One Man Against the World: Jonathan Daniels' Heroic Story

Amid the civil rights turmoil of 1965 Selma, a white seminary student and an African-American activist forge an unlikely alliance, facing violent opposition as they navigate the complex dynamics of race, faith, and justice in their fight for equality

Executive Summary: I am raising money to produce a reading of my screenplay, "Inextricably Bound" at Creative Visions in Malibu, CA. That's phase 1. Phase 2 will be a short "proof of concept" film. Come be a part of it!

This guy says it all so much better than I could. See why this is important!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEVR0XQPAdo/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3D

Details:

A few years ago, I wrote a play titled "Six Nights in the Black Belt" about the work of Jonathan Daniels, a conservative white seminary student, who left his comfortable life in Boston to join Doctor Martin Luther King when he urged clergy to come to Selma to demand voting rights for Blacks.

On August 20th, 1965, Jonathan Daniels and Ruby Sales, a Black teenager, met Tom Coleman, a "Special Deputy" who was armed with a shotgun. After a brief confrontation, Coleman aimed at Ruby. Before he could pull the trigger, Jonathan pushed Ruby down. The close-range blast hit Jonathan in the chest. He died on the scene.

I first heard this story on New Hampshire Public Radio when a friend of mine, Kevin Gardner, was guest hosting a show about Jonathan. The story hit home and I put it on my "ideas" list. Not too long after that, my friend John Campanello (a casting agent) suggested I go to meet Mark Schoenfeld to "pitch ideas." Mark is a Hollywood "insider" who had just written the Broadway show "Brooklyn: The Musical." I walked in and this was the first story I pitched. He stopped me before I got very far and said he knew all the civil rights stories and they'd been done. "But, go ahead and finish your story." And, I blew him away because he hadn't heard of this story.

So, I wrote the play titled "Six Nights in the Black Belt." The title came from the six nights Jonathan and Ruby were in jail and the Black Belt is the nickname for that part of Alabama. It's gone through a few half-dozen productions and readings around the country.

I met one of the writers/producers of the documentary "Here Am I, Send Me," Larry Benequist, who graciously gave me access to his research. Someone put my name on Jonathan Daniels' Wikipedia page and that led to spending some time in Selma and meeting several people who knew Jonathan.

I'm sure you can understand this story has become my life's work.

During the pandemic, Mark and I were chatting and he suggested that the play should become a screenplay. A few months ago, Mark suggested I put the screenplay on The Black List (a website where Hollywood Directors and Producers discover unknown writers) where it achieved a score of "8." Only 3% of scripts achieve this score. The screenplay is titled "Inextricably Bound."

Because of this, it seems the time has come for the world to find out about the story of Jonathan Daniels.

Mark suggested that I come to Hollywood. Everyone Mark has introduced me to feels this story is more than worthy of a production.

We are planning a staged reading of the screenplay and a short film in the early next year at Creative Visions in Malibu.

Your donation will pay Actors, the Director, the Producer (not me!) and equipment for the film and recording the reading, as well as crew, and incidental expenses like some food and beverages on set and transportation costs.

You're invited to the reading and will be listed in the short film as a donor, should we reach our goal!

Here is a short list of people who have help me get this project to where it is now:

Ernest Thompson is the Oscar-winning writer of "On Golden Pond" and author many other things including the novel The Book of Maps. I have attended his Writer's Workshops many times and I think of him as a friend.

Dylan Mooney will be producing and directing and co-writing with me. Dylan is an accomplished Black actor, film director, producer and entrepreneur. Check out Dylan's IMDb page.

Scott Prisand (IMDb ) is a producer on Broadway and in Hollywood; "Rock of Ages" the movie and Broadway show, among others.

Joel Cohen was the Oscar nominated writer of Toy Story and other movies.

Kathy Eldon is the founder Creative Visions. Her heartfelt story about her son Dan, a photographer who was murdered at age 22 documenting the war in Somalia in the 1990's, is told in "The Journey is the Destination" and her memoir In The Heart of Life are riveting. I can honestly say she has become a friend.

And the cast and crews and producers of each production that has made the story what it is today!

I hope you will consider donating to this project and sharing with all your friends and family!