Saturday 11 March 2023

FROM BOOK TO FILM

Since THE FOREVERS trilogy has been published, I've always dreamed of adapting it into a TV series. The three books would make for an incredible 3-season viewing experience. Several production companies have expressed interest in the books, but I came closest to fulfilling this dream when I actually sat down to write a compelling pitch and pilot episode for the books. In late 2020, I submitted this to a Netflix "Call for Canadian Content Submissions". Over 10,000 screenwriters applied. I was delighted when my project was shortlisted to the finalists group and I actually got to pitch the series directly to a Netflix executive who called it "one of the most original series pitches he'd seen." Our meeting went well, but unfortunately Netflix didn't go any further with it. I like to think one of the reasons was that we were at the very beginning of the pandemic and everyone was being super-cautious. In the meantime, the books continue to sell, slowly and steadily. The world of Paige and Junius and Chale is still very much alive in my mind and, to my knowledge no-one else has made a series like this, so I still hope that one day you'll see them on the screen.
I told the Netflix executive that the time is right for this series, which features a brave female protagonist who stands up for herself and beats almost insurmountable odds to fight for justice On a PERSONAL LEVEL this is the story of a young woman’s search for: • HER IDENTITY, HER PURPOSE, HER FAMILY • LOVE, MEANING, BELONGING – all issues very important to young people today On a WIDER LEVEL this story resonates globally, touching on: • Humanity’s relationship to DEATH and the quest for IMMORTALITY, which are universal themes that cross historical, cultural, racial and geographic boundaries. • The nature of POWER and the constant conflict between government, private industry and organized crime to exert control over the lives of ordinary people. Let's hope this is the year for THE FOREVERS to make it to the screen!!