Galt's Gulch

I'm Harmon Kaslow, Producer of the Atlas Shrugged films. Ask me anything.

Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago to Entertainment
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I'm Harmon Kaslow, Producer of the Atlas Shrugged movies. I've produced quite a few movies over the years but am most proud of course to be involved with Atlas Shrugged. I'll be returning here at around 2PM ET this afternoon, for about an hour, to answer your questions and read your comments. I look forward to hearing from everyone!

Harmon

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EDIT #1: Hi ... as you know, we're having a very busy week. In addition to the http://www.KickstartAtlas.com campaign, which is running well, we're working on getting the screenplay finished, locking down shooting locations, identifying department heads, and figuring out a shooting schedule ... but it's great to be here ... and I look forward to answering your questions.

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GALT'S GULCH EVENT TIPS
1. Read all of the previously asked questions before submitting your own. Your question may have already been asked.
2. Write one question per comment.
3. Vote on questions submitted by others. The most popular questions and comments will rise to the top.

Keep in mind, Harmon has only limited time to spend in the Gulch today and may not get to all of your questions.

Scott (sdesapio)

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Contribute to the Atlas Shrugged Kickstarter campaign now: http://KickstartAtlas.com

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  • 13
    Posted by BYJR 10 years, 6 months ago
    Please, can you announce who is playing the major characters in AS3, especially Dagny, Hank, Francisco, and John Galt?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      We haven’t begun casting yet. We want to have the screenplay completed before going out to the casting community. We believe that by staying true to the message of the book, that actors who are familiar with Atlas Shrugged will respond favorably to the material … and to the extent they work for the characters and our production schedule … great … and really that’s the starting point for casting. In any event, as we make these decisions, my plan is to announce them here - in GaltsGulchOnline - first.
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      • Posted by BYJR 10 years, 6 months ago
        Thank you Sir! Some months ago the Gulch ran a rough survey about who members thought should play the main characters, especially Dagney and John Galt. Could you tell us the results of that survey?
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 10 years, 6 months ago
    Are you running into more, or less resistance/difficulty casting and producing this movie as compared to the first two?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      Its no secret that Hollywood and the message of Atlas Shrugged mix as well as oil and water. My experience is that there are lots of people in the motion picture industry who are familiar with Atlas Shrugged and would jump at the chance to be part of its legacy. Granted, I haven’t encountered too many…. so the challenge for me is connecting with them and making certain that their talents fit what we need to make a great movie.
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  • Posted by BYJR 10 years, 6 months ago
    John Galt's speech was well over 100 pages in the book Atlas Shrugged. How many pages is it in the AS3 screenplay?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      This a great question … and one I get asked frequently by people who’ve read the book. In fact, I was in DC last month and when a Congressman (who happens to be an objectivist) asked to see me … his interest was discussing how we were going to execute the speech in the film… and what he thought would work cinematically was nearly opposite of what I thought would have the greatest impact. Obviously, it’s a very important part of the book … and the question we’re wrestling with internally is how to best execute it and retain its impact. At the same time, we need to deliver a cinematic experience that matches the impact of the speech in the book and works in a theatrical setting. In short, I’m considering having varying lengths of the speech filmed to give us some flexibility in the editing room (as well as some goodies on the DVD).
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      • Posted by plusaf 10 years, 6 months ago
        In terms of a movie, I can't see including the whole speech, verbatim... If "highlights" were done in a voiceover to visual examples of them, it might have some impact. In rethinking my reaction to richkinley's post above, a clock could be used to show that the actual speech ran an hour or two, so for moviegoers who had NOT read the book, there might be a hook to make them curious about what HAD been left out... especially when they see what happens AFTER the speech (in the movie.)

        Lots of Hitchcock's best thrillers had most of the "violence" off-screen, y'know?
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  • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
    Hi ... as you know, we're having a very busy week. In addition to the www.KickstartAtlas.com campaign, which is running well, we're working on getting the screenplay finished, locking down shooting locations, identifying department heads, and figuring out a shooting schedule ... but it's great to be here ... and I look forward to answering your questions.
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  • Posted by $ rockymountainpirate 10 years, 6 months ago
    Dagny listened to many great philosophical discussions while in the Gulch. Will any of that be able to be included?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      I’m sensing we have a mole because this question parallels something very important to John Aglialoro and something we’re addressing right now … that is, getting The Gulch correct and really giving the audience an accurate depiction and visualization of what is in the book … and part of this is hearing the exchange between Dagny and the Strikers and understanding both the meaning of and motivation behind those exchanges … I think if we do this right, we get two results: a good sense of The Gulch as well as the conflict facing Dagny … which will make the whole sequence dramatic (and hence, entertaining).
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 6 months ago
    What's after ASIII?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      John and I have aspirations to film the book as a TV mini-series … less as an adaptation and more as a lift directly from the book. It’s a large undertaking and a broadcaster will be needed as a requirement … unless, of course, we figure out some direct online solution.
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      • Posted by plusaf 10 years, 6 months ago
        Ironically, the SyFy channel might be fertile ground. They've done some groundbreakingly good stuff in the past, although they seem to have gone for lowest common denominator in the past few years...

        Just a thought.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 10 years, 6 months ago
    What is the expected run time of AS3?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      The artistic answer is simple … whatever is needed to tell this story, make you cheer, and want to see it again and again. Our restriction is money … and we’re looking at somewhere between 25 - 30 shooting days (depending on the success of Kickstarter) so we’ve chosen a cinematic storyline from Part 3 that can be succinctly told in the amount of time we have … and my guess is that we’ll be in the 110 to 120 minute mark.
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 6 months ago
    What's your analysis of the kickstarter campaign and and all the hate in its wake so far?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      We knew it was coming. While on one hand it's hard to see so many misunderstand and misrepresent Ayn Rand's ideas, at the same time, they are providing a service in getting the word out, which really helps us. Additionally, it's nice to see the people who understand Atlas rally and come to our defense against these "attacks". THANKS!
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  • Posted by net5000 10 years, 6 months ago
    Have to take the opportunity. I specialize in search exposure. I can deliver massive exposure for the release. White hat but very effective. 1st page positions in the 1000's. Like the engine in the book but real. http://www.LokkeAdvertising.com have someone check it out and call me. Don Lokke 35 years in advertising.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 10 years, 6 months ago
    Approximately when do you anticipate the release of AS3?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      John Aglialoro and I would love to have Atlas in theaters for Independence Day 2014 … that would give us a theatrical trifecta: Tax Day 2011, Election Day 2012, and Independence Day 2014 … but, what’s key for us is making a great motion picture and there’s no reason for us to rush anything to hit a specific date. Additionally, I’m hoping we have enough time between completion and our theatrical release date to have some sneak and private screenings across the country … for people like those in the Gulch.
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      • Posted by $ stargeezer 10 years, 6 months ago
        As difficult as traveling is for me, I'll fly, drive, roll my wheelchair, whatever it takes to see a early showing of the final part of the film I've waited to see for so long.

        BTW, the end of AS is not the end of the tale - it's the beginning of new story in a reborn world.
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  • Posted by mjsflyboy 10 years, 6 months ago
    How are you going to increase the level of dramatic intensity as compared to as2?
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 10 years, 6 months ago
      We haven’t done a good job with the drama on the prior movies, and that’s something I am determined to change in Part III. I have brought in some secret weapons to help us on the screenplay … people who deeply understand the work and the characters … and challenged them to stay true to the characters, stay true to the message, but ramp up the conflict and drama in each scene so that the film plays cinematically.
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      • Posted by richkinley 10 years, 6 months ago
        Harmon, that's why I hope you can find a few minutes for the events that led to Cherryl's suicide. In my view, that's a very powerful moment, considering her reconciliation with Dagny.
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        • Posted by rlewellen 10 years, 3 months ago
          I had the opposite reaction. I thought she should have just left. She was the only one who started with the right ideas, and maintained her beliefs so she found out James was a fraud why kill yourself? Pick yourself off brush yourself off and start all over again. Did I miss something?
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  • Posted by $ SmallBizSurvivor 10 years, 6 months ago
    Have you considered a tie in with a distributor of the book to allow those who have seen the movie to perhaps get a deal on a digital download? Perhaps a tie in with a company like Audible. I know I found it much easier to get through the book as an audio book given my schedule.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 2 months ago
    How about a TV series which starts off at where AS ends- namely how a society such as ours can be rebuilt. Its fiction, since the direction now is still down, but you can start with the reality of venezuela and how it could possibly be rebuilt.
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    • Posted by $ HarmonKaslow 8 years, 2 months ago
      Term2 ... a great idea. However, our rights are limited to remaking Atlas Shrugged. Your suggestion falls outside of the scope of the rights we acquired from the Ayn Rand estate.
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      • Posted by term2 8 years, 2 months ago
        My suggestion wouldnt be an Ayn Rand production. BUT that said, one could start with the current situation (or worse) and then APPLY Objectivist principles to things to show how a society could improve. I think that today two things are apparent:
        1) With the popularity of post apocalyptic shows like Walking Dead, World War Z, etc, I draw the conclusion that people are indeed thinking that all these government intrusions and money printing will cause a collapse of some sort- but they dont know what sort of collapse.

        2) People in general today dont really understand how to rebuild a society in practical terms. AS really ended at the collapse. The only show I have seen that even deals with this aspect is Jericho on Netflix.
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  • Posted by LadyFreedom 10 years, 6 months ago
    You need names for the leads, which is completely understandable. Would you consider casting some of the smaller parts from among the ranks of Atals Shrugged fans, provided they are professional actors?
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