This Fundraiser is set up to help Marian Webb Betts develop and sell a script for a movie based on the first part of RUBY HEART – The Legend Begins.
More on the fundraiser in a moment, but first the exciting bit:
RUBY HEART – The Legend Begins is the first book in the series LOST LEGENDS OF THE RUBY HEART - a collection of stories about those who, for a time possess the Ruby Heart. The series continues through the centuries as the stories are discovered. Who knows? Perhaps the Ruby Heart will turn up in a small Midwest town. Perhaps even in this century.
THE MOVIE: THE RUBY HEART
The story follows Basil, the son of Balthazar, one of the Wise Men who goes to visit the Baby Jesus. Basil stows away on his father’s caravan determined to see for himself this “Baby King Who will change the world forever.”
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT MARIAN WEBB BETTS
I was born in Sudan, Africa of British Pioneer Missionaries, spending my first 13 years in the back of beyond.
With no communication from the outside world, few books except the KJV Bible and the Golden Bells Hymnbook, our entertainment was based on Dad’s innate ability to tell a good story.
Without toys, we learned from the native children to make our own people and animals out of clay – and to tell of our own “adventures”.
RETURN TO THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE: THE RUBY HEART
One day I was thinking of one of Dad’s stories that remains a favorite, about a little boy who stows away on his father’s camel train to go see the Baby Jesus. His father had given him a ruby heart for his Birthday, so when he visits Jesus, because he had nothing else to give Him, the boy gives Him his heart.
In my mind’s eye I saw Dad’s story played out in musical form. I knew I had to write it down. But how? I knew nothing about the process. But with God’s help I got it done.
With a sigh of relief, I saved the document and turned off the computer.
But I wasn’t done.
Next came the adult story which did not stop at the birth of Christ but continued on to His crucifixion and beyond.
As I finished the first book, I realized there would be many more to follow and began on the second book. After that was published, I began on the third book – until I was interrupted with a request to make the first book into a movie.
Now a movie is usually only about an hour long, sometimes it might stretch to an hour and a half. But it wasn’t long until I realized Ruby Heart would run close to four hours long!
A mini-series or three full length movies? We will see.
In developing the adult version of the story, the Ruby Heart exposed a mysterious past with mayhem and murder, then was lost for 500 years until found by Balthazar, father of our hero, Basil.
Basil has also developed an interesting past, and by the time he is 18, he has established himself as a Man of Medicine with many other unusual abilities as well.
That same year, two other Wise Men arrive, having seen a Star in the East. Balthazar joins them to go to Jerusalem. Basil expects to go, too, but Balthazar commands him to stay and help his Grandfather run the Clan.
Furious, Basil dresses as a stable hand and joins the camel train of one of the other Wise Men.
We know the Wise Men got to see Jesus – but what happens to Basil? What about Herod and his plan to kill all the male children under two? How do they find the Baby who is not in Jerusalem?
Do they get to ride off into the sunset – no sunrise – heading east not west – mission accomplished?
And what happened back home without Basil there to help?
Hmm. Good question.
But that is for the next movie.
Can’t wait to find out about the murder, debauchery, starvation and reprisal; deception, destruction, death and survival that comes next?
Donate to this Movie Fundraiser and you can get a signed copy of RUBY HEART – The Legend Begins and find out for yourself!
RETURN TO THE FUNDRAISER
The process of creating and selling the script for the first movie is being broken into two parts:
- The first part includes creating and adapting the script from the book, copyrighting the full series of works in process, and contracting with a screenwriting consultant/manager.
- The second part will be focused on get the script to a producers. This will include an agent and a lawyer, and may include travel to wherever the producer is.
MARIAN’S BACKGROUND:
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