Petition asks Len Wiseman to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Len Wiseman (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Len Wiseman – Talent Agents
– Producer, Writer, Director – Underworld (2003), Total Recall (2012), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Underworld: Blood Wars (2016) – Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Risa Gertner –
Dumbass, McClane, Ballerina, Sin City
Len Wiseman & 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 Len Wiseman 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 Len Wiseman at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Risa Gertner last week.
In the open letter to Len Wiseman, 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 Len Wiseman 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.”
Producer, Writer, Director, Len Wiseman, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Risa Gertner 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.”
Len Wiseman 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.
Len Wiseman is a Producer, Writer, Director known for Underworld (2003), Total Recall (2012), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Underworld: Blood Wars (2016) and is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Risa Gertner.
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Or if you have enough money to make the film yourself, forget everything I said and go for it! Another area a writer should consider before starting a feature-length screenplay is tough and easy sells. There is material that’s rarely, if ever, purchased from aspiring screenwriters and is reserved solely for writers with a track record. They often include high budget scripts, period pieces, dramas, etc. Let’s take a look at…
Finally, knowing the markets is probably the #1 thing you can do to avoid writing stories similar to thousands upon thousands of other stories. Know what’s in pre-production in town, know current trends, know future trends, know what actors and production companies are seeking by reading Hollywood papers like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
For those of you living in small towns, take the media-derived source material, mix it with an idea from a small town story, then add irony and I’d bet money you’ll have a winner. This formula has been used for hit movies like City Slickers, Blair Witch and even Con Air.
Stop thinking of stories strictly based on the external conflict and start thinking of stories in terms of irony. Why? Because irony breeds originality. Here’s a simple example: A man dead-set against marriage must get married in order to inherit $100 million. Take the media source idea you have and add irony – maybe, just maybe you’ll come up with something no one else is writing.
Don’t sweat it.
And remember, your premise sentence may change as you actually write the book and discover what your story is really about. This is just for you to start with what you think it’s about.
I understand that the temptation to skip this step is huge. But there’s no putting this off — you’re going to need this premise to move forward. It can be a lot easier to start by bashing out several sentences or a whole paragraph, and then start distilling it down. That’s perfectly fine. In fact I encourage you to start a premise/synopsis file and keep adding descriptions of your story in different lengths to that file — believe me, you’ll need all of them later!
Do it now, and add those to your fabulous new notebook.