“Nearer than breath and blood, closer than hands and feet; what is the sound of one hand clapping?”

Our company has some exciting news!  We recently put our next project into full development. “One Hand Clapping” is a project I have wanted to do for quite a while now.  In fact, I wrote the first draft in the late’80’s, almost 25 years now.  It was twice optioned in the ‘90’s by L.A. production companies, but those situations didn’t go the full distance.  Since then it has gone through numerous drafts.  I have actually lost count but I know it’s at least seven, and it could be eight or nine.  Well, before we go into full production it will go through at least one more rewrite and a polish or two.

We have already set up a Facebook Page and a Twitter Account, as well as a page on our company website.  We are working on a first concept poster and trailer, which of course will change once we actually have film footage and key art to work with.  Fairly soon we will also have the first film website for ‘One Hand Clapping’ up.

And just so you know, this project is not based on the novel ‘One Hand Clapping’ written in the early ’60’s by the British writer Anthony Burgess.  You may have heard of him because he was the author of ‘A Clockwork Orange.’  I have been asked several times about this and wanted to clarify it.  If anything, you could probably say our project is more closely associated with the famous Zen koan ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’

Anyway, I leave you with a couple loglines we’re trying out, a short synopsis and a few words from some industry people who have read the screenplay.

Loglines:

“Powerful drama of a Texas family’s spiritual journey back to wholeness.”

“A birth, a death, a rebirth … 3 sons, 2 fathers, 1 grandfather … one family’s spiritual journey back to wholeness.”

“One terrible event forty years in the past defines a family for three generations. But now a new chance to heal presents itself. Will that path be taken?”

Synopsis:

A glimpse into the subtle, but intense possibilities of the human spirit, this metaphysical drama, spanning fifty years, encompasses the very powerful themes of life, death and rebirth within the subtext of aging parents, sibling rivalry and the possibility of  reincarnation.

Old, unresolved issues spring forth when three grown brothers return to their small Texas home town to face their bitter father, who is approaching death from a terminal illness. The three generations of the Ward family face an uphill battle in undoing their past and present situation

A terrible tragedy buried forty years in the past has set in motion a chain of events which the present seems completely unable to change. But a eight-year old boy and his father, the oldest Ward son, may have within their power, in a single moment in time, the chance to change the direction of the future for the betterment of them all.

Screenplay comments:

“A well-written piece … excellent character exchanges with nice complexity … well-drawn dysfunctional family … a lot going on … you really have something here…”

— Robert Hawk, well-known independent film consultant

“A touching essay on family relationships … provocative study of human nature … characters are interesting, sympathetic and diverse … opponent structure is excellent … several intriguing concepts at work here…”

— Darlene Rubin, script consultant for Truby’s Black Belt Writing Program

“Your script a surprise and a decided pleasure to read … very impressed with your story, your setup, your layout of characters … all work extremely well…”

— Jeffrey Hardy, President, Big Horse Inc., independent film consulting company

“Very well-written … thought-provoking … the treatment of the dysfunctional family seemed very believable…”

— Merlin Miller, director-producer, A PLACE TO GROW and JERICHO

“Very intriguing and interesting ideas … adventurous script which tackles big ideas on a very personal and human level…”

— Dorothy Rankin, script consultant, employed by several studios

“A lot of heart … several great insights … I believe it should get made…”

— Marino Colmano, President, Bravo Entertainment —

JAD