Petition asks David E. Kelley to read prison screenplay

More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from  David E. Kelley (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system

David E. Kelley – Talent Agents
– Writer, Producer, Additional Crew – The Practice (1997), L.A. Law (1986), Ally McBeal (1997), Big Little Lies (2017) – Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Rob Kenneally –

Dumbass, The Institute

David E. Kelley & 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 David E. Kelley 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 David E. Kelley at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Rob Kenneally last week.

In the open letter to David E. Kelley, 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 David E. Kelley 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, Additional Crew, David E. Kelley, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Rob Kenneally 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.”

David E. Kelley 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.

David E. Kelley is a Writer, Producer, Additional Crew known for The Practice (1997), L.A. Law (1986), Ally McBeal (1997), Big Little Lies (2017) and is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Rob Kenneally.

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Most importantly, you’ll be able to tell if your commercially developed idea works as a motion picture. Wouldn’t you rather learn this from an outline as opposed to waiting until you reach page 90? Wouldn’t you rather identify that something doesn’t work before you start writing than when you reach page 72? If you have a drawer full of partially done scripts, most likely it’s because you didn’t take the time to thoroughly outline. Instead, you allowed inspiration to take over and lead you down the wrong path. Learn to use inspiration wisely and don’t let it waste any more of your valuable time.

…I’ve never met a professional screenwriter who doesn’t outline in one form or another. How you decide to outline is up to you, but thoroughly outlining can save a tremendous amount of time and frustration; and if you really involve yourself in it, it can lead to the best inspiration and creativity you’ll ever experience.

I know screenwriters who’ve been working on the same script for 3 or more years. I also know screenwriters who’ve re-written the same script so many times it makes my head spin. Some of them claim to outline, while others won’t hear of it. They’d rather write from inspiration. Then there are the screenwriters who write a script off the top of their heads without giving it a second thought. All I can say is…

OUTLINE: Avoid Page-One Rewrites

WHY THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE?

And in a 90-minute movie, the same applies: ACT ONE is about 30 pages or 30 minutes, ACT TWO is about 30 pages or 30 minutes, and ACT THREE is 30 minutes or less. (You see this equal-length act structure a lot in animated movies and romantic comedies, which tend to be shorter films, and also in older, classic movies.)

Note that in a shorter book, you might have three more equal acts: an ACT ONE of about 100 pages (p. 1-100), an ACT TWO of about 100 pages (p. 100-200), and ACT THREE is 100 pages or less (p. 200-300).

· ACT THREE is a little less than 100 pages (p. 300-400)