Logline:
“Young director Steven Spielberg undertakes the challenge of his career when he begins production on one of the most infamously difficult film shoots in history – an adaptation of the best-selling novel, JAWS.”
Synopsis:
In 1973, a young director by the name of Steven Spielberg is put in charge of the film adaptation of a highly successful novel about a shark – JAWS. Not only has no other movie in history ever shot on the open ocean, the production is almost immediately plagued by an array of challenges and setbacks –clashes between the film’s stars, run-ins with the local government of Martha’s Vineyard, endless technical malfunctions with the mechanical shark, not to mention the brutality of the Atlantic itself. With the studio breathing down his neck and a production already months (and millions) over schedule, Steven must lead his motley crew through one of the most infamously difficult film shoots in history – one that threatens to sink both the production itself as well as his own fledgling career.
Read the Script: https://blcklst.com/scripts/157163
Logline
“Young director Steven Spielberg undertakes the challenge of his career when he begins production on one of the most infamously difficult film shoots in history – an adaptation of the best-selling novel, JAWS.”
Synopsis
In 1973, a young director by the name of Steven Spielberg is put in charge of the film adaptation of a highly successful novel about a shark – JAWS. Not only has no other movie in history ever shot on the open ocean, the production is almost immediately plagued by an array of challenges and setbacks –clashes between the film’s stars, run-ins with the local government of Martha’s Vineyard, endless technical malfunctions with the mechanical shark, not to mention the brutality of the Atlantic itself. With the studio breathing down his neck and a production already months (and millions) over schedule, Steven must lead his motley crew through one of the most infamously difficult film shoots in history – one that threatens to sink both the production itself as well as his own fledgling career.
Read the Script: https://blcklst.com/scripts/157163
BACKGROUND
Like a great many filmmakers, my love of movies came both from watching the films themselves as well as from the plethora of behind-the-scenes materials that came about with the advent of home media. The most impactful of which – to me – was Steven Spielberg’s immortal classic, JAWS.
Specifically, I can remember being a child and watching not only the film itself, but the Behind-the-Scenes mini-documentary included on the VHS release. In fact, WHENEVER I watched JAWS, I *always* watched the documentary – getting to see even a small glimpse into how the movie was made (including the many on-set issues as described by the artists themselves) only served to ENHANCE my love and appreciation for the film. For me, the behind-the-scenes tale might as well have BEEN part of the movie.
As such, somewhere in the back of my mind, I always had this sneaky suspicion that the story behind the making of JAWS would ITSELF be an amazing movie… however, over the years, such a film never materialized. Sure, there were documentaries, but nothing that took the very production itself and DRAMATIZED it for both fans and general audiences alike. So, much like Brody himself, I decided that if no one else was going to solve this problem, I guess it would have to be me…
THE SCREENPLAY
My goal was to craft the perfect “companion piece” to JAWS itself – a film you’ll want to watch alongside it, before or after every viewing.
That said, attempting to bring the TRUE story of the JAWS production to life while still finding a way to condense the events into a runtime that mirrors the film itself AND making it entertaining and relatable to general audiences (who, while they have likely seen JAWS, are also generally unaware of many of the behind-the-scenes woes) was quite the tall order.
As a result, I undertook MONTHS AND MONTHS of research from across the entire JAWS spectrum – books (like The JAWS Log), documentaries, and interviews with the cast and crew. You name it. Finding actual quotes, anecdotes, and any small bit of trivia that might help best tell this story.
All of these and more went into crafting the most complete version of events possible – from creating a giant timeline to trying my best to get even the small details right. However, this also had to be balanced with keeping the story tight and well-paced, so as to avoid getting bogged down in the technicalities.
When I tell you that crafting this story was an intense labor of LOVE, I’m not lying. And that was just for the FIRST DRAFT. Since then, there have been YEARS of revisions and corrections, large and small, to get this screenplay into the place it DESERVES in order to tell this story properly.
Today, the screenplay is finally in a state where it (in my opinion) SHINES. As a fan of JAWS first and foremost, I can undoubtedly say that THIS is the movie I’ve always wanted to see – and one I can bet a great many others have, too. A film that brings to life the struggle, the fun, the excitement, the heartache, and the humor behind the making of one of the greatest films of all time.
THE SCREENPLAY
My goal was to craft the perfect “companion piece” to JAWS itself – a film you’ll want to watch alongside it, before or after every viewing.
That said, attempting to bring the TRUE story of the JAWS production to life while still finding a way to condense the events into a runtime that mirrors the film itself AND making it entertaining and relatable to general audiences (who, while they have likely seen JAWS, are also generally unaware of many of the behind-the-scenes woes) was quite the tall order.
As a result, I undertook MONTHS AND MONTHS of research from across the entire JAWS spectrum – books (like The JAWS Log), documentaries, and interviews with the cast and crew. You name it. Finding actual quotes, anecdotes, and any small bit of trivia that might help best tell this story.
All of these and more went into crafting the most complete version of events possible – from creating a giant timeline to trying my best to get even the small details right. However, this also had to be balanced with keeping the story tight and well-paced, so as to avoid getting bogged down in the technicalities.
When I tell you that crafting this story was an intense labor of LOVE, I’m not lying. And that was just for the FIRST DRAFT. Since then, there have been YEARS of revisions and corrections, large and small, to get this screenplay into the place it DESERVES in order to tell this story properly.
Today, the screenplay is finally in a state where it (in my opinion) SHINES. As a fan of JAWS first and foremost, I can undoubtedly say that THIS is the movie I’ve always wanted to see – and one I can bet a great many others have, too. A film that brings to life the struggle, the fun, the excitement, the heartache, and the humor behind the making of one of the greatest films of all time.
My goal was to craft the perfect “companion piece” to JAWS itself – a film you’ll want to watch alongside it, before or after every viewing.
That said, attempting to bring the TRUE story of the JAWS production to life while still finding a way to condense the events into a runtime that mirrors the film itself AND making it entertaining and relatable to general audiences (who, while they have likely seen JAWS, are also generally unaware of many of the behind-the-scenes woes) was quite the tall order.
As a result, I undertook MONTHS AND MONTHS of research from across the entire JAWS spectrum – books (like The JAWS Log), documentaries, and interviews with the cast and crew. You name it. Finding actual quotes, anecdotes, and any small bit of trivia that might help best tell this story.
All of these and more went into crafting the most complete version of events possible – from creating a giant timeline to trying my best to get even the small details right. However, this also had to be balanced with keeping the story tight and well-paced, so as to avoid getting bogged down in the technicalities.
When I tell you that crafting this story was an intense labor of LOVE, I’m not lying. And that was just for the FIRST DRAFT. Since then, there have been YEARS of revisions and corrections, large and small, to get this screenplay into the place it DESERVES in order to tell this story properly.
Today, the screenplay is finally in a state where it (in my opinion) SHINES. As a fan of JAWS first and foremost, I can undoubtedly say that THIS is the movie I’ve always wanted to see – and one I can bet a great many others have, too. A film that brings to life the struggle, the fun, the excitement, the heartache, and the humor behind the making of one of the greatest films of all time.
My goal was to craft the perfect “companion piece” to JAWS itself – a film you’ll want to watch alongside it, before or after every viewing.
That said, attempting to bring the TRUE story of the JAWS production to life while still finding a way to condense the events into a runtime that mirrors the film itself AND making it entertaining and relatable to general audiences (who, while they have likely seen JAWS, are also generally unaware of many of the behind-the-scenes woes) was quite the tall order.
As a result, I undertook MONTHS AND MONTHS of research from across the entire JAWS spectrum – books (like The JAWS Log), documentaries, and interviews with the cast and crew. You name it. Finding actual quotes, anecdotes, and any small bit of trivia that might help best tell this story.
All of these and more went into crafting the most complete version of events possible – from creating a giant timeline to trying my best to get even the small details right. However, this also had to be balanced with keeping the story tight and well-paced, so as to avoid getting bogged down in the technicalities.
When I tell you that crafting this story was an intense labor of LOVE, I’m not lying. And that was just for the FIRST DRAFT. Since then, there have been YEARS of revisions and corrections, large and small, to get this screenplay into the place it DESERVES in order to tell this story properly.
Today, the screenplay is finally in a state where it (in my opinion) SHINES. As a fan of JAWS first and foremost, I can undoubtedly say that THIS is the movie I’ve always wanted to see – and one I can bet a great many others have, too. A film that brings to life the struggle, the fun, the excitement, the heartache, and the humor behind the making of one of the greatest films of all time.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Besides the screenplay itself, I’ve also worked hard to try and make it into more of a full-fledged “package.”
First of all, having a love for design, I always make faux posters for ALL my completed screenplays – this one being no different. While certainly not a FINAL result, I hope that it helps give the idea of exactly what I think the “vibe” of this movie and its marketing should/could be. As a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ve included two variants here for your viewing pleasure: POSTER 1 and POSTER 2
Beyond that, I’ve also created a FULL 48-PAGE LOOK BOOK for the film that can be shared with producers and other interested parties. (available per request – email chris@triplezerofilm.com)
The detailed PDF goes through nearly every aspect of the movie itself – from the inherent benefits of capitalizing on the love of the original film without sullying it with a sequel/remake, thoughts on cinematography and the “look” of the movie (color palette, visual style), era-correct soundtrack (not explicitly stated in the script, but absolutely on my mind for certain scenes), potential casting choices for nearly the entire ensemble (chosen not just for ability but also star power and physical resemblance/age), and TONS of behind the scenes photos of the actual JAWS production – itself a wonderful look into the potential physical production/costume design/set design of THIS film.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Besides the screenplay itself, I’ve also worked hard to try and make it into more of a full-fledged “package.”
First of all, having a love for design, I always make faux posters for ALL my completed screenplays – this one being no different. While certainly not a FINAL result, I hope that it helps give the idea of exactly what I think the “vibe” of this movie and its marketing should/could be. As a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ve included two variants here for your viewing pleasure: POSTER 1 and POSTER 2
Beyond that, I’ve also created a FULL 48-PAGE LOOK BOOK for the film that can be shared with producers and other interested parties. (available per request – email chris@triplezerofilm.com)
The detailed PDF goes through nearly every aspect of the movie itself – from the inherent benefits of capitalizing on the love of the original film without sullying it with a sequel/remake, thoughts on cinematography and the “look” of the movie (color palette, visual style), era-correct soundtrack (not explicitly stated in the script, but absolutely on my mind for certain scenes), potential casting choices for nearly the entire ensemble (chosen not just for ability but also star power and physical resemblance/age), and TONS of behind the scenes photos of the actual JAWS production – itself a wonderful look into the potential physical production/costume design/set design of THIS film.
Beyond that, I’ve also created a FULL 48-PAGE LOOK BOOK for the film that can be shared with producers and other interested parties. (available per request – email chris@triplezerofilm.com)
The detailed PDF goes through nearly every aspect of the movie itself – from the inherent benefits of capitalizing on the love of the original film without sullying it with a sequel/remake, thoughts on cinematography and the “look” of the movie (color palette, visual style), era-correct soundtrack (not explicitly stated in the script, but absolutely on my mind for certain scenes), potential casting choices for nearly the entire ensemble (chosen not just for ability but also star power and physical resemblance/age), and TONS of behind the scenes photos of the actual JAWS production – itself a wonderful look into the potential physical production/costume design/set design of THIS film.
GOALS
As a FAN of JAWS who believes with all his heart that this could be a HUGE success, both for the continued popularity of JAWS and for the pocketbooks of Universal (the perfect home to bring this story to life, for obvious reasons), I want nothing more than to be able to work together with a team of dedicated professionals to continue the legacy of the film that made us all afraid to go into the water… After all, this movie’s “Gonna need a bigger budget.”
For example, I’d love to get it into the hands of Ian Shaw, who I feel is the PERFECT choice to continue his tradition of playing his father once more – only this time, immortalized on film. Such a partner could likewise help take this movie from words on a page to the realization of the dreams of JAWS fans (and I believe general audiences) around the world.
INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT chris@triplezerofilms.com