A sports columnist for the Sheboygan Press, Thompson wrote "Worthless,"
They're to be produced by Premier Booking & Management Co. along with Cold Weather Films Inc., owned by Madison native Hulon Crayton II.
"The films are financed in full," Crayton said. "I cannot divulge all the names or businesses sinking capital into the projects, due to confidentiality agreements."
Names he did reveal: Ralph Cooper, a nightclub owner in New York; IMO Investment (for European entrepreneurs);
Sight unseen, "Worthless" sounds like it could tickle funnybones: Four guys pretend to form a band, all the better to pick up women; the band, named Worthless, becomes a sensation.
Thompson, a 1994 graduate of Green Bay Southwest High School, said he started "Worthless" in 2006 and revised it at least a dozen times.
"In the last few years, I've learned so much on how to write, and not write, a screenplay,"
"It's so much more difficult than I thought it would be when I started page 1 of 'Worthless' as a hobby. But it's been fulfilling, as well, especially now that it appears to be on the cusp of being produced."
Filming and casting of "Worthless" would take place in Milwaukee.
Casting "will likely be late January or early February if we are on schedule," Crayton said.
"Dead Dog" is an action feature in which a U.S. soldier stationed in Afghanistan pretends to be dead for days when the village he's stationed in is overrun by extremists. The production start goal is late 2009.
Wisconsin's tax incentives for filming in the state played a role, Crayton said.
"With a tax incentive considerably higher or more competitive than Hollywood, it is an opportunity that I, nor my fellow above-the-line crew cannot pass up," Crayton said. "Many filmmakers are going outside of Southern California to produce films, and the trend is moving forward in that direction."
Crayton's companies are based in Panama City, Fla., and Los Angeles.
Thompson, 32, said he connected with Crayton's Premier Booking & Management by luck.
"I had been searching for potential production companies and/or literary agencies to help get things moving," Thompson said. "As they say, you can't get down after being rejected countless times. And so I did not."
He stumbled on the Web site of Crayton's company.
"This summer, I e-mailed him loglines and synopses of both 'Worthless' and 'Dead Dog,' then later the screenplays,"
Warren Gerds writes about arts and entertainment for the Press-Gazette. Write to him at P.O. Box 23430, Green Bay, WI 54305-3430 or e-mail wgerds@greenbaypressgazette.com.
