Reply #59: That's one possible next step, and if you want to do it that way, go for [View All]

[petgoat]

it.

I'd be inclined to prepare for the interview a bit first by

1.) writing an outline based on what we have now so we have something
written to show

2.) consulting with some professional screenwriters (there must be
some here on DU) about how to handle the fact that we're not going to
pay for movie rights to the book. My understanding is that producers
want the rights to be in hand before they even consider buying a
script--I suppose because writers engaging in a speculative project
are in a better negotiating position than is a producer who's
considering developing an existing script.

3.) Dealing with the focus of the script--the brothers' biographies
(such that the votescam issues are just background) or the votescam
issues (and how do we clearly portray that)?

4.) Preparing to discuss how much the material is to be fictionalized.
If the brothers' sacrifices are the focus of the script, surely the
failures of their marriages are part of that theme. How much trouble
can the ex-wives make if they don't like their portrayals?

5.) Recognizing that a biographical-type fact-based approach is likely
to require travel to look at papers and interview informants--or at
the least a lot of long distance phone calls. With a more fictional
approach we can use the book as a springboard and invent what we don't
know.

6.) Do we espouse or do we gloss over the several important and
rather inconvenient political considerations in the material?

1. Allegation that the League of Women Voters is corrupt
2. Allegation that Janet Reno covered up vote fraud
3. Allegation that exit polls are faked by the news media
4. Allegation that the news media count the ballots and do it crookedly

These four allegations are pretty much out of synch with the
prevailing thinking in the electoral integrity movement today. Do we
espouse them, pretend they're not a problem, or pretend they don't
exist?

On the other hand, if Ms. Collier will just veto the notion from the
start, then such preparation is a waste of time. And her own
positions on some of these issues would presumably dictate the
approach. So if you want to dive right in and make the call, go right
ahead.

On second thought, googling "Victoria Collier" indicates she is an
electoral reform activist in her own right. It might be a good idea
to get an idea of what her positions are before approaching her.