FirstSecond Draft Theater Presents: Titanic

by Pete Butler

Dear Mr. Cameron,

We've received your screenplay for Titanic, and we couldn't be more excited; this has blockbuster written all over it! We did have a few edits we'd like to run by you before we proceed, however; nothing major, just a few tweaks here and there, nothing that will compromise your artistic vision.

• For the soundtrack, there should be at least a song or two by a popular modern artist; nothing provides free advertising like a good hit single! We're seeing if Courtney Love might be available. If she is, would it be possible to write a small role for her into the picture, most likely as the ship's singer?
• There are more opportunities for unobtrusive product placement than you may realize. For instance, we're curious: did the Titanic serve Coke or Pepsi products? Marketing would much prefer Pepsi since we have more "ins" with them, but we know you have a thing for historical accuracy, so if it's Coke, we'll just tell them to bear down and make the best of it.
• Also: consider the car where Jack and Rose have sex. Now before you get anxious, don't worry, we're not suggesting you put them in a Ford Explorer! But a lot of companies making cars today were in business back then, and with the right choice, we could probably swing a deal that would put a few more dollars into your budget. Again, marketing has some industry contacts they'd like to leverage. Would any of the cars being produced by Subaru around that time be suitable for your needs?
• We're concerned about the Fabrizio character; we're not sure how a foreigner who speaks so little English will be received, and we feel this represents a missed opportunity to spice-up the story with a character the teenage demographic can relate to. Making him Jack's smart-alecky American sidekick would let you work in some more quotable one-liners, and would be a good place to add a bit more star power; what would you think of casting Jim Carey in the role?
• How committed are you to that ending? Again, we know you've been stressing accuracy, and we respect that, but your ending is really a downer. Would you be willing to consider something more uplifting, something true to the spirit of your vision but where the ship doesn't sink? It'd be more heroic and satisfying if you could find a way for Jack to save the day.

Anyway, that pretty much covers it. Would you be available to meet with us this week to let us know what you're doing to address these concerns?

Thank you much,
Your Friends at Paramount