Project Greenlight

Filming is finally ready to begin. Issues with the script, budget, and casting have been settled, so now all eyes are on first-time director Gulager. He has a free-wheeling shooting style and makes too many last-minute adjustments, which get on the DP's nerves. The actors start feeling somewhat lost without proper rehersals and compositions. Studio execs and the producer step in to tell Gulager to communicate better.

Gulager says he's going to film a test screen of his family and take it directly to Bob Weinstein. Chris Moore puts a stop to it and threatens to fire the director. Casting gets under way. It proves difficult to find a suitable actor and actress to play the Hero and Heroine. Michelle want Navi Rawat cast in a role and submits her name directly to Dimension. The company thinks it's a good choice but the others are upset that Michelle went behind their backs. Actors are found for the lesser roles and additional financing for the 25-day shoot is secured from the Maloof family. The writers are hired to write the new Highlander film. And the monster designs are comining along nicely. At the first read-through of the script with the actors a bomb scare forces their evacuation and postpones the meeting.

Only nine weeks are left in pre-production. Ideas for the film are coming together and the director is finally starting to take charge. The group gets permission from Dimension to look for gap financing from another investor willing to put money into the production. They get an idea from a radio show to hit up the Maloof family for money. Their call into a radio program fails but they arrange a formal meeting through the Maloof family's office. The crew is assembling but the director still butts heads with the others over his insistence that his family be cast in the main roles.

The group finds out from Dimension that they're not going have an easy time making their movie. They're told that the script's flawed, that the studio has reservations over the director's ability to pull it all together, and that they'll have to rewrite the script in order to make in with the $2 million budget. They then work 12 hour shifts fixing the script by eliminating scenes and combining characters. The director also stubbornly insists that his family members be cast in the lead roles, which causes frustrations the casting director.

The executive producers and Dimension executives sat down and interviewed the top 3 writers and the top 3 directors. Coming to the conclusion of the script, which was written by both Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. This script is titled ""Feast"" and would be directed by John Gulager.

Kyle and Ephram worry that their authority is being undermined and call a meeting to discuss more effective communication. Miramax's Rick Schwartz arrives for lunch with a special guest, briefly lightening the mood.

Erica decides to play a more active role on set after there's an unscripted shot. Technical problems push the production behind schedule and the directors make more script changes without consulting Erica, who vents her frustrations.

The first day begins with creative differences and an awkward scene, but Ackerman shows he's up to the task. A casting dilemma is solved when Bill Sadler accepts the role of Abe. With an ambitious schedule in front of them, the team braces for a crucial emotional scene.

Pressures mount as the beginning of production approaches, and Ben joins the team for a final script meeting. Thomas Ackerman is hired as D.P. and the cast -- including Shia LeBeouf, Kathleen Quinlan and Amy Smart -- does a table read. Much to the crew's relief, the first location is finally set.

Casting remains difficult, as the team has trouble landing Shia LeBeouf for the main role of Kelly. Erica receives major script notes, but doesn't like the directors' offer to do the rewrites.

Five weeks remain until the start of production, and the heat is rising. The group discuss issues with the casting and script, and Kyle and Efram begin interviewing candidates for the film's key crew members. They also battle over exactly who will edit the film. Finally, the directors extend offers for the movie's main roles in to several actors.

Press photos are shot and ""Stolen Summer"" producer Jeff Balis is surprisingly reintroduced. The group meets for some initial discussion about the winning screenplay. Erica ties up loose ends back home in Ohio as she prepares to move to L.A. The winners meet in L.A. for casting and budget meetings and quickly realize they may have little actual control over certain critical production elements. The producers talk about the winners' capabilities.

After a brief overview of the Project Greenlight contest by its creators, the season begins with the narrowing down of the top 50 scripts (from an initial 7,000!) to ten, and the directors down to four. Matt, Ben and Chris personally call the finalists to summon them to the 2003 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The excitement of arriving at this indie-film mecca soon turns to anxiety, however, as the judging panel screen directors' scene assignments and observe the screenwriters pitching their stories. Finally, six scripts are eliminated - and four directors and four writers are left standing.

After a brief overview of the Project Greenlight contest by its creators, the season begins with the narrowing down of the top 50 scripts (from an initial 7,000!) to ten, and the directors down to four. Matt, Ben and Chris personally call the finalists to summon them to the 2003 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The excitement of arriving at this indie-film mecca soon turns to anxiety, however, as the judging panel screen directors' scene assignments and observe the screenwriters pitching their stories. Finally, six scripts are eliminated - and four directors and four writers are left standing.