THE SCENEIt's February 2009. The setting is a boardroom with typical furnishings: a long, highly polished black-lacquered table, surrounded by seven men and three women, seated in swiveling chairs, upholstered in black leather. There is a conference call in progress: a phone at the center of the table is connected to small microphones, set at intervals along the length of the table, so directors can be heard on the other end of the call. The mute button has been activated, and flashes red. The room's lighting is harsh, as though for an interrogation. Chairman and CEO Craig Dubow, played by actor William H. Macy, is seated at one far end of the table.
THE SHOT
In a single take, the camera slowly pans across the faces of these 10 directors, down one side of the table, then back up another. Their expressions range from shock to fatigue; the meeting is now entering its 36th and final hour. The room is silent, but for a few off-screen sounds: two directors, whispering to each other. A cellphone rings once, followed by an angry voice: not now! Barely audible: a person retching, followed by a toilet flushing. Also, someone is crying, softly, when suddenly --
Voice of operator: Hello? Is the Gannett representative still there?
[The shot snaps to an overhead, focused down on the phone. Several hands lunge simultaneously for the mute button]
Off-screen, a desperate-sounding Dubow: Yes! Is the Nixon Pea --
A Nixon Peabody attorney's voice breaks in, with static -- as from a cellphone: I'm sorry; they won't budge. [Silence, then the man's voice again, now thick with emotion] They say -- they say it's too late. They say it would only be throwing good money after bad.
Another off-screen voice, inside the boardroom: My God --
[Quick cut away from phone to face of an unidentified female board member] Impatient, she says: Christ, someone make the motion!
[Cut to Dubow. Looking dazed, he glances at his notes; then, speaking slowly]: Move that the dividend be retained, that it be the policy of this board that it not be changed for the duration . . .
[Cut to black screen; roll credits]
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[Image: Stone's 1987 Wall Street]
Next: The meeting scene, as produced by Frank Capra, with an ending worthy of a wonderful life or a trip to Washington.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that you have already started writing the book chronicling the downfall of this once mighty company and the impacts its demise has had on journalism as a whole.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, it will become required reading at business schools and what is left of journalism schools. "How a public trust was lost by bad decisions."
Book? Hell, I hope it's a musical.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet how about a "COMEDY"
ReplyDeleteMusical comedy!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jim. The drama is just too much for me.
ReplyDeleteJust so long as the truth be told, otherwise, Those Responsible will say, in hindsight that "the internet did us in. Our decisions didn't have anything to do with it."
ReplyDeleteIf the truth is not told, then the real tragedy will have occurred.
The truth: Gannett scoffed at the Internet years ago. Its editors and directors still scoff at it today. If DuBow would have had the courage when he took over, he would have cleaned house. Retired a bunch of the dead weight.
ReplyDelete