From: Craig Cadwallader
Category: Amis
Date: 7/1/99
Time: 2:02:33 PM
Remote Name: 206.111.218.109
Bad news. Our option on London Fields expired on June 1, 1999. Sad, because we had a firm commitment from the London-based producer, Peter Watson-Wood, and his company, Alibi Pictures, to partner with us to co-produce and secure production financing for the movie. Further, Peter offered to approach the Academy Award nominated screenwriter, Hossein Amini, to take the adaptation to a higher level. We don't know if Mr. Amini would have accepted this offer because we never had the opportunity to present it to him. Our rights to London Fields were about to expire, Mr. Amini was finishing another assignment, and we were not allowed any additional time to approach him. What seemed to be on the eve of production, turned out to be the eve of destruction.
It's about money. It was always about the money. Our original option on London Fields was negotiated prior to Martin's current representation. At the end of our original option period we negotiated an additional year extension, this time with the participation of Martin's new representation, and at a cost increase of 500 percent over the previous year's option fee. During this last year, another Los Angeles-based producer expressed interest in London Fields and was able to offer what we consider to be an obscene deal (which we understand to be more than twice our final year's fee - a 1,000 percent increase in annual option fees in two years!) to the Amis camp to secure an option on London Fields. Though we had secured a partner who could put together financing for the film and who was willing to cover the enormous expense of trying to secure Hossein Amini, in the end, it all came down to who could put the most money on the table, today. To add insult to injury, we were not even allowed to make a counter offer to this Los Angeles-based producer's obscene offer.
We experienced many other roadblocks on our journey to film London Fields which we will publish on our site soon, in fulfillment of our Secondary Mission for creating www.londonfields.com. Also, we will publish our final version of our screenplay adaptation of London Fields on Tuesday, July 6.
Thanks to all who have expressed encouragement, support and criticisms.
Sincerely,
Craig Cadwallader