CAST: Sean Penn
CREATIVE TEAM: George Hickenlooper, Alan Sereboff, Kamala Lopez, Jill Kushner
MUSIC: Anthony Marinelli
TECHNICAL TEAM: Joel Marshall, Justin Shumaker, Clint Bennett
This is the third of the Writers Guild Of America member-conceived Internet videos for Project "Speechless" featuring A-list Screen Actors Guild talent. They are being hosted exclusively by DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com over Thanksgiving Weekend. For the first time in the TV and movie industry, high-profile SAG actors are together taking their talents directly and exclusively to the Internet, the very medium which is at the center of the current WGA labor strike against the Alliance Of Motion Picture & Television Producers. The project, conceived by director/writer George Hickenlooper and writer Alan Sereboff, will be releasing three videos here in the morning, afternoon and evening throughout this weekend. See them all!
(Mac users, the problems with Safari have been fixed.)
[In the interest of fairness and objectivity, I would be pleased to also debut a similar campaign conceived by members of AMPTP. But, as a journalist with a journalism outlet, I couldn't pass up any opportunity to have an exclusive.]
can anyone here read lips?
Comment by Writer — November 22, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
This isn’t exactly inspired, folks.
Comment by J — November 22, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
What a brilliant idea, and to see some of these high-profile actors and actresses standing up with the WGA is so good to see. I can only hope AMPTP will stand up and pay attention.
Comment by Katie — November 22, 2007 @ 7:50 pm
am i crazy or does anyone else think these suck? they just feel like they are trying so hard… don’t get me wrong, i love sean penn– but these “speechless” things are a bit embarrassing.
i think the writers might be trying to grab a little too much credit with these over-produced, self righteous ‘films’. ah yes, all these great actors are speechless without you. we get it.
so lame.
Comment by steveo — November 22, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
I like him a lot better this way!
Comment by Dr.D — November 23, 2007 @ 7:03 am
…wonderful, groundbreaking! This is the best of the so far - makes the point in the strongest way.
Comment by dante writer — November 23, 2007 @ 8:05 am
Look to YouTube for the companion piece!
[FADE IN – INT. NIGHT – QUEEN ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM. Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth) sits on the edge of her bed as Geoffrey Rush (Walsingham) enters…]
EPISODE ONE: Walsingham enters with great urgency. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Elizabeth fears he’s mocking her. She opens her mouth to chastise him, but nothing comes out either — there is nothing but silence. A graphic fades up: SOUNDLESS. The Sound people have gone on strike.
EPISODE THREE: The candlelight is woefully insufficient to illuminate the scene so Elizabeth and Walsingham keep bumping into each other. LIGHTLESS: The grips and Electrics have gone on strike.
EPISODE SEVEN: Walsingham enters and launches into a tirade about Throckmorton, but soon loses himself in a heated soliloquy about his prized Greyhound, Machiavelli, that lasts seventeen minutes. DIRECTORLESS: The DGA has gone on strike.
EPISODE NINE: Elizabeth sits on the edge of her bed wearing a pink terrycloth Juicy Couture jumpsuit. Walsingham enters wearing cutoff shorts and a t-shirt that says “My parents went to Scadbury Park and all they brought me back was this stupid t-shirt. COSTUMELESS: The Costume Designers have gone on strike.
EPISODE TEN: Elizabeth sits alone at a corner booth at McDonalds, debating dipping sauces for her final McNugget, as Walsingham enters slurping on a 32oz Sprite. ARTLESS: The Art Department has gone on strike.
EPISODE TWENTY-THREE: Elizabeth (played by Jessica Simpson) sits on the edge of her bed as Walsingham (played by Patrick Dempsey) rushes in. CASTING DIRECTORLESS…
Comment by murphythedog — November 23, 2007 @ 8:21 am
I have as much respect for full-page AMPTP propaganda as I do for the hackneyed rhetoric of the Bush administration. That said, doesn’t the Speechless campaign, however well intentioned and fetching, just underscore the notion that Hollywood is more about the A-list and less about the words? And shouldn’t words, not famous faces, remain at the center of the dispute?
Comment by warrior ant press — November 23, 2007 @ 9:41 am
“Sean Penn’s finest film to date”–Fox News
Comment by paul — November 23, 2007 @ 11:59 am
I read lips. He is saying:
“…For your consideration, INTO THE WILD. Directed by Sean Penn. From a screenplay by Sean Penn. Starring Emile Hirsch, a talented young actor who reminds me of myself at that age…”
Comment by Lip-reader — November 23, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Kudos. Best thing Alan Sereboff ever wrote!
Comment by Judd Trichter — November 24, 2007 @ 9:05 am
I the speechless campaign it is pretty direct and to the point. The discreepancy between the actors, who may be extremely talented, and the writers, without which there wouldn’t be anything to showcase their talent, (excepting perhaps Christopher Guest productions where the actors are improvising all the way thru) is pretty ludicrous. A good actor can’t save a bad script. A great script can make a mediocre actor look good.
Comment by romaniac — November 24, 2007 @ 10:50 am
Steveo, of course its lame, thats the WHOLE point, Try watching movies without sound, they are lame too.
Comment by Marley — November 25, 2007 @ 3:09 am
MurphytheDog above hits a key note, without a whole team of creative, hardworking individuals a script is only a script. The “vision” remains unrealized and stays on a two dimensional page, however funny, dramtic, terrifying or suspenseful though it may be. I’d be curious to see if such A-list talent would go to the mat for those “below the line” as well. I guess I’m a skeptic though…
Comment by red_delia — November 25, 2007 @ 3:08 pm
Only in Hollywood can you look like a homeless guy and still get a job. Nice Sean.
Comment by DC Perry — November 26, 2007 @ 8:21 am
Is it just me or would it be a lot more effective if he just stood there not saying anything, as though he wouldn’t have anything to say if they didn’t write it. As it is it seems more like a sound problem, like maybe if the sound mixers were on strike.
Comment by Steve — November 26, 2007 @ 10:55 am
A-list stars routinly piss on writers scripts.
Comment by Anonymous — November 26, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Are writers also responsible for sound effects and ambient noise or is this just a half-baked concept in service to a good cause?
Comment by DynaHunk — November 26, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
I don’t read lips, but what he seems to be saying is:
“I thought the writers were on strike, but I guess it was the hair stylists and groomers instead. Geez, look at my hair! Somebody get me a comb! And a razor! STAT”
Comment by CosmicConservative — November 26, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
I don’t find the video inspired. It’s poor, a bit confusing and doesn’t convey any real meaning. However, I am happy that some actors support screenwriters. And people should realize that films are not created by directors only. All characters, dialogue, events, plot twists, surprises, rhythm (how fast or slow the movie is), atmosphere (mysterious, light, serious, dark, etc.) and mood (funny, scary, exciting, agonizing, sad, sentimental, etc.) exist in the script. Read a few scripts if you like and see for yourselves. This does not mean, of course, that directors, actors, musicians, etc. are not essential for cinema. It means that screenwriters are not given credit for what they actually do. How many writers do you know? How often do you see them being invited to avant premieres or giving interviews? They are not even allowed to watch the production of their scripts. Why do you think this happens? Producers pay tribute only to directors because they strongly wish to avoid giving the screenwriters the money they truly deserve. Do you know what a-class screenwriters get compared to a-class directors and actors? Do you think it’s fair when, for example, a movie earns its producers 200 million dollars worldwide, the main actor gets 20 million, the director 4 million and the screenwriter 200 thousand? I don’t. People should be paid according to the value of their work and the screenwriters are systematically underestimated since the creation of Hollywood. This has to change eventually.
Comment by Dimitris — November 26, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Penn’s most compelling work since “Fast times”-
I give it 2 shuts up!
Comment by spacemonkey — November 26, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
penn hasn’t sounded so intelligent since “i am sam”
Comment by kudzu — November 27, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
Sean Penn is such an asshat. The writers are about the only ones in Hollywood I DO support.
Comment by Big John — December 1, 2007 @ 8:37 am