The compelling event-, story- and character-driven screenplay is a refined and sophisticated social, historical and scintillating romantic epic. The Nobel Connection is a story of romance and family, of corporate intrigue, and of betrayal and conflicts involving five lifelong friends in three first-generation families of achieved and contrasting social standing and their vicarious connection to the Nobel Prize in economics. The epic begins with brief but telling scenes during the Greek Civil War in 1948, continues with immigration and life in America, and ends just after a 1990s U.S. presidential election and a Nobel Prize ceremony, both events which influence the fates of the five friends and their families. Analogies link the 1990s crises in Kosovo with the Greek Civil War.
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Pro Phase Productions, Inc. is a privately owned corporation
in the greater Chicago area engaged in the development and production of
a major 35mm feature-length motion picture for potential
release in all domestic and overseas theatrical, ancillary,
allied, and nontheatrical markets.
The Company's philosophy resides in the goal of producing a romantic and social epic that explores the human journey and spirit by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. The mission and intent for the film are lofty: to entertain and educate, with the conviction of producing a motion picture of original artistic vision through great storytelling, acting and filmmaking, and of crossgenerational impact, influence and memorability.
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Particularities of the commercial viability of The Nobel Connection
include its expected appeal, critically and commercially, to:
(including
12 million Greeks), an unconditionally supportive, loyal coalition sensitive
to and capable of identifying with devout immigrant ethos and the survival
traits that must be implemented in a new and competitive society before
the American Dream can be pursued--one of the meaningful issues of the
story and potentially a definitive film about such a quest.
The distinguished screenplay and characters also possess visceral,
integral qualities which will never be out of style: heart, authentic
human feeling, and refinement. And women of all ages and backgrounds
will be portrayed with strength of character and intelligence; women with
a truly developed sense of self--qualities often lacking in the portrayal
of women in film.
Devoid of offensive language, tasteless sight gags, and gratuitous violence, further content analyses of the screenplay also reveal that as a feature film, The Nobel Connection will have a strong core array of both proven and potentially profitable and artistically appealing elements and themes.
There has been an enthusiastic, prideful response by Swedish and Greek-American performing artists and other industry professionals since the announcement of the film's development, further reflecting the insight that the time is right for a modern film which links the immigrant experience with contemporary American life.
As a social and dramatic narrative, the film will also be a subtle juxtaposition of human rights issues, entrepreneurship, spirituality, royalty, sports, pop culture, and academia.
Through swift and sharply crafted pace and a cinematographic style of continuity, intercutting and flashbacks, several song and dance, humorous, romantic, spiritual, and ironically poignant scenes serve to establish the characters' individualities and interrelationships. These sequences provide the basis for some surprising plot twists and closures which enhance the uniqueness of the storyline. The drama ends with some thrilling and revealing confrontations and apparent resolutions among the principal characters.
The musical soundtrack will feature a neo-romantic underscore and songscore
merging: modern and classic rock, including Lennon & McCartney
and Mr. Mister's powerful Kyrie; operatic singing; ballet; Greek
periodic folk music historically indigenous to struggles for independence;
and contemporary composition, arrangement and orchestration. The
soundtrack will be dedicated for 
sound as exemplified in theaters, and Dolby Surround Sound encoded on DVDs
and in the impending HDTV.
Principal photography will be in Chicago and Indiana (including Purdue
University) 
Independent films are thriving both commercially and artistically, as evidenced by the number receiving recognition at the Golden Globe, SAG, Peoples Choice, Cannes Film Festival, and Academy Awards. The Full Monty, for example, is an Academy Award nominated and commercially successful independent film (even without major stars). Produced on a budget of $3.5 million, it has grossed $246 million ($46 million in North America, $200 million in all other territories and countries) in world box-office revenue alone, a 70.2 cost-to-return ratio. Another $40 million has been earned from pay-per-view TV and home video. With a break-even point equal to the budget times four, The Full Monty has surpassed its break-even point by over $272 million.
Two phenomena presented, however briefly, in the dramatic narrative of The Nobel Connection merit attention. Thalassemia, or Cooley's anemia, is an incurable inherited blood disease which is one of the world's leading causes of disfigurement, disability and death in childrenof Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Southern Asian, and African ancestry. The partners may agree to contribute a percentage of the movie's profits to thalassemia research.
The second concept concerns how much a re-examination of the Greek Civil
War 
can offer politicians and historians and how far scholars', and thus
politicians', "interpretations are shaped and reshaped by current events"
(Mazower, Journal of Modern Greek Studies, 14.1, 1996, 177-181).
The
demise of the Cold War and the current situation in Kosovo and the civil
war in the former Yugoslavia have encouraged scholars to examine the Greek
Civil War from various perspectives and contemporary significance, including
an analogy to the Holocaust.
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Synopsis of The Nobel Connection
In the story of The Nobel Connection, we see five lifelong friends
in three families (the first-generation children of poor immigrants who
survived a brutal, fratricidal civil war in their homeland) in epical transition
and ensemble through their adolescence, college days and now, middle age
in Chicago:
The grandeur of the Nobel Prize serves as a Stockholm
backdrop for the possible rekindling of a former scintillating
romance between Nobel selection committee member George Valcek and a Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences professor, Anna Ericsson, who is among the
few women being considered for a Nobel Prize in the economic
sciences.
A vivid portrayal of the Nobel ceremony featuresan international opera singer and a multinationalarray of laureates from around the world, includingthe Nobel Prize winner in economics whose multifoldtheory (which favors abetment to small and emergingbusinesses in both industrialized and developingcountries, and characterizes the social economic and environmental constructs of marriage, childbearing, infidelity, discrimination, and poverty. The social economic component will help guide United Nations economics policy and the small business portion will be part of the new U.S. president's economics reforms and will indirectly influence the fates of the five friends and their families.
It is revealed that Bill Manis, by covert actions taken as an adolescent, had sabotaged and denied John Inestopoulos the opportunity for financial freedom in his middle age. Throughout their lives, Bill has secretly undermined his unsuspecting friends, with George having overcome, and John being victimized by, Bill's underhandedness--a veiled parallel to political victimizations during the Civil War in the old country. When Bill's self-ruin becomes manifest, he blames George for his demise, and seeks revenge upon his lifetime friend. The epic ends with this and other revealing confrontations and resolutions among the five friends.
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An exceptional amount of care and effort are being devoted to the casting process. Preliminary auditions in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles have been completed and have served to help bring alive the story of The Nobel Connection. It is our intent to cast at least one celebrity actor in a principal role and one or more name actors in cameos. There will be an outstanding ensemble of actors in each of three age groups, and a mix of established actors with up-and-coming actors. Because of its versatile ensembles of actors and exceptionally strong acting roles, perhaps The Nobel Connection will bring recognition to individual actors, and generate its own new star or stars.
Some of the roles require a Greek accent and the ability to speak some Greek phrases while others require a Swedish accent.
Starring, Co-starring, Supporting, and Cameo Roles:
Bill Manis, 39
Magdalena Manis, 38
George Valcek, 41
John Inestopoulos, 40
Alexandra Inestopoulos, 37
Professor John Hendricks, 60
Professor Anna Ericsson, 38
Professor Stig Thorson, 65
Angelica Valcek, 34
Deana Valcek, 42
Evangelia Kronos, 50
Helena Bikos, 27
Nick Valcek, 37
Bill, Magdalena, George, John, Alexandra, Deana, and Nick as: (Ensemble 1) adolescents and as (Ensemble 2) college students
Papou Valcek--65, Yiayia Inestopoulos--65, Katerina Manis--18, Deano Valcek--16, Kiki and Deanne Inestopoulos, teenaged sisters
Specialty Day Players:
international opera singer (featured performer at the Nobel Prize Awards
Ceremony)
country singer, rock singer or rock band
stand-up comic
game show host
Greek band (capable of doing Greek numbers and classic American rock)
contemporary Christian rock band or singer
Nobel laureates of various nationalities
supermodel
fitness instructor
Thirty other featured, day and bit roles of all ages and types are available. Also, 15 actors (five from the U.S., 10 in Greece; two principals) will be cast for a four-day shoot in Greece.
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Team and Crew
Initial key crew interviews have been conducted and several management, artistic and production personnel have been determined. Any remaining departmental need would be in the area of production design and set design/dressing for individuals who possess a background familiar with Greek cultural nuances.
The auteur
filmmaker and founder of Pro Phase Productions, Dr. Dean Christakis, is
a graduate of Harvard, Purdue, Ball State, and the University of Illinois
at Chicago. He has had successful careers in educational television,
short features and stage acting and directing in Chicago, Boston and Indianapolis.
While winning Harvard's prestigious Schuman Award in educational television and interactive technology, he became an associate producer with the Nova science series. He developed a hallmark for consistently blending science and technology with art and humanity, and for exploring the interactions and interrelationships between an individual and society as a whole.
Dr. Christakis
received recognition as both the Thomas Edison Foundation and the Discover
Magazine national educator of the year, and was a guest of the U.S. Embassy
at the Nobel Prize ceremonies.
Dr. Christakis is "a self-starter, an independent thinker, a developer of well-organized projects (intellectual and practical), and a personable human being." Pro Phase's liaison to Greece, who has worked with Dean on a number of projects, refers to him as "a very unique individual. He is a leader, motivator, an accomplisher, and an overachiever..."
Dean
believes that directors should "infuse their works with a personal style"
and that "some scenes will be performed with strongly preconceived ideas,
while in other scenes I may attempt to go beyond conventional wisdom,
to trust an instinct and inspiration, trying to bring us into the deepest
resources of our imagination and creativity, into a realm where the work
that we are doing is actually original. I want the actor to understand
his or her character experientially, rather than merely descriptively,
connecting to the subtext of the script, engaging a sense of belief in
the character's situations, goals and choices, allowing the character to
have a subconscious, to spring to life in the actor's imagination."
Copyrighted Sample Pages of the Screenplay
THE NOBEL CONNECTION--A GREEK STORY
FADE IN:
CHYRON OVER A MAP:Northern
Greece, Just South of
the Albanian Border, 1948
EXT. A MOUNTAINOUS GREEK PEASANT VILLAGE COMMUNITY - DAY
Before opening title credits, FAMILIES are SEEN mourning executed loved ones; nearby, CITIZENS are being forced by Communist guerrilla SOLDIERS to build fortifications. Distant BOMBING and GUNFIRE are barely AUDIBLE.
The MUSICAL UNDERSCORE
evokes a portentous mix of human emotions, psychological drama and historic
event. OPENING TITLE CREDITS APPEAR and INTERCUT WITH the opening
action segments which DISSOLVE FROM COLOR into SEPIA-toned archival STILL
PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES.
CHYRON: Kalamata,
Greece, 1948
EXT. A VILLAGE KIOSK WITH GOODS DISPLAYED OUTSIDE - DAY
SHOPPERS trade for goods as they peruse newspapers narrating the progress of a brutal, seemingly endless Civil War. CU OF NEWSPAPER PICTURE and HEADLINE:
COMMUNIST KKE GUERRILLA
FORCES INVADING VILLAGES
In Aftermath of Ladas
Assassination, King Paul Imposes Martial Law, Warns of More Attacks as
Rebels Push South
Six year-old EVANGELIA, a feisty, precocious little girl with a long braid down her back, like her mother's hair, and her older brother dance to a bouzouki-wielding TROUBADOUR'S music.
Nearby their father, CHRISTOS, the owner of the store, speaks with shoppers about the war and gets advice from a neighbor, YIANNIS, who relaxes and avoids smoking by occupying himself with a KOMBOLOI.
YIANNIS
Our village may be in danger,
Christos...my anti-Communist
sentiments are well-documented.
I'm moving my family to Athens
to wait for my visa to America.
You should leave, too, Christos.
I can arrange it--I have
connections.
INT. INESTOPOULOS KIOSK, LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT
Christos, his pregnant WIFE, FATHER and MOTHER close the store and, along with their children, retire to the rear sleeping quarters attached to the store proper. Before going to sleep, Christos has his family pack bags of necessities and personal mementoes should they have to flee. As they retire, his concerned wife clutches a religious medal, prays and crosses herself.
EXT. RIVER ON THE EDGE OF THE VILLAGE - SUNRISE
We SEE the bank of a river where a Communist rebel, KRONOS, suddenly pops his head above the water. Kronos walks onto the grassy shore cautiously, knife visible in sheath, approaching a camouflaged jeep and a sleeping driver.
ECU OF the driver's eyes as he awakens, where we SEE Kronos's approaching image in both eyes. It is too late for the man to defend himself as Kronos grabs the terrified man, puts a knife to his throat and covers his mouth. When Kronos begins laughing, the man, SADONIS, realizing that it is his comrade, begins to relax and pull away.
SADONIS
Son of a--
KRONOS
(laughing, and relaxing
his grip)
--You should be more careful...
suppose I was a Royalist?
SADONIS
Let's...get on with what we
have to do.
Kronos, like the disguise Sadonis is wearing, puts on the clothing of a Royalist soldier. The men assume their positions and the jeep is started. CU OF Kronos adjusting a rifle and a grenade pouch.
WIDE ON the jeep making its way toward the village, alternating with CROSSCUTTING INSERTS OF the town resting peacefully for the evening.
EXT. KIOSK - EARLY MORNING
The jeep stops at the front of the store. In the gloved hand of Kronos, we SEE a grenade. Kronos
CONTINUED:
stands, pulls the pin, and spirals the grenade (SEEN in SLOW-MOTION) through the storefront window. The grenade explodes, destroying the store proper. INT. KIOSK, LIVING QUARTERS
Christos awakens to the sound of the explosion, screams and jumps from his bed to find his children crying but the whole family miraculously uninjured. He promptly brings the family together and has them gather their bags, instructing them to wait for his return.
EXT. HILLS JUST REAR OF THE KIOSK LEADING TO AN OVERHEAD ROAD - EARLY MORNING
From the POV OF Christos, knowing a shortcut, he surreptitiously chases the jeep by foot: in SLOW-MOTION, we BECOME one with him, his POUNDING HEART and INCREASED RESPIRATION AUDIBLE to us. The odds defying it, Christos catches up to the jeep and jumps into it, grabbing the unsuspecting Kronos. Sadonis, also startled, floors the accelerator, causing the battling Kronos and Christos to fall out and begin rolling down the hill. The fall shakes up Kronos enough that Christos is able to corral him and disarm the Soviet-issued firearm, and bring the perpetrator back to the bombed kiosk.
INT. KIOSK, STORE PROPER
Kronos is brought into the store at gunpoint by Christos, up in front of the family, which looks-onin disbelief as Christos ties Kronos's hands behind a chair.
Christos's parents cross themselves, his wife and son berate the man, and little Evangelia, wearing her baptismal crucifix around her neck, approaches and questions Kronos about being "a Communist and a bad man," and why he hurts "innocent, poor people."
In a poignant moment, RS OF tears on Kronos's face as he confesses that he has a son just about her age. INSERT SHOT OF Evangelia placing her tiny hand in Kronos's gloved hand. She makes Kronos a promise, that while he is in prison, she will find and take care of his son.
Yiannis and his friends enter to haul Kronos away.
As the family prepares to leave to seek temporary haven in Athens, they pause to inspect the destruction to their store and to salvage items. Amidst the ruins, Christos finds the store name sign which has been preserved in the shape of a cross. He will take it with him to America.
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Several other film, television and theatrical projects have been completed or are being developed by Pro Phase Productions and the Academy of Arts and Science Education:
A Noble Race: Produced by the Academy
of Arts and Science Education, A Noble Race is a 35mm short feature
film about two high school sisters who use their engineering skills and
Computational Fluid Dynamics and Visual Molecular Dynamics to enter a science
fair and to design a more aerodynamically efficient Soap Box Derby race
car in order to win much needed college scholarships.
Analogies link the family concept of amateur youth racing with images
in professional motorsports. Professional Indy Racing League driver
Sarah Fisher appears in a major acting role in the film, courtesy of the
Walker Racing Team. The movie dynamically and warmly portrays
family loyalty, perseverance against great odds, and creative problem solving
linking the arts and technology.
The Making of 'A Noble Race': A completed short documentary and a companion film to A Noble Race, The Making of...concisely details the filmmaking process. This revealing look is replete with examples of actors' readings from the script and rehearsals followed by their corresponding on-camera scenes. Precisely scripted segments as well as improvised scenes are contrasted. Balances between production value and artistic integrity are articulated without compromising either. Insights into the interactions and input of director, actors and cinematographer are offered, and unforeseen problems are addressed.
The Reunion of Miss Harvard: This is a documentary about a certain geographic region in the country which has produced an inordinate number of Harvard enrollees and graduates over the past three decades--three times the national average--a fact that has not escaped the attention of one such alumnus, who has planned a reunion for these Harvard alumni, regardless of the year they attended Harvard. Shooting in Digital8, the doc follows five alumni and three spouses from the time they receive their invitation to the night of the reunion. There is also the quest of the reunion committee to track down one of their classmates who has disappeared from sight, a young lady who inexplicably left Harvard's MBA program only one class short of her degree.
The Fighting 264th--America's Finest: Very few WWII American veterans remain to tell the story of who NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw calls "the greatest Americans." One such group is the U.S. Army 264th Field Artillery Battalion, who share their ethnographic accounts in this documentary from induction through the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and adjusting to civilian life back home.
The Tollbooth: A feature-length comedy-drama based on a true story, The Tollbooth follows a father and son over five decades in their jobs as highway tollbooth employees. Joe Johnson, a lifelong state highway toll collector, was in charge of a toll station that exits to a major auditorium and hotel complex. Joe, and later his son in the same capacity, encountered a variety of celebrities--both famous and infamous--and other noteworthy passengers on their way to the auditorium. This is a tour de force illuminating the evolution of American culture, lifestyles, and values from the 1940s to the present. A dynamic song track from each of the decades will enhance the movie's ambience, time periods, and continuity.
Cyber Refugee Camp: A treatment being developed into a dramatic screenplay, Cyber Refugee Camp involves the American rescue and indocrination of displaced immigrants forced out of their homeland by a brutal dictatorship. It is a story of espionage, international political intrigue, and romance.
The Harvard Wars: One of the most notable and consequential of the campus anti-Vietnam demonstrations of the 1960s, a proposed TV movie-of-the-week, The Harvard Wars, portrays SDS demands and takeover of the central administration building of one of America's great universities. Among the Harvard students at the time were Al Gore, Tommy Lee Jones, and John Lithgow. Prominent faculty who participated in reactionary, divisive faculty meetings were John Kenneth Galbraith, James D. Watson, Archibald Cox, and Roger Rosenblatt.
Elvis and the Beatles: A live musical for
the stage portraying the day the Beatles visited Elvis Presley at his Beverly
Hills mansion and the "jam" session that ensued.