Beach front property...

[Suzanne Robertson]

We were so relieved when we heard the reviews for Secret of Nimh… the critics loved it. Some thought it was a little darker than a Disney picture but all in all they said it was classic animation at its best.

Making a successful picture is one thing, marketing it is another matter. Most pictures require about $12,000,000 to sufficiently motivate the public to drive to a theatre and plunk their hard earned money down. We only had two million. It just wasn’t enough and Secret of Nimh really didn’t make any money.

Now what? That’s always the hard question. Because Nimh had failed to make money we had NO resources for another picture. We had no where to go.

Then one day, out of the clear blue, a man drove into our studio lot, got out of his car, walked through our doors and introduced himself as James.

“I have seen the Secret of Nimh,” he said, “and I absolutely love it. It took my breath away and I want to help you to make the next picture.”

You could feel a wave of hope ripple through the building. Here was a man with money and he wanted to help us. Yes!!

As he turned to leave, he promised to stay in contact and return with money. We waited. Every few weeks we would get a phone call.

“It’s James, I’m getting your money, be patient, you have nothing to worry about. I will be there soon.”

Each time he called we felt reassured but as the weeks rolled by and the money never materialized we began to worry. We looked at one another and someone said…

“Who is James anyway?”

Finally one day about six months later a big Cadillac pulled into the lot and James emerged. Once again he came into the studio, gathered us around and announced.

“I’ve got the money, I just have to go pick it up.”

“James,” I said, “where is this money?”

Don, don’t worry, I’m going to get it. It’s under the tarmac in the airport in Switzerland. I’m going to fly over and get it.

Speechless we starred at one another. James got in his big car and drove away. We never saw him again.

To say that we all felt foolish would be an understatement. We were naive and gullible and so desperate we were capable of buying beach front property in Arizona. It did eventually become something to laugh about.

Then a second man appeared who also said he had some money. He, in fact, did. His name was Steven…

STEVEN SPIELBERG.

Oh to be young again and trust the world.

Suzanne

[OwenWelsh]

This one really got me laughing Suzanne! Did James really say, "Don, don?t worry, I?m going to get it. It?s under the tarmac in the airport in Switzerland. I?m going to fly over and get it?"

Its just so terribly funny its hard to believe. I have however heard that this James character has taken numerous forms and to this day continues to dangle money before Don. Its really sad because Don wants to make another feature and by all accounts, deserves to!

[Suzanne Robertson]

According to Don, James really did say that.

[Ben Sword]

That's going to be my response the next time someone asks me for money! :laughing:

[Adam R Davis]

Heh. I think any of us who have tried to make an independent film have met this man at one point or another.

[andrew sharp]

Valuable lessons in all of these thank you Suzanne. So the moral of the story is to watch out for people with the name James