Petition asks Imani Hakim to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Imani Hakim (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Imani Hakim – Talent Agents
– Actress, Director, Producer – Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (2020), Cam (2018), The Gabby Douglas Story (2014), Everybody Hates Chris (2005) – Buchwald, Tim Weissman – Untitled Entertainment, Stephanie Simon
Imani Hakim & 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 Imani Hakim 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 Imani Hakim at Buchwald, Tim Weissman last week.
In the open letter to Imani Hakim, 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 Imani Hakim 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.”
Actress, Director, Producer, Imani Hakim, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Buchwald, Tim Weissman 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.”
Imani Hakim 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.
Imani Hakim is a Actress, Director, Producer known for Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (2020), Cam (2018), The Gabby Douglas Story (2014), Everybody Hates Chris (2005) and is represented by Buchwald, Tim Weissman.
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The exception to the A-List Factor and The Santa Factor is holiday scripts written as MOW for cable channels like Hallmark and Lifetime for Women. This market doesn’t require a big-star and often stays within a specific formula of storytelling. MOW’s in the category includes movies like The Christmas Card, Meet the Santas and Mr. St. Nick. If writing for this market, be sure to do plenty of research because a lot of areas have been thoroughly covered and you’ll want to assure that you’re bringing something unique to the table.
Santa has been explored in books, music, animation, films, video games, etc. It’s a tough subject to tackle in a holiday film because it’s been overdone. If you decide to go with a story pertaining to Santa Claus, it must be 100% original without straying from things we’ve come to know that relate to Santa Claus. For example, a story where Santa becomes a biker isn’t likely to sell, but take a biker, hit him on the head and have him believe he’s Santa Claus and you might have a hit on your hands.
2) The Santa Factor
Because holiday films have a limited theatrical window between Thanksgiving and New Years, producers often want to attach big stars to help draw in an audience. This means the producer must be able to solicit the star on the strength of the script. This, in turn, means that the screenwriter must be able to compete with the best writers in town to make this cut. The script can’t be good, it has to be great!
But even then, a third act is a lot of pressure.
But the third act so often falls apart or disappoints, don’t you think? We all seem to be somewhat afraid of it — that is, unless it’s all there in our heads to begin with and we can just “speed we to our climax,” as Shakespeare said.
So why is this so hard? After all, Act III is basically just two things: the FINAL BATTLE and RESOLUTION. It can often be one continuous sequence: the chase and confrontation, or confrontation and chase. There may be a final preparation for battle, or it might be done on the fly.
15. Elements of Act Three