Petition asks Alex Russell to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Alex Russell (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Alex Russell – Talent Agents
– Actor, Producer, Director – Chronicle (2012), Unbroken (2014), Carrie (2013), The Host (2013) – United Talent Agency (UTA), Theresa Peters – Mosaic, Paul Nelson
Alex Russell & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition
Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?
EXCLUSIVE
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 Alex Russell at United Talent Agency (UTA), Theresa Peters last week.
In the open letter to Alex Russell, 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 Alex Russell 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.”
Actor, Producer, Director, Alex Russell, has not responded to the petition. Nor has United Talent Agency (UTA), Theresa Peters responded with a comment.
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.
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.”
Alex Russell has not commented on the script, thusfar. 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.
Jana Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has also expressed interest in the screenplay.
Alex Russell is a Actor, Producer, Director known for Chronicle (2012), Unbroken (2014), Carrie (2013), The Host (2013) and is represented by United Talent Agency (UTA), Theresa Peters.
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Watch the dialogue, larger-than-life characters speak from a position of strength from the moment we meet them. They’re confident, brave and willing to do what’s necessary to accomplish their goals. Unfortunately, this works against developing an arc. For the spec script, the hero should develop into this confident soul and once the arc is apparent he’ll speak from a position of power and confidence.
Another pitfall in writing larger-than-life characters is the antagonist. For most specs to work the antagonist needs to smarter, cleverer and perhaps even more physically endowed than the hero. This forces the hero to rise to the occasion and change in order to defeat the antagonist. With larger-than-life characters, the antagonist is usually a clever equal and the two spar wits to see who comes out on top. To overcome this pitfall in the spec script, keep the antagonist stronger until the hero has arced (not a moment before), then make them clever equals who’ll play a dangerous cat and mouse game to see who wins. This will usually take place in the final resolution also known as Act III.
Does this mean a screenwriter should avoid writing larger-than-life characters? What it means is the screenwriter will have to pay extra attention to developing a strong enough arc to make it through the coverage process. Unlike James Bond, who shows up on the scene as a chiseled professional, your character will have to start out flawed and work his way into a larger-than-life scenario! His arc will have a slow, developmental process to it. We’ll be able to visually see a different person than the one we met on page one!
Only A-list writers can get away with writing these characters because they have a proven track record and many times their material skips the coverage phase and goes straight to the decision makers, like a producer or a Director of Development.
· Hero/ine’s Special Skills
· Hero/ine’s Ghost
· Hero/ine’s Problem
· Hero/ine’s Inner and Outer Desire