Spec script sale: “Nonstop”
Per TrackingBoard.com, rumor of a pitch going out today called “Non-Stop.”Turns out it’s not a pitch, but a script. Written by a Michael Gilvary. A couple of days go by. Interest in the project heating up. Then this on Twitter:
Update: Dreamworks in talks to pickup Michael Gilvary’s script “Non-Stop,” with Patrick Tatopoulos attach to direct.
So as it looks like the project is going to sell, I decide to bump around the Internet and see what’s what with Mr. Gilvary. Turns out he has a blog. Here’s his first post from back in December 4, 2005:
And my website aims to be little more than a window into the world of an intrepid, working screenwriter as he hacks his way through the bush of modern day Hollywood, trusty Powerbook slung over his shoulder, on a quixotic quest to put his stories up on the big screen, demons and imps be damned. Battles will be won and lost. Lessons will be learned. Tears will be shed. Popcorn will be eaten.
Care to tag along?
Gilvary left a comfortable gig in Vermont and moved to LA to write screenplays. In this post from December 18, 2005, Gilvary recounts his story:
Right before I left for Los Angeles, I took a quick trip to Europe with my folks. I brought a bottle of bordeaux back from Paris. It was to be my celebratory wine, only to be opened when I had my Big Break in the film business — however long that took.
Gilvary moved to LA and got some writing gigs, but he made a decision:
I decided that The Really Big Break, if it existed at all, wouldn’t come until one of my screenplays was actually produced. It’s amazing how far you can get in this business without actually getting a film made. And none of my films were getting made.
In fact, none have been made yet. I’ve worked on several assignments and have optioned or sold several of my screenplays. A couple of them are tantalizingly close to production, but I’ve been at this too long to take anything for granted.
The bottle of bordeaux remains corked, tucked away in a cabinet. My wife reminds me about it every once in a while. It might be vinegar by now. It probably wasn’t any good to begin with. But, as my father said to me a while back, “The big day will come and you’ll open that bottle, and it’ll taste like shit, but you’ll drink it anyway and you’ll love it.”
Cut to October 3, 2007 and this post:
I’ve been mum for a while because this bit of good news had not been officially announced yet and I didn’t want to jinx anything, but…
My first movie just went into production.
It’s called Greta, and it’s being produced by Whitewater Films and directed by Nancy Bardawil. It stars Hilary Duff, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Murphy and Evan Ross. It should go without saying that I’m completely floored by this great cast, especially considering that this is a pretty small movie.
Here’s an article about the project.
This project has been a long time coming. It’s one of the first scripts I ever wrote and, at one point, in a careless moment, I nearly threw away the only existing copy. A number of producers have gotten involved — and then uninvolved — over the years. But it’s finally, truly happening.
In one of my early posts, I talked about the bottle of wine that I’ve been saving until my Big Break, and how, year after year, no matter what good things had happened to me, I’ve yet to pop the cork.
Well, I’m about to pop that motherflippin’ cork. And drink the whole damn bottle.
Presumably that bottle of Bordeaux is long gone. Well, Mr. Gilvary can get ready to polish off another bottle of vino because DreamWorks just bought his spec script “Nonstop”:
DreamWorks has abducted the sci-fi action thriller “Nonstop” from scribe Michael Gilvary. “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” helmer Patrick Tatopoulos is attached to direct, and Len Wiseman is producing.
The original story line follows the passengers of Flight 209 after their plane is mysteriously abducted by an alien ship.
Gilvary, who is also repped by Alison Rosenzweig Films, penned the script for “Greta” and has “Devil to Pay” in development at Lionsgate.
Cheers, Michael Gilvary!
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