[John]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if it would be possible to get the rights to turn masterminds into a play to be preformed on stage. This would be a one off event and the script could literally be shredded afterwards if needed. Would I be allowed to do this without royalty?

 

 

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, John,

It souds like a fabulous idea, although it's a lot of work for a one-time reward. But I'm afraid things are just not done that way. I have to direct you to my literary agency regarding dramatic rights -- please check the CONTACT information on the website. But I'm certainly pleased to note that MASTERMINDS has made such a hit with you!

                                                                                                  -----Gordon Korman-----

 

[John]

i tried to contact your agent on the contact page via email but go no response back.

[Gordon Korman]

The telephone number is (212) 473-5400.                   ---GK---

[John]

Is there a toll free or canadian number? I live in canada and don't have calling to the states.

[Gordon Korman]

Sprry. Not that I know of. By mail, their ofice is in New York City.                            ---GK---

[John]

I quite literally just got an email back from the dramatic rights team. Thanks for your help anyways!

 

[John]

• Hi, I was wondering if you had any ideas of how we could do a car driving onstage. It is difficult right now to figure out problems like that in the script during finals season, also if you are interested in seeing the progress in the script just tell me some way to send it to you. 

[Gordon Korman]

Hi again, John,

You're asking the wrong guy! That's definiely outside my area of expertise. I'd do a cardboard car and sound effects of driving. Lame, I know, but my best idea just the same.

As for readching me, I'm right here. I check the Forum every day.                                      ---GK---

[Jade]

I’ve seen people make extremely realistic cardboard cutouts of a car and then have peole behind it, moving it, as the wheels. You  probably can’t get a gold cart (most realistic option) on stage. This is such a cool idea!

[John]

Here is a link to the google doc, I will revoke access tomorrow morning: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qsOjeYFMYbbjepE7KaRaKbJjDKp_YVxEcGeHyvvkPaE/edit?usp=sharing.

 

 

[Gordon Korman]

Got it.                                                     ---GK---

[John]

Great, access to the document will revoke to the general public tomorrow at around 12-1:00 in the afternoon ish mountain time.

 

assuming that this is a common forum system it should show you my email, if you want access again just send an email to the drama team at St Greg’s or just ask in the forum. 😁 

[John]

Hi,

 

Just though this was a bit funny and I wanted to share, So far with printed copies of the script with the edits written on it we have 10 copies (varies in length), there is over a hundred pages of paper with the script printed on it. The idea is we are going to keep every copy that is printed so that people can see the progress of how script writing progresses. I think we might have to switch to printing on looseleaf. Do you print out the copies of your book so that you can edit it on paper and then digitize the edits? Or just edit directly on your computer.

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, John,

What you describe makes perfect sense. Editing is a process, and everyone should be able to see how it progresses.

I edit on the screen, but there is always a printed copy of my work. I have to be able to see the whole thing and follow its progress through the process. So, you see, I do almost exactly what you're doing with the script. Great minds!

                                                                                                                                                 ---GK---

[John]

Hi Mr. Korman,

 

In the script we have gotten to the point just before where they go onto the plastic works property. It is hard to will myself to sit down and write the script. Luckily we have managed to get an e-book from the library of the first copy which enables us to not have to type with one hand. It's hard to coordinate all of this stuff over summer break. It's fun thinking of all of the cool technical stuff we can do when it is actually on stage. We sent you an email with the librarians help asking about the possibility of visiting for the show, just wondering... what costs are involved, like are the costs like a plane ticket, food, hotel, and basic things like that? Second question, what crazy adventurous things do you think that the Osiris 4 could do once they break out of serenity, we don't want to bore the audience with an hour of them just exploring the real world. Which scenes do you think where most impactful? Obviously we can't have them travelling down a waterfall in a crate. Our current idea is to have a few scenes with cameos from actors of the previous shows. For example we did "This is a test" by Stephen Gregg and there was this scene with a conga line and the actors chanting "Envy", Malik would probably be scrunching his nose at this. Sorry for this being so long. We added some more websites: https://gmanandmarbles.github.io/masterminds/ Serenity websearching thing, https://gmanandmarbles.github.io/masterminds/osiris-protected.html  https://gmanandmarbles.github.io/masterminds/teaparty.html  You probably know the password for the website.

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, John. First of all, I juts want to say it's amazing to hear about your progress as you work to put all this together.

Sadly, it's not going to be possible for me to attend your production in person. Sorry. I'd love to see video clips, though, if those are going to be available.

Regarding what the kids do once they're "out in the world," I agree that you should take your lead from MASTERMINDS: CRIMINAL DESTINY and MASTERMINDS: PAYBACK. I totally get that a lot of the "set pieces" in the later books would be difficult if  not impossible to stage in reality. You're better qualified than I am to have a sense of what's possible in the world of theatre, though. Sorry not to be more helpful here.

I think you're getting close to the home stretch, John. I can't wait to hear how it all comes out!

-------GK-------

[John]

Hi Mr.Korman,

Our current agreement with Curtis Brown/you doesn’t cover taking any video clips from the show. We can change that and submit a new agreement, we will have to do that anyways seeing as the teacher who serves as the director has gotten married and now has a new legal name. 

For what the kids do when they reach the outside world we had a cool idea, we place posters up in the library of the school phrasing this as a competition and people write and submit the scripts to me and the other co-writers and editors, we can then decide which submissions to use in the actual show. 

I will say, this started out very fun, then it started to become more tiresome because of the various parties I need to contact. I bet I have sent more words in emails to people asking about licensing than in the actual script. 43 E-Mails between Eliza and I.

 

I just wanted to compliment you on the Eli computer portion of the book, it is like 95% accurate with computer stuff. I am a large computer nerd.

 

Thanks

[Gordon Korman]

Hi again,

I appreciate being kept in the loop as the project develops. Great idea for the kids in the outside world -- I hope you get a lot of suggestions.

Thanks again.                                                                                     -----GK-----

[John]

Hi Mr Korman,

 

I managed to find the time to just sit down and work on the script for like 3 hours last week, Eli, Malik, Amber, and Tori finally escaped from serenity. Now that the majority of my part of the script is done I have to do the boring "diagnostic" work, the boring stuff like the microphone and lighting chart. 

It will be exciting to see the show come together. With the licensing that I was mentioning in my previous message, I managed to finish all of that. We were able to contact a few local music artists to do the music within the show. Such as when Tori and Amber fight in the artist loft and their fight is broken up with a song on the radio, we managed to get Kaiya Gamble to allow us to use any of her original songs, we were thinking the song "Sweet talker" but still not 100% sure. 

 

Weird thing about stageplays, everything 5 minutes before the play has to be licensed, so any music we play as people are walking in we have to apply for licensing. 

 

I think thats it,

 

Thanks,

John 

[Gordon Korman]

It's certainly taking shape! Interesting to hear about scoring. I never even thought of music, but of course it's necessary.  --G--

[John]

Hi Mr. Korman,

 

It has been a while since I updated you on the progress of the script, there hasn't been much. It is really hard to get the escape from Serenity just right. 

 

The good news is we are finished most of the boring diagnostic work like the mic chart (because no one likes making those), and we are starting to think of costuming, at Randy's boarding school is there uniforms, im assuming that there is... but not 100% sure.

 

We will try to get some short video clips from the interesting parts of the show. 

 

Another thing that I was going to ask you, on the week with the actual show. To pump up the actors is it possible to have a zoom meeting with you or something of the sort?

 

Thanks

[Gordon Korman]

Hi,John,

Thanks for checking in. I was wondering how things were going over the summer.

Uniforms are likely -- they'd be whiteshirts and black pants, which should be easy, and easier to differentiate with jackets, scarfs, etc., when desired.

We can probably arrange a reasonably short but encouraging Zoom. Failing that (I have one kid in downtown NY, and two others in universities a gazillion miles apart, which usually adds up to one crisis per hour) I can always record a short encouraging video for your crew. Just tell me the date you'll need it and we can plan for one or the other.

It's hard to believe you've come so far!                                                                         -----GK-----

[John]

Thanks for being such a helpful author, other books that people are doing are getting little to no support from the author. 

And if a zoom doesn’t work, a video would also be amazing.

 

Thanks!

[John]

We finally finished the first book, with the current length of the script. 40 pages, 40 scenes. It might take over an hour to do the first section of the show. 

One thing with having multiple people doing the editing thing with little to no communication with eachother, the formatting gets weird, and I would type notes for myself. Now all of the comments on the doc relate to those comments not making sense. Oh well. It will be better in September.

Then get people to submit scenes to the show, and make them flow together in a way that makes sense.

[John]

Hey Mr. Korman,

 

I think it’s finally official. I sent over the script to the director, and she approved it!!!

 

 

Woo Hoo!

[John]

Hey Mr.Korman,

 

it’s official… we’re doing the show!!!!

 

Thanks for all the help.

[Gordon Korman]

Hey, John,

Then you must have turned out a neat piece of theater! Congrats! Keep me posted!                                     Gord

[John]

Hey Mr.Korman,

I had a question about licensing... again, is the cover art of the book included in the license/could we use it? Really just wondering if we can print out some nice professional art for the advertising posters. If not, i'm sure we can find someone to do cover art for us.

Hi, John,

There again you're going to have to ask my agent at Curtis Brown in New York. I'd be inclined to say sure -- go ahead, but I'm not in charge of stuff like that. Sorry.                                                      ---GK---

[John]

Sounds good, I can send an email to both Eliza, and Elizabeth.

[John]

Hi Mr. Korman,

 

I think it’s about time that we should send you a copy of the script. We did leave some notes with names on the document so I can’t share it publicly. But would you be open to us sending you the word document over email?

Yes. But in the interests of privacy, not here. Try my office:

                         Info@gordonkorman.com 

Excited to see it!                                                                                                                                      ---GK---

[John]

Yeah, absolutely. I think the other writer emailed it to you. I will check if it was your office email.