A set piece would be when Texas Rangers with the help of a local sheriff are making their way through the impregnable thickets that cover the floor of the piney forest. All is quiet. All of a sudden dogs rush out of nowhere and everywhere in the underbrush, barking, snarling, and howling. The Rangers raise their weapons, expecting to see the feudists burst out of the woods. Instead, their ears are met by the sound of cow horns blowing through the tree limbs. One comes from the northeast. Does another blow come from the south? Southeast? As soon as the dogs appeared, they vanished toward the blowing of the horns. “Well, that does it,” says one of the Rangers, lowering his Winchester. “We’ve lost the element of surprise and might as well head back to Hemphill.” The local sheriff smiles with relief.
A set piece would be on July 4th when Shelby draws his men up in parade formation on the banks of the Rio Grande. Five of his officers take the Confederate flag, weigh it down with rocks and wade into the river. Then they gently lower it into the water. Former Confederate officers, officials and soldiers watch from the bluffs on the American side. Mexican soldiers look on from the southern bank. Shelby, in a rare show of emotion, tears off the black ostrich plume from his hat, wades out into the water and throws it into the folds of the flag. Tears run down the cheeks of hardened veterans as the flag disappears beneath the muddy waters. From now on, Shelby’s men will follow his ragged battle-scarred guidon. From then on, this stretch of the Rio Grande will be known as the Grave of the Confederacy.
Short Pitch
It’s called The Brees Way
It is a Sports Drama
In the vein of American Underdog
It is like Invictus meets We Are Marshell
It follows short free agent quarterback Drew Brees
And practice squad member Lance Moore
As they build the cohesion and chemistry a team needs to have to win the Super Bowl.
Problems arise as Drew’s shoulder injury slowly heals, his elbow is dislocated, and he gets up set when he loses competitions.
Now together the team will learn to respect Drew’s competitive nature rubs off on the other players and drivers them to be the best Saints on and off the field.
The idea came to me when reading Bree’s Coming Back Stronger and I wanted to do more research on his career for a movie about Super Bowl XLIV.
My unique approach would be a football player challenging himself to excel at excellence not to win career accolades but uplift a devastated city and region whose hopes and dreams were riding on his shoulders.
A set piece would be when Lance Moore has just received word that he has been loaned out to play for a football team in Germany for the 2006 season. He is sitting in the neglected corner of the locker room meant for the practice squad. Suddenly Drew Brees, the star quarterback is tapping him on his shoulder “Hi, I’m Drew Brees, nice to meet you. Let me know if you need anything?” “Thank you,” replies Lance. “I’m Lance Moore.” “Lance Romance,” ask Drew, probing. “Yeah,” replies Lance. “You can call me back.”
The target audiences would be football fans, sports fans, athletes, fans of the great outdoors, men and women 20-80, Germans (because Lance played for the Berlin Thunders), Louisianas, the people of the Gulf Coast and the Who Dat Nation.
Audiences would want to see it for its themes of hope, resilience, determination, personal sacrifice and responsibility for a higher goal, community and overcoming devastation and adversity.
Who Dat!
Short Pitch
It is called Gettysburg Rebels
It’s a War Drama.
In the vein of Gettysburg
It is like Gone With The Wind meets Titanic
It follows adventurous young soldier Wes Culp
And love-struck young woman Jennie Wade
As they choose sides during a colossal national conflict.
Problems arrive when the Confederate army that Wes is in invades his and Jennie’s hometown of Gettysburg.
Together they will make sacrifices for the causes of their own choosing.
The idea came to me when I was studying the Battle of Gettysburg and found out that there was connection between the two human interest stories of Jennie Wade and Wes Culp.
My unique approach is a massive, history changing battle told through the story of common soldiers and civilians on different parts of the field.
A set piece would be when Wes Culp receives a pass from a Confederate staff officer that knows he has family in Gettysburg. He slowly walks down an empty street, no citizens to recognize him and welcome him home since they are hiding from the invading army of which he is a part. He gently knocks on a door, careful not to raise his voice less the neighbors recognize that of a traitor. The door is slowly unlatched and opened. “Why, Wes!” declares his sister Ann. “You have come!” He embraces his sisters, a sister-in-law, and a nephew. It is a family reunion three years in the making but delayed by war.
Target Audiences would be men and women, teenagers, history and military buffs, war movie fans, and readers of historical romances.
Audiences would want to see it for its meta narrative of private individuals against the backdrop of an important historical evet, its themes of courage, bravery, friendship and romance.
The train ride to Elberon, New Jersey was peaceful. All the engineers and conductors in the region switched off their engines and waited for the president to pass so that no sound of bell or whistle would disturb him. Along the train tracks thousands of ordinary men and women stood in silent respect. When the train reached Elberon it continued on 3,200 feet of track laid by two thousand people the night before so the president could be taken to the door of where he was staying, Franklyn Cottage. However, the train could not reach the cottage due to its steep hilltop location.
A crowd had been waiting all day for the president’s arrival. As soon as the problem became apparent, two hundred men ran forward. They grabbed ahold of the train cars and silently rolled them up the hill.
A teenage girl fleeing her criminal past finds love and redemption in the Outlaw Strip of western Louisiana.
Now that should be a movie
Short Pitch.
It’s called As The Crow Flies.
It is a western romance.
In the vein of Redeeming Love.
It is like Tom Sawyer meets Anne of Green Gables.
It follows a book loving petty thief Missouri Cotton.
And teenage Redbone country boy Daniel Moore.
As they eke out a living and search for love and redemption in the No Man’s Land of Western Louisiana.
Problems arise when tensions between whites and the Redbone people turn violent and some of Daniel’s relatives think Missouri is not a good fit for him.
Together they will prove that no matter how wretched someone’s past or family background, love and redemption are stronger.
The idea came to I saw that Curt Iles had just published a new book. Having read and written blogposts about his other books and even grown personally from the messages in Iles’ books, I immediately thought “that oughta be a movie.”
My unique approach would be how the messages of the sophisticated novels like Les Misérables that Missouri likes to read share much in common with the unassuming back wood folk of western Louisiana.
A set piece would be at a bonfire on May Day. All the boys and men are jumping over the fire. Missouri has just learned that all the letters that she had written Daniel had been hidden from him by a family member. She has now realized her sadness and anger toward him were misplaced. Before anyone can stop her, she runs and jumps over the fire. “Feet don’t fail me now,” she yells as the flames leap up and singe her dress. As she comes down for a landing on the other side of the fire, she falls right into the arms of Daniel. “Girl, you are some kind of crazy,” he says. All is forgiven.
Target audiences would be men and women, 30 to 80 years old, fans of westerns and period romances, faith-based viewers, and Louisianans.
People would want to see it due to the themes of love, redemption and grace as well as its western and period piece settings.
Since western Louisiana remained a wild frontier due to American settlement bypassing it as the US borders expanded westward, much like Appalachia, the genera of the miniseries would be western. Although a cattle drive is seen when cowboys drive a herd cross the Calcasieu River on the way to feed the Confederate armies east of the Mississippi, the thrilling excitement of one occurs when the men of the community, known as Ten Milers, perform a log float.
It is called The Wayfaring Stranger.
It is a Western Romance
In the vein of When Calls The Heart.
It is like Hatfields and McCoys meets 1883.
It follows Irish Immigrant searching for peace Joseph Moore
Abd Redbone teenager full of joy Eliza Clark
As they search for peace and freedom in the Outlaw Strip of western Louisiana.
Problems arise when outlaws don’t take kindly to outsider Joseph and timber companies try to drive the Redbone people off their land.
Now together Joe and Eliza will through the love of God and the power of community overcome hardships and sustain a relationship.
The idea came to me when I read The Wayfaring Stranger while traveling through western Louisiana.
My unique approach is a Western set in the forests, hills, and swamps of Louisiana.
A set piece would be when the timber companies set fire to the forest to drive off the Redbone people. The people gather at a creek crossing for safety. Someone shouts that a widow is missing. Joseph jumps on his horse and rides through the smoke. “Who is that fool,” some wonder. He rides to a creek, soaks his horse and saddle in the water, climbs up the bank and takes off into the firestorm. The widow is sitting on her porch, praying as the flames approach her cabin. Suddenly Joseph comes galloping out of the billowing smoke. He takes the widow and places her on his horse. Then with her in his arms he takes off into the flaming forest as the cabin burns. The smoke clouds choke him and stings his eyes. His hair is being singed but he gallops on. Then he burst out of the firestorm and is at the creek crossing! The Redbone people cheer!
The target audience would be men and women (30-80), fans of westerns and period pieces, nature lover and Louisianans.
People would want to watch the miniseries because of the themes of love, freedom, forgiveness, finding peace, the power of community and the romance, adventure and excitement frontier Louisiana in the 1840s.