Celluloid Memories by Sandra Kitt Page A

one from McCoy.
    Â 
    Enjoyed our impromptu get-together last weekend. I’m glad the lawyer in me saved some of the programs from your father’s performances, believing they could one day be important. I hope they add to your memories of him. Perhaps one day you’d like to see the evidence of his influence as an actor and teacher. I’ll be in touch. Mac.
    Â 
    Savannah read the message several times. It was friendly and gracious and such a nice surprise.
    Was he asking her out?
    â€œWhat are you grinning at?”
    Savannah shrugged but said nothing to enlighten Taj as he returned to her office and again took up residence in her one chair. He held out a DVD jewel box.
    â€œWhat is this?” she asked, taking it.
    â€œYou probably never heard of the movie, but Will Shelton is in it. See. His name is right there on the label.”
    Savannah scrutinized the information and sure enough, there was the name of Will Shelton along with all the other cast. “You’re right, I’m not familiar with this film.”
    â€œIt was never released,” Taj informed Savannah. “When they finished shooting it, it was canned. It just got converted to DVD because some of the other people in it are now famous.”
    â€œHow did you get it?”
    â€œI have my sources,” Taj said mysteriously.
    â€œWell, thank you. I’ll return it as soon as I…”
    â€œDon’t worry about it. That copy is yours to keep. Good movie.”
    â€œThank you, Taj. This is really nice of you.”
    â€œYou didn’t find a copy of the original video in your father’s stuff?”
    â€œI haven’t finished going through his things, yet. It’s funny. Every time I meet someone it turns out they’re familiar with my father. I didn’t think he was all that famous.”
    â€œWell, maybe he wasn’t famous, like getting nominated for the Golden Globes and Oscars or pictured in your TV Guide, but, yeah, his name rings a lot of bells in this town. I’m so glad he never did any of those corny sitcoms. That would have been embarrassing.”
    â€œWhy? A lot of them were popular shows,”
    Taj slumped down in his seat. “Yeah, but it’s, like, a lot of former actors are so desperate to still be seen that they became part of a game show, or have these cameo appearances. Man!”
    She gently pursed her lips. “Sounds like you know a lot about it.”
    â€œDon’t get me wrong. I used to watch some of those shows, but if I’d been respected as a serious actor I wouldn’t do it.”
    â€œMaybe some actors feel differently about it. Maybe being seen as often as possible is really important.”
    â€œI know, I know. I’m just glad Will Shelton never did it. The man had class and pride. His reputation stands solidly on the body of his work. All you gotta do is keep both of ’em alive.”
    Savannah considered Taj’s comment as she held the DVD he’d just given her. His reputation stands solidly on the body of his work.
    Â 
    Savannah frowned over one of the source books she’d borrowed from the library. The essential information was the same in all of them, that a script consists pretty much of 120 pages, the story told in three acts, with beats in the script indicating transactions in the story. A shorter script length was possible, and suggested more action taking place and less dialogue. Her head was spinning with all the new information.
    She’d also gone onto the Internet from home, researching script format. In the end it was easier to borrow several old shooting scripts from her own office and study them. Ever since she’d come across the revealing truth about Rae Marie Hilton’s life, Savannah knew it was a story begging to be told. And now, she couldn’t stop thinking about it and how it could be done. Savannah was astonished by the realization of what a terrible strain it must have been for