Good News for The Eyes of Mara.

I'm dying to tell people and didn't want to till things were signed, so here goes...

My project, The Eyes of Mara, which many of you know I am turning into a comic book and have been pushing the script around for two years, is well on it's way towards success.

Yesterday, a British Management firm, who develops, packages and brokers scripts for the studios (and have done so successfully with the major studios here and in the UK) has signed with me on to develop Mara further and get it to the powers that be.

Also, I just signed with a veteran personal manager who has successfully negotiated amicable and profitable terms with my new British friends.

I will be fairly busy doing a rewrite next month, after which, we all feel pretty good that it will get sold to one of the big boys, who are dying to get into a cross US/India market, and those who know Mara, knows it fits that bill nicely.

Wish me all luck, I know I will for myself and of course all of you here.

As I have always said... Perseverance and a good script are all you need. Never take no to heart or for an end all answer, find someone else who will say yes.

I came up with the concept about three years ago after seeing POTC and Gunga Din late night. Thought Hindu Action Adventure? Could work, but very risky to sell.

Oh well. Nothing ventured....

Finished the first draft 12 weeks later.

Rewrites for six months.

Entered it in comps for a year and it did pretty good.

Rewrites for another 6 months.

Entered it in more comps, also did pretty well.

All along, sending queries and a lot of polite no thanks.
Pitched it a few times and again, no thanks.

Came up with Idea for website last year, got lots of read requests but no thank you.

Came up with idea for graphic novel 6 months ago, been working on that when I got a call from an old lead that I queried and had passed.

It seems they are NOW specifically looking for a script that can do well in India, the UK and the US.

Hey ATP.

Good questions and I am actually addressing some of these issues in my next article and I am currently being interviewed about how Mara the script and comic came to life.

But something I think everyone should keep in mind is that you never put anything aside. There is no time limit for anything. Commitment is a life long process. I know scripts that took ten years or more to sell. I know writers that sold their first script before their tenth.

Sure you have a current project that you are pushing around hard (My new teen scifi comedy thriller is getting some attention and I have two producers who are helping me develop it.), but a writer should have a body of work that they can keep an eye on.

Mara did fairly well in comps (No big wins though) and under normal circumstances I would have put it in the back row, but opportunities kept presenting itself, most lately being the comic.

Now as I was saying.

I am pitching around a new one now, but I keep an eye out for scripts wanted. Just last week I saw that a producer was looking for a particular genre and subject on inktip. A quick scan of my memory banks and Wallah! I got something I wrote years ago that just might be what they want. So I queried them and got a read request. No news yet, but with almost 20 finished screenplays, 40 or so full treatments, over 100 loglines and half baked ideas, I keep a look out and chances are I can fill what a producer is looking for.

Don't ever tuck something away and forget about it.

Keep writing, start a new one while your querying the old one. The more scripts you have, the more of your scripts have been read by many different people and the more recognizable your name and work becomes. And of course, the better you become and the more sellable your work gets.

And of course never give up. I've been doing this off and on for over 20 years (thank god only the past five have been really trying to sell something or I would be crazy).

On a note: Just because Mara is currently in packaging development with the British management firm, doesn't mean it will sell to a studio. I hope it does, but I don't pat myself on the back until I see that sucker sold.

But thanks for the many past on the back from all of you.