Quent Cordair's Blog, page 22
December 23, 2014
Hello, Interstellar...
The "Mujahid" script is tracking in the Top 5 of all screenplays this morning, in company with the likes of Interstellar and The Grand Budapest Hotel. It's the highest ranked of scripts available via Kindle and the least expensive. The higher this goes, the better chance we have of getting it made. Your purchases and reviews are greatly appreciated. From a letter last night to a potential director and producer:"Coming on the heels of the Boston Marathon bombing (conducted by two brothers) and the recent terrorist hostage crisis in Australia—not to mention the horrors perpetrated around the globe in the name of religious zealotry—the “Mujahid” story helps fill a need for catharsis, for a vision of justice and restored innocence, for a restoration in our confidence in what life once was and can be again—should we be courageous enough to pursue it.
"And the film will no doubt require some courage on the part of all involved, from funding through distribution, as one of the characters invokes Islam explicitly; the Islamic State salute is exchanged by two of the characters. While this may cause many who might otherwise participate in the project to shy away for fear of retaliation or the threat thereof, this is exactly the kind of film that must be made today, proudly and without apology—particularly in the face of the recent caving of Hollywood to the likes of toothless North Korea. Stories such as this must be made now—unless we wish to continue the slide towards the industry’s submission to full censorship-by-intimation by any group who takes offense at content which they find offensive. Judging by the readers’ passionate reactions to the script so far (note the reviews), such a story is desperately needed and—if well made—will be widely appreciated and cheered as the credits roll."Mujahid
December 22, 2014
Now the #1 selling screenplay in Canada
Now #1 in Canada!
From the script for “Mujahid,” a Christmas story… The #1 selling screenplay in Canada, Amazon.ca Kindle. Now at #6 in Performing Arts in the U.S. Your reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads can help bring this story to the screen. Thanks for your support! On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R8QP8NI On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23983789-mujahid
December 21, 2014
New art for the Mujahid cover
Designing new cover art for the “Mujahid” script. There’s a strictly observed rule in the film industry on the formatting of scripts, and one of the “marks of an amateur” is to include any sort of graphics to the front of a script cover. If the script were being circulated in hardcopy by mail to agents or producers, I would hold to that. But this one is being published on Kindle, and the cover has to compete for attention and identity at thumbnail-size (not sitting in a pile of equally sized and formatted 8.5″x11″ scripts on someone’s desk). So, we’re getting fancy, as necessitated by the new medium, new reading platforms, new audience; old rules be damned. The industry wouldn’t likely want to touch this one anyway, given the subject matter. 
If I don’t produce this one independently, it’s unlikely to make it to the screen. (As a hat tip to traditional script format, I’m keeping the Courier font. ) Now available on Amazon @ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R8QP8NI
December 20, 2014
New screenplay, "Mujahid"
“Mujahid” – a new script for a short film
My Christmas story for you: Jasim wants nothing more than to see the Christmas-tree lighting in Daley Plaza and the holiday decorations in the store windows. Husam, his older brother, has other plans. They find themselves on the same bus headed towards downtown Chicago. The script for the short film, “Mujahid,” is now available on Amazon. Your reviews and shares are very much appreciated, as always. http://tinyurl.com/o348ybj
December 19, 2014
A call to courage
Note to those in elected positions in the U.S. government: either act to protect our freedom of speech or look for other employment. Upholding and defending the freedoms guaranteed to your constituents in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights--this is your first and primary job. If you fail to do your job, those in the arts can be quite persuasive. That’s our job. We only ask that you stand with us and for us as our fellow Americans: speak up in defense of our speaking up, and support forcefulness against those who would use force against us. That’s all we ask. All we need.
A call for courage
I urge my fellow writers, artists, musicians, performing artists, producers, directors, distributors—all those involved in the arts—to respond with courage, disdain, and the passion of Cyrano against those who would silence us. The war against freedom of expression is one of dynamic momentum, in which we are either advancing or retreating. Do not imagine that the enemies of freedom will cease attacking if only we’ll shut up and be quiet. Silence buys the artist nothing but self-censured, empty hours until the day he is either forced to serve the censors’ ends or be killed if he refuses. The enemies of freedom cannot afford to back down and remain passive while we in the West are allowed to express our ideas and views as we freely choose. Freedom is the totalitarians’ worst enemy, and they will continue attacking freedom and freely expressed ideas until they win or are forced to back down. Stand now, artists, and speak up–by doing what you do best, without restraint, and demanding that your freedom to do so be adequately defended–or watch in shame and regret as the generation of artists that follows is forced to kneel in silence.
Note to those in elected positions in the U.S. government: either act to protect our freedom of speech or look for other employment. Upholding and defending the freedoms guaranteed to your constituents in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights–this is your first and primary job. If you fail to do your job, those in the arts can be quite persuasive. That’s our job. We only ask that you stand with us and for us as our fellow Americans: speak up in defense of our speaking up, and support forcefulness against those who would use force against us. That’s all we ask. That’s all we need.
October 23, 2014
For your Halloween reading pleasure…
For your Halloween reading pleasure…
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After preparing and eating her dinner of squirrel stew, spoon bread and baked apples, she worked on her mending until her fingers tired, then settled into the rocker by the fire to read.
Somewhere in the English countryside, beneath a cascading willow in a flowering spring meadow, a pair of young lovers sat on a blanket plotting their elopement, but it was next to impossible for her to eavesdrop on them for more than a few sentences as the winds had begun to tear at the cabin’s eaves and to test the shutters’ latches. She laid the book aside, pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped herself in the quilt her grandmother had made. As the minutes and hours ticked away on the clock on the mantel, she rocked, watching the fire.
The wood seemed to be burning more drily and quickly than usual. At this rate, the provision next to the hearth would be depleted by sometime the next morning, and there was less than a quarter of a cord remaining on the porch. After watching the fire awhile longer, she reluctantly extricated herself from her cocoon, donned her coat and boots, lit the lantern, and lifted the bar from the door.
The wind ripped the door from her hand and slammed it against the wall as a sheet of stinging snow whipped around her and into the house. Slinging the rifle over her shoulder, she pushed her way out, succeeding in pulling the door shut only when the wind slackened momentarily.
There was over a foot of snow on the ground already, and it had drifted twice as high against the side of the cabin. Leaning into the gale, she waded out across the yard, the driving whiteness within the sphere of her lantern’s light stinging her eyes. She brushed the accumulation from the top of the wood stack with her coat sleeve, chiding herself for not having thought to move more wood to the porch earlier in the day. One couldn’t afford to make such mistakes, living alone in the country. As she struggled to carry a dozen high armloads back to the porch, she found herself angry with the sheriff for having distracted her from her preparations, angry that he had brought Caleb along, angry with Caleb for existing—and for being possum-ugly to boot—angry with herself for allowing herself to be distracted, angry with herself for being angry. From the improved supply on the porch, she replenished the stock by the hearth and, using what strength was left in her legs, forced the door closed again. Sinking back against it, she shuddered, thoroughly soaked and chilled to the bone.
Once she had recovered sufficiently to strip out of her wet clothes and hang them from the mantle to dry, she bundled herself in the quilt and brewed a cup of sassafras tea. With the rocking chair pulled as close to the fire as she could bear, her hair dried quickly, but even after her body was warmed through, the rim of the teacup chattered against her teeth. She picked up her sewing, but her fingers wouldn’t hold steady. The wind wailed against the shutters, pressing, tugging, probing unrelentingly. She tried her book again but found her eyes drifting over and over to the beginning of the same paragraph.
There was a thudding bang from somewhere outside—from the direction of the barn perhaps. It could have been anything, a falling branch hitting the chicken coop roof or one of the horses kicking something over. She thought she had heard a whinny. Hopefully, the animals were okay, but she wasn’t going back outside, not tonight. It helped to watch the shifting patterns in the coals. The lick of the yellow and orange flames helped warm her soul as the tea warmed her bones. She needed a dog. Maybe in the springtime she could find a puppy. It would need to be a large breed, a good farm dog, maybe a shepherd or a retriever or a hound. A big cuddly mongrel would be fine.
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
The tea spilled over her lap and the cup burst into pieces, scattering across the stone hearth….
* * *
From “April’s Justice,” just one of the short stories and poems included in my Lunch Break collection, now available on Amazon.
August 20, 2014
New release! *Genesis* – Part I of the Idolatry Series.
I’m pleased to announce the release of Genesis, Part I of the Idolatry series. “In the twilight of the Roman Empire, a sculptor struggles to keep an 800-year dream alive while honoring the love of his life and raising his adoptive son. Part I of the *Idolatry* series, an epic story in five parts.” Only $1.99 — for now. :) Your reviews are so very much appreciated! http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Idolatry-Book-Quent-Cordair-ebook/dp/B00MUWOWDW
