I have finally decided to take the plunge and start my own web page. I did this, in part, because my computer-genius son thinks it is 'quaint' that I do not have one, and after I discovered that my cleaning lady does have one.
And so I will begin posting here my thoughts, about Hollywood and writing, about life, religion, politics and parenting. All are invited to contribute and to comment. I will also publish some of my own work here, as well as that of young people whom I think are talented and deserve attention. Because, as I often have occasion to say, nothing is more important to me than talent, and especially the talent of young people.
I have also decided, after much rumination, to offer strangers the opportunity to send me their screenplays, and, for a fee, to read and comment on them. I do this somewhat reluctantly, since, for the past five years or so, I have had a standing offer to read the screenplay of any young person who sends it to me, and to give my reaction. Because of this, I receive about a hundred screenplays a year, all of which I read, comment on and return (in self-addressed envelopes). My offer includes the pledge that if I think the work is talented, I will pass it along to the agency that represents me, CAA, and if I think it is brilliant, I will option it through my production company, Anomaly Entertainment, and try to get it produced. In the years that I have been making good on my offer, I have read hundreds of screenplays. I have passed six on to CAA, and, only recently, I have optioned two.
Now, reading, critiquing and returning comments on all those screenplays has taken up a great deal of my time. To date I have given that time for free, but I simply cannot afford to do so any longer. And so, I will read and critique a screenplay and make suggestions for its future, for a fee, on the grounds that my time is, indeed, worth something. A procedure for submitting work to me is contained in this web page.
Apart from that, this page will be a place for me to vent, reflect, and experiment with ideas, and for others to respond. In the hope that this little forum will be of some use to those who take the time to read it, I will begin...'
