We pitched on July 6th. This following months of preparation with the team from indie powerhouse Big Beach. We could tell the execs in the room were captivated by the characters and show universe we described. They’d done their homework and had numerous follow-up questions. After over an hour we stepped back onto the elevator. Ding. Doors close. Back to the basement with validated parking tickets. We smiled, nodding, optimistic the prep work had paid off. Sure enough, several weeks later we heard they wanted to move forward…
And then the wait began. The lawyers and business affairs duked it out for days, weeks, months. Months upon months. Mere seconds before hurling myself into the bottomless pit of despair, we received word that the deal had finally closed. March 17th, 2017. St. Patty’s Day, and I’m not even Irish. 247 days after our pitch at AMC headquarters in Santa Monica.
I’m very happy to announce that author Tiana Kahakauwila and I are now writing a TV pilot for a network that has produced some of the best television of the past decade. Entitled THE ‘OHANA, our show is a contemporary drama set in Hawai’i. Last week - in our “creative kick-off call” with the AMC execs - there were numerous references to BREAKING BAD, MAD MEN, and the upcoming LODGE 49. No pressure…