J. Neil Schulman
@ Agorist.com
@ Agorist.com
(OPENPRESS) March 10, 2011 — — Jesulu Productions announced today that J. Neil Schulman’s famous 1985 script, “Profile in Silver,” will be the basis for its feature film production for a 2014 theatrical release with that same title.
In 1983 author/screenwriter, J. Neil Schulman, outlined a feature film titled November 22, 1963, about a future history professor who time-travels back to Dallas on that date and prevents the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, creating an alternate time-line.
Schulman first submitted November 22, 1963 to Herb and Rob Jaffe’s Vista Films, to whom Schulman had just sold another screen treatment, All the King’s Horses.
In 1985 Schulman’s writer friend, Alan Brennert — one of the writer-producers developing a revived Twilight Zone series for CBS — commissioned Schulman to write November 22, 1963 for the anthology series. Retitled “Profile in Silver” Schulman’s script was broadcast March 7, 1986, on Episode 20 of The Twilight Zone, along with a second segment titled “Button, Button.” “Button, Button” was remade as the 2009 Cameron Diaz / Frank Langella feature film, The Box.
Now Jesulu Productions is announcing that it is in development of a feature-length theatrical film based on Schulman’s original outline for November 22, 1963 to be titled Profile in Silver.
The title is a reference to the 1964 Kennedy silver half dollar with a profile of the just slain JFK, which in the story is shown to a still-alive President Kennedy after the future history professor prevents JFK’s assassination in Dallas.
“Profile in Silver” is one of J. Neil Schulman’s best-known stories.
There’s a Wikipedia article on it.
It plays in regular rotation on the Chiller Network and the Syfy Channel.
The Twilight Zone: “Profile in Silver” is available on the DVD collection, The Twilight Zone – Season 1 (1985 – 1986).
The original script is included in Schulman’s 1999 book, Profile In Silver and Other Screenwritings.
The episode has an average IMDb User rating of 8.4 out of 10.
J. Neil Schulman was the screenwriter/director/producer for Jesulu Productions 2008 suspense comedy feature, Lady Magdalene’s, starring the original Star Trek‘s Lt. Uhura, Nichelle Nichols; and Schulman is currently in pre-production for Jesulu to direct his own screenplay adaptation of his highly-praised 1979 novel, Alongside Night, as a near-future action feature. Jesulu Productions is also in development of a feature film titled Escape from Heaven, which Schulman adapted from his 2002 novel of that title.
J. Neil Schulman will write a new screenplay for Profile in Silver, and intends to direct it.
Jesulu Productions may be reached at production@jesulu.com.
See also:
The Twilight Zone: “Profile in Silver”
Profile in Silver Screen Captures
The 25th anniversary of CBS’s first network broadcast of “Profile in Silver” on March 7, 1986 is commemorated by David Goodloe in his March 7, 2011 article “Back to Dealey Plaza.”
My comic thriller Lady Magdalene’s — a movie I wrote, produced, directed, and acted in it — is now available for sale or rental on Amazon.com Video On Demand. If you like the way I think, I think you’ll like this movie. Check it out!
March 11, 2011 - 8:33 pm
That’s good news, but I’m confused. I thought that TV networks bought “all rights” when they purchased a script for their shows.
How did you get back the rights? Or was that not even necessary?
March 11, 2011 - 11:17 pm
Tom,
Excellent question! If I’d been writing for a continuing character TV series — like Star Trek — then all the character rights and series premises would be owned by the original creators and production company. But Twilight Zone was an anthology series, and each script was like a mini-movie. I have uncontested sole WGA writing credit on “Profile in Silver” so a clause in the WGA’s Minimum Basic Agreement protects what’s called my “separated rights.” So a certain period of time tolls after the series is no longer in production, and I have the right to exploit my original story again.
Neil
November 4, 2014 - 11:33 pm
One of my favorite T. Z. shows! Can’t wait to see this when it comes out.
November 21, 2014 - 7:00 pm
I was an extra for episode 3 of Season 2 and was told this week by the Director (Justin Molotnikov) that it will be aired at the end of October.