“Script for Sale” director Marie Tang blogs about movie
Yesterday I posted this great story:
Ben Resella wants to sell a screenplay. Not an unusual dream, but Ben has already “made it” once in Hollywood. For decades he worked on movie sets as a scenic designer and painter in the Philippines and found his way into Hollywood. But that never kept him from his dream of writing. Even though he’s never so much as pitched a story to anyone, he’s determined to try and sell his a screenplay. He will not be denied his chance. His last chance. Ben is 91 years old.
Young filmmaker Marie Tang decided to make a documentary about Ben and his efforts to sell his screenplay. You can see the trailer for the doc “Script for Sale” here.
Today I’m following up with this post from Marie Tang:
In 2006, The Motion Picture & Television Fund was starting an internal television station for its community members and they needed skilled hands to film and edit content and help train residents who were interested in learning filmmaking. I was finishing my last year at CSUN and was excited to work closely with people who had pioneered the industry in which I was beginning my career. Two years later, I was working full-time operating camera, editing and collaborating with the people on campus.
Marie Tang & Ben (Photo Courtesy of Ryan Resella)
Channel 22 is a small operation on The Wasserman Campus with limited resources and equipment. However, with so many talented people who come through the doors, we are able to do so much. For the first two years, Channel 22 concentrated on shows that were produced on a smaller scale such as: interviews, panel discussions, jokes in front of a green screen and more.
Script for Sale was an idea that was inspired by MTV’s Made, a series which took a regular person out of their comfort zone and partnered them with a mentor to help achieve a specific goal. With Ben Resella, I saw a 90 year old man who had all the ambitions of most fellow filmmakers my age and it saddened me to think that his dreams were less likely to happen due to the lack of opportunities. Knowing that Ben’s transformation from scenic artist to screenwriter would take time and patience, I thought that Channel 22 could create a program that would help support his goals in a shorter amount of time. Ben’s journey could then be duplicated as a series for other residents who have a very specific goal. Sounds easy! Well, maybe not for a beginning filmmaker and a new television station. With the support of Ben’s family, those involved with Channel 22, and screenwriter Steve Mazur as Ben’s mentor, I started documenting Ben’s drive and ambition.
(Photo Courtesy of Ryan Resella)
What happened? Well, I found my hero. Ben’s passion for life and creativity was an inspiration for me. His persistence in everything he had done as a soldier during WWII, an immigrant from the Philippines, and as a screenwriter at 90 made me re-examine the way I decided to live my life and pursue my own dreams. And the idea has germinated into a series, as we had hoped. For over a year, two residents have been in front of the Channel 22 cameras as they figure out how to write and produce their own original stage musical.
I really enjoyed making Script for Sale and it was a thrill to be part of Ben’s journey. He is a wonderful person with an infectious zest for life. I hope you will join us for the screening on June 5th, 2010 at 2:45pm at the Dances with Films Festival in West Hollywood.
I know screenwriter Steve Mazur (The Little Rascals, Liar Liar) and I’m not surprised to see that he is involved in a story like this, mentoring Ben Resella as Steve has taught screenwriting through the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension for many years.
Again for those of you in Southern California, here is ticket information for an upcoming screening of “Script for Sale”:
“Script for Sale”
A film by MARIE TANG
June 5, 2010 at 2:45pm
Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 848–3500
For tickets, visit
www.mptvfund.org/scriptsforsale
Please forward this information along to anyone you know in the L.A. area to help give Ben Resella a night he’ll never forget — a packed house for the premiere of “Script for Sale.”
UPDATE: You can go here to the movie’s official Facebook page. You can find out more information and buy tickets to the screening here.