Screenwriter needs your help

[Rights Fighter]

I may not agree with Andrew being a freelance scriptwriter hoping to make money out of my woes, but then I've got an inept cop who got a raise, promotion and a commendation out of me. Out of the two, I'd rather a jobbing screenwriter trying to make ends meet and get the truth out made something out of me, rather than a 2-bit plod who did all she could to bury the truth.

I'd rather have neither. It's not a case of "I must choose between them both" although I see your point LS.

[Butterfly3030]

film about false allegations

Hi Rights Fighter,
No, I am not in the USA, I am in the UK . Its taken me over 3 weeks to ask
my workplace for some help on the current situation. They have been brilliant this morning and relieved my workload for the next few weeks. Being able to talk to someone at last has helped me to put a few things into perspective and I'm glad that I literally bumped into our HR person, otherwise I would have carried on under all the pressure and probably given up my 20 year old career.
My son and I are spending quality time together and we have an unsaid agreement that if either of us wants to talk about "the" subject, we can, otherwise we just talk about nonsense. it gives us both a place in our minds to go.
My daughter cannot understand how people can be so cruel as to make these allegations knowing that her young brother could end up in jail, I tell her that God is watching and knows everything and as my late grandmother used to say "What goes around, comes around". I have seen this happen to other people and it is so true.
To anyone who has recently found themselves in this horrible situation, take heart, there are people here who understand because they have been through it. Keep coming back to these sites as these are real people whose lives have been wrecked by the stupidity and maliciousness of others.
I strongly believe that we will all get through it, we won't be the same trusting souls that we were before and we will never get over it, but we will get through it. I know my son is innocent and this helps us a lot.
I send you all a massive hug and hope that you find a way of coping that helps you. If I think of anything profound to say that will encourage you, I will type it in.
Big hugs, ScaryTeacher.xxx

[AMVC]

Hello Butterfly3030

Yes, I do dip in and out of this thread and the various boards from time-to-time.

You may think this hollow, but I sincerely wish you and your son all the luck in the world to help guide you through this mire of hardship and injustice.
Stay far too strong to break.

This is not fun, this is not Hollywood and you will NEVER understand how it feels, not will you ever capture it on screen because it is inside of you that dies when this is happening. Not outside.

I know this all too well. I'm sure I've written this before in this thread or perhaps elsewhere, but the best person to write a screenplay about the debilitating aftermath of a false rape allegation would be a man who has been falsely accused of rape. To my knowledge that hasn't been done, so thats where I come in to the fold.

Know me when I write, I am committed, with my heart and soul, to proving you wrong and capturing on screen what you believe is impossible.

I have no need to defend my intentions here anymore. Some folks have been invaluable with the assistence they have given me, answering my questions, reliving their experience, answering more of my questions. Many others would rather bid me good riddance. I thank them all and respect their distrust and distaste.
Truth is, I'm doing this because I care.

Hello LS

You are a fine acquisition to this community, rubber-stamped by the fact you became a Mod double-quick.

P.S. Was my last question removed due to its sensitive nature? It didn't surprise me.

Take care folks

Andrew

[LS]

Hi Andrew, thanks for the compliments, but one of our Lady mods felt it was inappropriate to the site's ethos and subject matter, which is reasonable.

[RFLH]

I ain't no lady!!!

[friday]

obviously having never been falsely accused of sexual assault i may be out of line (and feel free to tell me so!) but i am of the opinion that awareness is half of what is needed to solve injustice. i think of films/books that have highlighted flaws in the justice systems and society in general and i look at how they impact on peoples opinions. to kill a mockingbird springs to mind. not saying any film made will have that kind of impact but you never know. i can only go on what i know and when i read a book/see a film about mental illness for example and then suggest that book/film to someone else to try help them understand i often see something like a light switch on in their head. stephens fry's "secret life of a manic depressive" is one which i think has had a profound effect on peoples opinions in recent years. if someone can do what he has for mental illness to highlighting the flaws in the justice system and the effect of false accusations then surely that is a positive thing?

[Rights Fighter]

Yes it is a positive thing - but the films/documentaries outlining certain problems are usually made by already known film-makers/producers who do not tout on sites such as this, or on an unknown "one-man-band" status.

[friday]

i watched a thing about a guy who did a documentary about hebden bridge and its suicide and drugs problem. he was unknown before but was on this morning, in the papers etc so unknown doesn't mean will never be known... if its intersting/important enough it will make it into public knowledge. sixteen candles was the first film john hughes directed. if someone has contacts (which most people do to a greater or lesser degree) then if they write a good script then there is a chance it could actually get made into a film that people watch. whether its a blockbuster is neither here nor there. it may change the opinion of a few people and maybe one of them could be a police officer or judge....

just my opinion. by no means does that mean i am right or that anything will come of this but surely an informed script based on people who have actually experienced false accusations is better than an inaccurate script that portrays what the scriptwriter thinks it would be like.

[friday]

andrew-just a thought, not sure where you are going with your script or if you intend for the character of the accused to be be charged, go to court etc but if you are then have you sat through a court case? if that doesn't open your eyes i don't know what will. i understand that there is no way to know if the accused will be guilty or innocent but it will give you an idea of the horror of a court room and trial. it certainly isn't like on tv.

[Butterfly3030]

screenplay

My apologies if I have upset anyone with my response to the request for help with getting information for a screenplay. I am sure you will all understand that at the moment we in this family are suffering raw emotions and fear.
I am so scared for my son, he is putting on a brave face but I know he is so scared inside. I hate going to sleep because I know that although I get away from it all for a few hours, when I wake up again, i'm okay for about 3 seconds and then it hits me like a sledgehammer again and my world gets turned upside down again.
I am a writer myself but I will probably never write about our situation in a poem or novel because to revisit these raw emotions again would probably tip me over the edge into insanity and I don't want that.
Can't wait for the date to come round when we go back to the police station and get their decision. Am trying to deal with one day at a time, its not in my nature to do that so this is doubly hard. My son is still working and trying to carry on as normal.
Best wishes to all
Butterfly

[Rights Fighter]

I do not think that any apology is necessary. You are entitled to your view and I think that it is valid.

[LS]

I agree, no apology is necessary. I can't disguise how bitter and angry I am towards the "system" in this country, so I can see why anyone might think my reply was perhaps sharp.
However, the sharpness is aimed at those described not at anyone here, so my apologies for any confusion.

[Rights Fighter]

I may be wrong but I do not think that Butterfly was referring to your reply but was answering in general.

I know that some film makers do a good job and that "unknowns" are very helpful in bringing various injustices to the notice of the public. However there are ways and means of doing that.

I do not think that joining a support group is a way of getting the real picture. These groups are the tip of the iceberg and in no way give a full picture.

I bet the guy whose documentary was televised jumped through certain hoops and was either supervised or advised throughout.

[Saffron]

Butterfly, I don't think an apology is necessary. You spoke from the heart, and that is what this site is here for.

I agree with Friday - Andrew, you should sit through a court case to get a real understanding of what it's like. So completely different to anything you will see on telly. It's an intimidating, scary and disturbing experience.

[Rights Fighter]

The only way he would get anything like a true picture is to:

attend trial, as you say, after conviction, visit the newly convicted as often as possible,

be on the end of the phone when that inmate is sobbing his heart out,

spend as long as it takes to get the matter to appeal (if it gets that far as we know it is easier to convict an innocent person than it is to appeal that conviction).

liaise with a helpful solicitor pre-trial and (if a new solicitor) pre-appeal,

go through all the emotions with the family and inmate during that time, and IF it gets to appeal,

sit through the hearing and cry with the family when it fails.

be there for the family and inmate after the aftershock of the failed appeal

liaise with another solicitor for an application to the CCRC

be there for the family when the CCRC reject the application

help the family search for new evidence, which rarely appears.


All of the above sounds terribly depressing - but it basically the norm. As I said, few appeal applications get heard and most fail.

The CCRC rejects about 95% of applications sent to them.

75% of those that get to CA via CCRC succeed. So about 3% of ALL applications sent to the CCRC succeed.

I live the above all my working day and over and above that.