Red 71: A Writer’s Journey

I’m a screenwriter and founding member of the Lake Area Film Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I’ve written a dozen feature scripts, five as a writer for hire. I’ve had one produced. Red 71. What follows are edited excerpts from my online journal of the experience from conception to screening.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007 

Patrick* is the master of monosyllabic communication in email. I've gotten dozens of emails from him that contain less than five words. Today's email was titled "Would like to talk". The actual message was "A good time?"  That's about as wordy as he gets.

I let him know I was available and he called and we chatted for a bit. He mentioned that to keep the momentum going that he has achieved with Mercy, he needs to shoot something this summer. He told me about a short story written in the 1930's by pulp fiction author Paul Cain called Red 71. He told me a bit about the story and offered to let me write it to get a writing credit. I said yes.

Of course he needs a rapid turnaround. He's sending me the short story.

*Patrick Roddy, Independent Filmmaker, Producer-In-Residence University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Red 71 Director/Producer.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

I did take a little time to see if I could find out anything about Red 71 or Paul Cain. I scoured the web and found quite a bit about Paul Cain (real name George Sims). He wrote several pulp fiction short stories and novellas. Red 71 seems to be a particular favorite among his fans. I couldn't locate an online copy of Red 71. Patrick tells me that it's in the public domain so it seems like it should be out there. I did find some excerpts. Just enough to whet my appetite.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Didn't get the package from Patrick yet. I did find a collection of all of Paul Cain's stories at Amazon for eleven dollars. I ordered it; still dying to read it.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Talked to Patrick again. We reviewed his ideas for Red 71 again and I took my usual notes - red ink scribbles on scraps of paper. Patrick can be really funny - and most of the time he doesn't realize it. He told me that the script should pretty much write itself because the short story has all the elements he's looking for. But I will need to make a couple of small changes - Instead of Chicago during prohibition; it needs to be set in the desert southwest in more modern times. Oh yeah, no cities, just rural locations. Oh and we need to make it a horror.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The package finally arrived. I devoured the short story in just a few minutes. The writing sucks. The core story, like most of Patrick's ideas, is excellent. I just have to figure out how to get it out of there. I think I'm going to do a direct transcription of the dialog and alter the setting as necessary.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Completed the first draft of Red 71 and got it off to Patrick. Two and half days. 47 pages. Really short. I had fun with this and went a bit crazy with a couple of the characters. As usual, I'll be a wreck until I hear back from Patrick.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Talked to Patrick about the first draft of Red 71. I couldn't tell if he liked it or not. This has happened before. Part of being a writer is sending your ego out with everything you write. I don't know how other writer's handle it, but I need praise (preferred) or damnation (better than nothing) about my work. Patrick can be very businesslike with his feedback. I suppose that's a good trait to have as a producer. But it can be maddening. We talked about ways to open the story up and a few elements he wanted to change. As usual, nothing too specific - just gentle nudges. I'm glad we talked. I'm ready to get back to work.

This is definitely going to be shot. Patrick mentioned May.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Finished and sent the second draft to Patrick today. It came in at 60 pages. Still really short. I eliminated the Native American cab driver - who I loved. Once again, I'm going to be a wreck until he replies.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Patrick and I talked about the script. I didn't have to wait very long. He has some concerns about the tattooed fingers I've given Shane. He really likes it, but wants to make sure it hasn't been used in any other film. He mentioned Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter. I think we're okay with the tattoos, but I can't be sure. I'll scour the internet.

He mentioned that he was pushing the shoot back to June. I told him I was coming out.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Sent the third draft of Red 71 to Patrick. It came in at 70 pages. Based on Patrick's feedback, I've added several new flashbacks. I've also ramped up the violence. Hope he likes what I've done.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Patrick and I talked about the script again. A few more changes. Nothing dramatic. He sounds like he is getting really excited about the project. Makes me feel good.

I think Scott* is going to go to Tucson. I've talked to him about riding together and sharing a room. I suspect he snores as loudly as I do.

*Scott Waldrop, Executive Director Lake Area Film Group, Red 71 Assistant Director of Photography.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

I sent the fourth draft of Red 71 to Patrick today. It came in at 81 pages. I changed the ending - again. I also numbered the scenes. This is the first official 'shooting' script.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Talked to Patrick tonight. Everything is looking good for the shoot in June. We scheduled our detailed run through for tomorrow night.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Patrick and I had a two hour phone call tonight. We went through Red 71 page by page and went over his development notes. It went really well. The only troublesome bit was when he told me to lose Shane's cigar and give him something else to do with his hands. I use the cigar as a visual element throughout the script. I'll figure it out.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Patrick called today and told me he was interested in using Angus Scrimm as the coroner in Red 71. Angus was the 'Tall Man' in Don Coscarelli's 1979 horror film Phantasm. He's been in dozens of horror films since then and is one of the most widely known horror villains. He's also 81 years old. Patrick asked me to expand the coroner scene to better showcase Angus. We talked about different ways to do this and most of them were pretty funny. Dark, but funny.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Finished another draft of Red 71. I think this is the fifth. It's the first revision to the shooting script. I'm surprised this went so smoothly. Made quite a few changes based on Patrick's notes and on the new scene with the coroner. I decided to replace Shane's cigar with a Zippo lighter. I sent off the new draft to Patrick and to Scott.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Patrick called and let me know that Angus Scrimm was reading my script as we spoke. I was excited, but also nervous. Thought I was going to throw up.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

I've been thinking about Shane's dialog. I'd really like to cut it down, but I need to wait on Patrick. He still has one more part to cast. Thelma I think. I've been wondering if he's started rehearsals.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Two emails and a phone call from Patrick today. The first email was a link to an album by The Friends of Dean Martinez. Patrick wants to use their music for Red 71. The music was freakin' AWESOME and sounds like Red 71. The second email was about Angus Scrimm. He's doing his scene on June 14th.

The phone call was late tonight. It looks like Patrick may have secured Michelle Belegrin to play the role of Lorain (Angie) in Red 71. Michelle is an actress on a daytime show called Desire. She looks exactly the way I have pictured Lorain. Patrick has talked to her agent and she is very interested in the part. Let's see how this works out.

Scott and I leave for Tucson two weeks from tomorrow.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Patrick called shortly after from L.A. He spoke with Michelle Belegrin yesterday and she is very interested in Red 71. The next step is for Patrick to talk to her agent. That should happen tomorrow. Patrick also talked to me about more work for Angus Scrimm. He had some great ideas. We're going to add him as background action to the scene with the sheriff and I'm going to write a new sequence we can run during the end credits. Both bits will be dark, but funny.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Talked to Patrick on the phone this afternoon about Red 71. He's still waiting for an answer from Michele Belegrin's agent and that has him anxious. And of course he is fretting about the budget and the financing.

He sent Scott and I several location shots today and the main purpose of his phone call was to discuss how they will impact the script. He included shots of the Sheriff's office, the exterior of the Sheriff's office and Charley's office at the club. We're going to move the interrogation sequence from the card room into the office. He has some concerns about the scene in the desert and is going to look at the dump today. I really like the idea of shooting at the dump. He is also looking for an alternate location for the trailer park - a house more in the style of the noir movies set in L.A. All good.

It looks like he has everyone cast except for the young Mexican man in the scene with Jack Kenny. He described some of the actors to me and I'm trying to get my head wrapped around how they look. He also had another idea about Thelma that I'm going to work on.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Patrick called and wanted to know if Angus needed to carry a body part for any reason. The costume shop in Tucson was closing and they had a few extremities on sale. I opted for an arm. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it. He also talked to me more about Red 71 locations. He is thinking of moving all of the Club 71 action to this art deco theater he's located. I like the idea. He's going to send me photos when he gets back to his office. He hasn't gone to the dump yet, but he has located a couple of other desert locations. One is an old fuel or water tank.

Michelle Belegrin is on board.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Patrick sent me some amazing shots of various stuff. I sent him a few photos of an apartment complex in Tucson that I thought would be perfect for Thelma's apartment.I started making a formal list of what I need to bring today. I went over it with Scott. He thinks it's cute that I'm so excited. It is cute. And I am excited.

Friday, May 25, 2007
Went through around thirty pages of Red 71 last night. This is the second revision to the shooting script. I'm going to try and get through the rest tonight. I've added the coroner to the scene at the Sheriff's office. I've also made some changes based on the new locations. I modified the club scenes and the tone - more upscale. I didn't change the trailer park yet - Patrick hasn't confirmed that. I'm sure I'll be doing another draft next week.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Had a long conference call with Patrick and Scott last night. We went through the Red 71 script line by line and I took a lot of notes. Very productive. We scrubbed up some of the dialog, rearranged a little action and firmed up some of the locations. I got to bed at almost 3:00am and dropped into a coma. Tonight I started working on the next draft of Red 71. This may be the last draft until I get to Tucson.
Only five more days and a wake up.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Memorial Day. Patrick sent me a picture of the car that Shane may drive in Red 71. Looks like a 1965 Cadillac DeVille two door convertible. May be an El Dorado. White. Huge. I love it.

Worked on the next draft of Red 71 last night and off and on today. I'm up to page 49. It's going slower than I like - I'm having a problem with focus. I think it's the excitement about the trip. I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

I finished the revisions to the script and sent it off to Patrick and to Scott. This will most likely be the last revision before shooting starts on Monday. The biggest change was adding a new character to the sequence at Jack Kenny's Roadhouse. I also rearranged some of the action with Freddy and Shane and the final sequence in the club. It seems to read better, but I'm just the writer.

If Patrick approves, I am going to print all thirty copies I need for the crew. I'd rather get that done now than when I am pooped on Sunday night.

Friday, June 1, 2007

I was up until after 2:00am last night printing scripts. Patrick indicated that he needed 26 and I elected to print 30 plus one for my wife, Christy. I got 24 done before I went to bed. I finished up the printing this morning and got them packed into a box. It took seven reams of paper and I had to change toner cartridges somewhere near the end.

Spent all afternoon getting stuff together. I'm staging it on a folding table in the dining room. I figure if it doesn't fit on the table, it ain't gonna fit in the car. All I have left to pack are my clothes. Scott will be over tonight around 11:00 with all of his gear. We're going to get everything packed so we can get right on the road in the morning. I feel this strange combination of excitement, relief and fear. All I can think about is that something I wrote is going to become a film. The trip is finally here.

PART 2 OF KEN HENDERSON'S WRITER'S JOURNAL FOR THE FILM RED 71 CLICK HERE