Even the most casual readers of this blog have, no doubt, noticed two things about me:
- I went to MIT.
- I enjoy a good prank.
In fact, many people who attend MIT have a penchant for pranks. It’s in the school’s DNA.
It always seemed to me that there was the basis for a really fun movie based on some of the shenanigans I either witnessed or had a hand in. So my wife and I wrote a screenplay (TECH) about high-tech pranks at MIT. Hollywood loves to describe movies as mash-ups — this meets that. So let’s call it GOOD WILL HUNTING meets ANIMAL HOUSE.
Here’s the logline:
In a story based on actual events, a brilliant yet unorthodox MIT student hides a secret that could end his career before it begins and becomes embroiled in a battle of escalating high-tech pranks with a dangerous and destructive rival. When everything comes to a head, it will take all his creativity and resourcefulness to save his friends, his relationships, and his career.
The script is getting read at some pretty mind-blowing places right now and the buzz is encouraging. Here’s what industry pros are saying about TECH:
- “Blends the high-brow intelligence of GOOD WILL HUNTING with the raucous frat antics of ANIMAL HOUSE”
- “Best over-the-transom script I’ve read in years”
- “Brilliantly written. Hysterical.”
- “The writing is amazing”
- “Love the writing. I laughed out loud in many parts.”
- “A comedic, sharp, fast-paced, visually compelling screenplay”
- “A blizzard of engrossing frenetic activity”
- “A strong comedic edge strengthens the dialogue”
- “Commercial appeal is quite good”
- “Fresh and vibrant”
- “Surprisingly big-hearted with poignant depth of character”
- “Witty and clever”
- “Great setting, great group of characters, great premise”
- “Extremely well constructed and superbly conceived”
- “All the loose ends tie up in a pretty bundle that sells”
- “Flows from the first scene to the last”
- “The screenplay’s springboard from true events adds to its intriguing quality”
MIT-themed screenplays haven’t done too shabby at the box office.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Budget: $10 M
Gross: $226 M
ROI: 22.6 x
Won 2 Oscars
21 (2008)
Budget: $35 M
Gross: $154 M
ROI: 4.4 x
Will this saga be another of my “Show Business Humiliations?” Or, perhaps, the genesis of a new blog category, “Holy Crap, That Actually Worked!”
Stay tuned for more developments.
