Petition asks James Madio to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from James Madio (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
James Madio – Talent Agents
– Actor, Producer, Writer – Band of Brothers (2001), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Jersey Boys (2014), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) – Vox, Tom Lawless – Liebman Entertainment, Brian Liebman
Dumbass, I Love Us, Kayla & Modi, Morello
James Madio & 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 James Madio 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 James Madio at Vox, Tom Lawless last week.
In the open letter to James Madio, 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 James Madio 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, Writer, James Madio, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Vox, Tom Lawless 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.”
James Madio 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.
James Madio is a Actor, Producer, Writer known for Band of Brothers (2001), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Jersey Boys (2014), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and is represented by Vox, Tom Lawless.
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Once the writer makes an initial sale, Hollywood will be more receptive to other material because the writer has proven he can deliver a commercial product. So, give yourself a chance to write a commercial script. I believe youll find, like I did, that you love it! Soon youll never go back to writing the way you used to. Instead youll be proud to say, I only write commercial material.
I can already hear the arguments where the screenwriter names a character-driven or plot-driven film that was a success. I can name them too, but what were talking about here is making a FIRST SALE. Were not talking about a character-driven script that happened to get a big star attached or a plot-driven script picked up by a famous director. Unless you have solid Hollywood contacts youre unlikely to have this kind of backing to get your screenplay made into a film. What were talking about is presenting a commercial product thatll land the writer a FIRST SALE! After that, the skys the limit!
The trick to getting a first sale sounds easy enough. Write a script that has a strong plot and strong characterizations. Yet this is a very difficult thing to do. Why? In my opinion, its because it forces the writer to be creative in a new way. Did I just imply that writing a commercial script inspires creativity? Yes, I did! Because it does. Theres nothing more inspiring than writing a great plot with a great character or vice versa.
Looking back on my coming of age story its obvious why it isnt commercial. Its an all character-driven script. Does this mean itll never sell? Of course not. What it means is that its unlikely this script will be a FIRST SALE!
Now lets get started.
And anything that doesnt make sense to you? Save it to look at later, or just forget about it! As they say in twelve-step programs: Take what you want and leave the rest.
But I teach workshops all over the United States and internationally, and Ive never come across a writer who didnt get something useful out of this workbook, or my workshops. The story structure Im teaching here is something you know already, because youve seen it in operation in tens of thousands of movies and TV shows youve watched over the course of your life (scary, isnt it?). As you read this book and start looking at movies and television for these elements, you will realize that youre already doing most of what I talk about! Still, its incredibly useful to put a name to some of these things and make them a more conscious part of your writing process.
Especially for newer writers, the intimacy of just letting a story unfold as the characters play out their dramas in your head can be an essential part of your development as a storyteller.