nutshell.htm

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML//EN">
<html>

<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type"
content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 2.0">
<title>In A Nutshell</title>
</head>

<body background="Light_Grey_Brick194.gif" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">

<table border="0" width="100%">
    <tr>
        <td align="center"><img src="nutshe2.gif" width="72"
        height="104"></td>
        <td align="center"><img src="nutshe3.gif" width="72"
        height="105"></td>
        <td align="center"><a href="index.htm"><img
        src="contac10.gif" border="0" width="70" height="107"></a></td>
        <td><p align="center"><img src="nutshe5.gif" width="292"
        height="52"></p>
        </td>
        <td align="center"><img src="nutshe6.gif" width="85"
        height="87"></td>
    </tr>
</table>

<hr size="6" noshade>

<p align="center"><font color="#000000" size="4"><strong>&quot;Nutshell&quot;
News</strong></font></p>

<p align="left"><font color="#FF0000">December 1998: Well, the
script reading of &quot;In A Nutshell&quot; has come and gone and
I would say that overall it went well. There was some good
feedback from those that attended and I feel confident that the
script is sound and will only need some minor tweaks in order to
prepare it for production. This is very encouraging, especially
since it really hadn't gone through too many rewrites prior to
the readthrough. The feedback from people that I spoke with is
that they could see it clearly as a movie, which makes it easier
to take it to the next level. </font></p>

<p align="left"><font color="#FF0000">What is the next level? The
next level will be taking it [ IN A NUTSHELL] into production,
but when and how will all depend on the response I am able to get
from &quot;Damaged Goods&quot;. I'll keep you posted.</font></p>

<p align="left"><font color="#0000FF"><strong>UPDATE: October 4,
1998. &quot;In A Nutshell&quot; has been selected as a finalist
in the Telluride IndieFest script competition. The script
competition is part of the Telluride IndieFest film festival
which is held December 4-6th of this year in Telluride, Colorado.
</strong></font></p>

<p align="center"><font size="4">A Screenplay by Jason Francois</font></p>

<p><font size="3"><em><strong>In A Nutshell </strong></em>was
born out of a desire to combine strong creative elements,
controllable, yet exciting environments and commercial appeal in
order to make movies that stand out from other films and even
more among monetarily challenged films. The core of the writing
is strong characterizations and odd comical timing laced with a
slightly twisted view of the world around us. <em><strong>In a
Nutshell</strong></em> takes a wacky premise and infuses it with
enough reality and mental chaos to keep the viewer or reader
locked on until the end, leaving them satisfied that they haven't
spent two hours to be handed another predictable ending. Instead
they are left satisfied that the conclusion is one that fits the
characters and rewards their intelligence as well as opening
questions, in their minds, about guilt and the line between
sanity and lunacy.</font></p>

<p><font size="3">With many hidden psychological elements and
what can only be described as intelligent-absurdist-word play, <em><strong>In
a Nutshell</strong></em> delivers a film that is both simplistic
on the surface and complex enough for those that must find the
hidden meaning to ponder over for weeks.</font></p>

<p><font size="3"><em><strong>In a Nutshell </strong></em>is a
wickedly, amusing comedy for a broad audience range. It has a
small and harmless connection to a criminal element. It has a
hint of love and warm fuzzies, as well as a lot of head-butting
confrontation and, oh yeah, lots and lots of psychotropic drugs,
which have a tendency to play with the minds of the clinically
sane.</font></p>

<p><font size="3">That said, it would be fair to call <em><strong>In
a Nutshell</strong></em><strong> </strong>a <em>One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest</em> for the nineties or a <em>Cuckoo's Nest</em>
for those with short attention spans.</font></p>

<p><font size="2"></font>&nbsp;</p>

<p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>THE WORLD OF In A
Nutshell</strong></font></p>

<p align="left"><font size="3">The world of <em><strong>In A
Nutshell</strong></em> is that of an old, but functioning,
time-worn institution. A world in which sunshine is a luxury
often forgotten or unnoticed by it's wonderfully insane
residents. Look past it semi-foreboding exterior, past its barred
windows and secured hallways and you will find people like
yourself in every way, except for the fact that they have long
since crossed the line between sanity and lunacy.</font></p>

<p align="left"><font size="3">The world of <em><strong>In A
Nutshell </strong></em>is a world at which the uninitiated may
scoff or pass off as harmless; a mistake which could easily push
one over the previously mentioned line, never to return.</font></p>

<p align="left"><font size="3">This is the world in which a
trained killer is about to enter and begin his most daring
mission, a mission which could cost him the remnants of his
sanity.</font></p>

<p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>THE SYNOPSIS</strong></font></p>

<p align="left"><font size="3"><strong>In A Nutshell</strong> is
a dark-comedy, feature about a hitman named Antonio who is sent
into a mental institution to find the whereabouts of a large
quantity of stolen diamonds, but finds instead that the line
between sanity and total lunacy is not to be taken lightly.
Antonio's boss, Mr. Little, devises a master plan to find out
whether Colin, the now catatonic diamond thief, really has gone
crazy over the retaliatory murder of his wife or if he's just
&quot;hiding out&quot;. Undaunted by their lack of an
&quot;inside man&quot;, the decision is made to institutionalize
Antonio with the mission of making Colin give up the whereabouts
of the stolen diamonds. Antonio is to follow out his mission and
&quot;terminate&quot; the thief for his wrong-doings and then be
released. A simple plan except for a multitude of problems that
arise. The first is an annoying busybody named Thierry, who acts
as the story's manic tourguide and quickly lands Antonio in
&quot;hot water&quot;. Secondly, the doctor that was
&quot;muscled&quot; into admitting him is missing-this is also
the doctor that was to release him. Thirdly, Antonio, new to this
environment is subjected to a barrage of psychotropic drugs which
send him into a downward spiral of drug-induced psychosis from
which he may not recover. Although he is drugged and confused by
his surroundings, Antonio continues haphazardly towards what
could be his final mission, to kill Colin, accidentally killing
one of the institutions cherished residents in the process. In
the wake of such problems and in the midst of such a volatile
environment, he finds a dysfunctional camaraderie that the life
of a hitman would never afford him. His original mission becomes
a side note to the fear and guilt that is developing, guilt over
that which he does so well; kill, and fear of a creator that he
is certain is out to get him. He finds little comfort in the
keepers of his &quot;old world&quot; that have all but abandoned
him in his new home away from home due to their own pressing
problems.</font></p>

<p align="left"><font size="3">Through Antonio's drug-induced
neurosis and Colin's silent guilt, we see changed occurring in
the characters as they try to hold onto the sanity they have
while searching for some type of redemption for their inner
pains. Evolving through multiple plot twists and a myriad of
wacky supporting characters and events, the movie culminates in a
surprising twist and a unique character transformation that makes
a strong statement about guilt and its effect on the human mind.</font></p>

<p><font size="2"></font>&nbsp;</p>

<p><font size="2"></font>&nbsp;</p>
</body>
</html>
	<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML//EN">
	<html>

	<head>
	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type"
	content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
	<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 2.0">
	<title>In A Nutshell</title>
	</head>

	<body background="Light_Grey_Brick194.gif" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">

	<table border="0" width="100%">
	<tr>
	<td align="center"><img src="nutshe2.gif" width="72"
	height="104"></td>
	<td align="center"><img src="nutshe3.gif" width="72"
	height="105"></td>
	<td align="center"><a href="index.htm"><img
	src="contac10.gif" border="0" width="70" height="107"></a></td>
	<td><p align="center"><img src="nutshe5.gif" width="292"
	height="52"></p>
	</td>
	<td align="center"><img src="nutshe6.gif" width="85"
	height="87"></td>
	</tr>
	</table>

	<hr size="6" noshade>

	<p align="center"><font color="#000000" size="4"><strong>"Nutshell"
	News</strong></font></p>

	<p align="left"><font color="#FF0000">December 1998: Well, the
	script reading of "In A Nutshell" has come and gone and
	I would say that overall it went well. There was some good
	feedback from those that attended and I feel confident that the
	script is sound and will only need some minor tweaks in order to
	prepare it for production. This is very encouraging, especially
	since it really hadn't gone through too many rewrites prior to
	the readthrough. The feedback from people that I spoke with is
	that they could see it clearly as a movie, which makes it easier
	to take it to the next level. </font></p>

	<p align="left"><font color="#FF0000">What is the next level? The
	next level will be taking it [ IN A NUTSHELL] into production,
	but when and how will all depend on the response I am able to get
	from "Damaged Goods". I'll keep you posted.</font></p>

	<p align="left"><font color="#0000FF"><strong>UPDATE: October 4,
	1998. "In A Nutshell" has been selected as a finalist
	in the Telluride IndieFest script competition. The script
	competition is part of the Telluride IndieFest film festival
	which is held December 4-6th of this year in Telluride, Colorado.
	</strong></font></p>

	<p align="center"><font size="4">A Screenplay by Jason Francois</font></p>

	<p><font size="3"><em><strong>In A Nutshell </strong></em>was
	born out of a desire to combine strong creative elements,
	controllable, yet exciting environments and commercial appeal in
	order to make movies that stand out from other films and even
	more among monetarily challenged films. The core of the writing
	is strong characterizations and odd comical timing laced with a
	slightly twisted view of the world around us. <em><strong>In a
	Nutshell</strong></em> takes a wacky premise and infuses it with
	enough reality and mental chaos to keep the viewer or reader
	locked on until the end, leaving them satisfied that they haven't
	spent two hours to be handed another predictable ending. Instead
	they are left satisfied that the conclusion is one that fits the
	characters and rewards their intelligence as well as opening
	questions, in their minds, about guilt and the line between
	sanity and lunacy.</font></p>

	<p><font size="3">With many hidden psychological elements and
	what can only be described as intelligent-absurdist-word play, <em><strong>In
	a Nutshell</strong></em> delivers a film that is both simplistic
	on the surface and complex enough for those that must find the
	hidden meaning to ponder over for weeks.</font></p>

	<p><font size="3"><em><strong>In a Nutshell </strong></em>is a
	wickedly, amusing comedy for a broad audience range. It has a
	small and harmless connection to a criminal element. It has a
	hint of love and warm fuzzies, as well as a lot of head-butting
	confrontation and, oh yeah, lots and lots of psychotropic drugs,
	which have a tendency to play with the minds of the clinically
	sane.</font></p>

	<p><font size="3">That said, it would be fair to call <em><strong>In
	a Nutshell</strong></em><strong> </strong>a <em>One Flew Over the
	Cuckoo's Nest</em> for the nineties or a <em>Cuckoo's Nest</em>
	for those with short attention spans.</font></p>

	<p><font size="2"></font> </p>

	<p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>THE WORLD OF In A
	Nutshell</strong></font></p>

	<p align="left"><font size="3">The world of <em><strong>In A
	Nutshell</strong></em> is that of an old, but functioning,
	time-worn institution. A world in which sunshine is a luxury
	often forgotten or unnoticed by it's wonderfully insane
	residents. Look past it semi-foreboding exterior, past its barred
	windows and secured hallways and you will find people like
	yourself in every way, except for the fact that they have long
	since crossed the line between sanity and lunacy.</font></p>

	<p align="left"><font size="3">The world of <em><strong>In A
	Nutshell </strong></em>is a world at which the uninitiated may
	scoff or pass off as harmless; a mistake which could easily push
	one over the previously mentioned line, never to return.</font></p>

	<p align="left"><font size="3">This is the world in which a
	trained killer is about to enter and begin his most daring
	mission, a mission which could cost him the remnants of his
	sanity.</font></p>

	<p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>THE SYNOPSIS</strong></font></p>

	<p align="left"><font size="3"><strong>In A Nutshell</strong> is
	a dark-comedy, feature about a hitman named Antonio who is sent
	into a mental institution to find the whereabouts of a large
	quantity of stolen diamonds, but finds instead that the line
	between sanity and total lunacy is not to be taken lightly.
	Antonio's boss, Mr. Little, devises a master plan to find out
	whether Colin, the now catatonic diamond thief, really has gone
	crazy over the retaliatory murder of his wife or if he's just
	"hiding out". Undaunted by their lack of an
	"inside man", the decision is made to institutionalize
	Antonio with the mission of making Colin give up the whereabouts
	of the stolen diamonds. Antonio is to follow out his mission and
	"terminate" the thief for his wrong-doings and then be
	released. A simple plan except for a multitude of problems that
	arise. The first is an annoying busybody named Thierry, who acts
	as the story's manic tourguide and quickly lands Antonio in
	"hot water". Secondly, the doctor that was
	"muscled" into admitting him is missing-this is also
	the doctor that was to release him. Thirdly, Antonio, new to this
	environment is subjected to a barrage of psychotropic drugs which
	send him into a downward spiral of drug-induced psychosis from
	which he may not recover. Although he is drugged and confused by
	his surroundings, Antonio continues haphazardly towards what
	could be his final mission, to kill Colin, accidentally killing
	one of the institutions cherished residents in the process. In
	the wake of such problems and in the midst of such a volatile
	environment, he finds a dysfunctional camaraderie that the life
	of a hitman would never afford him. His original mission becomes
	a side note to the fear and guilt that is developing, guilt over
	that which he does so well; kill, and fear of a creator that he
	is certain is out to get him. He finds little comfort in the
	keepers of his "old world" that have all but abandoned
	him in his new home away from home due to their own pressing
	problems.</font></p>

	<p align="left"><font size="3">Through Antonio's drug-induced
	neurosis and Colin's silent guilt, we see changed occurring in
	the characters as they try to hold onto the sanity they have
	while searching for some type of redemption for their inner
	pains. Evolving through multiple plot twists and a myriad of
	wacky supporting characters and events, the movie culminates in a
	surprising twist and a unique character transformation that makes
	a strong statement about guilt and its effect on the human mind.</font></p>

	<p><font size="2"></font> </p>

	<p><font size="2"></font> </p>
	</body>
	</html>