I've been looking back on my adventure in Hollywood, culling pages from my journal...
 | At the end of October, I heard from Kevin, "my producer" again. He had spoken to Joel the producer concerning “The Kringle Project.” Joel thinks I should re-write the Pee-Wee version and keep it as the mailroom boy turned detective. Kevin told Joel he’d mention it to me. While mentioning it to me, Kevin recommended that I NOT do such a thing, as it would involve a “page one rewrite” for no dollars. Meanwhile, Kevin is back in contact with former Warner executive Kimberly Brent (huh?) who had moved to Paramount and was working for producer Howard Koch, Jr. Kevin wanted to get her “input” (huh??). |
I see it was here I first pitch my “Abbott & Costello in Die Hard” idea. Kevin liked it. I didn’t note the progression of this idea at all, but Kevin had been such a fan of my “comedy team” scripts, he was looking for some new venue for them to exist in. How, me, having been in Hollywood, visiting Universal Studios, being a film buff and being a fan of the “Die Hard” movies, was always looking for a venue for these two comic characters to inhabit. So, basically, the idea was to write a “Die Hard” script, but replace Bruce Willis with, say, Laurel & Hardy. There was quite a bit of conversation about this.
Kevin also critiqued my “Seinfeld” script. Saying TV writing is a science not an art, he said I didn’t know the formula, so I should say away from it. He even showed it to an agent, who agreed. TV writing doesn’t “flatter” me at all. Plus, there are no TV jobs (Huh???).
Kevin also critiqued my “Seinfeld” script. Saying TV writing is a science not an art, he said I didn’t know the formula, so I should say away from it. He even showed it to an agent, who agreed. TV writing doesn’t “flatter” me at all. Plus, there are no TV jobs (Huh???).
I also met up with fellow committee member Jay Reiss. His comedy troupe was looking for material. I dumped some skits on him and I read some of his stuff, good, but they were more like one act plays and performance pieces. We also discussed committee duties, which meant planning the next awards dinner. This year the committee was forming a Writing committee. Jay was heading it up and I was now on it. We were going to write the award show that year. I have no idea who had been doing it previously.
With the end of October came a flurry of activity with Kevin. We was still showing around “Kringle” and was now dealing with a producer at Gary Hoffman Productions who wanted to see both versions of the script, so I had to mail off the Pee-Wee version. This guy was thinking animation.
With the end of October came a flurry of activity with Kevin. We was still showing around “Kringle” and was now dealing with a producer at Gary Hoffman Productions who wanted to see both versions of the script, so I had to mail off the Pee-Wee version. This guy was thinking animation.
Sure, why not?
Meanwhile, I was busy dealing with Tom Gilpin and putting together a new framework for their show. Jay from the WGAE liked my material. And my daughter volunteered me to type up her class’ class play. So I was keeping busy.
In November I clipped out an article from Entertainment Weekly’s Hollywood Power issue and taped in in my journal. It was Tim Burton, #46, and his “Next Big Move” was producing Disney’s animated “Nightmare Before Christmas”, due in ‘93. So, at this point I’m figuring it’s not me.
Meanwhile, I was busy dealing with Tom Gilpin and putting together a new framework for their show. Jay from the WGAE liked my material. And my daughter volunteered me to type up her class’ class play. So I was keeping busy.
In November I clipped out an article from Entertainment Weekly’s Hollywood Power issue and taped in in my journal. It was Tim Burton, #46, and his “Next Big Move” was producing Disney’s animated “Nightmare Before Christmas”, due in ‘93. So, at this point I’m figuring it’s not me.
My wife was approaching her due date (she’s been pregnant all this time) so I was missing friends’ shows and WGA meetings. By the end of November, my daughter arrived, an agent wanted to call concerning my samples, and Kevin had not read my treatment for the script I was calling “Closed Set.” I note that I was anxious to begin working on this. I felt the story combined the characters, situation and other elements Kevin had been looking for in my comedy team comedies. So, I was tired and trying to hang in there.
