The story of MISSING

The story of MISSING is a saga itself.  Many years ago, I'd written a poem about two kids on the island of Moja in Sweden, where my family has a house.  The poem was about a bloody nose, and a rock near a pond, and a shared bond between two lost kids.  The poem never really left me.

Years later, at Columbia, the poem seemed to form itself into a short that took place entirely on the island, with these two characters, Gustav and Sara.  On a trip to Stockholm, I met with some producers, who showed interest in the project.  One producer suggested that I expand the short into a feature.  I had thought about that as a possibility, but his suggestion, and idea to apply for government funding with a feature, had me working.  He was also creatively in tune with the story, and was really inspired by it.  He gave me a list of things to gather for him...images, music, cast ideas, and a deadline for the feature.  I traveled back to New York and went to work.  When I started delving into Sara, a whole world opened up.  The story, complicated, dark, emotional -- the journey, arduous, conflicted, and full, I actually finished on time.

Then came the many, many drafts.  The comments from writers, mentors, friends.  More drafts.

Then a few actors were attached.  Hampus Pettersson and Julia Dufvenius.  This was beyond exciting.

Then we actually got through the first stage of funding!  We were on our way...then my producer got a job for BBC TV in Copenhagen.  So, there was a halt.

I kept working, more drafts, more drafts.  I applied to the Sundance Screenwriting Labs, and went through a few rounds.  It seemed the project was a finalist! But, it didn't ultimately get chosen. Still, great to be considered, and in such great company.

As I worked on other projects and stories, MISSING, stayed with me.  It started to occur to me, that the story might be larger.  Maybe this was a novel?  As I began to seriously consider it, the notes, and ideas were flowing, and moving, and seemed to really start to form another medium.  It's an unorthodox method.  Usually, novels are turned into screenplays.  But this seemed to work.

So, that's where I am now.  Focused on creating a fully-developed, version of MISSING, where some of the smaller stories have room to breathe.