Got the script.
Sorry to leave you hanging so close to production on the series.
The good news is that, on the creative side, we can make it work.
There are a few small scheduling issues related to Grant’s other commitments, but, if the Guys really want him, we think that we can make it work.
The show would just need to fly him in and out. Nightly. His time is precious right now, because he’s got family issues.
He’s not with the family. He’s in Vegas. Far away from them. But it really clears his head to be there. What with the girls and the gambling and so forth.
So, that’s schedule. There’s also the money.
Grant does want to make this work creatively. And the schedule stuff can be solved. But we are really going to have to make the money work in order for this to happen. We know you have other deals in place. And we don’t want to upset the apple cart, so all we need on that front is favored nations plus ten.
The good news is we want to make it happen. Grant wants to. And, from the note the Guys wrote to Grant when they sent the script, it seems like they also want to make it work.
Which is great. Because the agency wants to make it work. And, as Grant’s manager, I also want to make it work.
As far as credit. We know that the Guys plan to do end credits. But Grant is a main-titles piece of talent. We will need to make that work somehow.
Since the other actors have all agreed to end credits, one idea is to change the title of the show itself, so that it has Grant’s name in it. It doesn’t have to be the first word in the title, but something along the lines of “Grant’s Shenandoah Charade” might make this work. You let us know if there’s another way to skin this particular pony.
The North Star for our team is always Grant’s creative engagement. And, as we said, on that count we do want to make this work.
He has the script in hand and is prepared to commit to engaging.
He does have notes.
Most of them are things that can be solved and chewed up into bite-sized morsels “on the day,” perhaps during the first two hours of blocking. Also, there’s his gift for improv. Which the Guys should get ready for in the best way.
But there are two threshold creative notes that need to be resolved up front, before we get into the schedule, money, and credit stuff, so that the tail isn’t wagging the lion here.
First: As currently scripted, Grant’s character doesn’t appear until Episode 10—of twelve. Our concern isn’t the size of the part but that, as it’s written now, he dies in Episode 11.
Is there a way that the series could sort of tease this, to make the role more enticing to play? The idea here is to open the series with Grant getting speared through the heart, and then wrap around, like Morgan did on Season 2 of “The Crown.”
Can we make that work?
Second: Does he have to die? The notion being that we (read: the audience) could think he dies in Episode 11, but then, at the end of Episode 12, the last thing we see is him removing the spear and suturing himself.
Let me know when the Guys can fly to Tanzania to grab a quick jam session with Grant, to vibe on the character arc.
Once we settle the business stuff, we can set this meeting.
And, at that point, he will read the script. ♦
