

Information on "A Moment in Time"






From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 06:12:00 UTC


My screenplay "A Moment in Time," a time-travel-Armageddon-love story that
has nothing to do with tAB, is at the production company. They love it ...
here's hoping.




From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 1995 21:14:00 UTC


Kevin Connor, a fairly well-known director, is reading the "Moment in Time"
screenplay right now. No word yet, but the production company loved the
screenplay.




From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 1995 19:29:00 UTC


Got home from the ceremony, night of the wedding, and found a message from
the production company that optioned my screenplay "A Moment in Time" --
something along the lines of "Congratulations on your wedding! Kevin wants
to make your movie!" Kevin Connor, the director who's interested in that
project, finally read the completed screenplay, loves it, and says he wants
to do it as a feature film. This fellow has made thirty-five motion
pictures, in addition to several television mini-series; when he says he
wants to do it as a feature, I'm inclined to think it's likely to happen.
I'm very pleased.




From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 1995 05:14:00 UTC



Great news on the screenplay too (though I must admit that I've forgotten
what "A Moment in Time" is, can you refresh my memory?)


On the eve of World War III, Spider Devlin is sent forward into the future,
a hundred years, to open a Gate and bring his people through the Gate before
nuclear weapons destroy Los Angeles. Spider's ex-wife and two daughters have
already been nuked, in Manhattan, and Spider's not terribly sure he wants to
live, or that the human race should survive. Then a time traveler from the
far future shows up to stop Spider from bringing people from the past
through into 2100 ... and then it gets interesting.

The story's a romance, fwiw. It's not set in the universe of "The Armageddon
Blues," but it easily could be. The first draft of it (just some notes,
really) was created at about the same time TAB was. I abandoned it, then,
because it was too similar to TAB and I didn't need to do two of the same
story. I think it'll be a very good movie.




From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 1995 10:17:00 UTC


The story after "Moment in Time" is "A War in Time" --

The story after that is "A War in Heaven."




From: d.moran8@genie.geis.com
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 1995 15:25:00 UTC


I finished the revision to "Moment in Time" Thursday two weeks and two days
ago and mailed it off to the producers (Jonathan Zimmerman and Lynzie Flynn)
the following Monday. They were out of town -- didn't get to it until this
last Thursday --

Thursday night at about 11P.M., Heather and I got home from seeing "The
Scarlet Letter," which is even worse than you've been told. On the answering
machine was about sixty seconds of Jonathan telling me the script was
brilliant, the writing was wonderful, call him, call him --

I was exhausted; I'd been up for about 24 hours. But his enthusiasm was
catching and it was only 9P.M. in New Mexico where he lives, so I called
him. For a solid hour he ranted about how great the screenplay was and maybe
the best thing he'd ever had a chance to work on -- this from a man who's
made sixty-five films. (The next day he sent a copy of the screenplay off
to his entertainment director, and another copy off to the director, Kevin
Connor -- who's already agreed to direct this and who's directed about 40
theatrical films himself, and several television mini-series.)

Late that night we were winding down and Jonathan asked me who I wanted to
cast in the role of Spider Devlin. I said instantly, "Val Kilmer" -- based
on his roles in Real Genius and Lionheart. Cool, Jonathan said, we'd
approach him, and could I write up a list for him of actors I would like to
cast in that role and others. But what if we couldn't get a name actor as
Spider, somebody capable of opening the film? We discussed this. Val Kilmer,
Dennis Leary, Christian Slater, a fairly short list who have any star clout,
are the right age, and could carry this particular role. What if we can't
get one of the dozen-odd actors who we'd need?

I heard him shrug. "If it comes right down to that, we can always cast you.
You'd make a good Spider."

Now -- I'd be fucking lying in my teeth if I said this hadn't occurred to me
already. The character of Spider Devlin is relatively autobiographical,
which Jonathan knew and probably led to his comment. And I've done standup
comedy, I'm comfortable performing, so the idea's not as stupid as it may
sound. When I first wrote this screenplay we didn't know how much money we'd
be able to raise, and I'd determined back then that if we were going to end
up with some actor no one ever heard of, it might as well be me. Later we
got very positive input on the first draft of the screenplay, and the
budget got bumped upward, so I wrote in another role for myself, a small
one, a technician named Jimbo. (You saw him in that extract.)

Anyway, flattering as this idea is, and large as my ego is, I'd much rather
have Val Kilmer or somebody of that caliber if we can get him -- I'm a
writer, not a professional actor. (Mind you, Spider's well within my range --
and I'm still not a professional actor.)

At the very least, I'll get to play Jimbo, though, which is very cool. I've
lost 25 pounds since I got married -- I was up to 220 the day Heather and I
got married. After an entire life spent in good condition around 180 lbs I
broke an ankle and blew out a knee and got fat. So immediately post-wedding
I went on a diet and hit the gym hard, and got down to 195 ... and there
I've stayed for about the last month. Now that I'm going to be in this movie
(in a small role, in all likelihood) I went back on my diet. By Christmas I
expect to be back at a pretty solid 180/185 or so. I worked out like a dog
yesterday and today I'm sore and stiff and feel great.

Also I might get new hair. :-)




From: d.moran8@genie.com
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 23:46:00 UTC 0000



Wrt "A Moment in Time", I really liked it.  Do you have a deal worked out
for this one, is it likely to  make it to the screen?


Yes, I have a deal; yes, it looks very likely to make it to the screen --
I'm guessing around 80% that it'll get shot, around 50% that what gets
shot will ever be shown in a movie theater, maybe as high as one in three
that the sequel I have notes for will ever be shot. Academy Award
Nomination: 2,000 to 1 against. :-)


Maureen said,
I loved loved the musical opener.  Glad to see more songs in your stuff
again!


I've been advised to stay away from specifics re "Moment in Time," given
Hollywood's penchant for flattering imitation, so I will, beyond what's in
the exerpt I put up. But there is more music in the movie -- two key pieces
that I hope someday to be able to talk to everyone about. None of mine,
though.




Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 09:16:38 -0500
From: dm@usa.pipeline.com (Daniel Moran)


Some sketch art is being prepared for my movie, "A Moment in Time." I'll
talk to the producers and see if we can arrange to have it digitized and
uploaded to SEF's web page, and the file sites at UMich and elsewhere.




Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 05:52:55 -0500
From: DM@usa.pipeline.com (Daniel Moran)


February 6/7 I'm meeting with Kevin Connor and Jonathan Zimmerman, who own
the option on "A Moment in Time." That one's entirely out of my hands, but
all looks well with it, and if anything momentous happens, I'll let you
know.




Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 23:13:12 GMT
From: DM@usa.pipeline.com (Daniel Moran)


I've already been cast as "Jimbo" in "A Moment in Time" -- though I'm going
to go get new hair for that -- and I hope to cast myself in one of the
roles in my low-budget movie, too -- this hacker character, "the Repair
Man." But I'll get myself a screen test first -- and then let the producers
decide whether I should be onscreen or not. I know I have more than my
share of ego, but I also have Tarantino's sterling example of how far wrong
that can take you.




Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 23:00:13 -0800
From: Daniel Keys Moran, <dkm@QueenOfAngels.com>


Had dinner last night with two of the people who optioned "A Moment in
Time," and breakfast this morning with all three -- they're doing a
budget and shooting schedule right now, and appear to be serious about
moving forward with it. The director and producer just got done making a
movie in England and a miniseries here in L.A., respectively, and have
scheduled the next few months to work on "Moment."

This is not the same thing as having a check in my hand, of course, but
nonetheless encouraging.


