Starring Emily Browning

John Wright once paid me a compliment I will never forget. He said once I've put my mind to something, I'll just make it happen, one way or another. I remember it not because it makes me feel good about myself but because I took it on as a sort of challenge. May it always be true!, that sort of thing. Well, I've put my mind to something, so I figure I might as well put it down for the record, keep myself accountable for making it happen.

When I wrote INDIAN RIVER ORANGES almost three years ago, I had images of each character in my head, usually based on people I knew. My icon for India, the central character, was Angelyn's sister. Well, it just so happens that Angelyn's sister bears a striking resemblance to an up-and-coming young Australian actress, one Emily Browning.



The first time I saw a commercial for A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, I thought to myself, my god, it's India! Casually I began a curiosity with the actress, about whom not much is known. She's 16. She lives in Australia. She has publicly stated she has no desire to move to Hollywood even as she has signed with William Morris.

Young. Acclaimed. Outside the Hollywood system. Sounds like the ingredients for the perfect indie actress. Well, I've entered my script into maybe a dozen contests and competitions. Already I'm a semi-finalist in one of them, and most of them don't begin judging for some time. If the script does well, I may be able to get representation. An agent. Perhaps even find a producer.

Point is this, I've decided if I win even one of these competitions, I am going to go to the ends of the earth to get this script to Emily Browning. There. I've said it. I'm locked in now. I mean, there's no guarantee she'll like it, but if this script wins even a low profile regional contest, I guarantee she will read it. That's my promise.