Petition asks Ashton Sanders to read prison screenplay

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

Ashton Sanders – Talent Agents
– Actor, Producer – Moonlight (2016), The Retrieval (2013), The Equalizer 2 (2018), Captive State (2019) – Hyperion Talent Agency, Ryan Bartlett –

Dumbass, Feather – (The First Part Last), A More Unbending Battle

Ashton Sanders & 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 Ashton Sanders at Hyperion Talent Agency, Ryan Bartlett last week.

In the open letter to Ashton Sanders, 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 Ashton Sanders 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, Ashton Sanders, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Hyperion Talent Agency, Ryan Bartlett 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.”

Ashton Sanders 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.

Ashton Sanders is a Actor, Producer known for Moonlight (2016), The Retrieval (2013), The Equalizer 2 (2018), Captive State (2019) and is represented by Hyperion Talent Agency, Ryan Bartlett.

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This is the area that should be most helpful to aspiring screenwriters because understanding how a subplot can be used to reflect the internal conflict will help identify the hero’s internal struggle and enhance it. In addition, by layering in a subplot that reflects the internal conflict, the screenwriter will be adding a layer of subtext (underlying meaning).

2) Reflects the internal conflict.

Without this information, the story wouldn’t be resolved. It usually involves engaging the audience with a character or character other than the hero. The key is that the subplot must be connected to the main plot. This is usually done via the story’s events and how they come together to form a cohesive tale. A good example is the film Magnolia. There are several stories that at first appear disconnected, each having its own path, but by the end of the film the stories come together to provide vital information that resolves the plot. While I’ve given Magnolia as an example, I’d advise aspiring screenwriters to steer clear of having more than one subplot in a screenplay because multiple subplots can bog down a story’s pacing and requires a veteran screenwriter to pull it off without a hitch.

1) Provides vital information to the main plot.

(Those of you who are still just outlining may not want to jump into this until we’ve gotten farther with story elements.)

· ASSIGNMENT: Those of you who already have your book or script outlined or who have a first draft may well want to take some time to track the opposing PLANS throughout your story.

And here’s a hint: you may find it useful to put those huge failures of the plan at your Midpoint and at the Act Two Climax — the Dark Night of the Soul/All Is Lost scene. Every time your hero/ine loses big, it makes the reader wonder WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, and that’s what we’re after, here. You want your reader to be as desperate as your hero/ine is to win.

If you find your own plot sagging, especially in that long middle section, try identifying and tracking the various plans of your characters. It might be just what you need to pull your story into new and much more exciting alignment.