Bone Hill has been an incredible journey.

It started as a comic book mini-series I pitched to Platinum Studios, which optioned it with plans to turn it into a movie. When the option eventually expired, the rights reverted to me, and I decided to adapt my comic scripts into a screenplay. After shopping it around with no luck, I turned my focus closer to home.

I reached out to my friend Jim Cummings at Soundstage 1, a veteran musician and advertising executive I’d known since my days as a video editor. Jim immediately saw the potential and shared the script with his friend Phil Wurtzel of Friel Films, whom he knew from doing soundtrack and production work on some of Phil’s films. From there, everything started falling into place... Phil secured funding, Jim scouted locations and helped assemble a crew, and I tapped into my own network to find the perfect director. Before I knew it, I was stepping onto set with my son (who has a great role in the film!) and watching my script come to life.

Now, we’re just over a week away from Bone Hill’s premiere at the Bogar Theatre in Marshall, Michigan. It’s been an amazing experience, and one that wouldn’t have happened without the connections I’ve built over the years.

Talent plays a role. So does luck. Patience is essential. But in the end, success in this industry comes down to one thing: people.

Who in your network has helped you bring a dream to life? Have you helped someone else achieve their goals? Let’s talk—comment below, message me, or email me. You never know where the next great collaboration might come from!

And don't forget to check out the Bone Hill trailer here:

Need a Screenwriter? I’m Open for Work-For-Hire Projects!

I’ve had the privilege of writing screenplays for Epic Pictures, Platinum Studios, Friel Films, Makings Entertainment, and Story is King Pictures, crafting everything from sci-fi thrillers to horror, action, fantasy, and beyond.

Four of my horror properties were optioned by Platinum Studios in a deal that was featured in The Hollywood Reporter. I also wrote and co-produced Bone Hill, a horror-thriller premiering April 5th. My work-for-hire screenplays for Epic Pictures include the sci-fi action film Winter: Battleground, and I’ve collaborated on multiple projects with Story is King Pictures.

If you need a feature film, TV pilot, rewrite, or treatment, I can bring your vision to life with sharp dialogue, compelling characters, and cinematic storytelling that keeps audiences hooked.

I’m currently open for new projects! If you're a producer, director, or studio looking for an experienced, reliable screenwriter, let’s talk. I'm not a WGA member, so I negotiate my own rates, which are extremely reasonable.

I can also turn around polished first drafts within a matter of weeks, if not days. And, unlike many writers, I welcome script notes and feedback.

Email me, or leave a comment below, and let’s make something great together!

wil@nogglestones.com

Fool's Kingdom!

Y'know, AI is kinda cool.

For a few years now I've been developing a TV series about a washed up actor in the 1970s who plays the villain on a Saturday morning kids' show. I've had an idea for a promotional image inside my head, but haven't been able to make it a reality... until now.

Thanks to AI I now have a very nice image of Cantankerous Crumble and his wife Cookie from my sci-fi fantasy property, "Fool's Kingdom"!

Logline: A washed up actor bumps his head and finds himself stranded in a real life version of the children's show in which he plays the villain!

Think of it as the Krofft Brothers meets Doctor Who meets A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

I originally envisioned this project as a live-action TV show. I've even written the pilot script.

But I feel this project could just as easily be adapted into a film or series of films.

If anyone is interested in learning more about this IP, feel free to reach out!

Drop me a line at wil@nogglestones.com

The Giant of Killarney

Logline: An Irish woodcarver's tiny creations come to life. When an evil nobleman discovers his secret, the fate of Ireland, England, and the world hangs in the balance.

Artwork by the fantastic Benjamin Glendenning!

Email me at wil@nogglestones.com for more information.

#familyfun #animation #hollywood #pitchingideas #intellectualproperty #familyfilm #familyfriendly

Advice for Struggling Screenwriters

 

If you've written a screenplay, novel, or just have a really great idea you want to pitch, it can be frustrating trying to break through all of the Hollywood red tape. It can be equally frustrating trying to find financing to produce a film or pilot yourself.

But here's an option you may not have considered... the stage.

While Broadway is currently as hamstrung as Hollywood when it comes to lockdowns and restrictions, there are plenty of regional and local theaters hungry for good plays and musicals.

Consider rewriting that screenplay for the stage, then pitch it to a few of your local theater groups, or even high schools and colleges.

If you're really lucky, like I was, you'll find a professional musician to partner with.

I'm currently working with Jim Cummings of Soundstage 1 Productions on a musical adaptation of my young adult novel, Noggle Stones. This has been perhaps the best decision I've ever made in my writing career. The plot and characters of Noggle Stones are perfect for the platform of traditional musical theater.

So, if you're tired of beating your head against those Hollywood studio doors, consider theater as an alternative for getting your vision brought to life.

Check out the "Non-Logical Thought" song from the Noggle Stones Musical!

https://lnkd.in/dc2FrSU

For more information contact me at wil@nogglestones.com

2021: Dawn of the Independent Era

 

The past few months have been an interesting journey for me. The turmoil of 2020 aside, there have been encouraging developments in my writing career, particularly in regards to the entertainment industry.

These developments have not sprung from the heart of Hollywood, as I had once hoped. No, these recent opportunities have been pouring in from the independent film and financing world.

I was recently hired to write a horror film, as well as the pilot for a supernatural thriller. And I was invited to submit one of my properties to a group of investors.

The truly encouraging thing about these new partnerships is that I did not seek them out. They sought me. This is why platforms such as Linkedin are so incredibly vital for creating and encouraging professional momentum.

So, as Hollywood struggles with lockdowns, layoffs, and dwindling revenues, the independent entertainment industry is thriving and arriving. I look forward to developing these new creative relationships further, for it is from such collaborations that new eras are born.

Remember, true success is never measured by the money you earn, but by the opportunities you embrace.

Contact me if you're looking for a creative writer for your next independent project. 

wil@nogglestones.com

Is Anime the Answer?

In this era of lockdowns, social distancing, and sheltering in place, traditional Hollywood studios are having a difficult time producing content. While some have been able to work around the issue by shooting in states and countries with less restrictions, most have had to wait until the world settles back into some semblance of normalcy.

Then there is Japan.

While American studios were sitting on content, waiting for movie theaters to fully re-open, Japanese producers were bolder. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba was released to Japanese theaters to great acclaim and success. Not only did it become profitable, it became THE most profitable film in the history of Japanese cinema. 

Here in America, anime is gaining in popularity every day. One has but to look at Netflix where you will find not only Japanese anime, but Netflix’s own original anime productions as well. More and more of these projects are announced every day.

The lockdowns make these kinds of productions very attractive to producers, platforms, and audiences. Add to that anime’s proven track record and hardcore fan base, and you have a winning strategy for successful content.

#anime #animation #demonslayer #japan #entertainment