Post Imaginarium 2019
Me, Missy
Dear Daniel,
The question on my mind is, what's next creatively for me. I have book out, a feature film on the film festival circuit, and a multitude of scripts to pick from as my next project.
Each one poses different financial dilemmas but after living with Letters to Daniel for so long, and laboring to bring it to fruition for so long, now that it's being seen I want things to go extraordinarily well for it.
But I've got the itch to write, but I also have the itch to film. You can't do both at the same time. And the thought of waiting another 7 years to bring a project to fruition does not appeal to me. Although if it were easy to make a good film everyone would do it/
The reality is the setbacks I experienced on the road of Letters to Daniel ended up being the biggest blessings. The first time I was going to make this film I teamed up with a cinematographer/editor team, because of communication problems I was forced to pull the plug on production 9 days out from the time we were supposed to say action.
Then I got entangled with a series of liars and toxic people who made promises and who threatened to break me and Missy apart. Finally I was found by the AOF Megafest family and introduced to G1NBC's John Spalding.
I tried shopping it to big people. I tried to find ten people to donate 2500 dollars a piece. Finally I realized no one was going to make this movie but me and Missy. And that 2019 was going to be the year to do it.
I have cared passionately for this project for 7 years now. Letters to Daniel isn't just a project but it is very much who I am. Now that I've made a movie like that, I can't go back. So the question become what script do I dedicate myself to for the forseeable future. And it has to be the Guardian I've written 5 episodes. The pilot is amazing (the script). I have it budgeted at $16k. I have people who will make it look like more than that. But the truth is I've been intimidated by it. It has fx. A larger cast. It does have limited locations but it's action oriented. I've basically been a talking heads director up until now.
So the heart to heart is this. With covid-19 ravaging the United States, and civil rights movement that desperately need to be heard, how safe is it to film a television pilot? And do I think I can raise 16k to make the movie I am dreaming of?
Some people would say during COVID-19 you shouldn't do anything. Sell your book, run your business or make your movie. I just have to embrace this is the year that I will make the Guardian. More like winter/spring but I just have to start stepping out on faith and doing it.
Sincerely,
Amy McCorkle
