How I Partnered with the Producers of The King's Speech & What I Learned Along The Way - Part 9
“Glittering Prizes and Endless Compromises”
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“A writer?” I responded.
“Yes”, Michael replied, “we need a network approved writer as lead on the project, someone with a track record that we can sell to the networks.”
Apparently the networks keep lists of “Approved Writers” (at least in Canada, and I suspect everywhere else). My name was not on any of them, i.e.: I was not sale-able.
“But! All they have to do is read one of my scripts!” (of which there were three), I stuttered.
“They won’t read it. You’re not on the list”, Michael deadpanned over the phone.
We needed an approved series writer to pitch the networks and lead the story development. So I was assigned the task by Michael and Will of finding a lead writer. Not the best news.
They were going to try and ensure that I could write an episode or two here and there and become “Network approved” myself but at this point I was essentially giving up writing the series. Ouch!
I thought perhaps my first two episode spec scripts could be used, revised, maybe with the new writer’s input. I’d revise; co-write them with whomever was hired. That too was a non-starter. They would be abandoned in favour of the new writer’s vision.
Ill at ease
Michael and Will asked me to look on the Canadian side for a Canadian writer. But the Quiet Voice was ill at ease with that direction, very ill at ease.
(pixabay.com)
My gut was saying, “Look in England for an experienced writer, not in Canada”.
The plan was to pitch Canadian networks first with an experienced Canadian writer.
But the Quiet Voice was very uncomfortable with this direction. In fact, it was fairly adamant on the point but I didn’t feel too confident pressing the issue and resisting the execs.
Nevertheless I wrote to Will about my misgivings. I made the suggestion with some conviction that we should find a writer in the UK and not Canada but Will thought we should follow Michael’s advice on this and look for a Canadian writer to make the sale easier in Canada and capitalize on tax breaks and government funding and all the other details. I never spoke to Michael about it. Will disagreed so I let the matter drop. On this very critical point I didn’t listen to my Quiet Voice. I fluffed it off and proceeded down the path they sent me telling myself everything would be alright.
But, how can it be if you know down deep you are not being true to yourself?
I had several interviews with Canadian writers and we finally selected Donald Martin for the team. Donald is a terrific writer and a great guy, well known to Canadian networks, he has much experience and works in Hollywood and Toronto and seemed like the natural choice. He was Canadian, living in Los Angeles, Genie Award winner. With Donald in place a group was formed.
Pitching the networks a thrilling adventure
Gareth and Will were coming to Toronto for the screening of Bedlam’s new film (at the time) Zaytoun at the Toronto International Film Festival. Donald, Gareth, Will, Michael and I arranged to set up meetings with 5 Canadian Networks during the visit. The network’s doors were very much open to the Academy Award winning producers of The King’s Speech and Michael is well known for The Tudors so we stormed the offices of CBC, CORUS, CTV, SHAW Media and Bell Media over a two day period.
Here’s a picture of me, Gareth Unwin and Michael Taylor at TIFF just after pitching the networks.
“Everything”
Donald is a master story-teller and the high point of his pitch was his description of an imaginary scene where Isabelle, John’s wife carries a rolled up scroll through the court of young King Henry III, just a young boy sitting on an elevated throne. The crowd of nobles, clergy and ladies in waiting part as Isabelle approaches the throne where young Henry III, the nine year old newly crowned King of England sits curiously watching his mother approach. Isabelle stops and kneels before her son holding up the golden platter containing the rolled up Magna Carta tied with a golden ribbon before the King. The boy looks at the scroll, then at his mother questioningly, “What’s that?”, he says. Isabelle pauses then responds, “Everything”.
Donald was spellbinding and his description of the series was captivating.
With Donald’s enchanting “pitch”, Gareth’s provenance and reassurance, “There really isn’t anyone in the industry we can’t get a meeting with”, and Micheal’s stories of how much money The King’s Speech had earned at the box office ($200+ million based upon a $15 million dollar investment) the meetings with the networks were very compelling. This project had success written all over it and within a week Shaw made a commitment to finance half the “Development Budget” to the tune of sixty thousand dollars. We were elated!
Network partners
There was one condition. Shaw wanted to partner with a UK network who would be asked to finance the other 50% of development. Nevertheless it was great news! How could we miss? All we had to do was hand the project over to Gareth and Will to take it back to the UK and find a network (one of three) willing to partner with Shaw Media who were already committed. Slam dunk, right?
Here’s a link to the Hollywood Reporter article on the project:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/magna-carta-mini-series-365517
Part 10: “Wait for it…” is next, feel free to share!
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