Petition asks Neil Gaiman to read prison screenplay

More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from  Neil Gaiman (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system

Neil Gaiman – Talent Agents
– Writer, Producer, Actor – Good Omens (2019), Stardust (2007), Beowulf (2007), Princess Mononoke (1997) – Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, Jenne Casarotto –

Dumbass, Fortunately, the Milk, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Neil Gaiman & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition

Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?

EXCLUSIVE

More than 2000 women have signed an open letter to Adam Sandler calling on Neil Gaiman and Hollywood to take “movie action” to tackle injustice against men and women in the wake of revelations that Texas has more prisoners incarcerated than the Soviet Union’s gulag system had. Texas currently has over 290,000 inmates housed at 580 facilities.

The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job.  The petitions arrived for Neil Gaiman at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, Jenne Casarotto last week.

In the open letter to Neil Gaiman, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.”  The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”

The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Neil Gaiman for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.

The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.

Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.”  Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”

Writer, Producer, Actor, Neil Gaiman, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, Jenne Casarotto responded with a comment.

Alan Nafzger/caption]

The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.

The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”

The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.

Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”

Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.

During the winter’s deep freeze, the The Marshall Project, exposed the horrible prison conditions, “Inside Frigid Texas Prisons: Broken Toilets, Disgusting Food, Few Blankets.”

The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”

Neil Gaiman has not commented on the script, thus far. A statement is expected soon.

Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.

He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.

Adam Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has expressed interest in the screenplay.

Neil Gaiman is a Writer, Producer, Actor known for Good Omens (2019), Stardust (2007), Beowulf (2007), Princess Mononoke (1997) and is represented by Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, Jenne Casarotto.

——————- READ MORE ——————-

Think Movie Poster

If the script’s a horror, then brainstorm scary titles. If it’s a RomCom, brainstorm romantic, love titles. Ironically, titles like “The Ring” could be used for a horror or a RomCom. In this case, it’s the poster that reveals the genre, but for selling purposes the writer needs a title that reveals the genre. Use the technique mentioned above. But instead of the dialogue, scan the description and pull out words that individually or combined could be used to create a genre-specific title.

Think Genre to Pick the Title

Writing a story about a wicked woman, but can’t come up with a title? How ‘bout the song “Witchy Woman”? Using a song title as the script’s title can lock in a potential sound track, which could make the script more valuable. Be careful to pick a song that fits the genre.

· A Man’s Gotta Do What A Man’s Gotta Do (Jaws, High Noon, The Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven)

· Unreliable Narrator (The Usual Suspects, Fallen, The Sixth Sense)

· The Therapeutic Journey (Good Will Hunting, The Sixth Sense, The King’s Speech)

· Impostor or False Identity (While You Were Sleeping, Tootsie, Roman Holiday)