I'm actually going to defend the directors for once: I have read the Shaker Heights script online and Jane Kaczmarek is completely wrong for the part. The part is supposed to be a MILF, a pretty artist-hippie type lady. That Malcolm in the Middle lady is not what most people would consider hot. She looks like a mom, but definitely not a MILF.

I did think it was funny that the directors were complaining about having the casting taken away from them, all at the same time they are trying to take away the script from Erica.

I'm not too sure Kathleen Quinlan is a MILF either, although much moreso than Kaczmarek. If they're after a MILF, they should call back Sharon Lawrence.

das

I'm not sure how it will be in the final script, but in the version I read, the main character is sort of ashamed when his new best friend meets his mom because she is attractive and doesn't look like a typical mom.

I agree that Quinlan probably isn't who I pictured but she is way way better for the role than Kaczmarek. Kaczmarek just looks like a typical suburban mom.

So, we're looking for a MILF in her late 30s, early 40s?

Hmm... Sela Ward!

hehe good choice. She has worked for a division of the Mouse House already.

I'm interested in seeing what happens with these guys. (At least to me) they think the little effort and high demands they are making will give them greatness.

The scriptwriter is an interesting case... I really can't read her all that well. One time she seems in control and composed, the next moment she's flying off the handle like a crazy chicken.

Actually, film's a director's medium, so I would suspect that once they start shooting footage, the screenwriter should be fading into the background more and more, but given how this "show" works, she'll probably get more face time than a normal screenwriter would get in a production.

Just what I was thinking when he broke that chair!

Hey, I was wondering if anybody has any info on the guy from Season 1 who's script was optioned just after he missed the cut from 10 to 3. Was the film ever made? Is it still in the works?

Just in case anyone missed the announcement on the Project Greenlight site, "Prisoner" is being made, and directed by the director finalist who did the mental hospital entry (I already forgot his name). That sounds like a much better match, IMO.

I also have to agree with the earlier posts that didn't understand why they picked the directors that they did. I didn't really see anything about their entry that would have made me pick them. I've been assuming that there was other, better material that we didn't see, but who knows. The Project Greenlight site has the full videos of the finalists' entries, but I haven't checked them out yet.

I also have to say that I wasn't blown away by the Shaker Heights script. It had its moments, but I didn't really see why everyone was so crazy about it. But then I've never read a screenplay before, so I have nothing to compare it to, really.

About Jane Kaczmarek... the fact that the character is a MILF in the screenplay isn't a big deal. She can be not-so-hot and not have it affect the story at all, so they don't need to stick to that. She just needs to be artsy. Now I've only ever seen her on Malcom in the Middle, so it's hard to imagine her in that role anyway, but I'm assuming she has more range than just angry mom...

Good. That seems like a better combination than these guys. Perhaps there will be a Project Greenlight: Season 2.5?

Sorta OT, but some have asked about Pete Jones and this showed up in the current Entertainment Weeky...

He's working on another indie film called Doubting Riley. Budget is around $800,000. It's a comedy about a gay Chicagoan whose dubious sibs won't believe he bats for the other team. They begin shooting Aug 18th for an Oct 3rd Sundance submission deadline. He turned down offers for behind-the-scenes filming. "I loved my Greenlight experience, but this time I'd like to make a film without anybody watching. I imagine that doesn't seem too crazy."

You know, with all this "drama" about actors passing on the movie, shouldn't the fact that everything behind the scenes will be filmed for television be mentioned as a reason why they're passing?

Finally, a cast has been casted! Geez, talk about last minute casting. Shia's driving lesson and his mom were a trip. Loved how Chris put the director duo in their place w/r/t the casting of the mom. In the end, I guess it worked out. I didn't like either Sadler or Cole's reading for the role of Abe. But, not all that crazy about Mcdonald either.

I think Erica's going to have a total breakdown, but she's still showing up as the one who's really dedicated to getting her foot through the Hollywood doors and taking in the changes and making her script as shoot-worthy as possible.

Ephram and Kyle ... the jury's still out on them. The upcoming sneak peek for next week's HOUR long show seems like it's going to just as chaotic as these pre-production weeks were.

I just noticed during the ending credits that Colleen Haskell (of Survivor fame) was listed as one of the "Loggers" (whatever that is). So, she's now doing work behind the scenes in Hollywood?

MILF?

Ah...another "American Pie" neophyte-in-training.

MILF = Mother I'd Like to F***!

If the training involves Sela Ward and/or Sharon Lawrence then I can clear my schedule for some classes.

It seems like they are and will continue their quest to have complete control over every aspect of the production too.

Been watching the show, but haven't been reading this thread. After the first show, which was mainly about all the finalists, it seems the next show made the directors look like amateurs (which they are), and the next two have been about the casting process. I do think the directors came off a lot better in the last two episodes, where as in the second one they were basically slammed for just sitting there.

For what it's worth (and a bit late), I certainly understand why the guy asked for the car. But it was ill-timed in that the producers seemed to be pissed at them at that time. And at the meeting was not a good move either. Still, if one winner gets nice new car and you drive a POS, you can't help but be jealous.

I'm a bit optimistic about the film though. Last year's film never interested me, but this one actually can be pulled off I think. I agree with das in that what we see on this show is obviously the worst parts to make for better TV.

I was also wondering about some of last years losers if they got their scripts made. I'll post something in the movie forum to see if anyone knows.

It looks like that the writers gonna get reallly pissed next episode with even more rewrites

i just d/l and read the script. it didn't seem exceptional to me but i'm not a writer so who am i to say. but from the way everyone was raving about it in the first show, i was curious. maybe it's better with the rewrites. also, i really cannot see Chris McDonald in the role of Abe. Or Gary Cole. kathleen quinlan will be decent as Eve but i kept picturing an younger woman when i was reading the script. still, i think she's a better choice than jane kazmarek.

the directors just annoy me. they don't appear to be good problem solvers and complain an awful lot.

That McDonald guy doesn't seem to be a good candidate for Abe at all. I know he has been in bunches of movies, but I can't get his perf in Happy Gilmore out of my head. So that would be bad seeing what the character of Abe is about.

Also that Amy Smart girl. I was thinking of her when one of the directors said a few of the actors were just reading from the page. She is such a bland, bad actress.

Hey, that was a quick-paced hour, and boy are those 2 directors sneaky or what? I have no doubt this is exactly what they wanted to do in terms of interjecting script re-writes on the fly to get their own film on the screen, no matter how far off they veer from the source material. It should be interesting to see if they can salvage the film given the deviations from the script and the footage they've shot.

Seeing Jessica Landau on the set was a pleasant surprise. This is one of those nifty "what could have been" scenario had they picked Landau to direct this script.

I too, wish Jessica had been chosen to direct the script.

Kyle and Efram just seem sneaky and without any communication skills. Those two remind me of those "Binar" aliens from ST:TNG the way they seem so utterly plugged in with each other, but unable to communicate with the rest of the crew.

That group-hug was simply cringe-inducing.

I haven't read but the last few posts of this thread, but I did watch most of last season, and so far, all of this season, and the question of the quality of the actual finished film put aside for a moment, is it just me, or is it the show much more entertaining this year?

Oh yeah, and the first take of Shia (sp?) asking Amy Smart if there was a sale on glitter was one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time! There's just something about a goofy 16 year old "hitting" on the beautiful 27 year old Ms. Smart with a line like that that just cracks me up!