin Brockovich
Something's Gotta Give
House Sitter
Absent Minded Waiter
Scripts I've read while writing Five Rites
The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons
E.T.
Catch Me If You Can
Erin Brockovich
Slumdog Millionaire
Fight Club
Partial Scenes I've Watched Writng Five Rites
Russian Arc
"Frankie and Johnny" - Cyd Charisse in 'Meet me in Las Vegas'
Movies I've Watched at the Theater
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Up
Julie & Julia
Books Read During The Making of Five Rites Movie Script
Think and Grow Rich (rereading)
one exercise brought $20,000 when I was 22
The Science of Getting Rich
Movies I've watched in its entirety on YouTube in between writing
E.T.
Pay It Forward
Highlander (My Dad's T.V. --- We don't own one)
When Harry Met Sally
Catch Me If You Can
Erin Brockovich
Something's Gotta Give
House Sitter
Absent Minded Waiter
Scripts I've read while writing Five Rites
The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons
E.T.
Catch Me If You Can
Erin Brockovich
Slumdog Millionaire
Fight Club
Partial Scenes I've Watched Writng Five Rites
Russian Arc
"Frankie and Johnny" - Cyd Charisse in 'Meet me in Las Vegas'
Movies I've Watched at the Theater
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Up
Julie & Julia
Books Read During The Making of Five Rites Movie Script
Think and Grow Rich (rereading)
one exercise brought $20,000 when I was 22
The Science of Getting Rich
Saturday, June 13, 2009
7 Things I loved about Up and the Fresh Air Interview
Thanks Fresh Air for your interview with Pixar veteran Pete Docte on "Up".
Here's the 7 Thinks I loved about Fresh Air interview with Pixar Director Pete Docte
1. I loved how Pixar sent half a dozen guys to South America with sketch pads and cameras to do research
2. It was neat how Jordan Nagai who had no intention of auditioning was picked for the part of the kid's voice Russell in Up when he came with his older brother who was there to audition.
3. It was cool how Elie Docte, the director's daughter was a fill in reader for the part of Young Ellie until actors like Ed Asner said they liked her voice and they assigned Elie Docte the roll.
4. During Terri's interview, Pete talked about the tricks they used to get Jorden Nagai a new actor to read his lines with certain emotions including running around the studio after memorizing a line and then saying it out of breath or being held up side down.
5. I had to go out to see it the same night after I listened to the podcast because I had to check out the silent montage of Ellie and Carl aging, in hopes to shorten 30 pages of my script, the Five Rites. The aging sequence done without dialog was powerful and as emotional as Docte promised!
6. I also had to check out the way Pixar did the old movie sequence choosing "adventure" music for the mock old newsreel clips since that is another scene... kids watching the 20's news clips.
7. I found it interesting the discussion of how the writers choose the villains for Up.
Once again "Fresh Air University" furthers my film education! Up was a delight. I give it two thumbs UP!
Here's the 7 Thinks I loved about Fresh Air interview with Pixar Director Pete Docte
1. I loved how Pixar sent half a dozen guys to South America with sketch pads and cameras to do research
2. It was neat how Jordan Nagai who had no intention of auditioning was picked for the part of the kid's voice Russell in Up when he came with his older brother who was there to audition.
3. It was cool how Elie Docte, the director's daughter was a fill in reader for the part of Young Ellie until actors like Ed Asner said they liked her voice and they assigned Elie Docte the roll.
4. During Terri's interview, Pete talked about the tricks they used to get Jorden Nagai a new actor to read his lines with certain emotions including running around the studio after memorizing a line and then saying it out of breath or being held up side down.
5. I had to go out to see it the same night after I listened to the podcast because I had to check out the silent montage of Ellie and Carl aging, in hopes to shorten 30 pages of my script, the Five Rites. The aging sequence done without dialog was powerful and as emotional as Docte promised!
6. I also had to check out the way Pixar did the old movie sequence choosing "adventure" music for the mock old newsreel clips since that is another scene... kids watching the 20's news clips.
7. I found it interesting the discussion of how the writers choose the villains for Up.
Once again "Fresh Air University" furthers my film education! Up was a delight. I give it two thumbs UP!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Russian Ark - Filmed with one Continuous Shot
There are many ways to do a film. Today's movie discovery fascinates me. Russkiy kovcheg (2002) or "Russian Ark" is an ENTIRE movie, 99 minutes long filmed in one day in one shot! It was the first feature film ever to be shot in a single take, filmed using a single 90-minute Steadicam tracking shot with 2000 actors and multiple orchestras. I recomend you rent it on Net Flix instead of watching the blurry version of "Russian Ark" on Youtube.com
Here's the synopsis told by Mrs. Bass on Yahoo answers:
"Told in one fluid shot, a tale which floats like a dreamlike journey through the majestic spaces of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, engaging real and imagined characters from Russian and European history. The nameless protagonist, a 19th-century French diplomat, guides the audience through a lost, sumptuous dream that was the Enlightenment period. The film, staged among some of the Western Art tradition's greatest masterpieces, climaxes in a pageant of color, motion, and music. For Sokurov, the Hermitage--home to generations of Romonovs and repository of so much Russian history--is the ark of the Russian soul, guarding it affectionately until the world sees better days. Source(s): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318034/
Here's the synopsis told by Mrs. Bass on Yahoo answers:
"Told in one fluid shot, a tale which floats like a dreamlike journey through the majestic spaces of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, engaging real and imagined characters from Russian and European history. The nameless protagonist, a 19th-century French diplomat, guides the audience through a lost, sumptuous dream that was the Enlightenment period. The film, staged among some of the Western Art tradition's greatest masterpieces, climaxes in a pageant of color, motion, and music. For Sokurov, the Hermitage--home to generations of Romonovs and repository of so much Russian history--is the ark of the Russian soul, guarding it affectionately until the world sees better days. Source(s): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318034/
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Growing All Star Cast
What keeps me motivate as I do more edits before I send my script off to Craig Kellem, former SNL and HBO staff for edits and then to: Max Freedman in LA to take it to the next level? Why it's designing a story near and dear to my heart around an awe inspiring cast of characters. Here are my nominations so far:
CAST
Sophie – Meryl Streep
Heather- Holly Berry
Jane Plain - Alanis Morissette or Jennifer Garner or even better Diablo Cody... but no bangs please
Mark Plain – Thomas Gibson or Ben Affleck
Mary Mariam- Phylicia Rashād
Clyde Benson - Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman
T. J. – Cuba Gooding Jr or Will Smith
Sally Benson - Queen Latifah
Karma Davids -
Patrick Davids – Tom Hanks
Carl Davids -
Gayle – Julianne Moore
Gary – Jim Carrey
Pop Valette - Sidney Poitier
Mrs. Boyle -
Robin Peterson -
Mrs. Peterson -
Jay Leno - Himself
Dennis Miller - Himself
Graham Greene - Himself
Adam Sandler – Himself
Kim – Sandra Oh
Mitsu -
Rachael- Alma Ludewig
Seth-
Chris-
Sam-
Baby Becca-
Kimberly-
Harry-
CAST
Sophie – Meryl Streep
Heather- Holly Berry
Jane Plain - Alanis Morissette or Jennifer Garner or even better Diablo Cody... but no bangs please
Mark Plain – Thomas Gibson or Ben Affleck
Mary Mariam- Phylicia Rashād
Clyde Benson - Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman
T. J. – Cuba Gooding Jr or Will Smith
Sally Benson - Queen Latifah
Karma Davids -
Patrick Davids – Tom Hanks
Carl Davids -
Gayle – Julianne Moore
Gary – Jim Carrey
Pop Valette - Sidney Poitier
Mrs. Boyle -
Robin Peterson -
Mrs. Peterson -
Jay Leno - Himself
Dennis Miller - Himself
Graham Greene - Himself
Adam Sandler – Himself
Kim – Sandra Oh
Mitsu -
Rachael- Alma Ludewig
Seth-
Chris-
Sam-
Baby Becca-
Kimberly-
Harry-
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Are You an Ally of The Five Rites?
I just met another fan and ally of the Tibetian Rites!
She said she was "fascinated to see your plot concept inspired by Peter Kelder's book. Good for you! Can't wait to see the film. I love sci fi, fantasy, interesting concepts. Great idea and I wish you well." -Carolinda Witt
Carolinda Witt has also been inspired by the Rites - so much so that she has written a couple of books (Penguin, Random House), produced a DVD and Teacher Training Program for them! She's modified the original movements a bit to make them safer to do as the overbending in the lumbar and cervical spine can cause back/neck issues for a percentage of people. She believes, "We are so much more sedentary today than the monks of the past. Anyway, they work the same, look the same, but are just done with the 'problems' removed and core stability added. And VIP- breathing!"
If I need any help with the movie she offered to offer advice. What a Gal. Carolinda is an excellent resource for the Tibetan rites.
Carolinda Witt
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.T5T.com
She said she was "fascinated to see your plot concept inspired by Peter Kelder's book. Good for you! Can't wait to see the film. I love sci fi, fantasy, interesting concepts. Great idea and I wish you well." -Carolinda Witt
Carolinda Witt has also been inspired by the Rites - so much so that she has written a couple of books (Penguin, Random House), produced a DVD and Teacher Training Program for them! She's modified the original movements a bit to make them safer to do as the overbending in the lumbar and cervical spine can cause back/neck issues for a percentage of people. She believes, "We are so much more sedentary today than the monks of the past. Anyway, they work the same, look the same, but are just done with the 'problems' removed and core stability added. And VIP- breathing!"
If I need any help with the movie she offered to offer advice. What a Gal. Carolinda is an excellent resource for the Tibetan rites.
Carolinda Witt
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.T5T.com
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Making of the Five Rites Movie
X 5/20/09 Wrote my "Five Rites" movie manifesto
x 5/20/09 After listening to Goldstein about story arcs, I knew I had to reconnect with my script coach and tighten up my story arcs. :-)
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
x 5/20/09 After listening to Goldstein about story arcs, I knew I had to reconnect with my script coach and tighten up my story arcs. :-)
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Which Superhero is Sophie Peterson
Your results:
You are Wonder Woman
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz
You are Wonder Woman
| You are a beautiful princess with great strength of character.  |
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz
Monday, February 16, 2009
Making of the Five Rites Movie Timeline To Date
x 5/20/09 After listening to Goldstein about story arcs, I knew I had to reconnect with my script coach and tighten up my story arcs. :-)
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
x 5/19/09 Got immersed in Gary Goldstein's work as a producer and author, speaker (He produced Pretty Woman)
x 5/18/09 Sent a working draft to Tutu (grand mom) who did a awesome job fixing the costly mistakes my paid editor made on You Can't Get It 'Cause You've Already Got It!
x 5/12/09 Heard more music that fits in the soundtrack (Hunter's Song)
x 4/29/09 Took the which superhero are you online test - Wonder Woman at http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
x 4/7/09-4/14/09 Scouted out locations for Five Rites Movie! It was a great working vacation!
x 3/17/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer after further developing Billionaire CLYDE BENSON'S character (timely for today's market) 3/31/09
x 2/13/09 Recommitted to sending script to Hollywood/agent/producer 2/16/09
X 2/16/09 Read an article that influenced story setting
x 2/2/09 Committed to sending working script to agent by 2/7/09
X 1/31/09 Created fiveritesmovie.com and 5ritesmovie.com
X 1/31/09 Completed a very rough draft by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Commit to finishing a rough draft (8 year goal) by 1/31/09
X 1/1/09 Watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons 1/1/09
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Doing Things In This Certain Way
INT. BEDROOM – BED TIME 1924
Down a dimly lit hallway we see a framed membership of the National Negro Business League and a family photo of Sally and Taylor James wedding and another black and white of them with their new born son Clyde Benson. A tiny light illuminates a boy’s cozy cottage bedroom. There is a small shelf of books and one or two treasured toys near by. Felix is sitting up in his sleep wear, leaning against T.J. who is reading.
FELIX
Dad, that was short. Can we read another?
T.J.
Pick out a book.
Felix points at the book James gave him sitting on the night table.
T.J. (CONT’D)
(Surprised)
This one?
Felix nods his head.
T.J. (CONT’D)
It will take a couple nights to read this one. I’ll read a paragraph or two. Then it’s lights out. Get comfortable.
T.J. helps Felix get comfortable. Felix is a ham and sits up and fluffs the pillow. T.J. gives a stern warning.
T.J. (CONT’D)
Do you want me to read or not?
Felix flops down and T.J. pulls the covers over Felix’s head. Felix has an impish grin when T.J. folds the covers right below Felix’s chin proudly sticking up.
T.J. (CONT’D)
“THERE IS A SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH, and it is an exact science, like algebra or arithmetic. There are certain laws which govern the process of acquiring riches, and once these laws are learned and obeyed by anyone, that person will get rich with mathematical certainty.”
CUT TO:
INT. CLYDE’S OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON
We see Clyde’s silver truck bounding down the interstate 10 towards Canale Street first from an aerial shot and then directly behind the truck that has four passengers Clyde, Ryan, Sophie and Phillip.
Clyde’s voice overlaps with T.J.
CLYDE (V.O.)
“The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way,”
We see the passion and intensity of Clyde as he drives and shares his core philosophy quoted directly from The Science of Getting Rich.
CLYDE
“and those who do things in this certain way — whether on purpose or accidentally — get rich, while those who do not do things in this certain way — no matter how hard they work or how able they are — remain poor.”
Phillip is on Sophie’s lap panting with his eyes on RYAN “Doug the Thug”, who Clyde subdued and took under his wing for his own form of justice.
CUT TO:
INT. CLYDE’S OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Down a dimly lit hallway we see a framed membership of the National Negro Business League and a family photo of Sally and Taylor James wedding and another black and white of them with their new born son Clyde Benson. A tiny light illuminates a boy’s cozy cottage bedroom. There is a small shelf of books and one or two treasured toys near by. Felix is sitting up in his sleep wear, leaning against T.J. who is reading.
FELIX
Dad, that was short. Can we read another?
T.J.
Pick out a book.
Felix points at the book James gave him sitting on the night table.
T.J. (CONT’D)
(Surprised)
This one?
Felix nods his head.
T.J. (CONT’D)
It will take a couple nights to read this one. I’ll read a paragraph or two. Then it’s lights out. Get comfortable.
T.J. helps Felix get comfortable. Felix is a ham and sits up and fluffs the pillow. T.J. gives a stern warning.
T.J. (CONT’D)
Do you want me to read or not?
Felix flops down and T.J. pulls the covers over Felix’s head. Felix has an impish grin when T.J. folds the covers right below Felix’s chin proudly sticking up.
T.J. (CONT’D)
“THERE IS A SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH, and it is an exact science, like algebra or arithmetic. There are certain laws which govern the process of acquiring riches, and once these laws are learned and obeyed by anyone, that person will get rich with mathematical certainty.”
CUT TO:
INT. CLYDE’S OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON
We see Clyde’s silver truck bounding down the interstate 10 towards Canale Street first from an aerial shot and then directly behind the truck that has four passengers Clyde, Ryan, Sophie and Phillip.
Clyde’s voice overlaps with T.J.
CLYDE (V.O.)
“The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way,”
We see the passion and intensity of Clyde as he drives and shares his core philosophy quoted directly from The Science of Getting Rich.
CLYDE
“and those who do things in this certain way — whether on purpose or accidentally — get rich, while those who do not do things in this certain way — no matter how hard they work or how able they are — remain poor.”
Phillip is on Sophie’s lap panting with his eyes on RYAN “Doug the Thug”, who Clyde subdued and took under his wing for his own form of justice.
CUT TO:
INT. CLYDE’S OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Science of Getting Rich
We hear a loud explosive sound go off in the parking lot.
CUT TO:
75 years earlier
EXT. NEW ORLEANS – SUNNY AFTERNOON, 1923
CLYDE(5) or “FELIX” as they call him (after the animated impish cat) is the high energy, curious CLYDE BENSON 75 years before the parking lot holdup. FELIX is walking with his father T.J. BENSON(26)in a quiet dirt road neighborhood when we hear another explosive sound. T.J. is really great at fixing anything including cars and is soon standing near a new Chrysler motor when the engine let’s out a thunderous sound under the raised hood.
T.J.
Sir, is your beauty giving you trouble?
JAMES COOPER(60’s) with short white hair smartly trimmed under a gentleman’s hat and suit is mumbling under his breath about his bran spanking new 1923 Chrysler that won’t start.
JAMES
(Good ‘ole boy)
You got that right.
T.J.
Sir, what have you tried?
JAMES
I don’t know, I’m running late for a talk. It’s my son’s graduation.
T.J.
Sir, my friends call me T.J. If it’s not too much trouble I could give a quick check under the hood.
JAMES
Please, Son. Anything. Call me James.
T.J.
Alright, James.
T.J. does a few things and then the car is running good as new.
James gratefully reaches for his money stashed above his head and holds out his hand to T.J.
JAMES
Thank you. You’re the best I’ve seen. Here son.
T.J.
No thank you, Sir. It’s just a neighborly thing to do. That’s all.
JAMES
Son, I’ve never seen a man turn down money. Do you have something against being rich?
T.J.
What? Rich? No, Sir. The good Lord always provides exactly what we need.
Felix’s eyes widen as T.J. strokes his son’s head.
JAMES
(Preachy)
Now, that’s your problem, T.J. And I quote, “No man ought to be satisfied with a little if he is capable of using and enjoying more. The purpose of Nature is the advancement and enfoldment of life; and every man should have all that can contribute to the power, elegance, beauty, and richness of life; to be content with
less is sinful." *
JAMES
(Giving)
Don’t worry, Son. I was the same way until some one gave me this. James hands T.J. a wrapped present on the passenger seat.
T.J. has a big nervous smile.
T.J.
Don’t you need this for your graduate?
JAMES
It’s not him I’m worried about, T.J. By the sound of it, you and your boy need it more than he does. Besides, I have more where that came from.
CUT TO:
James opens the back of his trunk full of wrapped books with red ribbons and hands T.J. the two on top.
JAMES
Here’s one for you and one for your boy. This is a tool like any other. I know you are quick to figure out tools. In this case it’s the tool called mindset. Follow the recipe and learn to do things in a certain way and in no tome you will be helping more people than you every dreamed possible and get rich doing it.
JAMES
(Excited)
Why, thank you Mr. Cooper, I mean James! Thanks for putting your faith in me!
James kneels in his dress pants on one knee so he’s eye to eye with FELIX.
JAMES (CONT’D)
I wish I had gotten this when I was your age, son. Take good care of it. Think of it as a seed that you feed everyday with love, and it will grow to be what ever you want it to be.
T.J. stands there with the brilliant sun peeking behind the clouds and the CAR, Felix and James are in the fore ground.
T.J.
Felix, what do we say?
Felix looks at his feet.
FELIX
Thank you, Sir.
T.J. gives Felix a look.
FELIX (CONT’D)
(Intense)
Thank you for the… plant, Sir.
James and T.J. look at each other and chuckle.
James reaches out and shakes “Felix’s” hand.
JAMES
Give me your best hand shake, son. It’s never too early to start practicing.
FELIX gives T.J. a look and reaches out his hand. James instigates and Felix playfully and progressively squeeze each hands harder until James yelps.
JAMES (CONT’D)
Whew, Son! You’re all right.
James stands up and brushes off his pant leg.
CLYDE (V.O.)
I knew at that moment I was witnessing the everyday behavior of an extraordinary human being.
JAMES
The hour waits for no man. Gentlemen, I have a speech to give. Wish me well.
T.J. is filled with a father’s pride shaking James’s hand.
T.J.
Thank you, James. Have a great event!
JAMES
Will do.
James tips his hat and drives out of sight as FELIX and T.J. stand there with unwrapped presents in hand.
T.J. and Felix get busy. Both older and younger hands tear open the red ribbon packages. There is a quick close up of book title.
T.J.
(Laughter)
Well, if I was ever a Rich Man’s Nephew. Help me read this when we get home, Felix.
FELIX
(Slowly with energy)
The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
T.J. grabs “Felix’s” hand as they walks home.
EXT. WRECKED BOAT HOUSE ALONG THE SHORE – SAME DAY
SOPHIE (4) a carefree “Goldie Locks” runs along the shore barefoot collecting rocks, running in and out up to her knees in Lake Pontchartrain and laughing while the adults attend to serious matters of how to salvage the family home, a former boat house that ONCE FACED THE PASSING PLEASURE BOATS ARE NOW WRECKED by the recent storm. Sophie’s Father, PATRICK (mid 20’S), With DIRTY CLOTHES and a five o’ clock shadow is being consoled by Sophie’s Uncle CARL (late 20’s.
The brothers consider how to use the remaining scraps of Patrick’s home/lives to rebuild Patrick a new family home inland.
CARL
Patrick, you can come and stay with us as long as you need. It isn’t much, but we have a sliver of land out back you can build. Thelma can watch Sophie during the day while you and Karma get things in order.
Patrick stares wistfully at the calm lake and turns to Carl and tearfully gives Carl a long exhausted, appreciative embrace.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
CUT TO:
75 years earlier
EXT. NEW ORLEANS – SUNNY AFTERNOON, 1923
CLYDE(5) or “FELIX” as they call him (after the animated impish cat) is the high energy, curious CLYDE BENSON 75 years before the parking lot holdup. FELIX is walking with his father T.J. BENSON(26)in a quiet dirt road neighborhood when we hear another explosive sound. T.J. is really great at fixing anything including cars and is soon standing near a new Chrysler motor when the engine let’s out a thunderous sound under the raised hood.
T.J.
Sir, is your beauty giving you trouble?
JAMES COOPER(60’s) with short white hair smartly trimmed under a gentleman’s hat and suit is mumbling under his breath about his bran spanking new 1923 Chrysler that won’t start.
JAMES
(Good ‘ole boy)
You got that right.
T.J.
Sir, what have you tried?
JAMES
I don’t know, I’m running late for a talk. It’s my son’s graduation.
T.J.
Sir, my friends call me T.J. If it’s not too much trouble I could give a quick check under the hood.
JAMES
Please, Son. Anything. Call me James.
T.J.
Alright, James.
T.J. does a few things and then the car is running good as new.
James gratefully reaches for his money stashed above his head and holds out his hand to T.J.
JAMES
Thank you. You’re the best I’ve seen. Here son.
T.J.
No thank you, Sir. It’s just a neighborly thing to do. That’s all.
JAMES
Son, I’ve never seen a man turn down money. Do you have something against being rich?
T.J.
What? Rich? No, Sir. The good Lord always provides exactly what we need.
Felix’s eyes widen as T.J. strokes his son’s head.
JAMES
(Preachy)
Now, that’s your problem, T.J. And I quote, “No man ought to be satisfied with a little if he is capable of using and enjoying more. The purpose of Nature is the advancement and enfoldment of life; and every man should have all that can contribute to the power, elegance, beauty, and richness of life; to be content with
less is sinful." *
JAMES
(Giving)
Don’t worry, Son. I was the same way until some one gave me this. James hands T.J. a wrapped present on the passenger seat.
T.J. has a big nervous smile.
T.J.
Don’t you need this for your graduate?
JAMES
It’s not him I’m worried about, T.J. By the sound of it, you and your boy need it more than he does. Besides, I have more where that came from.
CUT TO:
James opens the back of his trunk full of wrapped books with red ribbons and hands T.J. the two on top.
JAMES
Here’s one for you and one for your boy. This is a tool like any other. I know you are quick to figure out tools. In this case it’s the tool called mindset. Follow the recipe and learn to do things in a certain way and in no tome you will be helping more people than you every dreamed possible and get rich doing it.
JAMES
(Excited)
Why, thank you Mr. Cooper, I mean James! Thanks for putting your faith in me!
James kneels in his dress pants on one knee so he’s eye to eye with FELIX.
JAMES (CONT’D)
I wish I had gotten this when I was your age, son. Take good care of it. Think of it as a seed that you feed everyday with love, and it will grow to be what ever you want it to be.
T.J. stands there with the brilliant sun peeking behind the clouds and the CAR, Felix and James are in the fore ground.
T.J.
Felix, what do we say?
Felix looks at his feet.
FELIX
Thank you, Sir.
T.J. gives Felix a look.
FELIX (CONT’D)
(Intense)
Thank you for the… plant, Sir.
James and T.J. look at each other and chuckle.
James reaches out and shakes “Felix’s” hand.
JAMES
Give me your best hand shake, son. It’s never too early to start practicing.
FELIX gives T.J. a look and reaches out his hand. James instigates and Felix playfully and progressively squeeze each hands harder until James yelps.
JAMES (CONT’D)
Whew, Son! You’re all right.
James stands up and brushes off his pant leg.
CLYDE (V.O.)
I knew at that moment I was witnessing the everyday behavior of an extraordinary human being.
JAMES
The hour waits for no man. Gentlemen, I have a speech to give. Wish me well.
T.J. is filled with a father’s pride shaking James’s hand.
T.J.
Thank you, James. Have a great event!
JAMES
Will do.
James tips his hat and drives out of sight as FELIX and T.J. stand there with unwrapped presents in hand.
T.J. and Felix get busy. Both older and younger hands tear open the red ribbon packages. There is a quick close up of book title.
T.J.
(Laughter)
Well, if I was ever a Rich Man’s Nephew. Help me read this when we get home, Felix.
FELIX
(Slowly with energy)
The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
T.J. grabs “Felix’s” hand as they walks home.
EXT. WRECKED BOAT HOUSE ALONG THE SHORE – SAME DAY
SOPHIE (4) a carefree “Goldie Locks” runs along the shore barefoot collecting rocks, running in and out up to her knees in Lake Pontchartrain and laughing while the adults attend to serious matters of how to salvage the family home, a former boat house that ONCE FACED THE PASSING PLEASURE BOATS ARE NOW WRECKED by the recent storm. Sophie’s Father, PATRICK (mid 20’S), With DIRTY CLOTHES and a five o’ clock shadow is being consoled by Sophie’s Uncle CARL (late 20’s.
The brothers consider how to use the remaining scraps of Patrick’s home/lives to rebuild Patrick a new family home inland.
CARL
Patrick, you can come and stay with us as long as you need. It isn’t much, but we have a sliver of land out back you can build. Thelma can watch Sophie during the day while you and Karma get things in order.
Patrick stares wistfully at the calm lake and turns to Carl and tearfully gives Carl a long exhausted, appreciative embrace.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Monday, February 2, 2009
Parking Lot Lesson
CUT TO:
INT. GROCERY STORE – PRESENT
Sophie walks through the produce section. The baby sitting in an enfant chair looks up at Sophie with wide eyes and smiles tremendously. For a second we see the baby's point of view as Sophie is surrounded by subtle, radiant PURPLE AND golden light as it starts pointing. The four year old brother riding in shopping cart sees Sophie’s radiant glow too, but is perceived NOT as brilliant. At the same time Sophie notices what Heather was talking about when she looks at the family shopping.
CART BOY
Mommy, look!
BOY'S MOTHER
(Oblivious)
Honey, it's not polite to stare at the pretty lady.
INT. GROCERY CHECK OUT, NEW ORLEANS – DAY, PRESENT
SOPHIE
One apple, five for a dollar
With dog food can in one hand, Sophie points to the eaten core in her other hand. She gives it to the cashier to throw out.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
and may I have $40 cash back in an envelope, please. I don’t need a bag.
One cans of dog food is having trouble scanning properly and the cashier asks a nearby co worker for a price check.
SOPHIE
(Chatty “old” lady)
Thank you, dear. Philip and I are up visiting friends, so it’s great you sell individual cans. You have such great deals on produce here!
TEEN CASHIER
(She smiles politely)
We see from the elbows down, a tall distinguished, fit, and surprisingly handsome for his age, unmarried, black gentleman in his early 80’s in a long dress coat and expensive, sharp suit and wrist watch named CLYDE BENSON who stands a couple people behind Sophie in the check-out line.
We also hear an irate caller at a payphone in the store lobby slamming down the phone after yelling, “That’s bullshit!” We see the arm of a teenager in a grey sweat shirt and nervous shuffling of feet from the people standing behind Sophie. We hear a cello roughly played and then crechendos into a screeching high note.
SOPHIE (V.O)
What does mine sound like?
CUT TO:
EXT. BENCH NEAR OPERA HOUSE STEPS – 2:30PM
Heather listens with bow in hand as she starts tapping louder and louder on her cello.
HEATHER (V.O.)
Now, that’s interesting… yours is Very complex and then goes into a very simple pure melody like you Become a baby again. Something like this…
We hear the melody blend back to present moment as Sophie walks into the dreary, overcast parking lot.
CUT TO:
EXT. GROCERY PARKING LOT – GREY, OVERCAST
Sophie walks out with envelope of money and keys in one hand and a can of dog food in the other.
Sophie is walking to her car. PHILIP, a tan dachshund dog, with dark eyes is barking in crazy circles and rolling around on his back in the driver’s seat as if someone near by is about to have a seizure. Putting her key in the lock, A MAN with a GUN is suddenly standing at Sophie’s back. It’s the angry payphone guy.
SOPHIE (V.O.)
(With compassion)
Doug, “The Thug”!
(Snickers)
Mary, you’re too much. Just when I thought I was done with this lesson.
It’s hard to tell that “Doug, the thug” is a white male in his late teens, wearing dirty old jeans and a deep grey hooded sweat jacket raised so we can’t see his eyes or head. You get that same creepy feeling as if a Harry Potter soul sucking Dementor walked past you on the street.
Sophie slowly raises her can of dog food in self defense.
“Doug The Thug” knocks the dog food can out of Sophie’s hand. It rolls down the parking lot towards the store.
SOPHIE (V.O.)
(Calmly)
Guess my great grand kids were right about me needing to take that self defense class at the Y.
Sophie laughs nervously.
“DOUG THE THUG”
(Muffled)
Lady, give me the cash.
Beat.
CLYDE BENSEN, a strong, sharp, rich, vibrant, black business man in his late seventies dressed to the nines stands by his silver four door truck with a trailer hitch in front of the A & P.
CLYDE
(Purposefully)
Ma'am? Ma'am, I believe you left one of your items at the entrance of the store.
Clyde is standing a ways off, solid as a rock with Sophie’s can of dog food prominently displayed in one hand.
“Doug” turns, slightly, still in control.
CLYDE
(Curious)
And, what's your name, son?
“Doug” in a focused trance ignores Clyde.
CLYDE (CONT’D)
Son, I see you like envelopes.
(Pausing)
Son, I have a business proposition for you. It's not for me to choose, but if it's alright with Ms. ______?
Sophie swallows hard before speaking.
SOPHIE
Peterson.
CLYDE
You are welcome to accept responsibility for the pocket change in Ms. Peterson's envelope. BUT you have to spend a about a life time of accosting unsuspecting ladies in the parking lot to equal 10% of the cashier's check in my
Clyde emphasizes his left breast pocket.
CLYDE (CONT’D)
Left breast, pocket. It’s up to you, son. We All Have To Make a Choice of How We Want to Spend Our Time.
Clyde speaks in a cadence of media headlines as he reaches inside his coat.
“Doug” shifts position to defend himself.
“DOUG”
(Cocky,cracked voice)
How, much money, you got?
CLYDE
(Smooth)
I have a cashiers note for the sale of a boat I had docked at Lake Pontchartrain.
“Doug” turns towards Clyde
“DOUG”
What kind of boat was it?
“Doug’s” hood has dropped around his neck revealing a scraggly hurt male, with deep circles around his eyes in his late teens early 20’s
“DOUG”
(Almost friendly)
I mean, what was the make and model of the boat?
CLYDE
Son, that’s a great question. I have a picture of it here on the dash board of my truck.
Philip is no longer rolling on his back and making high pitch winning sounds. He begins licking through the tiny crack in the car window.
We hear a loud explosive sound go off in the parking lot...
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
INT. GROCERY STORE – PRESENT
Sophie walks through the produce section. The baby sitting in an enfant chair looks up at Sophie with wide eyes and smiles tremendously. For a second we see the baby's point of view as Sophie is surrounded by subtle, radiant PURPLE AND golden light as it starts pointing. The four year old brother riding in shopping cart sees Sophie’s radiant glow too, but is perceived NOT as brilliant. At the same time Sophie notices what Heather was talking about when she looks at the family shopping.
CART BOY
Mommy, look!
BOY'S MOTHER
(Oblivious)
Honey, it's not polite to stare at the pretty lady.
INT. GROCERY CHECK OUT, NEW ORLEANS – DAY, PRESENT
SOPHIE
One apple, five for a dollar
With dog food can in one hand, Sophie points to the eaten core in her other hand. She gives it to the cashier to throw out.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
and may I have $40 cash back in an envelope, please. I don’t need a bag.
One cans of dog food is having trouble scanning properly and the cashier asks a nearby co worker for a price check.
SOPHIE
(Chatty “old” lady)
Thank you, dear. Philip and I are up visiting friends, so it’s great you sell individual cans. You have such great deals on produce here!
TEEN CASHIER
(She smiles politely)
We see from the elbows down, a tall distinguished, fit, and surprisingly handsome for his age, unmarried, black gentleman in his early 80’s in a long dress coat and expensive, sharp suit and wrist watch named CLYDE BENSON who stands a couple people behind Sophie in the check-out line.
We also hear an irate caller at a payphone in the store lobby slamming down the phone after yelling, “That’s bullshit!” We see the arm of a teenager in a grey sweat shirt and nervous shuffling of feet from the people standing behind Sophie. We hear a cello roughly played and then crechendos into a screeching high note.
SOPHIE (V.O)
What does mine sound like?
CUT TO:
EXT. BENCH NEAR OPERA HOUSE STEPS – 2:30PM
Heather listens with bow in hand as she starts tapping louder and louder on her cello.
HEATHER (V.O.)
Now, that’s interesting… yours is Very complex and then goes into a very simple pure melody like you Become a baby again. Something like this…
We hear the melody blend back to present moment as Sophie walks into the dreary, overcast parking lot.
CUT TO:
EXT. GROCERY PARKING LOT – GREY, OVERCAST
Sophie walks out with envelope of money and keys in one hand and a can of dog food in the other.
Sophie is walking to her car. PHILIP, a tan dachshund dog, with dark eyes is barking in crazy circles and rolling around on his back in the driver’s seat as if someone near by is about to have a seizure. Putting her key in the lock, A MAN with a GUN is suddenly standing at Sophie’s back. It’s the angry payphone guy.
SOPHIE (V.O.)
(With compassion)
Doug, “The Thug”!
(Snickers)
Mary, you’re too much. Just when I thought I was done with this lesson.
It’s hard to tell that “Doug, the thug” is a white male in his late teens, wearing dirty old jeans and a deep grey hooded sweat jacket raised so we can’t see his eyes or head. You get that same creepy feeling as if a Harry Potter soul sucking Dementor walked past you on the street.
Sophie slowly raises her can of dog food in self defense.
“Doug The Thug” knocks the dog food can out of Sophie’s hand. It rolls down the parking lot towards the store.
SOPHIE (V.O.)
(Calmly)
Guess my great grand kids were right about me needing to take that self defense class at the Y.
Sophie laughs nervously.
“DOUG THE THUG”
(Muffled)
Lady, give me the cash.
Beat.
CLYDE BENSEN, a strong, sharp, rich, vibrant, black business man in his late seventies dressed to the nines stands by his silver four door truck with a trailer hitch in front of the A & P.
CLYDE
(Purposefully)
Ma'am? Ma'am, I believe you left one of your items at the entrance of the store.
Clyde is standing a ways off, solid as a rock with Sophie’s can of dog food prominently displayed in one hand.
“Doug” turns, slightly, still in control.
CLYDE
(Curious)
And, what's your name, son?
“Doug” in a focused trance ignores Clyde.
CLYDE (CONT’D)
Son, I see you like envelopes.
(Pausing)
Son, I have a business proposition for you. It's not for me to choose, but if it's alright with Ms. ______?
Sophie swallows hard before speaking.
SOPHIE
Peterson.
CLYDE
You are welcome to accept responsibility for the pocket change in Ms. Peterson's envelope. BUT you have to spend a about a life time of accosting unsuspecting ladies in the parking lot to equal 10% of the cashier's check in my
Clyde emphasizes his left breast pocket.
CLYDE (CONT’D)
Left breast, pocket. It’s up to you, son. We All Have To Make a Choice of How We Want to Spend Our Time.
Clyde speaks in a cadence of media headlines as he reaches inside his coat.
“Doug” shifts position to defend himself.
“DOUG”
(Cocky,cracked voice)
How, much money, you got?
CLYDE
(Smooth)
I have a cashiers note for the sale of a boat I had docked at Lake Pontchartrain.
“Doug” turns towards Clyde
“DOUG”
What kind of boat was it?
“Doug’s” hood has dropped around his neck revealing a scraggly hurt male, with deep circles around his eyes in his late teens early 20’s
“DOUG”
(Almost friendly)
I mean, what was the make and model of the boat?
CLYDE
Son, that’s a great question. I have a picture of it here on the dash board of my truck.
Philip is no longer rolling on his back and making high pitch winning sounds. He begins licking through the tiny crack in the car window.
We hear a loud explosive sound go off in the parking lot...
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A Light In The Grocery Store
INT. GROCERY STORE – PRESENT
SOHPIE (V.O.)
Just when I feel Life can’t get any better the world goes and dazzles me with its genius composition and brilliant orchestration. Now we're sitting in a run down grocery store food court filled with lots of hungry people quickly eating fast food. A YOUNG looking WOMAN “in her 30’s” a couple tables over is an oddity in her flowing golden hair. She is vibrant and youthful in her SEXY 1930’s leading lady style dress and hat...
Like the vintage dress, Sophie has made the ceramic salad bowl herself and filled it with a voluptuous fruit; ripe melon, mango, kiwi, star fruit, straw berries, raspberries and bananas she purchase and prepared at the food court. Her name, is SOPHIE PETERSON (80). She is a classic Southern Belle except in one way. She refuse to get old. Sophie rolls her eyes back with HOLY pleasure as she takes in the flavors blending in her mouth during this religious experience…
We see an OLD MAN struggle to get up from his finished lunch as his tray shakes in his frail hands… Sophie watches with a poised fork full of fruit.
OLD MAN
Just you wait young lady. This will be your plight sooner than you can imagine.
Man grabs prostatic hip.
SOPHIE
No, thank you. Been there, done that. Sophie smiles politely, eyes sparkle, returning to feast.
SOPHIE (V.O)
Mmmm, that what Heather was talking about.
CUT TO:
CSN song "Southern Cross" plays
SOPHIE (V.O)
I’m reminded what my Heather was talking about.
HEATHER (V.O.)
I can hear people’s song.
SOPHIE (V.O)
You can hear people singing?
HEATHER (V.O)
No.
CUT TO:
EXT. BENCH NEAR OPERA HOUSE STEPS – 2:30PM
Sophie meets street musician, HEATHER named after Hathor, Goddess of music whose dream it is to play her upright bass and clarinet in the New Orleans opera house. She is wearing lots of layers even though it’s relatively warm out.
People walk by as she talks and plays a melody on her clarinet.
SOPHIE
What do you mean? Melodies people sing?
HEATHER
Not exactly. I can hear a distinct melody that comes from each person that passes.
SOPHIE
What do you hear?
HEATHER
I hear melodies. The older the person or the busier the person’s life is the more complicated they become. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but over the past few decades the songs have become faster, more discordant and muddied.
SOPHIE
Where does a person’s melody come from?
Heather looks to the right as she tries to hear the answer.
HEATHER
Sometimes when new parents are transporting their baby down the street in a stroller, I catch a very simple melody distinctly derived from the mother and father’s more complex tune. I‘ve seen singles one day get struck by cupid’s arrow and their melody goes from complex to lighter and easier to hear.
I’ve seen a lot of miracles and acts of courage from this street corner. And for a brief moment the muddy, convoluted sounds change to very raw, simple and pure expressions of love and humanity that fill the sound waves. Touched, Sophie breaths deeply and nods knowingly.
HEATHER
I spend hours catching people’s melodies and playing them so more ears can hear them.
SOPHIE
Heather, I can only imagine what it’s like carrying one large instrument and a smaller instrument from one venue to the next.
HEATHER
They’re my babies, my blessing, my burden.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
SOHPIE (V.O.)
Just when I feel Life can’t get any better the world goes and dazzles me with its genius composition and brilliant orchestration. Now we're sitting in a run down grocery store food court filled with lots of hungry people quickly eating fast food. A YOUNG looking WOMAN “in her 30’s” a couple tables over is an oddity in her flowing golden hair. She is vibrant and youthful in her SEXY 1930’s leading lady style dress and hat...
Like the vintage dress, Sophie has made the ceramic salad bowl herself and filled it with a voluptuous fruit; ripe melon, mango, kiwi, star fruit, straw berries, raspberries and bananas she purchase and prepared at the food court. Her name, is SOPHIE PETERSON (80). She is a classic Southern Belle except in one way. She refuse to get old. Sophie rolls her eyes back with HOLY pleasure as she takes in the flavors blending in her mouth during this religious experience…
We see an OLD MAN struggle to get up from his finished lunch as his tray shakes in his frail hands… Sophie watches with a poised fork full of fruit.
OLD MAN
Just you wait young lady. This will be your plight sooner than you can imagine.
Man grabs prostatic hip.
SOPHIE
No, thank you. Been there, done that. Sophie smiles politely, eyes sparkle, returning to feast.
SOPHIE (V.O)
Mmmm, that what Heather was talking about.
CUT TO:
CSN song "Southern Cross" plays
SOPHIE (V.O)
I’m reminded what my Heather was talking about.
HEATHER (V.O.)
I can hear people’s song.
SOPHIE (V.O)
You can hear people singing?
HEATHER (V.O)
No.
CUT TO:
EXT. BENCH NEAR OPERA HOUSE STEPS – 2:30PM
Sophie meets street musician, HEATHER named after Hathor, Goddess of music whose dream it is to play her upright bass and clarinet in the New Orleans opera house. She is wearing lots of layers even though it’s relatively warm out.
People walk by as she talks and plays a melody on her clarinet.
SOPHIE
What do you mean? Melodies people sing?
HEATHER
Not exactly. I can hear a distinct melody that comes from each person that passes.
SOPHIE
What do you hear?
HEATHER
I hear melodies. The older the person or the busier the person’s life is the more complicated they become. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but over the past few decades the songs have become faster, more discordant and muddied.
SOPHIE
Where does a person’s melody come from?
Heather looks to the right as she tries to hear the answer.
HEATHER
Sometimes when new parents are transporting their baby down the street in a stroller, I catch a very simple melody distinctly derived from the mother and father’s more complex tune. I‘ve seen singles one day get struck by cupid’s arrow and their melody goes from complex to lighter and easier to hear.
I’ve seen a lot of miracles and acts of courage from this street corner. And for a brief moment the muddy, convoluted sounds change to very raw, simple and pure expressions of love and humanity that fill the sound waves. Touched, Sophie breaths deeply and nods knowingly.
HEATHER
I spend hours catching people’s melodies and playing them so more ears can hear them.
SOPHIE
Heather, I can only imagine what it’s like carrying one large instrument and a smaller instrument from one venue to the next.
HEATHER
They’re my babies, my blessing, my burden.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
OPENING CREDITS
The credits that travel across the screen simulate the movement of the “Five Rites” yoga postures. The words play off the “Five Rites” animated cartoons drawings of Sophie doing the “five rites”. The title sequence is broken up into five animated style sections. Also the cartoon drawing of the female and letters start out old and decrepit in appearance and evolve into a sexy female figure with chic, elegant and then hip looking letters for the whole Opening Credit sequence.
The words start off with the first rite by spinning clockwise 21 times. We see the animated old lady putting her walker aside and slowly spinning like ballerina or a child playing in the grass clockwise 21 times.
For the second rite the titles start out flat and the last half of the title folds perpendicular to the stationary letters. The animated figure looks less decrepit and is on her back and simultaneously lifts her head and looks at her chest as she lifts her legs perpendicular to her torso and that back down 21 times.
For the third rite, the second half of the word is perpendicular and bends back towards the first half of the title at a forty-five degree angle, back and forth, multiple times. The animated blond hair Sophie with streaks of gray who looks middle age now is on her knees holding her hips and arching back and forth multiple times.
For the forth rite, the title starts in seated position with the first word perpendicular to the second word which then starts moving back and forth as it moves from an ”L” shape to a table or inverted “U”. The animated lady has healthy features of a toned forty year old as she starts sitting up with her arm by her side and legs out stretched and then lifts her whole body into a perpendicular table to the ground and slides back down again.
Finally the titles with the fifth rite start out flat on the screen and move back and forth between a straight line and an inverted “V”. The vibrant female cartoon with Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” features starts on her belly in yoga cobra pose and lifts her butt in the air in downward dog pose, back and forth multiple times. Each animated pose become more elegant and technically correct.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
The words start off with the first rite by spinning clockwise 21 times. We see the animated old lady putting her walker aside and slowly spinning like ballerina or a child playing in the grass clockwise 21 times.
For the second rite the titles start out flat and the last half of the title folds perpendicular to the stationary letters. The animated figure looks less decrepit and is on her back and simultaneously lifts her head and looks at her chest as she lifts her legs perpendicular to her torso and that back down 21 times.
For the third rite, the second half of the word is perpendicular and bends back towards the first half of the title at a forty-five degree angle, back and forth, multiple times. The animated blond hair Sophie with streaks of gray who looks middle age now is on her knees holding her hips and arching back and forth multiple times.
For the forth rite, the title starts in seated position with the first word perpendicular to the second word which then starts moving back and forth as it moves from an ”L” shape to a table or inverted “U”. The animated lady has healthy features of a toned forty year old as she starts sitting up with her arm by her side and legs out stretched and then lifts her whole body into a perpendicular table to the ground and slides back down again.
Finally the titles with the fifth rite start out flat on the screen and move back and forth between a straight line and an inverted “V”. The vibrant female cartoon with Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” features starts on her belly in yoga cobra pose and lifts her butt in the air in downward dog pose, back and forth multiple times. Each animated pose become more elegant and technically correct.
Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Saturday, January 31, 2009
THE FIVE RITES
Written by
Ruth Anne Wood
Inspired by Peter Kelder’s 1985 best-seller
ANCIENT SECRET OF THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
With special thanks to Eric Roth’s screenplay
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald
that let me know the world was ready for this story.
Dedicated to New Orleans and Barack Obama
1/31/09
©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Ruth Anne Wood
Inspired by Peter Kelder’s 1985 best-seller
ANCIENT SECRET OF THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
With special thanks to Eric Roth’s screenplay
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald
that let me know the world was ready for this story.
Dedicated to New Orleans and Barack Obama
1/31/09
©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE
Welcome to Five Rites Movie
BACKGROUND
Eight years ago a friend of mine loaned me the best seller, The Ancient Secrets to The Fountain of Youth by Peter Kelder. I had tried many things up to that point to ease the pain of childhood Scolliosis including a career as a Shiatsu Massage Therapist, yet the first week I started doing the "five rites" I started keeping a journal of my progress doing these somewhat challenging yoga exercises an eighty year old woman from New Orleans started telling her remarkable story. Call it daydreaming, channeling, connecting with group conciousness I was hooked on this woman's fascinating story that mirrored my own emotional journey. As I wanted to settle down and grow up SOPHIE PETERSON wanted to get healthy after pnemonia lead to a near death experience. In this story she discovered more than health... a return to youth in a strange new generation of her great grand-daughters. Life would never be the same.
This work of fiction is complete with a mysterious care giver, A car chase, reuniting with a long lost love after 80 years, powerful forces in secret societies, homeless super heros, Mardi Gras, recipes for love, laughter and really delicious home southern cooking with inspiration from Peter Kelder's book and wisdom from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
Eight years ago a friend of mine loaned me the best seller, The Ancient Secrets to The Fountain of Youth by Peter Kelder. I had tried many things up to that point to ease the pain of childhood Scolliosis including a career as a Shiatsu Massage Therapist, yet the first week I started doing the "five rites" I started keeping a journal of my progress doing these somewhat challenging yoga exercises an eighty year old woman from New Orleans started telling her remarkable story. Call it daydreaming, channeling, connecting with group conciousness I was hooked on this woman's fascinating story that mirrored my own emotional journey. As I wanted to settle down and grow up SOPHIE PETERSON wanted to get healthy after pnemonia lead to a near death experience. In this story she discovered more than health... a return to youth in a strange new generation of her great grand-daughters. Life would never be the same.
This work of fiction is complete with a mysterious care giver, A car chase, reuniting with a long lost love after 80 years, powerful forces in secret societies, homeless super heros, Mardi Gras, recipes for love, laughter and really delicious home southern cooking with inspiration from Peter Kelder's book and wisdom from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
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