Latest News
An Independent Feature Film
Hollywood Veterans Donnelly, Benjamin, in ‘love’ with ‘Conditional Love’ Movie Project Seeking Funding, Earns ‘Scriptapalooza’ Honors Plot centers around winning a lottery jackpot
August 14, 2006
Phoenix – Just like the classic story of an actor getting discovered in Hollywood, first-time filmmaker Lisa Arbuckle was discovered while taking a film production class taught by Hollywood veteran Terence Donnelly, an award winning producer and assistant director.
Arbuckle, who has an advertising and a television production background, submitted her first screenplay, “Conditional Love,” as part of a spring 2006 class project at Scottsdale Community College. The script attracted the interest of Donnelly, whose projects include the original film “The Exorcist,” and several made for TV movies.
“Terry pulled me aside and asked me what I was going to do with this script,” Arbuckle said. “He then said he’d be willing to come out of retirement to produce this project, which was simply amazing, and it got the ball rolling very quickly for me.”
Her next step was to attract a director that could effectively bring to life the comedy-drama project about an aging, neurotic, cynical mother of three grown children who wins the lottery and offers to give each of them two million dollars; with one stipulation. Before they can collect the money, they must change their current lives to meet her specifications and beliefs of what their lives should be.
Arbuckle set her sights on Richard Benjamin. The veteran actor and director whose stage and film career spans more than 40 years, has directed 20 major films, including “The Money Pit,” “Mermaids,” “Made In America,” “Little Nikita,” “Racing With The Moon,” HBO’s “The Pentagon Wars,” and the 2006 Fox television movie “A Little Thing Called Murder.” Benjamin, who was the first director she approached, read the script and agreed to sign on to the project once financing is in place.
Funding is the next major goal for Arbuckle, who likens it to other small budget, independent films which had strong box office and DVD returns, such as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “The Banger Sisters” and “Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood.”
While seeking traditional investors, Arbuckle is also giving the public a chance to donate. With more than 1,500 independent films vying for funding annually, getting the financing to take the film to the big screen is a major challenge. For a $20 donation, people will be entered to win one of five roles as featured extras. Higher donations offer increased opportunities.
“Conditional Love” also recently became a quarterfinalist in a major national scriptwriting competition called “Scriptapalooza.” The screenplay was one 336 out of 3,600 submitted to move on to the final rounds.
Iowa Film Office is coordinating with the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau to establish a network of possible locations and production support.
For more information about “Conditional Love,” or to interview any of the principals involved in the film, please contact Ken Reinstein, publicist, at 480-634-4188 or visit www.conditionallovemovie.com.