Numenorean Films - legit?

[LauriD]

Got a script request based on an InkTip query. Some negative stuff on them on another board from '05; nothing recent.

Anyone have an update?

LauriD

[Jakkal]

I don't know them but from IMDBpro...

They seem to have one produced credit, "The Insatiable," and one film in production: "Tokyo Ghost Story." Interestingly enough, the only two people mentioned as execs for Numenorean Films are the same guys credited as writers for "Tokyo Ghost Story." They also co-wrote/directed "The Insatiable," though other writers are credited as well.

"Tokyo Ghost Story" is currently in development and is set to be releaesd in 2009. It seems to already have theatrical distribution in the States with 20th Centurty Fox. Also, Davis Entertainment is listed as the other production company involved in the project, besides Numenorean Films (and, of course, Davis Entertainment has a bunch of high profile credits).

Again, this is all from IMDBpro, so take with a grain of salt.

[jmsullivan]

Oddly enough, those aren't the credits they cite in the Inktip posting the OP presumably responded to. Those are “Inferno”, “Dead Again”, “Point Blank” and the HBO creature feature “The Spider.”

This was at the bottom of a request for morally uplifting Christian scripts with nothing dark or objectionable. I found the whole thing weird and confusing.

[Jakkal]

Weird indeed. Clicking on the two guys' names yields a list of their projects, which do include "Point Blank" and "Earth vs. the Spider," but neither "Dead Again" nor "Inferno" make an appearance (those could be titles that got changed.). Furthermore, the films don't seem to be under the "Numenorean Films" banner, so it might just be the guys posting their own personal credits, not the company's (though, from what I've seen, it seems they ARE the company)

[jimjimgrande]

they're repped by WMA. Credits include a straight to video movie, POINT BLANK, and a few made for cable movies. They have two features in development at studios and a tv pilot with FOX.

Working writers? yes

Scumbags or Cool Dudes? No way to tell.

fyi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BAmenor

[writerman]

Cary and Chuck are good guys. I'd put them under the "cool dudes" category.

When I last spoke to Cary, he said he and Chuck were no longer attached to Tokyo Ghost Story. I didn't ask why.

I do know they were working with Rob Bowman on a pilot called Nowhere Man.

They're good guys.

[WritersBlock2010]

Many moons ago I was offered a gig with these two gentleman after they read a sample of my writing.

Our only correspondence was via E-mail, so I never met them in person, but Chuck seemed like a very reasonable guy.

The only reason I turned down the deal was because... Well, there was no deal. They weren't going to pay me to write an entire spec (based on their high concept idea). They were going give me "Story By" credit and promised to keep me "attached" if the script ever moved forward. Oldest story in the book and too many unknown variables that did not benefit me, the original writer.

For those of you saying this might have been a huge break...

I respond simply with breaks mean absolutely nothing if A) As a writer you don't own the rights to the finished product (they would have), and B) Because without solid compensation for my time, "A" means absolutely nothing to a writer like myself and the thousands of others whom want to be paid for our time & skills a.k.a. treated fairly.

Again, this is not to slam Numenroean films in particular. But to serve as a cautionary tale to newbies on how to never let anyone devalue our worth as writers. The value (value added worth) we bring to any project is our skill-set (voice; technical competence; unique POV; etc).

[writerman]

Again, this is not to slam Numenroean films in particular. But to serve as a cautionary tale to newbies on how to never let anyone devalue our worth as writers. The value (value added worth) we bring to any project is our skill-set (voice; technical competence; unique POV; etc).

Excellent advice.
"Good guys" doesn't always mean good deal.

:D